Electronic Arts certainly have some titles that have been hyped for quite some time, and their recent press conference gave gamers what they asked for. They highlighted the games that everyone has been anticipating and showed them off with force. Here are the titles that were featured:
Mass Effect 3 – The demo showcased Shepard as he attempted to destroy a Reaper base. The gameplay that fans know and love will be back with the addition with a new melee move that allowed Shepard to wield a virtual blade called the “omni-blade.” From the looks of the demo, the blade will offer an instant kill unlike the melee combat in Mass Effect 2 which required multiple bashes from your gun to take your enemy out. Shepard now has the ability to perform combat rolls allowing to move from cover spot to cover spot more easily. Players will also be able to call in the Normandy for heavy fire as was displayed in the demo. The gameplay concluded as we realize that what we Shepard is trying to destroy is not a base but a live Reaper. As you call in an orbital strike to take it down, you think that you’ve bested the supreme being. Unfortunately, that just makes it angry and the demo reaches its conclusion.
Need For Speed: The Run – For the first time in the series, players will see action on foot as well as in the car. Though the story mode sounds a bit cheesy (being on the run from the mob), the gameplay shown looks promising. The demo shows your car being spun off the road, and it’s then time to get out and run. Our protagonist makes his way to a roof where he becomes under fire from a helicopter turret and is forced to jump across the rooftops in order to survive. The game clearly is taking a page from the mechanics featured in Heavy Rain as you have to press a certain button combination in order to make the right move. the demo then leads the player to steal a cop car while the helicopter gives chase from behind. A tanker then explodes and the car is flipped, and you’re inconveniently tossed onto a railroad track where you must again press a combination of buttons in order to escape.
Star Wars: The Old Republic – A new cinematic trailer highlighted some of the game’s features, though it was disappointing that it did not feature any gameplay footage.
SSX – As the tagline suggests, the classic snowboarding game will “defy reality.” One of the most prominent features includes the use of NASA satellite footage that will allow players to be able to drop into every major mountaintop in the world.
FIFA 12 – Getting athletes such as Wayne Rooney, Kaka, and even Chad Ochocinco to promote your game is one thing, but getting Young Money rap-stars Drake and Lil Wayne was a surprising nice touch as the developers showed that FIFA is one of those titles that is universally acclaimed and played worldwide. The concept of “EA Football Club” was also announced and yep, you guessed, it will be another social media service that will allow players to take on challenges to earn achievements and move up the global leaderboards.
Madden 12 – The new character models and animations look very realistic. Ray Lewis, Clay Matthews, and cover athlete Peyton Hillis appeared on stage to promote this year’s edition. New features were also announced including “dynamic player performance” (which will focus on players’ mentality in addition to their physical attributes) and a new collision system.
The Sims Social – Move over Farmville, The Sims is moving to Facebook. The Sims Social is an upcoming Facebook app that will allow users to do everything they normally do in Sims titles. Forming relationships within the game is a sure fire way to make what would have been that real first date a little less awkward.
Kingdoms of Amalur: The Reckoning – The trailer for the upcoming hack-and-slash RPG featured some great looking classes and abilities. For those of you who have grown tired of Albion, this is a title to look out for.
Overstrike – This shooter will feature a team of expert special operatives known as “The Misfits.” The trailer highlighted each of the four team members and their area of expertise. The game reminds me of the Xbox title, Brute Force in the way that it forces you to utilize each caharcter for their respective abilites in different situations.
Battlefield 3 – The demo undoubtedly highlighted the game’s scale, environment destruction, and impressive rendering. Interestingly enough, the person presenting the demo was playing from a PC, so let’s hope that doesn’t mean bad news for console owners when the game is released October 25. The desert tank battle shown in the demo was incredibly realistic and the mechanics of that Frostbite 2 Engine are looking magnificent so far. When the presenter viewed the incoming air strike from a spy plane above, it was almost as if the audience was watching real footage of a modern conflict. The beta for the game will be coming in September, and EA will attempt to rival CoD’s Elite with a social service of their own titled, “BattleLog.” It will reportedly give players up-to-date and in-depth stats as well as allow them to create online squads with friends. BF3 has been promoted as a “CoD killer” and from the looks of the demo it is certainly shaping up that way.
