We laugh and joke, but day after day we are approaching the long-awaited E3 2017. It would be useless to dwell on what this event means for the entire videogame landscape, so I will try to get straight to the point by telling you why, in my humble opinion, you should keep under close observation Bandai Namco. Last year the prominent titles in the company's line up were Tekken 7, Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 and Tales of Berseria, consequently in this edition of the fair much more is expected from the software house. Although the video games just mentioned have been positively received by both critics and the public, the rumors that have emerged in recent days have sparked hopes in the hearts of fans, especially after rumors of a possible Bloodborne sequel or even a new Sony-exclusive IP called Phantom Wail, souls-like completely different from past From Software productions. Bandai Namco really has a lot of meat on it, so disappointing fans with a lean playground would be a bad move.
Code name: Vampire
The most awaited of the party is certainly Code Vein, souls-like with an apocalyptic theme that has all the cards to become a truly noteworthy production. After the trailers related to history and gameplay, the videogame will have to wear the dress of the great occasions for the Los Angeles fair, so as to finally show its muscles to the general public. The title was announced by Bandai Namco last month and, as we all know, it won't hit shelves before 2018.. The product is developed by the same team it worked on God Eater, which explains some of the attention that the work has received. Little is known about the game's plot, except that it will be set in a ruined world inhabited by the Revenants, mysterious immortal creatures who manage to maintain a shred of humanity only by taking massive doses of blood. These entities have created Vein, a secret society isolated from everything and everyone, and players throughout the course of history will discover the dark secrets associated with it. It was also revealed that a cooperative multiplayer mode will be available.
"Nintendo is our friend, not food." Semi cit.
"Fish are our friends, not food." So said the sharks, in the movie Finding Nemo, during the meeting. The same reasoning should also apply in the world of video games since, after the release of Nintendo Switch, we find a truly unique console on the market. The only thing missing from the Big N peripheral are exclusive titles and that is precisely why we expect that Bandai Namco catch the wave of the splendid launch to propose new IPs. Up to this point the company hasn't produced much on Switch, but we know that Namco Museum e One Peace are in the works for this console. Recently it was reported that Dragonball Xenoverse 2 will arrive on Nintendo Switch this fall, but our hopes are to see titles of the caliber of the various debut on this console Tales Of. There have also been some rumors in recent weeks that spoke of a sort of collection of the Dark Souls trilogy or a re-edition of one of the games in the series, nothing confirmed of course, but hope is the last to die.
Welcome back to Gatmandù
Ni No Kuni is a game that needs no introduction. The first chapter of this fairytale RPG, which saw the collaboration of Studio Ghibli, entered the hearts of many fans, selling a lot even in the West and conquering critics. The game was a success from many points of view and, for this reason, the announcement of the second episode was received with great fanfare by fans. Ni No Kuni 2, unlike its predecessor, comes with a darker and more dramatic narrative: The tender story of little Oliver has been replaced by a dethroned ruler forced to leave his kingdom after a coup. Some substantial gameplay changes have also been made in Revenant Kingdom. The development team, aware of the shortcomings of the first chapter, has decided to shake up the battles, proposing a much more dynamic and action-oriented combact system. What we want from Bandai Namco during this E3 is not just another trailer, but the actual release date of the product. We will see what the future holds.
Back to the origins
The legendary fighting series Soul Calibur celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, which is no small feat and to keep an eye on. At this point, given that we haven't seen an entry into the franchise's main market for five years now, it seems legitimate to think that at E3 2017 we could see a resounding return. Bandai Namco recently released a trailer to celebrate the milestone reached by the brand, so something could be boiling in the pot. Given the success that the various Tekken 7, Injustice 2, Marvel vs Capcom Infinite and Arms are achieving, we see no better time to present a new chapter of this hugely popular saga. This fighting game series has always strayed from the chorus by including weapons in its battles, a diversification that has always attracted the attention of fans. Precisely in a period so full of fighting games, this work can again prove to be different, perhaps bringing personalities taken from other famous videogames to the roster.
Conclusions
Summing up, our expectations for this conference are high and we are confident that the event Bandai Namco it will be of great impact. We hope that the Los Angeles fair will therefore bring a lot of news and, above all, many new IPs. Although it is really important to offer well-known and successful brands to the public, having the courage to undertake a project still unknown to enthusiasts, perhaps even bringing something innovative, is certainly an extra gear for any software house. The brands owned by the Japanese company are many and have a solid and very demanding fan base, so it is legitimate to expect something more if we think about the opportunities that the market is offering at the moment.
