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Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes Wave 1 Figures Review

October 2, 2014

Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes Wave 2
Developer: Avalanche Software
Publisher: Disney
Platforms: Xbox 360, Xbox One (Reviewed), PS3, PS4, Wii U
Release Date: Out Now
Price: US$14.99 – Available Here AU$17.95 – Available Here

The Disney Infinity 2.0 Marvel Super Heroes Starter Pack and Play Sets come with all that you need to enjoy the game, but they don’t quite come with everything you might want. A big part of the Disney Infinity experience is collecting and playing with all of the other characters that are on offer. This time around we have a smorgasboard of super heroes to slam down onto our Infinity Base and run through the game’s various Play Sets and Toy Box mode. So lets take a closer look at the first wave figures that don’t come included in a pack:

Avengers Figures

Captain America

The first Avenger himself, Captain America AKA Steve Rodgers is a super soldier from a bygone era. Taveling through time and into Disney Infinity, Ole’ Cap brings with him his mighty shield, and when he throws it all who face his shield must yield… Yeah ok so many people out there wont recognise the old Captain America theme song. Regardless, Captain America is the epitome of an average character in the world of Disney Infinity 2.0. Where you have heroes who can fly, climb buildings or smash entire armies with a single punch, Captain America sits back, throwing his shield and punching evil in the face. Sadly his greatest strength – his ability to lead and inspire, doesn’t translate well into a video game so Rodgers is stuck throwing his shield around and using his bare fists in combat. Don’t get me wrong, there isn’t anything wrong with Cap, but just as a character in the game he is a little outclassed.

Hawkeye

The first of the game’s archers (Merida from Brave will be joining the roster at a later date), Hawkeye is currently unique among all the characters. His bow is his primary weapon and he uses it to great effectiveness on the battlefield. Hawkeye is able to shoot enemies from far away… and also from not-so far away. He is a bit of a one-note character but still incredibly fun to play. Lining up a shot with your bow is even more exciting after you have upgraded it a few times to give it that extra stopping power. Also, his low-key attire really helps him stand out from the brightly coloured team-mates.

The Incredible Hulk

Ok I will start with this – I don’t like the colour of green that they chose for the Hulk’s figure. It is a little pale and drab and lacks the pizzazz that I’ve come to expect from the green giant (admittedly, he looks a lot better in-game). Also his facial expression on the figure looks like he is biting his bottom lip so it is a little hard to take him seriously. Ok, that negativity aside: The Hulk is awesome. He is EXACTLY the powerhouse you would expect him to be, and he can plow through entire hordes of enemies with no hassle at all. Once you start progressing along his skill tree and give him the wall-crawl ability and some extra strength in his punches, he becomes nigh unstoppable. Hulk is also playable in the Spider-Man Play Set after finding all of his Crossover Coins (which conveniently enough are all placed right near each other). To summarise the way the Hulks plays is to say heThe way Hulk plays is very reminiscent of The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, and frankly that is just incredible.

Spider-Man Figures

Nick Fury

The man himself, the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. is in the house and he is voiced by none other than Samuel L. Jackson. Getting a movie star to reprise their role on a video game is rare enough, but to have it be such a well known name is even rarer. Jackson doesn’t phone in this performance either, giving his all to the character like he was reading the script for Avengers 3. Nick Fury plays a lot like Black Widow from the Starter Set, equipped with dual blasters and the ability to cloak and summon a Life Model Decoy to distract his enemies. He does everything a super spy outta, and does it with class. Although it is a little disappointing that he is not playable in the Avengers Play Set, but I guess you can’t have it all.

Iron Fist

Easily the most obscure character included in the game, Iron Fist’s appearance and voice come from the Ultimate Spider-Man animated series. A master of kung-fu, and a man who beat a dragon with his own two hands, Iron Fist brings his incredible fighting skill to Disney Infinity 2.0. Another one of those average characters, like Captain America, it is nevertheless cool to see Avalanche and Disney utilising some more unknown characters in the Marvel library (although his inclusion could be to hype up the upcoming Iron Fist show on Netflix).

