YS: MEMORIES OF CELCETA TO RELEASE IN EUROPE FEBRUARY 2014!
NIS America is proud to announce that Ys: Memories of Celceta will release in retail form in Australia and New Zealand on February 21, 2014 for the PlayStation®Vita system. The European PSN version of the game will release the following week on February 25. Ys is a long-running, much-loved action RPG series from Nihon Falcom.
In Ys: Memories of Celceta, developer Falcom revisits the land and characters of Japanese cult favorite Ys IV for its first ever European debut. This re-envisioning of the fourth installment in the Ys series takes a brand new approach, changing and framing the story of Ys IV within an all-new tale of conspiracy, deception, and mystery. Featuring an updated version of the party-based battle system from Ys SEVEN, as well as the largest and most varied overworld in series history, Ys: Memories of Celceta brings a greater sense of adventure to the Ys universe than has ever been seen before.
Key features:
Experience the Land of Celceta in English for the Very First Time
Its first ever release in Europe, Ys: Memories of Celceta will take players on a new adventure in never-before-seen locales within the Ys universe.
Explore the Biggest Overworld in Ys Series History
Eclipsing all previous entries in the Ys series in both size and content, the overworld map metes out battle and exploration in equal measure. A robust mapping system with customizable waypoints and clear, detailed icons aid the journey through this mysterious new land.
Adventure Forth with a Party of Allies
The party battle system from Ys SEVEN returns, but this time with a host of upgrades such as enhanced flash-guarding, a more versatile party AI, and unique abilities for party members to streamline encounters for fast and furious battle.
Throw Down the Gauntlet in Boss Rush Mode
Boss Rush makes a comeback, pitting Adol and his companions against implacable foes to keep the challenge going well after the main story has been completed.
GT6™ owners are the first to take a virtual test drive of the latest BMW M offering.
SYDNEY, 12th December 2013 –Polyphony Digital Inc., creators of the newly-released Gran Turismo®6 for PlayStation®3, and BMW have announced that the new BMW M4 Coupé has been made available through a new update for the game. Owners of GT6™ will be among the first in the world to sample the delights of the BMW M4 Coupé, albeit in virtual form, before the car goes on sale during 2014.
As a celebration of this collaboration between BMW and Gran Turismo 6, a unique seasonal event featuring the BMW M4 Coupé is available to all on GT6 for two weeks, from today until 26 December 2013. The BMW M4 Coupé Superlap challenge will take place on the Nürburgring Grand Prix circuit and gives players the opportunity to drive the car to complete the event, giving anyone the chance to experience this stunning new vehicle in the virtual world before it launches in the real world.
Until now, the BMW M4 Coupé has only been shown publicly as a ‘concept’, but thanks to an innovative collaboration with BMW M GmbH, Polyphony Digital enjoyed unprecedented early access to the car during its development phase in order to meticulously recreate the BMW M4 Coupé for Gran Turismo 6.
A camouflaged version of the real BMW M4 Coupé was a mystery guest at the recent spectacular Gran Turismo 6 launch event at Ronda in southern Spain. Kazunori Yamauchi, legendary creator of the Gran Turismo® franchise, enjoyed the privilege of a couple of laps of the Ascari Race Resort in the all-new car.
While the Gran Turismo series has reached its sixth iteration in a 15-year history, the all-new high-performance sports car represents the fifth generation of BMW M philosophy applied to the M3 – albeit with the new M4 badge distinguishing the Coupé from the four-door M3 variant.
Owners of Gran Turismo 6 now have the opportunity to experience a virtual version of the high-revving six-cylinder in-line engine housed in the BMW M4 Coupé. The M TwinPower Turbo technology produces 431hp in a car that weighs only 1,497 kilograms. With Gran Turismo 6’s new physics simulator, new aerodynamics, suspension and tyre models, and incredibly high-definition rendering, the virtual BMW M4 Coupé looks and drives just like the real thing. As well as completing this month’s special Nürburgring Superlap event, GT6 owners are able to take the new car for a spin at over 37 locations – including Ascari – with over 100 layouts to choose from. Alternatively, the stunning new car can be captured at some amazing locations in the in-game ‘Photo Mode’.
Making such an iconic model available ‘in-game’ before its market launch reflects the mutual respect between BMW and Polyphony. “It is very exciting to virtually ‘launch’ the BMW M4 Coupé in Gran Turismo 6,” explains Dr Friedrich Nitschke, President BMW M GmbH. “The BMW M4 Coupé takes motor sport technology from the race track to the road, and thousands of laps of the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife – the world’s most demanding race track – have readied the new model for that transition. I am very much looking forward to seeing how it looks and feels in Gran Turismo on the same circuit.”
