The 5 Most Surprising Announcements of E3
Written By: J. Michael Neal

5. Marvel vs. Capcom 2 Port?

I bet no one saw this one coming, huh? Sure, the game is incredible, a modern day arcade classic, and the final installment in Capcom’s "vs." series, but it’s also hit the age in the gaming world where it’s too young to be "old-school", and too old to be "fresh". There’s no doubt fans who happened to miss out on the Dreamcast port will snatch this one up like hotcakes, though, as it is definitely worth of any gamer’s library, but let’s hope the visuals aged better than the gaming giant’s last 2D title, Capcom vs. SNK 2.

4. A Sequel to Full-Throttle is PS2 Bound?

The good news just keeps on coming, doesn’t it? A true classic is about to be reborn when LucasArts revives its Full-Throttle series, a game that took the graphic adventure into new, uncharted territory when it was released 7 years ago. This game combined humor, action, loveable characters, and a style all it’s own with a story so unique and so well told that it was impossible NOT to love. With the rebirth of Monkey Island and now Full-Throttle, can a Grim Fandango sequel be too far off? That’s hope not!

3. The Knight Rides Again! 

Everyone’s favorite talking car driving, world saving, lifeguard turned German music god is back! Yes folks, Knight Rider, THE Knight Rider Hasselhoff and all, is getting a brand new PS2 game! Why? Don’t ask me, but turning such a cheesy, formerly successful show from the decade of big hair into a next gen title will either strike a wonderfully campy nostalgic cord with those who share fond childhood memories of the show, or sink like a led turd. With this, and a new Robocop game on the way, could this signal a rebirth in popular, yet seemingly forgotten 80’s icons? Could a Max Payne inspired Miami Vice game be in the works? Could a Goldeneye-esque MacGyver be right around the corner? Could a Sims expansion pack centered on the Golden Girls be far off? Uh, well, let’s at least hope so…

2. Grand Theft Auto Franchise PS2 Exclusive! 

In what could be the coupe of the current console war, Sony has managed to strike a deal with Take-Two securing the franchise as PS2 exclusive until 2004, despite the constant clamoring of the Xbox crowd regarding an alleged impending port and circulating rumors of a potential MS buyout of Take-Two. I presume this is as much a mutual partnership as anything else, seeing how the PS2 contributed to the success of GTA3 as much as GTA3 contributed to the success of the PS2, and both companies aren’t willing to part ways, or stand in the way of a repeat of said success, anytime soon. The sequel to GTA3 has already been announced, and if you listen close enough you can hear somewhere off in the distance Microsoft scrambling for a crime simulator of their very own…

1. Metal Gear Solid Substance! Joy! 

We all took a shot to the gut when Kojima-san proclaimed that the Xbox would be receiving a port of Metal Gear Solid 2, entitled "Metal Gear X", which would upstage Sony’s former ace in the hole with better graphics and sound quality. It was made even worst by the rumor that suggested the game would contain the "rest" of the story behind the Tanker chapter, allowing you to complete the entire game with Solid Snake, seeing the second chapter from his point of view, completing the objectives that "Pliskin" had to do (like stealing the chopper) while Raiden was off freezing bombs and looking pretty. That alone would have been enough to send even the biggest Xbox detractor to the nearest Best Buys for a copy. Well, turns out those rumors were wonderfully true, along with a little tidbit Konami forgot to mention, THE GAME WOULD BE MULTIPLATFORM! Turns out the release, entitled Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance, will not only contain the Snake edition of the original game, but tons of other extras, like 200 VR missions, special "Snake Tales" (think comic book one-shots) which are missions related to MGS2 involving Solid Snake with other familiar faces, the ability to play as Pliskin and the cyborg ninja, and also some thrashing as Snake takes a page from the book of Tony and skateboards around the Big Shell. Seems like Kojima has been reading his fan mail and decided to give us gamers what we wanted from day one, Snake by the ton! Thank you Konami!