When PlayStation 4 was revealed at Sony’s PlayStation Meeting three months ago, E3 2013–the console’s true coming out party–felt so far away. But no more! The industry’s biggest event is mere days away, and Sony’s annual press conference will rock your screen on Monday, June 10.
We’re as excited as any to see what PS4 looks like, how features like PlayGo and Remote Play will work, and how the used game situation will play out, but there’s something more important happening at E3: games. Sony has four days to show us PS4’s launch lineup, PS3’s swan song of blockbusters, and what titles will save the floundering PS Vita. With any luck, it’ll be a week of show-stopping PlayStation games taking center stage. Here’s what we’re most excited to see.
Dark Souls 2 – Steven Williamson, General Manager
I’ve spent countless sleepless nights with scenarios from Dark Souls whizzing around my head. It’s the most challenging game I’ve ever played and the most rewarding. I can’t wait to see what From Software has done with the sequel.
Infamous: Second Son – Kyle Prahl, U.S. Managing Editor
When Sucker Punch game director Nate Fox debuted Infamous: Second Son at Sony’s PS4 reveal, my reaction was surprisingly lukewarm. I had just been wowed by the visual splendor and spectacle of Killzone: Shadow Fall, and the possibilities of Remote Play from PS4 to PS Vita were whirring in my mind. When Nate Fox took the stage, I was ready for something new from Sucker Punch. So, when they trotted out a pre-rendered trailer of another Infamous game, I was A) confused (for story reasons) and B) disappointed at what seemed like dogged determination to stick with what works.
In the months since, I’ve changed my tune. We’ve heard a great deal more about what will make Second Son special–from Delsin’s power of I-have-every-power to the oppressive culture that sprang up post-Infamous 2–and every morsel has me eager to put my superhuman abilities to work complete side quests, hunting down collectibles, and pushing Delsin through what promises to be another riveting plot of moral ambiguity. Sequelitis, be damned: Second Son looks awesome, and I hope to hear more about user-generated content alongside a multiplayer reveal at Sony’s E3 press conference.
Uncharted 4 (or, next-generation Naughty Dog game) – Ernest Lin, Editor
There are very few games that I felt compelled to play in one sitting, giving up an entire night. One of those was Naughty Dog’s masterpiece, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. The treasure-hunting plot filled with intrigue, the amazingly well-acted characters, and the stunningly gorgeous visuals kept me glued to my seat and gave me a gaming experience unlike anything I’d ever had. Imagine that magic being recreated on the amazing horsepower of the PlayStation 4 and you have a show stunner. Naughty Dog has always been masters at getting the most out of Sony’s platforms, so what better way to do it than taking gamers to new locales that are not only pretty to gaze at, but to climb all over?
Watch Dogs – Matt Fernandez, Staff Writer
What interests me the most about Watch Dogs is the level of detail that has been shown in the game world. For an open-world game, there is tons of things going on! It seems like every NPC in Watch Dogs has some form of story and any of them could be something more than collateral damage.
In open-world games like Grand Theft Auto and Saints Row, all the NPCs essentially exist for one reason, and that is to create bloody tire prints on the pavement. I don’t see that in Watch Dogs. I might, for the first time ever in an open-world game like this, try my best not to harm the general public. The human element is something that these types of games have always been missing and it’s looking like Watch Dogs could deliver on that front. It feels like the bar has been raised, and that is what next-gen should be all about.
Metal Gear Solid V – Garri Bagdasarov, Staff Writer
How can you not be excited for this game–it’s MGS and it’s Kojima! After seeing the announcement trailer, I can’t wait for the Metal Gear Solid V news E3 will bring, especially with the bevy of rumors surrounding it. Oh, and of course, I’m hoping David Hayter will return as Solid Snake. Here’s to the game being a PS4 release!
Mickey Mouse: Castle of Illusion – Richard Archer, Staff Writer
The retro gaming gee inside of me is excited for a reveal of Mickey Mouse: Castle of Illusion. Why? Well, simply because I really enjoyed the original game when it came out. It had great graphics, addictive gameplay of the just-one-more-go variety, and was just simply fun to play. With the re-release, I’m interested to see if the spirit of the original game has been recaptured. I’m also keen to see how looks, sounds, and plays.
