Microsoft E3 Live-Blog/Impressions

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12:04: Conference gets underway in half an hour. Not sure what I’m expecting. I’m pretty sure that a new console won’t be announced, but that doesn’t mean the games can’t flow. I’m betting on seeing that Gears of War prequel, some GTAV, and tons of Kinect lovin’.

You can watch along online here.

12:07: I think Spike TV’s coverage of this is horrendous. Just pick three radical adjectives and you’ve flawlessly described the game. Great journalism, guys.

12:12: Personally, I’m hoping to see Microsoft step away from their…erm, traditional, Kinect presentations. They’ve been heavily scripted and very awkward for the past two years, and I’m sure gearing the presentation towards a more core audience would help them adopt it.

12:14: I don’t care so much for Halo 4, but it’s going to be interesting to see how a non-Bungie studio handles the next game (Halo Wars doesn’t count!).

12:19: Here’s something to keep track of: as the mobile gaming industry becomes more valuable, expect to see a larger, unprecedented turnout of iOS and Android games at E3. I’m not the biggest fan of playing games without buttons, but some do it well (Angry Birds, Groove Coaster, Quarrel). Conversely, I wonder if there will be less focus on the 3DS and Vita this year.

12:19: Here’s my setup. For some reason, the sound on my TV doesn’t work, so I’m streaming the audio from the site I linked to. Ghetto.

12:20: Phil Spencer, Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Studios, is talking heavily about Halo 4 and the importance of the Xbox Live Arcade. Look for a playable demo of Halo 4 on the show floor.

12:24: Oh! I forgot about Tony Hawk Pro Skater HD! If I had an Xbox, I’d get it in a heartbeat. One of my favorite games of all-time. Hoping they keep most of the original soundtrack.

12:25: Stephen Totilo of Kotaku is talking about something called “Xbox Live Companion,” which would allow you to keep track of your Xbox Live stats and account on your phone. Maybe we’ll see it.

12:27: Got my Root Beer ready. Lets get this show on the road!

12:28: On a side-note, looks like Spike TV is hyping a new LucasArts Star Wars game. My question: don’t you think a new Star Wars reveal is too soon after Star Wars: The Old Republic, which came out in December?

12:31: New Halo 4 trailer to start the conference. Showing gameplay, nothing too different with the HUD. Seeing a huge orange ball, Master Chief is looking for “an ancient evil.”

12:34: Ok, that was a joke, but I honestly couldn’t tell what that orange ball creature was supposed to be. Halo 4 is showing ranged terrain, from a desert to inside a forrest. MC is now in a one-on-one battle with a “non-organic” life form.

MC has defeated the being, and It looks like he’s going to get some new guns in this game. Also, enemies have new attack patterns, as evidenced by a teleporting baddie.

12:38: Looks like MC is in the clear, but when he switches to heat vision, he’s way outnumbered. Gameplay ends with MC being struck by that teleporting enemy. Shows more footage of Cortana, and then ends with the words “An ancient evil awakens.” No, I’m not making this up.

12:38: Don Mattrick on the stage for Microsoft, talking about Xbox 360 as a multimedia platform. More on Halo 4 later, as well as “new entertainment partners.” Looks like Microsoft is going to focus more on integrating their devices, from phones to consoles to computers. And here’s another FPS trailer!

12:40: Looks like we’re in the Middle East. A terrorist group has taken a hostage, whose appearance is unknown. And now that hostage is Sam Fischer! New Splinter Cell game.

12:46: Just killed those baddies. Ubisoft is now showing off gameplay. Takes place in Iraq, with Fischer prevent another terrorist attack from happening. It’s actually in 3rd person, combing stealth with shooting. Game is also showing off Kinect integration, with the player shouting into the mic to gain the attention of a guard. Actually pretty cool.

Fischer is now taking cover from enemy fire. Using Kinect, the players can call squad mates to aid in their battle. Player just called for a grenade strike from a fellow soldier using their voice. Looks like Fischer can also make his own decisions, as he killed an insurgent that needed to be brought in for questioning.

12:46 Shipping Spring of next year. Head of EA Sports Andrew Wilson is up to the plate. He’s also touting Kinect integration in FIFA 13 and Madden 13. Here’s a look.

12:47: You can make substitutions and change formations on the pitch without having to stop the game. All with your voice. Also there’s a “ref feedback,” which knows how you react to calls. Cursing included.

