One thing can be said for E3 this year- it was about the games more than anything else. With the next generation of gaming kicking into full gear with two new platforms from Sony and Microsoft, we saw more new games from franchises old and new on such a wide array of hardware than ever before. This year it was particularly hard deciding which of these were the best of the best, so without further ado, we present Gaming Trend’s Best of E3 2013- Games by Genre:
Best Role-Playing Game of E3 2013
The nominees:
- Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt
- South Park: The Stick of Truth
- The Elder Scrolls Online
- Final Fantasy XV
The winner:
Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt
Our winner for Best PC game AND Best Graphics takes the prize for Best RPG- Witcher 3. The conclusion to the adventures of Geralt of Rivia, this title boasts 100 hours of gameplay with half of that being the main storyline. With 7 endings, the game also sports replayability on top of that massive number. We can’t wait!
Best Shooting Game of E3 2013
The nominees:
- Titanfall
- Destiny
- Killzone: Shadowfall
- Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare
The winner:
Titanfall
No shooter at the show this year captivated us as much as Respawn’s amazing new title; As the two screens came to life in the demo theater, we weren’t quite prepared for the subsequent reveal of it being a live demo as they pulled aside the curtains and showed us the rest of the team with controllers in hand. These guys revolutionized the genre once before and they are definitely poised to do so again.
Best Racing Game of E3 2013
The nominees:
- Drive Club
- Mario Kart 8
- Forza Motorsport 5
- Need For Speed Rivals
The winner:
Need For Speed Rivals
Racing games generally have two different directions they can go in- hardcore simulations like Gran Turismo or nitrous-injected arcade style bash-em-ups like Need For Speed. Needless to say, we here at Gaming Trend like a little intrigue with our racing so it should come as no surprise that Rivals gets our choice this year. The multiplayer demo between street racers and police got our blood pumping and eager for more!
Best Online Multiplayer Game of E3 2013
The nominees:
- The Elder Scrolls Online
- Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn
The winner:
The Elder Scrolls Online
We are HUGE fans of the Elder Scrolls series here at Gaming Trend, and to say we are excited about finally playing a massively multiplayer game in the continent of Tamriel is something of an understatement. After playing the demo for a while at E3 this year, there is no doubt in our minds that Bethesda is going to live up to the series’ high standards of storytelling and custom playability.
Best Action/ Adventure Game of E3 2013
The nominees:
- Infamous: Second Son
- Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag
- Thief
- Ryse: Son of Rome
The winner:
Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag
After the mixed bag that was Assassin’s Creed III, we were all a little doubtful that a sequel so soon would be compelling enough to revisit the multi-generational tale of assassin’s and templars. Boy, were we wrong; Black Flag looks to deliver on everything III didn’t, and the seamless naval combat features punctuate and expand on our favorite part of the last game.
Best Music/ Rhythm Game of E3 2013
The nominees:
- Rocksmith 2014
- Fantasia: Music Evolved
The winner:
Fantasia: Music Evolved
When Disney and Harmonix announced this title just before E3 started, we weren’t sure what to think about it. Now that we’ve seen it and played it, we get it and can’t wait to see what else the game has to offer. Through physical manipulation via the Kinect, Fantasia delivers on the original promise Walt Disney made decades ago when the animated feature debuted- an imaginative excursion into sound and color, and Harmonix once again proves who the master of this genre is.
Best Fighting Game of E3 2013
The nominees:
- Dive Kick
- Super Smash Bros. Wii U
- Killer Instinct
The winner:
Killer Instinct
Rare’s venerable fighting franchise made a comeback this year, bringing with it a new commercial model (game and 1 character-Jago- are free, but you have to play to unlock the others). Just hearing the character names spoken out loud on the introduction screens was enough to get us excited, but actually playing it with amazing next-gen graphics? Yes, it’s time to throw down!
Best Strategy Game of E3 2013
The nominees:
- Pikmin 3
- Total War: Rome 2
- Company of Heroes 2
- Command & Conquer
The winner:
Command & Conquer
The free-to-play model has been gaining considerable steam lately, and the full refresh of Command & Conquer looks to be the game that erases the stigma of cheapness finally- yes, free CAN be good, in fact it can be GREAT, and C&C’s incredible graphics (thanks to the Frostbite engine) and that familiar gameplay definitely show that EA isn’t cutting any corners.
Best Party Game of E3 2013
The nominees:
- Lego Marvel Super Heroes
- Disney: Infinity
- Skylanders Swap Force
The winner:
Disney: Infinity
At first glance, Infinity looks like a blatant attempt to cash in on the surprise success of the Skylanders franchise. Yes, there are some similarities, but two things differentiate this game significantly: The amazing properties Disney has access to and the Toybox concept where all of those properties can intermingle and co-exist. The possibilities are, well, infinite.
Best Sports Game of E3 2013
The nominees:
- Madden NFL 25
- FIFA 14
- NHL 14
- NBA Live 14
The winner:
FIFA 14
The new features of the Ignite Engine bring football (that’s Soccer to you North American folks) to life in a way we’ve not seen on any title to date. The fluidity of movement and the player AI both look to raise the bar for football. We are eager to see how it all comes together for the full product.
Best Puzzle Game of E3 2013
The winner:
Scribblenauts Unmasked
We didn’t see much in the way of puzzle games this year, but even if we did, Scribblenauts Unmasked would have likely taken the award home. The thrill of being able to type in just about anything and have it manifest in the game gets even better when you include everyone and everything from the DC Universe.
Best Platforming Game of E3 2013
The nominees:
- Super Mario 3D Land
- Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
- Cloudberry Kingdom
- Rayman Legends
The winner:
Super Mario 3D Land
If there’s one thing Nintendo can do exceedingly well, it’s platformers. When you throw in Mario, Luigi, and the rest of the Mushroom Kingdom cast what you’ve got is the best ‘comfort food’ a console platforming game can offer. 3D Land delivers on all levels that a Mario game usually does, but includes a few new twists and gameplay elements to keep things fresh.
Check back with us tomorrow for our final installment of awards- Gaming Trend’s Best of E3 2013- Everything Else.
Mike Dunn is the old man of Gaming Trend, having cut his teeth on Atari consoles and First Edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons back in the day. His involvement with Gaming Trend dates back to 2003, and he’s done everything from design and code to writing and managing. Now he has come full circle, with a rekindled passion for tabletop gaming and a recent debut as Dungeon Master (nearly forty years after he purchased the original DMG).
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