Deep Silver have today revealed that the amazing and wild world of Saints Row IV was brought to life thanks to a Sydney-based studio by the name of Plastic Wax.
The Plastic Wax animation studio handled the game’s mind-boggling cutscenes and cinematics. They have also been involved in several major productions for both film and video-games alike including work on Bioshock, Transformers, Fallout ,Civilization V and Neverwinter.
Plastic Wax EVP Dane Maddams commented on the production:
“Plastic Wax was fortunate enough to work with the always incredibly talented Volition and Deep Silver teams, we (Plastic Wax) handled full body and hand-keyed animation for 46 minutes of cutscene material, the project took around seven months to complete. Being tied so closely to the content we had an early sneak peek at the game prior to release, and believe me, the fans are in for an incredible ride.”
Saints Row IV has been a commercial success for Deep Silver going on to sell over a whopping million units in its first week of release alone. You can get some more information on Plastic Wax studio on their official website.
Diablo 3 Publisher:Blizzard Entertainment Developer: Blizzard Entertainment Platforms: Xbox 360 (reviewed), PS3, PS4 Release Date: September 3, 2013 (Xbox 360, PS3) TBD (PS4) Price: $59.99 – Xbox 360; PS3
*This review includes pre-order items: Infernal Helm & Angelic Wings*
Overview
Allow me to offer a simple fact before starting this review. The console version DOES NOT incorporate any form of the auction house and DOES NOT allow character transfer from PC to console. Those that whine that Diablo 3 is completely ruined due to the AH/RMAH can stay their tongues on this rendition. And for those that wanted to transfer characters, what real purpose would that serve? (and they would bring over their auction stuffs – not cool) Now that the party-poopers have been dealt with let’s get to discussing a game that perhaps is worth investing your time.
Story
For those that wished the storyline to be altered, sorry, that did not happen. Even so the story embodied emotional qualities in a plethora of instances that will have you jumping out of your seat in jubilation or readying your blades to vault back into the fray. Characters tend to hold more surprises than what they may appear, so speaking with them on a regular occurrence may increase your overall Diablo lore.
I can safely assume that port to console has made Diablo 3 less story driven and more checkpoint to checkpoint with the addition of 4 player co-op offline play. In fact the story will turn into background directions as players skim through dialogue just to grab loot and head to the next monster mosh pit. But that isn’t a bad thing! You can have completely un-knowledgeable cohorts and still have an exciting hack-n-slash adventure. Have at least one geek in the group that knows some Sanctuary lore – it tends to help with strategy in boss fights.
Gameplay
At the game’s core the foundation remains the same, but the transition to the console has brought upon changes that greatly affect the style and environment which a PC player is use to. Let us first discuss how the user input has been altered. Instead of having a keyboard and mouse combo at your disposal, Blizzard needed to come up with an ingenious way to instill the same amount of controls with less available buttons. Button “A” allows players to utilize the their first innate ability while also being the primary interactive component for initiating dialogue or interface selections. For movement the left analog stick receives directional input while the right analog stick delivers an evasive maneuver in the user destined direction. (i.e. a player can move right with the left analog and evade backwards with the right analog) Eventually spells begin to fill the right side of the controller with learned skills being applied to the right trigger, right bumper, “Y”, “X”, and “B”. Note that once you are dead, you may revive yourself at your current grave with “Y” or respawn back at the town with “X”.
Beyond the simple mapping of controls, the title offers a new user interface for a character’s screen that includes inventory, skill sets, quests, and more. By touching the back key “<|” players are able to jump into this new menu system and begin altering their gear/abilities. Instead of the normal bag inventory, a radial dial has been instantiated to provide direct links to a character’s specific armor and weapon options. Selecting the helmet on the dial will present the player with all the helmet options available unless no helmet has been acquired. Sections with zero items will not be accessible. New players will generally have the main hand, off-hand, and accessory options open. Depending on controller sensibilities the dial may be hard to control when looking through armor or checking skills. Those that have used an Xbox 360 controller regularly may not even notice this.
