Razorjack is the brainchild of John Higgins, the man who coloured such comic book heavyweights as Batman: The Killing Joke and Watchmen. With an impressive resume behind him you would be expecting great things from Razorjack, and you wont be disappointed. Although the book suffers from some pacing issues and plot confusion, the characters and narrative are gripping, and definitely live up to the legacy that Higgins has built for himself.
Story
Razorjack is a cop story first and foremost. It is about two rogue cops who are caught smack bang in the middle of an invasion plot from a violent, evil demon queen called Razorjack. The two cops; Ross and Frame are sent to track down a series of killers, which turns out to be part of a much larger, supernatural case. Razorjack wants entry to our world so that she can corrupt and rule. The book basically works as two stories intertwined; we get to see the events from the point of view of Ross and Frame, as well as a few other characters, while every so often we are also witness to Razorjack and her machinations.
It is the fact that the story is intertwined that is perhaps its Achilles’s Heel. The book feels haphazardous and suffers from inconsistent pace and timing. Shifting from Ross to Frame or to Razorjack (or even some of the other characters) can sometimes be jarring, and often happens right in the middle of a climactic scene. It is also difficult to tell how much time is elapsing between pages, which can cause some confusion to the reader.
At the completion of the story, which sets itself up perfectly for future installments, I was left wanting more. Not more narrative per say, but I felt like the book needed more exposition and explanation. We are introduced to the concept of Razorjack and her Bitches so suddenly, that aside from a few sentences (at most) of dialogue, we don’t really know anything about them. There is a lot of lore and back-story alluded to in the pages of Razorjack, and I just wish some of it was explored a little more.
The book also contains two supplemental stories, one set at the conclusion of the book and one set many many years in the past. I can’t speak in too much detail about either one without seriously spoiling the book, but I will say that they do start to provide a little more context to the story. However, and this is especially true with the story set in the past, the way that they connect to the present narrative just raises more questions than they answer. The story set in the past actually feels like it should have been a supplemental addition to a second or third volume.
Apart from its problems, Razorjack is a really good read, able to capture the reader’s imagination, as well as make you care about these characters, whom at first glance appear to be very one dimensional (this is later proven to not be the case). At one point, I sincerely thought that the book was going to go all ‘Game of Thrones’ and kill off the main characters. The story and characters alone are enough to keep you more than interested, even if you are confused about how the plot is unfolding, and the very real potential for protagonists to bite the big one adds a whole layer of suspense.
Artwork
I feel like if i ever had any criticism’s about Higgin’s art style, I would be committing comic book blasphemy and be forever banned from nerddom. Higgins is a legend of the industry, having worked on Watchmen and Batman: The Killing Joke, and Razorjack is him at his finest. While the story has a few hiccups, his artwork here is absolutely phenomenal and absolutely knocks it out of the park.All of the drawings in Razjorjack are expertly done, and they radiate with Higgin’s signature style. The colours are all really rich and the linework is fantastic. However, what is the most impressive is the use of shadow.
Even when he coloured The Killing Joke, Higgins used a lot of shadow in his work, and Razorjack is an example of an artist having further refined his craft. A lot of detail that other artists would normally draw into their work is obscured by shadow, which allows the player to build up the full picture in their mind. The shadowing is also used to great effect to define some features that would otherwise have gone unnoticed, such as the ruffles in a pant leg, or the muscle definition under a monster’s arm.
If there is one complaint about the artwork, it is that some of the characters don’t look like they belong together. In a few frames, characters looked like they were from different worlds, plucked and put together on the same page. These characters that don’t always fit in tend to have more detail on their faces etc, while the rest are quite plain.
Overall
Razorjack is the brainchild of one of the most well known people in the comic book industry, and his prestige shines through in spades through this book. Although it suffers from some pacing issues, and a lot of plot holes and inconsistencies, the story is well thought out, and has an incredibly rich back story as well as likeable characters. There is a lot of lore behind the scenes of Razorjack that sadly the reader doesn’t get to see, but hopefully this will be rectified in future volumes. Razorjack is a definite page-turner, and one that no comic fan, or fan of inter-dimensional monsters should miss.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
It has been 5 years since Rockstar Games’ last foray into the landmark series (on console) with Grand Theft Auto IV, as they’ve kept busy producing hit titles such as Red Dead Redemption (Rockstar San Diego) and Max Payne 3 (Rockstar Vancouver). Now, after more than 4 full years of development by Rockstar North, Grand Theft Auto V – the most expensive video game of all time, with an astounding combined production and marketing cost of $265 million – is finally here. The hype has been unreal and the pre-order numbers record-breaking… I think this is a foregone conclusion. Let’s not beat around the bush; if you haven’t bought the game yet, here’s why you should…
Story
The game starts off with a flashback to a bank heist gone wrong in Ludendorff, North Yankton. Michael, Trevor, and two accomplices meet heavy resistance during their escape, which results in the deaths of their partners. Michael is wounded and screams at Trevor to run while he can. We then see a funeral held for Michael Townley, with the “dead man” himself watching from a distance. 9 years have passed since that point, and Michael has taken a new surname – De Santa – under witness protection, now living in a palatial home in the rich suburb of Los Santos. He lounges around, retired and secure, ignoring his bratty teenage children and suspecting his wife of cheating on him with the tennis instructor.
