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Thimbleweed Park: A New Game From the Creators of Maniac Mansion

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Ron Gilbert and Gary Winnick are the geniuses behind much loved games such as Maniac Mansion and Monkey Island. Now they seem to be taking a journey back into the past (1987 to be more precise) with their new project Thimbleweed Park. This new game promises to “rediscover the charm of the point and click adventure”, and who better than to tackle this agenda than the creators who helped shaped the genre.

But why now? Why such a push back to the retro glory days? Apart from liking pixels “big enough to have their own postcode,” the creators want to return to the “charm and simplicity to the art that lets the game design shine and your imagination run wild.”

If that old ’80s LucasArts charm isn’t enough, the story has it’s own intrigue:

Thimbleweed Park is the curious story of two washed up detectives called in to investigate a dead body found in the river just outside of town. It’s a game where you switch between five playable characters while uncovering the dark, satirical and bizarre world of Thimbleweed Park.”

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On top of this, the game also promises to let players switch between characters at any time, to offer multiple endings and provide plenty of hours of gameplay. Oh, and not to forget some state of the art side scrolling action.

However, no matter how hard we wish it, Thimbleweed Park is not yet a reality. That’s why creators Gilbert and Winnick are looking to Kickstarter to raise $375 000 needed to fund the project. So far, it’s not looking far off. With 29 days still to go, just over a third of the required funds have been raised.

Want to get involved? You can check out a the trailer or donate to the project here. With a champion team leading what promises to become a classic, you’ll definitely want to get involved in making Thimbleweed Park a reality.

Alienware Unveils Christmas Gift Guide

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If you haven’t filled out your wishlist to Santa, then Alienware released a new gift guide that will help! Those looking to bring Steam Big Picture to their living rooms will want to check out the Alienware Alpha Console. One of the earliest Steam Machines from a major manufacturer, the Alpha comes with an Xbox 360 controller and is preloaded with Payday 2, Magicka, Magicka: Dungeons and Daemons DLC and Gauntlet. The Alienware Alpha Console is available for $699 AUD.

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For gamers on the go, the Alienware 13 packs an Nvidia 860M with a battery friendly Intel Haswell i5 processor in a package that weighs just a touch over 2kg. The laptop features copper heat sinks and a premium keyboard. Buyers can add a QHD panel or IPS screen for an extra fee. The base configuration start at $1,599 AUD.

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Owners of the Alienware 13 looking to squeeze desktop level performance at home should check out the Alienware Graphics Amplifier. The device comes packed a PCI-E video card from either AMD or Nvidia. When plugged into the Alienware 13, the Alienware Graphics Amplifier takes over the video processing duties from the onboard Nvidia 860M chip. The Amplifier features four USB 3.0 ports and starts at $349 AUD.

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Finally, those who prefer to keep their gaming at home should consider the Alienware Area-51 desktop. The classic line of gaming desktops that spawned a retail industry of high end gaming rigs has been updated with the latest parts from AMD, Intel, and Nvidia. The most distinct feature is the new triangular case design that provides easy access to all ports and efficient heat dissipation. The desktop come armed with Intel Haswell-E processors and start at $2,999 AUD.

All products can be purchased from from JB HiFi and Alienware Australia’s web store starting November 21.

 

Netflix Coming Down Under in March 2015

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Netflix to launch in Australia and New Zealand in March 2015

Fellow citizens of the convict colony rejoice! Netflix is expanding its services to the lucky country. The option to subscribe to the service without MacGyvering around geoblockers is finally becoming a reality for the Australian and New Zealand public.

Basically, non-tech savvy citizens will be able to access the film and television content that the streaming service provides. Unfortunately, the content available to Australian and New Zealand accounts might be significantly different from the content available to individuals in the US. Current exclusivity deals between local content providers and program producers, such as the one between HBO and Foxtel, will place restrictions upon the content which the Netflix service will be able to offer. The service will still be able to provide access to in-house produced shows such as the award-winning American adaption of House of Cards and a new series named Marco Polo which, as you might have guessed, deals with the adventures of the eponymous character.

Netflix to launch in Australia and New Zealand in March 2015

With Australians having earned the dubious record of the highest number of illegal downloads of shows like Game of Thrones (with the last season finale drawing over 7 million illegal downloads), digital piracy is a common aspect of life in Australia. Many users reason that they wish to avoid dealing with the legal, but less than convenient access by local providers to enjoy their favourite shows. If Netflix is able to provide a cheap and accessible alternative, the dubious days of digital piracy in Oz might be numbered…

The service will be available for subscription across a range of platforms to those with a broadband connection. Additional details regarding pricing, programming, and supported devices will be available in time.

