So i have been glued to my laptop and exchanging messages with Chris regarding all of the big announcements. some we where expecting, others not so much. So lets get right into it with a bang.
Microsoft
So it was Microsoft who was set with the task of setting the bar for the rest of the developers and may i say they set it pretty fucking high. I mean sure they where pushing the Kinect titles because they have no giant announcements. Or do they?
So Microsoft tested the waters with some of their Kinect titles that are just there for the sake of making you look ridiculous while you play sports you could play outside. But with some of the games i feel Kinect added life to them. The Disney game was a nice addition to the collection and provided a real feel to the Disney World the kids who own a Kinect and not a ticket to Florida could wish for. The main downside for the Microsoft show was the damn unconvincing actors with names like "Billy and Timmy" who use phrases like "FIST BUMP" when they're done flying with peter pan. Things stayed the same as we where hit with kiddy game after kiddy game but eventually a shimmer of hope. A NEW HOPE! (see what i did there?) Yes, Star Wars Kinect made an appearance and even made my counterpart consider buying a Kinect just to force push a tank out the way and duel Siths. After that we where treated to Ghost Recon: Future Soldier and got to see briefly how the Kinect aspect of the game worked. We where also treated to a very nice Kinect surprise Minecraft on Xbox which is compatible with Kinect.
Then it was time for a change of gears. (get it?) Yes it appears good old Cliff had some more game play to show us with Gears Of War 3, but this time he wasn't alone. Joining him on stage was none other then regent recruit to the COG Ice T. So its Cliff and Ice fighting off a giant sea squid and looking very Epic (i thank you). After Ice T lays a phat beat about Horde mode we move on to another trusted title in Microsoft's army.
And we got something new. well old. well 10 years old. well a reboot. well a HD remake. Well it was the reveal of Halo: The Anniversary Edition which is a HD remake of the original game Halo Combat Evolved. Now I'm sure your all thinking "what a way to end" but it seems Microsoft had forgotten a bit of info ( god knows how they posted it on the Internet 10 Min's before the big reveal ) But we got a look at a new game. the first of a new trilogy.
Halo 4
*Drool*
Moving swiftly on from that visual orgasm.
EA
So with Microsoft out the way it was time for EA?. FUCK!.
Well believe it or not EA was not just sports games like Madden and Fifa this year. They also had some new news for us but lets get the sports out the way first. So Fifa 12 was EA's big reveal and they showed us a lot of information about improved tackling and ball control. They also showed the new online features that they will be showcasing with the new Fifa and how it expands the online experience in new ways. After the Fifa 12 talker we where ready for Madden 12. Now Madden doesn't interest me much but the graphics and game play where something special. the game looks incredible and the same has to be said about Fifa. Madden had some of the biggest names at hand for the reveal and luckily it went smother than than the luchador fight last year. But after the jocks got their screen time we got a look at some nice surprises. Like Mass Effect 3 the new Need For Speed which is going for a more fast and furious approach with the ability to get out of the car and run from helicopters on rooftops (as you do) and Battlefield 3. Now with Mass effect we got a glimpse of game play and some very nifty armour suits that drop down and plan on fucking with Shepard's day and try to destroy earth. The graphics have greatly been improved and it has been released it will be the last of the series so that means we may be saying goodbye for good to our greatest hero.
After Mass Effect 3 we where given a look at Battlefield 3. Now this game is shaping up to be something spectacular with the frostbite 2.0 engine and the brand new story that expands further than we originally thought. The demo shows more of the destruction of environments and how you can blow shit up and make it look amazing. The demo showcased one of the first levels and had a very spectacular end to it which showed all out war between battleships and tanks.
