Just in time for Thanksgiving, Deep Silver and Volition is getting in the spirit of the holidays with a brand new DLC for Saints Row IVand two contests. The content DLC called “How the Saints Saved Christmas” will star the Third Street Saints bringing holiday cheer to the boss. The DLC will be released on December 11th and will be free for all Season Pass holders. The DLC can also be bought separately for $6.99.
For those looking for a little more holiday cheer outside of Steelport, the naughty developers are looking for redemption. Gamers can check out their nefarious deeds at the official site and recommend what the developers should do. The best ideas will be filmed by the developers, so get your ideas in before November 29th, 2013.
Volition and Deep Silver are also hosting a Christmas caroling contest. Grab your friends and film yourselves singing Saints Row Jingle Bells. The winners will receive a Saints Row themed Christmas present from the developers and a special personalized video message. The contest ends December 5th, 2013.
Contrast Developer:Compulsion Games Publisher:Focus Home Interactive Platforms: PlayStation 4 (Reviewed), PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC Release Date: November 15, 2013 Install Size:2.5 GB (PlayStation 4), 974 MB (Xbox 360), 4 GB (PC) Price: $14.99 – Available Here
Overview
As with Resogun, Sony needed games to pad the launch of the PlayStation 4. In development for a while now, Focus Home Interactive and Compulsion Games’ Contrast has been a standout game at past showings. When it was revealed that Drive Club would not make it into the hands of gamers on launch day, Contrast was Sony’s go-to backup, and free to PlayStation Plus subscribers to boot. How does the puzzle platformer with a shady twist hold up, though? Is it a beacon of light or should it be left in a dark corner?
Story
Didi is a young girl with a sordid family history. Her mother has recently been murdered and her father has long been absent from her life. After meeting Dawn, a lady with the strange ability to shift between our world and shadow, Didi enlists her new friend to help her backtrack the events that led to her current sad situation and mend her family.
Gameplay Contrast is a puzzle-platformer that takes place both in a 3-D world and 2-D space. Over the course of three chapters, you’ll have to complete a series of puzzles and help Didi reassemble the family she has so tragically lost.
Controls are straightforward. Dawn has the ability to run around, jump, interact with objects in the environment, and shift between existence in 3-D space to the 2-D space of projected shadow. She can also perform a dash that will shift her through thin shadows to give some added maneuverability.
Using the play of light and shadow, you’ll have to figure out how to traverse through the world, using your shift ability to reach new areas, move boxes, cannonballs, and the like, and more.
One of the strongest aspects of Contrast is in its story and the way it’s told. Over the course of the game, you’ll see a fantastic tale of tragedy and redemption play out – with a little intervention from Didi and Dawn, of course. I don’t want to ruin anything for folks, but understand that the all of the characters involved are strong, significant characters that play a part in the life of this little girl’s family.
The story is told through a series of vignettes you’ll run into as you explore each act. These vignettes play out as shadows on the wall with spoken dialog. The story is solid and the dialog is both well written and executed by the voice actors, bringing the story to life before your eyes.
As cliché as it is to say, the level design in Contrast is a mixed bag. Most of the puzzles feel fairly easy to work through with only a little thought once you understand the mechanics. There are a few brilliant standouts that will have you scratching your head, though. Even with all of the puzzles, Contrast is a fairly short game. Most folks will probably be able to finish it in 3-4 hours, if not faster. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, however, as the game completes its experience and leaves no fat to be trimmed.
The game is certainly not without its issues. Rare graphical glitches will leave you able to see through the back of Dawn’s head or other such oddities. There are also some issues with the way the physics and light/shadow mechanics work. You may try to set down a box, only to get stuck under it in a falling animation, or dash out of a shadow and get lodged in geometry within the stage. Though rare, jumping sessions can also be an exercise in patience, particularly when trying to hustle to beat a timing obstacle or ascend a steep incline. They all feel fairly innocuous at first, but they occur often enough over the course of the game that you’ll take note.
