Page 3504 – Capsule Computers

Home Blog Page 3504

Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth2: Sisters Generation Review

February 8, 2015

Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth2: Sisters Generation
Developers: Compile Heart, Felistella
Publisher: Idea Factory International
Platform: PlayStation Vita
Release Date: January 27, 2014
Price: $39.99 – Available Here

Overview
Back in 2010 when the first Hyperdimension Neptunia title was released I doubt anyone could have expected the series to be as successful as it has been five years later. Not only have there been two sequels, there are also various spin-offs being made and remakes or “Re;Births” of the original three games. Such is the case with Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 2: Sisters Generation, a remake of Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 which was released back in 2012. Does this enhanced remake give fans enough incentive to pick it up once more?

Story
As with mostly every game in the series, Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 2 takes place in the world of Gameindustri where the lands of Planeptune, Lastation, Leanbox, and Lowee exist and in each land a CPU Goddess protects the citizenry and their belief in the Goddesses, called shares, help grant them extra power. Unfortunately these Goddesses, Neptune of Planeptune, Noire of Lastation, Vert of Leanbox, and Blanc from Lowee have been losing popularity as the Arfoire Syndicate of International Crime (ASIC) has gained a massive eighty percent following.

In an effort to stem the tide of lawlessness that comes from Arfoire’s practices, the CPU Goddesses and Neptune’s little sister, the CPU Candidate Nepgear, venture to the Gamindustri Graveyard only to find that they are no longer strong enough to take down the first agent of Arfoire they come across. Upon their defeat all four members are captured and held prisoner for three years before IF and Compa manage to track down their location.

Unfortunately despite their attempt to rescue everyone, the pair can only manage to rescue Nepgear before having to retreat from the even stronger members of ASIC. With her sister and the other Goddesses still prisoners and the treat of ASIC growing stronger every day, Nepgear sets off on a journey to recruit the rest of the CPU Candidates and not only free her friends but also put a stop to ASIC’s plans.

As one would surmise from that, the story of Re;Birth 2 remains nearly the same as what was found in mk2 though there are a few modifications. A few of the previous guest characters have been removed in Re;Birth 2 and in their place we see the addition of the oracles being playable for the first time, return of RED, and many of the previous mascot characters from Re;Birth 1 being inserted into the story which adds a number of unique events and humor to the game.

This is a nice plus as the self-referential and fourth wall breaking humor and obvious parodies are some of the best aspects of the series and Re;Birth 2 lives up to the mostly light-hearted nature the story always goes for. That being said, while I have a fond spot for Nepgear, those who prefer the Goddess characters will be a bit disappointed here as they take a backseat for a decent part of the story this time around. It is also worth noting that there are still multiple endings in the game to experience, including “that” one as well as an additional ending so be wary of how you may be progressing.

Gameplay
The transition that Hyperdimension Neptunia mk2 had to undergo to become Re;Birth 2 is far less than what had to be done in Re;Birth 1 but for the most part, these two games are almost identical now with how they play as Re;Birth 2 now makes use of all of the best features found in Neptunia V as well an extra addition. As with the past game, players will explore, jump, find items, and fight against enemies on various fields/dungeons where battles can be triggered either by running into an enemy or gaining move advantage by using a “Symbol Attack” in the field.

Once you enter battle Re;Birth 2 feels as refined as the most recent games in the series as players will be able to make use of the Rush, Power, and Break attacks that are all completely customizable (with extra attacks unlocked by leveling up) as they take on enemies in turn based combat. Attacking and taking damage also raises an EXE gauge that allows either the use of extra finishing blows to tack on to the end of combos or the ability to unleash powerful special skills to take down opponents.

One of the biggest changes in this release compared to the other title is that four fighters can now be used in combat similar to mk2. This does make the combat easier and allows for a better scale in difficulty as players will now be able to spread their team out a bit more and keep the pressure on bosses that tend to require grinding levels to take down, but far less this time around.

