Sentai Filmworks once again has a variety of anime titles coming out this month, including new titles, re-releases and another premium edition collection. The following list details all of those releases.
April 5, 2016:
Parasyte -the maxim- Collection 1 – DVD, Blu-ray and Premium Edition DVD and Blu-ray Combo Pack. Episodes 1-12 are featured with dual language options. The textless opening and ending animations are included as on-disc extras. The Premium Edition set comes with a microfiber cloth, a tattoo set, a green-eyed Migi Be@rbrick collectible figure from Medicom Toys and a chipboard box.
Rail Wars Complete Collection – Blu-ray only. Episodes 1-12 are featured with Japanese audio and English subtitles. The textless opening and ending animations are included as extras.
Sakura Wars Complete TV Series Sentai Selects Edition – DVD only. Episodes 1-25 are featured with dual language options. The textless opening and ending animations are included as extras.
April 12, 2016:
Gugure! Kokkuri-san Complete Collection – DVD and Blu-ray. Episodes 1-12 are featured with Japanese audio and English subtitles. 11 short episodes and the textless opening and ending animations are included as extras.
Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere Complete Collection – DVD and Blu-ray. Episodes 1-26 are featured with dual language options. On-disc extras include: Far East Enlightening Lectures, promotional videos, commercials, teasers, Blu-ray commercials and the textless opening and ending animations.
Tonari no Seki-kun Complete Collection – DVD and Blu-ray. Episodes 1-21 are featured with dual language options. The textless opening and ending animations are included as extras.
April 19, 2016:
Yamishibai Complete Collection – DVD and Blu-ray. All 26 episodes from both seasons are featured with Japanese audio and English subtitles. The textless opening and ending animations are included as extras.
April 26, 2016:
Space Brothers Collection 8 – DVD and Blu-ray. Episodes 88-99 are featured with Japanese audio and English subtitles. The textless opening and ending animations are included as extras.
FUNimation Entertainment is releasing quite a few different anime titles in North America this month. The following list details each of those releases.
April 5, 2016:
Ghost in the Shell: Arise – The New Movie – Bare Bones DVD Edition and DVD and Blu-ray Combo Pack. Extras included in the combo pack include: “Inside the World of Ghost in the Shell Part 2”, Special: “Arise Explained in 25 Minutes” (Extended Director’s Cut), Special: “25 Years Reviewed in 25 Minutes” (Extended Director’s Cut), a promotional video, a theatrical trailer, a teaser and the U.S. trailer.
April 12, 2016:
Maken-ki! Season Two – DVD and Blu-ray Combo Pack. This set contains episodes 1-10. Episode commentaries, the OVA episodes, commercials, a promotional video, the textless animation for the opening song “Cherish”, the textless animation for the ending song “Reach for Light” and the U.S. trailer are included as extras.
April 19, 2016:
Black Butler Season Three – Standard and Limited Edition DVD and Blu-ray Combo Packs. The sets contain episodes 1-10. Episode IV commentary, Episode x Video commentary and the U.S. trailer are included as on-disc extras. The limited edition set features premium art digipack disc packaging and comes in a rigid collector’s box.
April 26, 2016:
GARO THE ANIMATION Season One, Part One – DVD and Blu-ray Combo Pack. The set contains episodes 1-12. Episode commentaries, the special episode “Daybreak” and the preview for that episode, the textless animation for the opening song “-Divine Flame-”, the textless animation for the ending song “Chiastolite” and the U.S. trailer are included as extras.
Kamisama Kiss Season Two – DVD and Blu-ray Combo Pack. The set contains episodes 1-12. Episode commentaries, the textless opening and ending animations and the U.S. trailer are included as extras.
One Piece Season Seven, Voyage Six – DVD. The set contains episodes 446-456. On-disc extras include: episode commentaries, “Usopp: The Sniper King” and the textless animation for the opening song “Kaze wo Sagashite”.
Rage of Bahamut: Genesis Season One – Standard and Limited Edition DVD and Blu-ray Combo Packs. The sets contain episodes 1-12. Both editions will feature episode commentaries, the textless opening and ending animations, the preview for episode 1 and the U.S. trailer as on-disc extras. The limited edition set will come with a 320-page art book inside a chipboard box.
