Today Ubisoft has released a video for South Park: The Stick of Truth which shows off the first thirteen minutes of the game. In this time, you will see the introduction to the game as well as the intro to the classes and the way combat will work in the title.
After a number of delays, South Park: The Stick of Truth is finally set to be released on March 4th in North America and March 7th in Europe for the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC. To go along with this trailer a number of new screenshots and a few pieces of artwork have also been released and can be found below.
Overview
There has been a huge influx of idol fanaticism in anime. Sure it’s always been a bit of a craze but it seems more prominent now than ever. The Japanese idol industry is huge, covering everything from songs and dancing to funny game shows and events. A large draw is the growth of each idol, often being scouted as a child to becoming a fully-fledged performer whilst still in school. Naturally, this is a perfect narrative for the anime medium. AKB0048 is based on the popular idol group AKB48 and, if I’m not mistaken, is actually one of the first idol anime to be localised and released for the Western audience.
Story
Contrary to almost every other work based on idols, AKB0048 has an extensive story behind it. After a devastating war on Earth, humanity flees its home to new worlds but is subject to strict rules in order to prevent another catastrophe. Entertainment and art are banned in a dystopian society controlled by the anti-music organisation DES. The once-legendary idol group AKB48 is forcefully disbanded and any fans are at risk of being prosecuted.
Fast forward 48 years and the group is covertly resurrected as AKB0048, reinstating the old system of picking candidates to succeed each generation of girls and performing live in secret. All of this is done at risk of drawing the ire of DES who labels them as terrorists. A group of four young girls aim to be the next big AKB stars, going against their parents’ wishes and travel through space to reach their dreams.
The whole setting is elaborate and almost silly as the undergraduate girls must dodge bullets all for the sake of protecting a J-Pop stage full of neon light sticks and dance maneuvers. This is probably the first and only time you’ll see idols singing while mechs are raging on a battlefield nearby. The action parts, however, are not nearly as exciting as they sound and you begin to wonder why put them in at all. For all the live ammunition used, no one actually gets killed and since AKB0048 are only allowed to use non-lethal force the whole thing feels pointless and monotonous when action does happen.
But that’s not why we’re here. You’d be glad to know the cute idols, songs and dances live up to the standards of the genre, utilising great CGI when performances are shown off and injecting some drama by giving us a glimpse of the challenges idols have to deal with. Don’t expect anything too complex regarding the inside workings of the industry though, as this is still essentially a promotion of AKB48 and it tends to glitz over what can be a very rough experience for idols at times.
The first half ends with inspiration as our main character has her dreams finally accepted by her parents. This really is a tale of following your heart despite what your family, or even armed government authorities, want you to do.
Visuals
It’s hard to believe and even harder to explain but AKB0048 has a unique look. Character designs are simpler than most other anime, almost generic, and this sounds like a criticism but it’s actually refreshing for once. Each person looks distinct to match their personalities. The colours used throughout the show are bright pinks, blues and purples against a grey backdrop, reflecting the depressing ban on music.
The best part is the animation when things burst into song and action. Satelight has expertly used CGI to make the whole thing look fluid, mimicking the expert dance moves of professional idols. A great deal of effort went into replicating how an idol moves on stage and my only complaint would be that there wasn’t enough of it in these 13 episodes, possibly due to budget constraints.
Audio
Being an anime that’s all about singing and dancing, you’d expect the music to be good. And it is, make no mistake, but at the same time it’s not that memorable either. Whether it’s due to a lack of catchy songs or distinct melodies is hard to say but the standouts for me simply remained the opening and ending themes, which are lovely.
If you’re going into this anime, chances are it’s because you’re a fan of AKB48 and you can relate to the similarly sounding AKB0048 title. So it’s also likely you’ll probably just watch this in its original Japanese track. That’s not to say the English dub is bad, far from it, but it is jarring when background music is sung in Japanese while when it comes to the voice actor’s turns they adapt the lyrics into English. Again, they do a pretty good job of localising the songs and I was surprised how they managed to keep everything sounding natural.
On the other hand, you’re watching a Japanese idol show most likely because you enjoy hearing Japanese idols in their own language.
Extras
Hanabee’s DVD release comes with the standard on-disc features such as Japanese promos and clean opening and ending animations.
