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IBM Watson’s Natural Speech Recognition Implemented in Star Trek: Bridge Crew

Ubisoft announced that they will be implementing IBM Watson’s speech recognition and cognitive capabilities in Star Trek: Bridge Crew for an experimental beta period. Now, players will be able to command a full crew of AI officers or replace a that missing friend who was called away on a last minute emergency with single AI officer. The benefit of the technology allows players to command AI crew members with their voice using natural language instead of specific, pre-determined commands. The experience will be akin to how we already interact with our personal assistants like Apple’s Siri or Amazon’s Alexa versus traditional voice commands.

Star Trek: Bridge Crew is a co-operative simulator that puts players on the bridge of the U.S.S. Aegis on a mission for Starfleet. Each player takes on a different role on the bridge and the team must work together to complete the mission successfully. The game is available now for PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, and HTC Vive.

F1™ 2017 TO FEATURE TWO CLASSIC WILLIAMS CARS 

F1™ 2017 TO FEATURE TWO CLASSIC WILLIAMS CARS ANOTHER WILLIAMS ICON UNVEILED 

Larkspur, Calif. – June 23, 2017 – Williams has become the latest team to have iconic cars recreated in F1™ 2017, the official videogame of the 2017 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP™. Codemasters® and Deep Silver have today released a brand new trailer showcasing the two classic Williams cars, including one that was previously unannounced.

Further classic cars will be unveiled in the coming weeks.

F1 2017 features a deep career mode, numerous multiplayer enhancements, and a brand new ‘Championships’ game mode as well as the return of classic cars. Both the 1992 Williams FW14B and the 1996 Williams FW18 will be playable in F1 2017 when it releases on PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One, the all-in-one entertainment system by Microsoft, and Windows PC via Steam worldwide this summer on August 25.

1992 Williams FW14B – Driven by Nigel Mansell and Riccardo Patrese during the 1992 Formula 1™ season, the FW14B was the dominant car in which Mansell won the Drivers’ Championship, with a then record breaking nine wins in the season.

1996 Williams FW18 – The most successful car of the 1996 season, winning 12 of the 16 races, with Damon Hill triumphing eight times to Jacques Villeneuve’s four, winning Hill the Drivers’ Championship title, and Williams the Constructors’ Championship.

Claire Williams, deputy team principal, Williams Racing said, “The FW14B is one of our most iconic cars and one of my personal favorites. With Nigel Mansell behind the wheel, it was a force to be reckoned with and provided one of our greatest eras as a team in Formula One. The FW18 of 1996 is statistically our most successful ever car, winning 12 out of 16 races, six of which were one-two finishes, on our way to securing the Constructors’ title. We are delighted that these cars are being included in this year’s new F1 game for 2017. It is a special year for us as we celebrate our 40th anniversary, so a perfect moment to celebrate two cars that we are so proud of at Williams. We hope that gamers will love driving them as they remember some great moments from the history of our sport.”

Follow Codemasters F1 games blog (http://blog.codemasters.com/f1/) and social channels on Twitter (@codemasters) and Facebook ( www.facebook.com/codemasters) for future news, YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/user/formula1game) for video content, and visit the product website for additional information (www.codemasters.com.) Further details will be released on the upcoming game soon.

The eight Classic F1 cars revealed to date are listed below, with four still be announced in the coming weeks:

1988 McLaren MP4/4
1992 Williams FW14B
1995 Ferrari 412 T2
1996 Williams FW18
2002 Ferrari F2002
2004 Ferrari F2004
2007 Ferrari F2007
2010 Red Bull Racing RB6

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ABOUT CODEMASTERS:
Codemasters, the award winning video game developer and publisher, has a 30 year heritage. With titles distributed globally, Codemasters is a leading developer and publisher of driving and racing entertainment games including DiRT, GRID and the official BAFTA award-winning FORMULA 1™ series of videogames. The company is fully controlled by Reliance Big Entertainment Ltd. (RBEL). For more information on Codemasters’ product portfolio, please visit www.codemasters.com. Join in the conversation with @codemasters on Twitter or Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/codemasters.

ABOUT DEEP SILVER:
Deep Silver develops and distributes interactive games for all platforms. The Deep Silver label means to captivate all gamers who have a passion for thrilling gameplay in exciting game worlds. Deep Silver works with its partners to achieve a maximum of success while maintaining the highest possible quality, always focusing on what the customer desires.

