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Fable: The Journey (360)
• Publisher: Microsoft
• Developer: Lionhead
• Release Date: 2012
• Trailer
• What We Saw:
Peter Molyneux showed off a demo featuring the horse driving, seen from a first-person perspective, using Kinect to read your hand motions as if you were controlling reins and your voice as you give commands to your horse. He also showed an unmounted combat sequence to demonstrate the magic system. Spells were created with various gestures that included flinging fireballs and making energy spears out of thin air. These abilities can be leveled up and a system called "chanting" will let you improve magic by adding vocal commands. Although the demo sequence was on rails, with the game automatic movement and camera controls, Molyneux says that won't be the case in the final game, which features free movement around the world.
• What We Think:
  Tom: This will be the first Fable I skip, which I don't really mind since it seems more like a Kinect boondoggle than a Fable game.

FIFA 12 (PS3, Xbox 360)
• Publisher: EA Sports
• Platforms,
• Developer: EA Sports
• Release Date: Fall 2011
• E3 Presentation Video
• What We Saw:
FIFA 12 was shown behind closed doors along with NCAA and NHL 12. Unlike those games, FIFA got its own real presentation where someone stood up and spoke about the game at length. It's clear EA was really trying to showcase FIFA at the show this year and for good reason as it was the best EA Sports game on the floor. We also got to spend time playing it for about 10-15 minutes to get a feel for the new engine.
• What We Think:
  Bill: You could tell at E3 last year that NHL 11 was going to be special. That's the feeling I had after leaving the FIFA kiosk. It's really good. And much like NHL it's the physics engine that steals the show. It goes far beyond something like ‘improved collision detection’, although that's part of it—it's that everything feels and looks so natural that potential outcomes of player on player confrontations seem limitless. When the developer notes that he hasn't seen a particular tackle animation during a play session until E3 and points it out to other team members after it happens…unless he's really good at being a salesman, you know this new Impact engine is the real deal. Just a great E3 demo.
  Todd: Although I'm a sports game fan, I'll be the first to admit that what I don't know about soccer you can just about squeeze into the Grand Canyon. But with two young kids around to make up for my lost glory years, I've been trying to learn and I found last year that there's no better way to at least get a grasp of the basics than a good game of FIFA. We heard all about FIFA '12's new Tactical Defense, Precise Dribbling, and Realtime Physics Engine and certainly they sound and look like they'll add to its already impressive authenticity. The physics engine's ability to cut out the arm-through-chest clipping issues from last year should at least help the immersion factor. I don't think the new Football Club feature, in which you earn experience for your player profile and contribute to your favorite team's online popularity, is really my bag. All in all, it certainly looks like this is another worthwhile upgrade for long time fans of the series.

Final Fantasy XIII-2 (360, PS3)
• Publisher: Square Enix
• Developer: Square Enix
• Release Date: TBA 2011
• Trailer
• What We Saw:
The latest in the long-running series about spiky haired youths who fight monsters and save the world was looking appropriately flashy in our developer-driven demo. After a brief intro, we were led through a long playable section that included a look at a giant monster, the newly revamped battle system, and several field areas, which now include “live events” that break up the serious business of exploring and talking to NPC’s.
The battle system itself includes several tweaks, including a mod clock (which allows you to receive bonuses in battle by attacking field enemies at the right moment), and the ability to recruit monsters you’ve already defeated into your party, and evolve them into super-powered beasties.
• What We Think:
Danielle :

The story, such as it is, does nothing for me, but the revamped battle system had me intrigued. It looked both slick and streamlined and quite deep, with the monster-recruiting ability standing at the top of the feature list. There were also “cinematic events” (think quick time events, a la God of War), which I typically don’t love, but they looked cool and well implemented here, suiting this flashy style of gameplay.

Forza Motorsport 4
• Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
• Developer: Turn 10 Studios
• Release Date: October 20 2011
• Trailer
• What We Saw:
Forza Motorsport 4 is one of the new core titles that's receiving choice enhancements through subtle implementation of the Kinect. Featuring a new car-exploring mode called Autovista (narrated by Top Gear hosts) and a head-tracking camera navigation for the more detailed cockpit view, Forza looks to use Kinect in ways that don't replace the existing experience but rather enhance it. In addition to the subtle motion controls, Turn 10 demoed their new car clubs feature that allows friends to band together and work on each other's cars. Whether you're a fan of painting, tuning, or racing there's a job to be done to help your friends online and car clubs looks to make the experience much more seamless and involved.
• What We Think:
  Justin: It's no secret that as a giant of a man, I've had my own personal set of issues with Kinect. I've been looking forward to the day when developers are able to create Kinect enhanced experiences that don't require me to smash my head on the ceiling by asking me to jump a lot. Forza Motorsport 4 looks to be one of those clever implementations of motion control that enhances my existing experience by providing an extra limb as it were through the use of natural motion. Cockpit views have been traditionally immersive but impractical as the wider camera of rear view had such an advantage. Now, thanks to Kinect it looks like both views will be on an even playing field, allowing me to see my surroundings with my head without distracting my hands from driving. I'm looking forward to this new, more immersive experience that allows me to more completely understand what it's like to be behind the wheel of a luxury sports car.

From Dust (XBLA)
• Publisher: Ubisoft
• Developer: Ubisoft
• Release Date: August 17, 2011
• Trailer
• What We Saw:
From Dust is a real-time strategy game without a weapon in sight. Your role is to help your tribe survive the elements and expand through the world by manipulating the environment; picking up sand and dropping it to create a bridge, scooping the water from a stagnant pool, or creating a barricade of molten lava. We successfully completed the third and fourth stages, albeit with a little help from our host.
• What We Think:
  Brian: I had been interested in From Dust from the get-go, but like most people, I never had a thorough understanding of what the game was about. Now that I’ve tried From Dust, I want more. I even traded one of my appointments to a coworker so that I could have more hands-on time. Part of what intrigues me is that From Dust is not a game of death and conquering. It is a game about life and protection, all while reaffirming the severe power within the world around us.