On Wednesday, Sony rolled out its September Game Catalog additions for PS Plus subscribers. This month’s entries run the gamut from turn-based tactics to survival horror and pro wrestling.
Persona 5 Tactica (PS5/ PS4) may be the most critically acclaimed title in the batch. The 2023 Persona spinoff takes the mainline games’ battles and shifts them into grid-based tactics. Think XCOM with Phantom Thieves.
The Invincible (PS5) is an adaptation of the 1963 sci-fi novel by Stanisław Lem. As its inspiration may suggest, this isn’t an action-heavy combat-fest. Instead, the narrative adventure invites you to explore the planet Regis III, searching for lost crew members. Your decisions will shape the story, so tread carefully.
If exploring lost worlds as an astrobiologist isn’t your thing, then maybe pile drivers and elbow drops are. (No judgment!) WWE 2K25 (PS5 / PS4) is also on this month’s list, letting you step into the ring as a steroid-infused behemoth. You can take satisfaction in knowing your video game match’s outcomes are less pre-determined than the scripted matches you see on TV.
Other games in this month’s entries include the action RPG title Fate / Samurai Remnant, the survival horror game Crow Country and the first-person survival sim Green Hell. You can check out the PlayStation Blog’s announcement for all the details.
Zany and prolific actor Nicolas “Nic” Cage is coming to the asymmetrical survival-horror game Dead By Daylight on July 25. If you know anything about him, you’d expect his voice lines to be unhinged as hell. Well, they’re so unhinged that people on TikTok are marveling at Cage’s dedication to his latest role.
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After leaking earlier this year, developer Behaviour Interactive confirmed that the Cageman would join the game as a Survivor during Summer Game Fest with a reveal trailer. Survivors are one of the many playable characters in the 4v1 asymmetrical horror sim that are laser-focused on getting the hell away from the Killers that hang players on meathooks so they can sacrifice them to an otherworldly entity. Yikes.
At the time, we didn’t get any real idea of how Cage would play his Survivor, though he said it was a “heightened, exaggerated version of a film actor” of the same name. That means it’s wacky and wild, right? Well, yes, but IDK if you’re at all prepared for just how bonkers Cage’s voice lines are in this game. Strap in.
OK, what’s going on? He’s screaming his lungs out, babbling like Jim Carrey in Ace Ventura or something, and singing the infamous Halloween tune as if he’s in an ‘80s hair metal band. Nic Cage also apparently has 185 voice lines in the game. And the one that absolutely takes me out, aside from him doing the Halloween theme, is his character shouting “I’m Nic Fucking Cage” several times. I’d love for him to burst onto a movie scene with this line, just one time.
Nicolas Cage’s silly, and effective, Dead by Daylight perks
According to folks who have opted into the public test build (PTB) of the game through Steam, Nic Cage is the “best Survivor” because of his perks. Not only are they hilarious, but they seem to be pretty effective and offer a chance to drastically change the meta, which can quite often feel a bit stale.
One perk, Scene Partner, activates whenever Cage is within the Killer’s Terror Radius—he’ll comically scream before giving players a chance to see the Killer’s outline for a few seconds. There’s a chance he’ll ridiculously scream again, giving them a longer look at wherever the Killer may be lurking.
Then there’s Plot Twist, an active ability that basically lets players fake their own death—they’ll enter into the “dying state” but won’t leave a trail of blood or let out any whimpers to alert the Killer to their location. Recovering from that fake dying state will fully heal you and temporarily boost your movement speed.
Dramaturgy will turn Cage’s run into a Looney Tunes-esque knee-high canter, increasing movement speed and then randomly enacting one of several effects that could either help or hurt your game (you could be exposed to the Killer, or randomly gain a rare item).
Dead By Daylight streamer SpookyLoopz uploaded a YouTube video on July 5 demonstrating Nic Cage’s character in full. He’s got some pretty funny lore, with the character believing the Dead By Daylight world is part of some film script, and even funnier in-game animations, such as his scream.
SpookyLoopz
“That is Nicolas Cage,” SpookyLoopz said. “The man, the myth, the legend—the first celebrity we’ve ever gotten in [Dead By Daylight]. Super, duper excited for the [character]. […] He’s easily the funniest survivor in the game.”
