Microsoft Keynote – E3 2011
Posted by
SpectralShock
on
Another E3 has arrived, and with it, we get the chance to see the latest and hottest upcoming games. Kicking thing off this year, much like previously, was Microsoft. After the announcement of 360 Slim and full Kinect reveal last year, MS didn’t have too many aces up its sleeve. Nontheless, the publisher was able to impress with a wide variety of titles for both hardcore audiences and casual gamers alike. And even somewhere in-between, with announcements such as Minecraft support and new TV functionality.
And as last year, things kicked off with a loud and explosion-filled demo of Call of Duty. Modern Warfare 3 is set to arrive this year, and the demo included a level that started off swimming alongside a submarine. Not long after, the demo took the audience inside the explosion on the submarine, and then a hectic chase through a harbor. It was more of the same really, action-filled setpieces and the usual “Follow” instructional marker on your ally. Call of Duty is known for their explosive, yet rather short campaigns, and the demo showed that MW3 is likely to be more of the same, though only time will tell.
Next up was a somewhat surprising showing of Tomb Raider. For the first time, a live gameplay demonstration was shown. Lara, finding herself trapped, escaped from the holding area and navigated a dangerous dungeon filled with enemies and puzzles. The path was linear, and with many QTE events. The couple of puzzles that were presented seemed quite straight forward as well. On the other hand, Lara’s new style seems to be working quite well and it’s intriguing to see what the developers will come up with.
Cliff B appeared on stage for Epic Games, to demo the latest level for Gears of War 3, though no further news came of it.
EA Sports came with a few announcements regarding widespread Kinect support for their titles. Not to be outdone, Ghost Recon Future Soldier and Mas Effect 3 also claimed their Kinect ability. Perhaps most impressive in the whole Microsoft conference was the Mass Effect 3 speech recognition announcement. Using voice and Kinect, ME3 players will be able to give basic commands to their squad during action, such as to move or to attack by calling out the name of the companion. As well, players will be able to use their voice to select conversation options in the game by pronouncing the desired response. This is easily the most technically intriguing feature of Kinect revealed to date for the hardcore gaming audience.
The second technological advancement was the announcement of Kinect FunLabs, which are tools that allow gamers and developers to use the peripheral for more than just party games. Originally announced as a feature, software was finally revealed that would allow Kinect to scan real-life objects and people, and bring them into a virtual world.
Other titles involved with Kinect included Fable Journey, Disneyland Adventure, Minecraft, and Forza 4. The racing game was also given a new trailer and dated for October 11th of this year.
Xbox LIVE got a few new features, namely YouTube integration and the ability to manage and watch live TV. Bing voice search was also announced for the platform, alongside a newly redesigned XBL interface with full Kinect support for easier navigation.
Last, but not least, Microsoft revealed that the original Halo will be remade for the Xbox 360, but not just by upgrading the graphics. 343 Industries will refine the whole game, including new textures and lighting technologies that weren’t possible in the original. The remake is set to ship this year, though no price was mentioned. This is a good move for Microsoft, given that it always works for Nintendo and has mostly been well done by Sony as well. Given the price is reasonable, a good number of sales is likely thanks to the updated XBL functionality and restoration of multiplayer maps to boot.
Closing out the show was a teaser of Halo 4. Though it provided little actual information, it’s enough for fans to get excited about the franchise again. Being touted as a “new trilogy”, seems like Microsoft are hoping to re-create their success with the franchise all over again. Who knows, it could happen.
As the curtains closed (though not really, as there were no curtains), this was a good showcase for Microsoft. The lineup of exclusive games and features may be getting a little thin, and no hardware announcements were made, as expected. Though not as strong as last year, Microsoft’s E3 2011 keynote left fans with a lot to get excited about.