Home Blog Page 4301

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag Interview with Ashraf Ismail and Michael Hampton

Zac Elawar
-
0
Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag Interview with Ashraf Ismail and Michael Hampton
Ashraf-Ismail-Michael-Hampton-EBExpo-01
Game Director Ashraf Ismail (Left), Senior Game Designer Michael Hampton (Right)

Thanks to Ubisoft Australia, we were able to interview some very special guests who flew in from across the globe to attend EB Games Expo 2013. Shortly after our interview with Kevin Shortt – Lead Scriptwriter/Story Designer on Watch_Dogs – we spoke to Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag Game Director Ashraf Ismail, and from Ubisoft Singapore, Senior Game Designer Michael Hampton. Topics covered included the process of working across multiple studios worldwide, the underwater aspect of the gameplay, how you can discover what happened directly after the ending of Assassin’s Creed III, Edward and how he may be perceived by gamers and more.

So Michael, I understand you had a large hand in designing the underwater sections and gameplay in Black Flag. Tell us about that part of the game and what the challenges were in creating something so entirely new for the franchise.

M: Yeah, so obviously there were a bunch of challenges. The main challenge was that we wanted to have the controls feel like it was a natural extension, swimming underwater feeling consistent with traversal on the ground. That was one challenge. The other big driving force and the vision behind it was that we wanted to make the player – the assassin – always so powerful, you know you’re always hunting people, always the man on the ground… we wanted to turn the tables on the player so that when you’re underwater, you’re vulnerable; you don’t have any weapons and you’ve got to use your stealth and your navigation and your wits as an assassin to survive, basically. To survive in this harsh underwater environment, and I think that’s what you’ll find when you play it.

It’s funny, just like with other trends, there seems to be a sudden influx of games with similar concepts that were previously uncharted. But I think exploring that underwater plane lends itself to a new, dynamic experience…

M: Yeah, and it’s pretty cool. We’ve got a bunch of underwater locations; there’s several different chests, and things like big shipwrecks and ruins and these dark trenches, so it’s really interesting.

Black-Flag-New-Screens-05

Backtracking to the original conceptualisation, everybody loved the naval aspect of Assassin’s Creed III, so was that the jumping off point for Black Flag?

A: Not so much, because we started this game over two years ago. So when we started we had prototypes of the naval from AC III, and so for sure we thought that there was something really cool there, there was something promising. At the same time, we were shipping on next-gen – we knew this – so you know, when you think next-gen, when you think new consoles, you also think intuitively ‘I’m gonna play a game like I’ve never played before’. And this thought was actually what pushed us to start thinking about the naval sandbox. So in saying, instead of building just a city, we’ve actually built a world like we’ve never seen before.

And so that’s where the idea of the naval sandbox came in… that with a character like Edward Kenway – who’s actually already been defined before we started; he was gonna be the grandfather to Connor – it all felt like it came together. And honestly, when we began it wasn’t a debate, we didn’t have multiple options, we just said ‘we’re making a pirate game in the Caribbean, early 18th century’ and we just went with it at that point. So seeing the reaction to AC III was super positive… [It just reinforced your beliefs in the direction] Exactly, because we knew we taking a big risk. We were effectively saying ‘we have free-running and the fights, and now we’re going to ram naval combat into that whole system. That’s a very risky thing to do, so we were super thrilled to see that reaction to AC III.

So in the earliest of pre-production, even for AC III when you initially decided to include ship gameplay in any capacity, did you always want to make a pirate game, so to speak?

A: It wasn’t necessarily always planned, although we always wanted to do a pirate game – whether it would be an Assassin’s Creed or outside of Assassin’s Creed – but it’s really tough to do pirate games because you need: naval, you need cities and you need jungle environments. So you need a lot of diversity, and at some point we just felt like ‘okay, we’re at a stage where the foundation is so solid that we can build a pirate game’. We know how to build cities, all of a sudden with AC III we know how to build natural environments, so it was easy for us to build jungles… and then the naval combat; that’s where we put a lot of effort, in ‘how do you make this systemic, how do you make this open-world, how do you have a lot of life in this world’. So it wasn’t always going to be an option for AC to have a pirate game, but honestly, when we started it was kind of slapping us in the face. It wasn’t even a question – I think everybody in the room, when we sat down, it was like ‘we’re doing a pirate game, right!’

