Big announcements. Big games. E3 2010 was enormous, and we did what we could to cover even a slice of the show. Check out our coverage below.

Conferences:

EA: We have games to show you

Microsoft: Kinect-ing the dots

Nintendo: A new perspective

Sony: Making Moves

Ubisoft: Assassins, Rayman and “Innergy”

 

Big news:

Microsoft Kinect launch titles

Project Natal is now Kinect, games revealed

Nintendo 3DS hands-on impressions

PlayStation Move launch titles

PlayStation Move hands-on impressions

 

Galleries:

Pre-show and Day 1 gallery

Day 2 and Day 3 gallery

 

Hands-on game impressions:

Dead Nation (PS3)

de Blob: The Underground (Multi)

Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii)

Fable III (360)

Golden Sun: Dark Dawn (DS)

Kirby’s Epic Yarn (Wii)

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii)

LittleBigPlanet 2 (PS3)

Mario Sports Mix (Wii)

NBA Jam (Wii)

Rock Band 3 (Multi)

Sonic Colors (Wii)

Twisted Metal (PS3)

Valkyria Chronicles 2 (PSP) 

 

Other:

Observations from the show floor

E3 2010 is right around the corner, and there’s always the expectations game. We look at the Big Three and put together the best-case and worst-case scenarios for the show for each of them.

Andrew Passafiume – Best-case scenario: Getting the exclusive reveals would be the best way to make Microsoft’s press conference stand out the most. And since they are always the first conference, they should definitely make a great impression. What I mean by exclusive reveals is dealing with something they have done well in the past: showing off live demos of the games that may not be exclusive, but are shown first running on the 360. They’ve done it in the past with Fallout 3, The Beatles: Rock Band, and Modern Warfare 2. I think this is why they always have some of the more memorable press conferences. Sure, Natal will probably still be a big focus, but I think it having its own little show the day before will be enough for Microsoft.

Worst-case scenario: The exact opposite of the best case, as in: focusing too much on Natal and continuing to show off Natal with simple tech demos and no real huge titles that make it truly worth buying. Also, although they have Halo: Reach and Fable III as their big Fall exclusives, it would be nice to see something else revealed for the Fall or even just as another release coming next year besides Gears of War 3. 

Graham Russell – Best-case scenario: The rumors about Natal being $150 are false, as the company announces a release at somewhere around $80 with a pack-in game, and it has something the core gamers fawn over. The new name somehow wows us and doesn’t waste the hype the Natal brand has. They have to live up to their Beatles conference last year, so they book someone *big* to announce a new game that everyone wants but never thought about. Gears, Reach and Fable trailers are an afterthought.

Worst-case scenario: Natal’s $150, and it doesn’t even come with a game. What’s more, they rename it Wii-style and lose all momentum with the public, and there’s nothing actually compelling from a gameplay perspective. They show off more crap like Attack of the Movies, with the final reveal being another trailer for Gears or something. You’ll know this is coming if they load up the first half of the event with third-party trailers.

Shawn Vermette – Best-case scenario: Natal is playable on the show floor with games, not tech demos. Price point and release date are comparable or favorable against the PlayStation Move. They announce a number of high quality exclusives for release this fall and winter, along with at least a few Natal enables AAA games.

Worst-case scenario: Natal ships after PlayStation Move, and for a notably higher price point. Natal is only playable with tech demos or not at all. Additionally, they have fewer exclusives than Sony and/or their exclusives don’t come out until next year.

 

Andrew Passafiume – Best-case scenario: They focus mostly on the Nintendo 3DS, give us a price and release date, and show us just why it is the best use of 3D technology yet. This is a good time for Nintendo to once again show why they are the dominant force in technological innovations for both handhelds and consoles. Also, they should officially reveal the new Zelda and Pikmin 3 with trailers (and maybe even gameplay); it would be a nice bonus.

Worst-case scenario: They focus way too much on casual games and/or the Vitality Sensor for games that the generally gaming press does not care for. The vitality sensor will be brought up again, but it would pain me if it becomes a major focus for their press conference. Also, there would be a huge focus on games like Wii Party and whatever other casual titles they have on the horizon. 

