They're enthusiastic, that's for sure. Schilling is as sincere as game executives come, and when he says he's tired of games that don't have the punch to back up their high profile creators, you believe him. "It doesn't matter how awesome and deep and rich our story is or how cool our animations and art are," he admits. "If it doesn't translate into kick-ass gameplay, it's irrelevant. We've all played those games."

Of course, suggesting that Reckoning will provide "God of War-level combat" combined with a polished RPG experience, as the panel did, seems like 38 Studios is crossing the border of hyperbole. "I don't know another way to explain it without treading on that slippery slope," says Schilling. "I don't know a way to tell you, 'Hey we're taking God of War and marrying it with Oblivion.'"
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