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Sword Art Online – Volume 3 Fairy Dance Part 1 Review

February 21, 2014

Sword Art Online – Volume 3 Fairy Dance Part 1
Studio: A-1 Pictures
Publisher: Madman Entertainment
Format: DVD, Blu-Ray (Reviewed)
Release Date: 19th February 2014
Price: $34.95 – Available Here

Overview

Slowly but surely we’ve made it into the age of videogames. Many years ago playing video games was something only certain people did and, for the most part, it was quite a niche market…not anymore. “Sword Art Online” is an Anime that originally began as a light novel series written by the very popular novelist Reki Kawahara (Fumio Kunori), it eventually became popular enough to warrant an Anime adaptation and from then on in the popularity of the series soared to even greater heights. With its videogame-based storyline (which is quite appealing in this day and age) and its semi-relatable characters, it is easy to see how and why this Anime has become such a favoured series in the hearts and minds of many Anime fans around the world. Madman Entertainment has been releasing the series down under and luckily for me I’ve been given the chance to review it.

Story

“Sword Art Online – Volume 3” starts off pretty much exactly where Volume 2 ends. The world of “Sword Art Online” is dead and gone along with a whole bunch of its trapped players and its evil overlord but our hero Kirito made it out alive in a turn of events that I didn’t particularly like but seeing as that took place in a different volume I wont be getting into it now. Kirito regains actual conciousness and instantly goes looking for Asuta despite his muscle atrophy which just goes to show that love heals all afflictions…right? The two star-crossed lovers finally meet for the first time in the real world but unfortunately not the way that Kirito wanted to.

Asuta is still locked into her “NERV Gear” and, although the world of
“Sword Art Online” no longer exists, she has yet to gain consciousness. The good thing about Kirito’s reaction to this was that he didn’t automatically think she was trapped in another game even though…that’s exactly what happened. After a couple of months out of “SOA”, Kirito is sent an e-mail containing a screenshot from the new game “Alfheim Online” and even though the image is extremely blurry, the woman in the picture looks a lot like Asuta. Kirito takes the game and immediately jumps in using his old “NERV Gear”, it’s a brand-new game and he still somewhat fears being locked into another virtual world but this time he’s doing it to save his beloved and it seems as though he’ll do anything he can to set her free.

I am NOT a fan of this at all. The fact that a “Volume 3” and a new game within the anime exists is something I do not take kindly to. Essentially the anime is starting all over again seeing as how we now have to sit through Kirito doing everything that he did in the first part of the series…again. I felt like this portion of the series in its entirety is one hell of a stretch for story. The series introduces his sister as the supporting character and she almost automatically became my favourite character because of her good dialogue and because of the fact that she is nothing like Asuta who annoyed me quite a bit during volumes 1 and 2.

What also irritated me to no end was how every single character spoke as if they were locked in “Sword Art Online”, the difference between this storyline and the one before it is the fact that everyone (including Kirito) is just playing the game…they’re not locked in the virtual world, in fact, you’re shown people logging in and out constantly yet each and every one of them talk like a normal fantasy character of their type would and they all take death seriously even though it is not a one way street this time around. I can understand Kirito thinking in a similar fashion to how he did in “SOA” because he was part of the crowd that lived the hell of being trapped but the rest of these players? It just wasn’t believable. I understand some people take their online gaming very seriously but I’ve never come across anyone who would take it to this degree.

Visuals

I will give “Volume 3” a great deal of credit for its aesthetics, having it in Blu-ray copy really allowed me to soak it all in and to truly realise that this is an absolutely brilliant looking series. Essentially it is animated and designed to the same calibre as its predecessors but that’s absolutely no reason to discredit how good it still looks and how well it is still animated. What honestly kept me watching this series was not the fact that I have to review it but instead just how beautiful the series looked and I’ll say this much; I actually really enjoy the art style of this series, I’m not a fantasy fan or anything like that and I’d usually go for more of a gritty style of anime but “SOA” really had me enchanted.

