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Persona 4 Arena Ultimax English trailers highlight Rise, Yukari, and Junpei

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Those who have been paying attention to Persona 4 Arena Ultimax before it was announced for Western release are already familiar with the new characters that will be available in the game but now Atlus USA has released some English trailers to show off each of the new fighters.

As such you can find English gameplay footage of Rise Kujikawa, Yukari Takeba, and Junpei Iori below. Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is still lacking a solid release date in North America, though Atlus is planning on releasing the title sometime in the fall.

Rise Kujikawa

Yukari Takeba

Junpei Iori

Samurai Warriors 4 Special Anime Pack announced and detailed

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Today Koei Tecmo announced that the PlayStation 4 version of Samurai Warriors 4 will be given a “Special Anime Pack” in both North America and Europe. This version of the release is to commemorate the series’ 10th anniversary and includes a number of bonuses, including an anime special. The Special Anime Pack includes the following content:

  • “Special Anime Pack” 10th anniversary Collector’s Edition packaging
  • Samurai Warriors: Legend of the Sanada anime (Blu-ray Disc)
  • Samurai Warriors 4 game (PlayStation 4)
  • Samurai Warriors 4 Official Soundtrack (CD)
  • Digital Content:
    • Special Costume Pack 4: Garcia, Ina, Nene and Oichi (DLC)
    • Old Costume Pack 1: Yukimura, Mitsuhide, Nobunaga, Noh, Oichi, and Ranmaru (DLC)
    • Edit Parts Pack 1 which allows facial and Western themed armor customization (DLC)

Alongside that special announcement the company went on to detail what type of pre-order bonuses fans can expect when the game is released. Those who pre-order the title at GameStop in the US or GAME in Europe will be given Scenario Pack 1 and extra costumes for Mitsunari Ishida and Toyohisa Shimazu. As for those who pre-order from Amazon or Best Buy in North America, they will be given a Weapon Pack and costumes for Keiji Maeda, Kenshin Uesugi, Kunoichi, and Shingen Takeda.

To go along with these announcements the company also released a slew of brand new screenshots and character art, all of which can be found below.

Guardians of the Galaxy will be Protecting Disney Infinity 2.0

disney-infinity-guardians-of-the-galaxy-packshot-01“We’re the Guardians of the Galaxy.” Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is about to hit theaters, and hype couldn’t be higher. With its all-star cast and a completely different look at the Marvel Universe, it is a recipe for success. Well as if taking over the silver screen wasn’t enough, Star-Lord and his cohorts are making their way to video games everywhere. Earlier this week, the mobile game Guardians of the Galaxy: The Universal Weapon launched, and now we have confirmation of a Guardians of the Galaxy Play Set for Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes.

We heard rumors of the Guardians Play Set and figures last month, but the guys over at Disney have now officially confirmed the line-up. The Play Set follows Star-Lord and his fellow Guardians as they arrive at Knowhere, having just stolen a powerful cosmic object from the villainous Ronan the Accuser. Players will guide the team as they race to protect Knowhere from Ronan and his attacking Sakaaran fleet while keeping their newly liberated item safe from the villain’s evil grasp. The Play Set will come with Star-Lord and Gamora, while the additional guardians; Drax, Rocket Raccoon and Groot are available as separate figures. The Play Set will also allow cross-over characters Iron Man and Nova.

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In addition to the characters and Play Set, there will also be several Power Discs that feature the Guardians themselves. The set and all of its figures will launch in Spring, but to keep you excited until then, we have an awesome trailer that you can check out below, which shows the Guardians in action. Disney Infinity 2.0 will be released this September, so make sure you stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the news as it becomes available.

Monster: Volume 1 Perfect Edition Review

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Monster: Volume 1 Perfect Edition
Author: Naoki Urasawa
Artist: Naoki Urasawa
Publisher: Viz Media
Release Date: July 15, 2014
Price: $19.99 – Available Here

Overview
There are few manga series that can be considered classic but one that is mentioned often is Naoki Urasawa’s Monster. Originally published back in 1994, the series ran for a total of eighteen volumes before concluding in 2001 and eventually started being published in English in 2006. However after the full series was published in English by Viz, copies slowly became hard to come by as the series had gone out of print.

Thankfully Viz has chosen to revive Monster and breathe some new life into the volumes by giving them some upgrades and releasing the series as two-in-one ‘Perfect Editions.’ Now that Monster: Volume 1 Perfect Edition has been released, is it worth purchasing?

