Sony Computer Entertainment Australia is incredibly excited to announce that the jump into the next generation of gaming has finally happened with the release of the much-anticipated “Sucker Punch” title; “inFAMOUS: Second Son”.
The game, now available in all good Australian video game retailers, is the third installment in the “inFAMOUS” franchise and it follows the story Delsin Rowe – a punkish young man who has recently discovered he has the ability to absorb the powers of “Conduits” but with that discovery comes a world of hurt when the people around him are attacked by the DUP (Department of Unified Protection) who’s soul purpose is to eliminate the threat of bio-terrorists, also known as; “Conduits”. Now Delsin must take the DUP head on to save his family, friends and, most importantly, himself.
Michael Ephraim, Managing Director, Sony Computer Entertainment Australia:
“The launch of PlayStation 4 has been a resounding success here in Australia, and across the globe. We’re now at a stage where PS4 is readily available to all players and with the launch of inFAMOUS: Second Son, there’s now even more reasons to get your hands on one…”
To celebrate the launch of this incredible game, Sony Australia has released an interesting live-action video for the game that brings Delsin all the way to Sydney, Australia so as to deliver the game alongside a PlayStation 4 to some of our Australian sports heroes. Rugby League’s Beau Ryan, Rugby Union’s Israel Folau, and veteran footballer Mark Bosnich all make an appearance in the video which can be seen in the featured video section below this article.
The video ends with the hashtag “DelsinDelivers” which refers to the competition people can enter to give themselves the chance to win a PlayStation 4 and a copy of “inFAMOUS: Second Son”. Click Here for details on how to enter. Once again; “inFAMOUS: Second Son” is now available for the PlayStation 4 so go now, grab yourself a copy and enjoy the video game splendour that is “inFAMOUS: Second Son”.
Haven’t had enough Pokemon yet? There is more to offer this week as Nintendo have dropped Pokémon Battle Trozei on the 3DS eShop, which is a follow-up to the original Pokémon Trozei released on the Nintendo DS quite a few years ago. While the gameplay is about the same aside from the addition of generation six Pokes, the price has a much lower entry fee at just $7.99.
Pure Chess is also out this week for the 3DS and Wii U at the same price, bringing a non-gimmicky version of the game to those who just want the raw deal. Natsume’s puzzle platformer Yumi’s Odd Odyssey comes in as another interesting feast at $29.99, adding another digital exclusive release to the eShop’s growing library. Other than those releases, we have a nice trial on Wii Sports Club for the weekend that anyone and give a whirl, and the NES version of Volleyball for $4.99 popping up on the Virtual Console.
Ubisoft and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe have just revealed exactly what exclusive content PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 owners will be receiving with their copy of Watch_Dogs: four additional missions (representing one hour of gameplay), along with a unique ‘White Hat’ Hacker Outfit and perk. Upon completion of this arc of missions, players will apparently have a deeper knowledge of the faction DedSec, and will earn a Hacking Boost called ‘Superior Capacity’, which grants players an extra Battery Slot. You can check out gameplay from the missions in the video embedded at the bottom of this article.
Here is an official ‘synopsis’ – if you will – of the arc;
The scenario takes place after Aiden Pearce, the vigilante hero of Watch_Dogs, catches the eye of DedSec, a notorious hacker group fighting for freedom and security in the digital age. Aiden receives an encoded message asking him to help some members of this organization who want payback. Pearce must use his knowledge of Chicago’s complex ctOS network to discover digital vulnerabilities in Umeni Technologies’ security network and earn his reward.
Also announced is the planned release of Watch_Dogs bundles for both Sony consoles, available at launch in Europe. Watch_Dogs will be released worldwide on May 27 for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PC. The Wii U version will be released at a later date. Australian readers should click through to find out about the title’s recent re-classification, as should anyone interested in knowing just how big the game is.
TECMO KOEI AMERICA UNLEASHES WICKED NEW TRAP VIDEOS AND DETAILS FOR DECEPTION IV: BLOOD TIES
TECMO KOEI America today unleashed videos for DECEPTION IV: BLOOD TIES entailing the many forms evil can take when laying traps for unsuspecting victims. The videos highlight strategies utilized by Amelie, Marina and Olivier to place traps, including Leonard’s intense battle in “Super Trap”. The official site also revealed details on Abilities, Costumes, Enemies, Modes, and quiz for players to determine their style of evil. These details and the videos can be found at: http://www.tecmokoeiamerica.com/deception4.DECEPTION IV: BLOOD TIES will launch in North America on March 25, 2014 for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and the PlayStation®Vita handheld entertainment system.