Deep Silver has published more than 200 games since 2003, including its own brands like the open world extravaganza Saints Row, the zombie action franchise Dead Island, and the grim post-apocalyptic future of the Metro series. Upcoming highlights from Deep Silver include Dead Island 2 and Agents of Mayhem. Deep Silver also owns the development studios Deep Silver Dambuster Studios in Nottingham, UK; Deep Silver Fishlabs in Hamburg, Germany, and Deep Silver Volition based in Champaign, IL, USA. For more information please visit www.deepsilver.com

Aniplex of America to host Launch Celebration for English-language version of acclaimed mobile RPG

Aniplex of America to host Launch Celebration for English-language version of acclaimed mobile RPG

LOS ANGELES, CA — June 22, 2017 — Aniplex of America has announced today that it will host a Launch Celebration for the English-language release of Fate/Grand Order at the upcoming Anime Expo in Los Angeles, CA. The event will be held on July 1st at 3:00 pm local time in Petree Hall of the Los Angeles Convention Center, and will open admittance to approximately 2,000 show attendees.

The celebration will include special guest appearances by franchise luminaries including Fate/Grand Order Producer and Aniplex Inc. President Atsuhiro Iwakami, DELiGHTWORKS Creative Director Yosuke Shiokawa, and Fate series voice actor Ayako Kawasumi (Saber). A printed mini-poster with Ms. Kawasumi’s signature will be featured as an exclusive giveaway at the Launch Celebration.

The English-language version of Fate/Grand Order will officially launch in North America on June 25th at 9 pm PDT for iOS and Android devices, and will be available for download from the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Fate/Grand Order Booth Highlights

In addition to the Launch Celebration event, Aniplex of America will have an official Fate/Grand Order booth with demo area on the show floor. Expo attendees can enjoy exclusive stage programming and try their luck on the Summoning Stand to win special prizes.

Among the scheduled guest appearances at the Anime Expo booth are popular cosplayers Lisa Lou Who (winner of SyFy channel’s new TV Show “Cosplay Melee”) and Linda Le, also known as Vampy Bit Me. Fate/Grand Order creative principals Yosuke Shiokawa and Shizuka Kurosaki will also be on-hand to discuss the franchise.

Anime Expo attendees will also have the opportunity to receive an exclusive lanyard at registration while supplies last. Other exclusive giveaway items at the Aniplex booth include mini-posters, Aniplex calendars, Command Seal temporary tattoos, t-shirts, sticker sets, and more.

About Fate/Grand Order

Fate/Grand Order is a tactical turn-based role-playing game that challenges players to become Masters and summon powerful allies or Heroic Spirits, who are based on historical figures such as King Arthur, William Shakespeare, Hercules, and Joan of Arc. The free-to-play mobile game takes players back through history to embark on an epic quest known as Grand Order.

One of the most successful mobile role-playing games in Japan, Fate/Grand Order has consistently topped iOS and Android charts and been downloaded over 9 million times, outperforming other popular games in downloads and revenue. The game’s exciting storyline and compelling play keep fans engaged and wanting more.

Further information and details are available through the official Fate/Grand Order website (http://fate-go.us), Facebook (@FateGO.USA), and Twitter (@FateGO_USA).

FATE/GRAND ORDER (ENGLISH VERSION):
Title: Fate/Grand Order (English)
Genre: Role-Playing Game
Platform: iOS/Android
Release Date: Summer 2017
URL: http://fate-go.us
Copyright: ©TYPE-MOON / FGO PROJECT

About Aniplex of America Inc.

Aniplex of America Inc. (Santa Monica, California) is a subsidiary of Aniplex Inc. (headquartered in Tokyo, Japan) – a Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) group. Aniplex Inc. is a leading provider of anime content, along with music production and distribution in Japan. Aniplex of America has launched fan-favorite Blu-ray and DVD titles including Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works], Fate/Zero, the Sword Art Online series, Your lie in April, KILL la KILL, Bakemonogatari, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Blue Exorcist, NISEKOI, the OREIMO series, DURARARA!!×2, Magi series, Expelled From Paradise, The irregular at magic high school, and ALDNOAH.ZERO. The company’s ever-growing line-up of shows includes our mostrecent titles: March comes in like a lion, Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga, ERASED, The Asterisk War, OWARIMONOGATARI, KIZUMONOGATARI, Charlotte, WAGNARIA!!3, GOD EATER, HAIFURI (High School Fleet), GRANBLUE FANTASY, and Eromanga Sensei.

