Page 3027 – Capsule Computers

‘Minecraft: Story Mode – A Telltale Games Series’ Continues the Adventure with Special Community Guest Stars in Episode 6: ‘A Portal to Mystery’

Press Releases

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May 31, 2016

‘Minecraft: Story Mode – A Telltale Games Series’ Continues the Adventure with Special Community Guest Stars in Episode 6: ‘A Portal to Mystery’

First of Three All-New Adventures Premieres June 7th

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., and STOCKHOLM, Sweden, May 31st, 2016 — Leading and award-winning developer and publisher of digital entertainment Telltale Games, and world-renowned game developer Mojang, today announced the release date and special community guest stars for the sixth episode in Minecraft: Story Mode – A Telltale Games Series.

The first episode in an add-on series of three new adventures, Episode 6: ‘A Portal to Mystery’ will be available digitally worldwide starting Tuesday June 7th on PC and Mac from the Telltale Online Store, Steam, and other digital distribution services, on the PlayStation®Network for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3, on the Xbox Games Store for Xbox One® and Xbox 360®, for compatible iOS devices via the App Store, and for compatible Android-based devices via Google Play and the Amazon Appstore. The episode will also be coming to the Windows Store.

This episode may be purchased digitally as part of the new Adventure Pass for $14.99 USD or equivalent, which includes access to Episodes 6, 7, and 8 as they release. The episode will also be available individually for $4.99 USD or equivalent. Players will need to own at least Episode 1 in the series, or the season pass disc, in order to purchase Episodes 6, 7, and 8.

Several special guest stars from the Minecraft community join the cast in this new episode, all playing characters from their own YouTube videos. Players will get to interact with Joseph Garrett as Stampy Cat, Stacy Hinojosa as Stacy Plays, Dan Middleton as DanTDM (The Diamond Minecart), Lizzie Dwyer as LDShadowLady, and Jordan Maron as CaptainSparklez.

Episode 6 Behind the Scenes Interview Featuring Community Guest Cast

Cast Interview YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/ZUdM-1_jbNc
Download Video & Assets: http://bit.ly/27ZxCkG
Download Mirror: https://goo.gl/VFtLwm
All Telltale Assets: http://vip.telltalegames.com/

In Episode 6: ‘A Portal to Mystery’, continuing their journey through the portal hallway, Jesse and crew land themselves in another strange new world – one completely overrun by zombies. With a timely invitation to take refuge in a spooky mansion, they find themselves thrown into a thrilling mystery alongside famous members of the Minecraft community.

Minecraft: Story Mode – A Telltale Games Series – Episode 6: ‘A Portal to Mystery’ is rated ‘E10+’ (Everyone 10+) for Fantasy Violence by the ESRB. Future content in the season is yet to be rated by the ESRB. The series is published by Telltale Games in partnership with Mojang.

For more information on Telltale Games, visit the official website, Facebook, and follow @TelltaleGames on Twitter.

For more information on Mojang, visit the official website, follow @Mojang and@Minecraft on Twitter, and like Minecraft on Facebook.

About Mojang
Mojang is a Microsoft owned game studio based in Stockholm, Sweden. We’re responsible for the relatively popular video game, Minecraft. More recently, we released Scrolls; it’s nothing like Minecraft, but also fun to play. We’re also publishing Cobalt, an upcoming game from Oxeye Game Studio; it’ll include lots of robots performing slow-mo combat rolls.

About Telltale, Inc.
Telltale is a leading and award-winning independent developer and publisher of games for every major interactive platform from home consoles and PC to mobile and tablet devices, and is the pioneer of the episodic delivery of digital gaming content. By successfully developing games as an episodic series and frequently releasing in the format of a game season, they create longer consumer engagement than traditional games for each release. Founded in 2004 by games industry veterans with decades of experience, Telltale has quickly become an industry leader with numerous honors and awards from the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences, BAFTA, SXSW, the IMGA, and more, as well as being named Studio of the Year across multiple years. Telltale’s reputation for quality has been established across more than two dozen different product releases over the years with recognition and acclaim from publications like IGN, The New York Times, and Variety, including over 100 “Game of the Year” awards from publications like USA Today, Yahoo! Games, Wired, Spike TV VGAs, E!, Official Xbox Magazine, The Telegraph, Metacritic, and more. Telltale is a fully licensed third party publisher on consoles from Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo, and also publishes games on the PC, Mac, iOS, and Android-based platforms. For more information visit www.telltalegames.com .

