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PARTY WITH THE MINIONS IN MINIONS PARADISE,AN ALL NEW GAME AVAILABLE NOW ON MOBILE

PARTY WITH THE MINIONS IN MINIONS PARADISE,AN ALL NEW GAME AVAILABLE NOW ON MOBILE

Game Introduces Fans to Phil, a New Minion Exclusive to Minions Paradise

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – October 13, 2015 – It’s time to get this party started! Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA), Illumination Entertainment, and Universal Partnerships & Licensing today announced that Minions Paradise™ is available now as a free download* in the App Store SM and on Google Play.

As part of an unprecedented creative collaboration between the game makers at EA and the film makers at Illumination Entertainment, the creators of the sweet yet subversive Minions and force behind the Despicable Me global film franchise, Minions Paradise introduces players to Phil, a totally new Minion created exclusively for the game. It also features a variety of lively animations that bring all the humor and mayhem of the Minions to life. Designed to grow over time with the Minions universe, Minions Paradise will provide players with new gaming experiences for years to come.

Minions Paradise takes players on the vacation of a lifetime. When Phil sinks the cruise ship carrying his Minion buddies, he must turn a deserted tropical island into the perfect paradise for his pals. In Minions Paradise, players find fun and surprises around every corner of their own private retreat, as they’re invited to:

PARTY WITH YOUR FAVORITE MINIONS

Phil’s turning the island into a party-paradise and you’re invited – along with Kevin, Stuart, and Bob from the MINIONS movie! Help Phil organize the ultimate Minion party and see how it transforms your island into the perfect getaway.

UNLEASH YOUR CREATIVITY

Customize your island with hot tubs, hammocks, and beach volleyball courts. Plant firefly trees, harness power from electric eels, and grow bushels of bananas to make an island paradise for Phil and his Minion buddies.

EXPLORE YOUR PARADISE

The more land you get, the more fun your Minions will have! You can also become an expert at alligator waterskiing, throw mangoes from hot air balloons, and even dive off waterslides.

TAKE VILLAINOUS VACATIONS

All Minions need a villainous boss to serve! Aid Phil in building a special resort for all your favorite villains from the MINIONS movie. Help these despicable characters enjoy paradise while putting their own dastardly plans into motion.

For news and updates on Minions Paradise visit www.minionsparadise.com, Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

*Network fees may apply and includes in-app purchases

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About MINIONS

The story of Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment’s MINIONS begins at the dawn of time.  Starting as single-celled yellow organisms, Minions evolve through the ages, perpetually serving the most despicable of masters.  Continuously unsuccessful at keeping these masters—from T. rex to Napoleon—the Minions find themselves without someone to serve and fall into a deep depression.

But one Minion named Kevin has a plan, and he—alongside teenage rebel Stuart and lovable little Bob—ventures out into the world to find a new evil boss for his brethren to follow.

The trio embarks upon a thrilling journey that ultimately leads them to their next potential master, Scarlet Overkill (Academy Award® winner Sandra Bullock), the world’s first-ever female super-villain.  They travel from frigid Antarctica to 1960s New York City, ending in mod London, where they must face their biggest challenge to date: saving all of Minionkind…from annihilation.

Featuring a soundtrack of hit music from the ’60s that still permeates our culture today, Minions is produced by Illumination’s Chris Meledandri and Janet Healy, and is directed by Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda.  Brian Lynch has written the screenplay for the 3D-CG comedy adventure, and Chris Renaud serves as executive producer of the film.  www.minionsmovie.com

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, personal computers, mobile phones and tablets. EA has more than 300 million registered players around the world.

In fiscal year 2015, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.5 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality blockbuster brands such as The Sims™, Madden NFL, EA SPORTS™ FIFA, Battlefield™, Dragon Age™ and Plants vs. Zombies™. More information about EA is available at www.ea.com/news.

EA SPORTS, The Sims, Dragon Age, Plants vs. Zombies and Battlefield are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. and its subsidiaries. John Madden, NFL and FIFA are the property of their respective owners and used with permission. App Store is a Service Mark of Apple Inc.

