Category: PlayStation

Last week, we you to dive in and share moments swimming from the game of your choice using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights:

Couch_Gamer2k23 shares Nathan scuba diving in Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

jobolts_ shares Ellie swimming in the Savage Starlight skin in The Last of Us Part II.

call_me_xavii shares Sam floating through a stream of tar in Death Stranding.

calisarah1998 shares Naoe leaping off a tree into a lake in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

xenobitz shares a hunter wearing a Palico helmet underwater in Monster Hunter Wilds.

vg_ryno shares Aloy peeking her head above water in Horizon Forbidden West.

Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week?

THEME: Maximalism
SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on June 25, 2025 

Next week, push everything to the max. Share crowded, busy, visually over-the-top moments of maximalism from the game of your choice using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

Dear Trailblazers, greetings from the Honkai: Star Rail development team. It’s been a while, we’ve truly missed you. Today, we bring you the latest news from Version 3.4, “For the Sun is Set to Die,” arriving officially on July 2. As the trailblazing expedition reaches its dramatic peak in Amphoreus, the Chrysos Heirs are pouring their last strength into securing one final, precious moment — so that you, the Trailblazer, and Phainon may deliver the last Coreflame to the Vortex of Genesis. Now, the path ahead has been revealed. Only one final step remains before Era Nova.

Let’s pick up where we left off — the fog shrouding Amphoreus’s skies gradually clears, revealing a cruel truth: this world is far more complex than it seems. As unveiled at the end of Version 3.3, the root of Amphoreus’s tragedy lies in an “Emperor’s Scepter” enduring to the present. However, the events that follow have transcended Amphoreus’s borders. The waves of “Era Nova” may sweep across the cosmic shores, and amidst this torrent, every choice the Trailblazer makes could determine the fate of the entire universe.

A new ally ignites the Galactic Trail

In the upcoming main storyline, the long-awaited Phainon will finally become a playable character and join the Trailblazer’s team. A native of Aedes Elysiae, he was one of the first Chrysos Heirs in Amphoreus to extend a hand of goodwill to the Trailblazer. Even in the darkest hours, he stood tall to shield others from harm. But behind his calm and gentle demeanor lies the weight of countless hopes and expectations. In Version 3.4, players will venture deep into Aedes Elysiae as the Trailblazer to uncover Phainon’s past — how he set foot on the Flame-Chase Journey, how he rose to become a warrior, and how those trials shaped who he is today.

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During combat, Phainon can accumulate “Coreflames” through various means. Once he reaches a certain number of “Coreflames,” he can unleash his Ultimate to transform and create a “Territory,” battling enemies in a powerful new form. His combat power greatly increases. While transformed, allies will be temporarily Departed, but their buff effects remain active. Upon transforming using “Coreflames,” Phainon unlocks new abilities, channeling the powers of the Creation, Calamity, and Foundation Titans. It’s worth mentioning that when Phainon is in the team, the team’s Technique Point cap increases. His Technique can instantly defeat normal enemies within a certain range without triggering combat. This will make exploring the map and adventuring across worlds much easier.

Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] collaboration event

Beyond Amphoreus, an extraordinary tale is about to unfold in Penacony. Recently, Trailblazer received a mysterious letter from Old Oti, head of the Alfalfa Family, an invitation to join a special entertainment program called “Sweet Dreams and the Holy Grail War.” This Holy Grail War will take place in Penacony, where seven invited participants will summon historical figures as Servants to fight alongside them. In addition to the Trailblazer, familiar names like Aventurine, Mr. Boothill, and Miss Robin will also appear as contestants. At the same time, three legendary Heroic Spirits will respond to the Holy Grail’s call: Saber, Archer, and Lancer. How will this dazzling and unpredictable “Sweet Dreams and the Holy Grail War” unfold? Who will form a contract with whom? The Trailblazer can uncover all these mysteries firsthand. The Honkai: Star Rail × Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] collab special story — Trailblaze Continuance “Sweet Dreams and the Holy Grail” and the event “Fate/stay night” will officially go live on July 11. Stay tuned!

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It is also worth noting that Saber will be joining as a playable character in this collaboration. Saber is a 5-star Wind-type character following the Path of Destruction. Her Ultimate, “Excalibur,” deals massive Wind DMG to all enemies and converts her Basic ATK into an enhanced Basic ATK that also targets all enemies. During combat, Saber can accumulate “Core Resonance” through her Technique, Basic ATKs, or when allies use their Ultimates. Once she accumulates enough, she will immediately gain an extra action. Using her Skill at this moment consumes all accumulated “Core Resonance,” increases the Skill’s damage, and instantly refills the Energy required for her Ultimate.

