E3 2004 has come and gone, and the GameDAILY editors certainly made the rounds! In addition to a few exciting hardware announcements, we really saw each system show off their true power in this batch of games. Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony definitely impressed with their console offerings, while the PC made a very strong showing with some of the best games on the floor. Meanwhile, the PSP, Nintendo DS, and even the Phantom garnered a decent amount of well-deserved attention from gamers from all over the world. Make no doubt, this was a great E3!

Now, GameDAILY is here to dole out some awards for the E3 Best of Show! Playing every game until thumbs were falling off and interns were fainting left and right, the GameDAILY editors finally put together their E3 Best of Show feature to give you the final word on what really impressed us on the show floor. Without further ado, enjoy the GameDAILY E3 Best of Show...

Game of the Show - Jade Empire
(Bioware/Microsoft)

Runners-Up:
Resident Evil 4 (Capcom)
Odama (Vivarium/Nintendo)

Considering developer Bioware created one of recent history's most memorable games in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, their latest title is primed to be a classic. Heading into E3, we knew that Jade Empire was worth being excited over, but after playing it first hand, we now know that it has the potential to be one of our favorite games ever. Unleashed from any licensing issues involving content, the wonderfully creative and gamer conscious Bioware has created a whole new world filled with mysticism, intrigue and adventure. Even in the brief demo we played we felt the quality of the game oozing into our hands. The newly included combat system is as fun as it is intuitive. Gamers will feel as though they are guiding their characters path AND developing them both physically and emotionally. Everything from the beefed-up KOTOR engine to the enchanting graphics and the potentially award winning soundtrack left us begging for a bigger piece of the pie. Skeptics may write this title off as a KOTOR clone, but those with the slightest imagination, the smallest eagerness to explore new worlds, and just a hint of wonder at the vast possibilities the game will provide will surely find that this Empire is indeed ready to strike back.

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Best GameCube Game - Resident Evil 4
(Capcom)

Runners-Up:
Odama (Vivarium/Nintendo)
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (Retro Studios/Nintendo)

What Capcom has done with the fourth installment of the Resident Evil series is simply a revelation. The behind the back third person view, coupled with the manual targeting system is a dream come true for Resident Evil fans. But what may be most impressive is the bold direction Capcom has taken. No zombies, and no Umbrella! It really makes RE4 stand apart from its predecessors. Of course, the game also looks gorgeous and plays even better. It's simply the ultimate package, and we're ecstatic that the company that popularized the survival horror genre is the first to switch everything around. The game's fall release can't come soon enough!

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Best PlayStation 2 Game - Gran Turismo 4
(Polyphony Digital/Sony)

Runners-Up:
God of War (SCE Santa Monica/Sony)
The Punisher (Volition/THQ)

We didn't see it coming either, but Gran Turismo 4 went from the next installment in Sony's flagship racing series to number one in our hearts during E3 2004. While many titles vied for our adoration, Gran Turismo 4 just outclassed the competition this year. With solid gameplay, stunning visuals and additional features that allow for it to appeal to fans outside the genre, this contest was a no decision in our minds. Gran Turismo 4 is speeding into homes later this year; just make sure yours is one of them.

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Best Xbox Game - Jade Empire
(Bioware/Microsoft)

Runners-Up:
Halo 2 (Bungie/Microsoft)
Destroy All Humans (Pandemic/THQ)

What more can we say about our overall Game of the Show? We went into Bioware's booth thinking Jade Empire would simply be a beefed up Knight's of the Old Republic. That certainly wouldn't be a bad thing, but what we found was even better. Gone were the slow-paced battles between Jedi's and Sith Lords, replaced by fast-paced, action-oriented martial arts combat. The few minutes we were able to spend with the title during its short E3 demo just wasn't enough for us. We simply can't wait for Bioware to get us a more developed preview build so we can ignore our duties around the office.

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Best PC Game - The Sims 2
(EA Redwood Shores/Electronic Arts)

Runner-Up:
Call of Duty: United Offensive (Gray Matter/Activision)

Every year, there are just a few truly groundbreaking games, and The Sims 2 is one of those. EA could have easily released a similar game to the original The Sims with the gorgeous new graphics engine they've built, but instead they're taking a huge leap forward and changing the gameplay to focus, not on the human's needs, but on their desires. One look at the interactivity between jealous lovers, new friends, or parents and children will knock you out. This is real life, and it's full contained on your PC. Welcome to The Sims 2: the world's first true life simulator.

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Best Handheld Game - Astro Boy: Omega Factor
(Treasure/Sega)

Runners-Up:
Wario Ware DS (Nintendo)
Super Mario 64x4 (Nintendo)
Metroid Prime: Hunters (Nintendo)

There's little debate that the marriage between Sega and legendary developer Treasure has been a fruitful one (Radiant Silvergun, Ikaruga.), and this very successful team has produced yet another stellar hit in Astro Boy: Omega Factor. We had very high expectations going into E3, and after drooling over it at Nintendo's booth, we can't help but give it Portable Game of the Show honors. Astro Boy's a beautiful side scrolling adventure filled with tons of action, giant explosions, and sprites so big the GBA can barely contain them. Astro Boy is beautifully animated, as are the other characters in his universe (Over 40 were shoehorned into the game!), and the game's graphics are simply mind blowing. If you were a Sega Genesis owner, think Gunstar Heroes but much more insane and you'll have an idea where we're coming from. Omega Factor's simply a joy to play, and we know we'll be picking up an SP when it releases this August.

