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For the last few days Silicon Fusion has been covering three giant game shows, EGN, Game Stars Live and ECTS. We have had a chance to play-test some of the year's biggest games, and chat to leading publishers and developers on their upcoming titles. To wrap up our coverage, we thought we would take you through a few of the highlights from all three shows.
Game Stars Live
This was the first year for what will surely be a very successful annual gaming event. Game Stars Live was at London's ExCeL exhibition centre in Docklands, and the show included feature-packed areas full of the worlds leading publishers and developers. Game Stars Live also had more eagerly-awaited games to play than we could of dared hope for.
Halo 2
Microsoft encased their blockbuster in a large bunker, complete with an amusement park style queue. Anyone who wanted to see and play what must be the most anticipated title of the year, was forced to queue for an hour or more to be let inside the bunker. Outside a giant screen showed off the E3 multiplayer demo to give waiting fans a taste of what was to come - and to prove, if proof were needed, that it was definitely worth the wait.
Fable
We play-tested Fable at the show and we are happy to report that Peter Molyneux's epic title is everything that we hoped for, and more. From the style and look of this role-playing adventure to the incredible depth of your character and the world around him - Fable is defiantly a contender for game of the year.
Burnout 3
With the release of Criterions third Burnout title at the end of this week, this did not stop us playing what will surely be the greatest arcade racer yet. We played both the PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions of the game, and also witnessed a lag free multiplayer race. Stunning.
Star Wars Battlefront
As a huge fan of the Original Trilogy, I was happy to spend a good hour or so playing Star Wars Battlefront. This Star Wars shooter features all the planets from Episodes I-IV, along with usable vehicles like AT-ST's, speeder bikes, and X-Wing's. Battlefront really does allow gamers to re-live and participate in the classic battles from the films - like never before. We can't wait to get our hands on a finished copy of this title.
EGN
Just across the hall from Game Stars Live, EGN - a trade and press only event where we met many a developer and publisher who showed us their games line-up. Although smaller in size than Game Stars Live, we got to see a few titles that were not being showed anywhere else.
Evil Genius
Vivendi showed us their latest strategy title for the PC, Evil Genius. This title has the look of the 'Theme' titles and did not take itself too seriously. Player will get to control an Evil Genius who has the task of developing a secret underground lair on a deserted tropical island. The game is full of madcap inventions, culminating with a doomsday machine to help you take over the world.
World of Warcraft
Another PC title also caught our eye was Blizzard's War of Warcraft. This Massive Multiplayer Online title sees players based in the world of Azeroth. With thousand of quests, and thousands of items to reclaim and constant updates - this is one adventure you could be playing for many moons to come.
ECTS
Now in its 16th year, ECTS was based in the central London location of Earls Court. Filled with men in suits talking to other men in suits, this game show was very light on games compared to EGN and the spectacular Game Stars Live.
OutRun 2
Sega's Xbox conversion of their hit arcade machine was shown at this years ECTS. In OutRun 2 gamers have only one track to race on, but fortunately there are many different routes the player can race, due to an inter-connected structure. As you reach the end of a particular stage players can choose to turn left or right, this also effects the difficulty level of the race. OutRun 2 is looking every bit as good as its arcade counterpart.
Resident Evil 4
This fourth instalment of Capcom's 'Survival Horror' franchise sees the action continuing six years after the horrific events witnessed in Resident Evil 2. Take control of Leon Kennedy and try to save the President's daughter from what certainly is a crazed origination. Resident Evil 4 is already looking stunning on the GameCube, pushing Nintendo's console to its limits - and the gameplay, this time around, is truly three-dimensional.
The big three shows have now come to an end, and with the success of EGN and particularly Game Stars Live, the future does not look too bright for ECTS in coming years. However, we were lucky enough to be at all three shows, and we saw some of the year's must-have titles and played 'em to death. See you next year.
John Grothier
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