I just went to the biggest video game show on the planet, and these are the 11 games you should be most excited about
- The year's biggest video game show, E3 2019 in Los Angeles, just concluded.
- I was there to cover the show, as I've done for the past 10 years.
- Having played a bunch of games and seen far more, I put together a definitive list of games you should be pumped for in the coming year.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
The shocking volume of video game news in the last week wasn't a coincidence - the biggest game show of the year, E3 2019, just concluded in Los Angeles on Thursday.
For the tenth year in a row, I was in Los Angeles covering the event. I attended press conferences, politely declined hors d'oeuvres, interviewed executives, played games, ate delicious LA food, and watched game demos for five days straight.
I'm happy to say that, after those five days, there are a ton of great games to be excited about in the coming year. Here's the best stuff I saw:
11. "Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order"
You don't need to be interested in "Star Wars" to be excited about "Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order." I'm not a major "Star Wars" fan, and what I saw looked great.
In short, the game looks and plays like a "Star Wars" game set in the trappings of "Uncharted" — a third-person action game with a mix of combat, platforming, and puzzle-solving that serves to tell a new story in the "Star Wars" universe.
I watched as the main character, Cal Kestis, snuck up on stormtroopers, solved basic puzzles, and climbed various structures — with the occasional break for a conversation or two with allies.
Platforms: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC
Release date: November 15, 2019
Check out "Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order" in action right here:
10. "Apex Legends: Season 2"
Since "Apex Legends" arrived in early February, it's become the standard background game in my life.
Unlike "Fortnite" or "PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds," "Apex Legends" has its hooks in me deep and I don't foresee it letting go anytime soon.
Which is why I was so incredibly excited to hear about the big updates coming in season two, which includes a new legend character, at least one new weapon, and major changes coming to how the Battle Pass system works.
Most exciting is that a new mode is coming to the game — a ranked mode — that will pair players of similar skill. And that's particularly thrilling for a game that's so incredibly competitive.
The new season of "Apex Legends" kicks off in early July, and you can bet I'll be there playing.
Platforms: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC
Release date: July 2, 2019
Check out "Apex Legends: Season 2" in action right here:
9. "Luigi's Mansion 3"
Luigi is often the butt of jokes — the lesser of the Mario Brothers, relegated to second player at best.
But in the "Luigi's Mansion" series, he's out there on his own as the star of the show. And in "Luigi's Mansion 3," he's on his toughest mission yet through a haunted hotel.
Frankly speaking, "Luigi's Mansion 3" was the most fun I had with any Nintendo game at the show. That includes the new "Pokémon" game and the next major "Legend of Zelda" game, "Link's Awakening." It's charming, and the gameplay is totally unique — capturing ghosts! — and there's even a bizarre new version of Luigi in it named "Gooigi."
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Release date: 2019
Check out "Luigi's Mansion 3" in action right here:
8. "DOOM Eternal"
The best game of 2016 is getting a huge sequel in 2019: "DOOM Eternal" is the direct sequel to the excellent reboot of the classic "DOOM" first-person shooter franchise.
I was lucky enough to actually go hands-on with "DOOM Eternal" at E3 2019, and was immediately enthralled once again by the fast-paced madness of its gameplay. In short, "DOOM Eternal" is a massive expansion on the already thrilling gameplay of the previous game.
All of the additions made in "Eternal" that I experienced — attachments for weapons that allow you to zip around the environment, and a new finishing move that nets you a burst of armor — build on the existing mechanics of the last entry. "DOOM Eternal" is likely to be one of the best games of the coming holiday season.
Platforms: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC
Release date: November 22, 2019
Check out "DOOM Eternal" in action right here:
7. "Cyberpunk 2077"
Is there anyone who doesn't want to play the game about the dystopian, cyberpunk future that co-stars Keanu Reeves?
That's "Cyberpunk 2077." It's an open-world, third-person action game set in a complex, futuristic city where no one can be trusted. It looks a lot like the video game version of "The Fifth Element," set in the city from "Akira."
