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ATTEND BLIZZCON 2016 FROM ANYWHERE WITH THE VIRTUAL TICKET

ATTEND BLIZZCON 2016 FROM ANYWHERE WITH THE VIRTUAL TICKET

Join us in celebrating 25 years of gaming and friendship with live HD coverage of Blizzard Entertainment’s 10th BlizzCon, taking place November 4–5 PDT (November 5–6 AEDT)

Virtual Ticket on sale now at BlizzCon.com

Sydney, Australia—July 26, 2016—The most epic Blizzard event of the year kicks off on November 4 PDT in Anaheim, California at the 10th BlizzCon, where gamers from around the world will be gathering with Blizzard to celebrate 25 years of games, community, and fun. Even if you can’t make it in person, you can still join the excitement from home with the BlizzCon Virtual Ticket—available to order now at www.blizzcon.com.

Taking place November 4 and 5 PDT (November 56 AEDT) at the Anaheim Convention Center, BlizzCon is a two-day celebration of Blizzard’s game universes and the global player communities that bring them to life. The BlizzCon Virtual Ticket provides comprehensive live HD coverage of the show on two online channels, giving gamers at home a front-row seat to the developer panels, contests, and other activities at the show.

“It’s incredible to think that we’re getting ready for our tenth BlizzCon,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “We can’t wait to celebrate this epic milestone—and Blizzard’s 25-year anniversary—together with everyone joining us in person and watching from home with the Virtual Ticket. We’ll have more live games than ever at this year’s show, and we look forward to sharing our newest content, celebrating our players’ creativity, and witnessing some incredible esports competition this November.”

Available for $49.95 AUD, the BlizzCon 2016 Virtual Ticket grants access to both days of convention content, including:

  • Developer Panels – Get a first look at the latest developments in World of Warcraft, StarCraft II, Diablo III, Hearthstone, Heroes of the Storm, and Overwatch—all live from the main and panel stages.
  • Exclusive Interviews – Want to go deeper into your favourite Blizzard games? Get even more insider info from members of Blizzard’s development teams in exclusive in-depth interviews.
  • Community Contests – Watch your fellow players put their creativity on display in the costume, talent, art, and movie contests on Friday evening.
  • Closing Ceremony – Snag a front-row seat for the Saturday-night closing celebration, and help us give a weekend full of Blizzard gaming and esports action a raucous send-off—more information to come!
  • On-Demand Replays – Miss a panel or just want to revisit your favourite moment? The Virtual Ticket provides access to on-demand replays of main-stage and panel-stage events for three weeks after the show.

The Virtual Ticket also includes a variety of commemorative bonuses to help keep the celebration rolling even after the weekend’s over:

  • Epic In-Game Items – Unlock commemorative BlizzCon in-game goodies for World of Warcraft, StarCraft II, Diablo III, Hearthstone, Heroes of the Storm, and Overwatch. More details coming soon!
  • Access to BlizzCon Loot – Shop for BlizzCon merch from home with access to this year’s online BlizzCon sale, scheduled to run from October 10 through November 6 PDT (October 11–November 7 AEDT), and grab some snazzy new Blizzard gear debuting at the show.
  • Pre-purchase the BlizzCon Goody Bag (in a Box) – For the second year running, Virtual Ticket buyers have the option to pre-purchase a BlizzCon Goody Bag (though this year, it’s in a box). Visit com to learn more about how you can snag this chest full o’ commemorative treasures.

Watch the Opening Ceremony and Esports Competitions Free

Even if you don’t purchase a Virtual Ticket, you’ll still be able to catch plenty of BlizzCon action online free. Coverage of the opening ceremony and the esports tournaments taking place at BlizzCon—including the Global Finals for the 2016 StarCraft II World Championship Series, World of Warcraft Arena World Championship, Hearthstone World Championship, Heroes of the Storm Fall Championship, and more—will be streamed free in HD at www.blizzcon.com. Stay tuned for more information, including complete programming details.

More information on BlizzCon 2016 and the Virtual Ticket can be found at www.blizzcon.com.

Epic battles and console-quality graphics on full display with new MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY trailer

Epic battles and console-quality graphics on full display with new MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY trailer

To watch the teaser trailer go here: https://youtu.be/onYeAES5fa8

LONDON (25th July 2016) –   Square Enix Ltd., today unveiled a teaser trailer for the upcoming FINAL FANTASY® role-playing adventure game tailored for mobile platforms,MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY™. The game features fast-paced action battles, deep character customisation and console-quality HD visuals that push the boundaries of the mobile platform.

Coming to iOS and Android devices on 3rd August, MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY tells the story of a man who wakes up in a world called Palamecia with no memory of his past. There, he finds himself tasked with bringing hope to the world by unraveling a mysterious prophecy around the legendary warrior of light. The game is being created by an all-star development team including producer Yoshinori Kitase and writer Kazushige Nojima – known for their work on the acclaimed FINAL FANTASY VII and upcoming FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE.

To celebrate and welcome new players to the game, fans will receive a variety of rewards, ranging from Elixirs, Crystals, Summon Tickets and other special in-game items, to prepare themselves for the epic journey ahead. With 10 days left, players are encouraged to pre-register, as additional rewards will be added to celebrate the 150,000 pre-registered players. More information regarding the rewards can be found on the official site:http://www.eu.square-enix.com/mobiusff .

To watch the teaser trailer now, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onYeAES5fa8

Related Links:
Pre-registration Site: http://www.eu.square-enix.com/mobiusff
Official FINAL FANTASY Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/MobiusFinalFantasy
Official FINAL FANTASY Twitter: https://twitter.com/mobiusFF_NE

About MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY
MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY is a free-to-play app (with in-app purchases) that has already been widely acclaimed in Japan, and has received the App Store’s “Best of 2015” Award. Fans can preregister for the game at the official registration site and receive FINAL FANTASY X-themed items, like Tidus’s signature weapon, Brotherhood, and a Yuna character card along with other special rewards when the game launches on 3rd August.

