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Dear E3 Diary, Day Five
Just made it back home from the I Am 8-Bit Scott Pilgrim party – no Michael Cera, but the crazy Lakers fans did blow up a car next to our hotel. Asplosions aren’t just limited to Activision events.
Started the last day of the show with the lovely ladies of gaming at the first ever “women in games” photo shoot. I was less uniformed than the Ubisoft contingent, though it seemed like they brought their booth babes out for the picture…not sure that counts.
Might have played some games today. Hard to say at this point in the show. There was Move, there was 3D…and then there was Civ 5. Happiness!
Oh, and the cutest swag of the week, the Spirit Hood from Nexon:
G’night super cool party people!
Dear E3 Diary, Day Four
Spent time with the folks at Bulkypix to check out a couple pretty iPad games, then waited in line. Mostly waited in line. The line ended with Kinect, which was underwhelming. Will finish up video and commentary tomorrow, which may or may not include the Felicia Day ogling I did, as she was playing Kinect in the neighboring bubble.
While at the 360 both had fun with both Lara Croft: Guardian of Light and Fable 3. The former, an Arcade title, was a fun bout of co-op play with kind of a Diablo feel. I need to think some more on the Fable 3 experience, mostly because I was really into Fable 2 so I’ve still got nitpicky questions for those Lionhead folks (who kindly put up with the first round of nagging).
The only folks badgered more were the MTV/Harmonix foks. I went into the Rock Band 3 appointment pretty skeptical, and very focused on the Fender stringed guitar that works with the game. It turns out that what they’re doing, contrary to all my pesky preconceived notions, is pretty cool.
Was given Grip-Its while walking around South Hall. They’re analog stick covers are “designed to elevate performance, extend game play, and give you the competitive edge” . They’re little controller condoms.
Spoke with Michael Pachter. We discussed important industry issues and/or that he’s never been to Idaho.
Hit the BIG/WIGI event this evening, which had some great door prizes, most of which went to WASP. The conspiracy continues…
Notes from the Sony Conference
First off, Sony gave me lunch, which is a sure way to keep me in a good mood. It’s a good thing, too, since the next thing they did was give me 3D glasses. I’ll get it out of the way: I don’t like 3D.
After a brief introduction from Tretton, who touched on the life cycle of a Playstation console and the value of exclusives, Kaz Hirai took the stage for the 3D fest. Highlighting the tenets of Playstation, “innovation and content”, Hirai asserted that “Sony is the undisputed leader in 3D” and ”What playstation did for Bluray we’re now ready to do for 3D as well”. With twenty titles created natively in 3D by March 2011, he said the year would be remembered as, “the year playstation brought authentic 3D to the industry.”
Did I mention I don’t like 3D? It hurts my eyes. It’s really dark. And when things move too fast you can’t tell what’s happening.
We were then treated to some Killzone 3 in a live demonstration. Specifically two sections for the 4th level of the game taking place in the arctic north of Helghan. The first section focused on ground combat and use of the jetpacks while the second on air combat, both heavily featured the destructible environments. It looked cool, but it was so hard to appreciate the gameplay, the environments and the combat when I was so busy just trying to wrap my eyes around the 3D nonsense. They aim ”to deliver the most realistic sci-fi shooter experience available” in February 2011, and it will be fully compatible with Move at launch.
“What tiles like Avatar are doing for movies, titles like killzone 3 will do for games.” Kaz Hirai
The game they used to show off the Move to greatest effect was Sorcery, a 3rd person action adventure game designed for Move. You play as a sorcerer’s apprentice and must rescue the land from darkness by playing through faery realms. The gameplay demo onstage was fun, and I look forward to getting hands-on with the title. Your motions affect power as well as trajectory, and the spell combinations were neat – like the ability to create a wall of fire and then send a whirlwind through it creating a fiery whirlwind that scoops and scorches your enemies. Slated for Spring 2011.
Next up was a demo of Tiger Woods with Move, and golf is still boring.
Heroes on the Move should collect some fans, it features Ratchet, Clank, Sly, Bentley, Jak and Daxter in a playful weapon-heavy romp.
