Wait, what!? We didn’t even know there WAS a beta. Warner Bros pulled the wool over our eyes this time. According to the emails that were sent out, the beta will run from August 7th – 14th and will include the whole multiplayer experience. Yes, that means if you were lucky enough get an invite, you will get to play as the Dynamic Duo, AND members of Bane’s and Joker’s gang way before anyone else.
Some people have been suspicious of the beta invites, as there was never a sign-up process, and also no rhyme or reason as to who got picked. To clear up any confusion, the official Arkham Origins Twitter Account posted
If you've received an open beta invite for #ArkhamOrigins, yes it is legitimately from us. No spam or phishing, just fun times in Gotham.
So there you have it. Arkham Origins is not only the first Arkham game to be getting multiplayer, but also a beta. Did you get an invite? Are you excited for this multiplayer, or do you just wish it would remain a single-player experience? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the Arkham Origins news as it becomes available.
Ethan: Meteor Hunter is the French indie studio Seaven Studio’s first game. The studio is comprised of seven developers who worked at Hydravision Entertainment before the company went under in September 2012. The team decided to continue working together and save a project they were working on. They cobbled together their life savings and went indie to bring Ethan: Meteor Hunter to market.
Ethan: Meteor Hunter is a side scrolling puzzle platformer. The title character is Ethan, a mouse who has gained mysterious telekinetic powers after a meteor crash lands in the world and shatters into thousands of pieces. He is now on an epic journey to gather up all the fallen pieces that will take him across three different worlds The game is currently in alpha status, with a slated release for a summer 2013 release.
The puzzle platforming gameplay in Ethan: Meteor Hunter is pretty classic stuff, with a big twist. With the help of a special power up, Ethan can temporarily stop time and rearrange blocks in the level, allowing him to reach places previously inaccessible. The levels are full of dangerous traps that will introduce Ethan to an early demise in a variety of grisly manners. Upon dying, players will be sent back to the last checkpoint to start again. The checkpoint system works well, providing those who may not be very skilled at platformers a chance to enjoy the game.
The controls in Ethan: Meteor Hunter are a little confusing at this point. Although they work well, the tutorial is labelled for the Xbox 360 controller. Those using mouse and keyboard to control the game will have to figure out the equivalent key presses at the start of the tutorial with the help of the bind keys menu.
The Alpha Demo is exactly that at the moment. Only a small portion of the levels are currently available. A short, barebones tutorial and how to play section is all that is available. There is no way to save the game progress, so experiment away! Those terrible scores you posted on the last run will disappear when the game is closed. There are some gameplay elements that are completely self-explanatory, but others really need a small tutorial in the final version of the game. A good example are the red platforms that crumbled after a few moments and the sticky glue found on some surfaces that allows Ethan to jump from wall to wall.
The levels starts out rather easy, but the difficulty level suddenly ramps up to extremely high once timed based pressures like saw blades begin mercilessly chasing Ethan. Some serious difficulty changes will need to be made to help lower skilled players to enjoy the game. Those who find the levels too easy can provide themselves with a greater challenge by collecting all the meteor pieces in each level in the fastest time possible. There are some incredibly devious placements that will require either doubling back and sacrificing some time or the perfect jump.
There are some great ideas in Ethan: Meteor Hunter. The puzzles on the range from simply creating a platform for Ethan to leap onto, to more complex ones requiring the player to route power from one point to another with metal blocks, while using nonconductive wooden blocks to prop up the metal ones. There is even a shoot’em up level where Ethan rides a small rocket ship and must dodge a variety of bombs and balls of laser fired at him. Ethan’s ship is armed with a small gun that can destroy incoming mines. I would have liked to see this gun autofire, as parts of the level resulted in me mashing the space key like it was going out of style. Seaven Studio has some interesting ideas to ensure that Ethan: Meteor Hunter is anything but a generic puzzle platformer.
Ethan: Meteor Hunter is presented as a 3d side scrolling platformer. Everything but the static backgrounds are three dimensional. The art style is cartoony, reminding me of the early days of computer animated films. The visuals are crisp and the visual presentation of important gameplay elements are easy to understand. I do hope the current static 2d backgrounds are temporary, as some of them are a little pixelated.
The sound effects are decent, though the default volume seems to cause the music to drown out the much softer sound effects right now. The music is a little on the dark side, feeling perfect for the darker themed levels, but hopefully there are some lighter tunes for the lighter areas in the full release.
Ethan: Meteor Hunter has some great potential to be a great platformer that takes the traditional puzzle platformer and gives it a good twist. Even in its early state, Ethan: Meteor Hunter shows it has the stuff to be a unique game that platformer fans will love. The game is currently available as a free Alpha Demo at the Steam Greenlight page.
