Australian anime distributor Hanabee has announced five new releases during the SMASH! 2014 convention earlier today. Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet, RWBY Volume 2, Hatorimonogatari, Red Vs. Blue Season 12 and Fate/kaleid Liner Prisma Illya Season 1 will all be released on DVD and Blu-ray later this year.
Hanabee has provided some detailed release info for each title:
Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet will be available on DVD and Blu-ray from the 5th of November 2014 in both dual English and Japanese Audio with English Subtitles.
RWBY Volume 2 will be available on DVD and Blu-ray from the 5th of November 2014. The series is currently simulcasting on Hanabee’s VOD site for free.
Hatorimonogatari will be available as a combo pack, including both DVD and Blu-ray from the 5th of November 2014 in Japanese Audio with English Subtitles.
Fate/kaleid Season 1 will be available on DVD and Blu-ray from the 3rd of December 2014 in both dual English and Japanese Audio with English Subtitles. Fate/kaleid Season 2 is now streaming on the Hanabee VOD Site.
Additionally, we were given a few updates to previously announced titles. Gatchaman Crowds has been delayed until November 5 back from its original release of August 6 while Campione! on DVD had missing subtitles on the final minute of episode 4. All stock has been fixed, however, and anyone with issues is encouraged to contact Hanabee.
Ubisoft Montreal and VICE have released the third and final developmental diary in a series that has delved into the inspiration for Far Cry 4‘s fictional locale of Kyrat. In the first video, members of the development team, along with VICE, arrived in Nepal and were introduced to the culture. Then they trekked further into the heart of the Himalayas.
Now, they meet Maoist fighters who give some perspective on the history of the area. Particularly, the dangerous time that was the Nepalese Civil War is shown to have birthed a village filled with strong-willed people who successfully fought to attain their freedom. Then, the team visited Pashupatinath temple, where the bodies of the deceased are cremated. Check out the video embedded below. Far Cry 4 releases on November 18 in the U.S. and Europe, and November 20 in Australia for the Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3 and PC.
With Gamescom 2014 just around the corner, Techland and Warner Bros have released a new trailer for Dying Light, their upcoming open world horror title that sets players loose in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by zombies.
The game was delayed from its 2014 release back in May, but those looking forward to exploring the latest creation from the Dead Island developers are in luck- the trailer shows off not just any old gameplay of the title, but gameplay that will be included in a brand new demo at Gamescom. Both press and public will be able to get their hands on the game at the Cologne event, which kicks off “for everyone”‘ on August 14th.
With the event so close at hand announcements and trailers from developers are beginning to flow thick and fast, including Ubisoft’s announcement of its Gamescom lineup yesterday.
Trails in the Sky is an extremely traditional JRPG, packed with mechanics and characters that fulfil pretty much every trope and stereotype you would expect. The leads are two teenagers who are in love with each other but about the only ones who don’t know it, the battles are turn based, the game is incredibly long, and the dialogue can take over for what feels like hours at a time.
It does nothing new or innovative, but stick with it and somewhere around the second chapter of this five chapter tale you’ll find yourself hooked on the slow burning story and solid RPG gameplay.
Legend of Heroes is a three part series, so not only is this particular entry fifty hours long, but there are two more games to plow through once you’re done. It originally came out on the PSP in 2004, becoming a hit in Japan but not seeing a release outside it until 2011. It has finally been localised and ported to the PC, with parts two and three still to come; XSEED have already hinted that part two should be released soon.
Story
Estelle and Joshua are two trainee Bracers, brought up as siblings after Estelle’s Bracer father brings home the wounded Joshua after rescuing him from mysterious circumstances. Bracers are the worlds friendly neighbourhood mercenaries, a guild of skilled fighters come investigators who offer their services to the public for a fee.
The opening of the game spends a long time establishing the characters and the Bracer organisation, setting up Estelle and Joshua for the larger, game spanning task of touring the Kingdom of Liberl to train and graduate as full Bracers. It’s more of an excuse to being doing missions than a plot, and the real meat of the story only begins to emerge half a dozen hours in, and even then it’s only sticking its head out.
This is a long, slow burn of a story, and I’ll confess that my only feeling towards the characters for the first chunk of play was a mild irritation. Estelle is a mouthy Mary Sue, and Joshua is the level headed, good at everything mysterious handsome one. Other characters do get a look in along the way, and the chat between them is well written. New faces come and go, and it’s telling that I was constantly hoping that they didn’t leave.
Somewhere around the middle of the second chapter I realised that things had changed; I didn’t want to stop. The oft teased plot had started to throw out intriguing little hints and develop into something big, and the characters had got over their bout of stereotype. It took twenty hours to get to me, but when it did the hooks were sunk deep.
Gameplay
So why stick around for so long for the plot to get interesting? Well, there’s a really solid turn based combat system here, and if you yearn for the days when Final Fantasy VII took over your life then Trails in the Sky will be right up your street. The battle system revolves around Orbments, mechanical devices into which elemental quartz can be fitted. The quartzes grant particular magic spells or stat boosts, and combining them appropriately can unleash higher level spells.
