Capcom has released their second video in a series of interviews talking with members of the Resident Evil development staff in order to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Resident Evil series. The first video happened to be with Hiroyuki Kobayashi and now this second video is with Resident Evil 0 director Koji Oda.
In the seven minute interview, that can be found below, Oda talks about the game’s setting, the concepts behind the characters, and what the team had to go through in order to remaster Resident Evil 0 for release earlier this year as well as some of the features they added in.
Koei Tecmo has announced that they will be releasing an “alpha demo” for their long awaited Nioh action title later this month. The PlayStation 4 exclusive action game that is currently being worked on by Team Ninja will have its demo placed onto the PlayStation Store where it will be available starting on April 26th and will then be removed on May 5th.
It hasn’t been stated exactly what will be available in the Nioh demo but you can check out some footage from it below. As for the game itself, the company is currently aiming to release Nioh sometime this year.
It looks like Heihachi Mishima will be sporting some new duds in Tekken 7: Fated Retribution as Bandai Namco has revealed a brand new costume for the fighter. A number of screenshots and some character art are revealing that this black-and-orange outfit that features a spiked and armored pauldron will be his default outfit when the game debuts in Japanese arcades sometime this summer.
Heihachi isn’t the only one that will be getting a special outfit when the title is released as we previously have seen Nina Williams as a bride. As for an eventual console release, Bandai Namco has yet to state exactly when gamers can expect Tekken 7: Fated Retribution to be released on any platforms outside of arcades.
Many times at various fan events or expos there is a fine line between what can be considered appropriate as Cosplay attire and depending on the age range of those allowing to attend, some who decide on dressing to risque might get in a bit of trouble. Well a certain event that will be taking place in Syndey, Australia from May 12th to the 15th is going to be one for those who like to take the sexier approach to their cosplay.
An event called SEXPO will be held during this time and they will be holding a SEXPO Cosplay Competition with some pretty nice reward money for the winners.
Overall forty different contestants will be selected to take place in the heats and those who are entered will be given a SEXPO show bag valued at $250. The winner of each heat will take away $500. For the final, the four heat winners will be invited back, with the winner receiving:
1 x return airfare from Sydney to the next Australian SEXPO
4 nights accommodation
Transfers
$1,500 spending money
Crowned the inaugural SEXPO COSPLAY Sydney winner
Total cash prize of $2,000 ($500 from heat win + $1,500 from grand final)
This, obviously 18+ event and Competitors will be judged on two criteria:
1. Most creative and sexy cosplay outfit
2. The most creative interaction the competitor has with the judges Lucie Bee and Alana Evans, and the audience
For those who are unsure of what they may want to go as, SEXPO has provided a few ideas:
Your favourite adult star from your favourite movie
A sexy version of your favourite movie or TV star
A sexy superhero or villain
Kink, latex, bondage or leather cosplay
Video game characters
Anything you can imagine – there are no restrictions on what you can dress as
Even if you don’t manage to qualify for one of the four heats, those who still submit an entry to try and join the competition online through the official websitewill be given a complimentary ticket to attend the show.
Overview The Samurai Warriors series may not be as prominent as the Dynasty Warriors franchise, as it only has half the number of games as that series and a few of the iterations haven’t even been released in the West. As such, Samurai Warriors 4: Empires marks the first time in nine years that this series’ Empires iteration has been released in the West. After taking a long break and bringing over the combat mechanics found in the core game, is Samurai Warriors 4: Empires worth your time?
Story Similar to past Empires games, Samurai Warriors 4: Empires strips the title of most of its core storyline and presents players with the option of either selecting from pre-set scenarios that cover certain parts of the Warring States Era with the player being able to join a clan and work to complete that scenario’s objective, or “Genesis Mode” where players can create their own history by placing their created characters or whoever they wish in charge of a specific province, selecting an ambition to complete ranging from uniting all of Japan under your Clan’s banner to simply annihilating another Clan from the history books.
