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Game of Thrones Season 3 Review

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February 22, 2014

Game of Thrones: The Complete Third Season
Studio: HBO
Publisher: Warner Bros
Format :DVD (reviewed), Blu-Ray
Release Date: 19 February 2014
Price: $24.99 – Available Here

Overview

The fourth season of Game of Thrones will debut on April 6, so as tradition dictates, Season 3 has been released on DVD and Blu-Ray to allow fans to bring themselves back up to speed with George R R Martin’s fantasy epic. The popularity of the series is unmistakeable: it has won multiple Emmy awards; garnered critical praise; is pirated to an extraordinary degree; and there seems to be a new video game based on the Song of Ice and Fire universe popping up every year. According to HBO, viewer numbers are going up and up with each season of the show, with an average gross audience of over 14 million viewers for Season 3.

The following review contains plot spoilers.

Story

It is almost a given that the show itself is excellent. Ten episodes somehow manage to juggle dozens of characters and plotlines in a fluid and engrossing way. The pace seems a little faster before, perhaps due to the onslaught of new characters and the sheer size of the book that the season draws upon.

This is the most fresh blood that the show will ever see, with new faces appearing in nigh on every plotline. Bran finally meets Jojen and Meera Reed, Grey Worm, Daario and Missandei join Dany, and Beric Dondarrion and Thoros of Myr finally get a little screen time. Best of the lot however is Diana Rigg as Olenna ‘Queen of Thorns” Tyrell, who takes on every power player in King’s Landing and walks away victorious.

Indeed the Tyrell’s are a major force this season, with Margery and her grandmother proving that they are just as good at playing the Game of Thrones as the Lannisters. Whilst they fail to marry Sansa off to Loras, Margery is without doubt the only person who knows how to manipulate the ever more psychotic Joffrey.

Speaking of weddings and psychotics, a Storm of Swords contains the most infamous scene of the entire Song of Ice and Fire series. It’s shocking. It’s awful. It’s vicious. And somehow the folks at HBO managed to make it even worse! The star of the episode is without doubt Michelle Fairley, who turns in a heartbreaking performance as Catelyn Stark. The build up to the massacre of the Starks is sublime, and just as it feels that things are about to get back on track for the King in the North, all hell breaks loose. The episode is a reminder that in Westeros, the ‘good’ are often the dead, something that Arya Stark, who gets so close to her family only to see her brother’s mutilated body paraded before her, is beginning to realise.

Her descent into a world of death and violence seems more apparent on screen than in the books, her threats to the Hound and others around her more worrying when actually seen coming from the mouth of a young girl.

Other more obvious changes from the novel see Gendry substituting for Edric Storm, whisked away to Storm’s End where Lady Melisandre for some reason needs to get naked with him. Robb Stark’s wife and unborn child do not find the mercy here that they do in the books, and Daario forgets that he’s supposed to have a beard- he is the only new character who feels miscast, failing to bring the necessary charm to someone who isn’t that likeable in the first place.

The only other hiccup is the prominence of Theon Greyjoy. Imprisoned after the sack of Winterfell, the heir to the Iron Islands is tortured by an unnamed young man episode by episode. Whilst the skin flaying , toe piercing and penis removal are all brutal they don’t serve any point. Theon is being tortured in a dungeon when we meet him, and is still there ten episodes later.

Someone who does get a decent story arc is Jamie Lannister. Initially one of the most shallow and unlikeable characters in the series, his time with Brienne marks the beginning of a long and challenging journey that is packed full of the high impact moments the show has become famous for. The loss of his hand is brutal, but it is his bathtub confession to Brienne about his murder of the Mad King that truly shines.

Charles Dance is as formidable as ever as Tywin Lannister, who this season unleashes the full extent of his power, and not only upon his enemies. Tyrion and Cersei find themselves under the yoke of the head lion, forced into political deals masquerading as marriages. Even Joffrey gets sent to bed.

Events north of The Wall finally seem to be relevant to the rest of the realm, with the Night’s Watch/Wilding plot-line splitting in two to follow Jon Snow and Sam Tarly separately. Jon’s romance with Ygritte and Sam’s infatuation with Gilly add some much needed warmth to the show, but the threat of the White Walkers is what finally peeks through as the driving force behind the entire show- the big picture is starting to emerge.

