E3 Microsoft

Spike TV had full and uninterrupted Microsoft coverage for E3. This is what you may have missed.

• Call Of Duty, Black Ops- Helicopter fighting, crawling through rodent infested dirt tunnels, the game looks like not much to be excited about in my opinions. Graphics are nothing to write home about and let's face it, it's not by the main COD company that brings out the games that we love. Xbox will have early rights to the expansion DLC for the new COD game. 

• Metal Gear Solid, Rising- A new game from Kojima Productions, brings us a new game to the Metal Gear Series. Very little was actual discussed about the new game, but the trailer shows a Raiden like character slicing and dicing his way through enemies in a unique and new way. Then ending with this character slowly and precisely slicing a watermelon. Too early and too little shown to really make a decision about this game, but just by the look of it, the game looks to be something to watch for.

• Gears of War 3- We were shown a 4 player co-op play of the new Gears of War 3 game. The four gamers played through a short level, defeating a boss and getting to a safe zone. Game looks pretty decent.

• Fable 3- As my roommates and I joked, not much can really be said about this trailer as it will all be taken with a grain of salt. We are quite used to empty promises from the makers of the Fable series. Graphics look about the same as Fable 2.

• Halo Reach- Bungie bragged about it's billion hours of online play and called Reach it's biggest game yet. September Release Date as most of us already know. Trailer of the game was shown.

• Kinect- Even though the Kinect (Previously named Project Natal) actual press show happened last night (Sunday) the TV airing of it will not happen until Tuesday night on MTVs 30 minute coverage of the showcase. Microsoft did cover Kinect in their press show. Viewers are shown that Kinect reconizes the player and that with a literal Wave to the xbox, Kinect instantly knows who is waving to it and logs that player in. With another wave Kinect goes to a menu showing Facebook, Zune ,Last FM, and Netflix. The young man (Ron) showing off Kinect says the comand "Xbox" as if to wake it up and make it listen, then "Zune" to tell the Xbox to go into the Zune. Once there Ron uses his hands to choose the movie he wants and he starts to play Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland. All without the touch of a controller. The person shows off how with the command "Xbox Pause" he can immediately pause the game and as simply "Xbox Play" one can start the movie again. Then with the command "Xbox Play Music" the Xbox goes through his Zune music selections. Of course a joke about a middle age black man listening to Justin Beiber is made. 

• Video Kinect- This program uses the Kinect to video chat with anyone who is using a Windows Messanger or has a Kinect sensor. The Kinect sensor can detect your body moving and tilts and adjusts to keep you in the screen. The user showed how she could call her sister across the world (who also had a sensor) and watch a movie with her.

• ESPN On Xbox Live- If I was into sports, this would something cool. Free with a gold membership, ESPN on Xbox allows you to watch your favorite sports games in HD and answer Trivia, watch all the stats on ESPN.com and root for your favorite team. All of this without a controller, used with the kinect.

• Kinetimals- An ADORABLE little girl came out on stage and played with her cute tiger pup named Skittles. She showed off how he can play dead, jump and how searched for her when she went hiding. She rubbed him all over and played with his toys. 

• Kinect Sports- Voice commands sports and getting the crowd rowdy. When they actual got to showing of the actual game, two players jumped hurdles and raced together. Running in space and jumping. You can play such sports as Soccer, Bowling, Track & Field, Ping Pong, Boxing, and Volley Ball.

• Kinect Joy Ride- Holding an imaginary steering wheel in her hands, the player pumps her hands forward to boost her car and race through the track. Using her whole body to show the kinect sensor when to drift through turns and when she physically turned her body in a circle, her car did a 360 turn trick on a ramp.

• Kinect Adventures! - A simple game of moving your body to hit the coins and avoid the obstacles. A second person comes into the view of the sensor and the game automatically splits the screen and brings in the second gamer. While the two gamers were playing the game took fun action shots of their jumps and manuvers. Another set of gamers came on the screen to show off a boating through the rivers game where once again they were trying to reach as many coins through the path as possible. Jumping and riding on clouds, they both looked like they were getting quite the workout. You can then post these crazy photos taken instantly to Facebook.

• Your Shape, Fitness Evolved - Ubsioft brings us a work out game using the Kinect powers to move and work your way to a better you.  A gamer is brought out to try out the game. The game recognizes her removing her sweater as it watches every part of her body. The game scans her body and shows her height and the game uses this scan to make the work out fit her. You can choose a personal trainer, work out in martial arts or do gym activities. The young women begins doing knee ups with a coach, the game watches her body and places a scan of her on screen to see how her movements compare to the coaches. The game keeps a counter of how many calories you burn while playing. She then goes through a slow Tai-Chi workout, where the game tells her to concentrate on her breathing while moving through the slow movements.  I'm personally excited about this game. 

• Dance Central - Harmonix's new dance game. A dancer enter the stage and begins dancing along to the music with the in screen dancers. Where DDR used to have four arrows to move through, the screen shows a wide variety of dance moves to roll through, showing on the right side of the screen the upcoming moves. The release this holiday season. 600 moves and 90 routines. Break it down mode is shown, where the user learns the dance moves. Okay... This game I'm REALLY excited about.

• November 4th Release date in America for Kinect with 15 titles at launch. 
• Star Wars - Lucas Arts will be releasing next year a star wars game using the kinect sensor. Users will wield a light saber and fight their way through droids and fighting their favorite villains from the movies.

• 10- Another, less gimicky racing game for the Xbox. Using the kinect, you can physically walk around and check out your car, looking at the front, back, and wheels. Open up the car and look at the engine, get inside and drive off. Racing, your put your hands at 10 and 2 and go. 

• Slim Xbox 360- 250 GB HD, build in wifi and Kinect ready.  ALL FOR 299$. GOING TO BE IN STORES THIS WEEK. I'm already doing the math to figure out how I can afford to buy it as soon as it comes out.