The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2018 is the 24th Electronic Entertainment Expo, featuring hardware manufacturers, software developers, and publishers from the video game industry.
Once again kicking off the conference, EA, who have the advantage of being the only conference of the night, usually tend to take full advantage of their show with a memorable multiplayer showcase, such as we saw with Battlefield 1 and Star Wars Battlefront 2, though was not the case this time as they chose instead to end with FIFA of all things, which, looking at the live reception, was far from what those tuning in wanted from this opening conference. More so, hopes for Skate 4 continue to go unanswered.
Either way, the EA pre-show showed off some terrific trailers from The Sims Seasons to NFL Proving Grounds but like everyone watching, our main interest is always for the main show, so, here’s the rundown.
Battlefield V
EA had already revealed Battlefield V two weeks before this conference, as after providing a through World War 1 experience with Battlefield 1, it was inevitable Dice would move onto World War II. Needless to say, the main question being asked was how they would stand out from Call of Duty WWII, not to mention the countless other WW2 shooters we’ve already played.
Certainly these questions were answered in the opening salvo as character and vehicle customisation was confirmed as well as a host of new moves for players to pull off on the battlefield such as the ability to jump through windows, move support artillery using vehicles as well as destructible environments as showcased much like we saw in the trailer with tanks being driven through buildings.
The single player campaign / war stories this time will focuses on the untold stories and feature a mixture of male and most excitingly female soldiers being represented an aspect of WW2 certainly most overlooked with these stories set to focus on “moments of heroism to real and relatable characters”. The first of these stories Nordlys World Story will have its more detailed reveal in the Xbox Press Conference which after what we saw here is certainly an exciting prospect.
The big changes this time first off come with the removal of lootboxes and premium passes and as many predicted following the overwhelming popularity of Fornite and Player Unknown: Battleground a battle royale mode, which we can no doubt expect to see many of the other heavy hitters such as Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 also incorporating though certainly from the footage we saw this looks set to be another epic gaming experience which is more than a reskinned version of the game.
Battlefield V will release on October 19th, 2018.
FIFA 19
No EA conference is complete without their sports games and with the World Cup around the corner it was unsurprising that the first to show up is the FIFA 19. With the focus this time focused on the UEFA Championships League but like all the yearly updates for their sport titles its a title which the fans will pick up regardless just for the updated rosters. While the game officially launches on September 28th, 2018, you can now play a trial of the full game through EA Access.
Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order
EA hinted last year that several Star Wars projects were being worked on and the first of these is Respawn Entertainment’s Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order which takes place in between the third and fourth film in terms of timeline and as a result of this promises to be a much darker title. Currently, there is no footage available but it is expected for a Holiday release in 2019.
Star Wars: Battlefront II
The game’s recent release has been far from spectacular, with Dice admitting to the lack of momentum and polish, and with the Star Wars franchise in general being such a cash cow, as seen by how Disney are currently running its legacy into the ground with their brutal film release schedule, all this Star Wars are not always as shiny as they once were.
Clearly keen to bringing players back to the game, there are some big changes coming, giving an overhaul to the progression system as well as adding new character cosmetics and a popular mode called Ewok Hunt.
The game is also set for further updates with their Han Solo season to pair with the recent movie and the Extraction Mode. Summer will also see the introduction of a new squad system which allows players to easily team up with friends, a Star Fighter mode plus a large scale multiplayer sandbox focused on a new capturing command post and attacking and taking out capital ships The biggest announcement though was the introduction of the Clone Wars bringing with it the ability to play as General Grievous, Count Dooku and Anakin Skywalker.
Certainly Dice are hoping players return to the game and have clearly been listening to the feedback, but considering how tough the competition is, will these new additions be enough to bring you back?
Unravel TWO
Unravel is a title certainly close to our hearts here at Game Warp seeing how it was the first game we reviewed and its great to see Coldwood Studio returning with Unravel Two a title which this time sees you bonding with another Yarny as the game switches the focus from the theme of love to the spirit of togetherness and optimism as your two Yarny’s have to work together to solve puzzles and progress through the levels. The game can be played alone or in coop mode. In single player mode the game will blend the two characters together and separates during the puzzles.
Looking at the gameplay demonstration both single and coop modes show a fluidity in the actions. With a familiar refined landscape while the additional character allows for more complex puzzles and more fast-paced moments, Unravel Two definitely looks like a title that expands on its first game. Probably the even better news though is that Unravel Two is available right now.
Sea of Solitude
So far the EA Original projects have been pretty decent in the past 2 years with Unravel, A Way Out and Fe all having their releases. Joining the roster is Jo-Mei Games, an indie Berlin game studio with Sea of Solitude.
Written from a lonely mind, its story follows a young woman named Kay who suffers from loneliness which turns her into a monster. Her journey will see her finding out what happened to her and how to find the balance to return her to being human.
With a visually appealing setting in what looks like a sunken city and a dark monstrous character, the reveal trailer for Sea of Solitude looks like a game that could be a profound and meaningful gaming experience. Of course, it still is too early to say but it’ll be on our radar as more gameplay gets revealed.
Sea of Solitude is expected to release in early 2019.
Command & Conquer: Rivals
https://youtu.be/fyNXQpAFQJc
Command & Conquer is certainly a series with an impressive legacy and a firm favourite of real time strategy games. Now the armchair generals can take the battle on the go with Command & Conquer: Rivals an upcoming real-time strategy mobile title, with a stripped down version looking interesting enough though no doubt will resonate more after some hands on play than what the demonstration suggests.
Command & Conquer: Rivals will be releasing on iOS and Android. For Android users, the pre-alpha is available right now.
Anthem
Last year’s highlight was that Bioware and EA have an upcoming new IP called Anthem. With a brief look and a delayed release, this year’s conference ended with a showcase for the game (finally).
Set in a world left unfinished by the god, it’s resulted in a conflict with the anthem of creation. Because of that, the world is constantly reshaped and is invaded by deadly giant monsters making the necessity to don power armour known as Javelins to stay safe while you will get to play in the four different roles of ranger, colossus, interceptor and storm, each with their own Javelin suits and abilities.
The heavy emphasis of Anthem is that it will reside in a shared world. This means that the world itself changes and resolves the same for all players in the same world however the option will also be there for the single player experience which will take place in its own removed world. Bioware however have plans to constantly add to the world with new events, stories and moments after the games release with the current plans looking at this being a long term project for Bioware.
Anthem will release on February 22, 2019
Overall this was actually a pretty disappointing conference from EA who compared to previous years had a lot less to bring to the table, even as we got a couple of exciting indie titles with Sea of Solitude and Unravel Two. Clearly, they are banking heavily on the success of Anthem.