Viz Media has announced some great news for those who love to use their Kindle to read books. The company has added their entire digital manga catalog to Amazon’s Kindle Store today which means that over 1,500 volumes of manga from 160 series are now available for purchase at the price of $6.99 per volume.
Kindle users will also be able to check out free previews from every series available on the store, which includes series such as Naruto, Bleach, Bakuman, One Piece, Demon Love Spell, and Magi – The Labyrinth of Magic. A full list of the manga available can be found on the Kindle store here.
As we’ve already heard, all purchases of an Xbox One will come with a Kinect bundled in the box. However anyone who picked up the Kinect back when it was released for the Xbox 360 is probably less than delighted by this idea thanks to the fact that well… outside of dancing or exercising the Kinect turned out to be rather useless and inaccurate.
To try and quell the fears that this Kinect 2.0 will be just as inaccurate as the former version, Microsoft’s Scott Evans and Kareem Choudhry have taken part in two tech demo videos to show off how much better this version of the Kinect is. You can check out both tech demos below.
Shadow Warrior is Flying Wild Hog’s reboot of 3d Realms’ classic FPS of the same name from 1997. The game maintains some of the distinct features of the original Shadow Warrior while updating the title for modern sensibilities.
Story
Lo Wang is a modern day shogun for Zilla Enterprises. He is effective, but unpredictable. As Lo Wang puts it, he is an asshole. His boss Zilla sends him on a quest to purchase a katana known as the Nobitsura Kage for the princely sum of two million dollars. The plans go off the rail when Wang is captured. Demons begin crossing over to the mortal realm and slaughtering everything in between them and the Nobisura Kage. Lo Wang is soon joined by his sharp witted companion Hoji, an ancient who is also seeking the katana. The two start on a journey together that will send them to hell and back in search of the Nobisura Kage.
The overall plot is rather forgettable. It is not bad, but it is not great either. The back story of the ancients is actually a great plot of love, deception, and betrayal that is has all the right trappings of a classic legend. However, Lo Wang’s journey feels more like a B movie that tries to salvage some deeper meaning in the end. Either situation on their own is great, but the combination seems a little awkward.
The actual writing on the other hand is snappy and very funny. Easter egg and pop culture reference nerds will have a great time with Shadow Warrior as both are liberally salted throughout the game. The banter between Hoji and Lo Wang has some serious laugh out loud moments. Their in-game relationship reminds me of a good buddy cop film. Lo Wang has some great corny one liners that pay homage to the Duke Nukem 3d era of gaming. The fortune cookie pick-ups hold some funny jokes that often have little relation to the game. I found myself laughing out loud after reading several of these fortunes and even memorized several of them to be shared with friends at a later date.
The original Shadow Warrior was met with great criticism of its portrayal of Asian culture. Though the new reboot does not get the difference between Chinese and Japanese culture quite right, the game does at least make a serious effort to poke fun at the fact Shadow Warrior is modeled after cheesy kung-fu flicks. Frankly, as a person of Chinese descent, I find it hard to take the game’s cheesy racial stereotypes seriously considering the game is chock filled with tongue-in-cheek humour.
Gameplay
Flying Wild Hog has some extensive experience developing old school styled shooters with modern technology and their experience shows in Shadow Warrior. Those who have grown up in the era shooters based on real eras of human warfare like Call of Duty and Battlefield may be in for a surprise. Shadow Warrior is a fast paced game where waves of monsters are hurled at the player. There are some concessions made to the modern FPS gamer. For example, although right mouse button is by default the secondary fire mode, players do have access to a zoom key that provide a bit of an iron sight effect. There is no automatically regenerating health, but in addition to health packs, Lo Wang can channel a healing spell that will put his health at 65 to 80% of his maximum health.
