Electronic Arts Conference Rundown

EA hit the ground running this year with a new gameplay unveil of Mass Effect 3 (3/6/12), which is pushing more and more towards blockbuster action game and further away from hardcore RPG. That's not to say Commander Shepard's big finale is dumbed down for the masses, just streamlined in the same vein as ME2. However, the on-rails boss battle at the end did feel a little too similar to playing as Master Chief.

ME3 was followed by a head-scratching car-to-on-foot-quicktime-sequence-to-car-again gameplay segment of Need for Speed: The Run, which already makes us wish Criterion was handling NFS from now on.

Speaking of games that are already dragging a little, EA followed NFS with a trailer of Star Wars: The Old Republic, which doesn't have very big shoes to fill after the last Star Wars-themed MMO, Galaxies. However, in the trustworthy hands of Bioware, SW:TOR definitely deserves the benefit of the doubt for now.

EA Sports brought the thunder with an action-packed trailer for the new reboot of SSX (Jan. 2012). The game will feature the crazily arcady gameplay the series is known for. FIFA is aiming for a "global community" with the addition of EA Sports Football Club along with a revamped physics system in FIFA 12. Lockout be damned, Madden 12 (8/30/11) is really pushing emotion this year with a pumped up speech by Vince Lombardi, however EA was suspiciously light on actual features.

Curt Schilling came out to show off his pet project, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. While it may seem like a Fable/God of War knock-off with Elder Scrolls elements, Reckoning has above average looks and interesting melee-magic combat.

Insomniac premiered a trailer for their all-new franchise, Overstrike, which has about as much charm in its characters as explosions in its combat. While it is a disappointment to not get any actual gameplay, the anticipation of a fresh new franchise is enough to keep us wanting more.

Electronic Arts certainly saved the best for last with a brand new trailer and demo of Battlefield 3 (10/25/11). The game's engine, Frostbite 2, looks like the major push forward in technology that everyone has been waiting for. The on-foot and vehicle controls are classic Battlefield and a brief look at multiplayer should have Activision looking over their shoulder.