Home Blog Page 3078

Crytek Announces VR First Partnership with IEEE

Crytek Announces VR First Partnership with IEEE

The IEEE joins growing list of high-profile partners for Crytek’s academic virtual reality initiative

Frankfurt am Main (Germany) April 7, 2016 – Expanding the reach of its VR First academic initiative, Crytek today announced a new strategic partnership with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

The IEEE is the world’s largest professional association for the advancement of technology, and supports a network of over 2,300 universities worldwide by providing course accreditation and learning resources.

Yu Yuan, Chair of the IEEE Digital Senses Initiative, said: “The IEEE Digital Senses Initiative is pleased to be a partner in the VR First initiative. We believe that virtual reality, as well as augmented reality, will have a great impact on all aspects of industry.”

Tom Coughlin, Director of the IEEE Region 6 and Chair of the IEEE Consumer Electronics Society Future Directions Committee, said: “Providing laboratories at Universities and Colleges where students can learn and create using state-of-the-art VR tools will be important to prepare the next generation of innovators who will make these technologies a part of our daily lives.”

Welcoming the partnership, Ferhan Özkan, Crytek’s Senior Business Development Manager Partnerships & Alliances, said: “Collaborating with the IEEE dramatically broadens the potential reach of VR First, and emphasizes our commitment to ensuring the program makes a genuine impact on the landscape of VR research and development at the grassroots level.”

Crytek’s collaboration with the IEEE follows on from news that the VR First program – which provides state of the art VR research facilities on university campuses – is being rolled out to seven new academic institutions in North America with support from AMD, Leap Motion, OSVR, and Razer.

For more information on VR First, visit vrfirst.cryengine.com.

About the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
The IEEE is the world’s largest professional association advancing innovation and technological excellence for the benefit of humanity. IEEE and its members inspire a global community to innovate for a better tomorrow through its highly-cited publications, conferences, technology standards, and professional and educational activities. IEEE is the trusted “voice” for engineering, computing and technology information around the globe. There are more than 430,000 IEEE members in more than 160 countries.

About VR First
VR First is an academic initiative designed to provide state-of-the-art facilities to anyone interested in exploring the power and potential of virtual reality development. The program encourages educational institutions around the world to establish dedicated VR labs on their campuses by partnering with Crytek and leading VR hardware innovators. VR First participants have full access to Crytek’s CRYENGINE software alongside the latest technology required for VR development. The overarching goal of VR First is to nurture new talent in VR development and create a global community equipped to embrace this exciting field of technology.

About Crytek
Crytek is an independent videogame developer, publisher, and technology provider with headquarters in Frankfurt am Main (Germany) and six other studios around the world. Established in 1999, Crytek has created multiple award-winning titles, including the original Far Cry, the Crysis series, Ryse: Son of Rome, and Warface. All of Crytek’s games are developed using CRYENGINE, the company’s cutting-edge 3D game technology, which is also the first choice of other leading developers and licensees when creating games for PC, Xbox One, PlayStation®4, and Android. Crytek’s ongoing growth in the games-as-a-service market has extended the company’s reach as they continue to deliver top quality interactive experiences to players through self-publishing platforms online.

For more information visit www.crytek.com  and cryengine.com

Total War: WARHAMMER – See the Chaos Warriors in Battle for the First Time

Total War: WARHAMMER – See the Chaos Warriors in Battle for the First Time

Watch Emperor Karl Franz and the Forces of The Empire Join Battle with the Chaos Warriors, Led by the Archaeon the Everchosen

Creative Assembly unveils new gameplay for the Chaos Warriors in Total War: WARHAMMER with a massive new Let’s Play video of Chaos Warriors vs. The Empire.

This first-look at the Chaos Warriors showcases a range of Chaos units, from core infantry such as Chaos Marauders and Warriors, to higher-tier monstrosities such as the Chaos Giant and the brutal Helcannon – a foul instrument which transmutes souls into flesh-searing bolts of arcane energy and hurls them into the enemy ranks.

Accompanied with developer commentary, this land battle also showcases spells from the Lore of Light and Lore of Fire as the two armies clash on the frigid plains of Norsca.

