Don't worry, I'm fully aware of what it says about me--especially when some of the other games that were announced alongside this one at E3 2015 yesterday were the long-awaited Final Fantasy VII remake (for PS4, at least initially), the presumed-dead Last Guardian and the out-of-left-field Shenmue III.
What was it about Square Enix's trailer for World of Final Fantasy (watch it below or here), which will be released for both the PS4 and the Vita at some point in 2016 as well as one or more other systems afterward, that tripped my trigger?
I guess you could say the focus of my interest in this retro-modern RPG is its chibi character models, which recall the adorable, sprite-based ones that filled the earliest of Final Fantasy adventures.
Despite the praise I've heaped on World of Final Fantasy so far (well, kind of), I'm not chomping at the bit to pre-order it. That's going to have to wait until I see some more gameplay footage.
Plus, I want to make sure I won't be forced to control those ugly, non-chibi characters that also are featured in the trailer above before I even consider handing over my hard-earned cash for this throwback release.
How about all of you? Are you also (somewhat) excited for World of Final Fantasy? And how do you feel about the other PS4-bound games I mentioned at the beginning of this post?
Showing posts with label E3. Show all posts
Showing posts with label E3. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Monday, June 09, 2014
Three trailers for Xbox One indie titles that caught my attention earlier today
I know Nintendo has gotten a lot of play on this blog over the last few weeks and months--mostly due to my obsession with the company's first handheld, the GameBoy--but I'm no Nintendo fanboy.
Or, at least I'm not such a Nintendo fanboy that I can't find games made and released for the systems of other companies (like Microsoft and Sony) appealing, too.
Cases in point: the following trio of Xbox One indie titles that were showcased during Microsoft's E3 2014 press conference earlier today.
This first one (above) is for Cuphead, a uniquely styled platformer that's being crafted by Studio MDHR, a game developer I'd never heard of before this morning.
Anyway, the main point of interest for me when it comes to this title--which isn't expected to see the light of day until sometime next year--is its Steamboat Willie-esque art style.
Android Base's neon-tinged Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime, above, is quite a looker, too, if you ask me.
Like Cuphead, Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime also will be released for PC (and Mac, via Steam), although when those releases will occur is still up in the air.
Last, but not least, there's Ori and the Blind Forest, by Moon Studios. Actually, I'm a bit less enamored with this one than I am with the others, but that's not saying much as I'm still pretty keen on it.
Were any of you similarly blown away by any of these digital Xbox One titles? If so, which ones--and why?
Or, at least I'm not such a Nintendo fanboy that I can't find games made and released for the systems of other companies (like Microsoft and Sony) appealing, too.
Cases in point: the following trio of Xbox One indie titles that were showcased during Microsoft's E3 2014 press conference earlier today.
This first one (above) is for Cuphead, a uniquely styled platformer that's being crafted by Studio MDHR, a game developer I'd never heard of before this morning.
Anyway, the main point of interest for me when it comes to this title--which isn't expected to see the light of day until sometime next year--is its Steamboat Willie-esque art style.
Android Base's neon-tinged Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime, above, is quite a looker, too, if you ask me.
Like Cuphead, Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime also will be released for PC (and Mac, via Steam), although when those releases will occur is still up in the air.
Last, but not least, there's Ori and the Blind Forest, by Moon Studios. Actually, I'm a bit less enamored with this one than I am with the others, but that's not saying much as I'm still pretty keen on it.
Were any of you similarly blown away by any of these digital Xbox One titles? If so, which ones--and why?
Why watch Microsoft's E3 2014 press conference when you can watch this Gunman Clive 2 (3DS) trailer instead?
I'm sure at least a couple of you have come up with a quippy response to the question posed in the header above, but let's ignore them for a few seconds and take in the eye-opening trailer for Hörberg Productions' Gunman Clive 2:
Said trailer promises "more crazy platforming action," "more thrilling boss fights," "more color" and, best of all, "more ducks" than the first Gunman Clive, which made a splash after its release early last year. Oh, and it also promises that Gunman Clive 2 will hit the 3DS eShop sometime this fall.
Said trailer promises "more crazy platforming action," "more thrilling boss fights," "more color" and, best of all, "more ducks" than the first Gunman Clive, which made a splash after its release early last year. Oh, and it also promises that Gunman Clive 2 will hit the 3DS eShop sometime this fall.
Tuesday, June 05, 2012
My one-word review of E3 2012 (thus far): Meh
After spending (some would say wasting) a good chuck of yesterday watching Nintendo's, Microsoft's and Sony's E3 2012 press conferences (I wasn't able to watch Sony's or Microsoft's live on Monday), all I can say is: Woof. As in, "woof, all three of them sucked, didn't they?"
OK, so saying they sucked may be a bit harsh. Saying they were awfully underwhelming, though, is as close to the honest-to-goodness truth you're going to get, in my opinion.
Why? Read the following blurbs to find out. I combined my thoughts on Sony's and Microsoft's pressers, by the way, because I only had a few things to say about the latter conference and I felt bad about leaving it out in the cold, so to speak.
Sony and Microsoft:
* Beyond: Two Souls looks nice, but that's all I can say about it--I have to give it to the crew at Quantic Dreams for coming up with graphics that nearly, but not completely, put to rest the notion that game consoles are unable to produce human characters that aren't at least a bit creepy. Unfortunately, that's about all I was able to glean from the trailer shown for this upcoming PS3 title, which features Academy Award-nominated actress Ellen Page, as it showed no actual gameplay footage. I'm guessing it'll follow in the footsteps of the developer's previous product, Heavy Rain, but it would be nice to know that (or not) for sure.
