A little more than a month until the newest Splinter Cell will be coming out in retail, so to help with the wait Ubisoft has released a new trailer for Splinter Cell: Blacklist. Focused on Sam and the situation he is forced to deal with, the main theme of the trailer is that Sam must become what they fear, which is either ghosts or heavily armed super spies.
Splinter Cell: Blacklist pits Sam against some mighty big odds, namely that he has to handle a task that not even an army can solve, but that’s what the government keeps him on call for, right? To see the two contrasting sides of Sam for yourself be sure to watch the video embedded below.
Splinter Cell: Blacklist is set to release near the end of August for Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U, and PC, but it will also be making an appearance at PAX Australia, so those going this weekend should be sure to check it out there as well.
Welcome back for this week’s iOS Game Suggestions. If you missed last week’s, or are new to the suggestions, click on the link below and check out what cool games you should be picking up for your iOS device along with the introduction on how the suggestions work. (suggestions 1 has how it all works)
A great week on iTunes! As always, it started slow and but ended with a bang! There are many must-buy games this week in all departments, FREE, 99c and over 99c. This week I’ve suggested a WHOPPING total of 31 great quality titles. Make sure you check them all especially… R-Type, Pacific Rim, Zombies!!!, Kamikaze Pigs, SongRush, PAC-MAN Dash!, Cannon Crasha, Contra: Evolution, , just to name a few.
Break down below :
5 – FREE Games
8 – $0.99c Games
18 – Over $0.99c Games
As always for this week’s suggestions are all new titles that you should take a look at and consider spending your hard earned iTunes cash / time on. Well the Free games just below certainly should all be given a shot as they won’t cost you anything!
For The Cheapskates – FREE GAMES
MASTERABBOTT’S FREE GAME PICK OF THE WEEK!
PAC-MAN Dash! – Price : FREE – Publisher – Namco Bandai Games (Gobble up all the cookies and ghosts!
PAC-MAN keeps busy running and eating in this action-filled game! Available free of charge!Anyone can play! Just touch and jump! Touch the screen to jump and eat cookies and ghosts in this simple game! Comical PAC-MAN and ghost characters keep active! PAC-MAN and his friends, as well as ghosts and monsters all display a wide range of actions!) on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
SongRush – Price : FREE – Publisher –Bulkypix (SongRush is a musical arcade game that will allow you to play with your own music. Run, slide, jump and avoid all the obstacles. Beat your own music by pulling off perfect combos to win maximum points. Will you get to the end of your track? Try all the solo challenges and take on your friends in the weekly tournament. May the best rusher win!) runs on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
Zombies Ate My Friends – Price : FREE – Publisher –Glu Mobile (Welcome to Festerville, population 4,206 (mostly zombies). We hope you enjoy your visit: explore the town, take in the sights and sounds (mostly groaning), dine on whatever you can find, and get to know the locals (though we suggest you avoid the dead ones). For recreation, try zombie combat: use what you find, or visit one of the town’s many weapon-crafting merchants for your choice of the finest hand-scavenged implements of zombie removal.) runs on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
Devil Maker – Tokyo – Price : FREE – Publisher –Palmple (The evolution of collectible card games is here! Play a unique FREE RPG card battle game unlike any that have come before! With exciting card battles, a strategic combat system, a captivating storyline, and outstanding card illustrations, you’re sure to enjoy Devil Maker: Tokyo!) runs on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
Just 2 Words – Price : FREE – Publisher –Adveractive (Every puzzle’s answer is just 2 words — a common pairing (“BROWNIE POINTS”), a famous person’s name (“ELTON JOHN”), or a fun word combination that is forehead-slapping obvious after you figure out David’s picture clues!) runs on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
For The Bargain Hunters – 99c Games
