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Sony E3 2018 conference live report

Nioh 2, a new Remedy game and a fair bit of weirdness. All of the news as it happened.

Sony offered perhaps its strangest show for a few years, providing an ill-advised theatre set-up that led to some serious lulls during the opening 30 minutes. It did pick up, though, to give us Nioh 2, a new Remedy game and our first look at the Resident Evil 2 remake, plus first gameplay of Death Stranding, The Last of Us Part 2 and Ghosts of Tsushima. Not bad, really. Here's all the news as it happened.

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Martin Robinson

In the office it's a little bit of FIFA, a little bit of Fortnite and some beer to get us through.

Martin Robinson

(I know, we're so *mainstream*, right?)

Martin Robinson

Hi I just went away to play a bit of FIFA and now everyone's talking about Ecco. What did I miss?

Martin Robinson

It's like an Ecco chamber in here.

Martin Robinson

(sorry)

Martin Robinson

Kami: Also, Martin, boo and all that.

That's probably the best joke I've made all week. I'm all out now.

Martin Robinson

I'm going to tell you about all the 'p's tonight. You want 1080 'p's? You want 2160 'p's? They're all coming at you on you're a gamer dot com.

Martin Robinson

I'm hoping none of you ever caught the after hours Eurogamer podcast where a lot of it was dedicated to dolphin's sex habits.

Martin Robinson

Also this whole chat about Ecco is feeling very 1.45am at the moment.

Martin Robinson

Someone's going to hand me a cigarette in a moment and I'm going to absent-mindedly light the wrong end before realising what exactly is going on.

Martin Robinson

But hey 1.45am means we're only 15 minutes away from Sony's conference!

Martin Robinson

*goes to toot horn, misses then collapses in a heap*.

Martin Robinson

Will this be good? I don't know. I'm not sure.

Martin Robinson

You see, I worry it's going to be a bit like that - four stilted Q&A sessions for the first-party games in question, mixed in with a few announcements of third party things.

Martin Robinson

Sony can get a little... self-involved at times. I'm hoping this won't be one of them.

Martin Robinson

What we know - there'll be four first-party games.

Martin Robinson

Those being Death Stranding, Ghosts of Tsushima, Spiderman and The Last of Us Part 2.

Martin Robinson

Hello from what feels like a PlayStation E3 church. It's a tent with scary sounds being piped in. There are no seats. Everyone is confused.

Tom Phillips

There's also room for third-party showings. We haven't seen anything of Call of Duty or Destiny 2 so far this E3. Seems like a good time for them to show up.

Martin Robinson

The Final Fantasy 7 remake that was absent from Square's super bland conference earlier? I'm not too hopeful it'll show up, but it's a possibility.

Martin Robinson

And how about what Bluepoint's working on? Maybe - just maybe - it's a beloved PlayStation game that also happens to be third party.

Martin Robinson

Oh, and let's not forget about the Resident Evil 2 Remake.

Martin Robinson

Wes, Digital Foundry's John Linneman and I (and friend of Eurogamer Keza) are resisting whatever theatrics this is and have fashioned a work station out of folding chairs and a small day table I found in the corner of the room.

Tom Phillips

That lot would be a tidy haul all in all.

Martin Robinson

Tom Phillips

It's at times like this, hearing what Tom's saying about the show in LA, that I'm grateful to be here in Brighton with a beer and a nice comfy chair.

Martin Robinson

Even if it is coming up to 2am.

Martin Robinson

One last thing.

Martin Robinson

Sony's showing four games tonight. I really wouldn't be surprised if at least two of them weren't necessarily PS4 exclusive.

Martin Robinson

It really is a very lovely beer.

Paul Watson

Now that Microsoft has dropped the next-gen bomb, and that Bethesda has openly spoken about two of its big games being next-gen, will Sony follow suit?

Martin Robinson

Yup, and the other thing. This won't start on time.

Martin Robinson

kingpin3000: Don we think VR will get a mention?

Yup, even if it's just a quick round-up.

Martin Robinson

Also my name's not Don.

Martin Robinson

Hang on. Are they starting...

Martin Robinson

Early?

Martin Robinson

Well this is a first.

Martin Robinson

I. Have. No. Idea.

Martin Robinson

Tom Phillips

The downside of sitting down is you can't really see anything.

Tom Phillips

Well you wanted PSVR - here's some Playroom bots dicking about.

Martin Robinson

Shawn Layden is apparently here. I can't see him though.

Tom Phillips

Honestly, the conference could be two hours of this and I'd be completely fine with it.

Paul Watson

And now we're properly, properly go.

Martin Robinson

Shawn Layden steps up to stage, in what looks like a church.

Martin Robinson

It's weird, standing up - the audience is restless. It's not quiet here, people are talking over Shawn.

Tom Phillips

This doesn't help the growing perception of them being a bit of a weird cult.

Martin Robinson

But let's see where they take it from here.

Martin Robinson

First up, it's The Last of Us Part 2.

Martin Robinson

I love The Last of Us' music, but this audience is just talking about how they can't see what's going on.

Tom Phillips

And a live performance from Gustavo Santaolalla.

