1979 Revolution Kickstarter Campaign Launches

-

November 14, 2013

Veteran game designed Navid Khonsari is bringing history to life. After working on hit games like Max Payne, Grand Theft Auto, Red Dead Revolver, Alan Wake and Manhunt, Khonsari has started on a new project, in hopes of creating an action adventure title based on the 1979 Iranian revolution. The game seeks to both entertain and educate gamers on an important event in modern history. The team includes an impressive array of advisers, collaborators, and talent, including photojournalist Michel Setboun who spent two years covering the revolution and anonymous Iranian team members whose identities must remain hidden for fear of reprisals.

iNK Stories is seeking $395,000 USD at their Kickstarter campaign to bring this game to iOS. The money will be poured into development with hope of a May 2014 release.

Beetle Breaker Review

Zac Elawar

-

November 14, 2013

0

Beetle Breaker
Developer: Master of Code
Publisher: Chillingo
Platform: iOS
Release Date: November 13th, 2013
Price: Free – Available Here

Overview

Beetle Breaker is a free, explosive physics-based puzzler developed by Master of Code and published by mobile heavyweight Chillingo. The player must use different kinds of bugs at their disposal to slingshot at, and destroy, a spinning target. Could Beetle Breaker be the next big addiction for iOS users? Or should we turn on the zapper, take out the bug spray and kill it before it breeds?

Gameplay

Have you played Dekovir Entertainment’s 2011 mobile game Amazing Breaker? If so, you’ll already know exactly what’s in store for you here. The gameplay is pretty much identical, although it would also be clear to those same people that the theme is radically unrelated. The most common primary goal is to sling your army of war-faring, kamikaze bugs at the target in hopes of destroying at least 90% of it with one bug remaining. Bug types range from mime-laying bugs, to plain explosive bugs, split-direction bugs and many more that become unlocked as you play. Adopting the now commonplace 3-star rating system, using them all to your advantage in successfully completing secondary objectives will ensure full completion. These can be as simple as destroying a specific part of the target that has a star lodged inside it.

White bug outlines may also appear on the play-space, and causing an explosion within range of the different bug representations will grant you an extra bug of that type (treat them like opportunities for extra ammunition). Failing a level leads you to a Spin Wheel. Every now and then you will receive a free spin and whatever bug the arrow lands on can then be used as a sort of final chance to succeed. When you don’t have a free spin, spins are bought with micro-transactions (in-game coins). As if this inclusion won’t do enough to turn off cynical gamers, the constant advertisements will. The game is free, so it’s a given that it is supported by ads, but in a trial-and-error title, having one pop-up between tries and levels so often can be infuriating.

Visuals & Audio

Beetle Breaker aptly presents the aesthetic of a backyard setting… although I have no idea who has a candy-striped awning in theirs, but let’s just ignore that, shall we? Otherwise, there is a great consistency with the visual theme as levels are represented as leaves on a growing pot-plant with the U.I. elements taking on a wood-grain texture. The targets themselves are of many forms (not necessarily bug-related as the above octopus proves), but again, exist as wooden objects. The bugs themselves are uniquely designed, however they magically get catapulted behind the slingshot upon release. Pretty sure that’s not how the laws of physics, motion and the mechanics of solid objects work.

A small nuisance is the easily miss-able menu and restart buttons at the top of the screen. For some reason the developers felt they would possibly be a distraction and faded them substantially. And when following through with tapping the restart button, there is rarely any visual feedback; only a small audio cue. On the odd occasion, you will be asked ‘if you’re sure’, but only if you’ve already made some progress in the stage. The secondary objective symbols also do not expand, so it is near impossible to understand what each means without any text. Audio-wise, you get what’d you expect, with a light, playful theme and familiar garden sounds… although the bugs do make odd noises – seemingly recorded mouth noises from Master of Code employees.

