It’s that time of the year – E3 predictions! E3 2017 is right around the corner, and we have a pretty good idea of what’s going to be on the show floor at this point. That, along with a few surprises of course. As I prepare to fly across the country and run myself to death on the show floor, I find myself wondering, “What am I going to take back home with me? What, out of everything I know I’m going to see, is going to feel like the reason I was there?” Let’s take a look at the five games, again announced or hinted at ahead of time, that I think have the best chance of being considered “game of the show.”
Far Cry 5
Far Cry 5 has my gears turning in ways a big, open-world Ubisoft game never has before. Can a AAA video game about shooting, explosions, and filling out a huge map really be effectively introspective about the failings of American culture? Can it really tackle such a relevant, controversial subject matter at a deeper than the surface level? Or is it just going to be a bunch of goofy, half-baked satire featuring cartoonishly evil caricatures of Midwest Americans? Out of everything else at E3, I have the most questions about Far Cry 5 , and that’s exciting.
Spider-Man
I love me some Spider-Man , and I love me some trashy, B-tier Spider-Man video games. Even junk like Web of Shadows was extremely My Thing. But this is the first legitimately AAA Spider-Man game, perhaps ever. Insomniac, a huge developer, is tackling it in a console-exclusive environment. That’s crazy for a superhero game, especially for a brand as enormous as Spider-Man . There’s zero information out there on this game, and it seems like this year’s E3 is going to open the floodgates. I cannot wait to see what happens.
Super Mario Odyssey
On paper, Super Mario Odyssey is the clear front-runner. This is the true next step from Super Mario Galaxy , the next step in the core Mario series, and has DNA running back to Super Mario 64 and arguably Super Mario World . It’s an event that happens once a generation, and it arguably even skipped one. This is a milestone event and being present for its big debut is almost intimidating.
Ni no Kuni II
I needed something rad and Japanese on this list and opting to slap the Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey remake on here seemed like cheating. Ni no Kuni was such a huge deal when it came out and for good reason! Level-5 is an excellent RPG developer, with a pedigree that even includes core Dragon Quest entries. Collaborating with Studio Ghibli is something that was cool last generation, despite limitations, so seeing what can happen with today’s technology is exciting.
Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite
I’ve been a little harsh on this game in the past, especially in regards to the roster and Capcom’s unstable content strategies. But that’s all scuttlebutt and leak drama, and there’s really no telling what’s actually going to happen until it happens. And there’s nothing more fun than the lead up to a new crossover fighting game. Especially one with such a fun and colorful history as the Capcom “Versus” series has.
So there you have it, my personal picks for the games most likely to be the biggest points of interest at E3 2017. What are you looking forward to the most? Speak up! That’s what comments sections are supposed to be for. Instead of, you know, being mean and stuff.