Luffy and his companions will stir up trouble as they battle dynamic boss battles in beautiful graphics. Also, a Coliseum Mode will be available for the first time ever in this title, allowing the pirates to fight for glory and prestige as they try to best their opponents. With this title set for release this year, NAMCO BANDAI has also announced that they’ll be releasing a physical retail version of the game for the PlayStation Vita, which can be purchased at GameStop and EB Games Canada. The title will also be available for the PlayStation 3, Nintendo 3DS, and a digital-only version for the Wii U.
Make sure to keep an eye out for this exciting One Piece title in the near future, and stay tuned for more information!
Courtesy of Marvel Australia and New Zealand, we have a patriotic Captain America: The Winter Soldier themed prize pack to give away! The action packed Captain America: The Winter Soldier is in cinemas April 3 and is rated M for Mature Audiences. Look for our review by the end of the week. Below is a list of the items included in the prize pack, which can also be seen above:
• 1 x Adult T-shirt $19.95 • 1 x Cap $19.95 • 1 x iPod Sports Band $25.95 • 1 x Headphones $39.95 • 1 x Notebook $9.95 • 1 x Coaster Set $12.95 • 1 x Ice Cube Tray $9.95 • 1x Set of Stickers $5.95
To enter, please answer the following question in our comments section below.
If we had a Captain Australia, or Captain New Zealand, what would their costume look like and what would be their signature weapon/move?
This competition will close on April 9th. Make sure you use a valid email when you register with Disqus before posting your comment so we can email you if you are one of our winners. If you choose to enter by logging in with your Facebook account, your email is not required.
Our thanks to the fine folks at Marvel Australia and New Zealand for enabling this competition, and good luck to everybody!
Square Enix is thrilled to announce Nosgoth Founder Packs are now available for the ongoing Closed Beta phase of Nosgoth, the ultimate battle for survival in a war between Humans and Vampires.
Designed to offer players a multitude of options as to how they first enter Nosgoth and give access to exclusive content such as character and weapon skins, early access to advanced classes, plus bundles of extras such as friend invites and boosters, all Founder Packs of course include immediate access to the closed beta.
An early bird promotion offering 10% discount on a number of the packs will run until Wednesday 2nd April (04:00 PDT / 07:00 EDT / 11:00 UTC / 12.00 BST / 13:00 CEST).
Nosgoth will be updated continually throughout Closed Beta, with new classes, maps, modes, abilities, weapons, controller and e-sport support, challenges, a league ranking system and much much more!
About Nosgoth
Developed by Psyonix, Nosgoth is a unique team-based player-versus-player game pitting together a variety of brutal Human and Vampire characters in a fight for survival. Created as a competitive free-to-play title in order to break down barriers between the creators and the players, Nosgoth doesn’t include weapons, items or abilities that are inherently better (aka supremacy goods). All items in the Nosgoth in-game store are side-grades not upgrades to create a fair game experience based purely on skill.
We are pleased to have three new Icon Home Entertainment film packs to giveaway, each of which includes a copy of sci-fi epic Ender’s Game and the debaucherous and controversial Filth on Blu-ray. Please Note:Filth is rated R 18+. You have been warned! Click through the links above for our respective reviews.
To enter, please answer the following request in our comments section below.
Tell us the most horrendous, horrible, stupid or irresponsible thing you have done in your life? (Not necessarily “filthy”… let’s keep this PG. And nothing incriminating, of course….)
This competition will close onApril 9th. Make sure you use a valid email when you register with Disqus before posting your comment so we can email you if you are one of our winners. If you choose to enter by logging in with your Facebook account, your email is not required.
Our thanks to the fine folks at Icon Films for enabling this competition, and good luck to everybody!