About Illumination Entertainment

Illumination Entertainment, founded by Chris Meledandri in 2007, is one of the entertainment industry’s leading producers of all-audience event films. In July 2010, Illumination, which has an exclusive financing and distribution partnership with Universal Pictures, released its first film, Despicable Me, starring Steve Carell, which earned more than $540 million worldwide and launched a beloved global franchise. With the success of 2011’s Hop (over $183 million worldwide), 2012’s Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax and 2013’s juggernaut Despicable Me 2— the highest-grossing first-run film in Universal’s history and the year’s third-highest-grossing film at the worldwide box office—Illumination’s films have made almost $2 billion. Universal and Illumination’s next film Minions, starring Academy Award®-winner Sandra Bullock and Jon Hamm, written by Brian Lynch, and directed by Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud, arrives in theaters on July 10, 2015. Fans may also experience Minion Mayhem in 3D with the Ultra-HD movie motion simulator adventure at Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood.

About Universal Partnerships & Licensing

Universal Partnerships & Licensing (UP&L) oversees NBCUniversal’s consumer product licensing, film, home entertainment and television promotions, and corporate alliances for Universal’s theatrical, home entertainment, television, theme parks and stage productions. This dedicated division is also responsible for monetizing the company’s vast library of films and characters through licensing, branding and marketing opportunities. UP&L is part of NBCUniversal. NBCUniversal is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment television networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, world renowned theme parks, and a suite of leading Internet‐based businesses. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.

Minions Paradise is a trademark and copyright of Universal City Studios LLC. Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing LLC. All Rights Reserved.

The Scariest School Season Ever has Started— First Semester Concludes with Corpse Party: Blood Drive

The Scariest School Season Ever has Started— First Semester Concludes with Corpse Party: Blood Drive 

XSEED Games Launches Cult Favorite Horror Anthology Finale Presented in Physical Format and in 3D for the First Time

Torrance, Calif. – (October 13, 2015) – XSEED Games, the independent-minded console publishing brand of Marvelous USA, Inc., today announced that Corpse Party: Blood Drive has launched in North America exclusively for the PlayStation®Vita handheld entertainment system. For the first time ever in the Corpse Party series, the title has been released in physical format with the “Everafter Edition.” A standard edition of the game is also available digitally via PlayStation™Store.

Corpse Party: Blood Drive closes out the “Heavenly Host Elementary” storyline in this cult favorite visual novel-style horror anthology series. The final installment of the supernatural story that began with Corpse Party and continued in Corpse Party: Book of Shadows, Corpse Party: Blood Drive ups the ante by allowing players to explore Heavenly Host Elementary in full 3D for the very first time, with all of its formerly 2D environments meticulously recreated and greatly expanded.

New gameplay systems provide even more exciting interactions for players experiencing the gruesome finale to this tale of an inescapable, otherworldly school populated by vengeful spirits, including a dynamic lighting system aided by an in-game flashlight, talismans to protect the player characters from danger, deadly traps to disarm, cabinets to hide in, a stamina system that allows for limited dashing, and much more.

Presented with the original Japanese voiceovers for authenticity, Blood Drive features the return of previously offered gameplay elements such as binaural 3D audio for simulated surround sound and the screen-altering “Darkening” system, as well as bonus unlockables such as voice actor interviews, art, music, and more. Boasting 11 huge story chapters and 8 supplemental “Extra Chapters,” Corpse Party: Blood Drive caps off the Heavenly Host storyline in a big way, providing answers and shocking twists in equal measure.

Published in North America by XSEED Games, Corpse Party: Blood Drive is available exclusively for the PS Vita. The limited “Everafter Edition” (physical version only) is available for a suggested retail price of $49.99. The  “Everafter Edition” contains a two-disc compilation of songs from Corpse Party, Corpse Party: Book of Shadows, and Corpse Party: Blood Drive, as well as a “Dying Art” grimoire featuring over 100 pages of artwork from throughout the franchise. The game is also available digitally via PlayStation™Store for $39.99. This title has been rated “M” for Mature by the ESRB. More information on the game can be found at the newly launched website http://www.corpsepartyblooddrive.com

For more information on XSEED Games products, please visit www.xseedgames.com. Fans can also follow XSEED Games on Facebook at www.facebook.com/XSEEDGames and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/XSEEDGames.

