There are only eight days left until the worldwide release Pokemon X and Y on the 3DS and Game Freak isn’t exactly “slowing down” with the Pokemon releases, they’re still releasing information to the world little by little with with the latest piece of news being the reveal/confirmation of two new Pokemon who just so happen to be evolutions. Slurpuff and Aromatisse are the names of the “Pocket Monsters” that have been released. Slurpuff is the evolution of Swirlix and Aromatisse is the evolution of Spritzee. These two new additions were leaked a few days ago and then confirmed only a day or so after.
– Swirlix evolves into Slurpuff –
Slurpuff is the “Meringue Pokemon”, it’s a pure Fairy-type and it has the ability “Sweet Veil”. It’s only known move as of right now is “Draining Kiss” and it’s official Pokedex entry is as follows: “Since it’s particularly good at distinguishing sweet smells, some Slurpuff work to assist pastry chefs. Slurpuff has an unbelievable sense of smell—a hundred million times more sensitive than that of humans. With its highly attuned senses, it can distinguish the faintest of odors.”
– Spritzee evolves into Aromatisse –
Aromatisse is the “Fragrance Pokemon”, it’s pure Fairy-type and it has the ability “Healer”. It’s only known move as of right now is “Aromatherapy” and it’s official Pokedex entry is as follows: “It can give off a variety of different smells, from a pleasant fragrance to an odor so repugnant to its opponent that it can turn a battle in its favor.”
We’ve also got some pretty nice in-game images of these two new Pokemon for you all to see just below in our little gallery so go check them out and let us know what you think about the new additions in the comments section below the article. Remember, people, Pokemon X and Y is set for a worldwide release on the 12th of October so if you havn’t pre-ordered your copy now I suggest you go do it right away!
For anyone living in Beijing China, Jiong Jiong Comic & Cos Play Event 2013 (JJYS) held in the China National Convention Center was on yesterday, Thursday 3rd Of October 2013, so it was another perfect excuse once again for the Capsule Computers Crew to attend and cover the event. Just like last year, the event was very well organized and planned with the fans enjoying a fantastic day out. As always collecting our special media pass tickets we were able to get in and take a look at the event floor 2 hours before the massive crowds / fans and cos players were allowed it. And I must say “THANK THE ANIME GODS” for that! As once the clock stuck 9am, the flood gates opened and it was on for young and old!
Cos Play at Jiong Jiong was in full force as you can see with the pictures taken below (over 360 gallery images) a lot of effort and time was put into some of the outfits which I must say were very interesting and amazingly well designed. Cos-Play here at Jiong Jiong was as possibly the best this year so far with some fantastic outfits on show from nearly every major anime/manga currently airing at the moment. The great thing about regularly attending these events is you get to know the regulars and see what new costumes they have designed, which is always very exciting if you’re a cos-play fan.
As always the same crowds are in attendance when it comes to comic shows and Jiong Jiong was no exception to the rule, so once again the geeks, nerds, cos-players, children, old people wanting to be cool, you name it, they were there! The show was held at the China National Convention Center which also located right next door to the world famous Beijing National Stadium: most people call it the Bird’s Nest which hosted the 2008 Olympic Games.
The Convention centre is absolutely huge, and this time the show floor took up the entire area and was jam packed with stalls stocked with amazing Comics and Dojinshi’s, toys, clothes and a variety of other cool stuff from popular Anime’s such as Attack On Titan, One Piece, Free! (see image gallery for more details) If you wanted your favourite comic or anime merchanise, the plan is always the same: Make sure you know were it was by doing your research while in the queue waiting or by checking online days before and preparing your list and memorizing stall locations and high tailing it over to the stall to buy whatever you want!
As mentioned above Jiong Jiong opened its doors at 9am and was still buzzing at 5pm with fans taking photos of cos-players and people still buying their last minute comics, toys etc before they were asked to vacate the show floor. As always with video games in mind, the event was the perfect opportunity to bring along your trusty Nintendo 3DS to pick up a few more street passes while shopping for cools stuff and checking out the fantastic Cos Players.
Check out all the photos from yesterday’s event below, let us know what you liked the most or which Cos-Play character you thought was the best dressed in the comments section below.
Worlds of Magic successfully completed a Kickstarter campaign back in April 2013, but developers Wasteland Interactive are returning to the platform to raise another $5000 to improve the visuals of their 4x strategy game and grow their community. Worlds of Magic is the spiritual successor to Master of Magic. Master of Magic provided a randomly generated world while customizing their wizard. Worlds of Magic seeks to improve on the concept by adding things like D20 OGL rules, modern graphics, and over 300 spells.
