Elden Ring: Nightreign

“New” might sound like a misnomer for Nightreign, a spin-off of FromSoftware’s massive open-world action RPG into a co-op experience. Nevertheless, it’s something truly unprecedented from the studio – one or three players survive through multiple days, nights and bosses (including some from Dark Souls) to take on the Night Lord. Select a class, scope out areas with valuable loot, face the night, and try to survive. It’s out later this year for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, and PC, and we’re intrigued to see how it fares.

It’s still early days for the technology too; as this console generation develops, expect more studios to release games that realise the UE5’s full potential.

Unrecord

Causing quite the stir when it’s first gameplay reveal trailer dropped recently, Unrecord is an upcoming tactical FPS that distinguishes itself from other shooters by way of its unique bodycam perspective. Blurring the line between video game and real-life police footage has proven too close to the bone for some, but it must be said that as a technical showpiece Unrecord looks fantastic, with tense gunplay intimately viewable through fish-eye lens distortion providing unprecedented grisly detail. Unrecord is still in pre-production, so no release window for this one yet.

Silent Hill 2  

Exhumed after a decade dead and buried is Silent Hill. Three new games are in the works: new mainline entry Silent Hill F, mysterious spin-off Silent Hill: Townfall, and a remake of arguably the most iconic of the franchise Silent Hill 2. Layers of Fear developer Bloober Team are in charge, with the isolating, dread-soaked atmosphere of the original top of the list of priorities to recapture. Fog will play a big part, of course, but original composer Akira Yamaoka – whose soundtrack arguably characterises the pervading dread as much as the fog – is also on board. Coming to PS5 and Windows some time in 2023, with rumours surfacing that a release window is announcing soon.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II

The continuation of Senua’s Saga in Hellblade II has been a long time coming. It feels an age since the jaw-dropping gameplay trailer, you know… the one where Senua comes face to face with a harrowing crawling giant inside a beachhead cave. At the recent State of Unreal 2023 showcase Senua actor Melina Juergens appeared demonstrating the power of Unreal Engine 5’s MetaHuman. This innovation is a complex system capable of capturing human faces, with believable features, emotions, and skin complexions selling the realism of actor performance. Expect to see plenty of this when Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II eventually comes out, with rumours pointing to a 2023 release.

I.G.I. Origins

Think your way in and shoot your way out is the name of the game in upcoming tactical espionage FPS I.G.I. Origins, and for a game which challenges players to exist mostly in the shadows there’s an awful lot of complex graphical detail in weaponry and clothing on display. I.G.I. Origins’ graphics harness every shard of light to demonstrate Unreal Engine 5’s prowess for film-quality surface textures. No release window yet, but here’s hoping gameplay is as good as the graphics when I.G.I. Origins does come out.

Fort Solis

First revealed summer 2022, last month Fort Solis developer Fallen Leaf shared a first official look at gameplay, and whilst actual gameplay is unquestionably scant in the trailer it does solidify Fort Solis’ potential as a deeply unsettling, desolate experience. Taking place over one long night within the confines of a Martian base, this upcoming third-person thriller was allegedly pitched to voice actor Troy Baker as ‘Moon meets Dead Space’, and it’s easy to see why – tentatively treading through dark, creepy, neon-lit corridors make the up the bulk of Fort Solis’ action. Set to release Q3 2023.

Unawake

In Unawake, players will decide the fate of humanity amidst the turmoil of brutal war, battling nightmarish creatures from both Heaven and Hell in an epic story spanning eons. These surreal, clouded environments where melee-heavy skirmishes take place are breath-taking… nay, biblical in appearance. Unawake’s dev team RealityArts Studio truly are pushing the boundaries of imagination. Announced for Windows and listed as coming soon on Steam.

Immortals of Aveum     

Assume command of Jak and join an elite unit of battlemages to save a planet on the verge of abyss in Immortals of Aveum. Standing out from a crowd of first-person shooters is immensely challenging, but Immortals of Aveum’s Bioshock-tinged weaponised hands mixed with the franticness of arena shooters like Doom looks to be tapping into something unique. This first-person magic shooter features approximately 25 spells, colour-coded for offensive or defensive purposes, with action sequences fast, fluid, and dazzlingly colourful. Announced for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, with an initial release date of 20^th July 2023.

