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E3 In Danger?
It Shouldn’t Be
C
all it a humblebrag, but I’ve been to
every E3 since it began in 1995 – all
22 of them. I’ve seen the show change
over the years, and I have seen the show
falter. The dark year when we were in Santa
Monica and another year where we shared
the convention center were particularly bad.
At that show games were relegated to the
back rooms, and arts and crafts took the
center stage.
No offense to arts and crafts, but video
ANDY McNAMARA games should not lose out to the craft busi-
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ness. But this year saw turmoil return to
[email protected] the Electronic Entertainment Expo. Some
believe the show should be open to the
Read my column or public and be about engaging the gamer,
comment on this letter at others think it should stay focused on being
gameinformer.com/mag an industry-facing event.
or follow @GI_AndyMc This year both Electronic Arts and
Activision – giant third party publishers –
were largely absent from the show floor
and the difference was noticeable. The hall
with Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony were
hotbeds of activity. The hall where EA and
Activision normally set up shop? Not so
much. On top of this, I heard rumors that
both Microsoft and Sony felt they would
benefit from having their own events rather
than being part of a larger industry event.
I have my fair share of problems with E3,
but the last thing in the world I want is to see
it go away. Do I have ideas on how to make
it better? You bet, but if the game compa-
nies walk away we lose the one moment
when video games are at the center of the
world’s stage. When we see the future of
games. When we learn how they will change
visit gameinformer.com daily for the latest and greatest, and follow @gameinformer on Twitter

our lives. When the best-of-the-best face off

in a marketing blitz that sets the stage for
the coming year and beyond.
Let’s not lose this important part of the
video game ecosystem, but it is time for a
change to E3. My hope is that the powers
that be can look past their own budgets
and reservations and make next year’s
already announced E3 one of the best ever,
where all the video game industry comes
together to celebrate games.
Enjoy the issue.

Cheers,

28 Game Informer’s
E3 Hot 50
This year’s E3 had fewer show-stopping
surprises, but what we lost in crazy reveals and over-
blown YouTube reaction videos, we gained in hefty looks
at games that aren’t too far from release. We combed
through all the games we saw and played and tested our
friendships to craft a ranked list of the games we think
are worth getting excited about.

2
 games index

1979 Revolution: Black Friday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

Abzû . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Batman: A Telltale Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Batman: Arkham VR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18, 73
Battle Chasers: Nightwar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

12 The E3 Microsoft
Report Card
Microsoft announced not
14 The E3 Sony
Report Card
Sony was full of surprises,
16 The E3 Nintendo
Report Card
Nintendo went all in on
Battlefield 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
one, but two new consoles revealing God of War and a The Legend of Zelda, for Civilization VI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
this year. new game from Kojima. better or worse. Crackdown 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Dangerous Golf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Days Gone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Dead Island 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Dead Rising 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

04 Feedback Death Stranding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Detroit: Become Human. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
18 The E3 VR Report Deus Ex: Mankind Divided . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Dishonored 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
24 Gear: Edge of Nowhere . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
The Best Tech Of E3 Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Special Edition, The . . . . 22

26 Timeline Elder Scrolls Legends, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Ever Oasis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
28 E3 Hot 50 FIFA 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Final Fantasy VII Remake. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
84 Reviews Final Fantasy XV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

96 Game Over: For Honor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Forza Horizon 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
E3 Missing In Action
Friday the 13th: The Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Gears of War 4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Ghost Recon: Wildlands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
God of War . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Gwent: The Witcher Card Game. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Horizon Zero Dawn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
I am Setsuna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Injustice 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Inside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Kingdom Hearts III. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Last Guardian, The . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
LawBreakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, The. . . . . . . . 32
Madden NFL 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

86 Dangerous Golf
Burnout creators’
new game trades cars for 20 The Most Fascinating Trailers Of E3
We gathered up the best trailers of the show and spoke
Mafia III . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Mass Effect: Andromeda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Mighty No. 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
golf balls. with Hideo Kojima about his mysterious new title, Death Stranding. Minecraft: Story Mode –
Episode 6: A Portal to Mystery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Mirror’s Edge Catalyst . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Nier: Automata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Nioh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
No Man’s Sky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Paper Mario: Color Splash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Persona 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Pokémon Sun & Moon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Prey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Pro Evolution Soccer 17. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Quake Champions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

87 Mighty No. 9
The Mega Man Resident Evil 2 Remastered . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Resident Evil 7: Beginning Hour . . . . . . . . . . . . 18, 80
creator’s spiritual succes-
sor isn’t quite what we
hoped for.
89 Mirror’s Edge Catalyst
Does the open world help or hinder Faith’s follow-up
parkour adventure?
South Park: The Fractured but Whole . . . . . . . . . . 38
Spider-Man . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Star Ocean V: Integrity and Faithlessness . . . . . . . 94
Star Trek: Bridge Crew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Star Wars Battlefront: X-Wing VR Mission . . . . 18, 23
State of Decay 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Strafe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Surge, The. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Tacoma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Tekken 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Thimbleweed Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Time Machine VR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Titanfall 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Tyranny . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

92 Tokyo Mirage
Sessions #FE Unspoken, The. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War III. . . . . . . . . . . 59

90 Inside
Playdead’s latest is a beautiful, playable nightmare that
shouldn’t be missed.
This RPG mash-up isn’t
what we expected, but
it’s good.
Watch Dogs 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
We Happy Few. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Wild . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Zero Time Dilemma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

3 contents
feedback

Nintendo’s plans for the future are a hot topic this month, while
other readers discuss hardware rumors, spoiler etiquette, and the
overabundance of journalism in our magazine... Sorry?

Zeroing In On Zelda Nintendo continued to play by its Sony and Microsoft’s decision to
Do you think Nintendo is missing own rules this E3, skipping a tradi- release more-powerful consoles
its target? I may not exactly be the tional press conference and down- this early in the hardware cycle
intended audience, but in my 23 sizing the software line-up it showed has certainly struck a chord with
years, I’ve played a lot of games, to fans. You can read our complete gamers – and not a good one. While
and what Nintendo is doing doesn’t thoughts on Nintendo’s show on it sure sounds like a great way
excite me anymore. I’m hoping they’ll page 16, but there’s a silver lining to alienate the tens of millions of
blow me away and win me back for Zelda fans at least; we got a lot players who have already bought
with the NX, but I’m afraid right now of hands-on time with Link’s newest into current-gen, we simply don’t
the princess and I are in two totally outing and liked what we played. know enough about the systems
different castles. Head to page 32 to find out more. to make any kind of judgment call.
James Willison Our advice? Take any speculation
via email Not Looking For An Upgrade with a handful of salt and wait for
I really have no interest in 4K televi- Sony and Microsoft to deliver some
There has been something that I have sions or the “.5” system upgrades for more facts before you pick up your
been meaning to ask you: What are PS4 and Xbox One. Releasing new torches and pitchforks.
your thoughts about Nintendo’s E3 systems seems like an obvious stab
plans? With the new Zelda being the at the NX and a gimmick to force
only playable game at the show, are sales of 4K televisions. My 500GB
any of you disappointed? I’m fine PlayStation 4 works just fine and I have
with it because the game has been a top-of-the-line 1080p television. So
under lock and key for at least three I see no reason to upgrade my TV or
years and it would be nice to hear my PS4. There are also way too many
more about it. P.S. Yeah, I’m the same games coming out – Persona 5, Mass
moron who sent you that hate letter Effect: Andromeda, Deus Ex: Mankind
about Sonic Lost World. Wasn’t one of Divided, etc. – for me to think about
my finest moments. buying an upgraded PS4.
Contact Us Charlie Marble Rocky Johnson
[email protected] via email via email
4
 Spoiler! Short Answers
I recently picked up Bravely Default to To Readers’
see what all the buzz was about. I also Burning
noticed there was a review of Bravely Questions:
Second in the latest issue, and read it
“Will the next Zelda
to see what you have to say about the
game ever come out?”
sequel. I’m sorry I did, because the
review makes it a point to spoil some- Yes.
thing about the plot of the first game –
twice! When I read a review of a game I “Has Sony given up on
expect it to be a look at that game, not the PS Vita?”
a discussion of events in the first game.
Sure seems like it.
Now I’ve been spoiled on something I
would have experienced firsthand, and
“Can everyone just shut
I’m sure I don’t need to spell out why
up and stop acting like
that’s poor form on your part. It’s all well
Nintendo is the worst
and good to talk about how the sequel
thing on the planet?”
compares to the first, but it’s more than
possible to do so without actually spoil- Probably not.
ing something that happens in the first
game. Come on, guys. I’ve been sub-
scribed to you for years now. I expect Reader
you to be better than this. Gibberish:
Mike Altman
“Where can i purchased
No More VR Reviews? via email
this article for class
I really enjoyed your recent coverage of VR and am looking assignment how gaming
Everyone has a different metric for
forward to trying it myself. However, I was a bit disappointed effect the mind.”
what they consider a spoiler, and
to see six pages of issue 278’s review section devoted to we try to accommodate our read-
games for devices that most of us won’t have for a while – ers as best we can. In the case of
Question
and I typically buy new tech before other people I know. For our Bravely Second review, we didn’t
Of The Month:
VR, however, I’m waiting for more titles until I determine the include any specifics on plot points or
characters from the first game – only What was your biggest
specs of an expensive new PC build. Maybe cover a couple
the comparison of a plot mechanic takeaway from this
of key titles, put the rest online, and save the print pages for that directly impacted our enjoyment year’s E3?
things more readers can currently play. It was a good sam- of both titles. Spoilers are a two-way
pling of the options, but hopefully the page count was just for street. It’s fine to be sensitive about
one issue (for now). spoilers, but if you are, you also have
Jon Walker to be sensitive about what you read –
via email so maybe don’t jump into a review for
the sequel of a game you’re actively
playing and afraid to have ruined?
We covered the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive as we would
any other hardware release – by reviewing the headsets
themselves, as well as the most promising launch titles.
While many readers don’t have access to those games
just yet, those reviews may help them decide whether
or not they want to buy a VR unit in the first place. Rest
assured though, with the launches out of the way, VR
games and our subsequent reviews will slow down – but
hopefully not too much.

(Left) If you couldn’t tell

gi spy

from the four thumbs-

ups, our interview with
Nintendo’s legendary
Shigeru Miyamoto
went well.
(Right) Shea’s chat
with Tekken creator
Katsuhiro Harada and
translator Michael
Murray didn’t go quite
as smoothly…

PHOTOS FROM THE VIDEO GAME INDUSTRY

feedback 5
On Your Mind One Weird Trick…
I have been playing video games
since 1989, when I got my first game
system: an NES Power Set, complete
with a subscription to Nintendo Power.
I know that YouTube and online sites
provide tips and tricks to finish games.
However, I read Game Informer now,
and I would really like to see some tips
and tricks – it seems your magazine is
more like video game news/journalism.
Will there ever be a day where we have
game tips and tricks as well as journal-
ism in the magazine again?
Willie Davis
via email

It’s rare that we’re accused of doing

too much journalism, but here goes.
G.I.’s Secret Access and Play To
Perfection sections used to focus
Can’t Hardly Wait on tips and tricks, but it died out
In issue 278, we asked readers what the next must-buy years ago when the vast majority of
game is on their list. While many had their sights on an developers stopped including cheat
upcoming space epic, others are looking further into the codes in games. Truth be told, the
online space is simply a more natural
future for their next big purchase.
fit; no one wants to wait a month or
longer for advice when they’re stuck
It has to be No Man’s Sky, a game that finally satiates my desire or struggling with a game, when they
for endless space exploration, combat, and trading. As a console can instantly look for help on the
gamer, if this game lives up to expectations, I could be playing Internet. On the bright side, gamein-
it for years. Very intriguing! former.com offers lots of helpful
Must-Buy Games Charles Hansborough guidance for new games – and even
a little journalism from time to time.
Can’t Wait For VR!
Stop Writing
My next must-buy game is definitely Horizon Zero Dawn.
About VR! The action/RPG gameplay looks fast-paced and exciting, the
visuals are absolutely breathtaking, and the setting and lead
Continued FF XV character show potential for an entire franchise of games.
Excitement
Here’s hoping Guerrilla Games can knock it out of the park!
What’s Up Tyler Keller
With Nintendo?
My next must-buy game is Battlefield 1. I’ve spent the past
few years yearning so much for a return to WWII, but I never
even stopped to consider how amazing a WWI game might
be. I’ve become completely burnt out on the future, combat
genre that Call of Duty has been pursuing, so while Infinite
Warfare is traveling further into the future and going full sci-
fi, I’ll be in the trenches with the next Battlefield.
Iain Topp

(Left) Not done

bugging fighting-game
creators, Shea also
tracked down Mortal
Kombat designer Ed
Boon to talk about
NetherRealm’s
upcoming Injustice 2.
(Right) Ben Reeves
and Jeff Cork ran into
a few familiar faces
during their annual
E3 showfloor tour.
Watch the video at
gameinformer.com.

6 feedback
If you’re playing with
cigarettes, you’re
harming your teeth.
Smoking cigarettes can cause serious
gum disease that makes you more likely
to lose your teeth than someone who
doesn’t smoke.

Find out more at TheRealCost.gov

gallery 1
WINNER
1 Scott Middlehurst
The Master Sword must not be that great
of a weapon if people keep encasing it
in concrete

2 Colin Bruns
We don’t often feature art from
younger readers, but this piece
by Colin is wonderfully creative.
We just want to see what hap-
pens to the AT-AT when it grabs
a mushroom

3 Kaytlyn Cota
This is likely what a Deathclaw
will look like through Fallout 4’s
upcoming VR

» Submit your art for a chance to win our monthly prize. Please include your name and return address. Entries become the property of Game Informer and cannot be returned.
Send to: Game Informer Reader Art Contest | 724 First Street North, 3rd Floor | Minneapolis, MN 55401 or Email to: [email protected]

(Left) How do we know

actor Scott Porter is a
good older brother? He
got his siblings Brendan
and Ariana into E3!
(Right) This year at
E3, Dan Tack caught up
with Twitch broadcaster
extraordinaire Sonja
Reid, plus Twitch’s
PR gurus, Erin Fan,
and Chase.

8 feedback
© 2015 Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company. All Rights Reserved. 5, Life Happens in 5, Cobalt, and all affiliated designs are trademarks of the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company or its affiliates.
NOTABLES
12 microsoft report card

14 sony report card

16 nintendo report card

18 vr report

20 e3 game trailer roundup

24 best tech of e3

10
connect 11
 Microsoft aimed high by bringing a lineup of
exclusive titles and two new iterations of its
console, but these maneuvers did not generate
the seismic shift the company was likely hoping
for. Some lackluster games and on-stage pre-
sentations – along with conflicting statements
regarding its upcoming hardware – still leave
Microsoft playing catch-up.
The Galen Center in Los Angeles once again
played host to Microsoft’s annual E3 press
conference, which kicked off with a big (but
unsurprising) confirmation: A redesigned Xbox
One is on the way, as was widely rumored in the
months prior to E3. Dubbed Xbox One S, the
new version of the console is 40 percent smaller
than the current model, supports 4K Ultra HD
content via streaming and Blu-ray, has an IR
blaster, and comes with a wireless controller
with Bluetooth support. For all of those addi-
tions, one notable feature has been removed
from the unit: the proprietary Kinect port. If
you’re still looking for signs that Microsoft is
abandoning its efforts in the motion-sensing
arena, they don’t come much clearer than
removing built-in support (though USB adapters

MICROSOFT
are available). However, losing Kinect is a small
price to pay for high dynamic range technology
that improves gaming visuals.
After the official announcement of the Xbox
One S and an introduction from Xbox head

report card
Phil Spencer, The Coalition’s Rod Fergusson
took the stage to showcase a lengthy demo
of Gears of War 4. The game looked great in
action, and it is coming exclusively to Xbox
One and Windows 10 PCs – a fact that allowed
Consoles dominate the Xbox conversation, but Fergusson to introduce Microsoft’s “Play
Anywhere” initiative. Players who purchase
a flimsy game lineup fails to impress digital versions of games in the Play Anywhere
program pay once for access to the title on both
Xbox One and Windows 10 PCs – including car-
very year, E3 presents an opportunity for underdogs to up- rying over progress and achievements between

E
platforms. While this cross-play capability
set the balance of power. With the right announcements is a nice bonus, Windows gaming initiatives
and demos, a company can use the show to project a new have struggled in the past due to the disparity
between gamers’ enthusiasm for the platform
sense of purpose and direction. That seemed to be Micro- and Microsoft’s. Only time will tell if this new
soft’s goal heading into the convention this year, hoping to reset the approach will prove more successful.
Gears of War 4 wasn’t the only impressive
playing field and gain new advantages against the competition. demo to get stage time; Microsoft did a com-
mendable job balancing its trailers and teases
with more substantial looks at its upcom-
by Joe Juba ing titles. For example, Forza Horizon 3 was
unveiled at the event, but was also played live
with four-player co-op and available for E3
12
 What Is Project Scorpio?
Going solely by Microsoft’s stage presentation, the purpose of Project Scorpio seems straightforward: It’s a
powerful new version of the Xbox One that supports 4K gaming and VR, and it plays all previous and future Xbox
One games. However, when people probed Microsoft for more info during E3, the answers on these points were
inconsistent. Will we see Scorpio exclusives? Do you need a 4K TV to get any benefit from Scorpio? Should we
expect this kind of annual hardware iteration from now on? The differing (and contradictory) responses from
Microsoft representatives on these points generated some confusion about what exactly Scorpio is and what
incentive gamers have to upgrade. The points will undoubtedly be clarified and solidified as the console’s devel-
opment continues, but the coming-out party for Project Scorpio left gamers with more questions than answers.

phenomenon that practically everyone has Preview and Steam Early Access title) on July
played or seen. Instead of trusting the audi- 26. CD Projekt Red announced that Gwent –
ence’s familiarity with the title, Microsoft the card game from The Witcher 3 – is getting
presented a five-minute demo full of clumsy a standalone release along with a closed beta
scripted banter just to show off a new update coming first to Xbox One and Windows 10 in
that enables cross-platform play and some September. In addition to those pillars, a sizzle
add-ons coming later this year. reel showed off brief snippets of other antici-
Though the momentum of Microsoft’s press pated indies like Cuphead, Outlast II, and the
attendees to play (p. 68). conference suffered at points, various trailers console version of Stardew Valley.
Scalebound wasn’t on the show floor for helped recapture the audience’s attention. State With the game reveals finished, Phil Spencer
hands-on, but Platinum Games’ creative direc- of Decay 2 was the most exciting of the bunch, took the stage again for the final flourish of the
tor Hideki Kamiya picked up a controller to revealing the sequel (now with multiplayer) to press conference: the announcement of Project
show off the biggest boss fight his studio has Undead Labs’ open-world, zombie-survival Scorpio. Though it is a new and more power-
ever made. The battle against a crab-like mon- game that became a surprise hit in 2013. Dead ful console, Spencer did not call it a next-gen
strosity (which drew comparisons to Sony’s Rising 4’s debut trailer was another high point, machine. Instead, it is a “serious inflection
infamous “giant enemy crab” from E3 2006) with plenty of improvised weapons and zombie- point” for Xbox, with six teraflops of process-
highlighted the game’s four-player co-op supp- slaying chaos – and it was also available to play ing power to deliver 4K gaming and pave the
port. However, despite the creature’s massive at the show. Tekken 7 also had a demo in addi- way for VR experiences – though Spencer
size, the standard mix of ranged and melee tion to its press conference trailer that showed conspicuously avoided mentioning any specific
combat on display didn’t sell what makes Heihachi and Street Fighter’s Akuma fighting VR partners. Scorpio plays all previous Xbox
Scalebound unique or interesting – but it could with an array of impressive attacks. Inside got One games, and any future game developed
have been worse. a trailer announcing its release date of June 29, for Xbox One works on the original system,
Everything doesn’t always go according but you can read our full review on page 90 for Xbox One S, and Scorpio (though you will see
to plan during press conferences, a fact that all the details on that amazing game. performance differences between models).
Final Fantasy XV proved. Square Enix’s Hajime A returning title from last year’s stage was Microsoft’s new approach to iteration demon-
Tabata took the stage to introduce a new slice Fullbright’s Tacoma. Though it didn’t get time strates a desire to break out of the traditional
of gameplay that pits Noctis and his party during this press conference, the demo was console cycle.
against the beast Titan in battle. However, after compelling and showcased the studio’s apti- “At Xbox, we want to deliver a world where
some prolonged fighting and dodging, the tude for storytelling. Microsoft also showed off you have more freedom and choice to play
game seemed to have issues progressing to Comcept’s ReCore again, but despite its stylish the games you want with the people you want
the next phase of the encounter, which made new trailer, the shine dulled once we got our on the devices you want,” Spencer said. “A
for an awkward demo. The sequence eventually hands on the gameplay demo. Halo Wars 2 world where you can play without boundaries.
reached an abrupt conclusion, and the obvious and Sea of Thieves were also underwhelming in A world beyond generations.” This could be
technical issues didn’t win over any converts action, even though they got dedicated stage a great move for Xbox One, since it is lagging
who have been skeptical about the project. time at the conference. behind the PS4 in sales. However, with a holi-
Fortunately, the playable demo on the show One way Microsoft distinguished itself is by day 2017 release date and no firm information
floor was functioning properly, and left a much putting the spotlight on indies. During a portion on the PlayStation 4’s confirmed (but not pres-
better impression. dedicated to the ID@Xbox program, a live demo ent at E3) hardware upgrade, Project Scorpio’s
Another uncomfortable stretch of the press for We Happy Few gave us another look at the impact on the gaming landscape is too distant
conference featured Minecraft, the global unsettling thriller, and it’s releasing (as an Xbox to predict.

FINAL GRADE
Microsoft filled its press conference with games and provided plenty of hands-
on demos on the show floor, but failed to generate high levels of excitement
with those offerings. With the exception of Gears of War 4, Microsoft’s current
c+
portfolio doesn’t have the high-profile, blockbuster exclusives that drive enthusi-
asm. That may be a factor in Microsoft’s attempt to reshape the conversation by
revealing Project Scorpio, but announcing two consoles at one press conference
led to more confusion than clarity. Why would Microsoft damage the prospects
of the Xbox One S by immediately announcing that its successor will come just a
year later? Plus, the lack of information about Scorpio (and the mixed messages
from Microsoft executives about the console’s features and purpose) conveys a
sense that Microsoft simply announced it too early. On top of all that, leaks prior
to E3 diminished the impact of many of Microsoft’s announcements. Information
about Forza Horizon 3, Dead Rising 4, State of Decay 2, Gwent, Xbox One S, and
even Project Scorpio was available online before the big event, which didn’t leave
Microsoft with much to surprise its most attentive fans. We saw some good games
from Microsoft this year, but they were tempered by some missteps, and nothing
had the jaw-dropping quality that makes an E3 showing truly memorable.
connect 13
 Sony was the final major publisher to take the
stage, and most show attendees agreed that
the best had been saved for last. Headlined
by a forceful and exciting announcement for a
new God of War, Sony signaled that it has no
shortage of big games on the horizon. But the
tenor of that announcement was indicative of a
trend we saw from the company throughout its
presentation – a focus on intrigue and mystery,
but often without the context and explanation
that we’ve come to expect. Many of Sony’s
most exciting presentations were left without
additional explanation from developers, leaving
several questions unanswered.
Opening in the historic Shrine Auditorium
with a live orchestral overture composed
and conducted by Bear McCreary (Battlestar
Galactica, The Walking Dead), the music set the
stage for the dramatic presentation to follow.
Moments later, we learned that the piece was
created as an accompanying score to the
newly announced God of War, in which the
violent antihero Kratos finds himself enmeshed
in a new world of Norse mythology. While the
refreshed setting allows for the introduction of
mythological creatures like trolls and dragons,
the biggest tonal shift for the franchise comes
through the introduction of Kratos’ young son
and the exploration of the dynamic between
parent and child. Between the impressive
combat, soaring musical score, and promis-
ing new locale, God of War emerged as a clear
winner, earning our best in show award (p. 30).
Between the announcement of a long-awaited
October 25 release date for The Last Guardian,
and the reveal of a new zombie game entitled
Days Gone from developer Bend Studio, Sony

SONY
made the case that its publishing arm is com-
mitted to bringing long-in-gestation projects
to market while continuing to foster new
franchises. A closer look at Detroit: Become
Human finally gave us a sense of the gameplay
dynamic for David Cage and Quantic Dream’s

report card new interactive story. A trailer for a new Spider-

Man game from Insomniac turned heads, both

Sony holds the lead with strong showing,

but mysteries abound

ony had a comfortable lead in both public opinion and hard-

S ware sales over its chief competitor coming into this E3. Re-
cent months of NPD tracking consistently show PS4 lead-
ing the hardware race, exclusive software like Uncharted 4:
A Thief’s End has performed well, and multiplatform releases like The
Division and Destiny have seen better sales on PS4. Simultaneously,
Sony is coming off a showing from last year’s E3 that was almost
universally lauded for its spectacle and excitement. While it would be
hard to beat its own 2015 presentation, Sony came out swinging with
a strong press conference this year.

by Matt Miller

14
because of the talented developer at the helm, also a big surprise, sporting a new first-person
and the smart timing of a PS4 exclusive for a camera, and a return to the franchise’s tense
comic brand that is likely to see big media and horror roots. Not only is the game targeting PS4,
fan attention in the next few years. but we also got the announcement of the game
While those games looked great, the second for PlayStation VR.
biggest show-stealer was an in-depth look at That major franchise reveal for PSVR opened
Horizon Zero Dawn. Guerrilla’s new project was the door for an extensive rundown on the
revealed last year, but many questions remained upcoming PSVR – a $399 headset that many
unanswered about its open world, combat, analysts believe may outsell competitors Vive
and story. The lengthy onstage demo helped and Rift when it releases. That date is now
to dispel at least some of those concerns, and set for October 13, with the promise of 50 dissolving into oil, and strange distant figures
later booth visits proved that the game feels as PSVR games before the end of the year. While floating godlike on the horizon. What it all
good to play as it does to see. not all of those games were shown, we did means is anyone’s guess, but the presentation
Sony has long viewed third-party partnerships get several promising teases, including Star fostered no end of discussion and speculation
as a core component for its success, and those Wars Battlefront: X-Wing VR Mission, Batman: throughout the rest of E3.
relationships were once again apparent. After Arkham VR, Final Fantasy XV VR Experience, Notably absent this year was any mention
a shaky announcement trailer several weeks and a new original space combat and explora- of the Vita, providing damning evidence for
earlier that failed to do justice to the new game, tion title called Farpoint. Sony is openly touting anyone still holding out hope for Sony's por-
Sony’s briefing provided a lengthy demo for the uniformity of its PS4 platform as a big plus table system. More disappointing was the lack
Activision and Infinity Ward’s Call of Duty: Infinite for developers looking to craft VR projects, but of focus on indie projects during the press con-
Warfare. Reveling in zero-G combat maneuvers, like with the other VR headsets already on the ference. In recent years, Sony has taken time
ship-to-ship outer space combat, and stellar market, we haven’t seen much in the way of during its briefing to highlight the impressive
visual fidelity, many were surprised when the larger, lengthier games for the platform. and varied work going on in the indie scene,
Call of Duty logo finally popped up at the close While it may have failed to produce much so it was unfortuante to see those teams left
of the demo. Capcom’s Resident Evil 7 was excitement from the audience of press and out of the presentation. Even so, Sony’s booth
business attendees, Sony also took time to at the convention proved that even without a
highlight its family-friendly options, including spotlight, the company has no shortage of indie
the recently released Lego Star Wars: The Force relationships, with numerous titles on display.
Awakens. A partnership with Activision is reviv- Given Microsoft’s discussion during its E3
ing an old Sony mascot with remastered ver- briefing of not one but two new consoles on
sions of the original Crash Bandicoot games. the horizon, Sony’s decision to not discuss its
Sony’s most unusual reveal also came from its retrofit of the PS4 seemed like a tactical move.
highest-profile new partnership. Hideo Kojima With Microsoft’s cards on the table in terms of
took the stage with no shortage of fanfare, and both console horsepower and release window,
was greeted warmly by an audience aware of Sony now has the flexibility to respond to the
the punishing restrictions placed on him during conversation in its own timeframe. Even so,
his final months of employment at Konami. considering Sony already announced that the
Now independent, he debuted a trailer for his Neo is coming, it did feel strange to get through
new project, Death Stranding. Starring Norman all of E3 and not have any mention of the new
Reedus of The Walking Dead fame, the enig- console’s potential launch, which most recently
matic video showed beached whales, a baby has been rumored for as early as this holiday.