Each character has an Orbment with a set amount of quartz slots. To start with only a few slots are open, limiting the spells and abilities a character can use until they are opened by spending Sepith. Sepith – if I remember correctly – is the smaller form of quartz and is dropped by monsters upon death. It can be spent opening slots on Orbments, or fused together to create new quartz.
In addition to spells, characters also have their own weapons and special abilities, known as crafts. Crafts are limited in their use by the CP gauge, which is filled by dealing or taking damage. Fill the gauge to 100 points and the character’s final attack can be unleashed. Movement and positioning are also crucial parts of battle strategy; characters can be moved around the field to best make use of long or short range attacks. Battle order is also important, with turn bonuses such as increased strength or critical hits flagged beside the current run order. Changing that order by boosting a character’s speed or taking time to charge up a spell can completely change the flow of a battle- stealing an enemy’s critical hit for example, can save your party from defeat.
Whilst it has the usual dose of terminology to come to terms with, the system is only as complex as you want it to be. Newcomers to the genre can happily bash away, whilst those seeking more strategy can tinker with starting positions and keep a closer eye on the battle order.
The difficulty isn’t that high for the majority of the game, and it is entirely possible to get through a lot of the fights just by hammering the attack option- especially if you plan on resource gathering. That said some of the boss fights are a lot tougher and demanding, and finally getting the right strategy and run of bonuses is incredibly satisfying. If you do get stuck on a fight there is a difficulty option that reduces the challenge of any fight you lose, allowing players of all experience to battle through the game.
Whilst the battle system is solid Trails in the Sky isn’t a game for grinding or just battling for pleasure. The enemy varieties in any one area are pretty limited, and the EXP system is weighted in such a way that characters get less and less EXP from the same battles as they level up- you’ll quickly only get a point or two each time you take down the monsters floating around an area.
In addition to the main plot, there are also plenty of side missions for Estelle and Joshua to take on for the Bracer guild. These net a decent amount of money and are also neatly woven in with the main plot. Characters or events in a side quest can often add a bit of depth to occurrences in the main story, and they give players a chance to spend more battle time with some of the temporary characters.
The set up is very traditional, and whilst it offers no new ideas everything is executed extremely well. The nostalgia value is high too, as a lot of the features found here have slunk out of modern RPGs, particularly Western ones.
Audio & Visuals
Trails in the Sky feels a little older than it should thanks to its portable origins, but elements of the presentation still hold up well. It feels like one of the 1990s Final Fantasy games, with no voice acting but the occasional battle cry, and a gorgeous soundtrack that lifts the entire experience.
There’s nothing in the environments that will wow but the monster designs and characters are sufficiently barmy and detailed to hold up and the character’s animated portraits do a good job of filling in for voice acting.
The interface is efficient and easy to use, with the only hiccup being the camera’s insistence on switching angles. It can make navigating a tad frustrating- leaving doors and quest items hidden behind buildings.
Overall
Trails in the Sky snuck up on me, albeit very slowly. It’s a traditional JRPG that does nothing new, but executes the tropes and mechanics of the genre to a very high standard. The game has been translated cleanly and works like a charm.
The story and characters benefit from the slow burn in the end, and the lovely soundtrack and solid battle system make for an engrossing experience. With two more parts to go it is certainly a great investment for gamers looking to dive into another universe for many, many hours. Bring on part two.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
EA Sports and the English Premier League have extended their existing agreement until the end of the 2018/19 season which has been expanded to include the sponsorship of the League’s Goal Decision System. EA Sports has been connected to real world soccer with a number of different partnerships including the Player Performance Index which ranks players based on stats as well as the Fantasy Premier League. This contract extension means great things for FIFA 15 as it can showcase the worlds most popular league in the most authentic way possible. Some of the new features found in FIFA 15 include:
· Broadcast Graphics – Broadcast quality overlay graphics that are synonymous with the international TV broadcasts will communicate to fans all the important game information: team sheets, formations, score and clock, next fixture, player stats, and more.
· Audio and Commentary – The ambience and cheers of over 20 Barclays Premier League matches were recorded and implemented into FIFA 15 to bring realistic audio to goals, misses, whistles, and crowd-specific chants. The Barclays Premier League Anthem will also play at the start of each League match up.
· All 20 Stadiums – Every stadium in the Barclays Premier League is in the game and looks, feels, and sounds just as it does in real life, including authentic representation of animated LEDs and advertising boards.
· Authentic Player Headscans – Using the latest 3D scanning technology, the FIFA 15 development team visited every Barclays Premier League club in the 2013/14 season to scan players and capture their likeness. Over 200 new player heads will be scanned into FIFA 15, giving them the most realistic player model possible.
· Goal Decision System – Making its debut in FIFA 15, Goal Decision System will leave no question as to whether or not the ball crossed the line. Replay animations will emulate TV broadcasts playing after close calls and goal line clearances.
