Digimon Tamers in the Digital World of the Digimon Masters OnlineMMORPG from Joymax will definitely be happy to hear that the second part of the File Island area is going to be released to the public soon. Players of the game will recognise that this is the second part of the File Island scenario.
The second part of the Island open on the second of June and leads right up until the end of the fourth of July. Up until the launch of the second part of the island, players can expect to receive experience and speed buffs, up to 30%.
Be sure to check out the official site for more info.
CastleStorm Developer: Zen Studios Publisher: Zen Studios Platforms: XBLA Release Date: May 29, 2013 Price: 800MSP – Available Here
Overview CastleStorm is best described as a Tower Defense meets an Angry Birds style physics puzzler. Tower defense games where you spend resources to deploy troops to defend your base are great, they require quick thinking and immediate responses. Physics puzzlers where you launch projectiles at various angles to destroy towers and castles are also great; but they require patience and concentration. CastleStorm melds these two genres together and the end result is not pretty. While deploying units and destroying castles is fun in theory, in practice it just feels like you are rubbing your stomach and patting your head at the same time, with a series of micromanaged tasks that result in a game that doesn’t quite equal the sum of its parts.
Story After a brutal and bloody war, the Kingdom Knights and the Nordic Vikings have been at peace. This peace was the result of two gems of power being bestowed upon the leaders of the respective factions, protecting their land and granting their owners eternal life. However all goes awry when one day the gems go missing and so war breaks out once again.
The story here is pretty stock-standard and isn’t a standout feature of the game, the characters are all quite two-dimensional, and the narrative never really serves as more than a way of introducing the next battle, or explaining gameplay changes. An example is early on in the game where the Kingdom troops are all in need of the bathroom, so they are unable to be used in the following battle.
The plus side is that as mild and thin as it may be, at least there is a story. Typically tower defense or physics-puzzle games we get a modest introduction at best. This at least provides a narrative reason for why we as players are laying siege to structures.
Gameplay There are three game-types in CastleStorm: Skirmish, Survival and Hero Survival, but sadly they usually amount to the player largely doing the same repetitive tasks. The Angry Birds inspiration is clearly noticeable, not only in the castle design but also in many of the weapons which function identically as the birds in the popular mobile franchise.
Skirmish is the standard game mode, where you use your ballista to fire projectiles at the enemy, while also casting spells and deploying ground soldiers to head off the opposing forces and to attempt to break down their doors. The aim is to destroy all of the rooms within the opposing castle before they can do the same to you. All actions have a cool-down timer before they can be used again, with more powerful projectiles and units requiring longer times between uses. You also have the option of sending your Hero Character into battle, where you take control and use their power to defeat the waves of enemy troops for a short amount of time. The Hero Character can be great at clearing the field of enemy soldiers, but as long as you are controlling them, you cannot deploy troops, fire your ballista or use magic which can leave your castle open to some serious damage.
Survival is a slightly different take on Skirmish, where instead of destroying the opponent’s castle, the aim is to use your soldiers, spells and weapons to defend your castle for as long as you can against waves and waves of enemies. Hero Survival is a variant on this system, but instead of defending your castle you just play as a Hero Character, fighting off waves of enemies until you run out of HP.
The game’s campaign makes use of all three of these game modes, while offering variations between them, such as levels where you don’t have the ability to deploy your soldiers, or where your ballista is not functional. There is actually a fair bit of replayability for those who can stand it, as each of the game’s campaign levels has a series of five stars to collect as well as an optional bonus objective to complete. This is in addition to the nearly endless Skirmish mode, which involves single battles separate from the campaign.
All of the game modes are selected in Multiplayer, which plays out almost identically to the single player experience. However instead of facing against an AI Controlled enemy, you are against another Human but please note that playing in local multiplayer in split-screen can get a bit cluttered.
