“Move your feet to the rhythm of the Newsbeat!” Can I get a drumroll and some flourish please, because it is time for this week’s installment of Xbox Newsbeat! Welcome to your one-stop shop for all the news out of Microsoft HQ. This week we have…Oh, only two news pieces. One for Xbox One and the other for the cross-platform Titanfall (Ooh, just missed out again Windows Phone). So grab a small popcorn and coke, and lets press play on this week’s Xbox Newsbeat!
Prepare for Battle: Titanfall
Are you playing Titanfall? If the answer is “yes” then I’m not surprised. If the answer is no, well then I guess you just don’t like having fun. No in all honesty, Titanfall is a great multiplayer experience, and becomes especially gratifying once you know exactly what you’re doing. Well, what if you haven’t mastered Pilot loadouts or advanced Titan tactics? (I’m asking a lot of questions today) Well to help people along, the guys over at Xbox Wire have compiled a little guide as to how best play Titanfall. It covers things like the best loadout and tips for newbies, all the way up to advance weapon choices for higher leveled players. So no matter how skilled you are, you should take a look and see if you level up your game.
So a few weeks ago, Microsoft started sampling their latest Xbox One system update to some lucky early adopters. After some feedback, a few more features are being tested before the update rolls out to fans worldwide. Here are a few things that the Big M are tinkering with:
Blu-ray player supports50 Hz video output for content recorded at 50 Hz. There will also be an update to the Blu-ray Player app in the coming days to round out these improvements.
Controller and headset adaptor firmware updateswill reduce audio static and improve wireless connectivity.
Silent reboot after system updates and system update on demand now available.After this update, if your console is in Instant On mode, the update will happen automatically and return to standby upon completion. This means you won’t need to power on your console after an update moving forward. If you want to take future updates when available without waiting for your console to do it on its own, they’ve added this option under system settings. It will only show as available when there is an update to take.
Well that’s it for this week’s Xbox Newsbeat. Short, sweet and right to the point I guess. So which of the two pieces did you most care about? Are you looking forward to the updated Blu Ray player on the Xbox One, or is the Titanfall guide exactly what you have been looking for? Let us know in the comments below, and check back to Capsule Computers next week for a likely much larger issue of Xbox Newsbeat.
There’s just something about mixing video games ad reality that is taking the world by storm. We live in an age where playing video games is something that more and more people are doing each day so, in a way, it makes sense for a great deal of these anime, manga, comics and graphic novel writers to base a story around the phenomenon that is the expanding world of video games.
What worries me is that there happens to be an abundance of these storylines fling around the pop culture world right now and each of them are quite similar in certain ways which makes me think that, eventually, the general populous is going to get tired of seeing it…I know that’s my case right now but I’m hoping a series like “Accel World” – one I was told countless times is a great series – can restore my love for stories of its kind. Thanks to the young, Australian anime publisher “Hanabee” I’ve been given the chance to review the first part of the “Accel World” series. Follow me on this trip to see just how good (or bad) the series is.
Story
Much like a lot of these types of animes out there, the story revolves around a young boy whose life isn’t exactly what you’d call…”ideal”. He’s short, he’s fat, he’s awkward and, for the most part, he’s pretty unappealing. Nobody really “likes” him and he’s constantly bullied but lucky for Harayuki Arita, he lives in the future! One that just so happens to be run by a web of connection extremely similar to the internet. Each and every person has something called a “Neurolinker” which is a sort of virtual reality device that pretty much does everything you can think of.
Our “hero”, Harayuki Arita, spends most of his time in a virtual world where he’s actually comfortable. Playing games and making friends, this is where he is king…unlike real life where he’s nothing but another faceless citizen. One day a beautiful young lady appears, offering him a “brand-new experience” that will change his life forever. As you can guess Harayuki accepts this offer and she introduces him to his new existence…one within a virtual space called “Brain Burst”. Now “Accel World” is a little different to the usual virtual reality applications that people in the series use: It’s a fighting-style game that pits player against player. These fighters battle for points which allow them to do amazing things in reality like stop time so, as you can imagine, the game is pretty brutal.