The katana takes centre stage in Shadow Warrior. Although it seems extremely difficult if not downright impossible to do a katana only run of the game, I was easily able to complete most of the game with the katana and the Ki based Katana abilities. The game is extremely gory as katana wielding players will be rewarded with fountains of blood and chopped body bits. Flying Wild Hog have provided a wide variety of control options for swordplay. Players can choose from three levels of control that will change how much the AI interferes with the sword. On Casual and Normal levels, the game will choose the best direction to slash the sword while Advanced mode will slash based on the direction the player is moving. Additionally, weapons inertia can be tweaked to affect how much the sword moves with the camera. I found Advanced mode to be an excellent balance of control and usability in the hectic battles. It allowed me to optimize my damage output without being overly complicated.
Lots of classic weapons make their appearance alongside the katana. Sticky bombs did not make their first appearance in Halo. In fact, the original Shadow Warrior introduced them four years before Halo’s release. The sticky bombs have returned in the reboot. Classic FPS staples like the machine gun, the rocket launcher, and the pistol are available along with some stranger weapons like demon hearts. Besides the katana, my personal favourite is the demon head. With the right skills, Lo Wang grabs the head of a fallen greater demon and fires a deadly beam from its eyes like Perseus wielding Medusa. Due to the vast number of weapons available, players will need to use the full set of number keys for selecting weapons quickly as it takes an awful long time to scroll through to the right weapon. Alternatively, those wielding a controller have access to a wheel that can select weapons with the thumbsticks.
Shadow Warrior’s controls are excellent for the most part. The game can be played with a controller or a mouse and keyboard. However, I found the spell and abilities system to be extremely awkward. To execute an ability or a spell, the player double taps a movement button then presses primary fire or secondary fire respectively. Old school shooters tend to be a movement heavy game and having to stop to double tap a key interrupted the movement. It is tolerable for the mouse and keyboard, but the spell/ability system made the game downright annoying with a controller.
There is an extensive upgrade system in Shadow Warrior. Weapons, Ki abilities, and stats can all be upgraded. Each has their own currency, which encourage a relatively balanced build. Weapon upgrades can be purchased with money and include secondary fire modes and some statistical upgrades. Ki abilities are the four active spells Lo Wang can access and are purchased with Ki crystals scattered across the map. The four spells can be further improved with more Ki crystals for bonus effects. The skills provide stat boosts and new katana based abilities. They are funded by the karma found around levels, rewarded by killing enemies, and awarded as a performance bonus. The system provides a lot of opportunity for players to create builds that will best suit their gameplay. My own complaint is that performance bonuses awarded after large fights seem pretty arbitrary and the game does not seem to provide clear guidance on what will result in a five star fight.
The level design in Shadow Warrior is mostly straight forward. There are lots of side paths to collect a plethora of secrets that include bonus money and karma. There is some incentive to veer off the path to collect extra currency, but the game will eventually lead the player back to the main path. Flying Wild Hog has added some hints to help players move in the right direction. Subtle touches like chem lights leading in the right direction and glowing objectives help players in the few sections that get a little maze like. The game will take roughly 8-12 hours to complete on normal difficulty.
There is a large variety of monsters to slay in Shadow Warrior along with three epic boss battles. Each monster type is unique and quite challenging in the right combination. By the end of the game, Shadow Warrior seems to toss the whole bucket at the player which results in some long and challenging fights. The multi-stage boss battles are entertaining, but the second boss battle easily outshines the first two as it requires some artful dodging to bring the boss down to the ground.
Visuals
Shadow Warrior is a good looking game. There is a generic Asian vibe to the entire game that screams Shadow Warrior. I can see films like Kill Bill has influenced the visual style of the game. Bodies are chopped up with exaggerated gore and Lo Wang often leaves areas with the ground soaked with blood and scattered with body parts. The day levels are bright and very colourful, a nice change from the usual brown drab of modern FPS games. My only real complaint is that some levels use the bloom effect to the point of absurdity. There are some great subtle touches in the game. Reloading with a full magazine will have Lo Wang checking that his weapon is topped up. Falling down heights will cause him to hit the ground crouched with a hand down to stabilize him. There are extra details that really help immerse the player in the game.