Kamikaze Pigs – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – Chillingo (This little piggy went to war!Squeal, aim, and fire as you send these pork-bellied troops into a chaotic scramble. Simply tap to launch your attack and watch as these ham-handed pigs bring the war to its gristly end.) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Call Of Mini: Zombies 2 – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – Triniti Interactive (Another ZOMBIE OUTBREAK in the sequel to the worldwide smash-hit Call of Mini™ Zombies. Secondary weapons and a combo system have been introduced to the game. Fight off hordes of zombies and take on powerful bosses to save the world again!) runs on iPad & iPhone. BUY NOW
Contra: Evolution – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – Punchbox Studios (Contra: Evolution is the first official Contra game for iOS, bringing all of the run-and-gun action of the 1988 original with 21st century graphics and controls to the palm of your hands. Bill “Mad Dog” Rizer and Lance “Scorpion” Bean are back to business fighting aliens in the jungles of South America–but can you survive one of the hardest games ever? Collect power-ups, unlock new levels and characters, and take on challenges in this arcade blast from the past. With updated HD graphics and future iOS 7 compatibility, get ready for a whole new Contra experience!) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Flyro – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – Brute Farce (Featuring dynamic difficulty and elegant touch controls, Flyro is the first runner that will always keep you challenged without being frustrating or overwhelming. You’ll encounter progressively more advanced obstacles, from deadmines and barricades to trap barrels, rockets, electric halls, and more!) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Cannon Crasha – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – GangoGames (Two opposing castles on one battlefield. Destroy each other with a comically large cannon, armed units and an armada of spells! See the destruction on each castle in real time and strategize your cannon shots by using the right artillery, watching the constantly shifting wind and aiming for the essential parts of your enemies castle! Up the ante by rushing towards your enemies with strategically summoned armed units and react to the enemies actions with defensive maneuvers and spells!) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
For The Millionaires – All games over $0.99
MasterAbbott’s over 99c Pick Of The Week!
R-Type – Price : $1.99 – Publisher – DotEmu (R-TYPE, THE CLASSIC ARCADE SHOOTER, RETURNS AS A UNIVERSAL APP! Revisit the 80’s (mesh half-shirts and Keds optional) with this classic, old-school shoot ’em up! One of the decade’s most popular arcade games will awaken fond memories of jangling quarters, Jolt Cola and week-old popcorn. Fire up your iPhone or iPad and get ready to go back… to R-Type!) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Dungeon Of Legends – Price : $2.99 – Publisher – BBG Entertainment (Let magic and illusion enchant you and immerse yourself in a fantastic world full of dangers. As a novice you have to use your skills to get accepted to the magic school. Your mission is to complete the “Tower of Eternity”. The tower consists of various areas, including the “Chambers of Illusions”. With over 75 rooms of crazy puzzles, you’ll need all your courage to solve them. ) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Twin Moons– Price : $4.99 – Publisher – G5 Entertainment (Reveal shocking secrets from the past and save the future in this thrilling hidden object adventure! Jack, a researcher at the isolated Twin Moons Institute, has no memory following a car accident. But a few fuzzy flashbacks suggest he participated in some kind of dangerous experiment. Help Jack find answers to his numerous questions and decide whether his friends, colleagues and even his fiancée are worthy of his trust.) runs on iPad & iPhone. BUY NOW
Dead On Sight– Price : $1.99 – Publisher – Bombhead (Blow zombies to bits and rescue the residents of the town of Resurrection in this original touch controlled sniper game. The population in the town of Resurrection have got problems: the dead have risen from their graves and are now eating the locals. Armed with a sniper rifle you have to fight off the undead and give the people a chance to escape. They will try to escape by running, climbing up ladders and hiding in buildings. The undead will be in hot pursuit and you must stop them before they make a meal out of them.) runs iPad & iPhone. BUY NOW
