Earlier today Gust held an Atelier Shallie: Alchemists of the Dusk Sea preview event on NicoNico and while the event may have been fifty five minutes long, a lot of it was fluff and nothing substantial. However a viewer did manage to snip out three pieces of actual gameplay footage that were shown off the for the first time in the game. If you want to watch the whole thing you can do so here.
These pieces of footage show off our introduction to Shallotte, our introduction to Shallistera, and a bit of field gameplay though no actual combat footage was shown. You can check out the footage below and keep in mind the game is still in development as Tecmo Koei is planning on releasing the title on June 26th in Japan.
After a lengthy beta test, Ghost Recon Online has officially launched and has been rebranded as Ghost Recon Phantoms. The free to play shooter’s rebranding is not just a change of title. It includes a revamped background story and a new art direction that will affect everything from maps to character design. The new ModMaster feature will allow players to customize their character’s equipment, clothing, and weapons to create a unique look.
The worldwide launch also brings new servers in Asia, Australia, and South America, which will ensure better latency for those outside of Europe and North America. Matchmaking has also been improved to better match players based on skill and to ensure a smoother entry for new players. Ghost Recon Phantoms is available for free on Steam and the official Ghost Recon Phantoms website for Windows.
Call of Duty®: Ghosts Devastation DLC Pack Coming to PlayStation and Windows PC Players Friday, May 9, 2014
Call of Duty: Ghosts DLC Season Pass Owners Can Use Devastation’s All-New Ripper 2-in-1 Weapon Immediately
Call of Duty®: Ghosts players on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3 and Windows PC will have access to Devastation, the game’s second of four massive DLC Packs planned for this year,on May 9, 2014. Devastation delivers four small-to-medium sized multiplayer maps, the all-new tactical 2-in-1 “Ripper” SMG/Assault Rifle, and “Episode 2: Mayday” – the next chapter in Extinction’s four-part episodic narrative. Devastation is available a la carte for a suggested retail price of $19.95, or as part of the discounted* Call of Duty: Ghosts DLC Season Pass**.
Devastation’s new multiplayer maps include:
– Ruins: A multi-level Mayan temple with verticality suited for long-range weapons and underground pathways perfect for close-quarters showdowns. Skilled players that find and complete the map’s unique Field Order will have the ability to become one of Hollywood’s most formidable action film stars and the galaxy’s ultimate hunter, the deadly Predator. As the Predator, players will brandish its dual wrist blades and shoulder-mounted plasma cannon, as well as be able to utilize the creature’s keen hunting abilities to track down enemy players.
– Collision: The mangled remains of a cargo ship that’s crashed into a New York City bridge. The map’s tight corridors – made-up of burnt-out vehicles and demolished shipping containers – create a space perfect for run-and-gun players.
– Behemoth: Players battle atop a massive excavation platform in South America with long sight lines ideal for long-range weapons, while the confined interiors of the platform’s control rooms make for intense SMG and Shotgun encounters.
– Unearthed:A reimagined version of the fan-favorite map “Dome” from Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® 3. “Unearthed” is full of new secrets and Cryptid artifacts for players to discover in this compact, versatile map, great for all play types.
Additionally, Call of Duty: Ghosts Devastation brings fans the next chapter in the ongoing episodic Extinction story with “Episode 2: Mayday.” In the aftermath of the events at the Nightfall Program facility in the Alaskan wilderness, the Quick Reaction Force boards a mysteriously abandoned Chinese research vessel adrift in the South Pacific Ocean. Armed with multiple, mod-able versions of the Venom-X weapons that harness the power of Cryptid technology, players will pursue Captain Archer in an attempt to uncover what’s become of Dr. Cross, all while battling against a new Cryptid enemy called the “Seeder,” and culminating with players facing-off against a massive, 400-foot tall Cryptid beast from the deep – the “Kraken.”
Finally, Devastation arms players with the all-new tactical 2-in-1 “Ripper,” a hybrid SMG/Assault Rifle. The “Ripper” is the perfect complement to Devastation‘s new multiplayer maps, providing two different configurations – medium to short-range capability as an SMG, and medium to long-range as an Assault Rifle. Additionally, Call of Duty: Ghosts DLC Season Pass holders get instant access to the “Ripper” weapon and can use it in all Call of Duty: Ghosts multiplayer maps now.
