It’s slipped in under the radar, as most of us are plugging away at Battlefield Bad Company 2. Sega’s new Sonic & Sega All Star Racing has arrived and is doing victory laps as we speak.
Join all the popular Sega characters in this great fast paced racing game suitable for the whole family to enjoy.
Sega & Sonic All-Stars Racing is also priced quite reasonably why not pick it up for kids and also the BIG kids as well, easy to play and certainly very fun, it supports local and multiplayer as well so you can get online and whack everyone with Banjo’s Jiggis or Roy’s forklift.
Fishpond have a great deal at them moment and if you live in Australia you also get FREE delivery !!
G’day Everyone !! MasterAbbott has made an appearance on the U.S. Xbox 360 My Community Dashboard Tab on Xbox Live. If you live in the U.S tab over to the My Community tab whilst logged on to XBOX Live and check out MasterAbbott. MasterAbbott would like to say a VERY BIG thank you to the XBOX Community team, especially Xbox Live Community Manager TRIXIE360 for being on Xbox Gamer Spotlight and now appearing on the My Community Dashboard on everyone’s XBOX 360 in the U.S.A
Also BIG BIG thanks to everyone that has sent MasterAbbott a friends request and messages He will try and reply back to everyone one of you and also do his best to add as many of you as he possibly can to his friends list. At the moment his Friends list is kinda getting a bit full right about now
Once again thank to everyone. The XBOX LIVE Community is the best community in the world !! Lets keep it that way by Playing Fair, Having Fun and Being COOL !!
P.S : If anyone knows if Summer Glau has a xbox gamertag … shoot MasterAbbott a message via xbox live or email him at info@capsulecomputers.com.au as he’d really love to meet her !! hahaha
Heavy Rain surpassed ‘Alien vs Predator’ and ‘Just Dance’; which come in second and third respectively.
This gets me questioning what decides a game purchase in the UK. According to the purchases made in the UK, Just Dance must be pretty good to be coming in third. Maybe I should go pick it up and see what all the fuss is about. But then again, I still have my dignity.
That’s a pretty hardcore question. Would you kill to save your loved one ? Would you die to let them live ? The possibilities are endless, is there a right or wrong decision ? what are the repercussions after you’ve performed these actions ? Well these sorts of choices are what you will need to make plus many more in Sony’s new psychological thriller filled with innumerable twists and turns, where choices and actions can result in dramatic consequences. Welcome to the world of HEAVY RAIN !!
Heavy Rain is by far one of the most interesting games I’ve ever come across. A mixture between a game and a film with great gameplay, brilliant graphics and superb audio, where you control four main characters, spanning over four days (within the game) filled with mystery and suspense as they all attempt to track down a murderer known only as the Origami Killer, a name given to him/her by the calling card they leave behind in the form of a folded paper origami shape at the crime scenes.
Let me start off by saying that Heavy Rain’s storyline has a total of 23 different endings. I don’t believe any other game currently available at the moment comes even close. Not even interactive movies have that many possible endings. This certainly provides players with a different experience nearly every time. With every choice you make, the storyline will go down a specific path, and it will make you think… did I pick the right option ? did I ask the right question, should I done this that way or this way. There are too many possibilities, but the great thing is at least you know that Heavy Rain has a huge amount of re-playability value, which will drag you back to play it again and again to see how the story ends in a different way.
The Four characters, each following their own leads and with their own motives, must take part in a desperate attempt to prevent the killer from claiming a new victim. The storyline of the game is complex and very impressive. The four characters you control all have their own strengths and weaknesses. Ethan Mars who we see at the beginning of the game waking up, spending time with his kids and enjoying his daily life, just seems a little to good to be true. This is the calm before the storm, and let me tell you the storm hits and it hits pretty hard on poor Ethan, Ethan is asked to prove how far he would go to save his son, by taking on a number of tasks set out by the Origami Killer. Whilst Ethan is proving his worth we also have Scott Shelby a private detective, who is trying to gather details on the origami killer by interviewing parents of the killers victims. Next we have Norman Jayden a FBI profiler with some ultra cool gadgets, Jayden is sent in to assist the local police with their investigations, if you enjoy crime scene investigations and searching for clues then Jaydens character is perfect for you. His sci-fi style ARI (Added Reality Interface) is something I’ve never seen before but works really well with his character and in finding clues to help gather information. Finally we have Maddison Paige a chronic insomniac who’s riddled with bad dreams, and can only find sleep whilst in cheap and seedy hotels. But also enjoys hot steamy showers
During the course of the game, any or all of these four main characters can die. Depending on your choices. If by any chance one of the characters die, the main story will continue, but the dead characters chapters that would of been available will end. Whilst playing their deaths will be referenced within the game but the game will continue to play out to its final climatic conclusion, I know a few of you are probably thinking. What happens if I kill them all off before the actual game ends… what then ? Do I have to start from the begining ? Well Quantic Dream have also covered this base quite nicely as well. If everyone does die by the choices you select, there is an ending that also ties up everything very neatly, and the game ends. Probably not the best ending to have but an ending none the less. (NO SPOILERS)
The control system takes advantage of nearly every available option that the Playstation 3 controller has. True hardcore vetrans that sleep with their Playstation controllers under their pillow will have absolutely no problems what so ever with the game mechanics and controls. Predominlatly Heavy Rain incorporates simple and at certain times very challenging button press/quick time moments, where you will need to learn and master the the playstation buttons. If you’re new to the controller, then I’d recommend becoming familiar with it, map it out in your head, quiz yourself where all the buttons are, including the triggers, then when your ready to take the test turn on Heavy Rain.
