Video games used to be considered the stereotypical hobby of nerds, but nowadays people of all ages, races and sexes play games on a console, touch-screen tablet and/or cellphone. In fact, gaming is second only to music in worldwide entertainment revenue, and 58 percent of Americans regularly play games (according to the Entertainment Software Association). The ESA also claims that the average age of gamers is 31, and 56 percent of parents claim that video games are a positive part of their child's life.

Every year, the largest video game convention in the world descends on Los Angeles, and the city is invaded by thousands of game developers, journalists and analysts. Dubbed the Electronic Entertainment Expo, this convention sets the stage for the future of video games, and gamers all over the world clamber to see what is to come. I recently attended E3, and the following games are some of the highlights of the show:

Horror fans will be delighted to see the return of true survival horror with Bethesda Softworks's title called "The Evil Within." In this truly frightening game, players explore a mysterious mansion filled with shocking enemies, alternate dimensions and unimaginable evil. Limited ammunition and seemingly invincible enemies will force players to decide whether to stand their ground or run in fear.

Warner Bros. continues it's popular winged crusader series with "Batman: Arkham Knight." This action title truly epitomizes the power of Batman as his armored Batsuit is reminiscent of Iron Man. Fans will be pleased that the Batmobile plays a major role in this game and is used for not only fast transportation, but also to destroy walls and vehicles or launch Batman into the air for winged flight.

Another great-looking game published by Warner Bros. is "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt." This action RPG is the latest chapter in the story of the infamous monster-hunter, Geralt of Rivia, and it lets players create their own adventure in a dark fantasy world. Hunting Griffons is now a major part of game play that adds welcome variety to the various forms of combat.

Fans of tank battles will enjoy playing "Armored Warfare" from Obsidian Entertainment. This free-to-play game lets players control several types of armored vehicles ranging from battle tanks to long-range artillery on highly destructive battlefields. In addition to online competitive matches, promising tank commanders can team up for cooperative strikes against bases guarded by computer-controlled defenses.

"MGS" returns to it's roots with Konami's stealth action game, "Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain." Players assume the role of Venom Snake as he undertakes a variety of missions in large open environments. As usual, players will have a variety of useful gadgets at their disposal, including the welcome return of the handy cardboard box. Thankfully, it won't be necessary to wade through 30-minute long cutscenes to understand the storyline.

2013's reboot of the adventures of Lara Croft continues with "Rise of the Tomb Raider" from Square Enix. This title follows the spunky spelunker as she traverses hostile environments and, surprise, raids tombs to scavenge loot. As a hardened adventurer, Ms. Croft will surely face numerous threats from both man and nature as she travels where no woman has traveled before.

Activision had an impressive showing with the fast-paced, open-world FPS, "Destiny." Crafted by the creators of "Halo," this exciting game offers fluid controls and futuristic weaponry in missions that can be undertaken alone or cooperatively with friends. Deadly gunplay is complimented by supernatural powers, as players battle in a persistent online world.

"Skylanders: Trap Team," also published by Activision, takes the real-world toy, virtual-world game franchise to new levels. It's now possible to trap certain defeated characters in the new trap toys and use them in battle for a limited time. Different classes of enemies are trapped in the appropriate traps so they can be interchanged during game play.

EA's popular FPS franchise returns with a twist in the form of "Battlefield: Hardline." The focus on modern warfare has been replaced with a cops vs. robbers premise taken to the extreme. What's cool is that the combat still features all manner of vehicles ranging from cars to helicopters, but now the cops have to stop the robbers from stealing loots of cash in massively destructible urban environments.

Ubi Soft has revamped their popular stealth franchise to add cooperative play for "Assassin's Creed: Unity." Set during the French Revolution, this game simplifies the parkour aspect but still focuses on open-ended game play in a gigantic, richly detailed city. Also new is a four-player cooperative mode that lets players team up to take down evildoers in mission-based scenarios.

One of the surprises of E3 was the return of a popular FPS franchise in the form of "Rainbow Six: Siege." Ubi Soft has retained the multiplayer-focused game play of the original and added a strong focus on destructible environments. Five vs. five matches between SWAT and terrorists utilize modern abilities like ziplines, reinforcing walls and laying barbed wire to add unpredictability to each siege.

I certainly didn't expect to like Devolver Digital's "Broforce" as much as I did, but the fast-paced game play and ridiculous premise had me hooked from the start. Players take on the role of famous testosterone-laden '80s-'90s war heroes (most of them based on Sylvester Stallone characters) in side-scrolling levels with blocky visuals, deadly enemies, and plenty of explosions. Missions can be played cooperatively or alone, and the competitive deathmatch is hilarious!

"Assassin's Creed"

To find out more about Jeb Haught and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.