All week long, Popular Mechanics gaming correspondent Brittany Vincent has been on the scene at the 2019 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles, sending dispatches from the trade show, including the coolest upcoming games and big announcements from major developers. Now that the show is over, here are Brittany’s 10 best games from E3.
The end of E3 2019 is finally upon us, and though the end is bittersweet, it’s also the perfect time to look back and reflect on every excellent game that was available to explore on the show floor. From RPGs to first-person shooters and everything in between, this year’s show proved that there’s a ridiculous amount of new games on the horizon for just about every type of gamer.
I spent my fair share of time with plenty of titles, and came away totally satisfied. Unfortunately, I didn’t get hands-on time with games like Doom Eternal, Gears 5, Wolfenstein: Youngblood, or most of Nintendo’s cadre. But what I did see made me realize that I’m going to need a lot more time and money for late 2019 going into 2020.
Though the naysayers may wish it, E3 as a show is far from dead—you need only look at the massive crowds of eager gaming fans lining up as the show begins each day. With another iteration of the annual show in the books, it’s time to run down my top 10 games of the show. While many of them are familiar names, you may find you’ve discovered a new adventure you have to pursue.
1. Final Fantasy VII Remake
The holy grail of E3 2019 was Final Fantasy VII Remake. I had a feeling it would end up being my choice for Best of Show far before I ever descended upon the Square Enix booth, but my expectations were absolutely blown away as soon as I picked up the controller. Final Fantasy VII Remake is an exciting amalgam of updated mechanics, gorgeous graphics, a remixed soundtrack, and an expanded story that both veterans and newcomers will undoubtedly fall in love with nearly immediately.
This is the first of a planned series of multiple games as part of the remake project as well, and it’s meant to focus on Midgar and its inhabitants, including Cloud, Barret, Tifa, Jessie, Biggs, Wedge, and Aerith—and of course, Sephiroth. When I experienced the game’s first boss fight with the Scorpion Sentinel (Guard Scorpion for old-school players), I named it my favorite game of the final day of E3 2019, and now looking back on it all, it was by far the game that captivated me the most throughout the entirety of the show.
This quick slice of gameplay proved that Square has one thing in mind when it comes to bringing back Final Fantasy to the forefront of everyone’s minds, and that’s quality. It’s going to be a long wait for March 3, 2020.
2. Cyberpunk 2077
Though I only got to see about an hour of Cyberpunk 2077 during a private theater demo with no hands-on, I could tell this heavy-hitter is going to transform the way we think about role-playing games. Everything seems meticulously planned out, from the way players will get to know other characters, how they’ll interact with the massive environments and sprawling Night City, and how the narrative will intersect with the way they wish to play as their own inhabitants of the dystopian future. From here, the possibilities seem endless, and I can’t wait to see how things play out, especially for those looking for a meatier introduction to the Cyberpunk franchise than the tabletop version.
Plus, Keanu Reeves’ addition to the game, aside from being totally awesome, is a major boon. The demo followed protagonist V as he dealt with Reeves as his “cyberghost” Johnny Silverhand, and then there were plenty of cool introductions to the game’s character customization system and what fans can expect from the in-game district of Pacifica. It’s unfortunate that I didn’t get to try the game for myself, but I could tell from the lengthy footage and earlier trailers from CD Projekt RED that it’s going to be a breathtaking ride, such as the motorcycle jaunts you can take in-game.
3. Borderlands 3
My time with the third core entry in the Borderlands series was short, but totally sweet. It’s a rush of adrenaline to jump in and start zipping through, guns blazing, as you fight off Psychos and other bloodthirsty enemies. After a brief presentation I got a chance to play as Moze, the Gunner, whose explosive firepower took my breath away. Her seemingly unlimited weapons and arms cut through the Psychos’ defenses like a knife through butter, and made short work of every enemy who dared run toward me, screaming and waving around their weapons. Luckily, Moze’s abilities were able to ensure I was only ever down for the count briefly, then got right back up on the horse and mowed down the bad guys.
It was buttery smooth, rife with plenty of opportunities to tear through my enemies, and well worth the wait for when it debuts later this year. This is Borderlands at its best in every single way, and it’s only going to get better from here.
4. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Call of Duty is going dark, and I don’t mean it’s going away for a while. This soft reboot looks like the grittiest installment we’ll have seen from developer Infinity Ward, as it explores the horrors of war from both a civilian and soldier-centric standpoint. The brief presentation I attended showed off a small amount of gameplay (nothing I could try myself, unfortunately) but even the annotated footage was enough to completely convince me that Call of Duty is looking to pursue a mature, harrowing route that eschews the bombastic nature of the series’ past and is instead working to show players how horrible war can actually be.
This time, it’s not about looking cool and waving around your guns. It’s about understanding the terror and trepidation that goes through a soldier’s mind as they work to breach and clear a potential terrorist’s home. By the same token, it’s about the real-world horrors that come along with seeing civilians turn into enemies as they pick up a weapon and try to kill you, and reacting in turn. It’s tense, disquieting, and an exciting thrill ride that might change the direction of future Call of Duty titles as we know them.
5. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
As I mentioned in my wrap-up from the final day of E3 2019, what’s old is new again. Final Fantasy VII Remake dazzled me, but so did another very important remake of a classic: The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening. The upcoming Nintendo Switch remake is gorgeous, approachable, and whimsical in ways that only Nintendo can truly fine tune.
