E3 2004: SCEA Booth

Sony PSP
None of the recently announced PSP games were playable on the E3 show floor, but there were still plenty of people looking for hands-on time with the system itself. So, Sony setup a small demonstration of movie trailers and music videos running on its portable systems at the expo and I was able to steal a few minutes with one. The single handheld unit at Sony's press conference the previous morning was black. The booth, however, had a variety of potential PSP colors available, much like the Game Boy Advance offers. That's not their only similarity though, as PSP is roughly the same size as Nintendo's original Advance unit. But unlike any Game Boy on the market, PSP is so sleek in design that it makes GBA SP seem like a plastic tinker-toy.

The PSP screen is also much sharper than we've seen before. Its 16:9 ratio could open up a new perspective in portable gaming as well as allow movie trailers to be viewed in the proper dimensions. Staying true to the PlayStation brand, four face buttons are aligned and signed like a Dual Shock controller: Square, Cross, Triangle and Circle. In addition to a directional pad, this portable includes an analog stick, a much needed advancement in portable gaming.

A movie trailer of Spider-Man 2 and music videos from John Mayer, Aerosmith and Incubus were impressive to see on the PSP, but my mind was geared toward games. While demos weren't on hand at the expo, Sony did show off 27 examples of UMD packaging for PSP titles and feature films and even debut a few accessories to be made available for the system. Japan, of course, will see PSP launch at the end of the year while gamers across North America are going to have to wait until 2005. Being a portable game enthusiast and avid PlayStation player, it's going to be one long load time to sit through.

Jak III
Presumably the very last adventure for one of the PlayStation 2's most beloved heroes, Jak, Jak 3 is on its way for a fall shipment. Where Jak II last year offered gamers' a Grand Theft Auto-esque gameplay mechanic, allowing for Jak to accept missions, steal cars, and even eliminate random passerby-ers, Jak 3 will do the same, only different. Since Jak is now tossed on his ass outside Haven City's walls, he'll find himself in a wasteland five times bigger than Jak II's teeming metropolis. Earning vehicles this time instead of stealing them will make for some new challenges. Where Jak could only utilize four different weapon types in the last game, Jak 3 will use 12 in all (different upgraded variations anyway). There's also the fact that Jak will need to find a balance between his old Dark powers and his new Light powers -- ones that will let him glide amongst other things. If you don't know Jak yet, you will come later this fall.

Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal
Two years in a row, the former makers of the Spyro the Dragon series, has given us two Ratchet and Clank entries: one of Sony's best-selling PlayStation 2 platform titles. This year, they're doing it again in one of Sony's biggest and best for the fall season, Ratchet and Clank 3: Up Your Arsenal. Up Your Arsenal -- or "Arse" if you want to be an "ass" about it Ц will feature plenty of more upgrades for Ratchet's long list of growing weaponry, including one electric gun that can be upgraded into a more powerful explosion of energy. Primarily using the same formula of gameplay from last year's Ratchet and Clank 2 Ц in which the more you use one weapon, the closer it gets to its evolution stage, Ratchet and Clank 3 will add some new enemies and plenty of new challenges that will be awaiting sometime in the fall.

Sly 2: Band of Thieves
Sly Cooper snuck onto the PS2 scene two years ago and he's planning a return to the system this fall. But don't expect the sleuths at Sucker Punch to run their operation the same way twice. Instead, prepare for a sequel with super slick cel-shaded visuals and a wider variety of stealth gameplay. Band of Thieves will bring to light two of the previous game's subordinate characters, Bentley and Murray, and involve the skills of each in the heists at hand. Just don't get caught red-handed without Sly 2 when it releases in September.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Rockstar Games has easily surpassed Nintendo as the most secretive game company in the world. While everyone was showing off their hottest games at E3, Rockstar was nowhere to be seen, instead playing mind games with E3 goers and non-goers alike, with the slow leak on information surrounding the most anticipated game this side of Halo 2, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. First, it was screens. Then a small story snippet, and nowЕwe know what's going down. As Carl Johnson, former gangbanger in Death Row-era (that's early 1990's) San Andreas, you'll go through three different cities, ranging from the boring and lifeless, but Ghetto-tinged Los Angeles clone, to the hilly San Francisco-inspired town, to your own version of Las Vegas, where you can gamble your earnings away or build your own casino. 3 times the size of Vice City, Rockstar North is taking San Andreas very seriously, coming up with new ways to extend the size of the world and adding more stuff to play around with. With a release date of October 18^th, San Andreas isn't far awayЕbut knowing Rockstar, we'll know little more than we do now the day of release. Knowing their Mafioso ways with previous GTA's, it's likely Rockstar would use the Уif we told you, we'd have to kill youФ runaround, anyway.

