Minimum requirements include an Intel Core i5-4690 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200, 8 GB of RAM and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 3 GB or AMD Radeon RX 580 4 GB. As for recommended requirements, you’ll need a Core i7-8700K or Ryzen 5 3600, 12 GB RAM and a GTX 1070 8 GB. It all sounds fairly unassuming.

However, it doesn’t tell us the expected resolution, frame rate, or graphics quality these requirements can deliver. With the title supporting ray tracing, Lumen and 4K resolution on Unreal Engine 5, it remains to be seen how much higher the requirements can go. It wouldn’t be surprising if they were as demanding as The Medium’s, despite how different both games are.

Layers of Fear is available in June for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC. A free demo goes live on May 15th for PC via Steam.

Previously titled Layers of Fears, the follow-up is the “definitive way” to experience the first two games. It also includes The Final Note DLC, providing a new perspective, which appears to be from the Artist’s wife in the first game. How does the Writer tie all of this together? Time will tell.

Ray tracing, 4K resolution, Lumen and high-dynamic range lighting are all supported, thanks to Unreal Engine 5. Bloober Team also confirmed the release of a PC demo via Steam on May 15th. Layers of Fear releases in June for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC. Stay tuned for more details in the meantime.

Players will return to the first game’s House and use the new Lantern, which seems to burn away certain dark phenomena. Many of the scenes will be familiar, taken from the perspective of the Painter, but the Actor’s journey in Layers of Fear 2 is also present.

Layers of Fear features both games and their DLC with a new chapter, “The Final Note”, providing another perspective to the first game. It utilizes Unreal Engine 5 with Lumen, ray tracing, volumetric lighting, HDR and Niagara support.

Layers of Fear releases in June 2023 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Stay tuned for more details in the coming months, and check out the latest screenshots below.

Sons of the Forest

Instead of a full release, Endnight Games’ survival horror sandbox sequel is launching into Steam Early Access on February 23rd to add more features over time and get feedback from the community. There’s already tons to look forward to with this launch, whether it’s the map that’s four times larger than the first game, AI companions, revamped building mechanics, or all the little secrets. Even if it needs some more time to be fully “complete,” Sons of the Forest should be an incredible experience when it arrives later this month for PC.

The story involves entering a “lone and ghastly lighthouse” to discover a “never-told-before tale” which presumably ties the series together. Interestingly, Layers of Fear seems like an enhanced compilation of Layers of Fear (2016), the Inheritance DLC and Layers of Fear 2.

There are new mechanics and horrors to experience and a brand new chapter, “The Final Note.” This chapter is from the perspective of the Painter’s wife from the first game and expands on the story further.

Strange as it all sounds, it does fit the developer’s description of the title building “on the foundations of the franchise’s previous entries” and serving as a “reimagination of the overall narrative structure connecting them all.” Of course, the visuals are overhauled thanks to Unreal Engine 5 with ray tracing, HDR, 4K support and more.

Stay tuned for more details and hopefully some clarification in the coming months.

Forza Motorsport

While Gran Turismo 7 earned significant praise for its visuals last year, Turn 10 Studios’ next Forza Motorsport has been cooking well. Based on gameplay shown thus far, car models are insanely detailed, and the development team has promised a full day/night cycle, varying weather on tracks and real-time ray tracing. Forza Motorsport is out in the first half of this year for Xbox Series X/S and PC, so we’ll find out soon just how gorgeous it looks.

Quantum Error

To say a lot is going on in TeamKill Media’s Quantum Error would be an understatement. Despite being last shown on an early access version of Unreal Engine 5, it showcased an impressive array of lighting, shadows and environments. From grounded, claustrophobic facilities to dark sci-fi structures, it looks impressive. A release date has yet to be confirmed, but Quantum Error is coming to Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PS4, and PC.

Witchfire

The Astronauts’ rogue-lite first-person shooter, which recently went open-world, has been a long time coming, but it still looks as enticing as ever. From gothic environments and detailed monstrosities to sharp weapon effects, it promises a fast-paced dark fantasy adventure unlike any other. Witchfire goes into early access for PC in early 2023.

Pioner

As an MMOFPS, GFA Games’ Pioner takes more than a few cues from S.T.A.L.K.E.R. A post-apocalyptic setting, Soviet territory occupied by strange technology and mutants, decrepit buildings, survival elements – it’s all here. The environments are still incredibly realistic, with some unique sights like massive bones and overgrown mushrooms. Pioner is coming to PC, though a release date has yet to be announced.

Starfield

Bethesda Game Studios has struggled to keep up with the graphical curve over the years, as Fallout 4 and Fallout 76 have exemplified. Starfield aspires to break that curse with realistic materials, great-looking planets and cities, and detailed character models. Performance and facial animations are still a toss-up after the last gameplay reveal, but the former should look better when the next showcase rolls around (fingers crossed). Starfield doesn’t have a release date, but it’s scheduled for the first half of 2023 on Xbox Series X/S and PC.

Forspoken

No current-gen title should need 24 GB of RAM and an RTX 3070 (8 GB) to run at 1440p/30 FPS on PC, but Forspoken begs to differ. For as many mixed reactions as it’s received, Forspoken does look stunning overall. Draw distance and outdoor environmental details are on point, while the spell effects look vibrant. Even the animations are well done, as seen with Frey’s seamless acrobatics.

Final Fantasy 16

Final Fantasy 16 is out this year and looks like a stellar affair. The art style channels a more medieval European setting, mixed with the grittier subject matter and a darker tone. The environments look incredibly distinct and detailed, the insane battles are lovingly rendered, and the sheer amount of details is something to behold. Final Fantasy 16 is very close – it’s out on June 22nd for PS5.

Hogwarts Legacy

The work Portkey Games and Avalanche Software have put in is quite tremendous. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry vibrantly comes to life, whether it’s the Great Hall or the common room for each house, to say nothing of the various creatures and their animations, the spell effects or the weather effects. Here’s hoping the gameplay holds up when it launches on February 10th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

Silent Hill 2

Before its official reveal, there were plenty of rumors about Bloober Team’s involvement with the Silent Hill 2 remake and skepticism about whether it could pull it off. The jury is still out on that, but the remake looks phenomenal based on whatever footage and screenshots we’ve seen. Developed on Unreal Engine 5, the texture quality, lighting, environments, and more look incredible. It’s currently in development for PS5 and PC.

Sons of the Forest

Endnight Games’ 2018 survival horror sandbox title still looks good by today’s standards, but Sons of the Forest looks like a big step up. It’s still on Unity and features much more detailed foliage, grass, and textures on trees, water, and more. Dynamic weather conditions like rain also look incredibly realistic and seeing enemies react more naturally to threats, or the sheer amount of detail that’s gone into the new crafting animations is great. Sons of the Forest launches on February 23rd for PC.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

For all the acclaim and criticism over polish that Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order received, it’s easy to forget how good it looked. Jedi: Survivor expands on this further with larger levels, more varied biomes, and a higher degree of polish (not to mention ray tracing support). There’s still so much we’ve yet to see, but it looks like a huge step up in every single way over the original. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor launches on March 17th for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.

