Every year, just as there is a lull in game releases at the beginning of summer, the Electronic Entertainment Expo, known by most as E3, is held at the Los Angeles Conference Center to provide plenty of hype to game enthusiasts looking to the future.
This year’s shows didn’t knock socks off like those in the past, but there were still a few announcements that made my wallet start looking for places to hide. These are, in no particular order, some of the biggest game announcements, reveals and details of E3 2017. Try to contain your excitement.
Star Wars Battlefront II
Although it was announced prior to E3, the Electronic Arts conference shed a bunch of light on what the game will actually be like.
Seeming to want to atone for the sins of the first Battlefront remake, EA announced that all of the DLC for this game will be free of charge to all players.
"Battlefront II", which will launch November 17, also brings more to the table up front, as there will be a cinematic story that ties into the movies. The first Battlefront had so much promise but delivered on so little of it, so luckily for fans Battlefront II looks to be doing it right this time around.
Anthem
First revealed in the EA conference and then demoed at the Microsoft show, "Anthem" looks like it could be the next multiplayer juggernaut. Under development by Bioware, creators of “Dragon Age” and “Mass Effect”, "Anthem" combines the personal story elements and vast open world of those past games while adding multiplayer elements akin to Activision’s “Destiny”.
The player goes from talking to a man in a buzzing bazaar to suiting up in an Iron Man-like exo suit and flying through misty forests towards the objective. The open world, insane looking suit mechanics and the ability to play with friends all left conference goers and those watching at home demanding more.
Dragon Ball Fighters Z
Still in early development by Arc System Works, devs of the “Guilty Gear” fighting games, "Dragon Ball Fighters Z" looks to be the game fans of "Dragon Ball" have been waiting for. Replacing the arena style of fighting with classic 2-D battles, "Dragon Ball Fighters Z" perfectly captures the fast paced, visceral action of the TV series.
The cell-shaded graphics look gorgeous and beloved characters dash around the screen, firing off attacks the likes of fighters like "Marvel vs. Capcom" and "Guilty Gear" could only hope to mimic.
A beta is expected later this summer and the final game is set for release sometime early 2018.
Assassins Creed: Origins
With the decline of "Assassins Creed" a few years ago, Ubisoft took some time off of the yearly releases and focused more on their next title.
Officially revealed at E3 after weeks of online leaks, "Assassins Creed: Origins" takes players to ancient Egypt to discover the beginning of the Assassins. Though I’m still unsure of how well climbing and sneaking will work in that setting, the RPG elements, reinvigorated combat system and overall look of the game have me excited for the franchise’s return.
Metroid Prime 4 and Core Pokemon RPG on Switch
At the end of all the conferences, Nintendo swept in with a 45-minute video presentation that blew all of the other announcements out of the water. Not only were “Super Mario Odyssey” and new games “Kirby” and “Yoshi” shown off, but Nintendo announced two games in the works that had fans jumping from their seats.
"Metroid Prime 4," a game that would revitalize the series after years of dormancy, was confirmed to be in production for the Switch.
That could have hyped up the conference enough as it was, but Nintendo casually announced that a core "Pokemon" RPG, which has always been confined to handheld systems, was in development for the Switch. Both of these announcements combined with the already impressive games coming out for Nintendo puts them back as a contender in the ever-waging console wars.
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