www.AniplexUSA.com
www.facebook.com/AniplexUSA
www.twitter.com/aniplexusa
www.Youtube.com/AniplexUS
www.twitch.tv/AniplexUSA

THE REST OF 2017 FEATURES GREAT GAMES FOR THE NINTENDO 3DS FAMILY OF SYSTEMS

THE REST OF 2017 FEATURES GREAT GAMES FOR THE NINTENDO 3DS FAMILY OF SYSTEMS

New games in the Metroid, Pokémon and Pikmin franchises all coming this year

23rd June, 2017 – With the E3 video game conference in the rear-view mirror, Nintendo is now looking ahead to all the great games coming to Nintendo 3DS family systems this year and early 2018. This includes games in some of Nintendo’s most popular and long-running franchises, including Metroid: Samus Returns, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser’s Minions, Pokémon Ultra Sun, Pokémon Ultra Moon, and Hey! PIKMIN.

Highlights include:

  • Metroid: Samus Returns: A modern reimagining of the 1992 Game Boy adventure Metroid II: Return of Samus, Metroid: Samus Returns for Nintendo 3DS features an enhanced arsenal for bounty hunter Samus Aran, new moves and abilities, and a redesigned map. The game launches on 16th September alongside two new Metroid series amiibo: Samus Aran and Metroid.
  • Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser’s Minions: This enhanced remake of the first game in the Mario & Luigi series contains updated visuals, touch-screen controls and helpful game-play upgrades. Newly added side story Minion Quest: The Search for Bowser stars many of Bowser’s familiar right-hand enemies. Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser’s Minions launches on 7th October. Two new amiibo figures will also be released on the same day: Goomba and Koopa Troopa.
  • Pokémon Ultra Sun & Pokémon Ultra Moon: With new story additions, new Pokémon and enhanced features, Pokémon Ultra Sun and Pokémon Ultra Moon offer a fresh adventure through the tropical Alola region. The games launch on 17th November.
  • Ever Oasis: This beautiful and mystical role-playing action-adventure game from Koichi Ishii, the creator of the Mana series, launches on 24th June. In between exploring the desert and conquering puzzling dungeons, players can build up their own personal oasis. Players can try Ever Oasis right now by visiting the Nintendo eShop and downloading a playable demo*. Visit our YouTube channel to watch the Ever Oasis launch trailer.
  • Hey! PIKMIN: In this new type of Pikmin game, players are tasked with throwing all types of different Pikmin using the Touch Screen to solve puzzles, overcome challenges and defeat enemies through side-scrolling levels. Hey! PIKMIN launches exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems on 29th July, the same day as a new Pikmin amiibo figure (sold separately). A playable demo* is now available to download by visiting the Nintendo eShop.
  • Miitopia: Calling all Tomodachis! A dark lord is stealing the faces of everybody in the world of Miitopia, and it’s up to brave players to bring them back in this adventure sim launching on 29th July.
  • Monster Hunter Stories: Prepare to embark on an RPG adventure unlike anything the Monster Hunter series has ever known. In Monster Hunter Stories, become a rider and bond with monsters to raise their potential and unleash powerful combos. Players can fly, swim and crash into new areas of the map; discover eggs to collect and hatch; and participate in turn-based battles with a party of up to five monsters. Monster Hunter Stories launches on 9th September.
  • Dr Kawashima’s Devilish Brain Training: Can you stay focused?: Prepare to train your brain by completing a series of challenging exercises with an emphasis on concentration skills and focus to train your working memory. Challenge your abilities to focus with eight Devilish Training exercises that’ll push you to the limit, or play against your friends and family, when the game launches on 29th July.

*Wireless internet connection required. The registration of Nintendo Network ID and acceptance of the network related terms and privacy policies required.

