That was Pyro Idea...and ended up becoming canon because Pyro
Massively Multiplayer: Gaming In The New Millennium
- Thread starter RySenkari
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I think was Pyro, Nigthingale just asked about it.... Dunno.
Still Just wait for the tv updates, to see what is safe or no....
Correct. Way back when in my Zelda cartoon post - which I really need to continue someday... - I offhandedly had Greg Weisman comment that the more mature tone that Zelda helped continue Gargoyles' trend of paved the way later for shows like Rick & Morty (which, as was also said, helps kick start a period of a cartoon renaissance for the channel after its premiere). As someone else said, it's rather like Invader Zim or Gravity Falls in tone: many "how did the censors let this get past?" moments in it and is very dark comparatively to the general tone of what the Mouse normally produces.
I actually hadn't put much thought past that and was hoping someone would've elaborated on it when we got closer to the present.
AeroTheZealousOne
Monthly Donor
Reminds me of how we ended up with Phineas and Ferb... in the 90s, but more similar to its OTL incarnation than not.
Regarding the Nintendo keynote: throwing in this world's versions of Final Fantasy XIII, Fallout 3, and Metal Gear Solid III into one trailer?
I'm more hyped for Apple's keynote, for the Virtua's got so much of an uphill battle with wht's happening with the Gemini.Reminds me of how we ended up with Phineas and Ferb... in the 90s, but more similar to its OTL incarnation than not.
Regarding the Nintendo keynote: throwing in this world's versions of Final Fantasy XIII, Fallout 3, and Metal Gear Solid III into one trailer?
E3 2012 (Part 2)
Apple Keynote - E3 2012
Apple's keynote address begins with Steve Jobs taking the podium. He thanks the crowd for coming and introduces the speech by giving a short history of the iTwin and its successful five year run, with more than 100 million units sold. He says that the iTwin has revolutionized gaming and that it's been a crucial part of Apple's ecosystem via its connections to other Apple services such as iOS and iTunes. He then says that Apple has been working to innovate further since the moment the iTwin was released, and that he's always thinking about the next step forward. He discusses the iPhone, and the Gemini, but says that he wants to do something different for Apple's next gaming machine. Like the Gemini, he wants to focus on games, and that he also respects the Sega legacy that has helped Apple to build its reputation in the gaming industry. He discusses the arcade experience and how it's been a crucial part of Sega's success, both before and after it became a part of Apple. Now, Jobs wants to revolutionize gaming while also respecting Sega's classic arcade roots. He says that he's ready to announce the next evolution in gaming, but that he'd first like to introduce the new head of Apple's gaming division, someone who will help direct the company as it launches a new generation of technology. He then introduces John Carmack, an announcement that shocks the crowd, but which is soon followed by loud applause. Carmack had left id Software back in 2010, and it seems he's found a new home at Apple, taking over Reggie Fils-Aime's old position. Carmack tells the crowd that he's glad to be working with Steve Jobs and Apple to help bring the new generation of video games to gamers everywhere, and that he's never been more proud to introduce a product than he is to introduce the Apple Virtua. The Apple Virtua is a brand new console with an all black finish, a larger unit than the Apple iTwin, and of course far more powerful. It comes with twin controllers, similar to the iTwin, but will also feature an optional traditional controller. What sets the Virtua apart is that the unit has a built-in camera that will be able to scan the room that it's in for movement, and works in conjunction with the twin controllers to create a "virtual space" of sorts that will allow for something called "total immersion motion control". What this means is that the player's body can become the controller, and Carmack and Jobs demonstrated this with Virtua Fighter Beyond Infinity, a Virtua launch title and an improved version of the Gemini's Virtua Fighter Infinity that will include more characters, more modes, and of course, support for the built in motion controls. The player can use punches and kicks to battle it out in real time, and Jobs and Carmack engaged in a quick fight to demonstrate this, with characters on screen perfectly mimicking their movements. Carmack then announced a brand new compilation called Virtua Sports, that includes a new Virtua Tennis, a new Virtua Soccer, and also games such as Virtua Baseball, Virtua Basketball, and Virtua Golf, all of which can use both the new motion controls or a traditional controller. Carmack demonstrated the games, and not only are the graphics extremely good (a bit better than the graphics we saw from the Nexus), the motion controls are perfect, creating a true arcade experience with all of these games. Virtua Sports is expected to have ten different sports games, and will be a launch title for the Virtua as well. Carmack then announced Virtua Rally, a game combining the Sega Rally and Virtua Racing franchises into one all-inclusive racing simulation that will feature both arcade and simulation-style gameplay, and even NASCAR racing will be included. Virtua Rally, which will support a new steering wheel accessory that will combine with the camera and the new controllers to create true force feedback racing, is expected to be Apple's rival to the Forza and Gran Turismo series, and like its predecessor, is expected to be another launch title.
Steve Jobs then made a few more remarks before leaving the stage, and Carmack introduced several more games coming to the Virtua. The most notable of these games is Bayonetta 2, yet another launch title and a spectacular sequel to 2009's hit hack and slash. Bayonetta 2 will allow players to use motion controls or traditional controls to activate Bayonetta's new moves, and Bayonetta will even break the fourth wall and talk to the player at times, with the player implied to be some sort of companion spirit helping to guide Bayonetta as she battles against both angels and demons to rescue her friend Jeanne. Bayonetta 2 looks both smooth and sexy, and is a major demonstration of the Virtua's graphical power and the promise of its new control scheme. After the Bayonetta 2 segment, which lasted for a few minutes, Carmack quickly discussed a couple more games, including a new House Of The Dead and a somewhat bouncy 3-D platformer called The Spectacular Rocket Ryde. This game drew some comparisons to Miraculous Ladybug, thanks to its female superheroine protagonist and a similar art style, but it's got more of a focus on beat 'em up action, and seems to be a lot more fast-paced as well. While it utilizes the motion controls, players probably won't need them and might prefer to use the traditional controls for this one. It also seems to be an IP aimed more at kids, with some fairly silly action and simplistic gameplay, and its violence is more cartoony than graphic. Both the new House Of The Dead and The Spectacular Rocket Ryde are expected to be released in 2013, but won't be ready for launch. However, XCOM: From The Skies, a Virtua-exclusive strategy game, will be. The game looks to be classic XCOM with RTS elements, and will allow players to physically lift friendly units and place them by gesturing with their hands like some kind of benevolent god. It doesn't look like the most exciting launch title, but RTS fans and XCOM lovers should enjoy it, and the crowd seemed to cheer some of the more intriguing gameplay reveals. Carmack then invited a developer from Capcom to the stage to discuss a new IP called Deep Down, the MMO that Apple and Capcom have been co-developing. The game will play like a classic dungeon crawler in which players must form bands to battle difficult enemies, in an almost Phantasy Star Online meets King's Grave sort of gameplay system. The graphics look gorgeous, really flexing the muscles of the Virtua, and players will have the option to use motion controls to swing their sword and use items, with a "realistic" force feedback system. The game still looks to be early in development, but is definitely further along than in 2010 when we last saw the game. The dungeons and enemies all look truly terrifying, and this could be one of those games that not only shows off what the Virtua can do, but really pushes sales for the system as well. We still haven't gotten a concrete release date, but it almost certainly won't be ready for launch. Carmack then revealed a brief teaser trailer of a Phantasy Star title, evidently the series' ninth mainline game, in which storybook characters are shown interacting with real characters in an almost ethereal way. The game's theme seems to be merging the world of fantasy with the world of the real, blending the games' sci-fi/fantasy themes as never before. No release date was given, but it's announced to be an exclusive for the Apple Virtua. After this teaser, Carmack revealed a few more details about the Virtua, including its price: $499.99, which includes a 1TB hard drive, the twin controllers, and the built-in camera. The Virtua will launch on March 25, 2013.
