BandFuse: Rock Legends gets a new trailer at this year’s E3 and it rocks! The new trailer centers around Grammy-award winning band Halestorm and their song “Love Bites…(So Do I)”.
BandFuse: Rock Legends by Realta Entertainment Group is a new music game coming to the Xbox 360 and PS3 that allows players to use real life instruments including guitars, bass guitars and microphones to play the game. The game has a number of difficulty levels to cater to the player’s previous experience so anyone can be playing their favourite songs in a number of minutes.
A large cast of rock legends are joining the game, including Slash from Guns N’ Roses, Zakk Wylde former lead guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne and the founder of Black Label Society, bass legend Bootsy Collins. These rock legends help guide the player as they master their skills and become a legend themselves. Other bands have lended their music to the game including Coldplay, Slash, Rush, Judas Priest, Maroon 5, and Five Finger Death Punch. The game will feature over 55 tracks from all types of rock genres including punk, metal, hard rock, funk and more.
Check out the trailer below if you want to have Love Bites…(So Do I) stuck in your head all day. You can visit the BandFuse Official Website for more information on the game.
Two Tribes is inviting players to the second round of their drawing contest for Toki Tori 2. Each round is themed, and players are challenged to use their Wii U Gamepad to draw their interpretation of the theme. Last round‘s theme was “Draw an imaginary friend for Toki Tori.” Fredrick.W won top prizes with his drawing entitled Toki Torro. This week’s challenge is to “Draw Toki Tori’s ancestors.” Winners of the drawing contest will have their drawing immortalized in Toki Tori 2.
Toki Tori 2 is an indie adventure puzzler for the Nintendo Wii U and is available on the Nintendo eShop. The game will be released for PC on Steam on July 2nd, 2013.
At E3 2013, Konami unveiled the newest trailer for the upcoming installment of their key soccer franchise, Pro Evolution Soccer 2014. Shown off in the newest trailer are two of this year’s biggest features, Trueball Tech and M.A.S.S. With an all-new engine, these will allow for the most comprehensive advance in the series since its inception.
According to Konami,
“…Trueball Tech allows the player to trap or knock on a pass using the analogue stick with detailed bar-centric physics determining the weight shift of the player and the height and speed of the pass, as to how the player’s body will automatically shape to receive it….”
And of the M.A.S.S.:
“Motion Animation Stability System (M.A.S.S.): The physical combat between players is a vital part of a match, and the new M.A.S.S. component simulates the bodily contact between multiple players within tailored animations that segue seamlessly into each other. …”
What this all basically rolls up to mean is that player and ball interaction will look and feel better, making for a better overall experience for the players in the end.
To check out Trueball Tech and M.A.S.S. in motion, be sure to check out the full video below this article.
Nordic Games, the folks behind the ArcaniA and Alan Wake game franchises, have finally given their new first person shooter, Deadfall Adventures, an official release date. The game will be dropping on the Xbox 360 and PC systems on September 27th, 2013.
Currently still in production, the dev team at The Farm 51 has been working nonstop to ensure the game is full of content and unique gameplay. It will feature a single player campaign, multiplayer arenas, and most recently revealed, a survival cooperation mode. The game will combine first person shooting with puzzle solving and exploration to help folks immerse themselves as the adventurer, Quartermain.
For more information, you can check out Nordic Games official website here and The Farm 51’s official website here.
What was surprisingly missing from this presentation was more information about the upcoming 3ds Zelda title. It was originally shown in a previous Nintendo Direct video as a sequel to the outstanding 1992 classic; The Legend of Zelda; A Link to the Past. A Link to the Past is considered one of the best entries in the series’ history, and fans were left puzzled as to why it wasn’t included in the broadcast.
However, moments after the E3 Direct, Nintendo started uploading game trailers to their official YouTube page. One of these trailers was for the upcoming 3DS Zelda game. The video not only gave us a further glimpse at the gameplay and art style of the game, but also gave us its official name.
I am happy to announce that the next installment in the Legend of Zelda series is: The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds.
It is a pretty awesome name don’t you think? Check out the trailer below, and leave a comment about what you think of the game and its title. For all the Zelda news as it becomes available, stay tuned to Capsule Computers.
From the Legendary creators of Monkey Island and Voodoo Vince, comes Scurvy Scallywags and the Quest for the Ultimate Sea Shanty. Scurvy Scallywags is a match-three game in the vein of Bejewlled or Candy Crush. However it stands out from its brethren due to its rich and engaging RPG elements. The unique RPG spin on one of the world’s most played game genres, combined with visuals and sound that set the tone and theme perfectly, it is definitely a game worth checking out.
