Back when we played through the first three chapters of Wolfenstein: The New Order in February, we left B.J. Blazkowicz on a nazi-occupied train, on a mission to find what little resistance against the Nazi regime is left. Now, Bethesda has released a new gameplay trailer entitled ‘Nowhere to Run’ shows us just how hopeless this quest may seem.
The trailer can be viewed embedded at the bottom of this article. It showcases a few key moments from Blazkowicz’s attempt to breakout captured resistance members, although Frau Engel is hot on their trail. Wolfenstein: The New Order comes out on May 20 in Australia and Europe, after being brought forward to release on the same date globally.
The latest trailer for Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number has just been revealed. Publishers Devolver Digital gives us a sneak peek at the action that will define Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number.
This new trailer shows us a bit of the action that we can expect in the game, and some of the characters that can be used during gameplay. This title will be the final installment of the Hotline Miami series. The title should be released in Q3 of 2014, and it’ll be available for PS4, PS Vita, and the PC on the release date. Check out the video below to see just what kind of pain you can dish out in this exciting top-down 2D action title.
Pokémon Black & Pokémon White: Super Music Collection out now on iTunes
In 2011 the world was introduced to Snivy, Tepig, and Oshawott, plus the Legendary Pokémon Reshiram and Zekrom, when Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version launched for the Nintendo DS family of systems.Now fans can revisit the sounds of the Unova region thanks to a beautifully remastered soundtrack from Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version. The soundtrack contains music composed by, Junichi Masuda, Shota Kageyama, Hitomi Satō, Gō Ichinose, Morikazu Aoki, Minako Adachi, and Satoshi Nohara, and is arranged by Shota Kageyama, Hitomi Satō, Gō Ichinose, and Minako Adachi.
The Pokémon Company has released other digitally remastered soundtracks under the Super Music Collection title over the past few months. So far, the collection includes soundtracks from:
Some might look at Child of Light as a bit of an enigma amongst the large catalogue of Ubisoft Montreal-developed games… a side-scrolling, 2.5D role-playing game inspired by the fairy tales of our childhoods and some of the gaming community’s Japanese favourites, namely the early Final Fantasy entries. Sounds surprising, but I don’t know exactly why that is; the team has shown an outstanding talent base and ability to create extremely varied experiences, from Just Dance3 to Far Cry 3, Prince of Persia and even Shaun White Skateboarding. Child of Light is a particularly creative endeavour, which has captured my attention and imagination after playing through its first two hours as a solo experience.
As the opening cinematic rolled, I was immediately struck by the beautiful, painterly art style that carries through every visual aspect on screen, cut scene or otherwise. The game utilises the UbiArt Framework, which many will recognise as the engine used for Ubisoft’s recent Rayman games. The colour gradation and shading on all objects is illustrative of by-hand brushwork with its watercolour texture. And the world is extremely detailed, aiding in portraying a fantasy world that appeals both to adults and children, without ever erring into the cartoonish or simple in order to ensure the engagement of the latter at the sacrifice of the former’s. It has true charm, with the kingdom of Lemuria being portrayed in some very traditionally stately manners. A regal air is always present given the setting, and the fact that our player character Aurora is referenced as a Princess although she constantly makes a point of reminding everyone of the “faux” etched on the inside of her crown.
So how did we get to this majestic land? Aurora thinks it all a dream, after falling ill and into a deep sleep. Her mind is set on finding a way home to 1895, back to the comforting arms of her father, an Austrian duke. To do so, she learns that her help is first required in Lemuria; the Queen of the Night and usurper of the throne, Umbra, has stolen the sun, the moon and the stars. Without them, the world is bereft of light, and it is with her aid in recovering them that the kingdom of Lemuria can be restored and her quest completed, hopefully with our protagonist reawakening to find her dear father at her bedside. Not long after entering Lemuria is the player introduced to what Aurora calls “sir firefly”. He is, in fact, Igniculus – a helpful sprite that is simultaneously controllable by the single player, alongside Aurora. There is, however, asymmetrical co-op functionality in the game that allows a second player to take command of the ball of blue flame. Either way, Igniculus plays a pivotal role in both traversal and combat.
