I have a general lack of interest and excitement for Sony’s regular State of Play series of showcases going over PlayStation, in particular PS5 and PSVR 2, game announcements. They often pale in comparison to other similar presentations from competitors and, of course, the company’s own signature event showcases. However, the recent Tokyo Game Show (TGS 2024) State of Play is the exception, as I believe it is the best one yet.
The core of what makes this TGS 2024 State of Play the best one so far is two-fold. The first is that Sony offered a little bit of something for almost everyone. It felt like a mini-PlayStation Showcase. The State of Play kicked off with a solid intro, revealing free DLC coming to Astro Bot. This is a smooth way to remind players of one of the recent Game of the Year contenders and show some love to those who already beat it.
From there, the State of Play had the right mix of brand new announcements and updates for existing games. New information about and gameplay details for games like Dragon Age: The Veilguard and PS5 version of Palworld were welcome announcements. Then there are reveals of intriguing games like Hell Is Us, the stunning The Midnight Walk, and surprisingly fascinating ArcheAge Chronicles.
If that isn’t enough, we got release dates for titles like Fantasian Neo Dimension, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, and Dynasty Warriors: Origins. If you are a PSVR 2 owner, this State of Play even justified owning the VR headset a bit more. There were significant and welcome announcements of games like Metro Awakening and Hitman: World of Assassination too.
That is all before including the two showstopper headliners. Monster Hunter Wilds looked fantastic yet again in its latest trailer. Fortunately, this State of Play revealed the release date, which is quite soon. But above all else, there is Ghost of Yotei. The final announcement came out of nowhere and was a shocking surprise. Ghost of Tsushima still remains the most stunning game I’ve ever played, and Ghost of Yotei looks to follow up on its predecessor.
No matter what, there was something for everyone in this TGS 2024 State of Play. If you like JRPGs, there’s that. If you like VR, there were some solid options. And if you are looking forward to biggest blockbuster third and first-party hits, that was also here. Sure, not every game appeals to everyone. In fact, only really two new game announcements were for me personally: Ghost of Yotei and Lunar Remastered Collection.
However, the spectacle of the presentation and general lineup all worked so well. Even the games I didn’t care too much about stood out with well-executed trailers. This State of Play is the first of its kind to remind me of the good old days of attending Sony Press Conferences at E3. Plus, it helps that this State of Play was far more interesting and better balanced than any to date.
That said, the competition wasn’t that impressive. The best State of Play before this one, in my opinion, was held in May 2019. It had the right mix of new announcements and re-reveals. The headliners were games like Final Fantasy VII Remake, MediEvil, and Monster Hunter World: Iceborne. Again, all staples that appealed to everyone. Even that particular State of Play wasn’t that substantial or long. And to make matters worse, most of the State of Plays since then have been significantly worse.
Fortunately, this most recent TGS 2024 State of Play changed all that. It feels like a mini-PlayStation Showcase with something for just about everyone. I just hope Sony is able to keep up this level of quality and announcements with the next one.
Tokyo Game Show 2024 is running from September 26-29, 2024. The TGS 2024 State of Play aired on September 24, 2024.
Published: Sep 28, 2024 12:00 pm