Yep, even Plants vs Zombies is getting in on the pre-order game. In a new trailer featuring a chunk of new gameplay, PopCap have shown off Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare‘s pre-order bonuses. As you know, this title is inspired by the original, but has a shooter twist to it with some multiplayer action attached.
As for the pre-order bonus, players can expect to receive two digital card packs for putting money down, giving you an edge with new characters and items. I am a bit nervous of that free to play aspect (much like seen in Plants vs Zombies 2: It’s About Time), but the game looks solid and a lot of fun from what we seen, so I would say the risk should be worth it. Check out the clip below, and remember to pre-order today!
Attention to all Kalos Pokemon Trainers! Starting in February, the first Pokémon X & Y Global Link tournament is set to take place on the 3DS. This worldwide event will finally allow players to utilize the Global Link to register, and then take their treasured team to victory in an open tournament to all.
All you need to do (unless you already were sent an invitation) is register by following this link on January 31st, to which you will fight your hardest to overcome all that stand in your way on February 21st. More details are sure to emerge on that and the upcoming Pokemon Bank release, so stay tuned and get ready for battle!
Konami know what the people want. We of course want to see more from the characters of the latest Castlevania Lord Of Shadows 2, but the world you explore is even more important. Today, the Konami released a new trailer/development diary of sorts, which go into detail about how the worlds come alive as you travel to the next destination.
Mercury Steam do a good job of explaining things, and yes – the clip does a lot to make Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 even more appealing. Take a look at the footage below, and remember that Castlevania: Lord Of Shadows 2 is due out on February 25th.
Tecmo Koei has released a new trailer for Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z and this time the trailer focuses on all of the different costumes that players will be able to dress Yaiba up in while playing the game. Shown in the trailer are the Kabuiki and Schoolgirl costumes, as well as some DLC costumes such as the camouflage outfit, a Nuigulumar costume and also the Mighty No. 9 costume.
Also shown off at the end of the trailer are two outfits for Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate that gamers in Japan will be able to receive if they choose to pre-order the game. Currently Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z is set to be released on March 18th in North America.
Titan Comics is absolutely ecstatic to announce that the brilliant, award-winning graphic novel “Snowpiercer” has finally been translated in full and the first volume of the two-part release has just been made available for purchase world-wide. “Volume 1: The Escape” has just been released (29th of January) and with it comes a tidal wave of elation from comic book and graphic novel fans all over the world.
Written by Jacques Lob, Benjamin Legrand and illustrated by Jean-Marc Rochette: “Snowpiercer” follows the story of a juggernaut of a train that just so happens to have onboard the last remaining humans. One man, Proloff, comes from the very end of the train which functions much like slums, he has made it out of poverty and has no intentions of every returning so he ventures further and further through the train, all the while hoping that he will soon reach the very front. Luckily for all of you reading, Titan Comics has provided a full synopsis so that you get the full picture.
Coursing through an eternal winter, on an icy track wrapped around the frozen planet Earth, there travels Snowpiercer, a train one thousand and one carriages long. From fearsome engine to final car, all surviving human life is here: a complete hierarchy of the society we lost…
The elite, as ever, travel in luxury at the front of the train – but for those in the rear coaches, life is squalid, miserable and short.
Proloff is a refugee from the tail, determined never to go back. In his journey forward through the train, he hopes to reach the mythical engine and, perhaps, find some hope for the future…
The English release of this comic book has come at a perfect time seeing as an adaptation of the story has been made into a fantastic new film starring Chris Evans of “Captain America” fame alongside such actors and actresses like Alison Pill (Scott Pilgrim Vs The World), Tilda Swinton (The Chronicles of Narnia), Jamie Bell (The Adventures of Tintin) and many more.
The film has yet to have been released in Australia nor North America but you can bet that, when it does, fans of the comics will flood cinemas all around the country eager and hoping that it comes out as good as the comics. Back to the main point: “Snowpiercer – Volume 1: The Escape” has just been released in places around the world where it is the 29th of January and “Volume 2: The Explorers” will follow with a release on the 25th of February. As a bit of a treat we have the trailer to the movie just below so check it out and start getting excited for this great release.
While BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma won’t be available in English until March, courtesy of Aksys Games, it looks like gamers in Japan will only have to wait a month longer than that to pick up the game on its newly announced platform, the PS Vita. The latest issue of Dengeki PlayStation has revealed that the Vita port will be released on April 24th in Japan.
The port will feature some new events such as a beach bathing scene, share downloadable content with the PS3 version of the game and updates from arcade version of the game. It is also said that players will be able to look at highlights form the series on the Vita version of the title.
Click through to enlarge and better read the print
In an Amazon listing for the Dishonored Game of the Year Edition, a Bethesda release, the above image was found and has since been taken down. It reveals the as-of-yet officially unannounced The Elder Scrolls Online Imperial Edition and its contents.