Visuals Contrast won’t likely win any awards for pushing the limits like other PlayStation 4 titles do, but it stands up strong in its own right. The noir aesthetic and the play of shadows provide an interesting setting both in terms of historical period and simple traversal. Didi can feel like an animated character brought to life, while Dawn’s silhouette implies a quick, agile figure cut out for the job. Overall, it’s entertaining and interesting, even if it can feel a bit too dark on occasion.
Audio
The soundtrack to Contrast is excellent. With smoky jazz tracks that feel reminiscent of a time when gangsters and cabaret ruled the night, you’ll find a few tunes that stick with you well after the credits have rolled. They do a great job aiding in the storytelling as well. The audio is further bolstered by fantastic voice acting that, in conjunction with shadow animation, brings the story to life in front of your eyes.
Overall
Overall, Contrast is a game with a few issues that still deserves recognition. Though the puzzles feel fairly straightforward for the most part, there are a few “Eureka” moments to be had. The game’s story is wonderfully told with great voice acting. The game does suffer from a few mild glitches and it’s a fairly quick playthrough, but folks looking for something a bit different from the glut of first-person shooters will find a refreshing experience here.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Overview
Called a story that is eternally retold, the Soul series has had quite a bit of success thanks to its assortment of interesting characters and the gameplay itself. SoulCalibur II was about the time that the series was starting to come into its own, so that seeing it re-released onto current gen consoles to follow in the footsteps of it predecessor SoulCalibur makes sense. For the re-release of SoulCalibur II however it goes another two steps forward with new HD graphics and the addition of online. So, do these make for a big enough improvement to the original game to be worth the time? Let’s look at how it holds up.
Story
Starting off with just Arcade that isn’t too heavy on story to be able to unlock Extra Arcade, the completion of which finally offers the closet mode to an actual story, even if it may not fit so much into the full Soul mythology. Weapon Master Mode offers an interesting story mode focused on a character on their own search for Soul Edge. While the Arcade modes are fairly short with only 8 fights, Weapon Master Mode takes it much farther with several chapters with multiple fights provided a much more in-depth story and experience.
The continuing struggle of heroes and villains to oppose and possess Soul Edge is just as it was for the original console release of SoulCalibur II, though this time having both formerly console exclusive characters Heihachi Mishima and Spawn, but no Link for obvious reasons. In this way it is able to make for the most definite version of the game so far and give just a little bit for anyone that played the previous console release.
Gameplay
Even after 11 years, the controls and how it plays is still able to hold up with current standards. The controls haven’t been tweaked all that much as the controller from the Xbox/PS2 to the Xbox 360/PS3 have not changed much with the exception of the black/white buttons for the Xbox controller, but with the bumpers replacing them makes it much more comfortable altogether. The balance of how the attacks works against each other works well with horizontal and vertical attacks instead of heavy and light, which fits much better with the melee weapons the characters use.
Starting out with just Arcade, SoulCalibur II kicks off with the actual “story” of the Soul series forefront, without cramming too much of the actual story and focusing mainly on the gameplay itself. The game is also very forgiving with providing an unlimited number of continues for losing a fight, which can often happen against new opponents. After getting far enough, more of the story is inserted in the fight introduction and finishing off with a suitable conclusion for completing it as well as an additional mode.
The Weapon Master Mode is where players can spend a lot of time while trying to unlock all the different weapons, costumes, and characters available to play. Across the stages in the different chapters, there are plenty of different tasks that are required to pass allowing a better chance to hone skills than just the Arcade mode. This not only offers plenty of things to do, but doesn’t get overly repetitive unless stuck on a specific stage with a specific task.
Weapon Master Mode was probably one of the most played modes for SoulCalibur II outside of VS for its original release, but with the addition of Online this time around it serves as a pretty good in-depth tutorial for players to actually learn the skills necessary to compete against each other online. The online itself works fairly well, some issues can crop up if suffering from lag that can make matches frustrating, but for the most part it works very well when matched against those with an equally good connection.
