By Kevin Wong on Jun 08, 2018 11:33 pm
In professional wrestling parlance, a "squash" is a blatantly lopsided match. Usually short in length and painful looking, a squash establishes the winner as an unbreakable monster. Often, a booker will place a title contender in multiple squash matches to demonstrate that he or she is a legitimate threat to the champion. As for the loser of a squash match? His job is to look like a chump; the worse he looks, the better his opponent looks. And some wrestlers, like the Brooklyn Brawler, have made a career out of consistently losing and putting over their opponents. Here are 7 of the most embarrassingly one-sided matches in WWE history. We're not including the matches where the loser showed some resilience and grit, like John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar at Summerslam 2014. We're also not including matches like Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus at Wrestlemania 28 or Goldberg vs. Brock Lesnar at Survivor Series 2016; these should have been competitive, back-and-forth fights, but they ended in some flukey, auspicious manner. The matches in this gallery are the humiliating ones--the matches that already looked horrible on paper--where the loser was reduced to a joke.
1. The Rock vs. Erick Rowan
The Rock was not advertised as an in-ring performer for Wrestlemania 32. But midway through his promo at the pay-per-view, the lights went out and the Wyatt Family stalked to the ring. The Rock has a selfish tendency to verbally insult his opponents over things that are true. This is considered poor form in professional wrestling because a promo is supposed to promote a "must-see" match. If you make your opponent look like a fool, who's going to pay money to see him fight? Instead of putting the Wyatt Family over as a trio of scary cult followers, Rock referred to Bray Wyatt, the "Eater of Worlds," as the "Eater of Hot Pockets," and he referred to Erick Rowan and Braun Strowman as "inbred Duck Dynasty b****es." He then proceeded to Rock Bottom and pin Rowan in six seconds--a WrestleMania record. On his podcast, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin expressed his sympathy for Rowan, who was placed in a difficult situation that gained him nothing. "It didn't do anything for The Rock," said Austin. "It certainly didn't do anything for Rowan, so what's the deal? I don't think the match needed to happen. It was not of consequence."
Bob Backlund was a beloved, decorated WWE Champion, whose prime lasted from the late-'70s to the mid-'80s. In the mid-'90s, Backlund returned to the active roster, this time as a deranged heel who would snap over perceived insults and assault people. At Survivor Series 1994, Backlund beat Bret Hart to win the WWE Championship after Bret's brother, Owen Hart, interfered in the match and guilted their mother to throw in the towel. But make no mistake; there was no way that Backlund, at his age and with his current gimmick, looked or acted like a dominant world champion. Three days later, he faced Diesel in a title match at WWE's spiritual home, Madison Square Garden. Just look at the above photo. Is there any doubt of who would or should win this? Diesel kicked Backlund in the stomach, Jackknifed him, and pinned him to clinch the title. It only took eight seconds. It was humiliating for Backlund, but the old veteran sold his beating like a professional. According to Diesel, he crawled up the aisle to the dressing room to demonstrate his pain. Diesel was very grateful for that.
3. Brock Lesnar vs. Zach Gowen
When Brock Lesnar debuted in 2002, WWE Creative booked him to be a monster, and he drew a ton of heat by destroying beloved, significantly smaller babyfaces like Jeff and Matt Hardy. But this match between Lesnar and Zach Gowen seemed extremely classless, even by early-'00s WWE standards. Not only was Gowen as skinny as a twig, but he only had one leg--the result of an amputation due to cancer. The match, and its aftermath, was an awful bloody affair. Gowen actually won by disqualification, but that's a laughable outcome. Lesnar "broke" Gowen's leg, slammed him outside the ring, and even smacked him in the head with a steel chair, all while taunting Gowen's mother sitting by ringside. The following week, just for good measure, Lesnar grabbed Gowen by his wheelchair and threw him down a flight of stairs.
