Biggest News from PlayStation’s 2023 Showcase

Reacting to the latest showcase – Biggest Surprises and Biggest Hype Train!

Phantom Blade 0 Could Be a Surprise Hit

Timurhan: My jaw absolutely dropped at the Phantom Blade 0, a hack and slash RPG developed by S-game. The visuals are absolutely insane, as the game looks like a fusion between the dark, steampunk-y environment of Bloodborne and Chinese wuxia fantasy. The gameplay takes inspiration from deliberate movements and strikes from FromSoftware game, but with the fluidity of a Ninja Gaiden game. This release is S-game’s first major project, but Phantom Blade 0 could be a sleeper hit among everything else announced.

Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater is Getting a Remake

Timurhan: This was by far the biggest surprise of the evening, especially after raving about the original Metal Gear Solid 3 during TFP’s recent PS2 Game Draft. The cinematic trailer took an abstract route illustrating various jungle animals on the food chain eating each other until we get the final reveal of Naked Snake, who eventually becomes the famous Big Boss in the other Metal Gear Solid games. However, this will be the first major Metal Gear game since the poorly received, zombie-themed Metal Gear Survive, and I’m not sure Konami has done enough to win over fans after Kojima’s incredibly messy departure from the developer. It is also a little disappointing to note that Konami opted to not remake the original Metal Gear and Snake’s Revenge, released on the NES, as those games are the real introduction to Solid Snake and are not directly tied to Kojima. Regardless, if Konami sticks to the formula of what made MGS3 an incredible game, we’re in for a treat.

Lucas: I am into this. Sign me up. I want in. I missed the boat on the MGS series sadly when I was younger and I’m ready for Kojima to show me what he’s got with these classic games!

Assassin’s Creed Goes Back to Its Roots

Timurhan: Ubisoft’s most recent Assassin’s Creed games have continuously sought to become bigger, but not necessarily better. Recent titles such as Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla contributed to the bloat of large, open-world RPG games. The trailer shows that Ubisoft is embracing the past, as Assassin’s Creed Mirage looks more reminiscent of the Assassin’s Creed 2/Brotherhood era - a welcomed change that should remind gamers why they fell in love with this series in the first place.

Matt: I’m elated for this. I really disliked the direction Assassin's Creed went with Odyesssy and Valhalla. I’m a fan of the old school classic gameplay that we came to expect of the first few installments in the franchise. While this may upset all the new age Gen Z folks on Tik Tok, the borderline millennials like myself will sing sweet sweet songs into the night as we wait for this game to drop.

Street Fighter 6 – Oh Baby!

Timurhan: I’m going to be real with you all. I absolutely suck at fighting games and usually stay clear of them and their sweaty fans. BUT I have a soft-spot for Street Fighter, and considering all the positive reviews and a robust single-player campaign, I’m really tempted to give it a shot. I just might not play with people like Lucas…

Lucas: The early reviews are out and I am HYPED for this one. You already know I’m going to bust out my $250 fightstick and grind this out online. Full blown degenerate competitive Lucas is coming out this Summer to an online lobby near you!

Bungie Teases Marathon and Destiny 2: The Final Shape

Timurhan: Bungie had back-to-back announcements that may have shed light on what the near future looks for them. First, they announce a reboot of Marathon, a reboot of an early 90s FPS, that will be all PVP, and then immediately after reveal the return of a long-dead character in a teaser trailer for Destiny 2’s final expansion: The Final Shape. While the last expansion wasn’t spectacular, Bungie piqued my interest with how they plan to wrap up Destiny 2’s decade-long storyline, and if Marathon will take over the MMO/FPS space post-Destiny. In either case, Bungie has a proven track record of creating a solid FPS experience, so I’m looking forward to giving it a try.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Fully Unveils Kraven the Hunter and the Black Symbiote Suit