Black-Flag-New-Screens-09

I was disappointed when Pirates of the Caribbean: Armada of the Damned got cancelled…

A: Yeah, I was too actually.

Because we haven’t – to your points – had a good pirate game in a very long time…

A: That’s the thing, I always say that there is a reason why pirate games don’t exist, or they’re not very good to be honest. The last great one was either Monkey Island or Sid Meier’s Pirates; those were the last great ones and it’s because they’re so tough to do, especially if you want to be credible at it. There’s just so much you have to do and you have to do it well. And I feel like AC is one of the only brands that can pull it off, at this point.

So, in Black Flag you’re bringing back the stealthy assassination-focused multiplayer we’ve known for the last few iterations, but we’ve heard that there won’t be any naval multiplayer. Why is that? Were they some major technical challenges involved?

A: No, unfortunately we don’t have naval multiplayer. We had an early prototype way back, and it was quite amazing, but one of the biggest issues we had… okay, when we started the game, we told ourselves ‘we have to ship a really polished, solid game’. This was one of our mandates, internally, to ourselves. And so as the game production went on, we constantly reviewed everything we had in the game and we’d say ‘if it’s not good enough, we either put more effort on it or we have to cut it from the game’, because we couldn’t put the resources it need on it.

And the problem with naval multiplayer was that, when we assessed how much time we needed just to get the basics going, and deal with latency issues, having the progression system and having it so that people can’t cheat the game – because in multiplayer that is a big thing you have to worry about – we just didn’t have the resources to do it in time. And the scope of the game is already massive; this is the biggest AC we’ve ever built. So on top of that, having naval multiplayer… we just didn’t have the resources to do it. Having said that, you know I always tell people, if people love Black Flag and people want to see more naval stuff, I’ll be one of the first to push for having naval multiplayer in some future version of whatever game. So people just have to let us know that they love the game [Laughs].

Black-Flag-New-Screens-08

And Michael, Ubisoft has studios worldwide, practically in every continent. So what’s it like being based out of Singapore, working with the guys back in Montreal and so forth?

M: It’s all about collaboration and communication. It’s the type of thing where you learn very early on that you can’t receive an email and then not send a response for 2 or 3 days, because the turnaround time is just too much and you’re actually stopping people from getting stuff done when you’re doing that. So everybody on the team – a lot of people in Montreal, a lot of people in Singapore – hadn’t necessarily done this type of work before. So it’s just something we learned as the project went on; how to do this, how to do it better. Ash came down I think a couple times to Singapore, and myself and some other guys went over a couple times to Montreal too. So that helps a lot as well. You’re going to have some arguments about stuff, so it’s not always gonna be smooth sailing, but overall, you can’t do a game of this scale in one studio any more – it’s just not really possible, unless you want to wait 6 years for it, which I don’t think our fans do…

A: And if I can just add to that, in Montreal we actually have a team of people that are just purely dedicated to communication and collaboration. So it’s a team with a game designer, production manager, a technical artist and these people, it’s their job that for any studio – including Montreal – if we needed to get info to Singapore or Singapore needed info from us, these people’s sole responsibility was that; to make sure they got the info in a timely manner. So it’s a process that’s been developed… I mean, AC II was the first AC that was actually developed across multiple studios, so we’ve been learning and improving this process for a few years now.

So back in the early days, when the game was rumoured to be in development…

A: Yeah, there were one or two leaks [Laughs].

Just a couple. [Laughs] People thought that this was going to be another spin-off, if only because of the time-gap between main entries in the series. But what constitutes this being a main entry in the series; is it the fact that it’s the first on next-gen and there’s lots of new technical achievements tied to that, is it because we have a new character? Are those things what define this as Assassin’s Creed IV?

A: Those are some of the details, but I will tell you… the main thing, the biggest thing, that having a new number signifies is that the core gameplay experience is gonna change. So with AC III, it was the idea that now we have these natural environments, you have a new hero… you do naval missions – although those were side missions – but you have navigation through those natural environments, and then you have the winter and the seasons. So it really signifies the idea that the core gameplay is changing. In our case, it’s the fact that we have this brand new world unlike anything we’ve built before, naval gameplay is directly part of the core experience, you have a crazy progression system… it’s the first of any AC that actually has a massive challenge curve in the game. So, because we have naval enemies, we have ships that are inanimate that you can upgrade and you can have more canons, more defences. You know, previously we had human enemies and you’re an assassin so you can kill them in one shot. But now that we have ships, we have a progression system and a real challenge in the game. So the pure experience of AC is drastically different, and that’s what signifies a new iteration, a new version of the game.

