Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Marvel released a new trailer featuring the LEGO Marvel Super Heroes DLC: Asgard Pack. The DLC contains new heroes and villains from the Thor universe. Players can play as Malekith, Kurse, Sif, and Jane Foster in the DLC. LEGO Marvel Super Heroes DLC: Asgard Pack is available for $1.99/£1.59 on Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, and PC.
LEGO Marvel Super Heroes brings together fan favourites from the Marvel universe in a brand new tale starring characters like Hulk, Captain America, Spider-man, Iron Man, and Wolverine. The game is available now for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii U, and PC.
Blue Exorcist Volume 4 Studio:A-1 Pictures Publisher:Madman Format: DVD, Blu-Ray – Reviewed on DVD Release Date: 4th December 2013 Price: $24.95 – Available Here
Overview Deception is a dangerous game, especially when friendship is involved. The fear of being caught out, the guilt that bubbles within. Not a fun endeavour to undertake. But when information could destabilise the very foundation of the society in which you live, is it wrong to hide it? Unfortunately, this is something that Rin Okumura must deal with everyday, as he must maintain his dark secret or else risk his very existence. People apparently aren’t too lenient when it comes to the Son of Satan. Weird.
Guys, I hope this plan fireworks
Story As if it wasn’t already known that Rin’s possessed a rather tumultuous childhood, a brief glimpse back into his kindergarten days reveals the extent of his violent outbursts…it was brutal. Well, by childhood standards…OK, some chairs got thrown and a kid wound up in hospital…also Father Fujimoto had some ribs break…his spirit was fine if that counts for anything. Regardless, it is shown clearly how Rin was treated as an outcast from a very young age and that Fujimoto never gave up trying to help his son.
With Shura deciding to “reveal” herself in the finale of Volume 3, she initiates a little plot development for the series as a whole. She introduces herself as a Knight of the True Cross, a religious order led by the Vatican, tasked with monitoring Rin. It would appear that the Vatican was a tad suspicious of Father Fujimoto, citing the possibility of an allegiance with Mephisto. Deciding to delve right into the heart of the matter, a brief interrogation with Rin sees Shura reveal that she was also given another task, by Fujimoto himself. To teach Rin. Though sceptical at first, Rin’s absolute defiance and desire to “Beat the shit out of Satan” wins the Holy Warrior over. Eventually coming to see what Fujimoto did, she notes that, “He wasn’t raising a weapon, he was raising a son.” It is also revealed that Fujimoto just so happened to be the former Paladin, the highest rank an Exorcist can achieve. Upon learning this fact, a fire is lit in Rin’s heart and he decides to finally take his Exorcist career seriously.This revelation alone sees a shift in his character, as he begins to leave behind his slacker ways and focus on improving. Though its certainly slow going. Old habits die hard after all.
Rin can get a little hot under the collar sometimes
With their new Exwire ranks so proudly attained, the Cram School students discover that they have not yet attained the privilege to accept missions. Luckily for them, a challenge with which will grant them such a privilege is just around the corner. How convenient. Thrown into a demon infested forest, each student begins to realise not only their own shortcomings, but also the strengths that their friends possess. As the students work together to achieve their dreams, they continue to form powerful bonds. Tough guy Bon of all people finally voices his “issues” with Rin. He questions how he can be such a slacker in class, yet still be willing to mindlessly charge into danger to help people. The other students also voice their concerns, noting that as friends it is their duty to support each other.
Over the course of this quest, Rin begins to realise that he hasn’t changed from his childhood self at all. Still lashing out in anger when provoked, he fears that he will cause more harm than good. He struggles with the fact that it may be becoming a habit for him to let loose his demonic powers. Combined with the fact that he is outgrowing the Kurikara Blade’s ability to seal his hellish powers, fears that Rin will “flame up” grows within all who know his secret. Unfortunately for Rin, he is finding it harder and harder to hide his monstrous secret from his friends. As powerful demons continue to hunt the Spawn of Satan, he will have to choose whether to keep himself safe from persecution or use his power to protect those he cares about.
I wonder if that’s alcoholy enough
Visuals Again it comes back around to Rin and the visual representation of his demonic power. During a fight with a particularly annoying demon, Rin unleashes his power to an extent not seen thus far…and it is violent. Very violent. His flames burn with troubling intensity, blazing outwards from his body, rather than calmly burning around it. His face also becomes twisted in a terrible demonic snarl as his teeth grow even more jagged and his pupils take on a tri-pointed form. All of these elements serve to bring Rin further in line with the terrifying visage of his dear ol’ daddy: Satan.
