Revolve21 - E3 2008 Coverage

Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe Impressions

2008-07-17T22:51:00.000-07:00

What many would have thought to be an unlikely combination was announced some time back. Yes, DC Universe superheroes would be finding their way into a crossover game with Mortal Kombat. Set to hit the PS3 and Xbox 360 this fall, MK vs DCU, a lot of hype has been building around the game as of late.

Watching videos from the game have not been as mindblowing as I could have hoped for. My guess is that a detailed fighting system is in place under the surface, but the actual combat looks a bit clunky in the videos. That being said, the freefall fighting is a very cool concept, and it looks to be executed decently.

Of course, the big draw for MK vs DCU is going to be the presence of DC Universe. As a pleasant surprise, the game not only features DCU characters, but it also features writers from DC's writers. Another interesting surprise is that the game has gained a Teen rating from the ESRB.

More on the game as it approaches release. Click below for screens and a trailer.

Chrono Trigger DS Details

2008-07-17T22:07:00.000-07:00

Though Chrono Trigger DS was announced a short while back, now seems as good a time as any to share what is known about the project since it seems to have had a minor showing at E3. For the unaware, Chrono Trigger has been one of the biggest names in console RPG history for over a decade now.

Everything from the story to the art direction to the music has rightfully earned the game its masterpiece title. The DS build of the game looks to be keeping the original graphics style intact. The game will be adding a new dungeon, touch screen support, and some form of wireless play mode. More details on that when they become available.

As for me, I'm admittedly one of those people who considers Chrono Trigger to be the greatest game of all time. This news couldn't thrill me more. The game is presently slated to release this holiday season. You can count on more information as it develops. Click below for a couple of screenshots.

First Impressions: Valkyria Chronicles

2008-07-17T21:33:00.000-07:00

Valkyria Chronicles is a new take on the strategy-RPG genre by Sega that is set to hit the PS3 this fall. The game looks like it has a steampunk setting about it (a variant of 1930s Europe). The game looks like it blends the strategy elements of Fire Emblem with the semi-real-time combat of Final Fantasy XII and some direct-control fighting mechanisms. The visual style is very anime in nature, and one of the cinematics looks like something straight out of a mainline anime.

Initially, I can say that the game looks very appealing. The setting is not one that is overly done. Moreover, the gameplay looks highly enjoyable in its very strategic design.

Click through to check out a pair of videos for the game.

It's a Mad World

2008-07-17T21:14:00.000-07:00

Coming from the talented hands of Platinum Games (made up of former team members from Capcom and Clover Studios), by means of Sega, is Madworld. Madworld is set in the context of a twisted kill-or-be-killed gameshow. The game is extremely violent, and it seems that the only thing more extreme than the violence is the actual style of the game. Everything on screen is black and white, with a very comic-book feel, with the exception of one thing: the blood. Make no mistake, the game is very bloody, and features a great deal of ways to kill enemies. The game will also contain a series of multi-player minigames.

The over-the-top violence will put this game out of the interests of many people, but screens and a video can be seen by those who are interested. The game is currently schedule for a Wii-exclusive release in the first quarter of 2009.

Castlevania Judgment Trailer

2008-07-17T13:47:00.000-07:00

The first trailer for Castlevania Judgment debuted today, and I've gotta say, I'm a little underwhelmed.

Graphically, it looks like a mid-generation PS2 game. I'm not sure I like how the characters can break away from being locked on to their opponents, either; other games that have done this open up the door to disorientation that can cripple game play (or at the least annoy the players).

Just the same, I haven't played the game, so I'll reserve all judgments for when the game proper comes out.

Video below.

Hands-On with Too Human

2008-07-15T23:30:00.000-07:00

Monday morning saw a release of a playable demo for Silicon Knights' upcoming action-RPG, Too Human, to Xbox Live Gold members. For some of us, playing this demo is the closest we will get to actually being at E3 this year. For those of us who have taken the time to download and play the demo, it seems that the wait for this much anticipated game has been worthwhile.

At first glance, the game seems to be a fairly standard-issue action-RPG with a high-tech setting and some beautiful graphics. After playing the demo all the way through (roughly an hour of gameplay), the game's depth really starts to show through.

The combat in the game is quick and intuitive. At first, the intuitiveness comes off as simplicity. However, looking at the advanced controls screen reveals that the combo system, and other combat techniques, actually has a bit of depth to it. The depth of the combat system is made even better by the depth of the character building aspects of the RPG design and the massive array of customizable armor and weapons. Not only can new weapons and armor be found (or forged), but they can also affect playing style based on how attacks can be carried out. Beyond these customizations, the full game allows players to choose from five different base classes (each with different strengths and weaknesses).

The game's story is also intriguing. It seems that Norse mythology serves as the basis for a lot of what takes place, but everything is moved into a seemingly futuristic setting. Being a demo, I found myself with more questions than answers in regards to the plot, but I actually want to find out the answers to these questions.

As mentioned previously, the game is beautiful. Character models are extremely detailed, and skin even wrinkles while characters talk. The game world is breathtaking and epic all at the same time. What's even more impressive is that the game's soundtrack is also rock solid. In many ways, I found it reminiscent of "Duel of the Fates" from the Star Wars soundtrack, and that's a great thing. The music builds and softens based on what is happening in the game for added effect.

On the whole, the demo is extremely impressive for those who get past the first five minutes. Morally, there's a lot of violence (though no particular blood comes to mind), references to mythology, and some minor swearing. For those who won't be put off my that content, and have an Xbox Live Gold membership, downloading the demo is practically a no-brainer.

More on the game will come to you after its release later this year.

Reflections on Sony's Conference

2008-07-15T21:53:00.000-07:00

I left Sony's conference feeling very bored.

Jack Tretton had spent most of the conference talking up the PS3 and PSP, and it honestly felt a little excessive. I want to hear games news, I want to see demos... I don't want to hear Tretton talking about how awesome Sony is for twenty minutes.

