So, the mega nerdfest 2010, E3 to everyone else, is over. What have we learnt? Well for starters, Sony and Microsoft have no ideas of their own and are just trying to steal Nintendo’s thunder with variations on the Wii-mote thingy. Sony, rather comically (and god I hope whoever designed it is sitting their office laughing themselves silly that their bosses didn’t notice) have decided a large dildo look-a-like is the way forward. At least it’ll perform another task when its novelty wears off after a day or two.
Microsoft has actually tried to evolve the idea, by removing the need for a stick, meet Kinect. Now the controller is your body. I said it with the Wii and I’ll say it again now, if I wanted to do exercise I’d go out for a run or a game of football. I wouldn’t turn on my games console and build up a sweat in my dark and dingy bedroom. It’s a slob hobby, not a get fit hobby. I eagerly await the Virtual Reality of the PS4 and Xbox 720. Can you imagine GTA on that?! Teenage boys running around Liberty City shagging hookers then stomping on their heads for their money back. You won’t want to share other people’s controllers then!
Right, what’s next? Ahhhhh 3-D. After the mammoth success of Avatar at the cinema it seems 3-D is making a big return. HD is dead! Long live 3-D!!! It seems this is where games companies see the future. Both Sony and Nintendo have announced new 3-D products and both seem interesting; all I see is intense nausea while playing Battlefield 3-D and spewing all over my beanbag.
The forefront of Sony’s 3-D push is Killzone 3. Now the Killzone franchise is much underrated, visually it is as good as anything on the market and the story mode is as good as, if not better, than COD and Bad Company 2. Its downfall has been the lack of 1080p and its limited online experience. While COD and Bad Company 2 constantly evolve and expand with downloadable map packs and game modes there was nothing like this for Killzone 2. They need to get this right for Killzone 3! Obviously 3-D is a big aspect but they must also please the HD contingent and produce the game in 1080p, what’s the point otherwise?
Nintendo’s latest concept sounds excellent. Nintendo 3DS (nice pun with the name, thumbs up). 3-D without the need for glasses. Whether this turns out to be any good is another matter, but in theory it is an attractive idea and the novelty will not be wasted on the kids the DS is marketed for. This could be a real winner.
Here are a load of videos for you to enjoy, toodles.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWyO5nOelzY (Kinect)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wh_C7LXV-50 (Nintendo 3DS)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okJs7g-4rrg (Killzone 3)
Volatile Train - 24 June 2010