EA Event Impressions - E3 2015
EA has started to gain positive traction in the gaming community but still has a long way to go in the eyes of many.
EA started off their E3 presentation with footage of the upcoming game in the Mass Effect franchise... Mass Effect: Andromeda.
Next up was the next title in the Need for Speed franchise, aptly named Need for Speed. This is sort of a combo of all the previous Need for Speed titles. Remnants of Carbon, Underground, Most Wanted, Undercover, and Rivals were all apparent. The game features seamless transitions from Live Action cinematics to digital gameplay. The game has in depth customization, an open world twice the size of Rivals, and of course, cops to outrun.
Then EA showed The Old Republic to a lackluster response from the crowd. I don't know why Bioware and EA keep pushing this title as it hasn't had any real impact on the MMO market. There is a new upcoming expansion called Knights of the Fallen Empire, which will supposedly feature narrative choice and consequences.
EA then showed off a new IP called Unravel. The game is a physics based puzzle platformer where you are a living yarn figure (appropriately named Yarny) and use strands of yarn to complete tasks. It looked like a really fun and cute game and was absolutely gorgeous as well.
Plants Vs Zombies Garden Warfare 2, which was mentioned earlier at the Xbox Event, was explained in a bit more detail here. This will be the first game in the franchise where the Plants are on the offensive. There are new classes added to the old ones as well as a new mode called Graveyard Ops which is the counter part to Garden Ops as seen in the first installment. All of the modes in game will have the capability to be played solo with bots or splitscreen with a friend.
A ton of sports titles were shown off: NHL 16, PGA Tour, NBA Live 16, FIFA 16, and Madden 16. PGA Tour will have no load times between holes, which EA said would save 15 minutes. That's 15 more minutes of perfecting your drive and approach on the green. NBA Live 16 will be released September 29th and will feature a new online mode called Rise Together. FIFA 16 will feature women's teams for the first time, which is very exciting, as well as revamped defense mechanics. Madden 16 has a revamped draft mechanic so you don't feel like you're just letting the computer do all the work. You'll have more control over your team than ever before. These new titles will feature trainer modes to help new players ease into these titles and help veterans perfect their skills.
EA then shifted focus towards mobile gaming, which received some actual boos from the crowd. The two titles shown were Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes and Minions Paradise. Minions Paradise is a sim game featuring the minions from Despicable Me stranded on an island.
Mirror's Edge: Catalyst was officially unveiled and sees the origin of our favorite free runner, Faith. The main villain is named Kruger, and he is the head of one of the major corporations that have taken over in place of governments. Privacy is obsolete in this new world, and information is sacred. Mirror's Edge: Catalyst has no levels but instead is open world free roaming... the city is truly your playground. The game will be released on February 23, 2016.
EA saved the best for last with Star Wars: Battlefront. The game features massive multiplayer battles as well as missions that can be taken on alone or with friends. The game features third and first person modes and will be released on November 17, 2015.
That's all from EA. The GeekTyrant team will have more hands on impressions throughout the week, so stay tuned!