EPT
Hype Fever
E3 2014 contained a bevy of awesome announcements ranging from major game releases, beta dates, and technological ventures. At every E3, the three major console producers (Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft) host large presentations that serve to define their upcoming year. This year the Sony presentation was the best of the three. They showcased an incredible roster of games, including Far Cry 4, Little Big Planet 3, Bloodborne, and Entwined (even going so far as to release Entwined during the presentation). Sony also revealed a few cross-media products such as the PlayStation TV and the Ratchet and Clank movie. More exciting was the continuation of Sony’s impressive commitment to indie gaming that began at the PS4 reveal last year. While Nintendo’s videos and demos were not actually present at E3, they were still second best because of the immaculate presentation of their signature titles. Yes, it’s the same shit that Nintendo always brings, but I’m still hyped beyond belief for the upcoming Super Smash Brothers (WAKA WAKA) and even the still-far-off Star Fox reimagining. It contained no gameplay but I won’t pretend that I didn’t start drooling at the sight of the Legend of Zelda Wii U tech demo. Even Mario Party 10 gives me fuzzy nostalgia feelings for the good old console multiplayer days. It’s nearly enough to make me want a Wii U (and Mario Kart 8 is already pretty damn compelling). The Microsoft panel was not as exciting as the other three due to the many remakes and rereleases they advertised, but it still featured some neat titles such as Inside, Scalebound, and Sunset Overdrive, as well as their own substantial indie roster.
The wealth of both new and updated games at E3 made me really excited the near-future of gaming. As a (sadly infrequent) player of Square Enix’s now-successful MMO, the announcement of the Ninja and Rogue job and class for Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn was awesome. Coupled (hehe) with the reveal of in-game fully-equal marriage (see what I did there?) made this year’s E3 one of the most positive for Squeenix in recent memory (their typical E3 is a laundry list of delayed games). The multi-hundred-million dollar Destiny project by Bungie continues to intrigue and amaze the few who are allowed play it, and the game’s growing gaggle of fans only increased throughout E3. The hype it’s received so far makes me wary, but if it keeps earning such high praise it’ll be very hard to ignore (especially for PS4 owners, who will get early access to the game). Similarly, Tom Clancy’s The Division is not a title that would normally interest me, but the footage that was shown at E3 (and a few earlier events) looks very fun. While I’m not a Dark Souls fan myself (yet), From Software’s Bloodborne appears to be a similar kind of adventure from the well-tested studio, but with a darker, horror-esque vibe. Despite the fact that it’s both a reboot and a sequel (and thus of the kind of announcements I dislike at gaming conventions), Rise of the Tomb Raider surprised and excited me on reveal because
I really loved the 2013’s Tomb Raider. Another awesome announcement came for Evolve, a new IP from Turtle Rock Games that changes the conventions of competitive multiplayer. The game’s concept is “the one who plays as the monster vs. the four who play as the humans,” which sounds amazing and extremely difficult to execute. That being said, if anyone can do it it’s the developers behind one of my favorite multiplayer games of all time, Left 4 Dead. Finally (and I can’t stress this enough): Super. Smash. Brothers. On 3DS. My body is ready.*
* Yes, I know it was already announced and has gameplay footage. I WANT MOAR.
Middle of the Road
Unsurprisingly, many high-profile sequels and remakes were announced at E3 2014, but I found most of them rather dull. It should be noted that the “meh” of this year’s E3 is mostly a matter of personal preference. For example, it’s hypocritical of me not to put Rise of the Tomb Raider in this category, but… shut up. Moving on. Pigs would fly if a year escaped without a new Call of Duty, Assassin’s Creed, or horde of EA SPORTZ titles, so those were unveiled to great fanfare at E3… I suppose. More exciting are the upcoming entries in the Uncharted, Mass Effect, and The Witcher franchises, but they’re still just reiterations of games we’ve already played.* In fairness, The Witcher 3 has incredible graphics that will appeal to many a fantasy/adventure lover, but that series’ exacting and in-depth gameplay never got its hooks into me. Also in the realm of “neat but entirely unnecessary” is Halo: The Master Chief Collection. Halo fans will undoubtedly love it, but I just want more new stuff instead (because I’m selfish). I’m similarly unimpressed by Mortal Kombat X. While I love fighting games (mostly as a spectator), Mortal Kombat’s growing irrelevance only seems matched by how disgusting their gore engine is. Topping the mediocrity charts is Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, the fifth in a series of games that fans keep claiming has a story even though I played through two of them before becoming so confused and frustrated I gave up.** MGS fans will be over-the-moon (and rightly so I suppose: the game does look gorgeous), but frankly it’s another sequel for a series that doesn’t need sequels.
* Two of which were supposed to be trilogies. Go figure.
** Yes, I know I should play 3. No, I won’t unless I’m paid.
Game of Lame
It wouldn’t be an E3 (or, sadly, any gaming event) without its fair share of disappointment and outrage. Square Enix’s persistent talent for failing to present new information about either of core single-player franchises (FFXV and KH3) is monumentally embarrassing. Just shows how long a company can ride the wave of fandom and intermittent successes (like Bravely Default and FFXIV: ARR). Similarly but unexpectedly, EA’s presentation also lacked substance because they only showed sample footage, tech demos, and previews. EA might have the potential to publish good games in coming years (like Star Wars: Battlefront), but I’m not going to trust a bunch of canned footage that may-or-may-not be “in engine.”* On the other hand, Nintendo had a great press conference (or whatever passes for one in their minds), but their other E3 events were awful. I’ve seen the incredible The Smash Brothers documentary (twice) and watched hours of incredible esports tournaments, so watching Nintendo’s Super Smash Brothers 4 tournament was painful at best. Lackluster casting, poor organization, silly and pointless matches. If Nintendo wanted to try and capitalize on the cultish popularity of their unintentionally-competitive fighting franchise, they should’ve gotten someone who knew what they were doing to set it up. Plus, Reggie Fils-Aime managed to make Nintendo look more backwards than usual by saying that the Wii U wouldn’t get Twitch streaming because “it wouldn’t be fun.” …right. In spite of all this year’s drama, the worst part of E3 2014 is the same as every year: the gaming industry’s fixation on straight, white men. While gaming’s infamous exclusivity is slowly** improving, there were still fewer female presenters this year than severed heads. Perhaps the largest controversy centered around Ubisoft, which is being righteously attacked for failing to include female characters in the multiplayer for Assassin’s Creed: Unity. This should be standard. It’s 2014. This fuckup is easily the worst part (or a facet of the worst part) of E3 2014, and someone un-ironically said “This is gold without limits” on stage this year. Ouch.
* I’VE BEEN BURNED BEFORE.
** Very. Slowly.
As with every year, E3 shows us all the great games to anticipate, the repetitive drudgery to endure, and the shitty problems to decry. The summer brings gamers a slew of new promises and old habits, and we’ll have to see if they last until the next E3.
You can read this highly-biased drivel and a lot of other good stuff at the N3rd Dimension.
