Pagoda of Gaming

#1. DJ Hero Stage Demo

Before I saw this, I was really on the fence about DJ Hero - the whole scratching thing and the music selection available in the game really made me shy away, I’ve never been into that kind of music. But now I’m thinking that it’s going to be a hell of alot of fun - this video is proof of concept for me, the only thing that will proove my purchase is the price. I think this is the only instance I could ever put up with Gwen Stefani - especially if I can rape her music by scratching the fuck out of it.
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#2. First Gameplay Footage Of Alan Wake

Not only did they show some awesome gameplay from the game, but they took Sam Lake - writer and face of Max Payne out on stage to introduce and narrate the segment. I have no question in my mind that Alan Wake is going to be one of my most favourite games of all time, and this video continues to convince me of that.
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#3. Left 4 Dead 2 Reveal Trailer

There were really two ‘what the fuck?’ moments of the show, one of them being the Final Fantasy 14 reveal (before we saw the ‘online’ tag. Fucking Grindan Shit) the other being Left 4 Dead 2. I had no idea what this game was - maybe a new Dead Rising Trailer or something - and then the music kicked in and I was overwhelmed. Questions still remain up in the air in relation to the first game and how Valve are going to handle the Over 9000 pissed off fans. But this gameplay has me sold. It’s more Left 4 Dead - and there’s nothing fucking wrong with that.
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#4. The Old Republic Cinematic Trailer

I think this Trailer wins the award for most Cinematic, most CGI, Trailer of the show. The Old Republic, from what I’ve heard through interviews and impressions, is headed towards being a more Refined MMO of this generation. With the storytelling focus and options available, along with how it tackles the liscence - may put a dent in WoW’s armour. But how can Bioware put a more Mature face on a franchise that currently tells it’s stories through childhood bastardizing CGI cartoon shows? Because it’s them mature folks they need, the ones that hold the Maestros and the Mastercards, that pay the subscriptions.
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#5. New APB Footage (2 Videos)

APB is becoming more real with each passing day. The Game is pressing for a Spring 2010 release window, and the Official Site has launched with their first Vodcast (which coincidentally is about future podcasts) - So hopefully we’ll see a constant stream of information from now on, and hopefully, I’ll get into the Beta. The customisation tools continue to impress me, which you’ll see in the first video. And the Second it the trailer that popped up at the EA Press Conference - which shows some of the game’s style and features all ingame footage.
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#6. Peter Molyneux With Project Natal - Milo Demo

It’s not so much speaking to a little kid that excites me, it’s more what Molyneux can do with it. He’s hinted at Fable 3 in the recent past, and this is a direction that he could take it. You could be the hero more than ever before - Allowing ourselves to be a game’s main protagonist is something that we’ve been trying to perfect for years, and this could be a step in the right direction. Think less about Milo and more about being Darth Vader, standing atop the bridge of a star destroyer, telling your commanders how wank they are and then choking the fuck out of them. That’s an experience I’m very interested in.
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#7. Well Bam! There It Is

I present to you, the Meme of the show. I was hoping that it was going to be the Epic Kojima Manuver, but hey. If anything it’s proof that Natal isn’t quite there yet - but seeing what we saw from that segment of the press conference they’re certainly on a track to making something special. Here is the video’s Origin.
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#8. Batman Arkham Asylum

There’s nothing I’ve seen of this game that’s been bad in any way. Infact, why haven’t I preordered it yet?….. Consider it DONE.
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#9. Splinter Cell Conviction

We haven’t seen Splinter Cell in a while, and what they’ve done here seems far removed from what they showed of Conviction’s original concept. I think the thing I like the best is that it seems all very simple - which is what I like in my stealth games. There’s nothing more I hate than being discovered by the twitchiest AI in the universe within the first 5 minutes of gameplay then having the game turn into a sub-par 3rd Person Shooter for the rest of the level. All in all, it seems like a more simplified, cinematic experience - consider me sold.
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#10. The Last Guardian

I’m sorry to say that I’ve never really played Ico or Shadow of the Colossus - if they were remade (without waggle) I certainly would. But otherwise, that ship has sailed. The Last Guardian - I feel I really should play to make up for missing the latter games. There isn’t much to say about the game right now, what we’ve seen is very lacking in the gameplay department, but one thing’s for sure, this game is going to try it’s hardest to get me to weep like a little little girl. Because you just know they’re going to kill off The Guardian at some point.
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I left out some of the more obvious things in my little presentation. Things like Assasin’s Creed 2, Modern Warfare 2 and God of War 3 are very much Known Quantaties at this point and I’d honestly like to see less of them between now and their respective releases. What I’ve tried to show are the things that really popped out at me this past week, and I hope you enjoyed it.

I’ll have a bunch of stuff to talk about in the coming weeks, especially when I get my 360 back. First on the docket is going to be the PSP Go and now that I finished it last night - InFamous. I’ll be having words of varying emotions in my next post. When exactly that will be - you’ll just have to stick around to find out.

‘Nin Out!

Kotaku has Bioshock Multi Screens
Though, they don’t really reveal anything we don’t already know.