Carmack then introduced Shinji Mikami to the stage, beginning a quick segment based around Resident Evil 6. Leon and Claire will return as the playable characters, and the game will see the two of them racing to stop a worldwide pandemic as Albert Wesker unleashes the P-Virus, which mutates animals (including humans) into plant-like zombies while also creating hideous flora that spawn everywhere touched by spores launched by the zombies. Claire is shown exploring an overgrown hotel building pursued by zombies while a large flower-like beast attempts to bring it down, while Leon is shown escorting a female scientist through a laboratory being overrun by mutated creatures. While Wesker is advertised as the game's main villain, it's likely that Shini, who sold the virus off to Wesker, will play a major role in the game as well. Resident Evil 6 is expected to be a major evolution in the series from both a gameplay and a storyline perspective, and will launch exclusively on the iTwin in the fall. There was then a trailer shown for Mega Man Final, and, as implied by the game's title, it's expected to be the last title in the Mega Man Next series of games, which have been extremely popular and successful on the iTwin. Like its predecessors, it's a 3-D Mega Man game that utilizes the classic gameplay from the original series and the X games, and will see Mega Man returning to battle a new and powerful foe, while also reintroducing classic characters such as Proto Man to the series. This is the game that might tie all of the previous Mega Man timelines together, and looks to be a fitting sendoff for the Blue Bomber into the next generation. It too is an iTwin exclusive and will also be coming out in the fall. We then got a nice presentation for Knuckles Darkside, a fully 3-D Sonic series game starring the titular echidna, and looks to be a spiritual successor to the classic 1995 game Knuckles Renegades, featuring a rebellion headed by Knuckles and a lot of moral ambiguity. Corona features heavily in the game as well, as does a new heroine, the freedom fighter/femme fatale Ariadne the Spider. The game looks really heavy on edge and angst, and as the title implies, Knuckles looks to be tempted into more morally questionable actions. The game also features a lot of spectacular open areas, beautiful scenery, and a fierce new melee combat system. Knuckles Darkside is expected to be one of the iTwin's last big platform games, and while we don't see much to distinguish it from other recent hits in the Sonic series, its' dark tone and melee combat might just take it to the next level. It's scheduled for November. The next segment focused mostly on upcoming Gemini titles, and we saw new footage of the upcoming Star Siren SSS, which not only introduces new combat forms for the five heroines, but also has a big focus on combos and high scoring, with big rewards promised for players achieving perfect scores in each chapter segment and each chapter, represented by a triple S rating. The two big Gemini games shown off were Skies Of Vermillion and Railstorm. Skies Of Vermillion is a brand new RPG combining elements of the classic Sword of Vermillion game with Skies Of Arcadia, a classic RPG title that was a major hit on the Sega Saturn. Skies Of Vermillion features an enormous floating archipelago and promises a huge world explorable right from the beginning of the game with an airship given to the player in the very first hour. Railstorm is a beautiful FPS which features weapons capable of firing thousands of bullets a minute, and any FPS where a minigun is the player's basic weapon is likely to have a lot of carnage. There's tons of graphical detail, with plenty of destructible environments, enemies that dive and react realistically to bullets, and a huge array of weapons and weapon modifications. It's a game that will inevitably be compared to Nintendo's Justicar series, but this one seems to move at a much faster pace, and of course looks absolutely beautiful from a graphical perspective. Carmack seemed to really enjoy discussing Railstorm as well, taking numerous opportunities to compare the game to Doom and promising exciting online deathmatch gameplay as well. We also saw a quick sneak peek of some of 2013's upcoming Gemini games. Highlights included The Library Of Elliot Carlisle, a detective game with elements of both classic point and click titles and contemporary games like the Crime Stories series. There's also a fun multiplayer action game called TowerFall, in which players shoot at each other with arrows while racing to buff themselves and collect treasure. After the Gemini segment, Carmack thanked attendees and promised that the next twelve months would be the most exciting months for Apple gamers ever, whether playing with old consoles, new consoles, or on Mac or mobile. Then, he revealed one more quick announcement... Pixelworld 2 is currently in development for Virtua, Gemini, Mac, and iOS. The crowd cheered wildly at this, even though no release window for the highly anticipated sequel was given.
