E3 comes around every year, affixing its unshakable grasp on gamers everywhere. It's hard not to get excited as this is the convention where all the major titles and surprises are usually revealed. Of course, that means everything you're expecting and totally unsuspecting could jump out at any time, you just never know.

But what about the games you've always wanted to be revealed? I'm not talking about your current Gears of War or Uncharted sequels, I'm talking titles from the forgotten crypts of the industry. Games who've been lost to time, poor sales, or just never were fully explored. These are the 20 games we'd love to see announced at E3, but know that despite wishing as hard as we can, will never, ever actually happen.

Maybe they could... someday.

20: Okami 2

Let's start out with the obvious; Okami. If you haven't played this game yet, you're probably one of the reasons it sold so poorly and we hate you for it. Seriously.

This was Clover Studios swan song, before Capcom closed its doors permanently and with it any chance of seeing an evolution of a perfected Zelda-esque adventure. Do yourself a favour and pick up a copy, your soul will be all the better for it. Maybe then you'll understand the mortal sin you committed by not giving it a chance. As for any chance of a sequel, I'm still crying myself to sleep.

19: Gradius VI

Iconic as it may be, the Vic Viper hasn't flown in quite some time. Gradius V released back on the Playstation 2 in the fall of 2004 and hasn't seen true action since. Perhaps that's because Gradius V kicked enough gamer ass to make them hate the boss design, but therein lies the passion behind the game; sadism.

Konami needs to make another true entry to the franchise but they need to keep it as cut-throat as the fifth installment. I mean, if you took too long on Gradius V's bosses they'd just leave. That's right, they'd take off because you just weren't worth the time or the effort. Gradius VI needs to happen, but it won't. Konami's too scared.

18: Final Fantasy VI remake

Remake, remastering, whatever it is, the world can never have enough FFVI and needs more of it - now. Arguably the greatest Final Fantasy ever created (I stand by that), Square-Enix refuses to acknowledge the fans' cries for a true remake and avoids the issue. The thing is, Square-Enix has been slowly remaking the games in order and FFVI is coming up rather fast. Hear this Square-Enix; we don't want a chibi, DS version of the game we played years ago. We want a fully developed game akin to the Final Fantasy VII stage demo we saw at E3 all those years ago.

We'll eventually get FFVI HD or whatever, but why not go a step up for one of the greatest games ever made? Yeah, I highly doubt this would ever happen, but... you never know.

17: Shenmue 3 remake

Many regard Yu Suzuki as a genius and a legend. After all, he is the mastermind behind the Shenmue series. However, after everything that's happened and the time that's passed, it's tough to even picture another Shenmue game in current generation form. Still, if it was somehow announced it could literally cause riots on the showroom floor. Riots.

Alas, it's just never going to happen; or is it?

16: Vectorman remake

Remember this dude? Having the experience of two solid games, the third never saw the light of day. While we don't exactly need a sequel, it'd be amazing to see Vectorman back in action. Just, not in generic third-person shooter form.

Unfortunately it doesn't look like enough gamers are interested in seeing Vectorman resurrected. That really needs to change. I say take the route of what Double Dragon: Neon is doing, but I've been wrong before. Well, not really.

15: Mirror's Edge 2

I'm still bitter about this. Years ago, EA announced they were, in fact, working on a sequel to the original title and reluctantly canceled it. Apparently the franchise is still important to EA, but it's been four years without so much as a whisper to where Mirror's Edge 2 stands. With such an original concept, EA would be a fool to just forget about this title. Alas, while I think we might someday see the sequel find its way onto store shelves, I fear it won't be anytime soon.

14: The Secret of Mana 3

The original Secret of Mana is a game close to my heart. Containing some of the best action-oriented combat in the RPGs of yore, even its music was addictive, reeling you into its maw of awesome. Why then did we never see a sequel? Well, we actually did, it just wasn't officially released outside of Japan. Saying that, the Mana series has gone off the deep end and desperately needs to return to its roots.