Technically, Shadow Warrior runs well on single card systems. There are reports of kinks still being worked out with those using Nvidia graphics cards in SLI configurations. Although most of the load times when certain doors are opened, the game is interrupted by load times at seemingly random moments at times. They are not particularly long, but they are common enough to affect the flow of the game at times.
Audio
Shadow Warrior provides a good audio experience with a few hitches. The voice acting is strong, however, some may cringe at the terrible Asian accents presented in the game. Whether this is doen on purpose to parody the genre is unknown. The sound effects are bang on and Lo Wang seems to have a comment for just about everything in the game. I did notice one odd quirk where a Bic style lighter was used but the sound of a Zippo lighter is clearly heard, but it seems to be the only instance of the audio not matching the visuals. The music fits well in the game, but does have a habit of disappearing into the background as demons scream and roar.
Overall
Shadow Warrior’s gameplay is a solid throwback to a simpler era and the katana is incredibly fun. The audio and visual experience is good, though the bloom is way over used. The story is snappy and funny, but falls flat as soon as the plot gets serious. Shadow Warrior is like a good summer action flick. It is not Oscar material, but it is still wildly entertaining. It is a bit of a short game, but at $39.99, Shadow Warrior is still a great pick for FPS gamers looking for a vacation from a shooter taking place in some generic Middle Eastern desert.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Last week Atlus began introducing the colorful cast of characters that will be available in their upcoming anime fighting game AquaPazza. While a number of us may be familiar with these characters, others who haven’t seen Utawareruomono or Tears to Tiara probably will not recognize these characters.
That being said, the new characters introduced today are two from Utawarerumono, Oboro and Touka, and Tears to Tiara’s Morgan with no characters from ToHeart introduced this time around. Along with these new character cards the company also released the game’s box art which can be seen to the right. Clicking the box art will pull up a high-res version of the image and as for the game itself, AquaPazza is set to be released on November 19th for $29.99.
Oboro – the passionate bandit who might have anger management issues
Touka – the wandering warrior with a weakness for anything cute and fluffy
Morgan – the cheerful huntress who loves nothing more than eating and fighting
It seems that not only will Fang be de-crystalized in Square Enix‘s Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII but it seems that her friend Vanille will also be making a normal appearance in the game. Today it was revealed in the latest issue of Jump magazine that Oerba dia Vanille will appear in the game with her same costume, but with a large hat since she is now considered a saint.
When she awoke from the crystal Vanille was given special powers that allow her to hear the voices of the dead. Other than the fact that she is protected at the Luxerion Salvation Temple, no further details were provided.
Racing Kart games are the perfect genre for an established series with a bunch of recognizable characters to come together without any reason. We all know about Mario Kart and Crash Team Racing, but some other series such as Shrek, Nickelodeon and even M&M’s have also had their own kart racers (to varying degrees of success). Now it’s the time for the lovable lazy cat and his crew to jump behind the wheel and take their turn at driving in Garfield Kart.
The game is based off the Garfield comic books and will feature over 8 playable characters and 16 varied tracks all with their own alternate paths and shortcuts and of course a bunch of weapons to mess up your opponents with. There are also some items you can obtain to help customise the furry feline and his friends. While it all sounds pretty standard so far, what’s cool is that the game will feature a cross-platform 6 player online mode so you can race with anyone regardless of what device they are playing on.
Garfield Kart has been pushed back to a November release on PC, MAC, iOS and Android. Do you think it was worth Garfield getting off the couch for this game or will those toys that people used to stick to their car windows with suction cups be the closest thing to driving this cat should ever get to? We shall wait until November to find out.
Yesterday it was revealed by FUNimation that their release of Sankarea was the censored version of the anime and the company was going to offer replacement discs with the uncensored version to consumers who purchased the anime which was released this Tuesday.