Overall

Beetle Breaker is a challenging puzzle shooter (is that even a genre?!), but almost to a fault. It’s not so much that the levels themselves are too hard to pass, but the high star requirements for the next worlds means you’re going to have to achieve three out of three stars on most to progress past the initial 24 levels. That can be tough and trying. Annoyances such as the lack of visual feedback on the inexplicably faded buttons, unclear secondary objectives and the controls being locked-out as you await seemingly never-ending bouncing bugs/bombs, the overkill of advertising really ruins the experience. Yes, it’s a free title, but an ad after every level? Truly overkill. If you can somehow avoid utter frustration at these things, then Beetle Breaker may become your new go-to time waster.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

News from Last Night’s Nintendo Direct

Andrew Day

-

November 14, 2013

0

Last night, Nintendo hosted one of their infamous Nintendo Direct presentations. This particular presentation was largely focused on the 3DS and the near future for the console. Since a fair bit of news came out of it, we thought we would collect and collate all of the big news to share with you:

Miiverse Coming to 3DS:

This one has been a long-time coming for sure. Nintendo Miiverse, the Wii U’s integrated online community hub is finally making its way to the 3DS. Not only that, but users will be able to synchronise their Wii U and 3DS accounts into one single Nintendo ID. This will allow players to purchase Wii U software using the remaining balance on their Nintendo 3DS eShop accounts, and vice versa, as well as post into the online message boards and other cool features that the Miiverse allows.

YouTube Coming to 3Ds & Wii U:

In equally as exciting news, the video-sharing site YouTube will now be viewable on 3DS consoles everywhere through its own 3DS-specific app. Using the app, players will be able to watch videos on the top screen, while browsing for content on the bottom. YouTube will also be making its way to Wii U in the near future.

Legend of Zelda: Link Between Worlds StreetPass:

Nintendo also announced the new StreetPass feature for the highly anticipated; Legend of Zelda: Link Between Worlds. When you StreetPass with another owner of the game, your Shadow Link will appear in their world, equipped with all the items and weapons that you currently have. Players who vanquish a Shadow Link will receive a Rupee bonus dependent on those equipped weapons.

In addition to the 3DS news, the Big N dropped a few bombshells regarding upcoming Wii U titles too, namely Super Mario 3d World. Mario, Luigi, Peach and Toad will be joined by at least one more unlockable playable character when the game drops on November 30th – Princess Rosalina from Super Mario Galaxy fame.

A few more other tid bits and news pieces were announced during the video, so we have attached the entire presentation below for your enjoyment. Be sure to check it out below and let us know in the comments the most exciting thing for you from the presentation. Always remember to stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the Nintendo news as it becomes available

NINTENDO BRINGING NINTENDO NETWORK ID AND MIIVERSE TO NINTENDO 3DS

Press Releases

Philip Federico

-

November 14, 2013

0

NINTENDO BRINGING NINTENDO NETWORK ID AND MIIVERSE TO NINTENDO 3DS

New Nintendo Direct announces new content and services for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U

14^th November 2013 – As part of a Nintendo Direct broadcast today, Nintendo announced news of Nintendo Network ID, Miiverse and the video-sharing service YouTube making their way to the Nintendo 3DS family of consoles. Hosted by Nintendo of Europe President Satoru Shibata, the broadcast focused primarily on Nintendo 3DS software launching in the coming months, including new reveals for The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, Bravely Default and Mario Party: Island Tour. In addition, football fans will be excited to hear of a new football management game coming to Nintendo 3DS.
Meanwhile for Wii U owners, today’s broadcast revealed numerous ways in which to enjoy SUPER MARIO 3D WORLD when it releases in just over a fortnight, as well as new and original downloadable content coming for owners of Pikmin 3.
To view the Nintendo Direct in its entirety, visit http://www.nintendo.com.au/nintendodirect. Today’s announcements included:

Nintendo 3DS News

Nintendo Network ID & Miiverse: A December system update will allow users to register their Nintendo Network ID for Wii U on their Nintendo 3DS systems and combine Nintendo eShop account balances. This will enable them to purchase Wii U software using the remaining balance on their Nintendo 3DS eShop accounts, and vice versa. Nintendo 3DS owners who do not own a Wii U system can also create their own Nintendo Network ID for the first time. This system update will also mark the beginning of Miiverse support on Nintendo 3DS. With a Nintendo Network ID, users will be able to connect with other players around the world to share their experiences and game tips through Miiverse on Nintendo 3DS. For more information about Nintendo Network ID, including some important notices Nintendo would like customers to be aware of, please visit our website here.
YouTube on Nintendo 3DS: The video-sharing service YouTube is coming to Nintendo 3DS later this month with users able to watch videos while on the go, providing they have internet access. Users will be able to browse content on the bottom screen, while watching a different video on the top screen.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds: In Link’s latest adventure, engage in special battles against players met through StreetPass by creating a Shadow Link that will be sent to others during StreetPass encounters. The items equipped and the number of hearts you have will affect the rupee bounty on your Shadow Link’s head, likewise with the Shadow Link characters of other players who will appear at certain places in the game world. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds launches on 23^rd November.
Bravely Default: An English-language demo of Bravely Default is available for download now on Nintendo eShop. The combat mechanics in this highly anticipated RPG include the Bravely Second feature, which freezes time during a battle. Attacks during Bravely Second use Sleep Points that can be accrued when players leave their Nintendo 3DS in Sleep Mode. Launching 7^th December, the game is also available as part of a Bravely Default Deluxe Collector’s Edition, including a copy of the game, Agnès figurine, deluxe artbook, 34 AR Cards and an original soundtrack CD, exclusive to EB Games.
Mario Party: Island Tour: Mario’s latest party has a tropical theme, with seven new game boards and 80 new minigames, including some that use the motion controls of Nintendo 3DS, and the ability for four Nintendo 3DS owners to play all multiplayer game content with only one copy of the game via Download Play. Players can also engage with other players who have the game in StreetPass minigame competitions. The game is releasing on 18^th January 2014.
Nintendo Pocket Football Club: Coming to Nintendo eShop in 2014, this new football management game puts players in charge of their very own football club, from deciding on the club’s emblem and kit, to training players and overseeing tactics on match days. In addition to single player mode, players will be able to compete in local wireless matches against friends, as well as taking on fellow managers in an online multiplayer mode.

Wii U News

SUPER MARIO 3D WORLD: This latest Nintendo Direct presents ten new things included in the game, including the ability to play as Rosalina from Super Mario Galaxy, a Luigi Bros. bonus game that is more easily accessed for players who have New Super Luigi U save data on their systems, and Captain Toad levels, which challenge players to collect five stars without jumping. SUPER MARIO 3D WORLD releases on 30^thNovember.
Animal Crossing Plaza update: The Wii U gathering place for Animal Crossing fans is being upgraded with two new features on 15^th November:

o After users perform a software update, they can customise their Miiverse posts using 50 different Animal Crossing stamps. Users can combine multiple stamps or add hand-drawn messages to decorate posts they have already stamped. They can even partially erase a stamp and redraw it any way they like.

o Nintendo is also adding a ranking feature to display the results of monthly polls. November’s question is “Who would make the best secretary?” and December’s theme will be “Who is the neighbour of the year?”

o Additional features, including the ability to register and interact with your town residents, will be added in a future update

Further Pikmin 3 downloadable content: A third volume of downloadable Mission Mode Add-On Stages for Pikmin 3 will incorporate completely new “Collect Treasure” and “Battle Enemies” stages with locations as varied as beaches, the inside of someone’s house during a party, a construction site and a mysterious factory. In one stage players can control Captain Olimar, the main character from Pikmin and Pikmin 2. Even Louie makes an appearance! Released on 3^rd December, a software update required to play this third volume will be released on the same day.
YouTube on Wii U update: The already released YouTube application on Wii U is to receive an upgrade later this month, which will greatly improve the interface and let users view videos on the Wii U GamePad, plus enable users to search content on the GamePad whilst watching a different video on the TV screen.
Wii Fit U: A free trial of the game is available on Nintendo eShop now until 31^st January. Wii U owners with a Wii Balance Board accessory and a broadband Internet connection* can download the trial and play it for free for 31 days. Users can make the trial permanent by buying and syncing a Fit Meter to the software. Nintendo Australia wishes to advise that Wii Fit U will now launch in retail outlets 14^th December, one week later than the original date of 7^th December. It will launch in retail as a packaged game in two sets, one including the game disc and Fit Meter, the other including the game disc, Fit Meter and Wii Balance Board.
Wii Sports Club: Another game currently available as a free download on Nintendo eShop, Wii Sports Club features classic Wii Sports events such as Tennis and Bowling, updated with Wii Remote Plus controls, online play and Miiverse features. Users can play the game for free for 24 hours beginning when the software is started for the first time. If you want to keep playing, users can purchase a 24-hour Day Pass or a Single Sports Pass for users to play their favourite sports for as long as they like.

*Depending on the Wii U hardware pack you own and your use of it, an additional storage device may be required to download software from Nintendo eShop.
Additional Links:

Nintendo Direct website http://www.nintendo.com.au/nintendodirect

Nintendo Direct on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyG8jqoKkN8
Nintendo AU on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/nintendoau

Nintendo Network ID Information http://www.nintendo.com.au/nintendo-network-id

Tunes Up! Now Available For Mobile Devices

Nathan Farrugia

-

November 14, 2013

0

Tunes Up! Now Available For Mobile Devices

Bulkypix new music guessing game Tunes Up! is out now for both iOS and Android devices! Featuring songs from all type of music such as Rock and Pop to more obscure genres like Reggae and Lounge, you can challenge the A.I. or your friends to see who has the greatest musical knowledge. Players attempt to answer questions such as song or artist name or even the name of the album the song is from. Tunes Up! can be played with friends on the same device, which is sure to be a whole lot of fun and mayhem when the action heats up.

Features include:

Customize your avatar with funny accessories
More than 40 music genders for every tastes
Over 1000 questions to test your knowledge and challenge your friends
Train and improve yourself against AI before beating other players for real
Play locally with your friends on the same device for a funnier experience

Tunes Up! is available right now for free on both the App Store and Google Play. Follow the respective links to download the game now.

Expand the XCOM Experience Today with XCOM®: Enemy Within

Press Releases

Philip Federico

-

November 14, 2013

0

Expand the XCOM Experience Today with XCOM®: Enemy Within

Expansion adds new maps, enemies, abilities, weapons, gameplay and more to the Game of the Year* strategy title

Join the conversation on Twitter using the hash tag #XCOM

Sydney, Australia – November 14, 2013 – 2K and Firaxis Games announced today that XCOM®: Enemy Within, the expanded experience for the Game of the Year* award-winning strategy title, XCOM: Enemy Unknown, is available today in Australia and New Zealand for Windows PC, Xbox 360 games and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system.

In XCOM: Enemy Within, players can modify their soldiers genetically to enhance their operatives’ abilities or transform their soldiers into cybernetic warriors. These new abilities and units are imperative to combat two new aliens, the Mechtoid and the Seeker. In addition to new aliens, XCOM: Enemy Within adds a new threat known as EXALT, an underground human organization set on disrupting XCOM operations and taking control of Earth. XCOM: Enemy Within also includes an array of new maps, abilities, upgrades and weapons across both single player and multiplayer.

“XCOM: Enemy Within continues the tradition of robust expansion packs from Firaxis Games,” said Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. “With an incredible amount of new content, XCOM: Enemy Within is the definitive way to play last year’s best strategy game.”

“The number one thing our fans asked for after we released XCOM: Enemy Unknown was more maps,” said Ananda Gupta, lead designer at Firaxis Games. “In XCOM: Enemy Within, we’re giving players nearly 50% more maps in addition to a massive amount of other new content, providing nearly limitless replayability for XCOM commanders to enjoy.”

Key features for XCOM: Enemy Within include:

New Soldier Abilities: Research a new alien technology to advance the capabilities of operatives:
- Gene Mods: Construct the Genetics Lab to physically enhance operatives’ abilities, including augmentations to the chest, brain, eyes, skin and legs;
- MECs: Build the Cybernetics Lab to enable the construction of the new Mechanized Exoskeletal Cybersuit, or MEC. The new MEC Trooper class has specialized abilities and each suit can be upgraded with new weapons including the flamethrower, grenade launcher and more.

New Weapons and Equipment: Give operatives an extra tactical edge with new projects from the engineering team in the Foundry;

New Enemy Threats: Adopt new tactics to counter the threats from new enemies, including the Mechtoid, the Seeker and an organization known as EXALT, a group of humans sympathetic to the alien cause;

New Strategic Resource: A valuable new alien resource, known as Meld, has been discovered. Secure it on the battlefield and use it carefully back at base to unlock new research and upgrades;

New Tactical Challenges and Maps: Face new tactical challenges, on nearly 50% more maps;

New Story Elements: Recover a mysterious new weapon in Operation Progeny, investigate a terrifying threat in an abandoned fishing village, and defend the XCOM headquarters from alien attack in a series of new plot-driven missions;

New Multiplayer Maps, Units and Abilities: Create custom squads from a wider array of options and dominate opponents in intense, one-on-one, turn-based matches;

New Second Wave Options: A number of new gameplay modifiers including the option to enable random soldier abilities means no XCOM squad need ever be the same again.

XCOM: Enemy Within vastly improves upon the experience of XCOM: Enemy Unknown with an incredible amount of new content. On PC**, XCOM: Enemy Within features additional content that can be enjoyed with previously purchased copies of XCOM: Enemy Unknown. XCOM: Enemy Within is available on Xbox 360 and PS3™ system as the XCOM: Enemy Within – Commander Edition** – a standalone pack that expands the XCOM: Enemy Unknown experience featuring the new XCOM: Enemy Within content and the add-on content that was previously released for XCOM: Enemy Unknown, including the Elite Soldier Pack and Slingshot Content Pack.

XCOM: Enemy Within is rated MA15+ in Australia and R13 in New Zealand and is available today. XCOM: Enemy Within is available for Windows PC for MSRP$49.95, and is available for Xbox 360 and PS3™ system for MSRP$69.95 as the XCOM: Enemy Within – Commander Edition. For more information on XCOM: Enemy Within, become a fan on Facebook, follow 2K on Twitter and visit the official web site at http://www.xcom.com.

*XCOM: Enemy Unknown was named Game of the Year 2012 by the following outlets: GameTrailers, GiantBomb, Kotaku, and MTV Multiplayer.

**XCOM: Enemy Within for PC requires XCOM: Enemy Unknown to play. XCOM: Enemy Within – Commander Edition is a standalone expanded experience that includes all XCOM: Enemy Unknown content and two add-on content packs: the Elite Soldier Pack the Slingshot Content Pack. XCOM: Enemy Within – Commander Edition does not require XCOM: Enemy Unknown to play.

Firaxis Games is a 2K studio. 2K is a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).

About Take-Two Interactive Software

Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a leading developer, marketer and publisher of interactive entertainment for consumers around the globe. The Company develops and publishes products through its two wholly-owned labels Rockstar Games and 2K. Our products are designed for console systems, handheld gaming systems and personal computers, including smartphones and tablets, and are delivered through physical retail, digital download, online platforms and cloud streaming services. The Company’s common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO. For more corporate and product information please visit our website at http://www.take2games.com.

About 2K

Founded in 2005, 2K develops and publishes interactive entertainment globally for console systems, handheld gaming systems and personal computers, including smartphones and tablets, which are delivered through physical retail, digital download, online platforms and cloud streaming services. 2K publishes titles in today’s most popular gaming genres, including shooters, action, role-playing, strategy, sports, casual, and family entertainment. The 2K label has some of the most talented development studios in the world today, including Firaxis Games, Visual Concepts, Irrational Games, 2K Marin, 2K Australia, 2K Czech, Cat Daddy Games and 2K China. 2K’s stable of high quality titles includes the critically acclaimed BioShock®, Borderlands™ and XCOM® franchises, the beloved Sid Meier’s Civilization series, the popular WWE 2K franchise and NBA 2K, the #1 rated and #1 selling basketball franchise***. 2K is headquartered in Novato, California and is a wholly owned label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO). For more information, please visit www.2K.com.

***According to 2008 – 2013 Metacritic.com and The NPD Group estimates of U.S. retail video game sales through September 2013.

About Firaxis Games

Firaxis Games™ is one of the world’s premier game development studios, and home of legendary designer Sid Meier. Firaxis has developed some of the most successful and award-winning computer and video games on the market today including: the award winning Sid Meier’s Civilization® V for the PC, as well as the critically acclaimed expansion packs Sid Meier’s Civilization® V: Gods and Kings and Sid Meier’s Civilization® V: Brave New World, the critically acclaimed XCOM®: Enemy Unknown for Windows PC, the Xbox 360 games and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, iPhone®, iPad® and iPod touch®, Sid Meier’s Ace Patrol™ and Sid Meier’s Ace Patrol: Pacific Skies™ for the PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, Haunted Hollow™ exclusively for iPhone, iPad and iPhone touch, Sid Meier’s Civilization® Revolution™ for console, iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and Nintendo DS, 2005 PC Game of the Year – Sid Meier’s Civilization IV®, the expansions Civilization IV: Warlords®, Civilization IV: Beyond The Sword™, and Civilization IV: Colonization™, the blockbuster Sid Meier’s Civilization® III series, Sid Meier’s Pirates!® (PC, Xbox and PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system), Sid Meier’s SimGolf™ and Sid Meier’s Railroads!™. Firaxis legacy titles include the Sid Meier’s Civil War Series!™ (Gettysburg!, Antietam!, and South Mountain), and the Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri® series. In 2005, Firaxis Games was acquired by Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., joining its 2K publishing label.

“PlayStation” is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

All trademarks and copyrights contained herein are the property of their respective holders.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

The statements contained herein which are not historical facts are considered forward-looking statements under federal securities laws and may be identified by words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “potential,” “predicts,” “projects,” “seeks,” “will,” or words of similar meaning and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the outlook for the Company’s future business and financial performance. Such forward-looking statements are based on the current beliefs of our management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to them, which are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Actual outcomes and results may vary materially from these forward-looking statements based on a variety of risks and uncertainties including: our dependence on key management and product development personnel, our dependence on our Grand Theft Auto products and our ability to develop other hit titles for current and next-generation platforms, the timely release and significant market acceptance of our games, the ability to maintain acceptable pricing levels on our games, our ability to raise capital if needed and risks associated with international operations. Other important factors and information are contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2013, in the section entitled “Risk Factors,” the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2013, and the Company’s other periodic filings with the SEC, which can be accessed at www.take2games.com. All forward-looking statements are qualified by these cautionary statements and apply only as of the date they are made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Evangelion Movie Marathon To Be Held In Ireland

Sanjay Parbhu

-

November 14, 2013

0

North American, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand anime fans have all seen the third Neon Genesis Evangelion movie on the big screen, and now Irish fans can look forward to their premier of Eva 3.0: You Can (Not) Redo at the end of this month.

The Japanese Film Festival Ireland posted details about the premier on their Facebook page earlier today; they have made the 30^thof November “Evangelion Day” and will marathon all three movies from the Eva re-boot. The movie screenings, in association with Scotland Loves Anime, will begin at midday at the Lighthouse Cinema in Smithfield Dublin. “Evangelion Day” will naturally start with You Are (Not) Alone, followed by You Can (Not) Advance at 2 pm and finishing with the premier of 3.0 at 4 .m.

Tickets can be purchased for each film individually, or you can get a pass to see all three movies for €19.50 at the Light House Cinema Box Office. All movies will be screened in Japanese with English subtitles, check out the cinemas website for more information.

Trailer Teasers and Poster Released for Darren Aronofsky’s NOAH

Zac Elawar

-

November 14, 2013

0

Paramount Pictures Australia have released the official teaser poster (visible to the right, click to enlarge) for Darren Aronofsky’s NOAH, starring Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Emma Watson & Anthony Hopkins.

The film is a high budget, action-heavy take around the biblical tale of the titular hero (played by Crowe), who built the Ark in order to protect Earth’s inhabitants – or, at least two of each species – from the coming Great Flood. We all know the story, but it will be interesting to see a big screen version from such a phenomenal director… it has to be better than Evan Almighty, right?

NOAH comes out on the 27th of March, 2014. The first trailer will be unleashed tomorrow, but in the mean time, Paramount have also shared two 6-second teaser clips to whet the appetite. I nearly wrote “wet” there instead… you know, because of the water and all… aren’t you proud of my restraint?! Anyway, check them out below (one in-line, the next embedded at the bottom).

Action Trailer Teaser

Free GTA Online Beach Bum Update Coming Next Week

Zac Elawar

-

November 14, 2013

0

Are you a beach person? Nah, me neither… the sand, the blue bottles… who needs it?! I’m not getting pissed on! But, a virtual beach where I don’t have to worry about cleaning sand out of, well, crevices… I’d readily become a digital beach bum. And with Rockstar‘s free November 19 (the 20th for ANZ) GTA Online ‘Beach Bum’ update, you’ll want to do the same. New customisation options will allow you to wear suitably rad hairstyles, apparel and tattoo appropriate for a day in the sun. There’s also new weapons, jobs and vehicles being included. Read on for the official breakdown from the developers themselves.

New Jobs
The Beach Bum update will bring a slew of new action-packed Jobs to GTA Online next week. These include new beach-themed Races, Deathmatches, Parachutes, Last Team Standings, Survivals as well as Gang Attacks for those who enjoy a good territorial skirmish.

GTA-Online-Beach-Bum-02 — **Better not kick sand in the wrong face. Beach blankets may run red by the time the sun sets on Vespucci.**

Here are just a few of our favourite new ones that are on the way:
“Grass Route II” (Race): In this sequel to the original popular Grass Route Race, go off-road in an epic heat starting on the North bank of the Zancudo River through the treacherous wetlands with a triumphant finish on the beach in North Chumash.
“Survival on Del Perro Pier” (Survival): Skip the ferris wheel for a deadlier kind of thrill ride as you take on waves of relentless enemies at this beach-front attraction.
“View of Vespucci” (Parachuting): This leap sends you from 2,980 feet, down towards Vespucci Beach, weaving through palm trees to land on the basketball courts of the rec centre. If you’ve got skills, it’s possible to freefall through the first few checkpoints before even opening your chute.
“Paleto Beach” (Team Deathmatch): The locals complain that not a lot happens in this sleepy town, so do them a favor and wake ’em up with a barrage of gunfire exchanged between you and a rival team. This Team Deathmatch takes place right on the romantic shoreline for 4-8 players.
“Sundae Driving” (Bike Race): Sure to be a new fan-favourite motorbike race, menace Vespucci Beach on your two-wheel rocket, taking breakneck corners as you try and best the competition.
Expect these and lots more Jobs to be added to Grand Theft Auto Online next week.
New Vehicles
Hit the shore with four sand-and-surf-ready vehicles perfect to take on the all new Beach Bum Races and Vehicle Deathmatches: the BF Bifta dune buggy, the rugged Canis Kalahari off-road truck, the Bravado Paradise beach camper van and making a special return to the GTA series, the fast and stylish Speeder speedboat. All four vehicles will be available at no in-game cost, with the land-based vehicles accessible from the southernsanandreassuperautos.com website and the Speeder available via docktease.com on your in-game phone (call Pegasus for delivery). These vehicles are also available in Story Mode for Michael, Trevor and Franklin to enjoy – to access them, visit your garage property and the Marina property for the vehicles and the boat respectively.

GTA-Online-Beach-Bum-03 — **Take to the seas and waterways in the classic, nimble Speeder.**

New Weapons
Expand your arsenal with two new free weapons – the compact yet deadly SNS Pistol and the brutal new Broken Bottle melee weapon which is quite effective at delivering the appropriate message in up close and personal encounters. Each weapon will be available gratis from any Ammu-Nation location in GTA Online and will be added straight into each of the three characters’ inventory in Story Mode.

GTA-Online-Beach-Bum-01 — **Beach bums with attitude. Hit the coast with all new customization options to style up your GTA Online character.**

New Customization Options
You’ll be able to deck out your GTA Online character with all new beach-ready customization options including stylish board shorts, neon surfer attire, wild tribal tattoos, shaggy hair for that West Coast laissez-faire vibeand more…
This is just the first of many new content updates we’re working on for Grand Theft Auto Online in the weeks and months ahead. Please stay tuned here at the Newswire for word on the forthcoming Content Creator, full on cooperative Heists, and GTA Online’s take on Capture the Flag – plus info on some exciting new Story Mode updates as well. We’ll have new info to share on all of this very soon.

This update comes after a slew of important fixes in the last. Has your GTA Online experience been smoother since?

Meltdown Review

Andrew Day

-

November 14, 2013

0

Meltdown
Developer: Phenomenon Games
Publisher: BulkyPix
Platforms: iPhone (Reviewed), iPad, Android
Release Date: Out Now
Price: $1.99 – Available on the App Store and Google Play

Overview

Meltdown is the story of a man and his guns, in space, destroying evil robots. It is a little cliché, but it is definitely a fun experience. It has some awkward to learn controls, and repetitive visuals and audio the game has its flaws, but they are easily overlooked when compared to how fun this game is, especially with its awesome drop in/drop out multiplayer mode.

Story

Meltdown places you in the role of Zed, a soldier who is tasked with shutting down the core of the Meltwown-Classed Base Platform; Orion. Orion is suffering from an AI malfunction that is causing all the robots and machinery on the platform to go haywire.

The story is told out in a fully voice acted cinematic that sets up the premise of the game. However it is pretty basic and really only serves as a plot point to introduce the game rather than drive it along. All in all, while it is a fun introduction, the game wouldn’t be any better or worse off without it.

Gameplay

Meltdown is an action based run and gun shooter. Tapping on an area of the screen will have Zed running off in that direction. While the controls seem intuitive and familiar, they can take some getting used to. In most tap to move games, your character will always be oriented in the middle of the screen, but that isn’t the case with Meltdown. The result is frequently needing to switch which hand you will be tapping the screen with. While this feels cumbersome in the beginning, you will quickly adjust to the system, especially as the attack mechanics are made to accommodate.

Instead of simply pressing or holding down on the screen to shoot, Meltdown features an on/off system. When your gun is switched to On, you will immediately start shooting whenever there is an enemy within range. This serves to take away a lot of the confusion from the movement controls, but sometimes you can encounter a few problems with this method.

You don’t have any direct control over where you are shooting, only that you will be shooting the closest enemy. Only shooting the closest enemy means that you may find yourself firing at a different enemy that you intended. It is a small problem, but one I found happening more frequently in later levels where there are more enemies swarming you.

The game comes pre-packed with 30 different stages to keep you going for a long time. At the end of each stage the player is ranked based on damage sustained, enemies eliminated and time taken and given a score. Killing enemies also awards you money which can be spent between levels on upgrading your weapons and purchasing new ones. There are a tonne of different weapon options to choose from, and with two firearm slots and a melee spot there is enough to customise your character to suit your own play style.

The downside is that some of the items required for upgrades can sometimes be a little scarce, almost convincing you to spend real-world money to upgrade through the game’s shop. However even after playing to level 30, I didn’t feel forced to head to the store, just that there was one available if I chose to.

What is perhaps the best draw for Meltdown is its awesome co-op multiplayer. By starting your game online, you will have players join in and help you with the robot killing mayhem. Additional players can really speed up your times and improve your overall level scores, as well as having a tonne of fun doing so. Furthermore, it is drop in/drop out play that doesn’t interrupt the game at all while you play.

Visuals & Audio

Visually, Meltdown is by no means a killer app, but it isn’t a bad looking game. Zed is outlined in a medium black boarder that helps him stand out from his surroundings. Since this game is set in space, aboard a largely AI controlled platform, there are a lot of silvers and metallic colour littering the backdrops.

The backdrops and enemy models are reused in every stage, just moving and shuffling around where they are located, so the game can look a bit repetitive. Honestly though, usually you are trying hard to not get hit that you wont often notice or really care that the same sandbags have been used for the last 5 stages.

Audio wise, the initial cut scene is voice acted, but aside from that there isn’t much to go on with sound effects. Robots clank and grind along, and guns make a surprisingly realistic sound. However the real sound comes from the 8-bit style soundtrack which is just awesome. Mixing a rock n roll style tune to 8-bit gives this game a unique sound that just works.

Overall

Meltdown isn’t a perfect game, but it is a fun game. It has its share of flaws, but most of these are easily overlooked due to the amount of good that this game does. Repetitive visuals and clunky controls hold this game back from being a must-have on your mobile device, but one cannot overstate the awesome co-op mode available to players, and with 30 levels already available, with more coming soon there is a lot of value to be had here.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.