Both Nintendo and PlayStation continue to give both E3 and Summer Game Fest the middle finger by refusing to participate in either, yet still having a Direct or State of Play within the month of June (let's be honest, PlayStation having a State of Play on May 30 is pretty a "June Eve"). At least Xbox is kind enough to play along to with Geoff Keighly and have their showcase presented in the middle of his Summer Game Fest. Nevertheless, however you want to look it, June is the month where the big 3 video game console makers compete with one another to earn your hard-earned cash through glorified commercials. Of course, the ultimate winners and losers are determined by who does indeed earn the money, but it's still fun to speculate who won and who lost based off their presentation. Although I did not plan to do this, since E3 is dead and Summer Game Fest is a sad, fake imitation, I still thought it would be fun to share what I liked and didn't like, who I thought won and lost. I will be sticking to the big 3 video game console makers, although I will give an honorable mention shout-out to Ubisoft, who still insisted on having a live event, albeit all the games presented had prerecorded footage. I will go in order presented.
PLAYSTATION STATE OF PLAY
PlayStation's State of Play began with Concord. Concord seems to be PlayStation's answer to Overwatch, Valiant or APEX Legends, just that it's exclusive to the PlayStation 5 (PC doesn't count). Concord also feels like it was originally meant to be Guardians of the Galaxy version of Overwatch,Valiant, or APEX Legends, for all the characters have that same vibe, but for some reason or another, Firewalk couldn't get the rights from Marvel, so they just made original characters. In fact, I would describe Concord as a tactical hero shooter with Guardians of the Galaxy-like characters. I can't see this as a hit. Overwatch, Valiant and APEX Legends don't have the limitations of a console exclusive (PC doesn't count), but Concord does. I imagine that some people will try Concord out, but they will eventually go back to Overwatch, Valiant or APEX Legends.
Second, PlayStation announced that God of War: Ragnarök was coming to PC, including all the DLC. To me, this felt too little too late. By the time God of War: Ragnarök reaches PC, it will be out on PS4 and PS5 for 1 year 10 months. I find it very hard that PC gamers have held out for 1 year 10 months for this game if they really wanted to play it. I imagine the gamers who wanted to play it have already played it on PS4 or PS5. By bringing out God of War: Ragnarök for PC 1 year and 10 months later, PlayStation will only squeeze out a few more sales, but not a lot.
Third, PlayStation announced Dynasty Warriors: Origins. I don't know, but after having a Dynasty Warriors game with Legend of Zelda characters and Fire Emblem characters, any other Dynasty Warriors game just feels too vanilla. I fear that Dynasty Warriors: Origins falls under that category.
Fourth, PlayStation followed up with Infinity Nikki, which looked and felt like a Genshin Impact clone, which is a Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild rip-off. A copy of a copy never does well. I can't see anything that shakes up the formula.
Fifth, PlayStation presented Ballard of Antara. Without any actual gameplay footage, I couldn't tell you what this game supposed to be about. After doing a quick Google search, I found out it's an action RPG, but again, without gameplay footage, I can't see how it shakes up the formula.
Sixth, PlayStation presented Skydance's Behemoth. This look like a cross between Skyrim and Dark Souls. The only thing it's got going for it is that it's a PSVR2 game.
Seventh, to continue with PSVR2, PlayStation introduced Alien: Rogue Incursion. See, I think this was the better announcement for PSVR2. The Alien franchise already has a set fan base; you're now just introducing another way to enjoy the world of Alien. I could see this working well as a PSVR2 game, especially with the horror aspect.
Eighth, back to PS5, PlayStation announced Marvel Rivals. Now see, this is what Concord probably wanted but never got. Not only does Marvel Rivals include Guardians of the Galaxy, but it also includes so many more Marvel superheroes. And since it will be available on both PS5 and Xbox Series, I imagine this will do so much better than Concord.
Ninth was Where Winds Meet, another game with an ancient Japan look and feel, yet it is not Ghost of Tsushima. I feel like this is just a tease at this point. Again, we saw 2 people fighting, but without a gameplay trailer, we have no idea how this game plays.
Tenth, Until Dawn is finally making the jump from PS4 to PS5. My feelings toward this is the same as God of War: Ragnarök. This is only for sales to a really niche audience. The only ones I can imagine wanting this game would be those who skipped out on the PS4 but got the PS5. Even so, the PS5 is backwards compatible to the PS4, so it should still play Until Dawn. I imagine the PS5 version will come with graphical upgrades, but how much better can the graphics get for brutally murdering teenagers with typical horror tropes?
Eleventh, Path of Exile 2 made one of the better announcements. Those who love the Diablo series will love Path of Exile 2. On top of that, it has cross-play and cross-progression with the Xbox Series. All these are major wins for fans of the first Path of Exile game.
Twelfth, another good showing would have to be the 2024 remake of Silent Hill 2. It looks like Bloober Team made a good, faithful remake. It looks and feels like Silent Hill 2. Of course, I've been let down by these kind of promises, so we will see how it plays out in the future.
Thirteenth, Monster Hunter Wilds looks pretty, but Monster Hunter Rise is the best selling game on the Nintendo Switch that is not published by Nintendo, and that game is nowhere near as pretty, but it still sold well. My point is that PlayStation can't sell game just because it's pretty on the system. Besides, it will look just as pretty on the Xbox Series. Still, Monster Hunter fans will like it, just based off of looks alone.
Finally, PlayStation closed out its State of Play with Astro Bot 2. PlayStation did indeed save the best for last. Astro Bot 2 has to be the best game presented. Whereas the first game was a love letter to PlayStation hardware, this second game will be a love letter to PlayStation software, the franchises and series that made PlayStation fanboys. I hate to say this, but this might be as close as anybody will ever see a PlayStation All-Stars 2. This is the game I liked the most, and this is the game that got me the most excited. I hope all the PlayStation fanboys felt the same.
