Indie publisher Iceberg Interactive is pleased to announce that Horizon, their most recent 4X space strategy, has landed itself on Steam. Developed by L3O Interactive, the title encapsulates a rich storyline with 10 interactive alien races, over 1,000 planets waiting to be discovered, and extensive customization of spacecraft. CEO Erik Schreuder of Iceberg Interactive had the following to say:
We could not be happier with the way Horizon has turned out, and we are excited to start 2014 with another compelling 4X space strategy game for our loyal but demanding fans. The L3O Interactive team has been diligent about listening to the Horizon community and implementing changes and upgrades to the game that they have requested, and we look forward to seeing what players think about the finished product.
Sounds like 4X strategy lovers will have their hands full with this one! If you are feeling adventurous, a 10% discount has been applied for an initial launch promotion that lasts until February 13th. Buy the game now and receive the promotional discount here. Also take a gander at the screenshots given to us below for your viewing pleasure.
If you’re into the raunchier side of anime, you’ve no doubt acquainted yourself with the currently airing anime series Recently, My Sister Has Been Unusual. Well if you’ve enjoyed the sexy antics of the anime, you’ll be pleased to know that those very antics will carry over to a live-action film adaptation of the series which has just been announced.
Alongside the announcement of the live-action adaptation of Recently, My Sister Has Been Unusual was a slew of images from the film. The images showcase the film’s cast and characters. The film is slated for release on May 17th, 2014.
The series follows the titular sister Mitsuki who becomes possessed by a ghost named Hiyori. The only way that Hiyori can pass on to heaven is if Mitsuki arrouses sexual feelings from her brother. It is a pretty ludicrous set-up to say the least but it seems to make for some sexy fun.
Mitsuki will be played by Tenka Hashimoto, making her film debut and Hiyori will be played popular gravure model Mayu. You can check out the images for the film in the gallery below. Please note that some of these images are NSFW.
Overview “I Love You” – those three words are said so much in anime, but never have those words held such importance as they do in Say I Love You, an oddball romantic comedy series that turns the genre on its head with a sense of realism and a down to earth approach to love, sex and romance. Unlike anything else in the romantic comedy anime genre, Say I Love You is something truly different and it is all the more special for it.
Story
Mei Tachibana is not your ordinary teenage girl, she is reclusive and a stone cold loner. Swearing off love and even friendship after a tragic past, she is resigned to being alone, that is until she catches the eye of Yamato Kurosawa, the most popular boy in school. It sounds like a story you may have heard before, but none have ever played it so real.
Love, sex and romance are all approached with a realistic touch and doesn’t idealize the concepts. The burgeoning relationship between Mei and Yamato is far from the usual ‘chance encounters’ and ‘dramatic confessions’, instead it is played straight, with both characters naturally coming to terms with their feelings and allowing them to develop naturally and organically.
The roadblocks they face along the way are likewise handled realistically. One great example is when Mei discovers Yamato’s sexual history. She is of course shocked and being the loner she is, feels inadequate because of it. Ultimately the two come to terms with the situation and move on from it. It is really refreshing to see an anime play these topics so straight. Far too often do we see these topics brushed over or treated unnaturally, but Say I Love You handles them with the deftest of accuracy, portraying them in the truest sense possible. So much so that when those three words are finally said, it carries more weight than those words may have ever held in anime.
Say I Love You’s pacing is superb to say the least, with a natural growth that builds to an appropriate conclusion. The final pay-off is more than satisfying and the overall experience of the series leaves a lasting impact. However, while the two main leads are highly detailed characters with rich personality and histories, the supporting cast does fall quite flat in that regard. The supporting characters are unfortunately one-note and do very little besides playing their part in moving along the main story. Thankfully the two leads are strong enough to carry the series in spite of the weak cast surrounding them.
Ultimately Say I Love You is a solid romantic comedy that takes the genre into some very interesting new directions. It may very well be the most realistic portrayal of teenage love in anime to date and it is well worth the watch for it.
