Square Enix today announced during the Square Enix Live E3 2019 that ONINAKI, the latest action-RPG developed by the talented Tokyo RPG Factory™ team, will debut on the Nintendo Switch™ system, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and STEAM on 22nd August 2019.
ONINAKI is the third title from Tokyo RPG Factory and the studio’s first foray into the action-RPG genre, sustaining the studio’s mission in taking inspiration from classic Japanese role-playing games to create a captivating experience on modern platforms. Following the release of I Am Setsuna™ in 2016 and LOST SPHEAR in 2018, ONINAKI’s inspired art direction, deep character development and captivating storyline contribute to a unique, yet familiar JRPG experience.
In ONINAKI, players will follow the story of Kagachi, a young watcher whose duty is to usher Lost Souls into the next world. After meeting a mysterious girl named Linne, his fate becomes entwined with blood and death. During the journey, players will also meet key characters like Kushi, an exemplary Watcher and trusted leader, Mayura, a Watcher with a kind heart, and the malicious Night Devil from a forgotten time.
ONINAKI will be available for the Nintendo Switch system, PlayStation 4 system and STEAM on 22nd August 2019. For more information, visit: www.oninaki.com
Square Enix has today revealed that the hugely anticipated FINAL FANTASY VIII Remastered is coming to the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 , Xbox One family of devices and PC (Steam) later this year.
Debuted during the SQUARE ENIX E3 Live event earlier today, FINAL FANTASY VIII Remastered brings the game’s classic story to modern platforms now with newly rendered visuals that bring the world to life like never before.
In FINAL FANTASY VIII, the military nation of Galbadia has allied with Sorceress Edea for world domination. Squall, a member of Balamb Garden’s mercenary force SeeD, together with his friends and Rinoa, a member of a resistance group, are shipped off to war, unaware of their fated task to save the world.
Marvel Entertainment and Square Enix are excited to unveil Marvel’s Avengers, an epic action-adventure game that combines cinematic storytelling with single-player and co-operative gameplay. Developed by Crystal Dynamics in collaboration with Eidos-Montréal, Crystal Northwest, and Nixxes Software, Marvel’s Avengers will release simultaneously for the PlayStation 4, the Xbox One family of devices including Xbox One X, Stadia, and PC on May 15, 2020.
Marvel’s Avengers invites players to live their Super Hero dreams. Outstanding storytelling and an ever-expanding universe come together in the definitive Avengers gaming experience. Master extraordinary abilities, customize a growing roster of Heroes, assemble into teams of up to four players, and defend the Earth from escalating threats.
Marvel’s Avengers begins at A-Day, where Captain America, Iron Man, the Hulk, Black Widow, and Thor are unveiling a hi-tech Avengers Headquarters in San Francisco — including the reveal of their own helicarrier powered by an experimental energy source. The celebration turns deadly when a catastrophic accident results in massive devastation. Blamed for the tragedy, the Avengers disband. Five years later, with all Super Heroes outlawed and the world in peril, the only hope is to reassemble Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.
“Crystal Dynamics is one of the industry’s most talented and respected game development studios, and we couldn’t be more excited about their ambitious vision for Marvel’s Avengers,”said Jay Ong, EVP, Head of Games at Marvel Entertainment. “It will thrill our fans and serve as a key part of Marvel’s storytelling, delivering an authentic and innovative take on our heroes as never been seen before. This game is what’s next for the Avengers.”
“As super fans, working with Marvel and these characters is a dream come true and we are excited to finally reveal Marvel’s Avengers to the world,” said Scot Amos, Head of Studio at Crystal Dynamics. “This is our original take on these iconic Super Heroes. Leveraging our companies’ combined experience in epic action-adventure storytelling, we’re building a universe that fans will immerse themselves in for years to come.”
Marvel’s Avengers features a cinematic story, complete with the high-octane action that Crystal Dynamics is known for. Featuring regular content updates, the game will take players on an epic journey delivered over multiple years.
“We’ve assembled world-class developers from across the industry to bring players on an unforgettable journey,” said Ron Rosenberg, Head of Studio at Crystal Dynamics. “To ensure a truly heroic experience for all players, we’re announcing that our narrative will be delivered over multiple years, with no loot boxes or pay-to-win scenarios. Every new Super Hero and region will be delivered to players at no additional cost if you own the core game. This is just the beginning of what we’ve got in store for our fans.”
