6. DOOM: Eternal
Like the gore in its games, the slow and literal burn leading up to DOOMGUY’s appearance cranked excitement levels up to 11 during BE3 2018 conference. Considering the time gap between the development hell of Doom 4 and DOOM (2016), there was hardly an established release cycle that could lead us to accurately predict its return at this year’s E3. But hell came, it conquered Earth, and we’re expecting more news at this year’s QuakeCon, where we may be introduced to several of the new demons creative director Hugo Martin mentioned. The sheer joy of cracking demon skulls in the first game is enough to make us wait for the sequel with heated breath. Here’s to the return of the greatest shooter of this generation.
5. Jump Force
Nobody was expecting one of the biggest fighting game mashups of this generation. Jump Force is Bandai Namco’s surprise to some of the biggest fandoms, and it’s here to remind everyone that anime is not a mistake. Needless to say, a lot of otakus were losing their minds as soon as Goku entered the screen, and many were losing their minds before that. Just a glimpse of the Straw Hat pirate ship would have been enough to induce some sweat. But we got more: Naruto, Frieza, and Kira crossed the screen in a single trailer, pushing personal hype levels to their outermost limits. The fact that we saw the gameplay, which looks outstanding, pushed Jump Force past other contenders for the no.6 spot. The surprise factor alone, coupled with the boldness of this crossover, left an outstanding first impression.
4. Devil May Cry V
More than five years have passed since the release of a Devil May Cry game, and the very last installment was polarizing when it arrived. On the one hand, Dante’s appearance and characterization had changed drastically. On the other, Ninja Theory delivered a pretty fun, action-driven narrative. Now, finally, Capcom is back with a sequel whose high-octane action sequences make it look better than anything we’ve seen before. The years leading to the reveal had only escalated our anticipation, but no one could be sure if 2018 would be the year. Very few probably expected the reveal to happen in the house of Microsoft at E3 2018. But it came, it surprised everyone, and it looks stunning. More importantly, so far as some fans are concerned, the narrative and aesthetic are more in line with the series we know. If not for the leaks leading up to our first taste of the game, it might be higher on this list for surprise factor. Nevertheless, 2019 can’t come soon enough.