Honest Opinion : E3 2018 : EA Conference (Saturday, June 9th, 2018)
EA Games
Leading off this years E3 Expo, we're crashing out of the gate with EA games. We know some of their bigger titles from the past such as Battlefield, Battlefront, and of course, the coveted yearly sports titles. Let's see what they brought to the crowd this year. I'll break down each game with a few details about it including :
1. What was announced about the title (trailer? gameplay? specific details?)
2. My thoughts on what was shown/talked about
3. A final stamp of whether or not I'm excited about this game and if you can expect an Honest Stream / Review on it.
Naturally I'll use this format for each conference over the next few days. So everyone, tell me to shut up now, and let's get on with the show. Or...in the game?
Battlefield V
When they switched over to talking about the multiplayer, you can tell they learned their lesson from the travesty that was the Battlefront II release. "No loot drops, no premium passes". They quickly followed this up though, with a one word statement that received a bit of a roar from the crowd : Royale.
To cap it off, a video sequence gave everyone a bit more of a tease of the things they'd see from this game, ending it with a title slide saying that even more would be revealed tomorrow in the Microsoft Xbox conference.
My Take : I'm not the biggest FPS fan, whether it's Call of Duty or Battlefield, I don't love them, but I don't hate them either. I'm a bit excited about this one though, I like the focus on untold stories from the war and (despite it somehow receiving a negative reaction online after the initial reveal a couple weeks ago) I love that they're giving a spotlight to the stories of the men and women that fought so valiantly for our freedoms. So, overall I'm looking forward to this one. What I'm not looking forward to though is the Royale inclusion. It's a trend now, but I don't think it's going to be one that lasts very long, especially with literally everyone starting to do a variation of it. But...if it's working now, why not use it?
FIFA 19
The other news they dropped for this title was that there was a raising of the bar in their focus on the gameplay. Attention was paid to the community, everyone from FIFA beginners to pros, stating that every minute detail from pre-game strategy, to the moves you make while on the pitch, the players will be getting a lot more of what they want and have been asking for.
They weren't done with FIFA though. The focus shifted from the next years title, to last years FIFA 18. With football's (yes I can make the differentiation and not use soccer despite being in the US) biggest worldwide tournament, the World Cup. FIFA 18 is (well by now has) not only a free World Cup expansion across all platforms, but as they spoke on stage, the game was available as a free trial download on all platforms to get your hands on it and play for yourself.
My Take : As above, I'm not the biggest football fan. I don't understand the sport at all, and just when I think I'm starting to grasp it, I lose that grasp. However...I still love to torture myself playing the games. You can bet that by the time I've hit "publish" on this article, I will be downloading that free trial of FIFA 18 to see....well to see just how awful I am. But to also see how the game itself is. I may not be picking up FIFA 19 on release date, or ever...but I'm sure big time football fans are rejoicing at the UEFA Champions League finally being a part of this franchise.
EA Play / Origin Access Premier
The promise? A cloud based system, playable on multiple devices (mobile phones were used in the video demo to show just how accessible they want this feature to be), and players had access to every single one of EA's games. Okay let's be real about that statement it might not be EVERY title unless they're planning on uploading old school SNES ROM's into the cloud.
While EA Play has been around for a bit and is just now being steered in a new direction, the announcement also covered Origin Access Premier. A new subscription service that comes with "three things we need to know".
1. Access to all new PC games (starting with Madden 19 which makes its PC return in almost 10 years), followed by FIFA 19, Battlefield V, and Anthem, as well as successant releases afterwards.
2. Full access to "The Vault", their library of over 100 games from EA and other publishers.
3. It's launching later this summer, BUT if you wanna see how it's gonna work you can get a free trial of Origin Access THIS WEEKEND. So if you're curious, go check it out. I mean it's free...why not?
My Take : It doesn't really appeal to me, but I can see why a lot of people might get excited. For one, the subscription cost is going to be cheaper than that of a full priced, new release game. So if you want to be able to play tons of titles but not have to buy each individual one, this is definitely something for you. But, the EA Play cloud system does seem the most intriguing of this segment to me, because depending on how it's implemented this could be equal parts fun and dangerous. I mean, I love playing me some hockey games so...if I can do that from literally anywhere without bulking my console around with me? I'll sign up yesterday.
Respawn Entertainment : Jedi : Fallen Order
- You get to hold a lightsaber
- Takes place during the Dark Times (between Episodes III and IV)
- It's not a nice time, it's a dark time
- Players can expect to get their hands on this game Holiday of 2019
My Take : It's Star Wars. Does more need to be said? Probably, but with the little bit of info they dished out I'm already anxious. I love the Battlefront games and the story included in the newest one, but this game already sounds like it's going to be incredible. Here's looking forward to E3 2019 and (hopefully) seeing more of this title then.
Star Wars Battlefront II
Talk briefly centered around one of the games new mode's, Hunter mode featuring the Ewok's of Endor. But then...a lot of things were announced that would be coming to this game throughout the rest of this year.
