E3

Our Counter-Strike: Global Offensive hands-on preview reminded us that Valve's classic FPS game is almost 13 years old. Can you believe it? You'll be able to properly celebrate this addictive Half-Life mod's entrance into teenage years with Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, which G4's Leah Jackson got to play at E3 2012:

"For our demo we played a casual 5v5 match on the classic de_dust map on the Counter-Terrorist side. There will be 16 total maps when the game launches, eight classic maps and eight brand new ones. If you're not familiar with Counter-Strike, on defusal type maps like de_dust it's up to the Counter-Terrorists to either kill all of the Terrorists before they can plant a bomb, or to defuse the bomb before time runs out. Communication is key in CS: GO, so you know where your enemies are, which site the bomb's heading to, and who's going to defuse the bomb if you make it there."

CS: GO doesn't hit "GO" until August 21, 2012. That frees up your schedule to read her hands-on preview.

E3 isn't all about big console games; it's time to check out our Hell Yeah preview from E3 2012, where we visited the showroom floor for a close look at the 2D platformer indie game. Hell Yeah seems appropriately named, with a story line of "sheer, unadulterated exuberance."

"The player controls a prince of Hell, who seems to have a…well…thing…for his rubber ducky, Duckator. An embarrassing video of said prince and said ducky is filmed, and uploaded to the Internet (Hell comes with a fiber optic network, apparently), where exactly one hundred demons have seen it. The only solution? Kill those one hundred demons, to restore his honor and pride. The story is obviously ludicrous, and the developers have noted that any plot sequences inserted into the game simply serve as a chance to tell a few jokes."

Read the full Hell Yeah preview here. Who's in the mood for some tongue-in-cheek indie games?

This Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power Of Two gameplay demo from E3 2012 continues the trend of Warren Spector being one of the best guests to interview in the video game industry.  The legendary designer uses the word "magical" in every single interview (multiple times, if you're lucky) and he gives credit where credit is due. Case in point, when showing G4 hosts Morgan Webb and Candace Bailey Epic Mickey 2, he accredits the training level fail-safe to the proper originator.

"The real magic stuff is when you screw up," revealed Spector. "It's a training level, so if you fall off this path that you're creating as you go, the world magically rises up to catch you."  When Webb said that she like the idea of the arms of the Earth coming up to embrace you, Spector admitted, "I wish I could take credit for it. One of our designers actually came up with the idea and when I saw it, I said 'Yes, oh my God!'"

That's a class act - one might even say a magical act. Watch the rest of this magical gameplay demo with Warren Spector below.

Your Need for Speed Most Wanted gameplay demo is here with Criterion's Steve Cuss, Morgan Webb and Kevin Pereira from E3 2012.  But don't call it a comeback, call it a re-boot. 

Ever want to be wanted?  With NFS Most Wanted you will be.  Start at the bottom and work your way to the top of the social ladder of the racing world.  Friends in the game will compete for speed points which will determine who is the most wanted.  You have the freedom to do whatever you want, go wherever you want and to drive as fast as you want in the open world created by EA's Criterion.  The classic arcade racing style chosen for this game offers you sixty cars to choose from so you can explore and drive with reckless abandon.  When you factor in tracking of speed tests, online events, collectibles, jumps, drifts and speed gates you will get chased by the cops (although unlikely they will catch up to you) and get points for that too.

"It's in Criterion's DNA to take something beautiful and smash it up," so if that is your thing, watch the Need for Speed Most Wanted Gameplay Demo to hold you over until October 30, 2012 when the game comes out on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, PC, iOS, and Android devices.

In our Elder Scrolls Online gameplay demo from E3 2012 Live, Morgan Webb chats with Paul Sage from Zenimax Studios about this highly anticipated MMO. Here's what we learned: the game takes place a thousand years before Skyrim, players can join three different factions and there will be plenty of combat. Not mentioned was how playing Elder Scrolls can now officially be deemed a "social" activity.

Learn more about The Elder Scrolls Online in our E3 2012 Live video!

Watch our Watch Dogs gameplay demo from E3 2012! Creative Director Jonathan Morin sat down with Morgan Webb to discuss Ubisoft's cyberpunk announcement that has everyone talking.

Set in Chicago, Watch Dogs puts players in control of Aiden Pearce, a man attempting to take down the corrupted system of surveillance that covers the city. Pearce is able to take control of and use this system as he creates traps and diversions that aid him in taking down his targets.

No release date for this one yet.

Sneak over here and check out our Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist gameplay demo from E3 2012. Kevin Pereira and Blair Herter were debriefed by Ubisoft's Max Beland on what we can expect from Sam Fisher's latest adventure.

In Splinter Cell: Blacklist, Fisher is attempting to bring down what can only be described as the mother of all terrorist groups. Several different cells have formed an alliance and created a "black list" that lists the attacks on the U.S. they will launch if all U.S. troops are not removed from their respective countries. Fisher will have to use all the skills and weapons in his arsenal to alleviate the threat.

Expect to see Blacklist in Spring 2013.

