Is this the year of Xbox? With the sheer amount of titles and confidence held by Microsoft today, one might think so. At the start of the conference, the company informed us that it would reveal 50 games at E3 2018 alone, with 18 being exclusives and 15 being world premiers. Without further ado, let’s dive into it.
Halo: Infinite
We’re first treated to a teaser of Halo Infinite. Despite its name, this game is not a spin-off. It is indeed Halo 6 and will star Master Chief on his greatest adventure yet to save humanity.
There isn’t much for us to go on, but it’s clear from the trailer that Microsoft’s new Splipspace engine will offer beautiful vistas to get lost in.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
Ori and the Blind Forest’s award-winning success for its art direction was not unwarranted. From what was shown with Ori and the Will of the Wisps, the series probably stands as one of the most beautiful platformers out there on the market. The game was first announced during E3 2017 and will release in 2019.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
FromSoftware is a studio that has become almost synonymous to the Soulsborne genre. With the reveal of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, I’d colour myself underwhelmed… but also not really?
Shades of gameplay feel similar, but any fan of the games will notice how markedly frenetic the combat seems, even compared to Bloodborne. Taking place in what seems to be the Sengoku era, it looks like Nioh might have a competitor even sooner than we thought.
Fallout 76
Todd Howard describes Fallout 76 as a prequel to the past Fallout games. It’s also Bethesda’s biggest one yet, boasting a world that’s four times the size of Fallout 4. If quantity is king, I suppose glitches are here to say, but let’s hold off on that for now.
The trailer shows a sweeping landscape of West Virginia, accompanied by John Denver’s Take Me Home, Country Roads. It’s admittedly heartwarming, but we still don’t know much else about Fallout 76’s gameplay. The Bethesda press conference begins right after Microsoft’s so keep your eyes peeled.
Life is Strange: The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit
Here’s a curveball, but it’s a genuinely cute one. Because we’ve all been children. It’s a story about a strongly imaginative kid and his dad, focusing on the two’s relationship. At first, this would seem to be Life is Strange 2, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. The first episode of Life is Strange: The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit will be available on 26th June 2018.
Crackdown 3
After so many delays, Crackdown 3 is here, but only for a trailer. You’ll have to wait until February 2019 to get your hands on it. Even if you don’t care for the destructible environments and over-the-top action, the game does have Terry Crews.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC4oty9jnMU
NieR: Automata BECOME AS GODS edition
Originally only for PlayStation 4 and PC, the post-apocalyptic and surreal NieR: Automata will arrive for Xbox One on 26th June 2018. The BECOME AS GODS edition also comes packed with all of the game’s previous DLC.
Battlefield V
Back at EA’s press conference, we were told that we’d get to see story trailer for Battlefield V at Microsoft’s event. We sure did, but it’s also extremely short.
It looks like the story takes place in a German-occupied Norway. That certainly puts things into perspective, even if only by a bit.
Metro: Exodus
Metro: Exodus was delayed to early 2019 only weeks ago, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t coming to E3. We get to see a mix between the new open-world areas, as well as linear corridors we’ve come to expect.
It’s all about survival here in this post-apocalyptic Russia, be it from humans or the deadly monsters lurking in the dark.
Kingdom Hearts III
Having never played Kingdom Hearts, I feel like I’ve walked into huge spoiler territory. At the same time, I don’t think I’ve understood anything of what the trailer implies. But hey, they’ve just announced Elsa and Anna from Frozen!
If there’s one thing the trailer gets across, it’s that Disney’s 3D-animated properties are getting much more love this time around. Kingdom Hearts III already started with a great lineup, gathering characters from Pixar, Tangled, and Wreck-it Ralph, but it’s only getting better.
Kingdom Hearts III’s release date was recently confirmed to be on 25th January 2019 for Asia and Japan, and 29th January for North America and Europe.
Sea of Thieves
The Sea of Thieves trailer reveals the dates of it upcoming DLCs through a cute cinematic sequence. The Cursed Sails will arrive in July, while Forsaken Shores comes in September. There’s little that we know about what entails these DLCs, but this will definitely be fleshed out in the weeks to come.
Forza Horizon 4
Historical Britain. This will be the setting for Forza Horizon 4, Microsoft’s exclusive racing game. The trailer is a beautiful series of panned shots over countrysides, forests, and snowy landscapes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmQNo8xtcAg
With a dynamically changing weather system and seamlessly-shared world, this looks like a great game for chilling back with friends after a long day.
Microsoft’s new studios
Taking a break from the series of game trailers, Phil Spencer took to stage to announce a few new studios that would fall under the Microsoft belt. Apart from forming a new studio called the Initiative, Microsoft has also acquired Undead Labs (State of Decay), Playground Games (Forza Horizon), Ninja Theory (Senua’s Sacrifice), and Compulsion Games (We Happy Few).
We Happy Few
The dystopian world where happy people are much creepier than those who aren’t arrives 10th August 2018. The game has been in early access on Steam for quite a while now. It features a crafting and survival system that players must utilise to escape from the Joy-obsessed 1960s England.
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
Microsoft announces PUBG as a timed exclusive for Xbox One. If you know PUBG, then this trailer will be pretty straightforward. Xbox players will get to enjoy the battle royale game in Winter 2018. And speaking of winter, the end of the trailer also teases a brand new snow map.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rG9noTfb4A
Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition
If this seems out of left field, it makes more sense than you think. Tales of Vesperia first started out as an exclusive for the Xbox 360 before moving on to PlayStation 3. Every Tales game since has been on PlayStation, which means that this will be the Xbox One’s very first Tales game, arriving in Winter 2018.