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E3 2012 - Third Parties
Squaresoft's E3 keynote was one of the most anticipated of the show, especially since it had just been learned that the company was going to be developing games for Google's Nexus alongside Nintendo's systems. Squaresoft began its keynote by confirming that Final Fantasy XIII would appear on both the Nexus and the Sapphire, and showed off about ten minutes' worth of gameplay footage, showing off more of the open world gameplay and the Skell mechs that will be a major part of combat in the game. Final Fantasy XIII takes place in a massive world comparable to the world featured in Final Fantasy XII, and allows for even more open world exploration, especially once the players' Skells gain the ability to fly. The main storyline of the game sees the characters pulled into a reluctant struggle between the Syrbladian Authority (the major nation governing most of humanity in the game) and the growing threat from the ancient Espers who have risen up to challenge humanity's dominance over the planet. The Espers, which once lived in peace with humanity and were summoned forth by ancient sorceresses, are now rampaging the planet, destroying major cities and wrecking the landscape. Though most of the game's battles will be against monsters and malevolent humans, the Espers themselves will inevitably have to be fought, and the battle against one of them, Ifrit, was briefly teased. These Espers are enormous, Godzilla-sized beasts capable of destroying cities, and only heroes fighting inside special mechs known as Guardian Skells stand a chance against them. The game's battle system is quite similar to the real-time combat of Final Fantasy XII, but for Skell fighting, components will determine what attacks players can use. Final Fantasy XIII will be released in October for the Sapphire and then in November for the Nexus as a launch title, and is expected to be one of the year's best games, just like its predecessor. Squaresoft also formally announced Final Fantasy Online II, which is also headed to the Nexus, but was not announced for any other platform (it's likely headed to the Sapphire successor also). The game will feature a massive new world, beautiful new graphics, and the addition of giant mechs to the series, much like the mechs in VIII and XIII. In fact, the game's tagline is "Fantasy And The Future Collide", leaning heavily into the sci-fi elements of the new game. Squaresoft then announced some new classic game ports, including most of the Final Fantasy series to the Nexus (basically everything except X, XI, and XII), classic games to mobile including Secret Of Mana and Chrono Trigger, and some new remakes including updated versions of the six original Final Fantasy titles. Then, we got a tease of a brand new game in the Fairytale series that looks to be a next-gen title and will feature classic RPG gameplay alongside gorgeous next gen graphics. What we got looks to be a very early build of the game, but it's good to see Fairytale back even if we're going to have to wait a while for it. Squaresoft then announced a couple new games for 2013 that will be coming to the Connect, including an RPG called Rain Generator and a fighting/RPG hybrid called Biotone. The company will also be releasing an unnamed digital title to both the Sapphire and Nexus stores sometime next year. Finally, the company teased a brand new IP, said to be an action-RPG with a mix of WRPG and JRPG gameplay. Taking place in a vast, mystical world, but with a bit more grittiness to it not unlike the Elder Scrolls or Witcher series, the new title was introduced as Dragonslayer, and, like the new Fairytale game, probably won't be released for at least a couple more years. Finally, Square announced a new Final Fantasy anime series that will be coming to the Blockbuster streaming platform in 2013 after airing in Japan later this year. The series will have unique characters and storylines, but will include elements from certain games in the series, almost like a crossover. Square's keynote was one of the most anticipated of the show, and even though they teased a lot of stuff that we won't be seeing for a while, it didn't disappoint.
Activision's keynote mostly showed off the upcoming Call Of Duty: Coalition, the latest title in the ever-popular Call Of Duty series. The game focuses on a campaign to take out a dangerous Middle Eastern nation confirmed to be building nuclear weapons, and involves a coalition of nations from all over the world, each with their own separate agendas as they fight to take out the warlord. The game's multiplayer is said to be most intriguing, as Activision is introducing a "True Coalition" mode, in which players with American IPs will be teamed up with British players, Russian players, etc., forcing the players of different nations to team up in battle together. It's also introducing a "World War III" mode in which players from different nations will be paired up against one another to battle it out for worldwide dominance. The two modes are sure to create strange bedfellows and rekindle old national rivalries, and could make the new Call Of Duty one of the most controversial games of the year. We also saw more footage from Thrillseekers: Winter Challenge 2, which once again focuses on cold-weather sports such as snowboarding and skiing, while introducing some new ones to the series for the first time. The game's featured sport will be figure skating, something that's already created major controversy within the fanbase and the gaming world. Both singles and doubles figure skating will be included, and while labeling figure skating as an "extreme" sport is certainly controversial, there is something intriguing about taking traditional skateboarding/surfing game mechanics and applying them to figure skating. We'll have to see how this one pans out after last year's disappointing Motocross. Activision also showed off Prince Of Persia: Parallel Legends, which features two fully realized main characters: the Prince himself, and his bride, the beautiful Shana, each of whom have their own special moves and abilities. The ability to finally spend a lot of time playing as Shana is nice, but from what we saw, the game doesn't really evolve much from the typical 3-D adventure formula. We're hoping Activision tries more new things with this one, and there's still plenty of time for more improvements, as the game doesn't come out until 2013. We also got some footage from Nostromo, the latest in the new Alien series of games, and this one is expected to be especially frightening, taking place onboard the doomed ship as it's overrun by Xenomorphs and by a new alien species said to be "even more horrifying". Activision then showed off a new IP, Viricle: The Agency. A spy thriller that's a bit on the light hearted side, we sort of got some No One Lives Forever vibes from this game, and the game also features some Alpha Protocol-esque level up and social systems. It looks plenty exciting, and a bit different from what we normally expect from Activision. Overall, the Activision keynote was light on surprises, but the games all look okay, especially if they all turn out on the positive side of expectations.
Acclaim's keynote showed off plenty of Turok: The Last War, the conclusion to their ongoing trilogy of current generation Turok games. There's nothing too much to say about this one: it's Turok, and full of plenty of huge creatures and neat guns. It's got the potential to be one of the year's best games, but only if it changes up enough from its predecessors. We also got some more teases for Destined 2, not only showing off the upcoming game, but the new comic tie-ins and more scenes from the upcoming season of the animated series. Acclaim's still heavily pushing this IP, which has become one of the more successful multimedia franchises of the last generation of gaming, surpassing even Thrillseekers to some extent (though that IP has faded a bit since the release of Thrillseekers 2 in 2009). Acclaim is clearly leveraging its ownership of Dark Horse to the fullest, pushing comics and games with equal enthusiasm, and the company is expected to have a major presence at Comic-Con next much as well. Finally, we saw our first glimpse of Heavy, the new beat 'em up/sandbox game the company is pushing with the help of famed comic creator Frank Miller. The protagonist is a brutal criminal who goes on a crime spree, attacking both the guilty and the innocent as he seeks to reshape the city itself. It's definitely going to be a controversial game, but has a gorgeous, noir-esque artstyle and what looks to be an incredibly fun combat system in which improvisation plays a major role. Acclaim's presentation was less about pushing new games and more about pushing the company's popular intellectual property, but it seemed to accomplish some decent things on both fronts, and is likely to come out of E3 2012 somewhat stronger than it came in, making the case that it's still one of the biggest game companies out there.
