Activision and Bungie released seven minutes of gameplay bliss for their upcoming game Destiny. The video features a first look at the co-op Strike mission “The Devil’s Lair.” Players will conduct a raid on an old Cosmodrome facility in Russia in this mission, where the House of Devil’s lair has been located. The video shows off gameplay from multiple perspectives as the four players find themselves caught in the middle of a battle between the Fallen and the Hive.
The EB Games pre-order bonuses have been announced. Pre-ordered copies of Destiny will come with an upgraded red Sparrow vehicle. This personal transport will be faster and stronger than the standard Sparrow. The pre-order bonus will be available for those who pre-order in stores or online.
Destiny is an upcoming FPS with MMO features. The game is Bungie’s biggest release since departing from Microsoft. The game will be released for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One on September 9th, 2014.
Kingston has released the new Cloud Headset, which will be joining the HyperX line of computer parts and peripherals designed for gamers. The over the ears headphones feature memory foam ear cups and a leather padded headband to allow gamers long marathon sessions without any discomfort. The microphone is constructed from aluminum and can be detached when not in use. The headset is driven by large 53mm drivers which delivery high fidelity audio allowing for clear dialogue, booming explosions, and crisp gun shots.
“HyperX worked with Swedish manufacturer QPAD to create a headset that delivers comfort and superb sound for long game play. This is a winning combination as QPAD is known for high-quality gaming peripherals throughout Europe,” said Lawrence Yang, business manager, HyperX. “We think the hours will pass by without notice as gamers wear the HyperX Cloud headset.”
The HyperX Cloud is compatible with PC, PlayStation 4, smartphones, and tablets. The MSRP for the headset is $149.99. More information can be found at the official HyperX Cloud mini-site.
“Sony Computer Entertainment” – alongside game developers “Shift”, “Dimps” and “Japan Studio” – today released another English-subtitled trailer for the highly-anticipated “PlayStation Vita” title; “Freedom Wars“. This upcoming game puts players in the shoes of a convict living on Earth in the distant future. The citizens of the planet now live entirely underground due to a monstrous race of malevolent beings intent on bringing destruction upon those who step foot on the surface of the planet.
Sentenced to a lifetime of imprisonment for simply “being alive”, you fight these monsters on the surface alongside other convicts. Instead of simply being “imprisoned”, detainees are given high-powered weaponry and forced to fight the destructive “Abductors” (the monsters mentioned just above).
Boasting brilliant graphics, gameplay mechanics and co-op/multiplayer capabilities, this game will hopefully help the “PS Vita” become as popular as it deserves but you can make that decision for yourself by heading down to the featured video section below the article to check out the English-subtitled story trailer for the game.
Let us know what you think of “Freedom Wars” by hitting up our comments section and stick to the site for any and all new information as it is released.
You may have heard about that successful crowdfunding project that has revived good ‘ol Tex Murphy from his Commodore 64 and MS-DOS days and into the now with a brand new adventure. Altus have their own image to share, and one that will put the entire franchise into perspective for new players.
What you see above is a timeline of the rich history of Tex Murphy, taking us all the way up to Tesla Effect: A Tex Murphy Adventure, which is due out May 7th. Go ahead, give it a click. You can also check out the GOG or Steam‘s pages to pre-order, where you will be rewarded with one of these many classics right now. Not a bad deal. Welcome back Tex, we missed ya.
Mimimi Productions and Unity Games will be releasing their upcoming platformer The Last Tinker: City of Colors on May 12, 2014. The colourful platformer stars Koru, a young boy on a journey to bring colour back to his world after The Bleakness drains the colour and joy from the world. The game is inspired by classic games like Zelda and Banjo Kazooie.
The Last Tinker: City of Colours’ Deluxe Edition is priced at $21.99 USD on Steam. The Deluxe Edition comes with the official sound track and is on sale for 10% off until the launch date. The game will be released for Linux, Mac, and Windows on May 12, 2014.
Overview
Shhhhh! Do you hear that? Its Disney Magic, and its on the 3DS! Now, with that line alone, I either made you frown, smile, or cringe (probably the latter), but that is the kind of product we are dealing with in the case of Disney Magical World, which is prepared to go after the younger audience who love their simulation. Along with the cast of familiar faces, players can customize a character, go fishing, explore a world, collect items, and solve the brainless citizens problems in what can be thought of as a huge attempt to create something along the same lines of Animal Crossing. Well, there is more to it than that, but is this little title worth your buck or charming enough to appeal outside its target market? Let’s find out.
