The wait is just about over. We’re days away from this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo, where dozens of companies will bring their biggest and brightest to the show. Whether it’s the return of old-school favorites or the debut of new titles, there will be plenty of games to see at E3 2014.
In fact, some of these games will be hands-on, giving us the chance to see how they feel months (or even a full year) before their release. There are plenty to choose from, but here are the ones we can’t wait to play. Time to warm up those thumbs.
Star Wars: Battlefront (Electronic Arts)
Ever since its cryptic announcement last year, we’ve been itching to see what DICE can do with the Battlefront franchise. EA already promised that the game will be at its booth in some capacity – and perhaps even playable. The idea of being able to trudge through Hoth and mow down a few Stormtroopers sounds quite appealing – especially if we get to do it with a few of our fellow journalists. While we’re at it, can we take the reigns of an AT-AT?
Super Smash Bros. (Nintendo)
With multiplayer games showing great popularity on the show floor, Super Smash Bros. is likely to get a lot of attention at Nintendo’s booth this year. Between a devoted tournament where the best players in the world will brawl against one another, and the assuredness that the game will be playable on the show floor for both Wii U and 3DS, you can bet that we’ll get our brawling fix with this one.
Killer Instinct: Season Two (Microsoft)
When Killer Instinct returned last year on Xbox One, it brought a number of excellent combatants back into action, and introduced some great new elements to keep the fighting fresh and ferocious. For season two, a new developer, Iron Galaxy, will step to the plate with a slew of new fighting superstars, including the rumored return of Cinder and T.J. Combo, among others. We can’t wait to give these new combatants a try.
The Order: 1886 (Sony)
Sony gave us bits and pieces of information and gameplay demos on this awesome new project, and if all goes according to plan, it’ll be playable for the first time at its booth this year. With Ready At Dawn Studios at the helm, The Order: 1886 should be quite promising, with plenty of modern gameplay twists surrounding a classic monster-hunting theme. Don’t be surprised if this becomes one of the sleeper hits of the show.
Halo 5: Guardians (Microsoft)
This could be a long shot, mainly because Microsoft may not have it playable on the show floor, and if it does, the line for it will be ridiculously long. Still, to be able to step into the boots of Master Chief on the Xbox One for the first time is an opportunity we simply can’t pass up. With 343 Industries back at the helm and working on a number of new components for both single player and multiplayer, Guardians should definitely live up to the hype.
Hyrule Warriors (Nintendo)
While we wait for the next big Zelda game to arrive, we’ll happily play the next best thing – the goofy, over-the-top action title Hyrule Warriors. Nintendo should have this on full display at their booth, letting players slash away at dozens of enemies with Link and other characters. While this obviously won’t be the deepest experience on the show floor next week, you can bet that it’ll be one of the most entertaining.
Sunset Overdrive (Microsoft)
Insomniac Games’ latest effort, an exclusive for the Xbox One, looks insanely fun, and we’re already planning on making an early stop to check it out over at Microsoft’s booth. Filled with insane amounts of action, a variety of guns (we’re talking bowling ball cannons) and the kind of next-gen polish the studio can deliver, this is bound to be one of our favorites from the event when all is said and done. Besides, we have to see the amazing respawn animations as they happen in the game.
Destiny (Activision)
Considering the game is coming out in a matter of months, there shouldn’t be any reason why Activision’s Destiny shouldn’t be playable to some extent on the show floor. With fantastic design provided by Bungie and endless possibilities between the single player story mode and multiplayer events, this game could easily steal the show. It may even manage to steal the spotlight from Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare – and that means overpowering Kevin Spacey, folks. No easy feat.
Dragon Age: Inquisition (Electronic Arts)
Another sequel that’s highly anticipated around the office, Dragon Age: Inquisition should have some form of playable demo at the event, allowing players to customize their warriors and then take advantage of the awesome tactical combat. In addition, the expansion into an open-world should add an extraordinary element of exploration that fans won’t get enough of.
Alien: Isolation (Sega)
Considering it’s been a while since we’ve had a really good Alien game, it looks like Sega is finally set to deliver with the well-produced Isolation. We got a brief taste of this game at the Game Developers Conference a while back, and at E3, it should bring an even bigger and better demo, filled with plenty of suspense and excitement. We can feel the hairs standing up on the back of our necks.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (Warner Bros.)
This was a huge title last year, as CD Projekt Red effectively introduced the franchise to next-gen technology. This year’s demo should not only be even more incredible, but also playable, meaning we get to hack enemies with swords and other weapons, all while soaking in the beautiful atmosphere. This could easily be a contender for game of the year in 2015.
Battlefield: Hardline (Electronic Arts)
With a beta already in the works, we wouldn’t be surprised if EA had a big multiplayer set-up for Hardline, the newest chapter in the Battlefield series. Chances are we’ll take part in a few skirmishes, with cops taking on criminals in huge gun battles. This could be a promising hit if everything comes together well for the team at Visceral – and chances are that it will.
