Late last year we brought you news of a new “Naruto Shippuden” backstory arc that was slated to be aired sometime early this year, at the time there were no good images nor was there any video footage of the arc itself but now in an awesome twist of fate we’ve been granted a small 30-second look at the upcoming Kakashi-centric arc.
The video, which you can see below, is unfortunately entirely in Japanese without any English subtitles so for now you’ll just have to revel in the fact that some actual footage of the arc is in front of you though I can’t imagine it going too long without some company, possibly Crunchyroll considering they have the streaming rights to the “Naruto Shippuden” series, subbing the trailer and re-releasing it to English audiences.
I, for one, am super excited for this small look into Kakashi’s past seeing as he’s my favourite character and us Kakashi fans wont be waiting too long to see the actual arc because it is set to begin its air on the 6th of February, granted we may have to wait for a legal “subber” to come along and stream it but here’s hoping one comes around quick!
The web-slinger is back once again for his time in the video game spotlight and it’s thanks to both “Activision” and “Marvel” for releasing the first full trailer for the brand-new Spiderman game title; “The Amazing Spiderman 2” which shares its name with the movie but it doesn’t necessarily mean they will be exactly the same, this was proven in the last video game adaptation of the film.
This trailer not only gives us another glimpse at the creepy-crawly crusader but it also introduces us to an old Marvel character and Spiderman villain that hasn’t popped up in a few years, at least not in mainstream Marvel media, and that man is called “Kraven The Hunter”. Anywho, the first “The Amazing Spiderman 2” video game trailer can be seen by heading down to our Featured Video section just below this post, give it a watch and keep your eyes on the site for any and all news to be released.
Both Warner Brothers Entertainment and Monolith Productions are extremely excited to bring you a brand-new video for the upcoming action/RPG title; “Middle-Earth: Shadow Of Mordor“. Within “Shadow Of Mordor” you play as a man named Talion who, after he and his family is killed by Sauron’s army, is brought back to life but this time with “Wraith-like” abilities, these allow him to do things so far unimaginable by normal humans and he vows to use those powers to avenge the death of both his family and himself. The game takes place within the gap between the two movie trilogies “The Hobbit” and “The Lord Of The Rings”, and is said to be written by J.R.R. Tolkien himself.
The video that was just released is actually and official developer walkthrough that lasts a whopping eight minutes and takes viewers through both the combat system and the “nemesis” system of the game, both are quite intelligent and highly intriguing, luckily the long video goes over as much as it possibly can as it gives you a fairly good view of the game and what it entails. The game is set for a release sometime within the year on the PlayStation 3 and 4, the Xbox 360 and One, and on all compatible Microsoft Windows systems. You can watch the video in our Featured Video section just below the post so head down there now to check it out and don’t forget to keep your eyes on the site for any and all news to be released.
“Square Enix” is the type of company that instils a sense of hope in fans all around the world, their track record of absolutely fantastic games have made them one of the greatest gaming developers and publishers to ever exist and it is all because of the success that “Final Fantasy” gained from being such a well-rounded game/series. Despite the popularity and majesty of “Final Fantasy”, “Square Enix” has done so much more so so many different games, all of which fill a spot in the hearts of players everywhere. From franchises like “Final Fantasy” and “Dragon Quest” to contemporary titles such as “Hitman” and “Tomb Raider”, “Square Enix” has done it all. I’d now like to introduce you all to “Bravely Default”; a brand-new title and hopeful franchise developed by “Square Enix” that mixes both the old school style of traditional JRPGs with some brand-new gaming mechanics thought up specifically for a title of its kind, it has fans of older “Final Fantasy” titles in a frenzy and has already landed itself a sequel in the works. Could “Bravely Default” be the next branch of “Square Enix” royalty? We’ll soon see.
Story
“Bravely Default” hosts a very traditional style of “Final Fantasy-esque” storytelling that is actually quite reminiscent of the earlier titles of the massive series. It revolves around a worldwide catastrophe and four humans destined for greatness. Agnes the holy vestal, Tiz the farm boy, Ringabel the amnesiac adonis and Edea the spiteful traitor are the four main characters that are introduced before you even begin to play the game yet join you throughout the events within the first hour or so in the game. The world has been thrown into desolation, the four elemental crystals that once kept the world in a constant state of peace and equilibrium have now all been, for lack of a better term, “turned off” making each of the elements they control erratic and unpredictable; the winds are at a standstill, the oceans have begun to decay and corrupt and if something isn’t done soon the world will be sink into a destruction that can never be undone, and that’s where our main characters come in.
