PLAY March 2023 - n.24

We won’t force you to read this one, but we think you’re going to want to, as cover game Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (p42) looks set to make a current-gen splash on PS5 as soon as March. Add on PSVR2’s imminent launch, and we’re gearing up for PlayStation to really start blowing up 2023 even this early on. While Survivor hails from a franchise we love, we’re not being blinded by the light(saber) of brand loyalty. We sat down with director Stig Asmussen to catch up on events since talking Fallen Order in 2019, and he filled us in on the huge improvements being made to make use of PS5, from new lightsaber styles to team-ups, and what sounds like a thrilling story. PS5 games are evolving at a steady rate, but…

The gun is as much a tool for the players as it is a potential defence. Getting you closer to PlayStation’s most exciting stories, people, and culture More than a decade ago, Frictional Games’ Amnesia: The Dark Descent changed the face of horror. After passing the reins to The Chinese Room for the followup, Frictional focused on developing science-fiction thriller SOMA. However, the studio couldn’t stay away from Amnesia, returning in 2020 for Rebirth and again for The Bunker on 16 May. But why go back? “Simply because we think Amnesia has a lot more to give,” creative lead Fredrik Olsson answers. Olsson took over Amnesia: Rebirth midway through development, and explains that for Frictional experimentation has always been essential to the series. For example, he shares that Rebirth was about “trying to see…

As the Gran Turismo movie continues to speed towards release later this year, its marketing campaign has kicked off with an all-new trailer unveiled as part of Sony’s presentation at CES, and it’s every bit as thrilling as we could have hoped. Based on the true story of Jann Mardenborough, a Gran Turismo esports champion turned real-life professional racing driver, the plot is shaping up to be the ultimate tale of wish fulfilment for sim racing fans. While it has already been known for some time that the film would be a biographical drama rather than a direct adaptation of the game, this advance peek gave us our first brief look at its cool cars and cooler cast. POLE POSITION British actor Archie Madekwe (best known for Midsommar) portrays our protagonist, a teenage…

This might be Supergiant Games’ first-ever sequel, but then a gameplay loop like Hades’ isn’t something we want the studio to give up iterating on. Just like Zagreus’ journey in the first game, though, this isn’t a straight redo but a fresh way to battle through Greek myth. Where Zagreus had to fight the hordes led by his father in order to escape the underworld, this time his sister Melinoe must take on the Titan Of Time. Her mastery of magic will be one of the big changes, allowing you to infuse Night weapons with spells to power them up. As well as influencing the game’s mechanics, your witchy nature plays into the side of Greek mythology it explores. The mythological figures who will grant you boons to help out on your…

JRPGs aren’t renowned for their diverse characters, at least not without leaning into stereotypes. So it’s refreshing to see Outerloop Games, a Seattle-based studio made up of immigrants from different cultures, putting a spin on the genre by drawing on the team’s own backgrounds. As studio co-founder and creative director Chandana Ekanayake says, “We could pull from our own experiences, which was important to make it feel more authentic.” Before even deciding what kind of game Thirsty Suitors would be, the team came up with that inspired title. “The concept was of wanting to explore arranged marriage in South Asian culture,” Ekanayake explains. “But it’s not something I’m familiar with, though I’ve had family and friends that have gone through it, so I thought it would be more fitting as an…

We can’t quite believe the premier JRPG series has been casting spells and slinging shattering story twists for 35 whole years as of last December. The series has been no stranger to a cheeky remaster during that time, but what’s surprising is how many entries hadn’t yet made it to modern consoles despite earlier PlayStation releases. The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Series corrects the oversight, making every mainline game (bar early MMORPG FFXI and the FFXIII trilogy) easy to pick up and play on PS4. Coming this spring, the Pixel Remaster Series comprises Final Fantasy I through to VI, with the six games purchasable either separately or bundled together in one time-devouring set. As the name suggests, the visuals remain faithful to their pixel-based origins while enjoying a fresh lick of…