Posted on 17 August by Corey Brotherson – Content Producer, SCEE
gamescom Diary: Day One
As gamescom 2010 begins its assault on our senses, we’ve already been witness to staggering number of games set to create a stir on PlayStation for the year and beyond. Two conferences were the order of the day, the first kicking things off with a massive Electronic Arts showing.
In an impressively large – and often ear-bleedingly loud – auditorium, the company unleashed a range of titles. Among a massive selection, including a startlingly good trailer for magical role playing game Dragon Age II, some rather special visuals from first person shooter Crysis 2 which showed off an intense multiplayer session, news of FIFA 11 featuring an 11 vs 11 gameplay (as well as the chance to train as a goalkeeper so you’ll have no excuse for butterfingers if you’re the man between the sticks) and the debut showing of The Sims 3 on PS3.
However, the stars of the show came in the glittering shape of two of the company’s most eagerly awaited titles. The big news everyone dared to dream about finally came into reality as BioWare’s acclaimed sci-fi adventure game, Mass Effect 2, was announced for PlayStation 3, due for launch in January 2011. BioWare Group General Manager, Dr Ray Muzyka only had one thing to say about the announcement, which came with some slick games footage and then thunderous applause: “That’s frigging awesome”. Can’t argue with that.
Spine-tingling sci-fi horror Dead Space 2 also took some well earned plaudits, with an incredibly attractive demo showing the series’ star Isaac Clarke taking on some zero gravity as he navigated through space debris towards a colossal space station. Amazing lighting effects and a booming yet atmospheric sound stage made the announcement of a 28 January 2011 launch seem all too far away. Oh, and did we mention that the PS3 version will come in a limited edition pack which includes PS Move compatible title, Dead Space: Extraction, in full High Definition?
The double team of EA and Sony Computer Entertainment became even clear during SCEE’s press conference which followed immediately after, leaving little time to catch our breath (luckily both centres were right next to each other) – as Medal of Honor took part in the SCEE presentation to show off the news of Linkin Park contributing to the game’s soundtrack, while the group’s vocalist Mike Shinoda blazed through a level which saw him taking up the controls of a heavily armoured attack chopper. To top things off, EA announced that Medal of Honor: Frontline would feature in a special limited edition version of the PS3 game.
There were plenty of SCEE titles which impressed too, as the unveiling of Insomniac Games’ Resistance 3 and Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One took everyone by surprise. While not much was shown of Resistance 3, the mysterious teaser video hinted at what you’d want from the first person shooter series – more action, more horror, more Chimera, set across a despairing and desolate backdrop that simply dripped with atmosphere. Closer to the opposite end of the tonal spectrum, sci-fi adventure Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One was a tad more humorous, boasting four player drop-in/drop-out co-operative action for the first time in the series as you choose between the titular heroes, Dr Nefarious and the bumbling Captain Qwark. A lovely demo showed off the sort of livewire co-operative play we can expect in 2011, with puzzles, platforms and boisterously big bosses to contend with.
SCEE president Andrew House also made a big show of the imminent PlayStation Move motion controller and stereoscopic 3D, both of which offered new game experiences – whether it’s racing through the lavish tracks of Gran Turismo 5 (which hits PS3 November), ripping through the Helghast in Killzone 3 or slamming home a winning shot in Virtua Tennis 4. Phew.
We’re barely scratching the surface of what’s at gamescom 2010, which means there’s plenty more to enjoy. Keep reading for more reports fresh from the show floor.
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