“Gaming is having a ridiculously huge tv in a tiny 1 room apartment.” Kevin Butler, VP of Scene Stealing
Move will ship EU September 15, NA September 19, and Japan October 21. The Move controller is priced at $49.99, the navigation controller at 29.99. Move bundle including a Move controller, PS Eye and Sports Champs game goes for 99.99, while PS3 bundle including a PS3, PS Eye, Move controller and Sports Champs is set at $399.99. Four titles will be available during the holiday with games like Socom 4, Time Crisis, NBA 2k11, Ruse, Killzone 3, Echochrome 2 and Eyepet in the pipe. Games like Toy Story 3, Heavy Rain, and RE5 Gold Edition will have Move compatibility as well.
PlayStation Plus comes out later this month and can be purchased for one year at $49.99, or 3 months for $17.99 – and for a limited time you can get 3 months for free. Plus touts exclusive features and content, early demos and beta access, and discounts on the store.
Quick bites:
Invizimals was quickly overshadowed by God of War: Ghost of Sparta for the PSP, which chronicles Kratos’s rise to power.
Little Big Planet 2 showed off excessive cuteness and some badass real time strategy and shooter levels.
Medal of Honor unveiled Deuce, and said June 28th they will debut a series of videos where tier one operators share their experiences and stories. The multiplayer is being handled by DICE, and we were shown a new map that looked a lot like a game…we’ll call it Small of Pooty. Available October 12, limited edition will include 2002′s Medal of Honor: Frontline.
Dead Space 2 showed off a boss fight and advertised the limited edition pack, you can get Dead Space Extraction and Dead Space 2 with Move support.
Portal 2 Surprise! Gabe Newell showed up to announce Portal 2 for the PlayStation 3, making it ”the best version on any console”. Coming 2011. <3 Glados
Pretty, pretty FF XIV MMO vid.
Mafia 2: Agusut 24, exclusive day one content, for free.
Got a look at Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood online mode, which does not seem to feature any sisters – but those are some elaborately attired dudes. At launch the PS3 version will include an exclusive package of missions and the beta will only be available on PSN.
The GT5 (November 2, 2010) footage was beautiful, and there was even a snippet of The Stig!
The Infamous 2 trailer confirms some icy new powers for Cole, as well as some truly objectionable pantalones. Seriously, change the pants.
David Jaffee and Scott Campbell’s demo of the new Twisted Metal (2011) highlighted the online game mode “Nuke”. Set up as faction v. faction, players must capture the opposing faction’s leader, feed ‘em to the missile launcher and guide their missile to the giant airborne image of that leader. Three times. If you like Twisted Metal, you’ll be happy right about now.
Home has a replicated booth for anyone that wants to experience the PS E3 Booth in virtual space, and Tester fans take note: the casting call for season 2 begins today.
Notes from the Nintendo Conference
Upside? I saw Bowser flame Reggie’s face off.
Fils-aime: Technology is only a tool, the end product, the thing that does matter is the experience. And the best experience only come when technology and game design are perfectly matched.
Happily, the first title revealed was The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, which allows you to use the Wiimote and Nunchuck as the sword and shield. Shaking your hand will pull out the sword, and you are able to swing at “any angle”. You can use the Z button to target, and defeat enemies by slashing their weak points.
Until I get hands-on time of my own, the effectiveness of the control scheme is dubious. Miyamoto came onstage to show Bill Trinen how it’s done, but the controls were jumpy and a number of the attacks and defensive moves – like using your shield to fling a projectile back toward an enemy – failed. The guys on stage attributed the spotty performance to “wireless interference”, and I honestly couldn’t tell you if they were joking or not.
Sword is still your weapon of choice, however, and in addition to cutting grass it now fells trees and even serves to confuse those pesky eyes guarding locked doors. Holding the sword aloft charges it with power from the heavens and allows you unleash special attacks. To access the rest of your arsenal, stored in your pocket, hold B. Some quirky items are the beetle, which you steer through the air to pick up items, and the whip, which cuts grass and antagonizes enemies.
