Welcome to another episode of CC: Anime, Capsule Computers Anime Podcast! In our twenty ninth episode, the CC: Anime crew discuss the latest anime and manga news, the end of Toriko, Sailor Moon lingerie, strange anime merchandise, Yoshihiro Togashi the great inventor and the brand the new manga in Shonen Jump called Stealth Symphony. We also have a prize giveaway of Monster Part 2 on DVD thanks to our sponsor Siren Visual, find out how to enter here.
Cast: Luke Halliday, Travis Bruno, Frank Inglese and Kane Bugeja.
We hope you enjoy CC: Anime Episode 29, be sure to let us know what you think.
Ever since starting at college, Banri’s life has been full of ups and downs, but one thing has never changed – he has been avoiding confronting his past at all costs. Choosing a college in Tokyo, never talking about his accident, trying to ignore his memories as they re-emerged with ever-increasing frequency – his every action was a safety mechanism, but no more. This episode saw Banri head back to his hometown for his class reunion and, after some soul searching, he found everyone waiting for him with open arms. They regaled him with tales of his past and his desperate attempts to get girls, much to Banri’s shock and, in the end, he left with a whole new lease on life. No new shocks here, but it was definitely a thoroughly enjoyable episode.
What could have been an episode packed with drama ended up taking completely the opposite route to what most people expected. The internet was packed with whisperings of people expecting Linda to suddenly blurt out her feelings for Banri which would have made the next few episodes interesting, but that led me to wonder if I had missed a key development somewhere along the way. There hasn’t been a point in Golden Time since episode 9 where it was ever even implied that Linda had any feelings for Banri strong enough to boil to the surface anymore. Her role in Golden Time, to me at least, has rarely been that of a genuine love interest, but more of a love that could have been, serving as motivation for the ghost of Banri to fight his current self for control. She is his sempai who he has to thank for helping him time and time again, but, as she said, Banri has Kouko and she has… (Mitsuo?). Thinking of Linda as more than a friend at this point is a jaded view that is grounded in a presumption that there must always be a second love interest, inspired by more mainstream romcoms which differ considerably from Golden Time’s amazing portrayal of a realistic relationship.
Something that episode 18 exhibited which I did not expect were sudden flairs of much more exaggerated and detailed art than the usual underwhelming display that JC Staff churns out. All of the strained facial expressions lifted straight out of a cheesy sports manga made the dodgeball match a million times more entertaining and that wasn’t all! Kouko’s entire time on screen was spent either in odd cutaway scenes overlaid with hilarious yodelling music, scuttling around on the floor in an exorcist pose, or contorting her face into expressions that were, at times, terrifying and, at others, reminiscent of Charlie Brown which is a really obscure reference coming from a Japanese production if that was intentional. Obviously, it still wasn’t any Garden of Sinners or Madoka, but compared to the rest of the series in which I have only ever given special mention to the artwork once in my 18 impressions, it was a pleasant surprise.
Banri can surely see the finish line now that he has taken such a big step forward. A man that Linda always saw as a, “reluctant survivor,” has travelled through the fog of his past and has come out of the other side with a new lease on life. He doesn’t want to be held down by everything that happened to him before and all that remains is to appease the ghost of his past. When he stood on the bridge where his problems all began, he saw Banri of the past and, when he fell, Banri grabbed him to which his ghost answered, “let me go.” Another enigma. What did he mean by that? Has he accepted the accident now and is happy to let it happen? Or has he just given up all hope to the point where he doesn’t care anymore? I hope we get some answers soon and with only 6 episodes left before we say our goodbyes to Golden Time, they can’t be far away. Until next time.
Golden Time is currently simulcasting on Crunchyroll where new episodes can be found each week and watched on mobile devices, consoles, smart TVs and of course on PC.
For more impressions of winter’s best and worst, head over to our Anime Impressions page.
D-Frag! Episode 4 – They’re the Band of 14 Devils!!
After a substantial amount of review copies coming through the door and the pile finally becoming a little smaller, it is time to take a bit of time and relax with a bit with some D-Frag! which despite its rather basic visual style remains one of the more humorous shows of the season. Anyways, now that the competition between the real Game Creation Club and the fake Game Creation Club has ended, it is time to move on from the FuF festival but that doesn’t mean that Roka and the others aren’t going to be taking it easy anytime soon.
