E3 2012 - Update - Avengers: Battle for Earth

I honestly do not know much about this game at this time.  From first-hand accounts it is a fighting game that allows you to choose from a large number of popular Marvel characters and offers several different modes of play.  The thing that sets this fighter apart from other, traditional, fighters however, is the implementation of Kinect or Wii U controls.  I'll kick off this little spiel with the amazing trailer shown at the Ubisoft press conference.



That trailer looks amazing, and I wasn't sure what to expect from gameplay, but I didn't expect this.  The game has a series of reactive poses you can take that appear on your side of a split screen.  You take the pose or make the action that is shown and the character performs the move associated with that action.  Now, while this sounds like a good idea on paper, the motion controls, especially those of the Kinect, are less-than-accurate.  Fighting games requite a degree of twice-reflexes that don't manifest well in the clunky motion controls 360 players are currently used to.  Unless they've refined how accurate the Kinect actually is, they will be issues with gameplay.  Also, there's the big issue of space.  Playing the Kinect takes up a great deal of space  and to have two people playing side by side, you would need a lot of floor room to pull this action off.  I have to admit, as excited as I was by the trailer, I'm a little skeptical after seeing these videos.



Now, these appear to be Kinect (obviously) and the Wii U's controls may be a little more refined, so we'll see how that version is when it launches.  I'm just not convinced that the Kinect is really ready for a fighting game that is actually meant to be fast-paced.  The gameplay videos above look slow and almost turn-based in their pacing.  I honestly don't know about this one guys, but I could be wrong.  If this works, and is successful, it could open up a brand new world for fighting games, and that is an exciting proposition.

E3 2012 - Day 2 - Part 2: Nintendo Press Conference

A skit featuring Shigeru Miyamoto surrounded by the tiny creatures featured in the new Pikmin.  There was a breif introduction of the concept behind Wii U, the fact that the next Nintendo would have a dedicated screen independent of the TV.  The controller, at first glance appears sleek, light and seem to be just the right size.

The first game announced was Pikmin 3, a lush-looking game that features the little strange creatures in a wooded environment.  The WiiU allows there to be a second screen for use as a map so that the TV can
show the pikmin closer.  The game looks good and seems to be a solid start to the Wii U's coming cycle.



Following that we saw Reggie Fils-Aime present the Wii U and we were given a quick rundown of the Wii U GamePad.  The device has a lot of great features that operate independent of the WiiU, making it a great standalone piece of hardware.



MiiVerse is the new social feature on the WiiU.  It shows what games your friends are playing, and it also shows you players you recently met while playing other games.  It appears as a large 3D field populated by icons representing different games.  The Miis gathering around the icons represent players currently playing that game or using that software.  It adds a level of openness that feels as though you are part of their world.  I like this menu.  In addition to showing players online, you can also use the GamePad to write messages that will be displayed and can send messages to other players or broadcast them in the MiiVerse.



We got to see one game that is going to be one of the big ones for the Wii U, New Super Mario Bros. U.  The game looks great, allowing four-player simultaneous play and even offering a new game mode called Boost Mode, which allows a player using the GamePad to create special blocks to aid the other players as they attempt to complete the level.



Next up was Batman: Arkham City: Armored Edition.  The game is a re-release of the great Arkham City with Wii U GamePad implementation.  The second screen, touch, and motion controls allow for more use of Batman's various gadgets and attacks.  The video shows the GamePad touch used to set off explosive gel placed around a room and to guide a flying Baterang as it navigates tight corners.



Scribblenauts: Unlimited was announced for release on both the 3DS and Wii U and promises to be limited only by your imagination.  The demo is sort of dopey but does show the range of things that can be made.  There isn't a whole lot on gameplay though on this one, at least not during the press conference.



