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Battlefield 3 – E3 Preview

Ray Conley — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 00:20:27 +0000

By now, I’m sure that we’ve all seen EA’s explosive trailer on one of the most anticipated shooters getting stamped out by devs at DICE. However, if you’re still skeptical whether this third iteration of the Battlefield franchise is a rehash of the Bad Company series, I’m more than confident to help put those fears aside. The geniuses at DICE haven’t reinvented the wheel on this title. Instead, they’ve said hell with the wheel and on slapped missiles to this FPS.

Let’s get right down to it, shall we? In our hands-on preview of Battlefield 3, we were very fortunate to lock-and-load in a closed multiplayer session networked together on some high-end PCs. To start off, we had to choose from four different classes: Medic, Engineer, Assault, and Recon. For this go around of Battlefield, DICE listened to the fan base and implemented improvements to give each class more appeal so that players would be encouraged to try out other professions and execute different strategies. For example, Engineers can now equip a tac-light to the rail of their assault rifle that will mildly blind their targets if the weapon is trained on them. The Assault class will also have the option to deploy their light machine guns on the pavement while in prone, or on fixed standing objects to increase their range of accuracy. And for those of you who hate camping snipers, the Recon’s sniper rifle will receive added recoil after each shot and will also have light “glint” off the weapon when sniping from a distance to even the playing field. And for good measure, most weapons will have three slots available to add customizations for personalized gameplay.

After choosing our preferred class, we were dropped into “Operation Metro,” a location in the streets of Paris for a familiar mode of Rush, where the attackers attempt to push the defenders back from multiple objectives to win. Right from the start, the Frostbite 2 engine had no problem flexing its new rendering engine. Animations were the most lifelike ever seen in any FPS, and the light processing was simply stunning. For this particular level, it felt like the level of the land had been designed to keep the heat of battle closer together for faster pace of action. Weapon handling was solid, and each pull of the trigger resulted in some of the most satisfying gun popping and visual effects.

One of the most notable and much-needed additions to shooters is the use of effective suppression fire. Just like in the released gameplay footage, bullets whizzing overhead will cause a noticeable vignette blurring effect with your vision, mildly impairing your ability to see and focus. As a result, firing suppression fire on anyone will likely encourage your targets (or yourself if you are the target) to hide behind cover. This feature can be used strategically for moving your teammates safely. Many times, I found myself hesitant to come out of cover when the suppression kicked in. It’s very unsettling to be on the receiving end.

Just like in the Bad Company titles, you can steal the dog tags off your opponent if you can manage to hone your ninja skills. A new and cool feature for BF3 is the option to customize your very own personal dog tag with art icons and even have game statistics stamped on it. It’s a pretty nifty feature for those of you looking to stand out. But let’s be honest, would you really want someone to see your dog tag? Stay frosty.

There will also be a familiar element used in the first Frostbite engine – destructible environments, or as DICE would like to call it, facade destruction. However, in the Frostbite 2 engine, the destruction boasts more carnage and debris effects than its predecessor, and it looks absolutely fantastic. Bringing down the side of a building will also injure or even kill your opponent, so use that to your strategic advantage.

Battlefield 3 is already shaping up to be the newest standard for all first-person shooters and is probably the closest thing to realistic warfare. With the multiplayer alone, it packs so much heat and adrenaline induced action that any gamer would kill to get their hands on a copy to experience it.

If you want to get sneak peek of “Operation Metro,” check out the clip below recently released by EA. I’m sure you’ll agree it’s one hell of a ride.

Dead Space: Ignition to Scare up PSN Prior to Dead Space 2

Adam Wolfe — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 02:25:59 +0000

Early yesterday Visceral Games teased an announcement on their Facebook Page for Dead Space that would be revealed sometime this week. Today we found out exactly what was lurking in the dark depths of space…

According to a press release from EA, Dead Space: Ignition will be releasing this fall on PSN and Xbox Live. This will be a prequel to the upcoming Dead Space 2 which releases in January 28th, 2011.

Here is what Steve Papoutsis, Executive Producer of the Dead Space franchise had to say about Ignition:

“The interactive comic-style game will give Dead Space fans a unique perspective on the events leading up to Dead Space 2, but will also introduce the storyline to a brand-new audience of gamers.”

