E3 2012

Making a list of most-anticipated games going into E3 is always tough, because inevitably, I always seem to walk away from the show hyped for a handful of games I never even knew to expect—while also not being as enamored with the games I thought were going to be my picks of the show. Still, as of this moment, here’s what I’m most looking forward to (or most hoping to look forward to) at E3 2012.

1: The Last of Us (PS3 / Sony Computer Entertaiment)
As WWE star Daniel Bryan would say: “Yes. Yes! YES!” My hype level for this game is seriously off the charts. It combines a number of elements I love: postapocalyptic worlds, survival-horror, mysterious viral outbreaks, and delicious Naughty Dog design. Much as I love Nathan Drake and Uncharted, I’m glad to see the developer move on to something even more conceptually interesting.

2: Persona 4 Golden (Vita / Atlus)
Should my No. 2 game really be a portable reworking of a 4-year-old-plus Japanese RPG? When it’s Persona 4, then absolutely. I keep getting the urge to go back and give the game a second playthrough, so being able to do it on the Vita—and with a nice serving of extra content—is an experience I’m ready and waiting for. Biggest hope for E3: getting the chance to pass judgment on Chie Satonaka’s new voice actress.

3: Tomb Raider (360, PS3 / Square Enix)
I’m extremely excited about Tomb Raider—but also extremely nervous. Not because I think it’ll be bad—I don’t—but because I’m just worried about how huge I’ve built this game up in my head. I’ve always loved the idea of a Lara Croft origin story, and I adore the redesigned, more realistic Lara we’re getting here. I just hope her journey is more exploration and survival, and less combat—Lara’s at her best when she’s adventuring, not attacking.

4: Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (PS3, Xbox 360 / Activision)
War for Cybertron was a complete shock to me. I never expected such a Transformers game to be any good, but not only was it good, it was ridiculously good! Even better, multiplayer was just so, so satisfying; transforming into vehicle mode, racing across the map at an enemy, transforming back to robot form at the last second, and blasting away at them never got old. Now, the game is going to be bigger, better, and include the freakin’ Dinobots? I can’t wait.

5: Final Fantasy Type-0 HD (Vita / Square Enix)
What—you haven’t heard that Square Enix is making a souped-up Vita version of late-life PSP RPG Final Fantasy Type-0, and will be announcing its North American debut at E3 this year? OK, fine—I don’t know that, either. I haven’t even heard any backroom whispers about it. And, yet, I still cling to hope. Type-0 is way too awesome of a game to leave stuck in Japan, but a Vita port is the only way I see Square Enix bringing it over at this point.