JUST CAUSE 3: MECH LAND ASSAULT due June 3rd

Press Releases

Philip Federico

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May 31, 2016

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JUST CAUSE 3: MECH LAND ASSAULT due June 3rd

Includes 2 pilotable mechs, new missions, challenges & more

JUST CAUSE 3: MECH LAND ASSAULT, the second content pack from the Air, Land and Sea Expansion Pass will be on sale June 3^rd for Expansion Pass Holders, with a wider release to follow on June 10^th.

MECH LAND ASSAULT takes Rico Rodriguez to the new island of Lacrima, home to an abandoned eDen research base and a prison camp run by the mysterious Black Hand. Defended by huge powerful Mechs, Rico will need the new Bavarium Power Core rifle to disable their shields and hijack them. Once inside, Rico can use their powerful cannons and the GRIP Gravity Guns to hurl and smash the enemy into pieces.

Features
– Pilot two types of powerful Mech and drive them anywhere in Medici.
– Unleash the Mech’s Gravitational Remote Influence Projector or “GRIP” to attract and hurl objects at your enemies.
– Jump and smash helicopters from the sky or ground pound tanks with the GRIPS’s “Force Pulse” attack.
– Prove your skills and earn upgrades in Mech arena challenges.
– Call in a Rebel Mech buddy for extra firepower when the going gets tough.
– Includes a powerful new energy weapon, the Bavarium Power Core rifle.

The Bavarium Wingsuit from the Sky Fortress DLC fundamentally changed how Rico could traverse Medici. This time, we wanted to shake up how Rico interacts with his environment in a similar way,” explained Tobias Andersson, Senior Producer at Avalanche Studios. “The new Mechs allow Rico to throw enemies, vehicles and chaos objects around like tennis balls – increasing the scope for physics-based fun. Whether you’re juggling a small car or punching helicopters out of the sky, the Mechs give you the opportunity to mess with your surroundings in creative, explosive ways.”

The MECH LAND ASSAULT pack is priced at $11.99 / €11.99 / £9.49 whilst the AIR, LAND & SEA Expansion Pass is available for $24.99 / €24.99 / £19.99. The final content pack –BAVARIUM SEA HEIST – will be released by the end of summer 2016, released one week early to Expansion Pass holders.

Related Links
Official Homepage: justcause.com
Official Facebook® Page: facebook.com/JustCause
Official YouTube Channel: youtube.com/c/JustCauseGame
Follow @JustCause on Twitter®: twitter.com/JustCause

HITMAN Episode 3: Marrakesh Launches Today

Press Releases

Philip Federico

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May 31, 2016

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HITMAN Episode 3: Marrakesh Launches Today

COPENHAGEN, May 31, 2016 – Io-Interactive is happy to announce the launch of HITMAN Episode 3: Marrakesh today.

The featured mission, ‘A Gilded Cage’, sees Agent 47 travel to the busy market city of Marrakesh to target corrupt private banker Claus Strandberg and his accomplice Army General Reza Zaydan before the city of contrasts collapses into a riot.
“Marrakesh marries the concepts of the first two offerings of HITMAN – Paris and Sapienza,” said Hannes Seifert, Studio Head at Io-Interactive. “We have the fortressed, at times claustrophobic, nature of the Showstopper event in Paris combined with the expansiveness and lived-in feeling of Sapienza all in one. I think Marrakesh is really going to give players a lot to explore and experiment with.”

Marrakesh offers a richly detailed, dense creative stealth sandbox featuring two targets, a host of opportunities and challenges to explore and a living environment that transports you from crowded markets to magical souks, from the cool elegance of the Swedish consulate to the military-occupied remains of an abandoned school. Infiltrate a consulate under siege to kill a man everyone hates and take out the army general that freed him from his prison shackles in Episode 3 of HITMAN.

To watch the launch trailer click HERE.

HITMAN started with a Prologue and the Paris location in March. Episode 2: Sapienza released in April and now Episode 3: Marrakesh has arrived in May. HITMAN will continue to deliver regular content updates, including three additional locations; Thailand, the United States and the season finale in Japan later in 2016. The game also recently launched the new “Elusive Targets” feature, with two targets encountered by players so far…Marrakesh is sure to hide more.

Marrakesh is FREE as part of the Full Experience Pack. Owners of the Intro Pack can choose either the Upgrade Pack for $50, which will then include all of this year’s content as it’s released including live and bonus content – or choose to purchase the location individually for $10 (or local equivalent).

HITMAN is available on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and Windows PC.

