Halloween is coming up on October 31st but Pokemon X & Y players will get to celebrate it a little early as Nintendo is giving away a free Pokemon via the Internet Mystery Gift function. The holiday appropriate give away Pokemon is Pumpkaboo, a ghost/grass type who evolves into the very bulky Gourgeist, perfect for messing up your opponents team with leech seed, will-o-wisp or for switching to when you’re up against a strong fighting type.
The Pumpkaboo you receive will be at level 50, be holding the fairly rare item Rocky Helmet and have the special OT of Spooky2014. That’s not all that is special about this specific Pumpkaboo though. This Pumpkaboo is of the very rare Super Size variety which gives it increased HP in exchange for speed and can also have its hidden ability Insomnia, which has not been possible for Super Size Pumpkaboo before this event. You can download the event now on Pokemon X or Pokemon Y in all regions. The event is scheduled to end on October 31st.
The Dragon Ball Xenoverse Network Test is now live on the PlayStation 3 for those in Europe and Australia, an entire 3 days earlier than expected! Before you get to excited, to play the Network Test you must have been offered entrance by Bandai Namco. If you have been chosen to participate you should have an email saying so, simply follow the prompts, sign in to your PSN account and get your code. The Network Test will need just under 1 GB of space to download.
As this is a test there are obviously some issues with lag, performance and mechanics not working correctly (I was having a fair bit of issues with the lock on system not being accurate or not responding) but for the most part my experience has been excellent. There is a bit of a learning curve but after an hour or so I was using melee, jumping and stringing together combos ending with Kamehameha waves right into my opponents that were being launched away. The combat is full of variety with players able to select 4 super attacks, 2 ultimate attacks and an escape move which will get you out of a tough spot at the expense of your guard gauge.
Other attacking options include weak and strong melee, jump attacks and throws, all of which are able to be combined into a combo. Side steps, jumps, boost dash and ascend/descend make up your movement arsenal and there is teleporting, guarding, just-guarding (a sort of parry) and the aforementioned escape move for your defensive options.
Apart from the fights, the hub area known as Toki Toki City is alot of fun and allows you to run around, interact with others, go shopping and partake in missions which can branch out to different objectives if you meet certain conditions (for example, getting Gohan to show up in his Four Star Dragon Ball outfit to protect his dad). The Network Test is very limited in what you can buy (there are only about 5 outfits for each body section) however mixing and matching them is still fun. At the moment you can not edit existing character’s trademark items colours but we are hoping this changes with release. There is a great variety of super attacks available that you can equip to your characters slots, many with different properties and effects such as melee specials, beam attacks, explosive attacks, ki charging and transformations like the Kaioken.
Fans of create a character will be very pleased with the offerings here, with the Beta alone providing a lot of variety in all parts of the character including hair styles, eye type, nose type and even how big you want your pupils to be. The full game will allow you to customise much more including body size, build and even your voice. We’re also hoping for the ability to edit aura style and colour and basic attacks such as your throw. If you want to fight with the characters from the show, pretty much the whole gang from the Saiyan Saga is also available for you to fight with in any mode.
So if you were the lucky recipient of a code jump on your PlayStation now, customise your own character and get into the fray as the game currently has a great active community. Any readers who have played the Network Test, let us know you’re experience in the comments below. If you’re in the US, check out our previous article to see how you can get your chance to play the Network Test in the upcoming days.
Young children are frightened of a lot of things, things that aren’t real, things that they don’t see and understand in quite the right way. Murasaki Baby tries to take those fears to an adult audience by putting players in contol of Baby, a very young girl who wakes up one night to find that her mother is gone. Players must guide Baby and her balloon through a series of odd locations in a quest to find her mother, using the touch screen to drag Baby and her balloon along.
Developers Ovosonico bill themselves as creators of “original, unconventional and artistically crafted” games. One look at Murasaki Baby is enough to back that up, as nigh on every element of the game stands out for its strangeness. The art style has just about every reviewer name dropping Tim Burton, the control scheme is so purely touch based that there isn’t even a pause button, and Baby has her mouth on her forehead. Creepy. The game was last seen as part of Sony’s E3 presentation, and was billed as something of a major event for the Vita.
