Why All The Indie Hate?

At Gamescom, the announcement heard around the world was finally made. Gamers including myself have anxiously awaited the news about the impending release of the PlayStation 4. Since E3, things have been pretty quiet at Sony, but there was no reason for anyone to be concerned. Unlike Microsoft that had to change their policies to keep up, Sony stayed the course by sticking to a vision that had gamers in mind as they brought the PS4 to life. The big question we all had was when, and at the closing moments of Sony’s press conference that answer as given. November 15. In less than three months the next generation will officially begin. While excitement rang, there was an ominous dark cloud looming that had some gamers rather upset. Why?

Indie Games

The main reason that had some hardcore gamers a little perturbed at Sony had to do with the large indie games presence at Gamescom. Hardcore gamers wanted to see more big blockbuster AAA first party games that has Microsoft execs busting out of their expensive Don Mattrick inspired jackets. However, Sony wanted to show gamers their commitment to the indie scene by showcasing games that don’t get the large stage, or over the top trailers to bring excitement to the masses. Microsoft may have all the money (due to the $60/year Xbox Live Gold price) to buy timed exclusive games and have DLC first, but Sony decided to flex their muscles elsewhere and give smaller budget game developers the spotlight which has some dishing out indie hate.

Now I’m not a hater when it comes to this subject, because I like what Sony has brought to the table with their endless supply of indie games. It’s one of the reasons why I wanted a PS4 over the Xbox One. Games including Helldivers, Hotline Miami 2, Ray’s The Dead, Octodad: Dadliest Catch, Mercenary Kings, Outlast, Secret Ponchos, and countless others have me more excited than the usual big budget sequel driven franchises including Call of Duty, Battlefield, Dead Rising, Assassin’s Creed, and even Halo. Indie games bring some new visions and ideas to the table that help shape the way we will play games in the near future. Basically, indie developers are willing to take big risks and sacrifices to help broaden the horizons of the gaming world.

Do you want to know what really separates the indies from the big dogs? Allow me share something with you.

Let’s take a look at the big picture when it comes to video games. Big name publishers and developers are basically playing it safe by creating sequel after sequel of popular franchises knowing that they will get your money. Most of these games show up yearly including sports games, Call of Duty, and Assassin’s Creed. These yearly games have either peaked, or they’re past their prime, because these games either make minimal tweaks to slightly enhance the gameplay, or are not willing to experiment with anything new at all. In essence, your just playing the same game with a minor graphical bump to make it look shiny and special. Still excited about Madden 25, Battlefield 4, or Call of Duty: Ghosts?

Indie developers, on the other hand, are willing to reinvent the wheel when it comes to creating new and exciting games. These developers will take a concept that you and I are familiar with, and throw a monkey wrench within the programming thereby creating a new way to experience the game. Most will call this weird while others will call this genius.

Everyday indie developers are coming up with new ways to enjoy the genres we love. So why should we hate on them when a company like Sony is willing to invest big on these new and innovating ideas that they create? Sony is bringing these indie developers to the forefront, and not burying them in the back of a marketplace so that we would have to sort through a huge clutter of shit to find the diamonds in the rough. As gamers we should be happy to see that a company is willing to take risks, and not play it safe by buying up timed exclusives just for the sake of sales. Besides, these games that Microsoft has bought as so-called “exclusives” will soon be available on the Sony platform for us to enjoy. Add on all the indie goodness that came before it, and what you have is a win for gamers.

Xbox One, What Are You?

Once again it looks like Microsoft has announced another policy reversal. This time it’s in regards to the Kinect sensor with the Xbox One. Stemming from an Ask Microsoft Anything article from IGN, Xbox Corporate Vice President Marc Whitten has stated:

“Xbox One owners will be able to use all of the console’s core functions regardless of whether the new Kinect sensor is connected. Naturally, many of the tentpole features of the new Kinect, such as player identification, voice commands, etc., will be disabled as a result, but players will still be able to play games and access entertainment content.”

