Focus Home Interactive has released a set of new screenshots for the console version of Farming Simulator, showing tractors, livestock and some harvesting. Be sure to check them out below!
Giants Software is adding an American backdrop to the game which saw only European farms on the traditional PC platform. It will roughly double the size of the gameplay area and boasts new vehicles exclusive to the console version.
Interestingly, but perhaps unsurprisingly, DLC was also mentioned with “additional content that will add new vehicles” being promised by the end of the year.
Farming Simulator will be available on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, as well as the PlayStation Network for download, on September 5 in Europe and Japan. A release in North America is planned shortly after.
2K Games have just released a brand new developer diary video for their upcoming and hotly anticipated 2K Drive game. The developers of the game are none other than the awesome team at Lucid, the same guys who brought you such titles as Blur and Project Gotham Racing.
With the developer diary video, the team at Lucid give us a behind the scenes look at this upcoming console-quality iOS racing game. You can check out the 2K Drive developer diary video for yourself below. Stay tuned for more information on this hot upcoming iOS racing title as it comes to light.
Charlie Murder Developer:Ska Studios Publisher:Ska Studios Platforms:Xbox 360 (XBLA) Release Date: Out Now Price:$9.99 – Available Here
Overview
Ska Studio’s latest outing; Charlie Murder, is a punk-rock inspired, side-scrolling beat ’em up. Drawing inspiration from the arcade classics of old, and mixing them with some modern day RPG elements, a kick-ass soundtrack, and visceral, graffiti style art work, Ska Studios has allowed them to create a memorable experience that is not only worthy of the Summer of Arcade, but almost a must-have for any Xbox owner.
Story
Charlie Murder’s story takes a while to show itself, and this can be a mixed blessing. It took a few levels before I had any idea why we were fighting hordes of the undead. The beginning stages of the game almost imply that it is a “just because” situation. This can turn many gamers off, but if you persevere the story starts to unfold and it is actually an enjoyable tale.
I think most people can relate to the feeling of a band breaking up. Either a band we love parts ways, or a band a friend of ours was absolutely obsessed with calls it quits. Charlie Murder is a story about a band who does just that, and about an old member who becomes so full of rage and angst that he becomes the embodiment of evil.
As you play through the game, you will be treated to flashbacks of the band member’s lives. These serve to paint a portrait of the life and timed of these punk rockers prior to them being hunted by demons. Many of these will portray the band in quite a bad light and make it difficult to sympathise with their plight.
Gameplay
Charlie Murder has its roots squarely in the realm of old-school beat ’em up. Much like Breath of Fire, Double Dragon or even Scott Pilgrim before it, you control your character through various 2-dimensional stages, beating down enemies as you go. What really separates Charlie from his other well-known brothers is the slick RPG elements added in.
At the beginning of the game, you are given the option to pick your character. In most beat ’em ups this would be limited to a pallet swap, or maybe a few different attacks. In Charlie Murder however, it changes the game completely. Each character has their own class. Many of these classes will be immediately recognisable to anyone who has played an RPG before. The Shaman acts as a summoner, the Tank can take a lot of hits, and the Mage does magic related stuff. It is all pretty standard stuff for the genre, but its presentationputs it into a class of its own.
As each character in Charlie Murder is a band member, all of their skills and abilities revolve around their chosen instrument. The Shaman is the bassist of the group, and he strums a wicked solo to summon his rolling saw blade of death, while the Minstrel screams into her microphone to damage her enemies. It all fits seamlessly together to create this unified world where everything makes sense.
Aside from general character class business, the game incorporates a slew of other RPG elements. Everything you would expect to be able to do in a modern RPG is here, from customising your character appearance and skills through various items, armor and gear, to upgrading certain stats like speed or strength.
The sheer volume of enemy types is nothing to laugh about either. It seems that almost every enemy you face is unique and different. This extends beyond their appearance and even goes into how they move and how they attack. Everything from demons, and zombies through to ninjas are thrown into the mix, and yet somehow it all just seems to work.
Enemies aren’t the only thing that there are a plentiful amount of. Weapons and pick-ups scattered across the ground really mix up the game. Car tires, decapitated arms, giant AK-47s, grenades and tonnes more! Charlie Murder keeps the game fresh by constantly mixing up the enemies, the weapons and the item drops so that you are never bored.
Visuals
Have you ever been walking past a wall or building that was covered in graffiti so good that you just had to stop and stare? That is Charlie Murder. The world and characters of this game all look like they were spray painted onto a wall by some incredibly talented youths. The art style has become a mainstay of Ska Studios games, but here it really gets a chance to shine.