Nothing major was announced at Ubisoft's keynote, as the company spent more time promoting Miraculous Ladybug while also pushing the upcoming Assassin's Creed III heavily. We're quite excited for Assassin's Creed III, which will take place in 17th century Holland and see the continuation of Desmond's battle against the Templars. The game doesn't do much in the way of new things, rather, it refines a lot of the old stealth and combat aspects of the game, while also majorly bumping up the graphics for the Nexus version which will be a launch title. There is the addition of naval combat to the series, and while it seemed a bit clunky and awkward from what we saw, it also showed a lot of promise and potential for some spectacular fights if Ubisoft can refine it in time for release. Ubisoft also showed off some smaller games, including digital indie RPG Child Of Light, a visually beautiful and thematically intriguing game about a young girl lost in a mysterious realm. We also saw some new footage of The Darkest, the fourth game in the classic goth-themed RPG series that sees an older Kris return to mentor a new generation of young magic users to battle a threat from a hellish nightmare realm. The game, which will be released exclusively on the Sapphire early next year, will feature a new action RPG combat system comparable to the one seen in the Full Metal Alchemist games, and promises to be the series' most spectacular entry yet. Toward the end of the keynote, Ubisoft teased a brand new game in the Tom Clancy series, not an epic single player action thriller, but a fully online experience combining FPS gameplay with MMO social features. The game is still early in development, but will be released on both next-gen consoles and PC, and could revitalize a series that's grown a bit stale in recent years despite some excellent games.
Electronic Arts had a rather boring presser, save for one major announcement. After showing off their new sports games, including Madden NFL 13 and NBA Elite 13, there was a quick teaser shown for a brand new title... which turned out to be a preview of Gate 2, the long anticipated sequel to 2009's major hit RPG. The game will see Raymond Holmes return in a world where the destruction of the Gate technology has left a desolate, desperate world, and has made him a marked man. He is contacted by Greta Lorenza, still trapped in deep space with the last bit of Gate technology, looking for a way home. The teaser doesn't show whether or not he decides to help her, but that will likely form the game's major conflict, and though we didn't get much more information, we're already excited to play this intriguing new sequel that's expected to be released sometime late next year. Apart from that, there was also Among The Dead, which seemed to us to be "Encounter, but with zombies", and could either be really fun or really terrible. We're leaning toward the former (the gameplay IS a lot more action packed than Resident Evil, with plenty of bullets to kill the massive armies of zombies you'll have to fight), and if it does turn out good, it could be one of the year's biggest sleeper hits.
Take Two Interactive didn't have a keynote, but they did show off some new games on the floor, most notably Grand Theft Auto III, which is now confirmed to be a next generation title. The game will be set in a Midwestern area based heavily on Chicago, and though the game's protagonist wasn't revealed just yet, the developers implied that they'll be like no one players have ever gotten to be before. This seemed to square with rumors that the game will have the series' first ever female protagonist, but with the game likely still a couple years away, it'll probably be 2013 before we can get some more definitive details about the game. For now, all we have are tech demos and some screenshots showing the new city, which look amazing even when compared with Grand Theft Auto II. We also got to see more footage of Crime Stories: The Written Tragedy, the next title in Rockstar's acclaimed crime drama series of games. While lacking a lot of the flash and flair of the Grand Theft Auto games, there's still plenty of substance, with a very intriguing plotline and some promising voice acting performances in the game's trailer. This one's coming out in 2013, and will likely be released on both current-gen and next-gen consoles.
Psygnosis' display was all about Cyberwar 4, and though we didn't learn much more about the game than we did during Google's keynote, we did get some hands-on time with both the single player campaign and multiplayer modes. The single player is more fun than ever, with a real sense of just how big the game's world is. It's not QUITE open world, but it's definitely more open than any area we've explored in the original trilogy, and we had plenty of opportunities to mess with enemies thanks to the copious amounts of hacking we were able to do. We also saw a teaser of what's said to be a "next generation" Wipeout game, with beautiful futuristic cities and vehicles that both look better and move faster than ever. Psygnosis wasn't able to reveal much more, and this game might just be a possible console exclusive, perhaps for Nintendo's Sapphire successor, though at this point that's just a rumor.
We also saw some fun things at Tecmo's booth, including a new Dead Or Alive game, a new horror/shooter IP called Cavernous, and a revamped Tecmo Bowl for handhelds and mobile. Without the NFL license, Tecmo can't use any real teams, but they've come up with 16 brand new and unique teams, and the new game features the classic Tecmo Bowl gameplay with a heavy graphical upgrade. There's also a new digital-only RPG that Tecmo is teasing, and it's expected to perhaps be another try at a Secret Of The Stars-style game, though it's hopefully not as "BADBAD" as the last one was.
Speaking of JRPGs, Game Arts also had a major presence at E3, and was teasing all kinds of games, though many of them are expected to remain exclusive to Japan, including Princess Orchard, a cute but melancholy RPG expected to be released on the iTwin next year. The game is to be one of the last original iTwin titles, and will probably be released a bit after the launch of the Virtua there. The game features a young princess who must save her friends from being possessed by a sadness spirit, and the only way she can do that is to bring life back to her family's orchard. We hope to see the game make it to the West, but we're not holding our breath, and might have to wait for a re-release on the Virtua down the road. The company also teased a new game in the Lunar series said to be a spinoff and taking place between the events of The Silver Star and The Eternal Blue. It's expected to be a handheld-only game, and we're thinking this one will be coming to the West soon after its Japanese release next year. Of course, the biggest game that Game Arts was showing at E3 2012 was Ithiel: Fighting Fate, a JRPG said to be a "deconstruction" of traditional titles such as their own Lunar series. This game's been slowly building in hype for a while, and though it was overshadowed by Lunar 4 at first, it's now expected to be the company's biggest game of the year, with a style closer to Western games than traditional Japanese fare. Set to be released on the Sapphire, iTwin, and the Nexus, it's a fully 3-D JRPG that's not quite as polished as a Final Fantasy title, but a bit more refined than their Tale series of games. One of the costliest Game Arts titles to date (perhaps the costliest), if it's a success, it could finally elevate the company past Enix as the second biggest Japanese RPG producer. If it's a failure, it could set Game Arts back years, undoing a lot of the work they've recently done. It looks like it could be a major hit, and its worldwide release (unusual for Game Arts titles) is coming in August.
