{"id":1221,"date":"2011-06-13T11:48:39","date_gmt":"2011-06-13T18:48:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bytica.com\/?p=1221"},"modified":"2011-06-13T11:51:08","modified_gmt":"2011-06-13T18:51:08","slug":"sluggos-100-games-of-e3-2011","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.bytica.com\/?p=1221","title":{"rendered":"Sluggo’s 100 Games of E3 2011"},"content":{"rendered":"

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ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES of a show like E3 is simply getting a grasp on everything being shown: who’s showing what, what surprises might turn up, and how the heck do you cover it all?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Writing a zillion previews wasn’t in the cards for me this year, so if you missed E3, or\u00c2\u00a0just got back from the show and want to catch up, or simply don’t want to spend all week combing the net for coverage, here’s a look at 100 of the biggest games in development and what we learned about them at E3 2011. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

In about a dozen cases, I’ve mentioned games that weren’t at E3 at all, which I often find as interesting as the games that turn up. This list is also strictly full-size games; stuff for the portables like the new 3DS and PlayStation Vita will have to wait for another list. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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1. ACE COMBAT: ASSAULT HORIZON
\n<\/span>Oct 11 2011 || X360, PS3 || D: Project Aces, P: Namco Bandai<\/span><\/strong>
\nDescribed as a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153rebirth\u00e2\u20ac\u009d for the Ace Combat<\/em> series, which hasn’t had a full console outing since 2007, Assault Horizon <\/em>takes much more of a cinematic, story-driven approach than its predecessors, set in real-world cities instead of fictional locales, which may raise a few eyebrows of hardcore fans. Demos for one of the few big air combat games at E3 focused on improved dogfighting, helicopter combat and multiplayer action. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

2. ALIENS: COLONIAL MARINES<\/strong><\/span>
\nSpring 2012 || X360, PS3, PC || D: Gearbox, P: Sega<\/strong>
\nThe oft-delayed tactical shooter based on the classic sci-fi films finally made an E3 showing with a teaser video and live gameplay demo. Not unlike Gearbox’s Brothers in Arms<\/em> games, you control a squad of four soldiers and have the ability to switch between them, with co-op support allowing other players to jump in and out of the boots of other Marines as desired. A Wii U version was also announced, and if that doesn’t use the touchscreen controller as a heartbeat sensor, it’ll be one of the greatest missed opportunities in the history of videogames.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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3. ASSASSIN’S CREED: REVELATIONS<\/span><\/strong>
\nNov 15 2011 || X360, PS3, PC || D\/P: Ubisoft<\/span><\/strong>
\nIt’s all been building up to this, as Ezio’s journey assumedly comes to an end in Revelations<\/em>. The game was the cornerstone of Ubisoft’s E3 2011 presence, as they closed their press briefing with a great AC:R <\/em>trailer and extended footage of the game in action. One of the game’s new hooks is, in fact, an actual hook that Ezio can use to climb buildings or yank enemies closer, or, as seen in one impressive section, zipline across a sea of burning ships. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

4. BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY<\/span><\/strong>
\nOct 18 2011 || X360, PS3, PC || D: Rocksteady, P: WBIE<\/span><\/strong>
\nI remember getting a demo of Batman: Arkham Asylum<\/em> in 2009 and coming away completely unimpressed by it. It must have been a poor demo, because it ended up as one of the biggest hits of the year, and the followup, Arkham City<\/em>, was by far one of the most anticipated games of E3 2011. The announcement of Catwoman as a playable character as part of the main campaign and subsequent demos showing her in action generated a lot of buzz, as she has some interesting abilities that should differentiate her sections from Batman’s. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

5. BATTLEFIELD 3<\/span><\/strong>
\nOct 25 2011 || X360, PS3, PC || DICE, EA<\/span><\/strong>
\nBattle lines were drawn early at E3 2011 between Battlefield 3<\/em> and Modern Warfare 3<\/em>. EA took every opportunity to mention that they’ll have a suite of completely free community features (an obvious dig at Activision’s upcoming \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Call of Duty Elite\u00e2\u20ac\u009d service), as well as announcing an October release date two weeks ahead of MW3<\/em>. But what really got everyone’s attention was the jaw-dropping Battlefield 3 <\/em>footage in the new Frostbite 2 engine, especially the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Thunder Run\u00e2\u20ac\u009d demo shown at EA’s press conference featuring large-scale tank combat. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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6. BEYOND GOOD & EVIL 2<\/span><\/strong>
\nDate TBD || Platforms TBD || Ubisoft<\/span> <\/strong>
\nAnnounced in 2008, not much had been heard about the BG&E<\/em> sequel aside from a 2010 comment from series creator Michel Ancel that the game was still in development. This year, Ancel told GI.biz \u00e2\u20ac\u0153it is still alive and we are very far [into] development so we can’t go back now \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6. we are targeting the next generation of consoles.<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Well, then. With no BG&E2<\/em> for the X360 or PS3, it looks like it’s going to be a pretty long wait. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

7. BIOSHOCK INFINITE<\/span><\/strong>
\n2012 || X360, PS3, PC || Irrational, 2K Games<\/span> <\/strong>
\nThis new Bioshock<\/em> game is set not in the underwater city of Rapture, but in a new airborne city called Columbia. And this time, you’re not arriving after the disaster, but in the middle of it, as you’re attempting to rescue a young woman named Elizabeth. As in Bioshock<\/em>, you’ll be loaded up with a variety of crazy powers as well as traditional weapons, and for E3 this year, Irrational released a brief teaser trailer along with gameplay demos showing off a new section of the game. Easily one of 2012’s most anticipated games.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

8. BLACKLIGHT: RETRIBUTION<\/span><\/strong>
\nDate TBA || PC || D: Zombie, P: Perfect World<\/span><\/strong>
\nIn an interesting twist, this sequel to 2010’s Blacklight: Tango Down<\/em> will be PC-only and free-to-play. Unsurprisingly, the game will feature deep customization options, from the gear you’re wearing to the weapons you carry, which leads to the as-yet unanswered questions: will you have to pay to buy gear, and how much? <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

9. BODYCOUNT<\/span><\/strong>
\nAug 30 2011 || X360, PS3 || D: Guildford, P: Codemasters<\/span><\/strong>
\nInitially conceived as a spiritual sequel to Black<\/em>, Bodycount<\/em> looks to position itself as an \u00e2\u20ac\u0153arcade shooter\u00e2\u20ac\u009d at the other end of the spectrum from military shooters like Call of Duty<\/em> or Battlefield<\/em>. Just a few months from release, the team used E3 to show off some new areas, destructible environments and its novel cover system. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