Visuals

The production standards remain as high as ever for Season 3. Morocco, Northern Ireland, Croatia and Iceland allow the disparate locations of Westeros and Essos to breathe, with impressive attention to detail on costumes and props and weapons. Whether it’s the chess like pieces Robb uses on his tactical map or the strangely fitting headgear that the Freys favour, everything feels as it should.

The need for an ever larger special effects budget has yet to take its toll, with Dany’s dragons still holding up well alongside some of the more extravagant locations. A lot of the action is kept small scale and close, which is fine for now but could see some of the incoming material seriously stretching the limits of HBO’s purse strings.

Audio

The soundtrack of Season 3 was composed by Ramin Djawadi, who provided the music for the first two seasons and wrote the main theme of the show. The tone is more sombre this time around, but as ever with Djawadi’s score it is a great complement to what’s happening on screen. Recurring themes evolve with the characters they accompany, and many of the tracks could stand on their own.

The two that make the most obvious impression are The Bear and the Maiden Fair and The Rains of Castamere. The Bear and the Maiden Fair, a typical fantasy ditty sung throughout Westeros, is handled by indie band The Hold Steady who turn it into a rollicking rock song. It seems like an odd decision for a show set in a medieval era, but when it thunders in over the end credits of Walk of Punishment one heck of a television moment is topped to perfection.

Extras

The extras on the standard DVD release will do little to please long time fans of the series but will shore up the knowledge of newcomers to the show. There’s a recap of Season 2 which feels like it was made before Season 3 ever existed;a short bit of background fluff on the Wildlings; a similar puff on the nature of marriage in Westeros; and a quick look at each of the new characters such as Olenna Tyrell and Mance Rayder. There are plenty of commentaries that take in both cast and crew, and whilst the actors can offer some emotional perspective on certain scenes, it feels like a waste to have the stuntmen and weapons masters relegated to bantering and making the odd observation about their work – individual interviews showcasing their contributions would have far greater appeal for those really wanting to dig in to the makings of the show.

It is worth noting that the Blu-Ray edition of Season 3 comes with some additional extras. As well as an in-episode guide and character/relationship guide there is an in depth look into The Rains of Castamere episode, which is undoubtedly going to be one of the most significant episodes in the entire run of the show. It’s disappointing that the Rains of Castamere feature doesn’t make it to the DVD release, but an inferior selection of extras is a given when considering DVD against the greater capacity of Blu-Ray.

Overall

Game of Thrones is one of the best shows out there. Season 3 does an impressive job of adding new and interesting characters to the fold whilst allowing ample time for old favorites to grow. The true drive of the story – the impending arrival of the White Walkers – begins to come to the fore in the bloody conclusion of the War of the Five Kings. There are more jaw dropping moments than ever before, and nigh on every cast member turns in a fantastic performance that is supported by impeccable production design and a great soundtrack.

The DVD set leaves a lot to be desired in the extras department and the superior visual quality of Blu-Ray really becomes noticeable with a show of this scale. Nonetheless Season 3 of Game of Thrones is still engaging, edge of your seat stuff, so it feels petty to penalise it too much for the shortcomings of the DVD package.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

PLAYDEK OFFERS FANS LAST CHANCE TO SIGN UP FOR UNSUNG STORY KICKSTARTER PACKAGES AND ADD-ONS

Press Releases

Philip Federico

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February 22, 2014

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PLAYDEK OFFERS FANS LAST CHANCE TO SIGN UP FOR UNSUNG STORY KICKSTARTER PACKAGES AND ADD-ONS

Company hopes to reach stretch goals after successful Kickstarter campaign

CARLSBAD, Calif., Feb. 21, 2014 – Playdek, a multi-platform developer known for its award-winning mobile games, announced today it will offer its Kickstarter rewards packages for two more weeks via PayPal donations on www.UnsungStory.com. The company welcomes the community’s continued support for its new RPG tactics game and hopes to meet its stretch goals such as PS Vita and Nintendo 3DS development, to name a few.