Related Links
Official Website: hitman.com
Official Facebook Page: facebook.com/hitman
Follow @Hitman on Twitter: twitter.com/hitman
Visit the subreddit: reddit.com/r/hitman

About HITMAN
HITMAN is the sixth game in the blockbuster series and is the culmination of a journey started by Io-Interactive more than 17 years ago. It builds on the critically acclaimed and commercially successful foundation of games like Silent Assassin, Blood Money and the recent Hitman: Absolution.

About Io-Interactive
Io-Interactive, a Square Enix Studio, is the creative force behind some of the most talked-about multiplatform videogames to emerge in the last decade. Starting with the praised and ground-breaking Hitman series, Io-Interactive has since developed the cult classic “Freedom Fighters”, the controversial “Kane & Lynch” series and the adorable “Mini-Ninjas”. Dedication to creating original IP and unforgettable characters and experiences are the hallmarks of Io-Interactive.

About Square Enix, Inc.
Square Enix, Inc. develops, publishes, distributes and licenses SQUARE ENIX, EIDOS® and TAITO® branded entertainment content throughout the Americas as part of the Square Enix Group. The Square Enix Group operates a global network of leading development studios and boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property, including: FINAL FANTASY®, which has sold over 110 million units worldwide; DRAGON QUEST®, which has sold over 66 million units worldwide; TOMB RAIDER®, which has sold over 45 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS®. Square Enix, Inc. is a U.S.-based, wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.

Fallout 4: Far Harbor Review

Travis Bruno

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May 31, 2016

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Fallout 4: Far Harbor
Developer: Bethesda
Publisher: Bethesda
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One (Reviewed)
Release Date: Available Now
Price: $24.99 – Available Here

Overview

After Fallout 4 was released fans dug into the game and found countless hours of content to explore. Since then, many have completed the title and while a few pieces of DLC have been released for the game already, they have ranged from decent to mediocre. Now Bethesda has brought forth the first full expansion for Fallout 4 in the form of Far Harbor. So now that this DLC has been released, what does it have to offer?

Story

When players begin their game, assuming they have already reached the point where they meet Nick Valentine, they will be given a notice saying that they should head to the Valentine Detective Agency in Diamond City. Once you arrive Ellie informs the player that an old friend of Nick’s is asking for help in tracking down their missing daughter.

After venturing to a new location in the northeast part of the map, players come across the Nakano family and are informed that their daughter, Kasumi, has taken a boat and vanished. After a quick investigation using holotapes scattered throughout the house, players learn that, after talking with someone through a radio, Kasumi has traveled to the far northern island of Far Harbor in order to learn about strange dreams that she has been having.

Once you arrive at Far Harbor it is clearly evident that things are strange on this island. A strange and potentially deadly fog has spread throughout the land and with it come mutated creatures of the deep that have forced nearly everyone into a small dockside settlement. After repelling an attack from these new creatures, players learn that not only are these villagers trying to eke out a living while trying to hold off the fog and the creatures inside of it, but that the Children of Atom have managed to secure themselves a solid foothold where they worship the fog and the radiation of the island.

In the middle of it all is the facility of Acadia, a synth refuge and it is here that players will be spending the majority of their time as the story relies on a central character in Acadia to advance, though how you choose to do so is all up to the player. You see, while the main game featured a rather clear cut choice on what factions a player should join in order to seek out an ending, Far Harbor blurs the lines a bit by offering numerous ways for things to go down on the island.

After a certain annoying quest that we will talk about in a moment, players will learn quite a bit about the history of the island and just how ridiculous the middle faction is while it is already predominantly clear what is wrong when it comes to the actions that the Children of Atom and the settlers wish to take. Without going too much into detail, players will have a number of options open to them in how they wish to conclude the storyline in Far Harbor and the title does not punish the player even if they decide to burn everything to the ground. In fact, even the optional side-quests that you undertake on the island can come with a few choices here and there to a lesser extent.

That being said, the bulk of the details in the storyline as well as the enjoyment of it are derived from two characters. One of these is the leader of Arcadia, DiMA, and the other is one that players should realize is important to bring with them but is completely optional in the form of Nick Valentine. DiMA presents a number of interesting questions and interactions with the player and if you happen to have Nick with you he also reveals some very key details about the prototype synth’s past. The unfortunate thing is that if you happen to forgo bringing Nick, you will miss out on these extra details and the awkward interactions between the two, meaning that it is almost essential to bring Nick with to get the most out of what the story has to offer.