This edition’s best deal goes to Amazon’s Bioshock Triple Pack. The bundle contains all three Bioshock games, each a fantastic title on its own right. For those who don’t own Bioshock Infinite, it is available alone for 50% off. Alternatively, Bioshock 1 & 2 can be purchased together for $5.00. Oddly enough, Bioshock and Bioshock 2 are $10.00 each alone, so buyers are better off buying the dual pack and sharing their spare copy. Check out our Bioshock Infinite review if you need help deciding if the game is worth a purchase.
GMG is running yet another 20% off coupon this week, remember to try GMG20-4B9NY-L4FEN on your order to save a little extra cash.
InFlux, one of the winners of the PAX Aus Indie Showcase, has finally been released. The puzzler stars a little metal ball wandering around a beautiful and lush island full of mysterious glass houses to explore. Once inside the house, the player will be transported into a colourful alternate world where gravity seems to shift and the outside world fades. Here, players will need to navigate through the puzzles and return to the island.
InFlux is available for $9.99 at the official Influx website. The game runs on Windows as a DRM-free download and Impromptu Games is running a Steam Greenlight campaign. A Mac compatible version is currently being tested and will be released shortly.
Remember that defining moment last year that made the year 2012 the most memorable in recent history? Well a bunch of NASA’s sweaty Jet Propulsion Lab members threw their hands in the air with joy on August 6, 2012 as a rover the size of a small car touched down on the surface of Mars.
Now you can drive the Curiosity rover yourself among many other landers and exploration vehicles with Bohemia Interactive’s Take On Mars. While this sounds like a commendable indie effort, you might have heard Bohemia are simulation masters known for the military ARMA series. We can probably expect a thorough job on a very special simulation idea.
Features:
Space Program – Explore Mars from the perspective of a science-driven Space Agency. Develop new technologies, vehicles and instruments to tackle the tasks ahead.
Scenarios – Head straight to the surface of Mars and complete individual missions centered around various Science Missions and objectives.
Editor – Create scenarios with complex missions, or just play around with whatever you wish in this limitless, free-form mode.
Dynamic destruction system – Break off cameras, robotic arms, even individual struts and wheels, all affecting the way the vehicle handles.
Economy – Send missions to Mars with the budget you have available, raised by completing mission and individual tasks.
Realistic Terrain – Explore the surface of Mars in locations based on actual satellite data from locations such as Victoria Crater.
Check out the gameplay trailer released earlier below and visit the official site. Take On Mars is available for PC on Steam for USD$12.99. For a more Total Recall experience, check out our review of Mars War Logs.
Welcome to another episode of CC Indie Spotlight with Editor in Chief Phil Federico, where we demo the latest and greatest of indie gaming.
This episode features Harebrained Schemes‘ Shadowrun Returns. This strategic RPG was completed with the help of over thirty thousand backers on Kickstarter and beyond, all in hopes of returning the classic pen and paper RPG franchise back to video game glory. The game is set in a gritty world where high fantasy meets a futuristic Seattle.
The episode features a walkthrough of Shadowrun Returns‘ Chapter Four. If you want to learn more about the game, be sure to check out our Shadowrun Returns review. The game is available for $19.99 on Steam.
Intrigue In The Bakumatsu Part 2 Studio: Sunrise Publisher: Siren Visual Format : DVD Release Date: 18th July 2013 Price: $49.95 – Available Here
Overview
Samurai, Geisha, Peasants and Lords; That’s Edo for you.Intrigue In The Bakumatsu romanticizes about this era without romanticizing too much about this era…I get it, hard to understand but it will all make sense soon enough. Mixing deep the deep history of Tokyo(Edo) and a great deal of supernatural presence this series is bound to confuse you in a way that I really wouldn’t consider bad. Action, adventure and the Eternal Assassin.
Story
Part 2 of the series, much like a lot of series’, follows directly on from part 1 (you can read my Part 1 Review here). What we know from Part 1 is that our main character is a man called the Eternal Assassin and he’s out to destroy the head of the conqueror, well, the head of the conqueror has taken possession of a new vessel and this particular man is of high power within the military, this is where the story really kicks into overdrive. I would honestly love to outline some fantastic story elements right now but it would definitely ruin a few things for you and those “few things” are key. I have to say Part 2 of the series, the story within it, really won it over for me. I found the Story from Part 1 was slow and kind of bland but this half of the story is what makes watching the first half worth it! Characters are introduced that, somewhat, take the spotlight for a few episodes and those characters are so well written that you don’t even care that they’ve taken over the role of main character, even for a short while.
