DeNA Co. and Runaway are taking players to the beauty of the rain forests to experience butterflies. Flutter: Butterfly Sanctuary will allow players to collect and raise butterflies from around the world. Each butterfly is modelled after its real life counterpart in behaviour and wing pattern.
The developers at Runaway spent countless hours researching the butterflies that call their local museum’s hot house home. Players will be able to experience the incredible life cycle of the butterfly as they collect items to build a viable butterfly habitat. “It’s our mission to create great games inspired by nature,” said Tim Nixon, director at Runaway. “This area of focus gives us a huge world of wonder to draw upon for characters and stories, while still being able to craft a unique style and feel to our games. Flutter is our best work to date and it finds a wonderful balance between factual authenticity and the magic of gameplay.”
Flutter: Butterfly Sanctuary is available fore free on the iTunes App Store here.
FromSoftware is bringing Armored Core: Verdict Day to the North American shores this summer. Players will participate in the battle for precious natural resources in squads of up to twenty members and battle each other online or in co op mode. Those who have played Armored Core V will be able to transfer their save to the new game and use their old Armored Core in the new game while outfitting it with brand new parts in the new game.
“The Armored Core series has continually found itself a deep and dedicated fanbase,” said Carlson Choi, Vice President of Marketing for NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. “Armored Core: Verdict Day expands the level of immersion with more advanced customization fine tuning and streamlined multiplayer modes.”
Armored Core: Verdict Day will be released for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 this summer. Find out more about Armored Core: Verdict Day at the official page here.
Puzzle Craft will be receiving a major content update on February 28th, 2013. Publisher Chillingo and developer Ars Thanea Games released an infographic teasing the upcoming additions to the game that was included in iTune App Store’s Best of 2012 list in the New Ways to Play category.
The update features a max level bump to level 60, an increase to the maximum workers for hire up to 75, a variety of new buildings and workers to build and hire, and new treasures to uncover. The update also adds full iPhone 5 support, for those who have been wanting to play in widescreen.
Puzzle Craft is free to play, check out the game on the iTunes App Store here.
Welcome back for this week’s iOS Game Suggestions. If you missed last week’s, or are new to the suggestions, click on the link below and check out what cool games you should be picking up for your iOS device along with the introduction on how the suggestions work. (suggestions 1 has how it all works)
A great week on iTunes! As always, it started slow and but ended with a bang! There are many must-buy games this week in all departments, FREE, 99c and over 99c. This week I’ve suggested a total of 19 great quality titles. Make sure you check them all especially… The Gods: Rebellion, Gun Bros 2, Hell Yeah! Pocket Inferno, Civilization Revolution, Year Walk just to name a few.
Break down below :
7 – FREE Games
8 – $0.99c Games
4 – Over $0.99c Games
As always for this week’s suggestions are all new titles that you should take a look at and consider spending your hard earned iTunes cash / time on. Well the Free games just below certainly should all be given a shot as they won’t cost you anything!
For The Cheapskates – FREE GAMES
MASTERABBOTT’S FREE GAME PICK OF THE WEEK!
Gun Bros 2 – Price : FREE – Publisher – Glu Games (Untold years after the first T.O.O.L. wars, the Tyrannical Oppressors Of Life have returned to finish the job. Only the Freakishly Rugged Advanced Genetics Galactic Enforcement Division (F.R.A.G.G.E.D) agents Percy and Francis Gun stand in their way. Armed with a new array of highly advanced and ridiculously destructive weapons, the Gun Bros are once again defending the galaxy from the T.O.O.L. insurgency. It is a time to innovate and eradicate. The last conflict has left both sides scrambling to rebuild their armories.) on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
Turbolab Pursuit – Price : FREE – Publisher –Bulkypix (In a world that has only just discovered automobiles, a mad scientist has been busy atop his tower, putting the finishing touches to his all-new prototype vehicle. But the local mafia would love to get their hands on his revolutionary invention… Turbolab Pursuit is a 2D game featuring a subtle cross between a runner and a shoot ’em up. Use Professor West’s wacky invention to rocket down the hills and escape the clutches of the enemies hot on your heels.) runs on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
Heal Them All – Price : FREE – Publisher –Shortbreak Studios (Vicious germs strike again! Face them and repel the invasion in Heal Them All – an addictive Tower Defense game from the creators of warmly received Sugar High! Commanded by Lieutenant Sicko and General LaPlague, armies of microbes are threatening to attack children and infect their organisms. Face the invaders and wipe them out with medical micro-towers! Smash the waves of bacteria, complete special missions, destroy germ Commanders and use mighty power ups to prevent the fever from rising! Help the patients and Heal Them All!) runs on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
MetalStorm: Online – Price : FREE – Publisher –Z2Live Inc (Dominate the skies and master the world’s most advanced combat aircraft as you experience the best looking, most action packed jet fighting game for iOS – MetalStorm: Online!) runs on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
Mad Merx: Nemesis – Price : FREE – Publisher –Triniti Interactive Limited (RUN and GUN just got a lot more FUN! call your friends (and enemies) because it’s time for MULTIPLAYER MAYHEM! Multiplayer is here! The best tactical shooter in the App Store just got even better, so suit up as a Sniper, Commando, Raider, or Scout and take on friends and foes alike! This is Mad Merx the way it was meant to be played!) runs on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
Flutter: Butterfly Sanctuary – Price : FREE – Publisher –Mobage Inc (Care for your own rainforest and raise butterflies through their incredible life cycle. Use your touch to bring light and life into the environment and assemble spectacular butterfly collections! Each butterfly is a vibrant, artistically expressive depiction of a real life species with stunning wing patterns and unique behavioral characteristics. You can collect endless varieties of brilliantly colored flora and fauna to attract new butterfly species. From chrysalis to caterpillar to butterfly, you can foster these delicate creatures with pollen and help the rainforest thrive.) runs on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