10. BROTHERS IN ARMS: FURIOUS 4<\/span><\/strong>
\nDate TBA || X360, PS3 || D: Gearbox, P: Ubisoft<\/span><\/strong>
\nUnveiled at Ubisoft’s press conference, the Brothers in Arms <\/em>series veers in a very different direction with a game that’s been unanimously interpreted as Inglorious Basterds: The Game. <\/em>After introducing the game’s four comical lead characters via a brief trailer, a playable demo was shown behind closed doors to a limited number of outlets, featuring over-the-top action as the foursome tore their way through a German town. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

11. CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE 3<\/span><\/strong>
\nNov 8 2011 || X360, PS3, PC || D: Infinity Ward\/Sledgehammer, P: Activision
\n<\/span><\/strong>The game that opened up Microsoft’s press conference is obviously the game everyone’s trying to beat this year. While the E3 demos were predictable in terms of the gameplay we’ve come to expect from the series, they were still extremely impressive. Footage covered a SEAL team attempting to infiltrate a sub, surfacing outside to a Manhattan with smoldering skyscrapers and battleships littering the harbor, leading to infantry combat set at landmarks like Wall Street. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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12. THE CURSED CRUSADE<\/span><\/strong>
\nJuly 26 2011 || X360, PS3, PC || D: Kylotonn, P: Atlus\/dtp<\/span> <\/strong>
\nThis bloody third-person action-adventure game set against the backdrop of medieval Europe looks pretty straightforward, as you play a cursed Templar who can enter a hellish state to unleash even more damage on enemies. You’re accompanied on your journey by a mercenary companion, controlled either by AI or by a friend. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

13. DANCE CENTRAL 2<\/span><\/strong>
\nOct 25 2011 || X360 Kinect || D: Harmonix, P: Microsoft Games<\/span><\/strong>
\nTo what should have been the surprise of no one, Harmonix turned up at E3 2011 with a sequel to Dance Central<\/em>, AKA \u00e2\u20ac\u0153the main reason most people bought a Kinect.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Shown off at the Microsoft press conference, the game will feature an expanded campaign mode, the ability for dancers to play simultaneously, and the option to import songs from the first Dance Central<\/em>, similar to way you could transfer songs from one Rock Band <\/em>game to the next. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

14. DARK SOULS<\/span><\/strong>
\nOct 4 2011 || X360, PS3 || D: From Software, P: Namco Bandai<\/span><\/strong>
\nThe spiritual successor to 2009’s Demon Souls<\/em>, this third-person hack-and-slasher promises to be even more brutal in terms of difficulty, which might be a little frightening to some. Namco promises that Dark Souls<\/em> will be a little more open in terms of overall structure, and good news for X360 owners: you’ll get to join in the fun this time as well (as Dark Souls <\/em>was PS3-only). <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

15. THE DARKNESS II <\/span> <\/strong>
\nOct 4 2011 || X360, PS3, PC || D: Digital Extremes, P: 2K Games<\/span><\/strong>
\nMany things have changed for the sequel to the well-received 2007 shooter. Digital Extremes is handling development in place of Starbreeze, the game has a new, more comic-like art style, lead character Jackie is now the head of his crime family. E3 demos showed off the game’s more comic-style artwork, how Jackie needs to stay out of the light in order to access his darkness powers, and a new ability called \u00e2\u20ac\u0153quad wielding,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d where Jackie has two demon heads that he can use to attack alongside his normal arms. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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16. DARKSIDERS II <\/span><\/strong>
\nTBA 2012 || X360, PS3, PC, Wii U || D: Vigil, P: THQ<\/span><\/strong>
\nWhile a sequel was completely, Darksiders II <\/em>was formally unveiled at E3 2011 via a brief trailer. Once again, you play as one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, but instead of War, as in the first game, you’ll be playing as Death this time around, with events taking place as the same time as the first game. In addition to X360, PS3 and PC versions, it was also announced at Nintendo’s press conference that Darksiders II <\/em>would be a Wii U launch title. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

17. DEAD ISLAND<\/span><\/strong>
\nSep 6 2011 || X360, PS3, PC || D: Techland, P: Deep Silver\/Square Enix<\/span><\/strong>
\nA few months ago, there was a lot of buzz about the first Dead Island<\/em> trailer, which told a heartbreaking story of a little girl caught in the middle of a zombie attack at an island resort. E3 offered a deeper look at several of the game’s locations, some tastes of the melee-heavy action, as well as different characters who are somehow immune to the zombie outbreak and how they’ll gain experience and new abilities as you explore the island, which up to four players can team up for via co-op play. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

18. DEAD RISING 2: OFF THE RECORD<\/span><\/strong>
\nFall 2011 || X360, PS3, PC || D\/P: Capcom<\/span><\/strong>
\nInitially conceived as a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153director’s cut\u00e2\u20ac\u009d of Dead Rising 2 <\/em>with extra content and various tweaks, Off the Record<\/em> will instead offer a parallel experience to DR2<\/em>, with the original game’s hero, photojournalist Frank West, back in the lead role, seeing the events of DR2<\/em> through his eyes. The game’s E3 presence included a look at a new theme park area, complete with rides, mini-games, and of course, plenty of new, innovative ways to kill zombies.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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19. DEFIANCE<\/span><\/strong>
\nDate TBA || X360, PS3, PC || Trion Worlds, Syfy<\/span> <\/strong>
\nBilled as \u00e2\u20ac\u0153a revolution in TV and gaming,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Trion Worlds \u00e2\u20ac\u201c the makers of Rift \u00e2\u20ac\u201c <\/em>is teaming up with Syfy to build this action-MMO that will tie in with an upcoming television series of the same name. Set on a future earth shared by aliens and humans after years of war have decimated the planet, the game and series will reportedly influence each other on a routine basis, where events that occur in the show will have repercussions in the game world (and vice versa). <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

20. DEUS EX: HUMAN REVOLUTION <\/span><\/strong>
\nAug 23 2011 || X360, PS3, PC || D: Eidos, P: Square Enix<\/span><\/strong>
\nThings have been ramping up quickly for the latest Deus Ex<\/em>, which is due out this August, and the game’s E3 presence consisted of a new trailer and a playable section from around the middle of the game. Set as a prequel 25 years before the first DX<\/em>, you play as Adam Jensen, who’s forced to under go some human augmentations early in the game, setting in motion a conspiracy story that drives the game forward. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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21. DIABLO III<\/span> <\/strong>
\nDate TBA || PC || D\/P: Blizzard<\/span><\/strong>
\nBlizzard skipped E3 this year, so it’s altogether possible that we might not get any more details on Diablo III <\/em>may until Blizzcon this October. Will the game release in 2011 or will we have to wait until next year? Sadly, E3 told us none of this. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

