Astro Gaming has launched their newest headset today. The Astro Gaming A38 Active Noise Cancelling Headset is based on the A30 Gaming Headset’s design, adding wireless Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity and active noise cancellation speakers. The A38 supports the aptX audio codec, allowing for near CD quality sound over a Bluetooth connection, an improvement over the more common A2DP codec.
The active noise cancellation technology and closed ear cups allows owners to listen and talk even in the noisiest of conditions. The battery supports over 20 hours of battery life on a single charge. Since the A38 is based on the A30’s designs, existing A30 Speaker Tags are compatible with the A38, allowing owners to customize their headset to match their style.
Aron Drayer, VP of Marketing, ASTRO Gaming/Skullcandy Gaming said:
“The ASTRO A38 Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Headset represents the culmination of ASTRO Gaming’s efforts to provide tech savvy consumers with a premium audio solution for their growing mobile gaming and communication needs. The ASTRO A38 delivers as one of the most technologically advanced and aurally pleasing headsets we’ve ever developed — maintaining the signature ASTRO Audio, comfort and build quality users have come to expect from the ASTRO Gaming brand.”
The Astro A38 Active Noise Cancelling Headset is available now at the Astro Gaming website for $230 USD. American buyers will also receive three months of Spotify Premium with their purchase.
It has been revealed by Koei Tecmo that the Japaense release date for Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires has been pushed back once again. Originally the title was meant to be released on September 25th for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 3 before being delayed until October and now its current release date in Japan is set for November 20th.
Thankfully the delay is not the only news for Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires, as additional details have come to light concerning the game’s customization and editing system. This week’s issue of Famitsu reveals that players will be able to customize many aspects of their character, including wrinkles and combining facial hair types, as well as choose from a number of new costumes and colors. Players will even be able to edit the size and physique of their soldiers and horses through the troop editor mechanic.
Yesterday WayForward revealed over Twitter that they are currently planning to release Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse in the middle of October in North America while gamers in Europe and Australia will have to wait a little bit longer. While no time frame was announced for those areas, the reason for the delay is “due to the localization/submission process.”
#Shantae and the Pirate's Curse will likely release in mid-October in the US. We'll announce the date once we have it.
Currently no price has been announced for Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse but it is set to be released on both the Nintendo 3DS as well as the Wii U and a trailer for the game can be found below.
If you were hoping to see just how the next WWE game would look on a current generation console then we have some bad news for ya. Today 2K Games announced that the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions of WWE 2K15 have been delayed until November 18th in North America while gamres in Europe can now expect it on November 21st. The game’s release date on old-gen consoles such as the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 remain unchanged as it will still be released on October 28th in North America and October 31st elsewhere.
The reason given given for the delay is to allow for additional time to make sure the game “fully meets our expectations” and that “Visual Concepts and Yukes are committed to delivering the most authentic and action packed WWE experience to date.”
Today Atlus USA has released a handful of English trailers for Persona 4 Arena Ultimax. First we have a story trailer as well as a trailer that shows off the new systems for the game and following that we have three new character trailers.
Two of these trailers are for Adachi and Marie who are free to download for one week after the game’s launch while Aigis is already in the game by default. You can check out the trailers below and be sure to keep an eye out for Persona 4 Arena Ultimax when it is released for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on September 30th.
Niccolo Paganini was considered one of the musical geniuses of his time and played in concert halls across Europe. Following his death and his refusal to accept last rites, a legend retroactively formed concerning his musical talent and the possibility that said talent had originated from a deal with a certain malevolent otherworldly entity. This legend has inspired many works of fiction concerning the noted composer and it is in through this legend that The Devil’s Violinist seeks to portray the story of Paganini. The director, Bernard Rose, created a similar biopic about Ludwig Van Beethoven (Immortal Beloved) which received a mixed reception. Does his return to a similar subject matter in this new film present a culmination of his experience in film making or a shallow attempt to recapture glory from a decade ago?
Story
The plot focuses upon the eponymous violinist; Niccolo Paganini (David Garrett), as we see him rise from obscurity to fame with the assistance of his sinister manager, Urbani (Jared Harris). Urbani facilitates Paganini’s indulgence of his baser urges and cultivates an infamous reputation for his charge amongst the wider public. The focus shifts from Paganini to an English entrepreneur, John Watson (Christian McKay), and his family. Along with the help of Urbani, he is able to attract Paganini to come play in London. Trouble ensues as Paganini encounters moral crusaders who protest against his immoral music (and philandering ways), an ambitious journalist eager to make a name for themselves (Joely Richardson), and love in the form of Watson’s daughter; Charlotte Watson.