4. Big Show vs. Jamie Noble
The running joke on the Big Show is that he's turned heel and face so many times, everyone has lost count. This particular squash of Jamie Noble was during one of Show's heel phases in 2008. Jamie Noble, realizing he was hopelessly outmatched, delivered a kick to Big Show's testicles, disqualifying himself. But the beating continued; Big Show kept sinking in body blow after body blow until Noble was spitting blood onto the mat. The memorable part of the beatdown was the quiet crowd reaction; suddenly, it wasn't fun anymore. Show would go on to have long, fruitful career. Noble would sustain a severe back injury in a match with Sheamus in 2009, which sent him into early retirement.
5. Sable vs. Marc Mero
Marc Mero was brought into WWE as a good guy, and his wife, Sable, accompanied him to the ring. This makes little sense; why would a good guy need a sexy valet? Traditional booking dictates that the sexy valet manages the heel; she can make the women jealous, and make the men envious of Mero. Still, WWE moved ahead with the idea, and pretty soon, Sable eclipsed Mero in popularity. Eventually, Mero turned heel; he became a jealous man who wanted Sable to cover up. And in May 1998, Sable and Mero, a man who outweighed her by over 100 pounds, squared off against each other. Technically the bell never rang, even though the referee was officiating. But the segment ended with Sable power bombing Mero before leaving the ring. Mero, to his credit, was an incredible sport behind the scenes and had no problem letting his wife be the star.
6. ECW vs. Colin Delaney
This was a sick joke, spread out over the course of weeks. Colin Delaney was a pale wisp of a man, and when he debuted on WWE's ECW brand, he was matched up against a different monster every week or two. They would all pummel him into paste in mere minutes. The first match was against Shelton Benjamin. The second was against Big Daddy V. Then Mark Henry. Then Kane. Then The Great Khali. And then a handicap match against John Morrison and The Miz. It was dark, but funny. Tazz would interview Delaney before each of these confrontations and show a highlight reel of the previous weeks' carnage. Every week, Delaney would look more and more injured; by the time he reached Morrison and Miz, he was covered and bandaged from head to toe with athletic tape. Fortunately, Tommy Dreamer ran in to save Delaney from Morrison and Miz. It was with Dreamer that Delaney would finally win his first WWE match.
It was Wrestlemania XII, and Triple H, then known as a snotty blue blood named Hunter Hearst Helmsley, was booked to fight the Ultimate Warrior. Once seen as the heir apparent to Hulk Hogan, Warrior had been gone from the company for several years at that point, and WWE wanted to pick up right where they left off. The entrances took longer than the match. Triple H's only attacks were at the very beginning of the engagement; he performed a Pedigree on Warrior, and Warrior completely no-sold it; he popped right back up and started pandering to the crowd. Warrior then performed all of his signatures, one after the other, before pinning Triple H by kneeling on his chest. In the years afterward, Triple H didn't have many nice things to say about The Ultimate Warrior. "Probably one of the most unprofessional guys I've ever stepped into the ring with," Triple H said in an interview. But time heals all wounds; it was Triple H who pushed for the Ultimate Warrior to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, only days before he died.
By Chris E. Hayner on Jun 08, 2018 11:32 pm
When it comes to figuring out how successful a movie was with audiences, the box office returns are normally a pretty good thing to research. However, once upon a time, there was another way to figure out how big of an impact your film had. During the 1980s and 1990s, a slew of movies were adapted into cartoons to further appeal to kids. After all, if your movie becomes a cartoon, you can make more toys to sell, and more toys equals more money. And while most of the animated series made perfect sense--of course Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures made a great cartoon--others were a bit questionable. The very idea of a Rambo cartoon is puzzling. GameSpot dug back through cartoon history to dig up the best and craziest cartoons based on old movies for your viewing pleasure. How many of these did you watch? And what did we miss when it comes to your favorites? Sound off in the comments below!
1. Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1995-2000)
You might not remember it, but Ace Ventura: Pet Detective ran for three seasons over five years. After two years on CBS, it took a nearly two-year break before jumping to Nickelodeon for its final 15 episodes. Surprisingly, there was also a computer game based on the cartoon--but not on the movie. Image: Warner Bros. TV
2. The Real Ghostbusters (1986-1991)
This is the gold standard of cartoons adapted from movies. The Real Ghostbusters--which also became Slimer and the Real Ghostbusters for a time--ran for seven seasons and turned the movies into an even more kid-friendly adventure. It also led to a massive toy line. Image: Sony Pictures Television
3. Extreme Ghostbusters (1997)
This sequel to The Real Ghostbusters introduces a new crop of heroes, with Egon returning as the lone original. Taking advantage of the late-'90s obsession with the word "extreme," this new Ghostbusters was anything but. However, it was a fun, short-lived way to expand the Ghostbusters animated universe. Image: Sony Pictures Television
4. Back to the Future (1991-1992)
While Back to the Future Part III was a pretty definitive end for the franchise, that didn't stop them from making a cartoon, following Marty, Doc, Doc's Family, and Einstein the dog. Naturally, Christopher Lloyd and Michael J. Fox did not return to voice their characters, though the former did appear in live-action segments at the beginning and end of each episode. What may surprise you, though, is both Mary Steenburgen (Clara Clayton Brown) and Thomas F. Wilson (Biff Tannen) did reprise their roles for the animated series. Image: NBCUniversal Television Distribution
5. Clerks: The Animated Series (2000)
This one is weird for a number of reasons. Based on the Kevin Smith movie, this was not a cartoon for children. It saw the return of practically the entire Clerks cast, plus the addition of Alec Baldwin as rich weirdo Leonardo Leonardo. It was also canceled after two episodes by ABC. However, six episodes were produced and eventually released on DVD. Image: Buena Vista Television
6. Beetlejuice (1989-1991)
If you watch Tim Burton's Beetlejuice movie, which can be pretty graphic, it may be surprising that they turned it into a children's cartoon. That said, the animated Beetlejuice series ran for four seasons and even got its own line of toys. As you can probably guess, Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder did not return to voice their characters. Image: Warner Bros. TV
7. The Karate Kid (1989)
Instead of a fighting tournament, The Karate Kid sends Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Miyagi on an adventure around the world to find a magical shrine, with a new sidekick joining their quest. The cartoon is such an insane departure from the movies, that it should come as no surprise it only lasted a single season. Thank goodness for Cobra Kai. Image: Sony Pictures Television
8. The Mummy: The Animated Series (2001-2003)
While based on Brendan Fraser's The Mummy movie, this cartoon centers on the 14-year-old son of the main characters, as their family is chased around the world by Imhotep. Image: NBCUniversal Television Distribution
9. Dumb & Dumber (1995-1996)
Yet another Jim Carrey movie adapted into an animated series. It follows the film, continuing the adventures of Harry Dunne and Lloyd Christmas as they continued to be incredibly stupid. Now, though, they have the purple beaver as a sidekick. Why not? Image: Warner Bros. TV
10. Jumanji (1996-1999)
Though based on the original movie, the Jumanji animated series has a lot in common with Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. In this cartoon, two kids are sucked into the game's jungle on each turn and have to solve clues to go back home. While there, they befriend Alan Parrish--played by Robin Williams in the movie--and explore the wild with him. Image: Sony Pictures Television
11. Police Academy: The Animated Series (1988-1989)
This is another bizarre example. The original Police Academy film was rated R by the MPAA. The sequels that followed ranged from PG-13 to PG, but basing a cartoon for children on a Rated-R movie is a risky bet--though it's one that happened a few times in the '80s. It worked well enough to earn the series 65 episodes and an extensive line of toys, though. It should be noted that the Zed action figure dropped his pants, if you were wondering how classy these toys were. Image: LBS Communications
12. RoboCop: The Animated Series (1988)
RoboCop is an incredibly graphic and vulgar film, filled with violence. Yet, somehow, it got two cartoons. The first only ran for 12 episodes, but its very existence is remarkable. Naturally, it wasn't as violent as the movie. Image: MGM Television
13. RoboCop: Alpha Command (1998-1999)
The second RoboCop cartoon was far more successful, with a higher-quality animation style earning it 40 episodes before it was canceled. Image: MGM Television
14. Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures (1990-1991)
Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure lends itself perfectly to an animated series and this cartoon is a lot of fun. However, what's most notable about it is the cast. Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter voiced their characters in the first season. The second season saw the duo replaced by two actors that were also going to star in a live-action adaptation that was canceled after seven episodes. The animated series was then dropped. Image: MGM Television
15. The Mask Animated Series (1995-1997)
The last cartoon based on a Jim Carrey movie on this list but perhaps the craziest. This series crossed over with the Ace Ventura cartoon, creating some kind of shared Carrey universe. In the crossover, the green mask gets attached to Ace Ventura's butt. That is not a joke. Warner Bros. TV
16. Men in Black
Though based on the Men in Black film, the animated series takes place in an alternate timeline where Agent K doesn't retire and have his memory wiped. He and Agent J are joined by Agent L, who was introduced at the end of the first movie, as they fought aliens invading the planet. Image: Sony Pictures Television
17. Rambo: The Force of Freedom (1986)
As you've seen thus far, making cartoons out of adult movies was commonplace in the 1980s. However, even this is taking things to the extreme. First Blood and Rambo: First Blood Part II are intense and unsettling action movies about a Vietnam War veteran that goes on killing sprees. Yet somehow, they were adapted into an animated series that saw Rambo lead a team of heroes around the world to fight an evil organization known as S.A.V.A.G.E. And in case you're wondering what that's short for, it's Specialist-Administrators of Vengeance, Anarchy, and Global Extortion. Image: StudioCanal
18. Godzilla: The Series (1998-2000)
If the world needed anything, it's a cartoon based on the 1998 Godzilla movie starring Matthew Broderick, right? In this animated series, the giant lizard teams with Broderick's character and a group of environmental crusaders (and a robot, of course) in a fight against other mutant monsters. Somehow it lasted two seasons. Image: Sony Pictures Television
19. The Oz Kids (1996-1997)
What happens when The Wizard of Oz and Muppet Babies gets mashed up? The Oz Kids! In the series, Dorothy is a mom, and it's her two kids, along with Toto Jr., that go on adventures to Oz. Once there, they meet up with the kids of the Scarecrow, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, and more. If you're wondering how the Scarecrow and Tin Man managed to have kids, you are not alone. Image: Walt Disney Television
20. The Robonic Stooges (1977-1978)
Imagine a world where the Three Stooges are so popular that they get a cartoon set in the future, where they are bionic superheroes. It exists, and it's as crazy as it sounds. Unfortunately, by the time the show was in production, the original Stooges had died, leading to them being voiced by other actors. Image: Warner Bros. TV
21. Street Fighter (1995-1997)
This peculiar adaptation is based on a mix of the arcade game and the live-action movie. In it, Col. William F. Guile leads his team of Street Fighters around the world as they work undercover to defeat M. Bison and his criminal empire the only way they know how--through martial arts. Image: Discotek Media
22. Alienators: Evolution Continues (2001-2002)
Evolution, starring David Duchovny, Seann William Scott, and Julianne Moore, was not a box office hit or a critical darling. And yet, somehow, it was turned into a cartoon. Of course, with a name like, Alienators: Evolution Continues, the animated series wasn't very obvious about its status as a sequel to the film. However, in the United Kingdom, it was known as Evolution: The Animated Series. Image: NBCUniversal Television Distribution
By Chris E. Hayner on Jun 08, 2018 11:31 pm
It was a rough year to be a TV fan. The 2017-2018 TV season left the streets littered with the bodies of characters you both loved and hated. Whether it was iconic villains that finally put up their final fight or the heroes viewers have been cheering on for years, seemingly nobody was safe. In the end, though, these are the stories that get told on TV. Not everyone makes it out alive in most action and drama series. If the stakes aren't real, it's a lot harder to get invested in the journey. GameSpot went back through the year in TV to pick out what we believe are the 30 biggest TV deaths this season. Some made us cry, other made us cheer. And yet, there were also some that simply left us scratching our heads. Come along as we look back on a year of TV and say goodbye to the characters that have taken their final bow--at least for now. After all, there are some shows that kill people all the time, only to find ways to resurrect them later.
