On June 11th, 2020, Sony revealed a motley of games for their upcoming PlayStation 5 console. Some of them were full trailers; others were snippets into what might be, and a few even had actual gameplay. Out of the second group, which in and of itself had some variety, Project Athia set itself apart. While there was almost no information on the game, it looks to be ominous and awe-inspiring in equal measure.
When placed next to things like Goodbye, Volcano High or Bugsnax, it’s no wonder Sony wanted Project Athia shown at the PlayStation 5 event. They look to be unique games, but they don’t really showcase what the PlayStation 5 can do.
Square Enix and Luminous Productions are the team behind Project Athia (which is a working title). As a newly-established studio, it’s hard to to make your mark in an industry that’s inundated with games; they certainly caught some attention for their short trailer. It is designed with the PlayStation 5 in mind, but will also release on PC. Since this is the case, Project Athia “will harness the full power of the console.”
Luminous Productions will also use the game to “demonstrate [their] philosophy to provide a gaming experience like never before”. That’s a pretty lofty goal for a new development studio, but it seems to be working in their favor. The game will “transport players to a world filled with beauty and dismay”, which can be seen in the trailer. It so far looks to be a new third-person, narrative-driven game.
The female protagonist is seen using powers, like calling roots out of the ground to capture an enemy, and a giant worm-like entity with a sunflower head rising above a tree line. It feels a little like Shadow of the Colossus, but with more The Witcher-type RPG elements. In other words, it looks to be a relatively open-world game, with a strong relationship to the nature surrounding it.
While no release date has been set (as not even the title is firm), it will release on the PlayStation 5 and PC. For more reviews and gaming news you can keep up to date at Informed Pixel. Want to speak to the team and interact with other gamers? You can do so over on the Informed Pixel Facebook page or on the Informed Pixel Twitter account.