When roaming the various landscapes, Igniculus can be used to light the way, spotlight hidden paths and coffers, solve puzzles, heal Aurora and stun enemies (which allows you to sneak past and avoid conflict). Navigation of Igniculus is handled with the right thumbstick, and in the case of the PlayStation 4 version, the touch pad as an alternative. Clicking in the touch pad, L2 or R3 shines his inner light bright, which initiates his aforementioned abilities. Have him hover over an enemy in this state and they will be effectively paralysed, whilst doing the same but over Aurora will heal her HP. His powers are managed by Light Points, which refill slowly over time, but can also be regenerated by passing over glowing plants and collecting the orbs they release. In combat, the same revitalising flora can be found in the corners of the battleground, and managing the tactical applications of your ethereal sidekick becomes a strategic balancing act. Speaking of combat, Child of Light employs turn-based gameplay by way of an Active Time Battle System.
As seen in the screenshot below, a bar is displayed at the bottom of the screen that tracks the order of attack. Icons represent each participant and move along the bar at different speeds (depending on the attributes of each character). When a given icon reaches the “Cast” segment, time freezes to allow the player a chance to choose their action – of note, control of Igniculus is never taken away. There are physical attacks, along with magic ones too. Potions can be consumed, a defensive stance entered and the option to flee engaged. Throughout your travels, Aurora picks up new party members who request help with their own tasks (consider them side-missions), each with their own special skills and strengths. For instance, Rubella – a jester who speaks in prose, like the rest of the population, but never completes her rhymes – has high HP, can heal herself or an ally and can also cure all ailments, such as paralysis, for example. By the way, the scriptwriter here was also responsible for Far Cry 3‘s dialogue/story; quite impressive to read an entirely different writing style from the same man.
If you find it advantageous to swap Aurora out for a second party member, you can do so. I did exactly that when faced with a giant three-headed serpent at the end of Chapter 4. Combat is deepened further when considering where to spend your acquired skill points upon levelling up (the skill tree being the only similarity with Far Cry 3), the fact that attacks can be interrupted, turns reset and the appliance of Oculi – gems that are obtained from chests and can be combined to craft more powerful modifiers. A direct element that is reminiscent of Final Fantasy is sneaking up on a beast and gaining the first blow. On the flipside, you can also be ambushed, which can be a dangerous disadvantage. Putting combat aside, the kingdom of Lemuria seems to hold six main, broad regions featuring a diverse terrain, scenery and domains within. Across my journey, which amounted to essentially the first four chapters, I ventured into a dark monastery, a distillery, creepy forests, a village of drunk crows (story developments make sense of this vision) and a cave network found deep at the bottom of a well.
Something I should mention before telling you to be excited for the game (if you aren’t already) is that this RPG isn’t all fluttering around – once Aurora is gifted wings – and fighting off all manner of spiders, mythical creatures and odd, floating sea-horse/dragon-esque abominations. Most areas (if not all) contain a puzzle. They may not tax the mind too much, ranging from classic weight puzzles to casting the right shadow on a corresponding symbol, but it goes to show just how multifarious Child of Light is. Enchanting, fantastical and startlingly deep, Child of Light is now one of my more anticipated titles and gratefully its release is just around the corner, so to speak, on April 30. In fact, Ubisoft just announced a Deluxe Edition! Check it out and keep an eye on Capsule Computers as we look to give you our full review closer to the date.
REVERB TO SHOWCASE DIVERSE AND INVENTIVE INDIE TITLES AT PAX EAST 2014
From Tactical Shooters to Hardcore 2D Platformers Reverb Continues to Discover Hidden Indie Treasures
Twain Harte, CA – March 8, 2013 – Reverb announced today its exceptional line-up of games for this weekend’s Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) East 2014 (April 11-13), each demonstrating the high-quality, amazing breadth, and tremendous creativity of its hand-selected indie game developers. Reverb’s PAX East booth #980 will feature five playable indie titles, as well as debut a new gameplay trailer from the upcoming re-imagined, classic NES, adventure game Shadowgate.
