Before we move ahead, do keep in mind that calling a game AA or AAA isn’t a measure of its popularity or quality so much as it is a measure of the scope of its production and its development budget, which means we might also talk about AA experiences made by companies that usually operate in the AAA sphere. With that out of the way, let’s dive right in.

DISCO ELYSIUM

You could call Disco Elysium a CRPG, and on paper, technically, you would be correct, but that would also be an incredibly reductive way to describe this masterpiece. From its surreal setting to its heavily flavoured and thematically dense writing, from its complete lack of combat to how bizarrely yet ingeniously it uses its RPG mechanics in conjunction with its storytelling, Disco Elysium is a singular game that’s unlike anything else out there.

inFamous: Second Son

The inFamous series peaked during the PS3 days with inFamous 2, and while inFamous: Second Son was well-received by critics – it didn’t really have the same magnitude of an impact as its brothers. And that’s quite a shame because Second Son is a well-made game that makes good use of the PS4’s capabilities to render a beautiful open world alongside some solid gameplay mechanics.

The Last Guardian

Fumito Ueda is widely considered to be a video game auteur thanks to his work on Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, and The Last Guardian is a project that had been in development for a long time. But when it was released in 2016, the game was met with a divisive critical reception – primarily because the companion dog would refuse to listen to your instructions at times, which made it a really frustrating experience at times. To be honest, those aren’t technical problems but a conscious decision on the developer’s part – and that combined with the unique world and themes of the story makes The Last Guardian a truly special game that deserves to be experienced by a lot more people.

Days Gone

Days Gone was Sony Bend’s take on a post-apocalyptic open-world game, and it turned out to be one of the more disappointing first-party games of its time. It would be an utter lie to state that Days Gone is a spotless masterpiece, but it’s also a game that perhaps got a lot more hate than it deserves. The bike riding mechanics are pretty good for the most part, and the Freaker horde mechanics are fun to interact with – even though the game holds that particular part hostage until the very end. It’s not a life-changing game by any means, but it is a fun open-world nevertheless.

No Man’s Sky

Hello Games’ CEO Sean Murray created a lot of headlines with his brief on how No Man’s Sky would be a game of endless possibilities, but those claims were turned to dust when the game finally came out in 2016. No Man’s Sky took place in a bland world where there wasn’t anything interesting to do, and the procedural generation of planets felt like a faint shadow of the big promises that he made pre-release. Fans were understandably upset which made it a disappointing game back then, but the team has put in the hard work to turn the game into a much better version through consistent content updates and overhauls. As it stands now, No Man’s Sky is easily one of the best space exploration games on the market – and is absolutely unmissable for genre fans.

Gravity Rush 2

Gravity Rush 2 thrusts players into a fantastical world and takes them on a journey like no other, and an interesting gravity shift mechanic sits at the epicenter of everything you do. It’s a beautiful game that excels in more aspects than one, but it’s a shame that not many people actually played it in the first place. A lot of that could be blamed on the incompetent marketing by Sony, and that limited exposure ultimately turned Gravity Rush 2 into a cult classic.

Sniper Elite 4

Sniper Elite 4 puts us back in the shoes of Karl Fariburne as he embarks on increasingly difficult missions behind enemy lines. The series has always never been so polished in terms of its mechanics or story, which is perhaps why Sniper Elite 4 never really got much mainstream attention. But if you are able to look past those flaws, you will find a truly dynamic stealth game where you can make some really creative use of your toolset and come up with unique solutions for your problems.

Just Cause 3

The Just Cause series has been in a downward spiral following the success of Just Cause 2, and Just Cause 3’s rather tepid commercial reception is proof of that theory. Just Cause 3 did a good job of building upon the concepts of prior games, and critics generally liked the game. But many fans weren’t really interested in its brand of chaos-driven open-world gameplay, and that’s disappointing news because creatively wreaking havoc in this game continues to be an extremely satisfying activity even after dozens upon dozens of hours.

Astro Bot Rescue Mission

Astro Bot Rescue Mission is a game built to showcase the capabilities of PSVR, and you might be forgiven for discarding it as a glorified tech demo of sorts. But that’s not really the case, because Astro Bot Rescue Mission is a really polished and fun platformer that is more than the sum of its parts. It makes good use of the VR capabilities to really immerse you in its world, and there are plenty of smart touches peppered throughout this adventure that makes it so charming.

The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes

Supermassive Games’ The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes follows a group of soldiers exploring an ancient temple, and coming face to face with the many horrors that lie within. The story is well-written, and it can take some sharp turns depending on the choices that you make at critical points in the adventure. Between this flexibility and a strong visual presentation, The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes is a very solid horror game that fans of the genre should definitely check out.

Concrete Genie

Developed by PixelOpus Studios, Concrete Genie is a charming game about using your creative powers to bring a murky town back to life. The gameplay is simple yet works well within the context of the experience, and that combined with the wonderful story makes it a game worthy of your attention. It’s a sad state of affairs that it never got the audience it deserves, and a lot of that can be blamed on poor marketing from Sony.

