My thoughts and remarks on E3 2015
So another E3 has come and gone and we are left with our own thoughts on what we got offered at this years show, and there is a lot to digest. It is for that reason I have not given my thoughts on the conferences, I really needed to go back and rewatch a few of them, some not so much. So who won E3 before I give my take on it some context is needed as to what each brought to the table. I am not going to cover every conference that was showcased, else this be a 200 page post, nor post every game. That need should you desire it can be easily served by just re-watching the conferences online yourself.
Microsoft's presentation.
I have to say Microsoft did a really good.... lets call it what it was great job this year, I was impressed by it for many reasons. The pacing was fantastic it was game after game after game, it struck me during it can this really be the same company that laid a egg on the exact same stage 2 years earlier? Phil Spencer has really made his mark on the Xbox division, it's primary focus and it is the better for it, like I said hard to believe it's the same company.
What surprised me also was that Bonnie Ross opened the show, I know she is head of 343 but seriously, I would have thought they would have buried her in the background at the show. They try that at Gamescom and if she is not almost booed off the stage I will be surprised, E3 is not a show for consumers. Gamescom is more consumer/gamer focused, open to the public far more than E3. How she did not apologize for the massive screw-up that was the Halo MCC is beyond me, ya screw up that bad you need to apologize.
Another thing again like previous years what the hell is with the cars dropping from the ceiling, get rid of it pleaseeeeeeee!!!!. It serves no purpose, cost a fortune, a person does not buy a racing game because a car descends from the sky. A racing fan is going to buy forza well because they are a racing fan, a Pinto could drop from the ceiling and they would still buy the game. I will mention only briefly that creepy " World premiere" etc etc Voice over guy that preceded the games showing on screen, lose it. I also disliked the ambiguity that was displayed, is it console exclusive, is it also on PC, or just PC feature or game it was hard to tell. Console debut ( Sony was guilty of the same thing) is it on other consoles, on PC or handheld, I did not like that at all?
Now for the good things, some downplayed it but I thought it was great, The " Rare collection" 30 classic xbox and xbox 360 games in one collection for $30.00 USD . I realize it is not for everyone but as a gamer in his late 50's it was great to see them bring them to a new generation of players. Tomb Raider looked bloody awesome, hate all ya want that it is first on Xbox but ya have to admit it looked awesome. I will wait like I did for the last Tomb raider game and get it on PC, but it looked great on Xbox One. I also loved the fact that console gamers would get the chance to experience Fallout 4 with the same mods those on PC can use, yes it will come to PS4 at some point but was announced here.
Cuphead a brand new console exclusive IP if I recall correctly is out next year, I have no idea what the game is about but damn it looked bloody brilliant. it was also a bit of a theme at their conference this year, a focus on Indie games unlike years past. ReCore was a game that just floored me, not sure I will buy a Xbox One to play it but was great to see it get a showcase being a unproven IP. You can say they are just taking a page from "Sony's playbook" (one people ridicule them for by the way) and who cares, it is good for everyone, Microsoft sees that Indies are a big thing and was a welcome change in direction.
Phil spencer was true to his word that Windows 10 will be a integral part of Microsoft's new focus on gaming and Xbox integration, unlike it's TV, TV, TV., Sports, entertainment TV focus of 2 years ago.
So thats about it for Microsoft, no way I could cover everything and keep the article reasonable, to summarize they did a great job and left me impressed.
Sony's presentation
Sony this year was the year of heavy-hitters, and they started right out of the gate with it, I was bloody impressed however like I did with Microsoft I will start with the things I disliked about Sony's conference, fair is fair after all, so lets get this started with a disclaimer.
Outside of my PC, Playstation is my prefered gaming platform, I own the other platforms but those two are my prefered go-to platforms. . Much like at Microsoft's conference the ambiguity of the wording at the end of videos or the start. What the hell does Console premier mean???? seriously is it on xbox, is it on Vita, how about PC or 3ds? what the hell is that Console premiere bullshit supposed to mean? Only Nintendo did not use it of the 3 main showcases and that's only because all games on their platform are exclusive really being First party games. I am going to give to a example of what I mean bet ya thought Firewatch was exclusive to Playstation guess what it ain't, hell it even has a Linux version for PC not to mention Mac and Windows, but you would never know it from that trailer.