As you play the game you earn coins which can be spent to upgrade your arsenal of weapons, soldiers, spells and castle rooms. Upgrading results in your equipment dealing more damage, requiring a shorter cool-down, soldiers having more health or rooms increasing their effects. There is also an in-depth castle builder that allows players to customise one of the pre-set castles to their own look and feel, or to start from scratch. However customising these castles doesn’t amount to anything more than a cosmetic change from the pre-made.
Another complaint is that sometimes the controls can seem quite touchy and sensitive, where a single nudge of the control stick in the wrong direction can have your perfectly aimed shot firing completely off target. There is an option to control your reticule in small increments with the D-Pad, but it just adds another detail to worry about.
Visuals Zen Studios originally set out to make the game a throwback to when we were children building things out of blocks and then destroying them, and the art goes a long way to show that. Lines are drawn very thick and distinct and there is a lot of colour in this game. It gives off a vibe that is a mixture cartoons and toys you used to play with when you were younger.
However while the art-style is very nice for a game such as this, a lot of the animations (or lack thereof) fall quite flat. Characters all constantly have the same expression on their faces no matter what emotion they are trying to convey, and in the few small instances where there is dialogue in the game, there isn’t any visual indication that a character is talking, just a text box that appears at the bottom of the screen.
There are also the occasional graphical hiccup, such as the aiming cursor of the ballista just disappearing. It is a minor problem but one that definitely has a profound impact on the game.
For those that have access to a capable TV the stereoscopic 3D actually works quite nicely on this game, with no ghosting and it provides a nice, clean, almost diorama effect on the whole game which isn’t unpleasant to look at.
Audio The audio, although clean, crisp and delightfully cheerful very quickly becomes repetitive and flat out annoying. Most of the game’s cut-scenes are not fully voice acted, instead with characters talking in a series of grunts and groans while their dialogue is written in the bottom of the screen. During gameplay the same sounds will be heard time and time again, every time you summon one of your soldiers, they will say one of three or four short phrases. The audio really doesn’t add to the overall experience, and after a few minutes playing it in fact starts to detract from it.
Overall CastleStorm has a lot of great elements and it wears its inspiration on its sleeve. Unfortunately the game just feels like a series of micromanaging tasks. It suffers from being an amalgamation of two almost polar-opposite genres. Requiring the player to be both calculated and accurate while also being impulsive and reactionary makes for a game that is not only frustrating, but inconsistent and frankly just not that good.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Leading free-to-play MMO developer and publisher Wargaming is celebrating its 15th anniversary by opening its fifteenth worldwide office in Tokyo. The new office will focus on publishing, marketing, public relations, customer service and support for the Japanese player-base of World of Tanks.
“As Wargaming continues its global expansion, there’s no possible way we can ignore the importance of the Japanese market,” said Victor Kislyi, CEO of Wargaming. “Besides being one of the major video games markets in the world, it’s also a place where free-to-play gaming is growing by leaps and bounds.”
The Japanese market is an interesting one, as traditional PC games aren’t as big over there as they are in the West. But free-to-play games certainly are popular, and Japan has its fair share of serious military otaku. Wargaming Japan is now hiring from around the world as well as Japan to join its new team there.
Build It! Miami Beach Resort is a time management game that gives players a resort on Miami beach with one condition – you have to build it. Say what you want about this game but at least the developers are straight forward with what it involves from the get-go. Build It! Miami Beach Resort originally saw it’s debut on Mac and PC where it saw itself in the top 10 for over 30 days in various game charts. Now, G5 Games hopes to have similar success on iOS devices.
Gameplay
Build It! Miami Beach Resort gives the player a beach to build a resort on in the 1920s and as life goes on throughout the years players will need to advance to keep up with the times. The game has simple touch controls to maintain the resort’s attractiveness with it’s guests and profits is a fun challenge and as time goes on more options become available with great variety. The catch however is you won’t be building this resort in your own image. Build It! Miami Beach is a time management game, not a building simulator. So the game is actually very restricting in terms of designing the resort. In fact, the game is broken up into levels where you must complete each goal by building certain things from a list and reaching a certain amount of profit within the set time limit. While some may see it as a fun time management organisational challenge others will see it as a glorified fetch quest as all you’re really doing is pressing the buttons you’re told to do with little to no freedom. The game also has a secondary mode called ‘Riot Mode’ where you must destroy your city within a set time limit, but this is rather bland and feels restricting as well.