Now that the fake Game Creation Club has managed to retain its position, the group attempts to come up with a new name for the club and although Takao does her best to shoot down their ideas, in the end it doesn’t really matter since their lethargic teacher appears to let the group know that their club has always had an official name and much to Takao’s delight and Kazama’s sanity, that name is Game Creation Club (Provisional).
After the hectic festival events over the past few episodes it has been easy to forget that Kazama is actually a delinquent and the head of his own group of gang members, albeit the weakest in the entire school. However this comes back to bite him when he and his fellow delinquents come across the “Band of 14 Devils,” one of the most feared groups in the academy that has fourteen members in total and absolutely adore playing video games at arcades.
Despite being a random sounding gang, they turn out to be quiet threatening and despite Kazama’s best efforts, he is beaten and taken prisoner by the rival gang. Ironically after finding one of the Provisional club’s odd board game’s in his bag, the group 14 Devils begin fighting amongst themselves with even the leader trying to turn to Kazama to be a member of his team before finally smashing the game to restore order. Despite Kazama’s best efforts, it all comes down to the girls of the Game Creation Club (Provisional) and Takao to come and save the day in hilarious butt kicking fashion.
What could have been a major issue that might have taken a few episodes to clear up, D-Frag! manages to clear it up in one in its hilarious fashion. It is also worth noting that learning the truth behind Roka and her true name in the school is hilarious considering how out of place she seems to be in most situations. Though when she gets serious she definitely is a sight to behold.
It appears that Takao will now be playing a constant role in the series which is a good thing as she is easily one of the best characters that the show has to offer. While Kazama usually plays the straight man to the club’s odd nature, Takao provides a fresh take on things and also throws a whole new slew of jokes at the viewer, though most of them revolve around her large chest and the fact that she pretty much is at the whim of the Provisional club.
Although there was no major plot progression outside of Roka’s true nature being revealed, it is interesting to see the obvious growing tension between Roka and Takao when it comes to Kazama. Although he remains fairly dense to the events taking place, Takao clearly has some type of feelings for him and is easily embarrassed by the things he says and does while Roka ends up taking her jealousy out on Kazama with her “Ultimate Attacks.”
It is nice to note that the ending animation was given a slight adjustment to include Takao at the table now, though it still is presented in chibi fashion. All in all, this episode gave us a a bit of character development by showing Kazama’s devotion to the club as well as the lengths they will go to for him and some really great humor at times. It appears that the next episode will be similar to this one, with little in the way of development but more of the random humor that makes D-Frag! a great comedy which comes at you from many different angles but lacks real direction.
Currently D-Frag! is available for streaming in the United States by FUNimation. As for the rest of our winter impressions, you can check out our Anime Impressions page.
Konami has released another trailer for their upcoming title Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2. This time around, gameplay is the focus. Specifically, the brand new Mastery System that will be central to controlling Dracula in battle.
The new system is set to be an integral to combat within the new game. As Dracula begins each fight in a weakened state, he must gradually gain power and extend his abilities by slaying foes and solving puzzles. The experience gathered from said tasks can be funnelled into the abilities of the game’s three key weapons: Void Sword, Chaos Claws and Shadow Whip. Each weapon is governed by a ‘skill tree’ system, wherein players level up their weapons through clever usage . The more the player uses a specific weapon to execute combos, the more their power grows. Thus, weapon experimentation is rewarded with increased power as challenging attacks are performed flawlessly.
The conclusion to the Lords of Shadow series is slated for a March 6th release on PS3, Xbox 360 and PC. Check out the trailer below and witness how devestating the power of Dracula can be. It would be wise not to defy him.
Overview After a minor delay, Capcom Vancouver has provided a steady stream of DLC for Dead Rising 3 but unfortunately for fans of the game and season pass holders; this DLC has been mediocre at the best of times. Now just a couple of weeks after Fallen Angel was released, the next $10 DLC pack for Dead Rising 3, this time called Chaos Rising, has been released. Is this one any better than the rest or does it continue to follow the same trend?
Story As with the past two pieces of DLC for Dead Rising 3, we are introduced to the story by an unknown man watching the Zombie Defense and Control cameras as the outbreak in Los Perdidos occurred. So while players were following the story of Nick Ramos and those around him, this man saw everything including people seeking revenge. This “Untold Story of Los Perdidos” focuses on a face that anyone who has played the game before should recognize, a man named Hunter Thibodeux.