As you’d be able to tell by clicking through, the Imperial Edition is set to include a steelbook, a 12-inch statue of the Daedric Prince Molag Bal, a map of Tamriel, and a considerably large 224-page “Emperor’s Guide to Tamriel”. In regards to in-game bonuses, Imperial Edition owners will receive the ability to play as an Imperial inside any alliance and will be gifted a a white Imperial horse, a Mudcrab pet, and two Rings of Mara. This is certainly a nice package for hardcore fans… it shouldn’t be too long (especially after the leak) until its official announcement.
Well it’s time again to check in on our favourite yuri couple of 2014 (yes I’m already calling it), what are Haruka and Yuu going to get involved with in the third episode of Sakura Trick and how will it affect their relationship? The past two episodes have done a good job establishing a natural and realistic bond between the two and this third episode takes it to another level by adding in an element of risk to their secret, a risk that goes by the name of Mitsuki Sonoda.
That’s right my friends in this half we are introduced to a brand new character and it happens to be Yuu’s older sister. We first get a glimpse of both siblings when Yuu is trying to wake up Mitsuki, asking her if she can borrow one of her hair accessories, this leads to Yuu slipping over and waking her dear older sister up by head-butting her… oh and breaking her glasses along the way. During breakfast Yuu starts talking about an optician that Haruka knows about, Mitsuki then questions why Haruka is always mentioned when Yuu says something and gives the throwaway line “It’s not like you’re dating her or anything.” Mitsuki then realizes she has no idea what Haruka looks like or what kind of girl she is, and thus the suspicion begins…
Due to the low number of first year classes and the low budget of the soon to be closed school, instead of having a full athletics festival they plan on having a regular sports day. This sends Yuu into a pit of sadness as she wanted to be the head cheerleader for the athletics festival, something that isn’t normally done on a sports day. In an attempt to solve this dilemma Haruka became a committee rep and put forward the idea of having cheerleaders to the council president, who just so happened to be Mitsuki. What occurred next was a good example of misinterpretation; Mitsuki wass squinting in order to see what Haruka looked like (having just got her glasses broken), which translates as a look of aggression in the eyes of Haruka. After a quick confrontation with her in the hallway Haruka is pleased with Mitsuki’s decision to have a cheer squad on sports day, thus ending the story with Haruka being in Yuu’s room as Yuu shows her appreciation by giving her a special kiss.
Oh wait, I forgot to mention that Mitsuki walked in on their yuri moment, I may have to go back a little bit. Mitsuki was touched when Haruka was talking about her best friend wanting the cheerleaders on sports day; she then froze when she discovered the friend mentioned was her little sister. At the end of the story Mitsuki walked towards Yuu’s room, she wanted to thank Haruka for fixing her glasses. She opened the door and saw her little sister on top on Haruka, how did she react you may ask? Well…
3-B: A Promise Made while Cleaning the Pool
The second half of this episode doesn’t really have much of a plot; it’s just the six girls cleaning the school pool and ends with Haruka and Yuu alone in the storage shed. It starts off with Yuu forgetting her swimsuit and as a result has to borrow one off Haruka, who spent most of the night sewing on patches that displayed their affection for one another. This sends Yuu into a panic as she rips off the more obvious one claiming that people would discover their secret if they saw it. Think of this half as more of a beach story because the girls certainly did; their ideas of playing volley ball, burying each other and lying about in the sun are immediately shot down my Iizuka who reminds them that they actually need to clean the pool first.
Other entertaining bits from this half include a small water fight between Haruka and Iizuka, a scene that shows Kotone and Shizuku sitting rather cosy together and a great manipulative trick Ikeno uses on Iizuka in order to clean the pool faster. The animation of the water flowing from the hose was done very well and music that played when Kotone and Shizuku were together was perfect, the slow trumpets made the scene more romantic and the way they faded out when Yuu broke the moment was a nice touch. The fan service is quite clear in this half too, mainly consisting of close ups on Haruka’s chest. It’s hard not to notice when Haruka’s swimsuit is shown through her soaking wet top or when she begins poking her chest in front of the other girls… okay she was really pointing to her “I Heart You” patch, but I don’t think anyone noticed (in case you were wondering, she’s a D).The second half ends when a certain big sister arrives and doesn’t see Haruka or Yuu cleaning the pool with the others, after Mitsuki begins to walk away she discovers the patch that Yuu ripped off from the beginning, her reaction was the same as the first half’s end.
Although there wasn’t any funny moments that stood out like the previous episodes (volleyball scene and veranda jump) I really enjoyed episode three, my only problem is that the kisses are becoming more predictable and I’m starting to wonder if the rest of the episodes will always end in them kissing, making each time seem less special and more like a routine. The issue of the school closing down is appropriately used in this episode and is not seen as just a side detail, strengthening the idea that they can only do these event’s once in their life, adding more weight to even the littlest scenario. With the introduction of Mitsuki there is now genuine concern in regards to Haruka and Yuu’s relationship, what will happen once she finds out? How will this affect the two of them? I have a feeling we will be seeing more drama in future episodes as Mitsuki tries to uncover the truth about her younger sister.