Moving around is the easiest part of the game, holding down R2 will make your character walk while the left stick will move them in the direction you choose. It’s a little fiddly to get used to at first but it soon becomes second nature, you can also move the characters head by simple moving the left thumb stick left and right to interact with items. As explained things get a little tricky when you start interacting with objects and puzzles. For example an early scene has you climbing up a muddy and very slippery slope. To climb up involves the player to hold down a series of face buttons such as holding down the X then whilst holding down the X you need to start holding down the Square button, then once you’ve done that release the X and press and hold down the Triangle. This sort of action is just one example, which is a little tricky at first but will become easier over time. Other such moments will have you repeatedly pressing the the face buttons to overcome specific situations like a struggle between your character and an an enemy. Other moments have you shaking your controller left and right or up and down to open a drawer or to shake a bottle of orange juice you’ve taken our of the fridge. (yes even in games we still drink out of carton)
**Check out this little video walkthrough on how the controls work in a fight scene **
One new option never seen before in any game I’ve come across is the characters thoughts, something that most of us completely forget about whilst playing on your first run through. The characters thoughts are available to us by pressing the left trigger. If the character has thoughts in his mind then words start floating around their head, to initiate these thoughts a face button is associated it to it, pressing that face button will make the character think to himself or ask questions to a non player character in the game. There are certain moments where questions must be asked and this is where you have to react very quickly to pick them otherwise they will just like in real life, you run out of time to ask it and the character your asking the question will not want to answer you anymore. So reaction times are very important if you don’t want to miss out on asking that specific question. Once again a keen reflexes and button familiarization is recommended.
With every game there are some good and bad points. With all the great points out of the way, I’ll go through some of the darker points. Graphically Heavy Rain looks brilliant, but in certain moments, lip-synching and character models look a little average, the voice acting is not 100% but this is mainly due to non-english speaking actors used to cast the game. The control system even though is fantastic does takes a bit of time getting used to, if your new to the Playstation 3 controller. It’s recommended learning where each button is located as you’re going to need them for the multitude of quick time events/puzzle/object interactions that the game throws your way.
With these little hiccups out of the way. I have to say that I have never played anything so epic, momentous or revolutionary as Heavy Rain. Quantic Dream have done a fantastic job at introducing what I believe is the next step forward in the world of video game storytelling and interactivity. I hope we see many more games such as Heavy Rain moving forward from other developers and I cant wait to get my hands on the episodic DLC for the game. Just when you think you’re done with the game Quantic Dream have more Heavy Rain episodes planned. Stay tuned for them to appear via the PSN store in coming months.
Capsule Computers gives Heavy Rain : 9.5 Capsule Out Of 10
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Let us know what you thought of the review, and also what you thought of Heavy Rain. How many times have you finished it. How did it make you feel ? Does it have what it takes to be the game of the year ? Your thoughts. Leave a comment below.
Check out the weekly specials over at Fishpond.com.au this week !! Some great deals to be had. Also if you purchase anything from Fishpond make sure you enter the Fishpond & Capsule Computers Mega Competition.
Remember Fishpond have FREE Delivery if you spend over $49.99 to anywhere in AUSTRALIA. Most of all Fishpond also sell other cool stuff apart from Games such as Books, Movies, Music and TOYS !!
Use the search engine below to find whatever you like. Prices at Fishpond are out of this pond !!! Service is fantastic and your goods are always delivered on time everytime. Capsule Computers staff purchase all our games and movies from Fishpond. Don’t delay grab a FISHPOND BARGAIN TODAY !!
