E3 Recap: PC and VR Games

E3 is in full swing, and PC creators did not fall behind their console brethren this year. Many new PC games have been announced, both for VR and for regular PC gaming.

Budget Cuts 2

Budget Cuts 2 is an upcoming VR stealth game where you must sneak around buildings and take out robots who try to spot you, all because your boss is going to replace you with a robot. The original Budget Cuts is going to come to the Playstation VR sometime in the Fall of 2019. Budget Cuts 2 is set to release sometime in 2019, for Steam, the Oculus Dream, Windows and Vive.

First Impressions: The game looks like it handles very smoothly. Stealth and VR go together like peanut butter and jelly, and the original is considered by many to be one of the best VR games on the market, so there’s no reason to not be excited.

Arizona Sunshine: The Damned DLC

Arizona Sunshine is getting a DLC expansion on August 27th. Not much was said about what the expansion will have in it, but it looks like it takes place in some sort of facility that’s infested with the undead. Arizona Sunshine is available for the HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and PlayStation VR virtual reality headsets. The developers also said Arizona Sunshine will be available for the Oculus Quest in 2019.

First Impressions: While little was shown for this DLC, it looks just as good as the original game did, which looks very promising for this batch of DLC.

Pistol Whip

Pistol Whip is a first-person shooter, with gameplay focusing on both shooting enemies and smacking them away with your gun. No release date was given-instead, we were told that the game will be coming “soon” to major VR platforms.

First Impressions: The game looks very reminiscent of Superhot, one of the best VR games on the market. As such, it’s hard to not get excited for it.

Boneworks

Boneworks is a VR adventure game where you travel through buildings and defeat hordes of strange robotic beings using whatever weapons you can find. The game will be available for Rift, Vive, Index, and Windows VR sometime in 2019.

First Impressions: The game looks like it’s going to be a fast paced action romp, perfect for people who want their VR experiences to be a bit more adrenaline-fueled.

Acron: Attack Of The Squirrels

Espire 1

Espire 1 is a FPS game where you play as a mechanical being that fights both man and machine alike. The developers promise that the game’s movement is just as “free” as console shooters, even showing off moves where the player can climb walls and vault handrails. The game is set to release on Rift, Vive, Index, PSVR, Windows VR, and Quest in 2019.

First Impressions: This game looks like it has more movement options than some of the biggest FPS names in the genre. When such fluid movements are combined with the proven shooter mechanics that VR has dazzled us with before, this looks like an easy recommendation for any FPS fan.

Evil Genius 2: World Domination

The cult strategy game, Evil Genius, returns with an all-new sequel. While not much is known about this new strategy title, the developers assured that this is “not a remaster, but a full fledged sequel”, meaning that we can expect some significant gameplay changes from the original. No release date was announced, but if you sign up at https://evilgeniusgame.com/en , you could win a closed beta slot for the game.

First Impressions: The art style they’ve chosen for this game is very cartoony, promising a game that won’t take itself too seriously in tone. If the gameplay is as good as the graphics, then the final product should be another classic for gamers to enjoy for years to come.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 

The sequel to the original cult game looks to bring in much of what made the original great, as the trailer featured a lot of the political intrigue that the first title had. While the only gameplay shown was just a shot of the main character running, this game looks like it shall live up to the legacy of the first. This game shall release in Quarter 1 of 2020.

First Impressions: This game looks better than the original, with more detailed graphics and fast-moving gameplay. I cannot think of any gamer who wouldn’t want to play this game.

First Impressions: The game looks like it’s going to be quite similar to the first, with a noticeable upgrade in graphical quality. Hopefully, it can live up to the legacy of it’s predecessor.

Conan Chop Chop

Speaking of roguelikes, Conan Chop Chop is a game that’s releasing for all major consoles and PC on September 3rd 2019. Early impressions compare it’s level design to that of the Legend of Zelda series.

First Impressions: If the game’s design is indeed similar to that of Legend of Zelda’s, then this game could go down as a classic. If not, it should still be a very fun, violent rougelike.

Last Oasis

Last Oasis is an early access survival game, set to launch on September 3rd. While not much was seen in terms of gameplay, the game does feature several giant wooden spider machines that you and your foes can ride.

First Impressions: It does not look very different from other early access games, other than it’s world and vehicle design. If it can make those two things shine, then the game might be an interesting experience.

Zombie Army 4: Dead War

Rebellion made another game in the critically-acclaimed Zombie Army series. While no gameplay was shown, we can expect it to release on the Epic Store, XBox 1, and the PS4 in 2020.

First Impressions: If this game is anything like it’s predecessors, then the game should be worthy of a slot in any gamer’s collection.

Warframe: Empyrean

Warframe, the hit third-person shooter, is getting a new expansion soon. While not many details about this expansion are known, we do know that “ship to ship” combat is going to be a focal point, and that you can get Nekros Prime for free if you watch the live gameplay reveal on Twitch, which will be held on July 6th, from 6-7pm ET.

https://youtu.be/IwJnZdFAXFU

First Impressions: The base Warframe game is a must-have title, so it’s only natural to assume that this will be a must-have expansion.

Vermintide 2 Versus

The long awaited sequel to Vermintide was shown off today. The game will let you play as the enemy rat hordes, and you can cooperate with the rag-tag band of adventurers to fight a new enemy type. There’s no word on what consoles it’s on or when it will release, but you can sign up for the beta now.

First Impressions: This game did not appear to change all that much, aside from the new content they’ve decided to add. And that’s okay, because Vermintide has amazing gameplay.

Shenmue 3

After years of waiting, Shenmue 3 was finally given a concrete release date. The finale to the tale of a young man trying to solve his father’s murder shall happen on November 19th, and it will be released on the Epic Games Store and the Playstation 4.

First Impressions: While the gameplay looks fairly standard, the story still looks pretty good, which is what really matters when it comes to Shenmue games.

Terraria: Journeys End

Terraria is getting a huge update, including golf, 120 new items, and even a harder difficulty mode. This momentous update is going to release sometime in 2019.

First Impressions: This is a fairly beefy update to a game that’s proven itself time and time again to be a modern classic. What’s not to love?

Maneater

Last, but certainly not least, an open world shark RPG by the name of Maneater is going to come out soon exclusively for the Epic Games Store “soon.” The game developers promise that you start off as a small, baby shark, that grows as the game progresses. They also say that the swimming is going to be “very fluid”.

First Impressions: This game is proving to be quite ambitious. Hopefully, the game’s quality matches said ambition.