"An absolutely astounding day all around."
Disclaimer: This is an extremely DENSE article filled with a lot of reveals. If you are looking for specific teasers, reveals and speeches, reference the Glossary below and use the command, Control+F to bring up the browsers word finder. Input the game you are looking for and check out the details. The "Top" button shall help you climb back up to the start of this article if you would like to search for another game. I will find a way to make this easier in the future but thank you for patience and efforts with this article. If you are on mobile, Google Chrome offers a search option in the top right corner of the application.
Showcases:
Microsoft
Bethesda
Devolver
Part 1 - The Stage is Ready at Xbox:
Phil Spencer, the head of Xbox, opens the show with his confident structure into the Xbox infrastructure. Laying out a path of soon to be released titles, Xbox progression methods and so much more. I will list out major games and presentation points below just like I did for Day One of E3 in case you prefer to just see the announcements and reveals.
Cozy Pre-Show - Please let there be Killer Instinct 2.
Also, these live-streams do not want to be recorded and I do not want to live stream them myself so I may have a few names or dates out of the mix but overall a lot of content is identifiable. Today was a huge day and for Microsoft, there was a lot of "theatrical" like game-play demos or just reveal trailers. I will be shooting through a lot of the details as they were provided so it will not be as in depth as the first day since the presentations were varying. Exclusives will be outlined as well. If any release date does not have any specific platform afterwards, it is safe to assume it will be released on multiple platforms though I cannot say which ones for certain.
Glossary:
Halo Infinite
Xbox Fanfest donates proceeds to Gamers Outreach
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Fallout 76
The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit
Crackdown 3
Nier Automata: Become as Gods Edition
Metro Exodus
Kingdom Hearts 3 - Frozen reveal
Sea of Thieves - Cursed Sails/Forsake Shores
Battlefield V - War Stories Teaser
Forza Horizon 4
Microsoft Studios Expansion - The Initiative, Undead Labs, Playground Games, Ninja Theory, Compulsion Games
We Happy Few
PUBG - New Map
Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition
The Division 2
GamePass Expansion
ID@Xbox
Shadow of the Tomb Raider
Session
Black Desert Online
Devil May Cry 5
Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course
Tunic
Jump Force
Dying Light 2
Battletoads
Just Cause 4
Gears of War POP
Gears Tactics
Gears of War 5
Cyberpunk 2077
Enjoy!
Halo Infinite - Although I thought we were going to be getting a lush Lion King game, I was sorely mistaken. The opening trailer for Halo has a lot of scenic shots but finally hints to what universe we are in with the iconic marines from this world. A flare is dropped, the camera zooms out much further and the infamous spartan helmet of Master Chief peers from the right side of the screen. Halo Infinite is teased with no release and is left with the SlipSpace Engine being the new gaming engine for the series and 343 Industries leaving their mark. With no particular direction of the timeline of this game, I am only eager to hear more about what this can be.
Xbox Fanfest - This early access to E3 Microsoft content sent all of it's proceeds towards Gamers Outreach, a non-profit organization to create therapeutic methods for hospitalized kids. Another step in Microsoft's plans to unify gamers all over the world. It is amazing to see these big companies donating to all these charities and letting us know this as well. I am not sure how many attendees were at Fanfest but I am hoping it was a significant amount to head out towards this charity. From what I have found on their website, a Fanfest ticket costs $45.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps - The sequel to Ori was announced and it looks as gorgeous as ever. It looks like the style was completely retained while creating dynamic 3D assets for the characters and enemies. It really pops off the screen with the beautifully painted backgrounds. The gameplay looks absolutely bonkers and more intricate with new offensive powers and diverse traversal options. Magic missiles, Owl gliding and so much more. Ori and the Will of the Wisps is aiming for a 2019 release on Xbox and Windows.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - Samurai with a wooden arm. That's what I at least was seeing when this trailer rolled in. The I saw From Software and got goosebumps. The samurai like protagonist is then swinging and moving to the familair combat stance we all have come to known from past From Software titles like Bloodbourne and Dark Souls. However, I can see this formula being experimented with and it looks like it flows super well. There was a section where the protagonists did a double parry and went in for a kill. It looks mind blowing and sold me that this IP could have potential. There was also a part where they died and the screen went to black. Shortly after, they rose from the dead. Empowered and enraged. Yeah, this game is going to be insanely cool.