Destiny – Will Robinson, Staff Writer
We already know that Sony’s conference this year will be filled with potential blockbusters, but the game that I am looking forward to most of all is Destiny. The sheer fact that Bungie is making a game for a PlayStation console is unbelievable in and of itself, and having the legendary developer close out the February PS4 reveal to talk about Destiny was incredible. A Bungie-developed sci-fi first-person shooter MMORPG… with magic. It’s the game I’ve always wanted. Hearing them talk about this extremely ambitious project instantly made me want to jump into their fantasy world, but so far talk is really all we’ve gotten. Sure, there have been screenshots, a couple trailers, and in-game footage shown, but gameplay still is yet to be seen. Destiny is a game after all, and Bungie has promised an incredible online gaming experience. There is no better stage for Bungie to deliver on their promising words than Sony’s E3 press conference. I eagerly await seeing Destiny’s turn in the spotlight next week.
Infamous: Second Son – Fraser Miller, Staff Writer
It might seem like an odd pick amidst more high-profile competition, but ever since Infamous: Second Son got announced back in February, I’ve felt like a kid in a giant candy store. Everything from this brand new title in Sucker Punch’s superhero series has me super-excited. Being a big fan of the first two doesn’t hurt. I hope that Sony gives it some spotlight so we can learn more about it, see it in top-notch action, and see how PlayStation 4 can make it flourish.
Killzone: Shadow Fall – Ben Shilabeer-Hall, Staff Writer
The previous Killzone games really pushed PS3 in the graphical department and I’m really looking forward to seeing what magic Guerrilla Games can pull off with the new hardware at their fingertips.
Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate – Kevin Pabst, Staff Writer
I gotta say Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate, the PS Vita and 3DS companion game to Arkham Origins. The previous two games were already vaguely Metroid-ish, with equipment barriers and upgrades, so the idea of Batman crashing head-on into 2D Metroidvania is a natural next step. There’s tons of action-adventure games and third- and first-person shooters, but Metroidvania is still pretty rare–and it’s one of my favorite genres. Considering the development team is staffed withe x-Metroid Prime developers, plus the rarity of Metroidvania games, gets ma whole new level of hype. The PS Vita could really use some genre diversity, and Guacamelee could use some company.
Seriously, my Vita hasn’t had a truly new game I’m interested in for weeks.
Respawn Entertainment’s Mystery Shooter – Lazar Odic, Staff Writer
Respawn Entertainment’s mystery game is probably one of the most interesting games that will be shown off at E3. Why? This is the studio that was formed by former Infinity Ward employees Jason West and Vince Zampella, creators of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. These are the guys who made the Call of Duty formula what it is and had multiple developers try to mimic it. Rumors have it the first game from the team is a sci-fi shooter that is online-focused. It is worth noting that when Jason and Vince formed this new company, many of the former Infinity Ward members who worked on Call of Duty left to join them. I’m a huge fan of Call of Duty, but even I’m starting to get a bit bored with everything. I would love for a new, awesome sci-fi shooter from the creators of Modern Warfare. However, will this game be as good as Call of Duty? Are they trying to take down the juggernaut that is CoD? Is it even possible? Hopefully some of these questions are answered come E3.
Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem (Wii U) – Dane Smith, Editor
This may be a controversial choice on our PlayStation site, but my most anticipated game for E3 is not even a PlayStation game, it is a Nintendo game. Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem has my attention for a couple reasons. First, both universes are so far apart in their philosophy that it is ambitious in itself to try and weave a coherent narrative to cross them over, have it make sense, and stay true to Atlus’ high philosophical standards. Second, and most importantly, if this game is a smash hit, will it lead to Atlus crossing over their Persona franchise with another active or dormant franchise as a PlayStation exclusive?
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What is your most anticipated game of E3 2013? Any PlayStation predictions to share? Give us your take in the comments below, and stay glued to PSU.com for our E3 2013 coverage, including PS4 hands-on impressions, developer interviews, and exclusive stories.