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 On 06/20/2015 at 02:56 AM by Casey Curran See More From This User » |
So another E3 came and went and honestly, I did not pay a fraction of my attention that I usually do. Blame now having an adult life and responsibilities. However, I did look up quite a few things and here's what I think.
The Bad
Shenmue 3 Kickstarter
Yep, right off the bat I plan to piss people off. However, hear me out. I think it's awesome this game exists. It's fantastic, it always pleases me when a fanbase this devoted gets exactly what they want, even if I have no real interest in said franchise. However, launching a Kickstarter when Sony's going to fund that thing is sleazy. It's just grabbing some extra cash from fans because they know just how devoted the Shenmue fanbase is.
Anyone could have told you this thing would make two million. Banjo-Kazooie's fanbase isn't half as devoted as Shenmue's and Yooka-Laylee's Kickstarter went absolutely nuts. Sony may have financial troubles, but they can surely fund this game.
Gears Remastered is Just the Original
Seriously? $30 for a nine year old game? I can understand taking out Judgement, that game was bland and forgettable. But to not have the superior 2 or 3 on there is a joke. I get they don't want a repeat of the Master Chief Collection, but just wait until they're fine tuned and polished. Don't just give us one.
Exclusive Content
I'm really sick of this stuff. You're not making your version better, you're making everyone else's worse. Both are guilty of it, but Sony really went out of their way to promote theirs this year. As someone who prefers PC gaming more and more each day, I don't want to be shackled to their console. At least Fallout 4 is going to be fine though.
Fan Reaction at Nintendo
Nintendo did not have a great E3 showing. I know it, you know it, and they knew it. That's why they needed puppets. Because puppets are awesome. And I'm really disappointed at the lack of Pokken. But people, calm down. They focused on their 2015 lineup, which looks pretty damn solid. I'm sad the new Metroid isn't Prime 4 or Dread too, but I'd rather have an A-list team working on a real one than them potentially putting a studio on it that doesn't fully understand it. Because we all saw what happened last time they did that. And you know what? Federation Force looks like simple, stupid fun if it's just an eshop game. However....
Animal Crossing
You know, Nintendo has this formula down. It's not like a new one would take that much effort on the Wii U, just take what you have with a few new things and put it in HD. But instead we got that board game powered by Amiibo which just.....no.......
Ubisoft Conference
I will say South Park was a nice surprise and the fact that they're giving us more MINT BERRY CRUUUUUUNCH!!!!!! alone is enough to justify $60. And there's potential in the new Rainbow Six and Ghost Recon as well. But honestly, Ubisoft conferences are painful. They just make me glad they don't come on while Archer has a season so Lana isn't ruined for me.
Sony's Fall Lineup
Nintendo has a slew of games I can't wait to get my hands on, Microsoft has thirty Rare games on one disc and Halo 5, but what does Sony have? After Dawn is their only original exclusive I'm aware of, outside that it's Tearaway Unfolded, Uncharted Collection, and God of War 3 Remastered. And don't get me wrong, I'll be all over Tearaway and Uncharted, but Sony's first party development this gen has been pathetic so far.
The Meh
Halo 5
Now first let me say I am excited for Halo 5 and will play it before the year ends. But no splitscreen? Seriously? Halo was one of the last FPS's to hold onto that and without it, the game feels like a downgrade even with all the nifty new features. So while the game looks fun, this news really tuned down my excitement. That and Fallout 4 releasing too close (Yes, I'm aware they're nearly a month away. That's still too close!)
And like Jim Sterling said: It's very disappointing that this is about looking for Master Chief and you're not calling it Halo: Is it Me You're Looking For?
Mirror's Edge
While I'm very happy this game is getting made and am stoked at the announcement of no gunplay, I'm still not convinced the open world structure will work for the game. I'd love for this to meet or exceed what I want from a Mirror's Edge sequel, but I'm not sold yet.
Rise of the Tomb Raider
I'm happy that there seems to be a greater emphasis on exploration and the return of real tombs, but again, I'm not sold on this game yet. The last one was pretty mediocre in my mind, felt like a AAA checklist. I'd love a return to form, but I'm just not sure. Also even though I have an XB1, timed(?) exclusivity is pretty shitty. Also Square, if you're going to copy Planet of the Apes titles, can we please get Beneath the Tomb Raider next?
Nintendo's Announcements
Now, Wii U I'd say has easily the strongest lineup this fall out of the slew of consoles. Star Fox, Xenoblade, Mario Maker, Yoshi. All excellent looking games. But what they did offer merely felt serviceable. The Mario and Luigi/Paper Mario crossover is the most meta thing this side of Community and the new 3DS Zelda looks like good co-op fun, but they're nothing that gets me pumped like Sony and MS had. They had a good size of announcements, sure, but nothing big enough and in some cases (I'm looking at you Animal Crossing) looked pretty bad.
