Seven Seas Entertainment has announced that they have acquired the license for another manga series that just so happens to focus on monsters. Re:Monster is the license they picked up this time, a manga adaptation of the light novel series that is currently sitting at a little over seven volumes in length.
Unlike many of the other monster styled manga that Seven Seas has picked up in the past, the focus of Re:Monster is on the main character being reincarnated as a goblin, but unlike the rest of the lowly cannon fodder his ability to absorb special powers from his previous life has been retained. This means that “Rou” as he is now called, has the ability to consume anything and absorb their special abilities and use them as his own.
Those interested in picking up Re:Monster will be able to do so on November 8th when the first volume of the manga is released by Seven Seas.
Overview There was once a time that large scale cross-over titles would have had zero chance of being released in the West. Between the possible struggles with licenses and the risk of localizing such a title, many cross-overs never left Japan. That is a concept that has changed rapidly over the years but even then few thought that the Bandai Namco, Sega, Capcom crossover strategy RPG Project X Zone would have a chance in the West. In 2013 that all changed of course and it seems that the title was successful enough to warrant Project X Zone 2 being released in English as well. The question is, does this second title keep the same charms found in the original?
Story Forgoing the introduction of two brand new characters to base the story around, Project X Zone 2 kicks things off with Xiaomu and Reiji Arisu, two staple characters that have been appearing in Namco’s crossover games. The story in this title picks up after the events of the first game in the series and thanks to the various time-lines and dimensions that are merged, ranges everywhere from three years to only two weeks before the start of Project X Zone 2’s storyline.
Unlike last time, strange golden chains have appeared in a number of dimensions and spanning the aforementioned time-lines with portals appearing in these worlds. Xiaomu and Reiji are first ordered by Shinra to meet up with the BSAA members they have worked with in the past, Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine, in order to investigate these chains. Before the pair have a chance to meet up they begin a fight against strange creatures and from then on we see pairs and trios of characters spanning from many of Namco, Capcom, and Sega’s many franchises come together to create an over the top cross-over RPG as they attempt to take down Ouma and put a stop to the strange phenomenon once more.
While the main storyline does offer some interesting developments throughout the course of this easily over fifty hour title, with plenty of twists and unfortunately slow pacing, the main pull in Project X Zone 2 is seeing all of your favorite characters entering a world where they are all interacting with one another. The characters in Project X Zone 2 are a mix of mostly old returning characters and a handful of new ones stepping into the cross-over for the first time. A few of the returning fighters are paired up with a new ally and there are even a couple from a certain strategy RPG Nintendo franchise mixed in here.
As mentioned, the story does offer a slow but enjoyable experience with a few side-stories being mixed into the core storyline but what helps make this story enjoyable is the translation team and the character interactions. The amount of referential humor in this title is off the charts with pop-culture references and mentions of other video games while also having characters make jokes about other characters they run across as the translation team has fully embraced the way many people see such huge cross-over titles. This helps provide every character with a memorable voice as they come to grips with their current situation and considering the massive amount of characters available here, this is an amazing feat and one that is sure to be a delight for longtime gamers.
Gameplay The storyline for this game is told over chapters and stages that allow the player to finish a fight, strengthen, equip, and train during an intermission before continuing into the next mission. These fights are then of course mixed up with dialogue at the beginning, usually an event that occurs during a fight that often sees a new group of enemies or allies jump into the fray, and then dialogue after the mission has been cleared.
This system doesn’t always work out to the favor of the game’s combat system however as this does mean that there will be a bit of trial and error here. Some mission win and loss factors usually will either play very little role in a fight outside of simply defeating every enemy but occasionally there will be one that may fail you if you’ve either prepared poorly for the battle or simply have your characters in a bad spot when the next round of enemies come from the mid-fight event and wreck them.
This isn’t too much of an issue however as Project X Zone 2’s strategy RPG style is still as easy to handle as before. Fights take place on a grid map where the player can move and attack with all of their characters in a turn before the enemy gets to move and do the same. Attacks from behind an enemy will deal more damage and being next to an ally can allow them to provide assistance. When attacking an enemy the game will slip into a 2D stage where the chosen pair, usually teamed up with a third fighter as a solo member, can attack for a total of three times during their turn with these attacks ranging from standard to well-animated screen filling special attacks capable of dealing massive amounts of damage when their XP bar is over 100%.