However, FUNimation has now chosen to perform a complete recall of the anime due to the fact that the rating of the anime “will now change from TV14 to TVMA” after it is decensored. The full statement can be read below:
After reviewing materials, FUNimation has decided to issue a recall on the recent Sankarea release (this applies to both the Limited Edition and Alt versions), rather than the previously offered disc replacement, as the rating on the release will now change from TV14 to TVMA.
If you have purchased this release, and would like a refund, please return product to your retailer.
Be advised that although we are issuing a recall some retailers will still have this product available for sale in the marketplace. Please wait for the unedited release if the current version is not the one you wish to purchase.
We apologize for the inconvenience, and should you have any questions, please feel free to contact [email protected]
We plan to re-release this title with the new materials at a later date once the discs have been authored.
While gamers in North America are able to enjoy Rune Factory 4 since it was released here yesterday, gamers in Europe and other PAL regions have been waiting to hear about whether or not any European company would be bringing the game over to their region.
Well today Marvelous AQL and Zen United have announced that they are going to be bringing the game over to Europe sometime in Spring 2014. The game will feature XSEED‘s localization of the game and you can check out my full review of Rune Factory 4 here. Now if only I could decide between Dolce, Margaret or Forte…
Don’t you just hate it when you’re in Japan and are unsure about where the nearest maid cafe is? well if you have a smartphone then you’re in luck because now there’s an application for that.
Maid+Plus is a smartphone web portal that gives you information on 11 different maid cafes in Akihabara allowing you to search by location, theme, average price and even maid characteristics. The range of cafes the site contains really are something to be amazed by; from a European guild themed restaurant, an aquarium cafe to even one set in a spacecraft.
You can also collect virtual trading cards of certain staff members and use them to vote in surveys and receive coupons to selected maid cafes.
The web portal was created by TMS Entertainment, an anime studio who produced Lupin the Third: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine, our review of which can be found here, and Cardfight Vanguard. Check out the Maid+Plus website for a full list of associated maid cafes.
Last night, Warner Bros. hosted a special press event that showcased some of their upcoming titles. From imminent releases: Arkham Origins and Lego Marvel Super Heroes, to titles that are still a little ways away: Dying Light and Mad Max, we got to see how they all play, and then get our hands on with a few. I got to go one on one with Batman: Arkham Origins and Lego Marvel Super Heroes, and I have to say my experience with each was quite positive. Check out our thoughts on the games below:
There have been a lot of concerns with Batman: Arkham Origins since it was announced a few months ago. Many wondered if Warner Bros. Montreal could hold a candle to the legacy that Rocksteady had created for Batman. Well after my hands on experience last night, I can officially tell you that not only does the title look like an Arkham title, but plays like one too.
The freeflow combat that was introduced in Arkham Asylum, and expanded upon in Arkham City makes a triumphant return, and is just as fluid and intuitive as ever. In the brief time that I played, I fought no less than four groups of enemies using the series’ renowned combat style. Everything felt exactly the same as it did in previous installments, but had a few added extras like different enemy types to combat as well as enemies who can counter Batman’s own counter-attacks. The additions may seem small but go a long way in differentiating enemy types, which in turn keeps you on your feet as a player. One more addition to the combat system is that you are now graded at the end of every fight. Staying more fluid and mixing up your use of gadgets and martial arts moves scores you higher, which in turn awards you with more EXP to spend on upgrades for the Caped Crusader.
Moving away from combat, the scope and feel of the game is awesome too, and while I was unable to explore much of Gotham City, what I saw will definitely make Bat-fans feel at home. The dark and dank cities that are covered in a thick layer of snow are daunting, and downright chilling (no Mr. Freeze style pun intended). It all plays really well into the story for Arkham Origins.