Graham Russell – Best-case scenario: They front-load the conference with the new Zelda like they did last year with NSMB Wii. Cammie Dunaway does little more than explain Wii Party and the casual aspects of the Vitality Sensor, and then we see something with the sensor that core gamers won’t laugh at Wii Music-style. The 3DS is revealed, it’s impressive, and it has actual AAA launch titles to go with it. Reggie goes back to his ass-kicking, name-taking self by revealing something for the niche core (possibly the next Retro Studios project), and they close out with something big we weren’t expecting, like last year’s SMG2.

Worst-case scenario: 3DS is interesting but unspectacular, and there’s nothing yet but some tech demos. The “core” segment is devoted to a Golden Sun trailer and something from the conveniently-delayed Other M. Wii Party looks lame, so does the Vitality Sensor, and Cammie talks about her kids for way too long. Reggie comes out for a bit just to talk sales numbers, and they treat the Zelda reveal at the end (with a 2011 date) as if it’s a megaton.

Shawn Vermette – Best-case scenario: 3DS blows away the crowd. 3DS is playable on the show floor with some of its launch games. Nintendo also announces a Mario or Zelda game for the 3DS launch lineup. Nintendo reveals at least one big first party title for the holiday season. Nintendo finally announces a ‘real’ Pokémon game for the Wii.

Worst-case scenario: 3DS falls flat like the PSPGo did last year. No new first party games to fill on the holiday void.

 

Andrew Passafiume – Best-case scenario: Showing off the Move with a killer app (or multiple killer apps) that gives the consumers good reason why they are going above and beyond what the Wii has already done. People do not want more mini-game collections (and there’s a good chance they will get them either way), but a lot of people want to see something that shows that the Move is something more than just the Wii HD. Also, showing trailers (or even gameplay) of upcoming games like Killzone 3, the rumored infamous 2, or even whatever else they may have up their sleeves.

Worst-case scenario: Another PSP is announced. This is the last thing that Sony needs to focus on. If anything, they should have a nice showcase for the games coming out for the PSP, but the Go proved that they should simply stick with what they’ve got and worry about one new piece of technology (the Move) at their conference. Any kind of announcement about a new PSP, outside of possible PSP bundles, would be a huge mistake on their part.

Graham Russell – Best-case scenario: Move is impressive, and it kicks the floundering Natal out of the conversation. The conference is a fun one with more Kevin Butler and less actual executives, and the rumored big reveals are a reality.  The new PSP shows that they learned from their mistakes with the first one, and it’s at a competitive price point.

Worst-case scenario: Move is just another Wii clone, and Natal does something amazing to make it look silly. Sony’s presser is another snooze-fest, and…well, my friend and The Tester winner Will “Cyrus” Powers put it this way when lowering expectations: “There are going to be no reveals… just talking about PS2 for 2 hours.” Yep, that’d be a bad one. 

Shawn Vermette – Best-case scenario: Natal ships later and for a higher price point than the PlayStation Move. Move is playable on the show floor with games. Sony announces some exclusives to fill in their fall and winter lineup.

Worst-case scenario: No new exclusives shown for this year. Move is either not playable on the show floor, or only playable with tech demos.

While the industry divides the year into quarters, we realize that there are really three parts to the year: the barren early months, the gimmicky, convention-filled summer and the action-packed holiday season. This time, we look at January through April. 

Biggest Surprise

Chris Ingersoll: That Game Freak didn’t phone in the HeartGold/SoulSilver remakes and actually gave us a decent touch screen interface. It really makes me look forward to what Black/White will bring to the table later this year (or early next year for us).

 

Justin Last: Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City (PS3). This isn’t a surprise about the content of the game. Billy’s story in Lost & Damned was interesting, and it was great to feel like a part of The Lost, and The Ballad of Gay Tony finally gave me what I always wanted out of a Grand Theft Auto game: the ability to replay any mission any time I want. What surprises me is that now, PS3 owners can join in the fun. I honestly expected Microsoft’s exclusivity to last on this one, but I am glad that it didn’t. For many gamers out there Grand Theft Auto is synonymous with the PlayStation brand, and now their GTA IV experience can be a complete one.

