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e3 in review
alright, here's a short overview of what i'm going to cover in this review:
-psp
-gameboy ds
-final fantasy xii
-kingdom hearts ii and chain of memories
-ff7: advent children
-square enix mobile
-silent hill 4: the room
-donkey kong drum games
-taiko
-resident evil 4
-mortal kombat: deception
-mark ecko's getting up
-metal gear solid 3
-devil may cry 3
-the sims 2
-urbz: sims on the streets
-sega superstars
-dark watch
a quick note before we begin: no, i'm not biased towards sequels and/or series. it's just that nearly everything worth note at e3 this year fell into one of those two categories. hear me, video game companies: i want original content!
now, let's begin.
the playstation portable is a sexy, sexy beast. aesthetically speaking, it's one of the prettiest gadgets i've ever seen, even sleeker than the ipod. the screen is such high resolution that i can't even describe except to say that it is indescribable. it runs these neat little universal media disks, so you will be able to buy movies to play on it and such. the games look like welldone playstation titles, and just touching the buttons made me salivate uncontrollably. the tiny joystick is rubberized for your thumb's comfort, and the other buttons are smooth, shiny, and tightly set. i predict they will not get sticky or jam very easily. i can forsee only three possible problems: one - its sleek design may be its own downfall, as the thinness might cause cramping in larger hands after holding it for a long time; two - the battery life on this thing's gotta be shorter than superman 64's lasting appeal; and three - if it costs more than $300, the games had better be cheap as hell. those little catches aside, i want one so badly it's starting to infiltrate my dreams at night. scary, ne?
the gameboy ds presentation had two highlights. one - the guy who does the voices for mario, wario, waluigi, and baby mario was there. two - while playing pokedoll scratch on a ds in the special room, i won a pikachu doll. um, yeah. that's it. everything that actually had to do with the ds was a disappointment. it seems like a glorified electronic organizer. you know, the type you had back in middle school, where you could talk with your friend's through the little infrared transmitter thingy? yeah, just like that. the gaming was so downplayed that i wouldn't be sure there was any if it didn't have the little ports for games. so, as of right now, i will save up for an sp and use my pocket pc for the "touch screen" functions, thank you very much.
final fantasy xii was a joy to play. the graphics were gorgeous, the menus and maps very natural, and the plot compelling. however, it took jaime's reminding to truly realize that i was playing final fantasy xii. for half an hour, i enjoyed it toying with the demo, and *spoiler maybe!* i was crushed when they killed poor reks about twenty minutes in. already, it shows all the plot and character greatness of the final fantasy series. but there is one drawback - the gameplay doesn't seem very "final fantasy". don't get me wrong, i had fun learning to target nearby enemies and then running around frantically to avoid their attacks but still staying close so i could smack them for maximum damage, but it didn't feel like a true rpg. instead, i got the distinct impression i was playing an mmo action/rpg, except with the computer replacing the other players. call me crazy, but isn't final fantasy about good ol' rpging with innovations, not good ol' square playing with whatever new battle system trips their triggers? i whined about ffxi being called by a number and not being ff online, like tactics was a side branch, and i may have to whine about this one too. only time will tell whether it's a true final fantasy, or just a good square game.
the next kingdom hearts installments look delicious. i played some of chain of memories on an sp, and while i didn't manage to figure out all the intricacies of the battle system (read as: why the fuck were my cards disappearing?!), i did still beat up some heartless and have a lot of fun with it. from what i've seen, this spiky red-haired guy axel may be a new baddy, and sports some very interesting round hand blades to boot. they didn't really reveal much of the plot other than that, but watching the cinemas was like eating a fine delicacy. it was so rich, and so overpowering, and i never wanted it to stop. i still wish it hadn't. i'm almost more hyped about those games than ffxii.
advent children stills appears to have no coherent storyline. the graphics are very pretty, yes, now can you please let me know something, anything, about what's going on? i mean, c'mon, even the vaguest movie previews at least hint at what's happening. the spinning circular room setup square had at e3 made it quite hard to keep track of what was going on onscreen, what with all the action. i did, however, manage to see tifa's fist absolutely flying, and vincent looking badass as always. the figures they had of their characters outside the room let me see costume details closer, and i was more than a little disturbed by the similarities between tifa's new outfit and rinoa's gear. i mean, even the arm ribbon? jeez. the baddies looked pretty menacing, but i still have no clue who the hell they are, so that lowers the interest meter a bit. gimme more substance and less pretties, square, and i'll be doing dances in anticipation for this just like i am over kingdom hearts ii right now.
