The game’s story has been created in collaboration with the original author

“One of the first things that we did when we embarked upon this project was to reach out to Dmitry [Glukhovsky],” explains de Ronde. “For us almost like, we were expecting him to come in and come up with another story for the game that was in line with the other Metro games. But instead, he came up with a very, very personal, emotional story for a new character. […] It also meant that our focus started to shift from taking a straightforward approach to a more story-heavy and story-driven approach in this particular game. And of course, the Metro series has always been known for the story that differentiates from other first-person shooters out there, but this time around, I think Dmitry really wanted to make sure that the story and the development of the characters was even more important.”

It’s still going to stick close to the playstyle of the mainline games… 

“Part of our onboarding process for every team member is to play the games, of course,” explains Louwe. “And so we look at what the strengths are of the franchise, and specifically on which of those strengths are translatable to VR. And some of the things that we noticed is the dynamic that they have between stealth and combat. And always making sure that you’re on your toes, and that you are never really sure when people are going to spot you. That’s something that works very, very well in VR. There’s just something about creeping up on enemies, listening to what they’re talking about. Of course the nature of VR, you can physically sit behind cover, maybe you can peer through a hole in the cover, and then you can spy on your enemies.”

“But rest assured for everybody that is a little bit more trigger happy,” interjects de Ronde. “There’s plenty of classic Metro action in the game.”

“I think it’s also good to say that the mainline games, of course, have Artyom,” Louwe continues. “After the first game he becomes a Spartan. But in [Metro Awakening], our protagonist is not necessarily a combat expert. So with that in mind, it also fits better to have a bit of a slower pace to the combat versus narrative than the original Metro series.”

…and keep close to their look and feel, thanks to original developer 4A Games

“We were very happy that 4A helped us fantastically well with supplying all the assets that they have from those games,” explains de Ronde. “We were able to either use some of those assets directly or use them as a reference for most of the stuff that we built in the game… it’s helped ensure that the game looks the way it looks. 

“There are assets that we looked at, and we wanted to use them specifically because they play a role on the mainland series, we wanted to reuse them again. In our game, you want to also make sure that fans recognise those elements. And then there was obviously stuff that serves the purposes as reference. And then there’s stuff that we’re almost regressing in terms of what would have looked like, X number of years before the events in the mainline series.”

You’re still going to feel the pressure of your bullet count

“You’re basically constantly looking for ammo,” chuckles Louwe when asked if, like the previous games, sourcing bullets is going to be an ongoing concern. “We have this beautiful environment, we have this beautiful world, our art is made sure that there’s detail to explore. But you also need a reason to explore. And the main reason to explore every nook and cranny is to just find bullets. We figured it would be best to hide those in small packets. So you won’t necessarily find full clips all the time. Instead, you will be finding single bullets out here, a couple of bullets there. And we’ve also made an effort to make sure that in some cases that there’s a bit of environmental storytelling around how that ammo got there, and something that triggers your imagination.

“The philosophy that we’ve taken along for this is also that basically, if you look everywhere, you’re probably going to have enough bullets to get through your combat encounters. If you just look on the critical path, you will probably have to be a better shot. And if you don’t scavenge at all, then you’re gonna have a hard time. Of course, you can always fall back to stealth. If you’re successful at that, then that’s always an option.”

Translating the tactile nature of Metro to PS VR2

Wiping your gas mask clean, pulling out maps, peering at ammo counts on guns rather than UI helped immerse you in Metro. I ask whether that makes for an easy VR adaptation. Vertigo’s research proves it can’t be a like for like.

“It’s an interesting point you bring up about wiping clean your gas mask… because Metro is such a tactile world it was obviously for us something that we definitely wanted to try and incorporate in the game. We tried to come up with an alternative way of wiping clean your gas mask that I think fans will very much still appreciate, even though it’s a slightly different version and wiping it when you have it on your face.”

“We chose to keep a lot of our UI and interactions as diegetic as possible,” continues Louwe. “For example, if you want to see how many bullets you have left in your gun, we could have put a counter on it. But we didn’t do that. Instead we opened up the clip, so that you can actually see how many bullets are in there. So if you want to know how many bullets are in your clip, you have to pull it out. It’s just a bit more immersive when you go into a combat encounter and you’re like “okay, let’s prepare, I’ll pull out my clip, check. That’s going to be enough for this one” then you snap it back in. If you want to put on your gas mask, we put it on a backpack. So you pull out your backpack by grabbing it from your shoulder. The gas mask is hanging from it. You just grab it from there and put it to your face, and then you stick it on. Those are the types of interactions that we were very keen on just making them as diegetic as possible.

“The adaptive triggers are a great example of how you can boost the immersion even further, because they give you just a tiny little bit of extra feedback as you fire your weapon. And our weapon designers actually had a lot of fun implementing it, and tweaking it for each weapon. It seems like a really small thing but it is kind of like those subtle elements that make you forget that you’re playing a game when it’s just there, right? Another example is the haptic feedback. It gives you that little bit of added experience to make the intense things that will happen to you in this game, to make them that bit more visceral.”

The game’s Comfort settings

“We want to focus on immersion,” states Louwe. “So our default locomotion setting, we’re offering two presets, so we have Comfort and we have Immersion. In Immersion, the default locomotion setting is continuous stick movements with snap rotation. Of course, we also offer settings you can just change in the Settings menu to make something even more immersive, such as continuous rotation. If you want to have a bit of a more comfortable experience, then you can set your locomotion settings to teleportation. That said, we are not really shying away from pushing the boundaries of VR when it comes to creating a visceral experience. So in Immersion mode, you can also expect to be moved around a bed or knocked over to wake up unconscious on the floor or, or even be thrown off a rail car for example.”

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This version of the interview was condensed for brevity. You can listen to a fuller version of the interview on the PlayStation Podcast, dropping this Friday. Metro Awakening will launch later this year on PS VR2.

Frenzies

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“We’re thrilled to be bringing Frenzies to PlayStation VR2!  As you can see from the debut gameplay trailer above, Frenzies fuses nDreams’ award-winning gunplay with the mayhem of multiplayer, throwing you into neon-soaked arenas for a winner-takes-all showdown with a twist. 

