Exciting New Games Coming To PS5: Resident Evil 4, Street Fighter 6, Final Fantasy XVI
Sony PlayStation's latest State of Play, an online event dedicated to game announcements, has just wrapped, and, boy, was it packed with exciting announcements. The 30-minute stream gave us a peek at some long-awaited first looks and gameplay reveals for some heavy-hitters.
Here are the top announcements from the event:
Resident Evil 4
The stream kicked off with a bombshell of an announcement – the long-rumoured remake of Resident Evil 4 is real and it already has a release date. The highly-anticipated return of the beloved PS2 classic is heading to the PS5 on 24 March 2023.
Accompanying the announcement was a cinematic trailer that shows off the upgraded visuals and tone of this forthcoming remake, which, of course, now runs on new-generation hardware. The game has been described as a reimagining, with notable gameplay and graphical updates, but will preserve the essence of the original.
Developer and publisher Capcom additionally announced that the game will feature PSVR 2 content, though no details have been released about it yet. The game will also release on Xbox Series X and PC on the same date as the PS5.
Speaking of VR content, Resident Evil Village will soon let you play the game entirely in VR. The mode will be available on PSVR 2 and will, for example, allow you to block attacks by lifting your arms in real life. No release date has been announced as of yet.
Horizon Call of the Mountain
Next, we got an extended look at gameplay of Horizon Call of the Mountain, a VR game set in the world of Horizon. The game, which was first revealed at CES 2022, features a new story outside of the mainline series, where you play as Ryas, a Shadow Carja warrior tasked to investigate a new threat in the world.
Being a first-party release, this game will likely be a showcase for the PSVR 2's capabilities. And from what's been shown, the VR experience here looks promising, with the game mixing platforming and combat mechanics, similar to the mainline entries.
Street Fighter 6
Another much-buzzed-about game, Street Fighter 6 is scheduled to hit the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC sometime in 2023. And like Resident Evil, this announcement came alongside a meaty gameplay trailer, which shows off the new fighting mechanics and stylish graphics.
This new Street Fighter entry is being developed on Capcom's proprietary RE engine – the same engine powering many of the company's modern releases – allowing the game's fighters to pull off moves with a distinctive visual flourish while maintaining the core gameplay and feel that the legendary fighting franchise is known for.
What's more, Capcom said the game will feature an immersive single-player mode, along with the usual competitive modes that were included with previous entries. You'll also be able to have real-life Street Fighter tournament commentators call your matches, with the addition of real-time commentary into the game – a first for the franchise.
Stray
Stray, one of the most talked-about indies to come out of PlayStation's previous State of Play streams, is launching on 19 July. In it, you play as a stray that has to escape a cyberpunk world that's not exactly meant for furry felines like yourself. The game will be free for subscribers of the new Premium and Extra tiers of the newly overhauled PlayStation Plus service.
Final Fantasy XVI
During the stream, a new trailer for Final Fantasy XVI was also dropped, revealing a 2023 release window. The trailer was filled with new gameplay footage, giving us a good look at the combat. The highlight of which was the appearance of some fan-favourite summons, including Phoenix, Titan, Garuda, Shiva and Ifrit, among others. The story of the game is not so clear yet, but we'll likely learn more closer to the game's release.
The developers over at Square Enix revealed the game can already be played from start to finish. However, they're taking some extra time to polish the experience to such a level that the game can have a smooth launch. It'll also be a timed exclusive for the PS5.
Marvel's Spider-Man on PC
Sony is continuing its push into PC territory, with two notable releases on the horizon – Marvel's Spider-Man and its standalone spinoff Marvel's Spider-Man Miles Morales. Both of the highly-touted PlayStation exclusives will be swinging their way to Steam and the Epic Games Store on 12 August this year. They will join the likes of God of War, Horizon Zero Dawn and Days Gone, among games that were once exclusive to PlayStation consoles which were later ported to PC.
Sony PlayStation's latest State of Play has just wrapped, and, boy, was it packed with exciting announcements.
The 30-minute stream featured new trailers for Final Fantasy XVI, Resident Evil 4 and Street Fighter 6, among others.
The event also showcased some of the games we can expect to play on Sony's new PSVR 2 headset.