Looking Ahead: My Most Anticipated PS5 Games

After spending a week in the continent of Pywel, I’ve realized Crimson Desert has set the bar incredibly high. It feels like we are living through a truly historic stretch for gaming, and looking at the upcoming slate for the PlayStation 5, the momentum isn't slowing down.

The Blood of Dawnwalker, Rebel Wolves

I’m trying to keep my gaming backlog manageable, but these are the five upcoming titles I can't stop thinking about.

1. Solasta 2

If you know anything about my gaming tastes, you know I love a good mechanical puzzle. The first Solasta was a brilliant blueprint for turn-based tactical combat, and the sequel looks to refine everything that made it great. I'm ready to dive back into the grid, build a fresh party, and see how they handle the new verticality and environmental hazards.

2. The Expanse: Osiris Reborn

The Expanse is easily my favorite TV show of all time, so hearing that Owlcat Games is making a narrative-driven sci-fi RPG in this universe is huge for me. We'll have to wait until early next year to actually pilot a frigate as a mercenary commander, but it’s easily one of my most anticipated projects. Just the thought of exploring the Belt and managing a crew in that specific, hard-sci-fi setting is enough to keep me hooked on every trailer. With the cast of the TV show reprising their characters, this game is simply made for me.

3. The Blood of Dawnwalker

Developed by Rebel Wolves (a team made up of some incredible dark fantasy veterans), this gritty, medieval action-RPG is incredibly high on my radar. It promises a dark, systems-heavy universe where you're balancing human swordplay by day and vampiric traversal by night. Coming right off the weight and physical combat of Crimson Desert, I’m really eager to see how this studio tackles its own grounded combat pacing.

4. ArcheAge Chronicles

I love a good MMO, and the prospect of exploring a massive, next-gen world with my partner gives me actual butterflies. ArcheAge Chronicles looks like it’s leaning heavily into action-RPG combat and deep world exploration. There is a specific kind of comfort in stepping into a brand-new online world together on day one, where everything is unfamiliar and you get to figure out the housing, trading, and economy as a team. The graphics from in-engine footage look really impressive for an MMO and after playing years of Elder Scrolls Online, which is looking significantly dated, I'm eager to try this one out.

5. Soulframe

I haven't actually played Warframe, though I've heard great things about its community and mechanics for years. Because of that, Soulframe is a bit of a mystery to me, but the premise and style look fascinating. The world of Alca looks heavy, beautiful, and a bit melancholic. It seems to favor a slower, deliberate melee pace over frantic shooting, making it look like the perfect kind of game for winding down and exploring at your own speed.

Closing Thoughts

My to-do list in Crimson Desert is still massive—I still have a grocer to help and a secret note sitting in my pocket—but it's comforting to know that whenever I finally step out of Hernand for good, there are some incredible worlds waiting on the horizon.