Codemasters have released a brand new launch trailer for the soon to be released GRID Autosport video-game, the latest installment in the legendary GRID series. The new trailer is titled ‘This is Racing’ and as you can imagine it features racing as the title suggests rather unambiguously.
The game is slated for an Australian and New Zealand release on the 26th of June, 2014. This launch trailer does an admirable job at building hype for the launch of the game GRID Autosport by showcasing the game’s superb racing experience that it provides to gamers.
You can check out the GRID Autosport launch trailer below. Let us know what you think in the comments section.
Overview And so it ends. After 74 unforgettable episodes, Naoki Urasawa’s Monster concludes not with a whimper but with a bang. The epic journey closes the curtain in epic fashion leaving viewers breathless in the process. Only an elite class of anime can leave you breathless, hanging literally on the edge of your seat, heart pounding desperate for what happens next. Monster is one of those series and for 74 consecutive episodes it did all of that and more. I’ve said it in my previous reviews of Monster but it bares repeating; Monster is truly a masterpiece.
Naoki Urasawa’s magnum opus is crafted with a delicate yet wicked touch that never leaves a stone unturned. Urasawa’s vision is of a bleak world yet somehow, someway there exists hope in this world that feels so hopeless. In the endless war between light and dark, sometimes the light can be winning, even if there are monster’s lurking in our shadows.
Story
What Monster achieves in it’s final stretch of episodes is no small feat. Not only does it manage to wrap up its major plot threads, it also manages to leave viewers hungry for more, more so than that, it leaves them thinking. When a series can provoke thought, it has proven its intellectual value and Monster is a series that has that in truck loads.
Over the course of these 74 episodes, the wicked tale of Dr. Kenzo Tenma and the monster Johan Liebert has taken many twists and turns, yet somehow when the story reaches its ultimate climax, one can’t help but feel as if it was always meant to be this way. It is the final confrontation between Tenma and Johan that serves as the ultimate pay off for the entire series up until this point, it was what it all has been building to and the result is more than satisfying.
While the series concludes with some ends left loose, it fits Monster just fine and the ultimate message of the true monster within us all is one that rings true to all that struggle with the darker side of themselves. Much like as in real life, there is no black and white morality at play here in Monster, it is all just shades of grey and the series leaves the ball in the viewer’s court as to what they believe is right or wrong.
It truly is a work of genius when Naoki Urasawa stacks the deck evenly on both the good and the bad, allowing the viewer to be the tipping point that decides. How you view this series and the morality of it’s characters is really individual to yourself. It is really one of the great things about this series, it is open to multiple interpretations and every viewer with ultimately have different feelings on the series.
This is one series that I never wanted to see end. It has been a truly memorable journey that he ventured deep into the depths of utter despair only to come back with a shred of hope in hand. That is what I will remember Monster for, the sense of hope that perfectly underscores a genuinely bleak atmosphere. Hope is a powerful thing and as we see in Monster, it is enough to evoke change. Not so unlike the changing landscape of anime that Monster has affected forever.
Visuals and Audio
Consistent as ever Monster Part 5 once again continues the spectacular atmospheric visuals that has been a high point of the series in its previous releases. Without a hint of a drop off in budget or animation quality, Monster strides on strongly with an engrossing aesthetic effort that has withstood the test of time. There are several highly memorable sequences that are made all the more better due to phenomenal animation work, precision framing and beautiful envisioned imagery.
As with the visuals, the soundtrack and audio remains remarkable even after 74 episodes. The very fact that the voice actors in both the English and Japanese language dubs continued to perform with the utmost passion and commitment after such a long period of time. Once again I must give praise to Liam O’Brien for his iconic performance as Dr. Tenma, he gives so much gravitas to the character and truly captures his heart and soul perfectly.
Extras
Once again Siren Visual have not included any special features on this release but it is not a release that needs that buffer of bonus content to make it worth the asking price. The series itself is good enough to stand on its own as a collector’s item. With an immense episode count, the release of Part 5 is more than worth the price tag associated with or without additional content.
Overall
There has never been an anime series that has received a perfect score for each of it’s collected releases, but if there is any series deserving of such an accolade it is Naoki Urasawa’s anime masterpiece Monster. This is an anime that changes the way we look at the genre and makes us reevaluate what we think an anime could be or even should be. The alchemy of the series is a small wonder in and of itself, with Urasawa’s brilliance brimming through each and every episode of the series.
