Sony and Naughty Dog has an early Christmas present for PlayStation 4 gamers, so I hope you weren’t naughty this year. A new CG rendered trailer for Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End launched today. The trailer has Nathan Drake reminiscing about his legacy in a lovely slow-mo scene with plenty of destruction to go around.
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End is the final game of the long running Uncharted series of third person action games. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End sees Nathan Drake returning for one last adventure to help his brother Sam. The Drake brothers must go unearth a fabled pirate treasure from the fabled Libertatia pirate colony in Madagascar.
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End launches on PlayStation 4 on March 18, 2016.
Turn the tide of mankind’s fate in the war against the Aragami in two GOD EATER games.
Sydney, Australia – December 22nd, 2015 – BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe, announced today their plans to release two God Eater™ games in Europe, Middle-East, Africa and Australia. GOD EATER™ Resurrection and GOD EATER™ 2 Rage Burst will make their grand debut in summer 2016 on PlayStation®4, PlayStation®Vita and PC Digital!
In the early 2050s, unknown life forms called “Oracle cells” began their uncontrolled consumption of all life on Earth. A ravenous appetite coupled with a remarkable adaptability quickly turned those cells into the Earth’s biggest foe: Aragamis. Giant and invulnerable enemies completely immune to conventional weapons: this is what the world was facing. However, an elite force, called God Eater, was formed to take them head-on by using the recently developed weapons known as “God Arcs”. In a world ravaged by mad gods, these “God Eaters” are engaged in a desperate war…
“In only 5 years, the God Eater franchise turned into a phenomenon in Japan, and Asia selling more than 3 million copies! This monster slaying universe isn’t only bound to games, as our teams managed to successfully expand the experience into other areas such as anime – available on Daisuki.net – but also manga and popular soundtracks. Our western fans have been asking to get their hands on a localized God Eater game, we heard them and to start with, we are bringing two of them! This is just the beginning as we are planning on bringing more exceptional content to our territories in a very near future.” Hervé Hoerdt, VP of Marketing and Digital at BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe
These story-driven monster slaying Action-RPGs within a post-apocalyptic universe will be available in Europe, Middle-East, Africa and Australia starting summer 2016.
A NEW TALES OF ADVENTURE HEADS WESTWARD AS BANDAI NAMCO ENTERTAINMENT EUROPE ANNOUNCES TALES OF BERSERIA FOR EUROPE, MIDDLE-EAST, AFRICA AND AUSTRALASIA
A Tale of Emotion Versus Reason
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA– December 22ND, 2015 – BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe today announces that it will be bringing TALES OF BERSERIA, the latest installment of the beloved TALES OF Japanese role-playing game series, to Europe for PlayStation®4 and PC Digital. TALES OF BERSERIA is the first TALES OF game to feature a female character as its singular main protagonist. Players will encounter a myriad of characters and join them on challenging quests exploring the world. The game will be available with English, French, Italian, German, Spanish and Russian subtitles.
In TALES OF BERSERIA players embark on a journey as they assume the role of Velvet, a young woman whose once gentle nature has been replaced and overcome with a festering anger and hatred after a traumatic experience three years prior to the events within TALES OF BERSERIA imbued her left hand with a special ability. Velvet will visit a wide range of breathtaking environments as she travels the world in an all-new adventure developed by the celebrated team behind the TALES OF series. Along her journey, Velvet will meet a whole cast of characters, including a young boy named Laphicet. If Velvet is the embodiment of “darkness,” then Laphicet is created in the image of “light” and will be an important ally to Velvet.
Veteran TALES OF character designers; Mutsumi Inomata, Kosuke Fujishima, Minoru Iwamoto, and Daigo Okumura will be returning to help create the game’s many characters, while famous Japanese animation studio, ufotable, returns to animate the game’s breathtaking cutscenes, delivering truly epic and emotional storytelling in their unique style. The two announced characters, Velvet and Laphicet, are designed by Ms. Inomata and Mr. Iwamoto, respectively.
“BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment’s commitment to providing gamers with compelling role-playing game experiences in the West continues with the announcement of TALES OF BERSERIA. The TALES OF franchise’s history of memorable characters, engaging battle systems, and personal stories will continue to delight fans on PlayStation®4 and PC Digital.” Hervé Hoerdt, Vice-President of Marketing and Digital at BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe.
Veteran TALES OF character designers; Mutsumi Inomata, Kosuke Fujishima, Minoru Iwamoto, and Daigo Okumura will be returning to help create the game’s many characters while famous Japanese animation studio, ufotable, returns to animate the game’s breathtaking cutscenes; delivering truly epic and emotional storytelling in their unique style. The two announced characters; Velvet and Laphicet are designed by Ms. Inomata and Mr. Iwamoto, respectively.
