Squeezing in a tiny corner in the vast expanse of the LA Convention Center’s South Hall, obscured by titans such as EA and Microsoft, was an area reserved for independent games, called IndieCade. These plucky Davids are the antitheses to the Goliaths backed by multinational corporations such as Sony and Nintendo. I always make time during E3 to check out their games. I feel, as I do with motion picture studios, that where the majors often get stuck in a rut, making derivative sequels and regurgitating stale ideas, the independents are often where you find the most cutting-edge creativity, bold concepts unsquelched by corporate groupthink.

Every year, one or two of these games stand out amongst them as potentially groundbreaking. Last year it was Miegakure and Hazard: The Journey of Life, two games I feel are still ahead of their time. This year, the game that really caught my eye was called Q.U.B. E.: Quick Understanding of Block Extrusion [...]

The latest edition of Social Blend features discussion on the coverage and news coming out from E3, along with a look into Slayer getting its own annual holiday celebrated among fans – among many other issues. Click here to listen to the latest episode.

During the episode we discuss some of the news and trailers that came out from E3 last week, including details about the new Lara Croft / Tomb Raider reboot, plus we debate how Halo 4 might turn out, following Microsoft‘s announcement they are starting a new trilogy of the game.

Additionally, being a bit of a group of metalheads, we belatedly celebrate International Day of Slayer – which initially began on 06/06/06. Geeks of Doom had some coverage of the big day right here too.

Finally, we also bring up the AMAZING PR commercial created by the Alamo Drafthouse made with the angry voicemail from a woman who got kicked out of the movie theater for texting during the film. You can check out the video ad below [...]

Nintendo took the wraps off the Wii U, their next generation gaming console, previously dubbed Project Cafe. Ever since the launch of the original Wii in 2006, and despite its groundbreaking and influential Wiimote game controllers, one of the Wii’s major criticisms is that it was graphically weak in comparison to the Xbox 360 and the PS3. With the high definition capabilities of the Wii U, Nintendo finally has the opportunity to even those odds, as well as introduce a new controller. So will the Wii U finally satisfy “true gamer” naysayers? Let’s take a look.

First let’s look at the Wii U controller itself. It’s significantly larger than handhelds like the PSP, but much smaller than an iPad. It boasts a 6.2 inch 16:9 single-touch screen (which is NOT an HD display), accelerometer/gyroscope, and front-facing camera. According to Nintendo, it is not intended to be used away from the console like a mobile handheld, but always an extension of it. Surrounding the screen on either side is the standard dual stick/d-pad/action button/trigger button configuration that adorns the PS3 and XBox controllers [...]

We saw an amazing gameplay demo for Bethesda’s The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim come out of E3 earlier this week, which showed off things like the ability to mix and match magic spells, weapons, and shields in both hands, combat, and something a lot of people are excited about: dragon fights.

While that demo was fantastic to watch and has everyone even more excited about Skyrim (if that was at all possible), Todd Howard sat down for another demonstration and showed off even MORE goodies from the game.

This new video showed a lot of the same things we saw in the earlier dragon fight demo, but this time around he also shows us the interface menu, what inventory will look like (including thousands of items we can examine in three dimensions), Guardian Stones, dialogue, jobs, the map, riding horses, and how our character will evolve into their own uniquely talented individual based on how you play. Excitement!

You can see this new gameplay demo for Skyrim below. [...]

The long-awaited Star Wars: The Old Republic is a huge MMO based in the Star Wars universe that has been in the making for years now at BioWare, creators of the Mass Effect and Dragon Age action RPG video game series. Plenty of impressive trailers and gameplay videos have been released over time, but because the game is so mammoth and because fans have been dying to finally play it for so long, BioWare has to make sure to keep releasing new goodies to appease the masses.

To sweeten the pot at E3 2011, the Old Republic crew brought not only some juicy details and brand new footage, but the entire opening cinematic to the game, which I have to say is really freakin’ good. Oh, and it has a SPACE COWBOY! Not sure if that’ll upset or elate fans, but this humble observer loves it (#teamfirefly). On top of that, BioWare still remains determined to have the game out at some point in 2011, though there’s still a good chance we’ll have to wait for 2012. [...]

