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In ‘The Last of Us Part II,’ Ellie is a lethal loner
"The Wolf" is a force to be reckoned with: She can make her own explosive arrowheads, use her enemies as bullet shields and fell attackers much taller and bigger than her. During the gameplay trailer for The Last of Us: Part II (TLOU2), Ellie is violent, destructive and unhesitant.
'Metal Wolf Chaos' is Michael Bay's brain in video game form
If the last 18 months have shown us anything, it's just how fragile our American democracy really is. But it's nothing compared to what Michael Wilson, the 47th President of the United States, will face during his tenure -- specifically a full-blown coup d'etat led by none other than his own brother and Vice President, Richard Hawk. Good thing the presidents of tomorrow come equipped with power armor.
'Project 1v1' is a F2P arena shooter from the 'Borderlands' team
Gearbox Software brought a new game to E3 this year, but it definitely wasn't Borderlands 3 or a new Brothers in Arms. Instead, it's Project 1v1, which, as its working title suggests, is an online first-person shooter that pits you against one other player in combat. Each round lasts just five minutes, and arenas are deliberately small. Through a handful of matches, the map size meant that I was constantly playing cat and mouse with my opponent. But, since I'm not very good with a mouse and keyboard, more often than not I was the one being hunted.
'Spider-Man' is my web-slinging dreams come true
Sony first revealed Marvel's Spider-Man for PlayStation 4 at E3 two years ago, but how it actually plays remained a mystery until now. At this year's show I finally got to go hands on with the PlayStation 4 exclusive. My demo was a little different than what Sony showed off at its media briefing. Rather than a frantic mission during a stormy night above and around New York City's East River, I had an hour to explore a sunny daytime chunk of Manhattan's Lower East Side, mostly as I pleased.
'Elder Scrolls' on mobile isn't great
The universe of Elder Scrolls feels too big to fit on a phone, and it kind of is. Elder Scrolls Blades is Bethesda's attempt to give iOS and Android players a taste of its beloved high-fantasy franchise. It's a free game that includes streamlined character and city builders, and two different regions to explore (that's how many were in the demo on display at E3 this week, at least), the castle and the forest.
How EA talks about loot boxes depends on who's listening
Electronic Arts is in a familiar position: Apology mode. The company spent a lot of time on Saturday self-flagellating in front of a global audience, recapping the mistakes it's made in the past year while promising that it won't make them again. EA wants you to know that it has changed; that it isn't the same company that put pay-to-win progression systems and loot boxes in two of its biggest games last fall. "We are always trying to learn and listen, and are striving to be better," CEO Andrew Wilson said before closing out the keynote address. He continued that, for people that purchase his company's games, he wants them to feel like they're being treated fairly. "No one is given an unfair advantage — or disadvantage — for how they choose to play. That for every moment you invest, you feel like you're rewarded, and you're given value for that investment."
Experience Nintendo's E3 2018 booth without having to go to LA
I made a beeline for Nintendo's booth as soon as E3's showfloor opened. (Bizarrely, this is actually the first official show day.) The company had wrapped up its big Nintendo Direct presentation just an hour earlier, so I knew exactly what was on the table: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. (Oh and the first chance to play Pokémon Let's Go!) Nintendo has a strong booth game, too, so that's a happy bonus, with a pretty hilarious faux museum exhibition of Smash Bros. weapons which included Princess Peach's gloves, a legendary sword or two and Bayonetta's own specs. Follow all the latest news from E3 2018 here!
Epic lines up its first 'Fortnite' World Cup for late 2019
During a break before the prize round of its star-studded Fortnite Pro-Am tournament at E3 2018, Epic Games announced some information about the first Fortnite World Cup. As a cap for the 2018-2019 competitive season where it's dishing out $100 million in prizes across various tournaments, the 2019 Fortnite World Cup will begin with qualifier events that take place worldwide later this year, where the company says anyone -- and with over 125 million registered players just a year into its existence, they mean anyone -- can play and win. Details on a Code of Conduct, platform info and schedule are still TBA, but what we do know is that while there will be some squad competition, the World Cup's focus is on Solo and Duo play. Also, traditional eSports powerhouses may take a backseat, as Epic announced that unlike some other competitions it will not sell teams or franchises and that it won't allow third-party tournaments to do so either. While you wait for more info you can tune in to the Pro-Am stream, which at the time of this writing has over 700,000 live viewers on the official streams (across Twitch, Facebook, YouTube, Mixer and Twitter) watching people like Ninja, Myth, Paul George and Pete Wentz playing in pairs to win $1 million for various charities.
'Sekiro' takes the 'Dark Souls' formula to ancient Japan
Woven in with Activision's anticipated E3 lineup of Destiny 2 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, there's the latest game from the studio behind Dark Souls. Indeed, FromSoftware's knack for creating dark and brooding gamescapes is on display once more in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, but this time that trademark look is applied to the stunning visuals of 1500s Sengoku Japan. It's not history retold, but instead a reimagined story set in that time. And based on the small piece of gameplay I've seen, FromSoftware has created quite the action-packed work of art.
'Super Smash Bros. Ultimate' is a refinement of a classic formula
It's December 1999. I'm sitting in my best friend's smoke-filled bedroom, frantically mashing the buttons of an N64 controller and having the time of my life. Six months later, I'm in the same smokey hovel, but now I'm deftly dodging attacks, timing blocks and dancing between the platforms of Planet Zebes. And I'm still having the time of my life. This has been the core appeal of the Super Smash Bros. (SSB) series since day one: No matter your skill level or play style, get together with a bunch of friends, and you're going to have a lot of fun. Put in the time to master the game, though, and you'll find a rewarding and deep fighter. Fast-forward the best part of two decades, and at E3 2018, Nintendo has taken the wraps off its latest SSB game, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. A large portion of Nintendo's Direct presentation, and indeed its cavernous E3 booth, was dedicated to the brawler, which is due for release on the Switch December 7th.