Would you kill for Secret of Mana 3? You know I would, but then it would just be murder for nothing because it's never going to come out. For this one, I can only dream.

13: Shadow of the Colossus 2

Why isn't this game being made? Seriously. Shadow of the Colossus was released in 2005, seven years ago. Seven. Let that sink in. Captivating, atmospheric, beautiful and above all else, original, Shadow of the Colossus isn't something the industry needs to forget about. Sure, the team is working on The Last Guardian and how well is that working out for them? An abyss only goes so far, I think.

12: Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos remake

Cool as an HD remake of all the classic Ninja Gaiden games would be, I want a fully remade title of the greatest Ninja Gaiden of all-time; Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos. Call the subtitle what you want, but this game was badass back in the day and still plays great in the present. Forget about the terrible direction the contemporary Ninja Gaiden is going, this is what the franchise needs to get back on track.

Too bad they'll never take my advice.

11: Pokemon MMO

Yes, yes there's a Pokemon MMO out there already, but a true MMO still ceases to exist. What I mean is, Pokemon doesn't have an official, fully backed MMO with actual quality behind it like the MMOs we've been seeing (TERA, The Old Republic). Could you imagine playing online with millions of other people in a graphically impressive, fully realized Pokemon MMO? I can see it now:

AshDude6969: Hey kid, I'ma bust your ass with Squirtle's bubble beam.
HappyChristmasAngel1: I'm telling my mom!
AshDude6969: ...She hot?

Even still, I'd love to see this happen but Nintendo... please wake up.

10: Battletoads remake

Double Dragon: Neon is looking sharp and is a hell of a lot of fun, but it brings up a question I can't seem to shake from my cranium; where is Battletoads? Sadly, I don't think developers realize how intriguing these football, brawler-esque frog dudes truly were. This mentality means making a sequel, remake, or reimagining a distant, distant wish.

9: Oddworld 3

Abe's Oddysee and Exodus were fantastic, exploratory sidescrollers with intriguing puzzles and intelligent humour. The franchise has going deep into 3D territory, but it's time now to come back. Much like I suggested with The Secret of Mana, Oddworld needs Abe back in the 2D saddle. More importantly, we need Abe back where he belongs. It's for the good of all gaming.

8: Wing Commander reboot

I'm a space-sim addict as well as an advocate for its revival. For too long have we been deprived of our great space-sims and it's time for one of the greats to make a comeback. Picking a favourite Wing Commander is an impossible task, but I most vividly remember Wing Commander Prophecy and its mini-expansion, Secret Ops. At this point, I'll take anything, but I doubt the industry feels the same way as I do.

7: Legacy of Kain reboot

It's been rumoured for some time now, but until I see trailers, gameplay and an official confirmation this is going to remain one of my top games I desperately want to see make a comeback. The story behind The Legacy of Kain series is impressive and, being missing since Defiance released in 2003, its presence in contemporary gaming is as well. Revive this game at E3 Square-Enix and you'll have proven that I was wrong about at least one of the games on this list. Gaming will be a better place with more Raziel and Kain anyway.

6: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night 2

You're reading the words of a die-hard Castlevania fan (the sidescroller kind, mind you). Konami has explored seemingly every avenue a new Castlevania can go. Thankfully cart racing hasn't entered the fray yet, but unless they can find an answer to the slowly stagnating 'Vania formula they may as well. What am I saying? The answer to all the problems rests in a sequel to one of the most beloved games of all-time, Symphony of the Night. All Konami needs to do is bring Alucard back in Symphony of the Night 2 along with another upside down castle and I guarantee the cash will just flow. I won't even take credit for the suggestion.

5: Super Metroid 2

While we're on topic, just copy everything I said about Symphony of the Night 2. Not the cart racing stuff. That'd be stupid.

4: Knights of the Old Republic 3

With The Old Republic out and entering the MMO scene, it's very unlikely we'll see any KOTOR game for a very long time. However, that should be a rather unintelligent statement seeing as how KOTOR is a single-player game. Do you hear that BioWare? Give us what we really wanted. Oh, and sprinkle in some of your insane cinematics too because, you know, that'd be rad.