Alienation

Alienation comes from Housemarque, the team that recently released Returnal to some excellent critical and commercial acclaim. Alienation is a twin-stick shooter that tasks you to control different kinds of supersoldiers – each with their different sets of strengths and weaknesses. The gameplay is an absolute blast through and through, and the developer has done a good job of adding even more content to the experience.

The Surge 2

The Surge 2 takes what worked in the original, and cranked it all the way up to eleven – which resulted in an experience that’s big in almost every regard. The Surge 2 takes players to wonderfully well-realized locales and pits them against brutal bosses, but the game wasn’t really able to capture much of an audience when it released in 2019 – most likely due to an oversaturation of Souslikes at that point. If you were one of the people who skipped it back in the day, give it another try and you might be really surprised.

Yakuza 0

The Yakuza series has started to gain a lot of traction in the West, and recent entries like Yakuza: Like a Dragon have been widely praised by fans. Yakuza 0 didn’t get the praises of the same intensity, and that’s a shame because it is a really great open-world game that condenses a ton of varied content within a rather small virtual district. It seamlessly switches between serious moments and goofy antics at the flip of a button, and that adds a really distinct charm to it all.

What Remains of Edith Finch

What Remains of Edith Finch is a moving tale about the tragedies that happened to the Finch family. It’s a simple game that looks like a walking simulator on the surface, but it features some really interesting level design that expertly uses mechanics and visual imagery to tell its engaging stories. It’s also a really snappy experience that doesn’t waste much time with exposition or filler, so you could blast through it all in just a couple of hours.

Infamous First Light

inFamous First Light is a surprisingly fleshed-out standalone expansion that puts players in the shoes of Abigail Walker from the base game. The gameplay is largely based on the same foundations as Second Son, which is to say it’s an absolute blast through and through. It’s a great excuse to explore the many corners of this beautifully recreated fictional Seattle, and it’s unmissable for fans of the franchise.

The studio made the announcement on Twitter, writing, “Our PixelOpus adventure has come to an end. As we look to new futures, we wanted to say a heartfelt thank you to the millions of passionate players who have supported us, and our mission to make beautiful, imaginative games with heart.”

The California-based studio was founded in 2014, and in the same year, it released rhythm title Entwined for PS4, PS3, and PS Vita. Following the launch of Concrete Genie, the studio confirmed in 2021 that it was staffing up to work on “an exciting new PlayStation 5 title”.

Sony has yet to officially announce the studio’s closure, so there’s no word yet on whether its entire team has been laid off, or whether the project it was working on will be moved to a different developer.

https://twitter.com/Pixelopus/status/1654563543386296320

Leaker AccountNGT recently tweeted that, “The next Sly Cooper is not developed by Sucker Punch.” Though further details were lacking, Xbox Era co-founder Nick Baker tweeted that it may be PixelOpus of Concrete Genie fame. Speaking to a source that gave the green light, though both are still “not 100 percent certain,” Baker said “It’s believed that PixelOpus (as many of you have guessed) possibly in collaboration with Sony Animation are the ones working on Sly. I also believe Sony Animation is on the cartoon project.”

PixelOpus was noted last year to be working on an “exciting” new PS5 title. If the rumors are true, then Sly Cooper would be akin to Twisted Metal which is getting a live-action television series along with the rumored new title. Time will tell but considering the rich lore of the series and its characters, a Sly Cooper cartoon would be pretty cool. Take things with a grain of salt as usually though and stay tuned for more details in the coming months.

https://twitter.com/accngt/status/1501232009599152129

Ok…so, my source *has* given me the green light, but we’re still not 100% certain. But it’s believed that Pixel Opus (as many of you have guessed) possibly in collaboration with Sony Animation are the ones working on Sly. I also believe Sony Animation is on the cartoon project https://t.co/HcIY0UjFpz

— Balatro Nick  (@Shpeshal_Nick) March 9, 2022

Known for releasing Concrete Genie in 2019, PixelOpus revealed on Twitter that it was hiring for a new PS5 title. “We are hard at work on an exciting new PlayStation 5 title, and continuing to grow. Come and join us on this unique project within #PlayStationStudios!” The developer shared two job listings, one for a principal graphics programmer and the other for a senior engine programmer. Working with Unreal Engine 5 is stated for both, so it’s likely that the developer’s next title could utilize the same.

Concrete Genie is currently available for PS4 and has received a good amount of critical acclaim. You can check out our review for it here. Among other PlayStation Studios news is the news that Horizon Forbidden West is “on track” for a Holiday 2021 release but is still uncertain due to ongoing challenges with performance capture. Check out more on that here.

