Despite being a video game expo, an industry not known for its physical involvement, just one day navigating the show floor can reduce you to a wheezing pulp. But it's all worth it, and we've got the industry skinny to prove it.
First thing to be seen this morning was Alan Wake, a psychological action thriller from Remedy, the same Finnish studio that did the Max Payne series. And holy fucking wow, does it have asskicking potential. According to Petri Jarvilehto and Sam Lake, lead game designer and lead writer for Alan Wake, the story is based on an unnamed TV series, and draws on many American horror and thriller movies. Being Remedy employees, they're both native Finns, and were clearly proud of what they had to show off. Just as in Max Payne…
…they were all about the atmosphere and the "feel" of the game. That said, they've created some of the most amazing lighting, physics, and environmental effects to make their game come to life. The sky can transition from a clear blue day to a foreboding thunderstorm in real time, adding blowing winds and lighting bolts to heighten the effect. A real-time moveable Sun creates shadows, as do player controllable light sources, and apparently will play a huge part in gameplay. Remedy is a relative n00b to doing wide open scenes, like the world of Alan Wake, but pulled it off quite well. Also new to Remedy is vehicles, which play a part in Alan Wake, and have the distinct look of Grand Theft Auto. But regardless, I have confidence in Remedy to create a psychological asskicker.
Then I found the EA booth, and had the honor of running into Marcus Nilsson, executive producer for Battlefield 2: Modern Combat. While playing Modern Combat, I asked him about the similarities between Battlefield 2 and the Battlefield 1942 mod Desert Combat. Rather than denying the relation, like I thought he would, he said right out that EA acquisition of Trauma Studios was not just a business move, but a move to bring the most popular 1942 mod to the mainstream. I might have gave him crap for such blatant plagiarism, but Battlefield 2 works so well, I'm left with nothing to bitch about. Whereas Desert Combat had rough edges, more than a few bugs, and serious balance issues, DICE has done an excellent job of bringing professional polish to an excellent mod. The Xbox version is just OK, but the PC version is everything I could ask for. The pacing is just right, the weapons work well, and the overall balance is excellent.
I also got around to the Saitek booth, and got to check out some of their latest and greatest. The first picture is their new joystick/throttle combination, which is essentially a revamp of their previous model. On the throttle is an active display, showing which shift mode you're in, as well as including a stopwatch. The joystick is even more functional and smooth than the previous model. Ball bearings give movement a more precise feel, while no less than six shift modes allow you to program each button with six different functions. The second picture is Saitek's new function pad, popular with FPSers and RTSers, since each button is fully scriptable. The new line of pads is now backlit for that extra level of cool, and includes a hat switch for even more functionality. And of course, being Saitek products, each is adjustable to fit your hands for maximum comfort.
Weezer got excited when he saw the DDR booth, but was wrongfully denied when the video feed went to hell just as Weezer stepped up to the controller.
This little oddity was running around the floor entrance, running down expogoers and booth babes alike.
Diamond Comic Distributors was showing off their line of Advent Children toys, geared for the US market and priced around $30. Also shown Xtreme Beach Volleyball line and Halo lines, all works of art.
This sexy thang was seen in roaming around. I have no clue what she was advertising, nor do I care.
Though I still believe that the GBA Micro is generally useless, I will say that it is one sexy piece of hardware. Light, sleek, and ergonomic, it's something I'd be happy to tote around on a wristband.
And with that, I'll leave you with Weezer's contribution to the show floor. I'm surprised no booth staff told us to get the fuck out.
