E3 in Review: Microsoft

E3 in Review: Microsoft

Not necessarily a review, as I can't exactly say I'm qualified to give that weight to words. However, I wanted to write my thoughts down so that I can maybe open up a discussion about the conference overall. This includes services, not just games.

PSA: This one will be a doozy, as Microsoft had ALOT to show off. You have been warned. 

Microsoft this generation has been on the ropes. On the initial unveiling of the Xbox One, they were lambasted for this "always online, all-in-one entertainment system" mantra that they had adopted. From there, Sony has been continually beating them into a pulp with a one-two punch of incredible exclusives and time-locked marketing deals with the likes of Activision-Blizzard. 

This E3, we all knew Microsoft had to really come out swinging with everything they had. While some complaints persist (specifically lack of exclusivity,) Phil Spencer and the entire Xbox team packed a punch and proclaimed their statement of intent. 

Kicking off the show was a concept trailer for the next instalment in their perennial flagship franchise; Halo Infinite. While it was sparse in terms of information, the cornerstones of the shooter were there. Warthogs rolling in the hills, an enigmatic shot of the Master Chief before loading an AI chip into his helmet and the Halo itself. 

There are a couple of important things to note. First off, whilst there isn't alot to go off of from the trailer, it does seem that we are going to back the Chief's control. The name itself may give us an idea of what to expect from the title. The focus on the world itself, the looping shot to the Halo all says to me that this will be an open world title. Infinite has alot of meanings, but in games it traditionally means infinite replay-ability and open world, emergent gameplay typically goes hand in hand. Last thing to note is that we are moving game engines with 343 Industries creating the Slip Space Engine. The Halo series has been using the same engine for years now and I'm glad that they're modernising and it will be great to see what they can do with Infinite when it launches. 
As a huge Halo fan, I felt like they really lost their way with the Reclaimer Saga. I hope that when we get a glimpse of this game proper I will be as excited to play it as I was with Halo 3 and Reach back in the day. 

Next up onstage was Ori and the Will of the Wisps. After it's initial reveal on stage last year, Moon Studios has been radio silent on what we can expect from the sequel to one of my sleeper hits. Ori and the Blind Forest is a Metroidvania style title where you must save the elements of the forest that you are the guardian of. That's a very high level pitch, I know. This game caught me completely off guard with the first fifteen minutes, shedding a tear at the story that was unfolding.

The sequel seems to be taking everything that was great about the first title and really accentuating those features. The traversal seems to have evolved, the combat more involving and, my god, the visuals. It's just jaw-dropping beauty that I'm still in awe of. The gameplay trailer was meaty enough for me to now be happy to not see it until it launches in 2019.

This next title really surprised me. Not because it exists, but because Microsoft got the world premiere after it's initial tease at PSX 2017. Watching the opening 20 seconds of the trailer, I was sure that Tenchu had come out of the shadows. A little further in, I saw an emphasis on fast Bloodborne/Nioh-esque combat and realised that this was a new IP entirely. 

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is the latest title by FromSoftware, the fathers of the Souls-like genre. Set in what looks like 15th century feudal Japan, you play as a ninja with a bony prosthetic arm that also looked to double up as a grappling hook. This elevates the title to a whole other level. Miyazaki-san has made enough of the plodding, methodical combat titles in Demon/Dark Souls. He brought about a faster pace with Bloodborne and seems to be taking that concept even further. The trailer was full of action and once we get more of a grip on the story I'm sure I will be as in love with it as I am with their past works. 2019, hurry up please.

Todd Howard, Director of Bethesda Game Studios, then made an appearance to make a few announcements regarding their Fallout franchise. First off, he announced that Fallout 4 would be part of the Xbox GamePass program starting today (10/6/18.) This is a fantastic indicator that Microsoft is really leaning into this and is getting some of the bigger publishers onboard. After, he gave a small speech on Fallout 76 and confirmed a few factors. Yes, this is the earliest Fallout title, canonically. The map is four times the size of Fallout 4. Your character is to go into West Virginia and build anew, 25 years after the bombs dropped. We'll see more at Bethesda's conference but left us with a trailer that sets the scope. Focusing around the Power Armour, you see scavengers and ex-vault dwellers walk past the remnants of the suit before what I suppose is meant to be your character picking up the helmet. 

Personally, from the rumours running amok on the internet regarding this title, I'm very excited to see Fallout 76 in action. Hopefully we see it this year. 

The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit looks like a very charming self containted title set in the Life is Strange universe and I couldn't be happier. Life is Strange ripped my emotions apart at points and to see an uplifting trailer about childish wonder is a wonderful reminder that games can have positive themes. We don't have to wait long for it either, set for June 26th as a free download. It did seem a little out of place amongst heavy hitters like Bethesda and FromSoftware, but I see this as a precursor for Square-Enix's conference where we'll more than likely see Life is Strange 2. 

