This post has not been edited by the GamesBeat staff. Opinions by GamesBeat community writers do not necessarily reflect those of the staff.
Editor's note: OK, I know E3 is a couple of weeks behind us now, but a few Bitmob community members got together for a roundtable discussion of the big show. See what they had to say, and add your own thoughts to the comments below! -Shoe
E3 is over, but that doesn't mean we can't stroke chins! Fellow Bitmobbers Alex Cronk-Young and Cameron Pershall sat down at their computers with me and gave their thoughts on the big three press conferences, as well as number of other things at the show.
On Microsoft's press conference:
Suriel: Microsoft started by showcasing the games that their hardcore audience wanted to see: Call of Duty: Black Ops, Halo: Reach, Gears of War 3, Fable 3, etc.
There weren't too many other surprises on that end, but their extended showcases helped grease the wheels of their hype machine effectively. They definitely know what their hardcore audience wants.
Their Kinect showcase wasn't for us, as many have pointed out, but that doesn't put it above reproach. The games they showcased certainly did their jobs — they demonstrated the possibilities of the hardware and made the release date seem that much more feasible. But they've yet to give us a game that blends the hardcore nature of the titles they were showing us just a few minutes earlier and the innovation they're pushing so hard. I would've felt better about Kinectimals if the Forza 4 demo with Kinect had shown us something that was more than air driving and head tracking. Until then, I remain unconvinced of its potential as something other than a Wii cash-in.
Microsoft continues to show its drive to reach out to the Wii's audience, as well as the people who'll be enticed by things such as their partnership with ESPN, but they haven't left the hardcore behind completely. I just hope that they won't push the kind of stuff I'm simply not interested in on games that will ultimately suffer for it. Child of Eden was about as close as they got, but I don't have the same reverence as others for the game.
Cameron: I decided to get really drunk during Microsoft’s press conference, so my impressions of it probably aren’t worth much. I thought the Kinect stuff was presented about as well as it could have been. Yes, it was cheesy, but I appreciated that they didn’t just have some developer come out and stand there like a block of wood while saying how awesome his game was. Even if there wasn’t a single moment of genuine emotion, they at least got people to look like they were having a good time jumping around like lunatics.
Still, they didn’t convince me that Kinect is something I have to own if I want to be an informed gamer. And giving everyone in the crowd a new 360 was pretty ostentatious the morning after they tricked a bunch of big-name journalists into compromising their integrity by participating in an infomercial.
Alex: It almost seemed like MS took notes and recreated Nintendo's presser from two years ago. I think it really showed how embarrassingly out of touch they are, and once Nintendo came in it just cemented that even further. I think Nintendo used the type of games that MS showed for Kinect to lure in their audience, and now they've weened them onto things like Mario and plan on continuing that with Donkey Kong Country Returns, Kirby's Epic Yarn, etc.
Microsoft had an opportunity to be the ones to jump in and say, "Hey, you're interested in gaming now, why not get our cheap system and play something a bit meatier." But they blew it and made a bunch of minigame-like things. Oh, and then tried to buy themselves an exciting conference by giving everyone a redesigned system.
On Nintendo's press conference:
Suriel: Nintendo had their motion-control and lifestyle-changing conference a year ago, so this time they went straight for the game announcements. This seemed to wow the press, who were likely sick of hearing the phrase "like never before" and were excited to hear about actual games. Kirby's Epic Yarn, Donkey Kong Country Returns, Epic Mickey, and several other announcements gave Nintendo the momentum they were sorely lacking last year. They slowed down once in a while, but for the most part, it was reveal after reveal, and it keep the crowd on a constant high.
The 3DS was, of course, the bell of the ball. More than an incremental update, the 3DS seems to have justified its gimmick to the press according to hearsay, but the graphical improvements and analog stick have me intrigued. With the 3DS being able to render Metal Gear Solid 3 in 3D and make something that looks as good as Kid Icarus: Uprising, a PSP will be a much harder purchase to make when Nintendo releases this thing.
Is Nintendo reselling us our childhood? Most definitely, but they showed off enough new things and hardware that it didn't really matter; I much prefer Nintendo's approach than selling us software and hardware from less than five years ago. When Zelda's your weakest showing, you're doing something right. (I'm aware of the technical hiccups, but that can't kill my love of the art style.)
Cameron: Even though nobody can accuse me of being a Nintendo fanboy, I love their press conferences. That’s because Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime is a living cartoon character, and I find Nintendo head Satoru Iwata inexplicably entertaining. But this year, Nintendo actually made me care about their games as much as their executives.
