The E3 Watchlist - 2018

I may have recently put myself down for compiling an E3 watchlist last year, but that won't stop me from doing it all again. After all, can you really award yourself the coveted "gamer" status if you don't pointlessly list the games at E3? I think not.

This year, I tried to limit my excitement so my list would be full of things I actually play. And while only a handful of games grabbed my attention, they grabbed hard (gross).

Hitman 2

Sure, the naming conventions for the Hitman series are confusing. That hasn't stopped my unfettered excitement for this sequel. Gameplay videos show that it's more of what I love. Even the little sniper minigame you get for preordering the game is fun and clever. The game is no longer episodic, which has its good and bad points. Still, I played the last one after all the episodes had come out, and that didn't stop it from becoming an all-time favorite. I have very high hopes for Hitman 2, but hopefully WB Games doesn't get their greedy claws too far in.

Doom Eternal

Hell. On. Earth!! Along with Hitman, Doom easily topped the list of 2016's best games. Both of them getting sequels is fantastic news! We only have a CG trailer so far for Doom Eternal, but even that gives a good idea of what to expect. Revenants, Cacodemons, Hell Barons, and Hentai Tentacles blowing shit up and just begging to be ripped and/or torn. Not to mention, there's a certain man in a robot body whose ass needs to be kicked.

Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course

This is another easy one. An addition to my game of the year is put on the watchlist right away. Even this short trailer made me laugh with Mugman's little dance. Look at him go! A new playable character, new bosses, and new items? Come on, now. Plus, the DLC appears to be food-themed, which is scientifically the best video game level theme.

Cyberpunk 2077

My typical rule of thumb is that robots rule and elves drool. Accordingly, I've never touched the Witcher, but it has to be renowned for good reason. With CD Projekt Red moving to sci-fi, they've officially gone up my alley. Cyberpunk 2077 was surely the biggest presence at E3. Nearly everyone seemed to be singing its praises. Hell, I haven't seen gameplay of the thing, but hearing folks describe the demo (and that sweet logo) got me interested. It could be years before Cyberpunk releases, but I already want to get lost in a cyber city and live a Synthetic Life.

Ye Olde Stuff

Spider-Man, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, and Ghost of Tsushima weren't announced this year, but they all look cool. Spider-Man has the potential to be a rad superhero game if not especially ground-breaking. Hearing the changes in Ori get me very excited to feel sad all over again. And just looking at the Japanese countryside is enough to put my jaw on the floor. I can tell you one thing - I am most definitely NOT going to be waddling around and ripping peoples throats in Last of Us 2. I prefer my games to have some... you know, joy.

But by far, the biggest left field reveal was

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Will this game be the one to get me in Switch City? Pulling out my machine and throwing down with some friends anywhere is a nice image. At a quick glance Ultimate seems to be very much the port I expected. Close up, though, there are some substantial changes that I notice. After all, I've spent probably years of my life playing these games. Surprisingly, each of the reported 10,000 changes looks like it improves the experience. Plus, EVERYONE IS BACK! The Fire Emblem characters are less noticeable now that they only take up a third of the cast. I kid. Bringing everything Smash under one roof is a smart idea. If you don't care for Smash, I'm sorry Nintendo brought nothing else. But for me, this game could potentially see countless hours of play.

I feel pretty good about my chances of playing these games. I haven't heard a bad thing about any of them, so barring a Battlefront-type debacle by excitement is on high. What about you? Do you agree with me? Do you have your own favorite hot titles? Let me know, and until next time, stay locked down my friends.