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Kids on the Slope Blu-Ray Review

May 26, 2013

Kids on the Slope
Studios: MAPPA and Tezuka Productions
Publisher: Sentai Filmworks
Format: DVD, Blu-Ray (Reviewed)
Release Date: May 7th, 2013
Price: $69.98 – Available Here

Overview
Shinichiro Watanabe and Yoko Kanno working together again is almost any anime fans dream come true. With Cowboy Bebop, the duo was able to create an anime that had a lasting impact and is still held by some as one of the best animes around. With the two joining forces for Kids on the Slope, is it lightening in a bottle again? Or a solid attempt simply carried by the names of its creators? Having aired last year, Kids on the Slope has finally come to Blu-ray to see how what it holds for anime fans.

Story
Kids on the Slope is the tale of 2 Japanese school boys in 1966, which being a very different time than today allows the story to excel in part because of its slice of life style in a less heard from time period. However, this is not an entirely slice of life kind of show, but more a character driven drama that happens to include these tidbits of 1960’s Japan. Beginning with Kaoru having just arrived at a new school because of his father’s naval career, he is introduced to a brash troublemaker named Sentaro from a need to go to the school’s roof to recenter and calm himself.

From this initial meeting, both boys become close acquaintances to closer friends all thanks to Kaoru being a pianist, Sentaro being a drummer, and the overwhelming power of Jazz. While about the boys mainly there are plenty of other characters around, from love triangler Ritsuko, to love pentagoner Brother Jun and Yurika. Even smaller characters prove to become unexpected more important later. The characters involved are as as varied as real life and what gives the anime such heart, but even more than the characters, the story is about Jazz.

From the title of each episode, to the main bond between the lead characters, Kids on the Slope is as much about Jazz as it is about the 2 main characters Kaoru and Sentaro. This anime is as close to the personification of Jazz as anything else I’ve seen. The point of Jazz is to feel the music, to just let it flow and come alive. The performance will not and cannot be perfect, but will be unique every single time. The story here is the same way, not forward and clear cut, but meandering, sweeping, and personal. Not every part of the story fits with a neat ribbon, but like solos in a Jazz piece, colors the entire experience. Jazz is about expressing the blues just as much as joy and having fun, so too does the story.

Visuals
The art of Kids on the Slope is for the most part on par with other current anime, looking good with wonderful backgrounds. The animation however becomes more impressive the more attention is paid during performances by Kaoru and Sentaro. Their movements, Kaoru’s fingering on the piano and Sentaro’s drumming, are recreated in amazing detail. While explained in the extras, it fits here as well, as the performances were recorded and used as reference for the actual animation, an attention to detail that deserves recognition.

The character designs are also very well done, while some anime might have characters that are fairly static, almost all of the characters in Kids on the Slope see some sort of growth. The time period also makes for the characters to look uniquely realistic. Drawing on the actual period, all of them look and feel like they would and could have existed. Though probably the best designs in the series, outside of Sentaro in general as he’s just an amazingly designed character, are the Beatles-esque costumes during one of the school festivals because they not only add to the general charm, but highlight what was going on in music elsewhere in the world at the time.

Audio
The voice actors do a fine job of fitting their parts, the over the top characters are suitably over the top and the serious do a fine enough job at serious. For the most part however the voice acting isn’t all that much to write on about, it’s standard even the English dub meets the quality of the original Japanese. But, while it is true that for the most part there isn’t much to comment on, there is one stand out moment in the voice acting. The instance of Ritsuko singing may not be stand out in the original Japanese, it does stand out far more in the English dub because they use the original Japanese. This is something that I can’t recall happening in another anime, using the original singing, but here it makes perfect sense as an anime set in Japan and featuring a Japanese school girl actually trying to sign an English song phonetically. Which here, feels like the perfect way to do this scene.

The music of the series is truly Jazz-tastic and even the music that isn’t Jazz is still perfect for the anime. As each episode is titled after a song, it isn’t surprising that these songs are incorporated into the show, but how well they do is still impressive. Specific songs become themes for both characters and situations and are revisited, both calling back to what the characters have gone through and how they interact. The Jazz performances will utilize and flow through different songs as well unique aspects capturing the essence of how Jazz is actually performed. While neither the opening or ending theme are Jazz themselves they still fit. The opening theme “Sakamichi no Melody” by YUKI itself encapsulates Jazz with incorporating Jazz songs in its lyrics, while still playing on the anime’s themes of how friendship can change and shape someone. The ending theme “Altair” by Motohiro Hata contains the same themes, while also including themes of missed opportunities.