In recent years, it seems like PlayStation wants its games to be just interactive cinematic movies, thanks to the success of games like Heavy Rain, The Last Of Us, Detroit: Become Human, Horizon Zero Dawn and Ghost of Tsushima. The only problem is that the gameplay ends up being the same, where all these games are so focused on telling a story, that the gameplay is reduced down to combat, crafting, and the occasional puzzle solving. The drawback of this when it comes to presenting State of Plays is that all the audience gets is cinematic trailers that give no clue into how the game plays. I have no idea Infinity Nikki, Ballad of Antara, Skydance's Behemoth or Where Winds Meet plays. I can just assume it's more combat, crafting and occasional puzzle solving. It's hard for me to get excited for a game when I don't know what I'll be doing. Even more baffling is that, if PlayStation knows its strength is in these interactive cinematic games, then why show tactical hero shooters, like Concord and Marvel Rivals? Stick to what you know! The presentation of God of War: Ragnarök for the PC and Until Dawn for PS5 also baffles me because it does little to nothing to let everybody know there's now another way to play. Surely PlayStation can do better than this.
+Positives+: Figured out how to be concise in little over a half hour, giving PSVR2 some time in the State of Play
-Negatives-: Too many cinematic trailers and not enough gameplay trailers, relying too much on story that leaves gameplay generic, too much time spent on Concord, having both Concord and Marvel Rivals shown off at the same time seemed kind of redundant, God of War: Ragnarök for the PC and Until Dawn for PS5 introduces a small new audience to these games, less than half the games of their competitors
~Top 3 Games~: AstroBot 2, Silent Hill 2 Remake, Path of Exile 2
*Medal*: Bronze
XBOX GAMES SHOWCASE
The Xbox Games Showcase starts off with Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. I'm going to cheat a little bit here and include the segment directly after the Xbox Games Showcase, although it was technically not part of the Xbox Games Showcase. The entry of Black Ops section of Call of Duty takes place in the post-Cold War 90s. For the first time, players will "go rogue against the machine that created them," which a fresh take on Call of Duty franchise generally and Black Ops series specifically. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 does an excellent job of tying together all previous Black Ops. Just like Assassin's Creed: Shadows (more on that later), Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 does an excellent job of giving the gamer the choice of playing a stealth game or action combat game, which is fitting considering the gamer is suppose to play like he or she is part of a team of rogue militants. The developers clearly put a lot of money, time, resources, effort and dedication into the single-player campaign, which is saying a lot, especially in light of the lack thereof in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. This is probably the best looking Call of Duty game to date, paying attention down to fine details, like dirt in the nails. I like the blend of realism and hyper-realism the developers put into the game. The segment did go a lot into multiplayer, but I really didn't care for it, since I'm not much into multiplayer gaming. It sounds like the return to traditional prestige was something highly demanded by the fans. They tried to make the zombies mode of multiplayer new and improved, but it sounded like the same old zombies mode to me. In fact, I would have a hard time distinguish it from any other game that a zombies mode. All in all, I can ultimately say that I can see Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 not only the best game in the Black Ops series, but also the best game in the Call of Duty franchise.
Second, Xbox announced Doom: The Dark Ages. Apparently it's supposed to be a prequel to the 2016 Doom reboot and Doom Eternal. Ah, who cares? It looks and feels like Doom, so it's just more Doom, and that's all Doom fans care about and want.
Third, Xbox announced State of Decay 3. I will admit that in today's day and age it's hard to keep all these zombie shooters apart. To me, it looks like another zombie shooter. To the State of Decay fanboy, however, it looks like more of what they loved, so I think the State of Decay fan will appreciate this.
Fourth, Xbox announced Dragon Age: The Veilguard. I think this will have great appreciation. The last Dragon Age game came out in 2014. This series in 10 years overdue for a new game. While it's just another sequel, since the last entry has been so long ago, I think this sequel is well merited.
Fifth, Bethesda presented the Starfield Shattered Space DLC. I have a feeling that Starfield will be one of those games that's good once all the updates, expansion packs and DLC are released for it. I'm hoping this is a step in the right direction for Starfield, but as of right now, Starfield still feels like generic Bethesda game that takes place in space.
Sixth, Bethesda presented Fallout 76 Skyline Valley DLC. My feelings about Fallout 76 are the exact same as Starfield: it will be one of those games that's good once all the updates, expansion packs and DLC are released for it. Just like with Starfield, I'm hoping this is a step in the right direction for Fallout 76, but all I can do is hope, and we will wait and see. At least the old-time phone-a-thon presentation was a creative way to present the DLC.
Seventh, Xbox introduced Expedition 33. Expedition 33 describes itself as "ground-breaking turn-based RPG with unique real-time mechanics, making battles more immersive and addictive than ever." The trailer was a little deceiving. First, I though it was a direct sequel to Bioshock Infinite, then I thought it was a sequel to A Plague's Tail Requiem. I'm guessing Xbox is advertising this game to keep themselves in the RPG conversation. Xbox isn't really known for its RPGs. Expedition 33 works as an example on why Xbox can be a system for the RPG fan. I also think that the game's self description is a major help, for it should unite the turn-based RPG fans and the live-action RPG fans.
Eighth, Xbox Game Studios presented South of Midnight. I hate the stop-motion graphics. It would make more sense if the game had a claymation aesthetic, but without it, it just looks like a low frame rate, which is not what you want to see from the most powerful console on the market. At least we got to see some gameplay, so the viewer knows what they will be playing, if they choose to play this game. And if the soundtrack for the trailer is the soundtrack for the game, it fits well.
Ninth, Blizzard showed off World of Warcraft: The War Within. This was a good call on Microsoft's part. World of Warcraft is probably Blizzard's most famous IP. If any game or series made it worth the multi-million dollar purchase, it was World of Warcraft. Another expansion pack to the famous MMO will do no wrong for Microsoft. The only drawback is that this is obviously for PC only, so it really doesn't show off why a gamer needs as powerful of a console as the Xbox Series.
