And then there was Skyrim . While we don’t know if for sure Elder Scrolls: Skyrim will make an appearance during a press conference, one would assume that given Bethesda’s previous success with launching Oblivion on the Xbox 360 console first, that Skyrim would be touted as more connected with Micros

There are portions of the game that can be explored deeper, like property customization , but they're side quests that can completely ignored. Gamers looking for a deep role-playing experience like Mass Effect 2 or Dragon Age will be disappointed with the lack of depth in Fable 3 . But gamers looking for the equivalent of a ‘summer popcorn movie’ will be happy with Lionhead Studios latest offering. Through all of it's low points, Fable 3 never becomes a chore to p

Whereas most of Half-Life 2 is a straightforward sci-fi Adventure games mounts, the city of Ravenholm is where the game ventures into horror territory and provides the franchise's scariest moments. Gordan Freeman reaches Ravenholm shortly after acquiring the Gravity Gun, which comes in handy when fighting off the headcrabs and zombies that are swarming the pl

Stealth game Thief: The Dark Project takes a turn for the weird in the game's seventh mission, The Haunted Cathedral. In this mission, Garrett visits an area called the Sealed Section, which has been cut off from the rest of the city due to a violent zombie outbreak. Sure enough, players encounter zombies and other supernatural entities when making their way through this particularly spooky mission, which helps it stand out as one of the most memorable and scariest in the entire g

Max Payne may be a high-octane action game, complete with Matrix -style slow-mo shootouts, but the game is about as dark as a video game can get. One particular level in the original Max Payne is outright scary, as Max has a drug-induced nightmare and is forced to relive the horrific moments when his wife and newborn baby were murdered by crazed drug addicts. This twisted dream sequence includes a perilous walk on a tightrope made of blood as Max hears the pleading screams of his dead wife and baby echoing in the dista

But it is also not unheard of for Microsoft to pull a real surprise out of nowhere during their press conference (they did so last year with the new Xbox 360 redesign ), so don't be shocked if it happens once again. While we have taken a few stabs at what that big surprise might be, we’ll know for sure on June

Besides combat and travel, there are plenty of other motion-based opportunities throughout Albion. Activities like corralling chickens, lighting lanterns and moving obstacles may seem mundane, but serve to enrich the experience, making sure there’s always a fresh task to keep players interested. Most of these secondary actions have their own unique movements to avoid redundancies. Not content to let your arms have all the fun, there will be times where multiple paths can be selected from by bending your torso left or right. With all the different movements, it’s clear Lionhead was content on utilizing the full potential of motion-control.

The basics of combat are untouched from the previous Fable games. The hero has three types of weapons to use during combat: melee, range and magic. What has changed is how these weapons change over time. As opposed to previous Fable games, where players would modify their weapons with items found in the game, now weapons evolve over time based on how they're used. Each weapon has multiple ‘Achievements’ associated with it and completing these Achievements cause the weapon to evolve. A sword may develop fire damage after it has killed 200 enemies. Some gamers have complained that this takes away from the customization of the first two Fable games, and it does make playing the game a much more streamlined proc

The Journey takes place fifty years after the events of Fable III. Players take on the role of Gabriel, a dweller who is living a happy, but simple life with his tribe in Albion. After a sudden lightning storm, Gabriel is separated from his caravan and forced to find an alternate route to reunite with them. Soon after, our hero is caught up in the attack of an earth-shattering force known as The Corruption. Narrowly escaping the spreading darkness, Gabriel meets the mysterious Theresa. The last of the hero bloodline, she’s tasked with protecting the world from evil that threatens it. Gabriel must help restore her power by taking her to the Tattered Spire. To assist in this quest, spell-casting bracelets are harnessed to protect them from the evils of Albion.

Movement off the horse, such as in a dungeon or mine, occurs with no player input, putting focus solely on clearing away baddies. Combat is handled via two main powers controlled by each hand. The right hand casts a damage-dealing attack spell, while the left hand can push enemies back or fling environmental objects at them. To execute either attack, you simply aim at the intended target and push your lower arm away from your upper arm with the palm facing out. While it’s a simple combat system, it truly feels that you are the one casting the spells -- always a victory for motion-based titles. Common variances like needing the left hand to pull the armor off of an enemy, while dealing damage with the right prevents gameplay from seeming stale.