During the previously mentioned fight wherein Rin goes berserk, the animation does an excellent job of showcasing the full speed brutality of two powerful demons locked in combat. Both opponents move with frightening speed, dealing atrocious amounts of damage to one another. The combat is fluid and doesn’t rely on the typical stop and start method that many anime bouts follow. Even during the typical “cut away from the action” shot, the forest is littered with brilliant blue explosions. Also being stabbed with a Demon Blade looks like it hurts, quite a lot too.
You made fun of the moustache didn’t you?
Audio The audio track continues to maintain the proportional intensity that it has in previous volumes. Featuring yet again a glorious and haunting choral track, the tunes serve to amplify the drama of combat and plot heavy situations. An upbeat and rather triumphant sounding song entitled “Exorcist Concerto First Movement: Me & Creed” also plays over a brief episode recap. While a small touch, it renews the tension felt the first time those events transpired, avoiding the all too common trap of boring recaps.
The English dub again manages to keep up with the visuals, protecting the series from the horrors of a bland dub. Rin screams with emphasis, Shira slurs her speech after five too many beers and all characters continue to use wonderfully colourful language, such as “Feed that shit to the dogs” and the amazingly simple “Anycrap”. Wonderful stuff.
Extras Ura-Ex returns once more, bringing this time a perilous story of unequivocal danger. One man, one bug…that’s it. Shima is definitely not a fan of insects. Another short also depicts Kamiki once again showing her cutsey side, fawning over Kuro. The web previews this run around feature the vocal talents of Mephisto, the Peg Lantern, Behemoth, Bara and Amaimon. A textless version of the new opening “In My World” and ending “Wired Life” are also included, along with the usual anime trailers.
He’s like a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, topped with a hat
Overall Blue Exorcist volume 4 delves much deeper into the plot that has been hinted at since way back when, in the beginning of the series. The reveal of the Knights of the True Cross serves as yet another spanner in the religious works, as more figures align themselves against Rin and his allies. Rin’s consistent increase in power is also treated with equal parts fear and wonder, with his very fate resting on which path he chooses to walk. When your very hope of salvation is one in the same with the possible cause of your demise, it can be a very delicate balance. The volume itself leaves on the promise of action, as a mysterious new enemy lunges at Rin from within the halls of Cram School. Just how will the Son of Satan respond? Probably violently. Guess we’ll have to wait and see.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Blue Exorcist Volume 3 Studio:A-1 Pictures Publisher:Madman Format: DVD, Blu-Ray – Reviewed on DVD Release Date: 20th November 2013 Price: $24.95 – Available Here
Overview Being famous has got to be tough. Zero privacy. Someone always hounding you for something, do this, don’t do that. Tough gig. But if you think that’s bad enough, try being infamous. Same kind of problems, just with a lot more hatred and animosity. But this kind of thing is to be expected when you’re the son of Satan himself. Word gets out on that little nugget of information and there’ll be hell to pay.
Seriously man, that does not look good
Story With their previous battle from the finale of Volume 2 still fresh in their minds, the Okumura twins have a rather frank discussion about the nature of Rin’s power. Yukio notes how, as he lacks any form of skill or knowledge, he relies far too much on his brute force and the power of Satan. As such, he fears that Rin will lose control to his demonic heritage and his humanity will consumed by his own hellfire. Not something you can come back from.
In parallel to Rin’s own fear and uncertainty regarding his powers, a Cait Sith known as Kuro is introduced. Having lost himself to grief after discovering the death of his master, he goes on a rampage that threatens the peace of True Cross. When the Okumura sibling arrive to halt the ballistic demon, they both have different concepts of what that means. Yukio, as an Exorcist, sees that destroying it is the only way to peace. Rin on the other hand, possesses a little bit of inside knowledge. As a demon himself, it would seem that he has the ability to hear other demons telepathically. As such, he decides to save the demon from execution by calming it down. This showcases the scope Rin’s latent power as, stated by Yukio, there were no Exorcists in the vicinity who could control such a powerful demon. It also serves as a rather definitive moment for Rin as, not only does he reveal more of his demonic abilities, he uses his power indiscriminately for the purpose of good. Kuro’s fluctuating mental state, as previously seen in Ukobach, also depicts how some demons can exist in harmony with humans, with no desire to kill them to death…unless you piss them off. So don’t do that.