The actual costume design was also extremely well-done, especially that of Kirito’s battle uniform which greatly resembled his outfit from “SOA” but was different enough for me to pick up on and commend. In fact, the whole world of “ALO” (Alfheim Online) gave off that exact vibe; it seemed enough like “SAO” to have people be familiar with the terrain but it was just different enough for those same people to realise that this is a different game. It makes sense though considering that, in the story, this game was based almost entirely on what remained of the last game. Watching it on Blu-ray meant I didn’t get that subtle grain that you’ll usually see while watching an anime on DVD, it really showed me just how crisp the animation was and just how vibrant the entire world on “SOA/ALO” is.

Audio

Auditorally “Volume 3” was fantastic, I’m not even talking about the soundtrack or anything along those lines, at this point in time I’m speaking strictly about the voice acting which I something I hold in such a high regard. What made these characters believable was there great voice acting, even though they sometimes had some really unnecessary dialogue to try and sell to us…I often didn’t buy it but that doesn’t mean the voice acting wasn’t great. I took to the character of Kirito’s sister quickly because of her voice acting, the character had some nice dialogue and it was acted out brilliantly, no, not just brilliantly; realistically!

Even though some of the character in the last volumes did really get to me, they’re not in this volume so they didn’t even have the chance to annoy me, instead there were a few more characters introduced and despite some of them purposefully having an annoying nature and personality none of them truly got to me, they were all just voice acted incredibly well. I may get into a bit of strife for saying this but I really cannot make much of a comment about the soundtrack seeing as I really didn’t think it was that memorable. You have your typical fantasy tracks spliced in with your hard rock ballads during fight scenes and that’s great but it just didn’t hit me as well as it did in past animes. I could have possibly been focusing too much on the voice acting to even hear the music in the background but that’s my take on it.

Extras

Once again this release does not feature any real on-disc extras apart from the usual textless opening and textless closing sequences that come with every Anime release. It does, however, continue from what Volume 1 and 2 did previously and it does come with a set of six postcards that feature art from the series which looks to be done by several different artists considering they’re each in a different style. These extras are fantastic for those of you out there who absolutely love the series and the characters because each of the postcards depicts another character or group of characters in settings not entirely seen in the series. Usually standard Anime releases come with no physical extras so Volume 2 Aincrad Part 2 gets points for trying but I’ll take points away for it being a Blu-ray release and NOT coming with any nice on-disc extras since it has the space for them to be included.

Overall

Out of everything you could possibly take away from this review I beg that you please take away that I do believe this to be a great anime series, what I didn’t enjoy was the fact that it continued into a story like this but, at the end of the day, it is my opinion and my opinion alone, you may enjoy the turn that this series has taken in volume 3 even though I didn’t. Fact is; it’s still a great anime all around, it has some brilliant visuals and some fantastic audio, despite there not being much action even though it is set in an action/RPG game I think people will still find it highly enjoyable, especially those of you who are really into the series, I doubt that you will be upset that it has continued on this path.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Slender Man Origins Review

Andrew Day

February 21, 2014

Slender Man Origins
Developer: BIGZUR
Publisher: BIGZUR
Platforms: iPhone (Reviewed), iPad, Android
Release Date: Out Now
Price: $2.99 – Available on iOS or Android

Overview

Slender Man has had a meteoric rise in popularity over the past few years and has successfully carved himself into the pantheon of horror monsters. Now, we get to travel back in time to the early 1700s in Slender Man Origins; A first-person survival horror game like many others in the Slender Man series. Filling in the role of the nameless detective – the first man who encountered the mysterious creature. You will travel between different locations at different times of day in order to unravel the secrets and save bunch of lost children. A perfect mix of survival horror elements with modern mobile touches make Slender Man Origins the perfect way to experience Slender Man on their mobile.

Story

Set in the early 1700s, the story of Slender Man Origins revolves around the nameless detective who was the first recorded person to encounter the mysterious figure known as the Slender Man. In the middle of the night he is called to find a bunch of children that have gone missing in the nearby forest. As he searches for the kids, he comes face to face with the daunting figure. As you play through the game you discover a little more about the origins of the mysterious creature and his motivations.

