E3 Day 1 Mini Round-up

Usually, I don’t pay much attention to E3. I usually never pay attention to these conventions in the first place. However trailers usually do catch my attention, here are some of them:

First of all, Netherrealm studios got me quite excited for Injustice 2 due to the release of its gameplay trailer. I got in to the first game, but never got myself a copy nor did I really ever get good at it. With this one, I’m looking to invest more of my time with the game, and ACTUALLY get a copy. However, I AM worried about the reported RPG/loot mechanics the game is rumored to have though. You never want any other factors to affect the balance of a fighting game other than a player’s skill. By adding equipment that may alter a character’s abilities, or include a leveling system, that would severely damage a fighting game’s balance. I desperately hope these rumors prove to be false and it turns out to be just an iteration on Mortal Kombat X’s “style system”. For now, I’m cautiously excited for Injustice 2. 

The other thing that caught my attention was Sony’s Santa Monica Studios’s new game. If you aren’t familiar with the studio, you should be familiar with their most famous game series: the God of War franchise. So of course, the trailer they released is for a new God of War game. If you didn’t know, I’m not the biggest fan of the God of War series. I’ve played most of the games (like 4 of the 6…or was it 7?) in the franchise, and I am pretty familiar with how these games work and play. So what did I think of this trailer? I have mixed feelings for it.

First of all I’m interested, because I find Norse Mythology VERY interesting. I’m also annoyed, because it looks to play NOTHING like a God of War game. In which case, why keep the name and Kratos? The game looks to have nothing in common with the previous entries in the series, ESPECIALLY the gameplay which looks to be akin to an adventure game with RPG mechanics (ala Tomb Raider 2014). So why keep the name God of War and (the most insufferable character I’ve ever had the displeasure to play as) Kratos? Marketing! So that’s got me already ticked-off.

But then, the trailer proceeds to push me off the annoyed spectrum, all the way to pissed-off due to the camera. During the entire gameplay sequence shown within the trailer, the camera is stuck on a “over the shoulder perspective.” This camera angle is fine during normal “walking around” gameplay. What set me off though, is that the camera stuck to that perspective during combat! That’s a TERRIBLE camera angle for melee combat. Contrast that to games like the Arkham Batman games who do use the “over the shoulder” perspective during non-combat sequences, but switch to a more appropriate angle during combat! Overall, the trailer’s a mixed bag for me. The setting’s got me interested, for sure. But the fact that it HAS to be a God of War game and it HAS to star Kratos, greatly annoys me. Then we have the camera, which just ruins it for me. I can deal with the first issue, but if the camera doesn’t change, then this game is a “no buy” for me.

OH, and one last thing: DON’T TRUST KOJIMA! HE’S GONNA TROLL US AGAIN!