GamesRadar's E3 2012 Most Valuable Games

E3 Most Valuable Game

The debate over E3 2012's awards was as controversial as ever, as we saw quite an assortment of new announcements and sequels - but in the end, we were able to cut down the list.

Far Cry 3

What did we say about it in our preview: "Offering an intoxicating mix of stealth, action, and psychological scares, our time with Far Cry 3 impressed at every turn. We look forward to getting more tats, gutting more goons, and coming off our meds when the open-world FPS hits this fall."

Need For Speed Most Wanted

What did we say about it in our preview: "Theres no other way to put it: Criterion Games has created the sequel to Burnout Paradise that we all wanted, albeit with a different name. As was unveiled during EAs press briefing, Most Wanted is the developers latest racing title. It is, by Websters admission, not a sequel to 2005s racer of the same name, but a reimagining, not unlike 2010s reboot of Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. And by 'reimagining,' we think Webster means 'updating Burnout Paradises best features for a more socially connected age.'"

Resident Evil 6

What did we say about it in our preview: "Resident Evil 6s best elements work well. The gameplay additions, like the inventory wheel and sonar directions, help keep you engaged in the action (instead of pausing and micromanaging) and add great flourishes to the RE4/RE5 formula. As long as Capcom makes those aforementioned adjustments, RE6 should offer an exceptionally robust action experience in October."

Injustice: Gods Among Us

What did we say about it in our preview: "Injustice has already got a lot going for it. On top of the fan-pleasing roster of pugilists and aforementioned features, it sports near-photorealistic visuals, silky smooth animations, and more comic book call-outs than you can shake a Batarang at. Oh, and then theres that tag line: What if our greatest heroes became our greatest threat? That tease alone has us dusting off our capes, cowls, and fightsticks in anticipation of its 2013 arrival."

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2

What did we say about it in our preview: "Its not especially surprising how thrillingly captivating Black Ops 2 is the Call of Duty formulas gone through enough iteration that movie-caliber moments are practically a regular occurrence. What is unexpected is how different the game feels from Modern Warfare 3, beyond the different timeline and settings. Our E3 demo of the game showed off an entire level, one that promoted wandering off the beaten path instead of rigidly locking you to it. The Strikeforce mode was icing on the cake but that may turn out to be one of the most satisfying singleplayer FPS modes in awhile."

Beyond: Two Souls

What did we say about it in our preview: "One of the biggest surprises out of E3 2012 was Quantic Dream's Beyond: Two Souls. Revealed during the Sony press conference, the Heavy Rain developer's next title looked amazing, and featured some of the best visuals of the generation. The addition of actress Ellen Page playing protagonist Jodie Holmes got us excited, and proved that the developer had learned from some of their last game's mistakes. Or, at least the ones that involved casting actors who can't fake an American accent."

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

What did we say about it in our preview: "When we first saw Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (back when it was called Metal Gear Solid: Rising) a few years ago, we were interested in the premise, but unsure as to how the Metal Gear Solid team's experience with stealth-based titles would translate to an action-packed slasher. The answer, apparently, was very poorly... until Vanquish and Bayonetta developer Platinum took over. It quickly turned Revengeance into a game we finally got to play at E3 2012 - and one that we want to play more of. Like, right now."

Tomb Raider

What did we say about it in our preview: "Visibly shaken and splattered with her victim's brains and blood, Lara seems a far cry from the buxom fortune-and-glory hunting heroine we've gotten to know over the years. There's still much to learn about young lady Croft's gritty survival story, but our recent peek of the promising reboot left us as breathless as its physically and psychologically scarred star."

Watch Dogs

What did we say about it in our preview: "Of the many games weve seen this week at E3, few have impressed us as much as Watch Dogs. From its amazing visual splendor to innovative gameplay and approach to issues that we worry about today, such as privacy and surveillance, this is a title well be eagerly anticipating. In a minute-to-minute world in which every program, app, and TV show fights for a sliver of our attention, were looking forward to Watch Dogs stealing all of it."

Pikmin 3

What did we say about it in our preview: "Rumored for what seems like ages, hardcore Nintendo fans have been dying for Nintendo and developer mastermind Shigeru Miyamoto to return to the Pikmin series. A novel approach to the RTS genre that mixed in naturalistic elements, we hadnt seen the little carrot-ant men since the GameCube. E3 2012 marks their big return, with the distinction of being one of the first and biggest Wii U games, and after our first playthrough with the HD sequel, it looks to be what fans of the cult series are looking for."

XCOM: Enemy Unknown

What did we say about it in our preview: "XCOM: Enemy Unknown is a bit of a tough sell. On top of convincing fans of the classic series that the multi-platform reboot hasn't been watered down, it must prove to the console crowd that managing resources is just as exciting as emptying magazines. If our recent hands-on time is any indication, though, Firaxis Games is on the right path to pleasing any fan with an appetite for exterminating alien scum."

Dead Space 3

What did we say about it in our preview: "The Dead Space series has been making derelict spacecrafts scarier than anyone could have imagined since 2008. Chronicling the trials and tribulations of the once mild-mannered Isaac Clarke, each new frontier is filled with hideously deformed creatures known as Necromorphs and humans driven mad by ancient artifacts known as Markers. Now, after two adventures lost in space, Isaac is fighting those enemies on solid ground alongside new friends in Dead Space 3 (provided he doesnt freeze to death first)."

The Last of Us

What did we say about it in our preview: "Its too early to comment on the core gameplay, other than to say it looks similar to Naughty Dogs Uncharted series in both quality and accessibility. But already we see some real confidence in the storytelling. The dialogue and interaction is believable. Even the music is special: instead of coaxing and cajoling our emotional responses with movie-like swells and trills, we hear silence and ambient noise or, at most, the lonesome twang of country tune in the background. Its almost counter to what most games do, more in line with what some movies offer, and it further signals a confidence in the characters and their connection to each other and to us."

Assassin's Creed III

What did we say about it in our preview: "While the freshness of the New England forests and naval fights of Assassins Creed III have gotten all of the attention, were glad to see that the urban battles of Ubisofts sequel are evolving in a logical fashion. Amidst a strong E3 with plenty of titles to be excited about, few have us as excited as this one."

ZombiU

What did we say about it in our preview: "After our 10 minute demo, we can say that ZombiU is more than just a fancy trailer. Its a very real FPS for the Wii U and one of the most full featured games weve seen on the Wii U yet. Though no release date has been announced, based on Ubisofts history with Nintendo, were betting well see this one out at launch. "

You've seen our Most Valuable Games; what were yours?

Still riding the E3 high, or want to see who won in previous years? Check out the top 7 sequels we wanted announced at E3 (but knew wouldn't be) or the GamesRadar E3 2011 Awards: Best of Show from last year.