Leading maker of quality PC power supply units FSP has made available its latest AURUM and Raider range of PSUs in Australia and New Zealand. The new AURUM and AURUM PRO series come in anywhere between 400W and 1200W models and are considered Haswell ready.
The Raider Series meets Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) with 80 PLUS Silver certification on a single +12V rail. The range starts from 450W to 750W models running at <19dBA at 50% loading, consuming 0.5W on standby.
The AURUM range features 80 PLUS Gold certification at 90% efficiency, Hybrid Synergy Design on 12V rails and arrow-shaped ventilation with an 120mm FDB fan. Prices for the series start at $79.99 and are targeted for active power users, system builders and those looking to upgrade their PC for the latest hardware.
You can grab FSP’s AURUM and Raider range from most major PC hardware resellers in Australia and New Zealand. For more info check out the official FSP website.
As I am sure everyone reading this article knows, Sony’s PlayStation 4 finally launched. When the clock struck midnight in New York City on November 15th, the first console was sold, and since then many more have followed suit – so many in fact that the PSN could not handle the initial stress.
To celebrate the launch, PlayStation Australia gathered various media outlets and personalities from across the country together for quite a shindig. Food was served, drinks were had, and we all ushered in the next generation of console gaming together. However, most importantly we got to go hands-on with the sexy new console, and take a look at its stylish UI.
Sony were eager to get the thoughts and opinions of some of those in attendance, and they have compiled some of them into a pretty impressive launch video. If you look and listen really hard, you will be able to find a certain Capsule Computers editor sharing his opinions at three separate spots in the video.
Check out the video below and let us know in the comments how excited you are for the beginning of the next generation of gaming and entertainment. You can also join in the conversation on social media with the hashtag: 4ThePlayers. Remember that the PS4 launches here in Australia on the 29th of November, but if you need your PlayStation fix, we have began publishing the reviews for the console’s launch titles, starting with Resogun. So as always, be sure to stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the PlayStation news as it becomes available.
Deadfall Adventures Publisher:Nordic Games Developer:The Farm 51 Platforms:PC (reviewed), Xbox 360 Release Date: November 15, 2013 Price: $39.99 – Steam
Overview
Deadfall Adventures follows an unique re-interpreted storyline that has spawned from the great works of H. R. Haggard “Lost World” genre (King Solomon’s Mines & Allen Quartermain). Inspirations from these novels led to the creation of famous figures like Indiana Jones that have fueled many fantasy desires of becoming treasure hunters or archaeologists. So how does Deadfall Adventures bring the focus of these desires to the gamer? Does the storyline content provide original work, or rely on previously used content? Let’s dig up some good ‘ol truth!
Story
How does a studio try to emulate a treasure hunter adventure without having similarities with well-known novels and films? Well, the developers for Deadfall Adventures managed to mix up a few cultural identities like “The Mummy”, “Indiana Jones”, and “Tomb Raider” and mold them into a single story. The protagonist is James Lee Quartermain who happens to be the great-grandson of the Allen Quartermain. Though his last name provides an exceptional reputation, he has poor money retention capabilities. Living off of providing tours and autographs in Africa, James is looking for the next big “thing” – if the price is right. And so Jennifer Goodwin, an American agent and former colleague, enters the picture to offer such a desirable task.
Presentation of the story is done very well through cut-scenes and character dialogue. However, the material presented can be construed as plots taken from the previously mentioned cultural identities. (1) In “The Mummy” there is an artifact that can re-animate the dead. This is clearly being done in Deadfall Adventures through the use of Atlantean tools. (2) While Indiana Jones spawned from the original Quartermain novels, we see immediate correlations with time periods and secret organizations – primarily Nazis. (3) And “Tomb Raider” along with the others, the protagonist usually finds a single piece of the artifact at a time and must combine the missing pieces scattered across the world. Such is also the case for James and Jennifer.
