Nearly a quarter of a million fans and a couple thousand journalists converge upon Cologne, Germany for the world’s largest video game event. Here’s some of what was revealed/shown during its first day.
Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary Edition
I miss the days of Halo: Combat Evolved almost as much as the desert misses the rain…
Anyway, 343 Industries is re-releasing the FPS that defined the console generation: Bungie’s Halo: Combat Evolved. The updated title, known as Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary is essentially a graphical overhaul with gameplay and game design remaining identical to the original. This is a very good thing. That game is still near-perfect and is still probably my favorite and the best of the series. It is also the most difficult, which helps it to keep up with modern releases. The game is so iconic and honestly, I really hope Halo 2 gets the same treatment. It is simply my favorite franchise and is very near and dear to my heart. I really enjoy the lore, but more importantly, the gameplay.
As is shown in the video, the game comes with 7 revisions of Halo: Combat Evolved maps, including my favorite: Damnation. The level offers such a great variety of areas; multi-tiered battlegrounds, wide open rooms with high ceilings and ramps wrapping around the walls, and finally, many pits into which a player can fall. I’m really excited to see what 343 Industries does to create unique playlists that emulate the classic gameplay of Halo: Combat Evolved‘s multiplayer, as it was played by us all in cramped rooms full of overheating black, bulky consoles.
The game drops for a second time on my birthday. Guess how I’ll be celebrating.
Borderlands 2
2K Games and Gearbox Software released the teaser trailer for Borderlands 2 this morning and it’s pretty cool. It’s only 45 seconds long and does not show a lot, but it’s nice to see the game’s progress. I loved Borderlands, though I still have to finish the DLC, and am really excited to continue what is arguably Gearbox’s best efforts.
The trailer shows what looks like Brick, or some evolution of his character. I’m hoping they implement all new characters and classes this time around, but Brick (if this is him) looks different enough that I didn’t realize it was him at first. He is featured in a snowy environment, which hopefully means that they are branching away from the desert/wasteland look in favor of something new. I really enjoyed the final missions in Borderlands and it was partly due to the drastically different scenery. It also looks as though we might be able to dual wield in this one. Brick is shooting two massive guns in the trailer so maybe Borderlands 2 is really going to up the ante on the number of guns and their different uses. I’ll know more once the new issue of Game Informer comes out with Borderlands 2 as its cover story.
Uncharted 3
Uncharted is the killer app for Playstation 3. Argue any way you like, but Uncharted 2 is the game that made it cool to own Sony’s system. It’s the main reason–well, that and Blu-ray–I bought the Playstation 3. The series is easily the most cinematic and engaging I have ever played. The characters are more developed and nuanced than I have seen before. Their performances are so strong, they feel like fully realized individuals. The banter during gameplay is just as interesting as the cut scenes and both games feature outstanding gun play–so much so that you don’t even notice the somewhat bland selection of weapons–and intuitive and irresistible platforming. Jumping and climbing is a blast. Naughty Dog does a great job taking platforming to the next level with scenes that involve climbing along and shooting your way through moving trains, and in this game, a sinking ship.
This trailer features Drake showing off a lot of the new and improved melee combat as well as some high-flying attacks and over-the-top platforming. The games are so good that it is hard for me to be too impressed from this distance (without playing them myself) so I’ll reserve the bulk of my excitement for 11.1.11.
Mass Effect 3
I’ll admit it: Bioware has an endless amount of good will from me. Even if they made 12 bad games, I would still love the Canadian developer. Their work on Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic led to it being one of my top three favorite games of all time and my favorite RPG. Period.
I’ve played through the original Mass Effect twice and Mass Effect 2 only once so far; I plan to replay the second one before moving onto the final chapter of the trilogy. The universe of Mass Effect is intricate and deeply detailed; the story is engaging and has a truly epic scope and I hope the payoff will be satisfying. I prefer the overall game design in the first game, though the graphics, combat, and writing are wildly superb in the sequel. I am just sore at the loss of many traditional RPG elements in the game. I hope Bioware will return some of these features into the final chapter, but otherwise, I don’t have a ton to say about this game. The graphical upgrade from Mass Effect 2 to Mass Effect 3 is not as drastic as that between the first two games, and since the shooting was already vastly improved, it’s hard to see the truly different features in the third game. I am not trying to be negative, and I can guarantee the game will be terrific, it’s simply a matter of familiarity detracting from excitement. I think the combat and cover system look even more fluid and the new melee weapon is fantastic, but I’m really hoping Mass Effect 3 brings back some of the hardcore RPG elements as well as some form of exploration, which seemed mostly absent from the second title. I have faith in Bioware to really pull it together. In the meantime, check out the new trailer.
DMC: Devil May Cry
Goddamn is this game beautiful!