Gameplay

Slender Man Origins is a survival horror where you fill the role of the nameless detective as he searches for missing children and the origins of the elusive Slender Man. The game features four large maps that will have you getting lost over and over again. Unlike previous Slender Man titles, Origins offers a fair bit of replayability by giving you three different environments to explore the world in; rain, night time and fog. Each changes the look and feel of the world and makes it feel like entirely new environments.

Slender Man Origins has two methods of control; firstly the game’s default control scheme is to just tap on the screen wherever you want to walk. This works but can often feel a little clumsy. The alternative is to use a virtual thumb stick to move. This offers a lot more fluidity to the gameplay but of course still suffers from the problems that many on-screen joysticks have. In the end it is up to you to decide how you want to control your detective, but both capture the old classical survival horror feel of not having complete control of your character.

Gameplay itself has you traveling through four distinct locations that each have their own frightening feel. You will take trips to a castle, village, graveyard and forest. During your trips to these locations you will be looking for lost children, while praying you don’t run into Slender Man. There is no map and no way to tell if you are heading in the right direction asides from a small icon of a child’s face that grows brighter when you are close.

Slender Man is seldom seen in this game, but his appearance is as devastating as it is in any other game. The loading screen help tips advise you to turn and run the other way when Slender Man catches you to avoid becoming his next victim. The problem is that this is harder than it seems, and attempting to run typically has you being sucked back into his grasp. Luckily if he catches you, you can continue off from where you were killed.

Visuals

Survival Horror games rely on their ambiance to really draw the player in, and luckily Slender Man Origins has this in spades. Slender Man Origins is a first person survival horror game that puts you in four distinct locations. The objects in each environment can get a bit repetitive but you will normally be too focused on not staying in the same spot for too long to really notice.

The game offers a variety of different environments for each stage – night-time, fog and rain. Each of these changes the look and feel of the stages entirely. Walking through the forest in the middle of the night feels completely different than in the middle of a rain storm.

Slender Man also has a very distinct visual cue when he captures you. The screen around you will warp and look like it is being sucked towards the terrifying villain. Unfortunately this effect is cut off and just ends up looking like a blurred box around Slender Man. It is a good idea that is pretty poorly executed.

Audio

Almost important to how a game looks is how it sounds, and this is sadly where Slender Man Origins trips itself up. Many of the game’s sound effects and background noises are fantastic. You will hear faint whispers in the dark and unintelligible ramblings that disorient you just enough for you to lose track of where you are. Even more than that is the soft footsteps on the ground all around you. The game’s sound has you darting left and right, trying to stay one step ahead of our omnipotent villain.

The sound of children crying in the distance in the middle of a darkened forest is enough to send chills up your spine… That is until you realise that the sound is just the same series of sobs on repeat. Hearing the same sound effect over an over again can quickly kill the immersion. Luckily, everything else holding the game together manages to quickly draw you back in.

Overall

Slender Man Origins is a near-perfect survival horror experience. It manages to create a sense of terror with its restrictive controls and multiple horror-inspired locations. It suffers from a few problems, namely repetitive audio and visuals but these are normally not enough to break the immersion that you will have in the game. If you are looking for a new survival horror experience, then you need to download this one, plug in your headphones and prepare to run.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Daylight Reveals New Areas and Features Along with Screenshots

Simon Wolfe

February 21, 2014

Daylight is shaping up to be a pretty frightening game, since the publisher itself is having problems getting scared by it. Which is probably why publisher ATLUS and developer Zombie Studios want to continue to share the building dread with players through more information on the game.

Players can check out some of the new information through the 10 screenshots just released today that showcase two previously undisclosed areas in the horror title. If the abandoned hospital wasn’t bad enough, players can look forward to a prison and a forest to explore on their lonesome, save the warm glow of their phone. Anyone wanting to see the screenshots for themselves can find them in the gallery at the bottom of this post.

But besides just new areas, players can also expect some interesting features that have also been announced for Daylight. Anyone on either PS4 or PC will be able to immerse themselves further into the horror of Daylight by utilizing a 3D TV or monitor via RealD, though those with Oculus Rift can experience it through that instead. Those on PS4 will have one feature not present in PC however, with social media integration where those watching a stream on Daylight can mess with the player via chat comments that will interact with the game.

