Do you ever wonder if there is anything more to life than being really ridiculously good looking? Me neither but Derek Zoolander sure does, and he and his male model friends are making a big comeback in the new year with Paramount Pictures’ upcoming Zoolander 2.
While re recently got a look at the movie with the first official trailer, now we have a closer look at some of the new and returning characters with five new character posters that you can check out below.
Zoolander 2 will hit cinemas on February 11th, 2016 so make sure you stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the sexy news as it becomes available.
In addition to dominating comic books, films and TV; the Marvel superheroes also have an incredible range of video games that span just about every single platform, with one of the more prominent being Marvel: Avengers Alliance. Well after being one of the premiere social games for a few years, Disney have finally announced a sequel titled (you guessed it) Marvel: Avengers Alliance 2.
While the full release for Avengers Alliance 2 is still a little while way, some countries (including Australia) will get to be able to jump in on the action early with the live testing beta. Players who sign up early through this website will also get a code that gives them access to a random member of the Guardians of the Galaxy when the full game goes live.
So head over now and register so that you can be first in line to take down Ultron, Baron Strucker and a whole rogues gallery of villains. Sign-ups are open now, and to mark the announcement we also have a nice little trailer to show off, so check that out below before heading off to join the alliance!
Overview In a year full of open world games, including a number of which fans have been waiting years for, Xenoblade Chronicles X stands amongst the biggest. After being revealed two years ago, fans have been anxiously waiting for the title to land on the Wii U and show off what the console can do with an open world RPG. Now that the time has come, Xenoblade Chronicles X has proven itself to be an extremely immersive and massive experience.
Story
Although some may see Xenoblade Chronicles X as a sequel to Xenoblade Chronicles there is no reason to be concerned about missing out on any story details if you haven’t played the original game as the story told in this game does not tie into the original in any way. In Xenoblade Chronicles X the Earth was caught in the cross-fire between alien races that saw the planet eventually being destroyed by the alien’s overwhelming technological superiority. Before the annihilation of the planet, interstellar Ark ships containing most of the surviving humans attempted to evacuate.
By all appearances, only the White Whale ark ship managed to escape before being destroyed. A few short years later the White Whale is shot down by a pursuing enemy and crash lands on the alien planet Mira. Luckily, Mira happens to be a planet capable of supporting human life and in a few short months the survivors managed to establish the home base of “New Los Angeles” where the BLADE task force serves as protectors, explorers, scavengers for the rest of humanity. It is thanks to one of these BLADE members, named Elma, that the player is found as the only survivor in a cluster of pods.
The player’s created male/female character suffers from amnesia and serves as the title’s mostly silent protagonist as they are ushered into the BLADE unit and told that one of the key goals of the organization is to find the missing Lifehold, where the majority of the humans aboard the White Whale were kept safe. This places players on a fairly straightforward sounding path that unfortunately leaves quite a bit to be desired, since not only are the majority of the player’s party members given very little development but the way that story progress is designed forces players to often ignore it for periods of time, giving the already generic space opera storyline far less impact than it may have had if handled better.
You see, in Xenoblade Chronicles X the majority of the time you’ll find yourself in the field battling against a wide range of foes and exploring the massive open world and this is certainly a big plus, but because of the game’s focus on creating an enjoyable open world there are also certain requirements that must be met to actually continue on with the story. This means that grinding between plot points becomes a familiar task that often kills the story’s momentum despite how fantastic certain sequences play out and the handful of twists that try to spice things up, leaving players with a lackluster story set in a fantastic world.
Gameplay As mentioned a bit earlier, the majority of the time player’s will be spending in Xenoblade Chronicles X will be out in the field and that is exactly where this game shines. Now before going further, it is highly recommended that you spend the time to read the in-game manual as much as possible because this is a game that introduces a large number of mechanics at once and gives only the bare-minimum of explanations about the various systems, meaning that a little bit of reading up will do wonders for the initial rocky hours.
