Two weeks ago, a pretty big event in the gaming world took place.
E3, the Electronic Entertainment Expo, provided us all with a look at what the gaming world has to look forward to over the coming years. Of course, some companies did well, some companies did bad, but regardless, the coming together of every major name in the industry bore some very, very interesting fruit.
10. Original XBox Games will be Backwards Compatible on XB. O. X.
The XBox One X is an odd beast, in that its name is simultaneously really stupid, but also really clever.
But you know, I’m not the biggest fan of the system so far. Aside from some extremely powerful specs, there wasn’t much going for it. The only two games I’m remotely excited to see on the system are Assassin’s Creed Origins, and Far Cry 5, and there hasn’t been much word on EITHER. However, this one detail is one that I’m rather happy to see.
Backwards compatibility, all the way back to the XBox, gives Microsoft a link to the past, that might reach out to many people who owned the original console.
9. A Main Series Pokemon on The Switch
Although it wasn’t quite Pokemon Stars, like many people have hoped for, this small announcement was all that we needed.
It was an off-hand comment, one that was clearly made in response to the desires of the fans, but it was something I’m glad Nintendo thought to include. After the relatively disappointing reveal of Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, they needed something to calm down the fans, and this was it.
This announcement earns points in my book for allowing us to look forward to what will undoubtedly be a GREAT game on the Switch. On the other hand, it was rather clear that Nintendo made this announcement to simply appease the fans, which really took away much of the impact this announcement could have had.
8. God of War IV is coming 2018!
The brutal adventures of Kratos aren’t anywhere near over. If anything, they’ll be back, and better than ever, if the “Be a Warrior” trailer revealed at E3 is anything to go by.
God of War has been a franchise defined by two things–its copious amounts of violence, but also, the story of its main character, Kratos. Driven by a lust for revenge, and a clear affection for his old family, Kratos was an individual that was riveting, fulfilling to play as in the original God of War games, but for some reason, I just couldn’t imagine it, after the ending of the third God of War.
But then, with the reveal of the new trailer, I can’t help but think that this game will be GREAT. Providing ample room for development of Kratos’ character, yet also delivering on the demand for brutal violence, the game looks like it’ll be something to look forward to.
7. Kirby Coming to The Switch
Kirby has always been a favorite franchise of mine.
I mean, it’s Kirby! A fun, cute little puffball, with games that are just simple, colorful…and fun! So, seeing Kirby’s Switch iteration for a 2017 release, makes me all the more excited to see what it will bring.
The games are very simple, but provide just a few new details each time, that make each one unique. And so, with this new entry in the series, I’m certain that there’s going to be some new, fun gimmick to enjoy!
…There’s not much to say honestly. But hey, I like Kirby.
6. Multiplatform Monster Hunter
I’ve never gotten to play Monster Hunter before.
I haven’t had the money or time as of late to play it on 3DS, and just haven’t had the opportunities to play it before, but with Monster Hunter’s move to XBox, PS4, and of course, PC, I figure that there’s going to be no other better time to try it. Everything I have heard about Monster Hunter has been completely positive, and what was shown at E3 looks indicative of that reputation.
Despite this, there have been many arguments regarding Monster Hunter World, specifically regarding a potential move to the Switch. I won’t lie, that DOES put a bit of a damper on the new game, but regardless, what I’ve experienced of the gameplay at E3 is VERY promising. Whatever happens regarding the specific consoles it will be on, I’ll be looking forward to it!
5. Mario + Rabbids Doesn’t Suck?
Mario. And Rabbids. Surely you’ve never heard of a dumber idea for a combination, right? And it’s still, most definitely, a very stupid idea.
But you know, seeing the gameplay, I can’t help but think it’ll be fun regardless. Mixing XCOM/Fire Emblem-esque gameplay with the colorful environments of the Mushroom Kingdom and…yes, the Rabbids, the crossover looks to have considerable merit as an actual game.