Fallout 76 - What is this game Bethesda?? Todd Howard enters and teases the entire theater saying that Fallout 76 will be four times bigger than Fallout 4, it will take place in West Virginia, it will be a prequel to the entire series and providing us with an epic teaser trailer for the game. What genre is it?? Are the multiplayer rumors false?? Surely Todd is saving more info for later tonight but for now, this is all we got. June 15th was also listed to be a time to start per-orders for this title. Todd... what are you planning?
The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit - Don't Nod Entertainment comes back to the Life is Strange universe but is providing a new story with new characters. The style looks exactly the same as Life is Strange but follows the perspective of a young child who is entranced in his wildest imagination of Captain Spirit. It seems like it will have a very lively story with imaginative endeavors, alcoholic father and missing mother. Apparently this title will be free once it release on June 26th. If it is an episodic game, which it most likely will be, it probably will only be free for the first episode.
Crackdown 3 - Sumo Digital, Terry Crews, mother quacker. That is all. Oh, Crackdown will also be available on the Xbox Game Pass as well. Definitely worth subbing for the chance to peek this game out in February the 29th.
Nier Automata: Become as Gods Edition - Nier Automata has been out on Playstation 4 and PC for quite some time now. It was almost apparent that Nier was never going to hit the Xbox platform at this rate. However, today's trailer revealed a new edition of Nier that will be released on June 26th which features all DLC and the inclusion of Xbox. I was not too phased on this announcement but it is always great to see games reaching every platform possible! More of that game unification.
Metro Exodus - Choo, choo trains, lush wasteland above the metro and a whole slew of weapon customization. Metro came back to E3 and with a lot more energy and even beefier amount of monsters. A release date was given dating at February 22nd, 2019.
Kingdom Hearts 3 - We are practically watching Disney movies at this point. Kingdom Hearts 3 is peeking it's head out much more confidently this year and are continuing to show us more of what they have in store. This is not even a third of the game as well at this point in just reveals of locations and abilities alone. Today, Xbox was proud to announce the inclusion of Kingdom Hearts 3 to the Xbox with a warm hug filled trailer of the game featuring bits and bobs of previous reveals and the brand new world featuring "Frozen". I have already gone on to say how excited I am to be playing the series this year and this new trailer just threw more excitement into the mix. The quality of these worlds is beyond me I truly respect it. Unfortunately in all of this, the release date was pushed back from 2018 to January 29th, 2019. A small price to pay (at least for me) for the kind of quality they have been showing us.
Sea of Thieves - Rare plunders E3 with some gathered game-play info and a look into the future that will be on the shoreline for Sea of Thieves. A beautifully animated trailer gives a glimpse into the future thanks to the Order of Souls faction and shows a forthcoming threat of skeletal crews and a whole new geographical location involving volcanoes. Personally, I think this is the content that will make the game much more interesting to continue to play. It seems like these two new additions will break the monotony of the same areas we are use to sailing and put in NPC threats in besides the PVP menaces. It is a great addition to the game that was promised by the developers and they truly are listening to their communities. Cursed Sails is the skeletal crews expansion which will release in July and Forsaken Shores is the volcano addition which will slate for September.
Battlefield V - Battlefield made a quick debut during the Xbox Conference to tease a more in depth look at one of the War Stories coming to the new Battlefield game. Battlefield V is continuing their single-player storytelling through these War Stories and you can find out more about Battlefield V in my previous article here.
