Playstation Indies Show at GDC

By Rebecca Smith,

Last week, San Francisco played host to this year's Game Developers Conference where Microsoft showcased a lot of new indie titles for their ID@Xbox indie program. Despite appearances, a few of these titles are also going to be making their way to Playstation platforms. Here's a quick summary of the titles that we can expect to arrive some time in the future.

1) Hyperdrive Massacre (PS4)

The first of two titles from 34 Big Things, Hyperdrive Massacre is a competitive multiplayer title that pits players against each other across six game modes: Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Death Race, Space Soccer, Last Man Standing and Spong. Choose your spaceproof muscle car and your crew before entering the arena in this "80s inspired arcade fragfest".

The developer recommends that the game is best enjoyed in local multiplayer, which supports up to four players. If you can't find a friend, the game also includes "viciously challenging AI". Battle across eight unique arenas, choose from 16 vehicles and crews, and use the nine instant power-up weapons to claim victory.

Choose your crew carefully. Each has their own wacky traits.

Racing to the death.

I'm not sure what this mode is, but it definitely contains death.

2) Luna's Tale: The Curse of the Forgotten Doll (PS4)

Maestro Game Studio's platformer tells the story of Luna, a teenage girl who received a doll, Proserpina, for her 5th birthday present. Although she loved the doll for much of her younger years, Luna is now more interested in boys, particularly one called Elathan. Unfortunately, Proserpina doesn't like being ignored. While her magical properties previously lay dormant, her jealousy of Elathan has caused her to use her powers to turn everybody around Luna into dolls. Luna's journey will take her though five unique worlds, each of which has their own enemies and challenges. Will she succeed?

3) Magic Duels: Origins (PS4)

You would have to be new to Playstation to have avoided knowing about the last four instalments of the Magic: The Gathering franchise from Stainless Games. Well, Magic Duels: Origins is the latest title to be released and is based on the storyline from the Magic Origins set of cards. This time, though, the game is going free-to-play with "100% earnable content", including the first playable Planeswalker cards, although there are regular DLC expansions that reflect the latest card sets.

The solo Battle mode offers endless AI opponents, while multiplayer options include the favourite Two-Headed Giant mode. A Quest system offers weekly individual and community challenges. The improved Deck Builder will offer step-by-step guidance to constructing your deck and there's a new Skill Quest tutorial system. Will you take up the challenge?

4) https://www.truetrophies.com/Red-Out/trophies.htm (PS4)

34 Big Things' second title to be announced at the GDC takes the form of an arcade racer inspired by the likes of F-Zero and WipeOut. Your ship hovers just a few metres above the ground and is capable of moving at speeds of over 800 km/h. At that speed, you'll feel every twist and every turn of the track. Each of the five racing teams has a unique hovership that you can upgrade as you climb the ranks in the game's career mode — install and upgrade equipment such as the EPP (Extra Power Pool), EPSS (Enhanced Protection Shield System) and FRD (Faster Respawn Device) to get an advantage over your opponents.

The racing takes place on 25 race tracks across five different environments, including dirty suburban sprawls, frozen landscapes and desert plains. There are seven event types: Time Attack, Speed, Survival, Race, Last Man Standing, Arena Race and Score-Based Endurance. If you tire of taking on AI opponents, you can choose to take on up to three friends in local multiplayer. It's time to put the pedal to the metal.

Nothing says thrill ride like aiming ships at solid icebergs at high speed

There's no time for sight-seeing at this speed

Cairo looks a little different

5) Obliteracers (PS4)

Space Dust Studios' racing title pits up to 16 players in a fight to the finish line. Cartoon aliens race across exotic extraterrestrial locations in a variety of weird and wonderful vehicles. Give yourself an edge by picking up weapon powerups to disable your opponents. The round-based nature of the game means that respawns are quick and drop-in, drop-out play is possible.

Players can choose to race alone against AI, take on their friends and family locally, or compete against opponents online. While the controls may be simple for newcomers, there are advanced strategies available for veterans. Game modes can be customised with "dozens" of modifiers.

If lightning fails to work, there's always the laser of doom.

Rain does not stop the race. Or fires.

Why settle for dust when you can leave your opponents behind in a cloud of oil?

