GUST’S DEEPLY IMMERSIVE RPG, AR NOSURGE PLUS: ODE TO AN UNBORN STAR, LAUNCHES FOR THE PLAYSTATION® VITA
BURLINGAME, Calif. – July 2, 2015 – KOEI TECMO America today announced that Ar nosurge Plus: Ode to an Unborn Staris now available for the PlayStation®Vita in North America. This turn-based ‘7-Dimension’ RPG is a remake of Ar nosurge: Ode to an Unborn Star, updated with new costumes, new “purification” partners, and DLC available in the previous version comes pre-loaded with this game. KOEI TECMO America also released three exclusive DLC bonus costumes for the playable characters, available free of charge to those who download the game in the first four weeks of release. These unique items are a sports outfit for Casty, a UNITY-CHAN costume for Casty, and a set of gorgeous Amenomirai Vestments for Ion designed by TATSUWO.
Ar nosurge Plus: Ode to an Unborn Star is a fantasy, sci-fi game that takes place in a world where music and song can create magic. It tells the compelling story of a civilization that lost their planet and has been roaming the edge of space for 2000 years in search of a new home. The player follows two sets of characters: Delta and Casty, whose goal is to protect humanity and save the world, and Ion and Earthes, who are trying to find Ion a way home to Earth. The player can change between both pairs and discover a way to combine their storylines and strengths to eventually solve the mystery that shrouds their ongoing struggles.
Developed by GUST and published by KOEI TECMO America in North America, Ar nosurge Plus: Ode to an Unborn Star is now available for digital download on the PlayStation®Vita for $39.99. This game has been rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB.
KOEI TECMO AMERICA CORP. is a publisher of interactive entertainment software for current generation consoles, handhelds and digital download content based in Burlingame, California. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of KOEI TECMO HOLDINGS CO., LTD., headquartered in Yokohama, Japan. KOEI is best known for its Dynasty Warriors® and Samurai Warriors® franchises. TECMO is best known for the Dead or Alive®, Ninja Gaiden®, Tecmo Bowl®, and Fatal Frame® series.
“PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
FIGHTING IN MMO GAMES IS ACTUALLY FUN AGAIN WITH THE LAUNCH OF CABAL 2
With Fluid Fighting Mechanics and an Intricate Combo System, New Sequel from ESTsoft Proves that MMOs Don’t Have to Be a Grind
IRVINE, CALIF.– July 2, 2015 – ESTSoft, Inc. announced today that the highly-anticipated open-world, massively multiplayer online (MMO) game CABAL 2 has officially launched and is now widely available on PC. CABAL 2 is free to download and play.
“The CABAL franchise has always emphasized the thrill of combat in an MMO world, and with CABAL 2 we created a new combo system that will not only appeal to our huge base of dedicated fans, but to all MMO players in general by proving that battling doesn’t have to be a grind” said Steve J. Pae, COO at ESTSoft. “CABAL 2 features gorgeous graphics and an awesome skill-based combat system, which is easy to learn but a challenge to master, and it will make MMO gamers remember why they fell in love with the genre in the first place.”
CABAL 2 features combat that is fluid and skill-based, but also offers all the depth and strategy players would expect from a genuine MMO experience. Designed by passionate MMO gamers for fans of the genre, the game’s fast-paced combat and focus on role-playing game (RPG) elements harken back to classic MMOs.
Evolving from the wildly-successful CABAL Online, which hosts nearly 30 million users from more than 60 countries around the world, CABAL 2 is a high-fantasy MMO for PC which combines deep, immersive RPG elements with epic skill-based battles. This next chapter in the CABAL series bring a unique style of gameplay sure to appeal to players who are both nostalgic for the classic MMOs of the past, but also still enjoy the technical advancements of modern PC gaming.
For more information, and to download CABAL 2, please visit www.cabal2.com.
ESTsoft Inc. is the North American publishing and operations arm of ESTsoft Corp, a leading Korean software company since 1993. ESTsoft delivers essential software products and innovative online games around the world. ESTsoft has been a KOSDAQ listed company since 2008.
