E3 2014 was indeed a conference that was all about games– and I’ve had a blast presenting as many of them as possible to you. But before we wrap up The Bible Scale (a.k.a. The Moody 25), just a couple things of note: GHG’s E3 Wrap-Up Podcast is finally here for download, I was NOT able to witness Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (damn Konami!), and we’ve got a few more #E3 features courtesy of our more Sony-and-Nintendo loving clergyfolk, Kenny Sanders & Christine Manzione. They’ll be tackling games on both of those fronts. As for yours truly, I get to take a break and actually play!
Please, feel free to give me hella shit in the comment section down below — or my Twitter @TravMoody — if some of my predictions happen to come up a.. false positive.
4.25 HIGHLY CAPA-‘BLES
Dragon Age: Inquisition (EA/BioWare) – If you remember, this Fantasy RPG was my top choice on GHG’s E3 Preview. And not much changes, considering two things: 1.) Only half of the games in this article will see daylight in 2014, and 2.) This side of some wooded 3D landscapes and attack animations, I wasn’t exactly blown away by Inquisition‘s visuals. But there’s no need to be. The game’s Frostbite 3 engine is bound to dragon-slay the weak frame-rate and character hiccups witnessed during my Tuesday afternoon demo, and, more importantly, DAI offers the use of expansive tactical combat. This time, players can brief opposing foes during any battle command; thus, players will then have the choice to sit and strategize, or man any teammates at your disposal with more intense Focus. Throw in some immense exploration and dynamic character interaction (ala Mass Effect)– and this could very well be the next-gen Skyrim we’ve all been waiting for.
NHL 15 (EA/EA Canada) – As the only sports game to crack my Top 10, it also marks the first time EA is taking the ice to the new consoles. And, damn, son: What a difference. While my 45-minutes hands-on with it did spell some sluggish controls, it was the all-new NBC presentation that absolutely blew me away. Puckheads can FINALLY expect new, more dynamic commentary (Doc Emrick, Eddie Olczyk, Ray Ferraro), 1-to-1 rinks (scary how close they look, right up with their own deranged nutjob and snobbish selfie-taking fans), finer player models (built from the ground up, NHL now uses the same scan-modeling technology as EA’s UFC), and puck physics (much like the changes witnessed in the aforementioned FIFA 15, no longer will the disc bounce like a tennis ball, or drop at the edge of a players’ jersey). The wait for September 9th is starting to feel like a zamboni on a highway.
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege (Ubisoft/Ubisoft Montreal) – One could argue that Ubi’s final delivery during their press conference was this year’s big splash. Sure, the Rainbow Six franchise doesn’t quite have the impact of, say, a Mass Effect, Half-Life, or Fallout; but you just knew Ubisoft wouldn’t go away quietly. As a huge fan of Rainbow Six: Vegas, I’m wicked excited that the franchise is back in the fold. Sure, it isn’t quite the more epic, politically-driven action/drama that would have been Rainbow Six: Patriots— but, in this one, you can blast through walls. Yeah, I know. Beat that. Siege is also steering in a more Titanfallish direction with a multiplayer-centered campaign and a new sandbox consisting of more confined, tactical-based maps. Consisting of 6 time-based rounds, squads of counter-terrorists and hostage-taking assholes must use communication and strategy — be it either to breach or barricade a suburban house — or you’re all toast. It’s one-shot kill, motha fuckuh!
4.5 LUNCHA-‘BLES
Evolve (2K/Turtle Rock) – Good to see there was a reason why this hunters vs. monster FPS landed on our Top 5 Games to see at E3. And if you follow my instagram, you may already know that I took down the Kraken. With Bucket. No, not the toxic grenade-tossing Assault character (Hyde), the immobilizing Trapper (Maggie), or soldier-resurrecting Medic (Lazarus), but Bucket, the clumsy, laser-toting robot. I was thus unable to play as the Kraken, but I’m hearing the 20-foot-tall winged-lizard was a blast, sporting four different special abilities than the previously announced monster, Goliath. With that said, there’s a much higher learning curve to master these hunters than it was for Left 4 Dead. Teamwork!
