E3 Day 1: Microsoft

The annual E3 expo, where video game developers and publishers show off their goods for the next year, kicked off today at the Los Angeles Convention Center with another typically exciting presentation from Microsoft, who blew away the competition at last year's show. They have set the bar pretty high again -- how can Sony and Nintendo possibly top appearances by the surviving Beatles, Yoko Ono and Steven Spielberg?

Hopefully with some huge surprises on the gaming front. While Microsoft's guests were surprising, the games certainly weren't -- "The Beatles: Rock Band," two new "Halo" titles and yet another glimpse of "Final Fantasy XIII" were all on Monday's docket, as was Project Natal, the goofy name for the Xbox 360's new motion-control system.

Here are some highlights from Monday's event:

/
The new Beatles game looks far more polished than "Guitar Hero: Metallica" from a graphical and thematic standpoint. And check out those multi-part harmonies on the vocal track! I wonder if you'll be able to share one microphone to sing those ...

... although it doesn't look like it, judging from this video. "The Beatles: Rock Band" drops Sept. 9.

The terribly named "Halo: ODST" looks a bit "Metroid: Prime"-ish, eh?

Speaking of terrible names, I give you "Left 4 Dead 2," thankfully not starring Paul Walker and Vin Diesel.

Here's Microsoft's new motion-control/camera system, Project Natal. Sure, it looks awesome, but something tells me it won't operate quite that smoothly at first. (Can Project Natal MotionPlus be far behind? Perhaps with compatible Power Glove?)

Hey, even our new, controller-free utopia needs some renegade skateboarders. Can this title make the Tony Hawk franchise relevant again? (And when was it last relevant? "THPS4"?)

And finally, that cutie from "Dr. Horrible" shows off Xbox's new interface for Facebook and Twitter. Add this to Xbox Live, Xbox Arcade, Netflix, HD movie downloads, PC compatibility ... remind me again why the hell I bought a Nintendo Wii? (No, don't -- that will be Nintendo's job tomorrow.)