The big stuff at E3 yesterday really came from Ubisoft. That was certainly the noisiest, most buzz-filled, E3 conference thus far. I'll cover that as soon as I get a chance, because it was good.
But for now... onto Sony's presentation.
It kicked off last night - somewhat unexpectedly - with a performance by a group of Indian musicians, which led directly into the first game trailer of the night.
There was a full 15 minutes of video footage before anyone from Sony appeared in "the flesh". When they did, it was Sony Interactive boss Shawn Layden, dressed in a nice suit, and standing in front of a big, blue whale (curtain). With no new hardware to show off, this year's E3 was "all about the games" bleated the mad man Layden, as he stomped and huffed like a wounded boar.
However, despite some actual Flames of Excitement marking the showcasing of a new Marvel Vs Capcom game, next to Microsoft's loud and glossy presentation, there's no denying that it all felt surprisingly subdued. Sony chose to just play trailers and a bit of gameplay footage, with only a second appearance from the mad man Layden to break things up. They didn't even unveil a new type of car, like Microsoft did for some reason.
Here's my take on what they done gone and showed.
But for now... onto Sony's presentation.
It kicked off last night - somewhat unexpectedly - with a performance by a group of Indian musicians, which led directly into the first game trailer of the night.
There was a full 15 minutes of video footage before anyone from Sony appeared in "the flesh". When they did, it was Sony Interactive boss Shawn Layden, dressed in a nice suit, and standing in front of a big, blue whale (curtain). With no new hardware to show off, this year's E3 was "all about the games" bleated the mad man Layden, as he stomped and huffed like a wounded boar.
However, despite some actual Flames of Excitement marking the showcasing of a new Marvel Vs Capcom game, next to Microsoft's loud and glossy presentation, there's no denying that it all felt surprisingly subdued. Sony chose to just play trailers and a bit of gameplay footage, with only a second appearance from the mad man Layden to break things up. They didn't even unveil a new type of car, like Microsoft did for some reason.
Here's my take on what they done gone and showed.
UNCHARTED: THE LOST LEGACY
I love Uncharted, but the main story of that series is finished. I'm finding it hard to feel as excited for The Lost Legacy as I would the continuing adventures of Nathan Drake.
That might be unfair, though. Naughty Dog has a track record of releasing great, story-fuelled, DLC for its games (witness The Last Of Us: Left Behind), and this does look as if it has the potential to be as slick and polished as the games it has spun off from. Just a bit shorter.
I guess I'd rather it was a full game is all. But I'll be playing it, of course, and I expect to love it.
Talking of DLC, you can also expect Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wastes - a snowy addition to a decent game, which had the misfortune to be utterly overshadowed by the similar-but-better Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
CAR COUNT: 0
I love Uncharted, but the main story of that series is finished. I'm finding it hard to feel as excited for The Lost Legacy as I would the continuing adventures of Nathan Drake.
That might be unfair, though. Naughty Dog has a track record of releasing great, story-fuelled, DLC for its games (witness The Last Of Us: Left Behind), and this does look as if it has the potential to be as slick and polished as the games it has spun off from. Just a bit shorter.
I guess I'd rather it was a full game is all. But I'll be playing it, of course, and I expect to love it.
Talking of DLC, you can also expect Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wastes - a snowy addition to a decent game, which had the misfortune to be utterly overshadowed by the similar-but-better Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
CAR COUNT: 0
DAYS GONE
Yes, it looks good... but we really need to talk about the zombies. I suggested yesterday that we might've reached peak post-apocalypse, but here we are again.
I'm sure Days Gone will be solid - though I winced slightly at the visceral nature of some of the main character's actions - but... I dunno. Post-apocalypse games are becoming such a cliche, and there are so many of them... it's starting to feel lazy and predictable. The more we see of these sorts of games, the less I want to see of them. And I was always a sucker for post-apocalypse fiction!
I didn't witness anything in Days Gone's trailer to suggest it's going to do anything radical with the genre, or use it to say something profound. Except, uh... you get to ride motorbikes and encounter a zombie bear and strangle people with a rope. Like, cool...!
Still, at least the zombies don't have glowing eyes.
CAR COUNT: 0
Yes, it looks good... but we really need to talk about the zombies. I suggested yesterday that we might've reached peak post-apocalypse, but here we are again.
I'm sure Days Gone will be solid - though I winced slightly at the visceral nature of some of the main character's actions - but... I dunno. Post-apocalypse games are becoming such a cliche, and there are so many of them... it's starting to feel lazy and predictable. The more we see of these sorts of games, the less I want to see of them. And I was always a sucker for post-apocalypse fiction!
I didn't witness anything in Days Gone's trailer to suggest it's going to do anything radical with the genre, or use it to say something profound. Except, uh... you get to ride motorbikes and encounter a zombie bear and strangle people with a rope. Like, cool...!
Still, at least the zombies don't have glowing eyes.
