OPINION -- E3 2013 Day 1 Coverage: Microsoft, EA, Ubisoft, and Sony Press Conferences

Day One of E3 2013 is over and done, but let's recap some of the best of today's press conferences with my opinions and first impressions.

Ugh, today's been a LONG day - I woke up at noon (EST time) just to watch Microsoft press conference and stayed glued to the streams on IGN all day afterwards.

I apologize if I don't cover EVERYTHING here, but  I will try to cover most of the popular subjects.

Microsoft

• Metal Gear Solid V

Unlike Metal Gear Solid 4 and the upcoming Metal Gear Solid Legacy Collection, this next-gen Metal Gear Solid title will appear on Microsoft's latest platform. I must say it's amazing to see the series evolve their stealth gameplay this much. It seems like Hideo Kojima is trying to out "Splinter Cell" Splinter Cell. The horseback riding gives me that Red Dead Redemption vibe though, but I'm not saying that like it's a bad thing.

No idea if just Ground Zeroes or Phantom Pain are coming to Xbox or the entire package. Kojima is still being rather vague on whether or not MGSV is two separate games or just one split into two parts.

• Ryse: Son of Rome

This 300-like action game seems to take a lot of pages from that previously mentioned film, while managing to look original on it's own.

• Improvements/Changes to Xbox Live Gold

• 100 cap on friend list expanded to 1000
• Restructured Player Reputation System and Reporting
• Your current Xbox Live Gold membership carries over from Xbox 360 to Xbox One
• 2 Free Games per month (Assassins Creed II & Halo 3 in July; Fable 3 available now)

All I can say is about F'N time, Microsoft. The first three releases are old as fuck, but it's better than nothing. At least I finally feel like I'm getting something back for keeping my Gold account for so damn long. We all knew they were going to eventually cave to deliver something similar to PlayStation Plus' marketing plan.

• Sunset Overdrive (Insomniac Games)

I'm surprised to see these guys finally giving up the ghost and supporting Microsoft in creating a new IP. The rail-riding mechanic kind of reminds me a bit of the one used in BioShock: Infinite. 

• Dead Rising 3

Dead Rising is back to usher in the coming of yet another new Microsoft platform. I honestly never saw the big deal with these games, but to each his/her own I guess. The amount of zombies onscreen is insane though. I would love to these numbers in a Resident Evil game. 

• Killer Instinct (Xbox One Exclusive)

At first glance, these character models look a bit iffy as it seems like this game is in the VERY early stages, much like Street Fighter IV was when Capcom first showed it off to the masses. I'm a bit skeptical on the new character designs as Rare's original character designs for Killer Instinct 2 in arcades were stellar for its time and would definitely hold up well today with some polish, so I personally don't see the need to change the designs this drastically. 

Former Tekken series community manager FilthyRich is behind the scenes assisting with the game, which explains his resignation from that position a few weeks ago. I'm VERY anxious to see how this revival turns out. 

• Project Spark

Lots of innovative potential here. This could be the next commercial hit like Minecraft is on both Xbox Live and on PC. 

• Halo (Xbox One)

Two questions - why is Master Chief wearing a desert cape when his armor protects him from roughly everything anyway? Also, is this Halo 5 or something completely new? 

• Xbox One Details

• Priced at $499 - set to release on November 1, 2013




• DRM required and console MUST connect online at least once every 24 hours for updates




• Online registration for ALL games and MUST be installed to the system hard drive, but players can log into any other console and access their game library from anywhere. 




• Players are limited to sharing/exchanging/trading with friends/family up to 10 people labeled as "friends/family" 




• Integration with smartphones and tablets with SmartGlass app - meaning you can continue your game on your iPad on the go or even play with your friends using the tablet as an extra controller - a demo during the E3 press conference demonstrated its use for setting up a multiplayer match in another game in the background on a tablet while playing another game on the television




• Kinect FULLY integrated into the new console - Voice commands and motion capture gameplay/features are available across the board. On the downside, the console will NOT function without the device turned on.




• Windows OS integration within the Xbox - Microsoft has stated that users can even use Skype FREE on the new console




• Designed to be the center of your home entertainment center - TV/Satellite can be streamed through the console via HDMI input and acknowledge the console's voice commands as well. 

