E3 2005: Sega's E3 Lineup @ Gaming Target

Written by John Scalzo on May 13, 2005

News: The former king of the hedgehogs is ready for another E3.

Sega has unveiled their E3 lineup and it's heavy with Xbox 360 releases and rebirths of classic franchises. Shadow the Hedgehog, new Gunstar Heroes, Shining Force and Phantasy Star. Woo!

Sega has also announced that two new additions to the Sonic series will be announced on the first day of E3. Sonic DS perhaps?

Elsewhere in their booth:

Condemned: Criminal Origins (Xbox 360): Developed by award-winning Monolith Productions, Condemned: Criminal Origins allows players to experience an unnatural level of psychological tension as they use their instincts, forensic tools, melee combat, and firearms to track a serial killer and bring him to justice. Presented in a first-person view for maximum visceral effect, this aospheric thriller is best played with the surround-sound up and the lights off.

Full Auto (Xbox 360): Combine fully-automatic, weapon-equipped vehicles with highly detailed and interactive urban environments and you have Full Auto, the most destructive racing action ever experienced in a video game. Players can choose from a wide selection of unique vehicle designs, arm them with any combination of deadly weapons, and maneuver out of tight spots with the unique 'unwreck' play mechanic.

Gunstar Super Heroes (Game Boy Advance): Gunstar Heroes, one of the most critically acclaimed 2D games of all time, is finally receiving a sequel, and it's being developed by Treasure, the legendary team responsible for the original. In this intense side-scrolling shooter, Blue and Red (the lead characters) must once again keep a crystal of great power from falling into the hands of an evil empire intent on resurrecting the God of Ruin.

Phantasy Star Universe (PlayStation 2, PC): This enormous game offers two complete RPG experiences - a single-player action-adventure spanning multiple planets, and a robust online multi-player component. In offline mode, this action-RPG offers more than 40 hours of gameplay, an emotionally engaging story, traditional cut scenes, and strong character development. In online mode, players are given the opportunity to travel with a squad of other adventurers, enter urban sprawls teeming with hundreds of players, and build their unique avatars into powerful warriors

Shadow The Hedgehog (PlayStation 2, Xbox, Nintendo GameCube): From his first appearance in Sonic Adventure 2 to his most recent role in Sonic Heroes, Shadow has emerged as one of the most popular characters in the Sonic The Hedgehog universe. And now, he is headlining his own game. Shadow The Hedgehog boldly combines the excitement of high-speed action-platformers with the intensity of third-person shooters. Hero or Villain? You decide.

Shining Force Neo (PlayStation 2): Moving away from the methodical gameplay of prior Shining Force strategy-RPGs, Shining Force Neo is a fast-paced action-adventure. Real-time combat creates a deeper sense of personal involvement in battles, and the presence of more than 90 enemies on screen at once ratchets up the grand scale that the Shining Force games are known for.

Spartan: Total Warrior (PlayStation 2, Xbox, Nintendo GameCube): This action epic lets players fight within massive cinematic battles as a fighter known only as The Spartan. Spartan: Total Warrior runs on proprietary software technology that makes it possible to present more than 170 detailed warriors simultaneously engaged in pitched combat.

Virtua Tennis: World Tour (PSP portable): Virtua Tennis: World Tour features an array of internationally ranked tennis pros, as well as a new make-your-own player option, exclusive mini-games, and original courts. Wi-Fi gameplay is also supported, encouraging up to 4 friends to play together.