Keiji Inafune – a God in the world of action/platformer titles and the creator of the legendary “Megaman” series – is a busy, busy man as of late. Not only has he (and his team of developers) been working on the upcoming Megaman successor “Mighty No.9” alongside many other titles like “Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z” and “Kaio: King Of Pirates”, he’s now just announced his next side-scrolling title and, this time, it’s coming straight to the 3DS.
– The Azure Striker In Action –
“Azure Striker Gunvolt” puts players in control of a young renegade fighter named “Gunvolt” – a psychic hosting brilliant powers that unfortunately lives in a world where people of his kind (psychic user) are treated as lesser beings. The story follows “Gunvolt” and his comrades as they rise against this oppressive governing force with the hopes of breaking through the social barrier, taking out those who oppress his people and creating a world where each and every individual can live the life every person on this earth has the right to: A life of freedom.
– Game Foes: Daytona and Malec (Click For Larger Image) –
The upcoming title was announced at the BitSummit indie games festival which took place in Kyoto. Fans of Inafune’s work will “mega” excited for this one, as am I. What came with the announcement of the game was an estimated release period, being summer of this year, and a platform, being the Nintendo 3DS. With all the excitement I feel coursing through my veins, I could talk about this all day but I guarantee you’d all rather hear from the man himself: An announcement trailer was also released with Keiji Inafune himself addressing the audience directly, you can see the full trailer in the featured video section below so head down there to check it out. Enjoy! (“Azure Striker Gunvolt” Official Website:Click Here)
Overview Mining is a dangerous line of work. Tunnelling deep underground, devoid of sunlight, of fresh air, of space. Definitely one of the toughest jobs on the planet…especially when that planet is Mars. As if it wasn’t already difficult, the red planet adds the extra obstacle of alien creatures. Dweeling within the very caves you wish to mine, it’s going to be one heck of a battle to make it out with your haul…and your life.
Nowhere to go but down
Story Weclome to Mars. You have been sent here, travelling through the haunting beauty of space for a single purpose: to spend your days underground mining for gems and minerals…so not the most glamorous of missions, but hey work is work. As you carve your way through the bowels of the red planet, certain inconsistencies with the environment reveal that not only are you not alone, you may just be under attack. Not only that, but a few slip ups from your boss reveal that you may just be further away from home than you think. Like, over 100 years further…
Gameplay Unsurprisingly, mining takes a rather central role in Mines of Mars. Viewed from a side on perspective, the environment is divided into squares organised in a randomised pattern, a feature that is really only useful should you desire to begin a new game. Though a majority of the land is nothing more than dirt, there are those few blocks that are just a little more valuable. Those are the ones you want. By mining said blocks you can obtain precious materials that can be used to upgrade the abilities of the intrepid Miner. Without said improvements, your aptitude as a miner will be greatly reduced. For example, failing to upgrade your heat sink will force you to remain at lesser depths, above the more valuable materials.
Upgrades themselves are divided into a few different categories: there’s weapon’s, utilities, armour and tools. Definitely one of the most helpful features of this system is the ability to improve your pickaxe, increasing the speed with which you mine. Which is especially useful as your mines snake deeper and deeper downwards, expanding well beyond the bounds of common sense. Special caution must be taken when mining downwards however, due to the limits of your equipped jetpack. Should you run out of fuel before returning to the portal through which you entered the mine, a type of game over will occur, resulting in the loss of all mineral acquired in your most recent jaunt through the underground. Though apart from that the only real repercussion is having the weird chief insult you, not a big deal. This obstacle may be overcome in a few different ways, the most simple of which is to upgrade the jetpack. Other options include, purchasing portals to set your spawn point deeper underground, focus on the limits of your current flight prowess or simple mine intelligently. But where’s the fun in that?
The perks of being a miner
Most upgrades do however require a tremendous amount of effort to obtain. As minerals and gems are indeed scarce, it can take hours to acquire even the simplest of materials. It’s a luck game really. That being said, each one is definitely worth it, even the ones that don’t outwardly appear to be. The boots for example. The description notes that these shoes will increase both jumping height and running speed, two abilities not inherently useful in the confined spaces of a mine. However, purchasing these will grant access to a second pair of boots with an invaluable skill: gravity manipulation. This allows you to stand on the ceiling and mine upwards. Which, in addition to being awesome, lets you acquire minerals previously missed on the path down. On the topic of clothing, it would also be a good idea to invest in some of the defensive sort, just in case you run into any monsters.
Ah yes, it wouldn’t truly be another planet if the wildlife was not bizarre and out to get you. Though not inherently strong, the more common enemies can become a problem due to the confined spaces of the underground environment. However, they are not the true threat. Should you stumble upon archaic ruins within the bowels of Mars, you may just encounter the true guard dogs of the Martian race. Without proper upgrades, these fights will become exponentially more difficult, resulting in a quick warp to the surface and the loss of on hand materials. Damn.
