Being the first WWE game under the 2K Games umbrella there are many eyes keen to see what they do with the WWE brand. At EB Expo 2013, we managed to get our hands on WWE 2K14 for an extensive play through of what was on offer. What we witnessed was not just an improvement over previous installments but it could very well be legendary.
The first thing we tried out was the standard exhibition match. Available to play were only a handful of characters ranging from legends of the 80s all the way up to the champions of today. I took the time to play through each character and found myself pleasantly surprised to see that a lot of detail and attention had been given to making each superstar feel wholly unique and distinct from one another. Be it the way Ryback yells ‘wake up’ during his entrance, the way Edge runs his hands through his hair or the way Andre the Giant falls out of the ring, there was diamonds in the details here.
It seems as though 2K have pushed Yukes to greater heights than ever before with WWE 2K14. The game is lavishly rich with detail in the wrestler’s behaviour and actions. On top of that the game is a visual powerhouse, looking slightly more crisper than WWE 13. There was a lovely little detail on older arenas such as Wrestlemania 3. That arena in particular features an old-style grain effect overlayed that gives the vibe of the televised product that many saw all the way back in the 80s. It is a nice touch that goes a long way in terms of building an atmosphere. Once again the finer details are truly important in WWE 2K14.
As far as the gameplay mechanics go, the reversal system has been nicely fine tuned making it not so easy to reverse while also introducing new types of reversals. Rather than reversing out of a move into a hold, you can reverse instantly into a move. This makes the chain of action much more consistent and the flow is not broken.
A new introduction to the combat mechanics is the ability to lift and catch opponents in a move. My favourite instance of this was the catch ‘Shellshock’ move from Ryback. It was fluid and smooth and it looked great. It couldn’t be easier to pull off these moves either, all you have to do is irish whip and opponent and hit LB/L1 depending on your console and you’ll toss them up. Should you have a finisher to catch them in you just hit your finisher button and voila you just shellshocked your opponent hard to the mat. You can also leap from over and opponent of duck under their running through the same process. It’s a nice new addition that adds even more depth the the combat.
The other major addition to this game is the 30 Years of Wrestlemania mode. This mode plays out effectively like the Attitude Era mode of WWE 13, with the exception of it focusing on Wrestlemania rather than the Attitude Era. It doesn’t look much different aesthetically to Attitude mode and it plays out in the very same manner. So if you enjoyed the Attitude Era mode you will undoubtedly find a good deal of fun in 30 Years of Wrestlemania, which looks to be a true retrospective of the global phenomenon that is Wrestlemania.
All in all WWE 2K14 looks to the be the finest video-game incarnation of the WWE franchise in a long long time. It improves upon previous installments in small ways that provide a big pay off overall. 2K Games looks to be a great new home for WWE and WWE 2K14 a genuine step forward for a series that often couldn’t do that without taking a step back as well. Could the king finally be back on his throne? I for one think so. Hail to the king, baby!
So it has finally come to pass. Pokemon: Origins has finally aired after months of anticipation and the question has been asked by many – did it live up to the hype? Well I am pleased to say it certainly did, it was everything a Pokemon fan could have hoped for and more.
By focusing in on the series origins back in the original Pokemon Red and Blue (Green for Japan) games, it really shows us just how far the series has come over all these years. We revisit some old friends, some we have seen in the other anime but not quite the same way we see them here. There is a sure sense of nostalgia here for those who have played the games, but in spite of that it all feels so very fresh.
The OVA follows Red, a character who for many of us was and still is a part of us. He captures the spirit of discovery and adventure that so many of us cherished from the games. That desire to see all there is to see, meet and catch every Pokemon there is to meet and catch. Red embodies the players of Pokemon all across the world and the wonder they feel whilst playing these incredible games.
Over the course of the four episodes that comprise the OVA, we see Red as he journeys across the Kanto region, all of which culminates in him becoming the Pokemon League Champion. While all seems well in the world, we discover that such is not the case. Mewtwo is on the loose and Red wants to catch him.
What we get in the end is a real link between the original games and the upcoming Pokemon X and Y games. In the final confrontation an epic battle ensues between Mewtwo and Red’s Charizard. When pushed to their limits by Mewtwo, we get a glimpse of the X and Y mega evolutions when Charizard breaks the limits of evolution itself going ‘mega’. It is a great moment that ties the past with the present in superb fashion.
