Top 5 Best Games at Sony’s E3 2018 Conference, Ranked by Hype

5. Spider-Man

Best Games at Sony’s E3 2018 Conference

Sony held their big E3 press conference this evening, and there were plenty of exciting new looks and announcements. We already knew four big games that were going to be shown off, but there were still some surprises along the way. With so many exciting moments to take in, we wanted to take some time and focus in on just what the best content was from Sony this year, kicking things off with Spider-Man.

By far, Spider-Man is the PS4 exclusive we know the most about at the moment, considering its release Sept. 7 release is just around the corner. The newest trailer shown during the conference gave us a new look at gameplay, with Spider-Man traveling into The Raft, the notorious supermax prison housing all of the hero’s deadliest villains. The clip gave us a taste of Spidey’s powers, including a special move that has him launching web shots in every direction as he spins around. As Spidey chases Shocker through the prison we slowly see more villains revealed until he’s suddenly taking on not only Shocker, but also Rhino, Scorpion, Vulture, and Mr. Negative.

Clearly, multiple villains will be playing a role in Spider-Man, something that should absolutely please fans of the superhero. It may not have been a hugely long look, but what we did see looks as promising as everything that has come before.

4. The Last of Us Part II

Best Games at Sony’s E3 2018 Conference

Sony opened their conference with a bang, giving us our very first look at gameplay for The Last of Us Part II, and boy it was brutal. Interestingly enough, the trailer started out with a lively-looking dance at what appeared to be a church. The scene was a huge deviation from the normal tone of The Last of Us, and it showed us a new romantic interest for Ellie, before switching to a gameplay demo.

Here, we see Ellie sneaking through a dense forest as enemies hang a man and torture him. Then we dive right into it as Ellie starts taking down enemies and fighting her way through. Things look incredibly brutal, with Ellie stabbing and cleaving enemies with a machete, stealthily taking them down with her bow, and taking a few blows herself. The battle ends with one final, brutal kill before circling back to the idyllic church scene we saw before. The tonal difference in the trailer was fascinating, and our first look at gameplay definitely seemed to be on track with what the first game did.

3. Death Stranding

Best Games at Sony’s E3 2018 Conference

Another Sony conference and we still don’t really know what Death Stranding is, but we did get our best look at the game yet. In its gameplay debut we first see Sam, Norman Reedus’ character, speaking to an unidentified female character who says to “come work for her,” to which Sam replies “he makes deliveries, and that’s all.” The following footage shows lush environments, with Sam carrying boxes and packs while he climbs hills and traverses the wild. The trailer then takes a sharp turn into the horrific as the gameplay turns dark and has Sam creeping past mysterious black creatures floating in the sky, with only the robotic light on his shoulder to reveal them.

Cryptic lines of text and dialogue spread throughout the trailer give us tiny hints to the story of the game. Lines that say things like the “Timefall” advances time on everything. The strange baby made yet another appearance as well, during the stealth segment in a tank that Sam straps to his chest. We also got a look at two new female characters, played by Lea Seydoux and Lindsey Wagner, adding to the already star-studded cast of the game. Death Stranding’s first look at gameplay was weird, baffling, and fascinating all at once. We may not know anything more concrete, but boy was it an experience.

2. Resident Evil 2

Best Games at Sony’s E3 2018 Conference

While Sony’s conference had a few big announcements like Nioh 2 and the new Remedy game Control, by far the most exciting was the announcement of the ambitious Resident Evil 2 remake. This isn’t just an update like the remake of the first Resident Evil, this is a complete overhaul in every way, shape, and form. The first trailer looked gorgeous showing an officer struggling against a zombie, before Leon bursts onto the scene to take the zombie down.

After that we’re treated to a quick look at even more gameplay, confirming the game will be played in an over-the-shoulder camera style, a la Resident Evil 4. The best part about the reveal was just how creepy everything felt, sticking to the atmospheric horror roots of the Resident Evil series. This is great news for fans who’ve wanted the series to return to a more horror-themed experience, like Resident Evil VII. The trailer treated us to new looks for Leon, Claire, Sherry Birkin, Ada Wong, and a quick glimpse of Mr. X. However, the best part of all was the reveal that the remake isn’t even all that far away, with a release date of Jan. 25, 2019. By not only revealing the game, but also the release date, Sony managed to add a huge surprise to the middle of their conference.

1. Ghost of Tsushima

Best Games at Sony’s E3 2018 Conference

Ghost of Tsushima may not have been the most anticipated of the big four games at Sony’s conference, but it was certainly the one that left the biggest impression. Our first look at gameplay started with a gorgeous setting on rolling hills of wheat in the Japanese countryside. The main character rides up a hill on his horse, greeted by the site of a burning village down below. As he rides down into a forest he passes by fleeing villagers, and happens upon their attackers. He faces them down, draws his sword, and cuts down all the foes in some swift movements.

Ghost of Tsushima’s combat looks both deliberate and brutal, with the way action flows almost resembling classic samurai movies. Stealth elements weave in as we see the hero climb up a building, then jump down and chain together some quick assassinations. The demo ended with an absolutely stunning one-on-one sword fight that takes place underneath a tree shedding its blazing red leaves. The camera pans all around the fight, switching the view to something similar to a fighting game, while also rotating back around the main character. Sony absolutely knocked this reveal out of the park, with a moody gameplay reveal that nailed the tone of classic samurai action. We still didn’t get any hint on a release date or window, but we’re definitely excited to see more.