Pretty steep pricing, but I can still see the hardcore enthusiasts still investing in this. It's roughly the same price as a fancy gaming rig. On the plus side, the updated Kinect device is in the box under that price tag. 

• Titanfall

As a fan of anything giant robot related (especially Gundam), I lost my shit when I saw this from the former Call of Duty: Modern Warfare developers. The bigger irony here is that I'm not even a fan of the FPS genre in the slightest. The on-foot pilot gameplay as well as the Titan gameplay both look fun and pretty balanced for the most part. Pilots are just as capable to take out a Titan as a Titan can. 

+ Pros:

• + Microsoft kept their word - this ENTIRE conference was all about the games. 

• + Microsoft takes a step in the right direction towards making Xbox Live Gold as much of a solid commitment as PlayStation Plus.

• + Killer Instinct is back. ULLLLLLLTRRAAAA COOOOMBOOOO!!!!

• + New Halo announcement - if anything can still get people to buy a Xbox One, it's Halo.

• + Titanfall looked amazing. I hope and pray for Microsoft's sake that's an exclusive title.

• + Insomniac Games behind Microsoft could lead to some sleeper hits and new icons that Microsoft has been needing that is not Halo or Gears of War. 

- Cons: 

• - The $499 price tag for the Xbox One is a bit steep. 

• - Lackluster titles up for grabs to kickstart the free games on Xbox Live Gold. C'mon, at least give us something that came out within the last 12 months. 

• - The technical failures during both The Crimson Dragon (no sound) and Battlefield 4 (unorthodox start-up) trailers. 

• - No support for indy developers it seems. 

• - Not enough new IPs and games for launch that are not already scheduled to be multi-platform. 

• - No clarification on the issues confusing and plaguing consumers surrounding the Xbox One

Electronic Arts (EA)

• Battlefield 4

This stunning 64 player demo was truly a marvel to witness during the live conference as all 64 players were shown locally on-stage during the event. Pretty awesome that you can blow up the entire skyscraper with everyone in it. 

• UFC 2014

With each new outing, these games are looking more and more like the actual sport, even down to the smallest detail. I could have done without Dana White and his UFC cronies egging on the developer with their two cents on everything.

• Mirror's Edge 2

EA finally listened to their fans and gave them what they have been asking since the beginning of this current generation of gaming.

+ Pros:

• + NBA Live is back in 2014. Let's hope it doesn't get recalled again.

• + Star Wars: Battlefront is coming back. 

• + These new sports titles are doing a great job at showcasing the visual power of next gen hardware. 

• + Mirror's Edge 2. 'Nuff said.

- Cons: 

• - What the fuck does Drake know about FIFA?

• - Not enough gameplay shown for these upcoming 2014 EA Sports games. 

• - Dana White looked like a retard with his fighters standing up on stage as if they were giving promos for a wrestling match. 

• - No Mass Effect even though EA has openly stated that they are working on the future of the series already. 

Ubisoft

• Rayman Legends

If this is anywhere near as fun as the version I played on a demo kiosk for the Nintendo Wii U, then I might consider picking this up for the nostalgia factor. Besides, I don't have enough kid-friendly games for when my nieces and nephews come over. 

• Trials Fusion (consoles) & Trials Frontier (mobile)

Trials HD was a cult hit during this generation of gaming among downloadable titles and it's great to see that Ubisoft is bringing it back for next gen. 

• The Crew

Out of the many racing games shown today, this is the only one I could see myself playing. I know I suck at these games, but if I could help my friends win the race by knocking the other racers off the road then hell yeah, I'm in. 

• Tom Clancy's The Division

Oh.My.Fucking.God. This seems like Tom Clancy's answer to Borderlands and Left 4 Dead's success. I might have to check this out when they start doing the open beta for it.

• Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist

While it's great to see them bring back the old school look for Sam, it's sad that Ubisoft didn't bring us more awesome gameplay like they showed off last year. It's hard to stay interested in this title when they are taking so long to put this out in players' hands. At this rate they might as well make it a damn launch title for PS4 and Xbox One. 

• Assassins' Creed IV: Black Flag

Much like Assassins' Creed III, I doubt I'm going to touch this one anytime soon. The new pirate environment looks interesting, but it still looks like they are still recycling the same animations from the last 4 games. 

