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Sony's E3 games: A few surprises

A lot of the time was spent at Sony's E3 2010 press conference talking about 3D gaming and PlayStation Move, but the company also made room for a few surprises. We learned about a few titles we expected to see at the big show, but we were also a bit disappointed that Sony didn't use the opportunity to showcase titles teased last year, most notably The Last Guardian.

Jeff Bakalar Editor at Large
Jeff is CNET Editor at Large and a host for CNET video. He's regularly featured on CBS and CBSN. He founded the site's longest-running podcast, The 404 Show, which ran for 10 years. He's currently featured on Giant Bomb's Giant Beastcast podcast and has an unhealthy obsession with ice hockey and pinball.
Jeff Bakalar
3 min read
Gameplay footage of the new Twisted Metal was shown off live. Josh Lowensohn / CNET

A lot of the time was spent at Sony's E3 2010 press conference talking about 3D gaming and PlayStation Move, but the company also made room for a few surprises. We learned about a few titles we expected to see at the big show, but we were also a bit disappointed that Sony didn't use the opportunity to showcase titles teased last year, most notably The Last Guardian.

Among the games on display was a mix of multiplatform and exclusive titles, though mostly everything had some sort of PS3-only element to boast. Here's a rundown of what we saw:

Killzone 3: Sony led with a 3D demo of Killzone 3, showing off impressive graphics and scenes of intense action and carnage. Plenty of gameplay scenarios and environments were on display, and we really enjoyed the addition of a jet pack. Killzone 3 will ship in February 2011.

Gran Turismo 5: No gameplay was shown for Gran Tursimo 5, but Sony announced the title will be available in 3D when it ships on November 2.

Portal 2: A surprise here, as Gabe Newell from Valve announced that Portal 2 will make an appearance on PlayStation 3. Also, Newell mentioned Steam-enabled, which may have some further implications down the road.

LittleBigPlanet 2: Surely not a surprise announcement, but it was satisfying to see the potential this new iteration of the franchise is capable of. Instead of just designing levels, LittleBigPlanet 2 gives players a gaming platform to work on, letting them build puzzle, racing, shooting, and real-time strategy games.

LittleBigPlanet 2 is played. Josh Lowensohn / CNET

MotorStorm Apocalypse: Not a lot of information on this title aside from it being in 3D.

Sly Cooper Collection: The original Sly Cooper trilogy will make its way to the PlayStation 3, this time with a 3D makeover.

Medal of Honor: Though it's not an exclusive title for the PS3, Medal of Honor on the PS3 will come with a reworked version of the classic Medal of Honor Frontlines game.

Dead Space 2: Another nonexclusive, Dead Space 2 on the PS3 will offer a limited edition that bundles a PlayStation Move-compatible version of Dead Space Extraction (currently available on the Wii).

Final Fantasy XIV: No announcements here, just a mention via a short trailer.

Mafia II: This nonexclusive title will actually have some day-one content available only on the PS3. Best of all, it'll be free.

Assassin's Creed Brotherhood: Sony announced that a multiplayer beta for the game will only be available on PS3, though the actual game will see a mutiplatform release.

SOCOM 4: This exclusive title will be compatible with PlayStation Move.

InFAMOUS 2: Sony announced an official sequel to last year's electrified breakthrough hit with an extended trailer for the game. Beyond a 2011 release, we're sensing a freezing ability in the sequel along with electricity control.

Twisted Metal: Sony ended the press conference on this surprise, officially announcing an exclusive PS3 sequel to the longest-running Sony franchise, the car-combat action game Twisted Metal. We were treated to a short gameplay demo featuring new modes and nothing else but a vague 2011 release window.

Keep it here as we'll be adding trailers for most of these games as we get them in.