E3 Overview: Day Zero

Plants vs Zombies Garden Warfare

Sage’s Overview: In a day marked by reoccurring themes, the Sony press conference was a refreshing change of pace and proved to be my favorite event of the day.  Jack Trenton found a way to pleasantly stick it to Microsoft in every way.  Every issue I ranted about on our last podcast was solidly dissolved at the Sony Press Conference, and the final killing blow was a price point $100 cheaper than Microsoft.  The PS4 seems to be the way to go in the upcoming future, especially with all of the great looking games coming out for it.  I’m especially excited for Last of Us, Watchdogs, and Transistor (from Super Giant Games, creators of Bastion).  Sony seems to be heading in the direction of better legitimate game development instead of just better graphics and the ability to brag like a douche cannon—which seem to be the only selling points of the Xbone.  As Robert said, all it lacks is an Axe Body Spray attachment.

EA delivered mostly what was expected of them, but to their credit, the sports family of games are looking better and better.  What I was most pleased with at the EA presser was PopCap’s announcement of an attempt at third person shooting action for their hit game Plants vs Zombies.  In fact, it seems every ship but Microsoft is beginning to catch the breeze of innovation and novel development. Or at least, that’s my hope.  Sony certainly seems to be sailing that direction with their focus on providing a program for game development and their attention to player demand.  I’m excited to see what else they do this year at E3.

Watch Dogs

About Robert Allen

Since being a toddler, Robert Allen has been immersed in video games, anime, and tokusatsu. Currently, his days are spent teaching at two southern California colleges. But his evenings and weekends are filled with STGs, RPGs, and action titles and well at writing for Tech-Gaming since 2007.

47 comments

  1. I was ALMOST onboard with the XBone, thinking about preordering. Then the Sony Megaton happened. I immediately got a PS4 through Amazon.

    • I’m waiting for a side by side tech comparison (hint, hint).

      The memory of the Xbox 1 and the multiple OS’s have me very worried though. Sounds like some blot on board.

    • You’re very lucky, I read a lot of complains last night about being unable to pre-order.

  2. It was the year of sequels and HD remasters. Almost nothing looks original so far. I’m cool with that, but I am hoping for something new.

    Also: Except for KI, there’s not that many fighters announced. Have they feel out of favor?

  3. Wait did you guy recycle last years graphic or is anyone still making Wii and DS games?

  4. New hardware looks good, but I want to know what is going to be out at launch before I drop $400/$500.

    I don’t want to stuck in a Wii U situation.

    • PS4 games confirmed:

      Sniper Elite 3 (Rebellion)
      Call of Duty: Ghosts (Infinity Ward)
      Destiny (Bungie)
      Skylanders Swap Force (Vicarious Visions)
      Daylight (Zombie Studios)
      The Evil Within (Tango Gameworks)
      Wolfenstein: The New Order (MachineGames)
      Need for Speed Rivals (Ghost Games)
      Battlefield 4 (EA DICE)
      FIFA 14 (EA Canada)
      Madden NFL 25, NBA Live 14, UFC, EA
      Drive Club (Evolution Studios)
      Infamous: Second Son (Sucker Punch)
      Killzone: Shadow Fall (Guerrilla Games)
      Knack (SCE Japan Studio)
      DC Universe Online
      Planetside 2
      Thief (Eidos Montreal)
      Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (Ubisoft Montreal)
      Watch Dogs (Ubisoft Montreal)
      Dying Light (Techland)
      Basement Crawl (Bloober Team)
      Blacklight: Retribution (Zombie Studios)
      Diablo III (Blizzard)
      Primal Carnage: Genesis (Lukewarm Media)
      “Project Heart and Soul” (Reach Studios)
      Tiny Brains (Spearhead Games)
      War Thunder (Gaijin Entertainment)
      Warframe (Digital Extremes)
      The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (CD Projekt Red)
      The Witness (Number None).

  5. Decent write up from Robert and Say. Both seem to have it against Microsoft through.

    Dat bias.

    As for me, there’s still too many unanswered questions. I went ahead and bought a Vita and Wii U at launch. I don’t want to be fooled again.

    • I was hoping for MS to come forward and actually clear the air, but after all was said and done there was a lot uncertainty which became somewhat disappointment.

      • Yeah I really think that’s a huge problem. I wont even think about dropping half a grand until I know the details.

  6. Ryse looked like Arse. Same moves over and over again. Plus it was stuttery.

  7. The only game that made me laugh was Octodad. Maybe Jeremy LaMont is right, games are taking themselves way too seriously.

    • Octodad has been around for a while, I was pleasantly surprised to see them in that indie lineup.

  8. I don’t trust any E3 analysis unless your carrying a plastic wrestling belt, wearing a wife beater , and say “you know what I’m saying” after every sentence. 😉

    Ok, seriously. good job people.

  9. Lelouch Lamperouge

    I thought the MS show was OK until Sony presented. Yeah, it was too long, but that sweet $399 payoff at the end was worth it.

    Anyone think the console was going to be $350 and they realized they could raise the price after Xbone announcement.

  10. Damn, the Say really brought it. She outwrote the DesertEagle.

  11. “Oh, and they also partnered up with Twitch, in case anyone would care.”

    Whoa, did Twitch piss you off or what?

    • Actually, I’ve got nothing against Twitch. They will move on to do great and wonderful things no matter whatever petty remark I would share or whoever they could partner up.

      • Haha.

        I just hope they can’t keep from crashing. Every LP I watch ends with a fireball finisher.

        • I wanted to be nice and avoid saying that, but deep down I feel kind of glad it’s not just me.

    • devildakimakura

      Twitch never works for me. It crashes at least once every 15 minutes.

  12. Wow, a 4 page article, and skipping pages offered more than just a picture. I’m impressed.

  13. I’m I the only one not drinking the Sunset Overdrive Kool-Aide here?

    Insomniac hasn’t had a great game in a long time, and this doesn’t look like it. I think it’s an open that the showed no actual gameplay and if Jeremy’s Brink comparison is right, this looks like a stinker.

    Looks like PAIN, the PS3 game with guns.

  14. Blue refuses to post comments until there’s a Sailor Moon announced for the next-next gen.

  15. Good write-up this year. I like 4 pages instead of reading 50 IGN Kot-stiq articles

  16. @Jeremy – “Hey, that sure looks a lot like an Xbox One. Which looked a lot like a VHS player.” #Betamax.

  17. Good article. Each writer’s style is very different, which was a little weird though.

  18. Its like hearing from the Sony hivemind. I think you all have it out for Microsoft.

    • Actually I trust them. They seem sincere and aren’t hawking Dew ‘n Doritos.

      • Actually, I love Dew and Doritos (Spicy Sweet Chili FTW!). However, I enjoy them at my own expense. 😉

        As for the “Sony hivemind” thing, let’s face it, Sony crushed Microsoft on the two most important issues; consumer trust/DRM and hardware pricing. We all heard the crowd reactions at the Sony event and there’s no way that was all paid Sony interns. Those were gamers that Sony connected with.

    • Everyone is open to their own opinions regarding Xbox and PS4, I doubt any of us would make or break Microsoft or Sony in the big scheme of things, so there is no need to victimize either of those brands.

      • So you’re trying to tell us what we can discuss? Who appointed you as mod again?

        • She just stating her opinion on the console wars. No need to be a total asswad about it.

        • I have got no idea how you could even come to that conclusion as it is, I have never told you or anyone around here what you can or cannot talk about. I was specifically talking about the Microsoft remark, that company is one of the top 5 in the world – they will be more than ok regardless of whatever happens with the console.