Instead of an overview of the entire event, I’m taking a closer look at the shooters showcased this year. Since it’s such a popular genre, I’ve had to narrow it down to what I think of as “pure shooters.” This leaves out “action/adventure shooters: like Tomb Raider and Just Cause, as well as “RPG shooters” like Fallout and Horizon Zero Dawn. But do yourself a favor and check all of those out, especially Horizon, winner of my personal Best in Show.
I’m also going to gloss over some of the bigger titles that have few if any new elements. Black Ops III definitely has the strongest storyline in the Call of Duty series, but the latest installment feels very much the same, maybe even taking a half step backwards when compared to the new abilities in Advanced Warfare such as double jumps and punches that result in ragdoll physics.
Halo 5: Guardians had two announcements of note: A new warzone multiplayer mode, basically big team games with a bunch of bot enemies running around the map à la Titanfall. The more controversial addition had to do with the requisition packs that allow you to customize your character and unlock weapons and gear. These can be earned through gameplay, as well as purchased with actual money. The “pay to win” argument rages on.
Gears of War Ultimate Edition seemed somewhat less ultimate when I found out it was only a remastered version of the first game in the series. I understand there’s a hardcore fan base of Gears’ somewhat unique online experience. But come on, the Master Chief Collection has 4 games, all with their own multiplayer modes as well as mixed playlists to keep things fresh. Add to that Microsoft’s newly announced backwards compatibility, and this title seems completely unnecessary.
Star Wars Battlefront is a modern reboot of a franchise many fans have been hoping for over the last decade. It was a 3rd person objective based shooter very much in the same vein as the Battlefield series, so Dice developing the newest installment kinda feels right. Some great improvements include on the fly 3rd/1st person view switching, items like grenades being on a cooldown rather than having a set amount and offline game modes that include surviving waves of enemies, akin to Halo’s firefight mode. The biggest complaints are the lack of a campaign, lack of space combat, and couch co-op limited to two players. Overall, the game feels extremely average. It’s pretty, and definitely keeps the soul of the original series, but I doubt it will interest anyone other than hardcore Star Wars fans.
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided had a strong showing this year with stunning graphics, even in its alpha build. The story of this future cyberpunk world is interesting and engaging, revolving around a worldwide malfunctioning of mechanically augmented people, or “augs.” They’ve now been rounded up into camps, which is why Eidos describes it as “Deus Ex meets District 9.” You still have the option of going through missions stealthily, non-lethal or guns ablaze, all of which have important effects on dialogue and storyline. New toys and abilities open up even more options for traversal and enemy threats. Jensen now has a dash ability that can quickly get you onto a second floor, or be used as an AoE ground pound attack. He also has a new knife launching ability that shoots a superheated blade behind or above cover, which then explodes into deadly shards that decimate the poor bastard hiding behind that shipping container. Complete tactical freedom, multiple story outcomes, and tons of cool future tech give this game a lot of replay value. My only misgiving is that a stealth game that allows you to go invisible kinda feels like cheating.
Finally, a couple indies. Developed by The Bartlet Jones Supernatural Detective Agency, Drawn to Death is a free-for-all 3rd person shooter set inside a teenager’s notebook. The unique sketched style is fun to play in, and the perfect setting for ridiculous Duke Nukem style humor. The juvenile tone adds to the game’s personality, with weapons like “The Fister” and “America, Fuck Yeah.” Gameplay was frantic, but the maps may have been just a tad too big for its 4 player cap. It seems like you could have some fun with friends, but I don’t see the appeal lasting very long.
My favorite shooter of E3 might be considered more of a puzzle game with shooting mechanics. Originating as a 7 day FPS game jam project, Superhot became a worldwide hit almost overnight. It has you clearing rooms of hostile red geometric people using guns, thrown bottles and melee attacks. It’s usually a one shot kill, and that goes both ways. What really sets this game apart is that you control time. Stand still, it stops. Move slowly, it creeps forward with you. Launch an attack, and time jumps ahead. Dodge bullets Matrix style, but make sure to lead your targets because they’re just as fast as you. Simple to learn but hard to master, this is exactly the type of innovation and pure fun this oversaturated genre needs.
Everything this year was really beautiful. Animators are nailing it, especially with terrain and facial features. There just doesn’t seem to be any big must-haves. The shooter communities are tending to split up into their own niches, and many (myself included) get behind games with little staying power (Titanfall, Evolve, Destiny, and so many others.) I remember when everyone I knew was excited for a single game that we’d all play together for months. I keep getting my hopes up, and they keep getting dashed to pieces. 2016 will have some fun releases, but there wasn’t a single FPS I see myself playing into 2017. Here’s hoping next E3 changes that.
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