Tokyo Game Show has just released the main visual art for its upcoming annual event. Tokyo Game Show 2013 will have the theme of Limitless Evolution, in regards to the evolution of gaming.
The Tokyo Game Show 2013 poster can be seen above. It features Tokyo Game Show’s mascot robotic girl named ‘She’ in an array of bright colours. The design for this year’s poster was created by Ippei Gyoubu, the artist who has worked on Tokyo Game Show art since 2010.
So with the theme of ‘Games: Limitless Evolution’, it is sure to be a Tokyo Game Show all about the evolving games market. Tokyo Game Show 2013 will begin on September 19th to September 22nd.
Today Infernum Productions launched the Open Beta of Dragon’s Prophet, a highly anticipated fantasy MMORPG for PC being distributed in the West by Sony Online Entertainment. In addition, the Open Beta trailer reveals the unique variety of dragons within the game as they mercilessly overtake all the major cities of Europe.
Until the official release, Dragon’s Prophet will be under continuous improvement in response to community cooperation and feedback. During the Open Beta phase, Infernum Productions plans to keep players informed with all the current major updates and large-scale expansions to be implemented.
The Open Beta launch introduces a number of adjustments under development within the 1.0.1079 patch notes including; implemented guild technology and perks, large localisation update, multiple quest line fixes, new starting area ‘Puretia’, equipment enhancement fixes and achievement system executed. Check out the accompanying trailer directly below.
Dragons Take Over Europe
Follow your destiny today as a Dragon’s Prophetby downloading the free Open Beta version here! Please comment on your expectations and thoughts of this fantastical game.
Since its theatrical debut in 2007, the Transformers franchise has integrated itself as part of many people’s lives and turned into a household name. For some, the film brought up nostalgic memories of the old 1980s cartoon or the Beast Wars series from the 90s. For others, who likely aren’t old enough to have experienced these shows during their original run, it has introduced a brand new world of fast cars and giant robots.
The film trilogy despite many thinking it is both “mediocre” and “child-destroying,” was a box office success and caused a resurgence of popularity for the long-running franchise. It has also worked to pave the way for a great animated series, and a pair of awesome games; War for Cybertron and Fall of Cybertron.
Now we can only hope that this trend continues, as Paramount Pictures has announced that principal photography for Transformers 4 has begun. While not much is known about the upcoming film, we do know that Michael Bay is back in the director’s chair, and he has brought with him a brand new cast including the previously announced Mark Wahlberg. We also know that many of the Transformers will be new to the films or at the very least undergo a redesign from their previous iteration. In addition to announcing that the principal photography was now underway, Paramount has also shared the first lot of set-photos from T4 which detail three Autobots in their vehicle-modes.
Here we have the first of the as of yet unspecified Autobots, a 1200-horsepower Bugatti Grand Sport Vitesse (which can be yours for a little over us$2.4 million).
And here we have a C7 Corvette Stingray, based on Chevrolet’s 2014 production model. Now this isn’t the first time we have had a Corvette Stingray in Bay’s Transformers universe, as Sideswipe was an earlier model concept Stingray. Could this be an updated Sideswipe, or is it an all-new character? We don’t know yet, but I for one am happy to let my mind wander until we do.
Now if someone would kindly give me a drum roll I will show the Pièce de résistance… The one, the only Optimus Prime himself! This time around Optimus’ truck-mode was custom designed and made for the film.
So what do you think of the first three Autobot vehicles? Transformers 4 is set to release here in Australia on June 26th, 2014 so there will be tonnes more photos, videos and snippets of information between now and then. Be sure to stay tuned to Capsule Computers for all the information about the robots in disguise as it becomes available. Check out Transformers 4 at their official Facebook page here.
Let’s face it, when we think of video games, horses are not the first animal to pop into our minds. That said, there have been many respectable titles over the years which have had horses in key roles. Whether you prefer online horse racing or lean more towards console titles, this list should satisfy your appetite for the range of horse games which are already out in the market.