Gameplay

The shores of Far Harbor offer quite a bit of new content to explore. Not only is the map size of the area littered with plenty of new areas to explore, most with their own tidbits of story that can be inferred from the setup of the area but there are plenty of new enemies to take down, weapons to utilize, food to cook, a unique brand of drink, and armor to find. In fact, some of the best armor in the game so far can be found in this DLC.

The core game mechanics remain the same in the island though the addition of a number of new foes in the forms of Gulpers, occasionally tricky Anglers, difficult to manage Fog Crawlers, and extremely tough Hermit Crab’s that set themselves up inside giant trucks can pose quite a challenge for those unprepared. The additions of wolves, Fog Ghouls, and Trappers also serve smaller threats, though these act the same as your standard mongrels, ghouls, and raiders so don’t expect too much new here other than some fresh equipment and item drops.

These new additions help establish Far Harbor as a place that players will gladly be able to sink well over twenty hours into as they explore the brand new environment that is open to them and undertake a wide variety of new side quests ranging from simply gathering items to tackling a legendary creature known as the Red Death. That being said, there is one part that was mentioned a bit earlier where Far Harbor stumbles and that is in the form of a necessary quest that takes and puts a new twist on hacking.

For circumstances that I won’t disclose, players will need to take part in a new mini-game that utilizes the game’s crafting system to take and move various blocks around to create bridges and steps, lay down turrets to protect small pieces of code, and even aim laser beams using beam direction blocks to unlock paths. This is a five puzzle sequence that starts out interesting but quickly grows extremely tedious thanks to the fact that not only does it overstay its welcome, but that the mechanics simply aren’t well-tuned enough for this type of system to work well, resulting in more frustration than anything else.

Visuals & Audio

One of the key aspects of Far Harbor is the fact that the land is covered in a thick layer of irradiated fog and Bethesda has managed to portray this incredibly well here. This damp and dark themed island feels incredibly eerie at the best of times and this helps provide a unique feeling to the areas that players will be exploring, a feeling that was only partially conveyed during the core game. Thanks to this type of level design and the unique appearances of most creatures that players will be facing off against, Far Harbor feels set apart from the Commonwealth in many ways.

The new characters that appear in this DLC are voiced quite well with DiMA and his lines of questioning coming off incredibly strong. The interactions between him and Nick also are portrayed in a fitting manner.

Overall

It is easy to say that those who enjoyed what Fallout 4 had to offer at its core will be delighted when it comes to Far Harbor. By providing a sprawling new area to explore filled with new areas to explore, beasts to slay, and new armor and weaponry to bring to such fights as well as brand new quests to keep things fun, Far Harbor is a fitting expansion to the core game. It might suffer from a completely mishandled mid-story quest that ruins the flow of the game for a bit, but even the storyline and its ambiguous nature leaves things up to the player while also filling in a few blanks for Nick along the way.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Ray Gigant Review

Travis Bruno

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May 31, 2016

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Ray Gigant
Developer: Experience Inc.
Publisher: acttil
Platform: PS Vita
Release Date: Available Now
Price: $29.99 – Available Here

Overview

There are many types of genre that thrive on certain platforms and in recent years we have seen the first person dungeon crawler explode onto handhelds. The PlayStation Vita has been home to most of these games with Experience Inc. having two of their titles localized within a few months of one another. Although while the other game was a bit more standard for the genre, Ray Gigant offers something a bit different, the question is whether or not this difference is a good thing.

Story

In a slightly futuristic looking world, a calamity has occurred with the appearance of large beings known as Gigants and with their appearance came the destruction of most of the world and the human race. While humanity is doing its best to survive, a high schooler named Ichiya Amakaze learns that the strange item he took from a shrine is called a Yorigami and is capable of providing him with the abilities necessary to slay the Gigants. The only problem is, this Yorigami has formed a parasitic attachment to his body but he is not alone.

The story of Ray Gigant follows three main characters, Ichiya, Kyle Griffin, and Nil Phineas and as players progress through the storyline they will follow the same order with the story shifting viewpoints from one character to the next as they progress forward. This means that the earliest chapters follow Ichiya, while the middle follows Kyle, before following up with Nil. Thankfully with clever writing and story development, the jumping viewpoints serve as a solid foundation for building an intriguing storyline for this game. You see, unlike many titles of this genre, Ray Gigant is almost a straight split between dungeon crawling and storytelling, with the latter part being the unique aspect.

