It’s obvious to speculate that this new title will be Dead Space 3, but there have been several small stories lately to suggest this. In April, South African retailer BT Games started taking preorders for Dead Space 3. While this may sound like misinformation or a desperate plea for preorders, BT Games has taken preorders for games prior to their announcement before (which were revealed shortly after). E3 is right around the corner…

Suppose this new Dead Space game is NOT the third installment, but instead a spin-off like Dead Space: Extraction. Between animated films, novels, and comics, Dead Space has been constantly trying to expand as a ‘franchise’, so a deviation from the main series would fit in nicely. But what could it be? A team based survival game? A sequel to Extraction? Dead Space: Party?

All questions about this new Dead Space game should be answered at E3 2012; in particular, “What is it?”

Source: Joystiq

Luckily, all hope is not lost. Although you’re going to miss out on what’s happening on the show floor, many of the press conferences are usually streamed over the internet. On top of that, last year, Sony streamed their press conference over the PS3′s Home. This year Microsoft is going to hop on the bandwagon and stream their conference over Xbox LIVE.

If you’re interested in seeing what announcements Microsoft will have, tune in on Monday, June 4th at 10:00 a.m. PST. Sony will be live at 6:00 p.m. that evening.

Source: GiantBomb

It’s been difficult to predict what to expect from Nintendo with so many rumors floating around. Nintendo wants to surprise us, but maybe we know more than we think we do.

Recent footage of the sequel to Rayman: Origins shows the Wii U functioning similar to the Portal of Power peripheral device from Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure. The inclusion of this technology in the Wii U was mentioned before, but the new footage shows Rayman figures (and an Assassin’s Creed figure!) being used exactly like Skylanders - drop them in and watch them appear on-screen.

Digital download games have also been announced as a major feature for Wii U and 3DS as mentioned here on Platform Nation, cementing Nintendo’s position that it’s not afraid to adopt a modern online system like Xbox Live and PSN. Mario and Pikmin games have also been announced for E3 2012, which could possibly be sold as downloads as well as physical copies.

All questions (well, mostly) about Wii U will be answered on June 5th at 9:00 am PT. I’m ready.

Source: IGN

Enough about all that, though. How does the game PLAY?  I selected one of the new songs to play (Jessie’s Girl), and was given a quick overview of the button schema: the Left and Right triggers would slide me between the playable tracks, and the Left and Right analog sticks would activate the gems on the track (gems on the left side need the left stick hit, and vice versa).  Once the song starts, you are free to move between the tracks in whatever fashion you want, and you will have all of the instruments to move between.  Depending on what track you are on, you will hear that instrument louder than the others.  Obviously, when trying for a high score, you’re going to want to be on the track that has the most notes, but there is something else to consider; a multiplier on screen that increases for each individual instrument.  So while you could spend the entire time on the lead guitar track, and score quite a bit, you’ll never increase your overall multiplier beyond 4x.  If, however, you were to work on each instrument, and increase all of them to 4x, it will eventually open up the next level of multipliers.  I saw up to 12X when watching others play (I got to 9X myself).  There was a lot going on with the board when I was playing, with glowing notes and overdrive notes, and I didn’t quite catch what the benefit of all of them were (some would release the pinball, some would start the next multiplier group if you had everything at the highest), but that will come with more play, and, you know, an instruction manual.

The button configuration took a little getting used to; I kept switching tracks when I was meaning to select the gems (for some reason, my brain wanted to use the triggers to select the notes; I do not know if the controls are configurable).  Once I got it down, though, I was racking up the points pretty well, snagging a 5 star performance out of my one playthrough. The speed of the play is good, and increases as you hit notes continuously.  If you miss one, it slows back down.

Finally, you have access to powerups in the game that will help hit notes that you might not otherwise be able to.  The two that were playable was a rocket, which would launch ahead of you and hit notes on the track further down (good for clusters of notes on an instrument, so that you can hit those while moving to another instrument), and a pinball that would move around the board, hitting whatever notes it came in contact with.  You could keep that pinball going by moving under it as it approached the bottom.  This made for a complex experience, as you were trying to concentrate on the notes and tracks that had the most notes, as well as keeping the ball moving around the board.