Franklin Clinton works for a car dealership as a glorified repo man along with his friend Lamar. His boss requests he repossess a vehicle from a customer – Jimmy De Santa – who is overdue on their loan payment, so Franklin breaks into their home to acquire the car. As he is driving back to the dealership, Michael slowly sits up from the backseat pointing a gun at Franklin’s head and ordering him to crash into the it, before he personally attacks the owner. Quite an inauspicious start to what becomes a teacher-protege relationship if you ask me. Through a series of events in his personal life, Michael loses control and finds himself in debt to a Mexican druglord named Martin Madrazo. This forces him to return to a life of robbery, inviting Franklin to join him on scores as the getaway guy. Being from the projects, Franklin isn’t about to refuse a potential 6-figure payday.
Unfortunately, during the getaway of the heist, Michael recites a movie phrase to a bystander (being a big film buff, he just can’t help it), who then relays that quote on the news. Why is this unfortunate? Because one Trevor Philips sees this and connects the dots… Michael Townley is alive! So… why, again, is this unfortunate? Because Trevor is bat-shit crazy and believes Michael purposely led him on so that he could live in peace with all the riches of their fateful score and never have to see him again. They were best friends, and Michael abandoned him – a man who, despite obviously being heavily deranged, was called Uncle by Townley’s kids.
And so the roller-coaster ride truly begins. When these two finally meet, the atmosphere of the game completely shifts. Like gasoline to a fire, Trevor is a reckless, dangerous presence, and he wants back in the game. The ensuing dynamic between these criminals, Franklin included, is relatable to a clash of cultures. They are foils for each other, acting to highlight the individuality of each man. The main plot sees the integration and coming together of the trio’s personal dealings, involved in a three-way conflict amid the FIB, IAA and Merryweather Security. The storyline is signature Grand Theft Auto, filled with hilarious moments, revenge and betrayal, with multiple endings to boot.
Gameplay
And now, for the most daunting section of the review. I will not bother listing or detailing every single thing that you can do in this giant game… part of the fun is discovering that all for yourself (although I will mention some key features). Instead, let’s focus on the refinements to gameplay mechanics. Anyone who has played a Grand Theft Auto game knows what to expect to a large extent – the pillars of gameplay, so to speak. Both driving and shooting have received quite substantial overhauls. One of the bigger criticisms of Grand Theft Auto IV was the generally clunky car handling. Well here, every vehicle truly has its own singular set of physics, and the handling is appropriately tuned for each, and they can be modified for further tuning at your local Los Santos Customs.
Impressions based on first footage of gunplay had many of us assuming an adoption of the shooting mechanics of Max Payne 3, but that didn’t end up being the case. Nevertheless, there are some notable alterations and additions to the systems. Firstly, evasive tactics have been considered as a combat roll can now be executed while aiming. You can also round corners of cover and sprint out of cover in a forward motion. And, with a flick of the right thumbstick, you can flow between nearby targets instantly (this assist can be turned off). Finally, your arsenal is now accessed by pressing and holding ‘LB’, which will bring up a radial weapon wheel. The slots are broken up by type, with multiple weapons of a type able to be carried – pressing left or right will toggle between them.
Switching amongst Franklin, Trevor and Michael is quick enough, with the game taking just a few seconds to jump out, automatically locate the desired character, and jump into their perspective. Each have specific skill levels that can be bettered by engaging in certain activities. Running, cycling and swimming, for instance, will increase your stamina. They also hold special abilities that can be initiated by pressing both the thumbsticks in at the same time. Just like armor and health, these abilities are governed by a meter. Franklin’s is essentially bullet-time in vehicles, which also gives him a slight speed boost. Michael’s is the classic bullet time effect, and Trevor’s heightens both his damage output and damage tolerance for a limited time.
Switching adds texture to every situation, but also serves a very practical use when considering the three’s separate specialties. You can even run into each other outside of missions and hang out! The characters continue living their lives when you’re not controlling them… did you leave Trevor flying away in a helicopter as you stayed on the ground? Swap over to the “speedster” (you’ll understand after you play) and you’ll find yourself strapped into that helicopter seat, making verbal notes about the events that just occurred. In heists, there is a combination of scripted switches and suggested switches, although for the latter, it’s totally up to you who you choose to play. Don’t want to be the driver? Play as Michael and shoot out the window. Missions can be replayed if you’d like to play it a different way too, so experiment and have fun.
Speaking of, the spotlighted heist missions are reached only after doing some set-up, which will involve some acquisition and planning on a corkboard. When in the latter stage, you have the opportunity to select and delegate outside accomplices to the jobs of gunner, wheelman, etc., and these contacts can come from people you meet during your travels. They all have unique skill levels and demands for their cut of the take, so choosing poorly can result in a more expensive and/or difficult time in successfully completing a robbery. Oh, and on a side note, be sure to scour every inch of this mammoth land that is San Andreas… there are more than 100 collectibles that lead to solving a couple mysteries of the state. When it comes to GTA Online, we cannot review this mode yet as it will only become available after October 1st. But, once we hit that date, we will definitely post up some impressions.
