E3 2017 Highlights For Day 2 – Microsoft

Day 2 of E3 kicked off with Microsoft taking center stage. With plenty of rumors surrounding their new system titled “Project Scorpio” to more information on thr mysterious Anthem teaser at yesterdays EA conference, Microsoft certainly had our attention; but did they keep it? Let’s recap the biggest reveals from Microsoft’s Press Conference on Day 2 of E3

New System – ‘Project Scorpio’ Becomes XBox One X:

For a while now we’ve heard a lot about Microsoft’s “Project Scorpio” which aimed to bring the most powerful gaming system to market. At Microsoft’s Press Conference today, we of course got the unveiling of that new console which has been renamed the Xbox One X. As I said, info about this has been floating around for a while now so the only piece of info left to be discovered was 1) if it’s true and 2) what’s the price. Sadly, the price tag is $499 which is a hundred dollars more than the other 4K system out there, the PS4 Pro.

That being said, this system does have much better graphical power than the PS4 Pro. Then again, much like its Play Station counterpart, the best graphics can only be achieved if you have the most graphically powerful TV as well. So if you want the BEST graphics as opposed to “Very Very Good” Graphics, this is the system for you. Xbox One X drops on November 7^th; and for more on this new console, you can check out our in depth look at what it offers.

Crackdown 3 Is Actually Coming Soon!

Back in 2015, we got a gameplay demo for Crackdown 3. It promised destructible environments, tons of heavy weapons and the series classic art style. Then … nothing. Thankfully E3 this year brought it back and Crackdown 3 now has a release date AND Terry Crews – because explosions! It’s set for a November 7^th release date, same as the Xbox One X.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_9fG8hPCi0

More Updates & Backward Compatibility For Xbox:

Of course with the onset of the Xbox One X, a lot of Xbox One games will be getting a 4k makeover. Though that wasn’t the big news in terms of systems. Much like how Xbox One eventually allowed Xbox 360 games to be played on Xbox One, Xbox One will now allow original Xbox games to be played.

Assassins Creed: Origins Confirmed!

We’ve been hearing rumors for months now about the existence of a new Assassins Creed game. After taking last year off to work on their first film, Ubisoft is back with an outstanding new take on the Assassins Creed series. This time, they’re going back to the beginning as Assassins Creed: Origins is set to take place in Grecian occupied Egypt. Remember that Egyptian history is incredibly long and this period will allow us to see a protagonist who represents the old ways dealing with how his land has changed under these “non pharaohs”.

As a long time fan of the series, there is so much for me to discuss about this game in terms of how it not only represents a complete change in the AC formula but also reminds us of the glory days of Assassins Creed: Black Flag. An open world larger than anything we’ve seen before, the ability to change weapons on the fly and swim freely underwater whenever and wherever you want are just a few of the amazing additions in this game. So please check out my in depth Assassins Creed: Origins Article for more the details.

Anthem Revealed With Stunning Gameplay Freedom!

Yesterday we got a teaser trailer for a new game from BioWare called Anthem. I originally said it looked like a cross between Destiny and Fallout 4. I take that back as now having seen the gameplay demo, it looks like a cross between Destiny, Fallout 4 and Mass Effect that was sponsored by Ironman. All joking aside, this game looks incredible! Each player will be allowed to assemble a number of mechsuits called “Javelins” that can be customized according to playstyle, weaponry and much more. Though the biggest allure of this game for me is what appears to be an open world free-flight system. Open Worlds are fantastic, but being able to have sustained flight through these worlds is even better.

Now my only caveat is whether or not this open world flight is a full time thing. If it becomes something that “can only be done in short bursts”, “needs fuel” or “can only be done in certain areas”, that would be a tremendous let down. It’s their main selling point after all! Additionally, I’m curious to see just how customizable the Javelins can be. Can I swap blasters and cannons for swords? Can I go full Gundam in this? With co-op gameplay and “Squads” to assemble, this definitely looks like the answer to Destiny; but do these Squad assemble for fun or to actually tackle bigger threats? Again, we need more information but this is still a super exciting reveal!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYiiqor-VMk

All in all, Microsoft had a pretty fun Press Conference. The only problem though is that very little of it was because of Xbox. Whereas the new console is indeed the strongest gaming system on the market right now, its price tag is a little. Even more surprising is the fact that the two biggest Microsoft reveals – Assassins Creed: Origins and Anthem – aren’t console exclusives! They’re not even timed exclusives! Microsoft might have had some pretty stellar reveals for their Press Conference, but the success of those games is great news for Ubisoft and BioWare, not really Microsoft.

But what did you think of Microsoft’s Press Day? Do you think they conquered? Will they be outshined when Ubisoft, Sony and Square Enix take the stage? Be sure to stay tuned as we recap the biggest announcements