Gameplay
Deadfall Adventures can offer a healthy mix between FPS and puzzle gameplay, but players can ignore or completely miss opportunities to collect treasure from the grasp of deadly traps. For the latter adventurer the game offers the player Allen Quartermain’s compass, an ancient compass that directs one in the direction of treasure. When walking around a map with no treasure nearby, the compass will spin uncontrollably. But upon getting closer to the treasure, the compass’s needle will begin to focus in a single direction and eventually turn yellow signifying an immediate presence. Exploring the unknown is extremely encouraged in this title – you are an adventurer after all!
Puzzles can be simple or quite intricate. You may notice a golden statue is well within your reach, but some low hanging electrical wires may block your path. You can walk into them, or choose to live and simply shut down the wire’s power source. Die or get the treasure, decisions… decisions…
Offering variety in gameplay, there are many weapons that James Lee Quartermain can wield during his travels across the world. Sometimes a high powered rifle is necessary for the occasion in taking down ranged foes, or in other instances a heavy machine gun might make enemies reconsider running out of cover. Any gun that is able to be picked up will have limited amounts of ammo. This means that James can always count on his trusted dual pistols (unlimited ammo). Each weapon has been modified to have certain specifications such as reload speed, draw speed, and damage to allow for unique gameplay.
Beyond the normal weapons players can equip wonderful items like explosives! A good way to make non-mummy foes run to their mommy – see what I did there – is to chuck a stick of TNT or grenade at their feet. But even more impressive that just some explosive sticks is a grenade launcher. One such weapon becomes available to you in the Arctic and is essential to progress in the story. It’s not everyday that you get to blow up a side of a mountain…
Other than the Adventure/Story mode there are Survival and Multiplayer modes. Survival is interesting because it plays off much similar to a firefight scenario (Halo) or zombie zone (CoD). The positives to consider in this mode is that it can be an escape from the storyline or give additional play time after the story’s completion. You gain points for killing each enemy, and can progressively buy better weapons each new round. An important note to consider is that you will run out of ammo in this mode, so conserving ammo and using the scene’s traps would be beneficial.
Multiplayer is practically non-existent. So far only a hand few of players are logged in the ranked system (12 total). There are plenty of interesting items to unlock in this mode. You may unlock weapons that you have found throughout the story mode and even increase your rank to unveil new articles of clothing to wear. However, such things are only accessible if a community is available to make it attainable. Though multiplayer is a nice option to have, there isn’t a calling for it in this type of game. I find it very hard for people to play this title and complete all achievements when the multiplayer has such a short coming.
Audio
While making the title authentic by relaying actual phrases used in the book series, Deadfall Adventures becomes repetitive in the non-story sectors of the game. This is particularly noticeable when dealing with your companion Jennifer Goodwin. Too often do you hear, “still think I’m a rookie Quartermain?”. At the very least there could have been a random selection of snarky phrases set in place for whenever Jennifer gets a kill.
Audio scores for levels and the main overlay do well to match tone and theme for a treasure hunter. The soundtrack certainly helped to place me in the mood of finding treasure or just having an all out shootout. I just wish I had a bullwhip to snap into a mummy’s face…
Visual
Environments are stunning! Deadfall Adventures does well to emphasize the importance of the environment considering the whole ‘treasure hunting’ aspect. Looking beyond traps that cause immediate death, landscapes and terrain make this game more enjoyable. Pause for a moment when riding down mine carts above a dormant volcano to capture the beauty and detail placed into this world.
Another aspect that I thought the developers did well was the implementation of special effects. Early on you encounter the existence of the undead, and you need some way of dispatching these monsters. So how better to make mummies vulnerable than to use your very own flashlight! Powered with Atlantean crystals your flashlight turns into this burning flame that slowly turns a contacted mummy’s body into smoldering embers. The burning is done in stages and looks fairly neat as the skin/wrappings become brighter with flame. After pumping a couple bullets in the body limps to the ground and quickly disintegrates.
