Now that PlayStation 4 has been blown wide open (well, sort of –we still don’t know what the box looks like), it’s got us thinking about the myriad of games that we’d love to see on the platform. While there’s the usual suspects floating around in our wish list, such as Uncharted, God of War, Resident Evil, The Last Guardian, and Assassin’s Creed etc. we’ve also cast our thoughts over some of the PS3 titles that sadly never saw the light of day.
Wouldn’t it be pucker if these lost gems could receive new life on Sony’s high-powered next-generation machine? Many of these casualties were fresh IP, and in some cases high-definition versions of major PS2 series that failed to make the jump to Sony’s current black behemoth. Not only did these titles show great promise, but more importantly, the technology afforded by PS4 would surely give developers a chance to realise their potential.
Sadly the realist in us doubts that these games will ever be picked up for PS4, but that doesn’t stop us from keeping our fingers crossed. Here’s 4 cancelled PS3 games (both first and third-party) we want to see on PS4, but probably never will…
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Eight Days
SCE London Studios’ Eight Days remains one of the most intriguing PS3 games to have bitten the dust. A quick peak at the screenshots ostensibly shows a run-of-the-mill actioner, but Eight Days goes beyond that. The game employed a unique concept in the sense it takes place, as the title suggests, over eight days, across eight different states. Sony clearly had strong ambitions with this; at the time of its reveal, it would have boasted the largest game map around. It even took the time you played the game into consideration. For example, play at night time, and the game will be set at night – a great touch, we think you’ll agree. As such, this would have been a great candidate to enjoy new life on PS4. With the console’s technical muscle, we’ve no doubt that the game world could be further expanded to meet Sony’s lofty goals, and the eight day/real-time clock concept wound have surely differentiated it from contemporary action games. Eight Days is officially ‘on hold,’ but since nothing has been heard of since 2009, we doubt it’s going to emerge from cover any time soon.
The Getaway
Another casualty of SCE London Studios, The Getaway could have been something rather splendid. While the series has been patchy in terms of quality – the original showed the most promise, though Black Monday was a bit naff – Sony’s third attempt didn’t even get a chance. Okay, so some similarities may be shared with GTA, but The Getaway’s trump card is its London, U.K., setting, bringing with it all the colloquial banter of the great cockney rabble, iconic landmarks such as Big Ben and a gritty, underground gangster vibe that recalls the likes of Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. In fact, if done right, we think this game could conceivably rival GTA; imagine a sandbox London to explore, ripe with side-quests, compelling narrative and the chance to run with East End gangsters? It’ll make The Mitchell Brothers seem like a couple of fluffy kittens.
The Lord of the Rings: The White Council
J.R.R. Tolkien’s evocative realm of Middle-Earth has attached itself to the mainstream consciousness once again (not that it ever really left) thanks to The Hobbit films, though video game offerings have been hit and miss in recent years. One of the most promising titles was the shelved White Council; a massive, open-world effort that allowed you to travel anywhere you liked, and take part in a numerous quests. So, think of Skyrim, albeit set in the world of Frodo Baggins and chums – and tantalizing prospect if ever there was one. Early details trumpeted advanced AI, and you could play as the usual suspects, namely a Man, Elf, Dwarf or Hobbit. While fantasy games have come into their own in the post-Oblivion landscape, The White Council would be a perfect fit for the added horsepower afforded by next-generation systems, and no doubt would be able to churn out a far more detailed game world than PS3 could ever achieve. As mentioned, given Lord of the Rings’ patchy history on home consoles, this could be the game to put it back on the map.
Faith and a .45
Deadline Games’ action-heavy Faith and a .45 failed to find a publisher, and was therefore regulated to that great software bin in the sky. Set during the Great Depression – something which we think could be superb if executed properly – Faith and a .45 is said to pack an emotional narrative punch, something which many shooters have tried – and failed – achieve. Gameplay wise we were promised an amalgamation between Gears of War and Army of Two, with the story focusing on Luke and Ruby, two loved up outlaws battling against a dastardly oilman. The game’s setting is pretty unique as shooters go, with the money-starved 1930s backdrop sure to complement the emotional punch of the narrative. Sure, the action sounds pretty bread-and-butter these days, but we reckon Faith and a .45 has more than enough merits to stand out amongst the crowd if it ever sees the light of day.
What cancelled games do you wish would end up with a new life on PS4? Let us know in the comments section below.