The PixelArena.io crew returned to Los Angeles to attend another Summer Game Fest Play Days. The team got some one-on-one time with a diverse selection of upcoming PS5 games. Here are the highlights!
Crimson Desert | Coming 2025
Publisher: Pearl Abyss | Developer: Pearl Abyss | PS5
Crimson Desert is bringing deep, complex melee combat to its epic open world. In combat, players can chain together kicks, grapples, strong slices, leaping attacks, and much more in a deep, layered combat system that feels more like Soul Calibur than Dark Souls. The action is fast and acrobatic, and builds in ferocity when you imbue your strongest melee attacks with powerful elemental magic like ice and thunder. Or shoot a flare to trigger an incoming artillery attack to annihilate hordes of your melee opponents.
More broadly, I spotted some familiar features of the open-world medieval-fantasy genre, like summoning a horse to cover ground more quickly, liberating enemy strongholds, and epic boss battles. The open world is huge, with Pearl Abyss claiming it will take more than two hours to traverse the game’s continent on horseback. If you love open-world games and appreciate deep, layered melee combat, this is one to watch.
– Sid Shuman
Crisol: Theater of Idols | Coming 2025
Publisher: Blumhouse Games | Developer: Vermila Studios | PS5
Crisol: Theater of Idols takes fighting to the death to a whole new level, as you try to survive against unholy animatronic horrors across the streets of a reimagined steampunk Spain using your own blood as ammo. Exploring the cursed corners of Tormentosa becomes an exercise in restraint and stealth as every reload drains directly from your own lifesource. Luckily, protagonist Gabriel can also absorb blood from enemies and corpses he encounters along the way, but it’s important to stay calm and shoot with purpose – a not-so-easy task as the jerking and twitching weapon-wielding statues of saints rush towards you. I triumphantly made it to the end of my gameplay segment with a single drop of blood left, ready to learn more of what this beautifully twisted world has in store for Gabriel.
-Kristen Zitani
Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles 2 | Coming August 5
Publisher: Sega | Developer: CyberConnect2 | PS5
With Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba The Movie: Infinity Castle coming in September and the success of the anime. Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles 2 will be released at a great time for fans of the series. The Hinokami Chronicles 2 follows the events of The Entertainment District, The Swordsmith Village, and The Hashira Training arcs featuring more in-depth battle mechanics and cinematic setpieces in the single-player mode. The new gear system allows players to tweak each Demon Slayer with different skills and traits to reflect their playstyle regardless of the Demon Slayer’s breathing style.
Versus Mode feels like its own separate game instead of an optional multiplayer mode. All nine Hashira will be playable along with new Upper Rank demons in its 40+ fighting roster. The new assist and combo system is on par with modern fighting game standards and something I can see some players focusing on exclusively.
-O’Dell Harmon Jr.
Directive 8020 | Coming October 2
Publisher: Supermassive Games | Developer: Supermassive Games | PS5
Supermassive Games has always understood that some of the best moments in horror come from well-intentioned human decisions. Branching choices and butterfly effects have been the mainstay of the Dark Pictures games, where the horror tropes may seem familiar, but your actions and choices ultimately craft the scares and thrills. Directive 8020 charts a course for space, and immediately sets the tone that no one is safe. I played through a small gameslice twice this weekend. In my session, crew members came in contact with cloned versions of themselves, which soon morphed into hulking horrors.
The encounter set off a chain of events, an argument amongst the crew, and finally a choice – can everyone here be trusted, or is one of us a clone? The choice I made in the first playthrough opened the door to new discussions and revealed secrets; the second playthrough saw a more violent conclusion and a branch possibly closed off. Luckily Supermassive has included the Turning Points system, a branching chart of the key decision moments that can shift the story. As you play, you can access this chart and move back to major decisions, allowing you another chance to craft your story again and again.
-Kristen Zitani
FBC: Firebreak | Coming June 17
Publisher: Remedy | Developer: Remedy | PS5
Fans of quirky co-op shooters should take note of FBC: Firebreak, which launches day one into PlayStation Plus Extra in mid-June. Set in the paranormal world of Control, Firebreak pits players against hordes of otherworldly Hiss invaders and a menagerie of disturbing new enemies while accomplishing mission objectives that require cooperative teamwork. Each player selects a starting Crisis Kit, which grants standard firearms and bombs to blast enemies, plus a signature tool that can magnify the abilities of teammates. One their own, the effects of these tools are weak, but stack them together and you’ll inflict impressive damage or manipulate the environment.
