Libra Eorzea is a companion app for iPhone and iPad that puts a wealth of information right in the palm of your hand. The app will quickly become any Eorzean traveler’s best friend, it contains everything from item lists to NPC and Quest Locations. There is even a profile viewer that allows you to check in on your character at any time, as well as compare gear and other useful options. Many of the app’s features will be completely free, with Square saying that they will add more content in the future; some will be free, while others will be paid premium features.
So what do you think, is a companion app a godsend for a game like this, or will be go unused by many? Let us know in the comments below, and if you are interested, you can download Final Fantasy XIV – Libra Eorzea for free here. For all the Final Fantasy news as it becomes available, stay tuned to Capsule Computers.
A month after its release, Despicable Me: Minion Rush, based off the film Despicable Me 2 (check out our review here) had managed to hit 50 million downloads. We were impressed at the time, but since then the game has showed no signs of slowing down, with Gameloft today announcing that it had hit the 100 million download milestone.
Despicable Me: Minion Rush (check out our review here) was released on June 13th, and has managed to hit the 100 million download mark in just three short months. As well as having 100 million downloads, players have also racked up a total of 260 million hours playtime, 2,000 billion bananas collected and 55 billion Despicable Actions performed! It is easy to see that the love and care that has gone into this game for it to inspire so many people to play.
100 Million players have run through these levels, and 2000 BILLION of those bananas have been collected
The game’s second massive update, which is available now on the App Store and Google Play has added the Minion Beach level to the game. Here the minions can run along the sands and bask in the warm glow of the sun, instead of traversing suburbia or a villain’s lair. In their dedication to keep the game world continually populated, Gameloft promises more updates are still coming in the future, so for all the Despicable Me: Minion Rush news as it becomes available, be sure to stay tuned to Capsule Computers.
Wargaming has announced the release of Update 8.8 for its action MMO grandaddy, World of Tanks. European gamers will be able to play the new version on September 11, while North Americans get in on September 12. In Korea and Asia Pacific, 8.8 will go live on September 16 and 18, respectively.
Players will receive a new map, Tundra, and a whole line of Soviet medium tanks from Tier 6 to Tier 8, along with Object 140 which is set to become the Ruskies’ other top medium tier choice.
The German tech tree will be tweaked with the debut of the Tier 4 DW heavy chariot and Tier 6 VK3002 (M) medium tank, while VK3001H and VK3601H are now heavy tanks. Two new Chinese premium additions include the Tier 8 T-34-3 medium tank and the 112 Tier 8 heavy tank.
Overview Sports games have proven to be a popular genre on the PS Vita. Ignoring the woefully small library available to Western gamers for a second, sports titles roughly equal the amount of RPGs, racers and fighters in each category. Fans of football, soccer, baseball, golf and even tennis have something to try on the handheld. Previously released on mobile devices, Real Boxing has been beefed up for its PS Vita debut, promising the most authentic and realistic boxing experience on the handheld platform. Does it score a knockout hit? Read on to find out.
Gameplay
Real Boxing begins with you selecting your fighter and nationality of choice. While I’m no expert, there is plenty to choose from and you can even pair up fighters with a nationality they clearly don’t belong to. That might be a little awkward but it definitely increases the variety. Once you’re in you have four options: Quick fight where the game randomly pairs you up with an AI boxer, career mode which sees you take part in three tournaments, online multiplayer with several features and the gym where you essentially level up your fighter.
The gameplay mechanics in Real Boxing are surprisingly well done, utilising every aspect of the Vita’s control scheme without resorting to any gimmicks you’d normally expect from a more casual title. There are optional touch controls, but you should leave the default button scheme as it is. This is boxing simulation, and it’s done right. The left analogue stick controls the player movement, while the D-pad and action buttons control the left and right arms respectively. Left and right directional and action buttons on each side deliver your hooks, while up and down throw jabs and uppercuts. Alternatively, Vivid Games have made use of the right analogue stick controlling both arms by moving it in various left or right directions. The left shoulder button allows you hit lower body shots while the right button importantly lets you dodge and block by either pressing or holding.
It might take getting used to, but I was able to deftly land blows and evade hits in no time. Career mode is where most will start off, and at first it can be a little too easy to knockout opponents before even the second round. But the difficulty does increase, and when you’re matched up with an opponent who has higher stats than you, you’ll be fighting for your life. Punches hit hard and are satisfying to deliver, while successfully dodging a swing and driving home a counter never gets old.