This vision of the fan-favorite Zelda adventure is on point mechanically, visually, and nearly every other point I can think of at the moment. It’s the same game you grew up with, only better. And while it’s going to be a while before the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild finally debuts, this glimpse into a familiar world should act as a fantastic holdover until it’s time to jump into an open world Hyrule once more.
6. No Straight Roads
No Straight Roads is one of the best-kept secrets of E3 2019. Tucked away in a smaller meeting room in the Concourse Hall, I experienced one of the coolest rhythm action games I’ve seen in quite some time. Metronomik’s colorful adventure welcomes you to Vinyl City, where you join Mayday and Zuke, two members of the indie rock band Bunk Bed Junction, on their journey to take down the mega-corporation No Straight Roads, which is trying to enforce the clubs of the city to play its own music—and in turn, control its inhabitants.
The game was created, according to Metronomik co-founder Wan Hazmer (lead game designer on Final Fantasy XV), to help reinforce the role of audio in a video game without transforming it into a rhythm game. It succeeds at this in every way. From a striking aesthetic that’s evocative of games like Jet Set Radio or Space Channel 5 to a soundtrack with EDM, funk, and rock elements, it includes aspects of various genres. It feels like Kingdom Hearts, but you’ve got to time your parry combos to the beat of oncoming energy beams a la rhythm gaming.
It’s insanity, and pure adrenaline through and through. I was only able to play through one boss encounter after a brief tutorial, but it was enough to get me begging to see more.
7. 12 Minutes
One of the most exciting games to come out of the Xbox-centric press briefing from Microsoft was an indie title that caught my eye immediately. 12 Minutes is a gem that forces players to unravel the mystery behind a time loop that’s affecting three individuals: a man, his wife, and an unknown third party that I didn’t get to see in the hands-on demo.
One day, the man and his wife are sitting down to dinner (with a secret his wife is about to reveal to him) when there’s a violent banging on the door. It’s a cop, or so he says, who’s there to arrest the wife after accusing her of murder. The man fights back, but is overpowered and soon killed by the intruder. All of a sudden, the game restarts, and the scene plays out again, only the man has more knowledge of what previously took place.
This means you’ll have to consistently make important decisions using the information you’ve learned in previous loops to figure out what’s going on with this “cop,” and why the wife is being charged with murder.
The brief time I spent with it was exceptional, and I can’t wait to have the time to myself to play through my own loops.
8. Empire of Sin
Romero Games’ latest project isn’t a new shooter or anything like it. It’s actually a strategy game, and Brenda Romero’s brainchild. Developed in tandem with Paradox Interactive, the folks who brought us the deliciously addictive Stellaris, Empire of Sin still has John’s hands all over it, and it’s an intriguing look at the criminal empire of 1920s Chicago. You’re thrown into the driver’s seat as the head of a gang looking to take over the entirety of the city set during the Prohibition Era.
As you collect loyal followers and take over “rackets” throughout town (speakeasies, brothels, etc.) you’ll quickly rise to power. There’s a lot of micromanagement involved, but grisly takedown kills, gang conflicts, and boss showdowns make it an exciting affair, even for those who aren’t typically interested in strategy games. I only got to see an alpha demonstration, but I can’t wait for more.
9. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2
Being a vampire sucks. Literally. But the sequel to the cult classic Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines does not. I spent some time with Paradox Interactive as they demoed an early build, and came away impressed with what I saw. Players will descend upon a realistic vision of Seattle as a newly-minted vampire part of an event called the Mass Embrace, breaking the “Masquerade” and shaking up the uneasy peace between humans and the vampire groups around the city.
I was shown a vampire during a hands-off demo with chiropteran powers, which means he could send swarms of bats to do his bidding. I was also shown a few of the ways you can interact with quest-givers, including how you might want to betray them to branch off on your own path if you get a better offer or prefer to fraternize with other characters.
The game positively oozed style, a massive improvement over the original game with new systems, powers, and customization options, and plenty of ways to become a powerful vampire with connections all over the city—or you can try to retain every last shred of humanity you possibly can. I came away hungry for more, but it looks like I won’t be able to suck the game dry for quite some time.
10. CrisTales
I debated whether or not to include The Outer Worlds in my top 10, as it was an exciting part of my E3 2019 experience. But in the end, I was even more blown away by the creativity and colorful aesthetic of CrisTales. Developer Dreams Uncorporated and Modus Games have teamed up for an inventive twist on classic JRPGs, in a big way. This love letter to RPGs of the past follows a young time mage named Crisbell, who gains the ability to see the past, present, and future simultaneously by way of a time crystal.
As you move around in-game, you can see the concurrent timelines reflected on-screen with a triangular window into each period. Crisbell must use her powers to figure out how to stop the impending threat of the Ash Blight plague terrorizing the land. I didn’t learn much about the entirety of the story, but I came away impressed with how the mechanic was used to craft something wholly unlike other titles on the market. I didn’t get a chance to play the game myself and was shown a demo, but there’s a playable version on Steam I immediately hungrily devoured. The hype is real—and these time mechanics make this indie well worth keeping on your radar.
https://www.popularmechanics.com/culture/gaming/a28044094/e3-2019-best-games/
2019-06-15 14:54:00Z
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