At the end of my first E3 experience it became evident how large the video game industry really is. With more than 40,000 people in attendance, E3 had the feeling of a large spectacle that it was known as for years.
There are a few different methods to see games at E3, including walking right up to play, a booth appointment or a behind-closed-doors appointment.
Depending on the game, attendees can walk up to play it on the show floor. This works for less popular games like Toy Story Mania, but unless you want to wait on a long line, you won't be able to play Wii Sports Resort on the show floor.
A booth appointment, for the most part, is useless. If there is a line it could help by making it easier to cut, but the PR person usually just lets you walk around on your own, like in EA's booth. The final type provides a unique look at games that cannot be played or shown in public. Most of the big titles fell into this category. For example, Bioshock 2, Modern Warfare 2 and Mass Effect 2 were hands off demos with no photography allowed.
One of the biggest surprises was the lack of hands on time with so many big titles. Almost all of the previews around the internet are written without the journalists actually playing the game. It is important to be skeptical of these impressions, as developers can easily tailor a short gameplay segment to seem perfect.
Another surprise was the accessibility of God of War 3. In the Sony booth, I had a chance to play a substantial demo. Remember, this game isn't out until March 2010. It looked spectacular and had a great visceral feel.
Another game with great graphics and may have slipped under peoples' radars is Just Cause 2. This game looked absolutely amazing and the open world is gigantic. There are a lot more moves in the sequel.
The graphics in Uncharted 2 were also specular and after speaking with Neil Druckman, Co-Lead Game Designer at Naughty Dog, we can expect a lot more variety in the environments than the first. There is also a full single player campaign, coop and competitive multiplayer.
Overall, E3 was a gamers dream with everything video games at your fingertips. For complete E3 coverage head over to GamePro.
Related Links: Read Terry's E3 wrapup, Vote in the question of the week
