The Best Games of E3 2013

E3 2013 has now come and gone, yet the hype is still in the air. Nintendo had games, Sony had games and Microsoft unsuccessfully tried to kill controversy with games. It was one of the more eventful industry showings which bodes well for the transition in to the new console generation. This leads us to the same question we ask every year: what are the best games of E3? Well, here are your answers:

Andres’ Game of E3:
Super Smash Bros.

If anyone knows how to stick with what they know, it’s Nintendo. This E3, they stood by that mantra stronger than ever. One of their biggest reveals was the fourth entry in the Super Smash Bros. series which exemplified more of the idea that video games are sometimes about pure unbridled fun.

As a game coming out for both the Wii U and the Nintendo 3DS, I am particularly eager to see a game that doesn’t lose any quality in its mobile format, as has often been the case for years. Thanks to the power of the 3DS, Super Smash Bros.for Wii U/3DS is looking to be a beautiful fighter on both consoles, even with some platform-specific stages and art styles to make them both different in their own way, rather than making the 3DS version simply a half-assed carbon copy to throw onto their other system.

Then there’s the inclusion of such characters as a Villager from Animal Crossing and the Wii Fit Trainer from Wii Fit. If you say you saw that second one coming, you’d be lying. It’s this silliness that feels so refreshing among the “console wars” every year. While they may not seem completely different every year, Nintendo always dishes out some quality titles, focusing on their strengths, and Super Smash Bros. is shaping up to look like another great example of that.

Yamilia’s Game of E3:
The Evil Within

Emily’s Game of E3:
Sony’s Indie Push

For me, the highlight of E3 2013 was during the Sony press conference, but not for the reasons you might think. Used games and standing ovations are all well and good, but what I found most exciting was Sony’s stance on indie developers. When I heard that Outlast, a survival horror game I played at PAX East, was going to be on the PS4, and that it would be one of the three free indie titles Sony was giving away, that very nearly sealed the deal for me. And Octodad: Dadliest Catch, quite possibly the most creative and clever concept for a game to date, is also going to be on the PS4! Finally, I’ve got my eyes on Transistor, the latest title from the developers that made Bastion. Although not much is known yet, it looks fantastic, and will likewise see release on the PS4. Not to mention that indie devs can self-publish using the PS4. To me, this was the best part about E3.

Henry’s Game of E3:
Mirror’s Edge 2

If you’ve read pretty much anything games-related that I’ve ever written, my high point of E3 shouldn’t come as a surprise. Clue: what’s been rumoured to exist for five years, has two thumbs and a lot of red things? Star Wars Battlefront could roughly fit that description, but I’m talking about Mirror’s Edge 2. Yes, finally I will be able to jump over, slide under, and fall off more things in the beautifully rendered city as my home girl Faith slips back into her old shoes (technically the shoes have changed as far as we’ve seen in the trailer, but I digress). The teaser seemed fairly confidently set on combat, which worried some, but at this point I’m so desperate I’ll chomp up whatever they throw at me, while I throw back at them every bit of money I have.

Alissa’s Game of E3:
The Wonderful 101

I got stuck at my day job for most of the E3 reveals and I’m god awful terrible at catching up on news I missed, so I didn’t really get a ton of the E3 experience. I was however both off work and awake for the Nintendo Direct pseudo-press conference and holy crap: The Wonderful 101 looks great. The game was at E3 last year under the working title P-100 and teased as a WiiU launch title. Likewise, P-100 was shown at PAX Prime last year where I first heard of it and it looked epic then. The gameplay looks similar to Pikmin, but instead of throwing cute little plant-toids at animals, you’re merging tons of everyday humans into giant weapons and beating the shit out of epic monsters. The multiplayer featured in the Nintendo Direct reveal looks pretty fantastic as well. I’ve had my eye on The Wonderful 101 for a year or so now and I’ll definitely be picking it up as soon as I’m able.

Mike’s Game of E3:
That Dragon, Cancer

I’ve already written about this, but it bears mentioning again because some things deserve as much attention as possible. That Dragon, Cancer was hands-down the most memorable game of E3.

A big part of why this game left such an impression is admittedly the fact that it’s based on the developer’s son’s medical issues, but that is only part of the story. It would be just as emotionally powerful if it were not based on actual events thanks to its heartbreakingly evocative sound design and writing.

More than simply a story, this is a fully interactive point-and-click game whose moment-to-moment objectives and challenges are as tense and meaningful as any title I can think of. That Dragon, Cancer is a tough, uncompromising, and shockingly accurate depiction of every parent’s nightmare, and I dare you to play it and not be moved beyond words.

Keith’s Game of E3:
Metal Gear Solid 5

If I had to choose a game from E3 that I’m most looking forward to, it would likely be the new Metal Gear Solid. Although I haven’t historically played many of the MGS games, it was beautiful, and the gameplay mechanics looked fantastic. I really enjoy a stealth game, and, although it’s difficult to tell from a trailer, the gameplay looked a lot more fluid and accessible than some of the previous games. Other than that, I was excited about Final Fantasy XV and Kingdom Hearts (although we got to see barely any of the latter game).

Josh’s Game of E3:
Tom Clancy’s: The Division

With E3 come and gone, there was a lot shown and a lot talked about, so this is difficult. With so many games announced during the next-gen launch window, there is a lot I’m more than excited about.

Out of everything I watched, the only game I still actively think about and anticipate every day is The Division. A new title in the Tom Clancy universe, it took me by surprise by realizing there is another Tom Clancy game besides Splinter Cell I want to play. Everything about it looked ideal: the online play, the world and its inhabitants, the combat, and the fact that it looks like it has a leveling up system implemented tells me I need to play this game.

I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that graphics can look better than they do now. The Division being what appears to be an open world with many different areas and missions, there will obviously be a drop in graphical fidelity, but this game kept my jaw dropping. From the molotov thrown to trash and snow blowing in the wind at an impressive framerate, this is a game I’m sure I will spend more than my fair share of hours with. Now all we need is a release date.

Chris’s Game of E3:
Titanfall

This was actually a surprisingly easy E3 for me to judge. Four games stood above all the others honestly, but only one game made me sit back and go wow. Dead Rising 3 looks great (especially since I’m playing State of Decay right now), but it is trying to turn in to an action game and that is killing the fun strategy element I love. I’m a huge Road Warrior fan, so Mad Max was kinda awesome. Unfortunately its way to brown and gray for Mad Max. Those movies had amazing blue skies that contrasted the burnt skin of the survivors and made something more than the washed out colors of the trailer. Then there was the game nobody really is talking about in The Mighty Quest for Epic Loot which looks like a lot of fun if I was in to free to play hack and slash MMOs.

Then there was Titanfall. Titanfall was interesting, fast paced, and fun to watch. Sure it was tainted by the stench of the Xbox One during their conference, but then it was revealed as a PC and Xbox 360 title and all was forgiven. This is what we should have expected from the team that made Call of Duty a household name. You have giant mech vs human gameplay that looks fairly balanced and more importantly, it looks immensely rewarding for those that will be investing in to the game.

It is an online focused FPS that I would want to play. That means something coming from the RPG guy on staff. Titanfall looks to be well worth all the lawsuits and shady garbage that came out of the Respawn break.