WOLCEN: LORDS OF MAYHEM – FORMERLY CALLED UMBRA – COMING TO PC THROUGH STEAM EARLY ACCESS ON MARCH 24
Open World Action RPG Developer Solarfall Games Becomes Wolcen Studio
NICE, France– March 2, 2016 – Wolcen Studio – the video game development company formerly known as Solarfall Games – has announced that its new open world action role-playing game (RPG), Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem, is expected to release on Windows PC via Steam Early Access on March 24.
Successfully crowdfunded by over 11,000 backers on Kickstarter as Umbra, the renamed Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem’s Early Access debut will introduce players to the basics of its this hack-and-slash gameplay, progression systems and story. At release, players will be able to explore large segments of its expansive open world, which offers different opportunities for environmental destruction. Elemental abilities can react to specific features in the environment – water can conduct electricity, spreading fire can be doused by ice or water, and more. New characters can develop without class limitations, and there are already tons of loot, weapons, armor, potions and spells to discover.
Wolcen Studio will update Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem progressively with new mechanics as it advances through Early Access. Shortly after its initial release, players will be able to utilize one of the game’s core combat features, Apocalyptic Form, which lets characters evolve their special abilities and appearance according to each individual’s play style. Other planned bonuses include a fully fleshed out cooperative mode, advanced weapon and armor crafting mini-game, player housing, and the ability to transform player houses into challenging dungeons for the community to take on.
Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem’s dystopian storyline is set in a world of fantasy and intrigue. As a former army officer who goes on the run from authorities after mysteriously developing magical powers, players must survive monsters both human and inhuman to unravel the secrets behind the famine and disease corrupting the realm.
For more information, visit Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem on Facebook and Twitter.
About Wolcen Studio
Wolcen Studio is an independent video game developer located in Nice, France, dedicated to developing deep and rich action RPGs. Wolcen Studio works in partnership with Crytek and specializes in the use of CRYENGINE for game development. Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem is the first title developed by Wolcen Studio and is planned to be distributed on PC and consoles.
TWITCH AND PSYONIX ANNOUNCE OFFICIAL ROCKET LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES (RLCS)
Twitch And Psyonix Team up to Organize Rocket League’s Official Competitive Organization in Exclusive Partnership
SAN FRANCISCO & SAN DIEGO, CA – March 2, 2016 – Twitch, the world’s leading social video platform and community for gamers, and Psyonix, developer ofRocket League, announced today an exclusive partnership to create the Rocket League Championship Series, the official competitive league for the award-winning sports-action title. In addition to being the exclusive broadcasting platform for the league, Twitch will manage RLCS operations and work alongside Psyonix to build the community and infrastructure to foster long-term growth of this critically-acclaimed game.
“From the moment we hit the pitch last July, we knew that Rocket League was a legitimate esport,” says Jeremy Dunham, Vice President, Psyonix. “Twitch and its streamers have been an instrumental part of our success since we launched last July, and that made them a perfect match for us. We couldn’t be more thrilled to be working with a team that we respect as highly as we do Twitch, and we can’t wait to show the world what we can do in esports together!”
“The Twitch community has collectively rallied around Rocket League to help it achieve organic success on our platform,” said Nick Allen, Director of Esports Operations, Twitch. “By working with Psyonix to build an official professional league around this grassroots phenomenon, Rocket League’s legions of players and fans can potentially turn their passion into a career.”
Starting in March, players interested in competing in the inaugural season of the Rocket League Championship Series can register in teams of three for a chance to win the very first Rocket League championship title. The three-month season kicks off with open qualifiers and will have a total prize pool of $75,000 USD. All matches will be played on the PlayStation®4 (PS4™) computer entertainment system and Windows PC with additional platform support to be revealed in the future.
Twitch is the world’s leading social video platform and community for gamers. Each month, more than 100 million community members gather to watch and talk about video games with more than 1.7 million broadcasters. Twitch’s video platform is the backbone of both live and on-demand distribution for the entire video game ecosystem. This includes game developers, publishers, media outlets, events, user generated content, and the entire esports scene. Twitch also features Twitch Creative, a category devoted to artists and the creative process. For more information about Twitch, visit the official website and blog.
