Today XSEED Games has released Ys: Memories of Celceta onto the PlayStation Vita where it can either be downloaded for $39.99 directly from the PlayStation Store or picked up at retailers where gamers have a choice to either buy it at the same price, or pick up the Ys: Memories of Celceta Silver Anniversary Edition which costs $59.99 but comes with a number of extras.
Ys: Memories of Celceta is a re-imagining of Ys IV that has been re-worked from the ground up with an updated storyline and much more. Over the course of the weekend, XSEED has released a number of trailers for characters in the game and while we’ve already seen what Duren is capable of, check below to see the other characters in action.
Stealth Inc. – A Clone in the Dark is Curve Studio’s renamed stealth platformer. Stealth Inc. is known as Stealth B****** Deluxe on PC. The game is a full retail version of the original Stealth B******, which was released for free on the PC. Stealth Inc. features 80 levels of fast paced stealth platforming action mixed with devious puzzles.
Story
Stealth Inc. is a little light on story. Players plan an unnamed clone attempting to escape a series of increasingly difficult puzzles. Throughout the level, snarky commentary appears in the levels, drawn in the shadows from a heartless commentator that would make GlaDOS of Portal 2 proud.
Gameplay
Stealth Inc. will task players to navigate through a level as quickly as possible with the least amount of deaths and times detected. Expect to die a lot as the path is littered with dangers like turrets and lasers that will kill off the clone in a gory explosion. The game comes with 80 levels split in into smaller chapters. Each chapter is capped off with particularly challenging boss level.
The level design in Stealth Inc. is very good. The puzzles are challenging and the stealth elements are implemented splendidly. The game will challenge the player’s agility and puzzle solving skill. I did find the difficulty level of the puzzles did not ramp up at a steady rate. It suddenly shoots up rather quickly early in the game. However, the game does allow for unlimited time and deaths, so at least there is no major penalty for repeated failure.
The controls have a lot of customization options to cater to hands of all sizes and different iOS devices. By default, the clone can be moved left and right by pressing down on the left side of the screen and moving the thumb to the intended direction. For those who prefer on screen buttons, the movement controls can be replaced with two on screen buttons. The height of the jump/duck keys can be adjusted between three settings which have the buttons nearly touching the bottom of the screen at its lowest setting and sitting near the middle of the screen at its highest. The controls very responsive and work well with the game.
The game has good replay value. The game constantly updates the global leaderboards for top scores and players are always challenged to get through levels faster. There are tons of community made levels available for download, however they are a separate $1.99 in app purchase. Considering the game is already $4.99, Stealth Inc. with the extra purchase is still a few dollars cheaper than the PC version.
Visuals
The visual design in Stealth Inc. is splendid. The game takes elements from famous stealth games like Splinter Cell and mixes it with a touch of cartoon style. Although playable, Stealth Inc. is not the friendliest game for iPhones and iPod Touches. The game is tiny on the small screen. It becomes difficult to pick out some gameplay elements because of the size. The game is much better on the iPad simply because of the larger screen size.
Audio
Stealth Inc. has a great industrial electronic soundtrack that is a pleasure to listen to. The sound effects are top notch. This is a game that can definitely be enjoyed with headphones or even the crappy speaker on iOS devices.
Overall
Stealth Inc. is a great title for platforming and stealth fans. The gameplay is challenging and insanely fun. However, the game is insanely tiny on the iPhone, which makes it hard to play at times. Additionally, the extra community made levels are a separate $1.99 purchase, which can be hard to swallow considering the game is already $4.99, a high price for an iOS title. Overall, an excellent title for iOS gamers looking for a challenge.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Nowadays whenever a new retail game is released for the PlayStation 3, it is almost always available as a digital download as well. This gives gamers a chance to download titles without leaving the house or is an option for those who prefer digital over physical copies. It is also useful for titles which may be given limited print runs and it is difficult to find a copy after release.