In a press release announcing Nic Cage’s introduction to Dead By Daylight’s PTB, Behaviour Interactive head of partnerships Mathieu Côté hyped the actor.
“To say we are thrilled to have Nicolas Cage join the gaming world for the first time with Dead by Daylight is an understatement,” said Côté. “Mr. Cage recorded all his voice lines and was involved every step of the way; his dedication to his craft and professionalism is unmatched. We feel very privileged to have him and to our players: you’re in for a treat!”
Behaviour Interactive is also working with Atomic Monster and Blumhouse to turn the game into a film. Maybe the IRL actor will make an appearance in the movie? That would be a pretty meta crossover.
Silent Hill fans can finally—finally!—rejoice. Konami has confirmed that, after accidentally leaking some details earlier today, the beloved survival horror game Silent Hill 2 will make a return as a timed PlayStation exclusive, alongside a bevy of other Silent Hill projects currently in the works. You can watch the stream via the embed below.
The stream opened with that iconic shot of Silent Hill 2 protagonist James Sunderland staring into the mirror, wondering if his wife Mary is waiting for him. James then walks through the foggy streets of a town before we see a cinematic montage of familiar sights impressively rendered in modern graphics. The trailer was short but confirmed two things: Silent Hill 2 is available to wishlist on PS5 right now, and it will absolutely be locked on PlayStation (and PC) for 12 months after launch.
Konami
Konami also talked a bit more about the other projects in development right now. We saw a glimpse of Silent Hill Towerfall, developed by Observation and Stories Untold creators No Code. Details are scarce on this project, but if you’re familiar with No Code’s work, then you can expect some “deep psychological horror,” according to the studio’s creative director John McKellen.
Another project Konami showed off was Return to Silent Hill, the upcoming film directed by Christophe Gans (the writer-director of 2006’s Silent Hill) which “tells the story of a young man” coming back to the town only to find nightmares.
There was some chat about Silent Hill merch like shirts and statues, before Konami jumped to a third project, an apparent “whole new experience.” Titled Silent Hill Ascension, the project is a “live, real-time interactive series” that sounds akin to Until Dawn. You can change outcomes, be part of the scenes, and shape the Silent Hill canon. But if you fuck up, you fuck up because there is, apparently, no reset button. It’s due in 2023.
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Screencap from the Silent Hill f trailer.Screenshot: Konami / Kotaku
The livestream wrapped with one final announcement of a completely new Silent Hill game, titled Silent Hill f. Serene footage showed a young girl exploring a foggy town; slowly, invasive tendrils make them themselves known, followed by very colorful, all-consuming fungal growths. The brief trailer ends on a shot of the girl’s now-infested corpse, just as its face sloughs off. Silent Hill f is developed by Neobards Entertainment, with story by Ryukishi07, creature and character design by kera, and produced by former Nintendo developer Motoi Okamoto.
This remake of Silent Hill 2 has been rumored for a hot minute now. Back in May 2022, screenshots purporting to be related to the franchise started making the rounds online, with Layers of Fear developer Bloober Team attached to the project. Bloober Team announced a month later a totally separate horror game within the Layers of Fear universe that appears to be a reboot of sorts. However, Bloober Team is now leading development on Silent Hill 2 Remake, with Konami serving as the game’s publisher.
While Silent Hill 2 Remake may be a PlayStation exclusive for 12 months after it launches, the game will also be available on PC. Sorry, Xbox folks.
Silent Hill 2 first came out in 2001 for the PlayStation 2. It put the new console’s horsepower to good use, rendering notoriously thick, rolling fog that cranked the atmosphere to previously unknown heights. The plot had protagonist James Sunderland visiting the doomed town after receiving a letter from his previously deceased wife, Mary. As you can imagine, following the trail leads nowhere good, and we gradually learn that Sunderland is a very, very broken man.
Various sequels followed over the years, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, but Silent Hill 2 went down as a particular fan favorite for its fantastic atmosphere, terrifying situations, and psychological depth. It also served as the first appearance of the now-beloved antagonist Pyramid Head.
After years of very little new or exciting Silent Hill content, it looks like fans finally be feasting like it’s 2001 all over again.
