Aside from quality headsets, peripheral maker SteelSeries also does gaming mice. The Rival Optical Gaming Mouse is their latest tool for PC gaming, designed for right handed users in the vein of their previous SteelSeries Ikari mouse. The Rival features rubber grips, anti-sweat coating and 6 programmable buttons.
Packing on board an optical sensor rather than a laser, the Rival has a 6500 CPI resolution and handles movement speeds of to 200 inches per second at 50g of acceleration. Aesthetically, the mouse has two lighting zones with millions of colour options, stable and pulsating.
Aside from the hardware front the Rival also supports the SteelSeries Engine 3 software suite, allowing multiple profiles and settings and is compatible with both Windows and OSX.
The Rival Optical Gaming Mouse will retail at a price of AU$99.99 and will be available in November. Visit the official site for more info and pre-order options.
Defense Technica Publisher:Devolver Digital Developer:Kuno Interactive Platforms: PC (reviewed), Mac, iOS Release Date: October 24, 2013 Price: $14.99 – Steam
Overview
Originally launched on iOS devices, Defense Technica gained attention for being similar to another RTS title called Defense Grid. The main draws to Defense Technica were that it had sleek 3D environments as well as mobile availability. Now indie developer Kuno Interactive has created a PC/Mac edition on Steam to unleash their child. Since the mobile draw has been removed, will Defense Technica stand a fair fight against other tower defense titles? Let’s take a look…
Story
Perhaps one of the lagging characteristics of this tower defense title is an uninvolved storyline. The developers tried to incorporate meaning into the storyline by instilling mission briefings prior to entering a level and by forcing the backstory down our throats at the start-up menu. However, the backstory can be easily skipped by pressing (ESC), and mission briefings are unsubstantial text. If you are one to enjoy a good story, Defense Technica forgot to charge up their power cores.
What could have made the game even better would be an interactive storyline that instilled the mixed emotions of this rag tag group of survivors facing extinction. Cinematic videos are also a great way to garner attention, but low budget indie projects do not necessarily get that luxury. Involving a mission debriefing for the first time run through – like StarCraft – would make the story more visible and appealing.
Gameplay
Defense Technica’s strongest value lies in a solid foundation that has complimentary supporting assets. The foundation stands firm because the focus remains that the player must defend the base core at all costs. Mechanisms like enemy spawn rate, gameplay speed, difficulty, and tower cost all assist in capturing the fun aspects that make tower defense titles addictive.
Dynamically changing environments takes the title’s difficulty to another level. Placing a towers along a path can easily deter enemies from the ‘closer’ route, but what happens when the scene physically shifts? Such environments incorporate pulley systems to unlock new pathways as more enemies spawn. In these occasions you may have to build some blockades to create longer routes, but some instances you just have to deal a ton of damage to get by.
In order to explain tower customization, the acquisition of medals must be explained. For the first couple stages you may become skilled enough to take 0% damage to your power core. In these instances you would gain the full amount of medals available for that stage (i.e. 3 medals for the lesser stages). Upon reaching latter stages, you have the ability to level up individual towers. However, you must have earned enough medals from your previous winnings to allocate points into upgraded/new towers. Once negative attribute about switching between normal and hardcore difficulty is that you do not gain more medals by completing hardcore modes. If the developers balanced out medals according to completion/difficulty, it would be more engaging to earn the medals from a hardcore stage. Perhaps if you decided to play hardcore only, you would gain the hardcore and normal amount of medals to be used in customizing towers.
Choosing your tower customization guarantees a whole new ball game, but the right upgrade might be crucial for your next stage. One such tower customization can be noticed with upgrading the ‘Stabber’ tower. This little guy stabs melee units and can be more useful against heavy armored foes. Once upgraded, this tower packs a punch as the damage output is significantly increased by electric swords attached to the Stabber’s arms. Further down the road you can attach a hammer to really dish out some heavy hits.