 
Additional Links:
Nintendo Australia website: http://www.nintendo.com.au/
Nintendo Australia Twitter: https://twitter.com/NintendoAUNZ
Nintendo Australia Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NintendoAUNZ
Nintendo AU on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/nintendoau

STAR TREKTM: BRIDGE CREW NOW INTEGRATED WITH IBM WATSON INTERACTIVE SPEECH

STAR TREKTM: BRIDGE CREW NOW INTEGRATED WITH IBM WATSON INTERACTIVE SPEECH

Command Your Crew through IBM Watson Natural Language and Cognitive Speech Technology for the Ultimate Space Voyage in Virtual Reality 

Sydney, Australia — June 23, 2017 — Today, Ubisoft® announced that Star Trek™: Bridge Crew is now fully integrated with IBM Watson’s interactive speech and cognitive capabilities, Watson Speech to Text and Watson Conversation, for an experimental beta period. With IBM Watson, Star Trek: Bridge Crew will let players use their voice and natural-language commands to interact with their virtual Starfleet crew members for the ultimate authentic voyage into the final frontier.

Players can now live out their Star Trek fantasies as they command the U.S.S. Aegis and U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 with seamless voice interaction in tandem with full-body avatars that include real-time lip-sync and hand-tracking. IBM Watson services can be used to operate crews consisting of only AI characters or a mix of AI characters and human teammates without breaking immersion.

Star Trek: Bridge Crew immerses fans into the Star Trek universe as they assume the role of a Starfleet officer and complete missions that will determine the fate of their ship and crew. Playable cooperatively online with a crew, or solo as Captain, Star Trek: Bridge Crew puts players and their friends directly onto the bridge of a new starship, the U.S.S. Aegis, as they are dispatched to explore an uncharted sector of space.

In addition to an engaging story campaign, Star Trek: Bridge Crew features an Ongoing Voyages mode featuring randomized missions for countless hours of solo and co-op adventures. Created exclusively for VR, Star Trek: Bridge Crew utilizes the powerful sense of social presence possible through virtual reality. Through hand tracking and full-body avatars, including real-time lip-sync, players can live out their Star Trek fantasies as they operate the Starfleet ship as Captain, Engineer, Helm or Tactical. Each role is crucial to the success of the varied missions players face, and only by working together can the crew complete their objectives.

Star Trek: Bridge Crew marks the most recent project in virtual reality for Ubisoft, which believes in the strong potential of VR to redefine social gaming with a unique sense of reality. Ubisoft recently released Werewolves Within™ and Eagle Flight®. Additionally, a VR partnership with the film company SpectreVision to create Transference™ was announced along with a new adrenaline fueled shooter, Space Junkies.

Star Trek: Bridge Crew is under license by CBS Consumer Products. For more information about Star Trek: Bridge Crew, please visit startrekbridgecrew.com.

About CBS Consumer Products
CBS Consumer Products manages worldwide licensing and merchandising for a diverse slate of television brands and series from CBS, CBS Television Studios and CBS Television Distribution, as well as from the company’s extensive library of titles, Showtime and CBS Films. Additionally, the group oversees online sales of programming merchandise.  For more information, visit www.cbsconsumerproducts.com. 

About IBM Watson: Pioneering a New Era of Computing
Watson represents a new era in computing called cognitive computing, where systems understand the world in a way more similar to humans: through senses, learning, and experience. Watson continuously learns from previous interactions, gaining in value and knowledge over time. With the help of Watson, organizations are harnessing the power of cognitive computing to transform industries, help professionals do their jobs better, and solve important challenges.

As part of IBM’s strategy to accelerate the growth of cognitive computing, Watson is open to the world, allowing a growing community of developers, students, entrepreneurs and tech enthusiasts to easily tap into the most advanced and diverse cognitive computing platform available today. Watson solutions are being built, used and deployed in more than 45 countries and across 20 different industries.

For more information on IBM Watson, visit: ibm.com/Watson. Join the conversation at #ibmwatson.

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.

TM & © 2017 CBS Studios Inc. © 2017 Paramount Pictures Corp. STAR TREK and related marks and logos are trademarks of CBS Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved. Game software © 2017 Ubisoft Entertainment. Eagle Flight and Werewolves Within © 2016 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. The Eagle Flight logo, the Werewolves Within logo, Ubisoft, and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the US and/or other countries.

