E3'08 - Xbox 360 News

[heavyness]

Major Nelson has posted on where you can watch the Microsoft E3'08 Press Conference online and on cable tv....

http://majornelson.com/archive/2008/07/09/how-you-can-catch-the-e3-briefings-live.aspx


I just got off the phone with Adam Sessler (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Sessler) over at G4 (http://www.g4tv.com/) (check here (http://www.g4tv.com/channel.aspx) to see if G4 is available in your area.) who filled me in on G4’s plans for E3 next week. If you’re not headed to LA but you still want to get in on all the gaming action, don’t worry…it sounds like they have you covered. They’ve posted a schedule of coverage on their site (http://www.g4tv.com/xplay/blog/post/686842/G4s_Massive_E308_Coverage_Announced.html), and the great news is that they’ll be carrying the complete Microsoft Press Briefing on Monday (They’ll also be carrying the Sony and Nintendo events as well) without commercial interruptions. I guess the learned their lesson from last year (http://digg.com/gaming_news/G4_cuts_to_commercial_during_the_new_E3_2007_Halo_3_trailer). According to that schedule, it looks like they’ll have a stream available on G4tv.com as well. So set your DVR’s and get ready for some gaming news. P.S. I’ll also be recording our show and live blogging it from backstage, but more on that later this week.

[Solothores]

FPS
Gears of War 2 (Epic)
Day One Flythrough HD (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36050.html)
Security Flythrough HD (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36052.html)
River level Flythrough HD (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36055.html)
Gridlock Comparison (GoW / GoW2) HD (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36059.html)
Multiplayer Gameplay HD (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36057.html)


***
FPS
Dead Space
Loved Ones Trailer E3 HD (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36031.html)
Description:
By Saw director James Wan


***
Action (3rd Person View)
Too Human
E3 Trailer (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36091.html)


***
Action (3rd Person View)
Star Wars: Force Unleashed
Launch Trailer (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36011.html)

[Solothores]

Source: (http://uk.gamespot.com/forums/show_blog_entry.php?topic_id=26483669&part=rss&tag=gs_news&subj=6193720)



[...] According to the source, the new Halo game will be a spin-off that resembles "a cross between Ghost Recon and Gears of War." It will reportedly tell a "less cartoony" and "more bloody, violent, and grim" tale of a battle between UNSC forces and the pan-racial religious empire known as the Covenant. The game's atmosphere was described as similar to that of the live-action Halo shorts (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUcreY0X33k) directed by South African filmmaker Neil Blomkamp (pictured), who was to helm the now-stalled big-screen adaptation of the game (http://www.gamespot.com/news/show_blog_entry.php?topic_id=26163137).

The source says the upcoming Halo game is a tactical shooter that will follow a squad of colonial marines or orbital drop shock troopers engaged in "intense" fighting on the ground. Gameplay details were scant, other than the fact it will reportedly allow gamers to play as an entire squad in co-op mode through the entire campaign. The exact number of co-op players has yet to be finalized, but it could be as high as eight. It is unclear if the new game is the same as the "Halo: Forerunner" project (http://www.gamespot.com/news/show_blog_entry.php?topic_id=24847371) first rumored in 2006.

The official story: Microsoft had not yet responded to requests for comment as of press time.

Bogus or not bogus?: Based on the strength of the source, this is almost certainly not bogus. And with Bungie's teaser last week, news about the game could arrive as soon as tomorrow's Microsoft press conference at the E3 Media & Business Summit. (http://e3.gamespot.com/)

[salmonmoose]

The Too Human demo is now available go grab it! :)


http://www.xbox360fanboy.com/2008/07/14/e308-too-human-demo-online-now/

[salmonmoose]

Oh lawd... not more halo. Can't we institute some game law that states that any game with more than 3 parts has jumped the shark?

Special exceptions if you bring back a classic game of course :)

[NME-Se7eN]

I don't mind new Halos. After all, it's not like it's an annual series... well, until recently. I think once it becomes annualized, the pressure is on to keep quality consistant, which will be harder with many studios working on the Halo projects.

[SheepFactory]

Microsoft E3 Media Briefing:

San Francisco - Monday - 10:30.
Seattle - Monday - 10:30.
Los Angeles - Monday - 10:30.
Denver - Monday - 11:30.
Mexico City - Monday - 12:30.
Minneapolis - Monday - 12:30
Chicago - Monday - 12:30.
Detroit - Monday - 13:30.
Washington DC - Monday - 13:30.
New York - Monday - 13:30.
Rio de Janeiro - Monday - 14:30.
Reykjavik - Monday - 17:30.
London - Monday - 18:30.
Paris - Monday - 19:30.
Copenhagen - Monday- 19:30
Oslo - Monday - 19:30.
Frankfurt - Monday - 19:30.
Stockholm - Monday - 19:30.
Athens - Monday - 20:30
Cairo - Monday - 20:30.
Moscow - Monday - 21:30.
Kabul - Monday - 22:00.
Hong Kong - Tuesday - 01:30.
Tokyo - Tuesday - 02:30.
Melbourne - Tuesday - 03:30.

[Venkman]

Oh lawd... not more halo. Can't we institute some game law that states that any game with more than 3 parts has jumped the shark?

Special exceptions if you bring back a classic game of course :)


Do you include the two Final Fantasy 13 games coming out? ;)

[NME-Se7eN]

Do you include the two Final Fantasy 13 games coming out? ;)

That's different... one is VERSUS... so it has more fighting and broody characters.... I hope My Chemical Romance does the soundtrack... or Danny Elfman

Regardless, why hate on sequels?

[salmonmoose]

Do you include the two Final Fantasy 13 games coming out? ;)

I hardly consider the Final Fantasy games to be sequels, in the few I've managed to stomach they've had nothing to do with one another.

That said, I could live without them, there's a host of WRPGs headed this way that I'd rather get my hands on.

