Sony's China Hero Project Shows Off Five Upcoming Chinese Indie Games

Published: August 3, 2018 12:02 AM /

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I have an absolute love for the Chinese indie market. While it's still not as big, or frankly as good, as other regions, I love watching it bubble and grow. It seems Sony also loves this growing sector. Last year they kicked off their China Hero Project, where Sony provides funding and overseas publishing assistance for Chinese indie games. This year they're showing some of the fruits of their labor in a fifteen-minute video from their Chinajoy 2018 press conference.

The first two minutes of the video are mostly just showing off a logo and some people talking, but we get to see the first game after that. That game is Kill X, a PlayStation VR first-person shooter. Originally announced last year, the game is a horror/FPS hybrid. This new trailer shows the main character fighting otherworldly creatures that wouldn't look out of place in one of H.P. Lovecraft's books. The trailer also features some puzzle solving, and controller shaking. The game almost wouldn't look out of place in the Resident Evil series. Kill X is being developed by Vivagames and currently has a Winter 2018 release window.

Following that is Project Boundary, a PlayStation 4 multiplayer FPS. If you ever played the admittedly sub-par Call of Duty: Ghosts, then you may remember the levels that took place in space as the only noteworthy thing about the game, besides the good dog of course. Project Boundary looks like that segment blown up into a full game. The trailer features people in bulky spacesuits and unwieldy jetpacks flying around a space station, grabbing onto it for support to help aim their weapons. It's not just the setting, but the whole gameplay style that reminds me of Call of Duty. The UI is similar, as is the faster-paced gunplay. Fans of the series may find a lot to like here. Project Boundary is being developed by Studio Surgical Scalpels Co, and is set for a release sometime in 2019.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s139q71Xud0

Third on the list is Pervader, a game that seems to take place during a viral epidemic. Sure enough, this means zombies. Billed as a "story telling survival game", the game certainly seems out there. At one point in the trailer, we got to see a catgirl zombie, while another featured firefighters wearing exosuits. One even kicked down a door while screaming "I am a firefighter now!" Eventually, we also get a glimpse at both a giant sea monster and a dragon. The trailer is sure crazy, switching tone and style from one scene to the next, and it's almost lovable in its insanity. The only thing missing is gameplay, as it's clear this is all just CGI. Pervader, whatever it is, is being developed by Beijing Lights & Digital Technology, and is currently "coming soon" to PlayStation VR.

Next up is Hardcore Mecha, which was originally known under the name Code: Hardcore when it was Kickstarted. Unlike the other three games, which are all first-person shooters, this one is a 2D action game. You'll pilot a variety of mechs in both a single player campaign and in multiplayer battles. Some of the mechs are shown off, like the Geier Evol, which can turn into a jet and fly around, or the Round Hammer, which is extremely slow but packed full of guns. The game is being developed by Rocket Punch, and will be coming soon to both PC and PlayStation 4.

The final game shown off is Lost Soul Aside, a one-man project that caught a lot of eyes (especially Sony, who's funding it now) thanks to combining elements from Final Fantasy XV and the Devil May Cry series. Perhaps the most impressive game to come out of this program, the trailer sure is dramatic. It shows off more of that crazy action that brought it attention back in 2016. In addition, there are some hints to the game's story, featuring a mysterious woman that appears to be trying to control the main character. As exciting as Ultizero Games' project looks, there's still no release date for Lost Soul Aside. However, it will come out eventually for the PlayStation 4.

With that we got a look into the China Hero Project. Five games that look interesting, if nothing else. Hopefully, we'll have our hands on each of these games soon, and they'll all meet expectations.

Interesting in any of these games? Let us know in the comments below!

Have a tip, or want to point out something we missed? Leave a Comment or e-mail us at tips@techraptor.net


Samuel Guglielmo TechRaptor
| Reviews Editor

I'm Sam. I have been playing video games since my parents brought home a PlayStation whenever that came out. Started writing for TechRaptor for 2016 and,… More about Samuel