With Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot set to be released in a little under two weeks Bandai Namco has chosen to drop a new trailer that tries to copy the magic of the original anime series by featuring the old “Last time on Dragon Ball Z” element though with a different voice actor than fans may remember.
In this trailer fans are shown many of the different elements to the game such as the fights they will be participating in, various side-quests that will be available, and a number of playable characters that will be available outside of Goku. The trailer can be found below and as for the game itself, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot will be released in North America and Europe for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on January 17th.
After first making its appearance in the West as a PSP game, XSEED Games now has a set release date for the PC version of Wizardry: Labyrinth of Lost Souls. The company has announced that the game will be releasing on PC on January 15th where it will be priced at $14.99 and sold at a temporary 10% discount for one week after release. This enhanced PC version of the dungeon crawler will feature enhanced visuals, all of the previously released DLC, and a turbo mode that will speed up fights.
This announcement was accompanied by a trailer that previews a number of these improvements and can be found below.
FUNimation has announced that they have acquired the licenses to stream both the Nekopara anime as well as BOFURI: I Don’t Want to Get Hurt so I’ll Max out My Defense when they begin airing in Japan with English subtitles with an eventual English dub being produced and streamed at a later date.
The Nekopara anime will begin airing on January 9th and is an adaptation of the popular visual novel series though it appears that a new unknown girl will be making an appearance and BOFURI is an anime adaptation of a light novel series that follows a girl who begins playing a virtual reality MMO with her friend only to create a character with only defensive stats, making her slow, weak, and unable to use magic but immune to nearly all types of damage.
BOFURI will begin airing in Japan a day earlier on January 8th and it is worth noting that FUNimation’s announcement does not confirm an eventual home video release.
Dragon Quest Builders, the quirky take on the long running JRPG franchise, is back with a sequel. Like the first game, Dragon Quest Builders 2is an alternate version of Dragon Quest 2 that mixes action RPGs with voxel sandbox gameplay. Players will wake up on the shores of the Isle of Awakening and soon make friends with Malroth, a warrior with no memories. Together, the pair will take on the cult Children of Hargon who has a chokehold on the world.
Story
Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a generally lighthearted
take on the franchise, a nod back to the more youthful and joyous days of early
RPGs. The writing is simple and accessible, making the game appropriate for
older children. The writers do an excellent job conveying personality and
culture through conversational style, though the accents can be so thick it
becomes be hard to read. The humour is not very complex so older children will
enjoy it; however, adults have a few gags and jokes that were clearly designed
to go over the heads of the little ones.
Gameplay
Dragon Quest Builders 2 mixes elements of action
RPGs, voxel sandboxes, and puzzlers. The rhythm of the game is often predictable,
cycling between exploration, guided building, and set combat pieces. The
difficulty level is low for the most part, making the game ideal for older
children or anyone looking for a relaxed game to play.
Combat straight forward. Malroth provides 50-65% of the
overall damage, leaving the player to fill in the rest. The builder’s basic
attack is the player’s bread and butter. There are some other combat abilities
that can be used, but these fall under specific use cases. There is also no
dodge, so players will need to learn how to run away from power attacks and
position themselves out of harms way while still hitting as many enemies as
possible. All these elements combined
created a very spammy experience that left me with sore fingers. I suspect if
the developers tweaked the controls, they could significantly cut down on some
of the button mashing.
The game’s set combat segments are not very hard. For the
most part, waves of enemies are hurled at the town. A third of the population
are usually able to assist the player and Malroth in the defense. As long as
players are continuing to outfit their villagers with the most up to date
weapons, the villagers and Malroth can almost handle the entire battle the battle
alone. The bosses are the main exception. These fights introduce some
interesting mechanics to the fight that will require players to do a little
problem solving. The boss fights are definitely the best of what the game’s
combat has to offer.
Exploration is a key part of Dragon Quest Builders 2.
Each island the builder and Malroth visit are massive landscapes with several
biomes. Tucked away in all corners are resources, monsters, mini-bosses,
builder puzzles, and treasures to discover. The level design is good. There are
lots of points of interest with plenty of monsters and resources along the way.
The exception is the higher areas, which often are just vast areas with little
to no points of interests. Besides completing the map and using the cliffs as a
jump off point for the gliders, there is little reason to explore these areas.
The puzzle design deserves a special mention. Since the game
is designed to be accessible to a wide range of ages and skill levels, the
puzzles are never very hard. Instead, they offer interesting ideas that play up
to the game’s focus on building. Many emphasize pattern recognition, observation
skills, and multi-step planning.