The Good
Sony and MS Announce New IPs
Horizon, Recore, Sea of Thieves. Sure, that last one may not look like my cup of tea (I may like it though), but considering the scope of the first game, the talent of the second, and the fact that Rare is back on the third, this is a step up from their usual new IPs.
No Kinect
I think we can all agree on this.
The Game Industry Treats Platinum Games like Ocean Spray Treats Cranberries
So apparently everyone's just going to stick Platinum Games onto everything they make. Robots that turn into cars fight each other? Put Platinum on it. Cartoon animals fly spaceships? Platinum. Niche RPG with a crazy complex and bizarre story? Platinum of course! And as a huge Platinum Games fan, I couldn't be happier.
Sidescrollers with Incredible Artstyles
I consider myself to be over being sold on buying a game based on it's visuals. Call me smug if you like, but I really don't care if the game I'm playing on my $1000 PC tower looks like it's twenty years old (or is twenty years old). I'm fine playing it. But then I look at these games
Just take my money.
Rare Replay: Best Collection EVER!!!!!
30 games for $30 going from the 1980's to 2008? Yeah, that's what we call a steal.
The Last Guardian, FFVII, and Shenmue 3 are Real
Funny story, Kayshire_Cat was recounting the conference to me after work, and I kept telling her to cut the joke and tell me what really happened. May have believed her too, but she also told me how excited she was for Black Ops 3. But three projects presumed dead gamers have been dying to play? Awesome. And considering their history, I don't think any of these companies would go ahead unless they're certain they could do this.
Mass Effect Andromeda
I love the core ideas of this sequel are based around exploring a new galaxy. The idea of using the Mako to explore planets with something similar to the maps from Dragon Age Inquisition in a universe I feel is 1000 times more interesting makes my mouth water. So I'm stoked for the new Mass Effect.
Game of the Show
Fallout 4
I'm really hyped for this game just for Boston (Fenway ruins FTW!), but the new gameplay mechanics make this sound fantastic. Fortifying my towns makes this feel like a game I can literally play forever. And it's coming this year too! So good on Bethesda.
Runners Up: Mass Effect Andromeda, Rare Replay, The Last Guardian, Cuphead
I agree with a lot of what you said about Nintendo and also kickstarters. I hope it doesn't become a trend that we have to pay for a game to come out, and then pay for it again when it does.
I wrote a big E3 blog recently, too, and I'd like to encourage you to please read it if you get a chance.
Read it before, just forgot to comment. Fixed that now
As much as I loved Mass Effect 1 and 2, I'm not that excited about Andromeda. I'm sure it will be a fun game, but I not in that "I can't wait to play it" mood. When I learn more about the game, maybe I'll get excited.
I'm really looking forward to Fallout 4. That game should be great.
I'm just happy they're taking Mass Effect 4 in the exact direction I want it to go
I'm probably the only person who never saw the appeal of Fallout 3 and isn't pants-over-the-moon excited for 4. I AM interested in all the cool stuff Playstation announced, but I'm disappointed Cuphead is an Xbone exclusive, unless I can get it to run on my laptop on Steam. Also very surprised Xbone is now backwards compatible, which is much better than PS Now for PS4. But holy crap, Cuphead looks cool. If only I had the means for Wii U and Xbone.
I agree Nintendo was a bit lackluster. Star Fox Zero looks like Star Fox 2 on Wii U, which is cool, but I was hoping they'd reveal something big like a new Metroid or more Zelda news, maybe a new IP. Oh well.
Fallout's appeal is actually really simple: exploring ruins of post-apocalyptic America. It's just not for everyone
Too much!!!! Ahhh!! That Gears remake has a lot of work done on it. They modernized the gameplay and added new levels. Plus every image in the game has been redrawn. That's a good remake.
Platinum Games yeah. I'm on board for that Rare collection already. And that Mako in the new Mass Effect has me all out in goosebumps. This was a very good E3 this year.
They did the same thing with Halo 2, but we still got three other Halo games with it.
Yea I get that. I like the Halo remakes. I'd have paid $30 (well, maybe $20) for Halo 2 HD if it was available by itself for X360. Gears, I don't know. I'm not so much a fan of that series, although, I do love hoard mode.
Hoard mode isn't in 1 so.......
Well, maybe they'll add it in. They said they are updating it to be close to Gears of War 3.
A maybe which we wouldn't be asking if they would have just included 2 and 3.
I agree that people need to get a grip about Nintendo. They actually have some pretty decent Wii U games coming, and soon. They're probably also gearing up for NX. I'll probably be getting Starfox. Incidentally, though, that's also the same way I feel about the PS4 this fall, since the "no games" meme is common. The PS4 has plenty for me, like Persona 5 and Tales. :)
Square Enix: Wow! Haven't seen them in this form since 2006 or so, when Square Enix was nearly on par with Nintendo on my list of developers to watch.
On Shenmue III, I don't think it's a matter of Sony not having the money to fund it so much as they wanted to gauge consumer interest with the KS. There's always stories from the industry about how they bring content people are supposedly asking for only to have nobody buy it. In any case, I'm glad Shenmue III is getting made, however it happens. I might back it myself.