Not quite as amusing are some visual glitches noticed during gameplay. I wasn’t overly concerned when I quickly switched between weapons and items to notice that my compass became stuck on screen. I was testing this out on purpose to see how quickly I could bring up my double draw of pistols. Could be useful for those that like looking for treasure with both hands ready to shoot… However, the more concerning glitch is immediately noticeable in the storyline when shining a light on an encased mummy in the Arctic zone. As the mummy emerges, it “magically” shifts to be above the ground and no longer holding the treasure. Since this is one of the most noticeable glitches in the game, it makes you wonder what else could be wrong.
Overall
I did find the excitement that the developers were aiming towards in reviving the treasure hunting theme, but Deadfall Adventures just falls short in several areas that makes it unappealing at a $39.99/$49.99 price value. Playing the game for the story may be understandable; but offering a multiplayer with little to no community following just shows how much attention this game is receiving. Pretending to be an “Indiana Jones” is fun, but I would likely consider other titles in the current price range.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here
Friends, it’s time you became a star anchor. If you enjoy rich mahogany and a nightly glass of scotch, Ron Burgundy wants to hear from you! You have a rare chance to get your salon-quality hair featured on the next GNN broadcast.
By visiting www.joinronsnewscrew.com you can submit an audition tape to be reviewed by Ron, Brian, Champ and Brick. It doesn’t matter whether you’re interested in doing the weather, covering sports, being out in the field or sitting behind the news desk, you’ll get feedback from the best news crew this side of everywhere.
Share your audition across your own social networks and keep your eyes peeled! You may also appear in the weekly recap of fantastic auditions from the last 7 days. If you’re not the on-camera type, that’s understandable… few have the natural good looks and raw talent of Mr. Burgundy. Instead, you can share your own brand of news crew love by using the meme generator. And remember to stay classy, and catch Paramount Pictures‘ Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, in cinemas December 19.
We’ll pick 1 lucky winner on the 25th of November. Make sure you use a valid email when you register/post your comment so we can email you if you are one of our winners.
Developer Visual Concepts and Publisher 2K Sports have just released a brand-new trailer for the upcoming game; NBA 2K14. It is called the “Uber Trailer” and shows off a lot of what this next instalment to the NBA 2K franchise has to offer, things like the amazing new graphics to the Eco-Motion Engine. It also shows the different game modes within this release such as MyCAREER, The Park and MyGM. The graphics are looking absolutely fantastic and are so close to being live-action, NBA 2K14 is already showing us what the next generation of consoles will have in store for us and fans are running absolutely wild for it.
The game is available now for the PlayStation 3, the Xbox 360 and for Microsoft Windows PCs. The game has already been released for PlayStation 4 in North America but will hit Europe on the 29th of November, the Xbox One version of the game is also set for a November release on the 22nd. Head down to the Featured Video Section below to check out the new trailer and don’t forget to hit up our comments section to let us know what you think. Also check out Part 2 of the Michael Jordan Uncensored conversation directly below, where he talks about his reasons for wearing the number 23, his favorite dunks, as well as the historical players he’d pick for his starting five.
Every generation of Pokemon comes with a whole bunch of different releases from toys to cards and every time a game is released you can be sure that, soon after, there will be a release of a region guidebook. In the past these books have always been great but they were in their prime back before a majority of people playing the game had a constant flow of internet access, now that times have changed and almost everyone owns and can use a computer alongside the internet I feel like the popularity and/or need for these guidebooks is slowly declining. The latest generation of guidebook has just been released and us at Capsule Computers have managed to get our hands on a copy and I’m here today to tell you that I personally think the age of the game guidebook is about to be reborn, specifically for Pokemon.