To view the Chaos Warriors in battle for the first time in Total War: WARHAMMER, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MYlmb3gip8&feature=youtu.be

Please note that players will be able to replicate battles such as this in Total War: WARHAMMER’s Custom Battle menu, regardless of whether they own the Chaos Warriors Race Pack.

A fantasy strategy game of legendary proportions, Total War: WARHAMMER combines an addictive turn-based campaign of conquest and empire-building with explosive, colossal, real-time battles, all set in the vivid and incredible world of Warhammer Fantasy Battles. Total War: WARHAMMER will release on May 24th 2016 and is available now to pre-order http://store.steampowered.com/app/364360/.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel to find out more on Total War: WARHAMMER: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=thecreativeassembly

 

The latest Pokémon TCG: XY expansion collides into shops in May!

The latest Pokémon TCG: XY expansion collides into shops in May!

Shape the future of the Pokémon TCG with the new XY—Fates Collide expansion out 4th May.

In Pokémon TCG: XY—Fates Collide reality shifts and is remade in the Pokémon TCG: XY—Fates Collide expansion! Mega Alakazam-EX sees the future—and shapes it to unify two worlds! The Legendary Pokémon Zygarde arrives in many different Formes to bring order, together with Lugia BREAK, Mega Altaria-EX, and Umbreon-EX. Fates are sealed, and two Pokémon worlds join together!

The Pokémon TCG: XY—Fates Collide expansion includes:
• Over 120 cards
• 5 new Pokémon BREAK featuring a recently introduced game mechanic
• 13 new Pokémon-EX, including 3 Mega Evolution Pokémon

XY—Fates Collide theme decks and booster packs include an in-pack code card that unlocks virtual cards from the  XY—Fates Collide expansion for play in the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online at www.pokemon.co.uk/tcgo .

KOEI TECMO ANNOUNCES OFFICIAL EUROPEAN TITLE FOR EXPLOSIVE ACTION GAME BASED ON THE WORLDWIDE ANIME PHENOMENON: ‘ATTACK ON TITAN’

KOEI TECMO ANNOUNCES OFFICIAL EUROPEAN TITLE FOR EXPLOSIVE ACTION GAME BASED ON THE WORLDWIDE ANIME PHENOMENON: ‘ATTACK ON TITAN’

Release Date and Gaming Platforms revealed for A.O.T. Wings of Freedom! 

Hertfordshire, 07 April 2015- Koei Tecmo Europe is thrilled to reveal today a wealth of new information relating to the western release of Omega Force’s highly acclaimed action title, based on international hit anime series, ‘Attack on Titan’! 

Following a successful launch in its native Japan, the eagerly anticipated action game will be released across Europe under the title: ‘A.O.T. Wings of Freedom’ on the 26th August 2016. The title name is a nod to the fan-favourite blue and white wings of the Scout Regiment insignia, where many of the anime’s (and by extension the game’s) playable characters serve.

Koei Tecmo also confirmed that ‘A.O.T. Wings of Freedom’ will be available for players to enjoy on a wide selection of consoles, and is currently being developed for physical release on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, and Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and for digital only release on the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, PlayStation®Vita handheld system and on PC via Steam®.

‘A.O.T. Wings of Freedom’ closely follows the riveting story line of Attack on Titan’s first season and focuses on the exploits of various key characters, putting the player in a position to relive the anime’s most shocking, courageous, and exhilarating moments. It revolves around the story of three young people who survive the destruction of their walled city district by enormous, man-eating Titans and eventually go on to join the Scout Regiment in order to protect humanity from this overpowering foe.

While more information about the game’s plot, original content, and playable characters will be unveiled in the coming weeks, Koei Tecmo has released the first batch of localised assets, as well as an action trailer that can be accessed here.

To stay in touch with all the ‘A.O.T. Wings of Freedom’ news please visit the official site at www.koeitecmoeurope.com/aot, like www.facebook.com/koeigames, and follow us on twitter @koeitecmoeurope

ABOUT KOEI TECMO EUROPE LTD.

