f there is anything I have learned from years of walking the halls of convention centers from Seattle to Toronto, it is to pace yourself.
Tuesday afternoon Chris and I made our way to the LA Convention Center amongst droves of fellow E3 goers in the balmy heat of midday. We arrived at the main entrance where we saw the enormous posters that have graced the face of these great buildings many years before.
We immediately stopped as we approached a rather large mountain of cash locked safely inside a display case. "Hey look — money!"
If there is anything I have learned from years of walking the halls of convention centers from Seattle to Toronto, it is to pace yourself.As we made our way into the lobby of the convention center, a familiar rush of excitement washed over me. Over there, the familiar welcome sign, and then there was the stairs with FINAL FANTASY so cleverly hidden between the lines, to the right stood a giant screen that played a trailer for The Force Unleashed 2, and then upstairs — where we choose to wait for the flood gates to open — the legendary line for Starbucks coffee.
The clock struck high noon and the doors opened, ushering in the sequel of the return of E3. We headed straight for the Microsoft booth where four Xbox Slims beckoned us to play the Crackdown 2 demo. Oh, how we played. We collected agility orbs, discovered new kinds, and just generally messed up the place. It was fun.
Fable III and Super Meat Boy were next, and my goodness is my interest piqued. Fable III still has your adorable canine sidekick and the same gorgeous level designs, but with the added bonus of allowing you to interact more with NPCs and whomever you may choose to play cooperatively with. I initially dismissed this last claim until the lady with the adorable accent said that it was possible to marry your co-op partner and have a child. Now that sounds cool.
Super Meat Boy may sound like a horrible experiment gone wrong, but everything about this game is just right. From the trail of meaty juiciness left behind by our hero to the hilarious overlayed replay at the end of each level — this game is sure to entertain. This is one Xbox Live Arcade title that I will be downloading ASAP.
Have you ever wondered what the next iteration of the Marvel vs. Capcom series would be like? After years of watching the best of the best play MvC 2 in arcades it was such a thrill to see the third chapter in all its glory. Faster-paced (if that is even possible) and chock-full of new characters from both sides, there is no reason not to own this game on day one.
Let's talk about booths. I have heard that in the past, every year was about outdoing the last but this year rings a different tune. The Big Three are sporting slightly modified if not the exact same fortifications as in 2009, and why not? If it isn't broken, please do not spend triple that of my annual salary on a new look for a three-day show!
Since actions speak louder than words, here's a deluge of photos to whet your appetite for Day 2 of the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2010.
