Think of the hazards associated with developing a video game and the possibility of receiving death threats probably won’t rank very highly.

But Sean Murray, 36-year-old architect of the upcoming No Man’s Sky, is talking me through how a release date wrangle over his newest title led to a wave of violent online invective.

“I had written a blog post for Sony that was going to announce the delay,” says Murray in the PlayStation maker’s sunny Soho office.

“We had discussed a bunch of options but the blog went out overnight with the date left blank. So I went to sleep and woke up to about 300 messages. People had worked out my phone number, where I lived, all sorts of stuff. I’m somebody who doesn’t really get that stressed but that was a low point of the project.”

Murray, who is managing director of independent studio Hello Games, wasn’t the only one drawing this brand of disproportionate ire. Jason Schreier, one of the early games journalists to report the delay, was warned on Twitter “Be afraid human, we’re coming for you.”

Still, Murray didn’t inform the police. “I think the level of crazy you have to be to be mean to someone on the internet and the level of crazy you have to be to actually do those things is really different,” reasons the Cork-born developer. Maybe. But his calmness in the face of provocation could also be down to the fact this was just the latest in a long line of obstacles his passion project has faced during its creation.

In five years No Man’s Sky suffered a crippling 2013 flood at Hello Games’ Guildford office (“We stood there trying to take out our PCs and everything was exploding”), a series of online leaks (including a Reddit user obtaining an early copy of the game this week, 11 days before its UK release) and a constant barrage of aggressive attempts to hack his 15-person team.

“Having people care about your game so much isn’t that bad a situation,” says Murray, generously. Why the enormous fuss? Why the intense scrutiny? Well, without legitimising the actions of the internet’s biggest manbabies, No Man’s Sky isn’t like other games.

The 30 biggest video games from E3 2016 30 show all The 30 biggest video games from E3 2016 1/30 Death Stranding Platform: PS4, PC

A new game from Hideo Kojima – one of gaming’s true auteurs – is always cause for celebration, but the reveal of Death Stranding compounded that with strong casting (The Walking Dead’s Norman Reedus appears prominently in the trailer) and unsettling imagery of a disappearing inky baby and a load of dead fish. Spooky? Yep. Exciting? You betcha. Sony / Kojima Productions 2/30 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Platform: Nintendo Wii U, Nintendo NX

While many E3 demos showed off booming battles and zombie skirmishes, the reveal of the new Zelda game was something entirely different: serene, beautiful, and full of stirring natural imagery. Link is back in a new adventure arriving on the Wii U and Nintendo NX, and it’s drop-dead gorgeous - with a cel-shaded art style that’s both painterly and stunningly detailed. A return to Hyrule can’t come soon enough. Nintendo 3/30 Titanfall 2 Platform: Xbox One, PS4, PC

Titanfall was one of the most anticipated games on Xbox One, but when it was released, reception was lukewarm - especially when it came to the campaign. Thankfully, Respawn’s sequel looks set to feature a more focused single player effort, as well as the manic, mech-based warfare fans of the series know and love. EA / Respawn 4/30 Trials of the Blood Dragon Platform: PS4, PC, Xbox One

One huge, daft Eighties throwback, Trials of the Blood Dragon announced itself in a trailer with action figures, fireballs, OTT motorbike stunts, and an eyeball-frazzling neon colour scheme. Who knows if it’ll actually be any good, but you can’t argue that it stood out compared to all the muscular FPS titles on show. Ubisoft / RedLynx 5/30 Final Fantasy XV Platform: Xbox One, PS4

Another sublime-looking game and one that seems to have been around for ages. This year, gamers finally caught a decent glimpse of the gameplay as well as some of creatures you’ll encounter along the journey. Riding a Chocobo (a huge bird-like creature) looks incredibly fun - harking back to the outstanding Final Fantasy VII. Interestingly, there’s even first-person aiming - which, we’re still getting used to seeing in a Final Fantasy game - a series famed for turn-based combat. Square Enix 6/30 Gears of War 4 Platform: Xbox One, PC

The good news: the original Gears of War trilogy saw the end of the Locust horde. The bad news: they’ve made way for the Swarm. In the latest Gears 4 demo, Microsoft showed off the new baddies, a shot of Marcus Fenix as an old man, and all the chainsaw-revving mayhem you’d hope for. It looks like Marcus’ son JD will have his work cut out for him. Oh, and if that wasn’t enough: Horde 3.0 is coming. Microsoft 7/30 Watch Dogs 2 Platform: Xbox One, PS4, PC

