Square Enix
It has been quite the week leading up to E3 2015 with a steady stream of incredible reveals, leaving you wondering, “What exactly will there be to announce at E3?” From the “Fallout 4” reveal, the return of rhythm gaming, and YouTube taking on Twitch; the gaming industry is charging full speed into its biggest week of the year. Fortunately, the fun hasn’t stopped. Microsoft started off the console wars with a bang, and we’ve seen some great output from Bethesda, EA, and Ubisoft. Sony also threw some punches and Nintendo dazzled us with loads of fanfare! Now the question remains, can “Square Enix” close out the developers with a strong finish? Here is everything you needed to know about the 2015 Square Enix Press Conference, live from E3 2015 on Tuesday, June 16.
The conference jumps right into the action with “Just Cause 3.” A gameplay trailer shows off all the high-flying, action-packed, guns-blazing, explosion filled glory. Phil Rogers, CEO of Square Enix Americas and Europe, opens up welcoming everyone with a “We haven’t done one of these in a while.” He talks about the awesome changes the company has made over the years, adapting to changes and listening to fan feedback – a popular theme this year. He teases a few of the games that will be seen during the conference before continuing with the “Just Cause 3.”
He talks about how dedicated the community is that is still playing “Just Cause 2.” He promises for longer and better support for games moving forward, because of the incredibly dedicated community. He talks about “Square Enix Collective” and the games that it has supported so far, promising more to come. He then welcomes Roland Lesterlin from Avalanche Studios to talk more about “Just Cause 3.”
He emphasizes the desire to create a huge, open-world game and redefine the open-world genre with “the greatest game in the franchise.” Lesterlin talks about what has been added, such as the additional grapple lines, and what has been brought back, such as the wing-suit, to create the ultimate sandbox game to entertain players. He then announces the worldwide Dec 1, 2015 launch date is revealed for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. A new cinematic trailer shows off more of the over-the-top action signature to the series. It says the map has over 400,000 square miles to explore. A narrator discusses the story line about an evil dictator bent on world domination and Rico is going to save the wo- OK, seriously though, you get to blow stuff up. Jetpacks, parachutes, grappling hooks, wing-suits, rocket launchers, hand grenades, rifles, and unlimited C4. Everything you ever wanted to chain together awesome kills.
The vehicles are very detailed in models and features a lot of individual parts, crumple zones, and explosive areas. Combine this with the enhanced physics engine around other explosive items and you get “amazing moments of unpredictable chaos.” The world is packed with all kinds of side activities – such as wing-suit races – and littered with collectibles. Rico will have unlocks and upgrades. Basically, this game is everything you ever wanted from a “Just Cause” game.
Yosuke Saito, Business Division VI Director, takes the stage to reveal a new work-in-progress title. It’s early in development and the trailer is supposed to be just to reveal the artwork. It’s developed by Platinum Games, the team behind “Bayonetta.” The team is also packed with loads of other talent who have worked on games from “Tekken” to “Metal Gear.” It’s then revealed that it is going to be “Nier 2.” The whole trailer was cinematic, so not much was revealed, but more details will be announced fall 2015. It looks beautiful, but development has “just begun, so don’t expect it to launch any time soon.” They’re only calling it “Nier New Project” for now, obviously a working title.
Platinum Games says they never imaged such a game would be possible, but that they were instilled with “new strength” after being asked by Square Enix to work on the game. The staff is full of fans of the first game, and they are thrilled to work on the game. We’re reminded that “it will take a while before it’s ready,” so it’s obviously going to be a few years away.
Time to switch gears to “Rise of the Tomb Raider.” Although some details have already been revealed, more gameplay is shown in a trailer. It focuses on more of the puzzles and exploration elements. It also gives us a much better look at the world we’ll be exploring, compared to the almost exclusively snow-filled are shown yesterday. Brian Horton, Game Director, takes the stage to talk more about the game.
He talks about how they want to make Lara seem as “human and believable as possible.” Crystal Dynamics have built Lara from the ground up, focusing on details as small as pores and eyelashes, and how particles would interact with those elements. They even have added scars from the previous game, to enhance the detail. She’ll get muddy when it’s wet out and snow will actually accumulate on her jacket when it’s falling from the sky. “At Crystal, we look at every granular detail to deliver a believable lifelike Lara.” Horton talks about how they’re focusing more on the “Tomb” of “Tomb Raider” and promises more announcements coming in the following months.
Patrick Naud, Head of Studio in Montreal, takes the stage talking about “Hitman Go” and “Hitman Sniper.” He then switches gears and says this mobile concept is being brought to a new franchise – “Tomb Raider.” The art style is more cartoony than “Rise of the Tomb Raider,” but it looks adorable and has a nice soundtrack. “Lara Croft Go” appears to take a lot of inspiration from the “Hitman” game of the same name, and it’s being released “soon” for tablets and mobile.
A quick montage of Square Enix games showcasing everything from “Final Fantasy” to “Dragon Quest,” and it’s time for “Kingdom Hearts?” Unfortunately, the translation didn’t work at this point; but Shinji Hashimoto, a Square Enix Executive, introduced a trailer for “Final Fantasy Remake,” confirmed for “PlayStation 4.” It’s the same trailer that was revealed yesterday, promising “More to Come This Winter” and that you can “Play It First on PlayStation 4.” Hashimoto returns to say that more detailed information will come in the future. Also, the original “Final Fantasy VII” PC release is delayed, however it is coming to iOS this summer, as well. OK, now it’s time for “Kingdom Hearts.”
