Title: E3 2007 Game of the Show Platform: All Editor: Nicholas 'bapenguin' Puleo
E3 2007 Game of the Show
It was an interesting E3 this year. A different smaller format, a focus on the holidays, and especially a focus on games. All of these things combined yielded a ton of quality and playable titles at the show. If you've seen my Game Wrap up you know I'm recommending A LOT of titles this holiday. It was very tough to choose a game of the show. Here are my top 5 games of E3 2007 along with a few notables.
Honorable Mentions: Call of Duty 4 (PC, 360, PS3) and Halo 3 (360) - I grouped these two together for the simple reason of them being sequels. The games both look like incredible experiences, but they don't look like vast departures from other games that are out there.
EchoChrome (PS3, PSP) - If this game was playable at E3 it would have most likely made the list. The idea of a 2D dimensional based puzzle game that looks like MC Escher come to life is simply enthralling. No word on when this is coming out, but it should be on everyone's radar.
5. Stranglehold (PC, 360, PS3)
Stranglehold is one of those games you've been seeing for months, it looks mildly interesting and then you actually get to see it in person and are blown away. The game is exactly what it looks like, Max Payne meets a John Woo movie, but where things really start to shine are all the little nuances. The one thing that particularly grabbed me was the fact that your character will interact with every object. Side step into a table; and watch your guy kick his legs up and slide over top. On top of this you have a fully destructible environment, crazy acrobatic gun slinging action and of course...doves. The game really had me enthralled for the 20 or so minutes I got to play, and I'm really looking forward to the full version. This game truly is a next-gen successor to Max Payne.
4. Assassin's Creed (360, PS3)
My jaw still hits the floor when I see the opening of the Assassin's Creed demo. The main character perched high above Jerusalem, the city a pristine white and visible for what looks like miles. It's not all about graphics though, as the developers tried to change up a somewhat stale stealth genre by adding fun to the "chase" element. Climbing walls, jumping from rooftop to rooftop, blending in with crowds are all at your disposal in Assassin's Creed. While the game did show some flaws at E3, namely clipping issues, the game play is what matters. I played the game for a good 25 minutes, simply running around the town and trying out different things, and found tons of interesting things to interact with...and kill. The combat can be as offensive or as defensive as you want, and your assassinations can come in many forms. With a little polish this game is going to be one everyone should have in their library.
3. Little Big Planet (PS3)
How do you talk about a game that really isn't a game? Playing Little Big Planet is like playing with virtual action figures in a virtual world. With unlimited tools at your disposal to generate objects, you run around a rules based world and play with the physics of the "game". I've never had so much fun trying to get up to a ledge in a game than I did with LBP and my 3 co-players. This game is incredibly ambitious, but will be driven by a strong community, and endless possibilities. Playstation 3 owners will get a truly original experience with this title.
2. Heavenly Sword (PS3)
God of War is still one of my favorite games of all time, but if Heavenly Sword can match God of War in terms of story and pacing then the God is about to be dethroned. Fluid animations, bright colorful graphics and huge expansive environments make Heavenly Sword a visual delight. But what really makes the game shine is the in depth fighting system. You'll find yourself on the offensive, only to find yourself suddenly retreating into the defensive and counter style of combat. You'll be fighting 5 enemies only to suddenly be attacked by 30. Heavenly Sword has a variety of attacks, counters and special moves to keep things interesting, and it shouldn't disappoint this fall for the PS3.
And the Game of the Show is.....
1. Mass Effect (360)
We've all seen the screenshot and the videos. Forget all that. The game looks even better in person. Mass Effect is the best looking game on any system to date, and I don't see anything coming in the future that will top it. With dialog and presentation that puts a lot of movies to shame, RPG fans will be immersed in Bioware's Action/RPG. Branching story, difficult decisions and tons of planets to explore extend the replayability of this title for more hours than some people spend on MMOs. The game is completely open ended with literally and entire galaxy to explore. The combat in Mass Effect looks to satisfy both RPG and Action fans being based on character skills but still playing out in a realtime setting. After seeing this game at E3, November feels like such a long time away. Bioware is going to set the bar high for all other RPGs after this game, you can say it will have a massive effect.