The original Watch Dogs was one of the most hyped games of the last few years, but many were underwhelmed when it was finally released. The furore centered on an alleged graphical downgrade, while the gameplay was under developed. Ubisoft seem to have got their act in gear for a San Francisco-set sequel casting players as young hacktivist Marcus Holloway. The gameplay demo focused on an infiltration mission - showing off far superior visuals and a world boasting bags more character. Along with sleek combat and gunplay, Marcus can use a variety of drones and hack cameras to scope out his surroundings. Definitely one to watch. Ubisoft 8/30 God of War Platform: PS4

Arguably featuring the best visuals on show at E3, the new God of War focuses on the relationship between Kratos and his son. For the first time, the entire game is a single shot - no loading screens, no chapters - just one immense journey. Although fight scenes in the demo were few and far between, expect plenty of large scale boss battles and eye-watering finishing moves. We can’t wait. Sony / SIE 9/30 Battlefield 1 Platform: Xbox One, PS4, PC

Battlefield is heading back to World War I - but this time with a host of new tricks up its sleeves. For one, it’s had a stunning visual makeover. Powered by Frostbite, expect graphics on par with Star Wars: Battlefront. Along with a host of weapons and vehicles, melee combat has been redesigned to allow for more depth. Expect huge battles, with maps capable of supporting 64 players. The famed ‘Levolution’ will also return - albeit bigger and more spectacular than ever. EA / Dice 10/30 Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare Platform: Xbox One, PS4, PC

Reaction to Infinite Warfare has so far been mixed, but it’ll still be one of the biggest games of the year. The problem is that their recent E3 gameplay demo - which showed off an assault on a spaceship - just didn’t look like anything revolutionary, coming off more like Edge of Tomorrow than a Call of Duty game. It faces stiff competition from Battlefield 1, and we already know who we’re backing for the win. The move to space may be a step too far. That remastered Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, though... Activision / Infinity Ward 11/30 Crash Bandicoot Platform: PS4

The Nineties was dominated by platform games, but the current gen hasn’t catered so much to run-jump-collect adventures. In the wake of Yooka-Laylee’s delays, platforming fans can at least rest easy with the news that Crash Bandicoot is back. As announced in Sony’s E3 conference, the original three Crash titles will be amped up for the PlayStation 4. Ooga-booga. Sony 12/30 Days Gone Platform: PS4

It seems like the folks at Bend Studios have been watching lots of Sons of Anarchy and The Walking Dead, if the panic-inducing gameplay introduction to Days Gone is anything to go by. The PS4 exclusive title offers players an open-world, a motorbike, and a horde of ravenous flesh-eaters to either fight off, or drive away from very, very fast. These aren’t slow shuffling zombies either - think the sprinting masses of World War Z. Sony / SIE Bend 13/30 LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens Platform: Xbox One, PC, PS4

While the LEGO series continues to improve various elements of its titles, you know generally what to expect from the franchise at this point - but it’s still exciting to see the series return to its roots in a galaxy far, far away. For anyone still thrilled at just how great The Force Awakens turned out, LEGO’s faithful reimagining of the latest Star Wars adventure looks like a brilliant way to delve back into the rise of Rey and Finn, and the triumphant return of the original characters. TT Fusion / Warner Bros 14/30 Horizon: Zero Dawn Platform: PS4

One of the most intriguing new properties on show, Horizon: Zero Dawn features a capable new female lead character - who, for once, isn’t totally sexualised - as well as mechanical dinosaur creatures. What’s not to like? Like the Zelda demo, it shows off beautiful natural landscapes, and the combat and free-roaming elements look majorly enticing. Sony / Guerrilla Games 15/30 ReCore Platform: Xbox One, PC

The exact premise of ReCore still isn’t too clear, but the gameplay footage and art style alone makes it one of the most exciting new properties to join the Xbox One. From the looks of things, it’ll have the puzzle mechanics of Portal alongside elements elements of third-person shooters and platforming. The new footage at E3 finally gave a release date too: September 13. Microsoft / Comcept / Armature 16/30 Dead Rising 4 Platform: Xbox One, PC

