Paragonas a game may be dead at the feet of Fortnite’s massive success, but Paragon’s game assets will live on in other Unreal Engine 4 projects. Epic Games announced they have released an initial batch of game assets including meshes, dialogue, VFX, animation, textures, and maps from the game.
Epic says they spent over 12 million USD developing this batch of assets. They will be following up with more Paragon asset packs over the next several months, with the last planned release happening in Summer 2018 (Winter 2018 in the Southern Hemisphere). Developers will be allowed to use the assets freely as long as they are used with the Unreal Engine 4.
Paragon was a free to play third person MOBA that never made it out of open beta testing. While the servers are still live, the game will be officially closing its doors on April 26th.
If you have been stalking some of the gaming subreddits, the name of Danny O’Dwyer and Noclip should be familiar to you. For those out of the loop, Noclip is a crowdfunded video game documentary channel giving us more insight into the development process and history of our favorite PC games such as DOOM, THe Witness, Rocket League, and The Witcher series.
A post from their Twitter account earlier in January announced that they will explore the story behind the success of Warframe. It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of the game so ever since then, I’ve been keeping an eye on their social media for more info. Well, as of today, the first part of the documentary is out and you can check it out down below.
If you like what you’ve just seen, consider checking out some of the other documentaries they’ve made. And if this is your first encounter with Warframe, consider downloading the game and see if it’s your cup of tea. I can always use some co-op buddies.
ATARI® OFFICIALLY INTRODUCES THE ATARI VCS™, ITS ALL-NEW VIDEO COMPUTER SYSTEM INSPIRED BY MORE THAN 40 YEARS OF HISTORY
Legendary Digital Pioneer Continues Development of New Hardware Platform that Honors Company’s Innovative Video Game Roots While Launching a New Era of Interactive Home Entertainment; Will Reveal Atari VCS, Classic Joystick and Modern Controller Prototypes at Game Developers Conference
NEW YORK, NY (MARCH 19, 2018) – Atari® — One of the world’s most iconic consumer brands and interactive entertainment producers, today proudly announces that “Atari VCS” is the official name of its new retro-inspired gaming and entertainment platform, previously known by its working title “Ataribox.” The company also marks this important milestone by sharing the Atari VCS, Classic Joystick and Modern Controller prototypes with press at this week’s Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, with the objective to reveal the exclusive pre-order date for the Atari VCS during the month of April 2018.
Inspired by the iconic silhouette of the original Atari 2600 Video Computer System, the new Atari VCS has already generated considerable excitement within the gaming community. Its skillful blend of modern lines and reverential details, combined with contemporary content technology and new innovation, has evoked positive reactions from Atari fans both new and old. The Atari VCS will of course serve up lots of classic content, but it is so much more than a “retro-box.” It is a completely new Atari connected device designed for today’s living room.
The new Atari VCS logo, like the new hardware itself, combines past and present, and is inspired by Atari’s rich history of progressive graphic design. Countless highly-memorable game logos, illustrations, ads and packages were generated by Atari’s legendary in-house Industrial Design and Graphics department during the 1970’s and 80’s.
Industrial design and graphics are essential parts of the brand’s DNA and part of what makes every Atari game an adventure for the player. Today’s Atari design, engineering, software and marketing teams all endeavor to bring similar levels of care and attention to the new VCS. Atari intends its new video computer system to change the way you interact with your TV, just as the original Atari 2600 Video Computer System first did more than 40 years ago.
“Every person at Atari and every partner involved with the new platform is just as fanatical about the brand and its heritage as our biggest fans are,” explained Michael Arzt, Atari COO of Connected Devices. “With the Atari VCS name, we know how important it is to get everything completely right and that’s why we briefly paused an imminent launch late last year. It was a difficult decision with the countdown underway, but we weren’t willing to go forward with even one thing out of alignment. We hope that Atari’s fans appreciate our extreme attention to detail and are as excited about the Atari VCS as we are.”
In addition to unveiling the official name and logo, Atari will be shifting all branding and communications channels to reflect the Atari VCS name. Fans and followers can sign up for email alerts at www.Ataribox.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
To stay up-to-date on all things Atari and retro-pop-culture, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Atari, and follow us on Twitter @Atari and Instagram.