Let me come right off the bat and say immediately that Garrett’s performance in this movie is nothing short of cringeworthy. This is understandable considering Garrett is a musician, not an actor, but it is very jarring throughout the film to see him portray the title role with such a wooden performance. His performance also serves to reinforce the fact that the writing is quite clumsy and forced in parts (especially the first act). His subpar performance stands in stark contrast to the almost pantomime, camp performances of Harris and Richardson. Although the film tries to portray the life of Paganini as a 19th century rockstar (which is an awesome concept), Garrett simply does not have the charisma, charm or bravado to create such a commanding persona.
The above being said, he does excel in several sequences throughout the film where he performs the works of Paganini in front of the camera. Throughout the movie, characters make reference to Paganini’s genius with playing the violin and how he transformed it from a simple instrument into a living, writhing object. With bow in hand, Garrett was able to convince me that such descriptions aren’t entirely hyperbole and it is to the director’s credit that he was able to capture such an energetic performance with the camera lens. These sequences where Garrett performs as a violinist are by far the best highlight of the entire film.
It becomes a shame then that these moments are diluted by an overly packed script. The narrative and dialogue were in dire need of an editor to do away with superfluous conversations, scenes, and entire acts. Throughout the film we are given plot points and details which ultimately lead to nowhere. The narrative hints at deeper issues such as Paganini’s drug use and his troubled relationship with his father but never seeks to explore them any further than in infrequent instances where they are meant to have an effect on the wider plot or explain some character motivations. The film goes for 2 hours but it feels like most of it is padding which can be cut away to reveal a leaner, meaner 90 minute (or even 80 minute) movie underneath.
The supporting actors do very well in their roles, as previously mentioned, considering the lead and script they have to play against. Harris is delightfully sinister as Urbani and with the hungering ambition of Richardson, we are able to enjoy some excellent over-the-top performances from two highly experienced and skilled actors. McKay and Deck also put in some good work but are ultimately overshadowed by the stronger supporting cast and the weaker lead. The direction to the actors should have played up this camp, pantomime performance and to have done away with any pretence of realism but this, I admit, would have largely been to my personal tastes and the film might have also benefited from having the actors give more toned down performances in the other direction.
Visuals
The visuals are passable with a few exceptions here and there. The direction of the musical sequences where Garrett plays the violin are excellent in their construction and emotive impact with plenty of close ups of musician and instrument, but outside these moments we don’t see much which is interesting visually. The costume design is eclectic with a mixture of sensible Pre-Victorian era clothing for most of the characters but eccentric Commedia Delle Arte style costumes for Harris and Ferres. Their costumes appeal to me personally, but I think the production would have benefited from a unified vision in one style or the other.
Audio
The sound design is where this film stands out and proves its worth, especially in the sequences where Garrett himself plays Paganini’s pieces. I have honestly never heard of Niccolo Paganini before I had seen this film but after seeing this film I have actively gone out and sought out his work. You should see this as high praise as my own musical tastes are more aligned with thrash metal than with classical violin solos. My only criticism would be that there are not more instances of Garrett performing Paganini’s compositions as they would have been eminently more enjoyable than having to listen to him deliver dialogue.
Overall
It was interesting to see Rose do another film covering the life of one of history’s greatest composers and although it made for some interesting sequences to have an actual violinist play ‘The Devil’s Violinist’, it was ultimately a mistake in my opinion. This film’s concept had so much potential behind it in the portrayal of a 19th century composer through the lens of modern day celebrity, but alas there are too many misses and not enough hits. I personally enjoyed it for the moments when the film did hit the right notes, but as I’ve said before; these are few far between. Unless you have the patience to sit through the lulls, I can’t recommend you watch this film.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Team 17 return from the Worms franchise with a Lemmings inspired puzzle of madness, dark humour and gore in Flockers. The sheep infused steampunk universe will take players into a baa-d nightmare – a non-sexualised and more violent version of ‘Catherine’. Is Flockers the next best thing for Team 17 or just a sheep thrill?
Story
Meet the Flockers, a herd of cartoonish sheep running rampage in the Worm’s weapons factory towards freedom. To reach the green pastures, the flock must survive a series of deadly machinery and heinous traps across sixty levels, plus bonus levels. It is at the hands of you, the Shepherd, to guide the school of flock to safety by shearing through each of the diabolical puzzles. In an attempt to further the narrative behind Flockers, the game features animated cut scenes for sheer amusement. The story is feeble and simply an extension of the previous Worms titles. Nevertheless, players won’t mind too much about the lack of story, as the game engages them to apply strategic thinking, time management and tactical skills.
