PlayStation Showcase 2023

There was no way I was getting up at 5:00 AM. Not even a heavily-rumoured remake of my favourite game of all time could convince me to set my alarm an hour and a half earlier than usual.

That kind of mad behaviour died with E3. Back in the day, I'd get up for conferences whenever the Big Three told me to. I'd be consumed by E3 hype, terrified of missing the latest reveals or failing to grasp the opportunity to score a 7-Like, 2-Retweet masterpiece tweet poking fun at a badly dressed developer.

This isn't quite E3, and I was in bed during the PlayStation Showcase 2023. As is often the case, sleeping was the right choice. However, I quickly got caught up, finding just enough time before work to watch the Showcase over breakfast.

It was a very up-and-down affair, short on surprises but full of games. Several times I was driven to question whether this hobby is still for me, before falling in love with it yet again. I rolled my eyes at same-y action games, only to get excited by a familiar-looking Assassin's Creed and a handful of expected sequels. I'm complicated like that.

I took notes as I switched between my laptop screen and honey on toast, recording my immediate thoughts about the games that made an impression, while ignoring those that didn't. Here are those thoughts, followed by a slightly better-considered take from a little later in the day.

Helldivers 2

Immediate Thought: it doesn't know if it wants to be Starship Troopers or Lost Planet.

Later Thoughts: They can't get away with this, can they? Not just visually, but the tone and everything. At first I thought it was confirmation of the Starship Troopers: Extermination console port, and I was quite pleased with that.  Ultimately, however, it just made me think about the wasted potential of the Lost Planet franchise

Immortals of Aveum

Immediate Thought: what should I make for lunch today?

Later Thoughts: This looks exceptionally boring. Everything about it was immediately and thoroughly forgettable. This marked the start of a stretch of trailers where everything looked like something else, and something I'm not interested in.

Phantom Blade Zero

Immediate Thought: will they add colour to this game later?

Later Thoughts: I'm sure that there are people excited about this, and I'm happy for them. It just doesn't speak to me; from the setting to the art style, it's just not my thing. Honestly, I'm not sure what my thing is nowadays. Do I even like video games?

Sword of the Sea

Immediate Thought: oh shit, it's Journey 2!

Later Thoughts: I genuinely thought this was Journey 2. The thought excited me, but on the other hand, Journey is such a singular experience that I was pretty sure it didn't need a sequel. Anyway, it's not Journey 2; it's Sword of the Sea. Crisis averted. It might be a Cool Boarders sequel though, which would be wonderful.

Neva

Immediate Thought: (nothing - was eating toast)

Later Thoughts: I came away from this trailer with absolutely no concept of what Neva is, besides an experience that is likely to make me very sad. Thanks for that, dead, giant wolf-deer. Pretty though.

Foamstars

Immediate Thought: maybe games just aren't meant for me anymore?

Later Thoughts: Square Enix would clearly very much like to have a Splatoon to call its own. I very much doubt that this will be it.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater

Immediate Thought: hang on, I recognize that parrot....

Later Thoughts: The worst-kept secret in gaming is now confirmed! I got goosebumps when the theme tune kicked in, but otherwise this was a very uninspired reveal. Is it just a rubbish trailer and nothing much to worry about, or is it an early sign that the team hasn't grasped the brief? The greatest game of all time doesn't need a remake, of course, but it's getting one, so lets hope it's good.

Of note: my wife upon hearing the Snake Eater theme tune coming from my laptop: "Really, another remake!?" She's not wrong.

I was also happy to see that MGS1-3 will be coming to current consoles by way of the Master Collection. And it's Vol. 1, so I expect we'll be getting MGS4 in the future, at the very least.

Alan Wake 2

Immediate Thought:  I'd forgotten how much I liked Alan Wake.

Later Thoughts: I'm more enthusiastic for this sequel than I realized. Much like the FFXVI trailer, this was far too dark, to the point that I was struggling to see what was happening, though I guess it'd be less tense if the lights were on all the time. Anyway, yes please Alan Wake 2!

Assassin's Creed Mirage

Immediate Thought: I'm 100% up for a traditional-looking AC adventure.

Later Thoughts: I know I've been complaining about games looking safe and same-y, but I do still love AC. A middle eastern setting, the hooded robe, and hopefully a more focused and compact game than recent entries - I definitely have an appetite for Mirage.

Dragon's Dogma 2

Immediate Thought: why does this look so much more appealing than Final Fantasy XVI? 

Later Thoughts: A trailer set in the daytime, so I could actually see what's going on! It looks splendid and very Dragon's Dogma. A massive win for people with good taste. People like you and I.

A selection of PSVR 2 titles

Immediate Thought: I don't need to buy a PSVR 2.

Later Thoughts: Guns, guns, guns, Beat Sabre. Not the most adventurous nor innovative slice of VR gaming. I remain unsold.

Marathon 

Immediate Thought: this looks and sounds great.

Later Thoughts: This was certainly a very eye-catching and stylish trailer, if nothing else. I know very little about this series, and would definitely be keen to learn more, though I'm wary of what form it'll eventually take.

Project Q

Immediate Thought: it doesn't look like "innovation is (y)our passion", Jim.

Later Thoughts: A dedicated streaming device that still doesn't have a name, and looks a bit like something you'd expect to appear twenty results deep into an Amazon search for a PS5 controller. Still, what it does is more important than how it looks. I'm not sure what the use case would be for me. It'd maybe gain me an hour or two of gaming at the weekend, when the TV is spoken for, which would be nice. I'm not sure what that's worth to me, but I imagine a lot less than Sony'll be charging for it.

Spider-Man 2

Immediate Thought: I'll stick this on my Christmas list.

Later Thoughts: Yeah it looks excellent, as expected. And I love to see an extended trailer jam-packed with actual gameplay. However, I do wonder if swinging through Manhattan yet again will have lost some of its excitement after three games, though the combat certainly looks as impressive as ever. Spider-Man is the ultimate little-interest, high-return series for me. I won't be hyped for its release, but I will eventually play it, and I will enjoy it. 

It ain't quite E3, but these showcases are the next best thing. Xbox is up next, right? A nice treat as I eat my toast.