Sakura Trick is animated by Studio Deen and is currentlybeing streamed byCrunchyroll. Don’t forget to check out our Anime Impressions page to see what shows the other Capsule Computers anime crew is watching this season.
Overview The Tomb Raider franchise had been around for over sixteen years when the series was rebooted last year by Crystal Dynamics. With this reboot fans saw a new side of Lara Croft and many people believed that not only did the game deliver an excellent experience but it was even a game of the year contender for many outlets. With such an amazing reception for the original game, Square Enix is now bringing us the Definitive Edition of Tomb Raider for next-gen consoles. Sporting all of the game’s DLC and a major graphical overhaul, is this title still everything fans loved?
Story Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition offers almost the exact same experience as the original version of the game as far as the storyline goes. Lara is young and inexperienced as she has only done some very minor archaeology work and is now on an expedition to find the lost island of Yamatai with her friend Sam, a few acquaintances, and the rest of the crew of the Endurance.
Following a lead that Lara has discovered, the Endurance sails into the Dragon’s Triangle only to snap in half and sink in a vicious storm that separates Lara from the rest of the crew as the few survivors manage to make it to shore only for Lara to once again be separated from the group after being knocked out by a mysterious figure on the shore. When Lara next gains consciousness, she finds that she has been tied and hung upside down in a strange cave with a ritualistic sacrifice and altars to an unknown deity.
After escaping from this predicament, Lara learns that the crew of the Endurance is not alone on this island as hundreds of people have been stranded here in the past and these survivors have formed a religious cult that kills anyone that disobeys them. With her friends in danger and Sam kidnapped for a ritual that involves the Sun Queen Himiko, Lara will have to do anything it takes to survive and try to make it off the island.
The story remains fairly simple as it tells the story of a woman surviving against nearly impossible odds as she faces off against not only dangerous gun-toting fanatics but the wild elements that make up the island of Yamatai. There is a bit of spice thrown in as some mystical elements come in to play with Oni and strange storms that prevent anyone from leaving the island pop up from time to time. But for the most part everything is pretty much telegraphed outside of a few action sequences that see Lara having to run for her life in set pieces that put some action movies to shame.
It is also worth noting that outside of Lara, players will probably not grow attached to most of the cast. This is partly due to the fact that they rarely are given screen time, though players can learn a bit more about them from collectibles spread across the island, but also because most of them are simply used as tools for Lara’s character growth. From the beginning of the game we see Lara transform from a vulnerable and inexperienced woman weeping over killing someone to a survivalist that will do anything it takes to survive, even if it means blowing away hundreds of men with a machine gun and screaming as they run away, to do so.
Gameplay The gameplay of Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition has only received some very minor additions, most of which aren’t even noticeable or can be a bit problematic. The title still plays just like the original version of the game with players navigating around the island of Yamatai through the use of ledges that Lara can climb up or shimmy across with additional equipment gained over time to allow her to access new areas. These pieces of equipment range from the climbing axe that allows Lara to scale rough rocky surfaces, rope arrows allowing her to create make-shift zip lines and barricades that can be destroyed with specific weapons.
The gear plays a major role in extending the play time of Tomb Raider as there are numerous areas that the player will travel through that have specific collectibles or areas gated off by obstacles that Lara cannot pass until the player obtains a specific item later in the game. As before the gear and weapons that Lara obtains in the game can be upgraded with salvage and weapon parts found throughout the game, giving players an incentive to make sure they break open every salvage box and loot every enemy that they come across.
As for the game’s combat system, it remains as fluid and enjoyable as ever. Lara will instinctively react to nearby enemies by crouching and drawing her weapon and if players move against a wall or piece of cover, she will naturally take cover behind it without forcing the player to tap any buttons. Aiming will see Lara popping out of cover to take aim at enemies that are plentiful and deadly as they usually will hide effectively and liberally use explosives or molotovs to force Lara from cover. This can make for a rather quick death as enemies with machine guns can quickly pepper Lara with enough bullets to put her down for good.
With the game’s leveling system players will be able to make Lara quite deadly and able to take a bit more damage. Some of the later skills she can earn provide Lara with brutal finishing moves that range from her slamming the climbing axe into an enemy’s skull to holding them at close range and peppering them with her assault rifle as an execution maneuver. This allows players to evolve over time and make Lara a force to be reckoned with, especially once she obtains a few weapon upgrades and uses them in the game’s fast-paced combat to eliminate numerous enemies at a time.
