Been watching E3 footage on and off today as it comes in.
Resistance 2, Fallout 3, Fable 2, Final Fantasy XIII, all big names with big information today, however, the game that really stood out for me today was Prince of Persia.
The combat is so very dramatic, it is almost like watching a movie play out before you. Acrobatics have always been challanging and entertaining elements of the series, and they are returning in full force. I am also absolutely amazed, fascinated really, with the giant leap the team is taking to remove death from the game. Certainly, hardcore players would say it makes the game too easy, but we've all been frustrated in at least one game where we die, and die, and die... having to repeat the same steps over and over until we finally cross that hurtle.
The advantage of having save points, and maybe occasional checkpoints is that such a system makes a game longer. We've all played games that take say 15 hours to beat our first run through. Then, when we are masters of the game, when we can defeat the most difficult of challanges with relative ease and bragging rights... we can blaze through a second playthrough in a handful of hours.
What makes Prince of Persia so interesting, is that according to the interviewee, the game will take a player roughly 15 hours to run through once - just running through, not doing everything there is to do. How amazing if this is true? An action game such as this, without death, without having to restart and redo the same ten, twenty minutes because you couldn't handle a boss or enemies swarmed in too quickly, coming in at roughly 15 hours?
Most games these days take 5 to 10 hours to complete once - even with death and having to go back and redo sections.
Prince of Persia is my game to watch for this holiday season.
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Moving on, quick notes on other franchises.
Fallout 3. I watched the demo, expecting to be amazed by Bethesda's brilliance (Which unfortunately I consider dulled after the gem that was Elder Scrolls III.), however, I found myself immensly dissapointed. It was Elder Scrolls IV with guns and a fancy "stop time and aim for me" combat system. I'm certain it will be infinately more entertaining to actually use the system, but watching it was underwhelming. My experience of this demo was not helped by the constant thought "This guy sucks at FPS." that I could not get out of my head.
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Resistance 2. Not having played the first game, Resistance: Fall of Man, I'm not too familiar with the series. When the giant alien first appeared, my jaw dropped and I couldn't help but wish this E3 were highlighting a Shadow of the Colossus remake, or sequel, or whatever. Anyways, it was pretty amazing... until the giant alien picked up your character king kong style and allowed you to shoot two rockets down his throat. I thought, "Erm, what?" Then of course, to further add to the stupidity of the whole thing, the moster tosses you through a crossway with glass walls, which you fly through, and continue to fly until you smash through another window and fatially splatter on concrete in a pulpy mess of blood.
Ok, that last part is what should have happened. Instead, your character stands back up, unfased, to continue to attack this giant beast who suddenly doesn't care about any of the other marines who are attacking him. I guess the rockets down the throat provoked him... and he noticed that you didn't splatter into a bloody pulp, so he wants you really dead. Anyways, as with all giant monsters, he can't aim worth a damn, and therefore misses you by twenty feet with his first swing. By shere force of luck he manages to grab you a second time - where he damn well should have smashed you into that bloody pulp you should have been minutes before. Instead, he just waves you around Kong like and roars, prompting another salvo of missles up his dumb throat.
As unrealistic as fighting a 500 foot monster is, surviving a toss like that is unbeleivable. It makes one wonder why the pathetic things called bullets can kill such an immortal main character.
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Fable 2. I've only watched one E3 demo, the one about co-op being available online, and about how your pals are glowy orbs in your world that you only have to click on to invite. Let me say, that's a pretty neat idea. That was a WOW moment, but not so much as Prince of Persia. I'm not so keen on my friends being able to change my world though, I have quite a few friends who would laugh their heads off while causing mayhem and chaos. I'm certain I'll have to secret my spouse and children from them.
Not all that fond of the art direction, however, I wasn't all that fond of Fable 1's, and I enjoyed that game just fine - so I'll get over it.
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Final Fantasy XIII. Who would have thought, in their right mind, that Final Fantasy XIII would be announced for the Xbox 360? I'm still shocked. The number one reason I bought my PS3 was "Final Fantasy XIII is going to be released on this system". Now, don't get me wrong, I love my PS3 for a good number of other reasons, but Final Fantasy XIII was the one and only exclusive I was looking forward to. (Not hat I haven't found a good number already in Folklore, Grand Tourismo, Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Metal Gear Solid 4)
PS. The Xbox 360 trailer gave me goosbumps, recycled footage or not.
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On that note, the trend is even more clear than ever. The Xbox 360 is the undisputed king of this generation RPGs. Where the PS2 held the title last generation, and the PSX before it, Microsoft has stolen the show. Still, there is a pathetic number of RPG's in this FPS flooded generation. Hopefully, the goodly number of titles in the next few years are each ace.
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There were a number of other fascinating titles today, and I won't begin to name all of them, but a few to keep an eye on:
Mirror's Edge, Dead Space, GEARS 2, Star Ocean 4, a Portal sequel, and many more.