Page 3959 – Capsule Computers

Irrational Games Shutting Down After 17 Years

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February 19, 2014

Ken Levine, one of the three founders of Irrational Games, announced recently that he will be shutting down Irrational Games, taking with him about 15 current employees to start a new branch with Take-Two.

After 17 years of excellent gaming development for their highly-acclaimed series BioShock, which won the Golden Capsule for Action in our Capsule Computers 2010 Game Awards, Irrational Games will be splitting after they release their last DLC for BioShock Infinite. Ken Levine has big goals planned for his future endeavors, stating that they have high expectations for their future objectives.

“In time we will announce a new endeavor with a new goal: To make narrative-driven games for the core gamer that are highly replayable. To foster the most direct relationship with our fans possible, we will focus exclusively on content delivered digitally.” -Ken Levine

Please read this message from Irrational Games: http://t.co/kO2UcRkRlJ
— Ghost Story (@GhostStoryGames) February 18, 2014

Keep a lookout for Take-Two and their future gaming plans. With Ken Levine and his small band of Irrational Games staff, it’s easy to expect a great title in the upcoming years. For the full blog post, click here.

New Trailer for The Order: 1886 Revealed

Chris Chu

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February 19, 2014

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Ready At Dawn (the developers of God Of War: Origins Collection) and Sony Computer Entertainment has just released their trailer for their upcoming title, The Order: 1886.

The game features an alternate universe in London, where an old order of knights protects the world from half bred monsters, a combination between animals and humans. Humanity depends on King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, who defends the human population from these half bred monsters. The game is set in 1886, centuries after the first conflict between humans and the monsters. The knights, who are new descendants that have taken upon themselves the name of the ancient order, battle the hybrids in an attempt to protect humanity from this impending doom.

The game will be an exclusive for the PlayStation 4, and will be released sometime during the Fall of 2014. The Order: 1886 looks like an amazing game. Check out the trailer below and stay tuned on Capsule Computers for more information!

The Most Advanced NASCAR Game Yet is Now Available for Xbox 360®, PlayStation®3 and PC

Press Releases

Philip Federico

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February 19, 2014

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Gamers Start Your Consoles, NASCAR® ’14 is Here!
The Most Advanced NASCAR Game Yet is Now Available for Xbox 360®, PlayStation®3 and PC

The Perfect Racing Season Companion, NASCAR® ’14 Includes NASCAR Highlights, Online Leagues and Skill-Based Multiplayer Gameplay

Larkspur, Calif., February 18, 2014 – As the “Great American Race” approaches, NASCAR is hitting the gas on the racetrack and into gamers’ homes with the release of NASCAR ’14. Deep Silver announced today that the racing game NASCAR ’14, developed by ETX Racing, is available in North America on the Xbox 360® games and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Steam for Windows PC for the suggested retail price of $49.99.

NASCAR ’14 includes the most requested gaming feature: online leagues, allowing gamers to band together to overtake rivals on the track. NASCAR ’14 also delivers skill-based matchmaking for the first time in franchise history.

When gamers aren’t competing online, they can build their career or take the wheel of their favorite drivers to relive the best NASCAR moments from 2013 and purchase new 2014 highlights throughout the season. Using authentic physics and real race data from licensed drivers, and featuring all NASCAR-sanctioned tracks, fans can keep current with the 2014 NASCAR season by buying monthly content packs filled with multiple races for only $5 each. NASCAR fans can now do more than just watch the race – they can drop into a recreation of an exact race moment soon after it happens to relive or rewrite history.

Tony Stewart, the three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and winner of the “Drive For the Cover” contest, was chosen by more than 700,000 fans to appear on the front of the box. Today gamers can race as Stewart or more than 40 other licensed drivers in NASCAR ’14 and then watch him as he returns to the track at the Daytona 500 on February 23.

“Deep Silver is releasing the best NASCAR game yet,” said Deep Silver Inc. COO, Geoff Mulligan. “By delivering a true NASCAR experience that captures the competitive thrill of the sport, we are allowing hardcore fans to get as close to the track as possible.”

“With the Daytona 500 only a week away, the level of anticipation for the 2014 NASCAR season is reaching its climax with teams, drivers and fans,” said Blake Davidson, NASCAR Vice President of licensing and consumer products. “We are equally as excited about the launch of NASCAR ’14, as it brings our sport into the homes of gaming enthusiasts across the country.”

About NASCAR ’14
It’s your turn to immerse yourself in the full-throttle thrill of the world’s most exciting motor sports racing series in NASCAR ’14. Take the wheel from your favorite driver and participate in the race week experience complete with practice, qualifying and race day challenges. With your favorite personalities and replays, NASCAR ’14 is the authentic NASCAR experience for fans.