After a slight misstep with Dead Rising 3, the pressure’s on for DR4 to deliver - and it’s looking like it will. Expect plenty of wacky Christmas-themed weapons, a huge open world and - if the trailer is anything to go by - integration with social media and beyond. Our favourite weapon already looks to be a mech- exoskeleton, which protagonist Frank can use to wield devastating attacks on hundred-strong zombie invasions. Capcom 17/30 Sea of Thieves Platform: Xbox One, PC

Legendary developers Rare are heading to the high seas for their latest title Sea of Thieves. The art style is cartoony, but it still looks stunning - just check out those water effects. In a glut of new gameplay footage, E3 brought a look at how to sail to treasure-filled islands, fight pirates, and - erm - get drunk. Microsoft / Rare 18/30 Mafia III Platform: Xbox One, PS4, PC

The mobster saga is back, and it’s offering a new spin on the crime genre. Set in the late Sixties, the latest instalment takes in the Vietnam war, racial tensions, and a new era of organised crime, several decades after the events of Mafia II. The stylish E3 trailer gave more proof that the franchise is straying away from the usual mafioso territory and into a more interesting direction. 2K Games / Hangar 13 19/30 Deus Ex: Mankind Divided Platform: Xbox One, PS4, PC

This futuristic sequel is high up the most-wanted list. Picking up from 2011’s Human Revolution, gamers are once again thrust into the role of Adam Jensen - a part cyborg, part human enforcer. At E3 this year, fans caught their first proper look at the campaign in full swing - a mission in Dubai. Expect plenty of player choice, augmentations, weapons and ways to complete objectives. As in the last game, multiple endings will be affected by player choice. Eidos / Square Enix 20/30 Dishonored 2 Platform: Xbox One, PS4, PC

Dishonored was one of the most-loved games of the last console generation - putting players in control of master assassin Corvo on a bloody quest for revenge. This time around, you can play as both Corvo and former Empress of Dunwall Emily Kaldwin - each with their own sets of abilities. An internal engine called ‘Void’ is offering a significant power upgrade from the old Unreal 3 engine, promising improved lighting and detail. Expect multiple paths through levels and - in response to feedback from the last game - extra non-lethal takedowns. Moral tests and layer choice will also feature, so there should be multiple endings. Bethesda / Arkane 21/30 Skyrim: Special Edition Platform: Xbox One, PS4, PC

It’s time to get your FUS-RO-DAH back on as Skyrim blasts onto the current console generation. Bethesda’s swords-and-dragons RPG has been given a stunning visual makeover for the PS4 and Xbox One. That’s not all - the new version will bring mods to the console editions for the very first time. Bethesda 22/30 Halo Wars 2 Platform: Xbox One, PC

Seven years on from the original Halo Wars, the Real-Time Strategy spin-off from Microsoft’s flagship franchise is back - and there’s a multiplayer beta for fans to enjoy until June 20. Taking place after the events of Halo V: Guardians, the top-down title sees players fight off new enemies The Banished. Microsoft / 343 Industries 23/30 Ghost Recon: Wildlands Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC

We’ve been hearing a lot about Wildlands, but at E3 fans finally got to see some in-depth gameplay. It’s looking superb - and with a varied, detailed world featuring mountains, jungles and deserts, it’s already allaying fears that it’ll just be a Division clone. Given the size of the world, gamers can use vehicles - from buggies, helicopters and dirt bikes - to get around. Although it caters for up to four players, gamers can go through the campaign solo, with AI controlling the other members. Expect highly destructible environments, if the latest gameplay demo is anything to go by. Ubisoft 24/30 Pokemon Sun and Moon Platform: Nintendo 3DS

The notorious monster-collecting handheld RPG series is back with two new adventures on the Nintendo 3DS. There’s a whole new region to explore, the Hawaii-influenced Alola, three new adorable starter Pokemon to choose from, and new legendary Pokemon to track down. In the 20th anniversary year of the series, it looks like the perfect balance of nostalgia and progress. Nintendo 25/30 Mass Effect: Andromeda Platform: Xbox One, PS4, PC

The Mass Effect games are some of the greatest of all time, so it’s not surprising just how much anticipation there is for Andromeda. Whilst details are still scarce, E3 gave us a trailer which showed off new worlds and the game engine in more detail. Set years after the original series, you take on a new protagonist called Ryder. Like in the last games, Ryder can either be male or female, with the latter as the standard preset. The Mako - a clumsy land-based vehicle from the first game which was scrapped for Mass Effect 2 and 3 - looks to be making a return in Andromeda, so let’s hope it’s more refined. EA / BioWare 26/30 The Last Guardian Platform: PS4