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At the same time, Archer will also be available as a playable character to assist players in battling powerful enemies during the Holy Grail War and the subsequent cosmic adventures. Archer is a Quantum-type character following the Path of the Hunt, skilled at dealing sustained single-target damage through repeated Skill use. When his Skill is activated and he enters the “Circuit Connection” state, casting the Skill will not end his turn. He can continue to use it until all Skill Points are depleted. With each additional cast, the damage increases accordingly. Upon using his Ultimate, Archer will recite the classic chant to activate “Unlimited Blade Works,” unleashing a powerful strike against a single enemy and gaining Special Charge. As the battle continues, whenever an ally attacks, Archer can consume this Charge to trigger a Follow-up ATK and restore 1 Skill Point for the team.

Starting from July 11, once the collaboration event begins and until the end of Version 3.6, Trailblazers who log in will be able to claim Archer, the limited 5-star collaboration character, for free. It’s worth mentioning here that the character and Light Cone collab banners will be available long-term after the event starts.

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Character re-run, existing characters enhancement, and system optimization

In the first half of Version 3.4, the limited 5-star characters Tribbie, Sunday, and Sparkle will make their return. In the second half, Firefly, Jingliu, and Blade will also re-run. Several popular existing characters — Silver Wolf, Blade, Kafka, and Jingliu — will get some serious enhancements. Some Eidolons of these characters will also tweaked to better match their revamped kits, making sure everything stays in sync. Notably, these four characters allow seamless switching between classic and enhanced modes, letting players choose their preferred battle style. Firefly’s new outfit, “Spring Missive,” will also launch soon.

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And that’s not all. The long-awaited “skip dialogue” feature, which was previously announced, is finally going live in Version 3.4, letting players freely choose the pace of storytelling based on their own preferences. The much-loved minigame “Origami Bird” will make a strong comeback, adding a touch of lively fun to the update.

That wraps up our preview for Version 3.4. We hope it’s filled you with anticipation for the road ahead —  and remember, this is only the tip of the iceberg. Even more surprises are already underway.

What if understanding climate change wasn’t a lecture – but a journey you could take yourself? We’re pleased to introduce Climate Station, a new experience that transforms decades of climate science into an interactive story.

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Developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, as part of our collaboration with the United Nations Playing for the Planet Alliance, Climate Station turns complex data into an immersive, interactive experience. Whether you’re a curious explorer, a data detective, or just looking for something totally unique to dive into, this free app available today on PS5 and PS VR2 is your gateway to understanding the forces shaping our world.

Harnessing the same tech innovations used in blockbuster games, Climate Station delivers a seamless, visually rich experience. On PS5, you’ll navigate a fully interactive globe, zooming into climate events and data layers with the DualSense controller. On PS VR2, the experience becomes even more immersive – reach out with your PS VR2 Sense controllers and manipulate the Earth itself.

You’ll interact with real scientific data, explore climate scenarios, and uncover the stories behind the numbers.

Climate Station kicks off with a guided tour. As you complete each section, new features unlock — opening up more ways to play, explore, and uncover the hidden stories behind the climate across four modes

Weather Year

Witness the breathtaking beauty of the Earth in motion. Weather Year is a visually striking timelapse of clouds and storms as the seasons progress, that feels like watching the planet from space. As the year unfolds, wildfires, tropical storms, floods, and droughts emerge across the globe, paired with human impact and cost data. But beyond the individual events, a deeper picture comes into view – clouds patterns, storm tracks, greenhouse gases, and shifting sea ice converge to show the Earth as a fragile, interconnected system.

Observations

Explore over a century of climate change using authoritative data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPPC). An interactive globe reveals temperature shifts from 1901 to today, with glowing 3D pins marking change – red for warming, blue for cooling. Click any pin to unlock detailed records — from monthly figures to long-term trends, including your own region. You’ll also access vital global indicators – carbon dioxide (CO₂),ocean heat, sea level rise– giving you a direct view of the evidence behind today’s climate urgency.