Backers who supported the previous campaign will combine their previous contribution with their new contribution to upgrade their original pledges to higher reward levels. As a special bonus, these veteran backs who back at least $1.00 in the new campaign will automatically get four extra heroes. Worlds of Magic will be released for PC, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android. Find out more at the official Kickstarter campaign.
InterWave, the makers of Nuclear Dawn and rComplex, will be releasing their latest soon with the help of publisher Iceberg Interactive. Dark Matter is a survival horror game twisted with Metroidvania, requiring players to search throughout the 3D space utilizing 2.5D.
Dark Matter puts player in the role of Ensign, exploring the derelict ship and combating an alien infestation. Requiring parts and blueprints, players will have to make their way through the ship fighting off the aliens across 14 levels finding and using 4 different weapons, each with 4 types of ammo, including elemental.
But, don’t think that it will be easy to just plow through the aliens, as they have been designed with complex A.I. to react to how players act. So, player will be faced the choice of weapons or environmental resources to try and outwit them. Plus, Dark Matter sets the stage for horror using real-time lighting effects, especially as light and dark are key elements of the game.
Those that want to see more of the game can check out the screenshots in the gallery below before Dark Matter is set to release mid-October on Steam for PC, Mac, and Linux.
It looks like CD Projekt RED has more up its sleeves than just The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077, which was teased months ago. A new video released today teases a new project with Dark Horse Comics, which will be revealed officially at New York Comic Con.
So, what is this new project? Well, from the trailer that can be seen embedded below, there’s not much information given. But, that just means we can speculate. The most obvious answer would be some sort of The Witcher comic, since there are many images from The Witcher 3 and covers of known Dark Horse Comics series.
But, that’s just one idea. What do you think this new project will be? Be sure to post in the comments below what you think CD Projekt RED and Dark Horse Comics will have waiting for fans at New York Comic Con.
Australians can feel a small sense of pride for the upcoming release of Gran Turismo 6 as Australia’s own Mount Panorama Motor Racing Circuit, Bathurst, will be featured for the first time in any Gran Turismo game. The track is known worldwide for its incredible difficulty due to steep inclines and narrow mountain top section.
Sony and Polyphony Digital have released some images of the in-game recreation of Bathurst, plus the fifth concept movie which also centers on the track. But, Bathursts inclusion isn’t the only thing Australians have to look forward to as Gran Turismo 6 and the Bathurst track will be available for those attending EB Expo 2013 this weekend.
Those wanting to check out the images can see the full sized screenshots by clicking on them in the gallery below, as well as the new concept movie embedded below that. Those interested should be sure to preorder Gran Turismo 6for some additional cars before it releases worldwide on December 6th, 2013 exclusively for PS3.
Some great news has come for the Aussie Android users. Today PopCap Games has announced Plants vs. Zombies 2. The game is available for Australian and New Zealanders for real-world play testing and only downloadable on Google Play for Android phones, this is in the wake of the success of the Chinese edition of Plants vs. Zombies last month. The full release of Plants vs. Zombies 2 will be available to the rest of the world in due time, however like usual, the game has already been released on iPhones and iPads a while back. You can check out review for it here.
Plants vs. Zombies 2 is a great casual game that is made to be fun for all ages. The new game adds an extra layer to what we have already experienced in the original game with the inclusion of a time-traveling adventure. Players are propelled through different historical eras to fight against zombies from each respective era. Players are armed with a range of new specialized plants to face these zombies. The Android adaptation is currently available free-to-play (download it here) and it promises to bring the same compelling action and quirky humour as the first game which is already beloved by players the world over.
The Lame Game Marathon is returning for the third time with Aussie gamers Dan, Mark and Dukey once again willing to play some of the worst videogames ever made, crushing their spirits all in the name of charity.
The brave souls plan to live stream the traumatising ordeal as they play 15 terrible games for 24 hours straight. Some of the titles include:
2000’s overhyped and eternally delayed FPS blowout, Daikatana
An obscure, yet unintentionally hilarious Japanese PS1 title from 1998 known as King of Crusher
1994’s infamous fighting game based on the true life story of Shaquille o’Neal – Shaq Fu
The biker brawler trainwreck which is a current contender for the worst game of 2013: Ride To Hell: Retribution.
More games will be announced over the next three weeks, but others include Fast & Furious: Showdown and Aquaman: Battle for Atlantis. It’s certainly comforting to know that there is now a noble upside to the biker travesty released this year, Ride To Hell: Retribution.
