The Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3 for short, only starts tomorrow, but the hype -- which has already begun -- is palpable.
This year's show is definitely one to watch with the next generation of consoles and the announcement of their highly anticipated titles. Personally,
Murdered: Soul Suspect has already started pinging on my sonar but I can't wait to see what is in store this E3. I'm expecting a lot from E3 this year, but I have a feeling the unexpected will resonate with the biggest impact. It's a busy time for university students in Australia, with examinations and assignments, but even that can't kill the enthusiasm we have here on the blog. We'll be updating this post with all the developments we see buzzing on the Internet.
We're not reporters, we're not even at E3 2013. We'll be biased, we probably won't see everything there is to see at E3. But we hope you'll join us in the excitement of the biggest video-game and tech show the world has to offer.
*note: our thoughts may differ from yours, so share your thoughts in the comment box below beginning with the day followed by the subject.
LAST UPDATE: 11 June 2013 11.00am
Call of Duty: Ghosts
10 June 2013
-bernt_toast
This morning, two gameplay videos were revealed from an Activision pre-E3 special. A few details came through, especially of Riley your canine companion. The footage took place in two levels were seen snippets of before, the underwater mission and the mission in a cataclysm-ravaged America. During the latter mission, it seems as though the player was controlling Riley (via an attached canine camera) but I'd like to think that he's merely guiding Riley rather than directly inputting commands.
The footage, while nothing compared to the beautiful graphics we've seen on next-gen, looked great. I mean, they have to balance it out considering they're developing for current and next-gen. It implies epic set-piece moments, and fine pacing. Can't wait to see and hear more!
- Renegade Sandwich
I'm going to disagree with you, buddy. It's
Call of Duty through and through. The graphics are a nice update from
Modern Warfare 3 and
Black Ops II but it still doesn't look as good as
Crysis, which is a current-gen game (arguable) and the benchmark for all good graphics. With something as powerful as the Xbox One or the PS4, you'd think they'd at least try to make a bigger graphical leap instead of trying to retain that awe-inspiring 60 frames per second. Gameplay wise, nothing new. Only thing interesting to me was the use of the APS underwater assault rifle, that's a Russian-made bolt gun created specifically to work underwater, it's nice that they actually used that instead of some random weapon that shoots underwater even though really, it can't. I'll wait until the game is actually released to make a definite judgement but it's not on my sonar at the moment. On the Riley front, it's explained as them giving him instructions like a real-life SEAL canine unit but it's pretty much you controlling Riley like a drone.
Watch_Dogs
10 June 2013
- Renegade Sandwich
This is my pick for the game to watch for this year's E3. Ubisoft Montreal working on an open-world game set in the future and basically allowing you to hack an entire city? Yes please! I think my favourite thing about
Watch_Dogs so far is that it looks like a playable version of
Person of Interest, one of my favourite TV shows on at the moment. The gameplay looks superb, allowing you to be both the bad-ass John Reese while wielding technology like the eccentric Harold Finch. The co-op element which hasn't really been shown but has been mentioned is also intriguing as it allows two players to run around Chicago wreaking havoc on the CtOS. Looks and sounds very much like my kind of game.
Kingdom Hearts 1.5 ReMIX
11 June 2013
-Brancake
Alright. As the only Kingdom Hearts fan in the entire blogosphere of awesome blogs, I've got to say that I've been waiting for this remake ever since I got my hands on a PS3. In fact, I was sold on the PS3 ever since I played the first 2 KH games. I'm still waiting on the next release. Yes, I've played the PSP and DS continuations of the story but damn it I will not watch my beloved franchise die. This HD remake of Kingdom Hearts 1 & Re:Chain of Memories will satiate my fan hunger. For now.
If its anything like the Zone of Enders 1 & 2 HD remake, I know that it will satisfy fans everywhere too. This is a game that makes you invest in the characters, like emotionally. It's got half of Disney in it for goodness sake. It's the only opportunity I have to relive my childhood while feeding my desire to mash buttons and kill demons. No, it is not a 'new' game. But it is a big game, with a lot of post game and replay value, and an original game, almost a classic in its own right. The remastered cinematic scenes (you know you're getting quality stuff from Square Enix) can be played in theatre mode and up to 66 tracks have been remade with REAL instruments.
It's just a game you say. Obsession is not a good thing Brancake you say. NO MOM This is a franchise that has been under so much uncertainty and taken so much risk in its conception that it deserves to be valued. Decades into the future, Kingdom Hearts will be our Mona Lisa, our Picasso, our Van Gogh, unappreciated in its time but nonetheless a work of magnificent beauty.
It looks like this game...(puts on sunglasses)...has unlocked the Kingdom to my heart. YEAAAAHHHHHH!
No but seriously I want to play the shit out of this game.
Battlefield 4
June 11, 2013
- Renegade Sandwich
DICE has once again demonstrated why they are one of the all-time greats in the business. Wow, just wow. That gameplay demo for the mission, Angry Seas, and the live multiplayer demo sold
Battlefield 4 again to me. I was going to pick it up anyway because I love the series and DICE but man, that makes me want to buy the game twice. For now, it seems that the Swedes have taken it up a notch with the return of Commander Mode integrated with a tablet, no less, and destructible environments on a massive scale. Brilliant, just brilliant. The single-player is shaping up to be a lot stronger than the disappointing
Battlefield 3 campaign but only time will tell, really. Also, Michael K. Williams (of
The Wire fame) as one of your squadmates? Count me in!
Kingdom Hearts 3 & Final Fantasy XV
June 12, 2013
- Brancake
As you can see from my posts above, I am now officially one happy camper. KH 3 is announced in development. This is not a drill. My long awaited beloved is back in the developer's loving embrace, for a potential 2014 (but realistic 2015 IMHO) release. That said, I've still got a long way to wait seeing how they kept moving FF Versus XIII (which is now FF XV, proving the rumours right) back from 'this is an early PS3 game' to 'this is an early PS4 game'.
From what I can see in the trailer, its everything you would expect for a revamped continuation of a classic - newer, finer detailing, familiar art direction and a similar battle mechanic. However, Square Enix has acquired a flair for improving sequels while keeping the things that make the game so enjoyable in tact, so this game is in good hands.
There is still uncertainty. But for a moment crystallised in time the fans will have received a new hope. A new beginning. If there ever was a time where KH fans everywhere had to take action, that time is now. Or yesterday. Or potentially in three days time. Basically, we need to start a riot demanding Square Enix to finish what it started or so help me I will burn every copy of every Final Fantasy to the ground. I will not raise my hopes and dreams into the palms of your hands just to see you crush them.
In other news, FF XV was also announced to be in development (again), but it looks like they are one step closer to climbing out of development hell. Not much has changed from the first announcement in 2006, besides a new trailer and a new title. Still, the idea of an FF in the realistic modern present day (-ish) is an invigorating one and one I am still anxious to see.
E3 2013
The Electronic Entertainment Expo
11.06.2013 - 14.06.2013
