[E3 2019] STAFF PICKS ⋆

With the final wave of Electronic Entertain Expo (also known as E3) 2019 briefings and announcements, some of us here at Rogues Portal have picked our personal favorites from the plethora of new games on the horizon!

Justin:

LUIGI’S MANSION 3 (Nintendo)

So, full disclosure, I am not a Nintendo person. The very last Nintendo product I dropped some money on was a 3DS, which I truly love, along with some old school games on their digital store. But that is kind of the limit of me putting my money down. I can appreciate the culture though! It’s always fun when a fave gets added to Smash Brothers.

But even I am not immune to the charms of Gooigi. Surely by now you have seen the new goo-clone co-star of the new Luigi’s Mansion installment, but even beyond that, I kiiiinda wanna get a Switch now? Nintendo had a pretty great showing overall with the Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 and Pokemon Sword/Shield showcases this year, but the more I think about it, the more I need Luigi’s Mansion 3. Expanding on the formula finally with co-op (player 2 taking control of Twitter’s current favorite slime guy right now), this new installment pits the two Luigis against a whole new mansion of ghosts n’ goblins with a new fully upgradable flashlight and vacuum combo.

I mean, in all honesty, I’m not shelling out for a whole new console just for ONE game, but the more I think about E3 2019, the more charmed I am with Luigi’s Mansion 3. Long Live the New Goo Flesh!

BALDUR’S GATE 3 (Larian Studios)

When I was a shitty pre-teen, there were two games that would keep me up to all hours, straining my eyes against the eldritch glow of a PC. Diablo and Baldur’s Gate. So you can imagine just how un-friggen-glued I became when I heard the announcement of Baldur’s Gate 3. Like a real deal, honest-to-God Baldur’s Gate 3!

Though we don’t have a lot of concrete information about the game thus far, aside from it will be set in the legendary Dungeons & Dragons locale AND will come correct with a goddamn PREQUEL MODULE heralding it’s release soon, the very idea of it coming makes me very excited. There are, like, two dozen games that are pretty integral to my taste as a “gamer” (yuck) and those fussy but textured-as-all-hell games are baked into my DNA, so I am very happy it is making it’s return (Eventually … hopefully).

DOOM ETERNAL (Bethesda)

I am a simple person, y’all. I like the simple things. I like gratuitous violence and chugging guitars. SUE me. But seriously, how goddamn fun does Doom Eternal look? Doubling down on the surprise response to the first entry (which truly kicks unholy ass), Bethesda unleashed a gory, kinetic demo displaying the game’s new weapons and dynamic transit system.

I worry that it might be a bit too “platformy” for my taste, but the speed and might of the game looks to be very much intact. Just in a much bigger demonic playground. Available in all manner of head-scratchingly fun collector’s editions, I have to say, I am there on day one, y’all. Even more so after this insane 10-minute display of the new Doom Guy’s bloodlust.

Brooke:

DEATHLOOP (Arkane Lyon)

The thing that really blew me away at E3 2019 was the reveal for Deathloop. Dinga Bakaba and Sebastien Mitton from Arkane Lyon came on stage to present it, and those two are developers with excellent stage presence. It’s really fun to watch their enthusiasm (the French accents don’t hurt, either). They described their new game as “innovative, stylish, and different” and the trailer sure plays that out. It had the style and energy of a ’70s blacksploitation film, which would be cool to see if it translates to the whole game. The premise, or what’s been teased of it, leaves me with lots of questions: how will this Groundhog Day with assassins storyline translate to game play? Will there be an element of time manipulation? Please, oh please will we get to choose which character to play as? The whole things looks unique, exciting, and sexy as hell, and I am here for it.

Steph:

GODS & MONSTERS (Ubisoft)

It looks like Ubisoft has fully embraced the intriguing mythology element from the past two Assassin’s Creed games and took it aside to make a brand new IP Gods & Monsters. Though I sort of wish the graphics were more in line with Assassin’s Creed (I’m a sucker for game realism), it still looks absolutely gorgeous and the game will more than likely be an immediate purchase for me.

Greek Gods. Everyone’s childhood mythological obsession is about to be playable, and I can not contain my excitement over the thought of battling mythological monsters and encountering fabled heroes and gods. Gods & Monsters is truly a contender to watch out for in the overwhelming RPG world of video games.