Day one of E3 has come to a close, and we’ve already had the chance to check out some of the most anticipated titles for this year and next.
Upon entering the convention centre, we were overwhelmed by the sheer size of it all. E3 is divided into four halls of the convention centre and with the short amount of time we had today, we could only check out the South Hall. To give you an idea, the EB Expo could fit into one of the halls here easily.
Our time was spent mostly over at the EA booth, where we played Star Wars: Battlefront and Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst. Both titles were amazing and although we were in the line for almost an hour, it was well worth the wait for both games.
In Star Wars: Battlefront, we got to experience the ‘inspired-by’ Hoth battle scene (just like the gameplay trailer) in a 24 person multiplayer battle. The match was focused around the Empire’s intention to destroy the Rebel force’s base power generator, and it was your role to either attack or defend (depending on the side you’re on). The battle includes AT-AT walkers and Snowspeeders, and although Star Wars: Battlefront felt like playing Battlefield with a Star Wars skin, it was certainly not a bad thing. The overall experience was fast-paced; it had interesting gameplay elements, it was simple to understand, and mostly, it was fun.
Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst was next on our list. In the pre-alpha build we were playing, we were able to check out three game modes – Dash, Takedown and Billboard Hack. Dash is effectively a time-trial to get from one point of the city to the other, Takedown is for refining your moves to defeat guards and Billboard Hack is changing the image of a digital billboard with an insignia oppressing the city’s totalitarian regime (the game’s logo). The greatest bit about all these modes though? They can be accessed at any time as the city is open-world! Want to get the best time for a particular Dash? Open up your map and set a waypoint to the location. Don’t feel like doing anything? You can free-roam the city and even find some hidden objects while doing so.
The game looks pretty sharp on the latest Frostbite engine and was running on PCs with NVIDIA graphics cards. Although we were using an Xbox One controller, I highly recommend using one when the game releases should you play it on PC. The mapping works very well with the control & combat mechanics, and is user friendly. It focuses on a two-button scaling system that allows you to either move up or down with ease.
Kochie was able to have a go at Street Fighter V and really liked the changes that had been made for the upcoming release. With the Ultra system now gone, Capcom have decided to go with a new “V-skill” system that is different for every character. Special moves have been enhanced and look cool every time you pull them off. He may have gotten his ass whooped but he still had fun. Definitely something that will be enjoyed by many and the competitive matches will be insane.
We’ll be back tomorrow with our day 2 E3 wrap-up so stay tuned!