Thursday, June 02, 2005
E3 - Sweaty mitts-on impressions, part 1
So I've been working a lot recently, and haven't had much time to sleep in between, nevermind write. But, as promised, here's part one of my quick impressions of every other game that I laid hands on at the show, that I can remember (see my previous post for the first batch):
Animal Crossing DS - The first AC was a grand affair, something you could easily get your entire life revolving around if you gave it a window. This new one felt fairly similar, though traversing the town and performing your various mundane tasks feels nice with the stylus. The biggest complaint I had was that while you get almost full camera control indoors, they've changed the outdoor camera to give you the perspective of traversing a small sphere, where the horizon is always being pulled towards or away from you. I didn't like it much, and felt that it took away from the expansiveness and quaintness of the town. Still, it's Animal Crossing, and it will be online. And I'll buy it.
Battalion Wars - I've never played an Advance Wars game since I'm not of the portable persuasion, but I've always been intrigued. Not that they're as similar as you'd imagine, but Battalion Wars is lots of fun. The third-person jumpy controls are easy to handle, and the slightly strategic action gameplay is very satisfying throughout every encounter, almost like a good shooter. The graphics were a bit rough, but I'll chalk that up to the awful RCA TVs that Nintendo stupidly chose to display their games on. I didn't really play enough to give a full rundown, but it was fairly enjoyable and should make for a solid GC exclusive whenever it finally arrives.
Batman Begins - I hadn't even bothered getting my hopes up for this one (EA hasn't been so hot with licenses recently), so I'm thrilled to report that the game will be a lot of fun. The combat is a bit simplistic, but when you're Batman an awesome punch is an awesome punch. The level that I played actually felt a bit like Prince of Persia or Mark of Kri as far as structure; adventure a bit, traverse some windowsills, then kick some ass in a nice open room. Simple yet Batman. I also played a driving segment which was great, thanks to the use of a modified Burnout racing engine. Which means fast, pretty and lots of smashy. I assume the game won't be long enough to justify a purchase, but it's probably a great rental for the weekend after the movie arrives.
Burnout Revenge - Man, never has a series cemented itself so quickly in my short list of favorites. Burnout 2 and 3 are sheer genius, and THANKFULLY Revenge is equally spectacular. I feared that only a year in development and a slightly grittier look would sour the experience somewhat, but man is this game still fun. Traffic Attack mode is especially awesome - smash every non-oncoming car in sight to gain time, and that's about it. I'm hoping the supposed 360 version is a reality, because while it's a must-buy on any platform, it would sell the new hardware for me. Good times.
Burnout: Legends - A great PSP port of a great game. I'm a stickler for load times and frames per second, and this didn't disappoint. It's nothing new, but it's almost immediately the best PSP game.
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow - Symphony of the Night is my favorite game ever, so you'd think that I'd buy a GBA to play the other 2D, musically-named Belmont adventures. Well, I have no good excuse. I will be purchasing a DS though, so I'll have no excuse for not playing the whole lot now. Dawn of Sorrow felt on par with everything I've come to expect from the series, which is certainly a good thing. I didn't get to use to touch screen much, but it only adds so much to the gameplay anyhow. I'll never be thrilled with the controls on the DS either, but it's not like the moves are tricky to pull off.
Coded Arms - I had my hopes high, but first-person shooter just aren't going to work on the PSP. They control like the first Turok game, i.e. borderline unplayable. Pretty graphics though.
Conker: Live & Reloaded - The single-player mode looks great with it's new coat of paint, but the multiplayer mode is where it's at. The controls feel solid and smart, the different player classes add a nice combat dynamic, and the game looks downright great. Each individual aspect (grenades, weapon selection, vehicles, etc) doesn't feel quite as refined as say, Halo, but there's a lot more to do and choose from than most shooters. It probably won't end up standing out quite as much as Microsoft and Rare are hoping, but it should make for some great moments for anyone smart enough to give it a chance.
Death Jr. - Why does this game need guns? Regardless, it's decent enough, even with the wacky analog nub.
