E3 2015 - Bethesda Overview

There was a lot of excitement surrounding Bethesda’s first E3 Showcase, and a lot of pressure on the studios shoulders, as theirs was the first conference of the convention. Did they disappoint? No they did not! Here’s a recap!

 

DOOM
Introduced by Marty Statton, Executive Producer at id Software, DOOM was the first title to be showcased. Running on the id Tech 6 Engine and inspired by the original game which has since become a cultural icon, DOOM brings back the four key elements that made the original such a huge success: combat, badass demons, big f’ing guns, and moving really, really, fast.

We were shown two gameplay trailers for this event, the first of which was set on Mars at a UAC Research Facility, and the second was set in the pits of Hell. There were a lot of returning elements to these gameplay demos, such as the double-barreled shotgun, explosive barrels, and fast-paced gameplay, but there were a few added extras, such as executions. These executions tear your enemies limb from limb, and on occasion, use those limbs to further mutilate them. Along with this, we could definitely see the comedic element from id Software returning where the Marine rips a corpses arm off only to use it to bypass a handprint security scanner.

Not only did Marty boast that DOOM would have a rich single-player campaign, but id Software are putting a heavy focus on multiplayer as well, as the original DOOM paved the way for modern first-person shooter multiplayer as we know it. But id weren’t finished yet - they then dropped the announcement of Doom Snapmap, a tool that allows the community to create their own maps, levels, and game modes. The tool looks and operates very similarly to the old Timesplitters’ map creator, which spawned some fantastic game modes and maps, so we are eagerly anticipating what people will create with this tool!

As their last segment on DOOM, Bethesda announced that they will be bringing Mod Support to all platforms, unified through Bethesda.net. Any mod created on any platform can be accessed and used on any other platform.

 

Battlecry 
Next up was Battlecry, Bethesda’s team-based PvP title. This was a teaser trailer which showed off the new faction, the Han Republic, and a selection of their classes.

 

Dishonored 2
Harvey Smith and Raphael Colantonio, Co-Creative Directors at Arkane Studios took to the stage next and spoke briefly about the studios’ origins. They explained that their vision when creating a game was to make a highly crafted, detailed world with gameplay focusing on simulation and allow it to adapt to a player’s decisions. We were then shown an announcement trailer for Dishonored 2 which focused heavily on the new playable character, Emily Kaldwin, who uses supernatural powers to overcome her enemies.

There was no release date announced, but Dishonored 2 will be coming to PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4, and you will have the choice to play as either Corvo (the protagonist from Dishonored) or Emily Kaldwin.

 

The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited
Following on from Dishonored 2, we were played a video explaining the future of The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited. There will be two new areas coming in the future which will include the Imperial City and Orsinium - The Realm of the Orcs. The Imperial City was heavily featured in Oblivion and is set in a huge PvP area that player’s will have to fight to contest. Orsinium is a brand new city located in Southern Wrothgar. With the hustle of bustle of any major city, some players may find a much-needed home in this new area.

 

The Elder Scrolls Legends
Introduced by Pete Hines, Global Vice President of PR & Marketing, The Elder Scrolls Legends is a brand new strategy card game. It draws heavily from Tamriel’s lore and brings the universe to a new genre. We weren’t shown any actual gameplay as of yet, but it was announced that the game will be free-to-play on both PC and iPad.

 

Fallout Shelter
In the middle of the Fallout 4 announced (seen below), Todd Howard introduced a brand new mobile/tablet game, Fallout Shelter. You play as the Overseer for a vault and you get to control what each Vault Dweller does, their living quarters, and ultimately, help the vault expand to accommodate new survivors.

Fallout Shelter is free-to-play, has no pay wall timers, requires no internet connection, and is available on iOS devices now (soon to be available on Android).

 

Fallout 4
This was the moment that everybody was waiting for and, introduced by Todd Howard, Game Director at Bethesda Studios, we were not disappointed. After a series of concept art was shown, we got down to the gameplay, and it is incredibly detailed.

We started off pre-nuclear war being shown through the character creation which is done in the bathroom mirror. You sculpt and shape your character to create your perfect protagonist. You can switch between both male and female during the character creation, but once you leave the mirror, your choice is final. It is important that you sculpt and style both male and female however, as the protagonist's child is created in both the mother and father’s image.

From here, Vault Tec turn up at your door and you are asked a series of questions, much like in previous games, to give your player all the different necessary statistics. After this, we jumped forward (so as not to spoil any of the story) and your protagonist emerges from Vault 111, 200 years in the future (~2150 AD). You quickly find a dog companion who you can issue commands to, and have him both attack enemies or retrieve items.

The Pip-Boy has had an overhaul as well. For all intents and purposes, it works the same as before, however there are now built-in games, and it has just been generally tidied up to help the player navigate with more ease. Along with this, an iOS and Android app will be released alongside the main game which allows players to navigate their Pip-Boy from their phone! If you want to full immersive experience, the Collector’s Edition comes with a fully functional Pip-Boy which you insert your phone into!

If all of this wasn’t enough, Fallout 4 now has a fully fledged crafting system built in that enables the player to create settlements (plural) and utilise electric circuits, lightning, and defense mechanisms (such as turrets) to defend the settlement whilst your wastelander is away. This crafting system also shows up within your inventory, allowing you to use everyday objects to customise your weaponry so you can fight exactly how you wish. In a matter of minutes, a pistol can be transformed into a short-stocked sniper rifle (or any number of other customisations).

Not only did they announce all this great stuff for Fallout 4, but Todd Howard also announced the release date: 10th November, 2015!