The Genesis Mode is likely where players will find the most enjoyment since players are free to customize who they start with or simply randomize the entire map and aim for victory. Interestingly enough, the title also features numerous story snippets that help establish relationships between the various warriors that are in the game. Fight enough battles against a certain general? They might become your sworn nemesis. Battle alongside allies or spend time outside of combat “fraternizing” and you may end up married or gaining a loyal retainer.
These types of systems add a lot of personality to the game and often bring about various cut-scenes that help bring some life to your forces and help add to the whole “what-if” style of storytelling the Empires games are known for. In an interesting fashion, players can also unlock various historical moments if they have certain characters in their group and complete various tasks.
Gameplay Those familiar with the Empires titles will already know roughly what they are in for here as players will find the game broken into two separate sections. The one section is your standard battle system where players will invade or defend a land using the generals they have on hand, capturing bases in order to connect a chain of bases to the main enemy camp to eliminate their leader or protecting your main camp from being taken over.
Samurai Warriors 4: Empires thankfully has the improved combat system that made the core games the most fast and fluid feeling Warriors games in memory thanks to the fact that they have slightly altered the combat scheme. While each character still has a standard set of normal attacks that can be chained into special hard hitting heavy attacks, they can also make use of hyper attacks. These hyper attacks are fast paced and see the fighter ripping through enemy ranks and making mincemeat out of standard enemies. Of course, enemies that are set up in a charge or named officers will shrug off these blows and send your fighter reeling meaning it is back to the standard tactics against them.
Combat against officers feels as familiar as ever though players will find that if they time proper dodges then they will be able to unleash a damaging counter attack that often will stun your opponent. Along those same lines, using such a move on an officer with low health will instantly finish them and make them retreat from battle. Of course, unless you get lucky and capture the foe or are really trouncing your opponent, there is still the chance that they will eventually make their way back onto the field.
There is a bit more to combat than simply slaying enemies however, as certain elements of strategy come into play as well. Players will obtain various formations and tactics that can be used at any time in a fight, with troop formations often providing boosts to your army in the way of increased attack or movement speed, and tactics allowing bases to be taken easier since riflemen or ninjas can be sent in to damage them or increase the damage of various methods of attack.
These tactics and formations are earned in the other side of Samurai Warriors 4: Empires, the Castle menu. Between battles and often for a fairly long period of time if you choose not to attack someone, players will find themselves placed in a castle with their various officers. From your officer pool you can select a strategist and advisors for various aspects such as diplomacy, development, and troop training. Each officer has various aptitudes as well as other characters they work well with, meaning players will need to fiddle a bit to make sure they are getting the most out of their seasonal growth periods as every turn, which counts as a season, will provide your Clan with gold, supplies, troops, fame, etc., and all of this is required to succeed for obvious reasons as invasions require gold, supplies, and troops while fame dictates how many actions you can take during a season.
If it sounds a bit complicated then you are right as Omega Force often provides very little detail into certain aspects of the Castle system, meaning that players may easily get caught off guard in the early going and have to start over if they make poor decisions because they aren’t familiar with all of the mechanics in play. Especially since you may find a region of yours being attacked that might only have two officers defending, leaving your four thousand men to be outnumbered three to one, resulting in an incredibly difficult defense.
Thanks to the fact that every officer used in a fight to invade a region will immediately travel to the taken region, which may leave your launching point completely empty, this is an easy mistake to fall into, especially since, rather than allowing unassigned officers to stay on as back-up soldiers, unassigned officers are dismissed from the Clan meaning that you will often need to constantly build up your ranks or end up being unprepared.
Visuals & Audio Although Samurai Warriors 4: Empires isn’t spectacular looking by any means I must give the title a lot of credit for being able to put up with a lot of action without any hint of slowdown. Players will often find themselves facing down well over a hundred enemies at a time and when zipping through their ranks using hyper attacks or unleashing your musou attacks in these swarms the title remains consistent no matter how hectic things become.