• NASCAR Highlights: Take advantage of “NASCAR Highlights” to determine the outcome of the biggest race thrills. Monthly DLC packs available for $5 each will feature key moments from recent races in the 2014 season. ETX Racing recreates the action where exact condition of the cars is the same and track positions are identical – the only difference is you!

• Career Mode: Work your way through the ranks in a comprehensive career mode; complete with custom car builds, sponsor acquisition and R&D to get your team into victory lane.

• Official Teams & Tracks: Race against the official NASCAR teams & drivers on your favorite tracks including the high banks of Daytona, the twists & turns of Sonoma and the exhilarating speed of Talladega.

• Leagues: Take competition to the next level and host online leagues with your friends, fully supported by statistics, challenges, rankings and replay.

• Online Multiplayer: Take advantage of dynamic skill-based matchmaking, tournaments and easy drop in/out server browser functionality for a fair and enjoyable experience.

NASCAR ’14 is on store shelves in North America today, February 18, 2014 and is rated “E” (for Everyone) by the ESRB.

For Official NASCAR ’14 news & information, please visit:
Facebook: https://facebook.com/etxNASCAR
Twitter: https://twitter.com/etxNASCAR
Website: www.etxracing.com

For Official NASCAR® news & information please visit:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NASCAR
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nascar
Website: http://www.nascar.com/

About NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for the No. 1 form of motorsports in the United States. NASCAR consists of three national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series), four regional series, one local grassroots series, three international series and GRAND-AM Road Racing and the American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón, both known for competition on road courses. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., with offices in eight cities across North America, NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. For more information, visit www.nascar.com and follow NASCAR at www.facebook.com/NASCAR and Twitter: @NASCAR.

About Stewart-Haas Racing
Stewart-Haas Racing is the title-winning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team co-owned by three-time Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart and Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation – the largest CNC machine tool builder in the western world. The team fields three entries in the elite Sprint Cup Series – the No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevrolet for Stewart, the No. 39 Quicken Loans Chevrolet for 2008 Daytona 500 winner Ryan Newman and the No. 10 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet for Danica Patrick. Based in Kannapolis, N.C., Stewart-Haas Racing operates out of a 140,000-square-foot facility with more than 160 employees. For more information, please visit us on the Web at www.StewartHaasRacing.com, on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/StewartHaasRacing, on Twitter @StewartHaasRcng and on Google + at www.Google.com/+StewartHaasRacing.

About Deep Silver
Deep Silver develops and publishes interactive games for all platforms, seeking to deliver top-quality products that provide immersive game experiences driven by the desires of the gaming community. The company has published more than 200 games worldwide since 2003, including the best-selling zombie action Dead Island(TM) franchise, the critically-acclaimed Metro(TM): Last Light and the smash hit action adventure Saints Row IV(TM). Deep Silver is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Koch Media, GmbH, and includes the renowned development studio Deep Silver Volition, based in Champaign, IL. For more information, please visit www.deepsilver.com or follow us on twitter at @deepsilver.

About ETX Racing
ETX Racing is the racing game brand of Eutechnyx, LTD – the world’s leading independent racing game developer. With a history spanning over 25 years, the studio has won numerous awards for its million-plus selling titles and garnered exceptional acclaim in the business sector. As well as its headquarters in the Gateshead (UK), the company has studios in Hong Kong, Chengdu (China) and Charlotte (USA). For more information, please visit www.etxracing.com.

NASCAR® and NASCAR® ’14 are trademarks of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. and used under license. All other car, team and driver images, track names, trademarks and other intellectual property are used under license from their respective owner.

“PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc

Windows, Xbox, Xbox 360 and Xbox LIVE are trademarks or registered trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.

ESRB rating icons are registered trademarks of the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) and may not be used without permission of the ESA.

All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners.

Tickets on Sale for Stand Up for GamesAid 2014

Mateja Simovic

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February 18, 2014

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Due to the success of last year’s show, the charity GamesAid has once again teamed up with the comedian Imran Yusuf to organise a second ‘Stand Up for GamesAid’ as a fundraising event. The event will take place at London’s renowned Comedy Store on the 14th of April. Last year’s Leicester Square event was a huge success to GamesAid, and is considered a great addition to the 2014 social calender of the game’s industry. Charity initiatives targeting the gaming community have had success in the past with many initiatives targeting gamers (and geeks). My personal favourite is having gamers play terrible games for my amusement (and fundraising, of course) such as the Lame Game Marathon.

Although a full line-up hasn’t been revealed yet, Imran Yusuf will emcee the entire night. Yusuf formally had a career in the games industry working in Midway Games, Eidos, and SEGA Europe before finding a place on the comedy scene. He has appeared on The Now Show, The News Quiz and Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow.