The historical element of the series is incredibly highlighted in this half, so many historically accurate “characters” are introduced and let me tell you something now; have Google handy because you’ll want to know who certain historical figures are and it really adds to the depth of the series. Another part of the story that gets brought to the forefront, moreso in part 2, is the supernatural element. Once again, I can’t say much without ruining it for you but just know that from what originally was the evil that flowed from a glowing red skull has now been magnified into…damn! I really can’t! Trust me when I say that this series has a great and deep storyline that really had me thinking and actually gave me an interest in Japanese history as well as the supernatural myths that surround it. The overall vibe I got from Intrigue In The Bakumatsu was that of putting a mythological reason behind the events that transpired in history; “why did general so-and-so do this? Some say he was under the influence of a dark evil…” and so on. That’s the vibe you get and they put it across in such an intelligent way.
Visuals
Now bare in mind while watching this that Intrigue In The Bakumatsu was made in 2006 so, animation wise, it’s lacking though it does pick up in a substantial way during the last 3 or 4 episodes, you really see the effort they put in to end the series with a bang! I have to say, more than anything, what impressed me was the character and costume design. The characters looked regal and they really suited the environment. Their costumes seemed accurate but they definitely had an Anime twist to them. There is a small group of characters that are English Soldiers, like special forces, they had the traditional red coats but with a bit of spice to them like, it was just nice to see something like that, something that is basic yet incredible at the same time. This is the one thing that has stayed the same from Part 1; the art is nice, clean and it looks fantastic.
Audio
I didn’t like the English voice actors in Part 1 of the series but I’m not going to say I hated them this time around either. I feel like because the story became more intense it allowed the voice actors to become more intense and they seemed to let themselves acting in a way that seemed…raw. The accents in the series are really bad though, there’s English, Scottish and Russian and they’re all fairly bad, at one point in time a character even stops talking with her British accent and just continues on with her American accent until the series’ end. From the episodes I watched in Japanese, they sounded great so if you can’t handle the English it’s probably better to switch over to the Japanese. The music was great! It started as traditional Japanese-style but as it got closer to the edge you could actually hear the European-style of music to kick in, that attention to detail is just nice to see.
Extras
The extras were as standard as they come in Anime releases. Clean opening, clean closing…that’s about it. There’s a nice piece of art on the inside of the cover but apart from that there really was nothing. It’s not really something to take points away for though because there are more Anime releases out there that come with nothing than there is that come with a whole lot of extras.
Overall
The series is great for historical buffs and big fans of samurai stories, like me. While it’s dated and it’s lacking a few certain things that would make this a perfect Anime, it’s still really good and it kept me glued to the screen. It ends in a big way and it’s just a fantastic Anime all round. I suggest, though, that if you’re going to get into this Anime you HAVE to stick with it; get Part 1 and even if you’re not that into it get Part 2 and continue with it because it’s one of those series’ that makes you love it over time and really the only way to get a good grasp on it is by watching it all the way to the end.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
SEGA and The Creative Assembly have unleashed another trailer showcasing the possibilities in their upcoming strategy title – Total War: Rome II. In the latest addition Rome becomes aware of her greatest foe. Hannibal once said, “I will find a way — or make one.” And Total War: Rome II emphasizes the multitude of ways that such a great entity can be brought down. How did Hannibal do it? Right in her own backyard…
Preparing for a September 3rd launch date, The Creative Assembly has a pre-order offer which provides the first DLC for free (here). Watch the Hannibal trailer below to see if this could be the next strategy game for you!
Wargaming, the developer and publisher that has found immense success with World of Tanks and are pushing that success forward with World of Warplanes, and after that, World of Warships, has been around for quite some time. In fact, they have just passed the 15 year mark for their company and what better way to celebrate the success of 15 years of making games than announcements for their expansion.
Wargaming will be adding yet another a new office and while last time it was Japan, this newest office will be opening in the United States, specifically in the city of Austin, Texas. The new office will serve as their Producing Center, Central Technology and Global Business Intelligence Groups, so that the company can centralize their worldwide communication.
But, new office aren’t the only announcements as Wargaming has a bit more to share about their games as well. In fact Wargaming will have even more IPs to work with than the World of line thanks to the acquisition of Total Annihilation and Master of Orion. While they don’t have much to comment on what plans they have in store, it will be interesting to see what Wargaming can do with the strategy titles.
Lastly, Wargaming has released that World of Warplanes will in fact be getting British planes before its launch. Britain had been completely unrepresented until now, but aircraft enthusiasts need not worry as they will be able to control planes like the Spitfire, Blenheim F and Javelin. Those wanting to see the British planes in action can check out the new released trailer embedded below.
Happy Dinos is at its core a park building game in the vein of Simpsons Tapped Out, or Smurfs Village. You need to build and maintain your dinosaur park, while breeding and training your adorable reptilian attractions. Through breeding and trading with friends, there are 1000s of dinosaurs available, so that even the most avid completionist will have a hard time finishing their collection. Some of the gameplay is a little sluggish, and there isn’t much to ‘wow’ the player here, but it is a fun experience none the less.