When first introduced to the world, it is a bit easy to become overwhelmed with the amount of activities that players can undertake as practically entire world is opened up allowing players to explore five vastly different areas as long as they feel like taking a walk and risking encountering some massive and dangerous enemies along the way since as the world is opened from the start for those who simply wish to explore. The main hub for everything is New Los Angeles, where players will be introduced to the various mechanics and it is here that players will take on side-quests and main quests, obtain/upgrade/research equipment, outfit the eventually unlocked Skells (mechs), and much more.
Outside of the main hub players will encounter an absolutely massive world filled with creatures of all different kinds and sizes. In fact, each of the five unique areas players will be exploring will have its own unique set of monsters to encounter and although these indigenous creatures don’t interact with one another, the way they act does slightly mimic a thriving ecosystem, especially since various leveled creatures will be populating a location as well as the fact that most enemies aren’t openly hostile to the player and their party. While certain enemies will attack on sight (signified by a certain icon by the name) players will often be able to get the first strike on enemies.
Combat in Xenoblade Chronicles X does take a bit of getting used to initially as players will find the fighting system something of a free-flow system. In combat players are only able to directly control their character and standard attacks are handled automatically with the character either using their melee weapon or ranged weapon with players being able to swap at the tap of the button. While fighting like this players will be able to select Arts (combat abilities) from their skill-bar using the d-pad to unleash stronger specialized skills, often ones that benefit from being positioned properly, such as attacking an enemy from the side, or provide buffs to themselves and their party.
Often throughout a fight players will be able to set up special situations where they can either target a specific limb for destruction or taking advantage of Quick Time Event prompts, that often heal or provide additional affects, which appear when characters utilize specific skills. This may sound like a complicated system, and it indeed is one, but it is one that players will be able to customize to fit their liking, though not enough that they will actually have true control of the battlefield since the lack of healing items will come as an initial shock.
Once everything is in place however the combat system will feel incredibly fluid as players swap between ranged and melee attacks to utilize their skills, target enemy weakpoints, properly timing the use of a skill alongside a party member to deal additional damage, and position themselves to deal extra damage. This does wonders for the game thanks to the fact that so much of what makes Xenoblade Chronicles X an enjoyable title comes from the exploration and combat system, so the fact that, once properly learned, the combat system remains highly enjoyable after sinking over fifty hours into the game is essential.
Part of this is thanks to the fact that players will earn base levels as well as class levels. Players will find that it is incredibly easy to swap between the many classes offered in the game, with only three main classes being offered initially but more branching off later and with each one offering a unique set of Arts and special skills to provide additional benefits it is easy to find something that will fit your playstyle while also allowing for a large variety to keep things feeling fresh.
A bit earlier I also mentioned Skells and after getting quite a ways into the title players will find themselves being able to undertake a quest line to obtain a Skell License. While a pain to deal with and something that despite being introduced early is held back for a surprising length of time, completing the quest line gives players the ability to pilot one of these giant flying mechs. Skells provide a massive boost to the player’s combat ability as well as their speed of traveling since they can now transform into a vehicle for faster movement and of course back into their standard form to quickly annihilate lower creatures while finally being able to challenge some of the gigantic enemies that they could never fathom facing off against while on foot. These mech suits add another layer of depth to the customization system as they can be outfitted a number of different ways and truly make the player feel powerful, though they do cost an immense amount of money to keep running properly so there is some balance in that regard.
While combat is the key part of the game, so is exploration and undertaking simple side-missions from the BLADE forces. These side-missions range from being incredibly simple to being rather difficult since certain item drops from field collection are entirely random, meaning it can occasionally take an hour to simply gather a basic item for a quest. Players will find themselves exploring large swathes of land quite often and thankfully the title does support a fast travel system, courtesy of mining probes that players need to place in certain locations that also provide special material used to upgrade and research equipment, and a very handy map that is always available via the GamePad.
Outside of the standard single player mode Xenoblade Chronicles X also offers a rather enjoyable multiplayer mode that allows players to play along with a few of their friends on some side-quests and if things in the single player are getting difficult, it is also possible to recruit someone else’s created character for a period of time to serve as a potential boost to push past a difficult foe.