The partnership is also a source of pride for president of Polyphony Digital, Kazunori Yamauchi: “It is always wonderful to be able to bring to life a brand new car and I would like to thank BMW for trusting us with all of the data we needed to create the BMW M4 Coupé at such an early stage. The car is fantastic. I felt very privileged to have a few laps around Ascari during the Gran Turismo 6 launch event and I am sure that Gran Turismo fans will now enjoy the same experience as well as the novelty of being among the first in the world to try the BMW M4 Coupé.”
BECOME THE DRAGON MASTER! MINI ACTION ROLE PLAYING GAME AND CONSTRUCTION KITFIGHT THE DRAGONLAUNCHES KICKSTARTER
Hack and Slash Your Way to Becoming the Ultimate Dragon Master in 3 Sprockets’ Epic Micro Adventure
December12, 2013, Melbourne, Australia – 3 Sprockets, an indie development studio, today announced the launch of a 36-day crowdfunding campaign for its 3D mini action role-playing game, Fight the Dragon. Scheduled for release via Steam and Humble store on Windows, Mac and Linux, Fight the Dragon, combines epic hack-and-slash action and looting with the ability to create and share adventures through the easy-to-use Adventure Construction Kit.
The Kickstarter campaign begins today with the team at 3 Sprockets seeking a minimum of AU$50,000 to make Fight The Dragon a reality. Supporters of the project can get involved by pledging as little as AU$15 at Fight the Dragon – Kickstarter. Backers can select from multiple pledging tiers, from early alpha access to being credited with naming the Dragon.
“With the support of the Kickstarter community, we are excited to move forwards with the next stage in development,” said Seon Rozenblum, Director of 3 Sprockets, “We are pleased to be bringing back split-screen multiplayer, a feature that has been overlooked in recent years, and we cannot wait to see what players come up with using the Adventure Construction Kit.”
Fight The Dragon is a hack-and-slash game based around short 10-15 minute play sessions that allow players to jump in for a quick fix or play multiple adventures over longer play sessions. Players take control of a hero who begins the journey as a young naive adventurer who must battle everything in their path to quickly evolve into the ultimate dragon warrior. With a procedural loot system that allows the hero to fine tune equipment and abilities, players will never run out of loot to find, no matter how far they progress.
Fight The Dragon supports local split-screen co-op as well as up to 4-player online drop-in co-op over LAN and Internet. By completing adventures and passing milestones, heroes earn tickets to “Fight The Dragon” in the ultimate dragon battle arena. Players will need to summon all they have learnt on this epic adventure to destroy their deadliest foe.
Shipping with a feature rich in-game Adventure Construction Kit, players can design and share their own adventures with players around the world. The Adventure Construction Kit allows players to sculpt and paint environments, place props, traps, loot, enemies and encounters, becoming the ultimate Dungeon Master of old.
For more information about Fight the Dragon and 3 Sprockets news:
Bohemia Interactive deploys AAF Reinforcements Pack for Arma 3
Sydney, Australia, Thursday 12th December 2013 – Bohemia Interactive today released the (free) AAF Reinforcements Pack for Arma 3. Supplied via an automatic update on Steam, the package includes a variety of new sandbox content, among which three new vehicles: the FV-720 Mora IFV, the MBT-52 Kuma tank, and the Wy-55 Hellcat helicopter.
The FV-720 Mora is an infantry fighting vehicle used by the AAF. They were bought by the AAF from the British Armed Forces and reconditioned to serve two more decades. The Mora is armed with a 30mm cannon and a coaxial machinegun, providing not only a carrying capacity, but also reliable fire support.
The MBT-52 Kuma is the main battle tank used by Altian Armed Forces. A batch of a few dozen tanks and spare turrets were bought under-price from a south-European country facing an economic collapse. Like similar MBTs of the era, the Kuma is armed with a 120mm cannon, a 7.62mm coaxial machinegun and a remotely controlled 12.7mm HMG. The level of protection for the crew is also remarkable, thanks to additional armour layers.
The Wy-55 Hellcat is a multi-purpose military helicopter, most suited for anti-surface, battlefield utility with limited transport capability. It replaces its predecessor the Super Lynx, improving the manoeuvrability, durability and protection. The armed version is fitted with twin miniguns and unguided rockets.