Gameplay
I could do a “Story” category for this review, but it isn’t really necessary for Disney Magical World. Sure, the simulation genre doesn’t make the game’s narrative stand in the forefront – which is to be expected – but this title still attempts to thread together a cohesive structure at least by lining up tasks in your new home of Castleton. Before I get into the aspects of the game, lets take a moment to say what this title is not. Despite its appearance and promotion, Magical World is not Animal Crossing. This isn’t about paying off a home, and while there are moments of interactivity – the residents are much more two dimensional here, meaning a lot of the flat “Mii-like” personas are just filler, compiling a long and somewhat cute roster of faces to put you to work. Yes, its not Animal Crossing – but instead a game with a light battle system, a good deal of objectives and fetch quests, and enough items to collect so your pockets never remain empty.
Think Rune Factory, add in some Harvest Moon and a pinch of The Sims. While we are at it, how about a sprinkle of nearly every title that appeared on the 3DS with the life sim gimmick in one form or another. Whether it be problem solving, going on quests, dressing up, gardening, fishing, or managing your very own cafe, there is always something to do in Castleton, and that is what makes Magical World so fulfilling. The main goal of the game is to gather “happy stickers” by completing objectives. Say character A needs a piece to make a blouse. You then need to run out, find the materials, and bring her back her demands in a timely fashion. Its all about exploration, and memorization of the environments. The controls, unlike the game itself are a lot like Animal Crossing: New Leaf, where the player has the ability to move and free roam the entire kingdom before them. As the game progresses and more tasks are completed, more doors open up taking the player into locations such as The Hundred Acre Woods and Wonderland, which offer a new set of unique tasks and specific items that you can only obtain within that said area.
Speaking of the cafe I mentioned earlier, that is actually one of the big hooks that one will find (or the centerpiece of the experience), as it is your source of income – which is needed to buy items that either prepare you for or utilized to complete quests – and that isn’t even counting all the money you will be spending on customization, where you can change the look of your character in a quick and painless fashion with the lovable and barely tolerable Daisy. All you need to do is unlock recipes by simply playing the game and gathering stickers and ingredients, and then pick a dish and a drink to sell. The more it sells, the more you make. Its a simple, effective, and rather addictive way of making cash, and easy enough for anyone to pick up on. Fishing is fun, and rather relaxing at that. Improving your cafe and look in general is also a time consuming chore that brings great reward, as even your own Mii can get in on the action, where they will proudly wear costumes and accessories from the Disney universe. Those who want a bit more meat can head online and check out other cafes as well, which is a nice distraction and a good way to come up with new looks for your own eatery.
Magical World also has its own time system to track quests. Its not particularly as in depth as other titles in the genre, but it is well crafted and fully realized enough to allow players to take advantage of different tasks at different times, broadening the list of objectives one can participate in while keeping the game fresh for a hefty amount of hours. The dungeon crawling portions control a bit like a button masher, where the player uses a small arsenal of powers and weaponry to fight off random enemies. A rhythm action game also appears quite often as well, and adds yet another layer to the experience, yet again flipping the game’s stylings to stir the pot and keep the player invested. This constant switching is admirable, but it only works for so long as after a while, each start to feel the same and its as if you are just hitting repeat with a new backdrop.
I haven’t made a huge deal about the whole “Disney” theme of the game, as its just that. A theme. There was love put into the final product, but this title could have been Scooby Doo, Marvel, or any other IP period and it still would have worked, as the game doesn’t rely on the Disney characters to deliver the content within. That is the brilliance at work here really, as if we would have seen Disney become the main focus, it would have taken away the impact of special encounters that do occur with Lilo, Pooh, Mickey, Minnie, and so on. Sure, there are a lot of characters and their appearances are frequent, leaving a rich atmosphere with those mouse ears at work, but the player does not have to be a fan as the kind but shallow dialogue leaves enough room for anyone to pick up the game and play. Did I love doing missions for Chip and Dale? Of course! These little characters make the game interesting – and once new doors open and other worlds can be explored, the potential for further time investment soars upward. However, without a true narrative, these all star toons fade into the background often – acting more as decoration than anything with true substance.