About the FINAL FANTASY Portal App
The free-to-download “FINAL FANTASY Portal App” provides the latest and greatest on all things FINAL FANTASY, as well as exclusive promotional trailers and developer commentary. By logging-in with their Square Enix account, players can accumulate points that can be exchanged for various items. Also, the iconic Triple Triad card game from FINAL FANTASY VIIImakes its mobile debut and is playable in the app.

About Square Enix Ltd.
Square Enix Ltd. develops, publishes, distributes and licenses SQUARE ENIX®, EIDOS® and TAITO® branded entertainment content in Europe and other PAL territories as part of the Square Enix group of companies. Square Enix Ltd. also has a global network of leading development studios such as IO Interactive™, Crystal Dynamics®, and Eidos Montréal. The Square Enix group of companies boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property including: FINAL FANTASY®, which has sold over 115 million units worldwide; DRAGON QUEST®, which has sold over 68 million units worldwide; TOMB RAIDER®, which has sold over 45 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS®. Square Enix Ltd. is a London-based, wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.
More information on Square Enix Ltd. can be found at http://eu.square-enix.com/en

MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY © 2015, 2016 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY, the MOBIUS FINAL FANTASY logo, FINAL FANTASY, FINAL FANTASY PORTAL APP, CRYSTAL DYNAMICS, DRAGON QUEST, EIDOS, IO INTERACTIVE, SPACE INVADERS, SQUARE ENIX, the SQUARE ENIX logo, TAITO and TOMB RAIDER are registered trademarks or trademarks of the Square Enix group of companies.  All other trademarks are the properties of their respective owners.

FINAL FANTASY BRAVE EXVIUS celebrates five million players worldwide

FINAL FANTASY BRAVE EXVIUS celebrates five million players worldwide

LONDON (25th July 2016) –   FINAL FANTASY® BRAVE EXVIUS® today celebrates achieving more than five million downloads worldwide (outside of Japan’s 6.5 million players), following the launch of the game last month.

To commemorate this milestone and to thank fans for their continued support, players who log in to the game from 26th July (08:00 BST/ 09:00 CEST) to 31st July (07:59 BST / 08:59 CEST) will automatically receive a total of 50 Metal Minituars, and 5 rare Summon Tickets.

Attracting both series newcomers and long-time fans alike, FINAL FANTASY BRAVE EXVIUSachieved resounding success in Japan last year with more than 6.5 million registered players. The entirely new adventure for mobile devices fuses classic FINAL FANTASYfeatures, including an expansive storyline, strategic turn-based combat and dungeon crawling, with modern battle mechanics and intuitive touch controls. With special appearances from classic FINAL FANTASY characters Cecil, Vivi and Terra, players adventure through fields and dungeons discovering items, collecting gil, uncovering hidden paths and unlocking high-quality CG-animated summons.

Players can download the game from the following links:
·      App Store: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/final-fantasy-brave-exvius/id1078553808?ls=1&mt=8
·      Google Play store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.square_enix.android_googleplay.FFBEWW

FINAL FANTASY BRAVE EXVIUS was developed as a collaboration between SQUARE ENIX and gumi Inc. (developer of the hit title Brave Frontier). The title is available to download now, and is available in six languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Chinese (traditional), and Korean.

Related Links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FFBE_EN
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ffbeen

About gumi Inc.
Founded in 2007, gumi Inc. (Tokyo Stock Exchange: 3903) is a leading global mobile game publisher and developer headquartered in Japan, with overseas operations in China, France, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and the United States. The company has proven success in launching titles worldwide, such as the widely popular role playing games Brave Frontier and Phantom of the Kill. With ongoing publishing and development projects on various platforms, including iOS, Android, and more, gumi aims to change the world through innovative entertainment products and services, including both original content and collaborations with popular IP. For more information, please visithttp://www.gu3.co.jp/en/home-en/ .

About Square Enix Ltd.
Square Enix Ltd. develops, publishes, distributes and licenses SQUARE ENIX®, EIDOS® and TAITO® branded entertainment content in Europe and other PAL territories as part of the Square Enix group of companies. Square Enix Ltd. also has a global network of leading development studios such as IO Interactive™, Crystal Dynamics®, and Eidos Montréal. The Square Enix group of companies boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property including: FINAL FANTASY®, which has sold over 115 million units worldwide; DRAGON QUEST®, which has sold over 68 million units worldwide; TOMB RAIDER®, which has sold over 45 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS®. Square Enix Ltd. is a London-based, wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.
More information on Square Enix Ltd. can be found at http://eu.square-enix.com/en

FINAL FANTASY: BRAVE EXVIUS ©2016 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved. Developed by gumi Inc.
Illustration/ ©2014, 2015, 2016 YOSHITAKA AMANO
CRYSTAL DYNAMICS, DRAGON QUEST, EIDOS, FINAL FANTASY, BRAVE EXVIUS, the FINAL FANTASY: BRAVE EXVIUS logo, FINAL FANTASY PORTAL APP, IO INTERACTIVE, SQUARE ENIX, the SQUARE ENIX logo, SPACE INVADERS, TAITO and TOMB RAIDER are registered trademarks or trademarks of the Square Enix group of companies. All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners.

SQUARE ENIX UNVEILS BIGGEST EVER GAMESCOM LINE-UP

SQUARE ENIX UNVEILS BIGGEST EVER GAMESCOM LINE-UP

Hands-on and Presentations Await Consumers for FINAL FANTASY XV, DEUS EX: MANKIND DIVIDED, RISE OF THE TOMB RAIDER: 20 YEAR CELEBRATION, DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS and the award-winning FINAL FANTASY XIV

HAMBURG, GERMANY (JULY 25, 2016)Square Enix Ltd., the publisher of SQUARE ENIX® interactive entertainment products in Europe and PAL territories, has unveiled its biggest line-up ever for Gamescom 2016. Square Enix presents a number of premieres at Europe‘s biggest trade and consumer show for interactive entertainment on over more than 1,100 square meters of booth space featuring more than 220 hands-on stations for gamers eager to try out upcoming releases.