Audio/Visual
Audio has the potential to greatly affect the game environment whether its by sounding off an alarm or having a computer system detect abnormal readings. This tower defense title can easily be played on mute because the player can base tower placement and bombs purely by visuals. If the story was incorporated more into the mix, I could see more necessary involvement with dialogue and perhaps mission briefs.
Some titles are purely crafted to for the look and feel for iOS devices, but Defense Technica holds to its beautiful 3D quality on PC. While I do not encourage new players to play with the camera zoomed in, you will get to take a closer glimpse at your enemies ugly faces. Not only that but the environments are classy as well providing dynamic shifting battlefields and weather systems. Homing rocket launchers receive less visibility on a cloudy day, and fire turrets have a damage reduction during the rain. With visuals like weather factoring into gameplay, you cannot deny depth in game mechanics.
User interface is huge when dealing with events in real time. For the most part I think Defense Technica provides a sleek interface ready to take on the challenge of another wave of enemies. A combination of mouse and keyboard shortcuts should make upgrading and adding towers less challenging – unless you prefer keyboard only like myself. For a real challenge select hardcore and jack up the game speed. Let’s see how fast those fingers move!
Overall
Spawning from an iOS title, the PC version performs as instructed and does so without requiring you to purchase upgrades. What lacks in the storyline is made up in the functionally sound gameplay that proves to be addictive at each passing victory or abysmal defeat.
However, this title would be more attractive at a lower price. The iOS version sold for a margin of the cost yet required in game purchases for additional content. I would keep a close eye on the indie radar for any price reduction on Defense Technica.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
After whispers and speculation all the way through this year, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. has finally made an announcement on the features and release date of the ‘PlayStation App’. The new app for mobiles is coming soon for all the gamers who are geared to play the anticipated PS4 and it is by far on a whole new level compared to their current official app.
Designed to enhance the experience for gamers on their new console, the use of the app is extensive as it allows mobile devices to act as a second screen to support PS4 games. You can use it for many simpler uses as well such as easily accessing your PSN features, messaging people on your Friends List and browsing the official PlayStation website. The PS app can be downloaded for free onto smartphone and tablets which run on the popular systems; iOS and Android, and will become available in the US on the 13th of Nov and the 22nd of Nov in Europe.
PlayStation App comes with an astonishing variety of features that allow users to effortlessly enjoy the world of PlayStation. The crazy features that have been listed are as follows:
Direct access to various PSN features and information
Users can not only just access their own profiles, but also have the ability to access and filter their friends’ profiles. Also their is the ability to see and compare trophy accomplishments, exchange messages to friends with any PS system and users are notified about game invites and their friend’s shared activities.
Browse the official PlayStation website and access information
Users can access the PlayStation official website to browse through news, blogs and game information. The language and content of the website will depend on the country the user’s Sony Entertainment Network account is registered.
PS4 Second Screen Feature
Users can install PlayStation App onto their mobile devices to use as a second screen in supported games. For example on ‘The PlayRoom‘, a title pre-installed in all PS4 systems that requires PlayStation Camera, users can draw pictures on their mobile device screens and flick them towards the TV. The images then appear as a 3D object within the game.
Spectate other PS4 users’ gameplay
When users’ friends upload or begin live streaming their gameplay on PS4 systems, the friends’ activities are displayed on “What’s New” of the PlayStation App screen. When users tap on this notification, they can boot pre-installed applications, such as browsers, to spectate the uploaded gameplay. Users can also post comments on gameplay screenshots, footage and live streams.
Purchase game content on PlayStation Store
Users can purchase game content while away from home and download it directly onto their PS4, PS3, and PS Vita systems.
Use a mobile device as a simple remote to control the PS4 system
Once installed, users can use their PlayStation App to control their PS4 system as long as both devices have access to the same Wi-Fi access point. For example, users can switch their PS4 system to standby mode, startup their PS4 system from standby mode, and use their mobile phone as a keyboard for their PS4 system.
It looks like fans of the Ys series in Europe won’t have to wait for months to hear whether or not Ys: Memories of Celceta will be heading over to their region, as it has been announced today by NIS America that the company will be bringing the game to Europe in early 2014.