22. DmC<\/span> <\/strong>
\n2012 || X360, PS3 || D: Ninja Theory, P: Capcom<\/span><\/strong>
\nIt hasn’t been the easiest going so far for Ninja Theory’s Devil May Cry <\/em>reboot. Fans have not responded well to Dante’s new, younger look, and the trailer released for E3 was criticized for looking like the same action seen in the previous games. Apparently, to a lot of fans, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153old gameplay + giving the characters a Twilight <\/em>makeover\u00e2\u20ac\u009d was not the direction they were hoping for. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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23. DOOM 4<\/span><\/strong>
\nDate TBA || X360, PS3, PC || D: id Software, P: Bethesda<\/span><\/strong>
\nid announced this a while back and has confirmed that not only is it still in the works, but that it’ll get turned around and released a lot faster than the seven years it took to get Rage <\/em>done. Otherwise, id was mum on the subject at E3 2011, predictably focusing all their attention to Rage<\/em>‘s launch this September. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

24. DOTA 2<\/span><\/strong>
\nDate TBA || PC || D\/P: Valve<\/span><\/strong>
\nThe full-blown sequel to the Warcraft III<\/em> custom \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Defense of the Ancients\u00e2\u20ac\u009d scenario was officially announced to be in development at Valve in 2010, with lead designer IceFrog leading the charge. But Valve skipped E3 this year, so further details, which have already been few in coming, will have to wait for some other time. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

25. DRAGON’S DOGMA<\/span><\/strong>
\nMar 2012 || X360, PS3 || D\/P: Capcom<\/span><\/strong>
\nA new hack-and-slash fantasy-action game from Capcom, the team working on Dragon’s Dogma<\/em> comes from a variety of games like Resident Evil 4<\/em> and Devil May Cry 4. <\/em>Players will slice through the game as a member of a party, and demos shown at E3 focused on the fighter class. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

26. DRIVER: SAN FRANCISCO<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Aug 30 2011 || X360, PS3, PC || D\/P: Ubisoft<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>After a 7-year hiatus, Tanner and the Driver<\/em> series makes their first appearance on the current crop of consoles with a game set on the streets of San Francisco. Picking up after the events of Driv3r<\/em>, Tanner starts the game in a coma but has a supernatural ability to view San Francisco from above and even possess the driver of any car on the road, which might sound ridiculous in terms of plot but could set up some interesting driving missions. E3 also gave Ubisoft a chance to show how this \u00e2\u20ac\u0153shift\u00e2\u20ac\u009d ability would work in multiplayer, where one person is being chased by the field, creating a world where almost every car in the city could be after you. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

27. DUST 514<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>2012 || PS3 || D\/P: CCP<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>One of the most fascinating games shown at E3, Dust 514<\/em> is a strikingly attractive Unreal engine-powered MMOFPS set within the Eve Online<\/em> universe… and it’s PS3-only. In some ways, it’s almost like a completely separate game within Eve Online<\/em> played on a different platform: Eve <\/em>players can actually issue contracts that Dust<\/em> players can accept to try and take over certain planets, and the economies of the two games are linked, sharing the in-game currency of ISK. Whether CCP can deliver on this, and in a timely manner, is something that will be watched closely. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

28. ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Nov 11 2011 || X360, PS3, PC || D\/P: Bethesda<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>A game that will inevitably walk off with a number of E3 awards, the latest Elder Scrolls <\/em>game features greatly improved graphics, the ability to play in first or third-person, over 150 dungeons, and a giant, open world with tons to explore. Dragons play a large role in the game, factoring into the main storyline, offering epic boss fights and providing special shout powers you can absorb from their defeated souls. The demos shown at E3 offered a healthy sampling of gameplay from various parts of Skyrim, and it’s hard to imagine any fan of Bethesda’s earlier games isn’t positively drooling at the footage offered at E3. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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29. F1 2011<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Sept 20 2011 || X360, PS3, PC || D\/P: Codemasters
\n<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span>Multiplayer is a big focus for F1 2011, as the much-requested splitscreen support is being added for the console versions, and online play is being upped to 24 cars (16 humans + 8 AI cars). A co-op feature is also going under the hood, allowing two players to work together to win a championship, and of course, new rules and rosters for the 2011 season. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>30. FABLE: THE JOURNEY<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>TBA 2012 || X360 Kinect || D: Lionhead, P: Microsoft<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>A mild surprise from Microsoft’s press conference was Lionhead’s Peter Molyneux debuting Fable: The Journey<\/em>, an Xbox 360 exclusive designed completely around Kinect to do everything from casting spells, using items and even snapping reins to ride horses. Not much else about the game was revealed, so it’s unknown whether this will be a full-sized Fable <\/em>game or a smaller, linear spin-off meant to take advantage of Kinect, but the latter seems more likely. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

31. FAR CRY 3<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>TBA 2012 || X360, PS3, PC || D\/P: Ubisoft<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>One of the nicest surprises of E3 2011, Ubisoft announced Far Cry 3<\/em> at its E3 press briefing to huge applause. Not a continuation of either of the previous Far Cry <\/em>titles, FC3 <\/em>will return to the formula of the first game, dropping you on a tropical island and giving you huge environments to explore and fight through. The game’s E3 showing featured lots of in-game footage and live gameplay, and generated a lot of excitement with a combination of lush locations and offbeat characters. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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32. FIFA 12<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Sept 30 2011 || X360, PS3, WII, PC || D: EA Canada, P: EA Sports<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Soccer \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 err, football may not be as popular here as on the other side of the pond, but EA has big plans for the successful FIFA<\/em> series, including a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153tactical defending\u00e2\u20ac\u009d system, precision dribbling, and an advanced collision system (which all of EA Sports’ offerings this year seem to boast in some form). But maybe the biggest addition is a new online feature called \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Football Club,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d where you’ll have a persistent career profile that will extend across multiple versions of FIFA. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

33. FINAL FANTASY XIII-2<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Early 2012 || X360, PS3 || D\/P: Square Enix<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>A rare \u00e2\u20ac\u0153proper\u00e2\u20ac\u009d sequel within the FF <\/em>series, E3 was a chance for the game’s developers to tout how the game will be more \u00e2\u20ac\u0153player-driven\u00e2\u20ac\u009d than \u00e2\u20ac\u0153story-driven,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d another way of saying the game wouldn’t be as linear as its predecessor (a common review complaint). Square came to E3 armed with a hefty amount of gameplay footage, introducing several new characters and showing off how areas of the game have evolved since FF XIII. <\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