Starting at 10am AEST on Saturday, October 26, Lame Game Marathon 3 aims to break the record of $7,300 set last year for UNICEF. The show’s coverage will be handled by dedicated hosts Mick, Sam, Leo and Shane while they get involved with the viewers over chat and social media.
Donations can be made before and during the event here while more info can be had on the official website. Check out the promo trailer below, too.
FIFA 14 Developer:EA Canada Publisher:EA (EA Sports) Platforms: Xbox 360 (Reviewed), PlayStation 3, PC Release Date: Out Now Price: $59.99 – Available Here
Overview
Another year, another FIFA. In 2014, there are more versions of the soccer title than ever before, with a Mobile Edition that is now free-to-play, a Legacy Edition for handhelds, the Wii and the PlayStation 2, current-gen entries and next-gen releases planned in November, which will take advantage of the newly developed EA Sports Ignite engine for exclusive features and tweaks. That doesn’t mean you should wait almost another two whole months to quench your thirst for the “beautiful game”. FIFA 14 for Xbox 360 is here right now… but PES 2014 has shown its mettle, resurrecting the brand in many’s eyes as a potential challenger, once again. Does FIFA 14keep its clean sheet against its rivals?…
Gameplay
When you start up FIFA 14, first thing that’ll happen is your pre-existing data from previous titles – if any – will carry over and inform your supported club, play-style, etc., just like in the last few iterations. Your social media accounts can also be linked, namely Facebook and YouTube (for achievement/video replay sharing). Once you’re out of the title screen, prepare to be greeted by a new, slick user interface. Front page is your Home tab, which collates key modes, statistics and updates for quick access. Then you have the Play tab where you can initiate any mode, the Football Club tab allows you to check in on your supported club’s progress and leaderboards and the Customisation tab where you can configure various settings, change your default kit or practice arena player, plus more.
All familiar modes make a return. ‘Be A Pro’ and ‘Tournaments’ have been relegated to the “More” sub-menu, so it is clear the developer has an acute understanding of which modes are less popular. I’ve always appreciated the attention to detail in the fact that every tournament has their real-life counterpart trophy represented in-game. Seasons is spotlighted, and pressing the ‘Start’ button brings up your friends list – whose achievements you are constantly reminded of and compared to throughout. Skill Games are playable from the ‘Play’ tab, as is the Practice Arena. Of course, where the fun really is at is Career and FIFA Ultimate Team (FUT).
FUT is addictive as ever, and if you do have data to carry over from FIFA 13, you may find a nice reward to kick-start your team building campaign in the form of special Card Packs. In terms of what’s new for the mode, Player Styles is an addition that affects team chemistry. They dictate a player’s specialties based on their tendencies and develop through playing matches. In all likelihood, you’ll be spending a large chunk of your time in FUT or Career, either as a player or Manager. In Player Career, choosing someone as skilful as Robben from a highly ranked team such as Bayern Muchen, for example’s sake, puts higher expectations on your performance. If you ever get frustrated, it is possible to request your own transfer or loan. Perhaps your character is getting older and you decide to call it quits, transitioning to become a Manager.
Manager Career is more involved this year. Need more funds to buy a certain player, whose purchase you deem imperative to the team’s success? You can request funds from the commission with specific stipulations (e.g., “We will attain first place in the league table”). Your agent will keep you informed of opportunities to coach national squads, and you can also manage the youth squad. Through scouting, you are able to specify conditions for your region-specific or global transfer network search and make a contractual offer to desired players. Each player can be scouted further for a more detailed report on their skills and abilities, with each scout having a judgment rating and able to handle up to 6 reports at any one time.
FIFA 14 features some fundamental changes to its core, mostly relating to engine/technical advancements. Pure Shot now allows you to adjust your stride and shoot from more positions and footings (whether intentional or not). Knuckle shots as well as other techniques can now be executed, although they aren’t initiated like a finesse shot, for instance, which requires holding the ‘RB’ button and pressing ‘B’ for shoot. They happen depending on your player’s skill level, positioning, and other factors. Bolstered by the new Real Ball Physics, striking is much more satisfying – no longer will the ball’s trajectory seem like a coded, key-framed finish, but an organic, dynamic outcome. In regards to other gameplay alterations, protecting the ball has never been easier, and can now be done whilst dribbling at any speed. And formation/team fatigue is displayed on the match pause/half-time screen, which is extremely helpful. You can even flick the right thumbstick for an instantaneous formation change from here.
