By Aaron Pruner on Jun 02, 2018 09:30 pm
From Hercules to Eyes Wide Shut.
The dream of the '90s is alive on Netflix. It was a cinematic age where gritty serial killer stories found their niche, indie filmmakers hit the mainstream, and larger-than-life blockbusters set new benchmarks for what could be done on the big screen. Jeff Goldblum fought dinosaurs, Will Smith saved us from aliens, and an unknown video clerk by the name of Quentin Tarantino changed movies forever. Two decades later, it's hard not to look back on the '90s with nostalgic fondness. And thankfully, plenty of these retro flicks are at your fingertips right now. From a handful of Disney classics to some Oscar-winning dramas to a plethora of big budget action films, here are the 25 best '90s movies currently available on Netflix.
25. Deep Blue Sea (1999)
Before Sharknado tore onto Syfy, another shark movie took audiences by storm on the big screen. Deep Blue Sea follows a team of scientists as they aim to end Alzheimer's Disease for good--by genetically altering sharks. Sure, it's a far fetched concept, but that's the point. Thomas Jane, Saffron Burrows and Stellan Skarsgard star as the shark scientists in question. L.L. Cool J shows up in a wacky supporting role--while also providing two original songs to the soundtrack. Most importantly, Deep Blue Sea's most memorable moment comes in the form of Samuel L. Jackson's bloody wink-at-the-camera monologue.
24. An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (1991)
The sequel to 1986's An American Tail continued the journey of the Mousekewitzes, a family of Russian immigrant mice who moved to America in pursuit of a better life. Five years later, the Mousekewitzes were still living paw-to-mouth, so to speak. The film was told through the eyes of young Fievel Mousekewitz. His dreams of following in the footsteps of Wylie Burp--the legendary Wild West lawdog--keeps a fair share of hope and joy throughout the uneven tale. But as clunky as the sequel may feel, it's hard not to give in to the childhood nostalgia the movie brings.
23. Cruel Intentions (1999)
One thing many people don't know when discussing Cruel Intentions is that it's a modern day adaptation of Christopher Hampton's play Les Liaisons Dangereuses. Glenn Close and John Malkovich starred in the '80s adaptation of the play. Cruel Intentions came in and flipped The Dangerous Liaisons formula on its head, presenting a group of rich kids as the story's main antagonists. Hot off the success of I Know What You Did Last Summer, fresh new face Ryan Phillipe starred as Sebastian Valmont opposite Reese Witherspoon's Annette Hargrove and Sarah Michelle Gellar's evil step-sister, Kathryn Merteuil. Come for the backstabbing drama, stay for the awkward, incestuous sexual tension.
22. Pocahontas (1995)
Disney's Pocahontas takes multiple liberties with its version of the character's real life story. But if you ignore the fact that she was really 11 or 12 when she met her lover Captain John Smith (voiced by Mel Gibson in the film), some important issues are explored in the animated film. White European settlers weren't often presented as the enemy by Disney, but Pocahontas showed these invaders--with their guns and destructive tendencies--as the big bad villains. The story glossed over some of the more gritty details of the princess's life, for sure. But the movie did prove to be a risky pivot in Disney's storytelling strategy, teaching a lesson of environmental protection amid a musical backdrop and stunning animation.
21. Cube (1997)
Vincenzo Natali may be known for his work on genre shows like Hannibal and Westworld, but the director first made his splash with the psychological gorefest Cube. In the film, a group of strangers find themselves trapped in a maze of identical rooms and must solve a plethora of traps, or die a gruesome death. Before Saw took audiences by storm, Cube tested the genre's torturous waters. It was enough of a success to breed multiple sequels. With its simple attention to character development and story, the original installment is easily still the best of the bunch.
20. The Iron Giant (1999)
Tapping into the hysteria of the 1950s, The Iron Giant tells the story of a boy's unlikely friendship with a giant robot (voiced by Vin Diesel), and the government's subsequent mission to seek and destroy it. The animated film offers an alternate perspective of America's past through the guise of science fiction. It's easy to see the influence films like King Kong and E.T. had on Brad Bird's (The Incredibles, Ratatouille) theatrical debut as a director. As fun as it is touching, The Iron Giant is an enduring classic worth watching again and again.
19. Hercules (1997)
The late '90s was a transitional time for Walt Disney Animation Studios. While Hercules may not have achieved the same sort of success of the decade's earlier movies, like The Lion King, Disney's animated take on the classic Hercules story was enough of a success to keep the studio relevant. Upon rewatching the flick, which is surprisingly humorous and endearing, it's hard not to think of the comic book adventures of Superman or Thor. After all, this is a tale about a young god trying to find his purpose and place in the world. And it's way more light-hearted and fun.
18. Quiz Show (1994)
In 1981, Robert Redford won the best directing Oscar for the movie Ordinary People. It took another decade and change for him to receive another Academy Award nomination--this time for his behind-the-camera work on Quiz Show. The movie told the true story of game-show contestant Charles Van Doren (Ralph Fiennes) who became famous for his consecutive winnings on rigged trivia show, Twenty One. It co-starred John Turturro as Herbie Stempel, the whistleblower that led to Van Doren's 1959 admission of guilt to Congress. In an age of fake news, Quiz Show explores the timely issue of misinformation and the media through the lens of 1950s America.
17. Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
The final film in Stanley Kubrick's repertoire, Eyes Wide Shut leans heavily on style and tone. Starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, the film takes viewers into an erotic world where masked party goers partake in events both sexual and sinister. It may be awkward watching Cruise and Kidman's performances here, as their highly publicized romance crumbled just two years after the film's release, but Eyes Wide Shut is an aesthetic tour-de-force worth any cinephile's time. Watching Cruise, who was named 1990's Sexiest Man Alive by People Magazine, struggle to find intimacy for two hours is the ironic icing on the proverbial cake.
16. Bad Boys (1995)
There's nothing envelope-pushing about Michael Bay's buddy cop action flick, Bad Boys. That's fine, though. The pairing of Will Smith and Martin Lawrence as Detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett provided enough chemistry to bring in the big bucks at the box office. Explosions, car chases, hot women, and gun fights are on full display. But as much as the movie overuses every genre trope in the book, the movie proved successful enough to spawn a 2003 sequel and a TV spinoff series. A highly-anticipated third film in the franchise is set for 2020. Bring the carnage, guys. We're ready.
15. The Truman Show (1998)
Up until The Truman Show hit theaters, Jim Carrey was universally known as Hollywood's highest paid funny man. With a steady string of comedy hits under his belt (Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask, Dumb and Dumber), Carrey began venturing into dramatic territory. His heart-warming performance as Truman Burbank--the unknowing star of his own reality TV show--showed the world there was more to Carrey than the colorful characters and over-the-top poop jokes he became famous for. Before the Kardashians were even a thing, The Truman Show explored the damaging celebrity culture that could elevate seemingly normal people. Oh how far we've come.
14. Schindler's List (1993)
In the '70s and '80s, Steven Spielberg changed cinema as we know it. It wasn't until the release of his World War II masterpiece Schindler's List that the director finally received his first Oscar win. The story follows wealthy businessman Oscar Schindler (Liam Neeson), who risked everything to save 1,100 Jews from Hitler and his concentration camps. Ben Kingsley's Itzhak Stern and Ralph Fiennes' sadistic Amon Goeth rounds out this grueling history lesson. Amid its three hour run time, black and white style, and bleak imagery, lies a movie experience unlike any other. Schindler's List is a difficult movie-going experience, but it's an important story that needed to be told. And Steven Spielberg was indeed the right director for the job.
13. Scream 2 (1997)
Just two years after Wes Craven changed the slasher movie game with Scream, he reunited with writer Kevin Williamson (Dawson's Creek, The Following) to up the ante with the film's sequel. In Scream 2, Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) and the gang have moved on to college, where Ghostface returns to wreak even more bloody havoc. Not only did Scream 2 up the ante on the tension, the gore, and the meta horror movie sequences, the film ended up providing a worthwhile story and a satisfying end--which, for a genre sequel, is a tough thing to do.
12. Face/Off (1997)
John Woo's action movie reputation precedes him. Even before he brought Face/Off to the big-screen, audiences revelled in the visceral action of such Hong Kong classics as The Killer, Bullet in the Head, and Hard Boiled. In 1997, Woo teamed with Nicolas Cage and John Travolta to bring this bloody bonkers identity-switching tale to life. The chemistry between the two actors really makes this over-the-top movie a worthwhile experience. Cage may have made some questionable acting choices since winning the Oscar for 1992's Honeymoon in Vegas, but his scenery-chewing performance as Caster Troy is really something to behold.
11. Armageddon (1998)
Before Michael Bay buried himself in the Transformers universe, he brought Armageddon to the world. Bruce Willis and Ben Affleck star in this against-all-odds tale which follows a ragtag group of unlikely heroes on a mission to stop a space rock from destroying the planet. Some may view this as Michael Bay's cinematic masterpiece (sorry, Megatron). With enjoyable performances from Steve Buscemi, Owen Wilson, Billy Bob Thornton, and Liv Tyler, the movie proved itself to be a patriotic race against the clock while delivering enough mindless fun and action to keep audiences of all walks of life happy.
10. Lethal Weapon 3 (1992)
Lethal Weapon 3 not only continued the adventures of Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) and Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover), it proved that Shane Black's original game-changing cop thriller concept had longevity. The third installment of the franchise brought Joe Pesci's Leo Getz back while introducing a new love interest for Riggs in the form of Rene Russo's edgy policewoman Lorna Cole. While the danger and unpredictability of the first two films are mostly missing here, the chemistry between the characters keeps Lethal Weapon 3 a thoroughly entertaining chapter in the ongoing mishaps of America's favorite mismatched cop duo.
9. Se7en (1995)
Set in an unnamed city in America--with all that rain, we're thinking Seattle--Se7en follows police detectives Mills (Brad Pitt) and Somerset (Morgan Freeman) as they hunt down a twisted serial killer who has modeled his murders after the seven deadly sins. It was a movie unlike anything audiences had really seen before. The gritty nature of the story's narrative along with the gruesome details behind each kill showed the taste of moviegoers was evolving. Kevin Spacey's role as the psychotic John Doe not only catapulted the actor to A-list status, the movie's jaw-dropping end left fans everywhere screaming, "What's in the box!?"
8. The Sixth Sense (1999)
M. Night Shyamalan made everyone sit up and notice when it was revealed that--spoiler!--Bruce Willis was dead the whole time. The Sixth Sense flipped the whole expected ghost story formula on its head, introducing audiences to Hollywood's new genre twist maker. The result was an exciting slow burn that not only showcased Willis's subdued dramatic chops, it put on display young Haley Joel Osment's talents as well. The writer-director may have since fallen victim to fan expectation and trope overuse, but The Sixth Sense is a firm reminder that his contribution to modern day horror storytelling is an important one.
7. Casino (1995)
When one thinks of the mafia movie trifecta of Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, and Joe Pesci, the first films that probably come to mind are Raging Bull or Goodfellas. However, keeping Casino out of the conversation would be an egregious mistake. The late '70s gangster tale not only gave viewers a look at Las Vegas's violent side, the flashy epic also gave Sharon Stone a well-deserved Oscar nomination. Casino brought a fair share of humor to offset the gangster violence Scorsese fans had come to expect. And with the engaging dynamic of De Niro and Pesci, it's hard to go wrong.
6. Mulan (1998)
An outlier in Disney's '90s animation slate, Mulan follows the story of a woman who poses as a man to replace her father on the battlefield. With themes of family, loyalty, and honor acting as the solid backbone of the tale, Mulan also stood out from the pack stylistically. The lush landscapes and bold red aesthetics brought Ancient China to life, giving moviegoers a hero that was neither male nor white. Balancing old world traditions with modern day aspirations, Mulan's feminist tale is as relevant now as it was when it hit theaters twenty years ago.
5. L.A. Confidential (1997)
Launching Guy Pearce and Russell Crowe to celebrity status, Curtis Hanson's (The River Wild, 8 Mile) L.A. Confidential is the '90s film noir masterpiece audiences didn't know they needed. The film followed three very different crime fighters as they worked to solve a mysterious murder. In the process, the criminal underbelly of 1950s Los Angeles comes through in a way that recalls Roman Polanski's Chinatown. Adapted from James Ellroy's novel of the same name, the movie earned Kim Basinger an Oscar for her performance as Lynn Bracken. As much as the film deviates from the book, the end product supplies plenty of edge-of-your-seat moments and worthwhile performances to keep you glued to the screen.
4. Men in Black (1997)
Just one year after Will Smith made the jump from television to save the planet from an alien invasion in Independence Day, the actor teamed up with Tommy Lee Jones to police the planet against, well, more aliens. Men in Black was a huge hit for director Barry Sonnenfeld and cemented Smith as a movie star worth paying attention to. Two sequels were spawned from Jay and Kay's original adventure tale. With Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson signed on to pick up the Men in Black mantle, it looks like the secret government organization is still alive and kicking after all these years.
3. Jackie Brown (1997)
After making a name for himself with Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, Quentin Tarantino changed narrative directions and brought Jackie Brown to life. Elmore Leonard's novel Rum Punch was the inspiration behind the big-screen caper that brought Pam Grier out of obscurity to play the title role in the film, which was as an homage to the actress's blaxploitation roots. The film's all-star cast included heavy-hitters like Samuel L. Jackson, Robert De Niro, and Robert Forster--who received an Oscar-nom for his performance as bail bondsman Max Cherry. Oh, and this should go without saying: the movie's soundtrack is on point.
2. Boogie Nights (1997)
After supporting roles in movies like The Basketball Diaries and Fear, Mark Wahlberg officially pivoted from making music--ditching his Marky Mark moniker (as well as the Funky Bunch)--for a career in movies. Audiences didn't really take this move seriously. And then Paul Thomas Anderson (Inherent Vice, Phantom Thread) brought Boogie Nights to the big screen. Taking on the role of '70s adult film star Dirk Diggler, Wahlberg proved he had the chops to act alongside talents like Burt Reynolds, Heather Graham, Philip Seymour Hoffman, William H. Macy, and Julianne Moore--whose performance as Amber Waves earned her first Oscar nomination.
1. Heat (1995)
Michael Mann's 1995 crime thriller is a masterpiece, plain and simple. Running almost three hours, Heat follows the unraveling of a group of bank robbers after a clue is left at their latest heist. That mistake puts homicide detective Lt. Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) on an inevitable crash course with career criminal Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro). Stylistically speaking, the movie finds Mann at the top of his game. While the film's daylight bank heist stands out as a breathtaking cinematic achievement, the cat and mouse game De Niro and Pacino play is the movie's biggest selling point. Over two decades after its release, Heat continues to pack one hell of a punch.
By GameSpot Staff on Jun 02, 2018 08:30 pm
PC has always been a fantastic platform for gaming. Thanks to the added horsepower, people can experience the latest games running at their absolute best. With E3 2018 on the horizon, there are a ton of exciting new PC games that'll be showcased. We're already in the thick of the current generation of games, so the focus at this year's show is likely going to be on gameplay and trailers for many of the games we already know are releasing this holiday, as well as a slate of new and unannounced games. Here, in alphabetical order, are some of the biggest PC games we're pretty sure are going to be at E3 in some form or another. Hopefully most of them are playable, but even if some only show up as a trailer, it's another chance to get a feel for what lies ahead. Many of these titles have been announced, but others are titles we're guessing based on the list of companies on the official E3 homepage. The first potential look we'll get at most of these games will be during the press conferences before E3 even begins. To make sure you're up to date with the times as well as the location for our E3 livestreams, we have a hub rounding up all of that info as well. The following games are only a potential sampling of all the exciting titles that will come out of E3, and be sure to check out our editor's picks for the games we're most anticipating. But in the meantime, what games do you hope to learn more about at the show? Let us know in the comments below!
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is the latest in Namco Bandai's arcade jet-fighting franchise, and as the first numbered series entry in over a decade, it marks a return to the series' roots in military and political melodrama. The lead writer from beloved entries Ace Combat 4 and 5, Sunao Katabuchi, is back for Skies of Liberation, which is a very good sign. Ace Combat 7 was first revealed at PlayStation Experience in 2015, and we've seen a little bit about its story, had a brief hands-on with its campaign demo, and heard a lot about its VR mode. It's a beautiful-looking game, with a lot of new technological work going into its clouds. But after a delay last year, we just want to know when it's coming out. Hopefully, Bandai Namco will tell us during E3 2018.
Anthem
BioWare is one of the most beloved developers in the industry. It's best known for single-player RPGs, but with Anthem, it appears to be trying its hand at crafting a competitor to Destiny. That's an intriguing prospect in its own right, although at this point BioWare and EA have shared very little about what we can actually expect. Destiny appears to be the best comparison based on what we know, which is that you're playing in a shared world as a "freelancer" wearing an exosuit. One thing BioWare has offered reassurances about is that multiplayer is optional. It promises "you can choose to play through the story with only your friends, or even on your own." Games have often struggled with making the story in a multiplayer game feel like you are truly the central character, but BioWare is "taking this problem head-on and structuring the entire game design to provide a specific solution for this." Again, that's extremely vague, but BioWare is at least saying the right things. EA Play should provide us with a much better sense of how the studio is blending open-world action and third-person shooter gameplay, as well as whether it can avoid the pratfalls that have held Destiny back. Anthem is due out early in 2019.
Ashen
Ashen is an open-world survival game that pits players against a hostile environment. Set in a world with no sun, Ashen puts you in the role of a wanderer in search of a place to call home. Along the way, you'll encounter other players who are also trying to make a living. In addition to a combat system inspired by Dark Souls, Ashen features unique multiplayer where the characters you encounter are other players with their own agendas. Ashen was first announced back at E3 2015 and was even shown off at E3 2017. As one of the few exclusives in Microsoft's roster, we're hoping to see more of the game at E3, as well as a firm release date.
The Avengers Project
We don't know much about the upcoming Avengers Project, but there are plenty of reasons to be excited about this mysterious collaboration between Marvel and publisher Square Enix. With a terrific-looking Spider-Man game coming up soon and back-to-back blockbuster entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, anything even tangentially related to the Avengers sounds like a sure bet. And Crystal Dynamics in particular has been earned plenty of good will. After the very good Tomb Raider, then the even better Rise of the Tomb Raider, it's exciting to imagine what might come about from the combination of Crystal Dynamics' development cachet and the Avengers' effortless mix of humor and blockbuster action. The website for the Avengers Project says it will have a "completely original story," but it'd be great if there was some kind of crossover with the movies, especially in this post-Infinity War world. Maybe the game could offer a glimpse into stories that'd be too far-reaching for a three-hour movie to tackle.
Battlefield V
We now have a ton of information around the next Battlefield game set in WWII. Although we haven't been able to play yet in order to confirm what was shown in the first reveal trailer, we have an extensive breakdown of what we know so far. Battlefield V introduces a large number of new mechanics that drive squads together and get them playing objectives. This includes the idea of ammo scarcity, the ability to build and fortify objectives, the ability to tow weapons with vehicles, and a new squad commander radio in order to call in powerful attacks. The campaign will focus on more personal stories from WWII, and some locations already shown are the mountains of Norway, French Countryside, and North Africa. The game will also have a co-op campaign with randomly generated elements called Combined Arms. Battlefield V will launch for everyone on October 19 and will not have a premium pass. New content is planned to roll out on a regular schedule through the Tides of War live service starting in November. Players will be able to participate in timed events and challenges to unlock a large variety of customization for their soldiers not seen in previous Battlefield games, including individual items of clothing. We should get our first hands-on at E3.
Beyond Good and Evil 2
Beyond Good and Evil 2 is the long-awaited successor to the 2003 original by acclaimed developer Michel Ancel. Revealed at Ubisoft's E3 2017 press conference, the game was long believed to never come out after having been stuck in development for since as early as 2007. The game takes place several generations prior to the events of the first game. You play as a space pirate of who starts the game at the bottom of the world's social ladder. Unlike the original, Beyond Good and Evil 2 plays more as a traditional RPG where you complete activities and increase your stats. As you progress, you assemble a crew, explore various planets, and create your own society of like-minded pirates. The game also features multiplayer elements, though not much has been revealed about how it'll work. Unlike recent games in its catalog, Ubisoft has been focused on involving people in Beyond Good and Evil 2's development via the Space Monkey Program, a community forum where people can contribute ideas and offer feedback to developers. While Beyond Good and Evil 2 only entered active development only just before its reveal at E3 2017, we're hoping that Ancel will offer another look at how the game is shaping up at this year's big show.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Renowned Castlevania developer Koji Igarashi is almost ready to launch his first project after striking out from Konami, and if you're familiar with his past, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night shouldn't come as too much of a surprise. This side-scrolling action game is set in an anime-tinged gothic world built on top of a sprawling map, with plenty of puzzles, boss battles, and upgrades to uncover. Originally pitched on Kickstarter back in 2015 (a campaign that was fully funded in a single day), Bloodstained is currently set to launch on Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC sometime in 2018. Igarashi and his co-developers from Inti Creates might as well take advantage of E3 to keep spreading the word, but a recent surprise announcement has already captured the attention of fans of old-school side-scrollers. A few weeks before E3, an original 8-bit Castlevania-esque game was given to backers and put up on most digital storefronts for about $10. Anyone interested in Bloodstained's ongoing development can follow the latest announcements over at the game's Kickstarter page. Be sure to keep an eye on the date next to the posts! Igarashi and co pulled a fast one when they announced that Bloodstained would passively mine digital currencies. Thankfully, this one was just an April fool's joke.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
As part of the Black Ops 4's big announcement event in May, we learned that this year's entry in the juggernaut shooter series does not have a traditional campaign. In lieu of that, the game will offer an assortment of solo missions that revolve around each of the game's Specialist characters. Activision says these missions--which are set between Black Ops 2 and 3--will deliver the franchise's iconic set-piece moments, while also diving into some backstory. In another first for the series, Black Ops 4 will offer a Battle Royale-type mode called Blackout where players will fight to the death to become the last person or squad standing. We don't know all the details yet, but Activision is promising to do battle royale "the Black Ops way," and we're likely to hear more about that soon. Traditional head-to-head multiplayer is also back, along with an all-new Zombies experience. Developer Treyarch created the fan-favourite mode, and this year it looks bigger and better than ever with three distinct maps offering experiences that pull from wildly different things like the ill-fated Titanic and Roman battle arenas. Black Ops 4 launches on October 12 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC (through Battle.net).Crackdown 3
Crackdown 3
Crackdown 3 has been in development for at least four years; we first heard about it back in 2014 after Microsoft used it to demonstrate its cloud-based server technology, which would allow for environmental destruction on a large scale. The sight of giant buildings crashing down within the context of Crackdown's open world was an exciting prospect, but the game has largely gone dark in recent years. After another delay, Crackdown 3 is currently slated for release in 2018. As such, it's fair to expect to see a sizable portion of it during Microsoft's E3 presentation. The company has been criticized in recent years for lacking exciting exclusives. An open-world game with impressive destruction and the same delightful blend of superhero powers and action would be a terrific showcase for Xbox One.
