E3 07: Surprise no-shows at E3

Too Human (Xbox 360)
After a near universalthrashing at E3 2006, it's perhaps no surprise that Too Human didn't appear at this year's show. Which is a pity because when we saw it recently, it was looking like a genuinely stunning game. We want more on this title yesterday - so disappointment at its no-show is tangible.

The Getaway PS3 (PS3)
We would have been happy with another tech demo using the game's engine, or at least a non-playable tour of the city to drool over. With PSP's frankly awful Gangs of London still searing in our minds, we need some PS3 London loveliness - anything - to bring back the love. But it wasn't to be. At least, not at E3.

Duke Nukem Forever (PS6, Xbox 1080 - probably)
We've been expecting to see Duke Nukem Forever for just about every E3 of the past decade. The game that's been on release schedules for longer than some gamers out there have been alive is apparently "nearing completion." With development having taken so long, if this game is anything less than perfect when it is released, it's going to be laughed right out of town. Then over the county line. Little wonder 3D Realms wasn't keen to show an unfinished version at E3 this year. But, like that Lightning Seeds France 98 song so stirringly announced... we still believe.

Above: Duke Nukem Forever looked like this some six years ago. But what's it like now?

Spore (PC)
Sims Creator Will Wright's creature evolution title was missing too. Worryingly, we haven't seen anything on the game for a while and time is moving by. Is it perhaps too ambitious for its own good? We're hoping the game is just at the awkward stage of being basically complete but too buggy for a stable build to be offered to the press, but even so, it's no-show was a disappointment.

And the rest...
Of course, there were other no-shows at the event, but somewhat less surprising. GTA IV and LA Noir weren't at the show because Rockstar wasn't there to show them. Simple, really. Also, Banjo Threeie wasn't present but we weren't really expecting to see it. And with The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess all but finished a year and a half ago, it wouldn't have been that much of a shock to see a new Zelda closing the Nintendo Press conference. But it wasn't to be. Tekken 6 would also have been a bonus, but isn't finished yet and Lost... well, Lost was nowhere to be found.

Valve's single-player multiplayer hybrid The Crossing and Eidos' shooter Crossfire were both crossed off our hopeful list of exhibits, while PS3's photo snapping title Afrika was as absent as all the good animals on every safari we've been on. Animal Crossing on Wii is still just a Wario Ware minigame, nothing more, although we do reckon that will change soon. Just not as soon as last week. Sniff.

July 16, 2007

Justin Towell

Justin was a GamesRadar staffer for 10 years but is now a freelancer, musician and videographer. He's big on retro, Sega and racing games (especially retro Sega racing games) and currently also writes for Play Magazine, Traxion.gg, PC Gamer and TopTenReviews, as well as running his own YouTube channel. Having learned to love all platforms equally after Sega left the hardware industry (sniff), his favourite games include Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams, Zelda BotW, Sea of Thieves, Sega Rally Championship and Treasure Island Dizzy.