Sony’s E3 Press Conference | A Weekly Knockout Special

NOTE: Audio version of the Weekly Knockout can be found on iTunes, or at the bottom of this page.

God of War

While we already knew Santa Monica Studio was working on a new God of War game, today we got our first look at Kratos’ new adventure. The gorgeous new footage confirmed that God of War will draw from Norse mythology, as well as exhibiting revised, more methodical combat. Kratos himself also appears to have had an overhaul, displaying an emotion other than anger. Oh, and there’s dragons!

Days Gone

At long last, Sony Bend showed off what they have been working on. Their new IP, Days Gone, is an open-world post-apocalyptic action-adventure game, with a bounty hunter named Deacon St. John, as the protagonist. Later on in the conference, we got a live gameplay demo which displayed hundreds of zombies being mowed down by a seemingly endless supply of bullets.

Announce Trailer

Gameplay Demo

Last Guardian

We finally, finally, got a release date— 25^th October 2016! What else do you need?

Horizon Zero Dawn

We saw extended gameplay for easily my most anticipated game, Horizon: Zero Dawn. Showcased was crafting, the ability to take control of, and ride, the robotic creatures, and dialogue trees. As per usual the score was ear-tingling ecstasy. Previously announced, Horizon will be releasing 28^th February in the US, 1^st March in the EU, and 3^rd March in the UK.

Detroit: Become Human

Detroit: Become Human was first shown off at Paris Games Week, with an alluring CGI trailer. At E3 we got our first look at actual gameplay, with a demos of a single scenario, playing out in a multitude of different ways, depending on the player choices. Note that the demo focused on a new playable character, Connor. Previously it was assumed Detroit would focus squarely on Kara, much like Quantic Dream’s previous effort, Beyond: Two Souls, was all about Ellen Page’s character.

PlayStation VR

As expected, Sony exhibited several VR games (listed Below). They also announced the release date for the headset: 13^th October. PlayStation VR will cost $399/£349, and will launch with over 50 games.

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

Playable in VR

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard was announced with a gameplay trailer. The game looks set to return to the series’ horror roots, with no footage of combat, just atmospheric exploration. Believe it or not, people haven played a version of Resident Evil 7, with the events of PS VR demo Kitchen, taking place sometime after the events of the Resident Evil 7 gameplay demo. The game is slated to release 24^th January 2017, and will also launch on PC, and Xbox One.

Farpoint

PS VR Exclusive

Farpoint was announced, a first-person shooter in which the player crash lands on a hostile alien world, and must fight to survive an unnerving space adventure, where you will uncover the planet’s secrets. The game will make use of a new controller, the PS VR Aim Controller, which promises 1:1 precision for virtual shooters. As of yet we have no pricing information on the PS VR Aim Controller, or if Farpoint will be playable without the accessory.

Star Wars Battlefront: X-Wing VR Mission

PS VR Exclusive

Also announced was Star Wars Battlefront: X-Wing VR Mission. Developed by both Criterion and DICE, the game allows you to pilot your own X-Wing, and involves battles with Imperial Tie-Fighters, and Star Destroyers. X-Wing will be available for free to all owners of Star Wars Battlefront, or can be purchased as a standalone product for an – as of yet – undisclosed price.

Batman: Arkham VR

PS VR Exclusive

If you believed that Rocksteady was done with  Batman after last year’s Arkham Knight, guess again. The developers are returning one last time with Batman: Arkham VR. Little is known about the game, other than – if the trailer is anything to go buy – Mark Hamill will be returning to voice the Joker. Batman Arkham VR will release this October.

Final Fantasy XV

Exclusive PS VR Content

You will be able to play (at least some of) Final Fantasy XV in VR, as Prompto, one of non-VR protagonist Noctis’ companions. Other than that, details are thin on the ground.

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare

As you might expect, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare also appeared on Sony’s stage. The 7 minute gameplay demo featured space dog-fighting and zero-gravity infantry battles. It is unclear whether the dog-fighting section featured full player control, or was on rails/heavily scripted. Also announced, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered’s campaign will be playable only on PlayStation for the first 30 days after it releases.

Crash Bandicoot Remaster

No doubt bringing tears to the eyes of some, Crash Bandicoot 1, 2 and Warped are being remastered from the “ground-up” for PlayStation 4. Unfortunately, that’s all we know, with no details on who is developing it, no footage of the remaster, or a release window. Crash will also be appearing in Skylanders: Imaginators.

Death Stranding

Yes, Hideo Kojima showed off his new game Death Stranding. No details were announced, other than what can be gleaned from the trailer. That said, your guess as to what is going on will almost certainly be better than any of ours.

Spider-Man PS4

Everyone’s favorite web-slinger is returning to the world of video games—free of Activision! A brief gameplay trailer showcased all of the antics you would expect from the blue and red hero. The game is being developed by Insomniac Games, despite previous rumours suggesting the game was being developed by Sucker Punch. Note: the title; Spider-Man PS4, is a working title.