The characters are all well developed over the span of a mere 4 episodes and we come to see what makes a good trainer different from a truly great one. There is a particularly heart-breaking episode that deals with a topic that the other anime series would dare not touch, that is the theme of death. It is a beautifully profound take on the way in which humans and Pokemon effect one another. In this case the particularly sinister Team Rocket brutally kill a Marowak for defending it’s child. It is a harsh lesson that there are bad people in the world and the reality of it all is heartbreaking.
Loss is something that never came into the equation too much in the other anime series, in Pokemon: Origins the concept of loss is one explored at length. Be it loss of life or loss in battle, losing something always hurts, but it is the way we grow through loss that defines us. This may be Pokemon at its most thoughtful and for that alone Pokemon: Origins is well worth the watch.
Pokemon: Origins is a triumph for the Pokemon franchise and a true victory march for this series we have come to love and hold dear over all these years. So as we journey into the Kalos region with Pokemon X and Y, don’t forget to take a look back on how far we have all traveled, we have ran so far and seen so much, but the adventure will always continue so long as we have that fire in our hearts.
*Note* – This preview is based on an Early Access build of the game. The development will be based on player feedback and bug fixes from this point forward before releasing the full game.
War of the Vikings is an upcoming third-person multiplayer action game from FatShark and Paradox Interactive. It takes the concept of FatShark’s previous game, War of the Roses, and breaks into a period in time where vikings roamed the world, conquering in the name of Odin and seeking a seat in Valhalla.
The concept of the game is completely straightforward. Each match will pit a team of vikings against a team of saxon warriors in a fight to the death. In the Early Access version of the game, there are two game types. The classic Team Deathmatch mode will have teams working to get to 100 kills before their opponents can. The other game type, called “Arena,” plays like your classic Counter Strike match, where you have only one life and the last team standing wins the round. Both are fun, and they offer a little variety right out of the gate. The current development plan also shows plans to release the Conquest game mode in December.
If you’ve never played War of the Roses, the combat system will likely take some getting used to. Every player has both a health and stamina bar. With a heavy focus on melee combat, you control the angle of the weapon you’re swinging along with the power you’re swinging it. More power will cost you more stamina. Defensively, blocking is also directional so you’ll have to be quick and deliberate with your guard. This offers some fantastic dynamic combat. On top of swinging your blades, you can dodge and parry, or bet it all on an all-out attack that can end your opponent quickly but will leave you wide open to attack. If you get hurt, you can try to hide and bandage yourself up for more longevity. The gameplay feels great, though it can become a bit hectic in large groups. This only looks to get even better with a few months in the oven.
Within the game, there are currently three character classes you can play as. The “Thane” is your standard sword-and-board soldier. He comes equipped with a sword and shield, but he’s also able to swap to throwing axes to gain a little distance. The “Huscarl” is an offensive powerhouse, charging into battle with his two-handed axe and a set of throwing knives. Finally, the “Hirdman” is your standard viking archer, able to hit foes at great distance, but read for close combat with a hand axe.
The classes all offer a good variety of ways to enjoy the game. The wary player may choose a thane to get up close with some protection or the hirdman to keep their distance while picking off sturdier foes. Fearless players can charge in with the huscarl, swinging their heavy axe to land crushing blows on a group of unsuspecting opponents. On top of picking and choosing a class, you can also pick perks, such as “Agile Fighter” or “Hard Hitter” that offer more variety in how you can play your chosen class. With this being relatively early in development, the promise of more loadout and customization options promises to bring more variety and playability to an already-enjoyable game.
The Early Access version of War of the Vikings comes with two maps. The Docks map will have players warring around a tiny norse hamlet, a couple of viking vessels at the docks. With its various bridges and central killing ground, there are ample spots for intense brawls. The Forest map is much more open, offering skilled snipers plenty of space to deal damage. The roadmap shows plans for several more maps to come along, promising a wide variety of locations to chase your Leif Ericson dream.
Though the game has only reached the hands of Early Access players, it looks impressive. Character models look great and the environments are beautiful. In my experience, there were no issues with lag and other bugs were minimal to nonexistent. The fact that they’ve already provided players with their development roadmap and the promise of updating twice a month is an excellent start to what promises to become a truly epic game.
