During E3, NaviFairy had the chance to interview Jordon Thomas, and among the topics brought up was Dr. Weir, who will join your team in XCOM. Among the intriguing things about Dr. Weir is that 2K Marin is not at all concerned about talking about his sexuality. In many ways, his sexuality and politics inform who he is, particularly considering the time period in which the game takes place. Makes sense, while sexuality does not necessarily inform how our personality and interests take shape, at times the reaction to such can (though it does not need to do so).
This, then, is the video that was the demo that was shown at E3, as well as showing the mission to recruit Dr. Weir.
As Jordon Thomas notes in the bit explaining the video:
2K Marin had just finished working on BioShock 2, and that game will always be deep in our DNA -- but our first crack at adapting XCOM to a more personal, real-time experience was way too much within our creative 'comfort zone'. It was kind of a run-and-gun affair, without a lot of focus on the command of your squad, or indeed on tactical play itself.
Candidly, it just wasn't "XCOM" enough for the hardcore fans of the original games at 2K Marin, who serve as our creative conscience. So over the past year, we've made some pretty aggressive design changes, in pursuit of the feelings that we experienced when we played the original games. I'll cover those in the video itself, but a quick note about story:
What I find interesting is that while the video does show a fair amount--at least, that's what I'd call 22 minutes--of gameplay, it also gives us that information about Weir. The politics of the time are something that seem to be informing quite a few narrative choices, and as NaviFairy's interview with Thomas highlighted, this is as much about an alien invasion as also setting the mirror on US society from that time period.
One of my last appointments at E3 was with Majesco, but it certainly wasn't the least, because as we all know, they're home to the Cooking Mama games that we all know and love. And while I saw the latest in that series, plus another spin-off title, there were also other games to check out, including a solid shooter, a bizarre pet sim, and a surprising rebirth for a franchise.
Last year at the Natsume E3 booth, I saw a Rune Factory game, a Harvest Moon game, and a nifty little DS rhythm game starring a little girl dancing to get her soul back.
Oddly enough, I had a very similar experience this year! I'll put everything after the jump so as not to take up valuable real estate on the front page!
I was told that my appointment with Focus Home Interactive was going to be to check out Of Orcs and Men and the Game of Thrones game, but when I arrived, I was told it was just Of Orcs and Men. Those PR people... they'll say anything to get you to attend a presentation. Still, while one of the other journalists seemed rather put out that he wasn't going to see a Game of Thrones game, I politely listened as their other RPG was presented.
Of Orcs and Men is an RPG featuring an orc and a goblin that's due out on the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC in 2012. And while you might think this would be a natural for co-op play, you'd be wrong. The developers believe RPGs are solo experiences, so you will swap between both of them yourself. It's like a buddy movie featuring the big strong tank and the sneaky little weasel. You'll switch between characters during combat, but can also slow time so it doesn't get overwhelming. It's also important to choose the right character to answer during dialogue sequences, because the orc and the goblin are obviously going to have different responses!
The orc has a rage bar that fills up and when it's activated, he'll go nuts and tear the place down. But while he's super-strong, you actually lose control of the character while he's in that state, and afterwards he's weak as a kitten, so be careful when you use it. The goblin is the sneaky one and has a stealth mode. So it's the best of both worlds!
They're promising about 20-30 hours of gameplay, which seems a bit short for an RPG, but I actually think it's a good amount of time to spend on a game. Who has time for 40-50 hour games anymore? Okay, you might, but I certainly don't! Oh, and while there are going to be sidequests to extend gameplay, I was told that they're not going to be extra quests that are just there to fill time. They're promising that all sidequests will have something to connect them directly to the main plot, which is that the orc and goblin are trying to assassinate the human emperor. Although this was a very early build, the graphics are already looking quite stunning. So it's basically going to come down to gameplay and story in the end.
(PS: While I wasn't shown Game Of Thrones: Genesis at E3, the information I found on their site reveals that it's a real-time strategy game for PC that acts as a prequel to the series of books. Oh, and there's multiplayer for up to 8 players.)