Overall
If you’re a fan of J-Pop or Japanese idols as well as anime, this is a match made in heaven. But that also means it’s highly likely that you’ve seen other shows that blend idols and anime, even if it didn’t get an English release such as the excellent Macross Frontier which does a far better job at blending action with music while The Idolmaster is a more focused (and musically sound) look at a group of girls working their way to the top from the ground up. AKB0048 is bogged down in an overly ambitious setting with a “threat” that isn’t so threatening at all and action which, while looks very pretty, feels half-hearted at best.
However, I understand the intergalactic sci-fi setting contributes to the dazzling depiction of the idols and the ban on music is actually a cool and fresh idea. Here’s hoping the second half adds more of what we want to see; music, dancing and interpersonal drama related to the idol group, rather than pointless battles. Judging from the first half, this is still an enjoyable idol anime and is, quite frankly, the only one of its kind that can be bought off Australian shelves right now.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Now that today is Valentine’s Day we have a new trailer for Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster highlighting and the romance that blossomed between Yuna and Tidus as they tried to save the world. To go along with this trailer Square Enix also released two screenshots of romantic moments the two shared in Final Fantasy X.
Currently Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster is set to be released on the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita, on March 20th in Australia and New Zealand and a few days earlier in North America on March 18th, where a special edition of the game is also available for purchase.
The Pokémon Company and Nintendo have once again decided to bring the Poketunes you all now and love to iTunes, digitally remastered for your auditory enjoyment.
Released in Europe way back in July 2003, Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphirewere set in the island region of Hoenn, the most water covered of any Pokemon region to date. Surf was put through its paces let me tell you that. The region itself was based on a real-world location, with the composers Junichi Masuda, Gō Ichinose and Morikazu Aoki taking much of their inspiration from the Japanese island of Kyushu. Over ten years after the games’ original launch, the new Super Music Collection includes beautifully adapted and orchestrated versions of their music that made the region come to life.
The Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire Super Music Collection is available now on iTunes for $16.99. So don’t Slack Off, head on over and buy some classic tunes from your Gen III journey. Keep an eye out through the year as Diamond and Pearl, Black and White, along with Black 2 and White 2 will also see a Super Music Collection release. But whatever happens: There’s no place like Hoenn.
WWE games may have changed publishers, but it looks like children of all ages can except more Mattel-made WWE toys for years to come – through to 2019, in fact – as the two companies have announced a multi-year extension of their toy licensing agreement.
Mattel and WWE have worked together since 2009 (seems like much longer) and have released a diverse range of toys across over 50 global markets around the globe. In the U.S., WWE action figures rank as the number 1 action figure property. Mattel deepened their WWE portfolio with innovations such as the FlexForce figures and Brawlin’ Buddies, which personally brings me back to my childhood. Doug Wadleigh, Senior Vice President, Global Brands Marketing, Boys and Entertainment for Mattel, said;
WWE and Mattel’s action figure line is consistently ranked in the top two thanks to our creative marketing campaigns, tremendous retail support and seamless infusion of cutting-edge innovations. We are excited to continue our partnership with WWE as they expand their global footprint and leverage our global scale to deliver WWE toys to kids around the world.
Old school DDP WCW Bashin’ Brawler… I ripped his nose off as a child
Mattel has invested significant resources in consumer insights and raised the bar for design innovations for WWE, while expanding our line into new categories. Their unparalleled support has allowed us to further engage fans through authentic, quality products, meaningful experiences and standout presence at retail.
With more than 15 million viewers in the U.S. tuning into WWE programming each week, it’s a no-brainer for Mattel to want to continue bringing authentic, fun products to store shelves for WWE fans to enjoy, especially with the its focus being put so squarely on family entertainment as of late.
That’s right, LEGO fans in the United Kingdom will be happy to know that Warner Bros‘ The LEGO Movie Videogame is now on the shelves, just waiting to be bought, played and loved. The game will take you on a creative journey throughout numerous worlds compirsed entirely of digital LEGO bricks, unlike previous LEGO titles. Take control of characters such as Emmett, Vitruvius, Wyldstyle, Batman and Lord Business as you wander through fantastical worlds like Bricksburg, Cloud Cuckoo Land and Flatbush Gulch.
For those of us who live Down Under, there’s still a ways to go until The LEGO Movie Videogame, or even The LEGO Movie for that matter, sees a release. But never fear! Check out the screenshots below and enjoy the wonderment of a world made of LEGO. Awesome!
