Sony showed off their upcoming PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 releases during a recent State of Play showcase. There weren't too many games shown off, though there was one big first-party game, a highly-anticipated indie game and the long-awaited PlayStation port of Among Us.
There wasn't much shown off, though that could be because Sony is waiting to show off more closer to E3 and once PlayStation 5 console availability stabilizes. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart was a major focus of the entire presentation, with tons of new gameplay shown off. Outside of Rift Apart there were only two other games shown off, though there were a few surprises sprinkled throughout the showcase.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Insomniac Games' Rift Apart was the primary focus during the Showcase, with a lot of new footage on display from the upcoming sequel, including new gameplay involving the game's second main character, Rivet. The PS5's tech was really emphasized during the presentation, including how the system's SSD can load entire levels instantly with the game's rift mechanics.
The game's levels aren't small, either. They are highly populated and busy environments with tons of civilians and traffic for the PS5 to render. This is a great benchmark for what the system is capable of, though it is still soured by how many gamers are still unable to get their hands on a PS5. Regardless, Rift Apart is shaping up to be an amazing exclusive for the system that should really show off what the PS5 is capable of.
Among Us
Among Us has been ported to almost every system out there, and soon it's going to be on both the PS4 and PS5. It looks like this will be a pretty straightforward port, though it's probably for the best that Innersloth is keeping things simple. One big surprise was that PlayStation users will be able to get access to an exclusive costume and pet for their crewmates, themed after Ratchet & Clank.
The costume consists of Ratchet's ears and an outfit that resembles his costume. The new pet is a Clank that'll follow players around as they perform their tasks. There was the big announcement that the PlayStation versions of Among Us will support cross-play with the game's other versions, another sign that even Sony is starting to give in to this generation's shift to focus on cross-play.
Subnautica: Below Zero
Subnautica: Below Zero is a partial sequel to Unknown Worlds Entertainment's open-world underwater survival game, Subnautica. Released in 2018, Subnautica had a majority of its gameplay take place at the bottom of the ocean of an alien planet. While there's still plenty of underwater segments in Below Zero, it seems as though there's going to be a much stronger focus on above-ground segments for this sequel.
As the name implies, one of the biggest changes to Below Zero is the introduction of a temperature stat that players will have to manage, along with the returning hunger, oxygen and thirst stats. The game is currently available in early access on Steam and the Epic Games Store, with an expected PS4 and PS5 release date of May 14. As an added bonus, players who own Subnautica on the PS4 will receive a free upgrade to the PS5 version.