Extras
The special features included are sure to please an anime fan, with more than just previews and the clean opening and ending. This release also has some of the Japanese previews for the series before it started airing, but the real gems are the three interviews. With interviews with director Shinichiro Watanabe, music creator Yoko Kanno, and the two performers that played the music of Kaoru and Sentaro. These interviews give a good look at the processes they used when creating the anime, from filming the musicians to recreate their exact movements, to how they found their performers. Anyone that enjoys behind the scenes and seeing how things are done are sure to appreciate these extras.

Overall
Capturing all the feelings, music, and depth found in Jazz and pairing it the the lives of two that find it imperative to themselves. The story does drift in places, but like real life and memories features those things that will stick with a person, as some of the asides with Brother Jun don’t fit well, but they definitely aren’t soon forgotten. And the music? What more needs to be said about the music? It colors and shades the events exactly as they should be. Kids on the Slope isn’t just a great anime series, it is an amazing visual Jazz performance worth almost anyone’s time.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Super Tower Rush Review

Oli Delgaram-Nejad

May 25, 2013

Super Tower Rush
Developer: Team Super Tower Rush
Publisher: Team Super Tower Rush
Platforms: PC (Reviewed), Mac
Release Date: Out Now
Price: $2.99 – Available Here

Overview

Super Tower Rush, brought to us by the talented development duo Team Super Tower Rush, (@ToenAndreMC – Artwork and Audio, @MissScriptor – Programming) is a local (and soon-to-be online) competitive multiplayer platform-racer, with several unique twists. Players must navigate tall towers brimming with traps, spells, pitfalls and bonus items in an attempt to beat their opponent to the bottom, and it’s pretty cut-throat to boot.

This game was clearly built to bring out the “competitive sibling” style of play in all who engage with it, and in this sense alone, it succeeds in every regard. Expect food to be thrown, controllers to be batted out of hands mid-play and great amounts of strategic wind passing. All of which will frequently punctuate your local multiplayer sessions. Although this is the core selling point of Super Tower Rush; the party aspect, what separates it from other titles in the indie world is the overall sense of polish, of genuine 90s charm.

Gameplay

Although a Story Mode is in development, the game in its current form is clearly one focused on providing players with the most engaging arcade experience possible. If looking at the Single Player Arcade Mode, we’re immediately presented with a multitude of characters to pick from, each possessing a unique ability. This immediately screams “replay value” in the gruff, succinct tones of seasoned classics such as Tekken.

The controls, character movement, and load times are fluid and responsive and the player seldom feels a negative sense of nostalgia – specifically the frustrations that often accompanied having to work with an 8-bit machine. Although nearly all aspects of the gameplay are immensely enjoyable (and this is heightened to the nth degree when you leave the Single Player Arcade Mode and take on a human opponent in local multiplayer) I do have to pick at one thing: The spikes. The spikes of certain key-smashing frustration and lengthy respawn times. But even this is by design and works perfectly in the creation of those genuine “C’mon!” moments that local multiplayer games are typically known for.

Essentially, Team Super Tower Rush have done an excellent job in transporting us back to a time when gaming was simpler, where all that was required was time, an understanding of the controls, and sheer will; the days when games were impossibly hard as standard and if the power went, so too did all of the day’s work. The in-game features compliment this totally, the spells (weapons/power-ups used to slow your opponents) have a distinct Mario Kart feel. The dissolving blocks of sand that aid your descent feel very Zelda-esque and there’s definitely a visual nod or two in the way of Kirby’s Dreamland. This game is quite simply the Indie lovechild of everything we enjoyed about 90s gaming and a great deal more.

Visuals

By emulating the classic 8-bit graphics of titles such as LoZ: A Link To The Past, Super Tower Rush communicates a deep respect for titles of old. To look at the practical side of the visual style, you’ve got to talk frame rates. The technical benefits of using 8-bit visuals become apparent to players pretty quickly, especially when things get a little heavy. The Alpha copy I was looking at had no issues with a steady 80 fps and saw no drops whatsoever.

Audio

Now this, for me, is where the game shines brightest. Nothing makes a retro themed title more enjoyable than a well mastered retro soundtrack, and that is exactly what Team Super Tower Rush have offered. And I suppose this is where I have to get a little soppy, as whilst I was playing this game with a close friend, I couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of loss. I used to play countless SNES and N64 titles with my older brother.