Infinitesimals

Infinitesimals is a third-person sci-fi adventure where players take control of 1mm tall Captain Awkney Relinrake as he commands his band of miniscule aliens as they explore the treacherous, awestriking scale of Earth-like jungles through the miniature eyes. The crew utilises innovative alien technology to smoothly traverse the forest floors, with hostile mechs and organic insect lifeforms posing immediate threats to survival. Listed as coming soon to PC via the Epic Games Store.

Stray Souls   

Nightmarish, third-person action horror Stray Souls blends Alan Wake style psychological trauma with combat demanding Soulslike precision. Unreal Engine 5’s graphical fidelity perfectly complements the game’s eerie atmosphere, with ghoulish, foggy forests and crumbling foundations of dilapidated housing ripe for tentative exploration in the haunted, secret-laden town of Aspen Falls. Unreal Engine 5’s advanced facial animation innovation MetaHuman is said by developer Jukai Studio to exacerbate sheer terror by delivering new levels of photorealism and human emotion. Coming to PlayStation, Xbox, and Windows some time in 2023.

Repo Man

Set in the imaginative Art Nouveau city San Alma, players in Repo Man will assume the role of an intelligent debt collector. Tasked with tracking down debtors and reclaiming assets through the crumbling neon streets of a city akin to Bioshock’s Rapture, players will also come face to face with occultist forces, with mystery and conspiracy rife in high society and criminal lowlife. This peculiar first-person open world RPG will land on PlayStation, Xbox, and Windows in 2023.

Code: To Jin Yong

Explore the immersive, wuxia style martial arts imbued worlds of legendary writer Jin Yong in Code: To Jin Yong, an upcoming open-world RPG from developer Lightspeed Studios. Hyper-real renditions of iconic, much-loved characters is key priority for Lightspeed, with 3D creation tools in Unreal Engine 5 perfect for the task. Indeed, Code: To Jin Yong’s depiction of ancient China and character designs are masterful. Platforms and release window to be announced.

The Invincible

Set in a retro-future timeline on the grubby desert planet Regis III, The Invincible is an exploratory experience, one whereby players command sharp-witted astrobiologist Yasna as she embarks on a scientific journey, one which devolves into a search mission for lost crewmates. Unreal Engine 5’s penchant for photorealistic textures is present and correct here, with the game’s eerie landscapes are begging to be explored. Announced for the PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, with a release window targeting 2023.

Layers of Fear

The next instalment in Bloober Team’s narrative-driven psychological horror experience has been rebuilt from the ground up in Unreal Engine 5. A recent tech demo showcased Layers of Fear’s ray tracing, HDR, 4K resolution and UE5-only features such as Lumen dynamic lighting and Niagara real-time VFX, crafting an immersive, stunning environment that’s sure to chill to the bone. Releasing in June 2023 to PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.

Witches of the New World

Plunging English witchfinder Jedediah Hopkins, armed only with sword and flintlock pistol, into colonial New England during the height of the 17^th century witch hunting craze is Witches of the New World. Promising a rich blend of survival horror, Soulslike combat, and RPG elements Hopkins will investigate the strange happenstance occurring, coming face to face with hordes of demonic monstrosities in the process. No platforms have been announced yet as Witches of the New World is still a couple of years away from its targeted release window.  

Project M 

This stunning interactive movie will likely play akin to The Quarry, but for now Project M is a truly lifelike experience coming from South Korean developer NCSoft, known mostly for MMORPGs. This story-heavy, choice-driven experience is supported by incredible interior design and lighting, realistic facial animations, and phenomenal city design that’s almost indistinguishable to real life. Announced last summer, with a presence at this year’s State of Unreal showcase at GDC 2023, production of Project M is ticking along although we’re still yet to be provided with platforms or a release window.