The second instalment in Tap It Games and Artifex Mundi‘s 9 Cluesseries, 9 Clues 2: The Ward, is out now for PC with a Mac release incoming, and mobile and tablets versions planned for later in the year.
The point-and-click adventure/puzzle title asks the player to solve the murder of Doctor Crow, a therapist working out of Mnemosyne Asylum. The story’s backdrop of a psychiatric hospital in 1950’s America makes for an atmospheric experience, set across 42 locations with 18 dynamic mini-games, 39 achievements to unlock and an intuitive Detective Mode that really puts you in the shoes of the main character during this investigation. Check out the official 9 Clues 2: The Ward trailer and gallery of screenshots below!
The popular Razer Deathadder has received a major upgrade. Now called the Razer Deathadder Chroma, the mouse has seen a major bump in its specs along with the most eye catching feature, multi-coloured LEDs. The traditional acid green LEDs have been upgraded to colour changing LEDs that offer more than 16.8 million possible colours. Under the hood, the sensor has been upgraded to an 10,000 DPI optical sensor capable of 50 G acceleration.
On the software side, the Razer DeathAdder Chroma will have some new features in Razer Synapse. The software will continue to provide control over the sensor and will now also be able to control the LEDs. An SDK has been released to allow software developers to trigger lighting effect changes during certain event. For example, taking damage in an FPS could cause the mouse LEDs to flash red. Finally, statistics nerds will be able to delve into data about their mouse, such as button presses, distance traveled, and pressure exerted on the mouse.
The Razer DeathAdder Chroma is available for pre-order now and is priced at $99.99 AUD. The mouse joins the Razer Blackwidow Chroma and the Razer Kraken 7.1 Chroma. Learn more about the Chroma series at the official mini-site.
During the inaugural Australian Nintendo Direct broadcast made earlier today, Nintendo has confirmed the release date of the New Nintendo 3DS console for Australia and New Zealand. The release date for Australia and New Zealand is set for the 21st of November, just in time for the (summertime) Christmas rush! This release date also coincides with the release date of Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, making it an ideal item for anyone looking to upgrade their console for Pokémon’s release.
This is the first announcement of the release schedule for the New 3DS outside of Japan, and the FIRST Western release area to receive the console only just over a month after the intended Japanese release date of October 11th. Hopefully this is the first of many announcements to come for other regions, who may also hold out hope for a release before the holiday season. Both a regular size and XL version will be available upon release for the Australian price points of $219.95 and $249.95 respectively. The official Nintendo announcement can be found on the Nintendo Australia webpage here.
Magic: The Gathering is filled with a wide variety of products that cover a wide variety of players and skill levels. Duel Decks are one of those products that is made for a wide-variety of skill levels; they can be used to teach new players the game, give experts an opportunity to play against each other on an even footing. Casual players get access to some cards that they otherwise wouldn’t have seen and veterans get highly desired reprints.
Speed vs Cunning is the latest in a long line of Duel Decks and draws heavy inspiration from the upcoming Khans of Tarkir set. Each of the two 60-card decks is based around one of the two clans; Speed is the Red/Black/White clan Mardu, while cunning is the Blue/Red/White clan Jeskai. Since it was released just prior to Khans of Tarkir, Wizards has found it pertinent to put in a few preview cards from the upcoming set, so lets take a look at those:
The first two cards are part of a cycle of lands that tap for one of three colours. These lands are powerful in literally any format of the game, but will almost certainly see play in the Commander format. The fact that they come into play tap slows them down a little bit but the versatility they provide cannot ever be understated.
The next card is part of the Cunning deck and shows off the special ability of the Jeskai Clan: Prowess. Prowess rewards you for playing non-creature spells by buffing up the creatires you control. With a lot of non-creature spells to sling in the Cunning deck, you will surely get some versatility out of Jeskai Elder.
On the other side, Speed gets Mardu Heart-Piercer, who shows off the new Mardu ability; Raid. Raid an ability that rewards you for attacking first and asking questions later by giving you additional benefits for doing so. This is especially important as it is typically a good tactical move to make when playing.
Then we come to the rares. The Speed deck gets Zurgo Helmsmasher, the Khan of the Mardu Clan and as you can see above he is an absolute BEAST! 7/2 attacker for 5 mana is incredible and the fact that he is indestructible as long as it is your turn just makes him all the more better. Don’t be surprised if this huge sucker sees some competitive play, and you get a foil, alternate-art version straight out of the box.
The last new card in the set is Thousand Winds, and he can single-handedly blow out the entire Speed deck in one move. His morph ability is incredibly powerful, and the fact that he is a 5/6 flyer can’t be understated.
However Duel Decks aren’t always about new cards. In fact, Speed vs Cunning features a few important reprints, especially these ones:
Arcanis, Krenko, Lightning Helix and Lightning Angel have all left lasting impressions on the game since their original printings, and the fact that players new and old can get their hands on them without having to shell out tonnes of money or dig through old dusty boxes is awesome.