London, UK – July 2, 2015 – Today, Ubisoft® announced that The Smurfs will be available this week on Nintendo 3DSTM across all EMEA territories (Europe, Middle East and Asia).
Developed by Magic Pockets, The Smurfs for Nintendo 3DS will take players to the colourful comic book world of their favourite characters. In this great new adventure, players will need to help the Smurfs rebuild their village while finding out what could have possibly caused its destruction. To complete their quest, they will have to play through a variety of 12 mini-games, collecting resources and avoiding Gargamel’s traps.
In this brand new Smurfs game, players will be able to build the greatest village for Papa Smurf, Smurfette and all their friends. Through multiple environments, from Gargamel’s lab to the deep forest surrounding the village, players will collect wood, rocks and bricks to help them in their quest. Customisation will be possible for both the Smurf houses as well as the whole village by sawing logs, nailing planks and stacking bricks.
All the mini-games are tailored for Nintendo 3DSTM, taking full advantage of its features: players will play hide and seek with the Nintendo 3DSTM stylus, pilot a plane through the woodlands, organise music contests or create their very own recipes by tilting the Nintendo 3DSTM to mix ingredients and blow in the microphone to cool their preparations.
Ubisoft is a leading creator, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and services, with a rich portfolio of world-renowned brands, including Assassin’s Creed, Just Dance, Tom Clancy’s video game series, Rayman, Far Cry and Watch Dogs. The teams throughout Ubisoft’s worldwide network of studios and business offices are committed to delivering original and memorable gaming experiences across all popular platforms, including consoles, mobile phones, tablets and PCs. For the 2014-15 fiscal year Ubisoft generated sales of €1,464 million. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoftgroup.com.
Battlefleet Gothic was a fun little tabletop game released by Games Workshop in the days of yore which featured city sized ships (drastically scaled down) engaging in combat which was an interesting combination of modern day submarine tactics and 18th century ship warfare. Earlier this year, Tindalos Interactive announced that they would be developing a digital adaption of the game. So after catching a hands-off demo of Battlefleet Gothic: Armada, I was able to sit down with two devs from Tindalos Interactive, Aurelien and Maxime Josse, and have a chat about their game.
So what has been the hardest part of adapting the tabletop version into a video game format? What have you chosen to take away and what have you chosen to keep?
The hardest part so far has been adapting the turn-based strategy of the tabletop game into a real-time video game. I think this is the most difficult thing when working with these kinds of adaptions.
In terms of the range of ships which will be present in the game, how much in terms of ship classes and designs have you put in the game?
For Battlefield Gothic: Armada, all the ships that were in the tabletop (of the factions that are present in the game) will be present.
In regards to the customisation of the captain characters and ships, how far does it go?
You can change the names ships and captains and you can choose from a number of avatars for your captain. Orks are able to customise their ship weapons but other factions cannot in respect to the IP. For other factions specific ships have specific weapons… except for the Orks.
I imagine they just bolt on anything which they think makes the loudest noise… in the vacuum of space. Speaking of the other factions, I believe you mentioned that they would not be playable in this title. Do you have plans to release expansions with the other factions playable if this one is successful?
Of course. We would love to have tyranids and necrons and the rest… but we’ll have to see. This is definitely something we want though.
It didn’t quite appear in the demo which you guys showcased but will ramming as a mechanic be present in the game proper?
Yeah, of course. The things I love in the ramming system is that when you destroy a ship with ramming vessel, it will explode into multiple parts as your ship continues through it.
Similarly, will boarding also be present in the game?
Yes, you won’t be able to capture enemy ships but you will score more critical hits. You will be able to score critical hits on various ship systems like its weapons and engines and with boarding actions you will score more critical hits.
Will the wrecks of vessels remain on the map after they’re destroyed?
Yes, and a cool thing with that is that the wreckage can stop shots. So there is gameplay around positioning your ships behind wrecks to hide.
So you can use your dead comrades for cover?
Exactly.
That sounds very 40k. So in terms of chronology, the campaign takes place during the 12th Black Crusade, correct?
Correct.
