Re-posted with permission from aceattorney
Microsoft Spring Showcase 2012
Microsofts annual Spring Showcase event for gaming media was held last week in San Francisco. Now that the embargo on coverage from the event has been lifted, I can finally share the details from the gaming preview event.
The floor plan at the venue featured numerous demo stations from first and third party Xbox 360 games (along with one Games for Windows title and ten Windows Phone games). Additionally, there were a few high-profile titles that were given developer-led panels behind closed doors.
Halo 4
It is almost hard to believe that it has been nearly five years since the Mast Chief made his last (playable) appearance in Halo 3. Sure, we have been treated to four Halo games since then, but the Master Chief saga came to an apparent close in 2007.
No one doubted that Master Chief would return however, and 343 Industries, the minds responsible for the Halo saga, finally showed off what theyve been working on for the past three years. Directors Frank OConnor, Josh Holmes, and Executive Producer Kiki Wolfkill walked us through a couple of single-player and multiplayer gameplay featurettes and a flythrough of two multiplayer levels.
Without revealing any major spoilers, it was revealed that Halo 4 takes place immediately after the events of Halo 3, and has a darker tone in storytelling compared to the other titles in the franchise. In addition, there is a new, ancient threat that Master Chief must face.
And speaking of Master Chief, Wolfkill explained that touching Master Chiefs humanity is a critical point of the plot, which will be done in part, through the development of his relationships with Cortana and other characters. Likely using a figure of speech, Wolfkill further shared that Halo 4s story will give gamers a glimpse of Master Chief behind the mask.
Interestingly, Halo 4s storyline was created with a vision for where the franchise will be headed for the next ten years. It sounds like we can infer that gamers will experience a story with epic repercussions for the Halo universe.
Graphically, 343 took the graphics engine used in Halo Reach and essentially injected it with steroids. Far beyond simply tweaking the graphics, the detail that has been achieved was pretty impressive. Couple the visual upgrades with a more cinematic presentation, and Halo 4 just might make its promise to be faster, more intense, and more immersive than previous Halo titles.
Be sure to check out the new video documentary covering Halo 4s development for more details and a close look at some multiplayer action.
Forza Motorsport 4 Updates and Forza Horizon
Director Dan Greenwalt gave us a close look at what is coming up for the undisputed king of racing games. Fans have poured more time, in a shorter amount of time into Forza 4 than previous Forza titles. To wit, players have logged in twice as much playtime in Forza 4 than in Forza 3 in the same amount of time. Forza gamers also may have been distracted for a month or two by other new game releases, but statistics show that they keep coming back to Forza. These numbers have compelled Turn 10 Studios to increase the level cap from 150, to a staggering 999 in the upcoming title update.
Along with the increased level cap, the March 2012 10-car pack will feature a Ford station wagon (complete with a V8 engine and wood panels), the classic Chevy Nova, the Aston Martin Zagato, and the Ferrari Can-Am racecar, among others.
Another huge update coming in May 2012 will finally bring the Porsche brand to Forza 4. Bundled with 20 events and 30 Porsches, this apparently marks the end of the exclusivity deal that EA had over the Porsche license. With this expansion pack, gamers can earn ten Achievements (250 Gamerscore), but since the Porsche pack will be released after the expiration of the Season Pass, everyone will have to pony up the points to purchase it (no price announced yet).
Lastly, Greenwalt explained how the Forza franchise has strived to turn car people in to gamers, and vice versa. To this end, Turn 10 will be handing over the reins to developer Playground Games, who will be releasing the next Forza game, dubbed Forza Horizon. In a break from their pattern of releasing a new Forza title every other year, Forza Horizon is slated for release some time in 2012.
Unfortunately, Greewalt could not elaborate on any details for Forza Horizon, but he did mention that with Horizon, the franchise is looking to reach an even broader audience, not by building a new property, but by adding a new wing to the Forza House. With former Codemasters developers behind the wheel, and a legacy of stellar racing games, this could be a spin-off that gamers should keep an eye on.
Kinect Star Wars
When Kinect was first announced, the idea of wielding a lightsaber and the power of the Force using the motion detection tech sounded like a match made in heaven. And the concept trailer for Kinect Star Wars was released at E3 in 2010 made the game look pretty exciting to play, with just the right amount of edginess to it.
Now, two years since it was first announced, LucasArts has broadened the gameplay we were first teased with. Not only does the game allow you to play through a campaign as a Jedi, you can tear up a city as a raging Rancor, race through the galaxy as a podracer, and dance your heart out in the Galactic Dance Off mode.
I was hugely impressed with how far the graphics have come since it was previewed at E3 last year, especially with the inclusion of 3D. The 3D rendering in the podracing levels are just stunning. But despite the visual advances, the graphics engine from Force Unleashed II would have been really appreciated.
Moreover, there have been some tweaks made to the animation in the Jedi levels, which are supposed to be more fluid, but since the lightsaber animations are no longer one-to-one with the players actions, there is a slight bit of disconnect that detracts from the immersion that is critical to a game like this. Unfortunately, I think that the limitations in Kinect itself may be responsible for this change in animation, but on the other hand, smoother gameplay might be worth the trade-off.
Enough about the graphics though, because running through the forests on Kashyyyk and fighting alongside Wookies against the Empire (and other enemies, like Trandoshans) still gets the Star Wars fan in me excited. A 4-6 hour Jedi campaign that can be played in co-op mode will take you to various planets and different species to play as. In addition, a duel mode can pit you against the galaxys greatest villains.
The podracing mode includes eight tracks on four planets, with various podracers and characters for you to unlock. The Rancor mode (which does feature one-to-one animation) takes you through various planets and puts you in the shoes of various types of Rancors (including one that flies). Grabbing Tie Fighters out of the sky and destroying dozens of Rancor fodder doesnt sound half bad.
Lastly, youve probably already seen the photos, but the pictures do not do the Star Wars Xbox 360 console any justice. Seeing it in person and hearing the various Artoo sound effects is priceless.