Outside combat players will find everything else pretty much the same as it was in Re;Birth 1. Players can receive and complete quests to raise various Share percentages amongst the five factions, make use of the Plans mechanic to add new weapons and items to stores, increase/lower the difficulty of enemies, and change various things around to add some spice to older areas.

The main new addition in Re;Birth 2 is Stella’s Dungeon which is something of a mini-game roguelike. Once unlocked, players can send a girl named Stella (the mascot character for the team helping develop Re;Birth 2 Felistella) and her cat Felis into areas that players have already explored. Players do nothing other than give her assignments and equip her with items that she finds while exploring.

Every time Stella is sent out it takes a certain amount of time for her to complete a mission depending on the level of difficulty the dungeon is and if she is successful, she will generally return with better equipment for herself as well as bonus items, some of which are rare, that can be used by the player in the main game. If she happens to be defeated during her mission, she loses all of her equipped gear and returns back to the base. This works as a neat little feature that provides a bit of a distraction and extra bonuses every so often that runs the risk of failing if you get greedy.

Visuals & Audio
Re;Birth 2’s release on the PlayStation Vita comes with a number of graphical improvements though the change this time around isn’t quite as drastic as the first remake. All of the character models are quite detailed looking, including the returning RED, though it is worth noting that the various enemies you come across still suffer from being quite repetitive.

One thing that has been given a significant boost over mk2 is how certain scenes are handled. Where before mk2 tried to implement scenes using the 3D character models, Re;Birth 2 brings the story back where it belongs, to a visual novel presentation with the colorful and delightful looking animated character portraits that fans have come to know.

Thankfully the original English voice cast still continues to work on the title as Re;Birth 2 features all of the same voice actors that fans have become familiar with, though if you choose to the Japanese voice track is still available on the release. As for the background music, the combat themes are phenomenal sounding this time around while most of the other themes are fairly standard.

Overall
Even if Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 2 storyline’s remains mostly the same as before, the comedy found within this game makes it more than worthwhile especially if you happen to be fans of the CPU Candidates. With the improvements to the gameplay mechanics and new additions to the already likable cast of characters Hyperdimension Neptunia Re;Birth 2: Sisters Generation has plenty to offer those looking to re-experience this humorous and mostly light-hearted title, even if the improvements aren’t quite as drastic this time around.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Grim Fandango Remastered Review

Andrew Day

February 8, 2015

Grim Fandango Remastered
Developer: DoubleFine Productions
Publisher: DoubleFine Productions
Platforms: PS4, PS Vita (Reviewed), PC,
Release Date: Out Now
Price: AU/US$14.99 – Available Here

Overview

Grim Frandango is one of those games that lives in infamy as a legend of its time. Now Tim Schafer’s day of the dead inspired adventure game is back from the land of the dead with a fresh coat of paint and a brand new orchestra. While the visuals have been touched up, they still show their age and the whole package is let down because of it. Despite its flaws there is a lot to like in this package, whether you are a long-time fan of the original or you have never played an adventure game in your life.

Story

Most of you out there already know, but Grim Fandango puts you in the role of Manuel Calavera, a lost soul who is slowly working his way to ascension into heaven by being a travel agent in The Land of the Dead. After discovering that all of his clients have lived bad lives, thus slowing down Manuel’s processing time and subsequently his ascension, he gets tired of waiting and decides to find out what’s really going on.

The story is always a vital part of the adventure game genre, and Grim Fandango’s lives up to its reputation. There is a lot of emotional depth and character driven moments in this game to rival any of today’s modern AAA blockbuster-esq titles.

Gameplay

Adventure games were all the rage in the late 90s and Grim Fandango was by far one of the most popular. Grim Fandango’s blend of strong story and challenging controls mean that its gameplay stands the test of time. Grim Fandango Remastered retains the exact same out-of-the-box style of puzzle gaming that really makes you think about what you’re doing and reintroduces it to a modern audience.

The original Grim Fandango featured tank-style controls (pressing UP always moves you forward) and while they are still present in Remastered, the developers have also added a new and admittedly much smoother point and click control style. Using the Vita’s touch screen, players can tap and drag around the screen to move Manuel around and interact with the world around him.