FINAL GRADE
Sony knows its position as the current market leader, and its confident E3 show-
ing in both press conference and booth demos showcased that position. Several
notable game announcements, the impending arrival of PSVR, and substantial
B
third-party partnerships all signaled a strong forecast for the upcoming year.
Even so, the shake-up in mid-generation consoles over the next couple of years
has the chance to upset the status quo; Sony’s clear task moving forward is to not
squander its market lead, as happened once before during the PS3 era.
connect 15
 For all it left back in Japan, Nintendo made it clear
this year would be all about The Legend of Zelda.
The cross-platform Wii U/NX adventure was the
only game it brought for attendees to play on the
show floor, and it monopolized Nintendo’s two-
day E3 Treehouse live stream.
Nintendo surprised everyone by stating it would
not be doing a press conference or a Nintendo
Direct presentation at E3. Instead, Nintendo built
a Zelda-decorated booth with playable kiosks on
the show floor and had two days of live stream-
ing with intermittent announcements. It kicked off
its live stream with a Zelda trailer, revealing the
game’s subtitle: Breath of the Wild. After that, it
cut to a Pokémon Sun & Moon presentation with
the promise of more Zelda to come later, and the
collective Internet voiced their annoyance.
The rest of its first day was devoted to Zelda,
revealing in detail how it earned its Breath of the
Wild subtitle by showing off the open world and
how Link interacts with it. The expanding list of
new mechanics was surprising and frequent, lead-
ing to a consistently engaging look at the game.
Link can jump, scale nearly any surface, cook,
and change his clothes, and miniature puzzle dun-
geons are littered across the environment.
Zelda is Nintendo’s biggest unreleased game,
and it smartly devoted the majority of its E3 time
to showing it off. Despite all the new details and
literal hours of gameplay on display, Nintendo
says it only revealed one percent of the new
world. Time will tell if this is just marketing speak
or a true tease of the game’s vastness, but it
left us more excited than ever for the next Zelda
(p. 32).
For its second day of live streaming, Nintendo
spent time on the upcoming mobile game
Pokémon Go, revealing a somewhat pricey
($34.99) pedometer companion for the game.
It also revealed a new RPG for 3DS called Ever
Oasis from the creator of the Mana series and
highlighted what may be the Wii U’s last excit-

nintendo ing exclusive, Paper Mario: Color Splash. New

Amiibos and a surprise release for Rhythm
Heaven Megamix were also part of the show.

report card FINAL GRADE

Nintendo ignores the elephant in the room,
Nintendo is withdrawing from E3
more every year, and carefully
curbs expectations before the show
C
but delivers on its most exciting release begins. Its E3 lineup was light on
surprises and content. The com-
plete absence of NX details, which is
still scheduled for a March release,
art of Nintendo’s new approach to E3 is to state what it

P
is confusing. Instead of showing
won’t be showing before the show. Last year, it revealed Breath of the Wild on its new plat-
form, Nintendo debuted the game
the Wii U Zelda title wouldn’t be at the show and made good on its fading Wii U console, which
on its promise. Before the show this year, Nintendo con- has a scarce lineup moving forward.
Despite its questionable decision
firmed its new console, codenamed NX, would not be at the show. to hold back NX news and have
As promised, the closest thing we got to NX news was during Ubi- a light lineup, Zelda still made a
huge splash for Nintendo. By focus-
soft’s press conference, where the publisher promised Just Dance 2017 ing its booth on the game, lots of
would release on Nintendo’s mysterious console. attendees got to play. By streaming
it online, those who weren’t at the
show gained a good sense of what to
expect from Link’s next adventure.
by Kyle Hilliard It’s an atypical way to do E3, but
it worked.
16 connect
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 photo: ESA
The E3 Virtual Reality Report
Bigger publishers dip their toes in virtual waters by Mike Futter

W
ith virtual-reality headsets now Our demo indicates that you’ll need motion Unfortunately, HTC and Valve didn’t make a
available for purchase, this year’s controllers, but not room-scale VR. Rift own- big showing at E3, with official Vive presence
E3 marked a shift in the medium. ers who buy Touch controllers might be able limited to a small area in the lobby. Oculus also
The industry hasn’t moved entirely to take advantage of these games as well, but has yet to reveal specific timing and pricing for
beyond the experimental phase of game devel- nothing was announced. its Touch controllers, but says that release is
opment, with developers still trying to figure out Oculus rolled out a quartet of games, each in still on track for some time in 2016.
how to conquer some of virtual reality’s new different genres. All of them evidence an evolu- Virtual reality is off to an expectedly slow
challenges. However, some of the bigger names tion beyond the baby steps seen in Rift launch start, but it is picking up speed. As major pub-
in gaming have stepped up with projects that titles. Developers are starting to experiment lishers and major developers step up with new,
give the three big platforms more oomph. with traversal (a tricky proposition in virtual experimental, and exciting games, we’re only at
While the PlayStation VR isn’t out until reality), figure out new methods for competitive the beginning of a medium that will augment,
October 13, Sony’s E3 press conference play, and toy with emotional extremes typically not replace, our current understanding of what
was the coming out party for major names reserved for cinema. gaming can be.
and franchises. Four rapid-fire announce-
ments gave Sony’s foray into virtual reality a
much-needed boost.
Batman: Arkham VR puts players in The
Dark Knight’s cowl. Rocksteady is at the helm
for this shorter experience that seems to be
focused more on the franchise’s investigation
gameplay rather than combat.
Those that own Star Wars Battlefront will get
a free X-Wing VR mission. And Square Enix is
planning a taste of Final Fantasy XV for Sony’s
headset. Both of these appear to be “experi-
ences” rather than extended games.
The biggest new announcement from a major
publisher is Capcom’s Resident Evil 7. The
entire game will be playable in virtual reality
when it arrives next January.
The Vive got some attention as well, primarily
photo: ESA

from Bethesda. The publisher is adapting both

Fallout and Doom experiences for the headset.
18 connect
 The Most Fascinating
Trailers
Of E3 2016
L
ike every E3, plenty of games on display weren’t
far enough along in development to show off
real gameplay. Instead, they rely on pre-ren-
dered visuals or early in-engine footage to build
excitement for the titles. Several enticing games emerged
this year (which you will find in the follow-up list), but
one in particular stood tall above the rest.

by Kyle Hilliard,
interview by Andrew Reiner
20
 In December we announced our studio, and
Death Stranding announced we were working with Sony for our
Platform: PlayStation 4, PC first title. At that point, I already had a vision in
The PlayStation 4 exclusive Death Stranding mind, and I had to try to figure out how I would
instantly became one of the most fascinating make it. In that regard, I was in search of an
reveals of E3 after being shown on Sony’s press engine, and what tools would I use, and what ser-
conference stage. The surprise trailer for Hideo vices would be available to make it. The problem
Kojima’s new project raised lots of questions with that wasn’t only the technology, but I had to
and answered none. Norman Reedus portrayed find facilities, and put together a team. I was also
a character waking up on an oil-soaked beach studying what kind of environment [Sony] had,
attached to a newborn that disappeared as and what would be the best one for my team.
soon as it was picked up, leaving behind fading,
oily handprints. The trailer ended with a naked Where is the new Kojima Productions based,
Reedus, surrounded by dead beached whales, and how staffed up is your development team
looking to the sky at five humanoid figures float- at this point?
ing in the distance. It is a fascinating, but confus- While we finally settle into what will be our
ing look at what a post-Metal Gear Solid Hideo offices, we’ll be in Tokyo and not America.
Kojima game will look like. In December, our staff was only four people,
We spoke with its notoriously cagey creator, including myself. We arranged some temporary
Hideo Kojima, to figure out what was happening offices and had desks, chairs, my own com-
in the trailer, and how far in development Death puter, and that was it. From December we made
Stranding truly is before looking at some of E3 the announcement, and we had a lot of people
2016’s other exciting trailers. fortunately apply to work with us, and it’s been
a lot of interviews lately, but we were fortunate and multiplayer you connect with other players
I've had a lot of fun following you on Twitter enough to make different tests for the game. For through sticks. Now, in this game, you will be
the last couple of months. It seems like you're our teaser, we shot with Norman [Reedus] at the able to use sticks, but I also want people to use
having the time of your life with your new end of March, and in two months we were able to ropes to connect somehow. In the teaser, you
company. How is life as an independent game develop this. Now that this is announced, I hope can see crabs, whales, dolphins, handcuffs, and
developer treating you? and suspect more people will apply, and we’ll a baby with an umbilical cord. Those are con-
It hasn’t changed that much over the last few turn it into something cool. nections. Connection is the theme of the whole
years. I haven’t been stuck in meetings anymore, game. The word “stranding” is a theme of the
and there’s a lot of freedom, but for these past After the Sony press conference, we were game. The name Death Stranding plays off key
few years I’ve been making games, it’s very much discussing Death Stranding for hours and themes in the game.
the same. Because of that, I have no fears. The theorizing what it could be. Can you go into
one thing that is dangerous of going independent the inspiration behind the game? How did you and Norman Reedus connect
is that I don’t get to deal with that many people There is this author that I’m a huge fan of named initially and for this project?
anymore. That could limit my vision, so I’m Kǀbǀ Abe. One of his stories is called The Box I wanted to work with him, and have been a
trying to read as much as possible, and watch Man. He wrote a short novel called Rope. I don’t fan of The Walking Dead. Going back to P.T., I
as many movies as possible, and try to go to know if it has been translated to English. In wanted to work with him on that. I tried to go
different places. this story, he states that the first tool mankind to him directly. I don’t like going through agen-
invented was the stick. The stick was invented cies. In this case, my friend Guillermo del Toro
One of the most interesting parts of you sign- to keep away bad and unpleasant things as a was also close with Norman, so he gave me his
ing with Sony was watching you travel with weapon. And the next thing mankind invented contact info and I got in touch with him. We just
Mark Cerny to different Sony development was the rope. Unlike the stick, the rope had started work on P.T. and then he was sad about it
studios. What was the purpose of these visits? [potential] to tie things close to you together. [getting canceled] and the difficult circumstances
Were you getting to know Sony's culture, or Games nowadays are based mainly on sticks. back then, so we kept in touch. I talked to him
were you perhaps looking at tech that would You communicate and interact based on sticks, again in February, and we made the decision to
be available for development? punching, or shooting. Through cooperative work together again. Toward the end of March
we shot what we needed for this [trailer].

P.T. was being made with Reedus and del

Toro. Were you considering reuniting the
entire team and bringing del Toro on board?
I'm not working with Guillermo on this project,
but we've always wanted to do something
together. I don't know if that’s going to be a
game, a movie, a television show, or a comic
book, but we want to work together. With
Guillermo, I discussed [Death Stranding] before
signing with Sony, and said “I’m thinking of this
project and working with Norman again” and he
was happy, and thought it was a good idea.

Where are you guys at with Death Stranding?

Is it still in the conceptual stage, or are you in
active development?
We’re weighing our options for the engine. We
are down to two candidates. One of the options
was used to create this [trailer]. Because it’s
a new game, we want to do many tests first.
As far as the imagery and the concept of what
the world will look like, it’s already settled.
In between all of this, I’m trying to make the
story and the characters and how it all comes
together. We should settle on the engine soon,
and at that point we’ll move from tests to
full development.
connect 21
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Special Edition
Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
We wanted a new Elder Scrolls announcement from Bethesda, but is still exciting to see Game
Informer’s 2011 Game of the Year recipient updated for the current generation of consoles. The
trailer revealed it’s much more than a straight port, with heavily overhauled visuals, mod support,
and all kinds of new beautiful aesthetic touches.

Friday the 13th: The Game

Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
The Kickstarter success story revealed its first
gameplay footage at E3. The video showed both
sides of the fight with a player controlling Jason
while he tracked down teenagers, and what it
looks like to try (and fail) to outrun the masked
machete man.

Mass Effect: Andromeda

Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
BioWare’s new trailer for Mass Effect: Andromeda is full of exciting mysteries. It shows a Normandy-
like vessel called the Tempest, the new Mako, and various strange alien beasts. Players chart unex-
plored territory alongside a crew full of returning species like Asari and Krogans – but who are these
characters and what’s their story? For the moment, those questions remain unanswered.

Persona 5
Platform: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3
Fresh Persona 5 footage showcased some inter-
esting new gameplay elements. Players fight
against an “expulsion timer” to avoid being kicked
out of school, participate in part-time jobs like
flower salesperson or convenience-store clerk
to acquire currency and skills, and take on mon-
sters in dungeon areas. The Persona acquisition
system seems similar to the Shin Megami Tensei
series, where the player must talk to the enemy
to lure them over to their side, and you can pass
turns in combat to your critical characters to get
the most out of your abilities. Everything looks like
a dream come true for franchise fans.
22
 Quake Champions
Platform: PC
After the successful reboots of Wolfenstein and
Doom, Bethesda is breaking out another id clas-
sic with a new eSports take on the original arena
shooter. Though this new interpretation of the
game introduces distinct heroes with unique
abilities, Quake staples like weapon pick-ups
and rocket-jumping return, and id is building in
eSports infrastructure like tournament brackets
and shoutcasting support.

Prey
Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Scrapping many of the ties to the Human Head original and canceled sequel, this first-person
reboot of the Prey franchise is coming to us courtesy of Arkane Studios with the help of Chris
Avellone (Fallout: New Vegas, Planescape: Torment). The theme of aliens experimenting on humans
is intact, as is the first-person perspective, but this game bends more toward psychological horror
than the original.

Star Wars Battlefront:

X-Wing VR Mission
Platform: PSVR
The X-Wing showing was brief, but convinc-
ingly demonstrated why sitting in the cockpit
of an X-Wing fighter in VR is a great idea. This
Criterion/DICE collaboration showed Star
Destroyers and blockade runners looming in the
background as X-Wings engaged a battalion of
TIE-Fighters, all from the first-person perspective.
Best of all, this VR mission is free to anyone who
purchased Star Wars Battlefront on PS4.

State of Decay 2
Platform: Xbox One, PC
Spider-Man The original State of Decay was a huge hit on
Xbox 360, practically guaranteeing a sequel.
Platform: PlayStation 4 Shown during Microsoft’s E3 press confer-
Despite rumors before the show, the PlayStation 4 exclusive Spider-Man game revealed during ence, the surprise announcement teased things
Sony’s press conference was a big surprise. Developed by Insomniac (Ratchet & Clank, Sunset fans have been clamoring for from the original
Overdrive), this game has a standalone story in a new world. Based on the in-engine footage pulled game: four-player co-op and much higher
for the trailer, this open-world, web-slinging adventure already looks promising. produc tion values. \
connect 23
 gear

by Ben Reeves

1
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When Microsoft announced the new Xbox One S at E3, it also
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can customize their controller on Microsoft’s online design lab,
which boasts over eight million different color and button style
combinations, as well as personalized engraving. New controllers
start shipping in December.

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24
 Media Shelf

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THE FLASH:
SEASON 2
After the S.T.A.R. Labs
Particle Accelerator
or 1080p video at 30 frames per second. The exploded, forensic
scientist Barry Allen was
Stargazer’s Intel RealSense technology allows struck by a dark-matter
the webcam to digitally separate objects in storm that granted him
the foreground from the background, creating super-speed. Now he
green-screen effects without the need for an fends off superhuman
threats as Central City’s
actual green screen. Razer’s new webcam greatest hero in one of
even provides out-of-the-box 3D scanning and the most popular comic-
facial and gesture recognition. based shows on TV.
$54.97
$199 | razerzone.com cwtv.com

connect 25
 17

19 Metroid Prime: Federation Force

09 No Man’s Sky

23 Deus Ex: Mankind Divided

23.2 Madden NFL 17

30 Attack On Titan

2016

Squad is anyone’s guess. Outside of the upon Cologne, Germany, for four days
Joker’s unique look, this film has gen- of gaming fun. This is one of the most
erated a fair amount of buzz, and looks packed shows, consisting of tens of
to be a lot of fun…an element Batman thousands of fans standing in line to get

August v Superman was lacking. Cross your

fingers and hope DC gets this one right.
their hands on the latest games. This is
a great show for reveals and news, so
keep an eye on gameinformer.com for
04.1 Gen Con 2016 and information. We’re guessing we’ll 09 New Releases the latest details during these days.
The largest tabletop-gaming expo in the get a good look at Dishonored 2 and › 88 Heroes
world kicks off today, and runs for four Quake Champions at this year’s show. (PS4, Xbox One, PC, Mac, Linux) 19 New Releases
days in Indianapolis’ convention center. › No Man's Sky (PS4, PC) › Metroid Prime: Federation Force (3DS)
More than 60,000 people attended Gen 05.1 Rio Olympic Games › Style Savvy: Fashion Forward (3DS)
Con last year, and this year’s turnout Opening Ceremony 12 Pete’s Dragon
should break that record. With over At 8 p.m. ET, the 2016 Olympic Games Disney’s latest craze of transforming 23 New Releases
500 companies showing off games, kick off with the lighting of the torch beloved animated classics into live- › Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
and 14,000 events on hand, there isn’t ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The action films continues today with the (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
enough time in the day to touch even a torch relay will pass through over 300 theatrical release of Pete’s Dragon. › King of Fighters XIV (PS4)
fraction of what this show offers. Brazilian cities. The Olympic events start Cinderella, Maleficent, and Jungle Book › Madden NFL 17
on August 6 and run through August 21. were all great successes, and Pete’s (PS4, Xbox One, PS3, 360)
04.2 Quake Con 2016 Dragon looks to be the most interesting
Bethesda’s three-day expo is a celebra- 05.2 Suicide Squad film of the bunch, blending a mystery of 30 New Releases
tion of game playing, offering a huge After Batman v Superman: Dawn of a child lost in the woods with the fan- › Assetto Corsa (PS4, Xbox One)
area where thousands of players bring Justice’s lukewarm reception, DC’s film tasy elements of dragons. Just don’t try › Attack on Titan
their gaming gear to play against each division has been shaken up, with new to make a live-action Bambi, Disney. (PS4, Xbox One, PS3, Vita, PC)
other. Held in Dallas’ Hilton Anatole people stepping in to right the com- › Champions of Anteria (PC)
hotel, Quake Con has become a place pany’s cinematic ship. How that affects 17 Gamescom 2016 › Hatsune Miku: Project Diva X
where Bethesda reveals new games today’s theatrical release of Suicide The video game industry descends (PS4, Vita) \
26 connect
 hile VR headsets and Microsoft's console announcements stole some of the

W spotlight during this year’s show, E3 is nothing without the software that reveals
where games are going next. The gathering offered no shortage of clues about
the industry’s next steps, from big shooters like Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare
and Titanfall 2 to new announcements like Dead Rising 4 and God of War. Long-awaited projects
such as Resident Evil 7: Beginning Hour and The Last Guardian got release dates. VR games and
indie developers maintained a strong presence as well through games like The Unspoken, Abzû,
and Strafe. We selected the 50 games that not only looked and played great, but also kept show-
goers talking even after E3's doors closed for another year. Read on to discover what we picked.

28
 01

GOD OF War
A new world for a familiar god slayer

Platform: PlayStation 4 Style: 1-Player Action Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment Developer: Santa Monica Studio Release: TBA

new era of God of War was unveiled at to have been gone for some time when he revealing the familiar cursed red and white skin

A Sony’s E3 press conference, accom-

panied by a live orchestra led by Bear
McCreary pumping out a menacing melody as
asks, “She taught you to hunt, yes?” The boy
responds, “Yes, sir.” The father, whose voice is
deep but not quite familiar, says, “Then show
of Kratos, the star of the God of War series.
He’s older, heavier set, and bearded, with slight
hints of gray peppered into the black. “I am
the trailer ran. The crowd in attendance didn’t me what you know.” hungry. Feed us,” he says assertively. A large
recognize what game they were looking at for At this point, the crowd is in a state of bewil- number of people at the press conference give
a full minute. Rather than watching a certifiable derment, not knowing what they are looking at. the reveal a standing ovation. The roar of enthu-
god killer scream bloody murder as he tears The boy has a face full of scars, and is wearing siasm drowns out the demo for a few seconds.
limbs from bodies, the trailer begins with a garments made of wolf or bear skin. His arm After smashing the Greek pantheon to
father, hidden in shadow, gifting his young son appears to be tattooed with various Nordic pieces, Kratos felt the rage within him subside.
with his mother’s knife. The father is command- symbols, and his house is made entirely out He learned how to control the monster within,
ing in tone, calling his son “boy,” and appears of wood. The father steps out of the shadows, and left Olympus, his home and battleground,
behind. The ashes of his fallen family remain
sewn to his skin as a reminder of his past, but
Kratos has found a way to start over in life.
He apparently has a new wife and son, and
has relocated to a mountainous snowy region
of the world. Although we don’t know where
exactly he and his family are located, they are
somewhere in Scandinavia, within the realm of
Norse mythology.
This mythology is extensive, stretching from
a time when gods like Thor, Loki, and Odin
ruled the land to the arrival of the Vikings. In an
interview on Sony’s E3 LiveCast, Cory Barlog,
God of War’s creative director at Santa Monica
Studio, detailed where this tale is set within the
mythology. “We ended up in a period that is not
the Viking era. It’s sort of before the Viking era’s
migration,” he says. “It’s the era the Vikings are
always talking about when they say ‘The gods
have abandoned us. They used to walk the
earth.’ This is the period of time in Scandinavia
we are at, when the gods walked the earth.”
E3 HOT 50 29
 The demo continues on with Kratos (now in the cinematic isometric view we’re used to, “Slow down, boy,” Kratos cautions. “You must
voiced by Christopher Judge of Stargate SG-1 and is instead directly behind Kratos, making think, do not simply react. Be calm and plan.”
fame) and his son leaving their home to spend him look like more of a focal point than the These words aren’t shouted, and although deep
quality time together in the woods. Kratos is world, which often stole the eye in his previous in tone, carry a hint of compassion.
studying his son’s hunting ability, tasking him games. This particular region of Scandinavia Kratos pauses for a second after he hears a
to track and kill a deer. This is a bold move for is ordinary in appearance, filled with trees and bird take flight, then catches up to his son, who
Santa Monica Studio to make, as the pacing rocky bluffs covered in snow. has his bow drawn and is ready to take a point-
and action don’t lineup with anything we’ve Kratos runs forward confidently, eyes on his blank shot at the deer. The boy misses and the
seen in a God of War game before. It looks son, who is joyfully bouncing across rocks and deer scurries off again. This act angers Kratos.
more like Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us, com- jumping up to knock snow from tree branches. His voice is raised “What are you doing? Now
plete with the protagonist having to keep tabs The boy does his job, however, stumbling its guard is up! Only fire…” Kratos takes a deep
on a non-playable youngster. upon fresh deer tracks. He leads his father on breath and his voice drops again but is still
At this point in the game, the player is con- and almost runs directly into the deer, which terse. “Only fire when I tell you to fire.”
trolling Kratos. The camera placement isn’t set must stand at least 8-feet high on all fours. The hunt picks up deeper into the wilderness,
but not against the deer. A bipedal demon hold-
ing a sword appears. Kratos, who no longer has
his Blades of Chaos, wields an axe laced with
an electric blue magic. He swings it manically
a few times to drop the demon. A button-press
prompt appears on screen, signaling an execu-
tion opportunity. Kratos plunges his axe into the
demon’s neck, cutting the body nearly in two.
The innards appear to be molten with a vibrant
orange glow. This action summons additional
adversaries to the fray. Kratos dispatches the
first demon by throwing his axe and pinning his
opponent to a rock. He uses his bare hands
to take down the second, a flurry of nearly
a dozen punches that culminates with the
demon’s jaw falling off. Without even looking in
the direction of his axe, Kratos raises his hand
to magically summon it back to him, much like
In this one moment, you control the boy's aim and shot
Thor does with his hammer in Marvel’s films.
30
 Kratos’ new weapon of choice is a magical axe

The beasts of the world speak Norse.

Kratos won't understand them, but his son does

Kratos and his son pass through a shrine

that appears to have been ravaged by war
years ago, and cross over onto a bridge lead-
ing toward a set of large red doors. The bridge
crumbles below them, as a giant troll emerges.
The troll barks out something about Valhalla,
and picks up a large stone with a glowing rune
on it. Kratos throws the bow to his boy “Here’s
your chance. Show me you are ready.”
The camera pulls back a little to accompany
the immense scale of the beast. Kratos hacks
at its leg, and uses his familiar evasive roll to
avoid the lumbering swipes made by the troll.
The battle moves to a small, iced pond butted
up against a steep cliff. The boy, who appears
to be ready for the fight, fires electrical arrow comes next is not. understands the language,” he adds. “The
shots at the troll, delivering a brief stun effect The hunt for the deer comes to a somber player, who is playing as Kratos, experiences
that Kratos takes advantage of. conclusion when the boy lands a crippling that kind of stranger in a strange land [feeling],
A prompt for “Spartan Rage” appears on- arrow shot. Interestingly, the shot is taken by where their kid actually has a lot of the power.
screen, removing any doubt of this not being the player, as control switches to the son for The troll is speaking in ancient Norse. The kid
the one and only Kratos. By pressing R3 and L3 this one, tiny moment. As the beautiful stag understands what he is saying. The player and
simultaneously, Kratos taps into his former anger lies dying, Kratos walks his son over to it and Kratos don’t.”
to pummel the troll into submission. With the forces him to end its life with the knife his How much of Kratos’ time will be spent with
troll’s head pinned to the ground, Kratos asks mother gave him. Kratos holds his son’s hand his son? “Throughout the entire game, Kratos
his boy to finish it off with an arrow. The shot is as the blade cuts into the flesh. The moment is constantly teaching his child, in banter and
taken, but it hits Kratos directly in the shoulder. makes you feel equally sad for the deer and actual interactivity,” he says. “We’ve dedicated
While he’s unphased by it, the ice below them the boy, who didn’t want to kill it. He just an entire button to the kid. Wherever you look,
starts to crack, and they need to flee quickly. wanted to make his father proud, but didn’t if you press the ‘son’ button, if it’s at an enemy
His son finds high ground, as Kratos brains the realize what he would have to do until that and you want to attack them, your son will
troll with his axe. moment arrived. attack them, or interact with a door.”
This is the action we’ve come to expect from Barlog says God of War won’t just be a game No release date has been given, but God of
God of War – loud, over-the-top, and filled of Kratos teaching a kid how to survive in a War will be exclusive for PlayStation 4, and
with cringe-worthy moments of brutality. What harsh world. “The son is the only one who can’t come soon enough. Andrew Reiner
E3 HOT 50 31
 The legend of zelda: 02
breath of the wild
A breath of fresh air

Platform: NX, Wii U Style: 1-Player Action/Adventure Publisher: Nintendo Developer: Nintendo Release: 2017

he Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is Our hands-on time with Breath of the Wild but wouldn’t confirm whether or not the entire

T one of the most beloved games of all time,

but it established a formula that the Zelda
series has adhered to for nearly two decades.
begins as a disembodied voice awakens Link
in a mysterious sleeping chamber. We don’t
know how long Link was “sleeping,” but the
game is voiced. Either way, it seems like Link
remains a silent protagonist.
It sounds almost silly, but another major
While many Zelda fans would argue the formula world is full of relics of what once could have change for the series is the addition of a jump
still works, Nintendo feels it’s time to break been an advanced technological society, so button. Not only can Link jump, but he can
from tradition. The next entry in Nintendo’s Link may have been in hibernation for a long climb on almost any surface. We walk up to a
flagship action/adventure series is more like a time. It’s worth noting that this voiceover (which nearby rock and quickly shimmy up it. A deplet-
modern open-world RPG. At the same time, could be Zelda) is in English – a first for the ed stamina bar is the only thing that prevents us
Link’s latest quest remains faithful to the spirit series. Producer Eiji Aonuma told us that the from climbing all the way up a nearby cliff face.
of the original NES adventure. final game features even more voiceovers, Breath of the Wild’s version of Hyrule is ripe for
experimentation. After spotting a group of mob-
lins hanging out at the bottom of a ravine, we
push a nearby boulder down the hill and it rolls
over them, making short work of the enemies.
Another clearing contains a massive rock
golem who proves to be a fearsome challenge
given the quality of our starting equipment. In
other areas of the world, players can hunt ani-
mals, explore caves for treasure, and chop down
trees to create makeshift bridges across rivers.
Before long, we stumble into an enemy camp.
Instead of roaming freely across the world,
enemies are now clustered in more natural
ways, and often set up camps or have logical
patrol patterns. Using Link’s bow, we eliminate
an enemy in the camp’s watchtower, which
allows us to sneak up on the remaining two foes.