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ESRB Guidelines for Corpse Party: Blood Drive

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DUNGEON DEFENDERS II GOES FREE-TO-PLAY ON PC

DUNGEON DEFENDERS II GOES FREE-TO-PLAY ON PC

Trendy Entertainment’s Action-Tower Defense Game Hits Open Alpha Development Milestone on Steam Early Access

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Oct. 13, 2015 – Trendy Entertainment has announced that Dungeon Defenders II, its action-tower defense game, is now available as a free-to-play open alpha on PC via Steam Early Access.

Open alpha arrives on PC on the heels of last week’s new “Ascension” patch, which plays with Dungeon Defenders II in some fun ways. Towers are now bigger and stronger, and enemies have been rebalanced to match the challenge. In addition, weapons are more powerful and feature new variations in attack patterns and speed to fit players’ individual tastes. Player choice is supported even further by the introduction of the Stat Allocation System, allowing players to choose where to place stat points as they level up. “Ascension” also includes a new Huntress build, costumes and more.

But that’s only Part One! Part Two of the “Ascension” update, expected for release on Oct. 27, will roll out two new holiday-themed maps and a fresh Incursion, as well as new minibosses, hero builds, and spooky costumes, among other improvements.

Dungeon Defenders II is a third-person action-strategy game featuring classic role-playing elements like loot, leveling, pets and more. Players must build the ultimate champions and tactical defenses to protect the magical realm of Etheria from the invading waves of the Old Ones’ armies. The game advances the original Dungeon Defenders experience with new combat systems and abilities, supporting modes for single-player and four-person online cooperative multiplayer.

Dungeon Defenders II entered Steam Early Access late last year, and feedback from players has been instrumental in evolving the game since then. Today’s move to a free open alpha on Steam is the next step in Trendy Entertainment’s ultimate goal: officially launching Dungeon Defenders II as a free-to-play title supported by ethical in-game microtransactions on PlayStation®4, PC, Mac and Linux.

PC players who join Dungeon Defenders II during open alpha and beyond can purchase currency packs on Steam in order to obtain special cosmetic items and more. Open alpha marks the end of full wipes for player progression, though limited resets and/or rerolls may arise based on continuing developments to the game. For more information as the title develops, please visit www.DungeonDefenders.com, and follow www.facebook.com/DungeonDefenders and www.twitter.com/TrendyEnt.

About Trendy Entertainment

Trendy Entertainment is an independent video game development studio based in Gainesville, Fla. Created by veterans of the video game industry, Trendy Entertainment is focused on developing fun and innovative video games across multiple platforms. The company believes digital distribution deserves the same AAA-quality releases as retail.

DRAGON QUEST HEROES: The World Tree’s Woe and the Blight Below arrives in Europe this week!

DRAGON QUEST HEROES: The World Tree’s Woe and the Blight Below arrives in Europe this week!

LONDON (13th October, 2015) –   Square Enix Ltd., today released a brand new trailer to celebrate the launch of its exhilarating action-based RPG, DRAGON QUEST HEROES®: The World Tree’s Woe and the Blight Below™, across Europe and PAL territories on Friday. Developed in collaboration with  ω-Force (Omega Force) from KOEI TECMO GAMES and  led by a legendary trio of creators including series mastermind Yuji Horii, revolutionary composer Koichi Sugiyama and world-renowned artist Akira Toriyama, the game brings DRAGON QUEST®, a franchise with over 100 titles in Japan to-date, back to the West in full force.

To watch the official launch trailer now, visit: https://youtu.be/XTm5kv85oS0

In DRAGON QUEST HEROES: The World Tree’s Woe and the Blight Below, a dark cloud has fallen over the city of Arba, driving the once peaceful monsters into a frenzied rage.  As either the hero, Luceus, or the heroine, Aurora, players can joins forces with an iconic cast from previous DRAGON QUEST titles, including Alena, Bianca and Yangus, to bring the rampaging hordes of monsters to their senses and restore order to the kingdom! These monsters will require more than just sheer strength to overcome, however, as players will also find themselves summoning monsters to their side with the use of Monster Medals, upgrading their equipment and items by obtaining loot, and customising their characters’ skill trees in order to defeat the most formidable of foes.

For players in the West, DRAGON QUEST HEROES: The World Tree’s Woe and the Blight Belowwill also include all of the extra downloadable content previously released following the Japanese launch to enjoy for free when the game releases later this week. It will also feature both English and Japanese voice over options, giving fans the freedom to choose the audio track catered to their experience.

