Locke's E3 2004 Coverage 1
 

Yes folks, I can't believe I forgot that it was E3! But I've been catching up and decided to do a roundup of what we have so far on the E3 scene. This will cover the HIGHLIGHTS.

System: Gamecube

Advance Wars: Under Fire

Summary:Is it just me, or does that title just make you tingle a little? That's right, folks--the highly succesful GBA RTS is being brought to the GCN. It seems to be taking on a more action-approach this time, yet still retaining a general feel of an RTS, along the lines of Natural Selection or Command and Conquer: Red Alert.

Media: Video here.


Paper Mario 2

Summary: I have played and beaten every game in the Mario RPG series and my favorites by far are those based off of Paper Mario (the last 3: Paper Mario itself, Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga, and now Paper Mario 2), and the style is just amazing. I love the 'breaking the 4th wall' humor, as seen in the video, like Mario folding into a paper airplane and gliding across a gap. The game style is so distinct and clever, and looks a lot like the (unfortunately) overlooked n64 version. Mario seems to have less of a bold outline and a bigger face now, as a side note. It also seems to be taking notes from Jet Set Radio Future and remixing songs from the previous game. Anyway, watch the video now!

Media: Video here.

Resident Evil 4

Summary: How much further can the GCN be pushed? The graphics are simply amazing in this game. I was never a big Resident Evil guy, but you gotta pick this one up. Video below.

Media: Video here.

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes

Summary: Lots of influence these days. Maybe the MP2 team is taking notes from Ikaruga? In Metroid Prime 2, a new planet that Samus explores, "Aether," has been hit by an asteroid and has created a rift, splitting light and dark. Samus will have to use light and dark weapons in order to defeat the enemies and succeed on this planet. This is a very interesting concept applied to the Metroid series. Apparently the two worlds are parallel, but with some minor differences. Still, you will need both to complete the game. Capcom's Zelda Oracle series, anyone? The video is epic. Watch.

Media: Video here.


Legend of Zelda: Reborn (Temporary Title)

Summary: That's right my friends. The mature Zelda you've all been waiting for. I'm not kiddie hater by far, but this is what we saw at Spaceworld 2000. Maybe Nintendo does listen...

In this video we see an amazing cross between Soul Caliber and [/i]Super Smash Brothers Melee[/i] Link, with even more detail. You keep thinking, "is this an FMV?" but then you see generic model actions and they just look so good. Link is shown riding against a horde of enemies and fighting sinister battles. It seems to use some of the sounds from the n64 Zeldas and most likely the same system, from what one can see. The video ends with a very cool Link sheathing his sword. Watch if you like sexual release.

Media: Video here.

Honorable Mentions:

Pikmin 2 - More of what we love.

Star Fox 2 - Hmm...Adventures was ok, and now they're going for an arcade-style. Hope they dont mess it up.

Other Stuff

Misc: The DS was unveiled.

The next Nintendo system will be called "Revolution" as a codename from now on, according to E3 reporters.

System: PS2

Jak III

Summary: I never played the first. I played enough of the second. All I know is that the platformer genre is slowly melding with the exploration genre and platformers sure have changed. They are good games and the environments are huge. And for once, a ps2 game with good graphics! Jak III's environments are said to be ten times bigger. See for yourself. However, Jak is once again plagued with mood swings, as one can see. Trying to be serious...realising the model style is too cartoony...lame joke...try to be serious again...ad nauseam.

Media: Video here.

Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal

Summary: See Jak III and change the names.

Heh, no, but you know what I mean--the games are so similar. I feel guilty, I wish I could talk about these games more intelligently, but if I go back and play the first ones, I'll realize how bad they are compared to the second ones. Sony also announced online capabilities for this game. The video is simply the latest available. Multiplayer, clearly.

Media: Video here.


Sly 2: Band of Thieves

Summary: What's with all these platformers and dropping the second part of their name to be 'cooler?' Sly Cooper was purposely weird and CEL-SHADED! It doesn't need to be the "dark" cool, because it was already cool! Damn marketing morons! Anyway, here's a good game if I ever saw one. This sequel focuses on cooperation between the 3 characters.

Media: No new media yet, but screenshere.


Kingdom Hearts II

Summary: Who knows what to think? Once again, the game is trying to go darker than it's original look. Take a look at the screenshots. The creator claims a refined system and better graphics have been implemented. Oh, oh snap, Sora's gone punk! Interesting, to say the least.