Visuals
From the seabed to the tip of Mount Chiliad in the mountainous regions of Blaine County; from the city of Los Santos to the dry desert of the Alamo Sea, Rockstar North have crafted a visually diverse, yet connected representation of a fictional California that looks stunning, and packs more detail than any other open-world title before it. Everything looks crisper and cleaner than in Grand Theft Auto IV. By comparison, character models are more expressive, draw distance is vastly increased, and shadows – thankfully – no longer distract with stuttering issues and jaggy edges. On the Xbox 360 version, anti-aliasing may be lacking, but it is barely required in the first place.
What personally impresses most on the visual front are the presentational elements; specifically the use of certain camera techniques and transitions. At face value, this may not sound like such an important facet, but it adds a sense of polish and value to the proceedings. In cut-scenes, the action is framed exceptionally, with zooms used to reflect the shifting moods and back-and-forths of an argument, for example. The camera organically follows the protagonist when transitioning from a cut-scene, back into gameplay, and the player also has more choice when it comes to camera perspectives, with three-to-four different states available on foot and in-activity, plus the dynamic action camera that can be initiated whilst in-vehicle.
Audio
Radio stations have always been a big part of the Grand Theft Auto experience. It’s inevitable with each entry that you will be spending hours upon hours in a variety of vehicles, from motorbikes, to muscle cars, luxury cruisers and airplanes, and Rockstar always manage to select an amazing array of music that expertly fits the tone of the game and world. In Grand Theft Auto V, there are a total of 17 radio stations. The popular West Coast Talk Radio (WCTR) station is back, as are mainstay personalities: that slimeball Lazlow and once-sleazy love expert Fernando. The stand-out, however, has to be comedian JB Smoove in the role of new character Dr. Ray D’Angelo Harris, who hosts Chakra Attack. He rambles on and on, exploring such random tangents… it is as if he was given free reign to improvise for 15 minutes straight, and it’s brilliant.
The radio offers tracks from a mix of contemporary artists such as A$AP Rocky, Kendrick Lamar, Rihanna and old-school legends Queen, Rick James (naturally) and even Eddie Murphy – who just wants to ‘Party All the Time’. Grand Theft Auto V is also the first in the series to feature a composed score, which was written and performed by Tangerine Dream, rappers Alchemist and Oh No, alongside composer Woody Jackson. The influence and ambient synth-heavy style of Tangerine Dream in particular can be heard throughout. Voice acting is top-notch across the board, with the stereotypes of an aspirational, street-smart Franklin, the psychotic, unpredictable meth-head Trevor and the rich, conflicted retiree Michael portrayed in a mostly exaggerated manner to great comic effect.
Overall
Rockstar had stated before Grand Theft Auto V‘s release that the title “feels next-gen to us”. While I can’t wholeheartedly echo that sentiment, technically, Grand Theft Auto V is mightily impressive. The physical scope and scale of the game map itself is mind-boggling, if not purely for the fact that it streams seamlessly without intrusive loading screens. The ability to switch among three distinct and unique main protagonists enriches the experience, presenting varying perspectives that ensure one can never become bored… if Michael is too vanilla for you, the insanity of Trevor or the plight of Franklin will keep you entertained and interested.
Of course, as with every Grand Theft Auto title, there are minor bugs, but they’ve almost become an expected, humorous part of the series – take away the autosave system and quick save ability and maybe it would not be as humorous then. Otherwise, every design aspect has seen improvements since Grand Theft Auto IV; the graphics, the voice acting, the music, the camera work, the gunplay, the interface… all have been refined and fine-tuned for the perfect Grand Theft Auto experience to date. Rockstar didn’t need to pull off an elaborate heist to score the $1 billion in sales so far; they earned it with a truly masterful video game. Continue wreaking havoc on Los Santos!
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
The Fall 2013 anime season is soon upon us and like I did previously for Winter 2013, Spring 2013and Summer 2013, I will be highlighting my top picks for Fall 2013. This time around I’ll be listing off the series that look most promising going into Fall 2013. I’ve got some eager eyes and there are quite a few series this season I can not wait to get a gander at. So without further adieu, these are the series that I will be watching this season of anime:
Ace of Diamond
I’m a huge fan of sports manga and anime, that is no big secret. Ace of Diamond is one series that has by and large been overlooked in the West. The manga has won countless awards and has a devoted following in its homeland of Japan. The baseball story is one that has been repeated countless times but there is something special about Ace of Diamond. It isn’t a story about baseball, it is a story about the love of baseball.
With a season of powerhouse sports series like Kuroko’s Basketball and Hajime no Ippo, Ace of Diamond undoubtedly has its work cut out for itself to stand out from the heavy hitters. That said, I sense that Ace of Diamond is going to be the sleeper hit of the season, it might just be the curve ball the sports genre has been waiting for.
Kill La Kill
The names behind this series speak for themselves. If you loved Gurren Lagann then it looks likely that this might be just what the doctor ordered. Kill La Kill looks to be the mega hit of Fall 2013, much like Attack on Titan was earlier this year for Spring 2013. It is the most talked about show of the season and for good reason. Gurren Lagann was a modern classic, it was a mind-blowing anime series in every regard and if Kill La Kill even turns out to be half the series Gurren Lagann was, it would be a success in many’s eyes.