Story
Monster begins in 1986 Düsseldorf, Germany where a young and talented doctor has earned quite a name for himself at Eisler Memorial Hospital. This doctor, named Kenzo Tenma, transferred to the hospital from Japan and has quickly risen up the ranks due to his exceptional surgical skill and willingness to follow the director’s orders. Not only is he set to be promoted further up the chain, but he is even engaged to marry the director’s beautiful daughter Eva.

A man can only obey orders for so long however and after witnessing the way that the hospital prioritizes famous or wealthy individuals over common folk who came first and usually suffer from worse injuries, Tenma’s struggle with his feelings and beliefs comes to a head when he disobeys direct orders to abandon a young boy shot in the end to work on the city’s mayor. Choosing instead to work on the boy and save his life not only causes Tenma’s world to collapse around him as he is demoted and those he thought loved him turn away, but his actions have caused something far worse to continue living.

Generally when it comes to manga releases, especially ones such as Monster: Volume 1 Perfect Edition that is 422 pages long, I usually would go deeper into the story but doing so would be a disservice to those who have yet to read the series. I say that because what makes Monster so great are all of the various twists and moments of drama and suspense found within the story.

While this first volume of the Perfect Edition serves mostly to introduce us to Tenma, those around him, the villain, and establish the entire scenario once readers get past the first few chapters they will find themselves hooked and be unable to put the book down until they finish. You see, the first few chapters of Monster are presented in a way similar to a standard hospital drama where various policies and connections make or break the doctors. While this may be interesting for some, what the series transitions to past that point becomes a murder mystery story packed with drama and potential.

A lot of heavy themes are at play in Monster’s first volume such as the worth of a person and although many of the characters we are introduced to might be side-characters, it is evident which ones will play a major role already. The leading man Tenma is not only likable but also a realist with a sense of duty and we are given some extensive detail on him throughout this release. Considering this is only the initial release of what is going to be a two-in-one volume run, this first release does an amazing job drawing readers into the story thanks to the author’s compelling writing style.

Artwork
Monster: Volume 1 Perfect Edition is part of Viz’s Signature line-up which means that the volume comes in at 8.2” x 5.8” which as you may expect, is larger than the original release. This increase in size is both a good and a bad thing however. The enlarged size does allow for some extra details to be shown off and the artwork is still extremely crisp looking with unique looking character designs that help make every character unique.

But after comparing this release to the original English print release, every so often there are times where a bit of the art is cropped off, which is odd considering the extra space the larger book. That being said there is also an overabundance of blank white backgrounds used throughout the release, which is similar to the original, but a drawback nonetheless. The translation of the book is nicely handled and the fact that Viz left in a handful of German words and terms in the release is a nice touch considering the series’ German setting.

Extra Content
With the release of Monster: Volume 1 Perfect Edition Viz has put a few extra touches into the volume to try and draw in readers. There are now a number of color pages included in the release, though they are printed on the same material as a standard page, and the book also features a faux dust jacket design where the cover features large French flaps that have no writing on them and actually end up getting in the way at times.

Overall
While Monster: Volume 1 Perfect Edition may not offer a whole lot for those already picked up the series back when it was originally released, as the increased size is an improvement but also a hindrance, those who have yet to pick up the series will be in for quite a treat. This first volume of story is clearly only a sample of a larger and more intriguing piece of work that will probably only get better as it progresses.

9-0-capsules-out-of-10
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Gods Will Be Watching Review

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Gods Will Be Watching
Developer: Deconstructeam
Publisher: Devolver Digital
Platform: PC (Reviewed), Mac, Linux
Release Date: July 24th, 2014
Price: $8.99 – Available Here

Overview

Deconstructeam and Devolver Digital present the almighty, Gods Will Be Watching, a trivial game designed to challenge the strongest of players; in terms of empathy, ethics and survival instincts. The original idea for the game has manifested since Ludum Dare in 2013, raising the stakes for players to overcome the perils of making judgement calls, as to who lives and who dies. While the stakes may be higher, does Gods Will Be Watching excel beyond the prototype?

