Without apology, we took our sweet-ass time.
We would like to congratulate Irrational, who totally blew us away withBioShock Infinite.With a team as diverse as ours it wasn’t easy to come to an agreement, but in the end we all agreed that this is one game almost all kinds of gamers will surely go nuts over.
As a team we all had our personal favorites and most anticipated titles coming out of the show. Here are some more of our top picks, broken down by Destructoid staff members.
Personal pick:Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet(XBLA)
Yeah, my jaw may have dropped more during the stunningBioShock Infinitedemo, but there was something much more intimate, polished, and, frankly, perfect aboutInsanely Twisted Shadow Planet. The Xbox Live Arcade game (out this summer!) is one of the most beautiful, meticulously designed games I have ever played. Created by a former Pixar artist (+100 awesome points!), Shadow Planet plays like a cross betweenMetroidandPixelJunk Shooter. So that already makes it one of my favorite games ever!
Runners-up:BioShock Infinite(PC, PS3, 360),The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim(PC, PS3, 360),Journey(PSN),Luigi’s Mansion 2(3DS),Once Upon a Monster(360)
Personal pick:BioShock: Infinite(PC, PS3, 360)
Runners-up:Star Wars: The Old Republic(PC),The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim(PC, PS3, 360),Mass Effect 3(PC, PS3, 360),Torchlight II(PC)
Personal pick:Asura’s Wrath(PS3, 360)
Personal pick:Battlefield 3(PC, PS3, 360)
The level of visual detail and the amazing sound design literally gave me goosebumps. Electronic Arts is a console generation ahead with the PC version, and I can’t wait to see more of it.
Runners-up:BioShock Infinite(PC, PS3, 360),Saints Row: The Third(PS3, 360),Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim(PC, PS3, 360),Tomb Raider(PC, PS3, 360),Batman: Arkham City(PC, PS3, 360)
Personal Pick:Rayman Origins(PS3, 360, Wii)
The presentation and graphics for this game were unlike anything out there right now, and the game felt great to play. With four player co-op and beautiful music, playing the game reminded me of how I felt when I played platformers as a kid. I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen and wished I could have had even more time with it
Runners-up:Street Fighter x Tekken(PS3, 360),Resident Evil Revelations(3DS),Super Mario 3DS(3DS),Once Upon a Monster(360)
Personal pick:Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim(PC, PS3, 360)
Skyrimis simply absurd, and I mean that positively. I’ve already featured in a video, a live stream, and a written preview where I’ve gushed about the sheer volume of stuff you can do in just a tiny slice of gameplay, and I’m willing to do it all over again. I love theElder Scrollsseries, but the wealth of choice and depth that the game boasts this time around makes my nipples hard. There’s little doubt that this game will be hot, and I fully expectSkyrimto be one of the most engrossing, absorbing, memorable experiences of the generation. So it is written!
Runners-up:Aliens: Colonial Marines(PC, PS3, 360),Prey 2(PC, PS3, 360),Battlefield 3(PC, PS3, 360),Renegade Ops(PSN, XBLA)
Personal pick:Resident Evil: Revelations(3DS)
I loved a lot of the games at E3 this year, butResident Evil: Revelationswas the one that made me feel the most intense emotions out of any game at the show. Alternating waves of fear, nostalgia, intrigue, action, and suspense had me in their grip for the entirety of my time with the game.
Runners-up:Shadows of the Damned(PS3, 360),Street Fighter X Tekken(PS3, 360),El Shaddai(PS3, 360),Super Mario 3DS(3DS)Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword(Wii)Wii U demos(Wii U)Rhythm Heaven(Wii)
Personal pick:Rayman Origins(PS3, 360, Wii)
Prior to Ubisoft’s on-stage demo ofRayman Origins during its press conference, which totally sold me on the game, I wasn’t expecting anything particularly special. To be frank, most people associate the Rayman name withRaving Rabbidsnowadays. But some of us have been dying for a return to the original’s 2D nature and imaginative style. This is that return in all of the ways I could ask for, and there’sNew Super Mario Bros. Wii-style co-op thrown in as well. The move to retail forRayman Originsmakes so much sense now. I’m pumped.
Runners-up:Mass Effect 3(PC, PS3, 360),Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword(Wii),Super Mario 3DS(3DS),BioShock Infinite(PC, PS3, 360),Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim(PC, PS3, 360),Batman: Arkham City(PC, PS3, 360),Prey 2(PC, PS3, 360),Battlefield 3(PC, PS3, 360)
Personal pick:Saints Row: The Third(PS3, 360)
For what was considered back at its inception to be a sub-par clone ofGrand Theft Auto, Volition’s establishedSaints Rowas something of the anti-GTA, as Rockstar games continue to attempt things like narrative complexity and nuanced storytelling. From the way things are looking The Third will have none of that, essentially asking players: “Remember when playing games was about having fun?” and then equating said fun with the crass, immature, utterly cathartic entertainment of an open world, unspoiled by consequences. Also, a whole minigame appears to involve bludgeoning innocents to death with a purple sex toy.
Runners-up:Elder Scrolls V Skyrim(PC, PS3, 360),Deus Ex: Human Revolution(PC, PS3, 360),From Dust(XBLA, PSN),BioShock Infinite(PC, PS3, 360),Battlefield 3(PC, 360, PS3),Mass Effect 3(PC, PS3, 360),Hitman: Absolution(PC, PS3, 360),Catherine(PS3, 360),XCOM(PC, PS3, 360),Assassin’s Creed: Revelations(PC, PS3, 360)
Personal pick:BioShock Infinite(PC, PS3, 360)
Of all the new games that were announced,BioShock Infinitestood out for me. The hook mechanic to travel vertically throughout the city looked fantastic, and the new dynamic with Elizabeth could produce a ton of fun. Many other shooter — fromFar Cry 3toGhost Recon Future Soldier— just looked like more of the same, especially compared toInfinite.
Runners-up:Mass Effect 3(PC, PS3, 360),Aliens: Colonial Marines(PC, PS3, 360),Uncharted 3(PS3),Battlefield 3(PC, PS3, 360)
More after the hype picks from our editors coming next week in the exciting to-hell-with-E3 conclusion!