When the zombie outbreak occurred, Hunter was serving time in a jail cell after being betrayed by one of his fellow gang members. Despite being a member of the feared Kings of Chaos, no one seems willing to free you and as such Hunter takes it upon himself to free himself from behind bars and set out on a path of vengeance that sees him mostly collecting random items.
Unlike Angel, and even Kane, Hunter has no redeeming features and shows absolutely no sign of growth. He doesn’t even devolve into a psychopath throughout the story; he just stays on as a one note character that is all about bikes, blood, and whiskey with nothing in-between, unless you want to go gather more collectibles for the hell of it.
Sure his little path of vengeance has a few more tiny cut-scenes than the former two pieces of DLC and there are some named characters to face off against, this DLC offers the least interesting character of the bunch with no hope of development, especially since unlike the other two characters who players might not have recognized, Hunter’s cross over with the main story is very apparent and so is his ending.
Gameplay Capcom Vancouver has kept things pretty one note for Dead Rising 3’s DLC and that remains the case with Chaos Rising as Hunter controls the exact same way that Nick does and all levels, abilities and PP earned carry back and forth from the main game. Of course multiplayer is also removed still and the game continues to take place in Los Perdidos with a few extra roadblocks here and there to try and funnel players down a different path.
As I mentioned before, there are a few named characters that Hunter will have to go against in the game and weapon lockers are not available in safe houses, meaning players will need to take advantage of their found weaponry to get the job done. These bosses are pretty forgettable overall though one does drop one of the new weapons for the DLC while the other, the person Hunter is seeking revenge against, repeats the same two or three moves in a somewhat interesting ring of fire battle.
Now like the past few pieces of DLC, five new weapons have been added into the game but unfortunately these weapons are the worst of the lot. To kick off the mediocrity there is the Razorback spiked helmet that is used to headbutt zombies with no special kill animation, followed by the Hellblast, a gas canister with flares taped to it that does less damage than your average explosive, a giant hammer called the Bonecrusher which is interesting to use at least, the Sawtooth, a sword with a chainsaw as the blade that sounds more impressive than it really is, and probably the only worthwhile weapon of the bunch a hand cannon which is a multi-barreled pistol that shoots flaming bullets.
As for the combo weapon this time around, players can create a weapon that shoots sawtooth blades at a slow rate of speed and although the kill animation is interesting, it is probably the weakest of all projectile weapons next to the toy category. Thankfully the bike that this DLC adds to the game, the Thrasher, is decent enough as it slices enemies apart with blades all over the bike and allows players to shoot blades out of the front.
On the collectible front, this time around players have been given the option to collect special whiskey bottles, smash emergency phones for whatever reason, and gather special bikes that are scattered around Los Perdidos. The latter collectible quest pretty much multiplies the bothersome vehicle durability quest by twenty and is more trouble than it is worth unless you happen to be a real completionist.
Visuals & Audio As with past DLC, the only thing different about Los Perdidos are a few barricades in a few new areas. The game still looks as good as it does during the single player but that isn’t too much of a consolation at this point now that we are three DLCs in. The character designs are decent looking with all of the tattoos that a hardcore biker gang would have, though it would have been better to see Hunter actually dressed in his signature outfit for more than the final mission.
Now with the voice work for this game, I’m not sure who thought that the voice actor chosen for Hunter was a good fit because it definitely was not. While it worked for the brief moment in the story mode, having to suffer through his incredibly bad voice work throughout the brief story mode will make you happy that this DLC only takes an hour, two at max, to finish.
Overall Dead Rising 3’s DLC could have been something worthwhile and actually seeing a bit of the backstory for a psychopath would have been amazing if it actually showed how they reached that point. Unfortunately Hunter is as unlikable and un-evolving as a character can be and to top it off, he has a terrible voice actor. Add that on with the fact that the collectibles are even more meaningless this time around, the weapons are almost a complete wash of mediocrity, and the only saving grace this DLC has is that it offers some actual boss combat, as minor as it is.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Recently I got the opportunity to review a game called “Tanktastic”, now if you know nothing about this game please allow me to take you through just a bit of what it is like: “Tanktastic” is a mobile title that is available for both Apple and Android devices. It is a MMO/shooter where players take control of an extremely powerful tank and are tasked with simply beating the other team or the other players depending on which game mode you are playing. It is a truly brilliant game with fantastic visuals and a control system that close to perfect.
