E3 has concluded and despite a quieter year, some ‘breathtaking’ games were showcased, with many seemingly just over the horizon…
10. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt for Nintendo Switch
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – a critically-acclaimed and commercially successful RPG that can only be ran on the best of PCs and the hardware of the likes of the Xbox One and the PS4 is coming to the Nintendo Switch!
The game will be released as the Complete Edition, which includes all the DLC released post-launch, so users will be able to enjoy the White Wolf’s adventure through Velen, Novigrad and the Skellige Isles, all on a portable handheld hybrid console.
We’re still confused on how exactly they’re going to get it to run at 30 frames-per-second on such underpowered hardware in comparison to other consoles, but if any development team can pull it off, it would be CD Projekt Red.
Release date: Late 2019
9. Griftlands
Now here’s a game you’ve probably never heard of, let alone already getting yourself excited for.
Griftlands is a card game unlike any other where Klei Entertainment (creators of the Don’t Starve games, Mark of the Ninja and Oxygen Not Included) brings card-based gameplay to every aspect of the game.
Fighting is no longer the only time the cards come into effect but also, talking, persuading and threatening. Players will have to decide how to approach different characters in the world and it seems to be showing that no two players will have the exact same consequences and outcomes as a result of their playstyle.
Release date: 11 July 2019
8. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild sequel
Not much is known about the sequel to the uber-popular Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild except from the fact that it will most likely have a 2020 release at the earliest and the studio behind the first game seems to be taking the narrative in a much darker direction.
In the trailer we see Link already sporting the Master Sword, cave diving with Princess Zelda herself and, of course, something going horribly wrong where the beloved pointy-eared hero must save the Kingdom of Hyrule once again.
Release date: Unconfirmed
7. Luigi’s Mansion 3
After 6 years, the Luigi’s Mansion series is returning after many fans began to give up hope of another game in the series. The game will once again feature the less-popular brother of Mario sneaking through the spooky halls of the mansion but this time with some added gameplay modes/variations.
ScareScraper mode offers a co-op and competitive mode which sees you clearing rooms, taking on enemies and completing challenges all in the aid of collecting coins.
Gooigi is a gooey version of the green plumber that can slip through bars and walk through bars and over spikes. What’s even more interesting is that this gooey little man can be played by a co-op partner for an ultimate team up session.
Release date: Late 2019
6. Pokémon Sword & Shield
If you’re ready to “catch ’em all” again in the eighth generation of Pokémon, you’ll be pleased to know Nintendo and Game Freak have teamed up once again to bring the first mainline Pokémon game to the Nintendo Switch.
Showcasing all-new features such as Dynamaxing, which allows Pokémon to take on a gigantic form during battles to not only give the game a more visually appealing spectacle but also add new gameplay features to the mix.
For the first time, players can get together in teams of 4 to experience ‘Max Raid Battles’, using all their strength to challenge wild Dynamax Pokémon and have a chance of catching them when they are weak enough.
However, the new Pokémon games will not allow players at launch to catch all the pocket monsters from the previous games since the franchise’s inception back on the Gameboy and most fans have not been too happy about that.
With all this in mind, the Sword & Shield seem to be blending the best elements of the old games and the new games into one for one, for hopefully an amazing monster-catching experience.
Release date: 15 November 2019
5. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
Link’s Awakening was amazing back 26 years ago on the Game Boy, and its upcoming Nintendo Switch version looks damn good from what we’ve seen. The game will be a 2D hack ‘n’ slash platformer that is not just a remaster but also a remake.
The game will be adding unique features such as the dungeon creator (inspired by Super Mario Maker) which allows players to earn new rooms as they progress through the game and then make new dungeons for other players all over the world or simply for themselves.
What you have here is a solid 2D platformer that not only remakes an amazing game loved by millions of fans, but one that adds new fresh gameplay ideas and systems to the mix.
Release date: 20 September 2019
4. Final Fantasy VII Remake
After a somewhat stale E3, Square Enix came out swinging at their ‘Livestream’ conference. They knew their audience and they knew what they wanted.
Spending nearly 30 minutes breaking down the hybrid combat system and showing all-new gameplay and cutscenes made fans wild with hype and they aren’t necessarily wrong to be so excited.
The game looks – dare we say it – beautiful, with remastered graphics and a whole new gameplay style built from the ground up with so much passion. Fans of the Final Fantasy franchise and RPGs will be very excited for the new details from E3.
Release date: 3 March 2020
3. Watch Dogs: Legion
Ubisoft’s track record has improved since the release of the extremely underwhelming original Watch Dogs game. That being said, they continue to churn out free-roam games that pad out their worlds with so many repetitive side quests and challenges that it becomes overwhelming.
Regardless of this, ask yourself: Do you want to play as a retired granny that goes around kicking trained elite soldiers in the shin and telling them: “You’ve been a bad boy!”? If so, Legion is the game for you!
Set in London, the game will introduce a unique gameplay system that allows people to play as literally anybody they see on the street, as long as they recruit them to hacker organisation Dedsec. An old lady that is a retired assassin, a young adult who can hack into literally anything or, a retired army veteran who is tired of the system he used to protect… the list is endless.
Release date: 6 March 2020
2. Halo Infinite
Most would have loved the gameplay and many would have liked more cinematics – but what we got was really good. The trailer showed a new Space Command marine stranded within a Pelican Dropship, only to stumble across the Master Chief floating in space.
What unfolds within the trailer is a showcase of the new visually-impressive art style 343 Industries have created as a response to fans distaste of the one in Halo 4 and 5, a new character relationship and a destroyed Halo Ring.
The trailer ends with a subtle yet amazing homage to the classic Cortana and Chief dynamic from the original trilogy brought to us by Bungie.
Release date: Summer 2020
1. Cyberpunk 2077
You’ve definitely heard by now that CD Projekt Red won E3 by showing up during the Xbox Conference to show not only another cinematic trailer to flesh out the Cyberpunk world but also to present a special appearance from one prominent bullet-dodging Hollywood star.
That’s right – Keanu Reeves was cast as new character Johnny Silverhand, who will most likely be a partner or mentor to the player throughout the narrative.
What’s more, he made a physical appearance on the stage itself making the crowd go wild and giving a release date right there and then. It was one hell of a surprise and the game is transforming into one phenomenally ambitious creative vision.
Release date: 16 April 2020
By Joe Smalley