Level Up Wear, the stylish gaming apparel site has signed with Bethesda Softworks, developers of The Elder Scrolls franchise, to produce a line of apparel and merchandise based off many of Bethesda’s popular titles. The line will include t-shirts, hoodies, bags, wallets, and mobile cases with branding from popular Bethesda titles like Elder Scrolls, Fallout, DOOM, Dishonored, and yet to be released titles like The Elder Scrolls Online, Wolfenstein: The New Order, and The Evil Within.
“The Bethesda catalogue of games includes some of the most beloved franchises in gaming history, both classic and modern. We are extremely honored and excited by this opportunity and are creating a diverse product line that will appeal to hardcore and casual gamers alike,” says Dimitri van Eetvelde, Managing Director at Level Up Wear.
You can pre-order the apparel here at Bethesda’s online store or wait for the line to become available on October 15th. New merchandise, as well as limited edition items, are said to be added to the store on a regular basis after its launch. You can also check out some of Level Up Wear’s other apparel and merchandise here.
Nintendo Australia have just announced that they plan to showcase a plethora of brand new upcoming Wii U and 3DS games at the upcoming EB Games Expo 2013. The highlight of which is of course Pokemon X and Y being playable for the first time in Australia, a full week ahead of their highly anticipated launch.
Other titles available to play include: Sonic Lost World, Legend of Zelda: Link Between Worlds, Legend of Zelda: Windwaker HD, Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze and Super Mario 3D World. Not only are all those games available for a test run, but the upcoming Nintendo 2DS console will be on show for gamers to play with.
Pokemon X and Y will be the highlight of Nintendo’s EB Expo booth!
Also if you bring your Pokemon Black, White, Black 2 or White 2 games to the Nintendo Booth you can download a shiny Giratina in what looks to be the last Black and White distribution event.
It undoubtedly looks to be an exciting showcase for Nintendo fans. Be sure to check out Nintendo’s jam-packed booth at EB Games Expo 2013 to get a glimpse at the future of Nintendo.
Last night Valve delivered on their promise of a second big reveal, announcing the official existence of Steam Machines. There will be multiple machines available to suit different consumer needs, and all will run the previously announced Steam OS, which combines the existing Steam client with Linux.
Keen for consumer input, Valve are seeking Steam users to beta test their “high-performance prototype”. Three hundred of the units are to be made available for testing, and Valve have released details of a ‘Hardware Beta Eligibility Quest’.
THE HARDWARE BETA ELIGIBILITY QUEST:
Before October 25, log in to Steam and then visit your quest page to track your current status towards beta test eligibility
1. Join the Steam Universe community group
2. Agree to the Steam Hardware Beta Terms and Conditions
3. Make 10 Steam friends (if you haven’t already)
4. Create a public Steam Community profile (if you haven’t already)
5. Play a game using a gamepad in Big Picture mode
Completing these steps will grant the Steam Hardware Enthusiast Level 1 Badge, with the Level 2 Badge earned by completing a Beta Test Agreement. Having both Badges will include users in the draw for one of the three hundred machines – there are currently over 65,000 eligible candidates. Some ‘winners’ will be drawn at random, whilst around 30 will be chosen based on their past community participation. Beta testers will be allowed to post about their opinions and experiences online, and will have access to the over 3000 games currently on Steam.
The machines will be hackable, and gamers will be able to construct their own machine to run the Steam OS, which will be freely available for download.
No specifications were released about the prototype or any of the Steam Machines, further details are to come at a later date.
The third and final announcement from Valve will be made on Friday.
The Fall anime season of 2013 is just about here, promising a long list of new series to excite, sadden, enlighten and all around impress us fans of anime. With a plethora of new additions to the anime genre we all so love, it’s time to narrow down the fall season a little and take a glimpse at some of the stand out titles…at least in my humble opinion. But, you guys trust me…right?
