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'Forza Motorsport 7' has more than just 4K to offer Xbox racers
When Microsoft announced Forza Motorsport 7, it was easy to focus on its eye-popping 4K resolution while maintaining 60fps, but the most important question is always, "How does it drive?" After some time playing with a gamepad, I can report that the realistic driving model Turn 10 has refined throughout the series' run is here and better than ever. Later, during a closed-door demonstration, I heard a bit about and saw some features that will be in the game when it ships this fall, like dynamic clouds that cast moving shadows on the track.
A tiny sensor turns any stationary bike into a VR workout machine
A $400 VR exercise bike might be a tough sell for VirZOOM, but the company has a new option that could make working out in virtual reality more compelling. At E3 2017, the company is showing off its new VZ Sensor, a small device that attaches to the crank of any stationary bike. For $99, you can turn a bike that you may already have into a VR workout center.
'Destiny 2' on PC is nothing like the first game
Destiny, like Bungie's Halo before it, was a relatively slow-paced shooter. That was ideal for console controllers, but it wouldn't have translated well to PCs, where gamers expect everything to move much faster. Now that Destiny 2 is finally bringing the series to PCs on October 24th, I couldn't help but wonder how Bungie would adapt it for mouse-and-keyboard play. Would it retain the slow and methodical pacing that we're used to, or would Bungie ramp things up?
Sphero ditches the robots for a storytelling Spider-Man toy
Sphero is moving beyond cute, connected rolling balls fast. Less than a month after introducing a tie-in for the animated movie franchise Cars, the company's now taking the wraps off of its first non-robotic product. And it's another toy built in partnership with Disney. Meet Sphero's Spider-Man, a replica of the beloved Marvel superhero than listens and responds to your voice commands. Unlike with its versions of BB-8 and Ultimate Lightning McQueen though, this Spider-Man doesn't depend on an app to be fully functional.
The ambition of 'Beyond Good and Evil 2' might exceed the hype
We've waited a long time for the sequel to Beyond Good and Evil. And you know what? They actually went and did it. Arguably the biggest surprise of E3 2017 was a minute-long trailer teasing a game that barely resembles the 2003 original. But even the anticipated return of the cult hit might not match the vision that director Michel Ancel and his team have for Beyond Good and Evil 2. Ancel himself explains the return of the quirky game -- and we have a ton of concept artwork to keep the hype going. Ubisoft has big plans -- literally.
'Call of Duty' goes back to what it does best: historic warfare
After Infinite Warfare, I was ready to give up on Call of Duty. I just didn't think the futuristic space setting was very compelling and couldn't bring myself to finish the campaign. Just when I thought I was out though, Sledgehammer Games has pulled me back in. For the next installment of the franchise, the title is going back to its roots: World War II in Europe. To me, the historical Call of Duty games are the best ones, and this year's installment looks very promising.
Engadget at E3: How video games and film are merging inside VR
In Door No. 1, a virtual-reality comedy show coming to Hulu, the audience becomes the director, choosing not only where to look, but also selecting certain actions and propelling the story forward in unique ways. You're at your 10-year high school reunion, and there are plenty of characters to interact with, including a janitor who wants to smoke you out and a faded former best friend. Viewers pick people to hang out with just by directing their sight toward the desired action, no gamepads required.
Engadget at E3: VR is here -- so what's next?
For gamers, 2016 was the year of VR. But now that the HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and PlayStation VR are already on the market, with an ever-growing library of titles, where does the industry need to go from here? Most consumers don't seem that compelled by VR yet, so what will it take to get more people aboard? At our E3 stage, we tackled that problem with Daniel O'Brien, general manager of HTC Vive; Samantha Gorman, co-creator of the VR art collective Tender Claws; and MatPat, host of Game Theory.
'Duck Season' is equal parts nostalgic and creepy
When I was a kid with the original Nintendo Entertainment System, I, of course, played Duck Hunt. Fast forward 25 years, and I did so in virtual reality, live on stage at E3 in front of the entire internet with Duck Season -- a tribute to the classic NES title. What was my high score? And, more important, how often did I shoot my hunting companion, an anthropomorphic dog that looks ripped straight out of Five Nights at Freddy's? You'll have to watch the above video to find out.
‘Echo Arena’ is competitive, virtual reality frisbee in zero gravity
When we saw Lone Echo at Oculus Connect 3 late last year, it solved one of virtual reality's biggest limitations by ignoring humanity's most common form of locomotion: walking. The game takes place entirely in zero gravity, asking players to navigate its virtual world by pushing off bulkheads like an astronaut or using hand-mounted jets to fly around like Iron Man. It worked shockingly well and easily became one of our favorite games from the show. Intel must have thought so too: It just made the game's multiplayer component half of its new VR esports league.