The Last Guardian? At E3? We’ve got déjà vu over here. Hopefully this will be the last time the long-awaited game appears at the show because it’s now got a release date at last: October 25. Can it live up to Ico and Shadow of the Colossus? SIE 27/30 Prey Platform: Xbox One, PS4, PC

Talk of a Prey sequel seems to have been around for years… because it has. In fact, screenshots emerged a few years back before it was axed. Thankfully, it’s back on track - and while a reveal trailer didn’t give much away, expect lots of gravity-defying gunplay, mind-bending abilities and alien weapons. We should see more of Prey at Gamescom later this year. Bethesda / Arkane 28/30 Resident Evil 7: Biohazard Platform: Xbox One, PS4, PC

You spent hours of Alien: Isolation stuck in a ventilation shaft, and now Resident Evil 7 will have you refusing to leave a corridor. Hey, if you don’t enter that door, nothing can get you right? After the more action-oriented Resident Evil 6, the horror is well and truly back for 7. Best of all, on PS4 the full campaign will be VR compatible. Time to stock up on nappies, then. Capcom 29/30 Spider-Man Platform: PS4

Bucking the trend for film-to-game adaptations being largely terrible, Spider-Man 2 was one of the best superhero experiences on the PS2. Now the webslinger is back on the current gen – and ready to take Batman: Arkham’s comic book crown. The new PS4 game is likely a few years off, but certainly one to watch. Sony 30/30 Star Wars: X-Wing VR Mission Platform: PS4

This spectacular VR demo showing off a mission in an X-Wing went down a storm at E3, and rightfully so. Let’s hope, though, that there’s more depth to it than just flying around shooting things. Expect ship upgrades and dog-fights aplenty, plus plenty of varied worlds. EA / Dice 1/30 Death Stranding Platform: PS4, PC

A new game from Hideo Kojima – one of gaming’s true auteurs – is always cause for celebration, but the reveal of Death Stranding compounded that with strong casting (The Walking Dead’s Norman Reedus appears prominently in the trailer) and unsettling imagery of a disappearing inky baby and a load of dead fish. Spooky? Yep. Exciting? You betcha. Sony / Kojima Productions 2/30 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Platform: Nintendo Wii U, Nintendo NX

While many E3 demos showed off booming battles and zombie skirmishes, the reveal of the new Zelda game was something entirely different: serene, beautiful, and full of stirring natural imagery. Link is back in a new adventure arriving on the Wii U and Nintendo NX, and it’s drop-dead gorgeous - with a cel-shaded art style that’s both painterly and stunningly detailed. A return to Hyrule can’t come soon enough. Nintendo 3/30 Titanfall 2 Platform: Xbox One, PS4, PC

Titanfall was one of the most anticipated games on Xbox One, but when it was released, reception was lukewarm - especially when it came to the campaign. Thankfully, Respawn’s sequel looks set to feature a more focused single player effort, as well as the manic, mech-based warfare fans of the series know and love. EA / Respawn 4/30 Trials of the Blood Dragon Platform: PS4, PC, Xbox One

One huge, daft Eighties throwback, Trials of the Blood Dragon announced itself in a trailer with action figures, fireballs, OTT motorbike stunts, and an eyeball-frazzling neon colour scheme. Who knows if it’ll actually be any good, but you can’t argue that it stood out compared to all the muscular FPS titles on show. Ubisoft / RedLynx 5/30 Final Fantasy XV Platform: Xbox One, PS4

Another sublime-looking game and one that seems to have been around for ages. This year, gamers finally caught a decent glimpse of the gameplay as well as some of creatures you’ll encounter along the journey. Riding a Chocobo (a huge bird-like creature) looks incredibly fun - harking back to the outstanding Final Fantasy VII. Interestingly, there’s even first-person aiming - which, we’re still getting used to seeing in a Final Fantasy game - a series famed for turn-based combat. Square Enix 6/30 Gears of War 4 Platform: Xbox One, PC