Code Vein
Yes, the Dark Souls comparison for any game that vaguely resembles the series might be a little tired, but Code Vein is most certainly in the vein of the iconic, brutal third-person action-RPG games. From early gameplay footage it seems that Bandai Namco (which also publishes the Souls franchise) is using the same foundation beat for beat in Code Vein, and we see that as a good thing. Terrifying beasts that deal heavy damage occupy the open world, but at least you'll have a set of supernatural abilities in addition to hulking swords and spears. A key difference here is the anime-inspired art style for character designs and post-apocalyptic setting with a vampiric theme that offers its own distinct flavor. Code Vein is set to release sometime in 2018, and we expect Bandai Namco to feature the game at E3 this year. Bandai Namco has been trickling out new screenshots and teasing story elements throughout the year, so we have our fingers crossed for a release date announcement.
Cyberpunk 2077
It seems like CD Projekt Red has been working on this game forever. First announced in 2012, Cyberpunk 2077 is the developer's next major game after The Witcher 3--which means it has some big shoes to fill. It, too, is a massive open-world RPG, but this one is set in the future, just like Cyberpunk 2020, the tabletop game it's based on. The game takes place in Night City, California, a fictional metropolis between San Francisco and Los Angeles. The developer has been fairly tight-lipped about Cyberpunk 2077 since the initial announcement, but we do know it's aiming to be even bigger in scope than The Witcher 3 and will support some kind of multiplayer component. But CD Projekt Red has been clear that fans of Witcher-style solo campaigns don't need to worry--it will still feature a meaty single-player experience. CD Projekt Red is confirmed as an E3 2018 attendee, so we hope to learn more soon.
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
Will the eleventh core entry in the Dragon Quest saga finally be the one to break through to mainstream western success? The last major DQ game was back in 2010--Sentinels of the Starry Skies on the Nintendo DS--and Nintendo's 3DS handhelds have gotten reissues of the earlier entries in the series since. But outside of the offshoot Dragon Quest Heroes games, this'll be the first entry on home consoles since the PS2 era and the first time the series will be available on PC (in the West) ever. The alliterative title illustrates Dragon Quest's playful nature, and the colorful enemies and turn-based combat are mainstays of the series. But longtime fans know that Dragon Quest's charm comes from its endearing stories and puns that rival Monster Hunter's loquacious wordplay. And the possibility of yet another great game on Switch makes the wait for DQ11 all the more difficult.
The Division 2
2016's The Division got off to a hot start, but it quickly fell off the map due to lingering issues and other problems that pushed players to different games. To its credit, Ubisoft kept updating The Division to make it better, releasing more content to keep existing players pleased. Many would agree that the game eventually got to a better place. But for many others, that ship had sailed. With The Division 2, which is in the works at the same developer--Massive Entertainment--fans will be hoping for a better-realised, more fully fleshed out multiplayer shooter experience. The first game did many things well, from its intuitive co-op and matchmaking, to its tense and thrilling Dark Zone. It was set in a post-disaster Manhattan and offered a faithfully recreated version of the iconic city. We don't know yet if The Division 2 will also be set in Manhattan or what other advancements it may make, but it's definitely one of our most anticipated games.
Just Cause 4
Just Cause 4 has yet to be revealed, but its name did show up in a recent Walmart leak. The same was true of Rage 2, which has already proven to be real and lends some credence to the possibility that Just Cause 4 exists. With a movie happening (with Aquaman/Khal Drogo himself, Jason Momoa, set to star), it's not hard to imagine there being plans for a game to go along with it. Series developer Avalanche Studios has been fairly quiet since the release of its big 2015 open-world games, Just Cause 3 and Mad Max. Just where it could go with a potential Just Cause 4 is unclear, but we do know multiplayer mods for the last two entries have proven popular, and that multiplayer is something Avalanche has discussed. With GTA Online proving to be such a success for Rockstar, some kind of way to play Just Cause with friends would make for an exciting reveal.
Left Alive
Square Enix caught many people off-guard with the surprise announcement of Left Alive at Tokyo Game Show 2017, and while details remain scarce, an eye-catching trailer and list of notable developers was all it took to grab our attention. Both the teaser trailer and gameplay trailer released at the show set the stage for a sci-fi epic with war as a central theme. With Metal Gear artist Yoji Shinkawa on board, it's no surprise that Left Alive bears some resemblance to Hideo Kojima's iconic stealth series. But don't confuse it for a spiritual successor, as the brief glimpse of gameplay we've seen so far is solely focused on gunplay, and there's another series known for examining the realities of war that's confirmed to be the basis for Left Alive's setting. According to producer Shinji Hashimoto, a longtime Square Enix employee with a long list of beloved games under his belt, Left Alive is connected to Square Enix's Front Mission series. The typical grid-based mechanics are out, obviously, but the series' iconic Wanzer mechs are back. Chances are you will eventually get to pilot one (we hope) but in an interesting twist, we know for sure that at some point in the game you will have to face towering mechs as a soldier on the ground. The odds aren't in your favor, but this is part of the appeal thus far: What will it take to come out on top? Hopefully, Square Enix intends to tell us at E3 2018.
Mega Man 11
For several years, it seemed Capcom wouldn't be releasing any more new Mega Man games. Since the character creator Keiji Inafune's departure from Capcom, little had been announced for the fan-favorite blue bomber. However, Capcom has since focused more on supporting Mega Man, having since released several collections of the character's most iconic games on modern platforms. This ultimately paved way for the upcoming Mega Man 11, which was announced late last year to commemorate the character's 30th anniversary. Unlike past games, Mega Man 11 features 3D polygonal characters and environments. Aside from the new visual style, the game seems to play like classic games in the series. Since its reveal trailer, we've heard little about Mega Man 11. However, if there's any time that Capcom should talk about the game, it's E3. After all, the game is scheduled to release later this year, so we're hoping to that Capcom goes into more detail about the blue bomber's latest adventure.
Metro Exodus
Metro Exodus continues the legacy of the post-apocalyptic first-person shooter series from Ukrainian developer 4A Games. What makes Metro special is its foreboding atmosphere; the underground metro tunnels are home to the human race as the surface is far too hostile and radiated, and the setting truly evokes a sense of vulnerability and desperation. Exodus appears to be continuing this tradition by picking up two years after the events of Last Light's "good" ending. However, it seems as though series protagonist Artyom is spending much more time on the surface as he flees the Metro system alongside fellow rangers to head eastward and start a new life. But it wouldn't be Metro without irradiated beasts roaming the surface, in and around the city streets that once harbored human life. The challenge has always been surviving radiation by scavenging for gas masks and conserving your limited ammo, all while managing the threat of the deformed creatures. Although it was recently announced that Metro Exodus' launch was delayed to early 2019, publisher Deep Silver is going to be present at E3 2018, so we expect to see a bit more of the game at the show. Exodus was first revealed during Microsoft's Xbox press conference at E3 2017 and will be also launching for PC.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
The 2015 game Ori and the Blind Forest is like what you'd get if you mixed a Pixar movie with Super Metroid. It's a drop-dead gorgeous game that's clearly inspired by the sprawling side-scrollers of the '90s. It has modern game features like an ability tree and an orchestral score, but it maintains an "old-school hard" level of challenge. In a teaser trailer that debuted at E3 2017, we got our first glimpse of the sequel, Ori and the Will of the Wisps. It looks more or less like the original, and it still stars Ori, the glowing guardian of the forest. We also get a look at what seem to be bosses that are dozens of times bigger than the diminutive hero. The teaser closes with a shot of a sad owl looking at the statues or bodies of two larger owls. While it's not stated outright, this seems to be a child of Kuro, the villain of the first game. As the owl mourns, Ori comes in and puts an arm around its shoulder. That's all we know so far about this sequel, but we will probably learn more at E3 2018.
Rage 2
Maybe it's a coincidence, or maybe it's impressive damage control on Bethesda's part, but the recent reveal of Rage 2 and the release of two trailers came hot on the heels of the unusual leak from Walmart just weeks prior to E3. So what has Bethesda shown thus far? A lot, surprisingly. The first trailer didn't feature any gameplay, but set the stage for Rage 2's new tone with a fun track by rocker Andrew W.K. and a lot of neon-tinted actors in punk-ish, post-apocalyptic armor rocking out. The gameplay trailer was obviously more revealing and gave us a glimpse into a dreary yet-oddly enticing wasteland. Compared to the original Rage, the sequel doesn't seem to take itself too seriously, and will take advantage of that fact by giving you access to outlandish vehicles and weapons with which to battle twisted mutants and other deranged survivors. All of this is set to take place in an open world. The gameplay seen thus far seems reminiscent of Destiny or Borderlands' first-person action, but with Avalanche Studios behind the wheel it's safe to say that Rage 2 will have a feel all its own. For a more reasonable example of what the team may do with the world, we can look to two of its previous projects: Just Cause 3 and Mad Max. It's also been confirmed that id Software (Doom, Rage, Quake Champions) will co-develop Rage 2, hopefully to keep an eye on the shooting mechanics. We should find out a lot more during Bethesda's E3 press conference on June 10.
Skull & Bones
Inspired by the best part of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag--the sailing--Skull & Bones is a standalone adventure on the high seas. While there will be a multiplayer treasure-hunting component, and you'll also be able to challenge other pirates in their customized galleys, S&B will include a single-player campaign if you'd prefer to go it alone. Ubisoft has revealed very few gameplay details so far, and there's little chance that the game will even be released this year. But for anyone who might've gotten a taste for piracy in Sea of Thieves (or who really miss AC4), there are going to be a lot more looting adventures to learn about during E3.
Resident Evil 2 Remake
Resident Evil 2 Remake was confirmed in 2015, a year after a fan-made version was first shown off (Capcom even asked for feedback on the fan-made remake). The team behind the Resident Evil HD Remaster was confirmed to be tackling 2, but the last we heard from them was in April 2016, when producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi discussed the impact of Resident Evil 6 feedback on the remake project. Two years later and the project remains veiled in secrecy. Heck, we still don't know if the Resident Evil 2 Remake will retain the original's camera angles or adopt the first-person perspective from Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. However, it's likely that we'll hear more about the game at this year's E3. After all, 2018 marks Resident Evil 2's 20th anniversary, which should be ample reason for the remake to finally release. We're crossing our fingers for a release date at least.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider
Shadow of the Tomb Raider is the third entry in the Tomb Raider reboot series. Square Enix officially revealed the game was in development March 2018, though it was technically leaked last year when a Square Enix employee was spotted in a subway train working on a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation with the game's name. While the game will be developed primarily by Eidos Montreal, it's worth noting that original reboot developer Crystal Dynamics will provide additional development on the project. You once again play as Lara Croft, who is on an expedition to Latin America in search of a Mayan relic. However, Trinity, a paramilitary organization who tried to hunt down Lara in the previous game, is also seeking the relic for its own gain. During the expedition, Lara sets off a Mayan apocalypse, which throws her down a journey to save the world. Shadow of the Tomb Raider sports a few key additions to the series formula, which includes revamped swimming controls for underwater exploration as well as more sophisticated stealth and AI systems. The game is scheduled to release on September 14, but we're hoping Square Enix intends to offer more details about the game at this year's E3.
Shenmue III
During the same Sony press conference Final Fantasy VII Remake was announced, it was revealed that Shenmue III was in the works. Revered Sega developer Yu Suzuki would finally get the chance to close out the trilogy he planned decades ago. Sega had given Suzuki the greenlight; he just had to get the game funded independently. The first Shenmue was originally conceived for the Sega Saturn, but the series would ultimately debut on Sega's next console, the Dreamcast, followed by a sequel which was also ported to the original Xbox. In other words, it's been a long time since Shenmue II left fans hanging; 17 years, so far. In the three years since the initiative was announced, Shenmue was funded in part by a controversial Kickstarter campaign and was picked up by publisher Deep Silver. Both Sony and Sega continue to support development, according to Suzuki. We don't know when Shenmue III will ultimately be released, though it was recently announced that enhanced HD ports of the first two games will be released for PlayStation 4 in 2018. While Suzuki and his various teams have released semi-regular updates on the game, the media released thus far has left some concerns in the minds of fans. But given that all footage is from early in development, it's not surprising that it's a little rough around the edges. If Sony has anything new to share, we should get a glimpse during its E3 2018 press conference on June 11.
Splinter Cell
Fans have been waiting for the better part of five years for a new Splinter Cell game. Ubisoft has not yet announced one, but CEO Yves Guillemot has made comments in the past year that certainly tease the possibility of a new entry. E3 might finally be when we see the game emerge. If Ubisoft hoped to catch everyone off-guard with a Splinter Cell announcement, it hasn't done the greatest job. The first big update of Ghost Recon Wildlands' second year featured a Splinter Cell theme, complete with an appearance by Sam Fisher. In a key move, Ubisoft brought back Fisher voice actor Michael Ironside, who did not appear in the most recent game, Blacklist. It's possible Ubisoft had plans for more than just a small cameo for Ironside, and his brief appearance is capped off with what could be the setup for a new game's plot. Combined with the Walmart Canada leak, which correctly listed Rage 2 and also listed a game called "Splinter Cell," maybe it's really happening.
Star Wars | Respawn
Titanfall developer Respawn Entertainment is working on a new third-person Star Wars game that's being directed by a of War III director Stig Asmussen. According to publisher EA (which owns Respawn as of last year), the game is an "all-new third-person action-adventure game set in the Star Wars universe." That's all we know about the game for certain, but it's intriguing to think about what the team behind one of the most trailblazing shooters in recent years may do with such a big and beloved sci-fi license. Fans may be happy to know that Respawn boss Vince Zampella met with The Force Awakens director JJ Abrams to talk about their respective works; oh to be a fly on that wall. EA would do well to give an update on all of its upcoming Star Wars projects at E3 this year, so hopefully we will know more about Respawn's game soon.
Star Wars Project | EA Vancouver
We actually know quite a bit about the Star Wars project that's in development with EA Vancouver--at least, the history of what it was, thanks to a detailed Kotaku report. But it's very likely that the single-player adventure game, codenamed "Ragtag" and formerly led by Uncharted director Amy Hennig, has gone the way of Star Wars 1313 and all but completely evaporated. In late 2017, the primary studio behind the Ragtag project, Visceral Games, was sadly closed. It had been working on this untitled Star Wars adventure since 2013, but the original game it set out to make has been effectively cancelled. EA Vancouver has since taken over completely and will pivot the game to become a "broader experience" and one that will "deliver an experience players will want to come back to for a long time to come," according to executive vice president of EA Worldwide Studios Patrick Söderlund.
SoulCalibur VI
The announcement at The Game Awards of SoulCalibur's return was a big, awesome surprise. The weapons-based fighter was once a leading series, and the original was the game to have for every Sega Dreamcast owner. But the series was relegated to secondary status for years while Bandai Namco's other franchises dominated the spotlight. With SoulCalibur VI, it's getting a new lease on life that many would argue is justly deserved. It's also got a few new tricks up its sleeve. Following in the footsteps of other contemporary fighting games, the introduction of the Reversal Edge mechanic in SoulCalibur VI is designed to give players a more accessible and punishing means of fending off their opponent to turn the tide of battle. It's the biggest addition to the SoulCalibur formula that we know of so far, but there's one big surprise to look forward to: Geralt of Rivia is joining the cast. There's no word on a specific release date yet, but SoulCalibur VI is on the books for 2018, and that hopefully means we will get a bunch of new info during E3.
By GameSpot Staff on Jun 02, 2018 07:23 am
It has been nearly five years since Xbox One has released and with the recent launch of Xbox One X, it's likely Microsoft's E3 2018 press conference is going to be all about the games. While there's always the possibility of some of kind of big tech or hardware tease, it's more likely that Microsoft will hold off on those types of announcements. The focus is going to be on gameplay and trailers for many of the games we already know are releasing this holiday, as well as a slate of new and unannounced games. Here, in alphabetical order, are some of the biggest Xbox One games we're pretty sure are going to be at E3 in some form or another. Hopefully most of them are playable, but even if some only show up as a trailer, it's another chance to get a feel for what lies ahead. Many of these titles have been announced, but others are titles we're guessing based on the list of companies on the official E3 homepage. The first potential look we'll get at most of these games will be during the press conferences before E3 even begins. To make sure you're up to date with the times as well as the location for our E3 livestreams, we have a hub rounding up all of that info as well. The following games are only a potential sampling of all the exciting titles that will come out of E3, and be sure to check out our editor's picks for the games we're most anticipating. But in the meantime, what games do you hope to learn more about at the show? Let us know in the comments below!
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is the latest in Namco Bandai's arcade jet-fighting franchise, and as the first numbered series entry in over a decade, it marks a return to the series' roots in military and political melodrama. The lead writer from beloved entries Ace Combat 4 and 5, Sunao Katabuchi, is back for Skies of Liberation, which is a very good sign. Ace Combat 7 was first revealed at PlayStation Experience in 2015, and we've seen a little bit about its story, had a brief hands-on with its campaign demo, and heard a lot about its VR mode. It's a beautiful-looking game, with a lot of new technological work going into its clouds. But after a delay last year, we just want to know when it's coming out. Hopefully, Bandai Namco will tell us during E3 2018.
Anthem
BioWare is one of the most beloved developers in the industry. It's best known for single-player RPGs, but with Anthem, it appears to be trying its hand at crafting a competitor to Destiny. That's an intriguing prospect in its own right, although at this point BioWare and EA have shared very little about what we can actually expect. Destiny appears to be the best comparison based on what we know, which is that you're playing in a shared world as a "freelancer" wearing an exosuit. One thing BioWare has offered reassurances about is that multiplayer is optional. It promises "you can choose to play through the story with only your friends, or even on your own." Games have often struggled with making the story in a multiplayer game feel like you are truly the central character, but BioWare is "taking this problem head-on and structuring the entire game design to provide a specific solution for this." Again, that's extremely vague, but BioWare is at least saying the right things. EA Play should provide us with a much better sense of how the studio is blending open-world action and third-person shooter gameplay, as well as whether it can avoid the pratfalls that have held Destiny back. Anthem is due out early in 2019.
Ashen
Ashen is an open-world survival game that pits players against a hostile environment. Set in a world with no sun, Ashen puts you in the role of a wanderer in search of a place to call home. Along the way, you'll encounter other players who are also trying to make a living. In addition to a combat system inspired by Dark Souls, Ashen features unique multiplayer where the characters you encounter are other players with their own agendas. Ashen was first announced back at E3 2015 and was even shown off at E3 2017. As one of the few exclusives in Microsoft's roster, we're hoping to see more of the game at E3, as well as a firm release date.
The Avengers Project
We don't know much about the upcoming Avengers Project, but there are plenty of reasons to be excited about this mysterious collaboration between Marvel and publisher Square Enix. With a terrific-looking Spider-Man game coming up soon and back-to-back blockbuster entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, anything even tangentially related to the Avengers sounds like a sure bet. And Crystal Dynamics in particular has been earned plenty of good will. After the very good Tomb Raider, then the even better Rise of the Tomb Raider, it's exciting to imagine what might come about from the combination of Crystal Dynamics' development cachet and the Avengers' effortless mix of humor and blockbuster action. The website for the Avengers Project says it will have a "completely original story," but it'd be great if there was some kind of crossover with the movies, especially in this post-Infinity War world. Maybe the game could offer a glimpse into stories that'd be too far-reaching for a three-hour movie to tackle.
Battlefield V
We now have a ton of information around the next Battlefield game set in WWII. Although we haven't been able to play yet in order to confirm what was shown in the first reveal trailer, we have an extensive breakdown of what we know so far. Battlefield V introduces a large number of new mechanics that drive squads together and get them playing objectives. This includes the idea of ammo scarcity, the ability to build and fortify objectives, the ability to tow weapons with vehicles, and a new squad commander radio in order to call in powerful attacks. The campaign will focus on more personal stories from WWII, and some locations already shown are the mountains of Norway, French Countryside, and North Africa. The game will also have a co-op campaign with randomly generated elements called Combined Arms. Battlefield V will launch for everyone on October 19 and will not have a premium pass. New content is planned to roll out on a regular schedule through the Tides of War live service starting in November. Players will be able to participate in timed events and challenges to unlock a large variety of customization for their soldiers not seen in previous Battlefield games, including individual items of clothing. We should get our first hands-on at E3.