'Super Mario Odyssey' may look bizarre, but it feels just right
There's perhaps no better example of Nintendo's creativity in game design than the Super Mario Bros. franchise. At a glance, the company's mascot seems like an unchanging, static figure. In reality, every game he stars in tweaks the Mario formula ever so slightly -- adding new power-ups in Super Mario Bros. 3, rethinking level design in Super Mario World or introducing exploration in Super Mario 64. If the E3 demo of the newest game in the franchise is any indication, our favorite plumber's latest adventure is no different: Super Mario Odyssey is a creative, joyously fun remix on a formula the company has been tweaking for decades.
'Wolfenstein II' starts with a wheelchair, Nazis and a machine gun
A little over four months away from launch, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus already feels finished. The game takes place almost immediately after the events of 2014's Wolfenstein: The New Order, with protagonist B.J. Blazkowicz waking up from a coma aboard a German U-boat, confined to a wheelchair, his legs lame. The Nazis have long since won the war, and in 1961 they're taking their goal of world domination even further. They're afraid of the game's one-man-army hero, too. And really, after 35 years of Wolfenstein, shouldn't they be?
How violence in video games changes with the times
Violence is the default mechanic in the video-game world. But as video-game graphics become more realistic and virtual reality headsets make games more immersive, developers are taking greater care with the way they portray murder and gore. The independent scene is a driving factor in this space, with an influx of games that eschew traditional tropes in favor of other forms of tension.
'Project Cars 2' takes simulated driving to a whole new level
With the likes of Forza and Gran Turismo getting their share of stage time at the big E3 events, it can be easy to overlook some of the other options. Bandai Namco and Slightly Mad Studios' Project Cars is one of those, and the second installment of the franchise is set to arrive September 22nd. The duo is showing off the hyper-realistic racing sim here at E3, and it didn't take long to get wrapped up in the tracks of Project Cars 2.
'Minecraft' looks like a completely different game in 4K
The best demonstration of the Xbox One X's 4K capabilities comes from an unlikely, blocky source: Minecraft. Behind closed doors at E3 2017, Microsoft showed off a handful of games it upgraded to 4K just for the Xbox One X, including Gears of War 4, but Mojang's cube-based crafting game clearly got the most drastic upgrade. When the free 4K update and the Super Duper Graphics Pack lands in the fall, those blobs of grass will transform into blades. See for yourself:
Humble Bundle sweetens its subscription with games that don't expire
Humble Bundle's monthly subscription is fine if you enjoy getting a surprise mix of big-name and indie games. But what if you'd like access to a more reliable catalog too? You're set as of this week. The $12-per-month service now includes access to the Humble Trove, an always-accessible collection of copy-protection-free games. The library includes the full selection of Humble Originals as well as a range of recognizable indies like Trine and Kimmy.
'The Darwin Project' is a 'Hunger Games'–style battle arena
The Darwin Project came out of nowhere and snapped up the spotlight at Microsoft's E3 press conference. It's the first game from the 12-person development house Scavengers Studio, and it combines the best aspects of games like Don't Starve and PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds in a Hunger Games–style battle arena. Imagine Katniss Everdeen running around Pochinki Hill, chopping down trees like Wilson the Gentleman Scientist.
'Ni No Kuni 2' changes everything but the Ghibli-esque charm
Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom is beautiful. If it's not the detailed environment, it's the expressive cartoon characters interacting with one another like some kind of CGI anime masterpiece. That's due to animation director Yoshiyuki Momose's input: He previously worked at Studio Ghibli for many years, and it still shows in the sequel coming to PS4. During the two-part demo I played at Bandai Namco's E3 booth, cloaks fluttered in the breeze, the protagonist winced when struck with fire and my tiny battle companions -- prime plushies of the future -- scuttled around the battlefield like even cuter Pikmin. The gameplay taster centered on two major boss battles, but I found myself waiting, hoping, for another sumptuous cut scene to help fill in the mysterious backstory -- and distract me from the fighting.
Xbox's new avatar options include prosthetics and a baby bump
Haven't given your Xbox Live avatar much thought lately? Neither have I, and that's probably why Microsoft is taking action on that front. Yesterday the company announced that the avatar system will get a major overhaul sometime in fall 2017.
Razer's Blade Stealth packs a larger display into a familiar frame
While the Razer Blade Stealth is a solid laptop, that 12.5-inch display is rather confining -- especially when you know that there are other small laptops with larger displays. Razer is setting things right though. It's introducing a new version of the Stealth that stuffs a 13.3-inch, 3,200 x 1,800 touchscreen into a similar body. The system is slightly heavier (2.93 pounds versus 2.84), but you're still getting that half-inch thickness and claimed nine hours of battery life. The most conspicuous change is the US option for a gunmetal gray color (shown below) with a much subtler logo on the lid. In other words, you won't have to explain Razer's audacious green iconography at your next business meeting.
