If you were a fan of Nintendo Power back in the early ’90s you may remember that a Legend of Zelda comic book was included in some issues of the magazine.
Drawn by Shotaro Ishinomori, these chapters were eventually collected into a single volume manga release back in 1993 but since that initial printing, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past’s manga has been completely out of print.
Well, that is going to change quite soon as Viz Media has announced that they will be bringing The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past’s manga to store shelves once again.
This full color release follows the story of the NES title with added story elements and although it has not been priced yet, it will be released sometime in May this year under Viz’s Perfect Square imprint.
In under a month htoL#NiQ: The Firefly Diary will be available in both North America and Europe so NIS America has decided to release a new set of screenshots for the uniquely named title. In these screenshots, found below, you will see a number of the environments that you will need to guide Mion through, ranging from safe looking areas like her home to dangerous looking ruins.
In case you are wondering, the image with the colored static represents the missing pieces of Mion’s memory. Those looking to purchase htoL#NiQ: The Firefly Diary will be able to do so through the PlayStation Store in North America on February 24th and February 25th in Europe, though if you do want to purchase a physical copy of the title then you can pre-order a standard edition from NIS America’s online store, but be quick as they are nearly sold out of them.
A new set of screenshots for Senran Kagura: Estival Versus were released earlier today on the title’s official website these new images focus on the girls of Hanzo Academy. This means that all of the main girls from Hanzo: Asuka, Katsuragi, Yagyuu, Hibari, and Ikaruga are shown off.
Also, the man behind the Senran Kagura games, Kenichirō Takaki, recently shared some of the first screenshots showing the PlayStation Vita version of the game as the images of Ryona and Ryobi come from the Vita version instead of the usual PlayStation 4 screenshots and trailers that we have previously seen.
From its humble beginnings as a small Polish book series in 1992, The Witcher has exploded into a multimedia franchise. Books, songs, a TV series and of course video games of various genres have turned The Witcher into a bona fide global sensation. Now, two years after their last installment, CD Projekt RED are back with The Witcher III: Wild Hunt. While the game is still a few months away from release, I got to sit down and play a bit of Geralt’s next adventure and after almost three hours with the game, I can say that I am excited and cannot wait for the game’s May 19th release date. So sit back, relax and let me regale you with tales of monster hunters, horses and giant bears.
Set after the events of The Witcher II, Witcher III starts off in a dream sequence where new players can familarise themselves with the controls and mechanics of the game. The Witcher II gave players a similar tutorial area should they need a refresher course. Un like Witcher II however, this time around the tutorial forms part of the main plot and cannot be skipped. However players can opt out of any part of the training that they feel comfortable with.
The Witcher III: Wild Hunt is set to be the concluding chapter in Geralt’s stort but players who arent intimarely familiar with the franchise wont find themselves at too much of a loss when learning the game’s plot. Summaries of previous adventures and one-off throw away lines manage to create a narrative style that embraces both new and returning players. one allusion in particular happened early in the game where Geralt recounts an injured soldier talking about the merits of certain monsters and how their eating of dead flesh prevents disease and plague (which happens during the tutorial prologue of The Witcher II) – If you hadn’t played the previous game it comes across as a humorous anecdote but it adds a bit of a story link for those who have.
After the little dream sequence, Geralt wakes up along with fellow Witcher; Vesemir. There, players are introduced to the new horse riding mechanics. I’d like to take a step back and talk about the size and scope of The Witceher III. Although I havery only spent a short amount of time in this world, but I can already tell that the map is absolutely massive. Horses are the bare minumim that you will need to get around this colossal landscape. The developers have previously stated that the map is roughly “30 times” as big as The Witcher II and “20%” larger than Skyrim, and I am prepared to believe those statistics. Rivers, townships, dense forrests and magnificent castles are just some of the landmarks that you will come across during your adventure with the game. Luckily horses aren’t the only way to get around, with fast travel and boating, being damn near vital to traverse the world.