Pacific Rim – Price : $4.99 – Publisher – Reliance Big Entertainment (Pacific Rim is an all-new action fighting game inspired by the Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures film from acclaimed filmmaker Guillermo del Toro. Piloting weaponized robots known as Jaegers, Earth’s defenders must train their jockeys from rookie to ace in a Story Mode or challenge themselves to last as long as they can against waves of monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, in Survival Mode. Do you have the skill to survive these battles? Time is short—so start building your lethal combat skills and weapons today or the world will pay the price!) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Einstein Enigma – Price : $1.99 – Publisher – BBG Entertainment (The new Brain Puzzle Game inspired by the famous Enigma Rotor Cipher Machine. Einstein™ Enigma allows you to challenge your brain in a playful, motivating way by solving more than 100 tricky puzzles and combinations. The basic principle of the game is to rotate six different colored wheels to match the different color templates of each puzzle) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Dungeonism – Price : $1.99 – Publisher – Jeffery Fal. (Dungeonism is a turn-and-tile-based dungeon crawler. It’s not quite a roguelike, but it is rogue-ish. Taking equal inspiration from Pac-Man and Temple of Apshai, Dungeonism combines the strategies of turn-based RPGs and tile-based arcade games into a single unique gameplay style. It is engrossing enough to be played for hours, but its turn-based rhythm makes it easy to play in short bursts.) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Fallen World– Price : $2.99 – Publisher – Oddity (Fallen World takes place in a post-apocalyptic world ruled by a machine army. Take the role of a deadly Cyborg Ninja; hack and slash your way through endless waves of robot enemies. Summon soldiers and torrent defense units into battle. Protect a young cyborg that holds the key to dismantling the mainframe and machine network.) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Bounty Arms– Price : $4.99 – Publisher – Kerosene (From the team that brought you Editor’s Choice BLADESLINGER comes BOUNTY ARMS, a beautiful, action-packed 3D adventure with simple, mobile-friendly controls. Play as Drake Mass, Goober, or Flux Helix and equip an array of loyal pets to complete quests, win bounties, and defeat epic bosses!) runs iPad & iPhone. BUY NOW
MetalWars3– Price : $1.99 – Publisher – Goorusoft (In 2100 A.D, the planet became a unified nation named “Earth Federation.” However, the unification never lasted long. Minorities were up in arms against the EF, who desperately oppose the imperialism of the EF, insisting on secession from the unification. The EF forces brutally oppressed the Resistance Army, and yet the voices of dissent within the EF forces were growing louder accordingly. In the end, the secret organization, called ATLUS was found inside the EF forces. ATLUS has performed secret operation so as to eliminate the heads of the EF. Every pilots belonging to Bear Unit of ATLUS is spearheading highly covert operations.) runs iPad & iPhone. BUY NOW
Zombies!!!– Price : $1.99 – Publisher – Babaroga (Zombies!!! puts you in the middle of the action in this video game adaptation of the hit board game. In order to escape the ever advancing zombie horde, players must use a combination of wits and brawn to be the first to the heliport and certain escape. The only problem is, the zombies are everywhere, they appear to be very hungry and your opponents would really prefer if you didn’t escape.) runs iPad & iPhone. BUY NOW
Hakitzu Elite: Robot Hackers– Price : $2.99 – Publisher – Kuato Games (Hack your friends to become the ultimate code warrior! Hakitzu Elite is an epic multiplayer robot combat game, where you learn the basics of coding while battling robots in single and multiplayer missions. Can you hack it?!) runs iPad & iPhone. BUY NOW
Sky Gamlers: Cold War– Price : $4.99 – Publisher – Atypical Games (With an extensive single player campaign and a huge set of multiplayer modes, the non-stop action will keep you at the edge of your seat! Become the supreme lord of the skies in the latest Sky Gamblers title: Cold War! Go back in time with this great title and be part of unwritten history and covert operations. Enjoy the charm and power of the Jet Fighter domination race and master over a dozen airplane models.) runs iPad & iPhone. BUY NOW
Breach & Clear– Price : $1.99 – Publisher – Gun (Breach & Clear brings deep tactical strategy to mobile devices! Build your Special Operations team, plan and execute advanced missions, and own every angle. Choose your real-world squad — US Army Rangers, US Navy Seals, Canada’s JTF2, and more — and take on a variety of foes with different skill-sets and abilities. Learn to approach, engage, and dominate your opponent through superior tactics and training, while leveling your characters in one of the deepest progression systems created for mobile devices.) runs iPad & iPhone. BUY NOW