Starting this list off with a fairly traditional interpretation of horse racing is Champion Jockey. As evidenced by the heavy emphasis on motion controls which can be found on the official website, the game seems to have taken some influence from the genre of the rhythm game in its treatment of the subject. You may be hitting the buttons in rhythm with the galloping of the horse rather than to music, but the basic principal is much the same.
Melbourne Cup Challenge/Frankie Dettori Racing – Playstation 2, Xbox, Windows
This title is getting on a bit now, but it still stands as a solid and accessible entry into the ranks of horse racing games. There is a general emphasis on online play, making it a good choice if you are hoping to showcase your virtual horsemanship on an international stage.
My Horse and Me – Wii, Nintendo DS, PC
Sporting games tend to be targeted to the male audience, but one of the plus points of horse-related games is that they can appeal to young girls as well. Sometimes female-targeted horse games take place in a My Little Pony-like fantasyland, such as Secret of the Magic Crystals, but there are games such as My Horse and Me which treats its young audience to a more realistic vision of owning one of these animals. The end result is more of a virtual pet title than a horse racing simulation, although the option to ride your horse is present and correct.
Online Sports Betting
The Internet has opened up a new world of horse-related games, appealing not just to established video game enthusiasts but also to people with a wider interest in horse racing. With sites such as Kentuckyderbybetting.com it is possible to bet on the Kentucky derby online, bringing the thrills of the races right to your home. Initially most of these games only allow you to bet US-style, but the genre later branched out into an international focus.
This title, which originally appeared on the Nintendo 64 before being ported to other formats such as the 3DS, is significant in building horse-riding into the genre of fantasy adventure. This became a recurring theme in later games: an update to Skyrim also added mounted combat.
One for all your gadget junkies: as an iPhone title, Derby Quest Horse Racing will allow you to indulge in your horse racing passion in the palm of your hand. The developers have managed to squeeze a complete and satisfying horse game into a small package, although judging by the reviews on the app store, some players may find the process of feeding your virtual horse a tiny bit tiresome after a while.
Kentucky Racing – Commodore 64
No list would be complete without a retro entry. Released in 1990, this title was a relatively early attempt to bring the experience of Kentucky derby racing live to your living room, although it came with a twist. Instead of modelling itself directly around horse racing, the game was a digital version of those fun games where you move a model racehorse along a miniature track by throwing balls into targets.
Bumblebee,based in Germany and known for their original RPG Days of Dawn, together with Application Systems Heidelberg have announced an exciting new joint project. The project codenamed ‘GhostControl Inc’ is going to be turned into a reality very soon. “The project is so secret that even we have no idea what it is going to be exactly”, says Volker Ritzhaupt, director of Application Systems Heidelberg.
A first Teaser video in the shortened Director’s cut version can be seen embedded below, and a website, which gives little information away about the project, can be found here. The website claims that the game will be ‘The most hilarious ghost hunting strategy game ever’ and has a count down to when the title will be available.
Meanwhile Application Systems London Ltd have also started to work on a super secret hardware project that is in some way connected to the game called the Ghost Duster. Darren Dredge, Director of the department for secret technologies said:
“To look at the bigger picture, we actually want to make a video game about ghosts and hunting them down. But in order to be as realistic as possible we want to attempt to build the gadgets used in the game so we can test them in real life paranormal situations. There are about 50 more devices that we will need to build and we hope we can create a loyal community of backers over the years to support the plan. We are thinking of creating ghost traps,sensors, storage devices and a lot of other things that seem to come in handy when hunting for ghosts. Ghost Duster is just the beginning and you can learn more about that on our web site.”
Find the details surrounding the hardware project here, and have a look at the trailer of the game below.
Today it was announced that Namco Bandai is working on quite the crossover game for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita. The title is called Super Heroine Chronicle and will be a strategy RPG that uses heroines from a number of anime series.