Like previous Witcher games, Geralt travels around the vast, wide world and helps out where he can all while working towards a particular goal (or two). Bulletin boards make a return as a way for Geralt to earn a little bit of extra cash on the side. It is always a drag in games where the side missions feel like boring repetitive chores and although it is still too early to tell, it looks like this may not be the case here. A tonne of mission variety is key here, with some missions involving the famous monster hunter looking for lost soldiers, investigating the arson of a blacksmith’s shop or if he’s lucky; engaging in some hard-core monster hunting. More than the variety though is the fact that each of the side missions is introduced with a nice sized chunk of story. The fact that we are introduced to the people and their plight really helps them feel substantial and like they matter in this big wide world (as opposed to just being excuses to level up/earn some quick cash).
One of the things I’ve always found hard to get into with The Witcher games was its combat. It had a pretty steep learning curve that really put it apart from other action RPGs. This time around, the combat feels so much more fluid and responsive while still keeping the same fundamental principals of the series. Swordplay interspliced with magic spells is still the go here and it has never felt this good. This new installment seems to retain the same style of preparing before heading into battle theme going on that again has always helped set The Witcher apart from other games in the genre.
One particular segment involved a royal party being invaded by werebears, forcing the player to assist some NPC soldiers in hording off the attack. The fight is difficult and requires careful planning and isolating the bears one by one to ensure survival. Thinking, planning and THEN acting is definitely the name of the game.
I want to take a moment here to talk about the new mini-game that is being introduced into the game; Gwent. Gwent is a card game that puts two players against each other in all out war. Kind of a medieval version of Hearthstone or Magic: the Gathering, Gwent has you putting soldiers in various positions on the field in order to rack up the damage and sling it at your opponent. I didn’t spend too much time with Gwent during my demo but the game intrigues me. While it doesn’t add much to the overall universe of The Witcher, it is a cool little addition that card gamers will surely get right into. There are two decks being released as part of the colcollector’s edition of the game and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them released as a stand alone package down the line (I know that I would want to pick up a set if they became available).
In terms of visuals, The Witcher III is absolutely beautiful. The two year difference and jump in hardware from The Witcher II has really allowed for a tonne more detail in terms of environment and character models. Geralt’s age is shown clearly on his face and his scars look lifelike and show the wear and tear of a man with a sordid past. Clothing, hair and even the light foliage of a field all pop and look great. It probably isn’t the best looking game currently available, but the fact that it looks as good as it does with the size of the game being so large is the most impressive feat. Loading times are close to nothing, and despite still being a few months from release the game ran buttery smooth.
If I have one complaint about this latest installment in the game is that some of the controls were a little clunky. This was especially true of the horse-back movement where the game seemed to not respond to my commands regarding the speed of my steed. I would tap and hold the required buttons only to have my horse stick to its slight canter instead of bursting out into the sprint that I desired. On the flip side however, with such long stretches of map to cover, they have made it so you can just hold down a single button and your horse will follow the well worn paths, meaning that you don’t have to screw around with light changes in direction just to get to the next town.
While my time with the Witcher III: Wild Hunt was brief, it was engaging, exciting and downright fun. The series’ mature themes and knack for storytelling still run within the heart of the game so you can all rest easy on that front. I sadly didn’t get to experience any of Ciri’sCiri’s gameplay and still know very little about the story BUT that just means I have all the more to look forward to when the game launches on May 19th.
Sugar Cube: Bittersweet Factory – A cute action puzzle-platformer featuring a flipping background tile mechanic that changes the level.
Save the Furries – A 60 level platformer that will have players using crazy items like pinball flippers to guide the Furries to safety.
Basketball Pro Management 2014 – Manage your basketball team and take them to one of 35 championships in this sports management sim.
Words for Evil – An innovative RPG that uses four different word games to battle monsters, unlock chests, defuse traps, and cheat death.
Dwarf Tower – A strategic combat game inspired by Sea Battle, Worms, and FTL: Faster than Light.