Building is a simple affair. The room is the basic unit in Dragon
Quest Builders 2. It is an enclosed space with walls two blocks high and
accessible through a door. Special room types will offer different bonuses based
on the types of items and quality of materials inside. For the most part, players
are provided with a lot of guidance with what to build. NPCs will pepper the
player with special room requests and give players a list of items needed. Players
are free to decide where to build the room and sort of the details for
themselves. Major building projects for story completion will give players
blueprints of well designed structures. The only downside is players have no
creativity in the matter as the blueprints require the building to be done to
specifications. The larger structures are set down at predetermined locations
while players can lay down smaller buildings where they choose. The blueprint
system works well enough, but there is room for improvement. The blueprint
overlay in the world is only for the base layer and is not very clear about
which block goes where, requiring players to constantly bring up the original
blueprint plans to check on progress. While a blue effect appears when the
correct block is placed, there are better alternatives. I would have liked to
see a detailed blueprint overlay that clearly shows a 2D icon of the correct
block that also rises as each layer of blocks are placed.
The guided building will not provide all the needed
resources for an entire town. Players will need to add their own buildings to
ensure the town’s food, housing, and hygiene needs are met. While the game does
not strictly require players to keep the population happy, it will
significantly increase heart production, allowing players to progress more
quickly through the story.
The PC port quality is decent but has room for significant
improvement. Mouse and keyboard controls are very good, and I actually
preferred them over the controller. The only downside is the restrictive key
bind options that prevent most non-alphanumeric keys from being bound. Another
frustration is the game’s tendency to reset the camera settings. I preferred
the wide camera angle as I found the default angle caused me some minor motion
sickness, but the game would return to the default camera angle every time the
builder went into a tight space or a plot-related dialogue occurred. There is a
setting in the options to prevent camera changes, but I found it had little
effect. Additionally, the game is capped at 60 FPS. While the game does provide
options for a 30 FPS cap for weaker computers, an uncapped framerate option
would be ideal.
Visuals
Dragon Quest Builders 2 has a cute super deformed art
style that reflects its family-friendly gameplay design. The world is bright
and utterly charming. The style is still distinctively Dragon Quest with
many classic monsters making an appearance in the game.
Audio
The audio experience is enjoyable. The soundtrack does an
excellent job of setting the tone for the game. The sound effects are of high
quality. There is no voice acting, opting for the more traditional JRPG
convention of using a few standard vocalizations to accent certain parts of
dialogue. It is a wise choice as some of the heavily accented characters in the
game would require skilled voice actors to pull off, otherwise the performance
would sound like a train wreck.
Overall
Dragon
Quest Builders 2 is a solid, casual game mixing several beloved genres that complement
each other well. It’s a family-friendly title that can be enjoyed by adults and
older children alike. If you are looking for a more relaxed experience than
some of the more hardcore builders out there and need a more guided experience
than Minecraft, Dragon Quest Builders 2 is the perfect game for
you.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Fan games can be a bit of an odd beast as they are passion projects by the most die hard fans of a series, but at the same time they are also always met with a cease and desist when they begin to gain popularity. Such is the case with the Mother 4 fan game that has been kicking around for a few years now but has been mostly silent over the past year. Well there seems to be good reason for that as the game has now been changed into something that looks more “inspired” by the classic RPG than anything else and is now called Oddity.
This big reveal comes in the form of a trailer that explains that the game is keeping an original premise and storyline following a boy named Travis Fields and his friends during the ’70s and that, during a camping trip, the group blows up a “Gate” that triggers a worldwide crisis. The developers for the game are currently working on it for PC and have also stated that “it’ll be out when it’s ready” so don’t expect it anytime soon.
There have always been a few cooking games released here and there but that well has ran dry in recent years so it only makes sense that the Fate franchise expands into that hole. It has been revealed through an official website that a cooking game based around the spin-off anime series, Today’s Menu for the Emiya Family, will be releasing on the Nintendo Switch in spring 2020 in Japan. Everyday Today’s Menu for the Emiya Family will feature a variety of cooking mini-games that, at least so far, appear to feature Saber (Artoria) cooking a variety of dishes.
It is currently unknown whether this Fate/Stay Night spin-off game will end up being localized in any form but given the popularity that has seen nearly every spin-off game in the series localized in English, it may only be a matter of time. You can check out the non-region locked version of the trailer announcing the game below courtesy of Gematsu.
LG TO UNVEIL 2020 REAL 8K TV LINEUP FEATURING NEXT-GEN AI PROCESSOR AT CES 2020
Advanced Alpha 9 Gen 3 AI Processor Brings Optimised Picture and Sound to Company’s Range of 8K Displays
SEOUL, Jan. 3, 2020 — LG Electronics (LG), the company delivering the Real
8K experience, will introduce its expanded 8K TV lineup next week at CES® 2020 – eight TVs with new 77- and 65-inch class models
joining LG’s existing 88- and 75-inch screen sizes.