Ignition will include three unique hacking mini games, and will have a unique “Choose your own adventure” style gameplay with four different ending and each ending providing you with unique objects to use in Dead Space 2.

Dead Space: Ignition is also being written by Antony Johnston the award-winning, New York Times bestseller and wrote the six-book Dead Space comic series in 2008. Antony will use his horror story-telling expertise to introduce new characters and craft new plot twists for this intriguing prequel.

The press release also states that there is more to come:

Dead Space: Ignition is the first of many exciting game extensions we have planned for the launch of Dead Space 2.

At the moment that is all that is known and nothing else is mention on what other exciting game extensions we will see.

Read the full press release on page 2 >>

Top 5 Missing Games From Sony’s E3 Conference

Zak Islam — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 21:20:13 +0000

Let’s face it, Sony blew us all away during their 2010 E3 press conference with several expected and unexpected announcements. However, they did miss out on a few reveals of games that we all thought would get a showing. PlayStation LifeStyle go through the top 5 missing games from Sony’s E3 press conference.

This may certainly of been a surprise for a few. Lightbox Interactive President, Dylan Jobes, has hinted on several occasions regarding Warhawk’s sequel. It’s only a matter of time till Starhawk gets announced now, then.

The Last Guardian missing at Sony’s E3 press conference was sure a mystery. Undoubtedly one of the biggest exclusives the PlayStation 3 has in its line-up thus far. The game was officially unveiled during Sony’s E3 press conference last year and the absence of the title which is in development by famed developers Team Ico. Guess we’ll see The Last Guardian at the Tokyo Game Show or GamesCom (hopefully).

Not much has been revealed about Rockstar Games’ PlayStation 3 exclusive, Agent. It was announced back at Sony’s E3 conference last year and since then, the game has not been spoken of. So, it would of made sense if Sony shed some more light on Agent at E3 2010, however, unfortunately, they didn’t. Rockstar themselves said they would not be present at E3 2010 so maybe the mega developers will reveal more on the game in the upcoming months.

Final Fantasy Versus XIII was another notable non-attendee at E3 2010. The PlayStation 3 exclusive being created by Square Enix is a part of the Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy XIII compilation alongside Final Fantasy XIII and PSP title Final Fantasy Agito XIII. Versus was officially unveiled in 2006 and it was surprise that Sony left another one of their big hitters out of their conference.

The image says it all. Before Sony’s E3 2010 press conference commenced, Insomniac boss Ted Price was present, so, as you would think, a Resistance 3 unveil was inevitable, however, it wasn’t announced. One has to take into consideration that even though Insomniac reiterated their solid partnership with Sony for their exclusive franchises such as Ratchet & Clank and Resistance recently, they did sign a multi-platform deal with publishers Electronic Arts. The game they’re creating with EA is yet unknown and here’s hoping Resistance 3 is revealed sooner rather than later.

Killzone 3 E3 Impressions

Anthony Severino — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 19:20:39 +0000

One of the biggest games announced this year for the PS3 was Killzone 3. Guerrilla Games aims to improve upon the successful formula in every way possible, and thanks to their listening to fan feedback, they hit their target.

Guerrilla Games is looking to take the first-person shooter genre by storm yet again with Killzone 3, and this time, it’s in glorious 3D. That’s not the only thing that’s new in Sony’s iconic shooter. There’s new levels, new weapons, new enemies and more. Best of all, there’s a one badass jet-pack that allows for quicker traversal over Helghan’s war torn terrain. The jet pack also brings some platforming to the series, which plays the role of the calm before the storm.

Firefights are more intense than previous games, with the Helghast AI cranked up to the max. Enemies are smarter than ever, attempting to hunt you and corner you with the ultimate goal of ending your existence. Aiming has been dramatically improved and character movement doesn’t feel so weighty. Shooting from the jet pack was an absolute joy and one of the best times we had in any game during E3.

