The last day of E3 is only celebrated by the many booth attendants who will no longer be required to hoarsely rattle off the same phrase ninety times an hour. For me however, it was a sad day, as it means my vacation is drawing to an end. I left LA on Saturday night, returning to CT where the amazing Japanese food I have been enjoying is much harder to come by.
My last day at the show started with visiting Square Enix’s booth. I had made an appointment for all of us but they were overbooked so only Joel and I could go. Once we got in I went to check out Dungeon Seige III and Joel went to see Deus Ex: Human Revolution. In retrospect it probably wasn’t the best trade off.
Square Enix — Dungeon Seige III
Dungeon Seige III is developed by Obsidian and published by Square Enix — those are some big names to live up to. It is a WRPG, somewhat in the vein of Oblivion, which is a first for Square. The game features number of characters each with unique stories and classes. A complex conversation-tree assures different outcomes to a variety of situations, and battles and map exploration are both seamless.
I was shown local multiplayer which allows a friend to jump in and out of the game as they wish as long as the first player has a follower. Team work seemed really important in order to beat bosses and large groups of enemies. For instance, one player would use an ability which stunned a large number of enemies and the second would then use an AOE skill that took a while to execute. I am not sure if playing the single player only would be more difficult. The graphics were nice, but the WRPG aesthetic is still so offensive to me.
All in all the game was rather forgettable. However, I could see it being really great for gamers looking for a solid multiplayer RPG experience, which is a rarity — but maybe they would just rather play an MMO…
Ubisoft — Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood
After that I headed over to Ubisoft to try Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood. I was a bit concerned going into this game as it still feels like the time for development since the previous title is really short. The glaring emphasis on the multiplayer aspect of the game also concerned me as I hate when the single player suffers to fit in a multiplayer mode.
The mode that we played was somewhat like predator and prey: a group of seven players enter an area and are assigned targets. A tutorial explains how to stalk your target using a compass system. The marker on the compass expands as you get closer to your target. Since each of the seven players have somewhat plain avatars, you can’t just kill whoever matches the physical description; it has to be when the compass marker fills the HUD. Killing innocents results in your target being reset which can undo any hard work you’ve put into tailing them. When being pursued you can utilize a new obstacle system which closes a gate as you run through it.
When I first started playing, my instincts from Assassin’s Creed II took over and I instantly climbed to the top of the nearest building. The last game taught me that, for the most part, being up high is safe. I killed my first target, but then my luck started turning and I got killed a few times. I soon realized that playing multiplayer really requires you to be much more cautious and use hiding spots and crowds. Running around on rooftops just made you stand out and become an easy target.
Standard combat doesn’t really exist in the mode we played. If you were stealthy enough to get up close to someone, you just pressed square and had the kill. There was creativity in the kills however. Once, when tailing someone who was on a rooftop, I was hanging from a gutter when my prey stomped on my hands causing me to fall to my death. The more creative or stealthy the kill, the more points the player is rewarded — I received a hefty bonus for killing someone from inside a hay bail. Ultimately I came in 3rd which I was pretty happy with:
Possibly the best part of this system is that it is fast. If you die, it’s no problem to quickly respawn and get back into the fray. You can even re-select your character and his or her abilities after you die. Abilities are added bonuses that you can utilized in this mode. The abilities I selected allowed me to run slightly faster and throw throwing knives. Both proved helpful when going after a target. Some are more defensive, aiding in escaping from your pursuer.
The predator and prey match lasted about 8 minutes, but it went by really quickly. I definitely enjoyed it and am amazed at how successful of a stealth-based multiplayer system Ubisoft was able to come up with — I really didn’t think it could be done. In terms of the offline story, what I saw really didn’t stand out in my mind as being all that different or more developed from the last game. I am certainly not ruling the game out yet.
NIS America — Atelier Rorona
After this I had a brief meeting with NIS America. They only had two games at this year’s E3: Atelier Rorona and Trinity Universe. Both titles had a small playable demo, but I was only able to play Atelier Rorona since they gave me a early build copy of Trinity Universe! I can’t wait to try this game and will be sure to have a review up ASAP.
Anyway, getting back to Atelier Rorona. The demo consisted of two parts; the first part being an intro to the game’s story. I believe it was quite literally the first 5 or 10 minutes after starting a new game. The story is a rather clever way of making the player complete alchemy missions over the course of a year. Lately I have been digging games with calendars so I was intrigued.
Basically an alchemy shop was opened in a kingdom many years ago, but now is under threat of being closed down by the kingdom’s government. The only way to avoid this is to complete a number of alchemical missions. The main character, Rorona, works at said alchemy shop.
The character sprites are (as always with NIS) beautiful. The voice acting seemed somewhat inconsistent: some characters were great, others immediately took me out of the experience. Most notably was probably Rorona, for some reason her personality did not match her voice actress’s. I am not sure at this time if NIS America plans on keeping the Japanese voice acting, but as always I hope so. If not, I don’t think what I heard was anything game-breaking.