Hidden among all of these big third-party reveals, Microsoft decides to give a small nod to their reworked open-world title, Crackdown 3. Instead of being shoe-horned in like last year, Terry Crews as Commander Jaxon is front and center. It looks to be very similar in style to the original title, with the return of orbs and visual progression of the character model. It got very bombastic, maybe too much for my liking, but it was nice to see them atleast acknowledge the title and give it a launch date. The issue is, that date of Feb. 22nd 2019 is already looking stacked and I feel that Crackdown will drown there. Expect a delay.

Nothing major, but I'm glad to see that Nier: Automata is coming out on Xbox. The Become as Gods Edition will feature all previously released DLC in one tidy package. Nier: Automata is the best action game you'll never play, so please check it out when it launches on June 26th.

We got another look at Metro: Exodus and it also shares that date. Maybe Microsoft didn't share that detail ahead of time as marketing wise this seems a little bit odd, with Crackdown and Metro being so close in the presentation. Date aside, Metro looks like another must play, giving us a much more extensive look at the more open world that it has crafted and less on rails than it has done in the past two showings on this stage. This series gets overlooked alot of the time so to see it have a strong showing like will likely turns heads.  

Phil then took to stage humble-bragging about his recent trips to Japan about securing new partnerships. It's not a secret that Microsoft's consoles have really struggled to make an impact at all in that territory but I admire their tenacity in seeking those developers out. 

Then we got the one-two confirmation. Kingdom Hearts 3 is now officially an Xbox One title aswell as Playstation 4 and, yes, Frozen is the latest world to be shown off. The audio sync was awful for this trailer, however, and it wasn't the best showing it could have been. Regardless, this was a big deal for Microsoft and part one of what I'm calling the "Constitution of Intent." 

Coming from one cartoon aesthetic to another, Rare played a trailer displaying some of the new content coming to Sea of Thieves coming in the next few months. This is cool and may see a small resurgence but I really can't help but feel like some of what was shown should've been in the base game and I can't see myself returning to it. It had it's moment and it sank.

One body of water to another, EA followed up on their promise to show part of their war story mode in Battlefield V with what felt like an even smaller vignette than they showed on their stage. It was kind of baffling to me. The end of their EA presentation said to expect more at Microsoft's stage but the showing was minimal and not exactly gripping to me. I loved the stories told in Battlefield 1 and I'm sold on that premise being brought forward to V. However, if you're going to show it off, show it.

Leading into the middle of the show was Playground Games and their latest title in the Forza Horizon franchise. Turn 10 and Playground borrow tech from each other in a wonderful synergy that always elevates the quality of each title and Horizon 4 seems to be no different. Set in my back garden of Britain, Horizon 4 will be a persistent online world with an active season system. They promise that this will drastically alter the way the cars handle on the roads as they introduce even more community challenges and player housing. Still no getting out and walking about though. ForzaVista is still there and will as close to getting out of any of the 450 cars as possible. I'm not huge on Racing Sims, so to see a more playful and community based title like this does excite me. As with most of the titles, it's early October, giving lots of runway before Red Dead Redemption 2 comes to cannibalise any title near it. 

Forza Horizon 4 joins Microsoft's Xbox GamePass program by being available day and date on release, meaning anyone with GamePass can just download and play. This segued nicely into what was the necessary portion of the conference, even if it was the lull for me. 

Phil Spencer takes to the stage to talk about exclusives and the clout that they are going to bring to Xbox. The Constitution of Intent truly begins now. First off, a brand new studio called The Initiative has been created, giving credence to the rumours of Microsoft ramping up for "Quadruple A" development. Whatever that means. Next, he talks about the acquisition of some studios. Leading the pack was the purchase of Undead Labs, the creators of the State of Decay series. With it's exclusivity to Microsoft's platform, this seemed like a no-brainer (pun on purpose.) Another formality was the announcement that Playground Games was now under their umbrella. Again, this was a surprise to nobody as they've only ever focused on the Forza series but, by bringing them into the fold, they have the potential to work on other open world games using their expertise in the field. Looks like the rumours of a Fable reboot are a little more substantiated here.

The real surprise here, and what is in my opinion the most important acquisition in the past 5 years in the gaming space, is the acquisition of Ninja Theory. This studio has just come off the back of Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, which has garner universal acclaim and deservedly so. This game is so important and to be done with no financial backing from publishers was a true achievement for what was perceived to be a "AA" studio. With the money that Microsoft can throw their way, expect huge things. 