In this imaginative follow up to the classic Tecmo title ‘TECMO’S DECEPTION’, first released in 1996 on the PlayStation®, players get a taste of what it’s like to play on the side of evil. Much like its predecessors,DECEPTION IV: BLOOD TIES is a strategy-focused action game revolving around a deceitful main character known as the Devil’s daughter who, assisted by three Demons, defeats her foes through trickery.
DECEPTION IV: BLOOD TIES follows the story of Laegrinna, an animated fragment of an imprisoned Devil’s soul, as she battles her enemies by mischievously luring them into strategically placed traps. From rolling boulders and spiked walls to spring boards, iron maidens, human cannons, falling bathtubs and banana peels, the player can choose from a multitude of dramatic, sadistic, and comical traps in order to finish off an enemy.
However, simply setting traps is not enough, as they need to be activated in turn. Timing also plays an important role, as an untimely activation could result in Laegrinna falling into her own trap or allowing her rivals to catch her. Depending on the manner in which an enemy is killed or captured, the Devil’s three servants – Veruza, Caelea and Lilia (each representing a different aspect of cruelty: Sadistic Torment, Elaborate Death and Humiliating Demise) – reward points and upgraded traps.
Those playing the PlayStation®3 version of DECEPTION IV: BLOOD TIES will be able to upload their combos online or challenge other players to beat their highest-scoring, funniest, or most sadistic combos. Other network elements include leaderboards for total Ark (points accumulated in a level), clear time etc., in addition to uploading and downloading user-created missions (Cross-Quests).
The PlayStation®Vita version boasts additional features, like Cross Play and Cross Saves between PS3/ PSVITA and touch-screen functions to select and activate traps.
DECEPTION IV: BLOOD TIES is produced by the creator of Fatal Frame, Keisuke Kikuchi and developed by Tecmo Koei. The franchise as a whole has sold more than 800,000 copies globally.
Namco Bandai Games America have just brought us some exciting news regarding their upcoming action/adventure game title “One Piece: Unlimited World Red” and it comes in the form of an official plot synopsis. Written by series creator Eiichiro Oda himself, this new One Piece title will take players and the Straw Hat crew on an adventure into mysterious lands as they meet new friends, battle old enemies and discover new and exciting places around the One Piece world! The game will introduce new areas to explore with your friends and new characters to meet but don’t just take my word for it, have a read of the official Namco Bandai games synopsis below:
The Straw Hat Pirates encounter and befriend a cheerful and sassy raccoon named Pato who possesses a mysterious power to create anything drawn onto a leaf. In order to help their new friend, the Straw Hat Pirates agree to assist Pato on an ambiguous mission “to meet someone;” Pato then leads the crew to the Forgotten Island where all the Straw Hat Pirates except Luffy are subsequently kidnapped by a villainous pirate named The Red Count, who had escaped the lower depths of Impel Down two years ago. With Pato’s help, Luffy must fight to recover his crew from the enemy’s grasp and find out exactly what The Red Count’s evil plots are.
With some great looking visuals and awesome gameplay mechanics that allow you and up to 3 friends to adventure side-by-side through the world of One Piece, I don’t see why any fan of the series would pass this title up. “One Piece: Unlimited World Red” was previously released in Japan late last year but thanks to Namco Bandai games it will be hitting our shores on a number of platforms starting sometime this year. The game is set to be released on the PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Nintendo 3DS and Wii U so start saving up for one of the most awesome One Piece titles to hit our shores!
Hozuki No Reitetsu Episode 11 – The Samurai Who Was Once Inch-High/The Quagmire Sisters Of The Mount
Another week, another episode and I’m so glad because I cannot get enough of Hozuki No Reitetsu. Welcome back to another installment of Hozuki No Reitetsu Anime Impressions, I hope you’ve all been as excited about this new episode as I have! This week marks the release of Hozuki No Reitetsu episode eleven: An episode that teaches the audience that it isn’t necessarily bad to be small and that jealousy can turn ones life upside down.
Whether they’re a legendary hero or a Goddess that guards the mountain tops, mythological entities are just like us humans in a way; we wall want to be wanted and we all want to be loved. Accepting each other for who we are is the best way to bring about peace in this world…hopefully those in the afterlife can learn it before we do because, according to this weeks Hozuki No Reitetsu, they can’t stop causing trouble because of it.
The Samurai Who Was Once Inch-High:
Any fan of Japanese legends or mythology would have heard of the “Inch-High Samurai” but for those of you who don’t; it’s the tale of a tiny samurai who one day comes across a huge mansion (which would be even bigger for him). In this mansion lived a beautiful princess whom he fell for. Realising his height wouldn’t allow for him and her to every be together, he hoped and prayed for a chance to be transformed into a normal person. While out for a walk one day with the princess, the two come across an ogre who threatens the life of the beautiful young lady.