Visuals and Audio
The aesthetics of Say I Love You are quite simplified, with a cool and breezy air to them. The art is resigned with a lukewarm colour palette and simple yet distinct character designs. Animated beautifully, Say I Love You moves fluidly and smoothly. While it doesn’t ever do anything outlandish visually, it keeps things grounded with a down to earth style and warm heart beneath it.
Say I Love You’s score is beautifully composed with several tracks arranged entirely on strings capturing the emotion of the series to perfection. The relaxed soundtrack is quite varied and while it does keep things tonally calm it can perk up any moment with an uplifting incidental tune. It is of course worth noting that the series features two brilliant theme songs. The opening and ending themes are both exquisite in their own right and precisely capture the series’ tone and heart.
This release from Hanabee features an English language dub alongside the original Japanese audio track and it is actually quite good. The casting of Caitlynn French proves to be a masterstroke here as she fully commits to the role of Mei and captures the soul of the character completely. Leraldo Anzaldua at first feels utterly miscast as Yamato but he does wind up growing into the role quite nicely over the course of the series. The rest of the cast does a solid job in what amounts to a relatively good English dub that while not on par with the original Japanese, does an admirable job in transitioning the series the West.
Extras
As far as bonus content, this complete series release from Hanabee comes packed with some fine extras to boot. Included in the release is the traditional textless opening and ending themes for your viewing pleasure. The real highlight of the release in terms of special features would be the Mei and Marshmellow Meow Specials, which are a bit of fun to sink yourself into once you’ve finished watching the series. It all comes together to make an all around solid impressive release from Hanabee.
Overall
Say I Love you challenges convention, takes the norm anD flips it upside down and then throws it out the window. This is a down to earth and realistic portrayal of teenage love, there isn’t any outlandish confession scenes or insane romantic entanglements, it plays its central love story straight and it is all the more refreshing because of it.
If you are looking for something fresh in the romance genre, Say I Love You is it. While it does have some hiccups in terms of its weak supporting cast, its two leads are so well written that they can carry the entire series alone. This love story may very well be the best anime has seen in years. Say I Love You is a must see anime for all romance anime fanatics.
This isn’t your average romance anime, this is something different, this is something special. Say I Love You is a romance to remember. It’s like summer love, you won’t ever forget it.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
The more things change the more they stay the same. Or something like that. This episode really had the audience dwelling on change and whether it’s something we should expect to happen naturally, or a force to resist in order for one to remain themselves. But more importantly, it featured plenty of Sayu so that gives me an excuse to post her many faces.
The episode title probably refers to Sayu and Miuna, the two girls “sick” with a love they can’t let go of. That or I’m completely wrong.
Kaname is back! The charming and reserved fellow has returned only to be greeted with an older Chisaki who now crashes at Tsumugu’s house. Being the perceptive type, he doesn’t feel too threatened by the two, perhaps realising the family-like relationship.
He offers a few clues as to what’s going on below the surface. Although he can’t remember anything while he was asleep he happened to hear the same sound Miuna heard when she fell into the water and developed an ena.
Last time it was Miuna who was in the spotlight when Hikari returned but now it’s Sayu’s time since her childhood crush, Kaname, is back. She’s a little hesitant to see him but Miuna convinces her to go. Their encounter turns out to be awkward as the two come across each other before Sayu was ready. Kaname momentarily doesn’t recognise her and it was enough for Sayu to run away, embarrassed.
At this time Chisaki and Kaname have their first, proper conversation. After stating that a few things around town have changed, Kaname points out that Chisaki hasn’t and nor have his feelings for her. Back at school, it seems like Kaname will return to his old class with Hikari. The two wander up to the salt pool near the school and talk. Kaname points out that Hikari has changed in the few days since he woke up. Hikari vows not to change any more in fear of scaring Manaka who would be shocked to see how different everyone is.