The pseud0-graffiti art style is so awesomely done that you would be forgiven for thinking at a passing glance that there was little to no detail in the characters and levels. However, spend a few seconds looking at Charlie Murder and you will see an enormous wealth of fine detailing and life hidden in plain sight. Characters are surprisingly expressive considering they have no eyes, and the level design and backgrounds are filled with so much life, that you can imagine this world being real. Even unnecessary posters in the background are highly detailed and are just a pleasure to look at.
One thing really does stand out in Charlie Murder, and that is the gore factor. The game is very visceral, and violent. As you carve your way through enemy after enemy, you will see very intricate blood stains litter the levels. A lot of the finishing animations and super moves are
Audio
Charlie Murder features an absolute KILLER soundtrack, that is easily one of the best I have listened to in a long time. A bunch of punk rock tunes with some really Gothic influences make for a fantastic video game soundtrack. I always find the measure of how good a game’s soundtrack is if it would stand up on its own, without the game behind it. Charlie Murder does this to perfection. You could easily listen to the entire soundtrack without ever knowing there was a game attached.
Charlie Murder is another video game that lacks any discernable dialogue, and this means that you are left interpreting the tone and emotions of the game and its characters from the little visual and audio nuances. This is another area where Charlie Murder absolutely shines. I was never lost for what was going on, or how I should be reacting during my playthrough, which says a lot about the work that has gone into the game’s audio.
Overall
Charlie Murder is a punk-rock, anarchist dream, filled with awesome graffiti-style art, and a killer soundtrack. The presentation is certainly only the icing on the cake though, as the game elements are rock solid. Taking the time-tested ‘beat ‘ em up’ formula, and modernising it with some interesting RPG elements makes for a game that is as fun to play as it is to watch.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Overview Make one odd game and the gaming community will be surprised that something unique has been released. Make a number of them and that is what gamers come to expect and after games such as Killer7, No More Heroes, Shadows of the Damned and Lollipop Chainsaw hit store shelves, everyone is keeping an eye out on Grasshopper Manufacture’s latest game Killer is Dead. Now with XSEED Games bringing the game to store shelves, is Killer is Dead everything that gamers have come to expect from the mind of Suda51?
Story Killer is Dead takes place in a time where not only is travel to the moon available for many people, but demons and other creatures have also begun roaming the lands and lurking in human society. Thankfully, technological advancements have also given rise to cybernetic implants and body parts which not only make life easier for some, but also serve as useful killing weapons in the right hands.
Players take control of one such man who is named Mondo Zappa, a recent hire at an execution office that is supplied and funded by the government to be the first line of defense against various threats. Though along these lines, the company also takes in numerous requests for assistance from the public which always revolve around Mondo having to travel to a different location in the world and slicing his way through numerous ‘Wire’ enemies before reaching his target.
Sadly, thanks to the nature of these scattered missions, the overall story is left in quite a mess. Many of the characters that players are introduced to, such as Mondo’s co-workers, play minimal side-roles in cut-scenes despite having pasts and various elements of themselves that could easily have been explored, if the game were longer and less protagonist focused.
Thanks to the game’s focus on Mondo and his troubled past and internal issues as he makes his way through the various assassination missions which ultimately lead into a rather interesting storyline that, similar to Suda51 style, is quite crazy at times. The crazy nature of Killer is Dead’s story is weighed down however thanks to the scattered nature of the missions and untapped potential in the rest of the characters.
Gameplay Outside of a certain side-mission, Killer is Dead is an action title with its gameplay focused almost entirely on Mondo’s combat abilities. Mondo’s primary weapon is his trusty sword while his cybernetic arm “Musselback” serves as a secondary weapon. Interestingly enough, Mondo’s sword is able to absorb blood and can be used to not only strengthen Mondo but also give him a slew of abilities to quickly overwhelm his foes.
At the beginning of the game, players are given only a rather basic set of skills and are left to simply slice and dice their opponents. The reason for this is due to the fact that the game takes its time to introduce the game’s combat system to players, although it doesn’t end up being too complex compared to some of the action titles on the market today.
Mondo can not only slice enemies with his sword, he can break opponents’ guards with his arm, block, dodge incoming attacks that, when performed correctly, lead to a powerful counter attack, “execute” basic enemies and eventually turn Musselback into numerous other weapons to aid his fight. Using Musselback’s secondary weapon makes use of a blood meter, limiting their usage in combat but not by much.
As players take out enemies, a gauge will keep track of your combo and if you manage to keep a relatively high combo meter when an enemy is weak there is a chance that you can “execute” them. Doing so gives players four options to execute the opponent, each one providing the player with a different item and giving players a chance to choose how they want to build Mondo as they make their way through the game’s missions.