Overview Remedy Entertainment has long been known for creating memorable and somewhat risky series. They hit the market with their first memorable series, Max Payne, back in 2001 and once again with Alan Wake in 2010. Now six years later the company behind such popular titles is back with another interesting project in the form of Quantum Break. The question is, has Remedy Entertainment managed to strike gold once more with this uniquely structured title?
Story Quantum Break begins as Jack Joyce travels to Riverport University to meet up with his old friend Paul Serene. After making his way through the remnants of a protest being held to prevent a dominant company known as Monarch from demolishing the campus’ library, Jack meets with Paul and learns that not only does he need his help with a brand new invention, but also that that invention has to deal with time travel.
As things tend to play out when it comes to time machines, things almost immediately begin to go wrong as Paul and Jack are interrupted by a face from the past followed by an immediate catastrophic failure, one that manages to give Jack Joyce the power to control certain elements of time. Shortly after learning about his abilities, he comes under attack by Monarch who seem to already know everything that is about to happen and have been ordered to capture Jack and his companion.
What follows is an incredibly interesting story told through two mediums that have been combined in a fairly successful fashion. Players will be spending most of their time playing as Jack while traveling through areas, facing down Monarch forces, and attempting to find a solution to the forewarned “End of Time,” but the amount of depth that players can find and enjoy here is something that is rarely pulled off in video games, especially third person shooters such as Quantum Break.
The reason I say this is because, while many people may not bother gathering collectibles, the amount of background information and extra story details that are contained in various e-mails, audio recordings, and even radio broadcasts that are scattered throughout the various stages in the game help provide a fleshed out world. Quantum Break brings back the pacing of Alan Wake in the way that the pace will pick up during shoot outs and then slow things down to expand upon the story by having the player walk through areas and gather info about the world, talk to characters, and help flesh things out and this creates the type of pacing that blends extremely well with the live action episodes.
You see, in-between the major arcs that make up Quantum Break ’s level structure a roughly half hour live action episode will play out. What makes these episodes interesting, besides the fact that they go in-depth regarding side characters in such a manner that players will actually become invested with their storyline outside of the main character, is the fact that the choices players make in the game and certain collectibles they find will play a role in changing certain parts of an episode and even how certain story segments in the core game play out.
Usually the concept of “your choices matter” is simply a tagline where players often won’t find too much of a reason to replay a game but Quantum Break really manages to pull it off here. Occasionally players will find that they are given control of a certain character that, thanks to his place on the timeline, is capable of seeing how large decisions will play out. Depending on the choices you make during these decisions not only will the live action sequences be changed in various ways to match your pivotal choice but the various characters and even the story provided in certain collectibles will change in regards to Jack Joyce’s journey. This creates a story that players will actually wish to play through more than once in order to see just how things would have played out if they chose the other decision instead.
Outside of the core decision making, the actual storyline for Quantum Break is very enjoyable as players will be experiencing an extremely detailed world filled with fleshed out characters and a plot that follows a number of characters as the narrative about time travel, conspiracy, and conflict continues at a steady pace with plenty of twists thrown in to keep players guessing as to what will happen next. There are a few missteps here with a few of the live action storylines feeling like they could have been handled better and a few mildly disappointing moments in the core story, but those looking for a unique game that manages to successfully blend together a game’s storyline with something akin to a television series, will be pleasantly surprised, albeit a bit let down by the way the title handles its inconclusive ending.
Gameplay The storyline for Quantum Break thankfully turned out to be quite exceptional and it is thanks to the time travel abilities that Jack Joyce obtains that the actual gameplay mechanics end up being enjoyable in their own right. As mentioned earlier, this game likes to slow things down and throw a few environmental puzzles at players, usually making them rewind time on certain objects to reach a new area or simply jumping through an area, but the bulk of the gameplay will be spent using Jack’s abilities to take down whatever forces stand in his way.
Jack comes with your standard set of weaponry as he can carry one type of pistol, a unique weapon such as a shotgun, sniper rifle, heavy machine gun etc., and an automatic rifle/SMG at one time and will fluidly duck behind cover or slip against a wall automatically when the player moves him into position. The actual gunplay is as standard as it gets here and does take a few hints from earlier Max Payne titles with players being able to unload extra rounds into a final opponent in slow motion.
What makes this combat enjoyable is the fact that Jack is given a variety of powers that make combat much more enjoyable. All of Jack’s abilities have their own individual cooldown timers and with a simple tap or hold of a button Jack can produce a “Time Shield” dome to deflect bullets and, if upgraded, recover health, stop time in a small space in the world and stack bullets into an area only to unleash a hellstorm when it returns to normal, “Time Dodge” to quickly teleport/zip around the area and temporarily slow time to take down an opponent from behind and more.