Let us know what you’ve purchased We always like to hear what great deals have been had from fishpond
This is amazing !! well done to PopCap Games on this fantastic record breaking achievement. Plants vs Zombies is possibly one of the most enjoyable game we’ve played on the Apple iPhone. If you haven’t already checked it out, take a look at our review here and also click on the button below to buy your copy now from iTunes.
Buy now !! Or the Zombies will get you !!
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Official Press Release
More Than 300,000 Units Sold in First Nine Days; Joins Bejeweled® 2 as App Store Record-Breaker
DUBLIN, Ireland – February 25, 2010 — PopCap Games, maker of some of the world’s most popular video games, today announced that the iPhone and iPod touch adaptation of its award-winning game Plants vs. Zombies™ sold more than 300,000 units in its first nine days of availability, setting a new record for App Store launches. Plants vs. Zombies shot to number one in the units sold and “top grossing” App Store charts within 24 hours of its launch and remained there until yesterday. At a retail price point of US$2.99, Plants vs. Zombies for iPhone/touch has already grossed more than US$1 million.
PopCap also revealed that its flagship Bejeweled® 2 is now the first paid app to reach 3 million units on the App Store. Bejeweled 2 has consistently been in the top 10 of the App Store’s Top Grossing list. With the success of Plants vs. Zombies, PopCap now boasts 3 games (including Bejeweled and Peggle™) that have reached #1 on the App Store among a crowded field of more than 150,000 apps. The company’s other iPhone games, Bookworm™ and Chuzzle™, are consistently in the top 100 on the App Store.
Originally launched on the PC and Mac in May of 2009 to universal critical acclaim, Plants vs. Zombies has been expertly adapted for iPhone and iPod touch. Consumers who have purchased the iPhone adaptation agree, with more than 95% giving the game five out of five stars in the App Store’s rating system – making it the highest-rated product in the App Store. Plants vs. Zombies is proving to be a global phenomenon on the App Store, reaching the #1 position on the sales charts in more than 20 countries worldwide including Canada, China, Russia, Australia, Germany, Denmark, Ireland, and Norway. Within one day of the game’s launch, it joined Bejeweled 2 as one of the top five highest-grossing iPhone apps of the week.
“Plants vs. Zombies is our latest major franchise to make the jump to iPhone, and from the early customer and critical feedback it appears to be a great adaptation of the game,” said Andrew Stein, director of mobile business development at PopCap. “There’s always a concern when bringing a computer game to a mobile, pocket-sized device that something will get lost in the process, but in this case the overwhelming consensus is that Plants vs. Zombies is even more fun on the smaller touch screen!”
About PopCap
PopCap Games (www.popcap.com) is the leading multi-platform provider of fun, easy-to-learn, captivating video games that appeal to everyone from age 6 to 106. Based in Seattle, Washington, PopCap was founded in 2000 and has a worldwide staff of over 260 people in Seattle, San Francisco, Chicago, Vancouver, B.C., Dublin, and Shanghai. Its games have been downloaded more than 1 billion times by consumers worldwide, and its flagship title, Bejeweled, has sold more than 50 million units across all platforms. Constantly acclaimed by consumers and critics, PopCap’s games are played on the Web, social platforms, desktop computers, myriad mobile devices (cell phones, smartphones, PDAs, Pocket PCs, iPod, iPhone and more), popular game consoles (such as Xbox and DS), and in-flight entertainment systems. PopCap is the only “casual games” developer with leading market share across all major sales channels, including social, Web portals, retail stores, mobile phones, MP3 players, and game devices.
From yesterdays Super Street Fighter IV pre-order post here is 100% confirmation on what your going to be getting when you pre-order Super Street Fighter IV and Lost Planet 2.
Read the press release information below, enjoy and most of all PRE-ORDER your copies now !!
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PRESS RELEASE INFO !!
Super Street Fighter IV confirmed for release on Friday April 30 th and Lost Planet 2 just a few weeks later on May 18 th it is time to reveal some of the great pre-order incentives that will be available to European & Australian gamers plus some other great LP2 news.
Super Street Fighter IV – Dress your characters, yourself or your i-phone in style i-phone covers – featuring stylised images of fan favourite characters, these covers will only be available via this pre-order initiative.
Super Classic Costume pack – Get brand new costumes for Gen, Dhalsim, Blanka, Fei Long and Guile before they go on general sale; fighting never looked so good.
T-shirts – An exclusive range of limited edition t-shirts featuring unique designs which will not be available anywhere else.
