Page 3260 – Capsule Computers

Sonic: Lost World Coming to PC

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October 7, 2015

Sonic Lost World was originally the first part of a 3 game Sonic exclusivity deal with Nintendo (the other games being Sonic and Mario at the Sochi 2014 Olympics and Sonic Boom), however it now seems that the deal for Sonic Lost World was only for a timed period, almost exactly 2 years after it’s initial release on the Wii U.

The Steam PC port doesn’t seem to have anything in terms of added content (in fact you would get less content with this release as the Nintendo themed DLC will be absent) but it will have a 60FPS option if your PC can handle it as well as a heap of standard Steam features such as Steam Achievements, Cloud Saves, leader boards and keyboard and control support. To make the deal a little sweet, the game will include the Nightmare DLC and come with a free copy of Sonic and All Stars Racing Transformed for those who pre-order the game.

Sonic Lost World is coming to Steam on November 2nd and will be available at a budget price. You can pre-order the game here but we advise you read our full review before you do so.

Far Cry Primal Announced, Taking Series back to the Stone Age

Jamie Laike Tsui

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October 7, 2015

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Ubisoft Montreal announced the latest addition to the Far Cry series today. Set in the Stone Age, Far Cry Primal will take players to the dawn of humankind where communities are beginning to do more than just survive. Instead of the guns and explosives of previous Far Cry titles, the developers are focusing on the series’ ever popular bow and arrow.

Takkar is the hero of Far Cry Primal, a seasoned hunter and the last member of his hunting group. Here, players will begin to learn how to survive against the harsh environment in hopes of challenging the dominance of the other tribes in Oros.

“The Stone Age is the perfect setting for a Far Cry game,” said Jean-Christophe Guyot, Creative Director, Ubisoft. “Far Cry usually puts you at the edge of the known world, in a beautiful, lawless and savage frontier. The Stone Age is, in a way, the very first frontier for humankind; it’s the time when humans put a stick in the ground and claimed land for their own, the time when we started climbing the food chain. That came with conflict against other humans, of course, but also against nature itself.”

Far Cry Primal is set to launch on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on February 23, 2016. A Windows launch will follow a few weeks later in March 2016.

Deus Ex – 15th Anniversary Animated Trailer

Press Releases

Philip Federico

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October 7, 2015

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Deus Ex – 15th Anniversary Animated Trailer

Gaming’s perpetual window to the future, the Deus Ex franchise, has long been regarded as one of the most innovative series ever created. From JC Denton to Adam Jensen, we’re looking back at 15 years of Deus Ex with a unique animated trailer, recreating some of the most iconic scenes from the series.

You can watch the trailer on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOcTxxyJJlw ;

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided will be released on February 23^rd, 2016 on PC, PS4 and Xbox One. #CantKillProgress

Explore the Deus Ex Universe:
Official portal: http://www.deusex.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DeusEx
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/DeusEx
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/DeusEx
Reddit: http://www.reddit.com/r/deusex
Tumblr: http://deusex.tumblr.com

UBISOFT® TAKES FAR CRY TO THE STONE AGE IN FAR CRY® PRIMAL

Press Releases

Philip Federico

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October 7, 2015

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UBISOFT^® TAKES FAR CRY TO THE STONE AGE IN FAR CRY^® PRIMAL

FAR CRY PRIMAL OFFICIAL REVEAL TRAILER: YOUTUBE

THE CREATIVE VISION BEHIND THE GAME VIDEO: YOUTUBE

London, UK — October 6, 2015 — Today, Ubisoft^® announced the development of Far Cry^® Primal, the next exciting chapter in the critically acclaimed Far Cry franchise, set during the savage Stone Age. Far Cry Primal hits shelves worldwide on February 23, 2016 for the PlayStation^®4 computer entertainment system and the Xbox One. The game will also ship on Windows PC in March 2016.

Developed by Ubisoft Montréal, in collaboration with Ubisoft Toronto, Ubisoft Shanghai Studio, and Ubisoft Kiev Studio, Far Cry Primal is a full-fledged single player experience that will take gamers to 10,000 BC in history, to a time when massive beasts like the woolly mammoth and sabretooth tiger ruled the Earth.

