The show is over and so the PixlBit staff discusses the games that gave them the most thrills this year.

Esteban’s Picks

Winner - Tomb Raider

Across the various coverage and gameplay demos I saw of this game, I realized that nothing else shown at E3 this year was something I wanted to play right now. Some titles looked good only in concept, others looked good but heavy-handed, and some were only trailers. Tomb Raider looks good, has a solid premise, and looks immediately playable.

Environments are beautifully rendered, sound design is great, controls seem familiar, and the survival aspect of the game looks to be a solid mix of stealth and action. Intense set pieces are made in a way so that it's more personal for the character rather than for the viewer. Lara moves loosely and efficiently and it looks to deliver you an experience rather than just a game. The quick time events seem to be kept to a minimum, a change from last year's demo, and the game melds player controlled moments with pre-made events almost seamlessly.

I've been excited for this game since it was revealed last year right before E3 2011. Now that I've seen more, I can't wait until March of next year. I've always been a fan of Tomb Raider but this game looks to have the polish and focus many of the previous games lacked. If this game makes Tomb Raider a triple A title on the level of its spiritual successor, Uncharted, I wouldn't be surprised.

Runner-up - Rayman Legends

When you see this game in action, you can't help but start giggling like a six year old. The demo shown at Ubisoft's managed to do something nothing at E3 this year was able to do: be the one game I'm excited to play on the Wii U and the Wii U only. It's the only game on the system that uses the touch screen in a fun way rather than in a convenient or unnecessary way. Solid platforming, pretty graphics, diverse gameplay, this game will be fun on whatever platform you play it on but the definitive version will be the Wii U port.