* The Last of Us was the most intriguing game of Sony's presser, and maybe the most intriguing game of the whole event so far--PS3 and Xbox 360 games look so good these days that it's hard to impress me anymore. That said, The Last of Us (above) impressed me. It looks amazing, the banter between the main characters was about as natural as you could hope for in a video game and the gameplay seems diverse. Can someone remind me why I don't yet own a PS3? Oh, yeah, it's because I can't afford one right now. I may have to buy a copy of this game, though, as soon as that situation changes.
* PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale: Most boring name of the event?--I sure think so. Granted, I've yet to come up with a better name for this Super Smash Bros. clone, but I can't help but think anything would be better than the current one. Thankfully, few gamers are going to care about its name. Will they care enough about its gameplay to add it to their collections? I'm guessing so, although I can't say it appeals to me all that much. (Full disclosure: I find Super Smash Bros. and its sequels similarly unappealing.)
* South Park: The Stick of Truth was the only Xbox 360 game that impressed me during Microsoft's press conference--Which is kind of sad, as this Obsidian Entertainment-developed RPG isn't even an Xbox 360 exclusive. OK, so I also kind of liked what I saw of Fable: The Journey and Resident Evil 6, but the former requires Kinect (which means it gets a big "hell no" from me) and the latter is a game I'd much rather watch someone else play than play myself. Oh, well.
* Vita? What's a Vita?--You know a system is having problems when the company producing and selling it barely mentions it during one of the biggest events of the year. Honestly, I think some people may have blinked and missed the Vita segment of Sony's conference altogether. That's how short and underwhelming it was. A few games were announced for it (including the above-mentioned PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale), as was PSone Classics support, but that's about it. Sigh.
Nintendo:
* Does anyone else think the Wii U may support a few too many controllers?--As of now, players can use Wii U GamePads, Wii Remotes (and Wii Remote Pluses, along with Wii Nunchucks), Wii U Pro Controllers, Wii Classic Controllers and Wii Balance Boards while playing games on their Wii Us. Although I'm glad all of the peripherals I bought for my Wii won't just sit around and gather dust after I pick up a Wii U, I can't help but wonder if all of the control options will overwhelm some consumers and even developers.
* I'm not so sure NintendoLand is the killer app Nintendo thinks it is--That said, the Animal Crossing- and Luigi's Mansion-inspired portions of this mini-game collection (Animal Crossing: Sweet Day and Luigi's Ghost Mansion) look like a lot of fun. Personally, I think Nintendo should include a copy of NintendoLand with every Wii U console, but I'm not at all confident it will do so. If not, here's hoping it's no more than $19.99. Otherwise, I have a feeling a lot of gamers--myself included--may give it the cold shoulder upon release.
* New Super Mario Bros. U is more of the same, but I'm (kind of) OK with that--Although I'm not the biggest fan of the art style used in the New Super Mario Bros. series (I find it a bit generic), I am a fan of the tried-and-true gameplay that takes center stages in these titles. New Super Mario Bros. U looks to be the best yet thanks to the inclusion of the new flying squirrel suit (I'll die if the chicken suit is in here, too) and some adorable baby Yoshis. Oh, and some impressively detailed backdrops.
* Pikmin 3 looks and sounds wonderful, as expected--Not only that, but Nintendo wisely decided to allow gamers to use their Wii Remote Pluses and Wii Nunchucks (or their new Wii U GamePads, of course) while playing this, the latest entry in the vaunted Pikmin series. Combine that with the news that Pikmin 3 will include new captains and, well, you've got yourself a game that will be picked up by yours truly the day it's released (or the day I purchase a Wii U, whichever comes first).
* Uh, where's the rest of your games, Nintendo?--Nintendo only showed off a handful of first-party games during its presser: New Super Mario Bros. U, NintendoLand, Pikmin 3 (below) and Wii Fit U. (I'm not counting LEGO City: Undercover or SiNG.) That's pretty paltry, especially when you consider two of those titles were shown and one was announced at last year's E3. Hopefully a few more will be revealed by the end of this year's event (or in the coming weeks, at the very least).
* Wii Fit U will be bought for one reason, and for one reason only--With that reason being that it can be used while watching TV. Honestly, one of the only reasons I haven't used Wii Fit Plus in a few months (I used to use it two or three times every week) is that I prefer watching TV while I work out at home.
Overall:
* I'm completely sick of the "let's have four guys (OK, maybe one girl) stand on the stage and seemingly play the game we're currently talking about" strategy employed by each of these companies--I understand what they're trying to do (make us believe that what we're seeing on screen is actual footage of the game they're promoting), but it's always seemed rather lame to me.
* Next year, let's hear from some new "suits"--I'm sure Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime, Microsoft's Don Mattrick and Sony's Jack Tretton are great at whatever they do when they're not on stage at E3, but when they are on stage at E3 they are about as awkward and unappealing as can be. No personal offense meant to any of these men, of course; I just wish their employers would ask someone else--someone with a bit more personality and presence--to front these particular press conferences.
* What's up with the 10-minute-long gameplay videos?--Both Microsoft's and Sony's conferences could have been a good half-hour shorter, if not more, had they limited gameplay videos to about three minutes. Instead, they went with gameplay videos that seemed to last an eternity. A good portion of the live crowd seemed to enjoy them, but I found them to be snoozefests.
So, those are my rather long-winded thoughts on E3 2012 so far. If you've been paying attention to this event, what do you think of what's transpired?
OK, so saying they sucked may be a bit harsh. Saying they were awfully underwhelming, though, is as close to the honest-to-goodness truth you're going to get, in my opinion.
Why? Read the following blurbs to find out. I combined my thoughts on Sony's and Microsoft's pressers, by the way, because I only had a few things to say about the latter conference and I felt bad about leaving it out in the cold, so to speak.