Aside the new vehicles, the AAF Reinforcements Pack also includes other sandbox content, such as the LRPS sniper scope, infra-red grenades, and black versions of the MX rifle family. The complete changelog can be found on Arma 3’s official website.
People can purchase the Arma 3 (€44.99/₤39.99/US$59.99) or the Arma 3 Digital Deluxe Edition (€49.99/₤42.99/US$64.99) from Steam and Store.bistudio.com. Boxed versions are also currently available at Australian retailers priced from AU$47.
About Bohemia Interactive
Established in 1999 in Prague, Czech Republic, Bohemia Interactive is an independent game development studio which is primarily known for its award-winning mil-sim Arma series starting with Arma: Cold War Assault. Published in 2001, this debut title became the no. 1 bestselling PC game around the world and has won many international awards. The hugely successful series was followed by Arma 1 and Arma 2 on PC as well as Arma 2: Firing Range on mobile devices, before a standalone PC expansion Operation Arrowhead was released, as well as three DLC which greatly added to the series. Bohemia Interactive is also the developer of Take On Helicopters, Carrier Command: Gaea Mission, and the recently released Arma Tactics – a turn-based strategy game for Android, iOS, PC, Linux and Mac. In addition to their support for Arma 3, Bohemia Interactive is currently also working on Take On Mars (currently available as an Early Access title on Steam) and the standalone version of DayZ. More information about Bohemia Interactive is available at www.bistudio.com.
SMART BOMB’S ANIMAL JAM: JUMP LAUNCHES WORLDWIDE ON MOBILE DEVICES
Animal Jam extends the fun onto iOS and Android devices with this entertaining and educational app!
SALT LAKE CITY (Dec 11, 2013) —Smart Bomb Interactive announces the global launch of their new pick-up-and-play app, Animal Jam: Jump, a 3-D companion to their wildly popular online game National Geographic Animal Jam®. In this fast-paced game featuring the rambunctious kangaroo from Jamaa, players can hop from the Jamaa Outback through the atmosphere and into space—unlocking cool new accessories, earning gems, and defeating pesky phantoms along the way.
Kids can safely and anonymously connect Animal Jam: Jump directly to their online Animal Jam accounts, enabling them to unlock exclusive content in the web game, earn gems to spend in both games, and challenge their Animal Jam friends to beat their scores on the AJ: Jump leaderboards.
Available now for iOS and Android, AJ: Jump is free from in-app purchasing, so parents can rest assured that their children will not be pressured to continuously spend money in order to enjoy the game. Players can customize their kangaroo characters using over 140,000 possible color combinations, along with clothing, power ups, and accessories. Utilizing their devices’ motion controls, players will then guide their kangaroo up steep cliffs, through layers of clouds, and ultimately into outer space!
As in the Animal Jam online world, children will learn about real animals while playing with their virtual counterparts. Focusing on its kangaroo stars, AJ: Jump incorporates an Animal Jam Academy dossier about these fascinating marsupials that includes facts, photos, and videos for kids to explore.
Perhaps most exciting for veteran Animal Jam players is the new kangaroo joey pet that is being introduced through the AJ: Jump mobile game. This new Animal Jam pet can only be unlocked by downloading AJ: Jumpand connecting the game to an Animal Jam account.
“Animal Jam offers parents and kids a totally unique value proposition: an always-on online party that’s safe, really fun, and genuinely educational.” said Clark Stacey, CEO of Smart Bomb Interactive, the company behind both Animal JamandAnimal Jam: Jump “As we start to expand that world onto mobile devices, we hope that parents come to recognize the Animal Jam brand as synonymous with production values so high, they’ll want to play these games too. In fact, we’re counting on it—we know a lot of Jammers are going to ask their parents to put AJ: Jump on their own phones, so they can earn their kids gems for their Animal Jam accounts.”
AJ: Jump is available now throughout the world in English only, but Smart Bomb plans to make the game available in multiple languages in the near future. They will also be adding more multimedia educational content to the app in the coming months, along with additional gameplay power ups and kangaroo customization items. Fans can learn more by visiting http://ajjump.com.
