E3 Day 3: EA, Blizzard, Microsoft & More

Next up were private meetings for several games, including Gears Of War (www.gearsofwar.com; being developed by Epic Games), which we played in multiplayer on Xbox 360.

Gears of War

They Take Security Very Seriously...

Rockin' Out!

Graphics looked spectacular, but we were most impressed with how easy it was to control your character while moving in and out of cover. Playing Gears Of War was one my top gaming experiences at E3.

Another impressive MS Game Studios title was Mass Effect (masseffect.bioware.com), which is being developed by BioWare. This is an RPG that looks like it has some action elements, but is at its core an RPG. Graphics are breathtaking and the communication interface with NPCs was outstanding. It's hard not to expect the best from the folks behind KOTOR and Neverwinter Nights.

Other promising titles I managed to look at more closely during my Microsoft meetings included Crackdown, Too Human, and Alan Wake. Microsoft's upcoming first-party games for the 360 picked up a good buzz and featured titles I am dying to play. The company also seems to have invested heavily in Games For Windows, which bodes well for PC gaming. We saw gobs of great-looking PC titles all over E3 and are chuffed to see them on retail shelves later this year.

Logitech's Booth

Another look at Logitech's Booth

Sega's Booth

Fatal1ty With His Sponsors

Fatal1ty Spanked Everyone