ABOUT ATARI
Atari is an interactive entertainment company. As an iconic brand that transcends generations and audiences, the company is globally recognized for its multi-platform, interactive entertainment and licensed products. Atari owns and/or manages a portfolio of more than 200 games and franchises, including world-renowned brands like Asteroids®, Centipede®, Missile Command®, Pong® and RollerCoaster Tycoon.® Atari has offices in New York and Paris. Visit us online at www.Atari.com.
To learn more about Atari’s rich art and design history, check out the best-selling book Art of Atari by Tim Lapetino, published by Dynamite Entertainment, at www.ArtofAtari.com. A level of uncertainty exists in the development of any project, in consideration to milestones, budget and financial planning, and the non-realization of certain conditions may impact value.
Finally, the games from my golden age of PS2 are here. With every HD release of old PS2 games, we are one step closer to seeing Shadow of The Colossus on PC. In any case, I got my wish fulfilled last year with playing OKAMI HD on Steam so everything else is a bonus. I say golden era because some of my fondest memories come from PS2. Resident Evil 4, Devil May Cry, Shadow of the Colossus, Onimusha series and so on…..PS2 really had some marvelous library. So imagine my excitement when I got the chance to revisit not one, but three of the DMC games – all wrapped up in one package.
Story
The series is loosely based on the Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri, having the names of the protagonists taken from the poem, as well as some enemies named after the Seven Deadly Sins. In the first game, we follow Dante as he tries to stop the return of demon emperor Mundus, exploring the Mallet Island and its unfriendly inhabitants (read: many demons). In rest of the titles, the story of DMC expands, adding Lucia as a playable character and some estranged family members DMC3. While Devil May Cry 3 acts as a prequel, it is recommended to play the collection in its release order, especially since the third entry nicely ties the story together and fills up some gaps from the first game.
Gameplay
Not much has changed since the last time I played the first DMC and that’s not a bad thing. It still has an adrenaline-fueled hack n slash gameplay with a well-balanced difficulty. Aside from the outdated color palette, it has aged well. You have a good number of combos at your disposal, some are with you from the start and some can be purchased later with red orbs (same goes for weapons). Red orbs are usually gained from defeating demons and breaking objects. Having the access to Ebony & Ivory (your guns) and a sword during combat makes up for some crazy, non-stop combos. Once you master the combat system, you can chain the sword & gun moves from the first to the last enemy in the area. Other melee weapons and gun are usually obtained after boss fights and they only expand on the creative ways to dispatch demons in a stylish manner. And then, we have DMC2. A black sheep of the family. Not much has changed since the last time I played it and you better believe it that is a bad thing. It still feels slow compared to the original, replacing Dante’s cocky attitude from DMC1 to some bland character and generic story. It’s also strangely easy, uncharacteristic for the series. The enemies move rather slow, their attacks can be easily telegraphed and for some weird reason, they spend more time in evading you than attacking. Thanks to that, the second game in the series is something I usually leave for the last, making the playing order into DMC1 > DMC3 > DMC2. After the bitter taste of DMC2, the third entry is something that sets the series back on the right track. It takes the best parts of the first game and none of the second, adding some new stuff to the mix. One of the additions in DMC3 is that you can now choose between the four combat styles (offensive, defensive, gun-focused and sword-focused play). Also, this time you get to have an electric guitar as a weapon. Enough said.
Visuals
This is the part where I could use “not much has changed since the last time” for the third time but truth to be told, it’s hard to put a funny spin on this. This is the section where something definitely had to be changed, at least to justify that HD in the title. Aspect ratio jumps between 4:3, 16:9, 16:10 and 21:9 and it’s not even constant in one game. First DMC still has the same low-resolution movies taken from PS2. All of the textures from the trilogy seem like a complete copy paste with zero visual upgrades. Also game still has some weird bugs like running at double speed if you monitor refresh rate is set to more than 60Hz. In my book, HD should count for more than just stretching the textures to 1920X1080 and calling it a day. I didn’t need to play a lot to see that minimum work has been done here and it’s more of a port than an HD release. For shame.