Is…is Yukio only wearing his trenchcoat?
As an anime, this series also naturally features a beach episode. No one said that fighting demons meant you couldn’t have a little R&R every now and then did they? Plus, as it features highschool students, expect some coastal shenanigans. Guys+Girls+Swimsuits=You get the picture. As Rin and Shima pine for the ocean, Kamika runs into a small boy who has bravado to spare. Anywho, the episode takes a turn for the violent when the demon of the deep rears its titanic head. Though clearly beginning as a humorous break episode, as so many series are fond of, Blue Exorcist sought to continue the story, rather than take an arbitrary divergence from the plot. The episode also serves to further the running theme that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, a fact which is becoming more and more important as the story develops. In that vein, more of Kamiki’s caring side is shown, going against her portrayed persona, noted rather succinctly by Shima as, “All tsun without any trace of dere.”
The final episode of the volume also brings the plot back rather forcefully, right onto Rin. In a battle of fun filled chaos (Note: The battle takes place at an amusement park…obviously) it is shown rather blatantly that there a some very powerful, and equally insane, demons out there. It would seem that Rin may have to train a little harder if he wants to stand against the elite forces of Hell.
Eavesdropping can have catastrophic consequences
Visuals As Rins powers continue to grow, the visual representation for his Satanic state begins to morph along with it. As his rage becomes more pronounced, his face becomes increasingly bestial, with his fangs lengthening considerably. The intensity of the flames he produces are also directly connected to his emotional state, ranging from a soft burning flame to a forceful blaze. On the other hand, his demonic form can also depict his more playful side, such as when he wags his tail when excited and not engaged in hellish combat. The Cat Sith Kuro also possesses an extremely emotive face, which helps immediately provide personality to the cute little demon.
CGI is also used in some episodes, though to a very minor extent. The most pronounced usage being the rides in the amusement park “Mepphy Land”. Though it does stand out against the animation, its sparse usage overall prevents it from being a major issue.
Just a little nightcap
Audio The English dub continues to be a source of enjoyment in regards to the interactions between characters. Rin especially. When forcefull tagging along on an official mission, he simply tells the reluctant Yukio “Tough shit” and refuses to leave. On the other hand, Rin is a tad more friendly to the Cait Sith Kuro and has calm telepathic conversations with him…most of the time. When speaking in such a manner, their voices are laced with a filter that adds the classic psychic echo/reverb to them, immediately identifying it as a telepathic conversation.
As some episodes also take place during the wonderful season of summer, expect to hear the classic anime representation of said time: crickets. This trademark sound, along with others throughout the episodes, serve to fill in the gaps when music is not present or simply not required.
Extras The main bonus feature of Volume 3 comes with the inclusion of the only OVA of the series: Kuro Runs Away From Home. In this special episode, we are treated to the world of Blue Exorcist a experienced by Kuro. As the demonic fur ball explores the various locales of the anime, he runs into a number of characters seen in the series thus far. Though somewhat of a joke episode, it also possesses an underlying seriousness which definitely makes it worth watching. Also included is the now to be expected Ura-Ex short, which this time around focuses on Bon’s early morning routine. The alternate previews this time around are handled by Kuro, the Demon of the Deep, and the Ghost Boy respectively. Also your typical anime trailers are there.
When in doubt, be devout
Overall Blue Exorcist Volume 3 comprises itself of the more overtly comical episodes of the series thus far. But to look at them as nothing more than that would be a mistake. Rather than falling into the typical anime trope of a pointless beach episode, characters continue to develop in this most cheerful of locales. Hell, the quirky theme park they visit is the site of one of the most intense battles to date. Rin continues to learn more about his “old man” and slowly begins to accept that he may just have been cool. Which he was. Seriously, that dude was a badass. The volume finishes on a bit cliffhanger, as more of the larger plot is promised with a last minute reveal. It’s pretty…memorable. You’ll see what I mean.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Blue Exorcist Volume 2 Studio:A-1 Pictures Publisher:Madman Format: DVD, Blu-Ray – Reviewed on DVD Release Date: 16th October 2013 Price: $24.95 – Available Here
Overview School life is tough enough as it is, everybody knows that. But what if on top of all of the studying and tests, you were forced to live in a dorm with your own twin sibling? Not only that, but you barely had enough money to feed yourself? Life sure can be tough sometimes…Oh yeah, also the school you’re attending is teaching you how to hunt down and kill the demons of hell that continually seep into the mortal world in order to inflict chaos, carnage and a little bit of old fashioned murder. Forgot to mention that part.
