A new addition to
the Nintendo Switch family, Nintendo Switch Lite is compact and lightweight,
making it easy to take on the go
10th July, 2019 – In a video today, Nintendo introduced Nintendo Switch Lite, a device designed specifically to play Nintendo Switch games in handheld mode. The Nintendo Switch Lite system launches on 20th September with a suggested retail price of AU$329.95 and will be available in three different colours: yellow, grey and turquoise. A carrying case and screen protector set for Nintendo Switch Lite will also be available with a suggested retail price of AU$29.95. To watch the Nintendo Switch Lite first-look video in its entirety, go to the official Nintendo Switch Lite website.
The flagship Nintendo Switch launched in March 2017 and offers three different play modes: playing in TV mode by placing the console into a Nintendo Switch dock, playing cooperatively or competitively in tabletop mode by sharing Joy-Con controllers, and playing in handheld mode. The console comes with either grey Joy-Con controllers or neon red and neon blue Joy-Con controllers.
Nintendo Switch Lite has integrated
controls and is smaller than the flagship version of Nintendo Switch. It has no
kickstand and, as a dedicated handheld gaming device, does not support video
output to a TV. Therefore, it does not come with a dock or HDMI cable. For a
full list of the differences between Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite,
visit the official Nintendo Switch
website.
The new device can play all games in the robust Nintendo Switch library that support handheld mode*, although some games will have restrictions. The back of game packaging and product information listed on the official Nintendo website offers information about which features are included and which modes are compatible with specific games.
In addition to the three colours of
Nintendo Switch Lite available at launch, Nintendo will release a limited Nintendo Switch Lite Zacian & Zamazenta Edition
system** on
8th November, featuring stylish cyan and magenta buttons and
illustrations of the two new Legendary Pokémon from the upcoming Pokémon
Sword
and Pokémon
Shield games. In Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield,
players will embark on a new adventure through the Galar region, where they’ll
catch, battle and trade newly discovered Pokémon and uncover the mystery behind
Legendary Pokémon Zacian and Zamazenta. The Nintendo Switch Lite Zacian & Zamazenta Edition system will be available while
supplies last with a suggested retail price of AU$329.95. The Pokémon Sword
and Pokémon Shield games are available 15th November for all
Nintendo Switch systems.
Nintendo introduces Nintendo Switch
Lite, a device dedicated to handheld game play. The Nintendo Switch Lite system
launches on 20th September and will be available in three different
colours: yellow, grey and turquoise.
Notes to Editors:
* For games that support tabletop
mode, players can wirelessly connect Joy-Con controllers (sold separately) to
Nintendo Switch Lite. In these cases, users will need to have a device to
recharge Joy-Con controllers, such as the Joy-Con Charging Grip.
** Pokémon Sword / Pokémon Shield
software not included.
***Internet connection required during online play. To use
online services, you must create a Nintendo Account and accept the related
agreement. The Nintendo Account Privacy Policy applies. Online play requires
paid online membership. Find out more about the paid membership subscription at
https://www.nintendo.com.au/switch-online
There have been rumors circulating for quite some time that Nintendo would be releasing a cheaper version of the Nintendo Switch sometime this year and today the company made things official. Nintendo is aiming to have the Switch Lite, a brand new version of the Switch focused entirely on handheld gameplay, on September 20th where it will be available in three base colors, yellow, gray, and turquoise, or in a special Pokemon variant featuring Zacian and Zamazenta though this version will be released on November 8th.
The Switch Lite will retail at $199.99 USD and this cheaper price is due to the fact that it has not been designed to connect to the TV in any form. Instead the console’s Joy-Cons are now attached completely to the device and can not be removed in any form. Other features that have been removed are the kick-stand for table-top play, the HD rumble feature, as well as the “IR Motion Camera.”
It is worth noting that while Nintendo also states that the Switch Lite will weigh a bit less and have a longer lasting battery compared to the original version, the screen size is a bit smaller. A full comparison between the official specs of both versions of the Switch have been compiled by Nintendo here.