If you are a fan of War of the Roses or other multiplayer melee combat games, you should definitely keep your eyes open in the months to come. Paradox and FatShark are working hard to deliver a fun game true to the source material, and they’re doing it with feedback from the Early Access player base. I’m genuinely excited to see this game grow and evolve as it sails its ways for the shores of release in the first quarter of 2014.
Sony was generous enough to invite members of the press over to their EB Games Expo 2013 booth the night before the first official day of the show to get some hands-on time with their slate of titles across all platforms ahead of the 40,000-odd expected crowd. Of particular note, we played multiple major PlayStation 4 release titles and have some impressions to share.
Driveclub:Playing Driveclub allowed me my first look at the PlayStation Camera, which is tiny! It was hooked up expressly for the purpose of taking your picture for use in the local leaderboards. Once you’ve accepted the usage of a photo, the demo allows you a choice of two cars. For me, the options were: the Maserati Gran Turismo MC Stradale and the Mercedes Benz SLS AMH Black Series. Alongside their key attributes, such as acceleration, braking, etc., there was also a difficulty tag, with the Mercedes apparently falling under ‘Hard’, even though I had an easier time handling that vehicle.
Before a race starts, Club Standings are shown to remind you of your friends’ dominance. Club Challenges are also presented for you to attempt to achieve. Overdrives – which are bonus tasks that grant extra rewards – are listed, and Face-offs tell you which main competitive elements you will tackle during a race. For example, throughout the 2 laps, there will be sections where a Drifting challenge is posed to you. At the end of the highlighted section of track, you will be compared to the current leader. They basically add variation and keep the experience as fresh as possible. Unfortunately, I found myself floundering under the pressure.
In regards to controls, Driveclub leans more towards the tuned, realistic “simulation” approach. There was some stuttering at moments, but I put it down to early code. Racing games usually need a lot of varied content/modes to keep me interested though (which is rare nowadays), and even with the intermittent social challenges, I’m not sure if Driveclub would sustain my interest. It may for you PlayStation loyalists though, and if you are a primarily social, multiplayer-focused racing gamer, then Driveclub will hold you over until the next-gen iteration of Gran Turismo.
Killzone: Shadow Fall:My time with the PlayStation brand’s lead first-person shooter was very short, as I only experienced a single multiplayer match. Warzones make their return, allowing you to customise your objective-based playlist for any combination of tasks/modes in a given match. We played alternating between Search and Destroy and Capture and Hold. Any multiplayer shooter fan will be familiar with these game types, the former requiring the setting of a bomb at a specified location and the latter tasking a team with keeping control of a checkpoint.
The ability to customise absolutely every single aspect of a match imaginable is impressive and a great appeal. In this entry, there are only three classes available: Scout, Assault and Support. These are very common, well-defined roles in FPS’, and nothing too drastic differs here. Also, gameplay-wise, if you’ve played Killzone 3 at the very least, then you will have no problems picking up Killzone: Shadow Fall and getting into the groove of things quite easily. And it goes without saying that the game looks amazing.
Knack:Now Knack was the pleasant surprise of the bunch; I admittedly had little expectations for what I perceived to be a “kiddy” title. The demo consisted of portions of various chapters throughout the campaign. First up was a look at Chapter 19 – ‘Inside the Fortress’. Here, Knack has very basic attacks and no special abilities as of yet. Surely 19 chapters into the game, he would, but this was probably the particularly easy, opening section of the chapter. The camera is fixed, with the right analog stick mapped for directional dashing. ‘Square’ is your attack button and ‘X’ is jump. Combine the two and you can pull off a Kano-esque rotating ball attack mid-air. Throughout there are yellow crystals which you can break in order to fill up your special attack meter, of which there eventually is 3.
There are also destructible objects and somewhat hidden walls/gates that hold upgrades, pick-ups or unlocks behind them. After getting through the basic goblins – which can be deadly when you are at your most basic form – the demo abruptly fades out and then back in on Chapter 21 – ‘Catacombs’. Here is when the special abilities come into play as you face knights with laser swords, morning stars and more. Executing special attacks is two-staged: press ‘O’ once to initiate and then a second face button, each with their own unique attack. ‘O’ results in a focused shockwave, ‘Square’ with a sustained, tornado-like storm and ‘Triangle’ with a radial blast. Unfortunately, on every usage of a special attack, the game’s framerate suffered heavily. Again, early days… I hope that’s it.