October 7 is the date that the Alien game you’ve always wanted finally becomes a reality! SEGA Europe and Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products have confirmed the release date of Alien: Isolation, for the Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3 and PC. Alistair Hope, Creative Lead at Creative Assembly, said;
We couldn’t be happier to finally announce a date for Alien: Isolation. The reaction we have seen so far has been simply incredible, from the screams and shrieks to the cold sweats and racing hearts. It’s the Alien game that we’ve always wanted to play and we can’t wait to let everyone get their hands on it this fall.
Alien: Isolation promises to capture the fear and tension evoked by Ridley Scott’s classic 1979 film, leaving players underpowered and underprepared as they are stalked by a huge Xenomorph. Check out the recent ‘dev diary ‘on how the developers at Creative Assembly went about creating the iconic Alien in-game.
The Pokémon Company has announced an exciting Easter promotion for Pokémon X and Pokémon Y, with a special Pokémon Trading Card Game:XY expansion treat, available at GAME UK.
Starting April 4 and for a limited time only, trainers can collect two classics for their 3DS team. Those with Pokemon X can net themselves a shiny new Magmar, whilst players of Y will have access to Electabuzz. The redeemable codes for the characters will be printed on cash receipts upon request, so you don’t actually need to buy anything to acquire your new Pokepal. Thrifty.
If you’re feeling that Magmar and Electabuzz could be just that little bit cooler, each comes holding the item that will allow that to happen. With the Electirizer and Magmarizer in hand, Electabuzz and Magmar (respectively) will be able to evolve into Electivire and Magmortar once traded. Though you probably knew that already. Pokémon Trading Card Game fans can also get in on the action with a free Pokémon TCG: XY special sampling pack. Each of these packs will include a special foil Pikachu card, plus one additional card from the Pokémon TCG: XY expansion.
So head on in to GAME UK if you can and nab yourself two Pokemon that are sure to cause some serious nostalgia. Also be sure to check out the TV campaign focused on showing how TCG and video game content are part of a singular world of Pokemon. These promo spots will air from April 7th to 27th on CiTV, Cartoon Network, Disney XD and Sky Kids. So much Pokemon goodness, so little time.
Can June 26th come soon enough? Whether you are a fan of the Michael Bay directed series, love everything about the robots in disguise or just want to see if Mark Wahlberg can save the franchise, the world is waiting patiently for Paramount Pictures; Transformers: Age of Extinction. While we don’t have any new footage or tidbits to share, we do have a brand new poster for the film!
Transformers: Age of Extinction really does look like it will be the biggest and boldest entry in the Transformers film series to date. If you want to check out the movie, then take a look at the exciting Super Bowl Spot. So what is your biggest motivation for seeing Transformers: Age of Extinction? Let us know in the comments below and remember to stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the Transformers news as it becomes available
In his quest to make the world a safer place, Captain Steve Rodgers has officially joined up with S.H.I.E.L.D. and things are starting to heat up. This week sees the release of Captain America: Winter Soldier in theaters across the country, and the guys over at Gameloft have been working hard to bring all the excitement and action of the first adventure to mobiles everywhere.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier The Official Game is a mix of action and tactics-based gameplay that will have you excited for the film. Take control of Captain America and throw his shield around while leading S.H.I.E.L.D troops into battle against the enigmatic and dangerous Winter Soldier. Should things get a little too hairy for your team to handle, you can call for assistance from Black Widow and Falcon (who is making his Marvel Cinematic debut in the upcoming film).
Captain America: The Winter Soldier – The Official Game is available now on iOS and Google Play for the reasonable price of $2.99. We will have a full review up in the coming days but in the mean time, check out the trailer for the game below and make sure you stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the Captain America news as it becomes available.
Overview Fez is an important game. Not because it is innovative, not because it is all that fun, but because it was a game that defined the indie genre’s late 2000’s and early 2010’s rise to mainstream prominence and popularity. Fez was another poster child for the indie revolution, it ticked all the right boxes for the indie games fans, it had a nostalgic look that reminded them of ‘the good ole days’, it had a unique game mechanic that ‘innovates’ the genre and it was made on a shoe-string budget over about 5 years in development. It had all the makings of an indie darling and there was a moment where it blew up big and quickly things imploded due to embarrassing public outrages from creator Phil Fish tarnished the reputation of developer Polytron and the game itself.