Tickets are on sale now for £12.50 at the Comedy Store’s website (which can be found here) and all money raised will go direct to GamesAid which supports charities for disadvantaged and disabled youths and children in the UK.

They’re also looking for sponsors to support the project so if you happen to be sitting on a large pile of money currently which has been earmarked for contribution to charity, you might want to look into contact one of their trustees via [email protected].

Laughter with a conscience? Sounds good to me.

New PlayStation Plus Commercial is Awesome

Luke Halliday

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February 18, 2014

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Sony have become known lately for their extravagant live-action commercials. Now they have once again broke the mold with a blockbuster live-action PlayStation Plus commercial that simply goes beyond the call of duty or advertising.

The commercial is filmed entirely in live-action and features a player as he travels between a number of different game worlds, much like you would with the free games available with the PlayStation Plus service monthly.

You can check out this wild commercial for PlayStation Plus below for yourself. Be sure to let us know what you think in the comments section below. Do you think this commercial is awesome?

Monster Part 2 Review

Luke Halliday

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February 18, 2014

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Monster Part 2
Studio: Madhouse
Publisher: Siren Visual
Format: DVD
Release Date: February 19th, 2013
Price: $44.95 – Available Here

Overview
The grim tale of a monster and the man who saved him continues its brilliant run in Part 2 of Siren Visual’s release of the legendary anime series Monster.

What Monster accomplishes is simply unprecedented, 30 episodes strong now with Part 2, Monster does what few anime can ever hope to do, have a perfect run. There is no peaks and valleys here, Monster stands firmly in its excellence, never once dropping in quality nor faltering.

How can one series be this good? It is almost unfathomable how good Monster is. The real kicker is that Monster makes it look easy, almost as if story-telling on this level is mere child’s play. Naoki Urasawa’s Monster is a work of true genius.

Story
Picking up where Part 1 left off, Part 2 dives head-first into the thick of things, with the bodies stacking up and the danger on the rise. Dr. Tenma and Nina are deeply entangled in a complicated web and the titular monster Johan is at the center of it all.

The writing here is simply superb and the suspense is palpable. Urasawa’s mind works in some marvelous ways and the twists and turns this story takes is utterly jaw-dropping. The character development is likewise impressive, with the characters of Tenma and Nina continuing to grow as the series rolls on. Their emotions and motivations are well felt and natural. The relationships formed between the cast are all very organic and ring true every time.

There is something very special about the writing in Monster. Whether the episode concludes quietly or in other cases rather loudly, it creates a level of intrigue that is wonderfully addictive. You can’t just watch one episode of Monster, it won’t let you look away. The action playing out on screen is so captivating that the idea of turning away is a practical impossibility, you just don’t want to miss a moment of this series.

Whether it be the purposeful foreshadowing or the heart-pounding action sequences, Urasawa frames his story with a sense of purpose and meaning that few can. Every action, every reaction, there is so much food for thought here that its hard to not find yourself wrapped up in deep analysis on what you are witnessing here.

With this Part release of the series, the world of Monster is explored and expanded upon in great detail. The locales and the people who inhabit them, the organizations, the connections, all of it brings Germany to life and makes for a bustling world to set this mystery-driven tale in.

Much like Part 1 of Monster, Part 2 concludes in a way that will leave you salivating for more. The addictive nature of Monster is highly evident here and you’ll be left hanging on the edge of your seat until Siren Visual releases Part 3. It is simply astonishing how good Monster really is and that addictive quality is further evidence of that. Monster really is must-see anime.

Visuals and Audio
Remarkably after 30 episodes, Monster still looks just as good as it did in its first episode. The grungy aesthetic holds strong as the series pushes on and gives the German setting a real gritty style to it that is quite simply unforgettable. There isn’t any other anime out there with a look like Monster and that is one of the reasons why it has become so iconic, the imagery and style is unlike anything else.

The soundtrack continues strong here, with precision timing on the incidental music giving the series just the right atmosphere and tone in all the right moments. It’s a great musical arrangement through and through and it is capped perfectly with the brilliantly brooding opening and ending themes.

This release (like the last) features an English language dub alongside its Japanese audio track. Both are great in their own rights and once more I really need to give props to Liam O’Brien for his performance as Dr. Tenma. He truly brings that character to life in English and stamps out a career-defining performance here.

Extras
Siren Visual’s release of Part 2 of Monster feels a lot like the first release in that its a rather bare bones release. It features episode 15-30 in both English dub and Japanese audio with the ability to marathon the episodes. It is a simple release in all regards, but in spite of that it is a truly important one. This series is one the all-time greats in anime history and the very fact it has received a release on our shores is incredible in and of itself. Despite the lack of special features, the series itself and the content of these particular episodes is absolutely phenomenal in every regard.