Link will upgrade his equipment more frequently,

but his gear will also deteriorate and break

32
 Large tentacled monsters called
Guardians are scattered across the
world. They don’t seem friendly

A sound meter on the corner of the screen replenishes his health by collecting hearts after Shrines are bite-sized dungeons that feature
shows how much noise Link is making; you cutting grass or breaking open pots. Instead, he one or two puzzles and lead to a new item or
now have to worry about being heard as well as forages berries, mushrooms, and meat, which some other upgrade. They also function as
seen if you choose to sneak up on your foes. can be eaten. However, the health benefits fast-travel points across Breath of the Wild’s
One of our fallen enemies drops a club that of these items are boosted by cooking them massive world. Aonuma hinted that the game
has a higher attack rating than the sword we cur- first. Players can mix and match ingredients to still features a few dungeon-like experiences,
rently have, so we quickly swap out our gear. In create new recipes, which could provide stat complete with epic boss fights, but most of
Breath of the Wild, Link finds new weapons and boosts or temporary extra health. the puzzles have been scattered across more
armor more frequently than in past games. This Campfires can also be used to advance time, than 100 shrines in the open world.
is important, because Link’s weapons now dete- so we camp until midnight. When the stars The Legend of Zelda is one of the longest-
riorate over time and eventually break. Nintendo come out, some enemies go to sleep while new running and most consistent franchises on the
hopes this encourages players to experiment, creatures – such as skeleton warriors – roam market, so it’s nice to see that Nintendo isn’t
since the game features a greater variety of the wilds. The horizon also looks different at resting on its laurels. When Breath of the Wild
weapons. During our demo we find swords, night, and we grow intrigued by a soft glow releases on the Wii U and Nintendo’s mysteri-
clubs, and spears, all of which handle differently emanating off in the distance that we hadn’t ous NX next year, players will explore an open
and provide unique attack advantages. noticed during the day. world that is at least a dozen times larger than
After clearing out the enemy camp, we After a trek through the woods, we get close The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Thank-
decide to make use of their fire. Link no longer enough to the glow to discover that it is a shrine. fully, it looks worth that wait. Ben Reeves

One of Link's new items is a magnet, which

can be used to move heavy metal objects

E3 HOT 50 33
 03

dishonored 2
Another familiar face returns to Dunwall

Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Style: 1-Player Action Publisher: Bethesda Softworks Developer: Arkane Studios Release: November 11

rkane Studios used the Bethesda she mutters to Corvo, who reassures her and before – like Delilah’s history with somebody –

A Showcase at E3 to showcase the same

levels and information we got when
we visited its Lyon, France, headquarters for
says he’s confident they’ll catch the crownkiller
soon. Judging from the conversation, the
crownkiller appears to be someone killing all
is now more detailed, where you visit a location,
or see a scene, or talk to somebody about it.
That helps a lot.”
our June cover story. Game Informer readers the enemies of the court. Emily remarks that Later in the demo we see another new instru-
already knew many of the details about the people are starting to think Corvo is the killer, ment of the Outsider given to both Emily and
new Karnacan setting and two playable pro- which he denies and says someone is trying Corvo. Called the timepiece, this mysterious
tagonists, Corvo and usurped empress Emily to make them look bad. device allows players to jump between two
Kaldwin, but two new segments of the pre- The lights dim and we hear the sound of time periods in the same environment to get
sentation revealed some interesting twists to unsheathed knives and screams. When the around obstacles or evade enemies. In this
Dishonored 2’s gameplay and story. lights come back on we see Corvo and Emily instance, the hero has been stripped of super-
The demo opened with an exterior shot of with their backs to one another, surrounded by natural powers by a strange occurrence, mak-
Dunwall, which looks much more vibrant and enemies. A later trailer reveals the presence of ing the timepiece the only instrument to get
cleaned up than it did during the rat plague. Delilah Copperspoon, a major character from past collapsed passageways. Smith says after
As the doors to Dunwall Tower open, we The Knife of Dunwall and The Brigmore Witches this mission the timepiece becomes a part of
see a celebration taking place memorializing DLC from the first game. Is she the villain of the standard stealth suit, which emboldened
Jessamine Kaldwin on the anniversary of her Dishonored 2? Arkane to introduce a game mode that chal-
assassination. We’re seeing the perspective of “Delilah is back, and we deepen the charac- lenges players to win the game without the help
Emily as she enters the ball, and Corvo takes ter and understand the character more,” says of supernatural abilities.
her side. creative director Harvey Smith. “There were a Every time we see Dishonored 2, its inventive
Speaking to the audience, Emily admits the lot of things that we didn't have time to do last game systems and deep lore impress. We have
country is going through a tough time, but time…We’ve tried to do a little more of the high lofty expectations, and are excited to learn more
thanks them all for taking the time to celebrate production value stuff this time so something in the lead-up to the November 11 release.
her mother. “I don’t think I’m very good at this,” that just would have been mentioned in a note Matt Bertz

34 E3 HOT 50
 AINB OW.®
OW.
INB
E RA
R
E TH
TH E

S T
ATE
TA
CRE
©2016 Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company.
Skittles and the Upside Down Rainbow and all affiliated designs are trademarks of the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company or its affiliates.
 horizon Zero Dawn 04
Going head-to-head with Horizon’s deadly mechanical beasts

Platform: PlayStation 4 Style: 1-Player Action/Role-Playing Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment Developer: Guerrilla Games Release: February 28

he Horizon Zero Dawn announcement In addition, the demo shared more about The ensuing showdown plays out like an

T stunned gamers at last year’s E3, and it

was easy to see why. While most games
set in the post-apocalypse tap zombie plagues
Aloy’s backstory. Set 1,000 years after the fall of
modern civilization, a strange power is turning
Horizon’s giant mechanical beasts hostile toward
improvised boss battle, as Aloy cycles through
her wide array of weapons. One risky strat-
egy involves laying small, floating explosive
and nuclear holocausts for their source material, the remnants of humanity. Aloy’s tribal leaders traps on the ground, then luring the corruptor
Guerrilla Games has crafted a compelling world chalk the shifting aggression up to demons, within range and detonating them with arrows.
where posthistoric tribes face off against an and believe only the goddess can save them. However, despite its size, the corruptor is sur-
ecosystem full of predatory robot dinosaurs. However, Aloy is sure there must be a scientific prisingly nimble. Not only can it quickly catch
Last year’s show gave us our first glimpse of explanation. Her beliefs set her at odds with her up to Aloy on foot, it can also leap clear across
Horizon Zero Dawn’s promise, but our hands- tribe, which she must leave behind to find out the battlefield. After dodging a few boulders
on demo at this year’s show proved just how the truth about her people and the threat. that obliterate nearby village shacks and smash
fun the gameplay is. It doesn’t take Aloy long to run into trouble. trees to splinters, Aloy focuses on robbing the
During Sony’s press conference this year, After saving a fleeing human from a possessed deadly creature of its mobility. First, she takes
Guerrilla Games shared a lengthy demo show- walker, she heads to his nearby abandoned out its spike launcher with a few well-placed
ing off Horizon’s many gameplay systems. The village, where she comes face to face with explosive arrows (and a little help from Aloy’s
audience got a look at the robust crafting sys- a towering corruptor. The scurrying machine slow-motion ability). Then Aloy switches to
tem for making ammunition and traps, a Mass looks like a hybrid of a spider and a scorpion, her ropecaster, tethering the corruptor to the
Effect-style dialogue system that allows Aloy to and (true to its name) can corrupt other ground with successive shots. A half dozen
pry for more information when talking to NPCs, machines by shooting them with a glowing more explosive-arrow shots and the beast
and her focus-scan ability that highlights an beam, making them even more hostile toward finally goes down permanently. The hard-fought
enemy’s vulnerabilities and what components Aloy. A quick scan reveals that the creature is battle served as the endcap to another impres-
it’s made out of. We also caught a glimpse vulnerable to fire and is packing a deadly spike sive E3 showing for the game, as well as a
of the world map, which promises a massive launcher, though its ability to throw boulders reminder that humans are no longer at the top
expanse of land for Aloy to explore. with its tail proves the bigger threat. of the food chain in Horizon’s deadly world.

Sometimes the best way to evade an enemy’s attack is to slide right

underneath them. Usually running away works better, though

36
 Each machine is made up of unique
components that Aloy can scavenge,
such as the energy canisters on the
backs of these grazers

As exciting as polished stage demos can be, of attacking machines. Aiming Aloy’s deadly Alas, my encounter with the formidable cor-
you can’t tell how a game really plays until you bow also feels good, and is aided by the ability ruptor didn’t go as smoothly as Sony’s stage
get your hands on it. I’m happy to report that to temporarily slow down time and craft extra demo. I died several times while trying to figure
so far Horizon doesn’t disappoint. I spent 30 ammunition on the fly. Horizon’s stealth options out a successful strategy, which ultimately
minutes running around a small wooded area allow you to play as a silent assassin, sneak- included more running away and hiding than I
and trying a number of objectives, including ing up on unsuspecting enemies in patches of care to admit. However, I appreciated the chal-
collecting canisters from gazelle-like grazers, tall grass similar to Uncharted 4. You can take lenge; giant demonic robot dinosaurs shouldn’t
knocking the cargo containers off the backs them down with a melee strike, or even bet- be pushovers, after all, and the solid gameplay
of shellwalkers, and overriding a broad head, ter, override them to fight alongside you. Just mechanics gave me the freedom to approach
which allowed me to ride the steer-like creature be ready to run if you get spotted; even the combat as I saw fit, and to own my mistakes.
for quicker traversal. For a pseudo-cavewoman, diminutive watchers are dangerous in packs, So far, Horizon controls as well as it looks,
Aloy is satisfyingly agile, whether she’s scur- and most of the synthetic creatures are just as making me all the more excited for its February
rying up cliff-sides or sliding beneath the legs fast as Aloy. release date. Jeff Marchiafava

Even small machines like watchers can be dangerous in a group

E3 HOT 50 37
 South park: 05
the fractured but whole
Cartman and the gang gear up for a super-powered sequel

Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Style: 1-Player Role-Playing Publisher: Ubisoft Developer: Ubisoft San Francisco, South Park Digital Studios Release: December 6

umor-oriented video games are rarely as As the name suggests (well, one of the provide endless material from Marvel and DC’s

H funny as they try to be, which is why fans

were delighted with how flawlessly South
Park: The Stick of Truth translated the cartoon
things it suggests, anyway) South Park: The
Fractured But Whole is based on a playful
sendup of Marvel’s Civil War storyline. Deep
sprawling universes to make fun of – it also
gives Ubisoft San Francisco and South Park
Digital Studios the freedom to create a wide
show’s irreverent humor into playable form. inside Cartman’s secret headquarters (i.e., variety of silly and outrageous characters and
Stepping into South Park’s dysfunctional town his mom’s basement), a rift emerges between abilities, starting with the main protagonist.
as the New Kid and clashing with Cartman and the members of Cartman’s superhero squad, Once again taking on the role of the New
the gang delivered a steady stream of laughs, Coon and Friends. Cartman’s vast franchise Kid, players craft their own superhero from a
as The Stick of Truth lampooned every beloved plan for the rollout of intended movies and dozen archetypes, including assassin, psychic,
cliché of the fantasy RPG genre. This time Netflix shows has left some of the boys feel- cyborg, and the dreaded karate kid. These
around, series creators Trey Parker and Matt ing neglected, which leads to half of the gang classes can be mixed and matched, and
Stone set their sights on the ever-expanding walking out and forming their own splinter upgraded throughout the game to create your
superhero genre, and the adventure looks to be faction called the Freedom Pals. The Fractured own highly customized hero. NPC characters
just as riotous as the first. But Whole’s superhero theme doesn’t just also have their own unique moves, which can

Not only does Timmy end up being a

hilarious parody of Professor X, but he’s
surprisingly eloquent when communi-
cating telepathically with Cartman

38
 Expect even more outrageous antics
than The Stick Of Truth served up

The Fractured But Whole features grid-based battlefields, allowing

you to target specific enemies, hide behind obstacles, and even launch
multiple attacks by pushing an enemy into one of your fellow heroes

be combined for new attacks and abilities.

Reprising their role as the New Kid, players
Ubisoft showed off a new “fartkour” mechanic will create their superhero archetype from the
as an example, which allowed your character ground up. Cartman, however, is in charge of
to pair his or her natural fart ability with Human coming up with your tragic backstory…

Kite’s gliding mechanic to propel the kids to

out-of-reach ledges.
While South Park’s sophomoric humor
remains intact, Parker and Stone are serious
about expanding the series’ combat. A new
grid-based battlefield adds a tactical layer to
the turn-based combat. Players must now
take the position of their allies and enemies
into account, and can use ranged attacks or
sweeping area-of-effect abilities when target-
ing foes. Players can also use the environment
to their advantage by hiding behind obstacles
and knocking enemies into objects for extra
damage, or other heroes for extra attacks.
During Ubisoft’s stage demo, Parker cited his
love of tactical strategy board games for the
fleshed-out combat, which both creators claim Despite these improvements, the most laugh-worthy humor. From a telepathic Timmy
is greatly improved over The Stick of Truth. promising factor for The Fractured But Whole aping Professor X (“Guys, Timmy just called
Additionally, an extensive crafting system remains its pedigree. While The Stick of Truth me a douchebag in my mind!”) to the boys
gives players more items to use during combat developer Obsidian is not working on the calling a temporary timeout during a street
(including a health-replenishing burrito and a sequel, Trey Parker and Matt Stone are once battle for a passing car, we couldn’t stop
cappuccino enema), which are created from the again writing and directing the entire game, chuckling. The Fractured But Whole’s myriad
endless amounts of loot players can find in the and voicing all of your favorite characters. improvements, larger scope, and authentic
environment. The loot system provides excel- Ubisoft says The Fractured But Whole features humor made it not just the funniest game of
lent motivation to scour each location, ensuring twice as much content as its predecessor, and E3 2016, but also one of the best.
no inside joke or Easter egg is missed. our hands-off demo contained no shortage of Jeff Marchiafava
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 Call of duty: 06
Infinite warfare
Battling among the stars

Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Style: 1-Player Shooter (Online TBA) Publisher: Activision Developer: Infinity Ward Release: November 4

he Call of Duty series’ development is remains of Earth’s army, players lead the charge Jackal and breaks atmosphere with an armada

T spread across multiple studios, and the

last one developed by Infinity Ward,
Ghosts, is considered one of the weaker
against the sadistic, cruel Settlement Defense
Force (SDF). They wage war on moons and
asteroids, and even become embroiled in dog-
of Earth’s forces to take down the battleship
that launched the assault in the first place. It’s
easily the most spectacular, un-Call-of-Duty-like
installments. Considering that, the developer fights against a backdrop of stars and explod- thing we’ve seen in a Call of Duty game since
has a lot to prove with Infinite Warfare. The ing battleships. the series made the jump from World War II to
change from modern military fiction to the grim In a brief demo shown during E3, we watched the modern era.
sci-fi trappings of something like Battlestar as Reyes fended off an attack on Geneva, To push the series to new heights, Call of
Galactica might be what this latest game Switzerland, with assault weapons and his Duty is embracing the final frontier. We’ll have
needs to make Call of Duty feel bold and fresh comrades. Later on in the same level, Reyes to wait until November to find out if Infinity
once more. calls a Jackal, a jet capable of space travel, Ward’s gambit pays off, but it’s hard to deny
Playing as Commander Reyes, a soldier to provide support by machine gun fire on the lofty ambitions powering Infinite Warfare.
who suddenly finds himself in charge of what enemies. Shortly after that, Reyes enters the Javy Gwaltney

ETH.3n is robotic soldier that's part of your squad. He cares

for those around him and fights to be accepted by his squad

Players can tackle side missions, including

boarding and destroying enemy vessels

40 E3 HOT 50
 civilization vi 07
So many countries, so many customs

Platform: PC Style: 1-Player Strategy (12-Player Online) Publisher: 2K Games Developer: Firaxis Release: October 21

ome wasn’t built in a day, but in Civilization

R VI you can take Rome from antiquity and

into space in less than 24 hours. Civilization
fans are used to taking over the world in a variety
of ways, but the sixth entry in Firaxis’ premier 4X
strategy series allows players to customize their
nations in a host of new ways.
One of the biggest changes in Civilization VI
is the creation of districts. Each district provides
your city with bonuses. For example, creating
a military district improves your troops’ perfor-
mance in battle, while a scientific district gives
you a research buff. These districts take up an
entire tile and house specific building types,
so establishing a campus district would allow
you to build both new libraries and universities.
Choosing where to put each district requires
strategy, as some tiles are better suited for
certain districts. For example, a mountain is a
good place to look at the stars, so it is ideal for governments unlocks various Military, Economic, with their historical personalities. For example,
a science district, and you get a research boost Diplomatic, and Wildcard slots. Players can Teddy Roosevelt won’t be happy if you’re
for placing it there. research new governmental policies via the new needlessly aggressive toward other nations,
All that science comes in useful as your civi- civics tree, and then mix-and-match these poli- but Cleopatra won’t respect you if you have a
lization researches new technology. However, cies to create their own ideal government. For small standing army. As you interact with these
now there are ways to speed up the research instance, you might choose a military policy that leaders you slowly learn what makes them tick,
process even if your science skills are low. Each increases your attack power against barbarians or you can send spies into their war rooms in
technology has an associated task that allows as well as a philosophical leaning that improves hopes of uncovering their secret agendas.
you to research that technology more quickly, your society’s happiness. Civilization VI is full of small rewards and hun-
and you can see all of these goals via the tech The type of government you build is incred- dreds of easily accomplishable tasks. Taking
tree. For example, building a quarry cuts the ibly important when you start interacting with your empire from the stone age up through the
research time for masonry in half. Meanwhile, other nations. In the past, most A.I. leaders Renaissance and into the space age is a blast,
killing a few barbarians might speed up the seemed to operate in a similar manner, but but it’s also too easy to lose track of time and
research of arrows. with Civilization VI, Firaxis is giving each find yourself playing well past your bedtime.
The tech tree isn’t the only only tree you’ll get leader his or her own random hidden agendas Better catch up on your sleep before Civilization
familiar with in Civilization VI. Researching new as well as fixed revealed agendas that line up VI’s October release date Ben Reeves

You can now divide your city into districts, which provides certain
bonuses and allows you to build new structures in those districts

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 08

Battlefield 1
With a World War I setting, DICE gets back to Battlefield basics

Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Style: 1-Player Shooter (64-Player Online) Publisher: Electronic Arts Developer: DICE Release: October 21

hile every other shooter seems focused advances to the next map in the sequence, with each other from a distance. There must be

W on joining the sci-fi space race,

Battlefield is going the opposite direc-
tion. Tired of futuristic weapons and exosuit
the ultimate goal of pushing the defenders all
the way back to their base of operation.
Ever since DICE brought destructibility to
some solid objects left for gameplay.” The E3
trailer showcases a biplane crashing violently
into a windmill, tearing the structure apart. That
enhancements? The lo-fi World War I firefights Battlefield with Bad Company, the studio has will actually happen if you kamikaze your plane
featuring biplanes, zeppelins, and even horses tinkered with its approach. Bad Company 2 in a multiplayer match.
is a potent antidote. let you level entire buildings, while subsequent The renewed focus on destructibility should
Multiplayer is the heart of every Battlefield entries toned down the destructibility in favor perfectly complement the introduction of behe-
game, and this entry is no different. In addition of more microdestruction opportunities and the moth vehicles. These tide-changing, multi-man
to the series’ standard conquest and domination set-piece “levelution” moments. With Battlefield 1, vehicles like the zeppelin, armored train, and
modes, DICE has plans for a few new modes. destruction takes a grander scale again. dreadnaught battleship work differently in each
Introduced at E3, Operations is a long-form “What we want to do is allow you to destroy game mode that incorporates them, but for
experience built around a sequence of battles all the things you think you should be able conquest it comes in as a reinforcement for
that take place across an entire front. Inspired to destroy, to a point,” says senior producer the team that is lagging behind. “We feel that
by the operations that actually took place in Alexsander Grondal. “You can’t just level every- Battlefield matches are most fun when they are
WWI, attackers try to push defenders out of an thing. It’s not fun anymore. It just becomes really close, when one team doesn’t completely
entrenched position. If you do so, your team open ranges and people are just shooting at steamroll the other, so bringing that in and help-
ing the losing side get back on their feet is the
idea,” Grondal says. DICE is still tweaking the
exact time the losing team is granted the behe-
moth, and plans to monitor how players use
them in the upcoming alpha and betas.
With the exception of Bad Company 2,
DICE typically struggles to create compelling
single-player campaigns. Battlefield 1 takes a
new direction that abandons a linear story in
favor of a collection of scenarios taken from
across the timeline of World War I. “The way we
wanted to do it is to bring more Battlefield into
it,” Grondal says. “More vehicles, more variety,
more agency, more openness. Battlefield has
always been about being multiple, different
soldiers all around the world, so that’s kind of
what we’re doing here as well. You can really
get some unique perspectives if you play on
different sides.”
In the lead-up to the October 21 launch,
interested fans can try to gain access to the
planned alpha and beta tests. Matt Bertz
42 E3 HOT 50
 dead rising 4 09
Frank West comes home for the holidays

Platform: Xbox One, PC Style: 1 to 4-Player Action Publisher: Microsoft Studios Developer: Capcom Vancouver Release: December 6

he original Dead Rising was an early through the crowd with brutal efficiency. All the tank apart, and the maniac flies into the air and

T showcase for the Xbox 360, packing the

screen with hundreds of shambling zom-
bies. Photojournalist Frank West had to deal
while, my hit counter is building up. It’s a subtle
change from the previous kill-based counter,
which governs your special attacks. When I
explodes, but not before I whip out my camera
and commemorate the occasion with a selfie.
Dead Rising 4 continues the series tradition of
with those masses while getting the scoop of get enough hits, I can activate a special attack. refinement, making small player-friendly tweaks
the century in Willamette, Colorado. Fortunately Frank triumphantly lifts the weapon over his with every installment. One of the big improve-
for him, the local mall was a treasure trove of head and a massive blast of electricity arcs ments I notice is that players can put ranged
improvised weapons for the industrious hero, over the crowd, incapacitating the group in a and melee weapons into special inventory slots,
who used swords, mannequin parts, and even generously sized area-of-effect attack. which are assigned to specific button presses.
CD jewel cases to survive. Sixteen years have With that group out of the way, I follow my That lets you swing a bat at a nearby group
passed since Frank painted the walls red, and waypoint to the fire station. On the way I pause and seamlessly take a few shots with a pistol,
he’s returning to the place where it all started. by a nearby truck and grab its precious cargo: for instance, instead of having to mess around
This time, however, he’s not tethered to a shop- an exosuit. This powered frame allows Frank to with your inventory. Dead Rising fans know how
ping center. Mall traffic can be murder, after all. use large weapons – like parking meters – and important efficiency can be.
We start our demo in the heart of Willamette’s deal out even more damage. I equip a massive I didn’t get a chance to see them in the demo,
downtown, which has been decorated for flamethrower and roast some zombies along but Capcom says Dead Rising 4 includes a
Christmas. With its cobblestone streets and the way. For its special, Frank grabs the closest couple of new zombie types, including freshly
small businesses, it’s a charming little place. creep and simply tears it apart. At the station, I turned victims that exhibit super speed, and the
Or it is if you’re able to overlook the crowd of photograph a grisly display of hung soldiers, and Evo, which are ferocious and powerful predators.
zombies that aimlessly wander around. Frank’s look for the culprits. I notice a psychopath who’s After seeing how well Frank handles himself,
not the type to ignore these guys, so I quickly lighting up the undead like yule logs, and decide even after all these years, I’m not too concerned
pull out an electric battle axe and get to work. that Willamette would be better off without him. for his safety. He’s covered wars, you know, so
It’s a slow, but powerful option, and it slices After a short but intense battle, I tear his fuel what are a few more zombies? Jeff Cork

E3 HOT 50 43
 titanfall 2 10
Respawn’s second shooter looks deeper, more dangerous

Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Style: 1-Player Shooter (16-Player Online) Publisher: Electronic Arts Developer: Respawn Entertainment Release: October 28

itanfall suffered no shortage of praise when that feeling of complete freedom in mobility,” Three models made their debut at E3. Scorch

T it launched in 2014. The multiplayer-focused

shooter earned kudos for its kinetic combat
and interesting pilot-titan battlefield dynamic.
says lead multiplayer designer Todd Alderman.
“What I want to get is a better overall structure
so the game is more predictable and less reac-
is the fire Titan, so all his abilities (thermite
launcher, fire wall, incendiary traps) are about
fire attacks. These effects all stack for increased
But in the months after launch, the game’s tive. So tightening maps, designing abilities that damage and are great for crowd control or pin-
Achilles heel – a short progression loop – encourage teamwork, and systems to get play- ning an enemy Titan back. Ion, on the other
didn’t compel many who enjoyed it to keep ers to stick together and help each other while hand, is armed with a powerful laser beam,
Titanfall in their regular rotation. The sequel aims they are helping themselves.” tripwire, and the vortex from the original game.
to shore up this shortcoming as well as expand Titanfall 2 introduces a variety of new abilities The third revealed Titan, Ronin, is much like the
its scope with a single-player campaign. for both the pilots and Titans. On foot, players Strider class from the first game, armed with the
The campaign news should be exciting for now have access to a grappling hook that can giant sword showcased in the first teaser.
every shooter fan considering the core team quickly vault them up the sides of buildings, Other changes coming to multiplayer include
at Respawn led the creation Call of Duty 4: a pulse blade that highlights nearby enemies a new network technology that makes it easier
Modern Warfare, which many consider to be for several seconds, and a hologram pilot that to jump into games with friends, a new system
the best shooter campaign of the last genera- mimics your actions. that replaces burn cards, and a deeper progres-
tion. Judging from the trailer, the story focuses Titans have been completely overhauled as sion that should cure the first game’s primary ill.
on the relationship between the titans and their well, ditching the models from the last game in All of these changes show promise, but the
pilots. Respawn chose to save most of the favor of six brand new ones. “The way we looked biggest challenge facing Titanfall 2 is the glut
details regarding this mode for a later date, at Titans in this game is sort of like Street Fighter of year-end competition. Should Respawn
using E3 to showcase its multiplayer efforts. characters,” Alderman says. “They are packages execute, perhaps it can stand its ground
Fast-paced action is still at the core of that play the same way with limited customiza- against Battlefield 1, Call of Duty: Infinite
Titanfall 2 competitive play. “I think Titanfall tion on their combat, but a lot of customization Warfare, Gears of War 4, and expansions for
and speed are sort of synonymous, and just on how they look, sound, and stuff like that.” Destiny and The Division. Matt Bertz

44 E3 HOT 50
 paper mario: color splash 11
Nintendo’s plumber makes a splash

Platform: Wii U Style: 1-Player Action/Role-Playing Publisher: Nintendo Developer: Intelligent Systems Release: October 7

he opening to Nintendo’s newest entry in paint can called Huey (as in color hue). Many in a row, and he can infuse each card with paint