Audio
Funny enough, the gameplay and the quality of the games from the collection seem to follow the quality of the soundtracks as well. The frantic guitar and synth tunes are something that really made the first game memorable and lifted up the overall score of an already amazing game. In this section, DMC2 it still continues to be the worst of the bunch, with its generic and bland tunes that you have to try really hard to notice. There is nothing that stands out here even during boss fights. And as expected, we have the third entry in the collection redeeming itself with taking lessons from the soundtrack of the first game and amping it up.
Overall
If by some chance you still have all of the three games and a working PS2, there is zero reason for you to buy the collection. You would be playing the same games with (sadly) same visuals. The only incentive at this point would be to get it for DMC1 alone since this is now your first chance to play it on PC (same goes for DMC2 but I don’t know how to frame that as a good thing). Everything else is pretty much the same and I’m still on the mission to find out why is there an HD in the title.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
JACKBOX GAMES BRINGS ITS HIT COLLECTION OF MULTIPLAYER PARTY GAMES TO COMCAST’S XFINITY X1
Comcast Customers Nationwide Can Now Launch and Play Jackbox Games’ Wide Range of Hilarious Titles Directly on TV With Xfinity X1
CHICAGO – March 19, 2018 – Jackbox Games today announced its extensive lineup of hit online multiplayer party games is now available for Comcast customers to purchase and access directly through their TVs via Xfinity X1.
“Bringing Jackbox Games experiences to all major digital platforms continues to be our goal, and we are excited that our titles are now available on X1, giving even more people nationwide access to the perfect party, game night and easy-in games,” says Mike Bilder, CEO of Jackbox Games.
To access Jackbox’s collection of games, customers can say “Jackbox Games” into their X1 Voice Remote and launch the destination, or they can find it within the Gaming section of Xfinity on Demand. Customers can choose from and purchase a selection of Jackbox Games’ most popular titles, including:
The Jackbox Party Pack 4, featuring Fibbage 3, Survive the Internet, Bracketeering, Monster Seeking Monster, and Civic Doodle.
The Jackbox Party Pack 3, featuring Quiplash 2, Trivia Murder Party, Fakin’ It, Tee K.O., and Guesspionage.
The Jackbox Party Pack 2, featuring Fibbage 2, Earwax, Bidiots, Quiplash XL, and Bomb Corp.
The Jackbox Party Pack, featuring YOU DON’T KNOW JACK 2015, Fibbage XL, Drawful, Lie Swatter, and Word Spud.
Drawful 2, which challenges players to draw ridiculous prompts on their devices.
Quiplash, the no-rules, say-anything party game where players compete to improvise outrageous responses to open-ended questions.
Fibbage XL, the lying and bluffing trivia game where players try to fool each other with lies.
Jackbox’s entire collection of games on X1 will be on sale for special prices throughout the week of March 19. Every title in The Jackbox Party Pack series is on sale now for $16.99 each (normally $24.99 each), while Drawful 2, Quiplash and Fibbage XL are currently available for $6.99 each (normally $9.99 each).
Like all Jackbox Games titles, players can use their smartphones, tablets or computers as controllers. After choosing a game on X1, customers will need to go to jackbox.tv on their device and enter the on-screen room code to pair their device and join a game.
Jackbox Games titles are enjoyed by millions of players around the world, including at home, through live streaming, at major sporting and esports events, and just recently on NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Jackbox Games, formerly Jellyvision Games, is a developer and publisher of party games on major gaming platforms and home entertainment devices. The studio is best known for comedic party games like YOU DON’T KNOW JACK, Fibbage, Quiplash and Drawful. Jackbox Games “make the world’s best party games” according to Business Insider. YOU DON’T KNOW JACK has been called “the greatest quiz-show game ever made” by The Onion’s A.V. Club. All current-generation Jackbox games feature the innovative use of mobile devices as controllers, allowing anyone with an internet-connected phone, tablet or laptop to join a game without the need for extra game controllers. Players connect to games on their devices by going to http://jackbox.tv and entering the custom game code displayed via the system hosting the game. This unique concept also allows for games that involve secret player input. The digital release of The Jackbox Party Pack, a massive collection of five party games, was named “Best Local Multiplayer Game of the Year” by Giant Bomb. The company headquarters is located in Chicago, Illinois
FLASHBACK will be released on June 7th, 2018 on Nintendo Switchand unveils its Collector’s Edition!
