Sony and Naughty Dog have released a new featurette ahead of the release of their PS3 exclusive The Last of Us, on June 14th. Called ‘Nature Encroaches’, it focuses on the science behind the game.
More specifically, the video – which can be viewed embedded at the bottom of this article – examines the Cordyceps fungi, which infects humans and causes the obliteration of 90% of the world’s population in The Last of Us. David Hughes, a Disease Biologist and Assistant Professor of Entomology and Biology at Penn State University walks us through a lesson on the fungi’s real-life behaviour and M.O., before asking the question: “could it indeed jump to humans?” Check out this interesting vision for the answer.
We are currently playing The Last of Us for review and will have it up in the coming days. In the meantime, you can read our hands-on preview of two levels: Lincoln and Pittsburgh.
It has been revealed that Square Enix will be holding a special media only meeting that will focus on what the company is calling the “Future of Final Fantasy.” The event will take place before E3 2013 and press questions will be answered by senior vice president Shinji Hashimoto.
It is currently unknown what type of details could be revealed during this Q&A session, but it is worth noting that Square did mention that they would be announcing something Final Fantasy related during Sony’s presentation during E3 this year and that will occur before this question session. Of course, with the roads Square Enix is currently traveling, gamers may want to be concerned.
Well that changed today when Tecmo Koei released their first full trailer for the game which can be seen below. Currently Atelier Escha & Logy: Alchemist of Dusk Sky is set to be released in Japan on June 27th. As far as a Western release is concerned, Tecmo Koei has not announced anything as of yet, but with E3 coming up soon, perhaps we’ll see some sort of announcement then.
Today Ubisoft released their E3 trailer for South Park: The Stick of Truth and if it looks familiar, there is good reason for that. It just so happens that this video below is a retooled version of the one we were shown back in 2012 except at that time, the game was still being made under THQ’s label.
Regardless of how new this footage is, it only helps drive home the fact this game is highly anticipated by the gaming community and it is good to see Ubisoft putting some promo material out there. Currently South Park: The Stick of Truth is set to be released later this year on current-gen consoles and PC.
Bridgy Jones Review Developer: Grow App Publisher: Chillingo Ltd. Platforms:iPhone (Reviewed), iPad, iPod Touch Release Date: 29/06/2012 Price: $0.99 – Available Here
Overview
All aboard! Bridgy Jones (no, not Bridget Jones) is an interesting puzzle game where players take control of the title character and chase down a run away train. Filled with creativity, charisma and challenge, it’s sure to keep you entertained for hours on end. Also the game has 32 levels with 120 additional objectives so there is plenty of content. And if none of these are good enough reasons to pick it up I got one more reason for you: Bridgy Jones has a dog named ‘Bonner’. Boom! You’ve got my attention.
Gameplay
There are two main styles of play per level. The first of which is a creation phase where players must build a track for Bridgy to travel on, the second of which players must navigate him across this path in a platformer fashion. The main focus of the game is on this first style of gameplay where problem solving is your main tool. At first it seems simple: put the train tracks down from point A to point B. But then you come to realize that the train tracks require wood or rope to hold them up and keep it stable. Also sometimes the ground isn’t available so you’ll need to hold it up from the roof, etc. Most importantly, during this state of play the world is held in suspended animation. Once this is over, you control Bridgy and his train. That’s when rag doll physics kick in. This means that if something isn’t stable it will come crashing down, and if the wood isn’t supportive of the weight enough, it will break. This is extremely entertaining as not only watching senseless destruction is fun, but a trial-and-error approach can be taken towards your gameplay. Sure you can be sloppy and rush through to the end while your architecture crashes behind you sometimes, but building a sturdy path is much more rewarding. Also multiple paths can be taken to find bonuses and more so there is plenty of re-playability on offer.
With all that being said Bridgy Jones can be occasionally frustrating. Sure the tutorial works great but after that players are completely on their own. There are no options for assistance or level skipping, so if you get stuck you’re actually really stuck. However I’m sure while some may see this as a negative, others may see it as a positive as it does renforce a challenge. There’s re-playability as chapter selection is present, and has 120 additional objectives within it’s 32 levels. Sure it can get a little repetitive after a while, but so do most other puzzle games. Plus none of this takes away from the fact it’s a fresh concept that’s executed well.