Resident Evil 4

Capcom set the bar for remakes with 2019’s Resident Evil 2, but Resident Evil 4 is looking to go above and beyond. The graphics are heavily revamped, transforming classic indoor sections with shadows and ambient lighting. Forested areas look much denser and more foreboding, lending to a more eerie feel. There’s so much to pick apart and admire, which doesn’t even factor in ray tracing. Resident Evil 4 is set to launch on March 24th for Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, and PC.

Dead Island 2

For a game in development since 2014 and has gone through several developers, Dead Island 2 looks pretty good. Running on Unreal Engine 4, its cadre of zombies is as realistic as they are hilariously over-the-top when dying. The physics, effects and animations have also looked on point thus far, and even the environments are pretty detailed (though we still need to see more). It’s out on April 28th for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, and PC, and hopefully suffered the last delay.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Launching on May 12th, the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is one of the most anticipated games of the year. That’s despite being less than four months away from release and just a few minutes of gameplay footage. What we’ve seen is incredibly impressive, from the sky boxes and atmospheric effects to the textures and draw distance – at times, it’s hard to believe this is running on almost six-year-old hardware. Whether it tops the original or not, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom already looks like a grandiose spectacle.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League

Say what you will about Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and its marketing, but it’s certainly taking an interesting approach with Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Despite launching on May 17th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC, there’s been no extensive gameplay footage. What we have seen looks great, be it Metropolis or the facial animations of the various characters. We still need to see more, but given Rocksteady’s pedigree, there’s plenty to be excited about (even with the rumored live service model).

Street Fighter 6

It’s hard to dislike Street Fighter 6 after seeing some gameplay. The renewed emphasis on street culture and fighting, combined with an abundance of colors and effects, is amazing. Each fighter moves better than ever with unique animations and facial expressions, and it all runs rock-solid online as well (going by recent closed betas, at least). Releasing on June 2nd for Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, and PC, Street Fighter 6 looks like an incredible renaissance.

Diablo 4

Diablo 4 leans heavily into the dark fantasy art style but with more realistic visuals. The environments are also incredible to behold and appropriately detailed – here’s hoping they’re fun to explore as well, when the sequel launches on June 6th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, and PC.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora

It feels strange to hype up Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, even if it uses the Snowdrop Engine and uses ray tracing by default on consoles. Still, even based on in-engine footage, the sheer amount of vegetation, volumetric clouds and superbly detailed lighting and shaders have us interested. Currently slated for release sometime between April 1st, 2023 and March 31st, 2024, Frontiers of Pandora is coming to Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage

How long has it been since Assassin’s Creed was actually about stealth and, well, assassinations? Assassin’s Creed Mirage looks to fill that niche. Gameplay has yet to be showcased and there are only a handful of screenshots showcasing denser environments. Nevertheless, if the final product – which is coming to Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC, and Xbox One – offers even half the quality, it could stand out.

Pragmata

The strangest project in development at Capcom, Pragmata is set in a “dystopian near-future” and offers a “unique lunar world” to explore, which still doesn’t clue us into the gameplay or story. Visually, it looks nice – the reveal trailer features photorealistic textures and effects while extensively utilizing ray tracing. We’ve seen how far RE Engine can go with its fidelity, so it should be interesting to see how Pragmata leverages it when it launches this year for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

Layers of Fears

As much excitement as there is around a remake of Silent Hill 2, Bloober Team’s other horror project – a follow-up to Layers of Fear – may warrant more caution. Out early this year for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC, Layers of Fears, thankfully, isn’t a straight sequel. It uses the previous games as a base, expanding on them to go in a new direction (whatever that may be). Even if the horror may be a bust, the visuals courtesy of Unreal Engine 5 look great, from the immersive lighting with Lumen to ray tracing and HDR support.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Insomniac still hasn’t debuted gameplay for its next open-world superhero epic, but the initial trailer was enough to set expectations soaring due to running real-time on the PS5. The original and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales still look very good, and there’s no doubt that Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 will raise the visual bar higher. Currently, it’s exclusive to PS5 and slated for Fall 2023.

Lies of P

Even if Bloodborne wasn’t a huge inspiration, Lies of P feels like a dead ringer with its Gothic-style city fallen into ruin and Souls-like mechanics. Nevertheless, it distinguishes itself in terms of lighting, texture quality and environmental details, looking very crisp but still delightfully dark. It also runs in 4K/30 FPS and 1440p/60 FPS modes on Xbox Series X and PS5 (with the aim of 4K/60 FPS in Quality Mode). Expect it to launch sometime in 2023 for consoles and PC.

Deliver Us Mars

Despite launching in 2019, Deliver Us The Moon looked incredibly sleek on Xbox Series X and PS5, with 4K resolution support and ray-traced shadows and reflections. Deliver Us Mars builds on this further with more biome diversity, performance capture for more authenticity in scenes, and a larger scale. It releases on February 2nd for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, and PC.

WILD HEARTS

While Monster Hunter is still catering to previous-gen consoles, Koei Tecmo’s WILD HEARTS is committing to the current generation. Taking place in Azuma, a world overrun by dangerous beasts known as Kemono, WILD HEARTS offers large regions and intricately detailed beasts to go with multitudes of particle effects and gorgeous scenery. It releases on February 17th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, with support for 4K Ultra HD, 60 FPS, and HDR10.

Alan Wake 2

Aside from the teaser trailer at The Game Awards 2021, we’ve seen no gameplay from Remedy’s upcoming survival horror sequel. Regardless, the studio is known for its visual prowess, and the Northlight Engine has delivered some truly stunning sights in games like Control. Alan Wake 2 is on track to release this year for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC.

Redfall

The co-op FPS from Arkane Austin may not seem like all that in the visual department. However, a closer look reveals intricate lighting, shadows and effects, with the art style crossing a fine line between realistic and animated. Throw in some surreal environments and 60 FPS gameplay while vampires and other terrors run around, and Redfall looks to be a supernatural blast when it launches in the first half of 2023 for Xbox Series X/S and PC.

Horizon Call of the Mountain

VR gaming has seen several advancements over the years, and when PlayStation VR2 launches next month, it will signify the next big leap for the medium. As a launch title, Horizon Call of the Mountain looks to “change what triple-A means for VR,” as per a former senior world designer on Forbidden West. It leverages all of the PS VR2’s features to deliver a world teeming with life and stunning environments through one’s own eyes. From rock climbing to facing down massive Machines, it’s truly an experience unlike any other.

Atomic Heart

Mundfish’s Atomic Heart has been through a lengthy development period but finally launches on February 21st for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC. Set in an alternative history Soviet Union in 1955, it offers a retro-futuristic aesthetic that gives way to body horror. Everything is meticulously detailed, from the weapons and robots to the effects and ray tracing, to the point where it feels like an overload to the senses. In a good way, of course.

