The Xbox and Bethesda Showcase gave gamers a glimpse of what they can expect from the many studios under Microsoft’s umbrella. There were several exciting moments, including a trailer forForza Motorsportwhich is scheduled for 2023, a reveal of newArk 2story content, and an announcement that, as rumors have suggested,Minecraftwill be receiving an action strategy game titledMinecraft Legends. Gamers also got an extended look atStarfield, Bethesda’s upcoming space RPG that has generated a lot of hype for itself. The trailer showcased the combat gameplay, but it also once again confirmed that the game has been pushed back to 2023.
WhileStarfield’s delay may be disappointing, there are plenty of games in 2022 to keep gamers occupied until its release, and the Xbox and Bethesda Show highlighted one of the games worth looking out for. Asobo’sA Plague Tale: Requiemis still on track to release in 2022, and it looks to be one of the most polished games of the year. Amicia and Hugo are back, but it is clear that the gameplay has expanded, and the story’s scope has vastly increased.
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The Long Wait for Starfield
There has been a lot of conversation and excitement surroundingStarfield, and it is not hard to understand why. For many years,The Elder ScrollsandFallouthave been Bethesda’s bread and butter, and this is the first time in over two decades that the studio is branching out with a new IP. With games likeSkyrim, Bethesda has demonstrated that it can craft incredibly immersive open-world environments that offer near-infinite replayability, which makes the thought of a Bethesda game set in space quite intriguing. However, the long wait for the game’s release has tested the patience of many.
Bethesda has been toying around with the idea of an open-world space game for a long time, and the nameStarfieldwas already trademarked by the studio in 2013. According to Bethesda executiveTodd Howard, the development ofStarfieldhad already started in 2014, and the game imagines humanity 300 years into the future, living among the stars. Nevertheless, gamers never got a good glimpse of it until E3 in 2018. Although the game was originally scheduled to be released in 2022, it has since been pushed back to the first half of 2023.
Fortunately, the trailer during the Xbox and Bethesda Showcase demonstrated thatStarfield’s combat will be well worth the wait. In addition to being able to explore alien extraterrestrial landscapes, players will also have several powerful guns available to wipe out enemies. Gamers will not be bored while waiting forStarfield, however, because Microsoft’s Asobo will be deliveringA Plague Tale: Requiemin the meantime.
A Plague Tale: Requiem - Amicia and Hugo Return
Gamers were introduced to Amicia and Hugo throughA Plague Tale: Innocence, a sleeper hit released in 2019. The game is set in the 14th century, during the Hundred Years' War. Amicia, who is of noble descent, lives in luxury, but she does not get to see her little brother Hugo much because he is ill. Things are turned upside when her village is invaded by French Inquisition troops who pillage and claim they are hunting for Hugo. Amicia and Hugo flee in fear, and it becomes Amicia’s job to protect Hugo from the violent troops and strange swarms of rats spreading the Black Plague.
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Like most siblings,Amicia and Hugooccasionally fight, but in the end, their love for each other helps them overcome the many terrible obstacles they face. The game went under the radar for the most part when it was released, but it offers a very touching story about the bond between siblings and the loss of innocence in a callous world. Furthermore, the simple yet well-executed stealth gameplay makes the game a joy to play through.
Players will be seeing more of Amicia and Hugo, both through the upcomingtelevision adaptation ofA Plague Tale: Innocence, and throughA Plague Tale: Requiemwhich will see the siblings facing even greater dangers. As Asobo has revealed, the siblings head south to start a new life, but Hugo’s powers awaken, causing death and rat plagues. Consequently, Amicia and Hugo search for a prophesized island that may save Hugo.
A Plague Tale: Requiem Is Bigger and Better
As the trailer at the Xbox and Microsoft Showcase revealed,A Plague Tale: Requiemwill have Amicia protecting Hugo once again, and there will be plenty of rat swarms to avoid and navigate around. Amicia will also be armed with her trusty slingshot to help her eliminate enemies in her path, however gruesome their deaths may be. It also seems Amicia has learned a few new tricks. She is now able to go fully prone, which allows her to slide under tables likeSolid Snake inMetal Gear Solid. She is also far more violent, and she has access to a host of new weapons, including daggers and crossbows. When those do not work, she can also strangle foes or push them into a swarm of hungry rats.
TheA Plague Tale: Requiemenvironmentsrevealed are also far larger than anything present inA Plague Tale: Innocence. While most of theInnocence’s settings are limited to narrow village roads, dark castles, and the gray countryside,Requiemhas Hugo and Amicia traveling much further, and the settings shown in the trailer include sprawling meadows and an expansive quarry.
Starfieldis scheduled to release in the first half of 2023 on PC, and Xbox Series X/S.