From August 18th to August 21st, visitors of Gamescom in Cologne, Germany can go hands-on with a wide variety of top titles from the Square Enix portfolio. This includes the worldwide-first consumer hands-on of a new part of the action blockbuster roleplaying-game FINAL FANTASY® XV. In addition, gamers can look forward to hands-on with the dystopian action-roleplay DEUS EX: MANKIND DIVIDED™, and the mobile game DEUS EX GO™ from the DEUS EX UNIVERSE®. Fans can also look forward to the stealth-action game HITMAN® and as a European premiere the PlayStation ® 4 version ofRISE OF THE TOMB RAIDER®: 20 YEAR CELEBRATION, right in time to celebrate the award-winning and legendary series featuring Lara Croft®.  MMO-fans can compete in exciting battles of the award-winning MMO FINAL FANTASY® XIV while gamers can look forwards to hands-on with DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS™, WORLD OF FINAL FANTASY™,FINAL FANTASY XII™, KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.8 FINAL CHAPTER PROLOGUE. Last, but certainly not least, SQUARE ENIX COLLECTIVE™ will be showcasing some great upcoming talent, with THE TURING TEST™, BLACK THE FALL™, TOKYO DARK™, OH MY GODHEADS™ and GOETIA™.

Square Enix is welcoming visitors to rest and recharge their devices in front of a gigantic LED in the middle of the booth.

As in the previous year, the Square Enix presence stretches over two locations in hall 9. The main booth (hall 9, B31/B41) includes both the hands-on areas for FINAL FANTASY XV and FINAL FANTASY XIV where players compete in daily Battle Challenges against the gigantic primals Sephirot and Thordan. DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS, WORLD OF FINAL FANTASY and KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue are also located at the main booth as well as HITMAN, DEUS EX: MANKIND DIVIDED and RISE OF THE TOMB RAIDER: 20 YEAR CELEBRATION for visitors above the age of 18. Consumers waiting in line for one of the presentations or hands-on stations can pass the time by checking out the upcoming mobile release DEUS EX GO at one of the many hands-on stations.

MMO fans are called to arms at the FINAL FANTASY XIV: BATTLE ARENA (hall 9, C51), where gamers face-off against all the powerful primals featured in the game in order to win attractive prizes, fans can also enjoy show matches on stage, a signing session, and a cosplay competition. Commentating on the FINAL FANTASY XIV action live are Mori, Wolverous, EisohneWaffel, and Sissor.

“At this year’s E3 we presented our biggest line-up ever. At Gamescom 2016 we will set another mark with the biggest show in our history,” says Phil Rogers, CEO Square Enix Americas and Europe. “We are very happy to offer hands-on of these highly-anticipated titles to gamers from all over the world.”

Fans are also invited to visit the booth of Square Enix Products in hall 5.2, booth E12to check out all the upcoming products and purchase some special items. FINAL FANTASY XV – Ignis Play Arts KAI and Silver Pendant Ring of Lucii will be sold for the first time among other new and amazing merchandise.  Visitors will also get the chance to try the highly anticipated FINAL FANTASY TCG in its German version and secure an exclusiveFINAL FANTASY VII Remake Cloud Promo card!

Trade and press representatives will meet Square Enix in the Business Centre in hall 4.2, booth A40. If you would like to make appointments please get in contact with your local PR Manager.

More information regarding the new announcements and reveals at Gamescom 2016 will be released in the coming weeks.

THE FULL GAMESCOM 2016 LINE UP

PC and Console

DEUS EX: Mankind Divided
Platform: PlayStation®4 system, Xbox One®, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, Windows PC
Developer: Eidos-Montréal (a Square Enix studio)
Available: August 23, 2016
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided™, the sequel to the critically acclaimed Deus Ex: Human Revolution® , builds on the franchises trademark choice and consequence, action – RPG based gameplay, to create both a memorable and highly immersive experience. Players will once again take on the role of Adam Jensen, now an experienced covert agent, and will gain access to his new arsenal of customizable state-of-the-art weapons and augmentations. With time working against him, Adam must choose the right approach, along with who to trust, in order to unravel a vast worldwide conspiracy. The game also includes Deus Ex: Mankind Divided – Breach , a new and innovative game mode. This new take on the game offers, for the very first time, an arcade approach on the gameplay of Deus Ex: Mankind Divided , providing players with a unique puzzle shooter experience.

DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS
Platform: PlayStation® 4, PlayStation® Vita
Developer: Square Enix
Available: October 14, 2016
DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS provides players the ability to build a variety of unique tools from materials you gather, and rebuild towns and cities to restore life to the shattered world of Alefgard. Players will battle with famous monsters from the DRAGON QUEST® series and interact with gorgeously designed 3D characters. The immersive DRAGON QUEST story and world to explore, combined with the freedom of sandbox gameplay, provides a new and exciting, family-friendly experience, with an intuitive control system, will have you building the towers and castles of your dreams in no time.

FINAL FANTASY XII THE ZODIAC AGE
Platform: PlayStation® 4
Developer: Square Enix
Available: 2017
FINAL FANTASY XII THE ZODIAC AGE™ improves upon the 2006 classic FINAL FANTASY XII, now more beautiful and easier to play than ever. The HD remaster introduces several modern advancements, including reconstructed battle design and a revamped job system. With newly implemented trophies and share functions, as well as stark visual and sound improvements, players both returning and new to the game will experience a grand adventure that spans the world of Ivalice in an entirely new and improved way.

