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PlayStation is running another string of indie game reveals for PS5 and PS4 this afternoon, and the first of the seven games on the docket is Moss: Book 2, the sequel to a PSVR favorite.
Moss: Book 2 - PSVR
Moss: Book 2 is due this spring, and in a new blog post, engineering director Mike Felice walks us through its rich, oversized world. Compared to the original game, developer Polyarc says it's improved on the scale and seamlessness of environments for Book 2 while also making the world more intuitive to navigate.
"One of the things we heard from players is that they wanted the opportunity to revisit areas in the game for further exploration and for the ability to search for missed collectables – so we did just that," Felice says. "You’ll quickly find that all of the rooms in Moss: Book 2 are connected, which not only improves spatial understanding of the world, but allows us to inject tension with surprise scenarios when revisiting a known place, triggering emotional ups and downs."
Returning protagonist Quill has also gotten some updates to make her movements more convincing. The updated areas of Book 2 play into this by reacting to Quill in real time. There's even an entire set of interactive features called "Boopables" to really ratchet up the immersion – flickering candles, rustling ferns, splattering water, and many more. If Moss: Book 2 ends up coming to PSVR 2 as well as the original, it ought to look especially stunning running on PS5.
Animal Well - PS5 later this year (or next)
Animal Well is a bizarre blend of fixed-screen puzzle-platforming and disturbing yet inviting environments. Solo developer Billy Basso describes it as a game designed to provide layered discoveries through exploration, and points to literal layers in its puzzles as the true end-game. If the first layer is the base game, the second layer is what it takes to 100% the game, the third layer consists of more obscure puzzles that will likely require community collaboration, and the fourth layer will purportedly only be known to Basso himself.
"I’m throwing down the gauntlet and challenging the internet to discover everything," Basso says. "I will be sure to make an announcement confirming my defeat if and when this happens."
Animal Well certainly sounds like quite a ride, and its pixel art, paired with lighting and effects said to "push the PlayStation 5 hardware," looks excellent.
TMNT: Shredder's Revenge - PS4 later this year
The latest showcase for 2D brawler TMNT: Shredder's Revenge reveals that Splinter, the titular turtles' iconic sensei, is the game's sixth playable character. With a mix of cane and claw attacks, plus a flying special move, Master Splinter looks like a worthy addition to the game's roster.
Post Void - PS5 and PS4 this spring
Post Void is a turbulent first-person shooter with a searing art style, a janky handgun, and a cursed idol hungry for death. Ryan Brown of Super Rare Originals puts it best: "With a pistol in one hand and an idol containing your health in the other, you have just one objective: be fast." With no cover and no breaks, Post Void is purpose-built for short, chaotic runs, and it looks like a rip-snorting good time.
Salt and Sacrifice - PS5 and PS4 on May 10
Salt and Sacrifice is the expanded sequel to the 2D, Souls-inspired action game Salt and Sanctuary. James Silva, one half of the game's development team, says the sequel not only fills out the lore-steeped world of the original, it also turns PvP into a "super fun" (but also super optional) feature. "You should find ample opportunities to aid, grieve, spar with, and vanquish your fellow Inquisitors in horrible and wonderful ways," Silva teases.
Samurai Gunn 2 - PS5
With several indie icons on its roster, insta-kill platform fighter Samurai Gunn 2 is a violent celebration of characters and movement. The leads for Among Us, Minit, and Spelunky 2 have thrown their hat into the ring for the sequel, each with unique abilities that set them apart from the eponymous Samurai. We've heard of rocket jumping, and we're ready to give "sword jumping" a go, too.
Hello Neighbor 2 - PS5 and PS4, beta coming April 7
Stealth horror game Hello Neighbor 2, originally announced for Xbox and PC last year, is also coming to PS5 and PS4. We're still waiting on a final release date for the next game from tinyBuild, but pre-orderers will get their first shot at shaking off some overly nosy neighbors through the beta coming April 7.
Here are 25 new indie games coming in 2022.
