11 Games at E3 2021 We’re Looking Forward to Playing

The first day of E3 has just wrapped, treating the world to a slew of announcements, trailers and deep dives for some of the biggest games launching in the near future.

There’s definitely a lot to unpack, and we’re just as excited at getting our hands on these games as everyone else. Here are some of the titles we’re looking forward to playing.

Starfield

Microsoft kicked off its E3 showcase with a bang, debuting a new teaser for the highly-anticipated science-fiction RPG Starfield. It’s being developed by Bethesda Game Studios, the same team that brought us the Elder Scrolls and Fallout games. As such, Starfield will have a lot of similarities to those aforementioned franchises. But it will also introduce a number of new systems that will make it a wholly new experience.

Not much is known about the game yet as the teaser doesn’t show off actual gameplay footage. What we do know for sure is that space travel is a big part of the game.

Starfield is releasing exclusively on the Series X|S and PC on 11 November 2022. It will also be available on Xbox Game Pass on day one. It’s looking pretty unlikely that the game will be ported to the Playstation 5 as Microsoft bought out Bethesda’s parent company, ZeniMax Media, last year in a multi-billion dollar deal, grating it some form of exclusivity in the developer’s games.

The Outer Worlds 2

Speaking of games set in space, 2019’s The Outer Worlds is getting a sequel. It’s still in early development, but Obsidian Entertainment said that this new entry will take us to new solar systems with new characters. We’re assuming that it will retain the original’s choice-driven RPG formula and improve upon the first-person gameplay.

No release date has been revealed as of yet.

Elden Ring

When Elden Ring was first revealed close to 2 years ago, it was received with much fanfare. But since then, we haven’t hear anything about the game at all. Well, until now. During the Summer Game Fest presentation, Bandai Namco dropped a new trailer featuring gameplay footage and it doesn’t disappoint.

From the Soulsbourne style of combat, the epic setting, the distinctive enemy designs and the ominous atmosphere, Elden Ring is shaping up to be another blockbuster hit for developer FromSoftware. Plus, Game of Thrones writer George R.R. Martin will be behind the game’s story and lore. This game just cannot come out soon enough.

Elden Ring hits the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC on 21 January 2022.

Forza Horizon 5

Rev up those engines as Forza Horizon 5 is… on the horizon. Microsoft offered an extended look at the racing sim, showcasing some of the rolling hills, rocky crags and sandy beaches of Mexico, one of the game’s main locales. Like other entries in the franchise, this one looks to be pure eye-candy, with developer Playground Games now using next-gen hardware, complete with ray-tracing effects and 4K visuals.

The game will also feature the largest open-world in Forza yet, an increased focus on story, along with a new Events Lab mode, which lets you create your own races, game modes, and mad cap challenges.

Forza Horizon 5 launches on Xbox Series X|S and PC on 9 November 2021.

Battlefield 2042

Structural and vehicular destruction has always been a huge part of Battlefield games. Battlefield 2042, however, will likely take it up a few notches by adding level-changing weather systems into the mix, such as dust tornadoes. Additionally, the gameplay trailer gives us a peek at new tools we could use in battles like the grappling hook and the wingsuit. It just looks oh-so crazy and chaotic, in the best way possible.

Not to mention that Battlefield 2042 features a mode that supports up to 128 players on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC, a new record for the franchise. It will also introduce Hazard Zone, a mode which EA described as “a tense experience that combines edge-of-your-seat gameplay with the best of the Battlefield sandbox”.

Battlefield 2042 releases on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S|X and PC on 22 October 2021.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora

In a surprise announcement at its pre-E3 showcase, Ubisoft gave us our first look at Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, a new first-person action-adventure game set in James Cameron’s Avatar universe. You play as one of the Na’Vi, the 10-foot-tall natives of the planet Pandora, as you fight against the humans threatening your home.

The game is being built on Ubisoft’s Snowdrop Engine, the same engine used to power The Division 2. And if the trailer is any indication, it will look absolutely stunning. After all, it’s being developed exclusively on new hardware.

Ubisoft has yet to share any concrete gameplay or release details. All we know so far is that the game is expected to launch sometime in 2022 for the PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Google Stadia and Amazon Luna.

Diablo II: Resurrected

It won’t be long now until we’re back to once again crawling the dungeons of Sanctuary and fighting off the forces of The Burning Hells, as it’s now been announced that Diablo II: Resurrected is coming out on 23 September 2021.

Fans of the original already know the monumental impact of this game on the industry as a whole. But for those who are diving in for the first time, this is the best way to do so, with Resurrected retaining the original’s core code while updating the visuals and sound. This is also the best way to scratch that Diablo itch while we all wait for Diablo 4.

Diablo II: Resurrected will be available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and PC.

Guardians of the Galaxy

The long-rumoured Guardians of the Galaxy game is here, and it’s actually coming sooner than we thought. Square Enix at its E3 showcase dropped the first trailer of the game, along with an 11-minute long gameplay demo.

Similar to last year’s Avengers game, Guardians of the Galaxy doesn’t use the likenesses of the actors from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While it draws some inspiration from those movies and the comics, it kind of stands as its own interpretation of the titular heroes. The story itself is also a completely new tale created by developer Eidos Montreal specifically for the game.

On the gameplay side, Star-Lord is the only playable member of the team, which is a bit unfortunate. Then again, the gameplay definitely looks interesting, touting a more strategic take on the action genre, where you, as the leader of the Guardians, get to direct and command them during combat. Each character appears to have their own unique abilities, which can be chained together in flashy combos.

Guardians of the Galaxy launches on the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC on 26 October 2021.

Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin

Square Enix finally confirmed that it’s working on a new Final Fantasy game when it debuted the first footage of Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin at this year’s E3.

The game looks to be quite the departure from other entries in the long-running franchise, diving into darker and more mature themes and adopting Souls-like combat. It’s being developed by Team Ninja, who’s known for the punishingly difficult Ninja Gaiden and Nioh games. So we’re not expecting this action RPG to be a walk in the park. Story-wise, this is said to be connected to the first Final Fantasy, with the so-called “Warriors of Light” taking on the returning Garland, who declares himself to be Chaos.

“While it is Final Fantasy, it feels different – but there’s no doubt that the blood of Final Fantasy runs through its veins,” said Tetsuya Nomura, renowned Final Fantasy character designer, who’s also serving as the game’s Creative Producer.

A trial version of the game will be playable starting today until June 24 on the PS5. As for the full game, Square Enix did not give a release date yet, but confirmed it will come out on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC.

Back 4 Blood

The spiritual successor of Left 4 Dead, Back 4 Blood, finally has a definite release date. We now know that it’s coming out on 12 October 2021 on the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC. The game will also be available on Xbox Game Pass at launch.

That’s not all, though. Developer Turtle Rock Studios also detailed the player-versus-player aspect of the game, which is, in essence, an updated version of Left 4 Dead’s Versus mode. Called Swarm, the 4-versus-4 mode pits human survivors, the Cleaners, against the flesh-eating Ridden in a battle to see who can outlast the other.

Psychonauts 2

Almost 6 years since it was first officially announced, Psychonauts 2 is finally coming out on 25 August 2021. You reprise the role of Raz, a young psychic who is once again thrown into another mind-bending adventure in this sequel to the 2005 classic of the same name.

Developer Double Fine initially had trouble securing funds to produce the game, so it started a crowdfunding campaign in 2015, which raised about US$4 million. The developer was later acquired by Microsoft Xbox, where it received more funds to continue development. Now, the game looks just about ready to launch and has a release date.

The game will be available on PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and PC.

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Written by Kyle Chua