My brother and I were one of many pairs of siblings that grew up, and grew closer, facing the same TV screen during the 90s. The competitive aspect was integral to the bonding experience. I say this because Super Tower Rush brought all of those memories flooding back, in nostalgic droves. The key reason for which was the masterfully written soundtrack. If an independent publisher can transport players to the ‘way-back-when’, well, that’s saying something profound.

Overall

Super Tower Rush combines everything we loved about the 8-bit classics of the past, and sends gamers careening back into that era, by choice or otherwise. It’s a guaranteed nostalgia trip with a good few modern surprises, and for $2.99, you’d have to be nuts to say no to this one. Personally, I’d pay $2.99 just for the soundtrack.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Marvel Heroes – Episode 2 of Chronicles of Doom

Zac Elawar

May 25, 2013

With the release of Gazillion Entertainment‘s PC, free-to-play MMO-RPG Marvel Heroes around the corner on June 4th, the developer has released Episode 2 of the action-packed four-part motion comic series written by Marvel super-scribe Brian Michael Bendis (for my money, one of the greatest comic writers of all time).

This second instalment, which can be viewed embedded at the bottom of this article, follows main, titular villain Victor von Doom (see who voices the bad doctor) as he looks to make a deal with the powerful demon Dorammu to shift the control of power in the universe in his favor. Before watching, please check out Episode 1 if you haven’t already.

One 4 U: A take on the new console market

Michael Marr

May 25, 2013

Please note that the following article expresses the opinion of author.

After the announcement of the Xbox One at Microsoft’s recent revelation event, gamers around the world now have a better insight into what the 8^th generation gaming console market is shaping up to be. Many gamers and households want to pick which system is right for them and their friends and families, the sort of single console syndrome that has ignited and fuelled the passion of console wars since the very beginning of digital time. With all of the major power players in the console gaming market lined up against one another, it’s difficult not to start drawing comparisons and creating mental pros and cons lists.

Let’s take a look at what we’ve got on offer: Microsoft’s rather confusingly named Xbox One; Sony’s rather predictably named Playstation 4, and Nintendo’s siren sounding named WiiU (if you don’t get it, trying saying it out loud three times). It’s no longer the PSWii60 wars folks. The newest battle in the console wars will be One4U, and in the current market, the disparity and differences offered by each console maker is greater than ever. In this opinion piece, I’m going to take a look at the major glaring ups and downs of each respective system so you readers out there might be better able to pick the right “One 4 U”.

MICROSOFT: XBOX ONE

Let’s start with the newest elephant in the room: The Xbox One. Now, I’m an avid fan of Microsoft gaming, both PC and Xbox. I love, absolutely LOVE my Xbox 360. The 360 was my system of choice for multi-platform releases and featured some of my favourite franchises such as Halo and Left 4 Dead, and was the springboard that launched other great games like Mass Effect and Saints Row into their relative success (before being ported across to other systems for their popularity.) The media centre was a nice little bonus touch to the console, able to play dvds and manage music while in game. I loved the east system link capability, large co-op library, the Live Arcade and pretty much everything about it.

The Xbox One on the other hand seems to deliver so much less of what I loved, as far as their recent announcements have been concerned. Sufficed to say this console announcement was the most disappointing one of all three. Even calling this a “console” announcement seems a bit farfetched. Microsoft’s new “Set-top box” announcement would have been a better way to describe it, thanks to the lack of gaming based features and an almost entire focus on the “living room revolution.” The release has been plagued by speculation and rumors regarding not only the console itself, but numerous questionable business strategies adopted for this new generation. The “television” focus rather than games; the lack of backwards compatibility; the Kinect requirement and most concerning of all: the ‘used’ game fee.

The delivery of the announcement was weak, only showing off the annual EA sports re-releases, Forza, Call of Duty and Quantum Break. All of which were games we KNEW were coming already. I can’t help but feel their extensive marketing of sports to gamers, (a notoriously exercise resistant demographic), was a waste of good presentation time that could have showed us some of these other supposed exclusives. Microsoft has stated that they have 15 exclusives lined up for initial launch, but no word on WHAT they are has yet been given. The return of the dreaded Kinect was met with collective fan groans. And while I do feel that the implementation of voice control in gaming has good potential, the motion control element is really something they should have left behind, no matter how much they say its been “refined”. The first one should have been refined before it was released in the first place!