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Best Hardware - PlayStation Portable
(sony)

Runners-Up:
Nintendo DS (Nintendo)
ApeXtreme (Alienware/Apex)
Phantom (Infinium Labs)

Last year, Sony announced their entry into the portable gaming market with the PlayStation Portable. For the entire year, very little information was released. Finally, at Sony's E3 2004 press conference, the beans were spilled. While we didn't get the complete rundown on the new hardware, we did she a few of the big name titles that were in development for the system, in addition to the movie playback capabilities of the device. We also received confirmation on the handheld's wireless capabilities, and learned how it will link up to the PlayStation 2 and your PC. The Nintendo DS was impressive, but the PSP looks poised and ready to take the handheld market by storm.

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Biggest Surprise/Sleeper - Odama (Vivarium/Nintendo)

Runners-Up:
The Shield (Point of View/Sammy)
Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude (High Voltage/VU Games)
The Punisher (Volition/THQ)

While the main draw of Nintendo's booth this year was the Nintendo DS, there was an extremely interesting title nestled in the back of the booth that didn't receive the attention it deserved. Odama, a game that combines tactical warfare with the classic pinball of yore, is the undeniable sleeper of E3 2004. Controlling the Odama, a large stone, and pitting it against enemy forces proved to great fun, we're just sad that so many people missed the opportunity to play the game on the show floor. Gamers owe it to themselves to not snooze through its released in 2005.

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Most Innovative Title - Odama
(Nintendo/Vivarium Inc.)

Runners-Up:
Destroy All Humans (Pandemic/THQ)
Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat (Nintendo)

While there were plenty of first person shooters, role playing games and rhythm titles for fans of each respective genres, proponents of strategy pinball fusions finally had their day in the sun with Odama. This titles combines two seemingly disjointed genres into a fun and inventive game. By using the power of the Odama, players will crush and convert enemy troops to their side, while trying not to destroy their own in the process. It's an immensely enjoyable title that deserves more attention than it is likely to receive. Consider this a plea - play Odama when it is released! Pretty please!

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Best Video - The Legend of Zelda
(Nintendo)

Runners-Up:
Tekken 5 (Namco)
Half-Life 2 (Valve/VU Games)

Everyone knew that Nintendo would be showing a new Zelda at their pre-E3 press conference. When the video opened with an image of a stream that had been floating around the internet, we all knew what it was... or so we thought. The Zelda title that fans of the series have long been waiting for has finally been unveiled. In the place of the assumed cel-shaded sequel to Wind Waker, Nintendo revealed a "mature-looking" Zelda title that is slated for release next year. The entire crowd at the Nintendo press conference erupted as if Nintendo had just awarded them all one million dollars.

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Best Lineup - Microsoft

Runners-Up:
Nintendo
Electronic Arts

The Microsoft press conference was littered with big name Xbox exclusives like Doom 3 (console exclusive), Halo 2, Conker: Live and Reloaded, and Vanguard: Saga of Heroes (console exclusive) just to name a few. Walking into the Microsoft booth just reaffirmed this with exclusives like Jade Empire, Knights of the Old Republic II (console exclusive), and several multiplatform titles that will be online exclusively through Xbox Live. The bottom line is simply that Microsoft had a very healthy lineup this year, and with a little more time, and a solid launch for Xbox 2, Sony could have some real competition on their hands.

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Best Press Conference - Nintendo

Runner-Up:
Microsoft

While the Microsoft press conference ended on a very high note with the announcement of EA coming to Xbox Live and chants of, "Ali!" as the champ stood on stage representing Fight Night, it still wasn't enough to topple Nintendo. Throughout the presentation the crowd was in a frenzy as the videos of highly anticipated titles rolled, and the Nintendo DS was presented to the public. The surprise showing of a mature Zelda, followed by the legendary Shigeru Miyamoto with Master Sword and shield in hand, was merely icing on the cake.

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Most Guilty Pleasure - The Punisher
(Volition/THQ)

Runners-Up:
Phantom (Infinium Labs)
Metal Slug 3 (SNK)

Most games based on movie and comic book licenses aren't nearly as good as the original content. However, in the case of The Punisher, the game is already looking better than the movie, and it's nearing the quality of the comic book (which it's based on). Using the extreme forms of punishment to get your enemies to talk was a pleasure in itself. It was even more fun to simply kill them off in a number of different ways. Sure, it makes the game harder to progress through, but it was just too much fun to pass up. The Punisher has set a new standard for games based on comic book licenses.

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Best Booth - Nintendo

Runners-Up:
THQ
NCsoft
Microsoft

There's little debate as to which company had the best booth at the show. Out of all the publishers represented, we took the most pictures of Nintendo, and who could blame us? Holograms, bouncing Marios, and cute (but very knowledgeable) booth babes made for a very enjoyable experience that begged for multiple trips. The color scheme was also very impressive, as well as how spacious it was (Microsoft's was simply too packed). However, it was the games that were the real stars. Paper Mario 2, Resident Evil 4, Odama, and Donkey Konga were but a few of the stars, as well as the Nintendo DS, which had an innumerable amount of gamers waiting in line for over an hour just to have a mere fifteen minutes with Nintendo's handheld! We got in right away due to our media passes, but those in line had plenty to keep them busy. Not only were there attractive women walking around with Game Boy SP's, but there was also a gigantic screen that played upcoming game trailers including the new "mature" Zelda! Bottom line, Mario and Co. stole the show!

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Best Booth Babes - Namco

Runners-Up:
Microsoft
Sega
Tecmo

Perhaps it was the seer number of booth babes populating Namco's booth, or maybe it was the way they juggled... er... danced about? Whatever the case may be, the SRS girls of Namco's booth were tops in our book. As you can see from the two pictured above, they were some of the best looking girls at the show. Couple that fact with their numerous dance routines and hot SRS clothing, and there was just no way we could let any other booth babes take the honor.