The Unpopular Opinion 5: Games SPC Liked That Many Did Not

Opinions are like tadpoles... or something that rhymes with that. Anyway, not every opinion in the world is a popular one, especially when it comes to games, which is the whole focus of SuperPhillip Central! Over the nearly nine years SuperPhillip Central has been around, we've occasionally taken the road less traveled on our opinions. Now, it isn't done to rock the boat or be difficult. Sometimes, SuperPhillip Central just likes or dislikes a game that many love or hate just because that's how we're wired. The Unpopular Opinion series of articles hits its fifth installment, detailing more games that weren't widely well received, but ended up being games we enjoyed.

For past installments for your convenience, check out these links:

The Unpopular Opinion
The Unpopular Opinion 2
The Unpopular Opinion 3
The Unpopular Opinion 4

Star Fox Zero (Wii U)

Listed by some outlets and critics on their picks for most disappointing games, SuperPhillip Central had a different take on Star Fox Zero. Now, let's not lie here and say that the unorthodox controls are for everyone. You have to sometimes turn your attention to both screens, the TV and the Wii U GamePad, but many times you're just taking a quick glimpse at the cockpit view to get a beat on surrounding enemies or to quickly shoot at an off-screen foe. With practice, this becomes second nature, and if it didn't, then I wouldn't have acquired all of the game's medals through proficient play. Perhaps it's not the Star Fox game that many wanted, but SuperPhillip Central will be darned if Star Fox Zero was a fun experiment.

Metroid Prime: Federation Force (3DS)

Fools and children are the types of people who look at a list, see one or two games on it that they don't agree with, and then dismiss the opinion of someone immediately. These people probably shouldn't read SuperPhillip Central or sites like it, then (aka Stay off the Internet). Metroid Prime: Federation Force, like Star Fox Zero, wasn't the Metroid game fans were expecting, but unlike Zero, Federation Force wasn't like any traditional Metroid game. Instead, it was a squad shooter, best played with friends. Of course, playing the game by oneself was very much possible, and this reviewer actually did that to start, finding no problems with doing so. While Federation Force was not like Metroid at all, what it was like was a much more action-focused Metroid Prime game, having missions that rarely repeated their objectives. One you'd be luring ice titans into cages to lock them inside while another you'd be exiting your mech, stealthily entering a Space Pirate stronghold. The point here is that Metroid Prime: Federation Force wasn't what even SuperPhillip Central was expecting from Nintendo, but the end result was hardly an abomination. Instead, it was great fun.

Killzone: Shadow Fall (PS4)

Killzone is a tale of a video game franchise that had so much potential, but was marred with games that just didn't do anything too special. Though, if we're talking about the PlayStation Vita exclusive entry, Mercenary, then that's a totally different story. That game rocked. With the PlayStation 4 launch title, Killzone: Shadow Fall, what players got was more open-ended level design and pretty standard first-person shooting gameplay. Although much of Killzone: Shadow Fall was "been there, done that", a cool addition to the formula was that of OWL, a robotic buddy that could be used to temporarily stun enemies with a quick jolt, something to summon an electric shield, and a tool to create a makeshift zipline to access faraway portions of levels. The campaign was enjoyable enough to play through multiple times, even doing a no-death run, and the multiplayer wasn't too shabby either, though, developers, stop forcing multiplayer achievements and trophies into your games-- PLEASE. Anyway, Killzone: Shadow Fall might not astonish in any one area, but all in all, it's a thrilling game and fine initial showpiece of the PS4's hardware power.

LittleBigPlanet 3 (PS4, PS3)

Despite launching as a buggy piece of crap, LittleBigPlanet 3 eventually went on to become another enjoyable entry in the series. Introducing some new concepts to the aging formula (seriously, we need a shake up with the series!) like new playable character types, new gadgets, and multi-tiered levels that could stretch back 16 layers instead of just 3, LittleBigPlanet 3 continued to show off the creative tool set that Media Molecule originally created back with the very first LittleBigPlanet. Creating levels and other goodies can be as simple or as complex as a creator wants it, and the end result is something one can easily be proud of, sharing it with the still-very-active community. While there are still some bugs and glitches to be found in the game, LittleBigPlanet 3 is far from the monstrosity it was when it originally launched.

Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Wii U, 3DS)

The Mario & Sonic series always sees two of the most iconic characters in gaming history team up for some friendly Olympic fun*. (*Your results may vary.) While the latest Olympic release starring the portly plumber and the Blue Blur improves upon the formula in some ways, in others it wasn't so successful. Talking about the latter first, the lack of Dream Events, fantasy versions of Olympic events set in Mario and Sonic's various worlds, was very disappointing. The Duel events that replaced them weren't nearly as good substitutions. Regardless, the events play better for those who can't stand any type of motion controls. Instead, those were replaced with all analog controls, so instead of shaking a Wii Remote like a madman, you can mash on a button like a madman. Sure, some events weren't nearly as fun without motion controls, but they all still provided a certain level of fun. The local multiplayer allowed for up to four players to participate in solo events or the career mode, a nice, challenging change of pace, all adding up to a multiplayer game that remains enjoyable even long after the real Rio Olympics ended.

Mario Party 10 (Wii U)

ND Cube took over from former Mario Party developer Hudson Soft, who was swallowed up Konami. ND Cube has since tried to change up the Mario Party formula to varying degrees of success. With Mario Party 10, the formula from the Wii's Mario Party 9 continued with players sharing the same car, and depending on who was the driver, different actions would happen along the five major boards. While a traditional Mario Party experience would have been better (as seen in the Amiibo-compatible mode), there was a stronger focus on skill than usual, especially compared to Mario Party 9. The mini-games were a strong point, something that ND Cube continues to do really well with the series, and the addition of a mode where the Wii U GamePad player controlled Bowser changed things up for a nice side mode, though a short-lived one. Ultimately, Mario Party 10 was a worthwhile installment, although it's very easy to see why it wasn't liked by every player who came by to join the party.

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz (Wii)

A launch title for Nintendo's mega-hit Wii, Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz was part of Sega's milking of the franchise, one that would see games on a wide range of platforms within a very limited range of time. Regardless, Banana Blitz saw multiple new mechanics to the Super Monkey Ball series, such as the motion control movement, which worked as advertised; the ability to jump, which made for some interestingly designed levels; and boss battles, engagements that delivered crafty encounters and heavy hijinks. While the multiplayer featured an overabundance of lame mini-games, the ones that did shine shined rather bright. Couple that with a colorful art style and one of the most infectiously catchy soundtracks on the Wii, and you have a Super Monkey Ball entry that wasn't perfect, but something that SuperPhillip Central ended up enjoying.

ModNation Racers: Road Trip (Vita)

Sure, the lack of traditional online play seems and was a ridiculous exclusion that would have made the game much more appealing, but ModNation Racers: Road Trip possessed some worthy qualities to almost make up for that. For one, the much more streamlined single-player campaign featured wonderful track design and an AI that was fun to race against and seldom overly irritating. The item progression and drifting to get boost or shield energy made for a fairer kart racing experience than many Mario Kart games. Then, you had the ability to create, share, and download custom tracks and racers, many showcasing the amazing creativity of the small but active ModNation Racers: Road Trip community. All of these aspects of Road Trip made for a PlayStation Vita launch title that was an enjoyable and deep racing experience.

SuperPhillip Central Best of 2016 Awards - Top Five Most Overlooked/Underrated Games

SuperPhillip Central regularly covers overlooked and underrated video games with its Most Overlooked series of game articles. It only makes sense for the SuperPhillip Central Best of 2016 Awards to dedicate a category to those overlooked and/or underrated games of the year that either flew under the radar or didn't get the credit that I arguably feel that they deserve. From Zelda and Wave Race-inspired games to Nintendo's own works, this list has a good amount of variety on it.