New Couch Co-Op Mode Arrives for Vikings – Wolves of Midgard

New Couch Co-Op Mode Arrives for Vikings – Wolves of Midgard

New update brings many fan-requested features and improvements to action-packed RPG

Sydney, 23rd June 2017 – Since the launch of Vikings – Wolves of Midgard, countless foes have been slain in the name of the old gods as players have made their way through the campaign in singleplayer and online-multiplayer modes. However, after listening carefully to fan feedback and working tirelessly behind-the-scenes, Kalypso Media and developer Games Farm are thrilled to announce the addition of ‘couch’ co-op multiplayer to its brutal action RPG as part of a major free update, available now on PlayStation®4 and Windows PC, with Xbox One to follow soon. Now two players can join forces on one console or PC to fight their way through hordes of vicious frost giants and rival clans.

In addition to couch co-op, significant changes have also been made to New Game+ mode, enabling players to carry over their items while increasing the difficulty with subsequent playthroughs of the main campaign, among other changes and improvements. Another much-requested new feature is the ‘stash’, a new addition to the village hub that gives players the ability to share items between all their different characters. In addition, players may now share items with fellow players during multiplayer games.

Other changes include improvements to the Trials of the Gods, new effects for legendary items, changes to talismans, adjustments to several boss fights and improvements to sounds, voiceovers, stability, UI, performance and localization. Please see the Kalypso Media Forums for the full changelog.

Kalypso Media and Games Farm are also pleased to confirm ongoing support for Vikings – Wolves of Midgard as they continue to work to add further minor enhancements requested by players.

About Vikings – Wolves of Midgard:

Vikings – Wolves of Midgard will transport you to the Shores of Midgard, a world based upon the mythology and history of the Vikings. Battle the fearsome Jotan, hordes of terrifying undead monstrosities and other myriad beasts of Ragnarok, either on your own or by teaming up with a friend via the online co-op multiplayer mode. Master mighty weapons, including sword and shield, two-handed hammers, dual-wielded axes and swift bows. Earn blood in battle to offer in tribute to the Gods in order to acquire and enhance devastating Spell Powers and other special unlockables. As well as the regular story mode (and New Game+), players can also test their mettle in the ‘Trials of the Gods’ – a special challenge mode that rewards the best warriors with special equipment and runes.

Features of Vikings – Wolves of Midgard:

  • Fantasy Meets Nordic Mythology: Travel the realms of earthly Midgard, freezing Niflheim and boiling Balheim, either as a fierce Viking warrior or merciless shieldmaiden.
  • The Deadly Fimbulwinter: Withstand the deathly colds and protect yourself from exposure to nature’s wrath in order to survive.
  • Tribute to the Gods: Collect blood from fallen enemies and sacrifice it at the altar to gain gifts from the Gods to enhance your powers.
  • Berserker Rage: Let your anger take hold by activating Rage Mode to overwhelm your enemies in bloodthirsty combat.
  • The Art of Combat: Perfect your skills with each weapon to unlock their true potential, including swords, bows and spell-powered canes.
  • The Power of the Gods: Make the abilities of the Gods your own by equipping power-infused amulets, like the Talismans of Thor or Loki. Put your new skills to the test by competing in the Trials of the Gods to earn further rewards.
  • Teamwork: Team up with a friend and journey to the Shores of Midgard together in an epic two player online co-op mode or join forces on one console or PC for two player couch co-op. Choose between four difficulty levels to suit your skills and talents. Do you dare attempt the unrelenting hardcore mode?
  • The Clan of Wolves: Restore and rebuild your village and lead your clan to glory. Upgrade buildings such as weaponsmith, armourer, runesmith, and mead hall to unlock more content and better equipment.
  • Legendary Weapons: Gather the scattered fragments of mythical weapons and armors to take on the most fearsome creatures of the realms.
  • A Class of its Own: Become even more powerful in the next life by attempting New Game+, and push your Viking warrior or shieldmaiden to their limit.
  • Destructible Environments: Utilize your surroundings by burying your foes under falling rocks or pushing them off high cliffs.

Vikings – Wolves of Midgard is available now for Windows PC, PlayStation®4 and Xbox One, and the soundtrack is available now on iTunes.

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Follow us on Twitter @KalypsoMediaUK

About The Kalypso Media Group 

Celebrating its 10th year in the video games industry, the Kalypso Media Group is a global, independent developer, marketer and publisher of interactive entertainment software with close to 100 employees worldwide with seven offices across Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States.  Kalypso Media also enjoys very strong global digital distribution through its Kalypso Media Digital Ltd. subsidiary, owns two development studios – Realmforge Studios GmbH and Gaming Minds Studios GmbH – and works with multiple leading independent developers. In 2015, Kalypso Media Mobile was founded in Hamburg, Germany to deliver great games globally for mobile devices.

