Yet again, we return! Dustin Spencer, Travis Bruno, and Luke Halliday have come together for another episode of CC Unplugged! This week, we talk about a terrible new iOS addiction, some new titles coming out, and even speak about Australian habitats. Take that Bill Nye! It almost not as depressing compared to spending your New Years with Isabelle.
So grab sad handful of confetti, tell your friends, and prepare to get UNPLUGGED!
Be sure to listen to our past CC Unplugged episodes here.
SPONSOR PLUG
Special Mention to our partners over at Razer, us here at Capsule Computers are geared by gamers, for gamers. Check them out on Twitter and Official Website.
The tower defense genre has been around for a fair while now, and it has found itself at home on the mobile platform. Modern Command is the latest of these games, and while it doesn’t do anything to overly shake up the genre it does present a well-designed and crafted game. It suffers from its share of problems, but many of these are due to the insane amount of adds through the app, and the fact that it really wants you to dip into its in-app purchases.
Gameplay
Modern Command is a nice and simple tower defense game. You will be deployed to various mission sites, where the task it to defend your base from incurring forces. Unlike most other tower defense styled games where you place additional weapons in the path of the oncoming wave, in Modern Command you do all of your attacking from your base.
You will have a selection of weapons for each missions, starting at one and then unlocking and purchasing more until you can have four equipped at any given time. The mission at hand will determine which weapons you take with you. To fire your weapons you first select them from the side of your screen and then tap where you want them to launch. Weapons have different speeds at which they travel, so you have to aim ahead of your enemies in order to maximise the damage.
The enemies travel along pre-designated paths, which initially seems like it would make the game easy, and this is true for earlier levels. However when you reach the mid to late game stages, paths intersect and cross over one another so it can be difficult to tell where the troops will head. This makes you think on your feet and plan accordingly.
There is one part about Modern Command that is hard to overlook and that is the fact that it is absolutely littered with adds. During one short 5-mission session I encountered adds for Clash of Clans, Pixel People, Dungeon Keeper and another game that I didn’t recognise. Literally every time you go back to the main menu there is a bubble with a new game add sitting in the lower corner, and despite the fact that they sit in the bottom corner the adds are still incredibly intrusive.
Visuals & Audio
Tower defense games typically occupy a gaming space where visuals aren’t too important. They aren’t too important because players will spend more time planning their attacks rather than observing the scenery. To this end many games will skimp a bit on the background visuals, but Modern Command actually has some impressive scenery for players to enjoy.
No matter how far or close you zoom into the screen, the backgrounds all pop and retain an incredible amount of detail. Individual trees and plants can be seen from various angles and they all look really good. The same can be said for the enemy units and their vehicles. The way that your weapons interact with the landscape and the enemies is equally nice to look at, with cars flipping when they are hit by rockets and trees collapsing under a nearby explosion. It is the little things like these that add up to a really well presented game.
The audio is just as well done. It is hard to speak specifics about the type of music used, but it absolutely fits the genre and the tone of the game. It is also highly reminiscent of older video game music. Anybody who grew up playing shooters on the SNES will feel right at home with the game’s soundtrack. The in-game sound effects are just as great to listen to and while they may not be the most realistic sounding, the sound of a video game rocket hurtling through the air still sounds awesome.
Overall
I am typically not a big fan of tower defense games, and while Modern Command doesn’t exactly do too much to shake up the genre in any real way it is still a fun experience. A lot of this fun comes from the fact that it is well presented, intuitive with little to no lag in the controls. Having to think ahead of where your enemies could be keeps you on your toes and has you planning your moves well in advance. If the game does suffer from any downsides it is the fact that it is rife with intrusive adds and that in-app purchases are still alive and well.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Well the hits just keep on coming don’t they? Following last week’s exposition overload, we get the chance to see the plot take another leap forward. Not only do we witness Ryuko’s realisations regarding her own anger and thoughts on the developing situation, we also get a front row seat to the biggest revelation to hit Satsuki since…never. It has to be the most crucial, character defining moment that we’ve ever seen…and it is awesome.