TALES OF BERSERIA will be coming to Europe for PlayStation®4 and PC Digital. For more information regarding TALES OF BERSERIA and other games from BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe please visit; http://www.bandainamcoent.com.au
First of Four Epic DLC Packs for Record-Setting Title Features Four New Multiplayer Maps, and the Nightmare Continues in a Brand New Zombies Offering
Sydney, Australia- December 22, 2015- Prepare for the awakening. Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI), and award-winning developer Treyarch have released new details for Call of Duty®: Black Ops III Awakening, the first DLC pack for the blockbuster Call of Duty: Black Ops III. Featuring four new action-packed multiplayer maps and a new Zombies experience set in a medieval Austrian castle during World War II, Awakening releases on February 2, 2016, first on the PlayStation® Network for the PlayStation 4 games and entertainment system from Sony, with other next-gen platforms to follow.
“Since Black Ops III launched last month, the response from our community has been incredible in every way,” said Mark Lamia, Studio Head, Treyarch. “With Awakening, the studio is focused on creating a wide variety of gameplay experiences for our fans in Multiplayer and Zombies that will keep players coming back for more.”
Der Eisendrache, the first chapter of Call of Duty: Black Ops III‘s Zombies DLC adventure will take players on an epic journey with the Origin characters Richtofen, Nicolai, Takeo, and Dempsey. Set in an eerie medieval castle built upon an ancient site of unspeakable horror, massive deposits of Element 115 have recently been discovered, delivering inspired new gameplay and – in Zombies tradition – a variety of exciting plot twists and surprises that fans will have the opportunity to discover for themselves.
In addition to the new Zombies content, Awakening features four new multiplayer maps: Gauntlet, Splash, Rise and Skyjacked, a reimagined version of a fan-favourite Black Ops II multiplayer map.
Gauntlet: Grounded in a military training facility, Gauntlet plays up the core philosophy of Treyarch’s classic three lane map structure with distinct variety in visuals and gameplay. Each of the three primary lanes has a unique environment as players battle through a sprawling jungle, sub-zero artic zone and rainy urban cityscape.
Splash: Set in an abandoned water theme park, this vibrant and playful map delivers an imaginative environment complete with waterslides, a wrecked pirate ship, and a lazy river ride that winds through a fantastical forgotten city. Splash is designed to drive an open flow of combat, including plenty of opportunities for underwater gameplay.
Rise: Set in the snowy outskirts of Zurich, Rise is a Coalescence Corporation construction project for a massive subterranean research campus. The design of the map caters to a mix of classic Call of Duty cover combat alongside strategic core movement opportunities, with each section of the map offering distinctly different styles of gameplay.
Skyjacked: Set on a security VTOL in the clouds over urban Zurich, Skyjacked is a reimagined version of the popular Call of Duty®: Black Ops II multiplayer map Hijacked, and retains the same fast and frenetic gameplay from one of the most popular maps in Call of Duty® history, but with a twist. Skyjacked gives players the opportunity to explore the map in a variety of new ways thanks to the all-new core movement system in Black Ops III.
Call of Duty: Black Ops III Awakening DLC Map Pack is available at a discounted rate via the Call of Duty: Black Ops III DLC Season Pass**, which features all four DLC Map Packs planned for the year, as part of the discounted bundle offered at a suggested retail price of $64.99. Individual purchase of DLC Map Packs is at a suggested retail price of $19.99. Call of Duty: Black Ops III is rated R 18+ by the Australian Classification Board .
Call of Duty: Black Ops III Awakening is scheduled for release on PlayStation 4 on February 2, 2016, other next-gen platform availability to follow.
*Awakening DLC content not available on PS3 or Xbox 360.
**Season Pass content not available on PS3 or Xbox 360.Downloadable content in the Season Pass may be sold separately.If you purchase the DLC Season Pass offering, do not also purchase these standalone DLC Map Packs, as you will be charged for them.DLC Season Pass and DLC Map Packs may not be available on all platforms or in all territories.Pricing and release dates may vary by platform.Call of Duty: Black Ops III game required; sold separately.
In need of a last minute stocking stuffer for Christmas? Check out Indie Gala’sEvery Monday Bundle #91 “XMas Edition”. This week’s bundle contains six great indie games for only $1.99.
Goosebumps: The Game – A point and click adventure game based on the long running young adult horror series.
Super Trench Attack 2 – Your Blue Army squad is stuck behind enemy lines, can you make it past the Black Army and make it back to HQ in this turn based strategy game?
Life is Hard – A 2D strategy/village management game that will let players grow a small little village into a giant civilization.