[salmonmoose]

Regardless, why hate on sequels?

Not sequels.

Endless sequels.

Is it THAT hard to think up some new IP? Or come up with a game that can live off it's own merit, rather than that of all the games before it.

I just feel like the trilogy fits the over-all story arc nicely.

[SheepFactory]

Any link to watch the MS press conference?

[ParamountCell]

Any link to watch the MS press conference?I think ign may have one. I know kotaku are liveblogging.

[SheepFactory]

Ign's is for paid membership only and they would have to pay me to read Kotaku.

[kevOrama]

I think g4 is steaming Microsoft's, Sony's and Nintendo's press conferences.

[SheepFactory]

Yea conference started just now.

[Brettzies]

New Dashboard...looks like PS3 and Wii had a baby and raised it in the country of Microsoft.

Avatars, kind of cool actually, but I already feel my self missing the old simple dashboard.

Feels a bit like they are playing the "me too" game. Cool to see they can reinvent the interface though.

[SheepFactory]

Well this is up there with the Sony 06 conference.

It is hilarious to read peoples reactions on forums though :D

[Bonedaddy]

Final Fantasy 13 on Xbox.

Wow.

[SheepFactory]

Wow sony just got owned.

Cant believe they lose this exclusive.

[mmkelly011881]

http://www.bungie.net/ (http://www.bungie.net)

there's a countdown timer

[NME-Se7eN]

Wow sony just got owned.

Cant believe they lose this exclusive.

I don't know, I was sort of expecting it. Just kind of crappy to see. After all, 360 has the love from Square and Square is taking up their traditional "waaaaa Sony" kicking and screaming. It's so sad the only system they were happy with Sony launching was the original Playstation. They complained about PS2 and PSP and PS3...

Oh well...

I do want to see what Sony announces as retaliation though.

[SheepFactory]

I don't know, I was sort of expecting it. Just kind of crappy to see. After all, 360 has the love from Square and Square is taking up their traditional "waaaaa Sony" kicking and screaming. It's so sad the only system they were happy with Sony launching was the original Playstation. They complained about PS2 and PSP and PS3...

Oh well...

I do want to see what Sony announces as retaliation though.


It is actually a great thing for MS to light a fire under sony's ass like this. Now they really have to up their game. This neck to neck competition is awesome. Apparently sony was not lying when they said "we do not buy 3rd party exclusives" because I honestly expected them to just bribe square enix to keep it exclusive. Also what is the word on FFXIII Versus?

[sfox8]

I'm not excited about XIII being on 360 since that was one of Sony's biggest exclusives that they had going for them.

But I agree, I really want to see what they have up their sleeves to combat this now. They really need a good comeback.

[Brettzies]

http://www.bungie.net/

there's a countdown timer

Does that mean we have to wait till Wed? I was expecting it today.

[SheepFactory]

I'm not excited about XIII being on 360 since that was one of Sony's biggest exclusives that they had going for them.

But I agree, I really want to see what they have up their sleeves to combat this now. They really need a good comeback.


Actually it is funny that the 360 is THE console to play JRPG's this gen. Sony still has to release a single JRPG on the PS3.

[NME-Se7eN]

Actually it is funny that the 360 is THE console to play JRPG's this gen. Sony still has to release a single JRPG on the PS3.

Depends on the region. Because the US only has Enchanted Arms so far... unless you count Folklore. But Japan has nearly a dozen.

[sfox8]

Depends on the region. Because the US only has Enchanted Arms so far... unless you count Folklore. But Japan has nearly a dozen.

I was going to mention Folklore, but that's not done in traditional rpg style (at least as far as the fighting system goes).

[millermeter]

check out http://www.engadget.com/ for picts of the new 360dash
(I don't really like it) I'll miss the old one.

[SheepFactory]

I am actually curious about this netflix thing they announced. Will I need a live gold membership to use it? I would rather not sign on live since I do all my online gaming on my PS3 but the netflix thing looks very sweet. This is of course assuming Canada gets it in the first place.

[Brettzies]

Play from hard drive: Copy your games from the game disc and play directly from the hard drive. Not only will the drive not spin, but load times are quicker, as well. Of course, you will still need the disc in the tray to prove you own the game.
.
Access Xbox LIVE Marketplace on the Web: Browse and purchase Marketplace content whenever you want from Xbox.com and it downloads automatically to your console. Purchase that new map, television episode, the latest Xbox LIVE Arcade game or set up a movie to watch when you get home from work.
.
Dashboard built into the new Xbox Guide: For everyone who loves the blades interface, it’s not going away; they are now built directly in to the new Xbox guide. Every feature and option is available right from the guide. You can even access your full games library at all times. No matter where you are (in dash or in game), immediately call up your games played list and directly launch a game.
.
LIVE Party system: Create a party of up to eight friends, and stay with them from one game to another, or watch a Netflix movie together, or share a slideshow of your personal photos. It works with all Xbox 360 titles, not just upcoming games. LIVE Party allows up to eight people to chat in the dashboard, so you can meet up before playing.
.
Xbox LIVE Primetime: This whole new category of games is going to give you more reasons to get online with your friends. Games will support everything you’d expect, like Achievements and leader boards, but many of these games will include real prizes. You can invite your friends, and even set a reminder for an upcoming show. Each game is broadcast simultaneously, so everyone is answering the same questions. Many events will have a live host, calling the shots as they happen.
.
Avatars: Your online identity started as a Gamertag - it then grew into a personalized Gamercard. Now, it has evolved even further into avatars. You can express your style, check out new outfits and share this with the community. Avatars will also be integrated into Xbox LIVE Arcade games, LIVE Party, as well as retail games.
.
New display support: Because you asked for it, we are adding 16X10 over VGA or HDMI, and support for 1440x900 or 1680x1050.
Looks like they are adding some good stuff. I wish HD install was available from the get go. Maybe Mass Effect wouldn't have had all the stuttering and it wouldn't sound like a jet-engine warming up in your living room.