The most shocking of all the news may be the announcement of a finalized release date, as well as the pricing. Players can expect to try out Daylight for themselves when it releases April 8th for $14.99 (€14.99/£11.99).

Phoenix Online Publishing Joins Ranks as New Indie Publisher

Simon Wolfe

February 21, 2014

Those confused by the announcement of the release date for Moebius: Empire Rising as to who Phoenix Online Publishing is will be pleased to find out more about the new publisher. Created by indie devs for indie devs, Phoenix Online Publishing is kicking off their start with a nice selection of titles.

In addition to Moebius, Phoenix Online Publishing will also be releasing Quest for Infamy, Lost Civilization, and The Last Door as they release digitally for PC, Mac, iOS, and Android. With hopes of helping other indie developers to get their games in the hands of gamers through both major digital and retail distribution, Phoenix Online Publishing will be facing plenty of competition, which is why they want to focus on games with “rich storytelling and atmosphere”.

With those four titles alone, the future certainly looks great for Phoenix Online and it will be great to see what other games they will be helping to reach their audience as they already have quite a variety from RPG, to adventure games.

Neocore Games Presents Part 1 of Van Helsing II’s ‘The Men Behind the Masks’

Joe Morgan

February 21, 2014

Neocore Games Presents Part 1 of Van Helsing II’s ‘The Men Behind the Masks’

Neocore Games, the studio behind indie RPG The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing, have been slowly revealing more and more information for their upcoming sequel, The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing II. This time around, Van Helsing won’t be the only man with a mask on.

Called “Prisoner Seven” by the Resistance, Van Helsing’s newest ally is a powerful magic user hunting the streets of Borgova. A mad professor’s former test subject, it’s hard to tell whether he’s even a monster or just a victim. Van Helsing can’t take on the powerful General Harker alone, however, so the help of Prisoner Seven will be more than welcome.

For more information, be sure to check out Neocore Games’ official website here.

Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate – Deluxe Edition Announced For Home Consoles

Frank Inglese

February 21, 2014

Warner Brothers Entertainment alongside DC Entertainment have just announced that their game “Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate – Deluxe Edition” is set for a home console release this April. The game which was previously only released for the PlayStation Vita and Nintendo 3DS handheld consoles has been majorly updated, it is more or less the exact same game story-wise that was on the handheld duo but this time around it has been equiped with some stellar HD graphics alongside crisp audio and even some new extras for fans to sink their teeth into. For those of you unaware of this Batman title, the official synopsis is as follows:

After gang-fueled uprisings occur within the walls of Blackgate Prison, Batman is called in to restore order and put an end to the rebellion before the chaos implodes. As the story progresses, players will explore deep inside the bowels of this remote island penitentiary and discover what happened after the events of Batman: Arkham Origins and learn more details of the Dark Knight’s past.

The game is set to be released on the PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii U through all their significant online distribution systems like the XBLA, PSN, Nintendo eShop and Steam. “Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate – Deluxe Edition” will be available to purchase starting on the 2nd of April this year but until then I suggest you head down to our featured video section below where you’ll be able to watch the new announcement trailer for the game. Enjoy!

The Good Life Sails Towards Steam Greenlight

Vicky Martin

February 21, 2014

Iceberg Interactive and developer immersionFX are excited to welcome players aboard The Good Life, a sandbox sailing simulation for PC and Mac, currently available for voting on Steam Greenlight.

Iceberg Interactive CEO, Erik Schreuder stated; “The Good Life defies categorization, which is what makes it such an intriguing and unique title . . . it’s a really laid back, mellow game that will leave you pining for more sunshine and tropical surroundings in your life. We think you will be pleasantly surprised!”

The Good Life takes players on an adventure across the tropical seas in the JoJo Isalnds, with over 50 harbors and dozens of diverse places to explore, as well as discovering hidden treasures, transporting tourists and hooking up fishing escapades in realistic weather conditions (check out the gallery below). Become an adept skipper and progress across seven different ship types, while competing for business and earning more money to build a commercial empire, to buy and sell properties in this tropical paradise.