Visuals
Disney Magical World brings it to the graphics department with your character model, as the changes look fantastic while trying on those themed threads, even with a giant Mii head. The Disney cast all look great as well, and the themed environments all seem to be cut right out of the source material. That being said, there is a lot of filler left over. The random residents are very generic looking. Sure, your name is Judy, but what makes you different? What I am saying is there could have been a little more done to give the flat looking models more personality, as even though they are visiting this magical world, they seem to be content on taking the tourist route for the entire trip. A lot of the dungeons also come off as uninspired, with plain textures and low color, making a lot of trips out feel like a bore compared to the much more appealing roads of Castleton.
Audio
There isn’t a ton to say about the soundtrack that you shouldn’t already be expecting. There are some great Disney songs mixed in the game, and some fantastic original scores that give a warm feeling to the player as they make their way around town. The voice acting is spot on, bring each encounter with a main Disney character to life, and while I do wish everything was voiced, that would probably be impossible due to the heavy amount of dialogue (meaningful or not) that appears in the game. Either way, you have a lot of charm to look forward to (aside from Daisy who is queen of the terrible) within these brightly colored walls.
Overall
Disney Magical World is not for everybody, but leaves the welcome mat down for all visitors regardless. Sure, it seems perfect for kids, but this title has enough depth for an adult to go in and get over 100 hours or more out of it due to the heavy amount of content blending with some solid gameplay to boot. Is there “Disney Magic”? Not entirely, but there is a lot of rich and addictive qualities compiled within this little simulation gem, making it one that is worth at least a look to those who are willing to take a risk. While this market is starting to get flooded, Magical World is one experience that stands out with its own unique style, giving us yet another way to escape to the happiest place on Earth.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Though unexpected, it seems like the maker of Dark Souls have a new publisher; From Software has been acquired by multimedia company Kadokawa.
From Software is a Japanese game developer that published the Dark Souls games in Japan; however, they needed help from Namco Bandai to release and distribute most of their games in the West, including Dark Souls II. Kadokawa will now fully take over the publishing rights, though they are best known as a manga publisher. They also have never published anything in the West either, but they have been growing themselves in the movie and video game worlds and it doesn’t seem a stretch to imagine that is what they’re building up to now.
‘We are planning to expand our position in this business with both Kadokawa Games and From Software. We have planned a series of discussions aimed at co-operation: expanding and developing both companies while taking advantage of their areas of expertise,’ -Kadokawa.
Fans shouldn’t worry themselves about the future of the Dark Souls games, even though it is unclear. Dark Souls has always be great, even with multiple publisher and name changes (from King’s Field to Demon’s Souls to Dark Souls).
Compatibility: Requires iOS 6.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. This app is optimized for iPhone 5.
“Mission G:Rok is revolutionizing our culture and the future of our kids. It’s hard to believe no one has done anything like this yet.” – Russell Simmons, Def Jam Co-Founder and Entrepreneur
“Entertainment is what resonates quickest with youth, which today means online and mobile activities (based on broad affirming data) and it will continue to be the driving force to reach youth worldwide in the future.” – Artist and Entrepreneur T.I.
STORY
Follow hip-hop star G-Rok and his friends on an adventure to rescue his best friend Binz in Beastville NY, captured by the evil villain Smogorex. Along the way G-Rok and friends must defeat minions and dangerous obstacles that have been deployed by Smogorex to destroy G-Rok’s beloved planet.
Skate, jump and flip your way through this action packed fun adventure! Cruise your way through cities with G-Rok and the G-Runners as you battle your way through the cities by avoiding dangerous obstacles, fighting enemies and accomplishing missions all to rescue Binz at evil Smogorex’s headquarters and save the world from destruction.
“One of the most fun and entertaining games of 2014! Can’t believe no one has done this yet! – Russell Simmons, Def Jam Co-Founder and Entrepreneur
*** If you love awesome platformer games in the style of Sonic and Rayman you will love Mission:G-Rok
-Dash through 13 stages and 160 levels of exciting action packed levels. From Smoggywood to Beast Ville New York, experience the world Mission: G-Rok like never before.
-Complete missions for additional bonus roks-bucks and bonus min challenges
-Master flips with your hover board, attack with zapping guns, power-ups and more to get one step close to evil Smogorex
-Go on an endless adventure through each level, collect coins, complete missions and more for high score.