34. FORZA MOTORSPORT 4
\n<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>Oct 11 2011 || X360 || D: Turn 10, P: Microsoft<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>One of the world’s most popular car racing franchises returns to the starting line in October, offering plenty of car porn to go with the racing experience. Via a partnership with Top Gear, you can explore many of the cars in the garage, pore over every inch of the vehicle and enjoy a guided tour without stepping foot on a track. In addition to playing in the traditional manner or with any number of racing wheels, a great deal of Kinect functionality has been implemented, including camera tracking that lets you look left and right by slightly turning your head. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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35. GEARS OF WAR 3<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Sept 20 2011 || X360 || D: Epic, P: Microsoft<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>After some delays, the final (?) entry in the Gears<\/em> trilogy is set to hit the Xbox 360 this fall, so Epic used E3 to show off a few more pieces of gameplay featuring Baird and Cole as well as a revamped \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Horde 2.0\u00e2\u20ac\u009d mode. Epic’s Cliffy B promises this will be the largest Gears <\/em>campaign to date, so all that’s left at this point is to sharpen up the lancer and wait for September to roll around.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

36. GOD OF WAR: ORIGINS COLLECTION<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Sept 13 2011 || PS3 || D: Ready at Dawn, P: Sony<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Jonesing for more big-screen God of War<\/em>? Announced at E3, this September, both God of War<\/em> PSP games (Chains of Olympus<\/em> and Ghost of Sparta)<\/em> will hit the PS3 with HD remasters, complete with 1080p support, 3D support and trophies. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

37. GRAND THEFT AUTO V<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Date TBA || Platforms TBA || D\/P: Rockstar<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>It’s been 3 years since GTA IV<\/em>, and while Rockstar has enjoyed much success with other titles like Red Dead Redemption<\/em> and the just-released L.A. Noire<\/em>, there were high hopes that, even if Rockstar did their usual shunning of E3, that some kind of announcement or teaser trailer for GTA V <\/em>might show up in one of the press conferences. And while the game is generally assumed to be in development, the official announcement will have to wait. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

38. GHOST RECON: FUTURE SOLDIER<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Mar 2012 || X360, PS3 || D\/P: Ubisoft<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>It was a busy E3 for the latest entry in the Ghost Recon<\/em> series, which shifts back to a third-person view and focuses on advanced technology and squad-based co-op play. It initially showed up at Microsoft’s press briefing with a slick trailer and a look at the game’s \u00e2\u20ac\u0153gunsmith\u00e2\u20ac\u009d feature, where, via voice commands and Kinect, you can completely disassemble a weapon and rebuild customized hardware. But the game will work just fine with regular controllers as well, as was demonstrated during Ubisoft’s press conference via a live 4-person co-op demo. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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39. GHOST RECON ONLINE<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>TBA 2011 || PC || D\/P: Ubisoft<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Not to be confused with Future Soldier, Ghost Recon Online<\/em> is a free-to-play game being developed by Ubisoft’s Singapore studio. The game is scheduled to go into beta testing sometime this summer and release for the later in 2011 for the PC, with a future Wii U version also announced. Not many details were released at E3, other than there will be several classes of soldier to play as, and that the game will be supported via premium content. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

40. GUILD WARS 2<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Date TBA || PC || D: ArenaNet, P: NCSoft<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>If you were hoping for big Guild Wars 2<\/em> info out of E3, you’re out of luck. ArenaNet has a busy tour set up for this summer, but E3 isn’t on it \u00e2\u20ac\u201c they’ll be attending ComicCon in July, GamesCon and PAX in August, and while there have been reports that a beta will happen this year, there’s no sign of the game coming any time before 2012.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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41. GUITAR HERO (unnamed project)<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Date TBA || Platforms TBA || Activision<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Earlier this year, Activision announced it was getting out of the rhythm-game business, laying off employees and confirming there wouldn’t be a new Guitar Hero <\/em>in 2011. ATVI later backpedaled a bit, stating that the series was merely on hiatus, and at E3 it was reported that someone high up at Activision stated that they’d almost certainly do a Guitar Hero <\/em>for Nintendo’s new Wii U at some point. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

42. HALF-LIFE: EPISODE THREE<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Date TBA || Platforms TBA || D\/P: Valve<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Another E3, another year with no sign of Episode Three<\/em>, especially with Valve not demoing at the show. Earlier this year, Valve reassured the gaming world that it wasn’t done with the Half-Life<\/em> series, although it raised the possibility that it might not continue the episodic format, but whatever Valve’s plans are, they weren’t revealed at E3 2011. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

43. HALO: ANNIVERSARY<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Nov 15 2011 || X360 || D: 343\/Saber, P: Microsoft<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Has it really been 10 years since Halo <\/em>was released as a launch title for the Xbox? To commemorate the occasion, Microsoft has commissioned a remastered version of the game for the Xbox 360, which will include proper online and co-op play and seven of the game’s most popular maps. My question: why no Kinect support? With all the emphasis Microsoft put on Kinect at E3 this year, this seemed like a perfect place to experiment and maybe drum up some excitement for the peripheral. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

44. HALO 4<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>2012 || Xbox 360 || D: 343, P: Microsoft<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>News of this was leaked the night before Microsoft’s press conference on Monday morning, and sure enough, the briefing wrapped up with a brief teaser for Halo 4<\/em>. All the familiar faces are back, including Master Chief and Cortana, with development handed off to new developer 343 Industries, and will be the start of a new trilogy for the Xbox 360. Other than that, news on the Halo 4 <\/em>front was all quiet. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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45. Hitman: Absolution<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>2012 || X360, PS3, PC || D: IO Interactive, P: Square Enix<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Shown for the first time at E3 2011, developer IO revives Agent 47, but with a slightly different take on the series. Demos show a game that relies on light and shadows for stealth in a way that wasn’t possible a decade ago, has a bit more of an open-world feel, and appears to be taking a more cinematic approach in its presentation. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

46. ICO + SHADOW OF THE COLOSSUS HD COLLECTION<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Sep 27 2011 || PS3 || D: Team ICO, P: Sony<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Fans who didn’t get to experience these two stellar games on the PS2 will get a second chance on the PS3 via an HD remastering coming this fall. In addition to the improved graphics, the games will feature 3D support, trophies and support for 7.1 surround sound. Possibly one of the best reasons to date to pick up a PS3 if you haven’t already. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

47. INVERSION<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Feb 7 2012 || X360, PS3 || D: Saber, P: Namco Bandai<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>A third-person action game, Inversion<\/em> plays tricks with gravity in a number of ways \u00e2\u20ac\u201c you can pull items towards you to use as cover, hurl large items at enemies to crush them, create gravity fields to pin enemies to the ground, eventually reaching zero-gravity environments where it’s hard to tell up from down from sideways. The entire game can be played cooperatively with a buddy, opening up all sorts of possibilities as two players find interesting ways to combine their gravity powers.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

