Shack Chat: What is your dream PlayStation 5 launch title?

With the threat of next-generation gaming upon us again, we at Shacknews thought that it would be a great time to sit down, enjoy a nice beverage, and discuss our dream PlayStation 5 launch titles. Of course, the answers range from an assortment of games you'd probably expect to see on the list, as well as some surprising requests for remasters. Without further ado, though, here's the latest Shack Chat.

What is your dream PlayStation 5 launch title?

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 - Ozzie Mejia, Senior Editor

Am I really tapping into the Spider-Man well again? Well, yes! I'm telling you all, the game was that great. We named it the 2018 Shacknews Game of the Year for a reason.

I'm not going to harp on what made the first one such a fantastic game. I've beaten that horse dead. But I will talk about everything that Sony and Insomniac could put together for a second game, namely all of the plot-related follow-ups, new Spider powers, new Spider suits, an even bigger world for Spidey to swing through, and maybe even some cameos from some of Marvel's other street-level heroes. Have Spidey meet Daredevil, Luke Cage, or even some of the Avengers. The best thing about Marvel's Spider-Man 2 being a launch title would be that it gives Insomniac enough time to put together a third game to round out the trilogy. Because if Spider-Man in the movies has taught us anything, it's that Spider-Man stories are told in threes.

And yes, I mentioned the plot-related follow-ups. There are a few of those and I even wrote about them and where the series could go next. (Spoilers for the main game inside.)

Jumping Flash - Blake Morse, Wants a Robot Rabbit Revival

I’ve always felt like the Jumping Flash series never got as much love as it should have. When it first appeared on the old school PS1 it quickly became a personal favorite of mine. The first-person combat was straight ahead, but the verticality of the levels added a sensation similar to the one you get when you jump off the biggest building you can find in a Spider-Man game. Jumping is one of the oldest mechanics in the world of video games, and this series found a way to make it feel fresh. 

A modern version with updated mechanics and visuals could take the series leaps and bounds beyond what it was in the past. Imagine a game with parkour mechanics similar to those found in the Mirror’s Edge series, but also full-on FPS combat action. And to top it all off, you’re a giant robot rabbit too! A new Jumping Flash would help the PlayStation 5 harken back to its creative roots and give a new generation of fans something to talk about at the same time.

Remasters - David L. Craddock, Longreads Editor

I’m going with the safe, predictable, but true answer: I want remasters of PS4 games. Now, the definition of “remaster” is in flux. Graphics have long since reached the point where remasters of games from this era will be nigh-indistinguishable from the games to come. What I’m really looking for is the ultimate quality-of-life improvement: exponentially less load time.

Sony and Microsoft are trumpeting less loading time as a core feature of their next-gen consoles. They, and players, are making such a big deal about it because anyone who’s played games on PS4 or Xbox One this gen knows the load times leave something to be desired. (I’m looking at you, Bloodborne circa March 2015). Pairing SSDs with the gigabytes of data games require to install should allow us to play with fewer interruptions.

If you’ll recall, The Last of Us, Grand Theft Auto V, and Dark Souls 2 were three last-gen games that almost immediately got the HD treatment on PS4 and Xbox One. Looking to that history, I’m hoping (and expecting) upcoming releases such as The Last of Us: Part 2 to make their way to PS5 sooner rather than later. I’ll buy Last of Us 2 on PS4, but I’ll buy it again on PS5 if only because I’m expecting to be sitting on my hands a lot while my PS4 chugs along next March.

God of War - Bill Lavoy, Ragnar Lothbrok

I’m looking at this question from two perspectives. The first is a game that I would want to play that is a PlayStation exclusive. The second is from Sony’s standpoint and what would be a good game to kick off the next generation of its consoles. I settled on another God of War. It may be too soon, but this is about dreams, right?

God of War on the PS4 was my first experience with the franchise. I obviously knew about it, but it was never something that appealed to me. I played God of War on the PS4 for Shacknews and loved it. Start to finish, it was a polished and rewarding experience. It’s one of the better PS4-only titles I can recall in the last few years. It was a hit with fans and thus, I think it would be a fantastic way to kick off the life cycle of the PS5. 

Uncharted 4: Uncompromised - Chris Jarrard, Employed here

I was never much of a PlayStation guy, but I did get a PS4 a couple of years back and ended up playing through the remastered Nathan Drake Collection. I really only like Uncharted 2 from that anthology, but I still wanted to try out Uncharted 4 after being impressed by one of its pre-release E3 demos. I’m glad I did because the game is awesome. If there was some way to get an enhanced version of that game for the PS5 launch, I would be very happy.

For starters, I would love to see the game running at 60Hz (or higher) and at a native 4K resolution. Upgrades to draw distance, LOD pop-in, and effects quality would also be appreciated. Basically, I would like to see what the game would be like on a high-end PC since I know the game has a snowball’s chance in hell at that ever happening.

Demon’s Souls 2 - Sam Chandler, Guides Editor

There’s very little that could make me want to purchase a PlayStation 5 day one like a Miyazaki title. I didn’t have a PS4 for the longest time, but the game that made me cave? Bloodborne. If Sony comes out and says that Demon’s Souls 2 will be a launch title for the PS5, I’m in.

The likelihood of Demon’s Souls 2 being a reality is slim. Elden Ring is still in development, and considering we don’t have a release date, chances are Miyazaki isn’t about to start work on an exclusive sequel. However, Dark Souls 3 was released rather close to the release of Bloodborne, so who’s to say he’s not working on both or already shifted gears to the next thing?

And if I can’t have a Demon’s Souls sequel, I’ll settle for a remaster of the first title. Please and thank you. 

PaRappa the Rapper 3 - Asif Khan, Has got bars

I just want a new PaRappa the Rapper game. Launch titles should try to catch a wide net, and I can’t think of a more blue ocean Sony IP than my boy PaRappa.

Silent Hills - Brittany Vincent, Senior Editor

Yes, I know it was canceled. No, I don't care. I've been holding out hope that Kojima and company would be able to do the impossible someday by fleshing out their Silent Hills project. It could happen under a totally different name. There's no reason to think the Death Stranding team couldn't be hard at work on another horror title, and Kojima is likely already head down into a new game. Rationality says there's no way, but it would probably be the coolest launch title ever if somehow this pipe dream actually came true. I know we'll probably never know what could have happened with Silent Hills and the mere insinuation that it could ever live again is probably nonsense, but hey. While I'm dreaming, right? 

A Horizon Zero Dawn sequel - Josh Hawkins, That guy that does things

Release in 2017, the first Horizon Zero Dawn was by far one of my favorite games to play through on my PlayStation 4. Since the first game’s release, though, developer Guerilla Games has been fairly quiet over the past couple of years.

Set in a beautiful world that blended technology with primitive means, Horizon Zero Dawn was an absolute treat, and while I’m already destined to pick up a PlayStation 5 (if for nothing other than work), having a sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn to dive into would make that purchase so much more enticing. Not only did the first game leave us with a ton of questions, but Guerilla Games left it ripe with strings to follow as we head into another chapter. 

On top of all the radio silence from Guerilla Games, Sony itself has been pretty quiet about new games for a good number of months now, so here’s hoping that Horizon Zero Dawn 2, or some other form of a sequel is in the works behind closed doors.

Do you agree with our picks? Got your own to share? Chime in with your dream PlayStation 5 launch title in the Chatty comments below to let us know! Make sure you also check out our past Shack Chats to see more from the team here at Shacknews.

Josh Hawkins

Guides Editor

Joshua holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and has been exploring the world of video games for as long as he can remember. He enjoys everything from large-scale RPGs to small, bite-size indie gems and everything in between.