When it comes to the Neptunia series fans generally have no clue as to what the next game announced could be. Over the years the core games have been 3D RPGs that tend to help advance the series but the numerous spin-offs have seen everything from strategy RPGs, to idol raising sims, to even a 8-bit shmup being released. As such when Super Neptunia RPG it didn’t come as too much of a surprise that it would be taking the genre in a different direction once again as it happens to be a 2D sidescrolling RPG, but what was surprising was the fact that it was developed by Canada based Artisan Studios. Being developed at its core by a Western team and offering something different once again, is Super Neptunia RPG worth it for fans?
Story
In usual fashion, the main heroine Neptune awakens from a strange dream only to find herself suffering from near complete amnesia. With only the knowledge of her own name she is quickly roped into being a member of Bombyx Mori in the hope that they will give her snacks to eat. This organization may have been rather quick to recruit Neptune but there is a good reason for this, as the group rules over Gamindustri and taxes its residents by forcing them to create 2D games on cartridges in order to appease their leader.
After quickly learning that Bombyx Mori are in fact the bad guys, Neptune with the help of a new character named Chrome, finds herself encountering the familiar faces of Noire, Blanc, and eventually Vert. Like Neptune, all three of them suffer from amnesia but with the help of a magical book with a familiar name and the residents of the resistance, the CPUs must travel not only to restore their memories but also do battle against the empire and perhaps restore the world to its original form.
For the most part Super Neptunia RPG manages to tell a fairly solid, albeit a bit simple at times, storyline with some little twists and turns that may surprise some though they are a bit telegraphed. Thankfully the writers knew that one of the biggest charms in the Neptunia franchise happens to be its sense of humor and cast of characters. While not nearly as wordy as many of the other games in the series there are still countless interactions between the characters that fans have come to know and love as well as a few new characters that fit into the mold well enough.
Gameplay
It is worth noting that a lot of the humor comes from having knowledge of past games and the characters’ personalities so newcomers probably shouldn’t try this before diving into the main franchise first and learning about everyone’s little quirks. Between smashing down the fourth wall, making tongue-in-cheek references to other games, or simply lambasting one another in conversations, the game’s humor remains in true form throughout Super Neptunia RPG and helps keep the standard feeling story afloat.
One of the first things that players will notice is different about Super Neptunia RPG is that it plays entirely on a 2D plane. This means that players will be exploring both towns and dungeons while only traversing a straight line and performing various bits of platforming to reach certain locations. Unfortunately Neptune can feel a bit floaty when it comes to control and is occasionally unresponsive to various inputs, causing a few too many failed jumps to be seen as negligible. It is also worth noting that while the heavily detailed backgrounds can be gorgeous to see, actually navigating them is often a hassle as players will initially struggle to find what paths are traversable and what is simply window dressing. Even then when Neptune comes across a split path, actually aiming towards one of these two paths is occasionally a struggle as well, making simple exploration a bit more annoying than it should be.
When encountering an enemy in a dungeon players can either simply run into them to trigger combat or strike them with a “symbol attack” to gain advantage in combat. Similar to its exploration style the combat has also been changed up into a real time format that uses face button presses to trigger attacks with each attack requiring a certain number of “AP” to use. Generally a simple strike can cost two points while spells can take three though the cost can vary depending on the skill. AP fills up over the course of the battle with both the players team and the enemies needing it to make an action, though if you happen to target an enemy’s weakness the player will gain some bonus AP.
In lieu of having players worry about a menu system the game instead allows for “formation” changes that simply rotates the four character party into a different lead character. A character’s skills (that will be used when their face button is pressed) will vary depending on what formation is currently in use so there is a decent amount of variety available here as there can be up to sixteen different skills equipped to the party at a time. These skills can be obtained from various pieces of equipment that, when worn long enough, allow that character to learn its skill permanently meaning there is room for plenty of unique customization here.
Items can then be used through the pause menu and if combat really isn’t feeling challenging or is taking too long it is possible to speed up time and increase AP regeneration but it is worth noting that both of these systems require the player to find them on their own, which is rather unfortunate. Over the course of battle a “break gauge” fills up and when filled players can perform a powerful “break attack” with a character of their choice and of course the CPUs can transform into their Goddess forms to perform other more powerful attacks.