square enix mobile did exactly what i expected, and then blew my mind. the expected: final fantasy and dragon warrior (the originals) for your cell phone. i still want a phone just so i can play them, but they weren't exactly earth-shattering announcements. the surprises: a playstation quality graphic of cloud slashing as a test of what they can do with more advanced gaming on the phone, and before crisis: ff7. apparently, in before crisis, you get to play as a turk and try to avoid the avalanche-induced revolution that took place in ff7. from what they showed us, the gameplay appears to be action based, with you running around in your nifty black suit and raybans, wielding a gun at those who cross you. don't hold me to this, since we only saw a little bit, but it seems like you control one turk in real time battles with what appears to be grid-based motion, i.e. you go only up, down, left, or right. there was nothing about before crisis outside of that video in their little room, so i can't really offer much more, other than to suggest looking for info on it whenever they make it more public. watch for it.
silent hill 4: the room made me fall to my knees and pray to samael to take my soul in exchange for giving me the full game now. well, maybe not that dramatic, but it came pretty damn close. the demo i played was set up in a full size replica of an apartment in the game. i played with a controller coming out of the sink, right near a door crossed with many thick, locked chains (which i believe leads to "the room" referenced in the title), and it really pulled me in. strange demons coiling out of the wall? meet mr. pipe. weird black flying doilies? one shot from my handgun, if i even spare you that much of a second glance. deformed two headed creature of unknown origin lumbering around and doing much damage? uh... no snotty comment for you. just don't hurt me. the menu setup was different from the previous games in that it's super difficult, if at all possible, to stop the action while changing weapons, getting an item, etc. it's all in real time. the fighting seemed much the same, but it was the mystery surrounding this ominous room that got to me. i'm predicting that you journey to outside locations, though i'm not sure how yet, in order to get keys and stuff to open up more of that same apartment until finally you unravel the story and get inside the room. and though the concept terrifies me, i want in that room as soon as possible.
the donkey kong drum games finally give us that controller we've been wanting for years: a bongo? yeah, that's right, and i'm not just talking "music game" either. sure, there is the donkey konga game, where you pound the drum or clap right over it in coordination with the directions on the screen, but there's also jungle beat, where you actually control dk's and diddy kong's motions on screen with drum beats and claps. i didn't get to try this out myself, but while standing in the gameboy ds line, i did see many people frantically pounding and smacking their hand together, attempting to master this game. looks like it could be fun, if it doesn't feel *too* unnatural. i mean, if you spend the entire game trying to remember what you need to do just to get him to jump to the right, how fun could it be? regardless, it is creative, and i'd say it's worth at least an arcade try (if they do that, which i reallly think they should) before you disregard it. oh, yeah, and the bongo controller for home use comes with purchase of the game.
taiko! taiko taiko taiko!!! if you've ever watched taiko drummers, you can imagine how much fun this game is already. if you haven't, just picture a big drum, you wielding some big sticks, and commands on the screen for you to strike the rim, the face, or just wail in a full drumroll. the selection of songs pulls from classical, pop, and everything in between, and it's so much fun that i played it three times. three freakin' times. if you've never made a fool of yourself in front of others, this baby will give you the chance, right in the middle of an arcade. and chances are, you won't regret it for a second after you realize just how incredibly fun it is. omake - the little drum guys that react to your performance are too utterly adorable to ignore! just try not to feel sad when the little dude gets rained on after you mess it up. you meanie. play again until he gets to bounce happily in the sunshine.
resident evil 4 had what i would call lovely graphics if they were displaying anything besides rotting flesh and spurting blood. (un)fortunately, that's exactly what they show. it looks pretty neat, graphics and gameplay wise. it seemed pretty tough, though - i watched guys get absolutely smothered by dozens of zombies and be reduced to flailing pitifully with a knife and the undead lumbered in to gorge on poor leon's flesh. the battle system seemed somewhere between a third and first person shooter, with a more right-next-to-leon's-head view when you aim at the enemies. other than that, i didn't see much. sorry.
