Wrap up and 'winners' of E3... (1 Viewer)

[Morgan Jolley]

Prince of Persia: Sands of Time came out of nowhere. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, right back to the old style of the arcade hit

Technically, those two games, along with Futurama and a few others posted near the top of the page, are going to appear on all 3 consoles, so while they are reasons to buy a console, they're not really things that made MS' showing the best since they were there for everything.

 

[Jason Harbaugh]

But they're completely different games. Fable focuses on realism and an adapting environment, Final Fantasy (even XI) focuses on the storyline.

Well since the developers constantly kept refering back to Final Fantasy as they were showing us and kept making notes of why that game and types like it bother them I think it was pretty relavant.

As for Futurama, TMNT etc, I just posted what else that was good was coming out on the Xbox. It had nothing to do with why I think MS was best in show. Fable, BC, Crimson Skies and Halo 2 are enough to win that for them.

 

[Kelley_B]

Here is some other website's run down.

**Game of the Show**

Winner: Half-Life 2

A fairly easy selection to make this year and Valve should be proud. No game at this years E3 created a stir like the sequel to the venerable Half-Life. The source engine proved to be one spectacular piece of technology showing off a wild and interesting physics model and some phenominal in game graphics to boot. Though the game was not playable to the general public it was displayed in playable form by the developers and what was shown wowed us enough to earn the coveted "Game of the Show" title.

Runner-up: Halo 2

**Best showing by a developer/publisher**

Winner: Konami

Konami had themselves quite the E3 this year. Lets start with the big one. Metal Gear Solid 3. Shown in fantastic form via a 10 minute trailer, the new chapter in the Metal Gear series looks to bring Snake back to his roots.

Going further Konami showed The Twin Snakes for the Gamecube and followed up with a display of thier new multi-console Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles title as well as a brand new 3D iteration of its legendary Castlevania series for the PS2. All this and they still found time to show the new Xbox DDR , a new Kareoke game in the Revolution series, a compilation of thier Silent Scope series on the Xbox as well as the fantastic looking Gradius V. Let us not forget the highly anticipated Silent Hill 3. No other developer/publisher impressed us more at this years show. Go Konami!

Runner up: Vivendi Universal

**E3's most pleasantly suprising announcement.**

Winner: The Sony PSP.

Sony's new handheld just makes our little tummies flutter. Right now the portable is nothing more than some tech specs but they are impressive nonetheless. For years the portable market has been dominated by Nintendo and it seems Sony may again be the one to challenge Nintendo's throne. Pricing will be key for Sony but boy are we excited. The only complaint we can think of is the release date! 2004 will be a good year indeed.

Runner up: Xbox Live XSN-Xbox Sports Network

**E3's most suprising new game**

Winner: Grabbed by Ghoulies

Besides the rather unique name (with a unique meaning) Grabbed by Ghoulies left us wanting more. Shown in playable form by the same team responsible for Banjo Tooie we just could not get enough of Ghoulies charming style and endearing gameplay. Its a simple concept that perhaps may end being too simple but we look forward to seeing how the game progresses.

Runner up: The Movies


XBOX AWARDS:

**Xbox Game of the Show**

Winner: Halo 2

We argued this one for hours folks. We had the absolute most difficult time in the world selecting a winner for this category. So much so that we almost gave up in a furious tirade. Yeah, who am I kidding? There was simply nothing in the Xbox library that generated the amount of fanboy inducing hype that the 8 minute Halo 2 demo did. The graphics, gameplay, music. Hell, even the blurry screen was impressive! .

Runner up: Project Gotham Racing 2

**Xbox live Game of the Show**

Winner: Steel Batallion Line of Contact

No doubt this one will cause a bit of a stir but we unanimously agreed that Steel Batallion was easily the cream of the Xbox Live crop this year. Five on five team based combat, strategic area control and Capcom plans to even add persistent world type features to the game. Capcom is reportedly adding even more single player content to an already large game as well.

This one will no doubt reach a small audience but I have a feeling that audience will be a very vocal one in singing the praises of this Live enabled sequel/expansion.

Runner up: True Fantasy Live Online

**Most disappointing Xbox game**

Winner: Psychonauts

Only disappointing in the fact that we saw no more of Time Schafers new opus. We have been teased with screens and bits of information on this unique platformer and the sheer disappointment in not seeing the game at this years E3 was only rivaled by our disappointment that the game may not make it out this year:frowning:.

Runner up: Conker Live and Uncut

**The "You mean theres another game besides Halo 2" award**

Winner: Fable

Yes my friends, believe it or not there was another game at Microsofts booth this year besides Halo 2. In fact there were several. This special award goes to Fable for although it certainly got its due attention we felt that the fans needed a little reminder that there is life beyond Halo 2 .

**The "...but I don't need a PC" Award**

Winner: -Place Xbox PC port here-

Oh it was funny.


PLAYSTATION 2 AWARDS:

*Playstation 2 Game of the Show**

Winner: Socom 2 U.S Navy Seals

Quite simply put, Zipper interactive's sequel to the highly successful Socom is our most wanted PS2 game right now. New maps, 2 new modes of play, improved network servers, new anti-cheat protection and online tested gameplay that in my humble opinion has yet to be rivaled for pure fun on any other console. Socom 2 is the best there was at E3 this year.