Dead Space

Motive’s Dead Space remake is built for current-gen hardware. The USG Ishimura retains its signature layout but with massively revamped textures and details, new atmospherics, gorgeous textures, improved animations, and much more. Ray tracing at 4K/30 FPS is possible on Xbox Series X and PS5, but a 60 FPS mode running at 1440p is also available.

It’s safe to say that there’s no shortage of people who’re keeping a keen eye on Bloober Team and how it fares in the months to come, and sure enough, we’re in that group as well. Curious to learn more about the studio’s two upcoming games, the development processes of both titles, and more, we recently reached out to the developer with some of our most burning questions, and learned quite a bit in the process. Below, you can read our interview with Silent Hill 2 lead producer Maciej Głomb and Bloober Team’s head of production Kacper Michalski.

"We’ve come a long way to reach the point that we’re standing at now, progressing from the ill-fated release of Basement Crawl on PS4, dubbed as the platform’s worst game ever, to remaking a timeless psychological horror game."

Bloober Team has been making waves as a prominent developer of horror games for the better part of a decade now. How would you describe your journey from that point until now, starting on the ground floor and getting to the point where you’re remaking what’s possibly one of the most legendary horror games ever made?

Kacper Michalski (Head of Production, Bloober Team): We’ve come a long way to reach the point that we’re standing at now, progressing from the ill-fated release of Basement Crawl on PS4, dubbed as the platform’s worst game ever, to remaking a timeless psychological horror game. We may have stumbled, but our past mistakes and triumphs have made us wiser, more experienced, and more resilient than ever before! Our efforts are driven by the pledge that we’ve set a few years ago. A pledge of becoming the leaders of the horror genre and we’re steadily carrying it out. Our studio has expanded far and wide, we have top-notch specialists, and we have fans from all around the globe. Our studio is mature enough to say we’re confident about what comes next!

Bloober Team has often been quite open in how much of an influence Silent Hill has been on the games, but that was probably clearer than ever with The Medium, not only with its camera perspective, but also with Akira Yamaoka involved with the project. Internally, did you see The Medium as a sort of a bridge between your older titles and your work on Silent Hill itself? Was the development of The Medium influenced by the knowledge that you were also working on the Silent Hill 2 remake?

Maciej Głomb (Lead Producer, Silent Hill 2): As far as I know, we didn’t know we’d be working on the Silent Hill 2 remake until it was quite late in The Medium’s production, so it’s hard to say that we treated it as a “bridge” from the very beginning. The Medium has numerous surface-level resemblances to the classic Silent Hill 2. This might have been our developers’ subconscious projection of some sort of Konami’s iconic work onto our game, or it could have been deliberately planned out. I can’t tell, but I know some of the developers are ardent fans of the franchise’s second installment. It turned out that the very next thing we started was the remake, so I guess you could say that we’ve channeled Silent Hill’s energy hard enough to draw this project to us.

Talk us through the process of the remake getting greenlit. How did the initial collaboration with Konami come about? What about Bloober Team and your vision convinced Konami that you were the right team for this project?

Głomb: To my knowledge, Konami has indeed talked to other studios about the idea of remaking Silent Hill 2. In my opinion, rightfully so, because such a game should be taken care of by the most passionate developers, none else. The fact that they chose us was both a great distinction and a massive motivation boost. We have people who know the original game inside-out and I think Konami noticed that pretty quickly.

As you can imagine, when they approached us with the offer we hesitated for a while, considering the weight of the responsibility it comes with. At the same time, we couldn’t imagine anyone else doing the remake other than us; we were sure we will do everything in our power to give it the treatment it deserves. In hindsight, it was a good call.

"Silent Hill 2’s story is in our opinion the pillar of the original game and it was never our intention to alter it. Slight tweaks might be seen here or there but they were introduced to refresh aged content and make them more understandable for the new audience — we’re not dabbling with the established narrative core."

How closely are you collaborating with Konami for Silent Hill 2? What has the creative process of working with them been like? And how involved have Akira Yamaoka and Masahiro Ito been in the game’s development?

Głomb: As with every project, the beginning of production involves a lot of high-level discussions about the directions we want to take and, in the case of a remake, deciding which parts of the original we change or keep untouched. We’ve spent the first year or so working tightly with Konami and maintaining constant conversations. But if it wasn’t for the pandemic, we would have been able to sit in the same room and brainstorm ideas face-to-face. Konami was incredibly encouraging of our creative direction and strongly supported our vision for the game. Their trust in us gave birth to ownership over its development.

When it comes to Ito-san’s and Yamaoka-san’s involvement in the project, we fell out of our chairs knowing we have the original creators on board. They gave us a much-needed explanation of the many innuendos in the game that circulated on the internet for well over 20 years, and we’ll continue asking the OGs for their opinions on our shared gem. Besides, they’ve taken an active part in the development themselves — Ito-san provided us with concept art for locations and monsters while Yamaoka-san composed the music for the game.

What is Bloober Team and Konami’s approach to remaking Silent Hill 2? The game is obviously making some big changes with its camera perspective and gameplay, but should fans expect Silent Hill 2 to be the kind of remake that makes significant story changes, or are you more focusing on polishing the narrative with slight tweaks and improvements while keeping the core intact?

Głomb: The latter, no doubt. Silent Hill 2’s story is in our opinion the pillar of the original game and it was never our intention to alter it. Slight tweaks might be seen here or there but they were introduced to refresh aged content and make them more understandable for the new audience — we’re not dabbling with the established narrative core. Changes in the gameplay are noticeable at a glance, with the aforementioned switch to an over-the-shoulder perspective being the biggest one. It’s been over 20 years since the original title was released, thus it was natural that the gameplay needed an overhaul to keep things in line with modern expectations.

On the gameplay front, how heavily will Silent Hill 2 diverge from the original experience, especially given the significant gap between the launch of both games? I imagine the shift to an over-the-shoulder perspective and the resulting change in combat and exploration is bound to bring about big gameplay changes, but should fans also expect things along the lines of new puzzles, weapons, enemies, or gameplay sections and locations?

Głomb: Each thing that you mentioned has received a varied depth of change. The decision of adopting a new camera perspective resulted in alterations in the enemies’ AI, level design, and weapon mechanics among others. Old fans will feel a breath of fresh air in the new gameplay but, generally speaking, our intention from the beginning was to recreate the familiar, visceral atmosphere of the original Silent Hill 2. We still want to keep a healthy balance between puzzle-solving, combat, and narrative. Anything we introduce into the remake is firstly consulted with the OGs because we madly want the game to be as close as it can to the classic Silent Hill 2.

"We are aware of the Resident Evil 2 remake’s resounding success, and we are aware that the game is considered a benchmark on how to release a game anew after a long break. Our priority was always to create a prime game for our players and we will use all available means to do so."

The Silent Hill 2 remake is obviously making some big improvements where its visuals are concerned. Can you talk us through the process of ensuring that the game features state-of-the-art visuals and technology, while still being faithful to the original’s look and atmosphere? Atmosphere in particular is crucial to Silent Hill games, and the original Silent Hill 2 did have a very distinct and unique visual identity, so how does the remake ensure that it retains that?