Graphically, it looks like a Zelda title for Wii – unimpressive. At least you have until 2011 to muster more enthusiasm, development is set to continue through the remainder of the year.
On sports titles, Fils-Aime juxtaposed realism and fun, as though the two are mutually exclusive. Since they then announced Mario Sports Mix (2011), I’m guessing they went with realism.
Getting around that Pierce Brosnan problem, the recently leaked and now officially announced Goldeneye game will feature Daniel Craig as James Bond. The Activision title is set to release this holiday season.
Epic Mickey looks different from those beautiful concept art shots we saw so long ago, but it also looks like fun. Warren Spector and Adam Creighton showed us two distinct parts of the game, which takes place in Wasteland. We began in Ventureland, a quest zone where you can talk to characters and pick up quests as well as tools and other items. Kicking off with Mickey having a chat with Smee, from Peter Pan, it’s clear the game full of old characters and places, including one of my childhood favorites: the Swiss Family Robinson House. Also shown was a Travel Zone, which are side scrolling platformers you use to get from one area to another based on old cartoons – like Steamboat Willie – and classic platforming. You are equipped with paint and paint thinner, which means you can opt to remove obstacles or restore them, with the latter effort requiring a bit more creativity. The game’s producer said that how you choose to play will not only affect how the world looks and how character’s respond to you, but how the game ends for the characters with choices between completing smaller quests or those the target the “greater good”.
Officially revealed today was the 3DS, with improved graphics capability and, oh yeah, 3D. The new 3DS adds a slide pad to the controls, a motion sensor and gyro sensor. Additionally, it’s possible to watch 3D movies, and two camera lenses on the outside of the DS are for taking and viewing pics in 3D.
It was then explained that Project Sora was established to create a game designed specifically for Nintendo 3DS. Satoru Iwata teased, “We felt that such a game deserved to feature a character that is already familiar to you”. The game is Kid Icarus Uprising, and the release date is unannounced.
Also likely to have a release date along way off? The 3DS. While we were allowed brief hands-on time with the handheld (each of which was tethered to a model), what I saw was interesting, but not really impressive. It reminds me of what is being done with 3D for the iPhone, a fixed image around which you can rotate. How it will work with a game and in game camera is unclear. If during the course of play you tilt the device, the image is no longer 3D and flickers in and out.
Partial list of games that will be developed for 3DS: Kingdom Hearts, Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition, Saints Row, Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle, Resident Evil Revelations,Madden NFL, Batman, Ubisoft Assassin’s Creed Lost Legacy, Dead or Alive 3D, Samurai Warriors, Ninja Gaiden, Ghost Recon, Splinter Cell Chaos Theory, FIFA Soccer, Metal Gear Solid and Ridge Racer.
Some “also announced/shown” titles:
Kirby’s Epic Yarn, Fall 2010Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies, DS: Arrives in US in 26 days
Metroid: Other M, August 31, 2010
Fils-Aime: “What hasn’t been lost is a sense of isolation and exploration that has always been the hallmark of the franchise.”
Donkey Kong Country Returns, Holiday 2010Wii Party, Holiday 2010
Just Dance 2, Fall 2010
Golden Sun: Dark Dawn, DS, Holiday 2010
Nintendo Press Conference, Nokia Theater, Los Angeles, June 15th
Boiled
This week I haven’t so much been playing games (except for playing the word “jester” in Words with Friends), as I’ve been playing around with our newly launched NewsBoiler. (more…)
N4G Blur Beta Key Giveaway
Still don’t have a Blur beta key? Thanks to the folks at Bizarre Creations, we have 500 keys to give out on N4G!
N4G Heroes of Three Kingdoms Beta Key Giveaway
Thanks to Jason Varden and the rest of Perfect World Entertainment, we have 5000 beta keys to give out over on N4G for the closed beta of their upcoming MMORPG, Heroes of Three Kingdoms!
N4G Battle of the Immortals Beta Key Giveaway
Thanks to Jason Varden and the rest of Perfect World Entertainment, we have 5000 beta keys to give out over on N4G for the closed beta of their upcoming MMO, Battle of the Immortals!