This is not to say that the Xbox One is entirely devoid of positive notes. The expanded memory and friends list sizes are most certainly a boon, as are the DVD and Blu-Ray player. But based on what the “highlights” of the console are so far, the XB1 has a LOT of convincing to do, not just for me, but for the entire gaming community as a whole. In the end, Microsoft’s real test will be E3 this year. If they aren’t able to pull out and show us something genuinely impressive, and keep the focus on the hard-core gaming fans that made it an icon, then this console project might be killed before it even begins. I can only speak for myself Microsoft, but come E3, if the focus is off the games, then you will lose a fan. Myself, and many others who have faithfully played your games and bought your products for the last 12 years because of what a great GAMING system you built… Call it the “evolution of the entertainment” all you want, it will not detract from the fact many members of your community can’t help but feel a betrayed by this new approach.

SONY: PLAYSTATION 4

Next on the chopping block is the Playstation 4, Sony’s entrant into the modern market. While significantly more focused on games in their console announcement, their business strategy and associated gimmicks were as predictable as most of us expected from Sony. It was pretty obvious that they’ve retrained their identity as a hardware company first and foremost. Like the XB1, the PS4 will NOT have backwards compatibility support, though the Blu-Ray player and controller design remained pretty much the same.

As much I as tended to consider the Playstation 3 “The enemy” as an Xbox360 advocate, I have to give credit where it’s due: Sony did a decent job of their console announcement in that it focused on what Microsoft should have: the games. Numerous game announcements and having the presentation essentially swipe Bungie away from Microsoft was a strong way to get the public excited about the PS4’s potential. However, they weren’t flawless. A good proportion of the presentation was spent spruiking the PSVita, which hasn’t proven very successful, and the machine itself was a no-show. While it’s understandable that some of the specific details are time sensitive, the announcement still got a generally negative reaction from investors and the community. Another detail to note is that they STILL refuse to let the PS Move gimmick die. It’s a feature that isn’t even popular on the Wii anymore, so its future potential is liable to be even more limited and even less successful than on the PS3. The reality is that many of us in the gaming market aren’t into the motion control thing anymore.

Sony’s major downfall with the Playstation 4 is its lack of originality. The name aside, the console really offers nothing new that the PS3 didn’t have already: gameplay experience, Blu-ray/dvd drive, online support, etc. Of course there are the standard processor and hardware upgrades, but the only thing that really was added to the gameplay formula was the controller touchpad, al la the Vita, a gimmick which many feel will easily fall by the wayside once the system is released. If you already have a PS3, the appeal of the features of the PS4 are likely to be limited, considering that they can by-and-large do the same things. However, with a comparatively large library of exclusive titles under their belt, Sony really has the potential to push forward franchises like Uncharted and Infamous into the next generation with hopefully pleasing results.

NINTENDO: WIIU

When the system and its line-up was first announced, I was dubious, and told myself that this would probably be the first time in my life I would NOT buy a Nintendo console. “The Wii-U?!?” I thought to myself many a time. Not only that a terrible name, but its just going to confuse legions of stupid people about the console since the names are so similar! Even with Mario, Mass Effect and ZombiU shown off extensively, I wasn’t sold on it. Then the post release game announcements started coming in. And then I started to pay attention.

Zelda: Wind Waker HD, a NEW Zelda adventure, a new Smash Brothers, the return of Earthbound, Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem, Pokemon Rumble U (Skylanders but with Pokemon), Super Luigi U and most recently, the announcement of Nintendo’s exclusivity deal with a certain blue hedgehog. Those crazy, clever, maniacal bastards did it. As far as the GAMES of the 8^th gaming generation is concerned, Nintendo got it the most right. Although the first launch year of the WiiU hasn’t been overly mind blowing thus far, the future potential of the system is looking really bright for the one reason that Nintendo has done the one thing that Microsoft and Sony have forgotten: make the games for the fans. The inclusion of backwards compatibility with the Wii was a very smart decision to help augment the size of the WiiU’s game library in these starting months.

