Is it just me or it there just a lack of hype when it comes to gaming lately for Sony? The start of 2024 started out like gangbusters for the PlayStation 5, with games like the critically acclaimed Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Stellar Blade hogging a lot of the video gaming news cycle early on. Now, I can’t really think of any other games they have down the pipeline. Well, I guess it’s a good thing Sony just showed off their State of Play just to keep little old me apprised of what coming up for their PlayStation 5 console and beyond.

Of course, not all announcements are made equal. Some are only going to be good. Some are going to be bad. And some are going to be stuff I won’t care for. So, let’s go watch it and check out the good, the bad and the meh from the entire show.

The Good

Monster Hunter Wilds

Look, I’ve never really gotten into Capcom’s Monster Hunter franchise but I know a lot of people who have become incredibly addicted to the series. So, when the State of Play showed off Monster Hunter Wilds as the second-to-the-last game of the show, I wasn’t exactly wooting or anything of the sort. But I do have a feeling that a lot of people instantly became very happy that instant.

Monster Hunter Wilds does seem to make good use of Capcom’s RE Engine as the human and the titular monsters do look pretty good. I never liked how striking things in the Monster Hunter games never really “feel” like they’re connecting properly and I still don’t “feel” it in Monster Hunter Wilds. Still, this is probably going to sell a ton when it releases in 2025.

Astro Bot

I remember being really annoyed with Sony when it forced The Playroom into every PlayStation 4. It didn’t matter if you had a PlayStation Camera or not so you can fully utilize this demo software. The Playroom was going to be permanently affixed in your PlayStation 4 hard drive. Sony has been trying to make the demo’s main character, Astro Bot, as kind of the PlayStation mascot with minimal success. This time, they seem to be really pushing the issue as the last game they showed off during the State of Play, the game they really wanted to wow us with, was Astro Bot. And, honestly, they may have something this time.

Now, the previous games to feature Astro Bot felt more like glorified demos. Kind of a showcase of what the the console and the controller can do. This Astro Bot doesn’t come off like a cheap little app that came free with every PlayStation 5. The trailer showcase some actual fun looking flying stages, cool platforming and even bosses to take out. I hope Sony sticks on a less-than-normal price tag on Astro Bot when it releases in September of this year because, as good as this looks, I still don’t think it’ll be worth the price of a “premium” game.

Where Winds Meet

I was a huge fan of Sekiro, which is why I’m always looking for that next game that will get me to scratch that Sekiro itch. While I’m not sure if Where Winds Meet will actually be the Soulslike game set in ancient China, the game does look gorgeous and the combat did give me that Sekiro vibe.

I did a little digging after I did see the trailer and it looks like Where Winds Meet will be more like Ghosts of Tsushima rather than Sekiro as it’s an open world game where you can explore at your leisure. Still, I’m hoping the combat is going to be super challenging.

Infinity Nikki

Yeah, I’m pretty surprised I’m putting Infinity Nikki, a game where you explore a cute open world with a cute anime girl wearing cute outfits. Such a contrast from the more “extreme games” that I would normally like. Yet, I can’t help but feel that Infinity Nikki will surprise everyone with what a lot of the “extreme games” don’t have: charm.

It turns out Infinity Nikki is based on a long running game series where you play as the titular character and, you guessed it, dress up your character. Thankfully, the developers decided to expand on that and make Infinity Nikki more like a Genshin Impact type of game. And Genshin Impact, despite borrowing a lot of cues from Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, managed to become its own thing because of how good it was. So, I’m hoping Infinity Nikki does the same.

The Bad

Concord

No, Sony. Showing off Concord was not the best way to start out this State of Play showcase. I understand there was a time when the team shooter genre like Overwatch was big business. One thing led to another and, unfortunately, the team shooter isn’t doing so hot. So, while the trailer for Concord may have looked cute and charming… it’s still a team shooter, making it immediately come off as pretty dated and a soulless cash grab.