T the Paper Mario series seems more like

a macabre thriller than a family friendly
adventure. One stormy night, Mario is visited by
parts of the world have been drained of their
color, but thanks to Huey, Mario can repaint
them with his hammer, and thus bring them
to bolster its attack. If Mario is battling weaker
enemies, he might choose to paint only half of
a card in order to conserve his supply.
two mysterious hooded figures. These figures back to life. During his journey, Mario also collects “thing
turn out to be Toad and Princess Peach, and During our hands-on E3 demo, we explored a cards,” which are rare cards that summon
their message is just as somber as their expres- small area and helped rescue several toads who real-world objects into battle and deal massive
sions. Someone recently sent the Princess a then built a bridge for us into the next zone. damage. One of the thing cards we saw in
disturbing letter. When she opened it, she dis- While painting objects in the environment, Mario action teleported our enemies onto the grill
covered the letter was actually a toad that had expends a little bit of paint. However, it’s easy to of a giant barbecue before flambéing them
been drained of all its color and then folded replenish his supply by hammering parts of the like well-done steaks.
into the shape of an envelope. The toad was environment that have already been colored. Color Splash doesn’t shake up the Paper
postmarked from a place called Prism Island, Repainted objects also produce various Mario formula much, but the new painting
so Mario sets off on an adventure to get to the playing cards. Much like the stickers in Paper mechanic is very satisfying and we’re glad
bottom of this mystery. Mario: Sticker Star, Mario uses these cards dur- to see the franchise returning to console.
Despite this grim intro, the game is still full ing the turn-based battles. Some cards allow The Wii U’s holiday lineup looks sparse this
of the usual Paper Mario charm and wit. When Mario to attack with his hammer, while others year. Thankfully, Nintendo fans can safely put
Mario arrives on Prism Island, he meets his new have him jumping on enemies’ heads. Many Paper Mario: Color Splash on their wish lists.
companion for Color Splash, an anthropomorphic cards even let Mario attack two or three times Ben Reeves

Mario uses his hammer to repaint objects in the

environment that have been drained of their color

E3 HOT 50 45
 12

Gears of war 4
A new take on a bloody classic

Platform: Xbox One, PC Style: 1 or 2-Player Shooter (10-Player Online) Publisher: Microsoft Studios Developer: The Coalition Release: October 11

ears of War 4 looks to take the series in a

G new direction while also staying true to its

roots, recalibrating the franchise’s combat
and instilling the action set pieces with a fair
bit of horror. The slice of campaign we played
during E3 demonstrated that The Coalition has
a good handle on what fundamental elements
make up a good Gears of War game.
The E3 demo provided hands-on time with JD
Fenix as he navigated a creepy fort filled with all
sorts of nasty creatures ready to tear him and
his companions, Kait and Del, to pieces. We
spent a fair amount of time wandering through During the E3 demo, an older, grizzled
dark and creepy rooms, some of them contain- Marcus Fenix made an apperance
ing pulsing pink pods filled with dismembered
body parts. Later we became embroiled in
combat with fast crawler-type enemies called
juvies, capable of screaming for reinforcements,
as well as drones, the soldiers of the Swarm
capable of wielding weapons.
When the atmosphere in this level switches
from horror to action, it does it swiftly and well,
with bullets flying everywhere and chainsaws
cutting into flesh as grenades turn enemies into
red vapor. We stormed through the fort’s church,
ducking around columns and purple pods that
provided temporary cover, to flank enemies and
blow them apart with shotguns. One of the best
moments from our hands-on session involved
shooting a pod hanging from the ceiling so that
it crushed three enemies rushing across the
battlefield, killing them instantly.
The E3 demo certified that Gears of War 4 is
still mostly Gears but with a few new touches
and a slight tone shift. These changes might
end up making it one of the standout entries in
the series come October. Javy Gwaltney
46 E3 HOT 50
 days gone 13
Swarming an open world

Platform: PlayStation 4 Style: 1-Player Action/Adventure Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment Developer: Bend Studio Release: TBA

ince 2011’s release of Uncharted: Golden I remember how it all went down. Now I don’t gets the jump on them. A tussle ensues and

S Abyss on Vita, Sony Bend has been work-

ing on a new intellectual property for
PlayStation 4 called Days Gone. That title made
give a damn about any of that.”
St. John sounds like a person hell bent on
doing whatever he can to survive. We even see
they both plummet to the ground, St. John
lands safely. His target’s leg is broken.
St. John leaves him for the horde to feed on,
its debut not once, but twice during Sony’s him turn his gun on a man on his knees in the and sprints away. The swarm grows in number,
E3 press conference, and was awarded the trailer. St. John is often alone in the world; his almost looking like a tidal wave with bodies
honor of closing out the show with a lengthy closest companion is his bike, which plays a tumbling over one another as they sprint toward
10-minute live gameplay demo. vital role in the game, not just for transportation him. He opens fire with an assault rifle, doing
The setup is something gamers are intimately reasons, but to store valuable supplies found his best to slow them, but they just keep com-
familiar with: a post-apocalyptic open world along the way. ing. The chase winds through different sections
with a strong focus on survival. Best described We don’t know how deep the survival con- of the sawmill. St. John can slow them up by
as Sons of Anarchy meets World War Z, Days cept goes at this point, but it does sound like cutting the rope on a huge woodpile to drop the
Gone takes place in the Pacific Northwest, supplies are limited, right down to St. John planks behind him, or by placing an explosive
which just happens to be where Sony Bend is having to refuel his bike. on a support holding logs in place to send them
located. A good majority of the world is inspired In the E3 demo, we follow him to a sawmill rolling toward them. He can also lower shutters
by the wilderness of central Oregon. where he believes his latest bounty awaits. on garages to get a little breathing time, but
Our guide through this scenic-yet-nightmarish A short bike ride down a hill to the sawmill leads nothing can stop this huge onslaught – there
place is Deacon St. John, a bounty hunter and to some scavenging. St. John moves slowly are too many of them.
former MC of a biker gang. Although he still through the world, limiting the sound he makes. St. John unloads thousands of bullets, but
wears his kutte as a reflection of his past, he now He raids a chest in a barracks, shoos two wolves he’s barely phasing the attack. He eventually
finds himself fighting for survival against flesh- away from a human corpse they are munching finds himself trapped on a water tower with the
eating, zombie-like creatures called Freakers. on, and grabs the oil filter from a rundown truck. Freakers approaching from all vectors. That’s
“I remember when the planes fell out of the The filter is placed on the end of his pistol as a where the demo ends.
skies, when the trains stopped running, when silencer, but it won’t do him much good. Sony Bend says this is an extreme Freaker
the turbines shut down, and the world went As soon as he sees his target, a young attack and players could potentially avoid a
dark,” St. John says remorsefully in Days Freaker leaps onto him. In the time it takes situation like this if they play their cards better.
Gone’s trailer. “I remember when they put up to melee kill the gnashing-jawed creature, his They can also flee via bike.
the razor wire, like it was going to stop any- target has fled to the roof. At this point, we How Days Gone’s open world plays out is
thing. When the feds ran out of body bags, see a little environmental traversal. Climbing anyone’s mystery, but the swarm concept does
some of us lost our minds. Some lost more looks simplistic but precise. From the rooftop, give it a unique hook. Like most of Sony’s E3
than that. Much more. I remember when we St. John learns the little Freaker wasn’t alone. announcements, no release date was given, but
lived by a code, and brotherhood meant some- Dozens of them are on the prowl in the yard the game looked mighty promising in its debut.
thing. And living meant more than surviving. below. With his attention diverted, his target Andrew Reiner

E3 HOT 50 47
 14

watch dogs 2
A new face and direction for the series

Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Style: 1-Player Action (2-Player Online) Publisher: Ubisoft Developer: Ubisoft Montreal Release: November 15

hile the original Watch Dogs had an circumstances from happening to anyone else. demo, it becomes clear that every NPC is

W immense amount of pre-release antici-

pation, the final product didn’t live up
to many fans’ expectations. Ubisoft is well
With DedSec, he aims to expose corrupted
establishments and target Blume, the makers
of the ctOS system that controls and manipu-
hackable. You can overhear phone conversa-
tions, read their text messages, or edit profiles
to change their identity. The latter comes with
aware of the flaws from the first game, and lates metropolitan cities. different consequences depending on who you
hopes to address these issues head on with Watch Dogs 2’s Bay Area setting is brimming target. For example, if you brand average citi-
Watch Dogs 2. With a new playable character with vibrancy and is separated into six different zens on the street as wanted criminals, they will
and the fitting tech setting of San Francisco, regions: downtown San Francisco, civic, coast, be arrested while professing their innocence.
the original concept of Watch Dogs might Oakland, Marin, and Silicon Valley. Each has its If you target a gang leader, a gun fight or car
finally be able to flourish. own personality, with the downtown area being chase might ensue instead. While exploring the
You play as Marcus Holloway, a hacker more business-oriented, and Silicon Valley open world, you can also initiate mass hacks,
branded a criminal by the ctOS 2.0 system being home to mega tech corporations and which cause a distraction by triggering the
in his younger years. Since then, he’s devel- student campuses. The Bay Area is a haven for phones of an entire crowd at once or disrupting
oped a deep sense of justice, and has joined hackers in Watch Dogs, and its map is three traffic on a larger scale.
DedSec, a hacker faction introduced in the times larger than the original game. Several shops adorn the downtown area, and
previous game, to prevent these unfortunate Entering a busier part of town during the I lead Marcus into a clothing store where I can
48
change his attire from head to toe, with a new To get there, I hop into a flashy sports car. I then throw grenade-like zappers to electrocute
hat or a fashionable messenger bag. These Driving around the city feels much more several foes at once, but soon I’m spotted. This
stores are also considered fast travel hubs, so refined with precise controls, and you no lon- changes up the pace, but it’s not a problem. I
you can quickly move from one area of the map ger feel like you’re skidding on ice like in the use close range attacks with my melee weap-
to the next. predecessor. You can still hack infrastructures on, a cue ball attached to string to rhythmically
Story missions are discoverable through the while steering through the city, but now more swing at enemies, and my non-lethal taser gun
DedSec app on your phone, but you can also multi-tasking possibilities are available, such for long range. Finally, we near completion, as
find key areas and quests by using network as shooting while behind the wheel. This my teammate grabs one of the drives and I
hacking, which transforms your vision into makes car chases more entertaining and less move in swiftly to take the other during combat.
black-and-white and highlights destinations of frustrating. With hacking, cars can be con- All that remains is to escape the area without
interest in color. By using Marcus’ phone, I track trolled remotely, so you can steer, accelerate, meeting our demise.
down a co-op mission which I play alongside a or reverse them from a distance. This can be With a deeper focus on hacking, improved
Ubisoft developer. Watch Dogs 2 offers seam- used in creative ways for puzzle solving or to driving mechanics, and neat mechanical con-
less co-op, meaning you cross paths with oth- block off a street to slow down a pursuer dur- traptions such as a drone and tiny remote-
ers in single-player. We meet up, and with the ing a chase. control car with an extendable arm, Watch
tap of a button, the two of us form a team. With Upon arrival, I use several of Marcus’ tech Dogs 2 is giving players more options and
the new emote system, we wave at each other tools. First, I scope out the area with his fly- more ways to approach missions. From
for basic communication. To complete this mis- ing drone. My teammate and I discuss tactics what I played, the sequel is showing poten-
sion, we must infiltrate a gang’s headquarters via voice chat, and we move in stealthily. Our tial, and it’s clear that Ubisoft took keen inter-
where an exchange of digital information is targets have arrived by car, and I inch closer by est in addressing complaints from fans.
about to take place, and steal the hard drives. using cover to stay hidden in this guarded area. Elise Favis

E3 HOT 50 49
 injustice 2 15
The super showdown returns

Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One Style: 1 or 2-Player Fighting (2-Player Online) Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Developer: NetherRealm Studios Release: 2017

n 2013, the team behind the Mortal Kombat ematic approach that NetherRealm used with Among Us, but with Injustice 2, the attacks

I franchise launched Injustice: Gods Among

Us. The superhero brawler pitted the most
powerful heroes and villains in the DC Comics
Mortal Kombat, Injustice: Gods Among Us, and
Mortal Kombat X.
Injustice 2 plays similar to the first game, but
are taken to the next level. Aquaman’s super
move is particularly brutal; he floods the stage,
brings his opponent to the surface, and deliv-
lineup against each other. Following the release the polish that NetherRealm added with Mortal ers a quick combo before feeding his opponent
of Mortal Kombat X last year, NetherRealm Kombat X carries over. Improved environmental to a giant, prehistoric-looking fish and impaling
announced it is once again bringing Batman, interactions make the arenas feel more alive. them with his scepter.
Superman, and the other DC characters into For example, balls rolled throughout the stage The character select screen I saw features
the ring with Injustice 2. following a sequence that saw Atrocitus tossing 28 slots (22 of which are currently empty),
The first game introduced a dark storyline them at Supergirl. The big, over-the-top stage which would be larger than the launch roster
where an alternate-reality Superman becomes a transitions from Injustice: Gods Among Us of Injustice: Gods Among Us by two fighters.
tyrannical dictator. The Batman-led insurgency return with even more flash. The currently revealed roster includes returning
worked with heroes from another universe to Whether it’s Superman getting tossed through fighters Batman, Superman, and Aquaman, and
take down Superman and imprison him. a train car by his adversary or Gorilla Grodd new challengers Supergirl, Atrocitus, and Gorilla
Injustice 2 picks up where Gods Among Us being jettisoned out of a barroom brawl and into Grodd. Wonder Woman has also been con-
left off. A new, unnamed threat is looming and the busy streets, getting hit by a van and thrown firmed to return, with Boon telling us that he’d
the remaining heroes must decide whether or against a wall to start the battle in a whole new like to see movie skins from the upcoming film
not they want to free the imprisoned Man of area of the city, intricate stage transitions con- appear in Injustice 2.
Steel to help fight. The selection of playable tinue to make these battles feel worthy of the In addition, Boon hints at a larger scale down-
characters might hint at the direction they superhero blockbusters that inspired them. loadable-content plan than the studio
take – Superman was one of the six charac- NetherRealm also upgraded the super has ever done. “With Mortal Kombat 9, we
ters shown during our E3 demo – but for now moves, Injustice’s version of Mortal Kombat’s had four DLC characters, Injustice had six,
NetherRealm is remaining quiet on any hints of powerful mid-match X-ray attacks. Activated Mortal Kombat X had eight,” he says. “We
where else the story could take us. All we know by pulling both triggers with a full gauge, these are definitely, with every game, trying to extend
is that the story mode is set to continue the cin- super attacks were already huge in Gods that DLC even longer.”

50
 Though more characters, better mechanics,
and bigger battles are good goals to aspire to
with a fighting-game sequel, NetherRealm isn’t
satisfied with just that. The studio is adding an
all-new loot system that rewards players with
customizable armor and costume pieces for the
combatants. This loot is acquired randomly fol-
lowing fights using a randomized drop system.
Using these pieces, players can customize
the heroes and villains of Injustice 2, not only
changing the appearance of the characters, but
also augmenting their stats.
Giving a character more powerful blows or
higher defense may sound game-breaking for a
fighter, but Boon says that throwing off the bal-
ance was the plan. That doesn’t mean that we
won’t see a more traditional, more balanced way
to play as well. “Where balance comes into play
for me is when you’re talking about tournament
play or you’re playing with your buddies on
the couch or some kind of scenario where you
want an even playing field,” he says. “We are
obviously going to be including an option to go
into ‘tournament mode’ or ‘regulation mode’ or
something like that. To us, the fun part is going
to be, ‘Oh you beat me and I’m at level 20 and
you’re at 18’ or something so I have motivation
to get cooler gear and come back at you with
my better version of my Batman.”
With ambitious new features, a bigger char-
acter roster, and the same solid gameplay that
made the first so popular, Injustice 2 is one
to watch as we get closer to release. With so
many characters left to reveal and next to no
details out there about the story, we’re likely to
see and hear much more about Injustice 2 as
NetherRealm gears up for launch in 2017.
Brian Shea
E3 HOT 50 51
 abzÛ 16
New secrets emerge in this beautiful world

Platform: PlayStation 4, PC Style: 1-Player Action/Adventure Publisher: 505 Games Developer: Giant Squid Release: August 2

he original spring release date has come bottom, and the seemingly suspended marine tune with everything that goes on.

T and gone for Abzû, but perhaps it’s appro-

priate that the title continues to intrigue yet
elude us. Developer Giant Squid keeps pulling
snow helps give the water a volume and depth.
The world is punctuated with anachronistic
touches that form the backbone of the story
In a game already filled with imagination, one
area in particular in the hands-on demo at E3
further stoked interest. After diving through a
back the curtain little by little on the game, and and your exploration. The shark statues from coral tier in one of the areas, the protagonist
every time it does there’s something new and previous builds are spots where you can medi- finds herself in another foreign world where the
wondrous to ponder. tate and move the camera around to highlight ocean surface drifts silently below her and a
Even areas I’ve seen previously now feel the different species of fish in the area (the dark, unknown beyond is suspended above. In
fresh and exciting. The predation system finally developer is considering including a fish index the distance are shadows of temples, with one
appeared in the new build I played at E3, and of sorts for users), and the mysterious hiero- illuminated in front of her. Swimming curiously
it seems to be balanced nicely. The placid feel glyphics and mechanical portals make this toward it and diving into its center, a brilliant
of your surroundings doesn’t turn into a blood- world stranger still. light extends and the silhouettes of stingrays
bath, but it’s cool to see fish go about their Abzû’s position as neither purely an open- burst forth and swim out into the world. It’s a
business – even if you happen to be hitching a world title nor simulator nor action game helps wonderful moment that is surely tied to some
ride on them as they chomp on passing prey. put it in a special place. This extraordinary world larger significance of rejuvenating the environ-
Details like this firmly establish Abzû’s world, changes quite dramatically from serenity to fear, ment, but what exactly is its place in the game?
and the numerous graphical details play a large from areas teeming with life to those eerily bar- That’s just one of the many mysteries we can’t
part as well. New, vibrant fish have been added ren. Myriad colors vibrantly paint these pictures, wait to uncover when the game comes out this
to some areas, large starfish rest on the sandy and Austin Wintory’s score is masterfully in August. Matthew Kato

Currents act like highways to new areas

and the fish use it as part of the ecosystem

52 E3 HOT 50
 Ghost Recon: wildlands 17
Co-op cartel busting goes open world

Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Style: 1 to 4-Player Shooter (Multiplayer TBA) Publisher: Ubisoft Developer: Ubisoft Paris Release: March 7

ast year’s impressive debut of Ghost while the fourth moves closer to our target. out of the chopper to a vertical position while

L Recon: Wildlands left us wondering if it

could be the next blockbuster shooter.
The concept of throwing four players into the
The echoes of our shots alert the small
encampment, and the mark flees to a nearby
truck and drives off down the road. Each tar-
the fourth parks. This walled fortress is filled
with armed guards; we’ll have to be much more
cautious while engaging. Two ghosts hunker
open world of Bolivia and siccing them on the get has unique behaviors. While some may down in sniping positions and pull out their
wicked Santa Blanca cartel that turned the turn and engage in the gunfight, others like drones to mark enemies while another ghost
country into a narco state is promising, and this cartel worker turn tail and run. I hop on a and I descend the cliff and sneak into the base.
this year we got to go hands on with the third- dirt bike and track him to a gas station, where After a series of stealth takedowns, we’re spot-
person shooter. he gets out on foot and joins a new group of ted and the firefight opens up. We successfully
Our mission starts with myself and three cartel enemies. The other three ghosts start overcome the odds and recover another valu-
other ghosts positioned in the vast expanses the gunfight while I grab our mark and pull him able piece of intel that reveals the location of
of the Bolivian countryside. We’ve gathered into a bathroom away from the lead exchange. the madman responsible for making these
in this region of San Mateo to investigate why Gathering intelligence is a critical component of civilians disappear.
300 civilians disappeared last year, never to be locating high-value targets. You won’t likely just Wildlands’ four-player cooperative setup
heard from again. Outside a small village we stumble on their location; you need to find evi- has great potential for tactical play as well as
each deploy our drones to mark an interrogation dence or interrogate lower-level goons like this shenanigans. Some fans may bemoan the lack
target who may have valuable information. Each guy to discover their whereabouts. He points us of recent Ghost Recon staples like a cover
ghost has binoculars, night vision, and a drone, toward a large encampment nearby. While rein- system, but the guns feel good and we’re eager
the last of which can be upgraded with offen- forcements barrel down on the gas station, we to learn more about the open world and multi-
sive capabilities, improved range, or diversion- hop into a chopper and vacate the area. player offerings in the lead up to the March
ary tools. Three of us get into sniping position After locating the camp, three of us skydive release. Matt Bertz

E3 HOT 50 53
 the last guardian 18
As the long development cycle ends, the journey is just beginning

Platform: PlayStation 4 Style: 1-Player Action Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment Developer: Japan Studio/genDesign Release: October 25

he core of The Last Guardian is undoubt- environment. It also establishes the true maj- city the pair find themselves in. Emerging from

T edly the relationship between the boy and

the Trico beast. Judging by what I played
at E3, the strong foundation of this crucial link
esty of the Trico; it growls at the boy and howls
in pain, its eyes flashing in multicolor anger.
It rears up to its full height and thumps the
the darkness of the Den of Beasts into the
bright sunlight only emphasizes the strange
location and the pair’s seeming isolation.
is well established in the first 30 minutes. ground with its paws. The Trico is its own beast Much has been made of the delays to the
While trailers up to this point have highlighted and not merely an A.I. servant. Its noises, pac- title, and while its design and feel so far is from
the duo’s coupled gameplay and emotional ing, and idle animations give it an immediately an earlier time (the boy sometimes gets caught
bond, this is not the natural order of things. In evident character. on the environment, and I fought the right ana-
the game’s fictional world, the Trico is a leg- The pair work together to make their way out log camera at times), The Last Guardian was
endary beast of power, alongside the phoenix, of the dungeon. The boy climbs on the Trico, never going to be a title that tried to capture
griffin, and unicorn. At the start of the game cajoles it with food, and calls it to access new cutting-edge gameplay of the moment – then
the Trico has been brought to heel, its horns areas. Later on the boy finds a mirror from a or now. In a way, that suits the title’s own
cut, wings broken, and the wounded beast sarcophagus which somehow reacts with the detached aura.
shackled in a dungeon. The boy, who wakes Trico itself to produce a dazzling ray of light. Although I only played the game’s first sec-
up alongside him also imprisoned for an Hopefully as the game progresses the com- tion, the two characters had already formed
unknown reason, finds his skin marked with mands between the pair increase and lead to a bond with each other, and I with them. Only
strange tattoos. various gameplay situations while still allowing the unknown lies ahead, but I have no doubt it
When the Trico wakes up he is hostile to the the two to retain their identities. will be a memorable journey. From the start the
boy, and this introduction to the beast serves The Last Guardian accentuates contrasts. Not adventure is narrated by the boy as an adult –
to initiate a connection between the two as only between the size of the two central char- it’s a recollection that is invariably tinged with
the boy removes the spear shafts lodged in acters but also in the cramped interiors (for the the melancholy of remembrance. There can
the animal and feeds it barrels he finds in the Trico) and ascending towers of the mysterious only be sadness and loss ahead. Matthew Kato

The presence of a second Trico does

not appear to be a friendly encounter

Unshackling and feeding the Trico

goes a long way to making a new friend

54 E3 HOT 50
 we happy few 19
The delightfully disturbing world of uppers

Platform: Xbox One, PC Style: 1-Player Adventure Publisher: Compulsion Games Developer: Compulsion Games Release: Early 2017

henever anything from We Happy Few “Happy people have no history.” It then cuts dead rat, and the party starts eating it on the

W surfaces, it’s hard to look away, as the

world is so fascinating and downright
creepy. The first-person adventure game evokes
to a personnel office where a man is working
and trying to resist the urge to take his uppers,
which are called Joy. Throwing the pills away,
table as if it’s candy. The haunting scene sets
up your journey as a “downer,” trying to escape
the whacked-out city of Wellington Wells.
BioShock comparisons from its art style, but it he starts to have recollections, but soon a lady To do so, you must survive by scavenging
has its own disturbing premise and visuals. walks in, reminding him of an upcoming birth- and crafting resources from weapons to food,
We Happy Few casts players into an alternate day party and grilling him if he’s taken his Joy. but a big part is also blending in and not draw-
version of the 1960s, where Germany success- She pops a pill and her smile takes over her ing attention to yourself. At times you may
fully took control of England in World War II. entire face, making her look more psychotic need to take Joy to walk among the uppers.
Now everybody is hopped up on happy pills than jubilant. Otherwise, the drugged-out townspeople will
to forget the anguish of their lives. Denizens Walking the halls of this strange world sets attack if they spot you, forcing you to fight
have ridiculous grins painted across their faces, up some intriguing and uneasy moments, such back or run away. The gameplay bends toward
but behind the biggest smiles are the most as a man screaming to be left alone only to be roguelikes, with procedurally generated environ-
sinister secrets, which we saw firsthand when injected with a syringe to calm him, the most ments and being forced back to square one
Compulsion Games wowed and captivated the disturbing scene is at the party, where people after each death.
audience with a new trailer at Microsoft’s E3 tweaked out on Joy are beating a piñata. The final game focuses on several differ-
press conference. Everybody cheers you on, urging you to raise ent characters, allowing you to discover what
The footage is part of We Happy Few’s open- the broom and hit it. When you finally do, blood horrible thing each one has done in their past
ing, which features a quote by Leo Tolstoy, comes splattering out. It's not a piñata. It's a that made them pick a life of drug-induced
happiness. When Germany took over England,
people had to do some awful things, and Joy
is the only way they could live with them-
selves. After an early beta, Compulsion Games
discovered so many people were intrigued
by these stories and the world’s lore that it’s
taking extra time to create special narrative-
focused levels.
Seeing how demented things get and dis-
covering why Wellington Wells needs drugs to
deal with its dirty deeds is where the intrigue
lies. We’re hoping the full journey tells compel-
ling enough tales to make facing the trials of
escaping worth the effort, but if the E3 trailer
is anything to go by, Compulsion Games is on
the right track. If you want to get a taste of the
gameplay, a portion of the game is currently
available on Steam Early Access, Xbox One
Game Preview, and GOG.com.
Kimberley Wallace
E3 HOT 50 55
 final fantasy xv 20
Taking on Titan

Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One Style: 1-Player Role-Playing Publisher: Square Enix Developer: Square Enix Release: September 30

he lead-up to Final Fantasy XV has been is, the Astral smashes the ground, sending the to the ground and command the group to cast

T long and torturous for the series’ legion of

die-hard fans, but the game is finally near-
ing launch. While the stage demo at Microsoft’s
duo flying. Noctis and Gladiolus recover and
climb to a higher platform to help even the odds.
There, Noctis continues parrying Titan’s
the powerful ice spell Blizzara.
The combined power of the four friends is
enough to freeze Titan’s arm completely, which
press conference was rough thanks to an over- attacks while dodging sweeping punches with I then shatter using a powerful blow from
all lack of context and Noctis getting repeatedly his warp ability. As the giant drags his hand Noctis. Titan is down, but not completely out.
knocked over, I went hands-on with the same along the ground, I evade it by warping to the However, the demo I’m playing comes to an
sequence and found it much more enjoyable as side of a cliff to allow the huge arm to sweep end just as it appears the next phase of the
a player than a viewer. beneath me, then attack the opening with a boss fight is about to begin.
The Trial of Titan sequence that appeared on powerful warpstrike. The resulting combo chips Though I would have rather played an open-
stage was an abridged version of what I played. away at Titan’s health, but it’s doing so little area sequence such as what was showcased
The full version features Noctis and Gladiolus damage that taking down the creature feels like through Final Fantasy XV’s earlier demo,
venturing toward Titan, one of the enormous an impossible feat. Episode Duscae, I enjoyed seeing how the
Astrals players can eventually summon. On That’s okay, though, as this is more about developers are potentially handling the series’
the way, the two take on a handful of foot sol- stalling until the rest of the party arrives. After enormous boss fights given the new battle
diers. The real-time combat showcased in Final several minutes of dodging and attacking, the system. Though this wasn’t the best way to
Fantasy XV is smooth and intuitive. Though I cavalry arrives in the form of Ignis and Prompto. fully understand what the game is all about, I
had never played the game prior to this demo, With the four friends reunited, Noctis dodges enjoyed my time playing Final Fantasy XV at E3
I chained together attacks and dispatched once more to create an opening. This time, and look forward to seeing how all the pieces fit
enemies with relative ease. rather than using warpstrike, I make Noctis fall together this September. Brian Shea
Following that introductory encounter, Noctis
and Gladiolus head toward a clearing where
Titan awaits. Titan telepathically speaks to
Noctis, which the protagonist takes exception
to. He decides he’s had enough and the battle
commences. Titan throws his massive palm
toward Noctis, but our hero stops it with his
sword before parrying to deal minor damage to
the massive adversary. The blocks and parries
are done with button prompts, a decision that
feels a little out of place within the structure of
the free-flowing combat of the game, but it is
only a few brief moments over the course of
the larger battle.
Following the parry, Noctis and Gladiolus real-
ize they’re outmatched. With only half of the
party there (Noctis says Ignis and Prompto are
on their way), the two flee to higher ground. As Leviathan is another Astral that
you can earn in Final Fantasy XV
they attempt to escape the low pit where Titan
56 E3 HOT 50
 for honor 21
Winning the war one grueling battle at a time

Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Style: 1-Player Action (8-Player Online) Publisher: Ubisoft Developer: Ubisoft Montreal Release: February 14

fter debuting For Honor with a head- stance via the right analog stick. Matching laying siege to a samurai stronghold.

