More stuff you'd be playing at E3 if it weren't for the fact that you are stuck at work, trying to download videos of the event without enraging your system administrator...
Sega Like Nintendo, Sega is going through something of a renaissance at the moment, liberally pebble-dashing its stand with lip-smacking goodies. And, also like Nintendo, there are lots of familiar brands in the mix. Sonic the Hedgehog is being reinvented for the next-gen era in a realistic human environment - the game's large cast mixes old faves with newcomers. Let's hope they don't go gritty and urban, though - I can't bear the thought of Tails in a pimped Imprezza, blasting gang members with twin Mac-10s. Golden Axe is also making a next-gen return, this time as a PS3-only action RPG from San Fran codeshop, Secret Level.
Due for release in July, Super Monkey Ball Adventure will bring a narrative element to all the simian rolling fun, while the Wii-exclusive Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz stays with the familiar mini-game recipe, but adds loads of new concepts for that controller. Sega Rally will also make a next-gen return - it'll be interesting to see how this previously arcade-style take on rallying will adapt to the post-McRae era.
Other familiar favourites include Medieval II: Total War, spanning 450 years of bloody European history, and Phantasy Star Universe, bringing the distinctive feel of the Dreamcast favourite to a new MMORPG-obsessed era. The PS2 action adventure romp Yakuza should also garner some interest. Finally, Full Auto 2: Battlelines is a multiplayer combat racing game for PS3 - has there been a decent one of these since Twisted Metal?
(I've covered Virtua Tennis 3 and The Club already...)
Queue factor: 9 Most exciting offering: Sega Rally Yawn inducing tie-ins: This is Sega Sample press release nonsense: "revolutionary dynamically deformable terrain, proprietary next-generation graphics and bone-jarringly realistic physics..." (Sega Rally) Try reading that out loud.
Sony Greg was highly critical of company's big pre-E3 bash, but, on paper, this looks like a reasonably enticing line-up. Forget PS3 for a minute, there's God of War II on PS2, boasting brutal new combat moves and a fresh set of astonishing mytholological ultra bosses (old favourites like Cyclops and Cerberus, the many-headed hell hound, will also return). We're promised more puzzles too. There are some interesting bits and pieces on PSP as well including Gangs of London, the mission based crime thriller from the London Town studio, Killzone Liberation the third-person post-modern blaster from Guerilla and LocoRoco the cutesy tilting and bumping puzzler that wants to take on DS at its own offbeat casual-friendly game. There's a new version of Lemmings too.
As for that new console. well... There's the tech demo of Gran Turismo HD running in the seemingly impossible 1080p resolution and at 60 frames-per-second (the game was also in briefly playable form at the Sony conference - here's someone getting a bit over-excited by it). There's revenge-fired fantasy adventure Heavenly Sword from Ninja Theory, which features 'physics-based combat' - i.e. you can hit people with tables - 'devastatingly explosive bazookas'. The FPS, Resistance: Fall Of Man, should be fun - it's an apocalyptic sci-fi romp from Insomnia the Ratchet and Clank boys. There's also Warhawk, a nice-looking return for the old PlayStation flight combat title. For some reason Eye of Judgement sounds good - it's a card trading game where you hold actual cards up to the PS3 camera to trigger onscreen battles. PS3 SingStar is on the showfloor, too, showing off its new downloadable song concept. Will I be able to download talent as well?
Sony is also showing off a bunch of other PSP goodies including the Location-free TV tuner thing, a new Platinum range and anew Ceramic White version of the hardware...
Plenty going on then - perhaps the stand itself will allow gamers the chance to experience PS3 away from all the triumphalism of that conference...
Queue factor: 10 Most exciting offering: Anything next-gen and playable Yawn inducing tie-ins: Nope Sample press release nonsense: "Players must learn, develop and master more than 800 motion captured moves as they progress from street battles to the world championships, gaining style and respect as they battle their way around the world" (B-Boy) Dirty Dancing meets NFS: Most Wanted...
