Australia’s PlayStation 4 launch has become even bigger following Pizza Hut’s announcement that 660 PS4 consoles will be given away over the course of the month, every hour starting this Tuesday at 4pm, December 3. Not only that, but winners will receive one of the following games of their choice: Drive Club, Knack or Killzone: Shadow Fall. We assume Drive Club will be given when it’s released, seeing as it was delayed until 2014.
To enter the draw to win, all hopefuls have to do is order a large pizza and cross your fingers. Most Australian retailers are completely sold out until 2014, so this is a chance to get one before Christmas.
“We are thrilled to be able to offer Pizza Hut customers the best chance of winning a PS4 in time for Christmas. Each entry will be valid for 24 hours, or 24 draws, so the chance of winning remains high. We are expecting thousands of entries so get your orders in,” says Fatima Syed, Head of Marketing at Pizza Hut.
Custom designed pizza boxes celebrating the PS4 promotion will contain a competition sticker and a unique code. Visit the Pizza Hut website, enter your details and the code from the box to register a chance to win. The hourly draws commence at 4:00pm on December 3 until 3:00am December 31.
Are you ready to enter the wonderful world on Mario? Well it is time for gamers all around the world to once again go wild in the Mushroom Kingdom with the imminent release of Super Mario 3D World tomorrow exclusively for the Wii U.
Super Mario 3D World has all the critics raving across the globe, with many calling it Mario biggest comeback to date, with some brand new innovative gameplay bringing Mario and friends into the next generation of gaming.
In anticipation of tomorrow’s release of Super Mario 3D World, Nintendo have dropped some assets for the game which you can check out in the gallery below. Featured in the gallery is official artwork for the game as well the game’s boxart and logo.
Be sure to pick up the superb Super Mario 3D World tomorrow and get ready for the wild ride of fun, thrills and adventure that awaits you.
Madman Entertainment have just officially announced the acquisition of the anime adaptation of the cult-classic action video-game Bayonetta. The anime adaptation is title Bayonetta: Bloody Fate and focuses on the lost memories of Bayonetta and the bloody fate that awaits her.
Madman confirmed that they plan to bring the anime to Australia and New Zealand in 2014. However no exact details on their release plans have been outlined at this point in time. Full details on the release are expected to come in the near future so stay tuned for further updates on Madman’s release of Bayonetta: Bloody Fate as it emerges.
Namco Bandai Games is ready to let their cosmos burn with the first batch of DLC for Saint Seiya: Brave Soldiers having just launched. The DLC will introduce a new level of customization for player’s Saints. The ‘Power of Gold’ set allows several of the Bronze Saints to become Gold Saints such as Seiya, Ikki, Shun, Hyoga and Shiryu. Not only that but there is the ‘Greece Costume Set’ which brings in even more alternate costumes for the Saints.
The game features the expansive cast set to appear in this Saint Seiya fighting game. Saint Seiya: Brave Soldiers is set to feature a total of 50 characters. The game is exclusive to the PlayStation 3 console. Be sure to pick up the DLC now for some brand new costumes for your favourite Saints!
Killer Instinct: Ultra Edition Developer:Double Helix Publisher:Microsoft Platforms:Xbox One Install Size:3.4GB Release Date:Out Now Price: AUD$52.35 – Available via the Xbox Games Store
Overview
17 years… it’s been 17 long years since Killer Instinct Gold. Many thought we’d never see another Killer Instinct again, but others held out hope. After Microsoft bought out Rare Ltd. in 2002, its fate became less clear. Then from April of this year, its revival announcement was a mere formality… Microsoft and Fox settled a dispute over the trademark, with the publisher renewing and then proceeding to (finally!) reveal the existence of the Xbox One launch title at their E3 2013 showcase. Now we have our hands on the new Killer Instinct, pulling off combo breakers and ultra-combos like the good ol’ times… but is it just like old times?
Gameplay
At launch, the Killer Instinct: Ultra Edition comes with 6 characters, an exclusive accessory pack for each, Versus, Xbox Live (Ranked and Exhibition), Survival, Dojo and Practice Modes, and Killer Instinct Classic – a port of two arcade versions of the original. In January, Spinal will become available, and in March, Fulgore. Beyond that, there will be a Story Mode released, recreations of classic Killer Instinct costumes, another batch of unique accessory packs and more yet to be confirmed. It’s therefore tough to review this edition when it is practically incomplete, but I have to consider what is on offer now, but also what is in store for us in the future in regards to value for money. Supplementing the listed features above is an extensive KI Store where you spend Killer Points (KP) to unlock all manner of extras, from concept art to skins.