A lopping four-versus-four multiplayer demo

at E3 2015, Ubisoft returned to this year’s
E3 raring to show off the robust single-player
your foe’s stance will automatically block their
attacks, but that’s true for your enemy as well.
As such, combat becomes a brutal dance, as
Both missions served up a string of satisfying
one-on-one and group encounters to test our
mettle. Basic soldiers can be cut down with a
offerings. We sliced and stabbed our way you circle your enemy, mirroring their stance to single strike, or sliced through in droves with
through knights and samurai warriors alike in a block their strikes then shifting to a new (and swinging area-of-effect attacks. However, high-
pair of levels from For Honor’s three-pronged hopefully unexpected) stance to land blows of er-ranked foes demand patience and careful
story campaign, and walked away impressed your own. For Honor also takes into account thought, as they have all the same attacks and
with the methodical swordplay. the weight and physics of your character, so abilities at their disposal as you do. Each fac-
Knights-versus-Vikings-versus-samurai may stringing together an attack from the left and tion has its own play-style (knights deal in mea-
seem like a silly premise for a video game, but then the right is more fluid than performing sured sword strikes while Vikings prefer savage
For Honor’s combat is no joke. Although the two consecutive attacks from the same side. axe swings), and each enemy type has its own
game commonly gets dumped into the hack- From there, the game layers in light and heavy attributes that govern their strength, stamina,
and-slash bucket, don’t expect to auto-hop attacks, shield breaks, dodges, and area-of- and speed. Though Ubisoft wouldn’t confirm or
between enemies while unleashing flurries of effect attacks, along with environmental haz- deny specifics, we suspect many of the enemy
attacks with impunity like you can in the Arkham ards like fires, spiked surfaces, and ledges that types will show up as playable classes in For
series or Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor. you can dump unguarded foes over. Honor’s multiplayer based on how unique and
My first touchstone for For Honor’s slow and The depth of For Honor’s combat takes a good balanced they feel.
meticulous combat was the Dark Souls series, while to get used to, but the lengthy single-play- Ubisoft says For Honor’s story campaign
but once I started to understand the depth of er campaign should give you plenty of practice takes players through missions for all three
the mechanics, the action reminded me more before jumping into the multiplayer waters. We factions, allowing us to see the conflict from
of Bushido Blade. Though For Honor thankfully played through two complete levels during our all sides while fleshing out the larger story. The
doesn’t feature as many one-hit kills as the long- 30-minute demo. The first, entitled Lords and narrative embraces the grim tone of shows like
forgotten fighting game, every blow matters, and Cowards, put us in the boots of the knight fac- Game of Thrones and Vikings, but the combat
every swordfight can end in your demise. tion’s unnamed hero, the Warden, and tasked is clearly king. Whether in the story-driven cam-
At the heart of For Honor’s swordplay lies us with defending a castle from a rival division paign or on the competitive battlefield, players
the stance mechanic; when dueling an oppo- of invading knights. The second mission, Up the will live or die by based on their skills with a
nent, you switch between a left, right, and high Beach, put us on offense as a Viking raider, blade. Jeff Marchiafava

If Vikings fighting samurai seems preposterous,

that's because it is – but it's still a lot of fun

E3 HOT 50 57
 the unspoken 22
World of wizardry

Platform: Rift Style: 1-Player Action Publisher: Oculus Studios Developer: Insomniac Games Release: Holiday

nsomniac is betting big on virtual reality this players enter the match with a default attack and collect crystals that power more advanced

I year, and its most promising title delivers

one of gaming’s greatest fantasies. Be hon-
est, you’ve always wanted to fling fireballs or
spell and a shield. These and more advanced
skills are determined by class. In our demo,
we were equipped with a fireball that could be
spells. Folding a paper airplane and tossing it
launches a divebomber. Hammering an arcane
anvil results in an enchanted sphere.
blast bolts from your hands. The Unspoken lets charged and tossed at our foe. The Unspoken can be played seated, but
you do just that. Teleporting to pedestals around the arena lets works great as a standing experience. Peeking
Set up as an arena battle between wizards, players take cover, gain a height advantage, out from behind cover, leaning for a better
angle, and throwing spells sidearm all work and
feel great.
The Unspoken is fast-paced and engaging,
giving us our first taste of how the fighting
genre might develop in virtual reality. Whether
you want to be Harry Potter or Harry Dresden,
this is one to watch for once the Oculus Touch
controllers are available. Michael Futter

A mystical murder of crows Store up enough gems and you can

can hit enemies behind cover summon a golem to end the match

tacoma 23
Floating in a most peculiar way

Platform: Xbox One, PC Style: 1-Player Adventure Publisher: Fullbright Developer: Fullbright Release: 2017

he sci-fi follow-up to the indie darling in zero-G before getting on with her mission station’s A.I., Odin, informing the crew that

T Gone Home, Fullbright has a lot of its

reputation staked on its sophomore game,
Tacoma. Luckily, the E3 demo we saw of the
of determining what happened to the missing
crew of the station.
The slice of gameplay that followed shows
they have 50 hours left before Tacoma runs out
of oxygen.
The demo left us with a lot of enticing ques-
game suggests the developer is up to the task. Amy exploring the station and interacting with tions. What happened to the crew? Did the A.I.
In an opening that deftly combines the best holograms of the crew, recorded sometime kill them? Did they find a way off the station?
parts of Alien and 2001: A Space Odyssey, we before their disappearance. Earlier recordings How does Amy fit into all of this? We’ll have to
watched as protagonist operations engineer showed them talking about mundane things, wait until next year to find out the answers, but
Amy enters space station Tacoma through a like paperwork and how to bake a cake, but either way Tacoma is shaping up to be a prom-
long metal tube bathed in red light. After zoom- the last recording revealed Tacoma suffering ising and tense sci-fi mystery and one of our
ing down toward an airlock, she plays basketball some kind of mechanical failure with the most anticipated of next year. Javy Gwaltney

One of the first recordings you find

has the A.I. telling the crew the
station will soon run out of oxygen

Tacoma is a spacious station

that’s reminiscent of Solaris
and 2001: A Space Odyssey

58 E3 HOT 50
 warhammer 40,000: 24
dawn of war III
An RTS classic returns to the battle

Platform: PC Style: 1-Player Real-Time Strategy (2-Player Online) Publisher: Sega Developer: Relic Release: 2017

he real-time-strategy genre may be in unit we’ve seen so far is the Imperial Knight, saw the Space Marine orbital cannon in action,

T decline thanks to the continuing popular-

ity of MOBAs, but few franchises are held
with the same reverence as Dawn of War. Dawn
a hulking titan that packs massive chain guns
that can decimate an infantry army in sec-
onds and rocket barrages for when it runs
gobbling up and obliterating everything in a
player-controlled path.
Destructible cover adds a nice element to skir-
of War III goes against the grain by weaving into heavier fare. The other factions have their mishes over valuable terrain, and once it’s gone,
together different elements from the once-proud own “walker” units as well, with the Orkish it’s gone – providing an incentive to the “first
genre with the threads of a tireless IP. Gorkanaut and the Eldar Wraithknight rising to to fight” commander willing to send units out
Dawn of War III combines some of the ele- meet the challenge. aggressively to take valuable defenses before
ments from the first two games in new ways. Managing your elite-unit cooldowns and they are inevitably blown to pieces. These
The campaign focuses on three classic 40K abilities alongside your rank-and-file troop temporary bastions can be a big benefit when
factions: Space Marines, Orks, and Eldar. Base movement and attack should lead to a nice you’re fighting over an important resource node.
building returns to the game after being absent mix of macro and micromanagement. The fun We won’t see Dawn of War III until 2017, but if
in the second title, but there are still swarms doesn’t end at elite units though. The game you’re looking for a reason to be excited about
of enemies to cut through and elite units to also features traditional endgame superpowers the future of the RTS genre, it may be worth the
lead your troops. Perhaps the most impressive that allow you to end the conflict with style. We wait. Daniel Tack

Elite units come with a variety Expect to see many units wrapped
of powers and cooldowns up in battle in Dawn of War III

E3 HOT 50 59
 the surge 25
Sci-fi melee mayhem

Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Style: 1-Player Action Publisher: Focus Home Interactive Developer: Deck 13 Release: 2017

eck 13 made a name for itself with the

D Dark Souls-esque Lords of the Fallen,

and now those melee lessons are being
applied to a far more futuristic setting. While
plenty of Souls-style staples appear in The
Surge – like unforgiving, tight battles – the
future setting allows Deck 13 to do far more
than just strap chainsaws and robo-suits onto
a character and throw them up against big
bad battlebots. (Although, you can expect that,
too.) Instead of the popular doom and gloom of
dungeons and catacombs, expect warehouses,
factories, and strange alien worlds.
Dangerous environments, challenging-but-fair
combat, and picking up on enemy patterns are
all core aspects of The Surge. While the future
setting provides many new improvements to
human life, it also comes with its own perils
and pitfalls, which the player becomes familiar Explore a decidedly different environ-
with almost immediately when left to fend for ment for the Souls-like The Surge
themselves against man and machine.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of The their legs to prevent mobility are just a few of the class-based beginnings, everyone starts with
Surge is the modular upgrade systems and decisions you have to make on the fly. The sys- the same core to work with in The Surge, and
character progression. You actually cut, saw, tem encourages testing different strategies for can branch out as they move into the game.
and bash off bits and pieces of your opponents, enemies packing a variety of deadly weapons While Lords of the Fallen stood on the shoul-
ripping out their technology to adapt it for your and abilities. ders of the Souls series, it was a surprisingly
own needs. Players can also target specific Players can expect difficulty to be on par with solid title. With The Surge, I’m curious to see
areas of an enemy. Attacking an opponent’s arm Lords of the Fallen, with plenty of secrets to what else Deck 13 can bring to the table to
to disable a plasma chainsaw or knocking out find along the way. Unlike Lords of the Fallen’s make it stand out. Daniel Tack

Your capabilities are augmented by

adapting pieces of your fallen foes

60 E3 HOT 50
 Star Trek: 26 27
Bridge Crew
Welcome to Starfleet

Platform: PSVR, Rift, Vive Style: 1 to 4-Player Simulation (Online TBD)

Publisher: Ubisoft Developer: Red Storm Release: Fall

eated at the engineer’s station on the Federation starship U.S.S.

S Aegis, a smile crawls across my face as I scan the bridge. The

Oculus Rift transported me to a location that I always wanted to
visit, and it looks fantastic. The view out the window is stunning, giv-
ing me a look at a colorful star cluster. At the helm’s station to my left
sits Game Informer editor-in-chief Andy McNamara. We wave to each
other, and I realize I’m wearing a red shirt. To his left is another player
assigned to the tactical station. Behind us is the captain, assumed by
someone from Red Storm’s development team.
The captain receives a signal from Starfleet, and issues an order to
Andy to move us into position near the space station. A scan reveals
significant damage to the sprawling complex. Over a dozen survivors deus ex: mankind divided
are stranded on it. Andy brings us in closer, tactical pinpoints the first
pocket of survivors, and I teleport them aboard. This action raises Finding balance in a war-torn world
the attention of a Klingon Bird of Prey. I raise our shields, tactical
opens fire, and Andy steers us clear of danger as I fire up the warp Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Style: 1-Player Action/Role-Playing
coils. Thanks to our captain’s guidance, we rescue everyone and Publisher: Square Enix Developer: Eidos Montreal Release: August 23
escape unscathed.
The gameplay in Bridge Crew is simple, and similar in concept to
he year is 2029, and society struggles to come to terms with a
games like Space Team and Artemis. Each crew member interacts
with a terminal outfitted with a variety of functions. That’s all there is
to it, yet it’s fun and a true test of teamwork. Our time with the game
is short, but Red Storm says the game offers a story-based cam-
T horrific and confusing event known as the Aug Incident, a global
catastrophe that caused individuals with mechanical augmenta-
tions to go berserk. With the industry of cybernetics nearing collapse,
Adam Jensen no longer works for Sarif Industries, instead joining an
paign, as well as a mode called Ongoing Missions that procedurally
anti-terrorism group called Task Force 29. He does, however, have his
generates new scenarios. While Ubisoft isn’t talking online function-
own agenda: hunting down the puppeteers of the Aug Incident.
ality yet, Bridge Crew can be played solo with NPC companions in
Mankind Divided brings more balance between action and stealth
three seats.
than its predecessor. Combat is beefed up, with smoother shooting
We won’t have to wait long to explore undiscovered space in VR,
mechanics and more augmentations that are an asset to a guns-
as Ubisoft has set a fall release for Bridge Crew on Rift, Vive, and
blazing playthrough. For example, the Titan Shield transforms Jensen
PlayStation VR. Andrew Reiner
into a walking tank, and his nano blade, which was used in Human
Revolution for takedowns, can be charged and shot out to explode
into tiny fractals like a bomb. Stealth is still a polished tactic, with the
return of cloaking, along with new augmentations such as your non-
lethal PEPS gun-arm, and Tesla that shoots darts out of your knuck-
les to incapacitate several enemies at once from a distance.
Hacking makes a return, with a more refined minigame and the
inclusion of remote hacking, where you can disable laser beams,
cameras, and turrets for a limited time.
Mankind Divided has many layers to its gameplay, and even with a
refined combat system, stealth doesn’t feel neglected. When it comes
to boss fights, you can approach them in multiple ways, including
defeating them non-lethally. Elise Favis

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 batman: a telltale series 28
Shaping the man behind the mask

Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Mac, iOS, Android Style: 1-Player Adventure Publisher: Telltale Games Developer: Telltale Games Release: TBA

rom afar, Gotham’s night sky paints a of the robbers all in one fluid motion. It’s a nice party at Wayne Manor. Bruce is holding a fun-

F scene of tranquility, offering all onlookers a

stunning view of a city with many secrets
to tell. The monolithic Wayne Tower lords
introduction to the Caped Crusader, voiced by
Troy Baker.
His noisy entrance alerts the other guards, but
draising banquet for Dent, and is the biggest
backer of his campaign. Harvey towers over
Wayne, almost looking like an ex-football line-
over it as a spectacle of wealth and power; it, he’s still capable of taking down a few of them backer. Alfred, Bruce’s butler, brings distressing
too, holds many secrets. This is the first shot by sneaking through the sea of office cubicles. news: Carmine Falcone has arrived at the party.
in Telltale’s Batman, an episodic series that All of the action is handled through quick-time Wayne asks Dent why he would invite a crimi-
focuses on Bruce Wayne and the people of events, such as analog-stick swipes and timed nal like Falcone to the party. At this point, play-
Gotham just as much as it does Batman and button presses. er choice comes into play, and it would appear
his crazy toys. Batman dispatches the robbers with ease, the player is given a degree of freedom in shap-
The shot of the city transitions to a platoon knocking the last one through the desired office ing Wayne’s allegiances in Gotham. Falcone
of masked men, each armed with assault rifles, door. We don’t get a good look at what the wants Wayne’s support, and it would appear he
entering Gotham’s city hall. They’re organized, robbers are after, but we believe it’s a device can give it based on the conversation options
but sloppy, triggering an alarm within seconds on the table – a device we see Catwoman steal on offer. Our demoer played a heroic and virtu-
of stepping into the building. They’re trying to seconds later. Batman gives chase and a battle ous version of Wayne, which led to a heated
break into an office, and even brought a chain- ensues on the rooftop. Gotham City’s police confrontation and Falcone threatening death.
saw to cut through its heavily fortified door. and Commissioner Gordon complicate matters, In total, I saw 30 minutes of the first episode
A shot outside of one of city hall’s windows leading to a dramatic and acrobatic escape of Batman. The wealth of quick-time events
shows a billboard that reads, “Harvey Dent for down the outside of city hall. The cinematog- was a turnoff, and the banquet was a bit of a
mayor.” Dent’s image casts a large smile – the raphy for this sequence is excellent, giving us slog in the early stages, but the moral jockeying
smile of just one man. Batman descends onto exciting and scenic views of the action, some- of Wayne was interesting. Should it allow darker
the billboard and attaches his grappling hook thing we haven’t seen much from Telltale in choices, it could produce a much different
to city hall. He ziplines over to the building, other game series. Batman story than we’ve seen before.
crashes through a window, and takes down one The demo then shifts gears to an extravagant Andrew Reiner

Telltale won't say who the villain of this

story is yet, but Carmine Falcone shows
he is not someone to be messed with

The 30 minutes of footage showed a variety

of morality choices for Bruce Wayne

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 29

detroit: become human

Testing morals with tense choices

Platform: PlayStation 4 Style: 1-Player Adventure Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment Developer: Quantic Dream Release: TBA

e first learned about Kara when Quantic android who has taken a young girl named Time is of the essence, and the clock continues

W Dream presented an emotional tech

demo in 2012. Kara is an android who
becomes self-aware during her assembly in a
Emma hostage on a rooftop. Entering Emma’s
home, you see her frazzled mother being
dragged out, screaming and kicking, and telling
to tick. If you take too long, negative outcomes
could occur.
Stepping onto the roof, the tension rises
factory. The moving video had us contemplat- the officers they shouldn’t have sent an android. immediately. The deviant android clutches
ing what makes us human. Now, Kara is fea- Connor, whose expression remains neutral and Emma tightly at the edge, and Connor
tured in her own full-fledged game. cold as ice, continues on his way inside. approaches slowly not to panic him. “Do you
Detroit: Become Human is a careful balance Each character you play has his or her own have a gun?” David asks. You can lie or tell the
of choice and consequence, with a string of set of unique abilities and skills. Connor’s are truth, and your decision will either dissuade or
outcomes that only you have control over. built specifically for investigation purposes, to persuade him. You can rationalize with him,
Taking place in a near-future world, androids help him solve crimes. For example, glimpsing demand he releases Emma, reassure him, or
are companions, workers, and aids to our day- at a photograph, he can swiftly identify each empathize by saying you’re not so different.
to-day life, but it turns out they are more human individual in a matter of seconds. With the push of a button, you can shoo away
than society realized. By reconstructing scenes, he can generate the SWAT team’s helicopter hovering above.
Just like past Quantic Dream games, Detroit: ghostly outlines of past scenarios, giving a Emma and the deviant android can be saved
Become Human uses quick-time action events better idea of someone’s previous actions or or killed depending on your choices, and even
and gives you a limited amount of time to where objects originated from. When looking your life may be in danger. Without gaining his
respond in dialogue, playing out like an interac- through an open briefcase or by examining the trust and approaching too quickly, David leaps
tive movie. Narratively, the game is structured father’s corpse that’s riddled with broken glass, to his death with Emma. You receive a "mission
similarly to Heavy Rain. You play as several Connor determines that a gun was stolen and succeeded" or "mission failed" prompt when
different characters, and if one dies, they stay that the android killed the father. Environmental wrapping up, but this black-and-white outcome
dead, altering the story rather than having the clues are also scattered around. By entering will not necessarily seep into other sections of
character’s arc abruptly end. Emma’s room, you uncover a tablet that plays the game.
Kara is one of many playable characters in a video of the young girl and the android hap- While Detroit: Become Human is a similar
Detroit: Become Human. In the E3 demo, we pily together, which informs you of the android’s mold to Quantic Dream’s past titles, there’s an
saw the world through Connor’s eyes, a cool name: David. intriguing story underneath that looks promising.
and calculated android who works alongside While there is plenty to look at, you could just Connor as a character so far is dull, but because
the police to track down deviant androids that as easily step outside onto the roof instead of this is a story about robots coming to terms
have become a danger to themselves and oth- peeking around, but going straight to the con- with their emotions, I expect him to open up
ers. Androids are meant to be emotionless, but flict could have consequences. With Connor’s and develop as the narrative progresses. While
it soon becomes clear this is not the case. HUD, you can calculate your risk of success I didn’t get to see Kara in action, I’m eager to
Connor is sent by the police to dissuade an or failure, and this fluctuates with your actions. continue her journey as well. Elise Favis
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 30

pro evolution soccer 17

Pro Evolution Soccer enters its golden generation

Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC Style: 1 to 4-Player Sports (Online TBA) Publisher: Konami Developer: PES Productions Release: Fall

ES 2016 was the best entry in the series A.I. feature that claims to learn if you keep directors give advice during negotiations, and

P since before the latest home consoles

even came out. This year’s game takes
concrete steps to improve the franchise’s
passing to a particular player, for instance.
Help also comes in the form of keepers
with better reflex saves and defenses that are
deadline day has its own time element to add
drama. The players now have skills as well as
abilities, more than double the roles, and a
standing by addressing specific user com- more attuned to the through ball. Physical play reworked training system to further define and
plaints. More than that, the game also iter- returns, but this time with better refs to call the aid their development.
ates on one of its core components, the necessary fouls. In general the game is a touch The series’ online fantasy-soccer mode,
gameplay fidelity. slower, but I wouldn’t say it’s slow. Perhaps this MyClub, now includes an auction house for
Players are not only easy to control, but their is a cost of the control you feel between the scouts. A scout doesn’t directly deliver a spe-
responsiveness means you spend less time in player and the ball, along with the accuracy of cific player, but combining the right agents
animations. The minute accuracy in how they their touches. All combined, I felt more creative and scouts will give users access to the
address the ball also makes them better drib- than ever, but I wasn’t scoring three of four players they seek. The mode also includes
blers, passers, and shooters. It emboldens goals every time, which is good. online scouting reports of opponents and
you to push your players to the limit and also Last year PES was hampered by a delayed new tutorials.
embrace the game’s multitude of new tactics. roster update, which meant summer transfers In the series’ past, more control and depth
Two offensive and defensive presets can be weren’t included until much later. Konami is meant more complicated inputs. They were
set to the d-pad (along with those from last year) promising a day-one update as well as weekly there if you could use them, but they also put
that cover a range of concepts like tiki-taka, ones (both for online and off), which should a barrier between players and some of the
the false 9, and high-pressure Gegenpressing. bolster all modes. beauty of the game itself. Now the game is
Switching between these on the fly can take The transformation of the Master League offering more control and expression – whether
getting used to, but they let you adapt to career mode continues with a more detailed in gameplay or modes – without being overly
what your opponent throws at you. Speaking transfer process. Teams have a split budget complex or inaccessible. That’s a very liberating
of which, Konami is touting an adaptive between transfer fees and player wages, team feeling. Matthew Kato
64 E3 HOT 50
 31

gwent: the witcher card game

The popular tavern game goes big

Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Style: 1 or 2-Player Strategy (2-Player Online) Publisher: CD Projekt Red Developer: CD Projekt Red Release: 2017

espite offering an expansive open world two. Second, your deck is limited to four hero out the experience with offline, 10-hour cam-

D filled with monsters, political rivalries, and

loot, many players of G.I.’s 2015 game
of the year award winner The Witcher 3: Wild
cards. From there, the developers rebalanced
the action to make sure certain play styles (like
aggressively relying on spies in the first round)
paigns for each of the four decks (Northern
Realms, Scoia’tel, Skellige, and Monsters)
complete with top-down maps to explore and
Hunt spent more time in taverns playing a card aren’t overpowered, while improving the visuals untold stories starring both new and well-known
game called Gwent. CD Projekt Red noticed and user interface. Each card characters from the universe. The stories play
the intense following the pub game got, so it has a premium version that is animated and out in fully voiced comic book-style cutscenes.
took the natural next step in creating a stand- interactive, allowing the player to change the As with any Witcher game, choice and conse-
alone digital card game that doubles down on angle of the card with an analog stick or mouse quences play a role in the adventures.
the formula. to appreciate the model. New abilities, cards, In the demo we watched, Geralt tags along
Gwent: The Witcher Card Game plays much and mechanics are coming to Gwent as well. with a mercenary named Falibur and an elven
like the version that appeared in The Witcher 3, Competitive play is grouped by skill tiers that guide named Milaen. The group escorts a
with a few minor but important tweaks. First, players can climb or descend based on their small girl named Torina who they found next
you are allowed to mulligan up to three cards at performance while in the groupings. Beyond to a slaughtered guard in a roadside tavern.
the start of every competitive match instead of head-to-head play, CD Projekt Red is fleshing From here they venture into the open world,
passing by an old elven ruin. Here the player
can choose to explore or disregard the ruin.
Exploration yields a new Gwent card called
Scorch, which is an ancient elven recipe for a
fire bomb.
As the group approaches a town, the girl sud-
denly transforms into a demon named Zaphire.
A Gwent battle ensues in which the player can
test out the new card. As the battle plays out,
characters placed on the board will react to
certain situations with voiced dialogue.
The depth of the Gwent experience for this
standalone game is impressive for a free-
to-play game. CD Projekt Red says it’s still
fine-tuning the microtransaction model, but
stressed that they don’t want it to turn into a
grind fest for those who choose not to spend
money. That sounds like a good place to start,
but whether or not the base game stands up to
head-to-head play will be the true test of this
Hearthstone competitor. Matt Bertz
E3 HOT 50 65
 nioh 32
A lot of soul

Platform: PlayStation 4 Style: 1-Player Action Publisher: Koei Tecmo Developer: Team Ninja Release: 2016

oei Tecmo grabbed everyone’s atten- Ken-Sama can use to his advantage. Chief takes on bandits, their heads disappearing in a

K tion a few months ago when the pub-

lisher released an alpha of Nioh, a game
originally announced in 2004 and based on an
among these are rifles he can use to take out
enemies in the distance, like pesky archers
stationed on cliff sides. Ken-Sama also has
glorious shower of red when he delivers the kill-
ing blow. However, bosses are definitely more
in the realm of the fantastical. In the demo, I
unfinished script by legendary director Akira stances he can use with his melee weapons watched as the demoer went up against a fly-
Kurosawa. A historical-fantasy action game, that change the speed and severity of his ing succubus in a cave who was capable of rip-
Nioh has traveled a long road and undergone attack but can also affect just how much you’re ping open her own face in a gruesome explo-
many different iterations during its develop- leaving open to enemy attacks. sion and sucking Ken-Sama’s blood with spiky
ment before settling on this one, a Dark Souls- Combat is fast and enjoyable, hinging on just tendrils that sprang forth from the meaty abyss.
inspired slasher developed by Team Ninja. how adept you are at learning enemy patterns Nioh, with its fast-paced action and feudal
Despite clear inspirations, Nioh isn’t a Souls and flanking them. Japan setting, might end up being the first
rip-off. The E3 demo we saw expanded The art design also helps set Nioh apart from game of its ilk to crawl out from beneath the
beyond the foundations of the alpha and show- its influences. Yes, Ken-Sama fights demons shadow of Dark Souls and stand on its own
cased new equipment and weapons that hero and other monstrous beasties, but he also legs. Javy Gwaltney

The succubus boss shown to us in the demo

was fierce, destroying our demoer in seconds

Nioh's feudal Japan aesthetic goes a long way

in setting it apart from other Souls clones

66 E3 HOT 50
 madden nfl 17 33
Hands-on time with the game bears out its changes

Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 Style: 1 to 4-Player Sports (2-Player Online) Publisher: EA Sports Developer: EA Tiburon Release: August 23

hey often say that it’s hard to analyze a catches, or lead-footed linebackers. I did. But couple of years ago, I’ll probably use it from

T single player’s performance on any given

play. As an outside observer you have
to know what play was called and what that
on the whole the game feels more alive – like an
offense that finally has access to its full playbook
after running a truncated version all pre-season.
time to time. A big part of Play the Moment’s
attractiveness is a large play-by-play graphic
that is the game’s super sim engine writ large
player’s responsibility was during that play and Despite the increased granularity of some (shown below). I was initially ambivalent about
at that particular moment. While nothing hap- of this year’s gameplay changes, Madden Play the Moment, and while I’m not awestruck
pens in a vacuum, I played a decent amount 17 continues trying to make the game more by it, I hope that this year’s modest tweaks to
of time with the new Madden at E3, and was accessible. The new linebacker zones and the career mode – from more draft day gems/
impressed with a lot of the individual perfor- player responsibilities show up in the pre-snap busts to more impactful injuries – similarly strike
mances I saw. Whether it’s a block here or a play art as well as skills trainer drills, and the a chord once I get more time with them.
better linebacker zone coverage there, I am Play the Moment is a time-saving option that Madden 17 isn’t a game of grand changes,
heartened by the way the game is executing on skips to the important moments in a game. but you don’t always have to go with a new
the developer’s stated changes for this year. Similar to the suggested play feature from a quarterback to win the game. Matthew Kato
The subtle byproduct of the title’s gameplay
changes is that Madden 17 doesn’t necessarily
feel harder in any particular way, it just means
that I must be more vigilant executing the con-
cepts I’ve already been employing from previ-
ous games. For instance, as a quarterback, the
improved linebacker drops mean that the throw-
ing windows are tighter. I not only have to make
sure I understand the routes of my receivers, but
also know that what I see pre-snap isn’t always
going to be indicative of the play as it develops.
Similarly, the scaling down of last year’s aggres-
sive catch means I must be more discerning
when throwing against one-on-one situations.
The running game for both sides of the ball
is a more interesting chess match than before.
Interior and outside running lanes appear more
defined; you notice the linemen holding their
blocks properly. Runs to the edge test the
mettle of both the offensive and defensive lines;
someone has to seal that edge properly while
the right defender has to crash that point and
his teammates have to flood their gaps. It’s not
like you won’t see missed blocks, spectacular

The aggressive catch isn't as

powerful as it was last year

E3 HOT 50 67
 forza horizon 3 34
Tearing through the Outback

Platform: Xbox One, PC Style: 1-Player Racing (4-Player Online) Publisher: Microsoft Studios Developer: Playground Games Release: September 27

orza Horizon 3 isn’t the first iteration of the from the first game. You do decide where the be doing more of this thanks to the game’s

F series on Xbox One, but it might as well be.

