DROPSY THE CLOWN TO DELIVER WARM, DAMP HUGS SEPTEMBER 10
– Hugs for Everyone, Even You –
Homeland, Florida – Independent developer Jay Tholen and noted balloon artists and game publisher Devolver Digital have announced the point and click hugventure Dropsy will release on PC, Mac, Linux, Android and iOS on September 10.
Dropsy is a non-traditional take on the classic point and click adventure formula starring the game’s perpetually carefree namesake clown as he explores a richly detailed world full of colorful characters and sinister secrets, doling out hugs along the way. Rather than lead players on a singular narrative path, players are free to choose which avenues of adventure they want to explore in an open world setting and can piece the puzzles and story together however they choose.
“…,” said Dropsy the Clown, as he is unable to speak.
During the quest to clear his name after a deadly circus fire, Dropsy will encounter a peculiar cast of folk to communicate with through visual icons rather than the traditional text dialog trees. Through these rudimentary conversations, Dropsy takes players on a self-aware journey of self-discovery with a story that harnesses powerful themes of love and redemption – Dropsy the character is an outsider, longing for a community to call his own. Along his adventure, players will find answers to geographically based puzzles, unravel dark and shameful secrets from his past, and collect fancy items to stuff in his elastic waistband for use along the way. Oh, and Dropsy can also talk to animals.
“The first one million gamers that purchase Dropsy will receive a certificate that entitles them to a free hug from developer Jay Tholen,” said Devolver Digital CFO, Fork Parker. “Nobody hug me though, I find gamers off-putting.”
Fans of oddly carefree clowns and Devolver Digital productions can visit HYPERLINK“http://www.dropsytheclown.com” www.dropsytheclown.com to learn more about the game or follow @DropsyTheClown on Twitter to keep up with development updates and other news.
GAMEMILL ENTERTAINMENT PARTNERS WITH UIG ENTERTAINMENT TO RELEASE ARCADE SIM EDITIONS OF UIG’S NEXT PROFESSIONAL SIMULATION GAMES
Professional Farmer SIM Arcade 2016 and Professional Lumberjack SIM Arcade 2016
Coming to Consoles and PC This Fall
MINNEAPOLIS – July 29, 2015 – GameMill Entertainment today announced a new partnership with UIG Entertainment to distribute two new video games – Professional Farmer SIM Arcade 2016 and Professional Lumberjack SIM Arcade 2016 – which will be available on consoles and Steam worldwide this fall. Based on UIG Entertainment’s far-reaching series of successful simulation titles, these new games emphasize a more streamlined, arcade-style approach to fun and achievement, with quicker missions and faster gameplay.
Professional Farmer SIM Arcade 2016 takes players to the countryside to plant crops, properly care for animals and grow the family farm from the ground up. There are over 80 vehicles to use across over 100 arcade-style missions, as well as one huge North American map to explore for new and exciting activities, including quick-hauling tractor races.
Professional Lumberjack SIM Arcade 2016 gives players control of over 100 of the highest quality woodcutting machines, from tractors and trucks to cranes and harvesters. There are a multitude of tree types to discover, chop down, transport and process. Expert tests of skill are rewarded with access to new forested lands, more powerful machines, and new buildings and equipment at the local sawmill.
Professional Farmer SIM Arcade 2016 and Professional Lumberjack SIM Arcade 2016 are expected to launch this fall on the PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment systems via the PlayStation®Network; Xbox One and Xbox 360 through the Xbox Games Store; and PC via retail and Steam. For more information as these titles near release, please visit www.uieg.de.
About GameMill Entertainment
GameMill Entertainment, located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is a third-party publisher of casual games for the mass market consumer. Development platforms include PC, Nintendo handhelds and consoles including Nintendo DS™ , Nintendo 3DS™ and Wii™, Microsoft consoles including Xbox 360®, Xbox One video game and entertainment system, XBLA, Microsoft Games On Demand and Kinect™ for Xbox 360®, and Sony handhelds and consoles including PlayStation®4, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and mobile devices. With development across the globe, GameMill is a source of entertaining and fun games for all ages. For more information, please visit: www.game-mill.com.
About UIG Entertainment
UIG was set up in 2005 by Managing Director Christoph Bayer and acts as an independent distributor and publisher in the international gaming market. Successful brands including the “Giant” brand, the Role-Playing Company, supported by high-quality developments and a wide selection of “simulator titles,” are published and marketed throughout the worldwide market. The extensive product catalog is completed by casual games the label “Red Rocks.” UIG is always searching for new business opportunities and products for worldwide distribution on all platforms. For more information, visit http://www.uieg.de.
Evoland 2: A Slight Case of Spacetime Contiuum Disorder is continuing the retro journey through video game history. Like its predecessor, Evoland 2 revisits some classic gameplay mechanics (and some more modern ones!) in both 2D and 3D. The new game is a standalone title starring a young man on an epic time travelling adventure in hopes of preventing catastrophe.
The story follows our hero Kuro, who in true stereotypical fashion, has woken up without a single memory of his previous existence. After being encouraged to go to the forest to possibly trigger some memories, Kuro and his friend get sucked into a time warp, beginning their grand adventure to save the world from impending doom. The writing is light-hearted, with plenty of pop culture and video game references sprinkled throughout. I really appreciate the fact that Evoland 2’s plot is completely self-contained. It makes it very easy to for new players to just jump into the game, without having to catch up to the previous game’s plot.
Evoland 2 at its core is an action-adventure game in the same vein as Legend of Zelda. Kuro can swing his sword at enemies on the screen and use charge attacks to deal some serious damage. These charge attacks change depending on the ally that is supporting him and have a short cooldown after use. But to call Evoland 2 just a Legend of Zelda clone would be completely wrong. The game features large sections of genre crossing mechanics, such as stealth and platforming. It feels like the developers went through all their favourite games and said I want to recreate this, this, and this… oh heck, let’s throw this in, too! There are a few surprising moments where the developers managed to sneak in some more obscure or unexpected genres, like the Diner Dash styled minigame. The preview build manages to mix all these different genres into the game quite well, with the sudden mechanic changes worked into the story in one way or another. The mechanics themselves have been executed rather well for the most part.