Unsung Story: Tale of the Guardians (PC/Mac/Linux) had a successful Kickstarter campaign raising more than $660,000 in one month due to tremendous community support. Playdek is now taking PayPal donations through its website. After two weeks, Playdek will close out these options.

“We’re looking for ways to let more fans join our team and add their input to the game,” said Joel Goodman, CEO, Playdek. “By offering these options for two more weeks through our website, we hope we can appease fans that missed our first funding efforts and meet our stretch goals.”

The special Unsung Story Kickstarter packages include:

$25 – Receive a copy of Unsung Story, desktop wallpaper, and a forum badgeDear Philip,
$50 – Receive a copy of Unsung Story, desktop wallpaper, a forum badge, digital Unsung Story poster, digital soundtrack, beta access, and a digital copy of the strategy guide
$80 – Receive a copy of Unsung Story, desktop wallpaper, a forum badge, digital Unsung Story poster, digital soundtrack, beta access, a digital copy of the strategy guide, a copy of the Unsung Story Card Game , and 4 Kickstarter Edition Characters
$110 – Receive a copy of Unsung Story, desktop wallpaper, a forum badge, digital and physical Unsung Story poster, digital soundtrack, beta access, a digital copy of the strategy guide, a copy of the Unsung Story Card Game, a USB drive, and 4 Kickstarter Edition Characters
$140 – Receive a copy of Unsung Story, desktop wallpaper, a forum badge, digital and physical Unsung Story poster, digital soundtrack, beta access, a digital copy of the strategy guide, a copy of the Unsung Story Card Game, a USB drive, name in the credits as “Kickstarter Producer”, an additional copy of Unsung Story (can only be for PC/Mac/Linux), and 4 Kickstarter Edition Characters

Add-ons:

Special Kickstarter Edition Character Package (all 4 characters) – $15
Kickstarter Exclusive Game – $5
CD Soundtrack – $10
Digital Soundtrack – $8
Printed Strategy Guide – $25
Digital Strategy Guide – $20
Printed Art Book – $30
Digital Art Book – $10
Unsung Story T-shirt – $25

To see images and more information about Unsung Story: Tale of the Guardians, please visit www.UnsungStory.com or http://unsungstory.com/wp/donate.

About Yasumi Matsuno

Yasumi Matsumo is one of few video game designers to have two games receive a perfect score by Famitsu magazine: Vagrant Story and Final Fantasy XII were critically acclaimed with 40 out of 40 points.

About Playdek, Inc.:
Playdek is a premier developer, publisher and platform for the world’s best tabletop gaming. Winner of Boardgamegeek’s Golden Geek award for Best Mobile/Handheld game (2011, 2012) and Pocket Tactics “Publisher of the Year” (2012), Playdek brings the best of hobby gaming to digital. www.playdekgames.com| facebook/playdek | twitter/playdek

Nagi no Asukara Episode 19 Impressions

Sergei Lazarev

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February 22, 2014

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Nagi no Asukara
Episode 19 -The Lost, Lost Little…

Following episode 18’s eventful conclusion, Manaka has finally been brought back to the surface but she still remains in a deep slumber, unable to wake up. After a close examination, it appears she has indeed lost her ena but is otherwise healthy and expected to wake up soon. But this episode isn’t about that. The anime’s plot swerves back to Chisaki and the complex character interaction that surrounds her.

Five years on from the fateful Boatdrift Ceremony, Chisaki still admires Hikari. A brief, childhood memory of how Hikari rescued both Manaka and Chisaki from being lost is recalled, and Chisaki knew that Hikari would once again find a way to rescue someone again.

As Manaka lies asleep, Miuna spies Hikari speaking to her who in turn is discovered by Chisaki. Smiling, Chisaki notices that Miuna likes Hikari too and realises that Miuna is now the same age as she was. Even more, Chisaki is shocked to realise that she herself is now approaching Akari’s age from five years ago. Time stands still for no one, except for the forgotten Sea friends it seems.

Tsumugu’s grandfather, who is being looked after by Chisaki, spills the beans on a continuation of the legend of the Sea God and his sacrifice. Which we find out about later on. Apparently he let the girl go, but took something in return. This is exactly Manaka’s situation.