Beyond Good and Evil 2
Beyond Good and Evil 2 is the long-awaited successor to the 2003 original by acclaimed developer Michel Ancel. Revealed at Ubisoft's E3 2017 press conference, the game was long believed to never come out after having been stuck in development for since as early as 2007. The game takes place several generations prior to the events of the first game. You play as a space pirate of who starts the game at the bottom of the world's social ladder. Unlike the original, Beyond Good and Evil 2 plays more as a traditional RPG where you complete activities and increase your stats. As you progress, you assemble a crew, explore various planets, and create your own society of like-minded pirates. The game also features multiplayer elements, though not much has been revealed about how it'll work. Unlike recent games in its catalog, Ubisoft has been focused on involving people in Beyond Good and Evil 2's development via the Space Monkey Program, a community forum where people can contribute ideas and offer feedback to developers. While Beyond Good and Evil 2 only entered active development only just before its reveal at E3 2017, we're hoping that Ancel will offer another look at how the game is shaping up at this year's big show.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Renowned Castlevania developer Koji Igarashi is almost ready to launch his first project after striking out from Konami, and if you're familiar with his past, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night shouldn't come as too much of a surprise. This side-scrolling action game is set in an anime-tinged gothic world built on top of a sprawling map, with plenty of puzzles, boss battles, and upgrades to uncover. Originally pitched on Kickstarter back in 2015 (a campaign that was fully funded in a single day), Bloodstained is currently set to launch on Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC sometime in 2018. Igarashi and his co-developers from Inti Creates might as well take advantage of E3 to keep spreading the word, but a recent surprise announcement has already captured the attention of fans of old-school side-scrollers. A few weeks before E3, an original 8-bit Castlevania-esque game was given to backers and put up on most digital storefronts for about $10. Anyone interested in Bloodstained's ongoing development can follow the latest announcements over at the game's Kickstarter page. Be sure to keep an eye on the date next to the posts! Igarashi and co pulled a fast one when they announced that Bloodstained would passively mine digital currencies. Thankfully, this one was just an April fool's joke.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
As part of the Black Ops 4's big announcement event in May, we learned that this year's entry in the juggernaut shooter series does not have a traditional campaign. In lieu of that, the game will offer an assortment of solo missions that revolve around each of the game's Specialist characters. Activision says these missions--which are set between Black Ops 2 and 3--will deliver the franchise's iconic set-piece moments, while also diving into some backstory. In another first for the series, Black Ops 4 will offer a Battle Royale-type mode called Blackout where players will fight to the death to become the last person or squad standing. We don't know all the details yet, but Activision is promising to do battle royale "the Black Ops way," and we're likely to hear more about that soon. Traditional head-to-head multiplayer is also back, along with an all-new Zombies experience. Developer Treyarch created the fan-favourite mode, and this year it looks bigger and better than ever with three distinct maps offering experiences that pull from wildly different things like the ill-fated Titanic and Roman battle arenas. Black Ops 4 launches on October 12 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC (through Battle.net).
Crackdown 3
Crackdown 3 has been in development for at least four years; we first heard about it back in 2014 after Microsoft used it to demonstrate its cloud-based server technology, which would allow for environmental destruction on a large scale. The sight of giant buildings crashing down within the context of Crackdown's open world was an exciting prospect, but the game has largely gone dark in recent years. After another delay, Crackdown 3 is currently slated for release in 2018. As such, it's fair to expect to see a sizable portion of it during Microsoft's E3 presentation. The company has been criticized in recent years for lacking exciting exclusives. An open-world game with impressive destruction and the same delightful blend of superhero powers and action would be a terrific showcase for Xbox One.
Code Vein
Yes, the Dark Souls comparison for any game that vaguely resembles the series might be a little tired, but Code Vein is most certainly in the vein of the iconic, brutal third-person action-RPG games. From early gameplay footage it seems that Bandai Namco (which also publishes the Souls franchise) is using the same foundation beat for beat in Code Vein, and we see that as a good thing. Terrifying beasts that deal heavy damage occupy the open world, but at least you'll have a set of supernatural abilities in addition to hulking swords and spears. A key difference here is the anime-inspired art style for character designs and post-apocalyptic setting with a vampiric theme that offers its own distinct flavor. Code Vein is set to release sometime in 2018, and we expect Bandai Namco to feature the game at E3 this year. Bandai Namco has been trickling out new screenshots and teasing story elements throughout the year, so we have our fingers crossed for a release date announcement.
Cyberpunk 2077
It seems like CD Projekt Red has been working on this game forever. First announced in 2012, Cyberpunk 2077 is the developer's next major game after The Witcher 3--which means it has some big shoes to fill. It, too, is a massive open-world RPG, but this one is set in the future, just like Cyberpunk 2020, the tabletop game it's based on. The game takes place in Night City, California, a fictional metropolis between San Francisco and Los Angeles. The developer has been fairly tight-lipped about Cyberpunk 2077 since the initial announcement, but we do know it's aiming to be even bigger in scope than The Witcher 3 and will support some kind of multiplayer component. But CD Projekt Red has been clear that fans of Witcher-style solo campaigns don't need to worry--it will still feature a meaty single-player experience. CD Projekt Red is confirmed as an E3 2018 attendee, so we hope to learn more soon.
The Division 2
2016's The Division got off to a hot start, but it quickly fell off the map due to lingering issues and other problems that pushed players to different games. To its credit, Ubisoft kept updating The Division to make it better, releasing more content to keep existing players pleased. Many would agree that the game eventually got to a better place. But for many others, that ship had sailed. With The Division 2, which is in the works at the same developer--Massive Entertainment--fans will be hoping for a better-realised, more fully fleshed out multiplayer shooter experience. The first game did many things well, from its intuitive co-op and matchmaking, to its tense and thrilling Dark Zone. It was set in a post-disaster Manhattan and offered a faithfully recreated version of the iconic city. We don't know yet if The Division 2 will also be set in Manhattan or what other advancements it may make, but it's definitely one of our most anticipated games.
Just Cause 4
Just Cause 4 has yet to be revealed, but its name did show up in a recent Walmart leak. The same was true of Rage 2, which has already proven to be real and lends some credence to the possibility that Just Cause 4 exists. With a movie happening (with Aquaman/Khal Drogo himself, Jason Momoa, set to star), it's not hard to imagine there being plans for a game to go along with it. Series developer Avalanche Studios has been fairly quiet since the release of its big 2015 open-world games, Just Cause 3 and Mad Max. Just where it could go with a potential Just Cause 4 is unclear, but we do know multiplayer mods for the last two entries have proven popular, and that multiplayer is something Avalanche has discussed. With GTA Online proving to be such a success for Rockstar, some kind of way to play Just Cause with friends would make for an exciting reveal.
Kingdom Hearts III
It's important to remember that the original Kingdom Hearts came out in 2002. Back then, the absurd premise was initially laughed off as a too-weird-to-work idea, but upon playing it, players were introduced to an incredibly heartfelt and charming story that coupled the cheerfulness of classic Disney with some engaging action-RPG gameplay. While exploring several classic Disney worlds with Sora, Donald Duck, and Goofy, they'd battle some well-known Disney villains and discover the almighty power of friendship. As cheesy as that sounds, it all worked, and Kingdom Hearts is a game that stuck with many fans over the years. Its direct-sequel was released in 2006, and while we've had a number of games that covered several side-stories and events with Sora and his friends, Kingdom Hearts III was officially announced at E3 2013. It's been many years since we've seen Sora and crew in a mainline entry of the series, and their time away has shown us some remarkable growth. We recently had the chance to play some of Kingdom Hearts III, and we were surprised at how much the game has not only kept its charm, but its story and characters have gotten a bit better with age. With many of Kingdom Hearts' most diehard fans growing into adulthood, Sora has grown up as well, showing a newfound level of maturity. It'll interesting to see how E3 2018 will turn out for Kingdom Hearts III. We'll likely see more gameplay and the reveal of some upcoming worlds at the show, but there is one thing coming up that will excite fans even more. During a recent event, Kingdom Hearts' director, Tetsuya Nomura, stated that the official release date will be revealed at the upcoming show. It's been a long time coming for the next major game in the series, and it now looks like the end is in sight.
Left Alive
Square Enix caught many people off-guard with the surprise announcement of Left Alive at Tokyo Game Show 2017, and while details remain scarce, an eye-catching trailer and list of notable developers was all it took to grab our attention. Both the teaser trailer and gameplay trailer released at the show set the stage for a sci-fi epic with war as a central theme. With Metal Gear artist Yoji Shinkawa on board, it's no surprise that Left Alive bears some resemblance to Hideo Kojima's iconic stealth series. But don't confuse it for a spiritual successor, as the brief glimpse of gameplay we've seen so far is solely focused on gunplay, and there's another series known for examining the realities of war that's confirmed to be the basis for Left Alive's setting. According to producer Shinji Hashimoto, a longtime Square Enix employee with a long list of beloved games under his belt, Left Alive is connected to Square Enix's Front Mission series. The typical grid-based mechanics are out, obviously, but the series' iconic Wanzer mechs are back. Chances are you will eventually get to pilot one (we hope) but in an interesting twist, we know for sure that at some point in the game you will have to face towering mechs as a soldier on the ground. The odds aren't in your favor, but this is part of the appeal thus far: What will it take to come out on top? Hopefully, Square Enix intends to tell us at E3 2018.
Madden NFL 19
Madden Season may still be a few months off, but it's never too early to get excited about the next instalment in EA Sports' football series. Last year's Madden 18 was generally great, praised for its advancements to gameplay and visuals along with its brand-new single-player mode, Longshot, featuring Oscar winner Mahershala Ali. The game's Franchise mode lacked significant updates and improvements, so hopefully EA can give more attention to it with this year's game. Another interesting wrinkle is that Madden's creative director for the past half-decade, Rex Dickson, has left the company, teasing in his departure notice that some changes would be coming to the Madden formula this year.
Mega Man 11
For several years, it seemed Capcom wouldn't be releasing any more new Mega Man games. Since the character creator Keiji Inafune's departure from Capcom, little had been announced for the fan-favorite blue bomber. However, Capcom has since focused more on supporting Mega Man, having since released several collections of the character's most iconic games on modern platforms. This ultimately paved way for the upcoming Mega Man 11, which was announced late last year to commemorate the character's 30th anniversary. Unlike past games, Mega Man 11 features 3D polygonal characters and environments. Aside from the new visual style, the game seems to play like classic games in the series. Since its reveal trailer, we've heard little about Mega Man 11. However, if there's any time that Capcom should talk about the game, it's E3. After all, the game is scheduled to release later this year, so we're hoping to that Capcom goes into more detail about the blue bomber's latest adventure.
Metro Exodus
Metro Exodus continues the legacy of the post-apocalyptic first-person shooter series from Ukrainian developer 4A Games. What makes Metro special is its foreboding atmosphere; the underground metro tunnels are home to the human race as the surface is far too hostile and radiated, and the setting truly evokes a sense of vulnerability and desperation. Exodus appears to be continuing this tradition by picking up two years after the events of Last Light's "good" ending. However, it seems as though series protagonist Artyom is spending much more time on the surface as he flees the Metro system alongside fellow rangers to head eastward and start a new life. But it wouldn't be Metro without irradiated beasts roaming the surface, in and around the city streets that once harbored human life. The challenge has always been surviving radiation by scavenging for gas masks and conserving your limited ammo, all while managing the threat of the deformed creatures. Although it was recently announced that Metro Exodus' launch was delayed to early 2019, publisher Deep Silver is going to be present at E3 2018, so we expect to see a bit more of the game at the show.
NHL 19
Though it doesn't get as much attention as EA's other big-name sports franchises like FIFA and Madden, the company's NHL series is still a hit each year. NHL 18 was a fantastic, genuine recreation of the sport, and with its 3v3 mode, it offered a simpler way for new players to pick up the game and learn the basics. Every year EA continues to surprise and impress with the incredible level of detail it pours into recreating hockey in a video game, and we expect this year's entry to be no different. It's likely that NHL 19 will be officially announced during EA's briefing, and it should be out in September for home consoles.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
The 2015 game Ori and the Blind Forest is like what you'd get if you mixed a Pixar movie with Super Metroid. It's a drop-dead gorgeous game that's clearly inspired by the sprawling side-scrollers of the '90s. It has modern game features like an ability tree and an orchestral score, but it maintains an "old-school hard" level of challenge. In a teaser trailer that debuted at E3 2017, we got our first glimpse of the sequel, Ori and the Will of the Wisps. It looks more or less like the original, and it still stars Ori, the glowing guardian of the forest. We also get a look at what seem to be bosses that are dozens of times bigger than the diminutive hero. The teaser closes with a shot of a sad owl looking at the statues or bodies of two larger owls. While it's not stated outright, this seems to be a child of Kuro, the villain of the first game. As the owl mourns, Ori comes in and puts an arm around its shoulder. That's all we know so far about this sequel, but we will probably learn more at E3 2018.
Rage 2
Maybe it's a coincidence, or maybe it's impressive damage control on Bethesda's part, but the recent reveal of Rage 2 and the release of two trailers came hot on the heels of the unusual leak from Walmart just weeks prior to E3. So what has Bethesda shown thus far? A lot, surprisingly. The first trailer didn't feature any gameplay, but set the stage for Rage 2's new tone with a fun track by rocker Andrew W.K. and a lot of neon-tinted actors in punk-ish, post-apocalyptic armor rocking out. The gameplay trailer was obviously more revealing and gave us a glimpse into a dreary yet-oddly enticing wasteland. Compared to the original Rage, the sequel doesn't seem to take itself too seriously, and will take advantage of that fact by giving you access to outlandish vehicles and weapons with which to battle twisted mutants and other deranged survivors. All of this is set to take place in an open world. The gameplay seen thus far seems reminiscent of Destiny or Borderlands' first-person action, but with Avalanche Studios behind the wheel it's safe to say that Rage 2 will have a feel all its own. For a more reasonable example of what the team may do with the world, we can look to two of its previous projects: Just Cause 3 and Mad Max. It's also been confirmed that id Software (Doom, Rage, Quake Champions) will co-develop Rage 2, hopefully to keep an eye on the shooting mechanics. We should find out a lot more during Bethesda's E3 press conference on June 10.
Skull & Bones
Inspired by the best part of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag--the sailing--Skull & Bones is a standalone adventure on the high seas. While there will be a multiplayer treasure-hunting component, and you'll also be able to challenge other pirates in their customized galleys, S&B will include a single-player campaign if you'd prefer to go it alone. Ubisoft has revealed very few gameplay details so far, and there's little chance that the game will even be released this year. But for anyone who might've gotten a taste for piracy in Sea of Thieves (or who really miss AC4), there are going to be a lot more looting adventures to learn about during E3.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Rockstar typically doesn't have a big presence at E3; the company's games are big enough to draw hype on all their own without the need to share the spotlight with other companies. But there's always the chance that there'll be a new trailer or feature announcement during someone's stage show for Red Dead Redemption 2. As many teases as we've seen around the game's Western story, there are even more unexplored mysteries. What's the gunplay like? What new features will the game introduce? And most importantly, how will multiplayer work? Don't expect to get a full demo or even to see much gameplay, but another Red Dead tease is always possible.
Resident Evil 2 Remake
Resident Evil 2 Remake was confirmed in 2015, a year after a fan-made version was first shown off (Capcom even asked for feedback on the fan-made remake). The team behind the Resident Evil HD Remaster was confirmed to be tackling 2, but the last we heard from them was in April 2016, when producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi discussed the impact of Resident Evil 6 feedback on the remake project. Two years later and the project remains veiled in secrecy. Heck, we still don't know if the Resident Evil 2 Remake will retain the original's camera angles or adopt the first-person perspective from Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. However, it's likely that we'll hear more about the game at this year's E3. After all, 2018 marks Resident Evil 2's 20th anniversary, which should be ample reason for the remake to finally release. We're crossing our fingers for a release date at least.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider
Shadow of the Tomb Raider is the third entry in the Tomb Raider reboot series. Square Enix officially revealed the game was in development March 2018, though it was technically leaked last year when a Square Enix employee was spotted in a subway train working on a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation with the game's name. While the game will be developed primarily by Eidos Montreal, it's worth noting that original reboot developer Crystal Dynamics will provide additional development on the project. You once again play as Lara Croft, who is on an expedition to Latin America in search of a Mayan relic. However, Trinity, a paramilitary organization who tried to hunt down Lara in the previous game, is also seeking the relic for its own gain. During the expedition, Lara sets off a Mayan apocalypse, which throws her down a journey to save the world. Shadow of the Tomb Raider sports a few key additions to the series formula, which includes revamped swimming controls for underwater exploration as well as more sophisticated stealth and AI systems. The game is scheduled to release on September 14, but we're hoping Square Enix intends to offer more details about the game at this year's E3.
Shenmue III
During the same Sony press conference Final Fantasy VII Remake was announced, it was revealed that Shenmue III was in the works. Revered Sega developer Yu Suzuki would finally get the chance to close out the trilogy he planned decades ago. Sega had given Suzuki the greenlight; he just had to get the game funded independently. The first Shenmue was originally conceived for the Sega Saturn, but the series would ultimately debut on Sega's next console, the Dreamcast, followed by a sequel which was also ported to the original Xbox. In other words, it's been a long time since Shenmue II left fans hanging; 17 years, so far. In the three years since the initiative was announced, Shenmue was funded in part by a controversial Kickstarter campaign and was picked up by publisher Deep Silver. Both Sony and Sega continue to support development, according to Suzuki. We don't know when Shenmue III will ultimately be released, though it was recently announced that enhanced HD ports of the first two games will be released for PlayStation 4 in 2018. While Suzuki and his various teams have released semi-regular updates on the game, the media released thus far has left some concerns in the minds of fans. But given that all footage is from early in development, it's not surprising that it's a little rough around the edges. If Sony has anything new to share, we should get a glimpse during its E3 2018 press conference on June 11.
Splinter Cell
Fans have been waiting for the better part of five years for a new Splinter Cell game. Ubisoft has not yet announced one, but CEO Yves Guillemot has made comments in the past year that certainly tease the possibility of a new entry. E3 might finally be when we see the game emerge. If Ubisoft hoped to catch everyone off-guard with a Splinter Cell announcement, it hasn't done the greatest job. The first big update of Ghost Recon Wildlands' second year featured a Splinter Cell theme, complete with an appearance by Sam Fisher. In a key move, Ubisoft brought back Fisher voice actor Michael Ironside, who did not appear in the most recent game, Blacklist. It's possible Ubisoft had plans for more than just a small cameo for Ironside, and his brief appearance is capped off with what could be the setup for a new game's plot. Combined with the Walmart Canada leak, which correctly listed Rage 2 and also listed a game called "Splinter Cell," maybe it's really happening.
Star Wars | Respawn
Titanfall developer Respawn Entertainment is working on a new third-person Star Wars game that's being directed by a of War III director Stig Asmussen. According to publisher EA (which owns Respawn as of last year), the game is an "all-new third-person action-adventure game set in the Star Wars universe." That's all we know about the game for certain, but it's intriguing to think about what the team behind one of the most trailblazing shooters in recent years may do with such a big and beloved sci-fi license. Fans may be happy to know that Respawn boss Vince Zampella met with The Force Awakens director JJ Abrams to talk about their respective works; oh to be a fly on that wall. EA would do well to give an update on all of its upcoming Star Wars projects at E3 this year, so hopefully we will know more about Respawn's game soon.
Star Wars Project | EA Vancouver
We actually know quite a bit about the Star Wars project that's in development with EA Vancouver--at least, the history of what it was, thanks to a detailed Kotaku report. But it's very likely that the single-player adventure game, codenamed "Ragtag" and formerly led by Uncharted director Amy Hennig, has gone the way of Star Wars 1313 and all but completely evaporated. In late 2017, the primary studio behind the Ragtag project, Visceral Games, was sadly closed. It had been working on this untitled Star Wars adventure since 2013, but the original game it set out to make has been effectively cancelled. EA Vancouver has since taken over completely and will pivot the game to become a "broader experience" and one that will "deliver an experience players will want to come back to for a long time to come," according to executive vice president of EA Worldwide Studios Patrick Söderlund.
SoulCalibur VI
The announcement at The Game Awards of SoulCalibur's return was a big, awesome surprise. The weapons-based fighter was once a leading series, and the original was the game to have for every Sega Dreamcast owner. But the series was relegated to secondary status for years while Bandai Namco's other franchises dominated the spotlight. With SoulCalibur VI, it's getting a new lease on life that many would argue is justly deserved. It's also got a few new tricks up its sleeve. Following in the footsteps of other contemporary fighting games, the introduction of the Reversal Edge mechanic in SoulCalibur VI is designed to give players a more accessible and punishing means of fending off their opponent to turn the tide of battle. It's the biggest addition to the SoulCalibur formula that we know of so far, but there's one big surprise to look forward to: Geralt of Rivia is joining the cast. There's no word on a specific release date yet, but SoulCalibur VI is on the books for 2018, and that hopefully means we will get a bunch of new info during E3.
Valkyria Chronicles 4
If you ever wanted an anime-esque tactical RPG in the modern era, you'll want to dive into the Valkyria Chronicles series. It's known for a unique blend of real-time controls within a turn-based strategy framework, but also for how it draws inspiration from World War II and European military history for its fiction. Valkyria Chronicles 4 continues the series' story of the Second Europan War fought on the continent of Europa between Atlantic Federation and the Eastern Imperial Alliance, but it instead focuses on the smaller stories taking place throughout the conflict. This will be the first mainline Valkyria Chronicles entry for major platforms since the first game, which released in 2008. Valkyria Chronicles 2 and 3 were exclusive to the PlayStation Portable, and the third game never came to North America. An action-RPG spinoff called Valkyria Revolution came out in 2016 but didn't come close to filling that void. Needless to say, we're hoping to see more from Sega about the localized version of Valkyria Chronicles 4 at E3 2018. The game is already out in Japan for PS4 but is set to release in worldwide on October 16 for PS4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One.
By GameSpot Staff on Jun 02, 2018 07:21 am
There's a lot of excitement surrounding Nintendo at E3 2018. The company has achieved massive success with the Switch thanks to its hybrid functionality and fantastic roster of games. And with highly-anticipated games in its upcoming lineup, like Super Smash Bros., Metroid Prime 4, and Pokemon, many are clamoring for more details and announcements. In addition, Nintendo continues to support the 3DS, consistently announcing compelling new games for the handheld. For both platforms, it's fair to say the focus is going to be on gameplay and trailers for many of the games we already know are releasing this holiday, as well as a slate of new and unannounced games. Here, in alphabetical order, are some of the biggest Switch and 3DS games we're fairly certain are going to be at E3 in some form or another. Hopefully most of them are playable, but even if some oprnly show up as a trailer, it's another chance to get a feel for what lies ahead. Many of these titles have been announced, but others are ones we're guessing based on the list of companies on the official E3 homepage. The first potential look we'll get at most of these games will be during the press conferences before E3 even begins. To make sure you're up to date with the times as well as the location for our E3 video streams, we have a hub rounding up all of that info as well. The following games are only a potential sampling of all the exciting titles that will come out of E3, and be sure to check out our editor's picks for the games we're most anticipating. But in the meantime, what games do you hope to learn more about at the show? Let us know in the comments below!
