Its Awesome Week!

Every so often. the forces that control the cosmos combine their powers and create a week of such pure unfiltered Awesomeness that people may not be able to handle the power of Awesome.

In a week that started with E3 and Microsoft and Sony going head to head for the title of best Next Generation console. E3 showcased many instances of Awesome in its purest form, reaching dangerous levels during Sony's big PS4 conference, which lead to a small outbreak of uncontrollable whooping and cheering and several people needed treatment afterwards. Other Awesome reports came from the first gameplay demo of Destiny, Bungie's first game away from the Halo universe. Think MMO Halo with a ten year plan.

E3 - PlayStation 4 - Sony Strikes Back

No sooner had the dust settled after Microsoft's conference, it was Sony's turn at the bat. After weeks of debate over the Xbox One's restrictive policies on game ownership, used games and even privacy protection. It seemed that Sony wouldn't need to do much in order to take the upper hand.

Instead Sony blew the Xbox One out of the water.

E3 - Batman: Arkham Origins - Debut Gameplay Trailer

With all of the hubbub surrounding the next generation of consoles at E3, I had almost forgotten about this generation and we can expect to play for the rest of the year. With Rockstar not showing GTA V at E3, its down to Batman to take centre stage and show off his skills under the direction of a new studio.



Its good to see that WB Games Montreal have taken the if it aint broke don't fix it attitude. Judging from last nights gameplay demo they have kept the same core gameplay that made the first two Arkham Games so successful and refined the dective mode to act something more like the memory remixing in Remember Me.

Its all looking like a change in studio will not result in the catastrophe when the Batman films switched from Burton to Scumacher.

E3 - Xbox One - It's all about the games

Microsoft promised that their E3 Press Conference would be all about the games. They certainly meant it! Last nights conference started by jumping straight into one of the most highly anticipated games of 2014...

E3 part 2 - Sony gets it wrong!

Sony took to the stage the next day. I was excited as this is the first E3 for many years as a Sony console owner. As Sony's big gamble this year, surely the Vita would feature heavily in their presentation.

Wrong!

Whilst not completely ignored, The Vita was reduced two big game announcements and one of those was backed up with just a logo. Happily for this gamer, the other announcement was exactly what I wanted. More on the later...

The big games of their press conference were:


Playstation All Stars Battle Royale

Sony's attempt to make a Sony branded version of Nintendo's highly successful Super Smash Bros series, was on show. With two new characters added to the roster. Nathan Drake from the Uncharted series and the Big Daddy from Bioshock. Seeing as the latter is from a multi-format title, it would appear that the fears that Sony do not have enough properties to make a decent sized roster. How many gaming characters from recent years are going to crop up in this title. More will be revealed as the year goes on.

PS3 and Vita versions were shown and cross-play between Vita and PS3 and looked amazing. Gameplay wise it ticks all the boxes. It is a Sony version of SSB. Let the Battle Royale commence soon!



Little Big Planet PS Vita

Sackboy is almost ready for his Vita début. Currently a select amount of gamers are tackling the beta. Sony showed a new trailer at E3, which focused more on the Single player story levels rather than the creative aspect of the game.

Having never played any of the Little Big Planet games and my love affair with the sandbox genre, I cannot wait to get on the big planet.



Beyond: Two Souls

David Cage's new game for PS3 was one of the major announcements for PlayStation 3. Quantic Studios continue to push the barriers of gaming with their latest title Beyond: Two Souls. Starring Hollywood's Ellen Page as the main protagonist, all I can say is watch the trailer below and be amazed.



The Last of Us

Naughty Dog gave the PS3 Nathan Drake and the incredible Uncharted franchise. So when they announced that they were announced they were going to be working on a new title that did not feature Mr Drake. Alot of people were shocked.

The Last of Us and it looks like a I am Legend inpsired action game where you control Joel and his young companion Ellie through the streets of post apocalyptic city. Adventure is out of the window in this game. Survival is the main focus. Keeping both Joel and Ellie safe from the gangs of scavengers, whilst traversing the dangerous cityscape.

May have to finally invest in a PS3 this coming Holiday.



Sony PS One classics on Vita

Some good news for Vita owners was that after a new firmware upgrade, due during the summer. The PS Vita will start being compatible with PlayStation One games. Final Fantasy VII and Tomb Raider are part of the first batch of games to be released.

Assassins Creed 3: Liberation

Ubisoft announced a spin-off game from Assassins Creed 3. Liberation is set in New Orleans and features an all new assassin and its a girl! Following the exploits of Aveline, as she fights the templars across New Orleans. Reports from the show floor indicate that while this not the full AC console experience in terms of detail and view distance, but in every other aspect Ubisoft have nailed it on Sony's still young portable.