Destroy All Humans! - Sweet, this game is going to be great. I loved Mercenaries, but it lacked a bit of character. As much fun as blowing everything up was (and it was fun), I didn't really give a damn whether my character died - or a damn about anyone else around me, come to think of it. Your alien pal is a lot more likable than some nameless bullet sponge, even if his voice is a little overdone. DAH feels very similar to Mercenaries, and the on-foot gameplay isn't too far removed either. That's a good thing though, as is frying people with your laser gun, throwing them around with your telekinesis, and leveling buildings in your saucer. Anyhow, it entertained me quite a bit for the ten minutes or so I allowed it, and as long as the final game is large enough it should be great.
Evil Dead Regeneration - Quite handily one of the worst games of the show, Regeneration has little reason to exist. The movies are obviously great, and brilliant material for a videogame, so why do they always screw them up? Christ, when you have a chainsaw for an arm and you're not having fun, something is grossly, grossly awry. Awful camera angles, wretched graphics, useless controls, and no sense of entertainment in the least. Cry.
Full Auto - Without going into too many sexual metaphors about how great the 360's controller is, Full Auto is actually pretty fun. And that can't really be said for anything else that was playable on the system. It's a very fast, very shiny racing game, with a couple of weapons and a sweet time-rewind effect thrown in for kicks. Yes, almost exactly like Prince of Persia's system; just press a button and you can undo any misaligned jump or too-tight turn. It's nothing stunning visually, and the gameplay is just a motley combination of various aspects of other games, but hey, I had a good time.
Geist - Sigh. Possessing various hosts is such a damn good idea for a first-person shooter (or any game, really), but it just doesn't feel right. Nothing feels refined, the shooting doesn't feel visceral, and the graphics are just plain poopy. There are definitely some neat gameplay devices here and there, but without a very thick layer of polish I fear the worst when this one arrives.
Guitar Hero - Frequency and Amplitude are two of the best music games ever in my humble opinion, and Harmonix has nary a misstep yet. Guitar Hero is every bit as intuitive and toe-tapping as their other games, with an awesome plastic guitar peripheral to rock out on. The gameplay didn't seem quite as deep as I was expecting, but it's tough to judge from a couple minutes of playtime. I'm looking forward to this one just based on the developer's resume, but I'm sure casual gamers will dig the unique controller and classic tunes. Word.
Infected - Possibly the only original, compelling PSP game at the show. It's tough to describe what it plays like...maybe a slower-paced Twisted Metal, without the cars? And killing combos. It's a very cool system, and it works well for the most part. The graphics and controls felt a few degrees off from being completely polished, but the game has plenty of time before released. Combine said solid gameplay with the whole multiplayer "infection" gimmick, and this game should do well for itself.
Jak X: Combat Racing - Very fun. It's more or less exactly what you're expecting - fast-paced car combat in the Jak universe, with loose, easy controls and a mixed bag of art design. The graphics were very early (I've come to expect nothing but the best from Naughty dog), but the cars felt solid and everything was easy to do. For a small side-project it's very well thought-out and shows a lot of promise thus far.
James Bond 007: From Russia With Love - I enjoyed Everything or Nothing quite a bit - the cinematic feel was top-notch, the game felt good whether you were driving, shooting or free-falling, and the targeting system was great. FRWL feels like almost the same game, but swap Sean Connery for Brosnan. So, plus a million cool points. And you can now target specific body parts easier, so if you shoot a grenade on someone's belt, boom, death. I can only hope that this one has co-op as well.
Jaws Unleashed - Man, what a great game. You're a shark, see, and you tear shit up. Fish, divers, anchors; whatever pleases your fancy. The game looks awesome, and somehow they got the feel of controlling a goddamn shark spot-on. It was actually one of the coolest original games I played at the show, and something I'd be very interested in picking up when it comes out. By the way, you're a SHARK.
Kingdom Under Fire: Heroes - I never got around to playing much of the first game, but I dug the idea and the art style was keen. This one leans a lot further to the business end of the things, but the action is satisfyingly hectic and everything seems a lot more easily implemented. It's not really my thing, but it deserves to do well (and their next game, Ninety-Nine Nights for the 360, looks stunning).