Futuridium EP– Price : $1.99 – Publisher – Mixedbag Srl (You are a lone starship pilot who get lost in a dimensional loop just before a battle: with a limited and constantly depleting energy bar your only hope is to fly as fast as possible over enormous space dreadnoughts and destroy all the cyan power cubes, replenishing your energy tank and revealing the ship’s power core, which must be destroyed to move to the next ship. ) runs iPad & iPhone. BUY NOW
Gardenscapes– Price : $2.99 – Publisher – Playtrix (Create the perfect garden! Comb the rooms of a gorgeous mansion for hidden items and restore a once stunning garden to its former glory. Choose from tons of garden accessories to customize the garden to your taste. Become part of the city’s community and compete in the “Best Garden” contest. No worries if you are a garden design novice – an amusing and witty butler, Austin, will always be of assistance. Become an outdoor decor pro in this cutting hedge Playrix game!) runs iPad & iPhone. BUY NOW
Dive For Treasures– Price : $1.99 – Publisher – Eccentricity (We were hit by a terrifying storm. The ancient Mayan treasure went down with
the ship. Now the treacherous waters are swarming with pirates… Captain! You’re our last hope. We’re counting on you to take command of this dangerous submarine expedition. ) runs iPad & iPhone. BUY NOW
Best Park In The Universe – Regular Show– Price : $2.99 – Publisher – Cartoon Network (Ready for the BIGGEST BEATDOWN in the cosmos? Help Mordecai, Rigby and Muscle Man battle aliens, monsters and deranged park employees in Best Park in the Universe!) runs iPad & iPhone. BUY NOW
There you have it folks these games should keep you busy for quite some time well until next week at least. I’ll be back next week for another dose of iOS goodness, in the meantime if you would also like to suggest your own suggestions, please feel free to share them in the comments section below or in the iOS forum section on the site here.
Dusty Revenge Developer: PD Design Studio Publisher: PD Design Studio Platforms:PC (Reviewed), Mac Release Date: July 9, 2013 Price: $9.99 – Available Here
Overview
Welcome to a kick ass indie game that has created a new title for the number one rabbit in videogames. Dusty, isn’t your average bunny and sure as hell doesn’t whip his ears back and forth to look good. Dusty is the master of all moves, from almighty knock-outs and infinite pistol shots to axe swindling and parachuting over cliffs. However, it’s important to consider whether or not the title, Dusty Revenge stays true to the game. Does Dusty get his sweet revenge?
Storyline
The storyline seized the midst of vengeance, one of which only Tarantino could execute brilliantly in the film, Django Unchained. However, Dusty does not embark on a rabbit hunt to find his lover Daisy; he is on a mission to slaughter the beasts that took her life, in the most vicious way possible. As Dusty ventures further into the Wild West, he comes across two allies to help him take on the termites, moles, bulls, slimy toads, cheeky felines, venomous mechanical snakes, giant armoured gorilla’s and much more gun-blazing bosses, before reaching the final target, Craven. The narrative progression cut scenes interweaves magnificently with the gameplay and gives the player an opportunity to enjoy both realms of an entertaining game and film.
Gameplay
Dusty Revenge is a fast paced 2D action platformer that stays true to its fighting genre and strengthens the shoot and beat ‘em up style of gameplay. The consistent drive to move forward, both visually and audibly accommodates the player’s quick progression, regardless of difficulty, such as the game hints in the loading screens. With each new environment to tackle, tutorial guides appear on screen, as well as camera movements to signal the right direction and zoom in on certain objects to be cautious of. I thought this was a very effective technique in the game, as it gave players time to think about their plan of attack, and consequently avoid the dreaded YOU ARE DEAD screen and hop back to the last checkpoint. In terms of monitoring progress, Dusty Revenge provides a map in the main menu, covering the all the stages of the game, as well as the best time for each stage, and the results players receive after completion.