Story

The end of the world is near approaching, or so it is for planet Sineicos where the deadly “Medusa virus” exists. A paralysis of the mind and body that is expected to destroy 4 billion lives (yep, that’s genocide), unless the Everdusk Company for the Universe Knowledge (E.C.U.K) can prevent the bioterrorist, Xenolifer. Under the command of Sargent Burden, the E.C.U.K research team consists of; Br4nd-On (Robot), Donald (Engineer), Sarah (Therapist), Dr Zenész, Jack (Soldier) and Marvin (Dog). The primary objective of the game is survival, with the minor flaw of all characters (aside from Sargent Burden- as you control him) returning in following chapters after being killed off. Therefore, players should not feel the need to mourn, no matter how tragic the circumstances.

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Gods Will Be Watching Concept Artwork for the Everdusk Team

Over six bloodthirsty chapters in Gods Will Be Watching, players must conquer Xenolifer by stealing back their research and creating a cure for the Medusa virus. While the mission is clearly outlined in the introduction, the real challenge is “playing God”. There are no specific guidelines on how to approach each of the infuriating puzzles, so players are encouraged to run countless trials and errors to determine which method is the most successful for moving forward.

The first chapter, ‘Self-Justified Sacrifices’ demands players to use tactical thinking and effective time management. By assuming the role of a guard in a hostage situation, where Xenolifer are holding Burden’s crew hostage to hack information about the virus, your priority is to decide how to handle the hostages, monitor the transferal of data, and tap into security footage to prevent E.C.U.K from hijacking the room with explosives.

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The second ordeal ‘20 days of Empty Words’ introduces players to the disturbingly pleasant, Irving and Alexander Show. The macho men from the Holistic Empire take Sargent Burden and Jack captive in a chamber, to interrogate them about the organisation they work for and how they broke into their lab at the Matriarch. The impossible and torturous situation will come at cost, to suffer physical abuse (and Russian roulette) and lie over 20 days, until their enemy – Xenolifer – can save them.

In the third operation, ‘Everdusk’, the team are sent to planet Sineicos to create a cure for the Medusa virus, however Xenolifer interfere with their plans by barricading them in their research cave. With only 32 hours left to live, players need to divide tasks between the research team over 30 minute intervals; digging their way out, conducting research to create an antidote, as well as adrenaline and sedatives, and resorting to human experimentation for analysing components of the correct formula.

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The fourth task, ‘Gods Will Be Watching’ is very similar to one-screen simulation, where the E.C.U.K team are left stranded on Sineicos to survive a set period of days. What makes this chapter particularly challenging, is that Sargent Burden is restricted to five decisions per day – whether to create a campfire by collecting wood, having Br4nd-On fix the radio, Dr Zenész create an antidote, Jack and Marvin hunt for food- with the rifle or spear. Players can only hope that they’ve made the best decisions before the sun sets.

The final chapters are best described as a major “suicide mission”, although Sargent Burden isn’t one to complain. When told there is a 32% chance of surviving a crash in a one-man cruiser, headed towards the matriarch, Burden says:

“32%. That’s a gift from the Gods, in the face of saving 4 billion lives”.

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Without the trace of humour in Gods Will Be Watching, the story would not have the same impact on players. When faced with dire situations, comedic relief is all that remains on Gods playlist.

Visuals & Audio

The pixel art animation is beautifully illustrated, with a minimalistic structure designed to limit the gruesome horrors that await players. The cinematic features enhance the gameplay, and players who perform exceptionally well in each chapter receive the original concept artwork (featured above) and alternative soundtracks for the game. In addition, a visual map of online statistics allows players to view their results and gain insight into the decisions that others made.

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The eerie soundtrack in the game blends in well with the rising tension and offers players great background music for pure concentration. However, for the dialogue, there were a few grammar issues that made most conversations feel awkward in the players’ minds. (For example: “You fools WHERE trying to understand the deadly virus”). While the dialogue helps lighten the mood, it would have been better if voice actors were incorporated in the game. My favourite quote was from chapter three, where Jack says to Sargent Burden, “You should update your resume and put specialist in fucked up situations”.

Overall

Gods Will Be Watching is one-of-a-kind, a unique point and click thriller that will simultaneously drive you insane and make you all the more appreciative of life. The adventure centres on despair, commitment and sacrifice, teaching players that playing the role of “God” is not all that it’s cracked up to be. The decisions you make are what you must live with, and that hard truth is what makes Deconstructeam and Devolver Digital’s work so masterful.