-Select between different members of the “G-runners” crew.
-Fun and futuristic environments and graphics based on US Cities
-Unlock cool hip-hop tracks with option to buy or download to your playlist. New tracks every month
-New limited-time characters every month
-12 explosive power-ups
-Explore new secrets and fun collectables to be redeemed at the Greenroks store
GAMEPLAY
Jump and run through each city by hovering over obstacles and enemies. The goal is to get from the beginning to end of each level without losing 3 lives. You must complete each level with a minimum of one heart, 1 collectable and coins to increase the XP points.
Mission: G-Rok is a property of Greenroks Ventures LLC and Silk City LLC all rights reserved 2014
This week’s Indie GalaEvery Monday Bundle has a little twist. For $1, all buyers can snag the following indie games.
Crystal Panic is a retro styled action RPG from Nooskewl. The game comes with a Desura key.
The 11th Hour is a classic adventure game now ported to Steam. The game is filled with full motion videos mixed with 3d graphics.
For those who pay at least $3.49 will get four extra games, all available on Steam.
Strategic War in Europe is a turn based strategy game that spans 1939 to 1945. Players can take control of one of over 25 countries that participated in WWII and either relive history or change it.
The Cat Lady is a psychological horror by author Remiguisz Michalski. The adult themed horror adventure stars Susan Ashworth, a suicidal woman who is about to meet five strangers that will change the path of her life, forever.
Abyss: The Wraiths of Eden is an art-deco styled hidden object game. Players will explore an underwater utopia filled with supernatural forces.
Lume is an adorable cut out puzzle game that is constructed from paper and cardboard.
Snag your copy of the Every Monday Bundle at Indie Gala before the sale period ends.
Overview Being a parent is hard (I assume). As if it wasn’t enough of a chore to make sure you make it through life, parenthood places yet another life (or lives) in your hands. Scary. Now compound this with the added difficulty of, oh I don’t know, not having any bones. Well my friends, therein lies Octodad. With little more than a stylish suit, this ambitious cephalopod has built quite the little life for himself. But with the inherent difficulty that arises from being an octopus on land, how long can our fatherly protagonist keep up this charade?
Who’s that man?
Story As the sequel to Octodad, Daliest Catch continues on with the daily life of everybody’s favourite eight limbed father. This time around however, we are treated to a few more definitive moments in the lives of Octodad and his family. For example: his wedding. These moments, whilst just as bizarre as ever, serve to paint a more complete picture of this bizarre sea creature and his dream to live a normal 1950s style life with his family…it’s more endearing than it sounds.
When not reliving crucial moments of his life, Octodad is just living an average life. Getting milk for his daughter’s breakfast, mowing the lawn, grillin’ up a mean burger…escaping the relentless assaults of an enraged chef with fish-centric post traumatic stress disorder. You know, the usual…fine, I’ll explain. Having discovered that Octodad is less human than he pretends to be, Chef Fujimoto believes that this is merely the beginning of the sea’s invasion of land. Resolving to reveal his trickery to Octodad’s beloved family, Fujimoto pursues our hero through every facet of his “mundane” life. Though, to his credit, Octodad shrugs most of these attacks off. He’s pretty awesome for a “regular” guy.
I know love is blind…but come on Scarlet
Gameplay Unique. Very, very unique. In fact, it’s the main reason that a game centred around household chores and relatively mundane family outings is so fun. For those of you unaware of how Octodad plays it’s quite simple. As an octopus, the titular parent has a distinct lack of bones in his limbs. Of course, this renders even the mildest of physical activities somewhat complicated. In a single player run, you have control over all four (eight if you want to be technical) of Octodad’s limbs. The difficulty arises from the fact that you must cleverly alternate between controlling both arms and legs in order to progress through a level. Even opening a door can become an ordeal when you accidentally step when you want to grab, causing you to violently lurch away from you objective. That being said, watching the hapless father flail when walking brings unnecessarily large amounts of joy to the screen…for me at least.
As you progress further through the game, your skill will truly be tested as Octodad is thrown into more and more ludicrous situations. Some of these scenarios require you to not only reign in his frantic limbs, but also correctly utilise specific tools. I don’t think I’ve ever struggled so much with plugging in a power chord before…poor Octodad. If that wasn’t hard enough, the Normal and Hard difficulties come with a Suspicion Meter. Being that no-one has seen through his ingenious disguise, Octodad must continue to act in a manner befitting a father of two. Should he cause to much chaos in a level, the gauge will fill and you will be thrown back to the last checkpoint. So if you’re feeling particularly destructive (or you just can’t control the bevy of limbs) pop on down to Easy, where suspicion is an alien concept. It’s kind of liberating.
