Today in our schedule of conferences, we got to check out what EA has to offer for 2015-2016. Although a large portion of their showcase was sports related, there were some interesting titles shown along with a few to definitely keep your eyes on. We’ve listed the games and trailers revealed at their showcase today.
Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst
RELEASE DATE: 23 February 2016
PLATFORM: Xbox One | PlayStation 4 | PC
Featuring fluid movement and combat in a massive city where you can run free and explore, Mirror’s Edge Catalyst adds a new level of immersion to action adventure games by putting you in the first person perspective. You are not just watching Faith’s fight for freedom, you will experience it through her eyes.
Need for Speed
RELEASE DATE: 5 November 2015
PLATFORM: Xbox One | PlayStation 4 | PC
The new Need for Speed introduces compelling and innovative gameplay through Five Ways to Play – Speed, Style, Build, Crew, and Outlaw. Each drives your Need for Speed game through an interconnected narrative. Built around five real world automotive icons, each of whom is a hero of today’s car culture, they will inspire the player to experience all Five Ways to Play. Earn their respect and build your reputation on your journey to become the ultimate icon.
Unravel
RELEASE DATE: TBA
PLATFORM: Xbox One | PlayStation 4 | PC
Unravel introduces Yarny, a tiny, new character made from a single thread of yarn, who embarks on a seemingly larger than life journey through the breath-taking, lush environments of Northern Scandinavia. Using Yarny’s small thread and big heart, players will traverse nature’s obstacles in this unique physics-based puzzle platformer.
Star Wars: Battlefront
RELEASE DATE: 19 November 2015
PLATFORM: Xbox One | PlayStation 4 | PC
Star Wars Battlefront will deliver an incredibly authentic and immersive interactive entertainment experience featuring photorealistic visuals and epic action in iconic Star Wars locations.
Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare 2
RELEASE DATE: Autumn 2016
PLATFORM: Xbox One | PlayStation 4 | PC
For the first time in franchise history, zombies have taken over Suburbia and plants are on the attack. Each faction has enlisted new characters from the past, present, and future to join the fight. Play your way through all new modes, discover unique gameplay features, and explore all-new maps.
Star Wars: The Old Republic – Knights of the Fallen Empire
RELEASE DATE: 27 October 2015
PLATFORM: PC
The expansion puts the player at the center of their own personal saga, playing as the Outlander, a veteran of the Great Galactic War. The player will come face-to-face with a new enemy, the Emperor of the Eternal Empire, only to discover that his dark destiny is tied to their own.
FIFA 16
RELEASE DATE: 24 September 2015
PLATFORM: Xbox One | PlayStation 4 | PC
At the heart of FIFA 16, innovative gameplay features will deliver a balanced, authentic, and exciting football experience that lets fans play their way.
NHL 16
RELEASE DATE: 17 September 2015
PLATFORM: Xbox One | PlayStation 4
With new levels of depth across single player and team modes, combined with improved gameplay balance and innovation as well as new tools to help you play at your highest level, NHL 16 puts you into the heart of a team, where you’ll play together and win together.
Madden NFL 16
RELEASE DATE: 27 August 2015
PLATFORM: Xbox One | PlayStation 4 | Xbox 360 | PlayStation 3
When players take the field in Madden NFL 16 they’ll have a new set of tools at their disposal on both sides of the ball. For the first time in franchise history, gamers will be able to experience true two-player catch interactions as offensive and defensive players make their best attempt to secure the pigskin.
Final thoughts
Unravel would have to be our most favourite title showcased at the conference. It’s a puzzle platformer with a simple premise, but with the lovely music and level design, the game sports an emotionally evoking art style which seems to complement the overall gaming experience. Above all, Unravel is a new IP from EA and we’re definitely looking forward to getting some hands-on time with it.
Need for Speed is one we’ll be keeping our eyes on. From the in-game footage we saw at the conference, it certainly shows itself as a fast-paced racer with full customisation options along with many game modes. As it was not fixed to one type of “car-genre” (eg. police chases, underground tuning), it almost looked like it was a culmination of all the best Need for Speed titles in one game. We shall see.
As for Star Wars: Battlefront – After watching the Hoth battle footage at the conference, how can we say no to that?
Unsurprisingly, Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst is one we’re keen to check out. Apart from the trailer and a small bit of in-game footage, not much else was shown at the conference unfortunately. That said though, we were impressed with seeing the iconic title running on the latest Frostbite engine. We enjoyed playing the original Mirror’s Edge title, and we’ve got high hopes that the new one will exceed our expectations.