Section 8: Your PC is your Console Shooter’s Dedicated Server
This is quite clever, kinda weird aswel. Like a dog trying to mate with a cat. I remember reading about Section 8 in an old issue of Edge, and it sounds pretty awesome - like Tribes meets Counter Strike meets Planetside.

Activision CEO Wonders Where The Price Cuts Went?
Maybe they went up his ass. He should totally go and take a look - and take that lawsuit against Brutal Legend with him.

There Are Atleast Over-9000 People Angry About Left4Dead2
I’m not one of them - I’m still living with the mindset that Valve can between now and the sequal’s launch - release several bouts of amazing additional content for the original. They did say in an interview with Giant Bomb that they are not done with L4D before the sequal hits. Don’t make me wrong Valve.

MGS: Rising Is Not A 360 Exclusive
I guess MS just gave Kojima some incentive to announce it at their press-con. He was at the Sony conference aswel. This leads me to wonder what the lead console will be for development…

Joystiq Puts Their Hands On Raven Squad
Raven Squad is a shooter, that is also an RTS. You are in control of both - with a button press you’re either an eye in the sky or one man army on the ground. Looks very Advanced Warfighter-ee - and it’s nice to see a shooter do something extremely different these days, to the point that the game is 50% in another genre.

Gamasutra Reports - There Will Be An E3 Next June!
Mark your calendars for the 15th of June next year! The article’s got some nice statistics from this year’s show.

And we have the finale in the Giant Bomb roundtable quadrology as today’s video.

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So that’s it. E3 is over for another year, and from now til the next we’ve got one amazing year of gaming infront of us. Tune in tomorrow for my top 10 video’s of the show - all embedded for your convenience - and tune in next week when I should have some proper stuff to discuss from the show given that I’ll have some time to gain some perspective.

THIS should be watched because it is utterly hilarious. “WHAT SAUCE DO YOU HAVE THAT CONVINCED YOU SO THOROUGHLY!!!”

‘Nin Out!

A Glimpse At Bioshock 2’s Multiplayer
Sounds interesting, whether it’ll be truly played or not, over every other online shooter out there, will remain to be seen. Like the sound of the Big Daddy suit as a 1-off powerup, half iron-man, half walking target.

But what about my UMD games?
Sony’s on the case, and it’s one hell of a problem to tackle. I’ll be having words with the PSP Go in a future post. Yep, that kind of having words.

Kotaku is all For the God Emperor!
Sounds like a thumbs up from the Kotaku man. Customisable Marines? CHECK. Fighting alongside other squads? CHECK. Tyranids? CHECK. Motherfucking Titans? HELL YES CHECK!

PEW PEW! Kotaku Get’s a New Look At Jumpgate Evolution
I think my favorite sentence in that entire article is “Beta should be coming up soonishly”. It also elaborates a bit more on the whole skill-based shooter aspect of the game.

Nintendo Don’t Give A Shit if You Want To Smash Your Bros. Online
They’re apparantly taking down the servers. I feel for the nintendo masses, yet I’m thinking, how many people are actually playing this online to begin with? The Nin’s Soulution is simple - trade in your Wii, Buy a 360, get yourself a Gold sub and a copy of Street Fighter 4 - then watch as your enjoyment is multiplied by over nine thousand.

Rockstar and Media Molecule Gets Mondo Nominations
Just don’t get all Halle Berry when you’re accepting your awards.

Activision are the Assholes of the Week
Read it and you will RAAAAAGGGGEE!!!

Valve Not Done With Left4Dead(1), Maybe Should’ve Told Us First I think we can trust them You cannot look at their track record and think otherwise. Hopefully “Short Term” means like next month or something. Though it would be really great to have new reasons to play the original all the way up to the sequal’s release.

FFVII IS Out In Europe After All
They really should have clarified this at their press conference, regardless, it’s there and it’s £7.99, which is less than what I payed for pizza+kebab last weekend. I will be downloading as soon as I’m done here. Shit, I hope I’ve got enough space on my PSP for 3 disks worth of game.

Our Other Favourite Peter Weigh’s In On Natal
Sports games will be something that will make or break Natal. So obviously you have to take it to the Don of console sporting himself - Peter Moore. I think they’ve got the Don’s blessing.
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Today’s video continues the narrative with Giant Bomb’s video all about Wednesday at E3. Enjoy.

There will, because of rifts in time, be a post tomorrow to catch the tail end of the news from the last day in in what is personally, my favourite week of the year. Sunday, I’ll hit the blog up with a post fully embedded with my favourite videos of the show.

As for my weekend, apart from the blogging, was going to be full of X-Boxey love, but UPS don’t redeliver on a saturday - the 360 will return on monday and until then, Red Faction sits in it’s selaphane. So instead…
Goal#1 - Get to the next Island in InFamous (I’m currently on the Second)
Goal#2 - Play the Uncharted Beta, if they’ve fixed their fucking networking issues.
Goal#3 - Play WoW, because I haven’t in weeks.

First, I’m off to buy one of the best games ever made, for less than £8. What up with my readers on this most nizzle shizzlin’ of weekends?