To be fair, it can be argued this ‘restricting’ feel is not the developer’s fault but rather a staple of the genre. Also, this style of gameplay may appeal to rather a niche market. For for a title that sells itself as a casual game, it’s actually pretty complex. Without going into too much detail players not only must meet goals within a time limit, but also manage the stats of the resort. There are three types of buildings: lodgings, leisure facilities and recreational facilities and they all effect each other. By building one building that may increase the capacity of the resort, you may lower the attractiveness of the beach, etc. This means there’s a lot of balancing out to do. So while it may have simple controls, it has a bit of a learning curve and can get pretty challenging. With sixty levels and more than thirty achievements to unlock, Build It! Miami Beach Resort doesn’t seem casual at all. Like I said, it’s not going to be for everyone, more so a niche market who can appreciate testing time management skills.
Visuals & Audio
Visuals are bright and full of colour but are unfortunately rather static. While the animation isn’t as vibrant as the colors it’s never a big deal. Music suits the game but can get repetitive and annoying but hey, that’s why iPhones have a mute button right? Other than that there’s nothing really more to say since the entire game is basically tapping on menus and buildings. There’s nothing bad here and nothing is spectacular either, but this is one of those games that don’t really need to sell you on these sort of things so it wouldn’t be fair to criticise for that. It should also be noted that Build It! Miami Beach Resort opens with a basic cinamatic with a storyline. There’s nothing breathtaking here but it’s nice to see that the developers put some effort in.
Overall
Build It! Miami Beach Resort may sell itself as a casual title, but it’s probably best suited for a niche market more interested in time management strategy rather than gamers hoping for a building simulator like Sim City. While it may not be oodles of fun for some, it will satisfy those who are engaged with plenty of levels, achievements and content. As for everybody else though, the lack of freedom makes the game feel like doing housework chores as you are constantly being forced what to do.While the controls are simple, the learning curve isn’t and if the gameplay fails to keep you playing the presentation will do no favours. Build It! Miami Beach Resort is not a bad game, it’s just a decent title that will be appreciated by just a select target of gamers.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
One man indie development team phr00t released a major updateto his procedural generated shooter 3089. The update adds a plot to 3089 and includes several different endings to the story. phr00t announced that additions or more changes to story may occur in the future. The update also adds a few tweaks including an in game compass, a heavily requested feature by players.
phr00t also shared some his future plans for 3089. They include biome changes, acid rain, and the new hoverboard vehicle.
3089 is the sequel to 3079. The game is a proceduarally generated FPS that runs on Linux, Mac, and Windows. It is available on Desurafor $10.94 USD for the duration of the alpha testing.
Animal Crossing: New Leaf may not launch until June 9th, but we here at Capsule are already preparing ourselves for the Mayor position at hand. Today, a new Facebook page opened for the game for the AU and NZ regions, which will be used to keep players updated with news and events. Think of it as a reminder page – if you will for holidays and other activities that will be going on in the game.
Here is the official greeting for the page:
Meet Mayor Russell – the resident Mayor! He’ll be sharing all sorts of fun information and hints and tips from his time spent as Mayor, helping you to utilise your mayoral powers to build projects, set ordinances and create the town of your dreams.
Seems standard, but this page could be useful. Stay tuned as our own review will be out soon enough. Until then, check out our recent coverage for all things 3DS here.
Zelda fans, REJOICE! Nintendo have brought back two classics this week to the Australian eShop, with those being The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages – which both originally launched on the Game Boy Color. If you act now, you can also get a discount, and since these two work together to share items and such – that is most helpful.