Will ‘Blackstone Fortresses’ (Editor’s note: Pretty much the 40k version of a ‘death star’) feature in the game?
*Consults with each other in French* Yes, of course. You will see them.
In regards to the campaign; how in-depth is in terms of strategy? Will there be much for players to strategise over or will the gameplay focus upon the ship engagements?
In the game, we’ll have several missions for the players to take on like ‘convoy’, ‘space station attack’, ‘cruiser clash’… I think about ten missions. In the campaign, you’ll have a main scenario arc and several secondary objectives.
Alright, so the campaign will be scripted as opposed to something more open like a Total War game?
Not exactly. A better comparison would be to the Dawn of War II campaign but in reverse.
Reverse?
Yes. You start will all the sub-sectors at the beginning and as the game progresses you will be attacked by enemy forces- orks, chaos, or eldar- and you will have to keep all those sub-sectors.
Ah, now I see. It’s like ‘losing slowly’…
Exactly!
Alright, so is there anything else you’d like to add before we wrap up?
We want to make the BEST space game in the world!
Ha! We hope you do too!
We’ll keep you updated on all news Battlefleet as it comes to air.
The Battlefleet Gothic IP is a unique mix of science fantasy space combat mixed with thematic elements from 18th century naval warfare. Titanic ships kilometres long ramming and broadsiding one another in the silence of the void endears itself to me, and it shouldn’t surprise you to hear that I’m a fan. Ever since the announcement of the video game adaption (titled Battlefleet Gothic: Armada) earlier this year; I have been desperate to get my hands on any and all information about how Tindalos Interactive is progressing with their take on the tabletop game. While at E3 I was able to watch a demonstration of the game as it currently stands. Here are my observations:
-The campaign will allow for a fair amount of customisation of captains, crews, and ships. Damage sustained in battle will remain until repaired and this can be localised to specific ship sub-systems such as weapons, engines, and the like.
-The campaign will feature the player defending against the Imperium against the 12th Black Crusade with the player strategic decisions about which zones to defend with their currently available ships. Planets will give different bonuses and the player will have to choose which to defend and which to abandon to the enemy. The Imperium will be the only playable faction in the campaign.
-The player can control all the ships in an engagement individually but options do exist to group them together into squadrons. Further customisation of individual ship AI is also available with various engagement stances and speeds to automate their maneuvers across the darkness of the void.
-Individual ships will also need to manage their power levels to maintain their shields and fire their weapons which will also run on a cooldown. Different weapons will have different firing arcs. Nova cannons will make an appearance in-game.
-Ramming and boarding will be present in the game with the cathedral ships of the Imperium plowing through their corrupted enemy vessels (and vice versa).
-The battles will take place on a 2D map, in keeping with the game’s tabletop origins. These maps will feature various celestial terrain like asteroids and debris. Destroyed ships will become terrain on the map with the wreck becoming cover behind which other ships can hide.
With the build I currently saw, there is still a significant amount of work which needs to be put in before its anywhere near completion. What I’ve seen so far however has whet my appetite and made me excited to see how the game develops further.
Another game with its inspiration in the 40K universe also being released by Focus Home Interactive is the tactical, first-person shooter Space Hulk: Deathwing. The basic premise of Space Hulk is that you play as a space marine (super soldier) in terminator armour (heavy duty protection) exploring and clearing a space hulk (Space shipwreck) of whatever scum infest it. Space Hulk has had another series recently released with a more direct adaption of the original boardgame developed by Full Control. Deathwing however, developed by Streum On Studio,is completely different kettle of Tyranid fish which I was able to attend a demonstration for at E3. Here are a number of elements which I noted during the playthrough and discussion with the devs there:
-The game will feature a single and multiplayer (up to four players) experience wherein you play as the eponymous Deathwatch terminators as they investigate a space hulk. Each player plays as their own class and fulfill their own role within the fire team. Choices include classes like the psychic Librarian and the healing Apothecary.
-Classes will unlock skills and equipment through play which they’ll then be able to equip in their loadout before deployment on each level. They appear have a large selection of the space marine arsenal slated to be available including lightning claws, force weapons, stormbolters, assault cannons to equip.