Overall
What more can be said about Monster? This is something that was unprecedented when it first aired in Japan and it is still to this day something that has yet to be matched. The quality of this series is utterly mind-blowing, it almost feels like cheating it is that good.

This is the benchmark that anime must be measured up to. Monster is a masterstroke from Naoki Urasawa and Part 2 of the series proves to continue the perfect run Part 1 set itself up for. So how can Monster be this good? Well it is a question that may not have an answer, put simply Urasawa’s creation is something special. There isn’t anything like Monster, it is a different kind of breed.

Monster is like rage and love got together and made a baby. It’s twisted, violent and cruel yet underneath all the darkness is a raw human soul constantly hanging in between life and death, holding desperately onto hope. There is something captivating about that struggle that hangs over the series, maybe there is monster in all of us? It is that central conflict that is a huge part of what makes Monster an anime that must be experienced. We all have darkness inside of us, some of us are just better at keeping our own monsters at bay.

Naoki Urasawa’s Monster is a monolithic anime series and it continues to shock, surprise and amaze. This is must-see anime.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Brand-New Retro Game: “Snip and Chu” Coming to iPad

Andrew Day

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February 18, 2014

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Do you love old classic Game & Watch games? You know, the kind like Donkey Kong, Chef and Octopus? Well guess what, a brand new Game & Watch inspired classic is about to his the app store! LCDemakes, the guys behind the really fun Game of Watchcraft: Spawn of Squishy, have announced their latest and possibly greatest game yet – Snip and Chu.

Set in the world of rubbish and recycling, Snip & Chu puts you in the roll of Chu; an unchewed piece of gum who must save his best friend Snip (a toenail clipping) who has been captured by the villainous RecyKiller. The game will be presented in a very retro Game & Watch styling and will test players with its intense platforming and quick reaction times. For a better look at the game, check out this short trailer:

If you think all that insanity is too much for a simple Game & Watch styled game to handle, then you are right! Snip & Chu is transcending genres here and will also be launching as a 100-page graphic novel that you can purchase through iBooks. Snip & Chu is only available on iPad. The game itself will be $0.99 while the book will be $2.99 and both are due for release on February 27th. For more information you can check out LCDemakes’ Facebook and official website. Just remember to stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the Snip & Chu news as it becomes available.

Disney Infinity: Sneak Peak at Phineas & Agent P

Andrew Day

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February 18, 2014

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Disney Infinity: Sneak Peak at Phineas & Agent P

It has been just over 6 months since Disney Infinity launched, and in that time we have been treated to a plethora of characters from Disney’s past and present. Now, we are just a few short weeks away from the release of the last two figures that will complete the second wave of figures (as well wrapping up the game’s confirmed characters); Phineas and Perry “Agent P” the Platypus from the hit animated series Phineas and Ferb.

Today as part of the American International Toy Fair, attendees were given a sneak peak to the upcoming figures, as well as the power discs that will change your Toy Box into the Danville’s Tri-City Area. Wouldn’t you know it, we have attached the video below so you can check out what these two highly colourful characters are capable of.

You can add Phineas and Agent P to your Disney Infinity collection April 10th so until then make sure you stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the Disney Infinity news as it becomes available.

Hunter x Hunter’s Netero replacement voice actor announced

Luke Halliday

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February 18, 2014

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Following the tragic news of the passing of legendary voice actor Ichiro Nagai, Hunter x Hunter anime fans were left with a question: who will replace him as the eccentric Chairman Netero?

Well it has been officially confirmed that veteran voice actor Banjo Ginga will be stepping into the role as Netero. Ginga is known for voicing roles such as Heihachi Mishima in the Tekken video-game franchise, Souther in Fist of the North Star and more recently as the furious evil overlord Commodore Perry in Space Dandy.

Ichiro Nagai’s final performance on Hunter x Hunter was in episode 114. His final moments as the character featured Netero’s farewell to Gon Freecss, a symbolic ending indeed. Be sure to let us know what you think of this in the comments section below.

Harmonix Working On Music-Driven Shooter

Joe Morgan

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February 18, 2014

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Harmonix, the studio so well known for the musical Guitar Hero, Rock Band, and Dance Central franchises, announced their newest project today. A first-person shooter driven by music, Chroma will infuse fast-paced PC shooting with music-driven gameplay.

Players will take on the role of a Fader, a musical icon of the future. They’ll battle for an all-encompassing cultural feed known as The Signal, unleashing streams of sound and music to bring the musical landscape to life. The game will feature multiple classes, each with their own unique gameplay mechanics.

For more information, you can check out Chroma‘s official website here. Be sure to check out the trailer for the game below this article as well.