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Welcome Back E3: Product Highlights and Show Wrap Up By Angie Kibiloski
On June 2-4, 2009, the E3 Expo made a triumphant return to form at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Over 41,000 attendees converged on LA to get the scoop on new and upcoming video games and gaming products from around 200 exhibitors. Those exhibitors included game industry giants like EA Games and Ubisoft, as well as smaller independent developers. After the disappointing reduced format and attendance of the last 2 years, I am thrilled to see E3 brought back to its former glory with such a vengeance. The previous “media summit” experiment has been thankfully traded back in for the large, impressive booths and sensory delights that is only fitting for the industry’s ultimate gaming expo. The Electronic Software Association (ESA) seems equally excited about this year’s success. They have already announced the dates for next year’s E3, with promises to continue in this proven and preferred convention-style format. Welcome back E3, you have been sorely missed!
I attended all 3 days of the Expo, and relished every minute. There are such exciting games coming throughout the rest of this year and into 2010, I cannot wait to share them all with you as they are released. I can share a few of them with you now, as highlights from the show. The following handful of products are those that impressed me most, and which I think are the most outstanding offerings from the show. There were dozens of games that I will be keeping my eye on in the upcoming months, but these several shone out above the rest.
Yoostar is an extremely cool product that lets you star in your favorite Hollywood movies right from your living room. With the 2MP webcam, 6’x 6’ green screen, and the Yoostar software and website, you have all the tools necessary to be a star. Yoostar provides you with scenes from movies which have had one or both of the characters digitally removed. You film yourself in front of the green screen, and the software combines that footage with the original scene. Next, you publish this to the Yoostar website, and voila! You can share your video with your friends on Facebook, MySpace, or your own website. This is my favorite product from the Expo because it is really cool, but also because it is unique. Releases this summer.
Darkest of Days is a first person shooter, from Phantom EFX, set during some of humanity’s darkest moments. Recruited by a time agency, you travel back in time to the Civil War, World War II, and even Pompeii, trying to fix events that were never meant to happen. Full of huge, historically accurate, and beautifully rendered battles, this game gets you up close and personal with the action. The story is full of twisting plot points, and your success or failure in one mission can affect the purpose of your future missions. So excited about this game! Releases this Fall.
Dragon Age: Origins, by EA Games, is an epic fantasy RPG that revolves around dark themes of lust, violence, and betrayal. You are a Grey Warden, defending the world against the Dark Blight, an infestation of evil creatures led by dragons. The graphics are gorgeous, and the characters are multi-dimensional, reacting differently to you based on each of your choices and actions. The monsters in this game are huge and straight out of any fantasy lover’s dreams. Releases in October. Fairytale Fights, from the talented people at Playlogic, is a hack and slash romp through fairytales, where you play the part of a has-been fairytale character with an obvious axe to grind. Or rather, an axe to wield, or a sword, a club, a saw, or oddly, a link of salami. It is fantastically bloody, and really not for children, despite the fairytale aspect. You’ll be gleefully chopping your way through dwarves, lumberjacks, and gingerbread men on your rise back to your former fabled glory. Wonderfully gory and just plain cool, this game is absolutely going on my wish list. Releases this holiday season.
Heroes of Telara, by Trion World Network, is a fantasy MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) with a completely open environment and mission system. If you see a place in the beautifully rendered distance, you can go there and check it out, whenever you want. The game and environment will dynamically change depending on which missions you choose to take, and where you choose to go and when. There are some very exciting character customization features as well. This game was a hidden gem that I was so lucky to discover. Releases in 2010. In addition to the awesome games on the show floor, there was a gaming art exhibit on display. The Into the Pixel gallery once again showcased the year’s best artwork from video games. Submissions are made from game artists around the world, and a jury of members of both the art world and the gaming industry choose 16 winners from among the submissions. These 16 winners represent the best of video game artwork from the talented artists responsible for games such as Guild Wards, Legends of Norrath, Halo Wars and The Conduit.
This year’s E3 Expo was 3 days full of fun and first looks at great products. Keep checking back here for updates on all the games mentioned above and many more. There are plenty of quality games coming out in the next several months, and I will bring you news of all the best ones.
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