Best PS4 games to look forward to in 2017 & 2018: Spider-Man, Days Gone, God of War, Shadow of the Colossus and more

You’re now the proud owner of a PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 4 Pro, or are still considering whether to make the investment in Sony or not. Either way, you’ll find our list of tantalising gaming treats enough to have you excited for the months ahead.

There are plenty of amazing PS4 games on the horizon and we’ve chosen the best of those coming up – both exclusive and cross-platform releases – for you to pop on your wish lists.

We’ve included release dates where possible and a trailer for each. We’ll also update this round-up throughout E3 2017 and the rest of the year, so there’ll always be something to come back for.

Shadow of the Colossus

Release date: 2018PS4 exclusive: YesPublisher: Japan Studio

Perhaps the biggest unveil at the PlayStation pre-E3 conference was Shadow of the Colossus – the updated take on the 2005 classic – depicing giant beasts and jaw-dropping graphics. It didn’t get a great deal of screen time, however, but with few other new Sony exclusive titles announced this year, it’s a hot one to watch for 2018.

Beyond Good And Evil 2

Release date: 2018PS4 exclusive: No, also on Xbox One and PCPublisher: Ubisoft

It’s been almost 15 years since the original game, so when Ubisoft pulled this one out of the bag at its E3 2017 pre-show conference it was one of those fuzzy stomach happy moments. The game’s other-world setting – where multiple species communicate and interact – is quirky, cheeky and stunning. Think The Fifth Element in video game form and you’re half way there.

Metro: Exodus

Release date: 2018PS4 exclusive: No, also on Xbox One and PCPublisher: Deep Silver

The follow-up to Metro: Last Light proves that we can’t keep our gaming hands off the post-apocalyptic future. First shown at the E3 2017 Xbox pre-show conference, Metro: Exodus looks stunning – while ensuring its fair share of frightening scares too. Monsters versus man, with limited supply of ammo, this first person shooter looks as though it could be a genuine thrill.

Anthem

Release date: 2018PS4 exclusive: No, also on Xbox One and PCPublisher: EA / BioWare

Perhaps the first “wow” game to be unveiled at E3 2017, the new IP from BioWare mixes robots and monsters together in a third-person mission-based adventure which looks like a mixing pot of Fallout 4, Titanfall 2, Horizon: Zero Dawn and Mass Effect. And we mean that in a good way. When the gameplay demo was shown at Xbox’s pre-E3 conference, the vast open-world format and the way it can be flown through is a spectacle to behold. Here’s hoping it doesn’t fall into any of the initial traps that Mass Effect: Andromeda did, because this looks to be one of 2018’s most promising titles.

The Last of Us Part II

Release date: TBCPS4 exclusive: YesPublisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment

This trailer really gave us goosebumps the first time we saw it – partly thanks to the very idea that one of the greatest examples of storytelling in games is continuing, but also because of the return of a certain character. It looks suitably beautiful but is very early in development so we suspect you’ll have to wait until E3 2017 to see some actual gameplay footage.

Death Stranding

Release date: TBCPS4 exclusive: YesPublisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment

• You can pre-order Death Stranding here

How do you follow up the Metal Gear Solid series now you’re no longer involved? By making the oddest, most disturbing survival horror game on the planet, that’s how. Or, at least, that’s what we think Hideo Kojima is up to. We can’t really make heads nor tails of it at the moment. Needless to say, the first game from his newly formed Kojima Productions has the entire world’s attention.

Days Gone

Release date: 2017PS4 exclusive: YesPublisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment

• You can pre-order Days Gone here

Days Gone was the surprise reveal at the 2016 Sony E3 pre-show conference. The story, set in a seemingly post-apocalyptic world, follows a badass biker trying to survive in a zombie-laden land. Cue interspersed sections of his past playing on his mind and there’s the crucial balance of story and third-person shoot-’em-up. The real standout moment for the game, though, was just how many zombies are depicted on screen. Here’s hoping we get to see more of the game at E3 2017.

