5 promising games for the PS4

Despite all the clatter about what's inside the new PlayStation 4 console, games were in the forefront of everyone's mind during Wednesday's Sony launch event.

What titles can I play? What will they look like? And when can I play them?

Only a handful of games were actually showcased during the event in New York. But Sony said nearly 150 developers are committed to making games for the PS4, so the lineup will continue to grow throughout the year.

Wednesday's event brought some startling revelations, such as Blizzard bringing its "Diablo 3" from PCs to consoles and SquareEnix teasing a new "Final Fantasy" game announcement at E3 this year

All of these games are being made for the PS4, and some are also being made for the PlayStation 3 because of lack of backwards compatibility for the new console. It will be interesting to see how much consumers will transition from the old box to the new one if these new games are still being produced for the PS3 as well.

Here are five upcoming games (in no particular order) that looked especially promising. Release schedules are still vague.

'Knack'

Presented by lead system architect Mark Cerny as his own vision of games for the PS4, "Knack" showed off the graphical capabilities of the new console and its ability to manipulate many objects on the screen at once. The game follows the exploits of Knack, a robot-like being with a talent for summoning surrounding objects to change its shape and acquire new abilities.

The animation looks like something from Pixar or Dreamworks, but the gameplay appears more in line with a "Jak and Daxter" title. It looks cute and family friendly.

'Killzone: Shadow Fall'

Developed to appear to the hardcore gamer, "Killzone: Shadow Fall" is the fourth installment in the violent "Killzone" shooter series. This chapter takes players back into interplanetary battle against the Helghast menace. Based on the trailer, the gameplay takes place in a futuristic urban environment with lots of sparkle and shine.

Early glimpes of the game show smooth-looking animation, persistent effects and plenty of action. This "Killzone" looks on the surface like a standard shooter game, but the stunning graphics on the PS4 may be enough to raise it to a higher level.

'Watch_Dogs'

"Watch_Dogs" was first previewed at last year's Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) to rave reviews. But it's console functionality was unclear -- until Wednesday night. Set in an alternate version of Chicago, the action-adventure game lets you assume the role of a rogue vigilante who hacks into computer systems to track down and eliminate criminals.

A live demo showed off the many ways a player can interact with his surroundings and other characters. The action, and the protagonist's movements, appear to be organic and free flowing. It looks like an open-world environment, although I wonder how much the story will drive where you go.

'The Witness'

This indie puzzle title has drawn great interest from fans. Was it the game's intriguing quietness during a launch event filled with fireworks? Was it the serene, inviting tropical-island environment, filled with bright colors and soothing music? Creator Jonathon Blow, who also made "Braid," said his team worked hard to eliminate repetitive action in a game that will take 25 hours to complete.

Given the critical success of the similar "Journey" last year, this game should do very well.

'Deep Down' (working title)

"Deep Down" really showed off what the PS4 engine can do. Its new trailer details a showdown between medieval humans and a fire-breathing dragon in a subterranean lair. The battle scenes were intense, and the sword-toting dungeon crawlers moved realistically as rubble rained down on them.