Tenth, Konami continues its remakes of Metal Gear Solid with Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater. This is a remake of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. Konami has never gone wrong with a Metal Gear Solid remake, so I can't imagine anything going wrong with this one. In fact, remaking the Hideo Kojima games seems to be the safer route than making an original Metal Gear Solid game, so keep remaking these Metal Gear Solid games, Konami!
Eleventh, Xbox Game Studio continued to show its support for Sea of Thieves, announcing a new season, season 13, coming on July 25. It seems to include a new villain, a new world event, a new weapon, a new ship, and the opportunity to become the bad guy. Sea of Thieves has to be one of the most popular IPs on Xbox right now. It's a smart move to show continual support of the IP.
Twelfth, Xbox showed off Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn. Supposedly it's an action RPG. Not the best trailer because I couldn't pick that up from any of the footage.
Thirteenth, Age of Mythology: Retold is the definitive version of Age of Mythology, an entry in the Age of Empires series. RTS games don't always get a lot of coverage, so it's nice to see an RTS game here. It's beneficial to Xbox, for it lets gamers know that the Xbox Series is console for RTS gamers, too.
Fourteenth, Rare revealed a new entry in the Perfect Dark series. Apparently, this is a reboot of the original. If I understand correctly, this reveal was quite the surprise, as nobody saw it coming. I am cautiously optimistic about this game. Ever since Xbox acquired Rare, the Perfect Dark series has been lackluster, to say the least. In 2005, Rare made for the Xbox 360 Perfect Dark Zero, a prequel to Perfect Dark, which did not receive the same hype as the first game. In 2010, Xbox 360, through the Live Arcade, got a remastering of the original game, but the remaster still did not make a 5th generation game look any better on a 7th generation console. Perhaps a 14-year hiatus is what the series needed to generation enough hype for a new game, albeit a reboot of the original. Based off the trailer, it clearly has inspirations from Assassin's Creed and Mirror's Edge. Hopefully those influences will not drown out the first person shooting that made the original so popular.
Fifteenth, Blizzard presented Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred. The graphic images warning at the beginning of the reveal trailer was kind of funny, considering other M rated games were presented before Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred with no such warning, especially for Doom: The Dark Ages. Just like with World of Warcraft: The War Within, Microsoft made an excellent decision displaying this game, for it is probably the 2nd most famous Blizzard franchise. Unlike World of Warcraft: The War Within, however, Diablo IV: The Vessel of Hatred has the advantage because it can be played on both PC and Xbox Series. In fact, according to Xbox, Xbox Series is the most popular way to play Diablo IV. It was also a good choice to display Diablo IV: The Vessel of Darkness because it showed off the power of the graphics chip. Diablo IV: The Vessel of Darkness looked stunningly beautiful, and that's saying a lot for a game like Diablo IV. While not exclusive to the Xbox Series, this presentation made it look the best on the Xbox Series.
Sixteenth, developed by Playground Games and published by Xbox Game Studio, it's Fable! Yes, just Fable. They dropped the IV. I'm not sure if this means it's considered a reboot of the series. It could be, for the trailer did not look or sound like anything I remember from the original game. Personally, I hope it is a sequel; it's just that they decided to drop the IV, but they haven't figured out a new subtitle for the game just yet. Besides that, it looks and feels like a Fable game, down to its sense of humor. I think the Fable fans will enjoy it, and they will like it even more if it's a true sequel, not just a reboot.
Seventeenth, Fragpunk looks like a combination of a shooter game and a card game. There's not many games that combine those two video game genres. The only two that come to mind is Amazing Eternals and Neon White. If Fragpunk believes it has something different from the shooter x card crossover, I'm willing to give it a try.
Eighteenth, to give the indie game space the time of day, Xbox showed off Winter Burrow, developed by Pine Creek Games. Xbox describes Winter Burrow as a combination of a cozy game and a survival game. Again, this is a video game genre combination that is rarely seen. In fact, I can't think of another game that has combined these two video game genre. Therefore, Winter Burrow has gotten me curious enough that I'm willing to try it.
Nineteenth, Annapurna Interactive presented Mix Tape. Mix Tape clearly has its influence from Life is Strange. Mix Tape is also heavily relying on nostalgia, more specifically nostalgia of being a teen in the summer of the 1980s and 1990s. I can't imagine how much they paid on music royalties alone. I do wonder who the target audience is. Anyone who was a teen in the 1980s is in their 50s in the 2020s, and anyone who was a teen in the 1990s is in their 40s in the 2020s. Therefore, the market Mix Tape is trying to reach is middle-aged gamers. Hey, more power to them. If there is a bigger market of middle-aged gamers than I think, Xbox made a wise decision presenting Mix Tape here.
Twentieth, Xbox continues to show off Microsoft Flight Simulator. This is almost like an annual tradition for them. Honestly, I don't blame them. To date, this is still one of the best games, if not the best game, that shows of the graphics capabilities of the Xbox Series. This presentation seemed to focus on aviation as a career, showing off being a commercial flight pilot, air ambulance pilot, aerial advertisement pilot, VIP charter service pilot, agricultural aviation pilot, search & rescue pilot, helicopter cargo transport pilot, remote cargo operations pilot and aerial firefighting pilot. This makes Microsoft Flight Simulator feel more like a game and less like a simulator. I'm all for that.
Twenty-first, Bethesda gave some time to Elder Scrolls Online for its 10th year anniversary. I really don't get the point of this, besides to congratulate Elder Scrolls Online for making it 10 years. Yes, it did announce that all DLC would be free for a limited time, but the trailer didn't really advertise that. Also, "We Belong" by Pat Benatar really didn't fit in the Elder Scrolls Online world. Yes, I get the whole point of saying "We belong in the world together" for a MMO, but it still felt out of place.