Destiny (Activision/Bungie) – There’s no reason for me to explain the Alpha further when you have a chance to play it right now– if you own a PS4, that is. Earlier today, Bungie extended this First Look Alpha, so anybody can play what I got to. Please do, watch the trailer above however. GHG’s “Templar”, Mark Majndle, will go more into depth with Destiny once the Beta hits next month.
Mortal Kombat X (WB/NetherRealm) – Definitely one of the show-stoppers at E3, so it’s only fitting that our E3 Wrap-Up Show 2014 centered around this gruesome classic fighter…
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Expect more on the 3-variation characters, immersive environments, and other such features in future articles to come. But, in case you’re wondering, my new favorite character is D’Vorah, poisonous insect-lady extraordinaire. (And, as always, you can also download or stream our podcast via Mediafire.)
4.75 SUPERIO-‘BLES
Sunset Overdrive (Microsoft/Insomniac) – Of all the games I got to get my hands on, this one take the cake– and what a colorful cake this Xbox One exclusive is. Set during the “Awesomepacalypse“, Sunset Overdrive sets you back into the arcadey-retrograde era of ToeJam and Earl, Jet Set Radio, Ratchet and Clank, and, hell, even Tony Hawk. With that said, you can leap, glide, and parkour all over the place, battling hordes of delirious mutant energy-drinkers. Yup–it’s that cartoony. Since the vibe is very over-the-top — especially with all those zany weapons you pick up at your disposal — your hero’s style is as important as the number of kills; your progression meter is thus based on the combination of both. Better yet, all the rewards and progress you pick up during multiplayer can be carried over into single-player campaign and vice-versa. It’s gonna be a blast, kid.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection (Microsoft/343/Bungie) – There’s really nothing else much to say but that this is the definitive, remastered collection for anyone who calls themselves a Halo fan. If you haven’t already clicked on the SoundCloud above, our Wrap-Up Show delves further into the anthology’s features and purchase bonuses. More on Halo 5: Guardians and its prequel web series Nightfall come Comic-Con.
Batman: Arkham Knight (WB/Rocksteady) – It’s nice enough to see a hyped-up game actually live up to the hype, at least this early in the Gothgame. While our outgoing congregation trade barbs on just WHO they believe the Arkham Knight to be, here’s a batarang’s whirl of features set for Rocksteady’s long-awaited conclusion: I.) Batman can vault and then glide from the Batmobile, which, in addition to being fully capable of remote action, offers two modes of its own: pursuit, and battle — a set of seamlessly transitional and worthy replacements for Robin, II.) AK is five times the size of Arkham City, III.) Bruce can also take down 3 enemies in succession with Fear tactics and grapple around Gotham with new chain commands. 10 of our 20 contributing clergyfolk picked this next-gen Arkham for their Top 3 Games for E3. Now, I’m wondering why not all of us did.
5 GOD-LEVEL BIBLES
Tom Clancy’s The Division (Ubisoft/Massive) – All of the fuss coming out of Ubisoft this year was for Rainbow Six, but there’s no doubt this game proved the most ambitious. As paramilitary agents attempting to take back their city — in this case, The Big Apple during all of the Holiday “cheer” — you must battle other armed groups around the city, some of which are AI, many of which are other players. On your journey, your strategic warriors will level up on XP and pick up an array of gadgets as you would with any traditional RPG. It’s the level of tact in your gear’s technology that makes this particular shooter so damn interesting. You’ve got 3D image-scanning maps (via the ECHO system, similar to Watch_Dogs‘ hack examination), pulsating turret-fire, stun-mines and homing grenades, and even autonomous drones that can be controlled by a friend on a tablet device. Players don’t just run for cover; they slide and crash into walls. There’s a lot of detail in this desolate wasteland… But, you know what? You’re better off soaking in all the success of Moody’s ***Best Game at E3 2014*** with this send-off video. Hit it!
We’ll have more in-depth coverage from E3 — particularly from that of Sony and Nintendo — in the coming days. Shoutout to Respawn and Titanfall for also having a surprisingly major presence at the show, as their new modes “Wingman” and “Marked For Death” will be reviewed soon. Thanks for keeping it locked with GHG.