Fighters are customisable and you have a selection of tattoos, clothes and hair styles to choose from if you have the cash. Money, as well as upgrade points, are earned by winning fights and fulfilling random objectives during a fight such as a knockout delivered by an uppercut. Upgrade points are spent on just three stats: Strength, Stamina and Speed. With at least two points granted after each victory, I found I was upgrading far too quickly across such a narrow choice. More options and skills to upgrade would have spread these out more and would force players to choose wisely on how they want their fighter to perform.
The entrances are a little dull, certainly nothing like the spectacular wrestling counterparts, and bizarrely cut off too quickly before your fighter enters the ring. I was confused a couple of times thinking I skipped the entrance before realising it just ends abruptly. The gym is where you upgrade your fighter splashing cash on your three stats or gain perks by practicing four activities which require you to press the buttons as prompted. Anyone who’s played rhythm games will probably find this too easy, though.
Unfortunately I wasn’t able to test the online component because the game simply couldn’t find any available players at the time. Which is a shame as it seems to have had a lot of work put into it. Players have the option of a single fight, the European Championship, friend invite, leaderboards and local matches.
Real Boxing is clearly made for drop in, drop out gameplay without sacrificing the essence of boxing simulation in the ring. This is perfect for mobiles and handhelds when you’re on the go. Unfortunately, though, this means any real depth to Career Mode is sacrificed in favour of easy-access gameplay. Things like branching storylines, sponsorship deals and more back stage activity would have spiced things up, rather than simply stacking fight after fight on the player and calling it your career.
Visuals Real Boxing is running on Unreal Engine 3 and manages to look very slick on the Vita. The player models are clearly motion-captured with smooth animations and bloodied faces that reflect the pummelling that’s dished out over time. It’s a shame though that the same faces manage to look really uncanny during entrance scenes and victories, as the eyes don’t blink and facial features remain static. It would have been at least reassuring to see a smile, or any change of expression, following a win.
Audio
The audio makes a good first impression with a really nice menu music theme, convincing announcer voices and really solid sound effects once you start thumping faces.
While the quality with what we have is top notch, in some areas there’s just not enough of it. Announcers say pretty much the same thing every time you win, leaving variety, and therefore the excitement it brings, few and far between.
Overall Real Boxing is ultimately a genuine boxing simulator available as an affordable download title. There is great depth in the gameplay here for the price you pay, even if you don’t get the slew of features one normally expects in a full-priced retail game. The lower price tag also means there is little more to do once you finish the career mode and exhaust all the fairly limited customisation items in the store.
This, however, is perfect for whipping out and relieving some stress on the train after a day’s work. For boxing fans that happen to own a PS Vita, this one’s a no brainer as it’s currently the best boxing experience on the handheld. If you don’t have a PS Vita, it’s hard to recommend buying one solely for this game even with the cheaper model on the way.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
The cute online game ‘Secret Bear World’ has launched a Kickstarter campaign to get an iOS & Android version of the popular bear universe. Up till now, the game has only been available exclusively through browsers.
‘Secret Bear World’ is a virtual world game were you can control a bear avatar and play fun cool mini games, interact with other players and buy upgrades and goodies for your bears using Bear Coins. This game has a similar style to that of Club Penguin and quickly had become a popular destination for children aged 6-14. There is supposedly much fun to be had.
The Kickstarter campaign began yesterday and offers the usual different levels of rewards; some treats include t-shirts, mouse pads, and heart-shaped charms and even cool stuff such as the Apple iPad sleeve, Chef Bear apron, and even a bedding set of duvet cover & pillow case, all designed with the wonderful ‘Secret Bear World’ theme. Jump over to the Kickstarter webpage to check out more information and help kick-start their project.
Developed from the ground up, the mobile version of ‘Secret Bear World’ has been inspired by LEGO and Minecraft, so kids are able to experience more interactive gameplay like being able to build their own buildings and worlds, customize their little bear shops, and secret hideouts.
For the folks who already play this, this should be an exciting new step in the game experience and for the kids who don’t play, this game would be a great mobile game that can be shared with friends.
Oh Production IG, as if you didn’t give us enough reasons to love you already, now you go and announce a new hand drawn anime movie due to be released next spring.