Black-Flag-New-Screens-02

In regards to the story, people will be wondering – because of the pretty destructive way AC III ended – how Black Flag carries on from that?

A: So, we pick up a little bit after the end of AC III, and there is an arc that is being told so we’re carrying that arc forward. So effectively, in the present day you have a new hero that you play – the idea being that you play yourself, in first person – but you’re an Abstergo Entertainment employee, and you’re researching the life of Edward Kenway and you don’t know why. And you don’t know why Abstergo is; you’re just a guy working for a company. As the story progresses, you realise there’s a nefarious reason behind everything; Edward does something in his life that’s very valuable for the templars of the present day, and this is what they’re actually after. But of course, everything to do with Juno, everything to do with the ‘first civ’ – this stuff is a part of it, and this stuff progresses as well.

We also have a lot of optional content that, if you don’t care about the present day, you don’t have to do. But if you do, you can exit the Animus at any time and you can explore this Abstergo Entertainment place and there’s hours of content in there. You can find out what happened to Desmond after AC III; you can find out a lot of the mythos and the details that, for the people who love that kind of stuff, there’s a lot of info there for you. I won’t ruin any of the surprises, but the beginning is really… we treat the player as a ‘newb’, and this is something that we wanted because, even though this is AC IV, we wanted new players to be able to come in and that’s why both Edward and the present-day character are new and fresh to the assassins-templar feud. But of course, things pick up rather quickly and things go from there.

And how do you think Edward is going to be received? Because we saw with the fan feedback how combative people’s opinion were as it relates to Connor in AC III, but Edward is more brash and arrogant – he’s living the pirate life for Christ’s sake!

M: I mean, overall, I think pirates are kinda fun, so you’ve already got a pretty good attitude about him going into it. But the thing is, Edward is a very real character. No one is perfect; everyone has some internal flaws or difficulties that they struggle with and you’re gonna see Edward dealing with that throughout the game and learning and growing during the story. So I think the fact that he’s so relatable, and you can say ‘maybe I would have done that in the same situation’ or those sorts of things, that will make you feel kind of bonded to him and I think that’s the main thing.

A: I think people are going to love Edward. He’s an amazing character… [He’s charismatic] He is charismatic, he’s very funny; there’s a lot of humour in the narrative and the writing. And beyond that, you can connect to him, he’s human, he has flaws and the story is actually about him figuring out who he is in life, effectively. So you go on this journey with him and I think that’s gonna make people connect with him and really love the character.

M: And he’s a freaking bad-ass! He’s got 4 pistols, and slashing everybody up with cutlasses! I mean, you know, what’s not to like?!

Absolutely, you can’t not love that! Okay, thanks for your time guys!

We want to thank Ashraf and Michael once again for their time, and Ubisoft Australia for making the interview possible, of course. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag releases for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii U on October 31st; the Xbox One and PC on November 22nd, and the PlayStation 4 on November 29th Australia-wide.

Hands-On with Batman Arkham Origins: Blackgate

Andrew Day
-
0

A piece of Comic-style game art.

It seems to be the norm now that many companies will release a port of their console game for handhelds to try and grab more customers. Oftentimes these games don’t hold a candle to their console counterparts and are not well received. Instead of following the industry trend for Batman: Arkham Origins, the guys over at Warner Bros. are instead releasing a direct-sequel to the game; Batman Arkham Origins Blackgate. Not much information has been shared about the game, largely do to the fact that its story would give away a lot of the plot of Origins itself. All we really knew was that it is a Metroidvania style game and would have Batman entering Blackgate prison after a wild outbreak. Luckily at this year’s EB Games Expo I was finally able to get my hands on the PS Vita version of the game.

Taking place a few months after the events of Batman: Arkham Origins, Origins Blackgate puts us in the infamous Blackgate Prison, where Batman is forced to quell a criminal uprising. There was only a small section of the game available to try, and it is unfortunate because that section left a less than sweet taste in my mouth.

A small bit of stealth action.

