For those who followed our twitter feed (which you probably don't, but it's here regardless), E3 2012 was the year of crossbows, neck-stabs and touch screens. Microsoft beat Nintendo to the punch with a handheld DVD extra initialiser called Smart-Glass (more like Smart-Arse amirite?), Nintendo underwhelmed the entire universe with further info on the Wii-U's mostly casual market with rehashes of old games (Yay! Mass Effect 3 and Arkham City...A YEAR LATE!) and Sony took a left turn at uselessness town with their Wonderbook (complete with on-stage mishaps!).
But enough about peripherals; it's games you want and games you shall get! Listed is my top ten titles from this year's show...and just as a forewarning, as a PS3 owner, there's a few exclusives on here so apologies if it seems a tad biased (I'm sure if I cared about Halo, Gears of War or Call of Duty anymore, they'd be here).
10) Dead Space 3
Much like Resident Evil before it; the Dead Space franchise enters the terrifying realms of co-operative gameplay for it's next entry and, for the most part, it looks good. Disturbed protagonist Issac Clarke returns with new buddy John Carver to find a way to finally rid the universe of the Necromorphs.
Expect plenty of jump scares, more tentacles than a certain genre from Japan and oddly snow in what will certainly be one of 2013 most terrifying games.
09) South Park: The Stick of Truth
To fully understand how joyful The Stick of Truth's entrance to E3 was, you had to be there for the actual Microsoft conference. Constant breaks from games, far too much news on media implementation and far too little lulz courtesy of Kinect.
Thankfully Matt Stone and Trey Parker dismantled that in ten seconds (which is thankfully included un the above video) with more information on their up and coming title based on the best animated comedy ever made.
Allowing you to create your own character to save the world from the various threats which endanger the town, the game has more than a striking resemblance to Nintendo's own Paper Mario franchise (which itself is an immensely underrated series). If it can combine that with South Park's own wit and controversy, it might be one of the best RPG's of 2013.
08) Pikmin 3
Eight years is a long time for a sequel (just ask a Half-Life fan), but Pikmin 3, other than finally continuing what was Nintendo's only worthwhile new IP from the Gamecube (and what suspiciously missed the Wii altogether...minus two remakes) was the perfect demonstration of the Wii-U's capabilities concerning actual core games.
The original two titles were simplistic yet frightfully addictive RTS' with creative environments, characters (both Pikmin and their foes) and abilities. Utilising the Wii-U's controller however gives the game a much needed gameplay evolution along with some useful abilities that only the controller could provide.
At a time where the biggest argument against Nintendo is their abandonment of the "core gamer", Pikmin 3 may provide some much needed respite and offer a title that can both incorporate their new fangled Mcguffin and their fans.
07) Beyond: Two Souls
Let's make one thing clear; Heavy Rain was good. It had a semi decent story, it was something entirely new to Video-Games, it offered moral choice in an ingenious way, it let you Press X to Jason and it's definitely something everyone should play at-least once.
What let it down was bad voice acting for a few characters and the lack of replay value. Now creator David Cage's newest IP at least offers one fix in the form of lead character Jodie Holmes being motion-captured and voiced by Ellen Page
Beyond: Two Souls offers to take players through fifteen years of Jodie's life as she tries to uncover the truth of the ghostly entity that follows her around. Expect moral choice pushed the nth degree, the ability to control every aspect of the character and a deep, dark story.
But if the trailer's anything to go by, expect ghosts, explosions and consistent WTF moments...in which case, sign me up!
06) Far Cry 3
Whilst the original Far Cry was basically Half-Life on Lilt, it's sequel was a dark, depressing and surprisingly boring FPS that was far too large for it's own good with a story that ticked every box for generic tripe.
What surprised me about Far Cry 3 is, whilst it looks like a back to basic entry with a return to a tropical island, the actual story looks far more interesting and promises to make the question the player's own sanity (or lack there-of).
It looks gorgeous, it has four player co-op, you can kill tigers and it has boobs, if you're under fifteen, it's probably on your "To Buy" list already, but for everyone else, Far Cry 3 looks the part, but come September, will it play the part?
05) God of War: Ascension
I didn't think the God of War franchise could get more violent...sorry, let's paraphrase that.
I didn't think the God of War franchise could continue after the third numeric entry. But if George Lucas has taught us anything; slap Prequel on it and the sheeple will devour it. Promising a further look into the world of Kratos (this time way back at the very beginning), Ascension not only others the gorgeous visuals and unhealthy appetite for extreme violence, but also includes Power Stone-esq multiplayer which looks surprisingly well worked.
Although March 2013 looks crammed with releases, God of War: Ascension is definitely one to keep an eye on, if not for the tantalising enjoyment the gameplay provides, but for the grotesque level of gore and violence the franchise always delivers.
04) Resident Evil 6
If there's one thing Capcom can depend on; it's Resident Evil. Constantly shambling like a re-animated corpse when needed, Resident Evil always comes up trumps, even when it's not necessary great (like number 5). The Sixth numeric entry to the franchise not only offers a return of said re-animated corpses, but like it's predecessors; plenty of explosions, cheesy dialogue and gloriously horrifying monsters.
As 2012's release schedule depletes for the yonder of March 2013; Resident Evil 6 has a great chance of being one of the games of the year and, if this taster is anything to go by, it may be a guarantee.
03) Assassin's Creed 3
It's been a long time coming, but the Assassin's Creed franchise finally moves away from the Renaissance into U.S.A's birth with it's third numeric entry.
The visuals look amazing, the story is by now a guaranteed joy to unveil, the gameplay will hopefully offer more of a repertoire to new protagonist Connor Kenway's arsenal and the inclusion of more exploration, wildlife, naval battles and more makes this a must buy for fans.
02) Watch Dogs
This was tough, as Watch Dogs and what I rank as number one on this list were both stupendous titles that gave E3 a much needed nudge to prevent it from falling asleep.
Watch Dogs (yes, don't pinch yourself, you're not dreaming, it's a brand spanking new IP), for intents and purposes, is Grand Theft Auto in a world where terrorists can control entire cities for their nefarious purposes.
What sets Watch Dogs apart from the various GTA clones is the idea of possibly controlling an entire city's infrastructure, adding to the possibilities of missions being variety rather than going in all guns blazing.
There's already rumours floating it's a next-gen title but regardless of where it currently stands, not only does it stand as the best debuting title of this year, but a potential massive title of 2013.
01) The Last of Us
Let's have an explanation; I love Uncharted and Naughty Dog's track record regarding the franchise was near impeccable. Their newest IP is, for the most part in terms of gameplay, on the same lines (cover based action game with Quick Time Events).
The difference between The Last of Us and the Uncharted series is, rather than the part light-hearted but emotional stories of treasure hunting; The Last of Us will tread in territory that video games very rarely tread into. The gameplay footage above showcases a desperate struggle for survival for lead protagonists Ellie and Joel against other desperate human beings. By the end, you'll be left wondering about the end justifying the means and just how far the game will take the player to survive in this cruel, new world.
Add to that horrifying fungus zombies, excellent scripted sections and free flowing gameplay like the Uncharted series; The Last of Us is my game of E3 2012 and should be one that all gamers should keep a close eye on in the coming months.
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