For PS5 players, action hack and slash title Soulstice will be available. PS4 players can look forward to Tacoma, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided and Killing Floor 2. A game trial for WWE 2K23 will also be available, though this is more than likely exclusive to PS Plus Premium.

It’s worth noting that several other titles like ELEX 2, Redout 2, MX vs ATV Legends, PAW Patrol Mighty Pups Save Adventure Bay, My Friend Peppa Pig and DC League of Super-Pets: The Adventures of Krypto and Ace for PS4 and PS5 are mentioned in a recent PlayStation Access video. You also have The Talos Principle: Deluxe Edition, Lonely Mountains: Downhill, Vampire: The Masquerade – Coteries of New York, A Hat in Time, Carto, Forager, Dodgeball Academia, The Wild at Heart and Thief coming to PS4.

Classics coming to PlayStation Plus Premium include Killzone: Liberation for the PSP and Worms and
Herc’s Adventure on the PlayStation One.

"With Vampire: The Masquerade – Coteries of New York, there’s a lot of that freedom to choose to act how you want and complete quests when you want. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of clutter that overshadows the few interesting characters and intriguing narrative arcs it presents."

Developer Draw Distance immediately introduces you to the world of New York, where there’s tension between the Camarilla and Anarch groups of vampires. You are immediately transformed into a vampire and forced to join the Camarilla sect of vampires in New York City. Soon after, you’re taken under the wing of Sophie Langley, a higher-up in the sect who, in return for saving you from the Final Death, wants you to create a coterie of other vampires around New York to help her. This motivation is the game’s central drive, and Sophie is your overarching guide for the majority of the story.

You can choose to play as one of three separate people, each of whom joins a different clan of vampires. While the main story stays generally the same, there are differences in how different events can play out based on which person you choose. Each has different abilities that unlock particular dialogue options in certain spots, each of which allows for a different action that gives a leg up in easing tensions and surpassing obstacles. It features a map and quest hub to let you choose how you spend your nights. Each mission takes half of a night, and, aside from some predetermined missions that take place at certain times, you can do quests in almost any order you choose. In doing this, you will likely not be able to finish all of the quests over the course of nearly twenty nights before the game’s conclusion, so you’re encouraged to choose which missions to take on wisely.

You also have to keep your eye on your hunger, which requires you to periodically feed on humans so you are not overtaken by the oft-mentioned Beast that lives within vampires. Before this happens, though, hunger causes you to miss out on the vampire ability dialogue choices. While this is an interesting idea in theory, the opportunities to feed are abundant, including the ones that have little opportunity cost and have low risk of being caught. I found myself rarely ever nervous about where my next meal of blood would come from.

"Each mission takes half of a night, and, aside from some predetermined missions that take place at certain times, you can do quests in almost any order you choose."

As you’re working through the missions, you will find dialogue trees and branching paths that can occur based on your choices. Recruiting characters into your coterie consists of completing quests akin to Mass Effect’s loyalty missions, and you can fail to successfully recruit a character. There are many ways the story can diverge, and there are multiple endings based on your recruitment success and various choices throughout. Unfortunately, in some dialogue trees, there are effectively right or wrong answers, and there are points where these answers are not made clear and their consequences not explained. One scene had me monitoring a chat room to ban, kick, or ignore certain users, and on multiple occasions I was incorrect in my discipline choice based on information that was provided after my choice was made. Other choices were entirely inconsequential altogether, despite their seeming importance. It makes for an oddly unbalanced choice mechanic, where some choices are clear and have distinct outcomes, while others are almost a guessing game as to which choice is correct.

While you get to meet and interact with a lot of different people and vampires, though, it’s very hit or miss as to whether their characters are intriguing or their quests engaging. Many of the characters feel one-dimensional because their motivations are introduced immediately and never evolve. While none of these side characters spend a lot of time with you individually, they cumulatively take a significant chunk of your time. Many of them even seem to speak in the same way, making differentiating characters much more difficult. Some of their quests focus more on explaining the backstory of the world than on advancing any plot points, which is what many of these characters’ purposes seem to be, but this makes for some incredibly verbose and painfully tedious moments.

There are only a handful of characters who make a real impact, and your ability to choose your sequence of quests can hurt the pacing. The characters that have the most depth are the ones who pop up throughout the story and drive you forward, sometimes literally. Sophie and the Sherriff, Qadir, are two notably deep characters that you get to know well and develop relationships with. Some of the companions, like Tamika and Agathon, have depth and complexity as well, as their relationships, both with you and with their close ones, are explored and tested. Unfortunately, these characters only show up a handful of times, and the rest of the story is filled with a lot of the other characters and events that can feel both inconsequential and filler. Luckily, the visuals that accompany each location and character are beautifully detailed to complement the novel’s text, giving you a great look at the dark world and environments you’re experiencing.

"Unfortunately, the most interesting characters only show up a handful of times, and the rest of the story is filled with a lot of the other characters and events that can feel both inconsequential and filler."