Indie Gala Every Monday Bundle #44 is discounted during the first 24 hours of the sale, so be sure to pick up your copy at Indie Gala before the price goes up.
Parkour zombie shooter Dying Lightis launching tomorrow, so Techland has readied a launch trailer for the game featuring plenty of free running, breath taking jumps, lots of gore, and a short teaser to the game’s plot.
The game is set in the fictional city of Harran, Turkey. A zombie outbreak has shut down the city and Kyle Crane has been sent in to complete a secret mission to locate a missing military officer in the city. Dying Light features a free-running mechanic that will give them the flexibility to escape the zombie hordes and attack from above.
Dying Light will be launching around the world on January 27, 2015 via digital download for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows. North and South American gamers will also be able to get their hands on the boxed retail copies on the same day. Gamers outside of North and South America will have to wait until February 27, 2014 to get physical copies of the game. The Be the Zombie DLC will be released to all gamers for free to make up for the delay.
As previously described in the last trailer for Final Fantasy Type-0 HD, a number of the members of Class Zero will be able to summon “Eidolons” to do battle. Once a player sacrifices one of their characters, they will summon creatures such as Ifrit, Shiva, and Bahamut into battle for a few minutes to deal massive amounts of damage to your opponents.
In these new screenshots for Final Fantasy Type-0 HD, Square Enix has shown what a few of the Eidolons will look like once they are summoned into battle as well as a few other characters. Once summoned into battle, these Eidolons will be able to gain experience points and the more you use them, the longer they will be able to remain in combat.
A new set of screenshots for Final Fantasy XV have been released today by Square Enix and these new images happen to focus on a few of the combat mechanics that players will be utilizing once the title is released on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
In combat, players will be able to block as they choose, parry attacks if these blocks are timed properly, or simply dodging out of the way. Also shown in these images is Noctis’ Spiral Stab ability, the characters trying to sneak around a Behemoth in the wild, and Noctis’ ability to quickly close ground on enemies by teleporting.
Blackguards 2 is returning to Mengbilla. After the events of Blackguards, Cassia of Tanos is on a quest to take overthrown Marwan off the Shark Throne and take it for herself. The game is based on the popular The Dark Eye pen and paper RPG game, using both the ruleset and the campaign world.
Story
Cassia of Tanos has been tossed into the dungeons underneath the arena by her husband Marwan. There, she faces death or madness at the hands of the spiders that inhabit the maze like dungeon. Her years of imprisonment leaves her permanently scarred and slightly insane, with only a book and the spiders to keep her company. After her escape, Cassia pledges to destroy her husband by taking the Shark Throne from him before she kills him.
First, Cassia recruits the three surviving gladiators from Blackguards. Takate, Naurim, and Zurbaran have gone their own ways since their adventure, becoming lazy and allowing their battle skills to dull. Next, she frees the bloodthirsty mercenaries who have been imprisoned for their brutal ways. Now, with a growing army of capable fighters, she marches on the Shark Throne, knocking out the Creators on her way to Marwan.
Players who did not play the first game or have forgotten the plot will not feel too out of place. Blackguards 2 is a self-contained story that is enjoyable on its own. The plot is pretty standard, but definitely continuing on Blackguard’s dark and adult-oriented theme. I found the plot to be like a nice shade of paint for the walls. Interesting enough to accent the game, but too bland to be memorable. The game’s plot is forwarded through conversations between battles and some light narration before the fight. The interactions are well written, but there is little room for serious character development which contributes to the plot’s blandness.
Gameplay
Blackguards 2 is a tactical RPG first and foremost. Combat takes place on a hex grid map that will be instantly familiar to pen and paper RPG players that use miniatures in their campaigns. Combat has not changed much since Blackguards, as combat runs using The Dark Eye ruleset. For North American RPG gamers, The Dark Eye may not be familiar, but it is actually the most popular RPG system in Germany. In North America, The Dark Eye has always been eclipsed by the likes of Dungeons & Dragons.
