Today Square Enix released a new trailer for Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX and while this three minute trailer may contain plenty of footage of the first HD collection, the focus of the trailer is to explain how everything in Kingdom Hearts is connected together. The trailer serves as both a refresher course for fans of the series as well as a way to introduce new fans to the Kingdom Hearts games.
You can check out the trailer below, as well as our recent hands-on with the title here, and be sure to keep an eye out for Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX when it is released in North America on December 2nd and in Europe on December 5th.
Super Smash Bros. For Wii U has finally been given a release date and it is sooner than you may think. Today Nintendo revealed that the title will be released in North America on November 21st, a few weeks before its release in Europe on December 5th. You can check out our hands-on with the Wii U release here.
The title will cost $60 when it is released and will be compatible with all of the Amiibo figures that will also be released on that same day. These Amiibo figures cost $13 each and the first twelve will be available include Mario, Peach, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Link, Fox, Samus, Wii Fit Trainer, Villager, Pikachu, Kirby and Marth. The second wave of Amiibo figures will be released in December and they will include Zelda, Luigi, Pit, Captain Falcon, Diddy Kong, and Little Mac.
It looks like Toad’s solo adventure will be missing Black Friday as Nintendo has announced that they are planning on releasing Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker on December 5th in North America. The title will be priced at $39.99 and the company has also announced that it will support “select” Amiibo figures starting in 2015.
Of course Nintendo failed to clarify exactly how the Amiibo figures would factor into the game, though it is nice that those who are already looking forward to purchasing some of them will see them used in more titles than just Super Smash Bros.
Today Square Enix released their first dev diary for Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris with this one focusing on the four-player co-op mode that the game offers. The dev diary features Executive Producer Scot Amos, two designers, and the game’s producer.
You can check out the trailer below where not only are some of the new characters introduced but a slew of new gameplay footage and abilities have also been revealed. Currently Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris is being developed for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC for release on December 9th.
During their latest Live show, Hanabee announced that they have acquired not only the streaming rights to Fate/stay night Unlimited Blade Works but also the Blu-ray and DVD rights to the series in Australia and New Zealand. Although Episode 0 already debuted, it will be premiering on Hanabee’s official website this Sunday on October 11th.
After that the first episode of Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works is set to air in Japan on October 11th, though at the moment no information concerning when that episode would be available through Hanabee has been revealed. You can check out the announcement trailer for the acquisition below.
You might have missed it, but back when Sentai Filmworks announced their January 2015 release slate it contained a certain title that had yet to be officially licensed. Well today the company has made it official by announcing that they have acquired the license to the 2012 mecha anime Muv Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse and are planning on releasing it on January 20, 2015.
Muv Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse is different from the standard Muv-Luv series as most of the action takes place away from the front lines. A synopsis of the story was provided by Sentai Filmworks and can be found below:
Since 1973, an invasion of aliens known as BETA have driven the human race into near extinction. Facing an enormous enemy force, mankind has responded by developing large humanoid arms called Tactical Surface Fighters, deploying them to its defensive lines throughout the world. All of their efforts, however, could only slow down the BETA: the people of Earth are forced to abandon major areas of the Eurasian continent. After 30 years, humanity is still bogged down in a back and forth war with the BETA with no end in sight…
In 2001, Imperial Japan faces great difficulties in developing a next generation TSF while also defending the frontline of the Far East. In response, the United Nations have proposed a joint development program between Imperial Japan and the United States as part of its new international initiative: The Prominence Project. Yui Takamura, a TSF pilot of the Imperial Royal Guards of Japan, is assigned to the project and sets off to Alaska. Meanwhile, Yuya Bridges, a US Army TSF pilot, also makes his way to the icy wilderness of Alaska. Neither know of each other, or how their fates will forever change when they meet. As humanity hangs in the balance, two souls will intertwine as the new age of Tactical Surface Fighters emerges to defeat the BETA in
Muv Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse!
First published by Siren Visual, Angel Beats! has now joined Madman’s AnimeLab streaming service in a continuing sign of partnership between the two Australian anime distributors. All 14 episodes are viewable from the get-go in both subbed and dubbed iterations.
Animated by P.A. Works, Angel Beats! is an original anime project by Key, the makers of the hit visual novel-turned anime Clannad. Yuzuru Otonashi wakes up in the afterlife with no memories of his life before his death. He joins a school organization called the SSS whose mission is to fight against God and the student council president known as Angel.
For those still unsure, Angel Beats! is a mix of action, light-hearted moments and emotions that are sure to pull at the heart strings, as typical of all of Key productions.
Newton may not sound very threatening, but when Hugh Laurie of House M.D. fame is providing the voice, with his great acting chops, that all changes. The English actor, comedian, director, singer and author (geez, what hasn’t he done?!) is lending his voice to the villainous character in LittleBigPlanet 3.
As a special treat for the thespian, and his lifelong fans, this project marks a reunion with Stephen Fry, who of course starred alongside Laurie in Blackadder. They also had a British sketch comedy series together called A Little Bit of Fry & Laurie. Fry has and continues to embody the narrator of the LittleBigPlanetuniverse. Mr. Laurie spoke on this introduction to the world of video games;
It’s not nearly as different as I might have thought 10 years ago; storytelling is storytelling, whatever form it takes and I’m attracted to anything I can do for the first time. This seemed to me to be so completely charming, witty and lovingly done that I was very taken with it.