1. Quentin Lance (Arrow)
It came as little surprise that Paul Blackthorne was leaving the show, once it was announced he had a new series this fall. Still, the death of Quentin Lance was a rough one on Arrow. After being on the series from the beginning, the former police officer that worked his way up to the mayor's office was an integral piece of the show when he was gunned down by Ricardo Diaz in the Season 6 finale. Image: The CW
2. Jerome (Gotham)
For four years, Gotham has led fans to believe that Jerome, the murderous psychotic circus castoff was becoming the FOX show's version of the Joker. As Season 4 came to an end, though, the truth was revealed in Jerome's death. He was about as Joker as you could get until his unhinged twin brother Jeremiah came into the picture. With Jerome now dead, Jeremiah is primed to rule Gotham. Image: FOX
3. Butch (Gotham)
Butch has been a constant on Gotham since the very beginning. He was muscle for Fish Mooney, an enforcer for Penguin, anything Tabitha Galavan wanted, and, eventually, Solomon Grundy. That's what makes his death in the Season 4 finale so difficult. While Penguin's justification for killing him--retaliation against Tabitha for killing his mother seasons earlier--made sense, seeing Gotham's favorite thug take his final bow was difficult. Then again, this is Gotham and he could always somehow rise from the dead… Again. Image: FOX
4. David (Scandal)
A show like Scandal couldn't end without at least one major death, right? That poor target was David Rosen. Long seen on the show as one of the few people in Washington, D.C. that weren't corrupt, it makes sense that one of the most evil--Vice President Cyrus Beene--poisons and kills him in one of his final acts on the show. Image: ABC
5. Rip Hunter (Legends of Tomorrow)
Rip Hunter's role on Legends of Tomorrow has been confusing, at best, since Season 1. Though he initially led the team of misfits, he was technically a villain in the show's second year, before heading up a rival time traveling team in Season 3. Still, even though he never had any real stability as a character, it was always nice seeing him. Thankfully, Legends is a show that constantly alters its own timeline, so it's not impossible for him to show back up someday. Image: The CW
6. Damien Darhk (Legends of Tomorrow)
Once again, Arrow-verse fans think they've seen the last of Damien Darhk. The villain made lives miserable and killed Laurel Lance during Season 4 of Arrow, before his own death. Time travel brought him back to the present on Legends of Tomorrow, though, where he became a primary antagonist for the team during Seasons 2 and 3. However, now he's dead again and presumably for good. Truth be told, you can only put this universe of heroes against the same bad guy for so long before it gets boring. So while his death is major, it's also somewhat welcome. You had a good run, Damien. Image: The CW
7. Simon (The Walking Dead)
One of Negan's most trusted associates was anything but. When Simon realized he had a chance to steal his boss's crown and run the Sanctuary, he took it, without looking back. Unfortunately for Simon, Negan is a cockroach that will never die. So when the boss made a comeback, Simon's days were numbered. He attempted a coup, failed, and paid for it with his life. In the end, he became nothing more than a walker strapped to the gates of the Sanctuary. Image: AMC
8. Carl (The Walking Dead)
It's the latest in a long line of deaths that did not sit well with fans of The Walking Dead. Losing Carl completely changes the DNA of The Walking Dead, as the show continues to veer away from the comics it's based on. Now, with Andrew Lincoln leaving next season, it seems like an even worse idea. Carl would have carried on in Rick's place. Image: AMC
9. Nick (Fear the Walking Dead)
Losing Nick meant losing a lot of what makes Fear the Walking Dead special. As one of a few remaining original characters, he was the imperfect warrior constantly struggling to make a better life for those he loved. He survived drug addiction, several instances of near-death, and somehow found love in the apocalypse. And still, in the brutal world this show and The Walking Dead are set in, nothing is permanent. He was gunned down by a scared child, bringing his character to a shocking conclusion. Image: AMC
10. Chase Graves (iZombie)
Will viewers miss Chase Graves? Not likely, as he was a real jerk. The head of the zombie-controlled corporated Fillmore Graves wanted a zombie apocalypse that played by his rules paid for it with his life. Of course, his rules were barbaric, and he fell victim to his own head-smashing guillotine, so it's rather poetic. Image: The CW
11. Astrid (Vikings)
The fight between Ivar's and Lagertha's forces saw many deaths in the Vikings mid-season finale. None hurt as much, though, as Astrid at the hands of the woman she loved. Astrid begged Lagertha to kill her so she would not give birth to Harald's child, marking the end of the love affair between the two shield-maidens. Image: History