Well that’s not ominous…
Visuals Mines of Mars definitely has a industrial feel to it’s visual style. On the surface, buildings constructed of various metals stand against the red desert that sprawls behind them. There’s no aesthetic beauty to these structures, presented as forms of necessity above all else. Whenever a service is rendered, these buildings will also hiss steam from various vents, showcasing that they are not the most refined creations. On the other hand, the relics that lie beneath the surface possess an ancient visual style, most often expressed via archaic symbols and monuments. This serves to break up the monotony of dirt and add a sense of excitement to the occasionally tedious task of mining.
To further drive the point that you are no longer on Earth, the bright blue marble hangs in the sky. This is especially noticeable when the game transitions from day to night, as it replaces the moon as the sphere you look up to in the blanket of darkness.
Audio The games introductory cutscene contains a brief narration by the protagonist, lamenting his new assignment. Whilst a good way to begin the game, the Miner’s voice was just a smidge on the side of dull. It was clear that the game was going for the guise of a hardened, morose worker who longs for a better life, but they instead crossed over a line of monotone and into lethargy. That being said, the vocalisation was a nice touch and served to add some sense of personality and past to the protagonist.
Whilst deep within the mantle of Mars, the soundtrack adopts a classic sci-fi feel. Echoing synth notes express both the emptiness of the caverns in which you dig, as well as the fact you are not on Earth. Which is cool. In addition, the echo provides a sense of emptiness, telling of the Miner’s lonely quest through the depths of Mars.
I hope they’re friendly
Overall Mines of Mars is simple in concept and enjoyable in execution. Though mining is by no means a revolutionary concept in the world of gaming, it doesn’t mean that it can’t be interesting. The game does a great job in balancing the environment, making it feel like an achievement whenever you stumble upon a material buried amidst the dirt. That being said, the upgrades do cost a bundle in comparison, requiring you to search a great deal for specific minerals or gems. Combined with the storage space available to you, this results in countless trips to the surface. Of course this means that the further you go down, the furhter you have to go back up. Which can become slightly annoying, especially when your inventory fills up right before you finish depleting a rich vein of ore. Though those are the truths of mining I guess. All in all, Â Mines of Mars is a fun game that will keep your attention long enough for you to care about creating a powerful Miner and single handedly discover the mysteries that lie below the surface of the red planet. Though a little back-up would be nice every once in a while…
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Jormungand Season 1 Studio:White Fox Publisher:FUNimation Release Date: February 18th, 2014 Format: DVD/Blu-Ray Combo Price: $64.98 – Available Here
Overview
With so many anime about everyday life in high schools or being on incredible adventures in different worlds, it is nice to see an interesting change of pace with an anime focused on a barely touched aspect of real life. Jormungand provides just that with the story of an arms dealer and her nine bodyguards, set in as modern a time as any other anime. Certainly an interesting premise, but can the lives of these ten individuals as they go from job to job hold an audiences interest in their work and dealings with rival arms dealers and assassination attempts? Let’s take a look at what the first season has to provide.
Story
Koko Hekmatyar is an arms dealer who was raised for most of her life on a cargo ship by her father, who was also an arms dealer. It however is not the fact that she is a female arms dealer that makes her stand out for an entire anime about her, but the fact that she seeks to bring world peace through arms dealing. To that end, Koko has surrounded herself with the best bodyguards that she can find with former Delta force, Italian Army, Police Sniper, Finnish Rapid Deployment Force, US Army, and several others, but her newest bodyguard takes the cake as a boy soldier.
The nice thing about Jormungand is that it doesn’t focus entirely on just Koko, as the leader she is obviously important, but throughout the series the backstories of some of the different bodyguards are explored. The different characters receive varying amounts of introspection through the first season however, with some characters only expositing their stories to the boy soldier Jonah and others getting almost entire episodes to their past. This isn’t bad either as with 10 major characters there is a lot to learn about any of them and with only 12 episodes, several split between 2 episode arcs, there is not enough time to explore all of them equally, though it does leave plenty of room for the second season to continue this exploration.
Besides just the characters, Jormungand has a fair bit to say about war in the present day as well, though limited to the regions Koko deals arms to, parts of Europe and Africa. The series does a good job of avoiding real names for the war torn countries Koko visits, instead using terms like Country A and Country B to indicate where they are, which is a good tactic that functions well with the series as the same situations come up again and again, so what someone might think of as A and B to represent may be different in 5 or 10 years. Being of course an arms dealer to these kinds of countries, Koko is not meant to look like she’s entirely good, but really just utilizing them as a means to an end for both making money and getting her world peace.
While the series is for the most part mainly one or two episode arcs, this first season does actual have a somewhat connected storyline including a big bad. This is actually quite surprising as more often then not Koko and her guards end up killing anyone that threatens them in that episode, so to see it slowly build over the course of a few of these small arcs is very well done. But, just when the audience thinks everything is nice and neat there is of course a season two.