However, there is one area where Octodad truly stands above all other games. A concept as hilarious as it is frustrating. I speak of course of Co-op Mode. In this terrific addition to the game, players may band together with their friends and live out Octodad’s day together. Of course, since there is only one Octodad, it is not Co-op in the traditional sense. Instead, players are assigned limbs…it’s not hard to see how this will turn out. Though markedly easier when left to your own devices, the game becomes exponentially more fun when you’re forced to work together with other. But it would be a good idea to play this with people who you have a solid relationship with…I’m not sure if budding friendships could survive the onslaught of yelling that will without doubt arise. As if gameplay wasn’t bizarre enough, being given only partial control of a single body is a truly unique experience. Wherein you will learn the true meaning of cooperation…or frustration. Honestly, it could go either way.
It’s harder than it sounds…
Visuals If the whole premise and playstyle of the game didn’t give it away, Octodad possesses a unique style, one that is carried through its visuals. In order to prevent an octopus in human clothing from becoming frightening to look at, the game utilises a cartoon-like style. In addition to the vibrant colours used, the game presents itself with a simple, clean look that allows you to focus on whatever is most important at any given time. Though the times when Octodad isn’t the sole focus are admittedly few and far between. Though “simple” isn’t often a term of endearment for most games, the visual style of Octodad truly benefits the game as a whole. If it were any different, I believe the game would lose some of its charm.
That being said, you may often find yourself completely oblivious to certain background visuals as your attention is focused solely on the flailing body before you. Seriously, it can become a bit distracting when you (or your co-op partner) causes Octodad to perform a rapid 720 degree spin because of a control slip up. Or when he goes flying because of precariously placed banana peels. Or goes careening over a freshly mopped floor. Seriously, anything not nailed down is in danger of joining these amazing displays of self control…and it’s hilarious.
Nothing to see here…
Audio Surprisingly memorable. I mean no offence to Octodad, but most games that relish in a ridiculous premise kind of let the ball drop in certain aspects. They’ve already got your attention after all. As it stands, Octodad’s soundtrack is upbeat, fun and truly suits the feeling the game wishes to convey. Take for example the game’s theme song: Octodad (Nobody Suspects a Thing). As you tumble through the opening credits, be sure to listen to the lyrics being sung, they’re both informative and funny. Also it’s oddly fitting that a character such as Octodad would have his own theme song. In the game proper, there’s one mission in particular towards the end where the soundtrack really comes into its own, serving to amplify the drama of said mission. Yet, somehow, at the same time retaining the game’s usual cheer, melding together to create a sense of wonder. It was quite amazing.
In addition to music, dialogue also plays a part in creating the world of Octodad, despite the fact that Octodad himself cannot speak…on account of being an Octopus. That being said, the game utilises this lack of eloquence in order to draw even more humour from the game’s premise. Despite “speaking” in nothing but blubs and gurgles, Octodad is completely understood by every human. Of course this leads to situations where characters respond specifically to statements that we only receive the gist of. But, to be honest, you don’t need much more than that. The plot isn’t exactly filled with intricacy. Insanity on the other hand…
Nothin’ but net
Overall Octodad: Dadliest Catch is a unique experience…though by this point I’m sure you already know that. Heck, the title should be enough to raise some eyebrows. Just so we’re clear: you play as an octopus pretending to be a suburban father. Seriously, that statement alone is enough to decide whether or not you’ll play this game. Delving a little deeper, Octodad also provides a rather bizarre gameplay style. After all, most control comes from the analog sticks, it’s kind of strange not having to use more than a single button when playing. There also aren’t too many games out there that combine stealth elements with utter chaos, namely because it wouldn’t work anywhere else. Where else but in a world of humour could anybody slip on 15 banana peels, trash an entire food display, travel through ventilations ducts, openly commit theft and throw everything not nailed down and only be considered slightly suspicious? It’s no wonder Octodad’s managed to lead such a regular life. Though I’m still not sure how he has two human children. That one raises some questions…
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