12. Halfdan the Black (Vikings)
As with Astrid's death, Halfdan's demise was rather emotional. He and his brother Harald found themselves on different sides of the Kattegat civil war, during which Harald killed his sibling by cutting him down with a sword. There was no ill will between the two, however, as Harald promised to see his brother in Valhalla. Image: History
13. Jack (This is Us)
Jack dying was never really a secret on This is Us. Fans knew it was coming for two seasons, but were never sure of how it happened. That question drove a number of conspiracy theories about the series. In the end, it was faulty wiring in a Crock-Pot sparking a deadly fire that took Jack's life. Image: NBC
Tom (The Blacklist)
He survived a failed spin-off, but Tom Keen was still unable to make it out of Season 5 of The Blacklist alive. He was stabbed and strangled trying to keep Liz alive, and when she awoke from her coma ten months later to learn that, it was one of the show's most heartbreaking moments. Image: NBC
15. Skinner (The X-Files)
As with most things on The X-Files, the death of Walter Skinner is confusing and possibly not real. During the Season 11 season finale, Skinner is run over by a car driven by the nefarious Cigarette Smoking Man, who leaves him for dead. While he could potentially survive in a future season of the show, star Gillian Anderson's public stance that she's done with the series leaves more X-Files in doubt. At this point, it might be safe to say Skinner is likely dead and buried. Image: FOX
16. Cigarette Smoking Man (The X-Files)
Another murky death during the most recent X-Files season. In a fit of rage, Mulder shot CSM multiple times, seemingly killing him, before kicking him into a lake. It's as final a moment as the character has ever gotten. That said, it's not like this nefarious monster hasn't been killed on the show before. Image: Fox
17. Monica Reyes (The X-Files)
As CSM sped toward Skinner, with Agent Reyes trying to stop him, the former FBI agent fired off several shots at the car, one of them fatally wounding Reyes. Image: FOX
18. Midge (Riverdale)
It wouldn't be Riverdale is somebody wasn't being killed. That said, it's hard to believe the show murdered Midge in such a public and graphic way--especially given how prominent a character Midge is in Archie Comics. That image of her stabbed to death on the stage of Riverdale's high school musical is one that's not going away anytime soon. Image: The CW
19. Lucifer (Supernatural)
How do you kill the devil? Well, on Supernatural all it takes is Dean Winchester. After Lucifer escaped to the real world in the Season 13--yes, 13--finale, he came to blows with the Winchesters, and it was Dean who finally put him down once and for all. Image: The CW
20. Leo Fitz (Marvel's Agents of SHIELD)
Agents of SHIELD can be a very tough show to follow. In its fifth season, Fitz and Simmons were finally married--sort of. In truth, the Fitz that married Simmons was actually from the future. He stuck around and, by the end of the season, was killed when a building caved in on him. Of course, given that this if future Fitz, the modern day version is still floating out in space somewhere waiting to wake up. Unfortunately, that version of the character has no idea he's married, which could make for an awkward Season 6. Image: ABC
By Dan Auty on Jun 08, 2018 04:57 pm
When Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park hit theaters back in 1993, no one had seen anything like it. Sure, Spielberg was mining the same brand of monster movie tension he did with Jaws 20 years earlier, while Michael Crichton's source novel was essentially his '70s movie Westworld reworked with dinosaurs instead of mad robot cowboys. But the dinosaurs were the big draw, and immediately set a new standard for visual effects. Never before had any big movie monster been represented so brilliantly on-screen. By modern standards there were in fact relatively few digital shots in the movie, and many of the dinosaur effects were performed using physical on-set animatronics. But Spielberg's ability to combine these older techniques with the pioneering digital work created something truly amazing--and utterly believable. As the series continued--with The Lost World (1997), Jurassic Park III (2001), and Jurassic World (2015)--the visual effects have gotten more sophisticated, but the draw of the movies remain the same: incredible dinosaurs, usually hunting down humans--some big, some small, some friendly, and others terrifying. So with Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom set to hit US theaters later this month, here's a look at all the dinosaurs in the series so far, ranked in order of how awesome they are.
