We pondered the games that might turn up at E3, and now that the conference has happened the question becomes where you spend your hard-earned dough. Here are the top 10 games you’re not just going to buy, but will obsessively Google, subscribe to the subreddit and contemplate whether your treat yourself budget can accommodate the collector’s edition.
Cyberpunk 2077
If there’s a video game dev the internet loves as much as it hates EA, it’s CD Projekt Red. The Witcher is a beloved series and not just because of that unicorn scene. CD Projekt Red treats their fanbase with respect, and never seems to be interested in shady pricing tactics. We got our first look at Cyberpunk 2077 (previously we’d only seen a teaser announcement video), though that look was a slick, polished video meant only to give us an idea of the look of the world. Cyberpunk’s gameplay wasn’t on display for the internet at large, though there was a closed doors demo that showed off a lot of the games features. It’s first person, offers a high level of customization, dialogue wheels, and lots of fighting. We don’t have a solid release date yet, but 2019 wouldn’t be a crazy thing to hope for.
Kingdom Hearts 3
It’s been so long since we’ve had a new Kingdom Hearts that the series completely missed a console generation. January 29th, however, will bring all of us desperately trying to financially recover from the holidays not only a collector’s edition but a PS4 Pro edition of SE’s latest romp through Disney franchises. KH3 will take us through Frozen, Toy Story, Pirates of the Caribbean, and much, much more. We’ll get pirate ship fights like Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag. We’ll get to summon Wreck-It-Ralph himself. The best news about that January release date? It gives us all enough time to play through the franchise again in an attempt to understand the most confusing plot outside Death Stranding.
Smash Bros. Ultimate
How do you combat gamers who complain that their favorite Smash character isn’t in the new version? You put all of them in the new version. While some classics, like Waluigi, are assists only, the sheer number of characters turning up in this upcoming edition is absolutely bonkers. Get ready to break your fingers with button mashing and hate your friends — this is going to be the next must-have title for the Switch.
Ghosts of Tsushima
I hope you like samurais, because this E3 brought us a multitude of samurai games to tweak out our Japan-loving hearts. Ghosts of Tsushima premiered at the Sony conference, and between the beautiful scenery and dead cool fights, it’s bound to be a big hit. There’s no release date yet, but that gives everyone who isn’t already a slave to Sony’s exclusives time to pick up a PS4. Preferably that KH3 special edition pro.
Anthem
Anthem seemingly has it all: jetpacks, mechanized fighting suits, beautiful scenery, and oh, right, jetpacks. Included in the list of everything it has: the misfortune to be tied to EA and the moniker of a Destiny clone. While it looks to be a lot more than the latter, the former is, unfortunately, true. The game looks fun and very playable, but the big question is, will fans let up on EA (and BioWare) enough to give it a shot? Anthem releases February 22nd.
Beyond Good and Evil 2
If you like space, a ragtag group of shipmates, futuristic worlds and sequels to games that performed well with critics and boast an incredibly loyal fanbase, welcome to Beyond Good and Evil 2. The E3 trailer was just stunning and looks like a fun, cheeky, sci-fi romp. Did I mention it’s co-op? Get your partners ready now. If there’s one tricky spot in BGaE’s presentation, it’s how the devs are using Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s company HitRecord to crowdsource art and music for the game. Anyone whose work is chosen will get paid, but morally, it’s a bit of a sticky conversation about treating artists and creators like professionals vs. a contest with nebulous reward structure.
Fallout 76
Don’t call it an MMO: Fallout 76 is Bethesda’s first online only Fallout game. You’ll have the ability to develop your post-nuclear war community with the help of crafting, other people, and an apparent endless loop of John Denver’s Country Home. The downside? Everyone you’re playing online with has access to nukes. How much do you trust gamers on the internet?
Elder Scrolls 6
What do we know? Nothing. Any time frame? Nope. Was it one of the biggest reveals at E3? You bet. That’s the power or The Elder Scrolls (and Bethesda): 10 seconds of a very pretty, very scenic nothing and the video game world is set on fire. In the meantime, enjoy the very choose your-own-adventure-y Skyrim on the Echo. It’s kinda dumb but funny.
Sekiro Shadows Die Twice
From Software’s fans tend to be obsessive and a little bit nuts. They might enjoy a challenge, or they might have been murdered by the Soulsborne games so much they’re a little crazy. Either way, From teased two new games, and since samurais are the go-to trend this E3 (and because it’s the one we got a more complete look at), it’s the one that made our list. Sekiro’s action is very much what we’re use to, plus grappling hooks and all the classic tell-tale From elements, like that door opening animation.
Resident Evil 2 Remake
The Resident Evil franchise is beloved, and 2 is part of the reason why. It has the franchise firing on all cylinders, and a remake is just what it needs to remind us where the series came from and to re-center it to get where it needs to go in the future. The early days of Resident Evil hammered us with jump scares, paranoia and enough terrifying monsters to be the cause of anyone’s insomnia. It’s a fun reveal, and in the light of other remakes that are turning out to be something of a disaster (hello there, Final Fantasy 7 remake), it’s a welcome bit of nostalgia.