The juiciest part of the episode is Kaname’s growing hostility to Tsumugu. Try as he might (and boy that kid tries), he can’t help but feel jealous of Tsumugu spending all this time with Chisaki. He also disagrees with Tsumugu’s plan to withhold the data gathered from last episode’s adventure until it’s officially presented to the scientific community. Without funding and recognition, Tsumugu’s research into Shioshishio will flounder along with any hope of understanding the disaster.

Kaname leaves the dinner table after Chisaki defends Tsumugu, calling her adult-like. But it seems he’s wrong, as Chisaki is still a kid at heart when we see her putting on her old school uniform. Unfortunately she didn’t foresee it being too small and the result is the typical walk-in scene we see in anime as she is caught scantily-clad and tripping over. After getting drunk on non-alcoholic wine, Chisaki herself states that she may have grown physically but not emotionally before passing out on the table.

I think here, at this point, we see Tsumugu display the first sign of affection towards Chisaki, touching her hair while she sleeps. The whole time he spent with her he’s acted responsible, caring for her yet not stepping over any lines. A not-too-pleased Kaname catches him doing this, but Tsumugu isn’t even phased. Admitting his feelings but also thanking Kaname for saving him that night, saying he’s glad they’re all back.

Interestingly, Kaname says that a thought crossed his mind that if he didn’t save Tsumugu, Chisaki would be all his. Tsumugu sardonically replies that if Kaname ended up being that kind of person, he wouldn’t let him have Chisaki.

The last act of the episode sees Chisaki attempting to visit Shioshishio on her own but is caught in a strong current. In an repeat of her childhood, Hikari saves her again and has a friendly chat with her on the sea bed. She reaffirms to herself that she hopelessly still loves him. Funnily enough, this whole time Hikari still doesn’t realise this and turns every conversation into a fun and totally positive exchange.

The two set off to find Lord Uroko in order to verify the old man’s story about the Sea God taking something from Manaka as he released her. Meanwhile, Manaka is still asleep just waiting to be awoken. Hopefully soon! So what have we learned? Tsumugu and Kaname both love Chisaki and both are aware of each other’s feelings. Chisaki, meanwhile, still hasn’t answered Kaname’s confession and continues to pursue Hikari. The love triangle is only getting more complicated.

Check out more Nagi no Asukara impressions HERE.

Sakura Trick Episode 6 Impressions

Sanjay Parbhu

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February 22, 2014

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Sakura Trick

I’m not going to talk about Haruka and Yuu this time, yes you read that right. As we all know they are the main focus of the show and we can always look forward to the ever so predictable kiss at the end of each story, not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I feel like they should have a little break. In this episode we get two stories related to the schools cultural festival (with the girls’ play being in the second half) and I’m glad to say that this event is special in two ways: 1) Yuu gets to spend the day with her older sister, and 2) we get more focus on the other four girls. In order to maintain fairness I will bring up the main yuri couple when needed however this post will mainly be about Shizuku/Kotone and Iizuka/Ikeno, all of which are more interesting than Haruka and Yuu and should get more screen time (especially the former).

6-A: Cultural Fest-Sleepover Time

Okay let’s get this out of the way quickly; all six girls stay the night at the school so they can get everything ready for the cultural festival, they stay in the same unused room where Haruka and Yuu first kissed and the story ends with them being alone and kissing again. Now we can move on to the more interesting relationship between Kotone and Shizuku (who are actually related), which has been building up slowly within the past few episodes and leads to a pleasant yuri kiss.

Like the rest of the girls Shizuku is also excited for the festival, her enthusiasm in being the witch is combined with her can do attitude when she moves around all the desks in the unused classroom, creating more space for the girls to work and sleep in. Kotone calls her up to the roof and wants to know why she’s suddenly so interested in the festival, being so close to each other for so long Kotone says this is not how Shizuku would normally react and instead would say festivals are more of a pain. Of course she’s right on the money since Shizuku made up a lie about not staying the night during her middle schools festival, purposefully leaving because she was too shy to join a group.

The main reason for Shizukus’ excitement is to better understand why Kotone is always excited about these things, again it ties in with the school shutting down and what follows is a genuine connection showing how close the two girls are. Because we don’t see their relationship as much as Haruka and Yuu, every minute they are on screen adds more significance and meaning to the scene, further developing their emotions towards each other. I can say with confidence that I felt more meaning behind the two kisses Shizuku and Kotone have had out of all six episodes then Haruka and Yuus’ “kiss to end story” yuri, a good example of quality over quantity.