Paris – March 19th, 2018: Microïds and Paul Cuisset are pleased to announce that Flashback, the classic action-adventure game consistently ranked among the best 100 games of all time, will be available on Nintendo Switch starting June 7th, 2018. To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Super Nintendo version of game, Microïds is releasing a Collector’s Edition (in Europe and Australia), which includes the game in physical edition, a retro cartridge style metal case, an exclusive numbered metal card, a 24-page retro-style instruction booklet, the digital soundtrack (remastered version). Pre-orders are now open!
In the Nintendo Switch version of Flashback, players will be able to choose between the original 1993 gaming experience and Modern mode, which contains:
Post-FX graphic filters,
Completely remastered sound and music,
A brand new “Rewind” function, variable according to the level of difficulty
Tutorials for those who need a boost!
Flashback the story:
After fleeing from a space ship, but stripped of all memory, the young scientist Conrad B. Hart awakens on Titan, a colonised moon of the planet Saturn. His enemies and kidnapers are snapping at his heels, and he has to find a way back to Earth while warding off the dangers that beset him and unravelling a fiendish extra-terrestrial plot that threatens the planet…
Flashback will be available from June 7th, 2018 on the Nintendo E-shop and in retail with the 25th Anniversary Collector’s Edition. The game is entirely subtitled in English, French, Italian, German, Spanish and is rated PEGI 12.
Over the last few years, Microïds has built up a solid catalogue of games for PC and next-generation consoles. Its work with well-known studios and authors (Pendulo Studios, Eden Games, Paul Cuisset, Benoit Sokal…) and its adaptations of famous licences (Syberia, Garfield, Agatha Christie, Blacksad…) have enabled it to reach a wide audience. Always at the cutting edge, Microïds released Moto Racer 4, its first PlayStation VR-compatible title, and today is plunging into new territory by developing several titles for the Nintendo Switch (Gear.Club Unlimited, Super Chariot…).
About Paul Cuisset
Paul Cuisset is one of the most prolific French creators of video games in history. Co-founder of Delphine Software, he has been a programmer, game designer and scriptwriter on famous titles such as “Future Wars”, “Operation Stealth”, “Cruise for a Corpse”, “Moto Racer” and “Darkstone”. In 1992, his classic action/adventure game “Flashback” entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the top-selling French video game in the world. In 2005, he founded the studio VectorCell, which developed “Amy” (PS3 and Xbox 360) and the HD remake of “Flashback” (PS3, Xbox 360 and PC). In 2015, he returned to the adventure genre with “Subject 13”, released on PC/Mac, PS4 and Xbox One.
UBISOFT ANNOUNCES THE CREW® 2 WILL BE AVAILABLE JUNE 29, 2018
Live the Ultimate Motorsports Experience with The Crew 2 Motor Edition
Sydney, Australia — March 17, 2018 — Today, Ubisoft announced that The Crew® 2, the newest iteration in the revolutionary open world driving franchise The Crew®, will launch on June 29, 2018, for PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices and Windows PC. In addition, The Crew 2 has been enhanced with additional features for PS4™Pro systems.
Developed by Ubisoft Ivory Tower,* a studio based in Lyon, France, The Crew 2 will let players experience the thrill of the American motorsports spirit inside a fully redesigned USA. The game’s playground pushes physical boundaries to let driving and open world fans test their skills, solo or with friends, in nonstop competition and exploration. From coast to coast, drivers will explore America and compete to become the greatest motorsports champion by collecting a wide variety of exotic cars, bikes, boats and planes, and dominating the motorsports scene on the land, on the water and in the air. They will find challenges and inspiration among four different motorsports families: street racing, off-road, pro racing and freestyle, and will be given a broad set of options among a wide selection of vehicle types.
Ubisoft also unveiled The Crew 2 Motor Edition, that lets players get the game three days early allowing players to gear up before their competition on June 26. Now available exclusively on the Ubisoft Store, this exclusive edition gives players the most advanced motorsports experience. The Motor Edition also includes:
The Crew 2 Gold Edition and season pass lets players enjoy new vehicles, outfits, additional content and much more.