Absorbing wood found across the levels, Knack gets bigger and attains more health, although every non-defended hit cuts Knack down a peg, sometimes literally. Chapter 31 – ‘Heavy Machinery’ introduces more platforming and timing-intensive elements. Eventually, we get to Monte Verde where ‘Tanks and Planes’ is the name of the game. Knack starts off huge in this part of the demo, out on the streets, scaring civilians as he stomps through. As the title suggests, your adversary becomes that of a higher-powered variety. In his enlarged state, Knack can pick up numerous heavy objects – including tanks – and hurl them. If the demo is any indication, Knack will provide players a widely progressive and evolving experience. Simple, yes, but fun. And we didn’t even scratch the surface of the puzzle component.
Hohokum:Honeyslug’s explorative indie title Hohokum is calming, for sure. But I had absolutely no idea what I was doing, and have no idea how to accurately describe it. The developer has previously stated that it is all about relaxing in the space and enjoying the musical, colourful experience. There were three worlds available to explore in the demo: ‘Lamp Lighting’, ‘Kite Village’ and a steampunk inspired world. The gameplay is simple as you control the ‘Long Mover’, interacting with objects simply by brushing by them. You can speed up or slow down, and despite my disorientation, there is a core objective in each world.
Apparently, the lightbar on the Dualshock 4 changes colour to reflect the level, although I don’t know what purpose that serves when it is so imperceptible. In the end, this type of game is best experienced at home, with good noise-cancelling headphones on. During a loud, crowded industry showcase, it’s hard to be engrossed with such an artsy (oh no, I said it!) title that promotes a state of serenity and tranquility. However, Hohokum certainly has the capacity to bring a little peace and joy to your lives when it releases later this year for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3 and PS Vita.
We’re seeing a good spread of genres covered for the launch window of both the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, so there should be something for everyone. It was a bit disconcerting to experience performance issues, but what is important to keep in mind is that the consoles on-hand at the show are dev kits and the gameplay is of early code, across the board. Although, I personally haven’t experienced these issues with any Xbox One games. Take that for what you will. Either way, this November/Holiday Season is going to be very interesting.
Disney Interactive has released Pirates of the Caribbean: Isles of War, a new, multiplayer, online “Facebook experience founded in the lore of the hit films”. Players will engage in real-time naval combat against their friends and AI pirates as they sail across the Caribbean trading and plundering to your hearts content. Do you have what it takes to be the greatest pirate in all of the Caribbean. Players who are fans of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise will notice Jack Sparrow, Davy Jones, Hector Barbossa, and other lively sorts will be featured in Pirates of the Caribbean: Isles of War.
Finding adventure on the high seas is a dangerous, but possibly prosperous, proposition. Victory in combat will bring spoils, while defeat will force the player’s fleet to return to base for repairs, although a ship will never be truly destroyed. As players build stronger bases and fleets, more powerful enemies with greater rewards can be unlocked and discovered by truly intrepid pirates.
Features:
Build multiple fleets and battle enemies in five-on-five, real-time strategy, naval combat action.
Explore the open Caribbean world to encounter a wide variety of enemies and allies.
Construct and upgrade buildings to gain more resources, better ships, more types of officers and stronger base defenses.
Gather resources through plundering enemies, trading with neutral towns and other players, and harvesting from a base.
Engage with other players by building alliances or competing in massive player vs. player battles.
Intense swashbuckling action is now available HERE on Facebook!
Prior to the EB Games Expo 2013, Warner Bros. invited members of the media to get a closer, more intimate look at their showcase of titles coming out in the next year, with developers from Techland (first-hand impressions of Dying Light), WB Games Montreal (hands-on with Batman: Arkham Origins) and Avalanche Studios present. The latter are well known for the Just Cause series, and are responsible for the development of the upcoming Mad Max video game. We cycled through in groups and sat in on a closed doors demonstration of the Gamescom Demo followed by an informative Q&A.
