Pity the poor publisher that tried to wow the masses after the reality-altering bombshells dropped at Microsoft’s amazing keynote speech. Electronic Arts made a fairly decent job of it, though.

EA has well over two dozen games on show on its massive E3 stand. They weren’t about to detail them all at their press event, preferring instead to keep to a few well-chosen crowd pleasers. Here are the highlights:

• EA will publish Real Time Worlds’ ace looking cops n’ robbers ‘em up, APB, in early 2010. In their own words:

“APB is a new breed of online game, set in a persistent living, breathing open-world urban environment where fame and fortune awaits all players. Some players will achieve this by feeding on the city, its people and its businesses…the Criminals. Some will live by a higher code and instead feed on the criminals and their organizations…the Enforcers. “

If that’s not enticing enough for you, APB (pictured) is by the same lot responsible for the enduringly excellent Crackdown on Xbox 360. Platform and release date info are still TBC, however Real Time Worlds has already launched a partner site. Check www.apb.com for more screens, info and updates.

•The Prince of Darkness himself to star in Brutal Legend. We’re talking about Ozzy Osbourne, of course, whose voice and shambling likeness will line up alongside Jack Black, Lemmy from Motorhead, Judas Priest’s Rob Halford and others equally metal in this tale of a roadie’s journey into hell.

•Star Wars: The Old Republic is a massive multiplayer online game from Mass Effect developers Bioware. A Star Wars MMO is a tremendously cool idea in itself. However BioWare reckons that The Old Republic is the largest voice-over project in games. In other words every character, whether playable or not, has its own voice and story to tell. Kroinks!

• EA announces MMA. That stands for Mixed Martial Arts. It’s a brutal and intense brawler that’s heading for all main consoles in 2010. The Wii version is compatible with the new MotionPlus accessory. It’d be cooler still if Microsoft steps in to make it compatible with the Project Natal motion-tracking camera device too, eh.

• EA Sports Active has already shifted more than 600,000 copies since its release a fortnight ago. EA is already planning an expansion pack for release this Holiday season. That’ll be Xmas 09, then.

• Fight Night Round 4 sets a new benchmark in uber-realistic body movements and glistening, beading sweat. If you can bear that kind of in-your-face physicality the game is arriving a full week early on June 25th.

And that, barring a few sundry bits and bobs we’ve already reported, is pretty much it from the publishing giant. APB should be worth the wait – Real Time Worlds is apparently debating console ports but has nixed the notion of Mac or Linux versions. Meantime they’re saying it’s more akin to games like Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto IV rather than World of Warcraft. In which case, great stuff – where do we sign?!