Okay I admit, I am a bit of a Production IG fan, but you have to admit this does sound pretty cool. The company announced on their official website details about the upcoming movie which is being made to celebrate the 50thanniversary of the Japan Association of Music Enterprises. Inspired by true events, Giovanni’s Island takes place after World War 2 when the Shikotan Island was claimed by the Soviet Union. This small island is the setting where two children from two different countries develop a strong and meaningful friendship; the challenges they both face include not only the language barrier but also the tension and conflict between their two countries.
The movie will be directed by Mizuho Nishikubo, who worked on the anime Ghost in the Shell and Sky Crawlers, and will be written by Yoshiki Sakurai (also worked on GitS) and Shigemichi Sugita (director of popular drama Kita no Kuni Kara). Keep your eyes on this space as more info about the movie will be reported on in the future.
Persona 4 Animation Volume 3 Studio: AIC ASTA Publisher: Madman Entertainment Format: DVD, Blu-Ray (Reviewed) Release Date:August 21, 2013 Price:$39.95 – Available Here
Overview One thing that Persona 4: The Animation has been consistent with over the course of it’s run is just how inconsistent it is. There are times where it breaks through and truly connects and there other times where it is simply a chaotic mess. All the way up until its final episode it maintains this consistent inconsistency. Despite all that over the course of its run, Persona 4: The Animation has actually become a pretty fun series in its own right.
It began as a monotonous by the books adaptation of a video-game and slowly but surely began to open itself up to those who have not played the game. It was a necessary development and one that bared mixed results. If there is anything that can be said to Persona 4: The Animation’s credit is that it was an interesting ride, albeit an often unstable one.
Story Mystery stacks upon mystery in this third and final volume of Persona 4: The Animation. The nature of the Persona powers and what exactly is happening with the Midnight Channel are questions that are tackled in this muddled final chapter of this often fun yet more often confusing series.
The problem that the series always had has once again reared its ugly head. That problem is of course the fact that the series often presumes the viewer has played the game, slips into auto-pilot mode and comes off as a montage of video-game cut scenes. While we have gotten to know these characters and the bizarre world they inhabit, it is hard not to feel as though we are missing some of the pieces.
Regardless f its flaws, the series does conclude in a relatively satisfactory manner, being as interesting as Persona 4: The Animation can be all the while tying things up well enough. It’s about as good of a conclusion as anyone could have hoped for this series and it does a decent job at providing some catharsis to the series’ long standing plots.
At its core Persona 4: The Animation is an adaptation first and an anime second. Your enjoyment of the series really comes down to whether you have played the game or can look past the overwhelming sense of missing pieces. Undoubtedly fans of the game would get a real kick out of this series, it’s a great tribute to what is surely a great game. But as an anime, it leaves a lot left to desire. The show’s conclusion serves as a perfect example of what Persona 4: The Animation amounts to. It was satisfactory at best, downright silly at worst, generally sloppy and kind of fun.
Visuals and Audio Aesthetically Persona 4: The Animation improves significantly in this final volume with a noticeable increase of sakuga animation and higher level of detail than witness in the series prior to this release. The action segments are well conveyed and animated brilliantly by AIC ASTA. The vibrancy of the Midnight Channel is well juxtaposed with the tempered real world, but it does come with a sense of deflation whenever the series returns to the hues of grey that make up the real world in Persona 4: The Animation.
As always the real star of Persona 4: The Animation is its absolutely remarkable soundtrack. This is one case where a soundtrack has almost a life of its own, heck I’d go so far as to say that this soundtrack is the life of Persona 4: The Animation. The music is well timed and add more to the series than most compositions ever do. It gives the series flavour where it would have none. It gives it emotion where you’d otherwise feel nothing. It really is a large contributing factor to what makes the series work and one that deserves all the praise that can be heaped onto it.
The voice work for both English and Japanese audio tracks is quite good with solid performances from all involved. It may not be the best dub you’ll have heard but it gets the job done in an effective way that remains faithful to the original material.
Extras Madman Entertainment have done a great job with this final volume which comes in both a standard edition and limited boxed edition. The boxed edition features room for the first and second volumes if you have already collected them thus far, which would only make sense if you were interested in purchasing the third volume of course. The blu-ray itself has a nice reversible cover for those who are so inclined.
There is also some on disc bonus content that will undoubtedly give fans a bit more to explore after that finish watching the series. Included is the standard trailers and textless songs plus a special short drama called ‘Jikken’ which is a nice little addition on top. It all amounts to a very solid release content wise for Madman Entertainment.
