The Biggest Announcements From Sony’s February 2025 State of Play

Days Gone Remastered

• Developer — Bend Studio
• Publisher — Sony Interactive Entertainment
• Release Date — April 25, 2025

A lot of fans expected there to be some sort of Bloodborne-centric announcement at the State of Play given that the game’s 10th anniversary is fast approaching. And, in classic Sony fashion, Bloodborne was skipped over yet again in favor of another Sony remaster announcement, this time for Days Gone. While Days Gone is still a great-looking game that arguably doesn’t benefit much from a graphical remaster, it’s what this remastered version represents that makes it so exciting. Bend Studio is delivering an excellent-looking visual upgrade to a criminally overlooked game at a very reasonable $10 for players who already own the original version, and there’s a possibility that Sony might be carefully watching Days Gone Remastered‘s sales to determine whether Bend Studio finally gets to make the sequel fans have been wanting for years. Here’s hoping there’s more to this remaster than a simple cash grab.

MindsEye Reveal

• Developer — Build A Rocket Boy
• Publisher — IO Interactive
• Release Date — Summer 2025 (TBA)

Following a lengthy tenure at Rockstar Games as the producer behind many of the company’s now-legendary titles (including serving as the lead producer on Grand Theft Auto III through Grand Theft Auto V), Leslie Benzies would break off to form his own new studio, Build A Rocket Boy. Though Build A Rocket Boy is still hard at work on their upcoming MMO title Everywhere, the team has also been working on the incredibly promising-looking MindsEye, which got its first reveal at the February 2025 State of Play. An open-world sci-fi action game in which you play as a protagonist suffering from the aftereffects of a forced neural implant procedure, MindsEye has a decidedly more serious bend than the Grand Theft Auto games, despite its gameplay looking fairly similar in terms of mixing shooting, driving, and story-heavy single-player missions.

Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny Release Date

• Developer — Capcom
• Publisher — Capcom
• Release Date — May 23, 2025

As a massive fan of the original PS2 trilogy of Onimusha games, I was over the moon to see the first game, Onimusha: Warlords, get a remaster and release on modern consoles and PC. Thankfully, Capcom looks to be continuing with remasters of the rest of the series, with a remastered Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny getting an official reveal at the State of Play event following a recent leak regarding its existence. Like the remaster of Onimusha: Warlords, the remastered version of Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny retains the core gameplay of the original while upscaling the visuals to HD and introducing a small handful of quality-of-life features. Better yet, it has a concrete release date of May 23, 2025, meaning we now have two old-school Onimusha games set to tide us over until Onimusha: Way of the Sword releases in 2026.

Monster Hunter Wilds Post-Launch Roadmap

• Developer — Capcom
• Publisher — Capcom
• Release Date — February 28, 2025

It’s no secret that many players’ most anticipated release for the jam-packed February game release schedule is Capcom’s Monster Hunter Wilds, the incredibly promising-looking official follow-up to Monster Hunter World. But while we were already excited about Monster Hunter Wilds‘ launch at the end of the month, what we didn’t know was how Capcom planned to support the game in the days and weeks following its release. Thanks to a trailer at the February 2025 State of Play event, we now have a clearer picture of what Capcom’s post-launch roadmap looks like for Monster Hunter Wilds, and to say that it’s exciting is an understatement. In addition to promises of regular new content drops in the weeks after Wilds‘ release window, we now know that the first new monster arriving in post-launch is none other than the leviathan-class monster Mizutsune. Is it February 28 yet?

Lies of P: Overture Reveal

• Developer — Neowiz
• Publisher — Neowiz
• Release Date — Summer 2025 (TBA)

Neowiz had previously confirmed that its stellar soulslike Lies of P would be getting a major DLC expansion, but nothing could have prepared fans for what that expansion was revealed to be at the State of Play showcase. Titled Lies of P Overture, the one and only DLC expansion for one of 2023’s best games is already shaping up to stand toe-to-toe with the likes of Elden Ring‘s Shadow of the Erdtree expansion as a DLC drop that significantly shakes up the core game’s meta, adds plenty of new lore to dig into, and offers a robust experience with potentially dozens of hours of playtime. And, once again, Overture is going all-in on the Bloodborne inspiration that was present in Lies of P‘s main campaign, somewhat softening the blow that we still don’t have a PC port or PS5 remaster of FromSoftware’s magnum opus.

