The best games of E3 2011

Go behind closed doors with these sneak previews of the biggest attractions of E3.

Vast, flashing screens, crowds of excited fans and thunderous noise can sometimes mean it's easy to miss games on the E3 show floor. E3 2011 was no different, and beyond the massive Sony Computer Entertainment America booth was a sea of new experiences jostling for attention. Here's the pick of the titles that deserve to be noticed.

See Lara Croft come of age in Tomb Raider on PlayStation 3, a stunning tale of survival in a tropical island nightmare. When the survey ship Endeavour is wrecked by stormy seas, a 21-year-old Lara is thrown into a fight for her life and that of her mentor, Conrad Roth, on an island full of nasty surprises. The Tomb Raider series' classic physics-based puzzles are back and better than ever, while spectacular visuals showcase Lara's duels with rabid wolves and the island's mysterious, barbaric inhabitants in fine style.

Even darker is the return of the most clinical contract killer on PlayStation: Agent 47 is back in a chilling story of revenge.

"Our designers lie awake at night dreaming up ways to assassinate people," Christian Elverdam, gameplay director at developer IO Interactive, said. And it shows – every problem in Hitman: Absolution on PS3 has an array of grisly solutions. Characters play out their own mini-dramas around Agent 47, leading to unexpected opportunities. They must be snatched with both gloved hands in a game which left many at E3 slack-jawed with admiration.

Swapping Agent 47's rain-lashed Chicago stalking ground for a vibrant, open world of possibilities is The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim on PS3. Incredibly detailed environments – streams bubble with fish and you can actually pick flowers – form a mesmerising backdrop to your journey to the Grey Beards, the elders who teach you the language of the dragons which you must then confront. Scale, majesty and drama: this game has it all.

Matching it is Mass Effect 3 on PS3, the epic conclusion to Commander Shepard's battle with the Reapers. Earth is the battleground, its cities falling in mere hours to this ancient race of destroyers. As Shepard, you'll notice even more explosive action, as gun fights are ramped up in intensity. Fans of the series' role-playing game elements can rest easy too. Choices, equipment and relationships are still vital to the fate of the universe.

Expect countless twists in the tale as the shadowy Cerberus organization turns on Shepard, ensuring high tension at all times. Luckily, his armoured shoulders can carry the burden.

Jinking runs and tricks aplenty arrive with two sporting power houses. Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 and FIFA 12, both on PS3, inch ever closer to perfect realism in depicting the beautiful game. The former features sharpened artificial intelligence, and you'll see players darting around the pitch in anticipation of your pass, just like the Barcelona side do at their imperious best.

Meanwhile, FIFA 12 showcases a new dribbling system which makes it easier for players to protect the ball on the move, alongside dozens of other improvements. Both games are incredibly addictive and will impress fans and newcomers alike. 

San Francisco and car chases go hand in hand thanks to classic movies like Bullitt. A modern twist comes from Driver: San Francisco, and as wheelman Tanner, you gun the hefty engines of Lamborghinis, Mustangs and many more supercars on PS3. Every car has a real feeling of weightiness, and flinging them round corners at 150mph won't fail to thrill. A great soundtrack of roaring engines and blaring sirens will only make you feel more like Bullitt star Steve McQueen.

Movie influences don't come clearer than in Aliens: Colonial Marines. "When we founded [games developer] Gearbox, we had models of head crabs everywhere. We borrowed so many ideas from the Alien movies!" So said Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford, making him the perfect person to oversee this intense and deeply atmospheric PS3 shooter. It's a direct sequel to the events in Aliens, and nods to the movies are everywhere – remote sentry guns, hulking yellow power loaders and, of course, the ferocious Xenomorphs themselves.  

PlayStation Vita was the centre of attention for much of E3, and the range of games for the new handheld reflected this. Virtua Tennis 4 features intuitive touch screen controls, creating a fluid tennis experience. Spin and swerve can be added with flicks of your finger, making for a satisfyingly subtle on-court game.

Street Fighter X Tekken on PS Vita was a game that got some of the loudest cheers during the PlayStation E3 conference. A mash-up of flying fists featuring characters from both iconic fighting series, it will set the benchmark for brawlers thanks to its distinctive art style and retina-scorching bouts.

Mark all these games down as ones to watch over the coming months and let au.playstation.com and PlayStation.Blog help you do that with all the news on these exciting titles.

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