The new features of The Good Life include:

Faster boat rides, e.g. Aventor, among 52 available ports that speed up the action
New Fishing gameplay: 15 different fish to catch for extra money
Action-packed pirate attacks, with speedboat cannons now firing and players can see their trajectories
Improved character animations and underwater visual experience, with new sea-life (colourful fishes and fiery sharks)
Player’s stats and progress charts; percentage of game completed, percentage of area covered, days on-board, items photographed, people rescued, earnings from houses and boats, and others.
Multiple saves, up to 10 available slots

Don’t miss out on your chance to ensure The Good Life reaches Steam, vote here on Steam Greenlight!

Thief launch trailer has a little of everything

Travis Bruno

February 21, 2014

Players better be careful that the various guards and other people they will be sneaking around aren’t that aware of their presence. That being said, Square Enix wants everyone to know that there is a Thief on the way and he will be here next week as the company has just released the game’s launch trailer which can be found below.

In the aforementioned trailer the company has packed in a little of everything as we are treated to a bit of the game’s premise as well as the action and stealth elements that make Thief what it is. Thief is set to be released on February 25th in North America and February 28th in Europe and other PAL regions for the PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One.

Kill la Kill Episode 19 Impressions

Kane Bugeja

February 21, 2014

Kill-la-Kill-Episode-19-01 — **Who knew the Apocalypse was a formal event?**

Kill la Kill
Episode 19: Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head

Things weren’t exactly looking up last week were they? Well I hate to break it to you, but the situations doesn’t really improve this week. Quite the opposite in fact. With her heart in Ragyo’s hands, literally (and metaphorically on some level), there was nowhere to run when the barrage of truths flowed forth. Now we get to see how these revelations affect everybody. Nothing will ever be the same.

So the Cultural & Sports Grand Festival took a decidedly vicious turn didn’t it. The situation isn’t exactly peachy as Ryuko learns from her newest mortal foe that her life may have been somewhat of a lie. Imbued directly with Life Fibres, Ryuko manages to reacquire her heart and lash out at Ragyo. But we all remember how well anger benefits her. Far from the cool, calm and collected girl who fought Nui mere moments ago, Ryuko once again becomes rash in her fury. As each slash misses, she looks to be overwhelmed by the devilish tag team of CEO and Couture, showcasing just how psychosomatic her own abilities are. Whilst her personal life crumbles, the COVERS also decide to make their move and absorb the populace of Hannouji. Utilising humanity as a battery, the COVERS unleash devastation and show just why Satsuki worked so hard to create a resistance. Which unfortunately crumbled in seconds. Not even Mako is safe as she is swallowed up and lost to the world, a moment which further expresses just how much Gamagoori cares for her as he struggles in vain to save her. However, ever the planner, Satsuki unleashes her backup plan.

Kill-la-Kill-Episode-19-02 — **Hey Sukuyo, the plot is happening a little higher up**

One month later…

That’s right, hard cut to the future. It is in this time jump that the anime has inverted its premise to a degree. What began as one girl standing against a school of oppression, has become the story of humanity’s last bastion doing its best to survive against an overwhelming force. Though the Elite Four have joined forces with Nudist Beach, which is badass, humanity is still massively on the defensive. Essentially, humanity’s fate rests on the shoulders of five people. The mightiest five who carry the only weapons able to harm the COVERS. By the way, it was cool to see that Satsuki’s broken sword was reforged into two smaller blades. It was a touch of detail that, in its own weird way, expressed just how desperate humanity is, forcing them to do something sensible in such a wacky anime. Pretty meta. It was also good to see that there were no hard feelings between any of the characters. They know that any complaints they had would count for nothing against their current situation and each instead vow to do what they can to save the world. Though light bickering is still permitted. One of the most interesting moments of this team up was seeing the last Goku Uniform crumble. In the same vein as repurposing Satsuki’s blade, it showed how resources are so valuable that they are used until the bitter end.

