EA E3 2015 Conference Wrap Up
Mass Effect
The EA conference started with a bang, opening with the new Mass Effect trailer. Titled Mass Effect Andromeda, the trailer that was shown was cinematic only but it had lots of classic Mass Effect elements. The Holodeck, Omni Tool and the Mako were all present and accounted for. The trailer also gave a release date of Holiday 2016 so there is still quite a wait to get our hands on this one.
Need for Speed
Next on the list was Need for Speed. There is no subtitle to this game but it is clear that it is heavily influenced by the Underground games. The game looks stunning but the camera is a little worrying. There is also a focus on story with FMV cutscenes telling the story. If the handling hits the mark this could be the next big Arcade racer.
Unravel
The most surprising game at the E3 conference was without doubt Unravel. The game felt out of place among EA’s lineup but it looked all the better for it. It is basically a puzzle platformer that features a a lead character that is made of yarn. It features what seems to be tight gameplay and a tonne of heart and should be on your radar if you like indie platform games
The Old Republic
The well loved Star Wars MMO had a good showing with a new expansion announced that focuses on story. Knights of the Fallen Empire tells the tale of two force wielding twins and their quest to conquer the galaxy. It sounds like a really cool idea for a single player KoToR game but I guess we will have make do with this. Of course this is much cooler news for people playing the MMO.
Plants Vs Zombies: Garden Warfare 2
After the reveal in the Microsoft conference there was a lot more detail shown on the next game in the series. This time the Zombies are on the defensive which is a nice twist on the game. There are 6 new classes and a few new modes including single player and couch co-op. The first game was a good bit of throwaway fun so hopefully this follows suit.
Sports
There is no doubt that EA spent way too long talking about the sports games. NHL, Golf, NBA Live, Madden and FIFA all had a stage presence but Madden and FIFA outstayed their welcome by a large amount. That is not a reflection on the quality of the games just the poorly conceived conference. If you are keen on the sports titles just check out the trailers and fast forward that part of the conference.
Mobile Gaming
To slow down the conference even more the brought mobile gaming to the stage. E3 is not the place for this but they went ahead anyway. Two games were on display Minions Paradise which simply appears to be a re-skinned Simpson Tap Out and Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes a new CCG set in everyone’s favourite sci/fi universe.
Mirror’s Edge
Things picked up again with the first gameplay trailer of Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst. The gameplay footage was stunning and the free form parkor movement looked better than ever. Not much combat was shown which is the biggest worry with the game but hopefully it is much better than the first entry. The big bombshell however was that the game is open world. The thought of that movement system in a large open world is dizzying and something I can’t wait to get my hands on. The game is due for release in Feb 2016 so expect to get more info at Gamescom
Battlefront
Finally the game it seemed everyone was waiting for, Battlefront. I must say it seemed to be worth the wait. I am still not sold that it is anything more than Battlefield with a Star Wars outfit but the gameplay looked incredibly solid and there is no doubt that battling in these famous locations is a massive buzz. There is little doubt that this will sell like hotcakes when it is released on November 17.
