E3 2004: Day 2 Coverage

By now you've probably read all about what the 3rd party companies have in store for the Xbox this year, but what everyone really wants to know is what's going on in Microsoft's booth. With a wide variety of first and second party titles on display, Xbox's already-formidable software library looks ready to take on some new heavy hitters. Consider this article your all access pass to everything you want, and need, to know about their lineup this year.

My visit to Microsoft's cavernous began with a walkthrough of Jade Empire with one of the game's developers. Produced by Bioware, the studio responsible for last year's hit RPG Star Wars:Knights of the Old Republic, Jade Empire is a roleplaying game set in ancient China. The game is heavily influenced by the stories and myths of Chinese culture, and this is evidenced everywhere you look in the game from the character designs to the sometimes otherworldy environments you will find yourself in. The demo started off with the developer guiding Furious Ming, one of 7 playable characters, through a courtyard filled with enemies. This allowed me a chance to see the game's unique battle system in action. Eschewing the turn-based combat seen in KoTOR, all of the fighting in Jade Empire takes place in real time. You begin by choosing what your fighting style will be, and you can have 4 fighting styles at a time assigned to the different directions on the D-Pad which allows you to effortlessly switch between the four. In combat you simply hit L or R to choose a target to the left or right of you, locking you on to them. Once you've done this you can unleash a wide variety of attacks by using the face buttons in various combinations, with everything from powerful fireballs to slow-mo kung fu at your disposal. After quickly dispatching the thugs in the courtyard, Ming was attacked by a sorceror using a fire-based style which inflicted heavy damage. By using focus, which is available to all characters, the developer was able to slow down time around him which allowed him to strike several powerful hits against the sorceror, who exploded in torrent of blood after being sufficiently pummeled. The next area shown was a large cave with a rather ugly monster in the middle. Although the monster was impervious to all attacks, by killing his minions Ming gained the ability to temporarily turn himself into a monster and began attacking the pillars in the cave, eventually bring the roof down on the beast's head. The game is expected to feature over 20 hours of gameplay and has a cast of several hundred NPCs, each with their own distinct voices, and your character will be completely customizable from their fighting styles to their unique abilities. If you're an RPG fan, you'll want to keep your eye on this title.

The next game I had a chance to play was Fable, from famed designer Peter Molyneux. Originally announced 2 years ago under the name Project Ego, Fable is an ambitious game which allows you to live out the entire lifespan of your character, from childhood to old age, while making some tough decisions along the way. Are you going to be a chivalrous knight defending the downtrodden or a master thief, plundering your way through the world; it's all up to you. Nearly every choice you make in the game will not only affect you at that particular moment, but also far down the line. One example that was given to me by one of the developers was that if you were to go into a town and murder a random villager, you might find that villager's children hunting you down years later in the game. Your choices will also affect how people treat you, as I found out by switching my character to 100% evil (a feature only present in the E3 demo, not the final game) and walking into a village. Not only were people in the town visibly afraid of the character, but shopkeepers charged higher prices for items, and guards seemed to dog the character's every step. The game can last anywhere from 12 to dozens of hours, depending on how you play and how many of the hundreds of side quests you decide to take part in. And by giving you the opportunity to customize everything about your character's look including your outfit, hair, and even tattoos, the game allows an almost endless variety of possible looks for your hero (or villain, as the case may be). The game is currently on track for a late 2004 release.

One of the most surprising games at Microsoft's booth this year was Conker: Live and Uncut. The sequel in spirit to the sleeper N64 hit Conker's Bad Fur Day was shown in a brief trailer at last year's E3, many gamers initially responded harshly to the multiplayer focus of the game. After going through lots of tweaking and balancing, in addition to a MASSIVE overhaul of the graphics, Conker's is shaping up to be an action-packed Xbox Live fragfest. The game's class-based multiplayer warfare takes place over a variety of environments which span from World War II-themed levels to some set in the far future. You will also be able to take control of several vehicles, including turrets and flying gunships, although some classes won't be able to use certain vehicles. The action in the game is frenzied, although it still feature's the series' trademark adult humor, as shown by the sometimes obscene comments characters make upon being blown to bits. The game also features a special treat sure to be lauded by fas of the series; the entire game of Conker's Bad Fur Day, updated with new high quality sound effects and running in the beautiful new game engine. For those who missed out on this gem of a game when it was released years ago, you finally have a chance to experience the wonders of exploring a twisted world full of wasps, evil teddy bears, and even a giant singing pile of feces (I'm serious!). Although the game is a long time off from it's expected release it already is shaping up to be a unique and exiciting diversion from your typical shooter game.

And so another day at E3 draws to a close, but there is still much to be seen. Tommorrow I'll be posting a wrap up to the show, as well as showcasing some of my personal favorites from the show floor, so you definitely don't want to miss it. Until then, happy gaming!

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