The  beeps and boops of the game were both nice and informative, and served as a way of indicating the pace of the game. Overall this game felt very Pac-Man CE DX to me; a re-imagining of a game in a way that is immediately familiar, leaderboard driven, and very addictive.  Finally getting my hands on the game confirmed that this will be much more than a track pack expansion for me.  Talking with one of the folks from Harmonix on the floor, we shared in our excitement over being able to use our DLC in a new way, particularly for songs that were less played, or instrumentals (think RBN).  All of the songs from your Rock Band library will be playable in Blitz (exception to Rock Band 3, whose songs are not exportable yet), and the songs that come with Blitz will be playable in Rock Band 3.  Future DLC will be playable in both games.

Rock Band Blitz is scheduled to release this summer, for PSN and XBLA. No pricing details have been announced as of yet.

With E3 2012 less than three months away, you might be wondering what new games will be receiving their first showing. The following guide considers rumors and information given by developers to determine what we might see at E3 2012. Unfortunately, I’m not covering handheld or mobile games – I’m letting the home consoles duke it out. One the verge of a new generation, this could be a very exciting year for gaming.

Wii U’s “Final Format”

Wii U was announced and shown at last year’s E3 with no more than tech demos (which Zelda looked amazing) and games available on other consoles. This year we will get our first look at Wii U exclusives. With the system’s launch not far away, according to Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, we will see Wii U in its “final format,” which should entail extra features and could include a second tablet controller, as well as the console’s rumored name change. It is also possible we will get Wii U’s release date, presumably this fall. Wii U is pretty exciting stuff, but what games can we expect for it?

Pikmin 3 is almost a shoe-in. The third entry in the Pikmin series was developed for Wii but was held off for release on Wii U. If not a launch title, Pikmin 3 is surely on the Wii U’s horizon. Wii U should be released along with first party support to avoid a disappointing launch like the 3DS, making Pikmin 3 a likely launch candidate. Hopefully the game has been fully developed for Wii U and is not simply an unreleased Wii game ported to a new console (looking at you, Twilight Princess). Wii U’s tablet controller could work well directing armies of Pikmin in full gorgeous HD – the perfect opportunity to show off what Wii U is capable of.

At last year’s E3, Masahiro Sakurai announced he was returning to Super Smash Bros. – for Wii U and 3DS. Even more surprises followed when he revealed that the two games would be playable together. A year later, there might be a teaser to look at, or at least an announcement of the official title. Gameplay footage is not going to happen, as Kid Icarus Uprising has taken Sakurai longer than expected to get out the door, pushing development for a new Smash Bros. back further.

One might also wonder what third-party exclusives will be announced for Wii U. Going out on a limb, many hope a sequel to 2002′s Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem will surface, especially after this quote from developer Silicon Knights.

“The company is currently refocusing and returning to its roots, working on one of its most requested titles for the next generation.”

Let’s just say there aren’t too many people crying for a Too Human 2. Eternal Darkness 2 might not make it to E3 2012 – or exist at all – but the anticipation of what’s to come is half the fun.

Sony Sticks With PlayStation 3

I think it’s pretty obvious that ‘PlayStation 4′ isn’t going to be at E3 2012 – Sony has blatantly said so. The following possible reveals prove that PlayStation 3 still has plenty of fight left before Sony crosses over into a new gen.

God of War 4 is coming at some point – why wouldn’t it? The massively successful franchise is bound to have another entry, and it may just be closer than you think. In a recent article, Joystiq noted a retailer who is already taking preorders for God of War 4, as well as composer Timothy William’s inclusion of the title on his résumé as an upcoming game. E3 2012 might just be God of War 4′s big reveal.

