Another year, another jaw-dropping event in Los Angeles. It’s the moment all gamers are waiting for. The media buzz fervently as publishers reveal their secrets to the world and attempt to quash the insatiable hunger we have for new, exciting experiences. Seeing as this is most likely my last Courier article ever, I’d like to put my bold chips down.
SEGA will announce a new Jet Set Radio game and I will cry real tears. Lucasarts will bequeath the Monkey Island copyright to Ron Gilbert and Tim Schafer. Sonic Adventure 3, Burnout and Skate 4. Only One and a Donald Glover-directed video game.
Now that I’ve got the mental stuff out of the way, let’s be serious. Regarding things that we know exist, I want to see more of whatever Death Stranding is, be that a Norman Reedus Ouroboros or normal gameplay. I also want more Psychonauts 2 gameplay baby. Please.
Image: IGDB.com
Further, I want to see Red Dead 2 gunslinging and Rocksteady’s new Superman game. Bloodborne 2/Dark Souls 4 better get some spotlight, and best believe we’re seeing Cyberpunk 2077 and EA’s secret new single player Star Wars project. I also want Smash Bros with Sora and Animal Crossing Switch. Throw a new NieR project in there for good measure and give me the release date for Media Molecule’s Dreams. Sorted.
I don’t ask for much, do I? To sign off, I want to say thank you for reading and publishing my words these past four years. This section is where I published my first piece of writing ever in 2015. Since then it’s been a wild ride I’m still on and it has completely changed my life. I love gaming, I love The Courier and I hope everyone enjoys E3! See you, space cowboys.
Jordan Oloman
With E3 rapidly approaching, it’s time again to reflect on what we hope, dream or desperately need to hear more about this year. Focusing on console games, here’s my top 5 wish-list for E3 2018.
Red Dead Redemption 2. We already have a confirmed release date of October 2018, as well as tasters of the graphics, characters and gameplay activities that will be in the game. However, I hope E3 will show us actual gameplay footage, preferably of a young John Marston learning the ropes of bank robbery.
The Last of Us 2. We know it’s coming eventually, but with only a pair of trailers, both hauntingly beautiful and brutal at the same time, I want more from E3. Perhaps some dedicated gameplay and at least a preliminary release date.
Spider-Man. Revitalised by Marvel in cinemas, Spider-man will be coming back in full swing (pun intended) in September 2018. We’ve already seen gameplay footage and a confirmed release date - I’m simply hoping for more.
Image: IGDB.com
Borderlands 3. No solid information has been released yet, but strong rumours suggest we can expect the game before the end of 2019. Assuming they’re true, then E3 2018 seems the perfect time for an official announcement to reignite the flames of quality split-screening.
Days Gone. Gameplay footage was released early to build anticipation. However, we’re still awaiting a release date, and E3 has my hopes up.
Honourable mention: Elder Scrolls VI. Bethesda has been clear it has two more major releases before this, but perhaps E3 will at provide us even a spark of Elder Scrolls magic.
So, there you have it, my personal hopes for June this year. E3 2018 will undoubtedly have plenty more to show, but fingers crossed my prayers are answered!
Philip Armstrong
Like a boomerang full of gaming goodness, E3 has come back around again to wallop us all in the face with a slew of announcements, trailers and meme-worthy conference goofs. It’s hard to pick out a single column’s worth of stuff to look forward to given how packed full of AAA titles this year’s release slate is, but here we go.
First off, Nintendo. They’ve had a phenomenal start for the Switch this past year, with games like Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey expertly reimagining the formulae of their classic titles, so it’s imperative that they keep up the momentum this year. Smash Bros. is obviously going to be a big hype-builder and is featuring front and centre of their E3 schedule, but I’m betting we also get our first look at Metroid Prime 4 - here’s hoping it manages to be as inventive as BotW and Odyssey.
In the same vein, I’m hoping we get an announcement for the next Pokemon games on Switch. As big a fan as I am, after 20 years the format is getting slightly stale, so with any luck Game Freak will follow the trend of reinvention and hit us with something refreshingly new.
Image: IGDB.com
In terms of Sony’s offerings, I’m really hoping to see some actual gameplay from Death Stranding. As brilliant and trippy-as-fuck the trailers have been so far, we’re yet to see how Kojima will deliver on his promise of pioneering a new genre - it looks interesting, but what do you actually do?
Whatever form it takes, it’s high time we saw something of From Software’s next project, so far only hinted at with the tagline “Shadows Die Twice”. I’m personally hoping it’s a dive back into the world of Bloodborne - whether it’s a sequel, prequel or just a spiritual successor, I need me some more horrific monster-slaying action.
I could go on, but there’s so much else to look forward to that I’d be here forever. So happy E3 everyone - it’s looking to be a good one.
Richard Liddle