Welcome to the second annual Hype-Worthy awards (the Hypies, for short) where we discuss the highlights (and low-lights) from the show floor.

As a disclaimer to readers, please be aware that all awards are based on incomplete builds and demonstration-friendly versions of these titles. These are not reviews of final copies, and the games covered in these awards could change for the better (or worse) by the time they hit retail.

If that warning isn't enough, know that GameCritics.com doesn't take this awards stuff too seriously in any case, so please don't bombard us with email about how your favorite title should have won so-and-so category, or how another didn't deserve theirs. The awards are for pure entertainment (for readers) and marketing purposes (for game publishers) only. Otherwise, all bets are off.

Hype-Worthy Blue Ribbon Selections

These are the crème-de-le-crème of E3 2004. The following is a list (in no particular order) of the 9 most hype-worthy titles that were on display at the LA Convention Center. Without further adieu…

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (PlayStation 2)

Matt: Hideo Kojima can sell a game better than anyone in the business. Regardless of how flawed, weird, or completely off-the-wall his games are, when he says "jump"—we jump. The controversy surrounding Metal Gear Solid 2 (MGS2) has shattered under the awesome weight of MGS3's Hollywood-style hype, and it looks as deserved as ever. The production values of MGS3 make most other games looks pathetic. Gameplay is fresh and inventive—which is something that cannot be said for any other franchise in its fifth installment. And the story is sure to be yet another trademark mish-mash of Japanese melodrama, cornball mysticism, and insanely radical politics. Will it be flawed? Of course it will. It'll also have more life, guts, excitement, and humor than every other storytelling game this year.

Jade Empire (Xbox)

Brad: Unlike Bracken, aka Dr. RPG, I'm still a bit of an role-playing novice, yet even I was absolutely hypnotized by Bioware's latest creation. Combine marvelous content—the whiff of story I got was enough to make me hungry for more—along with unique gameplay—the combat is real-time—and polish it all to a high shine, and you've got Jade Empire. At the end of the demo, a huge boss teetered its way onto the screen. The Xbox rep, noticing my look of surprise said, "Just imagine the stuff that we aren't showing you." Oh, I'm imagining, alright.

AntiGrav (PlayStation 2)

Brad: Showing that Sony's surprisingly popular EyeToy peripheral is more than a gimmick, AntiGrav takes physical interaction further than Play or Groove by letting players control a futuristic hoverboard with their entire body. Strapping on special gloves, armbands and a headband, the USB EyeToy camera translates arm position, physical jumping and body angle into the leaning and finesse used to surf the skies and grind rails far above the ground. It wasn't the deepest game to be seen on the E3 floor, but it was impossible not to grin while playing it. Within minutes, a strong feeling of immersion had us in its grip and had us wanting more. AntiGrav was easily one of the most innovative of the show.

X-Tango (Xbox)

A charming two-player dancing game, X-Tango (probably a working title) requires player 1 and player 2 to cooperate with each other to create perfectly-choreographed dance routines. Player 1 "leads" by performing dance moves created by button combos. Player 2 must then try to duplicate the move as accurately as possible. Romantic and stylish, X-Tango is the perfect game for couples, and also promises dance pad compatibility. And no, you don't just dance the tango.

Resident Evil 4 (GameCube)

In what must be one of the most radical recreations of a series ever, Resident Evil 4 blows the doors off the previous RE games with a completely new action-oriented take on "Survival Horror." This new iteration completely resurrects what has long been considered a creatively bereft franchise through unbelievably stunning graphics, new context-sensitive environmental actions, noticeably superior level design, and a top-to-bottom retooling of the most dysfunctional control system in videogame history. For fans of the previous games, Resident Evil 4 is sure to be the most intense adventure yet, and for people who have previously avoided Resident Evil, 4 is undoubtedly going to be an irresistible jumping-on point. The S.T.A.R.S. experience has just been taken to a whole new level.

Fable (Xbox)

Fable is one of those goes that's been on my radar for so long that I was actually beginning to think that the game itself was nothing more than a fable, a bedtime story that game developers tell their children about what happens to games that are overly ambitious. But Fable, I'm pleased to report, actually exists. The game plays like a third-person action-RPG hybrid, the game. Like a more organic version of Knights of the Old Republic, the game allows you to "grow" your character by making a series of moral choices. During the demo, while playing as a child, I spied an adulterous couple sharing a kiss. When caught, the man scolded me, and warned me not to tell his wife. I decided not to heed his warning and told his wife anyway, who promptly tracked down her husband, and scolded him (there seems to be lots of scolding in the game). While making moral choices, and doing good and bad deeds is great fun, the combat, by comparison, seemed dull and unimaginative. If the combat is tweaked at all between now and the game's release date, Fable has the potential to be one of the most ground-breaking titles of the year. Besides, any game that lets you fart—pffffftt—has to be good.

God of War (PlayStation 2)

Brad: Coming from the developers of Twisted Metal Black is something completely different, and a whole lot more interesting, in my opinion. Taking the tragically unused mythos of ancient Greece, God of War looks like the next big thing when it comes to action games. It doesn't seem very special or interesting in screenshots and magazines, but watching it in motion was something completely different. The melee mechanics were smooth and satisfying, and tackling huge beasts out of legend was something I can definitely sink my teeth into. It was also notable for its implementation of small minigames during some of the set-piece fights. Overall, it had a very solid, cohesive feeling that reeked of loving polish—and the game is still many months away from release, meaning it's only going to get better.

