DriveClub

This E3 featured a few too many racing games and yet DriveClub, a launch title exclusive to the PS4, stood apart from the others in many ways. Mainly because it features what seems to be a very deep and dynamic social aspect to racing. Boasting custom challenges with customizable environments, DriveClub developer Evolution Studios is focused on increasing engagement between friends while playing. This seems to be a trend in the next generation of games and is an effort increase retention in gamers. DriveClub will play a vital role on the longevity of this trend.

Ryse: Son of Rome

A brutally, realistic conflict set in the atmospheric Roman Empire is headed towards the Xbox One. Originally a Kinect only game, Ryse has since apparently evolved into Microsoft’s answer to Sony’s God of War franchise. Featuring both large scale fighting in which the player plays the role of commander and smaller hordes of enemies in which the player plays the hack and slash hero; the game promises to provide a variety of different gameplay experiences. So far the only Kinect integration that has been shown is voice commands and it will be interesting to see what other if any Kinect functions still remain in the franchise.

Hammad Fasih