What else has changed? Combat itself has been altered to better suit the hack-n-slash needs of the four person co-op. I never thought I would see the day that my wife would be able to pick up a controller and play an instant classic like Diablo 3 with me on the coach. And it happened with the help of auto-targeting enemies. The game was developed with couch play in mind, so it cannot just seclude itself to the RPG fanatics that boast on precise sequential attacks. (there’s Inferno mode for a reason) Some players need a little push in the right direction, and auto-target helps with that – unless you are bound and determined to attack that corpse! I know its strangely tempting, but a corpse is a corpse unless it’s walking…
Loot is no longer specified towards individual players. The game has just begun! Get ready to play grab bag as the final millimeters of life run out on that latest boss battle. You can be sure that each couch potato will be mashing the “A” button like crazy when loot begins to fly. There will always be one person that decides that he needs to run the show for holding the most loot. My friends and I hold a special place in our hearts for this person and call him “nugget”. I also may or may not be this person on occasion.
Visual
Shifting perspectives from PC to console, the view has changed from an alternating close-up/bird’s eye view (PC) to a fixed screen (console). The fixed screen was instilled to provide sufficient enough room for four characters to romp on while presenting each character with enough fleshy details. I also noticed that the painted art is more visible in this rendition and offers a colorful blend to the characters and environments. Clearly the higher quality can be viewed on the PC, but with the amount of enemies that are thrown at you – how long are you going to be staring at a wooden stump? And don’t worry, the cinematic videos look as good as they did before.
And we cannot mention visuals without including the Infernal Helm or Angelic Wings! While the Infernal Helm is a low level item that can be placed on your head as soon as you enter the game, it holds a great bonus to increase experience earned by 25%. Keep that baby on to level your starting characters up fast. The Angelic Wings are purely for cosmetic looks, and they sure do look cool. Nothing screams blasphemy like dawning angel wings with a dripping dagger and voodoo head.
Audio
In my previous review of Diablo 3 for PC, I have spoken towards the voice acting and how the nostalgia of previous works come flooding back. Deckard Cain being the forerunner of this truly brings the back memories of one that was dying to identify your items – though he does not get to do that this time around as greater things are in store. Classic dying sounds made famous by skeletons and imps alike provide timeless blood gushing amounts of fun.
Overall
This is how Diablo is suppose to be played. The time has finally come to put that rear back on the couch and pass a round of drinks to your three lucky cohorts in hopes to bash in Diablo’s skull. And I have to give a major thanks to Blizzard for creating a game that can be enjoyed by my best friend and partner. This truly is the “Champions of Sanctuary“.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
If you are one of the many who like to stream music with Microsoft‘s Xbox Music program, you will be happy to know that it is now coming to iOS and Android, and will be allowing free streaming in all browsers. The service will allow users to access their music anywhere, with free streaming on the Web and on Windows 8 PCs and tablets, Internet radio, subscription (called Xbox Music Pass).
Here are some details to chew on including pricing and all platforms now included:
Expanding the Xbox Music family of devices
Starting today, your Xbox Music Pass brings the catalogue of music to iOS and Android devices. Get unlimited access to the songs and artists you want at any time with playback across your tablet, PC, phone and Xbox console for AUD$11.99 per month or AUD$119.90 per year. Add a song to your collection on your Xbox, and you’ll also have that song on your iOS, Android or Windows 8 device on the go or at the office. Xbox Music Pass also unlocks unlimited access to tens of thousands of music videos on your Xbox 360.
With the addition of free streaming on the Web, enjoy on-demand access to 30 million songs globally for free on the Xbox Music Web player at http://music.xbox.com or through the Xbox Music app on all Windows 8 tablets and PCs. Discovering and enjoying free music is as easy as typing an artist or song name and hitting “play.” Songs are instantly available to stream at no cost and for you to create an unlimited amount of playlists.