Overall Persona 4: The Animation has final closed the curtain on what was a rollercoaster ride of a series. While the conclusion isn’t exactly anything to write home about, it does wrap things up nicely enough with some genuine catharsis.
All in all the series has been well and truly hit and miss. If you have followed it this far, then you most likely find it to be more of the former than the latter. But at its core Persona 4: The Animation is primarily focused on servicing the fans of the game rather than pulling in the uninitiated. It has been the series’ problem since day one and it is one that it ultimately leaves unfixed.
If you are a Persona 4 fan, then you won’t want to miss out on this anime series. It is an unashamedly affectionate tribute to the video-game and one that is clearly made for fans by fans. Unfortunately if you have not checked out the game itself, this is one series that will no doubt be lost on you.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
We are absolutely loving the influx of new comics coming out, not only do we love their releases but we love that you all out there are loving them! There’s a lot of love to spread! The next preview we have is for the comic book “It Came!” Issue #2. “It Came!” is an old-school style, sci-fi comic book that takes a lot of it’s inspiration from the very old, very low budget science fiction movies that the world once enjoyed, well Dan Boultwood (Writer and Author of It Came!) still enjoys that kind of thing and he’s figured out a way to make that kind of thing awesome again for all of us. If you’re not too sure about what exactly “It Came!” is, we have the Official Synopsis of the comic here:
The alien robot known as GRURK has been temporarily waylaid by industrial quantities of bunting, but its inexorable march towards London cannot be stopped! In the village of Trumpington Abbey, space scientist Dr. Boy Brett and his lady-assistant Doris Night (a lady) welcome the arrival of the British Army – but do the soldiers herald a heightened level of competence… or a right royal Carry On? And what part does a field-full of mouldy turnips have to play in the enfolding cosmic drama?!
The comic book is published by Titan Comics and will be available on the 11th of September, that’s tomorrow and will sell for $3.99 so start getting excited! The comic is in beautiful full colour and is illustrated in a way that is just as beautiful. This will be issue 2 of 4. We have some preview pages for you below in out gallery so head down to check them out and hopefully you’ll pick up a copy of this “blast from the past” style of comic.
A brand new promotional trailer and key artwork for the upcoming Gingitsune anime series has made its way online showcasing the series’ story and colourful cast of characters.
Gingitsune is based upon the manga of the same name written and illustrated by Sayori Ochiai. The series will star Hisako Kanemoto (Ika Musume in Squid Girl) as the 16-year old Shinto priest protagonist Makoto Saeki.
It is slated to premiere in October 2013 as part of the Fall 2013 anime season. You can check out the trailer for the Gingitsune anime below and the key artwork for the anime series above. Be sure to let us know what you think in the comments section.
You’re Next is a black comedy/horror film by American director Adam Wingard, who had previously won awards from the Indianapolis International Film Festival and Boston Underground Film Festival for Pop Skull(2007) and from Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas for A Horrible Way to Die (2010). The award-winning streak continued after You’re Next‘s world début at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival ‘Midnight Madness’ program, when it won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay (Simon Barrett), and Best Actress (played by Sharni Vinson) at the 2011 Fantastic Fest (it took two years to receive a wide-theatrical release). These are very niche organisations however, so does You’re Next truly deserve its budding ‘cult-hit’ status?…
Story
Screenwriter Simon Barrett keeps the “sex kills” rule developed in Friday the 13th alive as You’re Next begins with a couple having intercourse, before the woman is slaughtered. The man comes out of his shower to find her lying outside the living room’s sliding doors, with the words “You’re Next” written on the glass in her blood…and, of course, the killer immediately makes good on that promise. So, what do these two individuals have to do with the main cast? They were the lone neighbours of the Davisons, who would shortly arrive at their remote Missouri vacation house down the road. This is obviously no longer a safe neighbourhood…maybe the killer moved on? Wishful thinking…
Parents Aubrey (Barbara Crampton) and Paul (Rob Moran) turn up first, only to find the door unlocked, which Paul too easily dismisses. Soon enough, however, Aubrey swears she is hearing footsteps upstairs. Paul tells her to wait outside the house as he goes to inspect the second floor for intruders. He is startled when his son Crispian (A.J. Bowen) all but sneaks up on him (why do that to the old man?!), asking why his mother is crying outside the front porch. Crispian’s Australian girlfriend Erin is comforting Aubrey outside. The next day, the rest of the siblings show: the antagonistic Drake Davison (Joe Swanberg) and his partner Kelly (Margaret Laney), the quieter Felix Davison (Nicholas Tucci) and his girlfriend Zee (Wendy Glenn), and finally Aimee Davison (Amy Seimetz) and her documentary-maker boyfriend Tariq (Ti West).
