Here's a quick run-down of big upcoming titles that we should see more of this coming week at E3. All these titles are confirmed on the PC, and most are also available on consoles too.
1. Bioshock: Infinite
After two thrilling adventures under the sea, it was fairly obvious that post- Bioshock 2 , the RPG-cum-shooter would move up into the clouds - or we thought it was obvious anyway.
Given the era's obsession with air travel, Bioshock Infinite's art-noveau stylings are more than at home in the steampunk floating city of Columbia. It caused massive excitement towards the end of last year with this incredible gameplay trailer , but little has been heard or seen of it since.
We're hoping that this week's E3 proves to be big splash for one of our all-time favourite games series - which also includes spiritual predecessors such as the System Shock games. The gameplay video showed a more cinematic, and possibly more scripted approach, than before. Hopefully this is limited to certain key encounters in the game, leaving the much-loved exploration and trap-setting elements of the game to shine. Then again, with a release date currently pencilled in for anytime in 2012, this could also end up being a big miss at this year's event.
Computer-controlled companions, with their own powers, are one of the big changes in Infinite
2. Tomb Raider
Taking a leaf from the film industry's reworking of the Batman and Star Trek, Crystal Dynamics has decided to 'Reboot' the Tomb Raider series. Not that it was in as bad a shape as either of those franchises, with Tomb Raider: Underworld proving an enjoyable romp. Still refreshing this more 'adult' platformer is no bad idea.
Lara Croft stays as the key, lone heroine, but in this new continuity she's just setting out on her adventures - nothing quite as original as an origin story eh? The ship she's travelling on is wrecked, leaving Lara to survive the rigours of a desolate island alone. It's that word, survive, that seems key to the new series so far, with Lara scavenging for tools and trying to stay one step ahead of enemies and environmental disasters.
It looks stunning, and has been in development for a couple of years, so we're hopeful to see lots more of Tomb Raider this week, despite a 2012 release date. If this proves a major success though, then expect reboots of every game that ever had cinematic pretensions.
Dirtier and darker than before, Lara seems to be having a tough day