Forza Horizon 4 - Playground Games comes back for Xbox with a brand new addition to the Forza franchise. Horizon makes it debut but is focused heavily on making seasons their primary game-play identifier. Different seasons will affect the way you interact and drive around the world. New locations open some may close off, your driving will be impaired or boosted and much more. Though I do not invest too heavily into the racing genre, it is an amazing concept for the open world perspective of Forza and should make the play-ability last a good amount of time for it's players. Posing new challenges and interactions with your online companions and rivals. Technically, the Xbox One X will get a 60 FPS unlock option and be part of the Xbox Game Pass deal. Forza Horizon 4 will launch on October 2nd, 2018. Very close!
Microsoft Studios Expands - With the major successes of indie like companies under the assistance of Microsoft Studios, it aims to take more companies under it's wing and expand their potential for future titles. The Initiative, Undead Labs (State of Decay 2), Playground Games (Forza Horizon 2), Ninja Theory (Hellblade: Senuas Sacrafice) and Compulsion Games (We Happy Few) have debuted these companies to be a bigger part of Microsoft Studios. This is going to be a huge step for these companies and I congratulate them for their hard work and experience! Though their titles have been rough around the edges, it does not write off the fact that their was passion, direction and devotion to the IP's they have created for us. I am looking forward to seeing where they all go from here.
We Happy Few - This title has been in Early Access since the summer of last year and has seen some major development in that time frame. It is now transitioning into full release and is aiming for August 10th of this year. We Happy Few is a survival game but with the new eccentric trailer revealed today, it may become more than just that. My short time with We Happy Few was unpolished but interesting one. I think when this drops by it's release I will be keen on checking it out one last time. And with the big transition into Microsoft Studios, things should really be kicking fire for this game.
Players Unknown Battlegrounds - PUBG returns to Xbox this year and the first moments of it's E3 trailer showcase performance enhances and extra game modes that have been previously thought of since the PC's current state. However, it took the opportunity to tease a brand new map that is on the way for both platforms. My friend helped to inform me that there was no news of this prior to E3 so we should be in the clear here. I will most likely not even see this new map in action since I do not play PUBG but here is there trailer!
Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition - It got a remaster. To be honest this was the oddest reveal and there was no way I could have gotten hype off of this reveal. I had no idea there was even a demand for this game (if any) but it got a remaster. To be honest I really do not feel the need to show it's trailer and stuff even more space into this article as it is. I put the game-play side by side and it does not look as visually feasting because of it's already simple art style. If you are truly interested, you can follow the trailer link here but if not, let us continue.
The Division 2 - A game everyone expected but no one asked for. It just happened. Ubisoft and Massive Entertainment return back to the apocalyptic dark zone of shooters and the setting now hits the capital of Washington D.C. The game, so far, looks and plays exactly the same with some new gadgets involved. Even the UI looks identical to mistake the game for just DLC. However, it seems to aiming to create a more expansive world and I hope for it's sake, a more fleshed out player experience. Also, I have tried... so hard to avoid using this word for my articles on these presentations but I think it is time to bring it out. Peeps, please enjoy the cringey game-play, trademark Ubisoft presentations, for Division 2.
Ashley Speicher - The Gamepass Engineering Director takes the stage after a hefty amount of reveals to take a few moments to talk about what shes does best. Creating a the best gaming subscription possible for Xbox gamers. In June, a newer version of Xbox Game Pass will be launching called the Fast Start. Fast Start will be providing the newest released titles straight to Game Pass as they are released and provide better stream quality of these games as well. Every month will continue to add more games to Game Pass. Ashley goes on to list the following as these newest additions; Ashen, Warhammer Vermintide 2, Afterparty, The Division, Fallout 4 and Elder Scrolls Online. I absolutely love Xbox Game Pass. As an Xbox and Windows 10 owner, I get so many benefits from this subscription and with it's constant stream of promotional pay ins, I am always getting access to a large library of games, risk free for such a low price. I can not complain and I will most likely be revisiting some games with the available promotions by Game Pass. I highly recommend it for any Xbox One owner.