We all know that Origins is a prequel to the events of AA and AC, and yesterday we had conformation from the horse’s mouth that this takes place during Batman’s second year of crime fighting. Up until this time, the Bat has only been facing off against street crime, and has never encountered any of the costumed or fantastic rogues gallery that we as fans have come to know and love. That all changes on this snowy Christmas Eve however as Black Mask hires some of the world’s best assassins to eliminate the Dark Knight. Due to this game being set in what is without a doubt the formative years of Bruce’s life, the Batman we see is not the same cool, calm and collected figure. Instead, here is brash, caustic, cocky and even downright emotional at some points. This is certainly a different type of Batman than we are used to, but one that is a joy to see none the less.
One huge benefit that the game has by taking place so early in Batman’s career is that we get to see him when he is still an urban legend to the people of Gotham. Nobody knows for sure if he is real or not, and this makes for a largely different experience when it comes to interacting with thugs and even the police. I have only seen a brief snippet of the game, but I can tell that this urban-legend status will come up more than once.
Also, I made sure to ask the game’s Creative Director; Eric Holmes if the game will be rife with easter eggs and secrets for batman fanatics to scour the city to find. In response he showed me a section of the game that takes place within the Batcave (still under construction during the events of the game) and more specifically, Bruce’s crime board, which shows newspaper clippings for a certain red-hooded criminal among others, confirming that yes, the game will be FILLED with secrets and easter eggs.
So although my time with Arkham Origins was brief, and I can’t make a complete judgement call on the game as of yet, I think it is safe to say that if the rest of the game is anything like the demo, then it will be a great experience and we can all rest east: Warner Bros. Montreal have proven their mettle here, and have shown that they are worthy of wearing the symbol of the bat.
I still can’t get over how much of a logistical nightmare this game must have been to put together. You have Marvel heroes (who are owned by Disney) in a game that is published by Warner Bros. The fact that this game exists at all is astounding, and the fact that it is any good is even more so!
The demo for Lego Marvel was just one stage in the game, giving players an opportunity to play as Mr. Fantastic and Captain America (with Spider-Man joining later on). What initially caught my eye was how different characters and their unique powers play into the level design and puzzle solving a lot more than previous entries. You will have to squeeze through a sewer grate with Mr. Fantastic, then switch back to Captain America and use his shield to activate a lever etc. It is stuff that we have seen before in Lego games, but the bar has definitely been raised here. The biggest benefit to this is that multiplayer often feels like a more co-operative experience, instead of just having another player tag along. Although oftentimes I found myself stuck waiting in the same spot while my co-op partner figured out their section of the puzzle and then vice versa.
Visually the game is about on par with other titles in the series; Lego is pretty hard to screw up. However, I was playing the PS4 version of the game, and there wasn’t much visually that really impressed me. The textures all looked like they would on a current gen console. This isn’t really a criticism, as the game still looks great and is filled with a tonne of colour and vibrancy that will have everyone’s attention glued to the page, as well as rife with easter eggs for the knowledgeable comic book fan.
I have said before that Lego Marvel Superheroes looks like it will be the definitive Marvel game, and seeing it in action, I maintain that mindset. The character roster is well over 100 different heroes and villains, each with their traits and abilities in tact from their various iterations. The game even features relatively unknown characters like Howard the Duck, who is pretty much just a duck in a suit.
All in all, Lego Marvel Super Heroes looks like it will be a fun romp through a Lego-ised version of the Marvel Universe, and one that all Lego fans or comic book fans need to give a look too.
So there you have it, our hands-on experience with Batman: Arkham Origins and Lego Marvel Super Heroes. Each of these games hits store shelves soon, Batman on Oct 25th and Lego Marvel on Nov 13th. So, as always, for all the Super Hero and Warner Bros. news as it becomes available, stay tuned to Capsule Computers.
Viz Media has announced some great news for those who love to use their Kindle to read books. The company has added their entire digital manga catalog to Amazon’s Kindle Store today which means that over 1,500 volumes of manga from 160 series are now available for purchase at the price of $6.99 per volume.
It seems that not only will 