DRAGON QUEST HEROES: The World Tree’s Woe and the Blight Below will be available across Europe and PAL territories on 16th October 2015 for the PlayStation®4. Those who pre-order from the SQUARE ENIX STORE will also receive an exclusive in-game DRAGON QUEST III Hero outfit, which the protagonist can wear. To pre-order please visit:  https://store.eu.square-enix.com.

Related Links:
Homepage: www.dragonquest-game.com/heroes
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DragonQuest
Twitter: @DragonQuest
Launch Trailer:  http://bit.ly/DQYoutubeblog

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 42 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/ .

DRAGON QUEST HEROES: The World Tree’s Woes and the Blight Below   © 2015 ARMOR PROJECT/BIRD STUDIO/KOEI TECMO GAMES/SQUARE ENIX All Rights Reserved.

DRAGON QUEST, DRAGON QUEST HEROES: THE WORLD TREE’S WOES AND THE BLIGHT BELOW, the DRAGON QUEST HEROES: THE WORLD TREE’S WOES AND THE BLIGHT BELOW LOGO, FINAL FANTASY, the FINAL FANTASY logo SPACE INVADERS and TAITO SQUARE ENIX, AND THE SQUARE ENIX are registered trademarks or trademarks of the Square Enix Group. “PlayStation” and “PS4” are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment. All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners.

UNDERWORLD ASCENDANT FIRST PROTOTYPE UNCLOAKED

UNDERWORLD ASCENDANT FIRST PROTOTYPE UNCLOAKED

OtherSide Entertainment Reveals First Prototype with a New Video, and Details on this Ultima™ Underworld Sequel

CONCORD, MASS – October 13, 2015 – In the wake of a successful Kickstarter campaign last spring, former Looking Glass co-founder Paul Neurath and his development studio OtherSide Entertainment have revealed the first in-game Prototype of the fantasy RPG Underworld Ascendant, the sequel to the landmark series, Ultima Underworld.

Watch the Prototype on YouTube HERE: youtu.be/edMlwffFfXk

A rogue’s view of the dwarven magic controlling the flow of lava in the Stygian Abyss’ Volcanic core.

In 1992, Ultima Underworld changed the rules of what a fantasy RPG could be. It introduced the concept of 3D immersion, a player-authored experience, and an open-world to explore. The game is considered one of the most innovative and renowned RPGs of its generation.

Now the game’s original creators, who founded Looking Glass Studios, and also designed the classics System Shock and Thief, are bringing the franchise forward with the next-generation sequel, Underworld Ascendant.  It not only modernizes the series’ visuals and user interface to take full advantage of the today’s powerful PCs, it innovates in bold new ways.

This new video captures actual gameplay footage of an early slice of Underworld Ascendant’s dark and fantastic Stygian Abyss, where a rogue steals a dwarven artifact that’s magically controlling the volcanic flow into the dwarf’s metallurgic works. Upon stealing it, the unarmed rogue is confronted by a powerful Shadow Beast guardian, who forces her to find resourceful means to elude and defeat it using light and darkness. This Prototype video shows only one possible scenario from a wealth of options provided by the game’s Improvisation Engine, a suite of technologies that gives players the choice author their own play styles through the game.

“We want to immerse players into a fantasy world steeped in choices, where they can author their own way through the true role-playing experience,” said Paul Neurath, founder and CEO of OtherSide Entertainment. “This video shows an early snapshot of the progress we’ve made since the Kickstarter, focused on just one aspect of gameplay, where the Shadow Beast and player are entwind in a deadly dance of light and darkness. We’ll be showing much more in the months to come.”

Key Features in Underground Ascendant Include:

  • Exquisitely Realized Underworld. Plunder ancient temples, navigate subterranean rivers, gaze in wonder at the masterwork of jade dwarven halls, scale plunging ice caverns, trek through enchanted forests of giant mushrooms, dare shadowy tombs of the undead, and much more.
  • Myriad of Creatures to Encounter.  Face monstrous creatures like the ripper, a vicious, ambulatory plant whose bark is prized by The Stygian Abyss’ intelligent races; stay clear of mass migrations of ravenous rotworms; dodge the giant spider’s sticky webs it casts through the air.
  • Epic Narrative.  Play as The Avatar, a human newly arrived from our earth through a mystical Runegate.   Entangle yourself in a tale of intrigue and conflict as three fierce, rival factions struggle for control. Your choices will determine the ultimate fate of The Stygian Abyss. Tracy Hickman, the NYT best-selling fantasy author, will extend the narrative with an Underworld novel.
  • Dynamic Factions.  Three rival factions vie for dominance in struggles that ebb and flow across The Stygian Abyss.  Dark Elves with their potent magic, the mysterious shambler “mushroom people” performing arcane rituals, dwarves producing the finest arms and armor.
  • Improvisation Engine.  Delight in player-authored gameplay taken to a whole new level, with a suite of technologies that empower you to solve challenges with astonishing ingenuity. Be the ‘MacGyver’ of a fantasy world.
  • Hero to Call Your Own.  Jump right in as a Fighter, Thief or Mage. Then as your Avatar grows, freely mix and match across any skills to develop a unique hero, tailored to any style of play.
  • Underworld Ascendant is a True Sequel. OtherSide Entertainment has the rights to use all of the elements of the original Underworld games (except only for the Ultima brand itself.)

Created by OtherSide Entertainment, the indie development studio that garnered 13,987 backers pledging $860,356 on Kickstarter this past spring, Underground Ascendant is a next-generation fantasy RPG due on PC, Mac, and Linux in late 2016. For more information on OtherSide Entertainment, please see these key links:

Website:  https://www.underworldascendant.com/the-game/index.php

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/OtherSideEntertainment

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/OtherSide_Games

YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpa4L_96ElAgH1hit3aya9w

RSS:  https://www.underworldascendant.com/includes/ua_feed.xml

Twitch:  http://www.twitch.tv/otherside_entertainment

Genre-defying Shooter Bedlam Launches for PC and Console

Genre-defying Shooter Bedlam Launches for PC and Console

Gaming love-letter packed with innovative retro action blasts onto PS4, Xbox One, PC and Mac

London, 13 October 2015 – RedBedlam in association with Vision Games Publishing, today announced that the genre-defying FPS game, Bedlam, is launching for current-gen consoles and PC. The game, with a script by acclaimed author Christopher Brookmyre adapted from his best-selling science-fiction novel of the same name, has released for PlayStation®4, PC, and OSX with the version for Xbox One, the all in one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, arriving on Xbox Game Store on Friday, October 16th. All versions are priced at £14.99 in the UK.

“As a lifelong gamer, Bedlam is the love-letter to gaming I’ve always wanted to write, and the team at RedBedlam have done an astonishing job bringing my ‘gameverse’ to life” said Christopher Brookmyre. “It’s a great feeling to know that gamers can now explore the world of Bedlam via a totally different medium.”

RedBedlam also released a brand-new launch trailer which showcases the innovative retro-gaming inspired action players can expect to experience first-hand in the game.

(Contains explicit content)

In Bedlam, players take on the role of Heather Quinn (aka Athena), a programmer at medical scanning developer Neurosphere, who finds herself transported into the world of Starfire: a nineties FPS she remembers from her teen years. Searching for an explanation and a way home, she ventures beyond Starfire to discover a vast realm of interconnected game worlds documenting the evolution of the FPS genre and of video games in general. As Athena, players move through numerous game settings while battling against a digital conspiracy that seeks to destroy the game worlds and their characters. A fast-paced and authentically unique FPS,Bedlam serves up a dizzying variety of genres from fantasy RPGs to classic 2D arcade games to WWII shooters in an innovative journey through gaming nostalgia.

For the latest on Bedlam, visit the game’s official website athttp://www.bedlamthegame.com .

About RedBedlam
RedBedlam Ltd. was founded in 2001 in order to create virtual worlds and to realise virtual economies. The company spent approximately five years developing its proprietary virtual world and virtual economics technologies alongside its first commercial virtual world, Roma Victor®, which was released in 2006. RedBedlam’s other MMORPG, The Missing Ink, launched in beta in 2012. RedBedlam’s virtual world technology is licensed by a number of clients including the popular kid’s virtual world and social network – www.dpals.com. RedBedlam is a fully independent privately held company. www.redbedlam.com

About Standfast Interactive
Vision Games Publishing is the publishing arm of Standfast Vision, a Guernsey based fund specialising in the video games industry, investing across genres, business models and gaming platforms. Vision Games Publishing offers sales, marketing and production assistance, working closely with developers to help take their game to market.

