E3 Reflections: Ubisoft Conference
By: AlanVUbisoft had a solid press conference today featuring titles that we are all familiar with. Ghost Recon Wildlands, The Division DLC, Watch Dogs 2 and Grow Up all lie in the near future and look to continue the popularity of their respective franchises but didn’t deliver anything new or fresh.Ubisoft's Shaky VR On the VR front they showed live gameplay of Eagle Flight VR, which was a competitive capture the flag game with players taking the role of Eagles. Unfortunately, the gameplay looked uninspired and the birds kept making the most annoying screeching sound that could only serve to annoy potential players. Look for this flying nightmare to hit VR headsets in Fall of 2016.The next VR game up was Star Trek: Bridge Crew, which looks like a glorified button pushing simulator that will undoubtedly bring a smile to the faces of Trekies, but might not appeal to non-fans. Players each take a role amongst the Star Trek crew and will need to work together in order to be successful. The game is currently slated for release in Fall of 2016.Ubisoft Brings Out Something Old and Something NewFor Honor is a hack and slash fighter that pits Vikings, Samurais and Knights against one another. The violence is visceral as every blow that is landed can be felt through the screen. It looks like it will be fun to see the three distinct styles go at each other and see how they are able to come up on top. Players should get ready for the medieval battles to begin on February 14, 2017.What do you get when you mix Trials with Blood Dragon? Trials of the Blood Dragon! It has the gameplay Trials fans have come to expect, manic tracks filled with obstacles, but with the completely bonkers 80s/90s aesthetic of Blood Dragon. The game is available for download now.Steep is a new IP from Ubisoft and is an extreme alpine sports games. Players are able to snowboard, ski, base jump and paraglide atop snow covered mountains. The main hook to this game is the ability to share everything you do on the mountain with your friends. From the path taken down the mountain to videos shot and edited within the game players will have plenty of opportunities to score bragging rights. The powder will be fresh when the game hits shelves on December 2016. Hopeful wish: bring this title to VR Ubisoft! It’s made for it.The stand out of the press conference was South Park Fractured But Whole. This time around you hang out with the boys as you look to fit in as part of their super hero crew. You are able to create your character and are given a lot of room for customization. Battles are now more intricate than the Stick of Truth, which is a welcome change. The best part is that it still feels as if the player is within the show during gameplay. The creators of South Park really care about the most recent games and it really shows. Coon and friends will look to add more allies on December 6, 2016.Ubisoft took a break from Assassin’s Creed yearly assault and it is the best thing they could have done. It gave them room to focus on some of their new IPs and show they can continue to craft new experiences.