Apple's keynote address begins with Steve Jobs taking the podium. He thanks the crowd for coming and introduces the speech by giving a short history of the iTwin and its successful five year run, with more than 100 million units sold. He says that the iTwin has revolutionized gaming and that it's been a crucial part of Apple's ecosystem via its connections to other Apple services such as iOS and iTunes. He then says that Apple has been working to innovate further since the moment the iTwin was released, and that he's always thinking about the next step forward. He discusses the iPhone, and the Gemini, but says that he wants to do something different for Apple's next gaming machine. Like the Gemini, he wants to focus on games, and that he also respects the Sega legacy that has helped Apple to build its reputation in the gaming industry. He discusses the arcade experience and how it's been a crucial part of Sega's success, both before and after it became a part of Apple. Now, Jobs wants to revolutionize gaming while also respecting Sega's classic arcade roots. He says that he's ready to announce the next evolution in gaming, but that he'd first like to introduce the new head of Apple's gaming division, someone who will help direct the company as it launches a new generation of technology. He then introduces John Carmack, an announcement that shocks the crowd, but which is soon followed by loud applause. Carmack had left id Software back in 2010, and it seems he's found a new home at Apple, taking over Reggie Fils-Aime's old position. Carmack tells the crowd that he's glad to be working with Steve Jobs and Apple to help bring the new generation of video games to gamers everywhere, and that he's never been more proud to introduce a product than he is to introduce the Apple Virtua. The Apple Virtua is a brand new console with an all black finish, a larger unit than the Apple iTwin, and of course far more powerful. It comes with twin controllers, similar to the iTwin, but will also feature an optional traditional controller. What sets the Virtua apart is that the unit has a built-in camera that will be able to scan the room that it's in for movement, and works in conjunction with the twin controllers to create a "virtual space" of sorts that will allow for something called "total immersion motion control". What this means is that the player's body can become the controller, and Carmack and Jobs demonstrated this with Virtua Fighter Beyond Infinity, a Virtua launch title and an improved version of the Gemini's Virtua Fighter Infinity that will include more characters, more modes, and of course, support for the built in motion controls. The player can use punches and kicks to battle it out in real time, and Jobs and Carmack engaged in a quick fight to demonstrate this, with characters on screen perfectly mimicking their movements. Carmack then announced a brand new compilation called Virtua Sports, that includes a new Virtua Tennis, a new Virtua Soccer, and also games such as Virtua Baseball, Virtua Basketball, and Virtua Golf, all of which can use both the new motion controls or a traditional controller. Carmack demonstrated the games, and not only are the graphics extremely good (a bit better than the graphics we saw from the Nexus), the motion controls are perfect, creating a true arcade experience with all of these games. Virtua Sports is expected to have ten different sports games, and will be a launch title for the Virtua as well. Carmack then announced Virtua Rally, a game combining the Sega Rally and Virtua Racing franchises into one all-inclusive racing simulation that will feature both arcade and simulation-style gameplay, and even NASCAR racing will be included. Virtua Rally, which will support a new steering wheel accessory that will combine with the camera and the new controllers to create true force feedback racing, is expected to be Apple's rival to the Forza and Gran Turismo series, and like its predecessor, is expected to be another launch title.
Steve Jobs then made a few more remarks before leaving the stage, and Carmack introduced several more games coming to the Virtua. The most notable of these games is Bayonetta 2, yet another launch title and a spectacular sequel to 2009's hit hack and slash. Bayonetta 2 will allow players to use motion controls or traditional controls to activate Bayonetta's new moves, and Bayonetta will even break the fourth wall and talk to the player at times, with the player implied to be some sort of companion spirit helping to guide Bayonetta as she battles against both angels and demons to rescue her friend Jeanne. Bayonetta 2 looks both smooth and sexy, and is a major demonstration of the Virtua's graphical power and the promise of its new control scheme. After the Bayonetta 2 segment, which lasted for a few minutes, Carmack quickly discussed a couple more games, including a new House Of The Dead and a somewhat bouncy 3-D platformer called The Spectacular Rocket Ryde. This game drew some comparisons to Miraculous Ladybug, thanks to its female superheroine protagonist and a similar art style, but it's got more of a focus on beat 'em up action, and seems to be a lot more fast-paced as well. While it utilizes the motion controls, players probably won't need them and might prefer to use the traditional controls for this one. It also seems to be an IP aimed more at kids, with some fairly silly action and simplistic gameplay, and its violence is more cartoony than graphic. Both the new House Of The Dead and The Spectacular Rocket Ryde are expected to be released in 2013, but won't be ready for launch. However, XCOM: From The Skies, a Virtua-exclusive strategy game, will be. The game looks to be classic XCOM with RTS elements, and will allow players to physically lift friendly units and place them by gesturing with their hands like some kind of benevolent god. It doesn't look like the most exciting launch title, but RTS fans and XCOM lovers should enjoy it, and the crowd seemed to cheer some of the more intriguing gameplay reveals. Carmack then invited a developer from Capcom to the stage to discuss a new IP called Deep Down, the MMO that Apple and Capcom have been co-developing. The game will play like a classic dungeon crawler in which players must form bands to battle difficult enemies, in an almost Phantasy Star Online meets King's Grave sort of gameplay system. The graphics look gorgeous, really flexing the muscles of the Virtua, and players will have the option to use motion controls to swing their sword and use items, with a "realistic" force feedback system. The game still looks to be early in development, but is definitely further along than in 2010 when we last saw the game. The dungeons and enemies all look truly terrifying, and this could be one of those games that not only shows off what the Virtua can do, but really pushes sales for the system as well. We still haven't gotten a concrete release date, but it almost certainly won't be ready for launch. Carmack then revealed a brief teaser trailer of a Phantasy Star title, evidently the series' ninth mainline game, in which storybook characters are shown interacting with real characters in an almost ethereal way. The game's theme seems to be merging the world of fantasy with the world of the real, blending the games' sci-fi/fantasy themes as never before. No release date was given, but it's announced to be an exclusive for the Apple Virtua. After this teaser, Carmack revealed a few more details about the Virtua, including its price: $499.99, which includes a 1TB hard drive, the twin controllers, and the built-in camera. The Virtua will launch on March 25, 2013.