COD BLOPS Declassified

Sony were pleased to announce that this holiday season will see the release of the longest title name to try and fit on the tiny label of a Vita Game card...



Thats it by the way... No details, no footage, not even a screenshot. Here's hoping it is as good as we all hope it is.

Since, their Press Conference, Sony have admitted that they got it wrong and handled the Vita completely in the wrong way. There are 25 big titles on the way to the Vita by the end of the year and I am sure that I will not regret getting one so early on in its life span. With an Assassins Creed game headed to Vita this year, I am already a very happy gamer.

E3 - it's the most spectacular time of the year! - Part 1

Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3. Once a year gamings best and brightest gather at the Los Angeles convention centre and reveal to the world what we can expect to be playing with for the rest of the year. This year rather than flying out to LA myself and report live from the show itself. I decided it was easier to stay here in the UK and celebrate The Queens Diamond Jubilee. I mean who wants the hassle of flying all the way over the LA.

So lets go over the news and announcements straight out of E3 2012.

Microsoft


Microsoft got the ball rolling this year and it was a run of the mill affair. With no new console or hardware to announce, the main focus of the press conference was on media integration and which exclusives can we expect on the Microsoft powerhouse. Lets cover the things that caught my attention.

• Smart Glass - This new system allows the gamer to use any SmartPhone or tablet as a second screen in games (Hi Nintendo!). The demo showed how you can use Smart Glass in Madden 13 to pick plays and monitor the movement of your players. You can also use your tablet or phone to control your Xbox dashboard experience as well.

• Internet Explorer for Xbox - Just what the Xbox needed. I mean there are times when I down on the couch and realise that I can't find my phone, iPad, laptop or Vita to access the web. So at least now I can spend hours shouting at the TV. "Xbox... Internet... Google... No, Gooogle.. G O O G L E!

• Xbox Music - Zune failed and they need something to compete against Sony Music Unlimited

• New TV and Film channels are being added to increase the home viewing experience (in North America)

Thankfully the rest of the presentation focused on what we all love, the games.

Halo 4

Master Chief is back and this time He has dug up a evil more ancient than convenent, The ForeRunners. Audiences were treated to a 5 minute gameplay demo which introduced to the new world and creatures and some of the new toys that Chief gets to play . I love the way that 343 Studios has taken the Chief predicament at the end of Halo 3 and reunited with the UNSC. This should be a belter of a game and Microsoft know it.



Gears of War: Judgement

Bit of a surprise this one. A new Gears game set before the original and featuring Baird as the main character? Alot of the series fans are not too happy about this. Although, this could be very interesting for the franchise. Epic have handed this game over to BulletStorm developers, People can Fly. Looking at the humour they injected into BulletStorm, then a Baird based Gears game could be quite special.



Resident Evil 6

Capcom demoed Resident Evil 6 and I think it is now clear that the days of survival horror are long gone for this series. There was more action in their 5 minute walkthrough than in the first game. Zombies (yes proper ones!) everywhere. Explosions and fire everywhere. Helicopters falling out of the sky, exploding freeways full of cars. The trailer introduces new characters and plots at an alarming pace. I think this game is going to be a full on, adrenaline fuelled, action-fest.



Splinter Cell: Blacklist

Ubisoft demonstrated the new Splinter Cell title. After his spell as Jason Bourne in the last game. Sam Fisher is back and in charge of the new Fourth Echelon. Which means back to sneaking around military camps and cracking the necks of a few terrorists. The stackable execution mode from Conviction is back and expanded, now allowing for moving executions. Ubisoft can do no wrong in my eyes the last few years and 2012 looks like to be another great year for them.



Tomb Raider

Square-Enix showed some gameplay from the new Tomb Raider reboot. It looks incredible! Nathan Drake had better watch his back, because Lara wants her Crown back as Queen of the action games. Some very intense action sequences and some genuine moments of terror and survival horror going on as well. The E3 trailer expands on what is going on a little and it is all a bit Lost. I think this could very well be my game of the year.

Also they announced that all Downloadable Content will be available exclusively on Xbox 360 first.



Call Of Duty: Black Ops 2

Right, look here Activision! I fell out with you and promised never to buy another Call of Duty game ever again. How dare you then go and make Black Ops 2 not only look amazing, but also the best Call of Duty game to date.

The demo takes place in Los Angeles,2025, just after terrorists have launched an attack on the US using their own unmanned drones and weapons. It follows our hero as he attempts to escort the President to safety through the chaos. The look and feel of the game appear to be different from previous COD titles. Things appear to be more open and far less corridor driven. Treyarch look like they are about to emerge from the shadow left by Infinity Ward.



So, at the end of the first day. Microsoft had a pretty quiet press conference. All of the new announcements regarding media and tablet integration are nice, but not as nice as a new Xbox announcement. The games though look great and remember, its all about the games!