Added: 19.06.2015 1:25 | 9 views | 0 comments

These are the most exciting, promising games coming out of E3 according to GameSpot's editors, and the ones we're most excited to play more of. When deciding these, our only condition is that gameplay must be shown off--so trailers don't count. Regardless, here's our results.

Star Wars Battlefront

Star Wars Battlefront has been a long time coming for Star Wars game fans, ourselves included. Seeing the new gameplay at E3 2015 depicting famous battle at Hoth was incredibly exciting to see in action. With more historical Star Wars battles promised to be on the way, we certainly can't wait to jump into the game with laser blasters blazing when it launches in November.

Just Cause 3

Just Cause 3 is looking exactly like what you'd expect it to be. But that's part of the appeal. Where else can you play a game where you can blow up military complexes, grapple hook onto active missiles, or fly a jet into the statue of an evil dictator? These reasons among many others are why Just Cause 3 is one of the best games we saw at E3 2015.

Fallout 4

Fallout 4's debut gameplay was finally shown, and we are super looking forward to getting our hands on it. Set in Boston, Massachusetts, the game is filled to the brim with new features, including weapon modification, base building, mod support, and more. If you're fan of RPGs, Fallout 4 is absolutely a game that you need keep an eye on.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain still has us very excited. Innovating the franchise with its open world structure, base building mechanics, and emphasis on stealth exploration, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is shaping up to be the best game in the series so far. We seriously can't wait to play it once it launches in September.

Rise of the Tomb Raider

After watching the E3 2015 Rise of the Tomb Raider gameplay, there is no doubt that the game looks absolutely wonderful. Its wintry tundras and ancient tombs complimented by its tense dramatic set-pieces make the game a marvelous display of gaming. Rise of the Tomb Raider had our curiosity at first, but now it certainly has our attention.

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: WIldlands came as a surprise when it was revealed at the end of the Ubisoft E3 2015 press conference. It takes the series' signature tactical multiplayer gameplay and plants it into an open world setting. It's quite an unexpected move for the series, and this new Ghost Recon has us super intrigued

Halo 5: Guardians

We finally got to check out Halo 5: Guardians at E3 this year, and there's no denying the series' pedigree. The game takes the series' classic gameplay and innovates it with its new cooperative elements and MOBA-like Warzone multiplayer mode. Without a doubt, Halo 5: Guardians is definitely one of our top picks.

Horizon: Zero Dawn

Guerrilla Games' new IP Horizon: Zero Dawn is an open world game that has seized our attention. The game offers a unique aesthetic spin mixing natural world characters with sci-fi robotic creatures. From what was shown at E3, we are very excited to see what more comes of Horizon: Zero Dawn in the coming months.

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End's E3 2015 gameplay once again delivered on the series' non-stop trademark set-pieces. It was a shining example of why Naughty Dog is one of the best developers around at constructing amazing action sequences. Without a doubt, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End was one of the strongest showings this year.

The Last Guardian

Sony's E3 2015 press conference saw the return of The Last Guardian, a game that has been absent from E3 since 2009. And the game looks even more impressive than it did when we first saw it. Featuring Fumito Ueda's signature poetic feel and puzzle based gameplay, The Last Guardian is looking to be one of our most anticipated titles of 2016.

Minecraft Hololens

The Minecraft Hololens stage demonstration was one of the most impressive things we saw at E3 2015. What was shown was an interactive area of Minecraft displayed onto a table that could be modified in real time. It was one of the most unique displays of VR we've ever seen. You really need to see it to believe it.

Super Mario Maker

Super Mario Maker lets players create and customize their own levels across different Mario styles throughout Nintendo history. The realm of possibility offered by the game alone makes it one of the most charming and captivating showings at E3 2015.

Mirror's Edge: Catalyst

Mirror's Edge: Catalyst is a solid pick for us at E3 2015. Scrapping the linear level design of its predecessor, Mirror's Edge: Catalyst is going full open world. Players can now freely parkhour through the series' signature primary colored totalitarian world to their heart's content. If that doesn't get you excited, then we don't know what will.