Visuals & Audio Xenoblade Chronicles X offers an amazingly massive world and perhaps one of the biggest you’ll actually find in an open world RPG. The five different lands players will be exploring are all varied nicely and with enemies changing depending on the location and many areas in these lands having wonderful looking landmarks, it is clear that a lot of care has been put into creating the world that players will be traveling through, though it is worth noting that the title does suffer from some pop-in when it comes to enemies appearing. That being said, the title doesn’t suffer from any drops in frame-rate regardless of how much action seemed to be going on at any given time, even while fighting in the flashy Skells.
The character models are rather varied in design in Xenoblade Chronicles X but unfortunately have an extremely plastic looking finish to them and have rather poor looking facial expressions. Another issue with regarding Xenoblade Chronicles X’s graphics come in the way that their menu systems are handled as the various item screens and other interfaces are far more cluttered than one would expect making it rather difficult at times to properly sort out the massive amount of gear that players will be acquiring on longer hunts.
As far as the English dub is concerned, players will find that the voice acting is rather fitting for the game as it supports a full English dub. Many of the main cast members are voiced perfectly for the cutscenes that they do speak in, though things do take a bit of a hit when it comes to the game’s soundtrack. While initially I found myself impressed with the amount of variation and vocal tracks found in Xenoblade Chronicles X’s soundtrack, the longer the game went on the more it felt like the title’s score was being randomly put together since many times a song would play that was completely out of place with the current situation or completely swap styles from one tune to the next.
Overall Xenoblade Chronicles X is a rare type of game. While the storyline may be poorly paced and lackluster, it does place players in a fantastic world where exploration and combat are key and the game deliver’s highly in those regards. This is a massive RPG that offers a ridiculous amount of content to delve into. Players can easily lose almost an entire day if they immerse themselves into the fluid combat system explore and the masterfully designed world of Mira where there always seems to be something new to discover even when you’re already sixty hours in. Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Overview
Fat Princess is one of the first successful franchises on the PSN in terms of original IPs, as it combined a bizarre yet enchanting world with some fantastic gameplay that still holds up years later. I think in terms of a next installment it was all about “when” and not “if”, and now Fun Bits are allowing us to take a new bite of pie with Fat Princess Adventures for the Playstation 4. Does this new direction provide a good foundation for the namesake, or is this spin-off running on its predecessor’s fumes? Let’s find out.
Story
I never really thought too much about the narrative of Fat Princess to start with, but there is a little bit here for those who want a purpose to progress. The player must create a character and be whipped into this whimsical little world, where they are tasked of saving both princesses against the Bitter Queen. I won’t lie, this plot runs short – just like the overall experience itself, but I would be lying if I didn’t say that there wasn’t some charms and smiles to be found in the main adventure. Could we have seen more? Of course, this is not a new IP and has so much character to work with, but I still can give this plot a pass as it is just enough to get us through with a smile until the end.
Gameplay
I almost feel as if the choice of genre kind of cheats players out of the whole Fat Princess name within Adventures. I mean, yes – an isometric action-RPG works for this title just fine, but with such a rich experience in the past provided by the same team, it feels as if we are playing a new game entirely. That isn’t a bad thing however, as the combat works. This title feels a lot like others from the same market as the player can customize a goofy little character and then hack and slash their way to the end of each level (with or without company), before usually coming to a large boss that requires a little bit of brain power to beat. When I say brain power, I mean that you kind of have to go outside your comfort zone to overwhelm the boss with you standard attacks. Is it groundbreaking? Not really, but it does work just fine for the most part.
The loot system is probably the finest feature within adventures as while the combat is a bit ho-hum, there will usually be a special “elite” enemy that drops a great piece of equipment to give the play an edge. This is very important as the player can switch between four different classes (archer, mage, warrior, engineer) at any checkpoint. This may sound bothersome for those who would rather change on the fly, but Fat Princess Adventures ensures players are able to switch at ease as there is usually a checkpoint around every corner. This means that there are several classes to master, with each requiring a bit of effort to perfect as the game goes forward. Again, this title is an easy game and won’t exactly require everything to be top notch to finish, but those who enjoy loot, leveling, and grinding will be happy to know that there is plenty for them in the big picture.