“Each five-round match in Frenzies is a chaotic lucky dip of randomized round types, maps, and teams that ensure no two matches are ever the same. Fun to play yet challenging to master, we think Frenzies will leave you smiling from ear-to-ear every time you step into the arena. We look forward to showing you more soon!”

– Paul Mottram, Head of Studio, Near Light: an nDreams Studio

Read more about the gameplay mechanics and modes from Frenzies in a dedicated PS Blog post. 

Metro Awakening 

“We’re excited to reveal all-new screenshots and an exclusive glimpse into our upcoming VR survival horror title, Metro Awakening. The game has been created in collaboration with original series author Dmitry Glukhovsky and is a standalone installment in the franchise, set before the events of the original game Metro 2033 and featuring a very, very personal, emotional story for our protagonist.

Metro is renowned for its unique immersive world, and Metro Awakening takes this to a new level. We’ve focused on making VR interactions as immersive and diegetic as possible, utilizing features like adaptive triggers and haptic feedback to enhance the experience, while maintaining the series’ stealth-combat dynamic.

We hope you’ll join us in this thrilling new Metro experience. Mark your calendars—pre-orders start this September, giving you the opportunity to be among the first to step into the eerie, atmospheric world of Metro Awakening before it launches later this year.”

– Creative Director Martin de Ronde and Game Director Samar Louwe, Vertigo Games 

Read more about how Vertigo Games is adapting the series to PS VR2 in our exclusive interview. 

Wanderer: The Fragments of Fate

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“Firstly, a bit of bad news, the game’s delayed with a new release date of October 31. But, let’s not despair too long…here’s a bucketload of new content to get stuck into! 

“Discover more about some of the people you’ll become and the incredible places you’ll visit as we present the above exclusive footage, offering an in-depth look into the diverse worlds and stories in Wanderer: The Fragments of Fate. Meet some of our key characters as you step into their shoes and get a glimpse into the role they play in shaping the future – every decision influencing the course of history. Immerse yourself in rich and awe-inspiring worlds as we journey across the globe visiting Mayan jungles, war-stricken Germany, flooded Boston and the breathtaking surface of the moon in an unparalleled gaming experience. 

Wanderer: The Fragments of Fate releases October 31 2024.”

– Sam Ramlu (she/her), Executive Producer at Mighty Eyes

And last week, a gameplay debut by way of the latest State of Play. At the initial announcement, the cornerstones promised for this Unreal 5-powered adventure – physics-based combat, a grappling hook to climb and grab, and boss battles with earth-shaking titans – all present in nearly two minutes of PS VR2 footage.

There’s plenty in that first-look sizzle that I experienced first-hand by way of a recent hands-on. Thirty minutes and change were spent going toe-to-toe with skilled fighters, repelling down mountainous ruins, and clambering up the torso of an angry, monstrous behemoth in a “vertical slice of a vertical slice” demoing the game’s key features.

Favoring dual-wield loadouts and two-handed broadswords throughout, I walked away feeling every inch an ancient warrior but equally glad to have donned a lightweight shirt that morning and had a few weeks of a gym return under my belt.

You don’t have to fear a forced workout. The studio intends to craft difficulty settings that cater to and scale for all players, be they story and lore lovers, power fantasy seekers, or survival enthusiasts. But even in this preview, the intricacy of combat is a gritty delight. The core of the physics-based melee system requires blades or shields to be angled correctly to strike limbs and block incoming blows, thrown daggers, arrows. There’s a tight parry window to stagger enemies and unblockable attacks that your dodge move will come in handy for.

The studio is still developing the game’s haptic feedback to make use of PS VR2’s headset and Sense controllers. The intent is for every weapon to have its weight and heft, and for the player to ‘feel’ the passing of Behemoths. One fun illustrative example: when you run out of stamina, the headset feedback will mimic throbbing temples until stamina automatically recharges. 

How to pierce a fighter’s defenses depends on their weapon – and yours. Daggers will only scratch wooden shields, small axes will puncture holes in them, and two-handed broadswords – with the right angle and force – will carve chunks off them. Headshot a faraway foe with an arrow shot, or toss a melee weapon, and then charge in to finish the job. Aim a strike or weapon throw correctly, and you can knock a helmet off an armored foe’s head.

Your grappling hook is an essential tool for fights. Grab distant weapons, and yank a combatant off balance. Rappel out of trouble, or reposition yourself on the battlefield. In one moment, I snag a tree trunk behind someone and with a quick pull it cannons into them. In another, I fast-rappel up a ledge, the hook’s pull launching me upwards (the subsequent smooth arc of my grapple-assisted leap not losing its sheen during my playthrough), and as my feet touch higher ground, I notch and fire an arrow at a bowman lurking nearby.

Combat is intense throughout. Don’t expect hordes (or herds) of enemies, but every individual is a tangible threat at close range. All equip themselves from the same pool of weapons you’ll ultimately have full access to, and have much the same skill sets as you. Thus, most encounters hinge on situational awareness, positional strategy, weapon consideration, and player resilience.

There’s another addition to that list: superhuman strength. For you, at least, the curse that’s infected much of the Forsaken Land’s populace is a boon. A limited-time but automatically-recharging buff that, when activated, lets you hulk out and smash down doors, perform brutal, superpowered finishers, or send would-be killers – or their limbs – flying. It further evens the odds when surrounded or when dueling tougher enemy types.

The clash of steel doesn’t wholly define your journey: the game rewards exploration. Explore your surroundings to grab items (which can be concocted into healing potions and other items at crafting stations) and stray off the beaten path to discover collectibles. Place your hands upon indentations on stone altars to save your progress and cleanse your arms of the blood of the fallen – your sword, however, continues to carry the stains of where you’ve been.

You’ll never be without weapons. The Forsaken Lands’ brutal history is laid bare in its landscape. Armaments lie abandoned or dropped by the dozens. The pierced, skeletal remains of those who once wielded them litter the world, and those still with a pulse can be looted once they join their deceased brethren. You can sheath extra blades, shields, and bows upon your person to switch up strategies on the fly.

