PS5 reveal recap: Inverse reacts to console design and all 21 games

The long-awaited day is finally here.

Sony's June 11 PlayStation 5 reveal event has finally come and finally gone. We saw a few things we expected — like a Horizon Zero Dawn sequel and Resident Evil 8. There were also a few surprises, like Square Enix's new RPG Project Athia and the reveal of a second, digital-only edition of the PS5 hardware. Below, we're breaking down every moment of the hour-long showcase, in no particular order.

Here's our piping hot takes on the PS5 reveal event.

The console itself

Corey Plante — The design looks like an exciting departure for Sony’s PlayStation series. The PS2, PS3, and PS4 all looked pretty similar, so Sony is seemingly going all-in on the Apple-inspired PS5 design. I do NOT love that it stands upright without the option to lay it on its side. Most entertainment centers might have trouble accommodating that. The Digital Only version option is also a must-have this generation, but I already have too many issues with my current PS4 hard drive space that this concerns me.

Jen Glennon — The design seems to be a little divisive online, but I’m glad it’s not yet another black box to collect dust under your television. I’d honestly hoped for a bit more variation in colorways, like Nintendo does with the Switch and Switch Lite. Still, it looks better than I expected, and I’m intrigued to see how much cheaper the Digital Edition is. That second version really surprised me. There’d been rumors Xbox was doing that for a while, but not so much Sony.

Tomas Franzese — It looks very sleek, though I’m worried that its hourglass-esque shape is a bit too similar to the Xbox 360’s. Microsoft’s system ran into technical problems like the infamous “Red Ring of Death” due to its design; hopefully, the same won’t be the case for the PS5.

Eric Francisco — The PlayStation 5 looks like my modem popped its collar, and I’m into it. I dig the white and blue with heavy accents of black, a big change from the darker colors of previous PlayStation consoles. Like others have said, I’m also concerned about the verticality of the console, though I imagine console developers have solved issues like discs scratching in the last fifteen years. And heck, with that slimmer digital-only version, that won’t even be a problem. Now all I have to do is figure out a new living room set up.

Danny Paez — Sony did a little too much for its design. Really digging the DualSense controllers, but the console looks like a cross between a modern art sculpture and an internet router. It’s white so it’s gonna get dirty, REAL quick. Oh and Sony didn’t show it laying on its side which makes me think it can only stand up straight? I’m gonna be real afraid of tipping this bad boy over.

Resident Evil VIII

Corey Plante — I’ve never been super-keen on the Resident Evil franchise, but this was a great trailer that might convince me to give it a shot.

Jen Glennon — I didn’t love Resident Evil VII, mostly because of the first-person view and the setting. This felt very similar to me, so I’m on the fence with this one. I honestly would have been happier with an RE:4 Remake. Or a new Silent Hill.

Tomas Franzese — Delivered exactly what the leaks teased, which was already promising. I’m just more excited about the fact that this announcement probably confirms that the Resident Evil 4 remake and new Silent Hill game are also real.

Eric Francisco — Back in 2017 I embarrassed myself at a hands-on demo for Resident Evil VII by screeching and yelping like a baby. Much as I love the horror genre, I’ve long avoided horror video games simply because I dislike feeling helpless. That said, VIII looks great and if you dug the new first-person gameplay introduced in VII, there’s no reason not to look forward to VIII.

More stories from the PlayStation 5 reveal event:

• Spider-Man: Miles Morales gets a late 2020 PS5 release date
• Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart revealed for PS5 with a multivers twist
• Gran Turismo has been confirmed for PS5
• Jett the Far Shore trailer reveals trippy Ps5 launch title
• Resident Evil 8 release date: Leaks tease a supernatural new direction
• Hitman 3 PS5 release date: Agent 47's trilogy comes to an end
• Project Athia PS5 trailer looks better than Lumen in the Land of Nanite

Gran Turismo

Corey Plante — I don’t really like cars or car games at all and honestly could care less.

Jen Glennon — Cars go brrr. Not for me. Probably a fun way to check out the DualSense tech though.

Tomas Franzese — While racing games aren’t as mind-blowing as other first-party titles, Gran Turismo 7 still looks like a solid evolution of one of PlayStation’s longest running series. The visual upgrades PS5 allows are noticeable, and it’s a game I can’t wait to get my hands on day one.