I want to start off by talking about the guidebook aesthetically; it is a great deal smaller than previous releases yet it is a great deal thicker and honestly seems to have so much more in-depth information than other years. The guide retains the flashy and holographic front cover much like the previous releases but that is solely on the dust jacket, once taken off the book really looks almost religious much like that of a bible, it is very simple and is half red and half blue with the version exclusive legendaries on their respective sides. I would sooner keep this book on display without the dust jacket than with it on. I’m already calling it the book that keeps on giving because on the flip side of the dust jacket is the Kalos Region map which is very detailed up close and looks beautiful.
The way the actual content of the book has been written and set out reminds me of a textbook. It begins with a table of contents which is shown in two different ways; one is the order in which the game should be played and the other is alphabetical order. There are also small tables that outline extra pieces of information which can be seen throughout the book. They have made it so easy to flick through and find what you need to find, each box is coloured softly and the information within them is easy to read without getting too confused. Colours and symbols are used profusely throughout the entire book and it makes it so easy to find your place. On each page on the right hand side you can see all eight gym badges, as you continue through the book those gym badges become coloured and highlighted so you know exactly what gyms you should have beaten by that point and it also helps you indicate your place in the game and helps you through.
The information within the book is absolutely incredible and the depth in which the explanation goes is just as good. Not only does it have maps of routes and towns but where you can find trainers, what Pokemon they have and how you can beat them and while the other guidebooks have done this I can’t say it has ever been in this much detail. The only true way to understand what I’m talking about is to actually have the book, you don’t realise how much of an asset it is to have it and the fact that it is so compact and easily taken around gives the masses more reason to purchase it. Details like how exactly to catch the Snorlax on Route 7 that is blocking your make the game much easier simply because of the rang of information within just one small paragraph of explanation. Not only does it tell you exactly what makes it hard to catch, it also tells you how to combat those specific things and swiftly make a catch. I can’t stress this enough.
If you’re a fan of the site and you’re constantly up to date with what we do I’m sure you’ve seen our feature articles regarding how to make lots of money in Pokemon X and Y (which you can see here) or how to level up Pokemon faster in Pokemon X and Y (which you can see here), well the guidebook actually goes over these things in a whole lot more detail than we did and, even at first glance, has taught me things that I’ve never known like how stopping a Pokemon from evolving will, in turn, give you more Experience Points. It’s not just information on the game that you get in the guidebook, information about certain Pokemon and the myths and lore behind them can be read throughout the book. Information on how to properly and swiftly Super Train your Pokemon or how to successfully and quickly make a Pokemon befriend you are just two small examples of the mass of information you can find in the book.
It also comes with a couple nice little extras like a second Kalos Region map that is NOT on the back of the dust jacket which also has a great typing chart that tells you what effects what. It also comes with a micro-fibre screen cleaner which has the legendary Pokemon on one side and the Kalos Region starters on the other side. The Pokemon X and Pokemon Y: Official Kalos Region Guidebook is set apart from the others by being so much more in-depth with a seemingly better layout and better look to it that doesn’t make you feel like you’ve gone out and bought a Pokemon book but that you’ve gone out and bought a Pokemon Textbook for Pokemon University and if that isn’t the best feeling you could have than I don’t know what is.
This week we take a slight divergence from last episode’s quest for answers and power, instead peering into the twisted cityscape that is Hannouji. With the iron fisted rule of Satsuki extending far beyond the school walls, even the citizens are not free from her rules. When might equals right, how will our Kamui clad hero cope with this barbaric world order?
Whilst partaking in one of the trademark Makanshoku family dinners, Ryuko notes how different it is from her own childhood. Apparently papa Matoi was not the most responsible father, shipping Ryuko off to boarding school at a young age. With her mother having passed away, Ryuko wasn’t left with a lot of family connections. After having been accepted so warmly into the household, she decides that it’s high time she payed the family back somehow. Calling on her stengths, she decides to infiltrate the Satsuki system and form her own institution: Fight Club. As an official part of the Hannouji school system, the members of Fight Club are entitled to all the benefits that come with such a position. Unfortunately, being the President of such a club, as Ryuko had initially intended, also comes with paperwork. A lot of paperwork. Not prepared for such a task, Ryuko immediately hands the reigns over to everybody’s favourite ditz: Mako. As the episode progresses we are treated to a brand new side of Mako, a responsible side never seen before. She rather quickly grasps the concepts of the school system, creating a plan for Ryuko to use her natural talents to secure a stronger position for their club. Carving through clubs with prodigious speed, Fight Club gains enough clout for Club President Mako to gain a One Star uniform and with it, a residential upgrade.