‘Nin Out!

Nintendo Asks Itself An Obvious Question, Pirouettes Round The Answer Like a Ballerina
So why didn’t the original Wiimote have Motion Plus? Well because… BOATS AND PLANES AND ROCKETS. Also it’s expensive. Maybe not as expensive as buying a Wii Wheel, a Wii Shooter, An Additional Wiimote with a shitty game and an Additional Nunchuck, and then rechargable batteries because it swallows AA’s like a motherfucker. But hey, there you go.

Huxley Will Be Free
Huxley was one of those games that was announced round about the time between the first reveal and the launch of the 360. It’s been in development ever since then, nearly Nukem’d several times. Now they’re adding the hook that it’s doing the microtransaction thing, it’s in the back of my mind again.

Nukem’d is also a phrase now, I’m the one calling it.

Eurogamer Has Impressions on Mass Effect 2
Really good ones that reassure me that Bioware really are fixing the shit out of the first one. Again I’ll say - I really should finish the first one.

Molyneux is a Goddamn Ninja
Not only is he providing the future with crazy AI children that will secrety yearn to kill and overthrow us all, he sneaked into the position of European creative director for Microsoft Game Studios. That’s a pretty awesome role for the role-ee, as Petey’s now overlord of all first party and third party development in Europe. INTERNET FIVE! *SLAP* *click*

Whaddup with Turtle Rock?
So… They’re still at valve, and they were called Valve south for a while, but now their Turtle Rock again… Wait, what’s that you said about a secret project?

Joystiq has Played Some Old Republic - Tells Us About It
It certainly sounds ambitious - but how much is the Liscense going to get in the way. And more importantly, what disgusting childhood raping form is the Star Wars Franchise going to take once the game hits launch?

The Booth Babes Return En-Masse
Here at the Pagoda of Gaming, we live by the Breast is Best phylosophy. Also boobs, they’re great too.

News from A FFXIV Press Event
Get out yor nets and shit, because it’s time to dredge give-a-fuck bay. It really sounds like FF11, and that makes me sad. But then I remember that we’re getting APB, and Old Republic, and all those beutiful western built things that make sence. Not… You know:

The Uncharted 2 Multi-Beta has Begun!
That isn’t news, that’s just me telling you what I’m about to do next.

Today’s video is the continuation of the Giant Bomb Roundtable I featured in yesterday’s post. They’re talking about the Press Events and some stuff from the show floor from Tuesday’s events. Love the comedic cutting.

‘Nin Out! Also Pirates.

Here’s the score. For the rest of the week I’ll post a Headline list from all the blogs and news sites I’ll be visiting - with a little commentary. I’ll go lite on the video - and I’ll post up a nice top 10 video’s from E3, which is something I rather enjoyed researching last year (And should give me a couple of days to cool off my connection).
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South Park XBLA Game Still In Development.
This was mentioned in logo form in last year’s conference. Good to know it hasn’t Gone Nukemon us, better to know that it is listed as a “strategy” genre title.

Positive Impressions on a Burnout Paradise Infused NATAL Prototype
Good to hear from someone reputable that the tech is somewhat solid. And better to know that it’s working on a gamey game not a fitness game.

Explanation on Fat Princess’s Appearance in a PSP Showreel
Fat Princess: A Fistfull of Cake will be hitting the PSP. Basically it’s a straight port of the PS3 title, but with some added game modes and maps. That’s all well and good, but if it’s a straight port, what happens with the absence of the second analogue stick?

Confirmed Boothbabe!
Hey, why don’t we take a picture together and you can tell me all about SOE’s amazing breasts….0_o… I meant franchises.

Impressions of Left4Dead2, With Clarificating Info
I don’t think we should be annoyed at L4D2, If anything - we should be happy to know that Valce can put a game out within a year of starting development. Honestly, when we’re talking about the game’s release on steam, If price is respectable for it - it’s going to feel like an add-on. I don’t think that’s a terrible thing. Maybe it’ll work like Relic’s previous expansion packs, standalone product or integration with parent product. Kotaku has the scoop on some nifty details.

FFVII on PSN
WELL IT FUCK AS AINT HERE IN EUROPE! WHAT THE FUCK SONY. I WILL BUY THIS WHY WON’T YOU LET ME!!!

Kratos Is Going To Be In Soul Calibur PSP
Not much to say other than… I doubt I’ll buy this.

Details on Halo ODST’s Take on Horde Mode
Sounds like good stuff - in a way approaching more Left4Dead than Gears Horde Mode.

Dave Jone’s APB Interview Dave Jones!
Gamasutra have a great interview up that hits on alot of the outer structure of the game, server sizes, clans etc. I in love with the fact that Counter Strike is a major influence on the game.

Red Faction Guerrilla’s Marketing Strategy = Word of Mouth
Well I’ll certainly be voicing my opinions here, good or bad, when the game hits my mailbox on Friday.
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Today’s video is a great roundtable via GiantBomb on the events of the 1st day of E3 - the MS, EA and Ubi Pressers.

That’s it for today, same round ups planned for tomorrow and friday, so watch this space!

‘Nin Out!