“Uncovering amazing indie game developers and building their success is a very rewarding experience,” said Tracie Snitker, president and co-founder of Reverb. “Working closely with developers to construct custom go-to-market strategies while building awareness of these talented developers has been a hallmark of what we do at Reverb. Gamers at PAX East are going to have a blast playing these indie titles.”
PAX East gamers can gets hands-on with the following titles at Reverb’s Booth #980:
Fenix Rage – Green Lava Studios (PC, next-gen consoles): Making its public debut, Fenix Rage (formerly Project Phoenix) is a stylish and intensely addictive 2D platformer that will have gamers exclaim in frustration and exulting in victory as they navigate through hundreds of palm-sweating levels to reach… a cookie?! Best played with unwavering focus and a glass of milk.
Shadowrun Online – Cliffhanger Productions (PC, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android): Experience the online version of one of the most successful pen and paper RPGs ever. Set in the dystopian year 2075 where magic meets technology, players can now experience Shadowrun with friends as they live life on the edge, facing off against tons of enemies, fighting diabolical corporations and gangs, and struggling to stay alive while doing the most dangerous job of all: Shadowrunner.
Aerena – Clash of Champions – Cliffhanger Productions (PC, Mac, iOS, Android): Aerena is a hero-centric cross-platform combat game with tactical gameplay and set in a unique Aetherpunk world. To gain control of the precious element of Aether, nations around the world compete in ‘The Games’ where the best and brightest clash in explosive arena battles. Gamers command formidable Champions, employ powerful Aether Shells, and challenge their brains in the strategic, turn-based yet fast-paced combat.
INSURGENCY – New World Interactive (PC, Mac): The highly acclaimed indie tactical shooter, INSURGENCY will be showcasing its first major content update since its January launch at PAX East. Molotov Spring features two new maps, four new game modes, all new cooperative missions, an expanded arsenal, and more than 10 new achievements. Built on Valve’s Source Engine, INSURGENCY supports up to 32-person multiplayer and six-player cooperative play.
Edge of Space – Handyman Studios (PC, Linux): An open-world and dynamically generated sandbox survival-adventure game where players explore and collect precious resources as every piece of ore mined is used to fabricate essential survival gear. Gamers build base structures while simultaneously fighting against a vast array of deadly monsters including Laser Sharks, Artilibears, and deadly-quick Jet Pack Space Penguins. Edge of Space will debut a major update at PAX East that includes integration of PIOS base building and the long-awaited terraforming system.
Shadowgate – Zojoi LLC. (PC, Mac, Android, iOS): The classic NES first-person adventure game is re-imagined for long-time fans and a whole new generation of gamers. The creators of the original Shadowgate merge the mind-bending puzzles of the original with ingenious conundrums and amazing fantasy environments. Illustrated in stunning fashion and featuring both an epic orchestral and the original NES soundtrack, the world of Shadowgate comes alive like never before – filled with magic, mythical creatures and foreboding dungeons.
United Eleven prepares for kick off with over 50,000 officially licensed players
Nexon Europe announces a new browser-based, mobile-compatible football management title, featuring full Bundesliga and FIFPro licenses
Luxembourg, 8th April 2014: Today, Nexon Europe has the pleasure to announce its latest title, United Eleven, a brand new browser-based, mobile-compatible title that combines actual names and faces of players registered with FIFPro and a license of Bundesliga clubs, with the most sophisticated match engine available.
Developed by NHN BlackPick Corporation, United Eleven lets players build their squad from over 50,000 footballers, officially licensed by FIFPro and global IP rights to the Bundesliga. Players can create the complete football management experience by boosting squads, recruiting players to improve and evolve stats, and overseeing the gameplay.
For the comprehensive managing simulation, the game offers simple but authentic interaction of football play. This includes full control of tactics, formation, and lineup, as well as consideration of the chemistry between players in the squad and how that will impact overall performance. From the start, United Eleven sets players in the position of absolute control. Matches can be played out in real time, with the ability to make strategic decisions in any moment of the game, thanks to the advanced football simulation engine.