The Witcher 3 – Wild Hunt: Hearts of Stone Expansion Available Now

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Are you tired of playing Gwent with the same people over and over again? Are you already more than half-way through your New Game+ playthrough? No matter what your answer to these questions is, it doesn’t matter because there is some awesome new Witcher 3 goodness to go around!

The brand-new Hearts of Stone expansion for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is available now on all platforms through digital download or via physical edition in stores.

To go along with the launch, Namco and CD Projekt Red have released a kick ass new trailer that you can check out below. We will be posting our review of the new content in the coming days so make sure you stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the awesome Witcher news as it becomes available.

Samurai Warriors 4-II Review

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Samurai Warriors 4-II

Developer: Yukes
Publisher: 2K Games
Platforms: Playstation 4 (Reviewed), Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Xbox 360,
Release Date: October 27, 2015
Price: $59.99 USD – Available Here $99.95 AUD – Available Here

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Overview
Around a year ago, Koei Tecmo brought us Samurai Warriors 4 for the Playstation 4, which was a rather traditional Warriors title – but still featured quite a few elements to bring the franchise into a new generation. The visuals were the greatest change, now bursting with color with silky smooth models and animation alike. Yes, it was great to see- but after a year comes Samurai Warriors 4-II. No, this is not a sequel, but a “complete edition” with a few extra characters, a couple of new stages, and a little more finish overall. How does this title stand up? Let’s find out!

Story
Its been a while since we tread on the Sengoku period of Japan’s rich history, but Samurai Warriors 4 is intent from the start on becoming your history lesson of the era. I know, a Warriors title teaching accurate history is like a Mario title teaching kids how to be plumbers, but oddly enough, Omega Force nailed the feel for the era and have brought us some rich characters who are swept up in ugly wars, slowly peeling off layers as the player progresses and bringing true intentions and motives to the surface. War is serious, but light undertones come out frequently to give the player a chuckle, and while the game isn’t 100% true to its source material, its hard not to walk away from the many intertwining narratives satisfied, as while not all of our character’s tales are satisfying, quite a few leave a lasting impression. As you can see through a bigger picture – the story is about the same. This title does feature new character-driven scenarios, but there isn’t a lot of new meat to be had overall with this product as the upgrades are in the gameplay – more or less.

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Gameplay
As you would expect, Samurai Warriors 4-II is not too far away from its other kin in the franchise, as it still has those same hack and slash roots showing, and does little to feel different from the other titles aside from a few unique features. Players can take advantage of a character-switch option, and go into the battlefield with two characters, where they are able to swap at the tap of a button. We have seen this before in Samurai Warriors: Chronicles for the 3DS, but the method is perfected here, as the transition is instant and seamless. The controls are tight as well, still coming off as accessible but opening up a bit later on for further techniques as the player transitions through the story. Yeah, not a lot has changed outside of a bit more polish since the third installment on the Wii (most of the 55 characters have been seen before, and no new faces truly stand out_, but racking up thousands of combos in minutes is still as exciting as it ever was, and performing the abilities on the battlefield amidst the chaos still feels like a spectacle.

The big new element of this title comes in the form of the Hyper Attack. The player can unleash a powerful, crowd-sweeping maneuver greatly assists in breaking up the slow tread of you standard hacking and slashing as you watch crowds fall quickly while you rack up kills. Rage Mode has a separate gauge, and once filled – will allow players to slow down time and perform greatly enhanced versions of their normal attacks with greater damage attached. If you perform a special attack while in this mode of combat, a more ultimate attack can be utilized, devastating the HP bars of officers, bosses, and so on. Of course timing plays in with how useful these new attacks work in your favor (as you don’t want to activate Rage on a small set of foes), but with a bit of your own strategy applied, you can definitely move at a much faster pace in this fourth installment thanks to the two new enhancements.

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Speaking of strategy, this title requires it. Though early stages start out with the standard “Kill the officer fare”, later levels require the player to take out flag bearers who power up groups of enemy soldiers. It sounds small, but as the game progresses – so does the difficulty and killing that man with the flag will definitely save you some time and effort as you move on to your next locale. When it comes to modes, the standard, story-based fare is found within the chapter based Story Mode (go figure). One or two players can tackle this mode (over the network or local split screen), and for the most part, there length here is rather padded out with plenty of varied missions to partake in. I say padded as the combat never changes, but Warriors fans should not find themselves in tedium very often due to the constant streams of unlocks and new weapons that come into play. Free mode is also back, and is just a nice replay with the ability to utilize the character of your choice to take on a good number of levels. Chronicle Mode features some more original fare, with the player taking control of a custom character through a large, branching story.