One a stage is complete, “Grindhouse” for that level becomes available, allowing for more options and rewards for replay. By options, I mean you can now tackle a stage with just one class instead of the constant offering of four, and even go in locally utilizing other modifiers with friends. I probably spent most of my time playing with Grindhouse, as it kind of turns what is one standard level into a party game featuring multitudes of challenges. I guess my biggest gripe with Fat Princess Adventures is that it plays it so safe that it kind of gets stale after a while. Sure, the combat is solid, but there have been so many action-RPGs that have gave us this same type of experience and Adventures never really tries to stand apart from that in any way. Its like “here is a good game that is polished, here is our story with the characters you know, that’s enough”. A spin-off in my opinion just needs a bit more of a boost, but I guess playing it safe is better than being a bad game, and luckily the quality keeps this title far away from that zone.
Visuals
The most pleasing aspect of Fat Princess Adventures is the art style. I have always loved the look of the models with Fat Princess, and this spin-off captures those bright colors and whimsy very well for a very uplifting gameplay session. The animations are also great, with no stuttering whatsoever despite having a good amount of enemies on the screen all unleashing attacks. As for the customization for your character – well, there could have been more I suppose, but what is offered is enough to make a nice little hero that fits in like a glove.
Audio
The soundtrack for Fat Princess Adventures is also a lot of fun. While the tracks don’t quite compare to a lot of other big names, they do set that light hearted atmosphere that makes the IP so endearing. The voice acting features the likes of Tara Strong, Nolan North, and quite a few others, who of course are fantastic – but I do wish with this cast we could have seen a stronger script. Either way, most will have fun to recognize each famous voice as it comes out of the little mouths in the game.
Overall
Fat Princess Adventures is a hard game to peg as it isn’t bad by any means, but really isn’t thrilling either. For an IP that has been around a while, I guess I kind of expected more as Fat Princess was so odd and unique and this spin-off kind of grounds the entire experience with a sense of unnecessary normalcy. That said, this is just a spin-off and for what it does, Adventures does it very well – creating a fun and filling romp to hold us over until the next course.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Conquer 12 mighty eidolons in FINAL FANTASY EXPLORERS
LONDON (11th December 2015) – Square Enix Ltd., today released a new infographichighlighting the 12 eidolons, or summon beasts that will appear in the upcoming action role-playing adventure FINAL FANTASY EXPLORERS®. The title includes a variety of unique and memorable eidolons from the FINAL FANTASY® series, including Bahamut, Ifrit and Ramuh, as well as two brand-new eidolons, the flower-like Dryad and the mysterious Amaterasu.
In FINAL FANTASY EXPLORERS, adventurers can battle the 12 formidable eidolons solo or in a party of up to four players. Once players defeat an eidolon, they are granted the ability to summon them in battle while in Trance Mode, a temporary ability where players can transform into other legendary characters from the FINAL FANTASY® series.
After the main story is completed, players looking for a challenge will have the opportunity to battle aberrant versions of each eidolon which are significantly tougher in battle than their original counterparts and feature a different design.
FINAL FANTASY EXPLORERS arrives in Europe and PAL territories on 29th January 2016, exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS. A Collector’s Edition, which contains a branded Nintendo 3DS hard case, 40-page art book, a 20-track music CD as well as a selection of unlockable in-game quests and FINAL FANTASY weapons is also available in limited quantities exclusively from the SQUARE ENIX Online store. For more information and to pre-order now, visit: https://store.eu.square-enix.com/emea_uk/games/3ds/Final-Fantasy-Explorers-Collectors-Edition.php
* Game features English and French in-game text only
About FINAL FANTASY EXPLORERS
The world is on the brink of war over its reserves of crystals, the planet’s chief source of power. Players must band together to form an elite squad of Explorers on an island rich in crystals, braving hordes of monsters in hopes of conquering a newly discovered Grand Crystal – every Explorer’s dream.
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.
More information on Square Enix Ltd. can be found at http://www.square-enix.com/eu/en/ .
