e3 2012
Latest
Fable: The Journey could be a rough one
Lionhead designer Ted Timmons says he learned a lesson after showing off Fable: The Journey to the public for the first time at E3 2011. "It's fine to be on rails," he says a year later, at the tail end of E3 2012. The spin-off was famously labeled as "on rails" by the public thanks to an early demo, and Timmons told Joystiq that while the team was surprised at the response, they eventually got a different message out of the whole thing: "We shouldn't be distracted by the whole 'on rails' issue," he says now. "We just want to make an awesome Kinect game."The Journey's awesomeness is yet to be determined, but it is certainly a Kinect game. The E3 2012 demo featured about ten minutes of two different levels in the game. You use Microsoft's all-seeing camera to snap and steer a horse's reins, throw a magical spear and open a locked door with magic spells.But while it all works (once you're shown how to do it - the tutorial is still a work in progress), the real question here is whether this journey is one worth taking.%Gallery-125521%
The comic nerds, sci-fi writers and grizzled vets of Industrial Toys
Industrial Toys was created by three self-described and proven industry veterans: Alex Seropian (Bungie founder), Tim Harris (Seven Lights founder) and Brent Pease (Bungie San Jose). They came together in Pasadena, California, in February 2012, with a mission to create hardcore games for mobile, touchscreen devices.Since then, Industrial Toys has picked up sci-fi writer John Scalzi to help build its worlds, Marvel's Mike Choi and DC's Phil Tan as artists (and to balance the company's comic zen), and a handful of "grizzled veterans and fresh, new talent," president Tim Harris told Joystiq at E3.There are a total of 15 employees at Industrial Toys, split down the middle between those new to the industry and those who may have seen too much of it, Harris said.If splitting an odd number of employees into two even groups seems like an improbable feat, know that it isn't the most ambitious of Industrial Toys' goals: By the end of the month, Seropian and Harris plan to release information about their first title, a sci-fi shooter with a world potentially as large as World of Warcraft's.
E3 2012: SOE teases Vanguard F2P trailer
Sony Online Entertainment hasn't revealed the release day for its free-to-play version of Vanguard yet, but the firm did slip a new trailer past us at last week's E3 shindig in Los Angeles. The spiritual successor to EverQuest has been playable since early 2007, of course, but it looks like SOE is gearing up for a relaunch of sorts (or at least a reboot of the game's long-dormant PR machine). The trailer runs a hair under two minutes and bills Vanguard as both "the ultimate experience for true gamers" and an "action-packed seamless world." The clip also gives us a good look at many of the game's classes, races, and various locations throughout its sprawling three-continent world. Check out the embed after the break. [Thanks to John for the tip!]
Wii U achievements not mandatory for devs, friend codes to change for the better
There won't be a pervasive "achievement" system on Wii U, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime suggested to Kotaku. Referring to the 3DS's system-specific achievements, which honor StreetPass-based activities in the system software, "We will have that," Fils-Aime said. "Once you start getting into game-specific [Achievements] that's developer driven."Fils-Aime hinted at changes to the friend code system for connecting to online friends, calling the new system "friend codes, but it's not the existing friend code system." He added, "you will be able to identify people as friends and have a certain level of interaction versus a different level of interaction for the more general population. The method by which you identify someone as a friend is a lot simpler than what's happening today with Friend Codes." However, he didn't go into detail.Fils-Aime also had good news regarding the announced content filtering system. It turns out that messages that aren't flagged by an automatic scan won't be subject to manual scanning. If a message is flagged by that, and then by the community, then Nintendo steps in.