Story
It is unexpected to talk about the plot of an iOS puzzle game, but Scurvy Scallywags’ plot is the foundation behind which this great game stands. You take the roll of a pirate who is in search for the Ultimate Sea Shanty, which has been torn up and spread all over the seas. Whoever finds all the pieces of the shanty will be bestowed unimaginable powers. The story doesn’t stop there however, as this story is actually a Broadway-style musical, complete with a panicky director who gives you instructions backstage between levels.
Gameplay
From screenshots alone you would be forgiven for thinking that Scallywags is your ordinary match-three puzzler. It isn’t until you actually play that you begin to see and understand the depth that really lies underneath its casual exterior. You design your pirate, who is placed randomly on the board at the start of each stage, and by matching 3, you cause the board to shift and fill in the blanks, subsequently moving your pirate around. As you play, enemies will enter the stage and it is your job to maneuver your pirate adjacent to them so that they can do combat.
Combat is fairly simple, where you just swipe to swap your pirate with the enemy. The character with the most battle power wins the fight, and if it is you then you claim your reward. Battle power is increased by matching pairs of three swords, with every trinity adding one point to your pirate’s battle power. What starts out as a simple game of match-three soon turns into a strategic process, where you have to move and swap tiles in certain places and orders so as to move your pirate around the board in order to best combat the situation at hand.
In addition to combat, you can also gather gold, ship parts and costumes for your pirate to wear. Gold is used to purchase upgrades and special abilities from the in-game store between levels, while building new ships and wearing new clothes will bestow benefits to your pirate such as increased power, higher critical hit chance etc. As you defeat enemies, you will also gain EXP which enables you to add additional bonus points to your character.
Putting it simply, the gameplay is fun. It starts off simple and casual, allowing anyone to pick up and play this title with little to no trouble while at the same time giving players who are yearning for more depth in their iOS games something they can also enjoy.
The only hiccup I have with the game is that its multitasking isn’t well integrated. If you leave the app for any reason, returning to it forces you to load up the entire game again, even going through the trouble of confirming that you don’t want to change your pirate’s appearance. Once you get past this though, the game continues where you left off saving your place after every move. The problem isn’t big in the grand scheme of things, but if you are playing on a phone and have people SMS or send you a Facebook notification, it can become very tedious, very quickly.
Visuals
Everything in Scallywags is bright, distinct and just makes you think “pirates”. From the way the gold is drawn, through to the different costumes you can unlock for your pirate; everything just feels like it belongs on the pages of Treasure Island, or on-screen in Pirates of the Caribbean.
Monkey Island’s art style shows through a tiny bit here, with a distinctly cartoony-style throughout the whole game. However, Scallywags manages to take this artistic inspiration and still end up with something all of itself. The characters are all short and stubby, with over sized heads and exaggerated expressions, while the gold and other items on the game board are all well drawn and coloured differently so that even at a glance the player will know what move to make next.
Audio
The audio in Scurvy Scallywags is fantastic. There is really no other word for it. There isn’t any big orchestral compositions or hard rock music. Instead, what makes the sound truly stand out is how perfectly it captures the feel and energy of the game. The music all sounds “piratey.” and by that i mean, it sounds like it would be fitting in the background of any pirate themed movie or TV show.
In addition, the game has you collecting pieces of the Ultimate Sea Shanty, and each verse you collect is played to you to enjoy and (hopefully) sing along to. Once you have unlocked a piece of the Shanty you can go back and listen to it as many times as you want, and the game places them in order so you can sing the Ultimate Sea Shanty to yourself.
Overall
Scurvy Scallywags is a game that far surpasses the others in its genre. What appears on the surface as a simple match-three puzzler is really just the buried chest of this game. Inside the chest is the real treasure – a deep, yet accessible RPG that will have players hooked in minutes.
Aside from the multitasking issue, Scurvy Scallywags is without fault. It combines its beautiful visuals and sound with its engaging and downright fun gameplay to make for an experience that should not be missed. Definitely download this one, and if you are tired of your friends and family sending you requests from Candy Crush, then turn them onto it as well; soon everyone you know will be singing along to the ultimate sea shanty.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
The Skylanders have made an appearance at E3 2013, with some important announcements regarding Skylanders Swap Force, the next highly anticipated installment in the Skylanders franchise. Earlier in the week, Activision confirmed a release date of October, and have followed up at E3 with some new screenshots and gameplay information. Skylanders Swap Force adds a new dimension of customization to the Skylanders experience, allowing Portal Masters to interchange characters top and bottoms, as well as adding many new abilities, such as flying, climbing and teleportation to the mix.