KOEI TECMO EUROPE LTD. is a publisher of interactive entertainment software for current generation consoles, handhelds and digital download content based in Letchworth, Hertfordshire, UK. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of KOEI TECMO HOLDINGS CO., LTD., headquartered in Yokohama, Japan. TECMO is best known for the Dead or Alive® and Ninja Gaiden®series. KOEI is best known for its Dynasty Warriors® and Samurai Warriors® franchises. On April 1, 2009, KOEI TECMO HOLDINGS CO., LTD was established as a result of the TECMO, LTD. and KOEI Co., Ltd. merger. More information about KOEI TECMO EUROPE LTD and its products can be found at www.koeitecmoeurope.com

©2015 KOEI TECMO GAMES CO., LTD. The KT logo is a registered trademark of KOEI TECMO HOLDINGS CO., LTD.

©Hajime Isayama,Kodansha/”ATTACK ON TITAN”Production Committee. All Rights Reserved.

 

Street Fighter V March Update and Alex Impressions

Street-Fighter-V-(110)

With the launch of the March update we have seen a bit more of what Street Fighter V has to offer. The minimal modes on offer have been expanded a bit with the Challenge Mode offering a better training system as each character has a set of specific moves to try out making it a great way to learn and earn some Fight Money. Speaking of Fight Money, although the purchasing of content through Zenny is still unavailable the shop has launched and for now players can use Fight Money to unlock story outfits, character colors, titles, and a bit more.

Unfortunately I must say that although the update has provided a few more options for online mode and a bit of single player content, Capcom has yet to fully implement any significant punishment for those who “rage quit” out of a fight that they are losing and this results in numerous bouts that are dropped simply because you may have had a good start since currently these types of players are almost encouraged to do this in order to keep their winning streaks alive.

Street-Fighter-V-(111)

Shortly after the March update Capcom also provided us with the first of, so far, six scheduled fighters in the form of Alex who is temporarily free to use. The various outfits that Alex comes with at launch are the standard one featuring red suspenders that we have seen in the promo material for the character as well as a story outfit featuring him wearing a t-shirt with Extraordinary written on it while wearing athletic shorts and a baseball cap on his head. As far as his story costume goes, players will find that he is dressed far more casually as he wears what appear to be sweat pants and a standard t-shirt into combat.

After taking the fighter into the slightly enhanced online modes, that now offer a rematch option in case you want to try your luck again against your last opponent (though good luck getting them to accept a rematch as nearly every time it never panned out), and a Battle Lounge that actually allows for spectating and larger lobbies, I’ve found that Alex is a nicely balanced addition to the roster who comes with his own mini-story and a fleshed out moveset that is a mix of street brawling and wrestling as he makes use of a number of special moves that come in the form of elbows and chops as well as power bomb style grabs.

Street-Fighter-V-(108)

As far as speed is concerned he is somewhere in the middle as he isn’t the fastest fighter but can hold his own with a number of strong combos that can be chained together with his aforementioned special moves. His V-Trigger skills overhaul allows for his next attack to deal a heavy amount of damage, though it appears that his warm up animation must finish before this bonus actually applies while his other skill Rage Skill allows him to unleash a powerful chargeable clothesline attack that is capable of breaking an opponent’s guard.

Of course finally we have his critical art that takes the form of a vicious chop that is transitioned into a crucifix drop impaling an opponent’s head into the ground. This makes him fairly impressive offer for fans of a certain Russian grappler’s move sets but want someone a bit more mobile and those who prefer that style of character will find Alex a suitable use of their Fight Money once they actually have to pay to play as him.

DARK SOULS III – WIN $10,000 CASH IN THE DARK SOULS III SPEED RUN COMPETITION

DARK SOULS III – WIN $10,000 CASH IN THE DARK SOULS III SPEED RUN COMPETITION

Bandai Namco Entertainment are proud to announce a competition for the upcoming Dark Souls III on PS4, Xbox One and PC – The Dark Souls III Speed Run Competition!

Australian and New Zealand consumers will be able to enter this competition where they will strive to finish the game in the fastest possible time – termed the ‘Speed Run’, made famous in games like Dark Souls, Dark Souls II and Bloodborne. The quickest time will win an amazing $10,000 Cash!