Agnes who is the vestal of wind tasked with keeping the wind crystal as powerful as possible is the first to set off on the quest of reconstruction closely followed by Tiz whose village and all its inhabitants (bar him) was destroyed and sunk into what seems like some sort of endless chasm, I found it very clever that this story element directly involves a piece of constant gameplay but I’ll get into that a little later on. Ringabel is a man who has amnesia, he knows not his true name but seeing as people call him Ringabel that is what he calls himself. The only thing he has of his past life is a thick book that seems to contain pieces of crucial information that come about throughout the story, little is known about this book but it does help the team through some sticky situations. The last member of the “rag-tag” bunch to be introduced into the story is Ringabel, a girl who just so happens to be a part of the royal family that is after Agnes and the vestals but betrays them when she comes to her senses and realises that what they are doing is wrong.
As I mentioned above; each of these characters has a good enough reason to take part on this journey and throughout the story they develop as friends and then as a makeshift family to the point where they continue with each other because of the bonds between one another and not their individual reasons. These characters seem one-dimensional but they truly aren’t, you understand this the more you play through the game, a great example would be Ringabel; though he’s a skirt-chaser and a casanova, he’s quite intelligent, chivalrous and has never been shown to back down. Agnes on the other hand is a character that has lived her life as a priestess, she knows barely anything of the outside world and is constantly stricken with shock or confusion as well as a great deal of stubbornness, luckily this only happens close to the start of the story, you begin to notice that the more story you play through the more Agnes loosens up and turns into a character with a somewhat “worldly” frame of mind.
It doesn’t take a genius to see how well-written these characters are yet it’s done subtly, it doesn’t throw it in your face. At first glance the “Bravely Default” storyline seems quite generic but it doesn’t hurt to look into it more and think about all the events that transpire under the cover of this “generic” storyline. “Bravely Default” is essentially a story made up of a smaller stories and while the larger story of “the world is in darkness and we must bring the light” has been done time and time again, I believe it’s the stories in between that make the game what it is. Every town you go to and every side mission you do has characters and storylines that, while sticking to the overall theme and adventure of the game, twists and turns down different avenues to give players a bit more to sink their teeth into. Going on a search mission for a young sisters will not be just that by the end of the mission, the game finds ways to transition between seemingly meaningless side quests to informative developments of backstories for interesting characters, I found it engaging and it kept my attention so how could I possibly complain about that?
Gameplay
“Bravely Default” has all the fundamental mechanics of a traditional JRPG; it’s turn-based, there are a whole bunch of different classes to master, characters can execute both physical and magical attacks, etc…but the game DOES indeed do something to the genre that actually fits in quite well and, to my knowledge, I don’t believe it has ever been done before. It’s all in the name…”Bravely Default”, it refers to the two different and new options while in a battle; “Bravely” adds one more move to your turn for the character using it and “Default” almost works as a slight defence while also allowing you an extra move the next time that character is set to make a turn.
Now I wouldn’t say mastering this type of battle is THAT hard but there is a certain learning curve and one slip up could work in the enemy’s favour seeing as every time you use the “Bravely” option you gain one move but then have to give up a move to earn a point back so if you use “Bravely” four times and the enemy doesn’t die, well then you’ll have to wait for turns without a move to make up for the four you already used. It’s not really a system that HAS to be used but I would recommend it, not only does it add a bit of flair because enemies can also use it but it also puts a bit of a twist on typical JRPG mechanics. I quite enjoyed it and used it as strategically as I could every time I was tossed into a battle. Another thing that I really enjoyed about the gameplay mechanics in this game was the amount of classes that could be unlocked and used, not only was there plenty of them but they were all fairly unique unique and mixing classes could allow your characters to play in a variety of different ways that were suited to you personally.
As I mentioned; all the traditional “Final Fantasy” elements are here and it definitely feels like a “Final Fantasy” game, that’s not to say it’s a bad thing though, it’s a “Square Enix” game so I’m sure everyone expected it to be fairly close to a final fantasy game. It plays in an accessible way, the learning curve isn’t too steep at all and by the end of the first couple of missions you know exactly what to do and how to do it. This game really took full use of the 3DS’ odd and wonderful system mechanics like “StreetPass”, and the interesting thing is that the “StreetPass” side-game actually ties into the story. “Norende” is Tiz’s original home which is the town that was swallowed up into a giant chasm, this side-game has you collect villagers through “StreetPass” that will help you rebuild this village bit by bit.