5) Star Fox Zero (Wii U)

For many fans, Nintendo just keeps shooting the Star Fox series in the foot. Many just want a version of Star Fox 64 with completely new levels and they'd be satisfied. However, Nintendo opts to keep tinkering with the formula, or in Star Fox Zero's case, the controls. With the Wii U release this year, the Wii U GamePad allows players to get two vantage points on the action, one a full screen view of the Arwing or other vehicle, and one in the cockpit. Using both smartly, which takes some time to get accustomed to, one can take out enemies by flying their Arwing in one direction while using the GamePad to aim in a completely different direction. This is something that would be impossible without the GamePad. Though this control setup is indeed convoluted, it makes for a more involved and, for me, entertaining experience. Featuring amazing action and memorable scenes, Star Fox Zero deserved more fanfare for what it successfully set out to do.

4) Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Wii U)

We take for granted that Mario and Sonic have been appearing together in games for quite a while now, even if it's just mostly relegated to the Olympics. While many passed by or just utterly dismissed the latest installment of the series on Wii U, Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games delivered a wide range of events, content, and a nice presentation to boot. For those who groan about motion controls, particularly the waggle variety, this year's Wii U version features all analog and button controls, something new to the series. Between getting gold medals, breaking records on each event, unlocking Mii costume pieces, and new remixes of Mario and Sonic music, the latest Mario & Sonic is a great one that deserves more attention even though we're way past the summer Olympic season.

3) Metroid Prime: Federation Force (3DS)

Oh, Metroid Prime: Federation Force, you never stood a chance, my dear game! The disgust from Metroid fans towards this game might have had some merit, and it certainly wasn't the game from the Metroid series that fans were expecting, but overall, you were a fun excursion. Completing missions with varied objectives gave me a lot of enjoyment, whether sneaking stealthily into a Space Pirate base out of my mech, taking down a behemoth-sized boss, or solving simple puzzles to progress. It was especially so with some close friends online or off. The bonus mode of Boost Ball added a competitive side of the package, and a just as fun one, too. Despite my disappointment with Federation Force not being a true Metroid game in the traditional sense, I feel that coupled with the interesting mission design and fluid combat that Metroid Prime: Federation Force got more criticism than it deserved.

2) Ittle Dew 2 (PS4, XB1, PC)

While we won't see The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild until sometime next year, there was a title that released this year that took on the Zelda mantle, but in an overhead perspective. That game was Ittle Dew 2, a game that is a far better experience than the already good original. With eight unique dungeons that can be played in practically any order, a world map that is sensationally fun to explore as you search for hidden caverns full of worthwhile treasure, puzzles that can really perplex but feature clever, never unfair solutions, and enjoyable combat, Ittle Dew 2 is a Zelda-like experience that I was absolutely addicted to from start to finish.

1) Aqua Moto Racing Utopia (PS4, PC)

It's no doubt in my mind that the price point of Aqua Moto Racing Utopia turned off a lot of prospective buyers. I mean, $30 for a digital game from a not-so-well-known indie developer doesn't really whet the appetite. However, for those that take the plunge will find an aquatic racing game that rivals Wave Race 64 in content, control, and value. Sure, you won't get the same nostalgia as turning on the old Nintendo 64, but with Aqua Moto Racing Utopia you get a multitude of venues with a myriad of buoy-to-buoys races, tricky time trials, awesome stunt potential, and multiplayer in both split-screen and online forms. It's just a darn shame that so few played this game this year.

Review Round-Up - August 2016

The grand reboot of the Ratchet & Clank franchise kicked off this
 sci-fi-centered month of games. It's SuperPhillip Central's Game of the Month.

Welcome to the start of September! Soon, at least here in Central City, the trees will begin to display glorious and gorgeous autumn colors and leaves will start to fall off their branches. However, before we fall into fall, let's take a look back at summer's last full month with the Review Round-Up for August 2016!

