E3 2010

Gears of War 3 - We're getting 4 player co-op gameplay here. New gamplay elements straight off. Can charge at enemies with a new rifle weapon and deal a killing blow. Some enemies look to need amputating, the mutations mainly. Berserkers back, Lament versions. From what was shown, there was a bit of 2 female cogs, Cole and Marcus. So it looks like there is more than 4 characters you will play as throughout the game. Will be unveiling a new mode called "Beast" later on.
 
Fable 3 - We saw this being shown a mile off. Wonder when they'll finally get to new announcements. Anywho. October 26th for release. The trailer looks nice, but doesn't introduce anything new.

New game - Codename Kingdoms - Nothing shown much, bar three different warriors from different eras/backgrounds. Nothing else on it.

Halo: Reach - We where expecting this, and from what we know, we get a look into the campaign. Graphically, far out-does the previous title, and it's good to see us fighting the elites again. You actually have AI working with you all the time, which isn't stupid, which is great. A lot more action packed this time as well. Hoo, space combar is now included in the game as the sneaky teaser at the end.
 
Time for Kinect, finally. It has good recognition at least, and it looks relatively straight forward to use. It also has a voice recognition system, so if moving your hand to access stuff isn't what you want, you can just say what you want to access. However, we've had no gameplay for it yet.

When speaking, you do need to say "Xbox..." then what you want it to do, basically addressing it each time.
 
So we get a look into video chat, ok it is decent enough, the sensor tracks your skeleton, you can select it to watching things with the person you're speaking with, but really, show us how this works with games. I think we're after something for gaming here, not for everything else =/
 
We've turned away from gaming here. But hey. ESPN has joined up with Xbox to show 3500 games on xbox, with full compatibility of Kinect if you wish, and it's free, which i'll give them is a plus.

Now we get gameplay. 6 games for Kinect and only available for Kinect and without a control. They have a kid stroking a virtual tiger cub, using a mix of voice and and movement from the kid. Going for the cutesy idea here, appeal for kids obviously. Nintendogs for Xbox? or Eye Toy maybe? Kinectimals, how original.

Now onto the Kinect Sports. Can control the audience rather easily. Hurdles was the only sport shown live, running on the spot and jumping to. The games shown almost look like they have been taken from Wii Sports and such, Boxing, Table Tennis, Bowling, then there is Javelin, volleyball and so on.
 
And Nintendo get criticised for making casual games? Take out the needless bloodletting of the first half of this presentation - GoW, Halo, Modern Warfare - and you get a Nintendo presentation.
 
They showed off a Racing game which involves you basically having you imagine you holding a steering wheel, pushing forward to boost and such. I'll say this much, i'm getting glimpses of the Wii here. Same with Kinect Adventures, it is basically like you're playing Wii games, just without Wii Fit and the controllers. Ok, i do honestly think it was better without the gameplay now.
 
The whole Gym bit is more impressive, and seems more of a better use for Kinect, but really, i'm not impressed with this at all. I would have been, if this was shown to us a couple years ago, but really, now? I'm sorry, but this has been done before. If they want me sold on this, they need to really bring something new to the gameplay options.
 
They showed off MTv games, a dancing game which actually is probably the most impressive thing for Kinect there has been. 1 out of 6 here Microsoft, you ain't doing a good job here.
 
Star Wars game for Kinect which was more impressive to the crowd than most, if not all of Kinect. Forza Motorsport have brought in a new game for Kinect, allowing you to take the wheel of something like a Ferrari and drive it, much in the same way the driving game was done. They have a car viewing type bit, where you can look around the car as if you where beside it and so on. Go inside and check out the interior, check the specs, and so on.

I want normal games now though thanks.

As expected, we have an official release of a new Xbox, built in Wi-Fi, new design, ready for Kinect(useless). and wow, quiet? that will be something. And the price is $299, which is the same price as an elite model. Ok ok, i will give them this much, the latest model of Xbox is being released this week.
 
So.. only good stuff there.. I guess the first 3 games, although they were all just action shooters and the Xbox slim.. Great conferance, nearly matches Nintendos last year eh?
 
Right then, so overall. We got new info on Halo Reach, Gears of War 3, Fable 3, Metal Gear Solid: Rising, and CoD Black Ops. Kinect has perhaps 1 game out of all shown which was decent.

Kinect has no price tag or release date as of yet, but will have 15 titles set for launch. The new Xbox model will be released this week, or will be available to those at E3, but i see that only being in the US for now.

If you take out the Kinect section, we'd have a good show, with it, we get a rather crappy show. Here's hoping Nintendo and Sony can do better, and i expect they will.
 
EA Press Conference

Their conference opens up with a trailer for the new Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit which they want to have go back to its roots, and the campaign will be playable as a racer and as a cop. They gave us a quick sample of gameplay of one person as a racer and one as the cop, which looked quite nice, and no doubt would be better if there is more players. November release.
 
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