4. The Witness
This list has shown just how diverse a library Sony are putting together. Putting faith in game developers and letting them realise their visions and having the trust in them to make meaningful experiences outside of large franchises. Third party franchise games still have a big part to play in the console's business model but Sony seem to be preempting a high demand in new and compelling content. It is quite possibly the most exciting thing that they are pursuing at the moment and why it seems the console has a really healthy future ahead of it. The Witness is proof of that Sony are investing in new and exciting projects in a big way. Coming from Braid creator Jonathan Blow, The Witness is a puzzle game mixed with a gorgeous non-linear open world. It is a weird match in theory but word has been good on the game. You play as an unnamed protagonist whose goal is to get to a mountain towards the middle of an island. To do so you must complete puzzles in 10 sections of the island. It is an odd premise, one that goes against the grain of what we can imagine many business executives think sells. That is exciting in itself. The Witness is looking gorgeous and I can't wait to get some hands on time with it. Supposedly there is a real depth, illustrated by Blow when he said:
the point is the magic that happens in the player's mind when he understands the subtle things that the mazes are saying - because the mazes aren't just puzzles, they are lines of communication that aggregate, become more complex and eventually say surprising things
The premise of this one sounds intriguing and we could have a new hit in the ilk of Portal coming at us very early on in a console generation.