With two movies down and one movie to go, The Hobbit is doing a mighty fine job showing off just what Peter Jackson can do with Middle Earth. Pretty soon though players will be able to see the same thing in the LEGO-verse with the upcoming LEGO The Hobbit.
So far LEGO The Hobbit has shown off a trailer to give a preview of the new features and abilities that the dwarves. Now though Warner Bros. and TT Games have the majority of the cast assembled for the key art, which can be seen just to the right.
With not only Blibo, the hobbit himself, but Gandalf, Thorin, Legolas, and Smaug, LEGO The Hobbit is representing all the main characters from the films. Though it will be interesting to see how the game will be able to translate from the movies, with all the extra content and characters when it releases later this year for Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U, Xbox One, and PS4, handhelds PS Vita and Nintendo 3DS, as well as PC.
I just…I don’t even know where to start with this one…Seriously, so much happened. For every minute of screentime there was some form of epicness or badassery to match it. Imagine how you felt in the final minutes of last episode, now times that by one hundred. That’s this episode in a nutshell. Bear witness to more revelations than you’ve ever seen in the series thus far. It’s kind of overwhelming.
This time, it’s personal
OK, so Satsuki has her mother on the ropes. Backstabbed, impaled, crucified. Pretty much the curtain call for life. Or rather it would be, if Ragyo was human…which she isn’t. Apparently the twisted tyrant decided to personally merge with Life Fibres and gain they’re colossal strength for herself. It worked, I’ll give her credit for that much. Now I know what you’re thinking, “Hey, this also might explain why she’s such a psycho bitch.” Wrong. As we learn from Satsuki’s brilliant monologue, Ragyo has never entertained the slightest iota of goodness within her empty husk of a heart. After marrying Soichiro for his scientific acumen, Ragyo bore Satsuki for the purpose of experimentation. Even back then she desired a method to appropriate Life Fibre powers into the human form. This notion also supports Ragyo’s overall treatment of Satsuki in past episodes. Though her “too close for comfort” moments merely seemed awkward to us, they showcased how Ragyo ignored mother/daughter conventions because she didn’t truly see Satsuki as a daughter. Just a subject to be poked, prodded and tested. If that wasn’t enough, the soulless CEO also gave birth to a second child. With this one she didn’t waste any time with her cruel experiments and sought to bond it with Life Fibres mere months after birth. When the experiments failed, she simply moved on. No sadness. No compassion. Nothing. At least when we though Satsuki was the villain she had emotion. This…this is something else.
On the day his second daughter perished in their experiment, Soichiro Kiryuin vowed to end his wife’s ambitions. Should he fail, he entrusted his will unto Satsuki, a will she never let go of. For thirteen years Satsuki plotted against her mother, never letting her facade slip for a moment. It is this act that forced her to fight against Ryuko and accept her misguided fury. Though, Satsuki being Satsuki, it also served to test Ryuko’s power and prove that she could stand by Satsuki’s side in the revolution. A long con so precise and crucial, that it caused a schism between her and the world she was attempting to save. But she pulled it off. A fortress, and elite guard and an army to support her. Unless something came along an suddenly turned her army against her. But there’s nothing that can do that right?
Violence is the solution to most problems
WRONG! Allow me to introduce Mind Stitching, Ragyo’s ultimate middle finger to the free will of humanity. With her multicoloured twine and a simple flick of the wrist, she can subjugate countless people and turn them into mindless marionettes. Even people as strong as Ryuko…which she does. Just when they were looking to team up, Ryuko and Satsuki were back at each other’s throats. But how long does mind control on a protagonist work anyway? In a dramatic turn of events, Ryuko punched herself in the face, then proceeded to reach into her own head and pull the Mind Stitching from her very brain. Badass. Badass enough that Ragyo was impressed and curious, which should raise some red flags for anybody. Anyway, with the Kamui clad warriors back on the same side, they each go on the offensive. Satsuki finally gets to enact her plan and Ryuko gets a little payback on Nui Harime.