Visuals
The characters, guns, and locations of Jormungand are all very great looking and even more so for the characters as they actually go about changing their clothes from location to location, so they aren’t all constantly wearing the same outfit every single episode. From mountain tops, to deserts, the attention to realistic detail is certainly impressive and adds to the already genuine feel from the modern setting. The guns and equipment that Koko’s crew uses and sells are also incredibly realistic, all things that can be immediately looked up and see that they look exactly like they do in real life, making for one of the most true to real life anime in terms of looks.
Audio
With such a variety of characters from all around the world, it makes sense that the English dub would go the extra length to try and fit all of these characters with appropriate voices. With the original Japanese the characters all seem like just all very cool tough characters, but with the English there is the extra addition of matching the voice to the character even more. So that it isn’t just a bunch of tough characters, but tough characters that are all distinct enough from each other, which is thankful with a total of 7 tough major male characters.
The music featured in Jormungand certainly fits as well, not only with the use of rock music to work along with the action of the fight scenes, but other types of music to fit the different locations that Koko and her guards travel to around the world. The opening theme “Borderland” by Mami Kawada, does well to matching Koko with its energy and the themes of standing between two worlds, with war zones and civilian life, and never wanting to lose. The ending theme “Ambivalentidea” by yanaginagi, matches much more to Jonah as it is more sorrowful and matches his theme of hating guns, but working with Koko and needing them to protect her and kill those he needs to. Interestingly, Episode 4 has a different ending theme, “Shiroku Yawaraka na Hana” by yanaginagi, that is more of a farewell love song to the antagonists of the arc.
Extras
As a FUNimation release, Jormungand has the standard set of special features with audio commentary with a few members of the cast that gives a little insight into the experience, the trailers for both other shows and the U.S. trailers for Jormungand, and the clean version of the opening theme and both ending themes. There is one unique extra though, that details the casting of each of the more important characters of the series, since the production of the English dub was faster paced than usual.
Overall
There are a lot of things that Jormungand does very right, the characters are all interesting and the music and voice acting is equally well done. The only real problems it has is that 10 major characters is a lot to deal with, especially in 12 episodes, which leaves a lot unexplored in many of Koko’s bodyguards. This being a first season however, that leaves plenty of room to continue with those characters in the next season, but looking at the first season alone it has a lot of potential for all the characters, but chooses to focus on a few. Regardless, Jormungand Season 1 is still a good series that has both interesting characters and great action.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
“Trained to kill. Left for dead. Back for more.” Robert Rodriguez’s excursion into exploitation cinema continues with Machete Kills, sequel to Machete (2010), a film based on a long-gestating idea that was originally conceived by the famous director back in 1994 after meeting the eventual star Danny Trejo during pre-production for Desperado (they later discovered they are second cousins!). Cutting together a fake trailer for ‘Machete’, and having it featured ahead of the theatrical release of Grindhouse (2007), fans expressed interest in it becoming its own feature film, and the rest is now history. Machete Kills is the second in a planned trilogy of movies, and is even more ridiculous than the last… but does the lure of seeing Charlie Sheen as President of the United States (that’s right) warrant the purchase of the blu-ray?
“This is Machete” – Cool as a cucumber
Story
“Machete Kills Again… In Space” I expected a preview to precede the film, as is tradition, but that I didn’t expect! Watching the mock trailer for what was formerly titled “Machete Kills Again”, I found myself confused with no prior knowledge of the drastic thematic change… is this a fourth Machete film being planned?! Nope, they’ve just decided to take the final entry of the trilogy into space. Guess that answers the question before it can even be asked: ‘how much crazier can this get?’ Now we have Justin Bieber as a robot named Bleep to look forward to; he gets promptly destroyed by Machete though (yay!). Anyway, Machete Kills then starts with our title character and his beloved Sartana Rivera (Jessica Alba) intercepting a weapons deal between crooked U.S. Military and the Mexican Cartel. As a re-introduction to the outrageous rules and logic of this world (as if the prior-mentioned trailer doesn’t give enough of an indication) the duo – carrying mere pistols –  successfully “ambush” 10 soldiers armed with machine guns, all of whom immediately surrender and one of which actually attempts to escape. Of course, the Cartel eventually arrive before yet another faction of men in luchadore masks that remind of Bane from Batman drop in via attack helicopters. Needless to say, all hell breaks loose.
Desdemona (Sofia Vergara) has some… man issues
Amongst the commotion, Machete lops off a few heads (which pop up into the sky, breaking all physics), slices another guy clean in half right down the middle (Mortal Kombat“Fatality!” style) and acts as a conduit in electrocuting a bad guy by grabbing him with one hand, and with the other sticking his namesake weapon into an electrical box. Meanwhile, Sartana uncovers what exactly the army personnel were attempting to sell – a nuclear bomb – and is murdered by the apparent leader of the masked men wielding a… blaster? Let the sci-fi foreshadowing commence! Machete comes back around to find her lifeless body, almost suffering the same fate if not for the imminent arrival of the police. Taken into custody, and accused of Sartana’s murder, Machete is hung by an extremely racist Sheriff Doakes (William Sadler) – who keeps calling him “Taco” – in what is possibly one of my favourite scenes in cinematic history. The stool is kicked out from underneath our protagonist and we see his dangling feet… but when the Sheriff looks up from lighting his cigar, he sees Machete staring right back at him. Taken aback, the Sheriff moves to his left, and after a brief fake-out, Machete’s eyes slowly find him. They say he doesn’t die… “Maybe he’s just got a thick neck is all”. Machete then snarls at him, still hanging, as the President of the United States calls and wants to speak to, you guessed it, our man Machete. Doakes shoots him down and Machete shrugs it off, answering the call. How much more bad-ass can you be?!