Visuals & Audio
Bridgy Jones is bursting with personality. From the quirky character designs to the humorous dialogue (“hold on buddy, it’s loading”), Bridgy Jones stands out as very unique looking title. The music goes hand in hand with the theme of visuals, which I can only describe as “family-friendly redneck”, so expect to hear quite a few tunes you can have a hoedown to. Strangely, I dig it. It captures the atmosphere of the game and characters and adds to the game’s wonderful presentation. Clearly, Bridgy Jones has had a lot of polish.
Overall
Bridgy Jones is a unique and fun puzzler that’s filled with personality. It’s challenging, fun and full of life. I think it’s pretty clear a lot of time and effort went into Bridgy Jones and the outcome speaks for itself. If you’re after a game that’ll make you scratch your head and maybe even smile a little, jump aboard!
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Remember how, about a month ago Bethesda announced that they would be re-releasing Skyrim and all of it’s DLC in one package as The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Legendary Edition? Well today that package was released to stores in Australia and New Zealand.
This means that gamers now have the chance to pick up everything Skyrim has to offer in one simple package that contains the Dawnguard, Hearthfire and Dragonborn DLC as well as the latest patches to the game such as Legendary difficulty, mounted combat, Legendary skills and more. The title costs $69.95 AUD for the 360 and PS3 versions while the PC version costs $49.95 AUD. As for New Zealand, it costs $89.95 NZD and $69.95 NZD respectively.
This Ultimate Edition will contain new features such as 1080p HD graphics, a solid 60FPS, trophy integration through steam and all of the game’s DLC, meaning it includes both Reverie and Resurrection. The title will be released on Steam in North America sometime this summer while European gamers have a more solid release date of August 27th digital and August 30th retail. To give gamers a taste of how the game will look on PC, they have released a handful of screenshots which can be seen below. Considering Lords of Shadow 2 is currently planned for release on the PC, this is a great chance for PC gamers to catch up on the series before it’s release.
Here is some pleasant news for your mid-week. Today it was announced that Mario and Luigi: Dream Team Bros. will be launching on July 13th for Australia and New Zealand for the 3DS, bringing back one of our favorite brotherly RPG franchises that Nintendo have been rather consistent in bringing back over the years.
Now, for those curious or out of the know, this Mario and Luigi title puts players in the mind of Luigi, or to put it more literal, his dreams. Here are some more details and get ready – as there is a lot to chew on:
In this fourth instalment of the popular RPG series Mario & Luigi, the story opens with Princess Peach and her staff, plus brothers Mario and Luigi in tow, being invited for a sightseeing trip to the mysterious Pi’illo Island by its equally mysterious proprietor, Dr Snoozemore. But after an initially hospitable welcoming to the island – albeit with Dr Snoozemore noticeably absent – things take a turn for the worse when Princess Peach is kidnapped and pulled into a Dream World by a new enemy in the series, the ghostly bat king Antasma.
To chase down this new foe and rescue Princess Peach, Mario must enter this Dream World through the dreams of a sleeping Luigi, whose brain is revealed to be on a wavelength with the population of Pi’illo Island, the Pi’illo Folk. Alternating between Luigi’s Dream World and the real world, Mario and Luigi must solve puzzles, battle enemies, and even interact with creations of Luigi’s own imagination in order to succeed!
The relationship between the real world and Dream World plays a critical role within the game. While roaming the Pi’illo Island environment in the real world, Mario and Luigi need to combine equally to use trademark Bros. Moves, while in the Dream World, it is the power of Dreamy Luigi that is all-important in supporting Mario. For example, Luiginary Works are magical ways in which the player can interact with the Dream World environment through Luigi’s sleeping form. Whether it is tweaking Luigi’s moustache or scratching his nose on the bottom screen of the console, this interaction provokes a reaction in the Dream World, affecting the environment to the benefit of Mario.
