Best of E3 From the Home Team

Published: June 19, 2017 9:00 AM /

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TR Awards Home Team E3 2017

We can't all attend E3. Sure, it'd be great to have all of us show up and flood the show floor with raptors, but that's not a possibility, so we only got five people to go. They already decided to inform us what the best games they got to play on the show floor were. It turns out the home team actually has opinions as well, and here we decided to share what our favorite games from E3 2017.

Metro Exodus

By Robert N. Adams

I had hoped and dreamed for a Metro game that had a bit more of an open world flair, and it seems like I might be getting something close to this with Metro: Exodus. I had wished, in part, for two things: to explore the other sides of the conflict with a character who can choose who to side with and to see more of the world by living through it. From what we know of the story, Artyom and his companions will be journeying on a train in search of a better home. I doubt I'll get everything I had asked for, at least in terms of the story (although it seems some choices will be made). However, we will get to experience crafting, exploration, and survival in a way that we haven't yet had the opportunity to see in a Metro game. The "moving train" feature leads me to believe that we will still have an overarching linear narrative but gamers will be able to individually explore the world at "stops" to their heart's content. I loved the first two games, and I'm excited to see where this next step in the Metro saga takes gamers.

Beyond Good & Evil 2

By Samantha Ooi

Talk about an unexpected surprise! Rounding out Ubisoft's conference was an explosive CG trailer announcing that yes, Beyond Good & Evil 2 was actually real! Sort of. There's actually a lot of "what-ifs" around BG&E2 that are making me a lot more skeptical than excited. I played the original Beyond Good & Evil on XBOX back in 2004, and to be honest, while I enjoyed the game, I was not as hardcore as the main fanbase because I was not really hankering for more. And now here we are in 2017. BG&E2 looks like it is going to be a pretty big departure from the style of the original, and I am all for it. The aesthetic and world concept reminds me of one of my favorite comic series Elephantmen mixed with a bit of Blade Runner, and has really piqued my interest. I would be excited even if it was a whole new IP.

Beyond Good and Evil 2 Cityscape

But I am really skeptical on whether they can really pull off all the features and goals they have set for the game. It's not heavily into production yet, with only a demo running on the completed engine available for testing. They are making a game much grander in scale when compared to the original, and that is keeping my enthusiasm in check. Ubisoft appears to be really backing them on this since they had the game round-off their conference, so I really wish them the best, and hopefully the game will stop lingering in development purgatory after all this time. 

Moss

By Samuel Guglielmo

I'm that one guy who loves PlayStation VR. I've played through a ton of the games available for it, and while not all of them may have been winners, I've generally enjoyed my time even with the most average VR games. Of course, I want something more. Most VR games feel more like works in progress, tech demos, or quick arcade bouts. This year at E3. Sony had a strong showing of PSVR games that I honestly am excited for, games that look like they're going beyond that. Of all of them, Moss was the one that really stood out to me.

Moss PSVR Header

The game is a platformer where you take control of two characters. You'll be playing as a mouse named Quill, an utterly adorable little mouse that does the main platforming. She can be moved around with the buttons on your controller just like you'd expect from a platformer. The other character you control is The Reader, who uses the motion controls to grab objects in the world and pull them around. He can also use the motion controls to pet Quill, and it's basically the most adorable thing.

These two team up to fight monsters, solve puzzles, jump over gaps, and try to save the world of Moss. It's the kind of fantastical adventures I've always hoped VR could actually bring me on. Plus it looks like a VR Redwall game, a series I greatly enjoyed reading as a kid. What's not to love?

Age of Empires: Definitive Edition

By Patrick Perrault

When the reveal trailer began for Age of Empires: Definitive Edition and I heard the first wololo, it was at that precise moment that I knew that Microsoft regretted their canning of Ensemble Studios in 2009, the original developers of the Age of Empires series. Why destroy such a storied developer that was still producing good games that were also selling well? Who knows, and I am still especially perturbed because of this teaser that they never got a chance to fulfill, which is a real shame.

Age of Empires Definitive Edition Huge Battle

However, since the original Age of Empires was long before my time, getting the chance to play a fully remastered version is something that I definitely plan on doing. While I enjoyed playing Age of Empires II on Steam, it is also a title that I wouldn’t have minded seeing a more thorough remastering, which is what this title seems to be receiving. Regardless, more Age of Empires is never a bad thing, and I cannot help but hope that eventually this will lead to an announcement of Age of Empires IV sometime this year. We’ll see.