Rather than simply hide and be a standard duck and cover shooter, players are encouraged to stay on the move (especially since some cover can be destroyed) and take advantage of Jack’s abilities to take down foes. Creating a dome shield, zipping behind an enemy in one motion and popping him in the head only to then slow down time and run to the next enemy and nail them with a takedown move creates a number of tactical opportunities that make what may have been standard combat feel highly enjoyable whenever a fight breaks out.
Of course, that doesn’t make the game a walk in the park either as certain enemies are prepared for what Jack is capable of and countermeasures to reduce the abilities of those capable of controlling time are something that players will run into over the course of the game, leaving Jack to either make it out of the fight simply using his guns or destroying the countermeasures to regain access to his abilities.
As mentioned, players will be able to provide some minor upgrades to their powers by gathering, amongst the many other collectible times, Chronon Sources that are scattered throughout the level. Unlike the other collectibles that expand on the world and provide background insight to certain decisions, these serve only as a way to upgrade your abilities, though these upgrades are unfortunately fairly limited.
Visuals & Audio One thing that Remedy Entertainment managed to pull off quite successfully here are the character models. While some developers usually create a character from scratch, this team had to make sure that the models for the game appeared as close as possible to their live action counterparts and they have pulled that off quite well. The models in the game are very nicely detailed and even the basic enemies that you encounter are varied enough in their outfits to keep from being boring.
The environments run the gambit of being sterile looking labs to rundown factory buildings and although players shouldn’t expect too much vibrant color here, the details on the world are nicely handled, especially in regards to the way that the time stutters appear. It is worth noting that I never noticed any slow down with the game while playing, but there were a number of moments where certain details on a character’s jacket or part of the environment would end up popping in late.
As for the live action sequences, as mentioned the casting here is handled extremely well with Microsoft and Remedy putting quite a lot of effort into making sure these episodes appeared like an actual television series. The action sequences and the actors are all presented in a perfect fashion and you’ll want to keep an ear and an eye out for various things that will be different if you ended up finding certain collectibles during the gameplay segments.
Quantum Break features a stellar cast of well-known actors that have quite a bit of experience under their belts since the majority of the characters you’ll be interacting with and seeing are then represented in the live action segments. This means that the voice work for the majority of the game is extremely well done, though a couple of lesser side characters that have minimal roles or only appear through collectibles bring the quality down a bit. As far as the soundtrack is concerned, there is a decent set of music accompanying Quantum Break but don’t expect too many memorable tunes this time around.
Overall Quantum Break may have seemed like a risky endeavor back when it was first announced but it seems that, like many of their past titles, that that risk has paid off. Though the game’s core combat may be basic, Joyce’s time manipulating abilities help make it enjoyable and the fact that the game isn’t afraid to slow things down and flesh out the world while also throwing a bit of different gameplay at the player from time to time keeps things feeling fresh. The idea of blending in-game and television storytelling together may have seemed like a strange one, and it is one that does require a bit of collecting to really get the best out of, but it is one that works quite well in this regard and helps make Quantum Break a memorable and very enjoyable title. Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Assemble The Ultimate Team of Marvel Super Heroes inMarvel: Avengers Alliance 2
Disney Interactive Games and Marvel Entertainment Launch the Mobile Sequel to theSmash Hit Social Game for the App Store and Google Play
April 1, 2016 – Disney Interactive Games and Marvel Entertainment today announced that the new turn-based team role-playing game Marvel: Avengers Alliance 2 is now available on the App Store®, Google Play™, Amazon App Store and coming soon to the Windows Phone Store. Marvel: Avengers Alliance 2 is the mobile sequel to the smash hit social game Marvel: Avengers Alliance, offering fans stunning visuals and a deep roster of Marvel Heroes to build the ultimate team.
“Marvel: Avengers Alliance is Marvel’s most successful social game ever, captivating an audience of millions of passionate fans over the past four years with the stories of Marvel’s Super Heroes and Super Villains,” said Chris Heatherly, SVP & GM, Disney Interactive Games. “Marvel: Avengers Alliance 2 stays true to the roots of this successful game but with all new visuals and gameplay built for mobile players.”