Time to see what a real MANkanshoku can do
Though ready to duke it out with Tsumugu, a timely intervention by Mako and Senketsu quell Ryuko’s temper and subside ill feelings between the two. For now at least. Though just another of her oddball performances, amidst the rambling we learn that Mako has indeed understood the explanation regarding the Life Fibres. In her own special way of course. Her noting that Ryuko must care deeply for Senketsu to let him cover her body shows that she finally understands the truth behind the uniform. That being said, she has always understood its importance to Ryuko and accepted her desire to cling to it no matter the personal cost. This sentiment of selfless compassion is also carried in Ryuko’s anger. As much as she is overwhelmed and upset by the truth of the Life Fibres, her first reaction is to speak on Senketsu’s behalf. Though she tries to conceal her intentions as a misplacement of her own anger, she cares for Senketsu very deeply. This expresses remarkable progress in their relationship. There was time when she was embarrassed to even wear Senketsu and now the two act together in harmony. It’s quite beautiful really.
Amidst the friendly chaos of Kamui and schoolgirl, we also see a glimpse of Tsumugu’s kind side. Despite his very vocal hatred of Life Fibres, he subtly expresses a sense of joy when he sees Ryuko and Mako having fun with Senketsu. It is the revelation of his past that makes this moment of compassion all the more poignant and sweet. Having worked with Dr Matoi, Mikisugi and his sister on the anti Life Fibre project, his sister was killed in a failed test. Though harbouring resentment to Fibres for robbing him of his family, the notion that they can be friends with humans serves as a testament to his sister’s own beliefs and an extension of her will to a certain degree. Proof that her sacrifice was not in vain.
I’ve never seen a sword of quite that shape or size…
Once more we are also provided a look into the softer side of Satsuki. Honestly, it’s starting to become a habit for the anime. Almost like they want to redeem her to some degree. To make us like her. Say, on the slim chance that she ever turned out to be less of a tyrant than she was always perceived to be. Oh wait, that did kinda happen. You may have missed it. It was that part where she STABBED HER MOTHER THROUGH THE HEART! So yeah, looks like Ragyo may have made a slight miscalculation in giving her daughter near absolute power over an army. During her declaration of rebellion, there was a certain truth to Satsuki that was never there before. The rage she expressed possessed an honesty that her distant dominion over Hannouji lacked, as if her rule was purely business. You know, in addition to being a rouse on her part. Curiously, her actions bring portray her as much more similar to Ryuko than she would care to admit.
Despite her daughter’s betrayal and her own subsequent impalement and crucifixion, Ragyo Kiryuin is apparently not down for the count just yet. The sheer fact the Satsuki explains her future plans and still notes Ragyo as the enemy, shows that the rainbow producing CEO is just a touch more vulnerable than a mere mortal. If the fact she can still talk after losing a metric ton of blood wasn’t proof enough already. A fact that certainly does not bode well for all who oppose her, like Ryuko…and Satsuki. The fact that she is also the number on messenger of the Life Fibres is also bound to factor into her true strength, as hinted earlier in the episode with her collection of twine. Unlike every other example of the aliens throughout the series, Ragyo has Fibres of different colours, no doubt an indicator of power. It also might explain her luminosity.
She’s just at that rebellious age
Hopefully all these questions and more will be answered next week. And what a week it will be. Can’t you just feel the betrayal in the air? Isn’t it good to see a villains plans crumble? But who knows, maybe we’ll learn something about Ragyo that will make us see her in a different blinding light. Some kind of trauma that inspires sympathy perhaps. I guess we’ll have to wait and see. Personally, I’m more interested in seeing if the new opening sequence was indeed foreshadowing a team up between Ryuko and Satsuki. I hope so, because that would be awesome.