The game retains the same control scheme as the console series, implementing the Free Flow 2.0 combat system, as well as stealth and gadget use. Instead of a 3D open-world experience however, Blackgate is more of a 2.5D action game. Although the game tries to replicate its console bigger-brother, it falls a little short of the mark as the controls feel sluggish and unresponsive, while the movement often felt a little stiff . Stealth sections weren’t too bad, as you are given the extra time to plan your attacks, but firefights against enemies were far less fun. The sluggishness of the controls made what should have been some of the best parts into frustrating chore-like sections.

Visually, Blackgate was impressive, retaining a lot of the character models and detail that are present in the console version. It is easy to forget how powerful the PS Vita is under its hood, but Arkham Origins Blackgate really shows off its power. Everything is crisp, clear and really looks amazing. I’m not sure how well it will look on the 3DS, but I was definitely impressed by what I have seen so far.

I really wanted to like Arkham Origins Blackgate, and while there are definitely some things to like (the visuals being the most prominent) my time with the game leaves me feeling underwhelmed. As an installment in a game series that redefined fluid action combat, it just wasn’t hitting the right notes. Hopefully once the game officially releases we will see if this was just an early build, a problem with the area, or representative of the full game.

2D scrolling gameplay.

If you wanted to check out our thoughts on Arkham Origins console game, then you can do so by clicking here. Arkham Origins, and Arkham Origins Blackgate are each set to release worldwide on October 25th, with Blackgate dropping on PS Vita and 3DS, so for all the Arkham Origins news as it becomes available, stay tuned to Capsule Computers.

Hands-On with The Sims 4

Andrew Day
-
10

sims4-emotions-01

The Sims 4 from Maxis and EA is by far one of next year’s most anticipated games, and we hardly know anything about it yet! The Sims franchise is lucrative to say the least, and has a die hard fanbase that are always eager for the next installment, the next improvement and the next lot of stuff they can make their Sim do. At this year’s EB Games Expo, I was able to sit down with a very early build of the new Create-A-Sim and see if the game looks like it will live up to the hype.

As I said, I was only playing around with the Create-A-Sim and it was a very early build, but I was quite impressed with what I saw. In the past, Sims games (especially Sims 3) relied on a series of sliders and switches to change the appearance of your avatar. It worked brilliantly, but would often take an incredibly long time to get your Sim looking perfect. Well gone are the days of sliders and switches, as The Sims has introduced an elegant new mechanic; just using your mouse.

The-Sims-4-Emotional-01

Now in The Sims 4, players can simply click on a feature that they want to change, and by moving their mouse around, will watch the body part morph in real time. Want a smaller, thinner nose? Just click and drag the nose upwards and slightly to the left, and presto – supermodel nose job in a fraction of a second. This method of input is not only incredibly satisfying, but also eliminates a lot of the frustration of previous Sim titles where you can’t figure out why your Sim doesn’t look the way you want it too. With over 18 different body parts for you to alter (eyes, ears, nose, mouth, cheeks, chin, jaw, eyebrows, neck, shoulders, chest/breasts, upper arms, forearms, stomach, hips, thighs, legs, and butt) you can make your Sim look EXACTLY how you want them to, in absolutely no time at all. I was able to create a teen heart throb, and a drop dead bombshell in under 5 minutes each, and I don’t even play Sims that often.

Games-The Sims 4

The new design also allows for more realistic looking Sims (as well as the converse, ridiculous looking ones) including enhanced breast and butt visuals, which I am told is something the fans have been clamoring for since the first Sims game. Sadly, since I was playing on such an early build, I only had a few clothing options to choose from, so I wasn’t able to attire my Sim as well as I felt they deserved, but still character builder itself was awesome.

It will be interesting to see how the game continues to develop, and what other improvements Maxis will add to the premiere life-simulator. We still don’t know exactly when Sims 4 will launch, other than it is set for 2014, so for all that sweet Sims 4 news as it becomes available, you had better be sure to stay tuned to Capsule Computers.

Hands-On with Dark Souls II

Andrew Day
-
0

dark-souls-2-classes-01

As a huge fan of both Demon’s Souls and its spiritual successor Dark Souls, I was cautiously optimistic of Namco Bandai’s Dark Souls II, especially when it was announced that the series’ new director; Tomohiro Shibuya wanted the series to be more accessible. I, like many players assumed that this meant the game would be easier. Well, at this year’s EB Games Expo, I was able to pick up a controller, go beyond death and put my fears to rest.