Kalypso Media‘s titles include the critically acclaimed Tropico 3Tropico 4Tropico 5 (PC, Xbox 360, PS4), Vikings – Wolves of Midgard (PC, PS4, Xbox One), Dungeons and Dungeons 2. Upcoming titles include Sudden Strike 4 (PC, PS4), Shadow Tactics – Blades of the Shogun (PS4, Xbox One), Blackguards 2 (PS4, Xbox One), Dungeons 3 (PC, PS4, Xbox One) and Railway Empire (PC, PS4, Xbox One). Further information about Kalypso Media is available at http://www.kalypsomedia.com.

Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Dark Side of Dimensions Review

Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Dark Side of Dimensions

Studio: Gallop
Publisher: Madman Entertainment
Platform: DVD (reviewed)
Release Date: June 7, 2017
Price: $24.95 – Available Here

Overview

Yugi, Téa, Joey, Tristan and Bakura are all about to graduate from high school. As they move towards their futures and their chosen careers, a mysterious and dangerous new villain appears in the form of transfer student Aigami. People are disappearing without a trace, and Yugi’s friends eventually become the next targets while attempting to befriend Aigami. Meanwhile, Seto Kaiba and his company have developed a new, more powerful duel disk as his mission to recover the Millennium Puzzle and bring back the Pharaoh nears completion.

Story

Kazuki Takahashi wrote a fairly solid story for this movie, providing a decent conclusion to the high school lives of Yugi and his friends. If there is just one major weak point in the plot, it is Aigami’s presence. It takes a little while for everyone to remember Aigami’s name when they spot him in the corner of their classroom, even though he has apparently been in their class for a whole year. All of the “oh, I remember his name! … Wait, no I don’t. Huh, that’s weird” statements from almost everyone in the core group serve no purpose. This foreshadows nothing whatsoever, and this is not the only time where an explanation is missing for something that seems like it might be important. Nevertheless, a scene somewhat reminiscent of Death Note soon follows, in which it is revealed that Aigami has the power to send people he deems evil to another dimension. However, he has no death note, just an almighty power. In video game terms, Aigami and a group of other children basically had ‘god mode’ activated after the Pharaoh left the world. As it happens, Aigami also has a deck of cards that he uses to duel with Kaiba and then Yugi, but he has his own set of rules. Said rules are introduced in a “this is what’s going to happen, so deal with it” kind of way, and while the duel scenes are very well-written, his ‘dimension duels’ serve little purpose where regular duels would have been just as exciting. This is quite the silly movie, yet that silliness is somehow endearing at times; it is probably not meant to be taken entirely seriously in the first place. Aigami does serve a purpose to the story, but where this movie succeeds is in its focus on the established characters that long-time fans are already familiar with.

Character development occurs throughout, and it is effective. Yugi and his friends are depicted as ‘real’ high school students with real goals, and we see them beginning to pursue their dreams before the credits roll at the end. We see them preparing for and participating in their graduation ceremony, and with it comes a genuine sense of closure. This is the send-off that they deserve, and even Kaiba grows as a character. He is determined to have his revenge against the Pharaoh by defeating him in one last duel, and he dedicates himself completely to achieving this goal. Revenge is not a positive thing, but he becomes a more dynamic character as he engages in one last duel with Yugi before turning his attention to the real villain, Aigami. The duels are idealistic, yet they and the character development drive this movie and make it a memorable experience in spite of the generic villain.

Visuals

The quality of the animation is mostly consistent, with only a few noticeable exceptions. There is a heavy reliance on 3D CG animation for the monsters, and said monsters are visually impressive. Unfortunately, the problems with Japanese 3D CG animation start to become obvious when the monsters move in certain shots; their animation sequences are either intentionally rendered at a low frame-rate or have had several frames removed from each second of animation afterwards. This is a known problem to western anime fans, but is something that repeatedly appears in sci-fi anime to its detriment regardless. If you can overlook this, you can both consider yourself lucky and enjoy the otherwise impressive and engaging duels. The duels otherwise look great for the most part. The characters all look great, although there are a few shots in which the quality of the artwork and animation seems to drop to a level more consistent with an average TV episode. None of these problems are present throughout every shot, so while the decreases in animation quality do stand out, they do not ruin the movie or prevent the duels from being entertaining.