Hell Is Us Release Date

• Developer — Rogue Factor
• Publisher — Nacon
• Release Date — September 4, 2025

It’s safe to say that Hell Is Us is a decidedly different kind of title than what players have come to expect from developer Rogue Factor. After previously being known for strategy and tactics games (Necromunda: Underhive Wars and Mordheim: City of the Damned, respectively) the developer is now trying its hand at a Soulslike, and the early impressions given off from the game’s initial reveal were promising, to say the least. The title’s newest trailer debuting as part of the State of Play showcase showed off more excellent-looking combat in an atmosphere-rich setting, as well as confirming that Hell Is Us is locking in a late-Q3 release date, September 4 to be precise. Hell Is Us is a distinct departure from a lot of other soulslikes thanks to its emphasis on direct storytelling, but its compelling dystopian sci-fi plot seems like it calls for it.

WARRIORS: Abyss Reveal & Launch

• Developer — Koei Tecmo
• Publisher — Koei Tecmo
• Release Date — February 12, 2025

One of the more surprising announcements at the 2025 State of Play was Koei Tecmo’s reveal and shadow drop of WARRIORS: Abyss, a brand-new Dynasty Warriors roguelike spin-off with some very obvious Vampire Survivors and Hades inspirations. While its pricing is fairly steep compared to other games in the “bullet heaven” subgenre of action roguelikes, WARRIORS: Abyss has an almost staggering amount of content that almost justifies its premium MSRP. As a fan of both Dynasty Warriors and “bullet heaven”/survivor-like games, I picked up WARRIORS: Abyss immediately after the showcase ended and have already put significant time into it. It’s a great spin-off that makes good use of the Dynasty Warriors IP and offers a compelling, and satisfying, gameplay loop blending mousou and action roguelike elements.

Tides of Annihilation Reveal

• Developer — Eclipse Glow Games
• Publisher — Eclipse Glow Games
• Release Date — TBA 2026

Toward the end of the State of Play showcase, one of the more exciting trailers was the reveal of Tides of Annihilation. Following a steady stream of third-person action RPGs that adhere to the Soulslike elements established with FromSoftware’s Dark Souls, it’s refreshing to see a debut trailer for a new game that instead opts for a more old-school, character-action approach. Tides of Annihilation is fast-paced, flashy, and very good-looking, calling to mind the best games in the character action genre and setting itself apart from the flood of upcoming Soulslikes. The game’s setting and story are also shaping up to be promising, as the game puts you in control of Gwendolyn in a modern-day fantasy tale inspired by the Arthurian legend. While Tides of Annihilation is still a ways off, I can’t wait to see more footage of the game over the coming months.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii Demo

• Developer — Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
• Publisher — Sega
• Release Date — February 20, 2025 (Full Game); February 14, 2025 (PS5 Demo)

Like Monster Hunter Wilds, we already knew Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii would be arriving later this month. But what we didn’t know, and what Sega used the game’s slot during the State of Play showcase to announce, is that the game now has a demo available on PlayStation 5, giving players the chance to experience what the Like a Dragon spin-off has to offer ahead of its February 20 release. Early hands-on impressions of Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza have all been incredibly positive, praising the game for its story focusing on fan-favorite character Goro Majima as well as its surprisingly competent take on naval battles along with all the elements players have come to expect from a Yakuza game. I was already excited about Pirate Yakuza, but the demo has only confirmed that the latest game from RGG is well worth players’ attention.

Metal Eden Reveal

• Developer — Reikon Games
• Publisher — Deep Silver
• Release Date — May 6, 2025

2017’s excellent and criminally underrated Ruiner was one of the better indie action games that year and its team is now back with a new title that debuted at the February 2025 State of Play — Metal Eden. Switching up perspective from Ruiner‘s isometric, third-person viewpoint to an incredibly fast-paced first-person shooter, Metal Eden looks like what you would get if you gave an assault rifle to the main character from Ghostrunner. Given Reikon’s pedigree with Ruiner, Metal Eden is shaping up to be one of my most anticipated releases of 2025, and we don’t even have to wait that long before getting our hands on it. Fans of the aforementioned Ghostrunner games, as well as lesser-known indie gems like Sprawl or Reikon’s own Ruiner, absolutely need to keep their eye on Metal Eden.

