While I wasn’t one of the 66,100 folks in attendance at this year’s Electronics Entertainment Expo gaming convention last week, I was able to follow along with all the E3 festivities because it’s 2019 and the internet exists. (For better or worse. The whole internet part.)
General hype was subdued after companies like Sony and Activision Blizzard said they wouldn’t be at this year’s showcase, though I won’t let that sentiment impact my enjoyment. So many talented teams are out there showing a number of seemingly awesome games, how could I possibly not be excited?
We heard of some projects ahead of time, due to teases or rumors. Though there were plenty of others that not even the internet leakers could ruin. For real, a new Zelda?!
Now that the company press conferences are over, the show floor is closed and everyone is recovering, I’ve mapped out three posts to celebrate the biggest gaming event of the year. This is the first one. The other two are here and here.
First up is the Top 10 “Bigger” Games of E3 2019! (In alphabetical order. Because rankings are hard.)
Cyberpunk 2077
Developer: CD Projekt Red
Publisher: CD Projekt Red
Release Date: April 16, 2020
Keanu Reeves became the talk of the show with his appearance at the Microsoft press briefing, revealing he’s playing a character named Johnny Silverhand within Cyberpunk’s futuristic open world. The game itself received widespread praise from media, privy to a stunning, lengthy behind-closed-doors demo, namely for its blend of narrative excellence combined with player choice in approaching situations within its dense and dangerous Night City setting. CD Projekt Red is taking home a ton of awards to its homeland of Poland, including one of my coveted Top 10 spots here!
Destiny 2: Shadowkeep
Developer: Bungie
Publisher: Bungie (Finally free!)
Release Date: September 17, 2019
It wouldn’t truly be a post from me if I didn’t at least mention my beloved Destiny 2, especially now that Bungie is fully independent from Activision Blizzard. Not only does the Shadowkeep expansion center on a host of new nightmarish enemies inhabiting the Moon, one of the best locations from 2014’s original, the studio is implementing tons of smart changes in its space shooter in September. These include the introduction of cross-save across multiple platforms, a release on the Google Stadia streaming service and a base game rebrand to a free-to-play offering called Destiny 2: New Light. Eyes up, Guardians!
DOOM Eternal
Developer: id Software
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Release Date: November 22, 2019
The next installment in the groundbreaking DOOM franchise ripped and teared its way to being the highlight of Bethesda’s showcase, featuring both a story teaser trailer and a sizeable gameplay demo showing off its classic frenzied combat alongside new movement capabilities plus a myriad of added enemy types. Between this and hearing from E3 attendees how amazing it felt, late autumn 2019 is the one time when I’ll welcome someone telling me to “go to Hell.”
Dying Light 2
Developer: Techland
Publisher: Techland Publishing & Square Enix
Release Date: Spring 2020
Among all the sequels featured at E3, the follow-up to 2015’s surprise gem Dying Light is the one for which I’m most excited. Especially after seeing more from the open world action title, where choices now have drastic impact on the world plus the main character Aiden Caldwell has expanded parkour abilities compared to his predecessor Kyle Crane. I’ve heard overwhelmingly positive reactions from those that witnessed it during the show, further solidifying its spot on my Top 10 award list.
Elden Ring
Developer: From Software
Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment
Release Date: TBA
Despite its title and dark fantasy action role-playing premise leaking before E3 began, the reveal of Elden Ring was still a major highlight of Microsoft’s briefing. There’s still so much we don’t know about it, other than it being a collaboration between Hidetaka Miyazaki’s From Software team and A Song of Ice and Fire creator George R.R. Martin. Which, honestly, is enough in itself to land it among my favorite big games from last week.
Final Fantasy VII Remake
Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix
Release Date: March 3, 2020
The remake to 1997’s Japanese role-playing epic Final Fantasy VII has been in development for so long that cracking jokes about it became old a while ago. Its tardiness can almost be forgiven now that Square Enix has solidified a March 2020 release date. We saw more from the project’s modernized aesthetic, awesome character models and revamped action-style battle system that maintains elements from the original’s turn-based approach. Want to know how good it looks? I have zero nostalgia for the franchise, and it’s vaulted to being one of my most-anticipated of next year after this showing.
Ghostwire: Tokyo
Developer: Tango Gameworks
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Release Date: TBA
I’m not sure which was better: Creative Director Ikumi Nakamura talking about this “spooky” cinematic adventure, helmed by masterful producer Shinji Mikami, or the lonesome trailer that teased just enough for me to be totally intrigued. It’s a brand new game, a rare sight lately, where folks from Japan’s largest city are disappearing and the player will need to navigate paranormal events while interacting with ghosts that could be friend or foe. This was probably the best surprise reveal of the entire week.
Halo Infinite
Developer: 343 Industries
Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
Release Date: Late 2020
Halo is Microsoft’s flagship, which means that the team had to nail its more formal reveal after last year’s vague teaser. And it delivered. The trailer hits in the feels harder than a rocket launcher on Blood Gulch, following a stranded pilot viewing a hologram of his family then stumbling across a suspended-in-space Master Chief. While only cinematic, there are hidden details suggesting where and when this new game takes place (Zeta Halo a couple years after Halo 5 Guardians), plus we learned it’s a launch title for Xbox’s next generation hardware. “We need to fight,” says the Chief. I’m so ready.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Sequel
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: TBA
Sure, it’s cheating to give it an award. Yes, we don’t know its name. Indeed, its trailer was short. No doubt, it has no release window. All of that can’t stop the sequel to my 2nd favorite game of 2017 and an amazing entry in the storied franchise instantly making this list on hype alone. Zelda aficionados have dissected its teaser, speculating that it’s a darker iteration using the same art style of modern masterpiece Breath of the Wild. A la Majora’s Mask to Ocarina of Time. Plus, there’s the renewed speculation that Zelda herself may finally be a playable character based on her prominence in this teaser. Who knows when we’ll hear more. I’m just super pumped it actually exists.
Watch Dogs Legion
Developer: Ubisoft Toronto
Publisher: Ubisoft
Release Date: March 6, 2020
There’s no doubt in my mind that Ubisoft introduced what might be the most ambitious title in the history of gaming with this third Watch Dogs installment. Set in London after Brexit, rather than a singular main character like the first couple of third-person open world hackathons, the player now recruits any civilian to be part of a crew trying to overthrow a regime. Yes, this includes an older woman that used to be an assassin and really knows her way around a spider drone, as shown quite hilariously in its extended gameplay demo. I don’t know how Ubi will pull it off, though I’m confident it will be truly epic if it does.
Honorable Mention:
Deathloop
Developer: Arkane Lyon
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Release Date: TBA
Apparently Bethesda had a pretty good showing, receiving two awards on my coveted list in addition to an honorable mention. I’m not quite sure what the actual end result will be, or if it will be single-player or multi-player, however the premise of Deathloop immediately caught my attention. Two skilled assassins stranded on an island while stuck in a seemingly endless loop of hunting down one another. If.. executed properly, Arkane Lyon’s new IP could be one of the more unique hits this generation.
Very much appreciate you swinging by! Up next will be the Top 10 Best “Smaller” Games of E3!
Sources: Companies included here, Entertainment Software Association, GamesPress, CNET.
-Dom