Grim Fandango is a game that relies heavily on its puzzles, and these are unsurprisingly quite difficult. If you aren’t used to the game or its outside the box kind of thinking, a lot of these puzzles and challenges will likely have you completely stumped.

One thing that really impressed me with G.F.Remastered is the fact that unlike most other games that get a remake, there is no tutorial, hints, tips or anything else that bogs down the gameplay. In a day and age where every new game has invasive tutorials or glaringly obvious suggestions, Grim Fandango remains true to its roots and relies on the “trial and error” style gameplay that made the adventure genre so popular in the first place.

Visuals & Audio

Grim Fandango takes an interesting visual concept and brings it to life on your television (or handheld) screen. The game takes inspiration from the calaca figures that are used Day of the Dead celebrations, and feature a lot of intricate detail in its comically drawn characters. The art direction is perhaps one of the reasons that this game has maintained its reputation for so long.

As with most remakes and rereleases nowadays, Grim Fandango Remastered’s visuals have gotten a fresh coat of paint. Character models look better than they ever have before but sadly the same can’t be said for the pre-rendered backgrounds. The character models have been redone, but Double Fine have opted to leave the original background models how they appeared in the 1998 version, which has left them looking pixelated, dated and downright ugly.

What makes the biggest difference in terms of visuals between the two releases is without a doubt the new lighting engine. The way that light filters through closed shutters, off of lamps and lightglobes is really incredible and provides a whole new layer of depth to the game. With the visual upgrades being a little less than stellar, the whole package feels subsequently dated and the remaster comes off as lazy.

While Grim Fandango Remastered’s visuals are a bit of a mixed bag, the same cannot be said for its audio. The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra has redone the game’s already legendary soundtrack and the result is simply amazing. I am a big proponent of video game soundtracks being orchestrated and this game right here shows why. The game features a score that is part big band jazz, part mariachi and the orchestrated remaster sounds absolutely phenomenal.

Overall

I never played Grim Fandango when it was first released, so I don’t have a lot of nostalgic memories that a lot of people out there will, however I still thoroughly enjoyed my time with the game even if it did feel a little dated. When it comes to remakes and remasteres, some do it better than others. Sadly, the visual touch-ups on this classic game don’t make the game look any fresher than its 1998 iteration.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Dragon Ball Xenoverse Full Roster & Alt Outfits Revealed

Nathan Farrugia

February 8, 2015

Bandai Namco released Dragon Ball Xenoverse in Japan a few days ago and an internet user who goes by the name of Sergio has been very active in attaining as much information on the game as possible. He has managed to unlock every character in the game along with all of their alternate outfits and has kindly compiled a video of his findings for the world to enjoy. The video below goes through the character select screen, showing off every character currently on the roster and their outfits. Please keep in mind DLC is planned and will include new characters, so there are still more to come.

Sadly, it doesn’t look like new villains Towa, Mira and Demigra made the cut as playable characters but the roster still has a good mix of diverse characters outside of some questionable exclusions. Not seen here are some of the transformations characters can go through and I can confirm that all Saiyan characters have the transformations they have made in the anime outside of Super Trunks and Super Vegeta and Broly’s regular Super Saiyan state, although Super Saiyan Bardock made the cut! Make sure to watch the video below and let us know if you’re favourite character/outfit made the cut.

Darkest Dungeon: A Game That Puts Your Sanity to the Test

Amelia Craigie

February 7, 2015

Have you ever noticed while playing a horror game, that your character has the amazing ability to never freak out. While we’re hugging our blankies, he’s like ‘Sure, lets follow the creepy sound of children’s laughter. Oh, check that out, it’s a giant terrifying flesh beast from hell’.

A new video game, Darkest Dungeon by Red Hook Studios, is breaking the mould of endless violence and destruction with the Vancouver developers focusing on the heroes’ mental health and emotional well-being instead.