The Inch-High Samurai wielding a needle battle the ogre but was dealt with easily when the ogre simply swallowed out hero. From the inside, the inch-high samurai poked and prodded at the ogres stomach until he was spit out along with a magical item called the miracle mallet. The ogre fled and the princess used the mallet to make the tiny one normal sized. The two got married and lived happily ever after…but not in the world of Hozuki No Reitetsu! The episode starts off with Shiro taking care of three puppies who belong to his boss, if you remember past episodes you’ll recall that he had babies with a cute little dog called “Cookie”. The three adorable puppies want “Uncle Shiro” to read them a story and they choose the tale of the “Inch-High Samurai” but…Shiro can’t read.
Luckily for the pack, Hozuki is around the corner as always and he offers to tell them the story of the Inch-High Samurai. Already this episode was highly entertaining and actually quite funny despite the “dry spell” it’s been in the past couple of weeks. Hozuki being a genuinely nice demon, offers to take Shiro and the kids to actually go and see the samurai. They all agree and head off on a little excursion. They eventually turn up to where the man is now residing (he happens to be a worker of hell because of a nasty little thing he did while he was alive that didn’t turn up in the legends) and he doesn’t seem to be as upbeat as his stories make him out to be. Hiding in the bushes, the group soon realise that the “former inch samurai” is not too happy that he’s normal sized.
It seems as though nobody pays him as much attention anymore and that people actually liked him better when he was an inch tall. Eventually he is introduced to Momotaro, another former legend who no longer has the same popularity level as he used too, and they bond. A friendship built on understanding blossoms and these two fallen stars are happy once again. If you’re a constant reader of my Hozuki No Reitetsu anime impressions than you’ll be aware that I enjoy when the series takes these legendary heroes and myths but flips them on their heads so they act almost like normal people. That’s why I really enjoyed this half of the episode. To see the hero of a story acting like a former Hollywood star is something so entertaining for me and I’d have to say my favourite episodes are the ones that are similar to this. Not only was it somewhat educational, it was funny like the series was when it first started out. Brilliant!
The Quagmire Sisters Of The Mount:
“Beauty isn’t everything.” is just something ugly people say. Am I right? This half of episode eleven takes us into the real world or “mundane world” if you ask the cast of Hozuki No Reitetsu. A place where beauty rules over everything and everyone, even the spiritual creatures who spend most of their time there. Two sisters, Princess Rock and Princess Blossom, were one day set to marry the son of the great Shinto God Amaterasu but on the wedding day Princess Rock (the uglier of the two girls) was told she was far too unattractive to be married to and was thrown out of the wedding.
Many, many years later Princess Rock sits on Mt. Fuji as its spiritual protector but, so overcome by jealousy still to this day, every time a beautiful woman steps foot into her land she uses her powers to make trees crush them, trees that just so happen to be spiritually connect to another mountain-dwelling spirit called Kodama. One night as Hozuki and Oko are sitting down to a meal together they’re met by Kodama who, after some idle conversation, states that the mountain is in some sort of trouble. Princess Rock is far too aggressive with the way she deals with her jealousy and it is beginning to affect the mountain and those who call it their home. A small mountain festival for spirits is taking place that night and Kodama invites Hozuki with the hopes that hells best demon will be able to defuse any tense situations and make for a great festival. Obviously, Hozuki agrees and they head down to Earth.
There Hozuki meets Princess Rock who almost immediately falls in love with him but cannot help to think that her appearance isn’t good enough for him. Hozuki being Hozuki, he’s as honest as he can be and its actually quite flattering to Princess Rock but disaster is on its way. Princess Blossom eventually turns up to the party, taking the gaze of every spirit there thanks to her beauty. Princess Rock explodes into a violent rage that is quickly turned around by Hozuki. Taking you all through the “play-by-play” isn’t the best way to experience this episode. It’s a fantastic one to watch and it ends quite well.
I enjoyed this episode thoroughly, not just this half but both! I had a smile on my face from the opening minute to the very last minute. Hozuki No Reitetsu does many things well and this is one of them; lessens are taught through humour and through the actions of these supernatural beings but it is done so fantastically. Usually anime that tries to teach its audience a lesson falls flat but Hozuki No Reitetsu seems to know what it’s doing because it is doing it well. The voice acting, the music, the visuals, it’s all great and it has taken me this long to actually fully appreciate it. Sometimes you just have to sit back and think of every element of an anime to truly appreciate it and this episode of Hozuki No Reitetsu once again opened my eyes. Go and experience this episode for yourself, people, it’s a great one.
