The fifth installment in the hugely popular Mission: Impossible franchise, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation is set for release on August 6th this year, and finally Paramount Pictures have given us our first real look at the film with the first official trailer. So your mission, should you choose to accept it is to watch the video below:
Ethan Hunt and his team as they try to stop the Syndicate, an International rogue organisation, as highly skilled as they are from destroying the IMF. Tom Cruise reprises his role as Hunt, and is joined by Simon Pegg, Jeremy Renner, Ving Rhames, Alec Baldwin, Rebecca Ferguson in what will no doubt be an absolute blockbuster.
You can also check out the poster below, so let us know what you think in the comments section but as always, should you or any of your I.M. Force be caught or killed, Capsule Computerswill disavow any knowledge of your actions. This message will self-destruct in 5…4…3….2…
Another promo video for the upcoming anime adaptation of the light novel series Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?, also known as Dungeon ni Deai o Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru no Darō ka?, has been released and you can check it out below.
For those who are unaware, the series will begin airing in April and tells the story of a boy named Bell whose original goal is to enter the dangerous dungeon in order to try and pick up girls. Yen Press is currently publishing the light novel series in North America with the first volume released earlier this year and the second volume set to be released next month.
Overview Whenever a sequel to a popular game franchise is announced pretty much no one is surprised at this point. However thanks to the rise of anime styled fighting games in the West, we have been seeing a number of surprising localizations over the past few years and now another title by Melty Blood’s French Bread has been released in the West. The question is, should fans of the faster paced anime fighting games pick up Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late?
Story It is worth noting that Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late does not feature an actual story mode of any sort and, like many fighting games with this style, tell a simpler story through an arcade mode. Each playable character gets their own unique story throughout the Arcade Mode where short dialogue sequences will appear at the beginning, a few times in the middle, and at the end of the battle to help set the tone for the game and give players a feel for the character’s personality.
What this means however is that players are left with a threadbare storyline that, while interesting as numerous characters reveal extra information about the fighters, called In-Births as they have been given special abilities after surviving attacks from creatures known as the Void that appear during certain nights throughout the year.
There are various factions at play though these are never really given much detail outside of which characters work for specific organizations and this means that the whole thing is loosely held together which is disappointing. That being said, there are some more humorous stories such as the console exclusive Nanase’s and some of the other stories are rather intriguing on their own, though it is a shame they are never fleshed out.
Gameplay Once you start up the game you’ll be treated to a whole slew of gameplay modes to take advantage of, though it is worth noting that despite how many are on offer there really is very little variation here. There is the aforementioned Arcade Mode following players through ten battles, a Time Attack Mode, Survival, Score Attack, Versus, Online, and of course Training.
There is also a gallery where players can view previously unlocked CGs and movies as well as purchase locked artwork through points earned by fighting and a minor customization mode that allows players to create a different looking player card that will be shown when you do fight online so nothing truly special here other than plenty of ways to try out the characters in the roster and test your skills.
Once you do enter combat you’ll find a game that is a bit more fast paced than your average fighting game but doesn’t reach the levels of the BlazBlue series. The reason for this is that while Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late is a fast game, it doesn’t feature as many over-the-top movesets and elaborate systems that make up the recent BlazBlue games. Instead players will find a game that heavily rewards players for fighting aggressively and a roster made up of standard moving fighters, a few quicker fighters, and one slow but strong fighter.
Now the reason I say Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late rewards aggression is thanks to the Grind Grid (GRD) system. As you fight a meter will begin filling up in the bottom of the screen next to each players’ EXS meters and aggressive moves such as attacking, timing your blocks, and advancing on your enemy will increase the meter while running away and defending too long will cause it to decrease. Every 17 seconds the title will use this meter to gauge who is more aggressive and give that player a Vorpal boost that can be used in a number of ways.