Square Enix is also excited to announce a global partnership with PlayStation and will share more details about surprises for PlayStation players in the future.
Players around the world will begin their journey in Marvel’s Avengers on May 15, 2020.
SQUARE ENIX, creators of the iconic FINAL FANTASY and TOMB RAIDER franchises, today unveiled OUTRIDERS. From the developers of Gears of War Judgement and Bulletstorm, People Can Fly, OUTRIDERS will release on XBOX ONE, PlayStation 4 and PC in Summer 2020, marking a key release for the company. Square Enix External Studios, the minds behind SLEEPING DOGS and JUST CAUSE, delivers OUTRIDERS, a 1-3 player, drop-in-drop-out, co-op shooter, set in an original dark and desperate sci-fi universe.
“OUTRIDERS is the game that we have been wanting to make for years,” said Sebastian Wojciechowski, Studio Head of People Can Fly. “We’re very happy to be working with Square Enix on this project, it’s a big undertaking for us and the team has grown considerably to work on the OUTRIDERS project. We now have over 200 developers at four international studios working on this project to make it our most ambitious shooter to date. We’re very excited to finally unveil OUTRIDERS to the world, and we can’t wait to show you more of the game.”
“People Can Fly is the perfect partner for us to create a game like OUTRIDERS. They have a great history of creating high-quality shooters, plus an unmatched level of experience and expertise in the Unreal game engine, unrivalled in the gaming industry,” Said Lee Singleton, Co-Head of Studio at Square Enix External Studios.
“OUTRIDERS is a very exciting project for us at Square Enix External Studios. We’re focusing on giving players a true AAA co-op shooter with a deep feature set and strong narrative,” said Jon Brooke, Co-Head of Studio at Square Enix External Studios. “The team at People Can Fly really know how to make gunplay feel tight and powerful and we can’t wait to show you more later this winter.”
SQUARE ENIX additionally revealed a behind the scenes look at the development of OUTRIDERS, along with a message from People Can Fly.
The Ubisoft E3 Showcase has been a highlight of the event for the last few years for me, not just because I am a huge fan of many of their franchises but also because the event is just sheer fun and joyful to watch. With Watchdogs 3 already confirmed thanks to it leaking early, it will be interesting to see what it is all about especially with its London setting and with Assassin’s Creed taking a break for 2019, will they announce more Expansion DLC for it. Oh so many questions and hopes tonight which Im praying will be answered….also, can we finally please get a Splinter Cell game Ubisoft?!?
Below you will find all the trailers and news from the event as it happens including my reaction to each trailer and new info with my final thoughts at the end:
Ubisoft is actually holding a 30 min pre-show ahead of showcase, pretty much talking about releases of the last year and how things are going including a look at the Assassin’s Creed Series. This is really just a short celebration about all things Ubisoft from the devs, to merchandise and the game. Very nice to see and you can really see the passion and dedication in everything the devs say. Big surprise is the launch today of Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey “Story Creator Mode” as well as announcing the ‘History Mode’ similar to AC Origins which is like a living history guided tour of all things ancient Greece coming to Odyssey.
The showcase opens with a live performance from the Assassin’s Creed Symphony, currently touring. The Assassin’s Creed series easily has one of the best soundtracks for a gaming series not to mention stand out individual game scores but Assassin’s Creed II really set the benchmark for everything that followed. This small performance shows off music from AC II, AC III, AC IV Black Flag and AC Origins and Odyssey, beautifully played live and makes me wish I could go to a full concert and just having the original game trailers playing behind them is just….wow a true celebration of Assassin’s Creed as a series.
No surprise as we open with Watchdogs 3: Legion, which is indeed set in London and we actually have some Alpha gameplay demo playing, this is very London but then every Ubisoft game has a Cockney or too in their games so they have had the practice. Gameplay has very familiar mechanics such as scanning and hacking people’s phones to learn their identity and secrets. Combat is very much improved it seems with various tech systems such as cloaking technology at work as well as some driving which looks as clumsy as previous games. What is interesting is that main hero controlled by the player…..dies and the action moves to another character in the resistance, in this case a rather lovely little old lady. This is very interesting as a concept for the game, and all these characters seem to be taking instructions from a possible AI….well, Watchdogs 3, you have my attention and I will see you March 6th 2020 when it releases on PS4, Xbox One, PC and Stadia!
