1) Anthem
You better watch out, Bungie, as your genre-blending Destiny series is about to have some tough competition.
We suspected that such a thing was in the pipeline, of course, thanks to various reports leading up to its grand entrance at this year’s E3, but even so, I’m not sure anyone expected EA’s long sought-after answer to one of Activision’s most lucrative publishing deals to look so structurally similar to Bungie’s space-faring sci-fi epic.
Mimicry is, after all, the greatest form of flattery, so Bungie should take Anthem‘s apparent adopting of Destiny‘s shared-world and loot systems as a compliment toward its own talented game designers, a resource that EA has certainly ensured Anthem will never have a shortage of. BioWare – specifically, various individuals that worked on the original Mass Effect trilogy – is at the helm for this particular project, so it goes without saying that EA’s bold new IP is in safe hands, but even with industry veterans at the wheel, is Anthem going to offer an experience different enough to its competitors to cultivate its own loyal fan base?
At this very moment – and do note, we’re still a considerable distance away from Anthem hitting retail – the answer is a resounding yes. Despite the clear similarities, Anthem‘s show-stealing gameplay reveal at the climax of Microsoft’s E3 presser exhibited a title that, despite its clear inspirations, screamed BioWare through and through.
The focus on third-person combat alone is enough to distinguish Anthem from its contemporaries, but combine that with cutting-edge facial animation tech (remember, Andromeda was put together by an entirely different team), fully customizable exosuits and a shockingly gorgeous aesthetic, and it becomes immediately clear that BioWare is following its own vision for its most ambitious game to date.
And you know full well that we’ve only been granted a taste of what’s to come. Keep at it, BioWare, I can’t wait to see more.