Mirror’s Edge 2
We don’t know much about the Mirror’s Edge reboot/sequel other than the fact that lead protagonist Faith will return and that she’ll have an entire open-world to explore both online and offline. We expect Electronic Arts will demonstrate a full slice of free roam gameplay for attendees at their press conference, but we hope to go hands-on at the convention to get a handle for how controls and gameplay have improved in the years since Mirror’s Edge debuted. While the original game has become a cult classic, it was a little rough around the edges and the team at DICE will naturally want to prove naysayers wrong with this latest iteration.
We think Electronic Arts will also reveal that Mirror’s Edge uses a dynamic online system not unlike the one found in Destiny, where players will encounter others in the online open world and either work together to complete deliveries or form new rivalries around setting fast times from point to point on the spot. We’d also love to see a leaderboard system like that found in the latest vision of SSX, where fast times get saved to a global server and streamed into single-player gameplay in an effort to further the competitive fire between runners.
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
E3 always offers up an opportunity for publishers and developers to talk about projects we won’t get to play for quite some time, and that means Hideo Kojima and the team at Kojima Productions could seize this year as another opportunity to build hype for the next installment in the Metal Gear Solid franchise. While we’ve already received the prologue component, Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes, we still don’t know much about how the story of vengeance will play out in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.
We got our first full gameplay demonstration and trailer at last year’s E3, so this year we’d love to see a slightly longer, guided walkthrough of a mission that ranges from silent stealth to explosive action. The Phantom Pain hopes to redefine the MGS franchise as a more open-ended gameplay sandbox, so we want to know more about how the mechanics demonstrated in Ground Zeroes will effect mission design and the like. Still, we don’t know if we’ll see new details from Kojima Productions on Microsoft’s press conference stage as we did last year or if Hideo Kojima will appear on Sony’s stage to bolster PlayStation’s less than stellar software outlook.
Sunset Overdrive
Microsoft have a host of different exclusive franchises to choose from, but we’re way more excited to learn more about the company’s new licenses and how Insomniac’s pedigree of Ratchet & Clank and Resistance games will play out in the open world of Sunset Overdrive. Yes, the game focuses on zombie-blasting, but the title’s vibrancy overflows and sticks to our brains like candy-flavored thumb tacks. We’re dying to get hands-on with Sunset Overdrive to test the smooth-looking shooter gameplay and locomotion systems.
Sure, we could gush over the next Halo game or the potential for a Halo 2 upgrade for Xbox One, especially since the rumors point to each game getting a big focus at Microsoft’s press conference, but Sunset Overdrive is exactly what the Xbox One needs to maintain steady pressure on PlayStation 4. That system might have the momentum from a big first year, but Microsoft has made smart selections in turning unique new experiences into exclusives for the Xbox One platform. Sunset Overdrive should lead the charge this Fall.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Look no further than CD Projekt Red for an epic fantasy role-playing game with an expansive world, deep story-based gameplay, and hardcore combat mechanics. While The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings continues to impress gamers thanks to Steam sales and a console version on Xbox 360, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt promises to bring the franchise to the masses across next-generation consoles and PC. We’re hoping Geralt gets down and dirty with some truly gorgeous visuals and an even larger universe to explore.
While some dedicated fans might have an idea of where the games will go next thanks to the book series, CD Projekt Red has proven that they’ll make the right choices to increase playability and make memorable moments out of every interaction. Where Witcher 2 brought the developer into the gamer consciousness, we hope new projects like Cyberpunk don’t distract the team from delivering another epic in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
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