“A lot of games celebrate the heroic ideal and these aspirational qualities of being immutable and untouchable … But I feel like we pushed that envelope pretty far, and maybe there’s some interesting game play to be found on the other end of the spectrum.” -Chris Bourassa, Red Hook Studios co-founder and creative director of Darkest Dungeon.

In most video games, characters can be hurt or killed, but they rarely have any psychological damage as a result of all the death and destruction that surrounds them. We have seen past game touch this idea, such as in Amnesia: The Dark Decent. However, the ‘fear factor’ didn’t really affect the gameplay; this is the first time that we see it used as an integral part of the gaming experience.

Though it has some interesting art styles, Darkest Dungeon has a classic setup; a band of heroes questing through dungeons and fighting villains. However, the things they see and do affect them psychologically — sometimes with unpredictable results. The personality traits of the characters are permanently changed by their experience; it’s much like having active character development.

Characters can become paranoid, masochistic, and irrational and act differently as a result, forcing you to factor that into your game choices. You can relieve the stress for your character by going to church, a tavern, or by gambling and drinking.

The game has got a very positive response so far and is available on PC, OSX, Linux, PlayStation 4 and PS Vita.

Buttkicker Gamer 2 Review

Buttkicker Gamer 2
Manufacturer: The Guitammer Company
Platform: PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii U, PC (Reviewed)
Price: $149.95 USD – Available Here

Visual learner? No problem! check out the video review at the bottom of the page.

As a reformed heathen former console gamer, one of the biggest console experiences I miss while PC gaming is the rumble feedback. Sure, I could use a controller for all my games, but as any PC gamer will tell you, a mouse and keyboard is way more precise than a controller thumb stick. As a dedicated headphone user, finding great sound and bass strong enough to rattle your skull in one set of headphones is like trying to find the perfect lover, nearly impossible. So enter the Buttkicker Gamer 2, a tactile transducer system designed for the common office chair that might just solve both these problems.

Tactile transducers or bass shakers have been around for quite some time. These nifty little gadgets take a sound signal and turn them into a vibration. These devices have been used by drummers during performances to help “hear” their performance, by the military for vehicle simulators, and by some amusement park theatre shows. Although it is perfectly possible for someone to put together a tactile transducer system themselves, not everyone may have the know-how to do so. This is where the Buttkicker Gamer 2 comes in.

The Buttkicker Gamer 2 is a tactile transducer, amplifier, and cable system that is designed to be installed on an office chair by anyone and everyone. The package itself is hefty 12 pounds due to the weight of the tactile transducer unit and the amplifier. The kit comes with the Buttkicker Gamer 2 tactile transducer, a 90 watt amplifier, and a slew of cables to connect everything together.

The transducer is a metal device about a foot in length that securely clamps onto the vertical pole that connects the office chair to the wheel base. The device can also be fitted on a Playseat chairs with either a kit from Guitammer or some DIY modifications. A short cable leads from the tactile transducer and plugs into a longer cable that connects to the amplifier. The short cable allows users to disconnect and move the chair around without having to remove the entire unit from the chair. The amplifier accepts any old analog audio signal through an RCA cable. The kit comes several audio cables that can connect with any 3.5mm or RCA source. Installing the Buttkicker Gamer 2 took less than five minutes and most of that time was spent trying to run the cables around my desk in a neat manner.

The generalized inputs makes the Buttkicker Gamer 2 compatible with almost all consoles and computers with a little bit of tweaking. The only thing the Buttkicker will not work with is a set of USB headphones. I did figure out a bit of a work around for Windows. Some sound cards have a “What U Hear” (Creative sound cards) or a “Stereo Mix” input in the Recording tab in Window’s sound options. Set Window’s default output to the sound card or the motherboard’s on-board sound under “Playback”. Then go into the “Recording” tab, right click “What U Hear” or “Stereo Mix,” and get into the device properties. Here, under the “Listen” tab, check off “Listen to this Device,” set the playback to the USB headset and hit ok. With the Buttkicker Gamer 2 plugged into the motherboard/sound card, the USB headset should be getting the same output as the Buttkicker Gamer 2, allowing both devices to be used at the same time. I found this trick worked under Windows 8.1 and it should work older versions of Windows.

