With the Electronic Entertainment Expo — E3, parishioners — less than 2-weeks away, we’ve got over 30 games in 10 days to preview. So here comes the first batch…
***DAY ONE, June 1st — THE LEGEND OF ZELDA, TITANFALL 2, WWE 2K17***
“DYNAST” DANA KEELS @hatandwand
THE LEGEND OF ZELDA (Nintendo – Wii U/NX – TBA Q4 2016/2017) – No doubt Nintendo’s biggest–hell, only–flagship that’ll be at E3, the elusive next chapter in The Legend of Zelda series is set to have the curtains drawn back on its secretive development. Originally intended to release last year before delay, it will now release alongside Nintendo’s next generation console, codenamed “NX”. As for now? Next-to-nothing is known about the next iteration. Series producer Eiji Aonuma has been quoted in regards to a new structure of the game, maybe one that’ll attempt to shake up the damn near three decade old formula. This Zelda could feature a complete open world that emphasizes freedom of exploration and eliminates more of the Skyward Swordesque linear elements. This may be the first game in the series to include voice acting — for every character that isn’t Link, that is (maybe even a female link option?). No doubt, it’ll be interesting to see how modern open world RPG’s such as Fallout and the Witcher may have influenced the structure of the newest TLOZ, if at all.
“BROTHER” MYKE LADIONA @onemyke
TITANFALL 2 (EA/Respawn Entertainment – X1, PS4, PC – TBA Q4 2016/2017) – Respawn’s Titanfall franchise has been called out on many comment threads and sites (including our own) as one of the progenitors of this new “multiplayer only” generation of AAA console shooters. EA isn’t innocent either, having just been ion torpedoed for the lack of single player in Star Wars Battlefront. Seems they’ve had enough of our whining. Last year it was confirmed that this time around, Titanfall 2 would be both multi-platform and include a robust single player, story-driven campaign, likely to launch around the same time as their cousin shooter, Battlefield 1, and, more appropriately, in the same pre-holiday blitz as Call of Duty: Infinity Warfare. In fact, Respawn’s past over at CoD: MW set the narrative template–and subsequent bar of quality–for the blockbuster AAA single player campaign that Activision still uses to tell their stores. Lead writer Jesse Sterns even came out and said that the campaign would deal with sci-fi and fantasy, but still be “grounded, dirty, human and real.” Either way, we’re standing by for Titanfall, once again — make sure it sticks its landing.
“PADRE” GUY COPES @GuyCopes3
WWE 2K17 (2K Sports/Yuke’s, Visual Concepts – X1, PS4, PC, 360, PS3 – October 2016) – Finally, The Padre, has come back to GHG. The renegade Ringside Apostle has returned just in time to sing the early praises of that next installment of the squared circle marriage between the WWE and 2K. That’s right, Wrasslin Faithful, WWE 2K17 was announced on the most recent edition of Monday Night RAW. The big pre-order bonus will have you chanting like you bought a ticket to Nitro during the height of the Monday Night Wars. Because… Gooooooooooooldberg! Gooooooooooooldberg Now, every year the Padre enters the ring all excited to champion the new features, updates, and promise of greatness that 2K lays out for the masses. But like a bad gimmick that won’t die, “Bishop” Richard Zom comes running to the ring to deliver a chair shot to the head of the Padre’s ukulele playing, universe building, CAW-creation innovatin’ funtime with you, the faithful Apostle Acolytes. Zom takes the piss, Padre counters, Zom hates this, Padre counters, Zom bitches about the game being all flash and no substance, Padre screams back a defense. Well frankly folks, the Bishop’s absolutely right (WHOOOOOAH!!!). Look, I’m usually hyped as anyone when the first news trickles out. I loved WWE 2K16, until the shine wore off. My hype, thus far, is set to Level Zom and I’m on “Tag Team Bane” until I see something that comes across less like a mid-card snooze and more like a main event supercard in the old Dallas Sportatorium.