First of all, welcome to the forum! 
Secondly, I think when people refer to the Sony Formula, they tend to be referring to what I will call two âclustersâ of games for lack of a better phrase, or Formula A and B. It must first be noted as well that several games, from Ratchet, to Astrobot, to Sackboy to Demonâs Souls and beyond do not really fit either one of these.
In terms of the quote-unquote formulas, I think they are as follows:
Formula A: The Naughty Dog Formula
For lack of a better phrase, this is the one primarily utilized in NDâs games Uncharted and The Last of Us. They are primarily (if not outright exclusively) linear experiences that are driven first and foremost by the character. What is lacking in player agency is often made up for in story integration. It is arguable that games within Sony like God of War, and ones outside like A Plague Tale and Crystal Dynamicâs TR reboot fit the bill, albeit sometimes with more open linear environments.
Traditionally, these games are played from an over-the-shoulder perspective, have light stealth elements and several âslow walk and talkâ moments and climbing/âpuzzleâ (often no more complex than lowering a block or moving a plank) sections to deliver character and expository moments without significantly interrupting the narrative experience.
Formula B: The âUbiSonyâ formula
This is the one utilized within games by Sony that is at least on a surface level similar to the ones used in Ubisoft games. You have a primarily linear experience placed in an open world, with side camps, sidemissions, towers to unveil fog on the maps, enemy encampments to clear, etc. While on the surface level these are similar, Sonyâs approach is often further integrated with story moments and moments from Formula A. This is the formula used in titles like Ghost of Tsushima, Spider-Man, Horizon, etc.
All of this being said, while there are some commonalities, there are absolutely big differences as well. Horizon and God of War have RPG elements. Infamous and Spider-Man place a great deal of importance on traversal and speed. etc.
And a formula in and of itself is of course not a bad thing. I suspect most of Xboxâs forthcoming RPGs barring Dragon and Fable will be primarily cut from the Bethesda cloth, with their own subtle differences (Obsidianâs take on the formula often is driven by player choice and writing over interactivity and immersion).
But yeah, ultimately those are in the end two types of something cut from the same cloth, i.e. Narrative third person blockbusters, and I think there are some fantastic offerings there. I for one thoroughly enjoyed Horizon and absolutely loved Ghost and God of War. I think itâs just a case where mileage may vary in the end and why genre diversity is important as well (which Sony seems to know given their recent partnerships).
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