Paige FTW: E3 2018: Depth, But Not Breadth
There were very few new announcements to come out of E3 this year. Instead, developers doubled down on already announced titles. I guess the bright side is that we (should) have a lot to imminently look forward to? Here are my personal highlights.
The Last of Us: Part II (PS4)
A devastating 11-minute trailer took us to a lighthearted community dance in a rustic church, where a grown-up Ellie shares a very realistic kiss with her girlfriend … before transporting us to a long action sequence where Ellie just wrecks some dudes. It’s every bit as gruesome and visceral as you’d expect it to be. The game looks incredible. No release date, though.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Switch)
A 25-minute (!) presentation revealed that the newest Smash title will include every single character ever featured in the series (Pichu! Snake! Dr. Mario!) — yes, that means the roster is well over 60, with more presumably to come. It’s 100 percent a nostalgia grab, but more Smash is better, right? The game is set for a December release, and now I absolutely have to go buy a Switch.
Ghost of Tsushima (PS4)
Announced with little fanfare last fall, Sucker Punch’s latest provided a visually stunning trailer that featured some samurai duels, ninja-like stealth sequences and the most beautiful autumnal leaves put to pixels. The title is set in the Mongolian invasion of Tsushima in 1274, and it’s an open-world game. Sign me up. No release date, yet (sigh).
Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey (PS4/XBO/PC)
The series dives deeper into the past with a tale set in ancient Greece — hundreds of years before Egypt-set Origins. Exactly how that will work, given that the titular assassins aren’t really a thing until the events of Origins, is unclear. But the game looks amazing and Ubisoft will take a page out of BioWare’s book to add more player choice and even romance. The game comes out Oct. 5.
Other tidbits: Fire Emblem: Three Houses brings the series back to consoles after 10 years on handhelds … Kingdom Hearts III has a (delayed) release date: Jan. 29, 2019 … Anthem really looks like Iron Man meets Destiny … Cyberpunk 2077 looks so cool!