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So why is there a “II”? Well, that comes in with the new characters and stages. I would be lying if there were not some other upgrades as well such as a new menu to unlock abibities, endless castle mode (basically survival 2.0), some tweaks to hyper mode, and other elements that frankly feel like patchwork. Samurai Warriors 4-II is a great game and that isn’t going to change, but someone does need to let dear Koei know that putting a 2 in your title usually means sequel – rather than upgrade as this title feels like a very minor upgrade at best, as it just doesn’t have enough content to warrant a re-release.

Visuals
Samurai Warriors 4 holds its own during combat. Hundreds of enemies can appear on the screen at once, and I never noticed the classic disappearing act of models or any slowdown on the Playstation 4. That being said, the models themselves are not too much more detailed than Dynasty Warriors 8 – so if you expect a huge improvement, you might want to wait until the next installment as far as visuals go. I would have to say that I was most impressed with the stunning environments within the game. Players are greeted with beautiful recreations of Japanese locations, full of color and activity. There are a few bland textures, but most of the time you will not notice them as they are covered with booming cherry blossom trees and all of the soldiers who stand in your way as you head to the next objective. The subtitles are fine, but there was a few times that dialogue sequences would block something on the screen, but alas, this can be controlled by the player to turn off these tutorials and subtitles in the options. There are also new menus and polish as well, which are indeed visibly pleasing and give the feel of a mostly new experience.

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Audio
The soundtrack captures the essence of classic Japan well. It isn’t anything too memorable by any means, but these melodies are fitting and in a title where you are not going in for a lot of atmosphere, it is nice to get a good pinch from an otherwise average collection of tunes. The Japanese voices are just that, and while I personally know very little Japanese, you can still feel the emotion and at times campy over-acting from these faces in true 16th century turmoil. The general sound effects also do the job, as the sounds of a great number of blades can be heard clinking as combat is ongoing, adding a nice feeling of realism to the fight.

Overall
I guess Samurai Warriors 4 deserved a complete edition just as much as Dishonored or any other title that did well in the past without being completely groundbreaking. However, Samurai Warriors 4-II doesn’t have a ton of extra content to offer and is a bit tricky with its name, so if you already have the greatness that is Samurai Warriors 4, think about your purchase for a moment before plunging into the game great experience with a nice little facelift. Samurai Warriors 4-II at the end of the day is worth your money as it is based of one of the finest Warriors games to date – its just a shame they couldn’t have called it Samurai Warriors 4 Complete or something a bit more honest when bringing it to the west.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection Review

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Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection
Developer: Naughty Dog
Publisher: Sony
Platform: PS4
Release Date: October 7th, 2015
Price: AU$99.95 – Available Here | US$59.99 – Available Here

Overview

HD remakes and re-releases seem to be the flavor of the month don’t they? Developers are almost constantly remastering some of the best selling and highest critically rated games of last generation and giving them a new life on the PS4/Xbox One. Well, with Uncharted 4: Thief’s End just around the corner, it is no surprise that Naughty Dog have jumped on the bandwagon and released the three Uncharted games in one brand new package titled Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection. Does the gameplay and Hollywood-style story of these games hold up on new hardware? Lets find out.

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Story

Part Indiana Jones, part Lara Croft; Nathan Drake is the suave, scruffy, globe-trotting treasure hunter who is always looking to solve a riddle or two and get his next big score. The Uncharted games all put Drake into increasingly insane situations, like jumping out of a cargo plane in the middle of a desert to fighting ancient werewolves all over the course of a game. A lot of inspiration has been drawn from classic Pulp Magazines where the protagonists were put into similar situations.

If the Uncharted trilogy has one defining characteristic, it is its characters. All of whom are engaging, lovably and memorable. A few moments into Drake’s Fortune (the first of the three games) when we think that Drake’s longtime companion Sully has been murdered, you feel a prang of pain and heartbreak; despite the fact that newcomers have only known Sully for all of five minutes at that point. It is a real credit to the writing team that they managed to create such a bond between the two characters that becomes apparent from such a short amount of time on-screen.