Sony and Microsoft:
* Beyond: Two Souls looks nice, but that's all I can say about it--I have to give it to the crew at Quantic Dreams for coming up with graphics that nearly, but not completely, put to rest the notion that game consoles are unable to produce human characters that aren't at least a bit creepy. Unfortunately, that's about all I was able to glean from the trailer shown for this upcoming PS3 title, which features Academy Award-nominated actress Ellen Page, as it showed no actual gameplay footage. I'm guessing it'll follow in the footsteps of the developer's previous product, Heavy Rain, but it would be nice to know that (or not) for sure.
* The Last of Us was the most intriguing game of Sony's presser, and maybe the most intriguing game of the whole event so far--PS3 and Xbox 360 games look so good these days that it's hard to impress me anymore. That said, The Last of Us (above) impressed me. It looks amazing, the banter between the main characters was about as natural as you could hope for in a video game and the gameplay seems diverse. Can someone remind me why I don't yet own a PS3? Oh, yeah, it's because I can't afford one right now. I may have to buy a copy of this game, though, as soon as that situation changes.
* PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale: Most boring name of the event?--I sure think so. Granted, I've yet to come up with a better name for this Super Smash Bros. clone, but I can't help but think anything would be better than the current one. Thankfully, few gamers are going to care about its name. Will they care enough about its gameplay to add it to their collections? I'm guessing so, although I can't say it appeals to me all that much. (Full disclosure: I find Super Smash Bros. and its sequels similarly unappealing.)
* South Park: The Stick of Truth was the only Xbox 360 game that impressed me during Microsoft's press conference--Which is kind of sad, as this Obsidian Entertainment-developed RPG isn't even an Xbox 360 exclusive. OK, so I also kind of liked what I saw of Fable: The Journey and Resident Evil 6, but the former requires Kinect (which means it gets a big "hell no" from me) and the latter is a game I'd much rather watch someone else play than play myself. Oh, well.
* Vita? What's a Vita?--You know a system is having problems when the company producing and selling it barely mentions it during one of the biggest events of the year. Honestly, I think some people may have blinked and missed the Vita segment of Sony's conference altogether. That's how short and underwhelming it was. A few games were announced for it (including the above-mentioned PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale), as was PSone Classics support, but that's about it. Sigh.
Nintendo:
* Does anyone else think the Wii U may support a few too many controllers?--As of now, players can use Wii U GamePads, Wii Remotes (and Wii Remote Pluses, along with Wii Nunchucks), Wii U Pro Controllers, Wii Classic Controllers and Wii Balance Boards while playing games on their Wii Us. Although I'm glad all of the peripherals I bought for my Wii won't just sit around and gather dust after I pick up a Wii U, I can't help but wonder if all of the control options will overwhelm some consumers and even developers.
* I'm not so sure NintendoLand is the killer app Nintendo thinks it is--That said, the Animal Crossing- and Luigi's Mansion-inspired portions of this mini-game collection (Animal Crossing: Sweet Day and Luigi's Ghost Mansion) look like a lot of fun. Personally, I think Nintendo should include a copy of NintendoLand with every Wii U console, but I'm not at all confident it will do so. If not, here's hoping it's no more than $19.99. Otherwise, I have a feeling a lot of gamers--myself included--may give it the cold shoulder upon release.
* New Super Mario Bros. U is more of the same, but I'm (kind of) OK with that--Although I'm not the biggest fan of the art style used in the New Super Mario Bros. series (I find it a bit generic), I am a fan of the tried-and-true gameplay that takes center stages in these titles. New Super Mario Bros. U looks to be the best yet thanks to the inclusion of the new flying squirrel suit (I'll die if the chicken suit is in here, too) and some adorable baby Yoshis. Oh, and some impressively detailed backdrops.
* Pikmin 3 looks and sounds wonderful, as expected--Not only that, but Nintendo wisely decided to allow gamers to use their Wii Remote Pluses and Wii Nunchucks (or their new Wii U GamePads, of course) while playing this, the latest entry in the vaunted Pikmin series. Combine that with the news that Pikmin 3 will include new captains and, well, you've got yourself a game that will be picked up by yours truly the day it's released (or the day I purchase a Wii U, whichever comes first).
* Uh, where's the rest of your games, Nintendo?--Nintendo only showed off a handful of first-party games during its presser: New Super Mario Bros. U, NintendoLand, Pikmin 3 (below) and Wii Fit U. (I'm not counting LEGO City: Undercover or SiNG.) That's pretty paltry, especially when you consider two of those titles were shown and one was announced at last year's E3. Hopefully a few more will be revealed by the end of this year's event (or in the coming weeks, at the very least).
* Wii Fit U will be bought for one reason, and for one reason only--With that reason being that it can be used while watching TV. Honestly, one of the only reasons I haven't used Wii Fit Plus in a few months (I used to use it two or three times every week) is that I prefer watching TV while I work out at home.
Overall:
* I'm completely sick of the "let's have four guys (OK, maybe one girl) stand on the stage and seemingly play the game we're currently talking about" strategy employed by each of these companies--I understand what they're trying to do (make us believe that what we're seeing on screen is actual footage of the game they're promoting), but it's always seemed rather lame to me.
* Next year, let's hear from some new "suits"--I'm sure Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime, Microsoft's Don Mattrick and Sony's Jack Tretton are great at whatever they do when they're not on stage at E3, but when they are on stage at E3 they are about as awkward and unappealing as can be. No personal offense meant to any of these men, of course; I just wish their employers would ask someone else--someone with a bit more personality and presence--to front these particular press conferences.
* What's up with the 10-minute-long gameplay videos?--Both Microsoft's and Sony's conferences could have been a good half-hour shorter, if not more, had they limited gameplay videos to about three minutes. Instead, they went with gameplay videos that seemed to last an eternity. A good portion of the live crowd seemed to enjoy them, but I found them to be snoozefests.