-Before the level starts, you are given overview of the map of the level. However, this is based on the old schematics of the ship before it became a hulk and so the map might be drastically different to the level you’ll actually walk through. You also be able to seal doors behind you to prevent enemies from attacking from your rear, but these doors will not be able to be opened again except by being smashed open.
-The enemies that you’ll be using these weapons against will largely be variations of the Genestealer enemy. There will be various genestealers who have mutations which alter their attacks in a number of ways to keep things fresh but largely they will be trying to eviscerate you. There will also be genestealer cultists who will be armed with less melee-orientated weaponry… but will nonetheless not be a match for you in your tactical dreadnought armour.
-The gameplay itself is very reminiscent of the Left 4 Dead series with the Space Marines working as a team to get to their objective and then possibly fight a final big boss for the level. The 40k universe is thoroughly ingrained throughout however as during one sequence whereupon the team had to wait for Mechanicus prayer to complete it’s sequence to open a door. The Mechanicus prayer in this instance sounded like the noise of an old dial-up internet connection as it was performed in binary (as is in keeping with servants of the Omnissiah).
-Upon death in multiplayer, the player swaps teams and plays as an adversary genestealer. I was not able to see anything of this mode in the demonstration so I cannot comment more.
In the current build, which is VERY early, there was a lot to see but also a lot which needed to be worked on. I would like to see what other levels the team are working and what they’re planning on putting in to keep the game fresh after a couple of levels.
Overview Creating a story where magically gifted students attend a school to teach them how to handle their abilities has become something incredibly common in the anime world and is growing increasingly common in Western media as well. As such, Tokyo Ravens has a bit of a hill to climb to try and set itself apart from the rest of these series. While Tokyo Ravens is an anime adaptation of a fairly long running light novel, is the first half of the series worth picking up?
Story In the world of Tokyo Ravens onmyo mages are commonplace and often serve as a police force as they have to deal with numerous spiritual disasters, rogue mages, and the concept of using familiars as weapons is seen as common practice. While large cities may see quite a lot of onmyo activity the countryside is usually a calm place. Here is where the series’ protagonist Harutora Tsuchimikado spends his time lazily attending classes and spending time with his friends Touji and Hokuto.
Despite being a member of one of the most famous families of onmyo mages, Harutora is from a branch family and has always slacked off since he never had any talent for magic. The only time he thinks about the main family is when his childhood friend Natsume appears. Natsume is the star of the Tscuhimikado family and is set to take the leadership of the house eventually so all of the pressures of being an heir have been placed on her shoulders. While visiting, Natsume attempts to convince Harutora to travel back to Tokyo’s Omnyo Academy with her but he declines.
This all changes when Suzuka Dairenji, the youngest of the Twelve Divine Generals (the highest class of mage) arrives in the village and drags Harutora, Touji, and Natsume into a whirlwind of trouble resulting in the loss of someone close to Harutora’s heart and a bit of mystery that must be solved. Due to these events, Harutora agrees to become Natsume’s familiar and travels with her to Omnyo Academy alongside Touji.
Only problem is, once he arrives there he learns that not only is he far behind everyone else but that Natsume must act like a guy due to family tradition. To make matters worse, because of her lineage Natsume is being stalked by a large number of people who see her as the reincarnation of Yakou Tsuchimikado, perhaps the most powerful onmyo mage of all time due to his actions in the past who is seen as something of a god despite certain actions that he took. With Harutora having only his friends and a new cute fox familiar named Kon to help him out how will things unfold?
Tokyo Ravens is the type of series that would have had a hard time gathering viewers at the start of its broadcast simply due to the fact that the first story arc is incredibly slow and feels like the worst part of the presentation. While it does serve as a way to introduce viewers to various aspects of onmyo magic and serve as a set-up to bring Harutora and Touji to the school, these initial episodes are quite slow but thankfully the series becomes far better once it shifts to Onmyo Academy and kicks the story into the next gear.