Kill la Kill
Don’t mess with Ryuko
The team that brought us the anime literally fuelled by awesome, for those not in the know I of course speak of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, is back with their newest series Kill la Kill. The series follows a girl named Ryuko Matoi who transfers to a new school. However, this isn’t one of those school set slice of life style anime…at least no life that I live. Honnoji Academy live in fear under the iron fisted rule of the School Council, headed by the President Satsuki Kiryuin. Oh yeah, they also have super powered school uniforms that grant them the power to crush all who oppose them. Naturally, our heroine comes across one of these uniforms, in her case a sailor fuku named Senketsu. With special powers in tow and one half of a giant pair of scissors, the other half of which Ryuko searches for as it is wielded by the person who murdered her father, Kill la Kill is set to be an action packed series. Once more, super school uniforms, giant scissor blades and a sadistic school council. One hell of a school. One hell of a series…soon.
Valvrave the Liberator: Second Season
What are they looking at? The robot’s behind them
Where do I start with Valvrave? Definitely one of the quirkier anime I’ve seen. It’s got mysterious Mechs, “regular” school life, space colonies, political conflict…there’s a lot going on. Also the only anime I’ve seen that deals with the ramifications of secession. Season One dealt with the discovery of, and subsequent using of, the Valvrave Mechs and their overall badassery in the grand scale of space war. With everything revealed thus far, Season Two should provide us with some answers, though I have no doubt that it won’t be that simple, especially since politics are involved. The characters know what’s up, the enemies know not to underestimate the heroes and everybody is clamouring to get a Valvrave of their very own. Because giant robots are awesome and everybody knows this. With explosions, machines, space and ocassionally the tediums of space politics, the next installment of Valvrave is sure to prove interesting. If not confusing and completely off the rails. But that’s why we love it.
Coppelion
Just three Special Forces highschool girls
I have to admit, I knew nothing about this series before seeing the Fall line-up. I mean I still don’t know too much, but what I do know, I like. In the year 2016, an unfortunate event occurs in a nuclear power plant, contaminating Tokyo and subsequently leading to it’s evacuation. Twenty years later, a distress signal is received from the ghost town that once was a bustling city, leading to the dispatch of Special Force Coppelion. See, like the name of the show…now I get it. This taskforce is comprised of three teenage girls, naturally, who have all been genetically engineered to be immune to radiation and, from the trailers released, they look badass. The animation of the series looks to be pretty intense and fluid, also one of the characters performs a pretty sweet action reload. Of an old school Luger pistol no less. Though I’m not 100% sure on the details of this series, it has intrigued me enough to want to watch it. Which I will.
Yozakura Quartet -Hana no Uta-
Yozakura translates to “Night Cherry Blossom” not “Barbershop”
Yet another series that I’ve only recently learnt about and yet another that I am now interested in. First of all, from the trailers I’ve seen, the animation looks awesome. Everything looks so fluid and well designed, plus the facial expressions are really intense, something that I like in an anime. The series itself focuses on three girls and one guy, hence the quartet in the title. Though they’re more about destroying supernatural threats with their unique abilities, than harmonising vocals. Now the supernatural genre itself is cool, I mean who doesn’t like watching spirits and monsters fight superhumans? I do, so I’m going to watch this show. Simple. Humanity and those less-than-human-spirits-from-beyond-this-world will clash in well animated combat. Never before has a koi seemed more threatening…one of the demons is a fish, forgot to mention that. Sorry, I carp believe I did that…see, I made you feel better with a joke.
Hajime no Ippo Rising
Just keep Dempsey Rollin’
It’s been a while since I watched the last season of Ippo, but I certainly remember it well. Though the series wan’t jam packed with fights, the ones it did have were important and unbelievably intense. This may have had something to do with the fact that the animation ramps up tenfold during a match. Unlike anime that focus on a superpowered protagonist, Ippo showcases some of the weaknesses us mere mortals have…though the characters aren’t mere mortals and are instead incredibly ripped boxing champions. May have just undermined myself there. Regardless, the series focuses on the struggles of training, the danger of a fight and the limits of body and spirit. Rising is set to focus on the character’s drive to get faster, stronger and all around better than they ever have been before. Continuing from the last series, Ippo is intent on improving his signature move: the Dempsey Roll. When an anime character goes through the effort of improving a classic move rather than simply learning a new one, you know that something serious is about to go down. Most likely his opponents.