Sayu and Miuna have some more girl talk, discussing how Sayu feels so far away from Kaname while Miuna, taking a cue from Hikari, declares she’ll never change. After a fiery debate, Sayu has her fateful encounter with Kaname. Being the bro that he is, he calls her by her name and makes her feel a little special just by acknowledging her.
The last bit of the episode focuses on the main plot. Tsumugu and a marine biologist figure out that the strange sound underwater is caused by an unknown current that could lead to Shioshishio. It seems like the force that isolates the Sea Village is faltering. Hikari and Kaname are called upon to investigate this current, but neither have a good idea of what the current sounds like. Miuna, on the other hand, knows exactly what it sounds like and offers to volunteer as well. Although no one thinks it’s a very good idea considering her ena is still new and npt fully developed, Hikari interjects and says “why not?’ Miuna is happy to go, but will this come back to bite them once they’re hundreds of metres below?
The three friends jump into the icy water and begin their journey back to the sea floor, but for Miuna this is a completely new experience that she has dreamed of for years. I think the main narrative of the anime is finally kicking back into gear. Will they find the rest of their kin? What happened to Manaka after she was taken by the Sea God? Maybe we’re just about to find out.
Overview Don’t judge a book by its cover. What you see is what you get. Two phrases that sum up the human experience and directly contradict each other in the process. Whether it be because of societal protocols, individual beliefs or a simple sense of adventure, birds of a feather tend to flock together. Welcome to a place where all of this applies and so much more. Welcome to Arakawa Under the Bridge.
First impressions aren’t necessarily lasting impressions
Story Meet Kou Ichinomiya. Though only 22 years old, he is on the fast track to assume control of his family’s company and become a powerful figure in the business world. Or at least he was…before kids took his pants. By sheer happenstance, whilst trying to retrieve his pilfered clothing, Kou meets a mysterious girl. Failing to notice the fragility of the beam to which his pants are affixed, Kou falls into the river below…pinned by the beam. Luckily for Kou, the strange girl comes to his rescue. Unfortunately for Kou, his family motto specifically prohibits any action that would cause him to be indebted to someone. Say having his life saved for example. With honour and family pride on the line, Kou resigns himself to granting the girl a wish. However, rather than asking for money or something material that Kou could easily provide, she desires only one thing: a lover. With the threat of shaming his family, and succumbing to an asthma attack brought on by the stress of debt, Kou reluctantly agrees and begins his life under the bridge.
Having become a part of the rich culture that dwells beneath the Arakawa bridge, Kou is given a new name: Recruit (Rec for short). The name is bestowed onto him by one of the colourful denizens of the riverside, the Village Chief, who just so happens to be clad in a Kappa costume. He, of course, vehemently denies that it is a costume, declaring himself a real live Kappa…and it only gets weirder from there. Other residents include a star who is a former star, an angelic woman with the demeanour of demon and a man who is a Sister…yep. As the story progresses, we learn more about the backstory of each character and how they became the person they are today…sort of. Though the past is explored to some degree, details are rather sparse and the stories can become just as insane as you’d expect. Most of the time however, the truth is simply hidden under a mess of symbolism that belies the intensity of the tale. Other times it’s just nonsense. That being said, the series clearly expresses the notion of community and the fact that a bunch of society’s rejects can create a semblance of life when left to their own devices. It’s kind of heartwarming.
Just another day at the office
Amidst all the chaos of the Arakawa residents lives Nino, the mysterious girl who rescued Rec. Though she explains that she is undoubtedly a Venusian residing on Earth, her overall demeanour exudes pure innocence. A great example being the deal she struck with Rec. Right from the get go, she calls him her lover, despite the two not even going on a date until halfway through Season 1. However, her lack of dating knowledge serves as almost a benefit to Rec who himself is completely inexperienced when it comes to relationships. So the two spend the entirety of the series slowly learning just what it means to be a couple…very slowly. Of course, it wouldn’t be a romance anime without some competition now would it? The celestial guitarist Hoshi clashes with Rec consistently as he vies for the affections of the oblivious Nino. As the story progresses, Rec also nets himself two unwanted followers who will stop at nothing to make him theirs.