3: Baldur's Gate 3

Baldur's Gate is receiving a nifty updated version this year and hopefully it'll help renew that old flame for one of the best RPGs ever created. Beamdog has stated their ultimate goal is to get to Baldur's Gate 3, but who knows when that'll be or if it'll even happen. Do your part and pick up Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Version when it launches and maybe, just maybe we can all get something truly worthwhile.

2: Donkey Kong Country 4

Discounting the fact that Donkey Kong Returns was pretty alright, it still isn't the Donkey Kong Country games of old. We need the Kremlings, the DK coins, K. Rool, and... alright everything else from the first and second games. Since it appears Nintendo likes the direction the new game has pointed the series, I sincerely doubt they'll rediscover what made the original games so damned good. Maybe it's a little much to ask for more Donkey Kong in such a drastic way, especially since they just gave us that new game. Actually, no it isn't.

1: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past 2

Don't even get me started.

Labels: Andrew Whipple III, Battletoads, E3 2012, Final Fantasy VI, Gradius, Oddworld, Okami, Pokemon, shadow of the colossus, Shenmue, Symphony of the Night, The Secret of Mana, Vectorman

Every year we, the insatiable gamers, are blessed with an assortment of high-quality titles, which we gobble down with the utmost haste. Whether it be one of the greatest games ever conceived or something a bit more modest, we tend to forget the predicaments the main characters go through whilst we're being entertained. Shooting enemies is fun - undoubtedly so - but what about the guy who shoots a loved one? What about the guy who was just going about his everyday life when his town explodes? How about the guy who can't remember his own name? These are the videogame characters we feel most sorry for.

The list of game characters has grown exponentially over the years, and with them the issues that develop in such a memorable way. Some of these problems are a bit more serious than others, but hey, they're still problems right?

9: Solid Snake

The issue: Snake is a clone; he ages rapidly, has to fight multiple metal monstrosities and extraterrestrial soldiers, and has to prevent multiple nuclear strikes across all the games. Also, pretty much everyone close to him dies. Savvy.

Snake is an old bastard, or at least he was, by the time Metal Gear Solid 4 rolled around. Even so, his decrepit arse still had to take down a gaggle of enemies with crazy powers, and a series of metal beasts that could cause the apocalypse; not a small feat by any means. The worst of his conditions, though, is definitely his rapid aging process, being a clone and all. How would you like to live less than half your life and be thrust into a rather impossible scenario multiple times? Not so cool. Also, he fought - well, technically, his father fought - a guy who could control bees. ...bees.

8: Link

The issue: How would you enjoy waking up after defeating the toughest nemesis you ever faced, with all your power and items taken from you? Now, how would you enjoy it if it happened every single time? Also, and arguably worse, Link's vocabulary consists of only "HIIYAAA" and "WAAA" and "UGHH". He's a think-tank, clearly.

Link is a legend in the videogame character kingdom, and so are the design philosophies behind The Legend of Zelda, but those scenarios are going to take a backseat here. You see, at the outset of every game, Link is pretty much a different person who in no way resembles the skillful, item-ridden hero from his last adventure. He can also only communicate via several emotional screams, which explains why Zelda always gets lost some way or another (would you want to be around someone like that?). While there might be some kind of odd lore, and occassional connections to games past here and there, it's never truly apparent in any game. Which - naturally - leads me to believe that he's (a) insane, (b) a robot, or (c) maybe both. With this information we can only conclude that Link is tethered to the Matrix as some evil genius's puppet. I don't think he knows Kung Fu, though.

7: Tidus

The issue: Besides his strange taste in random clothing, Tidus has a problem with being tangible, and another with killing his father to metal music. He also likes Blitzball.

