Over the course of the last few years, leading up to the release of the PS4, it would seem that the major consoles makers are apt to shoot for titles that are destined for multi-platform releases in lieu of exclusives (we’re mostly referring to Sony and Microsoft here, excluding Nintendo and many up and comers, like Valve – behind the Steam Machine, etc.) The reason(s) for this are simple – game developers need cash to finance these projects, what better way to increase the budget than to work for multiple contracts, right? They get more capital to make a better game while also having a more extensive audience to reach out to at the same time. Who could possibly argue that this is anything but good? While this trend has certainly produced some definitive winners over the years, it would seem as though Sony is slipping back toward focusing on exclusive releases for the PS4. In short, this is great news for PlayStation 4 owners and bad news for everyone else. Assuming you require evidence – here are 9 upcoming PS4 exclusives that you should definitely be excited about (in 2014)…
InFamous: First Light
Building upon the success and story of its predecessor InFamous: First Light brings us a whole new protagonist, “Fetch” (a fetching female, no less) and a new campaign to explore. This will tell her story and allow you to assume control over her in order to get revenge on those who wronged her. If you have yet to play Second Son, not to worry – First Light will be a standalone package, meaning that you don’t have to have the other game in order to play it. Of course, those who do own SS will get bonus content, so there’s yet another reason to check it out. In short, First Light is going to utilize the same kind of basic gameplay and visuals by its big brother, which is excellent news for fans of the series of those who just need more wildly entertaining and visually brilliant sandbox gameplay to keep them busy.
DriveClub
DriveClub has been in hype mode for what seems like an eternity now. Sony and developer Evolution Studios kept on pushing back a release date (apparently) in order to further refine the game and perhaps meet or exceed expectations. Well, if you check out some of the recently released materials, gameplay and screenshots – it would seem as though they’re about to release what many feel is going to be the “racing game to beat” in 2014. With their emphasis on facilitating the “car culture”, increasing social interplay and bringing a whole new level of realism in terms of visuals in racing to the forefront, DriveClub is definitely poised to turn some heads, as they say.
LittleBigPlanet 3
The LittleBigPlanet series has always been a much-loved franchise since its debut on Sony consoles. It’s singular gameplay and increased focus on interactivity has opened to door to so many possibilities and perhaps even helped to propel consoles like the PS3 to new heights in terms of sales. Well, it seems as though they’re ready to do it all over again on the PS4 with the impending release of LittleBigPlanet 3. This includes visual updates, the addition of three new characters (each with their own unique abilities), Naturally, they’ve taken the time to craft an amazing single player game, but at the very heart of LittleBigPlanet 3 you’ll find a title that’s shifting its focus toward incredible multiplayer / co-op as well. Moreover, this doesn’t even touch on all the player-made content that will undoubtedly assume center stage at some point following the game’s release.
Planetside 2
Ok, yeah, Planetside 2 is already available on PC, but the idea of a free-to-play MMO first person shooter coming to consoles, and only the PS4, more or less qualifies it as an exclusive title. The game itself looks to be visually fantastic, resembling the way it might appear on a PC that has its graphical settings jacked way up. Essentially you fight in one of three different factions as they rage for control of the planet. Aside from having access to an open world area to explore, it’s unclear whether or not there will still be massive 2,000+ player battles raging (we’re guessing that they’ll scale it down a bit?) Nevertheless, the idea of being able to freely delve into a science fiction sandbox with loads of stuff to do in the midst of a convoluted plot seems very interesting indeed.
The Last of Us: Remastered
For all intents and purposes, The Last of Us: Remastered is going to be largely the same game that was released onto the PS3 only in full 1080p with improvements also being made to lighting, shadows as well as character models. Moreover, they even managed to tweak the gameplay a bit in order to facilitate a more smooth experience. The core drive and focus of the game is still as previously indicated though – it is 20 years since the big pandemic swept across the globe and forever altered civilization. You take control of Joel, who is tasked to smuggle a 14 year old girl, Ellie, out of a Quarantined area. As you might expect, things don’t exactly go as smoothly as planned. This remastered edition also includes additional content too.
Deep Down
For those who have been waiting for an interesting-looking RPG / dungeon crawler, “Deep Down” (created by Capcom Online Games and SCE Japan Studio) is here to satisfy your urges. First off, the game plunges you into NYC in the year 2094 when (apparently) everyone and everything has reverted back to largely medieval forms and magic rules and roams the lands. You are tasked to collect artifacts, which in turn, help you to unlock memories to aid you in your questing. To make a long story short, the game looks wonderful in 1080p and seems to be a mish-mash of different concepts while offering some excellent opportunities to engage in co-op / multiplayer action within the sphere of what amounts to a Dark Souls / Demon’s Souls-type atmosphere. Needless to say, it’s going to feature all the basic tropes we’ve become accustomed to as well as some nifty twists and turns and of course, fights with massive bosses in dank, dark underground surroundings. What’s not to like?
Natural Doctrine
Speaking of Dark Souls and those who enjoy being punished by video games, we bring you “Natural Doctrine”, which has already been labeled by more than a few people as being “impossibly difficult”. Developer Kadokawa Games has created a fantasy RPG with great-looking graphics and gameplay with a focus on tactics and perhaps even “simulation-like” elements. You assume the role of protagonist “Jeff” who, along with his two female accomplices, venture out to explore and do battle with many others across the land with swords and magic. Rather than focusing on real-time carnage, Natural Doctrine will utilize a turn-based system in tandem with lots of online / multiplayer-focused elements involving large numbers of participating players. Expanding upon the multiplayer aspects of the game, you can even play as non-human characters or eschew the conventional game altogether in favor of a card-based battle game where players can create and utilize their own careful crafted decks.
H1Z1
Yes, as you might have already guessed, H1Z1 is indeed a zombie-themed title that largely copies or pays homage to games like DayZ. This MMO places you smack dab in the zombie apocalypse with many others where the order of the day is survival. In order to facilitate this you’ll of course need to explore the wasteland looking for guns, tools, resources, and learn to build your own shelters / craft weapons. Currently it is unclear whether or not the game will be free-to-play or utilize some type of monetization scheme (the details of which are still being worked out). However, unlike many of its brethren, the sole focus in H1Z1 is survival against zombies, which means that the typical player vs. player stuff you find in similar titles is largely being phased out in favor of a more zombie killing-focused theme. Again, this means that cooperation and team-building are basically essential skills, if you’re intent on surviving, that is. To put it bluntly – this is pretty much the open world zombie game that a lot of fans have been asking for, eschewing all the human on human feuding that is common in other offerings.
The Order: 1886
Last but not least we have The Order: 1886. If you love action-adventure gameplay, then this game should definitely be on your pre-order list! The game is set in London, zombie like beings have sparked wars. Can all of this havoc be restored to normality? King Arthur and his clan are ready to take on these creatures and by 1886 martial law is not far away, which creates an all-new scenario. The higher classes are targeted by the lower classes.
The storyline as we know it so far is one that is perfect for an action-adventure game. This PS4 exclusive is currently set for a Q1 2015 release – this is definitely one to look forward to!
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