In Marvel: Avengers Alliance 2, players will assemble a team of Super Heroes featuring the Avengers, Daredevil, Guardians of the Galaxy, Spider-Man, Captain Marvel, Wasp, and others to battle Ultron, Baron Strucker, M.O.D.O.K., and additional epic Super Villains. Commanders will team up with friends and other players from around the globe to prevail against deadly foes in story-based missions, Spec Ops, and more.
In this original storyline for Marvel: Avengers Alliance 2, pieces of the planet are disappearing, with entire cities vanishing without a trace. It is a mystery with a single clue: all of the disappearances are at previous sites of Incursions. Villains are taking advantage of the chaos, as well as the massive deposits of Iso-8 left behind by each disappearance. Each player must level up heroes, customize each hero with special abilities, and assemble the ultimate team to take into battle.
“The original Marvel: Avengers Alliance attracted a worldwide fan base due to its great storytelling and unique gameplay,” said Peter Phillips, EVP/GM, Interactive and Digital Distribution, Marvel Entertainment. “Marvel: Avengers Alliance 2 expands on the original with exciting new missions and one of the most robust character line-ups in any Marvel game.”
Since its launch in 2012, the original Marvel: Avengers Alliance has become the most successful Disney Interactive-published social game with nearly 70 million players, and over 100 Super Heroes and Super Villains for players to collect and nearly 1600 different combat situations to battle through, including PVP Tournaments and Incursions.
Marvel: Avengers Alliance 2 features include:
Create a Team: Players assemble the ultimate team to strategise and defeat evil forces in epic 3-on-3 comba
Customise Heroes: Fans collect, level-up, and equip Super Heroes with unique abilities.
Story-Based Missions: Players take on dozens of replayable story-based, Spec Op, and Daily Op missions for rew
Active Competitions: Contestants earn additional powerful rewards in PVP tournament
For more information, please visit https://www.MarvelAvengersAlliance2.com. Fans can follow Marvel: Avengers Alliance 2 on Twitter @MarvelAA and Facebook facebook.com/marvelavengersalliance.
About Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media
Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media (DCPI) is the business segment of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) that brings our Company’s stories and characters to life through innovative and engaging physical products and digital experiences across more than 100 categories, from toys and t-shirts, to apps, books and console games. DCPI comprises two main lines of business: Disney Consumer Products (DCP), and Disney Interactive (DI). The combined segment is home to world class teams of app and game developers, licensing and retail experts, a leading retail business (Disney Store), artists and storytellers, and technologists who inspire imaginations around the world.
CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS III ECLIPSE COMING FIRST TO PLAYSTATION 4 ON APRIL 20
Call of Duty: Black Ops III’s Eclipse Features Four New Diverse Multiplayer Maps, Including the Re-imagining of the Call of Duty: World at War Classic, Banzai
All-New Terrifying Zombies Experience Sends Players to the Shores of the Pacific In Next Chapter of Epic Zombies Saga
SYDNEY, Australia. – April 1, 2016 – Call of Duty®: Black Ops III Eclipse, the second DLC pack for the No. 1 top-selling console video game of 2015, Call of Duty: Black Ops III, is set to release on April 20, first for the PlayStation 4 with other next-gen platforms to follow*. In addition to a thrilling array of four new multiplayer maps, Eclipse features an all-new Zombies experience that immerses players in an undead World War II Pacific theatre.
“The incredible amount of engagement and response to Black Ops III from our fans continues to inspire all of us at the studio,” said Mark Lamia, Studio Head, Treyarch. “Eclipse continues to demonstrate our commitment to delivering the most exciting gameplay experiences possible with each DLC pack. We are pushing ourselves at every turn to craft new and unique ways to play.”
Eclipse comes packed with four new multiplayer maps: Spire, Rift, Knockout; and Verge, a re-imagining of the Call of Duty®: World at War classic, Banzai.
Spire: Spire takes Multiplayer combat to a futuristic sub-orbital airport terminal set high in the clouds. Multiple levels and open areas promote intense, mid-range combat around a clean, high-tech civilian environment. Watch your step, because one wrong move could send you plummeting back through the stratosphere.
Rift: Head to the core of a harsh futuristic military complex, set high above an active caldera. Rift funnels and forces tight, intense engagements, where the only way through is forward. Utilise the unique core movement opportunities to outsmart and outplay enemies as you traverse the suspended rail system.