Admittedly, there were some very cool looking games. God of War III was a highlight for me, and Resistance 2 made my jaw drop, even if shooters leave me with glazed over eyes as of late.

But God of War III was already practically announced. The biggest news, it seemed like, was the price cut on the PS3--but that PS3 (the 80GB) won't have backwards compatibility anymore. I've had my current PS2 for about two years now. I don't want to invest in a PS3 and then find have my PS2 die right when I can't find that system on the market anymore.

Complaints aside, Sony's lineup for the next year looks surprisingly strong, for those so inclined. Resistance 2 and Killzone 2 should provide a sort of one-two punch that delivers what a certain sect of hardcore gamers want. The new PSN features seem very interesting, though after seeing Microsoft's Dashboard update, I'm surprised to say that I'm more excited about that. Still, the PS3-PSP connectivity, and the fact that you can transfer movies onto the PSP, is pretty impressive. I'll be curious to see how that plays out.

I'm also finding myself more and more impressed by the downloadable content available through PSN. Some of the stuff, like the upcoming flOwer, look really impressive, and that Insomniac is releasing the next Ratchet and Clank game through the service is really cool.

As a bit of a comic book nerd, I was really psyched to see Jim Lee take the stage. Batman: Hush is one of my favorite books, largely because of Lee's art. That he is providing some of the art and a watchful eye over DC Universe Online is really pretty cool. I wouldn't pay money to play it (I'm against MMORPGs in general), but it still seemed pretty cool.

MAG was a bit of a letdown, too, but that's just judging by the trailer. As I watched it, I couldn't help but see a bit of Frontline: Fuels of War in it. Granted, that was just a teaser trailer; the fact that the game allows for 256 players online is absolutely insane.

Despite those pluses, Sony's conference was very boring, composed of montages and reasons why Sony was going to beat out the other companies. I'm absolutely ecstatic for one of the games on the list, but that was one of the primary reasons I would buy a PS3 in the first place.

Reflections on Nintendo's Conference

2008-07-15T20:41:00.000-07:00

The press conferences of the Big Three are now over. As I sit back and think about Nintendo's conference, I find that I have somewhat mixed emotions.

On the one hand, many things that seemingly should have been in the works for a while now are officially on their way. On the other hand, I feel like the "core gamer" crowd didn't get as much support from Nintendo as I would have hoped for.

I'm looking forward, with varying levels of anticipation, to all of Nintendo's first-party products shown today. I lost a year of my life to Animal Crossing, and I'll be more than happy to have that happen again. Being a musician, I actually like the improv nature of Wii Music, and I'm actually looking forward to it based on that. Wii Sports Resort really excited me with Sword Play. Let's face it, I'm one of those guys who has dreamt of a sword fighting game with perfect move matching since the Wiimote was first announced.

Still, none of these games really connect with my core gamer instincts. Knowing that Nintendo is responsible for such amazing games as Twilight Princess, Mario Galaxy, Metroid Prime, and so forth, the lack of any title in similar nature is a bit disappointing.

Then again, the hardware improvements are anything but disappointing. The Wii Motion Plus is a very great thing. If third-party developers are quick to incorporate support for the attachment, Wii gaming may become even more loved by both traditional and non-traditional gamers. WiiSpeak is an interesting (and long overdue) advancement. I'm sure third parties will be quick to include WiiSpeak support in their online games, but the room-wide microphone is a bit unconventional. Then again, when has Nintendo ever been conventional? The support for the Balance Board is also encouraging. Shaun White Snowboarding, for example, looks to be shaping up quite well.

Fortunately for core gamers, third party support definitely looks to be ramping up (even though demonstrations and videos for third party games were limited in the conference). The next installment of the Raving Rabbids franchise is sure to bring a lot of chaotic fun to households when it releases. Star Wars: The Clone Wars looks pretty, and the gameplay will hopefully turn out well, too. Spore, after so many years of development, is looking like a very solid title. And, of course, a DS version of Grand Theft Auto is very exciting news.

Though a press conference is not meant to be a rock concert, I did have a hard time buying into the portrayed excitement of much of the Nintendo staff. Perhaps 9AM is just too early to truly get excited about things?

On the whole, the conference was not as strong as I hoped it would be. Some announcements and products were excellent; others were much less exciting. However, it seems to me that Nintendo has pulled a surprise show-stopper out of its hat later on during E3 in the past, so maybe one can hope that some groundbreaking product will be revealed in the days to come.

Details for Wii Sports Resort

2008-07-15T20:23:00.000-07:00

Of the few first-party games revealed at Nintendo's press conference today, Wii Sports Resort stands out for its usage of the newly announced Wii Motion Plus controller attachment. Following in the footsteps of its predecessor, the games within Resort look to be simple and easy to pick up.

Three games from the collection were shown at the conference: Disc Dog, Power Cruising, and Sword Play. Disc Dog involves using the precision of the controller to simulate throwing a Frisbee for your virtual dog on the beach. The 1:1 controller/character correspondence was demonstrated well with the disc throwing mechanic. Power Cruising didn't seem to do as much to show off the precision of the new controller attachment, but the Wave Race-style gameplay looks to be decently made. Sword Play is likely the most exciting of the three games revealed today. The 1:1 precision looks to provide players with an introduction to the kind of swordfighting experience so many of them have been hoping for since the Wiimote was first explained.

Production qualities seem to have gone up a little bit from the first Wii Sports. Better yet is the fact that the game will ship with the Wii Motion Plus device. Click below to see some screenshots and watch the game demonstration during the conference.

RE5 Gameplay

2008-07-15T18:39:00.000-07:00

First off... these clips do contain a bit of bad language. There's also a chainsaw related death in the third clip, but it's far less gory than in RE4.

But... this clip basically answered my previously posted question about single player. The game looks to implement the second character very well, yet that kind of takes away the whole "alone with zombies attacking" thing. Still, if it isn't the babysitting job that the latter half of RE4 had, then it'll be fine.