As far as the soundtrack is concerned, the title features a nice mix of music that makes up your standard fair for a Warrior game with plenty of rock tunes and other themes mixed in and easily changeable before a battle to allow players to fight to whatever song they feel like. As one would expect, Koei Tecmo has opted to release this game featuring only the Japanese voice track but fans of the series should be well aware of that and familiar with the cast at this point.
Overall Samurai Warriors 4: Empires may only offer two game modes that, for the most part play the exact same, but this is still the most in-depth Empires came that fans have probably seen from the series. Of course this does mean that players will need to go through some trial and error while learning how to play the title properly while managing their own forces and what formations best other formations, but with the enhanced combat system of Samurai Warriors 4 making the combat better than before and plenty of ways to tackle scenarios, including the ability to build your own, it is well worth the effort. Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Free! – Eternal Summer (Season 2 & OVA) – Standard Edition DVD and Blu-ray and Limited Edition Combo Pack.
Gundam Reconguista in G Part 2 – DVD only. It features episodes 14-26 with Japanese audio and English subtitles only.
Lord Marksman and Vanadis Complete Series – DVD and Blu-ray.
Love Live! School Idol Project Season 2 – Standard Edition DVD and Limited Edition Blu-ray.
Naruto Shippuden Collection 25 – DVD only. It contains episodes 310-322.
One Piece Collection 36 – DVD only. It contains episodes episodes 434-445.
Samurai Pizza Cats Complete Series – DVD only.
Sword Art Online II Part 4 – Standard Edition DVD and Blu-ray and Limited Edition DVD and Blu-ray.
Tokyo ESP Complete Series – DVD and Blu-ray.
All of the limited edition releases come with physical extras. The limited edition Bleach Bankai boxes each come with a collector’s booklet. The limited edition release of Free! Eternal Summer comes with a character booklet and an Iwatobi and a Samezuka sticker sheet. This, and the DVDs and Blu-rays, will all be housed in collector’s packaging. The limited edition Blu-ray release of Love Live! School Idol Project Season 2 will come with a character guide booklet. The limited edition Blu-ray releaes of Sword Art Online II Part 4 will come with an artbook and postcards.
Madman Entertainment has two Cartoon Network titles coming out in stores across Australia tomorrow. These are the details of those releases.
Adventure Time: Stakes – DVD only. This set features the eight episodes of the miniseries. Animatics, song demos and an art gallery are included as on-disc extras. This release has a suggested retail price of $14.95.
Over the Garden Wall – Limited Edition Blu-ray only. The film is featured with the English audio track and Closed Captions. On-disc extras include: “Behind Over the Garden Wall”, Original Pilot: “Tome of the Unknown”, alternate title cards, deleted animatics, commentaries and the Composer’s Cut. This edition has a suggested retail price of $34.95.
All prices listed above are in Australian dollars. For those unfamiliar with Adventure Time, a review of the first five seasons can be found here.
Critically-Acclaimed Quantum Break Now Available on Xbox One and Windows 10
Microsoft Studios and Remedy Entertainment’s action-packed thriller – Quantum Break – is available today on Xbox One via Xbox Store and coming 11 p.m. AEST on 5th April to Windows 10 via Windows Store.
To celebrate the release of the game, 11 Microsoft store locations in the U.S. and Canada hosted launch events with fans. In addition, beginning today at 8 a.m. PDT (1 a.m. AEST), Remedy Entertainment will be hosting a Quantum Break livestream on Twitch featuring key members of the team, including Creative Director Sam Lake, from their studio in Espoo, Finland.
But the festivities don’t end here. During a special, post-launch event at the Microsoft Store, Sydney at Westfield in Pitt Street, Australian fans will have the chance to meet the star of the game, Shawn Ashmore, who will take part in an interactive, fan-fueled Q&A, followed by meeting and greeting fans. The event will be livestreamed via the Xbox Australia Twitch channel from 7pm AEST this Thursday 7th April. Stay tuned to the Xbox Australia social channels, including: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more information.