Twenty-second, Square Enix announced that Life Is Strange is getting another entry with Life Is Strange: Double Exposure. This time, it looks like Max's power is that she can explore alternative time dimensions. Therefore, it's her goal to solver her friend's murder in one time dimension by communicating with that very alive friend in another time dimension. It's more Life Is Strange, so if you liked Life Is Strange up to this point, you'll like Life Is Strange: Double Exposure.
Twenty-third, Bethesda showed off Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and my gosh, did they show it off! Not only does Indiana Jones looks like a young Harrison Ford, he moves like a young Harrison Ford, so much so that I swear that they somehow motion captured a young Harrison Ford. Also, on a similar note, Troy Baker somehow sounds exactly like a young Harrison Ford, so much so that you swear Harrison Ford had reprised his role. Outside Indiana Jones being a perfect digital copy of a young Harrison Ford, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle looks and feels like an Indiana Jones movie, even down to the typical Indiana Jones villain. I have only two complaints. Primarily, the trailer was all cinematic trailer and no gameplay trailer. I can only assume Indiana Jones and the Great Circle plays like a Uncharted game (after all, Uncharted was originally meant to be an Indiana Jones licensed game, but it became its own thing when it could not secure the license), but that's just an assumption. For all we know, it's just an interactive movie with quick time events. Secondarily, that title sounds so lame. Yes, I understand the purpose of the title, but still, a subtitle of "Great Circle" sounds so lame. Xbox knew what they were doing here. If Xbox can't get Uncharted because it's a PlayStation exclusive, then get Bethesda to get Lucasfilms to make an Uncharted-like game using the licensed property that Uncharted was trying to get originally. Well played, Xbox, well played.
Twenty-third, Xbox showed off Mecha Break. Eh, it's a Japanese multiplayer mech fighter. Again, I understand the purpose of showing off this game. Xbox wanted to show the fans of mech fighters that they can find a game on Xbox that appeases to them, too. It's not my cup of tea, but for those who like that video game genre, they'll like this game.
Twenty-fourth, Xbox revealed Wuchang: Fallen Feathers. Again, this is another game that would have benefited more from a gameplay trailer and less from a cinematic trailer. Apparently, it's another action RPG, but I couldn't pick that up from the cinematic trailer. I also fail to see how this game differs from any other action RPG game. You're only going to like this game if you're interesting the Ming dynastic era of China's history.
Twenty-fifth, Xbox presented Avowed. I don't think this was a wise decision on Xbox's part. This game was originally announced in 2020, and the best they could do was tell us it's coming sometime the second half of 2004. We've been waiting 4 years, and the best Xbox could give us was, "Yes, this is still a thing, it still exists, and it's coming!" Furthermore, this is a back-to-back action RPG announcement. Action RPGs are starting to flood this Xbox Games Showcase. There's very little differentiating these action RPGs, and since any RPG game will take up a bunch of time, one RPG (action or not) has to show it stands out above and beyond the rest. None of these action RPG games have done this, especially Avowed.
Twenty-sixth, Xbox announced Atomfall. Once again, a gameplay trailer would have done better than a cinematic trailer, for the cinematic trailer tells me nothing about the game. Just based off the name alone, I'm guessing Atomfall is an alternative timeline when an atom bomb falls on Great Britain during World War II? Therefore, I'm guessing Atomfall is another post-apocalypse survival game, which will contain combat, crafting and exploration. If I'm correct on the premise, the premise sounds interesting, but I'm not sure if that will carry a very generic gameplay.
Twenty-seventh, Ubisoft previewed Assassin's Creed: Shadows. Of course, you learn more about the game watching Ubisoft's Forward, so I'm going to do my best pretending like I only saw the cinematic trailer from the Xbox Games Showcase. Assassin's Creed: Shadows takes place in feudal Japan, a highly requested time period for an Assassin's Creed game to take place. That already scores so many points with so many fans. By now, Ubisoft has learned that the primary entertainment value for an Assassin's Creed game is the alternative history. Some people prefer the traditional stealth gameplay of the earlier games, while other people prefer the action combat of the later games. Ubisoft has seemed to seamlessly combine the two. One assassin is a ninja, who fights stealthily as the assassins in earlier games. The other assassin is a samurai, who fights with the head-on action combat of the later games. Now the player can choose which assassin to play as, thus choosing which gameplay style they like. Wise choice, Ubisoft.
Twenty-eighth, Xbox showed off S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2. This announcement has its pros and cons. On the pro side, this is first S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game since 2009, and the first true sequel to original in 2007. This is one of those games that has a much awaited sequel. On the con side, this game was first announced all the way back in 2012, cancelled in the same year, restarted in 2018, and it kept getting delayed. Fans may have gotten worn out waiting for this game. While it's nice to have an official release date of September 6, less than 3 months away, don't be surprised if fans have their doubts.
Twenty-ninth, Xbox introduced an all-digital Xbox Series X. I'm kind of scratching my head on this one. I thought the whole point of releasing 2 Series consoles simultaneously was that the X was meant for physical games and the S was meant for digital games. Xbox Series X all-digital sounds to me like an oxymoron or a paradox. I can't imagine anyone getting this Xbox Series X all-digital. Alongside this introduction, Xbox also introduced a Series S with a 1 TB hard drive and a Series X with a 2 TB hard drive. This hardware announcement is more worth it. With games continuing to grow in size, and with a push for digital games over physical games (unfortunately), video game home consoles need bigger hard drives, and Xbox delivers here. This does make me curious, however, about next year. Next year, Xbox Series turns 5 years old. It would be the perfect time to release a "half console" update. A bigger hard drive and an all-digital version is barely enough to qualify as a hardware update. It leaves room on the stage for a "half console" upgrade next year.
Finally, Xbox Game Studios presented Gears of War: E-Day. I will admit I have been out of touch with the Gears of War series for a long time. What I have discovered is that, apparently, Gears of War fans missed the old character and have desperately been calling for them to come back. Well, Xbox delivered with Gears of War: E-Day, a prequel. Like I said, being out of touch with the series for so long makes it hard to make an accurate judgment, but if I were a Gears of War fanboy, I imagine I would be super excited about this announcement. Way to end on a bang, Xbox!
