E3 2011: Trends and Awards

This year's E3 was an interesting one. A new console from Nintendo, a new portable from Sony, and an absolute deluge of quality titles due out between now and Christmas. I will reserve my comments on the Wii U for a separate dedicated post and focus this post on software. With the current generation of consoles getting rather long in the tooth and new console announcements anticipated for next E3, this is the last year for polished, big name titles before developers start to shift their resources to the next gen. And boy did game makers deliver.

Forget what the meh monkeys say, this was the best E3 in years for quality games. With new and surprise announcements, amazing titles due throughout 2012, and a ton of games due out in the later half of 2011, attendees sure were busy. To be quite honest, I didn't feel any of the big three had anything special at their press conferences, so calling a winner is a moot point. If I had to pick a company winner, I'd say EA had the best showing with quality racing, sports, shooting, and RPG titles.

But without further ado, here is my list of can't miss core games for 2011, games to watch for 2012, and my show awards:

2011 -
Uncharted 2
Zelda: Skyward Sword
Rage
Battlefield 3
Modern Warfare 3
Gears of War 3
Arkham City
Elder Scrolls: Skyrim

2012 -
Fable: The Journey
Mass Effect 3
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning
Bioshock Infinite
Ghost Recon Future Soldier
Far Cry 3
Halo 4
Overstrike
Brothers in Arms: Furious Four

Disappointment of Show -
Bodycount (Runner Up - Lack of any Halo Anniversary)

Surprise of Show -
Far Cry 3 (Runner Up - Prey 2)

Best Motion Game -
Fable: The Journey (Runner Up - Zelda Skyward Sword)

Best Family Game -
Once Upon A Monster (Runner Up - Disney Kinect Adventures)

Best Downloadable Game -
Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet

Best Sports Game -
FIFA 2012 (Runner Up - Madden 12)

Best racing Game -
Need For Speed: The Run

Best Adventure Game -
Bioshock Infinite (Runners Up - Uncharted 3 and Arkham City)

Best Third Person Shooter -
Gears of War 3 (Runner Up - Ghost Recon Future Soldier)

Best RPG -
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning (Runners Up - Elder Scrolls: Skyrim and Mass Effect 3)

Best First Person Shooter -
Rage (Runner Up - Far Cry 3)

Game of Show:
Bioshock Infinite (Runner Up - Rage)


Well that's it for E3 2011. Thanks for those who tolerated my tweets and ramblings. Wishing safe travels home for all my fellow nomadic nerds and to my E3 peeps, I have started counting the days until E3 2012. Happy gaming to all!!!



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