This year’s E3 is in the books and, as I’ve done in years past, I thought I’d discuss some of the best games I saw during the show. There were a number of really interesting games shown off and announced this year, but unfortunately a good deal of those seemed to focus heavily on multiplayer. This isn’t a bad thing, it’s just that these type of games don’t usually fall into my wheelhouse. With some of my favorite developers and game series going this route, namely with Anthem and Fallout 76, I was left to look a little deeper into upcoming titles. Luckily there are still plenty of games I’m looking forward to in the coming years. So, let’s have a look.
Before I jump into the actual list, I want to give an honorable mention to Media Molecule’s newest endeavor, Dreams. If you happen to have more of an imagination and creativity than I do, then Dreams is looking like quite the experience. It allows you to create your own games, movies, music, and more. As someone who used to dabble in making music, the music creation aspect actually got me pretty excited. I’m not sure it would be the kind of game I’d be willing to put the time into, but it’s one I definitely want to keep an eye on and one I think is worth checking out.
Beyond Good and Evil 2
Cyberpunk 2077
Platforms: TBD
Release Date: TBD
I’m going to kick things off by cheating a bit here. I decided to put Beyond Good and Evil 2 and Cyberpunk 2077 in the same spot because there just wasn’t a ton shown off for either at this year’s E3. They did have two of my favorite trailers from the show though. Both games also seem like they are a ways off from actually being released, so much so that I wouldn’t be surprised if they both ended up on next-gen hardware. Of course, this is just speculation at this point, but there are reports that Beyond Good and Evil 2 won’t have a beta until the end of 2019, which points to a 2020 release ath the earliest. I guess we’ll see, but while we wait, feast your eyes on these sweet trailers.
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Octopath Traveler
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Release Date: July 13, 2018
As if I needed another reason to want a Switch, now Octopath Traveler is coming exclusively to Nintendo’s new system. I was initially drawn to the game because of its gorgeous art style, but after seeing it in action, Octopath Traveler looks like it will have plenty of substance to match its style. It seems like a classic turn-based JRPG through and through and I’m pretty bummed that I’ll probably never get to play it.
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Strange Brigade
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows
Release Date: August 28, 2018
Before this year’s E3 I had never heard of Strange Brigade, which was apparently even at E3 last year. Needless to say, I was impressed with what I saw. It’s a third-person shooter with a bit of an Indiana Jones vibe that can be played with up to four players. Strange Brigade‘s difficulty is supposed to scale to the amount of players in the game, so hopefully it can be enjoyed solo as well. I’m not expecting it to blow me away or anything, but it looks like it could be fun and I’m looking forward to giving it a try.
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Days Gone
Platform: PlayStation 4
Release Date: February 22, 2019
This year Days Gone took a bit of a backseat to PlayStation’s other exclusive titles, but Bend Studios still showed up with a couple of gameplay demos. I’m a little worried that Days Gone may not live up to the quality of other recent PS4 exclusives, but it’s still a game that looks very much like my kind of experience. I’m hoping that in the coming months before its release that Bend is able to add the polish it needs to stand with the best.
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Spider-Man
Platform: PlayStation 4
Release Date: September 7, 2018
On the topic of PS4 exclusives, boy does Spider-Man look fantastic. I’m not the biggest fan of the web-slinger, but Insomniac’s take on the hero might just change that. From combat to traversal, everything I’ve seen thus far points to a must-play experience for me. I think what I’m looking most forward to though is just getting lost in New York City as I swing from building to building ignoring all the helpless civilians.
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Concrete Genie
Platform: PlayStation 4
Release Date: 2018
Concrete Genie really surprised me this year. I remember hearing about it last year and not thinking twice about it, but after seeing the game in action, I’m definitely on board. You play as a kid trying to bring life back to his abandoned hometown while avoiding encounters with relentless bullies. The ability to create your own works of art, from creatures to landscapes, looks both intuitive and enjoyable. Here’s hoping Concrete Genie is able to make its projected 2018 release because I can’t wait to play it.
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The Last of Us Part II
Platform: PlayStation 4
Release Date: TBD
I honestly don’t have much to say about The Last of Us Part II because I know it’s going to be something I need to play. The Last of Us is one of my favorite games from last generation and if I wasn’t already sold on the sequel, the clip shown at Sony’s E3 conference would have changed that. Hopefully it manages to hit a release date at some point in 2019, Regardless of when we get it, I’m sure it will be worth the wait.
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Resident Evil 2
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows
Release Date: January 25, 2019
Please excuse my language, but holy shit does the remake of Resident Evil 2 look amazing. I was going to play it regardless because RE is one of my favorite franchises (and RE2 is one of my favorite games in the series), but I was completely floored with how Resident Evil 2 looked to be coming along at E3 this year. From what I’ve gathered, it is taking gameplay elements from RE4 and RE7 while using RE2‘s iconic story and setting as the backdrop. I don’t want to overreact or anything, but that honestly could be the recipe for one of the greatest games ever created. We’ll see if it all comes together like it should, but Resident Evil 2 is, by far, my most anticipated game right now.