Głomb: It’s safe to say that visuals were always Bloober Team’s upper hand and I’m sure this will continue to be the case with Silent Hill 2. We did a lot of groundwork with Ito-san at the beginning of the production to make sure that we are on the same page with our artistic vision for the game. Our 2D and 3D teams are the best ones in their fields of expertise so you can expect top-grade visual experience. We ran an early external test and it delivered positive feedback. Obviously, we still have a long way to go but I’m very optimistic going forward.

Did Bloober Team and Konami look at the recent Resident Evil remakes as a source of inspiration in any form?

Głomb: I cannot speak for Konami but, when it comes to Bloober Team, we definitely did! Resident Evil and Silent Hill franchises have been considered by many for years as sworn competitors. This statement might be somewhat rightful as both target a very similar player audience. At the same time, we are aware of the Resident Evil 2 remake’s resounding success, and we are aware that the game is considered a benchmark on how to release a game anew after a long break. Our priority was always to create a prime game for our players and we will use all available means to do so.

Should Silent Hill 2 prove to be successful, is there a chance that Bloober Team ends up working on additional Silent Hill projects?

Głomb: It still remains to be seen but, in my opinion, you should never say never!

Moving on from Silent Hill 2, that’s not the only game that Bloober Team has in production, of course, with Layers of Fears also currently in development. What is the scope and size of that project as compared to something like Silent Hill 2?

Michalski: It’s a smaller project than Silent Hill 2, but definitely a tremendous amount of work was put into the development. We’re co-developing it with Anshar Studios — our good partner — and I hope that players, especially fans of the original, will be delighted.

"Layers of Fears will be a crowning work of our journey with this franchise."

Layers of Fears has a very interesting premise, as it looks to connect the first two games with a reimagined and revised story structure. Can you talk more about that and how it takes shape in the game itself?

Michalski: You’re spot on, the upcoming game will be a crowning work of our journey with this franchise. We wanted to create an everlasting legacy for this series by merging the stories from Layers of Fear 1 and Layers of Fear 2 and topping them with new chapters that will complete the whole lore. Layers of Fears spans an overarching storyline about morally-torn artists and the veiled darkness residing in their minds.

How did the idea for this kind of a follow-up come about, as opposed to what many might call a more traditional sequel – a Layers of Fear 3, or something along those lines?

Michalski: We wanted to tell the story anew using the latest technologies. Now, we are a pretty mature studio and we can afford to do so. We realize that the first two installments could have left untold plots thus we want to cover them in the upcoming game. Similarly, if the gameplay could have used more diversity, we will implement it now. Layers of Fears is a complete world combining two apparently unrelated stories.

The Layers of Fear games have never really put a great deal of emphasis on combat. Will Layers of Fears continue to follow that structure, or should we expect some significant gameplay changes?

Michalski: Layers of Fears is all about the story and immersive atmosphere, less about action. However, we have introduced new gameplay elements to the latter. Players will be positively surprised.

Roughly how long will an average playthrough of Layers of Fears be?

Michalski: It’s too soon to give the game away but expect new juicy info in the near future.

"If we come up with a good idea on how to make a jump back to the universe of Observer or The Medium, then why not? Everything’s possible."

Looking back at other games in Bloober Team’s back catalog, would you say there’s a chance that individual games like Observer and The Medium end up getting sequels as well?

Michalski:  Who knows. If we come up with a good idea on how to make a jump back to the universe of Observer or The Medium, then why not? Everything’s possible.

In fact, as per Bloober Team itself, Layers of Fears is going to be the developer’s “crowning work” where the series is concerned. Even though it’s not been dubbed as Layers of Fear 3, the upcoming sequel will “complete the whole lore” of the series, as per Bloober Team’s head of production Kacper Michalski. 

“The upcoming game will be a crowning work of our journey with this franchise,” Michalski told GamingBolt in a recent interview. “We wanted to create an everlasting legacy for this series by merging the stories from Layers of Fear 1 and Layers of Fear 2 and topping them with new chapters that will complete the whole lore. Layers of Fears spans an overarching storyline about morally-torn artists and the veiled darkness residing in their minds.”

Kacper also confirmed to GamingBolt that though Layers of Fears will focus primarily on atmosphere and story rather than combat (much like its predecessors), it will also introduce “new gameplay elements” to emphasize the action a bit more.

“Layers of Fears is all about the story and immersive atmosphere, less about action,” he said. “However, we have introduced new gameplay elements to the latter. Players will be positively surprised.”

During the interview, Bloober Team also spoke with GamingBolt about the upcoming Silent Hill 2 remake and how faithfully it will recreate the original’s story, how its development was influenced by Resident Evil 2, how involved series veterans Masahiro Ito and Akira Yamaoka were in the project, the possibility of the studio working on additional Silent Hill projects, and more.

Our full interview with the developer will be live soon, so stay tuned for that.

Layers of Fears is set to launch in early 2023 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

Speaking to DreadXP about the connection to the previous games and whether it’s considered Layers of Fear 3, Bloober Team chief marketing officer Anna Jasińska said, “No, this is not Layers of Fear 3. We have come up with a brand-new name. The slight nuances in spelling subtly hint to us that we have something fresh coming.

“Layers of Fears is a completely new video game concept. It fuses the best elements of Layers of Fear 1 and Layers of Fear 2 with new gameplay mechanics, topped with an all-new storyline never seen before. We wrapped all the best stuff together and created an ultimate, overarching story for the whole Layers franchise. Something like this never happened before in the game industry, and we call it ‘reimagination.'”

As for whether it has something for returning fans while still being accessible to newcomers, Jasińska said, “A new storyline and spiced-up gameplay await – longtime fans will find the latter refreshing. The connecting narrative between Layers of Fear 1 and Layers of Fear 2 will be felt by players familiar with the two games as they see how seemingly unrelated stories interweave.

“The new chapters in the game will show how the aforementioned titles blend into one complete magnum opus. As for new fans, they will experience all the best things that define the Layers franchise without feeling lost in the plot.”

Instead of going for a traditional sequel, how did the idea come about for this type of follow-up? Head of production Kacper Michalski spoke to GamingBolt about this, and revealed, “We wanted to tell the story anew using the latest technologies. Now, we are a pretty mature studio and we can afford to do so.

“We realize that the first two instalments could have left untold plots thus we want to cover them in the upcoming game. Similarly, if the gameplay could have used more diversity, we will implement it now. Layers of Fears is a complete world combining two apparently unrelated stories.”

Layers of Fears launches in early 2023 for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. It’s developed on Unreal Engine 5 with ray tracing, 4K resolution and HDR support included. It’s centered on “stories of artists enslaved by their obsessions” and promises to cast “new light on the overarching narrative.”