The game does not work on a true class system. All characters can theoretically learn every skill, special ability, and magic spell in the game if there was enough AP. Since AP is only awarded after a battle, there is a cap on how much AP can be earned in one game, so players will only have real flexibility with Cassia’s skills. It is simply too expensive to change the “class” of one of the three gladiators, as they come with a decent amount of AP already invested. It won’t be a huge hassle for most players, but power gamers or those particularly against a certain class type may find it annoying.
The battles have a good range of difficulty. Certain fights can be made easier based on successful interrogation of prisoners and purchasing intelligence from the beggar who spies for Cassia. After every three attacks, Marwan will send his forces out to retake lost territory. This addition to Blackguards 2 sounds a lot more impressive on paper than it is in real life. It is simply an extra battle where players will need to wipe out the enemy. Using a hero in the defense will lock him out from the next battle and losing the battle will require players to retake the territory. Because its objective is no different from most battles in Blackguards 2, these defense battles feel more like filler than actual content.
The combat is decent. It is obvious that Blackguards 2 is using a tried and tested rule set. The character stats are complicated enough to provide depth, but simple enough to understand so that new players are not overwhelmed. Success is heavily reliant on good character placement and controlling the battlefield.
There is a little more to do between battles now. Beyond spending AP on new skills and purchasing new gear for your characters, players can now interrogate prisoners. Based on a prisoner’s behaviour, Cassia will choose one of three options to gain the psychological upper hand. If successful, players will get a small bonus, such as extra intelligence for an upcoming fight. It is a nice little distraction between fights, but a small one in the greater picture.
Blackguards 2 has the exact same controls from Blackguards, for better or for worse. Players control characters in combat using a ring of actions, some which can be placed on the hot bar. Unfortunately, some of the most irritating parts of Blackguards’ controls are still present. For the most part, the game responds to players clicking the hex they want to interact with, instead of the character they want to interact with. It feels a little unnatural, but the real trouble begins when there is something like debris blocking the hex. The debris blocks the click from being registered, leaving the player to find some small uncovered part of the hex to interact with.
Visuals
Blackguards 2 has solid visuals. The models and textures are well done and the UI is well organized. The game ran without a hitch in my testing.
Audio
Blackguards 2 has an excellent cast of voice actors that could easily match AAA titles on the market. The entire game is has full voice acting, and it is an absolute pleasure to listen to. The music and sound effects are just as solid.
Overall
Tactical RPG fans and those who enjoyed Blackguards will enjoy Blackguards 2. It is a good RPG, but it is hard to shake the feeling that that it is more of an expansion pack than a true sequel. Sure, Blackguards 2 isn’t the only sequel guilty of such a crime, but the game does not really add much beyond a new story campaign. It has a solid audio/visual presentation and the combat is enjoyable due to its usage of a tried and true ruleset, but the game still suffers the same wonky controls from the previous game. I strongly recommend picking up Blackguards first before deciding if Blackguards 2 is worth a purchase.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Guild Wars 2will finally be getting its first full expansion pack. Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns was announced today by ArenaNet President Mike O’Brien and Guild Wars 2 Game Director Colin Johanson at PAX South.
Guild Wars 2 Heart of Thorns will bring a slew of new features and the setting of Jaguuma Jungle to the buy-to-play MMO. Professions are getting overhauled with the new Revenant profession and profession specializations. A new mastery system will bring a new progression path to the game. Guilds will be able to create and upgrade their own guild halls. Finally, PVP will be getting a major content upgrade with the new Stronghold game mode and a new map for World vs World.
No word on pricing or release date for Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns has been announced. For those who have yet to play the base game, now is a great time to get in, as the game’s price has been slashed to an all time low of $9.99 USD for the duration of PAX South.
If you were a fan of Nintendo Power back in the early ’90s you may remember that a Legend of Zelda comic book was included in some issues of the magazine.