Gameplay-wise, Dark Souls II takes a lot from its predecessors. The series has definitely maintained a “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it” approach to its controls, and as such I was immediately familiar with the button layout and how to maneuver my wayward character. Everything has carried over from Demons/Dark Souls and long-time fans of the series will love this as they can get straight into the business of dying over and over again. It is also great that the controls have stayed the same through the series, as they are really intuitive and easy to grasp (leading credence to the old saying of ‘easy to learn, difficult to master’).

Visually, the game looks stunning. It definitely isn’t a next-gen experience, but putting Dark Souls II up against the original Dark Souls, which is only 2 years old (Exactly 2 years old at time of writing, happy birthday Dark Souls) it is clear to see how far the team have come. Everything retains that dark, dank and foreboding appearance of the past games, while looking more detailed, and more crisp. The lighting is particularly noticeable and really makes a lot of the game features come to life (or death, as the case may be).

I know what  you want to hear about though: The game’s difficulty. Well put it this way: in the small area I got to try out, I walked down a corridor that was elegantly designed with stone carvings along the walls, and at the end was a powerful looking wizard. Remembering a certain boss battle from Dark Souls, I thought to myself “Ok, I guess I hide behind these stone golem carvings to avoid his magical attacks.” Well, I was half right. Hiding behind the statues allowed me to avoid the wizard’s blasts… Until the statues came to life and brutalized my unsuspecting self. Not only did these stone statues attack me mercilessly, but they did so with the precision of ninjas, being able to break my defense before hitting me another two times in quick succession.

The very quick death reminded me that I was indeed playing a Souls game and need to be more tactical with my approach. So, I switched to the magic staff, a long-time “get out of gaol” free card for the series. Equipping the Soul Spear spell, I went back against the four stone ninja-soldiers. I can now officially tell you that magic is still powerful, but is by no means the go-to answer it used to be. While the Soul Spears were managing to deal a little less than 1/3 of the soldier’s health bar, they barely flinched and continued to make mince meat out of my poor soulless character.

Dark-Souls-II-screen-05

After finally making it through the long corridor, I was able to challenge a Mirror Knight boss encounter. The Mirror Knight stood about 1.5x my height, and was donned in the most reflective armor I had ever seen. Not only that but his body-lengthed sword, and mirrored shield made him an imposing looking foe. He was slow, but was able to summon what can only be described as the thunder of Thor himself into his sword, which he then used in a Zelda-esq slashing motion, sending an arced lighting blast through the room. The battle was intense, and retained all the difficulty, challenge and charm that Demons Souls and Dark Souls had.

My time with Dark Souls II was brief, but from what I’ve seen already, I am super excited for more. The beta will be running next week for PS3 users, and if you haven’t signed up for it then check out how to do so here. Since it is coming next week, stay tuned to Capsule Computers for our coverage, including a longer look at the game. As always, for all the Dark Souls news as it becomes available, stay tuned to Capsule Computers.

Limited Edition Oreimo Kirino Figure Pre-Orders Begin

Sanjay Parbhu
-
0
Limited Edition Oreimo Kirino Figure Pre-Orders Begin

Oriemo-Promo-Pic-01

WARNING: This post contains a massive spoiler relating to the last OVA of Oreimo season 2, just in case you haven’t seen it yet (you have been warned).

Whether you liked the last episode of Oreimo or hated it with a passion, there is no doubt that you cannot get the final wedding scene between Kirino and Kyousuke out of your head. Why not relive that special moment with a limited edition figurine of Kirino in a wedding dress. The 1/7 scale titled “Kousaka Kirino True End ver.Figure” features the lovable otaku holding a bouquet of flowers whilst walking up a flight of stairs. The wedding dress on the figurine is the same dress she wore in the anime when she tied the knot with her older brother.

Oreimo-Kirino-Figure-Pic-01

The figurine is only available through the Dengekiya website and will set you back by 15,750 yen ($157.50 USD); the pre-orders have started and will continue until the end of this month. Although spending that much on a figurine seems absurd remember it does stand at 22cm high, also the elegant design and detail put into this piece is very impressive (check out the above pic). Now all they need is one of Kyousuke in his suit and the couple (for a brief period of time) will be complete.