So what does this all mean? Basically, it means that the Kinect sensor is no longer required in order for the Xbox One to function. No more worrying about Microsoft “spying” on you. No more Kinect…period! While this latest reversal has Xbox fans once again rejoicing, I begin to wonder whether this change is a so called “victory” for gamers? Honestly, I don’t think so. The conclusion that I draw from all this is that Microsoft has raped the identity of the Xbox One leaving gamers confused about Microsoft’s next-gen vision.

Yes, Xbox One actually had a vision, however gamers including myself saw it as a console filled with restrictive policies that seemed to benefit the publishers more than the consumer. Personally, I was pissed off about the requirement of Kinect, DRM, always online, and no backwards compatibility with Xbox 360 games. All this gravitated me towards the PlayStation 4, and by E3 my decision was made after the Sony press conference as Jack Tretton stated that the PS4 was everything opposite of what the Xbox One was as well as $100 cheaper. I was sold. The PS4 was for me.

What has happened since E3 has had Microsoft backpedaling, and the results that followed had me wondering just what the heck was going on in Redmond. For a while I believed that Microsoft had it’s head on it’s shoulders, and was taking the correct steps in bringing a community of gamers together. Unfortunately, things have changed dramatically, because I now believe that Microsoft is absolutely clueless about what they’re doing. The last couple of months have been filled with reversals that include the Draconian DRM, self publishing with indie developers, always online, and now the Kinect. To put things in a nutshell, Microsoft has abandoned just about everything the Xbox One was supposed to be in terms of the future of gaming and entertainment just so they can compete with the PlayStation 4. Basically, the Xbox One is nothing more than a beefed up Xbox 360. Now why would you want something that you pretty much already have?

And what about the Kinect?

Now that the Kinect is no longer mandatory, developers might decide to no longer include the use of the peripheral when making their games. Why enhance the gameplay with a device that gamers were against using in the first place? This once again makes the Kinect nothing more than another useless gimmick. As of this moment, Microsoft has no plans to remove the Kinect sensor from the Xbox One which means first adopters will still have to pay the $100 extra for something that they might never use. For some this is a waste of money. Microsoft, on the other hand, can only hope that gamers will actually use it.

From excitement of the announcement to damage control that followed, it’s such a shame to see how far Microsoft has fallen in just the past few months. They’ve completely lost their way, and I just don’t understand why some people are such Microsoft apologists after all these reversals. The Xbox One now has a major identity crisis, and I no longer know what this console is or what exactly makes it so special. Maybe what Microsoft should’ve done was stick to their guns, and slowly ease people in to what could be the future of gaming and entertainment. Unfortunately, all Microsoft has done is continue to dig themselves further down the hole while still not finding a way to get themselves out of it.

* Source of linked IGN article written by Scott Lowe

Could An Online Petition Revert The Xbox One Back To It’s Original Policies?

Ok, so how many of you were rejoicing when Microsoft changed their restrictive policies regarding the Xbox One? You all felt like you won a huge battle, because you believed that Microsoft was actually listening to you. In reality, what it really boiled down to was the fact that Microsoft shareholders were not happy, and the Xbox One was getting destroyed in pre orders by the PlayStation 4 by nearly an 8 to 1 margin worldwide. Sure gamers like you and I were pissed, but what we did was we voted with our wallets and Microsoft got the message. In return they changed their policies. Now just when some of you thought it was ok to drink the Microsoft Kool-Aid again some online petitions have shown up asking to reverse the changes.

Here’s the link to one of the petitions:
http://www.change.org/petitions/microsoft-give-us-back-the-xbox-one-we-were-promised-at-e3-2

So let me get this straight. What this person is asking for is the return of DRM. The return of no used games. The return of the 24 hour check in (1 hour check in at a friends house). The return of family sharing (actually Microsoft should’ve never removed this, because that was a good idea). Basically every restriction that was originally in place in order to have what this person called “Steam for Xbox.” Are you out of your mind! Well quite a few people don’t think so, because they’ve signed on, and it looks like this petition is gaining steam through the power of the internet.