Kill-la-Kill-Episode-19-03 — **Love will make a guy do crazy things**

Even Mataro nets himself some moments of badassery, if only in spoken form. Longing to save his sister, he remained in Hannouji for the past month. Just him and some other children, surviving in the most heavily COVERed area in Japan. This same devotion is shown heavily in Senketsu, who wishes for nothing more than Ryuko’s health. Having dragged her unconscious body through the explosion that threw the series a month forward, even characters unable to understand his words are able to understand his heart. Both Sukuyo (Mako’s mother) and Mikisugi relay their condolences to Senketsu, as Ryuko lays comatose beside them. Rather than explosive anger, or depression, Ryuko simply fell unconscious. If you ever needed proof that the Kanto vagabond had a fragile side, there it is. Unable to cope with the shock of Ragyo’s claims, Ryuko lies locked in thought, struggling to process the truth.

Speaking of trouble Kiryuin girls, Satsuki has apparently been hanging from chains for the last month. Never without a reason, rainbow clad mother of the year spends her hours torturing and teasing her daughter into a white hot rage. As always, her physical closeness with her daughter crosses a boundary and carries sever sexual undertones. Though more than anything this shows how Ragyo will use any means necessary to unnerve Satsuki and enforce dominion over her. Seeing her not as her daughter, but rather a puppet to be controlled as she sees fit. With this goal in mind, Ragyo explains to all of use that Isshin Matoi and Soichiro Kiryuin are one in the same. Having faked the death of Ryuko and himself, Soichiro changed his appearance and began a secondary plan to defeat COVERS. Not the world’s best father, he may have just been the best father for the world. Unfortunately, he was forced to place the burden of the future onto the shoulders of his own flesh and blood. But they turned out fine right? Sins of the father indeed…

Kill-la-Kill-Episode-19-04 — **Human no more…**

Let’s just say the truth may have had a slight impact on Ryuko. And by slight I of course mean inconceivable. As Nudist Beach struggles to defeat a force of COVERS, managing “only” to save Mako and again show how hilarious the whole Mako/Gamagoori relationship is, Ryuko awakens. And boy is she pissed. Slaughtering the COVERS and freeing the human batteries in a single blow, everyone is ecstatic to see her up and about, especially Senketsu. Unfortunately, this is not a shared emotion. Apparently mental scars aren’t as easy to heal as a torn out heart. The shock of her existence sparks the notion that she is no more than a monster, the same monster Nudist Beach feared Senketsu to be. Bred to murder her own kind. A weapon. Less than human. In her self destructive depression, her refusal to ever don Senketsu again expresses the extent of her emotions. However, her mind is just as clouded by fear as it is anger. Knowing the truth, her transformation into a mindless beast is now her fault more than ever. Perhaps she does not want to harm her friend any more than she already has? This new perspective on Ryuko also adds some depth to her previous tyrade about treating Senketsu as more than a weapon. Unknowingly, her righteous anger was indeed for her own sake. Each one of her previous feats of strength, her rapid recoveries, proficiency with a Kamui, everything we all took as simple quirks of the anime were in fact crafty little pieces of foreshadowing. Very clever…and kinda sad in hindsight.

Kill-la-Kill-Episode-19-05 — **In the darkest hour, there will be a light**

So with our hero now her own worst enemy, the situation just went from bleak to explosively bleak. Senketsu is disheartened, Satsuki is in chains, COVERS continue to spread and Ragyo is plotting something called an Ultimate Kamui…things are looking worse than before, quite a feat if I do say so myself. But hey, maybe if we hope hard enough a miracle will happen. A miracle by the name of Satsuki Kiryuin. Never thought I’d say that.

Check out more Kill la Kill Impressions HERE.

Don’t worry, Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z has nightmarish zombie babies

Travis Bruno

February 21, 2014

Ever since playing the original Drakengard, and probably used long before then, placing giant creepy babies in a game is something that is pretty terrifying. Now Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z is trying to double down on that nightmare fuel by not only putting giant zombie babies in their game, but also making them a two-headed deformed monstrosities.

You can check out some gameplay footage as well as screenshots of the “Terrible Two” as Tecmo Koei is calling them and be sure to check out the game itself when it is released on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in North America on March 18th and in Europe on March 21st.

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