Eric Francisco — I LOVE CARS!!! Granted my preferred racing series has been Forza and I haven’t played any Gran Turismo since the PlayStation 2. Whatever game comes out with a Fast & Furious 9 cross-promotion DLC will be the one I get.

Danny Paez — Gran Turismo has always been a benchmark game for me. Great to test out the capabilities of the console it's launched on. But I won’t be rushing to pick it up.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

Corey Plante — I loved the original Ratchet & Clank games but never played any of the re-releases because they felt a little bit outdated to me. I’m not one for “nostalgia gaming” generally speaking, but the colorful style and bold new mechanics are really awesome looking! I’m also a sucker for interdimensional storytelling, so this is definitely one of my most hyped trailers of the bunch.

Jen Glennon — This looks adorable and really fun, like a game you could lose a whole week in without blinking. I was more pleased to to see this one than the rumored Crash Bandicoot game.

Eric Francisco — I’m jealous of anyone who is a Ratchet & Clank fan. These games look like so much fun but I’ve just never really given them the time of day. There was always something that looked more interesting to me. Ditto for this one, although there is a sophistication to the design that really impressed me.

Danny Paez — The Ratchet & Clank movie was straight up doodoo, so a proper reboot is well deserved. This is a definite pick-up for me.

Project Athia

Corey Plante — I got serious Lumen in the Land of Nanite vibes from this trailer, which is something I wrote about briefly. The Final Fantasy XV production team worked on this one, and everything we saw screams cool. This was one of my favorite trailers and a game that I am sincerely hyped for.

Jen Glennon — The protagonist of this reminded me strongly of Noctis from FFXV, but a woman. The setting felt a bit Souls-like as well, which is intriguing. I’m glad to see Square Enix doing a big project that isn’t Final Fantasy or Kingdom Hearts, too. A day-one buy for this JRPG fan.

Eric Francisco — Rogue One screenwriter and Animal Crossing talk show host Gary Whitta is spearheading this game, and I tend to like his work. (His 2015 novel Abomination was pretty incredible.) I’m on it for the creative pedigree alone.

What are you most excited about for next-gen consoles? Take our poll!

Destruction Allstars

Corey Plante — What?

Jen Glennon — Cars go brr! I’m sure people will have a ton of fun with this but just looking at it gives me a headache.

Tomas Franzese — While I’m a bit disappointed that PlayStation is making a new vehicle combat series instead of a new Twisted Metal, this looks like a cute, casual multiplayer game to play with friends. I’ll definitely check it out when it releases.

Eric Francisco — I’m into the style, I’m curious about how it will all play. But that’s it for me.

Goodbye, Volcano High

Corey Plante — Huh?

Jen Glennon — This looks very cute. Love the art style and the premise. Kind of like a vaporware Life Is Strange. With dinosaurs. Count me in.

Tomas Franzese — More like Hello, Interesting Looking Game. Definitely on my radar now.

Eric Francisco — This game better not awaken something in me.

Danny Paez — Euphoria, but make it furry.

Oddworld: Soulstorm

Corey Plante — I appreciate what this franchise is going for, but it’s never really grabbed me that much. There’s almost no chance that I’ll play it.

Jen Glennon — I played this at E3 last year and it was a lot of fun. I don’t have an established attachment to the series, but am cautiously intrigued. I imagine this is the kind of game where I’d get stuck, get frustrated, and quit playing partway through.

Tomas Franzese — Oddworld is a fantastic series of atmospheric, cinematic platforms, so I’m happy to see its latest game come to PS5. While we’ve known about this game for several years, this was our first major look at longer stretches of gameplay. It’s seem promising and like a modern version of the PS1 classics that captured the hearts of many.

Eric Francisco — I too missed the boat on this series and lacked the nostalgia for it. I appreciate its sense of humor and purposefully ugly world but it’s not something I’m willing to buy into unless there’s something earth-shattering.

Ghostwire: Tokyo

Corey Plante — This one’s a bit take it or leave it for me.

Jen Glennon — I’ll buy pretty much anything set in modern-day Tokyo, it’s a yes for me.

Tomas Franzese — The more action-focused direction does worry me a bit, but I’m excited to see whatever Shinji Mikami has cooking!

Eric Francisco — Still not quite sure what it’s all about, but getting to explore and play around a stylistic Tokyo doesn’t not interest me.