Monster is a special breed of anime series, the kind that comes along once every blue moon. It is challenging, engaging and highly compelling. It can be a difficult series to watch both intellectually and emotionally, yet at the very same instance it may very well be one of the most addictive and easy to watch series there has been. There is something in the water with Monster and it might just be some kind of magic, because if Naoki Urasawa isn’t a wizard, he may very well be a genius.
At the beginning of this review I mentioned the feeling of being breathless and that feeling is really one that you don’t get very often. But the power of Monster is such that even long after watching, just thinking about it makes me feel that way. Just the thought of the epic journey of Kenzo Tenma and the tangled web he found himself in with a monster lurking in his shadow, that thought takes my breath away. Thinking back on the journey I took with Tenma, I can’t help but wonder, will I ever be able to enjoy an anime again? The bar has been set so high with Monster that I may be holding my breath for quite some time for a series that could ever match it. Monster is just that damn good.
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Transformers: Age of Extinction enjoyed its world premiere in Hong Kong last night, with a 1:1 scale Optimus Prime watching over the red carpet. Later in the evening, Imagine Dragons took to the stage to perform a set which included their original track made just for the film, ‘Battle Cry‘.
Images from the event can be seen in the gallery below. Also, speaking of the Autobot leader, watch the following clip which features Mark Wahlberg’s Cade in questioning over the location of Optimus Prime. And finally, released today by Paramount Pictures is another new clip from the movie, called ‘Found a Transformer’, embedded at the bottom of this article for your viewing convenience. Transformers: Age of Extinctions hits theatres nationwide on July 25. Look for our review closer to the date.
Ok horror fans, it is time turn off the lights, close the curtains, shut the doors and sit down in front of your TV for one hell of a fright fest, as last year’s terrifying Steam title; Outlast has finally made its way to Xbox One. The game’s release was announced this morning via the Major Nelson blog and is now available for players around the world. If you don’t know much about the title, then here is the official synopsis:
In the remote mountains of Colorado, horrors wait inside Mount Massive Asylum. A long-abandoned home for the mentally ill, recently re-opened by the “research and charity” branch of the transnational Murkoff Corporation, the asylum has been operating in strict secrecy… until now. Acting on a tip from an anonymous source, independent journalist Miles Upshur breaks into the facility, and what he discovers walks a terrifying line between science and religion, nature and something else entirely. Once inside, his only hope of escape lies with the terrible truth at the heart of Mount Massive.
You can grab Outlast on Xbox One for $26.95 by clicking here. Are you excited about Outlast finally making the jump to Xbox One, or have you already played through it on PC and vowed never again? Let us know in the comments below and remember to stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the horror gaming news as it becomes available.
We are less than a month away from the next Core Set release for Wizard’s hugely popular strategy card game; Magic: The Gathering, and we are even closer to the digital release of Magic 2015 – Duels of the Planeswalkers. If you have played any DotP game in the past, you will likely know that owning it gets you access to a promotional booster pack of 6 cards, including one special promotional foil card from the upcoming set. Well, without further adeiu, check out your promos for this year:
So there you have it, your promo cards for Magic 2015 – DotP are two of the “Souls” Cycle of creatures being released in M15. Each Soul related to a specific plane in the Magic multiverse and has some pretty sweet abilities that capture the feel of the plane they represent (and they can use their ability one last time even after they are destroyed). The Soul of Ravnica is available to anyone who purchases the Xbox 360 or Xbox One versions of the game, while Soul of Zendikar is for those who purchase on PC, iPad and Android.
So what do you think of the two promotional Souls? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to check out our preview of Magic 2015 – Duels of the Planeswalkers here. M15 and DotP are both only about a month away, so make sure you stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the awesome Magic news as it becomes available.
Ladies and gentlemen, the sun is shining, the birds are chirping and as if today wasn’t lovely enough the guys over at Titan Comics have bestowed upon us a brand new preview! We recently shared the announcement of the new comic book; 13 Coins from the creative team of Martin Brennan & Michael B Jackson (the screenwriters of Hitman: Absolution) and now we have some sweet new preview pages and an official synopsis to show you!