I will say however that I wasn’t exactly blown away by Studio Trigger’s previous work on Little Witch Academia, but I am willing to let that one slide in hopes of something matching up to the greatness of Gurren Lagann.
Kill La Kill looks to focus on an all out war between academies in a world like ours but simultaneously unlike ours. It looks to be a wild ride and one that I’ll no doubt be taking with the rest of you next season.
Gingitsune Not one of the most hyped series by any measure, Gingitsune seems to be flying completely under the radar of most anime fans. It may not have the bombast of Kill La Kill, but it does look to be a pleasant series none-the-less. It revolves around a world in which spirits and humans live among one another in harmony. It looks to be an offbeat and peaceful kind of fantasy slice-of-life series, and you know what? That sounds mighty good to me. Nothing wrong with a good chill out anime and Gingitsune seems like it will fill that place in Fall 2013.
The series itself is based on a manga that is currently ongoing in Ultra Jump. While I am concerned that the series will not end well because of this, I think that slice-of-life series tend to handle these things better by and large. Diomedea is not one of my favourite studios but I’ll reserve judgement on this production until it hits the airwaves. It looks to be a spot of fun regardless and well worth a look in.
Yowamushi Pedal This one is a bit of an oddball anime in a season full of them. It has the feel of a sports anime but it also has a premise that is about as ludicrous as it gets for sports anime. Yowamushi Pedal is a sports anime about cycling. That’s right, it is about people riding bikes. How exactly this will all work however is anyone’s guess, but it interests me on concept alone. There is something about a premise like this that just hooks me. I must admit, I really wanna see what a cycling anime can be and with Yowamushi Pedal it looks like we will find out.
It’s another manga adaptation of a popular series and it has a good team working on it at the legendary TMS Entertainment. It has the credentials behind it, there is no doubt about that. Yowamushi Pedal is definitely one to keep an eye on, whether it is just for a few episodes or the long haul.
Valvrave 2nd Season My brain is still recovering after the assault of season one of Valvrave, so either I’m a complete masochist or Valvrave the Liberator is actually kinda brilliant in its own stupid way. It throws every possible dumb plot twist imaginable in the span of 20 minutes each and every episode. Not for one second does Valvrave take itself seriously. It is as ridiculous as anime comes and it is about as stupid as it comes too. But in spite of how awful Valvrave can be, there is a genuine sense of enjoyment that comes from watching this anime. There is no telling what will happen next because this isn’t a series that has any form of logic behind it. So how does something so inherently bad wind up being so genuinely good? Well it is simple really, anything and everything can and does happen in the wonderful world of Valvrave. There are no just limits to how low Valvrave will go or how high Valvrave will soar. That’s what makes it so brilliant and it is why I’ll be tuning in once again when Valvrave returns in Fall 2013.
Honorable Mentions:Kuroko’s Basketball 2, Golden Time, Yozakura Quartet and Wanna Be The Strongest In The World.
Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn Developer:Square Enix Publisher:Square Enix Release Date: August 27, 2013 Platforms:PC, PlayStation 3 (Reviewed) Price:$39.99 – Available Here
Overview When Square Enix released Final Fantasy XIV it was met with so much backlash that not only was the game made free for many months, it was ultimately taken down due to the constant issues it suffered and the dwindling player count of a free MMO. When Final Fantasy XIV was shut down in a rather dramatic manner, it was revealed that Square Enix would be bringing the game back once they rebooted it almost entirely from scratch. Now that that has been accomplished, Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn has been released not only for the PC, but the PlayStation 3 as well. Considering the unique platform choice, this review is focused entirely on the PlayStation 3 version of Final Fantasy XIV: ARR.
Story Final Fantasy XIV: ARR is set roughly five years after the events that took place at the end of Final Fantasy XIV. For those who don’t know, the world was almost entirely destroyed thanks to the awakening of the primal Bahamut. By destroying almost everything in the world, Square Enix has given themselves some unique ground to build a story upon.
Returning gamers from Final Fantasy XIV are able to meet numerous characters that survived the near-apocalypse and visit rebuilt villages and see new areas while new gamers won’t be left out of the loop as they are introduced to a fresh game with a story that continues to move forward with only a few references here and there to past events.
Storylines in MMOs can generally be pretty forgettable and many gamers may simply skip reading the dialogue while accepting any story based quest in an effort to reach the max level and begin the end-game. Any player doing this in Final Fantasy XIV: ARR would be doing themselves a great disservice as the game actually features an intriguing single player storyline that is not only nicely developed but also balanced in a way that makes it so gamers can actually feel important despite being in a world of consisting of thousands of other heroes.
When players begin the game they will start from one of three starting cities where they are eased into the game and begin to hear rumblings of dangers and forces being gathered. The storyline is always kept at the forefront of the player’s questline and although it is entirely possible to get yourself lost with side-quests these story based quests provide some of the best narrative you’ll actually find in an MMO. Without going into spoiler territory players will find themselves placed in a storyline where they gain various allies that can actually fight alongside you in specific instances, as enemies grow in number and begin to feel like a credible threat to the world that needs your help to be saved.