God of War

Release date: 2017PS4 Exclusive: YesPublisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment

• You can pre-order God of War here

The infamous lead character of the God of War series, Kratos, now has a son, melding the typical smash-’em-up gameplay of old with a more heartfelt storyline. The game follows on from its previous Greek Mythology setting, moving into Norse Mythology, but doesn’t hold back on the giant beasts and battles. From trolls to dragons, there’s going to be plenty of bone-crunching fights to satisfy fans both old and new.

Spider-Man

Release date: 2017PS4 exclusive: YesPublisher: Insomniac Games

One of Marvel’s best-loved characters is coming to PS4 in all his web-slinging glory. However, Marvel has been fairly quiet about this one – but we anticipate seeing much more of the game at E3 2017.

Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus

Release date: October 27 2017PS4 Exclusive: No, also on Xbox OnePublisher: Bethesda

We loved the original Wolfenstein reboot when it landed in 2014. Three years on, it’s time for round two in The New Colossus. Bethesda introduced the game at E3 2017 at its pre-show press conference (in quirky style, with a live action video that looked like something between Lassie and Terminator), showing off the Nazi future and the American resistance.

Skull & Bones

Release date: TBCPS4 exclusive: No, also on Xbox One and PCPublisher: Ubisoft

With Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag already under its belt, Ubisoft is no stranger to the world of pirates – which gives us more than an inkling that this is going to be one very well received game indeed. Skull & Bones is a multiplayer game which takes you to the seas – where you’ll need to use co-operative play to sink your competitors’ ships and get the best loot possible.

Destiny 2

Release date: September 8 2017PS4 exclusive: No, also on Xbox OnePublisher: Activision

• Destiny 2 release date, screens, formats and everything you need to know

The follow-up to Activision’s huge massive multiplayer online first-person shooter is sure to be a big hit with its hardcore fans. And there’s not long to wait, either, with the game arriving in September.

Star Wars: Battlefront 2

Release date: November 17 2017PS4 exclusive: No, also on Xbox One and PCPublisher: EA / DICE

The first game we played at E3 2017 was at EA’s pre-show showcase, Star Wars: Battlefront 2 looks set to please fans of the original game – while grabbing yet more thanks to a brand new solo campaign mode. The game is even said to have a storyline that “helps bridge the gap between Return of the Jedi and The Fore Awakens”. Interesting stuff.

Detroit: Become Human

Release date: 2017PS4 exclusive: YesPublisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment

• You can pre-order Detroit: Become Human here

David Cage, founder of development studio Quantic Dream, is well known for lifelike gaming experiences. His forthcoming PlayStation 4 exclusive, Detroit, plays upon android co-inhabitants on earth, their (dis)obedience of their human commanders, and the inevitable fallout that such a power balance entails. As with all Quantic Dream games, the hyper-real visuals are wrapped around a point-and-click style adventure, with a decision-based storyline and consequential actions based on your choices. Will it be the developer’s best yet?

Strange Brigade

Release date: TBCPS4 exclusive: No, also on Xbox One and PCPublisher: Rebellion

With its lick of British charm, Strange Brigade introduces an “exotic safari” of forgotten lands in a way that only publisher Rebellion could deliver. It’s tongue-in-cheek 1930s-style trailer shifts direction not long in, introducing a rosta of enemy types – from the undead to armoured minotaurs – which look like they’ll ensure it’s no picnic.

Assassin’s Creed: Origins

Release date: October 27 2018Exclusive: No, also on Xbox OnePublisher: Ubisoft

After a year off the boil, the Assassin’s Creed series is back in business for 2017. And this time it’s set in ancient Egypt.

Far Cry 5

Release date: February 27 2018Exclusive: No, also on Xbox OnePublisher: Ubisoft

After the more stripped back sticks ‘n’ stones Far Cry: Primal, the forthcoming outing in the series, Far Cry 5, looks to be a far more current political missile. Set in a fictional United States, the story follows a preacher whose rise to prominence is more gang-like in style than religious. Throw in the usual array of hunting, shooting, flying and general disarray and it looks to be a return form for the series.

Life Is Strange: Before The Storm

Release date: August 31 2017PS4 exclusive: No, also on Xbox One and PCPublisher: Square Enix

One of our favourite choice-based games of recent year’s, which went under the radar of too many players, Before The Storm is effectively Life Is Strange 2. Judging by the trailer it’s going to delve into life’s big questions, with its share of quirks. Here’s hoping it matches up to the mastery of the original.