Xbox continues to be in denial that exclusives sell consoles. Most of the games presented in the Xbox Games Showcase can be played on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and/or PC. Why would a gamer than want to buy the Xbox Series? Xbox still insists because the Xbox Series can play the game better. To contrary, players take a minor hit on graphics with the PS5, or even sometimes a major hit with graphics on the Nintendo Switch, if the can play the same game here plus play PlayStation/Nintendo exclusives (and sometimes, in the case of the Switch, it's a cheaper console). Instead, what's really keeping the Xbox Series alive is Game Pass. Most, if not all, of the games presented in the Xbox Games Showcase can be played day 1 on Game Pass. For as little as $10 a month, or as much as $17 a month, Game Pass subscribers can play most, if not all, of these games day 1, instead of having to shell out $40-70 per game, which is how gamers will have to pay for playing games shown on the PlayStation State of Play and the Nintendo Direct. Besides the benefits of Game Pass, Xbox had a lot of positives for the Xbox Games Showcase. Plenty of games from Activision/Blizzard, Bethesda and Rare proved that purchase of those three publishers were money well spent. Games from Ubisoft, Square Enix, Annapurina Interactive and Konami demonstrated that Xbox continually has support from third-party publishers. The plethora of game genres covered proved that Xbox had a game for everybody (even if action RPGs got too much attention). Xbox made 30 announcements (29 software + 1 hardware) in the span of the 1 1/4 hour Xbox Games Showcase (not counting the half hour Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 segment directly after). While one can appreciate the impactful punch PlayStation and Nintendo made in such a short time, one can also appreciate how much Xbox jam packed, warranting a long play time. Not a minute was wasted.
-Negatives-: Still a lack of console exclusives, purchased third-party publishers still making games for competitors, most third-party games play on consoles with exclusives, too many cinematic trailers and not enough gameplay trailers (although not as bad as PlayStation), too many action RPGs, War of Warcraft: The War Within announcement does nothing for the Xbox Series
~Top 3 Games~: Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Assassin's Creed: Shadows
*Medal*: Silver
NINTENDO DIRECT
The Nintendo Direct commenced with an overshot of the Mushroom Kingdom. OK, so the game has to come from the Mushroom Kingdom world. Shortly after, I see Luigi, then followed by Mario. I immediately recognize that art style! It's the Mario & Luigi art style! Sure enough, it is a Mario & Luigi game, more specifically, Mario & Luigi: Brothership. Mario & Luigi Brothership has done an amazing job retaining the art style from previous entries, yet updating it for the 1080p capabilities of the Switch. The gameplay of turned-based RPG battles with quick time events returns from prior games. I'm guessing the remakes of Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars and Paper Mario: Thousand Year Door must have been so successful that Nintendo realized how much their audience appreciates their traditional RPGs, so much so they're willing to return to another one of their RPG series. I'm glad Nintendo decided to make a brand-new game instead of remaking a previous Mario & Luigi game. I am also happy to get a brand-new entry, considering it's been almost 9 years since the last one. I don't know why I'm so surprised. Just as recent as last year, Nintendo renewed the copyright for Mario & Luigi. I guess I supposed it was to just hold onto the copyright. I'm guessing my surprise is that I thought the Mario & Luigi series died with AlphaDream died, which makes me curious who did develop the game. Nintendo has been pretty hush about the developers. I imagine it was down in-house. I just hope whoever did it respected what AlphaDream did and kept the look and feel they created. So far, it looks like they did.
Second, Nintendo covered Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition. The decision to include this in the Nintendo Direct baffles me. Nintendo already announced Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition. Why bother covering it again? Especially considering the game comes out in a month! Apparently, there was new features announced, like survival mode, but I don't think this warrants a slot in the Nintendo Direct. Nintendo should have just given an updated trailer on YouTube and their social medias sometime in the future.
Third, Nintendo announced Fairy Tail 2. I imagine that there's a Fairy Tail fanbase out there somewhere, and they highly appreciate this. To me, it's another Japanese action RPG. The one thing I can say I appreciate about this, however, is that Nintendo displayed actual gameplay, whereas so many of the action RPGs of the Xbox Games Showcase just had cinematic trailers.
Fourth, Nintendo revealed Fantasian Neo Dimention. At first, this looked like another JRPG. Then, they revealed it was from Square Enix and more specifically, developers of Final Fantasy, which definitely and immediately gave it some more leverage.Then, they revealed that the turn-based battles will have multiple enemies, and attacks can be combined to attack multiple enemies at once. I thought this was a new take on the genre, or at least a take not often taken. Between the fact that this JRPG has developers and a publishers well known for JRPGs and the fact that it takes a new or rare spin on the JRPG, I think this game is worth a try.
Fifth, Nintendo presented basketball DLC for Nintendo Switch Sports. Basketball will have 2 vs. 2 matches and a 3-point challenge, similar to the one seen during the NBA All-Star game. Of course, 2 vs.s 2 games will have both local multiplayer and online multiplayer. And of course it's a free update, coming this summer. It better be free, as it should have been in the game originally! I enjoyed the basketball 3-point challenge in Wii Sports Resort, but I always felt like it missed a real basketball game. I like the fact that Nintendo Switch Sports rectifies that. I just hope it delivers.
Sixth, Nintendo showed off MIO: Memories in Orbit. Clearly, the artstyle is heavily inspired by the recent Legend of Zelda games, like Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. The gameplay makes the game look like it's another one of those super hard platformers, like Super Meat Boy or Celeste. Fans of Super Meat Boy and Celeste will like MIO: Memories in Orbit just to have another challenging platformer. Besides that, the game has to do something to change up the formula to make it worthwhile.
Seventh, Nintendo announced that Disney Illusion Island will get a free update. To make things cooler, the free update was a shadow drop, promised to be released by the end of the day. Fans of the game will appreciate more content. Besides that, the DLC alone would not convince anybody who doesn't have the game to now buy the game, unless that person hesitated to buy the game because of not enough content.