CAR COUNT: 0
SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS
Yes: the 12 year-old Shadow of the Colossus is coming back again, with new visuals. Judging from the trailer, the overhaul is such that it's more remake than remaster, but it'll be - by all accounts - the same basic game. That's not a bad thing. I mean, they re-release old albums all the time, and Shadow of the Colossus is a much-loved classic. If a bit niche. You know: like, I dunno, Pink Floyd's The Final Cut.
CAR COUNT: 0
Yes: the 12 year-old Shadow of the Colossus is coming back again, with new visuals. Judging from the trailer, the overhaul is such that it's more remake than remaster, but it'll be - by all accounts - the same basic game. That's not a bad thing. I mean, they re-release old albums all the time, and Shadow of the Colossus is a much-loved classic. If a bit niche. You know: like, I dunno, Pink Floyd's The Final Cut.
CAR COUNT: 0
MONSTER HUNTER WORLD
I've never played a Monster Hunter game, because I've got it into my head that I won't like them. I'm not sure where that comes from, as this actually looks pretty fun... For yet another game set in a lush, photorealistic, tropical forest.
My main experience with the series is from the time Capcom sponsored an expedition to Guyana by the Centre For Fortean Zoology - an actual, real-life, monster hunt - which I had the good fortune to go on. We didn't see any monsters... because, you see, we were the monsters all along!!!!!
Notably, this is the first non-Nintendo-only Monster Hunter game since 2006. It isn't a PS4 exclusive, however, and will also be available on the Xbox. Indeed, given that Microsoft rolled out exclusive after exclusive, the Sony presentation was already starting to feel a bit underwhelming. There was scarcely even any whooping and absolutely no cars!
CAR COUNT: Still 0
I've never played a Monster Hunter game, because I've got it into my head that I won't like them. I'm not sure where that comes from, as this actually looks pretty fun... For yet another game set in a lush, photorealistic, tropical forest.
My main experience with the series is from the time Capcom sponsored an expedition to Guyana by the Centre For Fortean Zoology - an actual, real-life, monster hunt - which I had the good fortune to go on. We didn't see any monsters... because, you see, we were the monsters all along!!!!!
Notably, this is the first non-Nintendo-only Monster Hunter game since 2006. It isn't a PS4 exclusive, however, and will also be available on the Xbox. Indeed, given that Microsoft rolled out exclusive after exclusive, the Sony presentation was already starting to feel a bit underwhelming. There was scarcely even any whooping and absolutely no cars!
CAR COUNT: Still 0
VR STUFF
Bloody hell, Bethesda - you're really milking Skyrim. Aside from the Switch version, we're now also getting Skyrim for PlayStation VR. Can anybody say "Money for old rope?". Well, of course they can. It's hardly a tongue-twister, like "Peter Poo-Poo Put A Poo-Poo In a Pewter Pulpit".
I'll be honest... I've gone right off PSVR after my experiences with Resident Evil 7, when I couldn't play it without wanting to do a vomit. Even after the nausea subsided, I'd feel ill for the rest of the day. I don't really want to feel that way again.
I mean, I've still yet to play the Star Wars Battlefront VR mission, even though I can't think of anything better than a Star Wars VR game. That's how much I've lost interest in VR.
I might have to sort that out though: the sublime Superhot is also coming to PSVR, along with Doom, Final Fantasy XV and Fallout-themed experiences.
There were a few less-buzzy PSVR games teased, and though the system has sold well... there's no denying that VR - as a format - might not have taken off in the way that some idiots predicted.
CAR COUNT: 0
Bloody hell, Bethesda - you're really milking Skyrim. Aside from the Switch version, we're now also getting Skyrim for PlayStation VR. Can anybody say "Money for old rope?". Well, of course they can. It's hardly a tongue-twister, like "Peter Poo-Poo Put A Poo-Poo In a Pewter Pulpit".
I'll be honest... I've gone right off PSVR after my experiences with Resident Evil 7, when I couldn't play it without wanting to do a vomit. Even after the nausea subsided, I'd feel ill for the rest of the day. I don't really want to feel that way again.
I mean, I've still yet to play the Star Wars Battlefront VR mission, even though I can't think of anything better than a Star Wars VR game. That's how much I've lost interest in VR.
I might have to sort that out though: the sublime Superhot is also coming to PSVR, along with Doom, Final Fantasy XV and Fallout-themed experiences.
There were a few less-buzzy PSVR games teased, and though the system has sold well... there's no denying that VR - as a format - might not have taken off in the way that some idiots predicted.
CAR COUNT: 0
CALL OF DUTY: WW2
Another cross-platform release here. I'm all for Call of Duty returning to the conflict which defined the series. I've become less interested in the franchise with each passing year, as it drifted into the future, and further away from its roots.
Call of Duty got me through some hard times, and I'll always maintain some affection for it, but it's World War 2 that I'll always associate it with.
The work that's gone into this to ensure authenticity is immense. It has been just long enough since we've had a WW2 game that I'm keen to return to the frontline to see how it looks with the current generation of hardware. Let us hope that it does not glorify war.
CAR COUNT: 0
Another cross-platform release here. I'm all for Call of Duty returning to the conflict which defined the series. I've become less interested in the franchise with each passing year, as it drifted into the future, and further away from its roots.