You’ll earn ‘hero’ weapons which will always be upon you (rematerializing if you leave them behind on your travels). Once discovered, a handy forge lets you enhance your arsenal with different properties, stats, and damage types. You’ll also be able to add cosmetic flourishes earned through besting the worst the Forsaken Lands throw at you. Downed Behemoths will grant buffs to your strength (health) and stamina.

Behemoths, plural. As per the State of Play trailer sting, there’s more than one out there. But one is what I face at the demo’s end. After the previous half hour teasing its presence, either spotted as a moving mountain in the far distance or wandering down a valley newly carved out by its passing, I step out into a snow-ravaged tundra for a battle that ties together everything I’ve learned in the past 30 minutes.

I dodge mammoth foot stomps, and a building-sized wrecking ball swung with impunity. Armor encasing its feet are grappled and prised off, requiring multiple hands-over-hand pulls to remove it and allow me to ascend onto the beast’s side. Climbing up a rampaging colossus towards an attackable weak point isn’t unfamiliar; doing so in the first person is. Feet back on terra firma and Behemoth downed temporarily, I’m jumped by a squad of humanoid attackers, and we clash in the shadow of a cliff-sized arm. Muscle memory is weak enough that I’m eventually overwhelmed, even after swigs of the revitalizing health potions I snatch off my belt. The Behemoth regains its footing. I’m briefly eclipsed as one mammoth foot descends one last, fatal time. 

It’s an epic end to an epic fight, one I’m readying for a second round of when the game launches on PS VR2 this fall. The creators of Skydance’s Behemoth have taken the best learnings of their previous work and are intent on building something special.

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Alongside that, you’ll find all the individual trailers and announcements, collected together in one handy list. Enjoy! 

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Astro Bot

Astro is back in a super-sized space adventure, his biggest to date. In this brand-new game, you will explore 6 galaxies and over 80 levels in search of Astro’s scattered crew. The game launches this September 6, with pre-order beginning June 7. 

Read the full PS Blog post. 

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Concord

Today’s State of Play revealed the first look at the gameplay, universe, and characters of Concord, as well as how and when you’ll be able to get your hands on the 5v5 character-driven, first-person multiplayer shooter. A beta is planned for later this year, followed by Concord’s global launch on PS5 and PC on August 23, 2024.

Read the full PS Blog post. 

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God of War Ragnarök

God of War Ragnarök will be coming to PC on September 19, 2024! From Santa Monica Studio and brought to PC in partnership with Jetpack Interactive comes an epic and heartfelt journey that follows Kratos and Atreus as they struggle with holding on and letting go. Pre-purchase now to receive in-game rewards, including Kratos Risen Snow Armor and Atreus Risen Snow Tunic. All editions also include access to the God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla DLC for no additional cost!

Read the full PS Blog post. 

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Until Dawn 

Get a new look at the seminal horror classic, which has been rebuilt and enhanced for PS5 and PC. When eight friends return to the isolated lodge where two of their group vanished a year prior, fear tightens its icy grip, and their mountain retreat descends into a nightmare with no escape. 

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Skydance’s Behemoth

Skydance’s Behemoth is Skydance Games’s next monumental offering for PS VR2 and its follow-up effort to the award-winning The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners games. It is a first-person action-adventure VR title launching this Fall that combines brutal physics-based hand-to-hand combat with player traversal, environmental puzzle-solving, and larger-than-life boss battles.

Read the full PS Blog post. 

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Path of Exile 2 

Path of Exile 2, the next generation free-to-play action RPG from Grinding Gear Games, will be coming to PlayStation 5 with a great new feature: couch co-op! Join Early Access later this year. 

Read the full PS Blog post. 

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Monster Hunter Wilds

A new trailer for the upcoming action-RPG details the rich, living world you’ll be able to explore when it releases on PS5 in 2025. In a dedicated PS Blog post, Capcom introduces some of the monsters and characters, as well as more info on the hunter’s new mount.

Read the full PS Blog post. 

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Silent Hill 2

Silent Hill 2 launches October 8 on PS5. The creators behind this psychological survival horror remake delve deeper into the new gameplay and narrative details on PS Blog.

Read the full PS Blog post.

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Alien: Rogue Incursion 

Survios debuts a first look at Alien: Rogue Incursion gameplay. The new action-horror VR game is coming to PS VR2 Holiday 2024. 

Read the full PS Blog post. 

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Marvel Rivals

Marvel Rivals unveils its Closed Beta Test on PS5 in July 2024! 

Read the full PS Blog post. 

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Dynasty Warriors: Origins

Omega Force unleashes the largest battles ever seen in a musou game in Dynasty Warriors: Origins, coming to PS5 in 2025. A new hero emerges to fight for survival in intense Three Kingdoms hack-and-slash warfare.

Read the full PS Blog post. 

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Ballad of Antara

TipsWorks Studio from Infoldgames announced Ballad of Antara, a free-to-play fantasy action-RPG, which is coming to PlayStation 5 in 2025.

Read the full PS Blog post. 

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Infinity Nikki

Infinity Nikki is an open-world dress-up adventure game coming to PS5, with a beta test due later this year. Alongside Nikki, awaken the magical powers hidden within various outfits and embark on a journey filled with fun. 

Read the full PS Blog post. 

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Where Winds Meet

Where Winds Meet, an epic Wuxia open-world action-adventure RPG set in ancient China, is bringing its martial arts mysteries to PS5. 

Read the full PS Blog post. 

Now, following on from recent reveals of Metro Awakening and Legendary Tales by way of last month’s State of Play, we’re highlighting a number of games in today’s PS Blog post. New announcements, release date reveals, DLC debuts and a game launch: find them below, all introduced by the creators behind the games. There’s so much to look forward to.  

Also, we’re pleased to share that we are currently testing the ability for PS VR2 players to access additional games on PC to offer even more game variety in addition to the PS VR2 titles available through PS5. We hope to make this support available in 2024, so stay tuned for more updates.

Without further ado….