FINAL FANTASY, FINAL FANTASY EXPLORERS, the FINAL FANTASY EXPLORERS logo, DRAGON QUEST, EIDOS, SPACE INVADERS, SQUARE ENIX, the SQUARE ENIX logo, TAITO and TOMB RAIDER are registered trademarks or trademarks of the Square Enix group of companies. Nintendo trademarks and copyrights are properties of Nintendo. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Whether you’re hunkering down for the winter or staying out of the summer sun, Indie Gala’sFriday Special Bundle #25 has something for everyone. This bundle comes packed with twelve indie games in two tiers.
For a minimum purchase of $1.00, buyers will get:
Lonath Online– A top down PvP based MMORPG set in the medieval kingdom of Atheos.
Data Jammers: FastForward – Explore a geometrical take on digital data in this retro styled arcade racer.
Your Quest – Start a brand new civilization and explore the dungeons underneath your town in this casual turn based strategy/RPG hybrid.
For a minimum purchase of $2.49, buyers will get:
Clandestinity of Elsie – After a heavy night of drinking, alcoholic veteran Hayden Warrick finds his wife Elsie has disappeared.
Catorize – Players will need to fling their cat across 80+ levels to capture all of the coloured orbs.
Ireland and Scotland festivals signal ambitious year for the UK’s biggest gaming festivals
London, United Kingdom – December 11th, 2015 – Multiplay, organiser of the UK’s largest gaming festival, Insomnia, and subsidiary of GAME Digital plc (“GAME Digital”), the UK’s leading video gaming specialist, is delighted to announce the expansion of Insomnia Gaming Festival to Ireland and Scotland in 2016.
Insomnia Gaming Scotland takes place April 29th – 1st May at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, while Insomnia Gaming Ireland takes place 10th – 12th June at the Killarney Convention Centre.
Insomnia Gaming Festivals continue to showcase the best eSports tournaments to more fans across the UK than any other event. The massive online audience for Insomnia eSports is echoed by a huge community with a desire to see their heroes up-close and personal, and Insomnia Gaming Festivals continues to invest in this area with the launch of Insomnia gaming Scotland and Insomnia Gaming Ireland.
Insomnia Gaming Scotland will host 14,000 fans in Scotland’s largest gaming event to-date, with Main Stage shows, eSports tournaments, the latest games from world renowned publishers, and zones including BYOC, Minecraft, Indie games and much more to be announced prior to the show.
Insomnia Gaming Ireland, takes more great content to 5000 Irish fans, and includes everything consumers have come to expect from the UK’s biggest gaming festivals, including an incredible main stage line-up, BYOC, the best publishers exhibiting the biggest games, BYOC and more zones, including Minecraft and FIFA 16.
“We’re excited to unveil our international plans, and these Scottish and Irish festivals are just the start of our commitment to Insomnia fans the world over,” said Craig Fletcher, Founder and CEO, Multiplay. He continued, “With the support of a vibrant community from the US and throughout Europe, we’ll continue to grow our festivals to reach as many of our incredible fans in the future.”
Further details of each festival will be announced in due course, and tickets will be available in early 2016 via the official website: http://insomniagamingfestival.com.
About the Insomnia Gaming Festival
Founded in 1999, for over 16 years the Insomnia Gaming Festival has been a place for gamers of all backgrounds to congregate, socialise, discover new things and celebrate all things gaming.
Today, Insomnia combines a vast Bring Your Own Computer (BYOC) Local Area Network (LAN) gaming area, the largest line-up of YouTubers at any gaming event, the biggest line up of eSports tournaments, main stage entertainment, a major retail exhibition and a whole host of gaming related zones and activities for all types of gamer, for all the family.
About Multiplay
Founded in 1997, Multiplay is a gaming services company specialising in online hosting, events management, esports and more. Multiplay’s unique service and Clanforge® platform enables individuals and businesses to host video game backend services with the very best performance at all times. With support from a dedicated 24x7x365 technical infrastructure team and over 26 locations available worldwide, Multiplay provides an unparalleled online hosting experience for gamers across the globe.
Following its acquisition in March 2015, Multiplay is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of GAME Digital plc, the UK’s leading video games specialist.