Though flagged as a romantic story, Rec and Nino’s relationship often takes a back seat to the shenanigans of the residents. Most episodes are spent following some random story that is of crucial importance to each character, such as marathon for fish or a fire drill that is far too intense. These stories serve to provide slight insight into the minds of the characters, as well as showcase the inner workings of their world. Insane as it may be, it definitely paints a colourful picture and calls into question your own misconceptions about people who just don’t seem to fit in. Also it will make you laugh.
Do not toy with the hearts of girls…you may get killed
Visuals To keep up with the story it weaves, the visuals of Arakawa are similarly crazy. First of all: the characters. If ever there was a visual representation for quirky, it’s in Arakawa…multiple times. Every single character is given a unique look that generally expresses their personal brand of crazy. Be it the rocker in a star mask, the unconvincing yet somehow convincing Kappa or the woman who dresses like a bee, you’ll immediately be able to tell that something is just a little…different with them. Though I guess that’s why they live under a bridge.
Following the brief of insanity, in a matter of moments characters will often cycle through countless animation styles to express their feelings. Rec for example, whenever affected by Nino’s bursts of authority, is presented in an intensely shoujo style and fawns over his big, strong girlfriend. His fantasies also often present him in a far more masculine light, with his signature neck tie billowing dramatically, despite a lack of wind. This manly visage is also applied to Stella whenever her temper gets the best of her, though to a much, much, much higher degree than Rec’s assumed persona.
The series will also employ hard cuts with fairly regular consistency. These appear mostly during intense dialogue sessions and will often focus on a characters eyes, showcasing the emotions that they are attempting to conceal. The same technique is utilises with Rec’s feet, as his current stance often indicates the course that he will take. It’s all very symbolic.
It should also be noted that the series does an incredibly good job of keeping the visual environment interesting, being that the entire series takes place in a small stretch of riverside under a bridge. Though the insanity of the series and the ability to construct outlandish sets at any point in time certainly helps.
Nino’s quite the catch
Audio Once more in an effort to match the story, the audio of Arakawa delves into the realm of happy insanity. The most prevalent instrument that is heard in the soundtrack is undoubtedly the trumpet. The high brass sound matches the cheerful dispositions of the characters perfectly and serves to lighten the mood even further. Within the series itself, Hoshi’s music is constructed in a much more humorous light. A majority of his tunes boil down to simply strumming the guitar while he sings some bizarre lyrics in a different tune. Being the resident musician, these songs serve to better characterise Hoshi, especially after his past is revealed.
Two episodes in the collection also feature one off opening sequences, showcasing the true feelings of two separate characters. The first presents Maria in all of her sadistic glory, singing a tune that is undeniably brutal and also pretty funny. The second has a character express their one sided love for Rec, coming across as creepy and, once again, pretty funny. These intros lend to the overall feel of the series and provide a respite from the regular openings which are ridiculously happy and cute. In a good way.
Dialogue also plays an essential part in the series, expressing everything that the visuals cannot. Characters will often have entire monologues in the background of a scene, expressing just how oblivious everyone can be when they latch onto an idea. Of course, this often leads to a great deal of screaming, usually by Rec, summarising everything wrong with what is currently happening in the series. Speaking in tandem is also fairly prevalent in the series, showing how characters generally only team up to fight a larger threat.
Extras The extra features for Arakawa essentially boil down to short promos and advertisements. In the collection, a total of four 15 second promos, four 30 second promos are present, along with a 15 second promo for the series soundtrack and 15 second advertisements for each individual volume of the series. So if you’re a fan of brief advertisements, these are the extras for you, especially when combined with the standard fare anime tailers that are also there. The set also features two end card galleries that showcase various artworks relating to the series. A featurette gallery is also present, combining the two end card galleries into one slideshow complete with music.