When I first played Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, it completely changed how I viewed video games forever. The Hollywood blockbuster style presentation is something that, at the time hadn’t really been done before and even since has been hard to for any other studio to replicate. The other two games in the trilogy just meet and exceed the already high bar set by the original and frankly are a litmus test to how to do storytelling in a digital medium.

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Gameplay

The Uncharted games are a series of third-person shooters that put you in the shoes of Nathan Drake as he battles against pirates, gangsters, scarab beetles, werewolves and a whole slew of other enemies. The game is broken into two main elements; combat and exploration, with chapters leaning more towards one or the other.

Combat is relatively standard for the third person genre; hold a button to zoom in on your enemies and pull the trigger. One thing that I did notice was the original games had a tendency to make use of the PS3’s motion controls to throw grenade which no longer seemed present (by default) this time round.

Exploration is the other main focus of the game, although that may not be the best word to describe it. The three games are quite linear in design, but Drake needs to use rock climbing, parkour and other various survival skills to move through the world. There is a surprisingly amount of verticality to the world of Uncharted and each aspect of the environment seems well planned. One of my favourite sections in any video game is when you have to cling to a building’s suspended sign, and aim around it to take out opposing forces.

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If The Nathan Drake Collection has one major flaw, it is that the games all act and play almost identically to their original editions. Now that might seem like a little bit of an odd criticism, but hear me out. With each iteration, some controls and features were changed and updated between it. Uncharted (3): Drake’s Deception plays a hell of a lot more differently than Fortune, and it would have been nice for there to be a more unified and cohesive method of gameplay in this collection.

In terms of differences, there aren’t too many. A few extra difficulty modes have been added to the game in the form of “Explorer,” (think really, really easy mode) and “Brutal”  (think really, really, REALLY hard). In addition there is a new Speed Run Mode that keeps track of how long you are taking to play the game and compares that to your PSN friends. These additions are nice, but don’t really add all that much to the overall experience.

Also, I will say that I personally am a little disappointed that the PS Vita exclusive prequel – Uncharted: Golden Abyss wasn’t included in the collection. While it isn’t an integral part of the Uncharted saga, the collection would have been a great place to release this often-overlooked gem.

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Visuals & Audio

Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune came out in 2007 and was an absolute technical marvel at the time. It was such a marvel that even now eight years later, with little more than a few tweaks here and there it still looks absolutely incredible.The lighting, environments and enemies all still look great, and the other two games in the collection have aged just as well. By the time I got to Uncharted: Drake’s Deception, I was really taken aback at how good a last-gen game could still look on the new hardware.

Audio is Uncharted series really thrives, especially the voicework. Since 2007 the voice cast have all gone on to become household names in the gaming world. Nolan North’s portrayal of the sassy, cocky Nathan Drake is just done so perfectly. Having the games brought across almost identically to how they were originally released means that this incredible voice work is maintained, so fans new and old can enjoy an incredible narrative experience filled with characters who have a real chemistry among one another.

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Overall

Let’s call the Nathan Drake Collection what it is – a HD rerelease of three incredible games. There is no arguing that Naughty Dog’s globe-trotting treasure hunter is one of the PS3’s flagship mascots and it is easy to see why. With such an epic scope, lovable characters, brilliant voicework and downright solid gameplay 0f the Uncharated games will forever go down in history as examples of how to do blockbuster-styled games.

That being said, I would have liked to see more out of this collection. More behind the scenes footage, more interviews, more anything. The whole package just feels a little lackluster and a disservice to the franchise. Although, I have to admit when my main gripe with something is that there isn’t enough of it – well you just might have something truly special on your hands.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Hyperdimension Neptunia­ Re;Birth3: V Generation PC Release Set for October 30

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Idea Factory International has announced that they will be releasing the previously announced PC version of Hyperdimension Neptunia­ Re;Birth3: V Generation on October 30th. Previously released, and reviewed, for the PS Vita, this version of the game will feature higher resolution graphics as well as all of the additional content that was found in the Vita release.

During the game’s first week of release on Steam Hyperdimension Neptunia­ Re;Birth3: V Generation will be available at a 40 percent discount. To go along with this announcement a handful of screenshots for the PC version of the game have been released and can be found below.