Well back when NIS America released Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory, the game was only available through retailers. Now however the game can be picked up through the PSN in North America and tomorrow on November 27th the game will be available for download in Europe as well. Considering Victory happens to be the title that all of the Hyperdimension Neptunia remakes are basing themselves off of, it is certainly worth checking out.
Great news for fans of Saint Seiya in both North and South America. Namco Bandai has released Saint Seiya: Brave Soldiers in both regions, with the United States release being exclusive to the PlayStation Network while all Spanish speaking countries in Latin America and Mexico are able to pick up a physical copy.
Saint Seiya: Brave Soldiers allows players to fight as a number of the their favorite characters and partake in battles from the Sanctuary, Poseidon, and Hades story arcs. As players progress through the game they can enhance their fighter with a number of upgrades by improving their strength level, Cosmos Power Gauge and even their Hit-Point Gauge. The game also retains the original Japanese voice-work and features English, French, Spanish, and Brazilian Portuguese subtitles.
Keybol Games and BulkyPix are extremely excited to announce that their latest game, Pretentious Game, is set for a release on the 5th of December this year. Pretentious Game is a charming platformer the likes of which you’ve never seen, it is simple in aesthetics yet extremely deep when it comes to the in-game story. As a player you deal with a powerful story that revolves around the themes of love, loss and discovery while simultaneously playing through a platforming game filled with tricky levels and puzzling riddles. It is looking to be a true indie game that is clearly more than meets the eye, it has already won the “Director’s Choice” and “Best Story” awards at San Francisco’s “Casual Connect” and has also been nominated at the Independent Game Festival.
Words and feelings play a huge part in this game and we’re encouraged to let them sway the decisions we make throughout the story. Poetry, Meaning, Symbolism, it’s all in here and it’s almost ready for you to get your hands on. Pretentious Game is set for a release on all mobile devices that have access to either the iTunes App Store or Google Play, this means devices like the iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and ones running Android are eligible to download and play the game. The first chapter within the game will be for free so that you can test and see if you enjoy it but for full access of the game there is an in-app fee of $0.99.
Ubisoft’s best selling dance-game phenomenon, Just Dance 2014 has made its way to every single motion-control supported platform, both current and next gen (including Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360, PS3, PS4 and Xbox One) and into an incomprehensible number of homes. Today, players can download an additional 5 chart topping hits and dance the night away.
The 5 DLC tracks are incredibly fun and varied, spanning across a wide range of musical talent and style, from One Direction to Robin Thicke and even LFMAO. Here are the tracks that you can download:
“What About Love” by Austin Mahone
“One Way or Another” by One Direction
“Sexy and I Know It” by LMFAO
“American Girl” by Bonnie McKee
“Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke Ft. Pharrell (alternate choreography version)
These 5 hits are joining an already impressive lineup of 45+ tunes meaning you will never be want for music to dance to at your next party. Are you big into Just Dance 2014, and will you be shaking it to American Girl? Let us know in the comments which of the new songs you are excited for, and remember to always stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the Just Dance 2014 news as it becomes available.
Indie publisher, Digital Tribe Games and developer, ProjectorGames have come forth with FortressCraft Evolved, to produce a new, more powerful experience in creative world building via Steam Early Access next month. Following their very successful FortressCraft on Xbox 360 in 2011, the developers want their vast community to actively engage and share their constructions to help craft the final release of the game.
Adam Sawkins, the creator of FortressCraft, stated, “It’s not about challenges or making things difficult for the player, or requiring them to have enormous amounts of time, it’s about enabling your typical gamer to produce mind-blowing epic content, without having to sacrifice their social life!”
FortressCraft Evolved includes a host of new features and functionality, including;
Creative Mode: build the largest EVER voxel based worlds
Additional flexibility, variety and detail for magnificent creations
Full day and night cycle and seasonal weather system
Cascaded shadows and unlimited light resources
Polished Player User Interface (UI)
Animated high resolution detail blocks and Bump Mapped Terrain
“Build to Me” Feature and Super Build Tools for huge draw distance
“Megagrab” screenshot mode
Editable Signposts
Sharable Detail Library
Steam Workshop support
Don’t miss out on joining the Steam Early Access program in December, for a special discounted price that allows players to start with the best building tools for great value and receive all the milestones and content patches for free on PC. When new phases and platforms become available, including Mac and Linux versions, the cost of access will gradually increase up to its final retail price and official launch.