Carmack then introduced Shinji Mikami to the stage, beginning a quick segment based around Resident Evil 6. Leon and Claire will return as the playable characters, and the game will see the two of them racing to stop a worldwide pandemic as Albert Wesker unleashes the P-Virus, which mutates animals (including humans) into plant-like zombies while also creating hideous flora that spawn everywhere touched by spores launched by the zombies. Claire is shown exploring an overgrown hotel building pursued by zombies while a large flower-like beast attempts to bring it down, while Leon is shown escorting a female scientist through a laboratory being overrun by mutated creatures. While Wesker is advertised as the game's main villain, it's likely that Shini, who sold the virus off to Wesker, will play a major role in the game as well. Resident Evil 6 is expected to be a major evolution in the series from both a gameplay and a storyline perspective, and will launch exclusively on the iTwin in the fall. There was then a trailer shown for Mega Man Final, and, as implied by the game's title, it's expected to be the last title in the Mega Man Next series of games, which have been extremely popular and successful on the iTwin. Like its predecessors, it's a 3-D Mega Man game that utilizes the classic gameplay from the original series and the X games, and will see Mega Man returning to battle a new and powerful foe, while also reintroducing classic characters such as Proto Man to the series. This is the game that might tie all of the previous Mega Man timelines together, and looks to be a fitting sendoff for the Blue Bomber into the next generation. It too is an iTwin exclusive and will also be coming out in the fall. We then got a nice presentation for Knuckles Darkside, a fully 3-D Sonic series game starring the titular echidna, and looks to be a spiritual successor to the classic 1995 game Knuckles Renegades, featuring a rebellion headed by Knuckles and a lot of moral ambiguity. Corona features heavily in the game as well, as does a new heroine, the freedom fighter/femme fatale Ariadne the Spider. The game looks really heavy on edge and angst, and as the title implies, Knuckles looks to be tempted into more morally questionable actions. The game also features a lot of spectacular open areas, beautiful scenery, and a fierce new melee combat system. Knuckles Darkside is expected to be one of the iTwin's last big platform games, and while we don't see much to distinguish it from other recent hits in the Sonic series, its' dark tone and melee combat might just take it to the next level. It's scheduled for November. The next segment focused mostly on upcoming Gemini titles, and we saw new footage of the upcoming Star Siren SSS, which not only introduces new combat forms for the five heroines, but also has a big focus on combos and high scoring, with big rewards promised for players achieving perfect scores in each chapter segment and each chapter, represented by a triple S rating. The two big Gemini games shown off were Skies Of Vermillion and Railstorm. Skies Of Vermillion is a brand new RPG combining elements of the classic Sword of Vermillion game with Skies Of Arcadia, a classic RPG title that was a major hit on the Sega Saturn. Skies Of Vermillion features an enormous floating archipelago and promises a huge world explorable right from the beginning of the game with an airship given to the player in the very first hour. Railstorm is a beautiful FPS which features weapons capable of firing thousands of bullets a minute, and any FPS where a minigun is the player's basic weapon is likely to have a lot of carnage. There's tons of graphical detail, with plenty of destructible environments, enemies that dive and react realistically to bullets, and a huge array of weapons and weapon modifications. It's a game that will inevitably be compared to Nintendo's Justicar series, but this one seems to move at a much faster pace, and of course looks absolutely beautiful from a graphical perspective. Carmack seemed to really enjoy discussing Railstorm as well, taking numerous opportunities to compare the game to Doom and promising exciting online deathmatch gameplay as well. We also saw a quick sneak peek of some of 2013's upcoming Gemini games. Highlights included The Library Of Elliot Carlisle, a detective game with elements of both classic point and click titles and contemporary games like the Crime Stories series. There's also a fun multiplayer action game called TowerFall, in which players shoot at each other with arrows while racing to buff themselves and collect treasure. After the Gemini segment, Carmack thanked attendees and promised that the next twelve months would be the most exciting months for Apple gamers ever, whether playing with old consoles, new consoles, or on Mac or mobile. Then, he revealed one more quick announcement... Pixelworld 2 is currently in development for Virtua, Gemini, Mac, and iOS. The crowd cheered wildly at this, even though no release window for the highly anticipated sequel was given.
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E3 2012 - Third Parties
Squaresoft's E3 keynote was one of the most anticipated of the show, especially since it had just been learned that the company was going to be developing games for Google's Nexus alongside Nintendo's systems. Squaresoft began its keynote by confirming that Final Fantasy XIII would appear on both the Nexus and the Sapphire, and showed off about ten minutes' worth of gameplay footage, showing off more of the open world gameplay and the Skell mechs that will be a major part of combat in the game. Final Fantasy XIII takes place in a massive world comparable to the world featured in Final Fantasy XII, and allows for even more open world exploration, especially once the players' Skells gain the ability to fly. The main storyline of the game sees the characters pulled into a reluctant struggle between the Syrbladian Authority (the major nation governing most of humanity in the game) and the growing threat from the ancient Espers who have risen up to challenge humanity's dominance over the planet. The Espers, which once lived in peace with humanity and were summoned forth by ancient sorceresses, are now rampaging the planet, destroying major cities and wrecking the landscape. Though most of the game's battles will be against monsters and malevolent humans, the Espers themselves will inevitably have to be fought, and the battle against one of them, Ifrit, was briefly teased. These Espers are enormous, Godzilla-sized beasts capable of destroying cities, and only heroes fighting inside special mechs known as Guardian Skells stand a chance against them. The game's battle system is quite similar to the real-time combat of Final Fantasy XII, but for Skell fighting, components will determine what attacks players can use. Final Fantasy XIII will be released in October for the Sapphire and then in November for the Nexus as a launch title, and is expected to be one of the year's best games, just like its predecessor. Squaresoft also formally announced Final Fantasy Online II, which is also headed to the Nexus, but was not announced for any other platform (it's likely headed to the Sapphire successor also). The game will feature a massive new world, beautiful new graphics, and the addition of giant mechs to the series, much like the mechs in VIII and XIII. In fact, the game's tagline is "Fantasy And The Future Collide", leaning heavily into the sci-fi elements of the new game. Squaresoft then announced some new classic game ports, including most of the Final Fantasy series to the Nexus (basically everything except X, XI, and XII), classic games to mobile including Secret Of Mana and Chrono Trigger, and some new remakes including updated versions of the six original Final Fantasy titles. Then, we got a tease of a brand new game in the Fairytale series that looks to be a next-gen title and will feature classic RPG gameplay alongside gorgeous next gen graphics. What we got looks to be a very early build of the game, but it's good to see Fairytale back even if we're going to have to wait a while for it. Squaresoft then announced a couple new games for 2013 that will be coming to the Connect, including an RPG called Rain Generator and a fighting/RPG hybrid called Biotone. The company will also be releasing an unnamed digital title to both the Sapphire and Nexus stores sometime next year. Finally, the company teased a brand new IP, said to be an action-RPG with a mix of WRPG and JRPG gameplay. Taking place in a vast, mystical world, but with a bit more grittiness to it not unlike the Elder Scrolls or Witcher series, the new title was introduced as Dragonslayer, and, like the new Fairytale game, probably won't be released for at least a couple more years. Finally, Square announced a new Final Fantasy anime series that will be coming to the Blockbuster streaming platform in 2013 after airing in Japan later this year. The series will have unique characters and storylines, but will include elements from certain games in the series, almost like a crossover. Square's keynote was one of the most anticipated of the show, and even though they teased a lot of stuff that we won't be seeing for a while, it didn't disappoint.