"Cyberpunk 2077" has been one of the biggest games at E3 two years running — and there's good reason for that: It looks outrageous and fascinating.
Platforms: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC
Release date: April 16, 2020
Check out "Cyberpunk 2077" in action right here:
6. "Final Fantasy VII Remake"
Sorry, RPG fans: "Final Fantasy VII Remake" doesn't have the turn-based fighting you may be expecting.
Instead, it's much more of an action game.
In the 30 or so minutes of it that I played, I mostly controlled our hero, Cloud Strife, as he used his massive sword to swat at enemies. Occasionally I controlled Barrett Wallace, the gruff and muscle-y friend of Cloud, who also happens to have a gun arm.
I never played the original "Final Fantasy VII" because, frankly speaking, I'm not very interested in role-playing games in general. I missed the game way back in the late-'90s when it originally came out, and I never made the time to play it in the years since.
But spending time with the remake is something I'm looking forward to when it arrives next year.
Platforms: PlayStation 4
Release date: March 3, 2020
Check out "Final Fantasy VII Remake" in action right here:
5. "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2"
A new "Legend of Zelda" game — a direct sequel to the blockbuster Nintendo Switch game, "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" — was revealed this week by Nintendo.
A short clip of the prior game's main characters, Princess Zelda and Link, depicts them facing some form of new enemy in a dungeon. It also appears to tease at the return of series antagonist, Ganon, in an incarnation that seems to be inspired by his appearance in "The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker."
To be clear: We know next to nothing about this game. Nintendo wasn't showing it at E3. The tease was simply meant to tell fans that, yes, a new "Zelda" game is in production. That alone is thrilling news!
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Release date: Unknown
Read more about "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2" right here.
Check out "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2" in action right here:
4. "Watch Dogs Legion"
The "Watch Dogs" series is an underrated gem from Ubisoft, the French game company behind "Assassin's Creed" and "Splinter Cell" (among many others).
The new entry in the series, "Watch Dogs Legion," looks to be the most interesting yet: You play as a hacker in London, except you're not just playing as one individual. Instead, you're a legion of different people. Better still: You'll recruit more people as the game progresses, each with their own unique skills.
It's a unique twist on a game series that's already full of unique delights.
Platforms: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC, Google Stadia
Release date: March 6, 2020
Check out "Watch Dogs Legion" in action right here:
3. "Halo Infinite"
The new "Halo" is the next major entry in the long-running, first-person shooter series, and it once again features the iconic super-soldier Master Chief as its main protagonist.
And "Halo Infinite" is rife with nods to "Halo" tradition.
But let's be clear: It's not named "Halo 6" for a good reason. The game features a new art style, and is said to take the series in "new and unexpected directions." One of those unexpected directions: The next Xbox console. Microsoft revealed that "Halo Infinite" will be a launch game on the next Xbox console, codenamed Project Scarlett.
Platforms: Xbox One, PC, Project Scarlett (the next Xbox console)
Release date: Holiday 2020
Check out "Halo Infinite" in action right here:
2. "The Outer Worlds"
The creative duo behind the original "Fallout" are working together again on a new series that feels suspiciously familiar: It's called "The Outer Worlds."
The kitschy trailers for "The Outer Worlds" are a delight, and follow in the tradition of irreverent role-playing games like "Fallout."
The story is simple: "You awake from hibernation on a colonist ship lost in transit to its destination on the edge of the galaxy, only to find yourself in the midst of a deep conspiracy threatening to destroy the colony." How you play out that scenario is seemingly up to you.
This game looks very much like the alternative "Fallout" game I've been waiting for, and it's nearly here.
Platforms: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC
Release date: October 25, 2019
Check out "The Outer Worlds" in action right here:
1. "Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020"
"Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020" looks like a joyful, cheerful game.
It features Mario, and Sonic, and all the various supporting characters of their worlds, and they're all doing adorable stuff like surfing and skateboarding and various other Summer Olympic games.
If you've ever wondered what it'd be like if Dr. Robotnik took on Princess Peach in beach volleyball, this is the game to find out!
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Release date: November 2019