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Original Link: https://www.anandtech.com/show/2575
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As the smoke clears in the wake of this year's Electronics Entertainment Expo (E3), we look back at some of the highlights from the conference. While games are certainly on the agenda, I'll keep our coverage limited to ones that were not already splattered all over the internet prior to the expo. For instance, I'll not be talking about any games whose titles include the word Gears. Yes, I'm looking forward to that one too, but I do ask that you humor me as we delve in to what's being brought to light for the fifth or sixth time instead of the eighteen hundredth. Can you dig it? I knew that you could!
We'll have quite a few videos courtesy of GameTrailers in our article, as still images don't convey nearly the same level of information as a movie. For those that want more details, there are plenty of web sites out there with additional content. [Hint: Google is your friend!] One option that you might not be aware of is content on your television. Comcast Video On Demand (and probably other VOD services) has quite a bit of interesting content from the show via the G4TV section, including videos not found elsewhere. You can find the same content on G4TV, but as an alternative a large HDTV can be fun for showing stuff to other people.
One topic that seems to come up more often than we'd like is the so-called death of PC gaming. Allow us to step up to our soapbox for a moment to dispel this insanity. While there are certainly many console and cross-platform titles, PC gaming remains alive and healthy. More to the point, there's no comparison in terms of computational power between a modern midrange gaming PC and a console; a $1000 PC can run circles around a console given the chance, and a higher-end setup is in a league of its own. Unfortunately, particularly with cross-platform games we often end up with a lowest-common-denominator approach, which means your DX10 setup may not get a chance to flex its muscles.
One of the reason so many like to sound the death-knell for PC gaming is the supposed slump in sales, supported by the NPD Group figures. The problem is that online sales and digital distribution are not tracked at all by NPD - including all MMOs with monthly subscriptions. Valve also refuses to disclose Steam sales figures to the public, which represents quite a few game sales. There are estimates that total yearly PC sales in the US are easily more than twice what NPD reports, and as evidenced by some of the upcoming 2008 and 2009 titles PC gaming remains alive and well. Console gaming may represent a large chunk of the video gaming market, but anyone claiming PC gaming is dead and/or dying is just crying for attention. Rest assured, we'll still be here in the coming years testing and benchmarking the latest and greatest PC gaming hardware. And with that out of the way, on to the show….
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Let's start out with a bang, shall we? First up, we have a teaser trailer for an upcoming PC exclusive title by none other than id Software. Ladies and gentlemen, this... is Rage.
From the creators of Doom and Quake comes a brand new IP utilizing the power of id's newly implemented proprietary graphics engine named Tech 5. As you may have already guessed, Rage is a sci-fi first person shooter. What you may not have guessed is that the game carries an equal focus on vehicular combat and racing. So when you're not kicking butt on foot, you'll be behind the wheel of a Road Warrior-esque dune buggy in a race to the death. Players can expect some insane combat sequences along with the ability to purchase upgrades for their vehicles with their winnings. Rage has been announced as a DX9 game with no plans for DX10 support. Here's to hoping the developers have a change of heart. [Ed: Interesting to note is that Rage for the PC will apparently not use OpenGL as is standard for id Software; however, the Mac version will use OpenGL. Perhaps DirectX has reached the point where Carmack no longer feels it's a handicap, or maybe he's just throwing in the towel as one of the few remaining holdouts.]
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The Wii Motion Plus is an add-on peripheral for Nintendo's Wii-Mote. Extending the length of the controller by an inch and a half, the new attachment allows for enhanced precision in games. With the Wii Motion Plus, players' slightest movements, including arm orientation, will be tracked identically on-screen for a true 1:1 ratio of response. While many feel that this is what the Wii-Mote should have been from the very beginning, it's definitely better late than never. Along with its release later this year will be the first game to take full advantage of the new attachment, Wii Sports Resort. We now join the good folks at Nintendo as they show off the new game and the Wii Motion Plus in action.
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Coming to PC, Xbox 360, and PS3 this Halloween is a game called Dead Space. While the gameplay you're about to see looks to be a straight-up sci-fi action title, the developers at EA Redwood Shores assure us that Dead Space is very much a survival horror game. Take a look as one of the guys from the development team talks you through a section of the game from the E3 showroom floor.