[heavyness]

just got back from the "xbox campus" and watching the entire thing with tons of xbox workers... lots of cheers for projects finally being released [i was sitting with 2 of the dashboard devs].

overall, i thought MS did a great job. showed off their big games and mentioned a lot of "exclusive content" for the 360. they did let that girl sing waaay to long, but... what are you going to do.


here is a list of the news...

-N64's Banjo Kazooie coming to XBLA
-install games onto the Xbox 360 (http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/install-your-xbox-360-games-to-the-hard-drive-access-xblm-on-th/)
-browse the Marketplace on your pc (http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/install-your-xbox-360-games-to-the-hard-drive-access-xblm-on-th/)
-Xbox Live Primetime (http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/install-your-xbox-360-games-to-the-hard-drive-access-xblm-on-th/) - play games, win real prizes [like games like 1vs100]. basically, game shows competely online and on Xbox Live
-You're In the Moives (http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/youre-in-the-movies-to-make-b-movies-via-xbox-live-vision/) - make movies, kinda cheesey, but that's the point.
-Fallout 3 with exclusive DLC
-Resident Evil 4 online co-op
-NETFLIX (http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/netflix-coming-exclusively-to-xbox-360-at-no-additional-cost/) - stream movies on demand through your xbox 360
-Geometry Wars 2 - exclusive
-Portal - Still Alive - this fall on XBLA
-UNO Rush for the XBLA
-Lips - Microsoft's karaoke game. made by the guys who made Elite Beat Agents. will allow you to use your own music to sing to.
-Fable II with a really cool way to play co-op online. you see a purple orb moving through the world, it's your friend playing his quest. walk up to the orb, hit a button, and bam, your both playing to gether now [no lobbies]. really cool
-Gear of War II - flame thrower, more enemies, really cool stages, new 5 player co-op mode.
-New dashboard with built in party system.
-Avatars - able to use in game.
-Banjo Kazooie and Viva Pinatas 2 coming soon
-Rock Band 2 will premiere exclusively on Xbox 360 with 84 master tracks, including Bob Dylan and AC/DC. will allow you to use all music fron Rock Band 1 in 2 [inlcuding the songs from the disc].
-Final Fantasy XIII

[ThomasMahler]

Imagine you're the guy who has to do the presentation for Sony now - It's like being roundhouse-kicked in the crotch by Microsoft and now they're telling you to enjoy it.

Sony would have to at least show a monster title like God of War 3 and the Team ICO game or something. Microsoft has really done a good job here.

[sfox8]

Imagine you're the guy who has to do the presentation for Sony now - It's like being roundhouse-kicked in the crotch by Microsoft and now they're telling you to enjoy it.

Sony would have to at least show a monster title like God of War 3 and the Team ICO game or something. Microsoft has really done a good job here.

I agree. Sony really needs to have a huge comeback here. As it stands now, Microsoft has them backed into a corner. Personally, I think revealing Team ICO's new game is about the only thing that would at least give them a little leeway with their fans. (Though I -am- looking forward to hearing about GoW3)

As far as Square goes, I'm not sure what they're going to do about their Sony fans now. Sure, they made a lot of 360 owners giddy but they just punched all the PS3 fanboys in the face.

[Kion]

Where is Alan Wake?

[SheepFactory]

I agree. Sony really needs to have a huge comeback here. As it stands now, Microsoft has them backed into a corner. Personally, I think revealing Team ICO's new game is about the only thing that would at least give them a little leeway with their fans. (Though I -am- looking forward to hearing about GoW3)

As far as Square goes, I'm not sure what they're going to do about their Sony fans now. Sure, they made a lot of 360 owners giddy but they just punched all the PS3 fanboys in the face.


Why is that? Final fantasy is still coming out on the ps3 at the same time. It is not like it is 360 exclusive.

Also Square is not in the business of making console fanboys happy. They are trying to sell games and turn a profit. Releasing FFXIII on 360 ensures they will sell another 5-6 million on top of what they sell on the ps3.

[Rist]

Why is that? Final fantasy is still coming out on the ps3 at the same time. It is not like it is 360 exclusive.

Also Square is not in the business of making console fanboys happy. They are trying to sell games and turn a profit. Releasing FFXIII on 360 ensures they will sell another 5-6 million on top of what they sell on the ps3.

They want a reason for owning a PS3. Although I really do not have to tell you that now, do I ;) ?

[Kion]

Why is that? Final fantasy is still coming out on the ps3 at the same time. It is not like it is 360 exclusive.

They don't have choice especially with how much it cost to make games now. I think there will always be timed exclusives. A 3rd party game being exclusive to one system is a thing of the past.

[SheepFactory]

They want a reason for owning a PS3. Although I really do not have to tell you that now, do I ;) ?


If you think FFXIII was the only reason to own a PS3 and 360's game selection appeals to you more, you should go with 360. There is nothing wrong with that.

[leigh]

Lots of new cool features, but I don't like the new dashboard look :sad:

[NME-Se7eN]

Also Square is not in the business of making console fanboys happy. They are trying to sell games and turn a profit. Releasing FFXIII on 360 ensures they will sell another 5-6 million on top of what they sell on the ps3.

Well, here's the thing...

Last Remnant went from multiplat to 360 exclusive
Infinite Undiscovery is 360 exclusive
Star Ocean went from being PS3 hinted in Famitsu to... 360 exclusive
FFXIII is going to 360
FFXIII Versus is unknown...

Now, if you were a former 360 owner who got fed up with hardware breakdowns when you sent it in for repair for the fifth time and you see SE working on five next gen games, three are exclusive to 360, one is a lost exclusive, and Versus is on permanent hold while SE pushes FFXIII out the door, exactly how is this NOT a kick in the balls? And this assumes FFXIII will sell dramatically more now... which considering the JRPG track record of sales on the console thus far, seems contrary to actual sales data.