Eighth, Nintendo presented Hello Kitty Adventure. It appears to be Animal Crossing, just with Hello Kitty characters. The only ones buying this game is the fans of Hello Kitty. Everybody else will go back to playing Animal Crossing. Nintendo proudly said it was a "timed exclusive," meaning to play it first, it has to be played on Nintendo Switch. I'm not sure Hello Kitty will convince anyone to buy a Switch over a PS5 or Xbox Series, though.
Ninth, Nintendo revealed Looney Tunes: Wacky World of Sports. This is an interesting choice for Nintendo to reveal in a Direct. The sports revealed in the Direct (they may be more) were basketball, tennis and soccer. Nintendo already has a Mario soccer game out and a Mario tennis game out, and they just revealed that basketball was the next update for Nintendo Switch Sports. Looney Tunes: Wacky World of Sports will have all 3 sports in 1 game, whereas to play with Nintendo characters, it would require purchasing 3 different games. That alone might be a selling point for Looney Tunes: Wacky World of Sports. I remember playing as a child a Looney Tunes basketball game on the Super Nintendo, which was not Space Jam (Space Jam had not come out at this point), but a Looney Tunes skin over NBA Live. I really enjoyed that game as a kid. The basketball game in Looney Tunes: Wacky World of Sports reminded me of the Super Nintendo Looney Tunes basketball game, so basketball alone might convince me to buy the game.
Tenth, Nintendo showed off the update for Among Us. This is very much a delayed announcement. Among Us on mobile and other platforms already has this update. The Nintendo version sounds behind with this announcement, which discourages me even further from playing on the Switch. Again, bragging it's a free update is not a legitimate brag, for again, mobile and other platforms already got it for free. It would be criminal if it wasn't free.
Eleventh, Nintendo announced Farmagia. The closest game comparison I can give to Farmagia is Monster Hunter. Farmagia seems to have more emphasis on farming gameplay on top of battling monsters. Because of this, to me, it feels like another farming simulator, just with a monster battling twist. The Switch already has too many farming simulators, but I give Farmagia props for at least trying to change up the formula with this heavy emphasis on monster battling.
Twelfth, Donkey Kong Returns returns, now to the Switch under the name Donkey Kong Returns HD. Seriously, the better name would have been "Donkey Kong Returns Returns." Donkey Kong Returns already looked good on the 480p Wii; it really didn't need the 1080p Switch treatment. I know why Nintendo did this, though. Donkey Kong Returns is one of the most, if not the most, popular Donkey Kong game. It sold successfully on the Wii, and the 3DS ports sold just as successfully, so it probably will sell just as successfully on the Switch. The Switch port seems to be a remake directly from the Wii, but they added the additional 3DS levels, which was a selling point to the 3DS port. Also another selling point from the 3DS remake that the Switch will borrow, the Switch version will not have motion controls. I say do your research before deciding what version of the Donkey Kong Return you want to play, but the Switch will make the game readily available to new players.
Thirteenth, Nintendo introduces the next game with simply, "Take a look at this." This usually indicates the next game will be a big deal. The opening cinematic shows hieroglyphs with a painting of a dark-haired girl. She looks a lot like Hilda from The Legend of Zelda: Link Between Worlds, a 3DS game. Is this a Switch port of that game? No. It's Dragon Quest 3: HD 2D Remake. Not as impressive as a Legend of Zelda remake, but still pretty impressive. Square Enix has done an excellent job of turning 2D games into HD, and it looks like Square Enix has done an equally fanstastic job with Dragon Quest 3: HD 2D Remake. The trailer says it will be available on November 14, 2024. From there, it transitions to say that Dragon Quest 1 & 2: HD 2D Remake. At first, I found myself confused. Aren't people just going to hold off on purchasing Dragon Quest 3: HD 2D Remake in 2024 until Dragon Quest 1 & 2: HD 2D Remake come out in 2025? Fortunately, Dragon Quest creator and game designer Yuji Horii explained afterward that Dragon Quest 3 is a prequel to Dragon Quest 1 & 2, so this time they are selling the games in order of game story chronology to see if gamers experience the story differently. I can see these remakes of the first 3 Dragon Quest games becoming the definitive edition, so new players will want to pick up these games, as well as old fans looking to return to the roots of the series. (Also, for the sake of the count, I'm considering the whole Eldridge trilogy of Dragon Quest as 1 big announcement.)
Fourteenth, FunkoFusion pops onto Nintendo Switch (their pun, not mine) on September 13, 2024. Man, this game took a big hit coming to the Switch. It's a huge graphical downgrade. It's hard to believe that can happen to Funko Pops, but it did. If you have any of the other gaming consoles, or a capable PC, play this game on there, not on the Switch.
Fifteenth, Nintendo presents Luigi's Mansion 2 HD. If the presentation of Nintendo World Sports: NES Edition was baffling, then presenting Luigi's Mansion 2 HD is very baffling. We already know about this game! Why bother covering it again? Especially considering the game comes out in 9 days! To make matters worse, it's not like they told us about any other new features. It's still just the same old 3DS game, just with HD graphical improvements for the Switch. Yes, if you never played the game, get the Switch port over the original 3DS game, but if you already played the 3DS game, there's no reason to get the Switch version.
Sixteenth, Nintendo revealed The New Dempa Men by Genius Sonority. It looks like Miitopia, just with Dempa Men. I imagine these a niche audience for this somewhere, and this reveal clearly appeals to them. It has minigames that can be played in local multiplayer. It's a free-to-play game, which means there is no loss in at least trying it out. If you are already a fan, and you need to get ahold of the game as soon as possible, then the Switch is your best option, as it is a timed exclusive. Again, Nintendo has won over a niche audience with this game.