I'd just like to say that I think it's awesome that they've upgraded the monsters from the last game. Those weird bug things that popped out of heads now fly or crawl out from the mouth. And that's incredibly awesome. And slightly gross.

Prince of Persia Trailer

2008-07-15T18:03:00.000-07:00

Back in 2003, when Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time launched, I was largely a by-the-numbers shooter player. That game, however, opened my eyes to the role of story in games (because, let's face it, I've never been big into JRPGs, despite my increasingly desperate tries to be... I swear I'll get to Persona 3 someday). Not only that, but that first game felt, to me, like what a third person action game should feel like.

So yeah, I spent the next few years loving the next two games in the trilogy, and then proceeding to look back with fond nostalgia at what are some of my favorite games of all time, at this point.

When Assassin's Creed launched, I was excited, hoping for a spiritual successor to the Prince of Persia games that I had loved. I'll refrain from speaking my true thoughts about the Assassin's Creed franchise, save for the fact that I was incredibly disappointed in Ubisoft Montreal after that atrocity.

So for the new Prince of Persia, I'm holding my breath. Desperately, I want the feel of the old games back. The new visual style is gorgeous, the animation phenomenal. How it plays, on the other hand, is another matter. IGN has already come out and said that this very well may be a game of the year contender. That may be, but I just hope that the developers have learned from past mistakes and gone on to make the definitive Prince of Persia game.

Without further ado... here:

360 Dashboard Update Walkthrough

2008-07-15T17:59:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, Microsoft confirmed that they will be updating the Xbox 360's Dashboard feature.

This video, thanks to Gametrailers.com, shows off the update in detail. Remember, games will soon be able to be downloaded onto the 360's hard drive to save space. For 360 owners like myself, who have stuck by the dated 20GB hard drive for no reason but money, this is something that will be utilized in the future. For the rest of 360 owners, this means that games are that much easier to use, and that the console has that much longer of a life-span (the disc drive isn't used as much).

Anyway, check it out.

I Am Alive Debut Trailer

2008-07-15T17:48:00.000-07:00

With the conclusion of the requisite press conferences, E3 2008 is off. New games are announced, games that have been known about are shown off, and everyone leaves happy and anxious for the months ahead.

One previously unannounced, but heavily rumored about, game is Ubisoft's survival game I Am Alive, developed by Darkworks (aka, the guys who did Darkwatch). Rumored to resemble EA's upcoming Mirror's Edge (at least in that it will have a first person perspective and a lack of focus on weaponry), I Am Alive seems to be one of those games that captures the gamer... if it's done right. Taking place in the aftermath of a cataclysmic earthquake, not much is known about the game. The trailer doesn't show much, except that the main character's name is Adam, and that water is, presumably, a sought-after resource.

Check it out.

God of War III Debut Trailer

2008-07-15T17:46:00.001-07:00

Yes, as promised, here is the God of War III trailer. Not much is shown, but what is there makes me excited for the new game. If you haven't played the previous two games, and have any desire to, you might want to skip this one.

Video after the jump.

So... now I need a PS3. Great.

Nintendo's Press Conference (7/15/2008)

2008-07-15T15:47:00.000-07:00

Nintendo's conference was set to begin at 9:00AM PDT, and it began shortly thereafter.

The conference begins with a video slideshow showing an assortment of people enjoying Nintendo's products. The video concludes with the following line of text: "We promise to keep people smiling..."

Cammie Dunaway comes on stage to kick off the presentation, making a quip about her name not being "Reggie." She gives personal story and sentiment that lead up to a presentation of Shaun White Snowboarding featuring none other than Shaun White himself giving the demo on stage from a Wii Balance Board.

A brief interview with Mr. White details some of the gameplay, and another hands-on (or, more accurately, feet-on) demonstration of the game is given. The game is said to release by the end of the year.

Global President of Nintendo, Satoru Iwata, is now brought on stage. He begins his speech by stating that "a true paradigm shift has taken place in the global market." His speech initially focuses on Nintendo's success in the changing market, and then moves on to define the changes that have taken place in the market. He focuses on Nintendo's dual-focus of providing games to established gamers and pick-up-and-play causal gamers and non-traditional customers. Iwata-san speak of destroying the barrier between gamer and non-gamer with Wii Sports and similar titles. His speech of the challenges presented to the industry lists three responses that customers should have: They should be engaged, enriched, and enthused.

Iwata-san moves on to discussing the products that Nintendo is developing to gain these responses from gamers. Community-focus and creativity-focus in game design are deemed key. He then gives the floor to a video interview with Katsuya Eguchi, creator of Animal Crossing. The video marks the announcement of Animal Crossing: City Folk, with a 2008 release. The video begins to show gameplay footage focusing on the town-aspect of the game. Graphically, the game follows in the footsteps of Wild World and features fairly simple environments. The video moves on to a new landscape of the game, the city. The city includes an auction site and a place to see what other gamers are doing. Costume and character presentation options are available from the city. Communication via the game is considered key. The ability to write letters to other players, and to other Wii Message Boards, is mentioned. Immediately, a significant announcement follows: WiiSpeak. A microphone that captures audio of the entire room instead of a simple headset.

The video concludes, followed by the introduction of Nintendo of America CEO, Reggie Fils-Amie. He begins with sales information. He declares that, despite successes, Nintendo is committed to progressing. He iterates the need to value newcoming and veteran gamers alike. His marketing commentary points out the advertising focus of interesting females. His commentary moves on to discuss the software direction of Nintendo. He iterates the company's dual focus. He then points out the third-party success on the system, promising "dozens and dozens of new titles in the coming months." He promises that the conference will focus on three new games that make different uses of the Wii's gameplay options.

He introduces a trailer for Star Wars: The Clone Wars. The video focuses heavily on lightsaber duels. The game is dated for the 2008 holiday season. The next part fo the video is for Rayman Raving Rabbids: TV Party. The crazy antics of the series are back, and the gameplay is shown to make use of the Balance Board. The game is set for a fall 2008 release. Next up is Call of Duty: World at War. The game is shown to feature Wii Zapper support along with a co-op mode.