The last title made some necessary moves
to improve the franchise’s off-road and free-
festival sites go, so there is a degree of choice
and use of the map. Furthermore, users can
import their own music via the cloud-based
four-player drop in/drop out co-op. This
includes a full co-op campaign mode, the abil-
ity for everyone to take on any user-created
wheeling formula with more open environments OneDrive into the game. challenges, and the transfer of your progress
and fun diversions like Bucket List challenges, The creation of events dovetails nicely with back into single-player.
but Forza Horizon 3 has ambitions that outstrip the game’s online focus, which enables you The presence of your friends extends to a
its predecessor. Forza Horizon 2 was at odds to create challenges you can share with your new utilization of drivatars (A.I. versions of your
with itself at times in trying to open up its world friends, though it can be played offline as well. friends that are a staple of the Forza brand)
for racers to explore at the expense of the fes- You set a wide range of variables (time of day, called a drivatar lineup. This is a crew of you
tival’s structure. Horizon 3 attempts to bring the types of car, entry requirements, etc.), name the and three of your virtual friends who share the
two seemingly disparate elements together by event, complete it to set the difficulty, and the rewards of everyone’s performance. Finally, the
putting you in charge of the festival in the conti- game broadcasts it to your friends with its own online amenities continue with the return of the
nent of Australia. automatically generated poster. auction house and user storefront for highlight-
Since you’re heading up the festival now, Horizon 3’s Australian location – complete ing some of the great decal work.
you get to choose the events in it as well as with beautiful beaches, lush jungles, and cit- It’s one thing to open up your map in the
build new Festival sites. Developer Playground ies – is ripe for the creation of all kinds of chal- name of freedom, but Forza Horizon 3 does
Games hasn’t gone into too much detail on lenges (including Bucket List ones). The series’ more than just offer an environment that is
exactly how you build the sites and how much largest car list yet (more than 350) should give twice the size of the previous games. It gives
customization is involved, so it’s unknown you a ride for every occasion. It even includes players the tools to create the kind of experi-
how granular things will get. I hope it’s a struc- the strange Australian phenomenon of the ute. ence they want as well as the ability to bring
ture that somehow incorporates some of the Horizon is all about racing different makes their friends into the fun in numerous ways.
aspects of the series that encourage explora- (although I don’t know why you’d want to take This is what the Horizon Festival is all about.
tion, like the photo activity and the outposts a Lamborghini into the jungle), and you’ll likely Matthew Kato

With over 350 cars and a large map of Australia,

the Horizon Festival you create will be unique

68 E3 HOT 50
 mafia iii 35
Blood on the bayou

Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Style: 1-Player Action Publisher: 2K Games Developer: Hangar 13 Release: October 7

incoln Clay has returned from the Vietnam pimps for information, burning down his drug shooting starts there’s no turning back.

L War, but the biggest battle of his life is

just beginning. After being betrayed by
the Italian mob, shot, and left for dead, this
boats, robbing one of his orgies, killing his
smack dealers, and capturing his brothel and
drug den. Players won’t have to complete all of
The rest of the riverboat sequence plays out
like a traditional third-person cover shooter as
Lincoln chases Lou through the ship and dis-
war hero bounces back from the grave with a these tasks to get to Lou, but each one hurts penses with his goons using everything from
vengeance. Lincoln has a hunger for blood that the mobster where it counts: the bank account. shotguns to molotovs. A few of Lincoln’s shots
can only be satiated by burning the mafia’s Once Lou’s operation has been sufficiently go wild as the ship rocks violently, continually
criminal empire to the ground. destabilized, the fat man decides to host a crashing against the shore.
Mafia III’s story is told via a documentary- fundraiser on a riverboat down by the bayou. After reaching the ship’s bow, Lincoln con-
style narrative, and during our E3 demo we Unfortunately for Lou, this is the opportunity fronts his prey. Seconds later, an explosion
caught glimpses of these interviews as Lincoln Lincoln has been waiting for. sends them both over the side of the boat.
carried out his crusade against the Marcano After cutting Lou’s fundraiser short by send- During the tumble, Lincoln loses his gun, so
crime family. Lincoln’s target during our demo ing the riverboat crashing into a pier, Lincoln he’s forced to stalk Lou through the swamps as
is a fat cowpoke named Uncle Lou, a rich swims through alligator-infested waters to get the gangster fires wildly into the darkness. After
smack dealer who uses the French Ward as his to his target. We see a few hapless bystanders a brief sequence where Lincoln stalks the mob-
base of operations. sink under the waves as the gators enjoy a late ster through the bog, he sneaks up behind Lou
Lincoln’s primary goal when taking down dinner. Once aboard, Lincoln finds Lou holding and sticks his knife into the mobster’s neck.
any criminal mastermind is to destabilize their court in the boat’s main dining area. Lincoln Lincoln can check one more name off his list.
operation until the crime lord comes out of hid- uses this opportunity to sneak up behind sev- This job is done, but as long as the head
ing. This overarching goal can play out through eral goons and take them out with his hunting of the Marcano crime family is still drawing
a variety of open-world missions. We watched knife. These stealth moments give Lincoln a breath, Lincoln will have trouble finding rest.
a brief montage of Lincoln interrogating Lou’s chance to thin the herd, because once the Ben Reeves

Lincoln still has the scar on his temple

from when the Italian mob shot him

Players can use stealth to take out

some goons, but once the bullets start
flying it's hard to go back into hiding

E3 HOT 50 69
 fifa 17 36
Putting you in the shoes of a pro player

Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC Style: 1 to 4-Player Sports (22-Player Online) Publisher: EA Sports Developer: EA Canada Release: September 27

ports are filled with drama on and off assistance from BioWare, who have had suc- game. We played through Hunter's first match

S the field, whether it’s a tale of how a

player overcame adversity to become
the superstar they are, the ruthless business of
cess in this department with its Mass Effect
and Dragon Age series.
The Journey puts you in the shoes of a young
with Manchester United, and the Frostbite
engine’s prowess was evident in the cutscenes
as Hunter went from nervously awaiting the
players moving between teams, or the thrill of player named Alex Hunter, who is about to sign announcement of the gameday roster, talking
victory and the agony of defeat. Video games his first Premier League contract. You can pick to his friend on the team via the conversation
have occasionally tried to capture this inher- which team Hunter signs for, but the experience system, and watching said friend score the
ent element of the sports we love, from Fight overall isn’t strictly linear. The conversation sys- match’s opening goal while Hunter sat as a sub
Night Champions to NBA 2K16. Now, the FIFA tem shapes your personality, which could affect on the bench. Sure enough, however, with the
franchise is crafting its own story alongside its how the manager, teammates, and fans treat game deadlocked in a draw, José Mourinho
normal suite of modes with help from some you. The dialogue choices cast Hunter as brash (yes, real Premier League managers are in the
of the mightiest developers in the Electronic or professional, for example, and users can game) gives the nod to an assistant coach who
Arts stable. mold his personality as time goes on. tells you to get ready, because you’re going in.
FIFA 17 uses DICE’s acclaimed Frostbite However, the gameplay is ultimately the big- As you start to warm up along the touchline, a
engine (Battlefield) to power a new story mode gest determiner of Hunter’s fate. Players pro- chorus of catcalls rains down on you from the
entitled The Journey. Developer EA Canada ceed through matches like they normally would, visiting supporters, and it’s hard not to feel a
says the mode wouldn’t be possible without only with objectives whose completion lets little nervous.
Frostbite because it allows it to create interi- you upgrade Hunter’s abilities, and a real-time Hunter has to face up to his own pressure.
ors like offices, locker rooms, airplanes, and match rating indicator that gives you feedback. Both his father and grandfather were famous
houses, as well as capture the faces of some The better you do, the more playing time you’ll footballers, and while his grandfather is still a
of football’s big stars such as Eden Hazard, get along with other success. positive influence in Alex’s life, something seems
Wayne Rooney, and James Rodriguez. The That’s not to strictly say that your time in to be up with the father. Alex also has a friend on
mode’s conversation system was created with the mode feels just like any other mode in the the team, and it’s very clear this is a frenemies
70
 Fans and pundits gauge your progress...

...and going to United looks like a bad career move

situation with its own brand of competition.

While we don’t know how Hunter’s story ends,
there should be more twists and turns beyond
just how much playing time you get.
I’m excited for The Journey and its possibili-
ties, but some questions stand out. EA Canada
will have to balance letting players’ actions
guide the narrative versus the developer’s need
to control it so it feels like an actual story and
not just a series of games with some cutscenes it’s not the only thing that FIFA 17 offers. The hitting the shot button while it’s powering up. In
thrown in. If a user is great in the game, how gameplay itself has received an upgrade courte- my hands-on time, the physical play and satis-
will the mode inject drama, tension, suspense, sy of more physical play. While FIFA 16’s jostling faction of hitting a good shot were what stood
and even failure naturally into the story? system felt a little slippery, this year’s game puts out most, while the timidity of the defensive
The mode centers on the Premier League, the emphasis on the left trigger to tussle with assist and occasional trouble detecting the ball
so how will it incorporate the rest of the forwards, shield off defenders with your back to persisted from last year.
world of football? Creative director Matt Prior the goal, or get positioning for headers. It feels Sports games have become filled with modes
tells me that The Journey won’t pretend the natural and fluid and not like a sequence of (EA Canada will have more on career mode at
Premier League exists in a vacuum, and there animations or like there’s a rock, paper, scissors another time), as these titles use them to speak
should be cameos from real-life players from game running behind the scenes. to and excite different kinds of gamers. The
other leagues, but without the ability to Further gameplay improvements for FIFA 17 Journey is the developer’s chance to do more
transfer outside the Premier League will the include a reticle for placing corners, more than just put another bullet point on the back of
mode’s world feel real? intelligent runs by teammates in the offensive the box; it’s an opportunity to craft a new expe-
Many questions remain for The Journey, but third, and a new low, driven shot performed by rience for fans. Matthew Kato
E3 HOT 50 71
 bloodstained: 37
ritual of the night
A spooky spiritual successor

Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Style: 1-Player Action Publisher: Deep Silver Developer: Inti Creates Release: March

ou never know what kind of Kickstarter While exploring the Galleon Minerva we fires massive balls of energy that home in on

Y project you’re going to get until it

releases. Backers have plenty of horror
stories about games they chipped in on only
encounter shadowy demons that emerged
from the ground, tentacled flesh eaters, and
armored knights with whip-like maces. In
their target: you.
Bloodstained does little to surprise, adhering
closely to the Symphony of the Night formula.
to have their dreams crushed or go unfulfilled. one room, we find a pair of kung-fu shoes Thankfully, that’s exactly the kind of game fans
Thankfully, Kickstarter has also given us a that boosts our attack power. In another, we of Igarashi’s Castlevania titles have been hop-
wealth of creative indie titles that never would learn a fireball ability, which helps take down ing for. The game is still almost a year from
have seen the light of day without crowdfund- enemies as well as ignite cannons that blow release, but with its gorgeous storybook aes-
ing. Based on our hands-on time at E3, Koji holes in nearby walls, opening shortcuts on thetic and tight controls, we’re already feeling
Igarashi’s homage to Castlevania: Symphony the map. The level even ends in a massive like Bloodstained is on the right track.
of the Night looks more like the latter. boss fight against a kraken-like monster that Ben Reeves
Bloodstained follows the exploits of Miriam,
an orphan afflicted by an alchemist’s curse that
is slowly turning her skin to crystal. To stop
this curse, Miriam must hunt down a summon-
er named Gebel who suffers from the same
affliction. Unfortunately, this summoner lives in
a castle completely overrun with demons and
other grotesque creatures of the night.
As the name hints, the game follows the
classic Symphony of the Night formula that
Igarashi helped pioneer. Miriam earns experi-
ence from fallen enemies and can upgrade her
weapons and armor as she explores a massive
interconnected world.
In the demo we played, Miriam boarded a
ship called the Galleon Minerva, which is head-
ed for Gebel’s castle. This ship functions as
the game’s opening area, and like the castle, it
is filled with ungodly creatures looking to swab
the deck with Miriam’s blood.

Bloodstained follows the exploits of Miriam,

a woman whose skin was cursed by an
alchemist and is slowly turning into crystal

72 E3 HOT 50
 38

BATMAN: arkham VR
The closest you’ll ever get to Wayne Manor

Platform: PSVR Style: 1-Player Action Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Developer: Rocksteady Release: October

ocksteady revitalized Batman as a gaming needs us. He hands us a key, which we grab by alley, and Batman needs to figure out what hap-

R hero with its Arkham trilogy, which capped

off with Arkham Knight. While it may have
ended on a note of finality, the studio surprised
reaching out with our PlayStation Move control-
ler. It unlocks the piano, and after banging on
the keys for a moment, we’re taken down to the
pened and who is responsible. We can’t move
freely here, but we shift between several points
to scan for clues. After cataloging the victim’s
us all by showing that it’s not done with the Batcave. We don’t typically sleep in our armor, injuries, we see a virtual playback of a fight,
Caped Crusader. Batman: Arkham VR is a new so we have to put on Batman’s armor, piece by and we use our scanner when the action cor-
game that shows off some of the cool things piece. We grab the various parts and put them responds to a wound. It’s a well-choreographed
that are possible with PlayStation VR, including on – including his iconic cowl – and then test fight, and we eventually get a clue to a witness.
a chance to suit up in the Batcave and get a out a few gadgets. After tossing batarangs at Unfortunately for us, the demo ends before we
sense of what it’s like to be the world’s greatest targets and firing the grapple gun, we put them can dispense our own brand of justice.
detective. on the utility belt. It’s time to get to work. This VR experience may not be a new, full-
The E3 demo is split into two main sec- The second part of the demo is like a fledged Batman game, but it’s a tantalizing look
tions. In the first portion, we start in the palatial more immersive interpretation of the crime- at VR – and also the next best thing to being
Wayne Manor. Alfred tells us that while we investigation portions from the Arkham games. Bruce Wayne for an evening. It’s certainly safer.
might want to retire for the evening, Gotham Nightwing has apparently been murdered in an Jeff Cork

battle chasers: nightwar 39

Old-school gameplay, new-school beauty

Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Style: 1-Player Role-Playing Publisher: Nordic Games Developer: Airship Syndicate Release: 2017

f you put the art of Darksiders in a blender mana bar, while more powerful attacks deplete hunter who warned about greedy adventur-

I with the turn-based combat of RPGs like

Final Fantasy X you might end up with
something like Battle Chasers: Nightwar. After
that mana bar and require a “casting” time,
meaning your opponents might get one more
hit in before your attack initiates. This com-
ers. This turned out to be a clue to solving a
treasure-chest puzzle around the corner.
Battle Chasers: Nightwar raised more than
Darksiders developer Vigil Games closed its bat system seems ripe with strategy as you $800,000 on Kickstarter just last year, but it
doors in 2013, several designers from the stu- manage your energy and work to defeat your already looks great. Visually, it’s like a comic
dio spun off to form Airship Syndicate with the enemies before their next attack. come to life, and the turn-based combat is
idea of resurrecting Joe Madureira’s unfinished- The dungeons are fun to explore. You can full of strategic depth. Airship Syndicate’s new
yet-beloved comic series from the late ‘90s. see where enemies are located and try to avoid adventure might have been one of the most
The result is a project that could appeal to fans battles altogether, or use Garrison’s dash move underrated games of E3, but it has a chance to
of the series and newcomers alike. to glide past traps. At one point in the dungeon, make a big splash when it releases next year.
While the game features several of the comic’s I discovered the journal of a deceased treasure Ben Reeves
popular heroes, such as Garrison, Gully, and
Calibretto, its narrative is a side story that wel-
comes newcomers. At the beginning of the
game, the Battle Chasers crew is searching for
an old friend, only to end up crash landing on
an island full of undead monsters. As the group
explores this dungeon-filled island, they slowly
uncover the machinations of an evil vampire lord.
We explored one of Nightwar’s dungeons dur-
ing a hands-on demo at E3, and got to test the
combat. Like classic RPGs, these three-person
battles are turn based. You can also see the
turn order on the bottom of the screen, which
helps you strategize your attacks. Basic attacks
are quick and help fill up each character’s
E3 HOT 50 73
 strafe 40
Looks like the ‘90s, but plays like today

Platform: PC Style: 1-Player Shooter Publisher: Devolver Digital Developer: Pixel Titans Release: 2017

f you quickly looked at an out-of-context Monsters occasionally drop limited-use environments you must fight through. For

I Strafe screenshot, you might mistake it for

a Quake-era shooter you just happened to
miss at the time. The upcoming release’s aes-
weapons. You can pocket one, but should
you pick up another, whatever you are keep-
ing in reserve is lost. The lack of a weapon
instance, one starts you above ground, with
caves interspersed. The second area takes you
deeper underground. The third brings you back
thetics are so spot-on that it’s nearly indistin- wheel encourages players to think strategically to the surface, but it’s raining.
guishable from the games it apes. about when to use a collected gun. Chances Each zone includes its own rooms, unique
Strafe is a delightful blend of throwback car- are, you’re going to want to let loose with it enemies, and weapons you can only find in
nage and more contemporary game mechan- right away. that area. Strafe is a roguelike, but it takes the
ics. At the start of each game, players choose Strafe is different each time you play, with well-tread genre in a new direction by mixing
one of three weapons: shotgun, machine gun, procedural generation that takes a page from in the classic, bloody, twitchy gameplay of ’90s
or rail gun. This is your primary gun throughout Spelunky’s book. Each of the four different shooters. In an era that has seen the rebirth of
the session, but you can upgrade it along the zones has a unique aesthetic and three Wolfenstein and Doom, Strafe’s timing couldn’t
way with the scrap you collect. separate areas. These dictate what kinds of be better. Michael Futter

The more the merrier! Leave a trail of blood behind

you to mark your path

74 E3 HOT 50
 tyranny 41
Choosing the path of evil

Platform: PC Style: 1-Player Role-Playing Publisher: Paradox Interactive Developer: Obsidian Entertainment Release: 2016

yranny is the next iterative development executioner in any matters you may encounter once per encounter, such as your tank smack-

T in a history of the classic PC RPG, which

ranges from Baldur’s Gate II to Pillars
of Eternity. While many of the modern-day
in the realm.
You could let your good side shine and
empathize with the last of the struggling rebels,
ing down an enemy with a shield, leaving them
vulnerable to a massive bleed attack from
your rogue. These character-based skills can
enhancements are present and the genre is or you can act however you wish from event to be acquired by working up your relationships
much easier to wade into, Tyranny clearly event and see where the wind takes you. While between your companions.
caters to those that have always loved those Tyranny likely isn’t as long from start to finish Characters use their attributes outside of
isometric real-time-with-pause battles, epic as Pillars of Eternity, the paths you take can combat as well, whether you’re scaling a wall
stories, and now perhaps more than ever be widely different, making it one of those rare or intimidating enemy forces to run away
before, branching storylines where player full-form role-playing games that has a signifi- through athletics, mind, charm, and more.
choice matters. cant replayability factor. Depending on how you build your characters
Tyranny starts in a place few role-playing Combat is somewhat complex for neophytes and the choices you are constantly making,
games do – the bad guys have already won, to the genre, locking in abilities and watching things play out much differently from play-
and you’re one of them. You can choose to them play out in real-time-with-pause combat. through to playthrough. Some encounters and
stay on that path as a harbinger of the evil While your crew is intelligent and makes moves areas are specifically hidden behind choices.
Overlord Kyros. You are no mere peasant with on their own if you don’t want to issue them Pillars of Eternity helped put the old-school
a tin helmet, bronze sword, and a handful of any commands, it’s in your best interests to PC RPG back in the spotlight, and Tyranny
dreams off the farm. As a ranking enforcer of pilot them to victory. Tyranny also includes looks like it has every chance of keeping it
the armies of evil, you act as judge, jury, and interesting team maneuvers that can be used there. Daniel Tack

Working up your relationships with

companions unlocks new abilities

Powerful magic, massive melee,

and stealthy tactics are all available

E3 HOT 50 75
 pokémon 42 43
sun & moon
Small, but noticeable steps

Platform: 3DS Style: 1-Player Role-Playing Publisher: The Pokémon Company

Developer: Game Freak Release: November 18

ight before Nintendo shifted its E3 focus solely on Zelda, it took

R some time during its Treehouse live stream to outline what’s new
for the next entry in the Pokémon series. We also got a glimpse
of some of the new pocket monsters available for collection.
Some of the biggest changes to the game relate to the trainer ava-
tar players control. The character models and animations are updated
significantly for more realistic proportions, and their clothes are more
customizable. The trainer also appears in battle for the first time. Both
you and your opponent are visible from behind your Pokémon com-
batant cheering on the fight and offering commands. It’s the closest
the Pokémon video games have ever gotten to representing what a
hypothetical Pokémon battle really looks like.

i am setsuna
Outside of the previously showcased starter monsters Rowlet,
Litten, and Popplio, new Pokémon creatures revealed include
Yungoos, Pikipek, and Grubbin. Yungoos is a normal-type Pokémon
based on a mongoose with a big, somewhat intimidating toothy An homage to the golden era of JRPGs
smile. Pikipek is based on a woodpecker and is a normal and flying-
type. Grubbin is a new bug-type who looks a bit like a larva with Platform: PlayStation 4, PC Style: 1-Player Role-Playing Publisher: Square Enix
large pincers. Developer: Tokyo RPG Factory Release: July 19
Sun & Moon appears to be focused toward accessibility. Game
Freak overhauled the Pokédex dramatically to have more personal-
okyo RPG Factory is a development studio created primarily with
ity and offer better insight into your progress on catching all of the
Pokémon. It’s now clearer which Pokémon have evolutions at a
glance, and it keeps track of which attacks work best against fought
Pokémon and offers additional hints for players that get stuck or
T the goal of resurrecting the old-school JRPG genre. The team
hopes to accomplish just this with its first title, I Am Setsuna.
Outside of being nostalgic, I Am Setsuna offers a unique tale of its
lose direction. own that is both tragic and intriguing. From the short hands-on demo
Pokémon tends to move forward in small-but-affecting steps. Sun I played, I was captured immediately by its snow-blanketed world and
& Moon is no exception, but the changes, both in art direction and fascinating cast of characters.
information distribution, are smart which make us excited to start the The world of I Am Setsuna is isolating and cold, from its wintry
collection again later this year. Kyle Hilliard atmosphere to the zoomed-out isometric perspective. Director
Atsushi Hashimoto stated in interviews that he hopes it’s remembered
as the “RPG of snow.” Aesthetically, the game is gorgeous, with a
pastel-like look and faded color palette.
During the brief tutorial introduction, I begin playing as Endir, a
mercenary who fights off monsters. I traverse a forest in an attempt
to save a young woman from a beast. I notice the subdued, haunting
music, which gives a melancholic vibe as I edge closer to beginning
a fight.
The soundtrack, composed by Tomoki Miyoshi of Soulcalibur V,
features almost exclusively the piano performance of Randy Kerber,
a studio keyboardist whose work can also be heard in Titanic and
Forrest Gump.
When encountering the beast, the pace picks up. Similar to the
likes of older Final Fantasy games and Chrono Trigger, I Am Setsuna
is turn-based and employs the active-time battle system. This means
my ATB gauge must be filled before I can unleash attacks, and a sec-
ond SP meter triggers the Momentum System, raising the effective-
ness of subsequent attacks.
Once I save the woman, I’m reacquainted with an older man I met
earlier on. He tells me I must go on a journey to track down Setsuna,
a girl that is about to turn 18, and kill her. Setsuna is meant as a sac-
rifice for her village, to appease the monsters that would otherwise
invade if she was not offered.
Arriving in Setsuna’s village, however, things take an unexpected
turn: A beast that looks like an overgrown bird is threatening the
townsfolk, and an unlikely alliance forms between Setsuna, her friend
Aeterna, and Endir. Each party member has their own special abilities,
such as Endir’s tech attacks that target more than one enemy.
I Am Setsuna is grounded in its old-school style RPG roots, but
even outside that setup, it offers a gorgeous world, captivating piano
scores, and a foreboding story, leaving me eager to see more. I
Am Setsuna has already released in Japan, and its North American
release hits this summer. Elise Favis
76 E3 HOT 50
 44

thimbleweed park
A sinister throwback adventure that channels Twin Peaks

Platform: Xbox One, PC, iOS, Android Style: 1-Player Adventure Publisher: Terrible Toybox Developer: Terrible Toybox Release: January

on Gilbert and Gary Winnick, the two mas- belongings, such as his hair gel and red nose. entertaining. However, his actions don’t come

R terminds behind 1987’s Maniac Mansion,

have partnered up once again. Taking
inspiration from early LucasArts adventure
Silly, slapstick comedy ensues when he tries to
comb down his hair using the gel. It bounces
right back up in the same position, looking no
without consequence: A gypsy later puts a
curse on him. His pasty face paint and rubber
nose become one with his flesh, and a cringe-
games from the ‘90s, Thimbleweed Park is filled different than it did before. worthy, darkly humorous animation of this poor
with clever humor and quirky oddities. This The puzzles from the demo are logical rather clown shows him rubbing and clawing at his
pixelated adventure game is a nostalgia-laden than obtuse, unlike most other titles from the face incessantly to no avail.
homage to a bygone era. genre, but they also come across as simple. Thimbleweed Park is sinister and comedic,
From what I played, the story is more of a These are the opening moments to the game, and the Twin Peaks vibe suits it well. If puzzles
backdrop for jokes, similar to the setup of Day however, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the dif- solutions continue to be presented in a logical
of the Tentacle. Thimbleweed Park is a strange ficulty amps up as the story unfolds. manner that doesn’t dumb down the difficulty,
town, with even stranger inhabitants, giving Once Ransome the Clown is up on stage, his it could turn out to be the adventure game
it a Twin Peaks vibe. I begin playing as two jokes, which are chosen with your direction, Maniac Mansion fans, including myself, have
FBI agents, Ray and Reyes, who investigate a are cheap and lewd, which in and of itself is been waiting for. Elise Favis
corpse under a bridge. I can switch between
the two whenever I like. The puzzles start off
simple: I have to take a photo of the body to
progress, and to do so, some items need to
be switched around between the two agents.
Once this is completed, I take control of Reyes
and head to town to shake down some locals
about the mysterious murder.
Entering a neon-signed diner, I interrogate
the waitress Sandy for clues. She tells me a
story about a clown who lives in an abandoned
circus, hinting that he may be the killer I’m
searching for. This initiates a flashback. As the
story progresses, players switch between five
different characters, many of whom are intro-
duced through origin stories such as this.
Thimbleweed Park doesn’t take itself seri-
ously, and that only adds to its charm. “Hours
of hilarious and riveting gameplay later…” pops
up briefly on the screen – a clever metafictional
jab at itself.
I now control the foul-mouthed, crudely
natured Ransome the Clown as he prepares to
go on stage. He’s needlessly obsessive about
his appearance, and I’m tasked with finding his
E3 HOT 50 77
 tekken 7 45
The Mishima blood saga creeps toward its conclusion

Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Style: 1 or 2-Player Fighting (2-Player Online) Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment Developer: Bandai Namco Entertainment Release: Early 2017

fter a long stint exclusively in Japanese that some finality will come to the long-running my bout I choose to play as Akuma, who has

A arcades, Tekken 7 is readying for release

on home consoles across the globe.
With new mechanics, gorgeous graphics, and
feud between Heihachi, Jin, Kazuya, and oth-
ers, which is further hinted at by another char-
acter’s inclusion: Akuma.
the same commands and attacks in Tekken 7
as he does in Street Fighter. Within moments,
I’m throwing fireballs, dragon punches, and
a colorful new cast, the King of the Iron Fist Akuma, one of the most legendary and hurricane kicks at Heihachi, who can’t with-
Tournament is looking stronger than ever. powerful characters from the Street Fighter stand the onslaught.
Tekken 7 carries forward the same solid series, makes his series debut in Tekken 7. Following the fight, the game jumps right
fight mechanics of its predecessor, as well as Beyond being an interesting crossover char- back into a cutscene without a loading screen.
the Rage mechanic introduced in Tekken 6. acter, Akuma fits into the apocalyptic theme The two fighters fly at each other, each hoping
However, the team has added a couple of addi- of the narrative. According to Bandai Namco, to land the final blow. The game cuts away just
tional branches to the Rage mechanic to deliver Heihachi’s wife Kazumi made a deal with as the attacks are about to land, leaving me to
new levels of depth and strategy. Akuma that if anything should happen to her, he wonder who won the climactic showdown.
“[The Rage system] allowed you to have must kill Heihachi and Kazuya. In addition to Akuma, several new fighters are
increased attack power for the rest of the round I watch as the result of that deal plays out debuting in Tekken 7. From Josie, a new fighter
once your health was below a certain amount,” in a story mode cutscene. Akuma kicks in the from the Philippines, to Shaheen, one of the first
says series producer Katsuhiro Harada. “This door to a temple where Heihachi is meditat- playable Middle Eastern characters to appear
time we’ve added several different mechan- ing, telling the Tekken mainstay that he’s come in the series, the latest additions are diverse,
ics that make use of that. You get rid of your to uphold his promise to Kazumi. The mere colorful, and possess traits that reflect their cul-
Rage, but on the other hand you can do a Rage mention of Kazumi brings Heihachi out of his tures. The most unique addition is Lucky Chloe,
Art, which is a combination of attacks that you meditative state, ready to fight. The two iconic who sports cat paws and headphones and
can pull off if you’re in a pinch to actually turn combatants trade blows for about 30 seconds dances her way through fights. A strong stable
the match around, but it’s really more used for before Akuma hurls a fireball Heihachi’s way. of past Tekken fighters rounds out the roster.
offense. Rage Drive is something similar where A button prompt appears to dodge the fireball Tekken 7 is still several months away from
you lose the Rage status, but you have access and the game seamlessly transitions into a fight release, but what I saw and played was impres-
to more powerful techniques that you can put between the two. sive. The visuals are crisp, the gameplay is
into your combos to keep on the offense and Tekken 7 is the first game in the series pow- tight, and the new characters are exciting. I’m
perhaps finish your opponent off.” ered by Unreal Engine 4, which allows the looking forward to getting my hands on the
The latest installment is being billed as the developers to noticeably upgrade the graphics final product and learning how the legendary
final chapter in the Mishima saga. This indicates and seamlessly transition from CG to fights. For Mishima saga comes to a close. Brian Shea

The seamless transitions from cutscene

to in-game fight are impressive

78 E3 HOT 50
 the elder scrolls: legends 46
New directions for the franchise

Platform: PC, iOS Style: 1 or 2-Player Strategy (2-Player Online) Publisher: Bethesda Softworks Developer: Dire Wolf Digital Release: 2016

ith today’s digital card game environ- this fashion. This leads to more strategy deci- offers a campaign to help players ease into the

W ment being overwhelmed with titles, it’s

a good thing Bethesda and Dire Wolf
Digital are coming into the game with a highly
sions than may be apparent on the surface,
as it behooves you to wait until you can finish
your opponent in one fell swoop instead of
mechanics and various playstyles. Players can
acquire currency to buy packs and additional
cards by playing matches. While the digital card
recognizable IP and some tweaks on popular consistently pushing out damage to provide game market is teeming with competition right
formulas. The Elder Scrolls: Legends doesn’t fewer opportunities for the additional resources now, Bethesda’s mix of simplicity, polish, and
reinvent the wheel for the digital collectible card to matter. a beloved IP may be enough to punch into the
game, but it’s looking to land on solid footing in The Elder Scrolls: Legends is free-to-play and fray later this year. Daniel Tack
a highly competitive market.
The Elder Scrolls: Legends separates itself
from the rest of the pack in two critical ways.
First, the game board is divided into two lanes.
Each lane can only interact with cards in the
same lane, so it presents two different venues
for battle and buildup. Each lane has different
qualities, with one lane “plain” and the other
“cloaked.” Cards that enter the cloaked lane
can’t be attacked during their first turn in play,
so it may be a good location to prepare a
combo or place more fragile units.
The other major mechanic is the concept
of acquiring additional cards for each five
points of damage you take, so you'll get one
at 25, 20, 15, etc. These help you come back
if you're being pummeled by giving you an
additional card. Some cards do special things The end goal is to take your
opponent to zero health
or play for free when they are triggered in

lawbreakers 47
Rocket jumping into the past

Platform: PC Style: 12-Player Online Shooter Publisher: Nexon Developer: Boss Key Productions Release: 2016

ounded by Cliff Bleszinski, a designer on capture the flag where players fight over dominate a single space. The speedy Assassin

F known for his work on Unreal Tournament

and Gears of War, Boss Key Productions
is attempting to capture the glory days of
massive batteries.
LawBreakers’ gameplay is built around skills
that different player classes bring to the table.
class is armed with deadly blades and a grap-
pling hook that lets you latch on to enemies
(easier said than done) to deliver a devastat-
arcadey first-person shooters with its first The classes are enjoyable, easy to learn, and ing attack. Enforcers are your standard-issue
title, LawBreakers. The multiplayer FPS pits different enough that players of all playstyles soldier, armed with an assault rifle and pistol,
two teams of specialized classes against will likely find something that appeals to them. but they’re good at attacking mid-range and
each other in a variety of modes, including Titans and Vanguards are slow but hit hard, their sprint ability is useful for getting away from
team deathmatch and Overcharge, a twist each equipped with abilities that help them Titans who get too close. All characters also
have the ability to blindfire their weapons over
their shoulder at foes closing in from behind,
which proved pretty useful during my time with
the demo.
My hands-on time with LawBreakers left me
feeling good about the game. The frenzied
pace, with players bouncing around the map
and firing volleys of rockets at one another,
captures the spirit of the games it’s paying
homage to without making it feel like it’s stuck
in the past.
The big challenge for Boss Key will be finding
an audience in the crowded market of multi-
player first-person shooters. The gameplay is
enjoyable enough that there might be enough
there to capture a player base and create a
It's often more effective to attack thriving, lasting community – a necessity for a
from above and surprise foes
multiplayer-only game. Javy Gwaltney
E3 HOT 50 79
 resident evil 7: 48
beginning hour
Reinventing the series

Platform: PSVR, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Style: 1-Player Action Publisher: Capcom Developer: Capcom Release: January 24

esident Evil is a series known first for

R zombies, and second for its ridiculous

cast of characters. Our first glimpse
into the world of Resident Evil 7 leaves these
staples behind, and instead places heavy
emphasis on psychological horror and the fear
of being alone.
“We have to accept that the scale [of the
series] had gotten out of hand by Resident
Evil 6,” admits Resident Evil 7’s producer
Masachika Kawata. “We wanted to go back to
more of an intimate, personal space of horror
with just one location. We wanted to go back to
what makes this series special.”
Kawata says Capcom’s goal is to make a
“really scary horror game,” something that
Resident Evil has never truly been. Jump scares
and grotesque sights are common in this fran-
chise, but the horror that Kawata is describing experience with heavy focuses on exploration first-person narrative experience like Soma and
is much different. Capcom is going for more of a and problem solving. Finding ways to open Gone Home. Kawata says the player will have
cerebral experience, where the player can’t trust locked doors, another hallmark of Resident ways to combat the forces that confront them.
their eyes or their surroundings. Evil, is present in the demo, and leads to The demo has drawn mixed reactions, some
Resident Evil 7’s director Koshi Nakanishi says some unsettling discoveries as each new praising Capcom’s decision to dramatically
one of the key motifs is a mysterious threat. room is accessed. The level of intimacy the shake up the series, and others saying it’s noth-
“You’re not sure of what the threat is or what the player experiences can be heightened through ing like Resident Evil anymore. “The reaction
source is,” he says. “You can’t quite tell what it PlayStation VR. from people who watch the demo has been,
is. That makes it all the more scary, when you Most environments in the demo offer objects ‘Wow, what is this? This is so new. It’s almost
can’t tell what it is.” to interact with, such as a microwave that hard to believe it’s Resident Evil,’” Nakanishi
That thought also extends to Resident Evil 7 reveals a bird carcass inside, or a piano that says with a slight smile. “In my mind I see that
itself. Seconds after announcing the title at welcomes the player to play it, but the lid as a success. Questioning even what it is shows
Sony’s E3 press conference, Capcom released magically closes before a key can be hit. These that the mystery I’m trying to get involved in has
a teaser demo for the game called Beginning moments may sound like cheap gags from a come across.”
Hour. None of the content from the demo is haunted house you visit on Halloween, but they We don’t have long to wait for answers,
included in the forthcoming core game. do establish a tone of this world being off kilter as Resident Evil 7 is slated to release on
The one takeaway that will be the same is the and occupied by deranged people or spirits. PlayStation VR, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and
gameplay. Resident Evil 7 is a first-person That’s not to say Resident Evil 7 is a pure PC on January 24 of next year. Andrew Reiner

Toward the tail end of the demo, we see a

ghost hunting television show enter the house

80 E3 HOT 50
 ever oasis 49
A new IP channeling Zelda and Animal Crossing

Platform: 3DS Style: 1-Player Action/Role-Playing Publisher: Nintendo Developer: Grezzo Co., Ltd. Release: 2017

n a day and age when many companies are Every person in your three-member party has specific wanderers to aid you.

I relying on sequels and big franchises, see-

ing a new IP is always exciting. Nintendo
announced Ever Oasis during its E3 Treehouse
different abilities to help them overcome obsta-
cles in dungeons. For instance, one member
has a special rolling ability to get through small
From what was shown in the brief Nintendo
presentation, the design looks reminiscent of
Secret of Mana, with a vibrant world, larger-
livestream, and it was a welcome surprise. The nooks and crannies, while another has a spear than-life bosses, and adorable characters
new action/role-playing game looks like an inter- to harvest fossils and knock down structures. roaming the lands. The gameplay loop between
esting cross between the puzzle-focused dun- The real-time combat looks chaotic, forcing picking shops to build, finding materials, and
geons of Zelda, the fun town development of you to swap between party members on the fighting off baddies looks engaging. Hopefully,
Animal Crossing, and fierce combat of Secret of fly to take advantage of their different weapon the game can keep a satisfying progression
Mana. That shouldn’t be too shocking consid- strengths while dodging attacks. You won’t loop to keep players locked in for hours on end.
ering some of the talent behind it. Grezzo, the always have the same members in your party, At the very least the idea has plenty of potential.
developer behind Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D and as certain dungeons require tracking down Kimberley Wallace
Tri Force Heroes, is at the helm with the help of
Koichi Ishii, who worked on Secret of Mana and
the first three Final Fantasy games.
Inspired by Egyptian mythology, Ever Oasis
takes you to the desert to head up your own
oasis. You must build shops from the ground
up and make sure they stay stocked. The more
shops and variety you have, the more people
you will attract to your oasis, helping it grow.
While you turn it into a prosperous town, you
must also battle through dungeons for new dis-
coveries. Exploring the vast desert and caves
also offers opportunities to forage materials to
make new products and synthesize equipment
for your character and home.

nier: automata 50
A fresh coat of action without sacrificing its roots

Platform: PlayStation 4 Style: 1-Player Action/Role-Playing Publisher: Square Enix Developer: Platinum Games Release: Early 2017

n Square Enix’s Nier: Automata, a proxy these hostile mechanical beings. environments, they become connected to one

I war rages between humans and robots in

a dystopian world. As a sequel to the 2010
role-playing game, this new entry offers plenty
Nier: Automata opens up its world to the
player progressively as the story unfolds.
One of these areas include The Resistance’s
another, allowing you to seamlessly walk from
one place to the next.
Because Nier: Automata is being developed
of quirks the original had, with a deeper focus settlement camp, which is surrounded by by Platinum Games, the flow of combat is
on action without sacrificing its RPG roots. crumbling debris and huddling humans try- much smoother this time, similar to the likes
With the majority of humans having aban- ing to stay warm around campfires. Here, you of Bayonetta. In the brief demo I play, I must
doned the planet, all that remains of this race can upgrade weapons and purchase items. defeat an onslaught of robots in as little time
is The Resistance, a group of individuals who Another scene I was shown was a vast, bar- as possible. I fluctuate between heavy and light
remained on Earth to fend off robotic threats. ren desert that was overflowing with enemies; attacks, then quickly evade attacks by holding
Playing as the android 2B and her companion similar to shades hovering around the city in down R2, which allows me to smoothly shift
9S, you aid the human race in this fight against the past game. As you unlock these different from side to side with ease. Switching between
spiked gauntlets for melee and an impressive
katana to slice up enemies, combat is both
dynamic and fun. Weapons can be switched
on the fly for others, as well. Additionally, a
small robot that hovers over your head can be
used as a controllable turret. You can use it to
aim and shoot at enemies, or latch onto it to
float in the air as a combative tactic.
Even with all these new refinements, Platinum
Games hopes to continue the spirit of the origi-
nal. The unique blend of genres from the last
game is similarly appearing in Nier: Automata,
along with the fishing minigame (with some
needed tweaks). Nier: Automata arrives in early
2017. Elise Favis
E3 HOT 50 81
JULY 11 - AUGUST 14

THIS SUMMER,
IT’S ALL ABOUT
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 GAME THEOF
MONTH
90 Inside
Playdead’s first game, Limbo, released six years ago. We’ve been
waiting a long time to get our hands on the studio’s next project, and
the final experience does not disappoint. Inside presents a world
corrupted by scientific experimentation where humanity is a privi-
lege, not a right. Seeing what is next and peeling back its mystery
feels like a simulated nightmare, and it’s an experience that won’t
soon be forgotten by those who see it to the end.

THE SCORING SYSTEM AWARDS

Outstanding. A truly elite title that is nearly perfect Flawed. It may be obvious that the game has lots of
Awarded to games
10 in every way. This score is given out rarely and
indicates a game that cannot be missed.
5 potential, but its most engaging features could be
undeniably flawed or not integrated into the experience. PLATINUM
that score between
9.75 and 10
Superb. Just shy of gaming nirvana, this score is a Bad. While some things work as planned, the majority
9 high recommendation because the game reviewed
is head-and-shoulders above its competition.
4 of this title either malfunctions or it is so dull that the
game falls short as a whole.
Awarded to games
that score between
Very Good. Innovative, but perhaps not the right Painful. If there is anything that’s redeeming in a game
GOLD 9 and 9.5

8 choice for everyone. This score indicates that there

are many good things to be had, but arguably so.
3 of this caliber, it’s buried beneath agonizing gameplay
and uneven execution in its features or theme. Awarded to games
that score between
Average. The game’s features may work, but are Broken. Basically unplayable. This game is so SILVER 8.5 and 8.75
7 nothing that even casual players haven’t seen
before. A decent game from beginning to end.
2 insufficient in execution that any value would be derived
in extremely small quantities, if at all.
The award for the
Limited Appeal. Although there may be fans of
most outstanding
6 games receiving this score, many will be left
yearning for a more rewarding game experience.
1 Better than nothing. GAME THE
OF
MONTH game in the issue

84 reviews For more information on the age classification ratings in our reviews, head to gameinformer.com/ratings
 Dangerous Golf
The creators of Burnout add more fuel to the fire

8 Style 1 to 4-Player Action (8-Player Online) Publisher Three Fields Entertainment

Developer Three Fields Entertainment Release June 3 Rating E

D
฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ estruction in video games is steer the ball using Halo-like wart- each of the 100 holes is coupled with
often portrayed in one way: As hog controls (steering by using the lots of depth layered on along the
» Concept violence toward other beings right analog to control the camera) way. New areas open up on familiar
Take a sledgehammer in
the form of a golf ball to borne out of anger, fear, despera- and apply gas/brake with the trig- holes. Bombs can be strategically
various environments tion, hatred, or general malevolence. gers to slow or ramp up the ball’s planted and detonated after you sink
» Graphics Dangerous Golf takes destruction out overall speed and bounciness. A your putt. Warp portals take you
Seeing the number of of those contexts and makes it cre- Smashbreaker ball also has extra to new locations. Hazard areas or
objects around the room ative, liberating, and stimulating. The heft, allowing it to bust porcelain objects are instant death if they are
get crushed is satisfying, gameplay has accessible depth, bal- urinals and plow through bookcases. hit. Multi-flag holes are a chance to
along with the various ancing fundamental emotional needs With pounding timpani accentuating really rack up the bucks. Pistol putts
effects – from sparks to
water to splatters of immediate gratification with deeper its every bounce, you’d think that little let you go airborne. Even objects
states of curiosity and engagement. fiery ball was almost enjoying itself. in the environments have their own
» Sound Now, if you close your textbooks we The time your ball is in Smash- surprises. Red pepper boxes explode
The game has its own
PlayStation 2-era theme can get down to the business of how breaker mode is limited, so you want into instant Smashbreakers, cross-
song, which strikes the to topple 18 antique suits of armor to end up near the pin, but not too bows fire off bolts that aid your
perfect chord during the and two perched lion statues with a close. The final putt isn’t about get- cause, and a big-money Secret Stash
similarly themed menu single flaming golf ball. ting it in the hole; it’s about arranging bottle hides on every hole. I once
screens. The cacophony
You start out with a tee shot in an a trick shot to get it there in style for got a surprise Smashbreaker when I
of smashes and sounds
is also paired with area crowded with eminently break- bonus cash. During putts the ball is somehow landed my ball pristinely on
synth choirs, toms, deep able and often expensive items. A more like a homing missile, so if you top of a car jack.
timpani, and assorted Hall of Mirrors at a French palace approximate the angles you can pull Dangerous Golf features couch
other aural punctuations filled with magnums of champagne. off that high-value blind triple-bank co-op as well as buildable playlists for
» Playability An Australian gas station with shot and also destroy some more online competitive play, and you can
The static camera on exploding pumps on the outside and objects along the way. play the entire career mode in co-op.
the tee shot means you well-stocked shelves of food on the Dangerous Golf straddles different Here you pass the controller, but
can miss some of the
inside. An English manor with enough lines to arrive at a difficult-to-achieve instead of alternating individual shots,
resulting action
high-falutin’ trimmings to make your nexus of primal fun. The ball physics the second player goes the entire
» Entertainment upper lip get stiff. No matter where are natural enough to produce any hole in the wake of the first player’s
Dangerous Golf is a
battering ram and a you are, you’re going to want to number of unpredictable outcomes, debris. This creates a kind of friendly
ballet at the same time. break everything. though players have some – but not competition since the better the first
You’ll cackle with glee The tee shot has no power or accu- too much – control. The levels are player does, the less the second has
at the carnage and stew racy meters (the camera doesn’t open and inviting, but contain some to smash.
over missed opportunities follow the ball on this shot, either, for carefully placed objects like mop You’re not going to find every
» Replay Value some unfathomable reason), but it’s buckets that can explode forward feature you’ve ever wanted packed
High not brainless either. Sometimes you’re to trigger Rube Goldberg-like chain into Dangerous Golf, but what you
better off aiming behind you or using reactions for big dollars. You want will find is a title that nails its core
the laser-sight to knock over and to have a plan, but often the best gameplay concept. It lies somewhere
break one item before the ball pings scores and the biggest booms occur between precision and random-
off on its way to somewhere else. when you just go where the flaming ness – a place where, not acciden-
Most of the boards give you a ball bounces. tally, a very charming heart resides.
Smashbreaker next, which lets you The many varied outcomes within » Matthew Kato
86 reviews
Mighty No. 9
A lifeless Mega Man clone

Style 1-Player Action (2-Player Online) Publisher Deep Silver Developer Comcept Release June 21 Rating E10+

f you are feeling nostalgic for Mega obliterate everything on the warpath.
6 ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀

I
The one thing Comcept nails is
Man, dust off your NES or Super He can stun his foes, and quickly the art of the boss fight. The robotic ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀
Nintendo; Mighty No. 9 is not the dash through them to earn bonuses adversaries that Beck squares off
spiritual successor we wanted. It like increased speed, defense, and against dish out punishment, and are
» Concept
Jump, shoot, and fight
may look and play like Mega Man, a shot that penetrate foes for mul- fun to study and improve against. I robot bosses. The premise
but Comcept’s robotic doppelganger tiple hits. The dash mechanic is defeated most of them by discover- has classic roots, but lacks
doesn’t have the heart of Capcom’s finely honed, and can be an absolute ing weaknesses to specific weapons the old-school charm
Blue Bomber. A sparkless facsimile, blast to use when enemies pose a (think ice against fire), but I felt like » Graphics
Mighty No. 9 never captures the great challenge, but those moments I could take them all down with just Most of the visuals are
excitement or creativity of Mega don’t occur frequently enough in the my standard blaster. It almost makes bland and strange in
conception. The levels
Man’s classic exploits. standard stages. me wish Comcept had left out the
are particularly colorless,
Keiji Inafune and his development The level designs temper the excite- lackluster levels and made a game rarely offering anything
team at Comcept clearly put forth ment, and are largely uneventful until consisting of just bosses, because that is even remotely
an effort to create a worthy succes- the boss encounter. One stage forces that’s where Mighty No. 9 shines interesting to examine
sor. The appreciation this studio has Beck to backtrack through previously the brightest. » Sound
for Mega Man can be seen through conquered zones as he searches for a Similar praises cannot be sung of Over-exaggerated
every second of play – and that’s foe. Oddly, these areas don’t repopu- the final boss, which…well…I’ll just voice acting clashes
where it goes wrong the most. Too late with enemy encounters, and the come out and say is a spore-spewing against a surprisingly
bad soundtrack that
much of the content feels recycled, whole sequence almost feels broken plant. Outside of being an appropri- rarely gives the player
from enemies with shields to weapon given how empty they end up being. ately difficult encounter, this foe is so a pronounced beat to
designs coming close to being Another stage appears to be designed odd in design that it doesn’t feel like accompany play
copied wholesale. with the dash mechanic in mind, as a final fight. Given the lack of build » Playability
Unfortunately, none of the familiar huge smokestacks crumble as Beck up leading into this encounter, I was Beck’s dash ability is a lot
content is as stylistic or lively as it approaches, except he doesn’t have shocked that the game ended after of fun to use. The bosses
once was. Mega Man’s characters to engage them, and can simply stand this conflict. I thought for sure it was pose a great challenge, but
and artwork were consistent and back and watch them fall. a mid-stage boss, and was anticipat- the levels don’t offer much
excitement outside of
unified; Comcept’s take is largely Not all of the stages or moments ing another fight or stage after it, but laughing at the ineffective
pedestrian. A few enemy types are within them are bad. Two stages was instead surprised by the rolling trashcan assailants
imposing and heavily armed – often in particular are good fun, but they of credits.
pushing the player to dispose of them come far too late in the game – after
» Entertainment
Mighty No. 9 was supposed to be The kind of nostalgic
quickly – but a glut of foes mimic ordi- all of the standard boss stages are the game that sated our long-starved gaming that makes you
nary objects like trashcans and filing cleared. One of these levels forces appetite for a new Mega Man entry, want to play the original
cabinets. Comcept could have turned you to repeatedly dash to stay air- but it instead just made me want to Mega Man games instead
anything into a robot – yet opted to go borne, a true test of skill. Another has play the old games again. I still think » Replay Value
with the menacing trashcan. Beck switching to enemy weapons there’s room in the gaming world for Moderate
Most of the visual content stands for navigation purposes, produc- a new, classically designed Mega
in stark contrast to protagonist Beck, ing enjoyable, puzzle-like elements Man experience, but it can’t just be a
a colorfully designed robot boy of experimentation. I saw glimmers faceless and creatively sapped clone.
who just happens to be a hell of a of greatness here, but they’re often Games like Shovel Knight feel more
lot of fun to control. Beaming with tucked between boring, by-the- like a spiritual successor than this
confidence, Beck has the ability to numbers sections. half-baked misstep. » Andrew Reiner

On The Side
Mighty No. 9 is home
to a wealth of optional
content, ranging from
racing challenges to a
fun boss-rush mode.
The harder challenges
demand near flawless
execution, and are a great
test of the gameplay
mechanics. You can
hone your skills within
them, but are purely on
the side for those who
want a greater challenge.
Online cooperative play
is also offered, but again
is a small sampling of
side content.
reviews 87
 Zero Time Dilemma
A mind-bending adventure through a maze of death

8.75 SILVER Style 1-Player Adventure Publisher Aksys Games Developer Spike Chunsoft Release June 28 Rating M

he Zero Escape series has earned from a “fragments” menu in order to

T
฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ it’s at its weirdest, forcing players
a reputation for inflicting mental play out a scene from somewhere down strange narrative alleyways or
» Concept anguish on players, combining in the game that features that team. making them scratch their heads over
Escape booby-trapped
rooms and make the torturous mind games of Saw with You can’t tell where in the timeline vexing puzzles. That said, a number of
hard decisions in Choose Your Own Adventure books to you might be before you select that small aggravations diminish the charm.
this conclusion to create an experience that puts players fragment and complete it. Fragments The escape-the-room phases have you
the cult-favorite Zero through the wringer. They are strange are usually composed of two stages: searching the environment for neces-
Escape series
games that tackle complex theories The escape phase has you trying to sary objects, but sometimes they are
» Graphics about the paranormal and time travel, escape a room by solving intricate unreasonably tiny. You would never
Character animations and refuse to break them down for puzzles with objects that have been find them unless you just happen to be
and environments are
impressive, though easy understanding, but the challenge placed in the area, while the decision tapping over the area where they are,
clothing textures on and peculiarities have attracted a cult phase has you making a critical choice which is a bummer; I often wondered
characters are muddled following. Zero Time Dilemma, the that results in a branch in the narra- whether I was missing an integral piece
» Sound third entry, retains those two key pil- tive. Your character might pull a lever of the puzzle without realizing it. And
The superb voice acting lars while also serving as a more invit- causing the entire team to plummet to while this third game in a series with
is often drowned out by ing and standalone title thanks to its their deaths, resulting in an ending for complex lore does a commendable job
loud background music focus on characters and its impressive that team. If you refrain from pulling as a standalone title, a few conversa-
on default settings, but
non-linear structure. the lever, maybe you are allowed to tions between characters returning
you can tweak that with
the volume slider The intro sequence quickly reveals leave the room. The whole game is like from earlier games end up being little
the setup: The villain Zero, decked this, with you jumping back and forth more than plot summaries used to help
» Playability out in plague-doctor apparel, is keen between teams and playing sections catch new players up to speed. Trying
The interface for the
escape-the-room on making his nine prisoners (divided out of order. to help newcomers out isn’t a bad
segments is easy to into three teams of three) play twisted This structure is confusing. It idea, but the execution here is poor,
use, but puzzles can games to earn their survival. The pris- shouldn’t work, but it does in ways that with characters suddenly shifting from
get taxing when you oners are wearing bracelets that inject are constantly surprising and a joy to personal conversations into dull expo-
have to search every
them with a drug that puts them to discover. Even earning a “bad” ending sition. The silver lining is that these
inch of a room for a
necessary item sleep and erases the last 90 minutes feels like you’re making progress conversations contain nods to the
of their memory. Zero informs every- because of how the story is presented previous games and work well as fan
» Entertainment one that to escape, six of them must and how easy it is to dive back to a service – even if they bring the pacing
Difficult puzzles and a
bold, non-linear story die. Each death reveals a passcode, critical choice and see how it can play to a halt occasionally.
structure will challenge and the final three survivors can use out differently. I can play through one These aggravations do little to
your mind, and difficult the passcodes to leave the facility, fragment, screw up and watch my damage Zero Time Dilemma when it
moral decisions will test creating a scenario where it’s in the team of idiots perish, and rewind and lets you take control of this interac-
your heart
best interest of these teams to kill undo the mistake. Instead of making tive story in engaging and memorable
» Replay Value each other. This creates an enjoyable my choices feel meaningless, it makes ways. The final chapter of the Zero
High
and tense situation that forces you to me feel powerful, and I’m constantly Escape series is an excellent horror
choose how each team leader is going goaded by the little blank spots on my adventure both for fans and newcom-
to react to the situation. fragment flowcharts to play through ers, allowing them to be storytellers
From there, the narrative plays out in every scenario to see every ending in addition to players, defying time
non-linear fashion, with you selecting and possibility. and fate to create their own twisted
a team and then a random snapshot Zero Time Dilemma works best when laby rinths. » Javy Gwaltney
88 reviews
Mirror’s Edge Catalyst
A hop, skip, and a sophomore slump