Projections

In Projections, explore five possible pathways shaped by global emissions decisions — from rapid CO₂ reductions to unchecked emissions growth. Using IPCC-trusted models, you’ll see how temperature and impact trajectories diverge dramatically by 2100. Track escalating risks – extreme weather, droughts, floods, biodiversity loss, irreversible tipping points, and more. Track vital signs such as sea level, ocean heat, and ice mass under each scenario. Explore vivid milestone globes showing how different warming levels reshape ecosystems, habitats, species, and critical systems – making it clear how the choices we make today define the kind of future we’ll face tomorrow.

Explainer Library

Cut through the noise with 90 minutes of accessible, expert-led content. The Explainer Library demystifies the science behind climate change, from extreme weather mechanics to the models scientists use to understand the future. These videos break complex ideas into clear, compelling insights — making the subject easier to grasp than ever before.

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Climate Station is an invitation to understand the complexities of climate change and raise awareness. We hope you’ll enjoy the experience and discover your own climate story.

For more information on Climate Station, please visit: https://www.playstation.com/games/climate-station/

As we established in our previous article, visiting Japan was an important part of creating the world of Ghost of Yōtei.

The Sucker Punch reference gathering team from left to right: Nate Fox, Ryuhei Katami, Jason Connell, Ian Ryan, Joanna Wang, Rob Davis.

Sucker Punch is an American company and we are well aware that we don’t naturally come equipped with the cultural knowledge to bring feudal Japan to life. To do that, we need a lot of help. Thankfully we are also part of PlayStation, for Ghost of Tsushima we were fortunate enough to receive steady feedback from our colleagues in Tokyo. As you might have guessed, the same is true for Ghost of Yōtei. Only this time we’ve broadened our roster of advisers.

When setting a game in Hokkaido we knew a crucial element was doing our best to represent Ainu culture in a respectful way. Thankfully we’d connected with an Ainu cultural adviser before setting out on our reference gathering trip and she was nice enough to introduce us to her family. The group of us traveled up a nearby mountain and got to know each other while foraging for vegetables. It was great, all of us from Sucker Punch stopped taking pictures and got our hands dirty. We started really looking at the plants beneath our feet. It was a lovely way to make new friends and start our journey in learning about Ainu culture. That night we resolved to put foraging into our new game, we wanted players to be able to share the experience we were lucky enough to have experienced.

Yukiko Kaizawa leads the Sucker Punch team foraging for vegetables.

Yukiko Kaizawa shows Joanna Wang and myself how to sort the vegetables in preparation for turning them into lunch.

We also had the opportunity to explore the displays in the Nibutani Ainu Museum while talking with our adviser. This really helped us get a sense for sorts of objects we’d see in the game and how they were used.

Nibutani Ainu Museum.

Exploring the Oshima Peninsula also gave us a terrific look into the lives of the Matsuamae clan who were there in strength during the time period our game takes place. It was interesting to see the proliferation of cherry trees on the peninsula, brought there from Honshu, yet uncommon in the rest of the island. That really told the story of how sparsely settled Hokkaido was in 1603 by the Wajin people. We’ve tried to mimic that quality in the game, leaning into areas of wilderness between homesteads.  Of course down on the Oshima Peninsula clan Matsumae were very present, bringing with them a feeling of Honshu.

Clan Matsumae’s castle.

Our producer, Ryuhei Katami, took us all around Honshu to educate us on Edo culture. Here are some photos we took.

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My favorite stop was the impressive Nikko Toshogu Shrine. While there we obtained a blessing for the game from the enshrined deity, Tokugawa Ieyasu.  The Omamori and Ema we received sit proudly in our studio on a high shelf facing south. They’re a constant reminder of the time we spent on the research trip. While our version of Hokkaido is fictional, the feeling of authenticity we strive to create has roots in those real world experiences.

Sucker Punch’s office

For anyone reading this, thinking that they might want to visit Hokkaido, my advice to you is: do it. Japan is a place so many of us go in our imaginations, to actually be there is a dream come true.

Last week, we asked you to share stealthy moments from the game of your choice using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s sneaky highlights:

call_me_xavii shares Aloy peeking through tall grass in Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered.

crimsonashtree shares Connor sneaking up on someone in Detroit Become Human.

BBSnakeCorn shares the Cairn protagonist sneakily swimming up to a frog.

Lny_Trpr_EE7 shares Ashley sneaking through the mansion in Resident Evil 4 Remake.

xenobitz shares Rover preparing a sneak attack from behind a boulder in Wuthering Waves.