Bayonetta 3
Bayonetta 3 is the latest entry in the critically acclaimed character-action game series by developer Platinum Games. Revealed at The Game Awards 2017, little has been said about the game since. In the years before its reveal, series creator Hideki Kamiya had often discussed the possibility of a third game. Both Kamiya and Bayonetta 2 director Yusuke Hashimoto expressed interest in a new entry and stated that they still had ideas they'd love to pursue in future games. Bayonetta 3 will be a Switch exclusive, as Nintendo is funding its development--similar to Bayonetta 2 for Wii U. With so little known about Bayonetta 3, there's still so much to learn, and we're hoping that E3 2018 will be the platform that both Nintendo and Platinum Games uses to discuss it.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Renowned Castlevania developer Koji Igarashi is almost ready to launch his first project after striking out from Konami, and if you're familiar with his past, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night shouldn't come as too much of a surprise. This side-scrolling action game is set in an anime-tinged gothic world built on top of a sprawling map, with plenty of puzzles, boss battles, and upgrades to uncover. Originally pitched on Kickstarter back in 2015 (a campaign that was fully funded in a single day), Bloodstained is currently set to launch on Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC sometime in 2018. Igarashi and his co-developers from Inti Creates might as well take advantage of E3 to keep spreading the word, but a recent surprise announcement has already captured the attention of fans of old-school side-scrollers. A few weeks before E3, an original 8-bit Castlevania-esque game was given to backers and put up on most digital storefronts for about $10. Anyone interested in Bloodstained's ongoing development can follow the latest announcements over at the game's Kickstarter page. Be sure to keep an eye on the date next to the posts! Igarashi and co pulled a fast one when they announced that Bloodstained would passively mine digital currencies. Thankfully, this one was just an April fool's joke.
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
Nintendo announced in March that underrated Wii U game Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker would be coming to both Switch and 3DS. The charming platformer stars Captain Toad, who can't jump; instead, you rotate the map to find clever ways around obstacles. The updated version adds new content, including a New Donk City-themed level based on last year's Super Mario Odyssey (in which Captain Toad had a cameo). The Switch version will have two-player local multiplayer where each player uses a Joy-Con, one controlling Toad and the other providing support. The 3DS version features 3D support and touch controls. Both versions launch in July.
Dark Souls Remastered
Nintendo announced the Switch version of Dark Souls Remastered during a Direct presentation in January. It said the the Switch version would come with the Artorias of the Abyss DLC and display the game at 1080p resolution with 30 FPS when played in TV mode. That sounds pretty good, but it was supposed to release on May 24, the same day it came out on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. But publisher Bandai Namco announced in April that the Switch version--along with the Solaire of Astora Amiibo--had been delayed to this summer. The big question is why. Is it having trouble getting it to run smoothly on the Switch hardware? Did it decide to prioritize ironing bugs out of the other versions instead of launching the Switch version on time? We don't know. Let's hope all of the promises about Dark Souls Remastered running smoothly on Switch remain true when it finally launches this summer.
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
Will the eleventh core entry in the Dragon Quest saga finally be the one to break through to mainstream western success? The last major DQ game was back in 2010--Sentinels of the Starry Skies on the Nintendo DS--and Nintendo's 3DS handhelds have gotten reissues of the earlier entries in the series since. But outside of the offshoot Dragon Quest Heroes games, this'll be the first entry on home consoles since the PS2 era and the first time the series will be available on PC (in the West) ever. The alliterative title illustrates Dragon Quest's playful nature, and the colorful enemies and turn-based combat are mainstays of the series. But longtime fans know that Dragon Quest's charm comes from its endearing stories and puns that rival Monster Hunter's loquacious wordplay. And the possibility of yet another great game on Switch makes the wait for DQ11 all the more difficult.
Mario Tennis Aces
Mario might dabble in a lot of sports, but Tennis seems to be his true passion. Mario Tennis Aces marks the eighth dedicated Mario tennis game, putting it on the same level as the Mario Kart series. And while this version will include the same in-depth playing mechanics as previous entries, it will also incorporate some Wii Sports-like physicality. Players will be able to swing their joy-con like a racket to serve up a more visceral on-the-court experience. While Aces will include new characters (including a large but surprisingly spry-looking Chain Chomp), the biggest change this time around comes from the outfits. Mario is finally getting rid of the overalls in order to play tennis in shorts and a polo shirt. In every previous game, Mario has retained his trademark plumbers outfit. But this time, he's going for a comfortably sporty look. Just kidding. The bigger change is the adventure-like RPG mode. There's a story to explore that centers around a mystical racket along with bosses to battle and minigames to conquer. But those outfits are pretty fun too, right?
Fire Emblem for Nintendo Switch
A new, mainline Fire Emblem game for Switch was announced in January 2017 alongside Fire Emblem Echoes for 3DS and Fire Emblem Warriors. Both Echoes and Warriors have since released, but we haven't heard anything more about the upcoming entry into the main series. It will be the first time since 2007's Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn that a main Fire Emblem game has launched on a Nintendo home console (as opposed to a handheld). Of course, it'll still be portable, too, thanks to Switch. Last we heard, the game is scheduled to launch in 2018. If that's still true, it's likely we'll hear more about it at E3.
Luigi's Mansion
In a Direct back in March, Nintendo announced a 3DS remake of 2001 GameCube game Luigi's Mansion. It unsurprisingly stars Luigi, who has to investigate a ghost-filled mansion using a vacuum that can suck up the ghosts. The 3DS version features the same story and levels as the original, but it adds a map of the mansion on the bottom screen, improved visuals, and a new Boss Rush mode. It's slated to launch later this year, though no release date has been confirmed yet.
Mega Man 11
For several years, it seemed Capcom wouldn't be releasing any more new Mega Man games. Since the character creator Keiji Inafune's departure from Capcom, little had been announced for the fan-favorite blue bomber. However, Capcom has since focused more on supporting Mega Man, having since released several collections of the character's most iconic games on modern platforms. This ultimately paved way for the upcoming Mega Man 11, which was announced late last year to commemorate the character's 30th anniversary. Unlike past games, Mega Man 11 features 3D polygonal characters and environments. Aside from the new visual style, the game seems to play like classic games in the series. Since its reveal trailer, we've heard little about Mega Man 11. However, if there's any time that Capcom should talk about the game, it's E3. After all, the game is scheduled to release later this year, so we're hoping to that Capcom goes into more detail about the blue bomber's latest adventure.
Metroid Prime 4
Beyond the fact that Metroid Prime 4 exists and is coming to Switch at some point in the future, there's very little we can say about the game with absolute certainty. We also know that longtime Prime producer Kensuke Tanabe will lead a new team of talented developers for the project, but what that studio is and who is on the team beyond Tanabe remains a mystery. With nary an official word from Nintendo following the announcement at E3 2017-- consisting of a teaser video set against a star field, with familiar Metroid music, and the reveal of a logo--we are left to sift through rumors and wonder. The current working theories include: Bandai Namco is co-developing, it is scheduled to launch in 2018, and it may feature the character Sylux, who was confirmed by Tanabe to be in a spaceship featured in the special ending of Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. What we know about Sylux is mostly based on lore introduced in Nintendo DS's Metroid Prime: Hunters and, oddly enough, Super Smash Bros. Brawl (in a trophy description). But at the end of 2017's Metroid Prime: Federation Force, we also caught a glimpse of Sylux releasing a metroid from captivity. Is it a hint? Only time will tell.
Octopath Traveler
Octopath Traveler is a gorgeous game. For those who played SNES RPGs back in the '90s, Octopath doesn't just look like those old-school games; it looks the way you remember them. The game is an evolutionary offshoot to a world where game development didn't take a hard turn into more realistic, 3D worlds. The quirky name refers to the eight different characters and their intersecting stories as well as representing the game's unique mechanics. While E3 will show off a new portion of abilities and gameplay, the Nintendo Switch still has a free demo available for anyone who wants to try out the game early.
Pokemon for Nintendo Switch
At last year's E3, Nintendo announced a new Pokemon game for Nintendo Switch. The tease didn't include a title, logo, key art, or really any details at all--just that series developer Game Freak would be making the game, which will be a "core RPG" that "may not release for over a year." It's been a year now, of course, and although nothing has been confirmed for E3, it would make sense for Nintendo to give more details soon.
Shin Megami Tensei V
Persona 4 and Persona 5 elevated the Japanese RPG series to new heights in the West, but Shin Megami Tensei, the series Persona spun off from, remains a niche product despite having been around for the better part of three decades. With the upcoming release of Shin Megami Tensei V on Nintendo Switch, Atlus has a chance to bring new people into the fold, and while little is known about the game thus far, there's a good chance that Nintendo or Atlus will reveal more at E3. When SMT V was first announced in 2017, producer Kazuyuki Yamai stated that the game's metropolitan setting and story would invoke contemporary social concerns such as unemployment and the threat of nuclear war to form the basis of its story. Of course, the series is also well known for presenting cities (Tokyo, usually) overrun by demons, and that will be the case once again. Given that this will be the first HD game in the series, Yamai pointed out the 3D modelling process for the many demons in the game (and their combined fused forms) will take three times as long as it did for the previous games. There's currently no firm release date in sight, but according to the official english website, SMT V is "coming soon to the Americas and Europe."
Super Smash Bros.
After a bit of a wait, the next Super Smash Bros. game is confirmed for Switch! Details are scarce, but we do know that Splatoon's Inklings will join the roster for the first time, and there are of course characters we expect to return (including Mario and Bowser, judging by the silhouettes in the reveal trailer). We also know that Nintendo will be holding a Smash Bros. Switch invitational tournament during E3, and it will be playable on the show floor for attendees. As a result, we can expect to get more information about the game--like whether it's a souped-up port of Smash Bros. on Wii U or an entirely new entry from the ground up--very soon.
Valkyria Chronicles 4
If you ever wanted an anime-esque tactical RPG in the modern era, you'll want to dive into the Valkyria Chronicles series. It's known for a unique blend of real-time controls within a turn-based strategy framework, but also for how it draws inspiration from World War II and European military history for its fiction. Valkyria Chronicles 4 continues the series' story of the Second Europan War fought on the continent of Europa between Atlantic Federation and the Eastern Imperial Alliance, but it instead focuses on the smaller stories taking place throughout the conflict. This will be the first mainline Valkyria Chronicles entry for major platforms since the first game, which released in 2008. Valkyria Chronicles 2 and 3 were exclusive to the PlayStation Portable, and the third game never came to North America. An action-RPG spinoff called Valkyria Revolution came out in 2016 but didn't come close to filling that void. Needless to say, we're hoping to see more from Sega about the localized version of Valkyria Chronicles 4 at E3 2018. The game is currently out in Japan for PS4 but is set to release in worldwide on October 16 for Nintendo Switch and other platforms.
WarioWare Gold
The 3DS is probably near the end of its long, long lifecycle, but the console's not dead yet. And there are few finer series than WarioWare to see the system through its golden years. The next entry in the fast-paced franchise is a more of a Greatest Hits-type collection, rather than a wholly original creation. As it features 300 new and returning micro-games from previous entries in the franchise, Nintendo is touting this game as the largest in the series to date.
Yoshi for Nintendo Switch
Revealed during Nintendo's E3 2017 presentation, the new Yoshi game for Switch looks as adorable as you'd expect. While we know very little--not even the game's official title--the E3 reveal included a trailer showing off this game's twist on the series' slower-paced platformer gameplay. Levels look sort of like dioramas, and you switch from the front view to a behind-the-scenes look to reveal the stages' secrets. The game will also support two-player local co-op. Since Nintendo has said that this year's E3 presentation will focus on games coming out soon, it's likely we'll hear more about Yoshi then.
By GameSpot Staff on Jun 02, 2018 07:20 am
We're five years into the the life cycle of PS4, which means it's going to be all about the games at E3 2018. While there's always the possibility of some of kind of big tech or hardware tease, it's more likely that Sony will save any of those types of announcements for another time. The focus is going to be on gameplay and trailers for many of the games we already know are releasing this holiday, as well as a slate of new and unannounced games. Here, in alphabetical order, are some of the biggest PS4 games we're pretty sure are going to be at E3 in some form or another. Hopefully most of them are playable, but even if some only show up as a trailer, it's another chance to get a feel for what lies ahead. Many of these titles have been announced, but others are titles we're guessing based on the list of companies on the official E3 homepage. The first potential look we'll get at most of these games will be during the press conferences before E3 even begins. To make sure you're up to date with the times as well as the location for our E3 video streams, we have a hub rounding up all of that info as well. The following games are only a potential sampling of all the exciting titles that will come out of E3, and be sure to check out our editor's picks for the games we're most anticipating. But in the meantime, what games do you hope to learn more about at the show? Let us know in the comments below!
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is the latest in Namco Bandai's arcade jet-fighting franchise, and as the first numbered series entry in over a decade, it marks a return to the series' roots in military and political melodrama. The lead writer from beloved entries Ace Combat 4 and 5, Sunao Katabuchi, is back for Skies of Liberation, which is a very good sign. Ace Combat 7 was first revealed at PlayStation Experience in 2015, and we've seen a little bit about its story, had a brief hands-on with its campaign demo, and heard a lot about its VR mode. It's a beautiful-looking game, with a lot of new technological work going into its clouds. But after a delay last year, we just want to know when it's coming out. Hopefully, Bandai Namco will tell us during E3 2018.
Anthem
BioWare is one of the most beloved developers in the industry. It's best known for single-player RPGs, but with Anthem, it appears to be trying its hand at crafting a competitor to Destiny. That's an intriguing prospect in its own right, although at this point BioWare and EA have shared very little about what we can actually expect. Destiny appears to be the best comparison based on what we know, which is that you're playing in a shared world as a "freelancer" wearing an exosuit. One thing BioWare has offered reassurances about is that multiplayer is optional. It promises "you can choose to play through the story with only your friends, or even on your own." Games have often struggled with making the story in a multiplayer game feel like you are truly the central character, but BioWare is "taking this problem head-on and structuring the entire game design to provide a specific solution for this." Again, that's extremely vague, but BioWare is at least saying the right things. EA Play should provide us with a much better sense of how the studio is blending open-world action and third-person shooter gameplay, as well as whether it can avoid the pratfalls that have held Destiny back. Anthem is due out early in 2019.
The Avengers Project
We don't know much about the upcoming Avengers Project, but there are plenty of reasons to be excited about this mysterious collaboration between Marvel and publisher Square Enix. With a terrific-looking Spider-Man game coming up soon and back-to-back blockbuster entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, anything even tangentially related to the Avengers sounds like a sure bet. And Crystal Dynamics in particular has been earned plenty of good will. After the very good Tomb Raider, then the even better Rise of the Tomb Raider, it's exciting to imagine what might come about from the combination of Crystal Dynamics' development cachet and the Avengers' effortless mix of humor and blockbuster action. The website for the Avengers Project says it will have a "completely original story," but it'd be great if there was some kind of crossover with the movies, especially in this post-Infinity War world. Maybe the game could offer a glimpse into stories that'd be too far-reaching for a three-hour movie to tackle.
Battlefield V
We now have a ton of information around the next Battlefield game set in WWII. Although we haven't been able to play yet in order to confirm what was shown in the first reveal trailer, we have an extensive breakdown of what we know so far. Battlefield V introduces a large number of new mechanics that drive squads together and get them playing objectives. This includes the idea of ammo scarcity, the ability to build and fortify objectives, the ability to tow weapons with vehicles, and a new squad commander radio in order to call in powerful attacks. The campaign will focus on more personal stories from WWII, and some locations already shown are the mountains of Norway, French Countryside, and North Africa. The game will also have a co-op campaign with randomly generated elements called Combined Arms. Battlefield V will launch for everyone on October 19 and will not have a premium pass. New content is planned to roll out on a regular schedule through the Tides of War live service starting in November. Players will be able to participate in timed events and challenges to unlock a large variety of customization for their soldiers not seen in previous Battlefield games, including individual items of clothing. We should get our first hands-on at E3.
Beyond Good and Evil 2
Beyond Good and Evil 2 is the long-awaited successor to the 2003 original by acclaimed developer Michel Ancel. Revealed at Ubisoft's E3 2017 press conference, the game was long believed to never come out after having been stuck in development for since as early as 2007. The game takes place several generations prior to the events of the first game. You play as a space pirate of who starts the game at the bottom of the world's social ladder. Unlike the original, Beyond Good and Evil 2 plays more as a traditional RPG where you complete activities and increase your stats. As you progress, you assemble a crew, explore various planets, and create your own society of like-minded pirates. The game also features multiplayer elements, though not much has been revealed about how it'll work. Unlike recent games in its catalog, Ubisoft has been focused on involving people in Beyond Good and Evil 2's development via the Space Monkey Program, a community forum where people can contribute ideas and offer feedback to developers. While Beyond Good and Evil 2 only entered active development only just before its reveal at E3 2017, we're hoping that Ancel will offer another look at how the game is shaping up at this year's big show.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Renowned Castlevania developer Koji Igarashi is almost ready to launch his first project after striking out from Konami, and if you're familiar with his past, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night shouldn't come as too much of a surprise. This side-scrolling action game is set in an anime-tinged gothic world built on top of a sprawling map, with plenty of puzzles, boss battles, and upgrades to uncover. Originally pitched on Kickstarter back in 2015 (a campaign that was fully funded in a single day), Bloodstained is currently set to launch on Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC sometime in 2018. Igarashi and his co-developers from Inti Creates might as well take advantage of E3 to keep spreading the word, but a recent surprise announcement has already captured the attention of fans of old-school side-scrollers. A few weeks before E3, an original 8-bit Castlevania-esque game was given to backers and put up on most digital storefronts for about $10. Anyone interested in Bloodstained's ongoing development can follow the latest announcements over at the game's Kickstarter page. Be sure to keep an eye on the date next to the posts! Igarashi and co pulled a fast one when they announced that Bloodstained would passively mine digital currencies. Thankfully, this one was just an April fool's joke.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
As part of the Black Ops 4's big announcement event in May, we learned that this year's entry in the juggernaut shooter series does not have a traditional campaign. In lieu of that, the game will offer an assortment of solo missions that revolve around each of the game's Specialist characters. Activision says these missions--which are set between Black Ops 2 and 3--will deliver the franchise's iconic set-piece moments, while also diving into some backstory. In another first for the series, Black Ops 4 will offer a Battle Royale-type mode called Blackout where players will fight to the death to become the last person or squad standing. We don't know all the details yet, but Activision is promising to do battle royale "the Black Ops way," and we're likely to hear more about that soon. Traditional head-to-head multiplayer is also back, along with an all-new Zombies experience. Developer Treyarch created the fan-favourite mode, and this year it looks bigger and better than ever with three distinct maps offering experiences that pull from wildly different things like the ill-fated Titanic and Roman battle arenas. Black Ops 4 launches on October 12 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC (through Battle.net).
Code Vein
Yes, the Dark Souls comparison for any game that vaguely resembles the series might be a little tired, but Code Vein is most certainly in the vein of the iconic, brutal third-person action-RPG games. From early gameplay footage it seems that Bandai Namco (which also publishes the Souls franchise) is using the same foundation beat for beat in Code Vein, and we see that as a good thing. Terrifying beasts that deal heavy damage occupy the open world, but at least you'll have a set of supernatural abilities in addition to hulking swords and spears. A key difference here is the anime-inspired art style for character designs and post-apocalyptic setting with a vampiric theme that offers its own distinct flavor. Code Vein is set to release sometime in 2018, and we expect Bandai Namco to feature the game at E3 this year. Bandai Namco has been trickling out new screenshots and teasing story elements throughout the year, so we have our fingers crossed for a release date announcement.
Cyberpunk 2077
It seems like CD Projekt Red has been working on this game forever. First announced in 2012, Cyberpunk 2077 is the developer's next major game after The Witcher 3--which means it has some big shoes to fill. It, too, is a massive open-world RPG, but this one is set in the future, just like Cyberpunk 2020, the tabletop game it's based on. The game takes place in Night City, California, a fictional metropolis between San Francisco and Los Angeles. The developer has been fairly tight-lipped about Cyberpunk 2077 since the initial announcement, but we do know it's aiming to be even bigger in scope than The Witcher 3 and will support some kind of multiplayer component. But CD Projekt Red has been clear that fans of Witcher-style solo campaigns don't need to worry--it will still feature a meaty single-player experience. CD Projekt Red is confirmed as an E3 2018 attendee, so we hope to learn more soon.
Days Gone
We first learned about Days Gone during Sony's press conference at E3 2016. The publisher showed an announce trailer and a gameplay demo that revealed a somber game about a biker trying to make his way in a post-apocalyptic Pacific Northwest. You play as Deacon St. John, a bounty hunter traveling through a broken world that's infested with zombie-like creatures called Freakers. What caused the apocalypse is a mystery, as is much of the game's plot. But we've seen plenty of the enemies, which sure do look like zombies, despite developer Bend Studios swearing up and down that they're not. These creatures lust for blood and have a tendency to group together in fast-moving hordes, just like the zombies in World War Z. Though it was originally set to release in 2018, Sony announced in March that Days Gone would be delayed until 2019. That's where we stand now, but we hope to see more of the game at E3 2018.
Death Stranding
Hideo Kojima is in a class of his own when it comes to making you want something you know next to nothing about. Ever since the debut of Death Stranding at E3 2016, the year following his very public post-Metal Gear Solid V departure from Konami, we've been trying to understand what exactly is going on with Norman Reedus and the enigmatic and near-lifeless world where the laws of time and space are in flux. So far we've seen only three incredibly cryptic trailers that showcase some amazing visuals, but they have left us even more confused. According to Kojima, his upcoming game--published by Sony and running on the same engine as Horizon: Zero Dawn--is an open-world action game with online elements. Other than that, we have next to no clue regarding how it will play. What we do know is that Norman Reedus plays a character named Sam who's exploring a world where the very rain--known as Timefall--will cause people to rapidly age upon exposure. Oh yeah, and there's a baby in a high-tech container, and Mads Mikkelsen--who can control a group of skeleton soldiers wielding weapons from World War II--may or may not be the villain. It's really bizarre stuff, yet all of it is strangely alluring. It was recently confirmed that Death Stranding will be one of the four major titles to be presented at Sony's E3 2018 press conference, and Kojima himself has even been sharing some teases of the game on social media. We'll likely see some actual gameplay of Death Stranding this time around, and we'll probably be just as confused as before. And that's OK. The three trailers have left a spellbinding effect on the audience, and we're looking forward to Kojima sharing some even more ridiculous and grotesque footage with everyone.