Syphon Filter 4 has been talked about for a while. Sources like Play magazine have stated that 2012 is the year when Syphon Filter 4 will be announced and released. If the stealth action classic is to be released this year, an E3 reveal is the latest Sony can wait. An announcement of the long-awaited sequel could be one of Sony’s biggest showings. I’m excited to see how the developers have brought the series into current gen gaming while drawing the best from the series’ past.

Microsoft and the XBOX ’720′

The internet is currently flooded with rumors of the Xbox ’720′, ranging from not using discs to adapting to a Wii U style tablet controller. It’s reasonable to assume the new console is almost upon us, stealing E3 from Nintendo and Sony’s grasp with a big reveal. But alas, sources seem to suggest that a new Xbox is just not going to appear at E3 2012. Microsoft’s senior director of marketing Jose Pinero told Gamespot the current state of the 360.

“What we have seen with the Xbox 360 is that the Kinect has extended the life of the console.”

Kinect is working out for Microsoft, so while a new console is certainly in development, gamers will have to wait another year. Wii U, E3 2012 is all yours.

There is still plenty to potentially look forward to. Halo creators Bungie have yet to reveal their new IP. While many expected it to debut at past E3s, the game has continued to be kept under wraps. It was speculated that the new game would be a Massive Multiplayer Action game, but no confirmation from Bungie has been given. With Halo 4 receiving a showing at this year’s E3 under new developer 343 Studios, many at the expo will be wondering what Bungie has been up to. With Halo being such a huge franchise, Bungie has big shoes to fill, and if this year’s E3 isn’t the one to wow us with a new IP, so be it. You can bet we’ll still be excited next year.

What Else Can We Expect?

Plenty of games from third-party developers will also be unveiled at E3. With Nintendo joining the HD world, these games should find themselves available on all three platforms.

Dead Space 3 is an obvious assumption, given that modern sequels have a quick turnaround and that poor Isaac Clarke’s terrifying misadventure isn’t finished. Reports from inside EA’s Redwood Shores office have shown logos for Dead Space 3. Even plot details, such as the game taking place on a frozen planet, have all surfaced. I’d bet that Dead Space 3 will be announced at E3 for a 2013 release, for 360, PS3, and Wii U.

Dragon Age 3′s development has been confirmed by BioWare. They have even mentioned details about the game, such as a larger open world à la Skyrim, and how it would address the criticisms of Dragon Age 2. With the success of Mass Effect 3, it seems reasonable to keep the momentum up by showing a shiny new Dragon Age 3 trailer. The probability of a Dragon Age 3 showing at E3 is high. As if BioWare games haven’t been eating your life enough recently.

One can dream. Beyond Good and Evil 2 was announced with a teaser back at E3 2008. Since then, we have received little on the sequel to the commercial flop/cult favorite Beyond Good and Evil. I am hoping for a re-announcement of Beyond Good and Evil 2 this year (like every year), but it still seems unlikely, as series creator Michel Ancel just got done with Rayman Origins. However, some signs point to the possibility of an E3 showing. Last year saw the release of Beyond Good and Evil HD for Xbox Live Arcade and Playstation Network. Does this mean the world is ready for Beyond Good and Evil 2?

For the sake of it, I’ll also include the possibility of Star Wars Battlefront 3. Maybe. Although the game was seen as test footage years ago only to be removed, many fans still have hopes that this game exists. I wouldn’t bet on this one making any appearance at E3 2012. If it does, I will eat my red Mario hat.

Get Ready For E3

There are still plenty of potential titles to be announced that I unwittingly missed – anything from a new Hideo Kojima game to a Mario Wii U launch title are possible. The games you never saw coming will be the ones that surprise you most.

E3 2012 will run from June 5th through the 7th. Do these possible showings excite you? Or are you still waiting on the next-gen Xbox and Playstation? Let us know what you think will debut at E3 this year!

Sources: IGN, Official Nintendo Magazine, Kotaku, Joystiq, Gamespot, Eurogamer, 1UP, Wired

I’ve seriously been geeked about BioShock Infinite since the game’s announcement a few years back and I’ve been salivating with every trailer, screenshot, and bit of information that has come out. With Irrational Games’  announcement that the game will be out in North America on October 16, 2012 the end to my multi-year obsession is finally in sight.