Cammie Dunaway returns to the stage. She begins giving market data on the DS and its software sales. She refers to Guitar Hero: On Tour: Decades, introducing a video for the game. The game is going to features the ability to share songs across versions of On Tour. The video then moves into a brief preview to Spore Creatures. The video emphasizes the creativity and connectivity design philosophy. Next, a new entry into the Pokemon series is announced. November 10th marks the release of Pokemon Ranger. One more announcement takes place: Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars will be DS bound this winter. The game features new characters, sandbox gameplay (with a new engine), and will be set in Liberty City.

Mrs. Dunaway begins to speak of the DS and its usage in airports. She details features used in Safeco Field to provide game-goers with game updates and even the ability to order Ichi Rolls from the stands. A November release of a new Cooking Mama game is said to feature the ability to use it as a real cookbook.

Mr. Fils-Amie retakes the stage. He wastes no time in revealing the Wii Motion Plus. The new peripheral provides more realistic motion tracking. He then announces Wii Sports: Resort. "Literally a day at the beach," he says. Three games from Resort are set to be shown. The first game is a game of fetch with a virtual dog. Motion control is shown in detail with real-time mapping of motion to the gameplay character. The next game shown is a jet-ski style game similar in style to Wave Race. This game demonstration leads to a sword fighting game within Resort. The sword fighting game looks similar to Wii Boxing, but the motion mapping looks great.

Returning to the discussion of Wii Motion Plus, Mr. Fils-Amie declares that other developers are looking into ways to make use of the 1:1 motion control offered by the device. Wii Sports Resort is set for a release in Spring next year.

Mr. Fils-Amie states that one more significant game will be released this holiday season: Wii Music. Lights dim and a rock show presentation seems to take place. A virtual drumset appears on screen, and a man on a stool begins to play said drums using the Wii Remote and Nunchuck in free-form fashion. Game director begins playing a virtual saxophone along with a virtual jazz band. Wii Music has been around, in concept, since Wii Sports and Wii Play. The game experience is promised to be different from that of other music games. Wii Music is not precise and demanding in the way that other music games are. Playing the songs within Wii Music simply tracks with gesturing and plays notes in a way that works with a predefined music track. Over fifty instruments will be in the game. There is a separate mode that makes use of the Balance Board that simulates an entire drum set. The mode includes full lessons to teach real drum skills. Other modes, including a symphonic director mode, will be present. The ability to create music videos is also included in the game. Up to four players can play the game at once. A demonstration showing off the improvisation of the game features a familiar Mario theme song.

Mr. Fils-Amie and Mrs. Dunaway retake the stage. They recap the new hardware and software coming to the Wii. Mr. Fils-Amie concludes with an argument for Nintendo's staying power, stating that it is not a "fad" as the DS and Wii were once labeled. He again pushes for Nintendo's drive to gain advantage after advantage in the industry.

Sony's Press Conference (7/15/08)

2008-07-15T11:04:00.000-07:00

Five minutes late, Sony's press conference begins.

A montage of games plays on the screen... Snake's voice is heard, and Richard B. Riddick is mentioned (from Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Athena). Ratchet and Clank, Ghostbusters, Motorstorm: Pacific Rift shown.

Jack Tretton walks onto the stage. Tretton welcomes the press corp. and mentions the history of the auditorium where the conference is taking place.

Tretton mentions Sony's banner franchises alongside famous actors; says that there will be updates for the system to come. Tretton states that 2008 is the year of the Playstation, and says that more will come. Does a brief recap of PS timeline; speaks of the late date releases of blockbusters and "mass migration from system to system." Talks about PS3's achievements, technology, etc.

Mentions that Blu-Ray won the format war against HD-DVD. States that games like MGS4 are only possible on PS3, largely because of Blu-Ray. Says that Playstation is 2008 is all about software. Says that games like MGS4 on PS3 are reason enough to buy a PS3. Says that exclusive content is nice (i.e., MS's exclusive DLC), but exclusive games are what drives a system. Says that there are three successful platforms in market at once.

Starts off with PS3. Shows off Resistance 2. Video begins. Graphically looks a lot better than the first game. Player is battling a massive monster. Player is running, monster is crushing pieces of building behind him. Video will be posted later. Creature is revealed to be called a Leviathan.

Insomniac president Ted Price on stage. Says that scale describes Resistance 2. Says that Resistance 2 offers more than any shooter to date. Shows trailer for Resistance 2. Both Price and the trailer reveal that the game will take place in America.

Shows LittleBigPlanet off. Emphasizes user generated content. Says that it's unique Playstation. Alex Evans takes the stage, starts playing custom level of game. Tretton starts quoting different figures about Playstation brand. Says that Sony success has been spread out across the globe. Announces that Sony is about to start engaging in distribution in Latin America. Says that games will start to be available on PS3 as Greatest Hits, for $29, including Resistance, Motorstorm, Warhawk, Rainbow Six Vegas, Assassin's Creed, Oblivion, Ninja Gaiden Sigma and Need for Speed Carbon.

Evans starts talking about LittleBigPlanet. Says that it will appeal to a wide-range of people. Trenton says that LittleBigPlanet is one of their tentpole games, saying that it will expand PS3's demographic.

Starts to talk about PS2. Says that PS2 owners are starting to upconvert to PS3. Says that over 130 games coming out in 08. Montage of PS2 games are shown. Says that PS2 has a history of developing games for everybody. Pitches PS2 as a system that's a great introduction to gaming. Says that Sony helped usher in social gaming five years ago.

Announces that Buzz will be coming to PSP and PS3, with special packs available on PSN.

Starts talking about Singstar, says 15 million song downloads worldwide.

Announces a limited edition Lego Batman PS2 bundle. Includes game and Justice League cartoon, says available this fall for $149.