ID@Xbox - Just like last year, Xbox created a wonderful compilation of indie titles that are hitting the Xbox One later in the year. I linked the presentation below because there was too many games to just list.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider - Crystal Dynamics brings forth the next chapter in Lara Croft's story. Magic, murder fast paced combat make a return alongside a crazy environment looking to bring Lara to her end. The saga continues with Lara hunting a mystical mad man hoping to bring dark power to his possession and use it for... unknown reasons. Lara is trying to figure that out herself. Check out the action packed trailer and see if you are ready to join Lara for her (potentially) last adventure. I have not played the sequel to the new Lara Croft adaptions but just from what I have saw so far, I may be glad I have. Shadows of the Tomb Raider is aiming for September 14th, 2018 to be released.
Session - Skate 4, I mean, Session, comes into light as a brand new skating simulator game created by Crea-Ture Studios. Something the industry has not seen in awhile. Tony Hawk came out recently but with it's secondary competitor, Skate, there has been no sign of this genre coming back. Until now. The setting is breathtaking with such a crisp autumn like appearance and in the urban area of a New York like aesthetic. All eye candy, all skate. I was pretty impressed with what I have seen with the theatrical game-play trailer and would love to give it a try.
Black Desert Online - In 2019, Black Desert Online, the popular JRPGMMO, will be making it's debut onto the Xbox One marketplace this fall. The trailer was nothing spectacular and the release date was the major announcement for the title. Now the question is... when will PS4 get this title?
Devil May Cry 5 - DMC is back after a 10 year rest. The Capcom director of the series gleefully came out and got the crowd hyped for the infamous and swag filled demon hunter. The demons look gnarly, Dante has new get up and a very energetic companion joining him for his adventure. There was most definitely action and bad-ass performances from Dante and the trailer just oozes confidence. Dante now dons a robotic arm as it implies a mysterious stranger (most likely Vergil, his brother) lopped it off and that sets up the revenge plot device for the title. Expect to see Devil May Cry make its long awaited return later next year in Spring, 2019. Seems to be an Xbox exclusive in this moment of time.
Cuphead DLC - The Delicious Last Course! Get it? I appreciate the acronym the Cuphead developers put into the title of this add-on. Studio MDHR comes back with it's swanky attitude and introduces it's first DLC. This add-on will be featuring a whole new island, bosses, weapons and more. It even takes the glamorous NPC, Legendary Chalice and turns her into a playable character. Ms. Chalice joins Cuphead and Mugman for their zany adventures and to be honest, this was a glorious surprise. It is amazing to see Cuphead is still breathing life into their animated project and I am only more keen to be setting out and getting this when it drops. Keep up the amazing work Studio MDHR! Coming in 2019.
Tunic - Finji Studios hit my interest even more. Right after the Cuphead DLC reveal, an isometric 3D adventure game called Tunic captivated my heart. This adorable yet action packed experience bestows a fox, who looks awfully familiar to an iconic elf, a sword to slay and explore this astonishing and lush world. Tunic is aiming for a 2019 launch, according to their Steam page and looks absolutely phenomenal. It is great to see such a quality indie take up the mantle with a very familiar perspective with an even more recognizable style of game-play.
Jump Force - In 2019, anime fan service is getting a nice gift. I am not too into this game but go check out the teaser and start thinking of all the possible mayhem this 3D Arena Fighter will bring to the table. Hint, Shonen Jump is heavily involved.
Dying Light 2 - The successful zombie action adventure game, Dying Light, gains a sequel. This game has been doing so well and pumping out a consistent stream of DLC, that I am surprised it is getting a sequel shortly after it's latest add-on. It definitely surprised me. Techland brings Dying Light 2 into a broader spotlight and aims to create a dynamic world building experience. Choices players will make in this game will forge the world around them and portray living consequences around every turn. If what the director mentioned was true, players will have over 100 unique choices to make and each one will differentiate them from every player involved in the game. The choices seem as simple as using a choice wheel but even the most simplest decisions will setup the next platform of that player's story. Humans are a much more prominent threat in this addition to the series as well and will not only sculpt the player's world and influence but be a dreadful threat as well among all the zombies. I have yet to play the first Dying Light but I definitely need to hop aboard this hype train as well whenever I can. No definitive release window was provided. Xbox One, PC and PS4 are the intended platforms on release.