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The Wizards – Dark Times: Brotherhood | Out today

“The Wizards – Dark Times: Brotherhood is an action-adventure spellcasting game where you become a powerful Wizard, and thanks to the power of Playstation VR2, you can cast a variety of spells with your very own hands. As developers, we’ve meticulously crafted an immersive world where players wield the power of magic through intuitive gesture-based spellcasting, a staple mechanic of The Wizards franchise. With the full might of PS5’s hardware at our disposal, players can expect breathtaking visuals and seamless gameplay while traveling through the realm of Meliora in single-player and 3-player co-op experience. And we’re happy to announce you won’t have long to wait to play: the game launches on PlayStation Store today!”

– Pawel Nitta, Head of Marketing, Carbon Studio VR

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Wanderer: The Fragments of Fate | Out June 27 

“Calling all time travelers! Mighty Eyes is excited to unveil exclusive gameplay content (and confirm the release date) in this latest reveal of Wanderer: The Fragments of Fate, which you can watch in the trailer above. Under fire in World War 2 we see the player harness their trusty watch companion’s time-traveling abilities to gather an eclectic arsenal of weapons, only to return moments later to gain the upper hand! Playing as Asher Neumann, players can seamlessly time travel at will, exploring immersive worlds and experiencing exhilarating action while solving mind bending puzzles and wielding their time-traveling powers to reshape the course of history. We’re also thrilled to share other, exciting news, so make sure to stay to the end of the video. Did someone say sea shanty?!”

– Sam Ramlu (she/her), Executive Producer at Mighty Eyes

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Little Cities: Bigger! | Out March 12

“We’re delighted to bring endless cozy creativity to PlayStation VR2! Little Cities: Bigger! unites our signature diorama city building with over 18 months of dreamy update content – our most substantial slice of relaxing island crafting ever. It’s been a blast playing with the power of PlayStation VR2 to get the game in tip-top condition. You’ll feel everything from the satisfying ‘whomp’ of a well-placed mountain to the brush-stroke sensation of island sculpting with Sense controller haptics. And thanks to headset feedback, experience world-rumbling volcanic eruptions while tiny helicopters rush to the rescue! We cannot wait to see what you create…”

– Kelly Howard, Co-Founder, Purple Yonder

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Zombie Army VR | Out 2024

“Bringing the much-loved Zombie Army franchise to VR for the first time, Zombie Army VR lets you experience the fear, thrill and spine-chilling tension of the zombie apocalypse through the immersion of your PS VR2 headset.

Complete with online 2 player co-op, the thrilling campaign sees you reprise the role of a Deadhunter as they fight their way across war torn Europe doing battle with the zombie hordes. Choose your weapon from an authentic World War 2 arsenal including sniper rifles, submachine guns, pistols, and explosives as you lay waste to the undead and free Europe.”

– Steven Archer – Executive Producer, Rebellion

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Arizona Sunshine 2 free update | Out today

“The goodest boy ever just got a free, furry upgrade: Meet Corgi, your new fearless companion Buddy, who’s available in-game later today! Dive back into Arizona Sunshine 2 and face off the toughest Freddies by choosing the Corgi as your preferred four-legged sidekick through the newly added Cosmetics Screen. And that’s not all – get ready for more multiplayer mayhem with three new Horde mode maps, dropping one each month from March to May, allowing up to four players to battle waves of zombies together. It’s gritty, it’s intense, and it’s also free of charge.”

– Giulia Covre – Global PR Manager, Vertigo Games

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Soul Covenant | Out 2024

“Today we’re happy to reveal new details and screenshots for our upcoming narrative action JRPG Soul Covenant that showcase one of its core mechanics: turning fallen comrades into weapons! In a near-future Japan that sees humanity fight for survival against a mech regime, you’re tasked to take on hordes of encroaching enemies and colossal, powerful foes in tense, melee-based combat. You’re not alone though. You’re but one of a four-strong troop, joined by three other avatars (in the form of NPCs or controlled by other players). If a comrade falls, they can still contribute to the battle, as their remains transform into a weapon that can be equipped, giving you access to axes, dual swords, chainsaws and more. Acquired weapons can be strengthened further through items dropped by downed enemies. With each one offering two different forms, you have a growing number of versatile combat styles with different reaches and power sets to try out. It’s why in the world of Soul Covenant, troops share the very specific phrase before heading into the battlefield: ‘I’ll make sure to pick up your bones’.”

– Koh Okamura, Producer, Thirdverse

More on PlayStation VR2

• Discover more about PS VR2 and its range of experiences here. 
• New to PS VR2 and want to sample some of its games? There’s a selection of demos available now on PlayStation Store. 
• Find out about the tech behind PS VR2 and how it was created in this PS Blog article.

To understand how this evocative experience is being achieved on PS5, we turned to the action RPG’s creators, which include the majority of Final Fantasy VII Remake’s development team. Looking under the hood with us? Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Director Naoki Hamaguchi, who has been on the FFVII Remake project since the start, to talk us through how the studio brought the world of FFVII Rebirth to life. 

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As a developer, what were your first impressions of the technology of the PS5?

With SSDs improving data loading speeds and allowing necessary resources to be loaded instantly, we felt that significant changes were needed in the system design to ensure a smooth gaming experience without any loading times for players. In fact, to take advantage of the high-speed SSDs in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, the graphics pipeline and asset streaming system have been revamped from those of the previous title.

What learnings did you take from developing Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade to help you develop Final Fantasy VII Rebirth? 

From the beginning, we were conscious of the disc size for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and we made it an absolute requirement for the disc size to be within 150G— even including the world map—while still allowing for cinematic locations to exist as they did in Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade. (Intergrade has a disc size of about 80GB.)  For texture compression, experiencing the practical use of Oodle Kraken* and Oodle Texture** in Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade was very helpful in planning the disc size for this game. While the PS5 is equipped with an SSD which dramatically improves loading speed, there is still a limit to the size of the original disc that can be read, so this technology is truly indispensable.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth was created as a PS5 game first and foremost, so how did you take advantage of the hardware when it came to the graphics and the gameplay? 

To create a sense of density within the world map, rather than simply polishing how it looked within a single screenshot, we focused on increasing the actual “quantity” of assets to enhance the feeling of a well-populated map. PS5 has implemented a new PrimitiveShader as its own geometry pipeline, and in combination with the ComputeShader, the rendering pipeline was designed to be able to render a large quantity of assets. This approach also matched well with the SSD, which could load a large number of assets instantly. Through this, players can expect a beautiful, diverse, and expansive world to explore in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.

