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E3 2004 - Review
E3 2004 - The Review
Another year, another E3 - the world's largest gaming show hosted annually at LA's biggest, fattest, gaudiest expo centre. Check out our E3 microsite for all the news and some exclusive showbabe galleries.
But now it's time to reflect. It's time to take a wizened gaze at the pool of over-excited PRs, splashing around with showgirls and easily led game geeks. It's time to separate the float-to-the-top from the floaters. So, welcome. This is the Tiscali Games low-down on the biggest gaming showdown.
Highlights:
Halo 2 - Xbox, PC
At a show where sequels and threequels (yeah we made that up) dominated, Halo 2 shone through like the thoroughbred we always knew it would be. This game really is worth biting your knuckles for.
Any regular Tiscali News readers will already know about the new vehicles, new weapons, the chance to wield dual weapons, board opponents vehicles and a multiplayer mode that incorporates both Xbox Live and the chance to even switch sides and take the role of a Covenant Elite. But what we didn't know was the release date - November 9th. And after watching a Microsoft head honcho play through part of the game, it's a date that's more important than your birthday. Huge city wide battles, so much independent AI action happening everywhere that the gameworld looks totally alive, and graphics that push Bill's big black box right to the bleeding edge. It's warfare on a grand scale. Nothing looked better.
The Handheld Revolution - The Sony PSP and the Nintendo DS
Let's be honest, hardcore gamers rarely turn to their trusty GBAs if they want a premium slice of videogames action. (er, what about Advance Wars - ed) GBAs are portable but that's really the only major selling point - and we've become accustomed to expecting less from the little fellas, just for the privilege of fitting in our pockets.
Well, scrap that. Sony is entering the fray with the gorgeous PSP (PlayStation Portable) and following suit, Nintendo has upped its game by introducing the Nintendo DS. The Nintendo comes with dual touch sensitive screens and boasts voice recognition and wireless communication. The PSP looks sexy as hell, has games such as Metal Gear Acid that wouldn't look out of place on the grown up PS2 and will even be able to offer portable video thanks to its UMD Universal Mini Disc - that's apparently being supported by major record and film companies alike. With both systems earmarked for an early 2005 launch we'll be looking to get out of the house more just for a chance to play them.
Zelda - GameCube, GBA
Never liking to be outdone, Nintendo chose E3 as the time and place to announce a whole host of new Zelda titles heading our way over the next 12 months. The biggie is Legend of Zelda (working title) for the GameCube. Not due till 2005, the game promises to show a more grown-up Link and still deliver on the huge gameworlds and twisting plots of the previous titles. The footage shown makes the game look darker than the others with huge battles and a hero that looks seriously fed-up. But if you can't wait that long then Link makes a return in the Summer in Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures which finally offers Zelda in full multi-player glory! Up to four players can link their GBAs systems to a GameCube to join a frantic competition for Force Gems and special items while co-operating to move massive blocks, trigger switches and slay mighty bosses. There's eight massive worlds in the Hyrulean Adventure mode, or just fight your friends in Shadow Battle mode! Finally, a reason to dust down the increasingly neglected GameCube. Good work Ninty!
Lowlights:
The Punters:
Think it's all great games and jaw-dropping graphics? Well largely it is, yes. But there's a number of drawbacks to trawling around the world biggest gameshow for a week. Legions of over-weight, over-excited Americans that'll whoop, cheer and holler at the announcement of a new Army Men game, never mind the official unveiling of the PSP. This doesn%u2019t bode well with jet lagged UK journalists who are trying to navigate around a venue the size of three shopping centres just to get from meeting to meeting. Less burgers and boo-yahs and a bit more calm charm could well benefit our cousins across the pond.
The Sequels:
Then there are all the also-rans. For every jaw dropper there's a swarm of mediocre titles that failed to impress. And the number of follow-ups to existing games really did show the lack of imagination that still resides in many a development studio - we can smell cash-ins at 100 paces. Ace Combat 5, ATV Quad Power Racing 3, Burnout 3, Dead to Rights II, Devil May Cry III, Digimon World 4, Jak 3, Midtown Madness 3. And that's before we even think about going down the Tiger Woods, FIFA or Colin McRae road. Been there, seen it, done it! Lets move on!
Roll on 2005!
Steve O'Rourke
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