48. JUST DANCE 3<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Oct 11 2011 || X360, PS3, Wii || D\/P: Ubisoft<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>There wasn’t much info released on Just Dance 3<\/em> at E3, but really, what’s to know? It’s the completely expected sequel in the popular Wii dance-game series, this time making its multiplatform debut, with support for the X360 Kinect and PS3 Move. Artists announced so far include the Black Eyed Peas, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Katy Perry, who also appears in the game’s celebrity-filled E3 trailer. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

49. KINECT SPORTS SEASON TWO<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Oct 25 2011 || X360 Kinect || D: Rare\/Big Park, P: Microsoft<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>After the success of Kinect Sports<\/em>, which reportedly sold over three million units to become one of the best selling Kinect titles (alongside Dance Central<\/em>), a second entry was a no brainer, which will arrive this holiday season. New sports will include football, skiing, tennis, golf, baseball and darts, and this version will support voice commands as well as motion tracking via the Kinect camera. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

50. Kinect Star Wars<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Holiday 2011 || X360 Kinect || D: LucasArts, P: Microsoft<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Maybe one of the most natural fits for a Kinect game, this title, unveiled at E3, will let you play as a Jedi through locations from both the original trilogy and later prequels. Via Kinect, you’ll be able to use Force powers to fight enemies and manipulate objects in the environment, and of course, you’ll engage in lightsaber combat as well. While there wasn’t much detail on the plot given away, it does seem the game is aiming for a casual-friendly experience. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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51. KINGDOMS OF AMALUR: RECKONING<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Early 2012 || X360, PS3, PC || D: 38 Studios\/Big Huge Games, P: EA<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Former World Series MVP, noted EverQuest<\/em> addict and 38 Studios founder Curt Schilling was on hand at EA’s press briefing to unveil Reckoning<\/em>, a single-player RPG being developed in conjunction with Big Huge Games and designer Ken Rolston (who was the lead on Morrowind <\/em>and Oblivion<\/em>). With a universe and lore created by fantasy author R.A. Salvatore and artwork from Todd McFarlane, it’s clear that Reckoning<\/em> is shooting for something in the Elder Scrolls<\/em> vein, although it remains to be seen if it can achieve that level of polish. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

52. THE LAST GUARDIAN<\/strong><\/span><\/strong> <\/strong><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>2012 || PS3 || D: Team Ico, P: Sony<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>One of the most disappointing no-shows at E3 2011 was The Last Guardian<\/em>, a PS3 title from the team that created ICO <\/em>and Shadow of the Colossus<\/em>. In fact, I found it fairly shocking that Sony didn’t even have a clip to show during its press conference, as it’s one of the most exciting platform exclusives in the PS3 pipeline.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

53. LORD OF THE RINGS: WAR IN THE NORTH<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Aug 24 2011 || X360, PS3, PC || D: Snowblind, P: WBIE<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Snowblind is going for a balance between hack-and-slash action and deep RPG progression with this latest co-op friendly adventure based of the Lord of the Rings<\/em> trilogy. Using new locations and settings not pulled from the books, one of the big highlights of the game’s E3 demos was the ability to summon a giant eagle to fight by your group’s side, who can either attack enemies or even pick them up and carry them away. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

54. MADDEN 12<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Aug 30 2011 || X360, PS3 || EA Sports<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>NFL lockout or not, there’s obviously going to be a new Madden <\/em>game this year. It’s launching a few weeks later than usual, but EA is promising a lot of tweaks to Franchise mode and new features like \u00e2\u20ac\u0153confidence\u00e2\u20ac\u009d that try to simulate intangible effects on your players. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

55. MASS EFFECT 3<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Mar 6 2012 || X360, PS3, PC || D: Bioware, P: EA<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>The third installment in the Mass Effect<\/em> trilogy was seemingly everywhere at this year’s E3 \u00e2\u20ac\u201c it was a key part of EA’s press conference, Microsoft showed it using Kinect functionality during its keynote, and you really couldn’t get far at E3 without being reminded of its presence. The big news was the announcement of a March 2012 release date, and demos showed off some previously unseen missions with a little more emphasis on action than previous games, as well as new customization options for your weapons. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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56. MAX PAYNE 3<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Date TBA || X360, PS3, PC || D\/P: Rockstar<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Its development was announced years ago, switched from Remedy to Rockstar in 2009, and just a month ago confirmed to still be in development in a Take-Two conference call. But, like Rockstar, it was nowhere to be seen at E3, so any further news on the game will have to wait for another day. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

57. METAL GEAR SOLID: RISING<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Date TBA || X360, PS3, PC || D: Kojima Productions, P: Konami<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Sadly, both series creator Hideo Kojima and Metal Gear Solid: Rising <\/em>skipped E3 2011. Other than brief word from Kojima that work was continuing, Rising<\/em> was barely hinted at during Konami’s pre-E3 video press conference as well. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

58. METRO: LAST LIGHT<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Late 2012 || X360, PS3, Wii U, PC || D: 4A Games, P: THQ<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>From Ukraine developers 4A Games comes the sequel to 2010’s Metro 2033<\/em>, a game set in the subways underneath a post-apocalyptic Moscow. For the 2012 release, the developers aren’t looking to tamper much with the formula, which was part survival horror and part open-world FPS with a heavy emphasis on realism, as much as refine it and iron out the technical issues from the first game. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

59. MINECRAFT<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Late 2011 || X360 Kinect, PC || D\/P: Mojang<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>A mild surprise from the Microsoft press conference: the massively popular Minecraft<\/em> will be arriving on the Xbox 360 this holiday, with Kinect functionality. Will it support mods of any kind? Will it work with a controller or be Kinect-exclusive? How, if at all, will this affect development of the PC version? Sadly, the trailer was all we saw of Minecraft’s <\/em>at E3, so those questions remain unanswered for now. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

60. NBA 2K12<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong><\/strong>Oct 4 2011 || X360, PS3, PC || 2K Sports<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>This basketball game got prime placement near the front of Sony’s press conference, surely due in no small part to the presence of Kobe Bryant, who joked that the game did a better job of running the triangle offense than the Lakers did in the playoffs. With an NBA lockout looming and EA Sports’ NBA <\/em>series on hold, this might be the only way to get your hoops fix this fall. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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61. NCAA 12<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong><\/strong>July 12 2011 || X360, PS3 || D: EA Tiburon\/EA Canada, P: EA Sports<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>There’s not a ton of hoopla surrounding EA’s college football game this year, as it wasn’t even mentioned in EA’s press briefing. On the field, a better collision system has been promised, as well as a better pass coverage system. Off the field, EA is promising a new coach mode, the ability to create custom playboots and more pre-game mascot shenanigans. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

