Home console based Castlevania fans who do not own a Nintendo 3DS console will no longer have to lust after the handheld console. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate is being remastered in high definition and released to Xbox Live and PlayStation Network this Halloween. In addition to the HD remake, a special Castlevania: Lords of Shadow Collection containing Castlevania: Lords of Shadow plus the DLC and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate HD will be available at retail stores for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on October 31st, 2013.
“We are delighted to be able to bring Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate HD to an all-new audience,” commented Dave Cox, Studio Head of European Production at Konami Digital Entertainment. “The game acts as the perfect accompaniment to the forthcoming Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 and will deliver a stunning slice of action and exploration, while unpeeling more layers regarding the lineage and true destiny of the Belmont family.”
Konami will have a playable demo of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate HD at Gamescom. There is no word on pricing.
Bundle Stars has put together a bundle of four classic strategy games available as DRM-free downloads for $4.00. The bundle contains business simulator Capitalism 2, fantasy RTS Seven Kingdoms II: The Fryhtan Wars, RPG/RTS Warlords Battlecry 3, and action strategy title Joan of Arc. The bundle will save buyers over 90% off the retail pricing. All four games run exclusively on Windows PCs.
5% of the profits will go to benefit the British charity SpecialEffect which helps those suffering from physical disabilities, including veterans returning from war and those born with birth defects, play video games. The deal will run for two weeks at Bundle Stars.
Gaijin Entertainment, the developers behind Birds of Steel, has released a World War II free to play flight simWar Thunder. The game is in open beta and has already roped in over three million players. Recently, the game was released on Steam and now, Gaijin Entertainment will be bringing the PlayStation 4 version of the game to Gamescom.
“Sony has been a great partner in bringing War Thunder to PS4, and we are excited to show the console version for the first time this year at Gamescom”, said Kirill Yudintsev, Creative Director, Gaijin Entertainment. “We have harnessed the power of the PS4 to deliver cutting-edge graphics, cross platform battles with PC players, intelligent personalization and deeply integrated social capabilities to appeal to seasoned players and PlayStation enthusiasts alike. More details about the console version will be announced at Gamescom 2013”.
The PC version will be available for testing at the Gaijin Entertainment booth. Those not attending Gamescom can check out the game by downloading a free copy on Steam.
EA has announced a brand new Dragon Age game, but it wont be coming from the division one might expect as this new title is coming from EA Mobile. In a partnership with BioWare, EA Mobile will be bringing the new Heroes of Dragon Age game to mobile devices for free download. Where players will be able build a squad of heroes to combat the forces of darkness as well as other players.
With 3D figures of both heroes and monsters, players will be tasked with picking the best group in the best formation to take on all their opponents, as they try to collect even more heroes, level them up, and complete quests. Those wanting to reach the top of the leaderboard will do well to plan out the best strategies with their heroes or face defeat.
Heroes of Dragon Age is a cross-platform mobile game that will feature a multitude of characters from across the Dragon Age series. Though there aren’t many details right now, more is set to follow when the game is shown at GamesCom.
Microsoft has released a new trailer today showing off their evidence that the Xbox One has the best games. From awards given to their line up for Xbox One at conventions, to the exclusives that third party games have through Xbox One the trailer does an interesting job of covering all the bases and all the best games.
Exclusive sequels like Forza Motorsport 5, Dead Rising 3, and Halo are pretty easy to tote on Xbox One’s best list just by being exclusive and only available through the next-gen console. Then there are the new IPs that will be coming like Titanfall and Ryse: Son of Rome and the new Killer Instinct that will certainly please fans.
It’s not just exclusive games though, the trailer boasts the Xbox One exclusive and early content as well for industry heavy hitters like Call of Duty: Ghosts and Battlefield 4. Even without exclusive content, Microsoft still points out that some of the most anticipated games will be joining the exclusive line-up like faved sports FIFA 14and Madden 25, plus action/adventures like Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag and Watch_Dogs.
All these games together spell out a pretty good selection, but check out the trailer embedded below and see the details for yourself. Then post a comment as to what you think of Xbox One’s Best Games.
With the launch of their game tomorrow in North America developer 2k Marin and publisher 2k Games have released a new trailer for The Bureau: XCOM Declassified. “Survive, Adapt, Win” shows the very first instance of information dealing with the interstellar combatants that the soon to be XCOM agents would be facing.
In terms of launch trailers, The Bureau: XCOM Declassified certainly captures the right spirit, with an introduction for formation of XCOM itself before players finally get their hands on the game when it comes out tomorrow. Though just remember that “Survive” is the most important step as each agent will only have one chance at life.