Martin Robinson

And some terrible, terrible sound distortion on our feed which doesn't really help things.

Martin Robinson

That'll be it (I say like I have any kind of technical knowledge).

Martin Robinson

The church we are in is an environment from The Last of Us 2.

Tom Phillips

It's cool, man, we're all high.

Martin Robinson

Here's a new trailer for The Last of Us 2, and that's why everyone's in a church - it's the setting for this fresh look, with an older Ellie taking centre stage.

Martin Robinson

This is already striking a much better tone than the last time we saw The Last of Us Part 2 - it's got the humanity and warmth that, I think, made the original such a hit.

Martin Robinson

Oh here's the murder.

Martin Robinson

From something quite moving and beautiful to a neckstab. Video games, you never really change do you?

Martin Robinson

'It's like we got new E3 there,' says Bertie, 'and then ol' E3 just crept back'.

Martin Robinson

CONTRAST!

Tom Phillips

It's the lady and the hammers and the disemboweling!

Martin Robinson

That old favourite.

Martin Robinson

Actual wooos from the audience for being able to climb under a truck.

Tom Phillips

It's a handsome looking video game, which looks to carry on where the original left off.

Martin Robinson

With a little more grimdark, though no-one could ever really say that The Last of Us was a game that was light in tone.

Martin Robinson

The combat does look extremely physical, again taking one of The Last of Us' core tenets a little further.

Martin Robinson

These kinds of scenes never really play out that well when seen out of context. I remember how grim one of The Last of Us' original scenes looked in a conference, where Joel shot-gunned someone to death and the audience whooped and hollered.

Martin Robinson

We're being moved rooms. Audience is on the move.

Tom Phillips

In-game, it made much more sense and was less jarring.

Martin Robinson

Anyway, that was our first real look at The Last of Us Part 2. It looks like it'll be very bit as fascinating as the original.

Martin Robinson

And here's the chatty bit while everyone gets to the next venue for this show.

Martin Robinson

There's plenty of killer going from that The Last of Us Part 2 first look, but it also seems like there'll be at least *some* filler.

Martin Robinson

But hey we're all kind of in love with Shawn Layden over here so I'm fine with that.

Martin Robinson

He looks half hamster, half mobster.

Martin Robinson

I'm trying to find a composite of those two, but well it just doesn't work.

Martin Robinson

Anyway he's an incredibly handsome, suave and confident presence.

Martin Robinson

It sounds like Ghosts of Tsushima is next.

Martin Robinson

As Tom and co. are being ushered into a Japanese courtyard.

Martin Robinson

And a little snippet there - New Game Plus is coming to God of War.

Martin Robinson

There's a lot of people to usher through this very expensive set-up.

Martin Robinson

It's a very strange set-up, too - everyone at the event can't report on it as they're constantly on the move.

Martin Robinson

While at home we have to wait for them to be pestered along into the next area.

Martin Robinson

So strange how these things get greenlit, but I'm sure whoever pitched it was very convincing (and asked for a sizeable budget too).

Martin Robinson

So here's Call of Duty Black Ops 4 with map pack exclusivity.

Martin Robinson

Less of the almost, I'd say.

Martin Robinson

It's a mixture of stupidity and arrogance that leads to weird cock-ups like this.

Martin Robinson

I think it's a little of both, they've clearly got stuff planned as we're getting some sizzle reels they've got prepped.

Martin Robinson

It is safe to say that no-one really engaged their brain when planning the whole concept of this show though.

Martin Robinson

We're back to the weird late-PS2, early-PS3 Sony here. And Microsoft is doing a great job stepping back into the good guy role as it recedes from the villainy and arrogance of early Xbox One.

Martin Robinson

Tom Phillips

It's amazing how cyclical these things are, and how they don't hire anyone at these companies who can remember back more than five years.

Martin Robinson

We have walked through a Japanese garden to a larger tent (with seats). Wind is being blown in, and on screen there's a grassy landscape.

Tom Phillips

Destiny 2 now, and a look at the big update coming later this year.

Martin Robinson

Will it save Destiny? I'm not sure - it feels like every new expansion has that weight of expectation put upon it.

Martin Robinson

But they just killed off Nathan Fillion so I guess that gives them a bit more budget to make more awesome stuff.

Martin Robinson

Right come on here's an actual video game after plenty of filler.

Martin Robinson

Nope it's another live musical performance.

Martin Robinson

Get over yourselves and show us something!

Martin Robinson

This is Ghosts of Tsushima, anyway.

Martin Robinson

up_the_ante: Cultural appropriation

Lol innit.

Martin Robinson

A polite round of applause.

Martin Robinson

I just found out about Cayde's death on a livestream I can't watch while a guy plays an oversize fucking recorder solo. Thanks Sony.

Tom Phillips

At least Sucker Punch's Nate Fox is always good value.

Martin Robinson

Sorry, I'll edit.

Martin Robinson

Sony may as well fart into their own cupped hands, bring it up to their nostrils and just gleefully sniff it in at this point.

Martin Robinson

Samurai seems to be very much the next big thing.

Martin Robinson

And this does look awful, awful pretty.

Martin Robinson

I mean, it looks really, really, really good.