Critics have proclaimed Quantum Break a blockbuster success for Microsoft Studios and Remedy Entertainment – here’s what some of the most prominent reviewers have been saying about the game:
Quantum Break is a unique experience; one part hard-hitting video game, one part thrilling live action show, featuring a stellar cast, including Shawn Ashmore (“X-Men”) as the hero Jack Joyce, Aidan Gillen (“Game of Thrones”) as his nemesis Paul Serene and Dominic Monaghan (“Lord of the Rings”) as Jack’s genius brother, William. Quantum Break is full of the vivid storytelling, rich characters and dramatic twists Remedy Entertainment is renowned for. Your choices in-game will affect the outcome of this fast-paced fusion between game and show giving the player a completely unique entertainment experience.
Every copy of Quantum Break for Xbox One comes with a full-game download for Alan Wake for Xbox 360, plus its two add-on packs, The Signal and The Writer, playable on Xbox One via Backward Compatibility.
GAMING SENSATION AND HIT TV SHOW YO-KAI WATCH ANNOUNCE NEW PUZZLE APP
Japanese mega-sensation Yo-kai Watch is set to cause yet another commotion with the Australian release of their new app Yo-kai Watch Wibble Wobble on March 24, FREE through Google play and the App store.
The exciting app puzzle game, available through iOS (iPhone/iPad) and Android, has already been a smash hit in Japan since launching in October last year. In just four months it has reached more than 6.5 million users.
In Yo-kai Watch Wibble Wobble, Yo-kai spirits have been transformed into adorable little creatures called Yo-kai Wib Wob. There are many exciting features on the app including Swipe & Connect where you connect the Wib Wob to form a larger Wib Wob filling up your Fever Gauge, plus Pop & Damage and Defeat & Befriend where you make allies and battle against enemies. Adding to the fun are other features such as Bonus Balls, Soultimate Moves and Level-Up.
It’s a light-hearted, family-friendly game aimed at kids, their parents and other adults. It’s also great fun so once you start playing, you won’t want to stop!
The new app release comes hot on the heels of the first app Yo-kai Watch Land, and the wildly popular Nintendo YO-KAI WATCH 3DS game which launched in Australia in December last year creating much excitement amongst kids 5 – 12.
The Yo-kai Watch 3DS game was initially developed by top Japanese entertainment company Level-5 in 2013. They created a compelling, funny story around the main character Nate, a boy who befriends a collection of mischievous Yo-kai (spirit creatures) with the aid of a special watch. Since then, following the release of the TV show, the popularity of Yo-kai Watch has been nothing short of phenomenal.
In early February 2016 Hasbro launched their range of toys that capture iconic characters from the animation and game series including Yo-kai Watch, the Yo-kai Watch Medal Mystery Bags and the Yo-kai Medallium Collection Folder.
Village Roadshow is releasing its first DVD this month, along with download to own/download to rent (DTO/DTR) via iTunes, Bigpond, Sony Playstation, Xbox and Google Play.
Lots more to come in 2016 including showbags, carnival plush, costumes, playballs, hopper balls and beach sets, outdoor furniture, body boards, tents, swim vests and sleeping bags, novelty toys, keychains, inflatables, scooters, skateboards, books, colouring and activity pads, sticker books, bikes and apparel!
THE HTC ONE X9 TAKES STUNNING, METAL CRAFTED DESIGN AND BIG SCREEN MOBILE ENTERTAINMENT TO THE NEXT LEVEL
With a stunning 5.5” Full HD display, sleek and stylish metal crafted design and superior imaging day and night, the HTC One X9 sets a powerful new standard for mid-range smartphones
HTC today announced the Australian launch of the HTC One X9, the latest addition to the globally acclaimed HTC One franchise. Available from Vodafone initially and JB Hi-Fi soon after, the HTC One X9 delivers a sleek, stylish and premium experience at an incredibly affordable price. Packed with functionality normally ascribed to higher end smartphones, the HTC One X9 is the perfect blend of style, innovation and design, matching the needs of even the most sophisticated urban lifestyle.
