[UPDATE 19/02] Frogwares has now officially announced The Sinking City for the PS5. The studio also confirmed that due to the game being published by different companies and their ongoing legal battle with Nacon, there will no upgrade option available for owners of The Sinking City on PS4. Players who do purchase the PS5 version will be given a digital artbook as DLC at a later date.
You can view the gameplay trailer below:
[ORIGINAL STORY FOLLOWS]
Lovecraftian mystery game The Sinking City from Ukrainian developer Frogwares has surfaced with two new editions (Standard and Deluxe) for the PS5 on the New Zealand PSN store. Nothing has appeared on the Australian or US stores as of yet (or on the Xbox storefront for that matter), which I assume means the game will unlock at midnight in the respective regions. Frogwares has not officially announced the game, but given it’s available to purchase now it won’t be too far away. However, the existence of a PS5 version is nothing new, with the Taiwanese Rating Board leaking the title last month.
According to the listings, Frogwares is self-publishing the PS5 versions of The Sinking City which has been enhanced to utilise the power and features of Sony’s latest console. The perks include:
- Native 3840×2160 resolution (4K)
- 60 frames per second
- Improved graphical fidelity
- Significantly faster loading times
- DualSense features support
The Deluxe Edition of the game will include the following additional content:
- The Worshipers of the Necronomicon – 3 new quests in which Charles Reed investigates unsolved cases and sets out in search of mysterious spell books that harbor unspeakable powers.
- Merciful Madness – 3 new quests that explore Lovecraft’s iconic stories and bring to light the mysteries of Oakmont and its demented citizens.
- Investigator Pack – Upgrade your gaming experience with an exclusive private investigator outfit and access to a first aid kit, antipsychotics and a crafting materials starter pack.
- Chicago Organ Grinder – This DLC grants early access to the most powerful weapon in the game, the Tommy gun, and comes with a golden skin of the weapon.
- Experience Boost – This DLC includes a skill point that can be used from the start of the game. Use it wisely to upgrade your combat skills, vigor or mind.
In a surprise move, the PS5 versions have been priced lower than their PS4 counterparts (see below – PS Plus subscribers get a tasty 30% off too). I’m not a betting man, but I’d assume the reasons are to entice the player to purchase the PS5 version (the better version one would assume) and to undercut PS4 version ‘publisher’ Nacon, with whom Frogwares are currently in a legal battle with. Furthermore, while there is no official statement at this stage, given the fact that the PS5 and PS4 versions are published by two separate companies and those two companies aren’t the best of friends, it’s highly unlikely that the PS4 version will be eligible for a free upgrade.
UPDATE – The Australian listing is now live, with the Standard Edition priced at $53.16 with PS Plus discount ($75.95 without) and the Deluxe Edition priced at $68.56 with PS Plus discount ($97.95 without).
The Sinking City was first released back in 2019, with yours truly scoring it an 8 in my review. However, since then there has been drama surrounding the title, culminating in its delisting from digital storefronts. Having never played the DLC I am keen to venture back into Oakmont to experience what I missed last time around while treating my hands and eyeballs to the PS5 version’s perks.
