E3 2011 finally comes to a close, and we’re more excited than ever for the rest of the year. There are lots of games to look forward to, as well as new hardware worth keeping a sharp eye on. In case you missed this year’s event, here’s a quick recap of what went down at E3 2011:

Konami Pre-E3 showing

Konami actually started E3 2011, on June 2^nd last week. It was rather disappointing to learn that it was all pre-recorded footage rather than a live offering. That means no weird shenanigans like we were treated to in last year’s briefing, sadly. Nonetheless, Konami showed games, which is obviously important. Titles like NeverDead, Pro Evolution Soccer 2012, Metal Gear Solid 3D: Snake Eater, and Silent Hill: Downpour where shown in interviews, behind the scenes footage, and trailers. But perhaps the show’s highlight was Mega64’s introduction to Hideo Kojima’s Transfarring feature. Oh, and there’s HD Collections of Metal Gear Solid and Zone of the Enders on both the PS3 and 360.

Even better in the Japanese-dubbed version.

Move over, Modern Warfare 3. Dance Central 2 is here

It almost seems like Microsoft’s finally starting to figure out the Kinect’s tech, utilizing them in ways they were originally intended for. Despite being impressed by that, I’m still not sold on the hardware...maybe except Dance Central 2. Plus, most of the Microsoft press conference felt like one big Kinect commercial, which shouldn’t have been its primary focus. Even with that in mind, the “blockbuster” titles they were showing--Modern Warfare 3, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, Gears of War 3, and Ryse--didn’t really interest me much. I did, however, found it in Tomb Raider, and can’t wait to see more of that open world gameplay they’ve been talking about. Still, I can’t complain much. I mean, Dance Central 2! I couldn’t be happier. Oh, and ready for more Halo? Because the 4^th one’s coming.

EA’s Battlefield 3 and everything else

While they showcased big titles like Mass Effect 3, Need for Speed: The Run, SSX, FIFA 2012, and others, Electronic Arts somehow felt the need to shove the Origin.com feature down our throats. I did, however, find some saving graces in the form of Insomniac’s new multiplatform IP, OverStrike, Curt Schilling’s (38 Studios) Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, and DICE’s highly anticipated Battlefield 3. I’m kind of having that first-person shooter burnout, though watching that demo left me with a great impression on the game. I can’t wait to experience the multiplayer for myself.

We saw this a lot in the EA media briefing. As if the first time wasn't enough.

I’d like mine decaffeinated, thank you.

Assassin’s Creed: Revelations is already shaping up to be one of my most anticipated games of 2011. While the demo in the Ubisoft conference was good, I’m already sold on the story side of things. Although, to be honest, the fake game footages they were showing (in part of the Ubisoft 25-year anniversary) was one of my personal highlights of the show. It would’ve been awesome if those games were actually real, compiled into a single disc, and sold as a ‘Ubisoft 25 Year Anniversary Collection’ on retail. I’d definitely buy it day one. Some other notable games included Michael Ancel’s Rayman: Origins and Far Cry 3. Overall though, Ubisoft’s press conference was full of facepalm-worthy moments, thanks to its dubious host, Mr. Caffeine. Great, now his “doodly doodly doo!” antics are stuck in my head.

Sony’s PS Vita

Perhaps the most significant players of E3 2011 were both Sony and Nintendo. Sony’s handling of the PSN fiasco was classy, and I’m sure they’re glad to finally get it out of the way. While the Playstation Move took a backwards turn with lackluster demonstrations, Sony nevertheless impressed with Uncharted 3, Resistance 3, Bioshock Infinite, and others. The focus, however, was on the company’s latest handheld, the PS Vita. Although the inclusion of AT&T generated audible groans and boos from the audience, their demonstration of the Vita’s capabilities was remarkable. It led to a few of us commenting on wanting to purchase one when it supposedly launches this holiday season. With a reasonable price of $249.99 (well, reasonable's a stretch at this point), why not?