I mean, I'm all for keeping all console owners happy but let's put it this way, this is watching PSP with SquareEnix all over again. In other words, taking three years to get their first major release out, while saying no console holds prerential treatment. It was a lie then and it's a heavy blow to Sony camp.


Edit: I know that seems fairly fanboyish but c'mon... you can try to remain nuetral but it's a very heavy blow to that camp. Most of the other RPGs on that console are either unknown franchises or excessively niche. I'm willing to accept less console exclusives this generation, but hey, let's see some of that shit going the other way.

[Kion]

hmm weird this final fantasy trailer has ps3 only in japan

http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/new-final-fantasy-xiii-trailer-proudly-proclaims-ps3-only/

[sfox8]

Why is that? Final fantasy is still coming out on the ps3 at the same time. It is not like it is 360 exclusive.

Also Square is not in the business of making console fanboys happy. They are trying to sell games and turn a profit. Releasing FFXIII on 360 ensures they will sell another 5-6 million on top of what they sell on the ps3.

NME-Se7en basically said it best. The fact that it's now coming out on both consoles is exactly the point, though. 360 has had lots of exclusive titles that help draw people over to the Microsoft side, while most of Sony's good games are switching from exclusive to multi-platform, or are already available multi-platform (assassin's creed, gta4, etc.). Sony needs some big PS3 -exclusive- games in the future to help draw more people in (yes, it has SOME coming out soon but not a whole lot, while Microsoft has quite a few in their lineup. The thing about XIII was that it was going to be a PS3 -exclusive-.). That's why it's a kick in the balls to the Sony fanboys on both Square Enix and Microsoft's part.

I personally don't lean towards any side here. I hate console wars and fanboys, but I can't help feeling bad because of this. It's a bitter-sweet type of thing.

[Pufferfish]

hmm weird this final fantasy trailer has ps3 only in japan

http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/new-final-fantasy-xiii-trailer-proudly-proclaims-ps3-only/

According to some sources, FFXIII is still going to be exclusive for PS3 in Japan.

[ParamountCell]

http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/14/mirrors-edge-e3-trailer/

man this looks so cool

[sfox8]

Cool a new Mirror's Edge trailer. =] I was always amazed at how pretty that game is. I don't know what techniques they're using to achieve it but the style is just beautiful.

Anyone know what the song is at the end? It sounds very reminiscent of Imogen Heap.

[heavyness]

Cool a new Mirror's Edge trailer. =]...

i'm calling it right now; this game is going to make me throw-up. i get motion sick playing some games and with FPS view and fast pace action... i'm going to loose it [but i'll keep playing it cause it looks so good].

[DuttyFoot]

holy crap that looks cool. damn i have to get a console now for sure

[salmonmoose]

i'm calling it right now; this game is going to make me throw-up. i get motion sick playing some games and with FPS view and fast pace action... i'm going to loose it [but i'll keep playing it cause it looks so good].

I'm interested in how the controls work. I'll buy it for sure - but more because I like to encourage people making cool new ideas than rehashing the same old stuff.

[DuttyFoot]

man the 360 seems to have a pretty good lineup based on what was shown at the conference. dead space looks oh so scary.

[Solothores]

Some Mirror's Edge gameplay footage (walkthrough) (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36297.html)
Some Dead Space gameplay footage (walkthrough) (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36300.html)

Ghostbusters: The Video Game
E3 Trailer (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36299.html)

Resident Evil 5
E3 2008 Trailer HD (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36226.html)

Star Ocean: The last hope
E3 2008 Trailer HD (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36262.html)

Fable 2
E3 2008 Trailer HD (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36279.html)

[sfox8]

Thanks for the trailers. That Star Ocean gameplay is beautiful... it's making me mad knowing I won't be able to get it.

Fable seems like it's going to be awesome too. The way they decided to do co-op is pretty handy.

[subtlebluetones]

I'm interested in how the controls work. I'll buy it for sure - but more because I like to encourage people making cool new ideas than rehashing the same old stuff.

Its just normal fps controls with a jump button :) Press jump to jump, press again to jump off a wall, press again to grab a ledge. Its pretty simple stuff. I really enjoyed it. Although when i played it, it was pretty much all grey boxed. I had the privelage of working at DiCE for 6 months at the end of last year and beginning of this year. Its a great studio as i hope some of you have seen from BF:Bad Company. One of my prouder moments :)

But yea, mirrors edge has been kicking up a huge amount of interest internally for over a year now. I hear one of the trailers even made a woman cry a one of our GPMM meetings!

I think the makority of what does it is the art style. But iv always been one for platformers, so i really like the whole parkour (however you spell it) element.

[Solothores]

Prince of Persia: Next Gen
E3 2008 Trailer HD (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36270.html)


Dead Space
Lullaby trailer (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36332.html)
Weapons / Combat gameplay (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36342.html)

Fable 2
Gameplay montage HD (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36329.html)

[Layer01]

But yea, mirrors edge has been kicking up a huge amount of interest internally for over a year now. I hear one of the trailers even made a woman cry a one of our GPMM meetings!

I think the makority of what does it is the art style. But iv always been one for platformers, so i really like the whole parkour (however you spell it) element.

cry? well from what i see so far its hardly cry worthy lol. In fact i dont really see what all the fuss is about to be honest. Seems like you run around in semi open sandbox levels (kind of like in crysis) and just look for red things and set off an automatic move..

Also that First person cam just doesn't work imho. If you jump around and move your head normally you dont get that jagged "spaz" head effect. It pisses me off in games when you climb up a ladder and your cam just goes crazy and you feel out of controle, thats not realism its just stupid. In real life you just stabilize your head and look in one direction.

