Best Conference:
This is a tough call for me, but I would have to say that Sony’s conference was the one I enjoyed the most. Although there were other countless monumental announcements made, Sony debuted so many things that are near and dear to my heart. I will give credit to Microsoft though, their conference was hands down amazing. Also, EA debuting Mass Effect: Andromeda was another pillar of excitement for me.
I have been waiting years for a Final Fantasy VII remake, so that blew my mind. As soon as I heard that ominous piano, I knew that we were revisiting the universe of Sephiroth, Cloud Strife and Tifa Lockheart. I would be lying if I said I didn’t jump up into the air screaming in excitement. The one-winged angel is back!
Did I mention that when I was a kid I would write “My name is Sephiroth the evil broth, take me to your cheese” in the yearbooks of my classmates? Yeah. I was a little obsessed with Sephiroth (I felt as though our names were somewhat similar). Also, the whole “take me to your cheese” bit was clearly a product of watching too much Invader Zim.
Best Gameplay Demonstration:
The best hands-off demonstration that I had the opportunity to experience at this year’s E3 was most certainly Horizon: Zero Dawn. The world looks incredible and I love the prehistoric, yet futuristic vibe. I know that when that game is finally released, I will spend countless hours in this gorgeous world.
The best hands-on demonstration that I experienced this year was a tie between Until Dawn and SOMA, but after thinking about it…I would have to go with SOMA. I am so anxious to experience this mind altering game in the privacy of my own home. There were multiple times during my playthrough that I wanted to scream and beg the dev team to tell me more about the story. Safe to say, I was already screaming from the blatantly present terror and jump scares. Hands down, SOMA has my vote.
Most Anticipated Game:
Aside from the obvious The Last Guardian and Horizon: Zero Dawn, I would have to choose Mass Effect: Andromeda as my most anticipated game, although it was not shown at E3 2015.
We already know that we will be visiting the Andromeda galaxy, which is the neighbor galaxy to the Milky Way galaxy, home to our solar system. Will this tale follow an entirely new hero? Will they find some way to revisit the Shepard story line? I cannot wait to find out more.
Favorite Memory:
There were so many amazing memories I experienced at E3 2015. Aside from meeting the entire Koalition team face to face, I was able to meet other great people in the industry as well.
I had the pleasure of meeting Anita Sarkeesian at the convention, which was to my surprise, a very pleasant experience. I also met the Frictional Games team who are currently working on SOMA. It was difficult not to gush and praise them for their work with Amnesia. Another memorable experiences includes the time I spent in the private Sony meeting room, playing games that are still in development. I also met amazing people in the tabletop gaming industry and together we talked about Magic the Gathering for almost two hours, it was great.
I will say —and forgive the side note, Umami Burger is incredible! Although I am from the Los Angeles area, I hadn’t had the chance to try it myself until I finally went with some fellow E3ers. The meat will melt in your mouth, I’m telling you. Trust me when I say, order “The Manly” burger. Pepper roasted onion rings, melted beer cheese and bacon? WHAT COULD GO WRONG?!
All in all, it’s very hard for me to pin point one specific memory that will stick with me after this year. Aside from the great people I met, amazing games that I played and Umami burger that I ate, I can say that all memories were significant and are what keep me feeling excited for E3 2016.