Similar to the previous title, Cross Hits which are pulled off when the pair of fighters strike at the same time as the third unit and temporarily lock the enemy into place to allow for an easier beat down since the timing of combos is essential here. This does change things up a bit from the original game however as the sequel here requires proper timing or else you may end up locking your opponent out of range from your next attack, resulting in some missed attacks.
Various other mechanics have been added such as the ability to no longer use all of your XP (used for the aforementioned specials and “Mirage Cancels”) while trying to defend from enemy attacks. Instead SP can be used to either defend or counter attack though those who wish to avoid all damage will need to sacrifice some of their XP meter. As for the aforementioned Mirage Cancels, they allow players to cancel their current combo and launch an extra attack with precision at the cost of a 100 XP, something which is unfortunately a waste as it rarely will benefit more than simply using a special attack.
Finally there are some extra details regarding what certain attacks will do when used, as in whether they have a chance at causing various status effects or can break through an enemy shield. When combined with the ability to wait out a turn in order to achieve a “Charge Bonus” that, when not attacking for a turn, provides that unit with more damaging attacks the next time they go after an enemy. If most of this sounds fairly familiar is because the basic combat system has simply been refined from what was offered in the first game while adding in a few new hit and miss mechanics.
Visuals & Audio Although there are a massive amount of characters that have a wide-range of art styles, Monolith has managed to transfer all of their unique features into a matching art style that works well. With decent looking sprite-work during the movement sequences, impressive attacks and even better looking special attacks that feature nicely detailed artwork of the fighter performing said attack, and the character portraits during dialogue matching the original feel of the characters this remains a fairly impressive looking title even if some of the returning characters appear to look the same as they did in the original title.
As far as the voice work goes, Bandai Namco opted to release the title with only Japanese voice work and English subtitles. This is likely for the best as a few of these characters have never even appeared in the West before and many are likely already familiar with the Japanese voice work for some of the other fighters. The soundtrack for the title also works quite well with a number of original themes and remixed tracks from a number of games working their wonders on keeping the various stages feeling fresh.
Overall Monolith Software took what worked and have made sure that although Project X Zone 2 may still feel incredibly similar to the original game it offers an incredibly experience for those who are fans of strategy RPGs and want to experience a game that isn’t afraid to be enjoyable humor with some spectacular looking combat that, while relatively easy, is supported by how well the character interactions and story play out over the course of what is an occasionally slow but worthwhile sequel. Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
The Critically-Acclaimed Epic Quest for Survival and Revenge Arrives on Digital HD Wednesday 4 May and on 4K Ultra HD™ Disc, Blu-ray™ & DVD Wednesday 18 May
SYDNEY, Australia (March 2nd, 2016) – Leonardo DiCaprio stars in one of the most talked about films of the awards season with THE REVENANT, arriving on Digital HD Wednesday 4 May and on 4K Ultra HD™ Disc, Blu-ray™ & DVD Wednesday 18 May from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Taking home three Oscars® including Best Actor, Best Director and
Best Cinematography, THE REVENANT captivates audiences and was one of the most critically-acclaimed films of the year, garnering over $380 million worldwide at the box office.
DiCaprio gives “a virtuoso performance” (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone) in Oscar® Winner Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s (Birdman) cinematic masterpiece. Inspired by true events, THE REVENANT follows the story of legendary explorer Hugh Glass (DiCaprio) on his quest for survival and justice. After a brutal bear attack, Glass is left for dead by a treacherous member of his hunting team (Tom Hardy; Mad Max: Fury Road). Against extraordinary odds, and enduring unimaginable grief, Glass battles a relentless winter in uncharted terrain. This “boldly original” (Calvin Wilson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch) epic adventure captures the extraordinary power of the human spirit in an immersive and visceral experience “unlike anything you have ever seen” (Jake Hamilton, FOX-TV).
In addition to the honors at the Academy Awards®, THE REVENANT also garnered, three Golden Globes, five BAFTAs, a DGA Award for Best Director (Iñárritu) and SAG Award for Best Actor (DiCaprio), among many other accolades. The film features stunning cinematography by three-time-consecutive Academy Award® winner Emmanuel “Chivo” Lubezki (Gravity, Birdman) along with outstanding supporting performances Hardy, Domhnall Gleeson (Brooklyn), Will Poulter (The Maze Runner) and making his big screen debut, newcomer Forrest Goodluck.
The Blu-ray™ includes the magnificent documentary “A World Unseen,” which takes viewers into the world of a 19th century America and uncovers the vision behind THE REVENANT and the parallels found in our world today through the film’s visionary director along with DiCaprio.
