Week in Gaming: E3 2011 Edition

Final Fantasy XIII-2 - While definitely a lasting name in the world of games, the latest entries to the Final Fantasy franchise have been very much polarising. Saying nothing of the irredeemable flop that was the Final Fantasy XIV MMO; Square Enix are taking a step back to Final Fantasy XIII, the FF of the current console generation, loved for its beautiful aesthetics, and criticised for its unrelenting linearity. We don't know if that pressing flaw has been addressed in this sequel of sequels, but the new snippets of characters and gameplay have my interest.

If anyone remembers the other sequel spinoff Square did with Final Fantasy X-2; that game took the existing world and story of FFX, and ran wild with it, going for a bombastic, Charlie's Angels approach to the plot and cast. What we have here isn't quite so dynamic of a change, but the approach is a fresh one. You play as Sarah, sister to the protagonist of FFXIII, partnered with a new character, Noel. They are stand out from their counterpart heroes in that they have the ability to capture and use enemy monsters in battle. Taking a cue from mother monster-battle games (Pokémon, duh), enemies defeated in battle can dispense a Monster Crystal that will summon the beast to your aid. NB

Kirbi Wii (Working Title) - Kirby's Epic Yarn was magical, but it wasn't the kind of gaming experience that everyone was looking for. Though it wasn't to the game's detriment, the lack of Kirby's trademark enemy-swallowing and ability copying powers were missed. But they return for this new title, along with 4-Player Co-op, and the ability to play as King DeDeDe, Meta Knight, and... a Waddle Dee, the weakest enemy in the game.

Each player takes contol of one character, so expect a squabble over who gets to be the the masked swordsman. Kirby is by far the strongest, since he retains his copy powers, but all the characters have their own special abilities, and can team up for special effects, setting it apart from New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Cool releases like this show that Nintendo isn't about to abandon their current hardware just yet for the new technology. NB

SSX (Working Title?) - I have always loved snoboarding video games, moreso than any other sports game - and SSX has always been a quality staple (With the exception of the near-unplayable SSX Blur for Wii). SSX has been teased at for a while, and initially it seemed to be going for a grim, gritter aesthetic, which was at odds with the bright and silly tone of the series. Fortunately with recent videos that idea seems to have been dropped - with impossible mountain geometry and gravity-defying Uber Tricks making a return. The characters still look a little too serious, but it's nothing too worrying. The best new feature has to be the freestyle courses where the impact of yor tricks forcibly alters the landscape. NB

Minecraft - Hardly surprising that I’d pick Minecraft, given my unabashed love of the game. The announcement of the game for the 360 was certainly a surprise though - while we knew it was coming for Anrdoid on the Sony Xperia Play (formerly known as the PlayStation Phone), the Xbox 360 version will include Kinect support. If said support is anything like what modders have come up with (ie, the ability to import 3D objects from the real-world into the game-world) it should certainly be interesting, though how the game, which makes such a reliance on Internet updates, will make the transition to physical media, remains to be seen. CD

Pokédex 3D - It was technically released DURING the expo, and hence is already out, but I’m so impressed with it I wanted to include it here. While it’s not exactly a Triple-A title or anything, the ability to see your Pokémon in 3D, and even put them into the real world using AR markers, is really cool. The models used are smooth and colourful, a far cry from the blocky ‘mons seen in Pokémon Stadium and Colosseum. While not having full access can be a little annoying (three more are downloaded each day), this is nonetheless a great piece of software, made all the better by its price tag of nothing. CD

Paper Mario 3DS - Surprisingly, given the popularity of the titles, Nintendo neglected to showcase this game at all during their press conference. From the looks of it, it's a return to the series' RPG-style routes, with turn-based combat, a break from the more linear platforming of Super Paper Mario. The introduction of in-battle effects look to make the already dynamic turn-based combat of the series to a new level, which coupled with the series' charm and humour should make for an awesome title. The 3DS certainly looks capable enough to output the graphics at the same standard as the Gamecube too! CD

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