Sean Millard, Creative Director at Sumo Digital, added;
We were keen to attract the best possible voice talent we could for LittleBigPlanet 3 and who better could we ask for than Hugh Laurie? Hugh brings both the kind of humour and sense of darkness we were going for; we knew he’d be perfect as Newton, plus it pairs him up once again with Stephen Fry!
Check out the behind the scenes reveal trailer for Laurie’s involvement embedded below, as well as our EB Expo 2014 hands-on preview! LittleBigPlanet 3 comes out exclusively for the Sony PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 this November.
The Nintendo 3DS is a few years old now, but still seems to be evolving everyday. As of today in fact, a new update has launched for Australia, allowing users to finally add a theme to their HOME menu through a theme shop.
As you would expect, these new themes do cost a small penny, but add music, images, and decorations for those bland folders – features characters from The Legend of Zelda, Mario, and more.
Here is some more information about the update from Ninty themselves:
As part of today’s system update, a new Theme Shop has been added to the HOME Menu that unveils themes for Nintendo 3DS. Themes allow Nintendo 3DS and 2DS owners to personalise their systems by changing the menu background, icons and folders, and music and sound effects.
In addition to five simple colour themes provided with the update, a launch line-up of other themes are available for purchase now from the all-new Theme Shop*. These include eye-catching designs for the likes of Mario, Luigi, Peach and Yoshi, while for Zelda fans a design showing the parallel worlds of Hyrule and Lorule from The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds also features**. As a heads-up for budding town mayors in Animal Crossing: New Leaf, designs paying tribute to that game are set to release at the end of October as part of a weekly updated line-up.
* Wireless broadband Internet access required.
**Completely Mario, Completely Luigi, Completely Peach, Completely Yoshi and Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds: Two Worlds are priced at AU$2.60/NZ$3.40 each.
There isn’t a word on when these updates will hit the U.S., but I would imagine we will see them hit very soon. For now, you Aussies can download away.
2K Australia and Gearbox Software have travelled to the moon and back to deliver the evolution of the Borderlands series, with Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel. While the whacky first-person shooter is set to be released on October 16, the game steered into action at EB Expo 2014 last weekend.
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is essentially the sequel to the original Borderlands and prequel to Borderlands 2, which follows the origin story of Handsome Jack and his rise to power and corporate corruption. As an employee of the famously known megalomaniacal tyrant in Borderlands2, witness Jack’s transformation and assist with the rise of the Hyperion Corporation.
What distinguishes the new game from its predecessor and successor, is the amazing location on Pandora’s moon, which completely changes the co-op gameplay experience. The low-gravity environment transforms the way players move and interact with the chaotic universe; oxygen tanks enable long-distance air jumps, the ability to hover higher for a birds-eye shooting scope, and crash landing (better known as the “gravity slam”) to stun enemies on the moons surface. Did I mention that players are able to get upgraded oxygen tanks that have special elemental effects, like acid, fire and shock, which significantly enhance their gravity slam? Yep – methods of killing just reached a whole new bar in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel.
There are four new badass character classes in the game; Nisha ‘the lawbringer’, Athena ‘the gladiator’, Wilhelm ‘the enforcer’ and Claptrap ‘the fragtrap’. I chose to play as Athena (kind of an obvious choice), because she is a character that is both tanky, aggressive and has an impressively powerful Kinetic Aspis shield (if you upgrade it the right way). As with previous Borderlands titles, each of the character classes are built with a unique skillset that offers players an equally enjoyable and exciting experience playing the game. So don’t limit yourself to one badass!
The stand out feature in Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is, of course, its bizarre and awesome range of weaponry that really makes a difference in the game. Players can choose from the Cryo freeze gun, Star Wars inspired laser beams and shotguns, a Ghost Busters cannon and plenty more insane weapons. I have to say that, there is nothing quite like the ability to freeze your opponent, then leisurely chip away at the glass statue until they shatter into pieces. For the first time in the Borderlands series, players are able get rid of their mediocre loot they collect and change it up for new weapons using the grinder machine. Don’t be alarmed though, there is still plenty of high quality loot on the moonscape, with special one-offs and legendary items for players to dig their hands into.
2K Australia have gone one step further with Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel and that is, including more diverse ‘Aussie’ humour.
On the 2K Panel at EB Games Expo, Tony Lawrence, General Manager of 2K Australia stated, “With Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, we’ve used humour in a self appreciating way, to add to the sense of surprise and keep players on their toes”.
I think that 2K and Gearbox Software have made a bold move, in taking the Borderlands series in a new direction – an evolution that will not only surprise players, but make them yearn for more incredible titles.
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is coming to PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC next week. Pre-order the game now and receive the Shock Drop Slaughter Pit bonus content, featuring intense zero-atmosphere combat against the fiercest enemies on Pandora’s moon. Keep in mind that exclusive bonus content is limited, so it’s first in – first serve!
For the rest of our 2014 EB Games Expo Coverage, including hands-on previews and interviews, click here.