Sly Cooper 2: Band of Thieves (PlayStation 2)

Style is what this follow-up to Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus is all about. The game is a beautiful mixture of 3D cel-shaded characters and background environments that look like painted canvases—complete with the ever-popular destructible environments. Another particularly neat feature is the interactive soundtrack allowing subtle touches like the tip-toeing jazz bassline that follows Sly's feet as he sneaks up behind a guard. Band of Thieves may just have the substance to go along with the style as well: Players get to rotate between Sly's stealth and pick pocketing , Murray the hippo's brute strength and the neurotic little turtle Bentley and his array of gadgets.

Star Wars: Republic Commando (Xbox, PC)

Scott: Believe it or not, a Star Wars game actually managed to crack our Top 10. Trust us, we're as shocked as you are. But Republic Command deserves to be here. Imagine Rainbow Six series set in the Star Wars universe, and you'll have a good idea of what to expect from the game. Much of the gameplay centers on managing your team of "commandos"—send them in to set bombs, open doors, and flush out enemies. The graphics look superb, and the the squad controls were about as intuitive as we could possibly expect from this sort of game. LucasArts was only showing the game behind closed doors, but the trailer playing in the entryway to the West Hall drews massive crowds of people, which means we weren't the only true believers.

Critics' Personal Picks (In No Particular Order)

Erin Bell:

1. BloodRayne 2 (PlayStation 2, Xbox)
   Agile and sexy, with combat that is gruesome yet beautiful at the same time.
2. Legends of Wrestling (Xbox)
   A solid wrestling game starring the old favorites like Hulk Hogan and King Kong Bundy. I was sold on the game from the moment I watched a character proceed to beat his opponent with a 20-foot stepladder prop, then meticulously set up the ladder in the middle of the ring, climb up it, and body-slam from above.
3. Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge (PlayStation 2)
   Not a take-off on the film, but a pseudo-sequel that pits the Pumpkin King against the newly re-sewn Oogie Boogie. From what I saw in the demo, the aesthetic remains remarkably true to Tim Burton's vision, and the gameplay is sound. I'm keeping my fingers crossed on this one
4. Donkey Konga: Jungle Beat (GameCube)
   Music games with peripherals haven't caught on in a big way in North America, aside from DDR of course. That could change with Donkey Konga, a game that uses a controller of twin bongo drums to bang along with the music. The most enticing part: four-person multiplayer.
5. AntiGrav (PlayStation 2)
   The most innovative use of the Eye Toy on the show floor.

Brad Gallaway:

1. Odama (GameCube)
   An amalgam of pinball and feudal Japan (!) showcasing intense creativity and originality.
2. Rumble Roses (PlayStation 2)
   A rock-solid wrestling engine with an all-female cast that was very easy on the eyes.
3. Dead Rush (Multiplatform)
   Fast-paced shooting and driving through hordes of attacking undead that looks like the zombie game action fans have been waiting for.
4. Dog's Life (PlayStation 2)
   A light-hearted, open-ended adventure aimed at younger players.
5. Digital Devil Saga (PlayStation 2)
   The art and sophistication of Persona with a friendlier, more approachable structure.

Scott Jones:

1. Mercenaries (PlayStation 2, Xbox)
   An over-the-top third-person action game that lets me have my own personal armored Humvee delivered to the battlefield.
2. Jade Empire (Xbox)
   Sure, the real-time combat looked sweet, but it was quality writing during the cut-scenes that really caught my eye.
3. Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy (PlayStation 2, Xbox)
   Using psychic powers to lift foes into the air, set them on fire, then throw them down hallways never gets old…
4. Prince of Persia 2 (Multiplatform)
   I actually have hope that this "darker" Prince (Ubisoft's word) and improved combat system will make for a cracking good sequel.
5. Rise of the Kasai (PlayStation 2)
   Long-awaited sequel to The Mark of Kri features a second playable character and more than twice the square-footage of the first game. Count me in.

Matt Weise:

1. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (PlayStation 2)
   Jaw-dropping production values and what are sure to be radical politics make the next installment of Kojima's ever-witty, fun, and innovative stealth series the event it was clearly designed to be.
2. Thief: Deadly Shadows (Xbox)
   Ion Storm finally lives up to the legacy of Looking Glass Studios with their quirky yet haunting update of the most influential stealth game ever.
3. Half-Life 2 (PC)
   The most acclaimed experiment in digital storytelling is back with ambition so dizzying even its failure would be worth the price of admission.
4. Sly Cooper 2: Band of Thieves (PlayStation 2)
   This sequel is not only a delight to play, its near-perfect design is superior to many of the games it creatively "borrows" from.
5. Resident Evil 4 (GameCube)
   It's Resident Evil... except good.

Kyle Orland:

1. Katamari Damacy (PlayStation 2)
   Who knew picking things up with a big sticky ball could be so much fun. I went back three times just to beat my high score. A true gem.
2. X-Tango (Xbox)
   Simple, rythym-based gameplay plus Tecmo-quality graphics equals the hidden jewel of the show.
3. Wario Ware DS (Nintendo DS)
   I loved the GBA version, and this demo showed off the touch-screen better than any other. I can't wait to see what else they come up with.
4. Donkey Konga: Jungle Beat (GameCube)
   I'm a sucker for weird controllers, and this is one of the most novel uses of one I've seen in a while. What's next, a Crash game on the DDR pad?
5. Final Fantasy XII (PlayStation 2)
   In my opinion, Final Fantasy is all about the story. Anything that makes that story move along faster (i.e. no more random battles or battle load screens) makes the game that much better.