It was a bit of a science fiction-themed month for the most part here at SuperPhillip Central. The Game of the Month was Ratchet & Clank, a stunning platformer in both gameplay and visuals, getting a great A grade. The latest chapter in the Star Ocean series, Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness went a little too old school for my tastes, earning a C+, While this next game had a promising premise, Obliteracers unfortunately became more frustrating than fun. Sadly, I had to give it a D+ grade. Following that game was a return to the lombax and robot pair with Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal, a retro review that scored an A-.

Then, another vehicular combat game, Cel Damage HD, managed to be a smashing good time, blasting and hammering its way to a C+. The Skylanders took center stage following that review with Skylanders SuperChargers, which was a fantastic game for kids and adults, getting a B+. Finally, the sci-fi fixation at SuperPhillip Central continued with the final review of the month, Metroid Prime: Federation Force. I surprisingly found a lot to like about the game despite still wanting a traditional Metroid. It earned a B.

Did you know that SuperPhillip Central is at 698 reviews? We're almost at 700, and just in time for the conclusion of summer! Hey, I called it the Summer of 700 for a reason, folks! I have a big game to review for #700, so please look forward to that and more in September!

Ratchet & Clank (PS4) - A
Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness (PS4) - C+
Obliteracers (PS4) - D+
Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal (PS2) - A-
Cel Damage HD (PS4, XB1, PS3, Vita) - C+
Skylanders SuperChargers (PS4, XB1, Wii U, PS3, 360) - B+
Metroid Prime: Federation Force (3DS) - B

I guess my other problem with Metroid Prime: Federation Force is why us North Americans got the inferior box art!

Metroid Prime: Federation Force (3DS) Review

Before the month of August ends and we venture in to September, let's take a look at a very controversial game. No, not No Man's Sky. That's a good one for a controversy, but that's a game for next month! No, I'm talking about Metroid Prime: Federation Force. Here's the SuperPhillip Central review!

A taste of Metroid after six years-- sometimes sweet, sometimes bitter.

To say that the reveal two E3s ago of Metroid Prime: Federation Force was met with ire from fans would be underselling things quite a bit. While I won't delve into the more ridiculous side of the Metroid fan base who made a petition wanting the game cancelled or developers/producers fired over the game, the reaction from most Metroid lovers was hostile at best. Now, that the game is out and in Nintendo 3DS owners' hands, is Metroid Prime: Federation Force the mistake some have made it out to be, or does it have enough to merit its creation? ...Or maybe both?

First and foremost, have your mind lead all the thoughts of Metroid Prime: Federation Force playing like a typical Metroid game to your brain's nearest exit. Federation Force is nowhere near a Metroid-vania title, but at the same time, this doesn't make it a bad game. It's just a bad game to tie the Metroid name to, especially when fans of the franchise haven't seen a traditional Metroid game in years. Instead, Metroid Prime: Federation Force is a mission-based affair through typically linear levels. There is some exploration to be found, however, as most missions offer secrets for the adventuring type to discover in them, and these are rewarding to uncover. Regardless, played either by your lonesome offline, locally with up to four friends (all of whom require a Nintendo 3DS and a copy of the game), or online with up to four players, Federation Force packs a lot more action in its 22-mission affair than standard Metroid offerings.

The members of the Federation Force aren't the only characters in this game. Maybe some familiar faces appear...

A problem I had with a similar game that focused heavily on multiplayer was last fall's The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes which had a single player component that seemed like a last second, not-well-thought-out addition, giving players a tedious solo experience. However, Metroid Prime: Federation Force is built for not only multiplayer missions but solo affairs as well. This is in part to being able to equip a specific item that grants you double damage on foes and halved damage from enemy attacks, making for a more balanced experience when playing alone. The inclusion of bringing up to three drones with you on a mission helps as well. These can be destroyed by enemies, but generally this wasn't a problem for the most part in my experience. With a squadron of players either locally or online, the specific item I mentioned doesn't work, nor are the drones available, so as a team you need to take down foes together, which is a lot of fun.

As long as there are Space Pirates breathing, there is a threat to this galaxy.