That said however, the system isn’t without its flaws. One of the most notable of these is the hugely limited battery life of the WiiU Gamepad, as well as the huge inconsistency that exist with various games’ control styles. Additionally, the system may not appeal to the older hard-core gaming market on the basis that multi platform releases tend to be more appealing on the other consoles in the market. Of particular concern is that many third party publishers like EA are actively trying to avoid development for the WiiU, which doesn’t bode well for sports franchises on the system. The WiiU’s “family friendly” image probably won’t fly with the teenage market, which is probably why we won’t be seeing Battlefield 4 on it, since it’s playership is primarily comprised of that demographic.

Nintendo has impressed me most of all out of the current console generation. Unlike Sony and Microsoft, Nintendo doesn’t seem bogged down by this idea that a gaming console can do more than JUST play games. But it’s for that very reason that Nintendo has focused on the GAMES and their fans that I feel Nintendo’s WiiU is the most respectable console out of the three. However, the potential for third party growth has been hampered as of late, and I can’t help but shake the feeling that Nintendo isn’t yet done with unnecessary gimmicks like motion control and touch pads.

FINAL JUDGEMENTS

E3 2013 will most likely be one of the biggest and most watched shows in gaming history. This year will really be the make or break time for all 3 current console developers. All of the publishers will be under pressure to impress, though I feel that the onus will be on Microsoft most of all. Although the WiiU will have been out a year longer than its younger cousins, it’s still early days for the system as a whole. Its current library of games does impress, but I’d hope to see even bigger and better things from Nintendo this year. And Sony has yet to show off many of the specs for their system, keeping much of it shrouded in mystery. In all honesty, any of them could potentially surprise as they may well disappoint.

So which one of the three do you think will be the One 4 U? Leave a comment below and let us know!

Silver Spoon Japanese Voice Cast Revealed

Kane Bugeja

May 25, 2013

The official site for Hiromu Arakawa’s Silver Spoon, the latest anime adaptation of one of her manga series, has released the details regarding the Japanese voice cast. The anime will feature:

Ryohei Kimura as Yūgo Hachiken
Marie Miyaki as Aki Mikage
Tooru Sakurai as Ichirō Komaba
Ayahi Takagaki as Tamako Inada
Nobunaga Shimazaki as Shinnosuke Aikawa
Masayuki Shouji as Keiji Tokiwa
Kengo Takanashi as Hajime Nishikawa
Nobuyuki Kobushi as Tarō Beppu
Shiori Izawa as Mayumi Yoshino
Katsuyuki Konishi as Shingo Hachiken
Yasunori Masutani as Nakajima-sensei
Yuji Mitsuya as Principal
Yuuki Ono as Shin’ichirō Inada
Takahiro Mizushima as Shin’ei Ōkawa
Asami Tano as Mika Toyonishi
Yoshihisa Kawahara as Sakuragi-sensei
Tomohiro Nishimura as Niwatori-sensei
Kenji Utsumi as Todoroki-sensei

The site also revealed details regarding the staff:

Director – Tomohiko Ito
Assistant Director – Kotomi Deai (A-1 Pictures)
Script Writer – Taku Kishimoto
Character Designer/Chief Animation Director – Jun Nakai
Music Score – Shusei Murai
Animal Design – Yasuo Muroi
Prop Design – Tomoko Sudo
Art Director – Sawako Takagi (Studio Wyeth)
Art Setting – Shinji Sugiyama (Studio Wyeth)
Color Design – Takahiro Mogi
Director of Photography- Toshiaki Aoshima
CG Director – Ryuta Undo
Editing – Shigeru Nishiyama (REAL-T)
Sound Director – Tomohiko Ito
Sound Effects – Yasuyuki Konno

Silver Spoon focuses on the daily life of Yugo Hachiken, a student at Oezo Agricultural High School. With no notions of following an agricultural path, Hachiken enrolled under the assumption that he could easily top student in the class. The series is set to air as a part of Fuji TVs noitaminA programming block in July. Check out Aniplex‘s trailers for a small glimpse of life on the farm.

Soul Sacrifice Review

Sergei Lazarev

May 25, 2013

Soul Sacrifice
Developer: Marvelous AQL
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Platforms: PS Vita
Release Date: May 1, 2013
Price: $39.99 – Available Here

Overview
It’s not often that a first-party PS Vita title makes an appearance since the system’s launch in early 2012. The handheld has been almost begging for a killer title (at least in the West) and, unless you’re an avid Japan importer, your game library is looking lonely. So here we have Soul Sacrifice, a creation spawned from the mind of Keiji Inafune who co-designed Mega Man. Mixing the successful monster hunting formula with a dark narrative and macabre art design, is this a much-needed system-seller?