So, those are my rather long-winded thoughts on E3 2012 so far. If you've been paying attention to this event, what do you think of what's transpired?
Monday, June 04, 2012
My entirely reasonable wish list for E3 2012
E3 2012 starts tomorrow. Here are a few of the things I hope to see--or at least hear about--between then and the end of the event on Thursday.
* Acknowledgement that Fire Emblem: Awakening is coming to North America--And soon. Granted, I'll buy this 3DS game whether it hits store shelves next month or next year. Next month would be preferable, though.
* A final name and release date for the North American version of Animal Crossing 3DS--Oh, and a few details that make me a bit more excited about this particular entry. A much-improved online aspect would fit the bill, I think.
* A number of completely new and unexpected 3DS game announcements--From both Nintendo and third parties, if possible.
* Glimpses (in-game ones, especially) of a few first-party Wii U games--I don't care which ones. I'll take anything at this point. Well, anything other than Metroid x Star Fox. Also, as much as I'd love to see a new 3D Mario title, I'd prefer to be shown something new and unique. That said, footage of a near-final Pikmin 3 surely would make me swoon. (For a bit of pre-E3 news about the Wii U, check out the "Nintendo Direct" video that was posted on Nintendo's website yesterday evening.)
* Signs that Sony and third parties aren't completely giving up on the Vita--A nice price drop would be welcomed with open arms, but I'm not going to hold my breath.
* Teases (or, hell, even whispers from anonymous sources) related to Microsoft's and Sony's next consoles--Surely they aren't going to let Nintendo have the E3 spotlight all to itself? Even if they do combat the Kyoto-based Mario maker, though, I don't expect them to talk about anything concrete.
Anyway, that's my fairly reasonable wish list for this event. What are some of the things (games, systems, whatever) all of you are hoping to see or hear about during this year's E3?
* Acknowledgement that Fire Emblem: Awakening is coming to North America--And soon. Granted, I'll buy this 3DS game whether it hits store shelves next month or next year. Next month would be preferable, though.
* A final name and release date for the North American version of Animal Crossing 3DS--Oh, and a few details that make me a bit more excited about this particular entry. A much-improved online aspect would fit the bill, I think.
* Glimpses (in-game ones, especially) of a few first-party Wii U games--I don't care which ones. I'll take anything at this point. Well, anything other than Metroid x Star Fox. Also, as much as I'd love to see a new 3D Mario title, I'd prefer to be shown something new and unique. That said, footage of a near-final Pikmin 3 surely would make me swoon. (For a bit of pre-E3 news about the Wii U, check out the "Nintendo Direct" video that was posted on Nintendo's website yesterday evening.)
* Signs that Sony and third parties aren't completely giving up on the Vita--A nice price drop would be welcomed with open arms, but I'm not going to hold my breath.
* Teases (or, hell, even whispers from anonymous sources) related to Microsoft's and Sony's next consoles--Surely they aren't going to let Nintendo have the E3 spotlight all to itself? Even if they do combat the Kyoto-based Mario maker, though, I don't expect them to talk about anything concrete.
Anyway, that's my fairly reasonable wish list for this event. What are some of the things (games, systems, whatever) all of you are hoping to see or hear about during this year's E3?
Wednesday, June 08, 2011
The DS and Wii ain't dead yet!
The folks at Nintendo all but ignored the DS and Wii during their E3 presser yesterday morning. In fact, they mentioned just one DS game--the DSiWare version of The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures--and one Wii game--The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword--during the 90-minute event.
Thankfully, the systems aren't quite as dead as they currently appear.
The company's press site, for instance, suggests that Nintendo will be bringing at least four more DS games to the States in the next year: Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2, Kirby Mass Attack (aka Atsumete! Kirby), Professor Layton and the Last Specter and Super Fossil Fighters.
Also, along with previously-announced Wii games like Mystery Case Files: The Malgrave Incident and Wii Play: Motion, Nintendo will be bringing something called Fortune Street, Kirby Wii, Mario Party 9 and Rhythm Heaven to North America at some point in 2011 or 2012 (the last two games in the afore-mentioned list are labeled "TBA").
Because I'm especially excited about Kirby Wii and Rhythm Heaven, I'm going to share their must-see trailers below.
Here's the trailer for the former:
And here's the tailer for the latter:
Sadly, Nintendo's press site says absolutely nothing about The Last Story or Xenoblade at the moment. Does that mean the company has decided against bringing these RPGs to North America? I hope not.
On the bright side, both games are supposedly going to be released in Europe later this year, so I guess I can import either or both of them from sendit.com if need be.
Thankfully, the systems aren't quite as dead as they currently appear.
The company's press site, for instance, suggests that Nintendo will be bringing at least four more DS games to the States in the next year: Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2, Kirby Mass Attack (aka Atsumete! Kirby), Professor Layton and the Last Specter and Super Fossil Fighters.
Also, along with previously-announced Wii games like Mystery Case Files: The Malgrave Incident and Wii Play: Motion, Nintendo will be bringing something called Fortune Street, Kirby Wii, Mario Party 9 and Rhythm Heaven to North America at some point in 2011 or 2012 (the last two games in the afore-mentioned list are labeled "TBA").
Because I'm especially excited about Kirby Wii and Rhythm Heaven, I'm going to share their must-see trailers below.
Here's the trailer for the former:
And here's the tailer for the latter:
Sadly, Nintendo's press site says absolutely nothing about The Last Story or Xenoblade at the moment. Does that mean the company has decided against bringing these RPGs to North America? I hope not.
On the bright side, both games are supposedly going to be released in Europe later this year, so I guess I can import either or both of them from sendit.com if need be.
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
What do you think of Wii U?
Now that we've had most of a day to soak in the details, what do all of you think about Nintendo's next console--officially known as Wii U--and its wacky controller?