Rand Ratinac & Lance Fensterman with members of the Rebel Legion & Mandalorian Mercs (Geoffrey Sullivan, Cameron Smith, Shay Force, Ben Dumont & Kat Dockrill), Powerhouse Museum, photographer Shane Rozario
ReedPOP – the world’s largest producer of pop culture events – and Oz Comic-Con are coming together in a new partnership that will ultimately see a new beginning for the expo, further enhancing the experience for its fans and solidifying it as the premiere, local pop culture event.
ReedPOP are known for organising and running some of the biggest events internationally (and as of last year, locally), including New York Comic Con, Star Wars Celebration, C2E2 and Penny Arcade Expo (PAX Prime, PAX East and PAX Australia). Lance Fensterman, ReedPOP’s Global Vice President, stated;
Teaming ReedPOP, the world’s leading producer of pop culture events, with Oz Comic-Con, Australia’s top series of pop culture shows, was a natural fit. We are thrilled to work with the entire team at Oz Comic-Con and together build fan experiences that are bigger, better and more amazing than either of us could do alone.[…]Oz Comic-Con has a sense of family and community that Aussie fans have embraced with open arms, many of them leaving with unforgettable memories of once-in-a-lifetime experiences. We can’t wait to be part of the fun, love and unity prevalent at Oz Comic-Con and look to our global nature as a means to further bolster support for the local industries it celebrates. […] We look forward to blending ReedPOP’s experience with DCA’s local knowledge, to build fan experiences all over Australia on a scale never seen before.
Can we get this to the level of a NYCC?
What drives this new collaboration is an overwhelming and genuine commitment to growing and nurturing Australia’s creative talent and related industries. And with the immense amount of experience that ReedPOP brings to the table in terms of worldwide positioning, combined with Oz Comic-Con’s rock-solid relationships within the pop culture sphere, the proverbial light should shine brightly on said talents, letting the entire world see just what Australia has to offer. Rand Ratinac, Director of DCA Enterprises (Producers of Oz Comic-Con) said;
We are delighted by what this will mean for Australian fans, artists and businesses – those who are at the heart of what Oz Comic-Con is all about. Oz Comic-Con has always drawn attention to the value of local artists and exhibitors, while also offering fans the chance to meet international celebrities. We remain committed to this support of Australia’s creative and trade industries and, by merging the experience and resources of DCA Enterprises and ReedPOP, we will be opening the door to considerable local and international opportunities and recognition for them. […]Over the past two years, Oz Comic-Con has presented first-class pop culture experiences to the Australian audience, acting as a stage for local and international creativity. Our partnership with ReedPOP elevates Oz Comic-Con within the competitive international market, truly putting Australia on the map for pop culture events and opening the door for remarkable opportunities that will carry on through to our attendees, supporters, guests and exhibitors.
Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide have played host to Oz Comic-Con events since their inception in 2012, with Brisbane and Sydney also on the books for this year’s festivities. With big name celebrity guests such as William Shatner, Stan Lee, Sir Patrick Stewart, Shannen Doherty, Richard Dean Anderson, it’s no wonder how the convention is able to pull upwards of 90,000 attendees (in 2013 alone). ReedPOP’s pedigree does not need to be overstated, for everyone who has any interest in pop culture is aware of the juggernaut that is the New York Comic-Con. The benefits of the two’s working relationship will first be reaped at the upcoming Perth (March 29-30) and Adelaide (April 5-6) shows, where representatives from ReedPOP’s New York Comic Con team will be on hand to experience the expos from the perspective of attendees, guests and exhibitors alike in order to increase their understanding of what drives the Australian audience. Then comes the feedback, which will be used to dictate changes, additions and enhancements for future years – definitely an exciting time for pop culture enthusiasts in the land down under!
Indie developers Bumblebee are having quite the run of successful Kickstarter projects, with GhostControl Inc. and open world RPG Days of Dawn both trouncing their funding targets. Both games are heading to PC, Mac, and Linux, with GhostControl announced in May last year and first out of the gate- Days of Dawn is slated for a tenuous February release.
