A look into the past at what it'd be nice to see again.
With a new console generation comes new IP and sequels to the biggest games of the prior cycle. While these are absolutely needed, it's also nice to ponder a bit on the somewhat-dormant IPs that could return. There's a few early PlayStation classics we'd like to on and I've put together a few of the highlights.
I freely admit I'm playing a bit fast and loose with the word early — these are just franchises we didn't really see on PS4 that I would like have return to the PS5, not just the titles from when Sony was first reaching out into game development. Some are owned by Sony, others by third-party companies and all of them are series I'd like to see continue or rebooted.
Castlevania
There aren't many gaming lists that wouldn't benefit from the addition of Castlevania. Dracula has been felled a thousand times but he keeps on coming back in one of gaming's most well-known franchises. The critically-acclaimed sidescroller Symphony of the Night is practically a household name, while more modern entries like Lords of Shadow took the series in a new direction, with third-person gameplay reminiscent of God of War.
With the large amount of attention Netflix series is getting, having been renewed for a fourth season, this would be the perfect time for Castlevania to return to the fore. Regardless of just what style a new game would take, I hope we get to see it. Even if Konami isn't willing to directly develop a new game, having a team oversee a new project developed by an outside studio would be fantastic.
Resistance
Insomniac Games' Resistance franchise brought alternate history first-person combat to the PS3. For me personally, this is actually the most important series I'd like to see brought back. Despite all the critical success found in the PS4 generation, first-person shooters are nearly nonexistent. A branching history filled with sprawling types of weapons and the Chimeran menace is simply ripe for exploration, doubly so as it fills a crack in PlayStation Studios' armor.
While Insomniac Games is no doubt a little busy right now with and , that's not to say we couldn't see another developer take a stab at this IP.
Silent Hill
The second Konami franchise to make this list, Silent Hill and Silent Hill 2 helped codify survival-horror as a genre for the PlayStation and PS2. Pyramid Head is an infamous creature on par with the Tyrants of Resident Evil and modern horror is still drawing on some of the ideas these games brought.
Painfully, we almost got a new game with the now infamously-canceled Silent Hills from Kojima, the horrifying ideas it could've presented only hinted at through the difficult to access P.T. Whether ever returns to this series or we see other teams enter the fray, this generation has shown that horror is still wanted. Let's get Silent Hill back.
Spyro the Dragon
The early days of PlayStation and the PS2 were well-defined by the deluge of platforming franchises that were released. Naughty Dog's Crash Bandicoot and Jak and Daxter, Sucker Punch Production's Sly Cooper and Insomniac's Spyro the Dragon were all staples of these consoles. Spyro has changed hands numerous times but even at its lowest points, games are easily recognizable.
Moreso than other games on this list, there's hope for more Spyro, as we technically got some Spyro games on the PS4 through the release of the Spyro Reignited Trilogy, a decade after 2008's Dawn of the Dragon. The success of the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy remakes led to the release of , so here's hoping our favorite purple dragon will find similar new ground under Activision-owned Toys for Bob.
Twisted Metal
989 Studios, Eat Sleep Play and Incognito Entertainment may not be around but the dark, grimy aesthetic of these derby demolition titles left their mark on the early days of PlayStation, with Twisted Metal: Black for the PS2 garnering particular success. Zany and wild concepts aren't the most popular these days but with Lucid Games and Wushu Studios' launching on the PS5 in February 2021, there's definitely still room for vehicular destruction in PlayStation's future.
The future is varied
Regardless of just what is announced in the future, anyone who can look forward to an impressive roster of exclusive titles, both in-house at Sony and elsewhere.With and a new , Sony first-party are continuing to invest in big franchises, while the presence of a remake, and others cement how classic series will continue to return.
Here's hoping that as the generation goes on, we some some older titles that helped shape PlayStation returned to, in once fashion or another.
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