From Eisner award winning artist, Simon Bisley, and the screenwriters of Hitman: Absolution (Martin Brennan & Michael B Jackson), comes the story of a new superhero… The story of John Pozner, a tormented ex-con on a quest for vengeance, when he discovers that he is descended from angels, and is the living key to Earth’s future, or Heaven’s fall.
The concept looks pretty sweet, and the guys behind it have some real credibility going into it after the success of Hitman: Absolution, so this looks like it might be one of those books that is worth your while to check out. We have a few preview pages below so you can take a closer look at what you will be getting when the book hits store shelves on October 8th. As always, make sure you stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the 13 Coins news as it becomes available.
ATLUS have today released another two character spotlight trailers for their upcoming “Persona” fighting game “Persona 4 Arena Ultimax” and those two fighters just so happen to be, well, let’s call them…archenemies. Yu Narukami and Tohru Adachi both take center stage in the latest pair of gameplay trailers with each of them showing their super cool, “Persona-style” skills. The two definitely walk on common ground and these trailers show that it goes a little deeper than just similar looking “Personas”.
Yu continues to look stylish as he slices and dices enemies while Adachi just seems downright out of his mind…the way it should be. Head down below to check out the two new trailers and don’t forget to hit up our comments section to let us know what you think. The game is set for a Japanese release on the 28th of August with a North American and European release to follow. “Persona 4 Arena Ultimax” is a PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 title.
Bandai Namco Games Japan have today released a brand-new trailer for their upcoming PlayStation Vita title “Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth“. This new trailer gives audiences a nice look at the game’s design as well as it’s dungeon-crawling gameplay mechanic and it’s RPG-style battle mechanic.
So far only announced for Japan, “Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth” is a newly announced game for the PlayStation Vita that, once again, takes audiences on a digital adventure alongside some awesome monster pals, the likes of which a great deal of the target audience grew up with.
It takes place in what looks to be the “real world” but as the trailer goes on you soon see that elements of the “Digital World” have started to seep in. The trailer features series mascot Agumon as well as fan favorites like Terriermon and Angewoman. It has been said to play similar to older “Digimon” RPG titles and will feature a leveling system reminiscent of classic JRPGs.
The game has only been announced for a release in Japan in 2015 with no word being heard about a Western release. The “Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth” gameplay trailer can be seen in our featured video section below so head down there now to check it out.
ATLUS only just released their new “Persona” 3DS title “Shadow Of The Labyrinth” over in Japan and already they’ve announced the first paid DLC for the new game, luckily for players…it’s pretty cheap. The game’s initial DLC release came in the form of two free Personas (Kaguya and Orpheus) that can be “equipped” by character and used in battle.
This time around is a little different only because this time you can’t just charge it to ATLUS’ tab. Thanatos of Persona 3 and Magatsu Izanagi of Persona 4 have just been announced as the two latest DLC items, each of which will go for ¥200 which roughly equals about US$2.00. Thanatos comes to you at level 70 with the “Gates Of Hades” skill while Magatsu Izanagi comes to you at level 92 with the “Calamity Seed” skill. Both these Persona are extremely powerful and would be a great addition to any team.
This DLC has so far only been announced for Japan with the game being released in North America and Europe sometime this Fall/Autumn. ATLUS have also teased an upcoming DLC which has something to do with the three “Velvet Room” companions. That is said to be unveiled on the 25th of this month so stick to the site for when that comes about.
Well here it is folks, the semi-conclusion to what has been a rather strange series. With last episode ending on yet another Hitoe related breakdown, it’s time to see if this group of tormented friends can ever enjoy the simplicity of a life without WIXOSS. But once all is said and done, as Ruko’s final confrontation against Iona comes to pass, one question will be answered: Who’s wish is greater?