62. NEED FOR SPEED: THE RUN<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Nov 15 2011 || X360, PS3, Wii, PC || D: Black Box, P: EA<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>There were quite a few raised eyebrows when EA unveiled the latest Need for Speed<\/em> game \u00e2\u20ac\u201c which there wasn’t much demand for in the first place \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and then revealed the game’s big hook: the ability to get out of your car and run around on foot. The E3 demos introduced the main character, Jack, and the idea that instead of a series of unconnected missions, there will be a larger story that takes you cross-country. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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63. NEVERDEAD<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Q3 2011 || X360, PS3 || D: Rebellion, P: Konami<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Truly one of the more bizarre games shown at E3, NeverDead’s conceit is that the main character is immortal, but can lose limbs through the game and can both use them as weapons or reattach them by rolling over them. Accompanying you are other characters who aren’t quite as immortal, so you need to protect them, and are a motley crew indeed. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

64. NHL 12<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong><\/strong>Sep 13 2011 || X360, PS3 || D: EA Canada, P: EA Sports<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>It’s hard to say whether NHL<\/em> 12 <\/em>will be all that improved over previous years, but EA showed up with three talking points: the addition of the Winter Classic at Heinz field, an all-new physics engine, and the ability to (finally?) hit the goalies and fight with them, which, if you’ve been watching the Stanley Cup, is not something you want to do to Tim Thomas. There are also plans to get the newly relocated Winnipeg team in the game, assuming the logos and such are finalized in time. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

65. NINJA GAIDEN 3<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Early 2012 || X360, PS3 || D: Team Ninja, P: Tecmo Koei<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Controversial changes are afoot as the third installment of the Ninja Gaiden<\/em> series changes settings to London, particularly the addition of stealth elements and quick-time events. What hasn’t changed is the fast-paced, violent action and gory swordplay. Another element shown off at E3 is how Ryu’s cursed right arm will slowly amass energy as you kill enemies, leading to special attacks you can unleash at appropriate moments. A Wii U version of the game was also confirmed at E3.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

66. OVERSTRIKE<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Date TBA || X360, PS3 || D: Insomniac, P: EA<\/span><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/span><\/strong>Insomniac’s latest game was announced at EA’s press briefing, which looks to focus on a misfit team of four elite operatives with all sorts of high-tech gadgets. Not much info was available at E3 beyond the trailer, other than the fact that it will be Insomniac’s first multiplatform offering, coming to the Xbox 360 as well as the PS3. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

66. PAYDAY: THE HEIST<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Date TBA || PS3, PC || D: Overkill, P: Sony<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>A new multiplayer game unveiled at E3, Payday <\/em>will feature 4-player co-op play not unlike Left4Dead<\/em>, except instead of fighting zombies, you’ll be taking on scenarios like bank heists and jailbreaks. Planned for the PC as well as a release on PSN, Payday will feature the ability to play with and against both humans and computer controlled bots. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

67. PIKMIN 3<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Date TBA || Wii U || D\/P: Nintendo<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Disappointingly, Pikmin 3<\/em> didn’t make an appearance at E3 this year, but we did get one important piece of information: development had jumped platforms from the Wii to the Wii U. How will Pikmin 3<\/em> make use of the tablet controller? It’s unknown for now, but you can only imagine Miyamoto-san will come up with something crazy. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

68. PREY 2<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>2012 || X360, PS3, PC || D: Human Head, P: 2K Games<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>One of the big surprises at E3 2011 was the slick trailer and impressive demo for Prey 2<\/em>, a sequel that, honestly, no one was asking for. But with the new direction of the game \u00e2\u20ac\u201c you play a bounty hunter in an alien metropolis, taking on missions in an open-world setting \u00e2\u20ac\u201c it’s gotten people excited in a hurry. A lot of the urban world is designed vertically, and fluid, acrobatic movement is a big part of the design, so we’ll probably hear a lot more about this going forward. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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69. PRO EVOLUTION SOCCER 2012<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Oct 2011 || X360, PS3, Wii, PC || D\/P: Konami<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>The biggest competitor to EA’s FIFA<\/em> series, PES 12 <\/em>initially turned up during Konami’s pre-E3 video presentation, showing footage of mo-cap sessions and promises of improved off-the-ball movement. Otherwise, other than a general trailer of gameplay footage, there wasn’t much new info on the game beyond AI improvements.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

70. PROTOTYPE 2<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong><\/strong>2012 || X360, PS3, PC || D: Radical, P: Activision<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Alex Mercer is the enemy this time around, as you play Sergeant James Hellar, who’s on a mission to track down and take revenge on the first game’s protagonist. As New York has been devastated by the Blacklight virus, the city’s been split into three zones, which should each have their own distinct feel. Most of the E3 demos were dedicated to talking about how Radical has been working on refinements from the first game, especially in terms of combat, and showing lots of the same over-the-top destruction that fans enjoyed in the first game. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

71. RAGE<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Oct 4 2011 || X360, PS3, PC || D: id Software, P: Bethesda<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Seven years after the release of DOOM 3<\/em>, id Software finally prepares to release its next epic: part shooter and part driving game in a post-apocalyptic wasteland caused by a meteor strike. id showed up at E3 with a variety of missions to show off and basically opened the vault on what to expect from the game, which is shaping up as id’s most ambitious project to date. Originally set to release in September, news broke on the last day of E3 that the launch had been pushed to October 4. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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72. RATCHET & CLANK: ALL 4 ONE<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Oct 18 2011 || PS3 || D: Insomniac, P: Sony<\/span><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Built for 4-player co-op from the ground up, the latest R&C <\/em>game casts players as Ratchet, Clank, Captain Qwark and Doctor Nefarious, each with their own unique abilities. The co-op also has a competitive feel, as characters get bonuses for smashing stuff and collecting the most bolts. Of course, crazy, upgradeable weapons are a huge part of the action, with a campaign that can also be played solo with the player as Ratchet with an AI Clank. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

73. RESIDENT EVIL: OPERATION RACCOON CITY<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Late 2011 || X360, PS3, PC || D: Slant Six, P: Capcom<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>In a twist on the Resident Evil<\/em> series, Raccoon City<\/em> rewinds the timeline back to RE2<\/em> and RE3<\/em>, and this time you’re playing as the villains: as members of Umbrella Corporation, you’re there to wipe away any survivors or evidence connecting you to the T-Virus outbreak. With 4-player co-op supported, it’s impossible not to see parallels between Raccoon City<\/em> and Left 4 Dead<\/em>, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, giving you the chance to pick from one of six characters as you blast your way through a city full of zombies while hunting for Leon Kennedy. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