Don’t talk about it
As the Makanshoku family works their way up through the echelons of society, they begin to change. What began as an innocent jubilance for their more well of lifestyle, twists into a desire for more. Greed. Pure and simple. A family that was once happy with mystery meat croquettes now considers opulence a given, drifting further apart from each other in the process. As Ryuko sits alone at a lavish table, she finds herself regretting her course of action, having lost that which she cherished the most. That being said, the fault lies with the Makanshoku family, rather than Ryuko herself. Not used to anything more than life in the slums, they were not equipped for such a rapid rise through the social hierarchy of Hannouji. It for this reason that Satsuki even allowed Fight Club to form, trusting “human weakness” to grab hold of the loveable family. We have already seen Satsuki’s despisal towards all she deems weak, which is quite a large deal of the population. Hoping to seize victory through less direct means, Satsuki sought to have Ryuko too succumb to the barbaric simplicity of her regime. That being said, a small smile creeps across her face when Ryuko remains defiant. Perhaps in the acceptance of Ryuko as a truly worthy opponent, or perhaps in relief that she may be wrong about the world. Who knows?
Unfortunately, thee is one who does not remain entirely unaffected by Satsuki’s plan. One who allows the system of violence and reparations to cloud her judgement. Mako. Having lived in the grasp of poverty for, presumably, her entire life, she is unwilling to give up her new position…even if that requires her to turn on a friend. Granted the power of a Two Star uniform by Satsuki, she is given a rare chance: Defeat Ryuko and immediately receive a Three Star uniform and a place on the Student Council. Donning her Fight Club Spec outfit, the misguided Mako reveals yet another side: badass. Able to go toe to toe with a Kamui, she proves herself a more than capable fighter. Refusing to fight her friend, Ryuko deactivates Senketsu and proceeds to get pummelled for hours. This display of faith eventually manages to get through that thick Makanshoku skull, forcing the family to realise the error of their ways and rush to Ryuko’s side.
Kenka Mako Friendship Rumble
This episode also provides an explanation for the seemingly endless supply of ridiculous clubs and over the top anime baddies that target Ryuko. Consumed by the same greed that almost tore the Makanshoku family apart, Hannouji clubs have begun to crumble and divide. As only the club president will receive a Three Star uniform upon defeating Ryuko, each student desires the power for themselves. It is also for this reason that Ryuko faces so many weak opponents. Though many now hold the title of Club President, very few of them are actually worthy of said position. It’s essentially a system that creates its own cannon fodder. Very handy. Plus Ryuko gets more chances to add to her collection of requisitioned Life Fibres. It’s win/lose, in the good way.
Well we learnt quite a lot in Kill la Kill this week. Not about fighting or super powered clothing, but about family. What it really means to be happy and what you need to continue living. Apparently it isn’t things, but emotions and connections with loved ones…weird right? When life begins to change around you, it’s easy to lose sight of what you started with. The only difference between a shack and a mansion is all the hollow space.
There are so many games floating around that try to turn different genres on their heads and they don’t “reinvent” them but they do put a nice spin on them, they make it their own and, in some big cases, they make the genre work for the game instead of the inverse which I find to be an incredible feat and one that doesn’t often come about. Crowman And Wolfboy is a platforming/puzzle game that has a beautiful art style, a very in-depth story and a almost perfect pacing, I would consider it to be one of those games that makes the genre its own and pushes it to the absolute limit yet keeps the game simple enough for an audience to be able to pick up at any time and play. Clearly I think highly of this game already but allow me to further explain why it is I like it so much.