Unfortunately while players will desperately want to make liberal use of the speed-up function in combat Super Neptunia RPG rarely feels like it can actually handle a fast pace. Numerous times while simply exploring an area the game will suffer from noticeable slowdown and this only gets worse when actually fighting an enemy. More often than not the game will begin to lag in combat and there have been quite a few cases where both the player’s party of characters and the enemies will end up staring at one another with moves queued up and available AP but the game simply refuses to make them move without either needing to wait it out or simply run from the battle. Also outside of a few fights scattered throughout the game, players really won’t need to worry too much about the game’s difficulty level as, thanks to the aforementioned skill customization, it is very easy to find the party overpowering even stronger foes by simply attacking at will with no need for strategy.
Visuals & Audio
The biggest saving grace to Super Neptunia RPG happens to be the fact that it is an incredibly gorgeous looking game. The transition to 2D hasn’t harmed this game’s graphics in the slightest as the character art both in and out of combat is vividly detailed with plenty of color. Combat animations are varied enough with some great looking skills, especially the Break Attacks, while the enemy models are also varied enough to properly fit their environments. As mentioned before, the environments themselves are also heavily detailed, sometimes to the player’s detriment, but this level of intricacy to the backdrops in the world are greatly appreciated here.
Players will have the option of choosing between the original Japanese voice work or the new English voice track should they choose with all of the series’ staple voice actresses returning to reprise their roles here. The voice work is handled solidly with the character’s coming off as fans of the series should expect though there is one annoyingly noticeable feature that probably should have been removed and that is Neptune’s jumping dialogue. While always a feature of the series, having to perform platforming sections while Neptune talks about being a kangaroo or yelling boing multiple times grows tiresome incredibly quickly.
Overall
Super Neptunia RPG is a bit of an odd game as it feels like an earnest attempt to try something different and ends up being something mediocre as a result. The story may not be anything special on its own but the lovable cast of Neptunia hold it together well enough with plenty of humor that will keep fans moving along and even though the combat may be a drag players can find themselves easily overpowering foes without going to in-depth though this will be a bad thing for those who want to challenge themselves. Couple that with performances issues and other nagging problems and Super Neptunia RPG ends up being a fun but flawed RPG that tries something new but doesn’t stick the landing.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
While Bandai Namco may have originally hoped to have Digimon Survive released in 2019 that will no longer be the case as the company announced during Anime Expo that Digimon Survive will now be releasing in 2020 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
For those who haven’t been following the game, Digimon Survive will follow a brand new group of teenagers, led by Takuma Momozuka, that get lost on a school camping trip, finding them transported to a strange new world of monsters and danger. As they fight their way back home through an animated world of difficult decisions and deadly battles, players’ choices throughout the game will impact the evolution of their monster allies, and the final ending.
Back in March WayForward announced that they were working on Shantae 5 and now the company has premiered the opening animation that will be used when the game is released. As you’ll see in the video below this is the first time the game will feature an anime opening style, with its vocals being sung by Cristina Vee, and animation being handled by Studio Trigger, the company behind the works of Kill la Kill and Little Witch Academia.
While no release window or price has been revealed as of yet, Shantae 5 does have a set of platforms that it has already been confirmed for and that is the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
While One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows may have been announced with a number of heroes as playable characters, these heroes will need someone besides each other to fight. As such it only makes sense that Bandai Namco reveal a number of villains that will be joining the cast of playable fighters. With a new trailer, found below, the company has confirmed that Vaccine Man, Mosquito Girl, Carnage Kabuto, and Deep Sea King will be playable and if you keep an eye out, you may notice a few fighters who have yet to be announced.
Currently One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows does not have a release date but when it is released it will be available for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
Those hoping for a new One Piece game will be happy to hear that one is in the works as Bandai Namco has announced that they are once again partnering with Omega Force to bring a new Warriors game to consoles as One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 will be releasing sometime in 2020 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
Currently there are very few details regarding what the game will actually offer in the way of playable characters but thanks to the announcement trailer and artwork we do know that the game will be at least covering up to the current arc in the manga and see Luffy and his fellow Strawhats do battle against Big Mom and everything in-between.