New York, NY – March 1, 2012– 2K Games announced today that BioShock® Infinite will be available in North America on October 16, 2012 on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Windows PC. The title will be available internationally on October 19, 2012.Developed by Irrational Games, BioShock Infinite won more than 75 editorial awards at E3 in 2011, including the Game Critics Awards’ Best of Show. The title has been named one of the most anticipated games of 2012 by more than 50 media outlets, including WIRED, USA Today, TIME, GameSpot, and GameTrailers. The BioShock franchise is one of the interactive entertainment industry’s most successful and critically acclaimed series, which has sold-in over 9 million units worldwide.

After the pain melted away, I was left with nothing but a pleasant smile on my face –and in turn creeping everyone out around me; I decided to peruse the pages upon pages of notes that I took from various behind-closed-doors sessions with developers. After deciphering my notes –which at this point made as much sense to me as Davinci Code-esque hints scribbled onto Egyptian tombs would, I came across a startling realization:

There was definitely an underlying theme, and subtle strategy at this year’s E3 that I noticed across all of the developers I spent time with. They uttered common catch-phrases like it were a mantra or even some sort of bizarre brain-washing technique. Whenever I stepped into the dark, cramped rooms along with 5 or 6 other journalists, we never imagined that what at first appeared to be innocent live demos may, in fact, be some twisted cult showcase, pressing upon us propaganda delivered straight from the big wigs above.

Now I may be over-dramatizing things a bit, but I do remember at the time it feeling strange, and there were moments when it didn’t really make sense what they were rambling on about.

“We’re giving the player complete control,” uttered one developer from ‘Game A.’ Next, the lead designer from ‘Game B’ would say, “The player has complete freedom –complete control, to do whatever the player chooses.” Before I could Truman Show the experience and call it before it happens like Jake Gyllenhaal in Source Code, designer of ‘Game C’ would spout out sentence after sentence along the lines of, “The choice is entirely up to you. You can choose whichever path you want. The game world is yours to do whatever you choose to do. The player is in control.” He would emphasize the word “player” as if it were a revelation in gaming –a twist to the formula that putting you in control was going to be the next big thing never before done in a video game.

If I had a dollar for every time I heard the words, “Choose/Choice,” or “Freedom” over the course of my E3 experience, I’d be signing the deed of my newly purchased Island where it would be mandatory for everyone to own a Chimp, and to teach it to play Far Cry 2 as seen here.

Jokes aside, I have two major problems with this over-used formula:

1) Is this really a new game-changing mechanic? Should I be writing home to ma’ and pa’ about this, and building up excitement in my gut like it’s Christmas Eve? Those of you who haven’t followed any of my previous editorials should know that I have not been an avid supporter of the whole sandbox approach of, “Do anything, be anything” tidal wave of garbage that has hit our industry. In my opinion, it’s lazy and is ruining what few golden gaming memories I have left. What’s worse is that everyone seems to be jumping on this wagon, yet few know how to steer it. What we’re left with is the same open-world experience with a different setting and main character to control. Big deal.

I like being guided through someone else’s imagination. I enjoy the wonders and experiences that a developer spends meticulously creating for me to explore –even if similar to everyone else who plays the same game. It’s just like a good movie: We can all watch the exact same 90 minute film, be exposed to the same story, characters, and twist and turns along the way, yet leave the theater taking away something completely different from one another.

Sure, a little choice doesn’t hurt anyone. But you don’t need it, and you definitely don’t need to force it into every single franchise just so to appeal to the mass idiocy of a gene pool that has leaked into the gaming chromosome. Which leads me to my next point.

