Cataclysm and Confusion Galore!
We’re fast approaching the end of another year here at Seattle University, and I hope that everyone has had a good time learning, or making new friends. As exams and studying start to pick up the pace, we need to turn towards things that keep us sane, or happy in these difficult times, and what better activity to do than play video games? Lots of interesting news this week, with a few trailers that have popped up in the video game sphere. Hideo Kojima’s latest mind-bender game “Death Stranding” has dropped a trailer with a release date, but fans still have basically no idea what the game is even about. No surprise there, considering Kojima’s storied history with the “Metal Gear” franchise. The previously (last article) mentioned “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare” has also dropped a reveal trailer, showing off old characters as well as some impressive in-game footage. “Mortal Kombat 11,” fresh off of Combo Breaker 2019 has revealed returning character Shang Tsung and teased other characters in a DLC trailer. “Anthem” has completely removed any references to future content, dedicating its entire roadmap to bug-fixes. There’s plenty of news to dig into, so lets tarry no longer.
The Good
We’re blessed with another good week, with a ton of new trailers and content for the gaming masses to feast on. One of the biggest new trailers this week was “Death Stranding.” Featuring massive actors like Mads Mikkelsen, Norman Reedus, Lea Seydoux, and Troy Baker, “Death Stranding” releases in November 8, 2019. Hilariously enough, most of the internet remains completely unaware of what “Death Stranding” is actually about, in true Kojima fashion. Hideo Kojima is famous for making confusing and misleading trailers, but his games have almost always been massive hits story and gameplay wise. I’ll admit then when I watched the trailer I was impressed by the beautiful graphics and animations, but I remain utterly confused as to what the game is even about. Clearly the rest of the world thinks the same, but reception has been very positive. Kojima seems to have been given no boundaries to his latest game, and the gaming industry is all the more better for it.
In the same vein of trailers, “Call of Duty,” the yearly spectacle that has become routine for many gamers out there has released a trailer for their latest title, simple called “Modern Warfare.” The trailer brings back series favorite Captain Price once more, and looks to take the Modern Warfare storyline and reboot it into our current generation. It certainly sounds promising from the description. The trailer showed off some impressive set pieces, and looks to be a return to a grounded modern era shooter, a rarity in the past few years. The story has also been said to be more darker than ever, incorporating our current generations struggle with terrorism and extremists. It looks like “Call of Duty” is trying to reclaim its lost prestige, and perhaps some revenue too. If “Modern Warfare” was as good as its predecessors though, you can be that people will be lining out the door to play it.
The Bad
One would think that the media would start leaving “Anthem” alone. After months and months of bad press, you would think that there couldn’t possibly be any more bad egg to be smeared on Bioware and EA. You would unfortunately be wrong as “Anthem” has once again entered the spotlight for completely redesigning its roadmap, removing any references to future content and time-oriented events. All that was added to the roadmap so far was “Fixes, Improvements, and Optimizations.” Needless to say, the world is awaiting for the inevitable announcement that EA has dropped support for “Anthem,” pushing Bioware studios to focus on something else, or shuttering the company completely. It’s happened before. The issue that lies with “Anthem” could not be fixed with a few patches, as audiences and critics alike have criticized the game for multiple flaws ranging from a boring story, a static and unfinished open world, and a bad loot system. “Anthem” is fast approaching a death-spiral, and the whole world is watching as it takes its last few breaths. The only hope now is that Bioware and EA can learn from this experience, and deliver a game that can appeal to everyone.
Who’s Next
It’s kind of strange to include this, but as both “Death Stranding” and “Modern Warfare” having not completely concrete launch dates, it’s better to include something that seems more like a sure thing. This week’s trailer trailer trifecta wrapped up with “Mortal Kombat 11” revealing gameplay for their newest DLC character, Shang Tsung. A fictional boss turned player-character, Shang Tsung was a fan favourite for years before being killed in “Mortal Kombat” (2011). He’s skipped one game, but has made a strong return in the newest title, played by Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, who played Shang Tsung in the “Mortal Kombat” film adaptation. Fans were surprised and happy to see that Tagawa was portraying the sorcerer, and with more characters like Spawn and Nightwolf on the way, the future continues to look bright for the gory fighting game. “Shang Tsung” and other characters are slated to reach early access by June 18th on all platforms.
And that is about it for this week. I’d like to include more, but as next week we’re nearly at the E3 bonanza, I feel it might be better to hold off just in case we receive more news. ‘Till then, stay happy, stay positive, and continue to work hard as we reach the end of spring quarter.
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