Destiny: The Taken King

Destiny's ever expanding universe of content is getting another expansion this year. Previous packs gave us interesting content in the past, but The Taken King is going even further with new subclasses, weapons, and maps. From what we played at E3 2015, we can't wait to sink our teeth into what's in store.

XCOM 2

XCOM 2 is a sequel that we've been waiting on for quite some time. It's E3 2015 showings made it clear that its tough turn-based battles and even tougher moral choices are back again. From what we got to play at E3 2015, it looks like the previous game's issues are appearing to be addressed. Regardless, XCOM 2 is looking to show a whole lot of promise.

Added: 19.06.2015 0:16 | 6 views | 0 comments


Garrett from The Koalition writes: During the weeks leading to E3, I had the impression that Microsoft would win the show and Sony might be reaching for whatever weapon happened to be closest to its hand. Judging the excitement channeling through the audience, Sony hyped the audience as much, if not more so, as Microsoft had and for good reason: the revival of The Last Guardian and the confirmation of the Final Fantasy 7 remake rekindled the passions of nostalgic gamers, and closing the show with Uncharted 4, while expected, created a lasting impression.

Added: 18.06.2015 15:52 | 6 views | 0 comments

The Last Guardian's appearance during Sony's press conference meant the world to fans of Fumito Ueda, the iconic Japanese developer who's responsible for , two pillars of the PlayStation 2's library of games. Will The Last Guardian follow in their footsteps? Ueda certainly thinks so. During a presentation by Ueda earlier this week, he made it perfectly clear that The Last Guardian is, in many ways, a combination of the two games' core design principles: "we tried to take the best of both worlds."

"We" is important, because beyond Ueda, there are a number of other developers working on The Last Guardian who've also had a hand in designing Ico and Shadow of the Colossus. "This is a collaborative effort between Japan Studio and genDESIGN, where Fumito Ueda is the Creative Director of The Last Guardian," said Ueda's translator. "genDESIGN is a game creation studio that is formed primarily by the original developers of Ico and Shadow of the Colossus."

This isn't terribly surprising, as The Last Guardian looks like a distant cousin of Team Ico's previous work, with ancient, man-made architecture set in the midst of lush, desaturated landscapes. Even animation peculiarities of the boy, where he moves fluidly, swaying and stumbling with equal parts grace and imbalance, recall memories of Ueda's former hero characters.

"we tried to take the best of both worlds."

To hear Ueda describe the story for The Last Guardian, which is still largely a mystery, deepens the connection to Ico even further. Ueda pointed out that The Last Guardian is "all about a young boy who's been kidnapped under mysterious circumstances." The pair "take an incredible journey together. They encounter ancient ruins. Their ultimate goal is to escape from this environment somehow, and that's for the player to experience as the story unfolds." Details aside, this is broadly the same tale that was told in Ico, where Ico is locked away and he attempts to escape a fortress with Yorda.

Players are expected to read the environment that they're in, to utilize the strengths and weaknesses of each other characters. The boy is weak, but he has a logical mind--your mind. Trico, the hybrid animal, can't be directly controlled--like Yorda--but it obviously possesses greater physical strength than the boy. Finding a solution to the puzzles in The Last Guardian will require equal parts of the boy's mind, and Trico's physicality.

"Looking back," Ueda said, "Ico was more or less about the cooperation between the boy and Yorda. She was a non-playable character, so we've taken elements from that. Looking back at Shadow of the Colossus, he continued, "it was more about the dynamic interaction with the giant creatures."

Based on the demo at E3, The Last Guardian not only embraces height; it thrives on it to instil emotions into the player that solidify our perception of the symbiotic relationship between the boy and trico. Ueda's translator noted that "Ueda's games always have a sense of height and depth, in Ico, Shadow of the Colossus, and in a different way for The Last Guardian. The difference here is that you have Trico there beside you to cling onto as a safety net. It also helps the player overcome the psychological stress when standing on ledges, and to overcome those challenges, therefore leading to a sense of accomplishment." In other words, height is the source of fear and stress, but it's also an opportunity to feel a real sense of relief, something that should be very familiar to fans of Ueda's past work.