Call of Duty: Ghosts game sold separately and is required to play the Devastation DLC Pack.
Legal Stuff:
*Based on Season Pass suggested retail price of $64.95 and four DLC Packs at a suggested retail price of $19.95 each.
**Content in the DLC Season Pass may be sold separately. If you purchase the DLC Season Pass, do not also purchase these standalone DLC Packs, as you will be charged for them. DLC Season Pass and DLC Packs may not be available on all platforms or in all territories. Pricing and release dates may vary by platform.
After the huge success of Animal Crossing: New Leaf in the West and the game’s own success in Japan, many people were wondering if Nintendo was going to bring over the unique and incredibly strange Tomodachi Collection: New Life to the West in any form. Well today the company has announced that they are doing just that with an eleven minute announcement video, that can be seen below, talking all about the game and showing off some of the strange things that can happen in the game.
The game will be called Tomodachi Life and is set to be released in North America and Europe on June 6th. In this game players will customize their Mii and give them personality traits and put them in random pieces of drama that they can create.
Overview By making it so that everyone who purchases an Xbox One also has a Kinect, Microsoft has made it so that everyone with the console is capable of playing any Kinect games that may come out. Because of issues with the first version of Kinect for 360, many gamers are right to be skeptical about the capabilities of the Xbox One’s Kinect and now we have a game that will put it to the test in the form of Kinect Sports Rivals. The question is, does this game help make that Kinect worthwhile or is it just another gimmicky attempt at motion control?
Gameplay Now the very first thing players will do when they play Kinect Sports Rivals is create their champion, but unlike other games this isn’t done by selecting from pre-set faces, this is done with the Kinect. Players are asked to move close to the Kinect and position their face for scanning which, for me, was a very quick and accurate procedure that had the Kinect even asking me to take off my glasses at points to properly scan and producing a character that looked similar to me in skeletal structure, although the haircut was way off.
Things such as hair style, beard, glasses, and the color of the player’s hair, eyes can be adjusted afterwards if the scanning might have missed a fine detail here and there. However the same cannot be said when another member of my family tried to make their character as the Kinect was constantly failing to finish the scan and asking them to move back and forth only to fail continuously even after numerous lighting, positioning, furniture movement. Only by luck did it finally allow him to create a character, and allow him to continue to play.
Anyways, once players create their character they are introduced to each event through a drill instructor like “Coach” which serves as a tutorial to each sport. This is a nice trickle of information and works well enough to slowly reveal events to players and instruct them on how to properly perform each act asked of them in the game, though it can be a bit slow at times… especially if there is a certain event you really want to play right off the bat.
The events in the game are unlocked in the following order, Wake Racing, Rock Climbing, Target Practice, Soccer, Bowling, and then Tennis. As such we will also be talking about these events in that order with some of them being incredibly fun, a few feeling tacked on and one that is really terrible to not only play but boring at the same time.
Wake Racing will see the player having to position their hands in front of them and steer like they would if they were actually on a jet ski. By moving one arm forward and the other backward players can turn in the direction they would as if using handlebars and acceleration is handled by closing your fists or stopping by opening them up. Players can even lean into turns to make tight turns, lean forwards or backwards to front flips and backflips while catching air and even performing no handed maneuvers if you raise your hands in the air as well.
Players are also able to use power ups such as speed boosts and other things by either saying the power out loud, the most accurate way to do so, or stomping their right foot, usable more often than not but occasionally misfires. These are useful in difficult races where players will need to race against AI and avoid mine fields making this one of the more enjoyable events in the set. These power ups are available for each event and are changed up to match the event properly and are activated the same way in each event.
Another one of the best events is Rock Climbing which seems simple at first but can be incredible fun. Players must use their arms to navigate up a rock face by reaching for handholds, closing their hands and then pulling in that direction to climb. You can jump up gaps by physically jumping and move sideways by moving your hands together to transfer hands while you reach for the next handhold.