Also, the majority of tricks are now delegated to the right thumbstick alone, becoming easily accessible when it was once daunting to attempt. This doesn’t mean the harder manoeuvres are any easier to achieve, but the configuration change is definitely more convenient and approachable. Teammate Intelligence is another hyped advancement; your fellow team members now make more clever runs on the offensive, and pro-actively recognise ideal opportunities for defensive support. It’s just a shame I couldn’t test my skills online as EA’s servers prevented me from doing so at every turn. I was disconnected and dropped out from 10 attempts in a row before I plainly gave up. Another aggravation stems from the removal of popular and successful national teams such as Serbia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Japan and more, whilst terrible footballers like India remain. Why was this done? Hopefully they are added – free of charge – in future updates.
Visual and Audio
Character models are slightly improved title-to-title, and in FIFA 14, managers are now making their presence known on the sidelines. Managers can be seen standing at the front of the ‘team box’, although they are about as detailed as the 3D members of the crowds. The biggest visual difference from FIFA 13 is the completely revamped U.I. Its modular, metro-like layout is crisp and easily read, with no traditional menus and lists to scroll through, and less lag. I liken it closely to the Xbox 360 dashboard layout. Some might not like hearing that, but I’m confident the majority of players should prefer this interface style.
Martin Tyler and Alan Smith return as familiar voices on commentary. It’s very hard to prevent any sort of repetition in commentary for a sports title… in fact, it’s nigh impossible. The sheer amount of lines that would have to be written and recorded in order for even a few matches in a row to have 100% unique commentary is daunting. But, that doesn’t change the fact that hearing the same, singular line stated over and over again begins to aggravate the player, especially when they’re not particular tailored to the situation at hand, but just cycled through. Nonetheless, there is a lot of new dialogue implemented to stay current with the product/sport.
Jeff Stelling has joined the team as the pre-match and stadium announcer, although I’m not sure how much he actually adds to the experience. Was his inclusion necessary? Probably not, but hey, no harm, no foul really. In-match, the deafening boos and vehement jeers of my bitter rival’s supporters when I beat them in their home town is a greatly appreciated touch. FIFA always has a good selection of music on-hand for your menu-surfing listening pleasure, with this year’s line-up including ‘Copy Of A’ from juggernaut NIN, tracks from popular bands such as Empire of the Sun and Vampire Weekend, and the particularly catchy ‘We Sink’ by CHVRCHES. Pro Tip: Press the ‘Back’ button to skip songs.
Overall
EA Canada find ways of fine-tuning the FIFA gameplay experience with every instalment, and this year is no different. The combination of Pure Shot and Real Ball Physics results in more varied and realistic strikes; Teammate Intelligence is substantially higher as they make appropriate more runs and are not just reactive, but pro-active, and Precision Movement brings a great sense of momentum to play. The new U.I. is cleaner and the Career mode – in particular the Manager’s Career – has seen significant additions and enhancements, creating a decidedly deeper affair.
Unfortunately, persistent, yearly-issues relating to repetitive commentary and EA’s unstable servers still have not been answered, the latter of which becoming a major obstacle in enjoying or even accessing, for that matter, many online components. Numerous teams have also been inexplicably omitted… and not smaller teams either – Asia champions Japan and previously consistent top 10 in the world Croatia being two prime examples. Thankfully, the more notable improvements came in the most important department – the gameplay (which is hard to gauge just by watching) – and this is why FIFA 14 retains its crown.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Wargaming has released details of Update 8.9 for its free-to-play MMO, World of Tanks, revealing a new team battle mode along with a second set of powerful German Tank Destroyers. Japanese vehicles were only recently added to the game, increasing the variety on show.
Promising to increase the game’s competitiveness, the new mode will let players form teams that will battle it out with opposing forces of similar skill level.
The new line of German Tank Destroyers range from Tier 4 to Tier 10 and include machines such as the Marder III which was designed to counter the effective Soviet T-34 tanks. The Tier 6 Nashorn is a sledgehammer designed to smash heavy tanks while the Waffenträger auf Pz.IV uses a 360-degree rotating turret, unusual for self-propelled tank destroyers.
Finally, a new battle arena is also added called “Northwest” set in North America along with Erlenberg receiving the Encounter battle mode. World of Tanks is a team-based MMO for the PC, dedicated to armoured warfare and features over 300 steel machines from multiple nations.
Some great news has come for the Aussie Android users. Today 