Dusty unlocks new heavy and light attacks as you level up, giving the player a broader range of melee moves to master before conquering bigger bosses. Of course, there is always the temptation to create your own combo, by button mashing as many keys possible and hoping that the attack goes through smoothly. Surprisingly, that worked for me. In the early levels of the game, you become acquainted with rocket-launcher Rondel and rifle-hound McCoy. The support character system enhances the gameplay experience, as you control a total of 3 different types of players, each with a unique ability to cater in the destruction of enemies.
In the combat arena, players can earn achievements from a high amount of hit points, for example, Dusty receives a Chain Reaction for 100 hit combos. There are a vast variety of special types of achievements, including Suicide Bunny, First Death, First Blood and Fighter Badge. Additionally, when some enemies are defeated, they give Dusty health point and experience point orbs. Other important in-game items to be collected include; health upgrades, health and EXP orbs, refuel points, support character upgrade, special combo upgrade, crystals and treasure chests with upgrades and replenishments that are required to boost Dusty and his allies’ performance on their journey of revenge.
Visuals
Dusty Revenge should be applauded for their gorgeous 2D art style in both comical character design and well drawn landscapes, from the cavernous Junkyard Sewer wastelands and ghost towns of Brooklyn to the deadly Odgro jungle and Forgotten Caves. The different scenic environments create an adventurous atmosphere, illustrating the exciting and mysterious elements involved with all journeys taken. The 2D visuals add more depth and a realistic vibe to Dusty Revenge, enhancing the gaming experience as a web comic brought to life.
Audio
That country, western-themed music really gives the game the finishing drumbeat of perfection. Without this unique soundtrack, Dusty Revenge would not have the same affect on players. To the same degree, the in-game sounds compliment the non-stop action of the game, from Dusty’s ear whips, the buzz of reaching a checkpoint and beating enemies with speed-of-light punches. On a subjective sidenote, the only downfall would be that Dusty’s voice did not quite match his character’s personality, he sounded a little too deep and distant for my liking.
Overall
Dusty Revenge is a terrific action platformer game, that delivers everything a player could ask for, in terms of high 2D quality, art design, engaging storyline and replay value. You’ll find that it is definitely worth finishing the game, more than once. As for the developer, PD Design Studios have stepped up to the next level with Dusty Revenge, creating a stand-out game and integrated web comic version. Hop-to-it and get Dusty Revenge now!
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Level-5, one of Japan’s most esteemed developers and the minds behind such classics as the Professor Layton series and Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (review here) have today released ‘Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale” for the Nintendo 3DS via the Nintendo eShop. The title was originally a Japanese-exclusive game, as part of the GUILD02 collection, which was a collection of games created by some of the country’s best, and most respected game directors.
Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale puts players in 1970s Showa-era Japan, in a little town just outside of Tokyo, where the monsters from TV come alive every Friday. The game comes from game design mastermind Kaz Ayabe, and is his first work published outside of Japan.
Coming from such a prestigious developer definitely puts a lot of hype into this game, but it is also enough to warrant a look from most people. You will probably get even more of a kick out of it if you were a fan of the old Godzilla movies, or like me grew up watching Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers.
Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale is available NOW on the 3DS eShop for a reasonable $10.40. Let us know in the comments below if you will be downloading this game, or if you have been lucky enough to play any of Kaz Ayabe’s previous titles, and as always, stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the video game news as it becomes available.
This year is the inaugural PAX Australia event, and the first time the massive gaming conference has ever been outside of its home country of the United States. Tonnes of game companies are making a strong appearance at the show, which runs from Friday the 19th through to Sunday the 21st of this month, and Nintendo looks to be leading the charge and providing something for everyone.
First and foremost; the Nintendo Booth will be THE place to be during the event, and will allow you to meet up with fellow Nintendo 3DS owners and play multiplayer in games like Animal Crossing: New Leaf (review here), Fire Emblem: Awakening (review here), Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate (review here), Luigi’s Mansion 2 (review here), Mario Kart 7 (review here) and Donkey Kong Country Returns 3d (review here).
Are you into Animal Crossing? Then Nintendo has you covered!
