The top 20 upcoming PS4 exclusives

What are the big exclusive PlayStation 4 titles to look forward to over the next year or two? Here's our round-up...

The PlayStation 4 remains the dominant console of this generation so far, and even though the Xbox One is rapidly improving, both in terms of features and public opinion, Sony still has the upper hand. Heading into E3 with this in mind certainly gave Sony an edge, and although Microsoft nailed it with a great conference, Sony had plenty of reveals and announcements to counter. There were remasters of older games, long awaited sequels and some new IPs, with some exclusives that would make any Xbox owner a little jealous.

Here’s our list of the best upcoming exclusives coming to the PS4 in the next year.

20. Road Not Taken

This is an interesting one. Coming from Spry Fox, best known for mobile game, Triple Town, Road Not Taken is a new puzzler set in a frozen world. Gameplay will see you moving items around grid-like levels in order to meet specific goals, such as reuniting families and gathering specific objects into groups, and once you complete these tasks, you can progress further.

Triple Town was an addictive little puzzler for mobile devices, and if this PS4 release features a similar level of taxing gameplay, then it could become quite the time sink.

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19. Pavilion

A Sony exclusive heading to both the PS4 and PS Vita, Pavilion is an isometric adventure with a beautiful art style. The interesting thing here is the approach Visiontrick Media is taking with the game’s challenge. Instead of the usual instructions or training, the game will simply drop you into the world. To progress, you’ll simply have to examine your surroundings and test the waters, figuring things out for yourself.

The character of the game is not directly controlled by you. Instead, you have to use the environment to control his actions, and make him progress as you wish, moving platforms, opening doors and other interactions with the world. It all looks very absorbing, and will hopefully make for a good bit of puzzling.

18. Magicka 2

An action adventure sequel, Magicka 2 continues the isometric, co-op spell-slinging started by its predecessor, and sees up to four players take the role of wizards on an epic quest. The series is loosely based on Norse mythology, and it does away with the usual limited magic spells and abilities, instead letting you spam spells as much as you like.

The original game played with the traditional RPG setting, even including machine guns and a jaunt to Vietnam, so we expect the sequel to follow suit, presenting us with a quirky take on the RPG genre.

17. Planetside 2

Already established as a successful online shooter, Planetside 2‘s arrival on the PS4 will boost the console’s already impressive free-to-play credentials. One of the more popular titles on Sony’s network, Planetside 2 is a class-based shooter in which battles take place in large, open worlds, seeing teams fight to control territory. It features vehicular combat too, and battles with large numbers of players struggling to conquer the map.

On the PC the game can host battles with 2000 players taking part, and the developers have stated that the PS4 version will be the same as the PC, with only a few graphical upgrades. If so, we can expect some truly mammoth online battles when the game lands later this year.

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16. Galak-Z

Galak-Z will be a very challenging, roguelike shooter that’ll feature randomly generated worlds, meaning you’ll always be in for a different challenge with very play. It’s being designed to offer a retro-style appeal, featuring various elements of old-school shooters, but will also implement more up to date features, including open levels and even stealth.

Control is absolute, with a ship that’s superbly manoeuvrable, which will be important when navigating and fighting in the complex environments. There’ll also be various factions in the game, and you’ll even be able to play these off against each other to make things easier for yourself. This is a promising one.

15. Velocity 2X Alpha

The sequel to Velocity Ultra, Velocity 2X Alpha fuses together the two genres of platform-puzzler, and fast-paced shooter. It’s a good-looking title with some frantic top-down shoot ’em up sections, and some equally fast-paced on-foot outings where you’ll need to be as good with your grey matter as you are with your trigger finger.

The original game was great, and this sequel looks like it’ll amp everything up to the next level. It’s also going to grace the PS Vita alongside the PS4.

14. Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty

Abe’s back! The Oddworld series has been absent for a while, but with New ‘n’ Tasty, Abe is returning in a remake of the original 1997 game, Abe’s Oddysee. The game has been totally rebuilt, with all new assets and 3D visuals, and it’s clear from what we’ve seen that RuptureFarms never looked so good.

The same core gameplay from the original game will remain, and Abe will be able to use mind control and his other abilities to rescue his fellow Mudokons, and survive his quest to avoid becoming lunch, courtesy of Molluck the Glukkon.

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13. Let It Die

The PS4 exclusive title from Suda 51 is the free-to-play Let It Die, and as always with Suda’s games, it looks like it’s going to be a little odd.

It’s being touted as a survival action title that’ll feature a unique online component that utilises other player’s data for your enemies. Defeated enemies can then be pillaged, and you can take clothes and weapons to customise your own character. Little else is known about the game at this time, but Suda 51 fans are understandably excited, and the free-to-play angle is interesting. It’s due to arrive sometime in 2015.

12. Ratchet And Clank Remastered

Now ten years old, Ratchet And Clank is one of Sony’s most enduring and beloved series, and the 3D platformer has been through many iterations, demonstrating Insomniac’s skill in creating crazy weapons and colourful worlds. If you missed the excellent original on PS2 you’ll now have the chance to play it as it’s being remastered for PS4.

Serving as the foundation for the various sequels, Ratchet And Clank‘s first outing was a pure platformer, and was a wonderfully smooth and visually-stunning experience at the time. It’ll release on the console to coincide with the Ratchet And Clank movie in 2015. In absence of game footage, the above trailer is for the upcoming movie instead.

11. Eve Valkyrie

A dogfighting space combat game that’s set in the EVE Online universe, Eve Valkyrie looks pretty impressive so far. It’s set to use virtual reality to immerse players into the combat, which will be multiplayer-based using a wide range of ships. It’ll support both the Oculous Rift (it’s also arriving on PC) and Sony’s own Project Morpheus.