We played the Helghan Ice level that was demonstrated during E3′s press conference in it’s entirety, in full 3D. It’s quite obvious that Sony is pushing 3D gaming full force, however, out of all the games we played at Sony’s private booth tour, Killzone 3′s 3D was the least impressive. At times, it made navigating some of the more complex areas confusing. That being said, it sure looks cool as hell. It also adds an impressive depth of field that we keep reiterating in our impressions of all of the 3D games we got our hands on.

Sev and the rest of the ISA will be battling the Helghast in 3D this coming February.

The Fight: Lights Out E3 Impressions

Anthony Severino — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 13:27:01 +0000

When the PlayStation Move was officially débuted during this year’s Game Developers Conference, only a handful of titles were shown. One of those titles was The Fight: Lights Out. We got our hands on the PlayStation Move launch title at Sony’s E3 booth and plainly said, the game is a knock out.

Before you get down to the fighting, the two required PlayStation Move controllers will need to be calibrated to your height and body size. To do so, hold each Move controller out by your side and press the Move button. Then you’ll touch the glowing orbs at the end of the Move controller to your chin. This simple and quick calibration process is required each time a different player steps up to brawl, and it ensures the most accurate experience possible.

Although we were told the game is actually gesture based, it didn’t seem that way at all. The game did a great job at registering the direction and velocity of your swing. Throwing a barrage of punches with Move in-hand translated to a serious beat down on our CPU opponent.

It’s not all just about throwing punches though, you’ll have to block any shots thrown by your opposition. Don’t want to risk getting hit? Press and hold the trigger and Move button at the same time to perform one hell of a headlock. From there, you can pummel your opponents face until he’s knocked out cold.

The Fight: Lights Out is the most realistic fighting experience you can have without actually getting hit back. That being said, it’s not all guts and glory. We could duck, bob, and weave, but we couldn’t move our feet or else it would screw up the precision of the Move controller, so be sure to keep your feet firmly planted. Also, the graphics aren’t up to snuff compared to the other titles we played in Sony’s booth. To make up for it, Sony has included 3D support. The 3D added a layer of depth that just isn’t possible without 3D, which made each thrown punch seem that much more real.

After whipping some ass, the game tells you how many calories you’ve burned. You’ll feel the burn too – the game is quite a workout – be prepared to be wiping plenty of sweat from your brow after each bout.

The Fight: Lights Out launches later this year and will feature 3D support. This is the PlayStation Move title to watch and is quite possibly the most fun we had with the PlayStation Move controller thus far.

Sony E3 2010 Press Conference – Recap

Kyle P. — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 03:40:55 +0000

If you had something better to do than watch Sony’s E3 2010 press conference, then shame on you. You missed a great performance. From start to finish, the press conference was exciting, and not in the least bit, dull. Even if you did watch it, there is a good chance that some of the information may have gone over your head. Fortunately, PlayStation LifeStyle has you covered. Look below for all of the announcements made during Sony’s press conference.

PORTAL 2 Announced For The PlayStation 3, Gabe Confirms Steam Support

Portal 2 Trailer Analysis

Max Murray — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 01:01:06 +0000

Revealed and long clamored for, Portal 2 is the sequel the biggest puzzle game this generation. Today, during Sony’s E3 presentation, not only did we hear the first news of this exciting title, but we also got a glimpse of the new world of Portal during the world’s first trailer. We’ve got the video, and initial thoughts just after the jump.

The video opens to view the wreckage of GLaDOS scattered among an overgrowth of plant life, and gives the feeling that we’re witnessing a setting seemingly decades after the end of the first game. The AI confirms this, saying “Its been a long time,” as ‘she’ reboots and appears to start rebuilding from the ruins.

The scenery, a somewhat hybrid between a wild, organic jungle and the sterile marble-white nature of Aperture Labs, looks authentic and natural. Most remarkable though were the five seconds of actual gameplay footage where we are able to witness what appeared to be a combination of these two opposing worlds, rigid and untamed, meshed seamlessly, creating a rather fluid feeling between the two. It simultaneously gives a familiar feeling to the first Portal, while distinctly establishing itself as a completely new experience.

Check the presentation and trailer below, and be sure to keep it here for more E3 coverage.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Visit The E3 Show Floor In PlayStation Home

Mike Hartnett — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 20:07:18 +0000

A pretty epic advancement, at least by E3 standards, has come to PlayStation Home. Looks like those who couldn’t attend E3 won’t be left out afterall!

