E3 '08, my personal opinion

Well, E3 has come and gone with lots of anticipation for a bunch of games. A bunch of sneak peeks at upcoming titles for all 3 major platforms, as well as demonstrations, press conferences, etc. It must have been nice to be there, since people on E3 could have seen more than most of us did. Anyways, here is my personal opinion on the big 3, and my thoughts on the games I'm interested in.

Microsoft: They had a really good press conference, and they finished it with a bang, but it wasn't such a big deal in my opinion, mostly because even though final fantasy XIII is a highly anticipated game, most of the people who wanted it have already gotten a ps3. Still, the gears 2 trailer was by far the best game trailer I have ever seen. Fable II looked to be Peter Molyneux's true vision of a game, and the "New Xbox Experience" seemed like a nice addition to the original Xbox experience. Some of us (me included) don't like the new look that much, but it's really nice to see that they care, and they truly want to improve their console in as much ways possible.

Now, there are some things I would've wanted. First and foremost, a price drop for the 360's hard drives. I want a 120 GB HDD, in order to install games, reduce load times, buy more stuff, especially in oblivion. But it's not that possible with my current HDD and I've got the money for the hard drive, but it's not worth it, not at 180 usd. Also, how about Bungie's secret game or something on Alan wake? Guess we will have to wait for TGS/X08 (if there is one)

Nintendo: I was disappointed. I mean, It's not like I didn't see that one coming, but it would have been nice to see them pull some great games out of nothing at the climax of E3 '08, just like when they announced brawl at E3 '06. The big "N" has always hid their secrets perfectly, with the world finding out about them when they intend it to happen, unlike Microsoft and Sony. Now, Nintendo has done great with its casual approach, Wiis have been selling like hot cakes, they are making a lot of profits, and they seem to be unstoppable. But, in the biggest gaming event of the year, you would expect to see things directed to people who like gaming. Sure, there were some good things, like to know there will finally be a voice chat solution for the Wii, but I'd stick to using the live headset, or a phone's headset. Most 3rd party games announced/showed were... nice, but nothing compared to 3rd party games for 360, ps3, or pc. Nothing seemed to catch my eye.

I really hope Nintendo starts thinking more about it's core audience. Us. I'm certain many of you would like a Wii Star-Fox. Imagine this: an improvement upon Assault, with good online multiplayer, ship/character customization, and lots of ways to play, á la Warhawk on the ps3. That's my dream Nintendo game, but I know it won't happen. Still, a new Star-Fox would be nice. They still owe us a true Wii Zelda, since twilight princess, despite how great it was, it was a better port of a GameCube game, just like resident evil 4. They seemed to focus a lot on casual gaming, and even though it's not a bad thing at all, it's disappointing for people like me.

Sony: They did a great job showing off their upcoming holiday lineup. From the beginning montage video, to how they showed off games like Resistance 2, Killzone 2, Resistance retribution, gave some new SKU announcements, and just like any other press conference, they talked about sales, lineup of games, and availability of the console, through a game in a way that's simply unmatched. The little big planet presentation was just genius. They had such a low blow because of the final fantasy XIII announcement, but they managed to stand up, and they really impressed me with their press conference, but I wanted more than just a teaser for God of War III, still; I was almost certain it would be just a teaser.

Now, they could have done better, by showing off something more dramatic; for instance: A new game from their other developers, especially Naughty Dog. I fell in love with Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, but never got a chance to play any of the Jak games, so it would be nice to try the series. How about some more information in your console's availability throughout the world? After all, not just the US likes Playstation brand products. I'm still waiting for Playstation network to be available for us Mexicans.

As for games that caught my eye. I'll talk some games that I'm anticipating the most that are also coming out this year:

Project Origin - You can't go wrong with the sequel to 2005's bone chilling F.E.A.R. After seeing some footage back in 2005, watching reviews, screenshots, gameplay, and many things more, I fell in love with it, but my pc couldn't (and still can't) run it as good as it should be. I became so glad when it was announced for the 360; I picked it up, and have loved every single bit of the game. Now, with a true sequel, a true, not rushed out, well made sequel, I can't be more hyped about this. I can't wait to fear Alma again.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed - I'm a big star wars nerd. When I was a little kid, I always wanted to be a Jedi and have a green light saber. KOTOR did that for me, but now, I just want to be a Sith, and do Sith stuff. The Force Unleashed seems to be the perfect choice for me. The story is just nice, and adding fan service for it, makes it the perfect game for all Star Wars fans.

Dead Space: Just check out one of the trailers. It looks amazing. The story is interesting enough for a comic book (done) and even a horror movie (let's hope not!). It's got some really nice graphics, effects, and game play mechanics that seem to make it all just so, stressing, but in a good way. I can't wait for this scare-fest.

Gears of War - Bigger? Better? More Badass? Check, check, and double check. It's just how the original Gears of War should have been, not that the original was bad or anything. But it's getting a better storyline, some (slight) improvements on gameplay which (dramatically) change some of the things you can do. More weapons, more options, and just more badassedness (if that's a word) will make Gears of War 2, a truly stunning game.

Resistance 2 – I just got the original resistance this week, and I must say, I am wowed at how good it is. I thought it was an overhyped launch title, but no, it's actually really impressive, good looking, and most importantly: FUN, which applies to the chimera, having FUN factor. Now, by adding 2 different campaigns, bigger bosses, and a pistol that shoots detonatable bullets, I just can't wait to see how it all begins, and hopefully, ends.

Left4Dead – It's a shooter. It's made by Valve software. It's 4 player co-op. It's got zombies. You just can't go wrong with a game with all of the characteristics I just mentioned. I mean, how could you? It's a good game just by checking out who is making it, and how it plays out. But by watching videos, I just can't wait for it, I just can't wait.

I just can't wait for all of these games (and many more) to come out. There is just 2 problems. What am I gonna use my Wii for? and, how am I supposed to pay for all of this? I hope I can get the answer to both of them soon.