By Miguel Concepcion on Jun 17, 2017 11:20 pm
E3 2017's surprises were as diverse as the games and genres that we already knew about. From remakes to brand new properties, there were more than enough interest-piquing reveals. Even established properties like Skyrim and Monster Hunter had surprises worthy of the oohs and ahhs they received. Here are the top 12 unexpected announcements. For a deep for a deeper dive at what was announced at this year's show, take a look at all the news and announcements from each press conference. You can also check out our lists of all the games at E3 coming out in 2017 and 2018! For our complete coverage, head to GameSpot's E3 hub for all of our news, videos, and impressions. And be sure to check back often as more stories and videos get published.
Shadow of the Colossus Remake
When Sony announced that PS2 classic Shadow of the Colossus was getting the remake treatment, it almost felt like it came out of left field. The game had been remastered in 3D once before as a part of the ICO and Shadow of the Colossus collection on PS3, so it was surprising to hear that the game would be getting a complete overhaul built from the ground up on a new engine. And the studio behind the remake is actually Bluepoint Games, the team that remastered the game originally. While none of the story content in Shadow of the Colossus will be changing in the remake, what will be changing is the addition of a modernized control scheme, which is being included to accommodate new players. These adjustments and updated visuals should make for an interesting way to re-experience Shadow of the Colossus even after all these years.
Beyond Good & Evil 2
Afters years of silence (apart from some teases), Ubisoft finally re-announced Beyond Good & Evil 2 during its E3 2017 briefing this week. Creator Michel Ancel took the stage and, with tears in his eyes, finally confirmed that the game is indeed happening. While we did not see any gameplay, the first cinematic trailer was delightful and in-depth, providing the first glimpse at the highly anticipated sequel and its world and tone. We still have so many questions about what the game actually is and how it plays, but now we at least know it is coming. From what we've heard directly from Ancel, Beyond Good & Evil 2 is an incredibly ambitious-sounding game, even if it's not the sequel fans might not have expected. Development on Beyond Good & Evil 2 has barely started (it's still at "day zero," according to Ancel) so don't expect it anytime soon.
Anthem
After the disappointment of Mass Effect: Andromeda, BioWare fans were eagerly awaiting news about what the studio would be making next. And at E3 this week, we finally learned that this game is called Anthem and that it'll be coming out in 2018 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. A first trailer and some gameplay was shown, revealing that Anthem is a "shared-world" action RPG where you play as a Freelancer. These brave soldiers leave the safety of this home and venture out into the dangerous wild to help ensure the safety of the planet. We're excited to learn more about Anthem in the weeks and months ahead.
A Way Out
The long awaited new game by Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons developer Hazelight did not disappoint. When you think about it, the story of two convicts making an elaborate escape from prison as well as their life on the run has been been played out in TV and film, but it's a relatively underexplored premise in games. We did see a prison break in last year's Uncharted 4, but don't expect a Naughty Dog style AI-assisted experience. A Way Out is a co-op experience that feels like an evolution on the story-focused designs popularized by Telltale Games. It offers more freedom of movement without shifting focus away from the story. It certainly breaks from the limiting confines of Telltale's 'playable cutscene' blueprint.
OG Xbox Backwards Compatibility
The Xbox One's backwards compatibility catalog for Xbox 360 games is really popular and a fan-favorite feature for the console. So it was very exciting this week when Microsoft out of nowhere announced during its E3 2017 briefing that original Xbox games will join the lineup later this year. Only two have been confirmed so far, Fuzion Frenzy and Crimson Skies, but more are on the way. The lineup will not be as extensive as the Xbox 360's backwards compatibility catalog, and even if you don't plan to use it much, it's a cool feature to know is there.
Mario & Rabbids: Kingdom Battle
That Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle was announced at E3 was no surprise itself--the game's existence had been leaked repeatedly in the lead up to the event. That included the appearance of a piece of key art for the game featuring Rabbids dressed up like Mario characters, including one who looked like Peach and was taking a selfie. Suffice it to say, the reaction was less than positive from many people, who presumed Kingdom Battle would be a childish game that wouldn't be of much interest. Instead, what we got was the reveal of essentially XCOM with Mario characters and Rabbids. It sounds like a bizarre premise, and yet it's genuinely fun and challenging.
Xbox One X Name And Price
Microsoft was expected to announce the name and price of Project Scorpio during its E3 2017 briefing, and it delivered. We learned that the super-powerful console is called Xbox One X and that it will cost $500 in the US. That's a higher price point than many, including a number of analysts, thought it would cost. It is the most powerful console ever made, so a premium price point was to be expected, but being $100 more than the PS4 Pro this holiday could make it a tough sell. Time will tell.