It is a feature that you can get to through the side menu of the game and building it up awards you with many more items to use within the game so it gives you a reason to actually follow through with the rebuild though it is not essential to the game so those of you who dislike this type of thing can choose to ignore it. I, for one, really enjoy it and continue to use it time and time again. This game has so many great aspects, both traditional and brand-new, that keep me coming back to it even after I get killed over and over by the same boss and/or same enemy, I’m never too far away from playing “Bravely Default” and the fact that it is a 60+ hour game means that there’s so much to do, uncover and have fun with…and that’s just the gameplay.
Visuals
Aesthetically this game is absolutely brilliant! When it comes to something like graphics and visuals, “Square Enix” has never been one to skimp on the time spent making it fantastic and it’s no different with “Bravely Default”. The game begins by both implementing great graphics and the 3DS’ camera alongside the use of an AR Card that comes with every copy of the game. Agnes literally pops out at you as she’s placed into whatever environment you have your 3DS pointed at, essentially it is used as a message to the player/hero of the story and it looks great. The graphics, both in-game and within a cutscene, are so smooth and fluid in motion – “Bravely Default”, as well as some other incredible 3DS titles from last year, have proven the high-quality capabilities of such a small machine in a big way. Environments look stunning, it almost feel like you’re travelling through paintings rather than physical environments and every town or area you journey through looks so unique and so different yet fits nicely within the world that the game has already created.
I was actually extremely impressed when I first started playing this game and the great thing is that I’m continually sent into a state of awe at every different area within the game, it’s amazing. The characters are also well-designed and the classes that each of them can be look even better. When it comes to varied designs, I truly think “Bravely Default” takes the cake, it finds ways to impress you over and over again simply by SHOWING you something that blows your expectations out of the water. The game mixes both simplicity and detail in a great way; characters within a battle are somewhat “chibi-esque”, they don’t have defined feet or hands and they’re quite cute-looking but the costumes they wear and the monsters they face are detailed enough for you to see the difference between the two styles, I would actually compare it much to the way “Fire Emblem: Awakening” looked which was, once again, a visually outstanding game.
Audio
Now this may come across bad but take it almost with a grain of salt because I will explain myself in due time: Compared to the Visuals and the rest of the game, the Audio aspect would have to be its weakest one simply because of the English voice acting of the game. “Square Enix” games don’t entirely have great reputations when it comes to the voice acting within them in my opinion and I feel as though their games could be so much better had they gotten a more talented English cast, we saw how good Troy Baker was as “Snow” in the “Final Fantasy XIII” games so I always wondered why that effort wasn’t put into every title. Unfortunately “Bravely Default” suffers from that same lacking element, fortunately for players there’s the option that allows you to switch to the original Japanese dub which is so much better than the English. While it’s great that players can switch back and forth and the Japanese dub is great, it seems like a shame to waste and English cast especially in a game that is overly European.
Having listened to both the English and Japanese dub I realised the overall vibe of characters change, I’ll once again use Ringabel as an example: In the English dub he is a man that has the voice of a boy, he speaks with a fairly high pitch and seems entirely too “up himself” and narcissistic whereas the Japanese voice for Ringabel is deep in tone and has a lot of range allowing the character to go from being a woman-loving beauty addict to battle-ready warrior who cannot afford to back down in a matter of words, something the English voice did not do. The music is great throughout the entire game, even the overworld map’s tune changes time and time again so not to bore players into submission. Battle music is more-or-less the same but it does get a huge change when jumping into a boss or sub-boss battle which is great. Every town and area has its own musical theme; some are quite whimsical while others are fairly dark and it gives you a greater depth of the environment and situation that you’re in. Audio really makes a game what it is to a huge degree and it was great to see the musical side take a step up, unfortunately the voice acting side really brought it back down.