It looks like it’s going to be a “Kingdom Hearts” mobile game – makes sense, continuing with the trend of games just announced, but it probably isn’t quite what everyone was expecting. It looks great, features a completely different visual style from the other “Kingdom Hearts” games, obviously because of its mobile platform. No release date revealed, just a message that it is “now in development.” “Kingdom Hearts Unchained Key” was released in Japan and is now being brought to North American markets.
Finally, “Kingdom Hearts III” is announced with a special message from the Walt Disney Animation Studios. They talk about the partnership between Disney and Square Enix to create an exceptional product. It sounds like “Tangled” is going to be joining the cast, meaning we’ll likely see other new Disney characters as well… could this mean “Star Wars” in “Kingdom Hearts III.” A cinematic trailer rolls, introducing the story before transitioning into gameplay. This is the “Kingdom Hearts” everyone is familiar with, and it looks stunning. Awesome action adventure, exhilarating soundtrack, and lots of Disney-infused goodness. “The future, it’s already been written.” “Who’s to say I can’t change it?” No release date again, just “now in development” for Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
One more project to discuss from Hashimoto, “World of Final Fantasy” which was introduced yesterday during Sony’s E3 Briefing. The trailer plays, showcasing the very different visual style. It’s kind of like “Final Fantasy” meets “Animal Crossing.” It takes place in a completely new universe which no other “Final Fantasy” game has been in. Hashimoto then introduces Hiroki Chiba, who will be the Game Director. Chiba says the game will be accessible to people of all ages. He discusses new game mechanics and how the players and creatures in game work together to create “towers” which players will use to defeat enemies and solve in-game puzzles. The game will launch in 2016.
Christian Elverdam, Creative Director at IO-Interactive, takes the stage to talk about the new “Hitman” game, simply titled “Hitman.” It looks like this will be a reboot. The game releases December 8 with the tagline “Enter the World of Assassinations.” Elverdam talks about how it will be filled with new experiences, such as targets that will be limited to real-world time frames. He says that Hitman players will have to work together to figure out these puzzles. It will take place in various locations, such as Paris, Italy and America.
Everything will be completely open to the player – how to strike, when to strike, where to strike. A sneak-peek trailer plays. It’s cinematic, but certainly looks breathtaking. Agent 47 is the “world’s premiere assassin” and “no target is safe.” 47 is shown planning his takedown on a prime villain target name Viktor. It shows off various methods of execution, including brutally murdering him with an axe in the middle of a dance floor, dressed as a fireman, or poisoning him while disguising yourself as the bartender. It leads into the advanced Contracts mode, where players can mark their own targets and share them with players online. It’s releasing Dec 8 on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.
Another game montage including the likes of “Hitman Sniper and “Final Fantasy” again before a reveal for a new Square Enix & Tri-Ace project. It looks like a teaser for “Star Ocean 5.” It’s discussing the history of other “Star Ocean” games, hinting at a “new entry” complete with “unexpected encounters and heart-wrenching farewells.” “Star Ocean Integrity and Faithlessness” has already been announced for Japan, but is now being confirmed for North American release, as well. The announcement is followed by a gameplay trailer which showcases the new location and enhanced graphics. It also shows a lot of an already-familiar battle system, although it’s later warned that it’s just a work in progress and could change. The trailer then reveals a 2016 release window for North America and Europe. It’s being referred to as an “old-school Japanese RPG.”
Now it’s time for some “Deus Ex” news from Eidos Montreal. “We’re not compromising on quality, and are striving to meet the expectations of fans.” The game takes place two years after “Deus Ex: Human Revolution,” and the world has changed greatly. Those enhanced are mostly shunned, living in the ghettos. Task Force 29 is created, and Adam Jenson joins them. He works as a double agent, teaming up with “hacktivists” to take down the Illuminati, believing they are behind the creation of Task Force 29. Players will have a range of new tools to use in the game, and the choices’ consequences are “at the heart of the experience.” The first in-game trailer for “Deus Ex: Mankind Divided” begins, looking beautiful. It introduces the story and environment, which is full of drama and chaos. A lot of new augmentations are shown off as Jensen exterminates enemies left and right. It’s releasing early 2016 on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.
President and CEO, Yosuke Matsuda, takes the stage to thank everyone for coming. He then introduces the “Final Fantasy Portal App” coming this summer. It’s going to be the main resource for everything “Final Fantasy.” But wait, there is one more announcement. Matsuda is talking about Square Enix’s partnership with past developers, and announces a new project by a “re-established studio” The studio is called “Tokyo RPG Factory.” A bunch of concept art is shown off, featuring lots of small villages, covered in snowfall. It’s called “Project SETSUNA” and it’s already in development, although not much else can be shared. It will launch sometime in 2016.
Matsuda recaps the conference, recognizes partners, promises a strong future, and thanks everyone again. A montage of everything revealed today plays as everyone who was represented today is invited back on stage. One more thank you, and everything is wrapped up.