The Guardians of the Galaxy and Babylon’s Fall headline the Square Enix Presents E3 2021 games showcase.
Square Enix brought a modest but impressive lineup to this year’s virtual E3 with a varied collection of new games and updated classics.
Eidos Montreal certainly looks to be on the money with Guardians of the Galaxy, an energetic and tongue-in-cheek third-person action-adventure based on the beloved super-hero team.
Like Marvel’s Avengers, it’s a fresh take on the property rather than a direct MCU spin-off. At first blush, it’s more successful in this regard than Crystal Dynamic’s effort. The trailer shows a game with a distinct take on the Star-Lord’s crew, and there’s a welcome sense of frivolity. The multi-talented Dan Abnett is penning the narrative, which promises a large-scale adventure and some nicely observed character beats.
Speaking of the Avengers, three more expansions – Cosmic Cube, Wasteland Patrol and War for Wakanda – are due for release later this year.
Elsewhere, Babylon’s Fall from PlatinumGames continues to make a name for itself. New footage shows the developer’s trademark brand of chaotic combat is alive and well. We’re not sold on the voice acting, however.
Deck Nine’s Life is Strange: True Colors was another highlight, with a montage of sequences giving us a closer look at the emotional-charged gameplay mechanics players use in the role of empath Alex.
It was a mixed showing for fans of Square Enix’s most famous franchise. There was nothing new from Final Fantasy XVI, but the first six games in the series are heading to Steam and mobile as the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series. Nice, but why not for Switch?
Of more interest is Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin, a new collaboration between Square Enix, Team Ninja, and Koei Tecmo, with creative oversight from Tetsuya Nomura. Square Enix’s PR blurb says the game features “exhilarating, action-packed battles” against iconic Final Fantasy monsters in a “world of dark fantasy”.
Square Enix Presents – E3 2021 Recap
- Guardians of the Galaxy – October 26, 2021
- Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series – Coming Soon to PC and mobile
- Legend of Mana – June 24, 2021
- The Avengers – Content expansions throughout 2021
- Hitman Sniper – Coming to mobile in June
- Nier Reincarnation – Coming to mobile in June
- Final Fantasy VII: The First Solider – Coming to mobile in 2021
- Babylon’s Fall – Currently in production
- Life is Strange Remastered Collection – September 30, 2021
- Life is Strange True Colors – September 10, 2021
- Stranger of Paradise – Final Fantasy Origin – Due in 2022
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