Overall
“Bravely Default” has everything both older fans and newer fans of JRPGs have been looking for, it takes what it knows best from older games and mixes it with brand-new ideas to try its best in making it better than anything that came before it. That amount of dedication to a game shows itself in every single way through the entire title; in how it plays, in the way it looks and, for the most part, in the way it sounds. There’s nothing I wanted more from this game apart from some great English voice acting but unfortunately that’s not the case, though if you are even a little bit like me you don’t entirely mind listening to the Japanese language so I guarantee you’ll be fine with hearing it throughout entirety of the game. It looks beautiful, it plays fantastically and, all around, it is an incredible game that I will continue playing for weeks and months to come. “Bravely Default” has proven itself to be an absolutely fantastic addition to the already-marvellous “Square Enix” catalogue while simultaneously cementing itself in as the hopeful little brother to the big, successful sister that is “Final Fantasy”.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
JOIN THE ULTIMATE COMPETITION IN THE FINAL OPEN HOUSE FOR THE MIGHTY QUEST FOR EPIC LOOT
San Francisco, California – January 23, 2014 – Ubisoft® announced the final Open House event for The Mighty Quest for Epic Loot kicks off today. Starting now and running until January 27, anyone can join in the quest to loot, slash and hack their way to fame and fortune in Opulencia. The final Open House will allow anyone who signs up the ability to play while The Mighty Quest in Epic Loot is still in closed beta.
Don’t just play, pick a side. This final Open House will determine which of characters is most beloved in Opulencia. For the first time and for the duration of the event, The Mage is playable for free, levelling the playing field and letting players pick which one character can loot them all. Help us end the bickering between the three and vote with your choice of character.
Throughout the Open House there will be a tally of points earned by each hero that will be regularly updated through the game’s Facebook page. Points will be awarded or deducted by select criteria including number of castles looted vs number of castles failed and given for gold and life force looted. You can find more information on contest specifics here: https://www.themightyquest.com/en/blog/open-house-may-the-final-showdown-start.
It’s a vicious battle for popularity, ego and gold that can only be decided by the players in Opulencia. Players can sign up or sign in with their existing Uplay account at www.themightyquest.com and will be granted immediate access during the event.
About The Mighty Quest for Epic Loot
Developed by Ubisoft Montréal, The Mighty Quest for Epic Loot is a multiplayer action game where players attempt to create impregnable castles to protect their treasure hoard while simultaneously attempting to ransack other players’ castles.
Gamers can play as three characters, the boastful Knight, Sir Painhammer, the enigmatic Archer, Blackeye Bogart, or the Mage, a.k.a The Earl of Evilosity. In the near future players will also have access to The Runaway, the latest character to join the quest. Wielding a bad ass axe and lightning speed, she’ll be a formidable foe for castle defenses.
About Ubisoft
Ubisoft is a leading creator, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and services, with a rich portfolio of world-renowned brands, including Assassin’s Creed, Just Dance, Tom Clancy’s video game series, Rayman and Far Cry. The teams throughout Ubisoft’s worldwide network of studios and business offices are committed to delivering original and memorable gaming experiences across all popular platforms, including consoles, mobile phones, tablets and PCs. For the 2012-13 fiscal year Ubisoft generated sales of €1,256 million. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoftgroup.com.
SteelSeries Stratus Wireless Gaming Controller Now Available For $79.99 / €79.99
CHICAGO – Jan. 23, 2014 – SteelSeries, a global leader in the gaming peripherals and accessories market, today revealed that the Stratus Wireless Gaming Controller, the only iOS controller that is wireless and that works with iPad®, iPhone®, and iPod touch® is now available at Apple stores and at Apple.com for $79.99/ €79.99. The device, introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) earlier this month, is specifically designed for console-style gameplay on iPad®, iPhone®, and iPod touch® running iOS 7 with supported, controller-enabled games.
“The media and consumer reaction to the announcement of the Stratus Controller at CES really demonstrated the power behind this product, and the new category of gaming we can enable by working together with Apple,” said Bruce Hawver, SteelSeries CEO. “More than ever, we see the power of this platform and we want to make every effort to make it accessible to as many consumers as possible. We have therefore worked closely with our retail partners and suppliers with the objective of lowering the retail price target without changing any of the terrific features of this product.”
“Since our inception, SteelSeries has been committed to not only making great and innovative products, but also to investing considerable time and resources into building a global gaming community. Working diligently with our suppliers to lower the MSRP, which we believe will help welcome a new world of gamers into this exciting space, allows us to stay true to our roots and provide consumers everywhere an exceptional value,” said Jacob Wolff-Petersen, SteelSeries Founder.
