Last November, Sony unleashed its foray into the next generation of gaming with the PlayStation 5. The sleek new machine has a powerful SSD, impressive multimedia functionality, and a revolutionary new controller in the DualSense. Of course, even with all of these new bells and whistles, the fact still remains that video game console is all about one thing: the games. Sony blew away expectations on the PS4, consistently delivering a legion of triple-A hits from Uncharted 4: A Thief's End to Ghost of Tsushima, and that trend doesn't look to stop on the PS5.
With Demon's Souls and Returnal having already released to rave reviews, the PlayStation 5 is off to a stellar start without even having reached its one-year anniversary on the market. While Sony has remained tight-lipped on its overall roadmap with the PS5, completely skipping E3 for the third year in a row, there are still a ton of great games to look forward to. From confirmed sequels to pre-established franchises to rumored revivals of series-long thought forgotten, the PlayStation 5 is shaping up to have an impressive lineup as time goes on.
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God of War: Ragnarok (Confirmed)
The 2018 soft reboot for the epic action franchise God of War was met with universal acclaim and reminded players why it was one of PlayStation's best. A couple of months before the PlayStation 5 even hit store shelves, a sequel was confirmed in a streaming showcase, teasing big things to come for Kratos and Atreus in the future. Outside of a logo and knowing that the game is in active development, little is known regarding the overall plot and mechanics in the game. However, based on the stellar gameplay in the original and Thor's cameo appearance during the first game's after-credits sequence, the sequel is shaping up to be a grand adventure.
Horizon: Forbidden West (Confirmed)
Sitting next to God of War: Ragnarok as one of the most anticipated first-party PS5 exclusives, the gameplay footage made available so far for Horizon: Forbidden West has been hugely impressive. The level of detail in the lighting, foliage, and animation are second to none, with Guerrilla Games making huge strides since the first game in 2017. Horizon: Forbidden West is rumored to be delayed into next year, but even with a slight disappointment like this, the open-world action game is still generating a ton of hype. It remains to be seen just what awaits Aloy in her next adventure, but it will undoubtedly be a must-play for all PlayStation fans.
Gran Turismo 7 (Confirmed)
A mainstay franchise for Sony since the days of the original PlayStation, the long-running driving simulator will have another entry on the PS5 sometime in 2022. While the graphics on display in Gran Turismo Sport were already eye-popping, the level of near photo-realism being captured on the PS5 is unprecedented here. Added improvements to the driving physics, game modes, and vehicles to drive will also help bolster the overall experience. What God of War: Ragnarok and Horizon: Forbidden West will do for fans of action games, Gran Turismo 7 will be for racing enthusiasts and will be the must-play title in the genre for PS5 owners.
Forspoken (Confirmed)
First announced during the initial Sony PS5 reveal showcase, Forspoken (then known as Project Athia) is a stunning new open-world adventure game from Square Enix. The title is making great use of the powerful hardware within the console, delivering some of the most stunning environments seen in recent years, as well as a unique emphasis on platforming and traversal uncommon for this particular genre. Stylistically speaking, any fan of Final Fantasy will feel right at home with Forspoken, as it borrows a similar art design and graphical look.
Final Fantasy 16 (Confirmed)
Speaking of the Final Fantasy series, a sixteenth entry will be arriving as a console exclusive to the PS5 sometime in the near future. After Final Fantasy 15 opted for a unique blend of fantasy and real-world elements, the next game looks to be returning to its roots for a purely medieval-themed adventure with a large emphasis on magical abilities. Final Fantasy 16 featured a stunning trailer during a PS5 showcase last year, chock full of chocobos, giant elemental summons, and what looks to be a grand-scale story filled with emotion, mystery, and danger. Hopefully, it isn't too long before fans get the next glimpse of the game in action.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 (Rumored)
With two successful Spider-Man games already under its belt, surely Insomniac is already hard at work on the next installment of its Marvel comics adaption. Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is arguably the most impressive use of the PS5's horsepower to date, and surely Insomniac has only scratched the surface of what it can do with Sony's latest machine. Teases have already been dropped in the first game, but fans are already speculating the many elements that could be incorporated into the sequel from the villains, costumes, and overall narrative. Gamers shouldn't have to wait too long before they get to swing back into action as the wall-crawler.
Metal Gear Solid Remake (Rumored)
Konami hasn't exactly been respectful of its IPs in recent years, especially after its falling out with Hideo Kojima and relegating Metal Gear Solid to Pachinko machines. However, rumblings around the internet in past months have suggested that Snake will be making a return to the spotlight in some form or another, with most of these rumors suggesting that it will be in the form of a fully-fledged remake of the original game. This is of course to be taken with a grain of salt, but considering the recent glut of video game remakes, it wouldn't be a surprise for Sony to try and revive one of the franchises that helped establish PlayStation as a force to be reckoned with back in the day.
Silent Hill (Rumored)
Speaking of Konami properties, the Silent Hill franchise is another receiving a fair bit of attention in recent months for a variety of reasons. Back in 2014, the franchise was on the cust of a return with P.T., a terrifying demo of Hideo Kojima's vision for a full game, that was unfortunately canceled before it was too far in development. Now, the game known only as Abandoned has attracted a fair deal of attention recently, with many believing it to actually be a new Silent Hill game disguised in an elaborate marketing scheme. Whatever the reality may be, a visit to that haunted gaming town is long overdue.
Sly Cooper 5 (Rumored)
Last but not least, a brand new Sly Cooper game has been rumored to be in development. Whether Sucker Punch is at the helm (or it exists at all) remains to be seen, but it has been a long time since Sly and the gang have graced a PlayStation console. The last mainline release was in 2013, with the only major action platformer still alive at PlayStation being the Ratchet and Clank series. Bringing the franchise back would help add some variety to the more narrative-focused action games Sony usually prioritizes, while also being a colorful and charming addition to the PS5 lineup.
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