Here we are now with the game at long last making the leap across platforms to PlayStation, launching on the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 an PS Vita. The game remains unchanged since its initial launch and a question overhangs this release: was it worth the wait?
Gameplay
The hook of Fez is the game’s three-dimensional rotation mechanic. The mechanic has been given a great deal of praise and is really the main focus of the game. You rotate the world and see it from a different perspective. It is a simple concept that is pretty easy to pick up on and understand. The only problem is that there isn’t exactly much variety to bundle with this core mechanic.
You play as Gomez, a goofy little pixel man who upon discovering a fez hat gains the ability to rotate the world around him. There isn’t a lot to go on as far as story here and the characters you encounter within Fez are about as forgettable as they come. The focus is of course on the gameplay itself.
Half puzzle game an half platformer all the while without an enemy character in sight, Fez proves to be a relatively lightweight gaming experience, never truly being challenging in any major way, but also making for a peaceful adventure through a plethora of different rotating worlds. The puzzles aren’t very difficult and more often then not simply require exploration to complete. Unfortunately the worlds aren’t exactly brimming with things to do and see, leaving exploration feeling a little tiresome after a while.
With Fez there is a feeling the reverberates throughout the game from start to finish that there could be so much more to it. There is an emptiness that underlies the game and a definite sense that there was a lot more that the game could have and should have done. Ultimately the game doesn’t stray too far from its initial concept and while that may be fun, it struggles to maintain player interest as the game progresses further and unravels itself. With that said, Fez is a decent game that is worth a try for the touted game mechanic alone, just don’t expect much more than the gimmick that its made its name on.
Visuals and Audio
As far as aesthetics go, Fez is a plucky love-letter to gaming’s past. The pixel artstyle feels like the game would have been right at home in the early 90s on the Super Nintendo. The textures are vibrant and lively and saturated in fluorescent colours. It is stylistically very derivative, but it has enough flair to make it stand out among the slew of old-school revival indie slap-togethers. It looks good and it is a memorable look at that, there isn’t much more you could ask for from Fez.
The game’s soundtrack is a slick one at that, featuring some catchy beats that will stick in your head with ease. The composer deserves quite a lot of praise as the music is what gives Fez real flavour, without this soundtrack it would feel rather bland and tasteless. These tunes elevate the game to greater heights and make it have a certain gravity it wouldn’t otherwise have.
Overall
Sometimes being just good is good enough, such is the case with Fez. It relies heavily on its rotating world gimmick and goes to some interesting places with it. However once that gimmick grows tired, which it does quite quickly, the game generally crumbles. Fez is fun for what it is, but it doesn’t offer much past the core mechanic. Sure you’ll enjoy it for an hour or so, but the repetitive gameplay and lack of reward or discovery with exploration will likely kill any excitement mustered up in the game’s early goings.
Fez is a game that has become an indie-darling, it isn’t a great game by any means, nor is it an inherently bad game. This is a middling effort from developer Polytron and one that doesn’t exactly earn the hype that has surrounded it. This is one game best left for the indie gaming fanatics.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
“Gangsta” began its run back in 2010 and, to this day, has 24 chapters under its belt. Unfortunately though Western countries haven’t had a chance to get their hands on it…until now. After fours years, fans of Manga outside of Japan can finally indulge themselves thanks to the people over at “Viz Signature” and Australia’s very own “Madman Entertainment”. With detailed visuals and a twisted mob-based storyline I found it hard to believe this didn’t make it to Western audiences earlier but we have it now and that’s all that really matters so let’s focus on that.
