May 30th, 2024 was one of those special days of the year. A day where gamers across the world could all sit back, relax and enjoy updates and trailers for releasing and unannounced games. May 30th was the day of PlayStation’s State of Play. It was an interesting presentation to say the least. A total of 14 games made the cut but which ones left the biggest impression on us? Read below to find out:
#14 Concord Was the Show-opener
It’s scary to go first. Concord wore it with a badge of pride. This game had a very long timeslot. For the most part, I think it did a good job with its presentation. The cinematic was entertaining and full of action and character. However, there was one part that will possibly make me hold off.
Concord is an FPS. Specifically, a 5v5 team-based hero shooter (think like Overwatch and/or Valorant). This does not make the gameplay unappealing to me, necessarily. I’ve tried several hero shooters, and I can never get used to them. This goes double for investing into them. For this reason, Concord will most likely be a game I stick to watching. That is, unless friends and family want me to try it.
Concord releases on PS5 and Windows August 23, 2024
#13 God of War Ragnarök Is Still Backlogged
As the title suggests, I already own GoW Ragnarök in my backlog. If not for this simple fact, I would be overly excited to own this on PC. Of course, given the port is well done. This should be an excellent game in any PC-only gamer’s library. So, while I would not purchase it, I would recommend it quickly.
GoW Ragnarök is the sequel to 2018’s GoW (also known as God of War 4). These two feature Kratos and his son, Atreus. The stories heavily deal in Kratos’ past, while also trying to raise his son to be better than he was. All the while, they are in a new land. And this new land comes with its own pantheon of Gods and Goddesses. If you know God of War, you’ll know these are not Kratos’ favorite beings (lol).
Still, he tries to coexist with them and not cause any trouble. However, if there is one thing we’ve learned about Kratos, it is that he’s a trouble man.
GoW Ragnarök PC releases September 19, 2024.
#12 Alien Rogue Incursion
Alien Rogue Incursion appears to follow a staple for the series. A lone spaceperson trapped in a claustrophobic and dark place with an Alien on the hunt. Therefore, it is likely to be a game of cat-and-mouse until the player either escapes or kills the alien.
The preview was very short. It is a game that is releasing soon, so that is a bit worrying. Perhaps that is better than revealing too much? Also, during the trailer there were noticeable FPS drops. I’ll use my last copium and believe that it was presentation-related and not the engine itself.
While I am a big fan of the Aliens franchise, ARI will likely be a pass for me. I’ll continue to wait for Alien Isolation 2, hopefully that game will emerge one day. Its desirability is very low for me. This is due to my apprehension to adopt VR gaming. Which brings us to #11.
Release Date TBD Holiday 2024 for PSVR2
#11 Skydance’s Behemoth
Skydance’s Behemoth falls into a strange category for me. It being VR gives me the apprehension towards it, however, I still — want — to play it. The trailer does a fairly good job of giving an idea of what this game entails without divulging too much of the story.
It has a clear Nordic-inspired aesthetic. We see trolls, draugr and runes in the trailer. Nordic culture has become a popular theme in gaming since the 2010s and I’m all in for it. My first introduction to the culture being Skyrim, then God of War 2018 several years later. It is very reminiscent of the two games for more than just the cultural influence. Behemoth also is first person, like Skyrim and does not hold back on gore like GoW2018. In the trailer, we literally see an enemy get their face sliced off via thrown axe like bones do not exist.
Skydance’s Behemoth sits at an awkward position on this list, to be fair. The aesthetic and vibe of it gives me what I need. However, the VR element slightly turns me away. For this one, I’d really like to see the reviews before deciding to give into the VR wave and purchasing.
Skydance’s Behemoth currently does not have a release date, but can be wishlisted now on the PS Store.
#10 Until Dawn PS5
If you are a fan of story-based, decision-making games then I am sure this title is familiar. Until Dawn follows a group of young adults who face a dangerous situation on a mountain. It’s a simple horror setup but is bolstered by the interactive nature of it.
The scenes featured in the trailer are familiar to anyone who has ever played through, or watched, the original game. This is why Until Dawn lands itself at #10 on our list. Like some of the games above it, I know it is not a bad game. However, the story loses a bit of surprise on a fresh mind (I watched a playthrough like 2-3 years ago).
If you are a fan of story-based games, I would recommend Until Dawn as one of the best. I’m sure the PS5 remake will add a new graphical depth to the game. However, due to the nature of the game being story-based and knowing that story, Until Dawn PS5 sits at a certain #10.