The diverse 2020 lineup includes premium 88- and 77-inch class LG SIGNATURE OLED 8K TVs (models 88/77 OLED ZX) and advanced LG NanoCell TVs (models 75/65 Nano99, 75/65 Nano97, 75/65 Nano95), with every model exceeding the 8K Ultra HD definition set by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) with independent labs such as TÜV Rheinland validating that LG SIGNATURE OLED 8K and LG 8K NanoCell TV exceed this definition.*
Not only do
LG 8K TVs deliver Real 8K, they are also future-proofed to provide
customers peace of mind with multiple ways to enjoy the Real 8K experience.
The new models offer the capability to play native 8K content** thanks to
support of a wide selection of 8K content sources from HDMI and USB digital
inputs, including codecs such as HEVC, VP9 and AV1, the latter being backed by
major streaming providers including YouTube. LG 8K TVs will support 8K content
streaming at a rapid 60FPS and are certified to deliver 8K 60P over HDMI.
The latest
LG 8K TVs also feature upgraded performance thanks to the new α (Alpha) 9 Gen 3
AI Processor. By leveraging deep learning technology, the 2020 lineup delivers
optimised picture and sound quality for wide range of content through AI-based
8K upscaling. Based on an intelligent deep learning network, AI 8K Upscaling
delivers vivid and accurate 8K images by analysing the content and applying
Quad Step Noise Reduction and frequency-based Sharpness Enhancer to increase
lower resolution content to near 8K.
The α9 Gen
3 processor’s AI Picture Pro is capable of recognising faces and text on
screen, fine-tuning and sharpening each to produce more natural skin tones,
well-defined facial features and clearer, more readable characters. What’s
more? Auto Genre Selection recognises the type of content being watched and
automatically applies picture settings to deliver realistic image quality among
four genres: movie, sports, standard and animation.
The LG AI
Sound Pro analyses and classifies the audio of content among five categories
–music, movies, sports, drama or news – for clearer voices and richer, more
textured background sound. Spoken words are isolated and their volume
increased, making it distinctively easier for viewers to understand. Meanwhile,
background noises are identified and the scene up-mixed to virtual 5.1 surround
for a heightened level of viewer immersion.
On top of the viewing experience, LG 8K TVs offer a new level of
convenience made possible by AI technology. Users can monitor and control
compatible IoT devices directly from the TV’s Home Dashboard, while Hands-Free
Voice Control allows viewers to easily control multiple connected devices with
just their voice, even from across the room. Available in 144 countries, ThinQ
voice recognition is built into every LG 8K TV. And with the LG smart TV
platform, webOS, the new TVs support Apple AirPlay 2 and HomeKit as well as
both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, with Amazon Alexa Premium Far-Field
Voice compatibility in the future.
“LG is deeply committed to providing consumers with an outstanding viewing
experience,” said Park Hyoung-sei, president of the LG Home Entertainment
Company. “With LG 8K OLED and NanoCell TVs, customers can know they are getting
future-proofed products that will deliver mesmerising picture quality
regardless of the format.”
LG’s
comprehensive, 8K lineup
will be on show during CES 2020 from January 7-10 at the company’s booth
(#11100, Central Hall, Las Vegas Convention Center). Follow all of LG’s CES
activities and announcements on social media using #LGCES2020.
# # #
*Test results for LG’s new 77-inch LG SIGNATURE OLED 8K and 65-inch NanoCell 8K (Nano97 series) TVs confirmed by TÜV Rheinland as surpassing minimum contrast modulation (CM) threshold requirements for Real 8K.
** Native 8K content is currently not available in Australia
and New Zealand.SD, HD and 4K UHD content is upscaled and image quality will
vary depending on source content.
About LG Electronics Home Entertainment Company
The LG Home Entertainment Company is an industry leader in televisions, audio video systems, monitors, projectors and portable computers. The company is a recognized innovator in the industry for its leadership in OLED TVs which is revolutionizing the premium TV category. LG is committed to improving customers’ lives with innovative home entertainment products led by category-leading OLED TVs and award-winning NanoCell TVs featuring artificial intelligence capabilities. For more information, visit www.LG.com.
Sentai Filmworks has announced that they have acquired the license for the third anime season of BanG Dream!. This shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise as the company has already previously licensed both of the previous seasons of the anime series, though at the moment only the first season has been released on home video in North America.
This license acquisition for BanG Dream! 3rd Season as it is called will allow for the series to stream digitally on a number of outlets when the season starts airing on January 23rd and the company has already stated that a home video release is planned.