FINAL FANTASY XIV
Platform: PlayStation® 4, PlayStation® 3, Windows PC, Mac
Developer: Square Enix
Available: Now
With over six million registered accounts globally, Heavensward expands the critically acclaimed MMO FINAL FANTASY XIV, featuring an increased level cap and storyline surrounding the Holy See of Ishgard and the thousand-year Dragonsong War. Heavensward continues to update content for players, with the recent release of Patch 3.3, Revenge of the Horde, concluding the story of the Dragonsong War, and featuring new dungeons, a new alliance raid and more.

FINAL FANTASY XV
Platform: PlayStation® 4, Xbox One
Developer: Square Enix
Available: September 30, 2016
FINAL FANTASY XV is a groundbreaking fantasy based on reality that is destined to become a future masterpiece – with revolutionary gameplay, dramatic storytelling, and cutting-edge technology. Escaping the flames of war, Noctis, the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Lucis, embarks on an epic journey with his best friends – through a world of larger-than-life beasts, amazing wonders to behold, and dungeons filled with danger, in the hopes of finding the strength to take back his homeland and end the battle.

HITMAN
Platform: PlayStation® 4, Xbox One, Windows PC
Developer: Io-Interactive (a Square Enix studio)
Available: Now, New episodes releasing throughout 2016
The creative stealth-action game HITMAN sees players perform contract hits on powerful, high-profile targets in exotic locations around the world, from the highly fashionable Paris and sunny coast of Italy to the dust and hustle of the markets in Marrakesh in this creative stealth action game. Gameplay focuses on taking out targets in huge and intricate sandbox levels with complete freedom of approach. Where to go, when to strike and who to kill – it is all up to you.  For the first time, HITMAN leads with a digital release inviting players into a world of assassination.

KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue
Platform: PlayStation® 4
Developer: Square Enix and Disney
Available: December 2016
KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue is a compilation that brings the popular KINGDOM HEARTS Dream Drop Distance to the PlayStation®4 system platform remastered in high definition. The newly improved title features brand new content withKINGDOM HEARTS 0.2 Birth by Sleep – A fragmentary passage –, a playable episode that is played from the perspective of Aqua taking place after the storyline of KINGDOM HEARTS Birth by Sleep and links to the upcoming KINGDOM HEARTS III. The title also includes KINGDOM HEARTS χ [chi] Back Cover, a new HD movie that tells the mysterious story of the Foretellers and connects to the earliest parts of the series’ history.

RISE OF THE TOMB RAIDER: 20 Year Celebration
Platform: PlayStation® 4, Xbox One, Windows PC
Developer: Crystal Dynamics (a Square Enix Studio)
Available: October 11, 2016
Crystal Dynamics® and Square Enix continue to celebrate 20 years of Lara Croft, the gaming world’s iconic heroine, with Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration. This new version will include the award-winning Rise of the Tomb Raider game; a completely new story chapter entitled “Blood Ties”, new co-op Endurance gameplay, PlayStation VR support for “Blood Ties”, all of the previously released DLC, more outfits, weapons, and Expedition Cards. With the exception of VR support, all of the new content in Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration will also be available for Xbox One and PC players. Current Season Pass owners on Xbox One and PC will automatically receive the content for free, and moving forward the existing Season Pass will be updated to include the new content. There is no Season Pass on PlayStation 4, as all of the content is included in the initial release.

WORLD OF FINAL FANTASY®
Platform: PlayStation® 4, PlayStation® Vita
Developer: Square Enix
Available: October 28, 2016
In WORLD OF FINAL FANTASY, players will lead a pair of twins, Reynn and Lann, on their journey through the world of Grymoire on a search to rediscover their lost memories. Throughout their journey, players will collect, raise and battle with the adorably familiar beings throughout the world including cactuar, chocobo and behemoth to customise and stack their army of monsters to create strategic tower combinations and take on even the most challenging of opponents.

Square Enix Collective

THE TURING TEST
Platform: Windows PC
Developer: Bulkhead Interactive
Available: August 2016
You play the role of Ava Turing, an engineer for the International Space Agency (ISA) who attempts to uncover the truth behind the research base on Jupiter’s moon, Europa, in this gorgeous first-person puzzle game built with Unreal™ Engine 4. Solve puzzles using your Energy Manipulation Tool (EMT) to transfer power out of one object and into another; power up and take control of artificially intelligent machines, manipulate giant structures and solve complex tasks – all woven into a multi-layered story based on the human struggle for control. The Turing Test will be published for PC by Square Enix Collective in August 2016.

BLACK THE FALL
Platform: Windows PC
Developer: Sand Sailor Studio
Available: 2016 TBC
Black The Fall is an immensely atmospheric side-scrolling action adventure for PC and digital consoles set in a dark and oppressive land, inspired by the Sand Sailor team’s upbringing in Communist Romania. Discover a forgotten industrial world where strict rules and harsh punishments tore the fabric of humanity itself. What will you do to survive? Solve puzzles to progress, all the while attempting to avoid suspicion and alerting the intent… and unfriendly… gaze of the State. Black The Fall will be published on both PC and Console by Square Enix Collective later in Q3 2016., with console versions available in early 2017.

TOKYO DARK
Platform: Windows PC/Mac
Developer: Cherrymochi
Available: TBC 2016
Tokyo Dark is a side scrolling point-and-click mystery adventure game for Windows and Mac. As Detective Itō you’ll explore Tokyo – following leads, collecting clues, and making difficult decisions with far-reaching consequences. Tokyo Dark features a huge number of dialogue choices and interactions that affect character attributes and change the outcome of the story. Unlike a visual novel, you’ll control Detective Itō directly as you explore Tokyo, trying to balance your professional duty, personal life, and sanity. Will the past come back to haunt you, or will you stand by your decisions?