Now my first impression when I saw this was that this has to be the work of those internet “trolls” just looking for some attention. However, this does not seem to be the case since there are others who agree with this narrow-minded view. Of course there are plenty of other signees who come off as your typical fanboys and just wanted to sign it so that Microsoft can fail if a reversal would happen. Nothing beats the post from Dtrex Gaming saying “It’s so important so that the Xbox One is shittier again.”

The big question in all of this would be whether Microsoft would even consider reverting to their original vision of the Xbox One as the “future of entertainment” instead of what is now a beefed up Xbox 360. Honestly, it’s highly unlikely that they’ll go back to their original plan, because it will make them look a lot weaker as a company then they already look right now due to the change. Constant flip-flopping is a bad idea for Microsoft, because it will make those people who did pre order the Xbox One think twice. Microsoft has spent too much time and money on the original idea for Xbox One only to change it all of a sudden with a day one downloadable patch which is the proverbial “off switch” to it’s restrictive policies. However, with every “off switch” there is also an “on switch” where this petition could eventually serve it’s purpose down the line. Keep in mind that “Microsoft has the right to change their policies at any given time without notice.”

In closing, I could care less about this petition. Microsoft can do whatever they want with the Xbox One. I’m not buying it. I already voted with my wallet weeks ago when I pre ordered the PS4. However, if I was to start an online petition to Microsoft I would just ask for the return of family sharing, because that was the only feature on the Xbox One that actually made sense.

Clip of the Week: PS4 vs. Xbox One – Console Wars: The Musical

From Microsoft Back to Sony: Why I Chose The PlayStation 4

TV, TV, TV, Sports, Sports, Sports, Call of Duty.

What a letdown. May 21, 2013 was supposed to be the day when Microsoft would reveal a new generation of Xbox. Instead what I saw was a one hour tech demo starring my television. “Introducing Xbox One.” Xbox One! What a shitty name, but I did understand the eventual message of an all in one console. I thought I was going to see the next generation of gaming. Instead all I got was another high def cable box along with a new Kinect for me to issue commands to. This was what I was so excited about? What a bunch of horse shit! Where were the games?

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For an event that was being watched by gamers, Microsoft really showed that they were catering to a different crowd. E3 was less than a month away, and I figured that they would showcase the games there. That settled me down for a bit, but then the shit storm came. Draconian DRM policies, no used games, a once every 24 hour check in, no backwards compatibility, the always on Kinect listening and watching you. All of a sudden my rage kicked in. What was Microsoft thinking? For the next three weeks myself, along with the rest of the gaming community, were pissed off at Microsoft and began looking towards Sony for salvation.

When E3 arrived I still wanted to see what Microsoft brought to the table in terms of games. I had my olive branch in hand ready to forgive Microsoft for their stupidity. Hopefully they’ll answer all my burning questions after a nightmare PR statement revealed a week before E3. What they gave me was a 21 gun salute of game after game after game. I was overwhelmed! Titanfall, Dead Rising 3, Halo, Ryse, Crimson Dragon, and more. Microsoft’s show was impressive, but they still didn’t answer the questions that the gaming community wanted answered. Eventually Don Mattrick did answer the question about an always online console. “If you don’t have internet we have a console for you. It’s called the Xbox 360.” Not a good choice of words Don. Oh, and then there was the $499 price tag. This made me anticipate Sony’s press conference just a little bit more.

Once Sony took the stage I knew that I was in for a treat. Sure they talked a bit about entertainment, but this was really a night for the games. Oh, and they also showed the console which looked really sleek. Then again anything would’ve looked better than that Betamax Xbox One. The games were impressive, but what really got me was when Jack Tretton answered every gamer’s questions. No DRM, used games are welcome, I can share my games with anyone, and no 24 hour check in. The crowd erupted in applause, and I had a smile from ear to ear. Then came the bombshell of a $399 price tag. That made me even happier than ever. It also made my decision much easier, because that next morning I pre ordered a PlayStation 4.

