This is a quick round up of what happened at Microsoft’s E3 Press Conference. The highlight was undoubtedly Project Natal. See below for slight details, but do go google it up for new information that gets released about it. Project Natal is the thing I’ve been waiting for all my life…
But first:
All the games announced/showcased
- The Beatles Rock Band – 3 singers at once
- Tony Hawk Ride/ Skateboard Peripheral
- Modern Warfare 2 trailer/gameplay video – 2 map packs to be released on Xbox Live
- Final Fantasy XIII gameplay video – possible Spring 2010 release date
- Epic shows off Shadow Complex
- Joyride – cartoony racer that’s free to download/play
- Crackdown 2
- Left 4 Dead 2 (Total surprise!) – out November 17th 2009 (Xbox 360 and PC)
- Splinter Cell Conviction (seems like complete overhaul of series, and seems very very cool) – Uses broken glass shard to look under door
- Relatively more time spent on this game, sounds really really epic. Xbox 360 exclusive (no PC) this Fall
- Forza Motosport 3 – shipping in October
- Halo 3 ODST – September 22 2009
- Halo Reach – 2010, Access to multiplayer beta when you purchase Halo 3 ODST
- Alan Wake – Gameplay footage, has a real “horror film” feel to it. Out Spring 2010
Xbox Live
- last.fm coming to Xbox Live, by end of the year, free for Xbox Live gold membership
- Netflix integration to Xbox Live improved – No need for PC, directly add movies through Xbox Live
- UK and Ireland get streaming TV, partnership with Sky TV
- Zune Video – 1080p HD, every TV show/movie instantly accessible
- Live Party – “virtual cinema”, watch movies/TV shows with your friend’s avatars
- Facebook on Xbox Live – glorified user interface, post game screnshots to your profile – Fall 2009
- Twitter on Xbox Live – glorified user interface, post from your console – Fall 2009
Metal Gear Solid Announcement
- Metal Gear Solid: Rising – no Solid Snake, trailer features Raiden, completely new and different MGS game
Project Natal
- Words cannot begin to describe what this is
- Controller-less gaming, voice/facial recognition, full 3D motion detection
- Steven Spielberg contributing to the project somehow? (No nevermind he was just on-stage to promote the project…)
- Lionhead Studios have created a character called Milo, he’s a boy who can interact with you, show emotions, you can draw something and “hand” it to him when the camera instantly scans it in. He reacts to the emotion in your voice, what you say, etc.
- Just imagine RPGs with a world full of such characters, imagine literally walking through cities, approaching people physically, tapping them on the shoulder, asking them stuff with your own voice. I never imagined I’d see something like that in my lifetime.
Project Natal has completely blown my mind.