The award-winning franchise that stormed the tropics and climbed the Himalayas now brings its innovative open world sandbox gameplay to a time when humans were not at the top of the food chain, but were fighting to climb it, bringing together massive beasts, breathtaking environments, and unpredictable savage encounters.

Gamers play as TAKKAR, a seasoned hunter and the last surviving member of his hunting group. Arriving in the majestic and savage land of Oros, players will pursue one single goal; survive in a world where humans are the prey. They will meet a cast of memorable characters who will help them push back and tame the dangers of the wild. Players will journey as the first human to tame the wilderness and rise above extinction. Along the way, they will have to hunt for food, master fire, fend off fierce predators, craft weapons and tools partly from the bones of slain beasts, and face off against other tribes to conquer Oros.

“The interesting thing about Far Cry is that it’s flexible, so when a team proposed to explore the idea of a Far Cry taking place during the Stone Age, we just said ‘let’s hear it!’ And the more we heard about it, the more we realised how much of a damn good idea it actually was,” said Dan Hay, Executive Producer, Ubisoft.

“The Stone Age is the perfect setting for a Far Cry game,” said Jean-Christophe Guyot, Creative Director, Ubisoft. “Far Cry usually puts you at the edge of the known world, in a beautiful, lawless and savage frontier. The Stone Age is, in a way, the very first frontier for humankind; it’s the time when humans put a stick in the ground and claimed land for their own, the time when we started climbing the food chain. That came with conflict against other humans, of course, but also against nature itself.”

For more information on Far Cry Primal, please visit farcrygame.com.

For the latest news on Ubisoft collectible merchandise, please visit and like the page www.facebook.com/ubicollectibles.

About Ubisoft
Ubisoft is a leading creator, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and services, with a rich portfolio of world-renowned brands, including Assassin’s Creed, Just Dance, Tom Clancy’s video game series, Rayman, Far Cry and Watch Dogs. The teams throughout Ubisoft’s worldwide network of studios and business offices are committed to delivering original and memorable gaming experiences across all popular platforms, including consoles, mobile phones, tablets and PCs. For the 2014–15 fiscal year Ubisoft generated sales of €1,464 million. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoftgroup.com.

© 2015 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Far Cry, Ubisoft, and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the US and/or other countries. Based on Crytek’s original Far Cry directed by Cevat Yerli. Powered by Crytek’s technology “CryEngine.” “PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Yokai Watch Hands-On Impressions

Mateja Simovic

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October 6, 2015

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This game was perhaps the cutest game I was able to try out at EB expo this year. Imagine pokemon crossed with ghostbusters and with a healthy helping of Japanese Shinto superstition and you’ll essentially come up with Yokai Watch. ‘Yokai’ are a category of spirits in Japanese folklore which include everything oni (demons) to mischievous gremlins. The Yokai you go after in the game are generally causing some manner of trouble for the people they’re haunting and it’s your job to defeat them. Developed by Level-5, Nintendo hopes that Yokai Watch for the 3DS will be the next big thing to match their success with the pokemon franchise and apparently it is extremely popular in its native Japan.

My session with the game began with learning the basic mechanics of tracking and fighting Yokai. On the screen, there are a number of indicators for where Yokai are located on the map including indicators which show your next objective. The design of the town environment feels very Nintendo and reminiscent of titles like Harvest Moon and Pokemon. Moving around the town, I came across my first Yokai which was making a guy very lethargic. Using a yokai scope, I detected the yokai in the general vicinity and engaged them in combat using my own yokai.

The combat is partially turn-based in that abilities have a cooldown after use. Your yokai will also attack the enemy automatically and you will be able to get them to target specific enemies if you feel they’re a weak point (or a threat). If a yokai on your roster gets knocked out or needs time to recharge, you can rotate your team by literally rotating a dial with all of them on the lower screen of the DS. Activating their abilities requires you to play a minigame wherein you might need to trace some symbols, tap the screen, or spin a circle to get the ability shooting off. It breaks up the action, and I’d be interested to see how it holds up over longer playthroughs but I didn’t find it particularly annoying or boring the number of times I did it in my session.