Paper Mario: Sticker Star was one of the games detailed at Nintendo's E3 2012 3DS showcase. It will be released this holiday. Some details for the game were revealed, the most important being the stickers. Stickers are going to help you on your journey and in every battle. They can be acquired through quests, events, and exploration. Stickers can be stored and used to help overcome obstacles too. By pressing Y you can activate "paperization," allowing you to see the scene as a piece of paper, applying stored stickers into the scene.

• VIDEO: Paper Mario Sticker Star E3 Announcement

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Nintendo has confirmed that New Super Mario Bros. 2 for the Nintendo 3DS will feature a fully co-op campaign. The announcement came during Nintendo's 15th E3 2012 press conference, which was centered specifically on its upcoming 3DS lineup.

The full single-player game can be played with a buddy, but you have to stick together. If one player gets too far ahead, the lagging player will appear in a bubble floating around the faster player until that bubble is popped. If you are an especially cruel co-op partner, you'll most likely get a kick out of making your friend watch as you go on your coin collecting spree.

Speaking of coins, New Super Mario Bros. 2 is all about the gold, as you may have guessed from the gameplay trailer. Coins spew from blocks, sand, enemies, and even random portions of the environment. There are also red rings that turn enemies into gold if you jump through them. You can also snag a golden fireflower, which lets you turn anything you hit into coins.

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Disney Epic Mickey: The Power of Illusion for the 3DS now has a release date: November 18, 2012.

This is great news for Disney Epic Mickey fans since it’s the same date that Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two lands on the Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii.

The Power of Illusion, being developed by Dreamrift, gives players the chance to explore a classic Disney game setting, the Castle of Illusion, as they fight to free classic Disney characters who have been imprisoned by the evil Mizrabel.

The game includes the Epic Mickey signature painting/thinning mechanic, will feature plenty of old-school locations and characters from the expansive library of Disney games that have been released over the years, and should more than scratch the itch of any 3DS-owning Disney lover.

This DmC: Devil May Cry gameplay demo from E3 2012 features DmC producer Alex Jones talking to G4’s Blair Herter about the series reboot. Yes, the same reboot that includes Dante’s new haircut. The good news is that DmC: Devil May Cry gameplay retains the original’s over-the-top feel while the graphics take on a more realistic tone.

There’s also a giant boss battle that can’t be missed midway through this DmC: Devil May Cry video. Watch Dante dual-wield guns and his trusty sword - The Rebellion - as he stylishly grapples and runs circles around this demon boss. On the DmC combo grading system, we give this video interview a well deserved A.

Get revved up for our Forza Horizon gameplay demo from E3 2012. Dan Greenawalt from Turn 10 Studios had a little chat with Blair Herter as he showed off some gameplay.

Forza Horizon is set in the beautiful state of Colorado, which Greenawalt says was chosen because of its geographic diversity, which fits in nicely with Horizon's open world. In addition to a picturesque setting, players can expect deep customization and the realistic Forza physics that fans have become accustomed to.

You'll be able to play Forza Horizon starting on October 23.

G4 has announced its Best of E3 2012 nominees! This year’s field of games is one of the best we’ve ever seen, and that means we can all look forward to countless hours of unbelievable gaming experiences over the coming months and months. For the time being, we wanted to call particular attention to what we feel are the best of the best of E3 2012. Hence, the following list of nominees.

This year’s most attention-grabbing games includes everything from AAA blockbusters to downloadable titles and everything in between. To say that the upcoming slate of games has something for everyone would be a gross understatement, as you can see by the full Best of E3 2012 list below!

And be sure to check back on June 7 (as in tomorrow) during G4's E3 Live show and Feedback Live when we'll reveal the winners!

Game of Show

• Assassin’s Creed 3
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 2
• Dishonored
• Far Cry 3
• Halo 4
• The Last Of Us
• Watch Dogs

Check out the rest of the nominees after the jump.

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In this WWE '13 Gameplay Demo with Sheamus from E3 2012, the wrestling superstar takes over the stage from Kevin Pereira and Blair Herter with his unabashed enthusiasm for the latest edition of this popular series.

Amid vague references to the marketing campaign to "Live the Revolution", the main focus of the demo is the WWE '13 Attitude Era Mode that allows you the chance to relive classic feuds involving WWE superstars like Stone Cold Steve Austin, Mankind and The Undertaker. 

During matches, side objectives help recreate the most memorable moments and unlock bonuses and secret achievements. One such moment, Mark Henry's ring-breaking suplex of The Big Show, looks better in the game than it did live.

Feel the attitude and live the revolution October 30, 2012!

You can find our Lost Planet 3 gameplay demo from E3 2012 right here (get it?). Producer Andrew Szymanski sat down with Morgan Webb to discuss the latest in this series of third-person shooter adventures.

Lost Planet 3 takes us back in time before the events of the first Lost Planet. Humans are attempting to set up a colony on a barren wasteland of a planet (a "lost" planet, if you will), and the native fauna is none to happy about it. Check the video for a look at some of the enemies you'll face, some of the weapons you'll use, and little bit more info on the story.

Look for Lost Planet 3 (heh) in early 2013.