Harayuki and his new friend Kuroyukihime dive into the world of “Brain Burst” where the story truly begins. Like any story of this type, the stakes continue to grow higher and higher; Harayuki learns of a virtual turf war, the dangers of loosing all your points and that he just so happens to be one of the most unique players of all time. I’m not saying it is generic but we’ve all seen this type of thing a thousand times…unfortunately. My biggest “beef” with the story of “Accel World” is that there’s no real character development; for the most part, characters stay the same the whole way through the series and even after making countless mistakes…they just never learn and it becomes extremely frustrating for other characters to have to constantly repeat themselves.
I found myself actually yelling at the screen during some scenes, voicing my opinion to a fictional character in ways I’ve never done before. In my opinion; the series wrote cheques it just couldn’t cash. It tried its best to build up a heavy-hitting storyline but fell flat when, in the end, it didn’t exactly matter. It doesn’t help when characters act like idiots the whole way through and even up until the final battle. The story could have been executed so much better than it was, “Accel World” had such a good premise which looked great on paper but when seeing it before you…it was just about as flat as a piece of one.
Visuals
“Accel World” is only about two or so years old but it looked to me like it was much more dated than that. I’ll give credit when credit is due though; the fight scenes were brilliant and actually kept me watching the release until the very last episode but, honestly, I would have liked to have seen more of them. The real show of greatness for the series was within the fight scenes; most of the characters actually looked well-designed with a few of them looking as though they’re what I’d call…”rush jobs”.
Environments were beautiful and varied, each of which making for some great-looking battlefields that you could honestly imagine seeing in actual fighting games or MMORPGS. Possibly the best animation was that of the timer and health bar for each of the battles; it’s almost as if most of the animation budget went into making those things look so much better than everything else. As mentioned; fight scenes were brilliantly animated but I felt they were few and far between. Fight scenes were present in almost every single episode but they were very short and I found that, most times, a lot of them were occupied by unnecessary chatter so there actually wasn’t a great deal of movement. You’ll notice though, when the action kicks in…it really kicks in.
Audio
What surprised me about the soundtrack of “Accel World” was that…it’s really good! I honestly assumed it would just be your average anime soundtrack throwing in the same types of tracks when series developers though it should be used but the music within it was actually quite varied to the point where, on some occasions, you’d even here things like slide guitar within songs. The music matched the series and, really, that’s all that’s expected from an anime title so the music did its job, luckily it did it fairly well.
Unfortunately the voice acting was not at the same caliber as the soundtrack. I feel bad talking about voice acting because, usually, these voice actors would be great at their job but when they’re given silly and idiotic lines as well as unnecessary voice direction…well, it could make the best voice actors seem like the worst. Most characters were extremely annoying and, thanks to bad writing, lines were repeated so many times throughout the series showing that not a great deal of effort was really put into writing. Having a main character that makes the same mistakes every handful of episodes then has to be told the same things by the same characters over and over again is NOT a good call for an anime series.
Extras
Physically this release is one big extra! While there’s essentially no on-disc extras for fans of the series to sink their teeth into, it does have an interesting case, one that both impresses me but annoys me. It is a case unlike any anime release I’ve seen before; essentially, the front is entirely see through with no words but with a picture of the two main characters. It’s quite interesting that “Hanabee” went in this direction because, even though it actually looks incredibly nice…there are no words on it at all.
I’ll say this and hopefully it’ll be enough for you reading this to understand my frustration; it’s lack of title had me believe this was the series collection, only when I went onto the “Hanabee” website did I realise this is a “Part 1 of 2” release. Now if you’re a fan of the series you’d know it has more than 12 episodes, therefor you’d know this is not the full series but there are people out there who do not know this so having a case where the only words are on a small paper slip that gets almost instantly thrown away, one that simply says “Accel World”, makes it quite confusing for some people. In the end this is just seemingly small but, once thought about more, you can see how much of a problem it may cause.