New Super Mario Bros. 2 is a cash grab, but not just a cash grab
The new emphasis on collecting coins in New Super Mario Bros. 2 may seem like an insubstantial change for the series – after all, there have always been coins everywhere, and it's always been a good idea to collect them. But I think that this subtle shift in goals subverts the nature of Mario more than it seems to.The chief goal in Mario games has always been survival. You're expected to traverse the level, defeating as many enemies as possible along the way, so that you reach the end without death. Coin collection, along with discovery of secrets and acquisition of points, have always been secondary goals. Now, coin collecting is front and center (well, still behind not dying) and those background elements are among the most important.NSMB2 increases the importance of coins by keeping a running count through your whole game. It also makes sure money is on your mind by putting coins absolutely everywhere. They curve around moving platforms like in New Super Mario Bros. Wii (highlighting some engine improvements over the DS game), they fill up secret areas inside special gold pipes, and they just generally make up an overwhelming presence in the stages.There's even a new powerup that's all about coins: a gold Fire Flower that causes everything in its explosive path (enemies, blocks) to turn into coins. The other powerup new to NSMB is the raccoon tail, which works just like in Super Mario Bros. 3. You know that one already. Coins were previously just a thinly veiled signpost to show you the path through a level, but now they're the central element of the level.Having only played a single level, I don't know how pervasive or interesting the greed motif will be in the full game. I just love that it's possible to tweak a single element of a very familiar series to make something new. I also love coins, so it's a promising game.
IndieCade at E3: Hokra, a minimalist sports game with huge appeal, equal barriers
Of all the games littering the IndieCade floor at E3, just one of them truly belonged there in a way that the others just couldn't touch: Ramiro Corbetta's Hokra. It wasn't necessarily flashier, prettier or more famous than any of the other titles, but it was a game made for public exhibitions – literally."Hokra was originally created with the public space in mind, but it was also developed to be the kind of game that I'd like to play with my friends," Corbetta told Joystiq.Hokra premiered on May 12, 2011 at the NYU Game Center's No Quarter exhibition, and Corbetta developed it with that venue specifically in mind."I developed Hokra to be a multiplayer game, and to be honest when I was first developing it I wasn't thinking about how to sell it," he said. "I was only thinking about how to make the best possible game, and since it was going to be displayed in a gallery space, I knew there would always be multiple people around to play it."Hokra is a simplistic, competitive digital sports game for four local players, and only four local players. Not online, not three, two or one, but four physical people ideally using Xbox 360 controllers, always. This design choice stems from Hokra's gallery goal, but also from Corbetta's passion for local multiplayer titles.
Mark of the Ninja snuck some E3 assets into our galleries
Mark of the Ninja, the shadowy, stealthy ninja title from Klei Entertainment, is set to launch this summer on XBLA, and the above E3 trailer shows why you should be so excited for it. Well, not too excited – at least try to keep the noise down. There's no reason to make it easy for the ninjas to find you.%Gallery-157960%
Need for Speed: Most Wanted is a secret return to Paradise
It makes sense for EA to call its new racing game Need for Speed: Most Wanted. It's spent multiple titles and a lot of money shoring up the Need for Speed brand on all kinds of platforms, and while the Most Wanted series (known for racing from an underground perspective) isn't the strongest, it's about time EA released another game bearing that title. And after the success with Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit in 2010, it's not surprising that Criterion's been given the task of making it.But just a few seconds with this game reveals a deeper truth: This is really a secret message from Criterion to its fans, funneled through EA's branding channels. Need for Speed: Most Wanted is an open-world racer in a beautiful city. It's full of various events, environmental features to find, and a social backend that's full of information and ways to connect and compete with fellow players.In other words, it's Burnout Paradise 2.%Gallery-157681%
Autobots roll out (sometimes) in Transformers: Fall of Cybertron
Developer High Moon Studios showed it had a lot of love for the Transformers franchise with War for Cybertron, but sullied its goodwill with fans when a rushed Dark of the Moon movie tie-in hit store shelves. Now the studio's returning to Hasbro's toy line once again, leaving behind the Michael Bay-inspired setting of the films.Transformers: Fall of Cybertron, on the surface, seems like a return to High Moon's true love: telling its own stories about giant, talking transforming robots. Separating itself from the films, Fall of Cybertron leaves High Moon free to geek out about Autobot and Decepticon history, wrapping it all up in Gears of War-style third-person shooter gameplay. And as High Moon said about the first game way back when, the emphasis here is supposed to be on freedom, and the unique ability to play as a robot or vehicle, switching whenever you want.But for all of High Moon's enthusiasm about transforming, the demo on display at E3 was less-than-flattering to the series and its promise of complete freedom.%Gallery-156599%
Retail therapy: Wada's 'Project Happiness' is a shopkeeper's life
Harvest Moon creator Yasuhiro Wada and publisher Natsume revealed their next project together at E3. "Project Happiness" is a new IP in which you run a shop in a small village, buying and selling items to improve the shop and learning the stories of all the customers who come in over the years. Natsume later revealed plans to put it on 3DS and mobile; during an interview at E3, Wada said it was planned for a "variety of platforms."Wada recruited top talent to create his new game. Character designs, for both humans and the adorable "sprite" creatures that inhabit the world, are by Pokemon character designer Atsuko Nishida. The music, including that heard in the above trailer, is composed by legendary Final Fantasy series composer Nobuo Uematsu.