2) Do we need this freedom of choice in every game we play? Is there really a benefit to freedom? In my opinion this (hopefully) fad has tarnished many of my favorite franchises by introducing them to the now-cringe worthy words of “sandbox gameplay,” and “open-hub worlds.” I miss the days when “hub world” simply meant the place that gets you from level 1 to level 2. Now entire games are based in the hub world –but you’re free to explore!

The point here, however, is that sometimes it just doesn’t make sense. I sat and watched one of the lead designers run a group of us through a 30 minute demo of a  game that shall remain nameless, when something pathetic occurred. A look of desperation fell upon his face as he struggled to force his assigned “buzz words” into the presentation. Even he knew what we were witnessing was neither freedom or choice, but rather a poor excuse to repeat those despicable words we had all heard 100 times that day. He was trying to sell us on this false sense of “freedom” when it was clear-not only from the nervous sweat he began to break into, but because since when is choosing to kill an enemy in an FPS a choice? It’s the rudimentary core gameplay element.

A great example of utilizing choice and freedom without sacrificing the story or player experience is in Arkham Asylum. It was a perfect mix of linear and non-linear game design. You could imagine my disappointment when hearing the changes being made to make Arkham City a more “open-world.” I have faith in those guys at Rocksteady, but I remain skeptical until I get my hands on the final build to see if any of their integrity was compromised to make the masses happier, and their piggy banks fuller.

With all of this said, I’m not entirely bitter about this concept. When done right it’s a very thrilling experience. Even the new Tomb Raider has elements of open hub-worlds in their reboot of Lara Croft which shows some real promise. I guess I’m just a poor old fashioned gamer hoping to cling onto some of the core experiences that first attracted me to the medium in the first place.

Developers that know how to implement these forms of gameplay should stick to it. As for the rest of you, don’t quit your day jobs. As for me? I’m going to let the mystery of why all the developers at this year’s E3 were obsessed with cementing that their game had the very best in player choice remain a mystery. Tom Hanks can crack that code while I try can cure my boredom and go bowling. (In GTA).

It’s no surprise that fans of the Devil May Cry franchise have been anything but happy at the direction that developer Ninja Theory is taking the latest game in the franchise. Called DMC, the game has since been called a reboot and is reportedly an origin story for Dante.

While publisher Capcom expected fan reaction to Dante’s character change to be negative, they have since gone ahead with the project, showing off a slightly different version of the character at E3 in a gameplay trailer. However, fans, who are generally afraid of change of any kind, have still reacted negativity to the direction of the game, although I personally found it somewhat refreshing after the disaster that was Devil May Cry 4.

Enter Platinum Games. Platinum Games is an evolution of Capcom’s former Clover Studios and features key talent from that group such as Shinji Mikami and Hideki Kamiya. Under the Clover Studios moniker, the developer was responsible such artistic greats as Okami and Viewtiful Joe. Since forming as an independent studio, Platinum Games has developed titles such as Bayonetta, Vanquish, MadWorld and most recently, Anarchy Reigns.

Now how does Platinum Games fit into the DMC picture?

Well on Twitter, a fanboy asked designer Hideki Kamiya the following: “We, your DMC fans, ask you…PLEASE COME BACK AND FIX THIS PROBLEM!”

To which Kamiya replied: “Ask Capcom.”

Kamiya was then asked: “If Capcom came and asked you and platinum to do DMC, would Platinum management go for it?”

Kamya then replied: “Sure. We’re ready.”

There you have it, Platinum Games is officially interested in taking on the DMC mantle from Ninja Theory, but of course this is just interest and does not confirm anything. Personally, I think Ninja Theory should continue what they are doing. In developing Heavenly Sword and Enslaved: Odyssey to the West Ninja Theory has proven that they know how to tell one helluva story, but it still the gameplay lacked solid depth in both titles, which is more of the selling point of a Devil May Cry game. Regardless, the franchise has really only hit two out of four as far as great and noteworthy titles (those two being the first and third installments), so I’m confident that Ninja Theory has the capacity to bring the franchise to at least its previous high levels.

If you haven’t seen the latest DMC E3 trailer, I’ll put that below so that you all can make solid judgements about the gameplay of the upcoming reboot. Let us know what you think below.