Venom

Possibly one of the most well-known villains in all of nerddom, Venom is the antithesis of Spider-Man, and his black suit, long tongue and muscular build have become a trademark and he wears them all with pride in Disney Infinity 2.0. Venom is very much a cross between Spider-Man and The Hulk, with the abilities of the former mixed with the strength of the latter. I think its fair to say that Venom is the strongest character out of the first-wave line-up and may be the strongest character out of the entire Disney Infinity universe.

Guardians of the Galaxy Figures

Roccet Raccoon

“Ohhh yeahhhhh.” Since earlier this year, Roccet Raccoon has become a household name. The wise-cracking, gun-toting half animal/half robot maniac has warmed the hearts of people all over the world, and now you get to play as him! In-game, Rocket plays very similar to Star-Lord, utilising his dual blasters to inflict as much damage as possible on the waves of enemies attacking Knowhere (or your Toy Box, whichever you choose). However, he can charge up his weapons and unleash explosive blasts that take out enemies in a wide area. Not only that, but he is able to ride on the shoulder of Groot, and fire from there much like he does in the movie. His physical appearance is a bit of a mixture of his movie and comic book iterations, creating a clook that is unique to the game.

Groot

If there is someone from Guardians of the Galaxy more well known than Roccet Raccoon, it is Groot. The living tree that can only speak three words brings his considerable bulk and power to the game, able to punch enemies from afar and climb up walls, Groot can do it all! While not quite as strong as the Hulk or Venom, he is up there in terms of power level (keeping true to his comic book characterisation). Groot’s appearance this time round is more akin to his movie look than his comic book one, probably to not confuse people who have never heard of the admittedly obscure comic series.

Drax the Destroyer

Drax the Destroyer. What more can really be said. Strong and fast, Drax is the ultimate fighter. Weilding his twin blades, he charges into battle like a madman (cause well… he IS a madman). The designers opted give Drax his comic book look rather than his film one, probably because the amount of detail that his tattooing had in the film would be impossible to replicate on a figure this size. Although having Star-Lord, Groot and Roccet resemble their film counterparts while Drax and Gamora look more like the comic book iterations creates a bit of a discrepency with the team, and one that die-hard comic book fans wont be able to overlook.

So there we have it. Disney Infinity 2.0 Wave 1 has 9 stand-alone figures and while many of them are absolute home-runs, some are misses that fumble at the start. Some characters just don’t translate very well into a video game, and some are just outclassed by those around them. However, Marvel and Disney have done an excellent job bringing these characters to life, and all of them have had their skills and abilities lifted straight from the comic books and into the game, and that alone is enough of a reason to celebrate.

If looking at the individual figures isn’t enough for you, we also have reviews of the Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes Starter Set, as well as the Spider-Man and Guardians of the Galaxy Play Sets.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes Spider-Man Play Set Review

Andrew Day

October 2, 2014

Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes Spider-Man Play Set Review

Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes
Developer: Avalanche Software
Publisher: Disney
Platforms: Xbox 360, Xbox One (Reviewed), PS3, PS4, Wii U
Release Date: Out Now
Price: US$39.99 – Available Here AU$39.95 – Available Here

Overview

Spider-Man is probably.. nay he definitely is the biggest hero in the Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes line up, and for good reason. People all over the world can sympathise and empathise with the young man who is just trying to help. The Spider-Man Play Set, inspired by the current Ultimate Spider-Man animated series brings Spidey, Nova, Iron Fist, Venom and Nick Fury to the forefront and lets players traverse the busy streets of New York with some of the best web-swinging action in years. Though is shines in some aspects, this Play Set does always prove that great power doesn’t always equal great responsibility.

Story

The Spider-Man Play Set has one of the greatest tutorial levels I have ever played in a game. Spidey encounters Green Goblin and Mysterio after they have cloned the Venom Symbiote in an attempt to take over New York. Mysterio manages to catch our favourite wall-crawler and the tutorial mission is Spidey trying to make his way through one of the master illusionist’s traps. Collapsing floors, moving walls and a whole range of visual tricks litter the way through this tutorial, and that is only the beginning. As you make your way through the campaign, you will come up against famous Spider-Man villains, leading to the eventual showdown with none other than the Green Goblin himself.