Visuals and Audio
With all new higher definition graphics and character models the game does look better than its former release, but many seem like just higher resolution textures, though the characters are much smoother as well. Overall, the new visuals don’t quite reach just how good some of the later games did, but working with something 11 years old probably limits what can be accomplished. The audio however is able to maintain the quality that it did before, all the songs are suitable and the voice acting is fantastic. Though for this release only the English is available, so those that preferred to switch to the original Japanese are unfortunately out of luck. So, while the visuals do see a moderate improvement the audio remains the same, albeit with the exclusion of the Japanese.
Overall SoulCalibur II HD Online literally delivers what it states in the title. Improved graphics to fit the HD era of gaming, with the inclusion of online features for players to compete against each other means that it is a marked improvement over the last release of SoulCalibur II more than a decade a go. A great game with plenty to do, and now the opponents only limited by those online, this is a nice re-release that performs well on all fronts and provides exactly what fans can expect and able to hold up over the years.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Bloober Team, the studio behind PlayStation-exclusive puzzle game A-Men and its sequel, have released a new teaser trailer for their upcoming PlayStation 4 exclusive Basement Crawl.
Basement Crawl is set to be a mash-up of strategy, action, and skill reminiscent of titles like Bomberman. Set in an intense macabre shelter, the multiplayer-centric title will give PlayStation 4 owners vivid imagery, unique challenges, multiplayer showdowns, and more.
The game currently has no official release date, but Bloober Team has stated that they’re expected to release within the 2013 PS4 launch window. To check out the new screenshots the team has released, be sure to check out the gallery below. Don’t forget to check out the teaser trailer below this article as well.
FREE GAS GUZZLERS EXTREME DEMO NOW AVAILABLE ON STEAM
New Demo Includes Two Cars, Two Tracks and Three Different Game Modes
Haarlem, The Netherlands – November 25, 2013 – Who is up for one hell of a free ride? Publisher Iceberg Interactive and developer Gamepires released a demo today on Steam for their hi-octane combat racing gameGas Guzzlers Extreme (PC). Heralded by press for its insane chaotic fun, Gas Guzzlers Extreme gives racing enthusiasts the chance to win races by any means possible, which includes blowing opponents to smithereens.
The free Steam demo focuses on the single-player experience, with two cars, two tracks and three different game modes, and is more than enough to get an irresistible feel for what it’s like to drive like an outlaw (just like gamers have always wanted to). Now drivers can get acquainted with the supple car handling, smooth graphics and heavy weaponry that Gas Guzzlers Extreme has to offer by downloading the demo HERE: store.steampowered.com/app/243800/ (2.5 GBs).
Demo Features:
Two cars: Hound Bermude and Fordiac Bandit
Two weapons: Katyusha and Gang Banger
Three game modes: Battle Race, Deathmatch and Capture the Flag
Full Game Features:
Combat racing at its best, featuring a blood pumping single player campaign with over 12 hours of gameplay.
Fast-as-lightning multiplayer tournaments with 7 different modes (classic race, power race, battle race, knockout, deathmatch, last man standing and capture the flag); with up to 4 teams available in team play mode.
350+ miles of road across 40 tracks, 8 arenas and 7 different environments.
12 unique weapons, on-track bonuses and power ups.
Instant play with vicious AI Bots populating your multiplayer match while other players begin to join in on the fun.
Beautifully displayed high definition visuals with extensive vehicle damage, motion blur effects and custom paint jobs.
Full force feedback controller support as well as keyboards, joy pads, joysticks and racing wheels.
Packed with tons of unique humor and personality.
Liked the demo and want to join the madness online? Purchase and play Gas Guzzlers Extreme via the official Steam store page HERE: store.steampowered.com/app/243800/
About Gas Guzzlers Extreme
Gas Guzzlers Extreme is a fast, furious, armed-to-the-teeth, trigger-happy shooter, shifted into top gear! Take a white knuckle ride in this crazily addictive combat racing game that features a ton of vehicles, weapons, upgrades, on-track bonuses and environments. Gas Guzzlers Extreme is an exciting new twist on the car combat experience with the addition of furious team/clan combat battles.