I’d also like to throw out a special mention to Pokemon XY because, well, it’s Pokemon. I know the anime tends to fluctuate between cool and mundane, but I’m hoping that this series stays up near the cool end. With the release of Pokemon: The Origin and the advent of Mega Evolution, hopefully the series shifts towards a more story driven plot. Either way, Froakie will be getting some screentime. Awesome.
Letter to Momo Studio: Production I.G. Publisher: Madman Format: Cinema Release Date: 26th September 2013
Overview The words left unsaid are the ones that haunt us the most. Letter to Momo is a tale of what goes unsaid. The pain that can come from the unknowing. It is only amplified when those words will never be said. It’s a special kind of pain that comes with losing someone. When someone passes on from the world, we ask ourselves countless questions and sometimes even ask ourselves what that person would say to us now.
Letter to Momo is a heartbreaking film from legendary animation studio Production I.G. It deals with life, love, death, family and all that lies in between. Momo is on a journey to discover those unspoken words and its a journey that at one point or another we all must take. Letter to Momo may just be the dark horse for best film of REEL Anime 2013.
Story After the tragic loss of her father, a young girl named Momo seeks to uncover what her father wanted to say to her in a mysterious unfinished letter that simpler reads ‘Dear Momo’. It is these two words to set into motion a whirlwind journey to of self-discovery and acceptance.
The story plays out slowly but surely revealing layer upon layer to this world and colourful cast of characters. Momo finds herself in a situation where she feels alone, soon enough she begins to find herself surrounded by strange and kooky friends. Momo is conflicted about how her mother is reacting to the loss of her father and their relationship becomes damaged, with guidance of her somewhat magical friends she begins to reconnect with not only her family but also herself.
As the film rolls on we come to see in full form how deeply connected each and every plot point is, all in all amounting to a complex and well constructed narrative with deep emotional resonance. The heart strings this film pulls at is gut-wrenching at times, but ultimately Letter to Momo embodies a spirit of hope that transcends its darker elements.
Written with meticulous delicacy and attention to detail, Letter to Momo is nuanced and subtle. Character motivation and plot details are often left unspoken, treating the viewer with a deal of intelligence to be able to understand and empathise with the situations playing out on screen. There is no hand-holding or drilling of points, whats said is said and this film respects the audience enough to let them ‘get it’.
The connections forged between the characters are well developed and the setting by the sea is fully realised to the point in which it becomes a character in its own right. There are several unforgettable characters in the film and they are a big contributing factor to what makes Letter to Momo so very good. Their interactions feel truly genuine almost as if this cast of characters have existed long before the film even began rolling. It’s a kind of sincerity that is difficult to pull off, but it is one that Letter to Momo believes in and commits to wholeheartedly. The bonds feel real and that is really a testament to the quality writing of the film.
It isn’t very often that a film comes along that expresses such heart and invokes such emotional resonance. Letter to Momo does this and makes it look easy. By playing its emotional side with sincerity it does not fall into the pitfall of being emotionally manipulative and is subsequently genuinely profound in its portrayal of loss and the pain that comes along with it. It is a universality that underpins Letter to Momo and it is that sentiment that makes it so powerful.
Visuals and Audio Letter to Momo blends aesthetics to create quite an interesting juxtaposition. The film mixes several beautiful landscapes and characters with harsh and somewhat ugly characters and imagery. It hits the right note for the film, mixing the hopeful side of reality with the darker side of things. This makes for an interesting visual experience, mixing a Ghibli-esque vibe with the uniquely Production I.G. style for some unforgettable imagery.
As far as the film’s soundtrack goes, I.G. have done a brilliant job crafting a memorable composition that hits just as deeply as any word spoken. It adds insurmountably to the film’s emotion, giving it the power behind several of its best scenes. Its also worth noting the incredible voice work by all involved. Each character was well acted and portrayed sincerely with the feelings behind the story conveyed superbly. Finally the theme song performed by Yuko Hara is a delightfully uplifting track that perfectly captures the spirit of Letter to Momo.