The good news: the original Gears of War trilogy saw the end of the Locust horde. The bad news: they’ve made way for the Swarm. In the latest Gears 4 demo, Microsoft showed off the new baddies, a shot of Marcus Fenix as an old man, and all the chainsaw-revving mayhem you’d hope for. It looks like Marcus’ son JD will have his work cut out for him. Oh, and if that wasn’t enough: Horde 3.0 is coming. Microsoft 7/30 Watch Dogs 2 Platform: Xbox One, PS4, PC

The original Watch Dogs was one of the most hyped games of the last few years, but many were underwhelmed when it was finally released. The furore centered on an alleged graphical downgrade, while the gameplay was under developed. Ubisoft seem to have got their act in gear for a San Francisco-set sequel casting players as young hacktivist Marcus Holloway. The gameplay demo focused on an infiltration mission - showing off far superior visuals and a world boasting bags more character. Along with sleek combat and gunplay, Marcus can use a variety of drones and hack cameras to scope out his surroundings. Definitely one to watch. Ubisoft 8/30 God of War Platform: PS4

Arguably featuring the best visuals on show at E3, the new God of War focuses on the relationship between Kratos and his son. For the first time, the entire game is a single shot - no loading screens, no chapters - just one immense journey. Although fight scenes in the demo were few and far between, expect plenty of large scale boss battles and eye-watering finishing moves. We can’t wait. Sony / SIE 9/30 Battlefield 1 Platform: Xbox One, PS4, PC

Battlefield is heading back to World War I - but this time with a host of new tricks up its sleeves. For one, it’s had a stunning visual makeover. Powered by Frostbite, expect graphics on par with Star Wars: Battlefront. Along with a host of weapons and vehicles, melee combat has been redesigned to allow for more depth. Expect huge battles, with maps capable of supporting 64 players. The famed ‘Levolution’ will also return - albeit bigger and more spectacular than ever. EA / Dice 10/30 Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare Platform: Xbox One, PS4, PC

Reaction to Infinite Warfare has so far been mixed, but it’ll still be one of the biggest games of the year. The problem is that their recent E3 gameplay demo - which showed off an assault on a spaceship - just didn’t look like anything revolutionary, coming off more like Edge of Tomorrow than a Call of Duty game. It faces stiff competition from Battlefield 1, and we already know who we’re backing for the win. The move to space may be a step too far. That remastered Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, though... Activision / Infinity Ward 11/30 Crash Bandicoot Platform: PS4

The Nineties was dominated by platform games, but the current gen hasn’t catered so much to run-jump-collect adventures. In the wake of Yooka-Laylee’s delays, platforming fans can at least rest easy with the news that Crash Bandicoot is back. As announced in Sony’s E3 conference, the original three Crash titles will be amped up for the PlayStation 4. Ooga-booga. Sony 12/30 Days Gone Platform: PS4

It seems like the folks at Bend Studios have been watching lots of Sons of Anarchy and The Walking Dead, if the panic-inducing gameplay introduction to Days Gone is anything to go by. The PS4 exclusive title offers players an open-world, a motorbike, and a horde of ravenous flesh-eaters to either fight off, or drive away from very, very fast. These aren’t slow shuffling zombies either - think the sprinting masses of World War Z. Sony / SIE Bend 13/30 LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens Platform: Xbox One, PC, PS4

While the LEGO series continues to improve various elements of its titles, you know generally what to expect from the franchise at this point - but it’s still exciting to see the series return to its roots in a galaxy far, far away. For anyone still thrilled at just how great The Force Awakens turned out, LEGO’s faithful reimagining of the latest Star Wars adventure looks like a brilliant way to delve back into the rise of Rey and Finn, and the triumphant return of the original characters. TT Fusion / Warner Bros 14/30 Horizon: Zero Dawn Platform: PS4

One of the most intriguing new properties on show, Horizon: Zero Dawn features a capable new female lead character - who, for once, isn’t totally sexualised - as well as mechanical dinosaur creatures. What’s not to like? Like the Zelda demo, it shows off beautiful natural landscapes, and the combat and free-roaming elements look majorly enticing. Sony / Guerrilla Games 15/30 ReCore Platform: Xbox One, PC

The exact premise of ReCore still isn’t too clear, but the gameplay footage and art style alone makes it one of the most exciting new properties to join the Xbox One. From the looks of things, it’ll have the puzzle mechanics of Portal alongside elements elements of third-person shooters and platforming. The new footage at E3 finally gave a release date too: September 13. Microsoft / Comcept / Armature 16/30 Dead Rising 4 Platform: Xbox One, PC