Knockout: Housed in a traditional Shaolin Temple with a retro twist, Knockout sets the stage for a bloody Kung Fu tournament. This mid-sized map showcases a sharp contrast between the mid-range engagements of the traditional exterior architecture and the tight close-quarters of an eclectic 1970’s styled interior.
Verge: In this re-imagination of the classic Call of Duty: World at War map, Banzai, Verge drops Multiplayer combat into the centre of a distant post-apocalyptic future, where two warring factions are entrenched in constant battle. Take control of the key bridge, fortresses, tunnel systems and waterfalls as you engage in high-speed action through this medium-sized map.
Eclipse also sets the stage for Zetsubou No Shima, the highly-anticipated, all-new entry in the Call of Duty: Black Ops III Zombies storyline that spans the four DLC Map Packs for Black Ops III this year. The Origins characters continue on their mission to stop the zombie apocalypse not only in this universe but in all universes. Our heroes find themselves stranded on a remote Pacific island which is home to the Division 9 facility: a secret biological research lab whose experiments with Element 115 and its effects on human, animal, and plant biology has created horrors beyond belief. Zetsubou No Shima features a foliage rich island map including new terrifying zombie enemies, a variety of innovative transport mechanics, more devastating traps and classic Zombies side quests.
The Call of Duty: Black Ops III Eclipse DLC Map Pack is available at a discounted rate via the Call of Duty: Black Ops III DLC Season Pass**, which features four DLC Map Packs planned for the year, as part of the discounted bundle offered at a suggested retail price of $64.95. Individual purchase of DLC Map Packs is at a suggested retail price of $19.95. Call of Duty: Black Ops III is rated R 18+ with high impact violence and online interactivity.
Call of Duty: Black Ops III Eclipse is scheduled for release on PlayStation 4 games and entertainment system from Sony on April 20, 2016 with other next-gen platform availability to follow*.
*Eclipse DLC content not available on PS3 or Xbox 360.
**Season Pass content not available on PS3 or Xbox 360. Downloadable content in the Season Pass may be sold separately. If you purchase the DLC Season Pass offering, do not also purchase these standalone DLC Map Packs, as you will be charged for them. DLC Season Pass and DLC Map Packs may not be available on all platforms or in all territories. Pricing and release dates may vary by platform. Call of Duty: Black Ops III game required; sold separately.
About Treyarch
Treyarch is an award-winning video game studio, driven by the desire to create epic gameplay experiences that are enjoyed by as many video game fans as possible. It is an approach that has helped to make the studio an industry-leading game developer, whose Call of Duty: Black Ops II set world-wide launch day records, and whose previous game Call of Duty: Black Ops set an entertainment launch opening record upon its release in 2010 and continues to be one of the best-selling games of all time, according to NPD and GfK Chart-Track. Treyarch is wholly owned by Activision Publishing, Inc.
About Activision Publishing, Inc.
Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading global producer and publisher of interactive entertainment. Activision maintains operations throughout the world and is a division of Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI), an S&P 500 company. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com or by following @Activision.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Publishing’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future, including statements about the expected Call of Duty: Black Ops IIIEclipse release on April 19, 2016, are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause Activision Publishing’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 Activision Publishing and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision Publishing 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 Activision Publishing 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.
Take your tank to the sea, warship to the Jacuzzi, and shoot pool on the Moon
April 1, 2016 — April Fool’s Day is generally celebrated by playing a good-natured practical joke, an amusing hoax, or, in Wargaming’s case, an entire parade of special in-game events created for its passionate community.
In “Moon Mayhem” (April 1 – 5) World of Tanks PC establishes its first colony on the Moon. Why? Because why not? In this event, you command the latest weapon in spherical tank technology: the IS 8-BALL. In your space-age vehicle, you must knock other commanders on the “Crater” map into one of several billiard-type holes.
Of course, we’re on the Moon, which means less gravity. You’ll find that IS 8-BALL feels a little different than a regular tank. That’s because it’s so smooth. With less friction, various in-game hazards, like Meteor Showers and strange gravitational anomalies, this mode offers an out of this world experience. To play, all you have to do is enter your Garage, choose the IS 8-Ball and click the Battle! button. You will be added to a special queue with other players who have also selected the event vehicle.
April Fool’s Day in World of Warships (March 31—April 11) exchanges the high seas for hot tubs in the special “Ruinberg In Jacuzzi” map. Take charge of the captain’s boat from the animated series “Bad Advice” and battle other players in a not-so-relaxing hot tub. All you have to do is start the game and search your Port for the 4 types of vessels available: the Pokeboat (JP), Botishkaff (RU), Das Boot (DE) and Bottlesheep (US). Choose whichever ship you take a fancy to, then click the Battle! button.