Players will often find themselves reading through long lengths of dialogue at a time, so much so that one story segment might have more dialogue than a basic dungeon crawler all together. As mentioned though, the fact that the story is put together so well and shifts between characters, and the fact that most of the characters are developed in a satisfying manner, serves as a strong point here. You see, the factions of humanity that are still remaining all have unique ideas as to how to tackle the Gigant threat.

As you progress through the story you will learn not only about the histories of the characters that you are currently controlling but also about the goals of these various groups. It does go without saying however that there are a few moments where the dialogue does begin to drag at times when players simply want to get into the action. While some might find the game a bit too dialogue heavy, the little twists, consistent small reveals about bigger plots, and loyalties shifting kept things very interesting, especially when the story begins to head towards a conclusion and forces the groups to work together.

Gameplay

When players aren’t spending ten minutes reading through dialogue they will be spending their times in the dungeons where Ray Gigant once again surprises with a few mechanics that set the game apart from the standard dungeon crawler. First and foremost players will be sent into these dungeons with a set party that is created for them right at the start, meaning you don’t need to worry about creating a balanced team as one is already established for you. Thankfully the actual designs of the dungeons remain as tricky as ever with there being plenty of puzzles to slow your progress despite being given a team right from the start.

That being said, this is a game that I would certainly recommend to those just getting into the genre primarily due to the fact that it removes most of the challenge found in your standard crawler. You see, while players will generally face off against random encountered enemies and a spike in difficulty between areas and bosses, Ray Gigant forgoes that entirely. In this game players are given a simple goal and all enemies that you will encounter are labeled directly on the map, meaning that you can even avoid fights if you so wish as it is possible to walk around some enemies. While this does help alleviate some stress from puzzle solving and having to put up with multiple fights, it also creates a streamlined and bit too easy of a title to make your way through.

Once you do enter combat things are also a bit different. Players will be given your standard turn based style of combat with various skills, attacks, and items that can be used but the entire three person team shares a pool of Action Points (AP). These AP are used whenever an attack is made, they defend, or even heal in any form and since AP does not restore between battles, players will need to learn to balance their actions as the only way to restore it is to receive damage from an enemy or wait for a turn. This balancing act is alleviated a bit by the fact that the health of your entire party is refilled after every fight.

Occasionally during battle players can be sent into a “Parasitism” state. This causes the Yorigami to draw its power not from Action Points but from a fighter’s Health Points. Players do remain in control of their team during this mode so it is up to them whether or not they should risk draining their health in order to save AP and win a battle.

Finally characters can unleash special attacks through a special “Slash Beat Mode” that plays as something of a rhythm mini-game mixed in with combat. Every character in the game is given a unique musical style and when unleashing an ultimate attack players must match the button prompts shown in order to unleash them. The amount of damage an ultimate does depends on whether or not a limited version was performed instead of a full powered one as well as how well you managed to time your button presses.

Visuals & Audio

With Ray Gigant ensuring that players will be spending at least half of their time with the game looking at character portraits and various backgrounds, it is good to see that the developers have put a lot of attention into making sure they put a decent level of detail. Monster designs are varied well enough and the dungeons are laid out in a manner to keep things feeling fresh.

As mentioned before there is actually a lot of attention being given to the game’s soundtrack, especially when it comes to the Slash Beat mini-games as each of the three main characters is given a unique theme to go along with their special attacks. The standard background music serves its purpose well enough by providing a variety of themes to fit with exploration and the dialogue sequences.

Overall

Ray Gigant is rather unique for a dungeon crawler. In a genre that often forgoes a storyline in order to toss players into a possible meat grinder of a dungeon, this game puts emphasis on telling a compelling storyline that unfolds very well. The price of this comes in the form of some simplistic and hardly challenging gameplay that runs the risk of feeling repetitive if played for too long of a period. This means that while this game may serve as a nice intro to the genre for some, experienced players will simply be playing for the story more than the fresh gameplay ideas.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows Review

Press Releases

Philip Federico

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May 31, 2016

0

TEST

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Out of the Shadows Movie Review

Mateja Simovic

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May 31, 2016

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Out of the Shadows Movie Review

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows
Studio: Platinum Dunes, Nickelodeon Movies
Publisher: Paramount Pictures
Format: Cinema
Release Date: June 9th, 2016 – Tickets Available Here

Overview

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have been a staple of the childhood of many childhoods with both the cartoon and the live action films being loved by many. The 2014 live action adaption, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, met with a significant negative response critically alongside a mixed response from fans. I myself did not enjoy the original film, but I agreed to give the sequel a chance to win me over and transcend my opinion of its predecessor. I walked into the cinema with an open mind and with the hope I’d have a “shell” of a time.