Metroid: Samus Returns

By Kyle Downey

Finally! Nintendo seems to have gotten the message that people want a new Metroid game (not a spin off), and along with Metroid Prime 4 for the Switch being announced, Metroid: Samus Returns was revealed for the 3DS. The game might not be entirely new, as it's a re-imagining of Metroid 2: Return of Samus, but they've added a wealth of new abilities (Aeion) and suit upgrades for you to discover, new gameplay mechanics like the melee counter and free aim, and the levels and enemies have all received updated redesigns. The gameplay that's been shown so far confirms that the feel of the game will be tried and true classic Metroid while adding fun new mechanics to keep things fresh.
It's not hard to imagine that Nintendo planned the fact that they're releasing a game called Samus Returns before they release the long awaited Metroid Prime 4. Hopefully this means that we can expect Nintendo to take better care of some of their other franchises the way they've been taking care of Mario and Zelda. I've wanted a new side-scrolling Metroid for a while, so Samus Returns has answered my prayers, and I can't wait to get my hands on it.

Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle

By Don Parsons

My best of show is a game I never would have predicted before the conference ran because the premise sounded absolutely crazy. While I love strategy RPGs like Shining Force, Final Fantasy Tactics, and Fire Emblem, I'm not a fan of the type of humor that just likes to go crazy because it can do something silly, which part of this crossover is known for. I'm speaking of course of the insane mash-up of Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle, which looked like a mix of some of my absolute favorite strategy RPGs.

While comparisons were inevitably made to XCOM, really the game has more in common with the strategy RPG genre given you have the free roaming wandering around and individual character focused abilities. This makes it far more similar to something like Shining Force or Final Fantasy Tactic,s and the style and different mechanics of Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle looked like it’s going to be one of the Nintendo Switch's must have games.

Mario Rabbids Team Jump

That doesn’t change the fact that the abilities, style, flexibility and everything they showed off of the game was absolutely awesome and might very well make me get a Switch.

Skull & Bones

By Robert Grosso

This was a good year for pirate themed video games. Two major titles, Skull & Bones and Sea of Thieves, took center stage on the conference floors, and both approached the pirate genre in two different ways. For me though, Skull & Bones was the more interesting title, perhaps because it offered a more simplistic premise to follow.

Skull & Bones is all about sailing, and being a pirate lord to conquer the Indian Ocean, but it looks to have a lot of care and polish thrown into the mix. Skull & Bones looks to be one of the more in-depth, simulation-style pirate games out there, complete with co-op multiplayer and a shared universe for its fanbase. Ubisoft emphasized the use of the wind countless times as your main asset in Skull & Bones, but the wind and the weather are likely not the only secrets hidden in the game.

Skulls and Bones Sea

It is also notable that Skull & Bones is the only one of the two to be released on both consoles, as Rare's Sea of Thieves is an Xbox One console exclusive. That does make the difference for some fans, but out of all the multiplayer experiences shown, Skull & Bones was perhaps the most unique and impressive to see in action. For my money, it is a game to watch in the coming year and one of the most impressive titles on the show floor.

Dragon Ball FighterZ

By Tyler Valle

If I had to choose one game to be my game of show this year, it would no doubt be Dragon Ball FighterZ by Arc System Works. It's been far too long since the last traditional Dragon Ball fighting game, and I can not think of a better studio to work on this project than the creative minds behind Blazblue, Guilty Gear, and Persona 4 Arena. Arc System Works have a long history with not only fighting games, but with the Dragon Ball license as well; therefore, I can see why there would be a strong fan response with its announcement. The animation looks solid, and the team-based combat looks like it will be amazing. Based on the press and gamer response as well, it would seem that I am not alone in my enthusiasm. Hopefully I will finally be able to achieve what I was able to as a child with the release of Dragon Ball Z Budokai, and once again win local tournaments as Yamcha. The only question I have is "Will we see Jackie Chun in the game?”

Star Wars Battlefront 2

By Mark Jansen

Alright, it's EA. And alright, I'm probably letting myself in for a fall. But damn, I can't help but be excited about Star Wars Battlefront 2.