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
Will the eleventh core entry in the Dragon Quest saga finally be the one to break through to mainstream western success? The last major DQ game was back in 2010--Sentinels of the Starry Skies on the Nintendo DS--and Nintendo's 3DS handhelds have gotten reissues of the earlier entries in the series since. But outside of the offshoot Dragon Quest Heroes games, this'll be the first entry on home consoles since the PS2 era and the first time the series will be available on PC (in the West) ever. The alliterative title illustrates Dragon Quest's playful nature, and the colorful enemies and turn-based combat are mainstays of the series. But longtime fans know that Dragon Quest's charm comes from its endearing stories and puns that rival Monster Hunter's loquacious wordplay. And the possibility of yet another great game on Switch makes the wait for DQ11 all the more difficult.
The Division 2
2016's The Division got off to a hot start, but it quickly fell off the map due to lingering issues and other problems that pushed players to different games. To its credit, Ubisoft kept updating The Division to make it better, releasing more content to keep existing players pleased. Many would agree that the game eventually got to a better place. But for many others, that ship had sailed. With The Division 2, which is in the works at the same developer--Massive Entertainment--fans will be hoping for a better-realised, more fully fleshed out multiplayer shooter experience. The first game did many things well, from its intuitive co-op and matchmaking, to its tense and thrilling Dark Zone. It was set in a post-disaster Manhattan and offered a faithfully recreated version of the iconic city. We don't know yet if The Division 2 will also be set in Manhattan or what other advancements it may make, but it's definitely one of our most anticipated games.
Just Cause 4
Just Cause 4 has yet to be revealed, but its name did show up in a recent Walmart leak. The same was true of Rage 2, which has already proven to be real and lends some credence to the possibility that Just Cause 4 exists. With a movie happening (with Aquaman/Khal Drogo himself, Jason Momoa, set to star), it's not hard to imagine there being plans for a game to go along with it. Series developer Avalanche Studios has been fairly quiet since the release of its big 2015 open-world games, Just Cause 3 and Mad Max. Just where it could go with a potential Just Cause 4 is unclear, but we do know multiplayer mods for the last two entries have proven popular, and that multiplayer is something Avalanche has discussed. With GTA Online proving to be such a success for Rockstar, some kind of way to play Just Cause with friends would make for an exciting reveal.
Final Fantasy VII Remake
Since it was announced in 2015, the most notable headline regarding the Final Fantasy VII Remake was that Square Enix's partner studio on the project, Cyberconnect2 (.Hack, Asura's Wrath, Naruto Shippuden) would be relegated to the sidelines. This shift was the result of a decision to make the remake a multi-game project in order to avoid making cuts to the original story. The current aim is to make each game roughly the same size as Final Fantasy XIII. The best look we've had at the game thus far was the PSX 2015 trailer, which landed a mere few months after the game's announcement. In that two-minute-plus trailer, we got a look at the opening scene where Cloud, Barret, Biggs, and Wedge infiltrate an energy plant, as well as a glimpse at the real-time combat system. By all appearances, Final Fantasy VII Remake will play a bit like Final Fantasy XV, but it's difficult to say without hands-on experience, and there's no telling what's changed since Cyberconnect2 handed over key development to Square-Enix. Hopefully, if we end up seeing Final Fantasy VII Remake at E3, we will have more definitive answers.
Ghost of Tsushima
Since Infamous: First Light released in 2014, the public has been kept in the dark as to what developer Sucker Punch Productions has been working on. Sony had confirmed in 2015 that the studio was working on a new game and that it was playable. We finally learned what it has in development at Paris Games Week 2017 when Sucker Punch Productions unveiled Ghost of Tsushima, an open-world samurai-themed action game. Ghost of Tsushima is set on the island of Tsushima during the Mongol invasions of Japan in 1294. You play as a lone samurai turned vengeful assassin--likely fighting to drive out the Mongol army from Japan. The game appears to take you to numerous locales across Tsushima, which includes rural villages, bamboo forests, and wide-open fields. A brief instance at the end of the teaser showcased the ability to throw bombs and surprising enemies with a jumping attack from above. Sony hasn't said much about Ghost of Tsushima since its initial reveal trailer half a year ago. However, the company has confirmed that it'll talk more about Ghost of Tsushima at its E3 2018 press conference.
Kingdom Hearts III
It's important to remember that the original Kingdom Hearts came out in 2002. Back then, the absurd premise was initially laughed off as a too-weird-to-work idea, but upon playing it, players were introduced to an incredibly heartfelt and charming story that coupled the cheerfulness of classic Disney with some engaging action-RPG gameplay. While exploring several classic Disney worlds with Sora, Donald Duck, and Goofy, they'd battle some well-known Disney villains and discover the almighty power of friendship. As cheesy as that sounds, it all worked, and Kingdom Hearts is a game that stuck with many fans over the years. Its direct-sequel was released in 2006, and while we've had a number of games that covered several side-stories and events with Sora and his friends, Kingdom Hearts III was officially announced at E3 2013. It's been many years since we've seen Sora and crew in a mainline entry of the series, and their time away has shown us some remarkable growth. We recently had the chance to play some of Kingdom Hearts III, and we were surprised at how much the game has not only kept its charm, but its story and characters have gotten a bit better with age. With many of Kingdom Hearts' most diehard fans growing into adulthood, Sora has grown up as well, showing a newfound level of maturity. It'll interesting to see how E3 2018 will turn out for Kingdom Hearts III. We'll likely see more gameplay and the reveal of some upcoming worlds at the show, but there is one thing coming up that will excite fans even more. During a recent event, Kingdom Hearts' director, Tetsuya Nomura, stated that the official release date will be revealed at the upcoming show. It's been a long time coming for the next major game in the series, and it now looks like the end is in sight.
The Last of Us Part II
Naughty Dog's follow-up to 2013's The Last of Us may be one of the most highly anticipated games of E3 2018. The Last of Us Part II sees the return of Ellie and Joel, with Ellie as the main playable character. A brutal trailer unveiled at last year's Paris Games Week didn't show Joel or Ellie at all, though; it instead featured an unknown young woman who is tortured by a mysterious group of people, and it concluded with Infected rushing the scene. We haven't seen much of the game itself, but we do know some background details. The first game's director, Bruce Straley, isn't returning to direct the sequel. Naughty Dog's Neil Druckmann has also stated that if the first game's theme is love, the theme of Part II is hate--and that neither Joel nor Ellie is safe from harm.
Left Alive
Square Enix caught many people off-guard with the surprise announcement of Left Alive at Tokyo Game Show 2017, and while details remain scarce, an eye-catching trailer and list of notable developers was all it took to grab our attention. Both the teaser trailer and gameplay trailer released at the show set the stage for a sci-fi epic with war as a central theme. With Metal Gear artist Yoji Shinkawa on board, it's no surprise that Left Alive bears some resemblance to Hideo Kojima's iconic stealth series. But don't confuse it for a spiritual successor, as the brief glimpse of gameplay we've seen so far is solely focused on gunplay, and there's another series known for examining the realities of war that's confirmed to be the basis for Left Alive's setting. According to producer Shinji Hashimoto, a longtime Square Enix employee with a long list of beloved games under his belt, Left Alive is connected to Square Enix's Front Mission series. The typical grid-based mechanics are out, obviously, but the series' iconic Wanzer mechs are back. Chances are you will eventually get to pilot one (we hope) but in an interesting twist, we know for sure that at some point in the game you will have to face towering mechs as a soldier on the ground. The odds aren't in your favor, but this is part of the appeal thus far: What will it take to come out on top? Hopefully, Square Enix intends to tell us at E3 2018.
Madden NFL 19
Madden Season may still be a few months off, but it's never too early to get excited about the next instalment in EA Sports' football series. Last year's Madden 18 was generally great, praised for its advancements to gameplay and visuals along with its brand-new single-player mode, Longshot, featuring Oscar winner Mahershala Ali. The game's Franchise mode lacked significant updates and improvements, so hopefully EA can give more attention to it with this year's game. Another interesting wrinkle is that Madden's creative director for the past half-decade, Rex Dickson, has left the company, teasing in his departure notice that some changes would be coming to the Madden formula this year.
Mega Man 11
For several years, it seemed Capcom wouldn't be releasing any more new Mega Man games. Since the character creator Keiji Inafune's departure from Capcom, little had been announced for the fan-favorite blue bomber. However, Capcom has since focused more on supporting Mega Man, having since released several collections of the character's most iconic games on modern platforms. This ultimately paved way for the upcoming Mega Man 11, which was announced late last year to commemorate the character's 30th anniversary. Unlike past games, Mega Man 11 features 3D polygonal characters and environments. Aside from the new visual style, the game seems to play like classic games in the series. Since its reveal trailer, we've heard little about Mega Man 11. However, if there's any time that Capcom should talk about the game, it's E3. After all, the game is scheduled to release later this year, so we're hoping to that Capcom goes into more detail about the blue bomber's latest adventure.
Metro Exodus
Metro Exodus continues the legacy of the post-apocalyptic first-person shooter series from Ukrainian developer 4A Games. What makes Metro special is its foreboding atmosphere; the underground metro tunnels are home to the human race as the surface is far too hostile and radiated, and the setting truly evokes a sense of vulnerability and desperation. Exodus appears to be continuing this tradition by picking up two years after the events of Last Light's "good" ending. However, it seems as though series protagonist Artyom is spending much more time on the surface as he flees the Metro system alongside fellow rangers to head eastward and start a new life. But it wouldn't be Metro without irradiated beasts roaming the surface, in and around the city streets that once harbored human life. The challenge has always been surviving radiation by scavenging for gas masks and conserving your limited ammo, all while managing the threat of the deformed creatures. Although it was recently announced that Metro Exodus' launch was delayed to early 2019, publisher Deep Silver is going to be present at E3 2018, so we expect to see a bit more of the game at the show. Exodus was first revealed during Microsoft's Xbox press conference at E3 2017 and will also be launching for PS4.
NHL 19
Though it doesn't get as much attention as EA's other big-name sports franchises like FIFA and Madden, the company's NHL series is still a hit each year. NHL 18 was a fantastic, genuine recreation of the sport, and with its 3v3 mode, it offered a simpler way for new players to pick up the game and learn the basics. Every year EA continues to surprise and impress with the incredible level of detail it pours into recreating hockey in a video game, and we expect this year's entry to be no different. It's likely that NHL 19 will be officially announced during EA's briefing, and it should be out in September for home consoles.
Rage 2
Maybe it's a coincidence, or maybe it's impressive damage control on Bethesda's part, but the recent reveal of Rage 2 and the release of two trailers came hot on the heels of the unusual leak from Walmart just weeks prior to E3. So what has Bethesda shown thus far? A lot, surprisingly. The first trailer didn't feature any gameplay, but set the stage for Rage 2's new tone with a fun track by rocker Andrew W.K. and a lot of neon-tinted actors in punk-ish, post-apocalyptic armor rocking out. The gameplay trailer was obviously more revealing and gave us a glimpse into a dreary yet-oddly enticing wasteland. Compared to the original Rage, the sequel doesn't seem to take itself too seriously, and will take advantage of that fact by giving you access to outlandish vehicles and weapons with which to battle twisted mutants and other deranged survivors. All of this is set to take place in an open world. The gameplay seen thus far seems reminiscent of Destiny or Borderlands' first-person action, but with Avalanche Studios behind the wheel it's safe to say that Rage 2 will have a feel all its own. For a more reasonable example of what the team may do with the world, we can look to two of its previous projects: Just Cause 3 and Mad Max. It's also been confirmed that id Software (Doom, Rage, Quake Champions) will co-develop Rage 2, hopefully to keep an eye on the shooting mechanics. We should find out a lot more during Bethesda's E3 press conference on June 10.
Skull & Bones
Inspired by the best part of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag--the sailing--Skull & Bones is a standalone adventure on the high seas. While there will be a multiplayer treasure-hunting component, and you'll also be able to challenge other pirates in their customized galleys, S&B will include a single-player campaign if you'd prefer to go it alone. Ubisoft has revealed very few gameplay details so far, and there's little chance that the game will even be released this year. But for anyone who might've gotten a taste for piracy in Sea of Thieves (or who really miss AC4), there are going to be a lot more looting adventures to learn about during E3.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Rockstar typically doesn't have a big presence at E3; the company's games are big enough to draw hype on all their own without the need to share the spotlight with other companies. But there's always the chance that there'll be a new trailer or feature announcement during someone's stage show for Red Dead Redemption 2. As many teases as we've seen around the game's Western story, there are even more unexplored mysteries. What's the gunplay like? What new features will the game introduce? And most importantly, how will multiplayer work? Don't expect to get a full demo or even to see much gameplay, but another Red Dead tease is always possible.
Resident Evil 2 Remake
Resident Evil 2 Remake was confirmed in 2015, a year after a fan-made version was first shown off (Capcom even asked for feedback on the fan-made remake). The team behind the Resident Evil HD Remaster was confirmed to be tackling 2, but the last we heard from them was in April 2016, when producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi discussed the impact of Resident Evil 6 feedback on the remake project. Two years later and the project remains veiled in secrecy. Heck, we still don't know if the Resident Evil 2 Remake will retain the original's camera angles or adopt the first-person perspective from Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. However, it's likely that we'll hear more about the game at this year's E3. After all, 2018 marks Resident Evil 2's 20th anniversary, which should be ample reason for the remake to finally release. We're crossing our fingers for a release date at least.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider
Shadow of the Tomb Raider is the third entry in the Tomb Raider reboot series. Square Enix officially revealed the game was in development March 2018, though it was technically leaked last year when a Square Enix employee was spotted in a subway train working on a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation with the game's name. While the game will be developed primarily by Eidos Montreal, it's worth noting that original reboot developer Crystal Dynamics will provide additional development on the project. You once again play as Lara Croft, who is on an expedition to Latin America in search of a Mayan relic. However, Trinity, a paramilitary organization who tried to hunt down Lara in the previous game, is also seeking the relic for its own gain. During the expedition, Lara sets off a Mayan apocalypse, which throws her down a journey to save the world. Shadow of the Tomb Raider sports a few key additions to the series formula, which includes revamped swimming controls for underwater exploration as well as more sophisticated stealth and AI systems. The game is scheduled to release on September 14, but we're hoping Square Enix intends to offer more details about the game at this year's E3.
Shenmue III
During the same Sony press conference Final Fantasy VII Remake was announced, it was revealed that Shenmue III was in the works. Revered Sega developer Yu Suzuki would finally get the chance to close out the trilogy he planned decades ago. Sega had given Suzuki the greenlight; he just had to get the game funded independently. The first Shenmue was originally conceived for the Sega Saturn, but the series would ultimately debut on Sega's next console, the Dreamcast, followed by a sequel which was also ported to the original Xbox. In other words, it's been a long time since Shenmue II left fans hanging; 17 years, so far. In the three years since the initiative was announced, Shenmue was funded in part by a controversial Kickstarter campaign and was picked up by publisher Deep Silver. Both Sony and Sega continue to support development, according to Suzuki. We don't know when Shenmue 3 will ultimately be released, though it was recently announced that enhanced HD ports of the first two games will be released for PlayStation 4 in 2018. While Suzuki and his various teams have released semi-regular updates on the game, the media released thus far has left some concerns in the minds of fans. But given that all footage is from early in development, it's not surprising that it's a little rough around the edges. If Sony has anything new to share, we should get a glimpse during its E3 2018 press conference on June 11.
Splinter Cell
Fans have been waiting for the better part of five years for a new Splinter Cell game. Ubisoft has not yet announced one, but CEO Yves Guillemot has made comments in the past year that certainly tease the possibility of a new entry. E3 might finally be when we see the game emerge. If Ubisoft hoped to catch everyone off-guard with a Splinter Cell announcement, it hasn't done the greatest job. The first big update of Ghost Recon Wildlands' second year featured a Splinter Cell theme, complete with an appearance by Sam Fisher. In a key move, Ubisoft brought back Fisher voice actor Michael Ironside, who did not appear in the most recent game, Blacklist. It's possible Ubisoft had plans for more than just a small cameo for Ironside, and his brief appearance is capped off with what could be the setup for a new game's plot. Combined with the Walmart Canada leak, which correctly listed Rage 2 and also listed a game called "Splinter Cell," maybe it's really happening.
Star Wars | Respawn
Titanfall developer Respawn Entertainment is working on a new third-person Star Wars game that's being directed by a of War III director Stig Asmussen. According to publisher EA (which owns Respawn as of last year), the game is an "all-new third-person action-adventure game set in the Star Wars universe." That's all we know about the game for certain, but it's intriguing to think about what the team behind one of the most trailblazing shooters in recent years may do with such a big and beloved sci-fi license. Fans may be happy to know that Respawn boss Vince Zampella met with The Force Awakens director JJ Abrams to talk about their respective works; oh to be a fly on that wall. EA would do well to give an update on all of its upcoming Star Wars projects at E3 this year, so hopefully we will know more about Respawn's game soon.
Star Wars Project | EA Vancouver
We actually know quite a bit about the Star Wars project that's in development with EA Vancouver--at least, the history of what it was, thanks to a detailed Kotaku report. But it's very likely that the single-player adventure game, codenamed "Ragtag" and formerly led by Uncharted director Amy Hennig, has gone the way of Star Wars 1313 and all but completely evaporated. In late 2017, the primary studio behind the Ragtag project, Visceral Games, was sadly closed. It had been working on this untitled Star Wars adventure since 2013, but the original game it set out to make has been effectively cancelled. EA Vancouver has since taken over completely and will pivot the game to become a "broader experience" and one that will "deliver an experience players will want to come back to for a long time to come," according to executive vice president of EA Worldwide Studios Patrick Söderlund.
SoulCalibur VI
The announcement at The Game Awards of SoulCalibur's return was a big, awesome surprise. The weapons-based fighter was once a leading series, and the original was the game to have for every Sega Dreamcast owner. But the series was relegated to secondary status for years while Bandai Namco's other franchises dominated the spotlight. With SoulCalibur VI, it's getting a new lease on life that many would argue is justly deserved. It's also got a few new tricks up its sleeve. Following in the footsteps of other contemporary fighting games, the introduction of the Reversal Edge mechanic in SoulCalibur VI is designed to give players a more accessible and punishing means of fending off their opponent to turn the tide of battle. It's the biggest addition to the SoulCalibur formula that we know of so far, but there's one big surprise to look forward to: Geralt of Rivia is joining the cast. There's no word on a specific release date yet, but SoulCalibur VI is on the books for 2018, and that hopefully means we will get a bunch of new info during E3.
Spider-Man
Though Spider-Man has had a spotty history when it comes to video game adaptations, Sony's upcoming exclusive looks to be one of the rare standouts. Developed by Insomniac Games--the creators of Spyro the Dragon, Ratchet and Clank, and Sunset Overdrive--the studio has paired its talents for open-world action and solid-platforming mechanics with the agility and finesse of Spider-Man's moves. Fun and verticality are some of the key things to have in a good Spider-Man game, and those are on full display in the upcoming one. It truly looks like it will be a blast to play. According to the developer, we've only seen a fraction of what you can expect to do in the game. It picks up with Spider-Man at the top of his crime-fighting game, and the wallcrawler will still have his work cut out for him when new villains start popping up in New York City. But when he isn't battling multiple armed robbers and stopping super-powered bad guys, he'll stop to take selfies with civilians and help the locals out with their errands. Though helping kids find their balloons doesn't seem to be a thing in the game, Marvel's Spider-Man looks to fulfill the fantasy of being web-slinger quite accurately.
Valkyria Chronicles 4
If you ever wanted an anime-esque tactical RPG in the modern era, you'll want to dive into the Valkyria Chronicles series. It's known for a unique blend of real-time controls within a turn-based strategy framework, but also for how it draws inspiration from World War II and European military history for its fiction. Valkyria Chronicles 4 continues the series' story of the Second Europan War fought on the continent of Europa between Atlantic Federation and the Eastern Imperial Alliance, but it instead focuses on the smaller stories taking place throughout the conflict. This will be the first mainline Valkyria Chronicles entry for major platforms since the first game, which released in 2008. Valkyria Chronicles 2 and 3 were exclusive to the PlayStation Portable, and the third game never came to North America. An action-RPG spinoff called Valkyria Revolution came out in 2016 but didn't come close to filling that void. Needless to say, we're hoping to see more from Sega about the localized version of Valkyria Chronicles 4 at E3 2018. The game is already out in Japan for PS4 but is set to release in worldwide on October 16 for PS4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One.
Yakuza Kiwami 2
2018 is the year of Yakuza, and Kiwami 2 is going to be one of the key components for spreading the good word of Kazuma Kiryu. As a remake of the second entry, Yakuza Kiwami 2 will tell the story of how Kiryu's friends in the Tojo Clan are on the brink of destruction due to a coup that took place within their Omi Alliance rivals. The sinister Ryuji Goda seizes control of the Omi, but that's only scratching the surface of the gripping drama of Yakuza 2. A foreign mafia meddles in Japanese affairs, and uncovering the mystery as to why and how alongside the Osakan detective Kaoru Sayama becomes the game's narrative focus. Yakuza games wouldn't be the same without everyone's idol Goro Majima, and Kiwami 2 brings a brand-new campaign called The Truth of Goro Majima that delves deeper into the backstory of the beloved, eccentric character. You'll learn of the events that occurred between the first two games and how Majima's ridiculous journey led him to become a construction business tycoon in Yakuza 2. Kiwami 2 released in Japan for PS4 back in December 2017, but it was recently announced for the West and is set for an August 28 launch. We hope to get our hands on this reimagination of one of Kiryu's most wild rides, especially since it's made with the Dragon engine which powered Yakuza 6: The Song of Life and brought Kamurocho to life like never before.