Amber Heard as Blanca Vasquez (Machete’s handler) speaks quite fluent Spanish in the film
A meeting is set-up, with the unlikely pairing of cult icon Danny Trejo and the insanely infamous Charlie Sheen (credited under his birth name, Carlos Estevez) playing out before our eyes. President Rathcock (yep, that’s his name all right) offers Machete U.S. citizenship if he eliminates the psychopathic revolutionary Marcos Mendez (Demián Bichir), who is threatening to fire a nuclear missile at Washington, D.C. if the American government refuses to invade Mexico, stop the cartels and save its government from corruption. Machete’s acceptance leads him on a quest to bring Mendez – who has had the trigger to the nuke wired to his heart – over the border whilst protecting himself and the bi-polar Mendez from a hit put on both their heads. Walton Goggins, Cuba Gooding Jr., Lady Gaga and Antonio Banderas each take turns in embodying La Camaleón, a face-changing assassin (what else is Cuba doing these days?), but it’s Mel Gibson as the visionary Star Wars fan Voz who takes most of the spotlight, and is our connection to Machete venturing into the blackness of space. It’s all one hell of a ride, packed with clones, wacky characters and kills that, again, would fit in any Mortal Kombat video game. Machete throws a guy’s intestines into a helicopter rotor, which pulls him in and slices him into a red mist! Does it make any sense? No, but that’s why it’s so brilliant!
Visuals & Audio
Machete Kills‘ 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer looks great, with no noticeable blemishes or flaws present. The film itself is frequently drenched in a warm palette of mixed shades of yellow, with strong contrast levels. Noticeable by comparison to its predecessor is a more subtle use of film grain, barely even visible in many scenes. In fact, on a whole, Rodriguez has reigned himself in with regards to utilising faux print damage effects, although they were still heaped on heavily during the “prevues of coming attractions” that plays before the film begins. Instead, more of a focus is placed on the hilariously “bad” CGI and chroma keying. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is clear and crisp, adding a certain weight and impact to proceedings. Being an action-packed film, the score is aptly dramatic, except for the moments where Machete “gets busy”… in which case the classic “bow chicka bow wow” 70’s porno music plays on cue. Sound effects, such as for the numerous disembowelments, are signaturely hyperbolised, much like every other element of the movie.
Shoots bullets from her bra and has a “strap-on” gun she fires by thrusting her hips
Overall
Machete Kills takes the stupidity to a whole ‘nother level, but that is said with the best regards imaginable. Grindhouse theater is a genre in and of itself, and one that many do not understand. For those who feel they fall into that category, I don’t see a point in recommending films like Machete Kills to you with hopes that you will miraculously “get it” – we all have different senses of humour (“Machete loves everybody”). I am disappointed to not see any special features on this blu-ray release, however it is also set at a lower than standard price point for the format, which softens said disappointment. Regardless, the purposely schlocky, over-the-top, cheesy nature of these throwbacks are what make them entertaining, and if you’re like me, you enjoyed the first film and will definitely have an appreciation for the exploitative, gory, ludicrous B-Movie homage that Machete Killsis.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Following the precedent set by the pack-in earbud that comes with the console, Gioteck’s AX1-R keeps things simple and clean, adding value without breaking the piggy bank. The Gioteck AX1-R is one of Gioteck’s more affordable entry-level headsets. It’s an over-the-ear headphone with a microphone. The model I reviewed is exclusive to the PlayStation 4, but Gioteck also makes an AX1-R for the Xbox 360.
When I first got the AX1-R’s box in my hands, I was impressed with the packaging.* The black and blue color scheme compliment one another nicely while. The blue utilized on the packaging helps convey to consumers that this is, indeed, a PlayStation-focused product. With anything below optimal lighting conditions, however, the blue is hard on the eyes as it’s almost too dark to read without an additional source. That said, the outer packaging itself was a high grade cardboard with a catchy font and some eye-catching images of the headset itself.
Once I cracked the box open, I was greeted by budget packaging. The headset itself sat inside a box made of blue folded cardboard that held the instruction manual. Somewhat to my dismay, it was merely sitting loosely in the box, free to jostle around while the unit is in transit and, potentially, allowing damage to the unit. It had an air of being much classier than the molded plastic of other budget peripherals, but left much desired compared to more expensive headsets.