Ubisoft demonstrated gameplay at E3 this week for The Adventures of Tintin: The Game, the tie-in for the upcoming animated film produced by Peter Jackson and directed by Steven Spielberg.

The presentation began with the film trailer. This was followed by a recorded introduction by Spielberg and Jackson, proudly describing the game as “very cinematic” and faithful to the film. Following that, the lead Ubisoft developer asked us to don our 3D glasses, and fired up the demo.

Most of the gameplay shown took place aboard the SS Karaboudjan, a cargo ship Tintin has stowed away aboard, as he dodges volleys from smugglers who are trying to get him off the ship, Later, Tintin must escape the sinking cargo ship, as rising ocean waters threaten to drown him. These levels play as side-scrolling platformer, but the 3D effect make the set pieces feel so deep and impressive, it nearly counters the linear gameplay [...]

Not too long ago a game set during a zombie outbreak called Dead Island took the online world by storm when a hauntingly beautiful cinematic trailer arrived online. That trailer alone almost sold most of us on wanting to play the game from Techland, the team behind westerns Call of Juarez and Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood, but we would all need to see some solid gameplay to really commit.

If you haven’t noticed yet this has been a pretty gameplay-friendly E3 convention, showing off a lot of the games we’ve known were coming. So of course we were going to finally get a good long look at Dead Island and what it’s bringing to the table. In fact, it was just before E3 that the first extensive look at the gameplay was released, so we’re a little behind the times.

You can head below to see the new Dead Island trailer, followed by a lengthy demonstration of how the game works, how the gameplay looks, and how you’ll go about slaughtering an endless supply of zombie attackers. Be warned: lots of gore and naughty words await you. [...]

The big surprise for comic boo fans at E3 this year was that Batman: Arkham City, the follow-up to the highly popular Batman: Arkham Asylum, would allow you to not only play as the Dark Knight, but as Catwoman as well. The Joker—who returns here and is once again voiced by Mark Hamill—was a playable character in Arkham Asylum, but only on the PlayStation 3, so this is exciting news for you Batman fanatics.

Along with the Catwoman news, the team at Rocksteady Studios came to the convention with a large amount of gameplay footage to show off, as well as plenty of new details on what you can expect from the expansive new game.

You can continue on below now to see two videos—the first revealing and discussing the inclusion of Catwoman while the second talks more about Batman: Arkham City as a whole. [...]

Fitting to its premise, Hitman: Absolution had a very stealthy E3 2011 presence. Some “behind closed doors” demo work and Square Enix had a small group of lucky individuals raving about how great the game looks.

Despite staying in the shadows for the most part, the team that’s FINALLY making a new Hitman game (instead of another horrible Kane & Lynch) didn’t want to leave the rest of us empty handed. They brought with them a few details about the game, as well as a brand new cinematic trailer.

You can see the new cinematic trailer below, followed by an interview with some details about the game, which will be released sometime in 2012.

Hitman: Absolution will be a more personal story for Agent 47, and as you’ll see in the trailer, our favorite killer appears to be fairly determined to get what he’s after. The trailer is brutal as 47 tears through some guards (perhaps with a little too much energy—I prefer the enemy be disposed of before they even realize 47 is there) and makes his way to the shower of a curious female target. [...]

There’s been some surprises at E3 2011, as there always is, and one of these surprises is a first trailer for a brand new Star Trek video game. As we all know, most games based on movies are horrible and vice versa, and Trek games especially have been pretty unplayable over the years…but there’s something about this one.

The new game will supposedly bridge the story gap between where J.J. Abrams‘ 2009 blockbuster left off, and where his 2012 sequel will pick up. The game will also be released at some point in 2012.

And yes, as you will see in the trailer, the game it might be a total Mass Effect ripoff in terms of the look, colors, and gameplay. But if that’s what it takes to get a great movie-based game, then why not. Word out of E3 is that the game also works very well with the PlayStation Move and exclusive phaser attachment that will be available to those who play the PS3 version.

Check out the trailer by continuing on now! [...]

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is Nintendo’s next installment in the Legend of Zelda series for the Wii, and the successor to Twilight Princess. Gameplay will feel very familiar to any fans of the franchise since Ocarina of Time, and to its credit, Nintendo wants gameplay to be intuitive. There are some slight new wrinkles, such as a radial weapons selection system and the ability to remote pilot certain launched weapons.