74. RESISTANCE 3<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Sep 7 2011 || PS3 || D: Insomniac, P: SCEA<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>With Resistance 3<\/em> just a few months away, E3 was a chance for Insomniac and Sony to display more of Joseph Capelli’s journey across America from Oklahoma to New York, in a world where the invading Chimera have won the war against humanity and you’re just trying to survive alongside various insurgence groups hanging around. More details on the game’s multiplayer were given, which will include co-op play.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

75. RAYMAN ORIGINS<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Holiday 2011 || X360, PS3, Wii || D\/P: Ubisoft<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Series creator Michel Ancel made the rounds at E3 this year showing off the return for the Rayman<\/em> series. A colorful 2D platformer, the E3 footage of Origins<\/em> showed off several sharply illustrated areas of the game, which at times looks more like a cartoon than a game, as well as the co-op play, which will support up to four players using familiar faces from the series.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

76. ROCK BAND (unnamed)<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Date TBA || Platforms TBA || Harmonix<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>A few months ago, Harmonix announced that there wouldn’t be a Rock Band 4<\/em> in 2011, so there wasn’t much news on that front expected at E3. There was hope the show might prompt some cool news on upcoming Rock Band <\/em>DLC or maybe some new Pro Guitar hardware, but alas, it wasn’t to be. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

77. ROCKSMITH<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Oct 11 2011 || X360, PS3 || D\/P: Ubisoft<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>With both Guitar Hero <\/em>and Rock Band<\/em> taking the year off, here’s Ubisoft with Rocksmith<\/em>, eschewing plastic guitars in favor of the ability to plug in a real guitar and play along. Shown off at E3 on a converted tour bus, the game features a somewhat daunting 3D interface, but also includes an adaptive difficulty feature that will up the challenge if it detects if you’ve advanced beyond the beginner level, and a tone designer that lets players customize the in-game sound of their guitar.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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78. RYSE<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Date TBA || X360 Kinect || D: Crytek, P: Microsoft<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Part of Microsoft’s full-court press on the Kinect front was a trailer for Ryse<\/em>, a new game from Crytek that debuted via a brief trailer at the MS press briefing. Set in Rome, it looks to be a hack-and-slash game where you’ll be doing quite a bit of waving and gesturing at your TV. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

79. SAINTS ROW: THE THIRD<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Nov 15 2011 || X360, PS3, PC || D: Volition, P: THQ<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>It would be an understatement to say that Volition is taking the third Saints Row<\/em> game in a slightly new direction: from the looks of E3 demos, they’re going for over-the-top sillyness, such as performing power drops on unsuspecting pedestrians and then striking a pose on the sidewalk. In an appropriately ridiculous plot, the gang you helped build up in the first two games has now gone Hollywood, and after you fall out with them, you’re forced to relocate to a new city. If your idea of videogame fun is dancing with hookers, beating up strangers with purple sex toys and shooting pedestrians out of a cannon, it’s a safe bet what you’ll be playing this holiday.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

80. SERIOUS SAM 3: BFE
\n<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>Sep 30 2011 || PC, X360, PS3 || D: Croteam, P: Devolver Digital<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Sam’s back! It seems to have been a low-key return, but which would be decidedly out of character for Sam, but the E3 demos this year showed the type of gameplay we’ve come to expect from the series: hordes of enemies charging from every direction, crazy weapons, and destructible environments. 16-player co-op is being promised, as the game will first arrive for the PC and then consoles later in the year.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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81. SILENT HILL: DOWNPOUR<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Late 2011 || X360, PS3 || D: Vatra, P: Konami<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>When you’re a convict and the bus transporting you to prison gets wrecked, you’d think that’s a stroke of good luck. Except when you wind up Silent Hill, which is exactly what happens in the survival-horror series’ eighth entry. You’ll have limited weapons in this installment, which will eventually break and force you to make do with anything you can find. And, as the title implies, water will be a major element, as Downpour<\/em> seems slanted a bit more towards atmosphere than action. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

82. SOUL CALIBUR V<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>TBA 2012 || X360, PS3 || D: Project Soul, P: Namco Bandai<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>The latest entry in the Soul Calibur<\/em> series shifts to a new generation, set 17 years after the last game. Only recently announced, there wasn’t much available at E3 beyond a teaser trailer, but it was revealed that two of the characters will be children of Sophitia’s children, Pyrrha and Patroklos, the latter of which will be the center of the game’s new story mode, and that a significant portion of the game’s roster will be new characters. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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83. SPIDER-MAN: EDGE OF TIME<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Fall 2011 || X360, PS3, Wii || D: Beenox, P: Activision<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>This action-heavy title from Beenox features two Spider-Men<\/em> living in two different eras \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Peter Parker, our modern Spider-Man, and Miguel O’Hara, Spider-Man 2099 \u00e2\u20ac\u201c who help each other via a cause-and-effect relationship. The two have the ability to communicate with each other, and actions that one Spider-Man takes can affect the others’ timeline. Most of the gameplay shown at E3 was heavy on indoor acrobatics and fighting and less on web-slinging; like 2010’s Shattered Dimensions<\/em>, this game’s Spider-Men are voiced by two actors from previous animated series: Josh Keaton and Christopher Daniel Barnes. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

84. STARCRAFT II: HEART OF THE SWARM<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>2012 || PC || D\/P: Blizzard<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>As with Diablo III<\/em>, Blizzard skipped E3 this year, instead inviting editors to Blizzard HQ back in May for a look at the second installment in the StarCraft II<\/em> series, featuring Sarah Kerrigan and the Zerg campaign. So for more details, we might have to wait until Blizzcon and keep our fingers cross for an early 2012 release. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

85. STARHAWK<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>2012 || PS3 || D: Lightbox, P: SCEA<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Unveiled at Sony’s E3 2011 press conference, this spiritual successor to 2007’s Warhawk<\/em> will include a full single-player campaign (Warhawk<\/em> was multiplayer-only) that blends third-person action with a RTS vibe, as you can call down structures from low orbit to help defend yourself from enemies. But multiplayer will of course be a huge part of the package, with giant maps allowing you to fight on foot, in ground vehicles, or in the air. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

86. STAR WARS: THE OLD REPUBLIC<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Date TBA || PC || D: BioWare\/LucasArts, P: EA<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Maybe one of the biggest disappointments of E3 2011 was that we didn’t get a firm release date for BioWare’s Star Wars <\/em>MMO, and that all that was shown at EA’s press conference was a new CGI trailer. However, on the show floor, they did open up a great deal at E3 on the game’s features, including mounts, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153operations\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (ToR’s version of raids), and a first look at Tatooine. The game is shaping up to be absolutely gigantic, but it’s hard not to worry that it still appears to be a ways off and might not release until 2012. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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87: SLY COOPER: THIEVES IN TIME<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>2012 | PS3 | D: Sanzaru, P: SCEA<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Debuting at E3 2011 during Sony’s press conference via a stylish teaser trailer, the Sly Cooper <\/em>series returns to action with a new developer, Sanzaru, at the helm. Featuring slick cartoon-style graphics, Sanzaru later demoed a boss fight showing Sly’s ability to change costumes, which can offer Sly different abilities. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

