Posts Filed Under: E3

Man, where the hell have we been lately? Oh right! E3 2011 and ReveLAtions! That sure took a toll on the Meat Bun collective energy levels, but we’re back, well rested after watching some great fighting game tournaments and ready to roll. Thanks to the wonderful Freddie Wong and his latest video jam, “Arcade Dominator,” we’re more fired up than ever.

What else have we been doing besides attending convention centers, hotel meeting rooms and grand ballrooms? Playing Dark Souls, for one. We might go far enough to call it Meat Bun’s game of E3 2011. We just might.

We also got to play a little Skullgirls, which the LA Weekly and everyone else seems to be gushing over.

A few things we didn’t get to play–but desperately want to, hopefully at Tokyo Game Show–include Dragon’s Crown, the latest fan service fest from Vanillaware.

:3

Err yeah! There are more reasons that anatomically astounding warrior women for wanting to play this gorgeous PlayStation 3 and PS Vita game. Maybe you should watch the trailer to see why!

Also on the list of interesting Japanese curiosities is a Neon Genesis Evangelion game that might actually be a good Neon Genesis Evangelion game. That would be Rhythm Evangelion: 3nd Impact, a PSP game being made by Grasshopper Manufacture and musically touched by the great Akira Yamaoka.

The special edition(s) look fantastic.

Finally, I’ll cop to having a strong desire to play Dancing Eyes, the most unexpected entry in the Namco Generations line of HD recreations of classic (well…) Namco games. Have a look…

Whew! Anyway, please give us a follow on Twitter and/or Facebook so you can stay up to date!

E3 is the battle ground where the big three fall all over themselves vying for the top slot in your lil’ gaming heart. It’s beautifully ridiculous. Last year Microsoft handed out free Xbox 360 Slims like sample teriyaki chicken on a tooth pick to all conference attendees.

Seems Sony knows the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. This year they called in a fleet of LA’s best gourmet food trucks, and parked the caravan around a large open bar. I was gorging myself like that scene in Defending Your Life where you could eat whatever you like, as much as you like, and it all tasted great. Dim sum, Cajun gumbo, spicy shrimp tacos… even had a dessert course or two. But somehow Subway got mixed into the picture. Yes, I know not everyone is going to partake of free, delicious tuna sushi hand rolls — but that’s what the corn dog and tater tot stands were for! Watching chumps eat prefabricated lukewarm turkey 6″ subs just because it was handed to them by a professional Nathan Drake cosplayer earned a scornful glance as I finished my gourmet tamarind/chili popsicle.

Now that I was thoroughly wined and dined, I was curious to see where this evening was headed. Kevin Butler was a no-show, and the mood took on an understandably humble and contrite tone in light of the massive network outages. Oh, no! I was hoping for something a little more fun and… titillating… like the Bioshock: Infinite trailer. After more than enough talk about AT&T partnerships *groan* and demos of first person shooters, things became a little more exciting.

Jane’s Addiction fit the bill nicely, though I had to force myself not to calculate how long ago I last saw them at the original Lollapalooza. The juxtaposition of hearing Perry Farrell singing Mountain Song and then chatting about Congressman Wiener tweeting his wiener proved to be a little surreal, but I am in no way complaining. Thank you, Sony. You have my number.

Do you know what’s a bad idea? Free, all-you-can-drink Absinthe. Your night becomes a scene out of a Prodigy video. But, hey, we were drinking on Microsoft’s dime! And it’s not our fault they rented out the Edison for like a week. Damn you, Green Fairy and your intoxicating elixirs.

What were we talking about? Oh, E3, where all the new games coming out in the next year are assembled — and you get to play them TODAY. The best way to enjoy E3 is to have zero responsibilities, and to be like a kid in a candy shop. But it’s a lot of work setting that up! Strategically used sick days, and calls to your well connected friends in the business. Only then can you fully enjoy the top-shelf Tanqueray martini in your hand as you watch zombie pole dancers gyrate seductively at the Dead Rising 2 party.

But what about the games? Honestly, I don’t remember playing any. I’m even having trouble remembering the name of the band I saw pictured below, but I do remember liking them. I’m sure some other sites have some excellent quality gaming coverage, but again I have this thing about having zero responsibilities during E3. Welcome back, E3, you big, overblown, crazy spectacle you!

Check out our E3 2010 gallery on our Facebook page.