10 Games That Could Carry the PS4 This Year

Horizon Zero Dawn

In less than a couple of month’s time, players will finally get their hands on Guerrilla Games’ upcoming open-world title, Horizon Zero Dawn. Putting players in the role of Aloy, Horizon is set in a futuristic world with a bit of a twist. Rather than seeing humans on top, as usual, the world is plagued by robot dinosaurs while humans seem to have returned back to the age of the caveman. As such, players will have to uncover the mystery surrounding past and future world events.

Horizon hasn’t just caught attention with its exclusivity, but because of its unique setting, too. Besides being massive, its lore seems completely different to most other things on the market at the moment, and as such, fans want to get exploring. On top of that, this is the first time that Guerrilla Games has ventured away from the Killzone series. Seeing what the developer can do in a completely different genre is certainly getting people excited. Luckily, we don’t have much longer to wait.

Persona 5

Persona 4 Golden’s release on Vita and PS2 brought with it a huge, committed fanbase. There was something about the social elements of this RPG that players just couldn’t get enough of, especially when combined with solid combat, an incredible soundtrack, and an engaging story. With Persona 5 releasing on Western PS4s later this year, the title is likely to be an even bigger success than its predecessor.

Recent years have seen a lot of Persona 5 coverage; reviews and hands-on previews of the finished game over in the east have been incredibly positive already. On top of that, the game is launching during the summer, a time normally quiet for the industry. With Persona being a series known for offering a huge amount of mileage, Persona 5 could be the game to tide PS4 owners over the slower months before the fall rush.

Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy

Last year, Ratchet and Clank made their return in the form of a remake on the PS4. The duo’s first adventure was rebuilt from the ground up, and it’s safe to say it was one of the best-looking titles of 2016. Its gameplay held up too, providing a colorful and entertaining style of carefree shooting. Its strong design and positive reception is a good sign for the upcoming Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, a remake of the first three games in the series coming to PS4 in 2017.

Fans have been crying out for Crash to make his return for quite some time now, and the N. Sane Trilogy is sure to be a trip down memory lane for many PS4 owners. As one of Sony’s long-term mascots, and considering the demand for a new Crash Bandicoot title, N. Sane Trilogy is undoubtedly going to be one of the more beloved exclusives Sony has under its belt for 2017.

Mass Effect: Andromeda

Mass Effect: Andromeda is just a couple of months away now, and fans will be counting down the days until they can embark on another space adventure. The game will see players explore the Andromeda galaxy as they uncover its secrets in search of a new home for humanity. Though we don’t know a ton about the game, the official gameplay trailer shown at The Game Awards in December was enough to have players incredibly excited about the start of this new saga.

Of course, Andromeda isn’t an exclusive title coming only to the PS4, and so it may seem a little strange to suggest it will carry Sony’s console in 2017. However, the PS4 version does have one significant difference to its Xbox One and PC counterpart, and that’s PS4 Pro functionality. Having seen what the game looks like on the Pro back at the system’s reveal event in 2016, there’s a good chance that the Pro’s sales could benefit from Andromeda’s release as fans seek the best possible way to experience the title. This rings doubly true considering EA is still unsure of the title’s Scorpio future.

Uncharted 4: The Lost Legacy

Uncharted 4 was one of 2016’s biggest and best titles, but that doesn’t mean that the adventure is entirely over. Back at PlayStation Experience in December, Naughty Dog took to the stage to unveil its story DLC for Uncharted 4. Titled The Lost Legacy, the DLC will follow Chloe Frazer as she recruits Uncharted 4’s badass mercenary, Nadie Ross, to help recover an ancient Indian artifact and keep it out of evil hands. The Lost Legacy won’t just offer more Uncharted gameplay that fans have come to know and love, but provide a deeper insight into these two characters.

While a piece of DLC may not seem like console-carrying content, it definitely has some bundle potential. Sony fans will likely already be expecting there to be some sort of Uncharted 4 Game of the Year hardware bundle to release later in the year, and you can bet your bottom dollar that The Lost Legacy will be included in it. The Lost Legacy may not be big enough to get a physical release, but that won’t stop it from being a big part of Sony’s picture in 2017.