How did you leverage the PS5 SSD’s capabilities in this game? 

The PS4 version of Final Fantasy VII Remake had to be preloaded due to loading speed constraints, which squeezed the memory capacity and compromised assets. Streaming was also necessary, as we knew that the seamless world we needed to build for this game would be even more demanding in terms of memory usage compared to previous games. One of the challenges we found with Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade was that, in most cases after loading, the CPU processing time required to expand memory for additional space was too time-consuming, due to the high speed of SSDs. For this title, the CPU load for memory expansion is set to be as close to zero as much as possible, and the file format is designed to be a memory-allocated layout to take advantage of the high loading speed of SSDs. In particular, the pipelines for rendering and streaming background models were newly designed. The performance of PS5’s high-speed SSDs was incredibly helpful in loading assets in much finer increments, enabling us to render objects in a highly detailed manner when they’re up close, and more roughly when they’re in the distance.

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Character models in both Final Fantasy VII Remake and the PS5 upgraded version Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade were – and still are – visually impressive. Did PS5 allow you to add any additional details to the returning cast’s designs?

The characters in Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, including Cloud, were created based on the PS4 generation of consoles. This time, the models have been changed to meet the specifications of the PS5, and the main characters have been completely redesigned, from their hair to their outfits. In addition to the renewed character’s expressions during close-up shots, I’d love for people to take a close look at their detailed hair and skin as well. I believe you’ll be able to palpably feel the enhancement in physical textures and details. 

Besides modeling and textures, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth also features enhanced shading, animation, and lighting, and the overall character visuals that combine these various components greatly exceed those of Final Fantasy VII Remake, so please look forward to it.

Similarly, the cast expands with the arrival of Cid, Cait Sith and Vincent. Did you apply the same creative process as the Final Fantasy VII Remake’s cast when reimagining these characters with modern technology?  

New characters were created using essentially the same process, but I can say that this flow has been refined since Final Fantasy VII Remake. The majority of the development team from the previous title has continued working on Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, enabling us to start production with prior experience already gained and allowing us to really polish the physical textures and details of the new characters, Cid, Cait Sith, and Vincent. We hope you will take a closer look at these characters when you play the game.

PS5 developers have offered players the option to enjoy their games in either a Graphics mode that prioritizes 4K graphics, or Performance mode that prioritizes smooth action at 60FPS. Can you share what we can expect from Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and why you decided on these options? 

In Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, there is also a Graphics Mode that emphasizes 4K graphics and a Performance Mode that emphasizes 60 FPS, which users can freely select within the option menu. Selecting between these two modes has become a trend among players of PS5 games, so we felt it was an essential feature for this title as well.

The DualSense wireless controller’s unique features such as haptic feedback and adaptive triggers can immerse players more fully into the experience. How did you leverage these features for the game?  

We’ve actively incorporated haptic feedback and adaptive triggers in battles and cutscenes— game segments with strong action elements and cinematic presentation— so that everything conveyed through the graphics is also directly synchronized with the controller too. In addition, because there are many minigames for this title, we plan to utilize the DualSense function for each minigame. In addition to haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, you can also experience a wide range of features, such as the motion sensor, built-in microphone, and touchpad.

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How did you utilize 3D audio?

This title makes full use of Tempest3D audio. This allows for most of the voices, sound effects, and background music in the field to come from each object and character, with the sound varying according to its distance from the camera and the surrounding space. The 3D audio system also actively responds to verticality, and in some areas, we’ve placed different sounds above players for them to experience movement and objects within that dimension of space as well. We look forward to you experiencing the realistic and immersive ambiance that comes from this 3D audio, such as the Shinra helicopter flying over the field, or the various ambient noises within the vast Grasslands area, or the background music from the sky when you’re exploring the Gold Saucer. The recent SDK version upgrade also supports the Dolby Atmos output, so if you have a soundbar, speaker system, or other compatible devices in addition to headphones, you can enjoy this output as well.

Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade included a Photo Mode: is this feature returning in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and has it had any changes? 

Photo mode is, of course, implemented in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. A photo frame function has been additionally implemented for this title as well, making it possible to select a frame of your choice for all of your favorite snapshots. In addition, Photo Mode itself is integrated into the game’s worldview, with side content featuring a photo enthusiast character named Snaps, who asks Cloud to snap pictures at various photo locations around the world map. Completing these requests will unlock additional photo mode features, so please look forward to those as well.

Is there any particular scene, location, moment of feature in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth that you feel really encapsulates what you’ve been able to achieve thanks to PS5? 

To be honest, every scene utilizes so much of the PS5’s specs that it could not be realized without it… but if I had to pick one, it would be the town location. Towns require a large number of NPCs to be placed, while also increasing the density of assets in general. Crafting a sense of vibrancy and life for the NPCs in the town is something we put special care into, and I think you will be able to fully experience the PS5’s capabilities by walking through the streets. Personally, I love how the town of Junon is depicted during the inauguration parade of President Rufus, so I hope you can experience that for yourself in the game as well.

What other PS5 games have impressed you? From a developer’s point of view, how did you feel that they took advantage of the PS5’s capabilities?

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 was a game that let me experience the capabilities of the PS5 the most out of the titles released in 2023. Utilizing SSDs truly sped up Spider-Man’s web-swings and wall runs, enhancing my exhilaration as I played. In addition, the fast travel feature was jaw-dropping, and I almost felt moved by how there was virtually no wait time when traveling via the map screen. Even from a developer’s perspective, I felt this was a game that could not have been actualized without the PS5’s high-speed SSD. 

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Final Fantasy VII Rebirth launches on PS5 February 29. 

*Oodle Kraken is a data compression technology developed by RAD Game Tools, designed specifically for reducing the size of video game assets and improving loading times without sacrificing visual quality. 
**Oodle Texture is a component of the Oodle suite that focuses specifically on texture compression. It employs innovative techniques to shrink texture file sizes while preserving their visual fidelity.

