It has been a few weeks since the dust has settled on this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo. Now that the time has passed, I thought I would reflect on what has stood out to me at the show.
First, let us put the rest the ridiculous debate. You know the one among gamers that always sounds something like, “PlayStation this…Xbox that…Nintendo….uh check out that Mario game!” There are great games coming for both the PS4 and Xbox One. Games like Star Wars Battlefront, Call of Duty Black Ops 3, Battleborn, Fallout 4, Assassins Creed Syndicate, The Division and Dishonored 2. Those games alone are enough to keep a gamer occupied all holiday season and into early next spring, baring the occasional delay. This is a fantastical lineup…so seriously…can we gamers agree once and for all that E3 is not a matter of who won and lost? But rather we as “Gamers” all won with each of these announcements!
That being said let us talk about those games that appear to be system exclusive, or at the very least, “timed” exclusive with this generation. So without further ado, these are the announced games for each console that has me excited.
PlayStation this…
Playstation’s press conference felt like a Megaton of announcements! There were several preverbal huge trailers shown. Only, was it just me, or was everything big they showed for games that we will not see in 2015 or possibly even 2016. In which case, it has me wondering. What will I be playing exclusively on my PS4 this fall besides the Uncharted: Nathan Drake Collection? Never the less, here are some games that stood out to me.
Uncharted 4
Do I really need to say anything here? This game alone justifies the purchase of a PS4. And, with the subtitle of “A Thief’s End,” everyone is speculating that Nate will die and this could be the franchise swan song…Not likely, however I do think that Sully will actually die this time which could shift the direction of the franchise. We shall see sometime in 2016…hopefully.
Shenmue 3
Sony kicked off the Kickstarter for this game during their press conference. Within 2 hours Shenmue had its goal and Sony announced they wanted to back this game….does anyone else have a problem with this? A multi-million dollar corporation, announcing a Kickstarter on their stage and only after the game met its goal, they decided to back the game? Beware my friends. Do these corporations do not need your money to front the bill for games. Still, it is great that we can finally finish the Shenmue story. A game we would not have had otherwise.
Final Fantasy VII remake
Seven seconds into the trailer I knew what I was watching. And I couldn’t believe it was actually, finally happening. Personally, I think Final Fantasy VII is overrated, however it makes me excited to see this game’s world fully fleshed out and remade with the technology of today. Furthermore, it hopefully will lead to remakes of the other PS1 Final Fantasy games and in turn, remind Square-Enix where they came from and why this announcement caused collective cries of joy from fans all over the world….Not bad for a game that will probably be 20+ years old once its released in 2017 or beyond.
Xbox One that…
Microsoft’s press conference proved to gamers that first and foremost, Microsoft is about games. In fact, most of the games I will be playing this fall will be on the Xbox One and I cannot wait to learn more about Hololense. In the meantime, here is what caught my eye.
Cup head
Imagine if Disney’s Steamboat Willy had a baby with Nes Contra and you would have something kind of close to what Cuphead is doing. Drawn in the style of a 1930s cartoon, this run and gun game looks fantastic with tight controls and challenging (hard) gameplay. This was my game of show. I waited in line to play this game and watched for 5 minutes before getting out of line and declaring, “I’m sold, no need to play this demo. Can I purchase this game now?” Needless to say, this is the game I am most looking forward to in 2016.
Tomb Raider
A timed exclusive, the new Tomb Raider expands on 2012s reboot delves into the lore that is Lora Croft becoming the Tomb Raider we know and love. This game looks fantastic beyond just the snow mountain environments that were shown during the press conference. Expect a full adventure and mystery as Lora takes us on another adventure. Fans of the series and those just looking for a great adventure should keep this game on their radar.
Rare Replay Collection
Whether it is 8-bit classics like RC-Pro AM and Battletoads, Nintendo 64 favorites like Conker’s Bad Fur Day and Banjo Kazooie, or even Xbox 360 launch titles like Kameo: Elements of Power and Perfect Dark Zero. Rare Replay Collection is 30 Rare Studios classic games for $30. You cannot beat the value of this package and the trip down some great games of yesteryear.
Gears of War: Ultimate
The original Gears of War on the Xbox 360 was the first game to showcase the Unreal 3 engine that would later be used in most games of the generation. The original Gears of War was also the defining moment in the transition into the HD era of gaming. Now Gears of War is remastered in 1080p and runs in a smooth 60 frames per second. What once was old is new again, and I cannot wait to once again team up with some buddies crush out some hoard mode multiplayer.
Nintendo…uh check out that Mario game!
While some would consider Nintendo’s E3 a disappointment, the games they did show continue to prove that quality over quantity is still really important in the gaming space. While far from perfect, each of the following games are worthy of the Nintendo Seal of Approval.
Yoshi Wooly World
It is cute, it is Yoshi, the controls take a bit of getting used to, but you cannot deny the charm of this game. Now with plush yarn Yoshi Amiibo. Joy!
Zelda: TriForce helpers
This is a bit of a disappointment for me as I was never a fan of this games predecessor Zelda: 4 Swords Adventures. But like all Zelda games, I am willing to give this one a try. The demo I played was a fun cooperative adventure while playing with 3 strangers at E3. Let’s hope that will carry over to online experiences as well.
Star Fox Zero
Nintendo unveiled Star Fox Zero as their big game this year. While exciting, it is more of the same. To me the demo of Star Fox did not feel all that impressive. Furthermore, the new control scheme is questionable as it does not feel as tight and simple as most Nintendo control schemes. I don’t know, in 2015 is Star Fox in its current iteration blockbuster game? It feels more like it should be a $19.99-$29.99 downloadable game to me.
Super Mario Maker
Trust me…this game is BETTER than you think it is…Seriously….EVERYTHING about this game reminds me of why I became a gamer in the first place. It is pure Super Mario Nintendo Lovefest goodness! I cannot think of a better way to celebrate Super Mario Bros. 30th anniversary then to give fans the ability to make Mario games themselves. The possibilities are truly endless. For those not interested in making levels, they can download other players made levels and more importantly the game will come pre-shipped with 100 levels! That is more than any other Super Mario game in history! For some awesome footage of what is possible in gameplay, be sure to YouTube the finals of 2015 Nintendo world championships. There you will witness some professional Mario speed runners tackle some insane stages. Stages I crushed on the E3 show floor BTW….John Numbers, I’m coming for you in 2016!
Wrap-Up
In the end, this was the best E3 of the last few years. Each Studio had a strong showing and there are great games to play across the spectrum. We as gamers, all win when the market is competitive and this E3 has proven that the home console industry is here and is healthy.