Overall
For me, this series was a heavy average. I’ve heard from a few of my close friends that this series is a great one, that they enjoyed it and it’s one of the best but I just couldn’t see that. In my eyes, this release needed a great deal of work and I’m honestly hoping that part 2 of 2 will make up for what part 1 obviously lacked. I want to stress that this is my opinion and mine alone before I say; I simply did not enjoy the series though I can honestly see why people would absolutely love it. It has a great deal to offer if you’re willing to overlook certain things, unfortunately my job is to review it and those things could not have been overlooked. It’s just another case of “good premise, bad execution”.
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Here it is fight fans! “Ultra Street Fighter IV” is only around the corner and the good people over at “Capcom” have decided to begin streaming the opening cinematic for the game to get each and every one of you pumped for the high-octane action heading your way!
Serving as a colossal update to the previously release “Super Street Fighter IV” game, “Ultra Street Fighter IV” adds a great deal of different features all designed to pique the interested of fighting fans all over the world. With new stages, new costumes, new battle mechanics and all new characters, this game offers a great deal to long-running fans of the series while also being appealing enough to bring in new-comers to the world of “Street Fighter”.
A specific date of release for the West has not been released as of yet but word is that we’re meant to be receiving it sometime within the next few months so keep your eyes on the site for that news (and all other news) when it breaks. The game will be released in two different ways; the first as just an update for players who already own “Super Street Fighter IV” and the second as a full game for players who have yet to purchase the original title.
If you’ve been out to the movies in recent times then surely you would have seen a trailer for the upcoming action/sci-fi flick; “Edge Of Tomorrow“. What you may not know is that the movie is actually based off of a novel which goes by the title “All You Need Is Kill“, the original name of the movie until it was changed recently.
Starring Hollywood hotshots Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt, “Edge Of Tomorrow” follows the story of two soldiers; Lt. Col. William “Bill” Cage (Cruise) and Special Forces soldier Rita Vrataski (Blunt), in a battle against an invading alien race the loss of which would render the world entirely taken over by these extra terrestrials. The movie takes audiences on an intense trip through time with Cruise’s character being trapped in a somewhat inescapable “time loop”. Each time the soldier dies he is eventually brought back to life to experience the same events.
Over the course of the events in the story we see the evolution of Lt. Col. Cage as he slowly but surely becomes the greatest threat to this alien race. “Madman Entertainment” has some exciting news for those of you out there who cannot get enough of this film; they’ve just announced that they will be released both the original “Edge Of Tomorrow” novel – written by famed Japanese author Hiroshi Sakurazaka though previously published as “All You Need Is Kill” – and the brand-new graphic novel adaptation of the book “All You Need Is Kill”.
Now don’t let the name differences confuse you, for the most part they’re the exact same story, obviously with small alterations here and there. These two releases have been planned to coincide with the release of the movie; on the 10th of May you can pick up both the “Edge Of Tomorrow” book and the “All You Need Is Kill” graphic novel from any good book store and the movie “Edge Of Tomorrow” has been slated for an Australian release on the 5th of June this year.
ICEBERG INTERACTIVE REVEALS FACTION #4 VIDEO “THE NECROPHAGES” FOR UPCOMING ENDLESS LEGEND
French developer Amplitude Studios revealed today the fourth faction in its video campaign for the highly anticipated 4X strategy game Endless Legend. Showcasing the insectoid menace known as the Necrophages, this asset package includes video, artwork, screens, and a faction card detailing the faction’s hideous characteristics. Currently on track for an Alpha release within weeks on Steam, Endless Legend (PC/Mac) is a fantasy-based strategy title that takes place in the same universe as Amplitude Studios’ award-winning Endless Space.