Not only can Vorpal boost allow players to deal out more damage with their standard attacks but can also be absorbed into the player’s fighter to boost their EXS meter. It is worth noting that players can also transfer some of their EXS meter into their GRD gauge by holding down a button while not receiving a boost. This isn’t always possible of course as players will need to contend with an opponent but it may help sway the fight your way as the Vorpal boost does make a difference. That being said, it also isn’t a game breaker as players can play smart to try and avoid their opponent’s boosted attacks or turn the tide themselves with various special moves.
You see, Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late is a game that is very easy to learn and while there is some depth, it will be one that most players will be able to easily grasp. The controls for the system are easy to manage and most special techniques that require the EXS gauge to be filled to at least 100 can be activated through a few familiar directional inputs and the press of a few buttons. The same can be said about the spectacular looking finishing moves, called ‘Infinite Worths’ that require an EXS gauge of 200% or when triggering a “Veil Off” rage style mode that allows the player to break out of combo attacks and also unleash their powerful finishers in a pinch without the need for a full meter.
This means that while there certainly is a challenge players can grasp it easily if they spend some time either fighting against lower leveled AI opponents or training in the training mode. As for the roster, as briefly mentioned earlier, all of the fighters have a unique fighting style that mesh well together and can be handled in different ways. Some are more complicated than others with different mechanics mixed in but there is plenty of variety here to fit your needs.
As for the online component, it is unfortunately a bit simple. If you can manage to find a match in what has unfortunately become something hard to do already, you’ll find a very smooth running netcode where I only briefly experienced a bit of slowdown despite playing against a number of different opponents, which unfortunately required a bit of waiting actually find these opponents.
Visuals & Audio Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late is a bit more down to earth as far as an anime fighting game’s visuals go. What I mean by this is that most of the characters are fairly standard looking without absurd looking designs and thanks to this choice of focus the characters are not only nicely designed and look great on their own, the look even better in battle. The fluid combat system compliments some great looking special attacks that can be unleashed, including the impressive Infinite Worth EXS that can only be triggered when the player is in critical health.
As for the soundtrack, there is some fairly standard sounding combat music included in the release which is to be expected and while it is fitting, it really doesn’t add too much to the experience. The original Japanese voice track is the only one featured in the game but the cast has done a great job fitting their characters though I am disappointed at the lack of subtitles during battle introductions.
Overall Despite not offering a whole lot of variation between its modes, Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late holds itself together by providing a solid combat experience and easy to learn mechanics. With the GRD helping adjust the flow of combat and the varied cast of characters battling one another, Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late is an impressive looking and enjoyable title despite its few flaws.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Overview The Hyperdimension Neptunia franchise has been going strong for Compile Heart and Idea Factory ever since they released the first game back in 2010. By combining light-hearted humor, often parodying the game industry, and enjoyable gameplay with a memorable cast, we’ve seen numerous core titles and spin-offs ranging from idol games to action titles be released under the franchise’s banner, not to mention manga spin-offs and even an anime adaptation. Now with a game focused more on fan favorite Noire and offering an SRPG experience, is Hyperdevotion Noire: Goddess Black Heart worth picking up for fans?
Story In the land of Gamarket, the four goddesses continue to battle one another for control of the land. Players will see at the beginning that Noire has managed to obtain near complete rule with her large share percentage. Because of this, she is capable of taking on Neptune, Blanc, and Vert without much help despite having a number of generals willing to assist her.
Despite her overwhelming advantage, Noire doesn’t wish to battle against the other goddesses in order to bring peace to the land and it is here that an unknown woman (that players will recognize if they have played other Hyperdimenison Neptunia games) suggests that she wishes her hardest on the Sharicite to unite the world without the need for violence. Believing this is the answer to her struggle, she does so but something goes terribly wrong as she is left drained of nearly all of her power and her generals scatter to the winds.
