That was definitely something different. Instead of opting for a flashy, non-stop barrage of highly anticipated E3 2018 games, Sony opted to take things slow during the PlayStation E3 2018 press conference. The pacing was all over the place - with some truly awkward musical interludes - but we did get to see first gameplay footage of stellar exclusives like Death Stranding, The Last of Us 2, and Ghost of Tsushima. Here's every announcement from the show, in chronological order, to ensure that you don't miss a thing.
The Last of Us 2 gameplay showed a ruthless, hardened Ellie
Following a mellow live banjo performance that lasted a sleepy six minutes, Sony finally saw fit to dive into their first showing: an extended gameplay trailer for The Last of Us 2. It started off pleasantly enough, as Ellie shared a tender kiss with gal pal Dina at a dance - before taking a hard right turn into brutal territory, with Ellie now sneaking around a campsite crawling with people who want to kill her on sight. Ellie has grown up to be quite the coldblooded killer, as she eliminated her enemies with hammers to the face, explosive arrows that turned a woman into a shower of gore, and finally slitting a man's throat when he had no way of fighting back. There was no sign of Joel this time around, but one thing's for sure: The Last of Us 2 is going to be very, very dark.
God of War gets New Game+, PS Plus gets Call of Duty: Black Ops 3
In another bit of incredibly weird pacing, the presser suddenly cut away to an intermission after only one game as the live audience shuffled their way into another theater. The folks from Sony took this time to announce that God of War will be getting the frequently requested New Game+ mode, which is great news for all your Kratos fans. There was also a quick trailer for a Call of Duty map pack, featuring classic Black Ops maps being remastered for Black Ops 3 and Black Ops 4: Jungle, Summit, Slums, and Firing Range. In addition, Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 became a surprise addition to this month's free games with PS Plus, available tonight.
Destiny 2: Forsaken trailer kills Cayde (you bastards)
Who wants to live in a world without Nathan Fillion?! In another bleak trailer, Cayde was executed at point-blank range by Uldren Sov, prince of the Awoken people. You'll be able to exact your revenge when Destiny 2's Forsaken expansion debuts on September 4.
Ghost of Tsushima looks gorgeous
After yet another ill-advised musical performance - this time by a white guy in a straw hat playing a shakuhachi - we got to see gameplay from Sucker Punch's Ghost of Tsushima, and boy does it look fantastic. Our main character Jin went on something of a rescue mission, riding his horse across picturesque fields as the Mongols encroach on feudal Japan. Inevitably, sword fights and stealth segments broke out; Ghost of Tsushima puts a lot of emphasis on the sheer tension before a battle, and the trailer didn't show any HUD, which really nailed the cinematic feel of this samurai story. The demo ended with a climactic duel against a former ally, and solidified Ghost of Tsushima as an exclusive to watch for anyone who owns a PS4.
Control is the trippy new game from Remedy Entertainment
The studio behind Max Payne, Alan Wake, and Quantum Break is now hard at work on Control, a third-person shooter with some excellently psychadelic visuals. You play as a woman with telekinetic powers and a shape-shifting gun, fighting your way through environments that twist and warp around you. Control will be coming sometime in 2019.
Resident Evil 2 remake will be here sooner than you think
In a nice surprise (complete with slow-burn trailer that opened from the perspective of a soon-to-be-dead rat), we got to glimpse the return of Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield in the completely remade Resident Evil 2. Ada Wong and Sherry Birkin also make an appearance, as do many bloody-faced zombies and the colossal Tyrant (who's now wearing a hat, for some reason). Resident Evil 2 will be reborn on January 25, 2019.
The co-creator of Rick and Morty brings you Trover Saves the Universe
Squanch Games, co-founded by Rick and Morty's Justin Roiland, showed off a quick trailer for Trover Saves the Universe, a third-person platformer starring a purple dude with two faces where his eyes should be. Consider us intrigued.
Kingdom Hearts 3 is returning to Pirates of the Caribbean
First we got to see the Frozen world at the Xbox E3 2018 press conference, and now Kingdom Hearts 3 reveals that it'll include a world based on Pirates of the Caribbean (which was previously featured in Kingdom Hearts 2). Sora, Donald, and Goofy will team up with Captain Jack Sparrow and his many swashbuckling associates, all of whom look surprisingly photorealistic this time around. There will also be an all-in-one package of ports for PS4, which will bundle Kingdom Hearts 1.5 + 2.5 remix, Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, and Kingdom Hearts 3.
Death Stranding finally shows off gameplay (and yes, plenty more weirdness)
After months of speculation, we now know what Death Stranding's gameplay actually looks like - though it's still left us with plenty of questions. It seems that Sam (Norman Reedus) is something of a futuristic courier, traveling far and wide to deliver packages and sometimes making a pitstop to soothe his aching feet (and rip off a toenail, in a particularly hard-to-watch sequence). This new trailer also included plenty of cinematic moments, and revealed two more actors in Death Stranding's star-studded cast: Lea Seydoux and Lindsay Wagner. As with every Death Stranding trailer before it, this footage will need to be watched and rewatched dozens of times to uncover its deeper meanings.
Nioh 2 announced with a quick trailer
A sequel to Team Ninja's take on the Dark Souls format, Nioh, is coming to PS4. It seems like you won't be playing as William, the protagonist from the first game, but we'll have to wait for more info.
Marvel's Spider-Man shows off villain-filled gameplay
In an extended gameplay trailer for Spider-Man on PS4, your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man had to take on thugs and supervillains aplenty after a breakout on the prison island known as The Raft. Electro was the cause of all the commotion, releasing loads of criminals that attacked Spidey for some very Batman: Arkham-esque combat. They were soon joined by familiar faces from Spider-Man's rogues gallery, including Rhino, Scorpion, Vulture, and Mister Negative. As the five villains ganged up on poor Spidey and beat him to a pulp, the trailer ended on a teaser of the villain they're all working for. Our guess is on Doctor Octopus or the Green Goblin.
Deracine is a PS VR game made by FromSoftware
Spider-Man was the last demo from the press conference itself, but the post show delivered one more announcement: FromSoftware, the studio behind Dark Souls and Bloodborne, is working on a VR game called Deracine. The artful trailer showed off a boarding school setting, and the girl you're trying to make contact with as a time-manipulating spirit. Neat!
For more exciting games, keep an eye on the E3 2018 schedule.
