I've been flirting with the 360 for a while now - smiling coyly as it served up corkers like Oblivion, backing off when the truly terrible Saints Row appeared - but such was the quality on display at last week's X06 event that I've finally fallen head over heels for the noisy beige beast. Who can resist a line-up that includes Alan Wake, Mass Effect, Sensible Soccer or Gears of War? Not me.
Alan Wake in particular left me grinning like a loon, and reminded me why gaming is so damn marvellous. The psycho-thriller, set in a gorgeous Twin Peaks/Washington state environment, was only demoed but such was the quality shown that I went up and shook the hand of the guy from the developer Remedy like an overexcited teenager. It wasn't specifically the graphics that blew me away - though they looked astonishing - or the gameplay potential - probably survival horror style albeit marred by a horrible running animation - but rather all of the above plus the potential of the atmosphere and story. Remedy - if you're reading this please please please don't muck this one up.
I spent a blissful month in 2003 ensconced in Bioware's Knights of the Old Republic, so their new game Mass Effect looked right up my conversation tree. The demo highlighted the lovely graphics and lovely space exploration - I can't wait to spend time with this - but one of the most interesting elements was the ability to interrupt NPC chatter - yes finally you can tell your virtual comrades where to go. The combat side looked fun too, but both this and Alan Wake are exciting because they potentially offer something new, or least more sophisticated, than the gaming norm.
A little more prosaic is Gears of War - the gaming equivalent of a smack in the face. Yes, I was initially underwhelmed - shooting stuff is still shooting stuff, no matter how gritty - but a good 45 minute session at X06 finally woke me up to its visceral charms. Whether it was the thud of the bullets as they flew around or the bumpy camera as you crouch run to cover, Gears of War felt far more brutal than the likes of Halo. In fact it appeared to have more in common with war sims like Brothers in Arms, with tactics like flanking and cover essential for progress. Of course, this is only half the story, with the nifty chainsaw weapon ("hold down B, hold down B" was constantly shouted in my ear by the demo team) likely to become an online favourite, especially with the teen/early 20s audience this game will appeal to. So, alright then, Gears of War appears to warrant Microsoft's hype.
Next year's Live launch of Sensible World of Soccer was great news too - though sadly it will lack the licenses that made the 94 original so compelling. It wasn't all good - Crackdown and Alone in the Dark looked bloody awful - but right now the 360 is red hot.