Gameplay
In true Vita exclusive fashion Murasaki Baby is a tad obsessed with touch screen controls. Players use the front screen to direct Baby and her balloon, whilst the back screen is used to scroll between the different coloured backgrounds. The controls make for a pretty unique set up that offers cool puzzle solving oppurtunities, but it isn’t without flaws.
Players drag Baby along by the hand, and whilst it’s an usual mechanic that feels right for the character , the fact that Baby trips over if you tug her along too quickly moves from cute character work to irritation when combined with some of the other control issues.
Baby’s balloon is a stand in for a health bar, and if it gets popped then she’ll burst into tears and the checkpoint will reload. The balloon is vulnerable to enemies and to environmental obstacles, so the player has to take control of it by dragging it around the screen. Attempting to manoeuvre Baby and her balloon simultaneously can lead to some interesting finger contortions!
As Baby progresses through the sinister world she will meet other weird and wonderful creatures. Some, like the flying safety pins, are enemies and others are intensely odd things that eventually become allies of a sort. Baby can even unlock other backgrounds by popping the balloons that other characters carry.
The backgrounds are a key part of the game’s puzzles, as every one has its own unique power that can be activated by tapping the back screen. As the game progresses more and more backgrounds are unlocked, allowing for more complex puzzles. To start with players can only frighten Baby (and whatever else is on screen) by unleashing Jack-in-the-Boxes, but that is quickly joined by the power to make the wind blow, lightning strike etc. Most of the powers are elemental, and combining them to solve the puzzles can be a lot of fun, especially when Baby is clearly pleased with the result.
Flicking between the environments to solve puzzles is a neat mechanic, but the enjoyment is undermined by the game’s reliance on touch screen controls. There are moments in the game that require speed and precision in four different tasks: changing backgrounds, activating powers, moving Baby, and protecting her balloon. I have short fingers and small hands, and eventually had to resort to resting the Vita on my legs so I could free up both hands to control the game. Not everyone has my midget digits, but if you do, fair warning- this game isn’t entirely handheld. The controls are smooth and responsive about 80% of the time, and the checkpoints are generous enough to make the few hiccups in that 20% minor irritations at best.
Audio & Visual
The first thing that hit me about Murasaki Baby was the unnerving presentation of the main character Baby. She has a mouth on her forehead, and makes creepy little noises throughout the game. She’s obsessed with her balloon, and will cry and wail if it gets away from her, or make terrified noises in response to certain locations and objects. That she displays different levels of fear is a nice touch, and her mewling cries for her mother manage to be both eery and innocent. Despite her odd appearance her childlike qualities feel very real, and its easy to suddenly feel responsible for her care.
The art style is clearly something that stands out, with a sketch effect foreground and a variety of themed and coloured backgrounds. Murasaki Baby teeters on the edge of The Uncanny Valley, and the design of all the characters that you encounter certainly enhances that characteristic feeling of unease.
Baby’s cries can get irritating, and it is definitely a game that requires headphones; these noises aren’t going to be appreciated by the people sitting next to you (and that’s partly a compliment to the game’s atmosphere).
Overall
Murasaki Baby is an odd one. It has a lot of unusual ideas and the sound and visual design are very strong. It has a unique presentation and feel to it, and if you can bypass the issues with the controls then there is an enjoyable experience to be had. At 3-4 hours long it’s right in the Goldilocks zone of length to price ratio, and it even has the odd touching moment to flesh it out a little. It isn’t a defining moment for the Vita by any means, but an interesting one nonetheless.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
As any good Jedi will tell you; reading is an important part of a young padawan’s training in the ways of the force. Now, thanks to Disney’s new Star Wars Reads Day initiative, you and your entire family can pick up your favourite Star Wars book, and learn about the Jedi, the Sith and all of the battles from a long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away with Star Wars Reads Day. On October 11th, Star Wars Reads Day aims to encourage younglings to pick up a book,
Isn’t it a little ironic that Star Wars is celebrating reading so soon after making all of the Star Wars novels non-canon to its universe? Something to ponder! Either way this is a great initiative and I am all for more people reading, so make sure you head down to your local book store and check out the festivities, and maybe even pick up one or two new books! As always, Make sure you stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the Star Wars news as it becomes available and may the force be with you.
