E3 2012: Best games from the show

The Gadget Show  Friday 08 June 2012

As E3 2012 is done and dusted and the long wait till E3 2013 begins, it’s time to look back on the best games from this year’s show. There have been plenty of great titles to gawp at, some more so than others. Join us as we sift through some of our favourites, and the ones most likely to have gamers saving up the pennies.



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Assassin’s Creed 3 
 Just when the Assassin’s Creed series was in danger of getting stale, Ubisoft shows us why we loved the series in the first place. The third outing takes place in 1775 America. You play as Native American Assassin Connor, who on this evidence looks more deadly and agile than both Ezio and Altair combined. One of the things Ubisoft has done is encourage quicker gameplay, evident in a demo shown at E3 letting us see Connor make like a tree-hopping-tomahawk-wielding killing machine with a penchant for Parkour. The best Assassin’s Creed yet? It could be.

Beyond: Two Souls The latest game from the makers of Heavy Rain centres around a young woman with paranormal abilities, played by Ellen Page. It’s a mysterious thriller that’s already looking as emotional and atmospheric as Heavy Rain, but more action-filled.

Dead Space 3 Dead Space 2 was survival horror at its very best. So there are high hopes that Dead Space 3 will live up to expectations. A new Necromorph plague has taken over. Once again it’s up to engineer Isaac Clark, this time paired with soldier John Carver to see what’s up, as they seek to put an end to the deadly threat once and for all.

Far Cry 3 You play as young tourist Jason Brody who finds himself trapped on a tropical island with some very deranged inhabitants. Thankfully for us, the ensuing carnage results in lots of jungle shootery and combat, as Brody looks to escape the deceptively idyllic setting.

Gears of War: Judgment 
The new Gears of War sees the action from the point of view of Gears’ Baird – who we’ve already seen in past Gears of War games. Gears of War: Judgment may tale place five years before the original game in the series, but it promises just as much chainsaw-gunning action.

Halo 4 Set five years after Halo 3, Halo4 sees the famous Master Chief travel to an unchartered world to explore and investigate a new evil threatening doom to mankind. Halo 4 is the start of a new series of Halo games. Halo 4 looks like being the beginning of something very new and exciting for Halo fans. This is far from the last time we’ll be seeing Master Chief.

LEGO City Stories Think Grand Theft Auto meets LEGO and you’ll come close to what LEGO City Stories is. Taking on the mantle of a plastic hero, players will go on adventures within the city, completing odd jobs, and capturing criminals. The Wii U-exclusive uses Nintendo’s tablet-style controller to give players a constant, interactive view of the city. We look forward to seeing what else developer Travellers Tales does with the Wii U here. 


New Super Mario Bros U Nintendo wants to make gaming more social. That makes New Super Mario Bros. 2 the most social Mario game yet. Fans can expect the usual dose of cleverly designed platforming action, and the ability to send instant messages to friends while playing online. Other new Wii U-specific abilities include new co-operative modes that’ll change the way we games together. 



Pikmin 3 For many, Pikmin 3 was the star of Nintendo’s E3. Pikmin 3 presents a more refined Pikmin experience, with higher resolution visuals that bring to life each of the little Pikmin creatures you get to control. On top of new abilities, the Wii U will let players check the status of each Pikmin leader using the Wii U controller’s display, leaving the television screen free of clutter, so you can concentrate on gawping at the lush visuals on display. 


Star Wars 1313 
Star Wars 1313 explores the underground world of the planet of Corucusant. Players are in control of a bounty hunter out to uncover the truth behind a conspiracy. It looks amazing. So amazing in fact, that some have questioned whether the images and videos on display at E3 reveal a next-gen console title. The level of lighting, physics, and visuals on display are of levels yet to be seen on any home console. Star Wars 1313 was running on a current-generation PC, but we think it’s one to keep an eye on for a future console appearance.

The Last of Us On the face of it, The Last of Us sounds like your generic post apocalyptic tale, until you realise it’s being developed by Naughty Dog. Yup – those same guys behind the fantastic Uncharted series. A viral epidemic has broken out across Pittsburgh, leaving most of its inhabitants zombie-like. You play as survivor Joel, accompanied by 14-year-old Ellie as they attempt to make it out alive. 



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Phew. What a bunch of games, eh? The above is just a selection of many to look forward to over the coming year. Which games your fancy the most? Have we missed out any of your favourites? Let us know in the comments below.