Speed vs Cunning’s two decks showcase two of Magic’s most prominent gameplay styles; Speed covers an aggressive strategy while Cunning is all about control. Each of the decks are simple enough to understand for the purpose of new players, while also doing a fine job of showcasing what each style is about. Speed’s agro-style is quick off the mark but if it is stalled by Cunning’s control-oriented spells then it likely wont recover. On the flip-side, Cunning’s counter and bounce-spells can keep Speed locked down until it can drop one of its giant creatures.
Each game of Speed vs Cunning is a bit of a race and because of this you never know how it will turn out. This makes it one of the more fun Duel Decks that I have played in a long time, and although it isn’t as powerful as some previous decks, it is still a great addition to the line.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Overview Licensing an anime before it ever airs in Japan is something that many English publishers must do to acquire the rights to specific series. While some series might have a long standing fan base or fits into a particularly popular genre, occasionally risks are taken. When NIS America announced the license acquisition of Love Live! School Idol Project’s first season it caught me by surprise as not only are idol shows generally untested waters in the West, but the various promotional material released in Japan over the course of a few years to build a following never stuck with English anime viewers.
Now a year and a half later and Love Live! School Idol Project Season 1 has been released to a fan base that may have already watched the second season and probably has spent time playing a certain rhythm game featuring the cast. That being said, is this release worth picking up for fans and newcomers?
Story Honoka Kosaka is in her second year of high school but it seems that her new year won’t be all sunshine and roses. At the start of the year, Otonokizaka Academy tells its students that they will be closing down because of their low number of students and the lack of applicants, the school will be shut down once the first year’s graduate.
The usually cheerful Honoka is so shocked by this news she nearly passes out, and although she doesn’t seem to bothered by the fact that the school will remain open until her graduation, she vows to do anything it takes to save the school. After catching her sister looking at other schools, she learns that some of the most popular schools around feature school idols.
With the help of her best friends Umi and Kotori, Honoka puts into motion her plans to start a school idol group and try to save the school by becoming popular and increasing the amount of student applications. Unfortunately this task isn’t as easy as it sounds. Not only are these three amateurs unfamiliar with the idol scene, only one of them has been taking part in physical activities and none of them have experience writing lyrics or singing.
To make matters worse, the student council rejects their idea of creating an idol group as a way to save the school, refusing to give them any assistance. With the help of some fellow classmates, Honoko, Umi, and Kotori still continue to practice in an effort to save the school with their now named idol group μ’s. With a song, dance choreography, new costumes, and renewed vigor, these three face utter disappointment with their first performance.
Despite this, the optimistic trio continues to work towards their dream of saving the school while gaining new members in what turns out to be a light-hearted series filled with touching moments, great comedy, a varied cast of characters that mesh together to create a lovable, albeit underdeveloped cast, and a somewhat realistic approach to the trials of becoming an idol.
While many idol series tend to focus on an already established group or simply gloss over the amount of effort the girls need to put in and possibility of failure, most of the emotional moments within Love Live! occur during these failures. That being said, outside of some forced drama near the end of the series, Love Live! School Idol Project’s first season is a series that will make you smile more often than not and a lot of the enjoyment comes from the characters.
It is a bit disappointing however that, at times, a few girls join as a group and it feels like a few characters end up getting sidelined because of this. We see Umi, Eli, and even Nico, develop over time as they overcome their fears or take a step towards their goal but at the same time, other members are glossed over, even if they still have plenty of air time.
Although many of the nine girls that form μ’s are simply variations of character types, these girls happen to be so likable and their interactions with one another so fun that it doesn’t become an issue even if they happen to be underdeveloped. With as much charm that flows out of Love Live!, the optimistic nature of Honoka, and some amazing character-based humor it is easy to see why Love Live! has caught the attention of fans in both Japan and North America.
Visuals While the characters are amazing and the humor can be golden, a large amount of this success is thanks to the amount of effort put into designing these girls. Each girl has her own unique look and style, which is essential for a series that focuses heavily on performances and features as many costume changes that appear throughout Love Live! From their school uniforms to their exercise gear and eventually to all of the outfits they wear throughout performances, each girl is charming. As for the humor, a decent amount of the humor comes from character expressions and once again, since each girl has her own personality, they tend to react differently to each situation.
With a series as colorful and vibrant as Love Live! the performances are a real treat for the eyes. Once the performances occur, which is often, the animation style takes on a blend of standard animation techniques and 3D animation. The transition between the two styles is noticeable though just barely as the amount of detail on their outfits remains the same. It is worth noting that the 3D animation can be a bit stilted at times but it does little to bring down the overall quality present throughout the dances.
Audio This release features only the original Japanese voice track which is actually for the best considering all of the voice actresses for the girls of μ’s are also the singers for each of the songs throughout the series. When not taking part in a performance, the characters all feature voicework that fits their archetype, especially when it comes to the likes of Nico and Rin.
As for the quality of the songs used for the performances and all of the background music throughout the first season, they are simply superb. While the background music tends to be a little bit forgettable at times, there are numerous times that the beats for μ’s songs are used which is a nice touch. The songs used in the performances is varied and will be a real treat to anyone who is a fan of J-Pop music. As for the opening theme, “Bokura wa Ima no Kanu de” is a suitable, albeit somewhat spoiler filled opening performed by μ’s while the ending theme is “Kitto Seishun ga Kikoeru and while it is generally performed by all of μ’s, a few episodes feature a specific character taking the lead vocals.