It is also worth noting that, unlike many MMOs on the market, the main story and a number of side-quests are often serious and mature, not frivolous and silly. Sure there are a number of quests that can be taken at face value or simply require gathering an item or performing a simple task, but a number of these quests can be deeper than they initially come off. As such, Final Fantasy XIV: ARR’s story is surprisingly deep and mature in a market where storyline is usually an afterthought.
Gameplay As one would expect with an MMO, the first thing to do is choose a race and a class to play as. There are eight classes to choose from at the beginning, “Disciples of War” and “Disciples of Magic.” These classes are as one would expect, self-explanatory as the war classes deal with skills and mostly up close fighting with the archer being the only long-distance focused war class while the magic class features the classes that deal with magical skills.
Combat in Final Fantasy XIV: ARR is pretty standard as far as MMOs go, with each skill requiring a certain cooldown time and a hotbar system that can be accessed through the use of the shoulder buttons on the PS3 remote, which is surprisingly versatile and works well for the game. It is worth noting that switching between enemies to target is a big issue with the PS3 version of the game, as it will often target a faraway enemy, completely ignoring closer enemies or even enemies hitting you at that very moment.
Each class plays differently enough, the archer is even able to use skills and attack while on the move, which is great given my affinity for playing an archer whenever possible. The fact that each class plays different enough from one another is a boon because of one special feature in Final Fantasy: ARR, players are not limited to one class per character. In fact, once players manage to reach their level 10 class quest and complete it, they have the option to switch classes entirely.
Switching classes does place you back down to level 1 at that ability, meaning you will be weakened significantly, even if you happened to be a level 50 archer and decided to dabble in a bit of the magic side, requiring the player to return back to other areas and re-level. This adds a complete new aspect to the game as players are no longer limited to one class and to make things even more interesting, there are a few special classes that can only be unlocked if the player happens to have a certain level in two jobs, unlocking secondary classes such as the Bard or others.
Outside of the fighting classes there are also Hand and Land classes which involve crafting and performing gathering tasks such as fishing or acquiring ingredients for crafting. These can require a fair bit of grinding but thankfully the game has a large number of ways to level up the combat side of things outside of your typical grinding enemies in your level range or slightly above it and completing various quests.
One of the most noticeable, and also random, methods of leveling up is hunting for FATES (Full Active Time Events) which are appear in specific areas of a map and only last for a short period of time. These FATES are open to everyone, though players above a certain level range will be synched to a lower level to balance things out, while low leveled characters’ contributions won’t be counted as much. The reason for this is that whatever the goal of a FATE is, whether it is slaying a large number of creatures, defeating a boss enemy or gathering items, the amount of EXP and gil (money) given to the player depends on how well they did in the FATE.
These FATES can be very hectic at times and sometimes you’ll get swarms of people fighting inside of them, which leads to the issue with targeting enemies once again as the system will often target enemies not even related to the FATE or focus on a player character instead. Another way to simply level up by killing is to complete various ‘Hunting Log’ entries which involve hunting down specific monsters to kill and gain a fair chunk of EXP once that goal is met. These entries are expanded with ‘Gathering,’ ‘Crafting,’ and ‘Fishing logs as well to give the player even more chances to gain experience.
Outside of that of course there are also daily quests and dungeons that can be completed in the form of ‘Levequests’ which vary in difficulty and can be tackled only a certain number of times per day and ‘Guildhests.’ Guildhests are short missions that see the player paired up with a group of other players as they must complete a mission which is usually something a bit easy and serves as a teaching method to learn how to work together and gain experience at the same time. Those unfamiliar with MMOs may wish to tackle a few of these before heading deeper into the game where players will fight through dungeons.
These dungeons serve as a great way to earn experience points and equipment as the player has to make their way through a dungeon with a party. While most dungeons in MMOs are simplistic and even a bit easy if the player is skilled enough, Final Fantasy XIV: ARR keeps things fresh by challenging the player in different ways every time, making numerous dungeons true struggles even if your party works well together and is geared up for the fight.
One thing that is an issue however, in both the aforementioned Guildhests and especially in the dungeons, is how the player has to deal with the duty finder. While a nice addition to give players a way to gather a party without begging for one, the duty finder is also terribly designed or classes are very unbalanced in the worlds of Final Fantasy XIV: ARR. You see, playing a DPS usually leaves the player waiting for a very long period of time before they will be placed in a dungeon with a party, sometimes waiting up to an hour or longer just to take care of a dungeon. This also means that if someone leaves the party due to a connection error or something else, replacing that fighter is nearly impossible. Thankfully there is plenty to do while you queue up for the next dungeon.
It is worth noting that PC and PS3 players do end up playing alongside one another, which means that without the addition of a keyboard peripheral for the PlayStation 3, trying to talk to each other through text is nearly impossible as the in-game keyboard is atrocious and usually slow to respond even at the best of times. Thankfully, for the most part, it is easy to learn how to navigate the various menu systems on the PS3 and as mentioned before in the combat section, the lack of a keyboard and mouse doesn’t hold the game back too much.
