It goes without saying that Sony’s latest home console effort has been a smashing success, with thePlayStation 5continuing to sell out ever since its launch last November. Of course, any console is only as good as its library of games, and while it’s still early on in its lifecycle, the drought of new content is beginning to be felt. At launch, the PS5 was graced with several noteworthy titles, with the most prolific of the bunch beingBluepoint’s stunningDemon’s Soulsremake, which set the bar for what to expect from next-gen visuals.
WhileDemon’s Soulsis undoubtedly fantastic and other third party titles have helped fill the void, PlayStation enthusiasts have been patiently waiting for the first party content that Sony has become synonymous with.Marvel’s Spider-Man: MilesMoralesandSackboy: A Big Adventurewere other great launch titles, but were also available on the PS4, so it has been nearly half a year since the last proper PS5 exclusive. Fans waiting will have patience rewarded very soon however, as not one, but two major games will be landing on thePlayStation 5over the next couple of months.
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Returnal
First up isReturnal, which creeps its way on the PS5 just before the end of the month on April 30. AlthoughReturnalwas delayed from its initial March release date, the game looks to have made good use of this extra time to add even further polish to what currently looks like one of the most interesting games on the system so far. The comparisons and inspirations toRidley Scott’sAlienfilm franchiseare undoubtedly apparent, lending the game an excellent sci-fi/horror atmosphere to compliment its fast paced rogue-like action.
Trailers forReturnalseem to tease a narrative where everything isn’t as it seems, something which players are sure to realize when it becomes available in a few days from the writing of this article. While the blistering gunplay, dazzling graphics andMetroidstyle exploration are sure to keep players engaged, the most important aspect of this game is that it’s a new IP. In any console lifespan, it is crucial to compliment the existing legacy franchises with fresh, new experiences to maintain a sense of variety within the library of games available. With the PS5 only a few months old at this point,Returnallaunching so early on is a great start in this regard and a promising sign of things to come.
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart
With nearly two decades having passed since the firstRatchet and Clankgame graced the PS2, Insomniac’s colorful platforming series has become a mainstay in the PlayStation family for years. This looks to continue withRatchet and Clank: Rift Apart, the latest installment in the franchise that looks to make a big statement for the technical capabilities of the PS5. The core “gimmick” of the title itself, in which Ratchet is able to seamlessly leap across worlds via rifts, is essentially Sony flexing the console’s blazingfast SSD load times.
With yet another Lombax named Rivet being added to the cast of protagonists, coupled with the dimension hopping plot, this newestRatchet and Clankgame looks to be the biggest and most ambitious yet for the franchise. Much likeDemon’s Soulsbefore it, this title is going to set the expectations for what fans can expect visually from PS5 games, and this is just the beginning. Insomniac has certainly lived up to its name, as the studio, proving its pedigree time and again, though not only this latestRatchet and Clankgame but also undoubtedly being hard at work on therumored sequel toMarvel’s Spider-Man.
Returnalis available on April 30, whileRatchetand Clank: Rift Apartreleases on June 11, both exclusively for PlayStation 5.
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