About Rocket League
Winner or nominee of more than 100 game of the year awards, Rocket League is one of the most critically-acclaimed sports games of a generation. Boasting a community of more than 12 million players, Rocket League is a high-powered hybrid of arcade-style soccer and vehicular mayhem that offers easy-to-understand controls and fluid, physics-driven competition. Available digitally on Xbox One, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, and Windows PC via Steam, Rocket League includes more than 100 billion possible customization combinations, a fully-featured offline season mode, multiple game types, casual and competitive online matches, and special “Mutators” that let you change the rules entirely.
To learn more about Rocket League, please visit www.RocketLeagueGame.com, “Like” it on Facebook, and follow it on Twitter @RocketLeague for all the latest developer updates and news.
About Psyonix
Based in San Diego, CA, Psyonix is a critically-acclaimed independent video game developer and leading experts in Unreal Engine technology. For more than a decade, the studio has been a driving force behind some of the most successful games in the industry, including Gears of War, Mass Effect 3, XCOM: Enemy Unknown, Bulletstorm, Unreal Tournament III, Unreal Tournament 2004, Nosgoth, and the award-winning Sports-Action hit, Rocket League.
AMPLITUDE STUDIOS BRINGS DUNGEON OF THE ENDLESS TO XBOX ONE MARCH 16
The Popular Rogue-like, Dungeon-Defense Game to Feature Updated Controls, Interface, and Classic Multiplayer Coop
Paris, France – March 2, 2015 – Award-winning indie developer Amplitude Studios will bring its popular dungeon-defense game Dungeon of the Endless to Xbox One on Wednesday, March 16. Coming with updated controls, an improved user interface, and the already critically-acclaimed single-player mode, the Xbox One version of Dungeon of the Endless also features a dynamic four-player cooperative multiplayer mode via Xbox Live.
“Being our first game on Xbox One, we have completely rebuilt it with a sensible, intuitive control scheme and an improved user interface, while keeping the tough addictive nature perfectly in tune with the PC original,” said Romain de Waubert de Genlis, creative director at Amplitude Studios. “We dare you to beat it on Easy mode.”
Released for the PC in October 2014, this Xbox One version of Dungeon of the Endless offers the same intense rogue-like, strategic dungeon-defense as the original while featuring an improved user interface and controls specially tailored for the console. Crash-landed on an alien planet, players must explore and manage a team of heroes, survive, and fight their way to the surface in a maze of retro-pixel-art styled randomly generated dungeons.
Dungeon of the Endless on Xbox OneFeatures:
Rebuilt for the Xbox One, Dungeon of the Endless offers an improved interface and updated control scheme.
Two-, three, and four-person Xbox Live cooperative multiplayer gameplay.
A distinct rogue–like, do-or-die play-style that encourages teamwork and cooperation in multiplayer.
Countless battle scenarios against a brutal horde of hideous monsters, each with their own tactics.
Randomly created dungeons for a new gameplay experience each time you play.
Technology and resource management abilities including the skillful handling of Dust, Food, Industry and Science to keep one’s team alive and prepared for battle.
Endless replayability with unlockable ships that will renew your game experience.
Known for its deep, engaging, and gorgeous 4X strategy games, Amplitude Studios won the venerable 2013 Golden Cube and Community Choice Unity Awards for Endless Space and the 2015 Best 3D Visual Experience for Endless Legend. For more on Dungeon of the Endless, visit Amplitude Studios on its Website (www.amplitude-studios.com), like it on Facebook, and follow it on Twitter.
