The 5 Best Games of E3 2017
And in the span of a brief weekend, E3 is over. We learned a lot of important things. We learned Xbox One S is proudly super small. We learned a new Metriod is on the way. We learned that Shadow of the Colossus needs yet another HD remake. We learned that Microsoft has all but forgotten the Hololens. But like a boozy night at our local pub, we come away from this weekend slightly bewildered. Did we have a good time? Was it a good show? What exactly should we be looking forward to? And geez, what the hell were those Digital Devolver guys drinking?
Here now are our top 5 games from E3 2017 worth knowing:
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus (PC, PS4, Xbox One | Release: October 27th)
Wolfenstein: The New Order is the best action FPS you didn’t play. Doom may have sucked the air out of the room last year but MachineGames really deserved some more attention for what it accomplished revitalizing this long dormant franchise. We, in particular, LOVED the impact of the decision you make after the tutorial coming back with a sucker punch in the final boss fight. We don’t want to spoil it but it’s a doozy.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus looks to keep the frenetic murderous pace of its predecessor. You’ll have to get passed the first two minutes of nonsense in this trailer to get to the game but it’s worth it. Best of all, the game is scheduled for this October which feels awfully soon.
Super Mario Odyssey (Switch | Release: October 27th)
It was Nintendo’s one card to play and they did. Now that Zelda is here and they’ve apparently only managed to get a PPT slide for Metroid Prime 4 complete, the new Mario is Nintendo’s primary argument for the Switch. The game looks… interesting. The novelty this time is that Mario can toss his hat and inhabit the bodies of people, animals, objects, etc. it lands on. This ranges from dinosaurs to taxi cabs in the video below. We actually enjoyed the throwback feel of a golden era NY featured in this title and it looks like you’re rushing to stop a Bowser / Peach wedding which feels decidedly retro so we’re hopeful. Having not committed to the Switch yet since Breath of Wild works great on our Wii U, we’re not sure this Mario game alone will merit the console price to us.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps (Xbox One | Released: TBD)
Ori and the Blind Forest is the best Metroidvania game you never played. It remarkably beautiful, incredibly responsive, and honestly a fair but challenging game. Really, the only complaint we had about the original was the missed opportunity when it comes to the fate of the main antagonist (instead of a redemption story it goes weirdly brutal which leaves you feeling bad about the poor thing). Still, every second of the trailer for the next installment is as impressive as the original game.
Anthem (PC, PS4, Xbox One | Release: Fall 2018 aka 2019)
Anthem is Bioware’s answer to the console MMO franchises like Destiny and The Division. It looks a lot like Iron Man spliced with Land of the Lost but looked stunning in the live demo. Bioware historically has excelled at storytelling which is notably vacuous in both Destiny and The Division however we are worried if they can deliver on that patented “30 seconds of fun” Bungie does so well in their shooters. It’s currently got a 2018 release date but we’re not holding our breaths for that (remember, The Division appeared at 4 E3s before it finally launched and the final product suggests even that was rushed).
A Way Out (PC, PS4, Xbox One | Release TBD)
A Way Out is rightfully dominating most headlines from the show and may end up being game of the show for many outlets. It’s a game designed ONLY for cooperative play and apparently told in split screen throughout. It’s a ballsy concept but in the hands of the team behind Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons we have faith in this project. In a show littered with 4k references or microtransactions or DLC campaigns, we’re thrilled to see a risky original IP like A Way Out.
I know, there’s so much more to discuss though. Ubisoft’s Beyond Good and Evil 2’s reveal was incredibly moving, especially since its lead has been pushing for this day for 14 years. Yet the longwinded trailer doesn’t really show any gameplay. Far Cry 5 looks like a blast but we’re not sure why it’s significantly better than Far Cry 4 before it, nor why they gave up on exotic locales for Montana. The Last Night has a remarkable design aesthetic yet it’s hard not to get distracted with its developers regrettable tweets. Cuphead of course looks great but until it’s here we’re tired of talking about it. South Part the Fractured but Whole should be great when it finally arrives. Oh, and there’s another Assassin’s Creed so the long nightmare of months between titles is finally over.
What other notable games did we forget? Let us know in the comments below!