Continued innovation
Xbox Music will continue to grow and evolve over the coming months. Microsoft will add Radio to the free Web player, a quick and dynamic way to personalise your collection, discover new favourites, and create ultimate playlists by launching instant mixes based on your favourite artists. With unlimited skips and a view of the full recommended music stream, Radio puts you in control of your Internet radio experience.1
Xbox Music will grow on Windows 8 when it adds the anticipated new Web Playlist tool this Spring. The tool scans all the artists and music available on a given Web page and creates a custom playlist of all that music. Think about the Web page of your favourite radio station, or an upcoming music festival, and all the bands and songs included on that Web page. Web Playlist identifies all that music and creates an instant, custom playlist inside Xbox Music with the simple touch of a button. Web Playlist along with Windows 8.1 will be released Oct. 17.
In the coming months, additional updates for iOS and Android platforms will become available, including an offline mode that lets you save your music to your device for playback without an Internet or data connection.
If you have been on the fence with trying out the service, go ahead and take the dive with the free web streaming. You might just find a service that is rather enjoyable and accessible just about everywhere, especially now that more mobile programs have tuned in.
If as if you thought Call of Duty didn’t have enough partnerships for the upcoming Ghosts, it has been announced that Eminem, known for his raps laced with current fads and duets with popstars will be teaming with Activision to lay down a track for Call of Duty: Ghosts by the name of “Survival”. For fans of the superstar, this is a big deal as you can also snag the new The Marshall Mathers LP 2 with a bonus exclusive track by pre-ordering at EB Games and Gamestop locations worldwide at a price of just $14.99.
Eminem had this to say on joining Ghosts:
“The energy and intensity of ‘Survival’ really matches Call of Duty: Ghosts,” commented Eminem. “I’m excited to continue to be a part of the franchise.”
“Call of Duty is the ultimate adrenaline rush. It’s the intensity and heart-pounding excitement you feel as the action unfolds. And Eminem embodies this same spirit and captures this in his music,” said Tim Ellis, CMO of Activision Publishing, Inc. “The breadth of this program takes our partnership to a new level and will continue to unfold in the months to come. It’s going to be a massive day in entertainment with the launch of Call of Duty: Ghosts and Marshall Mathers LP 2 both hitting on November 5th.”
The offer is redeemable through Tuesday, November 19th, 15:59PM AEDT and applies to purchases of Call of Duty: Ghosts exclusively at EB Games locations as well as select additional retailers worldwide.
So there you have it. Yet another bonus that should sweeten the deal for Infinity Ward‘s latest. Does this Eminem record act as a game changer for you, or is this one deal you will pass on. Leave a comment down below and stay tuned for more news on COD in the near future.
Just under a week of announcing Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, WayForward have yet another announcement to share for the multiplatform title. This little genie will be seeing a release on the PS Vita and the newly announced Vita TV, without any type of stretch goal being involved.
Yes, you heard that right. Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is now going to be joining the Xbox 360, Steam, Playstation 3, Playstation 4, Xbox One, and Wii U releases on the Vita, and with the goal on Kickstarter already past the halfway mark, I would say things are looking up for the little franchise. Stay tuned, as once more news for Shantae: Half-Genie Hero or anything else Shantae emerges, we will be sure to bring you an update.
Overview
Castle of Illusion was one of those games on the Sega Genesis that a good lot of you didn’t buy unless you really craved having adventures with Mickey. If memory serves correctly, most kids actually saved their bucks back in those days for the likes of Sonic and Streets of Rage for the platform, leaving solid yet not as demanded titles such as Castle of Illusion to sit on rental shelves, finding a place in a different living room each week. Sega and Disney are ready to re-spark the magic however and bring back the hidden gem to consoles with a ton of revisions and upgrades included. Does this re-imagining give us a new appreciation, or is this one jewel that would have been better off locked in that famous vault? Let’s find out.
Story
Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse puts us in an enchanting tale where the player takes control of Mickey himself and must save Minnie from an evil witch by the name of Mizrabel. Yes, we have seen this concept played to death, but we are talking about Mickey Mouse here and more importantly – Disney, so I think that alone gives this remake a bit of a pass in terms of narrative.