_xFenrir shares Naoe sneaking past a guard in Assassin’s Creed Shadows.

Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week?

THEME: Swim
SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on June 18, 2025 

Next week, we’re diving in for a quick swim. Share moments swimming from the game of your choice using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

Things are warming up as Remedy’s FBC: Firebreak approaches its June 17 launch on PlayStation 5 as part of the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog. We chatted with Communications Director Thomas Puha, Lead Level Designer Teemu Huhtiniemi, Lead Designer/Lead Technical Designer Anssi Hyytiainen, and Game Director/Lead Writer Mike Kayatta about some of the fascinating and often hilarious development secrets behind the first-person shooter.

PlayStation Blog: First, what PS5 and PS5 Pro features did you utilize?

Thomas Puha: We’ll support 3D Audio, and we’re prioritising 60 FPS on both formats. We’re aiming for FSR2 with an output resolution of 2560 x 1440 (1440p) on PS, and PSSR with an output resolution of 3840×2160 (4K) on PS5 Pro.

Some of the DualSense wireless controller’s features are still a work in progress, but we’re looking to use haptic feedback in a similar way to our previous titles, such as Control and Alan Wake 2. For example, we want to differentiate the weapons to feel unique from each other using the adaptive triggers.

Going into the game itself, were there any other influences on its creation outside of Control?

Mike Kayatta: We looked at different TV shows that had lots of tools for going into a place and dealing with a crisis. One was a reality show called Dirty Jobs, where the host Mike Rowe finds these terrible, dangerous, or unexpected jobs that you don’t know exist, like cleaning out the inside of a water tower.

We also looked at PowerWash Simulator. Cleaning dirt is oddly meditative and really fulfilling. It made me wish a zombie attacked me to break the Zen, and then I’d go right back to cleaning. And we were like, that would be pretty fun in the game.

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Were there specific challenges you faced given it’s your first multiplayer game and first-person shooter?

Anssi Hyytiainen: It’s radically different from a workflow point of view. You can’t really test it alone, necessarily, which is quite a different experience. And then there are times when one player is missing things on their screen that others are seeing. It was like, “What are you shooting at?”

What’s been your favorite moments developing the game so far?

Teemu Huhtiniemi: There were so many. But I like when we started seeing all of these overlapping systems kind of click, because there’s a long time in the development where you talk about things on paper and have some prototypes, but you don’t really see it all come together until a point. Then you start seeing the interaction between the systems and all the fun that comes out of that.

Kayatta: I imagine there’s a lot of people who probably are a little skeptical about Remedy making something so different. Even internally, when the project was starting. And once we got the trailer out there, everyone was so nervous, but it got a pretty positive reaction. Exposing it to the public is very motivating, because with games, for a very long time, there is nothing, or it is janky and it’s ugly and you don’t find the fun immediately.

Were there any specific ideals you followed while you worked on the game?

Kayatta: Early on we were constantly asking ourselves, “Could this only happen in Control or at Remedy?” Because the first thing you hear is, “Okay, this is just another co-op multiplayer shooter” – there’s thousands of them, and they’re all good. So what can we do to make it worth playing our game? We were always saying we’ve got this super weird universe and really interesting studio, so we’re always looking at what we could do that nobody else can.

Huhtiniemi: I think for me it was when we chose to just embrace the chaos. Like, that’s the whole point of the game. It’s supposed to feel overwhelming and busy at times, so that was great to say it out loud.

Kayatta: Yeah, originally we had a prototype where there were only two Hiss in the level, but it just didn’t work, it wasn’t fun. Then everything just accidentally went in the opposite direction, where it was super chaos. At some point we actually started looking at Overcooked quite a bit, and saying, “Look, just embrace it. It’s gonna be nuts.”

How did you finally decide on the name FBC: Firebreak, and were there any rejected, alternate, or working titles?

Kayatta: So Firebreak is named after real world firebreaks, where you deforest an area to prevent a fire from spreading, but firebreaks are also topographical features of the Oldest House. And so we leaned into the term being a first responder who stops fires from spreading. The FBC part came from not wanting to put ‘Control’ in the title, so Control players wouldn’t feel like they had to detour to this before Control 2, but we didn’t want to totally detach from it either as that felt insincere.