Audio

For many Yu-Gi-Oh! fans in the west, the audio may be the most important element of this movie. Everything about it sounds completely familiar. The voice acting and the dub script not only seem reminiscent of the 4Kids era, they make it sound as if 4Kids never went away. In some ways, this is objectively a negative strike against the movie. However, without the Japanese audio track or even English subtitles to compare it to, listening to the lame ’90s-style dialogue is surprisingly enjoyable and entertaining, just like it was a decade ago. There are numerous jokes and quips that are absolutely stupid and probably not present in the original Japanese script, yet most of them are hilarious anyway. A small portion of the random quips do come across in much the same way as the completely-unfunny and irrelevant banter present in various iterations of the Sonic the Hedgehog series, such as Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric, but that such terrible jokes are in the dub script is no surprise. If you go into this movie expecting a 4Kids dub, you will not be disappointed.

What ultimately enables the majority of the lame humour to be surprisingly hilarious is the voice acting. This movie features some of the biggest names in anime voice acting from the 1990s and 2000s, all returning to their original roles from the TV series. Without them, it would be no stretch to say that this English dub would not work at all, especially because of the generic American soundtrack used in place of the original. Eric Stuart in particular makes Seto Kaiba the engaging villain he is, and he portrays Kaiba’s egotistical nature perfectly. All of the voice actors help make this movie consistently fun, even as the events in it become more and more ridiculous.

Extras

Two English theatrical trailers are included as on-disc extras. Artwork featuring Yugi and Kaiba can be found on the reverse side of the cover sheet.

Overall

If a lack of Japanese audio on a home video release of an anime movie is something you cannot reconcile with after years of the likes of Sentai Filmworks and FUNimation dubbing anime uncut and releasing it on home video with dual audio options and English subtitles, this release is not for you. Madman’s release is best suited to the nostalgic fans in Australia wanting one more 4Kids-style Yu-Gi-Oh! viewing experience, complete with a replaced soundtrack, an occasionally lame script and great voice acting from some of the most recognizable talents in the anime industry. The practices of 4Kids never truly went away, so when watching this film, taking the bad with the good is necessary in order to be able to enjoy it to the fullest. The antagonist Aigami is poorly developed, but does contribute a little to the story. The main characters, on the other hand, are further developed throughout and receive the conclusion they deserve.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Steam Summer Sale 2017 Kicks Off

The Steam Summer Sale, the second Christmas for PC gamers, has kicked off. While the store may be a little slow with the rush of traffic, most games have seen their prices axed anywhere between 10-90%. This year, the sale will run until July 5th.

Each sale comes with a brand new mini-game and set of cards. This summer’s mini-game is a collectible sticker book. Every day of the sale will bring three new quests to be completed that will award three unique stickers that can be applied to a corresponding page. Each page that is completed will be permanently unlocked for the account.

As with every sale, a special set of Steam Summer Sale 2017 trading cards have been released. They can be collected by completing trading card sets for games, making purchases during the sale, exploring the Discovery Queue up to three times a day, trading for the cards, and buying them on the Community Market.

Heavy Metal Machines Bomb Upgrade Launches With Videos Highlighting Extensive Gameplay Improvements; First European Tournament Announced With Over €10,000 Up For Grabs

Heavy Metal Machines Bomb Upgrade Launches With Videos Highlighting Extensive Gameplay Improvements; First European Tournament Announced With Over €10,000 Up For Grabs 

Hoplon releases a major Bomb Mechanic upgrade for its combat racing MOBA alongside new modes and community features, plus registration details for inaugural Esports European Tournament announced 

Florianópolis BRAZIL, June 22nd, 2017 – Hoplon, the developers behind the upcoming car-combat MOBA Heavy Metal Machines, today unleashed a slew of new upgrades derived from a combination of developer tweaks and community feedback, which vastly improve the frenetic, yet nuanced nature of the gameplay.

Other enhancements being rolled out, which look set to propel Heavy Metal Machines into the realms of competitive esports, are as follows:

European Competition
Hoplon will be offering in excess of €10,000 for the first ever European Heavy Metal Machines Esports competition, which will take place later this summer (full details to come in the near future). Registration will open on July 1st.