The protagonist from Final Fantasy X with the feathered hair gets a lot of flak for his somewhat... eccentric attitude - laughing scene, anyone? - and his random elbow pad. Tidus goes through quite a bit emotionally as the game continues on, but much to his surprise - and ours - he finds out that he doesn't even exist. That's right; by the time the game ends, Tidus basically just up-and-vanishes from Yuna's arms. Before that, though, Tidus participates in the killing of his father to save the land. I truly have no idea how this works, but when you break it down it sounds pretty bleak; Tidus killed his father to save a land that he can't be a part of because he just discovered he doesn't exist.

...blame Blitzball.

6: Boy from Shadow of the Colossus

The issue: In an effort to bring a girl that means something to him back from the dead, this boy must fight sixteen colossi. And slay every one.

It might not sound too depressing at first, but once you finish killing all sixteen colossi, something very bad happens to that boy. Instead of being rewarded with the chance to restore life to the girl, the boy ends up being turned into a giant demon. After the short stint of demonry subsides, the boy then turns into a baby, and the girl then awakens. So, after all that trouble, the kid has absolutely zero idea of what happened.

That, my friends, is what I call 'the shaft'.

5: Master Chief

The issue: Born and bred to fight, the Master Chief had no childhood and no life besides constant intergalactic warring.

Halo's Master Chief really is quite a depressing character. Whilst the games don't exactly dive deep into his background, the man had no life, no friends, no family; nothing. The only thing left to him was the drive to keep fighting for humanity. Every single day is just another step toward killing more aliens and regenerating more shields. I think the only friend the guy has is Cortana, and she's basically just the Internet. It does make you wonder, though; what does he do to kill time, besides sleeping in space?

4: Dominic Santiago

The issue: For a man whose whole world revolved around finding his wife and kids after his planet exploded, putting the gun to his own wife didn't seem to make him the happiest person.

Gears of War is all about the planet Sera, and how it became scorched due to the Locust emerging to annihilate the humans. After the initial attack, Dom lost his kids and his wife, but had never given up on trying to locate them. Upon entering the Locust Hollow in the second game, Dom finds his wife tortured and destroyed; a husk of her former self. Dom couldn't let her suffer any longer and was forced to shoot her, right in the ole' cranium. Could you imagine yourself dedicating your life to finding someone, actually finally managing to find them, and then having to kill them? To augment that feeling, you can then wake up every morning after that, to a world that's fully destroyed and trying to kill you. Awesome.

3: Castlevania's Dracula

The issue: Every single game, he comes back with greater power, badass traps, horrific monsters, and a thirst for vengeance. But he always ends up getting his arse whipped. Literally.

Castlevania is synonymous with Dracula at this point. Like the description points out, he comes back in almost every iteration more powerful than before. Yet, even if he came back with sixty thousand demons and a Godzilla-sized Death at his side, he'd end up losing to some schmuck that gets all up inside his castle. Having your soul literally ripped apart and being forced to sit there for years before you can manifest enough power in a feeble attempt to come back must suck.

2: Gordon Freeman

The issue: A scientist who really enjoys his work, Gordon somehow managed to turn a rather harmless experiment into a full blown alien invasion. ...good job, Gordon.

Half-Life is famous for having one of the best lead-in moments to a game ever, and it still holds up today. Gordon, being the wonderfully nice scientist he is, was going about his business as usual until he decided to push a cart into a part of the experiment he was helping with. Cue bolts of electricity, alien portals and dead people. Now Gordon is solely responsible for finding out how to fix the problem, which he still hasn't been able to do. Bet you wish you could rewind time a bit, don'tcha, Gordon?

1: Vic Viper

The issue: When an alien invasion comes, there's only one option.

You'd think that, after the first time the galaxy routed the enemy in the Gradius universe, they would prepare some kind of defense force in case it ever happened again. I guess that's too logical, though, because those lethargic asses always send out the Vic Viper whenever there's trouble. What happens if the pilots all got sick and no one could use this spacecraft? I guess it's game over forever? Sorry Vic, those guys are jerks.

Labels: 2011, Andrew Whipple III, Castlevania, Final Fantasy XII, Gears of War, Gradius, Half-Life, Halo, Metal Gear Online, shadow of the colossus, The Legend of Zelda