At PAX East this past year Autumn Games was hosting a preview of Skullgirls, a 2D anime-influenced fighter in the same vein as Street Fighter. There you were able to try out as two of the characters: Filia and Cerebella, Going hands-on with it back then I was drawn in to its visual and fighting style, but I felt that the women lacked a sort of variety, leaving me a bit cautious of this title. At E3 this year Reverge Labs and Autumn Games showcased a third character to the Skullgirls realm, and it was here where I started to find the strong variety this game can showcase.

2009's MadWorld was my favorite game of 2009 (and what first made me buy a Wii in the first place), so when word got out that Jack and the rest of the best characters from that title were to return to the console world in Anarchy Reigns my heart began to pound ecstatically. At E3 I was able to go hands-on with the online brawler, the end results of which left a bittersweet taste in my mouth.

It'd be fair to say that Rayman has been standing in the shadows of those furry bastards known as the Rabbids since he invited them into his life. Since then little had been seen of the armless and legless protagonist who first won our hearts in the 1990s. Fortunately our hero from the Sea of Lums has prepared himself for a major comeback, in the form of the four-player co-op adventure Rayman Origins.

Long lines are an inevitable reality at an event like E3.  With some of the most exciting and innovative hardware and software to be seen there were several at the show this year.  One of the longest I waited in was for the Playstation Vita where, ironically in my opinion, several people were playing with their 3DS while they waited.  The promise of the Vita, much like it’s predecessor, is the ability to have what feels like a current generation console as a handheld.  It also promises innovation and some great new games.  From what they’ve shown so far, do these seem like promises they can keep?

At E3 this year the Capcom section the majority of the buzz was on the upcoming franchise-clashing Street Fighter X Tekken. Capcom is no stranger to battling it out with other franchises (i.e.: SNK, Marvel, Tatsunoko), but for the first time in fighting game history we are given one of the very few ultimate what-if scenarios within the gaming realm. (The other, of course, is Street Fighter versus Mortal Kombat, though that still seems unlikely to happen.)

This year, there was a lot to expect from the E3 show.  With all of the new hardware and awesome software that was right in front of our eyes, there was bound to be a gem hidden somewhere that we weren’t quite expecting.  When I got in line to see Aliens: Colonial Marines, I had no idea of the treats that I was in for inside their booth.  When I got inside the metal bunker they had set up in the middle of of the show floor, I took my seat and prepared myself for the live demo.  As I took out my notepad and flipped it open, none other than Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford took the podium to narrate.  If there is one thing that the world knows about Randy Pitchford, it’s that he loves what he does.  Right from the get-go, he made it clear that this project was no exception to that fact.

The Electronic Arts booth at E3 this year was bombarded with gamers and press. It was a miracle of sorts that no one passed out from the sheer insanity engulfing their space, as every big-named title they were pushing was on the floor for all to try out. I almost found myself unable to play a single title EA was promoting, until I quickly found an opening at the Need For Speed booth. This year will mark the eighteenth release in the popular racing series, and from what I demoed in Need For Speed: The Run the folks at EA are raring to keep your heart pounding with excitement.

For the last couple of years, Nintendo has started their E3 press conferences with my personal favorite first-party series The Legend of Zelda.  This year, there was a lot to talk about in terms of the Zelda franchise.  Not only did Ocarina of Time 3D come out just a few days ago, but we have downloadable titles for the 3DS and an orchestra touring the world playing music from the games.  The most exciting thing there for me though, was the updated look at The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.  What last year was little more than a Zelda-themed tech demo, now feels a lot more like a fully fleshed out game complete with a story.

This week's podcast episode has even more E3 stuff than last week's episode.

Silent Hill has brought in many frights and chills since the first game debuted back in 1999, and while the following games had their ups and downs its core purpose continued eerily down its dark path. At E3 this year I had the opportunity to give the latest title in the series, Silent Hill: Downpour. Unfortunately the results I've seen so far have left me yawning more than shivering.