The 12 most-anticipated games of E3 2019
It’s been in development in Canada for years, but only now has Square Enix decided to lift the lid on its Marvel supergame. Given Marvel has now conquered cinemas worldwide with Endgame, expectations are high for a video game that captures the thrill and lovable camp of the Avengers universe, rather than formulaic action games that rely entirely on the draw of the licence.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
This year’s Call of Duty borrows the name of the most acclaimed (and, dare we say, most interesting) game in the series’ history, 2007’s Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, and it’s going for a “horrors of war” vibe, from counterterrorism to Middle East militias. This sits uneasily with the series’ reputation as a fun gung-ho time playing soldiers: will it be interested in exploring military combat instead of (or as well as) fetishising it?
Control
For supernatural action-adventure Control, Remedy Entertainment has borrowed some themes from Quantum Break, a transmedia experiment that was meant to be accompanied by its own TV show, and elements from its previous hits Alan Wake and Max Payne. Here, the director of a secret government agency must use her telekinetic powers to battle an evil entity that has invaded from another reality. Expect spooky encounters in grand New York locations as well epic scenery-chucking battles.
Doom Eternal
The demonic godfather of the shooter genre returns with a direct sequel to the 2016 remake. This time the hellish action hits Earth with twice as many demon types as Eternal’s predecessors, including redesigned favourites such as Arachnotron and newcomers the gigantic axe-wielding marauders. Expect hyper-aggressive, blood-splattered mayhem from the outset.
Halo Infinite
Halo Infinite is being billed as a return to what made the series great in the first place – which means Master Chief as the focus, and lots of intense multiplayer action. It’s rumoured we can expect some deeper character growth and a narrative that adapts to player decisions. But the most enticing speculation is that it could be the grand launch title for an Xbox One successor …
Pokémon Sword and Shield
The world is once again at a peak of Pokémania this year following the release of Detective Pikachu, and like the film these Nintendo Switch Pokémon games are visually inspired by the UK. We’re hoping for a significant shake-up of this venerable series, as the Nintendo Switch opens up new possibilities for fighting, collecting and connecting with other players.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Set in the early days of the Galactic Empire, Jedi: Fallen Order sees young Jedi Cal Kestis hiding out on the planet Bracca, but secretly looking to reestablish the order alongside his faithful droid assistant BD-1. Built around lightsaber combat, players will hone their skills as they take on stormtroopers and Jedi hunters across the galaxy. Created by Titanfall and Apex Legends studio Respawn Entertainment, this could be the epic third-person Star Wars adventure we’ve been waiting for.
Animal Crossing
The chillest capitalist fantasy in video games returns later this year, offering a far-fetched alternate reality where you can afford to buy a house in a nice village with a steady job that lets you work your own hours. Millions of people have spent countless hours leading a peaceful existence alongside quirky animal companions on the GameCube, Nintendo DS and 3DS iterations of Animal Crossing, so hopefully the Switch version will bring something new to its familiar life-simulation mix of socialising, home-decorating and fishing.
Cyberpunk 2077
It might hew to the conventions of the cyberpunk genre (crime-ridden cities, nihilistic characters, sex and violence), but then this game is based on the table-top role-playing game that helped establish those conventions – and it’s a gigantic, amazing-looking role playing adventure that promises a lot of choice and freedom to the player. Anything from the makers of Witcher 3 is sure to be special.
Ghost Recon Breakpoint
Like its predecessor, Wildlands, the newest title in Ubisoft’s co-op tactical shooter series takes place in a vast space. But this time it’s a Pacific island rather than Bolivia, and there’s a greater emphasis on survival as your squad attempts to stay alive in the jungle wilderness, healing injuries, upgrading abilities and using natural camouflage while tracking down a rogue Ghost unit. Think Bear Grylls meets Metal Gear Solid 4.
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne
An outlet for the slavering carnivore within us all, Monster Hunter is one of the best action games out there, pitting you against gigantic beasts that are far more likely to eat you for breakfast than succumb to your sword. This sequelsized expansion to last year’s excellent Monster Hunter World will take us to a new frost-covered continent to investigate and hunt the local wildlife. Everything that Capcom has released in the past few years has been excellent, so expectations are high for this.
Afterparty
Milo and Lola are best friends who died young – and now they’re partying in hell. Unsurprisingly, it’s not as much fun as it sounds, but if they manage to meet Satan himself and outdrink him, there might be a way back to the world above. Afterparty’s sharp, funny, surprising dialogue and weird premise are a throwback to the great adventure games of the 90s, and it would be great to see more of this epic underworld bender next week.
Also look out for …
… George RR Martin has reportedly been consulting on a new game by FromSoftware in Japan, makers of Sekiro and Dark Souls, so we might get to find out what that is. Microsoft has been acquiring studios left, right and centre over the past few years and will have plenty of new games to announce alongside a likely next Xbox console. Details of Ubisoft’s next Watch Dogs title have been leaked, apparently confirming the title Watch Dogs Legion and a post-Brexit London setting. And finally, Google’s new Stadia streaming service is gearing up to announce games, pricing and release dates at E3 – expect an exclusive.
• E3 2019 is at Los Angeles Convention Center, 11-13 June.