And the Winner is...

So as anyone who doesn't live under a rock knows last week was E3.  And this years E3 was big, really big.      This is due, in no small part, to both Sony and Microsoft announcing their new consoles earlier this year.  While Microsoft laid their cards for the Xbox One on the table right out of the gate, Sony opted to wait until E3 to spill the beans on the PS4.  And what a reveal the PS4 had.  Announcing no restrictions on used games, no disputes over ownership, and no requirements that game developers have to have a publisher to put a game on their console.  Needless to say a lot of this was targeted at Microsoft's announcement on their Xbox One which allows a publisher to permit or deny used sales, is not very clear on who owns the game post sale, and requires that developers have a publisher to put a game on their console, including the team at Oddworld Inhabitants, one of the companies that help put the Xbox on the map.  Though through all of this people are still looking for the "Winner of E3", like it's some sort of game or something.  And though I may not agree with the practice (as I have discussed before) as each console has it's own merits.  But the tradition remains, and I feel that it needs to be honored.  So here we are, time to analyze each consoles E3 showing, including PC, and determine a winner, because the public demands it.

Before we begin I would like to clarify a couple of things on the rules for this little showdown.  We are going to primarily focus on the games that were displayed here, and less on the technology and business practices of some of the companies that make them.  But don't be offended if I tend to leave out a lot of sports games, and I sure you all know how I feel about those.

So lets get this chicken fight started then.  In no particular order lets start off with the Xbox One.  A couple of exclusives look pretty decent for this console, primarily Sunset Overdrive and Killer Instinct, and the fact that both FFXV and KH3 are going to appear on the Xbox One really help it add guns to it's fight.  Now a big game that had a lot of people talking was Ryse: Son of Rome.  Personally I don't see Ryse as turning into a big title, it feels like it will go the way of Kameo with moderate gameplay and an easily forgettable experience.  Forza 5 on the other hand, while it looks good, is becoming something of an all too familiar experience.  It seems as if we get one every two to three years and the series never really progresses as nicely as we would like besides better graphics and a couple of new features, like the Drivatar, though that is a really good idea.  Finally we also saw an exclusive sneak peak at Halo 5, and with that Bonnie Ross proudly proclaiming 60 frames per second as if she was going to win a Nobel Prize.

OMG 60 FRAMES PER SECOND GAIZ!!

Next up, the WiiU.  Now Nintendo tends to be on the back burner at every years E3 with not really too much to talk about besides a few cool 3rd party exclusives (Bayonetta 2 this year), and the inevitable Mario or Zelda title.  Now while Bayonetta 2 looks like a great game, and probably will be a great game, it was most definitely not Nintendo's biggest announcement this year.  That came in the form of Super Smash Bros., the fourth installment in Nintendo's award winning battle royal battle game, and one of my personal favorites that Nintendo owns.  Other big things that we're announced was Pikmin 3, which looks interesting, especially since we haven't seen a Pikmin game since the Game Cube.  Also a Wind Waker remake, which is making me want a WiiU, a new Mario Kart, New Super Luigi U (at least he's getting another game for himself), a new game focusing on Wario, and finally a new Donkey Kong country.  Not a bad lineup.

On to the PS4.  SO one fo the biggest titles that ultimately caught my attention was Killzone: Shadow Fall.  I personally do not own a PS3, so I missed out on Killzone 2 and 3, but I absolutely loved the first entry in the series.  Games like The Order: 1886 and Driveclub will also be extremely heavy hitters in this next generation, especially with the later of the two being free to PS+ members on launch, plus the whole steampunk feel of The Order really makes me interested.  Knack looks like a really cool idea, but reminds me again that it could very easily go the way of Kameo very quickly.  Though only time will tell if that is the case or not.  Finally we come to Infamous: Second Son.  Now while this game looks good, I've never been really big on the Infamous series so I can't say that I'm super excited for it.

Seriously, this game will be amazing.  And it's made by SCE Santa Monica.

PC boasts a small number of games, but we see two large releases: Total War: Rome II and Company of Heroes 2.  Both games predecessors have seen incredible success, and I'm going to say now that they will see much more.  PC also has the advantage of Titanfall, which is also on both 360 and Xbox One, but I have a feeling that PC will trump both consoles the same way that Skyrim did last November.  Though PC never really has a huge showing at E3 becasue a lot of its major games come from Indie developers, MOBAs, and MMOs.

Though it's a potentially unpopular vote, I'm going to have to give this year to the WiiU.  We're getting a truckload of first party games, and Nintendo always has great first party games, a remake of Wind Waker, possibly one of the most fun Zelda games ever made, and a new Pikmin.  I mean this really was an easy call. Plus they didn't get involved in the war that Microsoft and Sony did over their next gen console.  It was business as usual for Nintendo, and I applaud them.  But only time will tell if I'm right.  See ya next time.

Bask in the glory of your champion.