Today at E3 in Los Angeles EA discussed 11 games for current and next-generation consoles, including two sequels that will make fans very excited.
As always, much of EA’s presentation focused on sports, but the publisher also spent a lot of time on a brand-new third-person action game, a new Dragon Age sequel, Battlefield 4 and sequels to Peggle and Mirror’s Edge.
There was even a very short clip of a new game EA’s DICE will develop using the Star Wars license.
Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare
In perhaps the biggest departure for a game franchise ever, Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare takes the 2D tower defense game and transforms it into a third-person multiplayer action game. The game plays similarly to games like Team Fortress 2 with different classes that perform different functions on the battlefield. Players can choose from the peashooter, chomping fly trap, healing sunflower or the sniper cactus to fight back the hoards of zombies including special boss zombies like the disco zombie.
Peggle 2
EA arguably “won” E3 with the announcement of a sequel to the popular puzzle game from Pop Cap. The developer released no screenshots or video of the game. The Pop Cap developer simply jumped into the air and proclaimed the game’s existence, and that’s all we need.
TitanFall
Microsoft announced TitanFall as an
Xbox One exclusive game earlier in the day. EA showed a video from the developer that talks about the approach the developer took to making the game. The team tried to make the mechs in the game as fast and agile as the soldiers instead of the slow lumbering mechs that are usually in games.
Star Wars Battlefront
All that EA showed of Star Wars Battlefront was a few seconds of the battle of Hoth with a cruiser crashing between the legs of an AT-AT. The few seconds looked spectacular, and were enough to excite fans of the classic PlayStation 2 and Xbox third-person shooters.
Need For Speed Rivals
The latest game in the Need For Speed franchise will come to the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 later this year, and will combine the single-player and multi-player components of the game for a unique, seamless game. On stage EA showed two players starting different races alone, one as a racer and one as a police officer. Towards the end of both races the two merged into one, with the officer trying to take out or arrest the racer and the racer trying to escape.
The demo also let a third player use an iPad companion app to call up a helicopter to help the police officer. The demo used PlayStation 4 controllers, and likely the Sony companion app, but will also likely use SmartGlass on the Xbox one.
Dragon Age: Inquisition
The third installment in the Dragon Age series will finally let the player explore an open world where Bioware claims every decision will change the character and the world around them. In the game, the player will try to keep evil at bay with an inquisition, though they can choose other methods. The game will feature new characters and locations, but Morrigan and possibly other characters from previous games will show up.
NBA Live 14
EA’s NBA franchise will finally reappear on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 next year after a years-long absence. The title will feature “BounceTek” which detaches the basketball from the players hands and uses physics for more realistic dribbling. NBA Live 14 will also has player updates that change a player’s stats within an hour of an event like an injury or a career-high game.
Madden 25
EA showed off the first video of Madden 25 using in-game assets during its press conference, and the game looks predictably amazing, assuming the final game actually looks like the trailer. The game will use “True Step” precision footwork for smarter player movements and reactions. Madden 25 will also feature smart offensive and defensive lines, making the line a much more important part of the game.
FIFA 14
Like Madden, FIFA 14 will feature smarter in-game athletes and precision movement for more realistic plays. The game will also enable more spectacular moves that players like Messi can pull off in real-life that were nearly impossible in previous soccer games.
UFC
UFC CEO Dana White claims EA’s upcoming UFC game will be “the best fight game ever made.” It’s hard to believe he knows what makes a great fighting game, but the demo EA showed did look impressive. The game will let players strategically tackle each fight differently, and will realistically show the effects of each punch and kick as they land on opponents.
Battlefield 4
EA showed off Battlefield 4 using a 64-player multiplayer match, including one player using the new Commander Mode. With Commander Mode one player can use any device, including an
iPad to get a bird’s-eye view of the battlefield. From there they can support soldiers by giving them extra context and calling in airstrikes and other special attacks.
Mirror’s Edge
EA and DICE finally announced the sequel to the cult-hit first-person parkour game Mirror’s Edge at the end of the press conference. The in-engine trailer showed Faith getting a tattoo interspersed with her running through stark office buildings and taking out guards with her speed and agility. Thankfully the trailer showed no guns, which were the worst parts of the first game. Unfortunately the real date listed is “when it’s ready.”
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