Andrew Passafiume: That would have to be Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love. I never really expecting much more than a fun SRPG with a dating sim tacked on. But what I got was a very fun, addictive little game that adds way more depth to your average dating sim. With an excellent cast of charatcers, engrossing SRPG battle system, and a truly enjoyable story, Sakura Wars is certainly one game I expect to show up again for me around Game of the Year time.

Graham Russell: Without a doubt, Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love. This game wasn’t on my radar at all, and I wouldn’t have picked it up if it weren’t in the dead times of March and April. That would have been quite unfortunate. It’s absolutely worth buying…and for everyone. If you can find it, that is. It’s not the easiest game to find.

Eric Schabel: Just a few months ago I never would have dreamed that Super Mario Galaxy 2, Metroid: Other M, and Sin and Punishment 2 would all be releasing before the holiday season. Really makes me wonder what Nintendo has planned for the last quarter of the year, traditionally reserved for heavy hitters (what’s a heavier hitter than Mario?). Even though Other M and Sin and Punishment 2 have subsequently been delayed, Nintendo’s 2010 release schedule is still my biggest surprise of the year so far.

Shawn Vermette: When I first turned on Tropico 3, I expected to play a semi-decent city building game that might remind me of the fond memories I have of playing SimCity. Instead, I found myself addicted to the strategy and variety of the game. The humor was a great touch as well. In the end, it turned out to be one of my favorite games so far this year.

 

Biggest Disappointment

Chris: Pinball Hall of Fame: The Gottlieb Collection; most of the tables were just too old to be fun. Mega Man 10 was a slight let-down compared to MM9, but not nearly as much as Williams vs. Gottlieb.

 

Justin: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (Wii). I was excited when Phoenix Wright jumped from the GBA to the DS and finally made its way to the US. Capcom proved that the games were palatable to Western gamers, and the numerous sequels released proved that we will buy new games with sharp writing even if the graphics engine remains the same, and the mechanics are largely unchanged. Then Capcom announced that a Phoenix Wright game was coming to the Wii. Seems like a natural fit – the Wii remote doubles as a mouse pointer, and shouting “Objection” can be replaced by gesturing with the remote (and yelling “Objection” anyway just because it’s fun). What we got was exactly what nobody wanted – a port of a DS game that is itself a port of a GBA game that we’ve all already played.

Andrew: This one is tough, as I actually can think of three games that have disappointed me this year, but one sticks out the most. I would have to go with Splinter Cell: Conviction on this one. The single player is fun at first, but later missions feel incredibly out of place, and some areas of the game are try to rely too hard on action over stealth. Conviction does stealth gameplay VERY well, but it’s rarely needed during the last few missions of the game. Coming from someone who hated Splinter Cell prior to this game, I still had fun with it, but based on what I saw at E3 and the previews I’ve been reading since then, I just expected a lot more.

Graham: WarioWare DIY was a great game. The creation tools were amazing, the built-in games are fun, and the addition of Big Name Games each week adds a lot to the experience. But with the mangled Wii multiplayer mode being the only option for party play, it’s just not worth it to create stuff for yourself. With a multiplayer like Smooth Moves, it could have been a mainstay.  

Eric: Metroid: Other M being delayed! Of course I should have been expecting this, but considering how scrupulous Nintendo is about giving out release dates, I figured I really would be able to dive into the next Metroid installment having just barely finished Super Mario Galaxy 2. Oh well, at least Other M is still coming out this year. Besides, giving developers more time to polish a title is never a bad thing.

Shawn: Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth. It’s hard to write about my biggest disappointment of the year thus far, because I’ve pretty much gotten what I’ve expected out of most of the new games I’ve played, with the possible exception of Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth. Miles Edgeworth is a great game, but it didn’t have any of the courtroom drama that was a staple of the previous games. This made it a less compelling game to play than I had expected.

 

Game of the Year-to-Date

Chris: No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle, although Silent Hill: Shattered Memories and FF:CC: The Crystal Bearers are only disqualified due to being released in mid/late December. Monster Hunter Tri might make a run for this once I finally pick it up, but I’ve had too much backlog and other issues to pick up what is essentially a Wii MMO. 