The game has a lot of puzzles. The quality hits both end of the spectrum, with some really brilliant puzzles and some pretty annoying ones, too. Luckily the really bad ones in general can be solved with sheer brute force and a little bit of patience.
The game is currently locked at the medium difficulty level. It will serve as a pretty good challenge for the average gamer. Save points are liberally spread throughout the game and there is little to no consequence for death, which also make the game accessible to all skill levels, no matter how good or bad the player may be at certain mechanics. This should come as a relief to those who are particularly awful with genres like stealth games or platformers.
Our preview contained the first half of the game. The developers warned that it would be the linear half of the game. The preview build lived up to the developer’s warning, which leaves me very curious on how Evoland 2’s non-linear half will work. The developers estimate that the first half has about 10-12 hours of content, which would place the full game at around 20-24 hours of gameplay, a very reasonable length.
The game is compatible with both a controller and the keyboard. The controls are quite simple. The controller layout sticks with tradition, which is perfect for a game like Evoland 2. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of the keyboard’s default bindings. They don’t really replicate the feeling of a controller layout very well and end up feeling a tad awkward, which makes me hope that the final game has customizable keyboard controls at the bare minimum.
Evoland 2’s graphics are absolutely gorgeous. The style is colourful and eye catching. There are plenty of art that will feel right at home in a JRPG. Shiro Games has so far managed to do a bang on job to replicate the respective styles of each gaming generation, while still maintaining its own distinctive look throughout.
The audio in Evoland 2 is enjoyable. Like its graphics, the music and the sound effects are period correct. I found the soundtrack to be excellent, providing the right accompaniment for the exact moment. I did find the default volume to be incredibly loud for some reason, with the music being the worst offender.
Evoland 2: A Slight Case of Spacetime Contiuum Disorder is shaping up to be the perfect follow up that will appeal to retro geeks and fans of the first title. The preview build showcased a great mix of different genres combined into an entertaining package, and the graphics and the audio are spot on. There are some minor hiccups that needed to be ironed out ahead of the August 25, 2015 release date, but Shiro Games seems to be on the right track with Evoland 2.
Gaijin Entertainment Announces British Tanks Will Enter the Fight in War Thunder Later This Year.
(MOSCOW, RUSSIAN FEDERATION) – July 29, 2015 — Gaijin Entertainment today announced that British tanks will be entering the fray in War Thunder towards the end of the year. Among the first armored units flying the Union Jack will be the Churchill Mk.III, Centurion Mk.III and A34 Comet.
“We think British Tanks will be a welcome addition to the growing ranks of available vehicles”, said Kirill Yudintsev, creative director of Gaijin Entertainment. “With the addition of US tanks earlier this year we have an incredible number of tanks in War Thunder, and now with British tanks joining the action we’ll increase that number to around 200 historically accurate armored ground vehicles playable in the game by the end of the year”.
Gaijin Entertainment creates War Thunder’s extensive catalogue of vehicles utilizing historical information from museums, engineers and highly detailed blueprints and technical manuals through its historian contacts. Historically, some tanks can have as many as 50 different versions of their designs in the course of their operational lifetimes, which presents the team with the monumental task of keeping vehicle designs historically accurate when they set about designing a specific version. Each tank can go through months of development to implement from sketch to final model in War Thunder. Searching for rare modifications by Churchill took the developers about three months and will result in a few different “Churchill’s” in the game, including some of the most interesting and rare designs. Today they are showing its most popular design – the Churchill Mk. III as well as the Centurion Mk.III and the A34 Comet.
The Tanks
The oldest of the three tanks – the Churchill III – was one of the main British heavy tanks of WWII. Churchill tanks were amongst the first armoured vehicles to land on the beaches of Normandy in support of the Allied invasion of France on 6 June 1944 and saw heavy action in North Africa and Normandy in the late summer months.
Centurion III is a brilliant representative of the post-war British tanks. Due to the massive supply of “Centurion” tanks to other countries, this tank was used in most of the wars the mid 20th century as well. Like the “Churchill”, the “Centurion” is also distinguished by good survival rates of the crew.
The A34 Comet is a British middleweight cruiser introduced in the final stage of World War II and was to be a continuation of the medium British tanks such as the “Cromwell”, but this tank was specifically designed for the destruction of the newest German tanks. According to some experts, the “Comet” was the best British tank of the Second World War. The Comet’s excellent gun and a good speed allowed the tank to maximize its ability to position itself and engage the enemy quickly.
The Comet will join rank 4 British tanks and will be a match for the latest Panthers and T-44’s.
Gaijin Entertainment will be introducing British tanks into the game at the end of the year, making Great Britain the fourth Nation added to the game, which already includes Soviet, German and American vehicles. War Thunder continues to grow its selection of combat vehicles. Check out more information regarding British tanks on the War Thunder Dev blog here: http://warthunder.com/en/devblog/current/803
About War Thunder
War Thunder is a free-to-play, cross-platform, massively multiplayer military masterpiece for PC, PS4, Mac, Linux and Android with more than ten million players worldwide, that allows players to fight their way across air and ground with access to almost 600 historically accurate planes and armored vehicles from WWII and Korean War. Fans can expect hundreds more added as Gaijin Entertainment commits to ongoing development via regular updates. For more information, please visithttp://www.warthunder.com
About Gaijin Entertainment
Gaijin Entertainment is the developer and publisher of the online games War Thunder and Star Conflict, as well as PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, PS3, Xbox 360, iOS and Android titles across several genres. The company’s diverse portfolio has received a range of mass media and game industry awards including such as KRI Awards, Gamescom Award and many more. Official website: http://gaijinent.com
When Nintendo described this game as having “streamlined controls”, it seemed like a warning. Making things easier can be a great way to attract new players to a video game, but unless the controls are tweaked in just the right way, the game will end up being boring or even annoying. Is this game suitable for the ardent Harvest Moon fan and the newcomer alike, or is it simply tedious and lacking in entertainment value?
