Top 10 Games of E3 2010

That’s right, kids! The time of year when we knock our heads together and decide which games stole the show at E3 has arrived. This year we had particular trouble deciding not only on an overall winner, but on a top ten. We saw literally hundreds of games last week, some hands-off and some hands-on, some while wearing 3D glasses and some that didn’t need 3D glasses, some with a motion controller and some without a controller at all. Now we’ve had some time to digest them all (and get over our jetlag), we’ve come to a decision. Bam.

10. Child of Eden, Xbox 360, PS3 – Q Entertainment, Ubisoft – Out Q1 2011

In the midst of all the Wii Sports clones, yoga trainers and dance titles, one Kinect game managed to grab our attention more than any other at this year’s E3. That game was Child of Eden, the brainchild of the man behind Lumines, Space Channel 5 and Rez, namely Tetsuya Mizuguchi, The pedigree alone is enough to warrant attention, but watching Mizuguchi shoot abstract shapes in time to a funky beat live at the Ubisoft press conference was truly a sight to behold.

9. Epic Mickey, Wii – Junction Point, Disney – Out Autumn 2010

Aside from his appearances in Square Enix’s Kingdom Hearts series, Mickey Mouse has been starved of a video game appearance for quite some time. Disney Epic Mickey aims to change all that, and return the mischievous Mickey to his roots. Although the hero, the real star of the game is the host of forgotten Disney characters that have been brought back into the limelight. The game is a vibrant portfolio of Disney’s extensive history in the animation business, and a fantastic platformer to boot.

8. XCOM, Xbox 360, PC – 2K Marin, 2K Games – Out 2011

One of the more surprising entries on this list, perhaps, but 2K Marin’s XCOM immediately impressed us with its ’50s style and aliens that were genuinely… well, alien. It’s not yet clear to what extent the strategic elements will have a major bearing on gameplay, and hardcore fans of the original franchise may remain sceptical about the shift to a first person perspective. All the same, the demoed field mission looked extremely promising: fraught, tense, and loaded with the fear that only comes from fighting an enemy unknown.

7. Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds, Xbox 360, PS3 – Capcom – Out 2011

Few games playable on the E310 show floor commanded as much attention as MVC3. There was a tangible buzz as crowds gathered old-school arcade style to watch players beat the be-Jesus out of each other. And we purred as we got to grips with the likes of Devil May Cry’s Dante and Resident Evil’s Chris Redfield from Capcom, and Captain America and Deadpool from Marvel. The game looks amazing, too, with wonderfully detailed characters set on colourful and vibrant 3D arenas. Now all we need is confirmation that Thor is in the game and we’ll be in fighting game heaven.

6. Crysis 2, Xbox 360, PS3, PC – Crytek, EA – Out Autumn 2010

It’s hard not to be blown away by a game that actually spends most of its time trying to blow you away. When it does it in 3D as well… well, nerves are frayed and temples throb. Is Crysis 2 the best-looking game of all time? Killzone 3 might want in on that debate. We say: whatever! We came away from our 3D-enabled hands-on session with Crytek’s stunning shooter wishing the game’s Nano suit 2.0 was a real thing we could put on our credit card down the local Best Buy. Until then, memories of collapsing New York skyscrapers and crumbling train stations will have to suffice.

5. Gears of War 3, Xbox 360 – Epic Games, Microsoft – Out April 2011

Yes, it’s just another Gears of War game. And yes, it features muscle-bound space marines shooting hissing mutant aliens from behind cover. But wait! During Microsoft’s press conference we were treated to a live gameplay demo of perhaps the biggest innovation we’ve seen from Cliff Bleszinski’s chainsaw-em-up in years: four-player campaign co-op. It goes without saying that we were hugely impressed. Our follow-up chat with the main man only fuelled our excitement. Nice.

4. Halo: Reach, Xbox 360 – Bungie, Microsoft – Out September 14 2010

The same criticisms cynics level at Gears of War 3 probably apply to Halo: Reach. Here we have yet another Halo game in which you pew pew the Covenant with colourful plasma rifles. Bah. Halo: Reach looks the business. It’s powered by a brand new game engine, has jet packs, AND… space combat! That’s right kids, in one part of one mission in the campaign we’ll be shooting down Covenant bogeys Star Wars style. And that’s not all. Bungie promised us there’s even more surprises in store for us lucky Halo fans. September can’t come soon enough.

3. Portal 2, Xbox 360, PS3, PC – Valve, EA – Out 2011

Valve’s Portal was a breath of fresh air. An innovative and expertly crafted puzzle game that won game of the year awards left, right and centre. Portal 2, not surprisingly, is the sequel to that game. While the core mechanics have been left intact, Valve has introduced a host of new features to spruce up the experience. And you know what else? It supports co-op play. Which means you can look forward to four portals in a level at any given time. Mind-bending.

2. Killzone 3, PS3 – Guerrilla Games, Sony – Out February 2011

Even without the grandeur of 3D, and all the fuss that invariably comes with it, Killzone 3 looks stunning. It’s without doubt one of the sexiest games on the planet, but the more important thing is that it delivers a mean plate of piping hot action, too. The new Helghast jetpacks are a particular highlight, allowing players to hop around the beautiful scenery – or in the case of cack-handed players, to slip and fall to your icy doom. It’s a faster shooter than its forebear, and thanks to the gruesome new close-up executions, it’s darker than ever. We like.

1. Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Xbox 360, PS3, PC – Eidos Montreal, Square Enix – Out Early 2011

Our expectations were raised high after that glorious, show-stopping trailer, but did anyone seriously think that Eidos Montreal could deliver a game to match the hype? It seemed too much to ask, but somehow the studio stole this year’s E3. Despite our concerns to the contrary, Human Revolution displays a sharp awareness of what the Deus Ex license is: conspiracy, player choice and sharp, intelligent dialogue. While Crysis 2 and Killzone 3 offer better graphics, in a technical sense, the atmosphere of Deus Ex’s cyberpunk tomorrow is second to none. It also lets you use x-ray vision to detect a guard on the other side of the wall, then smash through to grab them with your mechanical fist, crushing their spine in your grip. In short: it looks godly.