Justin: Borderlands: The Secret Armory of General Knoxx. Gearbox is proving that DLC can greatly expand the life of a game. Three times now they have released DLC and convinced me to dust off my copy of Borderlands and return to Pandora for more guns, loot, and Scooter. Zombie Island was a hit, Moxxi’s Underdone was a bit of a miss (I like XP too much to give it up for hours at a time), and General Knoxx absolutely knocks the ball out of the park. If I’m ever not sure what to play, Borderlands gets thrown in the 360, and I always end up back in T-Bone Junction when I visit Pandora.

Andrew: This is easy, Mass Effect 2. This game managed to streamline and improve everything that was problematic from the first Mass Effect, while continuing the BioWare tradition of a truly engrossing storyline and excellent cast of character. The world of Mass Effect opens up even more in this sequel, and the gameplay is the best blend of action and RPG you’ll ever see in a video game. This is, hands down, the best RPG I’ve played in years, and I can safely see it being my overall game of the year in December.

Graham: Yes, my choice is Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love. The early months were not kind to me, as the high-profile titles just weren’t my cup of tea. Sakura Wars was a tightly-crafted, charming adventure with a solid tactical element thrown in. NIS America, please bring over some more. I beg of you. That said, it’d be hard for it to hold onto the crown at year’s end…we’ve got eight months to go, everyone.

Eric: Mass Effect 2 is easily the best game I have played so far this year. Although it ended a bit too abruptly for my taste, every moment I spent playing ME2 was pure gaming ecstasy. I was a huge fan of the first Mass Effect game, and the sequel did not disappoint, feeling more immersive and action-packed than I ever hoped for.  Even though the year is barely underway, I still have a hard time foreseeing any game dethroning ME2 as my personal game of the year.

Shawn: Final Fantasy XIII. Was there any doubt this would be my Game of the Year-to-Date? First off, it was my most anticipated game of the year. Second, it has fulfilled a lot of my expectations for it. It is, without a doubt, one of my favorite RPGs ever, thus earning it my Game of the Year-to-Date.

 

So we’re at the beginning of a new year.  There’s a whole 12 months of gaming ahead of us, but we already know a lot of what we want to enjoy. 

My most anticipated titles of 2010 betray the true loves of my gaming world- RPGs and Strategy games.

Final Fantasy XIII

Do I really need to say why this is my most anticipated game of 2010? I’ve yet to meet a Final Fantasy game I didn’t like, and this one looks and sounds so beautiful and epic that I can’t wait to get my hands on it.

Mass Effect 2

Mass Effect remains one of my favorite games of all time, and Bioware has promised to up the ante, storytelling, and decision making in Mass Effect 2. Needless to say, that just makes me all the more excited for it.

Splinter Cell: Conviction

The Splinter Cell series drew me in from the very beginning, and I’ve been waiting for Conviction for a very long time. The build-up of anticipation I had from the delays was made all the more powerful thanks to everything we saw for Conviction at E3 2009.

Alpha Protocol

Obsidian makes great games, but they usually create sequels to established properties. This time, they are creating their own IP- an action RPG based on a modern day espionage story. Considering my love of RPGs and espionage games…I’m really hoping this game lives up to my expectations.

Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty

I still play Starcraft with my brothers and friends. It is one of the best and most balanced RTS games to be ever be released. Thus, the release of the first episode of Starcraft II is my most anticipated PC games since Civilization IV.

Super Mario Galaxy 2

Super Mario Galaxy won our best game of the decade award. While I still haven’t had the opportunity to play it yet (it sits on my media cabinet mocking me), I’ve loved every single Mario platformer I’ve played, so I’m excited to see what Nintendo does for the sequel.

Halo: Reach

Halo: ODST had the best story of the Halo series, and the next Halo will be a prequel based on the book The Fall of Reach. It was a great book, with a great story and gave a lot of history for the Halo universe. Getting more Halo story and multiplayer? Great. Getting more Halo with more Spartans than just the Master Chief? Priceless.