Thank God for military hardware
Overall Arakawa Under the Bridge is a strange series. Which makes a whole lot of sense given the material. The characters themselves, apart from being instantly recognisable, are all very unique souls. Though concealed by their crazy actions, each is a complex person with a past they wanted to escape. In the brief instances when they let their persona fall, a general air of sadness is present that makes them interesting to explore. All that being said, those moments are fairly sporadic amidst the chaos of the series. Though it begins with the promise of a bizarre relationship between Rec and Nino, that kind of takes a back seat to daily life under the bridge. In fact, their relationship often progresses more when they aren’t the focus of an episode, pushing it even further into the background. The plot thread is occasionally picked back up and, when it is, the two are shown to have changed so there is some level of character development there. Which is good. Overall, Arakawa is a fun series that provide you with a plethora of characters to learn about and laugh at. Just don’t get too swept up in the madness. There are some things you just can’t come back from…
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Playdek, the developers behind Kickstarted game Unsung Story: Tale of the Guardians, have released some new details regarding the title’s gameplay mechanics.
Unsung Story‘s combat system will be turn-based (like The Banner Saga), placing an importance on speed for each units’ actions. Instead of the standard square-tile system, the game will utilize a triangular tile system, with the plan to have players standing not in the middle of the tiles, but at the intersections. This will give units six possible directions to move.
For the entire breakdown on their gameplay mechanics, or for the opportunity to back the strategy RPG’s Kickstarter yourself, you can visit their page here.
Last week marked the release of the highly-anticipated graphic novel “Snowpiercer” that has recently been turned into a complete motion picture. Alongside news of the two volume series’ release dates we also brought you the review for the first volume which, if you have no idea about what exactly “Snowpiercer” is, I suggest you head over here now to give it a quick read.
The post-apocalyptic comic revolving around a juggernaut train and the last remaining inhabitants of earth has just earned itself a second print seeing as comic book retailers around the globe quickly sold out of the first volume only 48 hours after the publication date.
This is fantastic news for Titan Comics, they have already ordered a second print for the first volume and those copies SHOULD be hitting stores before the release of the second volume which is set to get its release on the 25th of February, this year. Congratulations to Titan Comics and “Snowpiercer”, we here at Capsule Compters wish you continuous success in the future!
With The LEGO Movie being such a highly anticipated fare, it’s only natural that a tie-in game would be created. In this case, aptly named by Warner Bros: The LEGO Movie Videogame. The game will take players through a multitude of fantastical LEGO worlds, such as Bricksburg, Cloud Cuckoo Land and the rootin’ tootin’ Flatbush Gulch.
Unlike the previous LEGO titles that have been released over the years, The LEGO Movie Videogame‘s environments are created entirely from digital LEGO bricks, as noted by Tom Stone (Managing Director, TT Games):
“We challenged ourselves to introduce a new element never-before-seen in any LEGO game and did that with environments made entirely out of LEGO bricks, giving players more authentic opportunities to interact with the world around them. This is a chance for every LEGO builder to collect LEGO instruction pages and harness the powers of the Master Builders.”
Based on the events of the film, players will assume control of Emmett, an ordinary guy mistakenly believed to be “The Special”, a being prophesised to save the entire LEGO world. On his perilous quest Emmett is assisted by more than 90 characters, including such well known personalities as Superman, who lend him their various abilities. The game itself also contains the stellar cast from the movie itself, bringing in Chris Pratt as Emmet, Morgan Freeman as Vitruvius, Elizabeth Banks as WyldStyle, Will Arnett as Batman and Will Ferrell as Lord Business. Awesome. Players must navigate 15 levels of LEGO madness (45 on the handheld version) with the characters of their choosing and continue ever onwards until the world is safe.
The LEGO Movie Videogame is slated for a February 14th release in the UK on PS3, PS4, PS Vita , XBox 360, XBox One, Wii U, 3DS and PC. Whew. Check out the trailer above and see if the LEGO experience is as good as it’s been built up to be. Everything is Awesome.
