Feature Friday: Our E3 picks of the show

With E3 having just wrapped, we’ve got a massive pile of new games to talk and write about. Of course, some made a greater impression than others and that’s what this week’s Friday spotlighted feature is all about.

The day after E3 can feel a little like the day after a holiday can’t it? I mean, we as game fans get all pumped up for the show, waiting weeks for it to finally arrive and knock our socks off with all the new stuff unveiled and then… that’s kind of it. There’s no easy way to get letdown by the ending of a big event, but although the biggest show of the year is over, we’ve all got plenty to analyze and fixate on well through the Holiday 2014 release window (in Nintendo’s case, well beyond).

So with that in mind, we here at BG have assembled our top selections from the E3 that was. Below, you’ll find some of our writer’s top choice, listed with their reasoning why it was the best game of the show. Right along with that, you’ll see their individual top four runners up to that spot of honor.

See if your choices match up and let us know your own thoughts about our lists and what games made your best in show selections in the comments below!

Kiri; UK Staff Writer

My pick of the show for 2014 is Ubisoft revealing of Assassin’s Creed Unity. As a massive AC fan, I must admit I have been hanging on to the edge on my seat waiting for this game’s announcement since Black Flag. There is something about these games that just makes history come to life, as they add the twist of playing Assassins against Templars. If you know anything about the French Revolution, you’ll know what a brutal and gruesome time it was, which kinda makes me even more excited to play this game. Phenomenal graphics, new navigational system and even a brand new set of co-op missions, I truly believe Ubisoft have hit the nail on the head for epic gaming experiences. This game will make upgrading to next-gen all the more worth it.

Runners Up:

Batman Arkham Knight: Let’s just say it, Arkham Origins sucked… I am really hoping that Arkham Knight will swoop in ( bat pun 😛 ) and save the Arkham games, and you get drive THE BATMOBILE!!! That alone is reason to play this game, shame about the delay in release, I am praying it is well worth the wait though.

Middle-earth: Shadow Of Mordor: I am a huge LOTR fan, yet the only game I enjoyed was The War In The North. This game has been applauded for it’s fantastic graphics, and I’m hoping it lives up to the hype.

Tom Clancy’s The Division: Never played a Tom Clancy game, but something about this one really catches my eye. Again amazing graphics, the story is quite clever, and the game play looks really fun.

Let It Die: Still new, and not much to go by but a graphic as hell trailer. I’m desperate to hear more about it this PS4 exclusive.

Craig; UK Staff Writer

My pick of the show is Destiny. Destiny looked fantastic last year and the gameplay we seen at E3 this year looked just as good. For Sony console owners, it’s the first time Bungie have release a Triple A game on it’s consoles. Destiny looks to be an instant hit on the PlayStation and Xbox which may even challenge the likes of Call of Duty in terms of sales.

Runners up:

Far Cry 4: Looks like another great episode in the FarCry series

Little Big Planet 3: Great new twist with new characters adding a new dimension to the game

Uncharted 4: If the rumors of the reveal footage being in game engine are true this will be the best looking game ever made

No Man’s Sky: How a studio of 10 people created this I will never know

Star Fox Tease: Let’s hope this is soon, and real of course

Jake R; UK Staff Writer

My Personal Game of the Show is Zelda Wii U. When Nintendo had our attention they presented us with a gameplay trailer of Link standing in a field, it was then mentioned that Link could go anywhere in the world at any time and the on rails style of the Zelda series was no more. If you combine the epic world of Skyrim and the superb gameplay of Zelda you are guaranteed to be onto a winner, It will be good to see how the game progresses from here.

Runners Up:

Spalatoon: Took a worn out genre and looks to have breathed a new life into with an intriguing concept. Will definitely be keeping an eye out on this.

GTA 5 (next generation): Being a huge GTA fanboy, this is a no brainer. Stunning Level of Detail and the ability to port from either xbox 360 and PS3 for content saves.

Uncharted 4: Everything about this got me excited, the familiar voices, the awesome graphics and the dark setting.

Far Cry 4: As a huge fan of far cry 3, i was excited to see where they would take the series next,  the debut trailer showcased what the new environment would be and the main villain looked suitably psychotic.

Chris D; Nintendo Editor

My personal game of the show is Super Smash Brothers. The love and dedication Masahiro Sakurai has put into this title is staggering. From the mechanics, to the characters and stages, he’s made a game that will no doubt have insane longevity. It’s fun for anyone, even people who aren’t veterans to the series.

Runners up:

Bayonetta 2: B2 had some of the most insane new features of any game I’ve seen in E3.

Xenoblade Chronicles X: This looks to be the RPG of the generation, with a vast world to explore as well as a deep battle system.