My game of the show would have been Fallout 4, if only FF7 Remake hadn't been announced.
I feel like there's a much better way to gauge interest than asking for money that they don't need. Like, say an HD Collection so more people can play 1 and 2 before this, especially since they were only on Dreamcast and OXbox respectively. This isn't a case of content nobody would buy either, that gave the biggest reaction in a show that had the FFVII remake and brought The Last Guardian out of hiatus. It's not like attempts at core Wii games no one bought, this is something people have been begging for over a decade.
I think that should be a last resort, not a hype machine and it's just going to hurt the idea in the long run instead. I'm glad Shenmue's getting made too even if I'm not a fan, but that's still really sleazy.
For Shenmue III, it probably pretty much is a last resort. Sega wouldn't fund it, MS wouldn't fund it (Shenmue II on Xbox, which was backed by MS, tanked). Sony and Ys Net wanted some kind of guarantee that the investment would be worthwhile. And when you get down to it, it is a niche game. E3 is honestly kind of a meaningless, empty spectacle in the grand scheme of things. When it comes down to it, FF7 Remake is guaranteed to far outsell Shenmue III when those products actually make it to release, because that game had a massive fanbase to begin with.
So as long as they aren't selling drugs or running prostitution rings to fund the game, I'm cool with them doing what it takes. :) And ironically, it's one of the few Kickstarter projects I am willing to back precisely because Sony co-backing it means it has a better chance of actually coming out than most KS projects seem to do these days.
Again, why couldn't an HD remaster be the one to test the water? Fans get something to prove they'll provide and newcomers get familiar with the game, further expanding its fanbase. It would take longer for 3 to get here, but if a multi billion dollar company isn't demanding two million first, it so beats the alternative.
And I'm aware of how niche Shenmue is, but that still doesn't change how dedicated their fan base is. Look at how quick that thing got funded, that is not something that pretty much invalidates this argument.
I want you to just imagine if EA or Ubisoft tries replicating this success. Because I can easily see Beyond Good and Evil 2 doing the same thing, and I'd rather we call it out now before we get to that point.
I'm surprised EA and Ubisoft haven't tried this before, honestly. There was talk of big companies financing games like Shenmue III and BGE 2 from the instant the "Double Fine Adventure"'s Kickstarter was announced, and I don't doubt for a bit that there has been discussion in the boardrooms of EA, Ubisoft, Activision, Nintendo, Sony, or Microsoft about the possibility of risk mitigation through Kickstarter for big games.
As it is, though, a lot of the enthusiasm for Kickstarter in the gaming community has cooled. Double Fine's final product - the very game that ignited the crowdfunding craze in gaming - was less than what enthusiastic gamers were expecting, and that was after numerous delays. Leisure Suit Larry: Reloaded turned out to be a one-off deal. Star Citizen has secured hundreds of millions in crowdfunding but doesn't seem to have any release window. A lot of Kickstarter games have failed outright. At least Shenmue III has a better chance than most KS projects of seeing the light of day as a finished product. Sony has hopefully enough of a hand in its development that they can set milestones and impose accountability on Ys Net that they will actually get the game done. Broken Age was so troubled because Double Fine had no accountability to anyone, including the people that paid into their Kickstarter.
The simple fact remains, nobody was willing to finance Shenmue III without some mitigation of the risk. Shenmue II was a failure on Xbox, while Shenmue I has a reputation, somewhat undeserved, for having damaged Sega financially. That myth has been largely debunked but still persists in peoples' minds. People can cheer all they want at E3, but crowd noise doesn't equal sales, because E3 isn't really representative of the gaming market, it's just a big spectacle. I'd love to have a HD remaster but despite what you or I think, everybody with money refused to take the risk of even that, so here we are. Short of Yu Suzuki winning the jackpot at the Powerball or a state lottery in the United States, the game simply wasn't going to happen.
And that's an issue to be sure. I'm just saying their solution is not one we should accept as a legitimate business decision.
Pretty much. But I'm also pretty pumped for Doom, if only because Machine Games are handling it. After the brilliant Wolfenstein: The New Order, I can't be more excited by a new title from them.
I was super bummed about Halo not having splitscreen too. Feels like the end of era. And open world Mirrors Edge sounds awesome, I don't know what you're complaining about :p
And yeah, fuck Shenmue.
My concerns with an open world Mirror's Edge is that it won't have the tight, compact level design of the original. If you go back and play the time trials of the original, you realize just how good the level design is to that game. And that doesn't seem like something you can have in an open world. I'm really concerned it'll dumb down the platforming in the long run, taking away the "how do I get there?" moments and necessity for quickly timed jumps.
Maybe because I wasn't paying much attention to it, I felt this E3 was not quite weak but not quite strong either. But in any case, they still had good stuff and I can't be that dissapointed when there's the new Star Fox and Dishonored 2.
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