Travel Through Time in Project Almanac

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Click to see full sized poster

Time travel movies are always interesting. It is a very hard genre to get right. Paramount Pictures are stepping into the ring with their upcoming epic; Project Almanac. After discovering the secret to time travel, a group of friends take longer and more adventurous trips back in time in order to better their own lives. With each trip the stakes get higher and the world changes more and more. Eventually, the group must race against not only the past but the future in order to correct their mistakes and put their lives back on track. Doesn’t seem like too bad of a plot, and one that I can definitely see myself kicking back and watching with a bucket of popcorn.

I for one hate wordy synopsis’ for films, so check out the official trailer below. Project Almanac is set for release down under on February 19th, 2015. So make sure you stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the news and updates about the film as it gets closer to release.

htoL#NiQ: The Firefly Diary delayed to February; limited physical release revealed

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Today NIS America updated fans who were expecting htoL#NiQ: The Firefly Diary sometime in the Fall by revaling that the title is now going to be released on February 24th in North America and February 25th in Europe. The company went on to reveal that although the game will mostly be available digitally for $19.99, consumers can also purchase a limited number of physical copies of the game exclusively through NIS America’s online store.

There will be a normal physical edition that will be priced at $19.99 while a $29.99 version of the game will include a special art box, soundtrack CD, and an art book alongside the game.

Ground Control to Psychoelectric Girl Standard Edition release set for December

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denpa-onna-standard-edition-contentsIf you happened to miss out on NIS America‘s Premium Edition release of Ground Control to Psychoelectric Girl, also known as Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko, early last year then you will be happy to hear that they are now planning on releasing a standard edition of the series on December 9th. This standard edition will include both the Blu-ray and DVD versions of Ground Control to Psychoelectric Girl and come with a simple story guide leaflet and some standard digital extras.

It is also worth noting that it appears that the release will be contained in a standard Blu-ray package as opposed to the slimpak cases previously used for standard edition releases. Those interested in pre-ordering the release for $47.99 can do so here.

Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris ‘Puzzles 101’ trailer released

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With the release of Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris about three weeks away, Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics have released another developer diary for the title, this time focusing on how players will need to solve different difficult puzzles to progress through the game.

The video features Executive Producer Scot Amos and Lead Level Designer Jeff Wajcs and you can check it out below. As for the game itself, Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris is set to be released on December 9th for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC with select retailers carrying the “Gold Edition” pictured above.

Omega Quintet announced for Western release in Spring 2015

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It looks like Idea Factory International is going to speed things up when it comes to localizing games. Today the company announced that Omega Quintet, an idol-RPG for the PlayStation 4, will be heading to North America and Europe in Spring 2015. We’ve written extensively about Omega Quintet in the past and it is great to see the title head overseas.

When Omega Quintet is released, it will be available at retail stores as well as through the PlayStation Network and the title will feature both an English and Japanese voice track. For those who haven’t been keeping up with the game, Omega Quintet takes place in a world where strange monsters can only be defeated by idols who are known as “Verse Maidens” and it is up to you, their manager Takt, to help raise the group to not only be a successful fighting force, but a happy one as you build relationships with each member of the group.

The World God Only Knows: Goddesses Arc acquired by Sentai Filmworks

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When the third season of The World God Only Knows began airing back in 2013 from Manglobe, many people thought it was strange that Sentai Filmworks, who owns the rights and had released the first two seasons in English already at that point, did not choose to follow through and pick up the The World God Only Knows: Goddesses Arc.

Well it looks like that has all changed because a little over a year later, Sentai Filmworks has revealed that they now own the rights to the third season and they are planning on giving The World God Only Knows: Goddesses Arc a home video release as well as a digital release sometime in the future.

Original Dead or Alive boss Raidou to return in Dead or Alive 5: Last Round

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It looks like a boss that fans of Koei Tecmo‘s Dead or Alive haven’t seen in fifteen years, or perhaps never, will be appearing once again in Dead or Alive 5: Last Round. Details leaked from this week’s issue of Famitsu magazine have revealed that Raidou, the final boss from the very first Dead or Alive game back in 2006 will be returning as a cyborg in Last Round.

Raidou will make use of his new powerful mechanical body to unleash a slew of new attacks to make him even more of a force to be reckoned with. Currently Dead or Alive 5: Last Round is set to be released in the West on February 17th next year for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.