In the Dream World battle sequences, the power of Dreamy Luigi once again comes to the fore when a horde of Luigis power up Mario to create formidable Luiginary Attacks, moves which greatly differ from the trademark Bros. Attacks in the real world, and which make use of the capabilities of the Nintendo 3DS or Nintendo 3DS XL consoles in original ways. As an example, one Luiginary Attack comprises Mario riding on top of a ball of Luigis, with the player using the motion controls of the console to navigate the ball’s course to crush the enemies that lie ahead. Whether attacking, counterattacking or dodging in battle, the 3D capabilities of the console are also critical for players to judge perfectly timed actions.
When a battle is won, the levelling-up mechanic in-game follows a classic RPG formula, with experience points earned, improving common attributes such as health points and power, plus the addition of classic franchise attributes such as Bro Points – needed to perform special attacks – and STACHE – influencing the chance of Mario or Luigi scoring a critical hit in battle – remaining in this latest instalment in the Mario & Luigi series. Also following previous games in the series is a badge reward system, whereby both brothers can find or buy badges in-game that can be combined to earn the brothers useful rewards after certain actions – such as performing ‘excellent’ attacks – are carried out in battle. For those new to the series meanwhile, hint messages, an easy mode and a slow attack mode will help players get to grips with the battle sequences.
I can’t tell you how pumped I am personally for Dream Team Bros., as this is one side-series that has always delivered and with this year being the year of Luigi, it is a happy sight to see our green-hatted underling put in the spotlight for such a big game. North America will see this gem hit in August, but down under – well, you get an entire month of RPG greatness ahead of the west, so mark the date and consider yourselves lucky.
Deus Ex has been a critically acclaimed franchise for some time for Square Enix, and that looks to continue as it takes a ride to the mobile scene. Today, it was announced that Deus Ex: The Fall would be headed to mobile and tablet devices later this year, with a new main protagonist and narrative in tow.
Now, for those concerned about quality, fear not as the team from Eidos-Montréal and N-Fusion who worked on Deus Ex: Revolution will be behind the project, and will feature characters from the novel DEUS EX: THE ICARUS EFFECT.
Here are some plot points to expect in this story-driven RPG:
DEUS EX: THE FALL is set in 2027– a golden era for science, technology and human augmentation, but also a time of great social divide and global conspiracy. Powerful corporations have seized control from governments and command the drug supply needed by augmented humans to survive. In this chaos Ben Saxon, a former British SAS Mercenary who underwent physical augmentation, is desperate for the truth behind the drug conspiracy. Betrayed by his private military employers, the Tyrants, not only is his own life at risk, but for all augmented humans, time is running out…
Sounds rather enticing, and seeing a brand new tale for the series known for its twisted and captivating world. Check out the announcement trailer down below, and stay tuned as there is sure to be even more information on The Fall in coming weeks. For now, you can check out log onto www.deusex.com/TheFall or visit the Facebook page www.facebook.com/DeusEx and YouTube www.youtube.com/DeusExOfficial for your fix.
Rise Of The Ravager Developer: Gentleman Squid Studio Publisher:Gentleman Squid Studio Platforms:Windows (reviewed), Linux, Xbox 360 (XBLIG) Release Date: Out Now Price: £3.99 – Available Here
Overview
Gentleman Squid Studio’s Rise of the Ravager is pretty simple in its design. You have a base which needs protecting along the bottom of the screen, and the objective of the game is to shoot down anything that attempts to attack this base. Despite this simplicity by some of the later stages you’ll find walls of enemies raining down at you forcing you into a blind panic, becoming flustered as you struggle to choose how to take them on. The game has been heavily compared to Guitar Hero, and initially I was sceptical at best into how this would be the case. However, after playing the game I now see the similarities in gameplay as well as in the frustration, as well as the relief after completing a tricky level, that can come with both these titles. Rise of the Ravager is a compelling game, one which will keep the player engaged and interested throughout despite its simple click this button to kill this enemy mechanic, and one which will be thoroughly enjoyed by many.
