The Electronic Entertainment Expo is over, which means time to reflect on some of the best video games highlighted during last week’s showcase in Los Angeles.There’s still a lot more coverage coming, including previews of the next Assassin’s Creed, Borderlands, Mortal Kombat and more. In the meantime, here’s a look at my top 10 games from E3:
1. Evolve. This clever take on the cooperative shooter puts four players together on a team of hunters battling another player taking on the role of a powerful, hulking beast. Although it’s 4-on-1, action feels evenly balanced, as monsters such as the Kraken wield extraordinary powers. Developers at Turtle Rock Studios are familiar with crafting fantastic cooperative experiences, having previously worked on the hit zombie thriller Left 4 Dead.
2. EVE Valkyrie. This space dogfighting game from the creators of EVE Online (CCP Games) is a shining example of virtual reality’s potential. Using Oculus Rift or Sony’s Project Morpheus, players hop inside a spacecraft to hunt down enemy ships. Appearing at last year’s E3, CCP has since tweaked Valkyrie’s controls and upgraded its visuals thanks to a shift to Unreal Engine 4.
3. Destiny. It’s a first-person shooter with the foundation of a massively multiplayer online (MMO) game. It boasts missions players can handle solo or with a Fireteam of up to three players, the Crucible for multiplayer exploits and public events where players can team up on a massive in-game challenge. It seems the epic from Halo creators Bungie will offer players plenty of ways to stay entertained.
4. Sunset Overdrive. The Xbox One action title from Insomniac Games (Ratchet & Clank) stars a janitor caught in an apocalypse caused by an energy drink turning people into monsters. Conjuring memories of the Tony Hawk skateboarding games, Overdrive is fast-paced and chaotic, as players glide across sections taking out all forms of infected opponents.
5. The Order: 1886. The PlayStation 4 exclusive takes places in London during the Victorian era, as players follow a group that descended from King Arthur’s Knights of the Round Table. Order members such as Galahad use elements such as Blackwater to enhance their strength and longevity, as well as high-tech weapons such as the Thermite Rifle to quickly vanquish foes.
6. Batman: Arkham Knight. Players will return to a Gotham City that’s five times as big as the one in 2012’s Arkham City, the last title developed by returning studio Rocksteady Games. It also marks the series debut of the Batmobile, which players use to pursue fleeing criminals or demolish hordes of enemies in Battle Mode. Batman villain Scarecrow — who played an incredible part in 2009’s Batman: Arkham Asylum — returns as one of the game’s primary villains.
7. Splatoon. The game was one of several impressive titles showcased by Nintendo this year. The multiplayer shooter is a spin on paintball, where players win by covering the most territory with their paint color. Players can morph into squid and quickly navigate maps in their matching paint stream, while disrupting enemies’ progress with paint-filled bazookas and bombs.
8. Battlecry. Bethesda’s free-to-play PC combat game features 32 players duking out online in a world free of guns. Players use swords, daggers, crossbows and other weapons to wipe out enemies. In an interesting twist, the game encourages sportsmanship by granting bonuses to players who congratulate the winners.
9. Dragon Age: Inquisition. BioWare’s fantasy role-playing adventure returns with a much larger world to explore and powerful enemies to encounter, most notably enormous dragons. Players will be able to customize their character and their party members to their liking, forging a cohesive unit primed to restore order amid the ongoing battle between mages and templars.
10. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege. The small slice of this tactical shooter from Ubisoft proved promising. Attackers and defenders must work together in their own teams to invade or fortify a house during a hostage standoff. Defenders board up windows and set traps, while attackers study weak points to engage. Environments are fully destructible, including floors that players can blow up to surprise opponents.
Honorable mentions:
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor. Role-playing games were kind of a big deal at E3, and this Lord of the Rings adventure is a prime example. Players follow Talion, a ranger slain along with his family by the armies of Sauron. A mysterious spirit brings Talion back to life, setting him on a quest for revenge.
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. Activision’s longstanding first-person behemoth leaps into the future with high-tech gear such as the exoskeleton and laser-based firearms, yet the action featured in the campaign seems as explosive and over-the-top as ever.