mortal kombat: deception was much in the style of deadly alliance, with different specialized fighting styles and nifty weapons. the blood flew like rain, the women were scantily clad, and the fights were more brutal than in any other game there. oh, they've added a ring out ko to some stadiums, much like soul caliber, except with the one that i saw, if you fall out, you die a horrible death, such as being impaled on large pointed rocks. cue the strangely spherical blood. and hey, if you've got a thing for sindel, she was back in action in this one, kicking ass and showing off her own in some sort of thong-bottomed outfit. doesn't seem to me like the sort of clothing i'd pick to fight in, but whatever.
mark ecko's getting up was atari's big game this year. unfortunately, though the trailer was neat, it showed no actual gameplay. the plot itself is either going to blow us all away or leave us yawning. a ghetto type setting, with one youth striving to start a revolution, armed with his spray paint and some serious street smarts. if played right, it could be thoughtful and compelling, but if it ends up overrun with cliches as it very well might, then kiss the players goodbye. i also would've liked to have seen some sort of gameplay during the lengthy, darkened room presentation of the game's preview. as is, i can't really pass judgment until i see more. i'm scared, atari. curious, yes, but also very scared of how this might fail.
metal gear solid 3 had crowds around it so thick that i couldn't see a single thing, and lines so long that i would've had to have skipped the classic gaming expo entirely to even get my hands on the demo. all i can tell you is that everyone around it seemed pretty hyped.
devil may cry 3 was close to the mgs3 experience, except i actually managed to peek at some gameplay on this one. it looked much like the first one, what with the super high jumps and badass weaponry. the scenery was gorgeous as could be anticipated, and no one seemed to be throwing the controllers down in frustration at dante's reaction time. no clue as to the story, but it seems promising. i'm halfway hyped.
the sims 2 looks bolder, brasher, and racier than the original, and i couldn't be more pleased. you get more control over sims personal interactions, the ability to mix the genes how you want them to create a child's looks, and full reign over their entire lives and those of their descendents. that's right; your sims age. not just that, but they pass on, and you get to follow along with their family trees as the generations move onward. it also appears that you get more control over actual job choices and hobbies, such as developing a child's interest in human anatomy from her picture books until she grows up and becomes a surgeon. i'm not entirely surely of how fast a sim life goes, or the full implications of having complete control over a sim's life, but i'm eager to find out. place this one high on your wishlist.
urbz: sims in the city spurred me to waste some time at the nintendo area to play it. the janitor lady was interested in me, but i talked about money, which made her uneasy. then we talked about food, and she got happy. i was just about to make my move and hit the flirt command when the sim promptly yelled that she needed a toilet - and fast. real smooth, bitch. it took a while to get used to the gameboy style simming, what with the actual walking around of only one character, but it was fun. i liked the attitude that the whole game was just oozing with, and it definitely seemed like a welcome diversion from the happy yuppie families i make on the sims. don't know how much actual merit it has a game, but it was catchy and fun, and that's what really counts, right?
sega superstars was an eyetoy-type romp that had people grooving and moving like a techer after five bottles of bawls and a few penguin mints. yeah, so i'm stretching it with the similes a bit, so sue me. have you noticed how long this review is? anyway, i didn't play it myself, just giggled at the sight of others doing it, so i don't have much else to say. but hey; it's sonic, it's eyetoy, it's gotta be good.
dark watch was hyped more than any other game, just because sammy studios shelled out the money to have every single badge bear a paper insert with its name, logo, some brief info, and an entry form to win a guilty gear xx: reload arcade machine. after reading the info, i must say i am frightened. a half-vampire in the wild west shooter game? if anyone can pull it off, it's sammy, but this might be a bit beyond their capabilities. spare yourself the pain of seeing a pale-faced cowboy romping around and just play some guilty gear. you'll probably be happier.
oh, and as a final note, those dark watch ads i mentioned? stuffing those into the badgeholders for five hours was what i had to do to get my pass into e3. and you wondered why i never want to see anything having to do with dark watch again...
aside from that, we played some old games at the classic gaming expo downstairs (go colecovision!), let matt wow some people with his mad ddr skillz (oh, you know you're feeling the z), and watched a canadian guy do some pretty neat magic tricks. all in all, considering that i also got to miss classes, i'd say it was a huge success.
now, to dream of a psp and kh2. ahhhh...