Activision's keynote mostly showed off the upcoming Call Of Duty: Coalition, the latest title in the ever-popular Call Of Duty series. The game focuses on a campaign to take out a dangerous Middle Eastern nation confirmed to be building nuclear weapons, and involves a coalition of nations from all over the world, each with their own separate agendas as they fight to take out the warlord. The game's multiplayer is said to be most intriguing, as Activision is introducing a "True Coalition" mode, in which players with American IPs will be teamed up with British players, Russian players, etc., forcing the players of different nations to team up in battle together. It's also introducing a "World War III" mode in which players from different nations will be paired up against one another to battle it out for worldwide dominance. The two modes are sure to create strange bedfellows and rekindle old national rivalries, and could make the new Call Of Duty one of the most controversial games of the year. We also saw more footage from Thrillseekers: Winter Challenge 2, which once again focuses on cold-weather sports such as snowboarding and skiing, while introducing some new ones to the series for the first time. The game's featured sport will be figure skating, something that's already created major controversy within the fanbase and the gaming world. Both singles and doubles figure skating will be included, and while labeling figure skating as an "extreme" sport is certainly controversial, there is something intriguing about taking traditional skateboarding/surfing game mechanics and applying them to figure skating. We'll have to see how this one pans out after last year's disappointing Motocross. Activision also showed off Prince Of Persia: Parallel Legends, which features two fully realized main characters: the Prince himself, and his bride, the beautiful Shana, each of whom have their own special moves and abilities. The ability to finally spend a lot of time playing as Shana is nice, but from what we saw, the game doesn't really evolve much from the typical 3-D adventure formula. We're hoping Activision tries more new things with this one, and there's still plenty of time for more improvements, as the game doesn't come out until 2013. We also got some footage from Nostromo, the latest in the new Alien series of games, and this one is expected to be especially frightening, taking place onboard the doomed ship as it's overrun by Xenomorphs and by a new alien species said to be "even more horrifying". Activision then showed off a new IP, Viricle: The Agency. A spy thriller that's a bit on the light hearted side, we sort of got some No One Lives Forever vibes from this game, and the game also features some Alpha Protocol-esque level up and social systems. It looks plenty exciting, and a bit different from what we normally expect from Activision. Overall, the Activision keynote was light on surprises, but the games all look okay, especially if they all turn out on the positive side of expectations.
Acclaim's keynote showed off plenty of Turok: The Last War, the conclusion to their ongoing trilogy of current generation Turok games. There's nothing too much to say about this one: it's Turok, and full of plenty of huge creatures and neat guns. It's got the potential to be one of the year's best games, but only if it changes up enough from its predecessors. We also got some more teases for Destined 2, not only showing off the upcoming game, but the new comic tie-ins and more scenes from the upcoming season of the animated series. Acclaim's still heavily pushing this IP, which has become one of the more successful multimedia franchises of the last generation of gaming, surpassing even Thrillseekers to some extent (though that IP has faded a bit since the release of Thrillseekers 2 in 2009). Acclaim is clearly leveraging its ownership of Dark Horse to the fullest, pushing comics and games with equal enthusiasm, and the company is expected to have a major presence at Comic-Con next much as well. Finally, we saw our first glimpse of Heavy, the new beat 'em up/sandbox game the company is pushing with the help of famed comic creator Frank Miller. The protagonist is a brutal criminal who goes on a crime spree, attacking both the guilty and the innocent as he seeks to reshape the city itself. It's definitely going to be a controversial game, but has a gorgeous, noir-esque artstyle and what looks to be an incredibly fun combat system in which improvisation plays a major role. Acclaim's presentation was less about pushing new games and more about pushing the company's popular intellectual property, but it seemed to accomplish some decent things on both fronts, and is likely to come out of E3 2012 somewhat stronger than it came in, making the case that it's still one of the biggest game companies out there.
Nothing major was announced at Ubisoft's keynote, as the company spent more time promoting Miraculous Ladybug while also pushing the upcoming Assassin's Creed III heavily. We're quite excited for Assassin's Creed III, which will take place in 17th century Holland and see the continuation of Desmond's battle against the Templars. The game doesn't do much in the way of new things, rather, it refines a lot of the old stealth and combat aspects of the game, while also majorly bumping up the graphics for the Nexus version which will be a launch title. There is the addition of naval combat to the series, and while it seemed a bit clunky and awkward from what we saw, it also showed a lot of promise and potential for some spectacular fights if Ubisoft can refine it in time for release. Ubisoft also showed off some smaller games, including digital indie RPG Child Of Light, a visually beautiful and thematically intriguing game about a young girl lost in a mysterious realm. We also saw some new footage of The Darkest, the fourth game in the classic goth-themed RPG series that sees an older Kris return to mentor a new generation of young magic users to battle a threat from a hellish nightmare realm. The game, which will be released exclusively on the Sapphire early next year, will feature a new action RPG combat system comparable to the one seen in the Full Metal Alchemist games, and promises to be the series' most spectacular entry yet. Toward the end of the keynote, Ubisoft teased a brand new game in the Tom Clancy series, not an epic single player action thriller, but a fully online experience combining FPS gameplay with MMO social features. The game is still early in development, but will be released on both next-gen consoles and PC, and could revitalize a series that's grown a bit stale in recent years despite some excellent games.