It seems Nintendo is trying to get the hardcore gaming crowd with their next mash up, which included a few games for the big kids.  Darksiders II looks to have a nice graphical touch and some slick action.  Mass Effect 3 has the potential to be a killer app on the Wii U if the GamePad is used properly.  A new party-based action game called Tank! Tank! Tank! pits you and two friends in tanks against big monsters.  Tekken Tag Tournament 2 is a pleasant surprise.  Trine 2: Director's Cut offers yet more cool possibilities for the GamePad.  Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge looks as bloody as ever.  Lastly, Aliens: Colonial Marines is a dark shooter that takes place in Ridley Scott's acclaimed world.



Wii Fit U seems to be more of the same, just with new GamePad features including the ability to continue training on the separate screen while watching TV independent of the Wii U.  Still, there's nothing wrong with trying to get us fat gamers off the couch.  I know I would do good to lose a few pounds.



The new social music game SiNG (as it's currently titled) is basically expensive karaoke, only without the smelly bar.  The lyrics appear on the GamePad which allows you to face your friends rather than the TV and  your friends can follow along with additional group features.  It looks kind of lame to be honest, not really the big leap forward in music games you'd expect given the buildup Fils-Aime gave the game.



The 3DS took the stage next, revealing New Super Mario Bros. 2, a brand new, separate New Super Mario Bros. for Nintendo's handheld system.  An August, 19 release date brings Mario closer than expected for 3DS owners.



Next up was Paper Mario: Sticker Star, an RPG that takes the Paper Mario formula and adds stickers that change how the game plays, acting as weapons that unlock special abilities.  This is a pretty cool idea, going so big as to creating a giant table fan that arises from the horizon and blows enemies away.



Luigi's Mansion 2 for the 3DS promises 3D adventure gameplay, new features and new challenge.  Luigi's Mansion seems like an odd choice to be honest.  The game is a sequel to a mostly-derided game that has its fans, but has many detractors.  I would have expected them to bring out a more beloved game to attract a few older gamers to the 3DS who have thus far snubbed it.



Lego City: Undercover is the next Wii U game on display that seems like a lot of fun.  It features a large open world and lots of challenges.  It uses the GamePad as a map, a communicator and for its motion controls.  The game seems to have a nice blend of different play styles and humor.  Fils-Aime also announced a "portable version" that is presently under development.



Just Dance 4 allows a person to use the GamePad to control the moves that come across the screen.  This seems like a cool idea for a party game.  ZombiU was next and I do like the look of this game, though I already covered it in the Ubisoft article.



We got a first glimpse another new social feature for WiiU.  NintendoLand is a theme park-like hub that allows you to explore different games.  It is sort of a theme park, but it really just seems like a series of mini games.  It seems... okay.  It promises twelve games (five of which are available at E3) and each one seems sort of weak to be honest.  I do think the best one of the few that I saw appears to be The Legend of Zelda: Battlequest, which is a party-based action game in which you control your Mii dressed as Link and fight off different mobs with different weapons and tactics.  Luigi's Ghost Mansion is really just a Pac Man clone with invisible ghosts, nothing very innovative there.



The the amusement park setting of NintendoLand is fitting, but neither it or the games seem all that thrilling.  It may be fun to play, that remains to be seen, but we need to see more games, Nintendo.  I say this after watching the press conference and leaving rather underwhelmed.  Given all of the excitement around the Wii U I would have expected a little more from the House that Mario Built.  Not so much.  The press conference, as a whole, was pretty boring.  Nothing as awe-inspiring as Beyond or as fan-pleasing as Halo 4.  I would like the Wii U to be a step up from the Wii, and by that I mean I would like the Wii U to actually have fun games on it, so we'll see, in the future, if the Wii U can survive the fight, because this next year, given the rough economy and the limited number of AAA titles coming out this holiday season, is going to be an uphill battle for everyone including, and especially, Nintendo.

E3 2012 - Part 3: Sony's Press Conference

All eyes are on Sony to pick up their game after a massive FAIL year with very few quality games from major developers outside of Uncharted 3 and a few downloadable games and after a devastating network breach that resulted in a massive loss of revenue.  Sony needed to bring their A-game to this event but the result was, honestly, less-than-impressive, with the exception of two games: Beyond and the Last of Us.