Forspoken

Okay, so the recent demo ranged from intriguing with its magic and movement abilities to downright painful with its writing and barren world. But there’s still plenty of potential in Forspoken, Luminous Productions’ upcoming action RPG. Following Frey Holland, as she attempts to defeat the once-benevolent Tantas of Athia and return home, a lot of magic is available to wield and plenty of unique areas to explore in the main game. Plus, the visuals look nice and should shine even more when HDR has been fixed. Releasing on January 24th, 2023, for PS5 and PC, Forspoken is a PlayStation-console exclusive for the next two years. Here’s hoping it lives up to expectations.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

It’s a cliché to say it, but Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is one of next year’s biggest games. It’s also probably the biggest PS5 exclusive without a shadow of a doubt, even with big names like Final Fantasy 16 and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth coming up. However, with Miles Morales and Peter Parker featured and Venom finally debuting (with his voice actor promising the game will be “massive”), it may not be the most controversial take. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is launching in Fall 2023 exclusively for PS5. Brace yourself, though, because it’ll be darker than the previous games.

Marvel’s Wolverine

Not confirmed for next year (unless you ask Microsoft. No, really), but still significant is Marvel’s Wolverine. Compared to Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, which should build on its predecessors, we know nothing about the gameplay. However, the announcement trailer showed Logan ready to fight in a familiar location on Madripoor island. Game director Cameron Christian of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales fame are in charge, so maybe it’s another open-world action-adventure game. Either way, it’s currently in development as a PS5 exclusive.

Dead Space

Isaac Clarke’s slow descent into madness begins anew when the remake of Dead Space arrives on January 27th, 2023, for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, courtesy of Motive Studio. Along with massively upgraded visuals, the remake features the Peeling system for chipping away layers from enemy limbs and the Intensity Director for 1200 random terrifying events.

The sound FX for weapons have been revamped, and Isaac Clarke is fully voiced, with Gunner Wright returning to reprise the role. That’s only the tip of the iceberg in changes, with numerous new rooms, Zero-G sections that now feature Dead Space 2’s mechanics, and much more. Nevertheless, everything we’ve seen thus far seems to point to it retaining the essence of what made Dead Space so horrifying.

If you’re looking for a compelling sci-fi survival horror and were disappointed by The Callisto Protocol, maybe Dead Space will fill that void. Maybe make you whole.

Deliver Us Mars

Following up on the space adventure title Deliver Us the Moon (if the name wasn’t a clue), Deliver Us Mars sees astronaut Kathy Johanson traveling to Mars with the Zephyr and its crew. The group Outward has stolen the ARK colony ships, and your job is to get them back, lest humanity becomes even more endangered. There’s exploration, platforming and puzzles as players attempt to survive the harsh conditions of Mars while appreciating the ray-traced shadows and reflections on offer. Deliver Us Mars is coming to Xbox One, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC on February 2nd, 2023.

Hogwarts Legacy

Hogwarts Legacy is an action RPG set over 100 years before the first Harry Potter book, developed by Portkey Games and Avalanche Software. As a fifth-year student of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the player character can use ancient magic and possesses a secret which could have consequences for the wizarding world. While you learn more about these things, you’ll attend classes, brew potions, customize the Room of Requirement to your liking, engage in duels.

Hogwarts Legacy is out on February 10th, 2023, for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, while the PS4 and Xbox One versions arrive in April and the Nintendo Switch version in June.

Like a Dragon: Ishin!

Ryu ga Gotoku Ishin! is finally getting a remake with Like a Dragon: Ishin!, out on February 21st, 2023, for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, and PC. Developed on Unreal Engine 4, you play Sakamoto Ryoma (no relation to one Kazama Kiryu) in 1860s Japan as he seeks vengeance against the one who killed his master.

Join the Shinsengumi in Kyoto as Saito Hajime during the “Bakumatsu” and use four combat styles, slicing enemies with a sword, shooting them with a gun, a mix of both, or just using your bare fists. You even have crazy abilities like energy blasts and black holes. Kiryu may not kill people, but Ryoma is a whole different matter. Again, no relation.

Since this is Ryu ga Gotoku, you have tons of Substories and activities ranging from karaoke, fishing, vegetable shopping and traditional dance to running a restaurant and Jan-ken-pon.

Like a Dragon 8

Like a Dragon: Ishin! looks great and all, but what about brand-new games in the franchise? What about Ichiban Kasuga, the hero of Yakuza: Like a Dragon? Cue Like a Dragon 8, starring both Kasuga and Kazama Kiryu, though you’ll still have various allies to back you up. It’s a turn-based RPG and promises to be the biggest game in the series. Very little else is known, even the reason behind Kiryu’s new look, but it’s coming to Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, and PC in 2024.

Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name

As you probably noticed, Kiryu’s hair undergoes some changes in Like a Dragon 8. To help players understand why, while also detailing events surrounding the Dragon of Dojima from Yakuza 6 to Yakuza: Like a Dragon, there’s Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. Releasing in 2023 for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, and PC, it starts with Kiryu living a seemingly secluded lifestyle before indulging in some “manual labor.” It’s roughly half the size of a regular title, but there’s a town to explore, side quests to complete, and much more. How important it will be to the overall story remains to be seen, but it looks great.

Horizon Call of the Mountain

PlayStation VR2 launches on February 22nd, 2023, and should be the next big step in console VR gaming. Though it has over 20 launch titles, Horizon Call of the Mountain is undoubtedly the highlight. Developed by Guerrilla and Firesprite Games, it stars a new character, Ryas, a former Shadow Carja. After his actions in the previous games, he’s looking to regain his honor and is a master climber, fighter and Machine hunter. The action takes place from the first-person perspective, but Ryas will use familiar weapons like the bow and combat Machines like the Bellowback, Thunderjaw and Stormbird. Thus far, it’s looked gorgeous, while the combat appears fluid.

Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened

Frogwares is releasing a remake of Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened in February 2023 for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch. Sherlock Holmes and John Watson embark on a harrowing adventure, investigating disappearances. Players will investigate clues and piece everything together, but Sherlock’s insanity will also dip further into insanity as time goes on. With an expanded story, improved visuals and animations, and about 15 hours of playtime, it should be a worthwhile mystery for fans of the series.

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty

Nioh meets Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice with some Dynasty Warriors sprinkled on top – that’s sort of what Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is going for with its combat. Set in the Three Kingdoms era with iconic heroes, mythical beings and fantastical monsters, it’s a faster, more vertically-paced take on the action RPG genre from Team Ninja.

The push and pull of parrying and attacking to reduce your enemy’s spirit, opening them up to powerful blows while using magic and building Morale flows pretty nicely. At over 40 hours and some potential end-game content, it could be your next Souls-like fix when it launches on March 3rd, 2023, for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, and PC.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure

As the follow-up to The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero, Trails to Azure continues the story of the Special Support Section, led by Lloyd Bannings. While all is well after saving KeA and stopping the D∴G cult, other figures seek to use the former for their ends. The sequel features two team members, Noel Seeker and Wazy Hemisphere, and a customizable police car for getting around.