Danny Paez — I was confused when this was first announced at E3 2019. I’m more confused now.

Horizon Forbidden West

Corey Plante — Boy I really need to play Horizon Zero Dawn finally, huh?

Jen Glennon — I didn’t love the first one, but I’m happy for those fans out there who are super excited for this! It looks awfully pretty, it just didn’t grab me my first time through. I plan to revisit the original at some point though.

Tomas Franzese — I would’ve named it Horizon: Second Dawn, but whatever. I also need to actually play the first game. It’s been sitting on my shelf for like two years.

Eric Francisco — I did not play Horzion Zero Dawn and I’m confused why there’s a neon dragon.

Danny Paez — The heaviest-hitting title announced. Just take my money.

Pragmata

Corey Plante — I really loved this Kojima-style nonsense! Sign me up for this bewildering experience.

Jen Glennon — Totally missed this.

Tomas Franzese — I guess you could say this game’s reveal was pragmatic. That is all.

Eric Francisco — On the surface the game looks like it will appeal to me. Something about its I Am Legend-meets-Interstellar direction appeals to me but I can’t tell you anymore unless I actually know more. Is it a shooter? Music rhythm platformer? Dating sim? I need answers.

Deathloop

Corey Plante — TENET the video game looks cool!

Jen Glennon — I really liked the Vertigo-inspired eyecatches and the environments, but I’d be way more intrigued if this was more adventure than shooter.

Tomas Franzese — I love Dishonored, so I’m looking forward to anything Arkane is doing on next-gen consoles.

Eric Francisco — I am trash and this game has a grindhouse movie vibe that is an all-too easy sell for me. Yeah, I’m in.

Bugsnax

Corey Plante — I do not remember this game, but based on the title, I don’t think I’d be into it?

Jen Glennon — This one had the googly-eyed strawberries and the talking dog. I don’t know what genre of game it was, but it had a chill and fun vibe.

Tomas Franzese — It was a nice palate cleanser following NBA 2K21.

Eric Francisco — I wasn’t paying attention, did the ending tease a murder or something?

Danny Paez — Looks like a bad mushroom trip. Also…”weenies hands?”

NBA 2K21

Corey Plante — I have a sports ball friend who will probably force me to try this. Good luck John! Ain’t happening if this quarantine lasts.

Jen Glennon — Sportsball!

Tomas Franzese — Sweat, now in 4K 60FPS.

Eric Francisco — I think we’re underestimating this. Yeah it’s a cutscene but the visual fidelity in a sports game is going to actually blow a lot of people who aren’t capital-G gamers away. A few months ago my brother-in-law looked up footage of the newest Madden and we actually couldn’t tell if it was a video game or an ESPN broadcast. If NBA 2K21, the next game in a tremendously popular franchise, can produce a lifelike visual presentation in a sports video game, it might actually change everything for everyone. At the very least, I want to know what WWE will look like.

Danny Paez — Salty that this wasn't FIFA 21.

Little Devil Inside

Corey Plante — Eh.

Jen Glennon — Super intriguing aesthetic, and I liked that the designers weren’t afraid to use negative space — a la Earthbound — even on a next-gen game. Not totally sure what the gameplay mechanic is, but it gave me a sort of refreshing point-and-click adventure vibe.

Eric Francisco — If Wes Anderson made a cartoony video game, I feel like Little Devil Inside would be it. I’d like to know more about the overall mechanics and gameplay beyond what the trailer revealed.

Danny Paez — This looked like an origami version of Isle of Dogs. The style was whimsical and they showed off a lot of different in-game environments that looked really different from each other. Its cartoony style won’t test the limits of the PS5’s hardware, but I can’t deny that I want to give it a shot.

Hitman 3

Corey Plante — I was not made for stealth games, and stealth games were not made for me.

Jen Glennon — What Corey said.

Tomas Franzese — What happened to the first two Hitmen?

Eric Francisco — I have the first two Hitmen downloaded and I promised myself I’d play them in quarantine. 60-plus days in and I haven’t touched them. Look, it looks like fun, I want to play it, but can y’all give me a little more time?

Solar Ash

Corey Plante — I can acknowledge that this is a beautiful art style, but it’s not really an art style that I like to game in all that often. I might skip this one unless I hear exceptional things.