That Fiasco that was Shenmue III kickstarter thing what the hell are you thinking it undermines the whole purpose of kickstarter. Yu Suzuki could have easily just sent out a tweet and it would have been covered to death, there was no need for that crap at a press conference, You showcase what you are doing and have coming not promote something you may invest in. We now know they are invested in it) it is not " Their own thing" as Adam stated, flagrant lie if you ask me. It is a gaming showcase not the home shopping network, the game would be funded if you had never said a single word and you know it. Not to mention the fact the originals were not even playstation games they were on Dreamcast and the second also later on Xbox, sorry that just pissed me off that part of the show.
TV, TV, TV did you not learn a single thing from Microsoft's implosion that was E3 2013... Nothing? Nobody cares about bloody TV, or any affiliations your building, GAMES, GAMES GAMES GAMES. You piledrived that into people's heads in 2013 and ripped Microsoft a new one, and rightfully so. Yet here we are 2 yrs in and you're doing the exact same bloody thing, STOP IT, same with PS now as it sits is of no interest to most people, I am not going to pay to play the games I already own.
The complete and utter lack of respect for the PS Vita floored me, I know it is not selling as expected, but that's their own fault. They marketed it poorly, over hyped it then a just over a yr later trash it saying " No 1st party games anymore." The disrespect that device got was quite frankly shocking, I know there is only so much time, but seriously you could not spare 10 mins for it, and lose the bloody tv talk?
Now for the good stuff, I am going to start off with the one game that gave me Gamescom 2014 shivers (Hellblade, I love you Ninja Theory) and it is not what you think, it was Horizon; Zero Dawn. A brand new game from the same studio best known for the Killzone series so there's a lot of pedigree there and I was gobsmacked, while watching it unfold. Now for the 2 elephants in the room and you know what they are Final Fantasy VII remake not a remaster, and of course The Last Guardian, I still get goosebumps just typing this thinking of that night.
Final Fantasy VII Remake a game Square Enix said they would never do, they had some conditions it could come to pass but basically where not even possible. You can not create lighting in the same bottle twice if that was their criteria. My how things have changed for Sony to have them debut this game at their conference over all others is a Massive win, remember Square Enix also hosted their own conference the next day.
Some people of course were shocked it was not a Playstation exclusive... really you know how much it would cost for that. I know the PS4 is doing damn well, but even the likes of a Microsoft could not afford to have that game as a console exclusive, it has that type of status.
Going into that night people knew Square Enix had their own the next day and when that appeared on the screen during Sony's I actually broke out in tears. Not because it is a game I hold in the same reverence as others do, I actually think VIII is a better game and XII I did love Crisis Core though, but I cried tears of joy for all the people I know who have only dreamed of this. We have since learned there will be some liberties taken with the original games framework, but so long as the story is intact or closes issues, bring it on.
The Last Guardian what can be said that has not been said a million times before, I will say it now I called the game Vaporware until that night, just view my google + comments over the past months. No gameplay, no mention it is vaporware and be done with it, then that magical night happened I got what I wanted. I had a timeframe, I had in engine capture are real gameplay, not a sizzle reel as it is called in the industry. Sony gets a big thumbs up from me because they did not have to do this, they really didn't most had written this game off 3+ yrs ago not like it needed it to boost sales. Playstation 4 is dominating the market and selling faster then any console in History IIRC, last i looked it has over 70% market share in parts of continental Europe etc. So it is not that they had to make this a reality they are doing fine without it, so to me this was for the gamers.
They had showed it ages ago and we never forgot, but it appeared they had, and when they kept seeing us always ask about it they made the decision. We need to make this a reality no matter what it takes we owe it to the fans, and Sony has a STNG moment, "Make it so #1, Engage" and we saw the results. They are to be commended for this because it is not like they had to, they would have got a free pass if they had said look sorry we just can make it how we envisioned, it is cancelled, our eyes where bigger then our abilities.
To wrap up part one I will quick hit a few items, Destiny.... meh Landing COD as the new home is a major coup, I laughed my butt off watching Twitter and Facebook explode in the morning after the Microsoft conference, " WTF where is Call of Duty " so that was a a Kodak moment for Sony being the new home of COD. Dreams looked quirky as Media Molecule games usually are, not my cup of tea but was a new IP from a established studio with a great track record. I also felt so bad for Devolver Digital having to try follow Final Fantasy VII remake, I doubt few even saw that montage.
So thats it for part 1 I will post part two sometime over the weekend or early next week where I will get into Nintendo, and a synopsis of the other main players at the show. till then as I always do..
Be nice to each other, it's only a game