Special offer until 20/6/13: AUD$ 6.50 (NZD$ 8.50)
Non special offer price will be AUD$ 7.80 (NZD$10.20)
Game Description: Onox, the General of Darkness, has imprisoned the Oracle of Seasons to drain life from the land. Link must control the seasons themselves to turn the tide of evil! Change seasons at will – like conjuring winter to cross rivers – to solve puzzles and explore the land. Befriend animals to aid you, collect mysterious rings and conquer eight dungeons to recover the Essences of Nature. Plus – link with The Legend of Zelda™: Oracle of Ages™ via passwords to conclude your quest. Unlock secrets in both games, carry over items and reveal the ultimate boss battle!
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages
(Nintendo)
Nintendo 3DS
(Virtual Console, Game Boy Color)
Nintendo eShop from 31/5/13
Special offer until 20/6/13: AUD$ 6.50 (NZD$ 8.50)
Non special offer price will be AUD$ 7.80 (NZD$10.20)
Game Description: Veran, the Sorceress of Shadows, has captured the Oracle of Ages to change history! Link must bend time with the Harp of Ages to save the Oracle, but the clock is ticking… Embark on a time-spanning adventure, where your actions in the past affect the future. Befriend animals to aid you, collect mysterious rings and conquer eight dungeons to recover the Essences of Time. Plus – link with The Legend of Zelda™: Oracle of Seasons™ via passwords to conclude your quest. Unlock secrets in both games, carry over items and reveal the ultimate boss battle!
THE “DENPA” MEN 2: Beyond the Waves
(Genius Sonority)
Nintendo 3DS
(Download)
Nintendo eShop from 31/5/13
AUD$13.00 (NZD$17.00)
GGame Description: The Denpa Men are mysterious little creatures that float around radio waves. They all have their own territories. You can’t see them with the naked eye, but you can use your Nintendo 3DS™ to find them and
catch them. In this RPG, you can form a team of the Denpa Men you caught and take them on an exciting adventure across the world, in order to save the hero’s family. If you played the previous game, you’ll be able to transfer your hero and to bring all of your friends from the previous game into this one!
Mario & Sonic at the
London 2012 Olympic Games™
(SEGA)
Nintendo 3DS
(Download)
Nintendo eShop from 31/5/13
AUD$ 49.99 (NZD$59.99)
Game Description: On your marks and get set for the world’s greatest sporting event as Mario & Sonic head to the London 2012 Olympic Games. Hosted within the truly iconic setting of London, the games are back, bigger and better than ever before, bringing even more multiplayer fun and excitement to friends and families everywhere.
Special offers
Title
Platform
Price
Available
Ghosts’n Goblins
(CAPCOM)
Wii U
(Virtual Console, NES)
Nintendo eShop from 31/5/13
AUD$ 6.50 (NZD$ 8.50)
Ghosts’n Goblins is 50% off for users who bought Super Ghouls’n Ghosts™ on Nintendo eShop on their Wii U.
Majesco are back and bringing their most successful franchise to a new generation of gamers. Today, it was announced that Zumba Fitness World Party would be the next big step for the franchise, bringing the top fitness title to consoles during 2013. This title will be covering quite a few platforms as well, seeing a release in October on the Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360 with Kinect, and the newly announced Xbox One sometime later this year.
Also announced today was the first ever on-the-go fitness title, Zumba Dance – hitting mobile devices this summer.
This franchise will be receiving a complete overhaul since we last seen it with Zumba Fitness Core, and that is a good thing. Check out the details for yourself:
“Innovation defines our Zumba franchise strategy this year,” said Jesse Sutton, chief executive officer, Majesco Entertainment. “World Party’s next gen debut features an exciting new aesthetic that complements the game’s theme and brings the player around the world in an immersive exploration of movement, music and culture. What’s more, our first mobile tablet game, Zumba Dance, breaks new ground as a motion-based app that tracks calorie burn in a flexible on-the-go fitness format. Both of these products exemplify our vision for franchise growth—leverage new technology to create marketable, differentiated experiences on current generation systems while expanding the brand across next gen and mobile platforms.”