Konami had quite a lineup at their E3 booth this year, but I skipped out on a few of the games so I could focus on the ones I know you want to hear about. I mean, I'd already played Metal Gear on the 3DS over at Nintendo, and the third installment of the Karaoke Revolution Glee series is just going to be more of the same (although I couldn't get an answer as to whether it would feature full songs like the first volume or short ones like the second). But Konami contained one of those pleasant surprises and also mild disappointment. I'll put it all after the jump since it'll be a bit long for the front page!
I guess it's sort of fitting that the first PlayStation Vita title that I ever played was Hot Shots Golf, since that was one of my favorite PSP titles. Don't judge me — it's actually really fun, and I'm not even a big fan of the sport! Hot Shots Golf will be ready at the launch of Sony's new handheld, and is already looking like a worthy entry to the series.
I first played a couple of holes in the demo without realizing what any of the unique features were that had been added for the Vita. So the basic gameplay remains unchanged from earlier Hot Shots titles. But then I was shown that you can use the touch screen to interact with the environment. Sometimes it's as useless as shaking a bush or tree, but sweeping your finger horizontally across the sky will actually change the time of day. And not only does it turn the pretty sky into a pretty sunset or sunrise, it has practical applications because different times of day can also have different weather, meaning the direction and strength of the wind can change. You can tap to change the position of the tee, change the viewpoint to a first person view so you can use the gyroscope to look around by physically turning the Vita, and even pick up your golfer by pinching the touch screen and the back touch pad. Stuff like rustling bushes or watching your golfer's arms and legs flail as you pick them up are cute, but ultimately useless, so it's nice that they're also using the touch screen for more helpful features.
The graphics are beautifully detailed, retaining the cartoony style of the series while adding some welcome realism to the courses. And it's Hot Shots Golf, so you know exactly what you're going to get from it. I've always enjoyed the series because while you can get deep into the sim details of golf, you can also just have a good time with it. It's a rare game that can satisfy both the hardcore and the casual player!
Among the titles 505 Games had on display at E3 was a shooter called Black Water for the Kinect for Xbox 360. I thought I'd give it a try, just to see how they made it work. While there are some moments where you can choose a direction to go, it is an on-rails shooter. And you don't have to worry about pumping your fist to fire or anything, the game automatically fires your weapon once you've held the reticule on an enemy for a second or two. Reloading is as simple as pulling your arm off-screen for a moment. But what I found most intriguing was the game's use of cover. As you move from scene to scene, you'll find yourself leaning to the side in order to hide behind walls, crates, and whatnot to avoid enemy fire. It works surprisingly well, once you get used to physically ducking instead of wanting to push a button!
I was surprised at how much fun I was having blowing bad guys away, especially when during one of the times when you can make a choice of direction and I opted for the sniper. I've always loved pulling off headshots on guys who don't even know you're there. So satisfying. The motion controls are also used to jump to rooftops, pull yourself up onto ledges or walls, and kick in doors or enemies. I found that it worked quite well, and I had more fun than I'd expected moving through the level. Oh, and though it's on-rails, it's not like Time Crisis or anything where the enemies just pop out. They act appropriately, taking cover themselves, and will even be placed randomly every time you play, so that will help with replayability.
While the graphics aren't anything overly spectacular, they're good enough, and Black Water is shaping up to be an intriguing FPS for Microsoft's motion controller. We'll see when the full game is released, probably later this year.
After releasing Grease games onto the DS and Wii last year, 505 Games has set their sights on the Kinect for Xbox 360. I liked the Elite Beat Agents-style of gameplay on the DS game, but if you read my review, you know I was somewhat underwhelmed when I played the whole thing. And my initial excitement about singing and dancing with the Wii version was tempered by the fact that the dancing was just waving the Wiimote around, Just Dance-style. So you can understand why I was a little wary to give the Kinect game a try. I shouldn't have worried.
As you might expect from a Kinect dancing game, it works like Dance Central, with the upcoming moves scrolling up the side of the screen so you can anticipate what's next. The graphics are still in the cartoony style so as to avoid likeness, but the songs are straight from the movie. And in an interesting twist, I found myself dancing to an uncensored version of "Greased Lightning." I was told that the games rating is still pending, and they're debating whether to censor the handful of naughty words to get another E-10 rating, or to go ahead and leave them intact and accept a T. Personally, I'm hoping for the latter, because changing lyrics or just "whiting-out" words is always distracting in music games.