Atlus is continuing their reintroduction to the various characters in Persona 5 Royal and this time around they are introducing us to Ann Takamaki, also known by the codename Panther. The video, found below, shows off a few new scenes that take place in brand new looking areas as well as some combat footage including a special combination move that she can unleash with Morgana.
It is worth noting that unlike the previous introduction trailer this time we do not get to see the third tier of her Persona. Currently Persona 5 Royal is set to be released in Japan on October 31st for the PlayStation 4 with a Western release coming sometime in 2020.
Streamline Media Group announced their next game Bake ‘n Switch is scheduled to launch on Steam Early Access in Autumn 2019 (or Spring 2019 in regions in the southern hemisphere). No price has been announced, but the game can be added to your Steam wishlist at the official Steam page. Console versions are planned, but no release date has been given.
This adorable and slightly horrifying indie game challenges players to sacrifice adorable dough ball creatures by combining them into large dough balls and tossing them into the oven to be baked into treats for the Guardians of Dough. With enough sacrifices, the Guardians of Dough will intervene and protect the people from The Scourge.
Bake ‘n Switch is a four player beat ’em up offering co-operative and PVP gameplay. At its core, Bake ‘n Switch will have players beating up spores and stickies to protect dough balls, all while combining the dough into the largest ball possible before chucking it into the oven. PVP mode adds an extra twist by allowing players to sabotage each other in hopes of baking the most amount of dough.
NEW SEASON OF CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS 4 STARTS
NOW WITH ‘OPERATION APOCALYPSE Z’
Operation
Apocalypse Z Delivers New, Undead-Themed Content Across Multiplayer, Blackout
and Zombies, Includes a Host of New Personalization Items, Map Updates and Gear
Black Ops Pass
Owners Gain Access to Three Additional Multiplayer Maps, Including Two New
Zombies-Themed Battlegrounds and Reimagined Black Ops Classic, Havana
Fan-Favorite Aether
Story Returns with a New Zombies Experience, ‘Alpha Omega’
SANTA MONICA, Calif. – Jul. 9, 2019 –
The new community event for Call of Duty®: Black Ops 4
– Operation Apocalypse Z – is available now on Playstation®4,
with other platforms to follow. Operation
Apocalypse Zunleashes hordes of
the undead across the game as it channels the series’ Zombies legacy through
updates across the entire game. The new content includes a fan-favorite
Specialist “Reaper” who makes its Black Ops 4 debut, three Multiplayer
maps, new eerie atmosphere in the Blackout map, and a variety of themed
personalization items and gear to acquire. Additionally, players will return to
Treyarch’s epic Aether story in the new action-packed Zombies Experience, Alpha
Omega.
“We have a team of talented
storytellers that have been helping to craft Zombies experiences for more than
10 years, and we wanted to bring that imagination to every mode of Black Ops
4, which is why we’re excited to put Operation Apocalypse Z
in player’s hands,” said Dan Bunting, Co-Studio Head, Treyarch. “This is a
veteran team that strives to do their best work with each new experience and
this is no exception – Operation Apocalypse Z represents a ton of
creativity and passion from everyone to really immerse fans in our unique world
of the undead.”
“We can’t wait for the Zombies
faithful to experience Alpha Omega, which marks the return of the Aether
story and the opportunity to play as both the Primis and Ultimis crews – it’s a
unique mix of gameplay that has truly been inspired by our community of fans,”
said Mark Gordon, Co-Studio Head, Treyarch. “This map is over four times larger
and features more dialogue than the Nuketown you’ve played before, and combined
with everything else that’s coming in Operation Apocalypse Z,
this is our most exciting season to date.”
Operation Apocalypse Z’sfree, new content
includes:
New Blackout Updates – As the Zombie apocalypse has begun,
sunny skies have departed in favor of something more un-deadly in the main
Blackout map. Zombies have leeched most of the life from the landscape forcing
the alive to take refuge and survive amongst a deep fog and familiar Zombies
sights and sounds. Additionally, the Alcatraz map debuts a nighttime
atmospheric change complete with new Zombie enemies. Coming later in the
Operation, brand-new Zombie-themed Blackout modes will also debut in the game,
including Pandemic and Alcatraz Horde.
