thegeeklounge

With E3 just around the corner, I thought it would be a good idea to start a thread about the event. Any breaking news I can muster will be placed in this thread.

Please try to keep your inner console "fan-boy" under control, since I don't want the thread to degenerate into a Nintendo vs. Microsoft vs. Sony flame war.

won't happen with me Denis. I like all the consules!

So the first moments of E3 have passed us by and Microsoft has fired the first volley of shots in this battle of the consoles. It's going to be a HUGE post. I'm writing up all the news I can.

MICROSOFT PRESS CONFERENCE:

Fallout 3 was put on demo at the Microsoft Press Conference, and while not thoroughly sold on the game itself at this point, "VATS" (the game's auto-lock limb specific targeting system) seems like a definite winner in my books. I can honestly see myself using it for hours sniping enemy units in the head or lobbing grenades, missiles and nukes in cool slow-mo! A XBOX 360 and "Games for Windows" exclusive. I could see this game getting much love on the PC (if not the 360 owners themselves).
Release Date: Fall 2008

Co-op gameplay footage of Resident Evil 5 was absolutely amazing. Graphically, the game has made a leap forward. Capcom has a sure fire hit on it's hands.
Release Date: March 13th 2009

Peter Molyneux showed us Fable 2. While not a huge fanatic of the first game, I give the franchise MUCH respect for it's innovation. While not the first game to have introduced the idea of player actions having consequences (a la Chrono Trigger or Knights of the Old Republic), it was the first that truly and seamlessly immersed your character and WORLD in the consequences of your choices. The new Coop invite mechanic seems interesting. Your "friends" on XBOX Live can be instantaneously invited into your world for play or destruction by using the glowing orbs. Seems like a fun way to share the "look at my world" experience if two friends have different playstyles (good vs. evil for example). Amazing potential here, if they can implement a simple control scheme.
Release Date: October 2008

Cliffy B of course brought Gears 2 to the table. If your not excited about this game, your one of those super-conservative douche-bags who say things like "Gee-Willickers" instead of actually cursing. Get the stick out of your butt and marvel at the bloody wonder! "Horde", the 5-man, that's right, FIVE man coop should be a blast. Another exclusive Xbox 360 title.
Release Date" November 7th 2008

Next in their conference came the announcement of the arrival of NBC Universal to the the XBOX Live Marketplace. You can now download BSG, Heroes, The Office, 30 Rock, Monk and more using your XBOX 360s (possibly in HD).
Release Date: Already functional

A huge announcement for me was the XBOX Live FACELIFT! I love the new interface. A hybrid of the PS3 XMB (Cross Media Bar) alongside graphical displays of content. Sleek and stylish. On the downside... WTF Microsoft?! To have Microsoft BLATANTLY rip-off Nintendo's Mii idea is a slap in the face! They should be ashamed and someone, I don't know who, should be publicly ridiculed for this debacle. It's an obvious ploy for the Nintendo's "appeal" but just comes off as desperate. Got that out of my system. Back to the positives. The new level of interactivity between friends (sharing photos, chat, game-hopping) seems extremely intuitive and I wouldn't be surprised if many people end up liking it more than PS3's Home. The new interactive gameshow system called "Primetime" seems like good times with real prizes!
Release Date: Fall 2008

Portal Still Alive was also announced as an XBOX Live Arcade game. Portal was a fabulously great game, but with details scarce, not much known about it's next chapter. Is it a sequel game? Is it extra content for the existing Portal? Need to do some more digging. Just remember, the cake is a lie.

XBOX Live Arcade also announced a mysterious South Park game. Is it a FPS like the original? Who knows? Will it be funny? No doubt.

The BIGGEST XBOX Live announcement though has to be the partnership with Netflix! You have an 360? You have a Netflix account? You get to watch any Netflix movie on your 360, anytime you want, AT NO EXTRA COST! Oh yeah and did I mention you can watch it with your friends? No, not that way. OVER XBOX LIVE! You met your friends online, form a group and BAM! NETFLIX FOR EVERYONE!

Banjo-Kazooie Nuts & Bolts was also demonstrated. I like the colorful look, but I'm still not quite sure that it's going to transition into the "sandbox" style gameplay very well.

Viva Pinata Trouble in Paradise. I don't get it. I didn't get the first game. I didn't get the TV show. I don't get this. Someone explain what the appeal is here? Is it like Harvest Moon? Animal Crossing? Tamagotchi? Pokemon? Explain it. I honestly want to know. Until then, I won't say anything negative.