THE REVENANT Blu-ray™ Special Features
“A World Unseen” – A Documentary of The Revenant
Gallery
About Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, LLC (TCFHE) is the industry leading worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox produced, acquired and third party partner film and television programing. Each year TCFHE expands its award-winning global product portfolio with the introduction of new entertainment content through established and emerging formats including DVD, Blu-ray™, Digital HD and VOD. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is a subsidiary of 20th Century Fox, a 21st Century Fox Company.
DiRT RALLY® TRAILER PUTS COMMUNITY IN THE DRIVING SEAT WATCH DiRT PLAYERS’ BEST FOOTAGE IN NEW VIDEO
SYDNEY, 3RD March 2016 – Codemasters today released the DiRT Rally community trailer, showcasing the incredible driving skills of the game’s players, ahead of the game’s launch on PlayStation® 4 computer entertainment system and Xbox One on April 8th 2016. The video is available to watch now at https://youtu.be/pAa-XFrJJ7I
The DiRT Rally Community Trailer is the result of an initiative by the team and the DiRT community to demonstrate the mind-blowing level of skill and talent of the legions of players who have been clocking hundreds of thousands of hours of playtime in the game since its release on Steam Early Access.
The DiRT community responded in droves, sending reams of footage of their best experiences with the game so far which showcase their racing flair and powersliding prowess across the game’s rally and FIA World Rallycross content. The resulting trailer is a stunning selection of the very best footage received.
“We were absolutely blown away by both the volume of footage we received and the amazing rallying skills our players have” said Paul Coleman, Chief Games Designer “It’s really humbling to see so many dedicated people taking the time to send us their videos. DiRT fans, we salute you, and we can’t wait to welcome console players to our awesome community soon!”
To date, Dirt Rally’s dedicated players have clocked up over 160 million kilometres, raced 4.7 million clean stages and performed nearly 4.2 million barrel rolls in their quest to join the world’s elite DiRT Rally players at the top of the leader-boards.
PlayStation 4 and Xbox One players can join them for the road ahead on 8th April 2016.
First dev diary video available for GOD EATER™ RESURRECTION AND GOD EATER™2 RAGE BURST!
Learn more about the God Eater project
Early today, BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe revealed the first Dev Diary video for GOD EATER on its official YouTube page! This video will be soon followed by others which will unveil exclusive content for Western areas about the GOD EATER series.
Driven by Yusuke Tomizawa, producer of GOD EATER series, and Hiroshi Yoshimura, director of the GOD EATER series, this first video allows both developers to express their enthusiasm about the project, the Western announcement of the series and the numerous possibilities it implies.
FINAL FANTASY XIV CREATIVE TEAM OFFER INSIGHTS INTO THE GAME’S ALLURE
New Video Series Kicks Off with Artistry of Music and Sound
SYDNEY, 3RD March 2016 – Heralding another successful season of FINAL FANTASY XIV’s unprecedented success, a new video series introduced today offers an inside look at the creative team and their inspirations in cultivating a rich and vibrant online world.
The first in the series highlights the creative mastery that goes into the highly acclaimed music and sound design of FINAL FANTASY® XIV: Heavensward™. This video spotlights how the music and in-game sound effects play an integral role in bringing the world of Eorzea to life. Masayoshi Soken, Lead Composer and Sound Director, explains that “Dragonsong”, the main theme song for the expansion-pack composed by legendary composer Nobuo Uematsu, inspired the score for Heavensward. Sound designers, Yousuke Nakashima and Go Kinuya, also discuss the making of key sound effects to create an immersive experience, ranging from realistic monster grunts to unique battle sounds.
FINAL FANTASY XIV: Heavensward Chapter One: Sound Design can be viewed on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/PVhoSJW8ti8
FINAL FANTASY XIV: HEAVENSWARD is available now on the PlayStation®3 system, PlayStation®4 system and on Windows PC. For newcomers, an all-in-one bundle including both the award-winning FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn and FINAL FANTASY XIV: Heavensward is also available now. A free 30-day trial is included for new accounts, with monthly subscriptions starting at $19.95. Those who have not yet had the chance to try FINAL FANTASY XIV Online can do so by downloading the 14 day free trial for PC here; http://www.ffxiv-freetrial.com/en/ or, for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 directly from the PlayStation Network.