The offspring of Theme Hospital and the original XCOM (plus various other inspirations, most obviously the original Ghostbusters), GhostControl Inc. tasks the player with running a successful ghost hunting business that hauls in the cash as well as the ectoplasm, promising “a hilarious ghost hunting simulation”: a free demo of the game is to be had here.
Gameplay
The aforementioned offspring of business sim and turn based strategy manifests thus: manage the ghost hunting business by recruiting ghost hunters, wisely managing funds to buy fuel for the battered car to take them from job to job, sink some cash into new weapons and traps every now and again, and keep the staff sane with frequent trips to the hospital. Use all of of the above to clear out locations quickly, trapping ghosts with minimal impact on the team and the location and raking in maximum profit.
This is all managed through the map, which has players drive their team around the miniature streets of London. Populating the map are equipment stores, gas stations and the hospital, as well as the HQ and its more upmarket replacement.
The HQ is limited to acting as a save point and hiring hub and there is little to do between jobs, to the extent that the game even provides a fast forward button. There are other ghost hunters trawling the map, and they can steal jobs if Ghost Control Inc. is too slow on the uptake (or happens to be on the other side of the map). The need to succesfully pull off jobs is high, as gas and hospital treatment are expensive and frequently required.
It’s a good set up, but one that is marred by some of the random and repetitive elements of the turn based part of the game.
Heading to a job pulls up the prep screen, which allows each member of the team to be given their on hand equipment -usually a weapon and a trap. Inventory is limited by the team’s carrying capacity, and the team is in turn limited by the number of seats and storage spaces in the vehicle, which like the HQ can also be upgraded.
Each member has two action points, which can be spent on the usual actions such as movement and shooting. In addition to the standards Ghost Control has commands to switch on lights (ghosts in turn can switch them off), open doors, and guard; an ability that isn’t unlocked until a good few hours into the game, a shame since it allows for a greater depth to the strategy that would be welcome in the oft repetitive opening hours.
Ghosts populate the environment, and will destroy the objects in it if left to their own devices, eating into the profits of the job. Bringing down the energy level of a ghost makes it susceptible to a trap, which has a limited capacity and needs careful placement (and a bit of luck) to work successfully.
Different ghosts have different energy levels, and different traps operate at different efficiencies. Weapons too can be a game changer; with some able to push ghosts away as well as damage them, and others can pull ghouls towards hunters. Position and keeping your distance is everything, as getting too close to the ghouls is a sure fire way to deplete the team’s sanity.
Sanity is GhostControl’s equivalent of health. If it should sink too low the hunter will be running for the door, bawling their head off every action point of the way. Sometimes they will stop and become functional again, sometimes they won’t – the mechanism behind this isn’t entirely clear. Should the sanity metre be killed off completely the team member is permanently fired from the team because of the unfortunate fact that they are now locked in a mental asylum.
In addition to sanity every team member has a full set of stats that can be affected by ghosts through status effects such as curses and stuns – these values can also be increased, allowing hunters to develop over time. The whole process is as mysterious as the sanity/fleeing process, and the lack of transparancy to the system really kills the game’s accesibility.
The turn based counters do have a decent level of challenge and require a bit of thought, but unfortunately the numerous unknowns and repeated elements prevent the gameplay from becoming addictive. For the first few hours the same ghosts will be encountered over and over, and to make matters worse the hunters will spew out the same terribly unfunny lines of dialogue over and over again.
The lack of humour is what really kills the experience, as a decent chuckle here and there can quite easily distract from other flaws. Unfortunately GhostControl, despite boasting some level of hilarity, is barely capable of raising a smirk. Hunters come out with some absolute drivel, and my team seemed obsessed with blurting out “the smoke gets in your eyes!”, a line which quickly drove me to my own personal asylum.
Audio & Visuals
Initial expectations are given a boost when the opening, Ghostbusters-eque theme of GhostControl Inc. comes to life, following on from a quirky warning about the perils of playing the game – “Note that it may be an allergic reaction to ghostly phenomenon if your eyes start burning”etc.
