Esme’s Anticipated Games of E3 2012
Look what I got!
Turns out I will be attending this year’s E3 extravaganza, though I was very unsure of this earlier in the month. Luckily Machinima was able to snag me a badge after all, though it wasn’t for editorial purposes. Despite my responsibilities being different for this year’s event, I’ll be doing my best to stalk developers and bother booth babes like I was destined to.
This is my third year attending E3, and the excitement for it all is still there. Though it’s funny that only a few months ago everyone was stating they were boycotting this year’s E3 because of SOPA, but I guess we all have short attention spans.
Like everyone else, I like to speculate on what’s going to happen and what I’m looking forward to seeing on the show floor. While I’m sure we’re in for some great game coverage, I’m very disappointed that Bioshock Infinite won’t be making an appearance at this year’s expo. Bioshock Infinite was the game I wanted to see more from, but I understand what Irrational Games is doing.
So let’s start with the games that are on my “must see” list:
The Last of Us
A new IP from the makers of the Uncharted series? Sold. The Last of Us at first appeared to be yet another post-apocalyptic game during a time we’ve been bombarded with a plethora of zombie media, but the trailers have proven the game has heart. Naughty Dog are masters at creating characters we can relate to and care about, and that’s something most zombie games have yet to accomplish – well, with minor exceptions like TellTale Games’ The Walking Dead. Even better, when the studio game director of this game turns out to be the former lead designer on Enslaved, I know I’m in for a treat!
God Of War: Ascension
God of War… with multiplayer?! This is definitely a must see, considering the franchise up to this point has been solely focused on single player. God of War doesn’t appear like the type of game multiplayer should have been considered for, so my hopes aren’t high for the finished product. However, it doesn’t mean I’m not willing to give it a chance. I was proven wrong by the Mass Effect 3 multiplayer in a positive way, so let’s see if it happens again. Though, the fact that this is yet another prequel is worrisome.
Tomb Raider
What I’ve read about Tomb Raider so far has been promising, but there still hasn’t been enough there to make me feel this reboot will blow me away like I had initially hoped. Hopefully I’ll get a chance to try out the game on the show floor and be mesmerized by the game’s mechanics as opposed to the physics of Lara Croft’s boobs. I love how the developers have taken a step back to let us see Lara as a young adventurer, not prepared for the troubles that lie ahead. I hope they’re able to make a compelling narrative that dwells even deeper into her persona.
Halo 4
This is an odd one if you know my history with Halo. Basically, I have a limited background with the series, as I only just played the first game last year. I was quite behind in the console scene compared to the rest of society. But if I see what Halo 4 has in store, it may hype me up enough to try out the rest of the games in the franchise before its release. I may be aeons behind everyone else in this department, but it doesn’t mean it’s too late for me to jump in and experience the rest of Master Chief’s adventures.
Assassin’s Creed III
Another series I haven’t completely soaked my feet in, though that doesn’t mean I’m not willing to become a fan. Considering the game will take place during the Revolutionary War, a time frame few games have ventured, it’s a title I’ll be keeping my eye on. Honestly, who doesn’t love playing as an assassin? It doesn’t matter the time period, though in this case it definitely works in the game’s favor.
Dishonored
Revenge solves everything, and I’m very curious about the story behind the empress-bodyguard-turned-traitor Corvo Attano. From the trailer I’ve seen, it has hints of Bioshock and Assassin’s Creed, with a steam-punk and Victorian era look. It seems to have a lot of potential both story-wise and gameplay-wise, given how Corvo receives his powers and how he uses them. I’m anxious to see if the gameplay will play as smoothly as the trailer made it out to be.
Resident Evil 6
I feel like I’m part of a very small circle when I mention I actually enjoyed Resident Evil 5, but I can understand why people didn’t like the drastic shift from survival-horror to just plain action. There weren’t many moments in RE5 that actually caused me to jump, and with loads of ammo lying around I never felt cornered. Still, I had a blast playing RE5 co-op and I like what I’ve seen of Resident Evil 6. Though, Capcom does need to find a way to make the standard enemies slow menacing zombies again instead of genetic mutations with tentacles.
Transformers: Fall of Cybertron
Transformers: War for Cybertron managed to impress nay-sayers who didn’t think the game would hold up to their inspections. It’s always tricky to make games based on franchises that carry such nostalgia, but High Moon Studios managed to deliver a good game that many enjoyed. Now it’s time for the sequel Transformers: Fall of Cybertron, and the developers have promised that this installment “changes and improves upon so many of the fundamental ideas… the game (is) a natural successor rather than a true sequel.”
Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance
I’m a glutton for punishment when it comes to these portable Kingdom Hearts games now. I keep thinking they’re all one step closer to Kingdom Hearts 3, but year after year I’m let down. Kingdom Hearts 3D serves as a continuation of Kingdom Hearts coded/Re:coded, a game I didn’t even play because I was still getting over my disappointment from Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep. Who keeps coming up with these names?! Regardless, I want to try the game at E3 so I at least have a reason to be in the fetal position.
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Finally, an honorable mention goes to Borderlands 2. This is a game I demoed for 2 hours using OnLive’s preview features, and it didn’t really hook me like I thought it would. Yet I want to give the series another shot before I disregard it. I hear it’s better to play with friends, so hopefully I can convince some people to play Borderlands with me in anticipation for Borderlands 2. We’ll see how my drive for that feat changes after seeking out Borderlands 2 on the show floor.
I’ll be posting my E3 predictions of the press conferences later on! Thanks for reading!