6-B: Culture Fest: Today’s the Day!

Yes indeed the festival has finally arrived for this closing down high school; all the stalls have been put up, the stages are set and the girls are ready for their speech only performance of Snow White. Unfortunately the play is shown at the beginning of this story and only last for a minute and twenty seconds, which is a shame because I would’ve liked to see more scenes acted out from Mitsukis’ Snow White and the Wicked Witch played by both Yuu and Shizuku.

After the play Yuu checks out the festival with Mitsuki and Haruka goes to the food stalls with Ikeno and Iizuka, there is a scene where Yuu forgot to tell Haruka where to meet her and the story ends with the pair kissing while a K-ON type band plays in the background.

With a small section in the first half dedicated to Shizuku and Kotone this second half decides to give Ikeno and Iizuka a small back story as to why they are so close. Ikeno has been the class rep every year since middle school and the reason for doing so has escaped Iizuka’s mind, this is a little odd as Iizuka knows more about Yuu then she does her own best friend. Ikeno gives us a narrated scene which shows the two girls at middle school together, without diving into spoilers the reason she is the class rep is quite selfless and shows a great quality of a true friend. I did feel the second half of this story was more telling and enough showing; the narration was good but it would have made the scene more meaningful if we could see the two girls interacting during that brief period in middle school, as it was the moment their friendship fully blossomed.

Actually while I’m here I should mention something about these two girls… They should NOT get together, we already have two yuri couples and having a third one is unnecessary. Throughout the show they have not given off any signs of physical attraction towards each other and adding them in now would be out of place, it would also ruin all previous scenes of them and get rid of the normal/balanced factor that keeps the show from getting too ridiculous. Their friendship is something that is pretty close to real life and it’s because of that naturalness the two are able to play off each other so well, with Ikeno making the most out of it every chance she gets.

Noteworthy scenes include Yuu and Shizuku both playing the witch at once, Iizukas’ super excitement when she finds the Yakisoba stand (nice reminder of the second story of the first episode) and a fantasy Haruka has about living together with Yuu, and what their child would look like. This episode, although having some nice moments, was pretty average. I do appreciate giving more screen time to the other four girls, but it still felt limited and they could have made each story just that little bit better, I’m sure they will develop things more in the next episode…

… or they will just have a filler episode containing blatant fan service, oh God I’m not looking forward to this.

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.

Check out more Sakura Trick Impressions HERE.

Three classic Japanese folktale e-books released on iTunes

Travis Bruno

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February 22, 2014

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Today acttil has announced that they have helped publish three classic stories of Japanese folklore and that they are now available for download from iTunes as an e-book. These three books are all part of the Japanese Folktale Series with the first volume being Princess Kaguya, said to be the oldest Japanese narrative which tells the story of a mysterious princess named Kaguya who has come from the moon.

The second volume is for Issunboushi, a tale about an old couple living alone but desperately wanting a child. When one day, a tiny baby boy was born to the family only to grow to the size of a human fingertip as an adult. As for the third release, it contains Urashima Taro, a famous folktale that follows a fisherman who is given the chance to visit an underwater palace after saving a turtle from harassment at the beach. All three of these stories are drawn and colored by Taniel who provided illustration’s for the DS game A Witch’s Tale and cost $2.99 a piece, with Princess Kaguya available here, Issunboushi here, and Urashima Taro here.

Is Space Jam 2 Actually Happening ?

Nathan Farrugia

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February 22, 2014

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As the news of a potential sequel to the popular 90’s movie Space Jam spread like wildfire throughout the Internet, many reports seemed to conflict one another about the productions existence and, if it was indeed real, who would be the big NBA talent to grace us with their acting skills, with Miami Heat star Lebron James being the frontrunner. Sadly it seems like this fire might just turn out to be a spark, as sources close to James have debunked any involvement of Lebron starring in the film and even stated their is no Space Jam 2 to speak of.