Wyv and Keep: The Temple of the Lost Idol – A cooperative puzzle platformer starring two rookie adventurers exploring an Amazonian temple full of treasure… and traps.
Gunpowder – A top down physics puzzler starring Incendio and kegs of gunpowder.
Krai Mira – A post-apocalyptic adventure currently in Early Access.
For the first 24 hours of the sale, the bundle is only $1.99, so grab your copy at Indie Gala before the price goes up!
The Odd Gentlemen has taken a rather leisurely pace releasing the second chapter of the King’s Questreboot. After months of radio silence, the Los Angeles based developers have finally launched “Rubble without a Cause.” The story is set long after the events of chapter one, where Graham must face his first serious test of leadership as the new king of Daventry.
Story
Warning, “A Knight to Remember” and “Rubble without a Cause” spoilers ahead.
Chapter One “A Knight to Remember” ended with the young Graham being accepted as a knight of Daventry and Manny being cast as the series’ antagonist. Chapter two moves forward an unknown period of time in the future. Young Graham is now an experienced adventurer who has been selected by the childless King Edward to be his successor. Graham is clearly uncomfortable with the transition between adventurer to ruler as he is more used actually doing things versus ordering others to handle the affairs of the kingdom. After a particularly overwhelming session of managing the kingdom, Graham leaves to clear his mind, feeling rather hopeless. Graham is kidnapped by the goblins that have been harassing the townsfolk and wakes up to discover that he is not the only victim. The entire population of Daventry has been kidnapped along with him. Still haunted by the death of Achaka, Graham is now faced with making decisions that will change the face of Daventry forever.
The writing continues to be solid in “Rubble without a Cause.” The script dances gracefully between serious and light hearted moments, a must considering the chapter focuses heavily on themes of death and the consequences of action. Much to my joy, choices have a much greater long-term impact to the story than in the previous chapter.
The cast of characters continues to be strong. The young King Graham is a little less naïve, but his insecurities and lack of experience make him a relatable and loveable character. The citizens of Daventry continue to be as charming as ever and unintelligible goblins serve more as great comedic relief than actual antagonists. Manny’s role as the game’s overall antagonist is rather small in this chapter, with everything being dumped on the player at the very end of the chapter. Young Gwendolyn is as charming as ever. I really enjoy watching her grow as a person based on her grandfather’s story. On the other hand, her cousin Gart is such an annoying teenager that he makes Gwendolyn all the more loveable.
I really like how “Rubble without a Cause” pays tribute to classic fairy tales. Based on the goblin’s obsessions with the stories, scenes from famous tales are played out by the goblins in funny and creative ways. The Odd Gentlemen even manages to execute their homage in a way that ties into the main story, instead of feeling like an afterthought.
Gameplay
King’s Quest “Rubble without a Cause” has not changed much in terms of gameplay. The same simple control scheme returns, though there is still no mouse only mode. “Rubble without a Cause” is technically more linear compared to “A Knight to Remember.” All of the kidnapped NPCs in Daventry have health bars that slowly tick down with each coming day. While there is a huge variety of possibilities in the order of completing tasks, a good chunk of them are trimmed out if players attempt to save all of the townsfolk.
The puzzles are pretty disappointing in “Rubble without a Cause.” Most are the standard fetch this item so you can fulfill this NPC’s request type puzzles. There are only a small handful of really creative brain teasers, which makes the chapter feel more like a generic adventure game.
Visuals
King’s Quest “Rubble without a Cause” is still a gorgeous game. The storybook-like art style hasn’t worn out its welcome. Graham’s cape has improved since “A Knight to Remember” as I couldn’t catch any instances of clipping. The colour scheme is more muted in this chapter, which pairs well with the slightly darker themes. The world feels a little more repetitive in “Rubble without a Cause” as the entire chapter is set in the same cave. Players will double back to old areas a lot, as certain zones are visited over and over again as Graham gains enough strength to open previously locked doors.
Audio
The audio in King’s Quest “Rubble without a Cause” maintains the status quo set by the first chapter. The sound effects and music continue to be solid. The star studded cast of voice actors make their return in the second chapter and nail their lines perfectly. The goblins may not have received any actual speaking lines, but their unintelligible Peanuts-esque noises still deliver enough emotions to be understandable.
Overall
“Rubble without a Cause” is a bit of a step back after an incredibly strong start. I appreciate the more important long term choices players have to make in the second chapter. The chapter maintains a high level of polish and an interesting story, but it is the linear nature of the game and the uninspired puzzles are a bit of a drag on an otherwise solid game.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
For anyone out there that has no clue what a ColecoVision is let’s start off with a bit of a history lesson. The original ColecoVision by Coleco Industries was a 2nd generation home video game console release in August of 1982, and personally speaking was my first ever video game console I ever owed. The Colecovision console at the time offered amazing arcade quality graphics and gameplay and at launch had 12 ultra-cool launch titles like Mousetrap which came bundled with the console at the time. The Colecovision console sold in excess of 2 million units and published a total of 145 titles from 1982 to 1984, but ultimately withdrew from the video game market in October 1995.