By GameSpot Staff on Jun 02, 2018 07:18 am
We're several years into the the life cycle of the PS4 and Xbox One, and Nintendo just released the Switch last year, which means one thing for E3 2018: it's going to be all about the games. Sure, there's always the possibility of some of kind of big tech or hardware tease, but it's more likely that the major console companies will save any of those types of announcements for another time. Instead, the focus is going to be on gameplay and trailers for many of the games we already know are fast-approaching this holiday, as well as a slate of new and unannounced games. Here, in alphabetical order, are some of the biggest games we're pretty sure are going to be at E3 in some form or another. Hopefully most of them are playable, but even if some only show up as a trailer, it's another chance to get a feel for what lies ahead. Many of these titles have been announced, but others are ones we're guessing at based on the list of companies on the official E3 homepage (as well as our infallible intuition). The first potential look we'll get at most of these games will be during the press conferences before E3 even begins. To make sure you're up to date with the times as well as the location for our E3 video streams, we have a hub rounding up all of that info as well. The following games are only a potential sampling of all the exciting titles that will come out of E3, and be sure to check out our editor's picks for the games we're most anticipating. But in the meantime, what games do you hope to learn more about at the show? Let us know in the comments below!
Ashen (Xbox One, PC)
BioWare is one of the most beloved developers in the industry. It's best known for single-player RPGs, but with Anthem, it appears to be trying its hand at crafting a competitor to Destiny. That's an intriguing prospect in its own right, although at this point BioWare and EA have shared very little about what we can actually expect. Destiny appears to be the best comparison based on what we know, which is that you're playing in a shared world as a "freelancer" wearing an exosuit. However, BioWare has confirmed that multiplayer is optional. It promises "you can choose to play through the story with only your friends, or even on your own." Games have often struggled with making the story in a multiplayer game feel like you are truly the central character, but BioWare is "taking this problem head-on and structuring the entire game design to provide a specific solution for this." That's...vague, but BioWare is at least saying the right things. EA Play should provide us with a much better sense of how the studio is blending open-world action and third-person shooter gameplay, as well as whether it can avoid the pratfalls that have held Destiny back. Anthem is due out early in 2019.
Battlefield V (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
We now have a ton of information around the next Battlefield game, which will be set in WWII. Although we haven't been able to play yet in order to confirm what was shown in the first reveal trailer, we have an extensive breakdown of what we know so far. Battlefield V introduces a large number of new mechanics that drive squads together and get them playing objectives. This includes the idea of ammo scarcity, the ability to build and fortify objectives, the ability to tow weapons with vehicles, and a new squad commander radio in order to call in powerful attacks. The campaign will focus on more personal stories from WWII, and some locations already shown are the mountains of Norway, French Countryside, and North Africa. The game will also have a co-op campaign with randomly generated elements called Combined Arms. Battlefield V will launch for everyone on October 19 and will not have a premium pass. New content is planned to roll out on a regular schedule through the Tides of War live service starting in November. Players will be able to participate in timed events and challenges to unlock a large variety of customization for their soldiers not seen in previous Battlefield games, including individual items of clothing. We should get our first hands-on at E3.
Bayonetta 3 (Switch)
Bayonetta 3 is the latest entry in the critically acclaimed action game series by developer Platinum Games. Revealed at The Game Awards 2017, little has been said about the game since. In the years before its reveal, series creator Hideki Kamiya had often discussed the possibility of a third game. Both Kamiya and Bayonetta 2 director Yusuke Hashimoto expressed interest in a new entry and stated that they still had ideas they'd love to pursue in future games. Bayonetta 3 will be a Switch exclusive, as Nintendo is funding its development--similar to Bayonetta 2 for Wii U. With so little known about Bayonetta 3, there's still so much to learn, and we're hoping that E3 2018 will be the platform that both Nintendo and Platinum Games uses to discuss it.
Beyond Good and Evil 2 (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
Beyond Good and Evil 2 is the long-awaited successor to the 2003 original by acclaimed developer Michel Ancel. Revealed at Ubisoft's E3 2017 press conference, the game was long believed to be vaporware after having been stuck in development since at least 2007. The game takes place several generations prior to the events of the first game. You play as a space pirate who starts the game at the bottom of the world's social ladder. Unlike the original, Beyond Good and Evil 2 plays more like a traditional RPG where you complete activities and increase your stats. As you progress, you assemble a crew, explore various planets, and create your own society of like-minded pirates. The game also features multiplayer elements, though not much has been revealed about how they'll work. Unlike recent games in its catalog, Ubisoft has been focused on involving people in Beyond Good and Evil 2's development via the Space Monkey Program, a community forum where people can contribute ideas and offer feedback to developers. While Beyond Good and Evil 2 only entered active development just before its reveal at E3 2017, we're hoping that Ancel will offer another look at how the game is shaping up at this year's big show.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night (PS4, Xbox One, PC, Switch)
Renowned Castlevania developer Koji Igarashi is almost ready to launch his first project after striking out from Konami, and if you're familiar with Igarashi's past, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night shouldn't come as too much of a surprise. This side-scrolling action game is set in an anime-tinged gothic world built on top of a sprawling map, with plenty of puzzles, boss battles, and upgrades to uncover. Originally pitched on Kickstarter back in 2015 (a campaign that was fully funded in a single day), Bloodstained is currently set to launch on Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC sometime in 2018. Igarashi and his co-developers from Inti Creates might as well take advantage of E3 to keep spreading the word, but a recent surprise announcement has already captured the attention of fans of old-school side-scrollers. A few weeks before E3, an original 8-bit Castlevania-esque game was given to backers for free and put up on most digital storefronts for about $10. Anyone interested in Bloodstained's ongoing development can follow the latest announcements over at the game's Kickstarter page. Be sure to keep an eye on the date next to the posts! Igarashi and co pulled a fast one when they announced that Bloodstained would passively mine digital currencies. Thankfully, this one was just an April fool's joke.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
As part of the Black Ops 4's big announcement event in May, we learned that this year's entry in the juggernaut shooter series does not have a traditional campaign. In lieu of that, the game will offer an assortment of solo missions that revolve around each of the game's Specialist characters. Activision says these missions--which are set between Black Ops 2 and 3--will deliver the franchise's iconic set-piece moments, while also diving into some backstory. In another first for the series, Black Ops 4 will offer a Battle Royale-type mode called Blackout where players will fight to the death to become the last person or squad standing. We don't know all the details yet, but Activision is promising to do battle royale "the Black Ops way," and we're likely to hear more about that soon. Traditional head-to-head multiplayer is also back, along with an all-new Zombies experience. Developer Treyarch created the fan-favourite mode, and this year it looks bigger and better than ever with three distinct maps offering experiences that pull from wildly different things like the ill-fated Titanic and Roman battle arenas. Black Ops 4 launches on October 12 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC (through Battle.net).
Crackdown 3 (Xbox One, PC)
Crackdown 3 has been in development for at least four years; we first heard about it back in 2014 after Microsoft used the game to demonstrate its cloud-based server technology, which would allow for environmental destruction on a large scale. The sight of giant buildings crashing down within the context of Crackdown's open world was an exciting prospect, but the game has largely gone dark. After another delay, Crackdown 3 is currently slated for release in 2018. As such, it's fair to expect to see a sizable portion of it during Microsoft's E3 presentation. The company has been criticized in recent years for lacking exciting exclusives. An open-world game with impressive destruction and the same delightful blend of superhero powers and action would be a terrific showcase for Xbox One.
Cyberpunk 2077 (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
It feels like CD Projekt Red has been working on this game forever. First announced in 2012, Cyberpunk 2077 is the developer's next major game after The Witcher 3--which means it has a lot to live up to. It, too, is a massive open-world RPG, but this one is set in the future, just like Cyberpunk 2020, the tabletop game it's based on. The game takes place in Night City, California, a fictional metropolis between San Francisco and Los Angeles. The developer has been fairly tight-lipped about Cyberpunk 2077 since the initial announcement, but we do know it aims to be even bigger in scope than The Witcher 3 and will support some kind of multiplayer component. But CD Projekt Red has been clear that fans of Witcher-style solo campaigns don't need to worry--the game will still feature a meaty single-player experience. CD Projekt Red is confirmed as an E3 2018 attendee, so we hope to learn more soon.
Days Gone (PS4)
We first learned about Days Gone during Sony's press conference at E3 2016. The publisher showed an announce trailer and a gameplay demo that revealed a somber game about a biker trying to make his way in a post-apocalyptic Pacific Northwest. You play as Deacon St. John, a bounty hunter traveling through a broken world that's infested with zombie-like creatures called Freakers. What caused the apocalypse is a mystery, as is much of the game's plot. But we've seen plenty of the enemies that sure do look like zombies, despite developer Bend Studios swearing up and down that they're not. These creatures lust for violence and have a tendency to group together in fast-moving hordes, just like the zombies in World War Z. Though it was originally set to release in 2018, Sony announced in March that Days Gone would be delayed until 2019. That's where we stand now, but we hope to see more of the game at E3 2018.
Death Stranding (PS4)
Hideo Kojima is in a class of his own when it comes to making you want something you know next to nothing about. Ever since the debut of Death Stranding at E3 2016, the year following Kojima's very public post-Metal Gear Solid V departure from Konami, we've been trying to understand what exactly is going on with Norman Reedus and the enigmatic and near-lifeless world where the laws of time and space are in flux. So far we've seen only three incredibly cryptic trailers that showcase some amazing visuals, but they have left us even more confused. According to Kojima, his upcoming game--published by Sony and running on the same engine as Horizon: Zero Dawn--is an open-world action game with online elements. Other than that, we have next to no clue regarding how it will play. What we do know is that Norman Reedus plays a character named Sam who's exploring a world where the very rain--known as Timefall--will cause people to rapidly age upon exposure. Oh yeah, and there's a baby in a high-tech container, and Mads Mikkelsen--who can control a group of skeleton soldiers wielding weapons from World War II--may or may not be the villain. It was recently confirmed that Death Stranding will be one of the four major titles to be presented at Sony's E3 2018 press conference, and Kojima himself has even been sharing some teases of the game on social media. We'll likely see some actual gameplay of Death Stranding this time around, and we'll probably be just as confused as before. And that's OK. We're looking forward to Kojima sharing some even more ridiculous and grotesque footage.
The Division 2 (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
2016's The Division got off to a hot start, but it quickly fell off the map due to lingering issues that pushed players to different games. To its credit, Ubisoft kept updating The Division to make it better, releasing more content to keep existing players pleased. Many would agree that the game eventually got to a better place. But for many others, it wasn't enough to bring them back. With The Division 2, which is in the works at the same developer--Massive Entertainment--we'll hopefully get a better-realized, more fully fleshed out multiplayer shooter experience. The first game did many things well, from its intuitive co-op and matchmaking, to its tense and thrilling Dark Zone. It was set in a post-disaster Manhattan and offered a faithfully recreated version of the iconic city. We don't know yet if The Division 2 will also be set in Manhattan or what other advancements it may make, but it's definitely one of our most anticipated games.
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age (PS4, PC, Switch)
Will the eleventh core entry in the Dragon Quest saga finally be the one to break through to mainstream western success? The last major DQ game was back in 2010--Sentinels of the Starry Skies on the Nintendo DS--and Nintendo's 3DS handhelds have gotten reissues of the earlier entries in the series since then. But outside of the offshoot Dragon Quest Heroes games, this'll be the first entry on home consoles since the PS2 era and the first time the series will be available on PC (in the West) ever. The alliterative title illustrates Dragon Quest's playful nature, and the colorful enemies and turn-based combat are mainstays of the series. But longtime fans know that Dragon Quest's charm comes from its endearing stories and puns that rival Monster Hunter's loquacious wordplay. And the possibility of yet another great game on Switch makes the wait for DQ11 all the more difficult.
Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS4)
Since it was announced in 2015, the most notable headline regarding the Final Fantasy VII Remake was that Square Enix's partner studio on the project, Cyberconnect2 (.Hack, Asura's Wrath, Naruto Shippuden) would be relegated to the sidelines. This shift was the result of a decision to make the remake a multi-game project in order to avoid making cuts to the original story. The current aim is to make each game roughly the same size as Final Fantasy XIII. The best look we've had at the game thus far was the PSX 2015 trailer, which landed a mere few months after the game's announcement. In that two-minute-plus trailer, we got a look at the opening scene where Cloud, Barret, Biggs, and Wedge infiltrate an energy plant, as well as a glimpse at the real-time combat system. By all appearances, Final Fantasy VII Remake will play a bit like Final Fantasy XV, but it's difficult to say without hands-on experience, and there's no telling what's changed since Cyberconnect2 handed over key development to Square-Enix. Hopefully, if we end up seeing Final Fantasy VII Remake at E3, we will have more definitive answers.
Ghost of Tsushima (PS4)
Since Infamous: First Light released in 2014, the public has been kept in the dark as to what developer Sucker Punch Productions has been working on. Sony had confirmed in 2015 that the studio was working on a new game and that it was playable. We finally learned what it has in development at Paris Games Week 2017 when Sucker Punch Productions unveiled Ghost of Tsushima, an open-world samurai-themed action game. Ghost of Tsushima is set on the island of Tsushima during the Mongol invasions of Japan in 1294. You play as a lone samurai turned vengeful assassin--likely fighting to drive out the Mongol army from Japan. The game appears to take you to numerous locales across Tsushima, which includes rural villages, bamboo forests, and wide-open fields. A brief instance at the end of the teaser showcased the ability to throw bombs and surprising enemies with a jumping attack from above. Sony hasn't said much about Ghost of Tsushima since its initial reveal trailer half a year ago. However, the company has confirmed that it'll talk more about Ghost of Tsushima at its E3 2018 press conference.
Kingdom Hearts III (PS4 and Xbox One)
It's important to remember that the original Kingdom Hearts came out in 2002. Back then, the absurd premise was initially laughed off as a too-weird-to-work idea, but upon playing it, players were introduced to an incredibly heartfelt and charming story that coupled the cheerfulness of classic Disney with some engaging action-RPG gameplay. While exploring several classic Disney worlds with Sora, Donald Duck, and Goofy, they'd battle some well-known Disney villains and discover the almighty power of friendship. As cheesy as that sounds, it all worked, and Kingdom Hearts is a game that stuck with fans over the years. Its direct-sequel was released in 2006, and while we've had a number of games that covered several side-stories and events with Sora and his friends in the meantime, Kingdom Hearts III wasn't officially announced until E3 2013. It's been many years since we've seen Sora and crew in a mainline entry of the series, and the characters' time away has shown us some remarkable growth. With many of Kingdom Hearts' most diehard fans growing into adulthood, Sora has grown up as well, showing a newfound level of maturity. It'll interesting to see how E3 2018 will turn out for Kingdom Hearts III. We'll likely see more gameplay and the reveal of some upcoming worlds at the show, but there is one thing coming up that will excite fans even more. During a recent event, Kingdom Hearts' director, Tetsuya Nomura, stated that the official release date will be revealed. It's been a long time coming for the next major game in the series, and it now looks like the end is in sight.
The Last of Us Part II (PS4)
Naughty Dog's follow-up to 2013's The Last of Us may be one of the most highly anticipated games of E3 2018. The Last of Us Part II sees the return of Ellie and Joel, with Ellie as the main playable character. A brutal trailer unveiled at last year's Paris Games Week didn't show Joel or Ellie at all, though; it instead featured an unknown young woman who is tortured by a mysterious group of people, and it concluded with Infected rushing the scene. We haven't seen much of the game itself, but we do know some background details. The first game's director, Bruce Straley, isn't returning to direct the sequel. Naughty Dog's Neil Druckmann has also stated that if the first game's theme is love, the theme of Part II is hate--and that neither Joel nor Ellie is safe from harm.
Mario Tennis Aces (Switch)
Mario might dabble in a lot of sports, but Tennis seems to be his true passion. Mario Tennis Aces marks the eighth dedicated Mario tennis game, putting it on the same level as the Mario Kart series. And while this version will include the same in-depth playing mechanics as previous entries, it will also incorporate some Wii Sports-like physicality. Players will be able to swing their joy-con like a racket to serve up a more visceral on-the-court experience. Aces will include new characters (including a large but surprisingly spry-looking Chain Chomp), but the biggest change comes from the outfits. Mario is finally getting rid of the overalls in order to play tennis in shorts and a polo shirt. In every previous game, Mario has retained his trademark plumbers outfit, but this time, he's going for a comfortably sporty look. Just kidding. The bigger change is the adventure-like RPG mode. There's a story to explore that centers around a mystical racket along with bosses to battle and minigames to conquer. But those outfits are pretty fun too, right?
Metro Exodus (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
Metro Exodus continues the legacy of the post-apocalyptic first-person shooter series from Ukrainian developer 4A Games. What makes Metro special is its foreboding atmosphere; the underground metro tunnels are home to the human race as the surface is far too hostile and radiated, and the setting truly evokes a sense of vulnerability and desperation. Exodus appears to be continuing this tradition by picking up two years after the events of Last Light's "good" ending. However, it seems as though series protagonist Artyom is spending much more time on the surface as he flees the Metro system alongside fellow rangers to head eastward and start a new life. But it wouldn't be Metro without irradiated beasts roaming the surface, in and around the city streets that once harbored human life. The challenge has always been surviving radiation by scavenging for gas masks and conserving your limited ammo, all while managing the threat of the deformed creatures. Although it was recently announced that Metro Exodus' launch was delayed to early 2019, publisher Deep Silver is going to be present at E3 2018, so we expect to see a bit more of the game at the show. Exodus was first revealed during Microsoft's Xbox press conference at E3 2017 and will be launching for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
Metroid Prime 4 (Switch)
Beyond the fact that Metroid Prime 4 exists and is coming to Switch at some point in the future, there's very little we can say about the game with absolute certainty. We also know that longtime Prime producer Kensuke Tanabe will lead a new team of talented developers for the project, but what that studio is and who is on the team beyond Tanabe remains a mystery. With nary an official word from Nintendo following the announcement at E3 2017-- consisting of a teaser video set against a star field, with familiar Metroid music, and the reveal of a logo--we are left to sift through rumors and wonder. The current working theories include: Bandai Namco is co-developing, it is scheduled to launch in 2018, and it may feature the character Sylux, who was confirmed by Tanabe to be in a spaceship featured in the special ending of Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. What we know about Sylux is mostly based on lore introduced in Nintendo DS's Metroid Prime: Hunters and, oddly enough, Super Smash Bros. Brawl (in a trophy description). But at the end of 2017's Metroid Prime: Federation Force, we also caught a glimpse of Sylux releasing a metroid from captivity. Is it a hint? Only time will tell.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps (Xbox One, PC)
The 2015 game Ori and the Blind Forest is like what you'd get if you mixed a Pixar movie with Super Metroid. It's a drop-dead gorgeous game that's clearly inspired by the sprawling side-scrollers of the '90s. It has modern game features like an ability tree and an orchestral score, but it maintains an "old-school hard" level of challenge. In a teaser trailer that debuted at E3 2017, we got our first glimpse of the sequel, Ori and the Will of the Wisps. It looks more or less like the original, and it still stars Ori, the glowing guardian of the forest. We also get a look at what seem to be bosses that are dozens of times bigger than the diminutive hero. The teaser closes with a shot of a sad owl looking at the statues or bodies of two larger owls. While it's not stated outright, this seems to be a child of Kuro, the villain of the first game. As the owl mourns, Ori comes in and puts an arm around its shoulder. That's all we know so far about this sequel, but we will probably learn more at E3 2018.
Pokemon Switch (Switch)
At last year's E3, Nintendo announced a new Pokemon game for Nintendo Switch. The tease didn't include a title, logo, key art, or really any details at all--just that series developer Game Freak would be making the game, which will be a "core RPG" that "may not release for over a year." It's been a year now, of course, and although nothing has been confirmed for E3, it would make sense for Nintendo to give more details soon.
Rage 2 (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
Maybe it's a coincidence, or maybe it's impressive damage control on Bethesda's part, but the recent reveal of Rage 2 and the release of two trailers came hot on the heels of the unusual leak from Walmart just weeks prior to E3. So what has Bethesda shown thus far? A lot, surprisingly. The first trailer didn't feature any gameplay, but it set the stage for Rage 2's new tone with a fun track by rocker Andrew W.K. and a lot of neon-tinted actors in punk-ish, post-apocalyptic armor rocking out. The gameplay trailer was obviously more revealing and gave us a glimpse into a dreary yet-oddly enticing wasteland. Compared to the original Rage, the sequel doesn't seem to take itself too seriously, and will take advantage of that fact by giving you access to outlandish vehicles and weapons with which to battle twisted mutants and other deranged survivors. All of this is set to take place in an open world. The gameplay seen thus far seems reminiscent of Destiny or Borderlands' first-person action, but with Avalanche Studios behind the wheel it's safe to say that Rage 2 will have a feel all its own. For a more reasonable example of what the team may do with the world, we can look to two of its previous projects: Just Cause 3 and Mad Max. It's also been confirmed that id Software (Doom, Rage, Quake Champions) will co-develop Rage 2, hopefully to keep an eye on the shooting mechanics. We should find out a lot more during Bethesda's E3 press conference on June 10.
Red Dead Redemption 2 (PS4, Xbox One)
Rockstar typically doesn't have a big presence at E3; the company's games are big enough to draw hype on all their own without the need to share the spotlight with other companies. But there's always the chance that there'll be a new trailer or feature announcement during someone's stage show for Red Dead Redemption 2. As many teases as we've seen around the game's Western story, there are even more unexplored mysteries. What's the gunplay like? What new features will the game introduce? And most importantly, how will multiplayer work? Don't expect to get a full demo or even to see much gameplay, but another Red Dead tease is always possible.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
Shadow of the Tomb Raider is the third entry in the Tomb Raider reboot series. Square Enix officially revealed the game was in development March 2018, though it was technically leaked last year when a Square Enix employee was spotted in a subway train working on a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation with the game's name. While the game will be developed primarily by Eidos Montreal, it's worth noting that original reboot developer Crystal Dynamics will provide additional development on the project. You once again play as Lara Croft, who is on an expedition to Latin America in search of a Mayan relic. However, Trinity, a paramilitary organization who tried to hunt down Lara in the previous game, is also seeking the relic for its own gain. During the expedition, Lara sets off a Mayan apocalypse, which throws her down a journey to save the world. Shadow of the Tomb Raider sports a few key additions to the series formula, which includes revamped swimming controls for underwater exploration as well as more sophisticated stealth and AI systems. The game is scheduled to release on September 14, but we're hoping Square Enix intends to offer more details about the game at this year's E3.