Despite the fact that I'm still not sure how powerful the system is going to be or what games Nintendo's stable of designers and programmers are producing for it, I'm pretty darn excited about it.
If you weren't able to catch Nintendo's presser, go ahead and watch it here if you're at all interested in what the company is planning.
Or, read the (surprisingly positive) hands-on impressions that have been shared by the folks at Engadget, Gamespot, Gizmodo, IGN and Wired.
Despite the fact that I'm still not sure how powerful the system is going to be or what games Nintendo's stable of designers and programmers are producing for it, I'm pretty darn excited about it.
If you weren't able to catch Nintendo's presser, go ahead and watch it here if you're at all interested in what the company is planning.
Or, read the (surprisingly positive) hands-on impressions that have been shared by the folks at Engadget, Gamespot, Gizmodo, IGN and Wired.
The key takeaway from Nintendo's E3 2011 presser: Wii U will (probably) rock U
That was ... interesting, wasn't it?
Nintendo's E3 press conference, which took place earlier this morning, began a bit uncomfortably, in my opinion. The Zelda montage and mini-concert was nice, but Bill Trinen talking over Shigeru Miyamoto was not.
Still, I'm sure Zelda fans were happy to hear that The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening will be available for sale on the 3DS eShop later today, and that The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures will be added to the DSiWare store (and given away for free) this fall. Oh, and that The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Swords will come with--or be sold alongside, I'm not sure which--a special gold Wii Remote when it's released later this year.
As nice as all of those announcements were, they left me feeling more than a bit antsy. Like pretty much any Nintendo fan, I tuned in to this press conference to hear about new games--especially for the 3DS and Wii--and new systems (more on that in a minute), not to hear about games that were announced and/or released long ago.
As such, I probably looked like this during the first portion of the presser:
Thankfully, Satoru Iwata soon kicked Miyamoto and Trinen off the stage and then showed off a bunch of upcoming 3DS games, including Super Mario 3DS, Star Fox 64 3D, Mario Kart 3DS, Kid Icarus: Uprising and ... Luigi's Mansion 2!
I have to say, that last one surprised--and excited--me. Also exciting: The Super Mario Bros. 3-ish Super Mario 3DS. It includes airships, Koopa Kids and Tanooki Suits--'nuff said.
Mario Kart 3DS is due "this holiday season" and Super Mario 3DS is due "before the end of the year," by the way. Oh, and Kid Icarus supposedly will be released "later this year," too.
Unfortunately, that was it was far as first-party 3DS games were concerned. A bit disappointing, if you ask me. (Thankfully, new screenshots and trailers of Animal Crossing 3DS and Paper Mario 3DS can be found here. Also, screenshots and trailers of some of Nintendo's upcoming Wii releases, such as Kirby Wii and Rhythm Heaven, can be found here.)
The so-called sizzle reel of upcoming third-party 3DS titles was similarly lackluster. Here's hoping more will be revealed in the next few days.
Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime, along with a little help from Iwata, wrapped things up by, finally, unveiling the company's next controller, er, console (I think), which will be called ... Wii U.
Huh. I have to admit, when I first heard the system's name my face (likely) looked something like this:
Actually, that look remained on my face while I watched a video that showcased the tablet-like Wii U controller--which looks a lot like the uDraw peripheral recently released for the Wii--and some of the things it'll seemingly be capable of when it launches next year.
As you've likely already heard, the controller has a 6.2-inch touch screen in the center of it. Located around said screen are a pair of analog circle pads (like the one found on the 3DS), a traditional d-pad and four buttons. The controller also includes a pair of shoulder buttons and a pair of triggers, an inward-facing camera, a microphone and a speaker. Oh, and an accelerotmeter and a gyroscope.
Basically, the thing includes everything but the kitchen sink.
What will all of those things allow you to do? I'd tell you, but it would require more paragraphs than I'm willing to write at the moment. May I suggest watching the video of Nintendo's presser that can be found at e3.nintendo.com?
What I am willing to say is that I'm intrigued by some of the things the Wii U controller seemingly will bring to the table. I like that I'll be able to continue playing games when my husband comes into the room and wants to watch the latest episode of The Real Housewives of Orange County or The Weather Channel. I also like how the controller's screen will be able to give me a different view of the action taking place on my TV.
Nintendo's E3 press conference, which took place earlier this morning, began a bit uncomfortably, in my opinion. The Zelda montage and mini-concert was nice, but Bill Trinen talking over Shigeru Miyamoto was not.
Still, I'm sure Zelda fans were happy to hear that The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening will be available for sale on the 3DS eShop later today, and that The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures will be added to the DSiWare store (and given away for free) this fall. Oh, and that The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Swords will come with--or be sold alongside, I'm not sure which--a special gold Wii Remote when it's released later this year.
As nice as all of those announcements were, they left me feeling more than a bit antsy. Like pretty much any Nintendo fan, I tuned in to this press conference to hear about new games--especially for the 3DS and Wii--and new systems (more on that in a minute), not to hear about games that were announced and/or released long ago.
As such, I probably looked like this during the first portion of the presser:
Thankfully, Satoru Iwata soon kicked Miyamoto and Trinen off the stage and then showed off a bunch of upcoming 3DS games, including Super Mario 3DS, Star Fox 64 3D, Mario Kart 3DS, Kid Icarus: Uprising and ... Luigi's Mansion 2!
I have to say, that last one surprised--and excited--me. Also exciting: The Super Mario Bros. 3-ish Super Mario 3DS. It includes airships, Koopa Kids and Tanooki Suits--'nuff said.
Mario Kart 3DS is due "this holiday season" and Super Mario 3DS is due "before the end of the year," by the way. Oh, and Kid Icarus supposedly will be released "later this year," too.