Ueda and The Last Guardian have escaped a prison of their own, in a way, resurfacing from the rubble of political strife and years of missteps. To see Ueda appear on stage was the relief that many of his fans were looking for, who for years have feared his absence was a sign that the game was no longer in production. In that sense, perhaps there's a deeper connection to be made. The Last Guardian is, by Ueda's admission, a combination of his past games, but perhaps it's also an allegory for his journey developing the game. Be that true or not, I'm just relieved to see that the game is still alive, and that Ueda is committed to pursuing his vision.

Added: 18.06.2015 15:52 | 7 views | 0 comments

The Last Guardian's appearance during Sony's press conference meant the world to fans of Fumito Ueda, the iconic Japanese developer who's responsible for , two pillars of the PlayStation 2's library of games. Will The Last Guardian follow in their footsteps? Ueda certainly thinks so. During a presentation by Ueda earlier this week, he made it perfectly clear that The Last Guardian is, in many ways, a combination of the two games' core design principles: "we tried to take the best of both worlds."

"We" is important, because beyond Ueda, there are a number of other developers working on The Last Guardian who've also had a hand in designing Ico and Shadow of the Colossus. "This is a collaborative effort between Japan Studio and genDESIGN, where Fumito Ueda is the Creative Director of The Last Guardian," said Ueda's translator. "genDESIGN is a game creation studio that is formed primarily by the original developers of Ico and Shadow of the Colossus."

This isn't terribly surprising, as The Last Guardian looks like a distant cousin of Team Ico's previous work, with ancient, man-made architecture set in the midst of lush, desaturated landscapes. Even animation peculiarities of the boy, where he moves fluidly, swaying and stumbling with equal parts grace and imbalance, recall memories of Ueda's former hero characters.

"we tried to take the best of both worlds."

To hear Ueda describe the story for The Last Guardian, which is still largely a mystery, deepens the connection to Ico even further. Ueda pointed out that The Last Guardian is "all about a young boy who's been kidnapped under mysterious circumstances." The pair "take an incredible journey together. They encounter ancient ruins. Their ultimate goal is to escape from this environment somehow, and that's for the player to experience as the story unfolds." Details aside, this is broadly the same tale that was told in Ico, where Ico is locked away and he attempts to escape a fortress with Yorda.

Players are expected to read the environment that they're in, to utilize the strengths and weaknesses of each other characters. The boy is weak, but he has a logical mind--your mind. Trico, the hybrid animal, can't be directly controlled--like Yorda--but it obviously possesses greater physical strength than the boy. Finding a solution to the puzzles in The Last Guardian will require equal parts of the boy's mind, and Trico's physicality.

"Looking back," Ueda said, "Ico was more or less about the cooperation between the boy and Yorda. She was a non-playable character, so we've taken elements from that. Looking back at Shadow of the Colossus, he continued, "it was more about the dynamic interaction with the giant creatures."

Based on the demo at E3, The Last Guardian not only embraces height; it thrives on it to instil emotions into the player that solidify our perception of the symbiotic relationship between the boy and trico. Ueda's translator noted that "Ueda's games always have a sense of height and depth, in Ico, Shadow of the Colossus, and in a different way for The Last Guardian. The difference here is that you have Trico there beside you to cling onto as a safety net. It also helps the player overcome the psychological stress when standing on ledges, and to overcome those challenges, therefore leading to a sense of accomplishment." In other words, height is the source of fear and stress, but it's also an opportunity to feel a real sense of relief, something that should be very familiar to fans of Ueda's past work.

Ueda and The Last Guardian have escaped a prison of their own, in a way, resurfacing from the rubble of political strife and years of missteps. To see Ueda appear on stage was the relief that many of his fans were looking for, who for years have feared his absence was a sign that the game was no longer in production. In that sense, perhaps there's a deeper connection to be made. The Last Guardian is, by Ueda's admission, a combination of his past games, but perhaps it's also an allegory for his journey developing the game. Be that true or not, I'm just relieved to see that the game is still alive, and that Ueda is committed to pursuing his vision.