Starts talking about PSN. Says that all Playstation owners will have a single sign-on, from where ever you sign on. Trenton says that PSN will become the best network available. Starts talking about stats for PSN downloads. Says that PSN is becoming a destination for digital content.

Trenton says that PSN is a great way to enhance a franchise and create better gaming experience. Introduces Ratchet and Clank Future: Quest for Booty. Game will pick up after Tools of Destruction and will provide a continuation of the story for a lower price. Tretton says that it'll be available for $15 on PSN. Montage of PSN games begins, Tretton levels a thinly veiled jab at Microsoft.

Tretton announces Gran Turismo TV. A PPV feature that allows for players worldwide to see motorsport programming. Tretton says that the content will be available August 1, says that it will be available via GT5: Prologue.

Says that "Trophies" allow players to track, brag and expand on game play accomplishments.

Tretton starts talking about Playstation Home. Says that it is the "binding factor" for PSN. Tretton states that Home already has publishers signed up to deliver content through the service. Trailer begins, starts to show off different game spaces for different games.

Tretton begins to speak about PSN's video store, says that it's open for business for all studios and networks. Announces partnerships with studios, says that PSN will be allowing rental and sellthrough for video. Downloaded video will be able to be transferred to a PSP. Video store is walked through. Progressive downloading has been incorporated into video store; viewers will be able to download a movie and watch it a minute after purchase. Announces that Sony is launching the video store tonight.

Starts talking about PSP. Announces a new entertainment pack--Ratchet and Clank Size Matters pack. Silver PSP included with game.

Announces new Resistance game for PSP: Resistance: Retribution. Game looks to be a third person shooter set in England. Montage of PSP games starts to play. Buzz: Master Quiz, The Force Unleashed, Loco Roco 2, among others, shown.

Tretton starts talking up PSP-PS3 connectivity.

Goes back to PS3. Starts talking about open platform. Says that live feed video will be available by the end of the month.

Shows preview for DC Universe Online. Comic artist Jim Lee comes on stage. Says that he's been working with SOE on the project for three years. Trailer for DC Universe Online shown.

Tretton announces that the 80GB PS3 is going to be the focus. Price drop announced. 80GB PS3 will now have 40GB functionality at the same price--$399.

PS3 lineup shown. LittleBigPlanet, Motorstorm: PR, Quantum of Solace, SOCOM Confrontation, Ghostbusters, Soulcalibur 4, Resistance 2, The Agency, Mirror's Edge, Resident Evil 5, Singstar, Guitar Hero World Tour, Killzone 2, and others shown.

God of War III trailer shown. Game looks like it will pick up slightly after God of War II. Video will be posted soon, if possible.

Infamous trailer shown. Game looks like a typical, free-roaming, do-good-or-do-evil game.

Last game to be shown is to be a massively multiplayer action game. Rep from Zipper Interactive comes up. MAG announced--Massive Action Game. 256-player battles announced. Teams are broken into 8 player squads. Trailer shown.

Conference is over.

Reflections on Microsoft's Conference

2008-07-14T19:44:00.000-07:00

Well... Microsoft's big press conference has come and gone. For the most part, I was pretty impressed.

I'm going to get this out of the way right up front: Fallout 3 was the show highlight for me. Yes, yes... I know that Final Fantasy XIII was announced for the 360, and I'm thrilled about that, but Fallout 3 really impressed me. I am a huge Oblivion fan, so the game already had a bit going for it, but the (darkly) humorous style and the over all post-apocalyptic setting of the game piqued my interest. The cinematic-style battle option really impressed me, and (even though graphics don't usually gain my attention) the game was absolutely beautiful.

Of course, Final Fantasy XIII coming to the 360 is no small thing. The game was arguably one of the PS3's biggest potential exclusives, so the newfound lack of exclusivity is definitely a big deal in regards to the market. Besides, Final Fantasy XIII looks like it could be more than a little awesome. Previous game footage reminded me of Phantasy Star Online Episode III's grid-based combat, and (in my book, anyway) that's a very good thing. Make no mistake, I'm very excited about Final Fantasy XIII.

Other big titles, like Gears of War 2, Fable 2, and Resident Evil 5, should be most impressive. I'm not jumping up and down about these releases like I am FFXIII and Fallout 3, but all three have my interest.

On the Xbox Live front, I was very happy to see a true sequel to my favorite arcade shooter of all time, Galaga. Admittedly, I think a South Park game on Xbox Live Arcade could be pretty funny, but I'll hold off any more thoughts on that until more is known about the title (without doubt, it'll contain its share of inappropriate content). Beyond the games themselves, the upcoming changes to Xbox Live left me with rather mixed feelings. The new Live Parties potential is cool in concept, and I don't see why it shouldn't work. The new avatar system, on the other hand, didn't rally impress me at all. Truth be told, I'm not a big fan of such avatar systems to begin with. However, the bigger disappointment to me is that I can't see a Live avatar and not think to myself, "Hey... it's a Mii!"

Still, other new improvements to Live, especially those regarding on-demand content, are more exciting to me. The partnership with Netflix, if done well, is an excellent idea. Providing that high-def content is an option, I'll be even more excited yet. The integration of non-game media and the Live party system is very cool in concept. I don't know if it'll be as great in execution, but I hope that it is.

Of course, there were also the music games making an appearance in full. Rock Band 2's setlist looks very impressive, but I'm even more excited about the ability to edit your own songs in Guitar Hero: World Tour. As good as the packaged and downloadable content of these music games tend to be, there are always obscure songs that I wish I could play from my collection that won't ever be available for download. Being musically adept, this feature makes me very happy. Along similar lines is Lips. I'm not the biggest fan of karaoke style games, but the ability to use music from my own collection is, once again, a very exciting thing.

On the whole, Microsoft impressed me today. There were some things that didn't thrill me, but the things that did managed to excite me very, very much.