First, movie-related features from Solo will be dropping into the game within the next week fea kturing action on a new planet, Kessel. Yet, that was completely overshadowed by what they announced next. By the end of the year, players will be gaining a full experience in an era of the Star Wars Universe that fans have wanted to see for quite a while : The Clone Wars. This expansion will come with a new planet, Dionysus, and multiple levels (including one that is the largest one that has been built for a Battlefront game), and four new Heroes and Villains. The Villains hit heavy with General Grievous and Count Dooku, while the Heroes get Obi-Wan Kenobi (for the first time ever) and Anakin Skywalker.
This segment was wrapped up with what was very easy to see as an honest and heartfelt apology for how things got started off with this game when it dropped in November, and a promise that going forward with the community, they'd make this the greatest game that it can possibly be.
My Take : Well first off I want to just reiterate what I said before, It's Star Wars. My initial reaction when I saw the title slide for this segment was "Oh here we go, damage control". And while it really was damage control, it wasn't so much a scramble to regain some purchase, but an actual well thought and fleshed out plan. They owned up to the fact that they really screwed up and got it wrong, and promised to make it better. I would have scoffed at that six months ago. But now? I think the force is with these guys, and I really hope it is.
Unravel Two
What's big about this announcement is that with this new game, there will always be two characters on the screen. Whether you're playing alone, or with a friend, the story of these two spirits plays out as one complete story.
One of the studio's producers was brought out, and an actual demo of the game was cast up on the stage. At first, the focus was on showing how the game could be played alone. During the faster-paced sections of the game (which there will be more of in this installment) you can use one character to literally pick up the other and run. Once you reach a section that requires a puzzle to be solved, you'll be able to freely swap between the two, working as a one-man team to work together and get through an area.
Naturally, you've got to follow up with showing off actual co-op play in the game. So, after a celebratory flip, the two were off together showing off all the ways that you can work as a team and help each other with platforming. This teamwork was demonstrated excellently in a puzzle section as well, while the two worked together at distracting a dastardly bird before moving on to another platforming section.
Oh and the highlight of this whole segment. Unravel Two is available right now!
My Take : I can't wait for this game. I got the first one on a whim. A friend of mine told me about it and I bought it, mostly because my wife is big into crafting. So anything gaming-related that I can find that ties in with her niche of things, I jump on instantly. But I fell in love with the first game too. I love the announcement of the sequel, mostly because it caught me off guard. You can most assuredly expect a stream and review of this one, and probably the same for the first title since seeing the announcement has rekindled my desire to play it again.
Sea of Solitude
The game seeks to pull at your heartstrings, and the feeling of loneliness, pushing a focus that when human beings feel lonely is when they can turn into monsters. And that every single person can either relate to that feeling of complete and utter loneliness, or at least remember a time when they did. It also seeks to show the wide spectrum that loneliness can encompass, how many people can share that feeling, but at the same time experience it in a vastly different way.
Sea of Solitude focuses on Kate, who is faced with such a crippling loneliness that it turns from the inside out, contorting her into a quite literal monster. You'll not only go through those feelings with Kate, you'll learn why this happened to her and pull her back to her humanity. Everything wrapped with a brief trailer of the game and a release of early 2019.
My Take : This is a game I had absolutely no idea about. The art and graphics are so beautiful and creepy that, for me, it's the perfect blend of the two. I definitely agree that the loneliness is a feeling that everyone can relate to, whether it's in the present form or a recollection. Sea of Solitude, I feel will definitely pull in every single person who lays there hands on it and make Kate quite possibly one of the most relatable game characters ever. Definitely expect to see some action on this blog and on my stream for this game.
Madden 19
The trailer itself was actually quite gorgeous. I'm always amazed everytime I see a Madden trailer just how crisp and real these games look, stepping up from the previous year. And, as announced earlier in the conference, the game will be back on PC for the first time in over a decade.
My Take : I could've cared less about this segment, and am glad it was as short as it was. It felt awkward watching it if I'm being completely honest, because the crowd didn't react to anything. Or at least if there were any reactions it wasn't picked up by any of the mic's. While the two on stage tried to exchange quips and hype things up, there was nothing but silence from the crowd. As with most sports titles, this may be one I play eventually but I won't be in line waiting for it when it drops in September.
Command & Conquer - Rivals
The sneak? This was actually a reveal for Command & Conquer being brought to mobile devices, and giving players a full focus on their battle units and movements. Another last second jab of excitement was when they announced afterwards, that Android users had access to pre-Alpha demo usage of the game immediately.
My Take : Me personally, I had no reaction to this. I never have gotten to experience a C&C game, and I'm not a huge mobile gamer either. So this segment didn't really touch on anything to hype me up. Although, I'm not stupid. I know how big the series has always been, especially amongst RTS fans, and to be fully honest the game demo looked gorgeous and smooth, very intuitive every moment that it was played. It might not be something for me personally, but I can definitely see this one pulling some excitement when it gets a full launch.