The cutest thing about the game for me was that the yokai were representations of various small anxieties and other troubles which can affect people. One of the Yokai I had to defeat to continue the story was (I’m fairly sure) depression which was represented as a mosquito-type monster and I was given the task of defeating it. As someone who has experienced mental illness through friends and loved ones, I think that this is a wonderful way of representing and conceptualising these things as enemies which can be defeated and tamed. I’m not sure if the game actually continues in this vein throughout, but if it does I think that it would be to its benefit.

I hope it does and I look forward to its release later this year on the 5th of December.

ACTIVISION PUBLISHING, INC. LAUNCHES PLATINUMGAMES’ EARTH-SHATTERING ACTION-BRAWLER: TRANSFORMERS: DEVASTATION

Press Releases

Philip Federico

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October 6, 2015

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ACTIVISION PUBLISHING, INC. LAUNCHES PLATINUMGAMES’ EARTH-SHATTERING ACTION-BRAWLER: TRANSFORMERS: DEVASTATION

SANTA MONICA, Calif. – Oct. 6, 2015 – Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), today released TRANSFORMERS: Devastation. This new third-person action-brawler rolls into battle with Hasbro’s classic Generations designs and developer PlatinumGames’ renowned flair for slick visuals and free-flowing, high-speed combat.

TRANSFORMERS: Devastation moves at a breakneck pace: rocket through danger in vehicle mode before bursting into robot mode to unleash a barrage of close-quarters combos and blaster fire. Tackle the game’s gripping single-player campaign and 50 highly challenging bonus missions with any of five playable heroes – OPTIMUS PRIME, BUMBLEBEE, SIDESWIPE, WHEELJACK and GRIMLOCK. Each of these characters can be evolved with new abilities, unique talents and more than 150 upgradeable weapons.

Brought to life with bold, cel-shaded artwork, TRANSFORMERS: Devastation features legendary TRANSFORMERS voice actors like Dan Gilvezan as BUMBLEBEE, Frank Welker as MEGATRON and SOUNDWAVE, Michael Bell as SIDESWIPE, Gregg Berger as GRIMLOCK, and Peter Cullen as OPTIMUS PRIME. As the fates of Earth and Cybertron collide, the noble AUTOBOTS must face off against the DECEPTICONS’ most ruthless champions in an original adventure from veteran TRANSFORMERS writer Andy Schmidt that expands the series’ ongoing Combiner Wars story arc.

TRANSFORMERS: Devastation is now available for MSRP $49.99 on the PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment systems, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and Windows PC via Steam. It is rated T (Teen) by the ESRB. For more information, please visit www.TransformersGame.com and www.facebook.com/TransformersGame.

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading global producer and publisher of interactive entertainment. Activision maintains operations throughout the world. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com, or by following @Activision.

About PlatinumGames Inc.

PlatinumGames Inc. is an independent entertainment developer based in Osaka, Japan, dedicated to making high-quality, next-generation games for a variety of hardware platforms. Under the slogan “Taking on the World as the Representative of Japan,” PlatinumGames works hard to deliver fresh surprises and new experiences to gamers all over the world. Official website: www.platinumgames.com.

About Hasbro, Inc.

Hasbro (NASDAQ: HAS) is a global company committed to Creating the World’s Best Play Experiences, by leveraging its beloved brands, including LITTLEST PET SHOP, MAGIC: THE GATHERING, MONOPOLY, MY LITTLE PONY, NERF, PLAY-DOH, TRANSFORMERS, and premier partner brands. From toys and games, television programming, motion pictures, digital gaming and a comprehensive lifestyle licensing program, Hasbro fulfills the fundamental need for play and connection for children and families around the world. The Company’s Hasbro Studios creates entertainment brand-driven storytelling across mediums, including television, film and more. Through the company’s commitment to corporate social responsibility, including philanthropy, Hasbro is helping to build a safe and sustainable world and to positively impact the lives of millions of children and families every year. Learn more at www.hasbro.com and follow us on Twitter (@Hasbro & @HasbroNews).