-Kenny Yeager (kenny@revolve21.com)

Midway's E3 Lineup

2008-07-14T19:33:00.000-07:00

In a Midway press release, the company's E3 lineup has been revealed today. The details are as follows:

Mortal Kombat® vs. DC Universe (PLAYSTATION®3, Xbox 360®, Fall 2008) - For the first time ever Scorpion, Sub-Zero and the Mortal Kombat warriors battle with Batman, Superman and other popular DC Universe super heroes. Choose your side and challenge your opponents with a new fighting system including Freefall Kombat and Klose Kombat along with dynamic multi-tiered environments. Plus, pick your favorite character from MK or DCU and pursue a fighting adventure in the new single player mode with an intertwined storyline and two unique perspectives.

Wheelman™ (PLAYSTATION®3, Xbox 360®, PC; Fall 2008) - Combining spectacular Hollywood-style stunts with a gripping storyline, Wheelman provides an adrenaline-fueled, cinematic thrill ride guaranteed to leave you breathless. Vin Diesel stars as an undercover agent and highly skilled driver who must infiltrate the Barcelona underworld to gather intelligence surrounding a covert heist. Posing as a driver-for-hire, he ends up caught in a crossfire of corruption and chaos while trying to stay one step ahead of local law enforcement and rival gangs.

TNA iMPACT!™ (PLAYSTATION®3, Xbox 360®, Wii, PlayStation 2; September 2008) - TNA iMPACT!™ is the exclusive Total Nonstop Action wrestling game based on the top-rated weekly television show, "TNA Impact!" Choose the wrestling style, custom move set and clothing to construct the ultimate champion. TNA drenches the player in moves and match types that allow amazing acrobatic and aerial feats along with the bone-jarring crush of hard-hitting impacts. The game also features top wrestling talent such as Kurt Angle™, Jeff Jarrett™, Rhino™, Samoa Joe™, AJ Styles™, Sting™, Christian Cage™, Abyss™ and more to deliver all of the excitement and action of the television show!

Blitz the League® II (PLAYSTATION®3, Xbox 360®; Fall 2008) - As the sequel to the more than one million unit selling and award-winning football experience, BLITZ: THE LEAGUE II, continues the franchise legacy as the ultimate alternative to the watered-down, licensed competition. In addition to an all-new story mode penned by Peter Egan (ESPN's Playmakers), BLITZ: THE LEAGUE II features include: Precision-Aim Tackles, player-controlled touchdown celebrations, an enhanced on-the-field Clash Mode, online multiplayer capabilities, expanded rosters with all-new personalities, and the return of a cornerstone of the Blitz franchise...Late Hits! Football legend Lawrence Taylor returns as the game's cover-athlete and star linebacker for the New York Nightmare, Quentin Sands, along with a star-studded supporting cast.

This is Vegas™ (PLAYSTATION®3, Xbox 360®, 2009) - When a ruthless businessman begins turning Vegas into a family-friendly tourist trap, you must start your own powerful empire and resurrect the famous adult playground. Party hard at the hottest clubs to make VIP connections. Grow your bankroll by hitting high stakes tables. Race the fastest cars on the underground circuit to raise your reputation. Fight off enemies with fists and firearms to prove your strength. Where you go and what you do is your call. Whether counting cards, seducing dangerous women, cruising the strip or starting bar brawls, there's lots of excitement on the way to the top.

Unreal Tournament 3 - (Xbox 360®; July 2008) - Unreal Tournament 3, the world's premier PC first-person shooter makes its debut on the Xbox 360®. Unreal Tournament 3 unleashes the full power of Unreal® Engine 3, taking graphics, gameplay, and challenge to a whole new level. Players engage in intense battles with other human players online, or against Unreal artificial intelligence that sets the industry standard. With the most powerful futuristic weapons and vehicles available, this is FPS action at its best!

Game Party™ 2 (Wii, November 2008) -- With 11 games in all, Game Party 2 for the Nintendo Wii includes fun to play games that will provide hours of enjoyment with friends and family. Game Party 2 features new games like Bean Bag Toss, Horseshoes, Lawn Darts, Puck Bowling and more. Each game, including classics like Skill Ball, Darts and Hoop Shoot has exciting new features like four player mode, customizable characters and tournament play, making Game Party 2 the ultimate party game for all ages and skill levels.

Touchmaster® 2 (Nintendo DS, September 2008) - TouchMaster 2 returns with a collection of 20 new exciting card, action, strategy and puzzle games with some of your favorite classic games from back in the day. For the gamer and non-gamer alike, TouchMaster 2 offers pick up and play, addictively fun, mini-games that everyone will enjoy. Kill some time by playing a quick round to beat your high-score or find some real competition against other players. TouchMaster 2, the personal arcade that fits snug in the palm of your hands.

Mechanic Master™ (Nintendo DS, September 2008) - With over 100 levels! Mechanic Master uses the stylus as a weapon to rid the Earth of alien invaders that have scattered across the planet. Become the ultimate Master of Mechanics by creating crazy contraptions to free humans, keep the mechanics in motion and defeat those pesky foes. Test your skills. Creative-thinking is key to clearing the level.

MidwayArcade.com (Online, Available Now) - Fans of Midway's classic arcade and Touchmaster casual games will now be able to download their all-time favorites and play them on their PC. More than 25 classic titles, such as Defender, Joust, Spy Hunter, Root Beer Tapper and Mahki, are now available at www.midwayarcade.com, starting for as little as 3 games for US $5. Compete for bragging rights against players from around the world and battle for the high score in each game.

Resident Evil 5 "Fireworks"

2008-07-14T15:52:00.000-07:00

With what has to be one of the absolute worst voice acting jobs ever, the new trailer for Resident Evil 5 begins.

This one is decidedly more violent than the last, and at least one of the new monsters that they show off here will be giving me nightmares (the thing with tentacles... yikes) and/or requiring me to get a change of pants.

Not as bad as Silent Hill, but still.

That voice. Ugh.

Other than that, the game looks awesome.

