Today Atlus has announced that they are once again working with ACE Team, the developers behind Zeno Clash and Rock of Ages, to bring out a new game called Abyss Odyssey for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC.
Abyss Odyssey features “Art Nouveau” style visuals where players will take control of one of three warriors to venture into the abyss. However no matter how far players can get into the game there will always be more to play as the game will be infinitely replayable with content that features different level layouts every time.
Enemies and the heroes feature a “complex set of moves” and ACE is focusing on implementing a great fighting system to keep things fresh. Check out the debut trailer below.
“Klei Entertainment“, a fantastic little game development studio, is super excited to announce that its very first iOS has just been released onto the Apple iTunes App Store! “Eets Munchies” is a beautiful-looking puzzle game that takes the great puzzle solving aspects of any good title of the genre and mixes it with brilliant aesthetics in a way that any avid iOS gamer will surely love.
“Eets Munchies” Key Features:
Beautiful Animation and Ridiculous Puzzles!
Hand-drawn animation, beautiful art, and pixel perfect physics come together to create delightfully tricky puzzles of increasing difficulty.
Multiple Unique Worlds!
Explore five unique worlds and dozens of mind-bending puzzles! Can you unlock the deviously challenging Mystery puzzles?
Create & Share Your Own Puzzles!
With the built-in Puzzle Maker, you can create your own puzzles using the same tools we use and share them with your friends!
As you can already tell; this game is looking great! Challenging puzzles, refreshing aesthetics, it’s looking like an all around brilliant game and the good thing is that it is available to purchase now! Head to the “Eets Munchies” iTunes page by Clicking Here to buy yourself a copy of the game for only $2.99. For any and all information about the game just head over to the official “Eets Munchies” website which you can get to by Clicking Here. Enjoy the game!
Longtime manga readers might already own a few copies of Phantom Thief Jeanne as it was previously released by the now defunct CMX Manga over nine years ago but now Viz Media has rescued the license and are re-releasing the series with their own translation of the manga as well as brand new covers and color pages drawn by Arina Tanemura, the series’ creator.
Phantom Thief Jeanne is being released under the Shojo Beat imprint and each physical volume will be priced at $10.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN with the remaining five volumes set to be released every other month after that. Each volume can also be picked up digitally for $6.99.
As for the story of Phantom Thief Jeanne, it follows the story of High School student Maron Kusakabe who has a secret. She is the notorious thief Phantom Thief Jeanne who sneaks into art collections to steal paintings containing demons. She does this so that she can seal away the demons before they can devour human hearts. Despite her good intentions, she is always on the run from the police and now a new thief named Sinbad is trying to steal these paintings before she can!
“This is not one of the better Sakura Tricks; Kotone really holds the first story together and unfortunately I didn’t enjoy the second one as much… it appears this side story took a wrong turn and I do want and hope it redirects itself in the next episode.”
Will episode 8 be better than the last, can the show pick itself up and carry on with a good story with great use of character interaction? The answer I’m happy to say is YES!!! And it does so with the sound of wedding bells and a display of Christmas lights.
8-A: Sakura-Coloured Wedding
Wedding Misinterpretation is the set up in the beginning of this half and also remains until the end, since the anime is about Yuu and Haruka it’s only appropriate to devote this story entirely towards the two as they somewhat seal the deal on their relationship. Haruka’s family is going to a relatives wedding and with the absence of the father on that particular day, Haruka is allowed to invite one of her friends to join them. When calling the half asleep Yuu in order to confirm availability, Yuu doesn’t realize she’s going as a guest and instead thinks the wedding is for her and Haruka, a simple misunderstanding that lasts for a whole week (as shown by the time skip text) and isn’t revealed until Haruka gives Yuu a kiss in order to even out her lip gloss.
It’s the reactions that make this half so entertaining; the calmness of Haruka who is excited to see a wedding with her partner, the panicked look on Yuu who is wondering about the legal side of two girls getting married (and whether or not both parents will approve) and the typical old-school reaction of Haruka’s father who doesn’t want her marrying any random guy off the street (I know what you’re thinking, Haruka is thinking the same). I am a bit upset that the gag of Yuu not knowing the full story only lasted half way through as the build-up and lines used had a natural flow to them, providing a nice contrast between Yuu, Haruka and even Mitsuki who reacts accordingly when Yuu tries to ask her about a lesbian wedding, which doesn’t get past “if two girls” before this happens…
I have said that the yuri in this anime has been predictable and starting to lose its significance with each episode passing, yet somehow this one manages to bring back the true emotion that’s held within each kiss. Maybe it’s just me, but the fact that both of them are serious about wanting to marry each other really shows the strength of their relationship. The kisses become a promise for something they both want and are determined to make happen, being at the wedding made each moment more romantic and it does result in an awkward moment between the two that will be brought up in the second half of the show.