After a slight misstep with Dead Rising 3, the pressure’s on for DR4 to deliver - and it’s looking like it will. Expect plenty of wacky Christmas-themed weapons, a huge open world and - if the trailer is anything to go by - integration with social media and beyond. Our favourite weapon already looks to be a mech- exoskeleton, which protagonist Frank can use to wield devastating attacks on hundred-strong zombie invasions. Capcom 17/30 Sea of Thieves Platform: Xbox One, PC

Legendary developers Rare are heading to the high seas for their latest title Sea of Thieves. The art style is cartoony, but it still looks stunning - just check out those water effects. In a glut of new gameplay footage, E3 brought a look at how to sail to treasure-filled islands, fight pirates, and - erm - get drunk. Microsoft / Rare 18/30 Mafia III Platform: Xbox One, PS4, PC

The mobster saga is back, and it’s offering a new spin on the crime genre. Set in the late Sixties, the latest instalment takes in the Vietnam war, racial tensions, and a new era of organised crime, several decades after the events of Mafia II. The stylish E3 trailer gave more proof that the franchise is straying away from the usual mafioso territory and into a more interesting direction. 2K Games / Hangar 13 19/30 Deus Ex: Mankind Divided Platform: Xbox One, PS4, PC

This futuristic sequel is high up the most-wanted list. Picking up from 2011’s Human Revolution, gamers are once again thrust into the role of Adam Jensen - a part cyborg, part human enforcer. At E3 this year, fans caught their first proper look at the campaign in full swing - a mission in Dubai. Expect plenty of player choice, augmentations, weapons and ways to complete objectives. As in the last game, multiple endings will be affected by player choice. Eidos / Square Enix 20/30 Dishonored 2 Platform: Xbox One, PS4, PC

Dishonored was one of the most-loved games of the last console generation - putting players in control of master assassin Corvo on a bloody quest for revenge. This time around, you can play as both Corvo and former Empress of Dunwall Emily Kaldwin - each with their own sets of abilities. An internal engine called ‘Void’ is offering a significant power upgrade from the old Unreal 3 engine, promising improved lighting and detail. Expect multiple paths through levels and - in response to feedback from the last game - extra non-lethal takedowns. Moral tests and layer choice will also feature, so there should be multiple endings. Bethesda / Arkane 21/30 Skyrim: Special Edition Platform: Xbox One, PS4, PC

It’s time to get your FUS-RO-DAH back on as Skyrim blasts onto the current console generation. Bethesda’s swords-and-dragons RPG has been given a stunning visual makeover for the PS4 and Xbox One. That’s not all - the new version will bring mods to the console editions for the very first time. Bethesda 22/30 Halo Wars 2 Platform: Xbox One, PC

Seven years on from the original Halo Wars, the Real-Time Strategy spin-off from Microsoft’s flagship franchise is back - and there’s a multiplayer beta for fans to enjoy until June 20. Taking place after the events of Halo V: Guardians, the top-down title sees players fight off new enemies The Banished. Microsoft / 343 Industries 23/30 Ghost Recon: Wildlands Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC

We’ve been hearing a lot about Wildlands, but at E3 fans finally got to see some in-depth gameplay. It’s looking superb - and with a varied, detailed world featuring mountains, jungles and deserts, it’s already allaying fears that it’ll just be a Division clone. Given the size of the world, gamers can use vehicles - from buggies, helicopters and dirt bikes - to get around. Although it caters for up to four players, gamers can go through the campaign solo, with AI controlling the other members. Expect highly destructible environments, if the latest gameplay demo is anything to go by. Ubisoft 24/30 Pokemon Sun and Moon Platform: Nintendo 3DS

The notorious monster-collecting handheld RPG series is back with two new adventures on the Nintendo 3DS. There’s a whole new region to explore, the Hawaii-influenced Alola, three new adorable starter Pokemon to choose from, and new legendary Pokemon to track down. In the 20th anniversary year of the series, it looks like the perfect balance of nostalgia and progress. Nintendo 25/30 Mass Effect: Andromeda Platform: Xbox One, PS4, PC