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ABOUT AMPLITUDE STUDIOS
Amplitude is an independent team of experienced video game lovers (and developers) with a single goal: Create the best strategy games with the players’ help! Based in Paris, France, the studio boasts an international team that has worked all over the world on major AAA titles. Since Amplitude’s creation in 2011, the studio has released Endless Space, Dungeon of the Endless and Endless Legend, all critically acclaimed. A pioneer in its working method, while developing its first game Amplitude launched an open crowdsourced development process called “GAMES2GETHER.” This platform enables the community to participate in the creation of a video game from the early stages of development. Today, this methodology enables the studio to fulfill the expectations of its players while earning international recognition for the quality of its productions. Read more at www.amplitude-studios.com.
Only a few months after their successful Kickstarter campaign, Blacksea Odysseyis launching on Steam Early Access. The developers have set an ambitious once a week update schedule for three months along with a livestream of development every day from 12-2 PM at their Twitch channel. The initial v0.4.5 build will start with two biomes; more than 40 enemies, with at least ten being their signature massive bosses; and over a hundred runes to equip. The game can be found on Steam and runs on Linux, Mac, and Windows.
Blacksea Odyssey is a top down shooter that will challenge gamers with its steep learning curve, procedurally generated levels, and rogue-like mechanics. Players will guide the Old Man through the epic Blacksea Odyssey competition in hopes of winning a chance to do battle with the Titan of the Stars. To get there, the Old Man will have go toe to toe against giant bosses that fill the screen.
Io-Interactive today releases the ‘Season Premiere’ trailer for the upcoming HITMAN game. Launching on March 11th, 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 11th for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and Windows PC.
Following the death of Nephrite, a new enemy arrives from the Dark Kingdom. Queen Beryl has given Zoisite the task of collecting the seven Rainbow Crystals in order to obtain the Legendary Silver Crystal. Unbeknownst to Usagi, Tuxedo Mask is also collecting the Rainbow Crystals. Two new Sailor Guardians appear, and Usagi and Mamoru learn about their past lives.
Story
Character development is a fundamental part of Sailor Moon. Without it, Usagi might have been nothing more than an annoying character, Ami might have been nothing more than the archetypal quiet genius and Rei might have merely been the original tsundere. Thanks to the unusual length of this adaptation, there is plenty of time to explore a whole range of personality traits and the issues of growing up with its characters. Usagi’s friend Gurio Umino is the star of one episode, and Naru Osaka also gets her own moments in the spotlight, even if it is because of the terrible loss she suffered during the conclusion of the Nephrite arc. The final 22 episodes of this season continue to provide the Sailor Guardians with significant character development too. The origins of the Moon Kingdom and the Sailor Guardians are revealed, as is the reason why Usagi and Mamoru’s lives are so intertwined. The two share a moving backstory, one that helps make their relationship feel right, even if it is completely unrealistic.
Ami is given the opportunity to grow during the Zoisite arc. The previous set featured the introduction of Ryo, the boy with a romantic interest in Ami. He returns in what becomes an increasingly difficult series of events for Ami. She continues to believe that her studies are more important than love at her age, but she is not oblivious to his feelings for her. Rei goes through less character development than Ami does, but she seems to get along with Usagi better than before after sharing some challenging experiences with her. They still fight, but they are capable of reaching an understanding with each other. New character Makoto Kino, who is revealed to be Sailor Jupiter, gets a powerful introduction. There are few tall female characters in manga and anime; tallness is frequently limited to bishounen (‘handsome boys’). Being the odd one out in terms of height, she has to deal with a lot of bullying from teenage boys who think she is some kind of ‘freak’. Bullying seems to only be explored rarely in Japanese fiction, so the discussion of it here is welcome. Makoto does fight back against the bullies, being willing to display her masculine side to protect herself and her friends, but this does unfortunately cause her to occasionally get into a bit of trouble. New character Minako Aino, who turns out to be the one and only Sailor V that Usagi idolises, gets into different kinds of trouble. She is far less mature than Makoto, but is a much deeper character than she first appears. Little time is spent seriously discussing Makoto’s past in this season, but Minako has a full episode in which her past is revealed. Sailor Moon gets emotional much more often than most magical girl series do, and that is always a good thing. The characters feel as real as they possibly can given their situations. Their interactions and development are not farfetched either, albeit with some exceptions.