New Specialist – Available now in both Multiplayer
and Blackout, Reaper makes his Black Ops 4 debut. Reaper is
a cutting-edge combat robot with a robust fighting style wielding the Scythe,
a high-powered, two-handed minigun unleashing heavy gunfire. This fan-favorite
Specialist is also equipped with a Radar Shroud that prohibits enemies from
using their minimap and deploys a scrambling device to block out areas on
enemies’ minimap.
New Black Market Gear – The Black Market has been
restocked with a variety of new Zombie-themed Specialist outfits and
personalization items, weapon camos and gestures for Operation Apocalypse
Z. This includes new weapons like the Reaver C86 Crossbow, Black
Ops III’s Argus Shotgun, Daemon 3XB Mastercraft, MOG 12 MKll and Vendetta
MKll that players can acquire and master.
New Zombies Features – Operation Apocalypse Z introduces
new Perks and Elixirs across all Zombies maps, providing new variations on
gameplay once they’re equipped and activated.
In addition to the Operation
Apocalypse Zfree content, owners of the Black Ops Pass gain access to
more new content, available first on PlayStation®4 computer entertainment
system:
New Multiplayer Map, Der Schatten– A snowy map set
in a village high in the Austrian Alps that sits in the shadows of the castle
from the Aether story Zombies experience, “Der Eisendrache.” Combat takes place
in a combination of bright and dark areas pushing player to fight in close
quarters.
New Multiplayer Map, Remnant – A large-sized map
set in the “The Museum of Unnatural History” deep in the Louisiana marshes
where historical relics thirst for chaos and blood. Complete with a portal that
can transport players to opposite sides of the map, Remnant is
structured for mid-ranged combat where longer sightlines flank the exterior of
the museum.
Remastered Multiplayer Map, Havana – Reimagined from
the original Call of Duty: Black Ops,Havana is a medium-sized
map set in a sunny Cuban city during the Cold War tensions. The map is designed
in a Z-shape resulting in a combination of close and long-ranged firefights.
New Zombies Experience, Alpha Omega – Continuing the
Aether storyline, Alpha Omega lets players jump in as the original,
fan-favorite Zombies characters from both the Primis and Ultimis cast, playable
together for the first time ever. This allows fans to gain new insight into the
ever-twisting story as the timelines converge. Players will fight off hordes of
new Zombie enemies, solve challenges, and discover new Easter eggs in a wild
experience up to the very end.
The Black Ops Pass* is included in
the Digital Deluxe Edition, the Digital Deluxe Enhanced Edition,
the Pro Edition, and the Mystery Box Edition of Call
of Duty: Black Ops 4, and can also be purchased standalone digitally or
at participating retailers.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is published by
Activision and developed by Treyarch with additional development support from Raven
Software and PC development with Beenox. For the latest intel check out: www.callofduty.com, www.youtube.com/callofduty and follow @CallofDuty and @Treyarch on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The game is
rated M for Mature (Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Strong
Language).
*Black Ops Pass (BOP) content is not
final, is subject to change, and may not include all downloadable content
available for the game. BOP content may not be available in all countries,
and pricing and release dates may vary by platform. BOP content should be
downloaded from the in-game store only; do not purchase separately, or you will
be charged again. BOP content may be sold separately.
About Treyarch
Treyarch is an award-winning video
game studio, driven by the desire to create epic gameplay experiences that are
enjoyed by as many video game fans as possible. It is an approach that has
helped to make the studio behind the Call of Duty®: Black Ops series
of games an industry-leading developer. Call of Duty: Black Ops set
an entertainment launch opening record upon its release in 2010 and continues
to be one of the best-selling games of all time, according to NPD and GfK
Chart-Track; Call of Duty®: Black Ops II set world-wide launch
day records; and Call of Duty®: Black Ops III held the biggest
entertainment opening weekend of 2015, and was the #1 console game globally for
the calendar year. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 isthe
studio’s most recent release. Additionally, Treyarch is the birthplace of
Call of Duty’s Zombies. Treyarch is wholly owned by Activision.
About Activision
Headquartered in Santa Monica,
California, Activision is a leading global producer and publisher of
interactive entertainment. Activision maintains operations throughout the world
and is a division of Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI),
an S&P 500 company. More information about Activision and its
products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com or by
following @Activision.