Nintendo’s Wii U

It was certainly pleasing to finally see Nintendo's new console, although it’s going to take us a while to get used to saying Wii U. Dreadful naming aside, it’s even better that a lot of third-party studios are showing their support for it. With what they’ve demonstrated on the show floor, you might finally see the biggest titles running on the platform. Which titles, to be exact? I don’t know, something like Battlefield 3, Darksiders II, Metro: Last Light, and Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Online, perhaps? And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Also, who can forget trailers of Luigi’s Mansion 2, Starfox 64, and Kid Icarus: Uprising for the Nintendo 3DS? Nintendo’s gaming lineup is looking great for both platforms, and I can’t wait to try the Wii U out for myself.

NoobFeed Staff Sounds Off

Now that that’s out of the way, I’d like to focus your attention to the the NoobFeed staff members, in which they voice their personal thoughts about this year’s E3:

Daav Valentaten, NoobFeed Writer:

I did more catching up than actual E3 following this year, but there were some things that sprung to mind. For one, Microsoft bombed two years in a row with their Kinect show. Again, I’m glad they’re going for it, but I think all gamers wanted more games and less Kinect mandatory updates. Luckily, the other 2 giants did a lot better. Nintendo again showed that they’re a company island, for good or bad, and they’re finally being backed by major releases as well. I expect great things from Ninja Gaiden 3DS and the Wii U. I just hope they have a very solid reason not to apply more controllers to the console, change their stances or allow more touchscreen madness. I don’t understand the stock decline though; the Wii U is an incredible machine. What the hell are investors thinking?

Still, the big winner this year is Sony’s conference and an overall list of games that toppled the big N, for once. The PS Vita looks like it’s going to be awesome, especially for us left-handed folk with the back screen. I’m already impressed with their ideas for it, but I’m a lot more impressed with DUST 514 from CCP Games. Like I mentioned, I consider them the Stephen Hawking of the gaming world. What they’re trying to accomplish by implementing a game within a game (Inception!) is just mind-blowing. And to do this across platforms as well is just so ambitious. Knowing their expertise of creating infinitely complex worlds that work, I’m down as hell with this game. DUST 514 single-handedly won E3; everyone else will need to stand in its large shadow.

Strangely enough, I was also awestruck by Battlefield 3 and I’m rarely impressed by a shooter. Even in DUST 514’s case, it wasn’t the generic shooter that caught my eye, but the experience. Battlefield 3 looks like it’s actively taking part in the most hectic war movie ever made; it’s ridiculous. Also, Assassin’s Creed Revelations looks like it will be the first iteration to win my 100% devotion. It just seemed like it would offer so much action, despite that ridiculous flamethrower.  Honorable mentions go out to Bastion’s epic marvel, NeverDead’s weirdness, Overstrike’s bold new appeal, Carrier Command, Kirby Mass Attack, Dragon’s Crown from VanillaWare and last but not least, Journey. All these and more deserve praise--and lots of it.

Marco Cecilio, NoobFeed Writer:

E3 2011 was one of the most popular events of recent times. Moreover, the constant leaks, rumours and surprises--where they’re only confirmed with vague information that’s already been previously disclosed. But beyond this, E3 continues to enthrall the entire industry and readers looking for new information from press conferences, images, and trailers. This year was no exception. We spent almost 24 hours a day in order to give you the best E3 coverage. Now that everything is done, it's time for reflection. In the following lines, I give you my personal opinions on what was considered the best of E3 2011.

Biggest surprise

Deus Ex: Human Revolution: Sure there are many games that deserve this award, but Deus Ex: Human Revolution was my biggest surprise of the event, and is distinguished by how it is constructed. For the environment, gameplay, graphics, storyline and one of the most anticipated returns of all time. The game was almost shielded inside the Square Enix booth; such was the secrecy surrounding the game. Deus Ex: Human Revolution is a fantastic mix of many genres, which we might discuss ahead in a preview.

Honorable Mentions

Gears of War 3: Surprise? No! The third game of the Gears of War series brings many new features, especially in terms of gameplay, with new attacks, new weapons, cooperative mode between four players, graphics to bring a boost in quality, and technical effects to fill the eye.

