Don't Believe the Hype: A Look Back at E3 2005

Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it, as the saying goes. This is wise advice, and so is the following: beware of the hype.

People are already salivating over new titles that will be teased, previewed and promoted at E3 this year. Attendees will undoubtedly scour the Los Angeles Convention Center for peeks at future releases like Halo 3, Will Wright's Spore, and, of course, a double-shot of Legend of Zelda with Phantom Hourglass and Twilight Princess.

While we're on the subject of folk wisdom, remember the old adage that if something looks too good to be true, then it probably is. This isn't always the case, as some of the trailers for the titles listed below proved to be fairly honest indicators of what was to come. However, it's no secret that many people have been wowed by a 60-second clip of a forthcoming game, or even an actual demo version, and ended up disappointed once they actually purchased the title.

A quick look at the E3 2005 show report reveals the games that were the talk of the town a year ago. With E3 2006 around the corner, it's worth taking a glimpse in the rear-view mirror at last year's show to see which games delivered and which ones fizzled after the big event.

Call Of Duty 2

One of the strongest selling Xbox 360 titles, this entry from developer Infinity Ward was a solid sequel to the WWII first-person shooter series. So what if it wasn't original? Sequels rarely are. The important thing was that Activision produced a stronger, sleeker and more visceral experience for both the PC and Xbox 360, which of course is what all the trailers and images promised. Highly rated among critics and players for its intense combat and fast-paced action, Call of Duty 2 lived up to the hype; it blew Call of Duty 2: Big Red One out of the water, and emerged as arguably the best WWII shooter ever made.