Pro drifter, Dai Yoshihara takes Microsoft's Kinect for a Forza test spin. Bet he never th
With dozens of new technologies and hundreds of jaw-dropping titles, 45,000-plus frothing geeks crammed into the Los Angeles Convention Center for this year's installment of the annual video game industry gala better known as the Electronic Entertainment Expo, aka E3. The focus was clearly aimed on the launch of new technologies ranging from 3D games to cloud computing, and a 'less is more' approach was clearly evident, as publishers trotted out fewer mind-blowing blockbusters than in past years, instead choosing to make hardware and high-tech innovations paramount.
But from groundbreaking motion control systems, to streaming game delivery services, and new titles capable of bursting from your TV in a spray of three-dimensional stereoscopic effects, who's complaining? Across the board, it promises to be a stellar time for interactive entertainment. Revolutionary new technologies don't simply promise to rewrite the rules of how we play, interact with our gadgets, but also how we'll soon purchase and enjoy the latest and greatest digital diversions in the very near future. Even on today's most popular systems, including the DSi, PC, PlayStation 3, PSP, Xbox 360 and Wii, big things are happening, with quality levels constantly being raised and crap increasingly being filtered out by brutal competition at retail.
The net effect: Developers and publishers alike are having to come on their A-game and sink more time, money and polish into delivering jaw-dropping experiences on all fronts. Meaning that even if you're not feeling $50-$60 disc-based offerings for set-top systems like Fable III, LittleBigPlanet 2 or Mortal Kombat (or worse, can't afford to keep up), it's no big loss. Thanks to digitally-distributed games, smartphone apps, titles for social networks and free-to-play offerings, among other alternatives, mean plenty of other equally compelling distractions will shortly be competing for your spare time and attention as well.
Fast Forward
Gaming's Hottest New Trends
Motion Controls Sony's PlayStation Move (a wand-based system offering greater accuracy than the Wii MotionPlus) aims to pick up where Nintendo left off when it arrives September 19 for $49.99. But Microsoft's Kinect (formerly Project Natal, debuting November 4 for $149.99) may prove the real game changer by eliminating the gamepad entirely and letting you use your body as the controller.
Cloud Computing Imagine being able to play today's most technically-advanced games as if you owned bleeding-edge hardware without ever having to own pricy equipment. That's the promise offered by services like OnLive, Gaikai, Instant Action and OTOY, which process games remotely, then stream them in real-time right to your television or janky old PC.
Social Games World of Warcraft is typically touted as the quintessential gaming success story, with 11 million monthly subscribers. But boasting over 6X as many monthly players, it's no wonder Facebook titles like FarmVille are the real 10-ton gorillas of the field today. Sites like MySpace and Hi5 also play home to thousands of these simple, intuitive and free alternatives to your average geeked-out testosterone fest.
3D Gaming PlayStation 3 titles such as Killzone 3, Crysis 2 and Gran Turismo are bringing three-dimensional stereoscopic effects to homes across America. But Nintendo's dual-screened 3DS handheld may prove the better solution, offering 3D games and movies in its upper monitor without the need to use clunky glasses when it arrives sometime in 2011.
Best In Show
Tomorrow's Most Anticipated Games
Rage
For: PC,PlayStation 3,Xbox 360
From: Bethesda Softworks, bethsoft.com
Developer id Software all but invented the first-person shooter with classics like Wolfenstein 3D, Doom and Quake. Now it's set its sights on delivering a living, breathing post-apocalyptic wasteland wherein you can race at breakneck speed or rip the face off a slavering mutant with a well-placed round.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
For: Wii
From: Nintendo, nintendo.com
A long-overdue return to the beloved fantasy dungeon-crawling series which adds support for the Wii MotionPlus peripheral, letting players swipe their sword by waving an arm. Extra bonuses include fresh toys like a flying beetle and whip to play with, though it'll be 2011 before you can go hands-on with them.
Killzone 3
For: PlayStation 3
From: Sony, playstation.com
Dozens of visually stunning trigger-mashing blasters are due shortly, from Halo: Reach to Call of Duty: Black Ops. But only one promises to do for 3D gaming what Avatar did for 3D films. A sci-fi magnum opus, it adds destructible environs, jetpacks and ultra-hi-res, glowing-eyed enemies to turn into Swiss cheese.
Gears of War 3
For: Xbox 360
From: Microsoft, xbox.com
Ratchets the über-macho ode to run-n-gun mayhem's intensity up to new heights by introducing four-player co-op support, sicker set pieces and a host of original weapons from incendiary grenades to robotic walkers. An all-new Beast mode even lets you play evil alien, carving a bloody swath though innocent space marines.
Portal 2
For: PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
From: Valve Software, valvesoftware.com
Escape locked chambers and solve complex puzzles by creating warp gates which let objects and individuals immediately teleport between locations. From allowing air currents to pass through wormholes to offering paint which affects items' physical properties, turning them slick or bouncy, it adds a host of inventive new ways to tinker with physics.
Rock Band 3 (MTV Games, PS3/Wii/Xbox 360) - Takes the toe-tapping party game favorite multiple steps further by adding a real keyboard, three-part vocal harmonies and a 'Pro' tutorial mode that teaches you how to play authentic instruments.
Civilization V (2K Games, PC) - Gives the top-selling strategy series (wherein you shepherd ancient cultures through the ages via warfare, trade and diplomacy) an extreme makeover, dropping square tiles for hexes and introducing even more advanced play options.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution (Square Enix, PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360) - This massively open-ended cyberpunk role-player offers players tremendous freedom of choice, plus extensive options to kit your hero out with badass custom bionic implants.