Lost Planet 2 – Choose from multiplayer maps, your very own Akrid or an exclusive t-shirt
Collectible figure – This pre-order offers a limited edition figurine of one of the gigantic Akrid that players will encounter in Lost Planet 2.
T-shirt – With an exclusive design not available anywhere else those gamers choosing this pre-order will own a truly unique piece of Lost Planet 2 merchandise.
Multiplayer maps – Gamers opting for this pre-order will be able to download two new maps on which they can engage in 16 player multiplayer battles
Helix – the underwater NEVEC mining facility is set over several layers full of twisted corridors. Swim between the layers, dive to the bottom to change your point of attack or launch yourself in an instant to the upper levels using the Aqua Catapults.
Back to the Island – the shady atoll of Island 902 is broken into wide open spaces and compact interiors. Choose your battlefield from the beaches to the battered carrier, or explore a new dimension in the underwater area. Control the bridge to dominate the map, but beware as you are vulnerable to attacks from all sides.
Details of which local retailers will be running each specific pre-order campaign will be confirmed shortly.
Split-screen confirmed – After months of speculation, the development team that brought localized splitscreen gameplay to Resident Evil 5 has confirmed that they will be doing it again with Lost Planet 2. Gamers can join the battle for control of the precious thermal energy on E.D.N III alongside a friend from the same living room.
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HOW GREAT IS ALL THIS FANTASTIC NEWS !! Let us know what you think !! Leave a comment below
Another Super Sale this time on Playstation 3 courtesy of Capcom :
You good looking PlayStation 3 owners (I know this because I’ve got a Playstation 3;) … ) can get Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix for $7.49 (50% off)
This is a CLASSIC Capcom fighter that’s been remade in SUPER HD graphics. If you don’t already have this pick up whilst your waiting for Super Street Fighter IV to arrive !!
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Who’s gonna pick this up ?? Also who’s your favourite Street Fighter Character you enjoy using the most ?
Game Name: Lazy Raiders Platforms: Xbox 360 Publisher(s): Xbox LIVE Arcade Developer(s): Sarbakan Genre(s): Action & Adventure, Puzzle & Trivia Release Date: 2/24/2010 ESRB Rating: E – Everyone Price: 800 MSP Demo:Add to Download Queue
To see more games by Sarbakan visit their website ‘Sarbakan Website’ and follow them on twitter for updates on their games ‘Sarbakan Twitter’.
Story “Dr. Diggabone’s so lazy he won’t even walk… But that’s not stopping him from going after 16 priceless lost relics. Jump in and take control as you tilt and flip the world to send him on a quest for instant fortune and fame.” [via http://www.lazyraiders.com/]
That little summary taken from the Lazy Raiders website pretty much sums up the entire story plot.
You play as Dr. Diggabone or your avatar (In Dr. Diggabone’s clothes). Even your avatar has become as lazy as Dr. Diggabone as gravity pulls you through the caves in search for your fortune. The game is a puzzle game, so it doesn’t require much of a story other then why you are there in the first place.
Gameplay The gameplay of Lazy Raiders requires you to shift the map by spinning the room and letting gravity do all the work. Since Dr. Diggabone is too lazy to move, he will just let gravity drag him down. By spinning and flipping the level you help him collect gems, idols, and relics. You can’t appreciate the entire mechanic until you see it for yourself, so here is the trailer for you guys to watch.
If you didn’t watch the trailer, then you really are missing out. So go watch it!
Now that you have watched the trailer, you can see that the game gives a feeling of being rushed, and having to quickly make your decisions. At times this is true but Lazy Raiders is still a puzzle game, so take your time and plan your actions carefully (unless you are going for a good time on the leaderboards, in which case you should do it as fast as possible).
The controls are simple. Y focuses the screen (Some people are quite sensitive to the spinning, and focusing the screen helps reduce the spinning effect slightly). The left and right triggers zoom in and out gradually, while the bumpers zoom in or out to the max level. Finally, A flips the map completely upside down.
Many things will try to kill you while solving these puzzles (actually you will kill yourself, since all the threats are based off of them coming to you due to gravity, or you spinning the map wrong and falling into harm’s way). Spikes are abundant, Boulders flow with gravity, and thieves steal your gems. There are 80 levels for you to master, each revealing even more traps and obstacles to avoid as you search the caves in search for treasure.
Audio
There is a small ambient of background music as you traverse through the levels. The background music helps envelop you within the atmosphere of the game, but it is usually drowned out by boulders hitting walls, blocks falling, and chimes as you pick up gems. The game seems to pride itself on its sound effects because these are more clearly evident and will catch your attention more than the background music.