Ideally, the Buttkicker Gamer 2 should be connected to the subwoofer out of your sound set up, but the system will happily accept signals from your headphone jack. Not using a subwoofer out jack may cause the tactile transducer to rumble during very low voices or in-game music. The amplifier comes with a few cut off features that will help cut down on rumbling at certain frequencies. The high cut off will lower the frequency that the tactile transducer will respond at, based on a dial on the amplifier. The low filter cut off drops the response in the lowest frequency by 12 dB. The manual comes with some recommended settings for music, games, and movies, but I ended up happiest with the low filter cut off disabled and the high cut off set to 40 Hz.

The amp comes with a wired remote that can turn off and on the amp and control the intensity. On the amp, the intensity controls is actually labelled volume. There are three LEDs on the amp. One represents power, while the other two represent signal and clipping. The green signal LED will light up whenever the amp receives a signal strong enough to trigger the transducer. The clip light will flash red every time the input volume is so high, it begins to clip and overdrive the tactile transducer. The occasional clipping should not cause too much issue, but if too much clipping occurs for too long, the amp may overheat from overdriving.

The amp is a pretty large unit. Thankfully, it can be positioned vertically with the included stand. This cuts down the amount of desk space the amp takes up. It is important to note that the amp needs some airspace as almost half of the amp’s body is covered in holes to allow it to cool.

In practice, the Buttkicker delivers on its promise. My first real test was Titanfall, as I figured the Buttkicker Gamer 2 would thrive with the game’s heavy footed mechas. I was right. Each footstep hit my chair with a satisfying thud and letting the XOTBR-16 chaingun rip rattled the chair. When I landed hard on my feet in Dying Light, my chair thumped from the impact of the landing. The Buttkicker Gamer 2 provides an awesome feeling immersion, that sim nuts will eat up.

The Buttkicker can get a bit noisy in operation, especially when there are loose parts on the chair. I ended up having to tie down the height adjustment handle to cut down on the noise. Open headphones should be aware that the headphones will allow some of the tactile transducer’s noise to leak in. Due the nature of vibrations, the Buttkicker may not be ideal for those on the top floor of a house or in an apartment building.

Guitammer has created a system that makes tactile transducers accessible to everyone. The device is a must have for the gaming enthusiast who is looking for a way to feel fully immersed game. The idea of a chair rumbling while a space ship makes its landing through the atmosphere may sound a little gimmicky, but the Buttkicker Gamer 2 is possibly one of the coolest experiences I have had in my years of PC gaming.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Kill la Kill Volume Two Review

K. Roberts

February 7, 2015

Kill la Kill Volume Two
Studio: Trigger
Publisher: Madman Entertainment
Format: DVD (reviewed) / Blu-ray
Release Date: December 10, 2014
Price: $29.95 AUD (DVD) – Available Here / $34.95 AUD (Blu-ray) – Available Here

Overview

The first volume of episodes was crazy, even by anime standards. It is not for everyone, but it is capable of being entertaining at times. Do these next five episodes feature an improvement over the previous ones?

Story

‘Hikigane,’ the fifth episode overall and the first episode in this set, introduces an organisation known as ‘Nudist Beach.’ Its members prefer not to wear clothing, as the name suggests. However, they specifically have a problem with the Goku Uniforms that Lady Satsuki has produced for her loyal minions and the Elite Four. Tsumugu Kinagase is one member of this organisation, and is bent on forcing Ryuko to strip off her Kamui, all while insisting that he is not a pervert. The two inevitably begin fighting, and during the episode, many club presidents fall victim to Ryuko’s finishing move, ‘Sen-i Soshitsu.’ Aikuro Mikisugi, Ryuko’s disturbingly perverted homeroom teacher, is also a member of Nudist Beach and is in league with Tsumugu. Discovering this, Ryuko demands information out of her teacher, so he tells Ryuko about the strangely-named organisation.