Skull & Bones (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
Inspired by the best part of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag--the sailing--Skull & Bones is a standalone adventure on the high seas. While there will be a multiplayer treasure-hunting component, and you'll also be able to challenge other pirates in their customized galleys, S&B will include a single-player campaign if you'd prefer to go it alone. Ubisoft has revealed very few gameplay details so far, and there's little chance that the game will even be released this year. But for anyone who might've gotten a taste for piracy in Sea of Thieves (or who really miss AC4), there are going to be a lot more looting adventures to learn about during E3.
SoulCalibur VI (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
The announcement at The Game Awards of SoulCalibur's return was a big, awesome surprise. The weapons-based fighter was once a leading series, and the original was the game to have for every Sega Dreamcast owner. But the series was relegated to secondary status for years while Bandai Namco's other franchises dominated the spotlight. With SoulCalibur VI, it's getting a new lease on life that many would argue is justly deserved. It's also got a few new tricks up its sleeve. Following in the footsteps of other contemporary fighting games, the introduction of the Reversal Edge mechanic in SoulCalibur VI is designed to give players a more accessible and punishing means of fending off their opponent to turn the tide of battle. It's the biggest addition to the SoulCalibur formula that we know of so far, but there's one big surprise to look forward to: Geralt of Rivia is joining the cast. There's no word on a specific release date yet, but SoulCalibur VI is on the books for 2018, and that hopefully means we will get a bunch of new info during E3.
Spider-Man (PS4)
Though Spider-Man has had a spotty history when it comes to video game adaptations, Sony's upcoming exclusive looks to be one of the rare standouts. Developed by Insomniac Games--the creators of Spyro the Dragon, Ratchet and Clank, and Sunset Overdrive--the studio has paired its talents for open-world action and solid-platforming mechanics with the agility and finesse of Spider-Man's moves. Fun and verticality are some of the key things to have in a good Spider-Man game, and those are on full display in the upcoming one. According to the developer, we've only seen a fraction of what you can expect to do in the game. It picks up with Spider-Man at the top of his crime-fighting game, and the wallcrawler will still have his work cut out for him when new villains start popping up in New York City. But when he isn't battling multiple armed robbers and stopping super-powered bad guys, he'll stop to take selfies with civilians and help the locals out with their errands. Though helping kids find their balloons doesn't seem to be a thing in the game, Marvel's Spider-Man looks to fulfill the fantasy of being web-slinger quite accurately.
Star Wars | Respawn (PS4, Xbox One, PC)
Titanfall developer Respawn Entertainment is working on a new third-person Star Wars game that's being directed by a of War III director Stig Asmussen. According to publisher EA (which owns Respawn as of last year), the game is an "all-new third-person action-adventure game set in the Star Wars universe." That's all we know about the game for certain, but it's intriguing to think about what the team behind one of the most trailblazing shooters in recent years may do with such a big and beloved sci-fi license. Fans may be happy to know that Respawn boss Vince Zampella met with The Force Awakens director JJ Abrams to talk about their respective works; oh to be a fly on that wall. EA would do well to give an update on all of its upcoming Star Wars projects at E3 this year, so hopefully we will know more about Respawn's game soon.
Star Wars Project | EA Vancouver (platforms unconfirmed)
We actually know quite a bit about the Star Wars project that's in development with EA Vancouver--at least, the history of what it was, thanks to a detailed Kotaku report. But it's very likely that the single-player adventure game, codenamed "Ragtag" and formerly led by Uncharted director Amy Hennig, has gone the way of Star Wars 1313 and all but completely evaporated. In late 2017, the primary studio behind the Ragtag project, Visceral Games, was sadly closed. It had been working on this untitled Star Wars adventure since 2013, but the original game it set out to make has been effectively cancelled. EA Vancouver has since taken over completely and will pivot the game to become a "broader experience" and one that will "deliver an experience players will want to come back to for a long time to come," according to executive vice president of EA Worldwide Studios Patrick Söderlund.
Super Smash Bros. Switch (Switch)
After a bit of a wait, the next Super Smash Bros. game was confirmed for Switch. Details are scarce, but we do know that Splatoon's Inklings will join the roster for the first time, and there are of course characters we expect to return (including Mario and Bowser, judging by the silhouettes in the reveal trailer). We also know that Nintendo will be holding a Smash Bros. Switch invitational tournament during E3, and it will be playable on the show floor for attendees. As a result, we can expect to get more information about the game--like whether it's a souped-up port of Smash Bros. on Wii U or an entirely new entry from the ground up--very soon.
By Dan Auty on Jun 02, 2018 03:40 am
For better or worse, a big part of what makes many great horror movies work is the fear of death. Whether it's being stabbed, hacked, turned into a vampire, or eaten by a werewolf, putting sympathetic characters in danger of dying unpleasantly keeps audiences scared and coming back for more. And there's no other type of horror that features more spectacular death scenes that the zombie movie. Ever since George Romero reinvented the zombie film with his 1968 classic Night of the Living Dead, we've been watching the undead kill and eat the living in increasing gruesome and inventive ways. Some zombie movie death scenes are horrifying, some are hilarious, and others just plain disgusting and weird. But few horror filmmakers working with zombies pass up the opportunity to dispatch the living in memorable ways. So here's 11 of the greatest deaths from the last 50 years of zombie cinema…
11. Dead Snow (2009)
While zombie films can feel extremely familiar, every now and then one appears that throws something new into the mix. The wildly entertaining Dead Snow did this by not only making its zombies reanimated Nazis, it's also set in the snow-covered mountains of Norway. There's a particularly disgusting death about halfway through, when movie nerd Erland is set upon by the undead. First they stick their thumbs in his eyes, before tearing his entire head apart. Director Tommy Wikola seals the deal by cutting to a close-up of poor Erland's brain plopping out onto the floor. Mmmm.
10. Burial Ground (1981)
The worldwide success of Romero's Dawn of the Dead in 1978 inspired dozens of rip-offs and cash-ins, many of which were made in Italy. Burial Ground is hardly remembered as one of the best--frankly, it's terrible--but it does feature what has to be the weirdest, most perverse zombie kill in film history. During the climax, in which the living dead besiege a countryside mansion, a woman is reunited with her son Bark. This "kid" is supposed to be 10, but due to Italian rules about child actors being involved with scenes involving sex and violence, he was actually played a diminutive 25-year-old man. And if that wasn't weird enough, Bark has had a disturbing fixation on his mom throughout the movie. Their happy reunion is cut short when mom decides to start, erm, breast-feeding her son, who we discover is now a zombie. You can probably imagine the rest, although it's honestly best not to.
9. Zombieland (2009)
This is the one death on our list that's actually a human killing another human, but it's so good we had to include it. In the hilarious zombie comedy Zombieland, our band of heroes end up sheltering in a mansion. It turns out the house belongs to none other than comedy legend Bill Murray, playing himself. Ever the joker, Bill decides to scare Jesse Eisenberg's character Columbus by pretending to be a zombie; unfortunately for Bill, Columbus reacts by shooting him through the chest. As he lies dying, Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) asks him if he has any regrets. "Garfield, maybe" Murray deadpans, before expiring.
8. Dawn of the Dead (1978)
George Romero's classic Dawn of the Dead is so full of spectacular, inventive gore scenes it's hard to pick a favourite death. But there's one moment that typifies Romero's irreverent, witty approach to horror. At the end of the movie, a gang of marauding bikers loot the mall that our heroes have taken refuge in, letting hundreds of zombies in in the process. One of the bikers is so keen to use the blood pressure testing machine in the mall that he pops a quarter in, despite the fact that his colleagues are starting to be overwhelmed by the living dead. Of course, he doesn't last long either, and with his arm caught in the strap, is torn apart by zombies. Romero's brilliant punchline is to cut back to the severed arm, still in the machine. Blood pressure reading: zero.
7. Dead Alive (1992)
Long before he was bringing the works of JRR Tolkien to the screen with the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies, Peter Jackson was known for his wild, inventive New Zealand horror comedies. 1992's Dead Alive (aka Braindead) is an outrageous zombie epic that features one of the most outrageously gory final sequences ever filmed. Earlier on there's the glorious scene in which Father McGruder--aka the kung fu priest--delivers the immortal line "I kick arse for the Lord!" and uses his martial arts skills on a couple of ravenous graveyard zombies. Sadly it doesn't end well. He takes a flying leap towards one creature, but misses and ends up impaling himself on the giant stone finger on a headstone, which is helpfully pointing to heaven.
6. Re-Animator (1985)
The 1980s was the decade of the horror comedy, and there are few better than Re-Animator. Stuart Gordon's brilliant adaptation of an HP Lovecraft short story features pitch-black laughs and gallons of gore, as mad doctor Herbert West attempts to bring the dead back to life with the help of his mysterious green fluid. West becomes a victim of his own success, when at the end of the movie, he is strangled by a set of reanimated intestines. OK, to be fair, the disappointing sequel Bride of Re-Animator, released 5 years later, reveals that West somehow survived. But we're counting this one because there's nothing in the original movie to suggest he gets out alive, and frankly, it's a spectacular way to go.
5. Shaun of the Dead (2005)
As the title of Edgar Wright's much-loved zom-rom-com suggests, Shaun of the Dead is a massive homage to the movies of George Romero. The film is packed with easter eggs and references to the great man's films, and the movie's most spectacular death scene is a clear tribute to the groundbreaking gore effects pioneered by Tom Savini in Romero's films. Comedian Dylan Moran plays the movie's "villain," a sneering, unlikable rival to Simon Pegg's hero Shaun, and his death is wonderfully satisfying moment. In true Romero style, he is pulled apart by zombies as he's dragged out of the window of the Winchester pub, his guts, limbs, and head getting passed around by the hungry dead.
4. Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Romero's groundbreaking masterpiece set the template for the modern zombie movie, and invented many of the "rules" that still govern the genre to this day. While much of its violence seems tame by modern standards, it's still a damn scary film, with one particularly shocking moment. Helen Cooper, one of the main characters hiding out in a farmhouse, descends into the basement to discover her eight-year-old daughter Karen eating her husband Harry. As Helen falls to the floor in shock, zombie Karen stops munching on dad, picks up a trowel, and brutally hacks her mom to death.
3. Zombie (1979)
Also known as Zombi 2, Lucio Fulci's Italian shocker was the first of many Italian zombie rip-offs that followed the success of Dawn of the Dead. Fulci's horror movies were renowned for their spectacular gore (as well as their frequently nonsensical plots), and Zombie features one of his most notorious scenes. The movie set on a cursed Caribbean island where the dead are rising from their graves, and includes the moment when a woman is grabbed from the other side of a door by a zombie. In excruciatingly drawn-out style, she is pulled closer and closer to a large wooden splinter sticking out from the broken door, until it eventually enters her eye and impales her brain. Owwwww!
2. Dawn of the Dead (2004)
Zack Snyder's 2004 reworking of the Romero classic is one of the best horror remakes to appear over the last couple of decades. It starts with a stunning sequence in which a normal suburban couple are woken one morning by their neighbor's young daughter, who is standing in the doorway of their bedroom. The man gets out of bed and is set upon by the girl, who has become a slavering zombie. His throat is torn out within seconds, and his wife barely makes it out of the house alive. It's one of the best, scariest openings in horror history.
1. Day of the Dead (1985)
Few zombie movies have ever matched the claustrophobic intensity of Romero's Day of the Dead. The movie focuses on a group of scientists who are living in a military bunker with a squad of soldiers, and the slow build-up of simmering tensions finally explodes in the last 30 minutes, as the dead invade the bunker. Perhaps the most iconic death scene in Romero's filmography occurs at the end, when the villainous Captain Rhodes meets his doom. Cornered by vengeful zombie soldier Bub, Rhodes is shot, then torn apart by the living dead. As he watches the lower half of his body dragged off down the corridor, he croaks his final words: "Choke on 'em… choke on 'em..."
By Christopher Gates on Jun 02, 2018 03:28 am
The Sith that wouldn't quit.
Darth Maul only has three lines in all of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. He appears on screen for a mere six minutes. He doesn't do much more than ambush the Jedi in the desert, duel with them in the Theed Royal Palace, and die. That's it. Heck, even Boba Fett got his own animated cameo and a hard-to-get action figure to build the mystique before he was sacrificed to the sarlacc. And yet, with his distinctive facial tattoos and signature double-bladed lightsaber, Darth Maul was simply too cool--and too popular--to get rid of so easily, and die-hard Star Wars fans know that Maul's story didn't begin or end on Naboo in 1999. These days, Maul is much more than the Emperor's former right-hand man. He's a major Star Wars villain in his own right. Here's how he got that way. Be warned, though--spoilers for various Star Wars spin-offs, including a few recent ones, follow.
1. Darth Maul's fall from grace
Just in case you need a refresher: Darth Maul is Darth Sidious's apprentice in The Phantom Menace. You know the quiet fellow, a member of the horned Zabrak race, who fights against Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi in one of the series' all-time best lightsaber duels? Yeah, that guy. Unfortunately, in Episode I, Darth Maul doesn't last long. He manages to kill Qui-Gon, but before the movie ends Obi-Wan slices him in half, and the last time that we see Maul on the big screen he's careening down a reactor shaft in two separate pieces. By all indications, he looked dead, but we'd soon learn, that wasn't exactly the case.
2. A not-so-happy childhood
In order to fully understand Maul's story, you need to know how it began. Before Darth Maul served Sidious, he lived on the planet Dathomir, where he was raised by his mother, a powerful Force user named Talzin. While Talzin was originally slated to be Sidious's apprentice, the future Emperor reneged on the deal when he saw Maul's potential. Talzin never forgave him. Sidious kidnapped Maul and began to train him, while Talzin became Mother of the Nightsisters, an order of Force-wielding witches (and a big part of The Clone Wars animated series) and had two more sons, Feral and Savage Opress.
3. From Sith lord to junk lord
If Anakin Skywalker can survive a fall into molten lava, a minor injury like getting cut in half shouldn't be a problem for a Sith like Maul. It wasn't. The compendium Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know tells us that, as he fell, Maul used the Force to grab onto an air shaft, made his way to a dumpster, and ended up on a trash planet called Lotho Minor. He lived there for ten years, scuttling around on mechanical spider legs and preying on the local citizenry.
4. Mommy makes it all better
As the Clone Wars raged on, Savage Opress went looking for his brother. In the Clone Wars episode "Brothers," Savage finds him. By the time that Savage shows up, however, Maul is half-crazed and doesn't know his own name (Obi-Wan's, of course, he remembers just fine). Opress takes Maul back to Dathomir, and in the episode "Revenge," Mother Talzin restores Maul's mind, gives him some new robot legs, and sends him out to find Obi-Wan and exact his revenge.
5. The (other) revenge of the Sith
After naming Savage his apprentice, Maul embarks on an interstellar road trip, causing mayhem around the galaxy in an attempt to get Obi-Wan's attention. Along the way, Maul also puts together a small army of pirates, creating his own cartel. By the time that the Clone Wars episode "Revival" ends, however, things aren't looking quite so rosy for the Zabrak siblings: During a fight against Obi-Wan, Savage loses his arm and Maul loses a leg, their pirate allies betray them (because, duh, they're pirates), and both brothers end up stranded on an escape pod with dangerously little oxygen.
6. Some unexpected allies
In the Clone Wars episode "Eminence," help arrives in the form of some disgraced Mandalorians (i.e. the people who made Boba Fett's cool-looking armor) who call themselves the Death Watch. After the Death Watch heals him and his brother, Maul offers to help the Mandalorians retake their home planet. If common enemies like Obi-Wan, Count Dooku, and Darth Sidious die along the way? All the better.
7. A criminal enterprise, take two
Conquering a planet requires more than just a couple Mandalorians, however. Maul needs an army. Thankfully, he knows just where to find one. Using his natural charm and a wee bit of violence, Maul combines the Black Sun, Pyke, and Hutt cartels into a single syndicate and calls it the Shadow Collective. After liberating Mandalore, Maul says, he'll lord over a new criminal empire with help from both his gangsters and his Death Watch allies.
8. How to conquer a planet, the Darth Maul way
In "Shades of Reason," Maul and his army of thugs attack Mandalore, undermining the current ruler's authority. It works, and soon the Death Watch leader Pre Vizsla rules the planet. That's when things get messy. Vizsla betrays Maul and sends him to prison, but Maul escapes and kills Vizsla with the Darksaber, an energy blade that traditionally belongs to the Death Watch's head honcho. Maul claims the Darksaber for his own and installs a puppet government on Mandalore, establishing a home base that the Shadow Collective can use as it grows and conquers.
9. Maul finally gets Obi-Wan's attention--and someone else's
Obi-Wan Kenobi heads to Mandalore to save the planet's rightful ruler (and his would-be girlfriend), Duchess Satine Kryze, in "Lawless." As far as rescue missions go, it's a bust. Maul makes Obi-Wan watch as he uses the Darksaber to kill Satine, then sentences the Jedi to life in prison. Rogue members of the Death Watch help Obi-Wan escape, however, while Maul's continued reign of terror ends up attracting the attention of his old master, Darth Sidious. The Darth travels to Mandalore and murders Savage Opress but doesn't kill Maul; as Sidious explains, he has other plans for his former apprentice.
10. Maul vs. Dooku, round one
The Clone Wars didn't get a chance to finish its Maul arc, so the show's producers decided to fill in the blanks with a comic book series. In Darth Maul: Son of Dathomir, Darth Sidious reveals that he plans to use Maul to lure Mother Talzin out of the shadows, while Sidious' new apprentice, Count Dooku, wants to take over the Shadow Collective. Over the course of the miniseries, Maul escapes captivity and defeats Dooku, but before Maul can convince the count to abandon Sidious and join him, the Republic attacks. Dooku and Maul team up to beat their common foe, but must flee after they're outmatched by a Jedi strike team.
11. The end of the Shadow Collective
In Darth Maul: Son of Dathomir #4, Maul takes Dooku to Dathomir to meet Talzin, just like Darth Sidious planned. As Separatist forces bombard the Nightsisters' homeworld, Maul faces off against Sidious. It doesn't end well. During the conflict, Mother Talzin dies and the Shadow Collective suffers heavy losses. Unwilling to make more sacrifices to support Maul's personal vendettas, the heads of the galaxy's crime families terminate their alliance. With the Shadow Collective in shambles and Dathomir in the hands of the Separatists, Maul retreats to Mandalore.
12. Mandalore lost
Maul remains ruler of Mandalore until the very last day of the Clone Wars, when he's beaten by Anakin Skywalker's former apprentice, Ahsoka Tano. In the novel Ahsoka, the fan-favorite character reflects on the battle: during the siege of Mandalore, the Republic forces have Maul dead-to-rights, but Ahsoka must decide between rescuing her friend, the clone trooper Rex, and finishing Darth Maul off for good. She chooses Rex, and in the confusion, Maul escapes. Warning: If you want to avoid Solo: A Star Wars Story spoilers, skip the next slide!
13. Third time's the charm?
The loss of Mandalore and the rise of the Empire doesn't end Maul's unlawful ambitions. While most of the story has yet to be told, by the time that Solo happens (around ten years before Episode IV: A New Hope), Maul is running his third criminal enterprise, the mysterious Crimson Dawn. Using his previous experience as head of the Shadow Collective, Maul runs Crimson Dawn from his hideout on Dathomir, while the gangster Dryden Vos serves as the syndicate's public face.
14. You know what they say about "all good things…"
We don't know how Maul's time with Crimson Dawn comes to a close, but we know that it does eventually. In Star Wars Rebels' second season, the Ghost's crew finds Maul on Malachor, where he's searching for an ancient Sith superweapon. In season 3, Maul uses Rebels' Jedi-in-training Ezra Bridger to track Obi-Wan Kenobi to Tatooine. There, Maul confronts Kenobi one final time, giving Obi-Wan the chance to finish the job that he started 30 years earlier. He takes it, and Maul's story comes to an end.
By Michael Rougeau on Jun 02, 2018 03:25 am
Solo: A Star Wars Story spoilers ahead!
Solo: A Star Wars Story tells the tale of famed space scoundrel Han Solo--and we mean the whole story. This movie covers how Han met Chewie, how he met Lando, how he won the Millennium Falcon, how he completed the Kessel Run in 12 parsecs, where he got his iconic blaster, and even how he got his name. If that sounds like a lot of origin to cram into one movie, it's because it is. But those aren't the only Star Wars references in Solo--not by a long shot. In fact, Solo doubtless features more Star Wars Easter eggs, references, inside jokes, and callbacks than we could possibly spot ourselves. There's even one that Dryden Vos actor Paul Bettany was sworn to secrecy over--and we still have no idea what he's referring to. That said, we did our best. Here's every Star Wars Easter egg and reference in Solo we've spotted so far. What's your favorite? Did we miss any? Let us know in the comments below. And don't miss our other Solo coverage, including our history of the Millennium Falcon, where Solo takes place in the Star Wars timeline, whether C-3PO gets his usual cameo, and everything you need to know about the Star Wars card game sabacc. And since you're not worried about spoilers, we even have a rundown of Solo's most shocking cameo.
1. The Golden Dice
Han's golden dice were featured prominently hanging in the Millennium Falcon in the more recent Star Wars movies, and they were even present in the originals, though they were less of a focus. The Force Awakens Visual Dictionary originally stated that Han used the dice in the game of sabacc that won him the Falcon, but Solo revealed that he had the dice on a chain as a lucky charm even earlier than that.
2. The Imperial March
The famous Imperial March song is heard at the recruitment center on Corellia. It's a fun meta joke that shows the song was actually used by the Empire for propaganda purposes.
3. "So Low"
Did you think "Solo" was Han's natural last name? A fair assumption, maybe, but it turns out he actually got his name from an Empire recruiter on Corellia.
4. Chewie's Bandolier
Chewbacca gets his signature ammo bandolier in Solo, then apparently wears it for the rest of his life, for some reason.