The new Zelda didn’t grab me because it didn’t look like a significant departure from the post-Ocarina Zelda formula. But Epic Mickey and Kirby's Epic Yarn both look tremendous, and Kid Icarus: Uprising was easily the most exciting announcement of the show for me. Those three titles are just what Nintendo needs: games that can appeal to a wide audience while breaking away from all of the formulas we get so tired of the company recycling.
Alex: Holy fuck! Last year's conference being a step better than their previous crappy concerts seemed like a fluke, but they blew it out of the water this year. That NeoGAF thread with the list of the 3DS line-up didn't have a single negative comment on it. NeoGAF!! Somehow Nintendo doesn't feel so out of touch anymore, and I never thought that could be. I'm suddenly excited to own a Wii, and super pumped for the 3DS.
On Sony's press conference:
Suriel: Sony's conference didn't give us too many surprises, but what they did show was solid. Killzone 3 as lead-in was big, even though it doesn't interest me personally. Much like Microsoft, Sony's conference wasn't about reveals as it was about quick looks. Twisted Metal was another shocker that I didn't personally care for, but I understand why it got people excited. Infamous 2 was the highlight for me, but it was one of the games they showed the least of. The presser wasn't bad, but it definitely didn't provide the rush that Nintendo's did.
Their Move support in terms of games was a bit underwhelming, but it finally showed me that I do in fact prefer having something in my hand. Buttons allow you to interact with things that aren't there, and if I have to accept motion control at some point, this is how I want it done. The 3D on the other hand, I can do entirely without…at least for now.
Cameron: Sony really gave me the impression that they don’t know who they are or who they want to appeal to. On one hand, they pushed a 3D setup that only a tiny portion of their user base will be able to afford. On the other, they had Kevin Butler deliver a bad stand-up routine pandering to Joe FPS Player. Worst of all, they managed to make every product seem boring, especially Move (which is a shame, because Sorcery looked like a fun game burdened with a terrible demo).
The only moment that piqued my interest was Gabe Newell’s presentation (pictured above). It got right to the point, was actually funny, and included the only announcement (Steam support) that I think will actually matter for the PS3 in the long run.
Alex: I didn't actually watch this one since I couldn't find a video of it, but based on the Tweets: zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Though, I'm sort of interested to see what comes of their big 3D push, and they seem more adamant on having more than just minigame collections on Move. But Kevin Butler's speech was the most on-point commentary of the industry as a whole that I've ever heard. I'm sort of sick of gamers looking down their noses at so-called casual games.
I mean, I know I just said MS felt out-of-touch because of their Kinect games, but it was because they feel so "me too!" I'm fine with every soccer mom or 13-year-old girl who gets into gaming, as well as the games that are created for them, because a lot of times those products can help create new genres and experiences for the more hardcore guys.
What needs more attention?
Cameron: I’m sure there was loads of interesting stuff on the show floor that didn’t get enough attention, but one title that really stood out to me was Ignition Entertainment’s El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron. It’s not that I’m a huge fan of Devil May Cry-style action games; they’re fine but I’ve never really lost it over one. What makes this one look more appealing is that there’s some real creativity going on with the environments (some of what they showed reminded me of the trippier parts of 2001: A Space Odyssey). And of course it’s always fascinating when Japanese artists draw inspiration from Christianity.
Suriel: After looking at a preview and some screenshots, I'm inclined to agree about El Shaddai. The game's art style looks gorgeous, and I'm interested in the premise. Christianity as a theme is done often, but El Shaddai looks like it's taking the mythology it draws from more seriously than other games have in past.
Mine's double-layered. With the release of the 3DS unknown, the DS is lacking a solid lineup for the fall and winter. Assuming the 3DS comes out early next year, I would've like to have seen more games to let me know that the DS will be sent off properly. That said, there were some DS games at the show that made me hopeful about the DS' prospects.
Golden Sun: Dark Dawn looks about as good as I was expecting, and Dragon Quest 9 seems like it'll deliver its promise of bringing a DQ experience without much compromise, but Okamiden really stole the show for me. It looks as good as its PS2/Wii inspiration did, and the sytlus adapts the paintbrush mechanics perfectly. It's probably the game I'm most excited about coming out of E3.
Alex: I think with all of this 3DS talk that some really awesome DS games are getting a bit overlooked. I haven't heard much talk of Okamiden or Super Scribblenauts. Sure, the latter is probably because the gaming press has written that game off after the first bombed in the way of controls, but the new trailer they released for it shows that you can switch to the control pad now, so I'm interested to hear how well the adjectives work and if there are any new features.
