GamesCom 2009: Sony Woohoooo, Microsoft Boohoooo

TheMART, 20/08/2009 - Yes indeed. As Xboxkings, we can’t make anything else from what the company's both showed in their conferences. Sony’s conference at GamesCom in Cologne just was a big blowout of several new services on the PSP and PS3, although totally different from this years E3 conference, it showed confidence and they showed they're ready to compete. Microsoft on the other hand let Lionhead do the talking, ofcourse in Peter Molyneux’s person, and the only thing showed in their conference of 10.00 o’clock this morning –where Xboxkings was waiting for some exciting news to emerge- was Fable III. Fable III is a great announcement. But also one that didn’t surprise everyone. Every important IP on a console gets another part, and in 99% of all those games, they start with the next installment as soon as the last one is done. We all know Killzone 3 is made at the moment (release in 2011 is our guess), just as Gears of War III is (Christmas 2010 for sure), like Resistance 3 probably is (2010 release also) etc. etc. Not as likely as a new COD every year, but you got it I guess. So Fable III. Right. And? Wut? Nothing else? Conference is over? Really? You’re joking now, right? No? Lets say this, the worst performance goes to Nintendo, that didn’t held a conference at all. Wankers. But hey, they say the audience that buys a Wii isn’t the GamesCom audience. And what we saw today on the Nintendo/Wii boot: BE GLAD THEY DIDN’T HAVE A CONFERENCE. (auto-resize: 1024x768px, jpeg) But for Microsoft this is unforgivable. Two years ago, Microsoft also didn’t make the best appearance at the Leipzig Games Convention. Their showboot then was in our eyes not as good as Sony’s but still. This year Sony made the difference with their conference. And it doesn’t stop there. Sony also got up their act on the fair itself. Many playable games: God of War III, MAG, Heavy Rain, GT5, Uncharted 2 and some more. We have to say, Microsoft did well with the Forza 3 pods, nice and all that. Halo: ODST had a large space as well, although we hate to say this but Halo: ODST from what we played there… Halo 3.5 confirmed. For the real Halo fan nothing better though. But again, Sony just did better here also. (auto-resize: 1024x768px, jpeg) Nintendo… Well lets say this: all hope is lost for the real gamer. We saw a girl with angel wings in a ‘glass’ bulb with snow in it. You know, a real life replica of those glass bulbs you can shake and snow is falling. Well, this girl stood in it playing some sort of terrible ski game. Lets say all the nerdy gamers thought the sight of it was very sexy, but gaming? Nope. (auto-resize: 1024x768px, jpeg) Then we got to see the most terrifying thing of GamesCom: Sonic and Mario on a bobsleigh and the visitors of the fair could go and sit in front of Mario with their ass right against Mario’s crown juwels. We cannot get this sick image from our minds. (auto-resize: 1024x768px, jpeg) Back to the real games shown though. We’ve talked about Microsoft already, so its Sony’s turn. We’ll just go through it game by game. Let us tell you this: we’ve already seen footage from Uncharted 2 that was great. We can tell you this: in real life its only even better. We’d say, GOTY 2009 confirmed. That’s the good part of the story. The bad part is: God of War III disappoints. Yes, ofcourse it looks better then God of War II on the PS2, no doubt about it. BUT it doesn’t surprise. It doesn’t add anything except for a little bit more gore. Where in Uncharted one can direct the camera to any position wanted, so one can view the entire surrounding in its gorgeous details, God of War III won’t let you. A fixed camera, heck Kratos almost seems to move scripted if one moves the analogue stick. Really, take this serious from what we’ve seen: Uncharted 2 rocks and God of War III not so much. The other games, it’s a mixed bag of experiences. We can say this about MAG: terrible name already confirmed, terrible graphics seen with our own eyes, mediocre gameplay. If everything adds up, known that this dev never brought something really great, keep your money in your pocket for something else that doesn’t scream “Quantity over quality, come see our 256 lagfest!”. Heavy Rain is what many feared, a Quick Time Event button smash CGI video something. It reminded us of the Philips CD-I. Yes we want to bring a new experience with never seen before things done. Problem is, we promised too much and give something very different. Really, the constant QTE’s in choices and things to grab/use/etc. are the breaks in between the cinematics that get triggered by the buttons one chooses. Gran Turismo 5 on the other hand surprised, with actually working damage modeling. We played GT5 and Forza 3 and have to say: we need intensive extra playing time on both and get in the small details as both racing games are top notch. Racing lunatics really should get both games, period. Our conclusion: Sony takes Europe more serious than Microsoft. Since a couple of years already but this year it became very, very clear. Microsoft might get their surprises out full force at the Tokio Game Show, but why fight the impossible war in the land of the rising sun, while you can win Europe by investing more and bringing more on GamesCom Microsoft? Microsoft, we’re disappointed. In anger I’ve just booted up my PS3 and Home to watch Sony’s press conference again. And Nintendo? Just one thing: get your own freaking event, don’t even call it a game event anymore but something like a entertainevent. This ain’t about gaming anymore Nintendo! But then again, they went the route of the nongamers… Your chicks are alright but your games are crap. (auto-resize: 1024x768px, jpeg) Although we have to say the biggest shocker of the pressday was this picture. Suddenly the recently posted article: "Average game addicts are thick and depressed" fits perfectly. (auto-resize: 1024x768px, jpeg) ----

Nice article about GamesCom. And it confirms what i feared, MAG is a big no no, while Uncharted 2 is epic!

Ok Ms does not need to counter every move Sony makes. They can't go announce big games at such a small conference for them. They did a great job, Fable II is the best rpg this gen. Fable III will be another rpg gem.

I lol'd @ this.

On topic, so what? ONE XBox 360 site says Uncharted will be GOTY does it MAKE it that? no, no it does not.

No need for microsoft to do anything, they couldn't care less about this event.

Their E3 showing was more than enough. (Won it with tonnes of room to spare)

Well the topic isnt everything now is it. Content is king.

Sounds like they Didnt like MAG much.

For good reason.

I wouldn't really take these guys' opinions too heavily. They don't seem to know what they're talking about.

Heavy Rain is a QTE button masher? GOW III's only improvement is gore? MAG is boring with mediocre gameplay? It seems like they made the statement about Uncharted 2 just so that they could bash the rest of the upcoming PS3 exclusives without seeming biased

By the way MAG is fucking addictive. I didn't get accepted into the beta yet, but my buddy did and I was playing it all afternoon. I LOVE that game!!! Very sad that fanboys have to bash it.

You wouldn't be saying that if you were in the beta. It's kinda sad that everyone judges it because the graphics aren't AAA quality.

is it laggy at all?