Microsoft started off the whole E3 conference circuit early with an interesting show last night.

Watching the streams, it appeared they were going for spectacle above stats, obviously based on comments that last year’s show was far too graph-heavy.  Gamers want to see games, after all.

First game out was The Beatles Rock Band.  Basically Rock Band with cartoony looking Fab Four and all the classic songs.  The big revelation for 360 fans was that ‘All You Need Is Love’ would apparently be exclusive through Xbox Live (though the way they said this it’s not quite certain whether it’s just exclusive to the online service or to the 360).  The Rock-band guys played the new instruments to show off their ‘skills’.

Next up, Tony Hawk’s new skateboard peripheral.  So far it looks like another exclusive to 360.  It’s basically a motion sensing platform which you can use to lean and jump (so a Wii Balance board which looks like a skateboard then!).  It will go with the Ride game out this year.

The one most people have been waiting for is Modern Warfare II.  The trailer shows some of the game action including a cool snowy level which reminds me a bit of Goldeneye.  Oh and Snowmobiles.  It’s pretty impressive and makes me want the game even more.  Have to wait till November though.

Final Fantasy XIII next.  Not really much on display but what was there was standard FF fare.  Fans will be pleased by the look of it, Chocobos and all. Spring 2010 apparently.

Some Xbox Live Arcade stuff now.  Shadow complex, looks a bit like an action RPG with big guns.  Nice graphics for an XLBA game too.  Joy Ride next, a free game (yes, free!) for your Avatars to play.  A sort of Mario Kart on the cheap.

Lots of Pre-rendered trailers, disappointing.  Crackdown 2, Left 4 Dead 2 and Splinter Cell: Conviction.  All look nice, but you can’t really tell much from these sort of trailers.  But then Splinter Cell: Conviction pops up with a proper demo.  Very dark and stealthy.  Stealth fans are going to love this.  Bit worried about the toilet theme at the beginning, thought George Michael might turn up, but it’s ok.  Feels very Borne Identity.  Still penciled for this year, despite claims that it might not be out till 2010.

Forza 3 up next.  It’s going for a Gran Turismo vs GRID feel with street races and tracks.  Looks very nice from the video and also looks like they’ll have a nice movie creation feature that allows you to make your own action videos of the races.  Out towards the end of the year (October, they’ve just said but don’t know what the UK release date will be). 

What I’ve been waiting for next, Halo 3 ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Trooper).  It’s looking like a sort of Halo 3 meets action adventure.  Interesting to see how it feels without Master Chief around but for now it’s looking like more of the same with a few different weapons.  Out 22nd of September 2009 with a beta for the new Halo Reach game, not that there was much beyond a teaser for that. 
Ah. Alan Wake or ‘Where the hell is it?!’ as many have started calling it.  Announced for early 2010 now.  I’ll believe it when I see it on the shelf!  However, it looks good and I’m hoping all this extra time will mean it plays good too.  It’s very spooky from the look of the video, a bit Stephen King.

Now video and music.  Last.FM giving us free streaming music (a bit like Playstation’s new music video channel I guess).  Sky access from the 360 for UK Sky owners.  Basically like having multiroom but only for Sky Active rather than live TV at the moment.   Finally, the video store will have 1080p videos instead of just 720p ones and you’ll be able to stream them.  Sounds nice.

Also non-game-wise, Facebook and Twitter access for the 360, more of a novelty it seems but probably useful to someone somewhere!

Hideo Kojima is on stage.  Which means Metal Gear Solid.  Raiden by the looks of it. Not sure if it’s post cyborg Raiden or past Raiden.  The game is called Metal Gear Solid Rising and looks like a multiplatform spin off of the series.  As usual, the trailer gives nothing much away.

Worst kept secret of the show, Project Natal, next.  Fully motion sensing camera (so you’ve wasted your money buying that other Live Camera then).  Very obviously going after the Wii market and if the games and utilities are good then I can see it possibly working, but only if supported by third parties.  Stephen Spielberg pops on stage to talk about it, pretty much the same speech he did for Nintendo the other year about Boom Blox!  Better than I expected, especially after they showed the trailer for it.  If I can suspend my disbelief for a minute and believe what Milo (the interactive boy) can do, plus that the motion controls and voice recognition really work as good as MS show then this could be big.

And that’s it.  Not bad, some good looking games.  Forza 3 surprised me the most and Halo 3 ODST the least.  Now on to Nintendo and Sony today.