12:50: There’s going to be a huge change in Madden, too. Wilson invites quarterback Joe Montana to the stage. Wow.

12:51: Looks like you can call audibles with Kinect. Game kinda looks laggy, though. Montana is also playing as himself. Maybe EA made a deal with the Player’s Association to use legacy players? This was an issue half a decade ago.

12:52: This also seems less scripted than the past two years. I have to say that Microsoft is doing a good job so far.

Here’s a new Kinect game that involves magic. In the trailer, the player creates elemental bolts with his hands, using the orbs to slay enemies. And it’s a new Fable game? What?

12:54: Phil Spencer is back on stage. Touts that this will be Xbox’s biggest year, with Halo 4 and other new games coming out this year. Teasing a new racing IP later, but first they’re showing off this Gears prequel.

Trailer shows fighting with dub step music in the background. Named Gears of War: Judgement.

Also showing off a sneak peek of that new racing IP. Takes place out of dirt roads, and it features older-looking cars. Seems to be heavily influenced by Forza. More dub step is playing as the cars race along locations such as the Grand Canyon. Called Forza Horizon, and coming out Oct. 23rd. Of this year.

12:57: Microsoft is now talking about entertainment options. I love that Metro dashboard that the Xbox 360 uses. Guy on stage is using it Kinect to search for movies. Rolling out more options for foreign language speakers too. The guys is now doing it in flawless Spanish, and Kinect is keeping up perfectly.

12:59: Note that he did that on the same system settings, so Kinect will understand both Spanish and English on the same system. Bringing BBC Video, Nickelodeon, Paramount Movies, and Machinima channels to Xbox.

1:01: Talking about how MLB TV and UFC offerings were successful. Adding new sports, such as the NBA. You can use your league pass to watch live games. Also adding the NHL.

Xbox is going to offer live ESPN shows, such as Sportscenter and ESPN U. Trailer touting Kinect integration, such as switching channels and watching all sports.

1:04: Now focusing on music. New service called Xbox music, which will launch on Xbox and PC. Trailer shows that it looks very similar to the Zune interface (R.I.P. buddy).

1:06: Doesn’t look too different from current offerings. Last entertainment announcement: looks like Nike is coming to Xbox. Trailer features analytics to increase fitness. Brings the experience of the Nike campus, which trains athletes under the Nike brand, to the living room.

1:09: Talks about Nike Fuel, which measures athletic performance during workouts. This will come to Kinect in a service called “Kinect Training.” Gives same realtime feedback that the athletes get.

Also provides a venue for people to challenge others in fitness contests. “Redefines personal training at home.”

1:11: Trailer shows off virtual workouts. Coming Holiday season. Now Microsoft is talking about device connectivity. “Xbox Smartglass” will fix that. Brings interactivity between devices.

Trailer shows tablet playing a movie that continues from the same place on the Xbox. You can also browse information about actors in the movie on the table. Here’s a cool feature: tablet is keeping track of where the other characters are in an episode of Game of Thrones.

This is what Microsoft calls “multi-screen entertainment.” Here’s how games will use it. You can call plays in Madden on your tablet, and the play will run in realtime on your tablet. In Halo 4, you can look up “Waypoint Data” on your device and get notifications to play against friends.

1:17: Microsoft is really pushing that new Lumia phone. Announcement that Internet Explorer is coming to Xbox! Demoing the new service by looking up trailers to Prometheus, which shows all the available trailers in a Metro-like grid.

1:20: Using Smartglass to scroll the webpage on screen with the tablet. Xbox is shaping to become a media hub. IE launches for the Xbox this fall.

1:21: Smartglass works with all devices “you already own.” Will this apply for my iPhone? We’ll just have to see.

Looks like Xbox’s future is in device connectivity.

1:22: New Tomb Raider footage! Touts a new direction for the franchise. Laura Croft is tasked with saving someone from danger. She zip lines fearlessly into combat! Looks like Laura has a bow and arrow in this game, and she uses it to fire at enemies.

The arrows are also used to target and detonate exploding barrels, thus taking out masses of enemies. She also stabbed someone in the neck. Ooh.

After falling into a river, Croft attempts to get back up. She somehow falls into a plane and grabs the parachute before plunging further. She glides to safety, but has not helped her friend yet.

1:27: Gameplay ends. This looks a lot like Uncharted. Devs also promise that DLC is first coming to Xbox.

