Infernum Production’s have released a new video this week, of the legendary dungeon, “Ironfang Fortress” and it’s formidable giants, in their PC game Dragon’s Prophet.
Since the launch of the Open Beta phase in late May, there have been many updates and improvements for the fantasy MMORPG, in accordance with feedback from the gaming community. The most recent is Update 1.1 “Spirit of the Red Flame”, which can be downloaded from the official site here.
In the video, we see the order in which the player will face the four dangerous bosses of the Ironfang Fortress; including Organdel the Inexorable, Jhendal the Ravenous, Kuark the Enforcer, Yark the Silent, before reaching the King of the Ironfang Giants, Kabbal the Insatiable. For a closer look at the challenging opponents in the arena, check out the accompanying trailer directly below.
Dragon’s Prophet: The Dangers of Ironfang Fortress
Think you have the power to overcome the King of the Ironfang Giants? Follow your destiny as a brave warrior in Dragon’s Prophet today!
Overview
The Wii U has had a dry spell, but since E3, Nintendo have promised a good amount of first-party content to rejuvenate the system’s library. Game & Wario is the first in line out of the long list of releases into next year, and brings one of the most beloved franchises back for more mini-game fun. Instead of micro-games, this title features larger and more thought out experiences, offering up some quick entertainment that allows us to use the Gamepad in brand new ways. Does Wario bring good company in his Wii U debut? Let’s find out.
Gameplay
Since their debut back on the Game Boy Advance, the WarioWare series has always been about lightening quick action that was built around a test of reflexes. Game & Wario has the same cast as the old franchise, with Mona, Jimmy T, and several other familiar faces joining the menacing brother in creating a new game for a brand new two screened console, but is built around using the Gamepad controller in new ways. Thankfully, many of these little games prove to be more than an experimentation, as with 16 in all, there is truly something for everybody in this oddball compilation.
Each game varies in length and difficulty, with more challenging levels able to be unlocked after a certain requirement is met. Arrow will be the first of the lot you see, and is definitely one of the most unique to the package. In this romp, players must try to defend their strawberries from hordes of mechanized Warios. To do this, you must turn the Gamepad sideways and launch arrows at the screen by pulling them back, with the ammo flying to the television and hitting the target if the shot is done with precision. If the little guys get too close, the action will appear on the controller and the player will then need to take out an army by tapping them to death on the screen, adding a nice little mechanic that adds a slight challenge.
Shutter is another offering, and uses the Gamepad as a camera. In this mini-game, players are tasked with snapping photos of five criminals in a scene filled with other colorful characters, and are required to act as if their controller is a camera by pointing it at the screen. Sure, it isn’t the most well-rounded of the lot, but it does have a somewhat unique mechanic attached. Fans of rhythm titles will be pleased to know that the overlooked genre has also been shown some love, as Wario’s Pirate allows players to move the controller to the beat, shielding them from oncoming projectiles. The more basic Bowling mini-game is also enjoyable, and as you would expect, the Gamepad does well to keep the motion sensor at use, making for yet another way to play what was a fan favorite in the days of Wii Sports.
Yes, there is a lot of clever uses for the Gamepad at use, but not all are as enjoyable as the next. Games like Patchwork offer puzzle based fare that can get stale quick, and Taxi comes off as frustrating due to awkward controls, despite having a good premise. Speaking of Taxi, that brings up a good point for Game & Wario as a whole. Even though a lot of the gameplay and motion controls with the Gamepad are fluid, sometimes it is just overdone. Taxi in a way plays like a top-down Crazy Taxi. The catch is that aliens are attacking, and to shoot – the player must take their eyes off the television, tilt the controller upward, and try to aim at a target before the customer gets carried away. Its not that this is a bad idea, its just that all of the constant change is over-demanding of the player, and feels a bit forced as a result. Sure, I understand that the premise of Game & Wario is to show what the Wii U can do, but Wario games should be about fun first and foremost, and not all of these little romps have that wow factor.
