FALLOUT 4 / Bethesda
Earlier today Nintendo kicked E3 off in their famous non-traditional way by announcing some huge things for SUPER SMASH BROS. on the Wii U and 3DS. Now, in their very first press conference at E3, game studio Bethesda had some exciting things to share as well.
To kick things off, id Software came to stage to show off the latest build of DOOM. Yes, the same DOOM that filled your little nerd brain with blood soaked first person nightmares as a child. Audience members were treated to a crap ton of (supposedly) in-game footage featuring the same amount of fast-paced carnage fans of the series has become comfortable with…if thats a good thing or not I do not know. The first thing I noticed was just how fast, fluid, disgustingly violent, and oddly nostalgic everything felt. For me, the sounds of the doors opening, the gurgle of the demons, and the item pick-ups harkened back to the days when I first traversed the gloomy halls of a DOOM game frantically looking for the next damn key card. My point is, DOOM looks fresh yet true to what came before. We were also shown a hectic multiplayer mode that really had me yearning for a true “Arena Style” death match. This looks pretty damn classic and fun to me. And finally id Software shared a pretty impressive create-a-map mode called “Snapmap” that, while it looks stellar, I will likely never use. I appreciate the time and effort put into modes like this, but my 30+ year old ass just doesn’t have the time (patience?) unless it’s really easy and immersive. All in all, DOOM looks pretty sweet.
Next we briefly, and I mean briefly, got a taste of BATTLECRY; an online action heavy team based combat game. Some of the team classes being featured were unveiled and we got a decent amount of gameplay footage to go with it all. The game looks super fast, a bit unpolished still, and I’m not too excited about it just yet. In a world filled with so many online multiplayer experiences, I just need to be convinced a little more that this is something I need to try.
Then, in a somewhat expected move (with online rumor mills and whatnot), Bethesda and Arkane studios officially announced DISHONORED 2. While we were just treated to a very cool cut-scene, I’m still excited that this is on the horizon because the first game in the series was so stellar. So not a lot of details emerged just yet, but this mainly served as an official “hey, calm down, it’s on the way” kind of thing. Ok…I’ll calm down now. They also announced a “Definitive Edition” to be released this Fall including the first game and all the DLC in once fancy pants collection. Cool.
Then, even though it already came out, we took a peek at ELDER SCROLLS ONLINE for the home consoles. While I’ve decided I don’t have time for this game, seeing how I need to beat SKYRIM still and am knee deep in THE WITCHER 3 at the moment, it does look fantastic…and there are armored bears that you can ride! Alright, the armored bears may get me to play this one. Fine. There was also mention of a Free to Play card game featuring the ELDER SCROLLS universe called THE ELDER SCROLLS LEGENDS that looked pretty sharp.
And last but not least, we were treated to a lengthy FALLOUT 4 presentation that knocked my damn stinky socks off! Game director Todd Howard presented one hell of a presentation that set the bar for E3 this year. We saw a lot of gameplay footage and learned about a lot of new features that game has to offer. Some take aways for me, besides the beautiful environments, included being able to play before the bombs drop (!), a sweet ass looking create-a-charater mode (!), and the return of a tasty dog companion! You can create a male and female character and the game will use your creations to make a baby combining elements of the two. SO cool. To go one step further, it was revealed that there is a name recognition element to the game where, if you choose something somewhat common, the in game characters will actually refer to you by name out loud. Yeah! The game is set in a stylized Boston featuring all the great rustic and ravaged landscapes you love from previous installments. Additional features not expected include the ability to build your own base from found objects, the ability to craft insanely unique weapons (hundreds of options!), and the ability to modify a body suit of armor putting Tony Stark’s creations to damn shame! Basically the level of customization and personalization this time around is unbelievable. Much appreciated! And the cheery on top is that the game will be released THIS YEAR on November 10th 2015. Can’t wait until then, Bethesda also unveiled a FREE game for smartphones called FALLOUT SHELTER that has players building their own shelters that they need to maintain and protect. It actually looks well worth your time and should be available as you read this…assuming the servers are not overloaded which they likely are.
All in all, Bethesda put on a hell of a show and I am beyond excited for FALLOUT 4 later this year. Stay tuned as we will be covering E3 2015 all week! Comment below and download that Free FALLOUT SHELTER game right now. Check out the full conference in the video below from Bethesda’s youtube channel.