At 4:30pm on Saturday, Nintendo will be hosting a special video chat with the development team for Animal Crossing: New Leaf. Fans will have the chance to ask questions to the team about the game and what is next for the series. If you are a long-time Animal Crossing lover, or have recently been swept up in the excitement of New Leaf then this is definitely something you don’t want to miss.
Want to try the new Zelda game? Yeah, they got you covered there too!
Nintendo has one last small/tiny event happening over the weekend. There is this little-known game franchise from Nintendo by the name of Pokemon, and there will be the Video Game Nationals Tournaments being held through the weekend. That’s right, you can see some of the best in the country battle it out for top prize and to see who will head on to the World Championships in a few months time. Oh, and don’t forget that anyone can enter! Think you are the very best, like no one ever was? Then prove it!
The Big-N will also be hosting competitions and play offs through the weekend, so it is definitely worth your time to check out the Nintendo Booth. We have some of our best guys down at PAX Australia this year, so be sure to stay tuned to Capsule Computers over the weekend for all the information out of the conference.
Anohana Studio: A1-Pictures Publisher: Hanabee Format: DVD Release Date: July 3rd, 2013 Price:$49.99 – Available Here
Overview
Loss can do strange things to a person. The void left behind can haunt you. Theses ghosts of the past, can break you or save you. Anohana ~ The Flower We Saw That Day embodies this notion, in what is one of the most heartbreaking anime series the medium has ever seen. Anohanais a beautiful anime series filled with raw heart and soul. This is essential anime viewing in every regard.
Story
What Anohana ~ The Flower We Saw That Day accomplishes in 11 episodes is nothing short of phenomenal. In an age of incomplete endings, lack of thematic resolution, rush jobs and pacing disasters, Anohana stands out as a complete package. In 11 episodes it tells a complete story that hits all the right beats and concludes in one of the most beautiful finales in anime.
The hook of Anohana is its brilliantly realised cast of distinct characters, each with their own defined personality and connections to one another. Each character has a connection to each other in one way or another, differing between each of them. All of them however are brought together by one person, Menma.
When Menma is gone these friends drift apart, heartbroken by the tragic loss of their friend, each blaming themselves for her fate and baring that guilt since that day. All of this changes when one of the kids starts seeing the ghost of Menma. Over the course of the series they begin to come to terms with the loss of their friend, each being touched by her in one way or another.
What makes Anohana so very special though is the way it deals the central tragedy with such care. Often in television these kinds of emotional plot points are exploiatative and play with viewers in a manipulative way. Such is not the case in Anohana, it approaches Menma’s tragedy with a gentle touch, never going too far or reveling in the details of her accident. It adds so much more to the emotional impact of Anohana with its intentional withholding of all the cards, letting the viewer fill in the blanks themselves. After all it isn’t important how it happened, but the fact that it happened.
If Anohana went into great detail of the accident and what had occurred, it would have detracted all the soul of the situation. Instead of being an honest human drama it would have become a dark drama reveling in the tragedy. Instead it highlights the friendship of its cast and the way they are affected by this loss. The way it dives into the friendship of this group is touching at the same time heartbreaking, the distance between them and the ways in which they inadvertently continue to hurt one another is tragic. But no matter the pain or sadness they must go through, there is hope that things will one day be okay for these friends. It is exactly the right note for this series to hit and that is one chord it plays better than any other.
Things ultimately come full circle in a finale to savor. It is a real tear-jerker of a conclusion, that reaches a resolution that shines a ray of hope, that things will be okay for these characters we have come to love. It would take nerves of steel not to get teary eyed by this finale. It is so sad yet so beautiful, which is of course the perfect way to end this series.
It is that gentle touch that makes Anohana so remarkable. It has a warm heart that resides beneath the surface that makes sure you don’t fall into solemnity, highlighting a hopefulness that series such as this often lack. It is that heart that makes this such a memorable experience, one that will resonate with you long after viewing. It will hit you hard and stay with you.