Two Metroid Games
Going into this year's E3, bets on even a single Metroid announcement seemed far fetched. The definition of "surprising," Nintendo smartly countered skeptics with a one-two punch by announcing multiple projects: Metroid Prime 4 and Metroid: Samus Returns. We can't say for certain what Metroid Prime 4 looks like, but assuming it follows in the footsteps of its predecessors, Metroid fans can now look forward to two games that are poised to revisit the beloved series' best eras. In the case of Metroid: Samus Returns specifically, we've seen a little over 30 minutes of gameplay and spent some time playing the game at Nintendo's booth. By all accounts, it's shaping up to be a great remake of a game that's up until now eluded many Metroid fans: Metroid II: The Return of Samus. And despite the fact that it's being developed by a third-party studio, Mercury Steam, what we saw at the show has us excited for the future of the franchise. Without a doubt, it's a great time to be a Metroid fan.
Skyrim VR
We already knew that Bethesda was working on VR versions of Fallout 4 and Doom, but Skyrim VR totally caught us by surprise. Perhaps even more surprising was the fact that it would be launched as a timed exclusive for PlayStation VR. Bethesda did tell us that a Vive version would be coming next year, however. The trailer revealed that the VR port would would allow you to shoot arrows, fireballs, and swing swords with Sony's PlayStation Move controllers. We also learned that the game will support a teleport mechanic and VR snap turns, both of which should mitigate VR nausea. No specific release date was revealed, but you can expect Skyrim VR to debut sometime this year.
Monster Hunter: World
Having only just announced a new (or revamped) Monster Hunter game for Nintendo Switch, the notion of seeing another new title at E3 seemed unlikely. And yet that's precisely what was revealed during Sony's E3 press conference. After recent entries all came for Nintendo platforms, we're now getting a gorgeous new Monster Hunter game for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. This features larger areas with a day/night cycle and support for drop-in multiplayer. Maybe even more surprising than the existence of the game itself--as exciting as it is--is the fact that World will be released in the West at the same time as Japan.
Dragon Ball FighterZ
A Dragon Ball fighting game isn't surprising on its own, but the announcement came out of left field during Microsoft's press conference. And for fans of the anime, it's especially exciting to see just how great this one looks. The characters are faithfully re-created, from Goku and Vegeta to Frieza and Majin Buu, and it's shaping up to be a great way to reenact your favorite fights from the series (though hopefully not spread out over several episodes). After a series of underwhelming Dragon Ball fighting games, this one is definitely a nice surprise.
Skull & Bones
Ever since the release of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag in 2014, there existed an audience of fans who yearned for the series to return or iterate upon the fantastic naval combat from that game. While Assassin's Creed Rogue expanded on those mechanics to some capacity, it wasn't the true successor everyone craved. Enter Skull & Bones, one of the biggest surprises from Ubisoft's E3 2017 press conference. The game sports a focus on 5v5 multiplayer modes where you fight and four others fight other player-controller ships for loot. It can also be played as a single-player experience, though not many details have been revealed. While the reveal of Skull & Bones is an exciting step towards a new series that follows in the tradition of Black Flag, it also represents a divorce of naval combat from the expectations of future Assassin's titles. Seeing Ubisoft deliberately decide to split the two into separate franchises is certainly one the biggest surprises about seeing Skull & Bones.
By Array on Jun 17, 2017 10:09 pm
More Ammunition
It was a good E3 for shooter fans. We got to see more multiplayer from Star Wars Battlefront II and Call of Duty: WWII, and we also got some nice surprises. For a more comprehensive look at what was announced at this year's show, take a look at all the news and announcements from each press conference. You can also check out our lists of all the games at E3 coming out in 2017 and 2018 to see what you'll be playing n the near future. For our complete coverage, head to GameSpot's E3 hub for all of our news, videos, and impressions.
Call of Duty: WWII
Following a multiplayer reveal during Sony's E3 conference, GameSpot got a chance to try out Call of Duty: WWII's multiplayer. It isn't as movement-focused or vertical as its recent predecessors, but it doesn't feel slow or sluggish. Team Deathmatch is still fast-paced and all about quick reactions, and the weapons have a satisfying weight to them. That said, the new War Mode is an opportunity to slow it down and try out deeper strategies that fit well with the World War II setting. The beta starts in August for those who can't wait to try it out. We also got a look at simple changes to overall CoD gameplay. Health packs replace health regeneration for the first time in the franchise, and a greater emphasis on squad relationships means that a squadmate can be the one to toss you a much-needed health pack. It creates a unique kind of vulnerability that's been missing from Call of Duty for a while, which makes us all the more interested in playing the single player come November.