Left with no power and no allies, Noire quickly falls into despair even while monsters begin to invade Lastation. It is here that the male protagonist appears in the city and runs to Noire’s aid. Thanks to the him believing in her, Noire is capable of once again becoming Black Heart and defeating the monsters within Lastation. To help ensure things continue smoothly and to reward him, Noire makes the faceless protagonist her secretary and soon vows that with the help of Neptune, Vert, and Blanc that they will bring order back to the world.
Now, I will admit that it is rather odd that a faceless self-insert style protagonist was added to the game in order to help motivate Noire since he really only plays a comedic role and generally finds himself liked by everyone else in the group while Noire acts protective of him. It does change things up a bit which is nice but also feels like an artificial way to place the player in the story when fans already will find plenty going for them here.
I say that because not only are the standard goddesses all back and acting just how fans love them but a whole bunch of new characters have also been added into the game. You see, Noire’s generals are all parody characters from other video game franchises or companies, including Resident Evil, Agarest War, Metal Gear, and more. Because of this they all have unique personalities and mannerisms to match their franchises and they all add some fresh new comedy to a game that is already full of great humor, making Hyperdevotion Noire‘s story one that fans will enjoy immensely, even though the actual plot line and the final boss is on the weaker side.
Gameplay
Unlike the other games in the core series, Hyperdevotion Noire is an SRPG and one that has removed dungeon exploration entirely. Instead players will find themselves based in Lastation and it is here where you can do various things such as Shop, go on missions to advance the story or side-missions to gain levels and items at the Mission HQ, use the Disc Development to create equipment that provides various buffs, make new items using obtained blueprints at the returning Item Development, view past scenes at the CPU Hotel as well as interact with other party members, and work as Noire’s secretary and also interact with her at the Basilicom which can unlock some new and fun scenes over time as you successfully give her advice on various requests and upgrade the Basilicom.
Before selecting a mission at the Mission HQ, players will be able to equip their characters and it is interesting to note that a new element system has been added to the game. This means that players can choose to enter with a neutral element on their characters, they can now equip various elemental gems that will change the element type of that unit and the damage type they deal. This can be used to deal extra damage to enemies who are weak to that type but it is also a dangerous risk because this makes those units weak to other elemental attacks.
Once you do enter battle you’ll notice that Hyperdevotion Noire plays out like many other SRPGs with the battles taking place on a grid-based field where all of the player’s characters have a turn to move and attack before the enemies take their own turn. At the start of the match players will select what units they wish to enter into the battle, as players will quickly find that they will have plenty of spare units to choose from, though it is worth noting that most story missions require specific characters to take part in a fight and due to the way the story plays out, some characters may also be temporarily unavailable. This can sometimes lead to your stronger fighters being unavailable and having to use either weaker party members or unfamiliar ones that will need to be trained up a bit before taking on that mission.
Actual combat plays out rather simply as players can move their characters a certain range and then attack enemies within their attack range. Attacking enemies from the side or the back deals extra damage while attacking from an elevated platform also deals extra damage. What makes the combat a bit more complicated however is the way that almost every stage has unique features such as puzzles, traps that deal damage, cause status effects that are unique but still detrimental, and sometimes players will need to do more than simply kill every enemy to complete the mission.
Another combat mechanic is the Lily system. Unlike the main games where players will partner characters up to raise the Lily rank, in Hyperdevotion Noire it is instead activated by being close to other characters in combat. For example, any time a player uses a skill, such as Noire’s starting skill Lace Ribbons, it will require a set amount of SP but if standing next to Neptune, the Lily system will activate and not only will the skill cost less SP to use but it will deal additional damage while providing Lily Points.
These boosts, portrayed as light pecks on the cheek, are amplified by the amount of allies surrounding the character using the skill, with four being the max (though this depends on the skill’s target range) and providing a large boost. As for the Lily Points, they are required to activate not only the HDD transformations, which only last for three turns in Hyperdevotion Noire, but also are required to use a characters special attack. Since HDD transformations can be only used once per battle it is important to not carelessly waste a transformation as combat can be very difficult at times.