Each ship sports a Fish captain at the helm, stylized with the nation of its ship. When the little boat is bobbing in your port, a 3D model of “Bad Captain” will be visible on the ship. While the captain lacks a bikini, you can hear some of his trademark sounds from the show. Why not stick your toe in the water?
World of Tanks console players can also set out on a maritime-themed adventure in the “TOG Boat” event (April 1 – 3). Jump aboard the HMS TOG II* and become the scourge of the seas in 7-vs-7 battles, and rain down a 3-round shot of shells on your opponents. Existing players will have the HMS TOG II* in their Garage as long as they have played one battle, and players who download the game for the first time during the event will receive the mode after one battle is played. Once the HMS TOG II* is selected, the Garage floods with water, creating a canal for the vehicle to float in.
We have something for everyone this April Fools’ Day, so make sure you don’t miss out!
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About Wargaming
Wargaming is an award-winning online game developer and publisher and one of the leaders in the free-to-play MMO market. Founded as a privately held company in 1998, Wargaming has shipped more than 15 titles. Currently, Wargaming is focused on its team-based MMO war series dedicated to the mid-20th century warfare that include the armored World of Tanks, the flight combat World of Warplanes, and the naval World of Warships. The three intertwined titles form a common gaming universe integrated within the portal www.wargaming.net.
As part of its multiplatform line-up, the company has introduced World of Tanks on Xbox and World of Tanks Blitz on mobiles, tablets and Windows 10 PCs. Launched in 2014 and 2015, World of Tanks on Xbox introduced epic tank-on-tank battles to console gamers and offers the first cross-platform gaming experience between Xbox 360 and Xbox One. In 2016, Wargaming released World of Tanks for Sony’s PlayStation®4, continuing its console campaign.
As the name suggests, Pokken Tournament is a Pokemon fighting game with a lot of the Tekken development team behind it’s construction. Originally an arcade game released mid last year, it was always pretty obvious the title would see a home release despite early denial from the dev team and Nintendo.
If you’re anything like me and watched the show and played the main series games, you have probably thought at one time or another ‘how cool would it be to actually control the Pokemon in battle’. While we got a little taste of that in PokePark Wii and the sequel, Pokken Tournament now gives us that freedom in a much more full fledged fighting game. Is this everything we dreamed of? Read on for our full review.
The story and it’s presentation are lackluster outside some rare cutscenes.
Story
Pokken Tournament does contain a light narrative throughout the main solo mode revolving around a mysterious girl and Shadow Mewtwo, with the main plot point being why is this Mewtwo black. The story is mostly told through avatar stills and voice overs which is pretty disappointing especially as the small handful of cutscenes that do pop up look amazing, albeit very similar. It’s a lazy, predictable story and while it gets a little interesting in the middle and the lore kind of ties in nicely with the games synergy gauge mechanic, it’s mostly just a lot of repetition in both dialogue and concept.
There is one line I enjoyed so much that I bothered to write this separate paragraph for it. That is Nia saying how she read up on the Cinnabar Island documents about Mewtwo and him looking different to the black Mewtwo. For those non die hard fans Cinnabar Island is from the original Pokemon games and is where Mewtwo was created. This was a small yet really cool throwback and it’s a shame the story didn’t involve more clever lines of dialogue like this or tie ins with the main series games.
Pokemon clash in epic battles
Gameplay
Pokken Tournament is a surprisingly deep fighter and I’m glad the developers didn’t let the Pokemon name water it down. In terms of complexity I would put it just a couple notches below games like Street Fighter and Tekken. Now if you’re a Pokemon fan but not big on the fighting genre don’t let that put you off. Playing the game without mastering the games many advanced tactics will still allow you to complete the game no problem, however if you want to succeed in high level play and go far online, then you’re going to have to work hard in mastering spacing, guarding, the attack triangle, cancels, combo timing, gauge management, supports and more.
The fighting system introduces something unique with ‘field phases’. Basically you begin the battle able to roam around the environment in a 3D space. Here there is more a focus on range attacks. Landing a certain attack or combo will shift the fighting into the dual phase, where the game basically becomes a standard 2D fighter such as Street Fighter and close quarters combat is the name of the game here. Not only is this a really clever system that allows most of the roster to show off their ranged moves effectively, it adds to match variation and strategy, with a Pokemon’s move set changing between the two phases alongside the main fighting mechanics.