Animal Crossing DS - The first AC was a grand affair, something you could easily get your entire life revolving around if you gave it a window. This new one felt fairly similar, though traversing the town and performing your various mundane tasks feels nice with the stylus. The biggest complaint I had was that while you get almost full camera control indoors, they've changed the outdoor camera to give you the perspective of traversing a small sphere, where the horizon is always being pulled towards or away from you. I didn't like it much, and felt that it took away from the expansiveness and quaintness of the town. Still, it's Animal Crossing, and it will be online. And I'll buy it.
Battalion Wars - I've never played an Advance Wars game since I'm not of the portable persuasion, but I've always been intrigued. Not that they're as similar as you'd imagine, but Battalion Wars is lots of fun. The third-person jumpy controls are easy to handle, and the slightly strategic action gameplay is very satisfying throughout every encounter, almost like a good shooter. The graphics were a bit rough, but I'll chalk that up to the awful RCA TVs that Nintendo stupidly chose to display their games on. I didn't really play enough to give a full rundown, but it was fairly enjoyable and should make for a solid GC exclusive whenever it finally arrives.
Batman Begins - I hadn't even bothered getting my hopes up for this one (EA hasn't been so hot with licenses recently), so I'm thrilled to report that the game will be a lot of fun. The combat is a bit simplistic, but when you're Batman an awesome punch is an awesome punch. The level that I played actually felt a bit like Prince of Persia or Mark of Kri as far as structure; adventure a bit, traverse some windowsills, then kick some ass in a nice open room. Simple yet Batman. I also played a driving segment which was great, thanks to the use of a modified Burnout racing engine. Which means fast, pretty and lots of smashy. I assume the game won't be long enough to justify a purchase, but it's probably a great rental for the weekend after the movie arrives.
Burnout Revenge - Man, never has a series cemented itself so quickly in my short list of favorites. Burnout 2 and 3 are sheer genius, and THANKFULLY Revenge is equally spectacular. I feared that only a year in development and a slightly grittier look would sour the experience somewhat, but man is this game still fun. Traffic Attack mode is especially awesome - smash every non-oncoming car in sight to gain time, and that's about it. I'm hoping the supposed 360 version is a reality, because while it's a must-buy on any platform, it would sell the new hardware for me. Good times.
Burnout: Legends - A great PSP port of a great game. I'm a stickler for load times and frames per second, and this didn't disappoint. It's nothing new, but it's almost immediately the best PSP game.
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow - Symphony of the Night is my favorite game ever, so you'd think that I'd buy a GBA to play the other 2D, musically-named Belmont adventures. Well, I have no good excuse. I will be purchasing a DS though, so I'll have no excuse for not playing the whole lot now. Dawn of Sorrow felt on par with everything I've come to expect from the series, which is certainly a good thing. I didn't get to use to touch screen much, but it only adds so much to the gameplay anyhow. I'll never be thrilled with the controls on the DS either, but it's not like the moves are tricky to pull off.
Coded Arms - I had my hopes high, but first-person shooter just aren't going to work on the PSP. They control like the first Turok game, i.e. borderline unplayable. Pretty graphics though.
Conker: Live & Reloaded - The single-player mode looks great with it's new coat of paint, but the multiplayer mode is where it's at. The controls feel solid and smart, the different player classes add a nice combat dynamic, and the game looks downright great. Each individual aspect (grenades, weapon selection, vehicles, etc) doesn't feel quite as refined as say, Halo, but there's a lot more to do and choose from than most shooters. It probably won't end up standing out quite as much as Microsoft and Rare are hoping, but it should make for some great moments for anyone smart enough to give it a chance.
Death Jr. - Why does this game need guns? Regardless, it's decent enough, even with the wacky analog nub.