The North American release of the game is being handled by XSEED and they recently detailed the game’s main characters. As for the story itself, Ys: Memories of Celceta revisits the story of Ys IV with an all new story which will feature conspiracy, deception, and mystery. To go along with this announcement the company also released a number of anime screenshots which you can check out below.
Considering Halloween is about forty-eight hours from now it only makes sense that any developer working on producing a horror game would take advantage of the spooky atmosphere to try and put out some Halloween themed screenshots and it looks like Warner Bros. and Techland have decided to do just that.
As you can see above, two new images of the game have been released. As for the game itself, Dying Light is set to be released in 2014 on the PC as well as both next-gen and current-gen consoles minus the Wii U. For those looking for more info on the game we recently were able to check it out at an event and you can find our impressions here.
While, at the moment at least, there seem to be no plans from NIS America or other Western companies to bring the PlayStation 3 exclusive Fairy Fencer F to the West gamers won’t have to import it to try out the game. Compile Heart is planning on releasing a demo for the game on the Japanese PlayStation Network on October 31st.
Since demos are of course free and creating a Japanese PSN account is rather simple, this means gamers worldwide will be able to sample the demo which will allow players to check out the game’s battle system while taking control of Fang, the protagonist, Harler the mad scientist and Pipin which is a strange green creature.
Ubisoft announced today that The Mighty Quest For Epic Loot, their upcoming free-to-play isometric multiplayer Diablo-esque action RPG, will have an open house for anyone who wants to give the game a shot. Players can hack ‘n slash their way to fame and fortune in the land of Opulencia between October 28 and November 4.
For a limited time, Halloween themes and costumes will be available, and special Halloween themed castles have been created for players to test their skill out on. You’ll be able to equip your characters with glowing pumpkin heads, bat winged headgear, fun costumes, and more.
To see the new content in action, be sure to check out the trailer below this article. For more, you can head on over to their official website here.
When Drakengard 3 is released there will be a number of weapon that Zero can use to take down the numerous enemies that will stand in her path and these weapons can be switched between while the player is actually in battle. The four weapons are somewhat standard, with a sword being the most balanced weapon with launching attacks, flowing combos and plenty of shed blood to make it easier to activate Zero’s special abilities.
To accompany this weapon there is a spear which, while more damaging with a longer reach it is slower, fist weaponry which has short range but is quick and easy to chain combo attacks and finally a chakram weapon which will allow players to clear out crowds with low damage but extensive reach. From the looks of these screens, the chakrams look like they will be my weapon of choice. Currently Drakengard 3 is set to be released in the West by Square Enix sometime in 2014.
Bulkypix, the publishing force behind mobile games Type: Rider and recent Asterix games, have teamed up with studio Phenomenon Games to announce Meltdown, which is set to release on November 7.
In Meltdown, players will take on the role of Zed, a former marine working solo on a mining station of Charon, one of Pluto’s moons. The artificial intelligence on the mining station goes haywire and you must find a way to survive. You’ll get to use special abilities and a ton of upgradable weapons to take out robots and other baddies. You can upgrade both weapons and abilities with an RPG-like skill tree. You can even grab up to 3 friends and play through 30 levels cooperatively.
Meltdown will cost $1.99 when it drops for both iOS and Android on November 7.
Following the launch trailer last week, Activision has gone and surprised everyone by revealing a new co-op mode for Call of Duty: Ghosts before it’s even out. While Treyarch found success with Nazi Zombies, Infinity Ward are adding aliens to their modern warfare shooter. Check out the trailer below.
Described as a survival, base defence and scavenging mode for up to four players, Extinction is set in a post-apocalyptic landscape with aliens running amok and trying to kill you. Looking at the title, you’d expect dinosaurs but I guess that’s asking for too much these days. Come on DICE, given your Easter eggs in previous games we know you’re making a dinosaur mode for Battlefield 4. Right? No?
Call of Duty: Ghosts is coming out on November 5 for PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii U with a release on next-gen consoles soon to follow.