Those wanting to see the trailer themselves can find it embedded below. The Bureau: XCOM Declassified is set to release tomorrow in North America and worldwide August 23rd, 2013 for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC.
Soul Hackers delivers a first-person, dungeon-crawling RPG experience set in a future where technology and otherworldly forces meet in a macabre fusion of cyberpunk futurism and gothic horror. A first-person sci-fi RPG epic, Soul Hackers tells of a city held up as a beacon of humanity’s triumph of technology, but with an infernal secret. In this would-be utopia, a group of hackers takes on a centuries-old mystic society, and a battle for control over humanity’s fate is about to begin.
Sixteen years, and a few platform advancements late, the newly English localised Soul Hackers possesses a variety of new gameplay features and enhancements. Along with a new opening animation and theme song, the game will include 30 demons not found in the original release. An extra dungeon will also be included, in which Raidou Kuzunoha of the previous Devil Summoner games, will appear. Whilst exploring these dungeons, players will have the choice to either challenge the demons that dwell within or negotiate with them in the hopes of turning them into allies.
A very…unique demon
Soul Hackers will also make use of 3DS functions. The bottom screen will serve as an auto-mapping system, allowing players to fill out maps without traversing the area, and will also let players engage a COMP hack to change difficulty levels. Players will also be able to evolve Nemechi by collecting StreetPasses or trading Play Coins for D-Souls, which are in turn spent on purchasing new forms.
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers will be released on September 20th on the 3DS, and on the Nintendo eShop on September 25th. For more information, visit the official site.
Ahead of SMASH 2013, during a special media day at the Japan Foundation in Sydney we were able to have a chat with Aya of Loverin Tamburin, a Japanese pop-rock band well known for their own original music as well as their covers of classic anime songs. We discussed the band’s beginnings, their views on covering songs, what their favourite anime are and where the unique name ‘Loverin Tamburin’ came from. Read on for the full interview with the rockin’ Loverin Tamburin.
CC: Thanks for sitting down with us. First of all, could you tell us how Loverin Tamburin began?
Aya: Yes, originally we were just Aya and Akihiro, two separate artists. We first met when supporting another band. We soon discovered that we had the same musical mind and decided to form our own group.
CC: You perform a lot of anime songs, what are some of your favourite anime series or films?
A: Our favourite is Studio Ghibli anime. We even made the cover CD of Studio Ghibli. We have strong feelings about the Studio Ghibli.
CC: What are some of your musical influences and inspirations?
A: I do not listen to other artist’s music. We make up our songs from our life, soul and our feelings.
CC: How would you describe Loverin Tamburin’s music style to someone who hasn’t heard it before?
A: We are the rock music style.
CC: When covering a song do you aim to be faithful to the original or to do your own take on it?
A: Well I must say there is many issues of rights, so we must perform accordingly. But for the song although it is not our own song, we still put our own feelings into it to make it have our emotion to it.
CC: I have to ask, where did the name Loverin Tamburin come from? It is a very unique sounding name.
A: At first because my name is Aya and his name is Akihiro, we took the first letter and combined it to make the name AA. That was the original name we first had. But when we seen it in a list, AA looks like such a small tiny name and we didn’t like that. We wanted another name and somehow I thought of Loverin Tamburin and that is how.
CC: You’ve done both cover songs and original songs over your career. Will you be continuing to do both or will you simply do more original moving forward?
A: At this point of our career, yes we have done original songs as much as cover songs. But we are always focused on making more original songs.
CC: Okay to wrap it all up, do you have anything to say to all your fans?
A: Our concert is at SMASH, but all the people we have seen here are very nice. Therefore I think that we will meet even more nice people in SMASH. Myself and all of the members will put all of our effort in and will be connecting to the audience.
CC: Thank you for your time.
H: Thank you so very much!
You can check out SMASH’s official website here for more information on the event. You can also follow SMASH on Twitter and like SMASH on Facebook for all their latest updates.
Ahead of SMASH 2013, at the Japan Foundation in Sydney we were able to have a chat with Haruko Momoi, popular Japanese voice actress well known for portraying Feyris Nyanyan in Steins;Gate. We discussed her origins in voice acting and singing as well as her thoughts on anime in general. Read on for the full interview with the lovely Haruko Momoi.
CC: Hello, thank you for sitting down with us! First of all, can you tell us how you got into voice acting?