Executive Producer, Glen Schofield says of creating Dead Space, "I'd like people to walk away and say that it was the scariest video game they've ever played, and it was new and it was fresh, but it scared the crap out of them." We'll find out if Glen's wishes come true this Halloween.
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Depicted in the image above is the new interface for the Xbox 360. As you can see, not only has Microsoft changed the way gamers interact with the 360, there are some interesting new features as well. First, let me bring your attention to the little guy on the left. This tab will replace Xbox LIVE's traditional gamercard. Instead of using gamerpics to differentiate you from your friends online, the 360 will now allow you to create your own custom avatar. Owners of the console will have the ability to create little people like this using hundreds of templates including pants, shirts, shoes, hats, hair color, and facial features. While this type of creativity is usually fun, implementing it into the 360 is certainly not groundbreaking. After all, we've seen the very same idea at work with the Nintendo Wii, as well as the Playstation 3 whose upcoming Home takes this a huge step forward by creating a virtual environment for its avatars to interact in, much like that of Second Life. Even so, it certainly looks like a fun feature.
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The most notable new feature added to the 360's interface is its integration with Netflix. Xbox LIVE subscribers who also subscribe to Netflix will have the ability to add movies into a special Instant Queue at Netflix.com. If you meet these criteria, you'll be able to simply drag and drop your desired movie into the Instant Queue and be able to watch the film immediately through Xbox LIVE, rather like the Video On Demand service found with various cable TV providers. This is a very cool feature indeed.
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Also shown off inside the E3 showroom was some incredible looking gameplay for the upcoming Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II. From developer Relic, the creators of such titles at Company of Heroes and Homeworld, comes the next big thing in the real-time strategy genre. Take a look.
The release of Dawn of War II marks the first Games for Windows LIVE title where gamers have the full support of being able to play along with Xbox 360 owners without having to pay for an Xbox LIVE Gold membership. While this is definitely good news, I find it ironic that no Xbox 360 version of the game has been announced. I guess those playing Dawn of War II will be playing against those playing Gears of War II! (I know, I know. I wasn't supposed to mention that game.) Or perhaps we'll hear about a 360 version at some point; we'll have to wait and see.
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Recently delayed until early 2009, Sony's potential killer app has had gamers talking ever since the showing of the faux real-time extravaganza at their E3 press conference back in 2006. And when actual footage of Killzone 2 was released, there was little to be disappointed about. This year's E3 has produced even more gritty details about the upcoming "Halo killer" for the PlayStation 3, this time in the multiplayer arena. Here are the high points from Guerilla Games' long-winded presentation given by Senior Online Game Designer, Eric Boltjes.
- Support for online matches for 2 to 32 players via the PlayStation Network
- Matchmaking system available for players who desire to join matches with players of their own caliber
- Extensive badge and medal system spanning 12 military ranks to progress through
- Eight multiplayer maps
- Five multiplayer game modes
- Six character classes including engineer, medic, scout, assault, and saboteur
- Live video feeds of each spawn point available to view before choosing to respawn
- Squad support for up to four players per unit with the ability to respawn on your squad leader
- Clan support for up to 64 players via Killzone.com
- Dedicated leaderboards for comparing stats with other players
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This year's E3 conference also brings us a live preview of DX10 rendered S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Clear Sky, a prequel to 2007's long-awaited hit PC title, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl. Clear Sky is scheduled for release on August 29th and looks to rival pretty much any game you can throw at it. With that in mind, I invite you to sit back, relax, and most importantly, be amazed - be very amazed!
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As the only vendor of PC hardware to make an appearance at E3 '08, Toshiba had no worries fending off the likes of Alienware or Voodoo with its new X305 laptop designed for gamers. While not exactly what one would call top of the line when it comes to gaming hardware, the X305 appears to hold its own among midrange gaming PC's with an NVIDIA GeForce 9700M GTS graphics card and Intel Core 2 Duo T7350 processor. Sporting a retail price of around $1500, Toshiba's new 17" gaming laptop can be purchased exclusively at Best Buy. They face some stiff competition from Gateway's P-6860 FX (and an upcoming refresh of that model), but it's good to see other companies figuring out that gaming laptops for under $2000 are possible.
