It’s quiet in game news… too quiet… Or maybe everyone is holding his or her breath for coming E3!
So what are the 5 things I expect most from E3 2015 and what about my 3 plausible yet unlikely predictions?
The next gen has been around long enough to call them current gen again and developers have been messing around with the major platforms for a while now. I guess it’s time to show us what this generation of consoles is capable of by showcasing some major power and lots of indie games. Because Yes, I think the era of indies is finally coming around.
5) Nintendo announcing an Amiibo only game
With Disney Infinity and Skylanders having record sales Nintendo would be absolutely bonkers not to create an equally childfriendly digital playground to house all the Amiibo characters. Prepare for an expensive list Santa, because I can feel the rise of what I like to call Nintendo’s Amiibo Island Deluxe Paradise Edition, a game where your kids have to collect them all and you will be spending your wages hunting on eBay for that one golden Mario. Because only he can break the golden blocks obstructing your kid to advance to the next level.
No but seriously, I’m sure this is coming…
4) Halo 5 Live gameplay of the first level topped with another epic trailer
Yes Halo 5 is still a thing. At least that’s what they’ve told me. I remember being so stoked by the first announcement quite some time ago. But the lack of info and gameplay made me forget completely about it. I mean this game is a major selling point for XBONE and I have seen friends buying PS4’s because they had forgotten all about Halo 5. Dear 343, blow us away with some actual footage and claim back your lost Spartans!
3) No Man’s Sky hijacking the SONY press conference
So NMS has come a long way since the friendly developers at Hello Games crafted an algorithm to program an infinite universe. From indie to highlight and most anticipated game it left no one untouched to what a small studio can deliver with the right tools and creativity. Sony has done a great job at embracing NMS and I bet they will have them showcase some more endeavours in that fancy universe of theirs. And yes, I am stoked to become a galactic smuggler or pirate, or adventurer, or discoverer, or…
2) Prepare your pennies because here are the indies!
I found myself more attracted to indie games lately, I haven’t even touched my last triple A games. I even forgot to pre-order some of them… And strangely I don’t care at all? I have been captured by the indies with their captivating stories and visual styles. I found myself crying in a game where no words were used. I think the power of indie games is a thing we underestimated for too long and now the rise is upon us. Great art styles, music that is a part of your game experience and the freedom to explore new ways of controlling your game. these are the things I love about indie games. “Indie” is no longer a pejorative name. The quality of their games is in some cases higher than those of some recent unpolished triple A games. It’s time for the Bollywood of gaming to take a high and teach some corporate developers what they’ve forgotten; gaming should be fun, original and doesn’t’t require DLC.
1) ZELDA WiiU
Zelda, I won’t hide it; It has been my favourite franchise since I had my first handheld console. In all honesty, I’m afraid. Afraid of another Skyward Sword… or another Twlight Princess… Let me elaborate; Skyward Sword wasn’t a bad game but where was the exploring? I want to get lost in a world. Find some hidden grottos and creatures. I don’t want to go from a “main hub” to a separate part of Hyrule. I want to sail to the next area, or get there by horseback and get side-tracked by a voice, a glimmering in the trees etc. Now from what I’ve seen until now it seems that this fear has been destroyed already. But why do I fear another Twilight Princess? Well TP was released on the GameCube and on the Wii. Which led to restraining what could’ve been an even better game! With Nintendo having announced their next console ‘NX’ I fear the game will be pushed back and tweaked to meet the NX’s launch… But I’m pretty sure they will be able to show us some new footage and even the princess herself.
3) Nintendo showing their smartphone games
So it’s no secret to everyone (!) that Nintendo will release 5 mobile games to smartphones around the world. My hopes are a Pokémon game and a top down Zelda game! Maybe they’ll go for a retro look on the latter, but I’d be happy as a puppy with that announcement.
2) GTA V gets official Project Morpheus support this fall
Since the wearables have been announced a couple of years ago I have seen mods to walk around in Skyrim or even retro DOOM. I even had the chance to play a classic 3D Duke Nukem with an Oculus strapped to my eyes. It made me dream; Imagine strolling around in Vespucci Beach with the comfort and immersion of the Oculus Rift/Project Morpheus… Or diving, biking, driving, flying, falling, heisting, hunting, drinking, brawling or dying. See, I didn’t mention going to the stripclub.
1) Pokémon 20th Anniversary Kanto Game
Remember February 27th 1996? Sure you remember that day was International Polar Bear Day! But more importantly this day was the official release of Pokémon Red and Blue on the Nintendo Gameboy. I am pretty sure they will be remastering the Kanto region for 3DS in some way to honor the original games. Be it in the form of Red/Green/Blue or even a banana-yellow cartridge sporting the official mascot! Finally the 3d remastering will allow us to move that damn truck in front of the SS Anne.
