14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft took the chance to unveil at its E3 2011 conference a big number of brand new games for its Kinect motion sensor for the Xbox 360, ranging from already known ones like Kinect Star Wars, to all-new experiences like Fable: The Journey or Ryse, as well as the fact that popular indie PC hit Minecraft is coming and has support for the motion sensitive peripheral.
Microsoft held a huge press conference before the start of E3 2011 yesterday, announcing plenty of brand new things, including features for the Xbox 360, a new dashboard update that will allow the Kinect to become an even more integral part of the entertainment experience, and lots of brand new games.
We've detailed some of the things that are going to enrich the Xbox 360 experience, and now we're talking about the many new things coming for the Kinect motion sensor.
First up, in terms of full pledged games, we have the oft-rumored Kinect Star Wars title, which allows games to use the Force and play as a Jedi knight in the famous sci-fi universe, fighting, driving pod racers or flying X-wing fighters.
"Drawing on iconic action from many of the “Star Wars” major motion pictures, “Kinect Star Wars” allows to you to physically experience training and battling as a Jedi, using the Force and battling with a lightsaber like never before, thanks to the full-body recognition of Kinect," Microsoft said about the game.
You can check out a trailer of Kinect Star Wars in action below.
Next up, there's the promise of Minecraft coming to the Xbox 360 as an exclusive, with Microsoft confirming that its developer, Mojang, is implementing support for the Kinect motion sensor in the game, in order to enhance the world building experience and give players a different experience than on the PC, as well as provide cross-functionality between the two platforms, which, sadly, hasn't been detailed.
Another big Kinect-only game will be Fable: The Journey, the next chapter in the popular franchise developed by Lionhead, which will see the departure from the classic role-playing game mechanics to an on-rails, first person magic simulator, at least judging from the trailer you can find below, with players needing to gesticulate with their hands in order to form spells and deploy them against enemies.
Kinect Sports: Season Two was also presented to the world, with the sequel bringing new disciplines over the original Kinect Sports, including American football, golf, baseball, winter skiing, darts and tennis, as well as new features like better voice detection.
Another sequel was revealed in the form of Dance Central 2, which adds the possibility of synchronized dancing, meaning two players can try and simulate the same routine at the same time, and not take turns, like it's possible in the current Dance Central game.
Kinect Disneyland Adventures was presented to the world as a chance for families to explore the famous Disneyland amusement park and embark on themed journeys that consist of various minigames that can be experienced by any sort of player.
Sticking with the family-friendly theme, Microsoft also showcased some more details about the previously announced Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster, which sees players embark on different activities alongside the characters from the famous TV show.
Last but not least, in order to showcase that hardcore gamers haven't been forgotten, Microsoft, together with Crytek, presented Ryse, a new first-person brawler that puts players in the shoes of Greek warriors and, by the looks of it, is quite impressive.