The Motorsports Deluxe Pack, which includes unique outfits and vehicles, including the FORD F-150 RAPTOR RACE TRUCK 2017, PILATUS PC-21 AIR RACE EDITION 2002 Plane and the ABARTH 500 MONSTER TRUCK EDITION 2008.
A customized American The Crew 2 license plate that comes in a high-quality collector box, an exclusive Steelbook®, the official Roadmap of the game and four original stickers
Players who pre-order will receive The Crew 2 Legendary Motors Pack, which includes exclusive vehicles such as the Mercedes-AMG C 63 Touring Car 2016 and the HARLEY-DAVIDSON® IRON 883TM 2017.
Players can start their in-game vehicle collection right now with The Crew Rewards Program. By completing a series of monthly challenges in the first instalment of The Crew, players can unlock up to 19 vehicles in The Crew 2, including exclusive water vehicles. For more information, please visit thecrewgame.com/rewardsprogram.
Players can also sign up now for a chance to have beta access at thecrewgame.com/beta.
For the latest news on The Crew and other Ubisoft games, please visit news.ubisoft.com. For more information about The Crew 2, please visit thecrewgame.com and follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/thecrewgame and on Twitter at twitter.com/thecrewgame using hashtag #TheCrew2.
*Associate Ubisoft studios are Bucharest, Paris, Shanghai and Massive.
ABOUT UBISOFT
Ubisoft is a leading creator, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and services, with a rich portfolio of world-renowned brands, including Assassin’s Creed, Just Dance, Tom Clancy’s video game series, Rayman, Far Cry and Watch Dogs. The teams throughout Ubisoft’s worldwide network of studios and business offices are committed to delivering original and memorable gaming experiences across all popular platforms, including consoles, mobile phones, tablets and PCs. For the 2016–17 fiscal year Ubisoft generated sales of €1,460 million. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoftgroup.com.
The Yakuza series has been something of a powerhouse for Sega in Japan over the years and over the years the West has shown increased love for the franchise. However all good things must come to an end in some form and that is what Yakuza 6: The Song of Life is said to be, a conclusion of sorts. With such a long running storyline following Kazuma Kiryu and an entry solely following him for the first time in a few entries, does this game offer everything that fans can hope for?
Story
It is worth noting that those who want to get the most out of Yakuza 6: The Song of Life should have at least played a few of the past entries in the series. The game does offer summaries of past events to give newcomers a chance to at least read up on the events that led Kiryu, the “Dragon of Dojima” to where he is now but this story is one that is best experienced on your own.
That being said the game does pick up immediately after the events of Yakuza 5 with a large cut-scene showing what happened to a number of the characters, such as Kiryu ending up in the hospital, Haruka quitting her idol career, and others being sent to prison to serve out their proper sentences. In fact, even with Kiryu recovering in the hospital he is informed that he will be sentenced to three years in jail due to his past crimes.
Once he serves his time Kiryu returns to the Morning Glory Orphanage that he previously opened to take care of orphaned children alongside his adopted daughter Haruka. Unfortunately this emotional reunion is short lived as these children ask him why Haruka hasn’t returned with him. It turns out that due to media pressure and fear of their influence affecting the future of the children, Haruka had left the orphanage shortly after he was imprisoned and his only clue is that she was living in Kamurocho once again.
Hoping to never return their, Kiryu pursues this clue only to find that the city has changed immensely since he was imprisoned with the Tojo Clan at war with the Chinese Triads and numerous organizations once owned by his friends have been shuttered or given over to new management. With what little he can gather and the assistance of the detective Date, Kiryu learns that Haruka has been hospitalized due to a hit-and-run that has left her critically wounded and in a coma.
To make matters even more confusing, a baby that appears to have Haruka’s last name was found at the scene and it was found that she had tried everything to keep the baby from harm. Not one to leave a challenge to his family unanswered, Kiryu takes in the baby and begins to dive into the numerous mysteries that now surround him, such as who the baby’s father is, what Haruka has been doing since she vanished, who struck her, and much more. This journey only ends up leading him further into the dark tumultuous world that the criminal underground has turned into.
Yakuza 6’s storyline brings Kiryu back and forth between the familiar city of Kamurocho and a new location named Onomichi, a small shipbuilding village in Hiroshima. There are a large number of sub-stories spread throughout these areas ranging from fairly standard to incredibly ridiculous as is Yakuza standard, but it is worth noting that there does seem to be a smaller number of these sub-stories than before. That being said, helping a cat cafe take in stray cats by feeding them in the wild, fighting spirits of long-dead pirates, and even pretending to be a cute mascot character still make for a great time.