After the story synopsis, someone on the NIS staff loaded up a battle using their editor. It was pretty interesting watching them compile a battle! Anyway, the battle system is both simple and complex. You have your classic commands: attack, magic, item, escape and all your standard RPG attributes. The more complex aspect is an element system where after using certain elements new attacks may become available. It was hard to see the impact this mechanic may have later in the game, but I can imagine it being a real tide-turner.
Ultimately the demo was very short, making it difficult to gauge, but this is the first Atelier game to get my attention. I look forward to reviewing it and seeing what the series is all about.
Sony — Playstation Move
As the convention was drawing to an end, I decided I should see what this motion control mumbo jumbo was all about. Surely if these major companies like Sony and Microsoft have poured money into them, there must be something impressive to show. If only that were always the case…
As I stood in line, I became aware that the line was for no game in particular, just the Move itself. A Sony booth attendant shouted out “The Fight” and I vaguely recalled that being a prison boxing game, so I volunteered. To begin the fight I had to “calibrate” which required me to make certain motions with my arms with a move in each hand. Once I was in sync, the fight began.
To make things easier the AI had been turned off so I was essentially wailing on a completely defenseless dude. When I asked why, I was told it was because the motion control is what is being showcased, not the game. I then asked about ducking and weaving or parrying and was told that these features would be in the final product, but do not appear in the demo. I ask too many questions… I then set about to swinging around in the BO scented room, as so many had before me, until my opponent staggered away in defeat.
The controls felt “faithful” as Sony had preached. My hooks translated to hooks, my jabs to jabs, etc. The only issue I would mention may either be my fault, or a calibration issue, but I unconsciously aimed my punches at my opponent (it was a big TV) when it seemed more effective to aim them at the Playstation Eye. I didn’t have much of an issue changing my tactics to accommodate this, but in retrospect I am not sure which I should have been aiming at, or if the Eye should just know based on calibration. Either way, I think there probably shouldn’t have been a question in my mind — it should have felt as if the Eye wasn’t even there.
The End
I had a great time in LA with all my friends, meeting new people and eating amazing food. I wanted the week to feel both like a vacation and as if I was really learning about the future of the industry I am so passionate about. In the end I believe I succeeded, maybe a little too well since the thought of waiting another year to go back is just too damn much.
E3 2010: Day 3: Square Enix, NIS America, and The End
The last day of E3 is only celebrated by the many booth attendants who will no longer be required to hoarsely rattle off the same phrase ninety times an hour. For me however, it was a sad day, as it means my vacation is drawing to an end. I left LA on Saturday night, returning to CT where the amazing Japanese food I have been enjoying is much harder to come by.
My last day at the show started with visiting Square Enix’s booth. I had made an appointment for all of us but they were overbooked so only Joel and I could go. Once we got in I went to check out Dungeon Seige III and Joel went to see Deus Ex: Human Revolution. In retrospect it probably wasn’t the best trade off.
Square Enix — Dungeon Seige III
Dungeon Seige III is developed by Obsidian and published by Square Enix — those are some big names to live up to. It is a WRPG, somewhat in the vein of Oblivion, which is a first for Square. The game features number of characters each with unique stories and classes. A complex conversation-tree assures different outcomes to a variety of situations, and battles and map exploration are both seamless.
I was shown local multiplayer which allows a friend to jump in and out of the game as they wish as long as the first player has a follower. Team work seemed really important in order to beat bosses and large groups of enemies. For instance, one player would use an ability which stunned a large number of enemies and the second would then use an AOE skill that took a while to execute. I am not sure if playing the single player only would be more difficult. The graphics were nice, but the WRPG aesthetic is still so offensive to me.
All in all the game was rather forgettable. However, I could see it being really great for gamers looking for a solid multiplayer RPG experience, which is a rarity — but maybe they would just rather play an MMO…
Ubisoft — Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood
After that I headed over to Ubisoft to try Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood. I was a bit concerned going into this game as it still feels like the time for development since the previous title is really short. The glaring emphasis on the multiplayer aspect of the game also concerned me as I hate when the single player suffers to fit in a multiplayer mode.
The mode that we played was somewhat like predator and prey: a group of seven players enter an area and are assigned targets. A tutorial explains how to stalk your target using a compass system. The marker on the compass expands as you get closer to your target. Since each of the seven players have somewhat plain avatars, you can’t just kill whoever matches the physical description; it has to be when the compass marker fills the HUD. Killing innocents results in your target being reset which can undo any hard work you’ve put into tailing them. When being pursued you can utilize a new obstacle system which closes a gate as you run through it.
