2404.org E3 Wrap-up by Hengst

Well, after three intense days of exposure to thousands of people, scantily clad booth babes, super expensive food and of course some of the best upcoming PC games for the next 2 years, it's time to wrap up 2404's coverage of E3 and give out a few Best of Show awards.

Of all the games that I covered, I should make brief mention of those I saw but never wrote about. Sims 2 is up and running well enough. Although I hate the Sims intensely, I was impressed with how sharp the graphics are coming along for this title. Ground Control 2 from Sierra is shaping up for a possible June release, and the action I watched looked fun, if somewhat uninspired, only time will tell if this game shapes up and outdoes the original. The new Leisure Suit Larry title from Sierra was also looking fairly entertaining, although its been developed at the same time as the console version which always worries me for this type of game. As expected, World of Warcraft continues to shape up as it progresses through beat on its way to a public release. It is certainly one of the better looking MMORPGs I have seen as of late. Doom 3 was looking great for the XBOX, but they didn't have a PC version I could test drive. Word has it that we may see this game within the next month. While unlikely, I would certainly love to put to rest the question that is Doom 3. Dragon Empires is also shaping up to be a good looking, if somewhat generic title for the PC.

As you can see, E3 was great opportunity to not only see and play many of the great upcoming titles, but also to speak with the amazing designers and makers of these games. The labor of love that is these games is amazing, as is the immense amount of time spent crafting them. While many PC titles this year were outstanding, only a few were worthy enough to be this year's 2404.org E3 Best of Show Award winners.

E3 Best of Show Awards



Real Time Strategy Game

Winner: Battle for Middle Earth - EA


While this genre was somewhat less represented than in previous years, there were some great titles out there. Besieger, ground Control 2 and Empire Earth 2 to name a few, however only Battle for Middle Earth truly set itself apart from the other contenders. This game will likely be the monster game that has people asking ''Warcraft? What's Warcraft?''



First Person Shooter

Winner: Half-Life 2 - Valve/Sierra/Vivendi Universal


This game was obviously the least surprising choice at this year's show. I personally despise any game hyped that much, but I cannot deny how impressive this title is shaping up to be. With the amazing graphics, intense physics and improved storyline, this game may in fact raise the already high FPS bar even higher.



Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game

Winner: Guild Wars - ArenaNet


With an impressive E3 strategy which allowed gamers from across the country to take part in the E3 experience from the comfort of their own homes, ArenaNet came to E3 to play. Their title's impressive graphics engine, coupled with its addictive arena wars gameplay mode certainly made this game stand out. The addition of regular solo and party based questing also helps make this game the total package. In a year of powerhouse MMORPGs, Guildwars muscles the competition out of the way with an impressive game.



Best of Show

Evil Genius


It's rare that a strategy themed title ever captures my interest for more than an hour or so. However I am still thinking over all the possibilities available to me in this deep and amazingly well constructed game. Elixir Studios have certainly outdone themselves with this title which appeals to so many different types of gamers, from the casual action oriented gamer, to the detail oriented micro-managers among us. Not since Dungeon Keeper, has a strategy game been this much fun. With the addition of loads of humor and visual gags going on all the time, this game was almost as much fun to watch as it was to play. When the multiplayer functionality for this game becomes enabled, this game will likely be the best strategy game on the market. In the mean time, Evil Genius' creators will have to be content with having the best game at E3 for 2004.

There you have it folks, E3 2004 is in the books and as gamers we all have a better idea of what's around the corner for our platform of choice, the PC. Stay tuned to 2404.org for the latest information regarding these games from E3 as it comes available.