The event opened with a new ip from quantic dream called BEYOND: Two Souls that actually stars Ellen Page.  The trailer was spectacular with movie-quality animation was so stunning that I was lost in it.  The stunning trailer speaks for itself and showcases the amazing technology that lies in our future.



After that impressive showing we got a rather underwhelming demo of Playstation All Stars: Battle Royale, a Super Smash Bros. clone that features popular Sony characters including Kratos, Sly Cooper, Sweet Tooth, Fat Princess, Nathan Drake, and Big Daddy.  Using regular attacks, players build up power to perform a super attack that scores points when they hit othaveer players.  This is the key to victory.



We then got a series of upcoming downloadable games for the PS3 and Vita through PSN, as well as some upcoming features for Playstation Plus.  Sony also made a point to push the first and third-party entertainment services available on PSN and Vita as well, including YouTube, Hulu Plus, Crackle and more.

Following that time sink, we got previews for Call of Duty Black Ops: Declassified as well as Assassin's Creed III: Liberation, a tie-in for the Vita that features a female assasin.  We then saw more form Assassin's Creed 3 and Far Cry 3 (more filler, really).



Playstation Move was also heavily pushed, with emphasis on using to enhance gaming for the player.  To achieve this, Sony announced a new feature that uses Move to interact with books.  It is an augmented reality program that uses the Playstation Eye called Wonderbook.  You place a special book on the floor before the camera, the game then overlays interactive elements onto the screen as if they are in the room with the player, coming out of the book.  The principle game on display was from a collaboration with Harry Potter-author J.K. Rowling called Book of Spells wich integrates Wonderbook with Playstation Move in which you use the Move controller as a magic wand and interact with the story.



God of War: Ascension keeps the same ultra-violent action the series is famous for on a much grander scale.  However, the gameplay shown was rather lacklustre.  It looked nice, but it didn't appear to be any different that what we've been playing for seven years.  I was rather disappointed.



Sony closed the event with some polished gameplay footage of their new AAA title from Naughty Dog, The Last of Us.  The game looks incredible.  It certainly lives up to its pedigree.  The stunning city scape, flooded and overgrown seems so desolate and so lifeless, yet so beautiful.  The action gameplay is a step up in the violence department from their previous games and the title definitely seems to be aiming for a more mature audience.  It looks impressive and was definitely the highlight of the Sony press conference for E3 2012.  I'm surprised Sony had the nerve to show up with no actualy real footage or news about the new Sly Cooper or the Last Guardian, both of which were AWoL during the press conference.  Still, we'll see what the coming days shall bring.



Okay!  I shall return tonight for the Microsoft press conference.  Stay tuned for more updates and thanks for all who have been reading!

E3 2012 - Updating: Ubisoft - What They Need To Do!

Ubisoft is still young compared to most other A-list developers and built their house on Rayman.  Over they years, however, they grew up and made some of the best games of the 2000s, including Assassin's Creed and Prince of Persia: the Sands of Time.  Their list of AAA titles is comparatively small, but the titles they do own are so huge that they may not have as many guns, but damn are they big ones!

As far as Ubisoft's press conference goes, what do they need to do?  The need to show us some games.  There is a rumor that they are going to go the direction of Skylanders and  make a tie-in line of "toys" to go with a new game.  This is bad.  Don't go there Ubisoft.  We want games that are ready to play and that are exciting. After the very poor showing with the recent Prince of Persia game, they really need to bring their A-game.  I would like to see a new Tomb Raider that lives up to the popularity.  I rather liked Tomb Raider: Legends and would love to see a new game along those lines.  Also look forward to more on the new Assassin's Creed, taking place in Revolutionary War-era America.  We shall see what surprises they have in store shortly when their press conference begins.