-psp
-gameboy ds
-final fantasy xii
-kingdom hearts ii and chain of memories
-ff7: advent children
-square enix mobile
-silent hill 4: the room
-donkey kong drum games
-taiko
-resident evil 4
-mortal kombat: deception
-mark ecko's getting up
-metal gear solid 3
-devil may cry 3
-the sims 2
-urbz: sims on the streets
-sega superstars
-dark watch
a quick note before we begin: no, i'm not biased towards sequels and/or series. it's just that nearly everything worth note at e3 this year fell into one of those two categories. hear me, video game companies: i want original content!
now, let's begin.
the playstation portable is a sexy, sexy beast. aesthetically speaking, it's one of the prettiest gadgets i've ever seen, even sleeker than the ipod. the screen is such high resolution that i can't even describe except to say that it is indescribable. it runs these neat little universal media disks, so you will be able to buy movies to play on it and such. the games look like welldone playstation titles, and just touching the buttons made me salivate uncontrollably. the tiny joystick is rubberized for your thumb's comfort, and the other buttons are smooth, shiny, and tightly set. i predict they will not get sticky or jam very easily. i can forsee only three possible problems: one - its sleek design may be its own downfall, as the thinness might cause cramping in larger hands after holding it for a long time; two - the battery life on this thing's gotta be shorter than superman 64's lasting appeal; and three - if it costs more than $300, the games had better be cheap as hell. those little catches aside, i want one so badly it's starting to infiltrate my dreams at night. scary, ne?
the gameboy ds presentation had two highlights. one - the guy who does the voices for mario, wario, waluigi, and baby mario was there. two - while playing pokedoll scratch on a ds in the special room, i won a pikachu doll. um, yeah. that's it. everything that actually had to do with the ds was a disappointment. it seems like a glorified electronic organizer. you know, the type you had back in middle school, where you could talk with your friend's through the little infrared transmitter thingy? yeah, just like that. the gaming was so downplayed that i wouldn't be sure there was any if it didn't have the little ports for games. so, as of right now, i will save up for an sp and use my pocket pc for the "touch screen" functions, thank you very much.
final fantasy xii was a joy to play. the graphics were gorgeous, the menus and maps very natural, and the plot compelling. however, it took jaime's reminding to truly realize that i was playing final fantasy xii. for half an hour, i enjoyed it toying with the demo, and *spoiler maybe!* i was crushed when they killed poor reks about twenty minutes in. already, it shows all the plot and character greatness of the final fantasy series. but there is one drawback - the gameplay doesn't seem very "final fantasy". don't get me wrong, i had fun learning to target nearby enemies and then running around frantically to avoid their attacks but still staying close so i could smack them for maximum damage, but it didn't feel like a true rpg. instead, i got the distinct impression i was playing an mmo action/rpg, except with the computer replacing the other players. call me crazy, but isn't final fantasy about good ol' rpging with innovations, not good ol' square playing with whatever new battle system trips their triggers? i whined about ffxi being called by a number and not being ff online, like tactics was a side branch, and i may have to whine about this one too. only time will tell whether it's a true final fantasy, or just a good square game.
the next kingdom hearts installments look delicious. i played some of chain of memories on an sp, and while i didn't manage to figure out all the intricacies of the battle system (read as: why the fuck were my cards disappearing?!), i did still beat up some heartless and have a lot of fun with it. from what i've seen, this spiky red-haired guy axel may be a new baddy, and sports some very interesting round hand blades to boot. they didn't really reveal much of the plot other than that, but watching the cinemas was like eating a fine delicacy. it was so rich, and so overpowering, and i never wanted it to stop. i still wish it hadn't. i'm almost more hyped about those games than ffxii.
advent children stills appears to have no coherent storyline. the graphics are very pretty, yes, now can you please let me know something, anything, about what's going on? i mean, c'mon, even the vaguest movie previews at least hint at what's happening. the spinning circular room setup square had at e3 made it quite hard to keep track of what was going on onscreen, what with all the action. i did, however, manage to see tifa's fist absolutely flying, and vincent looking badass as always. the figures they had of their characters outside the room let me see costume details closer, and i was more than a little disturbed by the similarities between tifa's new outfit and rinoa's gear. i mean, even the arm ribbon? jeez. the baddies looked pretty menacing, but i still have no clue who the hell they are, so that lowers the interest meter a bit. gimme more substance and less pretties, square, and i'll be doing dances in anticipation for this just like i am over kingdom hearts ii right now.