More on Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

• State of Play Recap: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth demo out today, 11 minutes of new gameplay revealed
• Final Fantasy VII Rebirth: Square Enix discusses reimagining iconic characters Sephiroth and Aerith
• Final Fantasy VII Rebirth hands-on report – playable Sephiroth, Chocobo exploration, Junon and more
• Final Fantasy VII Rebirth: developer interview reveals fresh gameplay details as new trailer debuts at State of Play

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State of Play: All the trailers 

Dave the Diver 

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Death Stranding 2 On The Beach 

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Dragon’s Dogma 2

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Foamstars

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Helldivers 2

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Judas

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Legendary Tales

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Metro Awakening 

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Rise of the Ronin 

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Silent Hill: The Short Message 

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Silent Hill 2 

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Sonic X Shadow Generations

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Stellar Blade

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Until Dawn

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V Rising 

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Zenless Zone Zero

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State of Play: All Announcements

• Sega reveals Sonic X Shadow Generations
• Stellar Blade arrives only on PS5 April 26
• HoYoverse’s action-RPG Zenless Zone Zero is coming to PS5
• Silent Hill: The Short Message now available free on PS5, new Silent Hill 2 remake trailer revealed
• New Judas story trailer from Ghost Story Games revealed
• Metro Awakening is coming to PS VR2
• Square Enix reveals Foamstars Season 1 content details
• Dave the Diver splashes onto PS5 and PS4 this April, Godzilla DLC revealed
• Become the ultimate vampire In V Rising, coming to PS5 this year
• New Rise of the Ronin gameplay trailer showcases combat, traversal, and player choice
• An enhanced version of Until Dawn comes to PS5 and PC this year
• Legendary Tales lets you forge your RPG destiny on PS VR2 February 8
• New Dragon’s Dogma 2 trailer showcases Warfarer vocation, out March 22

Best New Character 

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Venom | Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

New faces solidified themselves as instant gaming icons in 2023. Baldur’s Gate 3 adventurers faced tough choices in who to bench back at camp as they journeyed across the Forgotten Realms, new challengers slotted easily alongside long-term mains in Street Fighter 6 and a gravelly-voiced Cid won hearts across Valisthea and beyond. Yet it was Venom – a powerhouse pairing of powerful physical presence by way of Insomniac’s character design and an unsettling performance by horror legend Tony Todd – that took the top spot.

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Astarion | Baldur’s Gate 3

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Kraven | Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

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Clive Rosfield | Final Fantasy XVI

Best Story 

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Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 packed a lot of heart into the breadth of its story campaign. Regardless of whether we were absorbing quieter character moments or swinging ourselves into bombastic, blockbuster-level beats, all were supercharged by an emotional core. Insomniac’s ability to make us invested in the cast and their story arcs meant revelations and reveals hit all the harder. And you clearly agreed: with votes totaled, it won Platinum Trophy for Best Story of 2023.

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Baldur’s Gate 3

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Alan Wake 2

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Final Fantasy XVI

Best Graphical Showcase

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Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

A larger, denser Marvel’s New York to swing and soar through. Ray-tracing regardless of what your graphical setting of choice.Visually dazzling set pieces that highlight the next-gen heft of PS5. An SSD-powered fast travel option that needs to be seen to be believed. For all those and more, it’s little wonder that Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 earned top spot for Best Graphical Showcase in 2023. Hats off to Insomniac.

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Alan Wake 2

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Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

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Final Fantasy XVI

Best Art Direction

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Alan Wake 2 

Remedy blends the realistic and surreal to deliver striking, dreamlike visuals. Alan Wake 2 innovatively merges moody in-game graphics with live-action footage projected into the game world. The result is an unpredictable, reality-bending world where anything could happen. The effect ranges from startling, screen-filling flashes to climactic set-piece moments like an unforgettably dramatic musical sequence that must be experienced to be believed. This is Remedy’s visual storytelling at its best.

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Baldur’s Gate 3

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Diablo IV

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Sea of Stars

Best Audio Design

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Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

The raging howls and unearthly voice of Venom. The solid, wet smack of a web shot. The energetic crackle of Miles’s bioelectric powers. The ever-present background hum (and snippets of conversation) of a living, breathing city. The perfect placement of enemy positions through 3D Audio. Insomniac’s audio teams earned the studio the well-deserved accolade of the Platinum Trophy for Audio Design.

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Alan Wake 2

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Hogwarts Legacy

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Resident Evil 4

Soundtrack of the Year

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Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

From the very first chords of EARTHGANG’s “Swing” energizing our first web-swing towards the opening clash with Sandman to the subtly discordant version of Peter’s Hero theme representing his continuing corruption by the Black Suit, returning composer John Paesano smoothly crafted Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s soundtrack to embody our heroes’ respective journeys and brought us along for the ride. And between, licensed tracks providing the perfect accompaniment to some big emotional moments.

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Final Fantasy XVI

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Baldur’s Gate 3

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Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

Best Accessibility Features

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Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Not only did Insomniac double the number of Spider-Men you could play as in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, they also doubled the number of accessibility options to a spectacular 70+. New additions and updates to old favorites include challenge level modifiers and gameplay assists, shortcut buttons, game speed, and audio frequency controls. And with a post-launch update in early 2024, including audio descriptions, screen reader, and high contrast outlines, Insomniac is committed to making sure that anyone can wear the mask!

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Resident Evil 4

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Street Fighter 6

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Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Best Use of DualSense controller

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Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

If you looked disconcertedly at your DualSense controller during a Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 session, you weren’t alone. 

Insomniac can be commended for their versatile use of DualSense features, be it a punch thrown or web line slung, asymmetrical pressure on adaptive triggers to fix particle colliders, a Super Slingshot feeling like the world’s best rubber band flick and more. Yet it was a primal-like roar emanating from the controller’s speaker as a Black Suit-clad Peter let loose in combat that provided arguably the biggest thrill, an unsettling foreshadow of what was to come. 

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Hogwarts Legacy

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Alan Wake 2

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Resident Evil 4

Best Multiplayer Experience

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Baldur’s Gate 3

One of the best examples of choice-driven RPGs of this year (and any other) gets even better if you venture into the Forgotten Realms in the company of friends. Even aside from the intense discussion that’ll stir prior to any dice roll, the resultant chaos of multiple voices shaping your quest lines gives adventurers with solo campaigns running in parallel the opportunity to witness Larian’s careful craft playing out: from different incidental dialogue to entire scenarios previously unseen, it showcases how much thought and work has went into the game. Incredible stuff. 