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Considering the fact that I’ve been with the Xbox brand for the last decade, the tough decision to return to Sony had me branded as a traitor by some fanboys out there questioning my “loyalty.” Let me state for the record that I have no loyalty to anyone. Before I was playing games on Xbox I had the original PlayStation and the PS2. What I think about is what’s better for me, and Sony impressed me more with the PS4. Sony showed in both their February 20 reveal along with their E3 press conference that they realized they fucked up with the PS3. They also knew that what was important to them was the gamer, so they made a console tailored for gamers. In a way the PS4 is basically the PS2 all over again except for more power and a few new options. It’s simple, it’s cheaper, and I like it.

Now Microsoft may have reversed their policies last week, but this desperate 180 measure is not going to sway me back. The damage was already done. The bridge has been burnt. You just can’t all of a sudden change your policies and expect the masses to run back like the bandwagon Miami Heat fans did during Game 6 of the NBA Finals. Microsoft said that they were listening to their customers. The reality was that they realized they were getting gang raped by Sony in the pre-sale battle. So they abandoned their vision of the Xbox One just to cater to the masses and be just like the PS4 except more expensive and still having that spybot Kinect. Honestly, I think that anyone who all of a sudden crawls back to Microsoft is an idiot. Keep in mind that “Microsoft has the right to change their policies at any time without notice” meaning they could revert to all their original policies again in a few years. Well I don’t need to worry about all that crap, because I’m sticking with Sony.

Now that my decision is made, and my PlayStation 4 preordered for a day one pickup this November, I can finally focus on my next venture. The games. Now what titles should I buy first?

Indecision 2013: Xbox One vs PlayStation 4

Ok, so I’ve seen the the reveals. Each company has opened their argument  about why I should buy their console this fall. Considering the fact that I’ve been loyal to Microsoft for the last decade this should be an easy choice right? Well…not exactly. There’s also that part where before I was playing games on Xbox and the 360 I was playing games on PlayStation and PlayStation 2. Now I’m in a dilemma. Current loyalty vs what I enjoyed in the past. Halo vs Killzone. Forza Motorsport vs Gran Turismo. Owning both consoles will become a monster headache for me. I must choose one, but which one. I’m so confused.

Frankly I feel that a lot of you are in the same boat as me. Mulling over specs, controllers, games, apps, and other options while constantly trying to avoid all the ridiculously stupid fanboys and trolls that hang around the message boards of every website. You all know the trolls. The ones who always have an opinion, but mostly based in fanboyism as well as insulting everyone’s mother at the same time. PS4 fanboys call Xbox the “Darkside” and tell people to come back to the light. Xbox One fanboys…well you don’t hear that much other than loyalty. And what about Wii U? Wait! Does anyone actually own one? Honestly, I think that the Wii U has been rejected by Dikembe Mutombo while saying “Not in my house!” This is a two console battle, and only one juggernaut will be standing horizontally at the end. Let the console war commence!

So let’s begin. Here are my opinions on each company’s next-gen reveal.

Ok, so Microsoft revealed the console. Nice. Sadly, the first part of this reveal showed me that if I want to watch The Price is Right then the Xbox One is definitely the way to go. Oh and it also plays live sports including the NFL! Seriously, I’d rather go to a bar and have a few beers with my friends while watching sports instead of skyping them and letting them know that I’m beating them on a fantasy league. A Halo television show! If it’s anything like Forward Unto Dawn then count me in. Then after a half an hour of bullshit Microsoft finally addressed the target demographic (which includes me) that were actually watching the reveal, however most gamers were probably either bored or tuned out completely by the time they showed a game. Too bad they were all trailers. EA Sports…don’t care. Forza Motorsport 5…awesome! What is Quantum Break? Finally, there was Call of Duty where I’ll get to form a personal relationship with a virtual pet that’s probably going to get shot to shit. No thanks. I have a real dog.

