E3 2011 Review - Part II
Posted June 15 2011 by Keadin
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There's no busier place in gaming than the E3 showfloor. With hundreds of newly announced titles to check out, this year's show had some incredible games to be experienced first-hand. I've rounded up a few of my personal highlights from the show to share with the Xbox.ca community in this two page article. Got a favourite new game of your own? Let us know on Facebook or on Twitter.
Space Marine
In the Warhammer universe there are no braver soldiers than the Space Marines; dedicated soldiers who fight tooth and nail to defend the Emperor and all of mankind. We've seen them in action through various real-time strategy and tactics games, but THQ is bringing the experience for real with a hard-hitting third person shooter full of melee combat and intense gunfights.
Vaulting over destroyed terrain to wade into a horde of Orks with my chainsword, the E3 demo gave a brief taste of what it's going to be like waging war against the various alien monstrosities that await. Switching to my bolter rifle and popping a few heads I laughed as the rest of the Ork squad fled, because just like in the tabletop game they may be tough but they sure aren't brave.
This is not a game for the squeamish, it's full of the sort of visceral violence you'd expect from a Warhammer game. However, for those who can stomach the intensity of being the Empire's first line of defense, Space Marine will be an incredibly fulfilling experience.
Skyrim
Oblivion defined RPGs in the early days of the Xbox 360 and Skyrim looks to redefine the genre again this holiday. Although only a brief demo of what's to come, Bethesda showed that they are as capable as ever of creating incredibly detailed and engrossing worlds. With draw distances for miles and everything accessible, the game seems so limitless. Look off into the distance and see a mountain? You bet you can climb it.
A new magic and attack system lets players equip spells and weapons to either hand, giving them the opportunity to freely customize their combat style on the fly. Want to wade into battle as fireball-throwing, sword-swinging battlemage? Sure, go ahead. Feel like hunkering down behind a shield and a sturdy axe? By all means. Skyrim is about letting you be in control of your character, the way a good RPG is supposed to.
Of course, the big focus with Skyrim is its dragons. Giant winged beasts that spit fire from the sky as you flee in terror. It's not all running and screaming though, while very difficult it's possible to slay these beasts and earn dragon shouts in the process. This new form of magic gives you bold new powers reserved for these mythic creatures, adding all the more majesty to their appearance.
Skyrim is set to be one of the biggest action-RPGs of the year and based on what was shown at E3, it's a must-play for any fantasy fan.
RAGE
It might be easy to write RAGE off as a fancy tech demo for Bethesda and id Software's new rendering engine, but after getting a hands-on experience it's clear this is a seriously fun shooter. Thrust into a post-apocalyptic wasteland with freaks and weirdos hunting me, I sought refuge in the big studio lights of Mutant Bash TV, a reality game show pit me against a variety of challenge rooms filled with goons. Hey, if I'm going to have people trying to kill me I might as well make a few bucks in the process.
The result was an intense, close-quarters combat spree that while very pretty to look at still moved incredibly fast. Batting freaks away from me while pumping shotgun shells into their friends, it was all I could do to keep from getting overrun. This is an intense experience for anyone who loves the thrill of the fight.
Bioshock Infinite
Bioshock is one of the greatest games of this generation but rather than inviting us back to Rapture, Ken Levine and Irrational Games are taking us above the clouds to the floating city of Columbia; a once-proud example of American excellence torn apart by xenophobia and civil conflict. After falling from grace the city vanished into the sky and became a thing of legend.
Now, players are in control of a character named Booker Dewitt sent on a mission to rescue the beautiful Elizabeth from the flying city of chaos. Unfortunately, she's being protected by a giant mechanized creature called Songbird who will stop at nothing to keep her locked up and safe. The two have an incredibly complex relationship, one that complicates the rescue operation tremendously.
Elizabeth having never known a world without Songbird clings to him, and like an overprotective father Songbird refuses to let Elizabeth out of his sight. It's complex and confusing and carries heavy emotional overtones that will hopefully be unpacked in the full game. Look forward to this one next year, it's guaranteed to be an instant classic.