Now, there’s still a chance Concord can win over gamers if the gameplay is good and whatnot. However, I’m just not into team shooters so why in the heck would I want to play this? I hardly play any online games in the first place and I don’t think Concord is the one that’s gonna get me to do so!

Marvel’s Rivals

Speaking of team shooters who are late to the party…

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m a little less annoyed by Marvel Rivals than with Concord just because, at the very least, they’ll have recognizable Marvel heroes. This has more potential to be a big thing than Concord, in my opinion.

However, it still has the problem of it being an online team shooter so, once again, I’m simply going to pass on this. Call me when they get in touch with Capcom and decide to make another Marvel vs. Capcom.

Until Dawn for PlayStation 5

I understand Until Dawn was a huge sleeper hit for Sony when it came out on the PlayStation 4 when it came out in 2015. The graphics were unreal and it got some pretty well-known actors to portray and lend their likeness to the characters. But did we really need another remake that doesn’t really add anything but actually make the game look a little more ugly?

I think this is my biggest issue with the Until Dawn remake. Despite it being on better hardware, I can’t see any significant change in the graphics or the gameplay. Maybe it’s because I’ve gotten to graphics that don’t look like they’ve fallen into the depths of the uncanny valley anymore. But this version looks like it’s struggling to climb out of it. That was excusable in 2014. It’s not anymore.

The VR Games (Behemoth and Alien: Rogue Incursion)

As per usual, Sony’s State of Play had to hawk a couple of VR games. Here’s the thing: I am actually looking for a reason for me to pluck down the cash to get a Sony VR2 setup. Those things are pricey and I need a really, really, really good reason to buy it. And, after looking at Skydance’s Behemoth and Alien: Rogue Incursion, I still haven’t found a reason to do so.

I will say that, among the two, Skydance’s Behemoth looks like the more intriguing. It does look like the combat will allow you to do more than just swing a sword and block with a shield. I actually do like the grappling hook mechanic to spice up boring traversal. Alien: Rogue Incursion, despite it having a Holiday release for this year, looks really rough against the edges. Even with that brief glimpse of gameplay footage, the framerate was choppy, which could make it nauseating to play in VR.

Silent Hill 2 Remake

I hate that I’m putting Silent Hill 2 Remake on this part of the lists. I really want this game to be really good and, well, all the signs point to it not. The original Silent Hill 2 is a classic and I understand it’s going to be difficult to recapture the horrific magic that made it that way. Still, after seeing the new trailer, I didn’t think it could be this bad.

The trailer footage still look incredibly rough, with the characters speaking but the mouths not syncing properly, making it look like I’m watching a poorly dubbed foreign film. Animations for the human characters come off as stiff and robotic. I will say the combat does look a little better than the last time they showed off some gameplay as hits and gunshots sound more “meaty.” And the environments actually look good this time around. However, as Silent Hill 2 Remake has an October release date, I was expecting to be much better than it looks right now.

The Meh

God of War: Ragnarok for PC

I’m happy that PC owners are happy God of War: Ragnarok is coming to PC. I mean, it’s a great game and all. But this is the kind of thing that doesn’t affect me at all. I do have a good gaming PC now but I still generally like to play games on my console whenever I can. So, yay for PC gamers; meh for me.

Ballad for Atnara and Dynasty Warriors Origins

I’m lumping these two games together because the only thing Ballad for Atnara and Dynasty Warriors Origins as they only gave us very brief glimpses of what these games are going to be like. Sure, Ballad for Atnara does have some decent graphics and, like always, a Dynasty Warriors game can pump out more characters than you would think possible. Still, I need to see more for me to care.

Path of Exile 2

This is supposed to be a port of a PC game. That’s fine. But this means the controls would have to be reworked so as for it to work with a PlayStation controller. So, I need to see it actually working in order for me to see if it’s worth my time.

All-in-all, this was a rather disappointing State of Play for me. Strangely enough, Astro Bot and Infinite Nikki were the only things that I might like to play. I understand your mileage may vary but I really needed something bigger. Not sure what that would be but that’s just me.

What did you think of Sony’s latest State of Play? Which games caught your attention? Let me know in the comments section below!