E3 2019: The PC Gaming Show gives us Bloodlines 2 and teases Baldur's Gate 3

With 30 games competing for our withered attention spans, the PC Gaming Show was both delightful and disappointing at the same time (what’s new, right?).

There was a ton of cute indie game goodness, and plenty of pixellated titles like Songs of Conquest and cheesy metal platformer, Valfaris. There was also less murderous, more wholesome fun in the respective forms of Planet Zoo, Per Aspera, and El Hijo. We aren’t going to mention Rebellion’s zombie game, which should rightfully have been a Judge Dredd announcement, because it hurts us. To be fair, Zombie Army 4: Dead War has some cool moments, but it certainly doesn’t have a Lawgiver.

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This year’s PC Gaming Show ended with an extremely brutal and non-committal discussion of Baldur’s Gate 3, its basis on the fifth edition handbook of Dungeons and Dragons, and no known release date. Basically, it’ll be ready when it’s ready. In the meantime, make do with a new tabletop campaign on September 17, angled as a prequel that begins 100 years after the events of Baldur’s Gate 2. If that’s all we can get right now, we’ll take it.

Here’s a rundown of the highlights.

Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines 2

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFLXoGzXxJc[/embed]

If anyone’s ever called you an emotional vampire and you’re a V:TM fan, this is the perfect game for you. Bloodlines 2 sees the introduction of “resonance,” which is a nice, non-chilling way to describe a characteristic of blood in the game. Vampires can feed off compatible or desirable resonance for perks; the game's senior writer, Cara Ellison, also spoke briefly on how she’s developing a “vampire puberty quest line” which sounds… complicated, to say the least. Expect to see Bloodlines 2 in Q1 2020.

Mosaic

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSYPEljXohk[/embed]

Beyond the fact that Mosaic is a dark, dystopian action adventure game, we don’t know any more than you do at this point. The game’s story appears to feature a very successful, hypnotic, mindless mobile game called BlipBlop, which speaks for itself. Naturally, in this post-Black Mirror world, we’re 100 percent on board. Expect to find out more later this year.

Telling Lies

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6fG5h32amU[/embed]

Packed with an incredibly talented cast, Telling Lies is from the mind behind Her Story: Sam Barlow. Players need to watch conflicting video footage of four different people to unravel the mystery around a stolen government hard drive. This one is for serious problem-solvers who love a complicated narrative. Telling Lies will be out later this year.

Unexplored 2: The Wayfarer’s Legacy

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEfm_lt4cos[/embed]

This beautiful roguelike game is a feast for the senses. From new-ish game publisher Big Sugar, The Wayfarer’s Legacy looks like a really promising sequel to the dungeon-centric Unexplored. Journey through a stunning world and face the consequences of your actions the next time you play through.

Remnant From the Ashes

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Q357SS7Kck[/embed]

Demonic monsters and nightmarish visions are the name of this post-apocalyptic survival game. From what we've seen, Remnant From the Ashes walks the same terrifying path as Dark Souls and Bloodborne. There’s a lot going on with some of these creatures, including what appears to be a truly frightening eyeless old woman. Scare your own (or someone else's) pants off on August 20, or get the preorder for August 16.

Starmancer

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQIuR6DK2jA[/embed]

Chucklefish announced their new simulator game, Starmancer, which looks suitably adorable and highly addictive. Instead of tending to a Stardew Valley farm, players must cultivate a fragile colony, manage its space station, and defend it from marauding pirates. Even better, you play as an artificial intelligence entity, so you can really have fun with your puny human residents.

CrisTales

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkunTgsxdHE[/embed]

Modus Games’ role-playing fairytale game looks incredible. This self-described "love letter" to Japanese RPGs is a much-needed new take on the genre. Not only is the art stunning, but the concept is fresh, too: see three different timeframes (past, present, and future) at the same time, and figure out what you want to do. If only we had this feature in real life. There's a debut demo available on Steam, but the game won't be out until 2020.

Terraria: Journey’s End

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cV3Cfed4RBU [/embed]

Here’s a special mention for Terraria, the simple-yet-complex sandbox game with a cult following. The original game came out in 2011, to much critical fanfare. It’s one of the most enduring and enjoyable crafting/combat games out there, so this new update, Journey’s End, is a welcome treat for long-time Terraria loyalists. Look out for it in 2019.

Last Oasis

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmDbh9J2X6g[/embed]

This looks like it could be a post-apocalyptic Fury Road prequel, except instead of grimy jacked-up cars, people get around in sail-winged strandebeests that look like sentient creatures. Oh, and earth has stopped turning, too — you might want to watch out for the extremely scorching heat, and the bitter, icy cold. There will be fighting, crafting, and a lot of moving around to stay warm (or at least, to avoid getting frozen). Last Oasis will open for Early Access on Steam on July 15, and otherwise will be released on September 3.

Maneater

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1ixsDRnT_Q[/embed]

You know the same old story — you’re a ravenous man-eating shark, looking for tasty swimmers to snack on. After all, this is essentially a role-playing game all about getting food, a problem that we can seriously identify with. There’s also a narrative — your shark is somehow involved with an in-game reality show that follows the fishing adventures of scumbag Scaly Pete. Pete looks filthy, but is he tasty? Only time will tell.

Warframe: Empyrean

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Got ships? Want to battle your ships? Stay tuned, because we’re finally getting a full reveal on July 6.

 

alexisong@asiaone.com