After E3 2018’s searingly disappointing ‘Square Enix Presents’, all eyes are on the publisher to deliver this year. Luckily we’ve already got a good idea of two much-anticipated games that should feature in a big way; the Final Fantasy VII Remake and Marvel’s Avengers.
The former has been in development turmoil since its announcement back at E3 2015, but after a recent re-reveal it looks like we’re back in business. We can definitely expect SE to show us a complete gameplay sequence for the first time at the show as well as give us an idea of release timing, but part of me is hoping for more. Perhaps a surprise demo drop? The Final Fantasy community would literally explode.
As far as Marvel’s Avengers goes, I’m holding fast to my theory that it’ll be some kind of shared-world action game situation ala Destiny, and if recent rumours are anything to go off I may well be on the money. With the way these kinds of comic universes are structured, giving players customisable heroes to play in a ‘living’ world that is regularly updated with new stories, enemies, etc seems like the perfect fit. Being able to tie it in real-time with the MCU films and TV shows also sounds exactly like what Marvel are aiming for with their complete media takeover. It could even be an actual MMO, considering the success SE have had with Final Fantasy XIV. My idea is better, though.
Babylon’s Fall, announced in last year’s showcase, is another one that we can hopefully expect an update on. Square Enix and PlatinumGames partnerships have worked out fantastically in the past so I’m sure a lot of people are very keen to see what comes of this one.
What about the unknowns, though? What kind of surprises could Square Enix have for us? I’m banking pretty heavily on some Kingdom Hearts 3 DLC, with new story and/or worlds in the form of a major expansion or season pass type deal. Maybe some worlds based on SE franchises this time like Final Fantasy or The World Ends With You? That or more Disney, or anything that Disney owns I guess? Star Wars in Kingdom Hearts? Stranger things have happened. It’s also hard to tell if the publisher will opt to feature Dying Light 2 here or at the Microsoft conference, but I’m thinking MS is a more likely spot for it.
I’m really hoping for some bigger surprises here, though. I’d kill to see Parasite Eve make a comeback, or the next big thing from the Bravely Default/Octopath Traveller team. It’s probably still a little early for a new Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest but I certainly wouldn’t be upset about it. I’m very interested to see if Deck Nine have been working at their own narrative experience following their excellent Life is Strange: Before the Storm, and who the hell knows what People Can Fly are doing? Probably involves combat/guns/violence of some kind.
To cap things off; I’m sure I’m not alone in wanting more from Yoko Taro, whether it’s another NieR or something else entirely. I’d bank on the clout he gained from NieR Automata to make his a name worth attaching to something at E3 2019. I guess we’ll see.
Kieron's been gaming ever since he could first speak the words "Blast Processing" and hasn't lost his love for platformers and JRPGs since. A connoisseur of avant-garde indie experiences and underground cult classics, Kieron is a devout worshipper at the churches of Double Fine and Annapurna Interactive, to drop just a couple of names.
