Well E3 has come and gone, but the summer of gaming carries on! Summer Game Fest rolls on through to the end of July so the conversation about what has been revealed and what’s to come will continue for a while. So let’s get into that discussion of what we saw by talking about the Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase! Now I don’t have to tell you that Xbox far and away had the best show at E3 this year; that’s just a fact and you can’t argue with it (except you can, I can’t tell you what to think). Regardless of your ranking of it, Xbox & Bethesda had some great things to show off, both teases and gameplay. I’m going to break it down to my Top 5 and hit the highlights for you. So without further ado, let’s go.
5.) Microsoft Flight Simulator: It’s funny that the first thing on my list isn’t even a new game, but it was still an exciting moment and here’s why: It comes to Xbox Series X|S on July 27! The game has received rave reviews on the PC. The visuals are stunning and realistic, not to mention that the map and weather are accurate to real life. To say that this game takes a lot of power to run is an understatement, but we have consoles now that are as powerful as a good PC, so I am excited to get to experience this game for myself and for a whole group of people to have new access to it.
4.) Redfall: Whatever the gameplay for this ends up being like, the cutscenes for this game are beautiful. The big reveal of Bethesda’s vampire-focused game hit us with a spectacular cinematic trailer that I would honestly love to just be a Netflix series all on its own. We see a world that has evil vampires in it and this team of four doing battle with them, though that wasn’t their plan to begin with. These 4 heroes each have their own specialty in combat, as well as some sort of special (magic?) abilities to oppose the vampire threat. While no gameplay was shown, a lot of information was released after the showcase to push the hype and interest of the game from just enjoying the visuals to being genuinely excited to see more.
3.) Forza Horizon 5: This could easily be the best game showcase at all of E3 this year. I am personally not the biggest fan of driving games, I dabble more than anything, so that’s the only reason it’s not higher on my list. Even I can’t ignore how incredible this game looks nor can I deny that I will be playing it day one. The Forza team has taken the world of realistic driving experiences to new heights with their freeroam, open world driving simulators. You could almost call this the driving equivalent of Microsoft Flight Simulator. The graphics and backgrounds are all photorealistic, so much so that some screenshots of nature looked like actual postcards. The game is set in Mexico and the natural areas and towns have been recreated in staggering detail, including accurate artworks that really exist in those locations, such as a giant mural on the side of a building. It’s an amazing way to virtually explore and learn about a location you may not have been to while also driving cool, fast cars. Maybe it will even inspire your next vacation, to go experience the art and culture of these locations in real life.
2.) Age of Empires IV: Now I am a sucker for a classic and there aren’t many games more classic than the Age of Empires series. We’ve gotten remasters that are great, but there’s something about a new version, that next iteration, that really gets gamers excited. Age of Empires IV did just that. Real TIme Strategy (RTS) games have been hit or miss for me. I’ve found some that I loved (Halo Wars, Sins of a Solar Empire, Empire Earth) and the others that just don’t do it for me. Age of Empires is probably the gold standard. Aside from its mechanics (that are top notch), it does such a great job nailing the feel of each of its historical eras. The environments, buildings, characters, and units all truly immerse you in the civilization you have chosen. Advancements feel rewarding and the transformation from one era to the next really makes you feel like you have evolved this civilization to its next level. I love that this game will be on Game Pass for PC on launch day. I wonder if there will be a console version at some point since we are seeing that overlap more and mouse/keyboard support is fully there. Either way, I will be playing it on PC on day one.
Honorable Mentions:
One of the best things about making formatting decisions is I can make my own rules. I am giving myself a bit of an out to hit on a few games that didn’t make my Top 5 but are worth noting for various reasons.
While not a new game, Hades is finally coming to Xbox in August. One of the most successful games of 2020, it’s awesome to see this game coming to the console and to Game Pass finally. An excellent story with a beautiful art style and great mechanics, this is one of those games that took the world by storm and continues to expand its reach.
Based purely on aesthetic and hype, Replaced has me very excited. I love the retro and sci-fi vibes. I love the 2.5D style, with gameplay being flat but the world having a lot of depth and life to it. The premise is also pretty neat in that you play as an AI somehow unwillingly trapped in a human body; a fascinating idea for a story set to launch directly into Game Pass whenever it gets released in 2022.
From the moment Sea of Thieves was released, I know countless people pretended to be Jack Sparrow sailing the seven seas. Now, Sea of Thieves: A Pirate’s Life gives you the chance to sail with Jack Sparrow! The most obvious crossover imaginable is finally happening and people are thrilled. This new set of content brings a whole lot of story and fun to an already huge world. The nice thing is that the story portions of this expansion all happen in an instanced setting so you can experience the story and quests without fear of being boarded and scuttled by rival crews. Seriously, go give this a shot, you just may find that the call of the sea continues after the story ends.
And coming in at the top spot:
1.) Halo Infinite: Anyone who knows me is not surprised by this ranking. Halo: CE was the game that got me into the world of Xbox way back in the day when I played multiplayer on two xboxes connected by a 50ft LAN cable. The world and the gameplay has kept me coming back with each iteration, including pulling me into the books and other media. Even after some subpar outings (looking at you Halo 5 campaign), I’ve stayed hopeful that the franchise can continue to be great. This extended preview of the game and the multiplayer sure has me feeling like my faith will be rewarded. The first thing I notice is how much it feels like Halo. That’s such a vague description, but it’s the most accurate one. The last couple games have felt decidedly different from the first 3 games and even from Reach. This one feels like it’s moved back to what the classics gave us. Then watching the multiplayer, it looks like they nailed the idea of innovation to keep moving forward while stepping back to what the fans have loved. Add in the battle pass that never expires and the very deep customization, plus being free-to-play; this Halo game looks like it will appeal to fans of all kinds, whether you love the story or the multiplayer. I am looking forward to Holiday 2021 when I can play this at midnight on launch day.
Image Credit: Microsoft
