Photographs by Daniel Boczarski.
After revealing their respective consoles last year, Microsoft and Sony have been in a vicious battle for the top of the next generation console wars. With plenty still on the line, both sides are taking no quarter in offering the best in electronic entertainment to come.
The show started out showcasing Destiny, Bungie’s multiplayer focused sci-fi role-playing first person shooter, with the footage emphasizing the story over a gameplay demonstration. If you’re wondering about getting your hands on this game before buying, you’ll be happy to know that a multiplayer beta will be available on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 on July 17th, 2014. Another date to note is the release of an exclusive PlayStation 4 Destiny bundle on September 9th 2014 featuring a never before released white PlayStation 4 and controller, as well as a copy of Destiny on the PlayStation 4 and a 30 day PlayStation Plus voucher.
Next up is a trailer for the mysterious PlayStation 4 exclusive THE ORDER 1886. displaying stunning graphics set in an alternate past where demons roam the lands and hunters with big guns pursue them, the trailer was only a very short teaser look showing off a small encounter between a member of the order fighting off a flesh eating monster.
Another big name announced was Little Big Planet 3 for the PlayStation 4 scheduled to be released November 2014. This new entry in the series featured a set of new characters with varying abilities and a new focus on cooperation between players to get through levels. Fans of the series will be delighted to know that user created levels from Little Big Planet 1 and 2 are compatible with the new Little Big Planet 3 featuring updated graphics.
Following up to Little Big Planet is a new CG trailer of FROM SOFTWARE’s Hidetaka Miyazaki directed title named Bloodborne. Fans of demons souls and dark souls series should be eagerly holding on for this PlayStation 4 exclusive until sometime next year.
If you haven’t played Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us (or if you have!), rejoice in the announcement of a special remastered edition being developped to take advantage of the power of the PlayStation 4.
Staying true to this year’s theme of multiplayer co-operative games, FARCRY4 comes in flaunting off plenty of destructive shenanigans as two players take down an enemy base. Some new tricks of note are being able to shoot while driving and enlisting the help of wild elephants!
Finishing off strong Sony showed off some gameplay footage and two new characters for the upcoming Mortal Kombat X. The fatalities are as grusome as ever, and thats the way we like it.
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain made an appearance with a story trailer showing off the aftermath of MGSV: Ground Zeroes as Big Boss and crew rebuild their private army. Followed by a trailer for the newly announced PlayStation 4 version of Grant Theft Auto V which was noted to have been recorded directly off the PlayStation 4 hardware.
Some new gameplay footage was shown of the new Batman Arkham Knight game that im sure any Batman fan would be excited about!
Everything came to a close once an announcement trailer for Uncharted 4 came on titled Uncharted 4: A Thief”s End.
But thats not all! Sony also had announcements regarding their new PlayStation Vita TV which will retail for $99 standalone or $139 for a bundle unit featuring a DualShock 3, an HDMI cable, a digital voucher for The Lego Movie Video Game and an 8GB memory card. Allowing players to experience a multitude of vita games as well as classic PS1 and PS2 games that are available on the PlayStation store.
The PlayStation Now service will be entering its public beta phase soon bringing cloud game streaming to Canada and the U.S. on July 31st of this year for the PlayStation 4. PlayStation Now is also set for release for PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, and select Sony Televisions with a Dual Shock 3 Controller sometime in the future.
Sony also had plenty to say about several indie games such as exclusive console debuts of Broforce, Titan Souls, Not a Hero, Hotline Miami 2 and The Talos Principle.
Space exploration nuts should be excited by the new footage of No Man’s Sky, giving us a taste of the ambitious games’ ability to generate worlds on the fly, now with dinosaurs!
In a surprising reveal, Sony announces a remake of the cult classic 1998 Windows game Grim Fandango exclusively for Playstation 4 and Vita, this classic point and click adventure game is filled with style and comedy that will make a great addition to anyone’s library of games.
This year Sony had a strong showing that had a little bit of everything for everyone, from shooters to platformers to indie games to revisiting old classics, there was much to be excited about.
