All Articles: E3 2011
EA @ E3 2011: Insomniac’s mulitplatform title is Overstrike
Insomniac Games founder Ted Price has taken the stage at EA’s press conference and revealed Overstrike, the company’s first multiplatform title. After serving up PlayStation fans since Sony’s original console, Insomniac will finally bring its wacky weapons, humor, and storytelling to Microsoft fans. The four-player co-op game follows an elite anti-terrorist group known as the Overstrike 9 as they attempt to stop an attempt to wipe out humankind.
Overstrike is in in development for the PS3 and Xbox 360.
EA @ E3 11: Need For Speed: The Run takes you out of the car
That’s right. For the first time in the series, Need For Speed: The Run will have sequences when players actually exit the vehicle. These segments complement the characteristic chase sequences of the series well, as they look mostly like action-packed cutscenes where quick time events determine whether or not you get away safely (and into another car). At EA’s press conference, a live demonstration showed the player getting out during a crash, running through stairwells and across buildings before commandeering a police vehicle. Later on the player had to kick his way out of the car’s window in order to escape an oncoming train.
In order to bring the action to life, The Run will also be utilizing DICE’s Frostbite 2.0 engine, the powerhouse currently running Battlefield 3‘s impressive visuals. Expect more info on DICE’s latest military shooter as EA’s press conference continues.
EA @ E3 11: Mass Effect 3 dated March 6, 2012
After a couple of delays, Mass Effect 3 finally has an official release date: the game will be launching on PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 on March 6 next year. Mass Effect 3 will be the last game in the trilogy, featuring scale not seen in the previous games, as well as the previously detailed Kinect support.
Ninja Gaiden III E3 trailer is bloody awesome
Tecmo Koei has released the E3 trailer for Ryu Hayabusa’s next adventure and it looks like the ninja will be emerging on the PS3 and Xbox 360 in early 2012. This is the first time the series has debuted on both HD consoles at the same time.
Oh, and this trailer is not for the squeamish. Tomonobu Itagaki may have left Team Ninja, but the trailer is full of blood and guys and some absolutely awesome ninja action.
MS @ E3 11: Halo 4 announced, coming in 2012
Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary isn’t the only Halo game Microsoft was ready to announce at this year’s E3 Expo. The publisher has just confirmed that Halo 4 is in development at 343 Industries and will be released near the end of 2012.
The teaser trailer is short, just a few seconds of Cortana waking the Master Chief from cryostasis before his ship explodes. Halo 4 is described as the “dawn of a new trilogy for the Xbox 360,” so you can be sure the Xbox 360 will be around for a long time. And, if you think about it, this is also an announcement for Halo 5 and Halo 6.
But that’s the end of the show. Hope you enjoyed the 2011 E3 Press Conference from Microsoft.
MS @ E3 11: More Kinect announcements include Kinect Sports 2, Dance Central 2
More Kinect announcements continue to escape from Microsoft’s E3 Press Conference.
Now up is Kinect Sports: Season 2. Developed by Big Park, the second Kinect Sports title will include skiing, baseball, golf, darts, tennis and football.
And as was hinted at earlier, Harmonix’s Dance Central 2 was announced with multiplayer dancing. Oh yeah, it’s a party now!
MS @ E3 11: Kinect Fun Labs launches today with new features
Game designer and Kinect head honcho Kudo Tsunoda just revealed Kinect Fun Labs at Microsoft’s Press conference, a permanent addition to the Xbox Dashboard that brings an array of new ways to interact with your Xbox 360 Kinect. One feature shown off as body scanning, which instantly created an avatar out of a person’s real features. Second was finger tracking, which the presenter used to take a 3D picture of himself, then draw lighting effects both in front of and behind his image, which he could then view in 3D. Finally, they showed off one of Kinect’s most talked about features since launch – object scanning. The presenter was able to scan a plush toy onto the screen with Kinect, then jump around and lean from side to side as a fully animated version of that object.
It’s all pretty interesting and hopefully will lead to more innovative features on the platform. Kinect Fun Labs is available today, right now, on Xbox Live.
MS @ E3 11: Star Wars, Disneyland Adventures, Sesame Street come to Kinect
Just like last year, the 2011 Microsoft E3 Press Conference was all about Kinect.
Microsoft has partnered with Disney to bring Disneyland Adventures to Kinect. Minigames based on Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland and other Disneyland attractions will keep the kids busy for a good long time.
More for the kids came from Tim Schafer, who showed off Double Fine’s Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster. A storybook-themed romp through the Sesame Street world. He also apparently has the cutest daughter in the world and is very proud he finally gets to make a game for her.
An extended look at Kinect Star Wars makes the gesture controls used in the game look pretty spectacular. For those that didn’t jump on the Dance Central bandwagon, this may be the Kinect’s killer app for a lot of people. Fighting battledroids involves blocking blaster bolts with a Lightsaber and then counterattacking. But the demo got good when it ended with the promise of a duel with two dual-Lightsaber wielding Sith.
And speaking of Dance Central… rumor has a sequel is coming up soon in the Microsoft Press Conference.