To enter, consumers need to purchase Dark Souls III on their format of preference and complete their ‘Speed Run’ and then post their time on the Bandai Namco Facebook page at www.facebook.com/bandainamcoau under the competition posting. Entrants must also upload or stream the entire run to their Twitch account with the hash tag #DS310KSpeedRun. The competition runs for 4 weeks ending Tuesday 10th of May, allowing gamers plenty of time to hone their ‘Souls Skills’ and deliver their best time and performance in their ‘Speed Run’. The Bandai Namco Au facebook page will be updated regularly with a table of the top competitors, allowing entrants and fans alike to compare their styles of play, methods and tricks with others, leading to more enjoyment of what is easily the best game of 2016 so far! Full terms and conditions will be available on the facebook page before the competition starts on April 12.

So, if you fancy yourself as a bit of a player, get along to the Facebook page now and check out the post and start preparing for the ‘Speed Run’ of a lifetime! You could win that $10,000 cash! Just think of how many copies of Dark Souls III you could buy with that?

You can view the Twitch stream of the Dark Souls III Launch event containing the ‘Speed Run’ announcement here:  https://www.twitch.tv/6t4bites_aus/v/58920411

If you need any hints and tips on how to play Dark Souls III better and to level up yourself, please view the ‘Comprehensive Guide’ here:  https://youtu.be/FqiNDwr0bM4

If you still don’t have a review copy of this game and don’t know what I’m talking about, please respond to this email.

Dark Souls III is available on PS4, Xbox One and PC on the 12th of April 2016.

The Walking Dead: Michonne – Give No Shelter Review

the-walking-dead-michonne-Give-No-Shelter-screenshot-001
The Walking Dead: Michonne – Give No Shelter
Developer: Telltale Games
Publisher: Telltale Games
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One (Reviewed)
Release Date: March 29, 2016
Price: $4.99 – Available Here

Overview
Telltale Games had quite the task ahead of them when they announced that they were making a mini-series following one of the most popular characters from The Walking Dead and after the first episode was released last month, things weren’t looking the best. After a very short experience fans were left waiting for more and now that the second episode, The Walking Dead: Michonne – Give No Shelter, has been released where does the story go now?

Story
As usual with a review for an episodic title, those who have yet to play the first episode in the series should do so before continuing on as there may be events spoiled in the following review. Similar to the first episode, those who aren’t caught up with the comics don’t need to worry about any spoilers regarding that aspect as this continues to remain a self-contained storyline.

the-walking-dead-michonne-episode-2-screenshot- (2)

Now that that is out of the way, The Walking Dead: Michonne – Give No Shelter starts up immediately where things left off, with Michonne, her recent traveling companion Pete, and Sam still under the guard of the makeshift rule of Norma and Randall. This doesn’t last long however as the group quickly makes a fiery escape leaving plenty of extremely angry people prepared to pursue them.

This results in the trio having to head for Sam’s home that just so happens to be within walking distance and, considering the fact that the biggest aspect about Michonne’s character so far has been the fact that she is haunted by the memories of her two daughters, of course includes a couple of adults and two young children. These characters are given just enough time to introduce themselves and provide a little bit of backstory before everything goes south once more and the episode comes to a conclusion.

the-walking-dead-michonne-episode-2-screenshot- (3)

Similar to the first episode in the series, The Walking Dead: Michonne – Give No Shelter is an incredibly short experience even by Telltale standards as it clocks in at roughly fifty minutes in length at best and, considering there is only one real decision that appears to make a difference and that different won’t play any role until the next episode, players will find little reason at all to go through the episode a second time.

Thanks to this short length players cannot expect much in the way of development for any of the characters they come across, though Sam does get some much needed development and Pete continues to show just how capable he is in his own way and show off his beliefs, which are often a direct counterpoint to what Michonne is used to doing. As far as Michonne herself is concerned, players will continue to learn a bit about her past as one major flashback sequence places players in an area where they are trying to search for clues about what happened to her little girls.

the-walking-dead-michonne-episode-2-screenshot- (1)

I do have to give the writing team a decent amount of credit for this episode however as the pace never really feels like it slows down at all as there are plenty of tense moments scattered throughout the episode and since Michonne and the group are always reacting this episode and rarely acting on their own, the episode never feels dull and although you can see it coming a mile away thanks to the way it is set up, there is still a certain surprise event that will leave players shocked.