Onimusha: Way of the Sword Gameplay

• Developer — Capcom
• Publisher — Capcom
• Release Date — TBA 2026

One of a pair of incredibly exciting Capcom announcements at The Game Awards 2024 was the reveal that a new Onimusha game was in the works, but we didn’t get to see much of the title outside knowing it exists. Thankfully, Capcom already had more footage ready to show fans at the State of Play showcase, finally giving players their first look at the next game in the long-dormant survival horror franchise. Onimusha: Way of the Sword is shaping up to be every bit as incredible as the original trilogy of games on the PS2, and its art direction and visuals are surprisingly reminiscent of Capcom’s own (and highly underrated) Kunitsu Gami: Path of the Goddess.

Perhaps the biggest reveal from the latest Way of the Sword trailer is that the new Onimusha game’s protagonist has the likeness of the late, great Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune, continuing a tradition the series has of using film star likenesses. Though we have to wait until 2026 to actually play Onimusha: Way of the Sword, the series’ revival is already shaping up to be everything longtime fans could want from a reboot.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater Release Date

• Developer — Konami, Virtuous
• Publisher — Konami
• Release Date — August 28, 2025

The original Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater still holds a claim to both being the bestgame in the Metal Gear Solid series and the best game on the PlayStation 2, so it should come as no surprise that the upcoming remake — Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater — has been closely watched by fans ever since its initial reveal. Following several weeks of speculation regarding the remake’s release date and a leak on the PlayStation Store, Metal Gear Solid Delta finally confirmed its release for August 28, 2025, alongside a new gameplay and story trailer at the 2025 State of Play event. Thankfully, Metal Gear Solid Delta continues to only look more and more impressive by the day, faithfully delivering the gameplay of the original Metal Gear Solid 3 with a substantial graphical facelift courtesy of a joint effort between Konami and co-developer Virtuous.

Lost Soul Aside Reveal

• Developer — Ultizero Games
• Publisher — Sony Interactive Entertainment
• Release Date — May 30, 2025

Like Phantom Blade Zero, Ultizero’s Lost Soul Aside is an upcoming third-person action game that seems to straddle the line between being a Soulslike and being a character action game, much like other recent titles Stellar Blade or Black Myth: Wukong. Additionally, Lost Soul Aside is also the debut title from a promising Chinese development studio and is being published as a first-party Sony exclusive as part of PlayStation’s China Hero project. Sony’s faith in both the developer and Lost Soul Aside is well-placed if the recent State of Play trailer is any indication, showing off the game’s beautiful visuals, fast-paced, combo-heavy combat, and compelling narrative that mixes elements of sci-fi and fantasy to support a tale of family. The best part? Lost Soul Aside releases in just a few months, arriving on May 30, 2025.

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance Reveal & Release Date

• Developer — Sega, Lizardcube
• Publisher — Sega
• Release Date — August 29, 2025

After getting the surprise reveal of a new Ninja Gaiden game from Blasephemous developer The Game Kitchen, none of us expected that Sega would announce a new Shinobi game treading similar ground, and no one could have predicted that it would launch this summer. Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is more than just a new 2D entry in Sega’s legacy action platformer series, though, as it’s also the latest game from developer Lizardcube, the same studio behind the phenomenal Streets of Rage 4 and Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap. Lizardcube has previously knocked it out of the park on both of its attempts to reimagine and reboot legacy Sega franchises, and they’re perhaps the perfect team to tackle a 2D Shinobi reboot. If the trailer is anything to go by, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is going to give Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound a serious run for its money.

Saros Reveal

• Developer — Housemarque
• Publisher — Sony Interactive Entertainment
• Release Date — TBA 2026

The final big reveal of the February State of Play was most definitely a case of Sony saving the best for last, with the official announcement of Housemarque’s new game Saros. We didn’t get any official gameplay footage, but we did get a stunning cinematic trailer that seems to suggest Housemarque will be picking up where it left off with Returnal, delivering yet another narrative-driven and intense shooter with an emphasis on bullet hell mechanics.

Years since its launch, Returnal is still one of the best PS5 exclusives and among the greatest shooters and greatest roguelikes ever made, so it’s nice to see that Sony’s investment in the studio has paid off with them getting to do what they do best – deliver another game that plays to the studio’s legacy as a top-notch shooter developer. Though we have a long time to wait until Saros‘ launch, there’s every indication that it will be one of the PS5’s must-play exclusives.