Gameplay on display included dungeon exploration and a bird flying experience. Environments (and graphics in general) really betray the age of the Wii console, and don’t seem to push its limits at all. What wasn’t apparent in this early demo however was the overall plotline that would send Link on his journey, and that could make the difference in what might seem like a mediocre entry in the series.

Super Mario (titled just like that), for the 3DS feels strikingly similar to New Super Mario Bros. for the 1st gen DS, albeit from a top-down perspective. The 3D effect, for the most part, felt arbitrary, although the game gets its highest marks when it uses it as part of a puzzle. A good example of this is when a block appears to be part of an isometric pyramid, but when the 3D is enabled, perspective reveals it to be isolated [...]

Another title gamers are dying to get their hands on is of course Naughty Dog’s trilogy-maker, Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception. The game follows the gigantic success of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, where we’ll once again be playing as Nathan Drake as he finds himself in yet another mess of deadly situations seeking out the world’s most legendary treasures and artifacts.

Naughty Dog brought some goodies to E3 ’11, and as expected, they will only add to your excitement for the game.

First up is a brand new trailer for Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception that appears to show off Dame Helen Mirren as one of the game’s villains, followed by an absolutely insane gameplay demo that sees Drake trying to escape a fast-sinking ship.

You can see both videos by clicking on over to the other side now! [...]

It feels like it’s been forever seen we got the first trailer for the unexpected BioShock Infinite and that brain-meltingly good 10-minute extended gameplay demo that was shown off not long after.

But for as long as it’s felt since we’ve seen those wonderful peeks, it still feels even long until the game’s still-unscheduled 2012 release. Not much has come out of E3 2011 for the game, either, which also hurts our feelings a bit.

But Irrational Games’ Ken Levine—one of the top people behind the original BioShock—was in attendance with a couple of surprise announcements and a little more gameplay footage from Infinite.

You can learn more about what the future of BioShock holds and see the new gameplay by heading on below now!

As for the announcements, Levine shared that—though he had been against it in the past—Infinite would have some form of compatibility with the PlayStation Move…but he wouldn’t share what yet. He also revealed that there had been an idea for another game set in the BioShock world floating around for a while, and that he found the “perfect home” for it on the PS Vita, but no details have been shared about that, either. [...]

The decision to completely makeover Lara Croft and the Tomb Raider franchise is looking more and more like a very smart decision. Not only did they give Miss Croft a much more realistic appearance, but the new game keeps getting solid buzz and a whole lot of people who were never interested in Tomb Raider now walk with piqued curiosities.

The one really important question that was left, however, was how exactly the gameplay would look. We’ve seen the new Croft and the new cinematic trailer (which can be seen below) is excellent, but until you see the game in action it’s hard to know what to expect—which is why in addition to said cinematic trailer, E3 saw the arrival of a new Tomb Raider gameplay demo as well!

Another intriguing factor is that the game starts from the beginning when Lara Croft first sets off to find her adventures as a young girl. Of course, things never go quite as planned…as you shall soon see.

You can check out both the trailer and the gameplay demo by heading below now! [...]

The Playstation Vita is the latest handheld console announced by Sony at this week’s E3 convention. At first glance, it appears to be a revision of the classic PSP, as its design lines don’t fall far from the tree. A closer look reveals advances that Sony hopes will make it a forerunner in the handheld market.

While it still has the faithful dual analog stick control, D-Pad and action buttons, it now boasts gyroscopic Six Axis motion sensors, single front- and rear-facing cameras (for augmented reality games), a multi-touch front display, and intriguingly, a rear multi-touch interface (more on that in a bit).

I was taken through a series of five game demos over thirty minutes, the first of which was Little Big Planet. Gameplay was fairly conventional, using the analog sticks to move Sackboy around, but other environmental elements were touchscreen interactive, such as using the front screen touch surface to move blocks in place or spin wheels [...]

For those of you who don’t know, Activision’s Call of Duty video game franchise has been the top dog when it comes to warfare and especially when it comes to online (non-MMO) multiplayer action for a long while now. But after they forced out many of the top talent they had working for them at Infinity Ward, most fans were angered by the harsh, overdramatic tactics used in basically just “firing” these gentlemen, and confidence in how good the next chapter in their ultra-popular series, Modern Warfare 3, would end up being.