Players start out with low performance vehicles and soon work their way up to high-performance models, by earning money in a series of hi-octane races and arena battles. New game modes, tracks and vehicles are unlocked as players progress through the game. Along with developing their driving and fighting skills, players can spend their hard-fought cash, customizing their vehicle to match their clan members or pimping their ride for the road to glory!
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ABOUT GAMEPIRES
Gamepires expertise resides in the highly rendered and superior graphics gaming environments and relies on combining exquisite knowledge in physics and gameplay development with top-class graphic layouts. The team consists of creative groups of developers and designers continuously oriented towards innovation and perfection in game production, their daily passion. This has resulted in a unique game engine, the best of breed gameplay, design and art for each and every entertainment solution we produce. In the last 15 years every Gamepires team member has been engaged in some of the bestselling and top technology gaming products. Their experience and knowledge guarantee the highest performance and usage standards possible.
ABOUT ICEBERG INTERACTIVE
Iceberg Interactive is an independent video game publisher founded in 2009 by an international group of games industry veterans and is located in Haarlem, The Netherlands. While keeping its roots in the European retail games market, Iceberg has rapidly increased its focus towards the global digital games market, by building strong direct relationships with dozens of Game Portals. Staffed with avid gamers, Iceberg works closely with an international assembly of game developers, both midsize and indie. With a distinct focus on the strategy, action, simulation and adventure game genres, the company has garnered attention with acclaimed releases including Killing Floor, Wings of Prey, APB Reloaded and Endless Space among its 70+ game arsenal – with more promising games in the pipeline.
With all this new talk of Xbox One and PlayStation 4, it can be easy to forget about all the amazing AAA quality games on our mobile devices. Enter Epoch 2 which is a strong reminder of that outstanding quality. With beautiful graphics, a strong soundtrack, plenty of creativity and intense gameplay mechanics, Epoch 2 is an impressive attempt at bringing a duck-and-cover styled shooter to your mobile phone. A strong recommend for gamers looking for something a little more hardcore than the average iPhone title.
Gameplay
Think Gears of Warmeets Infinity Blade. Have I got your attention yet? Epoch 2 attempts to bring cover shooter gameplay to your phone by getting rid of a few vital elements: a trigger and a control stick. That may sound a bit odd, but Uppercut Games have found a way to make it work impressively well. Epoch 2 plays in a similar fashion of endless runner titles that rid of movement in favour on focusing on making quick decisions. Players take control of a robot named Epoch on a futuristic battlefield, swiping in various directions to make him/it/whatever duck for cover. Selecting a target is as simple as clicking on it, and Epoch will shoot at the target until it is either destroyed, another target is selected or simply takes cover. Once all the enemies in the area are defeated, Epoch will automatically jump towards the next battlefield, ready for action. Without those pesky joystick or shooting buttons in the way, all the attention goes into pure duck-and-cover shooting action which is lot of fun.
The game makes up for it’s limited movement by distracting you with hordes of enemies that fill the screen, giving a very Galaga-esque feel. While sometimes it feels a little claustrophobic, this problem is quickly fixed in later levels that allow Epoch to hide behind more and more obstacles over a wider range of space. To assist in combat a bunch of weapons are available, ranging from grenades, missiles and even a Max Payne styled bullet time mode all of which recharge after each use. These weapons among other things are also upgradeable, and this is where things start to get a bit rough around the edges. You see the difficulty of Epoch 2 increases very quickly with insane numbers of enemies on screen that get more and more powerful so upgrading is a really important factor. However, upgrades are also very pricy making it a challenge to even afford them. Thankfully, every level is replayable for more points with two extra modes – a mode with increased difficulty and also a time trial. While this is a nice addition, the fact the player will be forced to replay just to afford more upgrades really disrupts the flow of the game and becomes annoying to backtrack. To top it all off gameplay can get a little repetitive as very little is done to mix up the game mechanics besides different enemy types and boss battles. Still, at it’s core combat is freaking fun as hell. It’s just a shame there’s nothing more to freshen it up a bit from time to time.