An external partner pitched a title. They were very serious about talking up the game being in the Oldest House, and then dramatically revealed the name: Housekeepers. I got what they were going for, but I was like, we cannot call it this. It was like you were playing as a maid!  

FBC: Firebreak launches on PS5 June 17 as a day on PlayStation Plus Game Catalog title.

A sold-out 700-strong crowd at the BBC’s famous TC1 studio in West London’s Television Centre was treated to an awesome demonstration of racing on Gran Turismo 7 on Saturday, 7 June. With a display of stunning cars gracing the Helios Circle outside the iconic venue, and a big screen relaying the action to those without a ticket, there was a festival feel as some of the world’s fastest SIM racers gathered in the UK’s capital city for Round 1 of the Gran Turismo World Series 2025.

First up was the Manufacturers Cup, a team competition in which the drivers represent their favourite automotive marque. Present for Round 1 were the team members who had qualified online for the Asia-Oceania region. The combination was Gr.3 cars racing around the Tokyo Expressway – South Counterclockwise.

First blood went to Team BMW’s Seiya Suzuki who took pole position in a two-part qualifying session. Lining up alongside him was two-time Manufacturers Cup champion Takuya Miyazono representing Team Subaru. Lined up in P3 was Team Porsche’s 911 RSR, driven by Shota Sato.

The Grand Final saw strategy play a decisive role. Teams were required to make one pit stop and had to choose between soft- and medium-compound tires. The early stages of the race saw drivers hold their positions, assessing both the track and their rivals. But once all the competitors had completed their sole pit stops, the tone shifted dramatically. The gloves came off, transforming the contest into an all-out battle royale.

Lap 16 delivered a moment to remember. A fierce midfield battle involving multiple cars erupted, and in the chaos, the Porsche 911 RS was nudged from behind, sending it to the back of the field and effectively ending its race. The race culminated in a tense final showdown between Sato in the BMW and Miyazono in the Subaru. The two drivers traded the lead several times, but it was Miyazono who executed a flawless pass in his BRZ GT300 at the last hairpin, slipping by Sato’s M6 GT3 to take the checkered flag and the six championship points. BMW settled for five points, while Team Mazda, led by veteran Ryota Kokubun in the RX-VISION GT3, claimed the final podium spot and four points.

In the Nations Cup the Le Mans 24H track provided a fitting setting for the Sprint Race, a week before the 93^rd running of the famous race, and the Aston Martin Valkyrie the right car for the job. Spaniard Jose Serrano kept countryman Pol Urra at bay with a victory that rewarded him with pole position for the Gran Finale. 

As is tradition in the Gran Turismo World Series, the drivers would switch to the Red Bull X2019 Competition cars adorned in their nations’ colours for the Grand Final race run around the reverse configuration of Gran Turismo 7’s Gran Valley Highway. Nearly every driver on the grid chose to start the 20-laps on medium-compound tyres. However, the Netherlands’ Kaj de Bruin, starting from P10, opted to gamble on softs. His bold strategy paid off early, propelling him into the lead by the fourth lap. Yet he struggled to maintain the pace under relentless pressure from Serrano, Urra, Kylian Drumont of France, Takuma Miyazono and Takuma Sasaki of Japan, and Italy’s Valerio Gallo. 

Exceeding 320 km/h on the straights, the drivers left nothing on the table. Tyre strategy played a pivotal role: de Bruin made two stops, while most others managed with just one. Miyazono and Drumont chose hard-compound tires for their final stints, a gamble against the favoured mediums and softs. In the closing laps, a fierce wheel-to-wheel battle for the lead unfolded between the two Spaniards, each pushing the other to the limit. The fantastic sold-out crowd watching the action live was on the edge of their seats, gasping and cheering with every turn and attempted overtake.

Ultimately, Serrano emerged victorious, crossing the finish line first by just over two-tenths of a second. Urra settled for 2nd, with Gallo completing the podium in 3rd.

With a spectacular Round 1 complete, the action moves from London to Berlin where Round 2 will be hosted in the Uber Eats Music Hall close to the East Side Gallery. 

Tickets are on sale now here. Round 3 tickets for The Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles are also available here. Add the Gran Turismo World Series to your calendar and come and join us for more thrilling action.

