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There's always a lot of pressure on everyone involved with E3 to perform magical feats; reveal incredible new titles and just generally satiate the braying of anyone that's so much as looked at a game controller. It is the epoch of gaming hype and superstition, with the impractical, outlandish and ridiculous failing to get in the way of the bold statements that people encourage each other to make.

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• e3 2008

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  • id CEO admits E3 disappointment
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The basic, central idea of E3 is that it's a trade show for the video game industry. Once you peel off that outer layer and engorge yourself of its pragmatic roots, you'll discover that since 2007 E3 has become an invite-only affair, catering for about five-thousand industry members - a very different proposition to the seventy-thousand people that turned up in 2005. With that many people, the spectacular was virtually guaranteed. These days it's all a bit more subdued, but a good source of excitement nonetheless.

E3's essence can be distilled into two camps: confirmed and speculative. Speculation is undoubtedly the more exciting of the two, though its reliability is understandingly suspect. Here's some of the goods the rumour mill has lately ground up: Microsoft to shamelessly copy Nintendo's Miis; God of War 3; Bungie to potentially reveal a new franchise; Nintendo to announce a sequel to something; Dead Rising 2; Ouendan developer iNiS to reveal a SingStar competitor for 360. These, of course, may or may not be true. If they're going to happen, you'll probably see them at the first-party conferences: Microsoft squeezes their big event out on Monday the 14th of July, with Nintendo and Sony having their go on Tuesday the 15th.

Other than the speculation, there are also the showings of confirmed titles. While these don't pack the excitement punch of a grand reveal of a previously unknown game, there's still a lot going for them that's worth getting all hyped-up over. Here are the 15, in my opinion, that you should be most excited about. Coincidentally, they're arranged alphabetically to be completely bias-free.

Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (360)

Rare have been down on their luck for a little while now. Their 377 million USD acquisition by Microsoft has never entirely paid off in terms of massive financial success, and Rare's 360 offerings have either been shamefully ignored (Viva Pinata) or critically challenged (Perfect Dark Zero). The latest in the beloved Banjo-Kazooie series shifts its focus largely onto vehicular creation, allowing you to build from blueprints or (I imagine) from your own imagination. This has the potential to be a reinvigorating platformer, as well as nostalgically reawakening the youth of anyone that grew up with an N64.

Chrono Trigger DS

Not much is known about Chrono Trigger DS other than it promises to be a revamped version of the original SNES Chrono Trigger. Which means a souped-up release for one of the most celebrated, venerated and appreciated RPG's ever created in the history of ever. Which should be enough to excite anyone.

Dead Space (360, PS3, PC)

Even though the main gist of Dead Space is fighting a polymorphic alien entity onboard an interstellar mining ship, it is otherwise hard to confuse for an episode of Red Dwarf. The primary theme of the game, allegedly, is dismemberment, plopping the player in something not entirely dissimilar to Resident Evil 4 in space. Aliens cannot be killed simply by shooting them, but instead must be rendered inert by blasting away at certain limbs and other weak spots. The way I see it, it's either going to be entirely terrifying or utterly blasé.

Fallout 3 (360, PS3, PC)

This is pretty much the single most anticipated game for anyone that grew up with a PC. If you can remember trying to install a game with DOS, you'll definitely be prepared to chew-off your legs for a chance to play perhaps the quintessential post-apocalyptic adventure. The game is being designed by Bethesda - who are probably well aware that the hopes and dreams of a legion of gamers rests entirely on their shoulders - as the wonderful Black Isle Studios (creators of the first two) have been defunct for years. Basically, Fallout 3 is so exciting that I reinstalled Fallout 2 whilst writing this article.

Gears of War 2 (360)

This is, unsurprisingly, Microsoft's 2008 big behemoth title. Its promise to be 'bigger, better and more badass' just cements Microsoft's notions that they're advertising to adolescent skateboarders that spend their days outside, stay up past 11pm and who can drink more than two cans of Red Bull without feeling funny. Expect Gears of War's winning formula to be largely unchanged, and Microsoft's PR executives to make complete fools out of themselves as they unveil more news about Gears 2 at their conference.

inFamous (PS3)

Sucker Punch Studios designed the rather lovely Sly Cooper series for the PS2. Nobody bought it, so their next offering is a sandbox affair set in a murky next-gen (grey) world. Don't write it off yet, however, as Sucker Punch's meticulous attention to details and inFamous's super powered main character could quite feasibly combine to be a PS3 exclusive that is quite literally super.

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1. Wheres the new Prince of Persia in this list??

   Aron Friday, 11 July 2008, 21:43:16