Few series are capable of taking the time to make viewers feel accustomed to the world and allow the supporting cast and main characters to develop as early as Tokyo Ravens does. Perhaps it is due to the twenty four episode run length, but once arriving at school viewers are treated to some excellent writing and pacing. We see Harutora adjust to school and deal with new acquaintances who think he is holding back the class only to then have to handle the first of the stalkers targeting Natsume serving as the proper introduction of the series only for things to escalate form there.
Touji’s darkness and ties with Harutora are explored to a believable level which helps turn the character from simply being the “cool background friend” into someone viewers will keep an eye on and even one of the very first enemies in the series returns to try and find some form of redemption in the eyes of Harutora, even if it becomes more about torturing him with purposeful misunderstandings instead. This is another aspect of Tokyo Ravens that shines throughout this first half as we see a fine balance established between drama, development, and humor since there are plenty of light-hearted moments mixed in and appropriate times.
It is worth noting that viewers will have to keep a close eye on all of the characters presented in Tokyo Ravens as nearly every side character and adult is more than they seem. There are different secrets whirling around the cast and many characters appear to be far more capable or dangerous than they initially seem. Though the first half does end on a bit of a light-hearted note, there are still many dangers floating around Natsume and with numerous dark groups in motion and growing closer to taking open action, it will be interesting to see where things go from here.
Visuals As far as the series’ artwork goes, 8-bit did a decent job with the series but unfortunately there is very little in the series that actually stands out. Most of the character designs are largely unremarkable with the only exceptions being Kon and Suzuka’s unique looking wardrobe giving her a different look from the rest of the cast.
That being said, at least the background designs are rather enjoyable and the fights are cleverly animated with plenty of nice looking special effects when the characters use magic spells or whenever a familiar is close to defeat and phasing out of the world. It is worth noting though that the blend of CG elements for most of the familiars in the series so far is rather awkward looking as it does a poor job blending with the rest of the artwork.
Audio While some people may still prefer to choose the original Japanese voice track over FUNimation’s freshly recorded English dub, I must say that they should try out the English dub first. This is due to the fact that the company has done an excellent job selecting voice actors for Tokyo Ravens and the voice actors do an amazing job making these characters sound as impressive as possible.
It also is nice to note that the background music is quite enjoyable with there being a nice mix of simplistic tunes and orchestral songs to fit the mood. As far as the opening and closing themes go, “X-encounter” by Maon Kurosaki was one of my favorite themes from 2013 and it continues to impress here while the ending “Kimi ga emu Yuugure” by Yoshino Nanjou is somber but ultimately forgettable.
Extras With this release of Tokyo Ravens Part One, FUNimation has included clean versions of the opening and ending theme, trailers for other anime series, two audio commentaries, a video commentary, and two short specials called “Kon Explains it All!”. The specials featuring Kon are presented in Japanese and feature her character going into detail about various aspects in the world of Tokyo Ravens that weren’t really explained over the course of the series and if it didn’t include footage from the series, would be great to watch first for a little bit of background knowledge.
As for the commentaries, the first standard commentary is for episode 5 and features Monica Rial, the voice actress of Kon, Clifford Chapin, the voice of Harutora, and Ian Sinclair who voices Touji while the second commentary is for episode 12 and includes Jad Saxton as Suzuka, Leah Clarke who voices Kyoko, and Caitlyn Glass, the voice of Natsume. Both of these commentaries are fairly standard fare as far as FUNimation commentaries go with a few details about the show and casting discussed but mostly include the cast laughing and making jokes. Finally the video commentary, something I always see as a nice inclusion in a set, features ADR director Colleen Clinkenbeard, Monica Rial, Clifford Chapin, and Ian Sinclair as they talk about episode 7 with plenty of actual discussion on the episode and how intricate the series’ story can be.
