2015 proved a massive success for PlayStation 4, with sales of Sony’s flagship console surpassing the 30 million mark worldwide, and the release of critically acclaimed titles such as Bloodborne, Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection, and Until Dawn. Yes, it wasn’t quite the triple-A first-party showcase that many of us hoped for—the delay of Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End didn’t exactly help matters—but there was plenty to get excited for. However, Sony has stated emphatically that 2016 will be another kettle of fish altogether, promising an ‘unprecedented’ slew of top-tier games, not to mention the release of the format holder’s hotly anticipated stab at virtual reality gaming in PlayStation VR.
With a plethora of major game releases in the pipeline for a 2016 release, PSU decided to look at 12 of our most anticipated PS4 titles for the year, both from a third and first-party perspective. With that said, read on to find out what’s getting us hot under the collar for 2016.
– – – – – – – – – – –
Resident Evil Zero HD Remaster
Originally a GameCube exclusive, Resident Evil Zero remains something of a forgotten gem in Resi’s illustrious crown of zombie-slaying adventures, and has the distinction of being the final ‘classic’ game in the series prior to the 2005 revamp in Resi 4. Marrying gorgeous pre-rendered backgrounds with real-time characters, Resi Zero offers a quintessential survival horror romp with a twist, with players able to zap between two protagonists at any one time in the shape of Rebecca Chambers and Billy Coen. In addition, the series’ magical item boxes have been ditched, offering a more strategic take on the classic Resi template as you must decide what items to take with you and what to drop for later. While already a gorgeous looking game, the HD remaster gives Zero a chance to really shine with enhanced character models and lighting, not to mention a host of extra content not seen in the 2002 release. Given how well Resident Evil HD turned out this time last year, we’re stoked for Capcom’s re-release of the prequel, which takes place 24 hours before the infamous Mansion Incident.
Far Cry Primal
The revered open-world franchise makes a return to our screens in February, only this time, Ubisoft has decided to inject some fresh ideas into the mix by setting the action in the Stone Age. Yep, Far Cry has gone 10,000 BC for its latest iteration, with Primal centring on a tribal leader, Takkar, who must survive the hostile yet beautiful land of Oros. Doing away with the contemporary setting removes the usual tropes that players have come to rely since the series’ inception, such as modern weapons and vehicles, opening up a whole new gameplay experience as you tame wild beasts, craft primitive weapons, and battle against rival tribes in an effort to survive the harsh conditions. Far Cry has consistently impressed us with its compelling sandbox play pit, although we’d be lying if we didn’t think the franchise needed a little shot in the arm: Far Cry Primal’s prehistoric jab looks set to do just that.
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
For many, Nathan Drake’s final adventure is the reason they bought a PS4 in the first place. Developer Naughty Dog has a heft weight of expectation on its shoulder for Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, but from what we’ve seen so far, it’s looking to be everything we could have hoped for and more. Set three years after Drake’s Deception, Uncharted 4 deals with the cocky fortune hunter’s search for a legendary pirate treasure in Madagascar, and looks set to adhere to the series’ celebrated blend of adrenaline-pumping combat, sumptuous set pieces, and top-notch storytelling. Easily the best-looking PS4 game to date, Uncharted 4 will be complementing its meticulous visual quality with some all-new mechanics to spice things up, including advanced melee combat, larger environments, improved climbing sequences, and the chance to indulge in optional dialogue choices. Throw in a meaty multiplayer experience, and Uncharted 4 looks set to be the sequel that could help PS4 sell millions more throughout 2016, not to mention offer a fitting end to one of PlayStation’s most beloved action heroes to date.
Dark Souls III
What started out as a sleeper hit for From Software in Demon’s Souls has become a multi-million selling franchise, as the Souls brand continues its brutal, demonic hack-’n-slash antics with the upcoming third instalment in the critically acclaimed dungeon crawler franchise. With series mastermind Hidetaka Miyazaki back in the director’s chair, Dark Souls 3 promises to push gamers to the limit with its unique brand of hardened, medieval-inspired combat; be prepared to die all over again as you battle against a new range of grisly foes and take advantage of all-new combat techniques in your effort to emerge victorious. There also seems to be more effort to sprinkle players with game lore, with small gravestones drip-feeding you crucial story details, but concurrently act as the player’s torches. With Miyazaki-san indicating this may be the final Souls game, we’re eager to get our hands on Dark Souls 3 and sees the series reach the pinnacle of hardcore action-RPG goodness.
Final Fantasy XV
Square Enix finally confirmed that its long-awaited JRPG will be making its way to shelves in 2016, ten years after it was first announced as the PS3-exclusive Final Fantasy Versus XIII. That in itself is enough of a reason to get excited, as for too long the game was very quintessential manifestation of video game vaporware. Revamped for PS4 and with a new title, Final Fantasy XV is shaping up to be everything we wanted from the next full-fledged instalment in the venerable series, boasting a vibrant game world to explore, an eclectic cast of characters, action-packed combat, and airships. Much of the game remains under wraps at present, though you can be sure it will feature the same stellar storytelling we’ve come to know and love from Square Enix’s Final Fantasy tea, and Episode Duscae put aside any concerns we had about the general gameplay, minor quibbles aside. Can it possibly live up to the hype? Right now, we’re feeling cautiously optimistic.
