Jay’s E3 Roundup: Wii U GamePad, Batman Arkham City Armoured Edition, ZombiU
With the 2012 E3 Expo done and dusted, again this year there’s no mistaking that the highlight for me is Nintendo’s offering. I’ve been a fan since a young age and with the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 boasting incredible realism and more complex content aimed at the hardcore gamer, the Nintendo charm and simplicity has always been the hook for me.
Having said that, I do enjoy a “serious” game from time to time, but the past and present range of Nintendo platforms (with current line-up of Wii and 3DS) had usually not offered this dual-potential.So it was exciting to see the newly unveiled final Wii U (which appeared in both white and a previously unseen black edition) will not only continue the colourful and playful tradition of Nintendo but will also tread new ground with a series of more mature titles from developers such as Ubisoft.
So a little about the new Nintendo console – in particular the bit that comes with it that left us with a lot of unanswered questions after last year’s show. The Wii U debuted at the 2011 E3 Expo and as some of our readers may remember, we criticised it quite a bit. Like us, the gaming community at large seemed to react with some apprehension to the addition of a high definition, touchscreen game controller. Fortunately in the past twelve months it seems Nintendo has put some thought into these ponderings, such as how the introduction of just one bigger and more dominant controller will affect the landscape of multiplayer gaming on a platform that’s popularity comes from its unique ability to bring family and friends together.
The Wii U GamePad, as it’s now known, features a 6.2” HD touchscreen display, movement sensor, camera, microphone and a slightly changed configuration of its “physical” buttons meaning that several important functions are now closer to finger reach in the final product release than they were in the previously seen prototype version. Games such as NintendoLand were used to showcase that much-questioned multiplayer element, and we got to see how one player plays from a very different point of view than his or her fellow players in the theme park-inspired party game
Using Luigi’s Mansion as an example, the player with the GamePad plays the role of a ghost, who can see the entire map through the benefit of the smaller handheld HD display and can hunt down other players who were represented by their created Mii characters, who in turn would play their own role in the game. The other players, each with a standard Wiimote or new Pro Pad, play a ghost hunter who, in limited visibility on the main TV screen, tries to capture player one by working in co-operation to corner the spook and weaken it with flashlights. Teamwork and strategy play is encouraged and the game becomes like a virtual version of the playground favourite “Tag” – a familiar game which we all know and loved.
Third party publishers were involved in the presentation, there to show-off wares for the new Nintendo Wii U – none more impressive than Ubisoft and WB Games who both were on hand to show off how the GamePad will add realism and slick stylised play to their games, one of which included a long absent friend.
After a year’s patient waiting, the Dark Knight will once again rise on a Nintendo console. Okay, we had LEGO Batman for Wii to tide us over, but these cartoonish caped crusades were not the ones we’ve wanted since we laid eyes on Batman: Arkham City, which surfaced on Xbox 360 and PS3 last October. Out of the shadows WB Games detailed a very special version of the award-winning game – dubbed the “Armoured Edition”.
On Wii U, with its game changing controller, we will be able to “become the Batman” with real time maps, scanner and utility belt all easily accessible in real-time via the touchscreen GamePad. Not only that, but the armour mentioned in the most prestigious title will also become more super-charged as the Dark Knight battles, and at certain points his true fighting potential can be unleashed by commands made on the touchscreen. To someone who hasn’t yet been able to play an Arkham game due to hardware restraints on the current Nintendo console, this promises to be an epic release!
The other title which really stood out also features a darker tone than your average Wii game. ZombiU is one of the games in Ubisoft’s onslaught of new Nintendo-based titles, and as you might have guessed, deals with the undead! The survival storyline is visceral and realistic, with zombies flinging themselves at the screen in an attempt to grub down on your valuable brains.
But there is salvation – the touchscreen GamePad is your survival kit and offers a range of functions including scanners, inventories, and sniper targeting. Just like Batman, this is in real-time, meaning there’s no need to hit pause to change weapons or view maps. And as for the intense and gory graphics – they look bloody good to me!
With all this in mind Nintendo Wii U wins at the E3 for me – Hands down.
Dave’s E3 Roundup: Watch Dogs is the One to Watch, Luigi’s Mansion 2 for Nostlagia
This year’s E3 was an interesting one, with Nintendo the only company to really showcase any hardware. For this reason, the company seemingly stole the show with a slew of new titles and demonstrations of the interesting GamePad controller.
From the masses of new games and features available, one game in particular stuck out for me: Luigi’s Mansion 2. Over the year’s we’ve seen so little of the lesser-known plumber compared to his celeb-status brother, so when Luigi’s Mansion originally launched on the Gamecube, it piqued my interest.
What I thought would be a second-rate Mario-style game turned into one of my favourite games of all time. The idea of ghost hunting with nothing but a fancy vacuum machine may seem simple, but Luigi’s Mansion was a challenging and fun game on many levels.
So it was to my elation that Nintendo revealed a sequel to the game at this year’s E3 with Luigi’s Mansion 2 for the Wii U. Luigi continues his ghost hunting antics on the new console, but thanks to the GamePad and its 6.2-inch HD touchscreen, mini games and much more can be played out on two screens. Everything looks more interactive and even more fun and I can’t wait to play it. Check it out in the trailer below.