It has been nearly a year since we heard that NIS America picked up the license to release The Eccentric Family in North America and now we finally have word of a release date. The company revealed today that they will be releasing The Eccentric Family Complete Premium Edition on January 6, 2015. The release will be Blu-ray only and come with all thirteen episodes, a 64 page full color art book, and a collectable slipcase.
As you can see in the image above, this release will be similar to how Toradora! and Cardcaptor Sakura were packaged, in a more standard art box compared to the longer and larger art boxes used in most of NIS America‘s premium editions. The full release can currently be pre-ordered from NIS America’s online store at a discounted price of $51.99 and it will include a bonus item that will be revealed closer to release.
The highly anticipated Lord of the Rings game Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordorhas launched in North America for next generation consoles and Windows. A European release will follow later this week on October 3rd, 2014. PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 owners will have to wait until November 18th in North America and November 21st in Europe to get their hands on the title.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordortakes the franchise in a new non-canon direction. Talion is a ranger who is murdered along with his family by Sauron’s army. He comes back to life with new wraith powers that augment his ranger skills and is now on a path of vengeance. The new nemesis system will allow Talion to develop a unique experience in this open world action game, by having major characters take in account Talion’s previous interactions with them.
Today FUNimation released the most recent One Piece movie, One Piece – Film Z, in North America and considering they have released it containing both the English and Japanese voice track, the company has released a launch trailer for the movie which can be found below.
Those interested in picking up the movie can check out our review here, while FUNimation has provided the below story synopsis:
Said to be comparable to the Ancient Weapons of old, the Marines’ trump card, the “Dyna Stones,” have suddenly been stolen by a group of renegade vigilantes. The terrifyingly powerful man responsible, former Marine Admiral “Z”, now stands in the path of Luffy and his Straw Hat Pirates. Can the Straw Hats defeat “Z” and his crew, or will the New World meet its end at the hands of this mad man?
We still have very few details about Dead or Alive 5: Last Round other than the fact that it is heading to both current-gen consoles as well as last-gen consoles. Now thanks to the latest issue of Famitsu, and summarized at GamesTalk, we have learned that not only are a couple of new characters on the way but that she will be a bit different than the others.
The magazine reports that the new female character is not a returning character and will be brand new for the series and that she is being developed using what Koei Tecmo describes as their “Soft Engine” which apparently has been designed to replicate the “softness and warmth” of a character’s skin.
Additional details include a new male character being added, though it was not said if he has been in the series before, additional hairstyles, and “The Danger Zone” level being brought back from Dead or Alive 2.
Koei Tecmo has already revealed that Dead or Alive 5: Last Round will be released in the West and it will be interesting to see just who this new character might be. Considering the teases of collaboration between the two franchises, it might even be a guest character from the Senran Kagura series.
With the 2014 New York Comic-Con set for October 9th through the 12th, Viz Media has announced their plans for the event and these plans happen to contain quite a few events. On top of these events, Viz will also be at booth #1944 where they will be selling various products including pre-orders for some of their upcoming titles, including copies of Sailor Moon where those who pre-order during the event will be given a special coin that has long-since went unavailable. Other special merchandise which will be revealed later today.
The company will be welcoming manga artist Takeshi Obata as their guest of honor as he makes his first-ever U.S. event appearance. Those unfamiliar with the name will probably recognize some of the manga he has worked on in the past, as it includes Death Note, Bakuman., Hikaru no Go, and All You Need is Kill. Obata will be taking part in the Weekly Shonen Jump panel and will be appearing at several different events during Comic-Con.