South Park: The Fractured But Whole

Release date: October 17 2017PS4 exclusive: No, also on Xbox One and PCPublisher: Ubisoft

• South Park: The Fractured But Whole preview
• You can pre-order South Park: The Fractured But Whole here

If you’re a South Park fan then you’ll love The Fractured But Whole, which looks almost exactly like a live episode of the animated adult comedy show. If you’re a turn-based role-playing game fan then you’ll love the game too, if you can get beyond its childish fart jokes and humour. Love both? Then you’re in for a treat.

Red Dead Redemption 2

Release date: 2018Exclusive: No, also on Xbox OnePublisher: Rockstar/Take-Two

• You can pre-order Red Dead Redemption 2 here

We already had an inkling Red Dead Redemption 2 was on the cards before the official reveal at the end of 2016. A slew of rumours about the game circulated in summer 2015 – specifically around E3 time. A map was leaked on NeoGaf, alleged to be a design guide. And Take-Two previously said that Red Dead Redemption was as important a franchise as GTA. Considering there have only been two games in the series so far, which originally came out in 2004 and 2010 respectively, we’re certainly due another one. Yee-ha!

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

Release date: August 22 2017PS4 exclusive: YesPublisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment

Naughty Dog pulled another surprise out of the bag with the announcement of a new Uncharted game. Starring Chloe Frazer, from Uncharted 2 and 3, the game is set a year after the events in Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and seemingly uses the same game engine as Nathan’s Drake’s last outing. It also provides access to Uncharted 4’s multiplayer modes.

Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy

Release date: June 30 2017PS4 exclusive: YesPublisher: Activision

• You can pre-order Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy here

When it was announced Crash Bandicoot was returning in a new version of the original platformer we didn’t realise it would be in a pack of the first three games, all remastered: Crash Bandicoot, Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortek Strikes Back and Crash Bandicoot: Warped. However, that’s what Activision will be launching in 2017 and we have to say that Skylanders developer Vicarious Visions is seemingly doing a fantastic job with the updated visuals.

Marvel vs Capcom Infinite

Release date: 2017PS4 exclusive: No, also for Xbox One and PCPublisher: Capcom

The crossover beat-em-up is back, with Capcom characters – such as the Street Fighter gang and Mega Man – taking on superheroes from the Marvel Universe. Not much else is know for now, but you can expect a mighty of cast of fighters to control.

Gran Turismo Sport

Release date: 2017PS4 exclusive: YesPublisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment

• You can pre-order Gran Turismo Sport here

Originally planned for the end of 2016, GT Sport was pushed back to 2017 for good reason. We’re still not sure of an exact release date, but we do know that PS4 Pro owners will be treated to 4K (checkerboard) visuals with HDR. Some of the content will also be playable in a PSVR headset. You can watch the trailer in 4K if you have the right kit and it shows just how stunning the game will be.

Knack 2

Release date: 2017PS4 exclusive: YesPublisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment

The original Knack was one of the PS4 launch titles several years ago and wasn’t as well received as Sony would have hoped. However, a sequel is on its way and lessons will likely have been learned. Certainly, the trailer looks to be more involving than the first game with more puzzles, locations and, seemingly, co-op play.

Pacifist RPG ‘Undertale’ heading to PS4 and Vita 

If you’ve never looked at a PC as a gaming device, you might have missed one of 2015’s best, most unexpected RPG hits: Undertale. It was a quirky, independent game that billed itself as “the friendly RPG where nobody has to die,” but it was more than a pacifist adventure — it was a role playing game that made every encounter a puzzle, a joke and a moral choice. Sound like your jam? Worry not — Sony just announced at E3 that the game is coming to PlayStation 4 and PS Vita.

The game’s short trailer looks very much like the game we saw on PC, adding little more than portability (for Playstation Vita owners) and Japanese language support. Already have the game on PC? Well, there is one excuse to double dip: a PS4 / Vita collector’s edition of the game will be available from Fangamer, and will include a physical copy of the game, an illustrated booklet, the game’s soundtrack and a musical locket. Neat! The only bad news? There’s no launch date yet. Sony only promises the game will be coming “soon.”