Runner up: TIE: Metal Gear Solid 3, Gran Tursimo 4

**PS2 Online Game of the Show**

Winner: Socom 2 U.S Navy Seals

If you read the previous paragraph it should be pretty easy to see why this game has done a sweep of the major PS2 awards. The longevity offered by Socom 2's online component will keep many a PS2 fan up late into the wee hours. No other online title rivaled Socom 2's showing.

Runner up: EA on PS2-The entire line-up is highly impressive.

**PS2's most disappoiting game of the show**

Winner: Everquest Online Adventures: Frontiers

After only a few months of going live, the PS2's first massively multiplayer online role playing game is getting its very own expansion pack. Unfortunately someone forgot to tell Sony Online that a new character class and added environments do nothing to improve an already mediocre game.

Still touting below average graphics and with players still stuck in a never ending cycle of "fight and type" gameplay we really can't see the allure. Is crafting that difficult to implement here fellas?

Runner up: Altered Beast

**The "Game title that made us feel less manly" Award**

Winner: Snake Eater

I'll let that one speak for itself

**"The "Playstation 2 ate my nieghbor" Award**

Winner: Resident Evil Outbreak

So let me get this straight...I can play any of eight classes/characters and as the game progresses I can eventually become a zombie. Do I even need to muddle through the "human" part of the game here Capcom? I'd like to go straight to the flesh eating menu, thanks.


NINTENDO GAMECUBE AWARDS:

*Gamecube Game of the Show**

Winner: Star Wars Rogue Squadron III Rebel Strike

Yes its insanely gorgeus. That we already knew. However this marked the first time we saw the in game "on foot" levels in motion and it never hurts to get another glimpse of Endor. Rebel Strike is simply one of the biggest titles heading to the Gamecube this year and we, like you are drooling all over it. Bring it on Factor 5.

Runner up: Mario Kart Double Dash

**Most promising Gamecube title**

Winner: Wario World

The anit-Mario is finally getting his own Gamcube title and its shaping up really well. With explorable worlds accessed through various "Warp zones" and money grubbing antics supplied by Wario himself this one looks to be a sleeper hit for the Gamecube.

Runner up: Final Fantasty Crystal Chronicles

**Most disappointing Gamecube title**

Winner: Geist

Oh boy was this shown far too early. While the games concept is interesting and may in the end make for a great game, this one was simply not ready for the big show. The graphics were sub-par and the game in general just looked a mess. Nintendo may have been better off holding this one back until it was in better shape.

Runner up: Star Fox 2

**" The "Oh Shit, Its E3 this week?!" Award**

Winner: Nintendo

Did they somehow not get the memo? Our only hope here is that Space World will indeed be happening this year and Nintendo and its third parties will be looking to blow the doors wide open on more up and coming in development titless. As of now we're pretty much dumbfounded as to what is going through Nintendo's head.

GAMEBOY ADVANCE AWARDS:

**COMING SOON**


PC AWARDS:

**PC Game of the Show**

Winner: Half-Life 2

Not much more to say on this that has not already been said. Please take a look at our Game of the Show ramblings for more on this hugely anticipated sequel.

Runner up: Doom III

**Most Impressive PC hardware**

Winner: Nvidia Geforce FX 5900 Ultra

Coming in at a whopping 499.99 retail, Nvidia's new top of the line graphics card is not for the casual PC gamer. Boasting some serious power under the hood and full Direct X 9 compatability, the 5900 looks to wipe away all memory of the beleaguered FX 5800 line of cards. Good to see Nvidia back in the game.

Runner up: ATI 9800 Pro 256mb

**Most disappointing PC game**

Winner: The Matrix Online

Touted as the new revolution of online games, The Matrix Online did little to impress us. The graphics quality needs a lot of work and the ideas and design concepts behind the game give us little hope for The Matrix Online. We are in fact hoping to be proven wrong on this one but underwhelming was the only word that came to mind when discussing this title.

Runner up: Dark Age of Camelot Trials of Atlantis (Not even a single screenshot!)

And our final award:

**OVERALL BEST PLATFORM SHOWING FOR THIS YEARS E3**

This award is awarded to the platform that really showed its muscle and line-up of games at this years show. In a market where you have the Playstation 2, Xbox, Gamecube and the PC vying for gamers attention there really is no loser but damn if we wont declare a winner:

Winner: PC

Yes thats right folks. 2003 and a good portion of 2004 look to be the "year of the PC" so to speak. Some MAJOR industry releases like the Doom III engine which will no doubt spawn many wonderful games. Valves Source engine is already being put to use in the latest Vampire the Masquerade title and the Unreal Warfare engine is at its best in titles like Thief 3 and DX 2 Invisible War.

However not only is it the year of the FPS, but it seems the PC will be stepping into the biggest surge of massively multiplayer online games ever to hit the market. Seasoned players like Sony Online have a follow up to Everquest aptly titled Everquest II on the way. Lets not forget to mention the MONSTER that is Star Wars Galaxies is also on the way. Blizzard is working on the great looking Worlds of Warcraft and the hardest working MMO developer in the industry Turbine is working on 3 (yes three) new massively multiplayer RPG's including Middle Earth Online, Asherons Call 2 and Dungeons and Dragons Online.

We have not even covered the strategy genre with titles like Rome Total War and Lord of the Rings War of the Ring. The PC platform simply stole the show for us. We havent been this excited for whats to come on a hard drive hear you for a really long time. Whoever said PC gaming was dead really did not get a look at this years E3.

Runner up: TIE: Sony (PS2) and Microsoft (Xbox)

 

[CaptDS9E]

LOL kelly. You could at least plug the site for heavans sake