E3 ’09 Awards: Game(s) of the Show

Post by: Justin Sanchez

Let the drums roll because it’s time for the final E3 awards. That’s right, we’re still talking E3 over here and at the current rate, coverage isn’t set to stop until question marks. We’ve got two final badges to give out, one going to the best disc-based (you know, full retail) game of E3, and the other to the best downloadable title at E3, which covers XBLA, WiiWare and PSN.

For E3 Game of the Show, rules are a little bit different. No longer do exclusives get special treatment, this is a free for all at its finest. You bring a game to the show; you get your shot at the title, even if it was spread across 12 different consoles. On the disc-based front, there was extreme competition. Uncharted 2 is phenomenal, New Super Mario Bros. Wii is a blast, the stupidly controversial Left 4 Dead 2 left a lasting impression and damnit, Forza 3 surprised me with just how good it really is. Will the quantity wasn’t there for downloadables, the quality certainly was. Cave Story, Shadow Complex, Icarian: Kindred Spirits, Fat Princess, Critter Crunch; yeah, they’re all good.

Like the Highlander, there can be only two, though. Or wait, was it one? In our case, it’s too – besides, who gives a damn about Highlander these days?

E3 Game of the Show

Brutal Legend (PS3, 360)

In all of the E3 award posts insofar, I’ve found it ridiculously hard to keep tight-lipped on the greatness that is Brutal Legend – and, greatness it does have. For myself and Michael, it was our first time to get our hands on the game. Coming in, we had a ton of expectations for the game to live up to, which generally leads to disappointment with the actual product. Not so, in this case. Tim Schafer and Double Fine are in the process of creating what might be one of the more notable releases of our current generation. Brutal Legend has that special feeling to it that I haven’t experienced since Super Mario Galaxy.

In the small sample I was allowed to play, I experienced intense action, a gruesome boss fight, splendid voice acting, a deep vehicle system complete with upgrades, and though it doesn’t boast the most advanced graphics, it could be argued that it still looks better than most 360 and PS3 titles. When put side-by-side, your average technically gorgeous game pales in comparison to the bizarre worlds of Brutal Legend, which are designed with an insane attention to detail.

Rocktober simply can’t come soon enough.

Worth a mention: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

E3 Downloadable Game of the Show

‘Splosion Man (XBLA)

If you haven’t noticed, I’m already on the ‘Splosion Man bandwagon. Within the last 45 minutes of E3, I happened across the demo and I was sold right then and there. Taking place in the lovely land of 2.5D, I was treated to a platformer unlike any other, where ‘sploding is the name of the game (well, literally, too). Games like ‘Splosion Man are the reason I adore the various downloadable service as they give companies like Twisted Pixel a source to put their creative juices to work without fear of a publisher neglecting them. Basically, they get to create exactly what they want, how they want. And, if ‘Splosion Man is the result of said opportunity, I welcome the onslaught of downloadable titles with open arms. Oh, and get this, the game has 50 single player levels and another 50 multiplayer ones, with support for up to four players.

Day one.

Worth a mention: Cave Story, Shadow Complex, Critter Crunch, Icarian: Kindred Spirits