Well it was fun while it lasted. LeBron sources refute Deadline report, there's no Space Jam 2 or Warner Bros. project in works
— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) February 22, 2014

The original story reported by Deadline.com originally claimed

Another Space Jam film? Why not? The first film, which broke ground for Warner Bros and starred then-Chicago Bulls star Michael Jordan and a slew of other top NBA players, ended up grossing $230M worldwide for the studio and even launched a kids TV series.
Charlie Ebersol, who already has a good relationship with the NFL through his NFL Characters Unite series on USA Network, is about ready to do the same with the NBA. He has been brought on to the produce the picture through his production company, The Company, from a script by his brother Willie Ebersol.

Apparently the movie has been kicking around for a while with no writers willing to back it. The original film starring Michael Jordan and the stars of the Looney Tunes universe grossed $230 million worlwide and is remembered fondly by those who grew up in the glorius decade that was the 90’s.

Let us know in the comments below what you think the plot for Space Jam 2 should be and which stars you would like to see take to the court from both the NBA and from the Looney Tunes world. For all your reliable movie, games and anime news, stay with Capsule Computers.

More of Conception II’s Star Children classes detailed

Travis Bruno

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February 22, 2014

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With the release of Conception II: Children of the Seven Stars slowly approaching, Atlus USA has recently begun detailing the various classes that your children can use when the game is released. There are thirty classes in all and today they have detailed and shown off eight more of them and you can check them out below.

Archer
This early-to-mid game unit excels at hitting weak points with bows and tricky movement. Archers are good attackers that can add effects to their attacks, be it debuffs, status conditions, etc.

Blacksmith
This master of weaponry can wear down opponents with repeated smashing. Can break enemies’ defense, and shatter enemy power. They’re a fairly powerful unit to acquire early game, but drop off in mid-to-late game.

Bondsman
With dapper hats and tuxedo outfits, Bondsmen are late-game units that require maxing out your relationship bond with their mother. They wield lances and unlike most other units, they use Bond Points for their magic attacks and heals instead of mana.

Diva
This pop idol-like musician is a stronger version of the minstrel. This support unit requires an extremely rare item to create. But in addition to buffing allies and debuffing enemies, she can also revive her teammates.

Gun Saint
Take a paladin, give him a gun, and you get a Gun Saint. This late-game unit requires a special rare drop, but with gold armor and a powerful weapon, the GS can penetrate any armor.

Lancer
Strong attacking class that excels at building Chain gauge quickly to help immobilize units. Deals an incredible amount of damage in the right team composition, and are available mid game.

Merchant
This early game unit is great for wheeling and dealing, as well as axing monsters right in their face. In addition to strong attacks, Merchants also have the ability to summon a shop to buy or sell items, in case you find yourself mid-dungeon without enough health or mana potions.

Ranger
Rangers are quick to adapt to a multitude of roles within a party. They have effective heals, and debilitating debuff attacks. Their defense also allows them to be solid protectors. Rangers are a good mid-game choice for all but the most specialized parties.

Xbox Newsbeat: Feb 17 – Feb 21

Andrew Day

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February 22, 2014

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Drum-roll please, because it is time for another batch of Microsoft related gaming goodness with this week’s Xbox Newsbeat! Newsbeat is your one stop shop for the latest, the greatest and the biggest news about the world of gaming from the guys over at Microsoft. This week we have three short but hard-hitting news bulletins relating to the Xbox One (Sorry Windows Phone, it is still not your week).

First up, Microsoft have announced that they will be releasing a brand new device for your Xbox One console; the Xbox One Media Remote. Much like the Xbox 360 Media Remote before it, the Xbox One remote will allow you to control Blu Ray movies and streaming video without having to turn on your controller. Controlling Blu Rays with your game pad can prove cumbersome at times and this looks to abolish that completely. The remote will also feature dedicated “Back,” and “One Guide” buttons for added convenience. The Xbox One Media Remote will retail for around $29.99 and will be available here in Australia on March 13th.

Media playback is cool, but lets talk about some games! Turn 10 Studios have today announced that Forza Motorsport 5 is the fastest selling Forza Motorsport game EVER! Round of applause to the guys over at Turn 10 for making such an awesome racer. Not only that, but right now, free of charge, players can download the new Road America track for their game. Now you can take a spin on the legendary high-speed straights and challenging turns on one of the oldest and most distinguished of all the tracks in North America. This is on top of the recently released Honda Legends DLC from two weeks ago.

