Ubisoft Forward
The Good
· Good Showings For Mario And Rabbids, Rocksmith+ And Riders Republic
Ubisoft didn’t have much in the way of standout announcements, but three titles did stand out for me. A follow-up to Mario and Rabbids looks to continue the partnership with Nintendo and Riders Republic is a racing game heavily focused on extreme sports that’s sure to boast some good variety. But it’s Rocksmith in particular that seems like a genuine passion project, a deep and complex tool for those looking to learn the instrument. It’s very niche by design, but the fact they’re still supporting it after a decade is impressive. The title is one of the few Ubisoft titles that doesn’t feel wholly corporatized or constrained by a generic formula.
· New Experiments For Far Cry
Far Cry 6 may have had a fairly basic showing, but afterwards we were treated to something a bit different. For the first time, you’ll get to play as the bad guy across three entries of the Far Cry series; this has a lot of potential. The series is well known for charismatic antagonists who monologue their thoughts to the player. What would it be like to walk in their shoes? Getting a peek inside their warped minds of Vaas, Pagan Min and Joseph Seed is a different direction, one that could flip the series on its head. These experiences will be contained within the season pass for Far Cry 6 so we’ll still need to watch that closely.
The Bad
· Ubisoft’s Moviemaking Efforts
Going off on a tangent, Ubisoft revealed Werewolves Within, a new live-action film set for release this year. It’s based on the game that arrived back in 2016. Long-time readers of the blog will know that I wasn’t a fan of the company’s Hollywood debut. With the Assassin’s Creed movie being as bad as it was, I don’t expect Werewolves Within to be much better. The trailer was filled with kooky modern humour that won’t entertain everyone. It’s debatable whether Ubisoft should keep using its time and resources on these projects.
· No Beyond Good And Evil 2 Or Skull And Bones
Several fan-bases were left wanting at Ubisoft Forward this year, their progress once again left to the background. The biggest offenders here were Beyond Good And Evil 2 and Skull And Bones. Both titles are relatively large in scale and have been kept behind closed doors for some time. An update on their progression to new console hardware or development direction would have been greatly appreciated. As it stands, their absence really dampened Ubisoft’s conference overall.
· Weaker Expansions And Side Efforts
While some major releases were intriguing, the heavy use of side content went in the opposite direction. Rainbow Six: Extraction isn’t doing anything that hasn’t been done already by Left 4 Dead or its successor Back 4 Blood. As expected, the announcement of yet another Just Dance title was an eye-roll, as was the addition of further content to Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. On the whole, very few of these side packages hit the mark which speaks to Ubisoft’s continued milking of DLC and the most popular market trends.
The Verdict
Ubisoft has been off the cutting edge for a while now and that trend continued in 2021; there’s just not a whole lot to get excited about. The company still refuses to make bolder steps and with a new console generation they needed to go the extra mile. The fact that more of Far Cry 6 was shown off at Microsoft’s conference emphasises that the French studio doesn’t have that wow factor at major events.
5/10 (Mediocre)
Gearbox Software
The Good
· Homeworld 3 Put Into Production
The only bright spot in an otherwise useless event, Homeworld 3 marks the return of an often-overlooked franchise. While it’s still early days for development, the team behind the project appears passionate and committed. It goes to show that the franchise’s remastered collection has reinvigorated interest in the community.
The Bad
· Gearbox’s Awkward Hollywood Debut
Much like Ubisoft, Gearbox is having a crack at filmmaking with the Borderlands movie. Directed by Eli Roth, the property is well suited to an adult-oriented blockbuster. Judging by the showcase though, you wouldn’t know it. Much of it involved CEO Randy Pitchford wandering around the set talking to various celebrities. Little of value was revealed and the whole thing came off very contrived. If you want to build anticipation for a video-game movie, this certainly isn’t the way to do it.
· Too Much Focus On Borderlands
While it is the publisher’s premiere franchise, far too much of Gearbox’s runtime was dedicated to Borderlands. Having become a publisher in 2015, the studio needed to branch out and show how they were engaging with other developers and their projects. Unfortunately, only a tiny handful of games found their way into the show schedule. Sure, new DLC for Borderlands will be appreciated by the game’s fans, but Gearbox was begging for a wider array of titles to make their debut conference a memorable one.
· No Sign Of Brothers In Arms And Other Projects
Gearbox may be best known nowadays for a single project, but they were previously remembered for their Half-Life expansion packs and Brothers In Arms. Now was as good a time as any to resurrect the squad-based series; yet since the cancellation of Furious Four, there has been no word on a franchise many have wanted to see make a comeback. With the eyes of the community on them, Gearbox dropped the ball and didn’t discuss anything other than Borderlands and a couple of smaller releases.
The Verdict
These days it seems like many companies have the idea to put out their own conference at E3. Try as they might, Gearbox really shouldn’t have bothered. They had a pitiful offering and by putting the contentious Randy Pitchford front and centre, they had a hard time appealing to their own fans, let alone the entire gaming community. This was easily the worst offering in an already slow event.