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Name is consistent, but no console. Well at least they showed the controller which looks pretty cool. They talked about the PS4 specs, but still no console. Their showing games! Killzone: Shadow Fall looks sick! Infamous: Second Son sure looks interesting. Driveclub! Now this title is right up my alley and should be a lot of fun. Watch Dogs has been on my radar since it’s reveal last year at E3 and it was a must buy back then. Still is now. Knack is a pass for me since it’s not my type of game. Did Sony find a way to make the PlayStation Vita relevant? Blue balls and old man faces! Sadly, the motion control stuff was boring. More trailers. Bungie talked about Destiny. Blizzard announced Diablo 3. Why? After two hours of gaming bliss I was still waiting to see the console, but the PS4 was a no show. I guess I’ll have to wait until E3. At least the games were cool.

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So, with E3 now a week away the anticipation is killing me inside. Both companies showed their cards yet left me wanting more. Unfortunately Microsoft is still in damage control mode dealing with always online, used game fees, and the so called Kinect spy which I think really creeps me out. Sony, on the other hand, hasn’t said a word. Smart on them. After the reveals I was leaning towards Sony due to the fact that they seemed to have learned from their mistakes of the PS3 as well as catering their console towards me. Since then I’ve let my anger towards Microsoft subside and moved back to the middle of undecided. Both Microsoft and Sony will have their big E3 press conferences on June 10 and I’ll be watching both very carefully. I expect to see more games, features, a price point, and a release date. Then on June 11 my “decision” will be made. No big ESPN special. Just a decision.

So will it be the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, or retire from gaming? I don’t know, but at least one thing is clear. With no backwards compatibility I’ll still have my Xbox 360. It does exactly what I want it to do. Play games and watch Netflix. That’s all I need. Why can’t these companies understand that?

Until next time. Xbox, Go Home.

E3 2012: The “Maybe” Games

With all the E3 hype behind us now, and my winners and losers picks done, I wanted to concentrate on the other games that caught my attention. Now I can’t call any of these games definite buys just yet, but they’re clearly on my radar which could be both a good or maybe even a bad sign. Good news is that I have plenty of time to keep an eye on these titles before making a commitment. Looks like another busy end of the year. My wallet is ready. Hopefully these games will be as well.

Dishonored: At first when I saw the trailer for this game before E3 it didn’t impress me that much. Then as the show went on, and I witnessed some gameplay videos, my mind had a quick change. Dishonored looks really good featuring stealth, plenty of abilities, and tons of action as you make kills to clear your name. By the way, the possession skill is awesome.

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Forza Horizon: Cars and partying in the desert. It’s Race Wars! Ok, this isn’t The Fast and the Furious, but Forza Horizon does remind me of a cross between Need For Speed and Test Drive Unlimited. Unlike the Forza Motorsport series, Horizon is more of an arcade style of control with more speed on the open road instead of on the track. I’m interested in this game, but I still need some further convincing.

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Injustice: Gods Among Us: DC superheroes back in another fighting game from the team behind Mortal Kombat. All of a sudden I had memories of Mortal Kombat vs. DC and I hated that game. Injustice looks great with plenty of over the top fighting action including flying thought buildings and even outer space. Everything was going great until thoughts of Mortal Kombat vs. DC kept creeping into my head. Plenty of time between now and 2013 to see how this plays out.

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Need For Speed: Most Wanted: It’s been awhile since I purchased a Need For Speed game, but Most Wanted could change that. Wait a minute, wasn’t there a Most Wanted game in 2005? Man, where’s the originality in the name Criterion? Here’s another random thought. For a Need For Speed game Criterion’s latest sure looks like something from the Burnout series. Maybe this should be called Burnout: Most Wanted. Either way I want to see more before returning to the series.

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Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed: The first game was a lot of fun for a mascot racer. Now there’s a sequel. At first I felt that this new entry from Sega was to “gimmicky” with the transforming vehicles for land, sea, and air. As of late my interest has changed to the positive and it has nothing to do with Danica Patrick being in the game. The unique Sega themes for each track look fantastic especially the Golden Axe stage. Can’t wait until the holidays for this one.