Story
A severe snowstorm causes you to become lost. A voice beckons you into a house, and you sleep there for the night. Upon waking up, you hear a voice calling for help. While attempting to locate the source of the voice, you enter the snow-covered farm and discover a Harvest Sprite. This Sprite, Rowan, tells you that you are in the Lost Valley and that it is stuck in a perpetual winter. The Harvest Goddess is the one who is supposed to control the seasons, but she lost the bracelet that gave her her power. Rowan just so happens to have this bracelet, and immediately entrusts the task of delivering it to the Harvest Goddess to you. Your goal now is to build a farm, grow and harvest all kinds of plants and raise animals.
Gameplay
If this game is any indication, Natsume has not yet made the distinction between ‘easy’ and ‘fun’. Streamlining a game does not automatically mean the same thing as producing an entertaining and engaging game. You cannot dig in or raise the block you are standing on, meaning that you often have to create a new platform to be able to dig or fill in a certain spot. Digging or filling in blocks is otherwise easy enough with the game’s simple controls, but the system should be less restrictive. Players with plenty of patience may not have a bad time working on their farm, but the developers made other poor decisions when working on the gameplay. When a block of land dries out, you have to water each individual block one at a time. In other games that feature farming, you do not have to press the ‘A’ button to water every single block, which is not fun when there are dozens of dry blocks that need to be watered.
As you make progress in the game, more and more Harvest Sprites will wake up and offer to help you with various tasks. One Sprite, Dewy, is supposed to water your fields for you. He does do that, but only about 10 blocks at a time. If you watch him, you will see a few blocks get watered only to see an equal or greater amount of blocks dry out in the time it took him to water those few blocks. This means that it is actually more efficient to water each block of land one at a time, a monotonous task that can take up an entire in-game day.
You can increase your friendship percentage with the people you meet by doing requests for them. There is almost no sense of fulfilment when doing these requests; completing them seems more like making a business transaction than making friends with people. It does not help that it takes hours for their dialogue options to change, and the random number generator has a tendency to pick the same line of dialogue several times in a row when you are talking to someone. There is a dating-sim element to this game, but there are only three archetypal characters to choose from as romantic partners. Furthermore, the interactions with them are extremely limited. There is apparently no same-sex dating option, giving less incentive for people to engage with the social features of the game.
There is another problem that can occur, to a certain extent, depending on how you play the game. Often, you will not have the items nor the means to grow or acquire the items that are requested. This means that requests might be left in your queue for many in-game weeks. Fortunately, if you already have the requested items in your bag, you can complete those requests in a matter of seconds.
Visuals and Audio
The 3D feature can only be turned on while the title screen is displayed. However, in this game, stereoscopic 3D would be a gimmick, not a genuinely useful or interesting feature. The tree textures are progressively rendered when the camera is panning across the farm during the opening scenes of the game, although this problem may not be present when the game is played using a New Nintendo 3DS. Either way, it really does not make for a good start to the game. Moving the camera into the right position is often a matter of precision, but this may vary for each player depending on the exact layout of your farm.
There are a few bugs that might entertain players for a few seconds. If you walk into a player from the right angle, you will walk straight through them. Your cow might get stuck and then go out of control as it walks to the troughs in your barn. Also, upon completing a quest, the hitboxes of NPCs often extend several blocks in front of them, meaning that you can talk to them even if you are four blocks away. There do not seem to be any glitches that can be exploited to make the game easier to finish, but one may still wonder whether or not there was some kind of selection bias when the QA team was selected.
The character designs are passable but nothing special. It is disappointing that you cannot customise your avatar at the very beginning of the game, but you can eventually buy a wardrobe that will allow you to wear different clothes. Unfortunately, the wardrobe requires you to have a few types of materials and a lot of money. If you are strapped for cash, weekends are a great time to go fishing; fish can be sold at a decent price.
The soundtrack features just a few pieces of music, but the songs are not bad and a couple of tracks are even pleasant to listen to. The songs all loop after just 30-60 seconds, though, so you are going to have a problem if you get sick of any of the songs. The sound effects are nothing to write home about, but some of them sound as if they are being played through several audio channels.
Overall
Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley has its moments, but playing it is a matter of patience. The challenge is not in defeating a boss several levels higher than you or completing a challenge in a limited time-frame, but in dealing with the boredom that will most likely creep up on you at some point and make you wonder what the point of doing anything in the game is. It does not offer anything that cannot be found anywhere else. This game may be suited only for those who can deal with dozens of hours of tedious and monotonous gameplay, and even then its appeal is extremely limited.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Overview With Telltale’s Game of Thrones series being set for six episodes instead of their standard five, those following the story have had to experience a lot of build-up for the eventual finale. Despite having a few issues along the way, that build-up has been rather successful as most characters have had their times to shine while advancing the story and now that the penultimate episode, A Nest of Vipers, has been released, a final goal is in sight.
Story Considering this is the second to last episode for Telltale’s Game of Thrones series it should be clear that continuing to read this review will lead to some potential spoilers concerning events of that have taken place over the last few episodes though major events that occur during A Nest of Vipers will be avoided. When this episode begins players pick up right where they left off, with Rodrik face to face with the despicable Ramsay Snow and plenty of consequences for what he chose to do over the course of Sons of Winter.
Due to the actions of a previously mentioned traitor Ramsay has moved in and put a stop to anything that Rodrik had attempted to do to give himself an edge over the Boltons. Sadly due to Ramsay Snow’s prominence in the core storyline, players are left with no option other than to let him have his say and walk away, leaving Rodrik with only a few decisions to actually make once the story advances, though dealing with the aforementioned traitor (who has different reasons and will be different depending on your actions) does play a key role here.
Far from Ironrath, Mira finds herself stuck between a rock and a hard place as her loud confrontation during Tommen’s coronation attracted Cersei’s attention. Stuck dealing with the biggest power standing in King’s Landing Mira finds herself used as a pawn in the continuing sibling quarrel between Cersei and Tyrion. While ineffectual in these sequences, since players have very little choice on the actual impact of what fans know will happen, Mira’s interactions with Tyrion do establish a solid setting for her finale in King’s Landing, for better or worse.
North of the Wall Gared Tuttle’s journey to find the North Grove continues to drag. With only a brief appearance in A Nest of Vipers, Gared finds himself dealing with Cotter and his sister neither of which want to continue searching and instead wish to join Mance Rayder. Thankfully the writers opted to make the best of Gared’s brief appearance by not only giving us a bit of backstory for Cotter’s family and his sister’s unique appearance but also establishing that he is not only on the right track, but possibly the only one who may make it to his actual goal since an action sequence featuring some very familiar enemies forces the group to continue towards the North Grove.
