Bethesda’s E3 2018 press conference has come and gone, giving fans around the world a taste of what’s to come in the future; and even though it didn’t show off too many games, pretty much all the reveals were pretty top notch.
With games such as Starfield, Fallout 76 and The Elder Scrolls VI, there is definitely a lot to be excited about. Of course, not all the announcements were equal and some weren’t as good as the others, so without further adieu here are the good, bad and ugly of Bethesda’s E3 2018 event:
The Good
Pretty Much The Whole Event
Under normal circumstances, there would be high points and low points when looking at any E3 press conference. In the case of Bethesda, however, there weren’t really any low points — everything was solid. There were jokes, all of the major IPs got a new title and unlike other conferences where new games are shown which aren’t expected to arrive in several years, many of the ones shown here are due out in the near future.
Fallout
Let’s just go ahead and get the obvious out of the way: Fallout (Fallout 76, in particular) stole the show
Fallout 76 hasn’t been in our lives for too long (the end of May to be precise), but its clear that it will be staying in them for quite some time since Bethesda has promised the game will have dedicated servers and be supported for years to come. This is a smart move on its part, as it looks pretty damn fun to play. From a cursory glance it looks like Fallout 4, but you can do all the activities from said game with a team of up to four other players. In other words, a Fallout MMO. Between all the multi and single player content, we could very well be playing this until we find ourselves in an apocalypse of our own.
And when does the first day in the rest of our lives start? Nov. 14. In fact, it might even begin a little sooner for those who sign up for the beta whose details will be revealed at a later date.
Meanwhile, Fallout Shelter is continuing its dominance in the f2p sphere (120 million people have played) it started in 2015 when it arrived on mobile platforms in 2015 and extended in 2016 and 2017 when it released on the PC and Xbox One, respectively, by coming out for the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch TONIGHT.
The Elder Scrolls
At long last, Bethesda confirmed what we already knew in our hearts: The Elder Scrolls VI is coming. Unfortunately, that’s all we know for the time being.
Next up is Elder Scrolls Online which is getting two new packs of DLC: Wolfhunter, a series of new dungeons focusing on werewolves, and Murkmire, which takes players back to the homeland of the Argonians, the Black Marsh.
Third is The Elder Scrolls Legends, the collectible card game that I completely forgot existed until the press conference.
Perhaps this was an issue for many people, which is why Bethesda is set to relaunch the game with updated visuals and release it for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch later this year.
Lastly, Bethesda revealed The Elder Scrolls: Blades for mobile platforms. A mobile title like this would usually get demoted to the “bad” part of this list, but the reason why it managed to remain up here is because it just looks so goddamn clean. This game doesn’t look like the type of game that would be on a mobile game and it certainly shouldn’t handle the way it does on such a platform either, but it totally works and manages to keep the quintessential TES experience intact.
Furthermore, between its single-player campaign where you play as a member of the Blades (an elite group who works for the Empire) in a bid to restore your now-dilapidated home to its former glory, PvP where you get to square off against other players in the arena and a rouge-like mode where your adventure only ends when you get tired of it (or die), TES fans will likely be playing this until VI arrives.
And when can you get your hands on this tasty morsel? It’s due sometime in the fall and is available for pre-order on iTunes and on Google Play.
Starfield (Finally!)
Rumors about Starfield — which represents the first new IP from Bethesda in 25 years — have persisted for years now, and it has finally been unveiled to the world. There isn’t much to go on for now, but we know it’s a sci-fi title and in development for next-generation consoles.
Bethesda is clearly playing the long game with this one.
The Bad
Not Enough Gameplay
To be clear, each reveal was amazing. My issue, however, is that Bethesda’s E3 conference was dominated by trailers and we didn’t get to see gameplay for a handful of the games that were showcased.
It’s understandable in the case of The Elder Scrolls VI and Starfield (though it’s odd that we’ve known about the game for two years now and we still know basically nothing about it), but it’s frustrating that games like Doom Eternal, Wolfenstein: Youngblood and Wolfenstein: Cyberpilot didn’t get any either (at least those attending E3 will be able to try out the last one).
All three latter games are due out in 2019, so we at least won’t have to wait too long before we hear more.
Skyrim: Very Special Edition
Since it’s initial release in 2011, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has been granted a plethora of DLC, remastered, come out for VR, and been released on the Nintendo Switch. At this point, it seems the title has come out for every platform imaginable.
Well, that’s where you’re wrong.
In a skit that’s so bad it’s good, Keegan-Micheal Key reveals that we haven’t even come close to going down the rabbit hole that is Skyrim multi-platform releases. Whether you like it or not, you will play this game. Todd Howard demands it.
The Ugly
Ruckus The Crusher
Do you like Rage? Do you like Ruckus the Crusher? Do you like Andrew W.K.? Well, why not get the Collector’s Edition of Rage 2 so you can get the head of Ruckus the Crusher that talks to you?
Yes, you heard me: For the small fee of $119.99, you can adorn your apartment with the likeness of Ruckus the Crusher voiced by none other than Andrew W.K. It’s that odd mix of ugly, creepy and funny that will either leave you giggling like a schoolgirl or having nightmares.
The Collector’s Edition also comes with a monster truck (please be a real one), a poster, “deluxe edition content,” a “BFG,” “weapon and armor,” an exclusive mission called “Cult of the Death God” and cheat codes from the “Wasteland Wizard,” but who cares about any of that stuff when you can get a talking Ruckus the Crusher head? Priorities, people.
Rage 2 is due out for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.
Finale
That’s it for the good, bad and ugly of Bethesda’s E3 event. What were your favorite (and least favorite) parts of the event? Do you think Bethesda did a good job overall? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
Published: Jun 11, 2018 12:11 am