Media: Screenshotshere.

Honorable Mentions

Final Fantasy XII - Oh come on, just visit www.gametrailers.com . I really would like to write about it, but let's give some other games a chance.

Star Ocean: Till the End of Time - Slang in a title? How audacious! Look for this one. But be warned: this is much less linear than your average RPG.

Starcraft: Ghost - Been hyped enough already. Just look around anywhere, you'll find info.

Viewtiful Joe - Bastards lied. Damn you, Capcom. Oh well. Just an interesting port here.

Time Splitters: Future Perfect - Present progressive. Naw, I'm just kidding. TS is a fun game, but man, consoles need to get mice installed! christ!

Devil May Cry 3 - Try not to mess it up this time...

Misc

The first few PSP games were announced: They appear to be the following, b ut nothing is confirmed.

Ape Escape
Dynasty Warriors
F1 Racing
Medieval
Metal Gear Solid
NBA Street
Need for Speed Underground
NFL Street
Tiger Woods
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater
Twisted Metal
Wipeout

To show off capabilities, Final Fantasy: Advent Children was shown playing on the PSP. Some theorize that this could mean the movie being released on the PSP UMD format as an incentive to buy.

System: GBA

Wario Ware DS

Summary: Was I right, or was I right? Man, I'm like Nostradomus, only younger! I knew Nintendo would aprovechar (re: spanish for exploit/take advantage of) the DS capabilities and make a Wario Ware game. It's supposed to be very cool, and uses the DS stylus that comes with it, for touch-recognition, opening up a new type of minigames to be explored.

Media: Video here

New 2D Super Mario Bros. Title

Summary:THANK YOU VERAH MUCH, ladies and gentleman. The game will use the so-called 2-and-a-half D look, except not as patchy (Yoshi's Story). A fully polygonal Mario will run and jump through side-scrolling environments, as seen in the video. Booyakasha.

Media: Video here.


Super Mario 64x4 (DS)

Summary: Hmm. A battle game. The x4 is supposed to be the 4 players one can play with. The 256 probably means something in specs making some sort of pun, but I'm too lazy to check. You are supposed to collect stars in Peach's castle before the 3 other players do. Cool idea. The whole thing, I believe, is a modifed Super Mario 64 simply directly ported to the DS. Though, the models look high quality. As I predicted, the bottom screen is used as a map function to track yourself and other players.

Media: Video here


Mario Kart DS

Summary: Big relief but little surprise here. Check out the cool vid!

Media: Video here

Honorable Mentions

Mario Party Advance - Would've liked to talk about it, but no media yet. Just announced.

Sonic E3 Demo - A Demo displaying DS capabilities. Supposed to be high quality 3D

Mario's Face Demo - A tech demo similar to the beginning of Mario 64 using the DS power.

Metal Slug Advance - It's METAL SLUG, for chrissake!

Viewtiful Joe DS - Interesting...wonder if it'll look anything like its console counterparts?

Bomberman DS - WIRELESS. BOMBERMAN. WORD.

System: Xbox

The Bard's Tale

Summary: An overhead (at least it seems so) tale of a Bard (I presume?). This is meant to be an Adventure/Action/RPG game, and I wouldn't be surprised if it filled its purpose. So far, I am indifferent to it. Reminds me of Everquest...

Media: Video here

Call of Duty: Finest Hour

Summary: MOUSE! MOUSE! USE A FREAKING MOUSE GODDAMMIT! Err, oh, ahem, sorry. CoD was one of the greatest single player WWII games I have ever played (and beaten). Ultra realistic and so fun. But my only fear is that since Xbox (and other systems) are getting completely new versions from scratch, if they suck, people will assume the (also) completely different PC version will suck as well. Hmm...quite a predicament.

Media: Screenshots here.


[b]Full Spectrum Warrior

Summary: I can not praise this game enough. I've seen so many videos of this game my eyes hurt. This is how games should be made. I originally saw the Xbox trailer a while back, and even then I thought the Xbox was perfect for it. Now, I'm happy it'll be released on PC too, but I'll cover it here just to make you console-er guys happy.

FSW is a game I (and many others, like Tycho) have followed and lavishly adored for a long time. The strategic style of the game is simply mind-boggling. I really, really want to play this game. I'll be pirati-*COUGH* Whoa! Whoa, what? Anyway, Watch the video if you know what's good for you.