Story
From the opening seconds of the game, the universe of Soul Sacrifice is a bleak one. A heartless sorcerer enslaves and sacrifices the souls of innocents, and the protagonist happens to be just one of many trapped in a cage with no future. Within reach of the player happens to lie a talking, demonic book which belonged to a powerful sorcerer and serves as the game’s hub in progressing through the story and levels.

The player essentially rewrites the book in his or her own name, placing themselves in the diary of events that happened previously. You play through the eyes of a sorcerer as he undergoes the Sorcerer’s Ordeal, which are really just a set of standard set of levels with bosses, along with a female companion named Sortiara.

As the protagonist plays through these past memories and grudgingly becomes close to Sortiana despite the two’s lethal enmity to everything around them, the player’s real character in the cage learns the skills and ability necessary to eventually challenge the one who imprisoned you. What’s really cool is that you can choose to fight the sorcerer whenever you want, just don’t expect to win until you thoroughly develop your character. I would have liked to see story development while inside levels, as they are simply arenas for you and your companion. Only when you clear the level does the narrative progress within the journal.

Unfortunately, while very compelling the story doesn’t go the extra mile to really draw you in. The voice-acted text (the voice-acting itself is great though) and few cutscenes make it difficult to craft a truly great narrative in a 3D action-RPG.

Gameplay
Soul Sacrifice will mainly see you going inside the talking journal, Librom, to undertake and progress through the various chapters while collecting powers known as Offerings and customising your character with these. The field of battle feels like a typical RPG as you sprint around killing any enemies that show up and either sacrificing them for a boost in magic power or saving them for vitality.

While the game likes to hammer in the fact that there are consequences for sacrificing everything, but the fact is it isn’t strict enough. You can always recover by using Librom’s tears that you can collect occasionally and powers can be recharged in-battle.

Combat is straightforward but very satisfying. You activate an equipped offering and unleash chain attacks or a long, charged up strike. Offerings are outrageously awesome and vary from a massive stone fist to shooting your own blood at the cost of your health.

The greatest attack in your arsenal is the ultimate sacrifice. When your health is low enough you can engulf yourself in fire, for instance, dealing a lot of hurt to enemies all around. This handicaps you, however, such as lowering your defence until you can reverse the effects with Librom’s tears.

You will always have an AI companion with you and they’re always welcome help. Once you die you can choose whether they save you so you can fight again or to sacrifice you. In multiplayer the AI is replaced with a real player and fights can get a whole lot easier, as the AI can even get in the way instead of providing real support sometimes.

The bosses are fairly tough and after killing waves of standard enemies the difficulty spike will surprise a few. Pleasingly, the bosses are fittingly insane and can be fearsome to face.

Soul Sacrifice plays almost as you’d expect, making good use of the Vita’s control scheme with very few frustrating moments. The combat is solid for an action JRPG and unleashing attacks is a satisfying experience. It’s just a shame then there’s not enough variety in the maps and enemies. Battlefields are often reused and the game plays it safe enough that the level of excitement never goes beyond into

Visuals
Soul Sacrifice seems like a fairly high budget endeavour as it is supported by Sony Computer Entertainment itself. It definitely shows in the visual direction of the game, with some superb animations and creative art design. The magic charging effects and Offerings can sometimes feel spectacular and you’ll probably smile to yourself a few times as you feel like a kid powering up attacks. The game’s art is of dark fantasy style, allowing for some amazing enemy designs that range from the bizarre to the disgusting.

Having said that, the game still doesn’t feel like a full-blown PS Vita title as it looks a little blurry and rough around the edges. With the amount that’s going on on-screen during a boss battle though, you can imagine the framerate drops would be a whole lot worse with better graphics. The dark and miserable tone of the game doesn’t allow for much colour, so that could explain the dreariness of the visuals in general.

Audio
The music in Soul Sacrifice is definitely a strong point. Sad and forlorn melodies mixed with some epic orchestral battle music make this a memorable sound track. Voice-acting is stellar, with the fantasy theme complemented by some English accents and brooding monologues. Librom’s voice in particular is great, sounding just as a talking demon book should.

Overall
Soul Sacrifice was an interesting experience. As someone who never really enjoyed the Monster Hunter style of games, I got a good kick out of this title. The story wasn’t as deep as I would have liked, however, and while battles were very cool and satisfying the environments weren’t varied enough to keep up the excitement.