Call of Duty got me through some hard times, and I'll always maintain some affection for it, but it's World War 2 that I'll always associate it with.
The work that's gone into this to ensure authenticity is immense. It has been just long enough since we've had a WW2 game that I'm keen to return to the frontline to see how it looks with the current generation of hardware. Let us hope that it does not glorify war.
CAR COUNT: 0
GOD OF WAR
I like the God of War games, but have never loved them. This new God of War looks like more of the same, but really ramping up the feels by making it about Kratos and Son.
Graphics are promising too - ditching the series' traditionally more stylised look for something richer and more detailed. Maybe that'll make it a bit less interesting as a result, but the scale and the enormous monsters remain.
Why are Kratos and Son so pallid, though? Have they never been outside?!
CAR COUNT: 0
I like the God of War games, but have never loved them. This new God of War looks like more of the same, but really ramping up the feels by making it about Kratos and Son.
Graphics are promising too - ditching the series' traditionally more stylised look for something richer and more detailed. Maybe that'll make it a bit less interesting as a result, but the scale and the enormous monsters remain.
Why are Kratos and Son so pallid, though? Have they never been outside?!
CAR COUNT: 0
DETROIT: BECOME HUMAN
Judging from the trailer, this might as well be a new Watch Dogs, with its futuristic Detroit setting and cyberterrorism and hacking and that. It would appear that you play a fellow called Marcus who's orchestrating an uprising of robot slaves.
It looked a bit soulless - appropriately, perhaps - with its glossy sheen and holograms and attempts to suggest the conflict might be something we want to invest in. Plus, I can't say that Marcus came across as the most compelling protagonist.
It's an issue I have with so many game trailers: they all want to be epic and kinetic and full of explosions. They rarely try to sell us on the fun of playing, or why we might actually enjoy spending time with the characters we'll be encountering. Everyone is so bloody intense.
CAR COUNT: 0
Judging from the trailer, this might as well be a new Watch Dogs, with its futuristic Detroit setting and cyberterrorism and hacking and that. It would appear that you play a fellow called Marcus who's orchestrating an uprising of robot slaves.
It looked a bit soulless - appropriately, perhaps - with its glossy sheen and holograms and attempts to suggest the conflict might be something we want to invest in. Plus, I can't say that Marcus came across as the most compelling protagonist.
It's an issue I have with so many game trailers: they all want to be epic and kinetic and full of explosions. They rarely try to sell us on the fun of playing, or why we might actually enjoy spending time with the characters we'll be encountering. Everyone is so bloody intense.
CAR COUNT: 0
DESTINY 2
We all know this is on the way. I'm going to do my damndest to try to get into it, having struggled to find the original anything less than a relentless chore.
Also: wasn't Destiny meant to have a ten-year life-cycle? Well, that was a load of bollocks.
CAR COUNT: 0
We all know this is on the way. I'm going to do my damndest to try to get into it, having struggled to find the original anything less than a relentless chore.
Also: wasn't Destiny meant to have a ten-year life-cycle? Well, that was a load of bollocks.
CAR COUNT: 0
SPIDER-MAN
At last! A big platform exclusive! And this looks really, really, really fun. Several of the previous Spider-Man games are among my favourites of all time - there's just something about the character which lends itself to video games.
But... what's with Spider-Man's costume? What's with all the white? That's annoying. Just make him look like the Spider-Man we know. The white looks horrible. Also: who is he talking to all the time? Since when did Spider-Man have a "handler"?
And that was that.
Sony was done, having shown fewer games than Microsoft, and generated far less excitement than Ubisoft managed at their own presentation. There were virtually no surprises, only a handful of exclusives, and bundling all the VR games together suggests that even Sony might be going a little cold on the format.
For all that... it's sort of a given now that Sony will remain market leader. Even though there are clearly a lot of reasons to be excited about the Xbox brand, I can't see Microsoft's E3 doing much to close the gap between the Xbox and PlayStation 4. Maybe Sony knows it, and that's why they were content to rest on both their laurels and their hardies.
TOTAL CAR COUNT: 0
At last! A big platform exclusive! And this looks really, really, really fun. Several of the previous Spider-Man games are among my favourites of all time - there's just something about the character which lends itself to video games.
But... what's with Spider-Man's costume? What's with all the white? That's annoying. Just make him look like the Spider-Man we know. The white looks horrible. Also: who is he talking to all the time? Since when did Spider-Man have a "handler"?
And that was that.
Sony was done, having shown fewer games than Microsoft, and generated far less excitement than Ubisoft managed at their own presentation. There were virtually no surprises, only a handful of exclusives, and bundling all the VR games together suggests that even Sony might be going a little cold on the format.
For all that... it's sort of a given now that Sony will remain market leader. Even though there are clearly a lot of reasons to be excited about the Xbox brand, I can't see Microsoft's E3 doing much to close the gap between the Xbox and PlayStation 4. Maybe Sony knows it, and that's why they were content to rest on both their laurels and their hardies.
TOTAL CAR COUNT: 0
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