Bethesda kicked off the E3 presentations this year with its first ever press conference and game showcase. Didn’t catch the hour and a half of action live? Fine details slip your mind? Here are all of this year’s highlights below.
– The show opened with various Bethesda employees discussing their game design aspirations before transitioning into a fancy montage of Bethesda’s IPs like Dishonoured, Doom, and Elder Scrolls. A presenter spoke of company’s desire to make this show about the games and sure enough…
Doom
- – Doom. Nearly half an hour of Doom. It’s is about moving fast, toting big guns, and killing demons. Did you expect otherwise? It runs on the Intex 6 engine. Lengthy gameplay footage was shown of the protagonist doing what he does best – bloody up monsters to the point where rooms are utterly drenched in blood and entrails using his trusty guns and chainsaw. Didn’t quite look as speedy as it was hyped up to be but I don’t think anyone will deny the guns or killing demons part.
- – Another brief trailer showed off the multiplayer component of the game and its many modes. Players will be able to build and share their creations instantly. Doom: Snapmap is the name of the game’s content portal. We then bore further witness to the magnificently innovative corridors of Hell, which looked totally original and not like standard shooter fare. Did I mention there was shooting and killing stuff?
- – It lands Spring 2016 on Xbox One, PS4, and PC
– Bethesda.net will power all Bethesda games going forward, regardless of platform.
Battlecry
– Battlecry was shown off in all its third person arena combat glory. A trailer ran through the the various classes of playable characters. We already knew about this one, but now we know they’re accepting beta applications. It launches this fall.
Dishonoured 2
- – Directors from Arkane Studios spoke about their ambition to create games that are open-ended. A trailer for Dishonored 2 showed off a cityscape with some swanky steampunk designs as a voice spoke about the effects of power. You can pick to play as Corvo or Emily, both from the original game.
- – No date but it will be available on PC Xbox One PS4
- – Dishonored 2 comes out spring 2016
- – Dishonored: Definitive Edition includes extra content and various graphical enhancements. It hits Xbox One and PS4 this fall.
– A brief trailer showed The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited
– Elder Scrolls Legends was announced. It’s is a free to play CCG – now we’re talking. It will be available on PC and iPad with more details to come soon.
– That’s all she wrote. Nah, the presenters faked everyone out to a chorus of boos before talking about the much anticipated…
Fallout 4
- – It’s been in development for over five years. Various concept art was shown with wreckage and post-apocalyptic scenery obviously being a running theme here.
- – But wait! The game takes place before that apocalypse. Character creation is surprisingly creative, starting out with a customisable couple conversing in front of a bathroom mirror. The game generates a baby based on what couple you pick. Of course, the game then jumps 200 years forward to depressingly negate that baby and spouse’s existence.
- – Dialogue is dynamic and can occur from first person or third person duriing conversations. The game takes place in downtown Boston and you can quickly recruit man’s best friend to live alongside you.
- – A real life Pip-Boy comes with the game’s collector’s edition to enable an enhanced second screen experience. There’s a slot to insert a phone, though that seems limited given the millions of varying sizes. It looks stupendous as far as gimmicky extras go. You can also just use a regular phone outside of the Pip-Boy.
- – There will be thousands of items to interact with including 50 base weapons and 700 modifications for them. Modifications can change a weapon into something “completely new”. Power armour can be modified extensively as well.
- – The game comes out sooner than expected – November 10 this year, in fact.
Fallout Shelter
- – Fallout Shelter is a mobile game where players make their own custom vaults. You oversee all the citizens and endeavour keep them both productive and happy. It’s apparently inspired by Progress Quest.
- – It’s free with premium paid content and available on the app store – drumroll – tonight. I’d be lying if I said this wasn’t the best looking game of the night.
What did you think of the show?
– Clark A.
Anime Editor
