State of Play provides new information on 2023 games

As February draws to a close, Sony fans were met with a livestream packed with exciting announcements for gamers to look forward to in 2023. Thursday’s February 2023 Sony State of Play may not have announced many new titles, but fans were met with new dates and information to look forward to in the anticipated titles to come. Here are some notable highlights from the event. 

PlayStation VR2 will be receiving five new titles

Released on Feb. 22, the PlayStation VR2 was sorely lacking in one thing that makes a console great: games. Though Sony is no stranger to neglecting their consoles in terms of exclusive titles (cough, PS5, cough), they were sure to inform fans of five new games coming to their latest VR experience. 

“The Foglands” is a roguelike first-person shooter game with a charming steampunk aesthetic and is the first new game announced to join the PlayStation VR2. Keeping with the FPS theme, “Synapse,” a title resembling the popular game “SUPERHOT” with a gravity-manipulating twist, and “Journey to Foundation,” another interactive title based on Isaac Asimov’s book series “Foundation,” were both promised to be joining the lineup of VR games. 

In addition to the FPS games, “Green Hell” is coming to PlayStation VR2 with its realistic survival gameplay, now from the PlayStation VR2 point of view. The final game announced for PlayStation VR2 was the award-winning “Before Your Eyes,” a heart-wrenching indie experience in which the player lives through their deceased character’s memories in the blink of an eye. Overall, those who purchased Sony’s newest VR console have plenty to look forward to in 2023.

“Tchia” announces its release date

Though this island-oriented sandbox is mostly shrouded in mystery, “Tchia” has been announced to be released in mid-March. In this new tropical open-world game, players will be given full reign of their experience as they explore the New Caledonia-inspired island. Though the developers have put an emphasis on their realistic physics and laid-back gameplay, there is a story to be uncovered as players take control of the young Tchia in her journey to rescue her father. PlayStation fans can enjoy this new title on March 21 and discover what the island has to offer.

“Goodbye Volcano High,” coming to PS4 and PS5 in June

“Goodbye Volcano High” is an indie cinematic narrative piece, ready to lead the player through its tale of a high school transitional period shrouded in change, melancholy and love. Follow the characters as they find themselves in one of the most uncertain times of their lives: their senior year of high school. With rhythm game elements and an engrossing story, “Goodbye Volcano High” will be joining the PlayStation family June 15. 

“Baldur’s Gate III” will join the PS5 lineup in August 2023

Calling all Dungeons & Dragons fans! The previously assumed PC-exclusive fantasy RPG game “Baldur’s Gate III” is coming to console. The long-anticipated game from Larian Studios is joining the PlayStation 5 lineup, offering a whole new audience of fans the Forgotten Realms experience. In an engaging story of sacrifice, betrayal, friendship and the quest for ultimate power, players determine their own destiny through unique character creation, conquest and crucial decision-making. Fans with a PlayStation 5 can expect to enjoy this long-awaited title on Aug. 31.

“Street Fighter 6” announces new playable characters

As “Street Fighter 6” gears up for its highly-anticipated June 2 release, fans of the series have enjoyed periodical announcements of the characters that will grade their screens in the new installment. In the trailer that played during the State of Play, three characters were announced to be joining the substantial lineup of fighters. Zangief, the iconic massive Russian wrestler, was the first announced, along with the ever-lovable British bombshell Cammy. Both characters hail from previous editions of the “Street Fighter” series, so fans are ecstatic to see their return to the new game. 

In addition to the old faces, a new character named Lily is also joining the fight, a descendant of the Thunderfoot Tribe — the same tribe as T. Hawk, another classic “Street Fighter” character. With all these new characters to look forward to, there is no doubt fans are excited to see “Street Fighter 6” debut on PlayStation consoles in June.

“Resident Evil 4 Remake” debuts a new trailer and announces a demo

Continuing Capcom’s campaign of remastering classic “Resident Evil” volumes, “Resident Evil 4 Remake” is hitting PlayStation consoles March 24. In the exciting new trailer shown during the State of Play livestream, players were spoiled with visuals of the iconic Leon in various situations, all familiar to longtime fans of the series. At the end of the action-packed trailer, Capcom also teased a demo soon to come, further hyping up “Resident Evil” fans. Though no date was specified for this demo, one can expect that it’s soon to come given the game is releasing within a month.

“Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League” showcases gameplay

In a lengthy look into what can be expected of the upcoming DC game, Rocksteady Studios revealed plenty of gameplay from their new game “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.” Introducing the game’s co-op system, cinematic cutscenes and classic fan-favorite characters such as Harley Quinn and Deadshot, DC and Sony fans were met with the usual superhero game. For those excited to take control of their favorite villains, the game is coming to PlayStation consoles May 26.