Finally we have Asher, the character that has become something of a star for this game series. You see, while most of the characters have had their times to shine, it has always been between Mira’s political maneuvering and Asher’s violent actions that have taken the spotlight and this continues in A Nest of Vipers. After Daenerys fails to completely fulfill her end of the deal she made, Asher and Beskha find themselves entering one of the most dangerous areas of the now free Meereen in search of fighters willing to travel back to Westeros.
This lands the pair in a pit fighting arena attempting to convince bloodthirsty former slaves to follow a new leader. This sequence is easily one of the best so far as not only does it feel like Asher can truly fail here and return home with no one but it also blends humor and action together in a smooth manner that really helps Asher stand out as a charismatic leader if players choose to select such an option since there are many different ways that his dealings with the pit fighters can likely play out.
With only one episode left, A Nest of Vipers leaves players with an emotional choice that I can only imagine will have a drastic change on the way things will play out in the finale and having to make this choice left me thinking quite a few hours afterwards about whether or not it was the right decision. These types of decisions have been something we’ve come to expect from Telltale, but this time the stakes are higher than they ever were before and practically insures two runs through the finale episode because of this.
Gameplay Telltale Games continues to provide their standard moments of brief gameplay sequences where players can walk around and examine little pieces of the world, choose different responses in dialogue sequences, and of course quick time event laden action scenes. These moments all feel rather tightly handled, especially in Asher’s case as his choice of weaponry creates some great looking fight sequences.
That being said, one moment did stand out for me and continues to be an issue with Telltale’s handling of optional side-characters. Despite Finn being a character that may not actually be with the player at this point in the game, due to the developer’s writing it ultimately means very little as his inclusion in Gared’s action sequence feels like tying up a loose end they didn’t want to deal with rather than rewarding those who managed to win his loyalty.
Visuals & Audio The continued use of the oil paint aesthetic in the Game of Thrones series is hit and miss depending on the scene. The character designs are as spectacular looking as ever with some nicely handled fight sequences but the environment tends to suffer because of this style choice, especially near the end of the episode as the characters board a boat to head back to House Forrester looking extremely stiff.
The voice work for the characters continues to be impressive while a large number of actors from the core series return to reprise their roles in spectacular fashion, with Ramsay sounding particularly sinister depending on what players attempt to do to him as Rodrik.
Overall With only one episode left and the stakes high for the members of House Forrester, it is clear thanks to A Nest of Vipers that we are heading towards one hell of a finale, one way or another. While Mira and Rodrik are limited due to their interactions with series relevant characters their set-ups lead to potentially dangerous consequences and with Gared finally progressing and Asher returning home, one impactful decision sets the stage for a finale that I can only hope delivers a satisfying conclusion.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Overview When The Elder Scrolls Online was first released back in 2014 Zenimax Online stated that an eventual console release was on the way. Despite receiving a fairly lukewarm reaction upon release, many console players were still eagerly awaiting the title. Then over a year later with numerous changes to the game’s formula, the removal of a subscription fee, and a tiny name adjustment The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited has been released on consoles. As someone who never touched the original release and is dove in headfirst into this console MMO, is The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited worth your time?
Story Once players start their journey after meticulously creating a character (more on that later) their first steps will be within a prison cell. Unlike most games that start this way however, rather than simply being arrested for an unknown crime your character is actually dead and has been imprisoned in Coldharbour by the Daedric Prince Molag Bal. Facing eternal enslavement by the evil god players find themselves rescued by an ally who informs them that Molag Bal is planning on taking over all of Tamriel by bringing it into his realm.
Due to the unique nature of the player’s status as a soulless vessel, called the Vestige, they are able to escape from Coldharbour with some assistance. This begins the Vestige’s journey to gather as much power as possible in the realm of Tamriel and try an drive back Molag Bal’s forces in an effort to save the world from destruction.
Depending on what race you chose (adventurer pack owners have complete freedom here) players will be dropped into one of three different factions with each faction having a unique storyline and unique playable areas. There is the Aldmeri Dominion made up of the Khajiit, Altmer, and Bosmer, the Daggerfall Covenant consisting of Orcs, Bretons, and Redguards, and finally the Ebonheart Pack where the Nords, Argonians, and Dunmer thrive.
Each of these three factions has a different main storyline as well as countless side-quests that populate every area owned by that faction. These quests play a separate but important role in the main questline in Elder Scrolls Online as every faction is facing challenges ranging from internal turmoil to threats from the Daedric Princes. These storylines are unique and solid enough to be worthwhile as your first time through a storyline will take easily fifty hours or more and that doesn’t even factor in the side storylines involving the Fighting Guild and Mages Guild.
Just like the factions, both of these guilds play a major role into the actual story progression though it is worth noting that they are not varied like the faction quests are, instead players will be experiencing the same storyline here regardless of their chosen faction. Now even though I am saying that players can find a unique storyline with actual depth to enjoy, it is hard to believe such a thing can be accomplished in an MMO and usually you would be right but due to the way that Elder Scrolls Online is organized there is no problem.
This is because it is entirely possible to ignore most of the other players running around you for a majority of the game if you so choose. Proper leveling and equipment management means that soloing quests are entirely possible (especially with Nightblades) while most of the main story missions are actually relegated to solo play by transferring the player to an area unique to their character. That usually isn’t the case however as most of the missions you complete in Elder Scrolls Online will contain at least one or two other player’s running around in some form.
While there is plenty of notes and books to provide flavor texts in the various dungeons that you can explore and side-quests you can undertake, most of the time you will also be exploring these areas with a number of other random players which means it is entirely possible to be slightly behind a fellow player and find barely any foes to fight as they have already been killed only to come across the dungeon boss that is on the brink of defeat. It is worth noting that usually unless you manage to get a hit on such a dungeon boss, the enemy will be respawned when you enter the area but if you managed to do any damage it still counts, even if it was a simple shot with an arrow.