You might want to get that looked at
Story As Volume 1 ended rather abruptly on what was just a regular episode, Volume 2 jumps straight back into the school life of our devilish student. As it would seem, he is adjusting to school about as well as you’d expect a slacker to…roughly. In classic anime fashion, Rin tends to wake up late, bolt for class and sleep through a majority of the important lectures. This blazay attitude toward Exorcism training serves to create a certain amount of friction between Rin and his more driven classmates. As he continues to attend classes, his obvious lack of basic Exorcist knowledge elicits some insults and questions from his fellow classmen. Though he possesses the power necessary to survive his training, his inability to use said power in public squashes any major chance he has to prove himself. In addition to placing him at odds with the more learned students, it also places Rin in situations he could easily escape from, though doing so would spread fear throughout True Cross.
As the school days march forwards, we begin to learn more about Rin’s classmates and their motivations, as well as their personalities. We have already seen that Bon, despite his outward tough guy appearance, is actually one of the smarter students in Cram School. This continues to prove true with his inate ability to memorise large quantities of information, a fact which upsets fellow student Izumo Kamiki. Dubbed “Polka Brows” by Rin, she believes her skills to be above those around her, much to the ire of the other students. We also see that shrinking violet Shiemi is trying her best to connect with others, longing for friends to call her own. It’s quite cute and also a bit sad. That being said, her desire to stand strong without intervention from Rin or Yukio shows that she does have a stronger side to her.
Rin is one hell of a cook
With their most basic levels of training completed, the students of Cram School learn of their next test, one that will upgrade them from the rank of Page to that of Exwire. Their preparedness for this advancement will be tested in the appropriately titled Exwire Exams. With a little help from Rin’s obliviousness and some good ol’ exposition, we learn of the various ranks one can strive for in their Exorcist studies. The branches one may venture into are: Dragoon, Aria, Doctor, Knight and Tamer. Each of these classes focus on different methods and styles of demon killing and are fairly varied. Dragoons take a more modern approach to the hunt and rely on various firearms to take down their quarry. On the other hand, knights take the classic approach and use melee and close combat weapons. Arias forgo weapons entirely and instead recite passages from the Bible to dispel foes, recquiring an impressive ability to memorise and a knowledge of each demon’s particular “Fatal Verse”. Tamers are Exorcists with the rare ability to summon and control demons, though should their willpower falter the beasts will turn on their master. Finally Doctors, though a non-combat role it is an inherently necessary role in a world where a demon’s sneeze can cause necrosis…gross. However, despite the variations in each branches’ fighting style, there is no limit to how many titles on may acquire. Yukio for example is both a Dragoon and a Doctor…overachiever.
With their futures and lives on the line, the Pages set out to Rin’s spacious and eerie dorm building for their Exwire Exam. However, when the situation spirals out of control, the students are left wondering just what to do. Luckily, due to the overarching theme of teamwork expressed in these episodes, the band of clashing students find that they can actually support each other pretty well. Meanwhile, Rin finds himself drawing more and more attention from mysterious figures who wish him harm…like, a lethal amount of harm.
Not a morning person I take it?
Visuals The demons are, as they have been, terrifying. That being said, those presented within the episodes are not as diverse a mix as the last volume. Each enemy fought this time around is of the ghoul class, hideous amalgams known as Naberius. Being that these creatures are the remains of multiple ghouls haphazardly sewn together, they are littered with stitch marks and possess mismatched forms. A further visual reminder that demons are gross and quite scary. However, there is some variation provided in the newfound summoning powers of certain characters. Though still demons, those summoned by the students vary greatly in appearance, not only from the Naberius, but also from each other.
Though limited in frequency, each of the fight scenes shown in this volume are animated fluidly. Combined with their fast paced nature, each moment of combat is enjoyable and interesting to watch. Moments where Rin utilises his latent demon power are also handled well from a visual standpoint. His feral face quite obviously expresses the violent nature of his abilities and the abrupt change that occurs within him. His striking blue flames also draw focus to him and serve to express his current mental state. They also keep battles well lit, which is a plus.