• Watch_Dogs

Wow, just wow on this game. No matter what platform you get it on it's going to be awesome. 

+ Pros:

• + Lots of great games coming from Ubisoft. The conference started off slow but quickly picked up speed. 

- Cons: 

• - That dude was a bit TOO hyped for Peggle 2.

• - The dead silence during the Rocksmith 2014 demo.  

• - The amount of negative comments directed towards Aisha Taylor (especially via Twitter) as Ubisoft's representative this year. 

Sony

• Playstation Vita Upcoming

• Killzone
• The Walking Dead: 400 Days (TellTale Games)
• Final Fantasy X | X-2 HD
• God of War 1 & 2 HD

About time they are focusing more on the Vita. With Pokemon X|Y on the horizon, it's do or die time for this handheld.

• The Last of Us (releases 6/11/13)

This game looks to be more larger than life each time I have a chance to watch gameplay from it. I totally envy you guys with a PlayStation 3 who are lucky enough to get to experience this when it releases tomorrow. 

• Puppeteer

In an era of gaming that seems to be over-saturated with console-based shooters, it's a breath of fresh air to see platformers still alive and kicking. 

• Rain

I don't know why Sony didn't spend more time with showing off this title. It looks really unique to be wondering the world as a ghost. I guess we'll get more information on this later down the road. 

• Beyond: Two Souls

I'm confused here. I thought when they showed this game off last year it was supposed to be a murder mystery game, but now it looks like Ellen Page is training to be the female Solid Snake/Sam Fisher. I don't doubt that this game is going to be good, but they really need to clarify what this game is going to be about. 

• Gran Turismo 6

C'mon, I know you guys aren't surprised. Every new Sony console has to have Gran Turismo. It's a given. 

• Batman: Arkham Origins

• Adam West Batman exclusive costume DLC

• Knightfall Batman exclusive costume DLC

I had to laugh that the Adam West Batman was advertised as an exclusive. The sad part is that this trailer was leaked online earlier today before any of the conferences started. The new voice actors for Batman and The Joker aren't bad at all now that we have had a chance to hear them in-game. The new gadget looks cool, but is it just me but didn't the graphics take a slight bit of a downgrade?

For those wondering, this is NOT an exclusive to PS3 nor PS4. 

• Grand Theft Auto V (Exclusive Bundle)

• The Order | 1886 (ReadyAtDawn)

I wish they showed more gameplay but from first glance it looks like Hansel & Gretel: Vampire Hunters mixed with Left 4 Dead. 

• Killzone: Shadow Fall

I still say this series lost my respect when it was reduced to Sony's answer to Halo whereas the original Killzone game on PlayStation 2 was its own entity. Between this, Resistance, and Destiny, Sony does NOT need anymore shooters on its console.

• DriveClub

Another racing game... It looks gorgeous. I'll say that much. 

• Infamous: Second Son

I'm glad that the protagonist of these games is no longer a cheap knock-off of Static Shock. The new fire/vapor-based powers look very bad ass in this teaser. 

• Knack

And here I thought this was just going to be a simple kids game. Looks like a pseudo-knock of that Monsuno anime but made into a video game. 

• The Dark Sorcerer

Immediately going into this trailer, I was thinking "Oh great another Lord of the Rings/medieval bullshit game..." but then they pull the curtain back and it's a complete troll. Sony promises to have the rest of the trailer up on their website tomorrow. 

• Indy Developer Support

• Transistor (SuperGiantGames)
• Mercenary Kings
• Secret Ponchos
• Outlast
• Oddworld: New & Tasty (HD remake of the original)
• Galak-Z

Mad props to Sony here. Many people have heard about the development hell that indy developers have to go through just to get their games on Xbox Live Arcade, while here Sony is welcoming them to their side of the fence with open arms. 

• Diablo III (PS3 & PS4 support)

• Final Fantasy Versus XIII (Final Fantasy XV)

I figured Square Enix's big announcement was this. Much like with Final Fantasy XIII, that was set to be the last title on the PlayStation 2 (originally to be what we know as Final Fantasy XII), but was delayed and repackaged as a PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 title to take advantage of that technology. Now we are seeing the same thing here. Versus XIII was supposed to be a current generation RPG, but it seems Square Enix wants to capitalize on the upcoming PlayStation 4's processing power for this title and release it as it's own entity rather than being bound to the Final Fantasy XIII tie-in packages.