This does ruin the immersion for those who want to play Elder Scrolls Online like a single player game but considering the massive amount of content available you won’t have any trouble finding plenty of areas to explore. You see, earlier I mentioned that players will automatically begin in their faction’s starting area but it is worth noting that once you complete the main storyline, another faction’s storyline is opened up and allows for the player to venture into an entirely new storyline with their character as they start from that faction’s beginning section, only this time all of your opponents are far more dangerous and the rewards are plentiful.
Gameplay
Now before we get into detail about the way Elder Scrolls Online plays; let’s address the potential elephant in the room that is the Crown Store. Since dropping the subscription fee, the developers of the game have added the Crown Store where people can use Crowns, purchased with real money, to buy various things. In many games this is where the balance between players is broken but thanks to proper planning and the lack of overpowered items, the Crown Store is not an issue.
Most of the items available for purchase are character skins, different looking mounts (in-game horse mounts can be purchased and upgraded for a relatively small amount of gold), non-combatant pets, and various other items. It is possible to purchase food and drink that regain health but players who choose not to pay can still cook these same items after discovering recipes through exploration. This means that while there are certainly a few shortcuts one can take through the Crown Store, there is no barrier placed between those who are free with their cash and those who never want to spend an extra dime.
Now moving onto the actual game, fans of the core franchise will find that the Elder Scrolls Online’s transition to consoles has made the game incredibly easy to control and also feel vaguely similar to how past games in the series have played, albeit watered down in various areas. When players create their character and class, each race will have different racial benefits that may make them better suited for a specific class but it is entirely up to the player on what they want to be. You see, while each class has a unique set of skills, such as the Mage being able to summon familiars, unleash stronger spells, and create barriers or the Nightblade being able to turn invisible, strike with critical hits, stun/weaken opponents, and make use of hit and run tactics, every character can use whichever weapon they choose.
This means it is entirely possible to level up your character’s light armor and restoration staff abilities despite playing as a damage focused Dragonknight. Of course since skill points are only awarded through leveling up, completing main story quests, and gathering three lightshards (with over three hundred total scattered throughout Tamriel) and must be used to properly unlock weapon and class skills, level various passive bonuses, and even increase your crafting capabilities it is best to play smart when leveling your character over the course of the game. That being said, if you have a change of heart or want to adjust your build there are in-game shrines where spending gold will allow you redistribute your stats.
Combat in Elder Scrolls Online is handled in a very simplistic manner with a tap of RT using a light attack with your weapon and holding RT will unleash a heavy blow while blocking is handled with LT. Tapping both buttons at the same time allows players to perform a bash and potentially break out of a locking technique while rolling is activated by pressing block and A (also jump) in any direction to avoid AoE attacks and break out of traps. All other abilities are handled with face buttons as well as the bumpers, while an ultimate attack (which fills over time in combat by taking damage, using skills, etc) is activated by pressing both bumpers at the same time.
This allows for easy use of skills in combat while items can be hotkeyed to simply pressing up on the D-pad. If you need more than one skill bar, or want to be prepared for long-distance combat and close-range combat then you’ll be happy to know that a second skill bar is unlocked at level 15. Simply tapping left on the D-pad will swap to your other weapon and skill bar set, allowing for quick swapping. Thanks to these design decisions Elder Scrolls Online feels extremely comfortable to play with a controller and never feels like it limits what the player can do in combat.
In an effort to try and set themselves apart from other MMOs, Elder Scrolls Online has been created with exploration being a key aspect of the game and for the most part it works really well. As you venture around the very large worlds you’ll find various markers appear on the map that either signify a unique location, a public dungeon (delve) that can be explored, private group dungeons, towns, and more depending on the icon. Quests are also handled in this manner as small black arrows will appear in the direction of an NPC with a quest for the player while objectives will also appear in this form, or with white arrows if it is your tracked quest.
One fault with Elder Scrolls Online is that simply due to the massive amount of content available is that a lot of the side-quests start to feel like a slog to work through. Any given area can have upwards of fifty quests that can be tracked down and while some of these are unique feeling as they involve distracting guards or even betting on frog races, the majority of them simply involve going to a specific area to kill a number of enemies, collect certain items, or fetch items from corpses. This is something that has always been something of an issue with MMOs and that issue still haunts Elder Scrolls Online despite its unique structure, though the peppering of flavor texts in the world and in loading screens for dungeons does helps somewhat, though the fact that some quests actually allow the player to make decisions on the outcome give quests an actual role-playing feel.
If you don’t feel like going through and slaying countless enemies all the time then there are still plenty of ways to spend your time in Elder Scrolls Online. Not only are there are a variety of areas that allow players to fish in an unfortunately bland mechanic but there are plenty of unique crafting methods. Players can craft weapons and armor, cook food and drinks, brew potions, and even create magical ruins to enchant gear. Each of these crafting trees are unique and allow for players to create gear that will fit their playstyle while also being able to sell things for a nice profit, especially since cooked food can increase the user’s health, stamina, and magicka amounts for a set time while drinks increase recovery rate for these three attributes, though which ones they affect depends on the item created.
Once the player reaches level ten they are able to take part in a mode I found highly addictive but also quite annoying at times, PvP in Cyrodil. In this mode all three factions fight against one another for ownership of castles, forts, and elder scrolls scattered throughout Cyrodil. These battles range from simple skirmishes out in the field between one or two fighters who happened to be caught off guard to full on sieges. Siege weaponry is a unique and powerful feature in Elder Scrolls Online. Players can purchase and set-up various siege weapons such as ballistae and trebuchets to attack and destroy walls and doors as well as groups of enemy players while things such as battering rams and oil buckets have more singular purposes in the form if quickly destroying doors or dropping fiery death on enemies below respectively.
These PvP battles can be intense depending on the team you happen to be playing with as it is entirely possible to run an hour long battle as your forces continue to push forward against an enemy. Since it is possible to respawn in keeps owned by your faction that aren’t under attack, it often becomes a war of attrition but a delightfully fun one to enjoy. One such instance involved successfully pushing the Daggerfall Covenant’s attackers from a castle that they had nearly dropped the walls from only to push forward and meet their reinforcements established in a dilapidated gate area separating our previously defended castle from their own. Between sniping enemies from the ground with a bow and arrow and dropping large groups with siege weaponry our forces managed to continue the route all the way back to the opponents castle where we successfully managed to capture the keep after another drawn out battle.
