Kickstarter seems to be the place to go if you want to develop games based on emerging sports. There aren’t many sports games that can generate as much hype as titanic franchises like FIFA or Madden, so for more niche sports like lacrosse, the crowdfunding possibilities of Kickstarter are a godsend to devout fans.
Crosse Studios are partnering up with Big Ant Studios in order to develop Lacrosse 14, coined as, “A video game that captures the authenticity and realism of lacrosse like never before.” The Pittsburgh based studio, developers of three College Lacrosse games, promised that this title will feature online multiplayer, high fidelity graphics, character customization,and a dynasty mode that spans multiple years. An extra cool feature of the Kickstarter means that fans who preorder the game will be able to have their name and face put into the game, allowing them to play as themselves when the game is released.
Lacrosse 14 will be funded by a Kickstarter campaign and should be available for PS3, Xbox 360, and PC in Spring 2014.
In the 90s, arcades were packed out with guys crowding Street Fighter II, waiting for Chun-Li to do her “spinning bird kick”, hoping to see that pixelated panty shot. In 2013, the mentality of fighting game fans has changed very little. From the outfit of King of Fighters‘ Mai Shiranui to pretty much everything in Dead or Alive, female characters in fighting games have always been fan favourites. It was only a matter of time until an all female roster like Skullgirlstook us all by storm. Now meet Girl Fight, another fighting game hoping to capitalise on a similar ideal. But with an experience that’s mediocre at best, Girl Fight stands as a reminder that you need more than just boobs to make a fighting game good.
Story
With a name as creative as Girl Fight, it’s surprising this game even has a story to tell. Regardless, Girl Fight does have a minor plot linking it all together, which seems to have as little creativity as it’s title. An evil corporation called The Foundation has discovered that women possess powers that men don’t have for some unexplained reason. If this game wasn’t so aggressively sexualised, you’d may mistake this for a feminist view. The Foundation then takes a bunch of chicks and puts then into a computer simulation (which is also unexplained) and they are forced to fight so the computer can gather data on them. Each battle in the usual arcade mode starts with a sentence about your character to give a hint to their backstory, with a voice that sounds like the iPhone’s Siri. However, while these motivations are used to break up combat, there is basically no ending to any of the characters worth paying attention to. Also with no voice acting from any of the actual fighters and no cut scenes, this story is so paper thin there may as well be no story at all.
Gameplay
Girl Fight is painfully generic, however it’s core mechanics are solid. This 3D fighter takes heavy inspiration from games like Tekken and Dead or Alive and is more or less a 4 button fighter. You have one button to kick, one to punch, one to block Mortal Kombat style and one to grab/throw. The two triggers are used for specials, but we’ll get into that later. There is no real variety in characters as they all seem to have very similar combos, height and weight, so while there is a decent sized roster they all essentially play the same. While 3D movement is present, combat still takes place mostly on a 2D scale, and with no projectiles or flashy special moves besides a throw, there’s not really much present to keep players interested after a few rounds. All this pretty much boils down to the fact that with such minor variations in both the roster and combat, little strategy is involved and it all comes down to simple button mashing for the most part. Heck on my first try of the “inhuman” difficulty with a character I never used before I got a perfect in the first round….and I didn’t even know any moves!
In all fairness, it should be noted that the basics are done well for a cheap XBLA title. Girl Fight also makes a couple attempts to be innovative as well with a large focus on character customisation. Before a battle players can pick two specials to assign to their two shoulder triggers. These can range from powerful attacks, power ups and even health recovery. These burn meter so they are used sparingly. While this is a nice touch and may seem to add a little depth, it’s also the only specials characters can do since they don’t have any themselves. This means every character is able to use the same meter burning special attacks. Furthermore, with online play it’s almost impossible to find a competitor online, so the multiplayer’s wager system for in-game currency is seldom seen in action. This currency is earned in both single player and multiplayer combat and can be used to purchase more costumes, moves and more in an attempt to expand the game’s life. So it is nice to see Girl Fight has tried to go beyond the bare minimum of a fighting game, even if it isn’t by much.