Scene It. The remotes are cute, but I have the original Scene It board game. I also have the Marvel Comics edition of Scene It. I love the game, but I wouldn't pay 50$ for this version. Especially when I can just buy more trivia discs for the board game for 15$.

You're in the Movies seems like a great use of the XBOX Camera. The presentation looks polished, but in a world full of Nintendo Wii mini-games games, do we really need this one? Not to mention that I think PS3 did something similar with it's Eye Toy, didn't they? What makes this one mildly original (and kitchy) is the "put yourself and friend in a cheesy movie" aspect.

Guitar Hero World Tour (the true answer to Rock Band) announced that 3 exclusive R.E.M. songs would be available for download before the album hits the streets and that Metallica will release their next FULL album "Death Magnetic" as downloadable content. With a built in "make yout own music" editor, Van Halen and The Eagles already being GH exclusives, Rock Band 2 will be in for a major fight. Now if only they made a cowbell attachment for the drum...

On another musical note, Lips caught my interest. Turn your 360 into a Karaoke machine! The demo sounded amazing. But wait, there's more! Plug in your iPod or Zune and sing along to your own music! Seems to good to be true. Until someone tests the "karaoke" function with their own music, I'm reserving judgment. Will it really recognize the lyrics to my songs? Will it properly balance the audio to properly subdue to original lyricist and not distort the sound to my songs? Until I found out, I'm waiting with baited breaths.

Rock Band 2 released it's much anticipated music tracks listing. With 84 songs on disc (including a new Guns N' Roses song, Bob Dylan, and AC/DC) they show that they're not willing to go down without a fight against GHWT. Also available will be 20 additional songs for download. Also it's "forward compatible"? Apparently you can download a Rock Band 1 song and play it on Rock Band 2 without issue.
Release Date: September 2008

The second biggest announcement (IMHO) came in the form of Square Enix announcing they would release FFXIII (Final Fantasy 13 for you non-RPG people) for the XBOX 360 the same day as the PS3. This is a huge blow to Sony, since FF has always been hailed as both a critic and gamer favorite series, and maintaining this exclusive property would have surely boosted PS3 hardware sales. While no new screenshots or new video was played, rest assured gamers are salivating at the mouth for even the slightest thing FF.

Overall Impressions:
Microsoft left me with the impression of someone putting on an act. I felt like they were trying to appeal to the H4RDC0R3z, drinking Mountain Dew and flipping off kittens (Fallout 3, Gears 2, RE5), while at the same time trying to be family fun party central (Scene It, Lips, etc) and it didn't work. If you didn't buy an XBOX 360 already (Gears 2 is AWESOME, but if Gears of War 1 didn't convince you...), I doubt there was much to convince you to buy one now (save for the new XBOX LIVE features). Existing owners have stuff to be excited about and look forward too.

It'll be interesting to note how SONY and Nintendo respond. I'll post what I can, when I can.

Day 2 has ended and "the House that Miyamoto built" and Sony showed their hands. Get ready for another long post because there's a lot to discuss.

NINTENDO PRESS CONFERENCE

Since the first screenshots appeared of the Wii Balance Board, I've been dreaming of a Tony Hawk skateboarding or snowboarding game to appear on the Wii. With Shaun White Snowboarding the dream becomes a reality. The intuitive look and feel of the board seems like a perfect match for the game and is sure to amp up the fun. Here's where reality sinks in though. Ubisoft has already displayed videos and screenshots of the 360 and PS3 versions of the game and they look jawdropping. Taking advantage of the power these other two systems have and using a modified version of the Assasin's Creed engine, these other versions of the game are much more freeform, allowing you to explore (and I mean EXPLORE) a whole series of mountains with lush graphical superiority. Verdict? Depends, for more casual gamers who aren't "doing the Dew" and adding the words "Ultimate" or "Xtreme", the Wii version seems like an absolute blast and will no doubt do the trick.

The much anticipated Animal Crossing for the Wii was also revealed alongside a new speaker/microphone peripheral. Rather than a cumbersome headset, this mic/speaker combo would capture the sound of the whole room. I was more interested in the peripheral than the game to tell you the truth. With a non player only speaker/mic, Nintendo protects it's family appeal. We've all heard the obscenities muttered on XBOX Live, and with the speaker projecting to the room, parents can keep a close eye on their kid's/family's interactions online. It also makes for a good social tool. It's like a giant conference call on the Wii. You can be at your house, three buddies at another location and you can ALL interact together.
Release Date: 2008

Then the Reggie-nator dropped a bombshell on us. Star Wars Clone Wars on the Wii. That's right. STAR WARS + Wii !!! In a trailer filled with what seemed like nothing but lightsaber duels, my Jedi/Sith dreams have finally come true. LIGHTSABERS 'HO! I just hope the gameplay mechanics are as sweet as I dreamed them to be.

Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party is set to take advantage of the Wii's "party game system" status and bring us another great dose of irreverent mini-games. However, one has to ask how many more mini-game games can Wii owners stomach at this point.

Call of Duty: World at War could potentially be a sleeper hit for the system. The Call of Duty franchise re-invented itself with COD4. Leaving the overused (and in my opinion, DEAD) WWII premise behind for a sleeker more modern shooter. Why of why, would they go back for another helping? But there's hope! While most people will definitely prefer the graphics of the other console iterations, the use of the Wii Gun controls could boost sales for the Wii system. I don't need another WWII shooter, but I could use a good "lightgun" game for the Wii. Lots of potential depending (yet again) on the control scheme of the game.

The next portable Guitar Hero for the DS was also announced. Haven't actually gotten a chance to try out the original "On Tour" yet, but knowing GH, it's every bit as addictive as it's big brother. What makes the sequel special is the ability to play/share the expansion game songs (or the original songs) over two DS's without the need for two copies of the same cartridge versions.

Spore for the DS was also on display. If it's anything at all like the Creature Creator available for the PC, this game will have people playing with the creature editor for months to come. The possibilities are endless.

Something I wish was already in place was Nintendo's announcement that they would be trying to implement a much broader use of the DS commercially outside of gaming. (Old news, but still interesting) Seattle's Safeco Field has implemented use of the DS to relay instant replays, game stats, other game scores, even ordering food from the stands. With plans to implement gate and luggage info for frequent traveller's, ATM, hotel, restaurant locators/recommendations, it could make having a DS handy less about "killing time" and turning it into more of PDA. With my trip to Comic-Con around the corner, it would have been an invaluable tool. Interesting thinking, but once more, execution is king.

Despite critics stating Nintendo's recent success is about gimmicks and peripherals (Wii Wheels, Wii Guns, Wii Boards, etc) and less about games, Nintendo made a suprising announcement: Wii Motion Plus. A little plugin that connects to the bottom of your Wii-mote, Wii Motion Plus, makes even the most minute movement detectable. At first I was truly questioning the Reggie's sanity. How could the Wii-mote detect more?! I should have remembered all those years ago when he said "My name is Reggie Fils-Aime. I came to chew some bubblegum and kick some ass." Wouldn't you know it. I was out of bubblegum. Waving the magic wand that is the Wii-mote, Wii Sports Resorts was laid out before us. You remember Wii Sports, right? The game that came with the Wii. For some people, the ONLY game they played for months cause it was so addictive. The sequel seems to be just as fun. While the Frisbee game was cute, it was the other two modes demonstrated that got me excited. First a Seadoo game. The first game I bought for the Gamecube was Waverace: BlueStorm, so you can understand the appeal to me. Secondly... Sword fighting! Pay attention Lucasarts!!! Take what I've seen for Star Wars Clone Wars, add this and you've got a license to print money!
Release Date:

Then came another exciting presentation. Miyamoto demonstrated the almost forgotten Wii Music. Since it's initial showcasing as a "music conductor" game, it's broadened it's horizons some. With the simulated sounds of over 50 instruments, Wii music will be a different style of music game. Unlike Guitar Hero or Rock Band, Wii Music is less about hitting the note at the right time, or getting a high score, so much as it's about playing "pretend". Everyone can air guitar. Everyone can air trumpet. Everyone can air bongos. I got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell! While not really for the adults, this game is sure to be a hit with the younger audiences. I got 3 little cousins who I could see playing this forever! What was truly interesting though, was the integration of the Wii Board once more into another game. Using the Wii Board as foot pedals on the drumming simulator was genius. Not everyone has the room for a Rock Band or Guitar Hero World Tour drumkit to just be laying around the house.

Overall Impressions:
Nintendo is defining itself as a true innovator and I left with a smile on my face. Has the Wii done enough to please more serious gamers? No. Nintendo did FAIL there. But one mustn't forget what the Wii's strong-point truly is: Immersion. No game feels as compelling as a Wii game. Every flick, every swoosh, every dip and hop, is made to make you feel more connected than every before. Nintendo brings that in spades.

Next Post: Sony Press conference.

I know it's a day late (the SONY & Nintendo conferences we're both the same day), but here's the SONY Conference in a nutshell for you...