SteelSeries will honor the launch price of $79.99 / €79.99 on all pre-orders it has already taken for the controller on its websites globally.
SteelSeries is a leading manufacturer of top quality gaming peripherals from headsets, keyboards and mice to controllers, surfaces and software. For more than a decade, SteelSeries has been on the forefront of designing and creating gear for gamers. The company’s continued innovation also comes in collaboration with the world’s leading professional gaming teams and partners. SteelSeries is a global brand that continues to support the growth of competitive gaming tournaments and electronic sports leagues through professional team sponsorships, partnerships and community support. For more information, please visit http://steelseries.com.
Apple is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.
IOS is a trademark or registered trademark of Cisco in the U.S. and other countries and is used under license.
KONAMI Unveils New Trailer Depicting Key Cast from Epic ‘Lords of Shadow’ Conclusion
Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. today released a new trailer showcasing key characters in its forthcoming Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 title.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 will be released for PlayStation�3, Xbox 360� and Windows PC on February 25, 201,4 and acts as a shocking conclusion to the Gabriel story arc. Following the infamous revelation where Gabriel was shown to be the legendary Dracula at the end of the first game, the new game finds the weakened vampire stranded in modern times, where an old ally proposes a deal that could offer him freedom from his eternal existence.
The new trailer highlights footage from the game to introduce a range of key characters and adversaries from the new installment including; Dracula, once Gabriel, a member of the Brotherhood of Light who fought to avenge the death of his beloved wife Marie, but fate got the better of him, transforming him into Dracula � the most feared of all vampires. Also returning is Zobek, one of the founders of the Brotherhood of Light, who is, in reality, one of the evil Lords of Shadow who betrayed Gabriel and all of humanity. Carmilla, Marie and Satan himself make a return, in addition to a slew of new characters.The new trailer also showcases some previously unseen locations and environments.
View the full cast of characters in the new Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, Dracula’s Destiny trailer here: <iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”//www.youtube.com/embed/VgtztYmjVxg” frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen></iframe>
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 will be released for PlayStation�3, Xbox 360� and Windows PC in North and South America on February 25, 2014.
Nexon Europe’s Closed Beta Ends Successfully for Latest MMORPG
Luxembourg – January 23, 2014: Nexon Europe is proud to announce that Arcane Chronicles (http://en.arcane.nexoneu.com/) has ended its Closed Beta with great user support and feedback, as the fantasy browser-based MMORPG looks ahead to the launch in the near future.
With an astonishing level of depth on offer in Arcane Chronicles, Nexon Europe has received great response from numerous users in the Closed Beta. Users who tested the server took pleasure in hiring friendly mercenaries, summoning boss monsters, and crafting and enchanting items in a vast and captivating fantasy world.
“Nexon Europe would like to thank all who participated in the Closed Beta. The game is ultimately for the players and the community, so it’s their opinion that we value most highly,” said Kevin Kim, Product Manager of Arcane Chronicles. “We’ll have a few minor adjustments before the launch and we’ll be sure to integrate all of the useful feedback to build the perfect MMORPG.”
To listen to users’ feedback more clearly, Nexon Europe has set up a survey online. For any suggestions, opinions, or comments, visit the survey site athttps://www.surveymonkey.com/s/arcaneCBT_EN.
For more information on Nexon Europe and its games, please visit the official website athttp://nexoneu.com.
About Nexon Europe
Established in March 2007, Nexon Europe is one of the leading publishers of free-to-play MMOs in Europe. The company has brought the worldwide hit casual MMORPG MapleStory to Europe in May 2007, and the successful FPS Combat Arms in January 2009. With the launch of the 3D action MMORPG Vindictus in 2011, Nexon Europe has strengthened its position as a promising publisher in Europe. Next to these in-house franchises, Nexon Europe was also able to acquire and fully operate Atlantica Online, an innovative, tactical MMORPG; Dekaron, an authentic action MMORPG set in a grim fantasy universe; and the action-packed FPS War Rock. The newest additions to its growing portfolio are Navy Field 2 alongside the legendary FPS game Counter-Strike Online in Turkey. For 2014, the company’s first browser-based full-scale MMORPG Arcane Chronicles and fun-packed, action fighting game Lost Saga will join as new line-ups. For more information on Nexon Europe and its games, please visit the official website at www.nexoneu.com.