Playing online with up to four players isn't perfect due to the lack of voice chat between players. It can be very hard to form strategies with randoms, as all you get for trying to communicate with others is a handful of voiced phrases that you can assign to the four directions on the Nintendo 3DS D-Pad. Furthermore, I've had incidents where the host would disconnect, making the ten minutes of the mission our squadron had done all for naught.

Teaming up with randoms can occasionally be annoying, but overall it's an enjoyable experience.

Perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself, though. After all, I've yet to even say what the actual gameplay of Federation Force is even like. Fortunately, it plays like a mobile Metroid Prime. You move along in your mech suit, either freely aiming at foes or locking onto them, tapping the jump button twice and a direction to either swiftly strafe or charge towards or away a foe. This is all the while being able to use a combination of attacks from your mech's main weapon, a blaster, which can also be powered up to unleashed a stronger charged shot, as well as extra ammunition like series standbys like missiles and super missiles, and new ammo like elemental shots of three varieties. While locked onto an enemy or aiming freely, you can hold the R button and tilt the Nintendo 3DS system to get more finely honed aiming, great for targeting weak points of certain enemies. If you have a New Nintendo 3DS, you can alternately use the right nub to aim.

Before each mission begins, you are able to customize your mech. Not only can you update the voice commands that you give to teammates online and change the paint job of your mech, but you can also equip various mods, found and collected in each mission. These are the secrets found in many missions that I was talking about earlier. At the start of your save data, your mech can only hold one mod. Eventually, you get up to three to carry at once. Mods have numerous different effects to them: some make specific attacks more powerful, some give you better defense, some allow you to carry more ammunition and items, and so forth.

After setting this up, you get a transmission from your commanding officer in the Federation, giving you details about your upcoming mission. Then, you are able to load up to weapons and items for your mech. Starting off, your mech can only hold a small amount of extra goodies such as missiles, elemental ammunition, healing tools, and other notable items. If you try to give your mech too much, it becomes overweight, and you have to decide what to unload off it. With completed missions, you earn more space to equip more items. This ensures that you aren't some ultra powerful entity and makes it so you're required to use some strategy in what you bring into a mission.

A concern I had going in to Metroid Prime: Federation Force was that the missions would play out too similarly from one another. There wouldn't be enough variety was the main worry. Thankfully, these concerns were put to rest after only a handful of missions. While some do pretty much have you eliminating an enemy threat or reaching an area to take out a boss, others are much more varied in type. Some have you transporting some pods from point A to point B, all the while entering safe zones when the all-too-common electrical storm breaks loose. Others have you luring beasts called Ice Titans into cells, timing it so the gate slams shut while they are inside (and you aren't, of course). Then, there are missions that have you exiting your mech, moving about as your pilot, doing some fun and engaging platforming to avoid lasers, acid, and other hazards, and stealthily evade Space Pirate forces patrolling the area. My point with describing some of these missions is that you won't often be doing the same thing over and over again. This isn't some generic corridor shooter that will becoming tedious. Instead, you'll get tons of different styles of missions to complete either with others or by your lonesome.

This early mission requires players to direct different orbs by shooting them into various chambers to open doors.

Missions are scored by points you've accumulated by defeating enemies (bonuses given to defeating multiple foes at once or defeating them with an explosion like a missile or charged shot), as well as factoring in a time bonus for completing a mission within a target time. There is also one more consideration given, and that varies from mission to mission. Each mission has its own bonus goal that when met also awards points. For instance, one mission requires you and/or your squad to defeat a certain number of a particular type of enemy. Once these points are all added up, you earn up to three medals depending on how well you did point-wise. Medals are not just something to earn for completionists; they also unlock new paint jobs that can be used on your mech. In addition to the regular 22 missions (the selection isn't totally linear either-- you can occasionally choose from a trio of missions to play first, second, and then third), after beating the game, you unlock a hard mode, where damage is much greater against players, and new medals can be earned for new paint jobs.

What is your major malfunction, son? Don't get cozy with the wildlife! They're dangerous!