SONY CONFERENCE

It seemed that Sony did this year, what they do every year. That is to say, they had the most amazing venue and visually exciting set, but lacked any sense of charisma in their presentation delivery. But that's okay. We need the "corporate power-point" presentations to make us appreciate the Microsoft and Nintendo spectacles. Jack Tretton did admirably well considering his obvious jitters. (I'd be nervous too if I had to present a whole company/console to video-game critics and analysts.)

Resistance: Fall of Man 2 was the first game showcased for the PS3 console. For many PS3 users Resistance was the first game they purchased at launch and has been critically praised, so to have a sequel that was as polished as they presented was a tremendous win for Sony. The scale of the second game, is magnificent, from the monsters to the environments. Insomniac took the "Scale" mantra to heart it seems, as they include an 8 man co-op mode (in which players can be an assault class, a shooter class, and a medic class) and 60 player competitive modes.

Little Big Planet was once more demo'd to us but in a very creative and fun way. Using the level editor, they created a in-game press relase for Sony. Every little hop and skip setting of the next clever stat reveal. WAY COOLER than any Power-point presentation. The game looks amazing and the demo really did show how the game allows for so much creativity in level design. This is going to be the next Katamari Damachi game, mark my words.

Out of that presentation came an exciting announcement that SONY will continue it's Greatest Hits line of games. Offering PS3 games for 29.99$ is always a good deal.

Trying to convince us that the PS2 was still a viable platform to buy when you can't afford a PS3, SONY then showed us quick glimpses into upcoming PS2 games. Nothing really notable here. Especially when comparing to the next-gen titles. Although it is nice to see that game publishers are still giving the PS2 gamers a chance to at least play a form of Star Wars: Force Unleashed and others.

Tretton then revealed a "Buzz!" marketing plan to make a PSP and PS3 version of the popular quiz game while releasing sequel game discs for the PS2. I don't get the appeal of the games as they seem cheesy and unfunny to me.
Release Date: September

Singstar was also presentated as a big achievement for Sony, because of it's music download library and volume of downloads. Impressive numbers, no doubt. But I feel that Karaoke games are much less accessible than the Guitar Hero or Rock Band type party games.

What actually was interesting though was the new Limited Edition LEGO: Batman/PS2 Bundle. To retail for 149.99$, it of course includes a PS2, a copy of LEGO: Batman (I love the LEGO: Star Wars and LEGO: Indiana Jones games!) and a copy of Justice League: New Frontier on DVD. That's value!

Finally the Playstation Network has begun to truly emerge as a viable Live competitor. They announce that soon your PSN ID is to be somehow available for viewing and connectivity similar to a Windows Live ID.

I'm also pleased to see that the PSN is truly taking advantage of their distribution system by allowing for downloadable extras and episodic game, beginning with a new Ratchet and Clank game picking up exactly where the PS3 game left off (slated this summer for 14.99$!) . It showed a true sense of diversity for the downloadable games content available.

The Gran Turismo channel was displayed for us as well. Showcasing entire streaming car shows, behind the scenes featurettes, races, car reviews, and more, it truly did impress me. My only problem is... I'm not a car guy. If you made similar content for a hockey game... A man can dream.

Of course they showed us more of Home. Basically Second-Life minus the strange sexual fetishes and better graphics, I can't wait to get my hands on this update. I don't know why it appeals to me but I need this. Witht he addition of new game-themed lobbies for people to visit was just plain cool. I can't wait to go to the MGS4 room!

Also announced was the partnership of the PSN and several studios (Disney, 20th Century Fox, Lionsgate, MGM, Paramount, of course Sony Pictures, and Warner Bros.) to finally begin rental or purchase of movies using your PS3 (similar to iTunes). Unlike the XBOX download, which is only viewable using your XBOX 360, the PSN download allows for transfer of the movie to a PSP (and possibly other devices).

Focus then shifted to the PSP and the upcoming "Entertainment Packs". Slated for fall will be a Madden '09 PSP bundle and a Ratchet & Clank PSP Bundle which includes a silver PSP, a 1G Memory Stick Duo, of course a Ratchet & Clank game, a UMD version of National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets, and finally a voucher for a free Echochrome download (199.99$).

Resistance Retribution for the PSP was also showcased to many a PSP owner's delight. While R2 (see above) got me excited, I have many reservations about the 3rd person perspective. Everyone should agree with me when I say, 3rd Person and 1st Person shooter mechanics are very different beasts to tackle. I'm eager to see if they can pull it off.

A quick video montage was then shown about other upcoming PS games including LEGO: Batman, Patapon 2, Star Wars: Force Unleashed, Madden, Loco Roco 2, NBA '09, Super Stardust Portable, and they all looked quite polished. It's a nice time to be a PSP owner, and it showcased a variety of games for varied interests.