Overall Tokyo Ravens could easily have fallen into the rut that many series do by falling back on tired clichés in order to get itself over for a little bit before coming to a halt but thankfully it has done the opposite of that. While the initial episodes in Tokyo Ravens Part One are indeed slow, the story only grows from there as we continue to see fairly consistent character development and steady story progression. With trouble brewing around Harutora and the group and plenty of possible ways for the story to continue, it will be interesting to see how things progress from the end of Part One, especially since “Stupidtora” seems to finally have realized a certain something he has been missing throughout the series.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
We recently confirmed that the Nintendo 3DS title Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden would be releasing worldwide and we now have an all new English trailer and an awesome looking 3DS bundle to look forward to as well. We also have some answers to some previous questions although they might not be what you wanted to hear. Countries outside of Japan will be receiving the Super NES title Super Butoden 2, but only if they pre-order or purchase the New Nintendo 3DS bundle.
While that may sound O.K., the bad news is that the game will be completely faithful to the original game, Japanese text included. Yes, no English translation at all which is very disappointing in my eyes. Extreme Butoden will feature translated text, but not voice overs.
Players that pre-order will also gain access to 6 support characters early including Super Vegito, Garlic Jr. and even Baby Goku. Extreme Butoden is a 2D fighter and is being developed by Arc System Works, the studio responsible for the Supersonic Warriors games for the GBA and DS as well as the Blazblue games, so you can expect really solid 2D sprites and classic gameplay. The game features over 20 playable characters and over 100 support characters known as Z-assist. The game will launch in Europe and Australasia on the 16th of October and the Americas on the 20th of October. Will you be picking up this latest Dragon Ball title or that amazing looking New 3DS bundle? Let us know in the comments below.
Noir is an anime unlike most on the market. I’d classify it as a serious title, focusing on real people as opposed to the more common shounen anime. Realism is the theme of the day, and watching it gives the feeling that this could have been a live action drama. Cowboy Bebopis in a similar vein, attempting to focus on the extraordinary living among the mundane, though in a sci-fi world as opposed to Noir’s grounded reality. In fact, Starz optioned Noir at one point, with intent to release a live action rendition of the series. While the project was shelved (likely due to complexities in the plot), it’s still striking that such a lesser known anime could have been a studio produced live drama.
Where the realism starts to break down is the basis of the plot; Noir follows two female assassins working as mercenaries, before delving deeper into members of Les Soldats. Noir is an exploration of the ‘girls with guns’ genre, but unlike later series by the same creator, Noir is firmly grounded in reality. What the main characters Kirika Yuumura, Mireille Bouquet, Altena, and Chloe explore throughout the series is the criminal underground, centering around an Illuminati-esque organization called Les Soldats (in French, The Soldiers).
Story
It would be a disservice to the viewer to spoil the twists and turns of Noir, so I’ll keep this somewhat brief. Noir follows Mireille and Kirika as they carry out assassination missions as their own private mercenary force, the eponymous Noir. The first half of the show is a slow burner, being what boils down to a flavor of the week where Mireille and Kiraka have to figure out then handle a different assassination each episode. However, this serves more as a vehicle for the two characters to grow to learn about each other, and for the watcher to learn about the protagonists motivations. There’s not too much to say about this, although it is very different from episode to episode; it’s just the girls doing various assassination missions in different ways.
The second half of Noir is where the plot shifts to focus more on the shadowy organization Les Soldats. As we find out, the attacks against Mireille and Kiraka are tests from Les Soldats to ensure that they’re worthy to be called Noir. As often as they are fighting against Les Soldats, the protagonists are working under contracts for them. Viewers are introduced to Chloe who is an assassin for Les Soldats, who carries out her missions with sharp efficiency, and is considered a rival for Mirelle, hoping to partner with Kiraka some day. We are also introduced to Altena, who is a powerful member of Les Soldats, working towards mysterious purposes.
Much of Noir follows the overarching plot of Mirelle and Kiraka trying to understand their past, and how Les Soldats is involved. One of the major issues is that Mireille has lost her memory, and the pair team up to try to figure out why they’re connected. By the end of the series, secretive rituals and a mess of a situation devolve, including many reveals to Les Soldats and where they lie in the power of the world. The story definitely amps up from the slower paced beginning, but by no means does it ever reach Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann or Kill la Kill levels of speed. It is a much more sedate anime, though this hardly means it’s not action filled. It’s just a different type of action then many viewers will be accustomed to.