From first glace, it seems that this will be using a similar action-oriented style of gameplay similar to Kingdom Hearts and NIER. I don't know about you guys, but I'm glad that Square Enix has finally realized that the days of turn-based classic JRPGs are dead. It's good to see the Final Fantasy series try something new.

After the commercial success of Final Fantasy XIII, I doubt this is going to be a Sony exclusive at all, especially with how well XIII and XIII-2 did on Xbox 360. 

• Kingdom Hearts III

I was in high school when the last entry of this series came out and finally ten years later, we get a confirmation of a legitimate sequel instead of another bullshit spin-off or sidestory. Welcome back, Sora. 

Now I wonder how much longer we have to wait to actually play this? The release date at the end of the trailer only said, "When it's ready..." If we have to wait another five or more years, then Sony and Square Enix need to be slapped. 

• Final Fantasy XIV (PS3 & PS4 support)

• Assassins' Creed IV: Black Flag

• Assassins' Creed III: Liberation's protagonist as exclusive DLC

This is like what, the third time today that we had to endure more footage from this game. I know that this series is making Ubisoft a pretty penny yearly, but do we have to endure three different conferences of gameplay for this game like it's new? Ubisoft should have done all of the gameplay during their conference and called it a day.

• PlayStation 4 Details

• Priced at $399 - set to release this holiday season

• No DRM or online registry for games

• Not required to be online - Fully playable offline

• Players can openly trade and exchange games among friends

Well done, Sony, well done. You have successfully quelled most players' fears with the Xbox One and provided them with a safe alternative. 

+ Pros:

• + Sony manages to outshine Microsoft in every way possible with this conference, causing several Xbox faithfuls consider jumping ship for the next generation of gaming.  

• + It was a nice touch to remind people about The Last of Us before its release tomorrow. 

• + Sony secured exclusive deals with both Warner Bros. Interactive and Square Enix that really paid off here today. 

• + Indy developers are allowed to shine on both the PS3 and PS4. 

• + A staggering variety of titles, especially new IPs shown on this conference. 

- Cons: 

• - You're still going to have to purchase the camera separate even though you pick up the PS4 at $399.

• - No release date for both Kingdom Hearts 3 and Final Fantasy XV. 

• - Not enough time to show off the indy titles and some of their other IPs. Time could have been cut from Assassins' Creed IV: Black Flag to show off the other new IPs. 

Day 1 Afterthoughts:

+ Pros: 

• + Lots of innovative and original ideas coming from all ends of the table today. Every conference had at least 2 or more games that just blew your socks off. 

• + Sony got the message and listened to gamers, answering our prayers.

• + For the first time in many years, Square Enix made an impressive impact at E3. 

- Cons: 

• - TOO many new shooters and racing games on the horizon. I thought I wouldn't be this annoyed with almost every other new trailer during all of the conferences was for a new FPS or racing simulator. You know it was too much when even they are promoting games oriented for kids to be shooters as well. So much for the United States developers trying to tone down the guns in gaming after those school shootings last year huh?

• - Double standards in media coverage for this year's show. Several websites didn't skip a beat to immediately post the comment made between the Killer Instinct lead producer and one of Microsoft's female reps playing against each other when he told her to "Sit back and take it." Anyone from the FGC can tell you that phrase means to sit back and take this loss or beating. Instead, the media associates the comment towards him wanting to rape her. Later this evening, Ubisoft's female representative (Aisha Taylor) made several jokes concerning porn and other adult-oriented behavior that were merely brushed underneath the rug. 

• - All of the hatred towards Microsoft. There was so much hate from gamers all around the world, looking towards Microsoft to fail in this console war. Most of you don't realize what would happen if no other contenders are left to challenge Sony. They would charge us whatever they want to get our money. They already beat Nintendo back in the PSone and PlayStation 2 era, and continues to do so now. I get that Sony is our savior right now, but don't forget that Sony was in Microsoft's shoes back when they debuted the PlayStation 3. Now the shoe is back on the other foot. 

• - The used game dilemma doesn't stop with just Microsoft & Sony. Sure, Sony has expressed that you can trade and exchange games with friends, but that does not mean that publishers like EA cannot slap on used game fee, regardless that they are scrapping their current registration fees and practices.