Audio & Visual
For a game that relies so heavily on good looking women, you’d think it’d look better. 3D models are of an Xbox/Playstation 2/GameCube standard, but you shouldn’t expect much more from a digital download title anyways. Textures are ok, not great and animation can be a little stiff. Character design is incredibly generic and boring as well. The asian warrior’s name is Shogun, the military chick’s name is Warchild, you get the idea. It’s just female versions of typical clichés, rinse and repeat with no charisma at all. Upon winning arcade mode and other challenges players can unlock sexy artwork of the fighters and see similar styled pics during loading screens. These are nicely penciled but do little to add to the experience. The soundtrack consists of electronic music which suit the tone of the game, but the production of a couple of the more dubstep-influenced tracks seem slightly subpar in terms of quality. No voice acting is present for any of the playable characters, and instead we only get the announcer who also is the only voice talent for the story. Note I use the word “talent” loosely as it’s basically just a boring robotic voice that sounds pretty much exactly like the iPhone’s Siri.
Overall
Girl Fight is the most basic, stripped down version of a generic 3D fighting game. The core mechanics are present and are quite solid, but there are no bells and whistles to actually draw you in. Uncreative character design, the roster has little to no variety, no proper voice acting, stiff animations and lacklustre gameplay results in a game with nothing to offer. It seems the developers know how to make a fighter that feels solid and responsive, but haven’t put much effort in surprising the player or providing much…well, fun. Ultimately, it’s major flaws all lie in fields of design and polish. Like I said earlier, it takes more than just boobs to make a good fighting game.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Nintendo loves to release their consoles in a variety of colours and limited editions and the 3DS has been no exception. We’ve seen Pokemon themes, Animal Crossing themes and now, a previously exclusive to Japan Luigi themed 3DS XL is joining the group as well as another Legend of Zelda edition based on the newest title A Link Between Worlds.
The Luigi themed console is white with Luigi silhouettes plastered all over the cover in different shades of green. The console nicely caps off the Year of Luigi which Nintendo has been celebrating this year. The console will cost £179.99 and is available from November 1. The Zelda themed console comes with a download code for the new game The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds. The console is gold on top and black on to the bottom and when opened, the forms the game’s logo of the two Triforce’s. In releated news, the retail version of the game will come with a reversible cover allowing players to choose between the all gold cover or a full colour depiction. A Link Between Worlds releases on November 22nd with the limited edition console releasing on the same day at a price of £199.99.
The bad news is these consoles have only been confirmed for a release in Europe so far. Check out the gallery below for pictures of the new consoles and the reversible cover. Has this tempted you to buy a 3DS or maybe even add another to your collection? Let us know in the comments below.
If you’ve been agonizing over whether you should jump at the chance to play Watch Dogs on current generation consoles or pick it up on a next gen machine then you no longer need to worry about it for quite some time since the game, originally slated to be released in mid-November for various consoles, has now been delayed by Ubisoft.
The game is now going to be released on all platforms sometime in Spring 2014 and while it is certainly an odd choice to delay a game one month from release for at least another five months, apparently the team has been struggling with whether or not the game should be delayed but ultimately decided to delay it so that they could “take the extra time to polish and fine tune every detail so we can deliver a truly memorable and exceptional experience.”
While Ubisoft had never claimed that The Crew would be a launch title for next-gen consoles, it had been something of a launch window game but that is no longer the case. Today in an investor call Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot stated that the game which was originally meant to be released in early 2014 has now been pushed back into Q2 of the 2015 fiscal year.
While this may sound bad, it is worth noting that this delay only means that the game has now undergone only a few month delay and is still likely going to be released sometime in mid-2014. Despite this delay we recently had some hands on time with the game and you can read about that here.
If you’re looking for a new action RPG for the Vita then you may be happy to hear that Valhalla Knights 3 from XSEED Games is now available for purchase in North America. The title will cost $39.99 and is available both physically and digitally.
As for gamers in Europe and other PAL regions, the game has been announced for digital release in those areas and they can expect it to be available digitally on October 23rd for the price of £24.99 and €29.99. To see whether or not the game is worth picking up you can find our review for Valhalla Knights 3 here.