Oddly enough, it is the mini-game that represents the old WarioWare franchise that I enjoyed the most. Gamer has the player go through a good number of micro-games. The gimmick at work is that you are playing as a kid, who is hiding under the covers past his bedtime. If your mom walks in, the game is over so you must constantly watch for cues on the television in order to not get caught. Those who don’t like this constant threat will be happy to know that these are playable without the mom breaking in, but the concept alone works fantastic with the old namesake, and stands as one of the strongest offerings Game & Wario has on the disc.
Game & Wario also makes for a pretty decent party game, as on top of the 12 single player mini-games, four multiplayer options are also available that can bring some excitement to any little get-together. Most of these have one sole player use the Gamepad, while the others wait for the controller to be passed to them in a turn-based format. There is a forgettable little Disco game and a mildly entertaining “Fronk” tossing challenge, which were not quite my thing. One title that did stand out was Fruit, which has one player take control of the Gamepad in a sea of people and swipe fruit while up to four others try to find out where that player is based on hints provided on the television. Sketch works a bit like Pictionary, and also stands up pretty well with the same kind of double screen shenanigans taking place. Just like all mini-game compilations, there are some offerings that stand stronger than others, but with the incentive to unlock more items and games by going back in for tougher challenges – it is unlikely this title will be shelved for a good time after you first put it in that Wii U.
Visuals and Audio
To be honest, it really doesn’t matter if you hate a specific game, as whether it is solid or not, Game & Wario will make sure you remember it with some charming cutscenes and awesome artwork. Bright colors run a muck with all 16 mini-games included, and the animations and joyous characters such as Wario and his flock of friends are sure to put a smile on everyone’s face who is in on the experience. No mini-game gets a worse treatment than the next when it comes to production value, and that balance makes this little compilation worth exploring until every last cutscene and piece of art is discovered.
As for the soundtrack, Nintendo have yet again delivered some cheeky yet lovable beats for the evil brother. Game & Wario’s music is at its best while characters are hamming it up, singing gleeful tunes about generally nothing, and the amount of energy this little cast has behind it will be heard at the start of every single mini-game. As for sound quality in other areas, who doesn’t love that menacing laugh of Wario, the peppyness of Mona, or the smooth sounds of Jimmy T. Good music and overall production doesn’t make a game great, but Game & Wario is all about trying to find the perfect fit for all, which is done with plenty of polished variation and charms bursting out the seams during every new encounter.
Overall
Game & Wario is not going to be a stand-out release for the Wii U – and after a few hours, its clear that this title was meant to be an experimentation. Sure, its fun and has a lot to offer, but there just isn’t enough included to keep it relevant for too long. Those who are wanting something for their console that packs a massive punch in quality should pay attention to this release however, as when it comes to party games, Game & Wario knows how to smack a smirk on that face and opens a lot of doors for future releases down the road. Just like he has been doing for over a decade, Wario has been used again this time around to show off new ideas in a clever format, and those who want to impress a crowd with some off-beat comedy and genuinely fun gameplay should look no further when selecting their next title for that two-screened platform.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
At PAX Australia 2013 this weekend, we got the opportunity to check out the new and upcoming range of SteelSeries competitive headsets, keyboards and all other manner of gamer gear. Most were display units, so we can’t speak on headset audio quality specifically, but will hopefully get that chance with some reviews down the line.
Approaching the booth – and in passing it throughout the day – your attention is called to the seemingly hourly giveaways and competitions occurring therein. Right up front, three players are engaged in tense matches of Counter-Strike against the best of the best in Australia, sitting on an elevated platform above them (talk about overt symbolism!). Everyone is using the Siberia v2 Heat Orange Edition headsets, which is the prize for any potential victors who would dethrone the champions. Alas, as of the time of our visit, no one had been successful. Losers didn’t go home empty handed however, as they received a SteelSeries t-shirt and mousepad as consolation.
