E3 2009: A Few of My Favorite Things

Instead of talking about who won and lost E3, I'm just going to point out a few of my favorite things - from everything I saw out of the expo last week.

First - the games. I thought Sony had the best lineup of games, but that doesn't mean Microsoft and Nintendo are slacking, either. I'm going back and playing through Assassin's Creed again, just because I think it’s a brilliant game and I'm preparing myself for the sequel, all the while trying not to have unreasonable expectations for the title. There's very few things I can find fault with in the original game, and it seems that Ubisoft can only improve on what came before. The look and feel of AC was invigorating, and knowing that the AC2 is set in Italy during the renaissance means that component will likely be carried on. My only question is - will they have pre-order bonuses of some sort? I'm thinking about it… (Note: Also available on the 360, which is the system on which I will likely purchase this title. However, Sony actually had the trailer and game play shown on the PS3 during their press event.)

Next up - Final Fantasy XIII. I've been waiting for this game for a long time, and I have little doubt that it will be outstanding. I'm on the fence on which system to purchase this game - the PS3 for old time's sake, or the 360 to add to my gamerscore? I guess it depends if both versions will be available on day one. Needless to say, I'm drooling on myself just thinking about it.

Mass Effect 2 - I'm excited that ME2 will be able to carry over the moral decisions you made in the first game and that certain characters will return. The only thing I'm worried about is if they focus more on the shooter aspect of the second game and less on the RPG aspect. What I liked about ME was that it combined both elements to make a unique and memorable title, leaning too far toward the shooter aspect will be a downer for me.

Other titles I'm looking forward to in the coming year: Super Metroid - Other M, Gran Turismo PSP, Forza 3, ModNation Racers, Final Fantasy XIV, New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Borderlands.

Another aspect of these console wars that I think is of note is what I feel Microsoft offers the most - the "whole console experience". While its true, the games make or break a console, it doesn't hurt that Microsoft is going above and beyond to make the Xbox 360 the centerpiece of home entertainment. Things like improved Netflix functionality and integration with Last.fm, Facebook and Twitter all are exciting me.

I think this year's E3 was heads above the previous two years, and all three big companies gave me something to be excited about. I try (although I don't always succeed) to think of the three big consoles as equals - they all have good games and are good for various different types of gamers. That's a good thing - appealing to the widest amount of gamers possible. Maybe one console can't cater to everyone, but all three of them together can. E3 is more than just who has the biggest, baddest titles and exclusives, its more about gaming as a whole and what all three consoles do together to improve the state of the industry.