E3 is Over... What Will You Play Now?

E3 2015 is behind us and like many of you, we were pretty impressed by the show this year. It managed to surprise and awe a lot of us despite the deluge of leaks just prior to the show. Even the things that weren’t necessarily surprises managed to impress us beyond our expectations.

Bethesda comes to mind thanks to their first media briefing which publicly showed off Doom for the first time, got everybody pumped for a new Dishonored 2, and let Todd Howard take the show by storm with his awesome introduction to Fallout 4. It was also a significant conference because, more so than years prior, it emphasized the importance of women in our industry; both as developers and as characters. I am personally excited to see female characters taking a stronger role in some of our favorite franchises like Assassin’s Creed, Dishonored, and even Gears of War. But that’s an entire article for another time.

Like many of you, the end of E3 is usually the kickstart I need to plow through a few games that have been sitting on my Pile of Shame for too long. Here are a few games that I plan to play (some for the first time) now that the hype train has left the station.

Kingdom Hearts

Between Disney’s imminent and massive revival of Star Wars and my recent (and much needed) vacation with the girlfriend to Disney World, it’s been a huge year for me and the House of Mouse. My time spent there reminded me of just how magical and timeless Disney actually is. To top it all off, E3 was the official unveiling of Kingdom Hearts 3 with a sizable gameplay demonstration. As it turns out, the game looks absolutely beautiful and the brief demonstration was enough to bring all those fond Disney feelings back to the surface. For me, It is the perfect time to jump back into the franchise and play the two numbered entries in the series. It’s a series i’ve always been fond of but not one that I have devoted the time and attention I would have liked to in the past. Expect me to get started with Kingdom Hearts 1 before the end of 2015.

Dark Souls 1 & 2

With my ‘Souls training wheels’ officially removed thanks to Bloodborne, I finally feel like I have the understanding and confidence to take on the beloved Dark Souls series. The surprise announcement of Dark Souls 3 at E3 lit a fire under my ass and not only convinced me to return to the series but to go back to the beginning and play through Dark Souls 1 before playing 2; a thought i’ve wrestled with for quite a while. With Dark Souls conveniently on Sale during the Steam Summer sale, I was able to secure the ideal version of the game which I intend to start as soon as I get through the June releases.

Amnesia: The Dark Descent

Thanks to the deliciously atmospheric demo of SOMA at E3, playing through the original Amnesia shot to the top of my playlist. I had a wonderful and creepy experience with A Machine for Pigs (Check Out my Video Review!) despite hearing that the original is the superior game. With that said, it isn’t necessarily the terrifying gameplay that draws me to it but the other worldly vibe that drips from these games. The sound design compliments the storytelling and creates an atmosphere so unique that it has practically spun off into it’s own sub-genre of horror. It’s a series I can’t wait to go back to before getting a taste of their new IP in September. In fact, i’ll be starting the Amnesia: The Dark Descent Tonight on 4PP.tv starting at 9PM (CST)!

E3 was a hell of a show this year and there were A LOT of great games shown that could (and should) inspire you re-prioritize your pile of shame! Tell us about it in the comments!