Fear. It’s something we all have, something that sits just beneath the surface, something that makes an appearance at some of the most crucial times in our lives and it is something that has been with us for all of eternity yet we collectively enjoy watching scary movies and playing scary games as well as telling scary stories, why is this? I don’t have the answer to such a pseudo-profound question but maybe Chillingo does. “In Fear I Trust” is a mobile-based horror game that puts you in the shoes of a man who knows as much about the world he’s in as you do…so nothing at this point in time. You’re tasked with exploring his environment to simply try and understand just what is going on. “In Fear I Trust” brings psychological horror to iOS devices in a way like you’ve never seen before, it leaves you with nothing but fear and confusion and I suppose the question I should ask is; which one do you trust? I’m sure you know the answer.
Story
This title is quite an odd one to speak about regarding the story because, even for someone like me who has played through the game, there is yet to be an end to the story simply due to the way in which the games updates have been layout out; with every update comes a new episode to add onto the story. It is a story shrouded in mystery and the whole point to playing this game is to actually uncover the story for yourself piece by piece all the way down to the most minor detail and most of it is done through finding collectables that you can read or listen to. You wake up in a cell, cold and alone, it seems like no-one else is around and all you can hear are the feint sounds of clanging or banging but they’re off in the distance so you don’t quite worry about it. From there you escape your cell and begin searching around what first looks like a gaol (jail) but then some sort of laboratory, through picking up said collectables you begin to get an idea of exactly where you are and it seems as though you’re in some sort of facility that has been dedicated to researching the human mind and its endless possibilities.
Now I’ve had no inside explanation from developers or publishers, this is entirely what I have pieced together while playing through the game so I COULD be wrong about it. Most of what is written on the facilities walls are in what looks to be Russian but there is also quite a few things written in English around the establishment, that mixed with the fact that all the voice actors seem to be American add more confusion to the whole story but I suppose we’ll find out more about it in the coming episodes. Once again, there may have been things I accidentally overlooked, it’s quite an in-depth game. I love the story because it’s so overly fictional but the way it is put across is so non-fictional because of how well-written documents in the game are and how good the voice actors are within the game, it seems almost real, almost like this could have happened some time throughout history. I quite enjoyed the thrill of slowly uncovering everything piece by piece, like I mentioned; it felt real and that made the whole game all the more immersive.
Gameplay
“In Fear I Trust” has a very basic style of gameplay, one that I’m sure audiences have seen many times before but one that really doesn’t need to be changed because it has already been mostly perfected. You’re thrown into a first person view and you use thumbsticks (with the choice to change to a tapping style of gameplay) to move around much like in any of the first-person shooters everybody is so into nowadays. You’re basically to look around the environments you’re put into and investigate every nook and cranny to find clues on both what the hell is going on in this large facility and how to get out of it so it’s your typical “point-and-click” puzzler with a bit of a twist. Essentially you find items that interact with other items that allow you to move on within he game, each item works as a key to another item which works like a lock, that’s probably the best way of looking at it.
There’s also this vision that allows you to see a lot of things that hide just beneath the surface like clues on how to get certain places and special audio files that help fill in the story, this ability is essential throughout the game and it may or may not actually have something to do with the story. It plays well and fairly smooth, I didn’t particularly like the thumbstick style of gameplay at first but eventually I got used to it and it become more fluid. Puzzles varied, some made me feel really smart yet others stumped me for long periods of time, it’s just how puzzle games go and I think it was done nicely. Fact is, the game is very story driven so I don’t think the developers throw things that are too hard at you because they know that you really just want to find more information about what is exactly going on, they found a nice balance.
Visuals
Aesthetically this game is outstanding in every single way, not only is it the one of the best looking mobile games I’ve seen as of late but, as a game in general, it is actually incredibly good-looking. Graphically this game is great but what I’d like to put more of my focus on is the actual layout of levels and rooms within the game: Because of its mystery/horror theme, “In Fear I Trust” has a lot of intimidating and sometimes scary-looking places to investigate, all these places come across exactly how I assume the development team wanted them to. Between the startling flashes and illuminated figures of people appearing at the corner of your eye as well as the words with hidden messages splayed across walls…it makes for a very sinister environment.