5. Chewie's name
Han notes in Solo that "Chewbacca" is a mouthful, although it appears to be Woody Harrelson's character, Tobias Beckett, who actually gives the Wookie his famed nickname.
6. What's Old Is New
It's a small design touch, but the few non-hologram screens we see in Solo are what we today would consider "old." Like Rogue One, Solo keeps up the design from the original Star Wars movies, despite technology having advanced in the real world since then.
7. The VCX-100
The fictional ship that Han mentions in his first sabacc game with Lando (fictional in the sense that he doesn't have it) is a VCX-100 model. Fans will know of another famous VCX-100: the Ghost from Star Wars Rebels.
8. Teräs Käsi
Emilia Clarke's character, Qi'ra, is a formidable fighter thanks to her knowledge of the "Teräs Käsi" fighting style. Teräs Käsi has been mentioned in Star Wars before, most notably in the title of the 1997 PlayStation game Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi.
9. Bossk
Thandie Newton's character, Val, mentions a few other bounty hunters early in Solo. One is Bossk, a Trandoshan bounty hunter who's popped up in Star Wars before, including in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.
10. Zan Sisters
Val also mentions "the Zan sisters," which is likely a reference to Zan and Zu Pike, twin sisters and masters of the Teräs Käsi fighting style who first appeared in the 1996 novel Shadows of the Empire.
11. "Han," Like "Pan"
When Han finally meets Lando, actor Donald Glover pronounces "Han" just like Billy D. Williams, the original Lando, did back in the day: like "pan." Han initially corrects him, but quickly lets it go, which apparently leads to Lando pronouncing his name wrong for the rest of their lives.
12. "I Know"
The moment when Han replies "I know" to Lando's "I hate you" is a reference to the famous scene in Empire Strikes Back when Han replies the same to Leia's "I love you."
13. Wizard Chess
We learn in Solo that the Millennium Falcon's Dejarik board was already installed by the time Han won the ship from Lando. In Star Wars, Dejarik is a popular two-player game in which teams of holographic creatures battled each other on a circular board.
14. That's Not C-3PO
C-3PO actor Anthony Daniels has appeared as the iconic golden droid in every live action Star Wars movie--until now. However, Daniels does have a cameo in Solo--just not as C-3PO. You can spot him during the droid rebellion on Kessel.
15. Recognize That Blaster?
Han gets his iconic blaster from Tobias Beckett, then apparently never upgrades to a less cobbled together gun for the rest of his life.
16. Who Killed Aurra Sing?
It's mentioned in Solo that Tobias Beckett infamously killed Aurra Sing, a character who first appeared in the background in Phantom Menace.
17. Warwick's Returning Character
Actor Warwick Davis has appeared previously in Return of the Jedi, The Phantom Menace, The Force Awakens, Rogue One, The Last Jedi, and Star Wars Rebels. But we rarely see his face, as he often portrays an alien or droid. Solo, in which Davis plays the "pirate" Weazel, is one of the only exceptions--and it's even more notable because Davis played the same minor character in The Phantom Menace. He even gets a line in Solo.
18. The Gangster On Tatooine
The Tatooine gangster Tobias Beckett refers to toward the end of Solo is no doubt none other than Jabba the Hutt, who Han will go on to work for, and, later, owe money to.
19. A Good Bad Feeling
The line "I've got a bad feeling about this" is uttered in most Star Wars movies (all if you count droid speak). Solo plays with the line a bit when Han says, "I have a good feeling about this," before flying into the storm.
20. She's In The Ship
L3's melding with the Millennium Falcon may seem strange at first--does anyone remember the Falcon having an onboard AI? But it's actually a reference to a C-3PO line in Empire Strikes Back: "Sir, I don't know where your ship learned to communicate, but it has the most peculiar dialect," the protocol droid says. L3's marriage with the ship explains that quite neatly. If that wasn't enough, the scene in Solo is punctuated by what we know to be the classic Falcon start-up noise, implying L3 herself may be the source of the iconic sound effect.
21. The Rebellion Begins
Han Solo may be a scoundrel, but he ultimately makes the right choice and hands the goods over to the "pirates" who've been hounding him throughout the movie. It's implied that these fighters form the seed of what will eventually become the Rebellion, indicating that Han was helping them from the very beginning, whether he intended to or not.
22. Han Shot First
The scene in which Han shoots Tobias Beckett is a direct reference to the scene George Lucas changed in A New Hope. In the original version, Han shot Greedo, but Lucas later altered it so that Greedo takes a shot at him. In Solo, we learn that Han really is the type of person who shoots first.
23. Benthic Two Tubes
As Reddit users pointed out, the extremely minor character Benthic Two Tubes from Rogue One appears in Solo, although he's simply named "Tubes" here.
24. The Kessel Run
The Kessel Run Han and the rest of Solo's characters heroically pull off was, of course, first mentioned in A New Hope. In Solo, we finally got to find out exactly what it is.
25. Holy S*** It's Darth Maul
The leader of Crimson Dawn turns out to be none other than Darth Maul, and if you're confused about that, don't worry--we got you covered.
26. Welcome To Dathomir
At the end of the movie, Maul tells Qi'ra to join him on Dathomir, a planet that's popped up multiple times throughout Star Wars history. The planet has a strong association with the dark side, implying Qi'ra is going full evil should we ever see her again.
27. Fair And Square
At the very end of the movie, Han points out to Lando that he won their sabacc rematch "fair and square," a reference to Lando's earlier cheating. It's also a reference to the original trilogy scene between Han and Lando, where Han once again uses the phrase.
28. Colo Claw Fish
Dryden Vos offers our heroes "colo claw fish." That's a reference to the giant fish seen on Naboo in Episode 1. Thanks reader Medleystudios72 for pointing this one out!
29. Lando's diaries
In recording his audio diary, The Calrissian Chronicles, Lando makes references to three real world books: Lando Calrissian and the Mindharp of Sharu, Lando Calrissian and the Flamewind of Oseon, and Lando Calrissian and the Starcave of ThonBoka, all published in 1983. Thanks reader Medleystudios72 for pointing this one out!
30. The Maw
This wasn't the first appearance of The Maw. The giant black hole near Kessel was first mentioned in the 1994 novel Jedi Search. Thanks reader Medleystudios72 for pointing this one out!
31. Hands Up
Chewie pulls the arms off a guard on Kessel, just like Han Solo described way back in A New Hope. Thanks reader Medleystudios72 for pointing this one out!
32. Droid discrimination
When we meet L3 in the tavern where Han and Lando play sabacc, she's lamenting the fact that "They don't serve my kind here." That's reminiscent of C-3PO and R2's treatment in the cantina on Tatooine in A New Hope. Thanks reader Medleystudios72 for pointing this one out!
33. The disguise
The disguise Beckett wears on Kessel has been seen once before--Lando wore it to infiltrate Jabba's palace in Return of the Jedi. Thanks reader Medleystudios72 for pointing this one out!
By GameSpot Staff on Jun 02, 2018 03:00 am
There's plenty of exciting new games that we're eager to see more of at E3 2018. With so many major companies bringing their best games to the show, there's likely to be a fair amount of surprises in store. Despite the recent leaks, we're hoping that this year's show yields an assortment of notable announcements worth getting hyped up towards. Here, in alphabetical order, are some of the biggest games we're most looking forward to seeing. Many of these titles have been confirmed, but others are titles we're guessing at based on the list of companies on the official E3 homepage. The first potential look we'll get at most of these games will be during the press conferences before E3 even begins. We're hoping many of the games listed here are playable, but even if some only show up as a brief teaser, it's still another chance to get a feel for what's ahead. To make sure you're up to date with the times as well as the location for our E3 livestreams, we have a hub rounding up all of that info as well. Like previous shows, this year's E3 will likely yield plenty of exciting announcements. While this feature contains only a selection of the games we're most excited about, you can check out our other more comprehensive features covering all of the biggest PS4, Xbox One, and Switch games at E3 2018. But what games are you most excited to see at the show? Let us know in the comments below!
Animal Crossing for Nintendo Switch
I am the embodiment of "Animal Crossing on Switch, or we riot." There are so few series that I know I can count on to be fantastic with each iteration, and Animal Crossing always nails it for me. I don't know if it's because all my neighbors are always happy to see me or what, but I adore this wee chore simulator. Following New Leaf will be difficult as it really ironed out the kinks of City Folk and Wild World, in addition to having its own handful of lovable quirks. Pocket Camp has its own unique charms as well, though it doesn't do the series quite enough justice. What I would really love to see is a new game that focuses on the elements we've seen in Pocket Camp, like crafting, friendship levels, daily challenges, and more. I'd especially love to see even more fun events and things to collect too. And, if it's on Switch, it would be really amazing to see local co-op with the characters that live in your town, or an integrated online marketplace. | Aiden Strawhun, News Writer
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
For never was a story of more woe, than of the Wii U and Captain Toad. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker released on Wii U right at the end of 2014 in the US, thus taking it out of contention for GameSpot's Game of the Year awards voting that year and pushing it into 2015. I'm not saying it would've won, but at least it would've farted better in 2014 than having to battle 2015 heavy hitters like The Witcher 3 and Metal Gear Solid V. But alas, the much maligned Wii U was, even at that point, already fading into obscurity. But on Switch, Captain Toad has another chance to rise to the top and claim the glittering star of fame that he seeks out so tirelessly. As a re-release, Captain Toad won't make its way into our Game of the Year discussion (though it might be able to slug it out in the re-release/remaster category), but just giving more people a chance to experience this passed over gaming gem is great news. And since it's coming out this July on 3DS and Switch, it will undoubtedly be playable at Nintendo's E3 booth. And like every other Switch re-release so far, the Switch re-master will add new content like fresh Super Mario Odyssey-inspired locales, and local co-op play. So even intrepid adventures like me who already dove deep into the adventure on Wii U will have a reason to return. But what will Nintendo show off at E3? At least I don't have to wait much longer to find out. | Justin Haywald, Managing Editor
Crackdown 3
I've been eagerly awaiting Crackdown 3 for years now. I was a huge fan of the original's blend of open-world action and superhero powers, and even a decade later, it remains satisfying to scale a giant building and collect an agility orb. Like many others, I was disappointed by its seq uel, but since the announcement of Crackdown 3, I've been excited to see how the introduction of environmental destruction would shake up the formula. Despite being such a great idea, we haven't seen many developers tackle the superhero open-world genre; Saints Row 4 is one of the few exceptions, but that came with its own distinct style of zaniness. Crackdown 3 has the opportunity to go a different route while also leveraging the impressive cloud-based tech we've seen demonstrated in the past--assuming that remains part of the game. The delays and long wait has, admittedly, worried me, but I remain hopeful that's all in service of getting things right, not because things have gone terribly awry. | Chris Pereira, News Editor
Death Stranding
Hideo Kojima's enigmatic and bizarrely detailed Death Stranding will no doubt be one of E3 2018's most exciting games. Even though we've had a few trailers to see what's to come with the open-world action-thriller, the general narrative comes off as a bit incomprehensible, yet still alluring. And seeing Norman Reedus and Mads Mikkelsen as the game's two lead characters offers a lot of excitement for what could happen when these two will eventually face off. This year, Death Stranding will be one of the key games of Sony's press conference, putting it into the spotlight alongside the likes of The Last Of Us: Part II, Ghost of Tsushima, and Marvel's Spider-Man. As the first game from Kojima's new studio in the wake of his departure from Konami, there's a lot of anticipation for his big return. Personally speaking, I hope the game will only get weirder from here. While there is likely a method to Death Stranding's madness--all set within a world where the laws of time and space are in flux--it'd be better for them to keep specifics under wraps, and just let us stew in the strangeness of it all. | Alessandro Fillari, Editor
Final Fantasy 7 Remake
When Final Fantasy 7 launched in 1997, it was a huge moment for us longtime RPG fans. I'd been playing the series since its first installment on NES, and even after two ambitious, fantastic SNES sequels made their way stateside, the genre still wasn't getting the mainstream respect it deserved. That all changed when Final Fantasy 7 landed on PlayStation. The game was a massive hit, and it's easy to see why. It was huge--remember leaving Midgar for the first time and realizing it was just one city in a much larger world? It also had memorable characters, great writing, lots of secrets, and fun side missions. Sephiroth was the coolest, most vile villain we all loved to hate. And those graphics--no one had imagined CG cutscenes could look so good. Of course, in the age of 4K TVs, Final Fantasy 7 doesn't seem quite so gorgeous or massive anymore--but that's where this remake can come in. If the project can get on track after some apparent behind-the-scenes turmoil, a modernized version of Final Fantasy 7 could make this beloved classic feel like it did when it first came out. Let's just hope it materializes sooner rather than later. | Chris Reed, Commerce Editor
Fire Emblem for Nintendo Switch
It feels like a veritable lifetime since Nintendo revealed that a mainline Fire Emblem game is in development for Switch, and we still aren't any clearer about what we can expect from the game. Despite being announced during a Direct presentation back in January 2017, Nintendo hasn't provided any details about the title--only that it will apparently arrive sometime in 2018. Whether or not that remains the case is certainly up in the air considering we haven't even seen a second of footage from the game, but if it is indeed coming soon, then we'll undoubtedly hear more about it at E3 2018. While Fire Emblem Switch is still very much shrouded in mystery, it remains one of my most anticipated titles for the console. The recent slate of 3DS Fire Emblem games have been some of my favorite installments in the series, and I'm excited to see what direction developer Intelligent Systems will take for the next chapter. Switch's hybrid nature also means that the upcoming title will be the first console installment since Wii's Radiant Dawn, and I'm excited to see how Intelligent Systems will take advantage of the Switch's greater horsepower. More than anything, though, I'm excited by the prospect of being able to play Fire Emblem Switch anywhere I want. As the recent 3DS entries have demonstrated, Fire Emblem is perfectly suited for on-the-go play, but I'd also love to settle in for extended sessions on my TV. We may know next to nothing about the game, but given Intelligent Systems' recent track record, Fire Emblem Switch is certainly one of the most promising titles on the way for the hybrid console. | Kevin Knezevic, News Editor
Ghost of Tsushima
I've honestly never been a big fan of Sucker Punch Productions' previous games. Despite trying multiple games in both the Sly Cooper and Infamous franchises, none have managed to capture my imagination in any meaningful way. However, the studio's latest effort has me excited. Titled Ghost of Tsushima, the game is a samurai-themed open-world set on the island of Tsushima during the Mongol invasions of Japan in 1294. You play as a lone samurai turned vengeful assassin--likely fighting to drive out the Mongol army from Japan. As a history buff and lover of classic Japanese Chanbara films, Ghost of Tsushima sounds right up my alley. An open-world set in a faithfully recreated version of medieval Japan has always been a dream game of mine, so to say I'm enthused would be an understatement. Heck, I'm already wondering what mechanics will be included. For example, if there's a system involving manipulating clan loyalty--similar to what the protagonist of Akira Kurosawa's Yojimbo does--that would be amazing. Sony has said little about Ghost of Tsushima since its initial reveal at Paris Games Week. However, the company has confirmed that it'll talk more about the game at its E3 2018 press conference. I'm holding out hope for a first look at gameplay and even a possible release window. | Matt Espineli, Associate Editor
Kingdom Hearts III
I've been a fan of Kingdom Hearts for as long as the series has existed, and I've grown up playing it across too many home consoles, handhelds, and cell phones to count. Kingdom Hearts III is tasked with not just completing the trilogy, but with pleasing a fanbase that has stuck with the franchise for 16 years. Between several all-new worlds, a suite of epic attacks based on Disney theme park rides, and new battle options, Kingdom Hearts III is looking to turn every element of the game up to 11. That's why I'm excited to see it at E3 this year, presumably as the highlight of Square Enix's press conference. I want to know what other new ideas creator/director Tetsuya Nomura and his team are bringing to the latest entry, but most importantly, I want to know when I can actually sit down and play it from the comfort of my couch. Kingdom Hearts III has a herculean task of tying up more than a decade of stories and spin-offs, but the first step in satisfying fans is to simply tell us when we can play it for ourselves. | Tony Wilson, Video Producer
Metro Exodus
Metro 2033 and Last Light nailed down something I don't experience often in first-person shooters; the feeling of vulnerability. This works thematically as humans are stuck in the metro tunnels of Eastern Europe, trying to survive the post-apocalyptic world. But human factions vying for resources and territory and mutated monsters threaten your very existence. The "Dark Ones" in particular are central to the plot--descendants of humans called Homo Novus who evolved out of nuclear radiation--and you're given some key decisions that decides the fate between both species. That's all to say that I'm eager to see how the series evolves with Metro Exodus. The upcoming Metro Exodus continues the story of Artyom where he and a group of rangers flee the tunnels to head east and start a new life. From what's been revealed, it seems that a large chunk of this game will take place on the surface which is hostile to human life. You'll also be making your trek in the midst of a nuclear winter. Searching for new gas mask filters added tension to exploring on top of the fact that death can await you around every corner. Military-grade bullets dealt more damage but also acted as currency, driving home the fact that resources are scarce in the Metro world. While we don't know much about the actual game mechanics, I expect these elements to return because they are such a huge factor in creating that foreboding atmosphere that Metro captures perfectly. | Michael Higham, Associate Editor
Metroid Prime 4
Nintendo's announcement of Metroid Prime 4 at E3 2017 was awesome and all, but my god the wait for new info has been agonizing. I feel like it's safe to assume that it will be a first-person shooter, Samus will appear, and you know, there will be a lot of equipment upgrades to find, but surely Nintendo will strive for more than a by-the-numbers sequel, and it's those kind of details I want to know about most of all. That is if the game appears at E3 at all. One of the big rumors floating around is that Prime 4 will prominently feature Sylux, a little-known character who made brief appearances at the end of both Prime 3 and the 3DS co-op shooter Federation Force. Maybe he'll be a villain, but what if he replaced Samus as the lead character? My imagination is running wild because Nintendo hasn't said word one about anything related to the story, or the world, or where Prime 4 fits in the timeline, and I might as well grasp at crazy straws while I can, right? | Peter Brown, Senior Reviews Editor
Pokemon for Nintendo Switch
A new, core Pokemon RPG is coming to Switch, and we still know nothing about it. My imagination has been running wild since its reveal last E3. Will it be a full 3D world? Where will it be set? Most importantly, what will a Pokemon game look and feel like on a home console that's also portable? It has the potential to be the Pokemon game I've been dreaming about since I was a kid--more open, more engrossing, more of a fantasy than ever. I can't wait to see what that journey will be like. | Kallie Plagge, Associate Editor
Red Dead Redemption 2
After multiple delays, Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption 2 is finally coming out this October for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The 2010 original is one of my favourite games of all time, and I could not be more excited to see what Rockstar has in store for the sequel as it relates to advancements to storytelling, gameplay, systems, and overall presentation. We've learned that the game is a prequel where you play as a man named Arthur Morgan. He's in the Van der Linde gang, but he questions his place in the group, and that will surely have consequences. The first Red Dead offered a level of freedom that I hadn't experienced in a game before, and it is exciting to think about what Rockstar will do with the power of new consoles. I am expecting and hoping to see more detailed environments, bigger set pieces (please let there be another train robbery mission), and all kinds of interesting characters to meet. I am also very intrigued to see and learn more about the game's online component, which will no doubt take learnings from the uber-popular GTA Online and add its own Western-style flair. More than 1,000 people from across the company's network of studios reportedly worked on Red Dead Redemption 2, and it won't be much longer until we finally see what that collective effort can deliver. | Eddie Makuch, Editor
Remedy Games Project "P7"
We know that Remedy--the Finnish studio behind memorable cinematic third-person games Max Payne, Alan Wake, and Quantum Break—are working on something new, and it's going to be revealed at E3. The project is codenamed "P7", and a few small details are already certain: It's going to be another third-person game set in an entirely new universe, it's going to be multi-platform, and it's going to be released in 2019. We also know that Remedy are aiming to maintain their focus on storytelling while experimenting with ways to increase replayability, according to a Eurogamer interview with Sam Lake. I'm a big fan of Remedy's past titles, I've always found their cinematic approach to games really enjoyable, especially Alan Wake. Each game's unique action twist has always been really enjoyable, too--they were one of the first studios to make bullet time work well! When Quantum Break was announced, I remember being stunned at how ambitious it was, and I'm hoping that they leave me with a similarly significant impression when they reveal P7. | Edmond Tran, Editor and Senior Producer
Spider-Man
Spider-Man has been done, and done well, plenty of times before in video games--so why does this time feel so different? It's probably because, by all appearances, Insomniac has managed to inject some new life into a tired franchise. And certainly the production values have gone up now that it's a major tentpole exclusive for Sony. But more than any other factor, I get the sense that Insomniac loves and understands what makes Spider-Man special. His improvisational style appears to manifest in a wide array of combat options that can be mixed and matched at will. His brilliance leads to light gadgetry that's believable coming from the kid genius who invented web shooters. He can stalk enemies to thin out their ranks, but without the overbearing darkness of an Arkham wannabe. This version of Spider-Man is a colorful, flexible everyman hero, and those are just the shoes I'd like to step into for a larger-than-life fantasy. Plus, that Miles Morales tease doesn't hurt. | Steve Watts, News Writer
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo Switch
Super Smash Bros has officially been announced for Nintendo Switch and I for one cannot wait to find out more about it. Since the series first debuted back on the N64, I have been hooked on playing it with friends as often as I possibly can. Some of my closest friends were ones I made in college while staying up late in the dorms playing Melee until the sun rose. With Smash on Switch, I'm hoping to see a more unique roster. While I definitely want some of the past characters to come back, I hope to see plenty of new ones this time around. While the silhouettes shown seem to clearly indicate we are getting Mario and Link, I'm hoping returning characters at least have a more unique moveset in this iteration. During E3, I have a feeling we'll see at least eight characters from the game's roster. We'll likely see the latest iterations of established characters, like Mario and Link, as well as some predictable returning characters, like Samus, Fox, and Kirby. In addition, we'll likely see a big third party character announced. With so many possible characters to be added and new mechanics to be introduced, E3 can't arrive sooner. Fingers crossed for Geno to be added! | Gajan Kulasingham, Senior Social Media Producer
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