The 22 missions played solo and with others isn't the only piece to Metroid Prime: Federation Force either. There's more to it in the form of Blast Ball, a competition mode where two teams of three face off that was originally debuted at the Nintendo World Championships at E3 2015. This game has you shooting at a hazardous-to-the-touch ball across a court, trying to launch it into your opponents' goal. Each time you score, your opponents' goal shrinks in size to make it harder for you to win. No worries-- this happens to your goal when the other team scores, too! As stated, the ball can damage your mech, resulting in it exploding and having you leave the field of play for several seconds, so watch out! Blast Ball may seem pretty tame compared to the much more frenzied pace and popularity of Rocket League, which has some similarities to Metroid Prime: Federation Force's extra mode, but overall, Blast Ball does have enough to it that it kept me coming back for more. And that's whether it was against the capable AI or online against friends and randoms.

Metroid Prime: Federation Force doesn't seem that graphically impressive for the Nintendo 3DS, especially for a game this late into the system's life. Still, the chibi-style mech and character design, while not really lending itself well to the Metroid series, do an adequate job of making it easy to distinguish between targets when things get a bit crowded. The environments, while not breathtaking, do offer some nice views and possess a fair amount of geometry to them. It's a simple look for the game, but one that serves it rather well. On the sound side, the music can be subdued at times, while at others rather bombastic. It's a healthy mix of tunes that delivers what one would expect from a Metroid game.

What are you lookin' at, ugly? (But seriously, this game isn't the greatest looker in the 3DS library.)

While not the Metroid game many of us were wanting from Nintendo, especially since the last real Metroid game was in 2010 with the Wii's Other M (and many didn't care for that one, though I didn't mind it), Metroid Prime: Federation Force manages to pull off an exciting blend of action-packed Space Pirate-blasting, fun and varied mission design, and Metroid Prime-style controls for a handheld gaming device. Whether alone, with friends, or with randoms, the experience is an engaging one, and shooting for medals and playing Blast Ball should offer a lot of longevity. The online experience depends on how active the community is and remains. Otherwise, you'll need to scour some forums or friends for online action. This may not be Metroid Prime 4 or Metroid Dread, but Metroid Prime: Federation Force is a fun excursion and taste of the franchise... for now, Nintendo. *gives stern look*

[SPC Says: B]

MIA @ E3 2016: The Notable Games That Were Missing

E3 2016 is officially over, and man, what a show it was this year. If you're like me (and God help you if you are), you were excited to see lots of new and already announced games in all of their glory. At the same time, however, you probably also noticed that some games you might have been expecting to show up at E3 weren't there. This article delves into those games, the ones that disappointingly and unsatisfactorily so just weren't at E3 2016, making fans have to wait till who knows when to see them next.

Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS4)

Perhaps it was too foolish to expect Final Fantasy VII Remake to show up at E3 this year. After all, Square Enix wouldn't want to overshadow its own game in Final Fantasy XV, especially when it's releasing in three months. However, I'm just hoping we're not going to see another Final Fantasy Versus XIII scenario where Final Fantasy VII's remake turns into vaporware for many years before finally being unveiled again. Regardless, it's too soon for that worry. We can probably expect Final Fantasy VII Remake to appear at least at the PlayStation Experience this December, considering then Final Fantasy XV will have been out for just under three months.

Kingdom Hearts III (PS4, XB1)

Sora, Donald, and Goofy will have to wait for another place to show off their skills, as they definitely weren't at E3 this year, nor was the game they all star in, Kingdom Hearts III. Unveiled a couple of E3s ago, it's pretty disappointing that the game seems to be slow going in development. Assuming we'll see the game this year in some form, there is always the Tokyo Game Show to think about, unless for some reason Square Enix doesn't want to cast any eyes away from Final Fantasy XV.