88. STREET FIGHTER X TEKKEN <\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Early 2012 || PS3, PS Vita || D\/P: Capcom<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>One of two Street Fighter \/ Tekken<\/em> crossover games in the works, Namco’s version wasn’t present at E3, but Capcom’s was, both for the PS3 and shown for the new Playstation Vita at Sony’s press conference. In addition, inFamous<\/em> lead character Cole was announced as a bonus character in both versions of the game, and was demoed as part of the press conference.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

89. SSX<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Jan 2012 || X360, PS3 || D: EA Canada, P: EA Sports<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Announced during EA’s press briefing, the SSX snowboarding franchise will get a reboot in early 2012 boasting the ability to let you race down the world’s most famous mountains, based on NASA topography data, including Mount Kilimanjarno, the Himalayas and a PS3-exclusive route down Mount Fuji. The game will have three main modes: straightforward racing, trick racing, and a survival mode where it’s a challenge just to reach the bottom of the mountain in one piece.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

90. SWORD OF THE STARS II: LORDS OF WINTER<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Aug 16 2011 || PC || D: Kerberos, P: Paradox<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>As you’d expect for a 4X strategy game, Sword of the Stars II<\/em> didn’t exactly get top billing anywhere at E3. Nonetheless, the sequel to well-regarded 2006 title was on hand at the show, with a new trailer showing improved graphics and a demo showing how the game divides its time between a turn-based tactical map and battles that play out in real time. A seventh race has been added for the sequel, as well as battles that play out on three axes. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

91. THI4F<\/strong><\/span><\/strong> <\/strong><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Date TBA || Platforms TBA || D: Eidos, P: Square Enix<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>For whatever reason, a number of smaller websites thought Thief 4<\/em> might make an appearance at E3 this year, which was confirmed in development at Eidos Montreal a few years back. But it’s a safe bet all that studio’s energy \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and marketing push \u00e2\u20ac\u201c is on this summer’s Deus Ex: Human Revolution<\/em>, so there was no T4 news at this year’s show. Next year seems like a more likely bet for a T4 teaser. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

92. TOMB RAIDER<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>2012 || X360, PS3, PC || D: Crystal Dynamics, P: Square Enix<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Look who’s back! Lara Croft turned up early into the Microsoft press conference, in yet another reboot of the series. The footage shown at E3 was from the very beginning of the new game, with a young, inexperienced Lara, and had a decidedly creepier vibe from previous entries in the series. The developers are also experimenting with more open, non-linear spaces for Lara to explore as well as some character progression as she learns to use various weapons. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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93. TORCHLIGHT II<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>TBA 2011 || PC || D: Runic Games, P: Perfect World<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>A sequel to one of the better-received dungeon crawls in recent memory, Torchlight II will add multiplayer to the series, via both online and LAN play (the actual number of players supported hasn’t been finalized yet). E3 was a chance for Runic to show off the Berserker, a fast-paced melee class. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

94. TRACKMANIA 2: CANYON<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Sep 2011 || PC || D: Nadeo, P: Ubisoft<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>One of the few PC exclusives shown at any of the E3 press conferences, Trackmania 2<\/em> improves on the graphics of its predecessors while retaining its focus on over-the-top racing and customizable tracks. E3 demos showed off eight-player time trials, as well as the ability to customize your car models and even create intro movies for custom tracks.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

95. TWISTED METAL<\/strong><\/span><\/strong> <\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Oct 4 2011 || PS3 || D: Eat Sleep Play, P: SCEA<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>The PS3-exclusive return of the outrageous vehicle-combat series generated quite a bit of buzz at E3, despite being completely absent from the Sony press conference. Along with the obvious multiplayer component, David Jaffe was making the rounds unveiling parts of the game’s single-player action, including some ridiculous multi-stage boss fights. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

96. UNCHARTED 3: DRAKE’S DECEPTION<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Nov 1 2011 || PS3 || D: Naughty Dog, P: Sony<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>The cruise ship demo that opened Sony’s press conference, complete with amazing water effects, was one of the highlights of the show. Naughty Dog <\/em>also used E3 to show off Uncharted 3<\/em>‘s multiplayer, where the series will move beyond deathmatch and into more objective-based territory where every level will feature some sort of scripted event. Will clearly be on a lot of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Best of E3\u00e2\u20ac\u009d lists, and Sony’s biggest platform exclusive. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

97. WARHAMMER 40,000: SPACE MARINE<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Sep 6 2011 || X360, PS3, PC || D: Relic, P: THQ<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>It’s easy to see similarities between Space Marine<\/em> and the Gears of War<\/em> games, as both are third-person action games featuring pumped-up soldiers carving their way through hordes of enemies. But unlike Gears<\/em>, there’s no cover system, and melee combat isn’t meant to be an occasional novelty, but a big part of the action. Relic and THQ were on hand at E3 to show off a number of demos showing the extremely bloody action. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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98. XCOM<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Mar 6 2012 || X360, PC || D: 2K Marin, P: 2K Games<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>It’s important to note that this is not a remake of the classic X-Com<\/em> game \u00e2\u20ac\u201c it’s a first-person action game based on the classic series. And while the gameplay may be completely different, 2K is aiming to retain the spirit of the franchise, telling an origin story of a new government agency handling an extraterrestrial threat. Demos at E3 showed several types of gameplay being blended together, including the ability to build a squad with different abilities and weapons, and some insight into how you’ll be able to take alien technology and turn it to your advantage. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

99. X-MEN DESTINY<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Sept 2011 || X360, PS3, Wii || D: Silicon Knights, P: Activision<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>This action-heavy X-Men<\/em> game lets you play not as one of the series’ familiar characters, but as one of three new mutants trying to find their way in the world. Set in San Francisco, each character has a few core powers that can be combined to create various finishing moves. As you progress through the game and fight other mutants, you can collect X-genes which allow you to continue growing your powers. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

100. ZELDA: SKYWARD SWORD<\/strong><\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Late 2011 || Wii || Nintendo<\/span><\/strong>
\n<\/strong>The newest Zelda<\/em> game coming to the Wii later this year will be big on exploration, as you take to the skies via a new bird riding feature via which you can soar through the clouds and drop down to islands to explore. Nintendo showed three different demos at their booth: one focusing on the flying aspect, one showing basic dungeon play, and the final showing a boss battle. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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