e3 2017 – Zombie Chimps Top Picks

If you’re anything like us, you would have been glued to your screens throughout E3 2017, you’d also probably have a dark hidden past and an addiction to coffee, so hopefully not too much like us. But, yes E3 2017 has come and gone and it is fair to say it has left its mark on all of us.

For each of us there has been one game from E3 2017 that has captured our attention and refused to let it go, unless we pay the random of several thousand dollars in unmarked bills.

Jim – Life is Strange: Before the Storm

It may not be one of the E3 2017 games with the biggest budget or the most extravagant gameplay, but for me I am pretty damn excited about Life is Strange: Before the Storm. Taking place a few years before the original game, Before the Storm includes the rebellious teen, Chloe and her friend Rachel Amber who you may remember was missing in Life is Strange.

What can we expect? Even in this three episode story we can expect a great storyline, multiple endings and enough teenage angst and sass to fill a small barge. Ok, so there won’t be time traveling in this one which makes me wonder if the absence of this major gameplay mechanic will leave the game feeling a little hollow and simplistic. But still, out of all the games I’ve seen at E3 2017 this is the one I am most excited about and I can categorically say it will hit my buy list. Oh, and maybe Spiderman… but definitely this.

Catie – Far Cry5

My top pick from E3 2017 this year had to be Far Cry 5. Having played some of previous games I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about this one. But, every trailer and piece of gameplay I have seen so far looks promising. Set in the mountainous region of Hope County, Montana, Far Cry 5 is taking on a cult of fanatics. As this is seemingly one of their most ambitious Far Cry titles to date, I’m looking forward to seeing it in all its glory. Already it boasts a wide array of vehicles including helicopters, planes, trucks and more. There will also be the chance to have animal companions much like the taming system in Far Cry Primal.

The cherry on the top for me though, is the fact that you will be able to play the entire main campaign cooperatively. And, as an another first for the series, you can customise your own character. Gone are the days of pre-determined protagonists, the only things you can’t change is your occupation which, this time around, is deputy sheriff. Time to take down Joseph Seed and his blind-faith followers in whatever you see fit.  I am excited to see this title on its release in February 2018.

Adam – Metro Exodus

For me E3 is about the unexpected. I look forward to the event each year in the hopes of seeing something that I either wasn’t expecting or gameplay that leaves me in bated breath for a release date. E3 2017 had very little of that. Between an anaemic list of new announcements and showing of games we’ve already seen, there was little surprise or anything that made me instantly message my friends with excitement. That was with the exception of Metro Exodus. The third (and seemingly final) entry in the criminally overlooked post apocalyptic shooter series, genuinely surprised me when it graced the Xbox stage among a list of lesser announcements. Touting the stunning graphics and thick layer of atmosphere the series has become known for, as well as a surprise focus on open world gameplay, outside of the previous games setting of central Moscow.

Ryan – Detroid Become Human

Detroit Become Human stole the Sony conference for me and, I think, E3 2017. A few things about this game surprised me. First, it suggests a sobering twist on a deep suspicion concerning technology. The question posed is not merely “Will robots revolt against humans?” but “On what grounds would robots revolt against humans?” The player must empathize with robots. As one who pretends to be a philosopher from time to time, I foresee a philosophic goldmine for thinkers and players alike. Second, the visuals. Visuals aren’t everything, but Detroit Become Human captivated me. A somewhat amped up Grand Theft Auto, Detroit Become Human captures motion well. Whether it’s falling snow or running cycles, motion feels natural and spontaneous. As such, motion conduces to the player’s feeling for robots by making them move less like cyborgs and more like humans. Third, choice. Games centered around the narrative-changing choices a player makes never really attracted me. They felt directionless; some were more about choosing than playing. But Detroit Become Human might be an exception.

While I don’t know how the game itself plays or how the story will play out, I’m intrigued at the possibility that robots have choices. Once again, folks interested in philosophy of mind (more or less, thinking about thinking) would eat this stuff up. For these reasons, I’m surprised. But maybe ‘surprised’ is the wrong word. Perhaps ‘intrigued’ suits my reaction better. Words aside, I can’t wait for this game to hit the shelves.

Rich – Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

So we’re dishing out our top E3 2017 picks, for me that new Wolfenstein trailer was everything I wanted. It looks like the team over at Machine Games has taken a little bit of inspiration from the Doom team into BJ Blascowiz’ next outing. Gut punching action and humor to boot. The 80’s action hero motif has always been one of my favorite trends in gaming, and 2014’s Wolfenstein: The New Order proved that a modern take on the series could be great. That trailer was out there, I could sit and watch hours of the alternate history German TV.

Making a move to a Nazi-ruled U.S.A full on Man in the High Castle style will be pretty cool as well. I can’t wait to see how the 70’s play out for old BJ in a fascist controlled United States. A heavy narrative shooter with wheelchair shooting will be taking up a lot of my time this year. For me, Milkshake Nazi stole the show.

Mario – Metroid Prime 4

The E3 2017 convention was pretty impressive. It exhibited many games, and there were some fresh new surprises. I had the privilege to cover the Nintendo conference this year. My focus for E3 was all on Nintendo, and the conference did not disappoint. Recognized, of course, was Super Mario Odyssey, Zelda DLC Expansions, and a New Yoshi video game, this combined will yield a great selection of Nintendo games for the near future. Nevertheless, my favorite announcement was that of Metroid Prime 4.

Why was this my favorite? Well for starters this is one of my favorite franchises. It is my preference along with Metal Gear, Arkham, and Zelda. The Prime series was essential to my maturity as a gamer. As a growing boy I was never able to play rated-M titles, and the original Metroid Prime was a window to first-person shooters and to games that demanded critical thinking. For a little boy, this was a challenge and got the hamster running.

Metroid as a whole was quite distinct from all the other Nintendo games. Everything was not sunshine and rainbows thus holding a steady tone of serious and isolation. The mechanics of Prime completely changed the game as a whole. It presented a different perspective on the character, a character that set the standard for bad-ass women. Eventually, the game slowly evaporated out of existence.

There was no new installment for Metroid Prime for many years. Hardcore fans always stood by the franchise to the very last speck.  Finally knowing that Nintendo is developing a new game makes me extremely excited. I had always thought that maybe Prime had been forgotten and the only way to remember is by replaying it. Retro Studios had developed the trilogy but this it is not the case this time.

There is another studio is developing the game, and this sparks my curiosity as to how the game will turn out. How different will it be or how similar will it be? This situation could be the case like Arkham Origins were the WB Montreal only built of what Rocksteady had created. Regardless this all this is valuable to me, and this will be the best reason why I get a Nintendo Switch.

So these were ours…

…and we are insanely interested in what you think. Which games are you most excited about, or which games have crushed you with disappointment?