The demo was played by Senior Game Designer Emil Krafting, using a Dualshock 4 controller for the PC build, and was especially exciting because, for those of us who were unable to fly out to Germany and observe it back in August, this was our first in-motion glimpse of the game. It kicks off with Max in a dried out seabed called ‘The Great White’, hoping to raid a nearby camp for scrap metal that he can then use to upgrade his ‘Magnum Opus’ – a new vehicle that the mad one builds after losing his famous ‘Interceptor’ to a Warlord at the beginning of the game. More specifically, Max wants to acquire a ram guard, and there just so happens to be a car in the possession of some testy raiders, that not only features this part, but is also equipped with a rare V12 engine.
Max may be a solitary soul, but venturing into a live and dangerous camp full of raiders, the perimeter of which is being overseen by stationed snipers, is almost guaranteed suicide. Enter Chumbucket, a ‘blackfinger’ – or master mechanic, in basic terms – whom Max meets in the Wastelands (which is the purposely ambiguous setting, so don’t ask if it’s set in Australia). The deformed ‘Chum’ becomes an ally for Max, who needs his help to actually upgrade and build the ‘Magnum Opus’… Max finds the resources, Chum puts it all together. What does he get out of this partnership? The satisfaction on working to create the ultimate in combat-worthy vehicles, which he reveres almost as you would a God.
Chumbucket is a constant presence in the game, hanging onto the back of your car as you drive and providing physical support in the way of manning harpoons. An early example of this functionality involved harpooning a tower one of the aforementioned snipers were set atop, and then driving away, using the force and pulling power of the accelerating car to bring down the structure. These are the only instances where ‘Chum’ is controllable by the player. Before this, Max unfolded his ‘longshot’ rifle, used the scope to zoom in and marked the snipers in the distance in order to keep them visible on the mini-map and player view. After taking one out and then advancing to the above tower, Chum would guide the player by communicating viable attack strategies and warning when they get too close while trying to be stealthy.
How you play these raids – and anything for that matter – is largely up to you. That second sniper could have succumbed to a surprise sniping himself, or the tower could have been rammed through and destroyed that way as well. Sneaking into the compound, Max stealthily chokes out one ‘commander’ type raider, before being spotted and having to resort to flat-out, hand-to-hand fighting. People are surely sick of this comparison, but the reversal element of the combat system is very reminiscent of that featured in the Arkham franchise; enemies have red indicators that signify to the player when to counter. Otherwise, it’s a matter of landing multiple shots until Max finishes them off in brutal fashion.
Though the shotgun is Max’s weapon of choice, ammo is scarce, and so melee options are the smarter way to go. The ‘thunderstick’, for example, is an explosive weapon that can be lanced into an enemy’s chest, crackling like a lit dynamite fuse before blowing the victim to smithereens. Lowering the vehicle with a crank mechanism, Max gets in and rams through the wooden gate out of the camp. While Max is on-foot, Chum does not follow, and when in another vehicle with the objective of returning it to base – which at this point happened to be a stronghold called ‘Jeet’s’ – Chum will drive the Magnum Opus back for you. After leaving the hostile area, things don’t get much safer as Max is set upon by vengeful raiders who want their prized possession back.
Initiate car combat; a heavy gameplay pillar for the title. For the purpose of demonstrating just what Max can do, ammunition was infinite, but in the final version, just like fuel for traversal and food and water for your health, ammunition will not be abundant. The only thing that will never require ammo, and is therefore limitless, is the harpoon, although that can only be utilised in-vehicle with Chum riding along. Using the combination of a speedy V12 engine and powerful ramming ability, Max ploughs through one enemy vehicle, before shooting out the tires, drivers, and blasting the gas tanks of others. When simultaneously driving and aiming, the game enters slow-mo and allows you to toggle between targets.
Arriving safely at Jeet’s, work begins on incorporating the newly acquired parts into the Magnum Opus. In the garage screen, players will be able to tinker with the engine, chassis, wheels and bodywork – including paint treatment and the “shell” of the auto-mobile – and the car’s weight and attributes update accordingly. As a side note, this was not shown to us (maybe it hasn’t even been implemented yet) but Max himself can also be upgraded. When Max is satisfied with his newly customised and enhanced ride, it is time to head out to ‘The Jaw’. Along the way, a random event is encountered, where Max must destroy a specified vehicle in a convoy. There will apparently be hundreds of different random encounters waiting for you in the dunes.
