Every year there is always that one huge disappointment. A game that was completely absent, news of a game going exclusive to a console you don't own, and sometimes the news is supposed to be good but just doesn't feel that way. E3 can be hit or miss depending on how well received games, hardware, and the overall news that is unleashed there. Here are some of my biggest disappointments from E3 2009.
1. Beyond Good & Evil 2 - Thirty minutes of trying to explain to my father why I had to watch the Ubisoft Press Conference live, ten minutes of having to listen to the G4TV Staff blab on about how wonderful Microsoft's Press Conference was, and two hours of watching developers say the same thing over and over - and what did I get out of it? Absolutely nothing! Two things I was looking for in that press conference and only one I really cared about - something, anything, even a simple off-the-cuff comment about Beyond Good & Evil 2. But there wasn't even a small reference let alone a trailer or any other kind of news on this game. You'd think that Ubisoft would want to show some games other than fitness, tween, and Wii mini-games - that something like BG&E2 (even Assassin's Creed 2 would have been nice) would just show what kind of powerhouse Ubisoft has turned into. Unfortunately, I was left with nothing except the hope that this game will surface later at one of the other gaming events.
2. PSP Go - A new PSP, those were the rumors that started to spread a few weeks (and months) before E3 2009. I was hoping for a revamp and upgrade of the PSP-3000. A second analog nub, an internal hard drive, and bluetooth compatibility. That was all I was hoping for, a true and new iteration of the PSP. When the Go was leaked I found myself very disappointed with this device. Not the next rung in the evolutionary ladder of portable gaming but a sidestep. I like some of the things they have and some things they will probably do with the PSP Go but I also hate how they are going to make us choose. Digital media or UMD? Small and compact or Slim with a bigger screen? $250 or $180? For me it's just not worth it to fork out another $250 for a device that I probably won't even use. I like my tangible media and I love watching it grow and expand to new shelves and areas of my house (even if my parents don't). I know that the day is coming when you can only buy and download media but I'm going to hold out as long as I can until that day. For right now, the PSP Go seems more like an experiment to see how well this method of distribution is going to play out. Until I see a true step up and sequel to the PSP, I don't think I'll be picking up this or any other handheld gaming device. Here's to the PSP Squared.
3. The Last Guardian - Wait, am I reading this right? The Last Guardian, a game from Team ICO who can do no wrong in the eyes of madtyger, is on a list of E3 disappointments? Yes, your eyes have not deceived you and this game is on the right list. A game that I've been waiting to see for four years now. From a team that if they made a pancake flipping game, I would love it. So why am I disappointed with finally seeing a trailer and getting a confirmation that it is coming to the PS3? Other than the chimera German Shepherd puppy dog looking thing being a big different than what I expected, the main thing that disappointed me about the trailer was seeing the bond between a boy and his puppy (I know it's not a puppy but I'm going to call it one until they tell us his name). Let me back track a bit and explain why I love ICO and Shadow of the Colossus so much. Not only are they beautiful and well crafted games, but they suck you in and make you fall in love with the characters - without using dialogue. In the first game, I didn't pay attention to Yorda too much when I was first introduced to her. I thought it would be a pain to have to baby-sit her. But after a few "levels" through the world I began to really care about her. I didn't notice it at first but after a while I started to notice that I'd hold my breath when she wouldn't jump far enough over a gap and I would have to grab her hand before she fell. Granted, this event happened every time she jumped but it didn't make it any less worrisome. When I had to leave her behind while I solved a puzzle, I found myself running back to check on her once in a while to make sure she was okay.
In Shadow of the Colossus, I truly thought that I was alone in the game until a single event totally shook my world and made me realize how much I loved this in-game character. Okay, I know he's just a horse but there is something truly special about Agro. He's with you every step of the way. Taking you across a stone bridge, helping you reach a cliff that you couldn't before, and even coming to your rescue as you fight for your life against a giant beast. I really thought Agro was just another horse, a thing, object that was there for me to get around. Like a car in Mercenaries or the bike in Steambot Chronicles, he was a mode of transportation. As I played through the game I realized he was much more than a horse, he was a character. When left alone he'd run around, drink water, eat some grass, but always staying close enough just in case you needed him. Ironically I hate real horses but Agro is truly my favorite game character and when I thought he died, it really changed how I felt in the game. I truly felt alone whereas before I felt solitude but not loneliness.
This is what I love about Team ICO games. The gameplay is fun, the worlds are beautiful, but for me it is how they make you fall in love with AI controlled characters without even realizing it. Most games, I find myself hating my "co-op" partner. Sheva wouldn't shoot anything, Rios would always get in my way, and even Sully caused me a few problems in the church. I never feel this way about Yorda or Agro though. They feel like friends I've known for ages, companions that will help you in your mission, or someone you'd die to protect.
So back to why I'm disappointed with The Last Guardian. This bond that you have with the AI-controlled character is at the forefront now. I don't doubt that I will fall in love with the puppy but it doesn't seem like it will be as subtle as it was with Yorda and Agro. I didn't even realize how alive they felt to me when I playing the game until the end. I'm sure I'll love the game, it's a guarantee. But after getting so attached to the other AI-controlled characters, I'm curious to see how I will react to this new companion. The subtlety might be gone, but everything else I love about Team ICO games is there and I cannot wait to get my hands on this game. I only have one thing to say to them - That puppy dog thing better not die in the end!
