E3 2009 Thoughts

So, even though the expo itself doesn’t start until today, yesterday Microsoft had their 360 related conference to show off their stuff. Highlights included footage from Modern Warfare 2, Final Fantasy whatevernumberthey’reuptonow and Splinter Cell Conviction. There was also talk of XBox 360 getting integration with Facebook, Twitter and Last.fm. But personally for me the best things were (in no particular order)

An Angry Internet Man, Yesterday. Notice the difference in size of his Angry Typing Arm.

1. Project Natal – Despite having a name like a rejected member of the Gladiators, this is a full 3D motion tracking camera thingymabob with voice and facial recognition to boot. If they manage to pull this off, it’ll be bloody fantastic to see. However, most of the gaming public know to take this sort of technology with a pinch of salt – after all, the PlayStation Eye for the PS3 and MS’ own You’re In The Movies haven’t exactly set the gaming world alight. However, one of my favourite arcade experience remains Konami’s Police 24/7 – where you had to physically move your body to avoid the hail of bullets – in a time of Time Crisis style foot pedals was quite a remarked difference and was pretty immersive in its day. Still not quite sure about Peter Molyneux deciding to show off the technology with a new Virtual Boy (literally) in Milo. He’s a bit creepy. In a having-Alma-from-the-FEAR-series-would-have-been-so-much-better kind of way.

2.The Beatles Rock Band Yeah, OK – it’s no secret I’m a fan of fake plastic guitar games, but the debut trailer for Lego Rock Band as well as the footage shown yesterday (introduced by Paul and Ringo themselves) of Beatles Rock Band has not failed to quash my excitement for them. I got far more of a sense of childish glee from seeing the Lego Rock Band one than even the announcement of the Harry Potter or Lego Indy 2 announcements also this week.

3. Left 4 Dead 2
And this was announced yesterday, which as a PC centric sort of person most excited me. I’m really looking forward to the new campaigns, characters, story and new infected such as the Charger shown in the picture. However, it appears to have generated a lot of people’s anger. Now, I see where it may seem like quite a rapid turnaround for a sequel, but Valve have already said they’re not abandoning the first game, and there’s still plenty of DLC to come for the first game. But I for one can’t wait to start attacking infected with a chainsaw in broad daylight. AND IN THE GAME. (The Anti-Cliché part of my brain just died) Loads more info (and indeed views from both sides, along with a podcast from the producer of L4D2) over on RPS.

And finally, not entirely E3 related but announced this week as well so I’ll mention it anyway – an updating of the first Monkey Island game is coming along with some new Monkey Island games from Telltale. Hurrah!