10 hits in waiting

We pick the games going under the radar

01 TREK TO YOMI

The feudal Japanese setting reminds us of Ghost Of Tsushima, but Flying Wild Hogs’ sidescrolling slasher is a more focussed adventure. The widescreen format and beautifully choreographed animation ensure this feels like a movie in motion. Expect this in 2022 for PS5.

02 GREAK: MEMORIES OF AZUR

This hand-drawn adventure is releasing on PS5 and puts you in control of three characters simultaneously. Playing as Greak, Adara, and Raydel you can tap into each character’s abilities to escape their home of Azur following an invasion. It’s being released on 17 August.

03 SONG IN THE SMOKE

Craft, hunt, and survive a painterly prehistoric world in this smart PSVR adventure that looks like it’s been dragged from the pages of 2000AD. Katsuya Terada’s (The Legend Of Zelda) design draws you in but its the otherworldy action and adventure that’ll keep you in PSVR.

04 FIREGIRL

Mixing 2D characters with 3D levels, Firegirl is a visually unique roguelike adventure. The idea is to rebuild your station by putting out fires – which have cartoon faces, naturally. Though you restart when you die, refurbishments to your firestation remain. This one’s due in October.

05 INSTINCTION

Though it’s heading to PS4, this shooter really has PS5 in its sights: advanced ray tracing, dynamic shadows, 4K resolution, and 3D audio are all promised. The pitch? A modern Dino Crisis that can be played in first- or thirdperson, set in semi-open world environments.

06 FAR: CHANGING TIDES

Swapping the sand dunes of Far: Lone Sails for ocean waves, you play as Toe in this thematic follow-up. The world is flooded and Toe must sail its cluttered seas looking for answers. Again, it’s a side-scrolling adventure, with the promise of exploring below the waves.

07 TWO POINT CAMPUS

This follow-up to Two Point Hospital transplants its humorous management sim ideas into the world of higher education. Its nonsensical approach means night school is Knight School, complete with jousting classes. This fun throwback is due on PS4 and PS5.

08 EIYUDEN CHRONICLE: RISING

As we wait the arrival of Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes (the spiritual follow-up to Suidoken) in 2023, the same developer has this side-scrolling action-RPG planned for 2022. It tells the backstories of Hundred Heroes’ characters ahead of that game’s release.

09 MONARK

Made by former members of the Megami Tensei and Shin Megami Tensei team. Play as a member of the True Student Council, which was established “to solve the abnormal situations in the school”. Persona 5 fans need to circle this one as a must-play.

10 VAMPIRE: THE MASQUERADE – SWANSONG

The developer behind baroque whodunnit The Council is turning its choice-led RPG skills on the Vampire: The Masquerade series. Expect a bloody good time as you unravel conspiracies inside the Camarilla, the secret vampire society.