With E3 2016 just a few days away, we took some time to go over some of the big titles expected to make appearances at this year’s show as well as some rumors that have been popping up recently.
Diverging Shooters
At this E3 we can all expect to see the latest from the two biggest shooters in games: Call of Duty and Battlefield. While we’d normally scoff at the tired genre, this year promises big changes from both franchises. While Infinity Ward takes Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare further into the future with space combat (including zero gravity gameplay), DICE and EA are going back to Battlefield’s roots by featuring historical warfare, specifically the criminally overlooked World War I in their game Battlefield 1. The Great War was a milestone in combat technology with the advent of tanks, airplanes, war balloons, and chemical weapons. As someone who has retreated from the genre in recent years, Battlefield I has me excited to see how DICE will handle all the fascinating fronts and unique gameplay opportunities.
Mass Effect: Andromeda
Mass Effect is one of our favorite video game series and one of the most prolific sci-fi RPGs from the last generation of consoles. EA and BioWare have been relatively quiet regarding Mass Effect: Andromeda, the latest entry in the series, which is reported to distance itself from the original trilogy. This E3 is a pivotal moment for the developer, who recently made it known that the game has slipped to Q1 of 2017. With little concrete information or demonstrations in the wild so far, we know EA will have a big unveiling at this year’s E3, hopefully including a huge info dump as well as gameplay demos, in order to jumpstart the hype train for next spring. Recently leaked video showed off a HUD similar to Mass Effect 1, jetpack traversal, and a vehicle exploring an open environment. It’s safe to assume that a major showcase is on its way.
So Close and Yet So Far
The Last Guardian is one more delay away from becoming vaporware at this point. Originally revealed at E3 2009, the game has gone through development hell, for lack of a better term. Between team members leaving, studio changes, a brief trademark lapse, and rumors of cancellation, somehow the game survived and was re-announced as a PS4 exclusive at E3 last year with a release date of late 2016. As we quickly approach the promised release quarter, we’re hoping for a more detailed dive into the game and its mechanics at this E3, as well as a little reassurance it’s actually coming.
New Games, New Franchises
While the majority of E3 will likely be already established franchises as the industry continues to trend toward the safe waters of annual iteration, we also expect there to be quite a few new IPs on display as well.
Horizon: Zero Dawn, Sony’s neo-prehistoric post-apocalyptic action RPG, was delayed until February 2017 so it would be wise for Sony to serve up some brand new gameplay to appease the fans. So far, Sony has revealed videos about combat and the main character, Aloy, but we hope to see a lengthier look at prolonged gameplay involving other elements besides combat. Another recently delayed game, Kickstarter superstar Yooka Laylee, will be making its first E3 appearance.
Backers and curious gamers will need to see more of this game in action to prove that the traditional 3D platformer genre still has legs in this industry. The developer Playtonic certainly has the pedigree,
