We Came. We Saw. We Gamed.

Sure, you can eat too much ice cream, or drink too much grape soda, but is it possible to do too much gaming?

This is the question that looms large in my head each and every E3. And this year was no different.

With sore thumbs, red eyes, and a kink in my neck, I limped my way to my final appointment of the show, feeling an odd mixture of relief and sadness.

Honestly, I wouldn’t have minded if the show had rolled on for one more day.

That’s a testament to the awesome crop of games and peripherals I laid my eyes on—and hands on—this year.

Sure, the last couple of E3’s were all about the hardware. Two years ago, all we could talk about was the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system. And last year, the PLAYSTATION®3 was the star of the show.

So it’s only logical that this year would be all about the games. And, wow, was it ever.

Paging back through my notebook from the week only made me nostalgic for all the terrific software I glimpsed. Example: Kane& Lynch™: Dead Men (Eidos®) features writing—that’s right, writing—that rivals most of the movies playing in your local cineplex. This stylish, hardboiled noir features two of the most memorable video game characters you will ever meet.

My other favorite dynamic duo—of course, I’m talking about Insomniac’s® Ratchet and Clank®—are back in their first-ever high-definition game, Ratchet & Clank® Future: Tools of Destruction™. The fifth installment in the series is the most visually striking—wait until you see the incredible amount of hustle and bustle in Metropolis, the game’s huge city-scape—and action-packed Ratchet & Clank® yet. And the game’s Groovitron, a special grenade that causes enemies to disco dance uncontrollably, will make even jaded gamers giggle uncontrollably.

Ready to take to the air? Lair was playable in the PLAYSTATION® suite. Within seconds of picking up the controller, I was steering a 10-ton dragon through war-torn skies. Trust me, it’s an exhilarating feeling. If you’ve ever wondered what Smaug felt like—he’s the famous dragon from Tolkien’s The Hobbit--Lair will tell you.

Assassin’s Creed™ (Ubisoft®) puts gamers into the very stealthy shoes of Altair, a highly skilled assassin on a quest to kill the nine historical figures who are responsible for the Crusades. Altair can climb like a monkey—you should see him scamper up the sides of buildings—and he uses a fighting style that’s all about counter-attacks. In other words, if you want to gain the upper hand in the game, you’ll have be patient and wait for your enemies to makes mistakes, and then capitalize.

Finally, I got the chance to spend a little time with my personal favorite bad guy, the one and only Kratos, in God of War®: Chains Of Olympus for the PSP® system.

Ever wondered how Kratos spent his 10 years of servitude to the god Ares? Chains Of Olympus tells you. (And no, he did not spend it by joining a sewing circle and watching re-runs of Alf™.) The game looks incredibly crisp and alive on the PSP® system. And even though I’m accustomed to playing God Of War® with my trusty DualShock® controller, the game feels so at home on the portable machine that I didn’t miss my analog sticks.

Alright, running to the airport. I promised this would be the final post, featuring final thoughts and everything, but I’ll have to type up my aftermath report tonight while I sit on the plane