KP are earned by achieving Fight Titles, which are mini-objectives for each character included. For instance, you may earn 50KP for pulling off 3 ultras with Orchid. There are literally hundreds of these building throughout multiple ranks. They can be tracked in the Fight Archive, along with your replays, achievements, fight stats and fight profile. Your fight profile is that customisable banner visible to other players displaying your gamertag, single-player rank and multiplayer rank. The text taunt, icon and background of the profile can be customised to your liking. Dojo Mode is an exhaustive exploration of the basics of the fighting mechanics, all the way to tournament level lessons such as learning how to read light, medium and heavy attacks, and understanding hit boxes and mix-ups.
Dojo Mode is the best way to get acquainted with the game. You can also jump into Practice Mode, set your options – regenerative health on/off, dummy actions, etc – and develop your skills further before heading online. Survival Mode has you take on a seemingly infinite order of enemies, with your meters carrying on between them and a portion of your health regenerating post-fight. Eventually, you will be snuffed out… unless you play on Beginner with Jago, in which case you’ll probably die of boredom first. The gameplay is all about combos. The chain goes like this: opener, auto, linker, auto, ender. This can be extended of course, and true timing-ninjas can supplant manuals into there to make it tougher for their opponent to read and counter.
Potential damage builds with each hit, and your combo meter communicates how close you are to dropping a combo, indicating the optimal time to finish it strongly with an ender for maximum damage. Combo breakers are back, as are ultras, although some new mechanics have been added to the system. Counter breakers allow you to counter a combo breaker attempt; shadow counters allow you to counter an attack with a shadow move and instinct mode offers unique properties and abilities when triggered, burning meter as time passes. As for the fighters themselves, Jago – the free starter – is the most well rounded, easy to pick up member of the roster, with a screen-crossing Wind Kick, anti-air Tiger Fury and Endokuken projectile.
When considering Jago is the character used throughout all of Dojo Mode, don’t be surprised if you gravitate towards him more than everyone else at first due to the familiarity. His instinct mode enables regenerative health upon each blow landed. Sabrewulf is the resident rushdown fighter, able to run in with a high Jumping Slash or low Hamstring attack. He can execute double autos which incidentally makes his animations harder to read and easier to drop combos unintentionally. His instinct mode gifts a 20% damage boost. Glacius is the range fighter of the bunch and is thus decidedly difficult to master. His throw is useful in that it creates good distance, and his instinct mode gives him one-hit armor.
Sadira is the sole brand new character and air-juggler. She has a couple effective launchers and recovers quick after completed animations. Her instinct mode allows the deployment of Web Traps that freeze combos just as they do your opponent. Thunder is a plodding grappler who struggles outside of his extremely close up range. However, when initiating instinct mode, he can double dash substantial distances at a high speed for improved mobility. Finally, Orchid is the second most well-rounded, her arsenal running the gamut. She’s also the single fighter with an air throw that follows up with an automatic floor-bounce. Each fighter has their advantages/disadvantages and although a singular chaining formula applies for all, they each control and play differently, requiring time and effort to truly establish your go-to style and master the appropriate choice.
Visuals
Killer Instinct is a digital title with AAA-quality, although there are graphical elements that are slightly lacklustre. Character models look good with a certain strong quality to their colouring and the slate of accessories allows some creative mix-and-match customisation. But, ignoring the art style Double Helix has chosen to follow, there is a particular blockiness and blandness to Glacius and Thunder’s stages respectively. Up close, textures are not as detailed as they could be and the terrain’s geometry comes across quite flat and unremarkable. Otherwise, Double Helix’s proprietary Hex Engine can do some very impressive things.
Stages break down and change as the fight wears on, with Jago’s Tiger’s Lair crumbling and a huge storm brewing over Thunder’s Devil’s Landing being prime examples. And leading on from this, artistic and particle effects is where it’s at folks. This is what makes Killer Instinct look next-gen. The shattering ice, the exploding fireballs, the sparks flying all over the place and the individual droplets of rain. They all have physics applied to them as well, so they don’t just disappear after a second, but bounce of the ground and interact with their surroundings. And artistically, the striking shadow move effect and the screen-warping during a combo-breaker add to the perceived force and gravity of these epic encounters.
Audio
Australian composer and sound designer Mick Gordon is a self-confessed Killer Instinct superfan, so when he got the offer to work on his dream project, there was no way conceivable way he would pass that up. His top priority in creating the music for this new Killer Instinct was to pay homage to Robin Beanland and Graeme Norgate’s work on the former, iconic entries, whilst bringing its sonic landscape out of the 90’s and into the modern era. And he has done just that. His love for the series is proven at every turn. The main theme is built upon a shortened section of the original drum beat, but maintaining the signature melody. The select screen music is the most preserved, although it’s also the most simple being a 4-bar loop. Mick made some really inspired choices for the stage themes as well, such as learning Tibetan throat singing and incorporating that into Jago’s ‘Tiger’s Lair’ theme.