Destroy All Humans! - Sweet, this game is going to be great. I loved Mercenaries, but it lacked a bit of character. As much fun as blowing everything up was (and it was fun), I didn't really give a damn whether my character died - or a damn about anyone else around me, come to think of it. Your alien pal is a lot more likable than some nameless bullet sponge, even if his voice is a little overdone. DAH feels very similar to Mercenaries, and the on-foot gameplay isn't too far removed either. That's a good thing though, as is frying people with your laser gun, throwing them around with your telekinesis, and leveling buildings in your saucer. Anyhow, it entertained me quite a bit for the ten minutes or so I allowed it, and as long as the final game is large enough it should be great.
Evil Dead Regeneration - Quite handily one of the worst games of the show, Regeneration has little reason to exist. The movies are obviously great, and brilliant material for a videogame, so why do they always screw them up? Christ, when you have a chainsaw for an arm and you're not having fun, something is grossly, grossly awry. Awful camera angles, wretched graphics, useless controls, and no sense of entertainment in the least. Cry.
Full Auto - Without going into too many sexual metaphors about how great the 360's controller is, Full Auto is actually pretty fun. And that can't really be said for anything else that was playable on the system. It's a very fast, very shiny racing game, with a couple of weapons and a sweet time-rewind effect thrown in for kicks. Yes, almost exactly like Prince of Persia's system; just press a button and you can undo any misaligned jump or too-tight turn. It's nothing stunning visually, and the gameplay is just a motley combination of various aspects of other games, but hey, I had a good time.
Geist - Sigh. Possessing various hosts is such a damn good idea for a first-person shooter (or any game, really), but it just doesn't feel right. Nothing feels refined, the shooting doesn't feel visceral, and the graphics are just plain poopy. There are definitely some neat gameplay devices here and there, but without a very thick layer of polish I fear the worst when this one arrives.
Guitar Hero - Frequency and Amplitude are two of the best music games ever in my humble opinion, and Harmonix has nary a misstep yet. Guitar Hero is every bit as intuitive and toe-tapping as their other games, with an awesome plastic guitar peripheral to rock out on. The gameplay didn't seem quite as deep as I was expecting, but it's tough to judge from a couple minutes of playtime. I'm looking forward to this one just based on the developer's resume, but I'm sure casual gamers will dig the unique controller and classic tunes. Word.
Infected - Possibly the only original, compelling PSP game at the show. It's tough to describe what it plays like...maybe a slower-paced Twisted Metal, without the cars? And killing combos. It's a very cool system, and it works well for the most part. The graphics and controls felt a few degrees off from being completely polished, but the game has plenty of time before released. Combine said solid gameplay with the whole multiplayer "infection" gimmick, and this game should do well for itself.
Jak X: Combat Racing - Very fun. It's more or less exactly what you're expecting - fast-paced car combat in the Jak universe, with loose, easy controls and a mixed bag of art design. The graphics were very early (I've come to expect nothing but the best from Naughty dog), but the cars felt solid and everything was easy to do. For a small side-project it's very well thought-out and shows a lot of promise thus far.
James Bond 007: From Russia With Love - I enjoyed Everything or Nothing quite a bit - the cinematic feel was top-notch, the game felt good whether you were driving, shooting or free-falling, and the targeting system was great. FRWL feels like almost the same game, but swap Sean Connery for Brosnan. So, plus a million cool points. And you can now target specific body parts easier, so if you shoot a grenade on someone's belt, boom, death. I can only hope that this one has co-op as well.
Jaws Unleashed - Man, what a great game. You're a shark, see, and you tear shit up. Fish, divers, anchors; whatever pleases your fancy. The game looks awesome, and somehow they got the feel of controlling a goddamn shark spot-on. It was actually one of the coolest original games I played at the show, and something I'd be very interested in picking up when it comes out. By the way, you're a SHARK.
Kingdom Under Fire: Heroes - I never got around to playing much of the first game, but I dug the idea and the art style was keen. This one leans a lot further to the business end of the things, but the action is satisfyingly hectic and everything seems a lot more easily implemented. It's not really my thing, but it deserves to do well (and their next game, Ninety-Nine Nights for the 360, looks stunning).
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