Battletoads - Microsoft did it. They went back and got the infamous Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle rip offs. And boy was this another delightful surprise. My heart was racing like a panther today. These back to back reveals were just overwhelmingly a treat. My friends and I always talked about what Microsoft could do now that they have these kind of IP's and after Rash in Killer Instinct (2013), this is announced. It is beautiful. Though it was just a teaser, it was still epic to tune into and get some hype going. From the images used in the trailer, it seems like it is going to be a re-imagining of the classic Battletoads while retaining an artistic and squishy like 2D art style. It is going for 2.5D so it will be interesting to see what get's the 3D touch. Battletoads is crashing the party in 2019.
Just Cause 4 - Avalanche Studios hooks back the niche fans of Just Cause for another crazy ride. The main character, Nico, makes a return using the gadgets he previously had in Just Cause 3. Hook hand, parachutes and gliders for all sorts of crazy traversal. The unique thing I seem to have found in the theatrical game-play trailer was that there will be dynamic weather events during the world's playtime. Just Cause 4 is swinging in later this holiday season around December 4th, 2018.
Gears POP - Yeah so did you ever want POP's in your videogames? Did you ever want to see a chibi version of Gears of War? Yeah, well no matter what you answered you are getting a mobile adaption of the Gears crew in the POP figure style. Gears POP aims to hit app stores in 2019. Rest in peace, Carmine. For the record, I am totally ready to try this game out.
Gears: Tactics - Yeah so there is another Gears of War game right after this one so the low down here, XCOM. Gears takes on the XCOM turn based strategy formula with a Gears of War twist. To be honest, Gears' biggest strength is their gun-play behind cover based objects and terrain so it is oddly fitting for the genre. It also may seem like a strategy game for those who are not a fan of the difficulty curve and statistics of XCOM as it seems to grant you control of your offensive actions. It will be cool to follow this game as more information is provided.
Gears of War 5 - The next episode of Gears takes center stage and stars Kate as the main lead in the story. Her locust necklace seems to be making her feel uneasy as a deceased comrade of her feels her with strife. The landscapes of this Gears truly follows in the directors vision of expanding the world to be much larger and more diverse than any other Gears in the series has created. The environments seem much more vibrant, full of life and even devoid of war even among the onslaught of Locust. It was delightful to notice even though danger is still looming in this never ending war. There was a pretty lengthy reveal on this game and gives a lot of insight of what is to be expected as Gears of War 5 goes forward. No expected launch date but Windows and Xbox is a likely a home for the title when it comes out.
Cyberpunk 2077 - CD Projekt Red is back and not empty handed this year. Cyberpunk 2077 comes back to E3 strong with a theatrical in engine trailer of the world many of us have so curious to prod into since it's teaser three years back. Explaining this game to a few people already, I tell them to just combine the title together. Cyber and punk... what do you think would come out of it? Literally just that. The establishing scenic trailer feels like it was structured as a Grand Theft Auto reveal with an in depth perspective of the location through every avenue the game will offer. Their is so much personality, diversity and construction in the vision of this game and it is really aiming the skies here. CD has finished with The Witcher Series as of this time and I believe all their efforts on this game are in the right place. This trailer gave me plenty of food for thought and is more interesting to watch multiple times. You really pick up more contextual environmental clues with each revisit. I cannot wait to see the RPG system this title has planned.
Part 2 - Todd Howard and the Great Bethesda Showcase:
Todd Howard, Pete Hines and so many creative and passionate Bethesda visionary directors shine bright in the night with a non-stop onslaught of prodigious reveals, upcoming news and teasers. I seriously could not wrap my head around the amount of information given to us tonight and it left me exhausted from the heart palpations and hype overload I have gotten to the prior showcase. If you came for Bethesda news, there is something here for you to get excited about. Warning, it may multiply the more you keep reading.