Most of the episodes in this set are spent showing Ryuko fighting the Elite Four, however episode seven, ‘A Loser I Can’t Hate,’ takes a break from Ryuko’s revenge plot and presents some unexpectedly powerful social commentary about social class and status. Although it has been mentioned before that the amount of stars a student has determines their social status, this episode takes it further and looks at what it means for someone to be successful, to move up in the ranks of social hierarchy. As Ryuko helps Mako gain more stars, the Mankanshoku family is moved into more expensive housing and can now afford much greater luxuries. They are all happy with their new lives initially, but Ryuko finds herself lonely now that the Mankanshoku family is so busy all of the time due to their newfound success. Mako continues to gain more stars, becoming consumed with power in the process. This episode demonstrates the potential that the series has to delve into real-life issues.

It is becoming more and more evident that the plot is not simply about revenge for the murder of Ryuko’s father. The issues of friendship, family, success and social class are all explored in a way that may hit home for some people, and they are explored effectively, even if something completely random and insane occurs merely seconds after something serious or emotional. Scenes featuring Ryuko talking to Senketsu, for example, provide one such example of seriousness dissolving into comedy as everyone around her thinks she is lonely and crazy for talking to her school uniform.

The comedy in this series is great way to remove any tension that a scene would have otherwise had, and it never feels like a bad decision to have comedy intermixed with all of the seriousness. Mako gets more of her random short speeches, and is frequently shown to be oblivious to the insane stuff that keeps happening to Ryuko. Her family is also great for comedy. In particular, Mataro, the son in the Mankanshoku family, has some moments in the spotlight. Even though his actions have negative real-life implications, they can be a great source of comedy.

The set concludes with the beginning of the ‘Naturals Election.’ We find out more about Satsuki’s past and how Ira Gamagoori came to be one of the Student Council’s Elite Four. In this flashback, we see just how status and power has gone to the heads of some middle school students. This demonstrates once again that this series has the potential to discuss social issues and does actually use it sometimes. The seven-day ‘elections’ pit student against student, and at the end, Ryuko must face each and every member of the Elite Four in battle.

Visuals

The visuals are great for the most part. The animation is fluid, even during the high-octane action scenes that this series is known for. Ryuko’s homeroom teacher Aikuro is shown transforming from a regular high school teacher into a creepy, ‘sexy’ member of the anti-Satsuki resistance group, yet whether that is the most bizarre thing to happen in these episodes is debatable. Although genitals and female nipples are once again left undrawn in scenes depicting characters naked, Aikuro once again has his nipples on full display for Ryuko and the viewers at home. The animators go so far as to light up his nipples just to draw attention to them. These scenes are disturbing and little else.

A significant amount of male and female nudity is present throughout these five episodes. While much of it is played for comedy, it is disappointing that Ryuko’s body is pointlessly exposed yet again. Camera angles often show her from an angle that makes her almost entirely exposed breasts the main feature of a shot, and, similarly, her behind is also often shown with varying levels of clothing covering it up. It is unfortunate that such ‘fan-service’ is present, especially in a series that seems determined to at least attempt to challenge stereotypical gender notions by portraying Ryuko as a strong and independent girl.

Audio

The audio is even better. The background music continues to be impressive and well-suited to the scenes it accompanies. The English dub also continues to impress; the talented voice cast provide excellent performances as their characters, and each and every voice actor stands out in their roles. English dubs are hit-and-miss, so this is proof that English dubs can be good if enough time, money and effort is put in and if the right voice actors are hired.

Extras

The extras in this release are limited to the textless opening and ending animation sequences. The textless version of the ending scene from episode seven is not included.