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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III

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Mortal Kombat 1

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Street Fighter 6

 Best Ongoing Game

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Fortnite 

2023 was Epic’s full-court press for Fortnite, a game that already sets a high bar for innovative content updates. Early this year Epic rolled out a new graphical overhaul for Fortnite, tapping the power of Unreal Engine to boost Battle Royale’s vivid visuals to new heights. But the crowning achievement in 2023 is the introduction of a whopping three new titles to the Fortnite ecosystem. LEGO Fortnite, Rocket Racing, and Fortnite Festival all launched this month, introducing new ways to play with friends. Fortnite now has you covered whether you’re into racking up VIctory Royales, surviving and building in a LEGO wilderness, speeding to first place, or rocking out with friends. Fortnite players’ cups runneth over.

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GTA Online

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Final Fantasy XIV

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No Man’s Sky

Best Expansion 

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Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

When an expansion pushes players to start the game over from the very beginning, you know you have something special. Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty incorporates a morally compelling spy thriller into a world where right and wrong have lost all meaning, adding nuance to every decision and making your actions hold weight in ways that the base game only scratches the surface of, along with a plethora of gameplay improvements, new weapons, and cyberware, Phantom Liberty brought structure to a world filled with chaos. 

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Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores

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Resident Evil 4: Separate Ways

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Destiny 2: Lightfall

Best Sports Game

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EA Sports FC 24

EA Sports FC 24 marks the first step into a new era for the world’s game, with gameplay authenticity and realism being a driving force. The implementation of HyperMotionV technology on PS5 translates the rhythm and fluidity of real-world football into the game, using volumetric data from over 180 top-tier matches from competitions like the UEFA Men’s and Women’s Champions League, Premier League, and more. Also the enhanced Frostbite Engine is used to make every moment in EA Sports FC 24 feel more authentic – from your jersey rippling in the wind to more elevated matchday experiences. The result is one of the most visually detailed and realistic entries to the world’s game to date.

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The Crew Motorfest

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Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 – Turbocharged

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NBA 2K24

Best Independent Game of the Year

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Sea of Stars

Sea of Stars pays homage to the RPGs of the 16-bit era by setting a new standard for the entire genre. It asks what made the turn-based adventures of yesteryear so good and pushes to make all those qualities great. From a combat system that’s engaging to traversal that’s thoughtful, it constantly reinvents how you interact with the world without ever losing its identity, showcasing that the passion for the genre is alive and well in both design and appetite. 

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Blasphemous 2

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Dredge

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Humanity

PS VR2 Game of the Year

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Resident Evil Village VR Mode

While it’s late-in-the-year release excluded Resident Evil 4 VR Mode from running in this year’s Awards, Capcom’s survival horror series still proved a towering presence in the PS VR2 Game of the Year category, with Resident Evil Village VR Mode stealing the majority of the votes, Horizon Call of the Mountain coming a close second. Yet with the rest of the votes split nearly evenly across the majority of an extensive nominee list, it highlights how many of PS VR2’s diverse range of experiences are resonating with players worldwide. 

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Horizon Call of the Mountain

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Nock

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Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge

PS4 Game of the Year

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Hogwarts Legacy

One of the closest fought categories of the entire Awards saw two titles go neck and neck for the duration of the polls. In the end, wands won out over chainsaws as Hogwarts Legacy pipped Resident Evil 4 by just over half a percent of the votes, mimicking the same tussle the two games had in last year’s Most Anticipated Game of 2023 and Beyond category. The Silver and Bronze positions had similar close ties, with just under half a percent separating two other games, as acclaimed Souls-like RPG Lies of P and the latest work from the originator of the genre FromSoftware, in the form of Armored Core VI Fires of Rubicon, took Silver and Bronze respectively. 

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Resident Evil 4

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Lies of P

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Armored Core VI Fires of Rubicon

PS5 Game of the Year 

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Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

2023 was a great year for games, and any of the extensive list of nominees had a fair chance of securing the top spot for PS5 Game of the Year. Yet as polls closed, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 was voted as players’ favorite title of the past 12 months, adding yet another notch to Insomniac’s incredible run of PS5 releases.

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Baldur’s Gate 3

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Final Fantasy XVI

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Alan Wake 2

 Studio of the Year 

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Insomniac Games

Any number of teams could have rightly earned the nod as Studio of the Year. Yet even as players made tough choices as to who earned their vote in this category, it gave us time to reflect and savor again the fantastic work by creatives across the industry and the world, who have given us all such wonderful gaming memories over the past 12 months. Insomniac’s work in crafting the blockbuster return of Spider-Men Peter Parker and Miles Morales resonated with enough players to take the Platinum Trophy, but congrats as well to all the other nominees who fans voted for. 

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Larian Studios

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CD Projekt RED

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Square Enix

Most Anticipated PlayStation Game of 2024 and Beyond

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Grand Theft Auto VI

The debut trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI offered a tantalizing glimpse to the richness and next-gen visual splendor that’ll await PS5 players when they visit Vice City. And by the record number of views that trailer has received to date, the city’s population is set to explode when the game launches in 2025.

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Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

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Marvel’s Wolverine

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Dragon’s Dogma 2

As ever, the winners of these awards are chosen entirely by you, the players. Cast your vote in the polls below to support your favorite games and developers, and we’ll announce the players’ choice picks after the polls close. 

There are some guidelines regards the categories and their nominees: 

• Every category includes a write-in option in case there’s a title absent that you think should be considered. 
• As with the majority of the other categories, Best Multiplayer Experience focuses on titles released in 2023. Best Ongoing Game focuses on games that have seen new content or game-changing updates over this past year. 
• Due to the polls closure date, some titles aren’t eligible for inclusion. Those titles will be eligible in next year’s Awards. 
• If a title won a Platinum in a category any previous year, it won’t be eligible for inclusion in the same category this year.
• Polls are live now and close on Sunday, December 17 at 23.59pm PT, so scroll below and get clicking. We’ll collect the results and announce the winners at a later date. 

