E3 2015: Bethesda E3 Press Conference Recap
Well, that was certainly a show that Bethesda put on. Gamers were in line hours in advance of what was sure to be an epic night, and sure enough, Bethesda delivered. We got to see Doom, a little taste of Dishonored 2, news of an HD collection of the first Dishonored, some updates on Battlecry, and The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited, and then they mentioned this other series, Fallout, I think it is called? We've got your recap after the jump.
Doom has been described as a cultural icon, and that's not doing it a disservice in the slightest, it has been with us for decades now, and the team at Id is ready to bring it back to life. Our taste of gameplay showed the game running on the latest iteration of Id Tech 6, and while Rage was an amazing showcase for Id Tech 5, Doom looks like it is poised to eclipse all of the visual splendor that Id Tech 5 was capable of. There were demons, there were shotguns, there were chainsaws, and it was as Marty Stratton, Executive Producer of Doom put it "It's about badass demons, (expletive) guns, and moving fast." The gameplay showcase certainly did celebrate all things Doom, and you can check out a clip below.
They even got that classic door sound in there.
Then the conversation moved toward multiplayer. A couple of game mode names tossed out there included Domination, Freeze Tag, and Clan Arena. What was interesting was that there are power ups that allow you to take the form of demons from the game and start wrecking shop with them. Then there's Doom Snapmap a tool that will allow people to set up and build their own custom maps, and gameplay modes. The little bit that we were shown appeared to be very robust, giving players plenty of options to work with. Doom will be launching in the Spring of 2016 for PS4, XBox One and PC.
It's a tough act to follow something like Doom and I don't envy the guys working on Battlecry. The combat focused multiplayer game was presented via a new trailer that showed off the Han Republic, and their new classes. This didn't seem to grip the crowd much, as I'm sure most people were still riding that high off Doom. But for those of you who are interested, there is a global Beta sign-up going on now and you can register here for priority access: https://battlecrythegame.com/
The big surprise of Dishonored 2 was spoiled a short time before the event, but that didn't stop the crowd from showing their approval of the short trailer that introduced us to the new female lead, Emily Kaldwin, who will fight alongside Corvo Attano in the sequel that takes place fifteen years after the first title. Dishonored 2 will be available in Spring 2016 on PC, PS4 and XBox One. I had previously suggested we were in for some sort of HD remake, and I was off in my prediction of Skyrim, but I'm glad I am because that means we get Dishonored: Definitive Edition! It will be available this fall on PS4 and XBox One and comes with the base game and all DLC packs.
The recent launch of The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited for Xbox One and PS4 means that people are exploring what PC gamers have been enjoying for the past few months. Those PC gamers are ready for something new, and in a short video we were given a short glimpse at some new content, the Imperial City, and Orsinium: Realm of Orcs. But that wasn't the only glimpse into Tamriel we got to see. The Elder Scrolls: Legends will be a mobile card game for iPads and PC later this year. Unfortunately the short trailer didn't give much information outside of some art.
And then, the moment we all waited for, Fallout 4. A brief intro from Todd Howard, and a montage of art, we were dropped into the alternate past/future we've come to love. An early morning look in the mirror introduces players to the character creator, and a door to door Vaul-tec salesman will help you dole out your starting stats. This all takes place before the bombs drop, giving players a view of the idyllic alternate Boston, and the life you'll be leaving behind when you awaken from Vault 111 as the sole survivor.
Fallout 4 is running on a next generation version of the Creation Engine that we saw in Skyrim and really pushes next-gen visuals and seeing this game in motion is simply stunning. But what about the gameplay? Well there's plenty of stuff to do. That dog companion that we've been seeing so much of, you can have him interact with the game world, pick up tools, fight enemies, all by simply pointing at whatever object you want him to interact with, a quick button press and he's bringing us a wrench in the on-screen demo. VATS is back, and the results of using it look as hilarious as ever. Armor can now be layered on your character as well, giving you better defensive options.
Then there is the Pip-boy, that ubiquitous gadget that every vault dweller needs. The amount of detail that has gone in to that over-sized watch is simply over the top. And now there are mini-games that can be played off the Pip-boy, some examples looked like clones of Donkey Kong, and Missle Command. But what really got me fiending for this game, was the physical Pip-boy, part of a collector's edition that will launch with the game. The Pip-boy will hold your smart phone and through a second screen app, will let you take that next step toward being a real vault dweller. Expect a lot of Fallout cosplay in the coming years.
Look at it, isn't it glorious?
But Todd Howard wasn't done, not by a long shot. He introduced us to Fallout Shelter, a free to play mobile game that is available as you read this, so stop reading this, and go download it and then come back here, I'll wait. You good? This game looks like The Sims meets Tiny Tower meets Fallout. I haven't had a chance to check it out yet but I am more than eager.
Back to Fallout 4 for one last bit. You can rebuild. In the wasteland of Boston, you can rebuild your own utopia, and people will come to your town to move in, set up shop, and help you survive. And there are plenty of creatures and raiders out there to keep you busy, so you'll have to set up defenses. And to top it all off, there are weapons galore, thanks to the new item system, every item in the game has a use now, so all that random crap you'd pick up previous and dump for caps? Now it can be used to craft new weapons. There's a base of about seventy weapons, and over five-hundred mods. And then came the megaton, the release date. We're getting Fallout 4 this year. 11/10/2015, mark your calendar, say goodbye to your loved ones, because you might never see them again.