Cameron: You guys both make a good point about the DS, which I had already forgotten about with all the 3DS hype. I wonder if that lack of attention means that Nintendo is going to put a bullet in the DS the way Microsoft did with the original Xbox when the 360 came out. That would be kind of unlike them, but it could also reflect a confidence that the 3DS is going to sell a million, billion units at launch. I don't think that confidence would be misplaced.
Suriel: Indeed. This year's lineup looks like a last hurrah for the DS before everyone's forced to buy a 3DS. I remember what the Game Boy Advance release list was like as soon as the DS came out: not dead but certainly not lively. Though it's more than we can say about the PSP, which has about as much support as the DS even with the lack of a successor. Speaking of which, any thoughts on the absence of a PSP 2 at the show?
Cameron: I have to admit, I'm not a big fan of the PSP. I can't explain it, except to say I've always found it uncomfortable to hold, which is kind of important for a handheld. So I'm not really let down by not seeing a PSP successor, since I wasn't interested to begin with. The PSP presentation at Sony's press conference was kind of depressing after the 3DS unveiling, but it's probably a smart move on Sony's part to let Nintendo have the limelight for now and introduce the new PSP — if there even is one — when people aren't so distracted.
Alex: I was really looking forward to seeing what they had in store for PSP. My 1000 broke last year, and since I still have a DS Fat, I was waiting until E3 to see what sort of handhelds I'd want to pick up. The 3DS blew me away, and the PSP was non-existent, so I guess I'm done with the PSP.
I loved my PSP, but mostly for downloading PS1 RPGs and replaying them. Six dollars was an awesome price point and got me a ton of cheap handheld gaming (which is invaluable for a parent of a toddler). I was sort of hoping Sony would be putting out a sweet new contender to make me question my need for a 3DS, but since they didn't, and since Nintendo said all the right things, I guess it's 3DS all the way.
Suriel: OK, let's wrap up this up with everyone's favorite topic: 3D. Between the Killzone 3 demonstration at Sony's conference and the 3DS and its wealth of titles at the show, it doesn't seem like the trend is going away anytime soon.
Personally, I'm entirely against the concept of having to wear something to enjoy a game as it's intended. Just like Kinect and other kinds of motion control make gaming impossible for anyone who's disabled or otherwise unable to perform the motions asked of them, 3D messes with people who are blind in one eye or are otherwise unable to view both sides correctly, something that's going to alienate a certain segment of the audience Sony thinks they're marketing to.
The 3DS might work better for those people, but at least if it doesn't, it has a slider that lets you make the games 2D. I really hope that 3D never becomes something that is completely necessary to play video games, if for no other reason than I'll need to buy another expensive TV to support my habit. How do you guys feel about 3D in the gaming space?
Cameron: I'm almost blind in my left eye, so 3D with glasses doesn't work very well for me. I can kind of see the effect if I cross my eyes, which I'm not going to do for hours on end while playing games. Apparently 1UP's Jeremy Parish has that same problem, though, and he wrote that the 3D on the 3DS worked for him, so I still have some hope for it.
I think this is all a moot point anyway, because the kind of 3D Sony's pushing is prohibitively expensive, and the 3D fad will probably be over by the time it's cheap enough to get a foothold. But even if we eventually start getting affordable TVs made with the same technology as the 3DS screen, I think 3D will always be seen as an option, rather than an integral part of game design.
Of course someone much more creative than me could come along and change that, but from what I've seen so far (which, granted, is very little) the whole selling point is "Oh man shit's coming out of the SCREEN dude!"
So I guess what I'm saying is, people who get blazed and play Modern Warfare 2 are going to love this. Or at least they would, if they could afford it.
Alex: While I'm slightly excited for the 3D in the 3DS simply being something that is cool to look at, I'm more looking forward to seeing it help change the way we play games. Having a game in which we have to actually turn and look around objects in the game to find the items we need would be really cool. I'm just worried that with the slider, Nintendo won't really push that sort of thing enough.
It seems like Nintendo is the last company that would do something just because it looks really cool, though. They usually add things with the intent of making cool new gameplay experiences. Sony however, seems to only be concentrating on 3D because they need a cool new tech to help them sell systems. As someone who still hasn't entered the HD generation (I have an HDTV I still haven't set up yet because we have like 10 channels total that don't come in well and a Wii), I definitely won't be rushing to go buy a 3D TV.
