Six Things You Need To Know About Square Enix's E3 Press Conference | E3 2018

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Following a surprisingly short press conference from Square Enix, which was more of a Nintendo Direct affair than a full stage show, here are a few things which stood out.

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by Helen Broutsos

​@pass_controller

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Shadow of The Tomb Raider takes camouflage to a whole new level

We knew Lara was coming, but the unsuspecting enemies in the gameplay reveal for Shadow of the Tomb Raider definitely didn't. Lara’s latest journey looks to be her toughest yet as she must “become one” with her ever-changing environment, using her surroundings to her advantage and being creative in her race to stop the Mayan apocalypse which she unknowingly triggers by disrupting an ancient ritual knife from inside a sacred temple.​

​The gameplay trailer reveal was more like a Predator film (mud smearing and all), with a camouflaged Lara taking down her enemies brutally and silently from the dense undergrowth of the jungle. Not long to wait for some third-person action, as Lara is back on 14 September 2018.

Final Fantasy and Monster Hunter collide with cuteness

There is a Final Fantasy update on the way named Under the Moonlight - all well and good you might say. What if it gave you a Monster Hunter World crossover in the world of Hydaelyn? The update brings a Palico companion, as well as a Rathalos, in a move that'll “bring new challenges to players of Final Fantasy XIV Online”. Although this update is free, players will have to have the Stormblood expansion pack completed and be Level 70 in order to access the update once it's released this summer.

Octopath Traveler gives players eight characters

With adorable pixel art, this Switch exclusive game offers much more than just a cute aesthetic.  Players are free to explore and embark on a journey as any of eight different playable characters - Cleric, Scholar, Merchant, Warrior, Dancer, Apothecary, Thief and Hunter - each boasting their own skill sets. Learn the stories behind these characters from 13 July 2018.

Just Cause 4 adds not dynamic but extreme weather

Aside from the cringe use of dubstep in the gameplay trailer, players can not only expect an even bigger open world environment than its predecessor, but total destruction of the environment. Just Cause 4 goes one better than the likes of Forza Horizon 4, adding extreme weather this time around, including tornadoes, blizzards, lightning, monsoons and sandstorms.

Players can expect to totally devastate environments, thanks to upgraded physics mechanics, and Rico's grappling hook has been upgraded to give you more grapples than ever before, as well as being tweaked to make it more accessible to new players. Jump into the mayhem on 4 December 2018.

The Quiet Man is literally silent

A moody cinematic teaser trailer combining live action with in-game graphics introduced us to what seems to be a deaf character getting his beat-'em-up on in an alley. Sounding like a 50s romance (because it is) and hopefully doing more than ticking a diversity box, this game has potential to showcase what life is like in a world without sound. It's a shame the trailer doesn't give us more to go on, but expect more in August.

Kingdom Hearts 3 is as relentless as its parent company

Although delayed until 2019, mainline Kingdom Hearts is finally back after thirteen long years, and if you haven't picked it up at one of the press conferences then... well done, quite frankly, because it's everywhere. Fans can expect to see the memorable and much-loved faces of Sora, Donald and Goofy, fighting alongside Mickey Mouse whilst exploring the new world locations of Frozen, Toy Story, Hercules and tons more. The game might not be a deep, emotional rollercoaster, but you can be sure it’s going to be packed with back-to-back references when it's finally released on 29 January 2019.

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Let us know what you thought of Square Enix’s presentation in the comments below. Remember to follow us on twitter for more E3 coverage - see you there! 

If you want to watch Square Enix’s press conference, it's below.