E3 Expo 2006 Editorial

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Table of Contents: Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Links

MAY 11, 2006

E3 Sleep-deprived Ramblings and How the PS3 Seduced Us.

-- By Lindsay Taylor Berkovitz, Staff Writer, Phoenix Genesis

Part 1

Well the first full day of E3 2006 has gone by, and since we now have the time to relax from the kaleidoscopic mania that filters through the event like an overzealous strobe light; I will tell some of today's best highlights from an event that is not only truly fun, but offers in part, the peak of creativity in the human spirit.

To start the day of right first on our hit list was of course, the Square-Enix booth. Offering up a vivid array of visual feasts, a nicely assorted collection of trailers of upcoming titles were our reward-- including an exclusive sneak peek of Final Fantasy XIII.

Part 2

However aside from the latest anticipations on the PS2 console, such as; Dirge of Cerberus, God of War II, Rogue Galaxy, Final Fantasy XII, and Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria; the "femme fatale" at the ball was none other than its sleeker, sexier sibling: the PS3. The "new kid on the block" boasts more power and appeal. With a newly revamped controller that takes its predecessor and improves upon it with the addition of a more contoured design and feel- especially the two trigger buttons- gameplay feels more at ease than ever before. Two versions of the PS3 will be available to consumers this November- a 20 Gig version for around $499 USD and a 60 Gig unit for about $599 USD.

Graphically the PS3 is stunning and lucky for us, we were able to spend some quality time with the system as our hands and eyes were as one when we tested a demo of Game Republic's sequel to Genji: Dawn of the Samurai. Although a work in progress, the capabilities of the PS3 are clearly evident in the life-like textures and modeling and the vibrant crisp imagery onscreen in game. If this is the standard quality of the PS3, then we assure you, Sony will continue to dominate the marketplace.

Part 3

One last tasty tidbit before we leave. Our sources, which wish to remain anonymous, say that Sony cannot confirm or deny the second incarnation of the PSP, aptly dubbed the "PSP 2" but told us "wink" "wink" "nudge" "nudge" to wait for SC (Sonycon). Hmmm…

Dustin Curran contributed to this article. Photos by Paul Ramos.

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