8-B: Sakura-Coloured Christmas
Ever since the wedding both Haruka and Yuu have been avoiding each other, this observation is noticed by Mitsuki when she gets a call from Haruka inviting her and Yuu to the Christmas lights show. Mitsuki is wondering why all of a sudden the two girls aren’t so close and tries to bring them back together before the night ends, a not so cunning plan that involved pushing Yuu into Haruka and getting the other four girls to ditch them. It’s nice to see the other four girls in this story, but I am glad they don’t stay for too long; we get a short scene with Shizuku wanting to go in a department store and one with Ikeno saying there are different forms of love, causing a bit of tension between Haruka and Yuu. When both girls are left alone they begin to feel the butterflies in their stomachs, both hearts are beating strong with every minute they are around each other causing the nervous energy to increase.
During the beginning of this story Mitsuki gives Yuu some advice about not bottling up her feelings and that compromises are the key to any relationship, these words become very useful during the end as she plucks up the courage to confront Haruka straight on. We get a nice little kiss at the end to show the two girls are becoming stronger as a couple and it would’ve been a nice scene if they didn’t end it on Mitsuki upset about being left alone, again this felt out of place and the attempt at humour almost ruined an emotional moment, why is it always her involved in these shots by the way?
Because the second half was Christmas themed we get a different ED called Sakura Christmas, the music is very jingly sounding and the lyrics are upbeat and have a happy nature towards them. It’s great ending the show a bit differently and it works even better when it’s related to the episode, this does feel like a one off occurrence though and we will probably be back to the original ED in episode 9.
Although I enjoyed one half more than the other, this episode shows that Sakura trick can still deliver on a great story plot and the progression of Haruka and Yuu has taken a much needed step up. This was the episode that needed to focus on just the two main girls and they did so by providing two good story plots. I didn’t mind the fact the other four girls were briefly shown and it was kind of interesting to see Yuu playing a dancing game on her video console, the use of the OP music was a nice touch. All they need to do now is have less end scenes with Mitsuki and more with Haruka’s father; his brief moments show that you don’t want to mess with that guy, especially if you want to date her daughter.
Sakura Trick is animated by Studio Deen and is currently being streamed, by Crunchyroll. Don’t forget to check out our Anime Impressions page to see what shows the other Capsule Computers anime crew is watching this season.
The videos show off how players can make use of their Tochka abilities to eliminate enemies as well as “Witch Domination” ability which allows the players to enter a house and automatically fight for a chance at receiving a special item and receive various benefits.
While people may have thought it was a long shot, XSEED Games has been proving that sometimes the longest shots are the best and it sounds like they are trying to do that once again. Today the company has announced that they will be localizing Akiba’s Trip 2 for release in North America under the name Akiba’s Trip: Undead & Undressed for release on the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita.
Despite being the second game in the series, this is a standalone title which was released in Japan last year and in the game players will venture into Tokyo’s “Electric Town” better known as Akihabara, where they will need to face off against vampire-like enemies in “over-the-top, highly stylized role-playing action.”
Akihabara, shortened to Akiba, has been invaded by “Synthisters” who attack otaku like vampires and feat on their will to live and talk with other people. Only by exposing them to direct sunlight can these enemies be destroyed but even clothing can protect them from the sun. As such, players must roam the highly detailed streets of Akihabara to defeat the Synthisters and strip them of their clothing to defeat them.
Currently XSEED is planning on releasing the game both digitally and physically sometime this summer and while the game is confirmed to include Japanese audio, they are looking into English voice work. However the best news of all is that they will not be removing anything from the Japanese release.
Overview
Pac-Man Museum is the latest collection from Namco to celebrate everyone’s favorite yellow dot-chomper, and has arrived digitally for a wide variety of consoles. Instead of throwing in random titles like Dig-Dug however, this ensemble is all about Pac-Man and his growth over the years. This means we have nine different titles (ten if you add the downloadable Ms. Pac-Man), all coming in at a nice entry price with some guaranteed nostalgia to be had. The question is, do these ports serve their purpose in quality, or is this just another case of “box them all together”? Let’s find out.
Gameplay
Obviously, the most stand-out title within Pac-Man Museum is the original. You chomp dots, bag ghosts, and gather fruits until the maze is clear, and that is basically it. You would think that this much loved port would at least feel a little aged by now, but I didn’t find that to be the case at all. All of the addictive and memorizing qualities stand strong in Pac-Man, which really shows us why this game has always been one one of the most iconic creations of all time in our industry. Then again, it also shows us that lightning never really struck twice for Namco, and the other titles on this collection – even the decent releases, give us an interesting retrospective on sequels that truly reflects where were, are, and going with the many brands we see today.
