E3 2013 Wrap Up

It's hard to imagine that only about a year ago people were still having debates about what the next Nintendo system was going to be called. Fast forward to today and not only has the WiiU been out for a number of months, but not we have new consoles from Microsoft and Sony on the not so distant horizon. It's pretty crazy to finally be approaching the start of a new generation (and by extension the end of another, though with games like GTA V, South Park: The Stick Of Truth, and even tomorrow's The Last Of Us still not out it's kind of hard to call it the end of one as well) after going through the longest console generation so far. But as E3 showed us once again this year, whether or not you're planning to upgrade consoles at launch or sticking to the older systems (original Wii not withstanding), there should be plenty to look forward to before we are here once again next year building the hype all over again.

Nintendo Press Conference Wrap Up

Nintendo's press conference, one would imagine, had to already be pretty much set in stone. While we didn't know exactly what would have been shown (and quite honestly when it comes to Nintendo who ever does?) we knew that there would be a heavy focus on explaining the upcoming WiiU, presenting information about the console, and showcasing which titles we can expect to play. With Sony and Microsoft having no new consoles to showcase, there was reason to drum up excitement for this presser. Lip service would likely be paid to the 3DS, but this conference was all about firing the first shots in the next generation battle.

Sony Press Conference Wrap Up

So after a lackluster show by Microsoft, hours later the ball was placed in Sony's court. Starting out with a montage that sweeps across the range of Sony products it was clear that Sony came with a stacked line up. Much like Microsoft, Sony already said they would not be announcing a new console prior to the start of E3, so the games need to speak for themselves, and they did an awful lot of talking.

Microsoft Press Conference Wrap Up

Though Microsoft led off this year's E3, it came without the sort of fanfare I had hoped for. Though the company had already stated that there were no plans to discuss new consoles at this year's show, I'm not sure I was prepared for what would equate to an all around dull media briefing. Though games and features were showcased, there was a noticeable lack of excitement both by the presenters and the audience throughout the presentation, which caused an ominous atmosphere that put a damper on the whole affair.

E3 Alerts 2012 - South Park - UPDATED

Not much was shown of the new title South Park: The Stick of Truth during Microsoft's event aside from a stunning trailer that perfectly captured the television show's aesthetic. We know it will be an RPG, you play a new character who you can customize, and Matt Stone and Trey Parker were brought out on stage to assure that they will have a guiding hand in the creative process.

Though details are still a little scarce about the title, it did show that along many faces from the show will be present. Butters, Jesus, and the Goth kids are some of the individuals you will be running in to during the main quest.

Not much else is known, but if it's lovingly injected with references from all of South Park's storied history and combines that with even standard RPG gameplay all should be right in the world.

Is this the most exciting game shown at Microsoft's press conference?

UPDATE: The game is currently slated for launch on March 5th, 2013.

E3 Alerts 2012 - Splinter Cell: Blacklist

After taking a little bit of time off it seems that Sam Fisher is ready to return in the Ubisoft's latest installment of its long running stealth franchise. While no date solid date was given (Sping 2013) for Splinter Cell: Blacklist, it was said that Sam the game will have all the bells and whistles one would expect in a quasi-stealth game. You can play co-op, multiplayer, and Spys vs. Mercs makes a return.

The footage from the demo also features Sam stringing together kills in a matter of slow motion seconds that seems more reminiscent of a fighting game or Ninja Gaiden. The game definitely looks fluid, so it will be interesting to see how it actually feels when we can finally get some hands on time with the game.

Presumably Sam Fisher also drinks heavily and beats up terrorists.

E3 Alerts 2012

Though I have not done a lot of video game coverage (or much coverage at all) lately here at Processed Grass, today is a huge day in the world of games. As such, I plan on doing an analysis as the pressers that are happening today. At the end I'll try to do a comprehensive recap where I process and contextualize everything. It's like Christmas all over again!

I'll also be doing some shorter live tweets on Twitter, so make sure to check me out there @FLYmeatwad as well!

Assault on E3 2011: Nintendo Announces the WiiU

At this year's E3 Nintendo just kind of, sort of announced their new console: the WiiU. Supposedly this machine is a successor to the Nintendo Wii (missed nostalgia opportunity to call it the Super Nintendo Wii), but the focus of the conference was placed primarily on the new controller. This new device is a pad with two joy sticks, looking like a beefed up Playstation Vita that Sony showed off just a night prior. In what seems to be an attempt to fire back at Apple's dominance over the non-gaming electronic market, the new controller will also be a touch pad. What is really mind blowing, according to Nintendo representatives, is that the actual console can be playing some other form of media while the controller itself runs an actual WiiU game. Nintendo did not explain how this works, though I would have to guess that the two devices still need to be within some range of one another otherwise the 3DS seems to have become a bit more irrelevant (despite the announcements of a great slate of games earlier in the press conference).