Destiny 2
Destiny 2 seems to be fixing the original's smallest mistakes in ways that hugely impact gameplay. Things like not having to go to orbit in order to change destinations and the addition of more fleshed-out and populated locations makes us want to return to its world, and seeing it in action--in 4K on PC, no less--has guaranteed that we'll be coming back for more. The demo we played at E3 didn't have any of those small changes, but it did have the same excellent shooting that we love about Destiny. We're also impressed by the new weapon categories; dividing them into kinetic, energy, and power opens up the loadout variety a ton. Scout and assault rifles were both primary weapons, for example, but now you can equip a scout rifle on kinetic and an assault rifle on energy. There's also a bigger emphasis on story within the game, which was lacking in the first--you won't have to go into an app in order to study up on the game's lore this time around, and hopefully that will keep us invested through the grind.
The gameplay sequence shown during Ubisoft's press conference was playable here at E3, and we had a taste of the Guns For Hire companion system. Choosing Nick Rye to support the liberation of the small town, for example, came in the form of airstrikes. A loadout that included a silenced uzi, assault rifle, and a few grenades gave us more than enough firepower to take back the territory, but we were still vulnerable and couldn't take too much damage. The thrill of jumping through windows, checking flanks, and popping off foes by peeking around corners reminded us how fun Far Cry games can be. Aside from this companion twist to alleviate a bit of the lonesomeness of previous Far Cry games, it felt similar to its predecessors. But why fix something that isn't broken? The captivating thing here is the vastness of Montana where everything feels like home, yet uncomfortable. There weren't any additional story bits to pick up from the playable sequence, but it's easy to see how the premise of taking down a deranged cult lends itself to the Far Cry formula.
Metro Exodus
Metro Exodus wasn't what we were expecting from E3 2017, but a gameplay reveal trailer was enough to get excited. For the first time in the Metro series, Exodus will feature an open world. The footage released during the conference shows the player-character moving through a collapsed tunnel filled with skeletons before emerging into the open world and fighting a mutated rat creature using explosive crossbow bolts.
Metroid Prime 4
Sure, we don't know much about Metroid Prime 4, but it was one of the biggest surprises of E3 2017, and we're hyped. We assume it's a shooter in keeping with the Prime series, which earns it a spot on this list.
Splatoon 2
Splatoon 2 is the Switch-exclusive sequel to the hit Wii U third-person shooter. It features a new campaign, weapons, maps, and modes. We got to play the new four-player co-op mode, Salmon Run, during E3, which got us even more excited to get our hands on the game.
Star Wars Battlefront II
2015's Star Wars Battlefront was a fun game that captured the spirit of the Star Wars franchise and gave players an opportunity to be a hero--or a villain--and live out their fantasies. However, it lacked depth and there was no single-player whatsoever, both points frustrating fans who wanted more. EA is listening to the feedback around the first game, as the sequel has a campaign and the multiplayer is expanded and improved upon in meaningful, significant ways. The campaign stars an all-new hero, Iden Versio, who fights for the Empire. This is a story of the bad guys, and it's pretty cool to think about the storytelling opportunities. The multiplayer, meanwhile, which is the bread and butter of the franchise, looks like it corrects the issues of the original and pushes things forward in a way that fans will be excited about. Weapons feel weightier and lack the same-ness that plagued the original. The map design, at least what we got to play at E3, is smart and alluring. And the new characters--Rey, Darth Maul, and Yoda, to name a few--are exciting additions to the roster. Another bright spot? The multiplayer DLC is all completely free.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
Wolfenstein: The New Order was one of our favorite first-person shooters of this generation with its violent drama, bits of comic relief, and great level design. So we were eager to get our hands on the sequel after watching its wild reveal trailer during Bethesda's press conference. Having played through an early mission at E3, it's clear that Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus doesn't stray away from its established formula, nor does it need to. BJ Blazkowicz is gets by on a wheelchair, but that doesn't stop him from fighting. It seems that the Nazis have found the makeshift hideout, a U-boat obtained by the Kreisau Circle resistance group. By activating electric fields that work as traps, you can avoid firefights. The mission left us hanging as BJ is captured by an old nemesis, Frau Engel.
By Justin Haywald on Jun 17, 2017 09:31 pm
At this year's E3, Nintendo's main attraction might have been Super Mario Odyssey, but the developer also revealed a few new Amiibo, and gave us a closer look at some previously revealed sets. We don't know exactly what all of the new Amiibo will do, especially the just-announced Metroid and Odyssey figures, but you can at least take a closer look at them all in the gallery here. For even more Nintendo (and Amiibo) news from the show check out all the Nintendo news from the press conference, all the new game trailers, and all of the new Switch and 3DS games announced.
