Left 4 Dead 2 reared it's zombie killing head, very surprising as the first was only released very recently and seems more suitable for a more episodic DLC format, rather than a full on sequel.Crackdown 2 made an appearance, first was a great game, they seem to been mixing it up by adding some kind of mutant/monster aspect to the game, could be interesting. Splinter Cell: Convictionis back and actually looks pretty damn good, they've done away with the beardy hobo vibe, gone for a much more gritty atmosphere, genuinely feels like a rebirth for the series, first time I've been excited about it since number one.
Bungie showed two titles: ODST and teased the newly announcedReach, probably based on the Fall Of Reach story, part of the Halo universe fiction. We were given a gameplay demo of ODST, looks like the story might be genuinely compelling as it's focusing more on actual people as opposed to the voiceless demon that is Masterchief. Team aspects make it look more interesting as a single player experience, different stories being told from different perspectives. They aslo mentioned a new online co-op mode called 'Firefight' which we'll hear more about as the week goes on.
Epic showed an XBLA game called Shadow Complex, a side scrolling futuristic shooter reminiscent of early Metroid titles. Microsoft announced a new avatar friendly game, Joy Ride, a cartoony racer. We were shown a trailer revealing graphics and gameplay for The Beatles: Rock Band, and Forza 3 made an appearance too. Microsoft, with the help of the lovely Felicia Day, also told us about the new networking features coming to Xbox. Soon both Facebook and Twitter will be fully integrated into the system, and now as well as upgrading their HD video service to support full 1080p, they are introducing Sky TV functionality for us here in the UK.
Infinity Ward, pleased the crowds with an impressive demo ofModern Warfare 2, showing off the same dramatic and engaging single player action we had in the first. We finally got a glimpse at what Alan Wake was actually all about, kinda looks like a mystery survival horror, very cinematic, visually underwhelming but gameplay looked impressive for that genre. We were also shown some more of Final Fantasy XIII, nothing new there really except some summoning action unseen in previous gameplay footage.
Two biggest announcements of the day are probably that the Metal Gear Solid Series is finally making an appearance on Microsoft's console, apparently "completing" what it has to offer. It won't, as many hoped and suspected, be a port of the excellentGuns of the Patriots, but rather a new title called Metal Gear Solid: Rising. Starring cyborg ninja Raiden (as opposed to irritating lady boy raiden) the game will provide "totally newMetal Gear experience". My guess is that it'll be more action orientated, more of a hack and slash with puzzle solving elements, but that's all speculation.
The second huge announcement, was the reveal of Project Natal, pretty much Eye Toy++. Microsoft are introducing a new motion sensing system in the form of a camera that tracks your entire body and all your limbs. It can also recognise your face and voice, to automatically log you in, and can act as a scanner to input images and text. It genuinely seems like a new generation of motion control, a new way to experience games and, if Peter Molyneux and his MIlo program have any say, molest creepy parentless children.It'll be interesting what Sony has in store for us in the coming days.
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