X15 Media Showcase in Toronto gives gamers glimpses into upcoming titles

TORONTO – Some of the industry’s biggest developers crowded into Toronto’s Sound Academy on Wednesday to show off their upcoming Xbox One titles at the X15 Media Showcase.

Here’s a quick look at a few of the games that were on display:

Halo 5: Guardians (343 Industries, developer; Microsoft, publisher)

Spartan supreme Master Chief returns in the highly anticipated fifth core game in the “Halo” series of first-person shooters.

“Halo 5” promises a longer single-player campaign compared to its predecessors while continuing to play to its multiplayer strengths.

Previous games had the laconic Master Chief taking on hordes of hostile aliens solo in the story mode, but in “Halo 5” it turns out he actually has friends. He is joined this time by three squadmates that can be played by other players in a co-op game or managed by the computer.

Director Tim Longo said the idea with Master Chief’s team was to portray them as a group of squadmates who have fought together for a lifetime. This sense of family is more evident when introduced to the game’s other protagonists, the hastily assembled Fireteam Osiris.

While a lot of attention has been given to the campaign, “Halo” lives and dies by its multiplayer. Longo said with the four-versus-four arena mode and the new 24-player warzones, there is plenty for new players and “Halo” veterans to enjoy.

“One of the big goals for warzones was to give a multiplayer experience to everybody,” he said. “If you want to play against other players you can do that, but you can also go after AI (opponents) if you’re not really as good on the competitive side and still contribute to your team.”

The Xbox One exclusive is set to be released on Oct. 27.

Rise of the Tomb Raider (Crystal Dynamics, developer; Square Enix and Microsoft, publishers)

The adventures of Lara Croft continue in the second game of the rebooted “Tomb Raider” series. “Rise of the Tomb Raider” takes place after the events of 2013’s reboot, and players will get to know a more self-assured Lara as she travels to Siberia to investigate an ancient lost city.

While the previous game was combat heavy, Crystal Dynamics senior designer Philippe Therien said “Rise of the Tomb Raider” balances the fighting with exploration. In short, there’s more actual raiding of tombs.

“This time around she really becomes a tomb raider,” he said. “We have bigger and many more tombs. And we have archaeology in the game. When Lara goes through tombs she can lean different languages that allows her to decipher these monoliths, and when she does that leads her to new treasures and areas.”

“Rise of the Tomb Raider” is a timed exclusive, meaning Xbox One players will get the first crack at the game in November before it is released for other platforms next year.

NHL 2016 (EA Canada, developer; EA Sports, publisher)

One of the criticisms of the otherwise well-received “NHL 2015” was that it lacked some of the popular features the series was known for.

EA Sports producer Sean Ramjagsingh said the message was received.

“Coming off NHL 15 it was important for us, right off the bat, to work as close with the fans as possible,” he said. “With 16 this year, it was really about making it fun to play from every position on the ice.”

As well as bringing back some popular gameplay modes, “NHL 16” introduces an in-game training system that adapts as the player increases in skill.

“We really want you to be able to get to the fun fast, so it will give you hints, teach you the basic controls of the game and teach you the basics of hockey,” Ramjagsingh said. “So you’re always learning and always getting better at it.”

Players looking for a real challenge can try taking the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Stanley Cup. The demo on show at X15 already had the long-suffering team without recently traded sniper Phil Kessel.

“If you’re looking at the starting rosters, it’s going to be a little tougher for Toronto to win than Chicago,” Ramjagsingh said diplomatically.

NHL 16 will be released on Sept. 15, just in time for next season.

Dark Souls III (From Software, developer; Bandai Namco Entertainment, publisher)

The “Dark Souls” series doesn’t suffer fools gladly, and the latest version is no exception.

In my 10 minutes with the hands-on demo at X15, I must have died about six times.

Spokesperson Evan Dexter said the new game in the series is “classic Souls.” That code for “really bloody hard.”

But despite the brutal difficulty level of the hack-and-slash role-playing adventure, the series has developed critical acclaim and a huge following.

Dexter said that in an age of casual games, some players respect a title that doesn’t hold your hand.

“People have begun to appreciate that (the series) doesn’t underestimate the gamer,” he said. “It asks you to respect the game design and put your all into it. There’s a lot of risk and reward and I think gamers like that.”

“Dark Souls III” is scheduled for a 2016 release on multiple platforms.