©2015 Activision Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. “PlayStation” and “PS3” are registered trademarks. “PS4” is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners.

Playstation VR Hands-On Impressions

Mateja Simovic

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October 6, 2015

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The Sony booth at EB expo this year had a small portion dedicated to demoing the Playstation VR (also known as ‘Project Morpheus’). Although it was pretty much booked out by other (less capsule-based) media outlets and members of the general public, I succeeded on my charisma check and managed to squeeze myself into a session. After strapping myself in with the headset and headphones, I started on my (mis)adventure.

I was playing through The London Heist which seemed highly reminiscent thematically of British crime films and which had me start off in an interrogation in some manner of underground chamber. The room was dark and besides me, there was a burly British gentleman who was decidedly intimidating. After an awkward silence where we both sat and watched each other silently, he received a phone call in the middle of holding a blow torch up to my face. He was annoyed at this interruption but then proceeded to tell me that the call was for me and held out the phone. I was still getting a hand of the controls but after fumbling with the controls and caressing the bruiser’s hand lovingly for a moment; I picked up the phone and put it to my ear.I was impressed that the sound was localised to appear as though it was coming from the phone in my hand as the voice on the other end spoke to me and the scene melted into a flashback.

I was now in a fancy office with a very grandiose writing desk. I was informed that I needed to find a diamond but that I would need a key to get at it. I began my search immediately and was impressed by how responsive and accurate the controls were at picking up my motions as I rummaged around. There were a couple of instances where I believe I may have stuck my arm out a bit too far in one direction and my hand started to glitch out, but it only happened once and for a split second during my playthrough. In my search I found a gun and ammo which I placed on the desk alongside the key I needed to open the safe with the diamond. Upon picking up said diamond, alarm bells started ringing and guards started running into the room. It was at that point that the gun I found earlier came in handy.

I had to manually load the gun by picking up a clip in one hand and loading it into the butt of the gun. The action was fairly smooth and not nearly as finnicky as the real thing but still a nice little representation. Firing the pistol was similarly smooth with the controller largely responding to my fine tuning quite well. The lack of recoil also meant I could fire the pistol sideways (real GANGSTA) without too much penalty.

After engaging in a firefight with the guards who entered the room, my session ended. I was thoroughly impressed by what I had seen and experienced with the accuracy of the controls being something which particularly surprised me. I’m interested in seeing what else comes of this system and with the motion controls. My one concern for future release to the public would be the issue of space (not everyone has a nice big living room to swing around in) and safety (not everyone has a booth employee to make sure they don’t trip over wires).

Cuphead Hands-On Impressions

Mateja Simovic

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October 6, 2015

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I first learnt of Cuphead, developed by MDHR studio, earlier this year at the Microsoft press conference when it was announced that the company would be supporting a number of indie titles for their platform. The trailer had me intrigued due to its retro, hand-drawn style and awesome jazz music. The game is composed entirely of boss battles and its style draws heavily from cartoons of the 1930s such as the classic animations of Disney, Paramount Pictures, and Warner Brothers. I managed to get some hands-on time with the game at EB expo this year, so here are my thoughts:

The best way I can describe this game is as a non-stop boss-level in games like Metal Slug but with a cute cartoon aesthetic. The levels were scattered around a map hub which you could walk around. The bosses and their levels are significantly varied from level with some examples including a queen bee in her hive and another being monstrous vegetables in a garden. For each level, the bosses vary up their forms and attacks as their health decreases which helps to keep things interesting. As they’re all boss battles, they’re all essentially one-level stages and very difficult (or more likely; I suck at console gaming). Generally, there is a rhythmn to the boss attacks and once you play through the level enough times, you’ll become proficient at reading these patterns and learn to defeat them.

Unfortunately, as I had only a limited amount of time to acquaint myself with these, I was unable to learn how to run and gun my way around the stage well enough to win. Nonetheless, I very much enjoyed the visual style and I can see the appeal it has for action oriented gamers.