Final Fantasy XIV

As I said before, I’ve never met a Final Fantasy game I didn’t like. True, Final Fantasy XIV is an MMORPG, but I’m still hoping for it to be a free to play MMORPG on the 360 if you’ve got XBL Gold. If so, it will eat up a lot of my time, as Square Enix has said that there will be a much greater focus on single player as well as multiplayer.

Fallout: New Vegas

Fallout 3 was amazing. Therefore, Fallout: New Vegas will also be amazing. True, it is coming out very soon after Fallout 3 is finished, but considering how fast Bethesda was able to churn out expansions for Fallout 3, and how they were definitely worthwhile for the most part, I’m excited to see what is in store for us in New Vegas.

Command & Conquer 4: Tiberian Twilight

Command & Conquer is my favorite RTS series. Thanks to the great storytelling, great gameplay, and awesome FMV sequences between missions, it’s been a very popular series for nearly fifteen years. Tiberian Twilight marks the finale of the Tiberium series of C&C games, and I can’t wait to see how things turn out.

 

No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle

The original made our Best of the Decade list, and the sequel promises less boring, more action. How is this NOT a game to anticipate?

Metroid: Other M

The one clip we’ve seen from this title suggests a mix of 1st- and 3rd-person action, plus a curious plot development with a second Samus (that probably isn’t a dark Phazon clone). But Nintendo giving the reins to Team Ninja may be the most interesting development of all.

Mega Man 10

I loved MM9 with the full force of 20 years of nostalgia. My looking forward to this goes without question. (Although… Sheep Man? Really?)

Golden Sun DS

It’s been so long since the first two GS titles that I’ve probably forgotten most of the plot details, but I haven’t forgotten the awesome gameplay. I’m a little worried that they’ll implement a bunch of touch screen nonsense, but with the psynergies it could still work.

Lost in Shadow

A quirky little platformer that sees your character confined to the two-dimensional shadow of a three-dimensional world. Figuring out how to affect changes in the real world in order to allow you to progress seems like it could provide some original game play.

Again

Another adventure game by the creators of Hotel Dusk, except this time using photo-sprites rather than the noir sketches of their previous title. I love the fact that point-and-click style adventures are slowly making a return, having grown up on the early Sierra and LucasFilm games like King’s Quest and Maniac Mansion.

Sam and Max Season 2 (Wii)

What did I just say about point-and-click adventures? The X360 got this collection late last year, now it’s (finally) the Wii’s turn.

Infinite Space

A sci-fi RPG by Platinum games, creators of Viewtiful Joe, Okami, and MadWorld amongst other titles. Real-time 3d space battles between crazily-customized ships. It basically sounds like a space version of Skies of Arcadia (and it shares the same publisher in Sega), although with more emphasis on the ship aspect.

Monster Hunter Tri

I’m not wild about online cooperative games, but this just looks so epic. Apparently Tri has a strong focus on single player that is new to the series, so hopefully I won’t be missing out on the “real experience”.

The Legend of Zelda

Yeah, we don’t know a lot about this one right now. But it’s a new Zelda title… so it has to be anticipated. It’s almost a law of gaming.

 

Mass Effect 2

Bioware makes wonderful RPGs, and science fiction is my preferred setting. I can’t wait to see what will happen to the Shepard I took through the events of Mass Effect 1. I am also excited to see my old squad-mates and hear about what has happened to them since the events of ME1. Wrex. Shepard.

Metroid: Other M

I can’t get enough Metroid. The seclusion, the exploration, the blowing up everything that moves with super missiles. The series is a warm memory for me, and I haven’t found an entry yet that I didn’t enjoy. The prospect of making things a bit more action-oriented is interesting and new, but the trailers retain that old Metroid feel as well.

God of War III

I am a simple man to please. Big swords and plenty of guys to use them on is enough for me. The fact that I get wrapped up in the narrative is just icing on the cake. Kratos may not be complex, but his adventures are fun to play and entertaining for other folks in the house to watch. The combat is simple enough that I don’t die a whole lot and complex enough that I can pull off some really nice combos.