Square Enix The RPG veterans are more-or-less a one trick pony this year - well, two tricks if you include Dragon Quest. Before setting up stall, Square Enix has an astonishing eight Final Fantasy titles in its hand baggage, the key newbie being Final Fantasy XIII on PS3. Subtitled FABULA NOVA CRYSTALLIS (Latin for 'the new tale of the crystal') it is actually three separate games - Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy Versus XIII (a sort of dark alternative to the other FFXIII) and Final Fantasy Agito XIII, the latter appearing on mobile phone. No info yet, but this is a typically grand gesture from the company.
Game Boy Advance owners will get their slow-to-upgrade mitts on Final Fantasy V Advance and Final Fantasy VI Advance - both remakes of the original titles with a few modern twists, new dungeons and new character classes. Another remake, Final Fantasy III, is even more enticing - this originally Japan-only incarnation will be appearing on DS with re-modeled 3D visuals and a few gameplay tweaks to take the unique abilities of the console into account.
Actually, the two most appealing titles as far as I'm concerned have nothing to do with Final Fantasy. Dawn of Mana on PS2 and Children of Mana on DS - are two interesting takes on the legendary Mana series. the former is a 3D action adventure promising to somehow capture the atmosphere of the previous titles. The latter is closer to an action RPG structure, but innovates in its own way with four player co-op or vs play over Wi-Fi.
Queue factor: 9 Most exciting offering: Hmmm, could it be FF XIII? Yawn inducing tie-ins: The only yawns will be frorm people who don't like Final Fantasy Sample press release nonsense: "The game is set in the kingdom of Slimenia, a peaceful land that is suddenly invaded by a mysterious cartel called "the Plob," who then proceed to kidnap all the slimes in the capital city of Boingburg." (Dragon Quest Heroes) Has someone on the dev team been using marker pens in an enclosed environment?
Ubisoft There's been loads of pre-E3 excitement surrounding Ubi's Red Steel, an innovative (at least on paper) Wii shooter that makes full use of the motion-sensing controller for both gun and sword play. Twisting the controller sideways, for example, turns the onscreen gun on its side to, while pulling back reloads. Meanwhile on PS3, Assassin's Creed is the crusade-era stealth adventure from the Prince of Persia team, while Xbox 360 gets Enchanted Arms an traditional-sounding RPG by cult Japanese developer From Software.
Two Tom Clancy titles, Splinter Cell Double Agent and Rainbow Six Vegas, will be making the sojourn to LA. I thought the latter was going to be a daring combination of squad-based combat and poker sim, but actually it's all based around a terrorist siege in the gambling Mecca. Oh and one of Gamesblog's favourite designers, Michel Ancel, is back with his old mate Rayman. Rayman Raving Rabbids is the zaniest title in the series so far according to the press release. That's some boast...
Queue factor: 7 Most exciting offering: Red Steel Yawn inducing tie-ins: Open Season Sample press release nonsense: "It's a riotous romp in the great outdoors for kids of all ages when a rowdy brood of forest animals turn the tables on unsuspecting hunters." (Open Season)
Vivendi Clearly relying heavily on Scarface, Vivendi has only a smattering of original content on its stall. World In Conflict is a PC strategy game from Massive Entertainment, set during the chilly days of the cold war. Based around a concept conjured up by "Cold War authority and best-selling author" Larry Bond, it promises 3D destructable environments and furious team-based action. Fans of paranormal shooter F.E.A.R will no doubt want to spend a few moments with the Xbox 360 version of the game, due out this Christmas. There's also Timeshift, the sci-fi FPS from Sabre Interactive that lets you pause, rewind and replay action - did they get that idea from DAB radio?
Queue factor: 4 Most exciting offering: perhaps they have something to show behind closed doors? Yawn inducing tie-ins: Scarface: The World is Yours, Miami Vice, Eragon Sample press release nonsense: "5 0 Cent: Bulletproof G Unit Edition is the ultimate fusion of music, gaming and video entertainment" (50 Cent Bulletproof G Unit Edition) Go away you horrible man.