Media: Video here


Halo 2

Summary: Alright, I did it, I did it! Halo 2, everyone. Happy? Before I continue, I would like to say I still maintain that the first Halo 2 trailer was totally and completely unimpressive and paled in comparison to the Half-Life 2 trailer.

Now.

Halo 2 is looking good. I will probably play it for the multiplayer at the Video Oasis nearby, which I will admit is fairly fun. The models in the video look slightly updated, but pointlessly accessorized with lame lines and logos everywhere to make them look improved. I'll admit I'm a little excited, but...blah. Watch this short video which gives way for multiplayer details.

Media: Video here

Fable

Summary: I'm not really qualified to talk about this game. My only hope is that it doesn't become Morrowind or Black and White. Way--too--open--ended.

The video looks flashy, but maybe it won't be another Morrowind. Who knows. Now, even non-linear games are becoming cliche with the whole, "you can become good or evil" thing. I'll invent a 3rd alignment: goovil.

Media: Video here

Honorable Mentions

Dead or Alive Ultimate - Ooh, yay...another DoA game. Hope it has more...uh, Ultimateness in this one.

Conker: Live and Reloaded - Hmm, I can't remember, I think this is the 64 game ported...no, it's the sequel, isn't it. Well, let's hope it's as good as the last one.

Silent Hill 4: The Room - Yay, I can shit my pants...again. Not that I'll play it if it's not 6:00 AM with 5 friends and onlookers.

Burnout 3 - Hey! Don't dis Burnout! The speed is unrivaled!

Doom 3 - Oh why did you sell out iD? WHY?!! On Xbox?! Do you WANT to make people hate it?

Otogi 2 - Well...maybe they can fix the problems of the original.

Metal Slug 3 - Like I said, ANY Metal Slug port is good, although they would've done better in including several games rather than just one.

PoP 2 - It's being released on every system (thus the PC version will be the best), but I included it with Xbox, because when I think multiplatform, I think Xbox.

GoldenEye: Rogue Agent - Yup, same here. Hope the game is good. But man, way to use a name to sell a game, EA...

All the video links are either dead or 'forbidden'.

"System:" PC

Doom 3

Summary: Yeah bitch. PC all the way. I played the alpha and beta...they got some great stuff going on here. It's Doom 3, and I'd type more, but it's been hyped a lot...and they have jetpack upside-down flaming skulls...

Media: Screenshots:
This is a scary but cool moment. I remember when he...it breaks through the pipes.

Haha! back in the day this guy had no AI script 'less you stood in front of him. Had fun shooting his head.


Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude

Summary: The king is BACK and kicking for real this time! Hopefully, more people will realize this great series by now. Although, like many, it seems to be dumbed down a little for console gamers. Eh.

Media: Video here


[b]Half-Life 2

Summary: WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHY ARE YOU READING THIS? WATCH THE VIDEO NOW! AND GO SEE OTHERS, TOO!

Media: (just one) [beautiful] Video here


[b]Call of Duty: United Offensive

Summary: Any CoD-related game (on the PC) owns. Check the screens. Looks like we have some air-combat now.

Media: Screenshots here

Honorable Mentions

I'm seeing lots of WWII games I know will go unnoticed, but hopefully a few will come out of the batch.

World of Warcraft - One day an MMORPG was made, and another, and another, and another, and another...

The Sims 2 - Wish I coulda written something on this, but nothing new, yet.


Why so few PC games highlighted? Well games are constantly being made for the PC, which is neverending. If I had the time/effort/motivation to do so, I would comprise a list solely of 3rd-party (really, as in independent--when you're 3rd party for the PC, you're independent. There's no 'god company' that makes the PC. Don't say Bill Gates.) games and mods, seeing as how their quality and sheer awesomeness is...awesome. I didn't mention a lot here because I'm running low on time.

I don't know why it was on the E3 list, but I suggest you get UT2k4 NOW. So. God. Damned. Good.

Hope you enjoyed this thread. Comment!

Right click and save as. Works for some of them.

Great idea in the thread, Locke. It's helping keep me informed on the stuff I really wanna know about from E3. Small problem: a lot of the movie links are broken, and I really do want to view some of them. :P Fix those and you'll win my eternal love.

Dammnit, $150 in platformers alone for PS2...why do they have to be so fun...

A lot of the links will not work because of traffic. I would've mentioned, but I thought you guys were better than that! >P kidding. just keep trying.