Outside of the various boss battles and humanoid enemies you will face off against, the bulk of the enemies that Mondo faces down are called Wires which usually come in a rather basic vanilla form where they simply have to be taken out with standard attacks but thankfully their types are changed up occasionally with some Wires being armored or gigantic meaning that players have to change up their tactics to take them down.
While the player advances through the game’s storyline, there are numerous side-missions that are opened up. These side missions retread old ground but give players new enemies to face off against and a different goal. Also if the player happens to find Scarlett in a level, she will provide the player with a challenge mission that can also be played for extra cash and a chance to take her on a date of course.
Also unlocked through playing the game are various ‘Gigolo Missions’ which are the aforementioned “dates.” These dates involve Mondo going out with a woman as players play a mini-game of sorts. In Gigolo Missions players must stare at the girls’ breasts or thighs when they aren’t looking and look them in the eyes when they are. If you happen to be caught staring then you can restore the mood by simply looking away, but you can fail if you blow it.
These missions are rather easy to accomplish and are actually worth doing as they will reward the player with a new sub-weapon upgrade to Musselback. As for the content of the Gigolo Missions, nothing is actually shown once the player “seals the deal” and it is rather over-the-top and simplistic, giving those who enjoy that type of fan-service a chance to enjoy it while others can simply pass over these missions since they are not mandatory or deal with them as they are about as far from explicit as you can get unless you choose to make it that way.
Visuals Sometimes all you need is style and Killer is Dead has that in spades. With a cel-shaded theme, the game is absolutely gorgeous to look at despite being limited with some rough looking character models. Everything in the game, from the characters to the levels ooze with style and it all flows together well with fluid character animations and a flowing combat system.
Although the title has its fair share of repetitive corridors, almost every level that players venture through in Killer is Dead is set in a unique location with some rather off-the-wall themes for most of the levels. The enemies themselves tend to feel a bit repetitive but thankfully the game makes up for this repetition with some of the best looking boss designs that you’ll find in recent memories. Thanks to the visual style of the series, there are many eccentric and haunting looking creatures to face off against.
Audio With Killer is Dead both the original Japanese voice track and the newly dubbed English dub are available for players to choose from right at the main menu and for the most part each track works rather well. The English cast fit the characters well, though Mika’s voice actress seems a bit too young sounding for a girl meant to be past her teens.
As for the game’s soundtrack, it is rather standard for an action game with only a few noteworthy set-pieces for various battles and nothing else, meaning it is easy to forget about the music as you slice your way through enemies.
Overall While far from complicated, the combat works well and there is a decent amount of content on display here since while the game only around seven or eight hours, challenges can be completed numerous times, there are a handful of unlockables available and levels can be played through on harder difficulties if you so choose. Killer is Dead features all of the quirks that one would expect from a Suda51 title with an interesting setting, gorgeous visuals and a decent cast of characters that set it apart from other titles, however the storyline is rather simplistic and disjointed thanks to the way the missions are setup.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
It’s strange to call the forthcoming trailer “the official trailer”, as if it is the first when we have already seen videos released on our three player protagonists, a walkthrough of the game’s features and a spotlight on GTA Online.
But nonetheless, Rockstar can call it whatever the heck they want – any footage we can get, we will take! This Friday, August 30th, the Grand Theft Auto V ‘official trailer’ will debut at the Rockstar Newswire and the GTA V site. Of course, we will also be sharing it with you all here on Capsule Computers as soon as we can. Exact times/details will be provided shortly.
After nearly a year, Activision‘s Call of Duty: Black Ops II is wrapping up its DLC offerings, and with a brand new map pack that has hit the Xbox Live Arcade as of today. Apocalypse brings together four new maps and a brand new Zombies Mode for fans to toy around with by the name of “Origins”, which takes us back with Tank, Nikolai, Takeo, and Richtofen – from the very first Zombies map featured in Call of Duty: World at War. Treyarch have also brought back Avenged Sevenfold (yay?) to cover the soundtrack, as well as boasting about the new enlistment of famed comics illustrator and painter, Alex Ross.
Here are the details for the maps and new modes:
Pod: A failed utopian community from the 70’s has left stacks of dilapidated residential pods nestled into an abandoned cliff side in Taiwan. Its residents long gone, the modernist compound now hosts frenetic combat as players must run atop the pods, as well as navigate their multi-tiered interiors for a strategic edge.