Rayman Legends highlighted for Wii U, not necessarily exclusive
Ubisoft is "not really saying it's a Wii U exclusive," but Rayman Legends is certainly positioned as a major launch game for Nintendo's new hardware. Above: Senior Game Manager Michael Micholic gives us a brief recap of Rayman's next outing and some of the 3D enhancements made to the beautiful UbiArt framework.
Lend a helping hand in the Elder Scrolls Online
Despite its hefty name recognition, The Elder Scrolls Online has a tough row to hoe. It's a brand new massively multiplayer RPG trying to join a market dominated by titans like World of Warcraft. And, unlike competitors such as Star Wars: The Old Republic or the upcoming The Secret World, it can't use a unique setting as a primary distinction to set it apart from WoW.Just like WoW, Elder Scrolls Online has everything from orcs to dwarves and pastoral beauty to snow-covered wastes. So let's talk about a couple of actual differences, namely ESO's combat, reward systems and cooperative "synergy" skills.%Gallery-157876%
E3 2012: CJ Games Global's arsenal of games
At this year's E3, we got a bit of time to sit down with CJ Games Global, part of CJ E&M, to talk about everything from its origins in Korea to its transition to the states and some of its MMOs, including work with Uncharted Waters Online, the re-release of Prius Online, and upcoming games Sin Streets, Bloody Hunter Online, Monarch, and Hounds. CJ E&M's main focus has actually been in the movies, owning theaters and distributing films. It's also gotten some KPop stars for its music division, but... well, you're at Massively to hear about games, right? That's where Netmarble comes in. CJ E&M bought Netmarble and opened eight studios, six of which focus on PC gaming. Oh, and of course, the company publishes just a few hundred games. This also led to the opening of CJ Games Global in April to help bring over Korean games and publish others, such as Uncharted Waters, with 64 more games to be published in the next three years. One of the main goals of CJ Games, though, is releasing games that aren't as well represented in the current market, such as Uncharted Waters.
No tower defense in Assassin's Creed 3, thank you very much
Mission Director Philippe Bergeron rules out tower defense in his commentary on Assassin's Creed 3, which shakes off some of the systems accumulated over the span of several games. Bergeron also addresses the difference between the game's "free-flow" missions, and those that are "more about explosions."
Joystiq's favorite games of E3 2012
Normally, after E3, some clear "best games" emerge – either the ones that everyone knew would be amazing going in and didn't disappoint on the floor, or surprises that dominated conversations online and in the press room.After comparing notes over chicken and waffles, the Joystiq staff compiled their individual favorites from the industry's big show. While our scheduling makes it difficult for editors to see the same games as other staff (or every game at the show), a few heavy-hitters found their way to the top of our lists, including XCOM: Enemy Unknown and Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. But if the variety of our favorite games list is any indication, there's no shortage of exciting experiences on the horizon.
Epic's Mark Rein on UE4, Epic Baltimore and Gears of War: Judgment
Given the engine's dynamic illumination features, it's only appropriate for Epic Vice President Mark Rein to start lighting up when he starts talking about Unreal Engine 4. We spoke to Rein on the last day of E3 about the engine's possibilities, and how its robust developer toolset addresses the dangerous costs of game development.Rein also comments on the multinational efforts behind Gears of War: Judgment (with special mention of People Can Fly's Creative Director, Adrian Chmielarz) and the recent addition of Epic Baltimore to the family.