The follow-up that came a few years later dubbed Super Pac-Man is an interesting title, but one that never holds any weight as it is confusing as it is boring. Instead of gathering pellets, the goal now revolves around collecting keys. Once doors are unlocked, a large “super pellet” can be consumed to turn our round hero into a much large beast who is able to roll over ghosts. Sure, there are a lot of stages and the idea is unique, but this title doesn’t prove to be as inviting or as addictive of the original, which is why it is now one of the obscurities that has been packaged in due to name alone. Speaking of obscurity, Pac & Pal is also an odd entry. Never seeing a release in the west, this title allows Pac-Man to navigate a maze without pellets to flip cards that reveal fruit. It is kind of a match game, but with spit-able projectiles, with a green ghost by the name of “Pal” who stays out of the way but steals fruits if you don’t catch up to her in time.. Yeah, it sounds like an ideal concept on paper, but it never comes together as anything more than a mild, if not frustrating distraction. Also, I hate you “Pal”.
Since we’re going in chronological order here, Pac-Land is the next title up and is the first platformer featuring the man in yellow. Ghosts can be eaten with the appropriate pellet, special boots give Pac more bounce, and fruit serves to rack up bonus points on the fly. Yeah, it is your standard Pac-Man themed platformer, and one that doesn’t do a lot – but still comes off as entertaining due to the simple controls and familiar atmosphere. There are also a good number of secrets hidden within, so while I don’t imagine many will be playing the oddball out of this collection the most, it will definitely be one of the main areas where the most replay value is found outside of the original and Championship Edition.
Pac-Mania in my opinion feels like the first reboot the series had as it goes back to the old formula of collecting dots while evading ghosts. Pac-Man can now jump over ghosts (which believe it or not is a game changer for the good) and the AI of the ghosts have been improved along with the quantity, adding a new challenge for players to sink their teeth into. This 3D reboot also features themed locations, which are pleasant to see and power-ups such as point and speed boosts to give the player a bit of an edge. Sure, its decent and at the time I’m sure it looked groundbreaking, but I still feel like this game captures the formula of the original, but doesn’t quite reach that golden pellet it was truly going for, and that is to be the title to truly redefine the franchise.
Pac-Attack is another odd title, as it seen a release on consoles and handhelds during the early 90’s, mainly due to the puzzler craze that was still running wild due to the successes of Puyo Pop and Tetris. Players have pieces they must assort at the bottom of the game board that come in combination with pellets. You must stack this pieces in the correct format, as Pac-Man will come attached after a few moves and run straight forward to gobble pellets and potentially clear the board. This title is going to be either a love it or hate it for most. On one hand, the multiplayer is fun and the mechanics are understandable, but on the other you have a game that just feels a bit lacking overall. I almost want to say I played Pac-Attack the most during my time with this collection, but I still don’t feel I appreciated the gameplay as it seemed a bit too luck based and can become tedious due to its design, even in this day in age where puzzlers are made up of thousands of unique ideas.
Pac-Man Arrangement is a lot like Pac-Mania, but adds in boss battles and other ideas to yet again revitalize the formula. Imagine a large ghost made up of a great deal of smaller ghosts, and the chaos of chasing down these said ghosts IF you can run fast enough to get to a super pellet. That is the true big addition within Arrangement, but small gameplay mechanics add in a little flavor to make it feel more distinct, such as dash and warp panels. Pac-Man Championship Edition needs no introduction as it in my opinion did what could never be done with this entire franchise. Due to addictive and lightning fast gameplay, new ideas, and all of that neon, Championship Edition makes a large statement about the age old formula that speaks volumes, proving that a new ideas plastered on an old formula can indeed work with the right gimmickry attached, and with the game once again revolving around score with its new coat of polish, it is no surprise we have seen this title re-released abundantly in just under seven years.
Pac-Man Battle Royale is new to us here in the console world and for most will be the reason to buy this collection due to its current exclusivity. The concept is to navigate the mazes with friends, where the player with the highest score is the victor. Sadly, while the multiplayer only title is a blast to play with friends, it comes with no online functionality. That isn’t a deal breaker due to how enjoyable this little romp is, but it is a bit head-scratching why this feature was not added in to an already modernized set-up.