When first confronted by the pigtailed demon, Ryuko looked set to slip back into the unbridled rage that almost killed her once before. However, in an expression of self control and character development, she manages to reign in her fury and challenge Nui the proper way: unrelentingly. Amidst the chaos of the Kiryuin crisis unfolding around them, it was good to see Ryuko join in the revelation rapid fire. Her countless fights throughout the anime finally culminated in her reaching complete synchronisity with Senketsu. This is represented by her awesome power and blinding speed, which shatters the faux saccharine persona of Nui Harime. Serves her right. It’s interesting to note that during her curb stomp battle with Nui, Senketsu’s glowing red segments briefly phased to purple in certain sequences. Whilst certainly a representation of power, it also connects them to the other half of the scissor blade Nui wields, which is also purple in colour. Dual wielding anybody?
…the harder they fall
In line with Ryuko and Senkestu’s perfect synch being attained, we learn that Satsuki has been wearing Junketsu wrong the entire series. Remember her infallible will overcoming Junketsu’s vicious desires? Wrong way to handle the situation apparently. Satsuki has literally been forcing Junketsu to bend to her will, which may explain his attitude to a degree. It is because of this that Satsuki was unable to completely decapitate her mother…oh yeah, Satsuki cut her mother’s head off, can’t believe I forgot that bit. Anyway, one strand of Life Fibre remained, allowing Ragyo to pull herself together and proceed to dominate Satsuki. Knowing that she spent her whole life one this one moment of vengeance and revolution, it’s honestly painful to watch Satsuki get mercilessly beaten down. With no bravado left and her power rendered ineffective, she simply loses. Though it seemed that Satsuki’s use of light to blind her mother when she decapitated her was hauntingly poetic, it was in fact a reference to Satsuki’s inability to compare. Existing as nothing but reflected light.
To add insult to injury, Ragyo takes Junketsu for her own and unleashes its true potential. Standing above all humanity as a self proclaimed higher being, Ragyo simply smiles as COVERS consume the sky. Beings born from the Orginal Life Fibre, the COVERS ominously hover above Hannouji as Ragyo moves in close and tears Ryuko’s heart from her chest…she just reaches in there and takes it. However, Ryuko doesn’t die. Remember when I said that Ragyo killed her second daughter a long time ago? That’s not entirely true. You see, the baby did survive being bonded with Life Fibres. It was found, raised and lived it’s life as Ryuko Matoi. Which means that Ruko’s father isn’t her real father. Which means that Ryuko and Satsuki are sisters. Which means that Ragyo’s two greatest foes are her own daughters…That’s one hell of a dysfunctional family.
Shot through the heart…
So…yeah. COVERS looms overhead, ready to bear down on humanity, Satsuki lies imprinted in a concrete wall and Ragyo currently has Ryuko’s heart in her hands…This episode didn’t end well for the goods guys. Here’s hoping that they can turn it all around…Here’s hoping that they live long enough to try…
Overview Everybody loves a hero. That person who rides in out of nowhere and saves the day. Well it’s your lucky day. It would seem that some hoodlum is hanging people or some such evilness. Time to grab your trusty bow and save some lives. Now, usually in these stories of heroism the innocents aren’t lined up for rescue, but beggars can’t be choosers.
This doesn’t look too difficult…
Story You are some kind of disembodied bow and it is your duty to rescue people from their horrible fate. Are you good enough to save them in time? Welcome to the World of Gibbets.
Gib’bet
1. A Kind of gallows; an upright post with an arm projecting from the top, on which, formerly, malefactors were hanged in chains, and their bodies allowed to remain as a warning.
2. The projecting arm of a crane, from which the load is suspended; the jib.
Gameplay
As mentioned, it is your goal to save the citizens currently hanging on each level. To do so, you must sever the ropes which keep them off the safety of the Earth. Simply put, World of Gibbets requires accuracy and finesse. As your weapon of choice is the bow, you are able to draw back the string as far as you so desire and control the power of each shot. Drawing to maximum tautness will result in a more straight flying and far reaching shot, but the game rarely makes that the most viable option. If having to shoot rope wasn’t hard enough, the game throws a number of obstacles in your way. But never fear, power-ups are here. The most common issue you’ll run into is direction. Some characters hang beyond the conventional reach of a bow and force you to devise a plan. On some levels, panels marked with an arrow appear. When your shot hits said panels, another arrow is fired in the direction the arrow mark was facing. This allows you to completely alter the trajectory of your shot and save the day. Other panels take a slightly different approach and, instead of changing the course of arrows, simply teleport your bow to their location. Again, this allows you to make shots that were originally impossible. Which is nice. Some levels decide to bypass this entirely and give you a super arrow that simply passes through every obstacle, except rope of course. Though what you will have to work with is dependant on each level. Should any stage become too difficult to complete, you have access to a small supply of Super Arrows that will immediately complete it. Though these are best saved for dire straits, lest you wish to buy more.