It comes together, however, to create a package that feels like it overstays its six-or-so hour welcome and makes a muted impact. While some of the individual characters are interesting to explore, the overarching narrative can get lost in the shuffle of the individual quests you have to complete and the side characters you encounter, especially when what you’re doing feels like an irrelevant aside to your motives that add little to the world or narrative. There’s not much in the way of a central theme that the game is trying to convey that relates it back to the player. There are certainly moments where morality, loyalty, and the afterlife are explored, but it never felt like there was anything profound that brings it all together or any ultimate statement that should be taken away.

There are moments in Coteries of New York where I was surprised, excited, or moved, but it took some filtering through uninteresting characters and uninspired quests. Fans of the Vampire: The Masquerade saga will find this a welcome addition to the world and fans of visual novels will find aspects of this story that are worthwhile, but it’s hard to recommend to anyone outside of these circles. It’s not doing anything groundbreaking in its genre, and there are many other experiences that outdo it without all of the clutter. I like some of what Coteries of New York offers, but I feel like I could’ve spent my undead life in a better way.

This game was reviewed on PC.

Wattam

Of course it would be Katamari Damacy director Keita Takahashi making Wattam. How else could you explain the premise of walking around the world, befriending rocks, open mouths, trees and toilets to join hands and create melodies? It’s all quite whimsical in motion and gives Wattam a dream-like yet still unorthodox feel. Look for the game to release on December 17^th for PS4 and PC.

Phoenix Point

Phoenix Point is an important title for many tactical turn-based fans. For some, it could be their next big game after XCOM with its factions, evolving enemies and lasting psychological system for its soldiers. For others, it’s a true spiritual successor to the original X-COM games from creator Julian Gollop, offering the next step forward in the tactical strategy war against aliens. With terrifying foes, intriguing mechanics and a tense setting, Phoenix Point releases on December 3^rd for Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

Halo: Reach (PC/Xbox One)

Finally, we get to remember Reach as it should be – in gorgeous 4K resolution and 60 FPS. 343 Industries’ Halo: Reach comes to PC on December 3^rd with its memorable campaign and hefty multiplayer modes like Firefight and Invasion (with Forge and Theater coming in 2020). For Xbox One players, Reach will round out Halo: The Master Chief Collection but for PC players, it kick-starts the collection’s release on PC. Whether you’re a fan of the series or not, Halo: Reach’s arrival next week is a momentous occasion.

MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries

It’s seemingly the month of nostalgia and MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries is a long time coming. As the first mainline title in the franchise since MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries in 2002, MechWarrior 5 offers combat in large hulking mechs with highly customizable parts. Taking part during the Third Succession War, various factions will be vying for supremacy, allowing you to take contracts and cement your legacy. MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries is out on December 10^th for PC.

Terminator Resistance

Teyon’s new Terminator shooter is an…odd title. It’s set in the year 2028 with the world decimated by Skynet’s robot incursions. You’ll battle through hordes of machines, killing and leveling up while also potentially altering the fates of those around you. What’s odd about the whole ordeal is that despite seeing significant criticism, the game has a rather positive rating on outlets like Steam. We’ll see how the console versions fare when they release on December 10^th for North America.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Coteries of New York

Before venturing into the RPG-heavy Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, why not visit the Coteries of New York instead? Developed by Draw Distance, Vampire: The Masquerade – Coteries of New York is a text-based adventure centered around two factions – the Camarilla and Anarchs. Depending on one’s clan and choices, there will be unique dialogue opportunities and powers, ultimately influencing the game’s outcome. The title is out for PC on December 11^th but also releases on Xbox One, PS4 and Nintendo Switch in Q1 2020.

Darksiders Genesis

And now for something completely different from the Darksiders franchise. Developed by Airship Syndicate, Darksiders Genesis is an isometric action hack and slash title that takes place before the first game. Horsemen Strife and War are on a quest to stop Lucifer from empowering the forces of Hell and that means lots of slicing and shooting. Co-op is included but solo players can switch between either Horseman at any time while taking advantage of various upgrades. Releasing on December 5^th worldwide for PC and Google Stadia, Darksiders Genesis looks to offer a fun 15 hours or so of adventure.

Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey (Xbox One/PS4)

Panache Digital Games’ Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey didn’t get the most rousing reception when it first released on PC. However, there have been updates and improvements overtime, making this tale of evolution and survival more tenable. As part of a primate clan in the prehistoric age, you’ll be climbing trees, exploring the world, hunting, and even avoiding predators. All of this feeds into your experience and evolution as you journey across eight million years of history. Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey arrives on December 6^th for Xbox One and PS4.

Life is Strange 2: Episode 5

Dontnod Entertainment’s fifth and final episode for Life is Strange 2 is out next month, bringing the adventure of the brothers Sean and Daniel Diaz to an end. This is always a pivotal moment for fans of the series, since it allows for experiencing the entire adventure from start to finish without any delays. It’s been a wild journey since the two initially fled Seattle en route to their father’s hometown in Mexico. How could things get any stranger? Episode 5 is out on December 3^rd for Xbox One, PS4 and PC so it won’t be long before we find out.