Check out the official site hereto explore FortressCraft and the Roadmap features available during the stages of release for the evolved game.
Razer has released their holiday gift guide for the 2013 holiday season. There is something for all your favourite gamers, whether they be Xbox 360 fans or PC gaming devotees.
Razer Blade
RRP: AUD $2699.00
Available at JB Hi-Fi and online at the official Razer Store, the Razer Blade is only 14-inches but packs a Haswell CPU and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 765 video card to play all your favourite PC games on the go.
The Kraken is designed for long gaming sessions with its plush and lightweight design. Razer Surround provides virtual surround sound which allow gamers to pinpoint exactly where the gunfire is coming from. The Kraken boasts a digital microphone for clear voice communication and plugs into the computer through a USB port.
Whether your favourite MMO gamer is left or right handed, Razer has a Naga mouse for them. Armed with 12 thumb buttons for easy access to spells and abilities, the Naga has an in game configuration tool compatible with some of the most popular MMOs like World of Warcraft.
Whether running on the PC or the Xbox 360, the Razer Sabertooth is built to survive harsh gaming sessions while providing extensive customization options.
Newly updated for 2013, the Razer BlackWidow features MX Cherry Blue keyswitches for a low actuation force and a pleasent tactile feedback. Being a mechanical keyboard, the BlackWidow is rated to survive over 20 million key presses. It is one of the few mechanical keyboards on the market with macro keys.
Razer Orbweaver
RRP AUD $199.95 / NZ $229.95
For gamers looking for something a little more ergonomic than the traditional keyboard, the Razer Orbweaver features 20 mechanical keys that can be programmed with a large variety of macros, a 8 directional thumb pad that can control movement or modify the 20 keys to create a mind boggling number of macros.
Activision‘s Skylanders franchise is a little over three years old, and still going strong. With every new installment, the amount of figures that kids can collect and transport into their game steadily grows. Since the release of Skylanders: Swap Force, If you include all of the variants and re-released figures, there are over 220 different characters and toys for players to collect. That is a huge number to keep track of, but now thanks to the new Skylanders Collection Vault, doing so is easier than ever.
The free app, which is available on iPhone and iPad allows you to collect, collate and store the details of your collection in one easy to navigate and view app. Not only that, but the app will also give you details and back stories to each character with images and video trailers, helping to flesh them out a little more outside of the main console games.
Skylanders Collection Vault is available now free of charge. To download it head over the the App Store and start entering your collection into the App, unlocking all those pictures and video, and challenging your friends to see who has the most love for Skylanders. As always for all the Skylanders news as it becomes available, be sure to stay tuned to Capsule Computers.
Tearaway Developer:Media Molecule Publisher:Sony Platforms: PlayStation Vita (Reviewed) Release Date: November 22, 2013 Price: $39.99 – Available Here
Overview
There has been a lot of buzz for Media Molecule’s newest game, Tearaway. With what can only be described as a meager release schedule, the potential of a Vita-focused game presented by the creators of Little Big Planetis a tantalizing prospect indeed. How does Tearaway hold up now that it’s been released the wild, though? Has it torn ahead of the pack or should it be ripped to pieces?
Story
Iota (or Atoi, depending on your gender) has a mission. He must get a message to You. That’s right, his entire mission is to get the message (which his head is made of) to You, the player, and the person inside the Sun. As he works to deliver the message to You, he’ll cross vast landscapes, meet and help unique people, and fight off his nemeses, the Scraps, in a beautifully realized papercraft world.
Gameplay
It isn’t very long into Tearaway before you understand that a truly unique experience awaits you. As the game starts, you’ll control Iota (or Atoi) just as you would any other third-person game. You’re fairly limited out of the gate, able to move, run, and interact with items, but not much more. As you proceed through the game, however, more and more opens up to you and before you know it, your options are quite varied.