Audio & Visual
Epoch 2 is beautiful. Running on the Unreal Engine 3, there aren’t many mobile games out there that look as nice as this. The attention to detail is insane , with wonderful textures breathing life into even the most robotic of characters. Cut scenes involve some nice animation and some impressive facial expressions on the character Princess Amelia and a superb soundtrack and decent voice acting help set the tone and atmosphere for this post-apocalyptic world. This stunning presentation really helps the player engage in all the action and is a massive plus for the game, making it a true mobile AAA experience.
Overall Epoch 2 is a strong recommend for hardcore mobile gamers. The game mechanics are creative and combat feels intense, cut scenes are done well and the presentation is absolutely breathtaking. While repetitiveness and expensive upgrades hold it back from seeing it’s full potential, the pros greatly overshadow the cons. If you’re like me where you’re sick of playing casual iPhone titles waiting for something new and epic to hit the app store – this is it, give it a go!
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Deep Silver Announces a Special Saints Row IV Holiday
The Saints have travelled to the North Pole and back and have come marching in with a wealth of presents to bring plenty of holiday cheer.
1. Naughty or Nice? – Announcing the Volition Nice List
Some of Saints Row IV’s developers have been very naughty this year. For the full story behind each developer’s terrible deeds, check out the official website http://www.savechristmas.saintsrow.com/index.html, and get some inspiration on how the devs should redeem themselves!
What should they do to get back on Santa’s Nice List? Participants can submit ideas that will help the devs win back Santa’s favor. The developers will be filmed as they reenact these ideas the way only Volition can!
The submission deadline is November 29, 2013.
2. The Saints Row Sing-A-Long Christmas Carol Contest
Participants in the Sing-A-Long contest can submit a video of themselves (and their friends!) singing special Saints Row lyrics to Saints Row Jingle Bells. The best entries will be immortalized in a one-of-a-kind Saints Row video message, and all winners will receive a special seasonal gift from Deep Silver and Volition!
Chances of being canonized as a living Saint can be improved if the participants dress up as a Saints Row character for their video. The submission deadline is December 5, 2013. Instructions on how to submit a video are available at the official website http://www.savechristmas.saintsrow.com.
3. “How the Saints Save Christmas” DLC
Rejoice, December 11 is a day unlike any other, because it is the day Deep Silver and Volition will release the festive “How the Saints Save Christmas” DLC.
Santa is trapped inside the simulation, but the Scrooge-like boss of the Third Street Saints can’t muster enough festive spirit to save him. Can the Saints help the boss discover the true meaning of the season in time? A holiday classic for the whole family.
Owners of the Saints Row IV Season Pass can download this DLC for free. It is also available separately for $6.99.
GAMEVIL acquires 100% stake in Everple, creators of global hit ‘Monster Warlord’
LOS ANGELES, CA- November 25, 2013- Leading mobile games publisher and developer GAMEVIL today announced that it has agreed to fully acquire mobile game studio, Everple, as it continues aggressive investments in companies, projects, and talent acquisitions to bolster global expansion.
The announcement follows recent equity investments into the company, after reevaluating the potential of Everple’s current and upcoming titles. The acquisition is considered a re-marriage of sorts with Everple CEOs, Jungoo Park and Ilgyu Song, having worked at GAMEVIL prior to branching out and creating their own company.
Everple is a proven developer that specializes in creative, social network RPGs. Its most recent title ‘Monster Warlord’, has become a global hit, collecting more than 10 million downloads worldwide. The game currently ranks Top 50 Grossing Overall in over 20 countries’ Google Play, and continues to see increases in sales today. In 16 months after launching, the game has generated more than $16 million USD in revenue to date, and Everple has become a promising company with an annual profit of $3 million USD.
GAMEVIL has continued to amplify its global expansion efforts through aggressive investments, including recent partnerships with Com2uS and Ocean View Games. Going forward, GAMEVIL plans to secure further long-term business partnerships to solidify its position as a leading global publisher.
