The beginning of June is an important time of the year for gaming geeks. This is when the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) kicks off, allowing publishers and developers to pimp their latest products to the gaming press at large. E3 essentially sets the stage for the upcoming year and beyond, giving us a behind-the-scenes look at what's to come, both big and small.
Over the last few years, E3 has become larger and larger. And we don't expect that momentum to let up any time soon. That's why we're anticipating huge things from this year's trade show. There are going to be a ton of great looking games worth checking out at this year's show, but here are ten specific titles we can't wait to get our hands on.
Dishonored
Developed by Arkane Studios and published by Bethesda, Dishonored looks to combine the best aspects of the Assassin’s Creed and BioShock franchises. The game’s initial CGI trailer definitely succeeded in wowing us, so here’s hoping the actual gameplay we see at E3 is just as mesmerizing.
DmC
We know some folks are really upset at the direction Ninja Theory is taking the Devil May Cry series. Maybe it’s the fact that we’re not really attached to past Devil May Cry games, but we really don’t mind. In fact, we’re honestly more interested in DmC than we have been for previous entries in the franchise. Ninja Theory is trying something bold, and we’re intrigued to see what they have in store for this new version of Dante.
Grand Theft Auto V
This one's not a given. But recent rumors suggest that Grand Theft Auto V could see release this holiday season. If that's the case, then GTAV will surely be at E3, hopefully playable. We can't wait to see how Rockstar tops themselves with their open-world crime franchise. We've loved the company's recent efforts – Red Dead Redemption, L.A. Noire and Max Payne 3 – but we'd be lying through our teeth if we said we weren't excited to return to the series that made the company, ahem, rockstars to begin with.
Halo 4
With a firm release date established (Nov. 6th), Halo 4 will undoubtedly make a huge splash for Microsoft at E3 this year. This is the first Halo game spotlighting Master Chief in five years, so you best believe Microsoft is going to parade around their star athlete. Now that the franchise torch has been passed from Bungie to 343 Industries, we're enthusiastic to see what 343 does with Halo 4 to put their own unique stamp on the series.
Hawken
This gorgeous looking indie mech shooter has had us entranced ever since it was first revealed in March of 2009. E3 will be one of the first times Hawken is playable for the press, and we’re looking forward to the experience with an overwhelming sense of excitement. It might not be considered an AAA title to the common consumer, but we think Hawken has the cojones to really make a distinct impression on the collective consciousness of the gaming community.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
I’ve voiced my snap judgments on Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance’s change of pace before. But E3 will be the first time we actually get the game in our hands (hopefully) to see if the balls-to-the-wall, action-heavy approach does not only the game, but the franchise justice. We definitely have our reservations. But we’re also willing to give anything the benefit of the doubt and a fair shake. We’re both excited and nervous as hell to see Revengeance in action at E3.
Rayman Legends
The existence of this follow-up to the incredible 2011 platformer Rayman Origins was leaked a few months ago via a video meant solely for internal use within Ubisoft. Whoops. But now that the cat’s out of the bag, Ubisoft plans to show off their beautiful looking sequel to the gaming masses in early June. Specifically, Rayman Legends will be used to show off the bells and whistles of the Wii U and it’s zany tablet controller – we’re assuming the game will also hit the Xbox 360 and PS3 like the original did. Either way, we’re stoked to reacquaint ourselves with Ubisoft Montpellier’s wacky platformer series.
Resident Evil 6
My God, we can't wait to see what Capcom is cooking up with Resident Evil 6. The company is openly touting that RE6 is the biggest Resident Evil to date and that alone has our excitement levels at a fever pitch. The game is supposedly 30 hours long, with three completely distinct campaigns (think back to Resident Evil 2's structure). All around, Resident Evil 6 is easily one of the biggest releases of the year, and we can't wait to see it for ourselves at E3.
Star Trek
Holy shit. It’s a movie tie-in game we’re actually interested in checking out. Star Trek, the game, takes place between the original J.J. Abrams film and its upcoming sequel. The game is being developed by Digital Extremes (The Darkness II), and co-published by Namco and Paramount Digital Entertainment. What has us actually excitement about this game is its cooperative nature – one player controls Kirk, while the other controls Spock – as well as its action-heavy, third-person shooter gameplay. Could Star Trek buck the trend of crappy movie tie-in games? We’re not sure. But we have our fingers crossed for it.
The Last of Us
For their next game, Naughty Dog is leaving behind the treasure, pirates and suave rogues to instead visit the post-apocalyptic horror genre with The Last of Us. From what we've read about the title, this will be a zombie game that actually sets out to tell a worthwhile story. That has us beyond excited. Naughty Dog is one of the few development companies that puts narrative and character at the top of their priority list. Therefore, The Last of Us could finally be the zombie game we've been dying to play.