Mario Maker: The Mario Maker is a game I’ve been waiting to get made for many years, and in a Mario Paint Style no less.

Devil’s Third: Game director Tomonobu Itagaki takes first person shooting to a new level with its mix of crazy close combat and gunplay.

Splatoon: Like Devil’s Third, Splatoon’s FPS mechanics are very interesting, and add a neat twist to the genre.

Jeremiah; US Staff Writer

My pick of the show is the remastered Grim Fandango on PS4 & PS Vita. I have nothing but fond memories of this game from back in ’98, and it was one of the first PC games I ever played, along with Duke Nukem 3D and Sim City. This game is truly a masterpiece and should be played by every self respecting gamer ever. The game has very interesting characters, locations, and puzzles throughout. Grim Fandango has a quirky film noir style of story telling, and one heck of a plot. I couldn’t recommend it more, and soon we’ll have an HD version to wow current gamers.

Runners up:

Farcry 4

Assassin’s Creed Unity

Rainbow Six Siege

The Division

The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt

Rick R; European Staff Writer

The Witcher 3 stole my heart and everything with it. To see the game grow into something so spectacular is something amazing. Who would’ve thought that after The Witcher 1? I am looking forward to seducing more ladies, killing bigger monsters, and exploring the beautiful world they’re making.

The Witcher 3 may take the crown, there are plenty of games that are worthy of mentioning!

Runners Up:

The Order 1886: Looks like The Witcher in an industrial London setting, love it.

The Sims 4: I have the entire collection of the sims and its millions of expansions. I need this game.

Sid Meier’s Civilizations: Beyond Earth: I spent many nights playing Civilization V with friends. I can’t wait to play this game with my mates. The different victory possibilities all make warfare a lot more different, which is good, because that’s what we all did in Civilization V anyway.

No Man’s Sky:The idea seems interesting and the visuals look alluring. I hope they can achieve their vision.

Rick B; US Staff Writer

My pick for this year’s E3 game of show is “No Man’s Sky” by Hello Games. This ambitious game has everything I could want in a game, space fights, exploration and diversity. It is aesthetically pleasing to explore the lush environments. The game is all about exploring and the developers have said the universe is almost infinite. The ability to get into a spaceship and then blast off to the next planet makes my head dizzy with excitement. I don’t even own a PS4 and I think this was easily the best at this year’s E3.

Runners up:

Batman: Arkham Knight: In the first 30 seconds of the demo for “Batman: Arkham Knight” Batman is seen jumping from the top of the Wayne Towers and gliding through the skyline of Gotham City. This really showcased the new scale of Gotham City and I am excited for the conclusion of Rocksteady’s Akrham series.

Valiant Hearts: A tale of stories from the soldiers who fought in WWI. “Valiant Hearts” is an amazing looking game and has a furry little dog named Walt. Who doesn’t like games with dogs in them?

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor: This Lord of the Rings tie-in game looks like a lot of fun to play. Along with the numerous features “The Shadow of Mordor” has, I most excited for the Nemesis System. The Nemesis System is the future of gaming.

Ori and the Blind Forest: Developed by Moon Studios, “Ori and the Blind Forest” is shaping up to look like a beautiful piece of art.

Jason; Editor-in-Chief

This was a hard one for me, since there were so many games at this year’s E3 that I loved, but I ended up picking Sunset Overdrive. Insomniac’s first game for the Xbox One looks nothing short of spectacular and surprised the heck out of me when I watched the demo. I was under the impression that it was an almost ‘on rails’ shooter, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Free-flowing action, insane weaponry, and a fantastic sense of humor highlight what might be the best exclusive that the Xbox One fields this Holiday Season.

Runners Up:

Batman: Arkham Knight: What’s to say about this one? It looks stunning, has a (real) open world Gotham City, and you can drive the tank Batmobile. It’s as close to a ‘must buy’ as you can get for a Bat-fan.

Mario Maker: Like Chris above, I’ve been waiting seemingly forever for something like this. Ease of use and a terrific choice of palates (classic or NSMB) make this a dream title for Mario maniacs.

Halo 5: Guardians: Still a ways off, but more than enough was shown off at E3 to get Halo fans out of their seats. An all new Spartan and a more character-centered narrative have me very excited indeed about this Halo sequel.

Dead Island 2: I’m a fan of the series already, but just thinking about what new developer Yager is going to do with a zombie invasion in an open world California has me excited.

There were so many games to like at this year’s show though that I just can’t resist adding a few more here as honorable mentions: Doom (2015), Assassin’s Creed Unity, The Division, Xenoblade Chronicles X, Mortal Kombat X, Uncharted 4, The Legend of Zelda Wii U (untitled), and Crackdown 3.

And those are our picks, we hope you enjoyed reading! Now, what are yours?