The State of Play in the Rising Sun
Compared to the Nintendo Direct streamed on Tuesday, expectations were comparatively muted for Sony’s State of Play presentation later that day. There were a number of reasons for this. The Nintendo Direct didn’t provide the world like too many vocal fans expected, which in turn lowered expectations for this one. Prior State of Play presentations also haven’t been on par with the best Directs in terms of announcements, outside some exceptions. Sony also said this presentation would only be around 20 minutes and focus on ten titles, which didn’t offer much time to announce or showcase anything. Finally, it was predating Tokyo Game Show, a lower-key convention in recent years compared to its height, even before the COVID-19 pandemic. At least it’s still around, unlike a certain convention that occurred annually in Los Angeles.
The small number of the titles shown were very good, though. Here, I’ll focus on games that stuck out to me the most, because it shows when someone writes about something they have little interest in. Know your strengths.
This was the last place I expected Tekken 8 to formally show, after the small and peculiar tease provided at Evo 2022. The trailer showed Jin Kazama and Kazuya Mishima battling it out with what sure appeared to be very pretty in-game character models. The game is due for release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC, though no release timeframe was given. Given recent comments from producer Katsuhiro Harada, I wouldn’t be surprised if this game released next year. More will hopefully be shown soon.
In terms of shocking announcements: I had nearly given up on Yakuza: Ishin! getting localized, given that it’s been nearly nine years since the original game released as a Japanese PlayStation 4 launch title. But I always kept hope alive, and here it is, getting remade for nearly all modern platforms under the name Like a Dragon: Ishin!, a name that makes more sense considering this game takes place in the mid-1800s, well before the yakuza existed. The game will star Sakamoto Ryoma, a very obvious ancestor to Kazuma Kiryu, and take place in a fictional version of Kyoto known as “Kyo.” Interestingly, the game is being remade on Unreal Engine 4 instead of using the Dragon Engine that powered all of Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s titles since Yakuza 6 on PS4. We’ll see if they’re abandoning that entirely for newer games soon enough. This version will release on (breathes) PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series, Xbox One, and PC on February 21st.
The announcements for Like a Dragon 8 and Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name were saved for this morning’s Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio stream, alongside a longer trailer for Ishin. The former will be the newest turn-based installment in the series after Yakuza: Like a Dragon, which will star the returning Kasuga Ichiban and… Kazuma Kiryu, despite Kiryu’s story supposedly being wrapped up in Yakuza 6. The latter installment, which will have real-time action, will be a smaller-scale experience telling the story of why Kiryu’s getting involved again. You just can’t keep the main down. Like a Dragon 8 won’t arrive until 2024, while Gaiden will come in 2023. Meanwhile, both Judgment games are now available on Steam, after Sega apparently cleared everything up with the agency of main star Takuya Kimura (who plays protagonist Takayuki Yagami in the games), which reportedly had an issue with PC gaming and future mods.
Project EVE, a Korean stylish action game developed by SHIFT UP that was a standout title on the PlayStation Showcase 2021, has been given the final name of Stellar Blade. The new trailer, which notably cut down on the male gaze (relegated to social media now) but still included some jiggle factor, mostly focused on the story. A bit more interesting is how Sony themselves has taken on the duty of publishing this game, a sign that they must believe in it. I’m not cynical enough to think it’s because they badly need more PlayStation 5 console exclusives quickly, but I wanted to throw that out there. Regardless, it could be a worthwhile action title when it arrives next year.
Synduality is a new mecha title from Bandai Namco and developer Game Studio, with the trailer showing a pilot being accompanied by an AI female character (a virtual waifu?), though not much action was shown. To the chagrin of some among the audience, the game will be a Player vs. Player vs. Enemy game with players’ progress being impeded by AI-controlled enemies and other players. This sounds somewhat like the Souls games but with mechs, but they’ll have to demonstrate precisely what this means. The game will release for PS5, Xbox Series, and PC. It will also receive an anime TV series adaptation, which could air alongside the game’s release if Scarlet Nexus is a guide.
The biggest title announced on the stream was Rise of the Ronin, an open world action RPG developed by Team Ninja and being published by Sony, continuing a relationship from the Nioh titles. The game will take place in the late Edo-era period mid-1800s (notably like Ishin), near the end of the samurai’s reign, just as the west is beginning to encroach on Japan. The open world will be combined with Team Ninja’s trademark action, with combat that doesn’t appear that different from Nioh’s. The game isn’t due for release until 2024 as a PlayStation 5 console exclusive, meaning there’s a chance that it could arrive at the same time as Assassin’s Creed Codename RED, a fellow action RPG due to take place in Japan. The AC game will undoubtedly sell better, but other comparisons may not be pretty otherwise.
Other games were shown, including God of War Ragnarok (which will have its own DualSense controller), VR experiences Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge and Demeo, Hogwarts Legacy, and Pacific Drive. There’s no shortage of coverage on other sites that you’ve, let’s be honest here, likely already seen, nor was there much to talk about with them.
This wasn’t quite as focused on Japanese partners as Sony implied when the stream was first announced, but it was nonetheless a good preview of what to expect from Tokyo Game Show this year. Like I said above, at least TGS can count on it being alive, unlike that other convention from LA that tends to happen in June. There should be plenty more announcements and showcases as TGS starts on Thursday, September 15th, and runs until Sunday, the 18th.
About The Author
Geoff
News Editor | Geoff is some nerd who writes for a blog and thinks he's knowledgeable. He write a lot about video games, but is capable of writing about other subjects, too. Twitter