[Gaming247]

Because of my insane love for the second game, I’ve always followed the series just in case they ever managed to win my heart over again. To this day, I think they should just remake the second… but that’s another story. This is about the all-new Twisted Metal, which looks to reboot the franchise with its numberless, subtitle-less name.

When it was first introduced, it reminded me too much of Twisted Metal Black, which I know a lot of people loved so that may not be a bad thing if TMB was your cup of tea. But I also felt like the new Twisted Metal was trying to do too many things, and that may still be the case as I was only given a single game mode to try out with my hands-on time.

Like a lot of the multiplayer games at E3, people were split up evenly and pitted against one another locally, and even given headsets to communicate with one another. We played the Nuke The Base game mode, which was a little tough to get the hold of in an E3 environment. For those unfamiliar with the mode, let me walk you through it:

Your objective is to locate the other team’s boss, which for us looked like the clown, Sweet Tooth. Once captured he is chained to the back of your vehicle and dragged around until you locate a pre-determined spot to sacrifice the boss into. It’s like capture the flag, but with a major twist. The pre-determined spot is actually a vehicle that is driving around the map. Once you have the boss dragging behind you, you’ve got to reach this vehicle, and drive directly behind it. Once behind it, a circle appears that you must stay inside for a certain amount of time (which felt like forever when you’re the one doing it). If you managed to stay within the circle amidst the vehicle making break-neck turns at high speeds, and your foes whaling missiles at you, you will successfully sacrifice the team’s boss into a fiery mess of blades. But it isn’t over yet. After the boss is killed you’re able to launch a missile that the player who’s killed the boss controls, and you must guide it into the other team’s monument successfully to score a point.

Sounds like a lot of work, right? It is, and it isn’t. We had virtually no idea going into the thing what to do beyond a quick crash course from the reps, but after a minute or two we had it figured it out. I actually got our team a point, which was an insanely gratifying feeling after you do so much to earn it.

The game felt silky smooth, and responsive. I forget who I chose to play as the counter ended up selecting a random character for me, but it controlled very well. I could turn on a dime, and accelerate very quickly, keeping me in the action at all times.

I left the demo feeling happy, and looking forward to the game’s final release. I can only hope all of the game’s modes are as fun, and remain fun. The only thing that stood out to me, was I didn’t get much personality from the other vehicles on the map. They all sort of blended together, though it could have just been the mode we were playing. I’m sure the cast’s unique abilities and personalities will shine through in deathmatch.

Overall I had a pleasant, and surprising time with Twisted Metal, and I can’t wait to get some more time with it.

RAGE

After an in-depth walk-through of Skyrim, I got the chance to get my hands on RAGE at Bethesda’s tightly guarded booth at E3 (Which I have to say is shaping up to be one of the more impressive studios at E3 this year). While this game wasn’t really on my radar, I can safely say it is now.

At first everyone was only talking about how great it looked, and personally visuals only go so far for my overall enjoyment of a game. Thankfully, RAGE looks like it’s going to offer a lot more than just -what some people are calling- more Fallout. While they’re similarities in setting, the feel and gameplay is entirely different. It has a more accessible, or arcade feel to it compared to Fallout, and the fantastic visuals only compliment everything else.

The game feels very polished as soon as you pick up the controller. Sadly, I missed the intro to the demo so when I jumped in I really had no idea what my objective was, so instead I got used to the controls and tried to explore some of the area. I eventually made my way to an ATV and was able to drive around and soak in some of the apocalyptic views that RAGE has to offer. I then stumbled into a city (the one you’ve seen already in videos if you’ve been following the game at all). I talked to a few people, and just for fun tried to shoot one of the store owners and was disappointed when nothing happened at all. No dialogue response from the NPC, or even a physical reaction. Kinda lame. I didn’t get a chance to test out any of the combat, but if this game ends up with a decent story, and fun combat, I could see it being a pretty solid title that I’ll enjoy.