More Details On Xbox LIVE Update

2008-07-14T14:59:00.000-07:00

At today's Microsoft press conference, an update to the Xbox's Dashboard was announced. Later, Microsoft's Larry Hryb (Major Nelson, for those of you who follow his updates) shared a letter via his blog, expanding on the information.

Among the updates (read: improvements) to Microsoft's pay-to-play LIVE service are the ability to download games onto the 360's hard drive, a dashboard built into the Xbox Guide (basically, you press the center button on the Xbox controller, and the Dashboard comes up... every feature, everything, accessible from the Guide), avatars (much like Nintendo's Miis), a party system and more. It all looks pretty interesting, but seems to borrow more than a little from Nintendo and Sony. Which, for the most part, is okay, because the other two guys have borrowed their share of ideas from Microsoft.

Blog Entry

Too Human Demo Hits Xbox Live Marketplace

2008-07-14T13:58:00.000-07:00

Though Too Human was surprisingly absent from Microsoft's press conference this morning, it is worth noting that a playable demo of the game has hit Xbox Live Marketplace this morning. However, the demo is only available to Xbox Live Gold members; Silver members will have to wait until later to get the demo.

Look forward to impressions from the demo in the near future.

Nintendo's Wii Motionplus Peripheral

2008-07-14T13:05:00.000-07:00

From Nintendo's press site:

Nintendo's upcoming Wii™ MotionPlus accessory for the revolutionary Wii Remote™ controller again redefines game control, by more quickly and accurately reflecting motions in a 3-D space. The Wii MotionPlus accessory attaches to the end of the Wii Remote and, combined with the accelerometer and the sensor bar, allows for more comprehensive tracking of a player's arm position and orientation, providing players with an unmatched level of precision and immersion. Every slight movement players make with their wrist or arm is rendered identically in real time on the screen, providing a true 1:1 response in their game play. The Wii MotionPlus accessory reconfirms Nintendo's commitment to making games intuitive and accessible for everyone. Nintendo will reveal more details about the Wii MotionPlus accessory and other topics Tuesday morning at its E3 media briefing.

Indeed, 1:1 motion control is a very exciting thing. Here's to hoping that "more details" include a game or two that really make use of the peripheral. More on this, and other news from Nintendo, tomorrow.

Fable 2 Developer Walkthrough

2008-07-14T12:40:00.000-07:00

Lionhead Studios is famous for a couple of reasons. One, they tend to make very good games and, two, Peter Molyneaux. The British designer is known to over hype his games, making outlandish promises that are sometimes never delivered on.

This time is different. I hope. Lionhead's Fable II, due out this October, is looking to be quite an impressive game. From the co-op game play to the promise that your character will get battle scars that are persistent... Fable II looks to be the real deal. And of course it's an extension of the first game, a natural evolution that seeks to improve upon the things that made its predecessor so amazing in the first place.

Video after the jump.

So can Molyneaux deliver? Is Fable II looking to be an astonishing experience? Is the toilet humor really all that necessary? And will the voice acting improve? Let's hope it will.

Fallout 3 Developer Walkthrough

2008-07-14T12:27:00.000-07:00

This one is a little more gory than the last. And by a little, I mean a lot. If you're a fan of body parts flying, blood spraying, and miniature nuclear bombs being detonated in someone's face, then you'll probably love this. I, for one, am astounded at just how pretty the game looks.

Todd Howard, producer of the game at developer Bethesda, is speaking.

Video after the click.

So what you just saw is right. This is a first person, turn based RPG... that's also open-ended, like Oblivion. Except hopefully with a ton more awesome.

Microsoft's Press Conference (7/14/2008)

2008-07-14T12:20:00.000-07:00

Microsoft's conference was meant to start at 10:30 PDT... and started on time with Don Mattrick.

Mr. Mattrick opens with a talk about having the biggest and best hits, listing games like Grand Theft Auto and Call of Duty. He then comments on the Xbox360 providing for everyone with games like Guitar Hero. He promises to "kick off the next series of blockbuster games" and also promises "games guaranteed to welcome everyone to the fun." Fallout 3, Resident Evil 5, Fable 2, and Gears of War 2, are listed as games "not for the faint of heart," but sure to show support for hardcore fans.

The first video shown is a 50's-esque commercial that leads into footage from Fallout 3.

Todd Howard, of Bethesda, takes the stage to provide us with information about Fallout 3, stating that a lot was learned in Oblivion's development. He immediately provides us with live-footage of the game. Taking place in Washington DC in the 2200s. The game is shown to have ridiculous and comical stylings. Combat is shown to be real-time, but it allows for scripting attacks ahead of time, leading to a cinematic playing out of the battle. Players can be good or evil, high powered or stealthy, and they are pretty much able to do whatever they want, however they want. The game looks beautiful. Mr. Howard announces that Xbox Live Marketplace will be used for downloadable content.

Jun Takeuchi, of Capcom, now takes the stage with a translator to reveal Resident Evil 5. The RE5 director begins to play a demo of the game. The game takes place in Africa. Story details are revealed. Online co-op is revealed and a new protagonist is revealed. Combat, and stage interaction, looks to take place in a way similar to that of RE4. Visually, the game is looking beautiful. An in-game cinematic is shown, showing a new variation of the chainsaw wielding enemies of RE4.

Capcom would like to tell us one more thing: RE5 will be available worldwide on Friday the 13th, March 2009.

Lionhead Studios makes a showing. Peter Molyneux steps on stage to share with us that Fable 2 is finished. He reminds us that Fable is an RPG, and that Fable 2 takes place 500 years after the first game. A cinematic is shown, and it looks beautiful. A snow-covered realm is shown, leading to a fortified city. Co-op over Live is revealed. Heroes are unique to the player, as well as the game world itself, providing motive for others to come and visit in co-op. Life-sim elements seem present in the form of being able to go to a bar to getting married. October 2008 is the set release date.

