One magical thing about the Electronic Entertainment Expo is the announcements that take you by surprise. These could come from anywhere, either introducing something new to a familiar brand, or a new IP that is ready to knock your socks off. And anyone can make them, from Ubisoft to Nintendo – especially the nostalgic ones that millions of fans seem to remember.
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There were so many this week, but these ten particular announcements caught our eye, not only establishing excitement for games we’ve come to know and love, but also presenting new experiences that we’re bound to be excited for as the next year goes along. You may have your particular favorites – I know that the reveal of Wolfenstein II just barely missed my top ten, because it looks so kick-ass – but these are the ones we feel caught us off-guard the most.
Not One, But Two Metroid Games
Fans were yearning for a Metroid comeback right from the get-go, and we’re happy to say that Nintendo delivered – not once, but twice. Along with announcing that Metroid Prime 4 was in development for the Switch – with the original series producer on board, no doubt – but there was also a new 3DS game being developed by Mercurysteam, the same squad behind the recent Castlevania: Lords of Shadow games. Metroid: Samus Returns looks like a fine return to 2D form, and will be out this year, which makes us even happier. Sure, Metroid Prime 4 could’ve used some actual gameplay footage, but, hey, you gotta save something for next E3, right?
Xbox One X Gets A Release Date And Price Point
This one can be either good or bad, mainly depending on where you stand on buying the most powerful Xbox to date. Regardless, Microsoft finally lifted the lid off the Xbox One X, and promised to support it with a number of features and games, including upgrades to hits like Forza Horizon 3 and Gears of War 4. And, let’s be honest, Forza Motorsport 7 looks absolutely smokin’ for the hardware.
That said, not everyone is going to be thrilled to put down $500 for it, especially if they haven’t stepped into the 4K era just yet. Eventually, they’ll get there, but, for now, at least the games support the regular Xbox One as well.
We’ll see how the system fares over the next year. Maybe a few more classic Xbox games would convince us.
A New Pokemon Game is Coming To Nintendo Switch
Some Pokemon fans found themselves in disappointment last week, hoping that The Pokemon Company would introduce Pokemon Stars to the Switch, only to find ports of games like Pokemon Ultra Sun and Moon, as well as Pokken Tournament DX. But Nintendo made up for it during its presentation this week, confirming that an all-new Pokemon game was in development, digging more into the series’ hardcore role-playing roots. We don’t have a release date yet – or even a title – but it gives us something to look forward to with next year’s E3. Just like Metroid!
Spider-Man Gets A Dazzling Display On PlayStation 4
Last year, Sony blew us away with the news that Spider-Man would be getting the PS4 treatment, at the hands of Sunset Overdrive and Ratchet and Clank developers Insomniac Games. This year, they proved to be the right team for the job, based upon a lengthy nine-minute gameplay clip that featured Spidey at his best, subduing bad guys with his many web abilities and chasing after Mister Negative in a brilliant chase through the city. We’d like to see more, of course, but we’ll have to wait until PlayStation Experience to get a closer glimpse. Regardless, this should be a killer PS4 game come next year.
Beyond Good And Evil 2 Returns
“Beyond Good and Evil 2 won’t be at E3 this year,” they said. And we were actually gullible enough to believe it. But out of left field, Ubisoft won the press conference war with its presentation of a fun new cinematic trailer, featuring a variety of new characters working alongside the heroine Jade. Sure, its mature-rated approach isn’t for everyone, but this trailer still blew us away, and leave us excited for what Michel Ancel and his team are planning.
Also, highlight of the show: Ancel coming out after the trailer premiered with tears running down his face. Love it.
Days Gone Gameplay Goes More In-Depth
Last year, Sony premiered a trailer for a new project from Sony Bend called Days Gone. It certainly caught our attention, mainly due to the magnitude of zombies that you’ll find yourself up against. However, the development team outdid itself this year with an even larger presentation, featuring more backstory to go on, as well as a battle with a…zombie bear? Yep. Days Gone looks to be loaded with all sorts of threats, and this could easily be one of the more original games making its way to the PS4 over the next few months. We can’t wait.
Shadow Of The Colossus Returns With A Remake
We saw rumors that Sony would be bringing back the classic Team Ico adventure Shadow of the Colossus to PlayStation 4, but we just assumed that it would be a PlayStation 2-to-PlayStation 4 port. Instead, Bluepoint Games is hard at work on remaking the game entirely from the ground up, utilizing Team Ico’s gameplay while inputting remastered graphics that will bring this world to amazing life. We’re guessing that the battles simply won’t look better than they will here. It’s a full-priced release, but one that’ll be worth it, especially to fans.
Monster Hunter World Is Coming To Xbox, PlayStation (Finally)
We already heard about a Monster Hunter game making its way to the Nintendo Switch earlier in the year, but Capcom really floored us when it announced that it would be bringing an all-new Monster Hunter experience to Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC. The game will feature great multiplayer connectivity, as well as amazing graphics and a plethora of new beasts just waiting to be conquered. Plus, there will no doubt be hundreds of armor types to choose from, so you can customize your soldier like a boss. This will be one World we won’t mind living in.
Super Mario Odyssey Gets A Catchy Theme Song
We knew Super Mario Odyssey would be a lot of fun, based on what we’ve seen so far from the game during the Nintendo Switch presentation earlier this year. But nothing could prepare us for the stunning gameplay that debuted with the new trailer in the game, making use of Mario’s special hat to not only overtake people and objects, but also work as a fun little projectile.
But the thing we liked the most? The theme song that was included. No, really, it’s a catchy little number that will have you humming along. In fact, can we just go ahead and make this our ringtone? “Odyssey, Odyssey…”
BioWare’s Anthem Looks Great
Electronic Arts’ presentation during Saturday’s EA Play event left something to be desired, though we did like the new Star Wars: Battlefront II gameplay, the debut for A Way Out and, of course, the lovely Janina Gavankar. But what really blew us away was the debut of a new BioWare IP called Anthem, which looks to combine space exploration themes with robotic action. The Microsoft presentation was more in-depth, giving us a idea of what to expect from the game next year. But we just have one question – who can we have a relationship with?
BONUS: Skull And Bones Conquers The Sea
Finally, we had to throw a bonus thing in there, so we went with Skull & Bones, Ubisoft’s surprising new pirating multiplayer game. Looking to utilize the sea-based combat from games like Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag and Rogue, Skull & Bones features grand multiplayer action, as you form your strategies with conquering the sea, taking down ships and helping your team become the best group of pirates around. We’ll have to wait for a bit to play it, as it’s not coming until fall 2018, but hopefully there will be a beta that will have us going, “ARRRRRR!” (No, we’re not getting peg legs.)