The 9H Headset
Onto our booth tour, we looked at many products in the line on display. We spoke to Country Manager & Regional Sales Director of Oceania, Annabelle Woods, who was beyond ecstatic to be bringing the new gear, and in particular the 9H Headset – which she calls “her baby” – Down Under. The 9H is part of a trio of new headsets, the other two being the 5Hv3 and 3Hv2 (going down in sizes). They each have retractable microphones which we honestly could not even spot at first glance…they don’t joke when they call them invisible. Although they each have a different form of padding, they were all extremely comfortable, with the 9H being our favorite due to the larger, accommodating ear cushion size. The 9H will be available in Australia this holiday season, with the 5Hv3 and 3Hv2 releasing by the end of August.
The Flux Headset
We also looked at the 7H, Flux and aforementioned Siberia headsets. Annabelle tells us that the 7H will continue to be sold alongside its new brothers once they launch, but will most likely be phased out in the coming year. The Flux headset is the more compact and portable of the line, and is extremely customisable, with easily detachable cushions and side panels. Even the cords come in different colours. What’s especially neat about this one is that it can accommodate PC, Mac and Mobile connections with the ability for a friend to plug-in their cable in the second port and listen to what you are listening to, eliminating the old “sharing an ear” method; a welcome feature to say the least. The Flux headset is available now.
Stay frosty…
The Siberia v2 headsets are very cool…and in the case of the Frost Blue Edition, that becomes a pun! Hooray! They have elastic headband suspension – so you don’t have to fiddle with the sizing for your enormous head – and feature 16 super bright LED’s in the ears that can illuminate in 6 different modes (constant, pulse – slow to fast, intensity – low to high, and sound-based). The other thing that is improved over the v1’s is the integrated USB sound card that is supported by the SteelSeries Engine. Again, we couldn’t put this to the test, but maybe very soon we will be able to. What we’ve noticed across all of these pieces is the consistent comfort, light weight and build quality. Both the Heat Orange and Frost Blue editions are available now.
So cuuuuute!
As mentioned, headsets weren’t all we were shown. SteelSeries have all your gaming gear needs covered, from mice to keyboards and bluetooth wireless controllers…tiny bluetooth wireless controllers! We might almost call them cute! These are compatible with certain PC, Mac, Android and iOS games, but apparently have also been reported to work with some Pioneer in-dash systems and players in your car. Their buttons give good feedback and don’t stick, and the thumbsticks are almost in that perfect zone of resistance/required force for movement. They also have left and right shoulder buttons, which are not clearly visible in the image above. The Mobile Wireless Controller is currently only available to Australians through the SteelSeries online store, but will hopefully be hitting retailers’ shelves in the next quarter.
The ‘Apex’ Predator
Finally, we’ll cover the keyboards – the 7G and Apex. The 7G has been around for years now, and is a solid, sturdy, mechanical keyboards with 8K gold-plated mechanical switches and USB connectors in the back. Many will have this nowadays, but the 7G is still a reliable and durable piece of kit that gets the job done if that’s all that matters. The Apex, however, is more so for competitive gaming, featuring raised macros, two extra diagonal arrow keys, 5 individual colour zones which allow you to easily personalise and identity keys based on color (those privy to macros will know how useful this is) and much more. Both keyboards are available right now.
It’s great to see the brand up close and personal and poised to make a bigger impression upon the Australian gaming gear market. From what I’ve seen and felt, SteelSeries make functional kit that doesn’t suffer on form or fashion. Keep an eye out for the above products at these retailers.
All eyes were at the Warner Bros. panel discussion at Comic Con today, because everyone knew that we would get our first real glimpse of the King of Monsters himself, Godzilla. Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. are teaming up to bring Godzilla back to the big screen in 2014, and trust me the screen will need to be massive!
Until today, little was known about the project aside from the fact that it would be a reboot of the original Japanese Toho films, the fact that it will use the first ever Godzilla move as inspiration and the stat-studded cast that includes Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Bryan Cranston, Juliette Binoche, David Strathairn, Sally Hawkins and Ken Watanabe.
