Talking Point: What PS5 Game Had the Best Showing Across All the Summer Gaming Events?

Image: Push Square

State of Play. Summer Game Fest, Ubisoft Forward. Xbox Game Showcase. All of these events gave us new PS5 game announcements, reveals, and updates — but out of all the titles that we've seen over the last week or so, which one had the best showing? Which upcoming release do you have the highest hopes for?

These are questions we always like to ask after a big gaming event has come and gone, and so we've gathered the Push Square editorial team to share their thoughts. Once you've had a read, we invite you to vote for your own favourites at the bottom of the article.

We'll be putting together a results article for this poll next week, so choose wisely!

Aaron Bayne, Video Producer

There were a few games that stood out to me during the Summer Game festivities, like Perfect Dark, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, and even Gears of War: E-Day. But the game that was a bona fide day one purchase for me was DOOM: The Dark Ages. Medieval DOOM sounds like an awesome pitch that gets left on the sidelines for something safer, but iD Software is here with this heavy metal concept, filled with chainsaw shields, skull-crushing guns, and dragons. It sounds like this is going for a more boots-on-the-ground approach than what we saw in DOOM Eternal, but if it can keep that frenetic and gnarly gunplay up, then I’m totally there for it.

Khayl Adam, Staff Writer

Far and away, the standout for me was the reveal of Civilization VII, which I'm probably going to dump a disgusting amount of time into if history repeats itself, all from the convenience of the couch. Virtually nothing is known about the next entry in the venerable series (although a gameplay showcase has been promised for August), but with Firaxis in charge and studio founder / series creator Sid Meier at the helm, we're in just about the safest hands possible. I'm not expecting a re-invention of the wheel, but the technical upgrade will certainly be appreciated. Bring on 2025!

Liam Croft, Assistant Editor

Having felt pretty burnt out on turn-based RPGs earlier this year, Metaphor: ReFantazio appears ready and waiting to rekindle my love for the genre once more. A new Atlus JRPG that flips the Persona formula on its head, it looks to be a genuine Game of the Year contender — at least here on Push Square. The stylised art of the SMT sub-series has been retained, this time coupled with a narrative of political intrigue and shady deals. All of the impressions coming off the Summer Game Fest show floor have been overwhelmingly positive, so I can't wait for another 100+ hour story-focused adventure full of twists and turns. It's also releasing on my birthday, so add another point to the review score.

Robert Ramsey, Assistant Editor

My pick of the summer gaming extravaganza has to be Metaphor: ReFantazio. Being a maniacal Persona fan I was already hyped for Atlus' next project based on previous showings — but its updates during Summer Game Fest have really just pushed me over the edge. Plus, everyone who actually went to the show and played it (lucky bastards) says it's basically in the running for RPG of the year — and that's some serious praise considering the RPGs that have already launched in 2024. The art direction, the promise of deep RPG elements, that insane battle theme — it's all adding up. I just don't think there's another game like Metaphor on the horizon; it stands out against a sea of upcoming titles that are simply much less interesting, in my humble opinion.

Sammy Barker, Editor

I think I’m going to choose LEGO Horizon Adventures, to be honest. There were others I could have picked: I was dazzled by Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and its turn-based battles; obviously Astro Bot is going to be outstanding; I can’t wait to embrace my teenage angst in Life Is Strange: Double Exposure. But no, I’m going to select Guerrilla and Studio Gobo’s toy-based adaptation of Aloy’s world, simply because it looks like such good fun. I was really sceptical of this project when it was rumoured, but all of my concerns melted away when I saw it in motion. Not only does it look beautiful, but it seems to be taking the series in a totally different, light-hearted direction. Six months ago, I’d never have predicted this would even exist, let alone I’d be writing about it for this list, but here we are. It’s great to see Sony targeting a different demographic with this holiday’s lineup – I just hope the titles actually sell.

Stephen Tailby, Assistant Editor

When I think back over the various shows, there are certainly several highlights I can point to, but nothing made me happier than seeing Astro Bot's debut trailer during State of Play. Amid so many self-serious action games and multiplayer shooters that frankly all blurred together, that little robot's earnest, colourful trailer was a breath of fresh air. The PlayStation character cameos are a lot of fun, Astro's range of power-ups has been expanded, and it looks stunning visually as well. I've also had the pleasure and privilege of playing it early, and it hasn't really left my head since. It's definitely my game of the summer season, and is already gunning for my game of the year, too.

We've had our say, and now it's your turn. Vote for what you think were the best PS5 games in our poll, and then tell us why you've picked them in the comments section below.