As all of that drama was playing out, DICE was busy making a game titled Battlefield 3 for EA using the new Frostbite 2 engine. And when a demo of how the game looked showed up, many bitter Call of Duty fans seemed ready to jump ship without a second thought…especially with rumors of Activision starting to charge people to play online. We eventually found out that the new pay service was simply an added bonus for those who wanted to get it, and that everyone could continue playing online as they have been…but is it too late already?

Both titles are being shown off in-depth at this year’s E3 convention, so all we can do is watch and see which way we’re leaning. You can see video “arguments” for both games below—watch them and share who you plan on playing come this fall! Modern Warfare 3 or Battlefield 3…who will it be? [...]

Another big title making a big appearance at this year’s E3 convention is, of course, BioWare’s trilogy-making Mass Effect 3.

We’ve seen the first cinematic trailer for the game, but now Casey Hudson and the team at BioWare are ready to show off their gameplay…which comes with promises of a great story, phenomenal combat, and gigantic scale. But what’s totally unexpected is the announcement that some features of the game will be compatible with Kinect.

Continue reading to see the first gameplay trailer for Mass Effect 3, an intense demo and extended walkthrough, and how the unexpected usage of Kinect will work.

The first video you’ll see is the gameplay trailer, then the first live demo followed by a two-part demo/walkthrough, and then the Kinect video, which actually looks damn cool. That’s the type of Kinect usage in a game I can get behind. TONS of Mass Effect 3 action, and I personally can’t put into words how much more I am for this game after having watched the E3 coverage. [...]

It’s no secret that my personal most anticipated upcoming game is the Bethesda Softworks juggernaut sequel, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. We’ve seen the first trailer, and we’ve seen a peek at the gameplay, but at E3 this year it’s all about answering questions and showing off the game to the masses.

The first new thing from this title to come out of the convention is a brand new gameplay demo with Bethesda head Todd Howard. The demo gives us a much better look at the gameplay of Skyrim, as well as a peek at some things that gamers have been very curious about, such as mixing and matching weapons and spells in both hands, and of course, fighting freakin’ DRAGONS!

Everything looks amazing—as we all expected—but it’s the dragon battles that stand out to me. As Mr. Howard says, these are boss fights, but we don’t have to wait until the end of the game to fight them. The dragons are living, breathing creatures just like any other animal. Sometimes they show up, sometimes they don’t…and sometimes more than one will make an appearance. [...]

Fable has turned into an interesting franchise for Peter Molyneaux and his Lionhead Studios. Each game has come with unbelievable promises, and each—while still enjoyable for many players in terms of basic entertainment—has failed to live up to a lot of the overall hype.

That’s not stopping Molyneaux from continuing to try and reach beyond the stars for the next installment in the Fable franchise, however, with the not-so-surprising announcement of a Fable 4, more officially titled Fable: The Journey. The new game takes a major turn from its predecessors, and it’s this move that will see it gaining (and perhaps losing) many fans.

Be sure to continue reading to learn much more and to see not only the first cinematic trailer for Fable: The Journey, but to see a gameplay demo as well, so you can decide whether you’re in, out, or undecided.

Now, the very moments we first heard about Kinect (then called Project Natal), Molyneaux had a demo prepared showing off the possibilities of the new technology that featured a little boy named Milo. [...]

The 2011 E3 convention is already well underway, and some huge announcements have been dropped early on.

To start things off, Microsoft took the stage with bombs in pockets. The first of which was a confirmation of two big E3 rumors: one being that the original Halo: Combat Evolved would be getting a makeover to enhance the visuals with today’s technologies, and the other even bigger announcement being that Halo 4 was indeed on the way, and that it would start a brand new trilogy in the series.

Last we had heard of the series, Halo: Reach was coming out and it was to be the last that developer Bungie made. Obviously Microsoft would have been silly to just end it there, though, and they immediately got to work on new and exciting stories for Master Chief.

You can see a brief but exciting teaser for Halo 4, which will be released during the holiday season in 2012, by heading below now! [...]