While PlayStation owners eagerly await any form of news regarding what's next for Sony's internal first party studios on PS5, the publisher has gotten noticeably better in recent months at spotlighting games from external partners instead. So far in 2021 alone, updates regarding upcoming PlayStation VR and indie games have landed in concentrated bursts on the official PlayStation Blog, seemingly at random.
Yesterday, Sony chose to once again provide a platform for an eclectic mix of seven indie games, each of which are confirmed to be coming to the PlayStation ecosystem over the next several months. Ranging from critically acclaimed roguelikes to side scrolling horror experiences, there's plenty on the horizon that should appeal to a broad range of player tastes.
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Having taken the world by storm in 2020 via the Nintendo Switch and PC, whilst picking up over 50 Game of the Year awards in the process, Hades is finally coming to PS4 and PS5. After waiting nearly 11 months, PlayStation fans don't have to wait too much longer, as Supergiant Games' critically acclaimed rogue-lite dungeon crawler launches on both consoles next week.
With most of Hades' marketing campaign having already been completed ahead of launch, the 24-minute gameplay presentation that Sony chose to show off yesterday was a final tantalizing glimpse at what players can expect when they get their hands on the game. Following the life of Hades' son Zagreus, PlayStation fans will likely find a lot to like about the fresh character-driven narrative take on Greek mythology. With the success that the likes of God of War franchise has previously experienced within the ecosystem, PlayStation seems like a great place for Hades.
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Like Hades, Carrion is another established indie game sensation that's already made a name for itself on other competing platforms over the last year. Having launched last June on PC, Xbox One, and Switch, this unique horror game was confirmed yesterday to be making its way to Sony's PS4 at an undisclosed point in time later this year.
Specifically dubbed as a 'reverse-horror' experience by the appropriately named Phobia Game Studio, Carrion sets itself apart from other horror titles by the fact that it allows players to control the nightmare creature found at the heart of the experience. Instead of running away from the aforementioned blob in typical genre fashion, players are instead tasked with freeing the creature from the underground facility that it awakens within, wrecking havoc and devouring humans along the way.
Developed by Adam Robinson-Yu, A Short Hike is a delightful 3D pixel based exploration game that's visually unlike anything else Sony highlighted during yesterday's PlayStation Blog indie showcase. Having found success on PC and Nintendo Switch over the last couple of years, the game is now confirmed to be launching on PS4 at some point later this fall.
Taking control of a young bird named Claire, players are given the simple yet liberating task of reaching the peak of a nearby mountain in an effort to get cell-phone reception. Along the journey to complete this quest, a host of charming characters and mini games await, offering a chance for the avian protagonist to indulge in all manner of activities. Inspired by Adam's own personal experiences whilst hiking and basking in the outdoors, PlayStation fans will no doubt find there's lots to love about A Short Hike.
Initially teased as an April fools joke earlier this year by PlatinumGames, Sol Cresta has now been confirmed to be a real project in the works at the Japanese studio alongside titles like the recently announced Babylon's Fall. Acting as a sequel to the Moon Cresta and Terra Cresta games developed by Nihon Bussan during the 80s, this latest vertically-scrolling shooter is also now set to lift off on PlayStation 4 later in 2021.
Reading Hideki Kamiya's PlayStation Blog post, there's a real sense that Sol Cresta is something of a passion project for PlatinumGames, with the studio clearly having been inspired by the series despite its 36 year absence from the gaming landscape. Featuring a Voltron-esque 'dock-and-split' system taken directly from that source material, this retro-inspired shooter looks set to be unlike any other game currently available within the PlayStation ecosystem.
Developed by Canadian studio Alientrap Games, Wytchwood was next up on Sony's extensive list of indie games, and it is scheduled to launch on PS4 and PS5 later this year. Featuring a fairy-tale world packed with charming characters and creatures inspired directly by the Brothers Grimm, the isometric adventure game is brought to life in part by an appropriately whimsical art style.
At the core of Wytchwood lies a brewing and crafting system that will see players embark on a quest to rid the people they interact with from all manner of supernatural afflictions. This will all be done in a bid to earn some peace and quiet. Despite the curses and hexes flying around, and the fact that the player takes control of the wicked witch of the swamp, Alientrap Games has promised that the game is first and foremost a chill experience that is full of heart.
Released back in March 2015 before the PS4 really got going, the original Axiom Verge proved to be an enduring standout hit for the platform thanks to its gorgeous art style and loving interpretation of the Metroidvania formula. Fast-forward 6 years, and it's now been confirmed that the equally impressive-looking Axiom Verge 2 will launch on PS4 and PS5 during the latter months of this year.
What makes both games all the more remarkable is the fact that they've been painstakingly brought to life by just one person. Created and developed by Tom Happ, Axiom Verge 2 has been confirmed to feature a host of improvements from the original – including new powers and mechanics. Central to this wave of innovation is yesterday's announcement that the game's entire map features an ambitious parallel breach dimension, which will serve up a host of exciting new exploration opportunities.
While each of the previously mentioned titles are all currently scheduled to launch in 2021, Sony chose to end its PlayStation Blog indie showcase yesterday with a tantalizing title set to launch further afield. A follow-up to the acclaimed 2016 game Oxenfree, Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals looks set to expand on the original supernatural-themed adventure when it arrives on PS4 and PS5 in 2022.
Created by Night School Studio, this time players assume control of a brand-new character named Riley as she embarks on a quest to solve another spooky mystery. Unlike the original game's cast, this newest protagonist has already experienced her own coming of age journey and is instead grappling with the choices that have so far shaped her life. Once again featuring a robust conversation system, Oxenfree 2 has the potential to become another engaging and relatable narrative experience for those playing on a Sony console.
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