It is worth noting that in PvP all players below level 50 are scaled up to being at that point, meaning that even those at level 10 can try and enter PvP but they will still find themselves outmatched most of the time. This does become something of an issue however once the player reaches level 50 and becomes Veteran Rank 1, as they are no longer given any boosts and will find themselves in dangerous conditions if they don’t play smart until they gain a certain number of “Champion Points” which are unlocked after the player reaches their first Veteran Rank. While Veteran Ranks can be increased to VR 14, the amount of experience points to do so is incomparable to a standard level so in their place Elder Scrolls Online has implemented Champion Points that are rewarded via a separate experience meter that can then be applied to a number of Signs to strength the player’s character.
Now one of the frustrations with PvP, and with Elder Scrolls Online’s grouping in general, comes in the form of limited space and communication. Since being released on consoles, only a certain number of any faction can be in a PvP Campaign at any given time and while there are a number to choose from, most players take part in the longest and potentially more rewarding Azura’s Star Campaign. This means that entering PvP often places the players in very long queues that can take hours to deplete, though depending on your faction the wait time may be smaller as the Aldemeri Dominion faction (which I played for the majority of my time with this game) regularly dominates this campaign.
As for the communication aspect, the only way to speak with other players in Elder Scrolls Online is through local voice chat. This is a two-pronged issue that makes it so not only is it possible for other players to (un)intentionally play loud music or have background noise but also problematic for those who want to try and quickly find themselves a group. While there is a group finding tool, it is usually easier to try and speak with those around you to see if there is anyone either running a PvP group or a dungeon raid. This also becomes an issue in regards to Guilds. While it is nice that players can be in five guilds at a time, the only really reliable way to find a guild is through an outside source, usually Elder Scrolls Online’s forums. Once you do become a member of a guild, or happen to form a party, there are party channels that are opened for that group while each guild is given numerous channels to speak with across the world of Tamriel, making it much easier to find those who feel like taking on some enemies together.
Visuals Despite being released on consoles, Elder Scrolls Online hasn’t taken too much of a graphical drop from what one would expect. There are indeed a large number of environments that feel a bit bland and generic looking but many of the dungeons that you explore or specific areas of the game still feel quite impressive looking. Character customization and detail is impressive on NPCs though I do have a bit of an issue with the way that gear is handled. While there are pieces of equipment that have unique appearances, most gear that the player finds will only appear in one of roughly ten or eleven styles in the wild. While it is possible to dye your equipment various colors that have been unlocked by completing in-game achievements, it does feel like there is a certain lack of improvement at times despite finding far better gear than you may have already been using and it turns out to look the same.
As for the action, Elder Scrolls Online can be played in either first person or third person mode and both of these modes play smoothly for the most part with there being very little slowdown even with a large amount of action happening at one time. This usually is balanced out by some of the effects being toned down or character models appearing as black silhouettes until everything can load properly. It is worth noting that this can be an issue in PvP where some attacks are not given animations, which means that the player may die from being set on fire but never actually showing up as on fire.
Audio Elder Scrolls Online features a surprisingly large amount of voiced dialogue for a game this size. Every NPC you encounter, even those who happen to be monsters that feel like talking a little bit, is given a voice actor/actress. This gives the game a bit more life and makes the player feel more invested in actually completing some of the large number of quests that they can undertake. Even if some of the voice acting is a bit hit and miss the way that the dialogue actually makes these quests engaging is certainly a plus.
The soundtrack for is standard fair for an Elder Scrolls title as there are plenty of great atmospheric tunes spread throughout the title as you explore the world and the combat sound effects sound great for the most part. Unfortunately there are a number of audio issues that arise when too many players are on screen at a time, especially if they are on horseback. Taking part in a “scroll run” in PvP often means that the audio will glitch out due to the large number of players riding on horseback to protect the scroll runner and the game trying to play every hoofbeat at the same time.
Overall There are certain limitations that have been applied to The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited to make its transition to consoles a bit smoother in the form of lower quality graphics and affects as well as the transition to only voice chat but these small issues shouldn’t discourage those who are interested in picking up the game. With smooth combat mechanics that allow the player to quickly respond to any situation, hundreds of hours of content to explore and end-game modes to sink even more time into, and a highly addictive PvP mode The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited is the type of MMO you can become lost in, especially if you are already a fan of the franchise and want to explore the realms of Tamriel with friends.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
RUNESCAPE JOINS WITH WWF TO SUPPORT ENDANGERED BIG CATS
Companion cubs, exclusive titles and Bonds donations help raise awareness in the fight against poachers
Wednesday 29th July 2015, Cambridge, UK – Jagex Games Studio, creators and custodians of the fantasy MMORPG, RuneScape, has partnered with WWF to help raise awareness of the plight of big cats in the wild. Both RuneScape and Old School RuneScape are taking part in the effort, which has already raised over £66,000 for the charity. Players who take part in the Adopt a Big Cat activities, which take place until Friday 31st July, have the chance to adopt exclusive companion cubs based on four big cats, as well as titles for their in-game characters.
In the main RuneScape game, players seek out a character called ‘Conservationist Rohit Sharma’ to take part in the Big Cats Quiz, where they can compete to secure points and adopt the jaguar and tiger cub companions, plus three new titles (‘Snowy Assassin’, ‘Stealth Predator’ and ‘King/Queen of the Jungle’). Furthermore, players can donate Bonds to the Conservationist, which can be used to adopt additional lion and snow leopard cubs. All proceeds from RuneScape Bond donations go to WWF in support of their global conservation effort.
Players of Old School RuneScape will be transported to a faraway land by the game’s Conservationist, a large area consisting of different terrains and big cats; once there they have to rejuvenate and protect the habitats against a horde of dwarves. Players can adopt virtual big cat toys, as well as donate Old School RuneScape Bonds that are converted into a real-world contribution by Jagex.