Visuals and Audio
The aesthetics on show in Anohana are easily the best A1-Pictures have produced. From start to finish the quality is superb, with beautiful sakuga animation on show in even the simplest of scenes. With an 11 episode run, A1-Pictures clearly put their all into every facet of production on the series. The character designs are appealing and the scenery is nothing short of gorgeous. It is a brilliant animation production from top to bottom.
The soundtrack is equally as impressive, with great incidental music to back the action playing out on screen. It is worth noting that the series features amazing opening and ending themes that perfectly capture the spirit of Anohana. Both tracks are instantly memorable and begin and end every episode of Anohana in a great way.
This release is subtitle-only and features the excellent Japanese audio dub. it is a ittle disheartening that a series this remarkable wasn’t able to recieve an English dub, but the voice work on the Japanese audio is beautiful to say the very least.
Extras
This particular release of Anohana is fairly bare-bones unfortunately. It doesn’t feature an English dub for starters and only comes with minimal special features. This is of course disappointing, but it still has enough to warrant a purchase. It includes the usual features like trailers and clean theme songs. Despite the lack of extra content, Hanabee have done a respectable job on this release and it is undoubtedly worth the price tag on it.
Overall Anohana ~ The Flower We Saw That Day is a modern anime classic. It is a tragic story filled with heartbreak, loss, grieving but filled with hope, heart, friendship and love. In 11 episodes it does more than some series do with 51 episodes. Anohana is a beautifully crafted anime series that must be watched by anime fans. While this release is not perfect, the series itself is without a doubt a perfect experience and it is an experience that should not be missed. Add Anohana to the bucket list, this is anime you should be watching.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Adventure Time: Explore the Dungeon Because I DON’T KNOW! is yet another game based on the series and will have a completely new storyline where players will have to save the Candy Kingdom by exploring a Secret Royal Dungeon deep below the Land of Ooo.
Playable characters include Finn, Jake, Marceline, Cinnamon Bun and more while four player co-op multiplayer is confirmed. Adventure Time will be on the Wii U, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
Regular Show: Mordecai and Rigby In 8-bit Land is coming exclusively to the 3DS star the two main characters who are transported into some of their favourite video games. Players must use their skills and abilities to escape and get back home.
Check out the new trailers with staff interviews below:
Adventure Time: Explore the Dungeon Because I DON’T KNOW!
Regular Show: Mordecai and Rigby In 8-bit Land
Both titles are being developed by WayForward in close collaboration with the shows’ creators and are due out this summer 2013.
Welcome to another episode of CC Indie Spotlight where we demo the latest and greatest of indie gaming.
This episode features Dungeon Dashers, upcoming game from the developer Jigxor still in beta stage for PC. Dungeon Dashers is a dungeon crawling game with turn-based gameplay that will also feature online play when the final version of the game is released. In Dungeon Dashers you get to control four different kinds of heroes (Knight, Mage, Rogue and Archer) on a quest to find and take down an evil wizard. Each of the heroes have their own special abilities that are needed over come some of the puzzles and obstacles that you will encounter within the dungeons, working as a team will be the only way to succeed and conquer some of the very well designed levels within the game.
Today for your viewing pleasure game-play walk through for the first few levels of the game which can be checked out below. More information regarding Dungeon Dashers can be found at their official s website here. Be sure to also check out our written preview for the game as well here.
Ghost in the Shell: Arise is the first of four all-new prequel OVAs that follow a younger Motoko Kusanagi and her future Section 9 colleagues. First released in 1995, Mamoru Oshii and Production I.G.’s Ghost in the Shell made a huge impact in the anime scene. After its sequel, GITS2: Innocence, and the GITS: Stand Alone Complex TV series, the franchise has gained millions of fans worldwide.
The latest work from filmmaker Makoto Shinkai (5cm Per Second, Children Who Chase Lost Voices), The Garden of Words is an emotional, calming and beautifully measured work that examines a chance encounter between two lonely people.