Achievements
Lazy Raiders is entirely single player and all the achievements just take time, patients, and quick solving. Most of the achievements are pretty easy depending on your skill level, the hardest one is “Legend – Collect all 16 relics and all 192 idols”; pretty much 100% the game. If you manage to unlock the ‘Legend’ achievement you will most likely have unlocked every other achievement already.
The game also includes a few gamer pictures unlocked by starting the game. Two avatar awards are also within the game.
Dr. Diggabone’s Outfit – Unlocked by just starting the game. Dr. Diggabone’s Hat – Unlocked by collecting all 16 relics (beating the game)
(Below the achievement list is a picture with an avatar wearing the outfit and the hat in game, since it is the only thing your avatar can wear in the game)
The Achievement List is:
Prodigal -Find the mysterious Crystal Skull.
Olympian – Finish a maze in less than the gold time.
Filthy Rich – Amass your first million.
Friendly – Collect a relic with your Avatar.
Collector – Collect 25 idols.
Conqueror – Collect all 5 relics of the Seven Cities of Gold.
Generous – Let the Thieves snatch at least 1 million.
Spelunker – Collect all 5 relics of the Arctic Wrecks.
Guinea Pig – Get hurt by every type of trap.
Marshall – Collect all 5 relics of the Wild West.
Sprinter – Finish a maze in less than the developer’s time.
Legend – Collect all 16 relics and all 192 idols.
Overview
Lazy Raiders is a puzzle game with a unique “Spin” (excuse my pun and the ones that follow). It will keep you on your toes trying not to die, while at the same time forcing you to make accurately quick gravity switches to collect the gems. Lazy Raiders starts you off smoothly but quickly tosses you into the nearly impossible. Lazy Raiders is a truly mind spinning puzzle game and you won’t even notice the clock’s hands spinning as time flies by, except for those of you who use digital clocks (yeah, go ahead ruin my pun streak!). I give Lazy Raiders 9 capsules out of 10, so go buy it and get lazy! Hopefully this game gets onto the Iphone where the game mechanics can truly flourish.
Pros
Avatar Support! (pity you can’t wear your clothes, you instead wear Dr. Biggabone’s clothes)
A unique gameplay experience that combines strategic puzzle aspects and quick paced action aspects.
Leaderboards can lead to endless hours of competition against your friends and the world.
Cons
If you get dizzy easily, this is not a game for you. (I’d suggest downloading the demo first to make sure you can handle the gameplay mechanics).
Some of the sound effects reminded me of Mario and took me out of the treasure hunter feeling.
When flipping the entire level, it is extremely easy to lose your location and losing your location is dangerous when there are 3 boulders rolling around.
Optional
The game is a puzzle game, and is pretty difficult as you get higher up in the levels (especially if you want to get good times for the leaderboards and get every single idol). This can be a Pro or a Con depending on the skill level of the player, and whether they like a challenge or not.
Sarbakan has been gracious enough to supply an extra Lazy Raiders code for us to give to our readers. Leave a comment telling us why this game looks interesting to you for a chance to win. Once we get 20 to 30 comments we will pick a random winner and email him or her the code. Make sure your email is valid so we can send it to you.
Register now, become a member of Capsule Computers. Be the first to know about our latest Competitions & give-aways along with being notified on all the latest news, reviews and interviews in the world of video games.
FISHPOND VIDEO GAME MARCH MADNESS DEALS !! GRAB A BAGAIN BEFORE ITS TOO LATE !!
Click on the image below to check out Fishpond's MARCH MADNESS DEALS on hundreds of video games on Xbox 360, Plastation 3, Nintendo Wii & DS along with Super prices on Consoles too.
Mordern Warfare 2 Xbox 360 Community Event – March 12th : 8-11pm Sydney EST
Want to play Modern Warfare 2 with the Capsule Computers Crew and go into the running to win some cool prizes ? Click on the image below for more details
Hope to see you all there on the night !! :)
Check out our recent post on the community event where you can win some great prizes just for playing :) : >
here
Recent Video Game Reviews
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Be an Active Member Of The Capsule Computers Community AND WIN GREAT PRIZES !!!!!
We will be giving away prizes every Friday night to the most active members of the Capsule Computers Community. Wanna know how to win .. Click on the image below to find out more !!
THIS WEEKS INTERVIEW :: TRIXIE360 Interviews MasterAbbott
This week MasterAbbott sat down with Microsoft's Xbox Live Community Manager Trixie360 for Xbox's Community Gamer Spotlight:
Check out our interview with Jessica Chobot (above) and our past interviews : >
here
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