You can check out the new stadium and player faces trailer for FIFA 15 as well as some screenshots showing off the new high fidelity player and stadium models below. FIFA 15 is releasing on the PS4, PC and Xbox One in Australia on September 25th. Versions for the PS3, 360, Vita, 3DS and even the Nintendo Wii (not the Wii U) are scheduled to be released in the Spring.
Everyone who’s planning on going to the EB Expo, get pumped! EB Games has just announced their biggest line up ever for unreleased games. The EB Expo 2014 at the Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park, will be held from October 3rd to the 5th.
The newest experiences that these latest games have to offer will be available for everyone who visits the EB Expo. Some upcoming releases that will be present at the huge event includes Assassin’s Creed: Unity, Far Cry 4, Evolve, Sunset Overdrive, Super Smash Bros., Middle-Earth: Shadow Of Mordor, Battlefield Hardline, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, LittleBigPlanet 3, and much more.
You’ll also have the chance to get some hands-on experiences with a few titles, like Forza Horizon 2, NBA 2K15, WWE 2K15, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX, The Crew, Alien: Isolation, The Evil Within, and Borderlands The Pre-Sequel. There is also a bunch of family-friendly entertainment prepared on the Sunday of the event, which will feature a bunch of games for people of all ages. Just Dance 2015, SingStar: Ultimate Party, Disney Infinity 2.0 and LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham are just some of the titles that kids can also enjoy on the Sunday of the event.
Tickets are being sold already, and trust me when I say that they are going fast. Make sure you pick up your set of tickets here and get hyped for one of the most exciting gaming expos this year!
Arnold Schwarzenegger has had both the Australian real estate and film worlds buzzing this past week (a sentence never expected to be written in human history)….
In regards to the latter, the former ‘Governator’ took to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to reveal the final Terminator 5 title and confirm its release date. The fifth entry in the defining franchise will officially be called Terminator: Genisys, marking a slight spelling change to the already known subtitle, and will be releasing on July 1, 2015 from Paramount Pictures. The Austrian Icon thanked the cast and crew after principal photography just wrapped; the full message can be read by clicking on the image to the right.
Now we’re just left to ponder the significance of the stylistic change to the word “Genesis”….
Hasta la vista, baby. Thx to cast & crew. Can't wait to remind fans why they fell in love with @Terminator on 7/1/15. http://t.co/oazzne8NEb
After releasing some months ago in celebration of a Pokemon Center opening in France, the Pokeball Pattern Vivillon is finally making its way to the larger nations. Similarly to the Fancy Pattern Vivillon that was given away in celebration of 100 million trades taking place on the GTS, this form can not be obtained in game and will only be able to received through this event. Users in Australia (and Europe) will simply have to go online on their 3DS anytime from August 29th to September 8th using Pokemon X or Pokemony Y and select Mystery Gift via the Internet to receive their Vivillon. North American Pokemon players can receive it right now by following the same procedure but only have until August 12th to do so.
Let us know what you think of this new Vivillon pattern and what your favourite pattern is in the comments below. I think Ocean would be my number one pick.
Ubisoft has detailed their massive line-up for Gamescom 2014, running from August 13-17 out of Cologne, Germany. Attendees will be able to go hands-on with blockbuster titles for the first time ever at the show, with brand new, unannounced PC, mobile and digital titles promised for reveal.
Ubisoft’s booth in Hall 6, space A021, will showcase Assassin’s Creed: Unity and Tom Clancy’s The Division in dedicated 150-person and 85-person theaters respectively, and hold hands-on gameplay pods for Far Cry 4, The Crew and Assassin’s Creed: Rogue. The space must be huge to accommodate the 154 pods, 90 of which are Far Cry 4 demos (the largest installation in the publisher’s history); 40 being Assassin’s Creed: Roguenaval battle demos and 24 designated to The Crew, with simulation chairs to boot! Add to this the Ubisoft center stage activities, cosplay competitions, prize giveaways, performances and a replica of Pagan Min’s throne as seen on the cover art of Far Cry 4 for photo opportunities, and it is clear that Ubisoft’s presence at Gamescom 2014 won’t be ignorable.
Yves Guillemot, co-founder and CEO, Ubisoft, said;
Ubisoft is making it easier than ever for Gamescom attendees to look at our games and connect with their favourite franchises. We’re hopeful that every type of gamer will find something to enjoy in our lineup and will have a chance to share their feedback with us.
Check out the lineup announcement trailer below. We can’t wait for Gamescom 2014!
Roccat revealed two new upcoming PC accessories at Gamescom 2014. The first is a modifiable mouse designed for MMO gamers called the Nyth. The thumb area comes with a set of buttons that will allow players to customize the button layout and the number of buttons to player preference. Roccat will be releasing online files to allow players to print their own buttons with a 3D printer.
The Skeltr keyboard was announced alongside the Nyth. The keyboard features a smartphone stand and Bluetooth integration, which will allow gamers will be able to answer calls using their own headset. The smartphone can provide extra macros, short cuts, and driver configuration with Roccat’s new Swarm driver system.
More information on the new devices can be found at the official mini-site.