square enix mobile did exactly what i expected, and then blew my mind. the expected: final fantasy and dragon warrior (the originals) for your cell phone. i still want a phone just so i can play them, but they weren't exactly earth-shattering announcements. the surprises: a playstation quality graphic of cloud slashing as a test of what they can do with more advanced gaming on the phone, and before crisis: ff7. apparently, in before crisis, you get to play as a turk and try to avoid the avalanche-induced revolution that took place in ff7. from what they showed us, the gameplay appears to be action based, with you running around in your nifty black suit and raybans, wielding a gun at those who cross you. don't hold me to this, since we only saw a little bit, but it seems like you control one turk in real time battles with what appears to be grid-based motion, i.e. you go only up, down, left, or right. there was nothing about before crisis outside of that video in their little room, so i can't really offer much more, other than to suggest looking for info on it whenever they make it more public. watch for it.
silent hill 4: the room made me fall to my knees and pray to samael to take my soul in exchange for giving me the full game now. well, maybe not that dramatic, but it came pretty damn close. the demo i played was set up in a full size replica of an apartment in the game. i played with a controller coming out of the sink, right near a door crossed with many thick, locked chains (which i believe leads to "the room" referenced in the title), and it really pulled me in. strange demons coiling out of the wall? meet mr. pipe. weird black flying doilies? one shot from my handgun, if i even spare you that much of a second glance. deformed two headed creature of unknown origin lumbering around and doing much damage? uh... no snotty comment for you. just don't hurt me. the menu setup was different from the previous games in that it's super difficult, if at all possible, to stop the action while changing weapons, getting an item, etc. it's all in real time. the fighting seemed much the same, but it was the mystery surrounding this ominous room that got to me. i'm predicting that you journey to outside locations, though i'm not sure how yet, in order to get keys and stuff to open up more of that same apartment until finally you unravel the story and get inside the room. and though the concept terrifies me, i want in that room as soon as possible.
the donkey kong drum games finally give us that controller we've been wanting for years: a bongo? yeah, that's right, and i'm not just talking "music game" either. sure, there is the donkey konga game, where you pound the drum or clap right over it in coordination with the directions on the screen, but there's also jungle beat, where you actually control dk's and diddy kong's motions on screen with drum beats and claps. i didn't get to try this out myself, but while standing in the gameboy ds line, i did see many people frantically pounding and smacking their hand together, attempting to master this game. looks like it could be fun, if it doesn't feel *too* unnatural. i mean, if you spend the entire game trying to remember what you need to do just to get him to jump to the right, how fun could it be? regardless, it is creative, and i'd say it's worth at least an arcade try (if they do that, which i reallly think they should) before you disregard it. oh, yeah, and the bongo controller for home use comes with purchase of the game.
taiko! taiko taiko taiko!!! if you've ever watched taiko drummers, you can imagine how much fun this game is already. if you haven't, just picture a big drum, you wielding some big sticks, and commands on the screen for you to strike the rim, the face, or just wail in a full drumroll. the selection of songs pulls from classical, pop, and everything in between, and it's so much fun that i played it three times. three freakin' times. if you've never made a fool of yourself in front of others, this baby will give you the chance, right in the middle of an arcade. and chances are, you won't regret it for a second after you realize just how incredibly fun it is. omake - the little drum guys that react to your performance are too utterly adorable to ignore! just try not to feel sad when the little dude gets rained on after you mess it up. you meanie. play again until he gets to bounce happily in the sunshine.
resident evil 4 had what i would call lovely graphics if they were displaying anything besides rotting flesh and spurting blood. (un)fortunately, that's exactly what they show. it looks pretty neat, graphics and gameplay wise. it seemed pretty tough, though - i watched guys get absolutely smothered by dozens of zombies and be reduced to flailing pitifully with a knife and the undead lumbered in to gorge on poor leon's flesh. the battle system seemed somewhere between a third and first person shooter, with a more right-next-to-leon's-head view when you aim at the enemies. other than that, i didn't see much. sorry.