What really drives the story is a narrator who commentates on almost everything our round-eared hero does within the game, as well as the small and cute little cutscenes in-between certain stages. Does the writing reek of “Disney Magic” or put on an unforgettable show? Not really. It is however a relaxing and enjoyable experience due to the breezy plot, and those who have fond memories of the past game will more than likely get a good amount of smiles and laughs out of the famous mascot as he scuddles off to the rescue.
Gameplay
Replaying Castle of Illusion in this brand new format has been a nostalgic, blissful, and frustrating experience, oddly enough. The main objective in the game is to simply get from point A to point B by platforming throughout each themed stage. Mickey doesn’t have a lot of powers in this romp, and must rely on a simple jump to tackle foes with, which is also used to catapult to higher ground. Yeah, we all know that one hop can take you to a higher platform, but if timed right, Mickey can go a tad higher to get to hidden chests and more inviting items. Mickey also has a projectile attack where he tosses an apple or other themed item (which are collected throughout each stage), but this attack – while effective, lacks a satisfying delivery and feels a bit half-done as a result.
If you were lucky enough to experience the original, you might remember that diamonds and other gems were the bread and butter of the progression cycle. In this version, that has stayed true, but with a lot more diamonds to collect as a whole. Doors to latter stages are locked away until a certain number of diamonds are obtained, which gives the game a bit more re-playability overall. Once the third door is open in a world, the player must face off with a boss in one truly magical battle. Boss fights are imaginative and gratifying through and through, and make up nearly all of the excitement that can be found within the game. I will get to the reasoning for that in a moment, but when you are facing off with a bizarre stump who is rolling over our little hero, its really hard not to be sucked in a happier time when these battles meant something. Boss battles used to be a peak – or something to look forward to within every classic platformer, and while these are not perfect – the characters and enjoyable mechanics attached make for some memorable moments.
Now that I got the best out of the way, its time to cover that “frustrating” term I used. Castle of Illusion has some wondrous stages. They are not replicas of the original 2D game, but each world still captures those essences well enough, with some sharp platforming required to move onward in locations that at least feel familiar. Foes are also very common and range from ghosts to nutcrackers, usually requiring just a pounce on the head to defeat. Again, this is another positive. My negative feelings for Castle of Illusion come out when you put this protagonist in a fully realized world, as he just feels out of place. Sure, its Mickey, and he has been in some magical adventures – so the setting makes sense. Take away the narrator, the lively environments and enemies, and the seamless change of perspectives and you have one very shallow main character that can only jump and throw an item. Mickey just doesn’t feel like he was made for this game, but rather the game was built largely before his inclusion, and he was just thrown in. I get it, it is a remake of an old game and basic is expected, but with the light amount of challenge, Mickey’s bones are highly visible and showed what was a large waste of potential.
Getting back on a brighter note, it is nice to see that Sega incorporated some new mechanics this time around. In what feels like a seamless transition, Mickey can jump into a 3D of the world you are exploring at specific points throughout the game. This isn’t the most common of occurrence, but it did liven things up and offer a refreshing change of pace.
Visuals and Audio
No matter how “basic” I said our dear Mickey was to control, the visuals on Castle of Illusion are truly amazing. Each world is littered with color and pure life, with constant animation running that makes it feel as if you were in a major animated motion picture. When the game turns into a 3D platformer in short bursts, the effect still remains, but gives a new perspective for the player to appreciate. Mickey is slightly awkward when jumping, but looks great with his new 3D model, and the same can be said about Mizrabel and Minnie, who have made the jump nicely to the re-imagined Illusion. I will say that seeing the cutscenes lack proper animation is a bit of a shortcoming, but one that can be overlooked depending on the way you want to consume this non-so-serious plot.
The music is lovely as well, with tracks that caress and compliment the background audio well without ever coming off as obtrusive or annoying, and for a game that could qualify as a licensed product, that is definitely a good thing. The narrator as I mentioned earlier is the star of the sound however, as his calm voice gives Castle of Illusion a new storybook-like tone that has a more welcoming feel – which means yes, this would be a good title to introduce to the little ones. Mickey, Minnie, and Mizrabel are also voiced- with each taking no hits in terms of quality when it comes to the voicework implemented.