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South Park: The Stick of Truth: Trey Parker and Matt Stone showed off the game at the Microsoft Press Conference as well as shared a few laughs with the crowd. I had my suspicions well before E3, but after seeing the game in action my interest grew. This South Park RPG feels just like an episode of the popular show as I get to play as my own unique character and interact with the gang. I can even call Cartman a “Fatass” using my Kinect and he’ll respond to you. Sounds like fun.

E3 2012: Winners and Losers

What a week! I’m not even at the show this year and I’m exhausted. Press conferences, endless gameplay videos to watch, the NBA Playoffs, and spending time with my nephew at home has worn me out. I’ve basically seen everything I needed to see from this years big event. Now with the 2012 edition of E3 winding down it’s time for me to pick my winners and losers of what is considered as the video games “Super Bowl.”

Keep in mind that my main consideration centers around the Xbox 360 as well as iOS gaming on my iPad and iPhone, but I will say that the Wii U is pretty awesome. Anyway…moving on.

WINNERS

UBISOFT: This should come as no surprise. If any one company stole this show it would be this one. Ubisoft brought in the big guns with games that include Assassin’s Creed 3 and Splinter Cell: Blacklist. Both of these games look amazing and are on my buy list. However, what really blew my mind was a brand new game that was not a sequel called Watch Dogs. The upcoming sandbox game centers around how the world is watching you, but also allows you to take advantage of today’s hi-tech electronics and use it to your advantage in key situations. Check out the demo below to see this game in action.

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HALO 4: 343 Industries sure had some big shoes to fill with original developer Bungie moving on to another project. I had my doubts about the return of the iconic Master Chief considering the fact that I thought I “Finished the Fight” back in 2007 with Halo 3. The game’s Legendary difficulty ending said otherwise. The storyline for Halo 4 was kept top secret for the last year so Since the debut of the teaser trailer at last year’s E3. This year the gang at 343 Industries needed to show something of the camapaign to get me excited. They did and they succeeded. Both new and old enemies, Forerunner weaponry, and Spartan Ops for some co-op action. Count me in.

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TOMB RAIDER: Is it me, or does this game look a little familiar to another popular Playstation franchise. Uncharted maybe? Crystal Dynamics may be hearing the about the similarities, but this origins story of the legendary Lara Croft is outstanding. I’ve never been big on the Tomb Raider series as a whole, but this game has me wanting it right now. It’s mature oriented and has a sense of danger all around it as Lara fights for survival at every turn. It’s an awesome action/adventure game.

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Now it’s time to move to the ugly side of the show where I talk about what didn’t impress me one bit.

LOSER

CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS 2: This series is now officially “dead” to me. Last year, I didn’t buy Modern Warfare 3 due to no real interest in the campaign and the fact that the multiplayer absolutely sucks. I did enjoy the campaign in the first Black Ops game back in 2010, and of course there was the awesome zombie mode that carried over from World at War. I wanted to really give this game a chance, but after watching the uninteresting demo from the Microsoft Press Conference that mostly featured camping and sniping I felt that it was time to move on. This year’s zombie mode may be good, but I’ll wait until it’s on my iPad.

E3 2012: Microsoft Press Conference Positives and Negatives

Hardcore gaming fans, Microsoft has NOT forgotten about you. After watching the 2012 E3 keynote press conference on Xbox Live it looks like they listened to their customer base and delivered the goods. Games, games, and more games. Of course there was also plenty of Kinect, apps, and the introduction of Smart Glass which looks like a great innovation. More on that in a bit.

So what did I enjoy out of the press conference? Well here is my positives and unfortunate negatives of the big show today.

Halo 4: Kicking off the show was Microsoft’s premiere franchise. Good move, because I didn’t want to see Call of Duty…again. From live action to the gameplay itself Halo 4 looks like it will deliver on it’s promises especially considering the fact that this game is developed by 343 Industries and not Bungie. Master Chief is back! And so is the Battle Rifle. from the campaign footage I saw I can tell you that this game looks awesome. A new enemy joins the fight which had one moment where the chief threw a plasma grenade only to have it thrown back at him. 343 did announce before the show about multiplayer with both competitive and co-op gameplay with Spartan Ops. As of right now this game is living up to it’s tremendous hype.