Unfortunately, that was it was far as first-party 3DS games were concerned. A bit disappointing, if you ask me. (Thankfully, new screenshots and trailers of Animal Crossing 3DS and Paper Mario 3DS can be found here. Also, screenshots and trailers of some of Nintendo's upcoming Wii releases, such as Kirby Wii and Rhythm Heaven, can be found here.)
The so-called sizzle reel of upcoming third-party 3DS titles was similarly lackluster. Here's hoping more will be revealed in the next few days.
Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime, along with a little help from Iwata, wrapped things up by, finally, unveiling the company's next controller, er, console (I think), which will be called ... Wii U.
Huh. I have to admit, when I first heard the system's name my face (likely) looked something like this:
Actually, that look remained on my face while I watched a video that showcased the tablet-like Wii U controller--which looks a lot like the uDraw peripheral recently released for the Wii--and some of the things it'll seemingly be capable of when it launches next year.
As you've likely already heard, the controller has a 6.2-inch touch screen in the center of it. Located around said screen are a pair of analog circle pads (like the one found on the 3DS), a traditional d-pad and four buttons. The controller also includes a pair of shoulder buttons and a pair of triggers, an inward-facing camera, a microphone and a speaker. Oh, and an accelerotmeter and a gyroscope.
Basically, the thing includes everything but the kitchen sink.
What will all of those things allow you to do? I'd tell you, but it would require more paragraphs than I'm willing to write at the moment. May I suggest watching the video of Nintendo's presser that can be found at e3.nintendo.com?
What I am willing to say is that I'm intrigued by some of the things the Wii U controller seemingly will bring to the table. I like that I'll be able to continue playing games when my husband comes into the room and wants to watch the latest episode of The Real Housewives of Orange County or The Weather Channel. I also like how the controller's screen will be able to give me a different view of the action taking place on my TV.
Monday, June 06, 2011
The many faces of Sony's E3 2011 presser
Sony's E3 2011 press conference ended a few hours ago, but I haven't had a chance to chime in about it until now because of dinner and work and all of those other things that pop up in an afternoon and keep a guy from blogging about games.
With that out of the way, what did I think about said presser? Well, I enjoyed it more than Microsoft's presser, that's for sure.
That's not to say Sony's conference was one mind-blowing announcement after another. On the contrary, it started rather boringly--with Sony's Jack Tretton apologizing for the recent PSN debacle before yammering on about how well the "PlayStation family" is doing these days. (I can't fault him for that, as it's part and parcel of these sorts of events.)
Anyway, if I had snapped a photo of myself during Tretton's opening salvo, I probably would have looked something like this:
Except, of course, I'd have looked like a grown man and not a young girl.
Anyway, things thankfully turned around as soon as the folks at Sony started showing games. I've yet to play any of the previously-released Resistance or Uncharted titles, but their latest iterations--Resistance 3 and Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, respectively--looked pretty awesome to these eyes. (Uncharted 3 was especially enticing thanks to the demo's cruise-ship setting.)
That double dose of awesomeness definitely piqued my interest. In fact, if I had taken a photo of myself at that point in time I likely would have looked a bit like this lovely lady:
Unfortunately, Tretton went back to yammering as soon as he was done talking about Resistance 3. The focus of his yammering this time: Some sort of PlayStation-branded 3D TV that will sold later this year for $500. (That price includes a copy of Resistance 3, an HDMI cable and a pair of 3D glasses, by the way).
If you want to know how I probably looked during this particular section of the presser, just scroll back to the image of the bored little girl.
That's also how I looked when Tretton talked about a bunch of in-the-works, Move-enabled titles. Honestly, I don't have anything against the Move, but I'm also not all that interested in it. If you are interested in it, you may like to know that BioShock Infinite, Dust 514 (from the makers of Eve Online), NBA 2K12, Medieval Moves: Deadmund’s Quest, some sort of Star Wars game and a bunch of other games will make use of Move whenever they finally hit the streets later this year or next.
With that out of the way, what did I think about said presser? Well, I enjoyed it more than Microsoft's presser, that's for sure.
That's not to say Sony's conference was one mind-blowing announcement after another. On the contrary, it started rather boringly--with Sony's Jack Tretton apologizing for the recent PSN debacle before yammering on about how well the "PlayStation family" is doing these days. (I can't fault him for that, as it's part and parcel of these sorts of events.)
Anyway, if I had snapped a photo of myself during Tretton's opening salvo, I probably would have looked something like this:
Except, of course, I'd have looked like a grown man and not a young girl.
Anyway, things thankfully turned around as soon as the folks at Sony started showing games. I've yet to play any of the previously-released Resistance or Uncharted titles, but their latest iterations--Resistance 3 and Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, respectively--looked pretty awesome to these eyes. (Uncharted 3 was especially enticing thanks to the demo's cruise-ship setting.)
That double dose of awesomeness definitely piqued my interest. In fact, if I had taken a photo of myself at that point in time I likely would have looked a bit like this lovely lady:
Unfortunately, Tretton went back to yammering as soon as he was done talking about Resistance 3. The focus of his yammering this time: Some sort of PlayStation-branded 3D TV that will sold later this year for $500. (That price includes a copy of Resistance 3, an HDMI cable and a pair of 3D glasses, by the way).
If you want to know how I probably looked during this particular section of the presser, just scroll back to the image of the bored little girl.
That's also how I looked when Tretton talked about a bunch of in-the-works, Move-enabled titles. Honestly, I don't have anything against the Move, but I'm also not all that interested in it. If you are interested in it, you may like to know that BioShock Infinite, Dust 514 (from the makers of Eve Online), NBA 2K12, Medieval Moves: Deadmund’s Quest, some sort of Star Wars game and a bunch of other games will make use of Move whenever they finally hit the streets later this year or next.
