E3 2010 Roundup - Part 2

Kinect

I need to mention this, even though there is no price point or any real killer app announced yet. Microsoft's motion control solution, formerly known as Project Natal, shows incredible promise and a great degree of precision. Harmonix's Dance Central seems to be the most impressive showpiece for the technology. Ubisoft's Your Shape, though not something I'd likely use, seems to really use Kinect in really smart ways. The thing that worries me most about Kinect, however is input lag. The system seems to introduce lag while processing motion as input, not to mention the ever-present problem of HDTV input lag.

Hard Corps: Uprising (videos)

Though the title doesn't mention it, this is a Contra game. Not only is it a Contra game, but the main characters are all 2D sprites, although there are 2.5D elements to the game. The game is being developed by Arc System Works, the makers of Guilty Gear and BlazBlue. If you are familiar with these games, then you understand how gorgeous the 2D sprites are in this Hard Corps: Uprising. Fun fact: the protagonist of this game is the enemy from the Genesis game, Contra: Hard Corps.

Child of Eden (video)

This is Tetsuya Mizuguchi's new game. The creator of Space Channel 5, Lumines, and Rez is making a multi-platform spiritual successor to Rez. It supports Kinect and standard controllers on the Xbox 360. I'd assume that it will support Move on the PS3. Motion controls could be fun, but I think standard control will be necessary for prolonged sessions. Having played many, many hours of Rez, I'm just glad to be getting more of this type of game.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (video)

A 3D Castlevania game that might actually be good. David Cox, the game's producer, seems to be treating the franchise with the reverence it deserves. It seems to have combat similar to God of War, but with more Castelvania-style enemies. There are large bosses that have to be traversed and have big runic weak spots, like in Shadow of the Colossus. Hideo Kojima is overseeing the project, which should reassure fans of good games (and worry those who hate long cut-scenes).

Castlevania: Harmony of Despair (trailer)

A 2D Castlevania game, developed by Koji Igarashi, the man responsible for Symphony of the Night (and every other good Castlevania game). It's completely high-definition, 2D pixel-art. It's an XBLA game. It has 6-player online play, either cooperatively or competitively. Iga plans to support the game with downloadable areas and playable characters if the game sells well.