“RuneScape has a long history of supporting the work of charitable organisations around the world through in-game awareness drives, so it’s a thrill to partner with WWF and back the great work that the organisation does to preserve endangered big cats in the wild,” said David Osborne, lead designer, RuneScape. “It’s also fantastic that both versions of the game have come together to maximise player involvement, and we’re immensely proud that our community has backed this important campaign by taking part in these activities.”
“WWF is really excited to be working on this project with Jagex,” said Ed Partridge, digital corporate partnership manager, WWF. “It’s a great opportunity for us to reach out to an engaged audience of RuneScape gamers and raise awareness of the threats facing some of the worlds’ most endangered big cats in a fun and entertaining way. WWF would like to thank all RuneScape gamers; the response so far has been incredible!”
The Adopt a Big Cat partnership coincides with International Tiger Day, which is held today.
– Ends –
About Jagex
Starting in 2001 with their flagship free-to-play adventure game, RuneScape, Jagex has created a long-standing reputation for crafting the world’s best online games services. Today they stand as one of the UK’s largest independent games developers and publishers. With over 40 titles published to date, Jagex prides itself on developing and publishing hugely popular, accessible, online games for millions of players globally. For more information please visit www.jagex.com.
About RuneScape
Step into a medieval fantasy world that’s packed with epic adventures, fascinating characters and a passionate community that helps to mould the game itself. Unashamedly British in humour, RuneScape embraces an unconventional world where you’re free to play and explore the way you want to. An MMO unlike any other – become the hero you were born to be at www.runescape.com.
About WWF
WWF is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with over 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. www.panda.org
Windows 10 available in 190 countries as a free upgrade
People and organisations can do great things with Cortana, Microsoft Edge, Xbox App, new Office Universal apps and more.
Sydney, Australia. — July 29, 2015 — Microsoft Corp. announced that Windows 10 will become available Wednesday as a free upgrade1 or with new PCs and tablets. Windows 10 includes innovations such as Cortana,2 an Xbox app and Microsoft Edge for a familiar, yet more personal and productive, experience. The most secure Windows ever, Windows 10 is delivered as a service and kept automatically up-to-date with innovations and security updates. Windows 10 offers one experience that will become available on the broadest range of devices, including PCs, tablets, phones, Raspberry Pi, Xbox One, HoloLens and more — with more than 2,000 devices or configurations already in testing. The new Windows Store and Windows Software Development Kit also become available Wednesday, opening the door to new and innovative app experiences on Windows 10.
People around the world will celebrate the launch of Windows 10 Wednesday at fan celebrations in 13 countries and via a new yearlong initiative to celebrate people and organisations making a difference around the world. Microsoft encourages people to share how they plan to #UpgradeYourWorld and to vote for a global nonprofit to receive a cash donation by simply mentioning the nonprofit in a post on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter and using the hashtags #UpgradeYourWorld and #vote. More information on Upgrade Your World can be found at http://www.windows.com/upgradeyourworld.
“A new era of Windows starts today. From the beginning, Windows 10 has been unique — built with feedback from over 5 million fans, delivered as a service and offered as a free upgrade,” said Terry Myerson, executive vice president, Windows and Devices Group, at Microsoft. “Windows 10 delivers on our more personal computing vision, with a natural, mobile and trusted experience. Along with our partners, we’re excited to deliver the best Windows ever, which will empower people and organisations around the world to do great things.”
Windows 10: Best Windows ever
Windows 10 is fast and familiar — with the return of the Start menu and Live Tiles for instant, streaming updates of what matters most. Windows 10 is the most secure Windows Microsoft has ever released, with enhancements to Windows Defender and SmartScreen to help safeguard against viruses, malware and phishing and innovations such as Windows Hello, which offers a fast, secured, password-free way to log in.3 Keeping up-to-date is also simple, as free updates will help people stay current with the latest features and security updates for the supported lifetime of the device.
Windows 10 is more personal and productive, with voice, pen and gesture inputs for natural interaction with PCs. It’s designed to work with Office and Skype and allows you to switch between apps and stay organised with Snap and Task View. Windows 10 offers many innovative experiences and devices, including the following:
Cortana, the personal digital assistant, makes it easy to find the right information at the right time.
New Microsoft Edge browser lets people quickly browse, read, and mark up and share the Web.
The integrated Xbox app delivers the Xbox experience to Windows 10, bringing together friends, games and accomplishments across Xbox One and Windows 10 devices.
Continuum optimises apps and experiences beautifully across touch and desktop modes.
Built-in apps including Photos; Maps; Microsoft’s new music app, Groove; and Movies & TV offer entertainment and productivity options. With OneDrive, files can be easily shared and kept up-to-date across all devices.
A Microsoft Phone Companion app enables iPhones, Android or Windows phones to work seamlessly with Windows 10 devices.
The all new Office Mobile apps for Windows 10 tablets are available today in the Windows Store.4 Built for work on-the-go, the Word, Excel and PowerPoint apps offer a consistent, touch-first experience for small tablets. For digital note-taking needs, the full-featured OneNote app comes pre-installed with Windows 10. The upcoming release of the Office desktop apps (Office 2016) will offer the richest feature set for professional content creation. Designed for the precision of a keyboard and mouse, these apps will be optimised for large-screen PCs, laptops and 2-in-1 devices such as the Surface Pro.
Windows 10: Best platform for businesses
Feedback from millions of IT pros has shaped Windows 10, the most extensively tested version of Windows ever. Ready for corporate deployments, Windows 10 will help companies protect against modern cyberattacks, deliver experiences their employees will love and enable continuous innovation with a platform that keeps companies up-to-date with the latest technology. Businesses will be able to control the frequency of their updates and select the features and functionality that are right for each group of their employees.
Windows 10 includes built-in, enterprise-grade security, so customers can replace passwords with more secure options, protect corporate data and corporate identities, and run only the software they trust. New management and deployment tools simplify device management, help lower costs, and enable companies to power their business with the enterprise strength of the Microsoft Azure cloud.