Star Fox Zero Hands-On Preview

Andrew Day

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October 6, 2015

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Like many of you out there, I grew up on video games, and much like the rest of you out there I can point to a handful of games that were iconic and memorable parts of my life. One of these games for me is definitely Lylat Wars (or Star Fox 64 for those of you who live overseas). Piloting my Arwing through the Lylat System is still an amazing experience for me. The different styles of world, the tight controls and gameplay, the memorable cast – it really was one of those games that had it all.

Fast forward to the EB Games Expo 2015 and I got to get my hands on with the true successor to that game; Star Fox Zero. Jumping back into an Arwing and flying again through the streets of Corneria City felt exactly like I remembered it, and even though the controls took some getting used to, I felt like I was an eight year old all over again.

From the moment you are given control of your space craft, it really does feel like a true Lylat Wars successor. The enemies all look exactly how you remember them, as does Corneria City itself. I will admit that the controls took a little getting used to (having the right thumb stick be how you bank left/right or perform manoeuvres was a bit of a jarring experience). Once I got the hang of it however, I found the controls to be super tight and responsive. The Arwing went wherever I wanted it too with the swiftness and elegance that one could only dream of. Even during the demo chapter’s all-range mode section, the craft felt like it was under my absolute control at all times.

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I know it looks like I’ve just been fawning and gushing and stuck in nostalgia-town with this game, but I am not too blinded by its faults. Firstly, I don’t really like or get why the Arwing can turn into a chicken. The ground-based stuff just felt like it was tacked onto a game that really didn’t need it. Not only that but the button placement to do so made it way too easy to accidentally drop from the sky and completely throw me out of the zone.

Another thing that stuck out at me was the game’s visuals. While the Wii U isn’t an over the top graphics powerhouse, we have seen Nintendo do some really impressive stuff with their little box, from the intense colours of Super Mario World to the truly next-gen looking Mario Kart 8. Well, Star Fox Zero, while it an ugly game by any stretch of the imagination, didn’t have the same pizzaz that we have come to expect from the Big N. Hopefully the delay until 2016 will give Nintendo a chance to make it look as good as it feels to play.

For the rest of our coverage of the 2015 EB Games Expo, click here.

Rise of the Tomb Raider Hands-On Preview

Andrew Day

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October 6, 2015

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“Tombs!” That was the first thing that popped into my mind when I picked up the controller and started to play Square Enix’s upcoming The Rise of the Tomb Raider. I was a huge fan of the 2013 franchise reboot that saw Lara Croft become a household name once again, but in amidst all the rock climbing, running and gunning, and the treasure hunting there was one element of the Tomb Raider franchise that was sorely lacking; the Tombs.

From the moment I started playing the demo for Rise Of the Tomb Raider, the world felt at piece. The game started me up at the entrance to an ancient, decrepit tomb where I was tasked with navigating the perilous caverns, dodging death traps and solving puzzles in order to progress. “This is what I have been waiting for!” I said to myself numerous times as the name “Tomb Raider” felt right once again.

Aside from exploring and spelunking, fans of the 2013 reboot will be happy to hear that the gameplay remains relatively unchanged. Lara moves just as she did back then and while her arsenal has increased, she still retains her skills and ass-kickery that made her great.

I also got to sample a bit of the game’s combat, and for a third-person action game, the gunplay seems incredibly solid. I’d like to get a bit more time with the game before I sing its praises, but what I experienced so far leads me to believe that the combat will have a more satisfying and tonally fitting feel than its predecessor.

It is hard to say from such a short time just how great Rise of the Tomb Raider will be, especially considering it will be a highly story-driven experience, but from what alive played I can say that it is a game that should probably be on your radars.

I had fun with Rise of the Tomb Raider and cannot wait to see where this adventure will take our dear miss Croft this time. Thankfully, we don’t have too long to wait to find out as Rise of the Tomb Raider will be available from November 10th, 2015.

For the rest of our coverage of the 2015 EB Games Expo, click here.