Skylanders Swap Force will boast an array of over 50 characters, including 16 new core characters, 8 new lightcore Skylanders, 16 fan favourites and 16 members of the Swap Force team, all of which have had their level cap raised to 20, and due to popular demand, all with the ability now to jump. The evil Kaos has also kept to his promise and returned to again challenge the Skylanders reign, complete with his minions and a diabolical new plan to wreak havoc on Skylands.
Skylanders Swap Force will be released early October across all popular platforms, including Wii, Wii U, 3DS, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3 and PS4, with Vicarious Visions taking over from Toys for Bob on the console versions.
Namco Bandai is bring PAC-MAN back again this time collecting all the incarnations from the very first game to the newest like PAC-MAN Battle Royale. This new collection will be titled PAC-MAN Museum and players wanting to relive the old days or check out the new will be able to find on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, and PC.
PAC-MAN Museum will be releasing digitally in the summer down under for both Europe and Australasia. This will mark the first time the multiplayer PAC-MAN Battle Royale will be available on consoles and PC, so that up to four players can face off to eat ghosts, pellets, and each other.
The collection will also be including PAC-MAN Championship Edition, for all versions of the game except Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 as it was previously released as PAC-MAN Championship Edition DX. Though to make up for its exclusion, that game will be receiving a free update as PAC-MAN Championship Edition DX+ to add improved leaderboards, achievements, medals, and DLC mazes this winter.
Last but not least PAC-MAN was revealed to becoming back in an all new game in PAC-MAN and the Ghostly Adventures, based off the new TV series. The game will be coming to Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U, PC, and side-scrolling version for 3DS.
Top gaming manufacturer, Alienware, have made an appearance at E3 this year and with them, they have brought along their newest gaming laptops. These new machines will come in a few new variations, with each having a corresponding screensize. These are the 14, 17 and 18 inch versions.
The Alienware 14 is the entry level laptop from the vendor, promising that the enthusiast gamer will have something lightweight enough to carry around, but robust enough to still play games. There is a 17inch variation called the Alienware 17. This laptop is aimed more at gamers that want performance and visual appreciation. Following the convention, the Alienware 18 is the top of the line model that the press release promises the ultimate respect from gamers everywhere.
To quote the Press Release –
The new laptops include the Alienware 14 for the enthusiast gamer who requires a laptop that provides enough performance for any task, yet is mobile enough to fit into a backpack; the Alienware 17 for an immersive, graphics-intensive experience with the latest technologies for desktop-grade performance; and the Alienware 18, the ultimate gaming laptop that commands respect among top gamers for its unparalleled performance and construction.
The laptops take their aesthetics from jet engines and stealth bombers, promising an attractive look. In particular, the case will be made from an aluminium shell and magnesium alloy body, ensuring a bright end for gamers everywhere. Also of note, is that the Alienware 14 will be featuring an anti-glare LCD screen with IPS capabilities.
The following is a quote of the full specifications of the laptops –
The laptops sport full voltage, quad-core 4th generation Intel Core i7 processors, and NVIDIA GeForce 700 series graphics. DDR3L memory provides exceptional bandwidth with lower voltage requirements designed for increased battery life, and the laptops now provide support for up to three storage drives on the Alienware 14, and up to four storage drives on the Alienware 17 and 18. For the first time ever, the Alienware 18 will feature NVIDIA SLI dual graphics technology as standard, and the laptop will offer an overclocked CPU option with a maximum speed of 4.3GHz. The laptops all feature Ethernet technology by Qualcomm’s Killer networks, Klipsch speakers and Dolby Home Theater v4 audio.
The new range will be available at JB Hi-FI stores in mid July around the nation. Keep an eye on the Alienware website for more information. Check out our review for the previous line of laptops here.
Following their massive E3 2013 showcase, Nintendo have released a plethora of amazing screenshots for their upcoming titles Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Super Smash Bros. for 3DS. The screenshots detail both games’ impressive line-up of playable characters which spans generations of gaming, including icons of gaming such as newly announced Mega Man. You can check out the screenshots for each character below.
Villager:
Mega Man:
Wii Fit Trainer
Mario:
Donkey Kong:
Link:
Samus:
Kirby:
Fox:
Pikachu:
Bowser:
Pit:
That concludes this particular screenshot filibuster for Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Super Smash Bros. for 3DS. All I can say is that the game looks simply phenomenal in both its versions. Stay tuned for more details on Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and for 3DS as it comes to light.