Who Are The Necrophages? The Necrophages are a scuttling monstrosity polluting the surface of Auriga (the planet on which Endless Legend takes place); they are an insectoid menace that should be crushed under one’s heel like the mutated cockroaches that they are. Or so the Vaulters, the Wild Walkers, the Broken Lords, and every other nation on the planet would have one believe.
Naturally, the Necrophages themselves don’t share this view – in fact, they hold very few views other than fight, feed, and propagate. The Necrophages have found a niche in the environment that suits them very well: They win by numbers; by elevating the colony over the individual; by constant warfare.
Something between a hive insect and an undead horde, they reproduce by laying eggs in the bodies of fallen enemies. Occasionally the offspring even inherits elements of the host’s DNA, accelerating their process of change and adaptation. Emotionless, relentless, and driven by their biology, the Necrophages do not waste time with diplomacy and commerce.
Indie developer Alan Zucconi and UK independent publishers Mastertronic, who was also responsible for publishing Montague’s Mount, are happy to announce that they’ve launched ORBITALIS, a space-based physics puzzler, onto Steam Early Access.
Your goal in this title is to control the direction and trajectory of your satellite to orbit various objects in a given time. The kicker is that you only have one chance to set your satellite into motion. After that, it’s up to gravity to do the work. The title provides over 50 different missions to test. You’re not scored based on how long you last in orbit – you’re tested on how complex your orbital paths are. The simplicity of the game meshes well with the hidden complexity behind every move you make.
For more information on this exciting puzzle game, check out their official site here. Also, if you’re considering purchasing the Early Access version of the game, here is the link for it. You can also get a 25% discount right now if you purchase it during its Steam Early Access phase. Below is the trailer for ORBITALIS. Make sure you check it out!
SINGLE-HANDLEDLY FIGHT FOR WORLD DOMINATION IN EPIC FUTURISTIC ARENA SPORTS GAME EPIGENESIS
Developer Dead Shark Triplepunch Introduces Single Player Mode, All New Legacy Arena Level KARLSHAMN, Sweden—April 17, 2014—Developer Dead Shark Triplepunch today announced Epigenesis, the award-winning online multiplayer sports/FPS ball game of the future, now includes a single player mode for any would-be cybernetic ball players looking for a match with other bots. In single player mode players can create a match with up to nine different AI opponents and practice their cybernetic ball game skills. Epigenesis isan online multiplayer arena sports game in which two sides are locked in an epic, never-ending fight for world-domination by playing ball, and is now in Early Access on Steam for $9.99: http://store.steampowered.com/app/244590.
The latest update also includes a new Legacy Arena level that introduces a mineshaft, giving players a height advantage but also exposing them to opponents’ projectiles. Jump pads are hugely important in the Legacy Arena; players can jump higher and use vertical space to their advantage to move faster around the map. However, the newly implemented light bridges provide a way to move around the arena without jumping. Players who still prefer to leap across the level can use smaller platforms that lead to pickups to help dominate their opponents. The arena also brings cover into play, enabling more tactical movement for ball and seed carriers.
Epigenesis won Make Something Unreal Live in 2013 hosted by Epic Games and won 2013 Game of the Year from the Swedish Game Awards. For more information about Epigenesis, please visit the website: www.EpigenesisTheGame.com.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/deadsharktriplepunch
Twitter: @DS3P
About Epigenesis Epigenesis is an online multiplayer sports/FPS game in which two sides are locked in a never-ending fight for world domination by playing ball. In this non-lethal ballgame of the future, players leap across platforms suspended high up in the air trying to get a ball located in the middle of the arena and score goals against their opponents. Each player carries a gravity cannon capable of pushing enemies (and friends) down from the heights of the arena.
When a player scores, he receives a genetically modified super-seed and gets the opportunity to plant it onto a platform to capture it. To win the game you must capture towers and construct a node system from your goal post all the way to your opponents’ goal post. If this hasn’t happened by the time that the clock reaches zero, the team with the most scores win!
