Sony PlayStation 4 Holiday Preview: 'The Last Of Us Remastered,' 'DriveClub' Among Highlights For PS4 Releases

Sony Corp. (NYSE:SNE) is set to roll out a number of games in the coming months for its flagship PlayStation 4, which dominates the console marketplace.

At a recent media event in New York, Sony gave International Business Times and other outlets a look at its upcoming library of games and hardware selection. Here are some that piqued our interest:

DriveClub (PS4)

Originally slated as a launch title with the PlayStation 4 in Fall 2013, “DriveClub” has gone through two delays while Sony’s Evolution Studios refined key aspects of the game, including the graphics, controls and its dynamic menu system. To see how the racer handled, IBTimes managed to get some hands-on experience with the E3 2014 build of “DriveClub” at the Sony event.

To best describe it, “DriveClub" tows a fine line between racing sims such as “Gran Turismo,” and casual racers, such as the “Need for Speed” series. “Driveclub” associate project manager, David Alonzo, noted the game rewards users with more points for “clean” driving, but that doesn’t stop racers from playing aggressively by trying to sideswipe other players off the road.

“Driveclub” is set for release on Oct. 7 for the PS4, at $59.99. But PlayStation Plus subscribers will have access to the PS Plus Edition for free, which can be also upgraded to the full “Driveclub” version for $49.99.

Project Morpheus (PS4)

Project Morpheus is very much in the developmental stage, but from what we saw, so far the hardware has a lot of promise. While the virtual reality headset prototype looks bulky to an observer, according to Richard Marks, director of PlayStation’s Magic Lab, the headset was designed to shift its weight to the top of the head, and not the front.

In a street luge gameplay demo presented at the Sony event, we found that the Project Morpheus video screen responds to head movement quickly and looks great, so much so that we sometimes forgot we weren't actually careening down a busy highway at top speed.

While Sony has started sending Project Morpheus kits to developers, there’s no word on when Sony plans to release its VR headset, or how much the final production model will cost.

Far Cry 4 (PS4)

Now in development by Ubisoft Entertainment SA (EPA:UBI) subsidiary, Ubisoft Montreal, “Far Cry 4” places players into a fictional Nepali region caught up in a civil war. IBTimes was able to play a pre-release version of the game, which had the options of attacking a stronghold in three different styles -- by stealth, by vehicle and by elephant. The ability to charge into an enemy base with guns blazing on an elephant is quite the experience for a first-person shooter.

Ubisoft Montreal is polishing “Far Cry 4,” but it expects to release the game on all modern console platforms on Nov. 18.

The Last of Us Remastered (PS4)

Owners of the PS4 will soon have the chance to play “The Last of Us Remastered,” an upgraded version of “The Last of Us,” an action-adventure survival horror game that has sold more than 7 million units on the PS3.

The game has a number of notable improvements, including faster load times, graphical upgrades such as 1080p support and higher framerates. “The Last of Us Remastered” launches on July 29 for $49.99, which also includes DLCs previously released for the PS3 version.

The Order 1886 (PS4)

“The Order 1886” takes players to an alternate history of Victorian-era London, where knights with advanced weapons battle it out against various rebels and creatures. While we haven't seen the full game, the cinematic-like graphics are highly immersive and show promise for the third-person shooter.

According to Ready at Dawn Studios, “The Order 1886” is scheduled to launch on Feb. 20, 2015.

PlayStation 4 Glacier White Destiny Bundle

The sleek Glacier White PS4 will launch this September as part of a bundle with “Destiny,” Bungie’s multiplayer online first-person shooter, for $449. But Europeans may be able to purchase a standalone version of the console later in 2014, according to Polygon. The console provides a fresh option for PS4 prospective buyers looking for something that stands out a bit more in the living room.

PlayStation TV

The PlayStation TV may be the bridge needed between casual and serious gamers. At $99, the PlayStation TV can play select PS Vita Games, PSP titles, PS One classic titles and PS3 games streamed through the PlayStation Now service.

PlayStation 4 owners will have the added benefit of using the PlayStation TV to stream PS4 games to another television in the same house. The PlayStation TV is expected to launch sometime in Fall 2014.