Glossary:
Rage 2 Gameplay Trailer - Live Performance
Australian Walmart
The Elder Scrolls Legends
Elder Scrolls Online
Doom Eternal
Quake Champions
Prey - Typhon Hunter
Wolfenstein Youngblood
Virtual Reality
Skyrim: Very Special Edition
Fallout 76 - Details
The Elder Scrolls Blades
Starfield
Elder Scrolls VI
Enjoy!
Rage 2 - This game is nothing like the first adaption and I love that so much. I feel like the creators got in the conference room and was like, what could we do with the Rage IP? How about we make jacked up adrenaline rush of a title that just makes the player feel like an absolute bad-ass while killing drugged up psychos? Yeah, that will work. And boom, Rage 2 was born. Seriously, if you look at the first Rage title, you would not be able to distinguish them within the same series. It would be like comparing Saints Row 1 to Gat Out of Hell. Yeah, that drastic. Except Bethesda has their hands on this one and after the game-play feature on tonight's show, I was sold on getting this game. A brutal boomerang, the ability to slam enemies from the sky and a hook push melee action keep the pace of the game quick, explosive and brutal every second of the way. The humor of the game is ridiculous and most definitely prevalent as you mow down enemy after enemy. Just seeing a man giant come at you almost makes me want to giggle before facing my potential doom. It is a wacky explosive world that is has a lot of love put into it's insanity. Andrew W.K (left) performs the "Ready to Die" anthem that has followed this title since it's reveal and the game-play trailer (right) goes in depth on some features implemented in Rage. The developers were insistent on a live demo rather than ranting about what is to be expected out of the game-play. Pre-order have also gone live on the Bethesda store and Rage is aiming to cause chaos in Spring, 2019.
The Elder Scrolls Legends - Although ESL was not the strongest announcement out of Bethesda's showcase, it had some pretty interesting love being put into it's future. The overall UI of the entire game is getting reworked from the ground up and the compatibility of the game sky rocketed. Not only is ESL on PC and mobile already but Bethesda is stretching for console launches as well. Xbox One. Playstation 4 and Nintendo Switch. These additions will be coming out later this year.
Elder Scrolls Online - ESO is in the same boat as ESL. There was just a massive expansion for ESO with the recent release of Summerst. New skill line, new area and more quests. However, there was a great announcement of things to come. Although a new expansion has been dropped, DLC for packs called Wolf Hunter and Black Marsh are on the way. Werewolves are going to be those hunted in this pack and Black Marsh will expand story content into delving deeper into the Argonian races lore. I am personally excited for Black Marsh the most and since this Summerset just dropped, it is probably going to be a more condensed DLC similar to Clockwork City. Either way, great announcements to dwell on!
Doom Eternal - The doom slayer returns and hell has come forth to earth. This was a trailer reveal for the upcoming sequel and no amount of words I can type here can explain the amount of excitement that was coursing through my body when I saw this come on stream. The blood red world and the heavy metal only beckoned for one of my favorite shooters of this generation. More information on Doom Eternal will drop at Quake Con in August so I will be keeping my eyes peeled for further news.
Quake Champions - This title is still kicking and Joshua Boyle, director of Community Manager of Quake Champions, opened with saying how E-Sports driven they are hoping to make this Quake. They want to show more information during Dreamhack and Quake con in the coming months so this is another title that will need to be watches as the time passes this year. There was also another promotional piece Joshua puts in by saying Quake Champions will be free to play from now until June 18th, 2018.Even better, if you get it installed this week only, you will own the game as will as it's release comes around. So go and get this game downloaded! From the time I spent playing Quake Champions, I found it to be quite fun but lacking proper internet connectivity and stability in frequent matches. With the recent updates made in these past months, I can only hope it has been improved. Especially with the new influx of players that will hit this E3 week.