Gameplay

Ok, lets discuss the one thing you really want to know about: web swinging. Every single Spider-Man game is made or broken by its web-swinging. Well, I can happily say that the web-swinging in Disney Infinity is simply amazing (I think I will be getting fired for making such a bad pun). Now this isn’t AS good as the web-swinging from the bygone Spider-Man 2 game, however it is about as close as I have ever played. Spidey will twist and flip through the air with all the agility of a spider. As you continue to swing higher and faster, you will almost feel the wind on your face.

Anyway! Enough about the web-slinging and onto the actual gameplay. The Spider-Man Play Set plays very, very similar to the Avengers one where you travel around New York (albeit a different area of New York) defeating the Symbiote clones that Green Goblin has created to raise havoc. The missions are broken into two main categories: combat and defense. Combat missions have you traveling to a particular area of the map and fighting waves of Symbiotes, while the defense missions have you doing almost the same thing but while protecting an item or person from harm. Due to this, many of the missions to feel really similar to one another and they lack any real depth or excitement.

There is about four hours of content in the Spider-Man Play Set and while it is pretty repetitive, it is still an enjoyable experience. After collecting the Crossover Coins, you can play as The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man, each with their own missions that help advance the story. I am a fan of most of the crossover characters, but Hulk and Iron Man both feel out of place here in a Play Set that already has Venom and Nova.

Visuals & Audio

Spider-Man is a character that just feels made for Disney Infinity. The colourful costume, the chipper demeanor and the special abilities all make him feel right at home. Nova, who also comes included in the pack fits in just as well, and together they might be the two best looking and feeling characters in the game. Their costumes are very true to not only the comic books but also their animated series.

Ultimate Spider-Man is one of the most well-known super hero cartoons currently on tv, and the entire cast reprise their roles for Disney Infinity. Hearing Drake Bell’s quips and banter as Spidey feels natural, colourful and right at home. He is joined by Logan Miller as Nova, Greg Cipes as Iron Fist, Caitlyn Taylor Love as White Tiger and Ogie Banks as Luke Cage. The cast of regulars is rounded off by Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury and J.K. Simmons, reprising the role of J. Jonah. Jameson (who has become synonymous with Simmons gravelly voice).

Extras

The Spider-Man Play Set comes included with a Spidey and a Nova figurine. Nova looks absolutely fantastic, his costume and helmet look absolutely phenomenal and he is easily one of the prides of my Disney Infinity collection. Spidey is almost as good, with his figure in an awesome crouched pose and his bright blue and red costume standing proud. However, Spidey suffers from the same problem that the Iron Man figure does; lack of detailing. The thing black web lines on Spidey’s costume aren’t painted on, which makes it look a lot flatter and less detailed overall. Even with this lack of detailing, Spidey probably has the most unique and stand-out figure of anyone in either Disney Infinity game.

Overall

The Spider-Man Play Set has its ups and downs, but I for one can’t get over the web-swinging. I have spent more than a short amount of time just gliding between buildings in New York, watching Peter Parker bend and twist as if he didn’t have a care in the world. The Play Set has some of the best characters in the game, but could have done with a little more variety in the missions and a little more detail on Spidey’s costume. Although when all is said and done, the great figures and awesome web-slinging don’t make up for the repetitive, lackluster gameplay of the Play Set itself.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes Guardians of the Galaxy Play Set Review

Andrew Day

October 2, 2014

Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes Guardians of the Galaxy Play Set Review

Overview

Guardians of the Galaxy is the biggest film of the year, so it is no surprise that Star-Lord and his motley crew have traveled all the way from Knowhere to take part in Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Superheroes. In a different change of pace from the other two Play Sets (Avengers and Spider-Man), Guardians is an openish-world platformer. None of the Guardians can fly, so they are forced to use their feet and a bevy of intergalactic vehicles to get around.

Story

The Guardians of the Galaxy Play Set mixes elements from this year’s film with some of the Guardians comic books. The Guardians manage to get their hands on an Infinity Stone and are bringing it to the Collector on Knowhere for safe keeping when they are ambushed by Ronan the Accuser. The story is fun and lighthearted, maintaining a lot of the charm and wackiness that Guardians is now known for. Much like the Avengers Play-Set, Guardians dips into some obscure characters for its storytelling, most notably Cosmo – the telepathic Russian space dog (who had a brief cameo in the Guardians film). Cosmo is your primary mission giver and it is awesome to see more unknown characters getting some limelight in this game.