Story

The film follows the eponymous ninja turtles; the strategic Leonard (Pete Ploszek), the bellicose Raphael (Alan Ritchson), the nerdy Donatello (Jeremy Howard), and the silly Michelangelo (Noel Fisher) as they work with reporter April O’Neil (Megan Fox) to protect New York City from Shredder (Brian Tee). Continuing on from the previous movie, Shredder is incarcerated and Vern Fenwick (Will Arnett) takes credit for his capture as part of a deal with the turtles so they could remain anonymous. After failing to stop Shredder from escaping, the Turtles need to come together as a new enemy begins to make himself known.

The first thing I noticed about this new film is that the writing is significantly improved from the previous film. There’s still a lot of blatant exposition here and there with characters explaining key plot points. At best, this dialogue is just heavy-handed but there are points where you ask how the heck a character knows a particular detail that I don’t feel they should have. So although things have certainly gotten better this time around, I would by no means call the script ‘good’.

That being said, there are certainly some actually funny lines interspersed throughout the script. Michelangelo in particular actually has some jokes with punchlines that work and got a laugh out of me. The new henchmen, Bebop (Gary Anthony Williams) and Rocksteady (Stephen ‘Sheamus’ Farrelly), also had some funny moments when they were human. Unfortunately, they lose a lot of their flamboyant charm when they become mutated into animal hybrids by Shredder. I believe this might be because they aren’t as good at voice acting as they are at the regular kind, but unfortunately a lot of their jokes fall flat to me as soon as they became CGI.

Further more; the Shredder and new entry, Casey Jones (Stephen Amell), come across as decidedly 2D in what is ostensibly marketed as a 3D feature. I understand that this movie franchise is based off a cartoon and that Shredder was never quite given a significant amount of depth but at least he had some sense of menace. Unfortunately, the way he is presented in this film has acting in a way that is so utterly devoid of any intelligence that you don’t feel that he is a credible villain… which isn’t helped by the way he’s ultimately defeated in the movie either. Casey Jones largely follows the same plot beats that April did in the first film without really adding in anything new as the mystery of the turtles was already solved last film and we, as the audience, do not need a rehash. He’s meant to be a love interest to April, but we never actually see them connect in any meaningful way during the film.

Overall, most of the performances were incredibly wooden across the cast. Almost no-one played a believable character as they spent their screen time largely moving the plot along. I do not blame the actors for this, however, as I feel that the writing was largely to blame for these empty personas that they did their best to try and inhabit. That being said, there was some actual character development for two of the turtles which the film would have done well to explore more. There is a sub-plot with Raphael and Michelangelo which could have been so much more interesting if the film had given it more weight, but instead we get a largely unsatisfying main plot.

Visuals

The direction and visuals of some of the action scenes are absolutely amazing for some sequences such as when the turtles make a plane transfer mid-flight or when they’re floating down the rapids of a river. For me, they stand head and shoulders above anything from the first movie as Green’s direction makes for much cleaner montage work. The camerawork in these sequences is steady and gives you a good sense of space so understand where everyone is during a fight. The movement of the camera is also smooth and avoids the jerky handheld effect of Jonathan Libesman’s original, which I was thankful for. Most of all, they’re actually fun and exciting to watch, which makes it one of the few things I definitely enjoyed in this film.

A big drawback for the original film, for me, was the animation and design of the turtles themselves which landed them right in the middle of the uncanny valley. The combination of human and non-human features for the turtles, especially the prominence of their human teeth, made them look super creepy. In this film, I didn’t get as much of an uncanny valley revulsion to the turtles as I believe they’ve changed enough of their design to avoid that same reaction. I’m not exactly sure whether it’s because they’ve added more imperfections to them or played down some of their more human features (like the teeth!) but it’s a significant improvement over the original film.

Audio

The film’s soundtrack was quite solid throughout with a good combination of both orchestral and more pop tracks. The soundtrack largely works to support the emotional points of each scene but largely doesn’t stand out too often. There are times when a song is used quite cleverly such as when Edwin Starr’s War is used to introduce Bebop and Rocksteady driving through the jungle in a tank. The film also makes use of interesting non-diegetic sound in certain sequences. During one scene, Michelangelo introduces all of the turtles in the manner of a game show host to great comical effect with the soundscape imitating the sounds from a tv gameshow.