The field and dual phase system is a nice twist on classic fighters
The game controls well apart from the slightly awkward movement in the three dimensional field phase that can make it very hard to get close to your opponent and perform a grab for example. Other than that, inputs register quickly and will play out one after another so you have to think about each button press if you want to be effective in battle. You also have plenty of controller options at your disposal so finding you’re favorite shouldn’t be an issue. I recommend the Pro Controller or GamePad personally.
The roster is very small at only 16 fighters, but each Pokemon is completely unique. To me that doesn’t excuse the disappointingly low number of playable characters as there was definitely room for a few more inclusions here (where are Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan!) and a bit more variation in the Ferrum League mode wouldn’t have hurt. However, each Pokemon is represented just as how a true fan would expect and it’s easy to find at least one that matches your playstyle. From the playful quickness of my personal choice Weavile, to the tricky Gengar or strong hitting and imposing Machamp, each Pokemon’s move sets and personality are incredibly faithful to the source material and work perfectly in a fighter. It should be noted it is confirmed Pokken Tournament won’t be receiving any additional DLC, so the roster we have now is final.
A very small roster but at least each character is truly unique and represented faithfully
As for modes Pokken Tournament has all your standard fighting modes covered and does most of them very well. The one exception to that is unfortunately the main single player campaign, which simply has you fight match after match in the Ferrum League, doing little to vary it up at all outside of the way fights are presented to you such as in a tournament or rank up battle. The story interruptions help break this up a bit, but they are unfortunately few and far between and don’t last long either. For a mode you have to complete to unlock the full experience, it is unfortunately the most boring and also lacking in difficulty.
The My Town mode allows you to change how you are represented in game with your avatar, title and greeting. The Avatar is basically just an image you change up with a fair amount of style and clothing options. I always like small customisation things like this but it is ultimately rather pointless, being more of a money sink so you have something to put all your gold toward. Also pointless is amiibo functionality, which just unlocks something random regardless of the amiibo used. Here you can also change a couple settings to your liking, so if you don’t like the constant chatter from the games announcer for instance you can turn her right off.
The Ferrum League sounds cool in theory but gets repetitive fast
Tutorial mode is fantastic for introducing people to the game and even fighting games in general. It takes the player step through step on basically everything they need to know with a few visual examples and times where the player can try out what they’ve just seen for themselves. It can get a bit much to remember everything as the tutorial constantly throws new information in your face, but if you take it slow and repeat it a few times you should know everything about this game’s fighting system in a few hours.
In addition to the tutorial and your standard free training mode, the exhibition mode that takes you through every single one of your Pokemon’s move one by one is a fantastic way to learn about your arsenal of attacks. Lastly for practice mode, the combo trainer will take you through six combos unique to whatever Pokemon you chose that you can try to master and earn a clear grade for.
You can make a cool anime trainer!
Online mode deserves a huge shout out. Matches are 90% lag free and even when lag does occur it has minimal impact on the fight. Finding an opponent is incredibly streamlined and breaks between matches typically last 20 seconds or less. The community is also surprisingly great, only once in over 40 battles did I face a rage quitter, which is probably partially due to the fast nature of the game but also thanks to the penalty put in place to stop people disconnecting. The rank system (which I believe is borrowed from Tekken) also gives a bit of encouragement to keep playing and earn that next distinction.
Lastly free battle mode and local mode let you have one on one battles between the CPU and a real person respectively. In local mode on one TV and the GamePad the frame rate is halved to 30FPS which doesn’t hurt the gameplay too much surprisingly but it is noticeable. There is a rather complicated and expensive way to set up a LAN if you have the resources and the payoff is two TV’s running the game at 60FPS which is pretty cool. The fact they bothered to put in a LAN mode is pretty impressive, but I can’t imagine the average gamer will ever make use of it.
Pikachu Libre doesn’t play around
Visuals
The Pokemon look stunning here, with a more realistic look over standard 3D models seen in past games. The textures of fur and skin look great and really pay respect to the look of that Pokemon. Combat looks equally stunning with special effects all over the place, nailing that fast and flashy feel that makes for some truly epic looking fights and combos. Equally as good looking is the UI and the menus, which all sport a clean, modern arcade feel to them.
