If there’s one thing that Ubisoft is good at (other than making games of course), it’s putting on a show, and its press conference at E3 2017 was no different. With a massive slate of titles, Ubisoft dropped games we were both expecting and were extremely surprised by. In addition to the massive news of Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle, here’s everything that went down.
New location, same atmosphere for Assassin’s Creed
Taking successful elements from previous games, Assassin’s Creed: Origins gives players a new take on the franchise by dropping them right into the heart of ancient Egypt. Based on early cinematics and gameplay, the developers absolutely nailed the architecture and feel. The game also features a really cool scouting feature, allowing players to take a bird’s eye view over an area before jumping in and taking out bad guys one by one. The game’s combat engine is back, allowing for new players to adjust to the system while rewarding those who are able to pull off more difficult combos. Assassin’s Creed: Origins is slated to hit shelves on October 27
The Crew 2 is everything we weren’t expecting
The game combines almost every type of vehicle imaginable and puts them in a race against time and those around them. Whether it’s on the streets, lighting up the track, in the backwoods, taking to the skies or conquering the seas, The Crew 2 lets you decide how you want to race. It flips everything we’ve thought about conventional racing games on its head and delivered a unique experience.
Creative director Stephane Beley delivered the news, saying he wanted to capture the essence of true motorsports. “Motorsports are louder and bigger than anywhere else in the world.” Coming out sometime in 2018, The Crew 2 will be out on all major consoles. In the meantime, the open beta is now open.
South Park: The Fractured But Whole and Phone Destroyer will be out this year
South Park fans rejoice, as Ubisoft unveiled not one, but two new South Park games. The first, The Fractured But Whole, is the follow up to 2014’s smash hit South Park: The Stick of Truth. The new titles feature Cartman, Kenny, Kyle, Stan and the rest of the South Park kids as superheroes, where they along with your customed characters must go out and take down the fighting vigilante. South ParkL The Fractured But Whole comes out for the Xbox One, PS4 and PC on October 17.
On top of this, Ubisoft is also releasing South Park: Phone Destroyer on mobile. The game is a real-time strategy, taking elements we’ve seen before in the Final Fantasy and Golden Sun games. Choose a class and jump right into PvP or single player fighting modes.
Explore the high seas with new Skull & Bones title
Ubisoft’s first new franchise also made a (literal) splash, with both the cinematic and gameplay trailers for Skull & Bones. The game allows players to play out their very own pirate fantasy. Taking plays in a shared world, players can team up or sail solo to rule the seas, fighting against other pirates in a 5v5 PvP mode. The game will feature a competitive ladder, allowing players to gauge their skills against other all over the world.
The competitive mode works by killing the rival team and collecting as much loot as you can. Taking sailing mechanics from other Ubisoft titles like Assassin’s Creed Black Flag, the pre-alpha footage shown looks crisp and refined. The game prioritizes realism, rewarding well-coordinated teams with a rich bounty. With Skull & Bones, you can look at the other team and let them know that you are the captain now.
Steep heads to the Olympics this December
Mountain sports simulator, Steep, has some new tricks up its sleeves this December with the addition of Olympic 2018-themed content. Gamers will be able to take part in multiple events, from slalom to competitive downhill skiing, to complement the game’s existing open-mount experience.
Steep has been popular among hardcore snowboarding and skiing enthusiasts, so it’s nice to see an attempt to draw in a new, mainstream crowd by focusing on some of the biggest mountain events.
Far Cry 5 stays eerily awesome
Taking over a town in rural Montana, Far Cry 5’s main protagonist is trapped deep in territory run by a murderous religious cult that begins taking and killing prisoners and must rely on their smarts and instinct to survive. We’re are also introduced to a squad of hired guns also interested in escaping. The franchise’s latest rendition continues the tradition of post-apocalyptic like settings, testing the player’s will. Keeping the same atmosphere that’s made the franchise famous, Far Cry 5 holds its own against all of the other titles announced during the conference.
Beyond Good and Evil 2 finally sees daylight
After 15 years of rumors and speculation, Beyond Good and Evil 2 is the highly anticipated follow-up to the 2003 release for the Playstation 2, Xbox and Nintendo Gamecube. The cinematic trailer displayed a rich, futuristic environment where multiple races are trying to coexist.
Little is known about the game currently, but new fans can expect to jump in right away, as the game is a prequel to the the original Beyond Good and Evil.