In these stages things can be rather difficult and exciting at times, since players can grab other climbers by the feet and yank them off the wall or if they are being grabbed, try to climb as fast as possible to shake their assailant off. Things are made more difficult when shocking hand holds are added in which can cause a players stamina to drop, making it difficult to hold onto the wall with one hand and reach for another for any length of time. Despite being one of the more exciting events, it is worth noting that the Kinect can have difficulty with transferring handholds properly which can make climbing sideways a difficult endeavor.
Following that there is Shooting which is pretty much a target practice light game event where players need to simply point at the screen with their hand aimed like a gun to shoot targets and accrue points. The shooting is handled automatically and players will need to dodge left and right and aim for special targets while avoiding others to build their score. This is one of the simpler games that is fun but not as nuanced as the others.
Remember how I mentioned that there was an event that was terrible and boring? Well that one happens to be soccer. While playing as the goalie is alright as you can try to defend shots from the AI, being the shooter is a pain. Players need to pass the ball down field to themselves past stationary defenders and then trying to kick a shot past the goalie in what is the most terrible aspect of the game since not only does the Kinect seem to have issues picking up the kicks, but the entire process is a snoozefest.
Bowling in Kinect Sports Rivals is a fun little inclusion that is sure to ensnare a number of players since it is one of the easier games to step into and play. There are minor adjustments players can make by adding some spin to their ball depending on how they throw it but for the most part it is a straightforward entry that is one of the better games to be played with a group of people.
Finally in this release we have Tennis which is far more detailed than I have ever noticed before in a game such as this. Players will have to toss the ball up for a serve and then smack away at it with the racket as if they were actually playing tennis and they can follow up by trying various swinging techniques to score points. This is another game that feels great to play with another person; however there are occasional issues that spring up with accurately detecting each players’ movements.
It is worth noting that there is some semblance of a set-up within the game where players can choose between three different factions to join, the Eagle Legion, Wolf Clan, or Viper Network but this is pretty basic and forgettable since it seems to mostly get in the way of actual events and fades into the background quickly. Players can also customize all of their outfits in the game, unlock better gear with special upgrades, or take advantage of a hub app to submit photos and videos as well as compare their scores with other people.
Visuals & Audio Gone are the times that trying to use a basic avatar was satisfactory, instead Rare has stepped up to create a gorgeous looking experience filled with bright colors and great looking environments. Thanks to the player scanning technology there are some nice looking details in each character and thanks to customization players will be playing against numerous different looking people as they play events that take place in gorgeously designed scenery.
Although it might be detrimental to your finishing position, taking a quick stop to look around at the world is a great thing to do, especially in Wake Racing and Rock Climbing, two events with scenic set ups, though the more stationary events are spiced up with special effects as well. As for the voice work in the game, it is satisfactory for the characters and the narrator and the music in the game is mostly recent music that isn’t about to offend anyone and helps provide an upbeat feeling to the whole experience.
Overall Kinect Sports Rivals has some great events, a few that are simple but enjoyable and one that is absolutely terrible and will probably be played the least. With Wake Racing and Rock Climbing providing the best challenge and fun in the game and Bowling and Tennis coming in for some simpler but more multiplayer friendly enjoyment, Kinect Sports Rivals is still held back by nagging motion control issues that can ruin the fun.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
“Comcept” – Keiji Inafune’s new video game development company in charge of the upcoming Megaman spiritual successor “Mighty No.9” – has just released a nice little video of the man himself doing a little design work for the new title. What we’re shown in the video is Mr. Inafune doing a quick sketch of what he believes a particular enemy in the game should look like. This enemy has been previously designed by his development team but Inafune believed that certain changes to the character type should be made to make it more…let’s say, believable.
“Even if it’s humanoid, it’s still a robot; the less human-like, the better. Instead of holding a gun and shield in a pair of hands, let’s have the shield attach to its back…When protecting itself, the body rotates around and the shield faces front. The design should have functionality like this in mind”.
It’s an interesting video that shows just how “hands on” Mr. Inafune is with the companies’ projects. It also allows us a glimpse into the background of game development and design, showing how certain things change at certain points of development to suit new ideas or new themes that have been added to a games story. Below you’ll be able to see not only the video itself but also some design works from the team regarding this particular enemy so head down there to check it all out. “Mighty No. 9” has been noted as a 2015 release that will come to almost all existing video game consoles currently in circulation. be sure to keep an eye on the site for any and all news that is released.