HITMAN: SEASON PREMIERE TRAILER Showcasing Paris, Sapienza and Marrakesh Locations
SYDNEY, 3RD March 2016 – Io-Interactive today releases the ‘Season Premiere’ trailer for the upcoming HITMAN game. Launching on March 11, the trailer celebrates that Agent 47 is back and in the prime of his career in a new, live and ever-expanding, episodic game that will give players new contracts and challenges to complete every week as well as major content drops every month until season end.
Featuring the track “Men Today” by HEALTH, the trailer showcases the Prologue and Paris locations from the first episode as well as the Italian coastal town of Sapienza dropping in April and a first glimpse at several areas from the Moroccan imperial city of Marrakesh arriving in May. HITMAN will grow, deepen and evolve over the seven total episodes that are released through 2016.
HITMAN will launch on March 11 for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system & Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft. Windows PC will be available across Australia & New Zealand on March 12.
March 2, 2016 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Playwood Project today launched their Kickstarter for hotly anticipated real-time strategy, WARTILE. WARTILE is a medieval fantasy themed strategy game that invites the player to select a band of miniature figurines and embark on a campaign or a multiplayer match, set on gorgeous diorama Battle Boards. Figurines, their special abilities and your hand of godly and tactical cards are the tools to rule the board. Wartile captures the tabletop feeling, while adding its own digital style, magic and humor. Tactics weigh heavily in WARTILE, where a unique cooldown system adds the flavor of turn based games and gives you the time to outsmart, trap or even use Godly powers on your enemy.
“We’ve been hard at work for the last two years, and now, we feel ready to reveal to the world WARTILE! We’re now looking towards Kickstarter to help secure the required funds we need to progress with the development of WARTILE.” said Michael Rud Jakobsen, Creative Director at Playwood Project. “We’ve released a tentative pre-alpha tease on Steam for you to play and familiarise yourself with our miniature universe and hope that you love it as much as we do. We really look forward to hearing what you think in our campaign comments. It’s only with YOUR help that we can make WARTILE a bigger and better game.”
Game features
Beautifully crafted diorama Battle Boards, with a true tabletop feel
•Take control of miniature figurines with an attitude
•Assemble your deck of Godly and Tactical Cards
•A new take on strategy – a cooldown system provides a refreshing take on the real-time strategy genre
•Customize your units with weapons, armor & new abilities found throughout the game
•Expand your collection of figurines & widen your palette of possibilities
•Venture into the first Viking Campaign that’s rich in mythology, story and lore
•Play against friends in quest oriented multiplayer matches or go full competitive
About Playwood Games
Playwood Project ApS was founded 2014 by Michael Rud Jakobsen, bringing with him 7 years of experience as Lead Game Designer/Game Designer on the upcoming HITMAN game, and, as artist on Kane and Lynch 2. The core of the team’s made up of Michael and Programmer Jens-Emil V. Kristensen and are supported by some really talented and experienced freelance developers. Simon Holm List is a veteran composer and sound designer with experience from Heroes & Generals, Gameglobe, several Hitman games and Kane & Lynch 2. Lead Animator Chris Ebelin has experience from the movie and games industry, including LEGO the Movie, Legend of the Guardians and Infinity Crisis. The last members of the team are 3D Artist Kaushik Saha, Technical Artist Lulian Drug and Concept Artist Chris Whelan.
Age of Wushu Dynasty’s First Major Update: The Imperial Court
Los Angeles – March 2nd, 2016 – Mobile Martial Arts RPG Age of Wushu Dynasty, from developer Snail Games, has received its first major update – the Imperial Court. The new update introduces an additional martial arts school, as well as exciting new gameplay modes.
Masters Rise, Empires Fall
The Imperial Court update includes a number of new game features, as well as bug fixes and optimizations to core game mechanics, including:A new playable school — the Royal Guards
Balanced 1v1 and 5v5 Arena — Mount Hua
Strategic Guild War battle mode featuring up to 240 players
Four new external and internal skills added to existing skill system
New Reforge function added for equipment management
Bug fixes and optimizations to existing system
To learn more about Age of Wushu Dynasty: Imperial Court and its new features, please visit our official web page: http://aowd.snail.com/en/
Along with the announcement, Snail has also released a new official trailer showcasing some of the exciting features fans can expect in the new update:https://youtu.be/1BJKBW2y_UY
The update is now available as an app store download. Players can download the pack and install it directly to upgrade their existing Age of Wushu Dynasty application.
