Returning for a fourth-year to E3 and presented by PC Gamer, the PC Gaming Show highlighted a mixed-bag of games. Thankfully, only three of them were battle royale.
One standout in the show was Hitman 2, which is confirmed for a November 18th release. It appears that the game will be much like the previous title, in that it will have levels that will be released over time. The first and only level to be shown thus far is set in Miami during a racing competition. Unlike the last game, Hitman 2 will be able to accommodate around two-thousand NPCs and will offer new game mechanics: The crowd mechanic allows the player to lose themselves in crowds if they are being hunted and if the crowds are not suspicious or fleeing; The picture in picture mechanic will allow the player to see other sections of the map by use of devices; Lastly, the Sniper Briefcase will return, but this time will be able to accommodate more items that the player may want to conceal. Challenge packs and escalations are also to see a return. For those who pre-order, they will have access to the “Sniper Assassin Mode.”
Just Cause 4 also looked rather impressive. Keeping the style of gameplay and highly-detailed graphics of the last game, this one appears to have been given an upgrade with the use of the Apex Engine. HDR lighting, weather systems, physics-based aerodynamic models, and destruction fidelity all see an improvement. The weather system will also impact the environment, as was evident by the trailer shown where a tornado rips through the landscape. Players will also be able to experience newly-introduced biosystems, such as deserts, grasslands, and jungles. Fans of the grappling hook will be happy to hear that it will be making a return, but this time offering a level of customization.
Of the three battle royale games mentioned during the show, Rapture Rejects had set itself apart from the others. Utilizing an over the top view, this irreverent, yet hilarious game is inspired by the Cyanide and Happiness comics, taking complete cues from its looks and humor. The thin-backstory is that all the players are those who hadn’t been taken by the Rapture (aka the end of the world). “Rejected,” there’s nothing left for them to do but duke it out with guns blazing. Players can get in on the ALPHA if they register at RaptureRejects.com.
It was interesting to see that two, count them two cab-driving simulators were shown off during the show; Neo Cab and Night Call. Neo Cab by developer Chance Agency is set in a futuristic landscape and follows a neo-punk female driver as she traverses the city with an eclectic list of customers throughout the night. There appears to be a larger story here, where a friend, possibly a love interest, has become wanted by authorities. By the previews alone, it appeared to be a game centered around a futuristic-Uber driver. The second game is Night Call by Raw Fury. Unlike the other, this title looks very French-noir, using mostly blacks, whites, and greys for the colors. It reminded me of the DS game called Hotel Dusk: Room 215, if that main character was put in charge of a cab that is. Both games appear to allow multiple choice when it comes to dialogue cues and actions.
Lastly, The Sinking City by Frogwares Game Development Studio looked very intriguing. Inspired by Lovecraftian tales, The Sinking City is set as an open-world, action-adventure. After a supernatural event that brings flood and monsters to a small city, the player is tasked with finding out what is happening. Frogwares said there will be no “handholding” in this game, leaving it up to the player to discover clues and figure out where they need to go. A sanity mechanic will also be included, inducing visual and auditory hallucinations the higher it goes. Though not meant to be a fighting game, it appears a number of weapons will be available to defend yourself, but even this will change the decisions you can make in game.
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