Releasing on March 14th, 2023, for PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch in English, it also features revamped visuals courtesy of PH3 and should have the same quality-of-life features. With how significant the Crossbell arc has been to the overall Trails lore, it’s great to finally have both games available worldwide, especially en route to the release of Trails of Reverie.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

As the sequel to the massively successful Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Jedi: Survivor takes place several years later. Cal Kestis returns, older and stronger but also pushed to the brink by the Empire. Armed with new Force abilities, Cal will also have five Lightsaber stances. You can wield two Lightsabers in Dual Blade stance, or execute heavy attacks with Kylo Ren’s Lightsaber. Want a bit more oomph and blaster fire? There’s a stance that combines a Lightsaber’s slices with a blaster.

Along with encountering new characters and unlocking new traversal methods like mounts, players will battle against new enemies, explore larger biomes with challenges and hidden rewards, and much more. There’s even a planet new to the Star Wars universe which serves as a central providing ground.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is out on March 16th, 2023, for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, and will support ray tracing and faster loading times.

Resident Evil 4

Before it became the action-heavy survival shooter we know and love, Resident Evil 4 was a moodier, scarier game. The upcoming remake, launching on March 24th, 2023, for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, seems to channel that darker tone while enhancing everything about the original game. Along with “modernizing” the graphics and updating the controls, Capcom is looking to “reimagine” the story while maintaining its essence. Whatever that may mean, you’ll still be fighting for your life against Los Illuminados, with new moves like blocking and deflecting chainsaw strikes with your trusty knife. Resident Evil 4 will also support PlayStation VR2 at launch for even more immersive thrills.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

For all of the big games releasing in 2023 and beyond, you have to remember: Few of them can match the hype surrounding The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. As the sequel to Breath of the Wild, it features a new story and gameplay elements like floating islands (with Hyrule Castle itself seemingly levitating). Link can soar from these islands, use new abilities, and even has some snazzy armor. What’s going on? Why does Zelda have short hair? What new threats and adventures await? We’ll find out when it launches on May 12th, 2023, for the Nintendo Switch.

Silent Hill 2

After years of rumors and skepticism, Konami finally unveiled its plans for the Silent Hill franchise, including a remake of Silent Hill 2 developed by Bloober Team for PC and PS5 (where it will be exclusive for 12 months minimum). Composer Akira Yamaoka and creature designer Masahiro Ito also return, lending their talents to the remake.

Unreal Engine 5 has been used for development with revamped combat and set-pieces, no loading screens, and support for the DualSense. A release date still has to be announced, but the developer did reveal that it’s been in the works since 2019 and reaching late production. Even if it doesn’t arrive next year, it won’t be long before we dive back into the mind of James Sunderland and experience the twisted horrors of Silent Hill once more.

Diablo 4

Following the aftermath of Diablo 3, humanity fends for itself against the legions of Hell, spurred by the return of Lilith. Choosing one of five classes – Druid, Rogue, Necromancer, Barbarian, and Sorceress – players venture the world, hacking and slashing demons while leveling up and gaining better loot. Diablo 4 is out on June 6th, 2023, for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, and PC, and is a lot more open than its predecessors, with camps to liberate, dungeons to explore, Skill Trees to go through, and Paragon Boards to figure out.

With more customization in the form of runes, runewords, new attributes, and seasonal powers, there’s a lot in store. Of course, there’s plenty to be skeptical about, what with the always online requirement and microtransactions (which aren’t used to buy power, but that statement is open to interpretation after Diablo Immortal). Then there are the reports of Blizzard having to crunch to meet the release date. Time will tell how it pans out.

Final Fantasy 16

There is so much about Final Fantasy 16 worth looking forward to, whether it’s the hack-and-slash combat system, the world design, the massive Eikon battles, or just the overall presentation. The story centers on Clive Rosfield, living peacefully with his brother Joshua. He grows up and seeks revenge, battling against the Dominants of Valisthea’s various nations, each with their own Eikons. It’s a dark fantasy epic with a distinct vision and vibe, and releases on June 22nd, 2023, for PS5.

Baldur’s Gate 3

The years of waiting leading to the announcement of Baldur’s Gate 3 seemed agonizing until we had to wait several more years for its launch out of early access. Nevertheless, it’s finally out in August 2023 for PC and represents Larian Studios’ most ambitious role-playing game ever. Set over 120 years after the second game, it sees the player kidnapped by Mind Flayers and implanted with Illithid Tadpoles.

Upon escaping with other survivors, they must find a way to remove the Tadpole. With its reliance on Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition rules, there are numerous classes and subclasses to enjoy, an extensive amount of skills and spells to play with, and all kinds of insane choices to make. Whether it lives up to the massive hype or not, Baldur’s Gate 3 is something special.

Alan Wake 2

Announced at The Game Awards 2021, it’s been more than a year since we’ve seen Remedy Entertainment’s Alan Wake 2, the long-awaited sequel to the 2010 classic. It’s leaning much more into survival horror and is still in third person perspective, with Remedy’s Northlight Engine used for development. Not much else is known, save for it being on track for release in 2023 for PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S, but new players can jump right in without playing the previous entries, so that’s a plus.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage

The Assassin’s Creed franchise has moved steadily away from its stealth origins after, well, Assassin’s Creed Origins. But Assassin’s Creed Mirage brings it back, front and center, focusing on Basim as he goes from street thief to joining the Assassin Brotherhood in ninth-century Baghdad. Players will parkour through the four districts and partake in classic “Black Box” assassinations, searching for the best way to take down targets. It’s only 15-20 hours, and after how gargantuan the recent entries have been, that sounds wonderful. Mirage will retail for $50 in 2023 for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC, and Amazon Luna.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora

Whatever your opinion of the movies in general, what little we’ve seen of Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora looks promising with Massive of The Division fame in charge of development (in collaboration with Lightstorm Entertainment and Disney). Exploring the Western Frontier as a Na’vi, players fight back against the RDA in this massive open-world action-adventure for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC, and Amazon Luna. Compared to The Division, the gameplay is in first-person, and despite taking place in the same universe, it’s a standalone story. It’s all very intriguing, but rumors of troubled development, which may have caused the title’s delay to 2023-2024, have been circulating. We’ll probably get a better idea of its state heading into next year.

Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon

FromSoftware’s next big title veers away from fantasy into sci-fi and revisits the cult-classic Armored Core series. Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon takes place on Rubicon 3, a planet laid to waste after a mysterious substance was discovered and caused a cataclysmic disaster. That same substance has re-emerged, and as a mercenary, you’re smack-dab in a conflict between corporations and resistance groups over it.