One mission tasked us with destroying sinister sticky notes littering the landscape. As one of my teammates drenched the stickies with water blasts, I zapped them with electrical attacks to quickly vaporize them — saving time and ammo. The battle raged through a large office complex as we contended with the stickie notes, rampaging Hiss enemies, and ultimately the big boss encounter in Sticky Ricky. This is one shooter where you’ll need to constantly collaborate with your teammates’ attacks to succeed, and it’s a satisfying feeling when the systems all come together. Post-launch content will be available for no additional cost, with major post-launch updates scheduled for this fall and winter. Firebreak is a unique, chaotic take on the co-op genre; I’ll definitely be playing more come launch.
-Sid Shuman
Grave Seasons | Coming 2025
Publisher: Blumhouse Games | Developer: Perfect Garbage | PS5
Cozy horror blooms in Grave Seasons, a narrative farming sim with a terrifying serial killer twist. As you harvest crops and build relationships with your (extremely attractive) neighbors, supernatural horrors soon paint your new town Ashenridge red, setting you on a path to solving which townsperson is behind the latest crop of death. Every time you play, a random townsperson is selected as the killer, meaning this mystery can take new twists every session – and yes, the killer is romanceable. While I didn’t have time to watch my planted carrot seeds mature, the clues I gathered from the first deadly encounter had me ready to start a new day and see how this mystery would grow.
-Kristen Zitani
Mixtape | Coming 2025
Publisher: Annapurna Interactive | Developer: Beethoven & Dinosaur | PS5
Annapurna’s Mixtape understands that music is more than some notes and sounds — it’s a force that can color and shape memories, relationships, and dreams. No one understands this more than fourth-wall-breaking protagonist Stacy Rockford, who has crafted the perfect playlist to a final high school adventure with her friends. Whether it was skating down scenic Pacific coast highways to DEVO where Stacy claps along to the beat between tricks, head banging through memories of late night drives to Silverchair, or even recreating a disgustingly detailed first kiss (some songs can be ruined by a memory after all…), Beethoven & Dinosaur has crafted a visual and sonic experience that I am ready to press Play on.
-Kristen Zitani
Shinobi: Art of Vengeance | Coming August 29
Publisher: Sega | Developer: Sega, Lizardcube | PS5
The Shinobi franchise returns with Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, an action title full of personality. This latest installment sees Joe Musashi clashing with the evil ENE Corp, who wish to take over the world and destroy the Musashi clan. Along with the beautiful artwork, the game focuses on exploring and backtracking once you gain new abilities and acquire new ninpo techniques to take on your enemies.
The slight shift works well as you explore with your ninja tools and find new paths and secrets that fit well with a profession that does its best work in the shadows. Combat was fun and swift, with special finishes and items to mix things up or get yourself out of a tight spot. While moment-to-moment skirmishes were manageable, the boss battle required precision and little room for error. Joe’s new adventure successfully expands on the original’s feel while mixing modern genres and elements.
-O’Dell Harmon Jr.
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds | Coming September 25
Publisher: Sega | Developer: Sonic Team | PS5
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is equal parts Sega mascot racer and a celebration of Sonic’s long history in games. Factor in the inclusion of characters like Hatsune Miku, Ichiban Kasuga, as well as the new mid-race world warping mechanic, and you’ve a promising tour de force.. In each race, you have a random rival among the racers. The consistent banter as the race goes on and different situations that arise sets it apart from other games in the genre. It made each race feel unique and made me want to see the interactions between characters who, under normal circumstances, would never cross over.
The world warping lets the lead racer dictate where the middle lap will take place, and while I initially thought it would be purely cosmetic, in reality, it’s very strategic. Since these destinations can focus on driving, boating, or flying, you can pick a path that could play to your strengths or horribly hinder your opponents if you know how they are kitted. While the game is clearly for fans, its racing mechanics are the real deal.
-O’Dell Harmon Jr.
Be on the lookout for these upcoming titles and more featured at Summer Game Fest coming to PlayStation.