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.

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot with Nintendo Global President Satoru Iwata

Last week at E3 2011, Nintendo hosted a special roundtable featuring Ubisoft executives and developers to showcase several upcoming Ubisoft games for Nintendo’s new Wii U console.  The event featured remarks from Nintendo Global President Satoru Iwata, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot, and several development team members.

Discussed at the roundtable were the following games that are in development at Ubisoft for the new Wii U:

• Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Online
• Killer Freaks from Outer Space
• Assassin’s Creed

Ubisoft has also announced that a Rabbids title and a multi-sports game is also being developed for the new console platform.

To watch the Nintendo and Ubisoft developer roundtable from  E3 2011 – click here.

According to Iwata, “The reason for that is that we feel that enough people already have devices that are capable of playing DVDs and Blu-ray, such that it didn’t warrant the cost involved to build that functionality into the Wii U console because of the patents related to those technologies.”

However, considering Netflix Instant is currently working on the original Wii, and it’s coming to the 3DS within the next couple of months, you would say it will have some sort of presence on Nintendo’s upcoming console.

Ditching DVD and Bluray support seems like a bold step, but one that was more than expected from a firm as unpredictable as Nintendo, and it must be said their do-it-their-way attitude has helped them greatly in the past. But what do you think? Is DVD and Bluray playback a selling point for you? Feel free to speak your mind in the comment section.

Source: Escapist Magazine / IGN

Truth be told I had only found out about this downloadable game days before E3. I didn’t really know what to think. It was both a good idea, and a pointless one at the same time. I had walked by the demos two days in a row before finally getting in the line-up on the third and final day. My initial thoughts upon watching it, was that it felt fast and twitchy like Counter-Strike. That for some reason immediately turned me off. It just felt all too generic. Once getting my hands on it, I warmed up to it a little.

There were about 6 to 10 consoles set up, to have even teams of Jokers vs Batmen. I was on team Bat. The actual game itself is fast and furious, as you run and gun your way around the map. The objective in the game I was playing was to locate a battery that could then be armed onto a brainwashing device. There was about a 30 second time period where the other team could try and disarm the device, but once triggered, the device would send out a signal that would make the other team’s characters go insane. Once in this frenzied state, they would run frantically around the map, and while easy to kill once this happens, if they were lucky enough to get close to you, they could take you out with a swift slap in the face. In the next round, the same thing plays out but you switch spawns to even the playing field.

I was actually able to score some points for our team, after taking awhile to figure things out. My favorite part of the game were the gadgets. My character carried a grappling hook which could be used to quickly get on top of roofs, and even used horizontally to travel across the map quicker. It added a decent bit of variety to the standard multiplayer mix.

It being a downloadable game will definitely give it an easier time with the critics. It does what it sets out to do well, but the question remains as to its relevance in the market. I didn’t get a chance to customize my character at all, so I’m not sure just how deep that aspect of the game will be, but I suspect that will play a major role in the final product. I’m also excited to see what other gadgets the game has up its sleeves.

Really, there’s not much negative things to say about it, but not much to make it stand out in a significant way. At the moment, it seems like a decent way to spend an evening.

Dead Island

The team behind Dead Island really know how to nail down a cinematic. The first trailer for the game made huge waves in the community with its frightening slow motion teaser played in reverse with a haunting piano theme reminiscent of TV’s Lost playing throughout. If obtaining buzz was their goal, they definitely accomplished it.

I was expecting a little more buzz around the game at E3, but the two times I had made my way over there, the six stations it was being demoed on didn’t seem to be getting the attention I was hoping for. Though in its defense, Square Enix had a solid lineup of games for people to check out. Nearby was a huge screen showing off some new story footage of the game, and as always it was done exquisitely. Like I said before, they really know how to nail a cinematic. But the big question remained, would the game be any good?

My extremely brief time with the game was quite a let-down in comparison to the attention the story and promotional videos was receiving. It felt like a slightly more realistic take on Left 4 Dead. Again, my time with it was super brief. The game allowed for a 5 minute play-through, and I began mine near the end of someone else’s slot. In my time with the game I was surrounded by a group of 3-4 zombies slowly cornering me as I tried to take them out melee style with a wrench (I think). I swung until my eventual death. To be honest, I don’t feel good passing any judgement on how the game will turn out based on my short time with it, but I can confidently say the feel of Dead Island did strike me too similarly to the way Left 4 Dead did the first time I played it. But I do have faith that there’s more to it than what I saw, and that the main story could hopefully be compelling enough to give it a fresh edge.

“From the latest in motion controllers and racing wheels to cutting-edge chargers and cases, Memorex is helping families enhance their gaming experience with user-inspired products at a price that won’t hurt the pocketbook,” said Erica Danielski, Memorex global brand manager. “Whether your family members are gaming gurus or new to the gaming arena, Memorex gaming accessories enhance at-home or on-the-go family gaming experiences and help create memorable WeTime family moments.”

While the “WeeTime” message might be lost on some of us, getting sick gaming gear for great prices is certainly something of interest to me.