Follow all the latest news from E3 2017 here!

‘Monster Hunter World’ heads to PlayStation in early 2018

If you’re a Monster Hunter from way back, you’ll likely be excited to know that Capcom’s latest iteration, Monster Hunter World, is set to release in early 2018. The trailer came onstage at Sony’s PlayStation Live experience at E3 in Los Angeles, showing us a lush environment with reptilian monsters both large and small, plus a huge fire-breathing bird-thing that, well, shows up just in time to help the hunter get away from a big scent-carnivore. Monster Hunter World will also appear on Xbox One at the same time, with a PC release at a later date.

We haven’t had a new console version from the series since Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate on the Wii U in 2012. Portable versions came to Sony’s PSP and iOS in the intervening years. Monster Hunter 4, and Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate and Monster Hunter Generations were all released to Nintendo’s 3DS. This will be the first non-Nintendo release of a game in the series since the PlayStation 2 version of Monster Hunter 2 in 2006. Monster Hunter XX will arrive for the Nintendo Switch this year as well.

Follow all the latest news from E3 2017 here!

‘Matterfall’ brings frantic sci-fi shooting to PS4 on August 15th

Wondering when you’ll get to see Matterfall, the next side-scroller from the Resogun creators at Housemarque? You won’t have to wait too long. Housemarque and Sony have revealed that Matterfall will reach the PS4 on August 15th. It’s not quite as visually luscious as the 2015 trailer suggested (that was clearly a cinematic scene meant to whet your appetite), but it still looks tantalizing if you’re a fan of Housemarque’s frantic shooters.

Effectively, it’s an amped-up take on Contra. You’re a lone warrior dodging a hail of projectiles as you both fight against and control a strange material known as Smart Matter. We can see this being extremely challenging (if Resogun is any indication), but it might also be satisfying when you finally defeat a boss or clear a level.

Matterfall is the latest game from the creators of Resogun, out this summer on PS4. https://t.co/6WGSKHicJz pic.twitter.com/iKNRYd0mwD

— PlayStation (@PlayStation) June 13, 2017

Follow all the latest news from E3 2017 here!

Source: PlayStation (Twitter)

A new ‘Shadow of the Colossus’ HD remake is coming in 2018

PlayStation 4 users are getting a new remake of Shadow of the Colossus next year, Sony has just announced at its E3 2017 keynote. The action-adventure game originally came out in 2005 for the PlayStation 2, and then it was remastered in 2011 with “high-definition” graphics. But lots of things have changed since then, with consoles like the PS4 becoming increasingly more powerful, so you can’t blame Sony for wanting to take another stab at such a classic title. And if the first Shadow of the Colussus trailer is any indication, this remake promises to be much better than the last. There’s no specific release date yet, but at least you know it’s (hopefully) happening at some point in 2018.

Follow all the latest news from E3 2017 here!

The next ‘God of War’ comes to PS4 in early 2018

When Sony teased us with a new God of War game at last year’s E3, its presentation was almost perfect. The ten minute gameplay reveal had almost everything — the return of Kratos, alive and well after the events of God of War III, a beautiful environment, thrilling combat, an epic beard and, most importantly, a strong indication of character development. Not only were we getting the Destroyer of Worlds back, but we were seeing a more human side of Kratos. The only thing missing from the reveal was a release window. A year later at E3 2017, we finally have one. God of War for PlayStation 4 will be available in early 2018.

Kratos’ next adventure might miss the holiday season, but at least we know that it’s going to have a deep, character driven story. This year’s preview showed us more of the warrior’s troubled relationship with his son — a boy he seems to have only recently taken custody of. We hear that his son thinks that Kratos thinks he’s weak and cursed, and we hear his father tell him that he needs to learn to be strong and dispassionate. At the same time, however, we see him protect his son, who speaks fondly of his mother and reminds Kratos that “not everybody is bad.”

It’s a more active role for Kratos’ son then we saw in last year’s trailer. The young boy seems more confident, more defiant and more of a conscience for his father. Even so, his encouragement to trust others more doesn’t seem to have much of an effect on the old warrior — Kratos is as violent as ever, handily bisecting enemies, gouging eyes and otherwise completely dominating his opponents with a glowing, magical axe.