That opening salvo is the high point though, with the other elements of Ghost Control never quite delivering on the promise. The rest of the music is repetitious to the point that other people in the house will ask for it to be changed, and the sound effects are a tad too much on the tinny side. The sound of the hunters fleeing is of particular grief as it repeats constantly as the spooked employee moves out of the level action point by action point.
There is an argument to be had about all this simply being in the retro indie spirit of things, but GhostControl doesn’t have the spark necessary in other areas (looking at you sense of humor) to make the presentation slide down a bit better. Some will doubtless enjoy the spirit of the soundtrack; others will boot up their tune dispensary of choice and never hear a peep from Ghost Control Inc. again.
In the visual department it’s necessary to trundle out the good old retro catch all again, as Ghost Control Inc. presents itself much like a classic 90’s Bullfrog title. The environments range from houses to tube stations to restaurants, and there’s enough detail in each to keep things fresh for a good chunk of time, though the limited ghost character sprites suffer from being stuck on repeat. The gameplay area is curiously small and unscrollable, filling the screen with a dull grey background instead of anything of importance.
The world map is a gorgeous little recreation of London in miniature, with landmarks like St Paul’s Cathedral and Big Ben (Elizabeth Tower you purists) adding the necessary flavour. One of the offerings of the Kickstarter campaign was an additional city to roam around, but given that particular funding goal wasn’t reached it remains to be seen whether another location will be hitting Ghost Control soon.
Overall
A triple A concept marred by C grade execution, GhostControl Inc. sorely needs a few more coats of polish before it can hope to graduate to an indie must have. Whilst the turn based element takes a decent stab at things, too much of it is random, leaving the player in the dark even when they do take a look at the manual. The sound design feels cheap, and whilst some of the presentation does hint at high quality the whole package lacks the charm and laughs needed to surpass its retro/indie limitations and become something great.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Overview While the events that occurred during the first season of Lagrange managed to tell an enjoyable story of three girls coming together as friends despite their differences and the fact that two of the girls happened to be from warring alien forces. Despite having a decent ending, viewers were left with numerous questions by the time the first season ended and as such, the second season of Lagrange: The Flower of Rin-ne has been released to try and complete the story. Is this second season as enjoyable as the first or does it lose its way trying to tie everything together?
Story Now it is worth noting right away that this release does not contain the Kamogawa Days OVA that was released in Japan between the first and second anime season. This is disappointing as, while there are no major developments in this forty five minute OVA, it is something fans would have been able to look forward to as it covers showed a number of events that took place in the time that passed between the two seasons.
Anyways, Lagrange: The Flower of Rin-ne Season Two takes place a number of months after the events of the first season. With Lan back at home with the rest of the Le Garite forces and Muginami on the run with the De Metrio army, Madoka has spent the last few months trying to keep herself busy with all of the activities that The Jersey Club takes on. Despite how happy she seems on the surface, Madoka has no idea what to do with her future as evidenced by her teacher pestering her about what she will do after high school, and she is clearly distraught by the fact that her two closest friends are gone and she can no longer pilot the Vox Aura.
As luck would have it, both Lan and Muginami return to Earth one after another but this is far from the happy reunion that Madoka was hoping for. Lan has returned to seek Madoka’s help with something that her people require while Muginami is also working for her forces and looking to prevent Madoka from trying to activate her Vox ever again. Thankfully the fact that these three girls are at odds with one another is resolved within the first few episodes and the close-knit friends take asylum on Earth once more.
Instead of focusing on these three girls and their growing bond, the focus this time around is on a much larger scale as the leader of La Garite, Lan’s older brother Dizelmine, and the leader of De Metrio, Muginami’s “older brother,” Villagulio have continued to go after one another thanks to the fact that the planets that these two nations reside on are currently on a collision course that will destroy both planets. As such, with Dizelmine seeking a way to potentially destroy Villagulio’s planet with the power of the Vox Aura, and Villagulio doing what he can to prevent it, it is up to the forces of Earth and these three girls to try and act as mediators to this intergalactic war between two old friends.