This is still a good JRPG, one that is desperately needed for the PS Vita in the Western market. It may not be a system-seller or a killer title but if you own a PS Vita, Soul Sacrifice should be seriously considered. The dark fantasy theme reminds us of RPGs from the grim 90s and the amount of creativity behind it warrants a look.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Cognition Episode 3: The Oracle Review

Joshua Moris

May 25, 2013

Cognition Episode 3: The Oracle
Publisher: Phoenix Online Studios
Developer: Phoenix Online Studios
Platforms: PC (reviewed), Mac, iPad
Release Date: May 16, 2013 (PC/Mac); Coming Soon (iPad)
Price: Episode 3: $9.99; Season Pass: $29.99 – Here

Overview
Can you believe it? Cognition has reached its third episode in the epic thriller of FBI Agent Erica Reed. Ever since the launch of Cognition Episode 2: The Wise Monkey on January 30, 2013, Phoenix Online Studios has been hard at work in releasing the following chapters. With less than four months in between release dates, The Oracle has shown its face. Does the quick deliverable affect the quality of the title? Let us find out…

Story
A clouded mystery surrounds Erica as her visions become directly linked to another seer. As she learns more about the latest murder – outside of her friend Cordelia’s abode, Erica finds out that more people are involved heightening each new scene. When FBI agents carry some of the blame, she cannot help but to feel overwhelmed and even betrayed.

The title would have you believe that Rose – the antique store owner – is the Oracle as she has helped Erica through developing her abilities. You came to discover that the Oracle is actually someone you would not initially suspect. So much has been hidden from Erica because information was on a need-to-know basis and covered up by higher powers. Information that if were exposed early on could have prevented even Erica’s brother’s death.

Nearing the end of the story you will be able to identify who the real Cain Killer is. However, you will also begin to ask more questions with these new found answers and wonder how all of the other contributors played a role in this on-going puzzle. Inevitably, episode three leads up to a cliffhanging moment where Erica is left alone in the Cain Killer’s lair. Phoenix Online Studios does well to jack up the anticipation for the final chapter.

Gameplay
An interesting concept that is introduced to the series is the ability to play as two characters. The second playable character is the Oracle who has complementing powers to Erica. As Erica can see what has happened in the past, the Oracle can foresee the future. Though what seems to be confusing is when Erica and the Oracle connect on the same wavelength to uncover secrets in both past and present.

Cognition has continuously provided high intensity puzzle scenes, and this episode is no exception. In a flashback, you are put in Cordelia’s body trapped in a mechanism with a gun strapped to her hand. Opposite from her is her brother Max tied up to a contraption that appears to have deadly triggers. As time is not your friend, the mechanisms that control both machines begin to streamline the killing process. Uncovering clues to the machine’s release becomes just as fatal.

Neither truly positive nor negative, the movement of the game primarily sticks to one scene – the Enthon Towers. Having all of the actions performed in the singular yet extensive 33 floor building streamlines the completion of the title and makes the episode seem shorter than its predecessors. However, I see this episode as the revolutionary point in the series for the purpose of encountering the unshakable truths. Erica can no longer be sheltered in a safety net of lies, and her decisions from here on out will not be dictated according to her job.

Visuals
Glitches become apparent when the audience feels that an object has a strange appearance or when a scene is lacking an obvious inclusion. The strange appearance noticed was during a scene with FBI Director Samuel McAdams inside the Enthon Towers. He had been fumbling with a book – noticeably nervous with Erica running around – and the image shifts awkwardly in his hands. After the close-up scene was exited, no further problems resulted with the object.

Another instance where there was a strange occurrence is when Erica first enters the elevator to go up to Cordelia’s abode. While standing near the elevator, a equally strange man named Skorobeus begins speaking with Erica. However, for the majority of the conversation Skorobeus was invisible leaving Erica staring at a house plant. As the scene resolved the man reappeared as if standing near the elevator the entire segment.

Detailed environments separates Cognition as one of the best looking point-and-click thrillers to date. Most independent titles fall back on a previous decade’s visuals, but Cognition encapsulates a very dark unfolding mystery with quality craftsmanship. Such ability can be attested to creating art assets for a luxurious as well as mysterious hotel in forms of hanging art and environmental objects. A mangled tree presents itself as a creepy asset and fits right in with other subtle hints of a nearby killer.