Battlestar Galactica‘s Katee Sackhoff is lending her vocal talents to the game, which should bring us as close to her role of Starbuck as possible, and as you win battles, you’ll earn experience with which you can unlock new ships and equipment.

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10. Deep Down

Capcom’s Deep Down is only this low on the list as we’re not even sure if the game is coming to the west yet, but with luck, we’ll get this Dark Souls-esque action RPG.

Deep Down is going to be a free-to-play release, and from what we’ve seen of the title thus far, it’s looking very interesting, not just due to the various similarities for FromSoftware’s Souls series, but on its own merits. It looks great, making use of Capcom’s new Phanta Rhei engine, and will take place in shared worlds. Microtransactions will be included, of course, but so far we don’t know how this will play out.

9. The Last Of Us: Remastered

Naughty Dog’s award grabbing adventure needs no introduction really, and the PS3 hit is coming to the PS4 in a remastered form. It’ll feature improved visuals, and will also pack in the DLC, including Ellie’s separate adventure, Left Behind.

Some consider this to be far too early for a re-release of such a recent title, but if you didn’t have a PS3 when it arrived, and have migrated to the PS4 from other platforms, which Sony claims a third of PS4 owners have done, then this is the perfect way to experience this genuinely brilliant game.

8. DriveClub

Long delayed, but still high on many PS4 owners’ lists, DriveClub is arguably on of the most promising racers around. It’ll come in both digital and disc-based versions, and has a major focus on online co-op play, and user created clubs complete with custom decals.

E3 saw more of the game, including some impressive weather effects and night time driving, and in terms of next gen racers, it’s looking like this is certainly going to fit the bill. What’s more, we have a release date, which will be October 7.

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7. Grim Fandango

What can we say? As long time fans of both the point-and-click adventure and Tim Shafer’s releases, we’re stoked at the news of Grim Fandango‘s return. The brilliant adventure of afterlife ‘travel agent’, Manuel ‘Manny’ Calavera, through a typically off-the-wall world is just sublime, and one of the best examples of the genre this side of Monkey Island.

To see such a classic return to the PS4 is great, and this will hopefully open the doors for following revivals (Full Throttle, please). For now, though, there’s no better way to experience the genre, if you haven’t already, than with Grim Fandango.

6. Abzu

One fact should explain why this title is causing quite a stir – it’s being made by a studio formed by Journey‘s art director, Matt Nava, along with composer, Austin Wintory. It’s an underwater adventure in which you play a diver, and you’ll interact with various creatures, including whales and and sharks.

The trailer demonstrates a peaceful and relaxing style, and some impressive underwater environments. Exact gameplay is still to be revealed, but given the pedigree it’s following, this is one to watch.

5. No Man’s Sky

To be clear here, No Man’s Sky would probably be higher up the list, even at the top, if it wasn’t only a timed exclusive. However, as no other platforms have yet to be announced, for the time being it’s a PS4 title, and it’s one that’s got us drooling in anticipation.

No Man’s Sky looks stunning, not just in terms of its striking visuals, but in the sheer scope of the game. It’ll not only feature procedurally generated worlds, but infinite ones, in an infinite universe where players will discover new planets and even new lifeforms.

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You can explore a planet on-foot, jump in your space ship and then launch into the big black to find another world to land on, all seamlessly with no loading. We’ve seen space battles with large capital ships going at it, destructible asteroids and all sorts of lifeforms on land, sea and air. How the actual gameplay will flow, and what mechanics will be implemented remains to be seen, but this is one of our most highly anticipated releases.

4. The Order 1886

Another delayed title, The Order 1886 is nonetheless a highly anticipated one. It was one of the first games shown for the PS4 pre-launch, and it still looks every bit the big-hitting action title. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again, this is pretty much the PS4’s Gears Of War. It’s set in an alternate-history Victorian London, and sees players as a member of the Order, battling supernatural foes with a variety of weapons.

Visually impressive, an with a very interesting setting, this could be a winner, although the implementation of QTE events, no matter how unique, is a cause for concern.

3. LittleBigPlanet 3

The return of Sackboy was one of the highlights of the Sony conference for many, and this time he’s bringing some new friends along for the ride, with even more power at players’ disposal to create almost anything they can imagine.

Thanks to the extra characters (Swoop, Toggle, and Oddsock), each of whom have different abilities, there’s an extra emphasis on co-op play through the levels this time, lending a little more substance to the story mode, and adding even more flexibility to the creation possibilities.

2. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

It was pretty much a certainty that the PS4 would get an Uncharted game, but that didn’t make the reveal any less exciting, and at E3 we got a cheeky teaser in the form of this CG trailer.

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Nathan Drake looks as if he’s seen better days, and the overall darker tone of this adventure would seem to be one of finality, which is strengthened by the title, A Thief’s End, and Drake’s voice actor, Nolan North, saying he believes this might be the last Uncharted game, or at least one starring Nathan Drake as the hero.

Naughty Dog is a team that can make great use of hardware, and so we highly expect Uncharted 4 to be a true ‘next gen’ title that’ll make full use of the PS4. Expect awards, and plenty of them.

1. BloodBorne

It’s no secret that we’re big fans of the Souls series, so the reveal of Bloodborne from Hidetaka Miyazaki made for a title that instantly topped our most wanted list. We thought it might have been Demon’s Souls 2 initially, but instead this will be a totally new IP set in a 19th century city called Yharnham, which is ravaged by a plague.

The game will feature a lot of similarities to the Souls games, with some familiar combat and adventuring mechanics, but it’ll also sport plenty of new additions, including faster paced, less defensive combat, unpredictable enemy AI and environments, and more flexible, muti-form weapons. What we’ve seen of the game and the gameplay so far looks great, and this is our most anticipated PS4 exclusive.

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