Team Fremont.com-E3 2004: Hands On Impressions Review

E3 2004: Hands On Impressions

We’ve walked what seemed like miles, stood in line for what seemed like days, and played so many games that our eyes hurt. In the following feature, we’re going to outline a few highlights for you. These are the games that caught our attention and deserve yours.

Doom III
Xbox

Walking up to the Doom III display in Microsoft’s booth, one could easily say, “This just looks like a pretty FPS. Nothing more, nothing less.” But then you put on the headphones and your entire world changes.

It’s no secret that E3 doesn’t exactly provide the best atmosphere for trying out games. The insane volume of the show floor generally ruins any chance of enjoying the subtleties of a game’s audio offerings. Luckily, many exhibitors have wisely decided to include headphones at their kiosks so gamers can hear what the game has to offer.

I can safely say that I’ve never been more impressed with the ambiant soundtrack of a game. Doom III’s audio will freak the hell out of you and honestly makes the game. Again, that’s not to say this game isn’t gorgeous and doesn’t control perfectly; because it does both of those things. But with all the Halo 2 hype, these two factors alone still might not get this game the credit it deserves.

Another factor that sets Doom III apart from your standard FPS is the fact that it’s not simply a run and gun frag fest. Yeah, you’ll do a lot of Doom-style shooting, but the big twist is that the “survival horror” element almost overshadows the alien/zombie blasting. And make no mistake: that’s a good thing.

In the demo we played, the flashlight played a huge roll in the gameplay. Peering into the shadows in search of hideous creatures will test the reflexes of your sphincter. Good luck with that.

Neo Contra
PlayStation 2

It’s great to see that not only are the classic twitch shooters of yesterday not dying, they’re thriving. Konami blessed us with Contra: Shattered Soldiers and are now dropping the 3D Neo Contra on gamers desperate for a good shooter. Let’s get this out of the way first: it’s good. Forget your fears of yet another horrible 2D franchise succumbing to 3D garbage, Konami has done it right.

Neo Contra gives you a choice of guns from the outset as each character has their own unique weapon combination. From there, you’re dropped into an apocolyptic setting from a top-down, Ikari Warriors style setting. “What’s Ikari Warriors?”, you ask? Son, quit wasting our time and learn your history.

With the ability to strafe and sidestep, the action is – as Contra fans would expect – intense. And I won’t close this one with a sphincter reference.

Gradius V
PlayStation 2

Speaking of twitch shooters, I don’t think you can get much better than Gradius V on the floor of E3. Already counted as one of the best games of the show from the gaming publications in attendance, this one has the potential to make a big splash on the old school shooting faithful.

Gradius gives you an array of power ups to use against the thousands of enemies the game throws at you. Some nice use of both horizontal and vertical screen directions help make manuvering and destroying your enemy a challenge. Bosses are tough and take some time and reflexes to beat and it doesn’t help that they're located in some of the tightest, most claustraphobia inducing spaces.

Graphically, the game is top notch with a great selection of enemies, crisp backgrounds, smooth animations and beautiful effects. Backgrounds are your standard fare, but really do a nice job of putting you into the world.

This will be one tough game, but any fan of the shooter will love the challenge and the warm nostalgic feelings this game will bring. Any old school shooter fan will want to get their hands on this fantastic addition to the genre.

Metal Slug 3, 4, 5, and Advance
Xbox, PS2, Arcade, and GBA respectively

Metal Slug is the definition of a cult classic. But it appears that SNK Neo Geo USA is seeking to bring the series directly into the mainstream with four new games. We decided to condense all four games into one preview because – let’s face it – is there really a big difference from one Metal Slug to the next? Yet it’s that familiarity that keeps us coming back.

Each game features the same blistering shooting action that fans have grown to love. Metal Slug 3 will include an online ranking system via Xbox Live, but sadly no online cooperative play. Part 5 ups the mech ante by making mechs and other vehicles a more prominent part of the experience. The early GBA build that we played felt a little sluggish (pun intended), but we’re hoping that SNK will take care of that before the game’s release.

What can you expect from all four of these games? More of the same, which is by no means a bad thing. We love Metal Slug just the way it is and can’t wait to see more.