Splinter Cell: Blacklist: Holy shit Ubisoft I didn’t see this one coming! Sam Fisher is back in a whole new adventure taking place on the Iran/Iraq border where his mission is to prevent the next blacklist attack. In other words it’s more kick ass stealth, interrogation, and execution tactics that I love. Busting through doors and taking out enemies you tracked beforehand in slow motion looked amazing. Kinect voice recognition also played a factor in this game as Sam can get the enemies attention as well as call in an air strike. This is something I’m going to like. Too bad I have to wait until Spring 2013.

Tomb Raider: While I’ve never been really into the Tomb Raider series, the latest gameplay demo for the rebooted origin story for Lara Croft really blew my mind. A mature style Tomb Raider with amazing visuals and combat along with a more realistic feeling. I really liked the outstanding visuals (especially the water effects), the combat, and the destructible environment as it objects would splinter and break from gun attacks. I really enjoyed the cinematic action from the waterfall and parachuting scene where Lara literally fought for her life while going through tremendous pain and suffering. A great demo from Crystal Dynamics and more than likely a buy for me.

Gears of War: Judgement: OK, so this was only a trailer, but the prequel that takes place just after Emergence Day and stars Baird and Cole Train is looking pretty good so far. Too bad I have to wait probably another year to play it. Hopefully this game debuts on the new Xbox with the new Unreal 4 Engine.

Resident Evil 6: Could it be? Another game that feels like a Hollywood blockbuster movie. Leon tore through zombies better than any USS soldier in Operation Raccoon City. No bullet sponge enemies and clunky movements made for some great action. Objects crash and explode along with the zombies that stand in your way from completing each objective. The demo was spoiler free leaving plenty to the imagination.

Xbox Smart Glass: The mere thought of having my Xbox connected with my iPad and iPhone has me excited. From television, to movies, and even my games I can coordinate everything into one smart source. I can be playing a game of Halo 4 and my iPad displays key information of locations and about what I’m doing. My iPhone can be used as a remote control to integrate to the new web browser. Even my Kinect integrates much simpler with Windows 8 for easy web browsing and voice recognition. Full integration begins this Fall.

Other things that interested me included the expansion of ESPN with all channels along with NBA Gametime and League Pass so that I can watch the Miami Heat anywhere when I’m working on the road. South Park: The Stick of Truth has me very interested considering the fact that I’m a big fan of the show. I also liked The Wreckateer which could make for a fun Angry Birds clone with Kinect this summer. Finally, I’m going to keep my eyes on Ascend: New Gods from Signal Studios, LocoCycle from Twisted Pixel, and Forza Horizon which sort of reminds me of a mix of Need for Speed and Test Drive Unlimited.

So here is my list of negatives.

Madden NFL 13: NFL Hall of Famer Joe Montana was a great highlight, but the laggy voice recognition controls for calling plays at the line made things look terrible. EA Sports and Tiburon have a lot of work to do to make this feature work seamlessly. August 28 is not that far away so get busy.

Nike + Kinect Training: I’m not going to fault Nike for announcing this innovative product featuring your own personal trainer, development program, and challenging friends on Xbox Live, but I just don’t see a lot of people buying this Kinect based program. Just look back to last year with UFC Personal Trainer. Not everyone has a Kinect and more people would rather just play games or watch movies and sports. Besides most of us all have gym memberships already.

Xbox Music: With so many apps on Xbox Live including last.fm and Pandora already available Xbox Music and it’s 30 million songs to choose from will have a hard time fitting itself in. Also will this be a free service or pay per song like iTunes.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2: Since this series has fallen out of favor with me due to it’s crappy multiplayer filled with cheaters, glitches, and boosters, it would take a lot to bring me back. Activision and Treyarch are taking a big leap here with a future war, but there wasn’t enough here today to sway me back. Zombies will return, but I need more of a reason besides that to make me commit the money. Hopefully I’ll get that answer in the coming months, or else it’s another year of avoidance.