The gameplay was a whole lot of fun. I danced two-player alongside a 505 Games employee, and we ended up doing something I haven't seen the two-player mode in Dance Central 2 do yet, which was that we occasionally crossed in front of each other to trade sides briefly as part of the choreography. It was unexpected, but fun. Even better, though, was the fact that some of the classic moves you remember from the film have been incorporated into the dances! When the chorus hit and you do the pointing and fist pumping just like John Travolta and Jeff Conaway did in the movie, I admit I got a little thrill. I couldn't help it.
Grease will feature all the songs from the movie as well as around 15 or so additional tunes from the era, and will have both singing and dancing modes (although not doing both at the same time, because come on — we don't want anyone to hurt themselves!). And while a release date has not yet been determined, I was told we should look for it later this year. And I will be, because I had a blast with the one song I did play, and this one looks to be the Grease game I've been waiting for! (Oh, there's also a PlayStation Move version, but it can't be as much fun waving a controller around!)
Although I really only wanted to try the Sony PlayStation Vita, I found myself checking out a couple of Move titles just because they were there and I was curious. The first was Dance Star Party, because as you know, I love me some dancing games! The problem was that since this was a PlayStation Move title, you're really just waving the wand around so it plays more like Just Dance on the Wii. Which means that I never felt like I really had to do the rest of the choreography since it was only tracking the controller. Of course, I did try to do all the moves, matching the on-screen real-life dancer. One of this game's unique features is that it records photos and 30 seconds of video of your best moments that you can save and upload to Facebook and/or Twitter if you're feeling confident (or want to embarrass your friends). I still prefer the full-body tracking of the Kinect, but this could still be a good dance title... if you only have a PS3. It all comes down to song selection in these games anyway, and a full track list hasn't yet been revealed.
Later, I also found myself drawn to the adorable little critters of EyePet & Friends. In this latest outing for the franchise, they've really gone overboard on the customization. While your pet's face remains the same, you can change everything from the style, color, length and pattern of their fur while also dressing them up in all kinds of clothing items that are also fully customizable themselves. Seriously. I dressed mine up in a Frankenstein head that I'd painted with a rainbow. There's also mini-games that you play with your pets. I tried one where they rode a little toy bulldozer that I steered around the screen to pick up balls that they would then toss into a basket to score points. And this all happens in Augmented Reality where you are playing with your EyePets on your coffee table or floor. My only complaint was that it was kind of awkward using the Move controller when the camera is aimed at the table like that. I would forget that I couldn't hold the controller up in front of me and had to keep it low enough that the camera would pick it up. But those things are seriously adorable, and I don't know how I've managed to resist them up to now. (Maybe because I don't yet have a Move...)
Although Namco Bandai's Ace Combat: Assault Horizon is the seventh in the series, the reason there's no number in the title is because they consider this entry to be a rebirth of the series. This time around the goal was to make the in-game graphics as impressive as the old CGI trailers were. And from what I saw, they certainly succeeded at that. They're going for a more cinematic experience, and it definitely feels like that. As for whether or not they were able to make the controls more intuitive and easier for everyone to get into, I can't say because I wasn't actually able to play it.
Assault Horizon features a variety of aircraft including helicopters and bombers, and I watched as they demoed one of the bomber missions with Air Strike Mode. There's an overhead view as you mark your targets, and then the camera follows the final bomb down to the ground where a very beautiful (and destructive) explosion tears the enemy compound to shreds. It's as dynamic and cinematic as they were hoping. Then it switches in the middle of the mission from the bomber craft to one of the fighter jets protecting it as you take over there to play that side of the mission. There are going to be almost 20 missions in total, but because of the multiple viewpoints, some of them are like double missions.
There's no local multiplayer, but there's worldwide leaderboards to check scores and participate in website challenges. And there will be online multiplayer. With Capital Conquest Mode, you'll divide into to teams of bombers and fighters — your choice, so strategize appropriately! — to bomb the crap out of each others' headquarters.
Ace Combat: Assault Horizon is looking like a really impressive flight combat game, and is due out for both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on October 11. And not only does the game use real-world locales for that added touch of realism, but before its release, there will be a promotional campaign with the actual United States Air Force. So look for that!