A 2.5D MMO, Battle of the Immortals is a highly competitive PvP MMO with players pitted against one another for the right to slay epic bosses in dungeons.
N4G Star Trek Online Beta Key Giveaway
Want in on the Star Trek Online closed beta? Assimilate!
N4G Kung Foo! Beta Key Giveaway
Thanks to Jason Varden and the rest of Perfect World Entertainment, we have 1000 beta keys to give out over on N4G for the closed beta of their upcoming MMO, Kung Foo!
Chillingo Game Sale
iPhone gamers, Chillingo has slashed prices on a number of their games. For three days only:
1. Touch KO 4.99 -> 0.99
2. Defender Chronicles 4.99 -> 0.99
3. Jules Verne’s Secrets Of The Mysterious Island 6.99 -> 0.99
4. Jules Verne’s Return To Mysterious Island 4.99 -> 0.99
5. Cash Cow 2.99 -> 0.99
6. iDracula 2.99 -> 0.99
7. Toki Tori 4.99 -> 0.99Unlimited Free Trial of the first 20 levels in Age of Conan now available
Age of Conan is one of those games I’ve really been wanting to get into – especially after checking out the Xpac progress at PAX. The game just looks beautiful. Now, I suppose, is the time to try as Funcom is offering unlimited access to the Island of Tortage (levels 1-20) to everyone that downloads, registers and starts playing before January 1, 2010.
Onto the press release-y stuff:
“Our original seven day trial has been very successful so far,” says Morten Larssen, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Funcom. “But with the holiday season coming up this is the perfect time to shake up our trial offer a bit and try out something new. So everyone who downloads the trial before January 1st will be able to play the first part of the game for free, forever. We are confident that many of those taking advantage of this offer will choose to become permanent players, allowing them to experience all of what the game has to offer including all the additions and improvements introduced since launch.”
Celebrate the holiday season by downloading the trial today, and experience `Age of Conan’ in all its savage, sexy and brutal glory. Go to http://www.ageofconan.com/trial to download the client and start your barbaric adventures today. Players can level up as many characters as they want before choosing to move on and explore the rest of the game. Players will be able to enjoy all of what Tortage Island has to offer, complete with player vs. environment and player vs. player gameplay. Users must take advantage of this offer before January 1st, and will need to log in to the game for the offer to take effect.
Launching in May last year `Age of Conan’ quickly became a smash hit in retail, shipping over 1.2 million copies around the world. In North America, the most prominent online gaming market in the west, `Age of Conan’ became the third best-selling PC title of the year in 2008. In the weeks after launch `Age of Conan’simultaneously topped the charts in 17 countries, and the game received critical acclaim from gaming press across the globe. `Age of Conan’ is now available in English, French, German, Spanish, Russian and Polish localized versions, and is being prepared for launch in Korea as well.
Indie hit Osmos Arrives on Mac
Steam and I had a falling out earlier this year when I tried to run Osmos on my Windows partition. Hemisphere Games wiped away my tears and promised me a Mac version, and what do you know, just in time for Christmas! (more…)
Outbreak Studios Develops Sequel to Bestselling iPhone Game
Peter Björklund, the CEO of Outbreak Studios announced that they have signed up with 1337 Game Design to develop the second episode of the game Dark Nebula for the iPhone and iPod Touch. The first episode of Dark Nebula was released on Apple’s App Store and has already become a bestseller in many countries. Some reviewers have even named it the best game released for the platform to date.
Play to Win: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Fortune Hunter Edition
Arne Meyer is over on the PlayStation Blog to tell you how you can win a copy of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Fortune Hunter Edition – Just by playing.
In short, login to you PSN account, fire up your copy of Uncharted 2, select Multiplayer and then Matchmaking. Just by joining a match you’re entered for the day!
About
I’m Community Manager and Admin for the NewsBoiler Network, home to N4G, TechSpy, AnimeShinbun, FilmWatch and 11×2. I also write for network editorial site, ZTGD.
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