(E3) IMO - Nintendo Has Finally Convinced Me to Want a Wii U ASAP

Last year's E3 was probably the most exciting time to own a Nintendo 3DS thus far. Those who have already experienced it already knew how impressive the tech is. From the namesake 3D all the way down to the much-improved Ad-hoc online functionality with StreetPass and SpotPass, it never ceased to impress, aside from its underwhelming launch lineup. Now that Nintendo 3DS has a wealth of great options for gamers of all ages and skill levels, everything about the handheld will just keep rolling on with further improvements and a steady barrage of impressive titles. On the other hand, last year's expo also included the introductory announcements of Nintendo's next home console; The Wii U. There already exists a Nintendo console called the "Wii," but according to the Big N, the U stands for a big "thank you" (or thank U for namesake) for all the support that fans have given the company during the lifespan of the original Wii. The company showed off nothing but tech demos that year, including a gorgeous high-definition Zelda tech demo in which Link does battle with a massive spider. The Wii U hardware itself appeared as a peculiar surprise for expo goers and livestream watchers alike. It boasts a familiar-looking console box, and a tablet controller with buttons and analog sticks on either side. The rest remained a mystery until now.

E3 2012 is underway, and as promised, Nintendo shed some light...no, more like a heavenly beam of light,  on the topic of "how exactly will this tablet controller work with games that I want to be playing?" The company showcased a slightly redesigned controller (still a tablet with buttons), announced the inevitable return of Mario and friends, a long-awaited reunion with the fan-beloved Pikmin, and rock-solid third-party support. I'll tell ya, it is one heck of a third-party lineup. Here's some of the third-party heavy-hitters that I'm looking forward to most.

Assassin's Creed III

Assassin's Creed is back again this year, but this time returning to the team that developed Assassin's Creed 1 and 2. This is Ubisoft Montreal's largest project yet, with a development time spanning over three years. This time, the AC universe is transferring to North America during the 1700s. From the footage I saw, I'm confident that it will be a joy to play on the Wii U. This version will will put the Wii U's tablet controller to use quite well, with an enlarged radar and touch-screen weapon swapping on-the-fly.

Scribblenauts: Unlimited

Oh, Scribblenauts; the cure to my boredom. Wait, what's a "Scribblenaut" and why should you care? Well, in case you missed the first two Scribblenauts adventures on the Nintendo DS, think of it as a complete dictionary of objects that spring to life just by typing their name (obscenities aside, of course.) Is your objective up high? Simply type "JETPACK." Is a fierce dragon obstructing your path? You could always spawn a sword and fight it yourself, but why not get creative? How about you spawn a "TERRORIST" to deal massive explosive damage to it? The choice is yours in Scribblenauts, and your freedom is only expanding with the Wii U version. This time around, the player can combine objects and creatures into individual contraptions and monsters that can spawn by your command. A dog with car wheels and a punk Mohawk? Sure, why not? The choice is yours.

Batman: Arkham City - Armored Edition

WB and Rocksteady's award-winning comic book action game Arkham City is coming to the Wii U. As someone who isn't a comic book buff whatsoever, I didn't think I'd be this excited to have waited on playing it until a Nintendo console finally got its hands on the Bat arsenal. However, there's more to be had on top of the award winning title. Late adopters will receive a lot of extra Arkham City content right out of the box, and even special controls tailored to the new-fangled Wii U gamepad. This includes controlling the Batarang with its built-in motion sensor, and hacking devices with the touch screen. Heck, a Batman AC veteran will probably have some fun revisiting the game on Nintendo's new technology as well.

Dang, if Wii U is really Nintendo's way of saying "we thank you," then I hope it's enough of a "you're welcome" for me to make it a day-one purchase, because The Big N has me solidly convinced.

Stay tuned for more E3-related news, and my honest input.

DISCLAIMER: I did NOT go to E3. I simply read and watched countless other sources (including IGN, Kotaku, GameTrailers, etc) and summarized the news in my own words including my genuine, honest opinions.

E3 - New Details Emerge From Bethesda About Skyrim's New Downloadable Content, Dawnguard

Unless you've been living in the sewers with a pack of mud crabs, you've probably heard of the video game phenomenon known as The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Well, fellow gamers, Elder Scrolls director Todd Howard heard that you like Skyrim, so he put more Skyrim in your Skyrim, so you can...er, never mind. The Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) is upon us, and as assumed by many TES fans, new details for the game's upcoming downloadable content are pouring out like the strongest waterfalls in the province of Skyrim. This new DLC is called Dawnguard, and it has much in store for high-level characters that have a thirst for more adventure.