He seams to be quite terrifying
Audio As a majority of the volume is spent in less than dire straits, the music is suitably calm and quirky. The more humorous moments are outlined by some of the more overlooked instruments. Bongos, scratching vinyl, even a cowbell, an honest to god cowbell, support the calmer visuals of the less demonically charged moments. On the other side of things, the intense combat moments again feature an operatic backtrack that is as cool as it is invocative of religious tunes…which is a lot.
The series also possesses a believable dub. Rather than simply appearing to have been transcribed, the series does an excellent job of translating dialogue into true to life English phrases and manners of speaking. Rin himself possesses the verbal acumen one would expect from a smartass slacker, just straight up call Yukio a jackass at points. Which is awesome. This serves to better personalise each individual characters as, not only do they possesses a suitable voice, they possess a suitable vocabulary.
Extras As with the previous volume, this release contains some of the humorous Ura-Ex shorts. This time around we witness the trouble Rin gets himself into when his tail is involved as well as just how much Mephisto enjoys Japanese pop culture. Hint: it’s a lot. Also included is an alternate preview for each episode, delivered by demons relevant to each previous episode. For example the Niberius. Finally you’ve got your standard trailers for other anime published by the same company.
Can you guess who the mean one is?
Overall Blue Exorcist Volume 2 sees the series break into its stride. The episodes become a little more focused with the advent of the Exwire Exams and shift the focus onto the class itself, rather than just Rin. This serves to add a little diversity to the cast as, in the previous release, we knew little about them individually. The groundwork for future friendships and confrontations is also laid down in these episodes, though it may take a while for any results to truly become apparent. Events towards the end of the volume also serve to pique interest in the larger plot that looms behind the scenes. Get ready for what’s to come…
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Only God Forgives Studio:Icon Home Entertainment Publisher: Icon Home Entertainment Format:DVD (Reviewed), Blu-ray Release Date: Out Now Price: $24.95 – Available Here
Overview
Imagine the confines of a boxing ring. You are the onlooker, waiting to be called upon to enter the arena. Only God Forgivesis a film that requires viewers to be patient; in order to accept what is happening as believable and engaging enough to continue watching. As the winner of the Grand Prize at Sydney Film Festival, should audiences expect Nicolas Winding Refn’s crime thriller, Only God Forgives to be more impressive or dreadful?
Story
In an underground Thai Boxing Club, the audience is introduced to the preliminary fight of two young boys as a cover up for criminals dealing drugs. After a successful boxing round the brothers, Billy (Tom Burke) and Julian (Ryan Gosling) generously pay their contender. To take pleasure in his smuggled goods, Billy becomes the devil of the night when he proposes ฿15,000 to fuck the young daughter of the manager running a whorehouse. When refused, Billy retaliates in a violent outburst that leads him to settle for a 16yr old girl on the street, with whom he brutally rapes and murders.
When the lead police officer, Chang (Vithaya Pansringarm) arrives at the bloody crime scene, he leaves the father alone in the bedroom to do something about the situation, with the guilty man and what remains of his teenage daughter. Chang and the police force take the father Choi Yan Lee (Kowit Wattanakul), to a deserted dirt track underneath the highway and determine the punishment for the man, who should have protected his daughter from the dangers of prostitution.
The scene jumps to a more enticing act, in a dimly lit red room that involves Mai (Yayaying Rhatha Phongam) sensually tying Julian’s hands with ribbon to a chair. Mai positions herself on the edge of the bed in front of Julian and slowly slides her dress back up her legs with her hands. The strangely erotic scene is interrupted by Julian’s delusion of someone waiting in the darkness. The nightmarish forewarning of the perpetrator with the sword ties in well with the revelation that Billy is dead.
With the arrival of the crime lord mother, Crystal (Kristin Scott Thomas), Julian is assigned to hunt down the man who killed Billy. However, when Julian discovers the identity of Choi, who is now one arm shorter than before, he is conflicted to take revenge after learning that a police officer was involved. This scene is characterised by an eerie percussion, rather than dialogue, to accentuate the apprehensiveness of Julian to terminate the greater threat of Chang.
The story progression follows slow-paced action and movement between expressionless characters and prolonged silences. Crystal is desperate to take vengeance for the death of her first born son and persuades her comrades to finish the job that Julian could not do himself. As a result, the police become involved in the crossfires and Chang draws closer to the family to bring justice.
