Look, it wasn’t a vintage year for new PlayStation 5 and PS4 announcements at E3 2021. Sony skipped the event, meaning we were relying on third-party reveals, and – if we’re being perfectly honest – the pandemic meant that most publishers didn’t have much to show. However, it wasn’t a complete and utter wash, as there were a handful of promising projects on display.
The criteria for our Game of the Show poll – which thousands of you participated in – mandated that any candidate game must have received a new trailer or gameplay demo during an E3 2021 presentation or at the Summer Game Fest. Also, it goes without saying, games must be releasing on a PlayStation platform, so sadly no Starfield here. It’s a bummer, we know.
As decided by you, then, here are our top five PS5 and PS4 games of E3 2021, with the remainder of the top ten included for interest:
- #10: Tales of Arise (172 Votes)
- #9: Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora (186 Votes)
- #8: Diablo 2: Resurrected (216 Votes)
- #7: Hades (244 Votes)
- #6: Death Stranding Director's Cut (258 Votes)
#5: A Plague Tale: Requiem (333 Votes)
Well, we know next to nothing about it, other than the fact that it’s a sequel to A Plague Tale: Innocence and there will be lots of rodents. Asobo Studios’ anticipated PS5 sequel’s mere existence did more than enough to propel this project to fifth position on our Game of the Show shortlist, though.
#4: Battlefield 2042 (341 Votes)
Battlefield 2042 is easily shaping up to be the biggest game of the year, and everything we’ve seen so far has convinced us that DICE is poised to deliver something truly spectacular. The sheer scale of the first-person shooter’s 128-player online battles is unprecedented, but the Swedish developer has not stopped there, layering outrageous set-piece weather sequences on top.
#3: Far Cry 6 (379 Votes)
You could be forgiven for feeling like Far Cry 6 was the only game at E3 2021 given the frequency with which it appeared, but some seriously dated cut-scenes aside, this is looking like a fun play on the series’ tried-and-trusted formula. We’re particularly fond of the many makeshift weapons Ubisoft has announced thus far, including that firearm built from a Discman.
#2: Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy (582 Votes)
One of the few major new announcements during E3 2021, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy from Eidos Montreal looks like a sturdy adaptation of the comic book series. While the title has been criticised for its below-par production values – frankly, it looks a generation behind the latest crop of PS5 exclusives – the emphasis on single player has raised expectations, and the hope is that the Deus Ex developer can stick the landing.
#1: Elden Ring (949 Votes)
It was never in doubt – perhaps the bigger question is whether it would even show up. As soon as Elden Ring appeared during Summer Game Fest last week, we knew it was destined to become Game of the Show. In the end, it almost doubled the number of votes of its nearest rival – effectively a waltz for director Hidetaka Miyazaki and his FromSoftware team.
Some criticised the trailer’s similarities to Dark Souls, arguing that this is a new intellectual property in name only. But between the open world setting and new gameplay opportunities – you can strategically summon spirits on the battlefield and even utilise stealth – this is sounding like a true evolution of the legendary developer’s iconic loop.
A comfortable and deserved Game of the Show winner.
What were your favourite PS5 and PS4 games from E3 2021 and why? Do you agree with the order of our top five? Talk it out in the comments section below.
Comments 38
Definitely looking forward to Tales of Arise and Far Cry 6
Elden Ring doesn't surprise me; the rest kind of do. Somewhat sad to not see stuff like Two Point Campus on here, but to be fair, not exactly the biggest game, so that is more a personal pick.
Salt and sacrifice.shadow warrior 3 and of course elden ring is and was the best at e3.no doubt playas.i can dig it.word up son
I thought guardians looked good and was probably my favourite game this week.
I’m more interested in 6-10.... but either way some good games should be coming!
Elden Ring does look really good so far!
Aside from Tales of Arise, that list does absolutely nothing for me.
Dani Rojas.
A Plague Tale Requiem was the last straw to push into actually trying to buy a PS5 I absolutely can't wait!
Death Stranding and Battlefield are the only games I will be purchasing from this top 10.
Really don’t understand the appeal of Soulsborne games, but glad the crowd that likes them got their big game.
My E3 top ten:
1. Death Stranding: Director’s Cut
2. Metroid Dread
3. Warioware: Get It Together
4. Atomic Heart
5. Mario Party Superstars
6. Battlefield 2042
7. Advance Wars 1+2
8. The Forgotten City
9. Super Monkey Ball
10. Fatal Frame
Rocksmith+ that was the biggest for me by a mile.
I would have included stalker 2, game looks like it has potential for a fallout replacement
@UltimateOtaku91 We didn't include it purely because it's not technically announced for PS5 yet. It's definitely coming after three months, but that's why it's not there.
(I agree, it looks awesome!)
@Stragen8 Rocksmith+ sounds amazing for sure. I think it's one of those things that has a very niche audience, but if I could give that to my teenage self I'd be over the moon.