Tearaway exceeds tremendously as a Vita game. The front camera, rear camera, front and rear touch pads, accelerometer, and so on are all utilized to great effect. This makes for the single most engrossing experience on the Vita (and quite possibly several other platforms). You’ll press the rear touch pad to force your fingers into the world to manipulate objects, tap the rear touch pad like a drum to bounce Iota from platform to platform, open presents by pulling the bowstrings apart with the front touch pad, and much, much more. Media Molecule has clearly put serious effort into designing a game that takes full use of everything the hardware has to offer with nothing feeling like it was just shoveled in. Everything improves the game and it’s all incredible to witness and take part in.
The world and level design in Tearaway are immaculate. Each area is specially designed for a specific experience. Many often iterate on past experiences you’ve had and require you to adapt in order to overcome. Instead of just running around with the joystick, you’ll have to use the touchscreen to manipulate platforms with pull tabs, take out enemies, and more. It can take a fair bit of dexterity on occasion, but the sense of accomplishment you’ll earn from such contortion is reason enough to continue exploring.
As you play through Tearaway, you’ll run across NPCs who are occasionally missing something. In keeping with the heart of creation Media Molecule so finely curates, the game will give you access to a table with around 10 sheets of colored construction paper. Using the touchscreen, you’ll draw and cut out your own designs to make those in-game items, giving you a marvelous sense of agency in the beautiful papercraft world you’re exploring.
Beyond creating the occasional item for NPCs, you can customize Iota at any time simply by holding your finger on him until the menu pops up. Using currency you collect in-game, you can purchase new shapes, mouths, eyes, and more, and customize your very own Iota. Want to see the latest Final Fantasy character running around? You have the freedom to make that happen. It’s quite rewarding in its own way, granting you a great deal of control over your own experience.
Speaking of the NPCs in the world, their existence goes beyond the occasional required storied bump in the road. Many NPCs will have optional quests you can pick up. These usually require taking out a group of Scraps, designing something, or taking a picture of something in the game world. They give you an opportunity to stop chasing the main story and earn some extra money on the side for more goodies.
The cameras used in the game are employed to wonderful effect as well. There are several objects throughout the game that have had their colors stolen by the Scraps. Using your in-game camera with the accelerometer in the Vita, you can take pictures of these items to restore their color. This has an awesome side effect of unlocking an actual papercraft schematic for you to use in the real world via a service called Tearaway.me. It extends the game’s sense of whimsy far beyond the hardware in your hand to the craft table in your home.
Visuals
In spite of the fact that Tearaway is not on the newest generation of console hardware, it may very well be one of the most visually stunning games released all year. The implementation of a construction paper-based papercraft world makes for a phenomenally jaw dropping aesthetic that will have you constantly smiling. On top of the preconstructed environments and characters, you can pick, choose, and customize the look of several characters to suit your fancy.
On top of the look, the animation so fluidly conveys the real world while maintaining it’s construction paper feel that you’ll hold onto a sense of awe. Sprinting through a puddles or watching the waves roll in are sure to put a smile on your face. It’s all brilliantly designed and put together, and that makes it that much more engrossing to experience.
Audio Tearaway has an addictively entertaining soundtrack. Upbeat melodies will drive your exploration as you tap your foot along to the action on screen. The sound effects also do a wonderful job bringing the paper to life with wind blowing through the trees, waves crashing on the beach, and much, much, more. You’ll never want to play the game without experiencing the aural experience it has to offer alongside its beautiful visuals.
Overall Tearaway is an incredible experience from start to finish. Heartwarming, whimsical visual design mix with a wonderful score to present an audio-visual experience you’ll look back on fondly for years. While the story isn’t breaking new ground, it’s well told and richly entertaining. When you combine all of that with accurate, responsive controls and world objects you manipulate using virtually every feature the Vita has to offer, Tearaway stands out as the strongest offering the PlayStation Vita has in its library. If you own a Vita or are considering the purchase, Tearaway is an absolute must-buy.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