GAMERS EMBRACE LIVE BROADCASTING ON PLAYSTATION®4 (PS4™) WITH NEARLY 800,000 GAMEPLAY BROADCASTS AND MORE THAN 7.1 MILLION SPECTATE SESSIONS
The PS4™ System Fosters the Next Generation of Social Connectivity Across Internet Streaming Services, Twitch and Ustream
London, DEC. 10, 2013 – Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) today announced that hundreds of thousands of PlayStation®4 (PS4™) owners have embraced the integrated streaming capabilities of the PS4 computer entertainment system. There have been nearly 800,000 gameplay broadcasts and more than 7.1 million spectate sessions via video streaming platforms, Twitch and Ustream, totalling more than 20 million minutes of live gameplay streamed from PS4™ systems.*1
Ten percent of all content on Twitch has come from PS4 systems since the November 15 launch in the U.S. and Canada and the November 29 launch in Europe, Australasia and Latin America, based on average minutes broadcast.*2 Ustream is reporting an average of 31 minutes of streaming per broadcaster.*3 A few of the top games broadcasted are Battlefield 4™ from Electronic Arts Inc., Killzone™ Shadow Fall fromSony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios (SCE WWS), and Call of Duty®: Ghosts fromActivision.
“PlayStation 4 is specifically designed so people can share their gaming experiences and interest in streaming live gameplay has surpassed our wildest expectations,” said Shuhei Yoshida, President of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios. “We’re very excited to see gamers embrace live streaming from their PS4 system and we look forward to seeing how PlayStation gamers advance social gaming in the coming years.”
Following the most successful launch in PlayStation® history with more than 2.1 million estimated PS4 units sold globally, many PS4 owners are exploring and utilizing the system’s streaming features, which are available for free, to share their gaming triumphs, connect with friends and form new communities. Broadcasting and other social features can be easily accessed through the dedicated “SHARE” button on the DUALSHOCK®4 wireless controller, which has been a hit with fans who have pressed it and accessed the Share Menu more than 10.9 million times*4.
The PS4 system in 2014
The PS4 system’s social capabilities will expand in 2014 as the PS4 games portfolio expands with games like the highly anticipated inFAMOUS™: Second Son and MLB 2014: The Show fromSCE WWS, as well as brand new franchises including Destiny™ from Activision, Watch_Dogs™ from Ubisoft Entertainment, and The Order 1886TM,and DriveClub™fromSCE WWS. All of these titles showcase the power of the PS4 system with breathtaking graphics and breakthrough gameplay experiences.
Gaijin Games’ Runner2 coming to Vita December 17th in North America, 18th in Europe
Santa Cruz, Calif. – December 11, 2013 – If you’re reading this press release, chances are you’re a member of the press. Either that or you’ve somehow found a way to be included on our mailing list. You sly dog, you.
In any case, we come to you today with a fairly major, fairly awesome announcement. Runner2 is headed to the PS Vita on December 17th in North America, followed closely by a December 18th release in Europe! It’s a Christmas miracle!
Our goal with the Vita version of Runner2 was to achieve complete parity with the PC and console versions. Being the awesome (if we may say so) developers that we are, we’re confident that we’ve accomplished this. You can expect the same amount of content, the same beautiful graphics, and the same creepy Slenderman roaming the woods of the Supernature. And speaking of expectations, you can also expect the Good Friends Character Pack to release day and date with the game itself!
If you’re interested in receiving a review code, don’t hesitate to reach out! If you’re not interested in receiving a review code, then you’re probably a jerk (but we love you, anyway).
Happy holidays, everyone!
ABOUT GAIJIN GAMES
Gaijin Games is an award-winning, Guinness World Record-breaking (seriously!) San Francisco- and Santa Cruz-based video game development studio that focuses on making unique gaming experiences for discerning humans. Founded by Genuine Men, Alex Neuse and Mike Roush, Gaijin Games has been responsible for tickling the world with its rhythm-music eccentricities since 2008 with their IGF award-winning BIT.TRIP series and the console version of the IGF award-winning lilt line. In addition to rhythm-music stylings, Gaijin Games has also branched out into the puzzle genre with their Robotube brand, recently launching BlokTonik for the iPad. Moving forward, Gaijin Games aims to bring their special brand of entertainment to all platforms, console and otherwise. More information about the studio can be found at www.gaijingames.com.
Screen Print have begun listing the film for release from Anchor Bay on March 19th, 2014. The release is said to be on both DVD and Blu-Ray formats. It is unknown whether the release will feature an English dub.
Currently the film has no confirmed release details for North America. It does however have a potential UK release in the future with GFM Films believed the be dubbing the film for release in the region. Stay tuned as further information on this release develops.
The Stanley Parable started its life as a mod for the Source Engine in 2011. After a successful Steam Greenlight campaign, developers Galactic Cafe brought an expanded game to Steam that provided remade environements and more story options. The game is designed to be thought provoking and mind bending, encouraging players to explore.
