I've had this banner-thing lying around since 2013 and I figured that either I used it or throw it in the local incinerator. If you didn't know, we're all about recycling here up here in the PNW. I'm not going to bore you with a breakdown of the most interesting games for each system or show you a scientific ranking based on the amount of endothermic radiation tabulated during each presentation. I will bore you with a generic list of games that caught my attention (based on my own pre-existing personal tastes) while looking over what happened during the last four days from this three day convention of this Electronic Entertainment Exposition for consumers.
ADR1FT: Sounds like Amnesia: The Dark Descent, but in space. Which I am perfectly okay with.
Attractio: An FPS puzzle platformer that, by description alone, sounds similar to Portal.
Bravely Second: End Layer: The sequel to Bravely: Default, of which I still have yet to play, but the demo kept me entertained.
Catadoomed: An interesting game for Android devices that is available now (I just downloaded it) and it's free, so why not at least try it out.
Dark Souls III: Thanks to Extra Credits' "Side Quest" series, Dark Souls has its proverbial hooks in me once again.
Doom: What made me sad about seeing the gameplay footage, was that I felt that some of the animations would now no longer be a surprise. For example, I saw the same chainsaw cutting-in-half animation at least twice and thought, "Oh, it's this one again then?"
Dragon Quest Heroes: Apparently there's going to be another Dragon Quest game, although this one's a PS4 exclusive and by the description at box art, looks like Dissidia: Final Fantasy, but with characters, or shall I say, heroes from the various Dragon Quest games.
Dreams: A PS4 exclusive and an interesting concept if done the way I think it should be done.
Earthbound: Beginnings: A Wii U virtual console exclusive of Mother (1989, Famicom), which boggles me a bit as to why it's not coming out for 3DS virtual console either. Although I never did play Earthbound on the SNES.
The Elder Scrolls: Legends: A free to play TGC from Dire Wolf Studios and published by Bethesda. I will reserve judgement until after I play, but I probably will play it on PC as the only other mentioned platform will be iOS.
Everybody's Gone to the Rapture: I am still sad that I may never get to play this game (PS4 only), but I've loved what the people at The Chinese Room have done with Dear Esther and Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs. And EGtoR now has a release date of August 11, 2015.
Fallout 4: I feel caught up in the excitement machine with this game seeing as how I've played on the first Fallout, and not ever to completion.
Fallout Shelter: An iOS game that I may have to have Conklederp download to her iPad. I like the idea of a micro SimCity-type post-apocalyptic simulator.
Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water: Kind of surprised that this is a Nintendo Wii U title with a very Japanese theme. You use the Wii U pad while exploring/detectivizing a forest where people have been committing suicide.
Final Fantasy VII Remake: Yeah, yeah I know, it's on every other E3 list out there, why shouldn't it be on ours? What interested me was the mention of changes/additions to the plot. And even though the trailer says "Play it first on Playstation 4," I feel that that hints to a PC release as well.
Guided Meditation VR: An interesting concept with Oculus Rift support that is ready to play now via the game's website.
Horizon Zero Dawn: I liked the setting and the idea based on the trailer (post-apocalypse meets The World Without Us meets the Monster Hunter franchise). The "in-game" sequence got me a little concerned that the unnamed protagonist would actually talk to herself throughout the course of the game; an attempt at co-op play (as in announcer commentary?) in a single player game? I'm not sure.
King's Quest: Yet another classic game that I have never played any iteration of, but this remake/reboot/update might be either the first I play or I'll go back and dabble in the old ways.
The Last Guardian: I recall seeing something about this game around the time of PS4 being launched (I lied, it was back in 2011) and it looks like this PS4 exclusive has finally reached a point where it might actually get to be released. This trailer almost makes me consider buying/acquiring a PS4.
The Legend of Legacy: Yeah, I'm a sucker for JRPGs. That's pretty much all I have to say here.
Mad Max: Post-Apocalyptic open world game in the Mad Max universe? Yeah, I'll play that.
The Manus: A sleeker, sexier (but who are we kidding!?) version of the Power Glove. Spiffy idea, but I get the feeling that it's a limited market.
Mirror's Edge Catalyst: As long as I don't dread the run-and-gun gauntlet stages and the fighting mechanic has improved (ie: I don't suck using the fighting mechanics designed for the game), I will be very happy.
NieR New Project: Apparently this is a sequel (not officially named) to NieR, and the game looks. . .nice? I don't know really how else to describe anything about this. The design and look of the game are pretty much all that is presented in the trailer, and not having played the first game (which will be unconnected to this one), I would have no qualms about starting here, if it is released on PC.
Overkill's The Walking Dead: The trailer was pretty god damn intense and I'm assuming it was only there to set the mood, considering that this is supposed to be an FPS co-op game (Left 4 Dead in The Walking Dead universe I presume). Hopefully it's better than the Dixon Brothers Walking Dead game that I never played.
RareReplay: I really love this idea of bundling a bunch (here it's upwards of 30) games from a studio's library, but I will be sad about this because it's an Xbox One exclusive. Which, probably also means that there will be no Donkey Kong Country included here, but that's only a guess. And it looks like Goldeneye 007 isn't included either, otherwise, one would assume, that it would have made it into the trailer.
ReCore: About time for another Xbox One exclusive that peaked my interest.
Star Fox Zero: It's Star Fox and I would probably want to play it if we owned (someone gave us) a Wii U.
Super Mario Maker: I love the idea of creating your own levels in a Super Mario game, until I immediately remember that general skulldickery will be responsible for the majority of the levels being made. I can only hope that in order to either submit, publish, or complete making a level, the designer has to be able to make it through their monstrous demonseed creation. And since it's a Wii U exclusive, I probably won't have to experience said skulldickery.
Tearaway Unfolded: A PS4 only title here that looks like Little Big Planet (same studio) and the trailer did what it was supposed to do.
The Uncertain: There's a robot wandering around a house in what is described as a post-apocalyptic setting. Yeah, I'm kind of a sucker.
Unravel: Little Big Planet meets LIMBO meets Yoshi's Wooly World.
Until Dawn: Another PS4 exclusive (bloody 'ell) that looks like Cabin in the Woods with some Tell Tale Games illusion of choice decision making; surveillance monitors and all.
What Remains of Edith Finch: Yup, you guessed it, PS4 only. I like the idea of playing as different members of the same family over generations (Eternal Darkness).
Whew! That was a lot longer than I had initially intended, but there it is. There were many more games presented in their varying states of completeness, so you're welcome to check out the full list of games at E3 this year. There were also a handful of games that I was initially interested in until I looked at them beyond their title (World of Final Fantasy, Sea of Thieves, Metroid Prime: Federation Force, The Legend of Zelda: Triforce Heroes, Hyrule Warriors Legends) and then I decided that I wasn't as interested as I was hoping to be, all due to one reason or another (maybe a later post). I'm going to go drink a pot of coffee now.
~JWfW/JDub/Jaconian