Seventeenth, from SNK Corporation, it's Metal Slug Reloaded. Again, this is another 2D HD remake. The big added feature is online multiplayer. On top of all that, it got a shadow drop release, making it available by the end of the day. Again, we got another niche audience appeal. If you somehow could afford the SNK Neo-Geo back in the day, and you miss its games, one of its more popular games now can be played on the Switch.
Eighteenth, from Red Hook Studios, it's Darkest Dungeon II. As the name hints, it's a sequel to a gothic roguelike RPG.Therefore, if you liked Darkest Dungeon I, or you like roguelike RPGs in general, you'll like this game.
Nineteenth, Nintendo gave a slew of games coming to Nintendo Switch Online. Game Boy Advance began. To start, Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past & Four Swords. I wished they would have ported the anniversary edition, which was limited release on the 3DS, directly to the Switch, but this is a nice consolation. I hope I can find 3 friends to team up with me, so I can try the Four Swords portion for the first time in my life. Next, Metroid: Zero Mission. I understand the delay because, ultimately, this is a remake of the NES game, which is already on NES Online. At the same time, however, this was the one and only Metroid game missing on Game Boy Advance Online, so it's a much welcomed inclusion. Moving onto the Nintendo 64, Nintendo added Turok and Perfect Dark. Now you might be thinking to yourself, "Aren't these M rated games?" Yes, they are, and Nintendo is already ahead of you. Nintendo has made a new app/channel for them, called "Nintendo 64 Online Mature 17+" I thought this was really uncalled for. Isn't there some way to put them on the regular Nintendo 64 Online app/channel and block them with parental blocks? Apparently not. Well, I'm glad Nintendo figured out a way around this. My favorite of the 2 has to be Perfect Dark. It goes perfectly with the Perfect Dark reboot coming to the Xbox Series. I guess this just Nintendo and Xbox working together again. (The 4 Nintendo Switch Online game I am also considering one giant announcement.)
Twentieth, from NIS comes Phantom Brave: The Lost Hero. This is another JRPG, but this time, it has a chibi look. I've never been a fan of the chibi look; it always looks like a downgrade to me. If JRPGs with a chibi look is your thing, go for it, but it's a pass for me.
Twenty-first, Capcom gives the Nintendo Switch Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics. This collection will come with 7 games, most of which are fighting games, but it has some beat 'em ups thrown into it, too. Of course, the collection supports both local multiplayer and online multiplayer. A new feature added to all the games is a training mode. Capcom gives this collection its standard collection treatment with an artwork and music museum. This is an excellent collection for anyone looking to get into the series.
Twenty-second, Nintendo announced Mario Party Jamboree. This is a jam-packed full Mario Party game. The boards seem to have Mario Party 8 inspiration, for not all the boards have the same simple goal of trading in 20 coins for a star. On top of that, they have 2 boards returning from older Mario Party games: Mario's rainbow castle from Mario Party 1 and western land from Mario Party 2. Mario Party Jamboree will have over 110 minigames, covering both traditional controller inputs and motion controls. Personally, I missed the motion controls minigames in Mario Party Super Star. There is 20 different characters for players to play as. This is probably because Mario Party Jamboree comes with its own version of Fall Guys, called Koopathalon mode. Not to be pessimistic, but I have a feeling this was originally supposed to be DLC for Super Mario Party and Mario Party Superstars separately, but somewhere at sometime they decided to combine them and sell them a one whole game for $60 (which also probably means neither Super Mario Party nor Mario Party Super Stars will get DLC). Will that combination work out? We will have to wait and see. Still going to get it, either way.
Twenty-third, it's another "Please take a look at this" moment. The scene opens with Link, in the Link's Awakening (Switch) aesthetic, fighting his way to Ganon, who has Zelda entrapped in a purple crystal. Is Link's Awakening on the Switch getting DLC? That would be preposterous, considering the only DLC the game ever got was the color dungeon going from the Game Boy to the Game Boy Color. Is it a Link to the Past HD remake for the Switch? I don't remember Zelda ever entrapped in a purple crystal in that game, though. Is it a demake of the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time? That had Zelda entrapped in a purple crystal. That game, however, has a 240p remake on the 3DS, so surely it could handle a 1080p remake on the Switch! Nope, it's none of them. It's a brand-new game. Meet The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. For the first time in the franchise's history, Zelda is the main, playable character. Instead of using a sword, Zelda will fight with a wand, which can duplicate items and enemies alike. Yes, the irony is not lost on me about the Wand of Gamelon. It's like Nintendo reluctantly remembered the game, and then thought to themselves, "You know, they were on the right track, let's see if we can do better." Listen, I understand that playmobile art style was a necessary evil for the Switch remake of Link's Awakening, but it's totally unnecessary for any new Legend of Zelda game, including Echoes of Wisdom. Listen, I understand what Nintendo is trying to do here. Just like they have successfully had 2D Super Mario games and 3D Super Mario games side-by-side, Nintendo wants to have 2D Legend of Zelda games and 3D Legend of Zelda games side-by-side. In the case of Super Mario, however, 2D Mario (and company) and 3D Mario (and company look very similar, almost the same. In the case of Legend of Zelda, they do not. Imagine if Pokemon made all the new Pokemon games look like Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. Gamers would abhor that! So why aren't players abhoring this playmobile style in Echoes of Wisdom? I wish all future Legend of Zelda games would hold to the cel-shaded 3D models, as seen in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. I can appreciate, though, Nintendo attempting a different take on the Zelda formula.
Twenty-fourth, Ubisoft introduces Just Dance 2025 Edition. This is not as bad as Nintendo World Sports: NES Edition or Luigi's Mansion 2 HD because it was not previously announced, but it's pretty much expected at this point, so that's somewhat similar. Just Dance 2025 Edition comes with 40 new songs. Most of the songs I recognize, which means it's not just recent one-hit wonders, which makes me glad. I am really curious how you dance to "Basket Case" by Green Day, though. Just Dance 2025 Edition also comes with difficulties, which they clearly borrowed from Harmonix's Dance Central. Too little, too late, I say. Outside this Nintendo Direct, I discovered that the Just Dance series now has lore. A good soundtrack plus the addition of difficulties plus lore makes this game more attractive to me.