Prey - The dynamic space adventure refuses to call it quits in it's livelihood. Two new DLC's are lined up for tonight and later in the summer. Base additions have also been implemented into the core game. Story Mode, New Game + and Survival are part of the base game line up now and the new "Mooncrash" DLC adds the extra layer to Prey. And best of all, it is all free! "Mooncrash" adds a new progressive mini story that procedurally generates itself every-time you die. And quite literally, every aspect of the play-through will be different. Enemy placements, weapons, loot and even the environment. It is insane how much effort was put into to truly make it random every-time. The trailer did a fantastic job of exemplifying this all in game. It reminds me of the "Ethan Must Die" DLC from Resident Evil 7. Lore wise, it has the p[layer running through a simulation every-time hoping to get through and complete it. It is a nice touch to the world to make it feel consistent and not just a tacked on game mode. The second DLC will be Typhon Hunter. Typhon Hunter is Prey's wonderful interpretation of the prop hunt game mode in others games like Garry's Mod and Call of Duty. One player hunts down Mimics while five player Mimics try to blend in with their environment. This game mode sounds like a hell of a lot of fun and when it comes out later this summer, I have to see how silly it is. I can only imagine the jump scares and absurd situations this mode could open up for hours.
Wolfenstein Youngblood - BJ's legacy lives on in the new Wolfenstein Youngblood. This Wolfenstein takes place (potentially) after the livelihood of BJ Blazkowicz and is passing the mantle down to his daughters. Simply put, this is as much as we got to know but the biggest thing to take away from this reveal is that this is going to be the first cooperative Wolfenstein experience ever. It is a bold move but me and good friend are already pretty hyped to get in and tackle the world of Wolfenstein hand and hand. 2019 is the window of release so let's hope it is not too late in the year!
Virtual Reality - With Doom VFR, Skyrim and Fallout all on the VR, Bethesda seeks to expand their playing field in VR a lot more. Wolfenstein and Prey are the next games to get virtual adaptions and both are being handled in... kind of dull perspectives. Prey is hoping to get you into the perspectives of the lunar colonists in their habitats and Wolfenstein aims to put you in the hands of an elite hacker. Compared to the game-play of both these titles and what DOOM VFR was able to achieve, this seems like a massive setback in terms of exciting and enticing game-play on a VR device. Both concepts have already been done thus far but I could be entirely wrong. These titles could prove to be epic experiences if designed in a particular mindset. Only Bethesda knows so I will be curious to see what comes out regarding their VR projects.
Skyrim: Very Special Edition - Check it out!
Fallout 76 - So Bethesda answered many of my questions and to be honest, I am on board for what Todd Howard and the gang has planned. My worst fear of it being an online game came true... though the fear was alleviated. This was before Todd started explaining the game. A part of me realized I should not have anything to fear in the first place. In fact, it put my mind back into perspective how much care and passion Bethesda puts into their projects and how much of a dream this was as to them as well to the communities around the Fallout series. Fallout 76 offers solo and group play as well as instance spawning with 12 other vault dwellers, all controlled by players. The size of the map is four times as big as Fallout 4's base map and will take place in West Virginia. So far, everything is falling into place. The trailer teased earlier today showed off a deadly wasteland full of luscious colours and radiated creatures beyond imaginative compare. Giant behemoths, large bloated frogs and extremely creepy shadow beetles. There was so much more but just those creatures alone bring a new wave of danger to the wastelands we have come to adapt to.
Todd Howard also continues to mention his goal of creating a dynamic world that players can have a part in. One way to be a part of this is to get the ability to shoot missiles and destroy any existing settlement on the map. Yup. Literally. Griefers paradise was my first thought on this. However, it requires specific codes to be put into a lock and players in the world can come into possession of this. With this said, it seems like players can prevent this just by gaining possession of this. Making the aggressive players work to treasure hunt for codes practically. Vault boy helps walk us by all this complexity!
Then settlement building makes its return. It seems like it has the community split on the luxury of this addition but it looks like Bethesda has completely refined how structures are constructed and how easy it is to do so. There even seems to be a pick up and go feature where everything you build can just be packed and transferred to any new location you desire. If this is true, that would be pretty wonderful. There is even an instructional video on that. I am still a fan of these vault boy instructional tapes.