Currently the following characters and series have been confirmed for the game:
Twin Angel – Red Angel and Blue Angel
Kyousogiga – Koto
Di Gi Charat – Di Gi Charat
Senki Zesshou Symphogear – Hibiki Tachibana
Super Soniko – Super Soniko
Higurashi When They Cry – Rena Ryugu
Aria the Scarlet Ammo – Aria Holmes Kanzaki
Infinite Stratos – Houki Shinonono
The Familiar of Zero F – Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière
Dream Hunter Rem – Rem Ayanokōji
This isn’t the first time that Namco Bandai has undertaken such a crossover experience, as they have worked on Project X Zone in the past and are currently bringing it overseas to the West. As for this game, the company has released the below gameplay trailer but no information has been released concerning the game’s release.
EA is asking its fans which vehicle they would like to have playable as both a cop and racer car in the next instalment in the Need for Speed franchise, Need for Speed Rivals. You can answer that question by joining the ‘King of the Streets’ Bracket Challenge.
Visit the official Need for Speed Facebook page to cast your vote on any of the following 8 road warriors: the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, Ford GT, Porsche Cayman S, Dodge Charger SRT8, Mercedes SLS AMG Black Series, Pagani Huayra, Lexus LFA and Aston Martin Vanquish (which can be seen in the gallery at the bottom of this article). Only one will straddle both sides of the law come final release. This is your chance to add to the unique gameplay and progression you’ll experience as both a cop and racer with one car that will embody the ultimate rivalry.
Need for Speed Rivals comes out November 21st on the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC in Australia, and on the Xbox One and PS4 at a later date. Click through the link at the top for initial details on the game and its first teaser trailer.
We’ve seen a few screenshots so far for Fairy Fencer F, but until today we have yet to see Compile Heart‘s first game under their new Galapagos brand in motion. That changed today when the company released the below teaser trailer highlighting the main character Tiara and one of her special attacks.
Unfortunately little else was shown in the video, but it may validate some concerns that fans have had with the game simply being a re-skin of Compile Heart’s popular Hyperdimension Neptunia series but with a fantasy setting replacing the video-game setting. Not that that is a bad thing of course and considering the game isn’t set to be released in Japan until September 19th there is plenty of time for more details to be announced.
Today Compile Heart released a new trailer for Hyperdimension Idol Neptunia PP and this time we see Blanc take the stage and perform the song “Dear… every day” (idol dance ver.) sung by her voice actress Kana Asumi and also witness her transform into White Heart.
Since we’ve already seen Neptune and Noire make their trailer debut, this leaves only Vert to be given a trailer next week. Currently it is unknown whether Hyperdimension Idol Neptunia PP will be released in the West but the title is currently slated to be released in Japan on June 20th exclusively on the PlayStation Vita.
Tiger & Bunny Set 2 Studio:Sunrise Publisher:Viz Media Format: Blu-ray, DVD (Reviewed) Release Date: May 14, 2013 Price:$44.82 – Available Here
Overview Tiger & Bunny may seem like a basic series on paper, as it features an odd couple pairing of a fresh super hero partnering with a veteran hero as they take on various crimes while being televised, but despite this, the first half of the series left quite an impression as viewers watched Kotetsu, Barnaby and the rest of the heroes protect the city of Sternbild against the villainous Jake. Now that the heroes have succeeded, what does the second half of the series hold?
Story Since the capture of Kriem and death of Jake Martinez, ten months have passed and in these ten months Tiger and Barnaby have begun to mesh as a team and work together like true partners. In fact they have worked together so well that Tiger managed to rank in the middle of the Heroes while Barnaby was crowned the new “King of Heroes.”
During this time not only has Kotetsu (Tiger) been able to work well with Barnaby, he has earned the respect and friendship of the rest of the heroes and his co-workers. So much in fact that his boss which always said that if he didn’t like it, he could just quit, now begs him not to mention the Q word again. However even though things have been on the rise for Kotetsu and Barnaby, everything that goes up must fall down.
During the initial case in Set 2, which develops Blue Rose and cements her feelings for Kotetsu, Tiger is surprised to find that his “Hundred Power” NEXT ability has made him faster and stronger than ever. But when his powers begin to last for less and less time each time he uses them, a dark truth behind Kotetsu’s personal heroes and a rare condition amongst NEXT is discovered. To make things even worse, when Kriem awakes from her coma she reveals that Jake is not the murderer of Barnaby’s parents. With the real culprit behind Barnaby’s parents’ deaths still on the loose and Kotetsu attempting to hide his condition from his fellow heroes, can this partnership pull these two through even the darkest schemes?
