Thursday 20 June 2013

IGN AU's Top 21 Games of E3 2013

So that was E3 2013 eh? It was a great show this year, with an often times electric atmosphere, and no wonder, really. We got to see and play a heap of PS4 and Xbox One titles, while Nintendo showcased a strong line-up across 3DS and Wii U, and indie developers were more prominent than ever. To put it simply, after the stagnant vibe at E3 2012, it felt like the industry was moving forward again.

At every E3, however, there are games that rise above the others, so we thought we'd have some fun and hit you with the 21 games that most impressed the team at IGN AU. The list below is absolutely not meant to be reflective of the wider IGN editorial team's opinions. In fact, IGN's official game of show is yet to be announced (although click the following links for IGN's Nintendo, PC, PlayStation and Xbox specific awards). This is just an Aussie thing. Or more specifically, a Lucy and Cam thing.

It's also worth noting that for a game to be eligible we had to see or play enough to get a good sense of the gameplay. A short trailer isn't enough. (Sorry Mirror's Edge 2.) This also means that there were some games that we really wanted to see - such as The Witcher 3 and Transistor - that we unfortunately simply didn't get to during the show, so obviously they're not included.

Let's rock!

The one-sentence Hollywood-style pitch: Fiends from the dark side of the moon threaten everything we hold dear, and only one man can stop them: Mondo Zappa.

What it means for gaming: Killer is Dead is in many respects a typical Suda 51 game. It has an assassin lead, outlandish bosses, hyper-violent gameplay and stylised visuals, but it also looks like it strikes a solid balance between style and substance. Grasshopper’s games, after all, are never short on personality, but don’t necessarily deliver on tight gameplay. This could be the one to nail absolutely everything. Here’s hoping.

Why we love it: The high contrast cel-shaded visuals suit the game’s action and characters wonderfully, and give familiar settings – such as a bamboo garden in Kyoto – an otherworldly feel. We haven’t gone hands-on yet, but if Killer is Dead is as fun to play as it is to watch then we’re in for a treat.

The one-sentence Hollywood-style pitch: Better than the Fantastic Four, the Famous Five and the Secret Seven combined.

What it means for gaming: The more games that do something genuinely fresh the better, right? Well, Wonderful 101 definitely falls into that category, playing like a lovechild of Viewtiful Joe, Pikmin and Voltron. That’s a good thing.

Why we love it: As vibrant, colourful and cartoony as this world is, from our hands-ons, Wonderful 101 definitely feels like it’s going to offer up a good challenge. The ability to transform your assembled crew of super heroes into a giant blade, whip, gun or fist is used cleverly both within and outside combat. Oh, and co-op for up to five players!

The one-sentence Hollywood-style pitch: Stay awhile and listen… to the sounds of thousands of demons being slaughtered

What it means for gaming: Diablo III coming across to console is a pretty big deal. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen a Blizzard game on console, and it’s great to see, particularly because the next generation's hardware and online functionality are going to be better aligned with PC than ever before.

Why we love it: Good news everyone! Diablo III plays great with a controller. Blizzard really has found a solution that works. It’s a combination of direct control, good shortcuts and plenty of buttons for attacks/buffs. We’re also suckers for same-screen multiplayer.

The one-sentence Hollywood-style pitch: Princess Peach gets catty – reeoowr!

What it means for gaming: Nintendo badly needs to deliver first party hits to keep the Wii U afloat, and the good news is that 3D World is shaping up to be every bit as good as Super Mario 3D Land, only with multiplayer as a focus.

Why we love it: Our multiplayer hands-on at E3 was a blast, and we genuinely think that the inclusion of Futurama-esque pipes and cat costumes are a significant new addition to the series. And given how creative the team at EAD Tokyo are, there’s going to be plenty more surprises where they came from.

The one-sentence Hollywood-style pitch: Loving father, caring husband, secret octopus.

What it means for gaming: One of a suite of indie games coming to PS4 (alongside PC), Dadliest Catch will be unlike anything PlayStation fans have come across before. Think KWOP but starring an octopus pretending to be human, with an elaborate control scheme that makes even the most mundane tasks near-impossible... and hilarious.

Why we love it: The original game had basically the best premise of any game/sitcom/anything ever. An octopus attempting to fool his family into thinking he’s human? Gold. Can't wait to see what scrapes he gets into this time!

The one-sentence Hollywood-style pitch: When too much Waluigi is barely enough.

What it means for gaming: It’s one of a slate of Wii U titles from Nintendo that – while undoubtedly safe choices – are shaping up to be brilliant fun. Something to play on Wii U? Get out of town.

Why we love it: Look, the AU team is generally all about fresh, new experiences, and this most definitely is not that. You can drive on walls and ceilings now? Sure, it looks cool, but it doesn’t really change the gameplay. This is Mario Kart through and through. But you know what? We went nuts for Mario Kart 7 and played it every day in the office for months. We want an excuse to get MK multiplayer happening again, and this will be it.

The one-sentence Hollywood-style pitch: It’s you versus thousands of zombies in a sprawling world.

What it means for gaming: Dead Rising 2 felt like a half-sequel, retaining a number of the more annoying design quirks of the original. Dead Rising 3 is the real deal: bigger in scope, more user-friendly for players and grittier in tone… without losing the series’ sense of humour. That said, it will be interesting to see whether the move away from a timeline-based structure (by default – it still exists in Nightmare mode) will be a good decision or not.

Why we love it: Dense crowds of zombies! Intense melee combat! Improvised weapons without the need for a work bench! Sledgesaws! And hopefully - *crosses fingers* - beach umbrellas.


Source : ign[dot]com

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