Visuals
I won’t detail each title individually here, as that could take more time to read and the graphics flat out do not matter. The brightness however does, and that is where a few titles miss their mark. These are ports purely from the original incarnation, meaning if the title was not in HD then, it will not be now. I have no problem playing older titles with darker graphics at all, that is not the problem. The problem is that when you jump from playing a great looking game like Pac-Man or Championship Edition and then step into the world of something like Pac-Attack or Pac-Land, the visuals just look a bit dark and muddy. If these were stand-alone, it would be a bit different – but due to the fact that these are in a collection with other titles, it is a slight downer that we couldn’t see a little more effort put forth to sharpen those pixels up. The backgrounds however and menus that you can customize with your own unlockables look fantastic however, and you’re sure to be racking up achievements just to unlock another trophy that is always in display at the center of the experience.
Audio
The audio is a different story entirely. Its hard to make the classic sound effects and tunes sound bad, and thankfully, this collection “scores” with its bubbly and legendary themes that infected arcades years ago. That famous “waka waka”, the intensity of the chase for a ghost, and everything in-between help bring the life out of this faceless mascot, making an experience that comes forth as familiar and welcome during any incarnation, good or bad. Sure, some of the tweaked and re-imagined titles in this collection are weaker in this area such as Pac-Attack, but there are more rainbows than dark clouds here in terms of audio, which are sure to leave the player humming Pac’s praises for days after a long session.
Overall
Pac-Man Museum isn’t the best collection you can find on consoles, but it may be the most important. I started this little history lesson thinking it would just be a collection of titles we have seen Pac-Man in, and not a lot more. After experiencing each however, I now think of it as a look back at one of the greatest mascots of all time who never could quite get out of his own shadow, but gave us a bunch of solid (if not forgettable) footprints on his journey around the top of the mountain. Sure, there are a lot of “Museums”, but those wanting purely Pac-Man and his pellet loving self are sure to find hours upon hours of score topping greatness that still can’t be beat in these hallways filled with reflection.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Today, during an episode of the Japanese children’s show “Oha Star”, a brand-new trailer for the upcoming Pokemon XY Anime movie “Cocoon Of Destruction & Diancie” was revealed. This will be the second trailer to have been released at this point in time with each of them running for a short 30 seconds and only giving us a brief look at what the movie has to offer. If you missed the article a few weeks ago regarding the storyline of the movie, an excerpt describing the storyline is just below:
The movie will take place in “Diamond Ore Country”, a small settling deep underground where a peaceful colony of “Carbink” live along with their princess (you guessed it) “Diancie”.
It seems as though the source of energy that powers this country is produced by a powerful crystal to which “Diancie” is said to be one of the only species of Pokemon powerful enough to create and maintain it but this generation’s crystal is slowly dying and the current “Diancie” has not yet developed the power to recreate it. Ash (being the main character) eventually meets up with this “Diancie” and their small group of friends head off on an adventure to find “Xerneas” the legendary Fairy-type Pokemon which possesses a divine power unlike any other.
During their adventure they stumble across something terrible; a cocoon which holds the Pokemon of pure destruction; Yveltal, who once brought a great calamity upon the country of “Kalos”. I’m very much hoping we see a clash between the two legendaries and, seeing as how every Pokemon movie follows the same type of structure, I can imagine that is exactly what we’ll be seeing. (The full article can be seen by Clicking Here).
Within the trailer we see a Mega Scizor and a Mega Absol in action as well as the two Pokemon X and Y legendaries, Yveltal and Xerneas, going head to head. The film is looking to be pretty action packed and, seeing as its going to be animated by the same team who have been developing the new Pokemon XY Anime series, we can assume the battles within it are going to be intensely cinematic and infinitely cool! Anyway, enough out of me, head down below to the featured video section to catch the new trailer and stick to the site for any and all news to be released in the near future.
The game utilizes the Warhammeruniverse and mixes it in with good old fashion American football. The development is currently on its way, with the game expected to be released this year in 2014. Players will have the ability to build up their stadiums as they progress through the game, creating a lively atmosphere that will completely immerse you into the football culture. The game will feature single and multiplayer, in addition to other innovative ideas that have not been shown yet.
For more information on this exciting title, check out their official site here.
Vividred Operation is coming soon to Australia and New Zealand courtesy of Madman. The publisher has posted a trailer of the upcoming anime earlier today which you can check out below.
Vividred Operation is set in a future where all the world’s energy is produced by the Manifestation Engine, developed by the grandfather of 14 year old Akane Isshiki. Suddenly, a mysterious enemy known as the Alone appears, hell-bent on destroying the engine. Akane’s grandfather has also made powerful Palette Suits to be worn by Akane and her friends to combat the threat.
Vividred Operation will be released as a subtitled-only DVD later this year at a price of $59.95 which you can pre-order here. The anime received a PlayStation 3 game adaptation in Japan last year.
