2018 was the year of the PlayStation, with back to back to back exclusives that helped further cement Sony’s position as the top dog of the console race. With that said, how is 2019 shaping up for the console? There are some much-awaited releases lined up for this year with some eyebrow-raising remakes and experimental titles that will pique your curiosity. Here’s a list of the seven PS4 exclusives to look forward to in 2019. Load up on your PSN credits and let’s get right into it!
The Last of Us Part II
The Last of Us Part II is definitely set to be the biggest PS4 launch of 2019, winning numerous Most Anticipated or Most Wanted Game of the Year awards in the months leading up to its release. The long-awaited sequel to 2013’s ground-breaking The Last of Us has players in control of a more rugged, mature Ellie sometime after the first game.
The original game was a cinematic experience, focusing on the father-daughter bond formed between Joel and Ellie as he escorts her through the wastelands of a post-apocalyptic America. Naughty Dog has a reputation as one of the great storytellers of the past two generations with the quality of their writing garnering affection and love from even those outside of gaming circles. The wide-open ending to The Last of Us, the proven writing chops of the dev team, and the tantalizing lack of clear-cut details shown by trailers thus far make this the game to play of 2019.
Days Gone
Set in a lush, forest setting two years after the global pandemic that put humanity at the brink of extinction, Deacon St. John, a former outlaw and bounty hunter, struggles for survival in the wilds while combatting his internal demons.
Days Gone is shaping up to be quite the release, promising a compelling narrative with fascinating characters and personalities. The developers have also described a system they’re calling the Freakosystem, a robust and complex ecosystem that controls the wildlife and humans that populate the game world, named after the Days Gone equivalent of zombies, Freakers. All living creatures in Days Gone eat, drink, rest, and nest, forcing the player to account for movement patterns, weather, and time of day in their strategizing.
Days Gone has come a long way since it was first announced in 2016 at the height of zombie fever. That craze may have died down in recent years but Days Gone’s focus on telling a great story and the unique mechanics that underly the gameplay guaranteeD a release that’s managed to distinguish itself in a crowded genre.
MediEvil
MediEvil is a modern remake of a criminally underappreciated Playstation hack-and-slash from the mid-90’s. Influenced by the visuals of Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, MediEvil follows Sir Daniel Fortesque, the champion that legend says led Gallowmere’s army to victory over the evil sorcerer Zarok’s legion of undead warriors. In reality, Sir Fortesque was killed by an arrow before the battle had even properly begun. When Zarok comes out of hiding to summon his undying army, he accidently brings Dan back, too. With Gallowmere heroless in the face of Zarok’s invading horde, it’s up to Dan to live up to his legend.
The original MediEvil was a hilarious tale of redemption marred with clumsy controls and a frustratingly erratic camera. Images from the announcement trailer are promising, with the art style and level design quite faithful to the original. One thing sorely missing from official promotional footage is the title’s characteristic humor but considering Sony’s recent track record with PS1 remakes (Spyro and Crash Bandicoot Trilogy immediately come to mind) and this game’s status as a straight remake there isn’t much cause for concern. Not too many played MediEvil when it first came out so if you’re one of the many that missed out on one of the best hack-and-slash platformers of that generation, here’s your chance to experience it.
Erica
Sony seems to be dead-set on bringing the ‘90’s back. Bend Studio returns, MediEvil is resurrected, and now Erica is reviving the FMV dream.
Erica is a thriller driven by live-action footage. FMV video games, full motion video for those unfamiliar, were a short-lived fad that never gained much traction, despite being lauded as the future of gaming in the 90’s. Essentially the entire game is shot much as a film would be and the player’s interaction with the game is reduced to choosing between options in a manner similar to a choose-your-own-adventure book (also a staple of the ‘90’s). The game revolves around the titular character as she deals with the childhood trauma has affected her entire life. Details are scarce, so we know little more than this, but the developers are touting the immersive potential of linking the game with players’ touch-screen device.
The idea of an FMV game in 2019 is an audacious one – perhaps inspired by the success of Her Story – and this might just scratch your itch if you’re looking for a modern thriller in the vein of Heavy Rain or Beyond: Two Souls.
Concrete Genie
Concrete Genie is a captivating fusion of Scribblenauts and Okami, with an aesthetic and atmosphere reminiscent of Papa & Yo.
The player takes control of Ash, a young artist living in the grungy urban jungle of Denska. When a group of bullies tear out the pages of his artbook, Ash must travel throughout Denska in search of the missing entries.
The art direction is magnificent. Ash’s sketches and paintings take life in glorious vividness juxtaposed against the dank, dreary drabness of the inner city.
Using the Playstation 4’s motion controls, the player paints objects and creatures, manipulating the attributes of their creations with colors and shapes. As they journey through Denska, the player must overcome obstacles and solves puzzles with their brush.
Concrete Genie is proving again that Sony isn’t afraid to dabble in the experimental and the title joins the likes of Journey and Flower in Sony’s pantheon of creative, indie-like titles.
Dreams
Dreams is the upcoming creative sandbox game by Media Molecule, Sony’s in-house masters of emergent gameplay best known for LittleBigPlanet.
In Dreams, the player uses their DualShock or Move controller to move their imp character around the game world, manipulate items, and create new items and characters. Essentially a puzzle game, the player travels from world to world, known as “dreams”, solving puzzles and collecting items using a combination of the imp’s powers and the abilities of the dreamer whose dream the player inhabits. As the player completes objectives and collects items, they open up skills and powers that allow for great manipulation of the universe. As in LittleBigPlanet, Dreams features a robust level editor that allows players to create challenging stages and puzzles using the items they’ve collected jumping in and out of dreams. You’re not limited to creating spaces for others to explore, however, the editor allows for surprisingly complex creations, including art pieces, music, and even fully-fledged films.
LittleBigPlanet first showed us how much fun could be had exploring and building worlds together, and Dreams looks to be the next evolution of the concept, bringing players together through creating.
Trover Saves the Universe
Trover Saves the Universe is a game by the co-creator of Ricky & Morty. Prepare yourself for something over-the-top, obscene, a bit twisted, and ridiculous to the point of bizarre.
Glorkon has kidnapped your dogs. He stole them, shoved them into his eye holes, and is now draining their life force so he can put an end to the universe and all of life within it. Trover is also an eye hole monster and circumstances have you working together to save your dogs and the universe.
That short description either made you fall in love with the premise of the game or you’ve decided to stay as far away as possible. Justin Roiland’s absurd dialog will be an ever-present component in this game, and his penchant for the strange and uncanny drives the art style and world design.
Trover Saves the Universe basks in its weirdness and isn’t shy about it. Its art style is characteristic Roiland, as are the dialog and writing – take what you will from that. The title is also coming to PSVR if you’re looking to immerse yourself in the world that Justin Roiland’s mind created.
2018 may have been the Year of the PlayStation but 2019’s line up is looking to continue the trend of quality, exclusive titles. This year’s games offer a balanced mix of blockbuster sequels, nostalgia-driven throwbacks to the 90’s, and experimental indie-fare – you’re certain to find a title or two that caters to your specific tastes. How do you think 2019 looks in comparison to last year? What titles are you anticipating the most? Don’t miss out on great deals from Playstation, load up on PSN credits today!