The two films are to be screened as a double bill due to their shorter length, which is an awesome chance to hit two birds with one stone. GITS: Arise and The Garden of Words join Evangelion 3.0, 009 Re:Cyborg and A Letter To Momo to form Madman’s pretty stellar line up this year.
REEL Anime 2013 will screen in selected cinema locations across Australia in October, with venues and sessions to be confirmed closer to the event. For more info visit the official site.
Dungeon Dashers is an up and coming dungeon crawler game from Jigxor. It’s described as a fast-paced turn-based dungeon crawler, which may sound incredibly contradictory, but it is also very true. In this preview we were using an early build of the game (Build 277) so things touched in here may change later in development.
In Dungeon Dashers, players are tasked with navigating and clearing dungeons while controlling a small cast of four characters. Each of these characters have their own strengths and weaknesses which must be accounted for by the player. Players play as a Wizard, an Archer, a Thief and a Warrior/Knight. As you can guess, the Wizard is good at casting magic and dealing tonnes of damage from a distance, the Archer is a good distance fighter but isn’t too good up close, the Thief has high DPS but only does good damage when they’re able to use most of their energy on a single target and the Warrior is a good all around up close fighter capable of quickly closing the distance and taking a hit.
Dungeon Dashers is controlled by the keyboard (at this point in time) and has an intuitive control scheme. Anyone that has played a MOBA in any capacity will recognise the keys used for skills in this game. What’s nice about Dungeon Dashers is that players are able to do many basic things just by running into an object, such as a crate or an enemy unit. By doing this, your currently controlled character will do their basic actions, such as breaking furniture or attacking an enemy. It’s not until you start to use skills where you need to start using the select key to assign actions.
Your standard level in Dungeon Dashers is a bit like a maze, much like your standard Dungeon Crawler type dungeons. When navigating one of these dungeons, players will have to alternate between characters to keep them close by hitting the ENTER key, however, in most levels, there are these teleport tiles that shift the other characters in your team to you.
If a player is outside of combat, they are free to move about as much as they like, however, once they’re in combat, their character is restricted to make a certain number of moves. While playing, you’ll notice that on the bottom right there is a bar that is blue in colour and is numbered. Both moving and doing an action while in combat lowers this bar. Some actions drain this more than others. For example, a fireball will lower it by a significant amount, whilst moving will only lower it by a single point.
One thing that may throw players off initially is the less than modern look of the game. However, it could be argued that this game would simply not work as well if it had a more modern look. It has a gameplay design reminiscent of a bygone era, and arguably more fun, period which is reflected in the more basic, design. In this case, basic is not a bad thing, it’s a part of the Dungeon Dashers experience and Dungeon Dashers is an amazing one.
What’s interesting about Dungeon Dashers is that it comes fully equipped with it’s own level editor for players to use. This allows you to create and share your own Dungeon Dashers levels, adding to the package and increasing replayability and potentially adding to the fun and challenge behind the game.
The first thing that players will notice about the game is its amazing soundtrack. It is really, really, quite awesome. What makes this soundtrack so good, is that it is insanely catchy while also being quite retro with its chiptune basis. The soundtrack really adds this level of greatness to an already great game that only a soundtrack could add. Listening to the games opening theme is like listening to the main Zelda theme for the first time ever. Hopefully Jigxor will release the games soundtrack as an OST. The way it segues in and out while in combat, the tunes that play whilst exploring and even the cutscene music is all great.
Dungeon Dashers is a game that is quite aware that it is a game. Many of the characters will make fourth-wall breaking acknowledgements at certain points, as well as some of the object in the game. Each of the cast members have their own personalities that add to the entertainment of the game. They’re almost caricatures of the classes they each represent, but in a way that is amusing and not groan-worthy.
Overall Dungeon Dashers is a well designed game with the fun factor that many games simply do not come with these days. It’s a light-hearted, challenging and fun game that will surely have you entertained until the end. At the very least, the soundtrack alone warrants a purchase at this point. But you definitely wont be disappointed with the gameplay.
Be sure to check out the games official website. Also be sure to check out hands on video gameplay for Dungeon Dashers here.