Next up we have the actor Rob McElhenney from Always Sunny in Philadelphia on stage to introduce a surprising new TV Show for Apply TV, Mythic Quest, set on a Video Game Developer team with a the most popular game in the world…and all the behind the scenes issues and problems that can create. Seems Ubisoft are branching into the Entertainment field, intriguing.
Next the reveal trailer for Brawlhalla Adventure Time Crossover Event as friendship duo Finn and Jake are coming to Brawlhalla in this Epic Crossover event!
Ghost Recon Break Point is up next and ooh it is looking good with a manifesto trailer with no other than Jon Bernthal (Netflix Punisher) delivering a powerful speech before taking to the stage with his own dog who is so well behaved in front of this crowd and he seems genuinely excited to be a part of the game and on stage. A new gameplay trailer that just looks amazing, I was a huge fan of Ghost Recon Wildlands and this is looking darker, grittier with even more focus on squad gameplay. October 4th can’t get here fast enough! Thankfully the Beta will go live on September 5th, which you can register via the official Ghost Recon Website.
A new Mobile game is revealed, starring some very iconic Ubisoft characters from Ghost Recon, Rainbow Six Siege Operator, Sam Fisher from Splinter Cell in Tom Clancy’s Elite Squad.
Just Dance 2020 up next with another fantastic intro into the show and live performance on stage with incredible dancers dressed up in full Just Dance Cosplay.
For Honor up next, a fighting game for me that was uniquely refreshing but sadly suffered terrible issues on console but Ubisoft have supported it and the community and now going into its third year, we get a glimpse at a new expansion “Shadows of the Hitokiri’
Rainbow Six is back with a look at new 3 player Co-Op game called Rainbow Six: Quarantine, a PVE Co-OP focused game.
Division 2 up next with a nice ‘Thank You’ to the community of players and streamers who continue to make it a success and a quick tease at the next content update for the game with Episode 3 coming in 2020 and it looks amazing, in fact all the content episodes look great. Next we comes the confirmation that Ubisoft will be partnering with Netflix to work on ‘The Division’ Movie.
Next comes the announcement for Uplay Plus, a PC based games subscription service as Ubisoft enters the game streaming service market. This makes sense as Uplay was their own PC game launcher, also not surprised it has not made it to console. $14.99 a month and launches September this year and also on Google Stadia in 2020.
Roller Champions looks like a very clever challenger to all things Rocket League, a team based PVP sports game which is also Free to Play with a free demo on PC to play right now. Looks good though so hope it finds its way to consoles.
Eves Guillemot takes to the stage as CEO of Ubisoft, offering thanks to all the fans for the love and support they give the Ubisoft games that they love. He then announces a new project “Gods and Monsters” , inspired by the attention to historical events in Assassin’s Creed and now they are moving into the full fantasy genre releasing February 25th 2020 for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC.
and that’s a wrap for Ubisoft E3 2019.
My Thoughts…
That was a very solid showcase from Ubisoft, a few surprises and new content for current games but also Watchdogs 3: Legion which is look exceptional, Ghost Recon: Break Point blew my mind as did the road map for content drops for Division 2.
A little disappointed not to get a big surprise like a new Splinter Cell game and Skull and Bones was completely absent after suffering another delay earlier this year but Ubisoft kept on brand and on message with genuine passion and love for the fans and communities around their games.
If anything I will say this was a very safe showcase and with most of the above seeing 2020 as their release windows, I can see many publishers holding some big titles back for the release of Project Scarlett from Xbox and the next PlayStation console from Sony.
I am smiling and I am happy and I just wanna play as a 75 yr old OAP Woman going full John Wick meets James Bond with Watchdogs 3 next year!
The year is 1946. Europe lies in ruins, torn apart by the nefarious “Plan Z.” A brave band of heroes cast the Führer into hell but little do they know … Hitler’s Hordes are back for more!
