Bandai Namco: E3 and Beyond
The night started just as the last one did. We were lead into a spacious room with consoles littering each wall and table, offering a glimpse of their respective games to play. After being set free, I was somewhat unsure as to what I wanted to try first. Chary had told me how great Code Vein was, but with little knowledge of the game, I had an image in my head of it being a visual novel. I simply couldn't figure out why Bandai Namco would be pushing such a niche game, and why they'd bring it to E3 or an event like this. Obviously, I was more than a little surprised to see a Dark Souls-esque experience before me. It took me a good moment to adjust to what I was playing, but from the get-go, everything felt fluid and enjoyable. Sure, I didn't know which button did what, but there was a joy in the unknowing cruelty of the world. It didn't pull its punches, and expected me to adapt; and adapt I did. The demo area featured an expansive cliff face, a small hovel of enemies with an intimidating leader, and finally a boss.
The cliffs were interesting to maneuver, especially when you're as clumsy a person as myself. I have a certain prowess in dying, and it really shone through here as I swiftly realised you could fall to your doom. And so I fell. Again and again. There's an art form to dying I believe I captured with divine grace. Moving beyond this, the cliff face itself was used interestingly, nooks and crannies hiding enemies and treasure alike. It kept me both on guard and eager to look around each corner. While some enemies did catch me off guard, these were often the ones sat down or sleeping, each taking a moment to get up before attacking you. This gives you the time you need to make the first strike or just collect yourself before being thrown into a sticky situation. It's a part of something that really stood out to me, this being the game's fairness. Whenever I got hit, I felt it a result of my own blunder in oppose to the game expecting inhuman reactions, or knowledge beyond that of what I would realistically have playing for the first time. It rewards the patient and observant, those who watch to find openings and identify moments to dodge and strike. Even as I was pushed off cliffs, it was a case of poor positioning or lack of patience.
The boss was an interesting encounter, and not one I feel was overly difficult despite my inability to triumph over it. Each of its attacks felt well-choreographed with the timing to avoid them being ample after recognising the windup. Where I personally found difficulty was in the execution of knowledge. I knew what needed to be done, I knew when it needed to be done; I just wasn't capable of doing it. It's not something I feel terribly bad about, and dying to the boss a reasonable number of times didn't take away from the overall experience; rather it kept me wanting more. I felt myself etching closer and closer to victory as I grew familiar with the controls and better read the boss' attacks. It's unfortunate I didn't manage it, but I'm glad I gave it a good shot. Code Vein is something I'll be following in the coming months, especially with the announced delay of the game. With it feeling so good to play already, I'm eager, if not a little curious, to see what they'll do with this extra time.
After spending a little too long playing my first game, I shimmied on over to the next; a quaint experience if nothing else. Divinity: Original Sin 2 Definitive Edition was another game I quite honestly had no clue about, but it looked like something I might enjoy. Sporting a top-down view of the world as you control a character of your design through an adventure very much your own, I feel it simplest to describe it as a wonderfully detailed and thorough Dungeons and Dragons campaign. This shines into every aspect of the game—from its obscure and absurd speech choices, to its quirky nameless narrator. I'm a little sad to say I couldn't really get into the experience, albeit not a fault of the game itself. This is the kind of game I could easily see myself sinking days of my life into, scrutinising each choice and quite deliberately watching the world burn, but to do so I would need to feel an attachment, a weight to the lives of my characters. I'd need to be sat with friends and enjoying it together, lamenting our poor creation's unnecessarily difficult experience. I have no doubt and feel no reservation in saying this is a great game, but I don't feel it a great game to be showing at this kind of event.
Mixed feelings of Divinity behind me, I decided to take a break for lunch. Just like last time, Bandai Namco were kind enough to cater the event. Quite unfamiliar to my culinary experience, Thai food was on the menu. Packed into small buns, we had the option of fried chicken, pork belly, or a vegetarian choice I struggle to recall. Having had what I recall to be six portions of the meat options, the very thought of hunger soon felt alien to me. This food was quite simply incredible, and may be the standout part of the event for me. Bandai Namco, I love your games, but you were upstaged by the food.
This was legitimately the best thing.
After eating, there were still a good number of games left to play, but I hit somewhat or a roadblock. My Hero Academia, Jump Force, Dragon Ball FighterZ, Soul Calibur VI; these are all fighter games. It was at this point I realised I was perhaps not the best choice for this event, my skill with these kinds of games equal to that of a paralytic hedgehog trying to cross the road. If these are what you're interested in learning about, I feel you'd be better watching the video above and listening to Chary's opinions as a more seasoned fan. Although perhaps somewhat of an overarching statement for them, I did enjoy what I played. The real issue is that I didn't quite understand what I played. Each one felt somewhat fluid, fast-paced, and fun in their own right, but the nuances and intricacies felt beyond me. To give a brief word on each title: My Hero Academia thrives in its comic book-styled world, giving you the thwack and pow you're imagining in your head as you watch the anime. I couldn't get to grips with the controls, and I felt like I was aimlessly running around the maps to avoid getting hit, but I appreciated the weight and scale each punch packed. Jump Force's main selling point was in its unsettlingly realistic graphical style, and honestly? It nailed it. The game looks great and was easy for me to pick up. While the characters each felt unique, I was comfortable switching between them, each being just familiar enough. Each punch had a great sense of impact, and the combos flowed fantastically. Dragon Ball FighterZ is the same game you know and love, but now on the Switch. It seemed to run well, so not sure what more I can say for it! If you liked it on the PS4 and want it on a handheld system, it's probably worth double dipping. Soul Calibur VI... Well I actually avoided this one. Having played it at a previous event and feeling grossly out of my depths, I didn't want to bother taking a seat away from those who were clearly more passionate than myself. The game still looks as fun as it did when I last saw it, and I'm sure Soul Calibur fans will get a kick out of it.
Despite my gross under-qualification to discuss many of the games on show, I had a great night. With fantastic food and the shining jewel that is Code Vein forever cherished in my mind, I find myself eager to witness how some of these projects evolve. How will Jump Force throw together so many characters from vastly differing universes? Will My Hero Academia's plot be enough to sell it to non-fighter fans? Just how far can you push the events of Divinity: Original Sin 2 before the game pushes back? All questions floating in my mind, and all questions I hope to see answered in the near future. I'd like to extend thanks once more to Bandai Namco for inviting us to what was a wonderful evening, and I hope to return once more.