Jen Glennon — This looks like the next iteration of boutique indie platforming. I like the fluidity of it all.

Eric Francisco — Beautiful visual style that I’m probably going to pass. But I hope I’m wrong.

Danny Paez — The trippiest game Sony showed off at the PS5 event so it’s got a thumbs up from me. The aesthetic was like a bolder, more colorful version of Journey (2012). We don’t know much about Solar Ash but it’s definitely on my radar.

Returnal

Corey Plante — I’m intrigued by this one but perhaps not totally sold. It looks like someone threw Arrival and Death Stranding in a blender and left it on for a few hours. Will it be too obtuse for its own good? Perhaps, but I will definitely give it a shot.

Tomas Franzese — This reminded me of 2016 Xbox exclusive Recore in a good way. Housemarque makes great games like Resogun and Nex Machina, so I’m confident that this game will be really fun.

Eric Francisco — Another sci-fi single player game? Another win for me. Sure, I’ll take it.

Danny Paez — A sci-fi, psychological thriller with big Russian Doll vibes. I’m interested to learn more about its plot but didn’t win me over right off the bat.

GodFall

Corey Plante — Now this is a Corey game. Everything I see about this game I love, like it’s Monster Hunter with a bit more colorful flair and cartoonish polish. I’m a sucker for Soulslike combat and weapon variation. It’s a bit ironic that Godfall looks a lot like Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning with its “breathtaking weapons.” I will pick this one up on launch day.

Jen Glennon — This is the kind of Western fantasy stuff I just don’t vibe with. Also not a fan of the looty aspect of this one. Not for me.

Tomas Franzese — Multiplayer games like this aren’t really my thing, but I’m sure that this game will please players that are into that kind of stuff will enjoy it!

Eric Francisco — This looks like a Soulsbourne game I could actually play. I just hope it’s fun.

Danny Paez — Big shiny armored warriors!! Godfall looks really eye-popping but I have a feeling the story might be a tad hollow with a big focus on grinding from everything we heard. I’m thinking Destiny 2 meets Knights of the Zodiac. That’s a MAYBE for me.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits

Corey Plante — I am loving the Avatar: The Last Airbender vibes here so gimme this right now.

Jen Glennon — Love the art style. I would definitely check this one out.

Eric Francisco — The anime design and realistic environments really pops and that alone might actually get me to buy a PlayStation 5.

Danny Paez — I would die for those little fuzzy blobs that look like the Soot Sprites from Spirited Away.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure

Corey Plante — Get this cute doll away from me please.

Tomas Franzese — It looks cute, but I hope it embraces the community creation elements like LittleBigPlanet and Dreams too. That’s the main reason I play those games, not just the characters.

Eric Francisco — Missed out on LittleBigPlanet so I’m good.

Danny Paez — I’m going to be real here, I’ve only ever played a LittleBigPlanet game on the demo PS4s at Best Buy. Sackboy is undeniably cute as hell and the franchise has basically been like Mario Maker for Sony. I won’t be picking it up put I’ll definitely be checking out people’s creations on Twitch and YouTube.

Spider-Man: Miles Morales

Corey Plante — I absolutely love that Miles continues to get spotlighted in other media forms. Sony really knows what it’s doing in that regard. It’s time for people to see a new kind of Spider-Man enter the spotlight. The first game was groundbreaking and incredible, and the sequel looks like it’ll more than hold up to that legacy. This may have just inspired me to finally go back and finish that DLC from the first game!

Jen Glennon — Probably the game I’m most hyped for. I didn’t expect to see it at this event, so that was a nice surprise. More gameplay would have been nice, but very psyched it’s a launch title.

Tomas Franzese — Into the Spider Verse: The Official Game of the Movie looks great. Jokes aside, Marvel’s Spider-Man was an amazing game, so I’m really excited to see the story continue with Miles at the helm.

Eric Francisco — I really can’t wait to talk to Brian Michael Bendis about a video game.

Danny Paez — Miles as the protagonist was expected based on how Marvel’s Spider-Man ended but I’m still supremely hyped about this sequel. The first installment was undeniably the best Spidey game of all-time, everything from the combat, web swinging, and massive map of NYC was awe inspiring.

I’d love to be able to explore a different borough of New York, either Brooklyn or Queens!

PlayStation 5 debuts in late 2020.