Visuals One of the detriments of playing the PlayStation 3 version of Final Fantasy XIV: ARR is that the player is immediately limited to the power that the PS3 is able to put out. While powerful in its own right, this does mean that this version of the game isn’t quite as gorgeous looking as the PC version could be. However along those lines, there never appeared to be any significant lag or slowdown on my end except when the server itself was having issues. It is also worth noting that the interface on the PlayStation 3 version tends to be not only cluttered and difficult to manage, but the lettering is also rather tiny even on a higher resolution.
That being said, you may have noticed that I mentioned how Final Fantasy XIV: ARR is gorgeous and that is because it is true. Even with the limited power of the PS3 compared to some PCs, the world that the game takes place in is gorgeous and lush with lots of great details to help make the world seem like a livable place. The amount of character customization is nice and it is worth noting that the various armor designs are also some of the most believable and functional looking that you’ll find in an MMO.
Audio Earlier I mentioned that Final Fantasy XIV: ARR, despite being an MMO, actually has a storyline worth paying attention to. However one thing holding the story back is the fact that there is almost no voice work in the game. Sure, many of the main story characters do have some voice work but unfortunately the English dub of the game is rather terrible with many of the voice actors sounding either wooden or completely disinterested in the parts they were playing. Thankfully there is a Japanese voice track option and considering how text heavy the game is already, a few more words to read isn’t much to ask for.
Considering how vast Final Fantasy XIV: ARR can be and the numerous landscapes, dungeons and events the player can venture through, the game requires an exquisite soundtrack and thankfully Square Enix has provided that in spades. Almost every piece of music set to the various areas in the game is wonderful to hear, with a special shoutout to the FATE battle theme and the numerous boss fights and dungeons that you must navigate through as you level up, giving gamers a reason to actually listen to the game’s music rather than their own.
Overall Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn is something that usually doesn’t happen in the game industry. Many other companies would have simply have wiped their hands of the game and walked away as they try their luck with the next MMO. However Square Enix has managed to do what many may have thought impossible by reviving the game and making it perhaps one of the best MMOs out there, especially for those who would be limited by a poor computer. The PlayStation 3 interface may be a bit unwieldy at first but it works well enough as players take advantage of the game’s great combat and class system to diversify their character while making their way through Realm Reborn’s storyline and simply enjoy the game’s gorgeous world. Keeping gamers entertained as they play an MMO is difficult but by giving them enough to do and enough variation between classes, Final Fantasy XIV: ARR manages to put itself ahead of the rest.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
This Fall, the highly anticipated conclusion of Hasbro Studios’ Emmy Award-winning series will finally come out in a special Transformers Prime original feature presentation for DvD, as well as a Blu-ray + DvD combo pack. On October 8, 2013 Shout! Factory, in collaboration with Hasbro Studios, invite the fans to journey deeper into the universe of Transformers Prime when Transformers Prime: Beast Hunters – Predacons Rising debuts.
This feature has been given beautiful CG animation, a wonderful and captivating story-line (like you would expect from Transformers), and characters that we all can connect with from the Transformers Prime lore, this 90-min epilogue to the final season gives the viewer an enticing cinematic the whole family will enjoy! Finishing off the series that told the story of the epic battle between the Decepticons and the Autobots, the Blu-ray+DVD combo pack and DVD edition contain a very pleasant amount of bonus content, taking viewers behind the scenes.
Available in stores everywhere, and on the Shout! Factory site here, Transformers Prime: Beast Hunters – Predacons Rising, a must have for any home entertainment collection, for Transformers fans of all ages. The deluxe Blu-ray+DVD combo pack is priced to own with a suggested retail price of $24.97; and $16.97 for the DVD.
This new game is a classic platform game as a horizontal scrolling adventure game with a mix of puzzle and combat. The story itself is simple, you follow Buddy, a young earthling who after having been abducted by aliens, him and his entire village, try to escape from the world building a robot out of various junk named B.O.T (Bunch Of Trash).
The player will explore the eight labyrinth-type levels of Octopus world with B.O.T’s help, as well as buddy’s own powers of absorbing materials to created useful items called ‘boxes’. These boxes are elemental in nature (eg. rockboxes, gluboxes, lightboxes) to make the player think creatively to overcome obstacles. It is certainly a game based first and foremost on freedom and experimentation of the player. During his escape, Little Buddy will have the opportunity to unravel the secrets of the Space Octopuses and choices in the game will open up two different endings to the story.
This game shows some really amazing graphics with stunning scenes and colourful environments. The game’s universe plays itself as a parody of the Sci-Fi genre using language and situations, giving the player freedom of imagination. This is also this enhances the experience as while observing some details in discussions and settings, Little Buddy to get a full grasp of the scenario.
The Secret of Space Octopuses combines the old school atmosphere with modern and innovative game play with a high note on the games AI. Players will have to be ingenious and reactive as this game is great puzzle and arcade game for casual gamers.