Lastly was Compulsion Games. A bit of a curveball here, in my opinion. They first turned up on Microsoft's stage two years ago with We Happy Few, a procedural generated first person title that genuinely took me by surprise. The story and the characters were what really sold it to me in the first place. Since then it's undergone a transformation into an action-adventure game, where you are trying to escape this town that's inhabited by people that have become addicted to a drug called "Joy." Microsoft then played a trailer for the game, along with the release date of August 10th. I'm intrigued by it by the title but I'm unsure if I'm willing to pay full whack for it. 

Player Unknown's Battlegrounds turned up with a short sizzle trailer, revealing a launch window for their newest map, Sanhok, alongside a very small teaser for a winter map. I'll come back to it once I'm no longer having to live alongside the bugs that can truly hamper the experience.

The CoI continues with their commitment to the JRPG genre. Tales of Vesperia, a timed exclusive to 360 back in the day, gets a remaster to the joy of alot of fans of the genre. Released later this year, it'll give the chance for people who maybe didn't want to pay over £30 for a pre-owned copy.

Following on from that was a title that dashed my hopes for a moment. The aesthetic was there, just not the colour palette for Splinter Cell. Ubisoft turned up with the awkward canned co-op I was looking for in The Division 2, which I'm sure we'll see alot more of in their conference. I didn't really get into the first title (it came out when I was extremely poor and as such couldn't afford it when the zeitgeist was in full effect) but I'm excited to get another co-op shooter to play with friends. Initial impressions indicate it is literally more of what players wants out of The Division, so I'll see if it piques my interest come March 2019.


Ashley Speicher took to the stage to talk a little more about Xbox GamePass. I felt bad for her, as the new "FastStart" is genuinely impressive. However, I don't think it got the response that she was looking for. It felt like a bum note, despite the ability to load up GamePass titles twice as fast as before. She then announced even further support for the GamePass, with Ubisoft's The Division aswell as ZeniMax Online Studio's Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited Edition joining the platform. This is a great look for Microsoft, especially after EA announcing Origin Premier. Digital Catalogues are here to stay and it's been a long time coming. 

ID@Xbox had a small sizzle trailer with some of the titles coming in the next few months. For me, Dead Cells (a gorgeous looking Dark Souls/Metroidvania hybrid) and Ashen were the standouts. It's great to see indie titles on stage and they didn't overstay their welcome.

Square-Enix gave us another look at Shadow of the Tomb Raider, the next installment in the rebooted Lara Croft franchise. Being a fan of the first two, I was sold on the third upon it's announcement and to see that they're taking the story in a darker direction (to the point where it looks like Lara is the bad guy) solidifies my thoughts. I hope that this time round it doesn't have the limelight stolen by other titles in that cramp September window.

I almost screamed in excitement when I saw Session, the spiritual successor to EA's Skate series. Crea-ture Studios had this title fully funded in 3 days over on kickstarter and the trailer definitely takes the Skate vibe. Let me see what other dumb stuff we can do in this (Hall of Meat please!) and really cement this as must-get for me.

Black Desert Online returns to Microsoft's stage with a new trailer, showing more of the game's story. It has been out for a while now PC side and has got a small but dedicated fan base and, with the beta registration available now, I'm hoping to become part of that when it comes later this year. 

The next title that was shown off onstage that I did not see coming at all was the official reveal of Devil May Cry 5. The trailer gave me everything I needed. Crazy action, little bits of story sprinkled in amongst the gameplay and a nice little tease of Dante at the end. UNPOPULAR OPINION TIME: Devil May Cry 2 was my favourite in the series. I just loved the two storylines and then the additional modes that unlocked after completing the campaigns. Series director Hideaki Itsuno came onstage with a translator to stake the claim that this is the best action game they've ever made and every single ounce of it is with love. I'm glad to see they haven't just phoned it in and they seem to have taken some visual and stylistic cues from Ninja Thoery's 2013 pseudo-reboot. Consider me super hyped.

Another studio with close ties to Xbox, StudioMDHR gave us a a snippet of an expansion for their incredible side scroller (and one of my favorite games of last year,) Cuphead. The Delicious Last Course is slated for release next year and even just one extra isle with new bosses and and a new playable character is very reasonable and indicative that Cuphead is probably going to end up being a recurrent franchise for Microsoft. 

Tunic was next, showcasing it's adorable love letter to Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series. Kind of isometric with a soft polygonal aesthetic and a synthwave soundtrack, it looks like the type of title hipsters will safeguard as the newest, coolest title about. I'm excited to try it out for myself when it comes out later this year.