Kingdom Hearts 2.8

Disney and Square Enix’s lovechild series, Kingdom Hearts, is beginning to gear up to its third main entry, coming to the PS4 and Xbox One sometime soon. While no release date has been given for the game just yet, players will be able to kill time with Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue next week.

2.8 Final Chapter Prologue is a compilation that brings 3DS entry Dream Drop Distance to the PS4, alongside Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep – A Fragmentary Passage. The latter is an entirely new story in the series which links the story to the forthcoming events in Kingdom Hearts III. Oh, and there’s also Kingdom Hearts X Back Cover, an HD movie connecting the earliest parts of the series’ history.

On top of that, there’s also the release of Kingdom Hearts 1.5 and 2.5 Remix coming to the PS4 later this year, making it the perfect time to brush up on your knowledge, or get acquainted with the series for the first time. Kingdom Hearts is one of the biggest and most beloved series around, and these releases on the PS4 are sure to keep both fans and newcomers alike entertained for quite some time.

Resident Evil 7 (PSVR)

Taking place after the events of Resident Evil 6 and in modern day rural America, Resident Evil 7 aims to take the series back to its roots. With a first-person perspective, the first-time for the numbered titles in the series, Resident Evil 7 will bring all of the tense atmosphere and jump scares that players know and love from the early days of the survival horror genre. Resident Evil 7 is another title that may not be exclusive to the PS4, but it’s one that will be far more immersive on the system thanks to its compatibility with Sony’s PlayStation VR headset.

As the first major AAA game to be compatible with VR headsets, Resident Evil 7 will likely see many players picking up a PS4 and a PSVR (if they can find one) in order to truly terrify themselves. With the VR experience exclusive to Sony’s platforms for 12 months, Resident Evil 7 could be a huge boost for Sony if it delivers on fan expectations.

Destiny 2

Destiny’s community is an incredibly loyal one. Years after the game first released, thousands of players log on daily to run raids, refine their skills in the Crucible, and take on Bounties with friends. Sony managed to get in on the fun at the very start, partnering up with Bungie to offer fans a limited edition system, and some exclusive downloadable content to boot.

If Sony maintains this relationship with Bungie for Destiny 2, with a fresh new limited edition console and exclusive content, Guardians currently playing on Xbox One could be tempted to pick up a PS4 to get the optimal experience. Perhaps Sony will manage to take the relationship further with timed exclusivity on the inevitable expansions. Regardless, Destiny 2’s release is sure to give Sony a much-needed sales boost in the holiday season when it competes against Microsoft’s Project Scorpio.

Ni No Kuni 2

Back in 2010, Studio Ghibli released Ni No Kuni on the PlayStation 3. The RPG followed the story of a young boy named Oliver as he journeyed into another world in search of his mother and to stop the forces of evil. It received an incredibly positive reception thanks to its charming art style and excellent gameplay. Back in 2015, Sony confirmed that Ni No Kuni 2 would be coming to the PS4.

With its predecessor having been so well received, and the PS4 becoming the home for excellent JRPG titles, you can bet your bottom dollar that Ni no Kuni 2 will not only do better than its predecessor, but become a notable title on the PS4’s 2017 lineup. Unfortunately, there’s no set release date for the game just yet, though it has been confirmed that the game would be coming sometime this year.

Nioh

Transporting players into a world of feudal samurai and ancient demons, Team Ninja is looking to offer the next big souls-like title in Nioh. Set to release Feb. 8, Nioh will see players assume the role of a true samurai as they explore Japan during the Sengoku period and defeat countless both human and demonic foes.

While Nioh may not be one of Sony’s headline exclusives for 2017, it certainly comes across as the next Bloodborne. A game that ended up becoming a huge system seller and one of the finest experiences on PS4 to date. If Nioh manages to deliver on its potential, it won’t just find success with Souls fans, but players looking for an engaging RPG experience to keep them engaged during these quieter months.