Overall

Unfortunately, I was very much unimpressed with the overall experience of this film. The writing is better than the first movie, but it still lacks a lot of substance which harms the rest of the film significantly. The visuals during the action sequences are actually quite awesome and I quite enjoyed them, even though they were few and far between. The film’s score and soundscape are largely solid but don’t leave too much of an impression beyond a couple of specific moments here and there. Although there are moments which stand out from the mediocrity, this film is largely held back by its sub-par writing. If you’re a fan of the original movie then go see this one, otherwise this film isn’t gonna turn you into a TMNT fan…

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Overwatch Review

Jamie Laike Tsui

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May 31, 2016

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Overwatch
Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows
Release Date: 24 May, 2016
Price: $39.99 USD (Windows Only) / $59.99 USD (Origins Edition) – Available Here

Video Review

Overview

Overwatch is Blizzard’s first foray into the FPS genre and their first released shooter, as Starcraft Ghost met its untimely end in development hell. Salvaged from Titan, another one of Blizzard’s cancelled projects, Overwatch pits two teams of six heroes in team-based, objective-oriented matches. Don’t let Overwatch’s origins fool you. This game is good.

Story

Overwatch is packed with a surprising amount of lore for a team-based shooter, a genre not exactly associated with plotlines. Too bad there is no easy way to access it all from the game. The story behind the game is fleshed out in a series of comics and videos released by Blizzard leading up to the game’s release that lays down the setting and gives each hero a decent backstory. It makes for an interesting read/watch, even if it doesn’t really explain why two groups of six random heroes are trying to kill each other over an objective point. I would love to see a link to a repository of all this lore either in-game or in the launcher.

Gameplay

Overwatch ships with 21 heroes and 12 maps across four modes. The 21 heroes are broken down into four general classes based on their role: offense, defense, tank, and support. Although heroes may share a class, each hero has their own playstyle and take on the class thanks their unique abilities. The tank class is a great example. Although all five are close range brawlers with huge pools of hit points, they all have niches where they shine. For example, Roadhog lacks the shields of the other four tanks which makes it difficult to charge forward and soak damage. Instead, he is able to pull enemies towards him, dragging them into the line of fire and then jumping around a corner to heal himself. Reinhardt serves as Roadhog’s polar opposite, marching into enemy fire with a giant shield that protects his team from damage.

Though the game shipped with four different game modes, there is technically only three. The main modes are an attack/defend Assault mode, a best out of three king of the hill style mode called Control, and Escort mode which has teams moving a vehicle into the enemy base. The final mode is a hybrid of Assault and Escort, with the first half of the map being an assault objective and the final half being an escort. All of these are standard FPS fare. Each of the four modes have three unique maps. The map design for the most part is excellent, with lots of flanking opportunities for agile heroes and main paths that serve as flashpoints for combat. There are a few funnel areas that lack proper side routes in the game, which can be a bit of a challenge to push through.

Currently, players can jump into games via the quick match system or organize private matches with custom rules. Each week brings a new arcade mode with its own set of rules. I am rather surprised at the lack of a ranked mode on launch. Blizzard assures it is coming and that it was delayed due to balancing issues, but a game like Overwatch feels a bit weird without ranked play. The matchmaking was decent for the most part, though there were several occasions where teams were extremely lopsided or a sixth player could not be found for an entire match.

The overall balance is pretty good, though there are definitely some fine tuning that can be done here or there. There is a good balance in the skill requirement for heroes, from easy to play characters like Soldier 76 to Genji, the melee ninja which requires players with monstrously high skill to play well. There are a few heroes that are way overused for their sheer killing potential, such as Pharah and Reaper; however, I found it was very rare to feel completely helpless in Overwatch, as there was almost always a counter to every problem.

Overwatch is a newbie friendly game. Not only are there a handful of simple to learn characters to help ease players into the genre, the entire game is built as a system of positive reinforcement and team play. Individual players are not ranked among their team based on kills or points. Instead, players can only see who is “on fire” during the match. As players deal damage that contributes to an enemy death, complete objects, and support teammates, they earn heat points. Once a certain threshold is reached, they are considered to be “on fire.” Though it doesn’t have direct influence on gameplay, it serves as a nice bit of positive reinforcement for players. Blizzard is continuing the trend of positive reinforcement even when it comes to losing. At the end of the match, the AI decides what was the biggest turning point of the match and serves it up as the game ending replay. The play can be made by a losing player, which definitely takes the sting out of failure. After the replay, all the relevant stats for the player is shown. Four players from either team who performed particularly well are put up for an MVP-type vote as an extra pat on the back as a job well done. There is a constant feel of progression without affecting the gameplay to boot. Cosmetics like voice packs and skins are constantly unlocked as players level up and earn loot boxes.

