What makes a next-generation game special? The obvious, quick answer is the presentation. Going from the PlayStation 3 to the PlayStation 4 will be exciting initially because we’ll be able to jump into titles that are likely better looking than anything we’ve seen before. However, new hardware isn’t just about eye candy. Sucker Punch, the developer behind the Sly Cooper and InFamous franchises, are excited to bring a new level of emotion to the faces of its characters, and that type of next-generation power is displayed through a new developer diary.
The above video includes a few members of the Sucker Punch team talking up the motion capture technology that will be front and center in the upcoming PS4 exclusive, Second Son. The game's new protagonist, Delsin Rowe, is the focus here, and technical director Spencer Alexander really believes that there’s a new level of emotion coming through this time around.
"With this jump in hardware, you really have the expectation to see what is next gen,” Alexander explains. “I think a lot of that isn't just about better graphics, better lighting, smoother rendering, but the facial capture and the performances that are coming through, just this fuller cinematic experience."
Similar to Killzone: Shadow Fall, Second Son is a whole new experience built from the ground up on fresh hardware. The 24-year-old Native American street artist is nothing like the Cole MacGrath you remember from past games, as Rowe can control smoke in many unique ways. This Sony exclusive is expected to launch right alongside the PS4 later this year, where you’ll be able to see all the hard work Sucker Punch has been putting in.
