E3 Conference Round-up: Day 1

Microsoft, EA & Ubisoft step up to the plate

Amidst the reportedly “fever dream” atmosphere of yesterday’s Kinect presentation, many were wondering what, exactly, to expect from Microsoft during today’s actual press conference. Rumors were flying about a reported “Xbox 360 Slim” after an Italian advertising firm accidentally leaked a banner for it. The rumors turned out to be true, as Microsoft revealed the next major hardware for their console: a sleeker, piano black console, small enough to fit inside the current Xbox 360 case with room to breathe. The new console will come with not only a 250gb HDD built-in, but wireless internet using the 802.11N standard – “The fastest wireless possible.” The new console will retail for the same price as the current Xbox 360 Model – $299 – and in a move borrowed from Steve Jobs and Apple, the new Xbox 360 is shipping to stores as you read this.

In addition to the new Xbox, Microsoft outlined the launch lineup for Kinect. Kinect is Microsoft’s entry in to the motion controller arena with an additional piece of hardware that uses a combination of cameras and infrared to determine where human bodies are positioned in 3D space. This means that if you are playing a baseball game, you must take a real pitcher’s stance or act as if you are swinging a real baseball bat, using your whole body to play. 15 games are slated to launch with the Kinect Hardware this November, including Kinectimals. Kinectimals is essentially Microsoft’s version of Nintendogs – but instead of puppies, you’re given the opportunity to raise and play with one of four types of cats, including a fuzzy, lovable tiger. Other games include Kinect Sports, Kinect Adventures, Kinect Joyride, The Biggest Loser, and Dance Central.

But just because Microsoft was focusing on Kinect doesn’t mean they’re ignoring traditional Xbox users. Call of Duty Black Ops, Halo Reach, Gears of War 3, and Metal Gear Solid Rising were all present at the conference with new footage. Rising in particular was a surprise – marking the first time a Metal Gear game had appeared on a Microsoft console since 2002 with Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance. In Rising, you take control of a cybernetic ninja as he cuts his way through literally anything – people, vehicles, and even walls. The teaser ended on the phrase: “What will you cut? The blade is in your hands.” Xbox Live Arcade got a sequence dedicated to it, with quick glimpses at Sonic the Hedgehog 4, Hydrophobia, Comic Jumper, Monkey Island 2, and Hard Corps: Uprising. Summer of Arcade 2010 was outlined, with the likes of Lara Croft & The Guardian of Light, Hydro Thunder Hurricane, Monday Night Combat, Castlevania: Harmony of Despair, and Limbo.

An hour later at EA’s press conference, we got to see a number of other games from them – including Crysis 2, sequel to last year’s graphical titan. The original Crysis, due to its incredible level of detail and effects, was deemed too intense to run on modern-day game consoles – but with the newly enhanced Crytek Engine, Crysis 2 will be targeting not only PC, but Playstation 3 and Xbox 360, with nearly identical effects across all three platforms. Other games shown at E3′s press conference include Criterion’s Need for Speed game. Criterion is the developer responsible for EA’s other racing franchise, Burnout, and have apparently been tasked with revitalizing the slumping Need for Speed series. Their answer is to go back to Need for Speed‘s roots with a brand new “Hot Pursuit” game – fans of the old Playstation 2 classic will no doubt recognize the familiar territory of California’s redwood forest. The Sims 3 was shown as an EA developer gushed over how complex and unpredictable their artificial intelligence had become. Medal of Honor, EA’s answer to Call of Duty, was on display with multiplayer, as was a trailer for the horror thrill-ride Dead Space 2. And, of course, Peter Moore was on tap to discuss the future of Madden Football. The final highlight came in the form of Bulletstorm, a high-octane irreverent first person shooter that emphasizes stylistic kills and over-the-top action.

Ubisoft kicked off their conference with a live demo of “Child of Eden“, by Tetsuya Mizuguchi. Child of Eden is a spiritual successor to Mizuguchi’s Rez, a gorgeous, abstract, rhythmic shooter. Child of Eden is played from the first person perspective and you aim your shots using Kinect hand gestures. Child of Eden is completely unlike anything else shown for Kinect (or anywhere else at to show so far). Ubisoft continued with Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood, the third game in that franchise, now featuring single and multiplayer gameplay. Shaun White’s Skateboarding was debuted, looking like a cross between De Blob and Tony Hawk. The idea is that through skateboarding, Shaun White reshapes the dull, monochromatic world in to something bright, colorful, and lively. Continuing the theme of “Games you can feel”, Ubisoft revealed they will be developing and publishing a laser tag game for the home. Last year, Nintendo hinted at the “Wii Vitality Sensor”, a piece of hardware that slips on your finger and can monitor your heart rate among other things. Ubisoft’s next game seems to be trying to beat Nintendo to the punch – with a similar device for your PC and software called “Innergy“. Innergy‘s goal is to help you control your breathing to calm your body and re-energize the mind. Continuing the theme of gaming healthy, Ubisoft also unveiled two more Kinect games: Motion Sports and Fitness Evolved. Fitness Evolved is notable for using Kinect to scan the shape of your body to determine height and weight, and through that, provide personalized exercise routines. Multiplayer workouts and challenges help keep you and your friends living healthy. Other games Ubisoft showed include Raving Rabbids Travel in Time, Ghost Recon Future Soldier, Driver: San Francisco, Project Dust and Rayman Origins. Rayman Origins is a brand new 2D Rayman game by Michel Ancel, a key figure in defining the company during the early days of Ubisoft. Origins, as the name implies, tells the story of where Rayman came from and how he met his friend Globox. It’s being developed with a new set of artistic tools designed by Ancel. Ubisoft ended on a discussion about user-created content, and how their recent purchase of Nadeo and their franchise Trackmania exemplifies this. Trackmania is the #1 PC racing game in the world, and according to Ubisoft, it’s due to the remarkably simple track editor that allows thousands of new race courses to be produced each day – all of which are small enough to download in seconds. Nadeo is translating this concept in to both “Shootmania” and “Questmania“, which will use Trackmania‘s system for easy content creation and distribution on first-person shooters and multiplayer RPGs. All three “genres” will utilize the same assets, the same editor, the same everything, to allow lighting-quick content development and delivery to millions of gamers all over the world. A Trackmania 2 beta is scheduled for later this year, with Shootmania testing in 2011 and Questmania gearing up sometime after that.