9-0-capsules-out-of-10

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Take a Look at the Disney Infinity 2.0 Collector’s Edition

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At E3 this year, Sony announced that there would be a special Collector’s Edition of Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes making its way to PS3 and PS4. At the time, all we knew was that it would be the first place that you could get your hands on The Incredible Hulk figurine. Well today, Disney have given us the low-down on what we can expect from the whole set (in addition to Bruce Banner’s alter ego).

The Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes Collector’s Edition will come with the Starter Pack (a copy of the game for your chosen console, 2 Power Discs and the Infinity Base to send your figures into the game) and will also include all six Avengers Figurines. That’s right, from the get-go, you will have Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye and Hulk at your fingertips. As if that wasn’t enough, you will also get an incredible light-up diorama stand that features a large Frost Giant from the Avengers Play-Set, and spaces for all 6 Avengers, PLUS one additional spot for an as-of-yet unannounced character (I would be incredibly surprised if the unannounced character isn’t Loki).

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This sweet light-up base is only available as part of the Collector’s Edition.

The Collector’s Edition will cost you $249.95 and is only available for pre-order through EB Games in Australia. So are you a Playstation owner who will be slapping down a pre-order for this bad boy ASAP, or do you only own an Xbox console and are disappointed that we have to wait an extra month to get Hulk in our collection? Whatever your thoughts are, let us know in the comments below. For a further look at the Collectors Edition, check out the small trailer below and as always make sure you stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the Disney Infinity news as it becomes available.

Dark Souls II: Crown of the Sunken King Available Now

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A little while ago, Namco gave Dark Souls II players some incredible news; There would be three DLC chapters for them to hack and slash their way through… Or be hack and slashed through, either way is good! Well the time has finally arrived, as today marks the release of the first of these DLC chapters; Crown of the Sunken King.

Taking place in a brand new area of Drangleic, Crown of the Sunken King has you traversing deep chasms and giant temples in what is possibly the hardest challenge ever in a Souls game. New enemies, new weapons and new bosses await everyone who is game enough to step

Dark Souls II: Crown of the Sunken King is available now for Xbox 360, PS3 and Steam through their respective online stores. So time to sharpen your swords, fill up your Estus Flasks and get ready to hit the depths of Drangleic. Have you already played some of the DLC? If so, let us know your thoughts in the comments below. As always, make sure you stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the Dark Souls II news as it becomes available.

Gods Will Be Watching Release Epic Launch Trailer

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The countdown is approaching for Gods Will Be Watching, the point and click adventure set to release tomorrow on Steam, GOG, and Humble Bundle. To celebrate the launch of the thriller, Devolver Digital and Deconstructeam have released an epic new trailer – which can be viewed below.

It is important for players to remember that they are in control of what happens in Gods Will Be Watching, there are no ‘right or wrong’ choices – just decisions players can live with.

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Are you ready to play the almighty, God?

Check out our review for Gods Will Be Watching, with the release of the game tomorrow!

New Hyrule Warriors Trailer Shows off More Zelda and her Baton

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Fresh off the news about Sheik and company joining the playable cast of Hyrule Warriors, Nintendo have released yet another trailer for the game with the princess herself going to action with her mighty baton from Wind Waker. Not only can this weapon be used to hack and slash through hordes of foes, but it also can capture elemental powers to utilize in some highly intense battles.

As you can guess, this is yet another puzzle piece into what could very well be one of Tecmo Koei‘s most anticipated releases in a long time. You can check out the trailer down below with Zelda in action, and prepare for that release date that is only two months away.

 

Luna Shattered Hearts Up for Voting on Steam Greenlight

luna-shattered-hearts-episode-1-logo-001Indie developers Gillis has launched their new game on Steam GreenlightLuna Shattered Hearts Episode 1 is a platforming RPG. The game stars Lithien and Dez. Both are self-centered jerks that most people would make an effort to avoid, but the two are about to embark on a journey that will see them grow into mature heroes.

Luna Shattered Hearts Episode 1 is experimenting with a new way of selling their game. Instead of selling the game traditionally, players can play the game at the Gillis webpage for free, but will be locked at an 800×600 resolution. Those who buy the game will be able to unlock improved visuals, full screen mode, and reduced load times. Episode 1 is currently in pre-beta and will be followed by two more episodes. Be sure to vote for the game on Steam Greenlight.