The HTC One X9 also delivers a truly immersive mobile entertainment experience combining dual frontal stereo speakers with Dolby Surround™ with a huge 5.5” Full HD display, for an amazing viewing experience. This mid-range priced device also features Optical Image Stabilisation on the main camera combined with a 5MP front camera with 88 degree wide angle lens that lets to capture the full story.
“Every aspect of the X9 is premium, except the price. It is sleek, beautiful, powerful and delivers a true flagship experience at around half the price of some of our competitors.” said Ben Hodgson, HTC Australia and New Zealand country manager. “The handset has been carefully crafted to achieve the perfect balance between an elegant and rich design that will satisfy the style needs of our consumers, providing top of the range performance at a mid-range price point. The technology encompasses some of the best features of our range, completing the premium smartphone experience for our users.”
Ben McIntosh, Director of Sales at Vodafone said: “We are excited to partner with HTC to bring the new HTC One X9 to our customers, combining it with our superfast 4G mobile network which now reaches almost 23 million Australians. We know our customers love to roam, whether in Australia or overseas so they want a phone that has all the features that help them make the most of their travels, while looking good at the same time. The HTC One X9 certainly delivers on both fronts.”
Shoot like a pro
The camera on the HTC One X9 is one of the best in its class, enabling superior imaging both day and night. Through the precision engineering of its two cameras, as well as a selection of image-enhancing features, the device allows you to capture breathtaking shots from any angle. The 13MP main camera, with OIS (Optical Image Stabilisation), features an anti-shake lens that reduces blur from hand movements while you shoot. The front facing 5MP camera includes integrated Auto Selfie, Voice Selfie and Live Make Up capability, delivering high-quality selfies with ease.
To add that professional touch to your pictures, RAW format’s one button enhancement feature automatically brightens colours and sharpens edges with one push. Additional imaging tools such as Pro Mode and an advance manual control add the finishing touches to what is already one of the best cameras in its class.
And if you see yourself as more director than photographer, take inspiration from the 4K video resolution and Hyperlapse mode, which will allow you to create dramatic time-lapse effects and make those special moments last longer.
Cinematic Surround Sound
The HTC One X9 takes listening to the next level by delivering cinematic surround sound through HTC BoomSound with Dolby Surround™, delivering clearer vocals, better base and fine detail for music, movies and games – the ultimate audio experience! The integrated and dedicated amplifiers deliver a dynamic range of sound, while HTC’s proprietary membrane excursion direct control optimizes volume and bass to make your music thump.
Stand out Software: Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Delivering the best user experience, the HTC One X9 comes with the latest Android 6.0 Marshmallow features supporting its premium hardware proposition. Google Now on Tap intuitively provides information about whatever is on your screen, simply by holding the home button, while Google Backup for Apps automatically backs up app data to all capable Android-powered devices. The device contains 32GB on-board memory with 3GB RAM, as well as expandable storage up to 2TB. The octa-core 2.0GHz latest generation CPU allows users to juggle between apps seamlessly
Pricing & Availability
Vodafone customers can purchase the HTC One X9 from 13 April, 2016 for $5 per month on a Vodafone $40 plan over 24 months, either online at vodafone.com.au or in store.
The HTC One X9 will also be available from JB Hi-Fi stores in May, 2016.
The Australian market RRP for the HTC One X9 is $699
– Ends – About HTC
HTC Corporation aims to bring brilliance to life. As a global innovator in smart mobile devices and technology, HTC has produced award-winning products and industry firsts since its inception in 1997, including the critically acclaimed HTC One and HTC DesireTMlines of smartphones. The pursuit of brilliance is at the heart of everything we do, inspiring best-in-class design and game-changing mobile and virtual reality experiences for consumers around the world. HTC is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE: 2498). www.htc.com
# # # HTC, HTC One, HTC Dot View and the HTC logo are the trademarks of HTC Corporation. All other names of companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