Story
Set in the city of “Ergastulum” – a dark and twisted urban area filled with gangsters, thieves, prostitutes and everything in-between – the story of “Gangsta” follows two men; Worick and Nic working under the name “Handymen” who will do almost anything for some cash. From cleaning your gutters to killing your neighbour, the “Handymen” will do it…as long as you offer them the right price. Volume 1 follows the men as they enter into a mafia turf war, it seems as though a bunch of new “gangsters” have decided to call some of the already-occupied streets of “Ergalstrum” their home and the mafia family who’ve owned the the area for quite some time aren’t ready to back down. Between them and the cops, Worick and Nic find themselves between a rock and a hard place but this is just the beginning of the storm that’s stirring above “Ergalstrum”, one that will be remembered for generations to come.
That’s just the start though. What I found to be fantastic about “Gangsta” is that it doesn’t treat the audience like idiots, it doesn’t straight up tell you what is happening and how, it simply shows you what it needs to and lets you figure out the rest. The greatest example of this is Worick and Nic’s past, how they first met and how they came to be what they are today. There are plenty of mafia-based animes, mangas, tv shows and movies around, we’re in no “mobster movie” drought right now but it is storylines like the one within “Gangsta” that really rejuvenates a love for a classic sub-genre like the mob film. Within the world of “Gangsta” there are certain people who are referred to as “Tags”.
They’re called this simply because of the dog tags they wear which works as a kind of warning to those around them. These “Tags”, though almost entirely shrouded in mystery throughout the first volume, are said to be unimaginably powerful beings. To have character types like them in a seemingly normal/realistic storyline is something that I happen to be quite a fan of and something that I believes adds a certain “twist” or “spice” to what would usually be your standard storyline. As of the first volume nothing much has really come to light about the story as a whole but the foundation has clearly been laid out so I can only imagine the coming chapters and volumes are going to go above and beyond what we saw in this one.
Visuals
I’m a huge fan of the visual style of “Gangsta” an I think maybe because it has aesthetics that are actually quite similar to that of “Fullmetal Alchemist”…though the two really shouldn’t be compared. I’ve always been a fan of the grittier-looking mangas as opposed to the more “cutesy”style we see an abundance of and “Gangsta” really has the art of drawing “grit” mastered, in my opinion. Character illustrations are fairly clean for the most part but all it takes is an intense situation to have the visual style change from clean to that of an extremely detailed and dark image. Kohske, the author/illustrator, clearly takes a great deal of pride in his work with the non-combat scenes being pretty much as well-drawn as the combat scenes which we all know is when a manga (and even anime) gives itself a chance to truly show how good it looks.
Something I think is both brilliant and daring about “Gangsta” is that Nic (one of the two main characters) is actually deaf so he spends most conversations communicating in sign language which is shown by both proper sign language movements but also by a black-coloured speech box with white wording. Nic rarely speaks but when he does the lettering and speech box are drawn to be quite rough with each latter varying in size, I fell like this was the perfect way to portray his, somewhat, inability to speak and the trouble he puts himself through to verbally communicate with those in the manga that cannot communicate to him via sign language. Characters have large features, most notably their hands, and it seems to work as an art style so damn well but I can’t exactly put my finger on it as to why it does. Aesthetically I cannot complain about “Gangsta”, it does everything it needs to be a good manga and sometimes it even goes above and beyond.
Overall
“Gangsta” Volume 1, perfectly kicks off the series. It not only gives you a glimpse at both the comedic and action-packed sides of the series, it also gives you just enough information to spark an interest in the past of these characters while simultaneously lighting a fire in your heart that is fueled by your want for the next volume. A good manga has to have two things; well-illustrated scenes and a compelling story, “Gangsta” manages to achieve both those feats in the first volume as it lays down as much as it possibly can in anticipation of the next release. Dealing with dark themes like organised crime, segregation, prostitution and violence, “Gangsta” is a pure mobster story with enough over-exaggeration to keep audiences glued to the page. What else can I say?