Today Tecmo Koei has announced that they will be releasing some new DLC for Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate and Core Fighters and it all has to do with a certain spooky holiday at the end of this month. The DLC is partially free and partially expensive all at the same time.
The free DLC will be a re-skinned fan favorite stage called “Haunted Lorelei” which has been modified to be more spooky with new music, lighting effects and other things. As for the paid DLC, gamers can purchase the costume pack which provides new costumes for all 28 fighters in the game which range from comedic looking simple costumes to sexy and slutty outfits all in one package. You can check out all of the costumes and the stage in the screenshots and trailer below.
With Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director’s Cut set to release next week those looking for a bit more on what changes are coming for the Wii U version, possibly as well as Smart Glass and PS Vita functionality. A new gameplay trailer just released today by Square Enix and Eidos-Montreal has the lowdown on Infologs, second screen, and a host of other features.
The Director’s Cut of Deus Ex: Human Revolution looks to make the game a more inclusive experience with friends by letting players make notes via the GamePad and posting them to the Miiverse for friends to use. This will allow players to show off their path through levels or point out secrets and collectibles. But, of course the best addition may well be the quick inventory to easily change tactics.
Those wanting to see all the new features in action and how the GamePad will function in gameplay can watch the trailer for themselves embedded below. Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director’s Cut is set to release October 25th, 2013 for Wii U, Xbox 360, PS3, and PC.
After the successful release of Pokemon X and Y (Review X and Review Y) and the inclusion of Mega Evolutions it looks like those Mega Evolutions are ready to make the transition to the Pokemon Trading Card Game. Starting in February 2014, new 10-card booster packs will be available for the trading card game.
While the XY expansion will have the Kalos Starter Set releasing in November, which will include Fairy-type Pokemon, the first in the trading card game with resistance to Darkness-type, the Pokemon Trading Card Game: XY expansion will also include new Pokemon-EX cards, specific versions of cards that allow for the Mega Evolution. But, trading card players will have to carefully consider when they will try to activate the Mega Evolution, as it immediately ends their turn, with no chance to attack until it is their turn again.
So, with all the big changes that came with the Pokemon X and YNintendo 3DS video game, the trading card game will be catching up in February 2014. Those looking to be Master Trainers of the Pokemon TCG should start planning on how to build their decks.
Valhalla Knights 3 Developer:K2 LLC Publisher:XSEED Games Platforms: PS Vita (Reviewed) Release Date: October 15, 2013 Price: $39.99 – Available Here
Overview
The Valhalla Knights franchise has been around on portable PlayStation systems since its franchise debut in 2006. With the release of the PlayStation Vita, K2 LLC and XSEED are once again looking to deliver an action roleplaying game to folks with that fantasy itch. How does the newest entry into the franchise hold up, though? Will it feast alongside the warriors in paradise or should it be vanquished to Niflheim for eternal punishment? Let’s find out.
Character customization is surprisingly elaborate
Story
The tales have long been told of a rare treasure that can grant a wish to anyone who finds it. Legend claims that W. Flockhart, a notorious criminal, found such a treasure, but vanished and was never heard from again. Known as “Flockhart’s Legacy,” you are sent into Carceron Prison as a spy in order to locate and secure the treasure against your will – but there is much more going on inside the prison than you ever could have imagined. Now the clock is ticking and you’ll have to use everything at your disposal to uncover the treasure of legend.
Battles are interesting, especially with a posse.
Gameplay
At its core, Valhalla Knights 3 is an action RPG to the core. When the game starts out, you’ll create your own character, choosing race, job class, and customized looks. As you progress through the story, much more opens up to you, letting you choose the play style that best suits you.
There are initially four races to choose from: Human, elf, dwarf, and halfling. As you progress through the story, you can unlock three races with which you can create allies. Beyond the choice of race, you’re also given the option of a job class. This can range everywhere from mage or priest to archer, soldier, and beyond. When all is said and done, there are around 20 job classes you can choose, as well as the opportunity to take on subclasses. This presents great flexibility, really giving the players control over their own destinies.
