After Microsoft’s extravaganza of announcements and teaser’s we come back down to Earth with Ubisoft and see what they had to bring to the table this E3.
JUST DANCE 2017
RELEASE DATE: October 2016 and Nintendo NX in 2017
PLATFORM: All of them!
After a stock standard onstage performance from Ubisoft they have showcased the latest from the developers of the Just Dance Franchise. Enjoy the first tracks of Just Dance 2017, including “Sorry” by Justin Bieber, “Lean On” by Major Lazer Ft. MØ & DJ Snake, Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen and many more.
GHOST RECON: WILDLANDS
RELEASE DATE: 7th March 2017
PLATFORM: PC | PlayStation 4 | Xbox One
The Santa Blanca drug cartel has transformed the beautiful South American country of Bolivia into a perilous narco-state, leading to lawlessness, fear, and rampant violence. The citizens of Bolivia have been plagued by the criminal influence of the cartel, but all hope is not lost. Now only the Ghosts, an elite US Special Forces team, can save the country from complete collapse.
Here we go again with the fake Ubisoft multiplayer talking sequences that everyone knows is a whole load of baloney. Here we see a new Ghost Recon title with a 4 player co-op campaign. Remember when Ghost Recon was about stealthy sequences of silent and deadly action? Well not anymore because they are seem to be making Just Cause. Explosions and car chases are strewn throughout the gameplay showcase and they seem to have gotten rid of what Ghost Recon is named for.
SOUTH PARK FRACTURED BUT WHOLE
RELEASE DATE: 6th December 2016
PLATFORM: PC | Xbox One | PlayStation 4
Picking up where the first game left us, you are still the new kid on the block trying to fit in with the well-established characters of the series. Instead of a fantasy setting of the previous game we are playing Super Heroes this time. After a big fight between the characters you are now in the middle of a Civil War (much like some Marvel movie eh?) and you must fight resolve the conflict between the two sides.
A more defined role is provided to your character with a superhero backstory and the ability to choose a superhero class. Couldn’t help but notice there was no Jew class? Maybe they will release it later. An updated combat system also uses space and time to alter the strategic elements and allow you to overcome your opponents. To me it’s looking like an awesome addition to the series.
Pre-Purchase the Fractured But Whole and get The Stick of Truth for Free on your specific platform.
THE DIVISION – UNDERGROUND (2016) & SURVIVAL DLC (TBA)
RELEASE DATE: 28th June on PC/Xbox One and July 4th on PS4
PLATFORM: PC | Xbox One | PlayStation 4
EAGLE FLIGHT VR
RELEASE DATE: TBA
PLATFORM: PC | Xbox One | PlayStation 4
We were able to witness some onstage gameplay with 2 teams of 3 players using Oculus Rift headsets to capture a rabbit as a flying eagle. Gameplay is fast paced and frantic but it still needs a bit of tweaking before the game is fully released. It’s great that so many companies are investing in the VR technology and creating games for us to experience.
STAR TREK BRIDGE CREW
RELEASE DATE: FALL 2016 (Spring 2016 in Australia)
PLATFORM: All major VR systems
Aisha Taylor was able to talk on stage with Levar Burton after a showcase of the game with original Star Trek members. Unfortunately I’m not a fan of Star Trek so I’m unsure how accurate this game is but the ability to control a spaceship with your friends would be something anyone could enjoy.
FOR HONOR
RELEASE DATE: 14th February 2017
PLATFORM: PC | Xbox One | PlayStation 4
We have more For Honor information and a new Ubisoft IP I’m actually looking forward to. We now have a confirmed single player campaign that follows the various factions through their rise and fall throughout the ages.
The combat system has been explained a little bit better as we see a 3 section blocking system using the right joystick on controller. We won’t be seeing as much hack and slash like we do in similar games. With that in mind, fights still seem fairly hectic and have a almost Dynasty Warriors feel to it where we have main characters and fodder style enemies littering the battlefield.
“Playable in solo and two-player co-op, online and split-screen, For Honor’s full-fledged story campaign is a tale of warriors in which players will live from the inside a crucial moment in the war amongst Knights, Vikings and Samurai. A thousand years after a huge cataclysm destroyed their world, the Knights, the Vikings and the Samurai have united their scattered forces and what was a rampant conflict is about to turn into a total open war.”
Head over to forhonor.ubisoft.com to register to for the upcoming alpha.
GROW UP
RELEASE DATE: August 2016
PLATFORM: PC | Xbox One | PlayStation 4
A teaser trailer allows you to see into the life of Bird, an adorable looking red robot as he makes his way through a unique world of wonder.
TRIALS OF THE BLOOD DRAGON
RELEASE DATE: Out Now – store.ubi.com
PLATFORM: PC | Xbox One | PlayStation 4
The love child of Far Cry: Blood Dragon and the Trials series brings us something we never knew we wanted in our lives but here it is. You don’t have to ask why you need it, you just do. With gun toting bad-assery and free style vehicles a plenty, this action packed game is available now!
ASSASSIN’S CREED MOVIE
RELEASE DATE: 21st of September
WATCH DOGS 2
RELEASE DATE: 16th November 2016
PLATFORM: PC | Xbox One | PlayStation 4
It’s time for more hacking and messing with people’s lives within Watch Dogs 2. The gameplay walkthrough shows a new protagonist who appears to be a part of DeadSec, a hacker organisation that is prone to causing trouble around the city.
While the change in character is a nice touch, did they really have to make him a superhero-esque badass? This guy can hack, shoot guns, perform CQC moves, do parkour and be a stunt driver while still trying to downplay the fact that he’s just an everyday dude fighting against the man. No multiplayer details and no confirmation as to whether the 1v1 hunter mode is still in the game. Please correct me if I missed it because I really enjoyed this mode from the original.
Following this gameplay showcase there has been an announcement of a Watch Dogs feature film that is currently in the works but no details were given out.
Ubisoft has also announced that the Watch Dogs 2 DLC will be available 30 days earlier on the Sony platform. Let’s hope the game doesn’t let us down like the original did.
STEEP
RELEASE DATE: December 2016
PLATFORM: PC | Xbox One | PlayStation 4
Set in various icy regions, this new IP from Ubisoft puts you into the world of an Extreme Sports fanatic who uses Snowboards, Ski’s, Wingsuits and Paragliders to complete various challenges with your friends. You can race each other and join each others worlds to compete for the best downhill time.
Still in the beta stages, the game allows you to retrace steps and share your favourite moments on social media. I think this would be a great idea to use on the VR systems but there was no confirmed announcement as of yet.
FINAL THOUGHTS
For me, South Park may have solely saved the Ubisoft conference. Bringing humour and fun to the professional setting of these conferences is an awesome addition and it had me giggling with glee throughout that entire segment. Apart from that and For Honor I didn’t really see anything I was excited for. Sure we have Watch Dogs 2 coming but many fans were burned by the original and will be sceptical towards any further products going forward.
There was no new Rayman game and No Beyond Good and Evil sequel announced. We go wanting for another year and instead we get an onstage performance for Just Dance. Aisha Tyler provided some witty banter throughout the conference which gave me a chuckle or two but sometimes it just seemed forced.
The New IP in the form of Steep doesn’t interest me until they release it for the VR platform. The forced social interaction sections won’t be used if there is no one to play and then you only have a pretty downslope game that should have been an SSX remake.
There is still more to come from E3 2016! Are you as excited as Kochie for South Park and For Honor? The final showcase of day 2 will be Sony’s press conference which kicks off at 11:00AM AEST, (10:30AM ACST, 9:00AM AWST). For all the conference times, be sure to check out our E3 2016 portal.