Exciting Roles For Spike Spencer

Jeffery Shull
-
0
Exciting Roles For Spike Spencer

Spike-Spencer-01

Anime fans have an announcement that will get them into fevered excitement – the completion on the dubbing of Evangelion 3.33. Fans of the Evangelion serieswill also be glad to hear that famed voice actor Spike Spencer will be reprising the role that gave him his initial acclaim. The dubbed version will make its anticipated premiere at this year’s New York Comic Con next Friday at 8 PM EST on the Main 1-D stage, although no official release date has been set. This instalment is the third in a planned four part series which is a re-imagining of the original 26 episode series, which also included Spencer as a featured voice actor.

This, however, is not the only exciting project that Mr. Spike Spencer has coming up. His slate of upcoming work includes projects for networks like Nickelodeon as well as other games and anime roles that he can’t discuss quite yet. He has some current projects, though, that can be discussed such as his role in the already released title The Bureau: XCOM Declassified as character Agent Kinney, in which he had the chance to work with actor Neal McDonough and director Mike Csurics. He has also been involved with the MOBA game Strife as the character Rook and as Shrew on the Nickelodeon show Peter Rabbit.

Konami Gains New Worldwide Technology Director

Jeffery Shull
-
0
Konami Gains New Worldwide Technology Director

Konami-Worldwide-Technology-Director-01

Things are being shook up for development giants Konami in the near future. The company has announced that they are adding the experience of Julien Merceron as they appoint him to the position of Worldwide Technology Director, a position that covers the company’s dealings in Europe, Japan, and the U.S. Merceron has a plethora of experience in the video game industry to draw from for his new position, which includes a successful stint with Square-Enix. He will oversee the refining and enhancement of the company’s video game development technology.

Konami-Worldwide-Technology-Director-02

The main reason behind Konami’s choice of Merceron for this position comes from his outstanding track record with other companies and top selling series, which includes programming on the Rayman series. After working on Rayman 2, he became the Worldwide Technical Director at Ubisoft and played a part in the formation of Eidos Montreal and Eidos Shanghai. His programming skills have also paved the way for smoother animations as a standard. Konami are very excited about this position shift as Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. President Tomoyuki Tsuboi commented;

Julien Merceron is lauded in the industry for his leadership in game design and development. Mr. Merceron will help us gain a technical edge in the highly competitive digital entertainment market through contributions to upcoming titles, making them more engaging and exciting for our customers.

One of his first assignments since his start in the position is to work on the developer’s new next-gen engine dubbed “Fox Engine” which will be put into use on the upcoming instalment of the Metal Gear series from Kojima Productions.

Hands-On with Ben 10: Omniverse 2

Kane Bugeja
-
3
Hands-On with Ben 10: Omniverse 2
Ben-10-Omniverse-2-EB-Expo-01
It started when an alien device did what it did

At EB Expo 2013, I got the chance to try out the Omnitrix, not literally unfortunately, and try my hand at High Voltage Software‘s newest title Ben 10: Omniverse 2. Get ready to blast your way through invading aliens as the baddest kid to ever save the day: Ben 10.

The core gameplay I experienced playing Omniverse 2 is that of a classic beat em up game. Once you enter certain rooms, enemies begin to appear. Naturally you must destroy them all in order to progress, ploughing your way through the spawning enemy forces. From what I played, the level threw two types of baddies at me, one was the simple footsoldier, in this case Incurseans, along with more powerful robotic turrets. The trade off being that these turrets are stationary, not that it helps them against Ben’s alien powers.

During my brief glimpse of the game, I was only able to play as three of Ben’s fifty five or so transformations, all of which are unfortunately not in the game. In this case, I was given access to the classic Four Arms, along with the newcomers Bloxx and Crashhopper. In combat, each of the different alien forms possesses its own unique fighting style. For example, the tank that is Four Arms moves comparatively slowly to the other forms, but hits a lot harder. Crashhopper is quick, but requires more strikes to bring down an enemy. Bloxx is different still, being able to construct a clone to draw enemies attention, as well as being able to launch projectiles.

Ben-10-Omniverse-2-EB-Expo-02
Human: The greatest alien there is

The main benefit of this being a Ben 10 title, is that you are free to switch between these aliens at any time in combat, though this must be done during an idle phase, as you cannot transform mid attack. Defeating enemies yields green orbs crucial to your continued effectiveness. As you remain in alien form, a gauge slowly drains over time. When this hits zero, you’ll hear the familiar time out buzz and return to regular Ben Tennyson. Reverting to human form reduces your abilities to the point of simple punches and kicks. Though, due to the fairly benign difficulty level, you can still defeat most of the enemies the game throws at you. Minus the turrets, who remain stubbornly resistant.