Full details of all of the events and their time frame can be found below:
Thursday October 9th 3:15PM – 4:00PM Panel: VIZ MEDIA PANEL (Room 1A14)
Join VIZ Media and pull back the curtain on favorite manga and anime series. Be among the first to hear about upcoming releases and new acquisitions and throw questions at staff and grab FREE manga prizes while supplies last!
6:00PM – 6:45PM Panel: THE FUTURE OF WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP (Room 1A14)
Join the editors of VIZ Media’s WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and editors from Japan’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine to welcome Takeshi Obata for an enlightening personal discussion on what’s new and what’s next for the long-running manga anthology which launched best-selling titles such as NARUTO, BLEACH, ONE PIECE, DRAGON BALL as well as Obata’s BAKUMAN。and DEATH NOTE series.
Friday October 10th 2:00PM – 2:45PM Panel: VOLTRON: A 30TH ANNIVERSARY
CELEBRATION PRESENTED BY PERFECT SQUARE (Room 1A21)
In 1984, Voltron: Defender of the Universe hit the TV, and the world of giant robots has never been the same. In honor of Voltron’s 30th anniversary, join the staff of VIZ Media’s Perfect Square imprint for a very special peek behind the curtain at this cultural phenomenon with special guests, new product announcements and much, much more!
5:00PM – 5:45PM Panel: WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP PRESENTS
TAKESHI OBATA, MANGA ARTIST (Room 1A21)
Join VIZ Media and the staff of WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP to welcome very special guest Takeshi Obata and his editor Koji Yoshida for a conversation about Obata’s beginnings as an artist, his extensive history working in the manga industry, and the creative process behind his works. Don’t miss this extraordinary opportunity!
Saturday October 11th 4:15PM – 5:00PM Panel: OFFICIAL SAILOR MOON PANEL (Room 1A14)
Come on a journey with the legendary Guardian of love and justice, Sailor Moon! Members of the VIZ Media SAILOR MOON animation team will talk about the impact of this beloved anime series, show footage from the re-mastered episodes and celebrate the long-awaited return of Usagi and her friends!
Scheduled Booth Activities:
VIZ Media Prize Wheel of Destiny: Take a spin for a chance to win a surprise goodie like t-shirts, posters, stickers and more! While supplies last.
DORAEMON Meet & Greet: Drop by for a photo op with everyone’s favorite big blue cat-type robot from the future!
SAILOR MOON PHOTO SESSION: Meet Guardian Sailor Moon (official cosplayer) and bring your own camera/phone and take your own “Sailor Selfie”!
VOLTRON Mascot Appearance: Become a Defender of the Universe with an official photo.
VIZ Media /WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP Newsletter Sign-Up: Receive the latest digital news about your favorite anime and manga titles and get a free Takeshi Obata full-color poster!
Assassin’s Creed: Identity, the first action-RPG in the franchise’s history, has soft launched in Australia and New Zealand for iOS devices. The soft launch is integral to gathering feedback for final development tweaks before Ubisoft‘s planned full release in 2015.
The title is being developed by Blue Byte (a Ubisoft studio) in Unity, and allows players to create and customise their own assassins, roam the familiar backdrops of Florence, the Coliseum and other Italian cities in full 3D, and take on literally thousands of missions. This is like having a console entry on your mobile, with dynamic crowds, time and weather systems and real-time lighting, as well as the series’ trademark free movement capabilities all implemented in the experience. Cyril Voiron, Head of Mobile developments at Blue Byte, stated;
This soft launch is an important step in the development process for Assassin’s Creed Identity. We’re looking forward to receiving feedback on the game from players in Australia and New Zealand, and think that by leveraging Unity engine, along with assets from previous Assassin’s Creed console titles, Assassin’s Creed Identity will deliver an authentic Assassin’s Creed experience on mobile devices.
You can downloadAssassin’s Creed: Identity for free right now from the App Store.