Overall
Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse is a classic to some, but forgotten by many. The problem is, its hard to remake a game that only stood out for being solid compared to a lot of the other licensed fodder that hit shelves years ago, but Sega still did a good job at their attempt with this new version – giving in to the fans and making another solid experience. Notice a trend here? I am using “solid” a lot to describe Castle of Illusion, bringing me to my main point. The stages are masterful, the voice work- impeccable, but sadly, the character who is set to be the star falls short, causing the game to sit in a safe zone and present itself as a basic platformer, rather than the stunning tribute it could have been. Good? Of course it is, but those looking to control a legend will be disappointed to know that more hollow mascot resides in this revival.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Due to the popularity of Attack on Titan, it was inevitable that the series would be used in various forms to promote products, but this has got to be one of the weirder (and more awesome) ones that exist.
Health Company Tanita have released a series of pedometers in Japan that have chibi versions of Erin, Mikasa, Armin and Levi on them. Each pedometer costs around 3,990 Yen (39USD) and encourages exercise by rewarding people for a certain number of steps taken every day.
For every 8,000 steps people are rewarded one point and the more days they walk, the more points they can collect. People can upload their step count through the over the counter Loppi terminals, these terminals will then send their walking info and points to the website Karadakarute. One way to use the points is by registering to win one of two Attack on Titan prizes, shown in the below image.
Each Titan pedometer has a special “words of encouragement” feature that can be heard through the website, the speech is given by the represented character on the pedometer (I really want to hear what Armin has to say).
The campaign began in mid-July and finishes in a couple of days, this is the second time Tanita have used this form of promotion, the first being done earlier this year using Evangelion themed pedometers. I wonder if you can still buy these once the campaign has finished.
Let us know what you think about this promotional event by leaving a comment down below.
If I was to ask you what the longest running animated show was you’d be forgiven for thinking it was The Simpsons, but surprisingly there is an anime that has been going on for longer and it was officially recognized by the Guinness World Records committee last Thursday.
The anime Sazae-san is an adaptation of a comic strip created by Machiko Hasegawa. The series focuses around the main character Sazae Fuguta and her family, using everyday scenarios and topical themes as plot ideas for each story. The family friendly series focuses more on traditional aspects of Japanese culture and has been running since 1969 on FujiTV; the original comic strip ran from 1946-1974 in the national newspaper Asahi Shinbun.
You’re probably thinking how many episodes more has this series got over The Simpsons? Well let’s make a little comparison. Sazae-san has been around for over 45 years, that’s 21 more than the famed yellow family from Evergreen Terrace resulting in 2,250 episodes of Sazae-san being aired and 530 of The Simpsons.
The anime is still airing episodes and the main character Sazae Fuguta has been voiced by the same actress, Midori Kato, since the series began. Coincidently 45 years is also the time length Weekly Shonen Jump has been in publication.
Today NIS America has released not only some new screenshots for their upcoming SRPG The Guided Fate Paradox, but also a little gameplay clip and a full blown trailer for the title. The gameplay clip features a brief look at the game’s combat while some new screenshots can be found below those.
Under both of those you will find a full trailer that gives us a sample of the Lilliel’s English voice and a look at some of the game’s features. The game itself is set to be released in North America on November 5th and October 25th in Europe. By the way, if the characters look a bit familiar it is worth noting that Noizi Ito, known for his work on Shakugan no Shana, handled the artwork for the game.
Last night during SCEJA’s press conference it was revealed that Spike Chunsoft is working on a new spinoff title for the Danganronpa series called Danganronpa: Another Episode. While details were scarce, the full preview trailer has been uploaded online and can be seen below.
As we can tell from the trailer, the game will play as a third person shooter where players will use megaphone style weapons to fend of Monobear swarms. Interestingly enough, the teaser video also ends with a flickering “and also_3.” message, potentially meaning that a third game in the Danganronpa series is in the works.
As for Danganronpa itself, the anime is currently licensed in North America by FUNimation while NIS America is working on bringing the first game to North American Vita owners as Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc.
