The Top 5 Moments from the PlayStation E3 Showcase 2017
Shaun Cordingley
As you are probably well aware of at this point (based on...well every other gaming article on this website) I am a pretty damn big PlayStation fan. I like gaming on that system, I like the eco-system, and it is where I spend most of my video gaming time (with a shoutout to the ol' PC for when I haven't sat on it too long already)...so, as with every other time Sony does a major press conference, I thought I would talk a bit about what I took away from the PlayStation E3 Showcase.
Honourable Mention: Horizon DLC
I mean, they announced DLC aka more story and more to do with Aloy and Horizon: Zero Dawn with The Frozen Wilds...considering how I feel about Horizon, I am honestly, very excited
5- That Stage Though...
First off, I thought that the showcase was really good, while the stagecraft was excellent. I don't know why more companies don't consider copying what Sony does, but after these past two PlayStation conferences, it is clear that they have really nailed how to make an engaging and cool press conference. The live music, the WATERFALL, the fire, the hanging zombies (acrobats), the setup, the use of sound and light were all amazing, and well used to give an overall, theatrical impression.
That said, I think that because the content was not the same, mind-blowing announcement festival the past two were, consensus is generally "fine, but I wanted X", which feels a bit like folly, but I do know I was way more jazzed after the previous conferences, thanks to all the quick-punches of new content, but this one was a satisfying update on some big titles, a pre-show that (somehow) packed a few game in that I'm really excited about, and left me wishing for a solid release date on a few titles I'm really wanting to see.
Overall, I'd say PlayStation was my favourite Showcase, as it had the most in it that I was excited about, but Bethesda was a very, very close second, which considering they only really had two games I was excited for (more on that in this article), but have everything releasing this year, as opposed to PlayStation largely previewing 2018....
With a waterfall.
I just....I just can't get over how cool of an opening that was....with the live music, the light, the projections on the waterfall...
Stagecraft is owned by Sony at this point, and no one is even close, especially to give a strong lead to...
4- Uncharted: The Lost Legacy looks great.
Strong opening game from Sony as the hardcore are always in for more Uncharted, and I love the fact that this one is going to be featuring Chloe and Nadine (two characters I really like, and am stupid excited to spend more time with), and an Indian setting. These games are like playing the perfect pulp action/adventure movie for ~10 hours, and getting more Naughty Dog is always a good thing.
I think this floats down a little bit just because I don't really need any more news on The Lost Legacy--I'm going to play it, I know I'm going to play it, and I want to know the least amount possible.
Even though I giggle and shake my head a bit watching this trailer regardless...because it's great.
3- Days Gone looks a lot more interesting
I was...on the fence after the first time we saw Sony Bend's upcoming "not zombie" game Days Gone--I was always a big zombie fan, but they have gotten over-saturated, and aside from a few exceptions, I pass on a lot of zombie stuff now as most people aren't doing anything interesting with the monster.
This, however, changed my mind:
I like what I'm seeing here a lot more: it has some slight The Last of Us vibes, but in an open-world action RPG vibe, when combining this with the first trailer, Days Gone is starting to feel like it is going to have some amazing tempo shifts, and that the gameplay is going to be deep and engaging, I like that it is not just Freakers (the fast, not-zombies) that are a problem, but the ol'"it's the apocalypse so everyone sucks to each other" style, and you have a lot of agency in how you are going to execute the different situations.
Using those Freakers as a weapon in the trailer above is fantastic...and the idea of getting a GTA style game in a "not zombie" apocalypse really gets me going, but really...the thing that won me over completely: Zombie Bear.
ZOMBIE BEAR.
2- DETROIT: Become Human...
DETROIT is always on my lists when PlayStation shows it, so the fact that we get to spend time with a new AI character, and that we get to lead the AI revolt just ramped this up to being near ridiculous levels of hype for me--I love David Cage, I love neo-noir, I love cyberpunk, and I want this game....in my face...now:
Now why, after all that is it not my number 1 part of the press conference? Well the first reason is because, like The Lost Legacy, I am pretty much at the point where I don't want to know anything else: I just want to play it, and we did not get anything like a release date.
Not even a window.
Now is that safer? Yes. Do I prefer that to announcing a date and delaying it fifty times? Yes (looking at you South Park), and I would rather Cage had all the time he needed in order to make the best game he can....but man...I was caught up in the hope that I'd at least get a "Summer 2018" or something....
All of that...and...well:
1- Sony has actually made me want something Spider-Man:
I talked about this when it was announced last year, and it is fairly well documented that I am not a big Spider-Man guy. At all.
But this gameplay trailer, has me, hook, line, and sinker:
I like the voice acting (not too annoyingly snarky, but just the right kind of Spider-Man for me), I love the fluidity between gameplay and cutscene, the QTE's fit the feeling of the scene (rather than feeling gratuitous) and the choices that look to be available in the combat look truly special.
The fact is, as someone who actively doesn't like the character, is really excited about spending time with that character, thanks to what it looks like Insomniac is putting together with this game. Marvel needs it's Arkham game, and based on what I'm seeing here, they seem well on their way to having it.
...and then OH HI MILES!
I feel like it's a strong 5 (plus honourable mention) pieces, but like I said when I was talking about stagecraft, it was not the best year they've had recently, but it was a very, very good conference.
And what's amazing, is that their pre-show happened to announce a lot of cool things that could have gone into the Showcase, if they were not looking for it to run an hour; stuff like the release of Knack 2, Hidden Agenda (a Playlink game by the wonderful studio who made Until Dawn), a November 10 release for the going-to-be-awesome Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom, Tropico 6!
It's a little weird to me that the didn't decide to do some of these more niche titles (particularly Ni No Kuni 2) in the conference, to have a bit more of a showing this year, but I guess they were looking for a tight show, and honestly, it seems like Sony is letting the third parties do the talking when it comes to fall games (Destiny 2 & Call of Duty WW2).
Let me know what you thought in the comments below, or (as most of you seem to anyway) hit me up on Twitter to chat about the Showcase, and/or all things PlayStation Gaming.
-S (@Shauncord)