Microsoft Xbox 360
What We Know Already: The powers-that-be in Redmond will show off the second wave of first-party Kinect games, which supposedly skew more towards hardcore gamers. Big games like Gears of War 3 will also be an important part of the 360’s slate at E3, and Microsoft’s also holding two unannounced titles up their sleeves to reveal on Monday’s press conference.
The Big Mystery: “Home entertainment”? Press releases and a post on the Official Microsoft Blog are positioning the Xbox 360 as not just a games console, but as a home entertainment device unlike any other. In previous years, Microsoft’s used E3 to announce their partnerships with Netflix and ESPN and speculation is that another similar announcement will happen next week. If the buzz is true, a reveal of IPTV functionality–which essentially lets your console work as a cable box–might be the thing that energizes Microsoft’s home entertainment plans for the Xbox 360.
What We’ll Probably Find Out: Whether there’ll be a birthday party for Halo. Bungie may be gone, but Microsoft’s owned Halo outright for years now so they’re the ones who’ll be in charge of Master Chief’s 10th anniversary. Rumors have been percolating that a remastered HD version of Halo: Combat Evolved will come out this year, making a splash during the press conference. Meanwhile, 343 Industries–the internal studio in charge of all things Halo–has yet to reveal what they’re working on. So, either way, expect to hear something Master Chief-related this year.
(More on TIME.com: Rumor: Remake of the First ‘Halo’ Game Coming Next Year?)
Dark Souls
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What We Know Already: It’s going to be difficult. Dark Souls is a spiritual sequel to 2009’s Demon’s Souls. That game cast players as a medieval warrior battling through the hellish dungeons of Boletaria where you’d constantly get trounced by the demons plaguing the landscape and die…lots. But once dead, your ghost could choose to leave a message for other players with hints on how to beat the enemy that just killed you. In an era where every game feels like it needs to constantly hold your hand, this action/RPG won accolades for its punishing difficulty and innovative use of asynchronous co-op.
The Big Mystery: How hard it’s going to be. Demon’s Souls was a PS3 exclusive, but its sequel’s headed for both the 360 and PS3. That said, developer From Software isn’t making Dark Souls more accessible for new players; they’re actually ramping up the difficulty. So, if you thought the last game was a challenge, this one may well be torture.
What We’ll Probably Find Out: How we’ll deal with the challenge. From Software’s mentioned that the multiplayer will be changing, so E3 should offer a glimpse of that. The weapon upgrade system will supposedly be easier to figure out, too. That’s good news, because with a game like Dark Souls, you’re going to need all the help you can get.
(More on TIME.com: Made in Japan: Highlights from the 2010 Tokyo Game Show)