Face the darkness in single player or team up with friends as you blast your way through Nazi undead in this spine-chilling shooter from the makers of Sniper Elite 4.
Featuring:
A horrifying new campaign for 1-4 players
Epic weapons, skills and upgrades
The organ-busting X-ray kill camera returns!
Releasing 2020 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.
EA held their own showcase event this past weekend just before E3 2019 kicked off with the Xbox E3 Briefing last night which included a brand new story trailer for Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order:
The story is actually fully canon with the big screen Star Wars Universe with this story happening just after Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sixth and directly following the infamous ‘Order 66’ which saw Darth Sidious give that order to the Clone Army to turn on and kill their Jedi generals. I like that Saw Gerrera features in the story who fans will no doubt recognise from Anthology film Rogue One and the Clone Wars animated show, so story-wise it does look very interesting.
But it is the extended gameplay demo shown at EA Play that has me concerned sadly. Visually the game looks great and has all the sounds and musical score you would expect from anything Star Wars. The gameplay though, featuring the use of familiar and new Force abilities to both help with movement, puzzles and combat, just looks very similar to another Star Wars action adventure game series in ‘The Force Unleashed’. It may just be the level they chose to use for the gameplay demo, an Imperial Refinery on the Planet Kashyyk, which just came across as a bit platformy to navigate with some linear combat with enemies in the Purge Troopers and Troopers armed with anti Light Sabre weapons which again, we have seen in Force unleashed. It all look a little linear without room to really explore and Respawn have stuck to what they know so wall running from Titanfall plays a roll in movement and the droid helping the main character is just lifted from the Battlefront II story campaign which also used a droid as a helper.
So for now, I am rather worried about Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order and even reports of those on the E3 floor who have played the demo being fairly positive so far fails to get me really that hyped for this game, which I am sure will play fine with a solid story but, it lacks the big wow factor a Star Wars story game should have. But we have time before fans get the chance to become a Jedi on November 15, 2019.
Over the weekend at EA Play in Los Angeles, Respawn Entertainment announced that Apex Legends Season 2 – Battle Charge will debut on July 2 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC via Origin. The next season of the massively popular battle royale game will introduce an electrifying new Legend, a ranked mode, a fresh Battle Pass complete with daily and weekly challenges, and much more (you didn’t expect Kings Canyon to look the same forever, did you?).
Apex Legends Season 2 – Battle Charge welcomes Natalie “Wattson” Paquette to the Apex Games’ roster of Legends. After growing up in and around the Apex Arena, Wattson brings her familiarity with Kings Canyon and electrical engineering to the battle. She controls the flow of battle with high-voltage barriers and a pylon that blocks incoming ordinance – anyone who underestimates her is in for a shock.
Season 2 also sees the debut of a brand new mode, Ranked 1.0. In Ranked, players will be matched by skill as they compete to reach the top of six individual tiers (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, and Apex Predator), earning exclusive cosmetics and rewards at the end of each season based on where they place.
With Season 2 comes a new and improved Battle Pass, full of fresh rewards, special challenges, even more Legendary skins, the ability to earn crafting metal, three entirely new content categories, and more.. That’s just some of what fans can expect in this season’s Battle Pass, with further details coming closer to the launch of Season 2.
Players will also find a new weapon, the L-STAR, making its debut in Season 2. This energy machine gun hits hard with hefty projectiles that pack a serious punch, but this power comes with a price – sustained fire causes the L-STAR to overheat and briefly stop working, so you’ll have to master its rhythm to make full use of it.
For now, players can prove they’re the ultimate predator in the Legendary Hunt in-game event, now through June 18. Complete limited-time challenges to score Rare, Epic and even more Legendary skins for weapons and Legends. Players can also join a new Apex Elite Queue, where they compete against Apex Legends top competitors and prove they’re the best of the best. Players earn their way into the Apex Elite Queue by finishing in the Top 5 in any match.
Fans attending EA Play in Los Angeles will be able to go hands-on with new content coming in Season 2, including Wattson and the L-STAR.