The tone of the series can be fairly dark at times, and these episodes continue that trend. Not every episode is used to progress the plot, however. One episode features a parody of Tuxedo Mask involving cats, and another involves a different parody of Tuxedo Mask that is significantly less bizarre. These self-referential parodies show that the production team did have a sense of humour and that there are many possibilities with the characters and plot they worked with. The final episodes may be disturbing for some, but this goes to show that this is more than just a show that children grew up with. It can be taken seriously by adults, and can be entertaining too regardless of the heavy nostalgia that surrounds the series for many people.
Visuals
The look that this adaptation has is unfortunately a thing of the past. The traditional animation style used helps to give the series its charm. Even if it was produced with a 4:3 aspect ratio, it has an almost timeless feel to it. The colours and lighting are used just as effectively as they were before, and a lot of effort went into representing each moment as powerfully as possible. The monsters that appear in most episodes are highly reminiscent of designs from the 1990s, and are some of the only elements that date this series specifically in that time period. Many monsters look like stereotypical punks, with unusual hairstyles and hair colours distinguishing them from everything else. There are some graphic events towards the end of the season, but this will not be a problem except for children. Fan-service is once again non-existent, proving that anime series can be incredibly successful without resorting to cheap tactics.
Madman Entertainment’s release is once again fantastic, but the masters do not seem to be in perfect condition. Their remaster may not be as crystal clear as Viz Media’s Blu-ray release is, but this release will likely make an excellent addition to your shelves.
Audio
The new ending theme song, “Moon Princess,” is a lot more mellow than the previous ending song. It has a distinct ’90s feel to it. “Heart Moving” is more fitting for the series, but “Moon Princess” is not necessarily bad. The background music continues to standout as some of the best music ever composed for an anime series. Takanori Arisawa’s music perfectly captures the tone of every scene it is used in, and it never becomes annoying hearing the same songs in most episodes. The Japanese voice cast continues to do a fantastic job; Kotono Mitsuishi in particular conveys Usagi’s sense of anxiety, sadness and cheerfulness far better than voice actors do nowadays. All of the other voice actors stand out as well, but the same cannot be said for the English dub cast. The members of the new dub cast all sound distinctly North American, something that might seem obvious given that the dub was produced in the U.S.A., and it does not give the right feel to Sailor Moon. Fan opinion continues to be divided about the dub, so whether you watch the series with the original audio track or the new English audio track will depend heavily on whether you prefer to watch anime dubbed or with English subtitles.
Extras
On-disc extras included with this set are limited to the textless animation for the opening song “Moonlight Densetsu” and for the ending song “Heart Moving”. As with Viz Media’s release, “Moon Princess” is featured as an extra but only with the credits from one episode present; it is not textless. A representative of Viz Media stated that they could not include the textless version of that song in their release because it was not made available to them, so it seems that Toei Animation may not want it appearing on any English release of Sailor Moon for some unknown reason. The cover art of this release is fantastic, but the disc stacking inside the case is problematic. It is not always a major problem, but it is also not the safest method of fitting four discs into a DVD case.
Overall
The conclusion of the Nephrite arc was incredibly moving and represented the emotional highpoint of the first two story mini-arcs. The finale of the entire Dark Kingdom arc is also incredibly moving; few manga and anime series would go as far as Naoko Takeuchi did and handle it well. Some viewers may find certain scenes to be disturbing, but said scenes significantly highlight Usagi’s internal struggles. Makoto and Minako make excellent additions to the team, and these 22 episodes provide a fitting conclusion to the first story in the long-running Sailor Moon series. The next season may be shorter than this one, but it is sure to be worth the wait.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
FINAL FANTASY XIV creative team offer insights into the game’s allure
New Video Series Kicks Off with Artistry of Music and Sound
LONDON (2nd 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 £7.69 / 10.99 €. 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.
About Square Enix Ltd.