Many people had issues with 2015’s Star Wars Battlefront, but dammit, I loved it down to its Battlefield-bones. The looks and the sounds were perfect Star Wars, and the battles were so immersive that I couldn't help but crank up the volume to get deeper in. More noise. More battle. More Star Wars. It was the fulfillment of every wish I’d had since I was eight years old, and slightly janky shooting and god-awful vehicles couldn’t stop me from enjoying it.

Screen Shot 2017 06 13 at 11.01.16 AM

Star Wars Battlefront 2 looks set to bring more of the pure immersive Star Wars experience that I so loved but combined with the awesome vehicles and tech from the prequel trilogy (perhaps the best parts of that ill-begotten sibling). And as soon as I heard a droid say “roger roger," I knew I was in. I’ve played far too many hours of Battlefront’s multiplayer, and with the addition of a singleplayer campaign, I know where I’m likely to be on the 17th of November.

A Way Out

By Joey Thurmond

When I started playing Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, I didn't like where it was going. The puzzles you needed to solve for enemy encounters were too easy, the beginning was slow, and—worst of all—controlling the two protagonists was incredibly awkward and messed with my head. Nevertheless, I came to be swept away by the emotional core and ingenious design behind this indie title directed by Josef Fares. Tying game mechanics to bolster the impact of a narrative's themes is rare, and I can see this happening again with Fares' A Way Out. You play as two men who team up to escape from prison to pick up on unfinished business on the outside, but what makes the experience unique is that it's splitscreen. No, not as a merely additive or tacked on feature for multiplayer's sake, but as a foundational and integral part of how the game works. It's meant to and can only be played this way with multiple screens always being represented. Players switch between watching cutscenes and influencing the story; the way the camera plays with perspectives could bring about creative spins on puzzles, light combat and platforming, and more. I can't wait to see how Hazelight Studios intends to reinvent how we look at splitscreen not as an end for multiplayer but also as a means for innovative gameplay.

Super Mario Odyssey

By Christian Mincks

If it were any other year, I probably would have picked some up-and-coming indie game, a Japanese action-RPG, or Dragon Ball FighterZ (a close second). However, this is a 3D Mario year for Nintendo, so that automatically puts any other contenders at second tier. From the moment our favorite red-clad plumber released his Shadow Possession Jutsu from a T-rex while a big band swing track kicked in, to the 2D, 8-bit platforming on a 3D object a la Link Between Worlds, to the first time we saw him assimilate with an unsuspecting tree frog, Super Mario Odyssey did for me what no other game at E3 could. It reminded me of the innate joy of being able to occupy a cartoon world, explore it, and bond with it and its inhabitants. It reminded me of why I fell in love with games to begin with. As more games achieve the same type of narrative and thematic quality found in films and novels, I am so glad that Nintendo is choosing to embrace childlike wonderment (and deep-cuts of Mario esoterica) for a game I genuinely believe will dethrone Super Mario Galaxy.

Anthem

By Andrew Stretch

For me this E3 it wasn't about what I knew was coming, like PlayStation's Spider-Man or another entry in the Assassin's Creed title, but something new: Bioware's new multiplatform title Anthem. A primordial world ready to be explored by you and your friends in a suit of high tech armor allowing you to be the Iron Man that 2008's Iron Man wanted you to be. The big aspect that really pulled me into this game from the get go wasn't just the promise of a world to explore or enemies to fight, but the co-op elements allowing you to experience Anthem with friends. Opening up the skies and the water to players further expands the potential of interesting locations, deep stories, and awesome memories to share with friends. Admittedly, the game reminds me a lot of another recent guilty pleasure of mine, Destiny, but Anthem also doesn't seem to be trying to fit a mold too closely, looking like it will grow to be a new beast across all platforms when it is finally released.


So there you have it, 12 games selected by 12 different TechRaptor team members. We all saw some stuff we liked this E3, and we all can't wait to get our hands on these games and bring you the latest news and reviews of each one.

Have any games you saw at E3 and want to let us know about? Tell us in the comments!

Have a tip, or want to point out something we missed? Leave a Comment or e-mail us at tips@techraptor.net


Samuel Guglielmo TechRaptor
| Reviews Editor

I'm Sam. I have been playing video games since my parents brought home a PlayStation whenever that came out. Started writing for TechRaptor for 2016 and,… More about Samuel