During the episodic violence, Julian seeks comfort in Mai and tries to establish a relationship with the prostitute by introducing her to his ruthless mother. Crystal humiliates her son, by praising the memory of Billy – the older brother with a bigger cock – as everything Julian wanted to be. Without spoiling too much of the ending, the final scenes are more compelling for the audience, mainly because they revolve around mass execution and an ultimate showdown between Julian and Chang.
Visuals
Only God Forgives is defined by Larry Smith’s amazing cinematography, which captures the perilous ambiance of Bangkok, as an exiled location. One of the best shot scenes, ‘Mind Your Own Business’, shows the exquisite night life and scenery of Bangkok, manifested into hunting grounds for an armed criminal to escape the wrath of Chang.
The beautiful shots and flawless arrangement of lighting and objects truly enhance each scene within the film. In particular, the red and blue shades of luminosity illustrate violence, temptation and exposure of oneself against society. However, the weird delusions and imbalance of fantasy and reality throws the audience off-guard, as does the horrific torture scenes. For the most part, it is hard to understand the entire visual experience because the shots are in constant transition.
Audio
Cliff Martinez returns from Nicholas Winding Refn’s film, ‘Drive’, to compose another amazing score. The eerie, intimidating and hypnotic music is extremely impressive and memorable and serves as a highlight of the film. With the work of primary artists, Gregory Tripi and City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, Only God Forgives remarkably develops the dramatic suspense needed to build the thrilling and unfaithful atmosphere of Bangkok.
Only God Forgives came across as a silent film, in that the dialogue is minimal and the soundtrack is more prominent. Vithaya Pansringarm did a good job in his performance of the songs; ‘Lume Mai Long’ (Can’t Forget) and ‘Kid Teung Ban’ (Missing Home). However, the lyrics would have been more effective as dialogue, in order to build character development and unfold the narrative throughout the film.
Extras
The DVD edition of Only God Forgives offers viewers behind the scenes footage, and an interview and audio commentary with the director. Nicholas Winding Refn’s first idea for the film was a man looking at his hands, to symbolise repression and anger. The director wanted to explore the concept of fighting, but was fascinated by his power to twist the commercial commodity from genres to give audiences a different experience. The behind the scenes footage, shows the actors interacting with eachother, the director and environment to determine the best way to set the scene together. It was funny to see Nicholas practice using Chang’s sword on water bottles.
Overall
Only God Forgives is neither impressive nor dreadful, rather it is absurd. The film focuses on the best cinematographic and music experience, that the storyline remains incomprehensible and unfinished. The director’s ambition of steering away from classic genre films consequently influenced the shocked response of overwhelmed and underwhelmed viewers. Ultimately, it is up to the audience to decide which side of the boxing ring suits them.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Today Viz Media has announced that their first release of Ranma 1/2 will occur on March 25th. This release will be the first time that the Ranma 1/2 series has appeared on Blu-ray in the West and Viz is pulling out all of the stops to make sure this is the best way to experience the classic series.
The release will be available on standard DVD for $44.82 but it pales in comparison to what is being offered in the Blu-ray Box Set. While both releases contain the first twenty three episodes presented in the original Japanese order, the Blu-ray version comes with a premium chipboard box with illustrations by Rumiko Takahashi, a 64-page booklet with a full color episode guide along with a manga re-master sampler, and additional on-disc bonus features.
The release will be presented in its original 4:3 aspect ratio and will feature both the original Japanese voice track or the English audio track. A preview video of what the series will look like can be found below. It is also worth noting that the original manga series will also be debuting in March in 2-in-1 omnibus editions.
Recently NIS America released a handful of new screenshots for The Witch and the Hundred Knight as well as a new gameplay video which shows off about twenty seconds of gameplay where the Facet Change ability is shown off to adjust weapon types to deal extra damage to enemies.
Both the new English screenshots and the gameplay video can be found below. As for the game itself, The Witch and the Hundred Knight is currently set to be released in North America on March 25th while gamers in Europe will be able to pick it up a few days earlier on March 21st.
The Walking Dead Season Two: All That Remains Developer:Telltale Games Publisher:Telltale Games Platforms:PC, Mac, PlayStation 3, iOS, Xbox 360 (Reviewed) Release Date: December 18, 2013 Price:$4.99 – Available Here
Overview Creating a follow up for a popular release and maintaining the same level as success with the next release is a difficult task. Even more so when the game you released was awarded numerous Game of the Year awards and became one of the most recommended titles during 2012. As such, Telltale Games has set the bar high for themselves and now that they have started the second season of their Walking Dead series, does the first episode, All that Remains, continue to impress?