In between these beat ’em up rooms, the game shifts into an on rails runner for a short time. These sections present five types of roadblock, which you must correctly navigate, or suffer damage. The trick to retaining your health is understanding your alien transformations and the unique skills they possess. For example whenever a large pit blocks your path, switching to Crashhopper allows you to jump over it with ease, whilst stubborn walls can be destroyed by Four Arms. These running sections comprise of three lanes for you to switch between, choosing which obstacle you wish to tackle. When turns in the track arise, you are given the option of choosing a path. Different icons denote the end point of each path, for example the Omnitrix symbol leads to an object that increases the time you can spend transformed.

Ben-10-Omniverse-2-EB-Expo-03
Four Arms are better than two

However, probably the best factor of the game, especially from the standpoint of a fan, is the voice acting. The cast from the Omniverse series returns to voice each of the characters and alien forms. In my brief glimpse I noticed the voice of Bumper Robinson as Bloxx, leading me to believe he will also reprise his role of Rook. Dee Bradley Baker also voiced Crashhopper, so expect almost every other alien form to keep its series voice. Dee Bradley sure is a busy guy.

Ben 10: Omniverse 2 is a game obviously directed towards the younger fans of the television series. The gameplay itself is a fairly watered down version of the beat ’em up style and the game is fairly forgiving damage wise. That being said, it definitely retains the new art style adopted by Omniverse and the returning cast only serves to further the experience. It’s hero time!

Hands-On with Adventure Time Explore the Dungeon Because I DON’T KNOW!

Kane Bugeja
-
0
Hands-On with Adventure Time Explore the Dungeon Because I DON’T KNOW!
Adventure-Time-Explore-the-Dungeon-01
The fun will never end!

What time is it?
If you don’t know the answer to that question then you probably won’t understand 90% of what I’m about to talk about. At EB Expo 2013, I got my hands on Wayforward‘s latest addition to the cartoon franchise full of candy and science: Adventure Time Explore the Dungeon Because I DON’T KNOW! It’s time to explore Ooo like you never have before, for reasons undisclosed.

The game itself brings back the dungeon crawler genre, throwing you into a, you guessed it, dungeon deep below the magical land we all love. Find keys, open doors, plunder chests and defeat skeleton minions. All the trademarks of this classic genre. Being the series that it is, Explore the dungeon utilises a somewhat irregular style. Rather than opting for regular 3d, it employs an isometric style. Sometime known as 2.5D or pseudo 3D, it is an illusion of depth created by a slight angle, imagine top down but more…diagonal.  These visuals definitely give the game an old school air, akin to the early games that it’s based off. The pixel based art style furthers this concept, retaining a trademark of older games and blending it with the new age, quirky style of Adventure Time.

Adventure-Time-Explore-the-Dungeon-02
Sweet, innocent NEPTR

The overall aim of the game is to proceed downward. On each floor of the Secret Royal Dungeon is a set of stairs, this is where you must go. Reaching said stairs will allow you to move to the next floor, one flight of steps closer to your goal…not that I’m sure what it is…Or how far down it is…or why we’re doing this. I guess that’s why the games is subtitled Explore the dungeon because I don’t know…expect this humour to pop up a lot in the game, and this article for that matter. Why? I don’t know. Haha, referential humour.

During my all too brief time with the game, I got the chance to play as Marceline the Vampire Queen. One of the best aspects for fans of the series is the fact that the voice cast from the series returns to bring their characters to life in the game. From Finn, to Jake, to even Lady Rainicorn, they all sound just how you want them to. Playing as Marceline, you are able to wield her axe bass in combat. This serves as your standard attack and can be charged up to unleash monster damage. A sub-weapon is also acquirable, by picking them up from the dungeon floor. Unlike the primary, character specific weapon, these tools are interchangeable and more generalised. Along with a regular melee items like the bamboo blade, there are some ranged weapons to aid you in your battles. Want to throw hard boiled eggs at skeletons? Go for it. Got a hankering to launch poor defenceless kittens at demons? You’re a sick, twisted individual, but sure why not. Its all in good fun I think. (No animals were harmed in the making of this game…not permanently at least) These projectile weapons do use ammunition, but it can be easily replenished by finding an ammo bag somewhere on the dungeon floor.