2/10 (Terrible)
Microsoft And Bethesda
The Good
· Bringing The Big Names In The AAA Scene
By pulling in audiences from both Xbox and PC crowds, Microsoft has slowly positioned itself as a studio that caters to both platforms equally. In this way, they’ve also secured a series of more engaging showcases. Far Cry 6 received a glimpse at gameplay, Forza Horizon 5 took the franchise into Mexico and Arkane Studios’ Redfall added a new IP to the company’s banner. In terms of size and scale, the Microsoft and Bethesda conference was packing the best selection; not bad for a twenty-year commemoration...
· Halo Infinite: A Massively Improved Showing
Since it was pushed back from the Series X launch day, Halo Infinite has remained a highly anticipated title for the Xbox brand. After a director left the project, some wondered if the game would succeed. Following many years of ire and controversy from the fanbase, 343 Industries made a big comeback this year. In both campaign and multiplayer modes, they’re really trying to make this entry the best it can be. The studio is going all-in on recapturing the spirit of the series and while we don’t have all the details, the presentation was very impressive to the fans.
· Solid Incorporation Of Bethesda And Other Studios
Microsoft has been on a bit of a buying spree as of late; they’re keen to expand their line-up by acquiring various studios. For a long time, the corporation garnered a reputation for snagging developers and putting them onto projects they felt were most profitable, especially with Rare. I was very pleased to see they’re now being more flexible. Obsidian Entertainment will be continuing The Outer Worlds with a sequel and Double Fine’s Psychonauts 2 is looking like a brilliant platformer for Xbox hardware. It’s a clear sign that Phil Spencer’s leadership has taken the brand in the right direction.
The Bad
· A Lacklustre Starfield Showcase
Both Microsoft and Bethesda bigged up Starfield as one of the biggest games of the show; it all boiled down to a CG trailer that doesn’t tell us anything about the final product. With competition from Obsidian and the disaster of Fallout 76, Bethesda has a mountain to climb to redeem themselves. The only detail worth mentioning about Starfield at E3 2021 is that it will run on Creation Engine 2. Having used the same tech for over a decade, it’s high time for an upgrade. Here’s hoping this will also cut down on the bugs...
· Some Re-Releases With Lower Fanfare
The wide variety of titles at the Microsoft event was a high point, but some of these had more fanfare than others. Re-releasing titles has grown in popularity in recent years; the risk of putting out a less-than-impressive port is all too tempting. Diablo II is on the way to modern hardware, but unless you’re a mega-fan of this franchise, this announcement is unlikely to set the world on fire. These moments stand out as for the most part, the level of imagination on display at Microsoft’s conference was strong.
The Verdict
Easily the best entry of the E3 2021 pressers, Microsoft has proven their place in the console races is steadfast and committed. In previous years, I’ve been very critical of the corporation for not creating a compelling reason to buy an Xbox Series X. This year though, I take it back; Microsoft’s focus on building an accessible platform with great value to boot makes a compelling proposition. To them, it’s no longer about locking exclusives to a single console, but striking out in a different direction that includes a broader offering. This puts them at the top of the event this year.
7/10 (Good)
Square Enix
The Good
· The Debut Of Guardians Of The Galaxy
While their first effort into the Marvel Cinematic Universe was a big disappointment, Square is pushing on with their next project. Guardians Of The Galaxy appears to be a more single-player focused affair. The announcement that you can only play as Peter Quill/Starlord is a disappointment, but so far the game is capturing the look and style of the property. With some witty writing and an extended quest, it could wash out the bad taste of Marvel’s Avengers. We’ll see how they handle the license this time around.
· Decent Showings For Babylon’s Fall And Life Is Strange
Square Enix has ventured into lower-budget releases over the last decade and this has resulted in several successful franchises. Arguably the biggest is Life Is Strange, an episodic title in the similar style to Telltale releases. This series has been noted for its progressive and emotional stories; it will continue this year with Life Is Strange: True Colours. In addition, Babylon’s Fall marks a partnership with PlatinumGames; this title is also coming along nicely.
The Bad
· Continued Let-downs From The Wider Marvel License
While Guardians Of The Galaxy has its fans, the wider treatment of the MCU by Square remains incredibly lacklustre. Dedicating a portion to the failing Marvel’s Avengers was an ill-conceived move. Owning the creative license to these characters is one thing, but what you do with them is another. Spider-Man on PS4 has set the bar tremendously high for all superhero games; until the publisher gets their priorities straight on crafting a compelling title, they’ll have no chance to make an impression.
· Few Big Franchises On Show
While Babylon’s Fall and Life Is Strange are keeping the middle-market going for Square, the AAA scene was very lacking at the conference. There was no sign of Final Fantasy VII Remake’s next chapter and other franchises like Tomb Raider and Deus Ex were nowhere to be found. The latter in particular could be greatly enhanced on new hardware and Square Enix should be taking advantage of this. As it stands, we’ll be kept waiting a while longer.
The Verdict
Aside from some passable debuts and a continued focus on smaller scale franchises, Square Enix at E3 2021 was a big let-down. They insist on products that have already fallen short while refusing to return to their more popular properties. This should have been the time to take steps into a new console generation, but instead they settled for the status quo. Next time, they’ll need to be a lot more ambitious to keep gamers engaged with what they have to offer.
4/10 (Disappointing)
Click here for part 2 of my E3 2021 breakdown.
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