A video for Gears of War 2 plays. Cinematic and dramatic in nature, the video looks great. Epic Games' Cliff Bleszinsky takes the stage. He readies to show a co-op video. The gameplay looks very intense and bloody. Graphically, the game manages to look even better than the first Gears of War. The action-packed video concludes. A new mode is revealed, a five-player co-op mode. Gears of War 2 is coming Worldwide on October 7th.

Mr. Mattrick takes the stage again. He takes a moment for nostalgia, taking us back to that first moment of being absorbed into a game. He declares that "our industry belongs to everyone." He gives sales stats on the financial aspects of the industry, and shares how it is that Xbox is leading the market. He makes the bold claim that this generation of gaming system will have more 360s sold than PS3s. He shifts gears to detailing the strengths of Xbox Live, declaring that more than 12 million subscribers exist. More than 500 million pieces of content have been downloaded through Xbox Live since 2005. He explains that Xbox Live pushes more on-demand high definition content than any other group. A new TV and movie partner are announced; NBC and Universal Studios will be bringing content to Xbox Live. This content lauches today. MGM International and Constantine are offering new content as of today, too.

Asking how it is Microsoft continues to fuel innovation, he asks John Schappert to come on stage to explain things. He begins by declaring that online is where innovation will continue to grow. He announces that a new software update is on the way, bringing a "new Xbox experience." This fall, a new interface and Dashboard will hit. The new "My Xbox" channel provides instant access to everything on the console. Gamercards will now contain Mii-like avatars. A video explaining the design of the avatars begins with a Rare logo. Avatars are going to be integrated across the system.

A new community channel replaces the friends list of before with visual representations of friends' avatars. Live Parties are a new innovation, allowing for group chats (of up to 8 people). A new photo-sharing tool. Xbox Live Primetime is a new channel coming this fall, that puts players into Live variations of game shows. After a brief comment about video content on Live, viewers are taken to the games channel. Here, Uno Tour, a new game, is revealed. With the click of a button, the entire party begins playing Uno Tour.

Geometry Wars has a Live-exclusive sequel that is officially announced today. Another Live Arcade game is revealed, sure to touch nostalgic gamers' hearts: A true sequel to Galaga. Galaga Legions will be available next month exclusively on XBLA. Portal Still Alive is announced as an Xbox Live Arcade exclusive, coming this fall. In 2009, a Live-exclusive game based on South park is coming. A video showing off some titles from community created Xbox Live games said to hit this fall.

An exclusive partnership with Netflix is announced. With Netflix connectivity, a queue (similar to that of Netflix) is available for immediate viewing. With the emphasis on Xbox party support, it is possible to watch Netflix movies with friends who are on their own consles.

Shane Kim takes the stage. Prince of Persia, Call of Duty, Tomb Raider, and other games show third-party support. An Xbox Live-exclusive new episode for Grand Theft Auto is said to be soon released. A trailer for the new Banjo-Kazooie is revealed. It looks similar to older games in the series at first, but gameplay implies that "some assembly may be required" to progress. A video for the colorful Viva Pinata sequel begins playing, showing off a usage of the Live camera. The camera scans cards to introduce new characters into the game. Both games are set to come this holiday season.

Two new "games for everyone" are revealed. The first is a live-action advertisement for a Scene It? game. New controllers are a part of the game. Downloads for new questions are possible. Playing on Live is also included. The next game revealed is You're In The Movies. The game has brief improvisations that are "immediately turned into movies." Minigames in varied forms are shown with players acting out in front of a camera. The mini-games look fairly simple, but the game then compiles the footage captured into a comical B-movie. A director's mode allows editing to take place. You're In The Movies will include an Xbox Live Camera in the packaging.

Next, music games are revealed. On average, 3.5 million songs are downloaded from XBLA. Kai Huang of Activision comes out stage to talk about the next Guitar Hero game. He promises that On Tour will take music gaming to a whole new level. New features include a wireless drum kit and eight player battle of the bands. He then details Guitar Hero's new music creation tool. Two new announcements show that World Tour will have three songs from R.E.M.'s next album before anyone else. Metallica's next album will be released in full at the same time as the actual album on Guitar Hero III, then on World Tour.

The next Xbox exclusive is a new karaoke game, Lips. Keiichi Yano, creator of Lips, takes the stage. The game lets you sing from your own music collection. The wireless mics light up with the performances and have motion sensitivity. Duffy takes the stage to provide a live performance of one of her songs, "Mercy," using the Lips game. The game is set to come out this holiday season.

Rock Band is now introduced as being huge last year. Rock Band 2 is said to be exclusively released on Xbox 360 in September. A spokesman comes on stage to reveal the entire Rock Band 2 soundtrack, made of 84 tracks (all of which are master tracks). Tracks of focus are Guns 'N Roses first single in 14 years, Bob Dylan's "Tangled Up in Blue" is announced, and AC/DC will be appearing exclusively in Rock Band 2 by means of "Let There Be Rock." Metallica, Pearl Jam, Devo, Megadeth, Paramore, Modest Mouse, Interpol, and many, many more are mentioned to be on the game. 20 bonus tracks will be released later in the fall. All Rock Band tracks are compatible with Rock Band 2. Most all of the Rock Band's original setlist will also work with Rock Band 2. More than 500 songs will be available for the game in time.

Mr. Mattrick returns to the stage to present Yoishi Wada, president of Square-Enix, as the last guest of the day. Wada-san mentions three major titles, Infinite Undiscovery, Star Ocean, and the Last Remnant. Infinite Undiscovery is set for a September release. Star Ocean is set for a spring 2009 release. The first real-time trailer for the game is available on Live Marketplace today. The Last Remnant will be available on the Xbox this holiday season. Footage for the game plays, revealing a cinematic setting and an impressive art direction. The game is announced to also come to Games for Windows.

Mr. Mattrick retakes the stage. He provides a conclusion and recap to the conference. But Wada-san returns to the stage with a new announcement: he asks viewers to "take a look at this movie." The movie is nothing short footage from Final Fantasy XIII. It seems that the much speculated possibility of the game coming to the Xbox is, in fact, a reality.