Tekken 7
Bandai Namco’s classic fighting series may have hit multiplatform status, but Tekken remains very much embedded in PlayStation’s DNA, and it’s no surprise to hear that the latest entry is making its way to PS4—complete with VR support, interestingly enough. For this latest round of fisticuffs, Tekken 7 focuses on wrapping up the convoluted Mishima family subplot that has been the backbone of many past games, as Kazuya and Heihachi attempt to patch things up, leading to an epic punch-up in a volcano. Oh, and somehow Street Fighter’s Akuma fits into the whole affair. But you don’t play Tekken for the storyline, and Tekken 7 looks set to refine the series’ compelling bone-breaking combat yet again, with the addition of unblockable Rage Arts and the new juggle-friendly Screw Attack. Featuring a revamped cast list complete with a host of new combatants, Tekken 7 looks set to be the prettiest entry in the franchise yet (just checking out those rippling muscles on Kaz’s chest) and continue to refine series’ gameplay that has kept fighting fanatics hooked for the past 20 years.
@page
Horizon: Zero Dawn
Guerrilla Games’ second PS4 title couldn’t be more disparate from the sci-fi shooting of Killzone, and from the look of Horizon: Zero Dawn, the decision was most perspicacious indeed. Featuring a sumptuous open-world to explore, the game sees players cast as a nimble archer battling against a mechanised menace in futuristic, post-apocalyptic landscape, which eschews the traditional fast-paced gun battles that Guerilla Games has become known for. The juxtaposition between the gorgeous, lush environments and the mechanical behemoths that stalk it is quite striking, and something we’ve never really seen before on PS4, making for a unique premise that is sure to stand out among this year’s new IPs. With the trailers pointing towards strategic combat and plenty of exploration, we can’t wait to see how Guerrilla Games makes its mark on the open-world genre.
No Man’s Sky
Hello Games’ upcoming PS4/PC juggernaut is perhaps the most ambitious title we’ve seen for Sony’s black beast to date, and with good reason. Featuring a prodigious universe ripe with procedurally generated planets to explore (we’re not kidding either; Hello Games has said that players will never be able to visit every single planet during their lifetime), No Man’s Sky offers an endless galaxy that’s ripe for the picking, as you submit data to a comprehensive Atlas, upgrade your ship, and delve deeper into space. It’s shared too, meaning you can exchange the coordinates of planets with your mates and other such activities, or you can merely opt to indulge in the game’s expansive universe without distraction. You can’t just go around draining resources willy-nilly though; you’ll attract some unwanted attention if you hoover up too many precious materials, so you’ll have to carefully manage and balance how much you take. For sheer scope alone, No Man’s Sky offers something totally unique and we can’t wait to strap on our spacesuit come June 2016.
The Last Guardian
Originally a PS3 title, The Last Guardian has endured an arduous and complicated development cycle marred by delays, creative differences, the departure of key staff members, and of course skipping a whole generation of hardware. Now a PS4 title, Sony’s promised that Team ICO’s ambitious boy-meets-griffin beast adventure will finally see the light of day in 2016, and we’re just as stoked as we were back in 2009 during that mesmerising reveal trailer during Sony’s E3 presser. The transition to current-gen hardware has meant the The Last Guardian now looks even prettier than it did on PS3, with the game’s stunning art style and meticulous texture work bringing Ueda-san’s adventure opus to life in all its mythical beauty. From the look of things, we can expect a healthy marriage of puzzle solving, platforming, exploration, and character building as the child protagonist and his furry companion team up to navigate precarious cliff faces, ancient ruins, and lush environments. Can it possibly live up to the hype? We have faith.
Ratchet & Clank
PlayStation’s dynamic duo (no, not Jak & Daxter, the other dynamic duo) returns for this long-awaited re-imagining of the original classic Insomniac Games platformer, due to launch this spring alongside the CG movie. Featuring sumptuous visuals that are almost indiscernible from that of a Pixar flick, Ratchet & Clank looks set to define the platforming genre on PS4 (and eradicate the stain on our memories that was Knack) with a thrilling combination of combat and challenging environmental traversal, while wielding a ton of crazy gadgets and gizmos. However, Ratchet & Clank isn’t just a PS4 facelift of the original; Insomniac Games will be implementing a host of new weapons and other features to freshen up the proceedings, and we can’t wait to see what the studio has in store for the duo’s PS4 debut.
Gran Turismo Sport
Polyphony Digital’s venerable racing simulator franchise makes its triumphant PS4 debut this year with Gran Turismo Sport, which is also taking advantage of PlayStation VR. While not Gran Turismo 7 in name, this latest entry in the series is still a full-on franchise release, so don’t be fooled by the subtitle; there’s more than enough content under the hood here to keep petrolheads satisfied until the next numbered entry hits the road. From a visual point of view you can expect Sport to effortlessly eclipse anything else we’ve seen before up until this point, while the gameplay itself promises to cater to gamers of all tastes, packing in a Campaign, Sports, and Arcade mode, ensuring everyone from hardcore racing aficionados and casual racers will find something to enjoy. The addition of VR compatibility is quite intriguing to say the least, and if implemented properly, will surely elevate the series beyond anything we’ve experienced before. We can’t wait to strap on ourselves into a virtual car interior and take our favorite motor for a spin around the track.
Street Fighter V
The next chapter in Capcom’s venerable fighting franchise is not only just over a month away from release, but it’s a console PS4-exclusive. Yep, Xbox One owners have only only option if the want to play this upcoming gem: buy a PS4. That’s the word direct from Street Fighter Big Cheese himself, Yoshinori Ono. Shorruken! While Capcom did admittedly milk SFIV to death these past few years, there’s plenty of reason to get excited for Street Fighter V; this is the next, full-on release, packed with a revamped roster, fresh stages, all-new moves, and sumptuous visuals to boot. We’re promised a meaty 16 characters for launch, with more fightings rolling out throughout the rest of the year. Not only that, but given the series stellar multiplayer offering, we can also expect a silky-smooth online component to keep us plugging away at Ryu and co’s latest bout of fisticuffs for quite some time.