I found this game to be just as scary as it was boasted to be and I think it has a great deal to do with the way the game looks just as much as it has to do with the way the game sounds. Constant shaking of the screen and fades to black as well as odd and startling visual images really raises the tension within the game, it had me scared to turn the character around at times thinking something was going to scare the heck out of me, nothing ever really did but the fact that the environment could instil a sense of fear into is great one at that especially for a horror title.
Audio
Before you even start to play “In Fear I Trust” I prompt appears on your screen telling you that it is suggested you use headphones whilst playing this game now while they say it as a suggestion I will say it to you as a command because this game has some of the most effective environmental noises I’ve ever come across, especially within a mystery/horror game. “In Fear I trust” has no music tracks though I don’t believe this type of game would have necessarily needed any because its goal is to scare you not to impress you with its musical talents and scare you it does! The best way I can explain this with words is this: I want you to imagine you’re in an empty car-park, maybe at a mall or shopping centre, now imagine the lights are off and you know that people have been attacked in this car park recently, you begin to hear feint noises in the distance, noises that may sound like a lead pole hitting a concrete floor or chains being dangled as something comes towards you, or so you think.
The noises fade for a while but soon return, some are louder, some seem further away, they are all varied and you don’t know what to expect next. THAT is the basic vibe you get from the game and it is almost entirely done with sound. I played this without headphones as well as with headphones and both times I was somewhat frightened so don’t take this game too lightly just because it is on a mobile device. Something I, somewhat, forgot about in my sound effect-caused excitement was that the voice acting in this game was absolutely brilliant, I was quite shocked to hear how good the actual actors did but they did a fantastic job!
Overall
“In Fear I Trust” takes everything we know about mystery/horror/point-and-click games and builds on it like a sturdy foundation, it doesn’t flip it on its head, it doesn’t shake it up, it simply builds on what was already good about the genre and makes it even better. I’m not a fan of these types of games at all, my reach tends only to stretch as far as action/adventure and doesn’t usually dip into the “thinking” side of gaming but this game right here hooked me in and it doesn’t take a genius to realise how good a game must be to drag in people NOT of its target audience. It is a game that must be played for its story if not for the way it is actually played, if you’re not a fan of the point-and-click style of gaming but are still interested in the sci-fi/supernatural aspect of it I’d still say this is a game for you. It’s very in-depth, it knows what it’s doing and it hooks you in, what more can I say? “In Fear I Trust” has absolutely become a game I’d put my trust in.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Compatibility: Requires iOS 5.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, iPad 2 Wi-Fi, iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G, iPad Wi-Fi (3rd generation), iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular (3rd generation), iPad Wi-Fi (4th generation), iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular (4th generation), iPad mini Wi-Fi, iPad mini Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad Air, iPad Air Wi-Fi + Cellular, iPad mini with Retina display, and iPad mini with Retina display Wi-Fi + Cellular. This app is optimized for iPhone 5.
Description
PLEASE NOTE: For the best and most terrifying In Fear I Trust experience iPhone 4S and newer devices are recommended. Not compatible with iPod touch devices.
“One of the creepiest iOS games I’ve ever seen” – Bloody Disgusting
“In Fear I Trust isn’t just a game title – it’s a directive” – Kotaku
Face your fears and experience a psychological thriller unlike anything you’ve seen before. In Fear I Trust brings a new kind of nightmare to mobile with stunning visuals, brain-teasing puzzles, and terrifying revelations.
A TRAUMATIC TALE
How did you end up in this place? Escape from a terrifying facility and piece together the horrific events that led you to become a test subject in a mysterious experiment.
AN UNREAL EXPERIENCE
Explore eerie locations, relive disturbing memories, and endure against a haunting atmosphere. In Fear I Trust channels the power of the Unreal Engine 3 make this nightmare a reality on mobile.
MIND-BENDING PUZZLES
Use Retrospective mode to gain a new perspective on your surroundings.
Study notes, examine objects, and use what’s left of your sanity to solve elaborate interactive puzzles.
Visit the Chillingo room on the App Store to see more of our great games: appstore.com/chillingo
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EULA : http://tos.ea.com/legalapp/mobileeula/US/en/OTHER/
Visit http://www.chillingo.com/about/game-faqs/ for assistance or inquiries.
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Important Consumer Information. This app: Requires acceptance of EA’s Privacy & Cookie Policy, TOS and EULA. Contains advertisments for EA and its partners. Collects data through third party analytics technology (see Privacy & Cookie Policy for details). Contains direct links to the internet.