It feels like a tank simulator but adds a level of fun and excitement that only high-octain multiplayer games can. To read the full review of the game click here. Us here at Capsule Computers were lucky enough to nab an interview with the “Tanktastic” development team, a company called “G.H.O.R” who both created and published the game. As a fan of the game you can imagine that I’d be excited to be able to interview these great people so, if you too are a fan of “Tanktastic” or you are interested in the other side of games and their development, I suggest you read on.
Capsule Computers: What got you guys started on making “Tanktastic”? What was the inspiration behind attempting (and evidently succeeding) to bring a multilayer shooter to mobile devices?
G.H.O.R:Sooner or later, anyone who has a passion for games, wants to create a game. In early 2012 there were already tank games for PC computers, but there were none for the mobile platform. There we saw our opportunity.
CC: Do you find that working with a smaller medium such as mobile devices is a difficult task in any way, or does it make things a lot easier since it is a smaller medium?
G.H.O.R:There are pros and cons. Cons: Our game comes highly optimized so that you can play on a large number of devices. This is especially true of Android devices, because of their large numbers. We needed to to please everyone so that the game would perform well and would be comfortable to play without any “lag”. Our team is always trying a new way to improve the graphics and performance with each new update. Recently we tested OUYA, a game console based on Android, connected to a 42″ TV. Our game performed no differently from console games. Pros: To develop mobile games, we do not need a huge staff in order to compete with the “giants” of the gaming industry such as Wargaming.
CC: The environments were clearly inspired by somewhat real battlefields. What kind of research did you have to do before you chose to work on those particular maps, if any?
G.H.O.R:Our first map was called “Demo Map,” and it was in the first version of our game. It is still there now, only slightly modified. We constantly keep in contact with all of our players on social networks and forums. We held contests and asked people what kinds of maps they wanted to see in the game. We got answers such as “Military Base,” “City,” “Forest,” and “Winter Map.” We don’t stop just with those releases. We think: the more maps, the better.
CC: You have a multitude of different tanks and upgrades that are available within the game. Are all these tanks legitimate makes and models that you researched, or did you have to dip into your imagination to come up with a few of them?
G.H.O.R:All of the tanks are based on real-world models.
CC: Can you tell us anything about future updates or releases? What can we expect from G.H.O.R in the near future?
G.H.O.R:We are always developing and becoming better. Initially, we had 4 people on the team, now we have 9 people who work on the game. Currently we are working on the next update, Alpha-20. We believe that we are still small, and that over time we will turn into something great. The main thing is to never stop, and keep evolving.
I would like to give a special thanks to everyone involved with the interview (each and every member of the development crew G.H.O.R). Thank you very much for talking the time to sit and answer these questions, it is greatly appreciated and it was an pleasure to have been able to interview you all.
This one goes out to all you fans of “Donkey Kong”! Today Nintendo Australia released two brand-new “Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze” trailers and they’re simply fantastic! The first of the two trailers was just a short one (only about 30 seconds long) that shows pretty much all the elements of the game that we’ve previously seen but the second trailer…let me just say; fans of the series will be mighty happy about this one. The new “Aquatic” trailer sees the return of underwater levels, something we’ve seen before but not for a very long time. This beautiful, high-octane “Donkey Kong” title is looking to be absolutely brilliant both gameplay-wise and aesthetically. The great thing is that the game is now available to purchase on the Wii U from any good video game retailer but before you head straight out to buy it I suggest you take a look at the two trailers below to get you just that extra little bit more pumped up for this whacky and wild adventure. Dive into “Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze”!
Welcome to March 2014, gamers! With our transition into the third month of the new years comes two new and entirely free titles for those of you out there who are currently Xbox Live Gold Members. You all know how “Games With Gold” works. Last month we got “Dead Island” and “Toy Soldiers” for free, this month though the Xbox Marketplace has made the games “Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution” and “Dungeon Defenders” free to play. Two fantastic games to add to your (I assume) already extensive catalogue of fantastic games.