Yeesh
I just finished watching Microsoft's E3 2011 press conference. I wasn't impressed.
How unimpressed was I? Well, during the first third of the conference--which focused on creatively-barren sequels like Forza Motorsport 4, Gears of War 3, Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, a Halo: Combat Evolved remake and Modern Warfare 3--my face looked like this:
Don't get me wrong, none of the above-mentioned games looked bad. In fact, all of them looked quite good graphically. That said, their gameplay didn't appeal to me in any way. Of course, I've never been an FPS fan or a fan of racing games that aren't called F-Zero or Mario Kart, so I guess that shouldn't be considered a surprise.
The first third of Microsoft's conference wasn't a complete wash, though; Mass Effect 3 looked nice enough (although the voice controls via Kinect seemed a bit pointless), as did the next entry in the Tomb Raider series.
What did I think of the last two-thirds of the conference--which, aside from the oh-so-shocking (or not) last-second reveal of Halo 4, focused on Kinect titles? This photo does a pretty good job of summing up my thoughts:
Admittedly, Dance Central 2 looked cool. Also, the Wii Sports rip-off Kinect Sports: Season Two looked acceptable. (Laggy, but acceptable.) Other than those two titles, though, the Kinect portion of the conference was filled with yeesh-inducing announcements--like Lionhead's carriage-driving simulator, Fable: The Journey, and the laggy (there's that word again), on-rails Kinect Star Wars.
Will Sony's presser, which takes place later today at 5 pm Pacific, or Nintendo's, which starts tomorrow at 9 am Pacific, be less yeesh-worthy? I sure hope so.
How unimpressed was I? Well, during the first third of the conference--which focused on creatively-barren sequels like Forza Motorsport 4, Gears of War 3, Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, a Halo: Combat Evolved remake and Modern Warfare 3--my face looked like this:
Don't get me wrong, none of the above-mentioned games looked bad. In fact, all of them looked quite good graphically. That said, their gameplay didn't appeal to me in any way. Of course, I've never been an FPS fan or a fan of racing games that aren't called F-Zero or Mario Kart, so I guess that shouldn't be considered a surprise.
The first third of Microsoft's conference wasn't a complete wash, though; Mass Effect 3 looked nice enough (although the voice controls via Kinect seemed a bit pointless), as did the next entry in the Tomb Raider series.
What did I think of the last two-thirds of the conference--which, aside from the oh-so-shocking (or not) last-second reveal of Halo 4, focused on Kinect titles? This photo does a pretty good job of summing up my thoughts:
Admittedly, Dance Central 2 looked cool. Also, the Wii Sports rip-off Kinect Sports: Season Two looked acceptable. (Laggy, but acceptable.) Other than those two titles, though, the Kinect portion of the conference was filled with yeesh-inducing announcements--like Lionhead's carriage-driving simulator, Fable: The Journey, and the laggy (there's that word again), on-rails Kinect Star Wars.
Will Sony's presser, which takes place later today at 5 pm Pacific, or Nintendo's, which starts tomorrow at 9 am Pacific, be less yeesh-worthy? I sure hope so.
Friday, June 03, 2011
My hopes and fears for the 'big three' at E3
E3 2011 is upon us. Well, as of Monday. Anyway, I'm excited. I'm also a bit wary, as I've been through the ups and downs associated with such events many times over the years.
So, what am I excited about and what is making me a bit wary--or, rather, what are my hopes and fears for the "big three" at this most awesome of gaming events? Well, here are my hopes:
Microsoft--Honestly, I'm not expecting much from Microsoft. You know they're going to show a bunch of "hardcore" games and a bunch of Kinect titles. I have little interest in either. I'll be perfectly happy, though, if they announce even a few wow-worthy XBLA titles.
Nintendo--As of now, this event is all about Nintendo for me, as I'm curious to see what they have planned for the 3DS and the Wii successor, currently known as Project Café. Regarding the latter, I'm looking for the company's latest console as well as its launch software to wow me like the Wii and Wii Sports did at E3 in 2006. Also, I hope Nintendo announces a few more Wii releases. I'd love to see the new Kirby, The Last Story, Rhythm Heaven/ Tengoku Wii and Xenoblade all brought to North America, but I'll be happy if even one or two of them come our way.
Sony--Will we finally get a release date and release price for Sony's next portable, which seemingly is going to be called PS Vita? I hope so. I also hope we get a peek at some of the stellar first- and third-party games that surely are being planned for the system.
As for my fears for the "big three" at this E3, here they are:
Microsoft--I fear they're going to expend most of their energy on so-called hardcore and Kinect games and ignore XBLA.
Nintendo--I fear they're going to completely drop the ball on the DS and Wii. I know the 3DS is now the company's focus in the portable space, but there are plenty of DS and DSi owners out there who aren't going to upgrade anytime soon and who would still like to play some new games--games like the Lemmings-esque Kirby title that's going to be released in Japan this August or the fourth entry in the Professor Layton series. As for the Wii, well, Project Café, or whatever the console ends up being called, isn't going to hit store shelves until next summer, if not later. Why not localize a few--or, even better, all--of the as-of-now-Japan-only games mentioned above in the meantime?
Sony--I fear that Sony is going to wait too long to release the PS Vita in the US--it has to hit store shelves before Christmas, in my opinion--and slap a price tag on the system that's far too high given current economic conditions. The system is likely to find success in Japan regardless of price thanks to its rabid fan base and games like Monster Hunter, but its future is much less certain in the States. If it's not priced competitively with the 3DS, it's going to have a hard time faring any better than its poorly received predecessor.
We'll find out in any of my hopes or fears will become reality on Monday and Tuesday of next week, by the way. Microsoft's press conference will begin at 9 am Pacific on Monday, with Sony's occurring later the same day, at 5 pm Pacific. Nintendo's press conference, on the other hand, will start at 9 am Pacific on Tuesday.