Our miniature first look at Pikmin 3
The Pikmin 3 demo available on the show floor didn't directly indicate how the Wii U's new controller would improve the experience. In this demo, the screen on the new WiiPad was used for an overhead map, which was nice, but did little to augment the gameplay other than to show me where it would be taking place. In the final game, you'll be able to do other things -- like control four leaders at once, all in charge of groups of Pikmin, but that wasn't present in this version. The limited nature of the demo had the side effect of being an effective sales pitch for the Wii Pikmin 2 port out today, as playing Pikmin with the Wiimote and Nunchuk is totally great.Even though I didn't get to experience the new controls, I did see new graphics and the new Rock Pikmin. The Wii U's HD output amplifies all the Pikmin-ness of the series: the forest looks more lush and beautiful (and still preternaturally clean), the Pikmin look even tinier and more ant-like, and there's a nice subtle tilt-shift effect to drive home the "tiny" look.
Maxime Beland on the ghosts and panthers of Splinter Cell: Blacklist
Are you a ghost or a panther? Maxime Beland, Creative Director on Splinter Cell: Blacklist, explains the game's cross-mode currency system, how Ubisoft Toronto remains cognizant of different player types, and where Blacklist's style fits between Splinter Cell: Conviction and fan favorite Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory.
Co-opinion: XCOM: Enemy Unknown
.portal-left { padding: 10px; background: #CCC; margin: 20px 0; min-height: 85px; } .portal-right { padding: 10px; margin: 20px 0; min-height: 85px; } .portal-right img { padding-left: 5px; } .portal-left img { padding-right: 5px; } Jess Conditt: First, I have to paint a picture for everyone: Mike Schramm, tall dude extraordinare, so giddy with anticipation that he resembled a puppy in a canine candy store -- that's how he entered the XCOM: Enemy Unknown preview room. I, on the other hand, had no previous experience with the franchise, yet by the end, my tail was wagging a bit as well. Mike Schramm: To be fair, I can look puppy-like at almost any time: Big ears, wet nose. But yes, I was excited to see XCOM, and as you may have already heard in all the hype from the show, the core turn-based gameplay did not disappoint. Turn-based strategy RPG scratches a core (flea-based?) itch in my soul, and between this game, Skulls of the Shogun, and iOS games like Outwitters and Hero Academy, this genre's on the cusp of a renaissance. XCOM's turns move easily and quickly, and the game's interface is great at getting out of the way and letting you make strong choices.%Gallery-157398%
THQ's new head promises no more job cuts, but 'everything is up for change'
For a guy who's only been on the job for a dozen days, newly appointed THQ president Jason Rubin is awfully comfortable answering very specific questions. He probably should be, given his title, but it was impressive nonetheless that he was able to speak with such specificity to nebulous projects like Guillermo del Toro's planned "Insane" trilogy. "Currently it's still in the slate," Rubin told Joystiq in an E3 interview. That doesn't mean the barely detailed project is a sure thing, of course. THQ will be "a different company" in the next year or two, according to Rubin. Will ambitious projects like Insane make the cut?"I'm taking every project as clay, a clay statue that's been built. It's not nearly been completed. It can be augmented, it can be shrunk, it can be changed. Everything is up for change to make the best possible product that could be," Rubin said.With THQ's financial troubles as of late, it's fair to wonder if the trilogy will ever materialize, not to mention Turtle Rock's unnamed FPS project, or THQ Montreal's new IP. "I'm well aware of the other projects that are kind of in what you would call 'nebulous states' (though internally they may not be so nebulous)," Rubin said. "I have to go around and look at everything over the next few weeks, next month, and I have to then decide which of the titles are the titles we're gonna focus on based on what I believe our future should be."Thankfully for THQ's employees (approximately 1,750 as of March 31, 2011), the coming change within the publisher doesn't mean a reckoning. "We have the appropriate number of teams and the appropriate number of people working on products, and we're not gonna be continuing to cut teams," Rubin told us. "But as far as product goes, I think we'll have to find out exactly where that's going."