Watch the Watch Dogs
While Luigi’s Mansion brought nostalgic value and a fun new title, Ubisoft unleashed something very different. The software developer demonstrated a new title called Watch Dogs, although it claimed to have not decided which console(s) it will launch on. The company demonstrated it using a PlayStation 3, so that’s a good indicator for starters.
The concept of Watch Dogs is one that feels very new and refreshing. Ubisoft’s E3 trailer took us into an open world setting, akin to the likes of Grand Theft Auto. We’re following our character as he makes his way to a club – everything seems ordinary here. Things become very different when the character is able to pull up a selection of tools and mind tricks – and from this menu he chooses to scramble all wireless signals in the area, resulting in the security dropping their guard and thus entry to the otherwise invite-only party being granted.
We also see the character demonstrate the ability to read almost anybody in the nearby area, bringing up names, ages and backgrounds in a split second. Our guy also steps outside the club to view his target approaching the venue on the map, and while waiting he manages to turn all the traffic lights at the crossroads to green, thus resulting in a smash-up which seriously injures his target.
The character often pulls out a smartphone, although it’s currently not clear if this is what he uses to pull the clever tricks, or whether it’s some sort of mindpower. A second trailer has also surfaced, which seems to show how everything is done, and reveals why the game is called ‘Watch Dogs’. Our main character has contact with a series of guardians, or watch dogs, which are on the inside at several key organisations to help him achieve his goals and survive his missions.
It seems that our character is part of a much bigger organisation with fingers in many pies, so to speak. This allows him to control everything from traffic lights to cameras to subway lines, which will certainly make for an exciting game. Check out the initial trailer above, and the second below.
Jon’s E3 Roundup
Having missed much of the E3 spectacle I am coming at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo with a sense of awe at the sheer amount of new products that were released, but after a closer inspection it has come to light that E3 2012 was not a very good year for gaming.
First off there were a lot of expectations, which we all know are very bad things to have if you are a fan, but with so much expectation weighted onto a new next-gen console being announced it was pretty hard for Sony and Microsoft to have a good showing.
However, there was no such worry for Nintendo as they did have their next-gen console to show off and we were all set for the Nintendo Wii U to wow us… but it didn’t, at least for me anyway.
Nintendo has a storied history with “stealing E3” but this year, with the company’s biggest release in years, the mighty Nintendo floundered a bit. The Wii U was unveiled, a few games were demoed and the GamePad was showcased, but that was it! This was pretty much a copy and paste of last year’s presentation but this time with a few games included, some of which Xbox and PS3 users had 8-12 months ago.
If I am to be completely honest I would have struggled with whatever Nintendo were to offer at E3, as the console choice of my childhood has slowly moved further and further away from what I want, or perhaps I’ve moved out of their demographic. I feel as a slightly serious gamer that the Wii U is right up there with this year’s Tickle Me Elmo as the Christmas must have for kids – not grown-ups, kids.
Now back to Sony and Microsoft, who both had a reasonable showing with Microsoft venturing further into its entertainment hub area that it has been heavily building on over the past 2 years, with the announcement of two new apps or extensions for the console.
First up is Xbox Video, which is an expansion on the current browse, purchase and watch video content management for Xbox Live. Video will expand and improve the service so that users can rent Movies and TV directly from Microsoft themselves, on the Xbox and on Windows 8 and Windows Phone 7 supporting gadgets.
And then there is Xbox Music, which will basically be a Spotify-style streaming music service for the Xbox Live Gold users. Both are decent services but are still not quite headliner stuff for the E3 conference, and with the rest of Microsoft’s offerings focussing on a reboot/rehash of old games (including Tomb Raider, Doom, Black Ops 2, HALO 4 and special Street Fighter 25th) which are all very safe bets.
Sony also had a lot of next-gen console overheads to remove when they entered E3, and as with Microsoft the conference stayed as far away from any PlayStation 4 information or confirmations as possible.
In fact, the only real hardware release was a new Racing Wheel accessory which affixes to the Playstation Move controller, allowing gamers more realism with their racing games. Sony also announced Wonderbook – a new reading software aimed at bringing children’s books such as the Harry Potter stories to life through the PS3
Again, pretty ‘meh’ and non exciting. Games-wise Sony also rolled out a few big names all bundled into one Nes Super Smash Bros. style game in the form of Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale, which features a wide choice of popular Playstation icons in a free-for-all rumble.
And for owners of the new PS Vita Console… well you can download classic PSOne titles such as Tomb Raider and Final Fantasy 7, which will soon become available to buy and download directly to your Vita from the PlayStation Store.
So again old games, re-hashed onto new consoles.
Now it wasn’t all a loss this year, and as Dave mentioned, Ubisoft rode in and saved the day with a collection of new and old games to wow us, showing us exactly what we play games for. Watch Dogs showed that a complete surprise at E3 is not impossible by wowing the audience and internet alike with stunning gameplay, and my personal favourite was the Assassins Creed 3 gameplay and information which is what I thought saved E3 this year.
AC3 looks amazing with new combat and movement systems (trees! you can climb trees!) and stunning new high seas gameplay with Pirate style combat it looks surely to be an amazing ride.
So to sum it up it was a disappointing year in my opinion for gaming but there are a load of new and interesting games coming our way in 2012/13, and all that we can hope for is that this year’s lull will lead to a mega next-gen-a-thon at E3 2013.
What did you think of this year’s E3? Tell us your favourite parts and the parts you didn’t like so much by leaving a comment below, or tweet us @Gadget_Helpline.