The bulk of the storyline comes in the form of the overarching storyline however and as you may guess from the focus, it is a very emotional one. Throughout this story we see just what lengths Kiryu is willing to go to in an effort to protect his family, as non-blood related as they might be. In fact, Kiryu is more blunt than ever in this entry as he is quick to dispose of, or simply ignore, those who try to slow him down. With numerous mysteries and different conspiracies circulating through the underground all standing in the way of Kiryu’s hope for finding out the truth behind what happened to Haruka, this is a storyline that will grip players from beginning to end, especially when it starts to approach the final chapters.
Gameplay
It is interesting to note that the combat mechanics in Yakuza 6 have taken something of a step back from previous entries in the series. Rather than being able to swap between different styles in a fight, Kiryu makes use of only a single style of combat that allows him to make use of his deadly fists and powerful kicks to take down any thugs that stand in his way or make use of environmental objects to really punish them.
The “Heat” system is also the same as before with players being able to build up the heat gauge through combat and either enter a supercharged state that allows them to deal more damage and deliver special combo-finishers or deliver absolutely brutal looking “Heat Moves” that can annihilate the health of most opponents. Ranging from just brutally throwing a guy into a stop-sign post to throwing their head in a microwave and telling the clerk to “warm up the trash” these are as wild to see as they are punishing. That being said,a number of these special moves require the player to unlock them first through a fairly simplistic upgrade system.
Nearly everything you do in Yakuza 6 will reward Kiryu with various bits of experience that falls into various categories such as Strength, Technique, Charm, etc. and this includes eating at the numerous restaurants spread throughout the two main hubs, drinking drinks purchased from vending machines, and of course fighting enemies and completing various quest objectives. One of the most effective ways happens to be taking part in a gym training facility called RIZAP that involves various exercises followed by a dietary suggestion that, if you can decipher the clues, reward players with plenty of experience. This allows players to better plan out their upgrade tree to fit their playstyle by dumping points into various stats to improve Kiryu’s abilities, upgrade his repertoire of moves, or even increase his chances when hitting on girls at the Hostess clubs and making friends at the bar.
Perhaps thanks to the smaller number of sub-stories, a new “Troublr” app is available in the game and gives players various warnings about people who are in trouble in town. These missions tend to boil down to fighting guys bullying someone, finding an item for someone or tracking down a lost child, and trying to pull people up from ledges they’ve inexplicably fallen off of. They reward players with a decent amount of experience but can become a bit annoying and repetitive at times.
This same style also happens to apply to a number of the mini-games that can be found in Yakuza 6 as many have been either removed entirely or modified for simplicity while only a few smaller ones have replaced them. There are still a number of enjoyable Arcade Games to take advantage of such as Puyo Puyo as well as darts, “sexy” chat rooms, and more. The biggest standouts here happen to be a spear-fishing mini-game that works like an on-rails shooter that involves using a spear gun to hunt fish as well as a Clan Creator system while the biggest failure, perhaps mostly due to its confusing and unpredictable nature is the baseball management system.
The Clan Creator allows Kiryu to put together a street gang of his own to take part in real-time strategy battles against a group calling itself one of the largest gangs in Japan. These involve sending various types of generic fighters into the fray while building up your meter to send various “Lieutenants” and officers into the fray to take down the enemy leaders without actually fighting yourself. This mode is an enjoyable little side story but depending on how much effort you put into upgrading your team it can be incredibly easy to finish even the hardest missions making one wish they were more challenging.
Visuals & Audio
It is worth noting that this is the first entry in the franchise to feature the new “Dragon Engine” and it certainly marks a significant visual improvement over past entries. All of the various NPCs that players will come across, including simple ones just walking around the environment, are nicely detailed, perhaps thanks to the fact that players can now play in first-person mode while exploring the world, and the sights and sounds of Kamurocho and Onomichi are represented extraordinarily well here. That being said, the game can suffer a bit of slowdown here and there when traveling through Kamurocho at night as the numerous lights and people crowding the street can be an issue.