Arise: A Simple Story

Arise: A Simple Story is another dream-like adventure game but one that explores the memories of two individuals across shifting landscapes and seasons. As a puzzle adventure title, players will have the ability to manipulate time, altering the environment as they see fit. While there’s still a lot we don’t know, Arise’s art-style looks great and the story has strong emotional potential. It’s out on December 3^rd for PS4 and PC.

Next year we will get the sequel to the cult classic, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2. The RPG promises to both capture the spirit of the original as well as refine it for a new generation. It suffered a delay from March of 2020 to sometime later in the year that’s not been defined yet. In the meantime, we were supposed to get a bite-sized spin-off in Vampire: The Masquerade – Coteries of New York. Unfortunately, it too suffered a delay, though thankfully not by much.

As announced via the game’s official Steam page, the game will be pushed back by just a week. So for the visual novel style game, you won’t have to wait much longer. The delay is only stated for the PC version of the game with no mention of the Switch version, which was already scheduled to come out in 2020.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Coteries of New York will release for PC on December 11th now, with a Switch version coming in Q1 of 2020. As of now there’s no other announced platforms for the game.

It came as a disappointment when earlier in the month it was announced that Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 would be delayed from its original March 2020 date. Well, we’ve been waiting a long time anyway, so what’s a few more months. But in the meantime we will be getting a little taste of that world with Vampire: The Masquerade – Coteries of New York.

The game is done in the visual novel style and a new gameplay trailer will give you an idea of how the game will play now that we finally got an idea of when it’ll be releasing. The game will have the same choice options from the main title as you must navigate between two warring major vampire factions. It will include quests, unique abilities and NPCs. Check it out below.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Coteries of New York will release for PC on December 4th and Q1 of 2020 for the Nintendo Switch.

Those looking forward to the cult classic sequel, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2, suffered a bit of a blow the other day as it was announced the game would be delayed until later in 2020 than expected. It’s a disappointment, but it happens, and hopefully it gets the extra time it needs to get polished up. In the meantime, however, there will be a little taste of the vampire world with Vampire: The Masquerade – Coteries of New York.

The game was announced earlier in the year, with not much said about it afterward. Well, now we know it will come at the year’s end for PC, though the Switch version seems to have suffered a small delay and will come to that device at the beginning of 2020. It seems there’s also talks to bring it to the PS4 and Xbox One at some point, but no dates or time frames are given.

We haven’t seen much of the game, though we know it’s a smaller scale narrative adventure game where you must chose a clan against the warring Camarilla and Anarchs. It won’t crossover with Bloodlines 2, but it hopefully it’ll still make for a good appetizer in the meantime. Vampire: The Masquerade – Coteries of New York will launch December 4th on PC and Q1 2020 on Switch.

https://twitter.com/DrawDistanceDev/status/1185486281704443905

It’s wild how life works sometimes. Not that long ago, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines was a cult favorite that most assumed would never get an official followup. Now, we’re eagerly awaiting a sequel to that game for early next year, and the franchise is extending well beyond that, too. Besides Bloodlines 2, we know two other titles based on the World of Darkness franchise that are upcoming. One is another RPG by Big Bad Wolf, and then Vampire: The Masquerade – Coteries, which is slated for Q4 2019. But it seems that Bloodlines 2 isn’t going to serve as some universe launching title- it’ll remained self-contained.

DualShockers caught up with Rachel Leiker, the Lead UI/UX Designer on Bloodlines 2, and she said that there’s been zero talk about having any of the upcoming franchise titles crossover, and that Bloodlines 2 will stand all by itself.

“Bloodlines 2 is its own thing, basically. We’re only focused on doing our story for Bloodlines,” Leiker told them. “We’re not really aware, I guess, of the other stuff. We’re just hyper-focused on what we’re doing for Bloodlines.”

It sounds as if there’s little communication as of right now about any interconnectivity, so most likely the untitled Big Bad Wolf RPG and Coteries will similarly be their own thing. That’s probably for the best, and there’s no doubt Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 will stand on its own legs when it releases early next year for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

We’ve heard about Paradox’s Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 and Big Bad Wolf’s own Vampire: The Masquerade RPG. However, developer Draw Distance has its own title in the World of Darkness universe to present – Vampire: The Masquerade – Coteries of New York. It’s out in Q4 2019 for PC and Nintendo Switch.

Centering on the conflict between the Camarilla and Anarchs, two vampire clans in New York City, Vampire: The Masquerade – Coteries of New York is a single-player experience. It’s based off of Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition and will allow players to choose their character from a number of different clans. The clans themselves will be revealed later.

However, each character has their own intriguing powers, ethics, and dialogue. You’ll also embark on different character quests to bond with different NPCs and form your own coterie. Multiple endings are promised, and it seems that your choices will have a long-term impact on the game’s narrative. So far it sounds good, but we’ll wait for more gameplay before getting sufficiently hyped.