As you complete quests and vanquish foes, you’ll be awarded with experience, just like virtually every other role playing game. With more experience comes more levels, which boost your stats. You’re also granted skill points which accumulate over time, eventually allowing you to get new skills for the classes you’re playing.
Finders, Keepers! Looting could earn your next upgrade.
On top of customizing your skills throughout the game, you’re able to continually build up your arsenal of weaponry and armor. Depending on your class, you may be locked to certain weapons, but each weapon boasts a combat style all its own. Gearing up is a satisfying experience in and of itself, as your physical appearance changes with each new piece of gear. I love it when games do that. Why can’t every game do that!?
Combat itself can be both a satisfying and frustrating experience. Dispatching a large group of enemies quickly has a great sense of accomplishment tied to it, and looting the corpses (and occasionally chests) is a great way to find new gear of useful items. When you’re running around the world with your weapon drawn, however, targeting enemies is about as accurate as hitting a Lamborghini with a spitball after you’ve been spun in circles. Even though you can take out enemies in the field, there’s absolutely no easy way to target them before they officially “engage” in battle with you. It feels both frustrating and completely unnecessary. Once you’re engaged in combat with enemies, the mechanics can shift a bit. Targeting specific foes becomes much easier and everything flows a bit better.
You can swap between up to 7 characters at a time.
From the perspective of progressing the story and taking on quests, Valhalla Knights 3 quickly turns into an absolute grind. Your party will initially consist of three members you can switch between at-will with the Select button. Without giving you any real guidance, though, storyline missions can quickly ramp up to require a party of six, and even still you’ll have to spend an hour or two taking on side quests and fighting mobs to earn what you’ll need to properly toughen-up and outfit your full squad. It feels like an unnecessary hindrance to proceed through the story.
Dealing with vendors in Carceron is a weird situation all unto itself. Early in the game, you can go to the slums and deal with them as you would expect to any other vendors. Once you’ve progressed beyond what paltry gear they can offer, though, you’ll have to deal with the concept of paying for your vendor. That’s right – you have to shell over money just to look at their wares. It goes even deeper beyond that, though.
The vendors you have to pay to deal with are often quite scantily clad. As you purchase armor, gear, new soldiers, quests, or whatever else from them, though, you’re given the opportunity to play a mini-game with the name “Sexy Time,” where you have to try to pop bubbles and give the vendor a kiss. You can also give them gifts. If you invest enough into them, you can eventually take them to the hotel…for obvious reasons. It’s an entire system that feels both pandering and off-putting, and would have been better left out.
Some of the mini-games feel done in poor taste.
On top of the hyper-sexualized vendor interactions, the game has a few other problems. The constant grind to keep up with the story is frustrating enough, but the game will also beat you to death with loading screens, which is somewhat baffling given how poor the game looks compared to its Vita contemporaries. Also consider the lack of a good quick-travel system, and you’re left burning up a lot of time just to hoof it to where you want to go.
Visuals
As much as it pains me to say it, Valhalla Knights 3 is probably the single worst looking Vita game released to date. It looks like a PSP game that has been ported to the Vita without any consideration of up-rezzing the graphics, which is a real shame since games like Ragnarok Odyssey are so sharp and colorful. Animation also feels weird. NPCs don’t really walk in the environment so much as they moonwalk through the environment. The scale of movement to environment feels disproportionate. The developers made sure they properly animated the physics of the female anatomy, though.
Audio Valhalla Knights 3 genuinely has a fantastic soundtrack. Whether you’re running around the prison and dealing with NPCs, or squaring off with mobs out in the world, you’ll enjoy the orchestral tunes that accompany your exploits. The sound effects fit well enough. When you’re involved in conversations, though, there will occasionally be some odd spoken clips that don’t really fit. Otherwise, the sound design in Valhalla Knights 3 is quite enjoyable.
Overall
Overall, Valhalla Knights 3 is a really difficult game to recommend. The soundtrack is fantastic and the combat and progression systems are fun, but the game very quickly becomes too much of a grind. On top of that, several poor design decisions, rough-looking graphics, and bawdy hypersexualization drag down what had the potential to be an incredible Vita experience.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