Gameplay
The mechanics of Flockers seem straightforward enough for an A to B puzzle, however there are a few elements which contribute to the challenging nature of the game. To kill a flocking herd, players just need to sit back and enjoy the show. Unless they are extremely lucky, the sheep cannot make it through the level alive on their own. Players need to strategically distribute abilities and formations to certain members of the herd, based on the number of special boxes they collect. The designer hat (purple beanie) enables sheep to jump over gaps, the red cape entitles sheep to fly up walls and the explosive device can be used to blow up sheep and destroy wooden crates. There are four types of formations – one square, two squares, two steps and three steps –most of which halt sheep to become stepping stones for accessing higher platforms, and barriers to prevent their woolly friends from committing suicide. These sheep can be released from their formations, although usually the ones that stop are left behind and don’t make to the end.
One of the most convenient in-game options is being able to fast-forward and pause at any time in each of the levels. The pause feature is particularly useful for zooming out of the map and planning the safest path/s ahead for your flock – even if there is only one sheep remaining. In contrast, when you cannot prevent the sheep shaving, it’s best to speed up the process and focus on the lambs that count. Players will get to the end of the puzzle with a few sheep still active; yet sacrifices must be made to ensure that the fittest sheep (technically the best dressed) survive.
At the end of each 10 minute level, players will receive bonuses for the sheep saved, time taken, abilities left and Golden Fleece captured. As an incentive for replay, players are rated with three stars per level for their overall performance and can earn rewards in the form of new types of sheep. For example, if you three star 30 levels you get the Skeleton Sheep. Of course, the most satisfying achievement is the Black Sheep for completing every level – it is hard to bleat! A leaderboard is accessible for online gameplay and a good motivator for players to improve their scores.
Much to my disappointment, the controls are a flocking mess on the Xbox One. Having to use the left joystick for moving the cursor and the D-pad for toggle zoom is difficult to manage in the same frame. The cursor is ridiculously slow and inaccurate (despite modifying cursor sensitivity), which makes the entire gameplay process a lot more frustrating. From the get-go, players are expected to understand how Flockers works with a few diagrams and in-game pointers. While there is a menu for understanding the game controls and having the choice to change the controller layout, the options are limited and hard to adjust to.
Visuals & Audio
Flock and Awe. The visuals and animation are stunning, for the very fact that a strong contrast exists between the white cotton balls of sheep and the dark and sinister steampunk universe. Once you claim the prizes of white, green, pink, black, purple and blue blood – the massacre is a masterpiece. The lead artist, Chris Black and lead designer, John Eggett created a surrealistic atmosphere that defies gravity and teleportation for flocking slaughter, much to the macabre style of Tim Burton’s work.
Oliver Wood delivers a rather odd and cheerful soundtrack for Flockers, almost as if players are taking a pleasant ride through a theme park or playing on a baa-cade machine. The repetitive music hits a few nerves, although works quite well as background tunes for maintaining concentration in the game. What I loved most about the sound effects and design, was the authenticity of the grinding machinery and the realness given to herd of sheep. The gruesome yelps of pain that come with being squashed to death or sliced to smithereens by a buzz saw is heartbreaking . . . the first few times. Once players accept that most sheep cannot survive, they’ll start to like the sound of them dying.
Overall
Flockers is baa far an immensely funny and entertaining puzzler, which will have players grazed and confused. Who would’ve thought that Team 17 would serve up Lamb as their main course . . . and raise the baa-r! Forgive the sheepish puns, but Flockers is definitely worth buying for avid Lemmings fans. Lucky for you, the sheep are breaking baa-d on PC and PS4 as well. From me to ewe, baa-rty hard!
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Destiny has transformed from one of the most hyped video game releases of all time to a hot topic in the center of several debates. You see, reviews from several outlets are finally coming in, and the results are mixed. Is it a bad thing to get an 8? No, not at all. I personally love Destiny (or what I have played thus far) and honestly believe Bungie delivered on their promises. But if a developer manages to deliver on promises, can they also beat the hype? That is the issue, as when people spend money, they want to feel like they are justified doing so and nothing upsets gamers more than spending money on something that isn’t loved by everyone else (funny world, eh?). The so called “gamers” these days want something they can attach themselves to for years at a time, and without an unforgettable story to replay, and all of those other Game of the Year elements, the crowd who picked this title up day one are starting to get a little fussy.
As many of you know, Bungie worked on Destiny for years (with rumors of development dating back to 2009 and earlier due to the sign you see above from Halo 3: ODST), but it wasn’t until Activision and Bungie made their partnership known in late 2012 to confirm its existence that we all became victims of the hype. Sure, the new consoles were not announced at that time, but pre-order bonuses came shortly after, people were hitting up retailers, and buzz was everywhere for the game no one really knew anything about aside from the fact that it was Halo with a better fashion sense. Soon enough, we would learn about the Playstation 4 and Xbox One versions, and hear all about how this one game was going to change the way an entire audience thought about the FPS genre. It was all great – until release day. Now the game looms in a center spot where yes, it is good, but it isn’t good enough to enthrall everyone, causing reception from critics and gamers alike to be mixed. Fans of the game are upset because of the criticism, while those disappointed want to try to share their frustrations on every public review site known to man. That is the whole conversation, and yes, hype is a part of it, but so many of us forget how each new generation seems to work.