Overall

That such a crazy, high-octane series can maintain the fast-paced action and nonsense is a testament to Trigger, an animation studio formed by ex-Gainax employees. The single-disc releases of this series will undoubtedly bother some people, but Kill la Kill is worth watching if you are able to look past the blatant sexual objectification of its female characters. Japan rarely produces original anime series quite like this, so if you have not already jumped on the bandwagon, you may like to see what this show is like for yourself.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Author’s note: The initial score given for this review was inaccurate and has been updated by the author to reflect Capsule Computers’ ongoing commitment to providing reliable reviews for its readers.

Assassin’s Creed: Rogue Heading to PC this March

Andrew Day

February 7, 2015

Ahoy there! Time to swab the decks, unfurl the sails and get ready to set-off on an adventure because Assassin’s Creed: Rogue is finally about to lay anchor on P.C. Rogue was originally released on Xbox 360/PS3 last year and was surprisingly good.

So when will you be able to take to the seas? Well quite soon actually as Assassin’s Creed: Rogue is making its way to PC on March 10th, and Ubisoft are offering a few extra goodies to those who pre-order. Players who pre-order any edition of Assassin’s Creed Rogue for Windows PC from the Uplay Shop will receive one of seven bonus Assassin’s Creed games of their choosing. Pre-ordering the PC digital version will also grant two additional bonus packs: The Siege of Fort de Sable and The Explorer.

Assassin’s Creed: Rogue will also be implementing eye-tracking technology into the game as an additional way to immerse yourself in the game world.

Bandai Namco’s 2v2 Battle Arena Rise of Incarnates on Steam

Jamie Laike Tsui

February 7, 2015

Bandai Namco released their free-to-play 2v2 battle arena game Rise of Incarnates today on Steam Early Access.

Rise of Incarnates mixes of shooting and melee gameplay in maps featuring New York City and Paris. The game has a roster of eight unique characters that have a range of special abilities that will reward skilled players. The game is developed by a team composed of developers behind major fighting games like Tekken, Soulcalibur.

Bandai Namco plans on keeping the game in Early Access for a few more months as bugs and balanced are ironed out.

Rise of Incarnates is supported with a real money shop in-game. Bandai Namco has announced that these prices are not set in stone and may change based on player feedback. Currently, characters will cost $10 to unlock permanently. Like many other battle arenas, a roster of characters are made free to play each week.

Rise of Incarnates is available for download on Steam for free and only runs on Windows systems.

The Gambler Review

Mateja Simovic

February 6, 2015

The Gambler
Studio: Chartoff/Winkler Productions, Closest to the Hole Productions, Leverage Entertainment
Publisher: Paramount Pictures
Format : Cinema (Event Cinemas George St)
Release Date: February 5, 2015 – Tickets available here

Overview

The original 1974 The Gambler is considered a niche classic of Hollywood cinema for its portrayal of a character is similarly charming and repulsive. The original and current film were both influenced by the nihilistic and existential perspectives of Dostoevsky’s short story of the same name. The original movie was known for its morally ambiguous protagonist and its bitter, ambiguous ending. This movie was original slated to be directed by Martin Scorcese and to star Leonard Di Caprio but, for whatever reason, ended up with Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) at the helm and Mark Wahlberg in the lead.

Story

The film starts off with a very low-key opening as the protagonist Jim Bennett (Mark Wahlberg) goes through mourning with the final he has with his grandfather. His passing becomes a defining moment for Bennett who deals not deal well with the trauma. At sparse moments through the film we watch flashbacks by Bennett who regresses to childhood memories to deal with his grief.

Another, more destructive coping mechanism he has is his gambling addiction which puts him in a quarter of a million dollars in debt to vicious, criminal loan sharks. His life spirals out of control as he borrows more and more money, only to gamble it away on increasingly high stakes. His abrasive, nihilistic demeanour isolates him from his family and the students he lectures to a professor of Literature at a university.

There isn’t too much narrative to spoil as the whole story unfolds over seven eventful days as Bennett implodes in on himself emotionally and his life collapses around him. The meat of the film lies in the interactions which he has with the people around him as he abrasively rejects their efforts to reach beyond his nihilism.