Gameplay

Guardians of the Galaxy takes a completely different approach to its gameplay than either the Avengers or Spider-Man Play Sets. None of the Guardians can fly, so instead you will find yourself in the midst of an epic space-opera platformer. All of the traditional platforming elements are here, from moving platforms through to exhaust vents that blast you away if you spend too much time in one spot. Not only is it a refreshing change of pace from the rest of the Disney Infinity offerings, but it is probably the most fun.

While platforming is the focus, there is still plenty of combat, and each of the Guardians handles it differently. Star-Lord uses his element guns to blast away enemies, while Gamora takes a more direct approach with her broadsword. The fact that the two included characters play so differently from one another really keeps the game feeling fresh. There are also other mission types, such as fetch-quests (everybody’s favourite…) and even a few where you get to jump into a giant turret and blast away some Sakaraan soldiers.

The Play Set does have one overwhelming downside, and that is the fact that it is over too quickly. I managed to complete the whole campaign, all of the side-missions and find all of the cross over tokens in a little under three hours. The time flew by however and I enjoyed every minute of it, I just wished there was more.

Visuals & Audio

Guardians of the Galaxy looks beautiful. The deep-space backdrop really stands apart from any previous Play Set and the fact that you get to play in two distinct locations only helps that. The Guardians themselves all look great, but as I mentioned above they are a mix of their comic and film counterparts.

The voices are all also completely new for the game. Unlike the Avengers or Spider-Man characters, the Guardians don’t use their Marvel Animated Universe voices (possibly because they have only appeared about four times in the animated universe so far) and instead have a voice team that sounds more akin to the films. While Chris Pratt, Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel don’t reprise their roles, their replacements do an admirable job of holding down the fort.

Extras

The Guardians of the Galaxy figures are a little unusual. They still have the same care and detail as the rest of the Disney Infinity 2.0 line-up, but the depictions of each of the characters varies from one to the next. Star-Lord looks like he does in the recent film, while Gamora looks like she does in the comic book. This spreads to the team itself, who while still look great together, may irk the more die-hard comic book fans and collectors out there.

Overall

Guardians of the Galaxy is easily the stand-out Play Set of Disney Infinity 2.0. It manages to stand-out from the crowd and offer something completely different. The game’s two settings look absolutely gorgeous and there is enough variety in the missions to make it feel like a full-fledged game. The only thing that lets down this Play Set is its incredibly short length, although the fact that playing through it unlocks all the pieces you need to build your own Star Fox style game makes up for it.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes Review

Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes
Developer: Avalanche Software
Publisher: Disney
Platforms: Xbox 360, Xbox One (Reviewed), PS3, PS4, Wii U
Release Date: Out Now
Install Size: 30GB
Price: US$74.00 – Available Here AU$99.95 – Available Here

Overview

Disney Infinity was an absolute massive hit last year, and continued selling Starter Packs, Play Sets, Figures and Power Discs until even today. This time round, Disney decided to add to the formula by making use of their Marvel Comics license to include some of the world’s most renowned super heroes in on the action. This isn’t just a simple character roster addition though, Disney Infinity 2.0 really does feel like a massive leap forward for the franchise and while it stumbles in a few aspects, it still provides a solid offering for kids, kids at heart, die hard collectors, Disney fans and Marvel comic enthusiasts.

Story

There is only one Play Set Piece in the Disney Infinity 2.0 Starter Set and it tells the story of Loki’s attempt to unleash havoc on the streets of New York by summoning an army of Frost Giants. The Avengers all leap into action, aided by Nick Fury and a few lesser-known Marvel Heroes in order to stop Loki and his associate; M.O.D.O.K.

The story is a bit light and childish, but you can’t really complain about that since the target audience is…well…kids. Although one thing I found really impressive was the developer’s not being afraid to delve into some of the more obscure or lesser-known Marvel characters for story purposes. M.O.D.O.K. is the type of villain that likely won’t ever see the silver screen, so his inclusion here is particularly cool. The same goes for characters like Wasp and Ms. Marvel, two of Marvel’s most badass female roles that are yet to make it to the screen.