If ever a game needed to be 3rd person this was it.

[subtlebluetones]

cry? well from what i see so far its hardly cry worthy lol. In fact i dont really see what all the fuss is about to be honest. Seems like you run around in semi open sandbox levels (kind of like in crysis) and just look for red things and set off an automatic move..

Also that First person cam just doesn't work imho. If you jump around and move your head normally you dont get that jagged "spaz" head effect. It pisses me off in games when you climb up a ladder and your cam just goes crazy and you feel out of controle, thats not realism its just stupid. In real life you just stabilize your head and look in one direction.

If ever a game needed to be 3rd person this was it.

while i agree with your 3rd person comment (that was my first opinion) the rest of your comment is uneducated and wrong. maybe you should wait till you get a demo or hands on review till you spill your guts out.

None of the moves are 'predefined'. Just like any other game, your jump carries weight and momntum to it. If you jump at the wrong angle, you miss your landing and fall to your demise. You dont egt enough run up, you fall short. Landing on the beams does sort of automatically stabilise you, but it would have to. So does tony hawks, Skate, or any other game ever that has allowed you to land on a balancing beam. When you jump, i can assure you, the game doesnt take over. You have a great freedom of movement in this game. You can run up and off ALL walls if you have enough run up and space. It isnt a bunch of predefined jumps for predefined areas. Its quite liberating.

And you mus have prety strong neck muscles and big inner ear if your head doesnt move aroundwhen you walk up a ladder. The only reason you dont notice it is because your brain knows what your body is doing so you expect all of the secondary movement.

Ill say, this isnt the most groundbreaking genre defining game ever. BUt it does what it does pretty well, and is pretty fun. I wouldnt call it game of the year or anything like that, but it is definately worth a play.

And the reason the women cried is because of the back story. I dont know if that trailer has been released yet, but it tells you why the main character is doing what she is doing.. It wasnt because she thought the game looked so cool that she was overcome with emotion.

[SheepFactory]

NME-Se7en basically said it best. The fact that it's now coming out on both consoles is exactly the point, though. 360 has had lots of exclusive titles that help draw people over to the Microsoft side, while most of Sony's good games are switching from exclusive to multi-platform, or are already available multi-platform (assassin's creed, gta4, etc.). Sony needs some big PS3 -exclusive- games in the future to help draw more people in (yes, it has SOME coming out soon but not a whole lot, while Microsoft has quite a few in their lineup. The thing about XIII was that it was going to be a PS3 -exclusive-.). That's why it's a kick in the balls to the Sony fanboys on both Square Enix and Microsoft's part.

I personally don't lean towards any side here. I hate console wars and fanboys, but I can't help feeling bad because of this. It's a bitter-sweet type of thing.


Are you joking? Did you guys even look at the release lists for both consoles? Both the 360 and the PS3 has TONS of exclusive first party games coming out.

I love how the fanboy nation on the net is saying how it is over for sony now that a game that we will be lucky to play before 2011 is multiplatform. Cause lets face it. FFXIII is nowhere near done. They didnt even finish the Japanese version yet let alone start on the localization or the 360 port. The soonest we will play that game is holiday 2010, and that is optimistic.

Square JRPG's has been selling quite bad for sometime now. Basicly they are banking everything on the FFXIII which has already been in development for a loong time. There is no way they can recoup the costs with just the Playstation userbase so it comes to a simple financial decision, go multiplatform or have sony pay them for exclusivity. Sony does not pay for 3rd party exclusivity anymore and I applaud them for it. That money is better spent on their first party games.

If you think back to GTA4 multiplatform announcement people said the same thing. How sony is DOOMED now that gta is multiplatform, how nobody will buy the console now. In reality GTA4 didn't do anything for either consoles hardware numbers as seen in the NPD even though it sold quite amazingly both on the 360 and on the PS3. The same will happen with FFXIII whenever it comes out.

So why be bittersweet about some game going to another console when you should be happy? More money the devs make = more games get made = more jobs for us. It is as simple as that.

[Venkman]

Square JRPG's has been selling quite bad for sometime now.

Final Fantasy XII sold 5.09 million worldwide. Dragon Quest VIII sold 4.09 million worldwide. That's not including the 9.2 million from the Kingdom Hearts series (1 + 2 combined) last gen.


I think square enix is doing just fine. :)

[leigh]

Prince of Persia: Next Gen
E3 2008 Trailer HD (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36270.html)

This blows my mind. Is this in-game??? I LOVE the style, it's like a moving painting. If the game looks like that.... goddamn.

[Venkman]

This blows my mind. Is this in-game??? I LOVE the style, it's like a moving painting. If the game looks like that.... goddamn.

There are quite a few games coming out that are truly blowing me away in terms of art. Prince of Persia has always been beautiful, but I'm glad to see them trying a new direction that looks so amazing.

Mirror's edge looks insane.

[SheepFactory]

Final Fantasy XII sold 5.09 million worldwide. Dragon Quest VIII sold 4.09 million worldwide. That's not including the 9.2 million from the Kingdom Hearts series (1 + 2 combined) last gen.


I think square enix is doing just fine. :)


XII came out how long ago? FF, DQ and Kingdom Hearts are franchises that do sell well but those are not the only games square is making. They have been milking the sequel tit for too long and their sales are going down. Basicly none of their games except the main sequels to those 3 sell well anymore. And their costs are astronomical with next gen development (switching engine mid production with FFXIII for example). Also 5 million copies sold worldwide for FFXII is not really much considering the size of the PS2 userbase when it came out. Gears sold that in year. Call of duty 4 sold double that in a year.

The development costs of Kingdom hearts and Final fantasy XII does not even begin to compare to FFXIII.

[Venkman]

Also 5 million copies sold worldwide for FFXII is not really much considering the size of the PS2 userbase when it came out.