At the same time, Overwatch isn’t a game designed only for casual players. The game strongly emphasizes teamwork and coordination as the road to success. A few well timed ultimate abilities synchronized correctly can completely destroy the opposition, giving players valuable seconds to complete objectives. To add icing on the cake, many heroes have deadly skill combinations in the game that can be mastered for powerful effect and not all of them are founds on high skill/high reward heroes either. For example, the easy to pick up Roadhog actually has a combination of skills and attacks that can kill most heroes almost instantly, but is tough to pull off.

Visuals

Overwatch is gorgeous. The world is a colourful vision of a near future mixed with a slightly cartoony style that Warcraft fans are familiar with. The design of the heroes mixes a futuristic look with pop culture stereotypes and references to previous Blizzard titles. I have to applaud Blizzard for the sheer diversity of the game. The heroes are a fair mix of different gender, ethnicity, and size; yet it doesn’t really feel forced at all thanks to the game’s lore. Most importantly, the silhouettes of each hero is clear enough that it is possible to identify them in the heat of a frantic battle.

On the technical side for PC, Overwatch is very well optimized. There are tons of settings to adjust to fit every computer set up. The game runs extremely well on older rigs and the minimum system requirements are generous. For consoles, the game is reported to be running at or close to 60FPS at 1080p, an absolute must for any competitive shooter.

Audio

Overwatch has a great audio experience. The soundtrack is enjoyable and the sound effects are fantastic. The voice acting is absolutely top notch, with a great performance by the actors and excellent lines. Extra credit is due, as Blizzard has implemented a good VOIP system and Dolby Atmos virtual surround sound technology for headphone users into the game.

Overall

The bar is high for Blizzard on their first foray into FPS games because of its long held “delay it until it’s done right, cancel it if it’s bad” policy. Overwatch meets the challenge and clears the bar with ease. Not only is it the perfect gateway drug to competitive FPS games, it still holds countless hours of fun for grizzled old veterans of the genre. While there is still room for improvement, the game is very well balanced coming out of the starting blocks. While I wish there was easy access to the lore content in game, the graphic and audio design are absolutely flawless and the game is technically sound. If you plan on buying only a single game in 2016, make it Overwatch.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Further Adventures in Finance and Felony Out for GTA Online June 7

Jamie Laike Tsui

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May 31, 2016

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Further Adventures in Finance and Felony Out for GTA Online June 7

White collar crime, meet violent crime. Rockstar is releasing what could possibly be GTA Online’s most interesting update. “Further Adventures in Finance and Felony” will launch on June 7.

The update builds on the “Executives and Other Criminals” pack that added the VIP status to the game. “Further Adventures in Finance and Felony” will allow VIPs to start their own companies and commit crime on an industrial scale. The CEO will fill company portfolios with real estate purchases and dispatch operatives to complete missions. Companies will compete with each other to become the most profitable illegal enterprise in the city, all while keeping the police off their backs.

As with every GTA Online update, “Further Adventures in Finance and Felony” will be introducing some new missions, vehicles, and clothing accessories. The Pegassi Reaper sports car is the crown jewel of the update, with its sleek styling and blazing speeds.

Indie Gala Every Monday Bundle #113 Now Available

Jamie Laike Tsui

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May 30, 2016

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Indie Gala Every Monday Bundle #113 Now Available

Whether you are enjoying the Memorial Day long weekend or back to work, the Indie Gala Every Monday Bundle is bringing some great indie games together for a low price. This week’s bundle packs seven great titles for only $1.89 in the first 24 hours.

Envy the Dead – A zombie survival rogue-rogue that mixes node-based exploration and tower defense mechanics.

Heaven Island Life – An adventure inspired by the book Origins of Architectural Pleasure that uses HTC Vive VR headsets.

Abandoned Knight – A top down action game set in an abandoned building full of monsters.

Experience – A platformer/shooter featuring 20 levels across four locations.

Caravanserail – Load up your caravan and attempt to make the most profit in this arcade-sim inspired by Pirates.

Alien Blitz – A top down 3D shooter featuring 41 maps, 3 difficulty settings, and 14 upgradable weapons.

Archon Classic – This game is the original battle chess title that first arrived on the scene in 1983.

For the first 24 hours of the sale, the entire bundle is only $1.89, so grab your copy at Indie Gala today.