As you may surmise, while the three girls are still the key players in the second season as they are always directly involved with the events taking place and the outcome is dependent on their actions. There are a number of secrets revealed and events taking place behind these girls’ backs to set a plan in motion devised by someone many viewers probably never would have imagined, despite a few very minor glimpses of his true character in the first season. Of course whenever the focus isn’t plot oriented, viewers still follow Madoka, Lan, and Muginami as they take part in various Jersey Club activities and continue to bond.
Almost every question the viewer has had since the first season is answered this time around as we learn the secrets about the events that took place 20,000 years ago during the first disaster that brought about the legend of the Vox and much more. With a certain character’s plans set in motion and the world about to be on the brink of disaster, even though the reason this character wanted to bring about such disaster should have been fleshed out in some way, Lagrange: The Flower of Rin-ne finds a satisfying ending that not only binds the trio of girls together but wraps up rather nicely.
Visuals While I was able to see the first season on DVD, Lagrange: The Flower of Rin-ne Season Two is quite a treat to catch on Blu-ray. Thanks to the color coordination for the trio of girls, the show is vibrant with attractive character designs and detailed backgrounds. There also appears to have been more budget this time around as the character animation and mid-range shots retain their detail better than before.
The Vox are used a fair amount this season, mostly towards the end, and their designs are just as good looking in this second season. There is some very mild fanservice in this second season, but it remains very harmless and the yuri undertones, outside of some teasing by Astelia, are also diminished as the three girls come off as inseparable friends with only a slight hint of something beyond that.
Audio This being the second season of Lagrange, I found myself enjoying the voice acting much more this time around. You see, while I didn’t enjoy Karen Strassman’s Muginami, she really seemed to fit the role in this second season and the rest of the cast feels just as accustomed to their roles as they did the first time through. Of course for those that choose this option, the original Japanese dub is still available for viewers to listen to.
The soundtrack for Lagrange remains as impressive as the first season with a number of memorable pieces of background music along with a handful of forgettable ones. The opening theme, “Marble” by Megumi Nakajima, the Japanese voice actress for a side-character, is not only set to some stylized animation but is also an enjoyable listen, and the ending theme is split into three variations with a secondary ending used for dramatic episodes. The main ending theme is “Jersey-Bu Tamashi” which is sung by the main female cast with each of the Japanese voice actresses for Madoka, Lan, and Munigami taking turns, while the more dramatic ending theme is “Wasurenai yo.” also by Megumi Nakajima.
Extras With the release of Lagrange: The Flower of Rin-ne Season Two viewers are treated to a number of on-disc extras that are mostly your standard fare. There are Japanese promotional videos, commercials, and trailers, trailers for other shows from Viz, and a clean version of the opening song and a clean version of every ending theme, there being three variations for each girl, and the secondary ending theme.
Finally there are the Kamogawa Drama shorts, comedic snippets from the lives of the cast outside of the main plot, which are presented with Japanese dub only and these shorts are roughly sixteen minutes in length combined.
Overall Lagrange: The Flower of Rin-ne Season Two takes almost every question that viewers were left with at the end of the first season and answers them in an interesting fashion that sees the girls take more of a backseat to the main storyline as they tend to react to events rather than anything else. This isn’t that much of an issue however as the fast pace of the series and the way that the girls are never too far from the focus of the story keeps Lagrange just as enjoyable as the first season only now with more story focus, even if it does lack the abridging OVA.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
We have some good news for a very small number of people who happen to live near a GAME store in the UK. It has been announced by Square Enix that Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII will be available for purchase a little bit earlier for a very limited time at select locations.
You see, on February 13th at 13:00 hours, Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII will be sold at thirteen different GAME stores for one hour. This means that if you happen to have one of these lucky stores near you then you will have the chance to pick up the game about eleven hours earlier than those who go to the game’s midnight release and possibly meet some special guests or win some goodies.