Square Enix Ltd., a part of the Square Enix Europe business unit, develops, publishes, distributes and licenses SQUARE ENIX, EIDOS® and TAITO® branded entertainment content in Europe and other PAL territories as part of the Square Enix Group. Square Enix Ltd. also has a global network of leading development studios such as IO Interactive™, Crystal Dynamics® and Eidos Montréal. The Square Enix Group boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property including: FINAL FANTASY, which has sold over 110 million units worldwide, DRAGON QUEST® which has sold over 66 million units worldwide and TOMB RAIDER® which has sold over 45 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS®. Square Enix Ltd. is a London-based, wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.
Ubisoft released the launch trailer for Tom Clancy’s The Divisiontoday. Narrated by many of the NPCs players will meet in New York City, the launch trailer has plenty of action, gunfire, and explosions. Eagle eyed beta participants will recognize several skills and locales from the open beta, including the sentry gun ability and the hospital level.
Tom Clancy’s The Division is an open world RPG shooter from Ubisoft Massive. The game is set after a virus strikes New York City during the Black Friday shopping frenzy, plunging the city into chaos. Within the city are several factions battling for power, including members of The Division, sleeper agents that are activated in times of crisis within the United States. Players will take to the streets of New York City, attempting to restore order and help rebuild the shattered city. The game launches on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows on March 8.
Madman Entertainment released a unique title on DVD in Australia today. Exchange Student Zero is an Australian television series based on the 2012 film of the same name. The film was commissioned locally by Cartoon Network and produced by the Melbourne-based Bogan Entertainment. Australian television personality Rove McManus voiced five characters in the film and reprised his roles for the television series. The television series was broadcast from September-December 2015.
Madman describes the series as follows: “There’s a new Hiro in town! Fantasy becomes reality when the dark forces from a tactical card game are unleashed into our world. The good news… the most powerful card in the deck is on our side. The bad news… two 14 year old boys are running the show! Civilisation might be teetering on the edge but rest easy as our heroes are on the case – provided they can fit it in between bin duty, an errant older sister and their eternal quest to impress girls.”
The DVD release is now available in stores across Australia. All episodes are featured across two discs. The set has a suggested retail price of $19.95 AUD, and can be purchased directly from Madman’s online store here.
Sentai Filmworks is releasing a wide range of anime titles in North America this month. The following list details all of those releases.
March 1, 2016:
Wizard Barristers Complete Collection – DVD and Blu-ray. Episodes 1-12 are featured with dual language options. The web previews and the textless opening and ending animations are included as extras.
March 8, 2016:
Wolf Girl & Black Prince Complete Collection – DVD and Blu-ray. Episodes 1-12 are featured with Japanese audio and English subtitles. The textless opening and ending animations are included as extras.
March 15, 2016:
Those Who Hunt Elves Complete Collection Sentai Selects Edition – DVD only. Episodes 1-24 are featured with dual language options. Production sketches and the textless opening and ending animations are included as extras.
Waiting in the Summer Complete Collection – Blu-ray only. Episodes 1-12 and the OVA episode are featured with Japanese audio and English subtitles. The textless opening and ending animations are included as extras.
When They Cry Season 1 Complete Collection – DVD and Blu-ray. Episodes 1-26 are featured with dual language options. The textless opening and ending animations are included as extras.
March 22, 2016:
Celestial Method Complete Collection – DVD and Blu-ray. Episodes 1-13 are featured with Japanese audio and English subtitles. The textless opening and ending animations are included as extras.
March 29, 2016:
Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun Complete Collection – DVD, Blu-ray and Premium Edition DVD and Blu-ray Combo Pack. Episodes 1-12 are featured with dual language options. The Nozaki-kun shorts, promotional videos, commercials and textless opening and ending animation are featured as on-disc extras. The Premium Edition release comes with five stickers, a poster, a hard cover booklet, two CDs and a chipboard box.
Utawarerumono OVA Complete Collection – DVD and Blu-ray. OVA episodes 1-3 are featured with dual language options. The Picture Dramas and the textless opening and ending animations are included as extras.