“United Eleven offers players with the perfect way to feed their football cravings off the pitch, with an easy-to-access format, mobile support, and the official FIFPro and Bundesliga licenses,” said Kenny Chang, CEO of Nexon Europe. “We’re excited to see football fans across the continent take advantage of this intuitive and casual football management simulation, offering professional strategic gameplay.”
United Eleven is a browser-based, mobile-compatible game, eliminating unnecessary installation times. Players can make their decisions and tactical adjustments at any time with a PC, smartphone, or tablet.
Nexon Europe is looking forward to the beta test in May, and the game will be serviced in 8 languages: English, German, French, Italian, Polish, Spanish, Portuguese, and Turkish. The game will be published in Europe, North and South America, Oceania, and North Africa.
About Nexon Europe
Established in March 2007, Nexon Europe is one of the leading publishers of free-to-play MMOs in Europe. The company has brought the worldwide hit casual MMORPG MapleStory to Europe in May 2007, and the successful FPS Combat Arms in January 2009. With the launch of the 3D action MMORPG Vindictus in 2011, Nexon Europe has strengthened its position as a promising publisher in Europe. Next to these in-house franchises, Nexon Europe was also able to acquire and fully operate Atlantica Online, an innovative, tactical MMORPG; Dekaron, an authentic action MMORPG set in a grim fantasy universe; and the action-packed FPS War Rock. The newest additions to its growing portfolio are Navy Field 2 alongside the legendary FPS game Counter-Strike Online in Turkey. For 2014, the company’s first browser-based full-scale MMORPG Arcane Chronicles and fun-packed, action-fighting game Lost Saga will join as new line-ups. For more information on Nexon Europe and its games, please visit the official website at www.nexoneu.com.
About NHN BlackPick Corporation
NHN BlackPick is a Korean mobile/online game developer and publisher that separated from NHN Entertainment, one of the most successful mobile/PC game companies in Korea. NHN BlackPick is continuously expanding its portfolio from well-recognized PC MMORPGs, to sports simulation games, such as United Eleven, EOS, and Baseball 9ners. In addition to the success of The Brain, a casual mobile game targeting adults who are 50 years of age and older, NHN BlackPick focuses on expanding business capability with its new mobile racing games. To bolster its competitiveness, NHN BlackPick has a large-scale goal of servicing various games in the global market with the launch of United Eleven.
Compatibility: Requires iOS 4.3 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. This app is optimized for iPhone 5.
Description
Peppy Pals is a fun adventure game for children ages 2 to 6 about emotions and friendship in which you meet four quirky animals. There’s plenty to do in this colorful and exciting world, be it playing with your new friends, helping them out in various situations, or enjoying a mini-game.
Peppy Pals is rooted in empathy, emotions, and social skills and has been created with the help of both experts and psychologists. You might have heard of emotional intelligence or social and emotional learning (“EQ”, “EI”, or “SEL”), and research indicates that these skills are an important factor for success and happiness, as well as reduce the chance of being bullied or bullying others.
Peppy Pals is a unique way of learning and exploring an exciting game world without “right or wrong”, set in a relaxed and pleasant environment. Without any language, Peppy Pals reaches out globally with focus on high quality visuals and simple, fun and meaningful interactions.
Key Features
• Help the characters in various situations.
• Play with the animals and plenty of toys.
• Several mini-games and surprises.
• High quality visuals and animations.
• Rooted in emotional intelligence.
• Kid-friendly interface.
• No text or language.
• No external links.
• No third party advertising.
• No in-app purchases.
About eQidz
eQidz is a digital game studio that makes fun and innovative games for children, focusing on emotional and social intelligence. Social issues like bullying and peer pressure are increasingly hot topics, all while children’s social time is cut short by time in front of screens. Here is where we can help, and we see our games as a way for children to start cultivating their emotional skills in a natural and fun way. Peppy Pals can also let parents partake in their children’s feelings, fantasies, and thoughts, working as a shortcut to questions and discussions about emotions. Our games are child-friendly and have no third-party advertisements, external links, or in-app purchases.
Emotional Intelligence
Emotional Intelligence, or simply “EQ” or “EI” is a modern term that simply refers to perceiving, understanding, and managing emotions. Emotional intelligence helps us develop social skills and build healthy relationships with family, friends, and community. Research has also shown that improving children’s “EQ skills” helps in their ability to problem solve their way toward cheerful, productive, and ethical lives.