Like its predecessors, Armored Core 6 is focused on mech customization and tuning different parts to your liking. There isn’t an open-world structure. There’s no campaign co-op, and this isn’t a Soulsborne-type game, despite having intense boss battles. Regardless, the aesthetic and giant robots look positively amazing. Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon releases in 2023 for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, and PC.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

Final Fantasy 7 Remake remains one of the best games of 2020 and a dream come true for fans. However, it was also the start of a brand new story, where previous characters’ fates would change. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is the next part, releasing in Winter 2023 exclusively for PS5 (a necessity due to its SSD, as per the developer). The first trailer saw Cloud walking side by side with Sephiroth, and the developer recently confirmed that Zack has an “active role” after the last game’s conclusion. Even with no details yet on gameplay changes, locations, and whatnot, we can’t wait to see where the story goes next.

Starfield

Bethesda Game Studios’ next magnum opus, its first new IP in more than 25 years, and arguably the biggest Xbox Series X/S exclusive yet – many of these things describe Starfield. The story is set in the 24th century, 20 years after a war between the United Factions and Freestar Collective, with the player joining the space exploration group Constellation.

While their overarching role has yet to be revealed, the sense of freedom – with over 1000 planets to explore, several major cities to explore, and much more – is still reminiscent of Bethesda’s previous titles. That’s not even factoring in the mining, spaceships (with full customization), various NPCs, companions, factions, and much more. One could argue that it’s almost too ambitious, especially given its delay to the first half of 2023. Nevertheless, it’s an RPG to watch out for when it arrives for Xbox Series X/S and PC next year.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl

GSC Game World returns to the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone again with S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. All the usual tropes, from mutants and anomalies to other S.T.A.L.K.E.R.s, are present, and there’s a massive open world to explore. You can ply your trade, collect and sell artifacts, or investigate the Exclusion Zone and learn more about the state of the world. There are over 30 weapon types with several ways to modify them, various factions, and a non-linear branching story.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is slated to release in 2023 for Xbox Series X/S and PC.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie

Some felt that the ending of Trails of Cold Steel 4 ending wasn’t a fitting conclusion to the Erebonian saga. Trails into Reverie remedies this, presenting an epilogue with three main characters – Rean Schwarzer, Lloyd Bannings, and C – each with unique story arcs. You can switch between them at any point while indulging in different side stories for the massive cast. Brave Orders and Arts return, and the new United Front system offers even more ways to defeat enemies. There’s also the True Reverie Corridor, which features randomly generated dungeons and mini-games. The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie releases July 7th, 2023, for PS4, Nintendo Switch, PS5, and PC.

Layers of Fears

Along with Silent Hill 2, Bloober Team is working on Layers of Fears, the third title in its psychological horror series. It’s about the “stories of artists enslaved by their obsessions” and casts a “new light on the overarching narrative.” Except for the Painter’s Spouse from the first game potentially being the main character, very little has been revealed about the story. However, it’s developed on Unreal Engine 5 for 4K, HDR, ray tracing and Lumen’s immersive lighting. Layers of Fears is out in early 2023 for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

Death Stranding 2 (Working Title)

Yes, actor Norman Reedus said it’s coming, and yes, the various teases of new characters with “who”, “what”, “where”, and “how come” were weird. But the reveal of Death Stranding 2 (currently the working title) was something else entirely, from Fragile attempting to escape a battlefield with a baby to having a ship with the Drawbridge logo on it and conversing with an older-looking Sam Bridges. It also seems that Higgs is making a return, judging by Troy Baker’s inclusion, and we wouldn’t have our masked-wearing weirdo rocking out any other way. Death Stranding 2 is coming to PS5, but no release window has been confirmed.

Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League

Following the underwhelming Gotham Knights, there’s some concern about Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, especially following the departure of Rocksteady founders Sefton Hill and Jamie Walker. The action-adventure title is due on May 26th, 2023, for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. It features Deadshot, Harley Quinn, King Shark, and Captain Boomerang as the protagonists as they fight against various superheroes – including Batman, in Kevin Conroy’s final role – who have been brainwashed by Brainiac.

Though it has a four-player co-op, solo play is also possible, and you can switch between each character while the AI handles the others. Brief gameplay snippets have looked promising, but here’s hoping we get an extensive deep dive soon.

Hades 2

A sequel to Supergiant Games’ amazing rogue-lite dungeon crawler is a complete surprise, to be sure, but a welcome one. The story sees Underworld princess Melinoe, venturing beyond Hell to explore a “bigger, deeper mythic world” with new locations and slay Kronos. Olympus again lends its might in the form of Boons, but there will be other upgrade systems like the Arcana Altar and the ability to tame witch familiars.

Perhaps most appealing is that the story will once again evolve based on your success and failures over multiple runs with dozens of fully-voiced characters, from familiar faces like Zeus to newcomers like Apollo and Nemesis. Hades 2 will go into early access for PC on Steam and the Epic Games Store, with more details to come in 2023.

Lost Soul Aside

Of the many titles coming to PlayStation as part of the China Hero Project, Lost Soul Aside looks the sharpest. Revealed in 2016 by solo developer Yang Bing for PS4, it immediately caught our attention with its fast-paced combat and stellar visuals. All these years later, UltiZero Games is involved while Sony serves as the publisher, and a PS5 release is confirmed.

The gameplay looks to have leaned into an action-adventure vibe with high-speed set pieces as protagonist Kazer is seemingly on the run from various forces after merging with Arena, a dragon-like symbiont. A release date still hasn’t been confirmed, but Lost Soul Aside is worth keeping on your radar.

The Witcher 1 Remake

In this age of remakes and remasters, it’s surprising that it took this long for a remake of the first Witcher game to be greenlit. Developed by Fool’s Theory, a studio founded by veteran Witcher developers with CD Projekt RED’s creative supervision, The Witcher Remake is a “modern reimagining” of the first game, developed from the ground up on Unreal Engine 5. It will also be an open-world game title, which is a significant departure from the original. Get comfortable, though, since it’s currently in the early stages of development and won’t release until after the next mainline Witcher title.

Hollow Knight: Silksong

Initially, Hornet was to be a playable character in Hollow Knight, but the increased scope of the DLC has resulted in a proper sequel. Announced in February 2019, Hollow Knight: Silksong will be released by June 2023 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Nintendo Switch. Featuring a new kingdom to explore, a unique play style with Silk, over 165 enemy types, and a quest system, it looks gorgeous in terms of visuals, style, and gameplay. The wait has been long, but hopefully, finally, we’ll get to play it next year.

Assassin’s Creed Codename Red and Codename Hexe

The developer finally announced that its next mainline Assassin’s Creed title, Codename Red, would take place in Feudal Japan. Players will finally get to play as a shinobi, though very little is confirmed about the story, how it will play, etc. It’s developed by Quebec and raised some concerns due to director Jonathan Dumont being accused of bullying and abuse, so time will tell how that works out. There’s also Codename Hexe, rumored to be set in 16th-century Central Europe during the witch trials. Montreal is leading the development, and it’s reportedly going quite well, though more details are needed.