Frost: Fresh snow meets explosive gunpowder in this snow-capped European city, where the bridge over a frozen canal separates it into two sides, requiring players to employ multi-level strategies as they traverse the terrain in order to outsmart, and ultimately outshoot their enemies.
Takeoff: Fans of “Stadium” from the original Call of Duty®: Black Ops First Strike DLC will find themselves at home on “Takeoff.” Marooned in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, this remote launch site is all about close-quarters combat, combining tight corners with open spaces for intense encounters.
Dig: An adaptation of the fan-favourite “Courtyard” from Call of Duty: World at War, where two archeological dig sites in Afghanistan become the perfect playground for combatants eager for hectic, unceasing confrontations. Treyarch, has retained the spirit of “Courtyard” with two major chokepoints and a wide open layout with raised platforms, but has also provided fans with a fresh take by including a multitude of pathways.
In addition to the four maps, Apocalypse also reveals “Origins,” the most horrifying and imaginative Zombies experience to date. Players will be deployed to a Dieselpunk-stylized World War I-era France that brings back the four original heroes – Tank, Nikolai, Takeo, and Richtofen – from the very first Zombies map featured in Call of Duty: World at War, as well as hordes of zombies that have overrun the French countryside’s trenches and fields, as well as the ruins of an ancient and mysterious location.
Apocalypse also marks Treyarch’s partnership with award-winning Warner Bros. Records rock band, Avenged Sevenfold, whose new song, “Shepherd of Fire” from their just released album, “Hail to the King,” headlines the soundtrack to the game’s Zombies experience.
Along with Avenged Sevenfold, Treyarch also enlisted the talent of famed comics illustrator and painter, Alex Ross, to lend his talent to “Origins,” providing original Zombies art depicting the four returning hero characters.
And there you have it. You can pick up Apocalypse for Black Ops II as of today or snag it for free if you have already made the plunge with the season pass. Stay tuned, as dates for the release of the PS3/PC versions are sure to follow soon enough.
With the success of the Just Dance series which incorporated a unique premise of using a console’s motion capture technology to track how well a player danced to the on screen choreography, it’s not surprising that alot of games with a similar premise were created. The latest effort to capitalize off the dance game craze is Sega’s new game Go Dance, which will be coming to iPhone and iPad devices running iOS 6 or better this Fall. The game will support both English and Japanese language options.
Go Dance will be utilizing the FaceTime camera on player’s devices and Extreme Reality Motion technology to track a player’s full body movement in 3D space and determine their score. Players can boost their score by dancing to the music and following the choreography of their avatars displayed on the screen. Haruki Satomi, CEO of SEGA Networks released a statement about the game’s announcement.
“GO DANCE is an innovative and fun way for players to interact with their iPhone or iPad and enjoy playing a dance game anytime and anywhere. We’re excited to push mobile to the limit and to have the opportunity to explore the possibilities of using this new motion-based sensor technology.”
New songs, backgrounds and avatars will be announced closer to release date.
If you happen to need a strategy guide for your strategy RPG then we have some good news for you. NIS America has announced that they will be holding a special promotion with Prima games where anyone who picks up the official hardcover strategy guide for the game will receive a free DLC code that will unlock Raspberyl from Disgaea 3 for use in Disgaea D2 as well as one of three possible art lithographs.
The strategy guide costs $34.99 but can currently be pre-orderedfor $23.48. As for the game itself, it is set to be released in North America on October 8th and a week and a half earlier in Europe on September 27th.
After announcing that it was going to be localized oh so many months ago and before it was delayed a handful of times in Japan, NIS America has now announced the official English title for The Witch and the Hundred Knights.
The title remains intact for the most part, though they did drop the plural from the s and are now simply calling it The Witch and the Hundred Knight. It is worth noting that, probably due to its affiliation with a certain band, the main character’s name, Metallica, has been changed to Metallia. As for the game’s release window, fans can expect the PS3 exclusive to hit stores sometime in early 2014 for both North America and Europe.
After detailing the system for Chinese players, Snail Games (makers of Age of Wushu) have now explained to and updated Western gamers about ‘Black Gold Time’ – an innovative F2P alternative for the action-MMOBlack Gold Online that does away with the usual cash shop.
Due for launch in China very shortly, the system has instigated discussions amongst fans, but the developer is promising a revamped version for North America that will offer a completely different gameplay experience. The concept may seem complicated at first glance, so here is a helpful summary provided to us by Snail Games themselves:
No loot lock: item/equipment can be acquired in-game without the system
No content lock: contents are available to all players
The system will not hinder gearing and progression
The system will reward extra loot to players with higher efficiency
For those who want to learn more about Black Gold Online’s monetization model, please click here.