Gameplay
Similar to the previous episode, The Walking Dead: Michonne – Give No Shelter provides your standard gameplay mechanics in the form of making different dialogue choices, exploring a little bit, and taking part in quick time event based combat sequences. There are very few areas to actually examine this time around, with the only real moment taking part via the aforementioned flashback but in its place comes a ton of combat sequences and running scenes.

the-walking-dead-michonne-episode-2-screenshot- (4)

This means that there are plenty of suspenseful moments including a scene where Michonne puts together a signature pair of tools to escape and the same style of heavy action that was presented in the first episode. This means that Michonne continues to exemplify just how capable she is with her weapon regardless of whether or not her opponent is alive or undead.

Visuals & Audio
The comic art style continues to work to the benefit of the series throughout this episode and I must give the animation team a good amount of credit in portraying the various emotions that Michonne is feeling through her facial animations since she is often a character of few words. Once more the various elements of violence and gore on display here are a step above the previous series since Michonne is far more violent than any past characters in The Walking Dead series though the actual Walker kills this time around are fairly standard for the series.

the-walking-dead-michonne-episode-2-screenshot- (5)

Once more a very nicely chosen voiced song is implemented into The Walking Dead: Michonne – Give No Shelter and Samira Wily continues to impress in her presentation as Michonne. It is worth noting that throughout my time in the episode however the game suffered from numerous moments of slowdown to the point that the game actually had to be restarted due to freezing during an incredibly basic scene during the flashback.

Overall
The Walking Dead: Michonne – Give No Shelter feels as if it would have worked as a middle episode in a much larger series however with the mini-series coming to a conclusion next episode, players are left with very little reason to care about any of the characters they have come across outside of Michonne and Pete. There is a clear conflict on the horizon that Michonne and the surviving members of the group she is with cannot avoid, but whether or not it will all be worth it in the end is certainly still left to be seen.

6-5-capsules-out-of-10
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

FORGE SOME LEGENDARY MEMORIES AT BLIZZCON® 2016

FORGE SOME LEGENDARY MEMORIES AT BLIZZCON® 2016

Celebrate 25 years of games and friendship at Blizzard Entertainment’s 10th BlizzCon, taking place November 4–5 (November 5–6 AEDT) at the Anaheim Convention Center

Tickets on sale April 21 and April 24 AEST

Sydney, Australia—April 7, 2016—Gather your party, plot a course for Southern California, and get ready for an epic adventure—Blizzard Entertainment today announced that its 10th BlizzCon® convention will be returning to the Anaheim Convention Center on Friday, November 4 and Saturday, November 5 PDT (Saturday, November 5 and Sunday, November 6 AEST)! Tickets to Blizzard’s two-day gaming convention and community celebration go on sale in two batches on April 21 and April 24 AEST.

“With more live games and upcoming content than ever before, 2016 is shaping up to be an exciting year for Blizzard gamers,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “We can’t wait to celebrate our 25-year anniversary with everyone during an epic weekend of gaming, esports, and great company at our 10th BlizzCon.”

BlizzCon is the epic celebration of Blizzard Entertainment’s game universes and the global player communities that bring them to life. This year, attendees will have the chance to experience:

  • Hands-on play time with the latest versions of Blizzard Entertainment games
  • Global Finals for Blizzard esports, including the 2016 StarCraft® II World Championship Series, 2016 Hearthstone® World Championship, Heroes of the Storm® Fall Championship, 2016 World of Warcraft® Arena World Championship, and more
  • In-depth discussion panels with Blizzard game developers and artists
  • Community contests with great prizes
  • Commemorative merchandise based on Blizzard’s game universes
  • More activities and attractions to be announced

Tickets to attend BlizzCon 2016 will be priced at $199 USD (plus applicable taxes and fees) each, and will be available for purchase from the online event ticketing service Universe via their website in two separate batches. The first batch goes on sale at 12 p.m. Australian Eastern Standard Time on Thursday, April 21, and the second batch goes on sale at 3 a.m. Australian Eastern Standard Time on Sunday, April 24.

