Top 5 Most Exciting titles Showcased at E3
E3 being behind us almost a full month I'm late to the coverage party, yet I feel compelled to express my excitement for certain titles that were re-introduced or announced. Most of the following won't be much of a surprise for anyone who knows me, but don't fret an indie title made its way in there!
5. We Happy Few
It's hard not to feel the Bioshock vibe when you first lay eyes on this indie beauty. Locally developped in Montreal-based Compulsion Games, We Happy Few mixes FPS, RPG and stealth mechanics in an intriguing world that just begs to be discovered. The mystery here is palpable; I just want to know why people started taking Joy pills to begin with. A parallel with our reality of heavy medication and the constant struggle to appear happy or in control is sure to hit close to home for many. Bonus; delicious look art direction!
Hopefully this one won't be a downer. Fortunately it won't take too long to find out as it'll be released early on July 26th, 2016 for PC and XBOX.
4. Gwent
I've spent well over 150 hours in Witcher 3 and I'd say at least a third of it must have been playing the fantastic mini-game Gwent. Once Geralt's adventure was complete I had only one thing on my mind; more Gwent. A friend and I got to play the physical version but it wasn't the same. Homebrew developers made an online take on Gwent which was promptly taken offline, but it was the very proof a standalone was in demand. CD Projekt Red answered the call and announced the card game is not only in development, but scheduled for release later this year. Time to brush up on my Northern Realms deck!
3. Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
It isn't a surprised to anyone Nintendo would hijack E3 with the first real gameplay footage of the latest in the legendary series. It was already known Link would be adventuring into an open world, but not on the scale of what was revealed. The gameplay shown was in a very large area, yet it was disclosed this would represent about 1% of the total map size. This game will be HUGE. Add a new physics engine that enables some pretty clever attack strategies, weather effects and a classic RPG inventory system. Nintendo nailed this and they know it.
Expect your love for Zelda to be rekindled in 2017 on either the Wii U or the unannounced 'NX'.
2. Mass Effect: Andromeda
Bioware has been discreet about the newest entry in this space saga, but whatever they did made me cry a little. We've got a good peek of how great a N7 suit looks in the ever fantastic Frostbite Engine, but that's about it. No true gameplay, no details about the Sheppard-less storyline (other that it's about the colonization of Andromeda). Nonetheless I am thoroughly excited for this title. I hope the people close to me can forgive for disappearing when I get my hands on this puppy. Watch out the trailer below to generate fantasies of what the future (Q4 2016 or early 2017) holds. Bonus points for bringing back the Mako.
1. The Last Guardian
And last but not the least entry on the list. This game was announced 7 years ago and was the main reason I preemptively acquired a PS3. Little did I know I would only get to experience another Team ICO marvel in the next generation of consoles. We still don't know very much about the game, but the devs are known for their unique style of puzzles, art style and of course, drama. I'd be quite surprised if I don't bawl my eyes out by the end of the story.
The best part? It's really happening! We have an official release date; October 25th, 2016. You can bet your ass I'll take that day off.
E3 showcased so many promising titles I kept to my comfort zone for a top 5, but 2016 seems to be shaping up for one hell of a year for us gamers. Now if only we could buy more time...