Round 1 – London, UK | Saturday, 7 June
Round 2 – Berlin, Germany | Saturday, 20 September
Round 3 – Los Angeles, USA | Saturday, 8 November
World Finals – Fukuoka, Japan | Saturday, 20 and Sunday, 21 December

Full details of the Gran Turismo World Series 2025 can be found on https://www.gran-turismo.com/world/gt7/championships/2025/.

The PlayStation Blog crew returned to Los Angeles to attend another Summer Game Fest Play Days. The team got some one-on-one time with a diverse selection of upcoming PS5 games. Here are the highlights!

Crimson Desert | Coming 2025

Publisher: Pearl Abyss | Developer: Pearl Abyss | PS5

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Crimson Desert is bringing deep, complex melee combat to its epic open world. In combat, players can chain together kicks, grapples, strong slices, leaping attacks, and much more in a deep, layered combat system that feels more like Soul Calibur than Dark Souls. The action is fast and acrobatic, and builds in ferocity when you imbue your strongest melee attacks with powerful elemental magic like ice and thunder. Or shoot a flare to trigger an incoming artillery attack to annihilate hordes of your melee opponents.

More broadly, I spotted some familiar features of the open-world medieval-fantasy genre, like summoning a horse to cover ground more quickly, liberating enemy strongholds, and epic boss battles. The open world is huge, with Pearl Abyss claiming it will take more than two hours to traverse the game’s continent on horseback. If you love open-world games and appreciate deep, layered melee combat, this is one to watch.

– Sid Shuman

Crisol: Theater of Idols | Coming 2025

Publisher: Blumhouse Games | Developer: Vermila Studios | PS5

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Crisol: Theater of Idols takes fighting to the death to a whole new level, as you try to survive against unholy animatronic horrors across the streets of a reimagined steampunk Spain using your own blood as ammo. Exploring the cursed corners of Tormentosa becomes an exercise in restraint and stealth as every reload drains directly from your own lifesource. Luckily, protagonist Gabriel can also absorb blood from enemies and corpses he encounters along the way, but it’s important to stay calm and shoot with purpose – a not-so-easy task as the jerking and twitching weapon-wielding statues of saints rush towards you. I triumphantly made it to the end of my gameplay segment with a single drop of blood left, ready to learn more of what this beautifully twisted world has in store for Gabriel.

-Kristen Zitani

Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles 2 | Coming August 5

Publisher: Sega | Developer: CyberConnect2 | PS5

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With Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba The Movie: Infinity Castle coming in September and the success of the anime. Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles 2 will be released at a great time for fans of the series. The Hinokami Chronicles 2 follows the events of The Entertainment District, The Swordsmith Village, and The Hashira Training arcs featuring more in-depth battle mechanics and cinematic setpieces in the single-player mode. The new gear system allows players to tweak each Demon Slayer with different skills and traits to reflect their playstyle regardless of the Demon Slayer’s breathing style.

Versus Mode feels like its own separate game instead of an optional multiplayer mode. All nine Hashira will be playable along with new Upper Rank demons in its 40+ fighting roster. The new assist and combo system is on par with modern fighting game standards and something I can see some players focusing on exclusively. 

-O’Dell Harmon Jr.

Directive 8020 | Coming October 2

Publisher: Supermassive Games | Developer: Supermassive Games | PS5

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Supermassive Games has always understood that some of the best moments in horror come from well-intentioned human decisions. Branching choices and butterfly effects have been the mainstay of the Dark Pictures games, where the horror tropes may seem familiar, but your actions and choices ultimately craft the scares and thrills. Directive 8020 charts a course for space, and immediately sets the tone that no one is safe. I played through a small gameslice twice this weekend. In my session, crew members came in contact with cloned versions of themselves, which soon morphed into hulking horrors. 

The encounter set off a chain of events, an argument amongst the crew, and finally a choice – can everyone here be trusted, or is one of us a clone? The choice I made in the first playthrough opened the door to new discussions and revealed secrets; the second playthrough saw a more violent conclusion and a branch possibly closed off. Luckily Supermassive has included the Turning Points system, a branching chart of the key decision moments that can shift the story. As you play, you can access this chart and move back to major decisions, allowing you another chance to craft your story again and again.

