With the benefit of launching its next generation console last year, Microsoft is using E3 to promote the latest crop of games for Xbox 360. The software giant paraded out a number of titles this week at E3, some better than others, that looked to take full of Xbox 360’s hardware. Here’s a look at a few notable titles.

Saint’s Row

The demo of this game bears a striking resemblance to a certain best-selling gangland video game series known as Grand Theft Auto. Is it a knock-off of GTA ? Not necessarily. But it hardly looks original, and if the game play only matches the heralded freedom of GTA instead of surpassing it - which the demo did not do - then what’s the point ? Plus, setting a vulgar, ultra-violent game where the "heroes" are gang-bangers in a fictional crime-ridden city that bears more than a passing resemblance to New Orleans might touch a few nerves.

F.E.A.R.

Intense, immersive, and pretty much incomparable, the 360 version of the popular PC game faithfully replicates the F.E.A.R. experience on the Xbox 360. While using the 360 controller (standing up, no less) was harder than playing with a mouse and keyboard, the game’s visual presentation on the console was every bit as exciting as it is on a PC screen. It looks like Vivendi Games and Day 1 Studios have taken advantage of Xbox 360’s capabilities and successfully transferred the F.E.A.R. experience to the console. Console or PC, the game still delivers chills, both from scary thrills and exhilarating combat.

Crackdown

Another action game for Xbox 360, this title aims to present a 3-D crime-infested landscape for the player to essentially use as a playground. Players assume the role of a super-agent who is charged with ridding Pacific City of its criminal elements. The plot sounds familiar, but Crackdown is very much a different looking kind of game ; instead of striving for realism, Crackdown is presented with colorful, comic book-like visuals. The ability to explore and interact with tons of active elements across the city was intriguing, but the game appeared to suffer from lags and slowdown periods during explosions. This one is going to need work.

Join our discussion on E3 2006

There’s more : Read all E3 2006 stories on TG Daily