When compared to the size of the entire userbase, that's true. I don't think square expected the entire userbase to buy it, though.

Gears sold that in year. Call of duty 4 sold double that in a year.

To be fair, most games do not sell in numbers comparable to Gears or CoD4, just like most movies don't make as much as Shrek or Iron Man.

The development costs of Kingdom hearts and Final fantasy XII does not even begin to compare to FFXIII.

One hopes that the hundreds of millions (and that's no exaggeration) made from previous projects and their merchandising tie ins from the past 2 years will cover the costs of FFXIII, as will the multi platform release.

But yeah, I think they've got a big case of sequel-itis. ;)

[Solothores]

Interview Time:

Resident Evil 5
"Coop" PT1 HD (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36154.html)
"Coop" Pt2 HD (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36148.html)


Project Origin
E3 Interview (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36140.html)


Fallout 3
E3 Collectables, Companions and combat in Fallout 3 HD (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36162.html)


Rise of the Argonauts
Interview HD (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36168.html)

[sfox8]

This blows my mind. Is this in-game??? I LOVE the style, it's like a moving painting. If the game looks like that.... goddamn.

Agree. It's amazing looking at all the little details in the designs. You could pause the video just about anywhere and see all the intricate things they added in. Very unique style.

[Nazgul]

This blows my mind. Is this in-game??? I LOVE the style, it's like a moving painting. If the game looks like that.... goddamn.

Hey Leigh,
I work at Ubisoft Montreal and yes, this is all in-game, meaning, it will look liek that as you play. :) Keep your eyes peeled for more in the coming months.

[Solothores]

@Nazgul
That is great news, I am really looking forward to this.



Resident Evil 5
Hands on with Resident Evil 5 (>Written< Impressions after playing two levels) (http://e3.gamespot.com/story.html?sid=6193737&pid=929198&tag=top_stories;title;2)


Dragon Age
officially announced to arrive on consoles, no release window yet. (http://e3.gamespot.com/story.html?sid=6193900&pid=920668&tag=top_stories;title;9)


Warren Spector partnering with Pixar (http://e3.gamespot.com/story.html?sid=6193814&tag=top_stories;title;22)

[leigh]

Hey Leigh,
I work at Ubisoft Montreal and yes, this is all in-game, meaning, it will look liek that as you play. :) Keep your eyes peeled for more in the coming months.

Consider my mind massively blown. This is quite simply the most inspiring game art I've seen in years (and I'm an avid gamer). Congratulations to all of you, this is simply incredible and I cannot wait to play the game!!

[Solothores]

RPG
Infinite Undiscovery
E3 Trailer (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36396.html)


Bionic Commando
E3 Trailer (http://www.gamersyde.com/stream_7826_en.html)

The last Remnant
E3 Trailer (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36403.html)

[inguatu]

hands down.. more impressed with the 360 showings (games, live, netflix, etc) than the rest. Gratz to Microsoft and the developers for some really cool stuff.

[DuttyFoot]

i love the new direction with prince of persia. man that looks like fun to play.

[SheepFactory]

Does anyone know if the Netflix thing will work in Canada?

[heavyness]

Does anyone know if the Netflix thing will work in Canada?

does it work now on your pc? while, yes, there could be reasons why it wouldn't work [legal things because of the 360] i don't see why it wouldn't. the 360 is just like those boxes they sell mainly for Netflix streaming.

[SheepFactory]

does it work now on your pc? while, yes, there could be reasons why it wouldn't work [legal things because of the 360] i don't see why it wouldn't. the 360 is just like those boxes they sell mainly for Netflix streaming.


No it doesnt work on my PC. That's why I asked. I was hoping maybe through the 360 I can watch it. :(

[Boone]

Apart from the news about FFXIII I dont really see the 360 doing much better than the other two consoles. But yeah, its the obvious winner at E3 this year.

One question: Is Golden Axe Beast Rider still coming out for the 360?

[Solothores]

New Dashboard Walthrough HD (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36411.html)

[SheepFactory]

New Dashboard Walthrough HD (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36411.html)


This is looking sweet, I much prefer this to the current dashboard. Hopefully they will also ditch the annoying advertisements that plague the dashboard at the moment. I dont want to see mountain dew advertisements when I turn on my console.

[salmonmoose]

This is looking sweet, I much prefer this to the current dashboard. Hopefully they will also ditch the annoying advertisements that plague the dashboard at the moment. I dont want to see mountain dew advertisements when I turn on my console.

It's copping a lot of flack, particularly from those who have bought gamerpics / themes - I can see the themes working as background images, gamerpics? Dunno. I like it - especially the new guide. If anyone as MS is reading this, can we please have the option to re-assign which number a controller is?

Advertisements aren't so bad here, they're all for games and stuff which is OK (although, being told to buy stuff you should know I own is kind of dumb).

[Silvermyst]

New Dashboard Walthrough HD (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36411.html)

I know it's kind of pointless but I hope the new dashboard still has a degree of customizability that the current one has (changing colors, background). After seeing initial screenshots of the new dash I was a bit skeptical, but seeing it in action definitly gives it credit. It looks alot more streamlined and cool, and the xbox-mii implimentation doesn't appear as forced as I was afraid of.

Personally I think Microsoft has substantially blown Sony and Nintendo out of the water this year. Nintendo gave me no reason to regret selling my Wii and Sony, while having a few awesome things like Little Big Planet, hasn't really sold me enough to fork out the money for a console.

[creinholtz]

While i think that Microsoft had the best conference this year, Sony using Little Big Planet to go over its fiscal stuff was great. Much more entertaining than graphs and charts.

[Layer01]

while i agree with your 3rd person comment (that was my first opinion) the rest of your comment is uneducated and wrong.

Relax man, Just saying how it looks from the demonstration. I will always give a playable demo a shot. Not sure how my education level comes into play..

maybe you should wait till you get a demo or hands on review till you spill your guts out.

