No, Intel aren't making the odd move of setting up a games company. Rather, as I mentioned, their stand was the place to be in order to see the latest PC titles currently being created by a wide range of developers. Hitman: Codename 47 was on shot again but this time I was able to see more than the Hotel level that will be very familiair to any gamer following this title. The jungle level looks incredible – the same technology that has been employed to make curtains (but not worn clothes it seems) move realistically was also used on the ferns and other foliage so that when you walk through them they'll be brushed aside realistically. The Inverse Kinetics of the models was also much more obvious during this showing – a body dropped down a sewer manhole in a gorgeous oriental level landed only half over the hole, but none the less gradually slumped down the hole like in real life rather than stiffly sliding in as he might have in the otherwise excellent titles Deus Ex and Thief 2. I was also shown a cool example of a mission; the Hitman himself found the chauffer of his intended victim, took him out with a length of piano wire, dropped him down the aforementioned manhole and donned his clothes. He then went to the car, hopped in without being questioned thanks to the uniform, planted a car bomb, walked away and detonated it when his target entered the car. Of course, this took more skill and timing than those two short sentence might suggest, and simply looked like lots of fun to do.

Midtown Madness 2 was there again except this time (I also gave it a spin at E3) you could drive a London double decker bus, which was incredible fun. The physics were quite forgiving though as the bus always righted itself if it overturned and making turns with it seemed a little too easy for something so huge. But then, as I said, it was fun so I quickly stopped caring, and it may well be an option you can turn on or off in the final game. Coolest of all though was the logo on the side. I wonder if the developers read the site…

Project IGI is one title I knew next to nothing about when I walked into ECTS but now that's certainly changed. The idea behind each mission was basically described to me as “Think your way in, blast your way out.” You can't take more than 2 or 3 shots before you're out of action so in missions that require infiltration you have to get in by avoiding security cameras and patrols and fight your way out once you complete your objective. You're helped by a satellite map that shows the location of cameras and enemies in the base. What's impressive about this though is that it's a fully 3D map using the same data as the level you run through in a first person perspective, so you can zoom in and out on anything that catches your attention. The developers are trying to keep gameplay varied though so not all missions will involve simply infiltration and subsequent enemy annihilation. One example was an “over watch” mission where a group of soldiers attack a base while you keep an eye on things from afar with a sniper rifle in hand to take out any approaching enemies.

Of course, there were also other titles such as Sacrifice, No One Lives Forver and Elite Force, but I don't have anything overly new or interesting to mention about them to be honest. So, on we go…