State of Play is PlayStation’s regular checkpoint with their gaming audience, giving us the what’s what on games that have been brewing for their consoles—the PS4 and the PS5. While I have covered the hype on the State of Play announcement, I am very conscious that I am in fact reviewing trailers. And it probably really means nothing.
The actual game could be very different. But having said that, events like this are sometimes the best way for developers to interact with gamers pre-release of the game, to figure out if people really do like what they are up to. I am going to quickly list a few games I am excited about this coming year.
Stray: The game about a cat in a cyberpunk universe has been teased multiple times in the last year, and the most recent trailer looks amazing. Right now, it looks like a well-made puzzle-exploration adventure game, and I am ready for it when it (hopefully) releases in July for PC and PlayStation. This is the first game developed by BlueTwelve studio, and published by Annapurna Interactive.
Rollerdrome: This game was a surprise announcement. It features a crossover between a skating game and a third-person shooter, set in a retro-future universe. Roll7 developed the game, known best for their Olli series of games—a 2-D skateboarding platform game. The game involves establishing dominance over a leaderboard, while uncovering a dark conspiracy that surrounds the plot. It is set to release in August for the PC and PlayStation.
Season: A Letter to the Future: This indie game grabs the final spot in my hype list from State of Play. I am a big fan of walking simulators—games that lack combat-based progression, but have an excellent story. If this trailer and long development time is a hint to what it may be like, it fits the bill. It is an atmospheric adventure bicycle road trip game, developed by Scavengers Studio, releasing for the PC and PlayStation late this 2022.
This list is by no means comprehensive—there were multiple games from Capcom that dominated the State of Play show this year too, which are worth a play. Can’t wait for the year ahead, with some great games lined up!