Well it was just an opinion and last I checked people were still alowed to voice what they thought after a game demo has been seen. Be it right or wrong.

None of the moves are 'predefined'. Just like any other game, your jump carries weight and momntum to it. If you jump at the wrong angle, you miss your landing and fall to your demise. You dont egt enough run up, you fall short. Landing on the beams does sort of automatically stabilise you, but it would have to. So does tony hawks, Skate, or any other game ever that has allowed you to land on a balancing beam. When you jump, i can assure you, the game doesnt take over. You have a great freedom of movement in this game. You can run up and off ALL walls if you have enough run up and space. It isnt a bunch of predefined jumps for predefined areas. Its quite liberating.

Yeah but is it a Crysis style "big levels" or a GTA style sandbox world?

I wasn't saying that it was a case of "hit button, get automated response" but more of a..."look for red, jump towards it..set of automated response" lol. jk :p
The comment I made about the game controlling you was in relation to the POV swinging all over the place, and I presume its the games way of making it more "real". So while you may be able to controle the jump, your vision is going to bounce around when you land, like it or not.

And you mus have prety strong neck muscles and big inner ear if your head doesnt move aroundwhen you walk up a ladder. The only reason you dont notice it is because your brain knows what your body is doing so you expect all of the secondary movement.

Obviously my head moves around, but go up a ladder in an FPS where it takes over the camera and you'll see what I'm talking about. like in Crysis for example, when you reach the top of the ladder and the cam looks down as the character finds his footing..meanwhile half the korean army is shooting you.

I'm pretty sure both of us can go up and down a ladder and look where we want to look.

Ill say, this isnt the most groundbreaking genre defining game ever. BUt it does what it does pretty well, and is pretty fun. I wouldnt call it game of the year or anything like that, but it is definately worth a play.

Never said I wasn't going to play it, just that I couldn't see what all the fuss was about, some people seem to be having minor aneurysm in aticipation for this game.

And the reason the women cried is because of the back story. I dont know if that trailer has been released yet, but it tells you why the main character is doing what she is doing..

That must be some back story lol.



In the end its just a game, I'll give it a shot and make a final judgement based on that.

[Solothores]

That must be some back story lol.



In the end its just a game, I'll give it a shot and make a final judgement based on that.

Yeah, it seems to be nothing special, based on that short story trailer, I have seen. Basically her brother has been setup and killed. Don't understand how people can get all emo about such a rather clichee plot element. But I guess people tend to react different.



Resident Evil 5
Assembly Place Gameplay Pt3 HD (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36499.html)
Chainsaw Zombie Gameplay HD (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36507.html)
Cam Walkthrough HD (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36510.html)


Darksiders: Wrath of War
E3 Trailer HD (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36516.html)


Dark Void:
Cam Gameplay HD (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36519.html)
Dev Walkthrough HD PT1 (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36522.html)
Dev Walkthrough HD PT2 (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36524.html)


Star Wars: Force Unleashed
Tie Fighter Factory Walkthrough HD (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36527.html)


Fracture
E3 Walkthrough HD Pt1 (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36528.html)
E3 Walkthrough Pt2 (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36529.html)


Prince of Persia: Next Gen
Dev Walkthrough Pt1 (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36532.html)

First Hands-On
Borderlands (gearbox)
1UP Article & Pics (http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3168777&p=4)

[AdamHerbert]

Borderlands looks awesome! I've been looking forward to this game for a while now. Reminds me of Planetside mixed with Elder Scrolls.

[DuttyFoot]

wow the nintendo conference was really lacking. sony's showing wasn't all that hot either, i was really looking for more.

[Solothores]

Prince of Persia: Next Gen
Dev Walkthrough Pt2 (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36543.html)

Really have to say, PoP looks awesome. Hope this might lead to more stylzed stuff in the near future from other developers as well.

[ChewyPixels]

I agree, POP is looking sweet! I'm a bit worried about the difficulty on this one though. From watching the dev walkthrough vids, sounds like it might be a bit easy. I thought the previous POP games were just fine.

[heavyness]

new footage of Valve's Left for Dead...

http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/53705

looks like hot co-op action... and zombies! kick ass!

[heavyness]

Details emerge on first wave of XNA Community Games

http://www.destructoid.com/details-emerge-on-first-wave-of-xna-community-games-95477.phtml

[SheepFactory]

new footage of Valve's Left for Dead...

http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/53705

looks like hot co-op action... and zombies! kick ass!


Wow this looks amazing! Can't wait to play it.


Was that video sped up though? It seemed way too fast for a console game. That was like 2x Unreal Tournament speed and that was already too fast. I am guessing that was the pc version?

[heavyness]

http://gamerscoreblog.com/team/archive/2008/07/16/560009.aspx

what your existing themes would look like on the new Xbox 360 dashboard [and some more screens of what each menu looks like after selecting it].

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3268/2673900071_00385081de.jpg?v=0

[heavyness]

...and a video of the new dashboard [a little more then what they showed]
http://www.xbox.com/NR/rdonlyres/BE004694-EDED-4077-BD82-6AD23014821F/0/vidNXEe30801LLHi.asx

[samartin]

Loving the new dashboard, much better lay out than the original dashboard IMO.

POP, when I 1st saw the 1st posting of the video, I wasn't sure about the outline around the characters. But... with the latest video, I think it looks great, the visuals are stunning and I loved the world being brought to life with all that lovely vegetation :o)

[heavyness]

Castle Crashers video of 4 player co-op [Xbox exclusive]...

http://www.gamespot.com/video/950904/6194164/castle-crashers-e3-2008-stage-show-demo

[Layer01]

Castle Crashers video of 4 player co-op [Xbox exclusive]...

http://www.gamespot.com/video/950904/6194164/castle-crashers-e3-2008-stage-show-demo

that looks so cool :thumbsup:

[leigh]

A few moments of boredom today at work...

http://www.leighvanderbyl.com/temp/lolcat.jpg

[AdamHerbert]

lol Leigh! Nice!