The Mass Effect games are some of the greatest of all time, so it’s not surprising just how much anticipation there is for Andromeda. Whilst details are still scarce, E3 gave us a trailer which showed off new worlds and the game engine in more detail. Set years after the original series, you take on a new protagonist called Ryder. Like in the last games, Ryder can either be male or female, with the latter as the standard preset. The Mako - a clumsy land-based vehicle from the first game which was scrapped for Mass Effect 2 and 3 - looks to be making a return in Andromeda, so let’s hope it’s more refined. EA / BioWare 26/30 The Last Guardian Platform: PS4

The Last Guardian? At E3? We’ve got déjà vu over here. Hopefully this will be the last time the long-awaited game appears at the show because it’s now got a release date at last: October 25. Can it live up to Ico and Shadow of the Colossus? SIE 27/30 Prey Platform: Xbox One, PS4, PC

Talk of a Prey sequel seems to have been around for years… because it has. In fact, screenshots emerged a few years back before it was axed. Thankfully, it’s back on track - and while a reveal trailer didn’t give much away, expect lots of gravity-defying gunplay, mind-bending abilities and alien weapons. We should see more of Prey at Gamescom later this year. Bethesda / Arkane 28/30 Resident Evil 7: Biohazard Platform: Xbox One, PS4, PC

You spent hours of Alien: Isolation stuck in a ventilation shaft, and now Resident Evil 7 will have you refusing to leave a corridor. Hey, if you don’t enter that door, nothing can get you right? After the more action-oriented Resident Evil 6, the horror is well and truly back for 7. Best of all, on PS4 the full campaign will be VR compatible. Time to stock up on nappies, then. Capcom 29/30 Spider-Man Platform: PS4

Bucking the trend for film-to-game adaptations being largely terrible, Spider-Man 2 was one of the best superhero experiences on the PS2. Now the webslinger is back on the current gen – and ready to take Batman: Arkham’s comic book crown. The new PS4 game is likely a few years off, but certainly one to watch. Sony 30/30 Star Wars: X-Wing VR Mission Platform: PS4

This spectacular VR demo showing off a mission in an X-Wing went down a storm at E3, and rightfully so. Let’s hope, though, that there’s more depth to it than just flying around shooting things. Expect ship upgrades and dog-fights aplenty, plus plenty of varied worlds. EA / Dice

Billed as a space exploration and survival adventure, your notional aim is to guide a character from a distant planet to the centre of an unexplored galaxy. But the truly revolutionary thing about it is its size. While blockbusting franchises such as Grand Theft Auto and Fallout can rightly boast about sprawling landscapes that swell with each release, Murray and his team have effectively invented an infinite cosmos to fly a spaceship around. “It’s 18 quintillion planets,” smiles Murray. “That’s two to the power of 64.”

Each world is waiting to be discovered, named and colonised. They all come with distinct, psychedelically coloured plants and creatures and, were you to discover one planet every second, it would take you 500 billion years to find them all.

It’s a head-spinning scientific proposition, but the inspiration for it came from a surprisingly literary and avant garde place. “The art style comes from the crazy vibrant colours of sci-fi book covers by people like Isaac Asimov and Arthur C Clarke,” he explains. “And we also talked about emotions that you don’t see in games very much. If you want excitement or aggression then those things are well catered for but things games don’t do very well are feeling alone, vulnerability and a certain, alien strangeness.”

It sounds like the antithesis of clocking kill shots in Call of Duty but Murray thinks No Man’s Sky is part of a wider generational and theoretical shift in popular gaming. “I grew up with Mario and for a long time it was the purest form of game design,” says Murray. “You collect coins, get puzzle pieces, grab flags and complete levels. Everything is beautifully honed to gratify the player. For the generation that’s growing up now Minecraft is their Mario so they’re used to making up their own objectives and they don’t have these same needs or questions. I think we’ll see a real wave of this. People will want these sandbox elements in something like Assassin’s Creed. If I’ve got this whole beautiful city why haven’t I got more freedom? Why can’t I build a house?”

This philosophy is dragging Murray into the mainstream (last October he shared billing with Morgan Freeman and The Affair’s Ruth Wilson as a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert): what is his take on the crossover gaming colossus Pokémon Go?

“When I was growing up I was the weird kid who would get bullied for bringing in PC Format magazine or swapping cheat codes for SNES games,” he grins. “So I look at something like Pokémon Go, everyone playing on their phone, and I think, ‘We won!’” He lets out a satisfied chuckle. “Now it’s finally my time.”

No Man’s Sky is released on PS4 on August 10

Follow Jimi Famurewa on Twitter: @jimfam