Sony's launch of the PlayStation 5 is impressive in every regard. When the only problem is a lack of supply and growing demand, there's certainly something going right. With a lineup of exclusive titles that stretches far into the future and several blockbusters to play right now, those who choose the PlayStation family are spoiled for choice when it comes to their next gaming session.
However, looking beyond the highly-anticipated AAA follow-ups and the undeniable fun of Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Sony has also locked down a handful of impressive PlayStation-centric indie releases to satisfy every type of gamer. Games of all sizes have become the norm over the course of the last several generations, but console platforms have sometimes struggled to land big releases in the space.
As Sony rolled out the messaging around the PlayStation 5, they took great care to announced a good number of indie titles. Out of all the titles confirmed for this year so far, here's are the indie games that may challenge Sony's heavy hitters for a player's attention span.
Promising PlayStation 5 Indies: Little Devil Inside
Originally funded on Kickstarter back in 2015, Little Devil Inside has been delayed several times over the course of development, so much so that it initially targeted the Wii U as a launch platform. However, Sony took notice of the game's impressive visual flair, securing it as a console exclusive that will launch first on PlayStation machines alongside PC in July.
Promising PlayStation 5 Indies: Jett: The Far Shore
They say that Rome wasn't built in a day, and nowhere is that more applicable in the world of gaming than with super-small development house Superbrothers. After bursting onto the scene in 2011 with their Sword & Sworcery EP, Sony has the privilege of hosting their second game in as many decades as a console exclusive.
Known as Jett: The Far Shore, the game puts players in the shoes of Mei, an explorer who will experience existential dread and heartfelt companionship in equal measure while charting an untamed ocean planet. The game will likely host a mix of genres like their first release, and fans of that game will have their patience rewarded later this year.
Promising PlayStation 5 Indies: Goodbye Volcano High
A cinematic adventure game cut from the same cloth as Night in the Woods, Goodbye Volcano High comes to PlayStation and PC courtesy of KO_OP, the team who blew many away with the surrealist VR-optional puzzler GNOG back in 2018.
Volcano High is something completely different, a narrative-focused experience that has players guiding a teenaged dinosaur through their last year of high school, all the way to the explosive end.
Promising PlayStation 5 Indies: Stray
While there have been plenty of games that let players take control of cats in fantastical or cartoonish realms, not as many have centered around a cat that might not be out of place in the real world. OK, maybe the world is a bit cyberpunk, but that's still the main hook behind Stray, a game by BlueTwelve Studio and publisher Annapurna Interactive where players have to lead a lost feline back home through the back alleys of a cybercity.
Promising PlayStation 5 Indies: Kena: Bridge Of Spirits
Originally scheduled for release in late 2020 in the first months of the PlayStation 5's life cycle, Ember Lab's 3D action-adventure Kena: Bridge of Spirits will now release on PlayStation and PC this March. The game immediately made headlines for its similarities to many character-focused romps of previous generations. Considering how many indie games have been tapping into that space in recent years, it certainly has a chance to hit big in its PlayStation premiere.
While PlayStation 5's first few months have been home to some controversy regarding broken AAA releases, hard drive space, and the occasional delay, the future definitely looks bright. Those willing to dig into the PlayStation catalog between blockbusters will be rewarded with very unique experiences in 2021 and beyond.