Visuals
The animation for Noir might appear muted next to modern more colorful anime, but this is in line with it’s theming and genre. As a more grounded and realistic show, aiming for the looks of the noir genre the color palette is much more muted, the designs much more subdued. Even so, the dazzling landscapes and excellently done European scenes draw the eye in their own way. While the art, even remastered, shows it’s age quite heavily, Noir still has a classic look to it. Details are done extremely well, with guns and uniforms clean and clearly recognizable.
Much can be said about details in modern anime, with guns having become extremely screen-accurate to their real-world designs for example. However, Noir did so in a time where this wasn’t as expected. The animation is clean and crisp, with motion and choreography done exceptionally well for a show released in 2001. And more then anything, the action feels real; there’s no crazy comic-book style stunts of endless running and acrobatics. The visuals ring true because they feel real and feel accurate. If the plot is something you find yourself intrigued by, give Noir a shot regardless of it’s visuals. The animation may be dated, but it’s a prime example of quality animation from it’s era.
Audio
This is one of the areas in which I feel that Noir truly excels. Not in either of the voice casts, though neither is particularly egregious. The English voice cast is a bit stilted, but perfectly acceptable to listen to. It’s not going to blow you away with perfectly matched characters like Cowboy Bebop managed to do (though that of course is the rare exception). The Japanese cast isn’t entirely exceptional either, though for me it was more enjoyable then the English vocalization.
Where the audio blows me away is the long-time critically acclaimed soundtrack. It’s scenic, and sets the emotions and mood of the show more then any script can even dream to do. Choirs and solitary pianos are a major focus, as are violins and even electronic music. The soundtrack is the soul of the series, evoking pain and tragedy in some of it’s tracks, and setting more tone then hours of vocalizations could even hope. The sound effects are exceptional as well, and I get the feeling that the sound was a major focus from the production crew.
Extras
Noir features a number of extras with it’s release, most of which are fairly typical for modern anime releases. There are the textless openings and closings, as well as some commentaries (though only with the English cast on a few episodes). Additionally, a few character focused music videos, featuring Mireille, Chloe, and Kirika, are here as well. Various Japanese promo ads are on here as well.
The nicer addition are the interviews, not only with the English cast and crew, but with some of the Japanese cast as well. We get an interview with each of the original voice actors for all four girls, Mireille, Chloe, Kiraka, and Altena. There is also an amusing short featuring sock puppets called Noir: The Unsoled Story. This large number of extras is a great addition to the updated release.
Overall
Overall, while Noir was a well-produced show, with clean animation and great sound, I did not find myself entranced by the story. Perhaps my error was watching Burn Notice and Arrow around the same time, but the assassination storyline and early slow pacing did not grab me. While the show’s realism is unexpected in anime, it wasn’t exceptional to me. The slow pacing of the early episodes in an “assassination of the week” pattern was very off-putting in my opinion, and it took me far longer then I expected to get through this anime.
And in the end, that’s my biggest issue with Noir. While it’s a good show, with a plot that picks up in later episodes, I treated it as “getting through this.” When I watch anime, I want to be grabbed and entranced. The realism and real world accuracy of Burn Notice made Noir‘s assassins pale in comparison. It’s a good show, and one that may grab your interest. However, the slow pacing and older animation was definitely a negative in my book. I’d not put Noir on my must watch list, but if you have a liking for the girls-with-guns sub-genre, and you like your anime realistic, Noir is an excellent catch. The audio, music, and some of the animation/design is gorgeous and entrancing, even if the plot lagged behind.
NIS America has released their first gameplay trailer for Rodea: The Sky Soldier which is set to be released in North America on October 13 and in Europe on October 16. This trailer, that can be found below, introduces fans to Ion and shows a few of the beginning areas in Rodea’s journey to fulfill his promise.
From the footage below, which is presented in English, we see how Rodea will be able to quickly maneuver through the sky and across the ground in a way that is very familiar feeling. When released Rodea: The Sky Soldier will be available for both the Nintendo 3DS and the Wii U.