Story Now it is worth mentioning right off the bat that if you happen to have played the first game and have a save file from it, Season Two will immediately search for your save file and will load it, taking all of your actions and dialogue choices into account with All That Remains. For those who may never have jumped on the first season or somehow lost their save file, the game will automatically create past decisions which is limits the personal experience but is far from a deal breaker.
Also since this is Season Two, there will be spoilers here for the first season. Anyways, All That Remains begins with a prologue which shows players a number of important events from Season One and their choices in these situations. This serves as a reminder for those who may have forgotten and also an introduction to newcomers.
Once the game begins, with Lee gone players now take direct control of Clementine. After things almost immediately go south, players step into Clem’s shoes around sixteen months after the events of the first season. This means that not only has Clementine aged a bit, but she has also had to endure the harsh zombie filled world for almost a year and a half which means she has had to suffer through terrible conditions during this time.
After another intense sequence, Clementine finds herself separated from the last person she knows and is found by another group of survivors. However unlike before where Lee helped Clementine make her way into the group and bonded through survival, Clem is immediately suspected by this new group of survivors who clearly have something to hide and have a set of rules that they follow for everything. With players in control of Clem, it is up to them to choose her decisions and dialogue with these survivors and potentially find a safe place for a short while.
Now, All that Remains introduces a slew of new characters and while we are able to speak with most of these survivors, they are still really fresh faces with little story to them. We learn a little bit about a few of these characters but since Clementine is initially treated as a potential threat and only a few people are willing to open up to her, most of this first episode involves trying to join a group wary of outsiders and survive.
As for Clem herself, it is clear that while she has aged and matured a bit since we last saw her, she is still relatively moldable as a character. Players can continue to choose her dialogue to act like a younger child, snarky, resilient, make her feel like a threat and potentially take advantage of secrets and hold them over new characters as leverage, or any combination of these things and seeing the girl that many people have grown concerned about over playing through the first season take the initiative is probably one of the best parts of this first episode.
While the first season had players protecting Clem and worrying about how she may react to their decisions, it is up to Clem to take care of herself now, which results in some cringe inducing moments, and also allows for players to play things a bit different this time around now that they no longer need to set an example. Put this together with numerous moments that truly make the player feel a sense of loss, even at something they’ve only met for a few minutes, and All That Remains continues to present an engrossing tale of survival and loss that has once again begun.
Gameplay The Walking Dead Season Two: All That Remains still plays very similar to past Walking Dead titles from Telltale Games. Players will walk around areas and investigate various things, gather items, or talk to other players with dialogue choices timed and determined by whichever face button is pressed. It is interesting to note that the exploration icons have been modified a bit but are still very similar.
One thing that has been modified in this season is the way quick time events are handled. Many times throughout this first episode Clementine finds herself having to deal with zombies herself and only through quick action can she survive these encounters. For the most part the quick time events are still the same, with players having to hit the corresponding button in time or mashing a button and pressing another one to deal with a situation.
Where it does feel changed is that not only are these quick time events faster paced, with some of these sequences feeling incredibly intense due to how rapid things occur now, but there are also directional quick time events as well, which require the player to press a corresponding direction to make Clementine duck out of the way of danger.
Outside of that, the gameplay is still very much the same thing as before with a number of refinements and a few contextual elements, such as Clementine shivering when the wind blows. As far as glitches go, there was one moment that the game became stuck during an action sequence as an item was not loading properly, requiring a restart but this was only a one time issue.
Visuals & Audio Telltale continues to use the tried and true method of presenting players the story of The Walking Dead through stylized designs reminiscent of the comic book series. This works to the game’s benefit as it keeps gore from zombies basic but visceral looking and also works great for the character designs. Unfortunately there were a few moments that items within the game suffered from some terrible texture issues with items almost completely covered in the comic styled outline that flickers as the camera moves.
As far as the voice work in the episode goes, it appears that Clementine’s voice actress has been retained and she continues to fit the slightly older girl perfectly with these dialogue sequences. The new cast of characters are performed admirably well while fitting atmospheric noises are used throughout the episode.