Later this afternoon PlayStation Home users will have the ability to visit the E3 show floor, booths and all, right in PlayStation Home. These areas will include exclusive rewards and games, so be sure to check it out!

Heavy Rain To Have PS Move Support

Sebastian Moss — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 19:52:37 +0000

Live from Sony’s E3 conference it has been announced that Heavy Rain will be updated with Move support. The Game of The Year contender previously was controlled using a dualshock 3 with SixAxis functionality.

The game will be updated by a patch, no date has yet been given.

Stay tuned to PSLS for live coverage of Sony’s conference.

Watch E3 Live, Right Here On PlayStation LifeStyle

Sebastian Moss — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 18:50:01 +0000

E3 is upon us, millions of gamers are breathlessly waiting for news on their favorite games and consoles. What will be announced? Which game will be given a début trailer for the first time? Well, rather than make you wait for the news, PlayStation LifeStyle will be showing all the E3 conferences live, right below.

Not sure when to tune in? Check out our timetable here.

Stay tuned to PlayStation LifeStyle during E3 for non-stop coverage throughout the week.

Nintendo Brings the Heat, Can Sony Compete?

Sebastian Moss — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 18:27:39 +0000

Nintendo is the oldest hardware maker still producing consoles in the industry, and their Wii console and DS handheld have dominated the games market since they launched. However, in recent years Nintendo’s E3 conference has been rather lacking, with the company trying to appeal to the casual market, despite the gaming event being primarily focused on core games. This year, Nintendo has changed all that, bringing “games for everyone”, as well as a new 3D DS, which is sure to strengthen their foothold in the casual, handheld and core market. With Sony eyeing up the motion controller industry, and with their PSP already flagging behind the DS, can Sony hope to compete at this year’s E3?

The Core

Dusting off your Wii:

Zelda: When the Wii was first released gamers worldwide flocked to buy the machine, and for many this was due to one game – Zelda: Twilight Princess. Once fans had completed the game they were left with dreadfully little to play, and soon the Wii became little more than a white lump under gamer’s TVs. Now, Nintendo has announced Zelda: Skyward Sword, which will use the motion plus, supposedly giving it near life-like sword fighting.

GoldenEye: The remake to the greatest first person shooter ever? Sold. While it may not be made by Rare, and will be running on the Wii rather than on a powerful HD console, casual gamers and core gamers alike should be tripping over themselves to get this game.

Epic Mickey: Warren Spector’s crazy masterpiece, at first it may sound like a children’s game – and they will certainly love it – but the sheer history, as well as the great level design will make it a must have for everyone who grew up on Disney.

Kirby’s Epic Yarn/Donkey Kong Country Returns: Luckily for Nintendo, when many of us were young, we played on their consoles. Utilising their rich heritage of IPs has always been a successful move for the company, but this year they are taking it to the next level. Many gamers lived on a diet of Kirby and Donkey Kong, and these games – each providing a different take on the franchises we loved, will most certainly be successful for Nintendo.

The Casual:

Like it or not, but Sony would love to have a piece of the casual market pie, its massive, and very lucrative. Microsoft is also after this market with Kinect, but Nintendo aren’t going down without a fight:

Mario Sports Mix: Sure Mario may be selling out, appearing in every possible game combination ever, but the fact is the games are made well, and more importantly, they sell.

Just Dance 2: Not exactly the average gamers cup of tea, but the first game was a surprise success on the Wii, and now its sequel will be exclusive to the console.

Handheld:

Sure, the PSP has played second fiddle to the DS since its release, but with rumors of a PSP2, as well as a fresh batch of games like GoW coming to the PSP, but Nintendo’s 3DS looks set to crush any attempt made by Sony.

3DS:

3D Games: Reggie Fils-Aime (President and COO of Nintendo of America) made it very clear that the 3DS would not use glasses to show 3D, in fact he went on to attack 3D glasses and how unfashionable they are. Currently the PS3 is the only 3D gaming console, and it requires 3D.

Kid Icarus: Again, a famous franchise of yesteryear, highly anticipated and often rumored, the game will appeal to old-school gamers and newcomers alike, as they take to the skies in 3D.