All of the above-mentioned conferences will be streamed live on GameTrailers.com, by the way. I'll certainly be watching them. Will you?
So, what am I excited about and what is making me a bit wary--or, rather, what are my hopes and fears for the "big three" at this most awesome of gaming events? Well, here are my hopes:
Microsoft--Honestly, I'm not expecting much from Microsoft. You know they're going to show a bunch of "hardcore" games and a bunch of Kinect titles. I have little interest in either. I'll be perfectly happy, though, if they announce even a few wow-worthy XBLA titles.
Nintendo--As of now, this event is all about Nintendo for me, as I'm curious to see what they have planned for the 3DS and the Wii successor, currently known as Project Café. Regarding the latter, I'm looking for the company's latest console as well as its launch software to wow me like the Wii and Wii Sports did at E3 in 2006. Also, I hope Nintendo announces a few more Wii releases. I'd love to see the new Kirby, The Last Story, Rhythm Heaven/ Tengoku Wii and Xenoblade all brought to North America, but I'll be happy if even one or two of them come our way.
Sony--Will we finally get a release date and release price for Sony's next portable, which seemingly is going to be called PS Vita? I hope so. I also hope we get a peek at some of the stellar first- and third-party games that surely are being planned for the system.
As for my fears for the "big three" at this E3, here they are:
Microsoft--I fear they're going to expend most of their energy on so-called hardcore and Kinect games and ignore XBLA.
Nintendo--I fear they're going to completely drop the ball on the DS and Wii. I know the 3DS is now the company's focus in the portable space, but there are plenty of DS and DSi owners out there who aren't going to upgrade anytime soon and who would still like to play some new games--games like the Lemmings-esque Kirby title that's going to be released in Japan this August or the fourth entry in the Professor Layton series. As for the Wii, well, Project Café, or whatever the console ends up being called, isn't going to hit store shelves until next summer, if not later. Why not localize a few--or, even better, all--of the as-of-now-Japan-only games mentioned above in the meantime?
Sony--I fear that Sony is going to wait too long to release the PS Vita in the US--it has to hit store shelves before Christmas, in my opinion--and slap a price tag on the system that's far too high given current economic conditions. The system is likely to find success in Japan regardless of price thanks to its rabid fan base and games like Monster Hunter, but its future is much less certain in the States. If it's not priced competitively with the 3DS, it's going to have a hard time faring any better than its poorly received predecessor.
We'll find out in any of my hopes or fears will become reality on Monday and Tuesday of next week, by the way. Microsoft's press conference will begin at 9 am Pacific on Monday, with Sony's occurring later the same day, at 5 pm Pacific. Nintendo's press conference, on the other hand, will start at 9 am Pacific on Tuesday.
All of the above-mentioned conferences will be streamed live on GameTrailers.com, by the way. I'll certainly be watching them. Will you?
Thursday, May 19, 2011
But will the characters in Animal Crossing 3DS still look creepy?
While seemingly every other Nintendo fan the world over is looking forward to next month's E3 so he or she can finally get a glimpse of the company's next console (currently codenamed Project Café), I'm looking forward to the event, to be held June 7-9 in Los Angeles, so I can see if the characters in its upcoming Animal Crossing 3DS still look creepy.
I can't be the only person who thinks the game's more properly proportional--with the exception of their big ol' noggins--characters look a bit odd, can I? (Please share your thoughts on the matter in the comments section of this post.) For whatever reason, I find the shorter, stubbier characters seen in the series' previous iterations much more aesthetically pleasing.
I can't be the only person who thinks the game's more properly proportional--with the exception of their big ol' noggins--characters look a bit odd, can I? (Please share your thoughts on the matter in the comments section of this post.) For whatever reason, I find the shorter, stubbier characters seen in the series' previous iterations much more aesthetically pleasing.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Donkey Kong, Kid Icarus and Kirby? Oh my!
So, Nintendo unveiled a slew of games (and a system, too--the 3DS) during its E3 conference this morning, and you know what? The game that excited me the most was Kirby's Epic Yarn.
Sure, the name is a bit of an eye-roller (and you just know some oh-so-cool gamers are going to rename it Kirby's Epic Yawn), but who cares when the game looks like this:
(Click on this link to see the game in action.)
Unfortunately, the folks at Nintendo have yet to announce a release date--beyond "fall"--or a price for the title. Here's hoping it's released sooner rather than later and that it hits the streets with a $39.99 or even a $29.99 price tag.
Other titles that intrigued me: Donkey Kond Country Returns (coming to the Wii this holiday season--here's a trailer) and the new 3DS entries in the Animal Crossing, Kid Icarus, Mario Kart, Paper Mario, Pilotwings and Star Fox series.
Strangely, I was a bit disappointed by the actual 3DS system--I want two screens of the same size, dammit!--but I'm sure I'll get over that shortly.
Sure, the name is a bit of an eye-roller (and you just know some oh-so-cool gamers are going to rename it Kirby's Epic Yawn), but who cares when the game looks like this:
(Click on this link to see the game in action.)
Unfortunately, the folks at Nintendo have yet to announce a release date--beyond "fall"--or a price for the title. Here's hoping it's released sooner rather than later and that it hits the streets with a $39.99 or even a $29.99 price tag.
Other titles that intrigued me: Donkey Kond Country Returns (coming to the Wii this holiday season--here's a trailer) and the new 3DS entries in the Animal Crossing, Kid Icarus, Mario Kart, Paper Mario, Pilotwings and Star Fox series.
Strangely, I was a bit disappointed by the actual 3DS system--I want two screens of the same size, dammit!--but I'm sure I'll get over that shortly.
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