When I first started playing, my instincts from Assassin’s Creed II took over and I instantly climbed to the top of the nearest building. The last game taught me that, for the most part, being up high is safe. I killed my first target, but then my luck started turning and I got killed a few times. I soon realized that playing multiplayer really requires you to be much more cautious and use hiding spots and crowds. Running around on rooftops just made you stand out and become an easy target.
Standard combat doesn’t really exist in the mode we played. If you were stealthy enough to get up close to someone, you just pressed square and had the kill. There was creativity in the kills however. Once, when tailing someone who was on a rooftop, I was hanging from a gutter when my prey stomped on my hands causing me to fall to my death. The more creative or stealthy the kill, the more points the player is rewarded — I received a hefty bonus for killing someone from inside a hay bail. Ultimately I came in 3rd which I was pretty happy with:
Possibly the best part of this system is that it is fast. If you die, it’s no problem to quickly respawn and get back into the fray. You can even re-select your character and his or her abilities after you die. Abilities are added bonuses that you can utilized in this mode. The abilities I selected allowed me to run slightly faster and throw throwing knives. Both proved helpful when going after a target. Some are more defensive, aiding in escaping from your pursuer.
The predator and prey match lasted about 8 minutes, but it went by really quickly. I definitely enjoyed it and am amazed at how successful of a stealth-based multiplayer system Ubisoft was able to come up with — I really didn’t think it could be done. In terms of the offline story, what I saw really didn’t stand out in my mind as being all that different or more developed from the last game. I am certainly not ruling the game out yet.
NIS America — Atelier Rorona
After this I had a brief meeting with NIS America. They only had two games at this year’s E3: Atelier Rorona and Trinity Universe. Both titles had a small playable demo, but I was only able to play Atelier Rorona since they gave me a early build copy of Trinity Universe! I can’t wait to try this game and will be sure to have a review up ASAP.
Anyway, getting back to Atelier Rorona. The demo consisted of two parts; the first part being an intro to the game’s story. I believe it was quite literally the first 5 or 10 minutes after starting a new game. The story is a rather clever way of making the player complete alchemy missions over the course of a year. Lately I have been digging games with calendars so I was intrigued.
Basically an alchemy shop was opened in a kingdom many years ago, but now is under threat of being closed down by the kingdom’s government. The only way to avoid this is to complete a number of alchemical missions. The main character, Rorona, works at said alchemy shop.
The character sprites are (as always with NIS) beautiful. The voice acting seemed somewhat inconsistent: some characters were great, others immediately took me out of the experience. Most notably was probably Rorona, for some reason her personality did not match her voice actress’s. I am not sure at this time if NIS America plans on keeping the Japanese voice acting, but as always I hope so. If not, I don’t think what I heard was anything game-breaking.
After the story synopsis, someone on the NIS staff loaded up a battle using their editor. It was pretty interesting watching them compile a battle! Anyway, the battle system is both simple and complex. You have your classic commands: attack, magic, item, escape and all your standard RPG attributes. The more complex aspect is an element system where after using certain elements new attacks may become available. It was hard to see the impact this mechanic may have later in the game, but I can imagine it being a real tide-turner.
Ultimately the demo was very short, making it difficult to gauge, but this is the first Atelier game to get my attention. I look forward to reviewing it and seeing what the series is all about.
Sony — Playstation Move
As the convention was drawing to an end, I decided I should see what this motion control mumbo jumbo was all about. Surely if these major companies like Sony and Microsoft have poured money into them, there must be something impressive to show. If only that were always the case…
As I stood in line, I became aware that the line was for no game in particular, just the Move itself. A Sony booth attendant shouted out “The Fight” and I vaguely recalled that being a prison boxing game, so I volunteered. To begin the fight I had to “calibrate” which required me to make certain motions with my arms with a move in each hand. Once I was in sync, the fight began.
To make things easier the AI had been turned off so I was essentially wailing on a completely defenseless dude. When I asked why, I was told it was because the motion control is what is being showcased, not the game. I then asked about ducking and weaving or parrying and was told that these features would be in the final product, but do not appear in the demo. I ask too many questions… I then set about to swinging around in the BO scented room, as so many had before me, until my opponent staggered away in defeat.
The controls felt “faithful” as Sony had preached. My hooks translated to hooks, my jabs to jabs, etc. The only issue I would mention may either be my fault, or a calibration issue, but I unconsciously aimed my punches at my opponent (it was a big TV) when it seemed more effective to aim them at the Playstation Eye. I didn’t have much of an issue changing my tactics to accommodate this, but in retrospect I am not sure which I should have been aiming at, or if the Eye should just know based on calibration. Either way, I think there probably shouldn’t have been a question in my mind — it should have felt as if the Eye wasn’t even there.
The End
I had a great time in LA with all my friends, meeting new people and eating amazing food. I wanted the week to feel both like a vacation and as if I was really learning about the future of the industry I am so passionate about. In the end I believe I succeeded, maybe a little too well since the thought of waiting another year to go back is just too damn much.
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