Post E3 Impressions

I can't say that I'm as excited as Nick was about this year's E3. I really feel something was missing. Maybe it because the show was toned down for just the industry only. I feel like there was less pressure for game companies to put out something exciting and there wasn't a real reason to impress. There wasn't that mad dash to try to steal the show because everyone there were insiders and would be more understanding if games weren't finished or shown. Brad assured me that the change in excitement was due to the lack of new systems like the one's that were announced the last two years. And that may be the case, but where were the surprise announcements? I know that Nick is excited about Silent Hill 5, but it's not quite like the excitement Snake created when he made an appearance in the Smash Bros. Brawl trailer last year. When Brad and I heard about the surprise announcement that was going to be made by Konami, he looked at me and said, "Please let it be Zone of the Enders 3." That's something that I would have found acceptable. I was looking for something completely new and exciting and while I find Wii Fit intriguing, it just doesn't satisfy the game fanatic in me.

A lot of this E3 was just stuff we had previously seen before. Nintendo of course had Prime 3, Smash Brawl, Mario Galaxy, and Phantom Hourglass all of which we've been waiting on since last year's E3. Mario Kart Wii online will be nice for the system, but honestly who didn't see that one coming? And where was Disaster: Day of Crisis? Sony came out with Killzone 2 which was the big talk two years ago. MGS4 is still a good half year away and I didn't really hear anything new about DMC4 or RE5. The new PSP seems nice, but I wonder if those improvements will actually make it real difference. And where the heck was FFXIII? I'm not really sure what to feel about Microsoft. There is some great amazing stuff coming out for their system like Bioshock, Halo, and Mass Effect, but the future looks extremely bleak. I mean what are they going to do next year when all of Sony's AAA titles start appearing. I don't think Viva Pinata Party Animals and Gears of War 2 (which I bet will be announced) will be able to hold off Sony eventual onslaught.

Don't get me wrong, E3 was still E3. Games were shown and I got excited. I am now debating which version of Assassin's Creed to get, XB360 or PS3. Instead of dismissing Mass Effect, I'm now on the ropes about it. Patapon will get my PSP going again. I've heard nothing but good things about Phantom Hourglass and the DS looks like where a lot of my attention will be turned to this fall. The Wii looks like it'll still get support in the form of de Blob and Endless Ocean but the Nintendo titles will still be the system sellers. I'll be buying Galaxy, and Corruption, and Smash (which I'm still not convinced will come out this year). But something felt missing from this year's show. I'm still can't quite put my finger on it, but I'll sum it up with a word that I often hear from Brad....."meh"