Grand Theft Auto VI

A new GTA game is on its way, Rockstar Games finally confirmed what has been rumored for years. In an official statement, it noted that, “With every new project, our goal is always to significantly move beyond what we’ve previously delivered. We’re pleased to confirm that active development for the next entry in the series is underway. We look forward to sharing more as soon as we are ready, so please stay tuned to the Rockstar Newswire for official details.” According to reputable sources like Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier and insider Tom Henderson, the sequel will be a “moderately-sized” game and it would feature multiple protagonists and will be set in Vice City.

The Next Witcher

The next Witcher title is in development on Unreal Engine 5 and is currently under pre-production as “Project Polaris.” The story, premise and gameplay are still under wraps, but it will build on The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s legacy and has over 150 developers on board. It’s also an open-world RPG that marks the start of a new Witcher trilogy. After Polaris launches, two more Witcher titles will be released within six years afterwards. That may sound like wishful thinking, but the appeal of a brand-new Witcher is undeniable.

Cyberpunk Sequel “Project Orion”

Cyberpunk 2077 is also getting a sequel, currently dubbed Project Orion, which will prove “the full power and potential of the Cyberpunk universe,” as per CD Projekt RED. It’s developed by CD Projekt RED North America in Boston with core team members, like lead quest designer Paweł Sasko, moving over. However, it will also receive support from the head studio in Poland and CD Projekt RED Vancouver, requiring about 350 to 500 developers like the first game. Either way, it’s going to be a long wait.

The Witcher “Project Sirius”

CD Projekt RED has a lot of Witcher projects in development. So what’s one more? Developed by The Molasses Flood of Where the Water Tastes Like Wine and Drake Hollow fame, Project Sirius is in pre-production with CD Projekt RED providing support (and over 60 developers). Again, not much is known, but it promises an “innovative take on The Witcher universe” which will present an “unforgettable tale for existing Witcher fans and new audiences.” Whatever that may mean, the narrative should be interesting, going by the developer’s previous work.

Rise of the Ronin

Team Ninja has delivered some stellar action RPG action with Nioh and looks to go even further with Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty. In the longer term, however, it’s venturing into open-world gameplay with Rise of the Ronin while maintaining its fast-paced action RPG combat. Set in late 19th century Japan during the Bakumatsu, it’s a period of unrest and civil war with the anti-Shogunate factions fighting the Tokugawa Shogunate. You play a Ronin, a masterless samurai equally skilled with katanas and firearms. You’ll meet various characters and can decide who to side with. It’s all up to you, but what choices those consequences will have remains to be seen. Rise of the Ronin launches exclusively for PS5 in 2024.

Pikmin 4

If you ever lament the long development period of any video game, remember that Pikmin 4 was said to be “very close to completion” in 2015. It was put on a “lower priority” in 2016. In September 2022, the developer finally confirmed that the real-time strategy game would launch in 2023 for Nintendo Switch. The Bulborb returns, and a new playable astronaut character has been confirmed. That’s all we know, so hopefully, next year will offer more details.

Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse

Following the release of Maiden of Black Water for new consoles, Koei Tecmo confirmed that Fatal Fame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse would launch on March 9th, 2023, for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC. The location is Rogetsu Island, Japan, where five girls went missing a decade prior. When two are found dead in the present day, the remaining three – Misaki, Madoka, and Ruka – return to investigate and learn the truth (since their memories were missing after being rescued).

The island is abandoned, with many inhabitants dying after a mysterious catastrophe, and hostile spirits roam free. As you collect articles and notes to learn more about the past, the Camera Obscura wards off the spirits. In addition to improvements with lighting, shadows, and character models, the new release also sports a Photo Mode. It’s no Fatal Frame 2 but Mask of the Lunar Eclipse should make for a fun atmospheric horror.

Witchfire

If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking about whatever happened to The Astronauts, developer of The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, rest assured – it’s still working on Witchfire. Announced The Game Awards 2017 as a dark fantasy shooter, it evolved into a rogue-lite inspired by Hades and took a semi-open-world approach. It’s set to release early next year for PC early access, but can it rise above its inspirations? Time will tell.

Silent Hill f

The next mainline title in the Silent Hill franchise is surprisingly not set in the titular town. Instead, it ventures to 1960s rural Japan, where strange things are happening. Aside from NeoBards Entertainment being the developer, everything else is a mystery. However, Ryukishi07 is confirmed to be writing the story. Given his reputation for some of the best horror/mystery visual novels like Higurashi When They Cry, and Umineko, there’s a chance that it could be mind-breaking, insanely overdone or both, which is a good thing.

Lies of P

What’s next after live-action Pinocchio or Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio? Pinocchio meets Bloodborne, it seems. NEOWIZ’s Lies of P sees the wooden boy awakening in Krat, which has seen better days. You have to find Mr Gepetto, which is easier said than done when everything in the city is trying to kill you. Fortunately, Pinocchio can combine weapons and even change out body parts for an advantage. Various quests also progress based on your lies, earning different endings. Lies of P is planned to release next year on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, and PC.

Atomic Heart

Mundfish’s Atomic Heart has been in development for a while and offers a mix of alternate-history sci-fi and FPS/RPG action. Set in the Soviet Union, where robotics have advanced rapidly, players control KGB agent Major Nechaev aka P-3, as they venture to facility 3826 and face off against rogue robots. Armed with the Polymer Glove with powers like freezing, telekinesis, and more, you also get a range of weapons, from guns to melee weapons, while dealing with all manner of robotic monstrosities to sick beats.

Atomic Heart has had a long development cycle, with reports alleging mismanagement, several reboots, crunch, and whatnot. It’s releasing on February 21st, 2023, for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, and PC, so we’ll see how it turns out.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes

Suikoden 1 and 2 HD Remaster is out next year. However, Rabbit and Bear Studios’ Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes offers a more contemporary take on the formula. Developed by Suikoden veterans Yoshitaka Murayama and Junko Kawano, the RPG features over 100 playable characters (including familiar faces from Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising) and a gorgeous 2.5D art style. With rune lenses reshaping the world of Allraan and the Galdean Empire gaining more power, the story sees two characters, Seign and Nowa, crossing paths and questioning everything. Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes releases next year for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC and Nintendo Switch.

SEASON: A letter to the future

Scavengers Studio is no stranger to controversy following allegations against its co-founders. Things seem on track, though, with the narrative adventure releasing on January 31st, 2023, for PS4, PS5, and PC. It’s the story of Estelle, who leaves her village to explore the world, meeting (and helping) different people and recording things, whether through documentation, photography or recordings. A calm, meditative journey that explores change while presenting a gorgeous-looking art style sounds like the right way to start the new year.

Dead Island 2

Initially believed to be vaporware due to all the delays, changing developers and lack of new information, Deep Silver’s Dead Island 2 finally re-emerged last year. It’s set in post-apocalyptic, zombie-infested California, with Los Angeles and San Francisco as its main cities. Players control six different “Slayers” as they attempt to survive. Swords, hammers, axes and much more are the keys to fighting back against the various zombie types, and you can even activate Fury Mode to rip and tear bare-handed. Despite facing another delay to April 28th, 2023, Dead Island 2 looks like it could finally release next year on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, and PC.