You’ll have most of the month, as per usual, to download these games before they go back to being fully priced: “Sid Meiers’s Civilization Revolution” – a strategical game that pits you against the world as you build up your armies and do your best to conquer all which stands in your way slowly become the globe’s greatest empire/ruler – will be available for free beginning…well, two days ago (March the 1st) and ending on the 15th of March so you still have enough time to grab your free copy now.
“Dungeon Defenders” on the other hand – an action/RPG, tower defense game that has you and your friends slaying wave after wave of enemies while you level up your character and gain new weaons and abilities along the way – will begin its run as a free game starting on the 16th of March and ending on the very last day of the month (31st March). Buying these games outright would cost you $49.95 for “Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution” and $19.95 for “Dungeon Defenders” so what’s stopping you from heading over to your Xbox 360 right now to get these gems for free? Get on it!
TALES OF SYMPHONIA CHRONICLES™ IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR THE PLAYSTATION 3 SYSTEM IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND
The Acclaimed Tales Of Symphonia Saga Comes Back In HD Packed In An Exclusive Bundle Never Released In Australia and New Zealand
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – 3rd March 2014 – NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe today announced that TALES OF SYMPHONIA CHRONICLES™ exclusively for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system is now available in Australia and New Zealand. Journey through two epic role-playing games and experience the entirety of the SYMPHONIA storyline with TALES OF SYMPHONIA™ and its follow-up title, TALES OF SYMPHONIA™ Dawn of the New World™.
Follow Lloyd Irving as he embarks on a grand adventure with his friends to restore mana back to the world of Sylvarant, a source of energy necessary for the survival of their world. Along the way they learn of the parallel world of Tethe’alla, whose survival rests on the same source of mana Sylvarant needs to sustain life. How will Lloyd and his friends find a way to ensure the survival of both worlds? TALES OF SYMPHONIA takes the signature real-time battle system of the TALES OF role-playing games, allowing for direct control of the character through fast-paced tactical battles.
TALES OF SYMPHONIA Dawn of the New World continues the story from the previous installment by delving into the consequences set into motion by Lloyd and his friends at the end of TALES OF SYMPHONIA. Take on the role of Emil Castagnier as he seeks to uncover the mysteries that have befallen his world. Dawn of the New World advances the series’ battle system by introducing a new monster recruitment feature that lets players capture more than 200 monsters and train them to participate in battles. Players have complete control over their roster of party members and monster allies, allowing for limitless combinations to take out to the battlefield.
TALES OF SYMPHONIA CHRONICLES includes features that are new to players including the original Japanese voice-overs, new 2D art during special Mystic Artes attacks, and costumes for TALES OF SYMPHONIA, as well as a casino-themed area for TALES OF SYMPHONIA.
TALES OF SYMPHONIA CHRONICLESStandard Edition and Collector’s Edition is now available in Australia and New Zealand. For more information on the Tales of series and Tales of Symphonia Chronicles, please visit http://www.NamcoBandaiGames.com.au and www.TalesOfGame.com.
Please respond to this email if you have not received a copy for review purposes
About NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe S.A.S.
NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe S.A.S., part of NAMCO BANDAI Holdings Inc., is a leading global publisher and developer of interactive content for platforms including all major video game consoles and PC, with marketing and sales operations in 50 countries across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Australasia. The company is known for creating and publishing many of the industry’s top video game franchises, including PAC-MAN™, Tekken™, SOULCALIBUR™, NARUTO™, NARUTO SHIPPUDEN™, Dragon Ball®, GALAGA™, RIDGE RACER™ and ACE COMBAT™. More information about the company and its products can be found at www.namcobandaigames.eu or www.facebook.com/namcobandaigames.europe.
Focus Home Interactive announces their newest project, Space Run. The PC title is a strategy game mixed in with space ship construction elements, similar to a tower-defense game called Defense Technica.
Space Run is developed by the one-man indie developer Sylvain Passot, who runs PASSTECH Games. After working for 10 years in a large French development studio, Passot decided to develop his own game, which is Space Run. The title will be playable at the GDC Play in San Francisco at the Game Developers Conference from March 17 till the 21st. They’ve even released a trailer for the game that you can check out below.
The game is set to be released in May and will be under $10. Check out their website here for more information, and stay tuned for this PC exclusive!
