E3 2013 SpawnStaff Picks

E3 2013 has come and gone and left us with a hot mess of new consoles, interesting announcements, and a plethora of new games for current and next gen systems. Wading through the ambrosia-laden waters full of gaming revelations and titillating gameplay videos, a few of the SpawnFirst staff members had their eyes on some specific games from the annual conference that tantalized their senses and redlined their hype meters.

Read on below to find out each SpawnStaffer’s Game of the Show and Runner-Up selections.

Karam Elahi – Founder/Editor-in-Chief

Game of the Show: Mirror’s Edge 2

Mirror’s. Edge. 2. Three imperative sentences to break it down for you (and drive MS Word into grammar-nazi mode). If you’re running to look at your calendar, fear not – E3 2013 usually doesn’t take place on April 1^st. This is not a joke and I’m really not trying to break your resolve. The fans clamored and DICE answered. Mirror’s Edge 2 is in production and will be released, taking a page from iD, “when it’s ready”. The game will be running on DICE’s proprietary engine, Frostbite 3, and will most likely hit current and next gen systems sometime by 2014-2015. I was hankering for quite a while to take a leap with (not “of”) Faith, after her critically acclaimed, if not best-selling, game. The first Mirror’s Edge has drawn quite a large cult following of first-person virtual parkour enthusiasts, and this new game will probably take it to the next level, no pun intended.

Runner-up: Battlefield 4

Battlefield 4 is my choice for runner-up. It was a hard-pick between Destiny’s MMOFPS goodness and online world permanence, and Battlefield 4’s …well…everything. 64 count online multiplayer on next-gen consoles (finally!), in-engine collapsing skyscrapers in multiplayer (you heard me!), cutting edge graphics courtesy of Frostbite 3, Commander Mode (!), honed multiplayer from the online veterans at DICE, substantial DLC packs for the offering after the game’s release, and the love and care of the IP that only DICE can provide. Battlefield 4 will be a surefire hit on current and next-gen consoles, and I’m not one to miss a party. Especially one in a collapsing building.

Brian O’Donnell – Staff Writer

Game of the Show: The Division

Originally, I wanted to give this award to Watch Dogs because, let’s be real, that game is going to be sick. However, since we already saw the game at last year’s show, and even though we got even more awesome gameplay this year, I wanted to give my Game of the Show to a newly announced game.  That being said, my Game of the Show goes to another Ubisoft game: The Division. The open world, third-person shooter grabbed my attention with its alarming and realistic trailer about how susceptible America is to biological attacks, and then won over my heart with its awesome and beautiful gameplay. I was so impressed with how great New York looked and how important teamwork is to survive in the disease-ridden city. I look forward to learning more about the game in the coming months and ultimately playing it on my next gen console.

Runner-up: Destiny

My decision for Runner-up of the Show was a tough decision because there were SO many awesome new games announced, but for me, it came down to either Titanfall or Destiny. After a lot of soul searching, I have to give my Runner-up to Destiny. Bungie’s ambitious new RPG looks incredible and epic. I, along with many other people, were worried if Bungie could make another great series like Halo, but from what I’ve seen in the gameplay as well as the trailers, I think they’re doing just fine.

Mark Hanratty – News/Staff Writer

Game of the Show: Ryse: Son of Rome

Ryse: Son of Rome caught everybody off guard at E3. Before any gameplay was even shown, the breathtaking visuals in the demo blew viewers away. The setting is obviously Rome and you’re in control of a general called Marius Titus. The beautiful cutscenes and amazing graphics stood out to me. I’m not usually all about graphics and details but wow. It was amazing, with explosions everywhere and crumbling buildings surrounding Titus. Although I’m not a fan of bashing the buttons to quick-time events when fighting AI characters, the gameplay and killing animations did make it more appealing. For me, the historical aspect of the game was intriguing because games such as Rome: Total War (which has made extensive use of this time period) have always been fantastic games. Let’s hope this one will live up to the expectations after the impressive E3 reveal.

Runner-up: Watch Dogs

In a very close second is Watch Dogs. This open world game has been on my mind ever since back in E3 2012, and the gameplay shown at this year’s E3 was amazing. The use of hacking various electronic systems with a single phone is simple, yet sophisticated. Hacking into bank data, hacking the traffic lights and much more will definitely make for hours of entertainment and that’s not even including the storyline. The game seems as if it will be a blend of Grand Theft Auto and Assassin’s Creed, the open-world modern-day aspect from GTA, while the stealth featured throughout the game is from Assassin’s Creed. With hype built up since back in 2012, everyone is expecting this game to be amazing and hopefully, it won’t let us down.

Nolan Alber – Creative Director/Staff Writer

Game of the Show: Infamous: Second Son

There’s no denying it; I’m a Sony fanboy through and through.  So don’t be surprised that, to me, the best title of E3 was the PlayStation-exclusive superhero adventure, InFamous Second Son.  Ever since my first romp as an electrical conduit, I’ve been compelled by the franchise.  While the first game was mostly focused on gameplay, the second entry came shining through with an awesome story, gorgeous graphics, more powers, a cast of compelling characters, and a multiplayer experience in the form of User-Generated Content.  I have every expectation for Sucker Punch to build on every one of these aspects, and craft the BEST superhero game ever made. Yeah, even topping Arkham City.

Runner-up: Dead Rising 3

As much as I do adore my PlayStation, though, I have to give the runner-up to an unlikely candidate: the Xbox-exclusive Dead Rising 3.  I love some good ol’ zombie genocide, and the charm of killing the undead with anything you can find seems to be intact.  From the gameplay demo, it looks like some of the campy, cartoony vibe of the series has been dropped in favor of a more serious tone, which makes it all the more intriguing.  Not to mention, the graphical horsepower of the next generation will probably allow billions of zombies on the screen at once. Right on.

Vernon Gomes – Local Marketing Coordinator

Game of the Show: Elder Scrolls Online

As an avid Elder Scrolls fan who has put hundreds of hours into PC versions of Morrowind, Oblivion and Skyrim, both vanilla and not, it’s natural that my top game from E3 is Elder Scrolls Online. The Elder Scrolls series was always intriguing to me because of its lore, fluidic gameplay, and the immersion. But my initial worry when ESO was announced last year was that Bethesda would struggle with the MMORPG concepts, when their only games so far have been single player games, where you “pause” the world around you by opening a menu. It was also mentioned that ESO will be playable in both first and third person views, just like the single player games, which I think is an a great add-on to an MMORPG game. ESO will also have player versus player combat, and the ability to make your own alliance (outside of the main story’s alliance). ESO will be releasing for PC, PS4 and Xbox One, sometime in 2014.

Runner-up: Battlefield 4

My second favorite game from E3 is Battlefield 4. The Battlefield series always enticed me because it usually one of the most graphically-pleasing, team-oriented, and realistic first person series. For me, Battlefield’s amazing environment destruction and the many different types of vehicles always set the game apart from all the other first person shooters on the market. Furthermore, with the next generation of consoles coming out, Battlefield 4 will have the ability to support up to 64 players per game, which will definitely up the difficulty and fun factor. Furthermore, squads now have room for five players instead of four, which is great news for friends and coworkers alike!

What are your choice game picks from E3 2013? Sound off in the comments below, and let us know which games from E3 got you all hot and bothered!