Story
Stanley is office drone number 427. One day, Stanley realizes that everyone in his office has disappeared and a narrator is now instructing him on what to do. There are many paths in The Stanley Parable, but the story always starts out the same. The story evolves based on the player’s decisions. Will they follow the narrator blindly? Or will they attempt to forge a path of their own. The game quickly turns into a battle between the player and the narrator.
Galactic Cafe has done a spectacular job in writing The Stanley Parable’s script. It is funny, bizarre, quirky, witty and utterly thought provoking. The developers set out to create a game that messed with people’s minds. Mission accomplished. There were several times where I was be brought back to the introduction of the game and not completely sure if I was actually at the beginning or if the reset was simply part of the new ending I encountered. Some endings are sure to cause philosophy majors to salivate while others will leave players staring at the screen wondering what on earth did they just experience. The Stanley Parable is sure to make the perfect topic for many academic papers as it explores the relationship between video games, players, and the choices they make.
Gameplay
Don’t let the first person perspective and Source engine fool you, The Stanley Parable is an interactive fiction/adventure game. While traditional interactive fiction and adventure titles will consist of one long extended story, The Stanley Parable plays more like a Choose Your Own Adventure book by providing short stories that can be played over and over again. Small variations can randomly occur, like parts of the office becoming rearranged. Some choices that will affect the game are very obvious, such as disregarding the narrator’s instructions, while others will take some experimentation. There is a strong emphasis on exploration and experimentation. Although the areas Stanley will experience are rather compact and mildly claustrophobic, new endings can be found in the strangest places. Players are not only encouraged to openly defy the narrator, but go back and look for new places they could can access.
The controls are very simple. Stanley is only capable of crouching, walking around, and interacting with his environment. Even the traditional FPS mainstay of jumping is stripped from the game. The simplified control and the slow pace of the game will make it easy for even most non gamers to enjoy The Stanley Parable.
Visuals
Part of The Stanley Parable’s retail release was to remake the environments found in the original modification. The new style creates a purposely generic office space with a slightly eerie sterility. Without spoiling too much, the office quickly goes from generic to absolutely ridiculous to the point hilarity. Yet, throughout the insanity, Galactic Cafe makes it work as the insanity helps the game break out of the traditional Source Engine look.
Since the game is running on the Source Engine, The Stanley Parable runs well even on low end computers. The load times between levels are pretty reasonable and I did not experience any drops in frame rates or other visual oddities.
Audio
The Stanely Parable would not be the same without Kevan Brighting’s masterful performance as the narrator. Brighting never misses a step in his delivery and turns an already great script into an amazing experience. I would be thoroughly shocked if he is skipped over for an award next year. Backing up Kevan Brighting’s performance is a solid array of sound effects that help build the environment without ever distracting from the narration.
Overall
The Stanley Parable is a fantastic game in the art house movie sense. It is by no means a summer blockbuster as it lacks the explosions, glitz, and glamour of a title like Bioshock Infinite or the year’s latest Call of Duty title. Instead, The Stanley Parable takes a different path to greatness by being everything the modern blockbuster isn’t. The happy ending is achievable in five minutes flat, the script dares to provoke the mind, and the game is at its best when everything goes off the rails. My only complaint about the game is how much I wish there was more! The Stanley Parable may not be everyone’s cup of tea; however, I believe every gamer should at least play the game once in their lifetime to at least experience Kevan Brighting’s impressive performance. Galactic Cafe has created a brilliant game that is proof that video games is an art form no different than film. Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Attack On Titan: The Last Wings Of Mankind got its release on the 3DS last week throughout Japan and it seems as though audiences have really gotten into it, it has sold over 93,471 copies in Japan alone and, to be entirely honest, I don’t find that hard to believe at all considering the Attack On Titan Anime has been one of the most popular titles to have been released this year. The game initially has three playable stores; Eren, Armin and Mikasa’s, with a Captain Levi DLC being released for free so long as you download it before the 31st of January.
It has just been announced that another DLC is planned for the game and this time it’s another fan favourite; Sasha Braus. The culinary killer Sasha will be the star of her very own DLC and, much like the Captain Levi story, once you’ve finished all of her missions you unlock an odd yet fitting pair of weapons for you to use in World Mode which just so happen to be a giant fork and knife. There has been no outline of a specific release date for the DLC but what we do have is a bunch of screenshots and images to keep you going until then. Enjoy!