Continuation of previous symbols such as “psi” poses that there could be deeper meaning or correlation in subjects that you meet. In the first 10 minutes of the The Oracle, you encounter the psi symbol on a keychain which opens the Enthon Towers front door. There should be an alarm running through your head as the psi symbol directly relates to the previous episodes and a killer as its owner. As a quick reference, the psi symbol can be related to parapsychology which deals with paranormal subjects or the research in extrasensory perceptions – sound familiar?

Audio
Hearing stagnant pauses in-between dialogues can be a deterrence to the flow of any title. At the beginning I could notice a subtle pause in a heated Eric vs. McAdams conversation, and the timing could receive a minor tweak to make the game flow more fluidly. As the game progressed other audio driven conversations were done well and required little to no alterations.

Voice acting contributed by the character Skorobeus helped envision the secrecy and creepy vibe for the Enthon Towers. Not only is his visual demeanor scream “CREEPER” but also his voice tells you his is up to something. You will want to find out all you can about this strange character, and at the same time stay as far away as possible.

Overall
Pumping out the adrenaline in climatic cliffhangers is what Cognition: An Erica Reed Thriller is constructed to do. In every contraption that must be completed in a timely fashion, I felt that life was dangling in my fingertips – and virtually was! Phoenix Online Studios continues this streak in Episode 3: The Oracle and chose to emphasize the thought process of these killings exclusively. By tapping into the mind of a killer, I felt disturbed and yet intrigued to know the answers to “why?”.

Marred by only a few glitches the title continues to strive for an great overall product. Some may complain about this particular episode’s length, but the preciseness and direction was necessary to lead up to the final chapter where Erica confronts the known “Cain Killer” and well as the “Oracle”.

Overall, this chapter is a great addition to the series and should be enjoyed along with its predecessors: Episode 1: The Hangman & Episode 2: The Wise Monkey. A quality storyline and character investment drives Cognition to excel in the point-and-click arena.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Aniplex of America’s ‘Sword Art Online’ Release Detailed

Sergei Lazarev

May 25, 2013

Aniplex of America have just announced that Sword Art Online will air on Adult Swim’s Toonami program this August. With the announcement coming from the Anime Boston convention, Aniplex has also detailed the home release of SAO on Blu-ray and DVD.

Those wanting to pick up Sword Art Online will get four limited-edition Blu-ray sets or standard DVD sets. They will be consecutively released on August 13, September 17, October 15 and November 19, the first of which is available to pre-order now.

The first set will contain episodes 1-7 and runs for 175min. As expected of an Aniplex release, the Blu-ray limited edition will get a whole heap of extras:

Original Soundtrack CD1
16-page Deluxe Booklet
Illustration Pin-ups
Exclusive Collectible Card
Rigid Box illustrated by abec (Original Character Design)
Clear BD Cases with 2-sided Japanese Cover Design
Audio Commentary by Creators
and Japanese Cast
Special Animation “Sword Art Offline” (English subtitles)
Original Web Previews
Trailer
1st Season Textless Opening

While the DVD version is looking much slimmer:

Mini Pin-up Poster
O-Sleeve
Clear 3-disc DVD Cases with 2-sided wrap
Trailer
1st Season Textless Opening

Each of the four Blu-ray boxes are $112.98 each but, as usual, the store price is cheaper at $89.98. The DVD sets will go for a much cheaper $49.98 with a store price of $39.98. Both English and Japanese dubs are included with these releases.

Sword Art Online is currently streaming for free on Japan’s new international anime service, DAISUKI.

Pokemon X and Y at E3 Expo

Frank Inglese

May 25, 2013

E3 2013 isn’t too far away and there are a great deal of different things we’re all excited about, I am personally ready to hear some sweet, sweet news regarding the new Pokemon X and Y games and, well, we’re going to! It’s been shown that the guys from Nintendo WILL be at E3 and WILL have a special “Pokemon X and Y Presentation” which is said to follow their Nintendo Direct Presentation. There will also be a Pokemon specific Q&A session attached to the presentation so we should get a whole lot of info on the games.

It will be run by Junichi Masuda and Tsunekazu Ishihara, the president of the Pokemon Company, and it should run for about 90 minutes. The presentation is to run on June 11th at 6pm Pacific Standard Time (9pm Eastern, 2am England).

We don’t know for sure if it will have an internet broadcast but keep your eyes on the site because we’ll be posting information as we get it. Don’t forget to head to our comments section below and let us know what you think about all this.

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