…I was wrong
The main danger of the game is injuring those that you are attempting to rescue. Should your shot miss the rope, there is a chance that you will strike the poor hanging citizen. This will cause a rather sizeable drop in their health bar, which is constantly being drained. You know, on account of them being hanged. Some levels require you to fire a volley of arrows to save a character, which normally would kill them. Luckily for you, some levels include a shield power-up that protects characters from your arrows. Be warned however, it will not stop the health drain attributed to a brief life on the gallows.
At certain points in the game, you will take a brief divergence from standard play and get a taste of the different game modes in Gibbets. For example, in one mode, you must protect bundles of hay from ravenous sheep. To do so, you must shoot them with arrows. Or in another, you must collect a certain number of vultures. To do so, you must shoot them with arrows…I think I’m sensing a pattern here. These games can be played more, once you’ve collected enough coin to purchase them, done by completing levels and picking up special coins placed within said levels. These coins may also be used to purchase fancy new bows which, along with looking nice, each possess a unique and helpful ability. On the topic of collection, try to nab as many stars as possible. Received for completing a level to a satisfactory level (ie Not killing anyone) these stars are necessary to unlock more levels. So get practising.
You’ll be the talk of what’s left of the town
Visuals and Audio For being based on such macabre subject matter, World of Gibbets does a tremendous job of remaining visually humorous. The overall cartoon nature of the characters greatly subdues the impact that a slew of hangings should have on a person. Though the faces that slowly turn blue as health runs out is still pretty dark, in a “that’s not funny and I’m a monster for even thinking about laughing, but I’m gonna giggle anyway” kind of way. Though the angelic spirits that ascend into Heaven should you fail kind of mete this dark element. The backgrounds themselves give of an air of clean simplicity that suits the game perfectly. There’s no unnecessary elements present just to pad out the visuals, just enough to look good.
It’s a game semi-set in the West, did you really think that there wouldn’t be guitar? Because there is. Also drums. Just like the visuals, the audio elements of Gibbets are surprisingly upbeat, adding to the sense of simple fun. It’s also nice to see the harmonica making an appearance. Not enough harmonica in the games of today. Sound effects, such as vultures squawking and rope being torn, also add a nice little touch to the game that really makes the audio seem complete.
Late night hang outs can be dangerous
Overall World of Gibbets is a fun game with an interesting, albeit dark, premise. I mean, how many other games have you save multiple victims of hanging? Not many I bet. The controls are simple enough and the game doesn’t overload you with options, deciding rather to ease into the whole power-up business. The ability to invert the direction you drag the bow to fire was also a nice touch and expressed a sense of effort on the part of the developers. It’s the little things. So have fun attempting to save people and try not to feel too bad if you accidentally fire an arrow directly through their face. It happens to the best of us. World of Gibbets is just one of those well put together silly games that we all love to play. Seriously, who the heck put all these people on gibbets?
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Level-5, the folks behind games like Ni No Kuni and the Professor Layton series, have announced the final game in their Guild01 series. Entitled, Weapon Shop de Omasse, the franchise’s final title will be available via the 3DS eShop on February 20th, 2014.
Created by comedian Yoshiyuki Hirai, Weapon Shop de Omasse will center around the weapon shop inside a legendary RPG. Players will take on the role of apprentice within the shop, forging and renting weapons to support the needs for an array of heroes. The world’s fate rests on the quality of the player’s weapons, and you’ll be supplying them.
Weapon Shop de Omasse will be available Febraury 20 for $7.99 / €7.99 / ₤7.19. To celebrate its launch, all previously released games in the Guild series will be available for the promotional price of $2.99/€2.99/￡2.69 from February 14 to February 23. For more information, you can check out the official site here.
With two movies down and one movie to go, The Hobbit is doing a mighty fine job showing off just what Peter Jackson can do with Middle Earth. Pretty soon though players will be able to see the same thing in the 
