Pocket Change - Shopping Blog

As a reminder, E3 is a trade event and thus, only people connected to the video game industry are allowed to attend. The other requirement to get into E3 is you have to be at least 18 years of age. It costs $500 for a 3-day attendee pass. Realizing that my exhibitor badge is worth $500, it would be folly to not spend my free day exploring what E3 has to offer. On the morning of June 3, I set off on a grand adventure to satiate my thirst for upcoming video game knowledge.

As I reminisce about my free day, I realize that the amount of sights and information that I was exposed to was too much for me to memorize. My first impression of the booths was that each booth was largely unique. The booths were clean, well kept, and sometimes even extravagant. For instance, the E3 booth had carpet, along with a mini-stage, where developers could talk about upcoming games. The white theme permeated the entire Wii booth; everything was bright white that it seemed redundant to use lights since it was bright enough as it is. The Activision booth appeared to be a night club with its dark atmosphere and the music, from their DJ Hero game, constantly playing. The areas that were used for the media interviews were much more lavish; there was a wide variety of furniture, which very well could have been from Ikea, strewn about to make the guests comfortable. Overall, these video game companies spent much of their time creating their booths to look highly attractive and appealing. If the Square Enix booth was a woman, I would have a huge crush on her and shower her with flowers.

In many ways, E3 was like an amusement park. Instead of waiting in line for a roller coaster, you waited to play a demo. I was content with wandering like a vagrant and watching others play. I was glad that there is an 18+ years requirement to get into E3, because nearly everyone was polite and professional about how they played the demos. Not once did I hear a tirade of curses due to a loss. Everyone had the common courtesy to stop playing the demo when they completed it or died. The list of all the E3 playable demos numbers over 100 so I won’t bother to list them. If you heard about a game that is slated to come out later in this year or even in 2010, it was most likely shown as a preview or available as a playable demo at E3.

I had the honor of waiting in line to view some of the upcoming game. For instance, after waiting several minutes, I was ushered into a very fashionable looking room that looks like one of those private night club lounge rooms that you see in the movies. I situated myself in the center of the room to be entertained to a very crisp Warhammer: The Space Marine trailer. The surround sound was magnificent. The gameplay reminded me of Dynasty Warriors except much more grim dark. The developers then had a Q&A session, but I didn’t have any questions since I was still awestruck by the amount effort and work that these companies put in to showcase their upcoming products. I also had the chance to sit in on the Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 and view the various new options added into that game. At first glance, it looks like it plays and looks exactly like X-Men Legends (don’t get me started on that game).

Apparently, they added new fusion attacks that combine the powers of two super heroes to deal devastating damage to enemies as well as the environment. Not only that but you can upgrade your super heroes without having to go into the convoluted menu screen, thus making the action nonstop. Just these features are a huge improvement over the gameplay seen in the X-Men Legend games. I stopped by the G4 booth to be part of the background crowd and cheer during their filming times. It was pretty cool to see Adam Sessler, Morgan Webb, and Olivia Munn in person. If you don’t know who they are, be sure to catch X-Play on G4 TV.

I could go on and with my E3 fanboy rant, but I personally believe it’s better if you experience it yourself. The tale I have told is only an iota of the actual E3 experience. If you’re a gamer, there is something for everyone. All genres of demos and previews are shown at E3. There are booths which showcase new and upcoming console gadgets. There are booths showcasing upgrades that you can purchase for your computer. There are booths for people who want to be distributors of video games.

Is it worth it to spend $500 to attend E3? I would ecstatically reply “Yes!!!” Once again, if playing video games is one of your hobbies, I highly suggest going to E3 at least once in your life.

Day 3 wrap up to come later!

Guest Blogger: Mark Casino (LA RPG Examiner)