The demo ended after reaching and tearing down the heavy gateway to ‘The Jaw’. In the ensuing Q&A session, it was confirmed to us that Max’s main motivation is getting his beloved Interceptor back, and escaping to the solace of ‘the Plains of Silence’. The game is not directly tied of any of the films, past or future, and the main story could potentially take 15 hours to complete. In terms of the size of the world, which will be split up into regions, Krafting promised one with the scope of Just Cause 2 at the very least, though even the map has not been nailed down yet at this point. If you’re ever stranded on-foot, Max can call on Chum to bring him the Magnum Opus, which can never fully be destroyed; only damaged to the point of breaking down and needing repairs. The player will have to fend for himself in this case whilst Chum gets cracking.
And finally, we all noticed a message appear mid-screen during Max’s travels in a particular area that read “There is a Scarecrow nearby”. When we enquired, it was explained to us that scarecrows are erected across each region, signifying the regional faction’s dominance. When destroyed, their threat level drops.Mad Max is still relatively early in development, but all in all, it definitely exceeded our expectations. It is due for release on Xbox 360, PS3, Xbox One, PS4 and PC sometime in 2014. Stay tuned to Capsule Computers for more on Mad Max, hopefully sooner rather than later.
The one sheet for Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit has been released by Paramount Pictures. Due for release on January 1 2014, Shadow Recruit is the fifth movie to feature the Tom Clancy penned character, played in this iteration by Star Trek’s Chris Pine after turns from Alec Baldwin (The Hunt for Red October), Harrison Ford (Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger), and Ben Affleck (The Sum of All Fears) . The film also stars Keira Knightley and Kevin Costner, with Thor director Kenneth Branagh popping up in an acting role as well as directing.
Shadow Recruit is set in the early years of Jack Ryan‘s career with the CIA, following him as a young analyst who uncovers a Russian plot to crash the US economy with a terrorist attack. The film is something of a reboot for the series, running in a different continuity from the previous Jack Ryan films.
Click on the image for a full size version of the poster, or check out the trailer below.
Armored Core: Verdict Day Developer:From Software Publisher:Namco Bandai Platforms: Xbox 360 (Reviewed), PlayStation 3 Release Date: September 24, 2013 Price: $49.99 – Available Here
Overview
From Software and Namco Bandai have been delivering the mecha warfare Armored Core games since the series’ premiere on the original PlayStation back in 1997. With over a dozen titles across five platforms (six with Japanese mobile games), the Armored Core franchise has proven it has staying power. How does Armored Core: Verdict Day, their newest entry, hold up? Is it worth your time or will we be picking its scrap off the battlefield? Let’s find out.
Fatman ferries you around with his Stork
Story
The future is a dark and unforgiving place. The apocalypse has occurred and the remnant has split into three warring factions. Sirius is made up of folks with access to natural resources, Venide is a militant faction that absorbs smaller groups as they roll over them, and the EverGreen Family, though small, boasts superior technology. With the factions at each others’ throats, the road has become wide open for your mercenary squad to sweep in and make some sweet cash.
Wanna go toe-to-toe with the big boys?
Gameplay
One of the aspects of the Armored Core franchise that has helped it hold mindshare of the faithful over the years is its intensely deep customization. Verdict Day continues to deliver, and in spades.
Fans who’ve played Armored Core V will be able to bring over their save files, including their customized ACs (or Armored Cores) and banners. Everyone starting fresh will be given a basic AC with a few options to get up and running. As you play through missions, you’ll earn money and new parts to keep your inventory filling up. You can jump into the parts store and buy the things you need as well.
ACVD features intensely deep customization
As any long-time Armored Core fan knows, the sheer number of options available in terms of AC customization can be overwhelming. There are several points on your AC that can be customized – everything from legs, arms, and head, to core, boosters, weaponry, and more. Within each of those categories lies hundreds of options, each with several stats you’ll need to take into account when building out your dream machine. For those willing and wanting to take the dive, hours and hours can be spent just lining out what you want. On top of that, you can design your own custom emblems and paint jobs with great detail. Verdict Day delivers enough to keep fans fat and happy for quite some time.
On top of customizing your own AC, you can take both friends and friendly bots into battle beside you. If you want some backup for a particularly hairy mission, you’re able to assign a UNAC (Unmanned Armored Core) to join you. If you want, you’re free to customize several of them to compliment your playstyle as well. This further provides a sense of accomplishment for your time invested in building out the ACs and can give you some much needed reprieve in tight situations.
