E3 2014: Most Anticipated Sony Announcements

E3 2014 is nearly underway and expectations are high as Sony needs to prove that the PlayStation 4 will keep current and future buyers entertained for the foreseeable future, or at for another year or so. Sony has benefited from higher sales number than its competition, but that doesn’t mean they can start slacking off. With Xbox One matching the PS4’s price point starting June 9th and exciting new IPs (ex: Quantum Break and Sunset Overdrive) on the way, the PlayStation 4 needs to flex its muscles at this year’s E3. So, here is what we are expecting/hoping to see PlayStation show off.

God of War IV

God of War is one of Sony’s strongest franchises and they know it. Chances are they aren’t done with the series yet and won’t be any times soon. Rumors have starting cropping up that another God of War game will appear at E3 2014, but obviously we know nothing about it. God of War IV may finally give us some insight into the aftermath of the third installment. SPOILERS: Did Kratos really die after impaling himself with the Sword of Olympus? Whether he dragged himself off the cliff as a nod to the initial entries where he tried throwing himself into the sea or he was able to survive and wash ashore elsewhere is a mystery to us all. Maybe God of War IV will follow Kratos’ brother, Deimos, on his harrowing journey into imprisonment. OR maybe the game will follow a more modern setting with a new hero, as seen in God of War 1’s unlockable “Fate of a Titan” video. Whatever the game may be, we’re excited to see how they spin the Greek-inspired slaughterfest for next gen.

Syphon Filter Reboot

A Kill Strain trademark popped up recently which seems to be tied to a Syphon Filter Reboot. We haven’t seen Gabriel Logan on consoles since Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain on the PlayStation 2 in 2004, unless you count the PSP to PS2 port of Logan’s Shadow in 2010. But for the sake of this article, I’ll keep it restricted to entries specifically made for home consoles. Needless to say, we’re long overdue for another installment. If Sony Bend, the development team reportedly behind the game, wants to reboot the series while maintaining its spirit, they should allow us to tazer enemies until they burst into flames, like the good ‘ol days of Syphon Filter in 1999. Let’s hope that’s how the reveal trailer kicks off.

Project Beast

When Demon’s Souls entered the gaming arena, it mixed things up. Suddenly, difficulty was sought after. No longer were our hands being held by lengthy tutorials. Oh, no. Instead, we were thrown into the mix and wished good luck. Death came swift and it came often. It changed our perspectives of what to expect from games and reminded us that it can be extremely rewarding to use your brain while gaming by breaking away from the checkpoint-ridden, health-regenerating, linear games lining store shelves nowadays. Now we’ve seen leaked imagery and video of Project Beast, a FROM Software title supposedly heading to E3. The common belief is that the FROM team is readying Demon’s Souls 2 as a PlayStation 4 exclusive. The foggy gates and dark theme seem to imply this is right, but as some have pointed out, this may be a Shadow Tower game. Shadow Tower only existed on PlayStation systems in Japan, but that may change if rumors of it returning as a PS4 title in all regions are true. Either way, watching GIFs of shotgun gameplay has us eagerly anticipating this reveal.

Guerrilla Games New IP

Guerrilla Games has created stunning titles with their Killzone franchise, but it looks like they are ready to breakaway from that series and associate their name with something new. We know nothing of their new IP, other than it is said to be an open world RPG. This can be taken in so many ways, as the genre is so vast. Could Guerrilla be hand-crafting a Skyrim-esque adventure or maybe a game more in line with Deus Ex? Given their expertise with the FPS genre, I’m more inclined to believe the latter. Sadly, this is the only game on this list that is said to be skipping E3, but we are choosing to remain optimistic.

Project Morpheus Price and Date

Virtual Reality may be the next big thing and Sony is readying themselves for that future. Oculus Rift may now see some stiff competition from Sony’s own VR offering if the promising sound of early reports and impressions continue. We’re certain we’ll be hearing more about this developing technology and how it’ll be implemented into the PlayStation 4 and its software. And while those inevitable tech demos are sure to be eye-catching, we’re hoping for a little more. Specifically, we want Sony to drop a price point and release window.

Agent

Five years ago at E3, it was revealed that Rockstar was working away on a new open world IP titled Agent. The Cold War-era espionage-centered game was said to become the next big thing from the critically acclaimed studio. And it was set to be a PlayStation 3 exclusive. Given the PS3’s struggle to catch up to the Xbox 360 last generation, this would have been a game changer. However, years passed and we heard little about Rockstar’s next venture. Now we’ve entered a new generation of gaming consoles and the time could not be better for Agent to debut at Sony’s press conference and give their system a killer new IP. With recent trademark renewals and rumors of a surprise announcement, we may finally see the viel lifted on this mysterious game.

The Last Guardian

Here’s the only game more unlikely to make an appearance at E3 than Agent, but we’re going to throw it in here anyway. Much like Agent, The Last Guardian had its debut reveal in 2009, showing off what seemed to be a mature, emotional tale revolving around the developing relationship between a young boy and a giant, sad-eyed creature named Trico. The Last Guardian has seen numerous delays and was even reported to be cancelled by numerous outlets this week. Fortunately, Sony has denied these claims and states that development is still underway. We’ve waited long enough and it’s about time Sony showed us what this game has to offer our current and/or next gen Sony platforms.