20. Apatosaurus
This gentle, majestic beast sadly doesn't get to do much but be prey for the rampaging Indominus Rex in Jurassic World. The Rex attacks a herd of Apatosaurus, and slaughters them, leaving only one fatally wounded survivor.
19. Ceratosaurus
The Ceratosaurus has a cool horn but doesn't get to do much. No sooner does it make its debut appearance in Jurassic Park III, than it's off again, having smelt the giant pile of dinopoop that Dr. Grant and the Kirby family are inspecting.
18. Pachycephalosaurus
The rather tricky pronunciation of this dinosaur's name leads The Lost World's hunter Roland Denbo to nickname one of his captured prey "Friar Tuck." Cloned versions also appear in Jurassic World, butting heads as entertainment for visitors (and dislodging their tracking implants in the process, allowing them to easily escape).
17. Corythosaurus
Corythosaurus means "helmet lizard," which is a very cool name. But sadly it only gets to appear once, glimpsed briefly in the background of the Jurassic World III scene where Velociraptors are chasing Billy to get their eggs back.
16. Parasaurolophus
This distinctive herbivore makes regular appearances throughout the series, most notably when one of their herd is cruelly captured by the hunters in The Lost World.
15. Triceratops
One of the Jurassic series' most famous dinosaurs, these creatures look tough but are docile and peaceful. The Triceratops in the first movie is best known for both being sick and providing dung-related comic relief, while a Triceratops kid becomes Pteranodon prey in Jurassic World.
14. Mamenchisaurus
This huge, long-necked beast features only briefly in The Lost World, but it's in a cool shot, as one of the hunters rides his bike between the creature's legs.
13. Stegosaurus
One of the most famous of all the dinosaurs, the Stegosaurus is the first creature seen in The Lost World. Dr Harding almost gets eaten by one when she gets too close to take some pictures. Don't mess with Steg.
12. Gallimimus
The star of one of the first movie's most famous scenes, the Gallimimus are crucial to introducing us the amazing creatures on Isla Nublar. As Dr Grant and the Murphy kids roam the park they encounter a flock of Gallimimus racing towards them to escape the hungry T-Rex.
11. Dimorphodon
A flying menace, the Dimorphodon were residents of Jurassic World's aviary, and escape when the Indominus Rex smashes its way into their home. They are smaller than Pteranodons, but it's equally scary when both species go on an airborne rampage after being set free.
10. Brachiosaurus
The first dinosaur encountered in the entire franchise. This huge beast is seen by Dr. Grant and Dr. Sattler upon their arrival on Isla Nublar, and the sheer scale and grandeur of this encounter remains an incredible moment of cinema.
9. Spinosaurus
The Spinosaurus is one of the biggest of all the carnivorous dinos, dwarfing even the Tyrannosaurus Rex. The power of his creature is demonstrated in Jurassic Park III, when it takes on the T-Rex and wins. Unfortunately, later in the movie it also swallows a satellite phone, allowing its potential human prey to escape every time it gets near them.
8. Dilophosaurus
The Dilophosaurus really only has one key scene in the series, but man, it's a good one. While attempting to smuggle dinosaur embryos off the island in Jurassic Park, crooked programmer Dennis Nedry disables the park's security, allowing the dinosaurs to roam free. He encounters the terrifying Dilophosaurus, which spreads its colourful trill and sprays him with venom, before devouring him. Bye Dennis!
7. Compsognathus
It might be small, but the Compsognathus is seriously deadly. These little critters bite hard and attack in massed groups, quickly overcoming their prey with sheer speed and numbers, as hunter Dieter Stark discovers in The Lost World.
6. Mosasaurus
This 18-meter aquatic creature was created for the park in Jurassic World and placed in a 3 million gallon pool for the entertainment of visitors. Being submerged in water means it can't cause quite as much mayhem as its dino-colleagues, but it does still get a couple of snacks, firstly unfortunate employee Zara Young, and in the final scene, the rampaging Indominus Rex.
5. Ankylosaurus
These awesome armored beasts are only glimpsed briefly in Jurassic Park III, but get more screen time in Jurassic World. As Zack and Gray are trapped upside down in their gyrosphere, an Ankylosaurus fights to a brutal death with the Indominus Rex, while the rest of the herd runs off.