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Later this year, Ubisoft's Prince of Persia will once again grace consoles along with the Games for Windows platform in a new adventure, titled The Fallen King. With a brand new look and a storyline that breaks away from previous titles, Warrior Within and Two Thrones, the Prince will be accompanied throughout much of the game by the heroine, Erika, who serves as a guide through the game's massive open world setting. Players can expect a truly breathtaking visual experience while leaping, climbing, and wall-running through plenty of puzzle-solving elements, all the while experiencing a totally revamped fighting system. Watch for The Fallen King as it makes its way to store shelves this holiday season.
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Ever wonder how a first person shooter would fair if you took away the shooter? Developer DICE who brought us Battlefield Bad Company did, and they went for it with Mirror's Edge, a high-energy action game where gunplay takes a back seat to free running and platforming. While opportunities to grab a weapon and serve up enemies in the traditional fashion exist throughout the game, players may find using their fists and feet to do their dirty work can be equally engaging. Let's watch.
Mirror's Edge is a definitely breakout title that is sure to make waves when it is released this fall on PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3.
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If you're a fan of the Ratchet & Clank series like me, chances are you snagged Tools of Destruction when it was released for the PlayStation 3 last year. And if you played it through, you also knew that a follow up game was inevitable due to its cliff-hanger ending. Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty, however, is not the full-blown sequel. Rather, Insomniac Games is releasing this four-hour episode for download via the PlayStation Network. The story in Booty picks up where Tools left off as Ratchet attempts to recover his little lost buddy, Clank. Little is known as this point as to whether or not more episodes can be expected in the future, but as history has shown, episodic content of this nature usually points toward multiple segments. Hopefully we'll see future installments of Ratchet & Clank released closer together than... uh... what's the name of that game? I think it's called Half- something. It'll come to me….
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Alright folks, time for another heavy hitter. These days, in certain circles, the mere mention of Resident Evil 5 prompts gamers to start foaming at the mouth, much like the zombies you're about to see. There is no doubt that this will be one of the top three games released this year. So, without further delay, feast your eyes and ears on Resident Evil 5.
While currently slated for release this fall on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, history suggests a PC version can be expected. Let's hope history repeats itself - and preferably in a more timely manner.
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The Tomb Raider series has withstood [Ed: or at least weathered…] the test of time with game releases spanning more than a decade. The years have also been kind to heroine Lara Croft as she just keeps getting better and better looking. The latest installment in the series, titled Tomb Raider Underworld, is expected this holiday season on PC, along with the usual suspect consoles. While details on the story remain sketchy, one aspect of the game that is being heavily touted is that, for the first time, Lara's in-game movements will be based on human motion capturing. Sound good? It does to me too. Here's the teaser trailer for Tomb Raider Underworld.
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Damnation is a third-person action title whose focus is equally distributed among various type of gameplay, including shooting, platforming, and vehicular combat. While still very much a shooter, Damnation extends its massive streaming environments vertically as well as horizontally. Characters in the game will perform death-defying acrobatics over 1,000 feet above ground in order to shake down an unstoppable arms dealer in a post-industrial conflict to save humanity. Damnation is yet another promising title set for release this fall on PC, Xbox 360, and PS3 from developer Blue Omega Entertainment.
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This year's E3 conference, as usual, has been saturated with multi-platform games. So I actually had to do some digging to uncover some titles that hardcore PC gamers can call their own. And I'm happy to report the discovery of three more PC-exclusive gems that you can look forward to this year.
First up, we have Black Prophecy, a futuristic MMO set in the realm of outer space. Choosing to join forces with one of two dominant human races, the Tyi and the Genides, your key to survival in the game is to infiltrate an alien stronghold who has taken over a third human race called the Restorers, whose fate marks rise or fall of mankind. Take a look.
This next teaser trailer is for Empire: Total War, a real-time strategy game published by Sega. Set in the 18th century, this latest installment in the Total War series introduces global conflict with the implementation of 3D naval combat. Excited about the new offering in the RTS genre, developer Creative Assembly's Lead Designer James Russell states, "The scale is a lot greater than previous Total War titles. The campaign map now encompasses not only the whole of Europe and the Middle East, but also North America and the Caribbean, and the Indian subcontinent. It's a truly epic canvas for the gamer to play out their strategies for world domination."