For those unaware of the season, Sentai Filmworks describes it as such: The girl-powered bands are gigging again. That means Poppin’Party and other fan favorites are set to return for an all new season of BanG Dream!. Now that Kasumi and the rest of Poppin’Party are taking charge of their own show, the sky’s the limit for their rockin’ musical ambitions and dreams of stardom. But they’ll have to contend with other bands looking for their big break, and their friendship will be put to the ultimate test as they rock their way to the top of the charts!
For a bit now Nippon Ichi Software have been working on a different style visual novel for the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch and now the company has released the opening movie for the game. Bokuhime Project as it is called is a cross-dressing adventure game where an ordinary boy named Minato infiltrates a prestigious school to find out why his older sister fell into a coma.
To do this, he must dress and act as a girl to attend class and with the help of his cousin Akira he will need to get closer to those who may know the truth behind his sister’s illness. The video can be found below and currently Bokuhime Project is set to be released in Japan on April 23rd with no Western release announced at this time.
OVERHIT’S ARMADA OF UNIQUE
HEROES INTENSIFIES WITH KIKI FROM HIT UNIVERSE
Powerful character from
nostalgic mobile title arrives in turn-based mobile role-playing game on iOS
and Android as part of new update
Seoul –
Dec. 30, 2019 – For
several years, mobile gamers from around the globe plunged into the gorgeous
world of Heroes of Incredible Tales (HIT) for mystical action gameplay.
Today, fans of the beloved game can experience HIT’s Kiki hero in Overhit,
the widely-popular turn-based action role-playing game (RPG) from NEXON Korea
Corporation, subsidiary of NEXON Co., Ltd. (“Nexon”) (3659.TO), a worldwide
leader in free-to-play online and mobile games. The Overhit x HIT
crossover is available for free as part of a massive update on the App Store and Google Play.
From the
enchanted and treacherous realm of HIT arrives the all-new SSR+ Magic
and Water Type character Kiki, who enlists in Overhit’s unprecedented
roster of heroes. Kiki boasts a mysterious magical power that controls nature,
which allows her to teleport and take control of lightning and water to wipe
out enemies and cause chaos on the battlefield. From now until Thursday, Jan.
9, players can experience a Chance Boost Gacha for Kiki, along with other SSR
and SSR+ heroes Rito, Aglaea and Emodin.
In addition
to Kiki’s arrival, today’s content update delivers multiple new features,
including:
Hatsune Miku Costume – Earlier this year, Overhit teamed up with virtual singer
and global superstar Hatsune Miku for an unprecedented collaboration. From
now until Thursday, Jan. 9, Hatsune Miku returns with a festive Christmas
costume for players to unlock
New Raid Boss “Yoho” – The ferocious legendary nine-tailed fire fox ‘q arrives to
challenge only the most daring of heroes. Players can defeat this
unforgiving galactic monster to unlock fresh chaos gear from Yoho.
Emodin Balance Improvement – The SSR Water Type hero Emodin is now
stronger and fiercer than ever before
Additional Events – Several new and updated in-game events have been added,
including seven-day attendance rewards, a hero growth support event for
Water Type heroes, rock paper scissors event, bingo event, Legendary Gacha
boost event and AP Usage event.
In Overhit,players are invited to command the Black Wings resistance army packed with
characters from across time and space. A cast of more than 120 unforgettable
heroes voiced by world-renowned anime voice actors such as Ishikawa Kaito,
Uchida Aya and Morikawa Toiyuki take charge in agorgeous world with
console-inspired 3D backgrounds.
The latest
content update is available today in Overhit for iOS and Android.
Additional information for members of the press:
Hatsune Miku is music software
developed by Crypton Future Media, INC., and it enables anyone to make the
computer sing by entering lyrics and melodies. As a massive number of users
created music using the software and posted their works on the Internet, Hatsune
Miku quickly evolved into a cultural phenomenon. Moreover, Hatsune Miku has
gained much attention as a character, involved in many fields such as
merchandising and live performance as a virtual singer. Now her popularity has
spread across the globe.
About NEXON Co. Ltd. NEXON Co., Ltd. (“Nexon”) (3659.TO) is a
worldwide leader in free-to-play online and mobile games. Founded in Korea in
1994, Nexon developed one of the world’s first graphics-based massively
multiplayer online games. Nexon also pioneered the concept of microtransactions
and the free-to-play business model, setting a new standard in which play is
free, and users have the option to purchase in-game items to enhance their
experience. Nexon currently services nearly 100 titles in more than 190 countries. The
Company is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan and its shares are listed on the Tokyo
Stock Exchange.