6) Tumblestone (PS4/PS3/Vita)

While you may not be familiar with The Quantum Astrophysicists Guild, you may be familiar with their puzzle title: The Bridge, which came to PC and Xbox 360. Well, the developer makes their debut on Playstation with another puzzle title, only this time it's a match-3 game with a twist. Instead of creating shapes of three or more similarly coloured blocks, players must shoot three blocks of the same colour to remove them from the screen. It isn't as complicated as it sounds:

In single-player mode, players can choose from the Marathon, Heartbeat, and Puzzle game types. If you feel like more of a challenge, you can take on the AI or your friends in local and online versus modes. Alternatively, there are co-op modes too.

Challenge your friends or battle the AI if you're having a lonely night

There are several characters and backgrounds to unlock

The winner likes to gloat

7) Aragami (PS4)

Lince Works' stealth title puts players in the shoes of Aragami, a spirit of vengeance who was summoned by a girl in need of help. Yamiko is imprisoned in a guarded fortress. By bringing you back from the dead, she has bound your souls together. To free her you must travel through land and memories on a dark journey to destroy her prison seals. However, not everything is as it seems. Their pasts interconnect in different timelines; each step that you take will uncover clues to these links.

The shadows are your ally and give you strength. Your main skill is Shadow Control. You can teleport between shadows, create areas of darkness in which you can hide, and create shadow Clones to cause distractions, allowing you to sneak up on your targets. The soldiers are lethal and you can never confront them directly. You can choose to silently assassinate your enemies or just avoid them — you are never forced to kill enemies, nor are you penalized for killing them. Once your enemies are dead, you can feed their bodies to the shadows so that no trace is left behind. Beware though, where you can create shadows, the soldiers have means of creating light.

Your Shadow Powers allow you to create your own hiding places

Will you kill or will you avoid confrontation?

Can you free Yamiko from her prison?

8) Wasteland 2: Director's Cut (PS4)

I wouldn't blame you if you haven't heard of Wasteland. Back in 1988, it was the first post-apocalyptic RPG and has been touted as the inspiration behind the Fallout series. A mere 27 years later, the game's sequel is heading to Playstation 4. Players mainly take control of a squad of four Desert Rangers, but you can also pick up followers and strangers along your journey. Your aim is to keep peace in a post-apocalyptic Arizona desert. The problem is that the apocalypse has created a larger threat that needs to be thwarted.

Players can customise their squads with Perks and Quirks (traits) that add unique characteristics. The game will also react to your choices, so you'll need to think about the possible consequences of your actions. This means that no two playthroughs will be alike. Exploration will reward you with logbooks and lore items that enrich the game's narrative and your environmental knowledge, while their are plenty of quirky characters to find. Developer inXile Entertainment wishes for you to truly immerse yourself in their world.

Looking to deliver some “wasteland justice”

The Precision Strike system lets you target individual body parts or shatter the armour of enemies.

There's nothing like a fight with an overgrown mutant scorpion before breakfast.

9) ZHEROS (PS4)

Rimlight Studios' beat 'em up puts players in the role of Mike who, along with his partner Captain Dorian, must save the planet from an army of robots and alien creatures. The army is controlled by Dr. Vendetta. While living in a faraway galaxy, he aims to bring chaos to his neighbours by turning every creature into an "odd and hostile" minion. However, he hides a secret that will lead to dangerous consequences when it is uncovered by the ZHEROS team. Will the duo thwart this hostile invasion?

There will be plenty of fights where you'll need to use your fists, but you'll also have the chance to use mechancial armour that comes equipped with powerful weapons. You can also choose to go on your quest solo or with a friend. When in co-op, you'll get to choose between the "strong but goofy" Mike or the "harsh and agile" Captain Dorian.

String combos together for high scores

He may be goofy, but his strength is far more useful

Nothing speaks death like an explosion and flying mechanical parts.

That's as much information as we can find on each title at the moment, but as soon as we get any more information on any of the nine games then we'll be sure to let you know.

Written by Rebecca Smith

Rebecca is the Newshound Manager at TrueGaming Network. She has been contributing articles since 2010, especially those that involve intimidatingly long lists. When not writing news, she works in an independent game shop so that she can spend all day talking about games too. She'll occasionally go outside.