Teamwork, tactics and precision is key to win eternal glory in a game of Epigenesis!
About Dead Shark Triplepunch
Dead Shark Triplepunch is an indie developer team consisting of 10 crew members based in the city of Karlshamn, which lies in the southern parts of Sweden. They are currently working on the Non-lethal FPS Domination/Ball game Epigenesis.
ARCADE FARTSATION ORC ATTACK: FLATULENT REBELLION COMING SOON TO STEAM
Local and Online Cooperative Play Offers Fart-Blasting Abilities to Out-Stink Opponents
Twain Harte, CA – April 17, 2014 – Join the rebellion! Casual Brothers announced today that Orc Attack: Flatulent Rebellion, a one-to-four player cooperative gas-and-slash action game, is coming this spring to PC on Steam. All new features have been implemented in the upcoming PC version, as Casual Brothers has improved the range of the camera system, sped up the frame rate, and added Steam Achievements.
Now fully geared for cooperative play on the PC, gamers will fart or die in this gas-and-slash action game, where fun-loving Orcs battle pollution spreading Humans in a humorous fantasy setting. Orcs have become victims of brutal Human expansion, as they are carelessly poisoning the environment. Now, four trained Orc heroes are retaliating with a not-so-silent yet very deadly plan. In either single-player or up to four-player co-op, gamers will take on the role of Orcs, each wielding a unique gaseous ability, and then take the fight to the Humans in a stinky, fart-filled romp.
In Orc Attack: Flatulent Rebellion, gamers can inflict solo flatulent attacks or team up to combine farts and belches for crowd-clearing combos with local and online two- to four-person cooperative play. Players will enjoy a variety of gameplay features, including two different gameplay modes: The Magic Mode, in which Orcs perform magical spells with devastating effects on their enemies; and The Dirty Mode, in which Orcs produce vile and dangerous gasses creating explosions and other devastating effects on their enemies.
Additional In-Game Features:
Local and online two-to four-person cooperative play.
An improved, intelligent new camera system enables players to share the same camera without losing sight of their co-op friends.
A faster framerate makes for a better looking and playing game.
Steam-based Achievements have been added for diehard PC gamers.
16 different levels across four expansive environments.
Four Playable Orcs: Sir Sniff, Doc Turd, Lord Poop, or Friar Krap, each equipped with special fart-blasting abilities to out-stink their opponents.
As players progress, they gain experience and unlock new attack combinations, more efficient gas powers, additional strength, and increase in speed.
Using runes (the game’s currency), players can buy new equipment, weapons, power-ups, armor, and magic elixirs at the Orc Store.
Gamers can evolve their Orc avatars and distribute experience points to different characteristics such as strength, speed, and resistance to differentiate fighting styles.
Orc Attack: Flatulent Rebellion is expected to release this spring for PC on Steam, and is available now on the Xbox Live online entertainment network from Microsoft and PlayStation®Network in North America and Europe. For more information on Orc Attack: Flatulent Rebellion, please follow it on Twitter and “like” it on Facebook.
DeNA Launches Sci-fi Mobile First-Person Shooter Isolani for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch
SAN FRANCISCO – April 17, 2014 – Mobile game developer and publisher DeNA announced today that Isolani, a sci-fi core first-person shooter (FPS) free-to-play mobile game, is available exclusively on the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.
Set in a very distant future that is plagued by robotic rule and war, Isolani casts the player as one of the last human survivors in a now shattered universe. After a rude awakening from a prolonged cryogenic sleep, the player is propelled into a war between two powerful entities both poised to do anything to fulfill their missions. Armed with powerful weapons, the player must shoot their way out of this unthinkable state in an effort to save what’s left of humankind.
“With Isolani, we set out to deliver an unforgettable mobile experience for fans of hardcore shooters that combines an immersive, action-laden story with a simple, yet sophisticated touch control scheme,” said David Simard, producer at DeNA. “Loaded with suspense, cliffhangers, and twists, Isolani takes the player on a journey that demands their undivided attention.”
