E3 2012 officially wrapped up June 7. I have only started to regain feeling in my toes and heels because of the amount of standing and walking I did throughout the three day gaming convention. As far as new video game announcements go, I was impressed by Ubisoft’s Watch Dogs, which will be released next year on current generation platforms, and Quantic Dream’s Beyond: Two Souls with the photorealistic Ellen Page.
If you were looking for new video games E3 2012 was a bit of a disappointment because the show floor was dominated by franchises and pre-established properties. I saw, in total, about 22 games at E3 and played hands-on with about 19 of them.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, a complete 180-degree turn from the popular Metal Gear franchise’s stealth gameplay, has you in the cyborg boots of Raiden – Metal Gear Solid 2 protagonist and ally in Metal Gear Solid 4.
The game stresses more combo-heavy action akin to games like Ninja Gaiden and Bayonetta. Combos and the animations of the main character were fast and fluid. The game only lagged in one or two parts during the demo, but is still ways away from it’s release in early 2013.
Metal Gear Rising sports a “cut anything” mechanic that felt gimmicky at first but later became more integral to gameplay as I chopped a soldier in half in one swing. It was very visceral and gave me immediate feedback for my sword slashes.
A grid appears when players hold the trigger, which shifts as the character and camera do to show where your sword would slice.
Again, it was a bit awkward at first because you had to swing down and then up for a fluid sword attack. But if you want to let loose, you can mash on the “X” button and turn your enemy into cheese cubes. All in all, when the demo was over, I just wanted to play more and more.
Another game that I wanted to play more of was Arkane Studios’ Dishonored, scheduled for release Oct.9. Dishonored is a stealth-action game that integrates supernatural powers into stealth gameplay. In order to clear his name, the game’s main character must prove he was framed for killing a princess who had been under his care.
The player can possess the bodies of beings in the game, including fish and rats, to find alternative ways to targets, people who are involved in the player’s framing. You can also possess your target, making them easier to assassinate. The game stresses player choice and creativity as it’s gameplay pillars and I am excited to see what other kinds of powers are available in the game.
I found some time to get the Nintendo WiiU in my hands and honestly, I was a bit underwhelmed. I got to play Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition, Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge, Takamura’s Ninja Castle and New Super Mario Bros. Wii U.
Batman had some cool moments where you got to control batarangs with the Wii U controller and New Super Mario Bros. Wii U allowed a second player to tap on the Wii U screen to create platforms for the other player. The Wii U controller was at the perfect weight, though a bit wide for my taste. There is another controller to remedy that, but it’s nothing I would run out and wait in line for at midnight.
Reach the reporter at shfawcet@asu.edu or on Twitter @MaroonandGamer.
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