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, TT Games, The LEGO Group, and Lucasfilm yesterday announced LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, a brand-new console game where players will experience memorable moments and nonstop action as told through the unique lens of LEGO. LEGOStar Wars: The Skywalker Saga is the biggest LEGO Star Wars game, featuring all nine Skywalker saga films, including the highly anticipated conclusion to the series, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Launching in 2020, the game will immerse players into the expansive saga with the freedom to control hundreds of characters and vehicles to create their own unique journey through the galaxy.
Friends and family can dive right into their favourite saga film and play through memorable Star Wars moments, reimagined with LEGO fun and humour. Players can start at the beginning with Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, begin the original trilogy wit h Star Wars: A New Hope, or launch right into Star Wars: The Last Jedior Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, both of which are making their Star Warsgame debut. From the desert of Geonosis, to the swamps of Dagobah, to the snowfields of Starkiller Base – players will have the power to revisit any planet, at any time, in any order they wish. The entire galaxy is available to discover and play in.
“LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga marks our return to the franchise that kicked off the LEGO video game series. The game will give fans an all-new LEGO Star Wars experience with complete freedom to explore the LEGO Star Wars galaxy,” said Tom Stone, Managing Director, TT Games. “It was an absolute pleasure to be part of the launch of the original LEGO Star Wars game and it’s equally exciting to now move the series forward and help create a new era of LEGO Star Wars games.” LEGOStar Wars: The Skywalker Saga features the biggest roster of playable characters in the LEGO Star Warsseries including the greatest legends from every era of the Skywalker saga. Players can fight against the forces of evil as favourite characters such as Luke Skywalker, Rey, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Finn, BB-8 and a legion of other heroes, or turn to the dark side as Darth Vader, Emperor Palpatine, Kylo Ren, and more. The greatest vehicles from across the galaxy are also available to command. Players can jump to lightspeed in the Millennium Falcon to outrun Imperial starships, battle First Order TIE fighters in Resistance X-Wings, or podrace on Tatooine.
“With the Skywalker saga coming to an end, we wanted to give fans the ultimate Star Wars video game experience with all the humour and charm that is uniquely LEGO,” said Douglas Reilly, Vice President, Lucasfilm Games. “LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga will bring to life all those Star Wars adventures remembered and undiscovered in an epic culmination of all nine saga films as fans celebrate the closing of this chapter in Star Wars.”
“We are thrilled to continue LEGO Star Wars’ 20 years legacy with this impressive new game where kids and families can join forces to explore the galaxy together,” said Sean McEvoy, Vice President, Digital Games, The LEGO Group. “LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga contains a massive amount of content and is an accessible entry point to the Star Wars galaxy, featuring all of the fun and unforgettable gameplay that makes LEGO games appealing to audiences of all ages.”
Developed by TT Games in collaboration with the Lucasfilm Games team and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga will be available for the Xbox One family of devices, including Xbox One X, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and PC.
Dying Light 2, the highly anticipated sequel to the award winning open world survival horror action game, has returned to E3 with a gripping trailer. In it, we get our first glimpse of the game’s new protagonist as he navigates a world torn apart by the ravages of the infection, where every decision counts and death lurks around every corner.
Shown at the Xbox E3 2019 briefing, the new Dying Light 2 trailer offers another tantalizing glimpse of The City – a post-apocalyptic, modern dark-age outpost. Here, 15 years after the events of the first Dying Light, humanity ekes out an existence while brutal factions vie for power, and the infected skulk in dark buildings and basements until night comes and they can reclaim the streets.
The trailer introduces the game’s protagonist, Aiden Caldwell, an infected survivor whose high-flying parkour skills and brutal combat ability make him a valuable asset in this crumbling metropolis. Through Aiden, the player will make impactful choices that shape the world as they play.
New details around the game have also been announced today, including the addition of music from celebrated video game composer Olivier Deriviere (A Plague Tale: Innocence, Vampyr, Remember Me, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag – Freedom Cry). Deriviere was responsible for the score heard in both the new trailer and the E3 demo, and will be continuing to compose for the full game.
Dying Light 2 will be published by Techland and distributed by Square Enix in the Americas.
Powered by the C-Engine, a new generation of Techland’s in-house technology, Dying Light 2 is set to be released on PC, Xbox One family of devices, including Xbox One X and the PlayStation 4 in Spring 2020.
