Pre-E3 2010: Sony

Sony has had a tough past three and a half years with the PlayStation brand. With the PlayStation 3 (or PS3) struggling for marketshare against the Wii and Xbox 360, and the PlayStation Portable (or PSP) having a hard time keeping up with the Nintendo DS, Sony really has to show up at E3 this year and give the gamers and gaming media something that will reignite the PlayStation brand flames and prove that Sony’s systems are once again prime contenders in the video game world. It is going to take amazing surprise announcements, spectacular demonstrations of their new Move motion controller, and an intriguing look into the PS3’s future as the first 3D-enabled game console to get people jumping out of their seats. As far-fetched as this seems, Sony may just be able to pull it off.

SDCC: Star Wars The Clone Wars: Republic Heroes Hands-On (Wii)

After viewing a video or two of the game online for the Wii, I did not expect too much from this Clone Wars game. And I was so right to be skeptical. LucasArts continues to their cash-in on the kid friendly TV series with Republic Heroes.

Mind you, this is just a demo (and an E3 one at that), but I could tell just by looking at the menu screen that there was little work put into this Wii game. I glanced over to look at the 360 version and it looked vibrant and polished...what happened here LucasArts? Now, to the actual game itself.

Immediately, I noticed a bland palette of colors as my Clone Trooper blasted through an area filled with Separatist droids. You use the Wii Remote to aim your rifle at the respective targets, but the aiming was so slow and wonky I just ended up spraying bullets all over the place. Either this demo was poorly done, the Wii Remote was on crack, or this is going to end being one terrible licensed game. Unforunately, I wasn't able to sample any Jedi levels, but maybe it was good that I didn't.

Expect to see this game on store shelves for the Wii, Xbox 360, PS3, PS2. PSP, Nintendo DS, and the PC on October 6th, 2009. And bargain bins soon after.

SDCC: Tekken 6 Hands-On (PS3)

My time with Tekken 6 on the PS3 was fairly short. In the hectic atmosphere that is San Diego's Comic-Con, it's usually pretty tough to get in some solid time with anything game related.

From what I gathered after playing six rounds or so, is that it is the same fast-paced strategic 3D fighter that fans have enjoyed over the last few editions. At its core, Tekken 6 is simply Tekken 5 but with shinier graphics, cleaner models, and a bit more fluid animations. The framerate is at a steady 60 frames per second, and everything is crisp and clean.

In terms of new content over the 5th edition of Tekken, 6 has new destructible environments akin to those found in other fighting games like Soul Calibur 4 that reveal new fighting areas. However, since this was a multiplayer only demo, there wasn't much else I could investigate. The only other thing I can confirm is that the character roster is going to be a good amount larger than Tekken 5, which will make it the most expansive roster in Tekken history.

Overall it is another solid entry into the series. Look for it on PS3 and Xbox 360 on October 27th, 2009. The PSP version will hit a month later on November 24th.