New Community Feature – Teams

  • Now it’s possible to run with your crew with the Teams feature
  • Team: Group created with a defined name, tag and icon picture. You can create and check your team’s info by clicking on a flag in the game main screen.
  • Team Leader: Invite Steam’s friends to join it, remove players and pass the leadership.
  • Joining the Team: You could only join the team if you received the leader’s invitation.
  • Teams can have up to 5 members.

New Game mode – Custom Match

  • It’s now possible to create an all-customized match! Just click on Custom Match in the game main screen and become the room’s creator to play with your friends
  • Creator’s skills: move a player to the other team, ban, close lobby, start a match and send Access Codes.
  • Access Code: the creator can copy and send the Access Code to any player he wants to invite to play along. Players can use the Access Code to play a Custom Match.

To find out more about the exciting world of Hoplon’s Heavy Metal Machines, please follow them on Twitter and Facebook or visit http://www.heavymetalmachines.com/site/.

Founded in 2000, Hoplon is one of the leading game developers, with a team of over 70 highly skilled professionals. Located in Florianopolis and a part of the technological center in Southern Brazil, Hoplon is responsible for pioneering projects in Brazil and strengthening the Brazilian gaming industry through such titles as Heavy Metal Machines, Apocalypse: The Party’s Over or Taikodom. Steam is a registered trademark of Valve Corporation.

MIRAGE: ARCANE WARFARE 50% OFF FOR STEAM SUMMER SALE TODAY—ADDS FULL RUSSIAN LOCALIZATION AND TEAM AUTOBALANC

MIRAGE: ARCANE WARFARE 50% OFF FOR STEAM SUMMER SALE TODAY—ADDS FULL RUSSIAN LOCALIZATION AND TEAM AUTOBALANCE 

Upcoming Content and Full Text Localizations for 10 Languages Teased For Magic & Melee Multiplayer FPS from the Creators of Chivalry: Medieval Warfare

TORONTO, CANADA, June 22, 2017— Mirage: Arcane Warfare, the skill-based multiplayer FPS from creators of the popular first-person medieval melee slasher Chivalry: Medieval Warfare, is now available for just $14.99 during the Steam Summer Sale, running until July 5th. Mirage: Arcane Warfare is available for purchase via the game’s Steam page.

Developer Torn Banner has released a new patch for the game in conjunction with the sale that introduces two highly-requested new features: Team Autobalance (for player numbers) and Russian language localization. The new patch, which also includes a host of bug fixes, is available today.

New players and long-time fans both will appreciate the new free content headed to Mirage: Arcane Warfare later in July. The first big content update for the game will contain a healthy dose of new in-game content including two new Arena maps to play on, The Pit and Old Arena. Players will also be able to unleash four new magic abilities in game, as well as unlock new armor variants – with exclusive color gradients per team – once they reach a certain player rank. Taurant class mains will also get to swing around a new 2-handed sword. The full content update for July will also include more goodies and upgrades like full text localization for ten more languages – French, Italian, Spanish, German, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Portuguese Brazilian. More information about the timing of the full content update is coming soon.

In Mirage: Arcane Warfare, the calm of a strange fantasy world is shattered by ruthless civil war. Warriors armed with steel and magic bring violence and death as they do battle across a fantastical Arabian and Persian-inspired setting of desert sands, market bazaars and grand palaces. Built using the powerful new capabilities of Unreal Engine 4, Mirage: Arcane Warfare presents visually stunning backdrops to some viscerally brutal multiplayer combat.

For the latest information on Mirage: Arcane Warfare, please visit @MirageGame on Twitter, on Facebook or go to MirageArcaneWarfare.com.

About Torn Banner Studios

Torn Banner Studios is a small indie games studio that makes BIG games. Based in Toronto Canada, Torn Banner Studios was founded in 2012 by a group of passionate game developers who are dedicated to creating powerful and unique games for a dedicated audience of fans. The nucleus of the team first came together from a group of modders who created a well-known Half-Life 2 mod called Age of Chivalry. Their first full game, Chivalry: Medieval Warfare, was a critical and commercial success and has driven the dedicated team at Torn Banner to continue to develop great games and ongoing content for their passionate community of fans. For more information visit TornBanner.com or follow @TornBanner.