OH MY GODHEADS
Platform: Windows PC
Developer: Titutitech
Available: Q1 2017
Oh My Godheads is the world’s first capture-the-head action game for 1-4 players. Capture-the-head is like capture-the-flag, but the flag is an ancient head that’s alive, angry, and after you! Fight with friends to capture these furious, living heads and bring them back to your team’s plinth…if you can. Born from a love of old school multiplayer games like Micro Machines, Worms, and Street Fighter, Titutitech wanted to recreate the fun, fast-paced multiplayer experience of those games while adding full 3D environments for more tactics, more depth, and more replayability. Oh, did we mention it’s got exploding pies?

GOETIA
Platform: Windows PC/Mac
Developer: Sushee
Available: Out Now
A haunting point-and-click adventure, Goetia puts you in the ghostly shoes of Abigail Blackwood, recently risen from the grave, who knows nothing about the last 40 years of her family’s history. Help Abigail find out what went on in the manor, and the nearby ruins of Oakmarsh village – what happened in the place you grew up, and what led to its downfall? Tough puzzles and a deep story awaits, as you piece together the mysticism and fanatical experiments that took place, to reveal the disturbing truth of your family’s past…

Handheld and Mobile

DEUS EX GO
Platform: Phones & Tablets
Developer: Square Enix Montréal (a Square Enix studio)
Available: Summer 2016
Deus Ex GO is a turn-based infiltration puzzle game set in a stylized interpretation of the Deus Ex Universe®. As double agent Adam Jensen, you’ll use hacking, combat, and augmentations to solve the most challenging puzzles of the entire GO series. Work alongside your allies in TF29 and the Juggernaut Collective as you infiltrate locations to unravel the conspiracy behind a terrorist plot.

About Square Enix Ltd.
Square Enix Ltd., a part of the Square Enix Europe business unit, develops, publishes, distributes and licenses SQUARE ENIX, EIDOS® and TAITO® branded entertainment content in Europe and other PAL territories as part of the Square Enix Group. Square Enix Ltd. also has a global network of leading development studios such as IO Interactive™, Crystal Dynamics and Eidos Montréal. The Square Enix Group boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property including: FINAL FANTASY, which has sold over 115 million units worldwide, DRAGON QUEST which has sold over 68 million units worldwide and TOMB RAIDER which has sold over 45 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS®. Square Enix Ltd. is a London-based, wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.
More information on Square Enix Ltd. can be found at http://www.square-enix.com/eu/en/ .

KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue © Disney     Developed by SQUARE ENIX.

DEUS EX, DEUS EX GO, DEUS EX: HUMAN REVOLUTION, DEUS EX: MANKIND DIVIDED, DEUS EX UNIVERSE, DRAGON QUEST, DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS, FINAL FANTASY, FINAL FANTASY XII, FINAL FANTASY XII THE ZODIAC AGE, FINAL FANTASY XIV, FINAL FANTASY XV, HEAVENSWARD, HITMAN, LARA CROFT, RISE OF THE TOMB RAIDER, RISE OF THE TOMB RAIDER: 20 YEAR CELEBRATION, SPACE INVADERS, SQUARE ENIX, the SQUARE ENIX logo, SQUARE ENIX COLLECTIVE, TAITO, TOMB RAIDER, and WORLD OF FINAL FANTASY are registered trademarks or trademarks of the Square Enix group of companies. THE TURING TEST and BULKHEAD INTERACTIVE are trademarks of Bulkhead Interactive. BLACK THE FALL is a trademark of Sand Sailor Studio. TOKYO DARK and CHERRYMOCHI are registered trademarks or trademarks of Cherrymochi. OH MY GODHEADS and TITUTECH are trademarks of Titutech GOETIA, SUSHEE, and the SUSHEE logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sushee. UNREAL and its logo are EPIC’S trademarks or registered trademarks in the US and elsewhere. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

New Behind the Scenes Video for South Park: The Fractured But Whole

south-park-the-fractured-but-whole-promo-shot-03

It was a busy four days for entertainment at San Diego Comic-Con this past weekend. Ubisoft brought over a brand new video for the upcoming game South Park: The Fractured But Whole at the South Park 20 panel. The video goes behind the scenes at South Park Digital Studios and Ubisoft San Francisco to talk about development. South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker also appear in the video to discuss about what has changed with the new game, including gameplay and plot. Several Ubisoft San Francisco and South Park Digital Studios staff members also highlight some of the differences between developing South Park the show and South Park the game.

South Park: Fractured But Whole is an RPG parodying comic book super heroes. The game introduces a revamped combat and loot system. South Park: Fractured But Whole will launch on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on December 6, 2016.

https://youtu.be/4IH-AXOA63E

Star Trek Beyond Review

star-trek-beyond-poster-01

Star Trek Beyond

Studios: Bad Robot Productions, Skydance Media
Publisher: Paramount Pictures
Platforms: Cinema
Release Date: 22 July, 2016 – Tickets available here

Overview

I am a huge fan of science fiction with Star Trek and its vision of a utopian humanistic future holding a special place in my heart. With that in mind, I was not quite impressed with the rebooted Star Trek movie series by J. J. Abrams which I felt were more of a glorified showreel for his eventual work on Star Wars. These films were not bad but they were certainly disappointing for anyone who was hoping for some deeper sci-fi faire to sink their teeth into… namely yours truly. So the question is, can Justin Lin’s new contribution to the rebooted series finally win me over or would I be left disappointed once again? Read on, and find out what I thought of this film.