Music makes the world go around in my opinion. Every situation would be better with some music but unfortunately the real world is nothing like the movies and situations are never paired with an appropriate song but if I had the power you’d bet I’d hire someone to give my life a soundtrack. Every good anime has to have a few certain things to make them memorable; good visuals, good story, good voice acting and a good soundtrack but most series’ are kind of lacking musically.
Though, for every average anime soundtrack there will always be one that blows you away, one that impresses you more than the series alone could ever do and one that will stick with you for the rest of your life. A few weeks ago I brought you an article that compiled my top 5 favorite video game soundtracks (which you can read by Clicking Here) but this time around I’ve decided to list my “5 Anime Soundtracks That Belong In Your Music Library”. Each of these series’ have earned a place in my heart for being quirky, unique and memorable, and I hope that they will make some sort of impact on you too!
When a melting pot-type series such as “Durarara!!” comes along – one that bounds into and over all the genres – it’s hard to let it fly past you. It’s a series you grip with both hands as fast as you can so not to miss the wonderful ride. Action, Supernatural, Drama, Romance, Mystery, Psychological, “Durarara!!” is a superb mix of all of these genres and, to this date, the prime example of a perfected, multi-genre anime series.
Set in the city of Ikebukuro, the series revolves around a group of quirky characters who all come into contact with each other one way or another, the one thing they share in common; they live in Ikebukuro. Dealing with themes of mythology, gangland violence, underground societies and everything in between, “Durarara!!” has pretty much something everybody and that includes its funky-fresh soundtrack.
The series’ soundtrack is just as varied and odd as the characters in its story. Mixing funk, electronica, jazz, classical music and a whole bunch of other musical genres, the soundtrack may come off as quite an odd one but to those with broader tastes in music it is a brilliant mix of both sweet and sour tracks that perfectly represent the series’ setting and the characters within it.
Tracks go from being bubbly and upbeat to sombre and gloomy when necessarily, all the while creating the perfect atmosphere. Watching the series will have you almost automatically loving the soundtrack and I believe that’s the best way to first digest such a wide-ranged set of musical tracks but I can guarantee that most music-lovers out there will find this musical stew quite appealing.
Produced by Hollywood big-shot Samuel L. Jackson, “Afro Samurai” is an anime short series that was originally released back in 2007 to an amazing critical reception which allowed the series to continue on and into a full feature film titled “Afro Samurai: Resurrection” two years later in 2009. The series follows the story of a young, wandering samurai referred to only as “Afro”. Afro is the holder of the “Number 2” headband; a symbolical item that indicates the owner of it is the second strongest fighter in the known world and is the only person who is eligible to battle the fighter who currently holds the “Number 1” headband.
The legend behind the “Number 1” headband is that it gives the holder God-like abilities so, as you can imagine, people from all of the world are slaughtering their way through countless headband-holders in the hopes of defeating the fighter in possession of the “Number 1” which just so happens to be killer of Afro’s father. Need I say more?
The soundtrack is highly comparable to that of the “Samurai Champloo” soundtrack, in fact, both anime titles are extremely similar; they both take place in an ancient Japanese-style environment and they both host soundtracks entirely made up of rap, hip hop, soul and RnB songs. RZA, who some of you may know from the “Wu-Tang Clan”, produced the entire soundtrack for both the series and its movie, doing an absolutely brilliant job for both.
The RZA brought a caliber of urban music production that could only be attained after years and years of great success in the industry, something that filled out the series in an ultimately fantastic way. The reason I chose to feature the soundtrack of “Afro Samurai” over that of “Samurai Champloo” was simply because I feel as though it doesn’t get nearly as much attention as that of the Watanabe original yet it deserves so much more.
I shouldn’t even have to explain why this legendary series is on the list, it’s something that each and every single anime fan should already be well aware of but for the sake of consistency I’ll explain why exactly it is that I believe this soundtrack to be one of the greatest in anime history. The series follows the crew of the “Bebop” (an intergalactic spaceship) who’re a group of outlaws/bounty hunters who make a living by hunting down wanted criminals for cash.