Overall This was a film that reportedly was in production for roughly seven years. The time spent on it shows in each and every lovingly detailed scene. It is evident that this was a project of passion and one that was made with a great deal of love. There is heartbreak and pain sprawled across two hours of film and it is complemented by a spirit of hope and love that transcends all.
Letter to Momo is an incredible film that proves that the greatest stories are the ones told with sincerity. This is a honest tale of loss, grief, pain, self discovery and the long road of picking up the pieces of who you once were. It is an affecting journey with a profound message of life and death beneath it all, that must be heard.
If there is any film you see at the REEL Anime Festival this year, make it Letter to Momo. It may not be the most overtly flashy or exciting looking film on show but it is undoubtedly the most heartfelt film of the line-up. This is the labor of seven long years of passion and it is a film that should not be missed. Don’t let what this amazing film has to say go unsaid.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
It is worth noting that, for those reading this who may be keeping up with the currently airing DanganRonpa anime adaptation, there may be a few spoilers below. Anyways, now that that warning is out of the way, more details for DanganRonpa: Another Episode have been revealed.
The game is a spin-off that will take place between DanganRonpa, currently being localized by NIS America, and Super DanganRonpa 2 and it will be an action adventure game instead of a mystery solving title like past DanganRonpas, this means it will try to place more emphasis on horror than puzzle solving.
The heroine of the game has been revealed as Komaru Naegi, the younger sister of Makoto Naegi and she is capable of using a special megaphone which shoots word bullets that contain commands such as “Dance” or “Move.” Using these bullets she is capable of controlling Monokumas she encounters. It has also been revealed that Touko Fukawa’s alternate personality, Genocider Syo, is also a playable character in the game.
Fans of South Park may have been able to enjoy the latest season premiere tonight but they still have over three months to wait until South Park: The Stick of Truth is released. While the game’s release date has been up in the air since the game’s acquisition, today Ubisoft has announced that South Park: The Stick of Truth will be released in North America on December 10th and in PAL regions on December 13th.
Click to see full image
To go a long with this announcement the company has released a new trailer and a few new screenshots for the game, both of which can be found below, and they have also revealed “The Grand Wizard” edition of the game. This version comes with a six-inch Cartman figure designed by Kidrobot, a map of South Park and finally the Ultimate Fellowship Pack which is also given to anyone who pre-orders the game. This pack comes with the Necromancer Sorcerer, Rogue Assassin, Holy Defender, and Ranger Elf costumes.
The last couple of weeks have been packed with reviews! Everyone has been busy trying to get you the best review coverage we can! We’ve had a few notable titles to come out from September 9 – September 21, 2013. Diablo 3, Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate, NHL 14, Total War: Rome II, and more were covered in the past couple weeks.
Our anime personnel have also been working hard to cover a deluge of titles like Tsuritama, Future Diary, Patlabor, Last Exile and more!
Here’s your review breakdown for the past couple weeks:
As you may have already heard, Saint Seiya: Brave Soldiers will be the first game to cover the Sanctuary, Poseidon and Hades arcs of the Saint Seiya manga. Last month a trailer for the Poseidon arc was released and that video can be found here and today Namco Bandai has released a new trailer which highlights the fights and events that will take place when players make their way through the Hades arc of the story.
The trailer can be found below and the game itself, which features over fifty different playable characters, will be released in the West on November 26th exclusively for the PlayStation 3.
First off, if you haven’t already noticed, a huge patch has been released. The patch contains hundreds of bugs fixes, balance tweaks, and idea groups for over 20 nations in the game. It’s free and out now for Mac, Linux, and PC.
Second, some new DLC has been released. Entitled “American Dream,” the new DLC will let players live out the events of the American Revolution in great detail. It will add new unit models, over 50 new events, and more.
Finally, episode 2 of the hilarious “Frenemies” mini series has been released. You can check it out in the video player below this article. You can also check out the game’s official website here.
