The PlayStation brand is defined by its first party games, and behind each of these franchises is an incredibly talented studio. Developers like Naughty Dog have evolved with the industry, pushing the genre of story-driven games forward in significant ways. Sucker Punch has undergone an incredible evolution, moving from small-scale titles likeSly Cooperto sprawling open worlds like the one seen inGhost of Tsushima. Santa Monica is continuing to grow as it moves towardthe future ofGod of War. Alongside all these juggernauts isInsomniac Games, a studio that is quickly climbing the PlayStation Studios ranks.
While studios like Housemarque have been getting some well-deserved praise for games likeReturnal, and Media Molecule’sDreamsis finally getting the attention it deserves, not nearly enough appreciation has been shared forInsomniac Games. The studio has been on fire lately, pumping out great games at an incredible rate. Despite focusing on singleplayer, these games have been given great post-launch support as well. With rumors indicating that even more is on the way, Insomniac does not seem to be slowing down anytime soon. As such, its consistency might just see it becoming the premier studio for the PlayStation platform.
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Insomniac’s Hot Streak
Insomniac Games has always been a strong studio, with its work on the originalRatchet and Clankgames and the under-appreciatedResistancetrilogy standing out. However, it truly came into its own with the release ofMarvel’s Spider-Manback in 2018. Boasting some of the best gameplay, storytelling, and visuals that the studio had ever delivered, the game quickly established itself as the bestSpider-Mangame ever made. While this was impressive enough on its own, Insomniac managed to make lightning strike twice, as 2020’sSpider-Man: Miles Moralesproved to be just as strong (if not better) than its predecessor. Between these two games, asolid batch of story DLCwas released, with several free updates adding new costumes to the original game.
Not only hasSpider-Man: Miles Moralescontinued this trend of free content,adding the Advanced Tech Suitto the game, but a huge graphical update saw new muscle tech added to the PS5 version. While this could have been saved for the next game, Insomniac put the effort into adding it to an already-released title, showing its willingness to improve its games. AlongsideSpider-Man: Miles Morales,Ratchet and Clank: Rift Aparthas been getting worked on, with the sequel quickly approaching its June 11 release date. While it impressive to make these two high-quality games back-to-back, releasing them so close together without any delays is an even greater accomplishment.
On top of this,Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apartlooks like a huge step forward for the series — both narratively and from a gameplay perspective. Not only is the game making the fan favorite villain Dr. Nefarious a genuine threat, but it is introducing a brand-new protagonist in Rivet. A welcome addition to theRatchet and Clankuniverse, this mysterious Lombax is already winning fans over. On top of this, the gameplay improvements look incredible, with the smartuse of the DualSense’s adaptive triggersbeing great to see. The use of rifts to make the combat and arenas feel fresh is another awesome touch, while the plentiful side activities are also welcome. Based on everything shown for the game thus far, it seems like Insomniac is gearing up to deliver yet another hit.
An Exciting Future Ahead
OnceRatchet and Clank: Rift Apartreleases, Insomniac Games will likely turn its attention toward the highly anticipatedMarvel’s Spider-Man 2. Making good on theteasers for the Symbioteand Venom all-but-guarantees that the game will meet fan expectations, while the game could look and feel incredible by taking full advantage of the PS5’s power. The possibility of two playable Spider-Men is thrilling as well, as is the chance to add in some more costumes and powers for the webslingers to use. With opportunities to introduce more Marvel heroes and the Spider-Verse in future games, too, there is so much to look forward to when it comes toMarvel’s Spider-Man.
However, recent rumors have made it clear that Insomniac’s future is not only defined by Spidey. Sony recently filed atrademark forSunset Overdrive, a former Xbox exclusive that Playstation has owned since 2019. This implies that something is finally being done with Insomniac’s over-the-top third person shooter, meaning that players could once again have the chance to fight the OD. This coincides with a leak stating that aSunset Overdriveremaster is on the way, with the same leak suggesting that a proper sequel is coming for PS5 owners, too. CalledSunset Apocalypse, it is easy to think of how the already-great traversal of the original would be improved with DualSense functionality. On top of this, Insomniac has previously stated that it would love to make a sequel, ensuring that the passion is there.
Finally, Insomniac has seemingly beenteasing the return ofResistanceas well. Alongside some cryptic tweets from 2020, the first-person shooter was referenced in the latest gameplay demonstration forRatchet and Clank: Rift Apart. Keeping the hope alive for a remastered trilogy, or even a new game where the Chimera return, seeing the franchise make a comeback would allow PlayStation to fill the noticeable gap of an exclusive FPS. Regardless, these rumors make it clear that Insomniac’s work ethic is second-to-none. Further, it is clear that the studio has incredible range. Able to bounce betweenRatchet and Clank,Sunset Overdrive, andMarvel’s Spider-Man, it is not defined by one series. With Insomniac’s games coming out at a fast pace and getting support after launch, too, players have a great reason to support the studio. Now more than ever before, it is clear just how bright the future is looking for Insomniac Games.
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