Ubisoft’s E3 2014 Press Conference Recap!
For the past two years, Ubisoft’s E3 press conferences have been standout events. If it wasn’t for the fact that Sony and Microsoft where showing off their new consoles last year, Ubisoft would have out stolen the show two years in a row. This however, they don’t have Watch_Dogs to lean on. Was their E3 conference as big of a success as the previous years? Read on to find out!
Like always, we’re just hitting the highlights as opposed to recapping the entire event.
Ubisoft kicked it off with the big guns, Far Cry 4! Planned to be released 11/18, it’s definitely on a lot of gamers must buy list. The first five minutes were teased to the audience and ended with an uproar of applause; it was similar to the reveal of Far Cry 3, complete with homicidal antagonist ruthlessly killing someone in a far off country. This was all before taking a selfie with the main character beside a burning bus. Out comes the host, Aisha Tyler, cursing away about how awesome the game looks. She is correct, it looks amazing. I’m looking forward to hearing more news as we get closer to its release date.
Just Dance 2015 is next on the list, with a few surprises in store. The base offering, Just Dance 2015, might be a little more of the same besides an updated soundtrack. While that might be true, there is something to be said about this long standing dance franchise’s success. What’s new this year is potentially exciting. The newer offering, Just Dance Now features the ability to dance with people all over the world. Using smart phones and other devices, the game allows for limitless crowds to play together. Exciting use of technology, but will it take off? Only time will tell. The normal Just Dance is a heck of a lot of fun, and the more people to play with the better. Be on the look at for Just Dance 2015 on October 21st and Just Dance Now sometime after.
Tom Clancy’s The Division is then showcased with an attempt of heartfelt, yet hokey telling of an unknown character and his loss. Don’t get me wrong, the game looks amazing and it is on my must buy list this year, but show me the gameplay and not a CGI trailer. All that being said, the Division looks absolutely stunning; I’m looking forward to learning more about the other aspects of the game. Car driving is next, with The Crew rearing its head. Ubisoft reveals time lapsed in game footage showing off no loading times in a drive from Miami to LA. Two words: Gorgeous and phenomenal (technically, that’s three). It’s not just eye candy, though. Team focused driving and objectives are the name of the game. If I can coral three others to play with me in a crew, I can see this being a wildly good time. November 11th is the slated release date, which gives me a bit of time to sell the idea to my buddies.
Ready for yet another sequel to a well-known franchise? Well, it doesn’t matter if you are ready. Assassin’s Creed Unity is being touted as a worthy successor to Black Flag. I agree, with the excellent backdrop of the French Revolution and adding to it with co-op play; it stands to be one of the most exciting Creeds yet. Here, Ubisoft dives in (pun intended) to the single player mode. Gameplay looks familiar, with parkour and stealth kills looking as great as ever. Unfortunately, it is being released on October 28th. I say unfortunately because the month has already been flooded with AAA titles, begging for our wallets.
Are you in need of a fitness title? Ubisoft has your number, with Shape Up – a colorful attempt at putting the fun back into fitness – coming this fall. With the demos showed, I’m not necessarily a believer. Yea, stick a game on a sweaty workout and…well, it’s still going to be a sweaty workout. They do try though, with pseudo retro graphics combined with a relatively simple rhythm mechanic. It might work. Still, I have to see more before I’m convinced. I didn’t need any convincing for Valiant Hearts: The Great War, a stylized World War I based game using the UbiArt Framework engine (new Rayman series, Child of Light). Not much was shown other than the trailer but I’m a sucker for a story-laden game and this one surely covers that. I can’t wait to hear more about this interesting title.
Last, but certainly not least, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege. Classic tactical based hostage co-op mode with a nice twist. The enemies are actual players, making Siege seem like a SWAT/Counter Strike mash up. The icing on the cake of a pretty well done trailer was the amount of destruction on screen. Blowing a hole in the floor to assault players on the floor below was awesome to see. I was never big on the Rainbow Six games, but I might make an exception for this come 2015!
All in all, very well done Ubisoft! You kept my attention through the media briefing and left me wanting more/wishing I was in LA right now to check these games out. Now if you will excuse me, I need to get a mop for this drool that’s pooled for the past hour!
Final Verdict:
B+