Story

The film returns us to the adventures of Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) and the crew of the Enterprise as they go about their galactic adventures. The narrative picks up a couple of years on from the last film with the Enterprise having explored the frontiers of charted space and are about halfway through their 5 year mission. The duration of their voyage is taking its toll upon the crew however with Kirk especially questioning his place as captain aboard the Enterprise. While resupplying at ‘Yorktown’, a space station at the edge of federation space, they agree to help rescue the crew of a stranded science ship in a nearby nebulae. This lures the Enterprise into a trap which maroons and separates the crew on an unknown planet facing an unknown and ruthless enemy. They soon realise that not only are they in grave danger but the fate of the Yorktown space station and all of its inhabitants rests on their shoulders.

Throughout the course of the story we’re taken to frontier worlds with exotic geography, encounter aliens with unusual physiologies, and play with ancient (yet somehow still very advanced) technology which plays a major role in the plot. The narrative is very much a return to the classic storylines of the original Star Trek series with plenty of sci-fi to mix in with your action. It is incredibly heartening to see the new series take this approach with Beyond as although the previous two entries featured solid stories; they did lack a certain sci-fi je ne sais quoi. I give kudos to the writer’s Simon Pegg and Doug Jung for bringing back the science fiction magic to this new iteration of Star Trek.

The plot also feels much more like an episode of the original Star Trek series due to the decentralised focus of the story. Unlike the previous two films, which very much focused upon Kirk and Spock, Beyond features a much more ensemble narrative with the focus jumping amongst the crew of the Enterprise as they attempt to solve the complications they face. Pretty much every one of the protagonists pulls out a strong performance as they work their way through the narrative and their respective character beats. Particular kudos should be directed to newcomer Sofia Boutella as Jaylah for filling the role with gusto. Urban’s performance as Dr McCoy did come across as wooden at points, as you get the sense that the sometimes the folksy mannerisms he tries to emulate from the character of the original series doesn’t quite stick right.

Although the story does certainly bring a lot more of the charm of the original series, there is still plenty of action to be had for fans of the reboot. There are plenty of gun battles and life or death struggle to get your blood pumping. This doesn’t mean that Beyond is a brainless action flick as the protagonists are routinely facing odds which are not at all in their favour and requires them to think creatively to overcome their opponents. This time around, the film did not sacrifice brains for brawny spectacle.

The only shortcoming the story has can be found in the film’s villain, Krall, who is nonetheless played very well by Idris Elba. At first glance he is quite interesting in his motivations as he largely appears to be motivated by a severe ideological opposition to the very concept of the Federation itself. This, I felt, gave the film an intellectual depth which I enjoyed immensely as we see the symbolic clash between the Utopian futurism, which Rodenberry’s original Star Trek concept epitomised, and a cynical opposition. Unfortunately this gets undercut by the film when it, in a very clumsy manner, begins to reveal more of the villain’s backstory and attempts to elicit sympathy from the audience. I would have preferred for Krall to be a pure demagogue in opposition to the very ideals of the Federation rather than a tragic villain. I feel that this direction which Krall’s character development takes is one which weakens his character and ultimately undermines the film.

Visuals

The CGI and visual direction throughout the film was consistently excellent with plenty of eye candy for the audience to enjoy. The sets and costumes were all very well done as well with the protagonists and antagonists each having their own distinct visual styles to define them. The various points in the film which feature heavy CGI are done expertly with moments like the Enterprise being destroyed (for the umpteenth time) certainly getting a worthwhile sequence. You’ll also be happy to know that the presence of lens flares were greatly restrained as well.

Of particular note in this film was just how awesome the visual design for the Yorktown space station was. I’m a huge fan of science-fiction films and art which means that I’ve seen a lot of pretty cool visual concepts for what a space station could look like… but I was blown away by the look of Yorktown. Lin’s camerawork also makes certain that you have plenty of time to admire the station as he pans and swoops through structure which was certainly a visual treat I enjoyed. You might think my salivating over this detail might be overblown but, considering the narrative and symbolic importance that the station serves in the film, it was important that the film got it right. I honestly hope that they greenlight a new Star Trek television series with a focus upon the Yorktown space station akin to Deep Space 9… just sayin’.

Audio

The film’s soundtrack is a solid orchestral offering which will guide you through the film’s narrative beats appropriately. A number of stand-out tracks find their way into the film diegetically with the Beastie Boys’ ‘Sabotage’ and Public Enemy’s ‘Fight the Power’ making it in. I found their use in the film to be a refreshing juxtaposition to the regular soundtrack and I find the lampshading of referring to the Beastie Boys as ‘classical music’ to be hilarious. Beyond these two entries, I didn’t find too much else that was memorable in the film’s soundtrack.

Overall

Overall, I very much enjoyed the film and what it had to offer to both the old Star Trek series and the new film reboot. The story was much better this time around than in the two previous films, but certain narrative points with the villain undermined it’s impact to a limited extent. The visuals are top notch with CGI used to great and beautiful effect. The soundtrack is solid with some stand outs from the pop culture zeitgeist. I have to admit, this film has won me over to the Star Trek reboot and I look forward to what more the universe can bring out. I have no problem recommending this film to both trekkies and regular cinema punters. Kudos to Lin, Pegg, and Jung for bringing the Star Trek feel to this film franchise!
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Media Blasters to Release Uncensored ‘Yami to Boushi to Hon no Tabibito’ Blu-ray

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Media Blasters announced via their Facebook page that they will be releasing the uncensored anime adaptation of Yami to Bōshi to Hon no Tabibito on Blu-ray. They previously released Studio Deen’s adaptation on DVD with English subtitles in North America on March 31, 2016, but discovered that they had been given the censored version created for television broadcast. Acting on this knowledge, they obtained the uncensored version featured on the Japanese Blu-rays. They will announce a release date in the near future.

Media Blasters will give fans who purchased the DVD version the opportunity to upgrade their copy to the new Blu-ray edition. They stated that they have not been able to obtain the music and effects track for the adaptation, so they are not able to produce an English dub for it at this time.