Story
It’s funny to think that such a seemingly simple iOS game like this has a fairly deep and highly meaningful story that will really get players thinking but it does and while its is not always highlighted, it is definitely always present during gameplay. You, as the player, take control of two monsters that work almost as one entity; Crowman and Wolfboy, these two “things” live in a dense and dark forest that is thick with the eerie fog of evil and populated with nothing but other monsters and devilish beings that even scare them. The two friends become sick of living in such a depressing environment and it’s slowly killing them inside, they find a flyer for a city that boast clean air and happy people, the two monsters set off for the city but the other “citizens” of the dark forest don’t like the idea of them leaving and give chase, this is where the game begins.
As you go through the game you are constantly chased by a wave of darkness, which I will get into more in the “Gameplay” section, and one wrong move could land you in some deep trouble. The two creatures must continue running, always fearing the envelopment of darkness that is coming their way. I love the metaphor of running aware from the negativity yet no matter how fast or how hard you run it will always be there, lurking and chasing. Throughout the game you come certain power-ups that, when obtained, give off a light that turns the grey and black environment partially coloured, the game basically tells you that the stronger you get and the more you run brings you closer to the bright new world you wish to live in, I find the layers of meaning and thought put into the game to be wonderful.
Gameplay
Crowman And Wolfboy plays fairly simply; you run across an environment, you swipe up to jump, down to land quickly, you collect orbs to keep away the darkness and you try to make it to the finish line before you get eaten. That there is the most basic way to explain the fundamentals of the game but the great thing is that there is so much more to it than just that. Obviously the obstacles become more and more difficult as you go into the game which is great but the progression of difficult is not sharp nor is it steep, it is a nice gradual and the learning curve is a nice slope that lets you quickly get a feel for a level as you progress through it. There are small acheivements at the end of levels that I would compare to games like Angry Birds which use three stars as a 100% complete indication, so to speak. Finishing the game with full hearts, having collected all the big light orbs and saving the baby creatures you find throughout levels will earn you nothing but bragging rights but it is still a nice addition that leads you to replay certain levels in the hopes that you’ll get it all this time around.
Something I found to have been done fantastically is the pacing of power-ups within the game; some games have several tutorial levels wherein which you’re given power-ups as you go through them, some games space out power-ups to the point where you feel as though it is not worth heading to the next levels because they’re too hard to get through to get the power-ups anyway, this game does it almost perfectly. There really isn’t a layout for when you get power-ups but it seems like whenever you’re ready to put the game down it gives you another ability to use within the game. Power-ups and abilities like swiping forward to slash thorny bushes or swiping up while flying to flutter and stay airborne just that extra second longer, they all have their specifics. I think they’re great and the fact that they relate to the two characters you’re using makes it even better, it’s almost like they’re learning as they go on their journey, it’s a very nice touch.
Audio And Visuals
These two aspects happen to go hand in hand in this title, more so than a great deal of games of this type that I’ve seen in the past. The style of the art is incredibly dark and desolate with only shades of white and black used throughout most of the game, the fact that you only see colour at certain critical times gives the glimpse of colour an extra level of beauty to the game. It focuses very much on it’s environments and I think they were done fantastically, you do get a bit tense while playing with the sound on because the music isn’t booming or even that loud to be honest, it’s almost like it is…lurking, if you can understand what I’m trying to explain. This is where the audio comes in; it’s beautifully dark yet that is conflicted by the sparkling and music note-like sounds of collecting light orbs. The deep and creeping piano is interrupted by the, almost electric, sounds of the collection of light orbs which keep away the darkness is so brilliant and I really can’t get enough of this game. The art direction within it is brilliant, simple as that.