Gameplay

Disney Infinity 2.0’s gameplay is broken up into three distinct parts: Play Sets, the Toy Box and the brand new Toy Box Games. The only Play Set for the Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes Starter Set (phew, that’s a mouthful) is The Avengers, and lets you pick one of the three included characters; Iron Man, Black Widow and Thor, or one of the additional Avengers characters; Captain America, Hawkeye or The Incredible Hulk and complete missions to stop Loki and his army of Frost Giants from ravaging the city. Many of these missions have you traveling to one part of the city, beating up some enemy thugs and turning in for your reward. If that sounds a little dull, that is because it kind of is. There is little to no mission variety in this Play Set. Not only that but the side-missions that were everywhere in the original Disney Infinity are scarce at best now. This cuts down on the amount of time you can spend in the Play Set actually doing things.

It is a bit of a let-down to get such a shorter amount of time in the Play Set, but that just means that players get to jump into the Toy Box all the sooner. While it is available from the onset, you unlock toys by playing through the Play Set campaigns so you will start off with a few more building blocks than you would otherwise. The new Toy Box mode is an absolute dream to play.

If you are familiar with the original Toy Box, then you will know it was clunky, unresponsive and took a long time to do anything. Well those days are gone with a lot of enhances and fixes (both behind the scenes and at the user-level). Firstly, the maps are so much bigger than before, and can be jam packed with toys, logic connections and other goodies without causing nary a dip in frame rate. Secondly, the way in which you purchase toys has completely changed. Gone is the old random roulette spinner, and in its place are purchase trees. You now purchase smaller items along a tree in order to get to the big goodie at the end. While this can still be a little tedious and time-consuming, it nevertheless makes you feel like you have more control over what you are unlocking.

In-game toys aren’t the only part of the game to get trees now, characters now all have a skill tree to unlock more abilities and attack combinations. Levelling up was originally included in Disney Infinity 1.0 but it offered little more than a way to get spins in the Toy Box, now characters get stronger and gain abilities like flight, web-slinging, wall-crawling and even ultimate finishing moves. The skill trees add a bit more depth to the game, and every character’s is unique. Well, except for the 1.0 original characters. They all have largely similar skill trees and all lack a special move. Some of the added abilities don’t really work for the characters, and it comes off as lazy design. A prime example of this is the fact that Phineas gets a super-jump even though he has no reason to. Original Disney Infinity characters also don’t gain any of the new game’s added abilities like flight or wall-crawling. Even Syndrome, who’s whole plot in The Incredibles film revolves around him being able to make himself fly is unable to in the game. While there is a lot of love shown to the new Marvel characters in terms of sticking to their designs and abilities, the same love isn’t shown to the original characters and the abilities they do have really feel like an afterthought.

Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes also contains new Toy Box Games, which are pre-designed games like the tower defense Assault on Asgard, or the dungeon crawler Escape from the Kyln. These are unlocked by placing the Toy Box Game Disc onto the Infinity Base and offer a LOT of gameplay. To complete either of the two pre-included Toy Box Games will likely take you longer than the Avengers Play Set campaign. The design of these games is fun and will surely spark a lot of creative juices as people play through them, before building their own games.

Visuals

The original Disney Infinity created an art style that was uniquely its own. It managed to capture the spirit and the look of Disney’s various franchises while also making them look like they all belonged together. The bright colours and semi-exaggerated features are what DI is all about. 2.0 continues this trend, presenting some of Marvel’s biggest and most well-known stars in a whole new light.

While the art style fits the super heroes surprisingly well, the Marvel gang all seem to stand apart from their Disney-created bretherin. While the original game’s characters all looked great standing side-by-side, and often looked like they belonged together despite their obvious differences (Mr Incredible, Perry the Platypus and Lightning McQueen could stand side by side and look like a unified team), the Super Heroes kind of feel like their own different team. Sure they all still look great together, but there is a bit less uniformity across the board.