The physics can be a bit wonky looking at times, especially when it comes to fighting or traveling through an area with lots of objects on the ground. Pretty much everything that isn’t nailed down can be picked up, especially when Kiryu is in heat mode, and because of this battles or simply traveling through areas with lots of seats can send objects flying randomly and bodies of NPCs flying. This is both something of a curse and a blessing however as it can look odd when fighting and various benches just randomly break, but can deliver an amazing looking experience when you throw a Triad member through a shop window and then fight the rest of his friends while bags of food and stands scatter only for the shop owner to ban you from the store for a few hours because of the ruckus you caused.
The voice acting and sound effects for Yakuza 6 are excellent in both performance and execution. All sub-stories are voiced this time around and thanks to this entry utilizing only two styles of cut-scenes players can experience the emotional voice acting in an effective manner without being dragged down by some of the previous methods found in Yakuza 0.
Overall
Yakuza 6: The Song of Life may take a few steps back when it comes to combat and mini-games though there are still plenty of side activities to enjoy but delivers an emotionally gripping storyline that serves as a driving force through the game. This final chapter delivers everything that fans could have hoped for when it comes to Kazuma Kiryu’s storyline and makes for an excellent entry in a franchise that even newcomers can still give a chance. Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Futuristic Combat Racer GRIP Coming to Xbox One, PlayStation® 4, Nintendo Switch and PC, Fully Charged with Wheels-to-the-Wall Action
Watford, United Kingdom and Toronto, Canada, March 20, 2018 – Wired Productions Ltd., a leading independent video games publisher, and ground-breaking developer Caged Element Inc. are thrilled to announce that GRIP – the ferociously fast, futuristic combat racer – is set to arrive on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One, the all-in-one entertainment system from Microsoft, Nintendo Switch™ and Windows PC via Steam in 2018.
Fully enhanced for PlayStation 4 Pro and Xbox One X, GRIP was inspired by the Rollcage games of the late 90’s and backed by a highly-skilled and accomplished team. Harnessing the power of Unreal® Engine 4 to deliver gravity defying physics alongside a bristling arsenal of outlandish weapons, GRIP delivers the fastest, most competitive racing experience ever. Featuring a killer soundtrack, furious speeds and intense action, GRIP is guaranteed to generate unforgettable gaming moments – online or offline – with nail-biting split screen racing and tournaments.
Evolved from the age of street racing, the world of GRIP is brutal and cut-throat to the core. To win the race is never enough, greatness comes from the journey and the trail of merciless destruction you unleash upon your rivals along the way.
Scale walls, ceilings and anything else you can get your tires on to… as you master tantalizing tracks, tricks and perform mind-blowing stunts to race your way across the cosmos. Customise your vehicle, utilize devastating weapons and exploit a destructible environment to ensure not only victory, but the complete annihilation of your opponents.
“We’re very excited to finally announce our partnership with Wired Productions today,” said Chris Mallinson, Game Director at Caged Element. “GRIP began as a passion project paying tribute to the great Rollcage games and racers of a past era, but it’s now truly transformed into a fully-fledged, futuristic combat racer fit for this generation. We’re extremely proud of the game and can’t wait to unleash it later this year on all platforms. Combat racing is back, baby.”
“As long-standing fans of Rollcage and the combat racing genre, we’re delighted to sign GRIP and to build our partnership with the incredible team at Caged Element,” said Leo Zullo, Managing Director at Wired Productions. “Born from passion and nostalgia, driven by great minds and taking full advantage of the latest capabilities in both engine and hardware, GRIP is a racer with limitless horsepower and the title to keep your eye on this year.”
GRIP will make its US debut this week at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco, in South Hall, Booth #1023 (in the UKIE area of the show) and will be available for consumers to get hands on for the first time at PAX East, Booth #20031 (Boston, USA) and EGX Rezzed (London, UK).
GRIP is currently available in early access on Steam, with a fully tuned release planned for PlayStation 4, Xbox One X, Nintendo Switch and PC later this year.
For more information visit http://www.wiredproductions.com. Fans can get the latest news by joining the GRIP communities on Facebook, Twitter and Discord.