Selfish Desire
Ok, so I feel like a bit of a broken record by this point, but man has Hitoe had it rough. What with the losing her memories and the searing mental pain that arose when recollection turned to her friends. But such is the cost of WIXOSS…at least that’s what they told us. I have to say this series isn’t very consistent in its depiction of consequence. I recall, in the early days of the series, somebody explaining that a loss would render a Selector devoid of all memories related to said vocation. Yet both Hitoe and Akira, who has remained notably absent from the series, both remembered it all. Which is especially jarring for Hitoe, who was purposely stripped of specific memories. However, yet another conflict has arisen in regards to these so called rules: Hitoe remembered her friends. You know, those people whom she was to never be able to recall, or touch, or connect with in any way. Well she’s done all of those now and she’s completely fine. Seriously, recalling her lost memories did cause her pain, but she was able to fight through it like she had a fever. I mean, it’s sweet and all that she knows her friends once again, but what was the point of her entire character arc if she was just going to undermine her penalty? It just seems a little rushed which, especially considering how every other plot thread was handled in this anime, undermined the emotional impact of the entire endeavour. On top of all this, Hitoe also gained information that she shouldn’t have. I also seem to remember Yuzuki saying that a LRIG could never divulge the secrets of WIXOSS to their Selector. I suppose she could’ve learnt it from someone else, but Hitoe really isn’t the type to socialise and with her aversion to Ruko, Yuzuki becomes the only place she could’ve acquired the information. Oh well, it’s just another question left unanswered at this point.
Now we come to the heart of the matter: Iona. That Selector who we all know is bad news, despite the fact that her screentime has been noticeably limited. Though her usual demeanour would present her as cold and calculating, which she is, her true self reveals a much more sinister joy bubbling below the surface. Oh and good news, her twisted emotions are directed at Ruko…for some reason. At this point in time we honestly have no idea why she is so obsessed with Ruko, or why the final condition for her wish was watching Ruko fail, or be emotionally crushed, or something messed up like that. The fact that she called Ruko “Ru” for the entirety of the battle didn’t lessen the creepy factor, nor did her exclaiming that her opponent was “My Kominato Ruko”. What is that all about. My only though is that they’re related somehow, but that’s a plot point straight out of left field with no previous indication. Either way, we’re not going to find out for a while. Though Iona will certainly make another appearance in the future, what with her becoming Ruko’s new LRIG. Not that she lost her old one mind you, Tama just kinda…vanished. Iona also seemed as if she knew she would be reincarnated as Ruko’s LRIG, almost as if she planned it. Along with Yuzuki becoming Hitoe’s LRIG, I’m starting to think WIXOSS runs on coincidences as much as it does ill defined card games.
On a wing and a prayer
While I’m on the topic, what the heck is going on in the White Room? Ruko must’ve stumbled onto a terrifying wish if the apparent goddess behind WIXOSS mentally assaulted Tama in order to prevent it. I assume that freeing all of the LRIGs would have a negative effect on Mayu, whilst also destroying the concept of Selectors, but that doesn’t make it any less cruel. Especially considering that Mayu apparently has a deep connection with Tama. Enough so that she was upset by the wounds Tama had sustained and, on the other side, Tama recalled Mayu’s voice as one she knows better than Ruko’s. Mysterious…ish. I mean, they’re both luminously white LRIG beings, they’re probably related. I mean it explains Mayu’s desire to protect Tama, though the mental anguish just seems abusive. Yet again something we do not know, nor shall we for a while. Also, thoug I understand her desire to protect her friend, Tama pretty much condemned every LRIG in existence by refusing Ruko’s wish. After all, there’s not many people going around desiring change in the WIXOSS world. So good job Tama, things really worked out for the better…
Though decidedly cool, Ruko and Iona’s confrontation raised a number of questions regarding WIXOSS battles, namely: The barrier can break? Apparently, if two decks are strong enough I guess, again I still don’t have a grasp on this game, they can shatter the dimensional barrier that separates them from Earth. Now, when you really consider it, is terrifying. Two LRIGs duking it out in the real world would be detrimental to their surroundings to say the least. We already saw Tama and Ulith clash and shake the foundations on the ridiculous building on which their battle took place. Of course, this event could be limited to the conflict between a Black and White deck, or just Tama and Ulith. We don’t know. Is the dimension shattered permanently? Will the battles change? Can regular humans now see WIXOSS? Did anyone notice the giant explosion caused by Tama? Who knows? Not us.
To a future made bleak…
So you may have picked up on a theme throughout this impression: Questions. As WIXOSS drew to a close, it raised a number of questions and added them to the ones we already had. We’ve got missing allies, villains who won, problems left unsolved and more emotional strife than you can shake a LRIG at. So regardless of whether you like or disliked selector infected WIXOSS, it is not a complete story unto itself. To that end, I turn you to the future when all will hopefully be revealed in selector spread WIXOSS. May we yet learn the answers that we seek…and maybe the actual rules of WIXOSS.
Check out more selector infected WIXOSS Impressions HERE.