The AX1-R follows suit with many other headsets for the PlayStation 4 by hooking up directly into the port on the bottom of the DualShock 4 controller. The simplicity of the system itself is beautiful, reducing a hopeless, tangled cacophony of cords and wires to a single, easily manageable plug that directly from your head to your hands. One of the inherent downsides, however, is that the AX1-R and other headsets that utilize this method are restricted to stereo output. Audiophiles craving a more immersive aural experience with surround sound will be disappointed, not only in the AX1-R, but in any headset that goes through the Dualshock 4, meaning they’ll either have to settle for stereo or research more expensive alternatives.
The cable that runs from the headset to the controller is made of good, durable plastic. The cable is flat, which helps reduce or even eliminate tangles. The cable itself  is around five feet long, offering plenty of wiggle room for even the largest of wingspans.
Situated about 18 inches down the from the headset on the cable is an inline control unit. The unit has a big volume control knob, giving you the ability to adjust the volume without having to get in and goof around with any settings on the machine. The inline control box also features a push/pull mute control, allowing you to mute yourself with just a quick tug. This also runs the risk of inopportune muting, but the feature itself is one I’ve not seen very often and it’s both intuitive and reliable.
The headband itself feels well constructed for its price range. The band itself is made of plastic with a matte black finish. Unfortunately, the plastic in the unit feels like it wouldn’t be able to withstand a lot of torque or punishment, so I would recommend taking care when not using the unit.
On the top of the headband, there is a sizable leather pad. It features the Gioteck name and logo in black on the external-facing portion, while the inside portion is a PlayStation-esque royal blue. The top pad offers a great deal of comfort, ensuring nothing on the unit is digging into your head or rendering the unit unbearable after a couple hours of play.
The speakers on the unit feature 40mm drivers. They also feature padded earcups that are comfortable to wear. The padded leatherette finish on the earcups is breathable, granting you longevity without sacrificing comfort. It also offers a good deal of noise muffling, though some sound will still bleed through in a louder environment. It’s also a detriment to the headset that the earcups do not swivel. This restricts comfort to a degree and could likely have been implemented without incurring much extra manufacturing cost.
Setup is very simple. Just plug into the controller and switch up some PS4 audio settings.
The microphone on the AX1-R is situated on the left earcup of the headset.It features a 180 degree range of motion on the arm, letting you move it from totally vertical above your head to straight down near your throat. It clicks into place at each interval, giving the microphone stability while you play. The microphone arm also allows you to adjust how near or far it is to you by simply moving the swing arm. The problem with it, as with most headsets in this price range, is that the headset is locked in to the left side of your head. Where some headsets allow a greater range of rotation (thus letting you rotate the headset and the side the mic is on), you only have one option here.The vocal output from the microphone in the AX1-R is excellent, ensuring your voice is heard loud and clear across the network. The directional mic also does a great job restricting background noise.
As with any headset, the audio quality is one of the most important factors. On this front, the Gioteck AX1-R does not disappoint. Whether watching movies or playing games, the quality of the audio coming through the stereo speakers sounds excellent. Voice, gunshots and explosions, music and more all feel like they’re coming from a high quality device with a rich, vibrant quality. The whining and crackling some other headsets output is completely absent here. The one issue I experienced with the AX1-R’s output is one I expect many controller-to-head units will suffer, with the voice chat and game audio crossing over. On more than one occasion I couldn’t understand my teammates because gunfire was drowning them out. This can be frustrating and will likely have to be adjusted game to game.
For $40, the Gioteck AX1-R is a great entry-level headset on the PlayStation 4. It’s very easy to setup, comfortable enough to wear for hours with no issue, and the quality of both the microphone and stereo sound are excellent. The plastic the headset is made out of feels a little flimsy and fragile, the lack of swiveling earcups is quickly noticeable, and the headband could have been slightly larger, but overall the unit is well made, comfortable, and sounds great .The AX1-R is a headset you’ll definitely want to consider.
*Be sure to check out the unboxing video for the Gioteck AX1-R below this review.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
ZEXCS studio have released their first teaser trailer for their Spring 2014 anime adaptation of the popular manga series Mangaka-san to Assistant-san, or Comic Artist and Assistants as it will now be known in English.
Comic Artist and Assistants follows a perverted mangaka who uses his female assistants as inspiration for his manga, even requesting  a feel of one assistant’s breast so that he can understand how the main character would feel. As you could probably tell its a raunchy series to say the very least.
You can check out the Comic Artist and Assistants anime trailer below. Be sure to let us know what you think of it in the comments section.
Welcome to the 24th episode of CC Powerslam, Capsule Computers’ wrestling podcast! In this final instalment before Wrestlemania XXX is upon us, we reflect on the results of Elimination Chamber, speak on WWE‘s missed opportunities, the rise of NXT with the awareness the WWE Network brings it and, of course, we make our definitive predictions for not only what will fill out the Wrestlemania XXX card, but also the results.