mortal kombat: deception was much in the style of deadly alliance, with different specialized fighting styles and nifty weapons. the blood flew like rain, the women were scantily clad, and the fights were more brutal than in any other game there. oh, they've added a ring out ko to some stadiums, much like soul caliber, except with the one that i saw, if you fall out, you die a horrible death, such as being impaled on large pointed rocks. cue the strangely spherical blood. and hey, if you've got a thing for sindel, she was back in action in this one, kicking ass and showing off her own in some sort of thong-bottomed outfit. doesn't seem to me like the sort of clothing i'd pick to fight in, but whatever.
mark ecko's getting up was atari's big game this year. unfortunately, though the trailer was neat, it showed no actual gameplay. the plot itself is either going to blow us all away or leave us yawning. a ghetto type setting, with one youth striving to start a revolution, armed with his spray paint and some serious street smarts. if played right, it could be thoughtful and compelling, but if it ends up overrun with cliches as it very well might, then kiss the players goodbye. i also would've liked to have seen some sort of gameplay during the lengthy, darkened room presentation of the game's preview. as is, i can't really pass judgment until i see more. i'm scared, atari. curious, yes, but also very scared of how this might fail.
metal gear solid 3 had crowds around it so thick that i couldn't see a single thing, and lines so long that i would've had to have skipped the classic gaming expo entirely to even get my hands on the demo. all i can tell you is that everyone around it seemed pretty hyped.
devil may cry 3 was close to the mgs3 experience, except i actually managed to peek at some gameplay on this one. it looked much like the first one, what with the super high jumps and badass weaponry. the scenery was gorgeous as could be anticipated, and no one seemed to be throwing the controllers down in frustration at dante's reaction time. no clue as to the story, but it seems promising. i'm halfway hyped.
the sims 2 looks bolder, brasher, and racier than the original, and i couldn't be more pleased. you get more control over sims personal interactions, the ability to mix the genes how you want them to create a child's looks, and full reign over their entire lives and those of their descendents. that's right; your sims age. not just that, but they pass on, and you get to follow along with their family trees as the generations move onward. it also appears that you get more control over actual job choices and hobbies, such as developing a child's interest in human anatomy from her picture books until she grows up and becomes a surgeon. i'm not entirely surely of how fast a sim life goes, or the full implications of having complete control over a sim's life, but i'm eager to find out. place this one high on your wishlist.
urbz: sims in the city spurred me to waste some time at the nintendo area to play it. the janitor lady was interested in me, but i talked about money, which made her uneasy. then we talked about food, and she got happy. i was just about to make my move and hit the flirt command when the sim promptly yelled that she needed a toilet - and fast. real smooth, bitch. it took a while to get used to the gameboy style simming, what with the actual walking around of only one character, but it was fun. i liked the attitude that the whole game was just oozing with, and it definitely seemed like a welcome diversion from the happy yuppie families i make on the sims. don't know how much actual merit it has a game, but it was catchy and fun, and that's what really counts, right?
sega superstars was an eyetoy-type romp that had people grooving and moving like a techer after five bottles of bawls and a few penguin mints. yeah, so i'm stretching it with the similes a bit, so sue me. have you noticed how long this review is? anyway, i didn't play it myself, just giggled at the sight of others doing it, so i don't have much else to say. but hey; it's sonic, it's eyetoy, it's gotta be good.
dark watch was hyped more than any other game, just because sammy studios shelled out the money to have every single badge bear a paper insert with its name, logo, some brief info, and an entry form to win a guilty gear xx: reload arcade machine. after reading the info, i must say i am frightened. a half-vampire in the wild west shooter game? if anyone can pull it off, it's sammy, but this might be a bit beyond their capabilities. spare yourself the pain of seeing a pale-faced cowboy romping around and just play some guilty gear. you'll probably be happier.
oh, and as a final note, those dark watch ads i mentioned? stuffing those into the badgeholders for five hours was what i had to do to get my pass into e3. and you wondered why i never want to see anything having to do with dark watch again...
aside from that, we played some old games at the classic gaming expo downstairs (go colecovision!), let matt wow some people with his mad ddr skillz (oh, you know you're feeling the z), and watched a canadian guy do some pretty neat magic tricks. all in all, considering that i also got to miss classes, i'd say it was a huge success.
now, to dream of a psp and kh2. ahhhh...