Today Tecmo Koei has announced that Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends will be released on March 25th in North America and April 4th in Europe. There are two versions of the game depending on what platform you choose to pick it up on.
The PlayStation 3 version is Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends, an expansion to the original Dynasty Warriors 8 with five new playable characters, bringing the playable total up to 82, and adds a number of new scenarios and plot lines that run different from the original story, mostly focusing on Lu Bu. As for the PlayStation Vita and PlayStation 4 versions, they will be the Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends Complete Edition which contains both Xtreme Legends and the original Dynasty Warriors 8.
New Screenshots and a look at the box art for both versions of the game can be found below.
It ain’t easy being a regalia, always on the borderline between life and death. Such is the case for Yukine, who has become somewhat of an audience surrogate in recent weeks for Noragami. His views of the world between the Near and Far Shore have come to reflect the audiences quite precisely and his tragic existence makes him the most sympathetic character on the cast.
Interestingly, as we come to grow closer to Yukine, we grow distant from Yato who has been gradually revealing his darkness belying his light-hearted poker face. That much has never been as true as it has in this episode. Noragami has hit its dramatic stride and boy oh boy does it hit you right in the heart.
While Noragami began humbly as a show about a stray god trying to make some cheap change by helping out the hapless masses, it has slowly developed into something far more intriguing. It is undoubtedly an exploration of life and death, but beneath that is an even more compelling quandary: what does it mean to be human and what does it mean to be a god?
The more we learn about Yato, the more he becomes less human, the more he becomes a fearful god. We previously learned that Yato was once the God of War. Now he is nothing but a half-assed ‘delivery god’ wandering and taking on odd jobs. Yukine realizes that first-hand this week when Yato mercilessly uses him as a tool to execute a young girl who had just become a phantom. It is a chilling conclusion to the episode and one that points us in a very interesting direction moving forward as the bonds that tie Yukine and Yato together frey and tear with each passing episode.
Even Hiyori begins to realize that Yato is dangerous and forcibly takes Yukine into her custody, keeping him in her house and eventually in her bed. Yato quickly breaks this situation up however. We soon learn something truly critical about the Gods between the Near and Far Shore. The Gods all rely on their regalia to know right from wrong.
The regalia is a manifestation of their moral compass. What Yukine feels is right and wrong carries over to Yato, but it doesn’t mean that Yato isn’t still capable of going against those core morals Yukine passes onto him. Yato is a fearsome God and he looks to only get more and more dangerous as the series progresses.
I do seriously wonder though what path we are heading towards here. The series is only one cour long and this world that Noragami has crafted is way too immense to be wrapped up neat and tidy in just 13 episodes. I can only hope that a second season is in the works because there just feels like there is so much more for Noragami to explore.
As it stands right now, it looks as though Yato is being painted as a lawless anti-hero, Yukine as a tragic reluctant hero and Hiyori as the voice of reason in this mad world. I’d never have picked that these characters would fall into these roles when I watched the first episode but it is shaping up to be something truly special. The pondering frm this episode really does make you think though, what is it that makes us human? Is it our morality? Is it our soul? On the flipside, what exactly is a God? I get the feeling that Yato doesn’t even fully understand himself either.
Things are heating up on Noragami and with this episode, I think the swing towards the more serious side of things is coming into effect now for this anime. I do hope that like Yato, Noragami doesn’t lose sight of its playful heart in the abyss its diving headfirst into. Time will tell I suppose.
Recently as part of a promotion for the upcoming Kinect Sports Rivals, Xbox’s Major Nelson took a gander into the wild world of Kinect Sports Rivals with the game’s art director Louise O’Connor from Rare.
Louise O’Connor and Major Nelson explore the island setting of Kinect Sports Rivals at length in a very interesting video for the game. You can check out the island of Kinect Sports Rivals over at Xbox Wire here.
Kinect Sports Rivals is set for release in Spring 2014 for the Xbox One. It is said that Kinect Sports Rivals will revolutionize the popular Kinect Sports franchise. That remains to be seen but time will tell as we head towards the games imminent release.