Red Dead 3 

(Screens from Red Dead Redemption on PS3, 360, and PC)

Some are perpetuating the rumor that Sony was intending to show Rockstar's latest in the Red Dead series at the end of its conference, hence the lackluster ending we actually received. The idea around this is that the trailer would have shown a shooting series, which would have been awfully tone deaf considering the absolute tragedy that occurred in Orlando a couple of days before. While some at Sony have denied that Red Dead's continuation would have been at the PlayStation press conference otherwise, there does seem to be truth in that the game is indeed coming. When will it be announced? That's the million dollar question.

Crackdown 3 (XB1)

Notably absent from Microsoft's Xbox One and Windows 10 PC showing, the cloud-intensive Crackdown 3 is set to release in 2017. It's anyone's best guess that Microsoft neglected to show it either because it wasn't at a good state to reveal progress on the game, or because it's a 2017 release and Microsoft didn't want to show too much stuff that wasn't releasing in the next six months. Whatever the case, you can bet that Crackdown 3 will be quite the showcase and jewel in the crown of the Xbox brand's lineup when it releases some time next year.

No Man's Sky (PS4)

For a game that releases in August, it was surprising to not hear or see hide nor hair of No Man's Sky at this E3. One could assume Sony didn't want to once again trot out the game at yet another media showing, much more another E3. Still, I'm amazed there wasn't a quick trailer or that the game wasn't even demoed at the PlayStation booth this year. While I won't go into any fear-mongering and say that No Man's Sky will see yet another delay, it's highly curious what Sony's rationale was for not having this highly intriguing game at E3.

Ace Combat 7 (PS4)

With such a focus on PlayStation VR at this year's E3, it's quite interesting how one of the marquis titles planned for the device wasn't even at the show this year. Ace Combat 7 is indeed a PlayStation 4 exclusive and will indeed use PlayStation VR. Maybe the game just wasn't far enough along to show anything, but hopefully we'll get to see the game soon. If not at the Tokyo Game Show, where it would definitely make sense to show it, then let's hope at the most we have to wait until the PlayStation Experience.

Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom (PS4)

Another missing RPG from E3 2016, Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom looks like a Studio Ghibli animated film in video game form. It says something, though, about Sony's showcase that it had so much content for the PlayStation 4 that it really didn't need a lot more to hype gamers up. That said, ti's disappointing all the same that Level-5's latest RPG wasn't at E3. Perhaps we'll see it at a future event, whether it's at Gamescom, Level-5's own event, Tokyo Game Show, PlayStation Experience, or any other trade show that has slipped my mind at this present moment.

New Hot Shots Golf (PS4) 

Okay, maybe this one is more notable to me exclusively! Revealed last year at the Tokyo Game Show, the latest in the Hot Shots Golf series (currently without a finalized name) takes players beyond the boundaries of a single hole with seemingly fully traverse-able golf courses that have golfers swinging clubs, putting balls, and driving golf carts around various holes. I was hoping that like Gravity Rush 2, Sony just omitted the new Hot Shots Golf from its press conference and would reveal a new trailer after the fact, but this obviously did not happen, contrary to my inner Hot Shots Golf fan's desires.

Metroid Prime: Federation Force (3DS)

Although Nintendo's E3 presence this year mostly focused on the absolutely jaw-dropping new Zelda for NX and Wii U, the house of Mario still featured some games on its Nintendo Treehouse live-streaming coverage. A notable absence from this coverage, and a game that is set to release in about two months, was Metroid Prime: Federation Force. Now, this title has already gotten a lot of ire from fans, and it hasn't exactly proven itself as a competent game. Thus, this makes its absence from Nintendo's E3 all the more bewildering and all the more suspicious. Here's hoping that Federation Force actually turns out well and is a positively received game for Metroid's 25th anniversary this year.

Metroid Prime: Federation Force (3DS) E3 2015 Trailer

Hell hath no fury like a Nintendo fan scorned! Judging by the amount of dislikes compared to likes in the YouTube link, the announcement of Metroid Prime: Federation Force does not seem to be a popular one. I'll wait to judge, as Nintendo has shown constantly that as a release date approaches, so do the changes of opinion from something negative to something more positive.