Top apps available on Windows 10
The new Windows Store will open Wednesday and begin accepting new apps for Windows 10. The Windows Store offers one-stop shopping for popular free and paid apps, games, movies, TV shows and the latest music, which can work across all Windows 10 devices. The new Windows Store is the only store where people can use Cortana to control apps with their voice5 and get real-time notifications on their app tiles. All Windows Store content is certified by Microsoft to help keep devices safer. In addition to existing Windows 8.1 apps such as Netflix, Flipboard, Mint.com, “Asphalt 8: Airborne” and The Weather Channel, the Windows Store provides a constant stream of the new and updated Universal Windows Apps and games, including Twitter, “Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition beta”, Hulu, iHeartRadio, USA TODAY, “Candy Crush Saga” and others including WeChat and QQ, which will launch soon.6
Easy upgrade, devices now available
Upgrading to Windows 10 is easy for customers running a genuine Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 PC or tablet. Starting Wednesday, people who reserved their upgrade to Windows 10 will be notified in waves when their upgrade is ready to be installed. For business customers, Windows 10 is available to start deploying within their work environments, and starting Aug. 1, organisations that have volume licensing can upgrade to Windows 10 Enterprise and Windows 10 Education.
Windows 10 software will become broadly available in retail stores around the world between mid-August and September. Devices running Windows 10 will be available in some retail stores on Wednesday, with many, many more devices to become available in the weeks and months ahead.
Windows 10 has begun rolling out to Windows Insiders and consumers who have reserved upgrades. For consumers who haven’t reserved upgrades, they should go to windows.com/windows10upgrade. From there, Microsoft will notify consumers once our compatibility work confirms they will have a great experience and Windows 10 has been downloaded to their system. More information is available at Blogging Windows.
Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) is the leading platform and productivity company for the mobile-first, cloud-first world, and its mission is to empower every person and every organisation on the planet to achieve more.
1 Limited time free upgrade offer for qualified and genuine Windows 7 and 8/8.1 devices. Hardware and software requirements apply; see http://www.windows.com/windows10upgrade for details.
2 Cortana available in select markets at launch; experience may vary by region and device.
3 Windows Hello requires specialised hardware, including fingerprint reader, illuminated IR sensor or other biometric sensors.
4 An Office 365 subscription is required to edit Office apps on Windows 10 PCs or larger tablets.
5 Hardware dependent.
6 Some apps and content sold separately. App and content availability and experience may vary by region and device.
Razer to add OUYA’s digital platform assets and content to Razer’s product offerings Acquisition strengthens Razer’s commitment to open platform development and game developers Former OUYA team joins Razer to bring even more Android games to the living room
HOLD, NOT FOR RELEASE:
CARLSBAD, Calif. – Razer™, a world leader in connected devices and software for gamers, today confirmed it acquired the software assets of OUYA, including its content catalog and online retail platform. The technical team and developer relations personnel behind OUYA, the leading Android game platform for the television, have joined the software team of Razer, the company additionally reported. Financial details of the transaction, which closed on June 12, 2015, were not disclosed.
“Razer has a long-term vision for Android TV and Android-based TV consoles, such as the Xiaomi Mi Box and Alibaba Tmall Box, to which OUYA already publishes,” says Razer Co-Founder and CEO Min-Liang Tan. “OUYA’s work with game developers, both triple A and indies, went a long way in bringing Android games to the living room and Razer intends to further that work. This acquisition is envisaged to usher more developers and content to the Android TV platform.”
In the near future, Razer will be providing existing OUYA users with a clear path of migration to the more advanced Forge TV micro-console and Serval controller bundle. Razer’s intention is to allow OUYA users to bring their games, controllers, and accounts to the Cortex TV platform on the Forge micro-console, advancing the experience of Android gaming on TV that they have previously enjoyed. Additionally, Razer is planning deep product discounts for incoming OUYA users to purchase Razer hardware, and a spate of freebies, giveaways, and promotions to enjoy on their new Forge consoles.
Moving forward, Razer plans significant development of the Forge TV micro-console, controllers and software solutions to enhance the home entertainment experience. The company also intends to bring myriad additional games to the Android platform it purchased, through increased investment in developer and publisher programs, and with complementary technology partner initiatives.
The OUYA store acquired by Razer will in time be re-launched as Cortex for Android TV, a premier destination for Razer Forge TV games and other content.
While Razer is not retaining interest in OUYA hardware or related other assets, it does plan to publish Android TV content and Android-based TV console games under the OUYA moniker as a separate interest.
“When it comes to gamers, Min clearly knows what he is doing,” says Brian Fargo, video game designer, producer, programmer and founder of Interplay Entertainment and inXile Entertainment. “I’m certain that he has clever ideas on how to make his many initiatives with Forge TV fit well with all the titles and hard work that OUYA put in.”
Over the past year, Razer unveiled its Razer Forge TV, a high-performance Android TV micro-console to bring Android gaming into the living room, accompanied by a gaming controller, the Razer Serval. The Razer Forge TV ecosystem is based on an open platform. Content for the micro-console is provided by Razer, partners, independent developers and publishers alike, and is serviced through the Google Play store. More about Razer Forge TV is here: http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-systems/razer-forge-tv.
“Razer is the perfect home for OUYA and the team that made it all happen,” says OUYA co-founder and CEO Julie Uhrman. “They can take the OUYA platform to new places, inspiring developers and embracing gamers, everywhere.”
ABOUT OUYA:
Launched in 2013, OUYA enables any creator to publish a video game for televisions. OUYA’s marketplace now has over 1,000 games from established AAA developers to emerging game artists. Since 2014, OUYA has enabled the distribution of its platform and content to other devices through the OUYA Everywhere initiative.
OUYA, built on an open platform, was created by founder and CEO Julie Uhrman. The OUYA console was designed by award-winning designer Yves Behar.
About Razer:
Razer™ is a world leader in connected devices and software for gamers.
Razer is transforming the way people play games, engage with other gamers and identify with the gamer lifestyle. Having won the coveted “Best of CES” award consecutively for five years, the company’s leadership in product innovation continues to create new categories for the gaming community that is estimated to have over 1 billion gamers worldwide.
Razer’s award-winning design and technology include an array of user interface and systems devices, voice-over IP for gamers and a cloud platform for customizing and enhancing gaming devices.
Founded in 2005, Razer is backed by Intel Capital, IDG-Accel and Heliconia Capital Management (Heliconia), a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore investment company Temasek. For more information visit http://www.razerzone.com/about-razer.