By Alessandro Fillari on Jun 17, 2017 08:30 pm
Best Of The Best
It was a surprising, yet still great year for the RPG genre--and E3 had a number of solid titles on display. Here's our picks for the most interesting and exciting RPG and strategy titles we saw during the week. For a deep for a deeper dive at what was announced at this year's show, take a look at all the news and announcements from each press conference. You can also check out our lists of all the games at E3 coming out in 2017 and 2018! For our complete coverage, head to GameSpot's E3 hub for all of our news, videos, and impressions. And be sure to check back often as more stories and videos get published.
Assassin's Creed: Origins
Assassin's Creed: Origins is a prequel of the long running action-adventure series. It's set in Eqypt and puts you in control of Bayek, the last Medjay, an Egyptian sheriff tasked with protecting the people from threats local and foreign. Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC | Release Date: October 27.
Destiny 2
The sequel to Bungie's online multiplayer shooter, Destiny 2 sees the Guardians in a rough spot. The Tower has fallen and is under siege from an invasion force, and it's up to you explore far-flung areas of the solar system to fight back. Plus, it's set to include a number of updates and new features, and it's even coming to PC. Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC | Release Date: September 6 and October 24 (PC)
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - On Nintendo Switch
It's been six years since the initial release of Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and it took on a life unlike any other game in the series. The latest version of this open-world first-person fantasy RPG will come to Switch with some Nintendo specific features, shown during the presentation: Link as a playable character! It seemed that you'll need the Link Amiibo for this, so it's worth pondering other treats that may lie ahead in terms of Amiibo support. The most captivating part, however, is actually seeing this game run on the Switch console, so we know it's really a thing that's coming this year.
Platfrom: Nintendo Switch | Release Date: Q3 2017
Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle
The upcoming turn-based strategy cross-over game Mario and Rabbids was first revealed at Ubisoft's E3 2017 press conference, but we got to see it again during Nintendo's presentation. It seems to share gameplay similarities to XCOM and retains the colorful, lighthearted nature of the Mario universe. Platforms: Nintendo Switch | Release Date: August 29
Middle-earth: Shadow of War
Middle-Earth: Shadow of War once again stars ranger Talion and his wraith companion Celebrimbor as they work to fight against Sauron and his dark army. The game sports a larger and more open world, as well as new loot and gear to uncover. Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC | Release Date: October 10
Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom
Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom is the long-awaited sequel to 2010's Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch. Rather than continuing the adventures of the protagonists from the first game, it introduces a completely new cast of characters who must fight against an emerging threat in the kingdom of Ding Dong Dell. Platforms: PS4, PC | Release Date: November 10
South Park: The Fractured But Whole
Set the day after The Stick of Truth, The Fractured But Whole has the South Park kids caught up in another game of make believe that quickly gets out of hand. Trading out swords and sorcery for capes and utility belts, the kids will explore the town, fight crime, and engage in turn-based battles to decide who gets to lead their new superhero franchise. Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC | Release Date: October 17
Total War: Warhammer II
Creative Assembly's next strategy game Total War: Warhammer II will is coming this year. The game features four new playable races and a "storming" campaign that publisher Sega says builds up to an "earth-shattering crescendo." You can read more about the game from E3 here. Platforms: PC | Release Date: September 28
Vampyr
Vampyr is the next game from Remember Me and Life Is Strange studio Dontnod. It's an action-RPG vampire game set in flu-ridden 1918 London. A new trailer for the intriguing-looking game was released at E3--watch it here. Release Date: November 2017
Xenoblade Chronicles II
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is a sequel to the critically acclaimed Wii-exclusive open world-RPG, Xenoblade Chronicles. It stars a new hero who's in search for something known as "Elysium." Platforms: Nintendo Switch | Release Date: Holiday 2017
By Array on Jun 17, 2017 03:58 am
E3 Merch Frenzy
There was a multitude of cool new merchandise on display at this year's E3. With so much to see, we've compiled it all one place for you to check out. Click ahead to see the coolest figures, bags, and statues that we saw at the show. Awesome gaming merchandise from Gaming Outfitters, Capcom, Hyperkin and more. For a deeper dive at what was announced at this year's show, take a look at all the news and announcements from each press conference. You can also check out our lists of all the games at E3 coming out in 2017 and 2018! For our complete coverage, head to GameSpot's E3 hub for all of our news, videos, and impressions. And be sure to check back often as more stories and videos get published.
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