For Square Enix E3 2019, we’ve been promised Avengers and promised Final Fantasy VII. What else can they possibly offer?
Final Fantasy VII Remake
Cinematic trailer showing Midgard and the characters as an incredibly strong start to Square Enix E3 2019.
Allowed the team to dive much deeper into the game and the world and the characters.Two Blu Ray discs worth of Game content.First chapter is Midgar as a standalone game in it’s own right.
Perfect place for new players to join in on final fantasy apparently.
Gameplay sequence to be shown off.
Hybrid gameplay between turn based combat and action combat. Basic attacks fill an ATB bar, which allows the player to enter tactical mode. This is the more traditional version of the game as it plays out in slow motion, and characters use actions/abilities or items/materia. These can all be bound to shortcuts as well. Switching characters in combat, with the player having complete control over when actions are used.
Enemies focus gauge can be filled through combat, which allows them to be staggered, with more damage. Player choice in combat is important.
Boss fight against the scorpion sentinel as the gameplay demo.
The game truly does look incredible, looking like it has fluid movement and combat, and never compromising in the visual areas. The cutscenes and the in game sections all seem to be rendered in real time, as there’s almost no difference. The soundtrack is bombastic and shifts to match the tone of the fight perfectly.
So I’ve never played Final Fantasy. I’m not that much of a fan of turn based combat. This combat system, and the sheer money and care on display here, has my interest.
One last thing they want to show. A full version of a trailer dropped at the Final Fantasy Concert previously. Including finally showing off Tifa and Sephiroth.
Release date is 03/03/2020
Life is Strange Season 2
Unfortunately has to follow the hype of Final Fantasy VII, but they run through the continuing story of Season 2.
We’re not seeing new footage, instead this is a bunch of streamers and press quotes for the three episodes out so far.
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles
This looks exactly like the game I once read a whole strategy guide for. While not owning the game.
Online multiplayer mode, and now on smart phones as well.
Out this winter
Octopath Traveller
Out now on Steam, this is another awards and plaudits trailer.
The Last Remnant Remastered
Available Tonight on Nintendo Switch.
Dragon Quest Builders 2
A young apprentice builder is the last hope since an evil cult wiped out all the former builders.
We’re seeing gameplay of the multiple islands, with each island offering new crafting. Islanders help you build now, and vehicles are a thing.
Combi attacks with your buddy Malroth.
4 player co op
July 12th release date, Demo on the PlayStation store on June 27th
Dragon Quest XI Echoes of an Elusive Age Definitive Edition
For Nintendo switch. Another reminder that this is coming out to Switch
Available this fall.
Square Enix Collection
This is Square’a indie brand, which has some interesting games on it.
Currently a refresher of everything thats come out since it started.
Coming soon: in 2020
Circuit Superstars
Racing game based on top down motorsport.
This looks like a more realistic version of micro machines. Very cute and charming artstyle
Battalion 1944
This is a Call of Duty esque fast paced first person shooter. It can out of early access in early 2019, with this trailer focussing on the online tool suite for managing stats and leaderboards.
(This is available now on Steam)
Square Enix Music now all available on streaming services.
Final Fantasy Soundtracks everywhere you want to listen.
Kingdom Hearts III ReMind
Trailer and Gameplay on show for Winter releasing DLC
Final Fantasy XIV Online
Want to show off the third expansion pack for Shadowbringers, which launches in July 2nd.
16 million users registered, with active player numbers reaching a peak just as this expansion launched. Six Years since A Realm Reborn rebooted this game. A lesson that a game being declared dead is somewhat premature.
Effectively Shadowbringers is equivalent to a full rpg content pack.
Launch trailer for Shadowbringers
I have literally no context for what’s going on in this trailer, but it seems dramatic.
Dying Light 2
Being published by Square Enix now, so we’re getting more parkour footage of this game as the city is explored and revealed. (this looks quite a bit like post apocalyptic mirror’s edge)
Spring 2020
Saga
Two celebrated RPG CLASSICS come west
Romancing Saga 3
Saga Scarlet Grace Ambitions
Switch, PC, PS4
Both coming soon.
Final Fantasy Brave Exvius
39 million downloads, new title from that universe
War of the Visions:
New universe for Final Fantasy in Lap
Countries at war. In development, for worldwide release on smartphones
Outriders
People Can Fly Game being published by Square Enix.
Cinematic showing colonists in a deeply alien world battling to survive against some Titanic looking tripod monsters.
Magic and science seem to be equally at home
Summer 2020
Shooter, outriders is drawing on all of People Can Fly’s experience.
Dark modern shooter built with traditional methods. To be enjoyed with friends or on your own. Alien creatures of various styles, with a variety of player options. 1,2,3 players drop on co-op. Customisable Outriders are seeking a mysterious signal across a hostile planet. Aim is to create one significant story for players – More info this winter.
Oninaki
Action RPG about sending the dead onwards. Battling spirits as a “Watcher”
Available August 22nd 2019 on PC, Switch and PS4
Final Fantasy VIII Remastered
Remastered for this generation. Coming 2019
Gunblades for everyone.
The Avengers:
Finishing up Square Enix E3 2019, the long anticipated Avengers game.
Playing as each member of the avengers in a third person action game. Definitely not MCU voices. The world and the avengers are lost following the destruction of San Francisco so this is an original scenario.
It’s not entirely clear what this game is.
Single player and Co-op, set after the Avengers try to set up a base in San Francisco. As usual, the West Coast Avengers ruin everything.
Crystal Dynamics version of the avengers mythos.
Core theme described as “Losing what matters to you most, and fighting to get it back”
Cast:
Troy Baker as Bruce Banner
Jeff Schine as Captain America
Travis Willingham as Thor
Laura Bailey as Black Widow
Nolan North as Tony Stark
Terrigen Reactor in game as cause of disaster. Which means we’re probably seeing inhumans turning up at some point.
Narrative to follow over multiple years. New content over time. 4 player online co-op. Customise a growing roster of heroes. (more to be added later?)Every new super hero and region to be added to the game will be free.
No lootboxes or pay to win scenarios.
So this is a live service game, but we still don’t know what’s going on. Gameplay demo in booth. So footage will hopefully turn up soon, but no idea why it wasn’t here.
Final reveal: Hank Pym in the game, using shrinking tech on giant machines.
Beta and special content first on PS4, May 15th 2020 release
Roundup
So I came away from Square Enix E3 2019 more excited about Final Fantasy VII than The Avengers. Which is not what I expected.
Square Enix spent a significant amount of their conference telling us about games that already exists and are already out. What they did show of new games was mostly cinematics or narrative teases. This is less than ideal really.