“Cowboy Bebop” takes viewers on a wild ride through all different types of stories that get the heart racing while also bringing audience members to tears. The series practically created its own genre, “Space Western”, and has been the source of inspiration for countless other Japanese and English series’ including the cult classic TV and movie “Firefly”.
The soundtrack – produced by the extremely popular Japanese musician Yoko Kanno (and her band “The Seatbelts”) who has worked with series creator Shinichiro Watanabe on countless occasions – is populated mostly by jazz and blues-type tracks with certain other genres such as funk and rock being thrown in every few episodes. Fans of jazz will easily be engulfed by the series’ soundtrack, with each musical track being brilliantly composed by Mrs. Kanno herself and performed by her very own band.
The soundtrack for the series is definitely the most accessible on this list, I feel as though even music-lovers who aren’t entirely keen on the genre of jazz will find some redeeming qualities within the soundtrack and I also feel as though people who aren’t entirely won over by the anime will still find the soundtrack as enjoyable as any other. The series is legendary for a reason; it does everything perfectly and that includes the music.
The most recent anime series on this list to be released, “Blood Lad” follows the story of a young vampire and gang boss living in the demonic afterlife who comes into contact with a beautiful human girl who has wandered into the hellish plane. Lusting for both her curvy body and her human blood, Staz (the vampire) instantly falls for her. Unfortunately for the both of them she doesn’t last too long in hell, within minutes she’s killed by a lowly demon but soon returns to us in the form of a ghost.
Staz explodes after finding her fleshless bones, exclaiming that he’ll do everything within his power to bring her back to life so he can once again feel the way he did when he first laid eyes on her. “Blood Lad” puts a modern twist on age-old myths and legends; demons, vampires, werewolves, shape-shifters, they’re all here but not quite in the way that you’re imagine them. With a modern-type setting comes a modern soundtrack and if you’re a fan of bubbly electronica-style music than you’ll fall for this soundtrack much like Staz for Fuyumi.
The series oozes style, each character sports modern fashion and the world is populated by vivid colours and settings so you can imagine that the soundtrack would match the fictitious world as much as it possibly could. It’s funky, it’s poppy, it’s everything you want out of anime soundtrack. It has tracks that work fantastically for idol chatting scenes and others that work to add a level of intensity to a battle or conversation that only music can.
Much like the rest of the titles on this list “Blood Lad” utilizes a great deal of different genres to instill different emotions into audiences and it does it so damn well. I could say this about almost any soundtrack but it’s the “Blood Lad” one that really openned my eyes up to such varying degrees of auditory-induced emotions.
“Air Gear” is the last soundtrack to be listed in this article but don’t you for a second think that it is any worse than the titles that have been listed above. Released back in 2006, the story of “Air Gear” follows the life of a juvenile delinquent named Ikki as he goes from being a regular highschooler to a legend in the “Storm Rider” community.
“Storm Riders” are types of people who devote their lives to mastering “Air Treks” which are basically motorized rollerblades that these riders purchase and customize, making them incredibly powerful and dangerous to ride. Being an anime, the events are extremely exaggerated with most of these “Storm Riders’ gaining the ability to reach high speeds, scale buildings and in some cases even fly for short periods of time.
As the series goes on the story gets deeper and more complicated until it becomes nothing like what it was at the start. The “Air Gear” soundtrack is mostly made up of electronica and hip hop tracks which, much like all these other titles, perfectly fits the series and its characters. Quite possibly my favorite on this list, the soundtrack does a fantastic job at getting a viewer into a more light-hearted mood but instantly bringing them back down to Earth when something crucial is going down onscreen.
When it comes to funky rhythms and heavy beats, “Air Gear” takes the trophy hands down. Sick beats, huge hits and an ethereal style that will make you truly believe you’re soaring through the air, talking about “Air Gear” is the perfect to complete this list.
Whether you agree or disagree with my choices please head down the the comments section below to let us here at Capsule Computers know what you think. Also if you have any awesome video game soundtrack suggestions please feel free to discuss them below.