Metal Gear Solid: We love to think of Metal Gear as a PlayStation franchise, MGS4 was one of the highest selling games ever on the PS3, and the recently released Peace Walker is a terrific PSP game. However, with Kojima appearing on Microsoft’s show twice in as many years, it is getting harder and harder to argue the case. Now he’s bringing MGS to the 3DS, details are scarce, but it’ll certainly be a hit among core gamers.

Resident Evil: Apparently there’s a PSP game in the works, but little has been shown of the game, what is known, however, is that the most successful horror franchise in the world is coming to 3DS.

Assassin’s Creed: Assassin’s Creed Bloodlines wasn’t very good on the PSP, but perhaps the 3DS version of the franchise will be better, either way, it’ll sell well.

Splinter Cell: The last game came exclusively to the 360 earlier this year, and was a huge hit among core gamers, will they be swayed by this portable offering?

Saints Row: GTA Chinatown Wars was a sales disappointment on the DS, but it was a great game, will Saints Row be able to sell well and be a great game? Only time will tell.

Kingdom Hearts: More Disney love, one that will certainly make millions of gamers happy.

3D Movies: 3D movies will be coming to the handheld, Sony’s UMD movies may have flopped but the 3D aspect of these movies is sure to make them a massive hit. Nintendo has effectively revolutionised the portable movie market.

With Sony’s conference only a few hours away will they be able to best Nintendo at E3?

The Core:

Already confirmed for the show are Killzone 3, Infamous 2, LittleBigPlanet, GoW: Ghost of Sparta, Dead Space 2 and more. Sony has the core game front covered, but lacks the any games which share the killer appeal of Nintendo’s franchises. With games such as Resistance 3 and Twisted Metal heavily rumored to be shown, Sony can still win core gamers hearts.

The Casual:

PlayStation Move will be receiving motion compatible games such as Move Party and The Shoot, which are sure to make core and casual gamers very happy. However, as yet Sony hasn’t shown a killer game, or lineup of games that will be able to tear away Wii owners from their consoles. What’s more, the majority of Wii games announced are set for Fall 2010, the same time as Move.

The Handheld:

The PSP may have sold over 50 million times, but compared to the DS it has a rather small market share. Due to piracy and other problems the software sales of the handheld have been disappointing, and last year’s PSP Go has failed to ship many units at all. Can Sony make the PSP important? Probably not, even with a bunch of new games the 3D aspect of the 3DS will make it the must have gadget. However, will there be a PSP2, or a PSPhone? These are heavily rumored, with many industry analysts speculating that this will happen. 3D is unlikely, but a touch screen or dual analogue nub could save the PSP brand, unfortunately, it is unlikely that it will ever be able to overcome the DS in sales, but we sure hope Sony try.

Sony’s massive E3 conference is only moments away, will they be able to top Nintendo? Tell us in the comments below.

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Ubisoft’s “Child of Eden” to Bring New Landmark to Gaming

Ray Conley — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 02:11:35 +0000

Ubisoft kicked off their keynote with an interesting demo, known as Child of Eden. The publisher has claimed that this game is an example of the new direction they are taking towards their new motto: “Games you can feel.”

Child of Eden was developed by Q? Entertainment Inc. under the leadership of Tetsuya Mizuguchi. The game will capitalize on the technology used in Microsoft’s Kinect and PlayStation’s Move to create a unique experience to engage the senses and the body.

Read the following press release below, straight from Ubisoft, to understand what Child of Eden is attempting to bring to the table:

LOS ANGELES, USA – June 14, 2010 – Today Ubisoft announced Child of Eden, developed by Q? Entertainment Inc. under the direction of the renowned game creator Tetsuya Mizuguchi. Child of Eden is a multi-sensory shooter that will send players diving into a kaleidoscopic matrix of synchronized music and mind-blowing visuals that will usher forth a landmark game experience.
Scheduled for a Q1 2011 release on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the game will also be compatible with KinectTM for Xbox 360®that will provide an enhanced gameplay experience as the player will become truly immersed in the game, with no physical barriers between him and the game world.
Child of Eden thrusts the player into the center of a battle to save Project Lumi, a mission to reproduce a human personality inside Eden, the archive of all human memories. As the project nears completion, the archive is invaded by an unknown virus. The player’s mission is to save Eden from the virus, restoring hope and peace.
Key features of Child of Eden:
Multi-sensory effect: A visionary entertainment experience that synchronizes stunning graphics and innovative sound design to electrify the senses. By bringing physics in synergy with spectacular visuals and audio, Child of Eden is creating the next-generation sensory experience.
The world of Eden: Coming straight from Tetsuya Mizuguchi’s creative mind: a unique, surprising, rich and beautiful world.
Controls: Simple and natural. Designed for standard controllers and Kinect for Xbox 360. With no controller required, Kinect for Xbox 360 adds an extra dimension to the experience as the player truly merges into the game. The sensor will detect the player’s body movements, allowing for a completely new multi-sensory shooting game experience.

For more information on Child of Eden, please visit: www.childofedengame.com

“Rayman: Origins” Announced By Ubisoft

Ray Conley — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 01:25:44 +0000

Ubisoft CEO, Yves Guillemot, has announced a new “Rayman: Origins” title. The new platformer game is boasting colorful graphics in HD that were created using a new set of developer tools that Ubisoft hopes to allow other developers to create games. As a show in their confidence of this tool, Guillemont also added that only five people worked on this new project.

The new developer tools will allow aspiring “artists” to create games, regardless of experience. Will we see these tools available to the public as well? Time will tell.

In the meantime, check out the vibrant E3 announcement trailer below:

Click here to view the embedded video.

E3 2010 Coverage

Anthony Severino — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 21:35:17 +0000

You are now being redirected to PlayStation LifeStyle’s E3 coverage

PlayStation LifeStyle’s Favorite E3 Moments

Sebastian Moss — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 18:43:36 +0000

E3 is every gamer’s favorite week of the year, with each day bringing new games, new trailers, and even, new hardware. Since 1995 the world’s largest gaming expo has been host to some of the world’s largest gaming news – from the announcement of the PlayStation itself, to the reveal of blockbuster games such as Metal Gear Solid 2, Killzone 2 and Infamous. PlayStation LifeStyle looks back on the amazing E3′s that have come before, and have decided what our favorite E3 moments of all time are.

Starting with myself, my favourite moment has to be when the PS3 was first announced, Ken Kutaragi standing there, proudly holding his powerful creation aloft, a beautiful machine that, even to this day, remains a must-have, cutting-edge piece of technology. Sure some features were lost, and the subsequent launch could have gone better, but after seeing the PS3 for the first time I was confident that the console would last, and would truly be a future proof gaming platform.

Anthony Severino, President / Editor-In-Chief:

Having 2 E3s under my belt, my best E3 moment is definitely attending the Sony E3 Press Conference live. There is nothing else in the world like it – it’s a Sony PlayStation sensory overload. That being said, I fully expect this year’s Sony E3 Press Conference to take the top spot as my favorite E3 moment

Cameron Teague, Reviews Coordinator:

Most of my attention to game shows in the past has been towards the Tokyo Game Show simply because that is where most of the RPG’s are revealed these days but I do remember one very memorable E3′s and I would have to say it was the Killzone 2 announcement. I have never been the biggest fan of FPS games on consoles until the PS3 and I just remember seeing that video and thinking “holy hell, are these guys for real?” To me that is what defines E3 and its the announcements that cause you to lose your breath.

Steven Garcia, Contributing Editor:

“Rrriiiddge Racer!”

Kyle Phillips, Contributing Editor:

For me, my favorite E3 moment would have to be the unveiling of the PlayStation 3, at the 2005 E3. The prototype Ken Kutaragi proudly proclaimed to the world was the result of years of research, with millions of dollars collectively spent by Sony, IBM and Toshiba. That E3 also saw the unveiling of multiple PS3 games, some released (Killzone 2), and some that still have not seen the light of day (WarDevil). With the public still allowed to share space with journalists, the joy that flowed through the crowds was unreal. The sheer volume of people jamming the behemoth known as the Los Angeles Convention Centre only added to the joyous occasion, that countless individuals will never forget.

