"This is a direct declaration of war against Blizzard," an editor from Computer Gaming World said as he reviewed his notes. "The Warcraft II expansion, The Dark Portal, was released just last month. The two RTS giants are truly going head-to-head."
"Westwood has the edge in terms of pacing," a senior reviewer beside him analyzed. "Command & Conquer's units move too fast. This shows Westwood is encouraging players to engage in high-frequency harassment and rush attacks, rather than turtling in their base and churning out high-tier units like in Warcraft II."
"But Blizzard has made a revolutionary change to the control scheme," a reporter from another media outlet chimed in, turning to join the discussion.
He recalled his experience playing the latest expansion. "Blizzard implemented a 'Left-Hand Grid Mapping' system in the Win95 version. Players no longer need to move their left hand across the entire keyboard—they just need to memorize the grid positions. This has drastically lowered the barrier to entry for fast-paced play."
"Does Westwood have a response?" the commentator asked.
"Westwood's advantage lies in mouse interaction," the reporter said, gesturing in the air. "They insist on keeping the build panel in a sidebar on the right side of the screen. This means players don't have to move their eyes up and down between the battlefield and the bottom of the screen. Moreover, Westwood has always used a 'left-click for everything' logic: left-click to select, left-click to move, left-click to attack. For new Win95 users who just got their first computers, the learning curve is incredibly low."
"Blizzard divides the labor between the left and right buttons—left-click to select, right-click to act," the editor added. "The two companies are taking completely different paths in their underlying interaction logic. Blizzard is trying to raise the skill ceiling through hotkeys, while Westwood is lowering the entry barrier by simplifying mouse operations."
"And there's the hero system," another reporter chimed in. "That unit named Tanya in the trailer just now is Westwood's response to Blizzard. A few days ago, Blizzard released news that Dark Portal has added core heroes like Turalyon and Grom, and if a hero dies, the mission is immediately failed. In response, Westwood has introduced special units with extremely strong single-target combat capabilities."
"Both companies are trying to find ways to enhance the immersion of their Campaign Modes," the Editor-in-Chief of NetGeneration summarized. "Traditional RTS campaigns are just about building armies and steamrolling through enemies. Players have no emotional connection to those nameless tanks and infantry. Westwood uses live-action cutscenes and special units to build character, while Blizzard uses high-stat heroes and brutal failure penalties to force players to invest emotionally."
The Editor-in-Chief closed his notebook and glanced at the time on the big screen.
"It looks like the PC game market is really going to heat up this year."
The countdown on the big screen hit zero.
Then, the E3 logo faded away, and the Konami logo—white letters on a red background—appeared in the center of the black screen.
Konami.
The sound of typing from the media section sparse.
A few veteran editors flipped to a new page in their notebooks and wrote down the company's name.
In the Famicom and 16-bit console era, this major publisher's name was a guarantee of sales.
Contra, Castlevania, Salamander, and countless other household names—these games had shaped the childhoods of an entire generation.
Now, on the 32-bit battlefield, everyone was waiting for them to unveil a technical showcase that could truly command the stage.
A Japanese executive in a dark gray suit stepped onto the platform.
The head of Konami North America.
He skipped the dazzling light show, offering only a brief self-introduction and pleasantries before cutting straight to the main event.
The screen lit up.
No polygon-constructed 3D world, no epic scenes of war-torn battlefields.
Pink cherry blossom petals drifted down the edges of the screen. In the 2D hand-drawn visuals, a girl with short red hair, dressed in a Japanese high school uniform, occupied the center of the frame.
Shiori Fujisaki.
In the front row, several Western journalists paused their pens.
They stared at the pink dialogue boxes scrolling across the screen, completely bewildered.
A reviewer from California took off his glasses and wiped them, confirming he hadn't wandered into the wrong hall.
In stark contrast to the cool indifference of the Westerners, several special correspondents from Japanese gaming magazines in the back rows were furiously scribbling down the release information scrolling on the screen.
"This year, we will be releasing multiple spin-offs for the Tokimeki Memorial series," the executive announced, his English heavily accented as he read from the teleprompter. "From the beginning of the year to the end, players can continuously experience different school-life stories."
A long schedule appeared on the screen.
Puzzle Battle, Audio Drama CD Adaptations, Desktop Mini-Game Collection.
Beneath the dense list of Japanese titles, the publishing platforms were uniformly listed: Jupiter, PlayStation.
"They're milking this IP dry," a senior writer from Electronic Gaming Monthly muttered to his colleague, leaning back in his chair. "Breaking a single text-based dating sim into a dozen spin-off titles... The financial reports will look great, but putting this on the main E3 stage is a complete waste of time."
His colleague tapped his pen against the edge of his notebook. "The 32-bit era is all about physics engines and polygons. Western players can't even read Japanese—who's going to buy a static CG collection of 2D anime girls?"
It was a cultural disconnect.
In Japan, Tokimeki Memorial had already become a phenomenal school-life sensation. But in the North American market, which revered cars, guns, balls, and real-time strategy, this kind of dating sim wasn't even considered a niche genre.
The executive on stage pressed the remote.
The art style shifted abruptly.
The pink cherry blossoms vanished.
A medieval fantasy continent unfolded.
On a gridded 3D terrain, a knight in heavy armor swung a greatsword, cleaving through an orc.
The blood-splatter effects looked a bit exaggerated against the polygonal models, carrying a hint of B-movie camp.
Heart of the Vandals.
"This is our latest venture into the tactical RPG genre," the executive said, his pace quickening. "The 3D terrain isn't just for show. Elevation directly affects archers' range and accuracy, and attacks from the rear will deal bonus damage. It's slated for release at the end of October this year, launching on both Jupiter and PlayStation."
The tactical game enthusiasts showed a flicker of interest.
Compared to pure 2D tactical RPGs, the introduction of 3D elevation added a new layer of strategic depth.
However, the executive quickly added a caveat. To get the games to players as soon as possible and to build anticipation, none of the titles showcased had playable demos and would not be available for hands-on play at this E3.
A low murmur of complaints rippled through the crowd.
Without a demo, the media would be forced to rely on press releases and video footage, reporting based on visuals alone. At an E3 Exhibition where hands-on experience was paramount, this was a major strike against the company.
The executive ignored the unrest below.
He cleared his throat.
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