Extras NIS America has returned to their oversized premium edition packaging for Love Live! School Idol Project Season 1, which means that the release comes with a large chipboard art case featuring colorful artwork of μ’s on each side, one featuring school uniforms and the other the opening theme idol costumes, a color art book and of course the two slim Blu-ray cases. The on-disc extras for this release include clean versions of the opening and ending themes, original Japanese trailers and promotional videos, and trailers for other NIS America releases.
Before we touch upon the art book, this release comes with a Weiß Schwarz card as well as a promo code that can be redeemed on the free-to-play smart phone rhythm game Love Live! School Idol Festival for an ultra-rare Honoka card.
Now the art book, which is stylized like a scrap book for this release, actually is rather packed with content. While it features the standard episode summaries, it also features character biographies and interviews with the voice actresses for each of the girls of μ’s. Interlaced among these interviews and summaries are pieces of artwork for the characters and as an added touch, the final page features “signatures” from the characters.
Overall Love Live! School Idol Project might have a few problems with character development throughout this first season but it is overshadowed by the fact that this is such a fun and charming series that you cannot help but smile as you watch it. Endearing characters that mesh well together to create a great source of humor and colorful artwork and performances top off an idol series that is not only accessible to those willing to give it a chance, but deserves its popularity.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Those Dark Souls II fans out there who were expecting to tackle the Crown of the Ivory King from tomorrow are in for a bit of a disappointment, as Namco have pushed back the released of the final installment of the Lost Crowns trilogy by one week. The new release date will be September 30th on Xbox 360 & Steam, and October 1st on PS3, which means if you haven’t completed the previous Crown of the Sunken King and Crown of the Iron King expansions, that there is still time.
Players who own the Dark Souls II Lost Crowns Season Pass will be able to download the new update when it goes live, while other players will be able to purchase it through their respective online store. Have you been playing the Lost Crowns Trilogy? Let us know your thoughts on the chapters in the comments below and remember to stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the Dark Souls news as it becomes available.
Roccat released the Kave XTD Stereo Gaming Headset today. The headset is armed with two 50mm neodymium driver tuned to be extremely clear while capable of outputting thundering bass. Attached to the earcups is a removable noise cancelling microphone that can be rotated 360 degrees. The headset is controlled with an in-line remote, all while weighing in at a light 305 grams.
“When ROCCAT designs a headset, we make big claims, and we back them up. Our renowned Kave XTD Series has a brand new family member, providing high-class stereo sound with supreme design quality,” said René Korte, CEO and founder of Roccat.
The Roccat Kave XTD Stereo Gaming Headset is available in several flavours, a limited edition Military theme and classic black with blue accents. The Roccat Kave XTD Stereo Headset is available in stores with an MSRP of $79.99. Learn more at the official product page.
Indie developer Castle Pixel (Rex Rocket) is moving onto a new project and is looking for funding on Kickstarter. Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King is a retro styled action-RPG with a epic tale. The game stars Lily, a young girl listening to an evening story spun by her Grandpa, starring her! Lily’s alter ego is a member of Knights of the Rose on a mission to free the king from an eternal sleep. The game features a mix of randomly generated and pre-designed maps displayed with colourful retro graphics. Gamers looking to relive the nostalgia of early Legend of Zelda titles will feel right at home with Blossom Tales: The Sleepy King.
The developers are turning to Kickstarter to help raise the funds needed to complete development. Castle Pixel is looking to raise $45,000 by October 17th, 2014. If they can raise the money, Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King is projected for a December 2015 launch. The game will launch for Windows. Other platforms are not yet planned, but remain a possibility. Check out their Kickstarter and be sure to vote for them on Steam Greenlight.
Sony Computer Entertainment Australia has announced that, from 5pm AEST, September 26 to 5pm AEST, September 29, all PlayStation 4 owners will be given free access to the PS Plus service, for multiplayer only. No sign ups will be required; just a whole weekend of free multiplayer action! Get your Destiny Crucible game on people!
Of course, as those who are already PS Plus members are aware, on top of enabling online multiplayer, subscribing to the service gets you two PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3 and PS Vita titles per month (accessible as long as you stay subscribed), exclusive PSN Store discounts and access to cloud storage for as little as $9.95 monthly. There are even better financial options with a 3 month commitment costing $19.95 and a year-long commitment only amounting to $69.95.
We are only weeks away from Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS releasing in the west, and the hype is everywhere (you feel it Shulk?). Today, Nintendo released a few commercials for the upcoming handheld version of the game, and to be honest, these clips are not too bad. I mean, sure – the original ad is hard to top, but the whole “Settle it in Smash” tagline works well with this campaign.
Nintendo are still remaining a bit tight-lipped about the Wii U version’s release date at the moment even though most know it already, but I can’t say I don’t blame them as it is wise to let the 3DS version to get as much momentum as it possibly can before release. Watch the clips below, and get ready to SETTLE IT IN SMASH! (yep, its quite effective).
