Top 5 Most Anticipated Games of E3 2013—Beyond Sony & Microsoft
With the E3 2013 kicking off with some press conferences as early as June 10, and with so many rumors about gaming surprises and lineups in store, it's fitting to enter the weekend with the potential titles that you'll likely expect come the actual tradeshow.
However, dominating most discussions online would be the delivery of games for two main players, particularly Sony and Microsoft, who have not only been battling it out in terms of next generation console, but also in their gaming lineups.
Here are the top 5 other games that go beyond Sony and Microsoft--though admittedly, most of them can be played on both companies' next and current-gen platforms.
Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag
While this game is coming out for both the next-gen and current gen consoles Xbox One, PS4, PS3, and Xbox 360, as well as the PC and the Wii U, Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag is slated for Ubisoft's lineup as one of the most awaited games since people got first wind of it being in development.
Though predictions have been a bit dire for the game--there have been past reports that Black Flag may not beat its predecessor in terms of sales, things are shaping up well for this game, as it takes a bigger turn for an open-world in the Caribbean seas with Edward Kenway at the helm of the ship.
Batman: Arkham Origins and Blackgate
After two hit games, Arkham Asylum and Arkham City, the third installment, Batman: Arkham Origins is finally here. But this will also be the first game to not be developed by Rocksteady Games, responsible for the first two titles.
For this game, Warner Bros. Montreal took a step back--literally--taking on a younger Batman who is just out to create his own reputation as the caped crusader in fighting crime. It may be a refreshing take not only in story line but also in the developers' signature in the game.
Those who want to play the multiplayer mode on the Batman game will also be happy to know that this installment will bring back multiplayer, reports GameDynamo, with Deathstroke spearheading the first addition of characters for its challenge mode.
There's also the accessory Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate, which according to PSU, will be a delight to PS Vita and 3DS players as a companion game for Arkham Origins.
The Evil Within
Bethesda's latest project, and one that announced the end for Skyrim, is the horror survival game The Evil Within, which had Shinji Mikami at the helm. The name of the creator alone strikes the terror reminiscent of Resident Evil.
According to The Guardian, you're faced with classic survival horror at its most basic, with tension and the power of visceral shock that will propel the game, which is due out next year. Hopefully, there will be a demo with Bethesda at the E3 2013.
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain takes players for a different ride in the series, not only for being an open-world game design that's brimming with tension, but also one that explores the darker path in gaming.
"This time with Metal Gear Solid 5, the themes are a little bit different from previous games in the series," said series creator Hideo Kojima to Ubergizmo. "This makes the tone much darker. As a result, I wanted Snake to have a more subdued performance expressed through subtle facial movements and tone of voice, rather than words."
And who better to play the role of voice actor to Snake than Kiefer Sutherland? Though Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain may be one of Konami's biggest game runners for the event, the Pre-E3 2013 show featured more games, particularly another anticipated title, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2.
The Elder Scrolls Online
Not to leave out the PC, which as CNet reports, may be the dark horse in gaming at the tradeshow event, mainly due to the lack of exclusive titles coming to this platform.
However, there are some notables, one of which is The Elder Scrolls Online from Bethesda, and one that is potentially the last hurrah for any Skyrim fan--though the game is a different flavor altogether.
This is just one of two releases from Bethesda involving the Elder Scrolls for this year, the other being the recently released Skyrim Legendary Edition.