Another year, another E3 has come and gone, spreading its hype like an unwanted outbreak of pink eye at a middle school dance. I am very tired.
However, I am not tired of video games. In fact, I am pretty darn excited about them. E3 2016 was definitely weird, and at times wholly off putting, but that does not change the slate of incredible games that were announced or showed extended gameplay. About two months ago I wrote about my general apathy toward the games coming out in 2016 and beyond. Thankfully, E3 put the pep back in my step, the jazz in my pizazz, and the ants absolutely back in my pants. Whatever blues I was feeling before, they are long gone.
Last year, I awarded my five favorite games of E3, and I want to keep that tradition rolling. Narrowing down this list was difficult, to say the least; last year was good, but, in a lot of ways, this year was better. Surprise game announcements, the return andreimagining of beloved franchises, obscure game trailers depicting a dejected Norman Reedus covered in yuck and clutching a small child – what’s not to like? There was a lot to love, which meant a lot to choose from. But hey, a little list is not going to beat yours truly. Let’s get into it.
State of Decay 2
When the original State of Decay was released for the Xbox 360 on June 5, 2013, I missed it, much to my dismay. Unfortunately, 2013 was the height of my financial instability. I was broke as shit, which prevented me from playing a bevy of great games, State of Decay being one of the games I bemoan most. It did what other survival games like Day Z and Rust do not and subsequently why I will never be able to play them for more than a weekend: The game had a plot. As long as you give me direction, I will build fortifications and scrounge for resources all fucking day. WithState of Decay 2, developer Undead Labs seems to be taking what the first did so well by building on the already dense mechanics of the first installment, with the polish and power of next-gen hardware. This time around, I will not be missing out on what I hope will be a solid zombie game, as tired as the genre is.
We Happy Few
Going into Microsoft’s conference, I had no idea what We Happy Few was, but now I want to know everything about it. It looks like BioShock and the general aesthetic of Lovecraft’s maddening worlds wrapped together, which, I don’t know about you, sounds just fine to me. I am not the biggest fan of horror games, but if the demo is any indication, it appears to strike a nice balance between thriller and the insane. One of my favorite moments in gaming was running away from the angry fishmen in the lesser known and underappreciated Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth (which was actually published by Bethesda). It was the first time a game instilled genuine dread in me. I was not afraid because it was especially scary; I was afraid because the game was putting me in a disadvantage to the enemy. My only weapon was to run, and run I did. In the brief gameplay footage Microsoft showed off, We Happy Few brought that trepidation screaming back to me and I could not be more eager to get my hands on it.
Horizon Zero Dawn
You are damn right I am awarding Horizon Zero Dawn two years in a row. Every time I see this game, I get mad that I am not blowing off work to sink hours into that world. It is difficult for me not to gush about this game. It is beautiful, it is not another sequel, the world is unique, the plot is original, and it is a far cry from anything Guerilla Games has done in the past. Under no circumstance should a game that combines robots and dinosaurs be able to pull off the self-serious tone and emotional resonance it has portrayed in its gameplay trailers. And yet, it does. There is a reason this game has been receiving so many “Game of the Show” awards. What left is there to say? Honestly … I don’t think there is anything left to say. What the fuck happened to me?
Skyrim Remastered
If you punched me in the face and told me, “Ethan, did you hear Skyrim is getting a remastered edition for next-gen consoles? Oh, and with mod support?” I would be pretty pissed that you punched me in the face, but I would understand. Skyrimdemands and earns every bit of its praise. It might be a copout to put this game in my list considering it’s a re-release, but I never finished Skyrim.
Deep breath: I know – I know what I did. I did not beat one of the most revered games of all time. The game that still, after five years, has a lively community on Steam. Well, here is my second chance to right my wrong. I was an idiot back then. That was twenty-year-old Ethan; I am twenty five now. Old enough to realize that, even if my Xbox 360 did break during my time in Tamriel, I was an idiot and justice will find a way. My body is fucking ready.
Prey
Initially, I was pretty bummed when Prey was revealed at the Bethesda conference. As the disturbing trailer centralized around a dude’s increasingly infected eye (seriously, dude, you should get that checked out) came to an end and the title flooded into view, I couldn’t help but feel disappointed. The demo for Prey 2 shown five years ago looked unreal. It was the sci-fi bounty hunter game I always wanted; a chance to make up for the heartache that ensued when Star Wars 1313 was cancelled. Shortly after the demo was showcased, Prey 2 went dark and ultimately cancelled by Bethesda, another cut to my weeping heart. Years later, as rumors began to mount regarding Prey’s revival, I held out hope. I wanted my bounty hunter game. It is not entirely surprising then that I reacted negatively to Prey’s return to the limelight. I was selfish and caught up in my dumb, immature “I want my game” emotions. After I let the news sit and watched the trailer a second time, I realized that this new direction for Prey is thrilling. In a world where most sci-fi horror games – and horror games in general – are chasing the original Dead Space’s shadow, Prey looks like the revitalization the genre needs. Yes, I am sad the promising concept for Prey 2 was scrapped, but I am glad that a seemingly dead game was given life.
E3 may be over, but holy shit is there games on games to give us reason to call in sick. But enough about me, what were your favorite games from E3?
Log in to comment