I mean. It’s not like I expected the game to be BAD, but I certainly didn’t expect to want to play it. But the ample amounts of gameplay shown at E3 proved me wrong. This was absolutely the most confusing surprise of E3 in my book, but after a week or so to get used to the idea, I can say that seeing this game was honestly a rather big highlight of the event for me.
It was still a stupid idea–but man, it WAS kinda funny to see how fun the game actually looked.
4. A Metroid 2 Remake!
Around a year ago, a certain Metroid fan project was gaining a huge rep on the internet. Going by the name AM2R, or A Metroid 2 Remake, the quality of the project was quite impressive. It looked great, played great, and allowed many to experience a very old game in a very new way. That was, until Nintendo shut it down.
Normally, Nintendo doesn’t crack down on fan projects so hard, and everyone was wondering why. Shut downs did happen from time to time, but other fan games, other remakes, and other projects had gone on for longer, without interference. So why did Nintendo do this?
Well, E3 provided an answer.
Seeing Metroid: Samus Returns was wholly unexpected, but it makes so much sense, considering Nintendo’s action towards AM2R.
3. Shadow of The Colossus is Getting a Remake!
Shadow of The Colossus was a game from my younger years that I absolutely ADORED.
The music. The scale. The concept, the atmosphere, and the story of the game combined to create an unforgettable experience, that have cemented it as a cult classic. However, it did have its flaws, especially from a gameplay perspective, that did detract from the overall favorable experience.
So, seeing that Sony has decided to revisit the game, and make it (hopefully) far more polished and refined than the original, I can’t help but feel excited. However, that excitement comes with a certain amount of skepticism. The magic of a game such as that, from what I’ve experienced, is rather hard to transfer to a newer system, and with so much time in between now and the theoretical 2018 release, it’s easy to imagine how Sony might make “improvements” that take away from the overall atmosphere of the original game.
Well, I guess time will let us know if it ends up delivering.
2. Odyssey Looks DAMN Good
I think many of us can agree, Nintendo won E3.
And for many of us, this was solidified with the trailer of Super Mario Odyssey, which revealed gameplay that, in every way, just looks really fun. Between the reveal that the T-Rex was being controlled by Mario, the jazzy song, “I’ll Be Your 1-Up Girl,” and the great, colorful worlds that Odyssey presented, there was a LOT to process, and all of it was good.
Odyssey was the last hurrah of a presentation that was already really good, and it did not disappoint. Announcing an October release date, this year, doesn’t hurt it at all either–it’s been a game that’s been hyped up for a long time, and knowing that we’ll be able to play it this year is rather exciting. Of course, in my book, it’s only number two.
The number one pick has a bit more…history behind it.
1. Metroid Prime 4 is Coming to Switch!
You know what, I’m biased, and I completely admit that. But the Metroid Prime games were, and still are, some of my favorite video games of all time, and the Metroid fanbase had completely abandoned hope for a sequel. The trilogy stood alone, as a reminder of the best parts of the Metroid franchise for an entire decade.
This was HUGE. It came out of nowhere, and the announcement was done perfectly. We didn’t NEED gameplay. We didn’t NEED anything other than what we got–a confirmation that Nintendo hasn’t forgotten about Metroid. And what’s more, it was a revival of a series that, by all means, should have been dead and gone.
Because of the implications of this announcement, and what it means for my favorite game franchise of all time, this was absolutely my favorite announcement of E3.
Well, those were my favorite things that were shown off at E3 2017. Some honorable mentions go out to Xenoblade Chronicles 2, the VR showings of the E3 show floor, the new Spider Man, and in particular, Beyond Good and Evil 2, which could probably have been a top 5 contender, if only I had more experience with the history of the franchise.
It’s been a decent while since the Expo actually happened, so there’s been some time to think about everything that’s happened. If I haven’t made it obvious enough, as a Nintendo fan, I thought Nintendo won E3 pretty handily this year. But of course, I’d love to know, who do you think won? And what was YOUR favorite announcement of E3?
Let me know in a comment down below!
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Had dropped you a message last month, Aaron! Hoping to hear from you soon.
Thanks. :)
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