Overall The Walking Dead Season Two: All That Remains quickly reminds players that this an apocalyptic world where safety and togetherness are fleeting things. It drops players into the shoes of a Clementine separated from everyone she knew and brings players into a new environment where she is the outlier and must take care of herself, regardless of the methods she might have to resort to. With a preview of the next episode hinting at a major development and this episode showing that Telltale won’t be pulling punches with Clementine as the main character, this episode brings with it everything fans of the series were hoping for.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
To conclude their #12AnnouncementsOfXmas promotion, Madman Entertainment has saved the best for last. Madman have officially announced that they have acquired the rights to anime film HAL.
HAL is an anime film from Production I.G’s subsidiary WIT Studio, the people who brought you the blockbuster smash hit Attack on Titan. The film follows young lovers Kurumi and Hal, after death separates them, along comes ‘Robot HAL’ a robotic clone of the original Hal. It is a heart-warming drama the likes of which we have not seen before.
Madman plan to release HAL in various formats in 2014. That concludes Madman’s #12AnnouncementsOfXmas. Be sure to let us know what you think in the comments section.
So I got some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that after my previous review, I’m completely out of space puns so I won’t be using any for this one. However the good news is that Starborn Anarchist is an exciting, addictive, rewarding, time-consuming gem that many are sure to enjoy. A customisable twin stick shooter with physics-based elements, Starborn Anarchist might not give you a good first impression, but it’s sure to give you a great lasting one instead.
Gameplay
Upon first glance I originally thought Starborn Anarchist was an Asteroidsclone and boy was I wrong! This twin stick shooter has players roaming the depths of space, battling against hordes of endless enemies space ships while also collecting items and currency along the way. Action is intense as bullets and lasers quickly fill the screen and massive bosses charge at you with no mercy. You kill, you collect, you get a score, you die and that’s pretty much it. But before you hit that replay button to try and beat your previous score, players are given the choice to upgrade their ship in the garage, and that’s when things start to get interesting. You see the whole basis behind Starborn Anarchist boils down to it’s deep upgrade system. Unlike many iOS titles which will simply just let you increase stats or whatever, these spaceships are customisable by dragging parts to where you’d like them be on the vehicle. The same combination of materials can lead to many potential ships all with different stats depending on how you choose to build it. A great example of this is the boosters for the ship, as placement of these can be make-or-break decisions, greatly impacting the momentum of the vehicle. Furthermore whilst picking up goodies during combat one will notice that deciding which ones to take will take a strategy of their own as weapons, shields and boosters can each be upgraded in different ways via three different types of coloured power ups. There’s a lot to get your head around. On top of all that there are challenges and goals set out for more opportunities to unlock parts and currency as well as over 50 achievements so it’s safe to say there’s a lot of ground to cover for the 100% completionist.
However it’s not all bells and whistles as Starborn Anarchist is held back by some major issues. Controls for one rely a lot on physics and can occasionally be awkward and clumsy. This sadly isn’t just limited to combat either as even while dragging parts around in the garage while customising can occasionally be a battle itself. In-app purchasing at times feels a little encouraged and worst of all this deep customisation experience is poorly explained in a big boring clunk of text. These are all major deterrents from the game so it won’t be surprising if many never see it’s full potential as it’s very easy to get extremely frustrated when playing for the first time. However if the player has the patience to learn the game and give it a second….or third chance, there is an enjoyable and rewarding experience waiting for them.
Audio & Visual
Let’s face it – this isn’t the prettiest game out there, but it’s not trying to be. Spaceships look and feel like lego blocks, and the effects are nothing memorable or spectacular. Debris and bullets chaotically fly across the screen in a way you’d expect them to in a title like this which does slightly add to the adrenaline rush. Sound effects again get the job done without taking anybody’s breath away. The soundtrack is a little more interesting, with a retro vibe reminiscent of the Super Nintendo era of gaming. Still, it’s nothing memorable but it’s nothing terrible either.
Overall
Remember when you were a kid and your parents bought you a Happy Meal and they forced you to eat all the food before you were aloud to play with the toy? That’s Starborn Anarchist. At first it’s not going to be very exciting, and you’ll have to read a long, boring block of text to understand what’s going on. Controls are awkward, in-app purchasing can be tempting and at first it all seems kinda generic. But once you get the hang of things, save up some currency and start customising your ship and earning new parts, things pick up very quickly. The trial & error of creating your own spaceship becomes very rewarding and gameplay becomes more and more addictive as you struggle to become the best space pilot you can be. These greatly overshadow the game’s flaws. Starborn Anarchist only sucks if you suck, and the more you’re willing to put in, the more you’re going to get out. This may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but damn it it’s still a good cuppa!
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
