PC Gaming Show
The Good
· Big Titles Missed In Other Shows
With E3 having gone fully digital this year, there was less room for earth-shattering announcements. As a result, many a big release had to be left out of press conferences. By covering a broad range of studios and genres, the PC Gaming Show made up for this. Dying Light 2, Orcs Must Die 3, Chivalry 2; these were just some of the big titles on display. With the PC being an open and varied system, the event was again free to vary up its content. Many conferences promised there was something for everyone at their shows this year, but only PC Gaming can come close to measuring up.
· Valve’s Appearance And Steam Integration
Valve Corporation has always been at the forefront of PC Gaming. After many years of absence from the development scene, they returned last year with Half-Life: Alyx. Their push back into the game-making business continued as Gabe Newell joined the event, announcing the Steam Next Fest and a wider engagement with the community. Valve were tight-lipped for years when it came to updates; now they’re re-engaging with the masses. Now all we need is word on their next big project.
The Bad
· Too Many Influencers And Skits
If one presentation is straightforward and structured, another is more than a bit cringe-worthy. That’s exactly what happened at the PC Gaming Show; sandwiched in-between the trailers and announcements were many influencers attempting to spice things up. It didn’t go according to plan as these moments were rather forced and cringe-worthy. Celebrity appearances at E3 rarely work and can lead to some very embarrassing moments. This wasn’t the worst I’ve seen from the show but they needed to be toned down.
· An Awkward Presentation Style
Equally as unengaging as the influencers was the overall presentation. This time the digital event was a combination of presenters Sean Plott, Mika Burton and Frankie Ward. While their style certainly isn’t awful, their efforts to lighten the mood with some mild humour fell flat. The interjections ranged from unfunny to average most of the way through. Be that as it may, the show tends to keep the same presenters each year and they don’t reach irritating levels.
The Verdict
The PC Gaming Show continues to match the diverse library of the platform, but its style of presentation is a bit of a headscratcher. Breaking up the game announcements with some awkward attempts at humour didn’t work too well and neither did the many guest appearances. Regardless, the variety on display and some big-name appearances hold it up. Nothing brilliant, but an acceptable effort.
6/10 (Fair)
Capcom
The Good
· An Ace Attorney Collection On The Way
Much of Capcom’s presentation was smoke and mirrors, but there was a new Ace Attorney put on display. With its colourful style and personality, this courtroom puzzler continues to entertain. The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is a compilation of two releases with a heavy number of features bolted on. Much like the Mega Man collections before them, this is a great way to bring in new fans to the series with a fully featured package. This announcement is slightly muted with its place as a re-release.
The Bad
· Very Few New Titles Or Announcements
Much like Square Enix before them, Capcom’s E3 presser didn’t raise excitement levels and this came down to the lack of new material. Devil May Cry, Monster Hunter and Resident Evil have all proven successful, but they were all narrowly confined to content updates and DLC packs. These efforts needed to be balanced out with a set of new projects that can take advantage of new hardware. If nothing else, there are many Capcom franchises that beg to be put through their paces.
· No Showing Of Resident Evil 4 Remake
Continuing the momentum of RE2 and RE3 remake, Capcom announced they were working on a reimagined Resident Evil 4. It’s a lofty undertaking, considering how revered the original is, but the remake was nowhere to be seen at Capcom’s event. Instead of detailing what the new RE4 could be like, the studio chose to focus on DLC for Resident Evil 8 instead. It’s been some time since the remake announcement and the lack of presence at E3 2021 really hurt Capcom’s event.
The Verdict
While it wasn’t as unbearable as Gearbox’s event, Capcom’s success in recent years did not translate into their E3 2021 showing. Much like other companies, they didn’t have very much to present. It was mostly a case of updating games already on the market and the occasional new announcement. Considering the projects they have in the pipeline; this event was a big waste of time.
3/10 (Bad)
Nintendo Direct
The Good
· Smash Ultimate’s Continued Crossovers
Super Smash Bros Ultimate continues to be a massive hit and its constant stream of character additions is keeping the title humming along. Ultimate has proven itself to be a celebration of not just Nintendo characters, but gaming as a whole and this trend is fuelling many standout character reveals. The latest franchise to join the line-up is Tekken; this popular series is another great fit for Smash and that image of Kazuya Mishima once again sent a shockwave through the fan’s expectations. It’s great to see the title surprise players after several years.
· A New 2D Metroid
3D Metroid was absent from Nintendo Direct, but a new 2D title generated a lot of buzz. Metroid Dread can trace its development roots back to the nineties, but was resurrected at Nintendo’s show. While it was a fairly simple trailer, the game looks very promising. It’s picking up the horror elements from Metroid Fusion and running with them. That sense of being chased by an unstoppable nemesis hasn’t been seen in the series for years. That in itself makes Dread a massively anticipated title for the fans. Knowing Nintendo’s commitment to their major franchises, we’re sure to have another hit.
· Further Details on Breath Of The Wild 2
Easily the most anticipated release in Nintendo’s lineup, The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of the Wild 2 entered development in 2019. It’s rare to see a major title recieve a follow-up and the Japanese developer only does it when they feel there’s a massive amount to expand upon. The details were kept to a modest trailer but many tantalising mysteries persist; why is Link’s arm robotic? What threat will Hyrule face from a rejuvenated Ganon? It’s slow going, but a game this massive requires plenty of time to cook. The excitement is sure to run high in the lead-up to release in 2022.
The Bad
· A Weaker Third-Party Output
While the Nintendo Switch has secured its share of third-party releases, but E3 2021 saw relatively slim pickings. Specifically, the lack of further releases from major third-party studios. While the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X are set to receive a hefty portion of new releases; an indication from Nintendo with a handful of trailers would help to keep the momentum going. The studio has seen third-party support dry up before; they can’t afford to make that mistake again.
· No Metroid Prime 4 or Bayonetta 3
While Metroid Dread and Breath Of The Wild 2 both look great, there are other titles that haven’t been seen for a long time. Namely Metroid Prime 4 and Bayonetta 3; two highly anticipated sequels that haven’t received any new updates. Nintendo isn’t putting out any new hardware so it’s a bit baffling that these titles are still stuck in development hell. Once again, we have first party releases missing in action. Perhaps some news will arrive next year.
· Repeated Announcements From Ubisoft
Some games inevitably cross over from one conference to another, but the ones seen at Nintendo’s event slowed down the pace. Releases like Just Dance 2022 and Mario and Rabbids: Sparks Of Hope were repeated verbatim from Ubisoft Forward. It’s a shame that Nintendo continues to rely on these simplistic components to fill out the runtime. In future, they could look to different demonstrations of alternative viewpoints on current titles.
The Verdict
Nintendo’s strong performance with the Switch continues at a steady pace. Some massive titles are in development, but not all of them made it to this year’s show. This direct feed was well done. If it wasn’t for some lacking announcements from anyone outside of Nintendo, it could have been the best of this year’s show. As it stands, this event was just passable; the first-party announcements weren’t quite enough to put them on top this year.
6/10 (Fair)
Click here for the final part of my E3 2021 post-mortem.
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