Then came a great showcasing of one of my most anticipated games ever! DC Universe online. Jim Lee came out on stage after doing a couple of one armed push-ups and shows us great video footage of the game that let's you fight alongside or against Batman, Superman, Flash, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Green Arrow and every other DC hero (AND VILLAINS). It's what City of Heroes was supposed to be. With the death of the Marvel Online game, comic book fans are frothing at the mouth for his game to hit the shelves. It's gorgeous! Look for yourself online. It's okay, I'll wait.

I told you! My only question is do I buy it for PS3 or is it time to upgrade the PC?

Jack Tretton went on to remind us of he PS3's successes this past year with GTA IV and MGS4, and revealed the new 80GB Core PS3 Bundle was announced at 399$ in order to keep the recent PS3 sales going.

An video montage from different developers was then played showcasing the "good feelings" they had for the PS3 while showcasing several upcoming games. Treyarch Studios showed us Call of Duty: World at War. Visually stunning (like only a COD game can be), but enough with the WWII. I liked COD4's modern feel. EA Tiburon showed the latest Madden (a must buy, every year, for football fans like myself). Ubisoft presented Far Cry 2, but I was more excited about their second presentation, the new Prince of Persia! Not a continuation of the "Sands of Time" games, this game is a franchise reboot. Using a stunning cel-shaded style of art, this game looks every bit of fun as it looks. Bethesda Studios showed Fallout 3, and it looked great. Star Wars: Force Unleashed for the PS3 looks absolutely breath-taking, and based on actual gameplay demos and reviews the game is sure to please. Containing several storylines based on actions and decisions, the game will have much replayability and several extras (included character models skins).

The "love-in" montage was immediately followed by another montage. Luckily it was all about the games. Little Big Planet (which I mentioned earlier), Motorstorm Pacific Rift, MGS4, a very "Bourne Identity" looking James Bond game tied to the "Quantum of Solace" movie (I liked the direction of action gameplay they've taken to capture the cool super-spy feel of the films), SOCOM Confrontation (which looks every bit as fun as previous SOCOM titles), my second most anticipated game GHOSTBUSTERS (written by Dan Akroyd, starring all the original cast from the films, including Bill Murray, the game places you in the shows of the "fifth Ghostbuster", and you get all the experimental "just developed" tech), Soul Calibur IV (buy it on PS3 get Darth Vader as playable character, buy it on 360 you get Yoda, choose your destiny!), Resistance 2 (see earlier this post), The Agency (a comic book styled shooter-RPG for online play, the latest Naruto game, Mirror's Edge (A VERY interesting first person free-running, or as the french say "parcours" video game), Resident Evil 5, Singstar, Guitar Hero World Tour, NBA '09, Buzz!, and the jaw-dropping, almost as good as the fake footage from last year, Killzone 2.

Then came something many were already expecting, the announcement of God of War 3 for the PS3 and the trailer that followed. I'm a big fan of the God of War franchise and am excited to see what they can do on the next gen console.

Infamous was next on the schedule. A "sandbox" game allowing you to take control of a character with a trouble past (don't they all) and fantastic powers, looking to learn the truth. Save the city or destroy it, the choice is yours. The style of gameplay seems like a hybrid of GTA style grittyness and Crackdown's over the top action. Psychic powers, super jumps, electric discharges and absorptions, it has a lot of potential to distinguish itself from the many failed sandbox games of the past.
Release Date: Spring 2009

A Brilliant reveal was MAG (Massive Action Game). Based on the trailer footage shown, MAG is to be a successor to the Battlefield 2 type of gameplay. What distinguishes this game from the pack will be it's 256 player battles! That's not a typo. 256!!! Based on performance and rankings, each player will be placed into an 8 man squad (led by the most qualified person available), and are let loose on the opposing factions. Vehicle gameplay, Helicopter Insertions, Airstrikes, the game seems to have it all. I'm keeping a close on the development of this one. If it's anything like Battlefield 2, I'll be playing for months.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:
SONY tried their best and did peak my interests with certain titles, but with the exception of one or two games, I don't think it did as well as Microsoft or Nintendo. The other conferences made you want to buy their wares, while SONY's fell a little flat. It's the same critique that Nintendo had for a long time. I KNOW they're going to have great games (GTA IV and MGS4 are prime examples), but it seems they are few and far between.

So that's it for the Big 3 at E3. I hope you enjoyed it. Of course you can find all these video conferences online for viewing as well as a wealth of additional content. Anything that got you excited this E3? Anything from the conferences? Or is your favorite game so far one not covered at all by the big 3? Let me know.