Electronic Arts had a rather boring presser, save for one major announcement. After showing off their new sports games, including Madden NFL 13 and NBA Elite 13, there was a quick teaser shown for a brand new title... which turned out to be a preview of Gate 2, the long anticipated sequel to 2009's major hit RPG. The game will see Raymond Holmes return in a world where the destruction of the Gate technology has left a desolate, desperate world, and has made him a marked man. He is contacted by Greta Lorenza, still trapped in deep space with the last bit of Gate technology, looking for a way home. The teaser doesn't show whether or not he decides to help her, but that will likely form the game's major conflict, and though we didn't get much more information, we're already excited to play this intriguing new sequel that's expected to be released sometime late next year. Apart from that, there was also Among The Dead, which seemed to us to be "Encounter, but with zombies", and could either be really fun or really terrible. We're leaning toward the former (the gameplay IS a lot more action packed than Resident Evil, with plenty of bullets to kill the massive armies of zombies you'll have to fight), and if it does turn out good, it could be one of the year's biggest sleeper hits.
Take Two Interactive didn't have a keynote, but they did show off some new games on the floor, most notably Grand Theft Auto III, which is now confirmed to be a next generation title. The game will be set in a Midwestern area based heavily on Chicago, and though the game's protagonist wasn't revealed just yet, the developers implied that they'll be like no one players have ever gotten to be before. This seemed to square with rumors that the game will have the series' first ever female protagonist, but with the game likely still a couple years away, it'll probably be 2013 before we can get some more definitive details about the game. For now, all we have are tech demos and some screenshots showing the new city, which look amazing even when compared with Grand Theft Auto II. We also got to see more footage of Crime Stories: The Written Tragedy, the next title in Rockstar's acclaimed crime drama series of games. While lacking a lot of the flash and flair of the Grand Theft Auto games, there's still plenty of substance, with a very intriguing plotline and some promising voice acting performances in the game's trailer. This one's coming out in 2013, and will likely be released on both current-gen and next-gen consoles.
Psygnosis' display was all about Cyberwar 4, and though we didn't learn much more about the game than we did during Google's keynote, we did get some hands-on time with both the single player campaign and multiplayer modes. The single player is more fun than ever, with a real sense of just how big the game's world is. It's not QUITE open world, but it's definitely more open than any area we've explored in the original trilogy, and we had plenty of opportunities to mess with enemies thanks to the copious amounts of hacking we were able to do. We also saw a teaser of what's said to be a "next generation" Wipeout game, with beautiful futuristic cities and vehicles that both look better and move faster than ever. Psygnosis wasn't able to reveal much more, and this game might just be a possible console exclusive, perhaps for Nintendo's Sapphire successor, though at this point that's just a rumor.
We also saw some fun things at Tecmo's booth, including a new Dead Or Alive game, a new horror/shooter IP called Cavernous, and a revamped Tecmo Bowl for handhelds and mobile. Without the NFL license, Tecmo can't use any real teams, but they've come up with 16 brand new and unique teams, and the new game features the classic Tecmo Bowl gameplay with a heavy graphical upgrade. There's also a new digital-only RPG that Tecmo is teasing, and it's expected to perhaps be another try at a Secret Of The Stars-style game, though it's hopefully not as "BADBAD" as the last one was.
Speaking of JRPGs, Game Arts also had a major presence at E3, and was teasing all kinds of games, though many of them are expected to remain exclusive to Japan, including Princess Orchard, a cute but melancholy RPG expected to be released on the iTwin next year. The game is to be one of the last original iTwin titles, and will probably be released a bit after the launch of the Virtua there. The game features a young princess who must save her friends from being possessed by a sadness spirit, and the only way she can do that is to bring life back to her family's orchard. We hope to see the game make it to the West, but we're not holding our breath, and might have to wait for a re-release on the Virtua down the road. The company also teased a new game in the Lunar series said to be a spinoff and taking place between the events of The Silver Star and The Eternal Blue. It's expected to be a handheld-only game, and we're thinking this one will be coming to the West soon after its Japanese release next year. Of course, the biggest game that Game Arts was showing at E3 2012 was Ithiel: Fighting Fate, a JRPG said to be a "deconstruction" of traditional titles such as their own Lunar series. This game's been slowly building in hype for a while, and though it was overshadowed by Lunar 4 at first, it's now expected to be the company's biggest game of the year, with a style closer to Western games than traditional Japanese fare. Set to be released on the Sapphire, iTwin, and the Nexus, it's a fully 3-D JRPG that's not quite as polished as a Final Fantasy title, but a bit more refined than their Tale series of games. One of the costliest Game Arts titles to date (perhaps the costliest), if it's a success, it could finally elevate the company past Enix as the second biggest Japanese RPG producer. If it's a failure, it could set Game Arts back years, undoing a lot of the work they've recently done. It looks like it could be a major hit, and its worldwide release (unusual for Game Arts titles) is coming in August.
It literally launches the week of E3 2012, so they wouldn't cover it
Oh ok. *Bumps score up to a 9* I want a Virtua right now, just for being the Kinect done right. Imagine EVERY GAME BEING LIKE RING FIT ADVENTURE. I'D NEVER HAVE TO LEAVE THE HOUSE EXCEPT FOR FOOD AND SUNSHINE!!!
I hope Ithiel: Fighting Fate does well and puts Game arts and finally becomes bigger then Enix. I also hope tecmo new rpg does better then sceart of the stars. Rysenkia Does the game have a name yet. I will be willing to help you come up with one if you will pm some plot points so I can think of something fitting
I think you're selling Short Enix...and Atlus a little, but yeah Game Arts could become a marque alongside those three very soon.
I thought the post said that Itheil fighting spirtt could give game arts the edge over enix if it was big enoguh. Also I hope the new tecomo rpg will make up for secert of the stars
I'm guessing a buyout of a fading company to help prop themselves up in another region (i.e the Eidos buyout).
I think he refer fully multiplatform releases as videogame cost become bigger need all the consoles to get more income
Yep. Remember, Square were single-platform developers for a good long time IOTL, Sony's, specifically. That said, yeah, everyone's going multi-platform these days, and I LOVE it, which, granted, is partly because i've always hated the idea of "exclusives": It feels rather like if Sony somehow made it so that discs of Spider-Man 2 could only play on Sony-brand Blu-Ray players. Games don't exist to serve consoles, anymore then books exist to serve paper or films exist to serve the wall they're projected onto.
They do, Yamauchi learned that with Donkey Kong, the famicom was to be a box to play mario.
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