Incipio DualPro CF Case for iPhone 5 Manufacturer: Incipio Platform: iPhone 5/5s Price: $34.99 USD – Available Here
Incipio’s latest take on their long running DualPro line of cases is the CF model. The case features a silicone core for drop protection and a polycarbonate shell with a classy carbon fibre finish. The case is designed to survive everyday drops and spills without being too bulky. The DualPro CF is compatible with the original iPhone 5 and the new iPhone 5s. It is available in black and gray or silver and black finish.
The box containing the case is very user friendly compared to the dreaded sharp as knives packaging often seen on shelves these days. Incipio uses lots of rounded edges and a tuna can style design to save the fingers. In the package is the silicone core, the Plextonium shell, a screen protector, a cleaning cloth, a screen protector application card, and a plastic kickstand that easily fits in a wallet. The screen protector is of decent quality considering it is a free pack in. Installing the Incipio DualPro CF is extremely easy. Simply install the screen protector first, slip on the silicone core, then snap in the shell. Everything fits perfectly and can be removed quickly. The case will not come apart with use and the silicone core does not stretch out of place when installing the shell.
The silicone core slides over the iPhone 5/5s with just enough give. It would be next to impossible to overstretch the silicone core while installing the phone. It is thick enough to provide good protection against every day drops from counter tops, tables, pockets, and bags. The silicone is cut generously to cover as much of the phone as possible. Beside the space for the screen there is a cut out for the mute switch on the side of the silicone and three holes on the bottom for the speaker, microphone, and headphone port. The buttons are replicated nicely on the silicone core which allows easy manipulation of the button while the phone is in a bag or pocket.
The silicone extends to the front of the phone and provides approximately a centimeter of coverage on the top and bottom of the front face of the phone. The extra coverage will lift the phone clear off tables when resting the iPhone 5 screen down. This should spare screen protectors from unnecessary abuse on dirty tables.
The camera hole is well sized. It is large enough to not interfere with the camera’s flash. For those using iOS 7’s new accessible flashlight button, the case will marginally affect the outer edges of the overspill, the portion of the light away from the main light beam. In actual use, the difference is negligible.
Compared to previous versions of the DualPro for the iPhone 5, the cut out for the headphone port is much smaller. The original iteration was capable of handling all but the largest of audio cables designed for home audio systems. My largest headphone plug, the stock cable that are included with the Shure 215SE, was able to fit in the DualPro CF’s headphone port with a little bit of stretching of the silicone. The generous sizing of the silicone core means the case does have a bit of room to stretch to accommodate larger cables. However, you will run the risk that the stretched silicone will pop the headphone plug out of place. Luckily, the average headphone cable should be able to fit without any stretching.
The polycarbonate portion of the case is advertised as Incipio’s “Plextonium” material. It is a proprietary blend of polycarbonate that advertises better drop and scratch protection compared to regular polycarbonate. Unfortunately, I lack both the technical skills and the laboratory to test this claim in a scientific manner. However, in my experience, the Plextonium shell has held up very well in daily use. The phone has been jostled around in backpacks, unceremoniously dumped into TSA screening bins with keys and other bits of metal, and dropped a few times on accident. There are some faint scuffs and scratches on the sides of the shell, but that is it.
The back of the polycarbonate shell has a carbon fibre finish. I do not believe it is real carbon fibre, but it gives the phone a subtle but classy finish. Surprisingly, the back seems to have held up better against scratches and scuffs compared to the sides of the phone.
The two piece design of the DualPro CF makes it resistant to drops. The silicone is especially thick near the bottom and top of the case. Unfortunately, the CF’s silicone core is a little thin on the corners of the case in comparison to the tops and bottoms as the Plextonium shell needs somewhere to latch onto.
Compared to the original DualPro’s slightly rubbery surface, the CF version has a slick finish. The carbon fibre finish does give a little bit of texture, but it is not much. The trade-off compared to the original DualPro is that the DualPro CF will slide out of pockets or across desks easier. The case is thin enough to slip into most pant pockets except the front pocket of tight skinny jeans. On the other hand, the CF version will be a bit harder to grip compared to the original DualPro. The DualPro CF does not add too much bulk to the phone as it adds only 5.1mm of depth and 1.3 ounces to the already light iPhone 5/5s. Based on the case size, I believe the DualPro CF strikes an excellent balance between bulk and protection.
Incipio advertises the materials in the DualPro CF case as radio transparent. Although I cannot properly test this in a scientific manner, I did not notice any loss in reception with the case applied.
The Incipio DualPro CF takes the already excellent DualPro case and provides a new aesthetic for those looking for an extra flair compared to the original case. However, the carbon fibre look will set buyers back an extra $5.00. Personally, I find it a hefty sum for the carbon fibre finish. I feel the price point of the original DualPro is a much better value. However, the DualPro CF is still an excellent option for those looking for a durable and protective case for general use.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
This weekend saw the abundant gathering of magic players at local games stores, including Good Games, Battlecraft Games, Hall of Heroes and The Games Cube for the Theros Prerelease. The brand new addition to Magic The Gathering offers players a truly unique and exciting journey, as they explore one (if not all) of the five pathways (battle, might, ambition, wisdom and honor) of the Theros Hero’s Path.