MONSTER MADNESS ONLINE STARTS SECOND PUBLIC PRE-ALPHA
New Features Include First Story Challenge, New Enemies and Barry’s Clubhouse Now Open for Business in the F2P Action RPG Shooter
Gainesville, FL – February 7, 2014 – Nom Nom Games, a newly formed indie subsidiary of Trendy Entertainment, today launched its second public pre-Alpha play session of Monster Madness Online. Players can jump into the fray now at www.MonsterMadness.com to experience the many thrilling updates such as a new story mission, enemies, items, play modes, and crafting abilities, among others. Set in the popular Monster Madness universe, this new action RPG shooter is in development by the masterminds behind the highly acclaimed Dungeon Defenders.
“We are looking forward to players checking out the new content and providing us valuable feedback from this next phase,” said Jeremy Stieglitz, director at Nom Nom Games. “Our development structure is designed to receive information from players and quickly implement it, providing a new level of transparency between our team and our fans. These early play sessions provide just a taste of many more exciting things to come.”
In development for seamless cross-platform gameplay across PC, Mac, Android, Linux, iOS and web browser, the Monster Madness Onlinepre-Alpha 2 release incorporates the following new content and features:
The First Campaign Story Mission – Entitled ‘Sewer Sharkz’ the mission features puzzles, bosses, physical challenges, and exclusive rewards!
Crafting & Upgrading – Collect blueprints, crafting materials and modifier gems, and then use them to construct gear. Upgrade your Gear & Pets with more materials to improve their stats.
Spells – Apply Spell Amulets onto your gear to grant powerful offensive & defensive magic abilities!
Barry’s Clubhouse Shop is Now Open – Stop here to buy and sell items using monster tokens. Be careful though, Barry sure loves him some monster cash!
New Consumable Items – Fans can check out and experiment with Holo-Buddies, Gravity Mines, Root Beer Hats, The Nuke, and more.
New Difficulty and Hardcore-Permadeath Modes – Tailor your skill level – the tougher the challenge, the better the loot.
New Weapons, Cosmetic Costumes, Expressions, Item Skins, Attachments, and Pets!
Monster Madness Online is an action RPG shooter set in Suburbia City where citizens are caught totally unprepared for the Martian invasion. The kids of Monster Madness Online — Zack Fowler (the Nerd), Andy Gomez (the Skater dude), Jennifer Sweeney (the Cheerleader), and Carrie Rosenberg (the Goth) — are on a mission to beat back this insidious invasion, block by block, and then take the fight to the enemy’s mother ship and beyond. It’s time to team up, gear out, craft some weapons, and get hunting!
Monster Madness Online features 4-player co-op campaign missions, survival mode, and competitive PvP with 16 player battlegrounds. The game offers deep customization options, enabling gamers to create truly distinct characters then upgrade them with weapons and gear, customize their character classes, and allow them to train pets which will assist in combat.
Monster Madness Online is set for full game release summer 2014 across Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, Web Browser, and Steam. For in-depth Monster Madness Online information, please visit www.monstermadness.com, ‘Like’ the game on Facebook, and follow the development team @MonMadOnline
Recruitment is a lot more forceful on what’s left of Cybertron…
It would seem that Transformers Universe is almost ready to roll out and pit players against each other in an MMO brawl between two sides who having been warring longer than anyone cares to remember.
Being a war, it’d probably be best to choose a side. Will you fight for the Autobots, who seek peace and freedom for all sentient beings? Or the Decepticons who wish to rule life with an iron fist? Well whatever you choose, you can recruit and command a number of robotic faces, both new and old in your search for victory.
For more information about the new Transformers Universe set to unfurl, visit the official site. Also, don’t forget to check out the trailer below and witness the majesty that is tons of metal slamming into each other with extreme prejudice. The war continues…
Last week marked the release of the highly-anticipated graphic novel “Snowpiercer” that has recently been turned into a complete motion picture. Alongside news of the two volume series’ release dates we also brought you the review for the first volume which, if you have no idea about what exactly “