Good luck to all the nominees! 

2023 PlayStation Blog Best New Character

2023 PlayStation Blog Best Story

2023 PlayStation Blog Best Graphical Showcase

2023 PlayStation Blog Best Art Direction

2023 PlayStation Blog Best Audio Design

2023 PlayStation Blog Soundtrack of the Year

2023 PlayStation Blog Best Accessibility Features 

2023 PlayStation Blog Best Use of DualSense 

2023 PlayStation Blog Best Multiplayer Experience

2023 PlayStation Blog Best Ongoing Game

2023 PlayStation Blog Best Expansion

2023 PlayStation Blog Best Sports Game

2023 PlayStation Blog Best Independent Game of the Year

2023 PlayStation Blog PS VR2 Game of the Year

2023 PlayStation Blog PS4 Game of the Year

2023 PlayStation Blog PS5 Game of the Year 

2023 PlayStation Blog Studio of the Year

Most Anticipated PlayStation Game of 2024 and Beyond

And in the weeks ahead, horror thrills, survival horrors, action blockbusters and cozy sims await. Below you’ll find a roundup of PS VR2 games launching imminently and introduced by their developers. And with other titles such as Among US VR , Wanderer: The Fragments of Fate and Mannequin on the horizon, there’s more to look out for in the future.

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Arashi: Castles of Sins | Out: December 5

“In Arashi: Castles of Sin – Final Cut, players are transported into the ultimate shinobi fantasy as assassin Kenshiro, the last surviving member of House Arashi. Using a combination of samurai skills and sneak attacks, along with your canine companion Haru, players will take their revenge by defeating the Six Oni who destroyed their house. The improved PSVR2 capabilities have not only allowed the stealth gameplay to be fun for players of all skill levels, but we’ve also used it to create a wide arsenal of immersive weapons like a blowgun, poisoned food, pistols, mines, arrows, and swords.

–    Tom Doyle, Co-Founder, Endeavor One, Inc.

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Arizona Sunshine 2 | Out: December 7

“Get ready for next-level zombie carnage: Arizona Sunshine 2 is coming to PlayStation VR2 on December 7. Vertigo Games is back with the next-gen sequel to the original VR zombie shooter, packed with adrenaline-fueled VR gameplay and an all-new roller coaster story campaign. The best part? You won’t only have your friendly canine companion Buddy or Freds (editors note: zombies) to play with — co-op mode makes its return.”

-Nick Witsel, Game Designer, Vertigo Games

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Resident Evil 4 VR Mode | Out: December 8

“The same development team who brought you the incredible full-length VR experiences of Resident Evil 7 biohazard and Resident Evil Village have worked to make a truly immersive VR Mode for Resident Evil 4 using the latest technology. Resident Evil 4 VR Mode is available as a free DLC for owners of the game. All of the weapons from the main story are represented in incredible detail and with intuitive controls to ensure you remain immersed at all times. In addition to these controls, the PS VR2 Sense controllers offer haptic feedback which feels unique for each weapon, be it a handgun, submachine gun, rifle or even combat knife. Combined with the intuitive feel of aiming and shooting in VR, the combat experience is more visceral than ever before. In addition to stunning VR visuals, 3D audio increases your immersion even further, making you feel as if you are right there in the game.”

–    Kumazawa Masato, Promotion Producer, Capcom

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Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted 2 | Out: December 14

“Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted 2 is the latest installment in the iconic horror franchise, immersing players like never before through the astounding capabilities of the PlayStation VR2. Help Wanted 2 drops the player into dozens of intense, terrifying jobs offered by Fazbear Entertainment in order to discover which part of the Fazbear family suits them best. Whether it’s preparing food for guests, glamming up the animatronic stars, fixing technical issues with attractions, performing first aid in emergency situations, or manning the DJ booth, there’s a long term career path for all who are interested! The core of the game is designed to be replayable through randomized, dynamic challenges – keep up, or face termination.”

–    Ray McCaffrey, Executive Producer, Steel Wool Studios

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Toy Trains | Out: January 16

“Feeling the need to relax, unwind and immerse yourself in a cozy, welcoming world? Look no further than Toy Trains!

Let your creativity loose as you put track after track creating your own, unique railway diorama. Grab a magical catalog and help tiny Railies build various meeting places and bring them closer together. PS VR2 unparalleled performance will allow you to see every crisp detail of this tiny world and truly feel it thanks to adaptive triggers. Being the most family-oriented VR device it’ll let you easily hop on board together with your loved ones.”

–    Cezary Skorupka, CEO, Something Random

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Bulletstorm VR | Out: January 18

“In Bulletstorm VR, you’ll embark on an ultraviolent journey of survival and revenge as you and your squad battle across the abandoned resort planet of Stygia. Skillfully dispatching your opponents into oblivion has never felt better since we’ve worked with the PS VR2 Sense controller’s adaptive triggers. We’ve made sure each weapon will feel a little different in your hands: you’ll feel the Chaingun’s insane rate of fire as you rain bullets down indiscriminately. A lack of resistance could mean you’re due for a reload or need a little more time to get a target lock on for that devastating sniper headshot. Thanks to these groundbreaking PS VR2 features, you’ll feel completely immersed in the heat of the action. This time when you crash land on Stygia, you’ll feel the heart-pounding, frenetic combat like never before – especially when you feel the vibrations of a big ass explosion.”

–    Ashley Nicollette, Lead Community Manager, People Can Fly

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Border Bots VR | Out: February 8

“Border Bots VR is a light-hearted puzzle simulation set on a future earth where AI is in control. As a human border agent, you begin a new role as a booth operator at an AI travel border where you interact with a colourful cast of robots. Taking advantage of PS VR2’s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, feel the immersion as you undertake inspections, root out contraband, and master a wide array of tools. It’s a riotous race against the clock to maintain order in a world teetering on the edge of robotic rebellion. The future is in your hands!”

–    Steven Craft, CEO, vTime Games

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Discover more about PS VR2 here, as well as its range of experiences. You can also find out about the tech behind PS VR2 and how it was created in this PS Blog article.