Check out more Hozuki No Reitetsu impressions HERE.
Blizzard Entertainment has announced that they will be deploying Australian and New Zealand game servers in preparation for the release of Diablo III: Reaper Of Souls. The new infrastructure being released by Blizzard will provide local players a smoother gameplay experience.
Reaper Of Souls introduces an all new dark and terrifying expansion that expands on the continuous conflict in the mortal realm of Sanctuary. Blizzard is best known for their blockbuster hits World Of Warcraft, Starcraft, Warcraft, and Diablo franchises.
For more information on Diablo III: Reaper Of Souls, check out their site here. The expansion will be released on March 25th, 2014. Keep an eye out for the exciting expansion to Diablo III.
Here we go again folks, another season is upon us and with that comes an influx of brand new series to enjoy. Whether seeking the thrill of good old fashioned anime combat or something a tad more titillating, this latest batch of shows is sure to deliver. That being said, there’s nothing that particularly stands out too much for me. However, if anything, I am a curious person and as such I am interested in a bevy of these series from the brief glimpses I have received. Whether I decide to stick with them is yet to be seen, but let’s put aside the uncertainty and delve into my choices for Spring 2014. I promise I’ll try and make it a fun experience.
Let’s start off with an old favourite shall we? That’s right, prepare once more to embark on yet another bizarre adventure as the third wielder of the JoJo moniker takes the main stage. Meet Jotaro Kujo, an all around bancho badass who is known for getting into fights and antagonising his teachers. After winding up in prison, he reveals supernatural powers that have been haunting him and have led to the personal belief that he is cursed. Now for anyone who has seen the previous seasons of JoJo, this does not sound strange in the least. So let that be an indication of the overall feel that this franchise exudes. In all honesty it’s rather ridiculous…maybe that’s what makes it so awesome.
Definitely one of the key reasons for checking out this latest instalment in the anime movement that is JoJo, would be the introduction of Stands, a power now synonymous with the entire franchise. Replacing the Hamon power from Phantom Blood and Battle Tendency, these Stands introduce countless new powers and open the door for a number of quirky new designs that are sure to add even more flair to this ludicrous series. Seriously, the amount of tank tops worn last season was astronomical…and that was just the men. Anyway, I’m definitely looking forward to seeing the Stands in action, not to mention the return of one Dio Brando, who is perhaps one of the hammiest villains of all time. Don’t believe me? Just watch and see if he succeeds in conquering “ZA WARUDO!!”
Captain Earth, he’s a hero, gonna take all extraterrestrial threats to the world down to zero. OK, so I might be mixing up my global Captains here, but I think you get the point. As the mysterious Kiltgang, a robotic race of aliens, emerge from Uranus (sorry) it is up to Manatsu, a second year high school student, to take control of a colossal mecha and save Earth. Awesome.
Now if the overall design of Captain Earth reminds you of anything, there’s a reason for that: Star Driver. With a great deal of the same crew behind both series, there is definitely a resemblance between the visual from both series. Crisp colours, intricate designs…some other third thing. You get the idea. Now personally I liked Star Driver, so I’m interested in seeing this new project brought to life. Plus who can ignore mechs? Those things are cool.
Now to be honest, I do’t know too much about this series, but from the few trailers I’ve seen it certainly looks interesting. When Toru Acura, an incredibly lazy man, is forced by his sister Akari to venture outside, they stumble upon a mysterious girl. Sounds rather inocuous doesn’t it? Apparently not, because soon after this meeting the anime decides to throw in a few monsters for good measure. With this mysterious girl clearly more important than first thought, the group must now survive as evil forces conspire against them.
Yet another series to be animated by Bones this season, the visuals for Hitsugi look rather compelling. Though only one monster was shown in the trailer, it presented an interesting foe. Some kind of weird undead unicorn with the ability to run through the sky. Inventive. I’m also curious to see how the fights will play out, based on the fact that one character glows (presumably with power) and another wields some sort of magical anti-tank rifle. Though it’s surprisingly not the first time I’ve seen such a weapon, there was also one in Darker Than Black: Ryuusei no Gemini. Now if that’s anything to go on, the weapon will certainly pack a punch and hopefully obliterate some demonic foes.
