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The new "Sonic Unleashed" game.
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LOS ANGELES

E3 isn't what it used to be.

That's the sense I got from veterans of the Electronic Entertainment Expo, the Los Angeles conference that is one of the most important U.S. shows for the video game industry.

Because it was my first time attending, I don't have that sense of history. To me, it was a smaller expo that didn't have that fabled decadence I've heard about. (Game Developers Conference in San Francisco seemed bigger.) There weren't booth babes. There wasn't that much swag. Million-dollar booths and earth-shattering announcements were nowhere to be seen.

What I did see was an amazing collection of games headed up by "Fable 2,— "Street Fighter IV," "Resistance 2," "Dead Space" and "Prince of Persia."

A handful of games stood out. Here's a list of the most intriguing console games at E3:

  • "Fable 2": Game designer Peter Molyneux may finally have the masterpiece he's been wanting. If this action role-playing game makes good on its promise of world- and character-changing gameplay, players may cry tears of joy. If it doesn't, there will be tears of sadness. (Xbox 360)

  • "Resistance 2": Insomniac Games follow-up to the PlayStation 3's best launch title is redefining the meaning of "epic." As Nathan Hale, players fight a 300-foot beast called a Leviathan, which may be worth the price of admission alone. (PS3)

  • "Dead Space": EA Redwood
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    Shores has created the most cinematic game of the show with this sci-fi survival-horror title. As Isaac, players have to escape a city-sized ships overrun by mysterious aliens. (multiple systems)

  • "Prince of Persia": Reminiscent of "Ico" and "Shadows of the Colossus," the latest edition of the franchise presses the reset button to the series. In doing so, EA Montreal may have created one of the most compelling AI characters in recent memory with princess Elika. (multiple systems)

  • "Street Fighter IV": After more than 10 years, the greatest fighting game of all time gets another sequel. The big change may be the game's graphics. The switch from sprites to polygon may have finally created a worthy sequel. (multiple systems)

  • "Mad World": With an art style reminiscent of Frank Miller's "Sin City," this bloody brawler has style and gameplay that makes me think of "No More Heroes." It's a beautiful game that takes place in a world where the hero is in a fight-for-your-life game show. (Wii)

  • "Mirror's Edge": DICE is taking a risk by moving out of its comfort zone, but this parkour-like platformer could be a new type of game. For once, a first-person platformer may actually be amazing. (Apologies to "Jumping Flash!")"(multiple systems)

  • "Stormrise": For the past three years, Creative Assembly has been working on a secret game. Its goal: Create a great console real-time strategy game. With "Stormrise,—they may have finally got it right (if "Tom Clancy's End War" doesn't beat them to the punch). (multiple systems)

  • "Wii Music": This was the biggest Nintendo title to come out of the conference, and with legendary designer Shigeru Miyamoto at the helm, fans can be sure it will be great. Using the Wii Remote, Nunchuk and Balance Board, players can fiddle with a number of virtual instruments such as the drums, saxophone and guitar. (Wii)

  • "Fallout 3": Last but definitely not least, Bethesda Softworks' post-apocalyptic role-playing game may have been the most impressive title at the show. The makers of "Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion—may have outdone themselves with this sequel, and that's saying a lot. (multiple systems)

    Reach Gieson Cacho at gcacho@bayareanewsgroup.com.