Gameplay
Happy Dino puts you in the role of a Dinosaur Park Manager, whose job is (you guessed it) manage a dinosaur park. Part of managing the park includes the breeding and training of dinosaurs, as well as building and maintaining their habitats. Happy Dinos plays a lot like other town-building games like; Simpsons Tapped Out or Smurfs Village, where your goal is to try and make your dinosaur park the best it can be by placing decorations, habitats and other items to improve its look and overall charm.
While the park-building is the game’s core, its focus is easily its dinosaur breeding system. You are given a variety of different coloured and differently designed dinosaurs, and through breeding you will create more, and unique dinosaurs to fill your park. When breeding, you are told what potential dinosaurs you might end up with, but it isn’t until the eggs are hatched and the little one steps forth that you will know for sure. The game has 1000s of dinosaurs and each has its own rarity, so even the most hardcore completionist will struggle to overcome this game.
After you have given birth to a new dinosaur, you are able to tame them and then teach them tricks. Taming them allows your dinosaur to breed and to be an active part of the park; showing off its tricks and performing a few other tasks. To tame and train your dinosaurs you will play one of four mini games with them. The further you get in these mini games will equate to how much you have trained your dinosaur. It typically takes from 1-2 attempts at a game to have your dinosaur fully trained.
The mini games are relatively simple; an auto-runner where you tap the sides of the screen to move your dino that direction, a match-pairs game, a fruit ninja clone, and another auto runner where tapping the screen causes your dino to jump over obstacles. Each game lasts about thirty seconds, and they would all be fun enough if not for sluggish and unresponsive controls that never quite seem to work properly. These lackluster controls very quickly turn these short bursts of fun into monotonous and frustrating exercises.
Alongside breeding and training your dinosaurs, you are also tasked with the duty of making sure they are always happy and well fed. You purchase food for your dinos to chow down on whenever they are hungry, and play with them whenever they are bored. Some players might enjoy this level of interaction with the game, but to me it just felt like micro-managing, and I was not a fan.
Happy Dinos has one of those free-game tropes that we’ve come to expect from the App Store; its use of an energy bar. Most actions you will take in the game will require at least one point of energy, and when you run out you will just have to patiently wait until it recharges. In the earlier stages of the game this isn’t a problem, as you will typically level up or be rewarded with free energy well before your bar is ever depleted. Later on it becomes noticeable, as you are rewarded with less free energy and are left unable to play for periods of time.
The game offers Facebook integration for players who choose to use it. By connecting your game to your Facebook account you are given access to two distinct features. Firstly, the ability to check out other parks and see how other players have them set up. The other feature allows you to trade your dinosaurs with friends and family, helping each other to complete collections in the process.
Lastly the game menus are typically well done. Instead of chunks of texts, they use pictures to signify what’s going on. It can take some time to learn what the pictures mean, but for the most part they are straight forward and easy to navigate. There is a downside however, and that comes in the form of the game’s discounts. Items that are discounted are emblazoned with a big gold emblem that shows how much the item is discounted by. These emblems quickly clutter up the page and make it less than appealing to look at.
Visuals & Audio
Happy Dinos visuals are not going to win them any awards, but that isn’t to say that they aren’t nice. The island itself and the water surrounding it are bright and clear no matter how much you zoom in. Although the textures are not top-of-the-line, they maintain a cartoonish charm that really shines through.
The cartoonish charm isn’t only shared by the backdrops, as the dinosaurs themselves have it in spades. They are brightly coloured, detailed with a tonne of different patterns, and as full-3d character models, they really stand out and look great. The colour and variety of these dinosaurs really makes you want to keep breeding and collecting them, just to see what they all look like.
You see other human characters through 2d artwork in some of the game’s menus. The two primary characters you will encounter look like they belong in an episode of Dora the Explora, or Go Diego, Go! They are well drawn, and have a life and charm of their own. The game wouldn’t be at a loss for not having them, but their inclusion is nice regardless.
The audio in Happy Dinos practically oozes “joy.” It is upbeat, has a nice tempo and you just can’t help but feel happy while listening to it… Well for a while at least. After playing for a few minutes the music becomes incredibly repetitive and you will find yourself wanting to switch off the sound just to keep playing.
Overall
Happy Dinos is an interesting game. Its cute, colourful visuals and simplistic gameplay features almost distract you from its core gameplay; a mixture between town-building and collecting. It is a fun enough experience for what it is, but it doesn’t offer anything that will make gamers go “wow! That is awesome!” Still, if you like town-building sims, and are a fan of brightly coloured dinosaurs, then give Happy Dinos a try… If you aren’t interested in both those things, then this game might not be fore you.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
