E3 - How did Sony win?

Let's be honest, E3 failed this year. Don't get me wrong, it was awesome to see Mass Effect 3, Skyrim, Assassin's Creed Revelations and so many other much-loved titles in working order, but the press conferences from the big players in the industry really annoyed me. Microsoft would take to flogging Kinect to high heaven, Sony could do little more than give us some information on the NGP (now the PlayStation Vita, a name that I actually approve of), and Nintendo showed off a new console, which I have much to say about.

Admittedly the tech specs for the Wii U (stupid name right there) are awesome, a Nintendo console with HD graphics and some mean processing power, about time too. I have little quarrel with that, but with the controller for the Wii U, I must admit my ultimate hatred. I like revolutionary stuff, where new technology leads us into a brighter future and all that jazz, but the controller for the Wii U seems to me to be the ultimate gimmick, something that I am getting sick and tired of seeing.

E3 did bring to us many new games, some of them epic, some of them not so much, but for the most part I enjoyed each press conference and all the new games announced. So now I bring us to the point of this blog post, to discuss who I consider to be the winner of E3 this year. Let's face it, there's a developer or major player in the industry that outshines all the rest. This is a fact, and it becomes a contest to decide which one did the best and how they did this.


This year I believe the true victor was the underdog, Sony. Though they have suffered much by hackers and naysayers, they stood out as the most comfortable and most noble among the developers. I was half expecting them to talk about the hack and nothing else, apologising up and down and leaving, with a little bit of their dignity intact, by showing the price and release date of the NGP. We got so much more. First off, the fans were understanding and considerate, hailing Sony with applause instead of snubbing them.


Then Sony announced the new name for the NGP to be the PlayStation Vita, which I completely approve of by the way, gave us a price of about $250 (£229 for us), and just took everything in their stride. Well done Sony, many thanks and good luck with your future endeavours. As for Nintendo, your system is epic, but your controller is too big, and as for Microsoft, no-one likes Kinect, yet you throw it at us relentlessly. Thanks for Halo 4 (THANK YOU) but cut the crap with Kinect, this is boring us to tears.

The Call of Duty Question

To be honest, I have always been a Call of Duty fan-boy. To further this act of sacrilege I am also a dedicated fan-boy of halo as well. What can I say, I was raised on FPS games, they are my speciality, though I do enjoy the odd puzzle or RPG.


Let's look at the Call of Duty titles from various standpoints, rather than passing judgement on the series as a whole. Specifically, let us examine my latest acquisition, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 on the PC. From a technical perspective, this game is perfect, being not too high, nor too low of a specification. Visually, this game is spectacular, blending all manner of environmental features into a single scene, a very impressive and visually pleasing feat.


However, the crowning glory of Call of Duty titles has always been its gameplay. The gameplay of each title is diverse and enthralling, with the multiplayer standing out every time. Let's take Call of Duty 2 as an example for assessing the multiplayer. Though an earlier title, it boasted a highly intuitive multiplayer that was easy to adapt to and extremely fun to play. though it lacked the fast paced combat we know today, it provided an excellent stepping stone for Infinity Ward, and for the Call of Duty series as a whole.


Now let's look at how the games have evolved over time. One feature that has definitely not changed over time is the story. Each game features it's own unique story, sometimes played from multiple perspectives, other times really only seen from one. An example of a good story is Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, the one that started off the hype craze we've become accustomed to over the lifetime of Call of Duty.


This game was developed with the modern setting in mind, a change in pace for the developer as Infinity Ward decided to move away from the ageing World War Two setting. Admittedly, it benefited them well and they have moved mountains with this decision. It allowed them to develop their own story, with their own unique environments and characters, each memorable in their own right. It's something that has stayed with us, and something that we treasure as a dynamic point for the development of the Call of Duty franchise.


Though some may bitch and moan about the Call of Duty franchise, I feel that I can comfortably stand up and say that I am a Call of Duty fanboy and stand by my convictions. I look forward to the next game in the series with great anticipation. I guess I must, since I pre-ordered it the other day.

E3 Expectations

For gamers, E3 is like a religious holiday, where we see previews and exclusive gameplay of upcoming games, as well as bear witness to announcements and shock and awe moments where new games we hadn't even bet on are suddenly announced.


This is a very good event, that takes place from the 6 June this year. This year, we are destined to see some truly eye-opening material and mind-blowing announcements. First off, there's sequels-a-plenty ready for scrutiny and praise as we see the likes of Battlefield 3, Modern Warfare 3, The Elder Scrolls V, Uncharted 3 and Mass Effect 3 take to the floor.


We can also expect to see Sony bending over backwards, attempting to earn everyone's forgiveness for their lack of security and subtlety with the PlayStation Network, as well as giving us a few more details about the NGP, including a release date and price.


Also, probably top of the list is Nintendo's proposed announcement of a new console. Too long has the Wii sat in the shadow of the Xbox 360 and the PS3, at last we may see a true Nintendo gaming console, that promises to deliver the power, performance and glorious High Definition output of it's competitors.


To be honest, we are looking at one amazing event over the course of the second week in June, one that gamers are likely to remember for a long while. Personally, I am most looking forward to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, as I have always been a dedicated fan of its predecessor, Oblivion. Also, the prospect of Sony and Microsoft having their arses handed to them by Nintendo is something to salivate over, and if the new console delivers what we are all hoping for, I may well buy one.


I am also intently looking forward to Battlefield 3, as DICE's new tech looks likely to shit all over Modern Warfare 3 and their fair-to-do hype. I am fanatical about real online shooters, and though I commend Call of Duty for its efforts, I know in my heart that I will take great pleasure in DICE showing them how it's really done.


Finally, I simply cannot wait for Mass Effect 3. Again, a series I am a devoted follower of, I am very much looking forward to the final instalment in Bioware's epic sci-fi fantasy adventure, and look forward to further news and some gameplay footage of Mass Effect 3 with great enthusiasm.


That about covers it for what we can expect from E3 2011, which is sure to please all who attend and those that view this wondrous event as it occurs by way of the Internet. Sit back and relax my friends, this one's going to be epic!