For more information, visit http://www.multiplay.com .
About GAME Digital
Listed on the London Stock Exchange in June 2014 and comprising three divisions: Retail, Digital Solutions and eSports and Events, GAME Digital plc is dedicated to delivering an authoritative range of gaming products, services and experiences to the gaming communities of the UK, Spain and beyond. GAME’s UK and Spanish retail businesses are the market leaders in each country, operating a total of nearly 600 stores across the two countries, a fully integrated omni-channel offer including the multi-award winning GAME App, and a reach of more than 17 million customers across its Reward programmes. Through GAME’s Digital Solutions division, GAME is pioneering the use of new technologies to deliver gaming content and reach gamers and business partners outside its main markets. Multiplay, GAME’s eSports and Events business delivers unparalleled gaming events and experiences directly and on behalf of third parties, including its flagship consumer event, Insomnia. For more information please visit www.gamedigitalplc.comor www.multiplay.com .
A phantom mage joins ever-expanding MMO roster; 28 days of rewards for new players
Mercenary, you have come to me seeking vengeance, and vengeance is what you shall get! This month popular, free-to-play MMORPG, Vindictus, will receive a new update bringing an unforgiving new character to the game, an innovative new type of shop, fresh events and a plethora of rewards for newcomers.
On 9th December, Sylas will emerge like a spectre from the void, joining the already formidable Vindictus line up. A dexterous, powerful mage, Sylas is on a vengeful journey to break free from his dark past. Equipped with a dozen mystical phantom blades, he is able to carve a bloody path through his foes; slashing, smashing, crashing all that stand in his way. What’s more, his magical daggers double as a protective shield, meaning his defence is equally as powerful as his offence.
Sylas’ arrival marks the perfect jumping-on point for players new to Vindictus. His rapid, energy driven abilities effortlessly deflect and rebut enemy attacks, confounding foes with his performance of pain. Furthermore, new players who sign up in December will earn themselves a daily reward for 28 days from the date of their account creation.
In addition to Sylas, a brand new in-game store will soon be opening for business which will be accessible for players Level 40 and above. The new store will only accept one form of currency: AP – essentially allowing players to get cash items for free, well, with a little work – but a little sweat never hurt anyone.
AP is earned by completing dungeons and raids, and traditionally used to level up the skills of a character. The new AP store gives players the opportunity instead to spend their AP on a range of items. The shop can be accessed by speaking to NPC, Ernmass, who can be found in the town of Colhen. Players will be limited to certain number of purchases each day/week depending on the item in question.
The new update also includes ice cold winter-themed maps, and a range of special holiday events that players can participate in to receive a variety of rewards.
With all the great new content arriving in Vindictus this December, there really has never been a better time to start playing. So what are you waiting for mercenary? Sign up today and dish out some vengeance of your own.
About Vindictus
Vindictus is a fast action MMORPG built on Valve’s Source engine that offers unprecedented freedom of motion and smooth flowing combat unlike anything ever experienced in a free-to-play MMORPG. Use anything and everything to battle against your foes and work with your allies to fulfill the prophecy and bring Erinn to reality. For more information on Vindictus, please visit the official website at vindictus.nexoneu.com.
With Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duel launching in Japan, gamers who picked up launch copies were given Senran Kagura‘s Homura and Arcana Heart‘s Aino Heart for free and now XSEED Games has revealed that North American gamers will be able to benefit from the same deal.
The company has announced that when Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duel is released in North America that the characters, for both the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 versions, will be available as free downloads for for weeks after release. If you do not pick up these characters during the temporary free period, Homura and Aino Heart will be available separately for $5.99 a piece or bundled together for $9.99.
A little under a month ago NIS America announced that they would be bringing the original PlayStation 2 Disgaea: Hour of Darkness to the PC via Steam as Disgaea PC. Today the company released something of a teaser trailer showing off how the PC port will look when it is released since this version of the game will feature an updated user interface and various textures.
The title will also feature keyboard and mouse support, controller support, Steam features such as Achievements, Cloud Saves, Badges, Trading Cards, and all of the content from the PSP version of the game, Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness.