There is honestly little to endear Wahlberg’s interpretation of the character to the audience. He is intelligent but not witty. Charismatic but abrasive to a fault. Protective of his students but indifferent to his family. He is the sum of his flaws and unfortunately, due to the very deadpan nature of Wahlberg’s performance, he is a very difficult character to get emotionally invested in. Basically: why should I care about the troubles of a man who is completely indifferent to them himself?

This effectively means that the protagonist has very little variation in his energy and mood through the film as seduction, threats of disownment and violence do not faze him. The side characters are the ones which steal for me in this piece. John Goodman and Jessica Lange are especially noteworthy with former playing one of the loan sharks that Bennett owes money and the latter playing the bereaved mother of said protagonist. Both play roles which attempt to instil a sense of gravity into the protagonist but are continually shut down. Goodman and Lange are a credit to their art for being able to maintain their energy while performing against Wahlberg’s stonewalling demeanour.

The dialogue in the film feels bloated in parts with many lines coming across as superfluous and not particularly adding to the story or characters. What the script and editing did very well, however, is to deny cinematic climaxes to the audience. The film brings out a veritable arsenal of Chekhov’s guns and then refuses to fire them. Couple that with the fact that the stakes keep getting higher (even if the protagonist doesn’t act like it) and you get a film will keeps its audience in constant suspense for a dramatic payoff. The constant build up this movie creates is a wonderful example of how to create tension, although you will probably leave the theatre drained.

The script does heavyhandedly engage with ideas of nihilism and existential angst to explain the indifferent reaction of Bennett. To a certain extent, this creates an ambiguity in the film as we question whether or not the protagonist’s sudden change in character is the result of an epiphany or simply how he is dealing with the grief of his grandfather’s death. Unfortunately, the film’s end resolves this ambiguity and I felt it would done better to leave its audience on a cliffhanger.

Visuals

The visual style and choices in direction are interesting, to say the least. Sequences which actually involve the Bennett gambling are generally very well edited with excellent pacing to create a sense of tension. The director also experiments with some surreal moments interspersed throughout the film but these are not particularly developed. I felt like those moments were drowned out by the pedestrian nature of the bulk of the film. Overall, his style is very restrained and practical which are unfortunate as the moments when he does let loose are quite a sight to behold.

Audio

This film makes excellent use of diegetic sound to fit the action and create humour in some instances. Having Pulp’s ‘Common People’ play a scene after the protagonist delivers a monologue about the pointlessness of mediocrity or having an extremely upbeat pop music play in the background as a character contemplates suicide will generally get a snicker out of me (what can I say? I’m morbid like that). It’s a shame nobody else in the audience noticed them but if you keep a lookout for them, you’ll be able to find them too.

Overall

I’m very conflicted about this film. It engages with some interesting ideas about happiness, nihilism, and existence which I did enjoy. Some of the visual sequences were engaging and interesting to watch and performances from some of the side characters are equally engaging. Unfortunately, these positive aspects are sidelined by an abrasive and boring protagonist. Don’t watch this movie if you’re a fan of Wahlberg as I don’t consider this to be one of his best or interesting performances. Cinephiles would get some enjoyment out of the film’s excellent ability to play with dramatic build up but I have trouble recommending it to anyone outside this niche. I’m not saying there’s no enjoyment to be had here, but you’re best off seeing something else if your choices are limited…

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Latest Dynasty Warriors 8 Empires screenshots show off enhanced edit modes

Travis Bruno

February 6, 2015

Anyone who has played the Empires versions of Dynasty Warriors games in the past know that these releases always allow the player to have some customization available and today Koei Tecmo released a giant batch of screenshots for Dynasty Warriors 8 Empires showing off just how much players will be able to customize when the game is released on February 24th in North America.

Dynasty Warriors 8 Empires will allow players to not only create their own original creators to fight in Empire Mode but now players will be able to edit the appearance of allied soldiers, warhorses, banners, and more. Players can even edit maps and create brand new scenarios to completely rewrite history if they see fit.

1...3,5033,5043,505...6,758 Page 3,504 of 6,758