Last week was the 2010 Tokyo Game Show (also called TGS 2010) and the games on display came from some of the brightest minds in the industry. Here you’ll find 12 trailers from the hottest games at the show, including The Last Guardian, Devil May Cry and Deus Ex: Human Revolution.
TGS 2010 was the most attended TGS yet, but that didn’t prevent some Japanese developers and pundits from bemoaning the quality of Japanese games as compared to titles produced by Western studios like BioWare, Bungie and Blizzard.
Capcom’s Keiji Inafune, who had a hand in creating both Mega Man and Dead Rising, said at the show that Japanese developers are “at least five years behind.”
The man might have a point. Looking at some of these trailers, the core developers outside the Nintendo world are definitely not making an effort to break barriers or challenge stereotypes about video games and gamer culture.
Nintendo, however, is in another class. That company’s Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS consoles have outsold the competition from Microsoft and Sony at every turn and expanded the audience for video games far beyond the 20-year-old males who traditionally form the core market. But these games and consoles belong in a different world from the industry that makes graphics-intensive and complex games for the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3.
The Games
There are some stand-outs. The art-house development studio that made Ico and Shadow of the Colossus for the PlayStation 2 showed a trailer for PlayStation 3 title The Last Guardian, and it looks absolutely beautiful. It turns out the game will be playable in 3D. The studio is also releasing a bundle for PS3 that includes remastered, high-definition versions of the two PS2 classics.
RPG developer Level 5 teamed up with master animator Hayao Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli (best known for films such as Princess Mononoke, Sprited Away and Ponyo) to make a PS3 game titled Ni No Kuni. It looks gorgeous and touching, capturing the look and feel of the animated films, but it hasn’t been confirmed for North American or European release yet.
Also notable was the lineup for the Xbox 360’s Kinect motion controller and camera. The games and developers Microsoft featured at the show sought to demonstrate that traditional gamers will enjoy games with the new interface, not just families looking for play-and-forget party experiences.
Here are the trailers. Most are Japanese games, but a few Western games made appearances at TGS — most notably Deus Ex: Human Revolution.
"Deus Ex: Human Revolution"
This sequel to a classic PC gaming franchise promises an involved cyberpunk storyline.
"Ni No Kuni" (Level 5 and Studio Ghibli Project) for PS3
Ni no Kuni is a collaboration between esteemed Japanese RPG developer Level 5 and famous animation director Hayao Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli. The game was previously revealed for Nintendo DS, but here's the gorgeous PS3 version.
"The Last Guardian"
Team Ico is best known for the critically acclaimed art-house PS2 games Ico and Shadow of the Colossus. This is their latest project, and the first on the PlayStation 3. Oh, and this game will be available in 3D.
"Devil May Cry" ("DMC")
This version of the classic, gothic action fighting game Devil May Cry is actually the fifth game in the series, but it's a reboot with new character designs and more.
"Shadows of the Damned"
Everything about this trailer is indicative of the traditions of Japanese hardcore gaming — whether that's a good thing or a bad thing is up to you. This new game is made by alums from the Resident Evil, Silent Hill and No More Heroes. Consider it a punk rock psychological horror action game.
"Ico" and "Shadow of the Colossus" Collection for PS3
Ico and Shadow of the Colossus are two of the most beloved games of all time — at least for video game critics. The PS2 titles have been remastered in high definition and 3D for the PS3 release.
"Dead Rising 2: Case West"
This Xbox 360-exclusive downloadable expansion for Dead Rising 2 makes a team out of the protagonists of the first two games in the series.
"Tekken Tag Tournament 2"
Arcade fighting games are a dying breed, but Tekken developer Namco will try to revive the market with Tekken Tag Tournament 2. The game will appear in arcades around Japan.
"Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Vietnam"
Vietnam is an under-represented war in video games. Maybe it's because gamers prefer the clear moral lines of World War II. The over-the-top Battlefield Bad Company series already blurs the lines, though, so Vietnam seems a suitable setting for this download-only follow up.
"Castlevania: Lords of Shadow"
Another total franchise reboot, this Middle Ages-set action game is part of a series that began way back in 1986.
"Vanquish"
What if the Cold War continued into our near future? This action game published by Sega depicts that scenario.
Steel Battalion: Heavy Armour for Xbox Kinect
This game is one of several hardcore gamer-friendly Kinect titles that Microsoft unveiled at TGS. Kinect is the motion controller due for release on the Xbox 360 this November.
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