Style 1-Player Platforming Publisher Electronic Arts Developer DICE Release June 7 Rating T
6.5 ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀ ฀

T
he original Mirror’s Edge wasn’t
perfect, but it felt like something
new when it released in 2008.
» Concept
A follow-up to the
The violence-averse platformer had unique first-person
a modern artistic edge and intricately parkour simulation,
woven levels that offered multiple paths but set in a barren
worth exploring. However, its defining open world
characteristic was a first-person camera » Graphics
that let players experience the thrills of Mirror’s Edge’s modern
minimalist art style
urban exploration directly from the pro- returns, but a lack of
tagonist’s perspective. Fast forward to detail makes this world
today, and first-person games are more feel desolate and lifeless
diverse than ever. But Mirror’s Edge still » Sound
feels like an anomaly, seemingly leaving Solid audio design
the field wide open for DICE’s follow-up. helps orient you, but
Unfortunately, a sterile open world and two wall runs that kept my momentum you to keep moving and avoid combat. the soundtrack lacks
excessive backtracking drain Catalyst going so I could land on an otherwise When I was in the zone, I felt untouch- defining characteristics
of the fun found in the original. unreachable ledge. For the most part, able. Unfortunately, you can’t run from » Playability
Unlike the original Mirror’s Edge, the platforming feels great, and I only all of your problems, and when Catalyst The first-person
platforming feels good,
which played out though a series of experienced a few moments were Faith forces you to slow down and engage but the melee combat is
linear levels, Catalyst is set within an failed to run across a wall or leapt over the enemy, the combat system breaks a chore
open world of city rooftops. Like most something I hadn’t expected. down. Faith only has a few simple
open-world games, Catalyst is full of As Faith completes missions or bests combos which most of the harder
» Entertainment
This genre-blender
time trials, side missions, and other col- her friends’ time trials, she earns enemies can easily counter. If Faith is experiments with the
lectable trinkets that make a mess of experience that unlocks upgrades moving at full speed, she can leap off traditional sandbox
the map screen. You can even create within her climbing, gear, and combat objects and take out most enemies formula, but fails
your own checkpoint courses and time experience trees. Most of these are with a single drop attack, but getting to encapsulate the
fun elements of an
trials in an asynchronous multiplayer basic improvements like bonus damage your momentum going when you’re open world
element, which then appear in the to certain enemies or the ability to save cornered is difficult. I had more than a
games of your friends and strangers. momentum by rolling after a big drop. couple Benny Hill moments, where I led » Replay Value
Moderately low
Unfortunately, these time trials and But you also earn new tools, such as a train of enemies in circles as I tried to
most of the rest of the side content feels a disruptor than can stagger enemies, build up enough steam to leap into the
repetitive and boring. Catalyst’s sterile and a grappling hook that attaches to air and take them out. The game doesn’t
false utopia is also largely unpopulated, fixed points to help you swing across force players into combat often, but
and almost every area looks like one large gaps. The grappling hook in par- when it does, I pray for an exit.
you’ve previously explored. ticular is a nifty addition that changes Catalyst contains several exciting
Not only are your surroundings unin- up the flow of navigating through the platforming moments, but most of them
teresting, but the open-world structure city without making it incredibly easy to are buried under repetitive world tra-
doesn’t mesh well with Mirror’s Edge’s get everywhere. versal and a mundane metropolis. The
gameplay. A few fast-travel safe houses When you perform well, you build original Mirror’s Edge is an overlooked
help mitigate backtracking, but there up a “runner’s shield,” which makes it gem from last generation, but even die-
are only so many ways to leap or climb harder for enemies to hit you unless you hard fans will have trouble finding the
from one roof to the next, which means slow down. I love how this encourages diamonds in this rough. » Ben Reeves
you climb the same drainpipes and
ladders several dozen times. Faith has a few new upgrades such as a grapple
Thankfully, some thrilling platforming hook, which helps her cross wide gaps
moments await those who are willing to
put up with Catalyst’s antiseptic city of
glass. Most of the main story missions
take place in separate environments,
which feel more like the levels from the
first game. One of my favorite moments
had me bounding though a construc-
tion yard and narrowly avoiding turret
fire while sliding under a series of
sawhorses and discarded machinery.
During another memorable moment,
I was forced to leap blindly off a sky-
scraper and ride a drone down to
safety. Finding the right flow through
a level is the game’s best selling point.
I felt like an Olympic athlete every time
I launched off a railing then performed
reviews 89
 Inside
An engaging interactive nightmare

9.75 PLATINUM GAME THE

laying through the closing

OF
MONTH
Style 1-Player Action/Puzzle Publisher Microsoft Studios

sensation, and Inside is the closest I

Developer Playdead Release June 29 Rating M

P
฀ ฀ ฀ moves through a society that seems to
moments of Inside, sitting in a dark have ever gotten to encompassing that have left its humanity behind in favor
» Concept room with my headphone volume feeling in a video game. of technological advancement and is
Make your way
through a nightmare raised high, I realized my mouth had That disorienting and surreal quality punctuated by small, often gruesome
where scientific been open for a while. It wasn’t the first is created by Inside’s world, which is mysteries. Finding the answers to these
experiments have time I had an involuntary reaction to incredibly dangerous and oppressive, implied questions (like “What’s behind
created a warped, the game; Inside is an experience that and every misstep leads to immediate the glass?”) is one of the main things
uncomfortable world makes you unsure and uncomfortable death. Dogs chase after you with vio- that pulled me along.
» Graphics about the world you’re visiting, leaving lent motivations, and search lights eject Puzzles are consistently novel, never
Muted colors, a clean you with the feeling as though you just deadly wires that drag you into the sky relying on over-complicating their initial
aesthetic, and beautiful
lived through a dream. I was transfixed the moment you step out of the shad- hooks and are expertly implemented
animation makes
every moment worthy from its opening moments, and my ows. Even the landscape design lends into the world. I never reached a clearly
of a screenshot desire to move forward only grew stron- a foreboding nature to the world, with defined “puzzle section,” as every
ger as I made my way through Inside’s your path taking you through seemingly obstacle is naturally integrated into the
» Sound
Music and sound effects troubling world. abandoned structures housing danger- environment. Your challenges include
are scarce. It makes At first glance, Inside seems like a ous experiments. Whatever is still alive figuring out the correct timing to outrun
the moments where basic 2D platformer with puzzles, but in this world has either completely lost dogs, or moving an object in the way
orchestration appears its art direction, soundtrack, and ambi- its free will, or exists purely to show of a deadly obstacle – not pushing con-
(or a sound effect
guous narrative all elevate it to some- exactly why these scientific facilities venient boxes or pulling conspicuous
signals a sudden, violent
death) stand out in an thing far more engaging. Much like have been abandoned. It makes the levers. I repeated core actions periodi-
unsettling way Limbo (developer Playdead’s previous impetus to move the boy through the cally, like moving a platform in place
» Playability title), Inside follows a boy through a environment a powerful motivator. for a jump or taking advantage of a
Animations showcase mysterious world with only two inputs By the end of the game, I didn’t fully strange device related to the zombie-
an impressive level of from the player: jump and interact. The understand why the boy did what I ulti- like creatures that dot the backgrounds,
fluidity and that extends boy is capable of climbing, swinging, mately directed him to do, but I didn’t but a small twist or change always
into controlling the boy. swimming, moving platforms, and a feel cheated or without conclusion as guaranteed it felt new.
I was always in total con-
trol and never missed
few more surprise abilities I did not a result. Inside has excellent gameplay,
my mark when it came expect. Despite a seemingly small skill- The ambiguity of the strange world thoughtful puzzles, and deadly
to hitting a jump or set, I never felt I didn’t have everything and the boy’s mission lends to the obstacles that are entertaining to
grabbing a ledge I needed to navigate the environment. dreamlike, out-of-body nature of the avoid. However, the full experience is
» Entertainment Inside is like an interactive nightmare, adventure; it helped me focus on how a strangely uncomfortable one, from
Inside is the closest I but not in the same way a survival- Inside made me feel, but you can still its opening moments to a finale that
have ever felt to horror game has the ability to make your draw some conclusions. After complet- left my mouth agape. The world’s
experiencing a simu- palms sweat or effectively deliver a jump ing the game, I immediately restarted, implied history immediately pulled me
lated nightmare. It’s
the perfect showcase of scare. Playing through Inside evokes not in the hopes of discovering specific in, and it’s an experience I can’t put
the kind of emotion an the same feeling as a horrible dream – a new plot details or alternate paths, but out of my head. My chest tightens
interactive experience dream where you have some control for the opportunity to experience the as I recall the feeling of entering new
can inspire over its direction and everything makes journey again. areas, succumbing to surprise deaths
» Replay Value sense in context, but the moment you The story is scant, free of dialogue and witnessing its many unexpected
Moderate step outside of it, everything falls apart and overt text, but is engrossing thanks moments. By the end, I felt as though
and you’re forced to ask yourself why it to an expanding sense of dread and I had lived through someone’s horrible
caused you to bolt upright in the middle an ability to consistently one-up itself dream, and I couldn’t wait to do it all
of the night. It’s a familiar and unnerving with each uncomfortable moment. It over again. » Kyle Hilliard
90 reviews
Edge Of Nowhere
A familiar tale of horror told with VR

Style 1-Player Action Publisher Oculus Studios Developer Insomniac Games Release June 6 Rating NR
7.5
Rift
» Concept
Recover the secrets
of a missing Antarctic
expedition, while
possibly losing your
sanity along the way
» Graphics
Quality varies wildly,
with stunning
moments alongside
flat and amateurish-
looking terrain
» Sound
The eerie music and
ambient sounds are a
testament to what the
Rift’s headphones can
pump out
» Playability
The stealth can be the
stuff of nightmares,
with finicky detection
and occasional difficulty
knowing where exactly
you are
» Entertainment
I
f Antarctica’s subzero temperatures is impressive. cave networks tricky, since it’s hard
and falling ice don’t kill you, then Players don’t experience the hazards to get a solid sense of your position in Is it reason alone to
perhaps its native life will. No, I’m through Howard’s frosted goggles. buy into VR? Probably
the world; you can’t simply rotate the
not. But if you’ve taken
not talking about penguins; Edge of Instead, they watch the action from camera. You’re meant to take your time the plunge, it’s worth
Nowhere’s vision for the frozen conti- a slight distance, as a third-person and carefully watch your enemies, but spending a few hours
nent is far more sinister, with tentacled observer. Whether I was swiveling my unless you plan on playing on a bar- losing your mind
grotesqueries torn from the pages of head around to get a good look at the stool and spinning like a top, keeping » Replay Value
H.P. Lovecraft’s stories and shoved desolate expanse among the glaciers track of everything can be a chore. Moderately low
right into your face thanks to Oculus or instinctively tucking my neck in Howard uncovers journals along the
Rift. Insomniac’s survival-horror game while navigating cave tunnels, Edge way, which provide some backstory
doesn’t redefine the genre, but it pro- of Nowhere’s atmosphere definitely on what exactly happened during
vides another fascinating – and unset- sucked me in. the previous expedition. Or, at least
tling – glimpse at VR’s potential. While battling the elements with some form of backstory. Since this is
Victor Howard is part of a rescue team some basic platforming and climbing Lovecraft-style horror (complete with
trying to find out what happened to a puzzles, Howard soon discovers he’s nods to Miskatonic University), sanity is
missing expedition that was explor- not alone. Something terrible is under pliable. Players are thrust into a variety
ing Antarctica’s dark secrets. After his the ice and in the caves deep within of insane set pieces, which made me
plane crashes, Howard’s only hope is to Antarctica, and it’s been disturbed. The question just about everything that had
meet up with the missing crew, which menagerie of foes is limited but effec- been shown to me. One moment you’re
includes his romantic partner (and fellow tive, ranging from creepy St. Bernard- trudging in the snow, the next you’re in
explorer), Ava Thorne. Armed only with sized fleas that can be smashed with a lecture hall. Why are there balloons on
his wits, Howard catches sight of the a single chop to monsters that might the ceiling of this cave? Was there really
crew’s trail and plods ahead. have trouble squeezing into a football an expedition? What happened to Ava
Considering the state of the trail, stadium. You acquire a shotgun, but before Antarctica? You can probably
it’s a wonder that crew managed to taking on foes head on isn’t always predict where things are going before
get anywhere. Rope bridges collapse a bright idea – even though blasting the climax, but getting there is a weird
unpredictably, and when Howard them apart is easy and satisfying. and satisfying ride.
scales icy walls – thanks to scavenged They’re attracted to sound, and ammu- Insomniac does a great job of taking
climbing gear – the surface cracks and nition is limited. Instead, the smartest advantage of the sense of presence VR
shatters beneath his axes. I’ve crossed course of action is to throw rocks to technology can bring, with sequences
more than my share of collapsing distract the creatures and hopefully that put disturbing images up close
video game bridges over the years, sneak past unnoticed. for examination. The experience isn’t
but experiencing it in VR does breathe That’s easier said than done, thanks about jump scares; it’s about making
some fresh air into an otherwise stale to the way stealth is handled. Most of you dread what’s ahead, rather than
mechanic. Drops of a few hundred feet the creatures rely on hearing, so rocks trying to make you soak your seat. It’s
aren’t uncommon, and looking down are invaluable. Monsters have a knack not revolutionary, but Edge of Nowhere
from a precipice is exhilarating. The for getting randomly alerted, however, is a rewarding way to spend an after-
level geometry is simple (sometimes to which gets frustrating. That makes noon. Just be sure to crank the AC.
a fault), but the sense of scale it brings navigating the stealth in some of the » Jeff Cork
reviews 91
 Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE
Over-the-top and plenty of J-pop fun

8.25 Style 1-Player Role-Playing Publisher Nintendo Developer Atlus Release June 24 Rating T

C
Wii U rossover games have a tendency
to be silly in order to make two
» Concept disparate universes collide.
Bring the Shin Megami
Tensei and Fire Emblem Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE is no
universes together exception, combining the worlds of
to stop evil beings Shin Megami Tensei and Fire Emblem
called Mirages from into one heavy dose of Japanese
corrupting figures in the
popular culture, ranging from pop
entertainment industry
stars and actors to fashion and anime.
» Graphics This unique experience merges the
The creative monsters,
authentic Japanese two long-running franchises together
districts, and character in interesting ways, since anything
models all look great, goes; you fight by performing songs
but the graphics are to damage enemies, wearing elabo-
dated and dungeons lack rate costumes on a vibrant stage. With
environmental detail
a colorful cast, fun upgrade system,
» Sound and challenging battles, Tokyo Mirage
The soundtrack is
Sessions provides an entertaining per-
uplifting and fitting,
emphasizing big story formance through and through. even if you don’t have experience with and add perks like status ailments or
moments. The game The amusing (and predictable) either series you can still follow along. healing. Unfortunately, the grinding
only includes Japanese plot has sinister Mirages taking The gameplay leans more toward necessary to reach recommended
voice work, but that control of renowned performers, SMT’s traditional RPG gameplay; levels for bosses made the combat
didn’t bother me given stealing their creative energy to fuel don’t expect the strategy battles or lose some of its magic.
the game’s focus on
Japanese culture
evil deeds. You play as Itsuki, an relationship system Fire Emblem is Some of my favorite features have
ordinary high-school student who known for. nods to Fire Emblem, especially the
» Playability notices something is awry when his Everything revolves around the upgrade system. You can master and
The concepts are easy
to grasp, and the game best friend Tsubasa enters a singing entertainment premise, including the craft various weapons that open up
controls well. When competition and members in the audi- dungeons and battle system. You new skills, but only equip a certain
striking enemies, ence start disappearing, opening a trek through themed landscapes, number at once. When you get to a
the camera is much portal to the mysterious Idolasphere. often focused on modeling and TV certain level, you can even change to
improved from Atlus’
The story has a good mix of humor programming. While I liked having a more powerful class using a Master
previous efforts in
SMT IV and Persona 4 and tender moments, from helping dungeons related to different aspects Seal just like in Fire Emblem. As a fan
Tsubasa gain confidence in herself to of entertainment, they could be more of both franchises, I was disappointed
» Entertainment achieve her pop-star dreams to deal- interesting to explore. Every dungeon by the sparse connections to Fire
From its charming cast
to the battle system ing with your drunk talent agent and has some main puzzle mechanic, but Emblem; this game loses its strategy-
that makes it into one anime-obsessed instructor. the puzzles are often tedious, requir- focused gameplay altogether and
big performance, Tokyo The Fire Emblem characters come ing backtracking for tasks like pulling its characters are ancillary, not get-
Mirage Sessions is zany in by lending their powers to the main switches on opposite sides of a room ting much screen time until the final
in the best way possible
cast to stop the baddies. For instance, or going through doors in a specific story beats.
» Replay Value Fire Emblem Awakening’s Chrom pro- order. You’re also dealing with enemy When you’re not in battle, you can
Moderate vides Itsuki a slew of sword attacks. encounters during the process, which walk around various locations in
The most interesting parts of the story slows you down even more. Mirages Tokyo such as Shibuya and its famous
come later when you start piecing appear on screen and lunge at you Harajuku district. They’re not exact
together why the Fire Emblem char- quickly, so they’re often hard to avoid. 1:1 recreations, but they get the basic
acters are in this different world, since Though you gain a skill to temporarily atmosphere down with convenience
they have no memory of how they got turn off battles, I hated having to con- stores and vending machines around
there. The story is self-contained, so stantly cast it whenever I needed to every bend. Various side quests also
figure out my route. incorporate fun stuff about Japanese
The turn-based battle system culture, such as tracking down exclu-
focuses on exploiting enemy weak- sive anime memorabilia and watch-
nesses, which will be familiar to ing silly TV shows with premises
anyone who has played a Persona like a girl changing her personality
or SMT game. However, in Tokyo when she sneezes. This attention to
Mirage Sessions, when you hit an detail creates a powerful sense of
enemy weakness, you trigger combos culture and place, which works well
with party members who have skills to make the characters’ everyday
that complement it. I enjoyed the interactions believable.
battle system, especially how it Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE is a
progresses. Characters learn extra solid RPG with its own unique style
skills that spontaneously activate, and appeal. I could do without the
making attacks hit more than one tedious dungeons, but I still found
enemy, or even team-up for special plenty to love about the zany ride.
performances that damage the enemy » Kimberley Wallace
92 reviews
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reviews archive PLAYSTATION 4
Alienation
Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist
7.75 Jul-16
Unravel

Give No Shelter, The

7.75 Apr-16
Walking Dead: Michonne – Episode 2:
6 Jun-16
Walking Dead: Michonne – Episode 3:
What We Deserve, The 8 Jul-16
Hex: Shards of Fate
Hitman – Episode 1
Homefront: The Revolution
8.75 Apr-16
6
4
May-16
Jul-16
Of The Mysterious Book 8 Jul-16 Walking Dead: Michonne – Episode 3: XBOX 360 Hyper Light Drifter 9.5 Jun-16
Battleborn 6 Jul-16 What We Deserve, The 8 Jul-16 Minecraft: Story Mode King’s Quest: Chapter 3 –
Dark Souls III 9.25 May-16 Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Episode 5 – Order Up 7 Jun-16 Once Upon A Climb 8 Jul-16
Day of the Tentacle Blood and Wine, The 9.25 Jul-16 Walking Dead: Michonne – Episode 2: Minecraft: Story Mode –
Remastered 8.25 Jun-16 Give No Shelter, The 6 Jun-16 Episode 5: Order Up 7 Jun-16
Dirt Rally 8.5 May-16 XBOX ONE Walking Dead: Michonne – Episode 3: Overwatch 10 Jul-16
Division, The 8 May-16 Dark Souls III 9.25 May-16 What We Deserve, The 8 Jul-16 Plants vs. Zombies:
Doom 8.75 Jul-16 Dirt Rally 8.5 May-16 Garden Warfare 2 8 Apr-16
Enter the Gungeon 8.5 Jun-16 Division, The 8 May-16 Wii U Pony Island 7.5 Apr-16
Far Cry Primal 8.75 Apr-16 Far Cry Primal 8.75 Apr-16 Pokkén Tournament 7 May-16 Quantum Break 8.5 May-16
Firewatch 7.75 Apr-16 Flame in the Flood, The 9 Apr-16 Star Fox Zero 6.75 Jun-16 Salt & Sanctuary 8.5 Jun-16
Hitman – Episode 1 6 May-16 Hitman – Episode 1 6 May-16 Stardew Valley 8.75 May-16
Homefront: The Revolution 4 Jul-16 Minecraft: Story Mode – PC Stellaris 8.25 Jul-16
King’s Quest: Chapter 3 – Episode 5: Order Up 7 Jun-16 Adr1ft 8 May-16 Stephen’s Sausage Roll 8 Jul-16
Once Upon A Climb 8 Jul-16 Plants vs. Zombies: Ashes of the Singularity 6.75 Jun-16 Stories: The Path of Destinies 7.75 Jun-16
Minecraft: Story Mode – Garden Warfare 2 8 Apr-16 Banner Saga 2, The 8.5 Jun-16 Street Fighter V 7.25 Apr-16
Episode 5: Order Up 7 Jun-16 Quantum Break 8.5 May-16 Battleborn 6 Jul-16 Total War: Warhammer 8.75 Jul-16
MLB The Show 16 8 Jun-16 UFC 2 8.5 May-16 Dark Souls III 9.25 May-16 Trackmania Turbo 7.5 Jun-16
Odin Sphere Leifthrasir 8 Jul-16 Unravel 7.75 Apr-16 Day of the Tentacle Unravel 7.75 Apr-16
Overwatch 10 Jul-16 Walking Dead: Michonne – Episode 2: Remastered 8.25 Jun-16 Walking Dead: Michonne – Episode 2:
Plants vs. Zombies: Give No Shelter, The 6 Jun-16 Division, The 8 May-16 Give No Shelter, The 6 Jun-16
Garden Warfare 2 8 Apr-16 Walking Dead: Michonne – Episode 3: Don’t Starve: Walking Dead: Michonne – Episode 3:
Ratchet & Clank 8.25 Jun-16 What We Deserve, The 8 Jul-16 Shipwrecked 7.25 Jun-16 What We Deserve, The 8 Jul-16
Salt & Sanctuary 8.5 Jun-16 Doom 8.75 Jul-16 Witcher 3: Wild Hunt –
Stories: The Path PLAYSTATION 3 Enter the Gungeon 8.5 Jun-16 Blood and Wine, The 9.25 Jul-16
of Destinies 7.75 Jun-16 Minecraft: Story Mode, Far Cry Primal 8.75 Apr-16 XCOM 2 9.5 Apr-16
Street Fighter V 7.25 Apr-16 Episode 5 – Order Up 7 Jun-16 Firewatch 7.75 Apr-16
Trackmania Turbo 7.5 Jun-16 Odin Sphere Leifthrasir 8 Jul-16 Flame in the Flood, The 9 Apr-16 RIFT
UFC 2 8.5 May-16 Walking Dead: Michonne – Episode 2: Hearthstone: Chronos 8.5 Jun-16
Give No Shelter, The 6 Jun-16 Whispers Of The Old Gods 9.25 Jul-16
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End 9.5 Jul-16 Climb, The 5.75 Jul-16

8 | 1979 Revolution: Black Friday

Platform PC Release April 4 Rating NR

Though poorly designed action sequences and occa-

sional technical shoddiness drag the whole experi-
ence down, 1979 Revolution: Black Friday is a quality
6 | Time Machine VR adventure game that tells a gripping story about
people struggling to survive the times and bring about
Platform Rift, Vive Release May 19 Rating T change. – Javy Gwaltney
I enjoyed the more dangerous
moments in the campaign, but
the scales are tipped too far to the
academic side. If you’re looking for a
distinct interactive way to learn about
prehistoric creatures of the deep, that’s
exclusively what Time Machine VR
accomplishes. – Brian Shea

7.75 | Minecraft: Story Mode –

Episode 6: A Portal To Mystery
Platform PS4, Xbox One, PS3, 360, PC, iOS
Release June 7 Rating E10+

Regardless of my curiosity surrounding

5 | Star Ocean: Integrity And Faithlessness
Telltale’s future plans for the series, A Portal Platform PS4 Release June 28 Rating T
to Mystery is a fun and refreshing episode Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness makes too
of a series that has recently shown signs of many missteps to forgive. In a generation where RPGs
fatigue. – Brian Shea are pushing the boundaries with better storytelling and
unique worlds, this just isn’t going to cut it.
– Kimberley Wallace
Visit gameinformer.com/mag for the full reviews
94 the score
 Eve: Valkyrie 6.25 Jun-16
Lucky’s Tale 6.5 Jun-16
Radial-G 6.5 Jun-16 Volume XXVI Number 8 Issue 280

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game over
Missing In
Action
E3 continues to be the place where the biggest games
are revealed, shown, and – of course – played. There are
always a few previously announced games that are no-
ticeably absent, however. Here are some of the biggest
no-shows at this year’s event.

by Jeff Cork

Crackdown 3 Dead Island 2

We got to play the game’s mayhem-em- Sumo took over development of the open-
bracing multiplayer mode at Gamescom last world zombie game from Yager one year ago,
year, but it was nowhere to be seen at this but it apparently wasn’t ready to show its
year’s E3. As one of only a handful of games progress. Series originator Techland moved
designed to take advantage of Microsoft’s on with Dying Light, which certainly raised
processing cloud, it would have been a good the stakes.
reminder of that functionality.

Two irresistible flavors

Hey, I know those guys.
I can’t believe they’re making
a megasta r like me do this.

Winner Chocolate Category.

Survey of 40,000 people by TNS
 Final Fantasy VII Remake Kingdom Hearts III
Square dropped this bombshell (and plenty We’ve been eagerly looking forward to Sora’s
of jaws) when it announced that it was continuing adventures for years, and were
finally giving one of the all-time best RPGs hoping to learn more during the show. Unfor-
an HD makeover. Considering how long tunately, our Keyblades will have to remain
we’ve been waiting for it, we’ve learned to sheathed for a little longer.
be patient. That didn’t make its absence any
less disappointing.

Ni No Kuni II: No Man’s Sky

Revenant Kingdom Hello Games’ open-universe space game has
Bandai Namco announced it was working on been a staple at shows for years, but it didn’t
a sequel to the anime-style RPG at last year’s make it into E3 2016’s orbit. The game was
PlayStation Experience, and then…nothing. delayed again to early August, and it’s likely
The PS4 isn’t suffering from a shortage of that Hello Games is too busy ensuring it hits
RPGs, but the original has a passionate fan the date to send valuable staff over to show
base who would have appreciated an update. off the game.

Resident Evil 2 Remake Wild

Capcom revealed Dead Rising 4 and Michel Ancel’s upcoming game gives players
Resi dent Evil 7 at E3, but that’s not the a chance to live as an animal-taming sha-
end of the company’s zombie roster – it’s man in a primitive world. It seems we’re go-
working on a remastered version of Resident ing to have to wait in our caves a bit longer
Evil 2. Either we’re at peak zombie, or before we can ride a bear. \
it’s another case of not being ready for
public consumption.

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under 200 calories.

I don’t li ke the way people a re looking at us.

I better be getting paid overtime for this.

®/ TM trademarks © Mars, Incorporated 2016

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