Here on out, Phil states that every title is world exclusive. I'm not entirely sure the marketing is correct, as one of these titles have already been confirmed for other systems, but I'll roll with it. 

Something from completely left-field, a trailer played for Bandai Namco's Fan-Fiction: The Game. I mean, Jump Force. The worlds of Naruto, Dragonball and One Piece collide to beat up on poor old Freiza. It was total overkill. I love the perspective of this game, as it seems to take cues from Cyber-Connect 2's Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm titles, but I'm not entirely sold on the visual style. I understand it is a way for all of the Shonen Jump titles to feel like they're connected, but I don't know about it just yet. The idea that I can smack Monkey D. Luffy down with Naruto is awesome and with Ryuk and Light from Death Note at the end of the trailer, I can see things getting REAL bonkers. Gimme Midoriya from My Hero Academia, please.

Dying Light 2 was next. Set 15 years after The Fall, all of the choices in the game have a direct effect on the world around you. Not just a visual feature, the city's factions and population will die or thrive based on your action. It looks gorgeous and still marries Mirrors Edge style parkour with some very involved first person combat. It's just a shame that it's yet another open world zombie game. As one of the better ones to come out in years, Dying Light 2 is something worth keeping an eye on. 

If anyone is like me and reads or watches IGN content, this next announcement had me in stitches. Battletoads is getting a reboot or remake, it wasn't made entirely clear. 

Avalanche Studios reared their head to confirm one of the more surprising leaks that Walmart Canada let slip in Just Cause 4. It seems to have taken the action to 11 and new mechanics, such as the twister ripping up a town, set this up for a fun playground of destruction when it arrives December 4th. My issue is that come December we would've had even more open world titles than ever before and, for me atleast, the fatigue would've set in. 

Rod Ferguson takes to the stage with a trio of Gears of War announcements. I haven't exactly kept up with the series in recent years (Judgement being the last title I played) but the work that The Coalition have put in may change that. There was a bait and switch to begin with, as Gears Pop was revealed. Really not the title I was looking for. A mobile game using Funko's popular Pop figure style, I'm sure it will find an audience. Next up was a confirmation of a rumour as Gears Tactics is in development. A natural fit for the series with a gameplay system similar to what X-Com has brought to the forefront of isometric turn-based strategy games, this seems like one that I'll definitely check out. 

Then Gears 5 gets shown. Note: Not "Gears of War", just Gears 5. Picking up some time after Gears of War 4 finished, this time we'll be playing as Kait and follow her story. This is a massive change for the series after typically being centred on big burly men with even bigger armour on. The trailer was emotional and really showcased the direction that The Coalition is taking. It seems to be heavily leaning into a cinematic approach and gave me distinct vibes from some of Sony's first party offerings (think The Last of Us/God of War cinematic experience.) I assume we'll see this Fall 2019 as I doubt Halo Infinite will be ready and that's absolutely fine by me. 

There I was thinking it was over. Microsoft really pulling out the big hitters. Huge third-party reveals. The Trinity of Forza; Gears of War and Halo. More Indies. Big acquisitions. Phil openly stating they're working on a new generation of consoles. Consoles. Then the show-stealer happened.

CD Projekt Red "hacked" the stage to reveal the first proper trailer for their newest RPG, Cyberpunk 2077. I lost it. This was almost everything I could want in a trailer. There was the world and story setup, there were vanity shots setting up the locale and, perhaps most importantly, it showed that they weren't afraid to take it to mature places. Very much a Blade Runner style dystopian future, Cyberpunk nails that neon colour palette and the entire vibe of that trailer just has me pumped. It's almost like Deus Ex has "slick" future down and this tone piece really sets up that more gritty future. I've watched the trailer 5 times over since the unveiling and if the game is anything like this tone piece and it can hold up in-engine (as in not watered down like Metro was accused of 2 years ago) then I'm pretty sure I'll have a new favourite franchise. I need more of this soon and to see the game systems in action.  

So there we have it! Microsoft truly came out and accomplished what they wanted to this year. The entire team should be proud of what they achieved. The run order was spot on, none of the titles (aside from maybe The Division 2) overstayed their welcome and they managed to sign that Constitution of Intent. They have the studios. They have the hardware. They're on their way to the games. But for now they have enough love from third-party studios, thanks in part to the Xbox One X, to help them through what will be a relatively sparse first-party offering this Fall/Winter. There are plenty of reasons to stick with Microsoft and, after this conference, Sony alongside Nintendo will need to outdo themselves in order to snatch best of show this year round. 

If this generation is a boxing match then we've just started Round 10. Microsoft has had the bloody eye drained, the swelling lowered and is ready to put their gloves up and land a few good hits on Sony.