I don’t have too many negatives here at all. Sometimes the arena backgrounds can look rather pixelated if you look closely but it’s not really an issue when your focusing on the battle. In a similar vein the shadows on Pokemon can appear jagged in what must have been an optimization technique. If they were the only two shortcuts I could find for the developers to achieve a smooth 60FPS at 1080P then I would say I’m cool with that.
Combat looks fast paced and flashy
Audio
Combat noises add to the weight of each battle and classic arcade game chimes are heard constantly as a gauge becomes full or you nail a counter or are awarded a new rank. It’s all par for the course for an arcade fighter but it’s clear, loud and sounds great.
As for the voice acting you’re assistant Nia is definitely the person you will hear the most. I feel she might have a bit too much to say but she has the ‘arcade announcer’ voice down pretty well, even if she could bring her pitch down a little. Other voice acting from random characters scattered scarcely through out the story is pretty terrible though. The first League leader Travis can barely be heard and slurs his words together while other actors seem really unconvincing in their delivery. There is an option to switch the audio to the original Japanese track if that’s your flavor which is a nice bonus.
The games audio presentation matches the quality of the visuals
The soundtrack is more akin to a Tekken game than a Pokemon title and honestly I was surprised no classic Pokemon themes made it in here in any form. What you will get though is a lot of high energy electro and a few rock songs as well which compliment the fast paced battles nicely and really get you in the zone. The songs also incorporate elements of the stage they play on, such as the Dojo music having a Japanese feel or the haunted house track featuring some eerie melodies. There are quite a few memorable tracks here as well which I’m sure many will enjoy (shout out to the Tellur Town Autumn theme and Rayquaza stage theme). Overall the audio is a big success.
Overall
Pokken Tournament is a great Pokemon game and probably a better Tekken game. The fighting system is deep yet simple enough on the surface to allow the game to be enjoyed by those of all levels. While the story mode and roster are unfortunately pretty weak, the game doesn’t put a foot wrong in other areas with top notch graphics, sound and very well executed training and online modes. This is a great collaboration between Pokemon and Tekken and I would recommend it to fans of either series. If you’re a fan of both then it’s a definite pick up.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Kingston announced that the next HyperX Cloud headset will be the Kingston HyperX Cloud Revolver Headset. It is tuned specifically for FPS gamers. The headset features a new 50mm directional drivers boasting a large sound stage designed to help players better pinpoint the directionality of sound.
“HyperX Cloud Revolver’s wide audio sound profile will be a game changer in the FPS genre. Gamers who wear this headset will have an advantage as they’ll be able to hear their opponents’ location from further away,” said Annie L. Gerard, global strategic marketing manager, HyperX. “Since the beginning, this headset was designed to deliver the most detailed and widest sound stage in the market to give gamers the maximum competitive edge.”
The HyperX Cloud Revolver is built with a steel frame and memory foam ear pads for durability and comfort. The uni-directional noise cancelling microphone is removable. The 1m headset cable terminates in a 4 pole 3.5mm plug and a 2m audio control box extension cable can be added. The audio control box terminates in two 3 pole 3.5mm plugs for use with on-board audio or sound cards.
Pre-orders for the headset starts on April 1st with a ship date of May 9th. Those attending the MLG CS:GO Major Championships this weekend will be able to purchase the headset at the event. No word on the MSRP, but Amazon.com has a pre-order listing up for $119.99 USD already.
Today Bethesda released something a little different for Doom as it happens to be a minute long live action trailer showing off a space marine fighting against the various demons that players will be encountering once the game is released in a partially more realistic looking fashion.
Today also is the start of Doom’s Closed Multiplayer Beta, which runs from March 31 – April 3 on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. You can check out the video below and be sure to keep an eye out for the game when it is released on May 13th for the same platforms that the aforementioned beta is running on..
The problem with most zombies is that they move incredibly slow, to the point that they are barely a threat to someone who can move quickly. As such it shouldn’t surprise many that the zombie oriented MegaTagmension Blanc + Neptune VS Zombies is going to take a bit longer to get here.
Idea Factory International has announced that they are delaying the game from their previously planned release of April 26th in North America and April 29th in Europe to May 10th in North America. The new European release date has not been nailed down and is currently “to be announced.” Co-developed by Tamsoft and Compile Heart, this PS Vita hack and slash game is a spin-off that follows everyone’s favorite Neptunia characters fighting against hordes of undead creatures.