Until Dawn Remake releases on PS5 and PC sometime during the Fall of 2024.
#9 Infinity Nikki
The trailer for this game begins with a child and her… talking cat friend named Momo realizing that they’ve been transported to a fantasy land called “Miraland.” Nikki has aspirations of being a stylist. As such, the trailer features her changing into many different outfits.
This was a well composed trailer. The music fit the broadway-esque grandeur of the character’s aspirations. As well as the platforming and action elements that surprised me. However, based on the trailer, you could infer that these are not the game’s primary focus. To be honest, I’m not the biggest fan of dress-up or cutesy games. Though I do like platformers, the chances of me purchasing Infinity Nikki on day 1 are very slim.
Infinity Nikki can be tested on PS5 in Q3 2024.
#8 Ballad of Antara
The Ballad of Antara trailer is another tricky one to place. I’m unsure if it should be higher. The reason is because, I am struggling to get a read on it. It appears to be some sort of Action RPG but it is not create-a-character. We see the player in control of four different characters, all with different playstyles.
The trailer presents cryptic dialogue, so there is not much to go on there. It has nice ethereal visuals during some of the larger fights we see, however. At the very least, this trailer did not spoil too much. Hopefully, this means that storytelling will be its primary focus and it will tell a tale for the 2020s. Currently, Ballad of Antara is in a limbo for me. Whether I will play or not, depends on future promotional material.
Ballad of Antara releases sometime during 2025 for PS5.
#7 Marvel Rivals
I know what I said about Concord up above. I’m not known to be great at 5v5 hero shooters. However, this time around, it’s a 6v6 hero shooter that’s in third person. It also helps that it features well established characters that I’ve known since I was a child. Contrast this to Concord, that is trying to introduce all new characters (which is perfectly fine) into a genre I’m really not versed in.
The trailer gives us all of the fixings you’d see in a hero shooter: chaos, hero abilities and team synergy. It’s a very unique cast of characters also. There are some characters that you would not normally expect to see as day ones in a Marvel game. Characters such as The Punisher, Adam Warlock and Peni Parker. To top it all off, the visuals have an interesting cel-shaded quality reminiscent of an updated Ultimate Spider Man PS2 and/or the new animated Spider-Man films.
While hero shooters are not my normal song and dance, I’ll definitely give Marvel Rivals a chance. Being a Superhero fan and a journalist, I’ll make the most out of it like or dislike.
Marvel Rivals enters closed beta on PS5 sometime in July 2024.
#6 Silent Hill 2
Silent Hill 2 made an appearance again at State of Play. However, it was actually its special presentation that gave it a better look. The presentation “Silent Hill Transmission,” in my opinion, gives a much better look than last year’s trailer.
This is the second Silent Hill this year following “Silent Hill: The Short Message.” The preview captured an atmosphere of horror well. It excels in lighting, sound and visual design. The beginning of Transmission begins with walking down a street blanked with Silent Hill’s iconic thick fog. Eventually, we find ourselves in a hospital that I’m sure is condemned.
The game begins to put its psycho-horror into full gear. The building is decrepit. We crawl through pitch black rooms, our flashlight turning on after. We can hear sounds of chittering, then turn to see a massive infestation of beetles. Transmission gave us a dreadful atmosphere, serving to put the playing in mental distress.
Silent Hill 2 appeared to excel here. However, the gameplay was a bit iffy. Maybe it will feel better to play. Like the end of Transmission, I can see myself locked in a room with Silent Hill 2.
Silent Hill 2 Remake releases on PS5 and Steam October 8, 2024
#5 Path of Exile 2
I caught wind of Path of Exile 1 many years ago. To be honest, I did not pay very much mind to the game, nor did I watch much of it. I did, however, know that it was a top-down ARPG that reminded me heavily of the Diablo series. Being an indulger of Diablo, myself, I just figured it another clone. I’m not sure about PoE1 but as it relates to PoE2? I was wrong.
What this trailer showed was something almost slower and more methodical than Diablo 3 and 4 (my main Diablos). The character animations seemed to be much more fleshed out thanks to this. The visual appeal this game possesses is astonishing for the camera to be so zoomed out. That definitely speaks to the developer’s finesse and care.