Netflix Brings Original Anime Film, Blame!, to a Global Audience

Netflix Brings Original Anime Film, Blame!, to a Global Audience

The adaptation of popular manga by Tsutomu Nihei will be available to fans in Australia and around the world

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF., July 25, 2016 – Netflix, the world’s leading Internet television network today announced, together with Polygon Pictures, a groundbreaking deal for the anime original film Blame!, to premiere exclusively on Netflix globally.

Blame! is set in the distant future where what’s left of the human race resides within the Megastructure, a vast and dangerous labyrinth that has grown wild and out of control. Thrown into this world is the mysterious Killy, a strange individual who is on a quest to bring civilization back from the brink of oblivion.

First appearing as a manga from 1997 to 2003, the much-awaited animated film adaptation of Blame! will be available as a Netflix original twenty years since its initial run.

The film sees yet another creative collaboration following the success of sci-fi anime series Knights of Sidonia, between the award-winning creator of the original manga, Tsutomu Nihei and director Hiroyuki Seshita, who also brought us the thrilling, fast-paced suspense of AJIN: Demi-Human, which is also available on Netflix globally. Blame!, Knights of Sidonia, and AJIN: Demi-Human manga are all available in print from Vertical Comics and digitally via Kodansha Comics.

“We’re incredibly delighted to work with Polygon Pictures in bringing the latest Netflix original anime, Blame!, to fans worldwide,” said David Lee, Vice President, International Originals at Netflix. “We look forward to bringing the best of original anime to our members and continuing to work with the top creators in the industry.”

“We are super excited to be able to deliver the long awaited anime adaptation of Blame! as a  Netflix original anime,” said Shuzo John Shiota, President and CEO of Polygon Pictures. “I’ve seen some initial footage and it is truly groundbreaking, especially in HDR format. I can’t wait for fans around the world to experience this!”

Blame! is set to be the latest addition to the exciting slate of Netflix originals exclusively available to a global audience. In addition, Netflix is planning to release both Blame! and Knights of Sidonia in the cutting-edge, high dynamic range (HDR) format. This marks another milestone for the anime industry as the service continues to deliver innovative programming to entertainment fans worldwide.

About Netflix

Netflix is the world’’s leading Internet television network with over 83 million members in over 190 countries enjoying more than 125 million hours of TV shows and movies per day, including original series, documentaries and feature films. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on nearly any Internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments.

About Polygon Pictures

Founded in July 1983, PPI is one of the largest digital animation studios in Japan and produces cutting-edge entertainment content in keeping with our mission to “do what no other has done, in unparalleled quality, for all the world to see and enjoy.”Including our Malaysian subsidiary studio Silver Ant PPI Sdn. Bhd. and visual software development company J Cube Inc., we have brought together over 400 creators from around the world. Together as the Polygon Family, we devote our days to producing digital content for all types of media. Our notable works include Transformers Prime, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (both Daytime Emmy award winners), Tron: Uprising (Annie award winner), Knights of Sidonia (Director: Kobun Shizuno), Ronia, the Robber’s Daughter (Director: Goro Miyazaki), Ajin: Demi-Human (Supervising Director: Hiroyuki Seshita, Director: Hiroaki Ando) and more.By fusing our unrivalled technical and production planning know-how with the internationally recognized quality of Japanese animation, PPI aims to become a leading company in the content business. For more information, visit our website at http://www.ppi.co.jp.

Sonic Mania and Sonic Project 2017 Announced

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The Sonic 25th Anniversary Live Stream gave us lots to laugh about (probably not in the right way) with tons of bad dancing, heaps of audio issues and presentation mishaps. But in all the ruckus came two huge announcements for two brand new Sonic games coming in 2017.

The first game shown was called Sonic Mania, and is a 2D side-scrolling platformer with graphics reminiscent of the original titles on the Sega Genesis. It will feature Sonic, Tails and Knuckles as playable characters as well as completely brand new 2D levels featuring remixes of levels from classic zones as well as all new ones. The game will feature elemental shields and and giant rings leading to special stages like those featured in Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Sonic Mania will also give 2D Sonic a brand new move in the drop dash, which lets Sonic hit full speed as soon as he lands on the ground.

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Christian Whitehead is the lead programmer on the project, the brain behind some of the best remasters of the original games ever released so you can trust that Sonic Mania is in smart and loving hands. Sonic Mania is coming to the PS4, Xbox One and PC sometime in Spring 2017.

The other huge game announcement doesn’t even have a name, simply being titled Project Sonic 2017. This game looks to feature the 3D ‘boost’ gameplay seen in Sonic Colors and Sonic Generations and surprisingly includes Classic Sonic making a return to help Sonic in this bleak looking future. Interestingly, the Nintendo NX is listed in the release platforms at the end of the trailer, making this one of the first titles confirmed for the NX alongside Zelda: Breath of the Wild. As of the announcement, Project Sonic 2017 has a holiday 2017 release window.

The huge division between fans who want classic Sonic and those who want modern Sonic has always been a huge problem for Sega, so clearly they are trying to please both crowds here. Personally this looks like a successful move by the struggling company, as they can offer two entirely different experiences as opposed to trying to please both fan groups in one game. Hopefully these new games will reinvigorate the blue hedgehog license alongside the upcoming Sonic Boom: Fire and Ice and the live action movie slated for release in 2018.

Your Lie in April Part 1 Review

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Your Lie in April Part 1

Studio: A-1 Pictures
Publisher: Madman Entertainment / Aniplex of America
Platforms: DVD (reviewed) / Blu-ray
Release Date: July 6, 2016
Price: DVD – $59.95 – Available Here / Blu-ray – $74.95 Available Here

Overview

Musical prodigy Kousei Arima suddenly stopped playing the piano two years ago, after the death of his mother. One day, he accepts an invitation from his best friend Tsubaki to accompany her when she introduces someone to their best friend Watari. Arriving earlier than necessary, he encounters a person playing a melodica. Unbeknownst to him, the person is none other than Kaori Miyazono, the one who has a romantic interest in Watari. Her first impressions of him are ruined due to a misunderstanding, but she nevertheless shows an interest in him once Tsubaki introduces her to Kousei. Kaori turns out to be a violinist, and she slowly but surely reintroduces Kousei to the world of music and helps him rediscover his love for music, as well as his own happiness along the way.