The jump to next-generation has had an impact on the visual quality of the game, but it is not as immediately noticeable as you might hope. Character models and the world are a little more detailed but unless you are playing both the versions of the game side-by-side then it is kind of hard to tell. What the new hardware does do however is change the size and scope of the game.

Maps are now so much larger before and allow for a tonne more toys to be placed in the Toy Box than ever before. Massive city-scapes are rendered easily and even filling an entire game world with Creativi-Toys and logic connections causes little to no performance issues.

Audio

The sound effects and music are much the same as the original, with tracks being lifted from famous Marvel and Disney animated series and movies and put into the game world to really make it feel like a cohesive, shared universe. However voice acting seems like an entire step-up from the previous game.

While Disney Infinity had a lot of voice actors reprising their roles from film and animated series (most notably The Incredibles and Phineas), many characters were voiced by sound-alikes. While they still sounded great, anybody who has spent time watching Disney programming would soon realize that it wasn’t quite right. 2.0 Takes it one step better and gets many (see: almost all) of the voice actors from the various Marvel animated programs to reprise their role in the game.

Kids (and kids at heart) who have watched Avengers Assemble, Ultimate Spider-Man and Hulk: Agents of S.M.A.S.H. will immediately recognize all of the familiar voices, who have begun to embody their characters. This again helps make that cohesive and unified feel, and also shows a lot of care on the part of the developers to treat these characters right. There is however one particular character who is not voiced by his television counterpart; Nick Fury. Chi McBride does not reprise his role as the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and instead the main man is voiced by none other than Samuel L. Jackson. Talk about star power! Sam Jackson’s Nick Fury makes the jump from the silver screen to the console game with ease and really sounds fantastic as he is giving you missions and directions through the Avengers Play Set.

Extras

This is Disney Infinity we are talking about, so lets get down to brass tacks! You get a wide variety of goodies in your Starter Pack and it ensures that you have everything you need to get playing from the moment you open the box. Your Starter Pack will come with a Disney Infinity Base, Avengers Play Set Piece, two Toy Box Game Discs and three figures: Iron Man, Thor and Black Widow.

The figures all look amazing, and they manage to capture the look and feel of their character perfectly. Everything from the poses that the figures are in, to the costumes they wear are just perfect. Well, almost perfect. Iron Man is painted in his traditional yellow and red colour scheme, but due to the mass-produced nature of the figures, he lacks any fine detailing. The separation in his armor while still present, doesn’t stand out and makes the figure look a little bland in comparison (Spider-Man suffers from a similar lack of detailing).

The Disney Infinity Base is meant to be basically identical to the one from the first game, but I found it worked even better. While the original Infinity Base had issues with not reading figures or Play Set Pieces at times, the 2.0 Base has shown none of these problems (and I have already spent about as much time on 2.0 as I did the original game). The added build quality and stability really made my gaming experience all the more better as I wasn’t constantly having to fiddle with my character figures to get them to stay in the game.

All of your previous figures will work in 2.0’s Toy Box Mode, and putting them onto the base will unlock all of the toys that are associated with that character. Play Set Pieces unfortunately DON’T work in the new game, although placing them onto the base will unlock all of the toys that you would have achieved through regular play.

Overall

Disney Infinity 2.0 takes a great concept and enhances it further. Bigger maps, more characters and an insane amount of options for players to spend countless hours building, creating and playing. It is a little disappointing that the Starter Set only contains one Play Set, and that it isn’t quite as long a campaign as you might hope for but the new Toy Box 2.0 and the Toy Box Games will still keep you entertained. It is a little disappointing that the 1.0 characters didn’t really get much love this time around, with lackluster skill trees and without abilities that they really should have (cough, cough: Syndrome). Regardless, Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes is a step above its predecessor and is a fantastic gaming experience for kids, or kids at heart and manages to utilize the Marvel branding with an incredible amount of care and respect creating what is in many ways the ultimate Marvel game. I’ve often said that Disney Infinity was a love letter to Disney as a whole, but Disney Infinity 2.0 is more of a love letter to Marvel Comics with a “P.S. We still kinda like you, Disney” at the end.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Junpei, Zen and Persona 3 story trailers released for Persona Q

Travis Bruno

October 2, 2014

Today Atlus USA has released a handful of new trailers for Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth and unlike previous sets, this one includes a story trailer alongside two character trailers. The story trailer focuses on Persona Q’s take on Persona 3’s storyline while the characters introduced this time are Junpei Iori and newcomer Zen.