Thunder’s ‘Devil’s Landing’ theme features live recorded Native American chants and is more respectful to the culture of the character than his past incarnation. Glacius’ ‘Crash Site’ theme communicates the new focus on his honorable side well with a hint of “To Galaxy” from Halo 4. Sabrewulf’s ‘Alchemical Lab theme is described by Mick as if the beast himself was ripping apart an orchestra as they struggle to keep playing, and the erratic Frankenstein-esque strings certainly reflect that. Sadira’s ‘Assassin’s Cave’ is metal-heavy, with bends that would make Alice in Chains jealous. And finally, Orchid’s ‘Rebel Outpost’ is a pop/dance track – in the vain of the original – although it brings a harder, less sexist edge to the messaging replacing the lyrics “touch me, feel me” with “touch me and I’ll break your face!”
There’s also a little aural secret hidden within each piece that hardcore fans will appreciate. Each track could stand on its own as a unique listening experience, with a little tightening of course, and hopefully a Killer Cuts album is on its way. The in-game versions adapt to the pace of the matchup and Ultras have a musical element to them – a unique beat for each that adopts the soundscape of the level they are performed on. All of the music from Killer Instinct 1 & 2 can also be unlocked and switched to in Practice Mode, which is a neat inclusion. There’s also a second announcer that can be unlocked and it’s a doozy: Chris Sutherland, the original voice of the franchise! As you can tell, there’s a lot to the audio which is a big part of Killer Instinct‘s DNA, and respect is the key word here; perfectly treated by all involved.
Overall
Killer Instinctis a smart, technical fighter that is entirely respectful and inspired by the prior games, smoothly bringing the franchise into a new era. The fast combo-focused combat, the characterisations, the music and the tone have all been expertly tweaked for a different time. The only downside at this moment is the immediate overall lack of content, however the great thing about the pricing and release scheme is you decide how much you want to invest. Personally, with the low-floor/high-ceiling gameplay, the plethora of unlockables, constant player rewards and promise of Spinal, Fulgore, a Story Mode, classic costumes, accessory packs and more, the Ultra Edition is well worth it. ULLLTRRAAAAAAAAAAAA!
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
In an age where we have movies like “Red” and “The Expendables” we can’t help but get excited when we see a couple old-school actors come together for an old-school style action movie and, despite what the movie may be about, we all eventually work our way up to seeing these movies, that’s just the way it seems to be. Steven Seagal and Danny Trejo are partnering up, once again, for the soon to be released action/thriller; Force of Execution. If you’ve heard absolutely nothing about this film, here’s the Official Synopsis:
“Steven Seagal stars as mob kingpin Mr. Alexander, an old-school boss who rules his criminal empire with both nobility and brutality. For a simple prison hit, he sends his best enforcer and protégé Roman Hurst (Bren Foster). When the hit goes wrong, Hurst is forced to pay the price of his failure: banishment in the city that he almost once ruled.
But a war is brewing for the soul of the city between Alexander, a cold-blooded gangster known as ‘The Iceman” (Ving Rhames) and a merciless Mexican cartel. Hurst, with the help of an ex-con restaurant owner (Danny Trejo) who has a few hidden moves of his own, will rediscover his own will to survive the coming conflict and to wreak vengeance on those who have wronged him.”
Force Of Execution never made it to the silver screen but fans of this kind of movie are in luck because it is set for a release on the 15th of January, 2014. The film is to be released on standard DVD, Blu-Ray and through digital outlets as a digital copy. I suppose if you’re not quite convinced on whether or not you really want to see this movie we have the trailer for it below in our Featured Video section, head down there to watch it and don’t forget to hit up our comments section to let us know what you think of the movie.
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, the reboot of/fifth installment in the Jack Ryan series (inspired by the Tom Clancy character) is a little over a month away from hitting the silver screen, and today Paramount Pictures have given us a brand new poster for the film. This is the second poster for the movie, and gives us a look at some of the cast in their roles:
Click here for the full size pic
As you can see, the poster features stars Chrie Pine, Kevin Costner & Kiera Knightley, who, alongside director/actor Kenneth Branagh lead the star studded cast of the action/thriller. If you need a little more info on the movie you can check out the trailer here. Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit is set to release January 16th, 2014 so for all the Jack Ryan news as it becomes available, be sure to stay tuned to Capsule Computers.