Now let's take a look at what BioWare has been up to. While the development team has been dropping hints left and right about their work on a third KOTOR game, it wasn't until E3 that gamers got a whiff of Dragon Age: Origins, an upcoming PC exclusive "dark heroic fantasy" RPG of epic proportions. Check out the teaser to see what the creators of Mass Effect have in store.
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Here we have the newly introduced Driving Force Wireless Wheel by Logitech, designed for the PlayStation 3. The 2.4GHz WiFi peripheral sports a wheel-mounted D-pad and buttons for comfortable control, and comes complete with an expandable lap rest for those who prefer gaming on the comfort of their couch or easy chair. The new Driving Force Wireless Wheel will be released this August and should give Grand Turismo fans a reason to fork over $99 for the purchase.
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Set in the year 1945, this WWII stealth/action game can easily be referred to as Splinter Cell on estrogen. You play as MI6 agent Violette Summer whose character is based upon an actual woman by the name of Violette Szabo. Szabo, who acted as an allied secret agent during the war, was captured by the Germans and executed at the age of 23 while infiltrating a German base. The game's story plays out as Summer recalls events from her hospital bed that led to her abduction. Velvet Assassin may do what the History Channel does for WWII buffs, but those who love hiding in the shadows awaiting their next silent kill should find the game the most appealing. Watch for the game later this year on PC, Xbox 360, and PS3.
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While DC Universe Online was announced prior to E3, the developers waited until the conference to show off exactly what gamers can expect out of their new MMO whose massive world was stripped right from the comic books. Take a look at the debut trailer for DC Universe Online.
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As we near the end of this preview article of some cool new games and extras that were announced this year at E3, I feel that it's time to unleash a few beasts. While the game in this next teaser has some big shoes to fill in order to reach said beast status, the game's title alone has the power to send gamers to their feet and have them cheering in the aisles. With that in mind, allow me to take a few steps back before telling you what it is. Ok, I think I'm good. Are you ready? I'll count to three. 1... 2... 3... Wolfenstein.
In an attempt to revitalize the classic series, id Software will once again take the wheel and explore the Nazi stronghold and supernatural elements that threaten to turn the tide of WWII. With no release date in sight, the resurgence of Wolfenstein has been confirmed for PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3.
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With the raving success that stemmed from Infinity Ward's return to the Call of Duty series with Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, many fans cringed to hear that not only would the next installment be handed over to developer Treyarch, but it would take a step backward into the seemingly overplayed WWII setting. While this came as a surprise to me as well, I quickly was comforted by the fact that Treyarch will building upon what Infinity Ward created with Modern Warfare and simply taking the same strong gameplay mechanics into a direction of their own. I'm happy to say that Call of Duty: World at War looks every bit as phenomenal as CoD4, despite its familiar setting. Watch this great looking co-op demonstration, and take notice of the voice of your new squad commander, 24's Kiefer Sutherland.
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And now, boys and girls, it's time to break out the biggest gun of them all. This next game has raised the bar of anticipation to new heights. Not only is it the love child of what many people still refer to today as the greatest RPGs of all time, it simply looks badass. To play off of developer Bethesda Softworks' 2006 monster hit title Oblivion, this game could actually be called "Obliteration." So sit back, relax, and put on your gas masks. It's time to introduce the one game that could very well keep you glued to your computer monitor for such lengths that hygiene and taking showers will become foreign concepts. You may stink to high heaven, but damn it, you'll be playing Fallout 3.
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And there you have it. I hope you've enjoyed AnandTech's E3 Aftermath as much as I did putting it together. Please note that there are tons more great games out there showcased during the conference - games like Project Origin, Mercenaries 2, The Force Unleashed, and yes, Gears of War 2. I do think that we've touched on some of the cool stuff that makes the days surrounding E3 so exciting, and as usual this fall is shaping up to be an extremely interesting time for gamers. While I did not physically attend the conference, I did take advantage of some great resources out there, including GameTrailers.com, that enabled me to bring a bit of the E3 conference home to AnandTech. Now with the show out of the way, it's back to playing some games!