Twenty-fifth, the newest Lego game is Lego Horizon Adventures. This game makes me chuckle. Nintendo found a way to get a Horizon game on their system. Interesting enough, this game is developed and published by PlayStation for the Switch. Even more interesting, this game can be played on PS5 and Switch, but it cannot be played on any Xbox console. It looks like PlayStation is taking a play from the Xbox playbook, allowing Nintendo to have their game, believing that it plays better on a PS5. That or PlayStation hopes that Nintendo gamers will play Lego Horizon Adventures, realize how cool it is, want to play the original Horizon Zero Dawn, so they will go out and purchase a PS5. More power to you, PlayStation. Go for it.
Twenty-sixth, Annapurna Interactive delivers to Switch Stray. Just like with FunkoFusion, this game takes a major graphical hit coming to Switch. Textures are blurred badly. If you're a Nintendo fan, who only owns a Nintendo console, yet wants to see what the hype is around Stray, then get this game. Otherwise, play it on a more powerful system. Heck, you may not even get why it's a big deal playing graphically downgraded version on the Switch!
Twenty-seventh, from Private Division comes Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings Game. I want to say, "Ugh, another farming and crafting game," but I know the appeal here is that this farming and crafting game from the Lord of the Rings, which gives it more appeal automatically. Therefore, I would say, if you love Lord of the Rings, pick up this game, but if not, then stick your Animal Crossing.
Twenty-eighth, Capcom re-enters the picture with Ace Attorney: Investigation Collection. This is a dream come true for Ace Attorneys. It's not just it's 2 games combined into 1 collection; it's also that 1 of the games never got released outside Japan, giving North American and European audience a brand-new game. On top of the standard collection treatment Capcom delivers, like art gallery and soundtrack, Ace Attorney: Investigation Collection allows the player to alternative between the pixel graphics and the modern graphics at the press of a button. This is a nice choice to give players. I like that Capcom continually allow for Ace Attorney to become available to a new audience by continually updating for the current generation of consoles.
Twenty-ninth, Aniplex and Tookyo Games team up to give The Hundred Line - Last Defense Academy. This game comes from the makers of the Danganropa series, and boy, you can tell, for it looks and feels like it. The big difference is that this seems like a different kind of strategy game. Hey, if they delivered for the Danganropa series, I imagine they can deliver for The Hundred Line - Last Defense Academy.
Thirtieth, Square Enix has another remake for the Nintendo Switch. This time it's Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven. This time, however, this remake of a Super Nintendo game will get the full 3D remake, not just shining up 2D sprites. The transition from 2D to 3D can always be a little tricky. I can see this becoming a hot topic within the community. Perhaps some wish it stayed in 2D, while maybe others want it to go 3D. If done well, the remake will pay off, for both Square Enix and fans alike.
Finally, it's time for Nintendo's "one last thing" moment. The scene opens up with green text on a black screen reading, "Cosmic Year 20X9, Galactic Federation Research Facility." Nintendo fans in the know will know this is for a Metroid game. Which game will it be? Samus steps out of her ship. Nice 3D models, so it can't be a port of an older 2D game, but still no other clue. Then, it goes into a first person perspective. It's a Metroid Prime game! Is it an HD remake of Metroid Prime 2: Echoes or a brand-new game? It's Metroid Prime 4! Everybody say with a loud sigh, "IT'S ABOUT TIME!!!" Seriously, the game was started in 2017, restarted in 2019, and now 7 years from the original onset and 5 years from the restart, we finally get a subtitle, a cinematic trailer and a gameplay trailer. The game looks beautiful, so beautiful that some have speculate the game is playing on the Switch successor (but that's what they said about Tears of the Kingdom and Super Mario Wonder). Fans will have to wait a little bit longer, as it's not slated to release until 2025. I can see this game being like Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - the last game on the Switch and the first game on the Switch successor. Nintendo yet again ends their Direct with a bang!
Nintendo was riding the nostalgia train pretty hard there. Of course there was all the collections, but a lot of these games were sequels to well-established franchises. Nintendo definitely has third-party support they have failed to achieve in previous years. It was nice to see games from Square Enix, Capcom, Ubisoft and Annapurna Interactive. The show was stolen, however, from their first-party games. Nintendo understands that exclusives sell console, so that's why they are always headlining. Yes, there were some questionable decisions, like the inclusion of Luigi's Mansion 2 HD, and Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition. That's when they should have announced the 5 Mega Man games coming to Game Boy Online and the release date for the second Super Mario Bros. movie, instead of doing it days before the Direct. Don't be mistaken, though. All the negatives are outweighed by the positives. If it's a pure numbers game, Nintendo made the most announcements: 31 (and I'm combining the Dragon Quest Trilogy as 1 and all Nintendo Switch Online games as 1!), opposed to Xbox's 30 and PlayStation's 14. Nintendo's Direct seemed to also be the perfect middle time-wise. At a little over 40 minutes, it was longer than PlayStation's State of play, which was a little over 30 minutes, but under the Xbox Games Showcase, coming in at a whopping 75 minutes (not including the half-hour Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 segment directly after). With the most games in the middle amount of time, if this was E3 or Summer Games Fest, Nintendo would "win."
-Negatives-: time wasted by talking about 2 games coming out within a month's time, time wasted on Just Dance 2025 Edition because at this point it's assumed, only 4 games for Nintendo Switch Online, games meant for PS5 and Xbox Series taking an obvious graphical downgrade coming to Switch, too many announcements on updates and DLC that take away time from brand-new games, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom's art style, Super Mario Party Jamboree feels like 2 games' DLC combined as one
~Top 3 Games~: Mario & Luigi: Brothership, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, Super Mario Party Jamboree
*Medal*: Gold
