PS5 was supposed to be a new dawn for gaming, but instead we're getting Until Dawn and Horizon Zero Dawn again
Topics: PlayStation, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Sony, Horizon Zero Dawn
Featured Image Credit: Sony
Topics: PlayStation, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Sony, Horizon Zero Dawn
I’ve got a bone to pick with PlayStation’s new-gen console, and more importantly the lack of meaningful games it has in its repertoire.
I know I’m not the only one who believes the current generation of video games doesn’t feel like the improvement we were promised, and while we have had some absolute bangers like Warhammer 40k: Space Marine 2 and Astro Bot, companies seem to be relying too heavily on what’s already been rather than what could be.
If you haven’t played Space Marine 2 yet I’d highly recommend it, even if you don’t know the first thing about Warhammer 40k
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Personally I think PlayStation has been one of the biggest offenders in this regard due to what we’ve seen from its first-party IPs on the PS5.
Credit where credit is due, we’ve had games like God Of War: Ragnarok, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and of course Astro Bot. However we’ve also had PS5 remasters of Marvel’s Spider-Man, The Last Of Us Part 1 and Part 2, and we’re soon getting remasters of Until Dawn and presumably Horizon: Zero Dawn if the rumours are true.
That’s hardly the new-gen offering I’m sure many fans were expecting, and the root for all the “PlayStation 5 has no games” memes you see in just about every comment section nowadays.
But why is this? Why do PlayStation rely so heavily on these remasters over things fans actually want to see? The short answer is sales, as Marvel's Spider-Man, The Last Of Us and Horizon are all heavy-hitters when it comes to sales, even more so when a PC port is slapped together.
That’s all well-and-good, but PS5’s aren’t cheap, and with the PS5 Pro having a laughably bad retail price Sony is doing an awful job of justifying why you’d choose their console for any reason other than brand loyalty.
I’m sure the PS5 versions of Until Dawn and Horizon: Zero Dawn will be fantastic, but are they really necessary right now? Especially after we’ve seen so much success from a new gameplay experience like Astro Bot. Even if PlayStation is adamant it wants to push remasters rather than new IPs, there are so many other games that feel more deserving of the new-gen treatment.
The big one is obviously Bloodborne, which following the hype surrounding Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree feels like a no-brainer. However putting my own desires aside the LittleBigPlanet series feels like it’d pair perfectly with Astro on PS5, the God Of War trilogy is begging for the new-gen treatment and the Infamous series is long overdue another chance to shine. Additionally with all the buzz surrounding retro revivals Jak And Daxter, Ape Escape and Twisted Metal remakes wouldn’t go amiss either.
Now I’m not saying PlayStation should follow this formula for the next few years, the cycle of remasters and remakes needs to end eventually, but if it’s going to go down that path it’s worth giving the chance to the games that need it rather than blatant favourites.
Overall the PS5’s exclusive library feels intangible, you can see it and you know it’s there but there’s something preventing it from feeling substantial. The reliance on reusable IPs needs to stop, or quick-and-easy wins combined with the rising cost of hardware is going to spell more trouble for the company further down the road.