Cast:Â Zac Elawar, Luke Halliday, MasterAbbott and Travis Bruno
– Elimination Chamber Reaction
– Missed Opportunities
– NXT “Arriving”
– The Return of Hulkamania
– “Bootista”
– Cesaro’s Push
– WWE Network
– Wrestlemania XXX Predictions
Feedback:
Send an email to  [email protected] and let us know what you think of the podcast, what you’d like to hear or if you have any suggestions whatsoever.
Poor Ryuko. She’s had it rough hasn’t she? Having finally succumbed to the fear within her heart during last week‘s slew of traumatic events, her life has taken a drastic plummet into the depths of madness. As an unlikely duo stand before her, Ryuko has just one final chance to save her soul. Lest she be consumed by an evil that humanity cannot truly fathom.
Succumbing to evil can be such a bother
From her brief encounters with Satsuki, we knew Ragyo was very “hands on” with her daughter. While seemingly a blatant attempt for some more risque anime visuals, Ragyo’s actions did in fact have plot relevance. Her crossing of even the most primal of maternal instincts, proved that she hold not one iota of compassion for the child she bore. Rather, she would utilise even sexuality in an attempt to dominate Satsuki and bend her to her will. That being said, we only ever saw brief moments of this. Brief, uncomfortable moments. But not this time. Ragyo turned these tactics on Ryuko and, with some assistance by Nui, spent copious amounts of time well within her personal space. This assault worked so thoroughly that, despite the rage outwardly present on Ryuko, she happily accepted Junketsu. Very happily. Part of Ragyo’s mental manipulation seemingly involves twisting her subjects until they derive pleasure from Life Fibres, and with how interwoven Ryuko and Junketsu have become, it’s no wonder her friends can’t break through and free her from her emotional prison. So complete was the control that Ryuko kissed her sworn enemy Nui “for luck”. Something that obviously gladdened Nui, possibly lending to the newly revealed fact that she possesses unique Life Fibres that repel others, hence the purple colouration. Assumedly, it is also this fact that grants her the power to sever Fibres with a finger, whilst also serving as a source of jealousy towards Ragyo and Ryuko who can both correctly wear a Kamui. It’s a very strange dynamic these characters share. Unbelievably interesting, but strange nonetheless.
This being said, these unfortunate circumstances also serve to alleviate any lingering doubts regarding Satsuki’s allegiance and willpower. Think about it. Satsuki lived with Ragyo for a majority of her formative years. Not only did she resist being persuaded into a Life Fibre slave, she managed to resist the power of Junketsu, even claim it as her own for a time. Hence the garments desire to slaughter her. Poor Ryuko was broken in no time at all, though Ragyo did mention that her existential crisis played a major role in the swiftness of her corruption.
Big Red Buttons always do something awesome
During their fight, it becomes clear just how much Satsuki and Ryuko have changed. Ryuko berates Satsuki for pointlessly clinging onto Bakuzan, completely ignoring the reason she herself wields the Scissor Blade. Based on the methods by which Ryuko changed, her vocalisations seem to be in open defiance to her old self. The being that she has come to see as a lie, a monster that lies somewhere between human and Life Fibre. But not this Ryuko. Though having truly become a monster, she is so torn up and twisted that she has come to justify her each and every action, thrilled by the pleasure of Junketsu. Thanks for that Ragyo. Ryuko even attacks Senketsu, calling him a “knock off” and “ridiculous”, a complete 180 from her usual self. This insult does however serve as a segue for us, finally revealing why Senketsu is so revealing when synchronised with his wielder. It’s actually quite simple, as synchronisation forges a close bond between human and Life Fibre, a lower surface area reduces the chance that the Fibre will overpower its wearer and consume their soul. It is to this same effect that Junketsu is so prevalent on Ryuko now, concealing every inch of skin it can muster with eyes set on Ryuko’s essence.
As Ryuko continues to dominate Satsuki throughout their battle, some interesting callbacks are made to previous moments of philospohy. In one instance, Ryuko notes Satsuki as “a princess standing on top of a sand castle”, harking back to Jakuzure’s first meeting with the former President. It is in fact this very insult that sparks Jakuzure’s rage, along with the Elite Four’s plan. However, their goal to free Ryuko from the clutches of Junketsu is halted when Nui reveals the truth. Ryuko isn’t wearing Junketsu, they’re sewn together. Evidently, Ragyo is able to control Ryuko’s own internal Fibres to an extent. Either that or Junketsu is simply that hell bent on dominating it’s wearer. Btoh are definite possibilities.