“The World Party game has always been a dream for us,” said Jeffrey Perlman, CMO, Zumba Fitness. “Zumba blurs the lines between fitness, entertainment and culture. As such, we wanted to create a game that explored different dance cultures from around the world. World Party unites the player with the global community of dance through an interactive experience that delivers both physical and emotional benefits.”
The world is your dance floor in Zumba® Fitness World Party. This engaging interactive game takes you on a cultural joyride around the world as you burn up to 1,000 calories per hour with more than 40 high-energy new routines and an unparalleled international soundtrack featuring Lady Gaga, Pitbull and Daddy Yankee. Learn to love your workout with this fun, freeing fitness journey that expands your horizons with an abundance of new and returning features.
Features Include:
40+ fresh songs including chart-topping hits, new Zumba originals, and eclectic tracks from regional musicians. Full soundtrack to be announced.
A new visual presentation complements your travel to exotic worldwide locations with an extraordinary cast of 14 celebrity Zumba instructors including: Beto, Gina Grant, Kass Martin, Melissa Chiz, Heidy Torres and Loretta Bates.
30+ cultural dance styles, from Cumbia to Swing to Hip-Hop and Bollywood plus new additions like Blues, Capoeira and Girly Funk.
The New World Dance Tour mode unlocks songs from each region in a progressive trip around the world realized through on location videos.
Streamlined Progress Tracker Plus tallies all your stats: technique score, calories burned, achievements earned, fitness goals met, and more.
45 new classes of varying lengths cater to your schedule while the Custom Playlist feature enables you to choose your favorite music and routines.
Low, medium, and high intensity routines tiered for all skill levels plus an expanded Learn the Steps mode with eight tutorial modules.
Two-player support on Xbox One and Kinect for Xbox 360 and four-player support on Wii U and Wii.
Unlock behind-the-scenes videos, artist interviews and souvenirs to stay motivated as you play.
Fans who register for their virtual passport on zumbafitnessgame.com get access to a $10 discount coupon off the game exclusively from GameStop along with behind-the-scenes content and multiple entries in the World Party Sweepstakes that will send one lucky winner and a friend to an exotic destination featured in-game.
I am still feeling the burn since my review of Zumba Fitness 2, and that one game made myself a believer in the phenomenon for consoles, even though I am a bit out of the target demographic. I am happy to see this franchise returning either way, as this proves there is still life in the dance/fitness genre. Stay tuned for June folks, as E3 will bring us even more on this fitness party. For now – check out the first Passport to Party clip as well as the shiny teaser trailer down below.
Fuse – Insomniac Games‘ first new IP since Resistance was introduced in 2006 (excluding the Facebook game Outernauts) – releases tomorrow in Australia. But Americans have already got their hands on the team-based shooter, and the developers have released a helpful Tips and Tricks video, which can viewed embedded at the bottom of this article.
They will help you learn how to combine your Fuse-powered weapons to gain maximum points in the co-op campaign, master the intricacies of the wave-based “co-petitive” Echelon mode, and watch as Insomniac’s lead designer strategically leaps between agents at will, during combat, to elude dangerous scenarios. Insomniac intentionally made Fuse a challenging experience to master, so use these developer tips to stay a step ahead during frantic fire-fights.
As many of you know, we consistently bring updates on all of the Club Nintendo goodies as they emerge. This week is no different, but comes with the first new physical piece of merch to hit the service in months. What you see above is the Super Mario Accessory Box, featured with a bright green design with a dashing Koopa leading a variety of other famed faces.
You can get this prize now for just 700 coins if you live in the U.S., but keep in mind that this product is limited, so you might want to act fast. I have some old Nintendo Wii Remotes lying around that need a space of their own, so I personally think some of my coins just got spent. Remember, the digital rewards will indeed be updating on June 3rd, so stay tuned for that as once they are revealed, we will be sure to bring even more updates.