God of War
E3 seems to offer fewer and fewer original games each year, but God of War is one that'll give all sequels a run for their money. This sadistic title is under the direction of David Jeffe, who's also been creative director for the Twisted Metal franchise and has already shows off his newfound mythological might in the E3 God of War demo. Players take on the role of Kratos, a former Spartan solider that's possessed by Ares and eventually out to kill the god of war. However, it's only possible to kill Ares with Pandora's Box and Pandora's Box is located in a towering temple filled with traps and enemies. Thus, you have your basic setup for a cool Greek era video game. But, the action in God of War isn't so typical in that it involves fierce fighting and, at the same time, thought provoking puzzle elements. Just don't run with the idea that this is a thinking man's game since Kratos main weapon is two blades chained to his arms. It's definitely a unique title that's worthy of being the next big Greek epic to come to life early next year.

The Getaway: Black Monday
The Getaway received a lot of flak for being a Grand Theft Auto clone even before it reached store shelves. However, Team Soho handled this criticism well and came through with a fairly entertaining title. Now, the London-based developer is supplying PS2 gamers with the sequel: Black Monday. Its story surrounds a bank failed heist within the city of London where players control one of three characters both in car and on foot. Expect to see the realistic environment expanded in terms of landmarks and the dark nature of the game enriched for an even deeper cinematic experience.

Even if you didn't care for The Getaway, Black Monday is building upon the original and adding enough to its bad-self that it may be hard to resist come November.

Killzone
Guerilla Games, the recently established development team that's now under Sony's label, has studied the history and tactics of real-world warfare for the past four years. With Killzone, that's what Guerilla will be providing us with come this November. This will be a fusion of First Person Shooter and squad-based shooting gameplay that will opt for a shooter like no other. Rather than "babysitting" three other computer AI soldiers, they'll already know what they've got to do to keep this gun-toting family organized. Going up against a red-goggle wearing race of hostile forces called the Helghast storywise, Killzone will mix past, present, and even future warfare all into one scheme. With up to four players in an offline mode, and 12 in various online modes, this gritty take on a fictional war set in the not too distant future will be coming out this fall. Be ready.

Before there was Dante in Devil May Cry, there was the sequel in a prequel called Devil May Cry 3. Rather than going the way of another sequel like last year's Devil May Cry 2, Devil May Cry 3 will return to the series' roots gameplay-wise, as it will show off a Dante before he knew that he was to become the kickass demon-slayer he became to be. Tidbits of Devil May Cry 3's story have revealed that Dante isn't the only spawn of the great demon Sparda. Dante has a brother named Virgil, who unlike Dante, has been totally absorbed by his demonic powers. Along Devil May Cry 3's road, Dante will also meet an enigmatic figure named Arkham as well as a demon hunter named Lady whose duties entail the destruction of all demons and demon spawns, even Dante. What's new with Devil May Cry 3, though, is that all those past abilities like being able to shoot guns, slice a sword, bounce off walls, and keep your cool through surrounding enemies will all come together in a skill system that will improve on each one. Called "My Dante," this new ranking meter will rate each of Dante's actions by as much discipline he allows for them. The more Dante implements either of his unique properties into battle, the more he'll be able to upgrade each. The game will also see cooler combo effects than before. Particularly one that combines four weapons into Dante's attack stance at once to create devastating blows to the massive build up of enemies in the game's totally revamped visual engine. Gamers who cried after buying last year's disappointing Devil May Cry, save your tears, for the Devil May Cry (for a third time) this December.