In the day, Erin is sent to “borrow” some sugar from the neighbours (you know which ones), and she finds no response as ‘Looking for the Magic’ by the Dwight Tilley Band plays on repeat, blasting from a CD player that was never turned off – at least the, now former, owners won’t have to worry about that electricity bill. At night, the family reunion feast is thrown into chaos as the brothers fall into a heated argument before all hell breaks loose and that stalking presence the audience has become privy to makes itself known to those at the dinner table. And what better way to make an entrance than to shoot an arrow through a window, and into the head of a hipster filmmaker. Tariq, we barely knew you…and neither did Aimee; they were only dating for a short period of time.
From here on, the group scramble to survive, with Erin filling the role of leader. All acquire weapons, lock the doors and windows, and talk strategy. There’s one particularly gruesome death which sees a certain sibling unknowingly slit their own throat on a strung up, taut piece of chicken wire. And the gore doesn’t stop there; it actually gets worse. There’s multiple stabbings and bashings, along with some more creative kills…this is definitely more on the gory end of the horror spectrum than flat out scary (I relate it to Evil Dead in some respects). And of course, there is humour in some of the more ludicrous occurrences; let’s just say that, if you need to stab someone five times before they die, than you’re not exactly fit to be a killer. And if you’re going to wear a mask (Lamb, Fox or Tiger!), make sure the eye slits have a good field of vision, and never underestimate the capability of a kitchen appliance to kill. Not on its own of course; this isn’t a possession film after all.
The film takes multiple turns over its course, with more than one twist to shock and surprise you. The reason given for Erin’s adeptness in survival tactics is definitely an original one, and it is nice that it actually ties in with her specific background and nationality. Nonetheless, that switch flips quite quickly, with not only her ability to take charge coming to the fore, but her entire behaviour and attitude undergoing a sharp transformation. The early ambiguity related to the number of assailants was effective for me as I had not seen the above poster featuring all three masked murderers (I’m sorry for the spoilers! I had to find an accurate Australian poster!). More harsh than Erin’s sudden morphing into an entirely capable killing machine in her own right was the fact that any power the killers once had was immediately taken away the moment she “awakens”. It’s at this point that the viewer must approach the film as a revenge flick, and in that regard, it works.
Visuals & Audio
You’re Next is tightly directed, as close-ups and ‘one-shots’ are common with constant emphasis being put on each character’s reactions to the current situation. Some clever shots are chosen in order to draw out a reveal or build anticipation for an action. For example, in the first attack on the group, we don’t see the point of impact when the initial arrow breaks through the glass and lodges into Tariq’s head until seconds later when the rest of the dinner table turns in a delayed reaction to witness him still-standing with the arrow protruding from his skull. And when an intruder is unknowingly stepping into a nail trap that Erin lays, the camera focuses firmly and tightly on the nails, leaving the viewer waiting for the foot to come into frame.
The film was shot in 35mm (anamorphic), with a Red One MX, resulting in crisp and clear imagery. As for the music, Mads Heldtberg handled the score – along with three other contributors – which is appropriately high-intensity and high-suspense when it needs to be. In the first act especially, during the more tense scenes where the viewer shares the dramatic irony of knowing the character in-frame is being watched, there is a shadowy ambience that sets the atmosphere perfectly. Later on, in the third act when the tide turns, a heavy 80’s inspired synth track kicks in that contradictorily feels both in-context and out of place – an odd choice that represents a bigger change in mode than the visuals could ever suggest.
Overall
While it is clear from the start that the filmmakers’ intentions were to create a comedic parody of the genre, the characters aren’t as dumb as you’d expect. For the most part, they avoid making silly decisions, although that mindset can be attested to the bravery and direction of the only truly competent person present in Erin. Speaking of, performances all around were schlocky except for Sharni Vinson’s, which may have been on purpose to support the idea of her being the only likeable character (although I doubt it given the low budget and number of unknowns in the cast). The power is eventually taken away from the villains, but the shift in tone from horror to revenge warrants it to a degree. It may be flawed, but You’re Next is an entertaining flick that delivers the gore and the laughs…maybe just not all for the right reasons.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