Haruko Momoi: Before I became a voice actress I started on a radio show. The staff of an anime production came after listening and actually invited me to become a voice actress
CC: You have voice many characters from both anime and video-games. What do you feel is different about voicing a video-game character compared to an anime character?
H: In anime all the voice actors sit in the same room and act it out as it flows. Where as with a game you only need to be there when they are recording just your part. I feel that my acting is far more natural with anime because it feels more like actual acting. For games there is just a lot of lines of text. However in anime I can get into the mind of the characters and even do some extra stuff along the lines. In games you really are just reading those lines of text and making sure it is loud and clear for the gamers.
CC: What would you say is your favourite role to date and why?
H: [laughs] It is very difficult for me to pick just one! But if I must pick, the one that I really enjoyed playing was Seto San in ‘Seto no Hanayome’ (‘My Bride is a Mermaid’ in English). When I was doing that role I got to do a lot of jokes and have fun with it. Because of that it allowed me to really get into the role. I enjoyed that the character has a lot of tongue-twister lines that I had to do. I really enjoyed it all the way until the last episode. When I was doing that final episode I actually cried while I was doing the role. I really liked it.
CC: What was it like working on the anime Steins;Gate? Many consider this series a modern anime classic. What do you think?
H: Ooooo! Well I feel that the fact it is set in Akihabara, which you could say is like a little city in Japan, is really surprising that it got very popular around the world. I enjoyed working on that series. But still it was quite a big surprise for me!
CC: Would you say that you and your character Feyris are alike in any way?
H: [laughs] Yes the fact that I have also been often hanging out in Akihabara makes us probably the same. Also I think because Feyris Nyanyan is a maid in the maid cafe and tries to entertain the customers and make them happy, I felt as a person who performs on stage in my own life that I try to do the same. So yes I really related to that part of her.
CC: Not only are you a successful voice actress, but you have quite an impressive singing career as well. How did you get into singing?
H: I have always enjoyed singing since I was a kid. I always sung at home and when I was in junior high school I started to compose. If you want to know what really made me start my singing career, I honestly can’t pick as I have been singing the entire time – my whole life.
CC: How different is your approach to singing to your approach to voice acting?
H: When I am working as a voice actress, I pretty much have to become the character in order to carry it out. When I do it I have to think of how to approach the voice of the character, like wondering if the audience will like it or do I have to change it depending on how the fans receive it? Where as for singing I can be myself and show who I am. That is the difference for me.
CC: You have voice many anime characters over your career, it makes me wonder what is your personal favourite anime series?
H: I love Evangelion! I love it! [laughs] I even used to cosplay as Rei and Asuka I like it that much.
CC: Okay, to wrap things up, do you have a message for all of your fans?
H: This is my first time in Australia and I’m really enjoying it! I hope that if all of my fans ever have time to come to Japan please come to my ‘Live’ (concert) and I will sing there for all of you.
CC: Thank you for your time.
H: Thank you very much!
You can check out SMASH’s official website here for more information on the event. You can also follow SMASH on Twitter and like SMASH on Facebook for all their latest updates.
Overview
We’ve all tried our hands at ruling the world. Risk, Axis and Allies, and the Civilization series are only a few drops in the pond of grand strategy games. Most grant you the means of diplomacy, religion, brute force, and more to achieve that goal. That’s where Paradox Interactive comes in. With franchises like Hearts of Iron and Majesty under their belt, they’re no strangers to the genre. So how does their newest title, European Universalis IV, stand in an ocean of strategy? Has it reached the Age of Enlightenment or should it be left in the Dark Ages? Let’s find out.
Story
One of the unique aspects of historical games is that you typically recreate a history of your own. Did the way the Ottoman Empire dealt with Portugal always bother you? Control Portugal and rewrite history to suit your whims! The victors write the history books, and the quill is in your hand.
Gameplay
Throughout all of Europa Universalis IV‘s gameplay, players will take on the role of chief decision maker for the nation they’ve chosen to play with. This goes both deep and wide, encompassing virtually every aspect of governmental control and ranging from 1444, with the rise of the Ottoman Empire, to 1820.
When you begin a game, you’ll choose a historical date to start your campaign. Depending on the date and scenario, that can also affect which nations you have access to. Unsurprisingly, most starting dates coincide with major wars in the history of Europe, though a few other notable events are also available.
Throughout the game, you’ll have to manage and balance several forms of currency. Those can include things as straight forward as gold (ducats) and manpower, to prestige and ruler legitimacy, to monarchy powers like administration, diplomacy, and military power. They’re all complex parts to a delicate dance that must be kept in check.