While the AI may not be the most intelligent early in the game, there are numerous moments throughout Hyperdevotion Noire that the difficulty will take an upswing and challenge the player even if they were breezing before previous battles. This is best countered through proper planning and completing various side-missions and replaying story missions for extra bonuses but make no mistake, while this is an easier than average SRPG it is still quite challenging so save often.
It is worth noting that there is a New Game Plus mode that will allow you to carry over all of your levels, weapons, Lily Ranks, etc. into a new game that will allow you to either challenge a harder difficulty or have an easier time trying to obtain the True Ending for the title if you missed out on it the first time through.
Visuals & Audio Like the rest of the Hyperdimension Neptunia games, the story is presented in a visual novel style format where detailed character portraits are used to represent all of the characters. These scenes are as enjoyable as ever as the animated portraits do a satisfying job portraying each character’s emotions and I must say that the designs for many of the new characters are top notch as they parody the franchise they are derived from. There are also a number of gorgeous looking CGs, some of which are fan-service heavy of course, which is always a nice plus.
Outside of the story segments, the visuals change to a more chibi/nendoroid approach with all characters taking a cutesy minimalistic appearance with large heads on small bodies. This style works well and although a lot of re-skinned enemies make their way onto the battlefield, the battlefields are widely varied and there are some fun themed ones mixed in as well.
As for the voice work, Hyperdevotion Noire comes with both the English and original Japanese voice tracks and all of the English voice actors have returned to voice their characters while the new characters fit in perfectly fine. Unfortunately, other than an enjoyable opening song and a few small themes, the rest of the background music sounds like recycled tunes from the original games, which is fine but it would have been nice to change things up a bit more.
Overall Compile Heart took a bit of a risk taking and making a spin-off utilizing such different gameplay elements from the main series but that risk has paid off as Hyperdevotion Noire: Goddess Black Heart’s new mechanics make for an enjoyable gameplay experience to coincide with a fun, albeit lightly structured, storyline that fans will love as well as a bunch of great new characters. It might not be the hardest SRPG and the addition of the male secretary feels a bit tacked on, but Hyperdevotion Noire: Goddess Black is an easy recommendation.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Bandai Namco have decided to tantalize it’s audience after several delays with a brand new trailer for Project CARS showing off over 30 real world locations that players will be able to race in. The track roster will feature multiple variations thanks to the games day and night system and dynamic weather which will affect not only the look of the track but the way your car handles in the conditions.
Project CARS is now expected to launch sometime during ‘mid May’ with no specific date given. The unspecified release date comes after more than several delays. The game will be releasing on PS4, Xbox One and PC with a Wii U version also in the works. For more information on all the tracks in the trailer below be sure to visit the games official website.
We did it! Indie Gala and Capsule Computers are celebrating one year of Every Monday Bundles with a stellar Japanese themed bundle. This week brings six indie games and two DLCs for one price.
Sci-fi RTS Etheriumlaunches later this week on March 25th, 2015. To celebrate the impending launch, developers Tindalos Interactive and publisher Focus Home Interactive released a brand new spanking launch trailer for the game. Additionally, the developers will be hosting a stream on Twitch.tv on launch day to answer fan questions starting at 7:15PM CET.
Etherium is an RTS set in space where multiple factions are locked in battle for Etherium, an organic power source. Etherium is found on six planets, each with a dynamic weather system that can spell death for a commander who does not pay attention to the forecast. Players will have a wide variety of units to build their army with, ranging from the humble infantry to the gigantic colossi of war that stomp their way across the battlefield.
Etherium is available for pre-order on Steam with a 10% discount. Those who pre-order will have access to the beta that is running until the game’s launch.
Has it been another week already? Time goes fast in the gaming world and sometimes you blink and ta dah, it is already time for another installment of Xbox Newsbeat. This week’s installment is a little shorter than usual, and focuses on two upcoming ID@Xbox games that Microsoft is publishing in the near future. So take a load off and check out some sweet gaming action.
