New kid on the block
For the first time, Bethesda put on its own E3 press conference and put the focus on a handful of fantastic-looking games. Bethesda showed off some footage of Elder Scrolls Online and Battlecry (mostly to remind us that these things exist), and all we got of Dishonored 2 is a CGI trailer, but hey, at least we know that game is really happening. The best part, though, was when we got to see some fantastic footage from the new Doom and Fallout 4. We even found out Fallout 4 is coming out this year! How cool is that? Now that the show is over, it's time to review what we just saw. With that, welcome to our recap.
Scroll down for our Instant Reaction video of the Bethesda E3 press conference 2015
Extended single-player gameplay demo Doom shows gorgeous visuals, hellish beasts
Doom has never looked this fast or fluid before. An extended gameplay demo showed off what looks to be some kind of space base or factory over-run with hellspawn, and of course, it's up to you to blow them back to Hades. The biggest thing to take away is the fluidity - combat almost turns into a ballet of blood and bullets as you deftly maneuver through corridors, clambering onto platforms, and exploding enemies into so many ludicrous gibs. The game never seems to skip a beat, maintaining an almost hyper-realistic level of smoothness, even when time slows down as they select a gun from the weapon wheel. There's also an incredible level of detail, whether you're looking at a high-res monitor or the etchings on a new shotgun. Classic weapons return, like the plasma rifle, and the chainsaw - and yeah, using them is as gory as you think, as the chainsaw splits demons in half like a knife through butter. You've even got finishing moves that let you rip an enemy's face apart.
Players can build and share their own multiplayer levels and modes with Doom Snapmap
It's Doom, so of course it's gonna get multiplayer, but you're also not limited to the modes and maps Id has cooked up. Doom Snapmap lets you create own competitive and co-operative multiplayer game types, and it looks like there's going to be a ridiculous amount of variety for you to dig into. You can start from predefined modes or make full custom games by editing the map layouts, the item placement, and even the game logic to make your own game-within-a-game.
Doom coming in Spring 2016
It'll be hitting Xbox One, PS4, and PC some time early next year - Doom's release date is set to Spring 2016, according to Bethesda - and it's bringing back the classic weapons and shooting you love, with a few modern twists. We're talking, of course, about the giant green plasma shots of the unmistakable BFG.
Bethesda.net will be your hub for Bethesda games and statistics
Looks like Bethesda's making its own online system along the lines of Blizzard's Battle.net. You'll be able to access account details, games, statistics, and more. The first game that will be offered on the service will be the upcoming Battlecry.
Battlecry coming this fall, sign up for a beta
Bethesda's free-to-play online shooter/MOBA type thing will be hitting this fall, but if you're interested in a sneak peek, you can sign up for beta access now at battlecrythegame.com. Sign up before June 18th for priority access.
Dishonored 2 exists, stars Emily Kaldwin
What a twist! In Dishonored 2, you'll be playing as Emily Kaldwin - fans will recognize her as the Queen's daughter from the first game. A CGI trailer shows a city in turmoil, as soldiers line up civilians and massacre them. Plague appears to be spreading through the steampunk city, and Emily traipses across a rooftops with tentacles that shoot out of her arm and pull her around like a grappling hook. Fans of original Dishonored lead Corvo, worry not: you'll be able to play either character in Dishonored 2, though once you make your choice, you're stuck as that character for your playthrough. Nothing else was shown outside of this trailer, but it'll be coming to PS4, Xbox One, and PC by spring 2016.
Fallout 4 starts before the bombs drop
When you start Fallout 4, you'll get a glimpse of a pre-apocalypse America. Character creation shows a man and a woman standing in front of a mirror, getting ready for their day. You can customize facial features, and can choose to play as either gender - whoever is standing in front of the mirror when you're done is who you'll spend the rest of the game as. Fallout 4 will even generate a baby based on the couple you designed. Oh, and your player character, regardless of gender, will be fully voiced as well, with over 13,000 lines of dialog recorded by both voice actors. Dang.
Yes, this is dog, and he can do stuff for you!
During your excursion into the wasteland (200 years post-apocalypse, but how that happens hasn't been explained yet), you'll meet a dog, and you'll quickly become friends. In fact, you can even point out objects in the environment and have your canine buddy fetch them for you.
Pip-Boy is ridiculously detailed
Your wrist-mounted Pip-Boy is no longer a glorified menu - it's a full-blown technological artifact that you can interact with. Of course, you can access your perks and equipment, but the menu itself is an actual object that exists on your character's arm. There are even game cartridges strewn about the world, and if the deathclaws've got you down, you can kill some time with some Atari-inspired mini-games. One even looks kinda like Missile Command. Fitting.
Collector's edition comes with the best mobile phone case ever
Most collector's editions are full of gimmicky junk, and yeah, this one's pretty gimmicky. But since Fallout 4's collector's edition comes with a life-size, wearable Pip-Boy, it's probably the best one ever. You can even put your mobile phone in it and load up the Fallout 4 app to interact with your menu - and maybe do a bit of LARPing around town.
Fallout Shelter mobile game lets you make your own vault
There's a neat little app coming to the iOS App Store tonight called Fallout Shelter. In it, you'll get to run your own, well, fallout shelter, building rooms and growing your population. It's completely free: there aren't any timers, there's no paywall, and you don't need an internet connection. Not a bad little bonus for Fallout fans - though Android folks will have to wait a little longer to get their fix.
You can rebuild the world as you see fit
Back to Fallout 4, you'll be able to find scrap materials around the world and build your own houses. The process looks really simple, letting you craft defenses, plant crops, set up power lines, and more. Continue to build, and people will start to move in, and before you know it, you'll have your very own settlement. There's even some light programming, as you can assign commands to various computerized objects and weapons to help defend your burgeoning little town from raiders. Caravans will even run between your settlements, building a little self-sustaining economy for your city.
Gear customization gets a major overhaul
You know all that useless junk lying around in Fallout 3? In Fallout 4, it actually has a purpose, as you can customize weapons and armor using these bits and bobs. It's not just a simple upgrade either; weapons will transform into several different permutations based on what items you've got lying around.
Fallout 4 is out November 10, 2015
You won't have to wait long to explore Boston's irradiated wasteland. Fallout 4's release date is November 10, 2015 and will be headed to PS4, Xbox One, and PC. As long as it doesn't get pushed back, of course.