Audeze’s ambitious Mobius is more than a gaming headset
Tucked inside an unassuming office park just south of LA, there's a modest factory where some of the best audiophile-grade headphones are assembled on a daily basis. Audeze has built its reputation on planar magnetic technology, drivers that produce a more natural sound thanks to better frequency response and super thin components. During my visit, the company was making its final preparations to launch Mobius, a gaming headset that packs in audiophile sound and 3D audio to create a more immersive experience, especially for gamers. The company's headquarters is just under an hour from LA in Santa Ana. Here, all of the Audeze headphones are assembled. The company even makes its planar magnetic drivers in the modest production facility, a setup that allows it to put together everything by hand, closely monitor quality control and maintain a steady R&D pace.
Watch Nintendo's E3 presentation in under 9 minutes
As is tradition, Nintendo didn't take the stage at E3 and opted instead to show a pre-recorded Direct video, which showed plenty of teased and some never-before-seen Switch games. The presentation kicked off with a peek at the mech game Daemon X Machina, followed by looks at Super Mario Party, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Fortnite (which launches on the console today), Overcooked 2, Hollow Knight, Octopath Traveler and plenty more. The second half was entirely given over to an in-depth look at Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, which will have every character that previously appeared in the franchise (and more! Today's reveals: Inkling and Ridley). Phew! But don't worry about information overload -- just watch our video to see the best of what Nintendo showed off today in less than nine minutes.
'Metro: Exodus' treads a fine line between strategy and busy work
This year's E3 has already given us a glimpse of a wide spectrum of games, from upcoming installments in classic multiplayer franchises to new and interesting, story-driven titles. Metro: Exodus, the third game in the post-apocalyptic Metro saga, falls very much into the latter camp. Studio 4A Games announced the title at E3 2017, but all we've really heard since is that the release window has been pushed from later this year to early next. With development nearing completion, though, 4A Games is today spilling the beans on what we can expect from Metro: Exodus, both in terms of storyline and the nitty gritty of gameplay mechanics.
'Dragon Ball FighterZ' is coming to the Switch this year
Dragon Ball FighterZ came out for PC, PS4 and Xbox One in January and quickly won over fans with its tight fighting gameplay and visuals that closely resemble the anime. At long last, Bandai Namco announced that the game is coming to the Nintendo Switch sometime in 2018.
'Super Smash Bros. Ultimate' will support GameCube controllers
The full reveal of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for the Switch capped off Nintendo's pre-recorded Direct presentation for E3. The first teaser for the game dropped back in March, a year after the new console released. While fans have been pumped for the next game in the venerable franchise, so has the pro community -- and their prayers have been answered, as the game will support the much-preferred GameCube controller.
'Daemon X Machina' brings stylized mechs to Switch in 2019
The Switch has a new mecha property coming next year, announced at the top of today's Nintendo Direct -- Daemon X Machina. While easily mistaken for a new installment in the Xenoblade series, this is decidedly in the shooter genre like Armored Core, with humanoid mechs duking it out in open fields and city streets against even larger spider-like robots.
'Super Smash Bros. Ultimate' lands December 7th 2018
Nintendo's E3 showcase focused heavily on the return of one of its hit series: Super Smash Bros Ultimate has landed. The main takeaway is that all fighters that have ever appeared in the series are now back. That includes the return of outsiders like Solid Snake (ten years since he last appeared in Smash Bros.) and, well, over 60 characters total. Just think of the (completely compatible) Amiibo collection. Nintendo took a deep dive on the roster, outlining how each character has gradually evolved for Ultimate.
'Super Mario Party' is ready to ruin your friendships October 5th
Nintendo is reviving Mario Party. Super Mario Party will be released this October 5th and from the looks of it, the game will make use of special Switch features we haven't seen before. One section of the video showed two Switch screens laying face up on a table. From a top-down perspective, the screens resembled a board game, with players entering one familiar green warp pipe on one screen, and popping up on the other screen via said warp pipe. Apparently you can align the screens differently to create different paths.
'Hollow Knight' hits the Nintendo Switch today
After a lengthy wait, the indie platformer Hollow Knight will arrive on the Switch today, Nintendo announced during its E3 Direct stream. It joins Axiom Verge and SteamWorld Dig 2 as one of the handful of independent 2D Metroidvania titles on the console, and we expect to see plenty more down the line, like the upcoming Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night. Nintendo also confirmed that Hollow Knight is coming with with all of its DLC, so you've got plenty of hacking and slashing to look forward to. The game was a hit on the PC, Mac and Linux, but this Switch release marks Hollow Knight's first time on consoles.
'Overcooked 2' brings more culinary chaos to Nintendo Switch August 7th (updated)
If you're looking for a healthy serving of culinary fun on Nintendo Switch, you'll soon have your chance. During today's Nintendo Direct for E3, the company announced that Ghost Town Games' Overcooked 2 will arrive on the console August 7th. When it drops, expect another crazy cook-off where you can enter the kitchen using wireless, local or online co-op. There are more kitchens, more chefs, more recipes and more madness. You can also employ new techniques like the ability to throw ingredients and kitchens that change on the fly. For now, take a look at the game in the trailer down below.