Ubisoft
Now with all of whats been shown what haven't we yet experienced? Oh i have it. A VERY VERY ANNOYING HOST THAT MAKES WAYNE'S WORLD REFERENCES AND HAS TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO LAUGH AT HIS POP CULTURE REFERENCES. Now my rage for the host is out the way lets focus on the games. Not much was revealed by Ubisoft this year. The 3 main stories would have to be Ghost Recon: Future Soldier and Assassins Creed: Revelations and Far Cry 3. Now a few of UbisoftsUbisofts reveals and i have to say it looks like a real return to form. The game play is the same as the originals and no annoying rabbits in sight. Just amazing visuals and our favourite punch throwing thingamajig.
We also got a look at a brand new Brothers In Arms game that gave both me and Chris a feeling we had already seen this done with Mr Fassbender. So we where shown a trailer that is set in a basement of a bar somewhere in Germany or France. A group of Nazi's are enjoying having fun until the Furious 4 show up. They shoot up the place and kill every Nazi in the bar until one is left comically in a toilet literally caught with his pants down.
As for the 3 big games well. Ghost Recon looks like it is providing a more tactical approach from some of the army based shooters we have seen as of late. The graphics are amazing and the actual game play is different to the traditional Ghost Recon games and has gone for a more Splinter Cell/Rainbow Six feel to it. The demo we saw had 4 player Co-op which means we could be looking for members to join us when the game is released.
Big release number 2 was Far Cry 3. This was a very big surprise for us seeing as nothing was hinted by the host or the guy who came out. All we got told was a background to your story then we got thrust into the game play. Now the game has more of a movie feel to it (if the movie was done right) and we see our character fight into a helicopter and get shot out again. Very epic and watch this space for more coverage on this hidden gem of E3.
Final big release for Ubisoft was Assassins Creed: Revelations. This showed us a slightly older Ezio in Constantinople trying to find out more about his ancestor Altier. We see glimpse's of Altier to show us that he is starting to bleed into Ezio's reality and guide him to certain places. The trailer was kick ass and we where treated to a game play demo. We see Ezio doing traditional Assassins Creed stuff and running in
the streets and dodging people. But we get treated to a brand new side of Assassins Creed. Ezio is attempting to escape and you get to use a flamethrower and jump from ship to ship till you escape the dock and the demo ends.
Playstation
After we waited up for a while we finally got PlayStation and their presentation. We where greeted by the head of PlayStation in the US who looked like he belonged in the Sopranos and had more experience breaking legs than controllers in rage. Anyway after PlayStation apologised for the whole hacking situation and moved swiftly on to Uncharted 3. Now i was shocked by this move. It appeared PlayStation where coming out guns blazing and attempted to show us the great games first and make a big impression. We got a game play demo set on a ship. After taking out a few bad guys it all goes pear shaped for Drake as the whole map gets turned on its side (literally) and water begins to flow into the ship meaning it is a race against time to escape. The action seems very well done and considering its only one of the first levels and they will have both of their game play demos at the booth you can expect more on the multi player to Uncharted 3. After Uncharted we where shown some more of PlayStation's nifty new technological advances. Like their 3D t.v that has split screen that isn't a screen split into 2 so that is very cool. They also showed their bundles for Resistance 3 which has a Half Life feel to it and has a wide variety of an arsenal. The only downside i would have to say is the presenter for Resistance 3, he didn't seem enthusiastic about his game and interacted with the audience poorly. Didn't get me wrong he wasn't as bad as the Ubisoft host or the "Fist Bump" kids from Disney but it wasn't good.
Then Playstation revealed there follow up to the PSP, formerly named NGP. The handheld will be called the Playstation Vita. It boasts WiFi and 3G, astounding graphics, touchscreen, low prices across continents and brilliant technology for a handheld console. Watch out 3DS!
We were also treated to tons of games and news on Playstation Move. Just like Xbox, this year both are really pushing there new technology with games and lots E3 conference time. There was an appearance by Kobe Bryant to try out the new NBA game on the Move. The graphics were so good, at first I thought it was actual footage of real life games.
So all in all the first day of E3 was a very epic and gave us a lot to look foreword to over the next year. Here's hoping that we get some more bad ass announcements.
No comments:
Post a Comment