It’s an old game, but it’s also a classic from the series. If you’re looking for a decent JRPG for the Xbox One, look no further than here.
Tom Clancy’s The Division 2
Set in Washington D.C. this time, The Division 2 will see players teaming up once again to fight off bad guys and collect loot.
Ubisoft’s trailer treats us to some awkward voice chat dialogue, but also a good look at how the game plays. The Washington D.C. that we’re familiar with has now turned into an overgrown and largely desolate city. The first Division started out with mixed reception but got better over time. Here’s hoping that The Division 2 kicks off with lessons learned.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider
Eidos Montreal took the reins from Crystal Dynamics for this title, but Shadow of the Tomb Raider still looks great, if not better. We also get a release date, which is on 14th September 2018.
The trailer is a lengthy story trailer that expands on Lara Croft’s latest adventure. Set in Latin America, Lara races to reach a Mayan relic before the evil Trinity organisation does. We may see some more on the title at Square Enix’s event considering how close it is to release. Catch Square Enix’s live stream on 12th June 2018, 1am GMT+8.
Session
No, this isn’t Skate 4. The trailer shown is brief and teases that it’s a game about skateboarding. Unless EA announces Skate 4 soon, this will be the one to look forward to.
Black Desert Online
The MMORPG Black Desert Online receives a new trailer for Xbox One. The game has been on PC for a long time, but is only coming to consoles now. In any case, if you’ve been anticipating to play the game on Xbox One, the wait should be near over. The beta for the Xbox One version begins in Fall 2018, and you can register for it over here.
Devil May Cry 5
Nero and Dante are back for a new title filled with demon-slaying. A new Devil May Cry announcement was probably one of the worst-kept secrets this E3, but there were still some surprises in this trailer.
It looks like Nero has lost his arm and is compensating for it with a robotic one that packs some neat tricks. Overall, the game shows off demons with more realistic designs, but not without the over-the-top style the series is known for.
Cuphead
Cuphead is getting an expansion called The Delicious Last Course. Slated for a 2019 release, the DLC boasts new locations, weapons, and bosses. Featuring the same 1930s cartoon-inspired style, as well as same grueling difficulty, there’s plenty for fans to look forward to.
TUNIC
Following after Ori and the Will of the Wisps, here’s another colourful and cute game.
You play as an adorable fox in an isometric world. It’s an adventure that’s filled with a fantastical setting and calming music. Perfect for kids and for people just looking to lie back and relax. The gameplay itself should remind people of the classic Legend of Zelda Games, with puzzle-solving and some combat.
Jump Force
Anime brawlers are a common thing nowadays. Games in the vein of Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 and Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 have a loyal following amongst shounen anime fans.
But Bandai Namco is now mixing them together. Iconic characters from Shonen Jump’s various manga publications gather in the all-star Jump Force. The trailer mainly shows Frieza, Goku, Monkey D. Luffy, and Naruto duking it out. However, we get a hint at the end that Light Yagami from Death Note will also join the fray.
Dying Light 2
Techland confirms that Dying Light 2 is in the works. Though we don’t have a release date, the developer does treat us to a trailer.
While detailing the game, writer Chris Avellone chose not to talk about melee and parkour. We already know that’s in the game, after all. Instead, we find out that the game will have an ever-changing city thanks to the choices you make. Choosing to give your water supply to specific factions, for instance, will dramatically change the city you live in. Factions can become tyrannical and streets can become dangerous. For those who loved Dying Light, this dynamic would certainly be cherry on top for an already unique zombie apocalypse.
Battletoads
It seems like years ago since Microsoft hinted at a possible Battletoads title. Well, Battletoads is indeed happening and it’s coming in 2019.
While this trailer is but a teaser, the game promises three-player couch co-op, as well as 4k hand-drawn 2.5D graphics.
Just Cause 4
Just another regular day for Rico Rodriguez, it seems. We already knew Just Cause 4 was coming, but this new trailer at least reveals a 4th December 2018 release.
From riding motorcycles into helicopters and driving cars into tornados, the trailer is just chaotic as you’d expect. Look forward to seeing more of this game at Square Enix’s press conference on 12th June 2018, 1am GMT+8.
Gears POP! and Gears Tactics
Funko Pop meets Gears of War with this new mobile game called Gears POP!. Coming to iOS and Android in 2019, you can enjoy Gears of Wars in a more light-hearted fashion.
There’s also a Gears Tactics game for PC. This will be different from the third-person shooter we’re familiar with. Indeed, Gears Tactics will utilise customisable squads and equipment in a classic turn-based strategy. The game’s story takes place 12 years before Gears of War 1.
Gears 5
I suppose with God of War making rounds lately, it makes sense to ditch the acronym with Gears 5. The game moves on from James Dominic Fenix from Gears of War 4 and stars Kait, your companion from the first game.
There’s a Locust mystery to uncover, and also the implication that Kait may not be thinking straight. At its heart, Gears 5 still has the same core gameplay, so this should be enough to get fans excited.
Cyberpunk 2077
We’re finally at the end. Microsoft closes out its conference with a real good one. The last time we saw CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077 was five years ago, but the company was also juggling work with The Witcher 3 at the time.
Now, we get a look at the world that was promised to us so long ago. It certainly feels cyberpunk-ish, what with its neon lights and cyborgs. The world is vast and I can’t begin to imagine how the gameplay will play out, considering that this is still an RPG. Here’s hoping that the wait for new information isn’t much longer.
The next bulk of E3 press conferences begin tomorrow, starting with Square Enix’s on 12th June 1am GMT+8. Stay tuned for more information from E3 2018 on upcoming games and reveals.
