It’s June and that can mean only one thing in the world of video games – E3 is upon us. It pains me to say it, but I can’t lie, E3 isn’t nearly as exciting as it was a decade ago when I got back into video games. That said, I’m not a completely jaded asshole (yet), so there were still plenty of titles that caught my attention. As I’ve done in years past, I thought I’d run down a handful of them.
Before I get to the games from this year, I thought it might be kind of interesting to see how the games from my 2018 list have come along. I’ll make this quick with just a few bullet points, so let’s take a look.
Beyond Good and Evil 2 – Still not released and no new information to speak of.
Cyberpunk 2077 – Still not released, but we now have a release date of April 16, 2020 and I’m still looking forward to this one.
Octopath Traveler – Held its release date and was great. It even ended up being one of my favorite games from last year.
Strange Brigade – Held its release date, but didn’t make much of a splash and I never ended up playing it.
Days Gone – Got pushed back a bit, but released earlier this year to mediocre reviews and I’ve decided to skip it for the time being.
Spider-Man – Held its release date and was well received, but I still haven’t had a chance to play it yet.
Concrete Genie – Didn’t make its 2018 release and is now scheduled for a fall 2019 release, but has sort of fallen off the radar.
The Last of Us Part II – Still not released and with Sony skipping E3 this year, there isn’t much new information to pass on. Here’s hoping Sony sticks to its word that it will still be a PS4 game and not pushed to its new console.
Resident Evil 2 – Held its release date and was amazing. I reviewed it earlier this year and it will certainly be in the running for game of the year.
I don’t know about you, but I like looking back and seeing how these things play out and how expectations and excitement can change over time. With all that out of the way, let’s move on to my list of games for 2019. Oh and while I’m still interested in Cyberpunk 2077, since we didn’t get much new in the way of gameplay (at least not for us plebeians of the public) I’m leaving it off this year’s list.
I’m also not really a Zelda or Final Fantasy fan, so while Link’s Awakening, the Breath of the Wild sequel, and Final Fantasy VII all look good, I wouldn’t say I’m excited to play them. I also decided to keep any games without gameplay off my list, so while I’m intrigued by something like GhostWire: Tokyo, you also won’t find it here. Now then, let’s actually get to my top 8 games of E3 2019, for real this time.
Super Mario Maker 2
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Release Date: June 28, 2019
I never owned a Wii U so I never had the chance to play the original Super Mario Maker. Well I guess that’s not completely true. I made the mistake of buying the stripped down 3DS version of the game and almost immediately regretted that decision, but let’s not talk about that. Super Mario Maker 2 looks like it’s evolving everything that made the original a great game with a larger assortment of level creation tools and even an expanded story mode. I’m not much of a level creator, but I look forward to seeing what more talented people are able to create. The wait for Super Mario Maker 2 is nearly over as, at the time of this writing, it will launch in just a few days.
Borderlands 3
Platforms: Google Stadia, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, PlayStation 4
Release Date: September 13, 2019
It’s a bit counter intuitive to say I’m not that excited for Borderlands 3 but still put it on this list. It doesn’t look all that much different from the previous entries in the series and that’s kind of a bummer. That being said, I love the Borderlands games and with new characters, abilities, and environments to explore, I know I’ll enjoy the familiar formula of shooting and looting.
RAD
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
Release Date: August 20, 2019
I’ve found my enjoyment of Double Fine games has been rather hit or miss. With their new game, RAD, they are delving into one of my favorite genres, the Rogue-like, so I’m willing to give them a shot with this one. In RAD, each run will have you exploring a post-post-apocalyptic world (that’s right, the world has ended twice) with nothing but your trusty baseball bat, that is until you start mutating. With each journey into the wasteland, you’ll acquire random mutations that will add a variety of combat options, making each run unique. RAD is a $20 downloadable title, and for that price, I’m looking forward to trying it out this summer.
Watch Dogs Legion
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, PlayStation 4
Release Date: March 6, 2020
The fact that a Watch Dogs game made this list was a complete surprise to me. The original Watch Dogs was one of my most anticipated games when it was first announced at E3 2012, but with multiple delays and a somewhat mediocre reception upon release, I quickly lost interest and still haven’t played it. I also didn’t have much interest in the sequel after missing out on the first game, so when Legion was announced I never imagined it would have caught my attention like it did. The main gimmick of Legion is that you can recruit and play as almost any character you encounter in the new London setting. Maybe I’m a sucker, but once I saw an elderly woman beating ass, I was ready to throw down the cash to play this. We’ll see how it looks as it gets closer to release, but right now I’m interested and it might even get me to go back and try out the other games in the series.
The Outer Worlds
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, PlayStation 4
Release Date: October 25, 2019
I’m a big fan of the Fallout games and The Outer Worlds is being made by guys that worked on the original PC releases and the studio that developed New Vegas. So I’m hoping for some of that Fallout writing charm and similar gameplay and elements from the more modern Fallout games. The Outer Worlds is a sci-fi shooter set in outer space, so there should be plenty of unique directions to go to differentiate it from the Fallout series. With the debacle that was Fallout 76, I’m more than willing to give a game in the same vein as a series I love a shot since Bethesda apparently doesn’t want to do the series right.
Pokemon Sword/Shield
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Release Date: November 15, 2019
Last year I slept on the Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! Pokemon games. I actually had no intention of playing either of them, but my love for Pokemon took over and I gave them a shot. Much to my surprise, Let’s Go, Eevee! became one of my favorite games of 2018. Moral of the story, I will never again sleep on a Pokemon title, so Sword and Shield make this list by default.
Remnant: From the Ashes
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows
Release Date: August 20, 2019
This was by far the biggest surprise of this year’s E3 for me. I didn’t even know this game existed before I saw it on some E3 coverage and I was instantly impressed with what I saw. Remnant: From the Ashes is inspired by From Software’s Souls games and normally that would be enough to turn me off because those games just never clicked with me. However, Remnant focuses heavily on ranged, shooter combat, and it just looks so satisfying. There are a variety of classes you can play as, dungeons to explore, and at least 20 bosses to fight, so it’s looking like a substantial game. I’m not sure if I have the skills to get through a game like this, but it just looks so good that I’m looking forward to at least giving it a try.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Release Date: March 20, 2020
I’m not even sure what to say about Animal Crossing: New Horizons. This is one of the main reasons I needed to get a Switch and with what they showed off at E3, I’m psyched now more than ever for it. There’s something about Animal Crossing that just does it for me. I’ve been playing them since the GameCube game, spent hundreds of hours with New Leaf, and have recently been addicted to Pocket Camp. The more Animal Crossing I can get in my life, the happier I will be. Most of all, I’m looking forward to hanging out with my main man, Hamlet, in a new environment.