Overall, I enjoyed Microsoft’s presentation for the Xbox 360 for the rest of the year and beyond. No terrible actors, no casual kiddy games taking control of the show, no fist bumping. Microsoft went back to what made them successful since the beginning and left the majority of fans, including myself, happy. Time to get my wallet ready for another busy season.

Memories of E3

On Monday, the extravaganza begins. The madness known as E3 gets underway. A week filled with games, press conferences, parties, getting together with old friends from miles away, and also meeting new friends for the first time. It’s also an opportunity to get up close and personal with the developers making the games that you love. It’s a week filled with fun and excitement that I’ll never forget.

Back in 2009, I had the chance to attend the big conference while I was with SFX-360 (now Digitalnoob) and it became the highlight of my journalistic career. It’s been a dream for me to attend the big show, and now I can say that I was there. All the big announcements, demos, surprises, parties, and tons of alcohol made for a week of unforgettable entertainment with a great group of friends.

After first arriving in Los Angeles on a Monday nignt from a long flight from Fort Lauderdale the first thing I thought about was “where’s the bar?” Trust me, after a long flight a cold beer feels so much better. LA is a huge city filled with so many bars both hot spots as well as hole in the wall dives. You can’t really walk around so getting a cab was the next best thing, and that’s not that easy to do. By the time you get to a bar you see that your not the only E3 media mogul in attendance. Plenty of other media members are around having drinks and are ready to welcome you. No shop talk this night. Just partying.

When the show finally opened the next day the excitement really kicked in. Being that it was my first E3 I was overwhelmed. You could get lost fast. Two huge buildings filled with publishers and developers who’ve spent tons of cash to showcase their games that would control the sales for the rest of the year and beyond. Posters, billboards, big screens. E3 is a PR reps worst nightmare due to the fact that it could become “make it or break it” for any new game that doesn’t have the name of Call of Duty, Halo, or Mario. Popular franchises sure had it easy as the media would flock to those locations leaving others in the dust.

So what did I do in this gamer’s paradise? Well considering the fact that I felt like a kid in a candy store I went with the goal of seeing everything. Booth babes attract your attention so that you approach their booth and check out what they had to offer, and the games too. E3 is such a huge show that distraction was everywhere. Yes, I had appointments to fill and developers to interview, but you just can’t help yourself when something cool happens like when a popular celebrity walks on by and you want to get a photo op, or maybe when I was in line for that free redeem code for Battlefield 1943 that EA as giving away at the top of each hour. There’s always something going on and it was important that I was a part of it.

With every booth I visited, I had my business cards going out everywhere. Getting my name out there was important so that the PR reps knew the person who was covering their company’s games. I wanted to establish myself as a member of the media, and not use is as a way to try and get a free handout like most others did. Don’t get me wrong, I did get some free review copies before their eventual release date for me to review, but I never asked them at the show. That was later through constant e-mails and promotion. There’s a good tip for all you young writers out there.

Along with the show itself, there was the parties. When the convention center closed the real action was taking place at every hot spot in the city. Various gaming studios threw lavish parties for all to see. Sometimes getting the invite for the bigger events was the only challenge. gaming may have been the focus of why I was here, but it was the parties that brought out the real fun. I was in LA so it was time for me to enjoy the moment because I won’t get to do this all the time. There was this one party I remember that I attended that was promoting Microsoft Windows 7. Then again the only thing I remembered was getting really drunk and then there was something about a rat in the middle of the street that everyone thought as dead and then suddenly came to life.

After three days and nights of endless work, press conferences, and partying (yes, you really don’t have time for sleeping) it was time to head home. Memories were made, new friends were found, tons of PR contacts were placed in my database, and back to reality was where I was heading. Back to the grind of the day job just wondering when you’ll return back to the madness. For three years I haven’t been able to come back to LA due to work, but I do have this feeling that a return visit may soon be on the horizon. E3 2013? You’ll just have to wait and find out.