Having attended the sealed ($40) event on Saturday from 4pm-8pm at Good Games Burwood, I found myself venturing towards the Path of Battle. On Theros, those who choose this path are energised by blood and fire (hence the colour red) and must lead a great army and thrive in combat as a warrior. Accordingly players received The Warrior hero card, Ember Swallower, a powerful elemental creature as the promo card and a red d20 life counter, along with five booster packs and a ‘seeded’ booster pack featuring strategy cards fit for the Path of Battle.
Despite choosing this Hero Pack, I decided to experiment playing with the cards I received from the Path of Might (Green) and Path of Honor (White) for the first two rounds. Surprisingly, I did better in these games against opponents, as opposed to the last two rounds of using my best red and white cards. Based on my results, I received an additional two Theros booster packs (one of which contained the white planeswalker, Elspeth, Sun’s Champion!).
For those of you who missed out on the Theros prerelease, there will be a launch weekend September 27-29 and Game Day from October 19-20, courtesy of Wizards of the Coast. For more information on the release of Theros, check out the official website here.
As you may have noticed Rockstar Games‘ Grand Theft Auto V came into being this week, raking in a billion dollars in the first three days of its release – marking the fastest time that any piece of entertainment has reached the milestone according to Take-Two Interactive. It took Call of Duty: Black Ops fifteen days to make a billion dollars. GTA V is perhaps the biggest deal that gaming has, and I haven’t played it yet.
GTA IV left me cold. I managed to slug out ten hours in the company of Niko Bellic before coming to the conclusion that bowling was as boring as all hell, and that chick that kept calling me should go die in a fire. Couldn’t I just mess around in peace? Why did driving have to be so hard? Can I have a proper mission now? Is this really the shooting mechanic?
My dislike for IV needs some context. During the previous console generation I had ended up on the Gamecube side of the fence, and being a cash poor teenager that was where I had to stay. No GTA for me. No Vice City, no San Andreas, no nostalgia. So when IV came along and bashed me around the head with boring tasks I had no drive to hang on for the good stuff.
That experience led to me being seriously unfazed by the release of GTA V. I was firm in my belief that I wasn’t a GTA person, but it was cool that the vast majority of the gaming world seemed to be. It took over everything, I saw posters everywhere I went, Twitter was bursting with GTA stuff, Facebook became a GTA V progress report network and the sales figures floating around were incredible.
Then it started – that little niggle in my head. Like some sort of gaming Gollum I began to hear little thoughts protesting the lack of GTA V in their life. “Gets it! Play it! We wants it!”. Now in a not so bizarre twist I am no longer a teenager but I am still cash poor, so it’s not possible for me to lay down the best part of $100 for a game and not bat an eyelid. I need to eat.
But should I? Should I forego a significant amount of nutrition and coffee so I can take some selfies, participate in torture and film someone having anal sex? Stephen Fry appears to be playing it, or at least is aware of it to the point of character names – Stephen Fry!
I have to say that Trevor in GTA V is not a very nice man at all… dear me.
Every man and his dog is playing this game – is that good enough reason for me to? If you never try you never know, but is it me that cares or is the media super-saturation fuddling my brain?
This disconnect I’m having seems to be a common theme – Capsule Computer’s Joe Morgan has already spoken about his experience with the franchise in Grand Theft Abstinence, and I share a similar world view when it comes to crime drama – for the most part it just leaves me cold.
There’s also been a lot of drama around reviewers for a handful of websites who haven’t rated GTA V quite as highly as everyone else – or maybe a better way to express it is that they haven’t rated it as highly as the public think they should have. That’s a stupid avenue to start travelling down internet dwellers – free press remember?
But with my Gollum moment I began to understand why there had been such a backlash against these reviewers. If someone with little previous experience of the franchise and a firm disinterest in it can suddenly want to play it for reasons purely stemming from media exposure and peer pressure – how are the people who are huge fans affected by this stuff? If I can feel the cultural effect of this game release, what’s it like for those in deep already?
What’s it like for the guy who lined up at midnight, got his copy of GTA V and was then stabbed and mugged on his way home? His attackers may have mugged him regardless of the game being involved, but the story certainly plays into the cultural cocoon that is forming around GTA. I’m willing to bet that the mugging wouldn’t have hit the media the way it did if the guy had been walking home with a copy of any other game.
The strength of the Grand Theft Auto phenomenon is undeniable – it is one of the few games that can break out of the gamer world and take it’s billion dollar haul stomping around the grounds of mainstream pop culture. People, not just gamers, pay attention when GTA is around. It’s a financial and critical success, has a pop culture impact and social media presence to die for, and it’ll most likely walk away with numerous game of the year awards.
If you haven’t heard, Aksys Games is going to be publishing a certain digital game created by ORiGO Games and Extend Studios called A.R.E.S. Extinction Agenda EX on the XBLA, but at the time of the game’s announcement gamers had no idea when the game would be released.
Well today Aksys Games has announced that A.R.E.S. Extinction Agenda EX is going to be released on the XBLA on October 2nd around the world. A.R.E.S. Extinction Agenda EX is an action side-scrolling platformer where players take control of Ares, an alien cyborg tasked with ending Zytron’s reign of terror and saving Minos Station.
