The 2017 Electronic Entertainment Expo — E3 — is now officially underway in Los Angeles, but some of the video game industry’s biggest presentations have already dropped. With Nintendo, PlayStation and Xbox all looking to battle for console supremacy, this year’s presentations were highly anticipated by game fans all over the world. Did they live up to the hype? Let’s dive in and find out: first up is our special review of the PlayStation conference!
As the reigning industry leader in sales for the current generation of consoles, PlayStation decided to keep things relatively straightforward during their presentation, rattling off a litany of new titles coming to the console over the next year. In addition, a heavy focus on their new VR titles was emphasized in a full —if unspectacular — presentation. PlayStation knew where it stood in the marketplace, and decided not to rock the boat with this year’s showcase; there is still plenty to unpack, however.
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End has a new standalone DLC title coming, as The Lost Legacy looks to provide fans with a fresh new quest-line to explore. The popular series will see Chloe Frazer (first introduced in the second game) take the lead in this expansion, working with — and against — Uncharted 4 mercenary and villain Nadine Ross. Set in India, gamers won’t have to wait long to jump back into the world of Uncharted: The Lost Legacy drops on August 22.
Another major series seeing its next installment drop in the coming year is God of War, the epic action-adventure series in the midst of something of a reboot. The new title is the first in the series since 2013’s prequel Ascension for the PS3 and 2015’s God of War III remaster for the PS4. The series’s main character, the demigod Kratos, returns for the eighth time, though the focus in this new direction sees an influx of Norse Mythology into the property. In addition to their super-hero properties, few games got quite as much play during the presentation as God of War: it lands on the PS4 in early 2018.
Two new superhero titles are in development: the first covered was the previously-announced Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite fighting game, the sixth in the series. What’s interesting to note is the heavy emphasis on the game’s story and cinematics during the presentation, which could indicate a subtle shift in the direction of the series — it’s slated for September 19 release date. The other, more noteworthy announcement came at the conclusion of the showcase with a lengthy sneak-peek at the upcoming PS4 exclusive, Spider-Man. Originally announced at last year’s E3, delays will push the game back to 2018. Though much of the presentation showed game play footage, it’s worth noting that this game has no tie-in to existing comics or the MCU: it is a completely new storyline developed exclusively for the game.
Most Exciting Presentation – Detroit: Become Human
This game was by far the biggest surprise for the PS4 conference, and really brought home the potential of the current generation’s capabilities. Visually stunning, Detroit: Become Human saw quite a bit of coverage during PlayStation’s presentation, and looks to be an immersive “create your own story” sandbox-style game. The aesthetic beauty of the game, coupled with what looks to be an intriguing plot line and the “choose your adventure” theme really has us excited about the possibilities. Having been in formal development for the last two years, the game will hopefully have a 2018 release date.
Biggest Disappointment – No Last of Us Part II
We knew that there would be a heavy focus on their VR titles (including yet another port of Skyrim), but one of the big rumored titles absent from this year’s presentation was The Last of Us Part II, the anticipated sequel to the modern classic for the PS3. Instead, PlayStation went with a brand-new zombie title called Days Gone, which featured some gameplay footage in the presentation instead. While Days Gone looks OK, it isn’t The Last of Us Part II. Ostensibly, PlayStation didn’t want its new title to have to compete with the sequel to one of the greatest games of all time, so fans will have to wait at least another year.
What to Watch For – Destiny 2 and Monster Hunter: World
Destiny 2, the sequel to Bungie’s 2014 hit is on the way in September, providing one of PlayStation’s biggest 2017 titles. Even more noteworthy was the sneak peek at Monster Hunter: World, the popular Japanese action-RPG. Available across all platforms in 2018, Monster Hunter: World will be yet another major title for an already-crowded Winter 2018 field.
Final Analysis
PlayStation didn’t need to change the industry here, and they didn’t. Some people will be disappointed with this year’s conference, considering that the console is generally punting this year in preparation for a big 2018. That being said, there is still some interesting titles in the works, and if you enjoy the PlayStation VR, you got your money’s worth this year. All in all, PlayStation has had better showcases, but there are still some big moments ahead for the industry leader.
PlayStation Full Title Listing:
– Bravo Team (PlayStation VR)
– Call of Duty: WW2
– Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds (DLC)
– Days Gone
– Destiny 2
– Detroit: Become Human
– The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR (PlayStation VR)
– The Inpatient (PlayStation VR)
– God of War
– Marvel’s Spider-Man
– Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite
– Monster Hunter: World
– Monster of the Deep: Final Fantasy XV (PlayStation VR)
– Moss (PlayStation VR)
– Shadow of the Colossus
– Star Child (PlayStation VR)
– Uncharted: The Lost Legacy (DLC)