About GAMEVIL
GAMEVIL®, with over 330 million game downloads and experience publishing hundreds of games on multiple platforms, is one of the most active and innovative mobile game companies in the world. Established in 2000 and with offices in Los Angeles, Tokyo, Beijing and Seoul, GAMEVIL is an experienced global mobile game publisher working with more than 70 top studios around the world.
With deep industry and regional knowledge, GAMEVIL has been able to craft numerous award winners through a diverse portfolio of games. Backed by unparalleled expertise in mobile, GAMEVIL continues to lead the sector with a commitment in establishing mobile gaming as a way of life.
GAMEVIL is currently listed on the KOSDAQ Market (Ticker: 063080, Bloomberg: 063080:KS, Reuters: 063080.KQ)
GIVE THANKS: BLACK FRIDAY TO ARRIVE IN DIGIMON MASTERS
November 25, 2013 – With the turkey soon finished and the shopping floodgates opening, leading online game developer and publisher, Joymax is kicking off the season with two new Ultimate Digimon and its annual Black Friday super sale for worldwide MMO phenomenon, Digimon Masters. Tamers can snap up time-sensitive deals beginning November 26th at www.joymax.com.
Two new Ultimate Digimon make their debut as part of this all-new update beginning tomorrow, November 26th. Zhuqiaomon, the Holy Bird Digimon, manipulates the burning flames to protect the south and can burn anything insignificant that approaches it to mere cinders! Another Four Holy Beast Digimon, Xuanwumon, who protects the digital world using phantasmagoric water techniques, is also now available to tamers. The oldest of the four Holy Beast Digimon, Xuanwumon features a good-natured personality yet still possesses its special move generating a dark mist around its opponent destroying their spirit for good!
It’s that time of year again. Time
for Digimon Masters annual Black Friday Super sale
starting November 26th! The super sale will feature an Ultimate
Package sales
promotion plus 30% off all cash items. This is a limited time
offer so tamers should
hurry if they want to scoop up all the latest items at these bargain
prices!
Fans can find everything and anything about Digimon Masters Online on its official Facebook page, which has more than 360,000 likes from all over the world. Join the conversation now at https://www.facebook.com/digimonmasters
Players can learn more about the game and download it for free at http://www.joymax.com
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About Digimon Masters Digimon are well known all over the globe as part of the famous Japanese TV animation series. Digimon Masters is the first ever 3D online game based on the Digimon universe with more than 1,000 characters featured from seasons 1 through 5 of the series. Not only is it faithful to the art design, Digimon Masters closely follows the original story that will satisfy both loyal fans of the series as well as the average gamer. The game seamlessly combines pet training simulation with role-playing elements to deliver a one of a kind gaming experience. Featuring real-time combat, Gamers will be thrilled with the challenges brought forth by real-time combat which requires quick thinking and good reflexes. Players can also become one of 8 Royal Knights. Royal Knights are Digimon who are in charge of each area in the Digital World. Leaders of a guild that conquers one of these areas can become a Royal Knight who has the right to impose taxes along with other perks and obligations.
About Joymax Since its establishment in April, 1997, Joymax has been developing and publishing quality games for the emerging online game industry of the 21st century. Based in Seoul, Korea, the company has published numerous titles for the PC market. With its first MMORPG, Silkroad Online, the game has grown to o
Back during the Ubisoft’s Digital Days 2013 two “new” games were announced for the Assassin’s Creed series. While the console release of Assassin’s Creed Liberation HD wasn’t set to come out until early next year, the other actually new game Assassin’s Creed Pirates was slated for sometime this year.
Well, Ubisoft has finally given it a hard date and Assassin’s Creed Pirates will be making its way to mobile devices from , App Store, Google Play, and Amazon Appstore in December. So, near the start of December players will be able to experience life as pirate Alonzo Batilla as he charts his own path amongst the other pirates of the Caribbean in his quest for treasure.
Be sure to check out some screenshots from the mobile game can click on the images in the gallery below to see them full-sized. Plus, those wanting to see how it plays can check out the gamepaly trailer embedded that. Assassin’s Creed Pirates will be setting sail on December 5th, 2013 for Android, iPad, and iPhone.