Meh, a pretty mediocre list.
I'd go SMTV, Metroid, Zelda, Atomic Heart...aaaand that's basically it.
I was curious (and scared) to see Bioshock 4, but we all know how Take Two went about this E3 lol
Tales of Arise I'm really looking forward to...don't care about the rest.
Basically everything Nintendo showed was more exciting to me than that list! Although STALKER 2 and Atomic Heart are PS5 bound too and look great. GotG was probably the best looking out of them as we saw actual gameplay. Elden Ring I refuse to think about until I see a breakdown of the gameplay. Couldn’t care less about the story.
GotG was my number one, looks like a lot of fun.
Death Stranding DC was even though I completed the game last year. Maybe the DC will add enough to make it even better.
Avatar as I'm a fan of the film and maybe it will be a good open world game. Probably won't be but I'll remain hopeful!
Not much else really, some decent stuff on other platforms but nothing that screamed out as must play.
Was Elden Ring even at E3? I thought it was on that show beforehand.
As for stuff on Playstation, off hand I'd say Guardians of the Galaxy was the best I saw, oh and Super Monkey Ball and Stalker 2 as well assuming its coming to Playstation at some point. Overall all the good stuff was for Xbox and Nintendo with most of the 3rd party showings being pretty dire
Elden Ring absolutely was one of the best reveals that whole week. Everything else there is pretty meh even if I like battlefield to a certain extent
FF Origin was my 2nd favorite reveal not counting non PS games otherwise SMTV would be 2nd
@get2sammyb I’m shocked Ubisoft didn’t give up on Rocksmith. But this model and targeting all those app based guiar learning tools seems perfect.
It really is an amazing learning tool. It’s taught me so much, and got me playing guitar. I’ve since started real lessons as well, but as a song learning tool it’s unmatched. I was fully playing stuff like Cheap Trick’s Surrender at 100% before ever having a teacher.
surely a recount must be in order! All I've been reading on the comments thread on the other article is "Elden Ring's consumer base isn't going to be very big if they won't add an easy mode"
(seriously though guys, an easy mode in that game wouldn't offend me in the slightest and you're very free to want/ask for one, I just find the idea that it will make a huge difference in the size of the playerbase a little unlikely - and I just found it funny that Elden Ring is #1 here even though it doesn't in any way disprove your points)
Plague Tale, Elden Ring, FarCry 6 and Tales of Arise for me on that list.
No other could have won grant us arms
I just can’t believe people are praising Elden Ring’s graphics and slating Final Fantasy Origin. Elden Ring, so far, straight up looks incredibly last gen.
Hopefully Kena would have been on the list if it was part of the poll!
Not sure what everyone else is seeing with Guardians. I like that it is single player + no MTX, but the combat looks woefully floaty and unengaging to me. But I hope to be surprised.
A Plague's Tale: Requiem also super excited about. Asobo have thoroughly proven their technical boundary pushing chops on the first game and Microsoft Flight Simulator. Really excited to see what they can accomplish, particularly with a much more powerful CPU.
It will be great for the video game industry if they manage to release a excellent game based on a Marvel IP. I hope the Guardians of the Galaxy game do for Marvel what Jedi Fallen Order did for Star Wars.
By the way, it is just sad that Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin didn't even made to the top 10. Square Enix really did a number in that announcement trailer.
Avatar and Guardians take the cake for me since I’m a sucker for the licensed stuff. Let’s hope they turn out well.
I’m actually pretty surprised by this list! Mainly because I only see myself getting Elden Ring out of these 5. Back 4 Blood and Diablo will be my new release purchases before then.
Still need to get FFVII, Ratchet, and Mass Effect 😬
Eden F'in Ring. enough said.
This might be about top 5 PS5 games from E3 2021 but the game of the show is objectively Metroid Dread
Salt and Sacrifice deserves to be in the top 10.
Of course, Elden Ring votes will double the nearest rival.
Eikyuden for me. Amazing-looking spritework
@TheFrenchiestFry agreed, bring on Metroid!
@Orochilocka From’s games were never about graphics (other than the Demon’s Souls remake, which is Bluepoint’s doing). It’s about the gameplay loop. I do agree that their engine is starting to show its age, but given the size and scope of this world they’ve created, I’m not terribly concerned about slightly dated graphics.
Kena should be #1! Not sure why it wasn’t on the list.
@Ear_wiG neither are square enix’s. It’s just weird how some games get a pass and some don’t. Look at the texture and hair on Elden Ring, it’s worse than original Dark Souls. But that’s ok.
@Orochilocka Yeah I guess souls player base cares less about graphical fidelity. The artistic direction tends to sing enough that it doesn’t matter. Bloodborne still blows me away. I’m excited for Elden Ring ✔️
Tap here to load 38 comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...