Return of Banchoshoku
It’s interesting to note that Nui also serves as an unwary testament to the strength of “old” Ryuko throughout the episode. As Satsuki so cleverly explains, were Nui 100% trusting of her new ally, she would have handed over her half of the Scissor Blade to Ryuko. The sheer fact that she continues to wield it shows that she doubts Ryuko’s loyalties, meaning that hope still exists. It’s a pretty awesome screw you speech to the annoyingly untouchable Nui, who is visibly angered. The last time that happened she lost an eye…
In a final testament to the overwhelming strength of friendship, with a healthy does of stubbornness thrown in, Senketsu and Mako delve into Ryuko’s twisted subconscious to free her from Ragyo’s lies. In parallel to their very first meeting, Senketsu leaps at Ryuko with the intent of forcing himself upon her. However, this time we understand his intentions and Senketsu himself understands the feelings he possesses for his friend. Set within the church her non existent wedding is taking place, we see a grown Ryuko clinging to any thread of happiness she can find, even if it means being locked within a falsehood. It is only after Mako and Senketsu visibly bear the effects of her rage that Ryuko understands the truth and forces her way out of Ragyo’s clutches. Violently. Though still stitched to her body, Ryuko tears Junketsu off of herself in the truest expression of rage, regret and understanding she has ever shown. Directly contrasting her mindset from the previous two episodes, her determination now stems from her desire to once again don Senketsu and fight as one.
Sins washed away in a crimson rain
So with Ryuko now free from the prison built within her mind, the Kanto Vagabond is burning with fury once again. Though she most certainly holds a great deal of hatred for her own weakness, hopefully she can surmount her fears and stand against her mother. And let’s not forget the Ultimate Kamui that’s still looming in the shadows. Though with Nui currently “indisposed” as she is, the future of this weapon hangs in the balance. That being said, with Ragyo and the Original Life Fibre en route, even the Ultimate Kamui may pale in comparison. Either way, Ragyo’s final strike is about to begin…
Overview Military games are all the rage these days. Players just can’t get enough of the tactical explorations undertaken by soldiers who band together through impossible odds. But have you ever just wanted to take a step back from it all? From the emotions, from the story, from the characters? Well you’re in luck because such a game already exists. Enter a world where teams of tanks duke it out for victory and claim dominion over the land. Welcome to a place of steel and explosions. Welcome to the World of Tanks.
Let the chaos commence!
Story Surprisingly enough for an MMO centred on anonymous crews piloting weapons of devastation, World of Tanks can’t be said to have a plot. Though with the plethora of detailed tanks available, you may just come to characterise a few. Though that’s solely dependent on your imagination. Also, with all of the online chat taking place in battle, you may just invent a reason as to why you want the other team to explode. Again, purely circumstantial.
Gameplay Exactly as you would expect from a game named thusly, World of Tanks throws you into the driver’s seat of a tank. It is therefore your mission to utilise said weapon to blow up the opposing team in each match. A Standard match will pit teams against each other in one of the numerous maps contained within the game. Each team possesses their own base and can win the match by capturing their opponent’s base before the 15 minute time limit runs out. Classic capture the point style gameplay. Alternatively, victory can be achieved by simply annihilating the entire opposing team. In Encounter, there is but one base and each team must attempt to capture it, or destroy the opposing force entirely. Assault provides one team with  a base that they must defend at all costs, whilst the attacking side attempts to capture the point. Victory can also be achieved by decimating the opposing team. Sensing a pattern here?
Rather than the typical “die-respawn-retry” style of play, each player receives only one life per match. So when you die, you’re out. Whilst this may seem frustrating to players, especially those still lacking in skill, WoT implements a fantastic feature to help mitigate this. If you don’t wish to remain in spectator mode for the remaining minutes of a match, you cna simply return to you garage (menu) and enter another match. Though your destroyed tank will remain “in battle” until the match ends, leaving will not prevent you from acquiring any rewards for the match. Such a simple feature, but one that allows WoT to retain its single kill combat without enraging players.
Finders keepers applies to military bases right?
The concept of multiple battles in rapid succession also serves as motivation for players to acquire new tanks. Though the game provides you with two light tanks and one medium when you begin, they are almost immediately outclassed by every other online player. However, by entering numerous matches you can acquire Silver, Tank XP and Free XP, all necessary components of the upgrade process. However, whilst Silver and Free XP accumulate into pools, Tank XP is assigned to individual tanks and is non transferable, forcing you to battle with numerous tanks should you wish to upgrade them. The tanks themselves possess a branching sequence of abilities that allow you to improve your tank in various ways, such as improving it’s defensive capabilities or altering its turret’s firing style. Each branch also eventuates in the choice to buy an entirely new tank to add to your garage. Which you then enter into battle, gain points and the whole cycle repeats itself ad infinitum. In addition to these upgrades, you may also choose to spend some money on attachable equipment. Though more expensive than the upgrades on some of the weaker tanks, they provide passive bonuses that serve to further improve your war machines, such as a 10% increase to aiming speed. Which is always helpful. The only limitation of this equipment comes from each individual tank and their capacity, with some capping out at three.
Within combat itself, your own organisation of upgrades and equipment definitely shines through. Though the different classes of tank (light, medium and heavy) are a simple way of discerning a tank’s capabilities, it is merely the surface of gameplay variances. Should a tank possess a long range for example, said machine may fill the role of sniper for the team, sitting back and picking of enemies from a distance. Such a weapon may even utilise stealth tactics, using shrubbery to avoid detection. Others may be more suited to brute force tactics, barrelling straight for the front lines and taking out anything in its way. Though that is definitely a risky strategy. Within these more high octane manoeuvres, one must also be wary of the tank’s own shortcomings, lest they lead to defeat. One such weakness is the turret rotation speed. Though you may turn the camera to aim at an opponent, the barrel of the tank moves at a slower speed. As such, suddenly zooming in may have you looking in the wrong direction, possibly leading to defeat. Should you need to fire and move in tandem, the game includes a handy auto aim that can be turned on, allowing you to focus solely on evasionary tactics.