Every generation of gaming takes a couple of years to take off, as one or two big releases have to pave the way for what the flagship genre is going to be across the board. Last generation, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Halo 3 took the first-person shooter genre from a rapidly growing market to a blockbuster genre that could do little wrong in the eyes of most. The motion controlled gimmickry also had Nintendo take the lead, but would also lead Nintendo down an individual path where the famed publisher would no longer try to compete with visuals, but go after delivering unique and more family oriented experiences. Before that, the Playstation 2, Gamecube, and Xbox were duking it out as well, with Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy X making the biggest splashes, cementing the longevity of the Playstation 2 as Nintendo and Microsoft took a backseat to churn up what would take them to the top later on. As similar as the games are this current generation compared to the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, we are in a totally different atmosphere than where we were in 2007. Minecraft is now the top selling game across the board, and Call of Duty and Halo have not fizzled, but definitely lack the impact they used to have.
Enter Destiny. 2014. A game with a huge budget, millions spent on promotion, and all of the tools needed to be successful. With the Playstation 4 currently in the lead of the next generation, we get our exclusive content on that console – which honestly makes sense. Why isn’t Destiny being deemed Game of the Year yet though? Well, for one there really isn’t a solid story, and the performances from the voice actors in my opinion are so-so at best (Sorry Mr. Dinklage). There is also the issue of a shelf life, as no matter how much Bungie wants to promise, they cannot fight the fact that eventually this release will be one of those $4.99 budget bin games with a vacant server in years. Sure, those are the detractors, but Destiny is still an amazing experience. The gameplay is solid, the multiplayer is a blast, and if you have the right friends, this is a title that could live on for a long time, regardless of what the next big thing will be. Gamers now want everything or nothing though. If the game is too short, you will hear critics say “you can beat this in an hour”. If it is too long it is “riddled with boring filler”. Nothing is ever good enough as if you don’t make a Game of the Year in the AAA business, you’re title is considered a flop.
Destiny is not a Game of the Year title. It is not the best game ever made, nor is it the title that everyone will remember for kickstarting this generation. It is however a release that is trying to take this online, digital mentality that console gaming has been trying for years and make it an easier pill to swallow. Sure, the gold trophies may not surround Bungie’s latest, but I want to think it will be remembered for starting a new trend. Across all genres, maybe we will finally see single player experiences crossover into shared ones with integrated multiplayer, as well as further improvement on the narrative for this franchise as feedback rolls in. Gamers are voting with their wallets and while Destiny is already a monster hit, it lacks some of the key ingredients to be legendary. Destiny won’t be known for being a classic, but instead as one of the first games that delivered to the generation of the “now” – and that is perfectly fine. Stop trying to take pictures of the stars, and enjoy them for what they are before they fizzle out. Destiny is a fantastic game right now, and for now – that is all that matters.
Vlad the Impaler– One part RPG, one part graphic novel, and one part adventure game, Vlad the Impaler gives a fantasy spin to the dreaded historical figure.
Motte Island– A new perspective on the horror genre, players will explore Motte Island on a quest to rescue their sister from the forces of evil.
The Campaign Series: Fall Weiss – A turn based strategy game covering the Polish battlefield in the early days of World War II.
The Witch’s Yarn – A quirky point and click adventure featuring a widowed witch named Wednesday who gave up everything for her human lover, who has now died. Wednesday’s humble life as a small business owner is about to be turned upside down.
Hero Siege – Don’t die in this hack’n slash rogue-like RPG. The game features over 70 enemies, 8 classes, and 130 items.
Words for Evil – Take one part of Boggle and mix it with an RPG, shake thoroughly, and pour out Words for Evil. Be sure to vote for the game on Steam Greenlight.
For the first 24 hours of the sale, Indie Gala’s Every Monday Bundle #25 will be $1.89. Afterwards, the price will rise, so snag a copy at Indie Gala now.
In a video reminiscent of David Attenborough’s nature documentaries, Ubisoft showed off the elephants that inhabit Kyrat in a new trailer. Players will be able to ride into battle on these giant mammals in Far Cry 4. The elephants are able to use their massive bodies to destroy barricades and crush enemies underfoot.
Far Cry 4 takes players to Kyrat, a fictional region up in the Himalaya mountains. Pagan Min has declared himself king and taken control of the area, which is now embroiled in a violent civil war. The game will be released for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Windows on November 18th, 2014 in North America and Europe. Australians will have to wait til November 20th to get their hands on the game.