-Kristen Zitani

FBC: Firebreak | Coming June 17

Publisher: Remedy | Developer: Remedy | PS5

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Fans of quirky co-op shooters should take note of FBC: Firebreak, which launches day one into PlayStation Plus Extra in mid-June. Set in the paranormal world of Control, Firebreak pits players against hordes of otherworldly Hiss invaders and a menagerie of disturbing new enemies while accomplishing mission objectives that require cooperative teamwork. Each player selects a starting Crisis Kit, which grants standard firearms and bombs to blast enemies, plus a signature tool that can magnify the abilities of teammates. One their own, the effects of these tools are weak, but stack them together and you’ll inflict impressive damage or manipulate the environment.

One mission tasked us with destroying sinister sticky notes littering the landscape. As one of my teammates drenched the stickies with water blasts, I zapped them with electrical attacks to quickly vaporize them — saving time and ammo. The battle raged through a large office complex as we contended with the stickie notes, rampaging Hiss enemies, and ultimately the big boss encounter in Sticky Ricky. This is one shooter where you’ll need to constantly collaborate with your teammates’ attacks to succeed, and it’s a satisfying feeling when the systems all come together. Post-launch content will be available for no additional cost, with major post-launch updates scheduled for this fall and winter. Firebreak is a unique, chaotic take on the co-op genre; I’ll definitely be playing more come launch.

-Sid Shuman

Grave Seasons | Coming 2025

Publisher: Blumhouse Games | Developer: Perfect Garbage | PS5

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Cozy horror blooms in Grave Seasons, a narrative farming sim with a terrifying serial killer twist. As you harvest crops and build relationships with your (extremely attractive) neighbors, supernatural horrors soon paint your new town Ashenridge red, setting you on a path to solving which townsperson is behind the latest crop of death. Every time you play, a random townsperson is selected as the killer, meaning this mystery can take new twists every session – and yes, the killer is romanceable. While I didn’t have time to watch my planted carrot seeds mature, the clues I gathered from the first deadly encounter had me ready to start a new day and see how this mystery would grow.

-Kristen Zitani

Mixtape | Coming 2025

Publisher: Annapurna Interactive | Developer: Beethoven & Dinosaur | PS5

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Annapurna’s Mixtape understands that music is more than some notes and sounds — it’s a force that can color and shape memories, relationships, and dreams. No one understands this more than fourth-wall-breaking protagonist Stacy Rockford, who has crafted the perfect playlist to a final high school adventure with her friends. Whether it was skating down scenic Pacific coast highways to DEVO where Stacy claps along to the beat between tricks, head banging through memories of late night drives to Silverchair, or even recreating a disgustingly detailed first kiss (some songs can be ruined by a memory after all…), Beethoven & Dinosaur has crafted a visual and sonic experience that I am ready to press Play on.

-Kristen Zitani

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance | Coming August 29

Publisher: Sega | Developer: Sega, Lizardcube | PS5

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The Shinobi franchise returns with Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, an action title full of personality. This latest installment sees Joe Musashi clashing with the evil ENE Corp, who wish to take over the world and destroy the Musashi clan. Along with the beautiful artwork, the game focuses on exploring and backtracking once you gain new abilities and acquire new ninpo techniques to take on your enemies. 

The slight shift works well as you explore with your ninja tools and find new paths and secrets that fit well with a profession that does its best work in the shadows. Combat was fun and swift, with special finishes and items to mix things up or get yourself out of a tight spot. While moment-to-moment skirmishes were manageable, the boss battle required precision and little room for error. Joe’s new adventure successfully expands on the original’s feel while mixing modern genres and elements. 

-O’Dell Harmon Jr.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds | Coming September 25

Publisher: Sega | Developer: Sonic Team | PS5

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Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is equal parts Sega mascot racer and a celebration of Sonic’s long history in games. Factor in the inclusion of characters like Hatsune Miku, Ichiban Kasuga, as well as the new mid-race world warping mechanic, and you’ve a promising tour de force.. In each race, you have a random rival among the racers. The consistent banter as the race goes on and different situations that arise sets it apart from other games in the genre. It made each race feel unique and made me want to see the interactions between characters who, under normal circumstances, would never cross over. 

The world warping lets the lead racer dictate where the middle lap will take place, and while I initially thought it would be purely cosmetic, in reality, it’s very strategic. Since these destinations can focus on driving, boating, or flying, you can pick a path that could play to your strengths or horribly hinder your opponents if you know how they are kitted. While the game is clearly for fans, its racing mechanics are the real deal. 

-O’Dell Harmon Jr.

Be on the lookout for these upcoming titles and more featured at Summer Game Fest coming to PlayStation.