Here’s the new product roll-out:

With its rubberized grips and concave buttons, the Memorex Motion Gaming Controller for PlayStation® 3 is fully compatible with PlayStation Move™ games and allows for a full range of motion, giving gamers the most comfortable, realistic gaming experience possible.  Featuring a high-gloss black finish and cool blue LEDs to help you game in style, the Motion Gaming Controller makes it easy for every member of the family to play. MSRP: $39.99

The ideal companion to the Motion Gaming Controller, the Sidekick Gaming Controller for PlayStation® 3 is a must-have for family gaming. Featuring cool blue LEDs, rubberized grips, concave buttons, a 360-degree directional pad and a high-gloss black finish, the Sidekick Gaming Controller offers a significant range of motion and hours of fun for family gamers.  MSRP: $19.99

The Memorex Universal Game Selector Case for Nintendo® DS™ is compatible with all Nintendo DS consoles and helps families avoid losing their games while making it easy to switch between titles. The innovative design enables players to store and switch between up to three games without removing the cartridges from the storage compartment. Powered by the console with no batteries needed, this product provides a true plug and play experience. MSRP: $19.99

One of the lightest standard size controllers in the marketplace, the Memorex Game Controller Plus for Nintendo® Wii™ features integrated MotionPlus™ technology without the need for an adaptor. Ergonomically designed, the controller’s perforated grips and rubberized 360-degree directional pad allow for a more comfortable and responsive gaming experience, while LED backlighting and stylish colors add a modern touch. Available in black, metallic pink and metallic blue.  MSRP $29.99

The Memorex Wireless Sidekick Gaming Controller for Nintendo® Wii™ features an integrated rechargeable battery and provides a fully wireless gaming experience with any Nintendo Wii game requiring a Nunchuk™. Ergonomic grips add comfort to the gaming experience, while LED backlighting adds an element of style. Available in black, metallic pink and metallic blue.  MSRP $24.99

For additional information, visit the Memorex website or Facebook Fan Page.

I’ve always been an optimist for Sonic (not sure how), and I’m always pulling for the little blue guy. While I still don’t think he’s made quite the comeback he needs, I can at least see some progress in the right direction with the last few releases. However, whether it’s the episodic adventures SEGA is releasing, or this new offering, I feel like they still haven’t quite got it right.

In this demo you are able to choose between classic Sonic in Green Hill Zone re-done in “beautiful HD visuals,” or you can play the all-new level with modern Sonic. Since I’ve already had all the ‘nostalgia’ I can handle with Sonic 4, I decided to opt for the new level.

Sonic Generations seems to be trying to capture all of the ‘fun’ spots of its recent 3D outings, and string them together. You’re equipped with a few moves: Pressing ‘X’ gives Sonic a super dash, ‘A’ is jump (tap again in-air for the usual homing move), and ‘B’ provides a slide which can be used to slide underneath rocks or obstacles to maintain your speed.

Things moved quickly in the demo, but most of it felt familiar. Similar surroundings, classic loops, and rails to glide on find their way into the first stage. This also means the same problems will to pop up. I’m not sure why they don’t attempt a fix for these, or just do away with the mechanic that causes them in the first place. You’ll still home-on toward a rail only to have Sonic fall right through to his death, and still find yourself watching the game play itself. Really, in a lot of the 3D Sonic games, I’ve found that the real challenge does not rest in the hands of the level design or enemies, but rather the game itself. How long can you run before a bug, or game design error kills you? That’s the true test.

Visually the game also suffered from a few aliasing issues, and things got a bit scrambled when moving super fast or when the camera switched from side-scroll view to behind Sonic. I suspect these are issues that will be panned out before its release. They were also offering the game in 3D, but I didn’t get a chance to try that out.

Overall, I can see people enjoying this more than some of the other Sonic games (Sonic Unleashed, Sonic the Hedgehog etc), but I still don’t think it’s the one to turn the tides for our favorite hedgehog.

UPDATE:

I decided to give Sonic Generations a second play through, this time not only choosing the other level they are putting on demo (which is classic Green Hill Zone HD), but also playing it in 3D.

The 3D glasses fit terribly, and kept falling off, but I managed to keep them balanced on my face for the entire level. I must say, the 3D added quite a bit to my enjoyment of the game; it really added to the experience. The classic stage itself felt a lot better than the other stage, too. It was better designed, flowed well, and was a lot more fun. Feeling selfish, I decided to make the person behind me wait a bit longer, as I tried the other stage again, but this time in 3D. My second experience with this stage was also more fun. That being said, it was just ‘better,’ not game changing by any means. Hardcore fans will find something to enjoy in this title, but those waiting to hate on it will still have plenty to hate on.

It’s strange; I’m not into this 3D craze at all, as I find it doesn’t enrich any of my experiences, even when watching movies. In fact, it hinders them. When it comes to gaming, however, the experience just feels right. Will it give Sonic Generations the boost it needs? We’ll find out when upon its release.