If there is one thing we have always welcomed at FPS Labs, it’s products that offer an original experience. Such products might not receive the greatest reviews, and indeed, they might not be very successful, but the fact that they are out there means that at least someone in this cutthroat business still has the fortitude to innovate. At last year’s E3 event we singled out various products for demonstrating innovation or overall excellence. As chance would have it, Intel’s at the time unreleased “Conroe” processors totally dominated the event and took what little light was cast on products from some of the small companies nestled down in the Kentia Hall (dungeon). However, some products make it through the haze caused by massive releases, booths, and chesticular prosthesis - our thorough schooling of the Fragdolls while using eMagin’s Z800 3DVisor led to a detailed review on our site.

This year, the massive congregation of the glitz and glam from the gaming industry is gone. The spectacle that was E3 shut its doors, for all intents and purposes, after last year’s show. Then we heard about a show that was supposed to be the “replacement” for E3, E For All. The IDG run trade show would be held in the same place as E3, attract a lot of the same exhibitors as E3, but we can tell you definitively that E For All is no E3. Instead of the convention center-wide spread of E3, E For All is crammed in to just one of the three major halls here in LA (though crammed might not be the best word; spaciously accommodated might be a bit better). The atmosphere is probably the biggest change though, as the general aura and incredible buzz of what was gaming’s tour de force is most certainly gone.

This is why it amazes us that even with the scaled down size, minuscule attendance, and prevailing dullness, that there are still a fair share of small companies looking to grab a piece of what little spotlight is left after the big players have had their fill. A company called TN Games was the first to catch our eye this year and their product, while not particularly mind-blowing, may just rewrite the definition of immersion for casual gamers everywhere.