Isolani also features breathtaking 3D visuals set in hauntingly beautiful locations, and there will be new in-game episodes released regularly for the player to continue their adventures in the game.
Isolani is available for free from the App Store on iPad, iPhone and iPod touch or at www.AppStore.com.
An Isolani trailer is available for you to watch here
London, UK – April 17, 2014 – Today, Ubisoft announced the ebook Watch_Dogs //n/Dark Clouds, inspired by the highly anticipated video game Watch Dogs™. Authored by John Shirley, the ebook is a direct sequel to the events of the game and will allow fans to further explore the world of Watch Dogs with an all new story. The ebook is a first for Ubisoft, as it was conceived inhouse and will be released exclusively via digital channels.
John Shirley, prolific author of over 30 books and short stories such as A Song Called Youth, is a known figure in the hacker community and is a pioneer of the cyberpunk movement, and therefore is a natural fit to author the Watch Dogs™ ebook. Having unprecedented access to our Montreal studio dev team and writers, he has recreated the atmosphere of Watch Dogs™, into his thriller, that combines high-tech crimes with both new and known characters.
“Working on Watch Dogs was enormously interesting to me because its world offers the convergence of cyberpunk and the edgy tech reality of our times; it all plays out with action and energy against the inner city backdrop that I thrive in” said John Shirley. “With hack tech in one hand and gun in the other, Aiden Pearce is a believable fusion of hacker and action hero who deliberately slips between the cracks of society to relentlessly pursue his agenda. The novel introduces Mick Wolfe, an ex-military, who get caught in a dangerous game in Chicago’s hyper connected and violent underground. Working with Thomas Geffroyd and Kevin Shortt at Ubisoft to develop the book was a rocking experience – Ubisoft is right out there on the frontier of videogame development. I couldn’t ask for more inspiration”.
Watch_Dogs //n/Dark Clouds will be available in English, French, Italian, German and Spanish at game’s release on May 27, 2014. It will be available in two digital formats: an upgraded e-book version with interactive elements including videos and image and a classic e-book. For more information, click here www.watchdogs.com/ebook.
In Watch Dogs, players will be immersed in a living, breathing and fully connected recreation of Chicago. Players will assume the role of Aiden Pearce, a new type of vigilante who, with the help of his smartphone, will use his ability to hack into Chicago’s central operating system (ctOS) and control almost every element of the city. Aiden will be able to tap into the city’s omnipresent security cameras, download personal information to locate a target, control systems such as traffic lights or public transportation to stop a chase, and more. The city of Chicago is now the ultimate weapon. Fans can stay connected to Watch Dogs by visiting the official website, Facebook page and Twitter account.
About John Shirley :
John Shirley is the author of numerous novels, books of short stories, screenplays and teleplays. His screenplays include THE CROW, and his work in television includes episodes of Deep Space Nine, and VR5. John Shirley was one of the original cyberpunk writers, and his cyberpunk trilogy, A SONG CALLED YOUTH is now in an omnibus edition from Prime Books. Shirley’s novels include CITY COME A-WALKIN’, DEMONS, CRAWLERS, and BIOSHOCK: RAPTURE. His newest novels are EVERYTHING IS BROKEN, from Prime Books, and DOYLE AFTER DEATH from HarperCollins/Witness. His short story collection Black Butterflies won the Bram Stoker Award. The authorized website is http://www.john-shirley.com/
About Ubisoft
Ubisoft is a leading creator, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and services, with a rich portfolio of world-renowned brands, including Assassin’s Creed, Just Dance, Tom Clancy’s, Rayman and Far Cry. The teams throughout Ubisoft’s worldwide network of studios and business offices are committed to delivering original and memorable gaming experiences across all popular platforms, including consoles, mobile phones, tablets and PCs. For the 2012-13 fiscal year Ubisoft generated sales of €1,256 million. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoftgroup.com.
