Critics of this brilliant GTA-inspired Coca Cola commercial, who are calling it about 5 years behind the times, are missing the point. The commercial isn’t about GTA, but what it’s come to represent (the eeeeevilness of video games). And sadly, the debate around that is pretty contemporary.

(Merci Patrick)

via Patrick.

Jon Stewart and video games.

via Kim.

World’s first detox clinic for video game addicts opens in Amsterdam.

It can start with a Game Boy, perhaps given by parents hoping to keep their children occupied but away from the television. From there it can progress to multilevel games that aren’t made to be won.

Unbelievable.

All in all, this E3 can be simply summarized: in one corner, you have two giants fighting each other with great graphics, processing power and PR. Their titles have simple but repetitive gameplay that requires much gaming skill. Both are selling their consoles at a loss, though their prices are still high for the consumer.

In the other corner there’s Nintendo, who put out a console with a controller that’s basically a stick you swing around. Everyone and their grandmother knows how to use a stick. It’s fun as soon as you pick it up. They forsake graphical realism for innovative games that can we developed quickly and cheaply. Their console will be half the price of the two others.

I think you know my opinion of who wiill wiin thiis one.

Today was fairly simple. After being convincingly told it was worth it, I waited almost 3 hours in line to play with the Wii (”we”) this morning. Worth every minute. Took the little motion detecting controller in my hand and played convincing virtual games of tennis, golf and baseball.

This, my dear gamers and non-gamers alike, is what you’re all going to have so much fun with this winter. Wii will have wii parties and wii will love it. You’ll sii.

Then I headed over to Sony and took a look at what the Insomniacs are working on. It’s called Resistance Fall of Man and it’s a first-person shooter. It’s a first-person shooter with great graphics. It’s about as original as… well, a first-person shooter with great graphics. Seems everyone’s got one. Who cares?

“Uh-huh, uh-huh so when are you releasing another Ratchet?” They could only say they were, but no word at all on when. They couldn’t even say they’d have any of it to show at E3 07.

Why is it that the none of the three great platformers (Jak, Ratchet, Sly) showed anything on console this year? A great, profitable and fun ecological niche has been vacated, people. Someone make something to fill it up. Please. I’ll buy your game. I will not buy Insomniac’s (or any other) average shooter.

The only good bit of platforming news is that I downloaded the Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters demo onto my PSP and played the one level, and the good old Ratchet is back. But you know… it’s on PSP. Busy making their shooter, the Insomniacs have given their license over to High Impact, who are making the PSP Ratchet title. Some of the sounds are different and none of the music was in, but the essential core gameplay is there. I enjoyed the demo and will buy the game.

We continued with a turn on Guitar Hero II. This time, you can play in harmony with a friend, choosing lead guitar, rhythm guitar or bass. It was fun to rock out with an audience.

Still, sadly, most of the gamers and creatives I talked to at this show told me that they roamed the showroom floor looking for an innovative game; the next Katamari, the next Psychonauts. The closest thing (beside the Wii stuff) was Viva Pinata, which is a kind of Animal Crossing meets the Sims, but on drugs.

Finished the day off with Dead Rising, a gory zombie game that is innovative in that you can use anything in the environment - and I mean anything - as a weapon. Oh what simple, basic fun it is to walk around a shopping mall swinging around cash registers, benches, golf clubs and even hacked off limbs, gorily beating the crap out of zombies with them!

Someone needs to make a Wii version of that.

At first glance, E3 feels a little underwhelming this year compared to last. The social aspect is better than ever, and IGDA threw an awesome party last night, but the show itself feels like it lacks last year’s frantic energy.

There are fewer people, fewer booth babes (but I’m not complaining), less swag, and everything I’ve seen today seems to either be a shooter or a fantasy RPG. With two other producers, I lined up for the much-hyped Scarface demo, and found that the game is set in 1980s Miami of course, has a huge driving component, extremely average graphics, and has you building up a crime empire. Remind you of anything?

On the plus side, the EA 360 degree booth kicked butt again, and Dad, I taped you the entire Medal of Honor Airborne trailer.

The thing I’m looking forward to the most is Marvel Ultimate Alliance, which comprises over 140 authentic Marvel characters. The decisions you make affect the outcome of the story. You can skin your characters in the various outfits they’ve worn over the history of their comic, and have it affect their powers according to how powerful they were at that time. You can destroy the environments and the pieces of it as weapons. Kewl.

Also cool: I got to tell Sony what I think of Ratchet Deadlocked. Seems I’m not alone in my opinion, and they’re returning to their roots. Got to try out Ratchet and Clank 5: Size Matters. Pretty good, though it’s not by the Insomniacs and it’s only available on PSP.

Also also cool: I saw Tim Burton and the guy who plays the captain of the Firefly. My colleagues, not to be outdone, saw Robin Williams and Vince Vaughn. But then I got to meet Stan Lee!

Tomorrow I’ll try to see the Wii (3 hour wait) and talk to the Insomniacs.

Nintendo’s upcoming Revolution console renamed Wii (pronounced we). But why?

Then again, I was so against the concept of that console when it came out, and have been so completely won over by it, that I’m sure I’ll soon like the name.

The title of the new Ratchet and Clank title (on PSP): Size Matters.

By this time last year, I couldn’t wait to be reunited with him. But throughout the summer, I kept hearing rumors that he was drastically changing. Heartbreakingly, when we finally did meet again he was so completely different that I had to break it off for good. This number one fan was never so sorely disappointed as when Ratchet and Clank went from being a platformer to yet another shooter.

I tried to love this new Ratchet, but there was nothing for it. While I had happily blasted my way several times through the first three titles, I could never play Ratchet Deadlocked for longer than 15 minutes. What a shame.

At the top of my E3 To Do list this year was to give the Insomniacs a piece of my mind. Perhaps they’d remember last year’s drooling fan, now foaming at the mouth.

However, I may now have to reserve judgment a little longer, as I hear echoes that he intends to go back to being the old Ratchet I knew and loved. Can it be? Dare I hope that he can change back to a platformer? Will all be forgiven?