And now after 30 years Coleco is throwing their hat back into the video game ring as it re-enters the market, partnering up with Retro Video Game Systems, Inc. with the introduction of a new video game console called the COLECO Chameleon.
The COLECO Chameleon will accurately play all the favourite past ColecoVision titles along with having the ability to play new games in 8-, 16-, and 32-bit styles, which recently have been quite a popular genre with gamers.
Chris Cardillo, a partner in COLECO said, “Mark [Thomann] and I are excited to work hand-in-hand with Retro Video Game Systems, Inc. in the launch of the COLECO Chameleon. It’s ironic that a new ‘retro’ video-game system would actually revolutionize and revitalize the COLECO brand.”
The COLECO Chameleon have decided not to follow the digital distribution age bandwagon and go back to it’s old school roots with all brand new games being made on long-lasting durable cartridges housed in plastic clamshell cases with illustrated instruction manuals. For all you old school gamers out there, we can once again hold in our hands and relive the joy of slamming that cartridge down into the console and then flipping the ON switch and waiting for the game to load up in seconds, with the added extra option that IF the game stops working when you plug it, you can take it back out and blow the connectors in the hope that it can magically start again.
Retro Video Game Systems, Inc. President Mike Kennedy adds, “The COLECO Chameleon is a love-letter to all the classic cartridge based gaming systems that came before it and we love the fact it will succeed COLECO’s successful Telstar and Colecovision product lines. It will take gamers and their families back to a simpler time where games were all about great gameplay and fun factor.”
The COLECO Chameleon will launch in 2016 and will also be demonstrated at Toy Fair New York 2016, February 13-16.
I guess every big game has a nice little app to go with it, and now Super Mario Maker is the latest to get that treatment. Instead of an app however, Super Mario Maker Bookmark will launch as a web portal, showing players who are not at their console further content.
That will launch December 22nd, but even more interesting is that the game will getting new features in the form of an update.
Here are the details:
Players will be able to access Super Mario Maker Bookmark from their computer, tablet or smart phone to see recommended courses, as well as find their ideal challenge by filtering all available courses by difficulty, game theme, course style and more. Players can also search using a selection of tags, making it easier to find courses that fall into a specific category such as automatic, puzzle, music and more. Any eye-catching levels can then be added as Bookmarks for instant access in-game*. These comprehensive options are also accessible on Wii U via the Course World in Super Mario Maker, allowing players to find a course and hit the Play Now button to jump straight into the action*. A link to Super Mario Maker Bookmark will be added to the Super Mario Maker gamesite after the web portal launches on December 22.
Also on December 22, a software update will be released that adds even more features to the game, including several items never before seen in the Super Mario series. These new features include:
Fire Koopa Clown Car: Perfect for creating shoot ‘em up-style courses, this volcanic vessel is capable of shooting fireballs as well as a powerful charged shot that can even destroy Blocks.
P Warp Doors: Unlike regular Warp Doors, these are only visible while a P Switch is active – ideal for creating truly devious Ghost House courses.
Bumper: This bouncy donut-shaped object sends Mario bounding away when touched.
Other additions: Super Mario Maker Bookmark will be accessible from Course World, while the course information page will now show the fastest clear time, as well as the first player to clear that particular course.
Sounds great, so check out that on December 22nd and take a better look at a handy infographic released down below.
You may remember that Falcom announced a new Ys game for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita a few days before 2014’s Tokyo Game Show for release sometime in 2015. Well after going quiet on the project the company has now announced that they will be bringing Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana as it is now called out in Japan in summer 2016.
The game is still set to take place in the “Goethe Sea” on “Sirens Island” where players will find themselves facing off against a large variety of enemies while also developing a base called the “Drifting Village” that is built by recruiting various castaways scattered across the island. You can check out some early screenshots for Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana below.
Those who have fond memories of the classic Final Fantasy VI and have lost their original copies of the game may be interested to hear that Square Enix has decided to release their mobile port of the game onto PC via Steam. Those who purchase Final Fantasy VI within the next few days can do so at a 10% discount, making the title only cost $14.39 instead of the standard $15.99.
Since this is the mobile port of the game, the title will feature the unfortunate looking graphic update as well as modified controls, an optimized active-time battle system, Steam achievements and Trading Cards exclusive to the PC release.