ID@Xbox Spotlight: Cuphead Blends Classic Animation with Classic Gaming
Cuphead is a quirkly little game that has an art style that to me is very reminiscent of old Disney shorts and Looney Tunes cartoons, with a bit of Plants vs Zombies mixed in. The story however takes a dark departure from the art style, as Cuphead is about two friends trying to pay back a debt to the devil. To do so, they have to travel through farms with enormous angry murderous carrots, over the high seas, and into the amusingly upbeat and melodic bowels of Hell.
Remember back in the day when NES and SNES games were super challenging and required knowledge, precision and practice to beat? Well Cuphead looks like it harkens back to those bygone days of gaming. We don’t know a release date for Cuphead yet but rest assured this is one we will be following closely.
ID@Xbox Spotlight: Game 4 Is an Insanely Awesome Strategy RPG
In a bit of a change of pace, Game 4 from The Behemoth puts you in charge of a team of heroes, where you must utilize your diverse group of warriors on your quest, and each playable character in Game 4 brings different skills to battle. Blueberry-farmer-turned-hero Horatio can block attacks with his shield, the pointy-haired princess Pipestrella wields a heavy mace… and then there’s a cupcake guy who acts as a healer. Insanity? Definitely. Fun? Sure looks like it!
So yeah, the two ID@Xbox games could not be any more different if they tried! Which one will you be playing when the time comes? Let us know in the comments below and make sure you stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the Microsoft news as it becomes available.
I can’t say I’ve personally been a big fan of the Final Fantasy series. The only game in the series I’ve ever played was Final Fantasy XIII which I mainly got into for the fantastic looking graphics but did have a good time with. Over five years later and now Final Fantasy XV is on the horizon, with Square Enix releasing a demo in the form of Episode Duscae. The graphics and scale again sucked me in so I was happy to give this demo a try when it was up for grabs. Is Episode Duscae worth the 3 or so hours of your time it takes to complete and does it impress? Yes and yes.
I assume Episode Duscae takes a very small part of the story from around the middle of the full game and then places you in that section of the game, tasking you to take down this Behemoth to get enough money to fix your car and end the demo. If the scale of the plains area represented in Duscae is only a tiny portion of the games entire world, then be prepared for an absolutely gigantic world to explore in the full game. Duscae is full of diversity with plains, forests, wetlands, caves, campsites etc. and there are lots of items to pick up scattered around the world, some a lot more valuable then others. Enemies populate the land at a good rate, giving you a good mix of battles and breathing room to explore. Unfortunately you are restricted to being on foot for the entire demo which is a little slow and means you don’t get to ride the adorable Chocobos at the ranch.
The Duscae region is a marvel to look at. Huge beasts roam the detailed land and are truly a sight to behold. The draw distance lets you see all the way out to the furthest mountain with minimal pop up outside of a few small things like small grass shrubs and plants. Lighting is impressive, particularly in the cave areas with realistic shadows and the way the light interacts with the areas and the main cast’s clothing. Textures are of a high resolution and the amount of plant life populating the world is again impressive. Character and enemy models are fantastic as are their animations, and seeing small details like the environment being affected by wind coming from landing ships was a nice touch of polish. Players will be happy to know there is no ‘transition’ screen between battles now, simply attack an enemy or enter its territory to start a battle and run away to leave.
The biggest let down technically is the frame rate, which can drop to low levels and can barely hold steady whether that be in battle, running across the land or even in cutscenes. It’s a shame as while far from unplayable, it does detract from the entire experience but keep in mind this is only a demo and we hope Square Enix can at least maintain a fixed 30 FPS for the games full release. A slight bump up in resolution would also be appreciated as would some more constant anti-aliasing.