[Brettzies]

Finally found the new Bungie announcement. It's a LARPer apparently:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SC9hjWQc77A&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e45J0SCXO5s

Seriously though, I thought E3 was about games mainly. Were there any NEW games announced that actually made a splash? Seems like we just saw more developedment of games that have been known about for quite some time.

[richcz3]

......Seriously though, I thought E3 was about games mainly. Were there any NEW games announced that actually made a splash? Seems like we just saw more developedment of games that have been known about for quite some time.E3 is losing its relevance year by year. The last big time event was in 2005 and 2007 signaled a shift to downsize the event (in Santa Monica) - which may have been its death knell. This is probably one of if not that last significant efforts as many developers/publishers have dropped out or are dropping out of the ESA LINK1 (http://kotaku.com/5007647/five-publishers-drop-out-of-e3-this-year-some-blame-esa-president%20) LINK2 (http://arstechnica.com/journals/thumbs.ars/2008/05/02/activision-vivendi-drop-out-of-e3-and-the-esa).

Even watching the coverage on XBox Live - Major Healy talked about it being a much smaller presence this year over previous years.

[Brettzies]

Yeah, seems like it's just about 3 companies now. E3? Coincidence? Mabye it should just be called big3expo.

[thatoneguy]

What I really don't like about the new dashboard is that the boxes dissapear out of view instead of looping to the back. If you have 5 options I want to see all 5 options all the time. Not 5... then 4 then 3... then 2... then only one. It doesn't even indicate that there are tabs out of view.

[heavyness]

What I really don't like about the new dashboard is that the boxes dissapear out of view instead of looping to the back. If you have 5 options I want to see all 5 options all the time. Not 5... then 4 then 3... then 2... then only one. It doesn't even indicate that there are tabs out of view.

i'm sure that is something that will be addressed [even a nice little arrow pointing to the left]. i also too would like it to constantly loop with maybe a marker showing the end/start.

i'm sure once it comes out, you'll see some newer things and some things change.

[Brettzies]

Alain Corre of Ubisoft thinks July isn't a good time for E3 (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/ubisoft-e3-is-not-appropriate-at-the-current-date-location):

"For E3, it's very important to be there, and to present the games, because even though it's much, much smaller than it used to be, still the American media are here, all our competitors, so you need be there, to be ready and to share product.

"It's one milestone in the communication of your products throughout the year, and it's important because it's the ramp-up for Christmas," he said. "[But] E3 here, mid-July, in the Convention Center in downtown LA - it's not appropriate I would say." He went on to explain that the downsized event came too late in the year for new product announcements, meaning that the buzz around the event suffers and fewer media outlets consider it crucial to their publishing plans.



I totally agree, mid-July is way too late for this event. BTW, I wish we had an E3'08 - General discussion for the overall expo.

[heavyness]

i'm calling it right now; this game is going to make me throw-up. i get motion sick playing some games and with FPS view and fast pace action... i'm going to loose it [but i'll keep playing it cause it looks so good].

they listened to me!

How Mirror's Edge fights simulation sickness
http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/how-mirrors-edge-fights-simulation-sickness/

In case you're curious as to how DICE is planning to fight against simulation sickness in Mirror's Edge (not motion sickness, since you're not actually moving), an EA spokesperson provided a number of explanations during our hands-on with the game (http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/joystiq-e3-hands-on-mirrors-edge/). For starters a little white blip is now placed the middle of the screen. It turns blue when it's charged for the slow motion action, but more importantly, it serves to focus the viewer's eyes.

[heavyness]

Next KOTOR Is MMO

"And the one that people are dying for us to talk to them about — in partnership with Lucas, coming out of BioWare, which is, I think, quite possibly the most anticipated game, full stop, for the industry at the point when we get closer to telling you about it." Does Riccitiello mean the oft rumored Knights of the Old Republic Online? "Yes," he said.





http://kotaku.com/5026492/yep-next-kotor-is-mmo

[heavyness]

more news about Microsoft's Lips
http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/details-on-lips-microphone-your-songs-its-songs/

[heavyness]

http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/castle-crashers-galaga-legions-more-on-xbla-in-4-6-weeks/

During our guided demo of Microsoft's upcoming stable of XBLA games, Microsoft's Scott Austin (http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/16/microsofts-scott-austin-talks-xbox-delisting-and-delays/) informed us that all the games on display would be available in the next four to six weeks on Xbox Live Arcade. All of 'em. If you've been reading the impressions on Joystiq, you'll know that this a reason to be excited. For the record, the XBLA games being shown by Microsoft are:


Bionic Commando Rearmed (http://www.joystiq.com/2008/04/24/bionic-commando-rearmed-multiplayer-video-blowout/)
Castle Crashers (http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/joystiq-e3-hands-on-castle-crashers/)
Galaga Legions (http://www.joystiq.com/tag/galaga-legions)
Braid (http://www.joystiq.com/tag/braid)
Geometry Wars 2 (http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/joystiq-e3-hands-on-geometry-wars-2/)
We expected Microsoft to show off some cool XBLA games at E3, but we weren't expecting four to six weeks of win.

[heavyness]

You're in the Movies + Xbox Visions Cam = $60

http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/17/youre-in-the-movies-bundled-with-vision-cam-for-60/

According to a Microsoft representative, the game is being bundled with the Xbox Live Vision Cam for the not unreasonable price of $60 (remember, the camera is $40 alone).

[Kamjar]

just dropping by to say that the FFXIII trailer just blew my mind! i cant express how amazing the art is.

oh and prince of persia looks beautiful, and valves left 4 dead looks like great fun!
i only own a wii atm, but i guess im gonna have to get myself a 360 now :D

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