Surprise no-shows at E3 - Hot games, curiously absent
Ever get that feeling like there's something else waiting to impress you, past what's on the agenda? That's how we felt at this year's E3. Sure, we saw a lot of games and were impressed by several of them. But there were still blank notepad pages which we'd reserved for some of our most eagerly-anticipated titles as we left on the final day. Where were they? We've compiled a list of the biggest no-shows at E3. Starting with...
FIFA 08 (PS2, PS3, X360, PC, PSP, DS, Wii)
Admittedly, we were shown a couple of seconds of the Wii version in the Nintendo press conference (for some reason in a Sensible Soccer-styled overhead camera view), but we were expecting more. Even to play it. The game must be nearly finished by now... maybe EA didn't want to go head to head with the new Pro Evolution Soccer. Little did they know it wouldn't be appearing either.
Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 (PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, PSP, DS, PC)
We still haven't seen the new version of PES being played in real-time. E3 was surely the chance to show it off, especially as the DS and 360 versions were on show last year. The closest we got this time round was playing PES6 on PS2 in our lunchbreak. But then, we do that 'most every day, so it doesn't really count. Sigh.
Above: FIFA 08 - a surprising no-show, at least outside a conference showreel glimpse
Alone in the Dark (PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
The scariest thing we saw at E3 was the Wii Fit peripheral (scary in that we might actually have to do some exercise soon). We would much rather have had the safe, screen-only scares of Alone in the Dark to bring us out in a cold sweat. We're excited about the atmospheric visuals and tense gameplay, but we'll just have to stay that way cos we weren't given anything on it at the show. Bah.
Indiana Jones 2007 (PS3, Xbox 360)
Call him Doctor Jones, Doll. Well, whatever you want to call it, Indy was nowhere to be seen. He was probably doing some last minute muscle-buffing at the gym - after all, he'll be up against Lara Croft next year and he's not exactly in his prime any more. We're keen to try out the much-vaunted 'Euphoria' motion system though. Although... now we think about it, the Indy in the trailer didn't look much like Harrison Ford anyway, so maybe he
was there and we just didn't recognise him.
Battlefield: Bad Company (PS3, Xbox 360)
The cast of Bad Company seem to like going against orders, so perhaps they decided to invade Tokyo Game Show instead. Or just go after some loot somewhere else. Either way, we didn't get to see any of this more single-player oriented sequel. A surprise no-show.
Above: Battlefield: Bad Company looks like being a lot of crazed soldier fun. But it wasn't present
Alan Wake (Xbox 360, PC)
A. Wake. Get it? The game with the title that never gets old (sarcasm? Nooo) really should be showing its incredibly pretty face again any time now. And no, in case you were wondering, we didn't suffer the irony of falling asleep and missing its presentation, despite all our tiring hard work. Seriously, it just wasn't there. Most odd.
Too Human (Xbox 360)
After a near universal slating at E3 2006, it's perhaps no surprise that Too Human didn't appear at this year's show. Which is a pity because when we saw it recently, it was looking like a genuinely stunning game. We want more on this title
yesterday - so disappointment at its no-show is tangible.
The Getaway PS3 (PS3)
We would have been happy with another tech demo using the game's engine, or at least a non-playable tour of the city to drool over. With PSP's frankly awful Gangs of London still searing in our minds, we need some PS3 London loveliness -
anything - to bring back the love. But it wasn't to be. At least, not at E3.
Duke Nukem Forever (PS6, Xbox 1080 - probably)
We've been expecting to see Duke Nukem Forever for just about every E3 of the past decade. The game that's been on release schedules for longer than some gamers out there have been alive is apparently 'nearing completion'. With development having taken so long, if this game is anything less than perfect when it is released, it's going to be laughed right out of town. Then over the county line. Little wonder 3D Realms wasn't keen to show an unfinished version at E3 this year. But, like that Lightning Seeds France 98 song so stirringly announced...
we still believe.
Above: Duke Nukem Forever looked like this some six years ago. But what's it like now?
Spore (PC)
Sims Creator Will Wright's creature evolution title was missing too. Worryingly, we haven't seen anything on the game for a while and time is moving by. Is it perhaps too ambitious for its own good? We're hoping the game is just at the awkward stage of being basically complete but too buggy for a stable build to be offered to the press, but even so, it's no-show was a disappointment.
And the rest...
Of course, there were other no-shows at the event, but somewhat less surprising. GTA IV and LA Noir weren't at the show because Rockstar wasn't there to show them. Simple, really. Also, Banjo Threeie wasn't present but we weren't really expecting to see it. And with The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess all but finished a year and a half ago, it wouldn't have been that much of a shock to see a new Zelda closing the Nintendo Press conference. But it wasn't to be. Tekken 6 would also have been a bonus, but isn't finished yet and Lost... well, Lost was nowhere to be found.
Valve's single-player multiplayer hybrid The Crossing and Eidos' shooter Crossfire were both crossed off our hopeful list of exhibits, while PS3's photo snapping title Africa was as absent as all the good animals on every safari we've been on. Animal Crossing on Wii is still just a Wario Ware minigame, nothing more, although we do reckon that will change soon. Just not as soon as last week. Sniff.
Via GamesRadar
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