Audio was a big highlight of the demo. The music stays true to that classic piano and violin sound the series is known for and is brilliant here, fitting the environment or battle perfectly. The surround sound implementation is another highlight, as voices and footsteps come through the appropriate speaker. Tracking the Behemoth is a thrill as you hear the massive booms with every step he takes and snarls sound threatening. Combat sounds satisfying and varied and voice acting sounds great, with each character’s performance fitting their personality. The Japanese option is always there if you’re not a fan.
Of course this game isn’t a first person adventure so you experience everything through the main playable character of Noctis, a young prince who likes to sleep and is gifted in combat with plenty of super natural abilities. You also have three friends with you all with their unique personalities and combat abilities. There’s the smart and plotting Ignis who wields a pair of knives, the strong leader Gladiolus who wields a giant sword and the goofy kid Prompto who uses guns. It’s pretty stereotypical stuff, but the characters are likeable and I was loving the sense of comradery between all four with all the banter and assistance in combat.
When you’re not exploring you will most likely be engaged in combat. Final Fantasy XV is best described as a real-time action RPG. If you expected hack-n-slash gameplay like Devil May Cry or Dynasty Warriors then you will be wrong. The combat is fast paced and does reward timing and reflexes however MP, skill and party management also play a huge part in success in battle. Players attack by holding down the square button and defend by holding L1 and while that may seem simple the combat is far from it. While holding L1 you are basically invincible but you can not attack while doing it and the action drains MP, meaning you have to constantly balance defending and attacking. A parry option is available and while it is hard to pull off and has a learning curve, much like the combat itself it is very satisfying.
There is also a few special abilities that tie into what weapon you use, granting you a maximum of five special attacks you can use in combat. When you find a new weapon you can also switch to that ‘mode’ that will grant you new abilities. An ancient sword I found allowed me to summon these cool light swords which made all my attacks more powerful and faster at the cost of constant MP drain. You will also have your three buddies helping you out at all times and can revive them whenever the enter stasis, which they can do the same. I was never dissapointed with the AI here. They heal you and each other when needed and handle themselves in combat just fine. Lastly you can use items which thankfully freezes the combat so you’re not struggling with menus and enemies while trying to give one of your friends a potion.
A unique element in Final Fantasy XV is camping. The world has an accelerated day-night cycle and at certain locations such as campsites or caravans you can choose to set up camp which will advance you to the next day. At camp you are fully healed, level up with all the exp earned throughout the day and also receive certain buffs for the entirety of the next day depending on the meal you eat. It’s a cool system and makes you think about what meal is best suited to the day ahead you have planned. A perfect example of this is when I first died in this long cave full of these goblin witch characters who kept poisoning me and draining my health. The next day I tackled the cave after eating a meal which gave me immunity and Noctis and the boys fared much better. You’ll definitely want to gain these boosts as the demo is fairly challenging especially when upwards of 15 enemies surround you at once.
I had a great time with Final Fantasy XV Episode Duscae. While the performance of the game is the main thing that needs a tune up the rest of the game is impressive in it’s scale, gameplay, visuals and audio. The four characters are likable and are a strong unit and going on the full adventure of Final Fantasy XV should be an excellent time. The full game still doesn’t have a solid release date but we expect it to launch on the PS4 and Xbox One sometime next year. A PC release is also rumoured.
Since its inception, many have been waiting for the New Nintendo 3DS XL to receive its first ever exclusive, which will be none other than Xenoblade Chronicles 3D. While the once impossible to release in the west title has risen due to the fans, it has been Nintendo that has ensured this gem lives past its Wii installment, and today, a new trailer has arisen to show off what fans can expect.
Even though its the same experience, everything has been formatted for the portable, and the visuals have taken a very minor bump to deliver what may be the grandest experience we have seen on the platform to date. Sure, X is still a ways away, but come next month, fans will get a reminder of why Nintendo have so much faith in Monolith Soft to begin with. Check out the clip below and get ready as Xenoblade Chronicles 3D is due out April 10th.