Yeah, good call on Mass Effect. Seeing all the demos of this game, it's pretty much sealed the deal on me finally buying a 360. This will make me have to spend less on my PC upgrade this fall, which'll hurt my ego, but this game just looks so amazing.
Mass Effect looks better than Crisys? to me it lacks good art direction, it just looks, well... generic, even the characters seems to be made by a really good Poser5 artist, specially the main hero. I keep thinking how truly impressive the game would be, if they actually tried to make something that looks unique, but I'm pretty sure it will be fun.
I still think there are 2 types of good looking games, the technically brilliant, which wows nerds and "hardcore gamers" (such as Mass Effect .. ugh horrible name, Gears of War, Quake 4) and the artistically pleasing which wows artists and looks like nothing out there right now (BioShock, Little Big Planet, etc.)
Max Effect looks better than Crisys? to me it lacks good art direction, it just looks, well... generic, even the characters seems to be made by a really good Poser5 artist, specially the main hero. I keep thinking how truly impressive the game would be, if they actually tried to make something that looks unique, but I'm pretty sure it will be fun.
Good list, except for little big planet. The 1up crew were saying after playing it a second time, it's just not as interesting. But it looks nice for sure, though it's something I think I can get by without thinking "damn, I sure wish I had that game".
Max Effect looks better than Crisys? to me it lacks good art direction, it just looks, well... generic, even the characters seems to be made by a really good Poser5 artist, specially the main hero. I keep thinking how truly impressive the game would be, if they actually tried to make something that looks unique, but I'm pretty sure it will be fun.
I still think there are 2 types of good looking games, the technically brilliant, which wows nerds and "hardcore gamers" (such as Max Effect .. ugh horrible name, Gears of War, Quake 4) and the artistically pleasing which wows artists and looks like nothing out there right now (BioShock, Little Big Planet, etc.)
Why do you keep calling it "Max Effect"? It's Mass Effect.
I'm surprised to see Little Big Planet up there and to not see Bioshock. Otherwise, this seems like a decent list. Personally, I probably would have had Lost Oddyssey up there too, but that's my own bias towards RPGs. I guess I can forgive bapenguin's bias too.
- July 20th to August 24th, drinking with friends, riding my motorcycle, coming to work. Normal shit.
- August 24th to November, playing Bioshock constantly only pausing for the bathroom and food once a week.
- November to Christmas, playing Mass Effect constantly only pausing for the bathroom and food once a week.
Funny thing is, I don't really want it to be this way. I'd like to change it. I'd like it to be different. But I know it wont be. I know this is how it's going to go.
I'm powerless to prevent it.
__________________ 360 : The Evil Maniac
Blues fallin' down like hail
And the days keeps on worryin' me
There's a hellhound on my trail.
I would at least replace Stranglehold with something else (Bioshock?). I keep looking at the trailers and gameplay videos and the game just doesn't do it for me. Granted it looks nice, but for me it would be a "rent it, beat it, forget about it" game.
I'm surprised to see Little Big Planet up there and to not see Bioshock. Otherwise, this seems like a decent list. Personally, I probably would have had Lost Oddyssey up there too, but that's my own bias towards RPGs. I guess I can forgive bapenguin's bias too.
Bioshock probably would have been up there, but I just didn't play it. It's coming out so soon I didn't want to ruin anything. That 5 minutes of it I did play were damn cool though.
to me it lacks good art direction, it just looks, well... generic, even the characters seems to be made by a really good Poser5 artist, specially the main hero. I keep thinking how truly impressive the game would be, if they actually tried to make something that looks unique, but I'm pretty sure it will be fun.
the game couldn't be named like that!