An exclusive pre-BlizzCon dinner to benefit Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) will also be held the evening of Thursday, November 3, where attendees can raise a glass and geek out with Blizzard developers, artists, and community representatives while supporting a great cause. A limited number of tickets will go on sale Thursday, April 28 at 12 p.m. AEST, priced at $750 USD each, and Blizzard Entertainment will donate the proceeds to CHOC.

Gamers from the far reaches of Azeroth, the Nexus, and everywhere in between can once again enjoy BlizzCon from the comfort of their own home by purchasing a BlizzCon Virtual Ticket, offering comprehensive live coverage of the event via an online stream. Further details on the Virtual Ticket, including pricing, availability, and programming information, will be announced at a later date.

For more information on BlizzCon 2016, visit the official website (www.blizzcon.com). Additional details will be posted as the event draws near. Those interested in attending the show in person can make advance hotel reservations now and receive special BlizzCon rates by booking through the BlizzCon hotel website.

Blizzard Entertainment is currently hiring for numerous open positions. More information on available career opportunities can be found at www.blizzard.com/jobs.

About Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.

Best known for blockbuster hits including World of Warcraft® and the Warcraft®, StarCraft®, and Diablo® franchises, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI), is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment software renowned for creating some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed games. Blizzard Entertainment’s track record includes nineteen #1 games* and multiple Game of the Year awards. The company’s online-gaming service, Battle.net®, is one of the largest in the world, with millions of active players.

*Sales and/or downloads, based on internal company records and reports from key distribution partners.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Blizzard Entertainment’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future, including statements about the dates and event plans for BlizzCon 2016, are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause Blizzard Entertainment’s actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include unanticipated product delays and other factors identified in the risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Blizzard Entertainment and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Blizzard Entertainment nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Blizzard Entertainment or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.

 

Umbrella Corps Customization Trailer Released, Delayed to June

Umbrella-Corps-screenshot- (5)

Today Capcom released a new trailer for the Resident Evil inspired multipalyer shooter Umbrella Corps and at the end of the video it is revealed that the game is no longer going to be hitting its planned May release date and is now being pushed back to June 21st.

The actual focus of the trailer is on the customization aspect of the game and how players can design their outfit to stand out from the rest of the soldiers playing the game since they can change their colors, emblems, patches, and entire outfit types. You can check out the video below and keep an eye out for the game when it is released digitally for the PlayStation 4 and PC.

Minecraft: Story Mode – Order Up! Review

minecraft-story-mode-episode-5-screenshot- (1)
Minecraft: Story Mode – Order Up!
Developer: Telltale Games
Publisher: Telltale Games
Platforms: PC, iOS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One (Reviewed)
Release Date: March 29, 2016
Price: $4.99 – Available Here

Overview
After delivering episodes at, for Telltale Games, was breakneck speed the company has taken their time to craft what many thought would be the fifth and final episode for Minecraft: Story Mode. Then things changed shortly before episode five, Order Up!, was released when it was revealed that the story would be expanded with an extra three episodes in the future. Considering the core storyline of Minecraft: Story Mode appeared entirely wrapped up at the conclusion of the last episode, how has Telltale Games continued the story?

Story
Before continuing to read this review I highly recommend that you either read past reviews in order to get caught up or played the game up until this point as the following content will discuss certain events that have taken place up until this point, meaning that some major events that take place might be spoiled for newcomers.

minecraft-story-mode-episode-5-screenshot- (6)

That being said, Minecraft: Story Mode’s fifth episode, Order Up!, begins sometime after the events of the fourth episode since not only has enough time passed for the citizens of the world to rebuild a fairly impressive city but Jesse and his gang, featuring Petra, Axel, and Olivia, have already established themselves as extremely capable adventurers in the time we haven’t seen them. After saving the world from the Witherstorm the group has ran with their previous success and are now easily able to eliminate numerous foes with little trouble while also searching for special treasures.