Max Murray, Author:

Now I’ve never attended E3, but I’ve been a big follower every year during this time. If I couldn’t follow online (because the possibility to do so had not been available/… invented) then I tried to make sure I was fully updated through any gaming magazine I could get my grubby hands on. My favorite moment, hands down, of a past E3 that I have read about and thus lived vicariously through was absolutely E3 of 1997 during Nintendo’s conference (and maybe this will disqualify my response…). They started up a video of a franchise they were going to try to reinvigorate, but the audience had no idea what it was- all they could see was a single figure in the distance of a plain, masked in shadow… From what I remember about it, the video contained many jump cuts displaying frayed action and quick gameplay, but kept returning to this shot of a solitary figure as he slowly approached from the distance. Meanwhile, the music hinted familiarity, yet still left the majority of the audience in silent wonder on what it was they were watching. It was only as this figure, a man, slowly advanced towards the foreground that people were catching wind and growing increasingly rowdy. It was when he was clearly seen riding atop a horse that a signature green hat was spotted and someone yelled “THATS LINK!” and the room lost control. It was the début video of Ocarina of Time.
Mind you this was a time when E3 contained both press and fans alike, but in the case I read, it was told how everyone- including staff, and the presenters- everyone was on their feet, hugging, cheering, high-fiving, and some were witnessed to even be crying from genuine excitement, all before the trailer came to a close. The room had exploded over a teaser that left so much to be answered and desired, but even so, you had the sense that there was this overwhelming feeling of fulfilment just at the sight of such a beloved title making a reappearance. It’s this passion, this true devoted feeling of pride and excitement that all these fans and developers alike shared over a game, or rather an idea, that I always come back to when I think about some of my favorite series. The fact that video games have impacted so many lives, and created new communities through unimaginable reaches of space, is one of my favorite aspects of gaming in general. The image of that room, as the exemplification of the spirit of E3, exhilarates me and drives me to not only be a part of it, but also to remain a part of this fantastic community of people that are as equally passionate as I am.

Zak Islam, Contributing Editor:

My favorite E3 moment would have to be back in ’05. The Killzone 2 E3 2005 video – a target render of what Guerilla thought could only be possible on the PlayStation 3 – which left gamers and pundits alike in sheer awe. Then E3 2007 arrived. The trailer of the Pre-Alpha code running showcasing the shooter once again left everyone picking their jaws up from the floor and it still lives comfortably in my E3 memories. Hopefully the same scenario will be recreated at E3 10 with Killzone 3, which I’m sure it will. Role on E3, then.

Joseph Peterson, Forum Administrator / Author:

My favorite E3 moment would actually be just last year. It was the second time that PlayStation LifeStyle was at E3, and my first on there personally. Getting to play Batman Arkham Asylum was an experience I will never forget. I knew that I would get the game already, but this alone pushed me to get the Limited Edition once I saw what was in it in person. Then came the Sony Conference, it was an experience I will never forget. Seeing games like Uncharted 2 left my jaw on the floor. Then came the official announcement of The Last Guardian, and the game was absolutely stunning. The conference itself got me interested in handheld gaming as well with one game that was announced, Metal Gear Solid Peacewalker. Considering I just picked up the game for my PSPgo, it does not disappoint by any means. As good as last years E3 was, I’m positive that this year will be better.

Chris Gordon-Douglas, Contributing Editor:

My favourite E3 moment was in 2000 when Metal Gear Solid 2 was announced. When I saw the trailer my jaw literally dropped and when I found it it was real time using the games engine my jaw dropped more and hit the floor as Metal Gear has been transformed into a next dimension. And with the likes of Onimusha and Tekken out at the same time this game stood out the most to me, and although Raiden was the main character I embraced him and his narrative story.

Whatever your platform of choice, E3 is undoubtedly the place where the magic happens, where millions of gamer’s dreams are fulfilled, and where millions more are crushed. E3 2010 is set to be no different, with all of the industry’s biggest studios competing for our hearts. PlayStation LifeStyle will be there, giving you the breaking news, as it happens, straight from the E3 show floor.

What is your favorite E3 moment, or is it too hard to decide? Tell us in the comments below.