Click here to see the full poster
Today audiences in attendance got to see the first footage from the movie (which only wrapped up filming last week). The trailer had an “End of the world” or “disaster movie” feel. Lots of shots of the U.S. Military doing their thing, then Olden and Cranston freaking out (as you would, it is Gojira!), followed by the introduction of a brand new Kaiju, who resembles a scorpion attacking an airport. Just as the footage was wrapping up, the Kaiju King’s foot smashed down into frame. To put it simply, this movie looks AWESOME.
Godzilla will be the personification of a “force of nature” or “god’s wrath” according to director, Gareth Edwards. Edwards was also quoted as saying that Godzilla in this film will be depicted as taller and beefier than he ever has been (although he clarified and said he is only the tallest by a slight margin).
Click here to see the full Comic Con Poster
Although we couldn’t show you the sizzle-reel, we have attached the two posters for the film below. If you are a big fan of Giant monsters and Godzilla, and want your fix now, then be sure to check out Pacific Rim, or if you are looking for a game to tie you over; Nintendo have just released Attack of the Friday Monsters! on 3DS.
What do you think about the reboot? Are you keen for Godzilla to rip apart the world once again? Which classic Kaiju would you love to see him fight? (I personally hope he battles Mothra) Let us know in the comments below, and as usual stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the Godzilla news as it becomes available.
During a panel today at San Diego Comic Con, Telltale games gave fans that whey desperately wanted to hear: The first snippets of information about the upcoming The Walking Dead Season 2 game.
Telltale were still tight lipped about the plot and where the story will go after its emotional conclusion at the end of Season 1 (check out the review here) but they were nice enough to say that Clementine will “definitely be a part of” the upcoming sequel, and that Kenny’s fate “would be explored.”
Aside from those two things, we know nothing about the game, but the hype behind it is incredible. The Walking Dead Season 1 was one of the highest rated games on all consoles, not just here at Capsule Computers, but worldwide. We will be sticking with all the news about The Walking Dead Season 2 as it develops, but in the meantime check out our review for The Walking Dead: 400 Days, which should tied players over until Season 2’s release this spring (fall in the States). For all the Walking Dead News, stay tuned to Capsule Computers.
Warner Bros and TT Games, the team behind the LEGO video games, released a new trailer at San Diego Comic Con today. The trailer, which was unveiled in the Marvel Games panel, features some LEGO figures that are larger than life.
Though it’s probably no surprise, The Hulk will be a HUGE LEGO figure. With the tagline “The bigger they are, the harder they fight,” some other Marvel figures, such as Colossus, The Rhino, and The Thing, will be throwin’ down some block bustin’ action in the LEGO Marvel Super Heroes game.
Be sure to check out the video player below this article to see the big guys in action. The game is set to release for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii U, DS (seriously), 3DS, Vita, PC, and next generation consoles…so basically everything that isn’t a mobile device (though we won’t rule those out just yet).
This year at San Diego Comic Con, Joss Whedon took centre stage at Marvel’s panel to discuss his upcoming film. The movie is a small project but maybe you have heard of it; The Avengers 2. Well, part of the reason that the writer/director took to the stage was to announce the official title for the movie. The Avengers 2 is now officially called “Avengers: Age of Ultron“.
Comic book fans would know that Age of Ultron is a fairly recent comic book story (ie; only just wrapped up). It will be interesting to see how many elements from the comic series will make their way into the film, although it is pretty safe to say that ‘Ultron’ will be making an appearance (safe money is he will be the lead villain).
Ultron manhandling Iron Man and Captain America
While this is exciting news to say the least, it now offers up fans plenty to ponder about. Notable questions that spring to mind are; “How will the introduce Ultron?” and “Will Thanos still be making an appearance?”
Marvel and Disney aren’t releasing Avengers: Age of Ultron until 2015, where it will go up against the recently announced Superman/Batman film. 2015 looks like it will be THE year for comic book fans, so for all the Avengers news as it becomes available, stay tuned to Capsule Computers.
Comic Con is a place for geeks, nerds, dweebs and misfits of all kinds. If you are passionate about a book, movie, tv show, video game or anything else, then you are welcome at the con with open arms and a warm smile. When it comes to franchises that have cult followings and oodles of fans, one definitely springs to mind: The Simpsons.