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Story

For the most part, the first episode has the appearance of being the introduction to a relatively normal romantic drama. However, Your Lie in April is far from ordinary. It is uncommon enough for the main protagonist of a manga or anime series to be a pianist, or any sort of musician, but there is a lot that make this series special. To start with, the interactions between the characters are nearly all realistic. Tsubaki has a tendency to cause Kousei injuries that should see him hospitalised, but unnecessary tsundere jokes notwithstanding, her feelings are portrayed with delicacy. She introduces Kousei to the girl who will become his first ever love interest, but soon realises that she has feelings for him. The struggle that occurs inside her heart is depicted through her words, thoughts and, just as significantly, through her silence. She opens up to just one minor character about her true feelings, leaving everyone else to wonder what is going on in her mind. The interactions between Kousei and Kaori are fairly realistic as well. Kaori is very hard on Kousei, but it is out of a selfless desire to see him be happy. She is also one of the most openly honest characters in the series. Some things are left unexplained, such as why Kaori seemingly does not realise that Watari is a playboy and also why people are able to get into Kousei’s house without any trouble. Thankfully, these jokes are never overused. Pop-culture references are also almost non-existent in this series. There are, however, clever references to Charles M. Shulz’s famous comic series Peanuts, as well as obvious references to classical musicians. A lot of thought has gone into the writing, and that effort helps this be an unexpectedly moving story.

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The characterisation of each of the four members of the group is not perfect, as evidenced by Tsubaki’s nonchalant violence towards Kousei, but it is easy to become attached to them all. Just like real people, they do not always share their emotions with those around them. One of the greatest moments featuring Watari is a scene in which he privately berates himself for failing his soccer team. The best moments of Tsubaki are those in which she reveals her true feelings. Likewise, the hardest scenes to watch that feature Tsubaki are the ones in which she is clearly suffering emotionally but tries to internalise her pain. Kaori has a major secret of her own that remains vague in the first half of the series, but she is one of the most inspirational and entirely believable characters to have appeared in the world of anime and manga in a very long time. Kousei himself takes a long time to open up, but his issues are very different to what everyone around him is going through. His past is extremely disturbing; his mother physically abused Kousei when he failed to play the piano exactly as she wanted him to. These scenes are painfully detailed, but they explain why Kousei’s mental image of his mother is so warped and why playing the piano is so difficult for him. Aside from the child abuse, this series features an compelling story.

Visuals

The visuals are stunning. The colours are vibrant, the animation is consistently fluid and the musical performances look realistic. The latter could possibly be caused by rotoscoping, but it looks more like 3D CG animation. Either way, the end result brings this adaptation to a whole new level. The character designs all stand out, and an enormous amount of detail goes into drawing the beautiful backgrounds and the lips of the main characters. The level of effort that has gone into the animation is even seen in the way each character’s hair flows. Some footage is reused at various points for various reasons, but still frames are not overused, giving every episode a level of fluidity rarely seen in television anime. Fan-service is non-existent, and one member of the production team even seems to make a joke about fan-service by censoring the image Kousei accidentally took of Kaori’s skirt on his phone.

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Audio

A show centred around music should necessarily contain high quality music. Masaru Yokoyama’s background music, along with the musical performances in many of the episodes, all fulfil this need. Everything about the music is fantastic. Yokoyama’s background music almost feels alive with emotion; all of the music is beautiful to listen to and often moving. The opening theme song is catchy, and the ending theme song is pleasant to listen to as well.

The voice acting stands in the English dub. Max Mittelman turns out to be surprisingly well cast for the role of Kousei. Erica Lindbeck does an excellent job of portraying Kaori Miyazono’s various emotions, and the same can be said about Erica Mendez and her portrayal of Tsubaki Sawabe. Kyle McCarley also immediately comes across as a natural choice for Ryota Watari. The script is brilliant and well-translated, and the supporting voice cast members all help to make this one of the best and most sincere English dubs ever produced for an anime series.

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Extras

The extras, all of which are featured on the first disc, include the textless version of the first opening and ending animation sequence and commentary for the first episode. The opening animation in particular stands out as being one of the most visually stunning opening sequences in recent anime series. The ending animation is also beautiful. Another incentive to watch these extras is the inclusion of English subtitles with their presentation here; no vocal songs are subtitled in any of the 11 episodes. The commentary is very informative of the process of dubbing this series into English. The four main cast members discuss how they came to be a part of the dub and what it was like recording the audio. The ADR director Patrick Seitz also discusses how much time and effort goes into writing the lines for the dub and into casting the voice actors, as well as how important it is that such an unusually high quality show receives the best dub possible. The only thing that should have been included as on-disc extra but was not is a full list of the dub cast and staff members who worked on the English version of this series. Their effort really shows all the way throughout the dub.

Overall

It has some disturbing moments, but Your Lie in April is one of the most powerful and emotional series to come out of Japan this century so far. Everything works, and it all works together. The music, the animation, the characterisation, the writing and the voice acting all complement each other, resulting in something special. It may be hard to watch the scenes in which Kousei is suffering, but it is even harder to stop watching at all. Nothing feels too contrived, nor does anything feel meaningless. The series is at its best when it focuses on the core group of Kousei, Tsubaki, Watari and Kaori, but the introduction of the two pianists Takeshi and Emi adds another dimension to the story. Kaori is clearly suffering from some kind of illness, but no matter what the truth is, the conclusion of this series is sure to be even more powerful and moving than the events so far.

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