About Caged Element
Caged Element is an innovative new development studio headquartered in Toronto, Canada, formed by a group of seasoned racing game developers and fans. Nostalgic for the return of the hardcore combat racer, their debut title GRIP quickly gained profile through Steam early access and is now hurtling towards an all formats release in 2018.
Wired Productions is a leading video games publisher based in Watford, UK. Founded 2008 and shortlisted by MCV for Indie Publish of the Year 2018, Wired have produced and published award-winning titles across all major platforms. Bringing games to market in both physical and digital media, notable launches to date include Super Dungeon Bros, Victor Vran: Overkill Edition, Max: The Curse of Brotherhood and The Town of Light, alongside highly anticipated upcoming titles including Shaq Fu: A Legend Reborn and GRIP.
GRIP uses the Unreal® Engine. Unreal® is a trademark or registered trademark of Epic Games, Inc. in the United States of America and elsewhere. and “Unreal® Engine, Copyright 1998 – 2018, Epic Games, Inc. All rights reserved.
PREPARE FOR “ALL OUT WAR” IN STAR WARS™: FORCE ARENA
Luke Skywalker Returns From Ahch-To With Three New Characters and New Arcade Mode
SEOUL, Korea – March 16, 2018 – Today, Netmarble Games Corp., the fastest-growing mobile game company worldwide, and Lucasfilm announce the release of a new update to Star Wars™: Force Arena featuring characters and content from the Last Jedi. Returning from his self-isolation on Ahch-To, Luke Skywalker is joining the Star Wars™: Force Arena character roster along with the revived R2-D2, Supreme Leader Snoke, and the Elite Praetorian Guards.
“We’re happy to welcome the wise Luke Skywalker to Star Wars: Force Arena with this new update,” said Seungwon Lee, Chief Marketing Officer of Netmarble Games. “Alongside his trusty companion R2-D2, Luke can now join the battle and offer his invaluable assistance in helping players defeat the First Order!”
The new update will also add the new “All Out War” arcade mode where players can face off against each other using 18 cards each. Players can experience the desolate, rust-colored planet, Crait, as depicted in the Star Wars™: The Last Jedi™, in “All Out War” as a new arcade mode map
Along with the new characters and game mode, the latest game update will also introduce a new in-game event – “Assault on Starkiller Base”. Players who succeed in their attack on the base will receive special rewards based on how many times they cleared the mission.
Star Wars™: Force Arena boasts more than 80 playable in-game cards, including new faces from the recent movie release, Rogue One™: A Star Wars™ Story. Star Wars™: Force Arena is available on the iTunes App Store and Google Play. For more information on the game, visit the official website at www.StarWarsForceArena.com.
Download Star Wars: Force Arena for your iOS device here.
Netmarble Games Corp. strives to entertain audiences of all ages around the world by providing great mobile gaming experiences. Established in Korea in 2000, Netmarble is the fastest-growing mobile game company and consistently ranks as a top mobile developer and publisher worldwide. With more than 4,000 employees, Netmarble has been producing and servicing some of the most successful mobile games including Lineage 2: Revolution, MARVEL Future Fight, Everybody’s Marble, and Seven Knights. As a parent company to Kabam, a top mobile game developer in massively multiplayer free-to-play games, and the largest shareholder to Jam City, a leading casual social game developer, Netmarble has a strategic partnership with CJ E&M Corporation, Asia’s largest entertainment company, Tencent Holdings, Asia’s largest internet company, and NCsoft, a prominent MMORPG company. More information can be found at www.netmarble.com
About Lucasfilm Ltd.
Lucasfilm Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is a global leader in film, television and digital entertainment production. In addition to its motion-picture and television production, the company’s activities include visual effects and audio post-production, cutting-edge digital animation, interactive entertainment software, and the management of the global merchandising activities for its entertainment properties including the legendary STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES franchises. Lucasfilm Ltd. is headquartered in northern California. Discover more online at www.lucasfilm.com.
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Hoping to never return their, Kiryu pursues this clue only to find that the city has changed immensely since he was imprisoned with the Tojo Clan at war with the Chinese Triads and numerous organizations once owned by his friends have been shuttered or given over to new management. With what little he can gather and the assistance of the detective Date, Kiryu learns that Haruka has been hospitalized due to a hit-and-run that has left her critically wounded and in a coma.