Wrapping up today’s Xbox One news is a cool little tidbit – players can now register to be part of a preview of the latest update to the Xbox One. This will be a beta-test of sorts, where a few select players can try out the new features that will be rolled out in March. This particular update looks to improve the party and online capabilities of the Xbox One. Keep a look out for a message in your inbox to see if you are eligible.

That’s it folks. All the Microsoft news we can handle this week. Will you be picking up an Xbox One Media Remote, or are you happy to yell “Xbox Pause” in the middle of your movie? Let us know in the comments below and remember to stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the Xbox News as it becomes available.

Lawless gets First Raid Boss Event Celebrating Android Release

Simon Wolfe

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February 22, 2014

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Those running around the streets of LA in the mobile title Lawless will have a bit more to contend for this week as it will be having an event for the Android release of the game. While iOS has been able to check out the free-to-play shooter, DeNA has now brought Lawless to the Android and players will be facing off to try and take out crime bosses across LA, but after should players take to long the boss will escape.

Even if someone goes to face a boss alone, they can call in help should they prove too difficult, which will allow more players to join in and share in some of the rewards. Those wanting to check out the event lasting February 21st to the 28th can find Lawless free on both iOS and Android Here.

Patlabor: The Mobile Police TV Series Collection 1 Review

Kane Bugeja

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February 22, 2014

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Patlabor: The Mobile Police TV Series Collection 1 Review

Patlabor: The Mobile Police TV Series 1
Studio: Sunrise
Publisher: Madman
Format: DVD
Release Date: 19th February 2014
Price: $69.95 – Available Here

Overview
Crime is a constant. No matter how society advances, reprobates are sure to follow suit and bend technology to their own twisted whims. It is on this premise that Patlabor rests. In a world where giant robots are commonplace, there is only way for peace to prosper: Fight fire with fire.

Patlabor-The-Mobile-Police-TV-Series-Collection-1-Screenshot-01 — **FOOD FIGHT!**

Story
It’s the not to distant future. Life here is pretty much the same as it ever was. You know, apart from the giant robots. In a society built upon industry, it’s only natural for technology to advance in leaps and bounds. Ergo, robots. Known as Labors, these machines perform all manor of heavy duty work, from construction, to demolition, or even deep sea salvage. However, with humanity being what it is, there are those who have instead decide to utilise the Labor as a tool for crime. The dastards. With the emergence of this new criminal threat, specialised Patrol Labors (Patlabors) were created in an attempt to normalise society once more. Enter the Second Special Vehicles Division (SV2), a group of policeman who utilise said Patlabors in the neverending quest for justice.

Meet Noa Izumi, a young police cadet who dreams of piloting a Patlabor of her very own. On the way to the Patrol Labor Aptitude Test that will aid her in realising her dream, Noa witnesses SV2’s newest machine, the AV-98 Ingram, being pilfered by thieves. She immediately leaps into action and, after accidentally destroying two police vehicles, manages to rescue and pilot the Patlabor for a short time, during which she dubs the unit Alphonse. With her aptitude proven, Noa is accepted into SV2 as a pilot for the Ingram.

Patlabor-The-Mobile-Police-TV-Series-Collection-1-Screenshot-02 — **Sometimes the simplest approach is best**

Though her dream came true and she now possess her very own Labor, Noa is somewhat shocked by the daily life of her new division. Essentially a backup force, SV2 is seen as somewhat of a joke within the police. Chock full of strong anime personalities, this ragtag bunch of officers tend to receive the assignments that nobody else wants. It is also due to this status that the division is often on standby, forced to pass their days with various mundane activities, such as farming and fishing for food. Not exactly prime time action, but a job is a job. It is this concept that leads the anime to follow a crisis of the week format. However, what constitutes as a crisis isn’t exactly spelled out clearly. Though SV2 may spend one episode aiding in a dangerous fire rescue, the next episode will have them investigate evidence of a demonic curse plaguing a forest village. Consistency is not exactly a core element of the series. It is later revealed that, in addition to receiving the “garbage assignments” because of their status, a number of their missions are in fact publicity stunts devised to help alter the public’s perception of SV2…It doesn’t work out too well.

