So E3 2019 Came and went. Check out below for my thoughts on each conference.
EA Grade: C-
While EA skipped E3 this year, they did hold a presentation before the event. However, it didn’t have too much we didn’t already know about, other than gameplay footage of Jedi Fallen Order. The game does look intriguing, but while Respawn hasn’t let me down when it comes to action, I want to see more of it before I decide to make it a must buy. Other than that, we saw new gameplay features for this year’s Madden and Fifa titles, along with new content from Sims 4, Apex Legends, and Battlefield V. Although the new stuff, such as the Volta Football Street Mode in FIFA and the new operator in Apex Legends looks intriguing, I felt that EA could have shown more on its platform.
Microsoft: B
Microsoft kicked things off Sunday afternoon. The big problem with the MS conference was that a lot of what they showed consisted of leaks, along with things we already knew about. That being said, the main strength of Microsoft’s E3 press conferences was that they concentrate almost exclusively on games, and this year was no exception. Microsoft’s big release this year will be Gears 5, and I’m excited about what could be the biggest entry in the series ever. The Lego Expansion for Forza Horizon 4 looks cool as well and gives me even more of an incentive to jump back into it, and I’m excited to finally see what the new Battletoads game looks like. Ninja Theory’s Bleeding Edge looks interesting as well. It’s a significant departure from the studio’s earlier works such as Hellblade and DMC in the fact that it’s a multiplayer melee game. Even so, if Ninja Theory can provide a significant amount of content, and if it can avoid any pay-to-win mechanics, it could give games like Overwatch a run for their money. There is an Alpha test next week on the 27th of June, and hopefully I can get in and provide hands-on details.
The third parties that were featured bought their A-Game as well. I was surprised by the Blair Witch game. There was more Jedi Fallen Order footage, a new Tales game, and a teaser for the From Software/George RR Martin collaboration, Elden Ring. Of course one thing I was annoyed by, and it wasn’t just at the Microsoft conference, it was the tendency to show cinematic teasers instead of gameplay. One alarming instance was the teaser for the Smilegate game Crossfire X. If you took a look at the teaser, you can only guess what kind of game it is. A RTS Game? A Shooter? A Metal Gear Solid-esque stealth action game? (For the record, it’s the latest in a Korean free-to-play shooter franchise that is to Asia what Counterstrike is over here). Of course the real star was Keanu Reeves showing up to promote Cyberpunk 2077.
Of course I’d be remiss to mention the reveals about Project Scarlett, XCloud, and the purchase of studio Double Fine. It will be interesting to soo how the Xcloud will work compared to the upcoming Google Stadia, also a streaming based-platform. The main concern is if it will maintain the latency needed for games such as shooters and fighting games. It seems as if Microsoft is dead set on avoiding the mistakes of the last generation, mainly by creating exclusive games. One thing that the Xbox One is lacking (as Sony and Nintendo fanboys will be more than happy to remind you) is system exclusives. Gears, Halo, and Forza bring the goods, Sunset Overdrive was slept on, and Killer Instinct is one of this generation’s best fighting games, but where are titles such as God of War, Spiderman, and Dawn Zero Horizon? Luckily the Game Pass service continues to be the biggest value on the system. It’s bolstered by having first party games (most notably the recent Crackdown 3 and Sea of Thieves) available on the service, along with several indie titles like Void Bastards and Ashen. As far as Project Scarlett, hopefully when it rolls around next holiday, it will have the games to back up its power. Halo Infinite is going to be out at that time, and if it is released at the same time as Project Scarlet, it will be the first time since the original Xbox that a Microsoft system launched with an entry in its marquee franchise.
Bethesda: D+
Bethesda easily had one of the worse presentations of the show. Too much of it was dedicated to games that had already been released and free to play mobile games. While it’s good to know that Rage 2, Fallout 76, Elder Scrolls Online, and the Free to Play mobile mess known as Elder Scrolls Blades are all getting new content (and in the case of Fallout with the Wastelanders expansion and the addition of NPCs, Questlines, and Dialog trees, we’re finally getting an actual game to go along with Fallout 76). The two new properties that Bethesda showed, Shinjo Mikami’s Ghostwire Tokyo and Arkane Studio’s Deathloop didn’t show any gameplay. If it wasn’t for Wolfeinstein and Doom Eternal, this would be a complete loss. Oh, and Commander Keen is coming back as, sigh, an free-to-play mobile title.
Ubisoft: C
While Ubisoft wasn’t as bad as I’d been led to believe, a huge amount of the presentation was dedicated to content to games already available (and that stupid Just Dance spectacle). Rainbow Six Siege, For Honor, and The Division 2 are all getting new content. Also, there is Rainbow Six Outbreak which again, showed off no gameplay, but it seems to be Left 4 Dead by way of Tom Clancy. At least the conference started off strong by showing off Watch Dogs 3 gameplay. That game is easily one I’m looking forward to, as I can take control of an old lady. Roller Champions looked interesting as well, and I played the alpha test. It was fun and easy to get into, and I’m simply hoping there is a substantial amount of single player content. Also, I’m worried about Ubisoft’s tendency to monetize things. Finally, Ubisoft announced its own EA access subscription style service. Depending on the level of service and availability, this could be an excellent alternative to spending money on new Ubisoft games.
Square-Enix: A
Square-Enix stole the show, and greatly improved upon last year’s conference. The company had so many surprises, from finally releasing Romancing Saga 3 in the US for the first time, to People Can Fly’s Outriders, to Dragon Quest XI definitive edition on switch. The true stars of the show was the FInal Fantasy 7 remake demo, and the Avengers Reveal. While I’m not sold on the character designs, I am interested in the plot, and I want to see more of how the game plays. Of course I’m worried about the monetization that will sadly be present. However, if we get access to additional heroes, this could be the next great Marvel game.
Nintendo: A
Nintendo’s E3 Direct was another home run. In the 45 minutes it ran, it showed off tons of new content, some old, some new. First of all, Dragon Quest’s hero and Banjo-Kazooie are coming to Smash Ultimate later this year. The Contra Anniversary Collection and Collection of Mana, which contains Final Fantasy Adventure, Secret of Mana, and Seiken Densetsu 3 (released in the US for the first time ever) are now available on the Nintendo e-shop, and a new top-down Contra is on the way, along with a remake of SD3 (called Trials of Mana). We learned more information about the upcoming Link’s Awakening Remake and Fire Emblem: Three Houses. Of course tons of new indie games are hitting the switch as well. Last but not least, we saw more of Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: the Black Order. If you don’t have a Switch, now is the time to get one.
In Closing:
Sony’s absence was felt at this year’s E3. With high quality titles such as the Last of Us 2 and Death Stranding on the way, this would have been the perfect opportunity for them to pull back the curtain. Square Enix and Nintendo greatly improved on previous years, while Microsoft played it safe by sticking to their usual formula. Be that as it may, the one true loser of E3 will be my wallet, especially come next spring, when most of the biggest games announced will hit PC and consoles.