Check out the videos below and keep an eye out for Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth when it is released in North America on November 25th for the Nintendo 3DS.

Persona 3 Story

Junpei Iori

Zen

FIFA 15 Review

Dustin Spencer

October 2, 2014

FIFA 15
Developer: EA Canada
Publisher: EA
Platforms: PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 (Reviewed), Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS Vita, Wii, 3DS
Release Date: September 23, 2014
Price: $59.99 USD – Available Here $99.95 AUD- Available Here

Overview
FIFA is no stranger to next gen, as last year – we seen a decent port hit the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Sure, it played well, but still felt like a port, trying to deliver something new on something old. Well, FIFA 15 is here to change that. With a good deal of upgrades and an improved Ultimate Team mode, this soccer (or football for you a bit further east) title is here to bring the genre all the way into the next gen. EA still have competition however with PES still on the market, and in order to stake their claim – they had to pull out all of the stops. Does FIFA 15 dribble by with a score, or is it just not ready for primetime? Let’s find out.

Gameplay
I want to jump in and say “Wow! This FIFA feels like a whole new game”. Well, that really cannot be said for the yearly franchise, as while there are quite a few stability tweaks, the on-field experience still feels and controls relatively the same. That said, this new installment does bring a very authentic flare with it, and may be the most realistic title to date. On top of the realism comes a bit more accessibility. I have never personally been the most in tuned with FIFA, even though I have played a good number of the now 21 installments. FIFA 15 however just feels as if it is far easier to pick up and play. The control scheme is simple, the variety of maneuvers for both offense and defense are solid, and it is now easier than ever to jump right into a match and gain control rather quickly with the right tactics. Its as if EA applied just a bit more polish this time around. Sure, the game didn’t need to much more considering not much has changed, but a bit smoother gameplay is never a bad thing.

As far as modes go, career mode leads the pack of the non-online fare, allowing players to manage teams and play their way to the top. Yet again, not much has changed here, but there are a few tweaks such as shorter retirement times that allow the player to stay in the game longer. Players can also participate in matches consecutively with Pro Seasons, which allows animation editing (its a bit less exciting than it actually sounds), as well as your typical sharing options that are a bit forced and probably will not appeal to those who are playing a system outside of the Xbox One and Playstation 4. Oddly enough, I spent a good portion of my time in Skill Games Mode. Think of this as a way to sharpen your passing, dribbling, and other skills, but with some fun, score attack style arcade games. As polished as the gameplay is, this little mode quickly becomes addictive as you slam balls into goals for fun, trying to rank up scores in a set amount of time.

FIFA Ultimate Team seems to be the crown jewel of every installment, and EA tout this fact for good reason. Players can make challenges, play in seasons, and buy up more players with their currency in this mode, where constant upgrades can lead to the perfect squad. Its quite rewarding to build up your deck and watch your spoils become victorious, and those who cannot afford to get ahead can now loan players out through a new system, where one can then be signed – while the other lot head back to the catalog. While this is mode is great, it still is a bit disheartening to see the other modes not receive near the same attention, as EA still needs to learn that there are other markets out there aside from those who want to shell out real and digital currency for a game that already has a full price-tag. Don’t get me wrong, the game is a blast and still worth it, but why not make every mode a spectacle, rather than just side orders?

Sometimes, its easier to notice the details. The AI has been significantly improved with players now displaying an “emotional intelligence”. This means more than changes of moods, as players can literally confront others on the field depending on how the game as played, and seem to react often to fouls- adding even more realism. Goalkeepers are also smarter, and now perform with a lot more flexibility and acrobatics. I did have a few hiccups with the game while competing against opponents, but this one gripe that could be echoed with the same sentiments for the experience as a whole. As fun as one game can be, you still have to ask yourself when upgrading if enough has been done to consider the next year’s version. Gameplay wise, that is a bit hard to do. If you have FIFA 14 and want more polish and a couple of nice, yet filler features, sure – this is a great choice to make. If you are buying FIFA 15 strictly for a glossy, new feeling and are just a casual fan, then you might want to hold off. I am speaking about gameplay in specific here, but those who care less about visuals and more about gameplay may want to contemplate before making the jump.