Privacy Policy:
Privacy is an issue that we take very seriously. To learn more about how we work with these matters, please read our privacy policy: www.peppypals.com/privacy
For lovers of grand strategy, a new installment of the Alea JactaEstseries has come to fill in that empire-sized hole deep down inside. The new installment, Hannibal: Terror of Rome, was developed by Ageod and published by the Slitherine Group. The series aims to portray the epic conflict of the Ancient Superpowers; Carthage and Rome. Players will be able to fight as the infamous Hannibal with his elephants or, in a surprise twist, against him to protect Rome against the Punic menace.
This game makes the bold claim of being a true simulation of being a commander in the Ancient World. You’ll have control over building, managing, organising and maneuvering your armed forces will juggling the economic, military, and political effects of your actions. The game is built upon the Adaptive Game Engine and is able to offer a smorgasbord of details for any grand strategist to consume and mull over.
The game features a number of historical scenarios including:
-The First Illyrian War (230-228BC) where Rome and the Achaean League take on Greek pirates in the Adriatic Sea.
-The Cisalpine War (225-222BC) has Celtic tribes take on the might of Rome.
-The Second Punic War (219-201BC) is the infamous campaign between Carthage and Rome wherein Hannibal crossed the Alps.
Hannibal: Terror of Rome is a stand alone game which does not require the original Alea Jacta Est game to play (huzzah!)
This is a stand-alone game that does not require the Alea Jacta Est base game to play and can be found here. To celebrate this new installment the original will also be on sale for a 60% discount on the original game.
It’s been fairly quiet on Siren Visual’s front lately but the Aussie anime publisher has just let slip on three title acquisitions on its Facebook page; Chihayafuru 2, The Devil is a Part Timer and Queen’s Blade: Rebellion.
Chihayafuru 2 sees Chihaya and her friends in their second year of high school as they welcome new underclassmen and compete against formidable rival schools in the traditional Japanese game of “karuta”.
The Devil is a Part Timer (Hataraku Maou-sama!) is a hilarious comedy featuring Satan himself. Devil King Sadao is forced to flip burgers to pay for his living expenses.
Queen’s Blade: Rebellion stars the busty Annelotte and her companions as they are caught up in a bid to overthrow the corrupt nobility that rules the overzealous Church. Fan-service may be present!
Queen’s Blade is confirmed for this June on DVD, Chihayafuru 2 on DVD sometime in 2014 and The Devil is a Part Timer on DVD/BD also in 2014. Siren Visual also mentions some behind-the-scenes projects that it plans sharing more info on soon.
In case you hadn’t heard already, 21 years of history was washed away over the weekend as Brock Lesnar pinned The Undertaker 1-2-3 in the center of the ring at Wrestlemania XXX. However, the legendary undefeated streak wasn’t the only record that was broken in New Orleans.
The Super Dome is a massive stadium that has in the past played host to the three-day Essence Festival in 2013 featuring Beyoncé. Well, WWE has risen to the top and managed to shatter the Super Dome’s previous attendance record (held by the Essence Festival) by managing to get 75,167 people through the door and into the arena. That was 75,167 attendees sitting in stunned silence when the Undertaker was pinned, and 75,167 chanting “YES, YES, YES!” as Daniel Bryan took his place as the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion.
Despite the impressive turnout, it still only ranks 5th on WWE‘s highest-attended Wrestlemanias, following:
93,173: WrestleMania 3, Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan, March 29, 1987
80,676: WrestleMania 29, MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, April 7, 2013
80,103: WrestleMania 23, Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan, April 1, 2007
78,363: WrestleMania 28, Sun Life Stadium, Miami, Florida, April 1, 2012
75,167: WrestleMania 30, Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, LA, April 6, 2014
Were you watching the event? Let us know your stand-out moment in the comments below, and be sure to check out our CC Powerslam podcast, where the guys will be sure to have a lively debate on the event. Wrestlemania is moving from New Orleans across to Santa Clara, CA in 2015, so stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the WWE news as it becomes available.