Overall
There was really no bad aspect of this game, yes I understand that there isn’t any unlockables so going through levels trying to get everything gives you nothing to show for it but there is a great level of satisfaction within doing so and considering how well-rounded the game is in general I honestly can’t see why a player would not come back to try his or her hand at a level they have already completed. It really doesn’t leave you wanting more out of it and it works well for those of you who are platformer-lovers or more puzzle-minded. I think it is a great game that anyone can enjoy and it’s free so what exactly do you have to loose by getting this game. Crowman And Wolfboy takes you on a journey where light must overcome dark and if you can’t enjoy that than I don’t think you’re human.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Pokemon The Movie: Genesect And The Legend Awakened Studio:OLM, Inc Publisher: Beyond Entertainment Format: Cinema Release Date: 16th November 2013
Overview
I have not been to see a theatrical release of a Pokemon movie in many years, not since Pokemon The Movie: 2000 had I had the pleasure of being in a packed cinema to experience an epic Pokemon adventure and, I have to say, Pokemon The Movie: Genesect and The Legend Awakened came close to letting me relive some of the wonder I felt as a child. This weekend Beyond Entertainment in association with Hoyts cinemas hosted a preview screening weekend of the movie over a select few locations and I was lucky enough, alongside my workmates, to be a part of it. It’s easy to say that the Pokemon has changed from when it was first released, it’s even easier to say that the team behind Pokemon are loosing their touch, just because the points are easy to make does not mean it is necessarily true and while the new movie did have a few setbacks we can truly see how far the franchise has come and how connected it is to its roots.
Story
Pokemon The Movie: Genesect And The Legend Awakened has a very typical Pokemon story, which I wouldn’t consider a bad thing, and borrows a great deal from its predecessors with themes of friendship, belonging and a sense of unlimited courage that, I assume, is to be instilled into the young audience, this is what the Pokemon movies are and this is, typically, what they will always be and there’s nothing wrong with that. The story follows Ash, Iris and Cilan as their journey leads them into what seems like Castelia City, although I don’t recall them ever outright mentioning it so it could’ve just been a brand-new city designed for the movie. In a remote place somewhere in the Unova Region a team of five Genesect, one being a red Genesect, travel icy mountains in search their home but considering they are the revived version of fossils their home is no longer there and they seem to begin welling with panic.
The small group gets into a bit of strife when an avalanche is set off but an old friend of the Pokemon world, Mewtwo, senses this and uses the power of, what we now know as a Mega Evolution, to save them. They converse for a short time before the red Genesect, showing extreme signs of aggression, attacks Mewtwo and forces it to flee. Now before I go on I must outline that the red Genesect, one of the four regular Genesect and Mewtwo can all speak proper English, though broken, and this is how the background of the story is put across to the audience.
The Genesect also flee and continue the search for their home, they spot a big city on the horizon and notice that the tall buildings and structures are very reminiscent of their home so, being the angry Pokemon they are, they fly into the city to attempt to take out anyone around and once again find their home. As you can probably already tell; this is the bulk of the movie, Ash and friends land face first into this ancient brawl between man-made Pokemon (Genesect and Mewtwo) and it is now up to them to stop the battle, rescue the Pokemon and save the day, like I said, pretty standard Pokemon stuff.
Now the story was great, I had no problem with it overall and while the pacing was a little bit off I still enjoyed it the entire way through so I really don’t have a great deal to complain about, what I do have to complain about though is something that really got to me throughout and still I’m not too sure whether or not it should but I feel as though it is worthwhile outlining as a negative: The Mewtwo in this movie is an entirely different Mewtwo.
Pokemon fans already know where my gripe is with this one, Ash and Mewtwo have met before, Mewtwo was a huge deal in both the movies and the games yet they never though to place the old Mewtwo within this movie, I know I’m getting on a lot of peoples nerves but allow me to explain myself in more detail. There are a lot of reasons as to why a new Mewtwo as a perfectly good idea; it is a man-made Pokemon so who’s to say it can’t be replicated once again, having a female Mewtwo brings a certain freshness to the movie and a lot of the children who would be watching this movie probably don’t know the other Mewtwo.