About Age of Wushu Dynasty
Age of Wushu Dynasty is the mobile follow-up to Snail’s hit PC-based martial arts sandbox MMO Age of Wushu. Set in a period of strife and intrigue during the Ming Dynasty of China, Age of Wushu Dynasty transports players to a world of martial arts and assassins. Combining fast-paced, skill-based action with a unique “class-less” player progression system, Age of Wushu Dynasty establishes an open world multiplayer martial arts adventure for mobile.
About Snail Games
Founded in 2000, Snail Games has been a pioneer in new online gaming experiences for over 15 years. With dozens of titles in over 60 countries, including Ministry of War, Bounty Bay Online, and flagship martial arts MMO Age of Wushu, Snail Games continues to push the frontier of gaming through game development, publishing and hardware.
DiRT RALLY® TRAILER PUTS COMMUNITY IN THE DRIVERS SEAT Larkspur, Calif., March 2, 2016 – Today Deep Silver and Codemasters released the DiRT Rally community trailer, showcasing the incredible driving skills of the game’s players who have raced 4.7 million clean stages to date on the PC release, ahead of the game’s launch on PlayStation® 4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One on April 5, 2016.
The video is available to watch now at youtube.com/dirtgame
The DiRT Rally Community Trailer is the result of an initiative by the team and the DiRT community who have sent in reams of gameplay footage, demonstrating the skill and talent of players who have been clocking hundreds of thousands of hours in the game since its release on Steam Early Access. The DiRT community footage showcases their best experiences with the game’s rally and FIA World Rallycross content.
“We were absolutely blown away by both the volume of footage we received and the amazing rallying skills our players have,” said Paul Coleman, Chief Games Designer. “It’s really humbling to see so many dedicated people taking the time to send us their videos. DiRT fans, we salute you, and we can’t wait to welcome console players to our awesome community soon!”
The DiRT Rally Legend Edition for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One is available to pre-order now. The DiRT Rally Legend Edition includes both the Fully Loaded MINI Pack and Fully Loaded Ford Pack, which unlocks and fully upgrades the MINI Cooper S and Ford Escort MK2 from the start of the game, gives an exclusive livery for the cars and provides a unique team mechanic with perks.
Gamers pre-ordering the digital edition of DiRT Rally will receive the Fully Loaded Rallycross Pack, which unlocks the Mini Classic Rallycross and provides the same benefits as the other packs.
# # #
About DiRT Rally
DiRT Rally is the most authentic and thrilling rally game ever made, road-tested over 80 million miles by the DiRT community. It perfectly captures that white knuckle feeling of racing on the edge as you hurtle along dangerous roads at breakneck speed, knowing that one crash could irreparably harm your stage time.
Every stage tests you differently, as you race on the edge of control across snow, ice, tarmac and dirt and tackle a variety of weather types. As the car suffers attrition and stages string together, your dedicated rally team tries to keep you competitive and each rally becomes a marathon-like test of concentration and skill.
DiRT Rally also includes officially licensed World Rallycross content, allowing you to experience the breathless, high-speed thrills of some of the world’s fastest off-road cars as you trade paint with other drivers at some of the series’ best-loved circuits, in both singleplayer and high-intensity multiplayer races.
About Codemasters
Codemasters, the award winning video game developer and publisher, has a 30-year heritage. With titles distributed globally, Codemasters is a leading developer and publisher of driving and racing entertainment games including DiRT, GRID and the official BAFTA award-winning FORMULA 1 series of videogames. Since March 2010, Reliance Big Entertainment Ltd. (RBEL), a part of India’s Reliance ADA group, has been the principal shareholder (60%), alongside existing investor, Balderton Capital, the leading European venture capital firm. For more information on Codemasters’ product portfolio, please visit www.codemasters.com. Join in the conversation with @codemasters on Twitter or Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/codemasters.
About Deep Silver
Deep Silver develops and publishes interactive games for all platforms, seeking to deliver top-quality products that provide immersive game experiences driven by the desires of the gaming community. The company has published more than 200 games worldwide since 2003, including the best-selling zombie action Dead Island(TM) franchise, the critically-acclaimed Metro(TM): Last Light and the smash hit action adventure Saints Row IV(TM). Deep Silver is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Koch Media, GmbH, and also owns the development studios Deep Silver Fishlabs in Hamburg, Germany, Deep Silver Volition based in Champaign, IL, USA, and Deep Silver Dambuster Studios in Nottingham, UK. For more information please visit www.deepsilver.com.
