E3 2013: Five Biggest Surprises

The 2013 Electronic Entertainment Expo is over and we’ve seen a variety of great games.  However, there were plenty of surprises we didn’t expect. Without further ado, we present the five most shocking moments of the show.  

Kingdom Hearts III Revealed

For years, role-playing fans demanded a third Kingdom Hearts chapter, and for the longest time, it seemed that Square Enix would never confirm it. During Sony’s press conference, the company finally let its next-generation secrets out of the bag, revealing the game for PS4 and Xbox One – along with Final Fantasy Versus XIII and Final Fantasy XV. We can’t wait to see this game in action.

New Mirror’s Edge

It almost seemed like a “too good to be true” scenario for a follow-up to DICE’s Mirror’s Edge, a wonderful free-running first-person action/adventure.  However, it looks like all we needed was a little Faith, as during the E3 press conference, the developer finally fessed up and said yes, the franchise would return.

For now, we don’t know if this is a sequel or simply a reboot of the classic 2007 game.  Nevertheless, we can’t wait to see what DICE has planned, and how the next-generation will suit Faith and her fast-paced adventures.  

Plants vs. Zombies Franchise Evolves

PopCap Games managed to establish Plants vs. Zombies as a series that relies on casual strategy.  However, during the EA press conference, the studio revealed a surprise – it would take the popular franchise in an entirely new direction with a shooter featuring different characters.

Although we were only introduced to the Plants side of things (the forthcoming Garden Warfare will supposedly have multiplayer that features the zombie perspective), the project definitely looks enjoyable, and should also make for an effective introduction to the Xbox One and possibly PlayStation 4.  The early footage is quite good, and the co-op/multiplayer options seem promising.  We’ll have a first look soon.

Return of Battlefront

Electronic Arts had plenty of surprises during its pre-E3 press conference – Peggle 2 not withstanding – but the crowd was won over with a single Star Wars trailer.  

Even though the video was brief and didn’t showcase gameplay, Star Wars: Battlefront stole the show.  The game, which is currently in development at DICE – follows the classic Xbox/PlayStation 2 games, complete with multiplayer support and plenty of Star Wars characters.  We also wouldn’t mind controlling an AT-AT.

The project is still a ways off from release, but we can’t help but get excited, especially considering that it’s been ages since we’ve seen a new entry in the series.  The Force is strong with this one.  

Killer Instinct Returns

Created by Rare in the mid-90s, Killer Instinct made its return this week at the Microsoft pre-E3 press conference.  Though the trailer was brief and the characters more bulked up than usual, we thoroughly enjoyed the comeback.

With a number of unlockable fighters – including Glacier, Jago and Sabrewulf – and the same classic combo system that made the original games so desirable, Killer Instinct definitely looks ready for the next generation.  In addition, there’s a fighting stick in the works at Mad Catz. “Fight on” indeed.