Nintendo didn’t have the standard E3 press conference, but had a pre-recorded Nintendo Direct video and game demos at the show. 3rd party support appears to be recoiling from Wii U development, but I’ll be honest, I want pretty much every Nintendo game they showcased. And while I’m being honest, full disclosure, I’m a bit of a Nintendo fanboy.
Nintendo showed all the games they said they would and had one new game reveal, but lets go through these chronologically.
Sony’s conference started kind of slowly and generally had much more talking than was necessary. They finally revealed the appearance of the PlayStation 4 console, a modern looking, slanted box; not nearly as large as the XBox One and it can be placed vertically – I like it. There weren’t nearly as many games as in the Microsoft conference. A new game, The Order: 1886 was teased; a Victorian Steam-punk setting with …werewolves? Yes, please. inFAMOUS Second Son looks good and I’m sure Killzone: Shadow Fall will be a competent and pretty shooter and Knack looks decent. But nothing I saw made me think I must have “Next Gen” on day one (though that remains a strong possibility, regardless).
At one point, Sony had a bunch of indie developers each on their own piece of stage playing their game. It’s always great to see love for the little guys. The games that stood out to me were Mercenary Kings, Octodad: Dadliest Catch, Outlast, and Galak-Z. And, of course, Transistor.
Sony’s big announcement, ironically, wasn’t games or the form factor of their new system, but Continue reading “Sony E3 2013” »
Microsoft started things out exactly how they said they would: games. Lots of games for the XBox One were shown, many exclusive (thanks to deep pockets), and many look very promising. It was a really strong showing overall, but I was particularly impressed with Titanfall.
I also have a soft spot for Killer Instinct, and both Quantum Break and Project Spark look intriguing.
The XBox One will be available in November for $499. The high price point was expected as the new, more powerful Kinect is included. It would be interesting to learn if Microsoft is selling units at a loss and how much of one.
Microsoft didn’t comment further on their controversial online requirements, which makes them all the more likely to be set in stone.
Nintendo’s conference wasn’t horrible, but it wasn’t amazing, either. And I was really wanting it to be amazing. It was dedicated almost entirely to Wii U, with 3DS receiving an honorable mention. A full 3DS software showcase is planned for the the following day (today, actually). More videos and information can be found at e3.nintendo.com.
Will be launch title. Can target different parts of enemies for deeper strategy. Olimar is pointedly missing but 4 other “leaders” are present, allowing you to control 4 different groups.
Sony’s show had definite high points, but the Wonderbook demo lasted way too long and they didn’t have the volume of titles they usually have. It was also the source of the loudest applause all day following the announcement that everyone attending would receive a year of PlaystationPlus. Not bad.
Quantic Dream’s new game, makers of Heavy Rain. Ellen Page playing the lead. Didn’t really see gameplay, just (in-game) movie, but it was an intriguing in-game movie that looked beautiful. See for yourself:
Ubisoft had a great show. Minus an awkward duo of hosts, and a drawn out Shootmania demonstration, everything they showed had impact. Definitely my overall show of the day.
Started really intensely with rituals, tribal paint, and nipples. Looks awesome. NSFW.
Glossing over the sports games (because I don’t have much interest in them), EA’s conference was pretty solid.
Drop-in/out 2-player co-op, coming Feb 2013. Like RE6, looking more action-heavy than survival-horror. Got some Army of Two bro-action in there too. Might as well go all the way and add chest bumps. Okay, maybe they’re not that friendly, but should be good times. Write-up and gameplay on IGN. Trailer:
Here’s my takeaway from Microsoft’s E3 conference.
Gives me a serious Metroid Prime vibe; for me, that’s a good thing.
High tech ninja infiltrator Sam Fisher.
Origins story for Lara Croft looking like a grittier Uncharted.
E3 is early! Nintendo’s press conference isn’t until June 5th, but they published a video today which provided some details on their upcoming Wii U.The full 30 minute video presentation can be seen here. This is a summary:
