CHILDREN OF BODOM’S ALEXI LAIHO READY TO MELT YOUR FACE AS THE FINAL IN-GAME MENTOR FOR BANDFUSE: ROCK LEGENDS
Children of Bodom’s front man and guitarist, Alexi “Wildchild” Laiho, has been named both “best metal guitarist” and “best shredder.” Today, Realta Entertainment revealed this superstar as the eighth legend of BandFuse: Rock Legends, the music video game where legendary rockers transform players into real world guitarists, bassists and vocalists.
The newly released BandFuse: Rock Legends trailer featuring Children of Bodom’s song “Are you Dead Yet?” can be viewed
“The musical path I have chosen has been amazing so far, and a new part of this journey is having the honor to be part of BandFuse: Rock Legends,” said Laiho. “Being able to deliver my thoughts on shredding technique in game – not in avatar form but as myself – makes an unimaginable impact on my desire to take part in this game. BandFuse: Rock Legends is a terrific way to learn how to blow minds, melt faces and play killer music.”
Laiho joins BandFuse: Rock Legend’s stunning group of super-talented rock legends. The seven other previously revealed musical luminaries include Slash, Bootsy Collins, George Lynch, Mike Ness, Zakk Wylde, and Five Finger Death Punch’s Zoltan Bathory and Jason Hook.
During his time with Children of Bodom, Laiho has been called the “Best Metal Guitarist” in the 2008 Guitar World Reader’s Poll, and his guitar work on Children of Bodom’s 2003 release “Hate Crew Deathroll” earned the album a place among the magazine’s “50 Greatest Guitar Albums” of all time. Laiho was also named “Best Shredder” at the 2005 Metal Hammer “Golden Gods” awards. Children of Bodom’s enthralling mix of modern heavy metal, melodic hooks and instrumental acrobatics has solidified the critically acclaimed Finnish band as one of the most revered hard rock acts in the world. The band released its highly anticipated eighth studio album, “Halo of Blood,” in June 2013, which landed on Billboard’s Top 200 chart in the U.S.
Seamlessly connecting real guitars, basses and microphones to game consoles, BandFuse: Rock Legends empowers players to jam to a fully unlocked library of hit songs from rock to metal and punk to funk, featuring 55 massive genre-jumping songs from Slash, Maroon 5, Rush, The Strokes, Heart, Halestorm, Pearl Jam and more.
BandFuse: Rock Legends is rated T for Teen by the ESRB and will be published by Mastiff in North America on November 19, 2013, and by Hamster in Japan on December 19, 2013, on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 systems. A release date for Europe will be announced soon. To learn more about BandFuse: Rock Legends, please visit www.bandfuse.com, ‘Like’ it on Facebook, and follow the game on Twitter.
Kill la Kill Episode 6: Don’t Toy With Me on a Whim
Having gone through some pretty intense realisations last episode, Ryuko is understandably irked after chancing upon some evidence that reveals that Mikisugi has connections to her mohawked foe. Apparently the threat of vivisection carries some clout as he manages to disclose the name of his organisation: Nudist Beach. Ryuko scoffs at this “reveal” citing Mikisugi as a liar and vows to become stronger, in the hopes of getting a straight answer.
As luck would have it, Athletic Head Uzu Sanageyama, one of Satsuki’s trusted Elite Four is fairly fed up with Ryuko and wants to battle. Naturally this requires the President’s go ahead. After “sneaking” up on Satsuki, we are treated to a flashback that details their first meeting in the distant time of three years ago. It would seem that Sanageyama was the leader of the Northern Kanto Gang Alliance and cut a pretty imposing figure. With 500 supporters behind him, he was challenged one faithful day by Kiryuin Satsuki. Refusing her kind offer of surrendering to her, these 500 men were subsequently blasted across a field by nothing more than her stare. Gaining both Sanageyama’s fear and respect, he decided to lunge at her, sword drawn. Unfortunately for him, his skills were not enough and he was subsequently bested by the future President. However, rather than destroy him, she saw fit to extend another offer. If he joined her he would receive the training needed to utilise his latent power. This flashback was interesting in that it once again strayed into the bizarre occurence that is Satsuki’s compassionate side. It also expresses the fact that each Three Star follows her out of repsect, unlike the faceless masses of Hannouji. We can also conclude that Sanageyama was the last of the Elite Four to join Satsuki and that, at least three years ago, Information and Strategy Head Inumuta was still uncertain about her power, lending to the theory that he may have been the third recruit.
Sanageyama circa three years ago
With his permission granted, Sanageyama wastes no time in challenging our Scissor wielding vagrant to a duel. Ryuko immediately accepts said request and meets him in the Kendo Club dojo, in front of a roaring crowd no less. Wasting no time, the two combatants prepare for battle by transforming…yeah. So apparently the Kamui is not unique in its ability to alter form, something Ryuko learns the hard way. True to his style, Sanageyama’s uniform shifts into a kick ass robotic Bogu, dubbed: Blade Regalia. This in itself is a great moment in the series as it shows that there will be a bit more variation in some of the more climactic battles. Unfortunately for Ryuko, Blade Regalia’s bulk belies his speed, an aspect which Sanageyama uses to proliferate her beatdown. Not only does Regalia possess two awesome pile bunker kendo swords, Sanageyama himself reveals his Tengantsu ability which allows him to see everything. Unfortuantely for him, this ability requires him to actually be able to see, so with a little ingenuity, and fabric, Ryuko blinds and defeats the Elite Four member. Despite his loss, Sanageyama again reveals that not all characters are what they seem and that there is a great deal of new powers coming for our protagonist. Which will be cool.
I can see why he’s so powerful
With a major deal to his pride as well as his body, Sanageyama opts for some self imposed penance in order to prove to Satsuki he has the resolve to continue fighting. Gaining her approval once more, another duel is set. Donning Blade Regalia Mk II, Sanageyama lies in wait. Ryuko immediately nullifies his Tenganstu ability as she had before and leaps, ready to deliver the finishing blow. Imagine her shock when Sanageyama lands a direct hit, sending her careening across the battlefield. Befitting such a headstrong and prideful warrior, it is revealed that Sanageyama ordered the Sewing Club Head to sew his eyes shut, so that he might never become overconfident in his skill again. Once again, this is one of those intense elements that kind of makes you forget that this series takes place in a school. A chaotic, totalitarian school of fear, but a school no less. With his eyesight now non existant, Sanageyama has acquired a power which allows him to see more than he ever could before. The eyes of the mind: Shingantsu. After an absolute onslaught at the hands of a unflinching and unceasing foe, Ryuko is saved when Sanageyama overheats his uniform…so yeah, apparently that can happen. This fact alone clearly expresses just how much he has improved, in just a single episode. Sanageyama’s drive also adds a little more personality onto the Elite Four who, up till this point, have been fairly standard anime stereotypes without too much screen time. It should also be noted that his new skills allowed him to sneak up in front of Satsuki, having gained the clarity to not care about direction.
He does live by the code of the martial arts
Though not a crucial element of the episode, we also receive some more smaller glimpses into everybody’s favourite President. She herself notes how wearing Junketsu is rather draining on her physically, though she refuses any other path as she chose to seek this power.It is also seen that, unlike Senketsu who is ironed and placed on a hangar when not being worn, Junketsu is sealed behind glass and nailed to a wall, all the while flailing to escape. This hints further at the disparity between the two Kamui, though their true link is yet to be revealed. Along with Satsuki’s relationship with Junkestu, seeing her dynamic with Sanageyama was also rather interesting. Her compassion once again shows in not only the flashback, but also in her decision to actually grant him a second chance. She also notes that his inability to finish the fight was not a loss, but rather a testament to his strength. She even keeps her promise to Sanageyama by offering to have tea with him after the fight is won. Amidst all of the lust for control and power, it would seem that she has a soft spot for a select few. Her familial relationship is also teased when her mother calls, wanting to know why she donned Junketsu before her wedding day. How she will play into the series has yet to be revealed, but I’m sure it’ll be in some chaotic way. Everything in the series tends to happen that way after all.
So, what did we learn this week on Kill la Kill? Well don’t piss off a kendo master for one. It won’t end well for you. We saw that despite all of her improvements, Ryuko still has a ways to go before she can challenge Satsuki on equal footing. Also, maybe Nudist Beach doesn’t truly inspire fear as the name of a revolutionary group. Lessons were learned, eyes were stitched and heroes fled. Let the chaos continue…
Marvel Heroes Gets Godlike with Game Update 2.0 – Asgard
Gazillion Entertainment, developers of the popular free-to-play Marvel action RPG Marvel Heroes, is now taking players to the land of the Norse gods in the game’s biggest content update yet, Game Update 2.0 – Asgard. This massive update ushers in a new era for Marvel Heroes players, allowing them to play, for the first time, as the infamous Marvel character and brother of Thor: Loki. In addition to taking control of Loki’s sorcerous powers, players will experience new enemies, new items, new crafting recipes, new zones and more.
Marvel Heroes Game Update 2.0 – Asgard will feature:
· Asgard – The realm of the gods will include expansive new zones, a server-wide event to unlock the Bifrost Bridge to Asgard, new supervillains and more. Odin’s Palace will be introduced as a brand new player hub.
· Playable Villain Loki – Players can now play as the God of Mischief himself. The first playable villain in Marvel Heroes, Loki can use his sorcery to fire magical blasts, control spires of ice, and create illusions to confuse his foes. His ultimate power transforms Loki into a massive Frost Giant, gaining new powers and attacks.
· New Starting Characters – Marvel Heroes now has a brand new roster of starting heroes for new players to choose from. Expanding from the previous five choices, players can now pick a free Marvel superhero from a list of nine exciting and unique playable heroes.
· More Story Content – The epic story of Marvel Heroes continues in Asgard with brand new story missions featuring fully-voiced motion comics.
· New Items – New item types like rings and Legendary items each have their own new item slots. Players will want to hang on to legendary items, as they grow stronger and gain experience along with the player!
Marvel Heroes is free-to-play and features 26 Super Heroes, including Spider-Man, Iron Man, Thor, Wolverine, Hulk and Captain America. All heroes can be unlocked by simply playing the game and each hero can be customized through unique and extensive leveling systems, power trees, diverse item drops and a robust crafting system. Players can choose to wear costumes from over 70 years of Marvel history, including costumes from Marvel’s recent theatrical blockbusters. Set across diverse locations from the Marvel Universe, Marvel Heroes offers fast-paced, action-packed gameplay.
To download and start playing Marvel Heroes today, visit http://www.marvelheroes.com or download the game on Steam.
Gazillion Entertainment is a privately held developer and publisher of free-to-play online games for all ages. Gazillion’s games feature revered brands, superior production quality and unmatched gameplay. For more information on Gazillion please visit www.gazillion.com.
About Marvel Entertainment
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing. For more information visit www.marvel.com.
Sonic Lost World Developer: Dimps Publisher:Sega Platform: Wii U, Nintendo 3DS (Reviewed) Release Date: October 29, 2013 Price: $39.95 – Available Here
Overview Before Sonic was competing in the Olympic Games, racing a vehicle, or brawling, he was running around the hearts of many gamers for years. However while recent efforts have been hit and miss, Sega isn’t about to let everyone’s favorite hedgehog disappear. As such they have brought their latest Sonic game to Nintendo platforms in the form of Sonic Lost World. Does the 3DS version of Sonic Lost World have anything good to offer for fans of the Blue Blur?
Story While attempting to take down Dr. Eggman, Sonic and Tails find themselves on a new world where they Eggman has managed to gain control over six powerful creatures that are called the “Deadly Six.” However when these six manage to free themselves from the control of Eggman, they begin sapping the world of its power. Not only this, they have also gained control of Eggman’s badnik army. In an effort to put a stop to the Deadly Six and save not only this new world but also their own, Sonic and Eggman must work together to put a stop to these new threatening enemies.
The story of Sonic Lost World is rather mundane, though Sonic isn’t actually known for its great storytelling. That being said, the only way that the story is told is through terrible looking cutscenes which seem to be trimmed to the bare minimum as far as details go, or perhaps the story was simply not fleshed out in any way other than a reason to give Sonic a chance to take on some new opponents.
Gameplay
Sonic Lost World attempts to bring together a number of new mechanics while also keeping a number of classic elements integrated into the game. Every stage in the game sees Sonic having to run through a level, defeating or avoiding the enemies in his path, gathering rings, navigate through a multitude of obstacles and finish the stage to advance to the next area, potentially to face off against a boss.
As players make their way through the game Sonic still has his old bag of tricks where he spin-dashes, uses a homing attack to take down enemies in his path, picks up various bonuses that make him run faster, protect him from damage for a small time and other various pick-ups but this is mixed up with the new parkour aspect of the game which allows for Sonic to run along walls, jump between walls while running, and also run up and over walls as he navigates through the various levels in the game.
Various other inclusions feature the return of the Color Powers that see Sonic having a special ability depending on what Wisp he is using, Tails’ workshop which can give the player certain advantages with items that are crafted with materials earned by completing levels and boss battles, though these boss battles also turn out to be mediocre and mundane.
To start things off, Sonic Lost World displays a rather large amount of variety in its gameplay. There are early stages where players can run through an area quickly and areas where players will need to be very careful as they time their jumps and navigate through a number of difficult platforming sections. However what it offers in variety quickly wears thin when the game begins to devolve into something that may have been seen as an effort in variety and simply turned into an effort in testing the player’s patience.
While there are always numerous routes to take through a level, the level designs in Sonic Lost World are terrible. Players can find themselves taking a path only to find themselves going in a complete circle, something the game seems to anticipate considering the lengthy time limit most stages have. These issues are compounded with the fact that sometimes players simply have to take a leap of faith if they want to advance, often dying simply because they didn’t do exactly what the game wanted but giving absolutely no hint as to what they should have done in the first place. It is one thing to be challenging, it is another simply to have such poorly devised areas that eat away at lives.
It also doesn’t help that the game slows down to a crawl any time the game forces a puzzle aspect on the player, which require the player to slow down, complete a menial task, often involving pushing objects onto switches and continuing on. Of course there are now battle areas where Sonic has to defeat a set amount of enemies before he can advance, which wouldn’t be so much of an issue if the game’s lock-on system worked more often than not as Sonic would often completely miss enemies he had locked on too only to lose rings in the process. While this feature is standard, where certain enemies need to be stunned prior to being attacked, there are a number of enemies which require extended lock-on sequences simply to deal damage to which only makes the game slower and more monotonous than it ever should be.
There are a few bonus modes to the game as well as hidden elements to the game which involve collecting five red star rings. Players can return to previous levels after advancing far enough into the game to unlock new pathways and some additional gameplay from previously beaten levels. It is also worth noting that there are bonus levels where players can try to obtain a Chaos Emerald, however these stages are controlled entirely with the 3DS’ gyroscope which handles so terribly that players will probably feel sick to their stomach and quitting out of the stage long before completing it.
Visuals The Sonic franchise is known for having brightly colored areas and a lot of variety and Sonic Lost World doesn’t disappoint in this regard as each of the themed areas have a unique theme that manages to blend nostalgic areas with fresh levels, however the aforementioned issue still remains that these levels are terribly structured and designed and more often than not, boring.
It also doesn’t help that, although the gameplay itself sees Sonic looking rather nice in motion and the character designs of the Deadly Six are nice to see, the game suffers terribly whenever it is pushed to any length. If the player is hit while carrying anything more than fifty rings then prepare for a lot of slowdown as the game struggles to deal with the amount of rings on-screen. It is also worth noting that while cut-scenes are included in this game, they are compressed to such a terrible degree that every video is blurry looking, regardless of the 3D slider which actually makes things worse.
Audio It is worth noting that Sonic Lost World does have English voice work for what it is worth and it is what we have come to aspect over the years, nothing impressive but nothing too badly handled either. Thankfully the game’s soundtrack is rather impressive with some nice background music set to the stages that players find themselves having to deal with, often for extended periods of time.
Overall Sonic Lost World kicks off with a bang that helps lull gamers into a sense that this may be something great but slowly devolves into another troublesome entry into Sonic’s growing list of mediocre titles. While it has a few shining moments and a number of returning and new aspects are nice additions, terrible level design and tiring implementation of stalling mechanics make Sonic Lost World a game that fans will want to forget.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Fans of fantasy, adventure and action movies can look forward to the home release of Dragon Lore: Curse of the Shadow (previosuly known as SAGA – Curse of the Shadow) on DVD, Blu-ray and as a digitial download on Janurary 8th. The DVD will have an RRP of $29.99 while the Blu-Ray will cost $34.99. If you love movies like The Lord of the Rings then this might be a movie you should keep your eye out for. A synopsis of the movie is available below.
“Keltus, an agent of the ruling Order, is on the trail of the enigmatic Shadow cult. He reports to a local garrison to interrogate a captured Shadow cultist, but finds the man dead – murdered by Nemyt, an elven bounty huntress cursed with the Mark of the Shadow – an undead plague. Nemyt has learned of a secret meeting and a powerful treasure. Keltus frees her from prison and the two set out to rendezvous with the cult.”
Since the last OVA of Oreimo aired in August it’s safe to assume most of you have calmed down, but this latest Dengeki Bunko announcement might just re-excite you again for a little sister otaku based series (or make you more annoyed).
Tsukasa Fushimi, the author behind Oreimo, will be starting a new series called Ero Manga Sensei- Imoto to Akazu no ma which roughly translates to My Little Sister and the Locked Room. The main character is Masamune Izumi; a high school light novel writer who lives with his shut in younger sister. Things start to get interesting for the two of them when Izumi discovers that the illustrator for his LNs, the person behind all the highly perverted drawings, is none other than his own sister Sagiri.
The new LN series will be drawn by Hiro Kanzaki, the illustrator behind Oreimo and will make its appearance on December the 10th. Let us know what you think about this new series, or the Oreimo anime, by leaving a comment down below.
We have one Magic: The Gathering Holiday Gift Box valued at $29.95 and one Theros intro pack valued at $24.95 to give away courtesy of Hasbro. The packs include the following :
The Holiday Gift Box includes:
A storage box that holds more than 2,000 cards
Six illustrated plastic dividers
A sticker sheet for customizing the dividers
Four Theros booster packs
An alternative-art Karametra’s Acolyte from the Theros set
20-card Theros basic land pack
A Theros Intro Pack includes:
A ready-to-play 60-card deck featuring a foil premium card
Check out all images below (click to view in full size)
To win simply leave a comment below answering the following question and we’ll pick two lucky winners for each pack:
What do you love the most about Magic The Gathering?
We’ll pick 2 lucky winners on the 18th 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. Also let us know your preference.
If you also want to try out the game print out this special offer below and take it your closest magic store to pick up a free sample pack!
Sony has just released a very interesting and undoubtedly cool video which is an extremely romanticised and epic unboxing of their newest system the PlayStation 4. It serves as both an unboxing video and a pretty sweet and somewhat sneaky marketing ploy. It actually shows everything that comes with a standard purchase of the system which I found to be really cool, we’re getting first hand info straight from the horses mouth in a real funky way.
Anyway, enough out of me, you can catch the PlayStation 4 unboxing video below in our Featured Video Section. The PlayStation 4 is set for release over here in Australia on the 29th of November so if you haven’t pre-ordered it already, now is the time to do so!
2K Games have released a trailer for the NBA 2K14 companion app MyNBA2K14. The app allows NBA 2K14 players to stay in touch with their game at all times through their smartphone devices.
The MyNBA2K14 app compiles stats and leaderboards based upon your progress in NBA 2K14. On top of that there are mini-games to play that can earn you VC (in-game currency) that transfers from MyNBA2K14 over to NBA 2K14.
MyNBA2K14 is available here on the iTunes store for free download. Be sure to check out the trailer for the app below to get a gander at the incredible features available in this wonderful companion app.
PAC-MAN and the Ghostly Adventures Developer:Namco Bandai Publisher:Namco Bandai Platforms: PlayStation 3 (Reviewed), Xbox 360, Wii U, PC, 3DS Release Date: October 29, 2013 Price: $39.99 – Available Here
Overview Pac-Man is arguably one of the most iconic video game characters of all time. Armed with that knowledge, Namco Bandai has tried to keep him relevant for over thirty years. With a popular children’s television show, the pellet-munching, ghost-crunching maze adventurer once again takes the stage in a fight against ghosts, but with a few new faces and powers only fans of the show would know. How does PAC-MAN and the Ghostly Adventures hold up? Is he still the go-to ghost buster or should he have stayed in the past?
Story
Pac-Man and his friends are back in PacWorld, hanging out at the high school when things suddenly go berserk. The mayor bursts in and lets everyone know that Betrayus, the ruler of the Netherworld and all of the ghosts, has launched a full scale invasion of PacWorld. When PacWorld is saved, though, the chase takes to a series of locations that will have the golden gobbler ghost hunting as he chases down Betrayus and seeks to save PacWorld from another devious plot!
Gameplay
Gone are the two-dimensional arcade mazes of the past. PAC-MAN and the Ghostly Adventures puts Pac in a fully realized three-dimensional world that ends up feeling more like an action game like Spyro or Sonic the Hedgehog than anything else.
The basic gameplay puts players in charge of Pac-Man as he runs, jumps, and chomps his way through each obstacle put before him. The basic flow of the game consists of running from point to point, getting as many power pellets as you can (there are usually ~150 or more), and heading for a major piece of fruit. You’ll have to avoid or eat all of the ghosts in your way, though.
When the game starts, Pac-Man has three hearts. After taking a hit from a ghost, he’ll lose a heart. To refill his health, he can snack on cheese or hamburgers. For wolfing down a rare pie, though, you’ll be rewarded with an extra life and full health. When playing through the game, you’ll very rarely ever feel as though your life is in danger. Pac is equipped with plenty of tools for taking on the ghosts, and if all else fails, the world is littered with pick-me-ups to keep him in good health.
Throughout each stage, there are various power-ups. Unlike the Pac-Man your mama and daddy (and maybe you) grew up with, power pellets are no longer in style. In this new PacWorld, the Tree of Life grows “power berries.” These can bestow its consumers with tons of different powers, and Pac-Man utilizes them to the fullest extent. The power-ups in Ghostly Adventures are all based on the level you’re playing, as they’re all tied to maneuvering the levels themselves. This feels mildly restrictive on a per-level basis, but there’s enough variety in the game that you never feel as though it’s unbalanced.
On top of world traversal, Pac can use the power-ups to take out specific enemies. Use the fire ability to take out ice ghosts, the ice ability to freeze ghosts, the chameleon ability to avoid being detected by them at all, the magnetic ability to pull them to you, and much more. At first, it feels pretty odd to see Pac-Man using the sorts of power-ups his competitors would be snagging from mushrooms and gemstones, but it feels pretty cool after a while, giving him so much more to play with than scaring ghosts.
Speaking of scaring ghosts, every form of Pac-Man has two different abilities that can be utilized. Pressing the square button (or ‘X’ on Xbox) usually has him lunging forward, mouth agape to take out a ghost. That can be chained together to clear an area quickly. The alternate attack in each form, though, can be triggered with the triangle button (‘Y’ for Xbox). In his normal form, this scares all the ghosts in the area, making them easier to eat. The same button typically activates whatever special attack you have for the power-up your using.
The world and level design in Ghostly Adventures is solid. You’ll play through several stages in each of the six worlds. Each world offers a fairly unique aesthetic (cityscape, frozen, volcano, etc.) but some of the themes end up getting rehashed. It’s nothing egregious, but it would’ve been nice to have a little more variety instead of reuse.
The levels themselves range everywhere from quick blasts through a few obstacles to longer jaunts through some well thought-out platforming sections, with the bulk of them ranging toward the latter. At first, disappearing and moving platforms can feel awkward as you get your land legs back, but the bulk of your deaths likely will come from missing a jump or ending up off the beaten path and falling to your doom. When you finally reach the end of a stage, a small animation will show a huge piece of fruit pop up. Pac will eat the fruit, belch out the eyes of all the ghosts he’s eaten, and go on his merry way.
Though they’re relatively few and far between, one of the better portions of Ghostly Adventures are its boss battles. Each has a relatively simple pattern that you’ll have to figure out and capitalize on. Even with a simple pattern, things can get hectic, maintaining a sense of challenge without ever feeling unfair. They’re well designed and fun to boot.
There is a multiplayer mode built into the game, but sadly, it feels underwhelming. It puts you and three others (or AI opponents) in the roll of Inky, Pinky, Blinky, and Clyde, as they work through the original maze, gathering power-ups and working to stop Pac-Man. It’s a neat concept that a few friends may have fun with for a few minutes, but the lack of online as well as lack of variety with it means you probably won’t be going back to it very often.
Visuals PAC-MAN and the Ghostly Adventures won’t win any awards for its graphic design, but it’s fun to experience nonetheless. Everything is bright and colorful, giving your eyes a vibrant range of colors to drink in. It all stays true to the aesthetic of the Saturday morning cartoon as well, ensuring that folks who watch the show will feel totally comfortable with the world they’re interacting with.
Audio
The soundtrack is fairly forgettable. It does its job, but it never does so with such gusto that it leaves an impression. The voice acting feels right in line with an animated series, too. As someone who doesn’t watch the show, though, it feels really jarring to hear Pac-Man talk, as the voice behind the character is meant to put him in high school and it sounds much younger than I would’ve anticipated. Perhaps he should have been called Pac-Boy or Pac-Teen.
The sound effects are arguably the strongest design choice in the game. Namco Bandai have smartly kept the sound effects of the original game intact. Eating pellets, getting ghosts, and even dying all have a fantastic sense of nostalgia hooked in to give long-time gamers something to hold onto.
Overall
Overall, PAC-MAN and the Ghostly Adventures is a solid game. Bright visuals and nostalgic sound effects combine with well conceived, varied level design and a slew of unique power-ups to create an experience anyone can enjoy. It doesn’t do anything new or groundbreaking and the story is nothing more than a typical Saturday morning hero show, but fans of the animated series or folks looking for a fun platformer will have a good time with it.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.