The best 10 games (and game-related things) at E3 2010


E3, the leading annual event in videogames, has wrapped up for another year. This glitziest of game expos usually means three long days of big, snazzy announcements for gamers, but has this year lived up to expectations? I’d say yes. And, because I’m a self-indulgent ass who thinks far too highly of his own opinion, I decided to choose the ten best games or game-related stuff to come out of the show. Starting with …

Nintendo 3DS
Nintendo does it again. Just as hints of Nintendo DS fatigue among consumers seems to be creeping in, BAM, Ninty reinvents the handheld games console again. The 3DS does on-the-fly 3D visuals without the need for glasses, and according to those who saw it, it does this staggeringly well. 3D probably won’t be supported by other handheld devices for a few more years at least. I smell another era of Nintendo handheld dominance.

Child of Eden
Sega’s sublime music-based shooter Rez earned a cult following when it appeared in 2001, and deservedly so (it’s available through Xbox Live Arcade for a few bucks – so BUY IT!). Almost ten years on, and at last we get a sequel, compatible with Xbox 360’s Kinect and PlayStation Move (but also, mercifully, with a standard controller). Child of Eden isn’t explicitly referred to as a Rez sequel, but fans of the original will recognise certain Rez beats and bosses from this eye-meltingly lovely trailer (hint: turn the volume up):

Civilisation V
The mother of all timesinks just got a follow-up. I could rave about why Civ V will be awesome until the cows entire damn farm comes home, but I’ll leave that to the esteemed Mr. Hodson.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution
While the first sequel bombed critically and commercially, Human Revolution increasingly looks like the Deus Ex game that can live up the majesty of the original, with a combination of combat, hacking, and stealth. Though this game has been known about since 2007, Eidos and Square Enix unveiled the Blade Runner-esque trailer below at E3 to really get tongues wagging:

Xbox 360 S
Quieter, smaller, a bigger hard drive, extra USB ports, a sensible price point: there wasn’t much to dislike (or find surprising) about Microsoft’s updated Xbox 360. Take a look at more pictures of this sleek little number here.

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
A real dark horse, this. Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is an adventure game for the DS in which our hero, Sissel, wakes up to discover he’s dead, with his memories of who he was or what killed him gone. Now a ghost, Sissel can possess inanimate objects (a “Ghost Trick”) to unravel the clues behind his death, and save others from a similar grisly fate. It’s from the maker of the brilliant Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney series, so comes with real pedigree, not to mention the most sumptuous 2D animation. Hits the U.S. this winter.

Portal 2
It’s been a long time. You monster. Oh, GLaDOS.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D
I’ll just say this again, shall I: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, remade with 3D visuals for Nintendo’s next handheld. Holy. Balls. Coming NOT DAMN WELL SOON ENOUGH.

Sony’s backing of 3D
Say what you like about Sony, but the company isn’t one too blithely ignore future tech. Hence, most of the PS3’s biggest forthcoming titles (including Killzone 3, Gran Turismo 5, LittleBigPlanet 2, Twisted Metal and MotorStorm: Apocalypse) will come with full stereoscopic 3D visuals, should users want them. Microsoft has dismissed 3D as “too pricey” for consumers. I sense an egg-on-face situation coming soon, and ironically not for the company that brought us Betamax and MiniDisc.

Nintendogs + Cats
There was a raft of new games promised for the Nintendo 3DS, and while I can’t wait for the new Pilotwings and Mario Kart 3DS, Nintendogs + Cats really captured my heart. It’s essentially the same idea as Nintendogs, only with cats, beautiful fur effects, and some truly awesome ways of utilising the 3DS hardware. An example: after you’ve played for a while, the cameras in the 3DS will mean your pet recognizes your face, so tilting your head will cause your dog to tilt its head in response, while bringing your face close to the screen will encourage your dog to lick your face! Meanwhile, new players may scare your pet away. Too cute.

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