A look at the Best of E3

June 11, 6:49 PMSF Gadgets ExaminerAdam Mills

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the SF Gadgets Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Touch choices, but that's how E3 should be.

This has been promised for awhile now and because there were so many amazing things that we saw at E3, it honestly has been tough to compile a “Best in Show” list that truly would do the expo justice.

Today marks a week since the show ended which has provided enough time to compile all of the information gathered from the floor. However, the Pencasting handwriting was virtually illegible because developers seem to talk at a mile a minute (an example of this will be posted tomorrow); so, it has also taken a week to get that information back from our translators.

Perfect timing, huh?

So without further ado, here is a look at 10 things that truly stood out at E3 for better or for worse. Enjoy.

Most Surprising: Fairytale Fights: My colleague Nic Amoroso already did a great feature on this absolutely stunning game from Netherlands based Playlogic, so I will keep this relatively short. What appeared to be a wholesome children’s game turned into a fantastically gory and rich multiplayer experience. This one was definitely not on anybody’s radar going into the show so it was a pleasant surprise.

Honorable Mention: New Super Mario Bros. Wii, Dark Void, Overlord II

Most Potential: ioXtreme: This looks to change the way our computers handle intense software. If you missed what it was all about, come check it out here. The technology that Fusion-io is going to be releasing this year is going to start raising the bar for a lot of processing standards and while it may not have the same amount of attention as the Natal or Motion Controller, the ioXtreme definitely seems like it has tons, and tons of promise.

Honorable Mention: Project Natal/Playstation Motion Controller, Final Fantasy XIV, God of War 3

Most Likely to Succeed: Brink: Again, this was featured in a previous write-up so I will spare the details; however, this is definitely going to be bringing a new element to online cooperative gaming. Because it is half cooperative combat/half RPG with tons of customization added to the fact that Bethesda has been on absolute fire lately, this one appears headed for stardom.

Honorable Mention: Final Fantasy XIV,  Halo ODST, Splinter Cell: Conviction

Most Groundbreaking: Microsoft Project Natal/Sony Playstation Motion Controller: You have probably heard a ton about both of these. They are motion sensing technologies that may replace the conventional controller for consoles in the future. Obviously, along with the Wii MotionPlus, these developments are going to change how we play and interact with our favorite games. Both of these are going to be available sometime in 2010 but they may have a hard time catching on with fans that don’t think a change from the regular controllers is necessary. Just wait for the games before you pass judgment my friends.

Honorable Mention: Brink, Nintendo DSi, Wii MotionPlus

Most Disappointing: Left 4 Dead 2: This was probably to be expected. There have been petitions trying to get Valve not to release this and if they do, as a free upgrade to owners of the original Left 4 Dead. It doesn’t help that the game play wasn’t great nor did it stick to the ominous environment of the original. It seemed sort of cartoony with the best addition being the fluidity of the zombie’s movement. Valve has already been great in keeping their games frequently updated with new content and they will be letting a ton of people down if this is in fact released this year with the DLC for the original just being released a month ago.

Honorable Mention: OnLive not being at the show, Lack of public demo for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, DC Universe Online

Best Multiplayer Experience: New Super Mario Bros. Wii: Quite frankly, this game was an absolute treat. If you loved the original Mario games for the NES, you are going to be in heaven. Not only that, it’s four player, Mario, Luigi and from what we saw, two toadstools so this is going to be a very popular one when it’s released.

Honorable Mention: Capcom vs. Tatsunoko, Tekken 6, Left 4 Dead 2

Most Frustrating Moment: OnLive not being at the show: This was potentially deadly for the folks at OnLive. Instead of bringing their technology to exhibit to the skeptics and critics, the closest they got to the showroom was having people hand out free stuff in front of the Convention Center. You’d think they would at least have a small booth with people taking interviews but there was nothing. Maybe they are going bankrupt, who knows. Hopefully not.

Honorable Mention: Realizing how big the Los Angeles Convention really is, Line to try Tekken 6, Steve Wiebe not breaking the Donkey Kong record

Highlight of the Show: Final Fantasy XIV announcement: Square Enix is making the jump into the world of MMO’s which is great for fans of the genre. With BlizzCon coming up in August and rumors swirling of a new MMO of some sort from Blizzard (maybe a WoW expansion?) the announcement will definitely get fans excited. They are a truly dependable company in terms of quality so it’s exciting to know that the Final Fantasy world is going to open for the millions with a PS3 to explore.

Honorable Mention: Sugar Ray Leonard playing Fight Night Round 4 as Sugar Ray Leonard, Return of Samurai Showdown, Bethesda’s Booth

Company of the Show: Square Enix: With an assortment of games, a huge announcement and one of the better looking booths at the show, Square Enix was on top of their game at E3. From Order of War, Kingdom Hearts 2, Final Fantasy: The Crystal Bearers to the two heavily publicized Final Fantasy games, their games looked spectacular. Kudos to them for helping bring the magic back to E3.

Honorable Mention: Bethesda, Activision, Nintendo

Game of the Show: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2: Hands down, this is going to be one of the more, if not the most explosive game of the year. If you haven’t played the Call of Duty games, it’s hard to fathom that you call yourself a gaming fan. Infinity Ward is back after handing off the fifth installment to Treyarch and this is going to be a goldmine, not just because it’s Call of Duty, but because the game looks absolutely incredible. It was a tough call on which game to pick here, but honestly, this will be one of the best games to come out in a long time. Thank you Infinity Ward and Activision.

Honorable Mention: Brink, God of War 3, New Super Mario Bros. Wii
 

Agree? Disagree? For more E3 info: Contact Adam: admillios@gmail.com

If you missed the previous on-the-floor E3 coverage, find it here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.