Even though I always had a passion for games, I’d never watched any of the big gaming conventions. I did not have a console or a powerful computer, so I simply couldn’t try all the cool new stuff announced at them. Everything changed when I got a new Xbox console last November, though. I could finally try all the great titles I had missed and I grew even more excited about the games industry and media, so, as E3 appeared on the horizon earlier this month, I knew I wasn’t going to miss it for the world.
It was a unique experience, not only for me but for many other gamers across the world, because the entire presentation was delivered online. Personally, I found this format acceptable enough to enjoy. It ran smoothly and looked really good since the companies had the chance to pre-record their presentations and avoid unnecessary bloopers. However, this approach took away some of its charm – there was no interaction with the audience, no feeling of togetherness, and importantly, it felt less dramatic.
Even though some great games were presented like the long-awaited Starfield or Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, it didn’t feel as exciting as it could be. Without the fans cheering or cinema-like atmosphere, E3 lost its unique vibe and ultimately became a viewing of trailers, without any additional ‘value’.
The most exciting presentation out of all of them was the one by Xbox and Bethesda (I would say this even if I didn’t own an Xbox myself). They showed some big games like Forza Horizon 5 or S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2: Heart of Chernobyl, but also found some time for thrilling indie projects like 12 Minutes and Somerville. It was also great to see that out of 30 games shown, 27 of them – including Halo Infinite, Starfield, and Forza – will be available on the Xbox’s games subscription, GamePass. It’s mind-blowing that the newest games will be available to players for around a tenner per month.
Despite all the great games shown, my favourite out of all of them was Psychonauts 2 by Double Fine. It looks like a fantastic platformer with tons of different mechanics and dimensions. The visuals are vivid and look like they truly belong on next-gen hardware. If the story is well developed, this game could become a victorious successor to It Takes Two – it looks like Psychonauts 2 has everything necessary for it.
There were other great games shown like the sequel to The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild (arguably one of the biggest Nintendo games ever) and the upcoming Switch port of Life is Strange. Nintendo’s presentation didn’t make me consider buying one of the Switch variations, but it was cool to see the growth and development of the console and its library. Despite the fact that the Switch Pro didn’t come to life at E3, the company still had a nice showcase.
Overall, I am happy to have experienced E3 this year. Even though it didn’t fully deliver in terms of being a great show, at least it gave some information about the amazing upcoming games to play and enjoy. I will definitely watch it again next year, but hopefully the presentation will be more interactive and audience-inclusive. Maybe it will even return to Los Angeles’ halls – that would be fantastic!
Images: E3