Yet another series that I know little about, though one that I’m interested in checking out. This could speak volumes for the anime, though trailers are supposed to focus on the coolest parts. The series will focus on Alka, an assassin from the Clan of the Sword, who is on a quest to avenge her fallen Master. Along the way, she meets three strange women who are each warriors themselves. This presumably explains the fight that occurs in the promotional videos. If she wasn’t one of these important warrior characters, there’s no way that the girl with the guns would’ve lasted 2 seconds against the protagonist. That’s just how anime works. Anyway, amidst the chaos and carnage, Alka must also struggle with the fact that her desire for revenge/justice directly contradicts her Master’s wish that she leave the assassin life behind. Though not exactly a revolutionary concept, if handled well it could add some depth to the series. At the very least, the series might cause a resurgence in players for the MMORPG from which it is based. So it’s got that going for it.
I guess this one technically counts as a new series, though there may be some contention regarding that definition. Set for a 12 episode run, the anime is actually an adaptation of 6 movies that were released from 2010-2011. But I never saw the films so it’s all new to me. Now without trying to ruin the entirety of the plot for myself, I know that it has something to do with mechas…and quartz. In a world where said mineral can be utilised for numerous purposes, there exists one person unable to manipulate the power: Ryugart Arrow, the un-sorcerer. Though the name sounds rather self-deprecating, it is this lack of skill that allows him to pilot a Golem of remarkable strength and defend his country against an invading army. Now the plot alone interests me so when combined with the cool visual elements, I definitely want to give this one a look. I’d also like to note that the tittle of the anime is not just there for the sake of sounding cool (which it does). In the promotional video alone, nearly every single mech had its blades broken during combat. At one point, two characters point the remains of their swords at each other in defiance. Now this either means that characters are tactically wise and seek to disarm their foes, or they just really don’t like sharp things. Either way, it looked cool.
Fans of the movies might also want to give Break Blade another look, as the series is said to contain a few brand new scenes. The inclusion of these additions also shows that a certain degree of effort is going into the transition form movie to series, rather than simply splitting them in half to meet the episode quota. It’s always good to know that a studio is working hard, boosts my confidence in a series. I hope it’s not misplaced with Break Blade.
Special mentions also go out to Black Bullet, Fuun Ishi Dai Shogun, Kenzen Robo Daimidaler. These series interest me enough to give them a go, so I guess I’ll have to wait and see if I end up watching too many series again this season…Also Soul Eater Not! is being released, so I might look into that one…and M3 Sono Kuroki Tetsu, a mecha series with barely any information revealed about it. Honestly, I think this’ll be another season where curiosity will get the better of me and take up excessive amounts of my time. But who am I kidding, I love it. Let Spring begin!
Darkstone, one of the original titles from the action/RPG genre is being re-released for iPhone, iPad and Android and is available to download from today. Completely free to play, Darkstone challenges players to destroy Draak, the incarnation of Evil in the world of Uma who wants for nothing but destruction. To do this they will need to fight hordes of enemies to gather the best equipment and collect the seven Legendary Crystals. To complete the game players must complete 8 quests from a possible 22, with additional quests being available where special equipment can be earned. Players control two heroes that can come from one of eight character types and can switch between them at any time with a simple tap of the screen. The touch interface also gives players quick access to their spells and potions.
The game has had a number of improvements implemented thanks to an extended beta and now incorportates features such as an elaborate evolution system, a new quest log and many types of equipment directly visible on both heroes that the player can control. The original release of the game in 1999 for the PC and original PlayStation received much praise from critics. Darkstone is dubbed in English with options for French, Spanish, Sweden, German, Italian and English subtitles. You can downlaod the game for your respective iOS or Android device by following this link.
Money makes the world go around, my friends, but it seems like “Hero Bank” is here to tell us that money is pretty hard to come by in this day and age so you’ve got to fight for it! TV Tokyo – a Japanese television station known for airing anime series’ like “Pokemon”, “Naruto” and “Bleach” – has just released the first promotional video for the upcoming game-based anime “Hero Bank“.
The series revolves around a young punk named Kaito, this elementary school kid somehow racks up a hot 10 billion yen debt and he now has to work to pay it off soon unless he wants to be in “the red” for the rest of his life. The young boy comes into contact with a program called “Hero-Gi” which allows him to participate in matches called “Hero Battles” wherein which the winner of the battle is paid a hefty amount. Kaito thinks this would be the perfect way to clear his debt so he and his friends set off to be the best “Hero-Gi” fighters and to wipe away his debt.
I’m actually extremely excited for this new anime and, with the release of this promo, we can finally see just how good it looks and, well, I think you’ll have to make up your own mind. Below is the promotion video for “Hero Bank” so head down to our featured video section to check it out but don’t forget to drop us a line in our comments section to let us know what you think of this upcoming anime title. “Hero Bank” will premiere on the 7th of April (not too far away now) on TV TOKYO and will air every Wednesday. So far no Western distributor like Crunchyroll has picked up the license for it but we’re hoping someone does soon.
