All the Hits and Misses of PlayStation’s May 2024 State of Play, From God of War to Marvel Rivals
There was plenty to like, and much to disappoint.
There was a lot riding on PlayStation’s latest event, as fans were hoping to get a glimpse at what Sony’s first-party studios have been working on, and although the absence of developers like Naughty Dog was felt, the May 2024 State of Play was packed with quite a few announcements.
From deep dives to cross-platform confirmations, the half-hour presentation showcased what players can expect from the platform this year and beyond.
A Recap of PlayStation’s May 2024 State of Play
With 14 games sharing the spotlight, here’s everything that Sony showed at the event. Many of them were hits, but there were some misses whose slots should’ve been given to other titles.
Hit: Concord Deep Dive and Release Date
It had been more than a year since Sony revealed Firewalk’s live-service game at the PlayStation Showcase 2023, and although more footage for Concord was expected at the first State of Play of 2024, it took an extensive turn at the event’s latest edition.
Being the first title that was shown at the event, viewers got to meet the vibrant characters, the sci-fi world, and how the gameplay would work in the first-person shooter.
The best part’s that Firewalk will launch the game on both the PlayStation 5 and PC on August 23, confirming the recent statement by CEO Hermen Hulst regarding live-service releases.
Miss: God of War Ragnarok Confirmed for PC
Earlier this month, Sony brought Ghost of Tsushima to PC, and without wasting much time, it announced that Santa Monica’s God of War sequel will be heading over to the platform as well.
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Although the news is huge for PC players, it’s hard not to feel like the announcement could’ve been made through a blog post, as it doesn’t have much to do with the PlayStation community. It’s been nearly two years since the game was launched, so seeing something new in its place would’ve been more appreciated.
Hit: A Massive Dynasty Warriors Game
Omega Force is keeping Dynasty Warriors alive almost three decades after the original’s debut with Origins, showcasing the massive battles that’ll accompany the title in 2025.
The trailer provides a look at the potential of modern technology when it’s used to create large-scale 1 vs. 1,000 spectacles that stay true to the series’ core hack-and-slash nature.
Miss: Infinity Nikki Bringing Dress-up to Console
Transcending the realm of mobile gaming that the Nikki series has been sticking to, Infinity Nikki is the first entry to be launched on PlayStation 5, which begs the question: was a dress-up game necessary to be shown at such a major event?
The series may have been successful on mobile, and although it does look like a genre-defining installment, it doesn’t feel like a high-profile release that needed its own slot.
Hit: Ballad of Antara Stealing the Show
In a gaming landscape full of sequels, remakes, and remasters, it’s refreshing to witness the emergence of a new IP that looks stunning and feels like a fresh experience. That’s exactly what TipsWorks brought to the event with its action-RPG Ballad of Antara, which stole the show with a glorious trailer.
Not only will the fantasy game focus on its single-player aspects, but it’ll also come with multiplayer support. If that’s not reason enough to be interested, the title’s going to be free-to-play and launch next year.
Miss: PS VR2 Taking the Spotlight
There’s a long way to go for the PS VR2 to become a household name, and with two slots given to the platform during the event, it felt like a wasted opportunity that could’ve gone to another significant PlayStation 5 release. The first one is Skydance’s Behemoth, which brings the action-adventure genre to PS VR2, but with its unpolished enemy design and glitchy frame rate, it doesn’t feel like a title worth waiting for.
The second game coming to PS VR2 is Alien: Rogue Incursion, which is disappointing considering that the current generation of consoles doesn’t have a dedicated game based on the franchise. The footage faced similar issues to the one shown for Skydance’s game.
Hit: Marvel Rivals Announced for PlayStation 5
PC players have already had the chance to check out Marvel Rivals, but now the PlayStation community will be able to participate in a Closed Beta Test for the superhero shooter in July on Sony’s current-gen console.
The trailer also revealed the inclusions of Adam Warlock and Venom in the roster, along with a platform exclusive Scarlet Spider costume for Spider-Man.
Miss: Where Winds Meet Looking Like Another Soulslike
Last month, new gameplay footage for Everstone’s potential answer to Ghost of Tsushima made the rounds on the internet, but with the trailer shown at State of Play, Where Winds Meet looks like another title in the saturated Soulslike genre. While that sentiment may change when it launches, there’s not much that stands out about the game due to its uninspired character design, boss battles, and combat.
Hit: Until Dawn Gets a Makeover
Remakes should only be created if their original titles feel dated and the stories told through them should be experienced by modern audiences.
That’s why revamping Until Dawn seems to be the right move, as the trailer looks hauntingly beautiful, and considering the talent involved, such as Rami Malek, bringing the interactive horror tale back nine years after its initial release makes sense.
Hit: Path of Exile 2 Showing Diablo How It’s Done
With almost double the character classes as compared to the first installment and the additions of couch co-op, cross-play, and cross-progression, Path of Exile 2 looks to have improved on a lot of aspects. Where similar high-profile titles like Blizzard’s Diablo 4 face a lot of criticism for their microtransactions, Grinding Gear has confirmed that its action RPG will stay free-to-play and will avoid the pay-to-win elements that not many players are fond of.
Miss: Silent Hill 2 Feeling Like a Downgrade
Getting a release date, October 8, for Bloober Team’s Silent Hill 2 remake would’ve been exciting, but only if the accompanying footage didn’t feel off. The eerie atmosphere of the original game’s missing; the character movements and dialogue come off as stiff, and everything feels clunky. Remakes are supposed to add to the experience that the original provided, but for now, it seems like a downgrade to the horror classic.
Hit: Monster Hunter Wilds Revealing First Trailer
A standout segment of the presentation was when Capcom unveiled the first trailer for Monster Hunter Wilds after more than five months of its initial reveal.
With changing environments that affect the players’ hunting abilities, extraordinary monster design, action-packed gameplay, and fresh weapon actions being added, it seems to be staying true to its roots while also feeling like a comfortable starting point for new players. With Dragon’s Dogma 2 launched earlier this year and the Monster Hunter title releasing in 2025, Capcom’s winning streak keeps going.
Hit: Astro Bot Ending Things on the Highest Note
One of the first activities that players do after initially setting their PlayStation 5 up is meet Astro Bot, as the character welcomes the community by giving it a rundown of the potential of the DualSense controller.
So it’s fitting for the mascot to end State of Play on a high note, as Team Asobi is giving him his own full-fledged game, which is launching on September 6. Gaming should firstly be a fun activity, and the Astro Bot title takes that sentiment seriously, as each section that the trailer shows comes with the kind of life that’s not found in many modern games.
There’s no shortage of great gaming experiences coming to the PlayStation 5, and although the misses don’t outweigh the hits from State of Play, it remains to be seen what Sony’s planning to show at its first-party Showcase 2024.