I’ve never had much more than passing interest/curiosity with the Devil May Cry series. I always thought that if there was one Capcom franchise besides Resident Evil that I would enjoy, it would be Devil May Cry, but its genre has never really enticed me. I don’t really enjoy this variety of action game (see: God of War, Bayonetta) that involves a litany of combos and memorization in combat, but there’s a possibility I will play this game. This possibility is due mostly to the developer, Ninja Theory. I will admit that I have yet to play a game by this UK developer, but I watched a lot of behind-the-scenes videos about Enslaved and even bought the game based on the good will from said videos and solid reviews. One of these days I’ll pop it in and play it.
Any company willing to work with actor Andy Serkis (Lord of the Rings, King Kong, Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes) and screenwriter Alex Garland (28 Days Later, Sunshine) to make a story driven sci-fi action game is okay in my book. I really hope they bring a rich story to the Devil May Cry series, as before it seemed to have been fairly thin, though I could easily be wrong. I also really like the aesthetic they have brought to the game; it has a more gritty feel to the world and character where previously it oozed with the oddity present in some Capcom titles. I hope Ninja Theory pulls this off and gets a hit so someone will give them a shot at an even bigger IP/franchise or their own passion project.
Lollipop Chainsaw
“Sex, Blood, and Rock & Roll”
Does a better tagline exist for a video game? Probably not.
The new project from Suda 51 (Head of Grasshopper Manufacture, developer of No More Heroes, Shadows of the Damned) with collaboration from writer/director James Gunn looks to be an exciting and outrageous splatterfest. Honestly, I was sold on this game based solely on James Gunn’s involvement. I love Slither, his gross-out alien invasion alt-zombie film, and Super, his deeply personal and cathartic black comedy Super. He has a really unique and twisted sense of humor and it shows in the game. And while Suda 51 has mostly been off my radar as I don’t own and have no interest in the Nintendo Wii, the recent release of and praise from critics for Shadows of the Damned–with further curiosity stemming from collaboration with Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami–has piqued my interest. I love the exploitation feel of the game and I think that Gunn and Suda 51 will make a really great pairing. I know there’s probably 4-5 zombie games coming out per year now, but honestly, this one has my attention for 2012 (unless Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City does end up dropping next year). Any takers?
InFamous 2
To my dismay, InFamous and its sequel are currently in my backlog of games. I received a copy of InFamous when I bought my PS3, but as with many games I buy, the time was not ripe to play and it was added to my ever-growing catalogue of unplayed games. I do hope to eventually tackle the game and this year’s follow-up next year. As a comic fan, I’m a sucker for open-world superhero games, a once burgeoning genre that is now almost extinct. It is safe to say that even with the mixed but mostly positive reviews of InFamous 2, Sucker Punch is wearing the crown in the niche genre. I’ve played demos for both of the games and traversing the world is smooth like Assassin’s Creed and it has all the trappings of a great superhero (or supervillain) story and game.
That said…vampires! Vampires, like zombies, have been overplayed in mainstream media lately, but I still think they are a viable storytelling and entertainment device. In the right hands (see: Let The Right One In, Daybreakers), vampires still have a helluva sting–and as my gamertag suggests, I love the undead. So now Sucker Punch is melding superheroes and vampires in their version of New Orleans. The Anne Rice fan in me is so excited simply to play a game featuring bloodsuckers in their true American home: New Orleans (or in this case, New Marais). This trailer doesn’t show or explain much of what the DLC will entail/include, but it seems Cole is definitely infected by the vampire plague. I’m excited to see how gothic (not black clothes and eyeliner) and pulpy Sucker Punch is willing to get. I’m hoping for a lot.
Kingdoms Of Amalur: Reckoning
I don’t have a whole lot to say about this game as I have not read much about it besides the Game Informer issue in which it was the cover story, but its a new hardcore RPG from a supergroup of creative talent. Former Major League Baseball star Kurt Schilling’s 38 Studios, along with Big Huge Games, is developing this dark fantasy RPG in conjunction with comic book artist Todd McFarlane, Morrowind and Oblivion lead designer Ken Ralston, and acclaimed fantasy author R.A. Salvatore. It is being released by EA and despite my general lack of interest, I have heard a lot of glowing praise from trustworthy journalists, especially during its showing at E3 2011. I hope this game turns out good, though I’ll still likely be wandering around Tamriel when it releases on February 7, 2012.
PS3 Price Drop
In a surprise(?) announcement, Sony has dropped the price of the Playstation 3 as of today. The 160 GB model is now only $249 and the 320 GB model is $299. I think the system is solid and if I didn’t already have one, I’d probably pick it up now. The biggest question I have: what will Microsoft’s reaction be? Currently, the largest hardware model of the Xbox 360–250 GB–(w/ Kinect) is $399. Though the 320 GB Playstation 3 model does not include Move support, Microsoft’s issue is simply that it now has the console with the highest selling point. Even if they are delivering more, it does not look good for them to be selling their most desirable model at $100 more than Playstation’s. Step up Microsoft, drop your prices.
shoot, melee, reload 