As the series progresses, Noa’s affinity for the Labors proves to be somewhat of a barrier for her police work. As she cares so deeply for the machines, she will often try to avoid damaging her foes too severely. As you’d expect, this leads to some friction with her superiors who are forced to deal with her mistakes. Her personality also starkly contrasts her co-worker Kanuka Clancy, whose employs a by-the-books, no nonsense approach to her job. It is this approach that often draws ire from SV2’s second Ingram pilot Isao Ohta, who believes himself to possess more skill than he actually has. This often leads to a great deal of property destruction and serves as one of the main factors in SV2’s position as an embarrassment to the force.

Patlabor-The-Mobile-Police-TV-Series-Collection-1-Screenshot-03 — **Justice is a difficult burden to shoulder**

Visuals
As a series based upon the existence of giant robots, a degree of detail was placed into their various designs. With the Patlabors drawing the most screentime, they are understandably the most humanoid in appearance. A visual cue to aid in personalising them to an extent, both within the series and without. Hence Noa’s Ingram being dubbed Alphonse. In essence, they appear less as tools of industry and more like giant metal police officers, a fact aided by the inclusion of traditional weaponry such as a revolver. In contrast, other Labors take on a far more practical design, owing to their specific purposes. This also helps to dehumanise enemies, following the precedent that they use Labors as tools and lack any connection to their machine. This fact alone serves as an immediate annunciation of a Labors allegiances and serves to keep episodes visually interesting.

As it originally aired in 1989, the series is understandably dated. Similar to other anime of the time, Patlabor lacks a certain amount of detail in some of its visual elements. This is most prevalent in the overall weak definition of shadow. Though present to a degree, enhanced shading would definitely add an element of depth that is sorely missing. However, given the animes age, your perception of this will be heavily mired in nostalgia.

Also due to its time of creation, the series utilises a few classic animation shortcuts. To create a sense of movement without too much effort, a static image will simply slide across a background. A similar effect is created through use of a sweeping shot of a single image, which is supported by…

Patlabor-The-Mobile-Police-TV-Series-Collection-1-Screenshot-04 — **I sure hope that glass is bulletproof…**

Audio
During these moments of reduced animation, specific audio cues are utilised to enhance the illusion of movement. This typically manifests through simple “whooshing” sounds combined with those of straining mechanics.

The most notable feature of the audio portion of Patlabor would have to be the English dub, and not for inherently positive reasons. Overall the dub seems very forced, making it very obvious that it is simply actors reading dialogue. Any moment of emotional intensity is met with only a minor increase in volume, creating some rather cringe worthy exchanges. Most likely due to translation and synching issues, there will also often be awkwardly long pauses between dialogue. Honestly, it’s quite jarring and really takes away from any given situation. The dub also often employs the use of voices which are quite frankly ridiculous. Whether an attempt to add humour, or simply express variation in a small cast, they’re definitely a negative element. That being said, the deadpan demeanour of SV2 Captain Goto is actually pretty funny. Definitely the highlight of the entire dub.

There is also a rather obvious lack of ambient sound throughout a majority of the series. Though musical accompaniment will kick in during the more dramatic or humorous moments, the rest of the series carries a strange air of emptiness. The focus on direct sounds, such as footsteps, serves to almost limit the world. Making it feels as if nothing of consequence is occurring anywhere else in the world of Patlabor.

Extras
Not too focused on additional features, the Patlabor only includes your standard anime trailers as its included extras.

Patlabor-The-Mobile-Police-TV-Series-Collection-1-Screenshot-05 — **The faces of Japan’s less-than-finest**

Overall
Patlabor: The Mobile Police is definitely dated. Heck, that tagline reads “This story is fiction…but in 10 years, who knows?” Keep in mind that the original airdate was back in 1989. Now whether this makes the series classic or simply old is purely up to personal opinion. The animation is pretty sluggish, the dub is fairly weak and the characters are presented as rather flat. Essentially it boils down to: interesting concept, average execution. That being said, if you can view it through the eyes of an anime fan circa 1989, you’re sure to see its charm.

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