Final Fantasy XIII

As time goes on I find myself less and less drawn to JRPGs in favor of their western counterparts, but Square Enix still knows how to wow me. I loved the gambits in FFXII and the turn-based combat and sphere grid from FFX. Even though I haven’t read or seen much of this one I know it will be spending a lot of time in my PS3 this March.

 

Super Mario Galaxy 2

The sequel  to my favorite Mario game of all time? Sign me up. Galaxy is probably the best looking game on the Wii, and easily its best platformer. There’s no reason not to expect the sequel to be even better, and that’s why Super Mario Galaxy 2 is my most anticipated game of the year.

Mass Effect 2

Mass Effect was everything I wanted in an RPG, and I can’t wait to see where the story goes next. I’ve also heard that elevators throughout the galaxy in Mass Effect 2 have been upgraded to run faster, what else could I ask for?

Metroid: Other M

The trailer for Other M that was shown at last year’s E3 was great, and I am interested to see how the new third person perspective and a stronger emphasis on story play out. I’m a little apprehensive about Other M being a collaboration between Nintendo and Team Ninja, though. On the one hand, I loved the Ninja Gaiden titles…on the other hand, such collaborations haven’t worked out so well for beloved Nintendo franchises in the past.

Final Fantasy XIII

I’m not a huge Final Fantasy fan, but the landmark series always seems to deliver, and I am pretty eager to try out this gorgeous new installment. If there is one thing Square knows how to make, it is a Final Fantasy RPG, and I am grateful that they have decided to bring XIII to the 360.

Okamiden: Chisaki Taiyou

I absolutely loved Okami, and that is why this game rounds out my list. Obviously the disbanded Clover Studios is not involved in the development of Okamiden, which is unfortunate, but the videos of this title that I have seen so far seem to indicate that Okamiden will remain very faithful to the original title’s style and gameplay mechanics. I’m also surprised at how nice it looks for a DS game.

 

 

Glory of Heracles

When Nintendo finally debuts Japan-only games in the U.S., it usually goes well.  Fire Emblem.  Rhythm Heaven.  Advance Wars.  Starfy.  (Okay, so maybe that last one wasn’t such a hit.)  Heracles looks right up my alley, and with the Nintendo stamp on it, you know it’ll be polished.

Mass Effect 2

Immersive, deep worlds and interesting role-playing mechanics make this one a must-get for me.  Also, I can’t get enough of a long, involved interactive story.

ModNation Racers

Creation in LittleBigPlanet is fun.  Of course, the amount of fun you get out of one level is small, especially if you design it yourself.  ModNation creation is much easier, and racing is the kind of thing you can keep having fun doing.  It’s not as tight as Mario Kart, but I think the customization is worth it.  The beta has me worried about the online capabilities of the game, but I assume they’ll get the kinks worked out.

3D Dot Game Heroes

Retro homages make my heart warm.  Add in the magic word (customization), and I know this will be a timesink for me when it releases.

Valkyria Chronicles 2

I re-bought a PSP just in anticipation of this game.  The PS3 original was great, and though I wish the sequel were also on a console, I’ll take what I can get.

Arc Rise Fantasia

This JRPG has some obvious influences, but, well, I like those influences.  I’m getting a bit impatient with all the delays, but it looks like we’re finally nearing release.

Epic Mickey

This could be a big flop, or it could be one of the biggest releases of the decade.  I don’t see much chance of it being in-between.  No one expected such originality from the House of Mouse, but once we saw it, we were hooked.

Fable III

I’m sitting here with my fingers in my ears every time Peter Molyneux says anything, because he has a way of overselling his games and making the end result a disappointment.  That worked really well with Fable II, as that was one of my favorite games of 2008.  

Golden Sun DS

Okay, no one expected this at all when it was announced at E3 last year.  Camelot has moved on to more profitable games, and it was weird when they said they’d go back to a niche RPG.  Not that I’m complaining.  GSDS doesn’t look like it will wow us visually like the originals on GBA did, but the underlying gameplay was solid.

Super Mario Galaxy 2

How much would N64 gamers have done to get an entire game’s worth of more Super Mario 64 levels?  That’s pretty much the opportunity we have now.  I don’t expect anything breathtaking, but I do expect a heck of a lot of fun.