#PixelOpus is hiring! We are hard at work on an exciting new PlayStation 5 title, and continuing to grow. Come and join us on this unique project within #PlayStationStudios!#PlayStation #SIE #hiring #Sonyhttps://t.co/nJidL5ADq6https://t.co/xsNUySVyjn

— PixelOpus (@Pixelopus) June 3, 2021

Bloodborne

It’s been almost six years since the game originally launched but the demand for an official 60 FPS mode in Bloodborne remains strong. 4K resolution support would also be great but it’s the higher frame rate, that too running consistently to combat the frame-pacing issues, that remains unfulfilled. Make it happen Sony. Whether it’s in the rumored PC version or on PS5, just…make it happen already.

Following its State of Play presentation for Destruction AllStars, Sony has announced the free games for PlayStation Plus subscribers in February. Destruction AllStars is included along with Control: Ultimate Edition on PS5. PS4 players will also receive the latter along with the underrated Concrete Genie.

Destruction AllStars received tons of new details recently, from its vehicle types and Hero abilities to Destruction Points and Challenge Series. It will be free for two months on PlayStation Plus and then retail for $70. Control: Ultimate Edition includes the base game and two expansions, The Foundation and AWE, with support for ray-tracing and 60 FPS modes.

Those who play Control: Ultimate Edition on PS4 can transfer their save data over to the PS5 version. However, those who own the base game cannot and even if the expansions were purchased separately, there’s no free upgrade option. All three of the above titles will be available free on PlayStation Plus from February 2nd to March 1st.

When the PS5 launches this November, it will be able to play all but less than a dozen PS4 games released to date. Many of the games it runs via backward compatibility will also benefit from added boosts and enhancements to leverage the next-gen console’s most powerful hardware. And with the PS5’s launch right around the corner, it seems Sony have been stealthily releasing new patches for various PS4 games in preparation.

The Last of Us Remastered recently received a patch, following which its load times have been cut down from over a minute to just fourteen seconds, while it seems God of War (2018), God of War 3, and Until Dawn have also received similar updates that cut down load times. Meanwhile, as VGC points out, it seems that Concrete Genie also recently received a new patch.

As per users on ResetEra, the likes of Astro Bot Rescue Mission, Everybody’s Golf VR, Marvel’s Spider-Man, and PSVR Worlds have also received patches. Meanwhile, we also know that last week Final Fantasy 7 Remake got its first post-launch patch out of the blue.

None of these have been confirmed by Sony as patches that add enhancements for the PS5, but in many cases (such as God of War 3) these patches are suddenly being added in after years of inactivity for those games, which just seems like too much of a coincidence.

We’ve previously also heard that select PS4 and PS VR games will enjoy boosted frame rates on the PS5, while backward compatible titles will also use some of the new UX features being introduced with the new console.

Sony have been sending out the PS5 to various media outlets and influencers, so hands-on impressions and new details on the console should be coming in soon. Stay tuned for GamingBolt for all the updates.

God of War 3 Remastered and God of War (2018) both received updates in the last few days, for the first time in years. Both titles will likely benefit from PlayStation 5 boost mode in this case. I wonder if there’s anything else hidden inside…

— Lance McDonald (@manfightdragon) October 23, 2020

https://twitter.com/VizualDze/status/1320309315018915841

Seems Sony found a way to compress their games much more efficiently. They have been recently updating their games and for example TLOU Remaster loads like this now

This thing will be crazy fast of #ps5https://t.co/vUOEuY05qv pic.twitter.com/50ATZEDDWk

— Droid (@Alejandroid1979) October 24, 2020

PixelOpus’ Concrete Genie is out now, and though it might not be Sony’s most high profile release this year, it’s certainly no slouch as far as quality is concerned. It’s a charming, unique little adventure, and I wouldn’t be surprised if you wanted more of it by the time you were done with the story.

However, for now it’s looking like repeat playthroughs will have to serve that purpose, since the developers don’t currently seem to have any plans for DLC in the near future. The studio confirmed in response to a question over on Twitter that other than the additional Pond brush design pack available in the game’s Digital Deluxe, they have no other extra content for the game. That said, they also said that DLC might be “possible”, and to “watch this space.”

Concrete Genie is out now for PS4, and is also compatible with PSVR. In our review of the game, we lauded it for being able to “successfully blend its dark undertones with lighthearted playfulness all while still remembering it’s a video game first and foremost”. Read our full review through here.

We have an additional Pond brush design pack in the Digital Deluxe version (which you can upgrade to from either the digital or disc based standard editions) which has 12 new designs, but beyond that we have nothing specific planned. It’s possible though so watch this space!

— PixelOpus (@Pixelopus) October 14, 2019

Wattam

Funomena’s Wattam is directed by the creator of Katamari, which means a fair bit of weirdness is explore. You explore a world of colorful characters, making friends with rocks, flowers and gaping mouths to solve puzzles and do other joyful things. The key element is that everyone has a melody which can be combined together, no doubt creating a song to herald the apocalypse. All jokes aside, if you’re looking for something truly unique, Wattam is out in December 2019 for PS4 and PC.