This has been a fun week here at Shacknews, with everyone chiming in on what to look forward to at E3 2015. Of course, I've had something of a less optimistic view on the event, already looking into this year's notable absences and big disappointments from last year's show. Maybe it's time to let a little more sunshine in. After all, E3 is one of the best weeks of the gaming year, a time to get excited about everything that is video games.
Fair enough, let's take a look at some of the big games from last year's show that did live up to the hype that they received. These are games from E3 2014 that met their lofty expectations and, in some cases, even exceeded them.
Alien: Isolation
There was a lot of skepticism for this one, given the spotty track record of the Aliens franchise. Many people remembered that the Aliens game that came before this one rode its own hype wagon before driving it straight into a wall. However, Alien: Isolation appeared to be different enough to warrant some cautious optimism.
Luckily for Aliens fans, Sega and The Creative Assembly were able to create a faithful experience that did the property justice. The Xenomorph was no longer the subject of a shooting gallery, but something to be legitimately feared. The game was all about staying as quiet as possible, knowing that the Xenomorph was lurking about nearby and could be attracted by the slightest sound. It was terrifying in every way. That terror was amplified that much more in virtual reality. Watching Andrew have a near-heart attack never gets old.
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS
Super Smash Bros. was always a fantastic series, but "Settle it in Smash!" caught on like wildfire after its E3 2014 appearance. Nintendo hyped this one to the Nth degree, featuring it on a massive screen in their booth. The excitement continued to grow, with a developer roundtable that unveiled beloved mascot Pac-Man as a playable character. The only real concern was whether online play would be stable or devolve into a Brawl-like mess.
While Super Smash Bros. for 3DS launched with some iffy online play (since fixed), Super Smash Bros. for Wii U was everything fans could hope for. It contained a massive roster, numerous game modes, and refined mechanics that made it closer to Melee while also finding its own distinct identity. It's one of the best games to own on Wii U, with enough replay value to justify a couple of matches before bed each night.
And yes, we definitely enjoyed it at E3.
Forza Horizon 2
Forza Horizon 2 turned out to be a very pleasant surprise at last year's E3. Boasting an open world that dwarfed the original Forza Horizon, the game included some beautiful locales, intuitive driving mechanics, and enjoyable activities and races. It definitely took many of us here at Shacknews off-guard, proving to be one of our favorite Xbox One games of the holiday season.
Forza Horizon 2 has only grown from there, with some sleek new vehicles and even a cool Fast & Furious expansion that ran for free for the first couple of weeks. It doesn't look to be finished yet, either. Just as Forza Motorsport 5 content was announced during the initial Forza Horizon 2 announcement, a new Porsche pack was announced earlier this week for the latter, just ahead of Microsoft preparing to release more information about Forza Motorsport 6.
Far Cry 4
The Ubisoft approach to Far Cry 4 at E3 2014 was two-fold. The publisher revealed more of the game's story, showing off the charismatic villain Pagan Min. It also showed off the game's co-op behind closed doors, where Steven Wong rode in an elephant while I feebly crashed my gyro-copter. Pro-fessional, baby!
Far Cry 4 wound up being a fantastic follow-up to the series' third game, offering up more of the same action while also including some new features. Drop-in, drop-out online co-op was a great way to give the game a little more life, as did the gyro-copter and the wing suit. And of course, there were the many different ways to raid fortresses that including recruiting killer honey badgers. Those are among the reasons why Far Cry 4 finished as our 2014 Game of the Year runner-up.
Splatoon
Nintendo surprised many during last year's E2 2014 Nintendo Direct when they announced their entry into the world of shooters. There were no bullets, soldiers, or any of the standard concepts of the genre. Instead, Splatoon was all about paint and territory control.
But as is often the Nintendo way, its unconventional approach proved to be incredibly fun. Splatoon has become one of the most addictive multiplayer games on Wii U, with different weapon types, amazingly competitive game modes, and a focus on splattering colors on the ground more than simply killing the opponent. The only real downside is that spawn-killing can get a little out of control, but for a first effort, Splatoon has been a breath of fresh air. It also helps that Nintendo is fully supporting it with new content on a regular basis. It's presence at E3 2014 was minimal, but it lived up to every bit of the promise it showed.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
About a week before E3 2014, Warner Bros. curiously delayed Batman: Arkham Knight from its projected October release all the way to 2015. The reason for this was not clear at the time. Then Warner Bros. and Monolith came to the show with Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor. Among the items on display was the game's Nemesis system, which would persist throughout the game. With Arkham-style combat sprinkled in, the reason for the delay was now clear. Warner Bros. wanted Shadow of Mordor to stand out on its own.
And stand out it did. The Nemesis system proved to be one of the most innovative ideas to hit games that year. With a gritty storyline and multiple ways to push that story forward, Shadow of Mordor was one of the best games to bear the Tolkien license. It also finished as the Chatty community's Game of the Year by a significant margin. In terms of living up to the hype, few did it better than Shadow of Mordor.
Dragon Age: Inquisition
The wounds from Dragon Age II were still fresh for many fans, with time and perspective only continuing to show that game as a disappointment. So there was some cautious optimism when Dragon Age: Inquisition came to E3 2014. The optimism grew slightly when BioWare kicked off the show by unveiling a 16-minute clip of the game. It looked like Inquisition might return the series to form.
Then November rolled around. Dragon Age: Inquisition as good as we had hoped. There was a massive world to play around in, with an intricate story that paved the way for many of the character and dialogue choices that BioWare had become known for. Dragons flew around everywhere, with each encounter proving awe-inspiring each time. The combat was tactical, detailed, and quick. The whole experience was easy to get lost in, whether playing alone or with friends. For those reasons and many more, Dragon Age: Inquisition was the Shacknews staff's 2014 Game of the Year, living up to the E3 hype and then some.
Any games from last year's big show that left you pleasantly surprised? Let us know in the comments. Enjoy E3 2015 next week and be sure to follow Shacknews for all the latest news from the show.
E3 2015: Games from E3 2014 that delivered
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