I don’t need to tell you that The Simpsons have been around the block a few times. Originally airing as shorts on the Tracy Ullman Show before making their full-lengthed debut in 1989, the series has struggled through. It has had its ups and downs, but its loyal fans are always there for “America’s favourite four fingered family.” This year, The Simpsons had a strong presence at comic con, not only having their own panel, but making guest appearances in similar panels like Family Guy and Futurama.
The Family Guy panel was the first of the big three this year and creator Seth McFarlane dropped a huge bombshell: The Griffin family would be meeting the Simpsons! Family Guy and the Simpsons have a storied rivalry going back to when Family Guy first aired, and it has gone from true, passionate resentment down to where it stands now as simple light hearted one-upsmanship. Tensions have eased between the two recently with Homer Simpsons making a brief cameo in an episode of Family Guy, and Seth McFarlane himself appearing in an episode of The Simpsons.
Now it seems that the crossover that nobody though was going to happen (but everyone wished it would) is finally coming to pass. In an upcoming episode of Family Guy, titled ‘The Simpsons Guy,” The Griffin family will embark on a road trip and end up in Springfield. From there the two families will meet, and hilarity is sure to follow. Who’s a better prankster; Bart or Stewie? Which of the two fat fathers could drink the other under the table? All these questions are sure to be addressed next year when the episode airs.
That wont be the last of the Simpsons crossovers next year. Woo Hoo!Good News Everyone! The crew of the Planet Express from Futurama will also be meeting the lovable yellow family. The episode is planned as either the Simpsons 25th Season Finale, or the 26th Season Premiere. Regardless it will be happening next year. Bender has appeared twice in the series in cameo roles, but this will be the first time that the entire main cast will meet one another.
On a more somber note, with this being Futurama’s last year, the crossover episode with The Simpsons may be the last time we see Planet Express. A moment for our fallen comrades.
Bender’s “The Simpsons” cameo appearances
Lastly, The Simpsons will be making one final crossover… This time with… The Simpsons. Well more specifically there will be an episode that crosses over with the popular iOS and Android game; The Simpsons: Tapped Out. Not much is known about what will happen, but I am sure it will be worth having your Springfield ready to go by the time the episode airs.
So there you have it, at least three different crossover episodes to come in the next 12 months for the Simpsons, allowing them to check off of their bucket list the last few things they had left to do.
During the final day of the PAXAus event in Melbourne this your, there was a humourous panel where panel-goers were invited to pitch a game idea to a panel of judges. The pitchees were competing for a small selection of prizes, with each tier containing the previous tiers winnings plus a little extra.
After a long line and a plethora of ideas, there were only three winners. The winners and a brief description of their ideas can be found below:
In third place, we had “Line Manager”. Line manager is a game where players progress by managing queues well. As players progress they can manage more and more events.
Second place was a game called “Kaylen”. It was a cool concept that had the audience cheering. We weren’t allowed to share by request of the creator.
The first place winner was “Home Sweet Home” where players are tasked with defending their homes from intruders and then using their loot to better the players home. It can be summarised as a game similar to Dungeon Keeper.
At this weekend’s San Diego Comic Con, brand new information from the forthcoming second season of “Avatar: The Legend of Korra” was announced. Following on the tradition of previous Avatar series, the latest installment will be called “Book 2 – Spirit” We also now know that the premiere for the series will be hitting TV screens this September.
In this series, Korra, having finally reached the stage of being able to bend all four elements must travel to the spirit world. There she will battle against ghostly phantoms, as well as communicate with the avatars that have come before her. It all looks really cool, and the stellar work of the crew, combined with an all-star cast, this season is pretty much guaranteed to continue the high standards of the Avatar franchise.
Fans in attendance got to see the entire first episode of the new series, but for those of you who couldn’t make it to the con, we have a special treat for you. No, it isn’t that full episode (i wish). A close second though is that Nickelodeon have uploaded a quite long (over two minutes in fact) trailer for the series, set to some pretty somber music.
Check out the trailer below, and be sure to stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the Legend of Korra News as it becomes available.