While the first set of Tiger & Bunny may have been a bit unfocused at times and only started becoming special during the Jake story arc, the hero/villain of the week episodes helped build the characters that viewers will now be following throughout the two intertwining story arcs in this second set of episodes. Thanks to the amount of development and the time-skip between releases, the characters are now friendlier with one another and seeing Kotetsu respected by his peers is a great development.
Also thanks to the aforementioned first half, the focus on storyline is clearer in Set 2. There are a few one-off episodes still, but even amongst these there are additional storylines which reveal Kotetsu’s changing NEXT power, a new threat on the horizon or even a change in Kotetsu’s family. Thanks to these developments the second half never seems to slow down and the plot moves at a well-written pace that will be pulling on the viewer’s heartstrings more than a few times, especially when it comes to a certain former King.
With a decently developed cast of characters, a number of which viewers will care about, the series heads into dark territory that sees the true mastermind behind the events of Barnaby’s parents’ death surface and twist the heroes to his own malicious ends. The final emotional story arc for Tiger & Bunny does wonders for bringing the cast together and closing the series out not only on a high note but with a possibility to continue in the future. As they say a hero’s job is never done and with how amazing Tiger & Bunny has turned out, let’s hope that it doesn’t finish anytime soon.
Visuals
Throughout the entirety of the series, Tiger & Bunny has offered an impressive blend of standard animation and CGI elements that look wonderful. It is difficult to make CGI look decent when paired with normal animation techniques but the animators at Sunrise have managed to pull it off throughout the second half of the series as well.
A number of the heroes’ suits are nicely detailed and are well animated and thanks to the amount of action that takes place in Set 2, the series benefits from the studio’s great attention to detail. This detail expands to the world itself as the city of Stern Bild is extensively detailed with impressive landmarks and buildings always surrounding the characters. It is worth noting that the Hero TV broadcasts are a bit limited in the second half but still are impressively portrayed with various scan-lines mimicking those of older televisions.
Audio I must say that while I did have issues with Wally Winger’s voicing of Kotetsu in the first half of the series, his portrayal as Kotetsu in this second half is wonderful. The character is nicely handled and the amount of emotion that Wally can put into the character really pulls the drama together. As for the rest of the English cast they continue to perform excellently with the characters they are voicing, even surpassing the original Japanese voice actors in a few sequences.
The background music throughout the series continues to be rather standard and a bit forgetful at times, though a number of reoccurring themes do become noticeable and the playing of one of the series’ theme songs during a poignant moment in the final episode is enhances the moment to an entirely new level. New songs and animations have been provided for this half of Tiger & Bunny, with “Missing Link” by Novels as the opening and “Mind Game” by Tamaki as the ending. Both of these themes are worth listening to and are paired to the animation well.
Extras Being the DVD version of Tiger & Bunny Set 2, this release is rather lacking in the way of bonus features. What is included is rather basic in the form of trailers for other Viz products, the Japanese trailer for the series and the clean opening for the second half of the series as well as the main closing theme and a full-screen version of the final episode’s ending animation sequence.
Outside of that there is also the inclusion of digital production art which mostly focuses on the characters from the series with a few pieces of art focused on the vehicles and scenery of the series. Outside of that there is nothing else included in the DVD release minus a pamphlet for Neon Alley and for the first volume of the Tiger & Bunny manga.
Overall Tiger & Bunny Set 2 put my concerns to rest over Kotetsu’s English voice work and has capitalized on the first half of the series’ character building to produce a second half that is packed full of emotional moments, tense situations and a few exceptional action pieces. Tiger & Bunny Set 2 may be a bit limited on extra content but the series itself is one that should not be missed. Tiger & Bunny is a rare series that blends a nice chunk of humor, great action sequences, moving storylines, and characters viewers can care about into a series that should not be missed.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
