Toomanywires

I'm attending Tokyo Game Show 2011 next Thursday and Friday. Be sure to check back throughout next week for news, updates and hands-on impressions. With Tokyo Game Show 2011 just around the corner, now is the ideal time to look back at last year's event and revisit and re-evaluate some of the biggest announcements and no-shows. Despite being noticeably scaled-down in comparison to previous years, many in the industry viewed TGS 2010 as a return to form after an uneventful showing in 2009, though I found myself a little disappointed by what was, and wasn’t, on offer. 2010 was a solid, if unspectacular showing, with no one defining game or moment. Still, there was plenty to keep me busy as I covered both press days for critical gamer and my own blogs. I fought through sore legs, the stench of a thousand men wilting in the humidity of Japanese September, and the stupor of a few too many beers the night(s) before, to check-out dozens of games and attend several appointments.  ...

In September, I attended Tokyo Game Show 2010 as press. These previews were originally posted at criticalgamer and my blog over at 1UP . Gun Loco is an Xbox 360 exclusive, third person shooter from Square-Enix. It’s set on a prison planet inhabited by a number of extremely disturbed individuals, where inmates entertain themselves by dressing up and massacring each other. The tone and appearance of the characters, along with the mix of humour and violence, initially reminded me of the Timsplitters series. However, a 15 minute hands on with the singleplayer campaign quickly tempered such comparisons. During the hands-on, Gun Loco was plagued by random enemy spawning, terrible ally AI and “who can shoot the other person in the face more than five times wins” stand-offs. Other frustrations included being one shot killed by an unannounced mini boss, and constantly finding one of your rabbit headed allies wandering in front of you for a slug to the back of the head. It rema...

In September, I attended Tokyo Game Show 2010 as press. These previews were originally posted at criticalgamer and my blog over at 1UP . Square-Enix are returning to the Parasite Eve canon in the form of The 3rd Birthday on the PSP. A spin-off of sorts, it's a third person over the shoulder shooter set in the near future, featuring our familiar heroine, Aya Brea. The 3rd Birthday was one of the most impressive portable demos on show at TGS, looking and controlling great on Sony's portable. The demo is situated in a desolate city overrun with the Twisted, strange organic creatures, all spikes and tentacles. Doing away with the Twisted isn't particularly challenging as the R button provides a convenient lock-on feature, and an automatic cover system allows for simple duck, pop and shoot progression. The difficulty was amped up slightly for the larger bosses but they aren't really a match for Aya. And just for the record, I didn't notice the lead's jeans...

In September, I attended Tokyo Game Show 2010 as press. These previews were originally posted at criticalgamer and my blog over at 1UP . During a recent tour of their large TGS booth, Tecmo Koei were eager to point out that their forthcoming releases don't only cater to their existing, predominantly Japanese audience. Best known for the Musou series (Dynasty Warriors), but also home to the Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive franchises, Tecmo Koei hoped to exhibit their versatility, whilst still playing to their well established strengths. The tour didn't exactly start off with a bang, opening with a muted Quantum Theory stage show featuring the senior members of the development team struggling through a deathmatch. But word is already out on Quantum Theory, so Ill refrain from adding to the woe here. After some polite smiles and a handful of stifled yawns we finally moved on and I was shown two forthcoming titles of note; Warriors: Legends of Troy and Trin...

In September, I attended Tokyo Game Show 2010 as press. These previews were originally posted at criticalgamer and my blog over at 1UP . The spiritual successor to the critically acclaimed Okami, Okamiden looks to capture the charm and appeal of its predecessor and transfer it to the DS. Going by the TGS English demo, Capcom appear to be well on their way to doing just that. Taking place after the events of the first game, the demo opens in a flooded forest with the player taking control of a young boy named Kuni and Chibiterasu, a celestial wolf cub born of the sun goddess Amaterasu. If merchandise is anything to go by, this adorable pup has already hit it off with the Japanese public with his likeness plastered on everything from mugs to keychains, and even his own pair of slippers. Exploration, puzzles and combat ensue as the pair take-in their distinctive surroundings, moving from the roof of a partially submerged temple to a darkened cave, whilst fighting off demons, intera...

The second and final press day of TGS 2010 is now history. Hordes of fans will now descend on Makuhari Messe for the next two days, turning what were once 20 minute queues into 3 hour tests of endurance. Here are some of my thoughts from Fridays festivities, with lots more in-depth, game by game impressions to follow over the next few days, including 3rd Birthday, Killzone 3 with Move & 3D, Okamiden, El Shaddai and much more. KINNECT - Stevie (thedogbarks) and I decided that as soon as the hall doors opened we would make a beeline for the Microsoft stand to try out Kinnect, hoping to beat the lines from yesterday. When we got there, we saw a staff member placing his magnetic numbers onto the sign that informs you of the wait time. We were happy to see "10", but then he added a further "0" to the end. "Bollocks to that" I said and we played 3rd Birthday instead. ZOMBIES - As has been well documented, zombies seemed to be doing a good job of ta...

Just a quick post for now, as its 12.10am and I have only just arrived home from TGS Day 1, slightly worse for wear/beer. I will have in-depth impressions and more pictures from Friday onwards. Overall, despite some interesting titles and announcements, I came away from TGS Day 1 mildly disappointed. There was no playable Last Guardian demo nothing on Metal Gear Solid Rising, and Final Fantasy XIII Versus only made the briefest of appearances in the form of a tantalizing 20 second video. More on that another time. Why cant Valkyria Chronicles 3 be on the PS3, instead of the PSP? Mega Man Universe on Hard difficulty made me want to punch myself in the face, repeatedly. Its extremely embarrassing playing Marvel Vs Capcom 3 with a beat-em-up pro sitting next to you. Especially when you are only mashing 2 of the 6 available buttons on your fighting stick. El Shaddai really stood out from the crowd. It has a style and atmosphere all of its own, as well as the best looking booth ...

I will be attending Tokyo Game Show 2010 this Thursday and Friday and covering the event here, my blog at 1UP.com and over at www.criticalgamer.co.uk. I'm temporarily back in Japan, braving the unusually hot and humid weather (even by Japan standards) and clutching my press pass for TGS 2010. Between catching up with family and friends, epic Karaoke sessions, eating four meals a day just to ensure that I can fit in all my favourite dishes, beer gardens and Akihabara, I have found time to cobble together a prelude to the show. Be sure to check back from Thursday onwards as I will be posting impressions and pictures from the show floor. So, with Tokyo Game Show only days away, now seems like the perfect time to re-evaluate some of the biggest announcements and games from TGS 2009. Year in and year out we are seduced by the next big thing, teased by developers and publishers anxious to show off their wares. Despite a scaled-down show and widespread concerns about the health of t...