REACTION - New IP Reigns Supreme! Redfall! Starfield! Contraband! Somerville! Replaced!

Game Pass is looking beefy.

By Jay Tee
16/06/21

I’ve come into this generation seeking fresh experiences. Games that don’t rely on an established playbook or canon and chart a new course. So far, so good; It Takes Two is a delight, and Knockout City has become a genuine obsession. But then, Microsoft and Bethesda came along this E3 and said… hold my intellectual property.

That bit might have had too complicated a premise, but you get the idea. Even though there was a little too much CGI for my taste, at least these trailers actually told you something about the game being unveiled (as opposed to State of Decay 3’s dreadful zombie deer in the snow). Redfall looks like Arkane unleashed; open world and co-op are both wins for me. Contraband has a similar feature set, but the heist focus and 70’s setting also has me intrigued.

Starfield’s release date reveal of November 2022 was a wise move, giving it time to cook; Microsoft are already reaping the benefits of Halo Infinite’s delay after the extremely positive reception to its multiplayer deep dive. Somerville (a moody, “Inside” esque indie), and Replaced (a sci fi platformer) also made quite the impression. So, lots to look forward to then! Especially as this was certainly one of Xbox’s stronger E3 showcases.