Story
Rise of the Ravager is set in some unknown period of time on the brink of a potentially catastrophic event. The Ravager, an ancient god, seeks to come alive once more, the bad news is that he’d pretty much wipe out all life if he were to awaken. The player must prevent his revival by destroying his minions and avatars protective as they descend from on high onto your base, and to seek favour from the Old Ones. If the monsters manage to break through the shield and hit the base, then the Ravager will break free and thus wreak havoc among the planet.
Gameplay
The game is simple in nature. The player has one stationary turret to deal with the threats that are raining down on you, and you have to shoot them down with a shot of the same colour as the enemy. This is done by clicking the correct button which corresponds to the correct colour bullets you fire, to hit the correct coloured enemy. If you miss an enemy and they reach your base, the first hit will make your shield go down, and any further hits will do damage to the base, If more than three hits are taken without the shield then that’s game over.
The game starts you off with one or two colours that need to be fired, but soon you’ll be having to manage all 4 colours. Aside from the first few levels, the game is actually quite difficult. The game is designed around putting the player outside of their comfort zone, you never quite feel comfortable with the amount of enemies attacking you and this can lead to panic and silly mistakes. The levels also last just a tad more than is comfortable for the level of focus required as well, but all this adds up to the sense of elation after completing a level where you have been on edge and fully focused for what seems like a lifetime.
The game comes with an excellent upgrade system for your weapons and shields, and it’s key that you utilise it differently for varying stages throughout the game. The player is able to increase things such as damage, firing rate and shield regeneration or increasing aim assist on the turret. As the levels change some upgrades become more useful than others, and in other games this could leave the player hindered by their previous choices. However, unlike most games the upgrades you choose don’t get locked in, but Rise of the Ravager will let you take away any upgrade you have made, and repossess the skill points these costs, and then the player is free to redistribute these in any way they please. This is vital as upgrades which were useful at the beginning of the game weren’t useful towards the end, a very welcome addition to the game, and one which makes its tough difficulty a bit easier to handle.
Visual And Audio
The visuals are simple and clear, making the game very easy to enjoy. Rise of the Ravager uses an Inca theme throughout, and one that is inherent in everything from the the design of the enemies you are trying to shoot down to the backing music. Enemies at the start look like Inca masks, but the different type of enemies become more varied as the game progresses, other enemies look like animals or odd creatures and each of these move in different ways. The clear art design helps the player to pick out which enemy it is that is coming towards you and enables quick reactions in order to be able to deal quickly and efficiently with enemies as soon as they come into view.
The backgrounds on which the action takes place is also nice and simple, and doesn’t distract from the main task of the game, although if there was one complaint about these it would be that there could possibly be a bit more variation to these backgrounds. Overall the visuals on the game are not flashy or over the top, and nor do they pretend to be. They don’t distract from the gameplay, but at the same time are sharp and colourful enough not to be dull or a hindrance to the overall feel of the game.
There isn’t much to say about the sound track which is mainly tribal sounding drums, apart from the fact that it is oddly hypnotic and manages to fit nicely with the Inca theme the game is going for. It was repetitive for sure, but in a way this sort of helped to keep in the zone while attempting to shoot down the enemies raining down at me, but again this wasn’t a hindrance to the game and like the gameplay was simple in its implementation. If the sound bothers you that much and you are looking for a more upbeat sound track, then simply play your own music to get yourself pumped up to save the world!
Overall
Rise of the Ravager needs your full concentration and skill of reflexes at all times. The game keeps you completely engaged throughout and not once did I become bored while playing this game. The player is never far away from a lapse in concentration and letting the Ravager escaping, and thus being game over, although very simple in nature but you cant help to get addicted. In a way Rise of the Ravager is like a pushy parent, putting you just beyond your comfort zone in each level in an attempt to make you up your game and become better. I can’t emphasise enough how such a simple game is made so effective, engaging and enjoyable. The comparisons to Guitar Hero are definitely warranted, but Rise of the Ravager is an excellent game in its own right, and well worth picking up for the price.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
