Best Games of E3 2017

E3 2017 was big, drawing massive crowds of near 70,000 not seen since 2005. It was the first year the games event was open to the public, with 15,000 passionate gamers gobbling up tickets to feast on the latest and loudest video games. Although there were not many new game announcements, attendees were treated to a slathering of trailers and demonstrations for the biggest titles at both the press conferences and on the show floor. For the 2017 outing, the New Game Network crew worked as hard as ever to bring you a record of over 50 game previews. You can read all of those in our E3 Preview section. And of course, we gave out some awards - and you can find our Best Games of E3 2017 Winners below. We have collectively shortlisted 14 of the most promising games that we got to experience, and they are listed in alphabetical order.

Assassin's Creed: Origins

Despite spending a considerable amount of time with the game, it felt like we had just scratched the surface of what Origins has to offer. This is truly a brand new start for the series - an entirely different experience that was truly redesigned and expanded in scope, while maintaining the key elements that made the franchise stand out. The stealth/action balance, the climbing freedom, and the historical setting are now joined by well designed and deep RPG elements that guarantee this is not the same Assassin's Creed you're used to.

Read: Assassin's Creed: Origins Preview
When: October 27, 2017
Where:

Ace Combat 7

While the flight combat genre has never been particularly popular or crowded with new releases, it certainly still has a few fans, myself included. And based on what I've had a chance to play, Ace Combat 7 may very well satisfy those yearning to take off into some aerial military combat. The game was accessible, fun, and looking quite impressive visually thanks to both its art style and sheer technical elements.

Read: Ace Combat 7 Preview
When: 2018
Where:

Battle Chasers: Nightwar

The game was running on a couple of Xbox One consoles over at Microsoft's booth, and I ended up stumbling upon it while having a walk around at E3 2017. Immediately intrigued (I’m a sucker for JRPGs), I couldn't help myself from checking out a little of its dungeon crawling and a boss battle. From a game I knew nothing about a couple of weeks ago, to one I am eagerly looking forward to now, Battle Chasers: Nightwar has me sold. I want to dig a little deeper into its overall story and follow where its adventure will take me.

Read: Battle Chasers: Nightwar Preview
When: October 3, 2017
Where:

Detroit: Become Human

From the presentation and the gameplay demo, it is clear that Quantic Dream are sticking to what they are well known for - interactive stories where player choice is at the heart of the experience. There's plenty of drama and action along the way, and probably many reasons to replay and see how things could turn out differently. The futuristic setting is interesting, the visuals are quite impressive already, and it seems everything is in place for the game to succeed.

Read: Detroit: Become Human Preview
When: 2018
Where:

Far Cry 5

The concept of exploring the American wilderness and battling a fanatical doomsday cult has provided early imagery that has made Far Cry 5 immediately worth discussing. For those who are familiar with the series, it might sound a lot like the Far Cry experience one would expect. However, the American iconography of the game really does make it something special. It's still the loud, chaotic nonsense action trip, but it's something else altogether to see it set in your own backyard.

Read: Far Cry 5 Preview
When: February 27, 2018
Where:

Forza Motorsport 7

Forza Motorsport 7 looks to continue the tradition of offering high quality simulation racers on the Xbox One console family. Based on our experiences with the E3 demo, it looks to be a solid all-around game with plenty of cars, great original tracks, and even new additions like trucks. It’s also clear that Turn 10 continue to try and expand on the experience, with the great weather effects, and added driver customization.

Read: Forza Motorsport 7 Preview
When: October 3, 2017
Where:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance

Kingdom Come: Deliverance certainly has potential to leave its mark on the RPG scene. Essentially, this seems to be shaping up to be a "medieval adventure simulation" more so than a straight RPG. It seems to stand largely on the strength of the solid historical foundation to provide an engaging narrative. Yet it also appears to be reinforced with some deep gameplay, colorful characters, and intense, grueling combat, assuming you're willing to take your lumps.

Read: Kingdom Come: Deliverance Preview
When: February 13, 2018
Where:

Middle-earth: Shadow of War

Combat is still as effective (if not more so), with satisfying counters and death moves. The RPG mechanics of skill trees have various upgrades, like an AoE ice freeze attack, or various buffs to different disciplines. Weapon drops come in various flavours, which defeated foes drop. Shadow of War feels like a grander game than before, in every sense of the word. Failure spurs you on further and the different combat encounters add great pace to the game as a whole.

Read: Middle-earth: Shadow of War Preview
When: October 10, 2017
Where:

Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom

The first game told an intimate tale of personal loss, which motivated an epic fantasy adventure, whereas Revenant Kingdom seems like a story more interested in the politics of royalty motivating a personal journey of growth. I really dug my time with Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom. In many ways it feels different than Wrath of the White Witch, but the common DNA shared between the games is certainly prevalent as well. The music is still sweeping, the visuals are impressive, and the whimsical fantasy world seems well intact.

Read: Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom Preview
When: November 10, 2017
Where:

PES 2018

PES 2018 plans to shake things up again this year, introducing a number of significant changes to cement itself as the definitive football title. Presenting itself more as a simulation, the game has had time to teethe with the FOX engine, and can now build on it via a number of enhanced features. The game is looking to be another strong entry into the series, featuring tighter controls, better graphics, and the addition of interesting online challenges I look forward getting stuck into.

Read: PES 2018 Preview
When: September 12, 2017
Where:

State of Decay 2

State of Decay was no longer an unknown quantity, launching onto the Xbox Live Store like it had in the summer of 2013. It is bigger now, and the fans of the series are waiting for Undead Labs to deliver. State of Decay 2 is an impressive vision of a zombie apocalypse, challenging players with emotional and strategic decisions that can affect not just one character, but many. It was an impressive showing for Undead Labs and I'm excited to see what the final product looks like.

Read: State of Decay 2 Preview
When: Q2 2018
Where:

Super Mario Odyssey

My Super Mario Odyssey experience felt at once fresh and - at least mechanically - a bit familiar, even with the x-factor of Mario's versatile hat-a-rang. With plenty of terrain, activities, and obstacles surrounding me from all sides and seemingly having the world at my white-gloved fingertips, it was difficult to determine where I should go first. Before I knew it, my demo had concluded. This had left a bitter-sweet feeling; for the enjoyable gameplay had largely lived up to the hype I had built up in my head going into it, yet at the same time, it seemed as though I had only scratched the surface with my New Donk City Tour.

Read: Super Mario Odyssey Preview
When: October 27, 2017
Where:

The Artful Escape

I can't really provide more than speculation on the narrative and the overarching tone of the game, but this is part of what intrigues me about The Artful Escape. It might be beautiful and thrilling, but it seems like underneath all of that something significant is waiting in the wings, hopefully adding to the wonderful work already on display. I'm very excited to see more of The Artful Escape, and I would suggest you keep it on your radar as well.

Read: The Artful Escape Preview
When: TBD
Where:

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

Going into this one with a rather casual understanding of the Wolfenstein series, and slightly burnt out on FPS games, I can safely say I was left with the desire to play on and see what madness lies ahead for "Terror Billy." I only got a taste of this alternate history dystopia, along with some unique gameplay elements and tight mechanics that nicely balance vulnerability with badassery.

Read: Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus Preview
When: October 27, 2017
Where:

Thanks for reading, and remember this is just the games that stood out the most - we saw plenty more at E3 2017, so head over to our Previews section and get caught up on the latest!