Image source: Szabó Viktor

Top 10 E3 2021 Announcements

As always, there was a lot of hype leading up to this year’s E3. Personally, I went in without any real expectations, and I came away from the event quite pleased with things overall.

There were some interesting new reveals and trailers, and even some smaller indie games that were revealed prior to E3 but the extra exposure from the E3 show definitely got more eyes on them than before - including mine!

Here are my personal Top 10 E3 2021 Announcements, and believe it or not I actually had to edit this list down from the 12 games I had in the original draft.

10. Redfall

Redfall grabbed my attention with its interesting contemporary setting featuring vampires and supernatural powers. This is an open world co-op FPS that will have a single-player mode, which makes me a little more interested, but it sounds like the real hook here is the 4-player co-op. I’m usually not that interested in online co-op games, since my friends and I tend to bounce between just a few of those at a time and there’s not usually room for anything new, but since Redfall is from Arkane Austin I think it has potential!

9. Starfield

Starfield is a game I (and probably many other Bethesda RPG fans) have been curious about for a few years now, and after the trailer my level of curiosity has only increased. Mainly because I want to know what Creation Engine 2 means for the gameplay and modding scene.

Unfortunately, no gameplay was shown in the trailer, but it’s exciting to have a set release date. If Starfield’s gameplay is fun and the PC modding community takes to it like they did Skyrim or Fallout 4, this is probably a game both PatronusLight and I will end up sinking quite a bit of time into someday!

8. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Extraction

This might be a surprise to see here since I said just a few entries ago that I’m not that interested in online co-op games, but if I told you my friends and I used to play the Terrorist Hunt mode in Rainbow Six Siege it might make more sense. I’m not one for PvP multiplayer modes, but a good PvE experience set in the Rainbow Six universe seems like something my friends and I could get into!

It sounds like there’s enough new stuff in this PvE mode compared to Terrorist Hunt that it’d be worth our time to check out. But if this launches at US$60 it’ll probably be too steep to justify the purchase, but if it’s cheaper than that or if there’s a good sale sometime after launch, I might check this out.

7. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2

I have a love-hate relationship with the original Breath of the Wild. Playing the first game, I alternated between really enjoying this new open-world version of Hyrule, and being really irritated at its puzzles and combat. For whatever reason, those two parts just never really clicked with me.

Having said that, even I can’t help but be excited by the reveal of Breath of the Wild 2. The premise of having floating islands and so much explorable stuff throughout the sky sounds great! Whenever this game launches in 2022, it’s not something I’d pick up right away given my feelings about its predecessor, but I might give it a try later on when it’s on sale.

6. Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp

This one looks pretty good, I played the first game for the first time just last year but I haven’t played the 2nd game. I think I’m more excited about the fact that we’re seeing some life in the Advance Wars series than I am about this game specifically.

The only thing I’m not sold are some of the 3D infantry models, but the pseudo-2D models for the COs they showed looked pretty good. Nintendo’s website shows the price as $59.99 right now. I wouldn’t pay that much for this, especially since I’d only really get it for Advance Wars 2. Maybe it’s something I might pick up on sale a year or more after launch.

5. Metal Slug Tactics

Though not actually part of E3 2021 since it was announced at the Summer Games Fest 2021 event just prior to E3, I’m including it because I don’t know when else I’ll get a chance to mention how cool and unexpected this reveal was. Sorry Geoff Keighley.

I haven’t played that much Metal Slug, but I’ve really liked the small bits of frantic, run ‘n’ gun action I’ve experienced. The pixel art and music have really impressed me, but I’m not very good at the games!

I’m hoping that Metal Slug Tactics is more up my alley. The visuals and music from the trailer look and sound awesome. It looks like they’ve really captured the spirit of Metal Slug here, and I’m excited to give this game a try someday!

4. Dark Deity

Dark Deity is an indie strategy RPG that was featured at the Future Games Show during E3. It’s clearly inspired by the Fire Emblem series, especially the GBA Fire Emblem games, and that’s a great thing in my opinion! Like, it basically looks like the battle animations of a GBA Fire Emblem game combined with the character portraits and dialogue of Path of Radiance. That’s a wonderfully nostalgic combination for me!

Dark Deity was actually announced well before E3, having been revealed in early 2020, but I hadn’t heard of it until I caught wind of it in a recap of the Future Games Show. In a surprise announcement, it’s actually out now, having released just a few days after its E3 showing. I’m Definitely going to keep an eye on this one for a sale! I would jump in sooner but with my backlog being what it is, I can definitely afford to wait to buy it. I’m still excited to eventually play it though, and it’s good to see that it seems to be doing quite well on Steam following its release!

3. Danganronpa: Decadence

Here’s a welcome port: the Danganronpa trilogy is coming to Switch! In addition, this collection also includes Danganronpa S, a new RPG built around an expanded version of the bonus game from Danganronpa V3.

I probably won’t re-play the games in the trilogy when we get this, but I would definitely play some Danganronpa S. I was really surprised at how much was packed into the bonus game of Danganronpa V3, so if it’s like that game mode but with even more features, then it sounds like a good time.

PatronusLight also hasn’t played these games before, so this would be nice way for her to experience them all. I mean, we’ve watched Let’s Plays of them together before, but she only just started playing Danganronpa Trigger Happy Havoc herself the other day. This collection might be the way she plays the second and third games in the trilogy for the first time, and if nothing else, it will be a nice addition to our video game collection.

2. Metroid Dread

My initial reaction to this reveal: I can’t believe Metroid 5 is really happening!

Visually, Metroid Dread looks like a more impressive version of Metroid: Samus Returns on 3DS, and will bring back some of the features of that game as well, like Samus’s ability to parry enemy attacks.

The previous, 4th game in the series, Metroid Fusion - you know, the one that released on the Game Boy Advance back in 2002 - had a few intense encounters with an invincible enemy called the SA-X. It seems like Metroid Dread is doubling down on that feature, and will feature lethal robot enemies that pursue Samus relentlessly if they see her, and can’t be defeated by her regular weapons. That’s an interesting enough premise, and it will probably add a layer of tension to the exploration that we’ve never seen before in a Metroid game.

Honestly, I never expected this game to exist, but I’m glad that Nintendo is pursuing their relationship with MercurySteam further and letting them continue the Metroid series with an original game. I couldn’t be happier! This is my absolute favorite reveal of E3 2021, and I’m super excited that I’ll be able to play it in just a few short months.

1. Shin Megami Tensei V

Shin Megami Tensei V was the game I wanted to see at E3 this year, and I was not disappointed! It looks so good, I need it!

The music sounds awesome from the bits of it underneath the narration in the English E3 trailer, I can’t wait for this OST. Shin Megami Tensei IV had enemies showing up in the overworld, but they were all the same shadowy figures. Actually seeing what the demons are in the overworld is a big addition to the series, that’s going to be really cool! When all the demons are already 3D modeled, I guess it makes sense to put those models to use in the overworld as well. And of course, the cherry on top of all this is the wonderful Press Turn battle system, this version of which looks like it will be just as fantastic as always.

I only got into SMT recently, so I haven’t been waiting for SMT V for very long at all, but I’m still pumped for a new entry in the series. I can only imagine how awesome this must be for longtime SMT fans!

It’s a little funny that both games I’m most excited for are the fifth main entries in their respective series!