Adventure-Time-Explore-the-Dungeon-03
It’s a fungeon!

Adventure Time Explore the Dungeon Because I DON’T KNOW! is chock full of the humour that makes the show the hit that it is. The game is absolute oodles of fun to play, more so if you’re a fan of the show. However, even if you’ve never watched a second of Adventure Time, for which I pity you (something that can be remedied by clicking here and here), the mechanics are still solid enough to keep you entertained. Unfortunately I didn’t play the game long enough to see the “huge reveal” promised, not too surprising, what with it being at a convention and all, plus the line behind me was getting anxious. Though I’ll be sure to discover it once I buy the game proper. Mathematical!

Hands-On with Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII

Kane Bugeja
-
4
Hands-On with Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII
Lightning-Returns-Final-Fantasy-XIII-EB-Expo-01
Lightning does strike twice

At EB Expo 2013, I was able to get my hand on a demo version for Square Enix‘s upcoming title Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII. Ever since the ambiguous climax of Final Fantasy XIII-2, fans have been curious to see what happens afterward. Now we have the answer: Lightning returns. Set 500 after the adventures of Serah and Noel, this stern soldier with locks of pink makes her journey back to the world she left behind…Let’s go back for a second. 500 years! I’ll let that sink in. Though the previous title saw travel across the timelines, it’s still a large leap for the central time period of the game. This calls into question the storyline and raises curiosity regarding the presence of XIII mainstays Hope Estheim and Snow Villiers. That Hope definitely gets around.

For starters, the overworld has received some improvements over the last two instalments. With the inclusion of jumping, climbing and even sprinting, the overworld is more fluid than it has been before. Sprinting however is not unlimited, as a bar will drain over time, reducing you to a brisk jog. This function should allow you to dodge some of the more persistent enemies, should you not want to fight them. Once again, combat is affected by how you engage the enemy in the overworld. Should you sneak up on them, they begin with up to 25% less health. But if they get the jump on you, the battle begins in their favour. That being said…

Lightning-Returns-Final-Fantasy-XIII-EB-Expo-03
You’ve been…Thunderstruck!

The combat system in Lighting Returns follows the trend of the series and makes drastic improvements over the previous title. One of the major new elements of note is the ability to move Lightning around the battle field, simply by using the left analog stick. Though this is fairly limited, it is definitely and upgrade from the last game. This is now an option due to the alterations in the attacking mechanics. Rather than scrolling through a list as you did previously, attacks are now set to the controllers face buttons (Square/Circle/Triangle/X for Playstation and X/Y/A/B for Xbox). This allows you to  attack with little to no break in between, though as always the number of strikes you can throw is metered by your ATB (Active Time Battle) gauge.

The largest change comes to combat in the form of the brand new Schema system. Replacing the paradigm system of the previous two titles, schema allows you to switch between a number of different power sets. Each of these comes with a different outfit for Lightning, providing some variation in the visuals, which is a nice touch. Each outfit also possesses its own ATB gauge, allowing you to switch between schemas to compensate for a drained gauge. This gives off the feeling that combat it more consistent than it has been in XIII, ramping up the pace from Lightning’s previous jaunt across Pulse.

Lightning-Returns-Final-Fantasy-XIII-EB-Expo-02
Now 20% cooler

Though it should go without saying, the game looks fantastic. Once again you are pitted against complex and extremely detailed beasts, such as the Anubys, all who are gunning for victory. Lightning herself is more visually varied with the inclusion of multiple outfits. Her victory animation also changes depending on the schema active at battle’s end. Though I only explored one enclosed area in the demo, it was very intricate and ornate, a staple of the XIII saga. From my brief glimpse at the third instalment to the XIII saga, I didn’t get the chance to fully appreciate the new time based gameplay. That being said, I definitely noticed the clock counting down on the screen. Though I’m unsure of how fast the time drain is in regards to story progression, it certainly gives off a vibe of impending doom.

Overall, Lightning Returns serves to fix the problems present in the previous titles and improve gameplay in general. From what I saw, I’m definitely curious to discover how Snow fits into the plot and why he chose the dark, broody look. Plus Hope is back, which is always good.

1...4,3004,3014,302...6,786Page 4,301 of 6,786