Skylanders was a game that surprised a lot of folks when it was unveiled at E3 two years ago. I can remember seeing the little figures come to life in a back room at the Activision booth and immediately thinking to myself, ok, this thing is going to catch on. We're now a few games and 50 some characters later and Skylanders is getting what might be the biggest change to the series yet. Skylanders Swap Force is the first game that looks, feels, and plays next-gen.

We got some quality hands-on time with a variety of the latest and greatest titles at E3. Some of the bigger games we saw have embraced co-op in the past, but for whatever reason they weren't showing, or even mentioning, co-op. I did manage to get some information (albeit unofficial) for two triple-A titles.

The Co-Opticrew is back from LA and busy working on their previews for the site. There probably won't be much gaming in their future, but it'll be worth it - trust me.

There is no denying that there is a shortage of quality RTS games in the gaming scene. Particularly ones that deal with something other than aliens in space. Company of Heroes is one such series that breaks that tradition, opting for historic tanks and a World War II setting rather than the typical sci-fi fair. The latest from Relic, Company of Heroes 2 is shaping up to be quite a solid game. Fortunately, we have all had the opportunity to play for it a bit, because the game has been in a free open beta. The best part about the beta is that your stats for multiplayer will carry over to the full version of the game.

The original PAYDAY was more or less Left 4 Dead meets bank robbing, and that's not a bad thing. Even the game's creative director agreed they made the exact game they wanted with the original PAYDAY. They are making the exact game they want with PAYDAY 2 as well, it just so happens it's a lot deeper, richer, and more replayable than the last game.

After Skylanders took the world by storm, it was only a matter of time before someone else followed suit. When Disney Infinity was announced, it only made sense. With the range of characters and IPs that Disney owns, it's easy to see the kind of legs this game could have. We got about 30 minutes of playtime with the game on the show floor.

After my Disney Infinity preview, I was treated to an in-theater demo of Harmonix' upcoming Fantasia: Music Evolved. Now, I had heard that this was going to be a game based on the classic Fantasia films, but with the inclusion of modern music, which seemed to clash with the theme. I went in skeptical, but Harmonix decided to get experimental on me and now I'm warming up to the idea.

It's hard to believe that E3 2013 is over already. Being at the show is a total blur and before you know it, you're home with a stack of photos, notes, and black t-shirts wondering what to do first. I opted for uploading some pictures before getting back to writing previews. 

Diablo 3 on the console holds a lot of surprises. It's more than just a quick control scheme adaptation of the PC game released just over a year ago. Instead it's a finely tuned Action/RPG for fans with some great co-op features.

Tiny Brains actually caught me off guard. I'd heard of it, but for some reason glossed over its announcement a couple months back. My mistake. Luckily, we had some hands-on time today at E3 and put the action puzzler through its co-op paces.

Saints Row IV opens five years after the events of Saints Row: The Third. The leader of the Saints (that's you) is now the President of the United States of America, your Vice President is Keith David, you've just cured cancer (or fed the hungry), punched an annoying congressman in the face, and you're on your way to the daily press conference. Suddenly, aliens attack, and our 30 minutes of hands-on time with the game begins.

I can't stand aliens with their advanced technology, big eyes and penchant for probing.  They send me into an Alien Pique, an Alien Temper, even an Alien Rage.  Thankfully, I will be able to sate my green blood lust in the 2 player co-op shooter Alien Rage.  The new trailer shows off over 3 minutes of in game footage.