I’m sure they’re fine…
Damaging an opponent also centres around a rather detailed system, with a number of factors that attribute to attack and defence. For example, firing at an opponent from an angle will reduce the damage of your shells, whereas a direct hit will retain its true destructive force. The impact each shot will have is easily determined by colour of the reticule itself: yellow implies a slim chance of penetrating enemy armour, orange means fifty/fifty and red represents a very high probability. If that wasn’t enough, individual tanks also possess unique armour values for individual sections, such as the tracks. Yet another factor to consider when firing. Speaking of tracks, it is also possible to immobilise your opponent for a time by focusing damage there. Easy pickings. However, should you wish for an easier (not easy) approach, simply spend some of your hard earned war profits on some more powerful ammunition. I hear armour piercing is quite effective.
Also, though more of a side note compared to previous points, moving around the battlefield is rather empowering, what with you being in a tank and all. Watch environmental assets crumble as you roll over them on the path to war. Gamers will definitely appreciate the fact that trees are also a part of this list, lacking the usual invulnerable obstacle status that they possess in other games. That being said, you are still in a tank and there are some thing a tank just can’t handle. Though travelling through mud and water reduces speed, particularly deep patches may result in drowning. Which is bad. Also the bane of the tank within each map is most assuredly inclines. Attempting to traverse a hill will reduce you speed dramatically and result in an embarrassing slide down the slope. Be wary of fall damages well, a feature that was also surprisingly included. It definitely showcases an attention to detail. Humorous, embarrassing detail.
Tanks for the assistance
Visuals Owing to the fact that it is centred within a world filled to the brim with tanks, the game contains a plethora of uniquely designed tanks from across the globe. Well England, America and Germany specifically. A great deal of effort was poured into recreating these real world weapons in CG form, a fact supported by the inclusion of a bio for each machine that specifies the various elements of their design. Whilst surely a dream for military buffs, these numerous models also serve to keep each battle visually fresh and engaging. The different sizes of the tanks also serve as an immediate representation of their skills, making it easier to determine how your team will approach the upcoming battle. If nothing else, seeing a brand new tank roll across the battlefield serves to entice other players, who will work to acquire one of their own.
Just as with the tanks, a great deal of effort was placed into the various environments in which you fight. However, more emphasis was definitely placed on playability than visual complexity. That isn;t to say that the environments don’t look appealing, it’s just that they are fairly simple in their layout. Most likely owing to the fact that both teams are comprised of nothing but tanks of varying size. For example, the map Malinovka is primarily a flat, wide open plain which, though creating an interesting tactical issue to overcome, is not that interesting to look at. However, as the gameplay treats environmental objects as nothing more than hurdles and cover from fire, it suits the concept of the game perfectly.
Occasionally within battle, especially during rapid movement, there was also some visual distortion around the borders of the HUD elements and the tank itself. Though relatively minor, it can become a tad distracting during combat.
Audio Possibly opting for a more “realistic” approach to combat, WoT contains no background music during combat. Instead just the cold, dead silence of two warring factions moments from pouncing. The lack of musical sound definitely adds a sense of tension to the game, as any sound you do hear is assuredly coming from the advance of the enemy. The devastating silence also serves to amplify the impact and suddenness of each and every shell fired. Though the lack of in battle music definitely makes the victory tune that plays over the scoreboard all the more triumphant.
Sometimes it’s an uphill battle
Overall World of Tanks is an interesting game. Though on the surface it seems to be just another team based war game, there is a great degree of detail and subtlety in it’s gameplay. In order to truly master the game, you must pay careful attention to each individual stat, each unique weapon, every player, the environment…everything. Though you can definitely still have some fun rolling around in a war machine, you will not live very long. Though depending on your team, you might not need to. Battles can be over in mere minutes or drag on until the bell goes ding. No two matches are identical and that’s what will keep you going back for more…if you’re not too frustrated by previous outcomes. All in all, World of Tanks is a fun, surprisingly detailed exploration into the art of war.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Upcoming sci-fi animeKnights of Sidonia was teased over a year ago but it’s finally airing next month for the Spring 2014 season. A trailer was recently streamed showing off some mecha action against a Gauna alien which you can see below.
The anime is set a thousand years after the solar system was destroyed by an alien race. Some humans escaped using gigantic ships acting as colonies, one of which is the Sidonia. Nagate Tanikaze is training to pilot a robotic weapon known as a Garde. Him and his fellow pilots must battle the Gauna in the depths of space to save humanity.
Knights of Sidonia is being animated by Polygon Pictures studio and is based on an ongoing manga series of the same name.
 