The optional tombs are still in the game though they only take around five minutes to get through as the puzzles that have to be solved are very simplistic. It is also worth noting that there is an additional tomb in this version of the game that was previously held back as a pre-order bonus for the original game. As for the rest of the additional gameplay content, we have a few costumes for Lara to wear, all of which are absolutely terrible and boring looking, and all of the downloadable multiplayer map packs.
The multiplayer for the game is still extremely lackluster even with the addition of a few new maps. Unless one finds themselves really enjoying the game’s multiplayer mode you probably won’t feel like trying out enough matches to actually experience all of these maps. For what is offered, the gameplay is a bit varied with some of the single player’s combat features removed with new combat options exclusive to the multiplayer. It is a bit enjoyable to set traps for opposing players but it ultimately remains a forgettable addition.
It is worth noting that with this release on the Xbox One, players can use the Kinect to either examine relics they have found by moving around their hand and using the Kinect’s voice recognition for various tasks. This includes switching between weapons with voice commands, bringing up the menu or the map by calling for it and other little tidbits. Unfortunately, this feature tends to be more problematic than anything else as the Kinect absolutely loved picking up sound effects from the game and randomly swapping weapons during basic gameplay.
Visuals Pretty much the whole point of Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition was to provide gamers with a next-gen Lara as fast as possible and while the game is almost entirely the same as far as story and gameplay goes, the graphical improvement in this release is obvious right from the very first scene as nearly every aspect of Lara Croft’s character model has been reworked and numerous other features have been implemented into the game to make this title look as impressive as possible.
As I mentioned, Lara’s character model has been given a number of upgrades. Her hair is now handled by the previously PC exclusive TressFX technology which makes almost every strand of hair in pony tail react realistically to any given situation. I say almost as there are plenty of moments in the game that the pony tail reacts wildly or simply doesn’t react at all despite Lara’s constant movements. The equipment that Lara carries around jostles around as she runs and climbs and even the way that mud, rain, and blood runs off of Lara’s body has been touched up to provide some extremely realistic looking scenes.
It is worth noting though that even when Lara has been submersed in a pool of blood, her hair still remains shiny and clean which is a rather odd misstep considering how much attention they paid to trying to present a realistic looking character covered in dirt and grime. Lara’s face has also been reworked to be more detailed and skin effects work with the enhanced lighting and particle effects to give characters a living feel and make many of the action sequences all the more impressive.
Audio As far as the game’s voice work and music goes, the title remains the exact same though there are a number of language tracks to choose from if the player wishes. Saying that the voice work has stayed the same isn’t much of an issue when it comes to Tomb Raider however as the original performances were perfect and had just the right level of emotional impact to drive the events of the game home.
The same can be said for the game’s soundtrack which is ranges from melancholy pieces of background music to fast paced action music to accompany the events occurring on the screen. The original soundtrack gave players exactly what they wanted and this has not been touched in the port.
Overall Now, the main question is, should you purchase Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition? Maybe. Despite being an excellent title in almost every way, there is one obstacle in the way of this game and that is its $60 price tag for a game many of us have played almost a year ago. Outside of some bare bones costume DLC and meaningless multiplayer maps, the Definitive Edition simply offers a major graphical upgrade and that may be a high price for those who have already played the original game and for a cheaper price this would have been an easy suggestion. That being said, if you have not played Tomb Raider yet then there is a reason this is called the Definitive Edition, as this is the best way to experience the new Lara Croft and one of the best games from last year.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Judgment of the Gears of War franchise has been passed, and it’s been common opinion for years that a fresh take was due. Now, news that Microsoft Studios have acquired the rights to the Gears of War franchise from Epic Games might just signal as much becoming a reality. In a Xbox Wire blog post, Phil Spencer, Head of Microsoft Studios, Hanno Lemke, General Manager of Black Tusk Studios at Microsoft Studios, and Rod Fergusson, former Director of Production at Epic Games on the Gears of War franchise, answered questions on the acquisition.
Black Tusk Studios may be a familiar name to you; the team used to be known as Microsoft Studios Vancouver before undergoing a rebranding in November of 2012. They were supposedly tasked with creating the next big IP for the publisher, on the scale of a Halo or, ironically, Gears of War. They were knee-deep in development of the secretive title in question leading into this announcement, and it is unknown what will become of said project. Back on the subject of Gears of War, Rod Fergusson will stand as overseer in his Studio Manager leadership role over at Black Tusk Studios. This should ensure a consistency in tone and brand identity/character, whilst allowing newer gameplay approaches and concepts thanks to the fresh-perspective of the experienced (over 12 years average) guys and girls at the Vancouver-based developer.
Join the conversation and let us know how you feel about this news. It can only be good, right? Gears of War needs an overhaul and, although untested, I’d put my chips behind a crew who has the trust and confidence of Microsoft to develop the “next Halo” any day.