I really just wanted to get my hands on a PlayStation Vita to see how it felt and played, but when I saw an open Vita playing a demo of Uncharted: Golden Abyss, I couldn't resist. In the interest of full disclosure, I've only played a demo of the first game. I enjoyed it, but the two PS3 games never quite reached the top of my purchase list. But I can get through portables a lot faster, so this game would probably be up at the top relatively quickly!
The game looks absolutely stunning, and makes for a perfect showcase for what Sony's upcoming handheld system is capable of. It plays very smoothly with the running and jumping and climbing. Not so much with the aiming. There does seem to be an aiming assist that sticks to the nearest enemy when you press the button to aim your weapon as you duck out of cover. I struggled a bit with the controls, since I wasn't given any instructions, but I quickly figured out the important ones! Having two analog sticks is essential for a game like this, and makes you wonder how we ever manged with just one on the PSP.
I have to say that the touch screen controls are a bit awkward. Tapping an enemy to drag him to his death while hanging from the ledge below him is okay, but taping during platform jumping? Not so much. You're climbing, scaling and jumping along when all of a sudden you reach a gap that's just a bit further than the others, and the prompt tells you to just tap it with your finger to jump to it. It works, but it takes you out of the flow of the button pressing to suddenly involve the touch screen. I don't know how much touch screen usage will be in the final game or what other actions it will control, but right now it feels a little gimmicky, like they just added it in because there was a touch screen to use. (Hopefully not too many games will do that kind of thing!)
But Uncharted on the Vita is clearly going to be the system-seller when it launches, and I can totally see why. It's a completely faithful entry in the series, and with the power of the Vita behind it, it can actually go toe-to-toe graphically with its console siblings. Who would've thought we'd ever see that day?
Sorry! I totally thought I already wrote about this, because it was one of my favorite games I played at this year's E3. But when I looked, I realized I hadn't, so I realized I had to rectify that immediately!
Kinect: Disneyland Adventures was actually one of the more difficult demos to get into at the Microsoft booth. During my first try, High School Musical's Corbin Bleu was in there taking forever to play it. And then other demos would open up and I would play those instead. But eventually Disneyland Adventures was the only one left to try and so I waited. And it was worth the wait!
They have digitally recreated the entire Disneyland theme park in the game, and you can actually explore the entire place. It's as simple as turning your shoulders to the left or right to turn, and then pointing your finger like a little kid saying "I want to go there!" Although in practice, just pointing your finger to the left or right also turns you a bit. I was in a group of four, so I watched as someone else approached Mickey in the town square or whatever. He was able to high five Mickey, chest bump him, and even give him a hug. During my turn, I was shown how to make the magic wand appear, but then I did something weird that turned it into a bullhorn. So I was told to face the hedge that was trimmed in the shape of Dumbo and blow into the bullhorn. The noise made the hedge come to life and toot its own horn as it sent money showering out at me.
You can collect coins and spend them at the shops in the park to customize your character. You don't actually use your Xbox Avatar in the game, but a Disney-fied Avatar that you create. And since the whole park is explorable, there are plenty of little secrets and interactive moments to find. Oh, and don't worry about the crowds. While there are other guests at Disneyland, you're the most important one, so everyone knows to get out of your way as you come through!
Instead of riding the rides, which would be kind of boring to do in a game, the rides are turned into mini-games. All you do is enter the glowing portal at the ride's entrance, and you're transported to... well, a loading screen. But after that, a mini-game! The one I tried put me inside of a clear hamster ball that Alice played croquet with. I had to lean from side to side to steer my super monkey ball as it careened through the course. The goal is to try and go through the little playing card soldiers that are creating the little hoops and collect coins as you go, but honestly, it was so crazy that I was basically just trying to stay on course! The even better one was the night flight with Peter Pan that I watched two other people demo. The graphics were quite lovely, and as they flew around London and then up and around Big Ben, it was pretty spectacular.
Honestly, this was one of the games that I couldn't wait to try, and now can't wait until it comes out. Definitely one of my top games of the show, and I'm not even kidding. I know it's just a mini-game collection, and there's more than enough of those, but having a fully-explorable Disneyland theme park was what sold me on it. For me, that's the game, and the mini-games are just the gravy! But we all have to wait until the holidays for it!
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