Timurhan: I am so hyped for this, as it is about damn time we get a deeper look into one of the most anticipated games of the year. The 12 minute gameplay trailer explicitly revealed Kraven the Hunter as the primary antagonist as well as how Peter’s black Symbiote suit works in action. Kraven the Hunter is a really underrated villain in Spider-Man rogue’s gallery. If you’re not familiar, he’s a big-game hunter who believes taking down Spider-Man will prove he is the best hunter in the world, but he also works within a code. He prefers to use his bare hands over any weapons, and he chooses prey that should be able to defend themselves and fight back. (On a side note, I highly suggest checking out 1987’s “Kraven’s Last Hunt” run by J.M. DeMatteis and Mike Zeck). The showcase also revealed that the game will reimagine how Peter’s black suit works. In previous iterations of the black suit, Peter’s existing powers are enhanced (e.g. unlimited webbing, more strength and speed) and gains camouflage abilities. However, in Spider-Man 2, Peter’s able to control and even extend the Symbiote into tendrils to fight multiple enemies at once, very similarly to how Venom was depicted in the recent titular movies by Sony. I am also hyped for aggro Spider-Man (I REALLY hope we get some version of this scene) and how his relationship with Miles is impacted after they clearly became close in the other two Spider-Man games. The first Spider-Man needed to take some creative liberties to tell a new Spider-Man story after so many cinematic and game iterations, and I am personally looking forward to how the team will piece Venom, the black suit, and Kraven into Peter’s and Mile’s biggest challenge to date.

Matt: I am JACKED UP for this baby. Can’t wait to watch Peter Parker just be an angsty jerk. There’s nothing like swinging around New York City to rub dirt in some nerd’s eyes.

Biggest Misses

1. No updates on Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

Timurhan: I wasn’t surprised to see a story trailer for Final Fantasy XVI drop with the game approaching its release in a few dates and PlayStation already showing much of the game in previous showcases. What disappointed me was having absolutely no updates or hype around Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, the second part of the Final Fantasy VII remake that is supposedly coming out either late 2023 or early 2024. The fanbase has already been waiting a long time for any real updates about one of the most anticipated games this year, and it looks like we’ll have to wait a bit longer.

2A. Xbox Announces 12 Games Featured on PlayStation’s Showcase are not Console Exclusives

Timurhan: At first glance, it looks like PlayStation came out swinging as the first major studio to host a summer showcase. Unfortunately for them, XBox stole much of PlayStation’s thunder by revealing many games featured in the showcase will also be released on XBox, including the Metal Gear Solid 3 remake, Alan Wake 2, Ghostrunner II, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, and many others. In other words, Xbox lets PlayStation do all the hard work with one simple tweet.

2B. Quantity over quality?

Timurhan: Connected to the miss above, PlayStation tried to build hype for over 30 games in under 75 minutes, which inevitably results in some interesting projects getting lost in the mix - most notably titles developed by indie studios. Since many of the games announced will likely have a chance to shine in other showcases coming up, I would have much rather seen deeper dives into the most exciting games (e.g. Phantom Blade Zero), with developers having an opportunity to share a little more detail about their upcoming projects. This is a situation where less could have accomplished much more.

3. Does Anybody Actually Care about a Dedicated PS5 Remote Play Device?

Timurhan: Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely love portable gaming thanks to the Nintendo Switch and the Steam Deck. So, on paper, having a handheld PS5 sounds like an amazing idea. However, I really do not know what problem this device is actually fixing. Remote play has already existed before this announcement, and this new remote device cannot really be used outside my home, like a Switch or Steam Deck. The only way I can see this making sense is if the price is extremely low, but I doubt that.

Lucas: This entire endeavor is reminding me of when Nintendo dropped the gameboy and then everyone wanted to make their version of a gameboy. And just like back then, other companies are going for power and size. I just don’t see these handhelds really occupying a space that the Switch does not already occupy. And I’m saying this as a Steam Deck owner. These handhelds may just end up cannibalizing each other.

Matt: I had a PSP and loved it actually. Unfortunately though, Sony’s overall track record with handheld gaming is not great. We’ll see if this pan’s out, but as my colleague above mentions, all these handhelds may just take one another out, until King Bowser and his goons reign supreme.