New studio Blackpowder Games have released Betrayer, their inaugural first person PC title. Blackpowder set out to create a game with a focus on memorable, compelling experiences. How does their debut release stand? Will it create history or is this ghost busted? Let’s find out.
Sailing from England, you expected to reach the colony of Fort Henry on the coast of Virginia. What you’re greeted with, instead, are an abandoned fort, hordes of undead soldiers, and a mysterious crimson-clad lady with no recollection of her past. It’s up to you to defeat the wandering wraiths, uncover the conundrum behind the missing colonists, and set things right.
Like a colonial Gil Grissom, you’ll have to examine crime scenes and figure out what happened. Along the way, you’ll solve tasks for spirits, helping them find their eternal slumber while revealing more of the settlement’s story. You’ll jump between dimensions, using your keen sense of hearing to track down objectives, slaughtering the undead along the way.
The game does a great job equipping you with era-appropriate munitions. Whether you’re firing stealthily with a bow, up close with a throwing axe, or shaking the walls with one-shot muskets and flintlock pistols, everything feels like it belongs. These also help aid the sense of fear and urgency as you scramble to reload your firearms while running from certain spectral doom.
Betrayer wants players to take on a stealth role, picking off necrotic conquistadors quietly from a distance. At the same time, it presents players with vast, open, sparsely populated landscapes that urge the player to sprint. This can lead to a frustrating game of cat and mouse. Being forced to retrieve your body also feels tedious and unnecessary.
One of the most attention-grabbing aspects of Betrayer is its visual aesthetic. The world is presented to the player in stark blacks and whites with reds tossed in to accentuate enemies and other items of import. It gives the world a palpable sense of loneliness and despair. If you’re dying for some color, though, cranking up the color saturation can present some beautiful, vibrant scenery.
One of the most crucial aspects of the Betrayer experience is its sound design. Using directional, location-centric audio cues, you’ll trek across the landscape, tracking down objectives by following various noises. That said, if you’re using a mono audio output, you’ll find yourself completely lost, so beware. The sound also does an excellent job providing a sense eerie, otherworldly happenings.
Overall, Betrayer is a solid first showing from a new studio. Blackpowder Games employs interesting visual composition and inspired audio design for an eery, engrossing aesthetic. The various collectibles and backstories offer reason to continue playing, but the game can quickly begin to feel repetitive. Blackpowder has given spectral sleuths a solid title worth checking out, but mainstream audiences aren’t likely to lock their proton packs on to this one.
Capsule Computers gives Betrayer…
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Winning over 200 Game of the Year Awards for 2013 (including our very own at Capsule Computers), Sony has officially revealed that Naughty Dog will be bringing The Last of Us to the PS4 with The Last of Us Remastered. The remastered version will include all major DLC including Left Behind, the story DLC featuring Ellie, and the already released and upcoming map packs for multiplayer. It will also sport updated visuals with support for 1080p and cutscene commentary from the games creative directors and voice cast members.
While the move wasn’t unexpected and had been rumoured for some time, it has only been about 9 short months since the game launched on the PS3. The next gen consoles are definitely struggling for releases at the moment and releasing “remastered” and “definitive” versions of popular last gen titles seems to be becoming a trend alongside multiplat releases with little differences. You can check out the trailer below which mostly focuses on the accolades the game has collected, but there is some nice 1080p footage of Joel and Ellie overlooking some giraffes at the end there and it does look pretty good. The Last of Us Remastered is aiming for a summer release in America and will be available in retail stores and as a digital download at the standard new release price.
Ubisoft just released a trailer for Watch_Dogs that showcases the amazing details that the PC version of the game can get through its integration of NVIDIA technologies.
The video touches on how the developers worked with NVIDIA to create a high quality environment for Chicago. This is all possible because of the partnership between NVIDIA and Ubisoft to create truly great graphically-intense games. Some other games that will utilize NVIDIA’s technology includes Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Blacklist, and Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. Watch_Dogs will be available on May 27th on the PC (through Steam), PS4, PS3, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Wii U. Check out the trailer below for more information on Watch_Dogs, and here is their official website if you’d like to snoop around for more news.
After the huge success of Animal Crossing: New Leaf 