With all of this info dump out in the open, the information does not stop yet. The last piece of information we are given is for the upcoming collectors edition for Fallout 76 and the upcoming B.E.T.A (Break it Early Test Application) that will follow soon after. The collector's edition will feature a map of West Virginia (glow in the dark as well!), tiny figures for the map and custom design T-51 Power Helmet. With operational headlight, voice modulation and the ability to actually wear it. It's super badass and if possible, it would be nice to try and get it for myself. Fallout 76 started as a fear but grew into something I am not quite fond of. I was so wrong to have such doubts on a company that has done nothing but create amazing products and most importantly found greatness in my pleasures with the gaming world. I really want to add Fallout 76 to that list.
The Elder Scrolls Blades - This game literally came out of nowhere and my doubtful self went and said, what the hell is this now Bethesda? ESB is a mobile game that pays homage to the original Elder Scrolls: Daggerfall game. The very first game to start the series off. It plays very similar to Skyrim with the UI and weapon play but is progressive in a nice simple format of dungeon crawling and exploration. Their is exploration be had but players can also go into a town of their own or perform arena quests. The town is destroyed after your character has been exiled and as a member of the Blades guild, you rebuild the town up in your vision through the questing and exploration you perform. PVP will be part of the arena where you can test your might against others online. The craziest part about all this is that it will not be a mobile exclusive. Players can log in from a mobile device or smartphone, PC, VR and even consoles. Xbox One, PS4 and Nintendo Switch. I was mind blown with how much compatibility Bethesda continues to invest into their titles. ESB is available on app stores now and sign up for early access at playblades.com.
Starfield - As Bethesda slowly closes out, Todd Howard introduces a new single-player RPG adventure that will be coming out for the next generation of gaming. It is a sci-fi game from what we can make from the teaser and that is pretty much what we are left with. Check it out below. No dates or anything.
Elder Scrolls VI - The last trailer of the night. I can finally stop being antsy. This made my night.
Part 3 - The Insanity that is, Devolver Digital. (NSFW)
It is 5 in the morning as I am writing this and to be honest, the live-stream I watched for Devolver was so otherworldly, I do not think I can comprehensively put it into words. Instead, I will blend the phrases, subjects and announcements in a quick condensed paragraph and show the three trailers I caught a hold of during their acid trip.
"You will buy all our shit", proclaims Nina Struthers. "In fact, we love loot boxes and so do you! So we fucking made Lootboxcoin!" By the way, this is real. Lootboxcoin is a legit site. You can go here. Nina says the price changes everyday or everytime a limited Lootboxcoin is bought. I can confirm that by 12:05 this morning on 6/11/2018 that the Lootboxcoin was worth $133.50. By 5:25am of the same day, it has fluctuated to $150. Also, fuck your way of sa
ying GIF. If you have so much time to take out of your day to correct such a stupid thing, you are going to get lit the fuck up. Nina knows what I mean. Then, Nostalgic cash grabs also join the ranks and portray the Devolver Enterainment System Classic for all your retro needs and child abuse. Nina Struthers is a heartless motherfucker and is making her debut once more next year.
Did any of this make sense? I may be tired but I pretty much just summed up this show right there. Any more details and this would have just been violent fan fiction. With the absurdity out of the way, SCUM My Friend Pedro: Blood, Bullets, Bananas and Metal Wolf Chaos XD made reveal debuts live. In order, these games feature an open world multiplayer survival game, a stylish shootem up platformer and... I have no idea but is a classic Japan title back in 2004.
There was no Killer instinct 2. That was how I felt by the end of the day.
This news was gathered off of Xbox, Bethesda and Devolver Digital's live-stream during the E3 2018 Showcase. Note, all images and videos provided were taken from official press releases advertising the games mentioned above or recorded with the live version of the current live-stream.
Disclaimer: I was not paid nor offered any incentives to write this review by the accompanying publisher, developer or any outside force. This is solely for personal production and interest. My opinions and recommendations are based off my personal interpretation of the product and it's design.
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