The game’s father / son adventure looks good, but details are still bare. We know the two are exploring new lands, ones ruled by new gods for Kratos to presumably face down. Still, 2018 is a long way off — there’s plenty of time to speculate. Check out the trailer above and let us know what you think in the comments below.

Follow all the latest news from E3 2017 here!

‘The Inpatient’ takes you into a mental asylum on PlayStation VR

It seems that Supermassive Games, the developers behind Until Dawn, has been busy lately. Not only are they delivering another social game with Hidden Agenda, they’re also working on a PlayStation VR title, The Inpatient. We still don’t know much about it, but judging from the E3 teaser, it places you inside a mental asylum where things are slightly… off. The game looks aesthetically similar to Until Dawn, but I hope it’ll be deeper than the PS VR spinoff of that title. If anything, it looks like a wonderfully creepy environment to explore within the confines of a VR headset.

New game from the creators of Until Dawn: The Inpatient. #PlayStationE3 pic.twitter.com/dyNKaJ0YEU

— PlayStation (@PlayStation) June 13, 2017

Follow all the latest news from E3 2017 here!

‘Skyrim’ is coming to the PSVR after all

Fallout 4 isn’t the only Bethesda title getting the VR treatment. During the Sony E3 announcement on Monday, the company confirmed leaks from earlier in the week that it is also porting Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim to the PSVR. Unfortunately, there’s no word yet on when the game will actually be released.

The company also revealed that Skyrim will be ported to the Nintendo Switch and, like the PSVR version, will leverage the motion controllers to reinvent the skills like lockpicking.

Follow all the latest news from E3 2017 here!

PS4-exclusive ’Spider-Man’ arrives in 2018

The history of Spider-Man games is filled with highs and lows. For every Spider-Man 2 there’s a Spider-Man: Edge of Time, an initially promising but ultimately lackluster outing. Sony hopes to change that with a new Spider-Man game developed by Insomniac. We’ve known that it’s in development, but today we got a much better look through a ton of gameplay at Sony’s E3 press conference.

In a lot of ways, what Sony showed off was very reminiscent of the Batman: Arkham series of games. There’s plenty of Spider-Man stealth-attacking baddies from above, zipping from building to building with his web, and doing a bunch of fun-looking ground-based fights as well. There’s just something about the combination that really brings the Batman games to mind.

But naturally Spidey has a few custom tricks up his sleeve, as a wonderful sequence near the end of the footage showed off. His agility and speed was on full display as he escaped a collapsing crane, and the spider-sense slows things down while you’re in combat so you have time to make additional moves. Indeed, as the footage went on for longer, the game really started to set itself apart — the action started moving real quick, in a way could only happen thanks to Spider-Man.

Of course, it’s a much brighter and more comedic world, in tune with the sensibilities of Spider-Man. And you have the city of New York to play around in, though it wasn’t clear from this gameplay how much of the city you could explore.

Unfortunately, there’s no real release date yet beyond 2018, so fans will need to keep waiting to try this one out. But Sony left us with one last tease — a look at Miles Morales, who looked admiringly at the work Spider-Man did in the gameplay footage. Whether or not he’s the man behind the mask remains to be seen, though.

Catches thieves just like flies. #SpiderManPS4 pic.twitter.com/mRzLKbLxCu

— PlayStation (@PlayStation) June 13, 2017

Follow all the latest news from E3 2017 here!

Nick Summers contributed to this story.

Polyarc’s VR game ‘Moss’ is a ‘Zelda’-esque mousey adventure

In September 2016, a trio of ex-Destiny and Halo developers raised $3.5 million in seed money from overseas developers to create a new studio, Polyarc, dedicated to making virtual reality content. We know what their first big project will be: On Sony’s PlayStation stage at E3, the company released a trailer and gave hands-on time for its upcoming VR game Moss.

The game appears to be sort of a Legend of Zelda by way of Brian Jacques, though our lady mouse hero will deal with more puzzles than swordfights, according to UploadVR. The trailer’s description notes that players will follow the adventurous Quill as she solves the mystery of an ancient magic stone and defeats fearsome enemies. Moss will be PSVR exclusive and release during the Holiday 2017 season.

Source: Polyarc (YouTube)