Martin Robinson

As in I'm not sure I've seen a better looking video game.

Martin Robinson

And I'm not entirely sure this is even possible on a PlayStaton 4.

Martin Robinson

This is, from what we've been told, an open world game.

Martin Robinson

An open world game as gorgeous as this could really be something.

Martin Robinson

Beautifully composed samurai combat leads into more general hack and slashery.

Martin Robinson

But still it looks great.

Martin Robinson

In the words of Kat from USGamer: "The hell of following Naughty Dog is that anything you do is going to look stiff by comparison." Yup.

Tom Phillips

Some very Sucker Punch traversal - it's still inFamous and Sly Cooper as you leap around.

Martin Robinson

I hope it's at least an option to play with a Japanese voice track. It'd make such a difference.

Martin Robinson

The stand-offs, which come at a much slower pace than the general combat, look incredible.

Martin Robinson

And that was Ghosts of Tsushima. A staggeringly beautiful looking game.

Martin Robinson

And this is a banana playing a guitar.

Martin Robinson

This is why I love Eurogamer. The place to come for typeface analysis.

Martin Robinson

Is this Death Stranding now?

Martin Robinson

Or Remedy's new game.

Martin Robinson

Because this looks a lot like Remedy.

Martin Robinson

Control - it is indeed Remedy, being very Remedy, and being published by 505 Games.

Martin Robinson

Some game about tins of tomatoes now.

Martin Robinson

Games have everything don't they?

Martin Robinson

silents: That was basically quantum break on ps4.

Without the live action stuff. I'm more than fine with that.

Martin Robinson

And this is Resident Evil 2.

Martin Robinson

Which looks very, very different to the original which it's remaking.

Martin Robinson

Also it has tinned tomatoes in it.

Martin Robinson

This looks so, so different to Resident Evil 2, that it's hard not to get a bit of whiplash when seeing it for the first time.

Martin Robinson

Beneath all the fancy visuals, though, looks like quite a trad Resi game - and that's also a good thing. It's out January 25th next year.

Martin Robinson

A new game from the Rick & Morty creators and Squanch Games? It looks like it's got Mr MeSeeks in there.

Martin Robinson

Trover Saves the Universe, coming to PSVR.

Martin Robinson

Some weird Nomura nonsense with Johnny Depp in now.

Martin Robinson

If that's your thing, you weirdos.

Martin Robinson

Yeah, it actually is.

Martin Robinson

There's been a succession of good announces, and even though Kingdom Hearts isn't really my thing it's certainly going to tick a lot of boxes for series fans.

Martin Robinson

And now it's on to Death Stranding, to twist with our heads a little more.

Martin Robinson

This looks it is, for the first time, actual Death Stranding gameplay.

Martin Robinson

Like it's an actual video game we can play.

Martin Robinson

Where we apparently just go trekking around Iceland.

Martin Robinson

But still I'd be up for playing that game.

Martin Robinson

It really does look like a slow-paced exploration game.

Martin Robinson

Or, as some others might put it, a walking simulator.

Martin Robinson

But there's more!

Martin Robinson

Lea Seydoux makes an appearance, adding to the all-star cast.

Martin Robinson

Nope, still none the wiser.

Martin Robinson

Yup, and I love it.

Martin Robinson

Oh and Linsay Wagner, The Bionic Woman, is now confirmed to be in it?

Martin Robinson

And Nioh 2, which is a nice announcement from leftfield.

Martin Robinson

They've pulled this conference back from the brink.

Martin Robinson

Spideybobs now.

Martin Robinson

Which looks amazing, if not quite as amazing as what's preceded it, but we are getting to play it very, very soon.

Martin Robinson

This looks lovely if big explodey things are what you're into.

Martin Robinson

Super dynamic, with all the colour and spark you'd hope for from a Spiderman game.

Martin Robinson

And that was the fourth game.

Martin Robinson

Are we done here?

Martin Robinson

What is though?

Martin Robinson

The recap suggests we're wrapping up shortly.

Martin Robinson

And it is done.

Martin Robinson

A shaky start but it got there in the end.

Martin Robinson

Well, Spiderman has one.

Martin Robinson

My money is on that being one decent looking PS4 game in Spiderman, and three PS5 games with no date.

Martin Robinson

We'll see, though, and a new Remedy game makes me very, very happy.

Martin Robinson

Oh let's not forget a new Nioh. That's alright.

Martin Robinson

And Resi 2.

Martin Robinson

Oh and here's a bonus - a From Software PSVR game.

Martin Robinson

Just as I was about to head back to the hotel.

Martin Robinson

Oooh they're odd ones, Sony, aren't they?

Martin Robinson

Deracine is its name.

Martin Robinson

What else are they going to announce post-conference?

Martin Robinson

I'm not sure how late I'm willing to wait up to find out.

Martin Robinson

We're going to wrap here, though of course feel free to stick around and watch the post-conference chat Sony's laying on where we're seeing some of Spiderman's web-slinging in action.

Martin Robinson

You've all been wonderful, and it's been a delight.

Martin Robinson

One more show to go, and it's Nintendo tomorrow - hope to see you there.

Martin Robinson

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