MechAssault 2: The Lone Wolf
Xbox

The first MechAssault was the flagship title for Xbox Live and we logged more hours on that game than we care to admit. So what does the sequel have that makes it better than the original? Just about everything.

First off, and most importantly, you now have the ability to roam around on foot and board any mech you see, land and air. If you’re mech’s taken too much damage, simply hop out and jump in another. The most impressive aspect of this new feature is the perspective that you get walking around on foot with enormous mechs hulking over you.

Another addition is the ability to hitch a ride on another player’s vehicle. Don’t feel like hiking across the map on foot? Simply jump on and go for a ride. Even cooler is the ability to jack the mech you’re riding on. By solving a code (the equivalent of picking a lock), you can open the hatch, toss the pilot out, and take off.

Brilliant!

The game looks infinitely better than the already gorgeous original and we can’t wait until fall.

Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat
GameCube

Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat is Nintendo and Namco’s take on a rhythm/music game. The game ships with a bongo drum peripheral that can also sense hand claps. In a twist to the rhythmic aspect of Donkey Konga, Jungle Beat is more of a platform game. Players use the drum to guide Donkey Kong through various side scrolling platform levels. How? By hitting the drum on the right, you’ll move DK to the right. By hitting the drum to the left, DK will move left. Hitting both of the drums simultaneously will command DK to jump and clapping will make DK attack. Sure, with all the pounding and clapping, you’re bound to look like a bit of a goof, but trust us: it’s fun.

We played through a couple different demo levels, and each had a cool boss level at the end. When the boss would attack, you clap to dodge and then hit the drums to perform different combos. It’s very clever, if a bit unusual, and we’re very excited to play more.

Sly 2
PlayStation 2

The first Sly Cooper was an incredible joy ride that was over all too quick. Another criticism was that it was far too linear. After speaking with a Sucker Punch representative, getting our hands on the game, and stealing a demo of our own, it appears that those criticisms have been addressed.

The game still features the stylish cell-shading as the original and the gameplay feels quite similar as well. However, your buddies Murray and Bently play a much larger role as they’re actually controllable this time around. In addition, the game is planned to be quite a bit more open-ended, giving players the choice of where they want to go and when.

One of the levels we played involved the same stealth-and-steal gameplay as the original, but also included a mission that required you to protect Murray while he cracked a security system.

The first game was our choice for 2002 platformer of the year, so we’ve got big hopes for the sequel.

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
GameCube

I’m sure everyone has played the hell out of Metroid Prime like I have. Well, you’ll feel nice and comfortable in this sequel to the Retro Studios hit. In a distinct “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality, the game feels almost identical to the first in both look and feel.

The graphics may be a touch better, the gameplay a touch smoother, but the real innovations are in the new light vs. dark weapons. These two new guns have a distinct gameplay use this time out as Samus is now exploring two verions of the same world. The light world and the dark world, where twisted mirror images exist. You’ll even get to take on a dark verison of yourself a couple of times in the game.

Word has it that the game will also introduce three new suit types for Samus to use as she explores this strange new planet. All in all, while I’m happy to see that the game still looks and plays as good as the original and I hope we’ll see some new innovations to the gameplay. The whole light and dark thing will be cool, but it’s been done so much that it doesn’t feel like that big of a leap.

Time will tell when this game hits later this year.

Legendary Samurai Musashi
PlayStation 2

I loved Brave Fencer Musashi, back when it was the PlayStation’s answer to Zelda for the 64. It had some flaws, yes, but the nice use of time elements, mixed with action and RPG elements made for a nice little package.

When news of a sequel came out during the Sony press conference, the PS faithful rejoiced. Yes, I was one of those.

I got some hands on time with this VERY early build of the game, and it seems that all the feel of the game will be very similar. You still have two swords which can be used independently for different situations. It still seems that the idea of man vs. early steam-powered mechs will be a factor. The look and feel of the game have been enhanced by the new cel shaded graphics, which will work well in this game.

The single level was very early, had some camera issues, but I’m confident that this will be one to watch out for in the coming year.
Article By: John and Hilden