Considering the success of the New Order of the Stone, there is at least one group that isn’t happy. The Ocelot gang, now called the Blaze Rods since Aiden has forced the previous leader Lukas out of the group, serve as rival adventurers with a bone to pick with Jesse. After discovering a mysteriously enchanted item and escaping a trap filled ruin, Jesse’s group runs into the Blaze Rods and it is here we learn that Aiden has grown extremely aggressive to the point of threatening the group with violence before running off.

minecraft-story-mode-episode-5-screenshot- (4)

Shortly after this, Jesse learns from Ivor that the item he has found is linked to a secret organization that predates the previous members of The Order of the Stone and that in order to track down what made this organization so powerful, we find Jesse, Petra, Ivor, and the revitalized Lukas going on a journey that takes them to a mystical seeming Sky City that is filled with a few mysteries and plenty of conflict as the Blaze Rods aren’t about to step down.

Order Up! serves as a nice introduction to what the group is capable of now that they have put the Witherstorm behind them and have confidence in their abilities. That being said, those expecting the same type of humor that has been found in past episodes will find Order Up! a bit lacking as both Olivia and Axel are quickly pushed to the side and left behind after the initial scene. Instead the theme this time is more about action, mystery, and even death as the second half of the episode is filled with characters coming under attack from enemies in such a manner that, although no actual fatalities are shown many people are shown being blown away by foes.

minecraft-story-mode-episode-5-screenshot- (2)

This focus on action over comedy isn’t a big loss however, especially since the characters remember that they can literally build anything they need, even if it means building a floating dirt bridge or a giant dirt pillar under themselves like classic Minecraft players, but what is a loss it that the potential that is Sky City and the “Founder” feels a bit squandered here. The roughly two hours (with at least one scene playing out completely differently depending on your choice) that it takes to make it through Order Up! is a rather fast paced story but one that is lacking in any significant depth.

Instead of providing background information or detail certain things players arrive in the area, come into conflict, learn the secret of the area, fight once more, and then resolve everything before bringing things to a close. This does create a fairly enjoyable experience but it feels like more could have been done with the premise, especially when one considers the concept of Sky City and the way it handles a certain aspect that longtime Minecraft fans are familiar with, though the way things are handled feels as rushed as possible. It also doesn’t help that the Blaze Rods group is suddenly such a difficult force to contend with when they were previously seen as being completely inept.

Gameplay
Similar to past games in Minecraft: Story Mode this fifth episode combines a mix of making dialogue choices, quick time based combat, some very light puzzle solving, exploration, and crafting. The majority of a player’s time will be spent talking between characters or fighting in some rather well designed combat sequences while the couple of puzzles that are mixed in are incredibly easy but still a nice touch to what could have been a simple combat oriented affair.

minecraft-story-mode-episode-5-screenshot- (3)

As far as exploration is concerned there are plenty of little things to see here and there, especially when you talk to the residents of Sky City and see how the occupants live their life, though there are only a few real areas to explore and these areas are much more limited than past sections.

Visuals & Audio
Minecraft: Story Mode : Order Up! features completely brand new areas from what players have seen in the past and the armor decision that they made in the past will carry over into this game. The aforementioned areas are incredibly well designed looking as Sky City is a marvel to look at and I really wish it could have been explored more since the other areas players visit range from the fairly interesting ruin that kicks things off to the impressively designed base of the New Order of the Stone and then a basic world.

minecraft-story-mode-episode-5-screenshot- (5)

As far as the soundtrack is concerned, it doesn’t appear that any new tunes play throughout this episode and while the voice actors all return to reprise their roles in this episode, none of the new characters are voiced in any memorable way. It also is worth noting that the subtitle option provides far more dialogue than what is actually said in the game, going so far as to reveal the true name of the “Founder” five minutes before she actually states her name.

Overall
Minecraft: Story Mode: Order Up! had the difficult task of continuing what felt like a wrapped up package and thankfully it does it in a rather superb fashion by showing just how much these characters have grown from standard civilians to gifted fighters. Taking the story at face value we find our hero and his allies venturing into a new strange area in search of treasure and taking on a revitalized foe with plenty of new concepts.

This creates a satisfying enough journey for Jesse and the group with a tone that is a refreshing change from past episodes, but does feel like many aspects were only barely touched upon and could have been expanded far more if the series decided to spend an extra episode focusing on the events of Sky City instead of ensuring that the Jesse’s group will on a brand new journey next episode.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.