4. Pteranodon
These flying predators have memorably intense scenes in both Jurassic Park III and Jurassic World. Their long, razor-sharp beaks and ability to swoop down upon their prey make them one of the scariest dinosaurs in the franchise. The Jurassic World sequence in which a group of Pteranodon toss poor Zara Young around in the air before dropping her into the mouth of the Mosasaurus in particularly nasty.
3. Indominus Rex
The biggest attraction in Jurassic World, the Indominus Rex is the terrifying genetic hybrid of a variety of dinosaurs species, including the T-Rex and Velociraptors, plus creatures like tree frogs and vipers. As inclined to hunt for sport as much for food, we learn that originally there were two of these creatures before one, er, ate his own brother. This bad, mad beast is responsible for most of the chaos in Jurassic World, before he is ultimately stopped by Blue, the T-Rex, and the hungry Mosasaurus.
2. Tyrannosaurus Rex
The baddest beast in the Jurassic universe, the T-Rex features in some of the scariest, best known scenes in the series. But it's also something of a hero, and essentially saves the day at the end of the original movie. After spending the next couple of decades living wild on the island, the T-Rex returns for Jurassic World and plays a crucial part in defeating the Indominus Rex.
1. Velociraptor
No dinosaur is more closely associated with the Jurassic series than the 'Raptor. Strong, fast, intelligent, and deadly, they are the true dino-villains of Jurassic Park and play a big part in both The Lost World and Jurassic Park III. And of course, Jurassic World provides the first heroic Velociraptor in the shape of Blue, who has been trained by Owen Grady.
By GameSpot Staff on Jun 08, 2018 07:58 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 fared 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
The Last Of Us: Part II
The Last of Us is one of my favourite games ever and the best game of the last generation of consoles. I loved its characters, combat, and story, all of which come together to make a beautifully complete and neatly wrapped package. For this reason, I didn't want a sequel. Of course, Sony was always going to make a follow-up to one of its best-received and most successful games, and even though I'd rather it didn't exist, I'm still going to play it, and I'm still excited to hear more about where Joel and Ellie's path leads them. I also really want to know whether Part II will contain a multiplayer mode, which was the most underrated portion of the original game. Its slow, tense action and teamwork was a fresh take on the third person multiplayer shooter. Maybe Naughty Dog will even join the battle royale revolution? | Oscar Dayus, Staff Writer
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
By GameSpot Staff on Jun 08, 2018 07:56 am
There's a lot of excitement for Nintendo's upcoming Direct at E3 2018. The company has achieved massive success since the Switch's launch thanks to its hybrid functionality and amazing roster of first-party and third-party games. And with highly-anticipated games in its upcoming lineup, like Pokemon, Metroid Prime 4, and Super Smash Bros., many are clamoring for more details and announcements. In addition to Switch, Nintendo also continues to support the 3DS, consistently announcing new games for the seven-year old 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 are some of the biggest Switch and 3DS games we're certain are going to appear at E3. Many of these games have been announced, but others are ones we believe will show up 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 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 small sampling of all the exciting titles that will likely come out of E3, and be sure to check out our editor's picks for the games we're most anticipating. 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 08, 2018 07:54 am
We're nearly five years into the PS4's life cycle, which means it's going to be all about the games at E3 2018. It's possible some of kind of big tech or hardware may be teased, but it's far more likely that Sony will wait on those types of announcements in favor of details for its latest games. Here are some of the biggest PS4 games we're assuming are going to be at this year's E3. We hope most of them are playable, but even if some only show up as a trailer, it's another chance to hear more about these games. You'll notice that many of these titles have been announced, but also included are titles we're guessing based on the list of companies on E3's official homepage. The first glimpse we'll have at many of these games will be during the pre-E3 press conferences. To make sure you're aware of the schedule as well as the location for our E3 livestreams, we have a hub rounding up all of that info for your convenience. The following games are only a few of all the exciting titles that will come out of E3. Aside from what you see here, be sure to check out our editor's picks for the games we're most anticipating. 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.
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