Throughout the first twenty minutes of the movie I kept going over these points in my head and I tried to wrap my head around why they didn’t bring in the older Mewtwo for us older audience members, the fact that kids wouldn’t know the “classic” Mewtwo gave good reason as to why they didn’t and I had almost given up until I heard a young boy sitting behind me turn to his friends and say, verbatim; “How do Ash and Mewtwo NOT recognise each other?!” which not only gave me hope for this new generation but also highlighted the fact that this may have been a bad move.
That is pretty much the only problem I had with this movie, the childish themes of friendship and love didn’t bother me in anyway because, in the end, this movie is targeted towards children and new fans of the Pokemon series, I totally understand that but the “new Mewtwo” thing just didn’t sit right with me, don’t get me wrong I was a very big fan of Mewtwo’s classy lady voice and they way the Pokemon was portrayed I just would’ve liked to have seen classic Mewtwo return in an epic way. As an older audience member to have seen the old Mewtwo return after years and years of training, finally mastering the next stage of evolution and once again reuniting with the boy who changed his entire mindset would have been something spectacular and, while the new Mewtwo is great, the story could’ve been made that extra little bit better.
Visuals
I would have to say, hands down, the visuals in this movie were absolutely amazing, yes, amazing. The use of both traditional animation and CGI animation blended well and, at times, the scenes almost looked live-action, THAT’S how well it was animated. The environments were nothing short of breathtaking and the team of artists that designed them surely most have medals for their work and achievement. Sweeping and spinning shots came in an abundance in this movie but, considering they were done well, I didn’t entirely mind it, they made the film extremely cinematic and they made me feel like I was watching a movie and not just another Pokemon movie.
The human and Pokemon characters were animated well, each of their movements was smooth and it didn’t look like they cut any corners when it came to both design and execution. I have to throw back to the environments though because, out of everything in the movie, they were my favourite things to see. The huge city within the movie looked a great deal like New York City which is what it was based on so I’m giving them points for that one. Aesthetically this movie is beautiful and at no time did things get boring to look at. Fight animations were also great but I feel like the locations blew me away like no other aspect of visuals could.
Audio
While the audio aspect of the movie was great, it wasn’t as good as the visuals and that’s not a comparison for the sake of taking away points, it’s a comparison for the sake of you guys understanding fully how it felt to me. All the voice acting was great and it seems as though the main cast reprised their roles from the series and did a good job. Unfortunately the writing was fairly childish the voice actors didn’t exactly get a chance to do their best work but it was still great and fit within the nature of the movie so I feel like it all worked out fine.
The music was actually fairly orchestral, not overly but there was always a sense of big instruments making big sounds that gave off the aura of a huge clash of sorts. Alongside that was a lot of high notes and soft music which, like all Pokemon movies, contrasted the dark to the light. The opening and ending songs to the movie were actually really catchy and quite good for tracks that seemed a little bit corny, I did get really into it by the end despite, once again, the overall talk of love friendship, journey, adventure and all the usual Pokemon themes. It all fit nice like a puzzle and it really wouldn’t have been the same had it been different.
Overall
Pokemon The Movie: Genesect And The Legend Awakened is an absolutely fantastic movie that is set back by one thing in particular that will really only get a small percentage of the audience upset, I just felt like they could’ve won over everybody by changing the story slightly, apart from that it was an incredible movie that took me back to my younger days of watching Pokemon movies and I can see both young and old audiences getting into it, obviously with the younger audiences liking it even more than the older members. It is a movie for Pokemon fans to all see I just suggest you don’t go in expecting it to be “our” Mewtwo like I and, clearly, other people did and you’ll love it 100%. It’s fun, it’s whimsical, it’s Pokemon.
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