Anthem
Some members of the BioWare team were brought out to talk about the game and answer some questions, since the game has come a long way since it was initially announced last year.
It's not a single player game, it's not multi-player game, and it's not an MMO. It's none of those exclusively, but it's bits of them at the same time. Anthem features a shared world experience, where portions of the game is where you'll get to encounter things with your friends or other players in general, but then be pulled back into a space that is completely and utterly your own, giving you that break from the shared world and have something that doesn't belong to anybody else.
The BioWare team also mentioned their hope that this is a world which they can expand upon for "years to come" and just build on the story experiences in this new world. If you're not familiar with the game, it's centralized on a world that was unfinished by the Gods. The tools for building that world however, were left behind, and are in a constant warring conflict with a force on the world known as the Anthem.
This game is going to be huge, and it's slotted to be a "whole new experience", as the game is meant to feel like it's alive and happening in the present, every time you load it up. You could step away from the game for some time, and when you come back in everything could have changed. Not just the world itself, but they even hint that some of the lore can change in your time away as well.
The panel even took a few questions in the form of tweets, addressing issues of character/suit customization (which there looks to be a plethora of options for customizing). Your javelin (the in-game term for the suits) is your javelin, and they want to make you feel as such. Oh, and once again, know lootboxes, and no pay for power options. There will be some micro-transaction options but it will be cosmetic only, and nothing random : you'll always know what you're buying before you spend a penny.
Release date as of now? Feb 22, 2019 on XB1, PS4 and PC.
My Take : I didn't follow this game, but anytime I came across anything related to it, my eyes were glued. Seeing more and hearing more about this game, I can't wait. It just might be the BioWare title that gets on par with Mass Effect which, I loved those games as well so I am certainly looking forward to this one. The gameplay that was displayed looks so so incredible. This will be something that I get Day 1 unless it stops looking so amazing. One thing that intrigues me the most is their goal for blending single- and multi-player experiences all within the same world. They say that they want to make sure the story is the focus, and that playing with other players is a choice, not necessity. Again, as long as nothing changes about this one, I'll be playing this one a lot.
Overall Feelings
I expected it to be worse than it was, but EA's conference was pretty enjoyable. One thing is for certain, while they may have been exclusively known for sports titles in the past, that's not the case anymore. While the crowd enjoyed the sports segments, everything else was much more interesting and got bigger reactions.
My biggest issues though were a couple things. First, the Respawn Star Wars tease. What was the point? It took less than a minute, and revealed...nothing really spectacular. Not even an image to go along with the title of the game, just some tidbits. Don't get me wrong, I'm still excited, and the fact that it takes place in the Dark Times is really incredible, but...why?
The other thing that really raised a "what's the point?" from me was the 2 minute splash video for NBA Live 19 in the middle of a bunch of stuff. Nobody talked about it, nothing happened except a trailer that gave off some (albeit beautiful) gameplay and hints of a possible big story mode coming into the game.
Out of a conference that lasted a little over an hour, it's safe to say I enjoyed about half of it at most. Others will obviously have their own opinions on these kinds of things and I fully respect that. The sports titles don't do much to pull me in, especially when you leave hockey out. Battlefield looks to be promising and I can't wait to see even more of this game get revealed as release creeps up. (Yay tomorrow and the Microsoft conference).
My excitement lies mostly with Unravel Two and Sea of Solitude. The Indies definitely stole the show with this one, along with an already released game getting completely revamped. Battlefront II definitely got a rocky start, but the ride looks like it's smoothing out.
On a personal bias note...EA needs to revive its Visceral Games offshoot studios and bring back Dead Space. I know it's a long shot but...I really hope one of these years I'll hear that title again and get to feel the excitement those two words bring.
That's it for the EA coverage, what'd you guys think? Let me know in the comments. Here's looking forward to tomorrow's conferences :
Microsoft
Bethesda
Devolver Digital
Also, please excuse the lack of photos on this article, I wasn't able to watch the conference live and wanted to make sure I could get this published on the same day. Pics will come ASAP in the morning I pinkie promise. Just remember I love you always <3 but seriously, my apologies and I'll get some pretty things to spice this up tomorrow!
On a personal bias note...EA needs to revive its Visceral Games offshoot studios and bring back Dead Space. I know it's a long shot but...I really hope one of these years I'll hear that title again and get to feel the excitement those two words bring.
That's it for the EA coverage, what'd you guys think? Let me know in the comments. Here's looking forward to tomorrow's conferences :
Microsoft
Bethesda
Devolver Digital
Also, please excuse the lack of photos on this article, I wasn't able to watch the conference live and wanted to make sure I could get this published on the same day. Pics will come ASAP in the morning I pinkie promise. Just remember I love you always <3 but seriously, my apologies and I'll get some pretty things to spice this up tomorrow!
