This was an E3 for the ages, really. How could there have been so many leaks beforehand, and so many surprises at the same time?
While not the E3 of yore, I can't remember having this much fun following E3 in a long, long time. I eagerly watched the Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony keynotes--all were surprising, all for different reasons.
E3's not over, but here are my highlights so far:
The Good:
-Uncharted 2 looks even better than the original.
-Assassin's Creed 2 looks incredibly fun.
-Project NATAL, if delivered anywhere *near* what was presented, could be amazing.
-Kojima Productions + Castlevania
-Metal Gear Solid: Rising (PS3, 360, PC) and Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker (PSP)--I can't wait to revisit Big Boss and see if Kojimas fresh young team can deliver a compelling Metal Gear with Raiden at the helm. (Prediction: Just like in MGS2, I think Solid Snake will make a cameo or twelve!)
~~~NEW MONKEY ISLAND!~~~
-The Last Guardian--Team ICO gets my money. Period.
-Halo ODST, graphically, looks superior to any Halo to date.
-Final Fantasy XIV Online--as a longtime fan of Final Fantasy XI but a fervent protester of its archaic game mechanics, I can't wait to see Square Enix once again break the RPG and MMO molds.
The Bad
Presenters:
-No matter who was presenting, the speeches were boring and drier than a mouth full of sand.
-Milo--Presented as the 'future', Milo was a tech demo riddled with so much smoke and so many mirrors, I'd swear I was in the funhouse at a hemp convention.
-Super Mario Galaxy 2--SMG was a fun game, but I was disappointed to see Nintendo break their "1 system, 1 full Mario" tradition. Is nothing sacred?
-Leaks--this E3 would have been the catalyst of a world-wide gamergasm and overall pantshitting had everything been kept underwraps. Unfortunately, more than half of E3's announcements weren't E3 announcements at all.
The WTF
Nintendo: A heart monitor? Really?Really?!
Sony: $250 for the PSP Go!? Didn't you learn something about pricing from the PS3?
Microsoft: Just because Felicia Day is adorable, (especially when she's literally quaking with nervousness), you can't bring two Halo games we already knew about and a tech demo to a show and expect us to be impressed.
Keep an eye out for more E3 impressions!
