After the conclusion of E3, we couldn’t help but notice a few missing games that we were dying to see. Whether they were missing due to their development cycle (Beyond Good & Evil 2) or the publisher skipping the show (Activision Blizzard), it was apparent that their presence was severely missed. Let’s get this show on the road starting out with the game that everybody thought would be the star of E3 2008, but ended up missing the show altogether.
Alan Wake
Having been two years since its last appearance, Alan Wake has been missing for a long time without as much of a peep out of Remedy or Microsoft. The current rumors have this psychological thriller showing up at the Game Convention in Leipzig. If players have never heard of Alan Wake prior to all the press for the title it has received for not showing up at E3, then let’s do a quick summary. Alan Wake focuses on the aforementioned titled character struggling with dark forces that have arrived in the small town of Bright Falls. Even eerier is the fact that all these manifestations are being seemingly pulled right from the novel that Alan Wake is writing. We can’t wait to see what Remedy Entertainment has in store for us with Alan Wake whenever they decide to start talking about the game again.
Halo: Chronicles (Peter Jackson Project)
Announced over two years ago, Microsoft has gamers eagerly waiting on their edge of their seats for the next installment from the Halo franchise. The problem is that we practically know nothing about this title besides that it will be a mini-series of games that will play out like an interactive movie. Yeah, as you can see, not enough information has been provided on this highly anticipated title. But alas, with Peter Jackson’s creative mind behind the direction of Halo: Chronicles, we can only cross our fingers that this project turns out as good as the minds behind it desire it to be.
Splinter Cell: Conviction
Splinter Cell: Conviction was rumored to be going through “development troubles”, so we predicted that it would be a no-show at E3. With that considered, we still wanted our hunches to be incorrect and for Ubisoft to amaze us with new footage of Sam Fisher kicking butt. Unfortunately, it looks like no release is in sight for the fifth installment in the Splinter Cell series. Initially it was said to be two years after the events of Splinter Cell: Double Agent where Fisher has become a wanted fugitive, though we honestly don’t know if the developers tend to keep it that way. Splinter Cell: Conviction continues to be delayed with every announcement so the question remains: When will gamers finally get their chance to enter the dangerous world of Sam Fisher again?
Bioshock 2
Focusing on their port of the original (multiple Xbox 360 game of the year winner) to the PlayStation 3, we can see why Bioshock 2 wasn’t shown at E3. But at least to service the fans, Take-Two could have provided a teaser or mentioned it at their press conference. At least in Bioshock 2’s omission from E3, gamers can enjoy the fact that Take-Two is planning a third in the series which might release alongside the movie that is development. As it presently stands, expect Bioshock 2 for a holiday 2009 release.
Mass Effect 2
While it has already been confirmed to be in development, the console wars have heated up in debate over if the sequel will be exclusive to the Xbox 360. Even if it does go multi-platform, the question still remains when gamers will finally get concrete details on what to expect with the sequel. When gamers last left Commander Shepard, they were ultimately deciding the fate of the galaxy. With Mass Effect 2, Bioware has confirmed that gamers can import their save files and that the story takes place after the original. Expectations of the sequel are for it to arrive around holiday 2009. Gamers can be assured that we haven’t seen the last of the Mass Effect franchise as it too has been planned to run the course of a trilogy.