Halfbrick, the hugely popular mobile game developer based in Brisbane Australia, are extremely excited to announce their release of the brand-new Jetpack Joyride update but it’s not just an old update, no this one is huge and just in time to give us all a little bit more Christmas cheer. With this update comes the introduction of S.A.M the “Strong. Arm. Machine” that not only deflects deadly missiles but also gives one hell of a high-five.
S.A.M is the “Hail Mary” of Jetpack Joyride with you, the player, being allowed to call upon it for help only once a day at the cost of three token. Each day that a player activates S.A.M they are rewarded with a nice in-game reward alongside the use of S.A.M itself, on the fifth consecutive day something awesome happens and a player is rewarded with one of 32 brand-new costume pieces for Barry to wear as he flies through labs, destroying everything in his way.
The fun doesn’t stop there though, S.A.M isn’t the only new feature to have been added to the game. I’d like to introduce you to the “Sleigh of Awesome”, another brand-new vehicle that is only available through the Christmas period, once Santa has come and gone; that’s it for the Sleigh of Awesome. Get onto Jetpack Joyride now because what we all thought was a fantastic game already has just got even better with this massive update.
iOS devices should be able to access the update to day but unfortunately those running the game on Android devices will have to wait another week for it. To grab yourself a copy of the iOS Version of the game you can click here and for the Android Version you can click here. As of right now, before you skip off to get the update, I suggest you head down below to check out both our small gallery of screenshots from the update and the new S.A.M trailer. Happy Holidays and may your jetpack ride be a joyful one.
Sad news cricket fans, today 505 Games have confirmed that they have cancelled the long in-production Ashes Cricket 2013 game. Ashes Cricket 2013 was originally set for release earlier this year but was pushed back until November. After being quietly released onto Steam last week, the game was quickly pulled after fan response was overhelmingly negative. A quick search on YouTube brings up a tonne of videos showing the games many bugs and glitches. Not only has the PC version been pulled from Steam, but it along with the upcoming console versions have been completely scrapped.
505 Games released this statement today:
As most people who have followed the project closely can affirm, the development of Ashes Cricket 2013 has been fraught with challenges almost from the outset. The chosen developer, even with their many years of cricket game development experience, was unable to overcome the unexpected challenges that the chosen game engine threw up, even with multiple extensions to the development schedule. At the start of the project, 505 Games received all assurances from the developer that the engine was up to the task of creating a dynamic, cutting-edge cricket game for the modern age across multiple platforms, and unfortunately those assurances were found to be misplaced.
The net result of the challenges we have faced was a game which, despite our best efforts over the course of a two-year development, couldn’t meet the quality benchmarks of either us, our licensors or our customers. 505 Games’ main priority right now is to protect the Ashes name and that of the ECB and Cricket Australia, and do what we can to recompense the cricket community.
As the licensee and publisher of name for Ashes Cricket 2013, 505 Games would like to apologise publicly and sincerely to our licensors, the ECB and Cricket Australia, and their respective partners/sponsors, who have been nothing but patient and supportive of us throughout the challenges this project has presented, and who, ultimately, we have let down.
Our deepest apologies, however, are reserved for the fans of cricket and cricket games worldwide. 505 Games prides itself on being a safe pair of hands on which gamers of all tastes and denominations can rely to put their best foot forward to create compelling gaming experiences. It is clear that, in this instance, we have fallen way short of our stated aims and failed to deliver. We know that the mitigating factors, as highlighted above, hold little solace to the hordes of excited cricket fans worldwide who had hoped this year to be able to play out their fantasy of playing in the Ashes series.
The people who purchased the game will be contacted very shortly with details of a full refund.
This is definitely a unique situation, as I can’t think of a time where a game was cancelled AFTER its release. Sorry cricket fans, but looks like you wont be belting the poms any time soon (at least not in a video game). Let us know your thoughts on the situation in the comments below and remember to stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the hot video game news as it becomes available.
The greatest in gaming hardware and software systems, Razer have announced the launch of yet another new top-of-the-line headphones: the Razer Kraken Forged Edition.
Contrasting their bold coloured emblems, this new set looks like it’s for the sophisticated gamer. Crafted with ear cups that are machined out of aircraft-grade aluminum and finished with a matte texture, the Razer Kraken Forged Edition is carefully hand-assembled to ensure the build quality matches the premium looks and guts.
The Kraken Forged Edition is also supposed to work as well as it looks. Razer audio engineers have fine-tuned the 40 mm bass-heavy drivers to bring you epic bass while keeping the sound balanced with clear and crisp highs optimized for music and gaming experiences. It is also versatile as it has a swappable cable with an in-line microphone.
Though it is being sold at US$299, this piece of ear candy seems to be worth every penny.
