Post E3: Lack Of Zelda

Despite some major announcements at Nintendo's E3 Conference, there was a surprising lack of Zelda information. The already announced Spirit Tracks was only briefly mentioned, and we only have a small bit of information regarding a sequel to Twilight Princess - a picture of a grown-up Link (apparently, without his sword) that has not yet been released to the public.

However, some potential good news for the series came out of the Conference. When showing Wii Sports Resort, the first game that will use the new Wii MotionPlus, it was mentioned that we should pay attention to the sword-fighting and archery, as they could be put to use in later games. Although Wii MotionPlus does not allow the use of the Nunchuck controller yet, this shows that they are at least willing to attempt to implement it in future games.

E3 Watchlist: Nintendo DS

Nintendo DS: The Wii might be popular, but the handheld Nintendo DS was Nintendo's big money-maker years before the Wii was even announced. And with the release of the new DSi, it appears they will be making more money than ever before - but how will the software compare?

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days: Sporting a name that many could not pronounce, this action RPG was announced nearly two years ago at the 2007 Tokyo Game Show, but since then, we have recieved a great deal of information regarding the game. Similar to the action of past

games, this new iteration of Kingdom Hearts includes a new "Panel System" that allows you to fully customize the abilities, weapons, armor, and accessories of your character.

The game revolves around main protagonist Roxas, who is known as the "Nobody" of Sora, the protagonist of previous games, who has the ability to wield keyblades. There is a wide array of characters in the game ranging from Disney characters to Final Fantasy characters.

Sands of Destruction: Another big role-palying game for the Nintendo DS, Sands of Destruction has already been released in Japan under the moniker World Destru

ction. With a turn-based battle system, this promises to be a more traditional RPG, as opposed to a more action-oriented one such as the new Kingdom Hearts.

Kyrie (the Greek word for "lord") is the center of the game - he is a young man with great knife skills - but holds a mysterious destructive power. Because of this, he is the object of attention for the World Annhilation Front, a group led by the main antagonist, Morte. The game is set for release Winter 2010.

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks: Undoubtedly, this will be the biggest hit for the Nintendo DS at E3 - if Nintendo decides to release more information on the title. Announced at this year's Game Developer's Conference, this new installment in the Zelda series has a new twist, similar to the previous game, Phantom Hourglass, but this time, the method of transport is a steam-powered, cannon-wielding train.

Unfortunately, we do not have any information on the story; however, we can assume it will be just as epic as all the previous games in the series.

I apologize for the video-game oriented posts recently - however, this will likely continue until the end of E3. Don't fret - electric overdrive will continue it's daily coverage of TV and movies this Wednesday!

E3 Watchlist (Wii)

Every year at E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo), dozens of new games are announced, but that doesn't mean we won't be getting a good deal of information on some of the games that have already been announced. Each day until the start of E3 (June 2), I will be take a look at the games to watch out for on each console.

Wii: This innovative new console is still all the rage among casual gamers, but Nintendo's old school fans have been clamoring for a good hardcore game; unfortunately, Nintendo has cooperated. But although Nintendo might not be giving us the games we want, some other developers have taken it into their hands to solve this problem, and these are likely to be the highlights of this year's Expo.

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks: I've already stated my problem with the entire concept of this new cel-shaded Zelda game, but this game is

sure to please fans, just like every other Zelda game in the past. Most players have gotten over their dislike of the (now not-so-new) graphics, so this will likely be just as successful as previous games in the series.

Seeing as this game as only been announced recently, we have very little information on it - so that's why so many people are expecting a good deal of information on this installment at this year's E3. But, if you look at Nintendo's track record, we may not receive much information, and this game might not even be released until 2010 (remember the delays with Super Smash Bros. Brawl?).

Dead Space Extraction: While I've covered this in a previous post, I feel it necessary to stress how important this game is to the Wii. The Grinder (covered in the same post) is similarly gory and mature, but Dead Space: Extraction is a prequel to the original game, which won many awards, and also delivers a great deal of horror with a hardcore shooting experience.

This is sure to be a great game, and we can only hope that Visceral Games will be giving us as much information as possible on this exciting new game.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles - The Crystal Bearers: A good RPG is nearly just as rare on the Wii as a good shooting game is. Fortunately, Square Enix (the master of RPGs) will be taking care of this problem as they release Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The

Crystal Bearers. This game will take a major shift from the previous games in the series - the creators have said it is set in a time period when "swords have changed to guns", and that magic will be "forgotten".

The story takes place many years after it's predecessor, and the Lilty race is experiencing a time of prosperity, along with the age of science and reason. Amongst this prosperity exists powerful beings known as "crystal bearers", or are feared and scorned by the public. Keep watch as we get more information on this game, which is likely to be one of the greatest RPGs to hit in the year (though the release date is still TBA).