What also speaks to the developers being sensical is the addition of couch co-op and cross-play. Growing up playing Marvel’s Ultimate Alliance and X-Men Legends with my sister, makes me miss couch co-op in these types of games. Though I probably will not use the feature much, couch co-op is one of those things that just aligns gamers with developers.
Path of Exile 2 is highly likely to get my time.
Path of Exile 2 will launch into early access in late 2024.
#4 Where Winds Meet
When the trailer for the game began, it instantly captured my attention. From the ominous visuals heavy with red and blacks to the juxtaposition of unknown characters, this was an attention grabber. Where Winds Meet appears to be heavily inspired by Sekiro, its deflecting of sword hits noticed. There was a boss who even appeared to be inspired by Isshin, The Sword Saint.
Hopefully this is merely an intention of this trailer and not a low-key rip-off. The game’s trailer does have great cinematography, impactful hits, great sound and cool environments. There is not much to go off with this 1:03 minute trailer but I like what I saw.
Where Winds Meet is still in development for PS5.
#3 Dynasty Warriors Origins
This may be a controversial choice for 3rd place. However, Dynasty Warriors is a series that holds dear to many gamer hearts. This holds true for mine as well. Joining the series at Dynasty Warriors 5, my sister and I instantly fell in love with it.
I would like to make it clear that DW Origins is not here solely because of favoritism. The trailer for this game manages to capture the Musou franticness is all its graphical glory. Dynasty Warriors battles have always been ridiculous. One lone soldier battling 100s of enemies, bodies flying everywhere. Back in the PS2 and PS3 days we just adapted to the framerate drops.
This time around, Dynasty Warriors Origins introduces the graphical fidelity needed to tell these epics. Based on the trailer, it seems that it is following a specific character. We’re not sure if this is a story mode wherein the character is a new entry, or if this is the sole story telling mode of the game. Hopefully it is not, and we are still able to relive the Wu, Shu and Wei drama that we have been told for 3 decades.
Dynasty Warriors Origins release is TBD 2025.
#2 Monster Hunter Wilds
What’s the only thing cooler than battling a giant animal-monster hybrid? Battling a giant-monster hybrid with comically large weapons and buddies. I’m sure most people reading this are familiar with the Monster Hunter series by now. The series first broke true mainstream with the meteoric Monster Hunter World (2018).
Although I did not expect to see it during 2024’s State of Play, I was pleased. Perhaps pleased is not the word but elated. Monster Hunter is always welcome, and it was great to see a gameplay trailer that showed it justice. What took me by surprise was the new hybrid weapon system.
During the trailer, we saw a hunter change their weapon from a greatsword to, what appeared to be, a heavy bowgun. Significant changes like that, to an otherwise simple gameplay formula, is what reels us MH fans back in time and again. This is not to mention the inclement weather system that seems to be commonplace but set piece quality.
To be honest, by both favoritism and merit, Monster Hunter Wilds was a winner for me at this year’s State of Play. However, it didn’t win the show for me, that award goes to…
Monster Hunter Wilds release is TBD 2025 for PS5, XBox and PC
#1 Astro Bot, Platformer Icon Potential?
Seeping with the light-hearted but dazzling cool charm of childhood platformers of the golden age, Astro Bot won. The preview began with a carousel of on-rail sections. The trailer then proceeded to show us the diversity in environments. One thing that the Astro Bot trailer nails, is showing the fluid movement of Astro Bot.
Because it is a platformer, Astro Bot has to succeed with it controls. In the trailer we see impactful hits and quick execution of techniques. The trailer shows a diverse array of techniques. The game seems to have a “power-up” element. Astro Bot donned boxing gloves, time manipulation and size multiplication. All of which assisted him with traversal. It’s highly reminiscent of Super Mario Odyssey.
It’s nice to see Astro Bot return for a third game. I also hope to see him become a PlayStation Icon. If Kratos, Cloud and Aloy are cool with him, then I think we should keep giving him a chance. And also, I’m also because I’m a big fan of platformers.
Astro Bot releases September 6th, 2024 on PS5
Final Thoughts
So, we’ve wrapped our list. There are no true losers or winners here. Everything appeals to everyone differently. I’ve seen some folks did not like this State of Play, which is fair. For me, however, it had nearly everything I need for my gaming forecast. As for what it did not have, the beginning of this year did (I’m looking at you Tekken 8 and HellDivers 2).
But anyway, with all that being said, what did you all think of this year’s State of Play? Did you all like it or dislike it? How would you rank the games shown? Let us know in the comments below.
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