There are also several aspects of growing and managing your country you’ll have to keep in mind at all times. It can be a bit daunting, but the ability to pause the game at any point goes a long way toward helping with that management. The aspects of government you’ll have to keep an eye on include: Government, Diplomacy, Economy, Trade, Technology, Ideas, Missions, Stability, Religion, and Military.
From a Government perspective, you’ll be able to see who your current leader is. You can also see and manage your national advisors. These advisors contribute to your monarchy scores. Each advisor comes at a price and can be weighed against several other people vying for their seat. You’ll hire up to three advisors – an administrative advisor, a diplomatic advisor, and a military advisor. The advice they give you over time will allow you to make certain decisions and advancements on down the line.
Diplomacy is another aspect you’ll have to manage. You’re given a great deal of options in the way you interact with other countries and provinces. Hate the Spanish? Send them an insult. Want to improve relations with the British? Send a diplomat. You can even arrange royal marriages to help unite your nation with another if you choose.
The Economy is an incredibly important aspect of running any nation. You’ll have to decide how to manage and balance out your taxes, whether to take a loan, and more. Difficult decisions lie at every turn, and that’s no different when it falls to you to decide whether to anger the country and raise war taxes or risk losing your vassal’s land to the Portuguese. Also tied in with the economy is the aspect of Trade. You’ll have to handle how you deal with trade. Collect in your ports or have it routed further down the line for more income? You’re hands are somewhat tied, though, as you can’t create your own trade routes. The game tries to stay true to the historical routes that were established.
A few of the most interesting aspects of the game don’t even feel like they tie into the rest of country management in the same way as their siblings. Getting to manage technologies being researched and the ideas your country utilizes from them is a neat twist on things. Don’t feel like your merchant ships are capable of traveling far enough? Research naval capabilities and broaden your horizons. Want better soldiers? Upgrade your army. Researching these technologies can also lead to unique ideas your country can employ to run more effectively or efficiently, and they feel like they have a significant impact on how you run your nation.
If you’re the kind of player that prefers a defined objective, you can choose to pursue a mission from a list. These can range everywhere from “Drive out the British” to “Save the rich of this province!” They provide their own rewards and give you something more defined to accomplish.
Throughout your land, you’ll have to make sure the people feel like their lives and government are stable. Maintaining stability can be difficult, especially in times of war, but it will help you keep your nation on the right path.
There are multiple ways to conquer other nations. Obviously, you can assemble an army and conquer them the old fashioned way. That requires lots of time and resources – thousands of troops in a skirmish or drawn out siege. It can take a deep toll on your people and leave you vulnerable, too. If you prefer to conquer the hearts and souls of others, though, you can send missionaries in to convert them (if they aren’t already your religion). It can also help reduce the chance of rebellion.
With so many complex aspects to the gameplay, it should come as no surprise that the learning curve can feel a bit impenetrable. Even with the fantastic tutorials Paradox put into Europa Universalis IV, the game can be a bit overwhelming. The two hours it takes to work through the tutorials are time well spent, but it still feels like some more hand holding would have been good for new players.
Visuals
The visual design in Europa Universalis IV is solid. A large choice of map options give players a good idea of how each aspect of government is being handled by each nation. Zooming in will reveal the rolling hills, running streams, towns, and cities of the world. The rest of the interface is comprised heavily of menus that drive the game. It can be a bit overwhelming, but ultimately serves is purpose well.
Audio Europa Universalis IV‘s soundtrack is absolutely phenomenal. Rich, rolling orchestral compositions call out to you, even from the game’s main menu, beckoning you to sit down and play for a little while. The score will get your blood pumping and tune our mind to the game all in one great strike. The sound effects used in the game are fantastic as well. Each clink of metal or creak of a ship evokes a sense of the historical significance and the role in it you’re playing. Overall, the sound design is masterfully done. The game is a real pleasure just to sit down and listen to.
Overall
Overall, Europa Universalis IV is an excellent grand strategy game. It looks great, even if it can get a bit busy with menus, and the soundtrack is so epic you’ll want to leave it running in the background. Newcomers will find the barrier to entry a little steep even with the tutorials, but anyone willing to crest the hill will find a fantastic game just over the rise. The gameplay is intensely deep and involved, giving fans of the genre some rich meat to sink their teeth into. Though impatient gamers may want to pass it by, fans of grand strategy will be able to roll around in this blanket for years.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