1:28: Phil Spencer is back, talking about new IPs. Next three titles are all new. First one is by Signal Studios.

Many feudal, demon warriors are battling each other in an open tundra. Magic is abound, with spells being cast to finish off enemies. These warriors are huge, and the main character is battling one by walking up his body. Called Ascend, comes out in 2013.

1:31: Next game is called Loco-Cycle, about a girl bike? Huh? By Twisted Pixel, coming out in 2013 as well.

1:32: Next game looks to be a puzzle game, with metallic balls traversing platforms. Made specifically for Kinect, coming out in 2013.

1:32: Now more information on Resident Evil 6. The two protagonists are in Raccoon City, surrounded by hundreds of Zombies. Leon, featured in Resi 4, sneaks around, trying to find a safe room. He faces a horde of zombies in a stairwell, but kills them with precise shooting and grenades.

As with most Resident Evil games, the game is in 3rd person. Leon is grappled by a zombie but uses QTEs to break free. Suddenly, Leon must escape a huge explosion, taking out everything in the city. He and his partner rush to the safety of a helicopter. Gameplay ends with Leon kicking a hanging zombie off his leg.

The helicopter driver is revealed to be a zombie! As they dispatch the undead, Leon has to regain control of the copter, but fails to do so and crashes in the middle of another huge zombie horde. Gameplay ends.

1:38: Showing off new XBLA title, Wrecketeer. Features shooting cannonballs into castles, using Kinect to guide the shots. Looks to be Angry Birds in 3rd. Coming out this summer.

1:40: SOUTH PARK GAME FOOTAGE. Dialogue by Cartman, calls upon a savior to save South Park from peril. And you get to be that savior! Looks to be an turn-based RPG, with really fluid South Park animation. This actually looks pretty cool. And Trey Parker and Matt Stone are coming up. Parker’s using his South Park voice!

1:42: Named South Park: The Stick of Truth. Developed by Obsidion, but that isn’t news. Parker and Stone wanted the game to look exactly like the show, and are very pleased with the event. Focus is on you being the new kid, to become the “fifth” of the four boys.

1:44: New dancing game by Harmonix. Dance Central 3. Nothing’s changed too much from the past games besides the soundtrack. Looks like we get a concert from Usher showing off his new moves. This is totally games, you guys. At least I get a break.

1:47: Being serious, I think this is Microsoft’s best E3 in three years. Before it started I said that they had to show the Kinect being used for more core games, and they did (and pretty well too). Maybe not many games were shown, but still pretty solid.

In case you care, Usher is dancing to his song in Dance Central 3 and playing it. And now he’s done. Back to work.

1:49: Don Mattrick is back. “We’re ushering in an age of new entertainment.” Heh, puns. Reaffirms Microsoft’s commitment to the Xbox becoming the entertainment hub of the home. Also committing to multiscreen entertainment. Closing with another blockbuster game!

1:50: It’s Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. Right now the player is in a first person conversation. Fun stuff. You’re going to protect the president somehow, but explosions are going on around your convoy, which just tipped over. When your character comes to, you’re in the middle of battle.

You take control of a turret, which you use to shoot at enemy aircrafts. The battle continues on foot, as you continue to fight along the freeway. Still protecting the president, you use technology to snipe enemies inside a truck. Look at all these headshots.

1:55: The area is clear, but the gameplay skips towards the end of the mission. Looks like you’re in LA, by the way. You’re now fighting in a mall, taking cover as you fight the enemies. Nearby, a huge building falls.

You come to again, and the president took some fire. You gotta get her to safety! Now you’re in a plane, protecting the vehicle that’s taking the president to the hospital. You’re shooting at enemy gun ships. Black Ops 2 comes out 11/13/12.

2:02: And that’s the show! I liked the Kinect integration in the core games as well as Xbox’s future entertainment options. It remains to be seen if the Xbox Smartglass will be used as much as Microsoft promised or if consumers will adopt it. The games lacked variety, and the ones that did had little information released about them.

I’m giving the conference a solid B. There were few cringeworthy moments, but the games that they showed looked good. Even though the next Xbox won’t come out for a while, Microsoft proved that the current generation is still kicking.

Grade: B

Don’t forget! Join me tonight at 9 for Sony’s E3 Conference, and at noon tomorrow for Nintendo’s.