Oblivion veterans that seek shiny new armor for their Skyrim steed will probably be disappointed. Todd Howard and his team have been pushing out some impressive DLC in Fallout 3 with depth adding up to what feels more like an expansion pack than just a weapon or a few quests. For instance, The Pitt threw players into tough moral situations involving slavery and Point Lookout was a large new landscape blanketed with intrigue and mystery. Bethesda has passion in what they do, and it's completely apparent in their acknowledgment of fan feedback and the variety in their additional content. I'll probably have to play Skyrim's latest DLC to see for myself how much this tradition holds up, but so far, color me impressed by the content I've seen on the web.

The major theme in Dawnguard is vampirism. You may choose to become a crossbow-toting vampire slayer badass, or succumb to the vampires' bidding. Siding with Fort Dawnguard's vampire hunters should certainly provide an interesting quest line, and crossbows are a much-requested welcome addition to Skyrim's arsenal. On the contrary, Bethesda has crafted more benefits for vampirism than ever before, including the ability to become a Vampire Lord, and summon a mount from a demonic plane of Oblivion (known as Soul Cairn). Vampires will also receive their own skill tree. As for the werewolves of Skyrim, you haven't been left out in the cold either, as werewolf characters will also receive some love with their own skill tree as well. Top that with additional legendary dragon encounters, and craftable dragon bone weapons and you have yourself a DLC with quite a bit of meat.

The Vampire Skill Tree from Dawnguard (Source: GameInformer)

Is your mouth watering for more Skyrim content to sink your plastic vampire teeth into? Well, the Xbox crowd won't have to wait much longer. Dawnguard releases on Xbox 360 on June 26th, and will cost 20 US dollars. It seems steep, but according to reports, the new content will clock players just around 20 hours. That's approximately a dollar per hour, so enjoying Dawnguard in the most lengthy manner will save you money from that price point per hour, technically speaking. Unfortunately, PC and PS3 users will have to hang in there a bit longer for their releases. Todd Howard and his team are so pleased with the near-finished product, that a few lucky Xbox 360 owners will have a chance to get an early taste of Dawnguard in the form of a pre-release beta version.

Stay tuned for more E3-related news, and my honest input.

DISCLAIMER: I did NOT go to E3. I simply read and watched countless other sources (including IGN, Kotaku, GameTrailers, etc) and summarized the news in my own words including my genuine, honest opinions.

E3 - Quantic Dream Reveals a Cinematic of Their Next Project; Beyond: Two Souls

Quantic Dream is no stranger to providing players with genuine emotion while journeying through dark and mature narratives in a video game. After Heavy Rain, the trend continues with Beyond: Two Souls. I am thoroughly impressed with the cinematic they revealed at this years Electronic Entertainment Expo.

Beyond: Two Souls throws you into the struggles of Jodie Holmes (voice-acted and mocapped by Ellen Paige). According to the cinematic revealed at E3, she appears to possess supernatural powers from an invisible entity (in case the coffee cup flying towards the wall didn't have you guessing). The game's director, David Cage, stated that certain gameplay sequences will leave it up to the player as to how such powers are utilized. The last seconds of the cinematic depict a good handful of explosions and SWAT vehicles toppling in every which direction. This is probably a hint at our protagonist's more violent decisions involving her alien abilities. The story transpires over the course of fifteen years, and the player will witness how Jolie develops as a character over that time. It's more than safe to assume that your own player choices will reflect on future events. No matter what happens, I'm counting on Quantic to render these choices to be very difficult like always. And I mean difficult. More difficult than choosing between Squirtle, Charmander, or Bulbasaur in Pokemon Red back in the 1990s (don't hate; it ain't an easy-mode decision for a 90's kid such as myself.)

Pokemon aside, David Cage confirmed a significant increase in the frequency of action this time around (over Heavy Rain) in an interview with GameTrailers. Fortunately for fans of his previous works, Cage will work tirelessly to provide natural-feeling life and emotion into the characters and overall narrative. He could have easily began toiling away at a Heavy Rain sequel or two, but that's not him and Quantic Dream's philosophy. Quantic prefers to take risks as opposed to milking the cash cow with sequel after sequel of a past success (as stated to IGN in an interview before this year's E3).

My Thoughts
When working at Quantic Dream, David Cage has always been known for creating video games that make you feel. This isn't limited to adrenaline from a suspenseful shootout or brutal fistfight, but sadness, relief and overall empathy for what the characters endure. He has stated in interviews that there are way too many games that rely on excessive meaningless violence to bring pleasure (and of course money) out of the player. He is the man who inspired me to drop the controller while playing Call of Duty: Black Ops or Bulletstorm and ask myself “why am I doing this? Is there a reason why I'm putting holes in people, other than the fact that they are shooting at me? Maybe they have their motivations of why they joined the 'evil' side.” Both Heavy Rain and Indigo Prophecy blew me away and I expect nothing less from Quantic Dream's latest endeavor.

DISCLAIMER: I did NOT go to E3. I simply read and watched countless other sources including (IGN, Kotaku, and GameTrailers) and summarized the news in my own words including my genuine, honest opinions.