PlayStation 4 releases new titles

When the PlayStation 4 was first announced, Sony emphasized a concentration on gamers and video games. Two launch titles were announced, “Knack” and “Killzone: Shadow Fall,” along with other games to be released later, like “DriveClub” and “inFamous: Second Son.” Even afterwards, Sony showed more appreciation for games with independent developers making their console debut for the PlayStation 4.

When the architect for the PlayStation 4, Mark Cerny, announced the console, he showed off a game he created to show off what the PS4 was capable of. “Knack,” a platforming title like “Jak & Daxter” and “Ratchet & Clank,” is about a war between humans and goblins, where a human doctor creates a robot, called Knack, which can use artifacts to grow from the size of a chair to the point of towering over a city block. The artifacts that Knack can pick up can give him different powers, like shooting ice or moving faster, and Knack can shed these artifacts for puzzle series. Although this game is family-oriented, young gamers and old gamers alike can appreciate this title.

For those looking for a more mature game, “Killzone: Shadow Fall” will hopefully not disappoint. Following the events of “Killzone 3,” the Helgast live side-by-side to the Vektan although fighting still occurs. The idea is similar to the Berlin War. Here, the Touchpad on the DualShock 4 is useful when controlling the OWL, a robot assistant that can help on the battlefield in the form of tactics, like deploying a shield. Several elements, like weapons and multiplayer, return from the previous games, but without the dull color palette of the PS3 games.

At the reveal event, Sony also announced two launch window games for 2014: “inFamous: Second Son” and “DriveClub.” “DriveClub”, delayed from being a launch game, is a racing game that allows for players to take control of various vehicles, which the studio boasts as accurate. The main feature in “DriveClub” is the social interactions online, which allow players to build up their own clubs to use online.

From a largely online experience to a single player one, “inFamous: Second Son” is the next iteration in the inFamous story where players take control of Delsin Rowe, a man living in Seattle, WA, who learns he has superpowers. Here, Cole McGrath, the protagonist from the previous games, dies and the government has taken control of finding and riding the world of superhumans, or Conduits. Delsin’s powers come from other Conduits, like the ability to control smoke or neon lighting. An emphasis is on mobility and the beautiful open world of Seattle.

After Sony revealed their first party potential, they focused on independent downloadable games, from classics like “flower,” “Minecraft” and “Escape Plan” to new potential like “Resogun,” “The Witness” and “Octodad.” “Resogun,” a launch game free for those with PlayStation Plus, is a 2.5D shooter that is colorful and arcade fun. “Octodad,” although not a launch game, is an interesting tale of an octopus trying to get married while disguised as a human.

With the PlayStation 4 filled with games and gaming potential, it seems that Sony has struck gold, from the family fun of the cartoony “Knack” or arcade-style “Resogun” to the hardcore violence of “Killzone: Shadow Fall” or “inFamous: Second Son.”

The PlayStation 4 is currently released for $399, as well as several of the games discussed here, so players can now enjoy the new console generation the way they want.