Visuals
Now, we can discuss those visuals. Yes, as you would expect – FIFA 15 looks fantastic. Animations are fluid, the field looks phenomenal, and the players look eerily realistic. FIFA has never been the series to stand out visually while the player has their eyes on the full field, but if you look for those details, you’re bound to find more than ever before. Replays recapture the action close up to perfection, while weather effects the very grass you step on, with the dew off the grass leaving an imprint upon every step. The animations of simple actions such as tripping and tackles look much better than the last installment as well, as it all happens in one fluid motion, rather than a clumsy plop. Faces have also been scanned in, and while I do think the hair is a bit less detailed in comparison to the actual features, these are the best looking models we have had to date in a modern sports title.

Audio
To be honest, the soundtrack is nothing to talk about. Its a good variety of tunes from semi-popular musicians, and nothing that truly stands out than anything more than background sounds for menus. The commentary is where it is at in FIFA 15. Martin Tyler and Alan Smith recite their lines with passion and accuracy, creating a feel that you’re watching the real product at home. The crowd also sings, chants, and rides on the momentum of your (or the opponent’s) team, and that extra boost can definitely assist in adding another layer of intensity during a close game.

Overall
FIFA 15 really doesn’t need to be special to be sold. EA promises an upgrade every year, and yet again delivers with another fantastic installment. There is always going to be a debate about staleness, as eventually – playing the same game for so many years (no matter how much the visuals have improved) will make a generation look elsewhere for their entertainment. With that said however, you can’t deny the quality the newest version has, as there is a lot to come back for this time around that will keep you busy until FIFA 16 rolls out the next fall. Those who are not soccer fans and looking for a fun game to test out those barren next-gen consoles should know that FIFA has a lot more to offer than kicks, and the die-hards will be pleased to know that FIFA 15 has everything they expect – which is a straight kick right in the net for the familiar yet still welcome franchise.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Resident Evil Remaster BSAA costumes revealed in new footage

Travis Bruno

October 2, 2014

Resident Evil Remaster BSAA costumes revealed in new footage

Thanks to a special social media promotion that Capcom has been running, it appears that there will be two new costumes available when Resident Evil Remaster is released. Capcom will be adding both Chris and Jill’s BSAA costumes into all versions of the game when it is released, and it appears that not only do these costumes change the outfit of the character, but also their physique.

To go along with this announcement the company released a short little clip showing off both BSAA costumes in action and you can check it out below. Currently Resident Evil Remaster is set to be released sometime in early 2015.

Final Omega Quintet idol trailer focuses on Aria

Travis Bruno

October 2, 2014

With Omega Quintet now available for purchase in Japan, Compile Heart has released the final video in their latest series which has served to introduce each of the five idols to players. While Otoha, Kyouka, Kanadeko, and Nene have already been introduced, this last girl is the silent and difficult Aria. Because of her personality, or lack thereof, it is difficult to understand exactly what she is feeling at times and this can cause a number of issues.

You can check out the trailer below and while it is possible to import Omega Quintet, those with Japanese PSN accounts can also simply download the title on their PlayStation 4s if they wish to play it without having to deal with any shipping hassles.

New Fantasy Life Trailer wants you to Get a Life

Dustin Spencer

October 2, 2014

New Fantasy Life Trailer wants you to Get a Life

Get a life. Change your life. Live your life. Those are the three main elements that make up Level 5 and Nintendo’s Fantasy Life for the Nintendo 3DS, which launches later this month (October 24th to be exact). Aside from the stunning art style, a new clip has been released that shows off all of the lives you can live in the game.

Classes, situations, and other properties are all in display in the clip, which you can check out down below. I know some may think the simulation market may be getting a bit crowded on the 3DS, but whether its Animal Crossing, Disney, Tomodachi, or Fantasy Life, it seems all bases are covered no matter what your preference is. That said, this title seems to be packed with features, so the verdict is still out of which one will hold the most weight.

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