In Multiplayer, you’ll fight over control of the world.
The story in Verdict Day is, at best, a moderately performed effort. Most of the narrative is told in pre- and post-mission radio chatter from two of your mercenary teammates: a former merc named Maggie and a transport pilot codenamed Fatman. The story is nothing special, and Maggie and Fatman’s lines feel on par with something out of a cheesy made-for-television Syfy movie.
On top of a mediocre story, the mission structure is, by and large, lacking in any real variety. The vast majority of the time, you’ll go in to a mission, wipe out everything that moves, and grab your paycheck. Missions occasionally pit you against other AC pilots, providing a much better dynamic game experience, adding variety to the otherwise mundane mission structure.
On top of the single-player campaign, you can create or join a team for online play. This is where some fantastic variety and added features come in. Joining a team online will let you participate with and against other AC pilots from all over the world. It’s great to have a sense of camaraderie with other players, even if you’ve never met them before. You’re can even invite them into your single-player campaign missions to help out. On top of that, you can square off against other teams to fight for overall world domination. It’s a well designed and rich multiplayer suite, making the jump from ACV alone worth the price of admission of fans wanting its feature set.
UNACs can accompany you into battle
Any teammates not in missions can freely chat with one another. Once someone joins a sortie, however, they’re removed from the team’s voice chat with no warning. It can be a bit jarring at first. It makes sense that they would want to give you a dedicated chat channel for sorties during a mission, but it should have at least been a toggle. What if you’re playing a sortie alone?
The controls in Verdict Day feel well thought out and responsive. Zipping around the battlefield, boosting to and fro to avoid incoming fire, switching weapons, and more feel great once you get used to them. The game controls well and feels empowering in the process, though it may take you a few missions to get the hang of the scheme.
Visuals
Visually, Verdict Day can be a bit rough. The UI is rich with deep-seeded menus casual player will likely be intimidated by. More off-putting, though, is a lack of fidelity that feels out of place, especially this late in the generation’s life cycle. Particle effects from lasers, explosions, and more fail to carry the believability other games have managed to with the same hardware. Every mission’s aesthetic feels samey, too – deserts with broken down buildings occasionally pockmarked with sand dunes or elevated roadways for some variety. It would’ve been nice to have more variety in level design.
Enemy ACs can provide unique challenge
Audio Verdict Day‘s audio feels a bit lacking. As mentioned earlier, voice acting delivery feels B-grade at best, often due to cheesy dialogue or awkward timing of delivery. The music ranges everywhere from interesting to downright annoying, virtually ensuring you won’t seek it out on iTunes.
Overall
Overall, Armored Core: Verdict Day is a solid entry for fans who know what they’re getting into. In spite of rough looking visuals and mediocre-to-bad audio design, the fun gameplay and deep customization do a fantastic job carrying Verdict Day. If hours of tweaking doesn’t appeal to you, though, you’ll probably want to avoid this title.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Paramount Pictures have released another hilarious instalment of the highly anticipated comedy; Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa. As shown in the previous exclusive clip ‘Broken Ride’, fans can expect that the duo, Billy (Jackson Nicholl) and Irving Zisman (Johnny Knoxville) will get up to a lot of other wild expeditions across America.
The new clip ‘Cinnamon’ (featured below) entails Billy interacting with a voluptuous blonde outside a females clothes store, who he believes to be a stripper, called ‘Cinnamon’. Based on the official trailer, Jackass fans can expect to see Billy perform his own outrageous stripper routine on stage-perhaps inspired by his meeting with ‘Cinnamon’.
The Battlefield 4 beta has officially gone live for everyone earlier this morning, and DICE has released a gameplay trailer which gives us a good indication of current-gen console performance. This might be the first, definitive look at the Xbox 360 version so check it out below.
The beta was live on October 1 for pre-order customers and existing Battlefield 3 Premium members but was temporarily shut down to prep its open status. The beta contains one map, Siege of Shanghai, along with two game modes.
Battlefield 4 is due for release on October 31 for PC and current-gen systems, with the Xbox One version to land on November 22 and the PlayStation 4 version on November 29.