Dance Central 2: Ok, dance games are in vogue. I also do not know how to dance, but I’m willing to commit to Dance Central 2. It is still, by far, the best game for Kinect. Good on you, Harmonix!

Best Technology

When everyone expected a full E3 coverage with games for Move and Kinect, Nintendo surprised us with 3DS and the Wii U and conquered the entire event. The moves were clear and Kinect major attractions occupied large areas, with lots of people just wanting to put their hands in the air. It’s not just Kinect, though. Beyond all this hype, Sony’s PS Vita is a fantastic piece of hardware. Some games that are featured in the system show an excellent quality, as well as marvelous 3D effects.

Best Conference

Nintendo. Besides the 3DS and Wii U, they managed to recreate some hype for their games. Unlike previous years, Nintendo dropped the strange presentations and just showed what the Wii U can do, as well as the support it’s getting. In fact, I think I can say that while Microsoft and Sony are to take the market against Nintendo, what they presented indicates that they’re willing to hold on to it. How? By giving what fans have wanted for a long time: Quality games like The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Super Mario 3DS, Luigi’s Mansion 2, Kirby, and many others.

See you next year!

Syed Akbar, NoobFeed Business Coordinator:

This year’s E3 has brought gamers some faith in the credibility of the whole convention. Still, that $500 price tag remains to be a major headache. The publishers’ conferences more or less stood out. To sum up my point of view of all the conferences, Microsoft had a roller coaster event. EA had the best conference among all, Ubisoft had its ups and downs, Sony had a strong finish, and Nintendo won the show. I still feel that a conference with such a high caliber and with so many people viewing the show from around the world, there should have been other publishers joining in. You can’t just have only 5 conferences and finish them all within one-and-a-half days. You need to utilize all the three days and have other companies join in.

Right now, all the companies involved are clear winners. Other publishers could have taken this conference as their advantage to strengthen their marketing campaign provided that this E3 was a success. I would also like to add that they all took a combined approach of marketing the change in gameplay experiences (Microsoft’s Kinect, Sony’s Move and PS3-PS Vita interaction, and Nintendo’s Wii U) and playing it safe. I am impressed by how the publishers tried to bring out new innovations (especially with EA’s online club soccer battle with Fifa 2012), though I feel that all the companies should have focused more on teasers than just gameplay demos. There should have been a balance between the two.

Sarwar Ron, NoobFeed CEO:

It’s difficult to state that E3 2011 has completely fulfilled my expectations and I was overjoyed seeing trailers and gameplay footage of so many exciting titles. It has rather been an average, nearly decent event, which displayed of a lot of promises coming over the next few years, machine or game-wise. With the showdown between Kinect, PlayStation Vita and Wii U, one thought certainly came out very clearly: The glimpse of the upcoming gaming age. Both Microsoft and Sony have pushed their hardware capability levels with Xbox 360 being 6 years old and PlayStation 3 being 5, the new age in gaming industry is bound to take place soon.

This talking of new era in gaming is now a cold cup of coffee. But when it comes to achievements, I see very little has been done to take the discussion a little further. All I see are platform exclusives and showcases of the capabilities of new devices. On the other hand, both PC game publishers and hardware industries will definitely take advantage of this situation, since the hardware possibilities are limitless for PC gamers. And with the announcement of so many cross-platform games, that indication came pretty clear too. We’ve seen many cross-platform games and PC versions of them looked more impressive. Games like Mass Effect 3 and Deus Ex 3 looked smoother on PC compared to their console versions. I’m predicting a brilliant run for the PC gamers over the next year.

For my part, I’m looking forward to many titles announced at the event, such as End of Nations, Mass Effect 3, Battlefield 3, Assassins Creed: Revelations, Batman: Arkham City, FIFA 12, PES 2012 and few more. Now I only hope to have free time when these copies arrive on my desk.

Finally, I’d like to thank our Editors and the Writers for putting up a decent amount of content to cover this elegant event, and to all our users and viewers for supporting our efforts. With promise of delivering even better during the future events, I bid you adieu.

Don’t forget to check out the E3 2011 forums to engage in some E3-induced discussion!

David Gabriel, NoobFeed.