Jenga Friends – Price : FREE – Publisher – Natural Motion(Jenga Friends is a brand new way to play Jenga! Get ready for this fast-paced, color-matching, tower-building game of skill and timing. Dive into a tropical paradise and put your stacking skills to the test in weekly tournaments against your friends!) on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
For The Bargain Hunters – 99c Games
MASTERABBOTT’S PICK OF THE WEEK 99c
The Gods: Rebellion – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – Chillingo (An ancient myth. A war among Gods. A lone hero. The Gods is a mind-blowing action experience based on ancient Chinese myth. Play as humanity’s last hope as peace and freedom has been lost. It’s up to you to be the saviour in this time of sorrow. Developed using the groundbreaking Unreal Engine, The Gods is a visual feast. Featuring luscious landscapes, explosive action sequences, and highly detailed characters, The Gods will blow you away.) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Hell Yeah! Pocket Inferno – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – SEGA (You are Ash, a devil rabbit and the prince of Hell. Tool up with the meanest weapons, the scariest masks and craziest wheels to defeat the ugliest monsters. Hell Yeah! is a crazy action-adventure side-scroller set in Hell. This is the perfect on-the-go companion for dressing up a psychotic rabbit (Ash) in ridiculous masks and shooting gruesome monsters. In Hell Yeah! Pocket Inferno, you ride an awesome jetpack driller, avoid deadly obstacles, fire kick-a*s weapons, exterminate ugly monsters, collect gold, level up, unlock collectibles and complete missions across the crazy worlds of Hell Yeah!) runs on iPad & iPhone. BUY NOW
Winx Card Game – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – Alessandro Risuleo (A magician fight, full of surprises!
Take your picture and customize your character, or choose your favorite Winx character and fight against Tritannus with magic and spells. Through various card combinations you can create different spells using magical powers. Also remember to get help from Selkie or visit the powerful Sirenix Book. During the game you can use the help of a specialist or a spell otherwise.) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Cyto – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – Chillingo (Cyto has lost his memories, help him get them back. Fling Cyto through beautiful, other-worldly levels to collect memory fragments and piece together his story in this irresistible, cute, and challenging puzzle game. There are three memory fragments scattered throughout each of Cyto’s 81 levels but getting them all will be an epic journey. Use puzzle-solving skills, different abilities, and elements, and a good aim to collect them all and unlock the story. Avoid spikes and other dangers on your quest to reach the portal at the end of each stage.) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Civilization Revolution – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – 2K Games (Lead your civilization from the dawn of man to the modern age and beyond in Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution. Go head to head with history’s greatest leaders as you wage war, conduct diplomacy, discover new technologies, inspire your nation and build the most powerful empire the world has ever known.) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Diggin’ Dogs – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – Chillingo (Get those paws going and dig on down. Use the intuitive and incredibly easy to master controls and try to find the hidden coins, all three of the secret bones as well as the all-important golden boot in each level. Look out for a variety of hazards while you dig from poisonous mushrooms, to buzzing wasps intent on giving you a nasty sting. Try to keep your canines in one piece for the maximum score!) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Worm Run – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – Golden Ruby Games (You are Zeke Tallahassee, hapless space janitor in the wrong place at the wrong time. Swipe on your touchscreen to move Zeke through an ever-changing labyrinth all while being pursued by a blood-thirsty, gigantic space Worm.) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Major Magnet – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – Iddiction (With an insanely funny set of characters, including loyal sidekick Gus the Guinea Pig, Major Magnet’s off to save the world from Colonel Lastin, without even realizing it. Sometimes a hero can come from anyone, especially if they have a magnet to help them out. All he wants is his yellow cape back! Gone are the days of playing a game where you just run around, stomping on mushrooms — this is magnetic gameplay! Tap a magnet, swing and shoot the Major to race through each level. It’s as innovative as it sounds and incredibly fun to master.) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
For The Millionaires – All games over $0.99
MasterAbbott’s over 99c Pick Of The Week!
Year Walk – Price : $3.99 – Publisher – Simogo (In the old days man tried to catch a glimpse of the future in the strangest of ways. Experience the ancient Swedish phenomena of year walking through a different kind of first person adventure that blurs the line between two and three dimensions as well as reality and the supernatural. Venture out into the dark woods where strange creatures roam, on a vision quest set in 19th century Sweden. Solve cryptic puzzles, touch and listen in your search to foresee the future and finally discover if your loved one will love you back.) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Grudger – Price : $2.99 – Publisher – Noble Muffins (Grudger puts his life on the line for the morally ambiguous strangers he calls his customers. He’s a lowlife free runner in a dangerous steampunk world and he always delivers the goods. There is no life bar in this puzzle-runner hybrid; only the sound of crushed bones. Run, jump, roll, slide and bounce off walls to proceed. Use your environment to master all thirty levels in this acrobatic adventure.) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
Dreamjob Kid’s Doctor – My Little Hospital– Price : $2.99 – Publisher – Tivola Publishng (Jump into the role of a kid’s doctor and treat the little aches and pains of your patients. While doing this you’ll learn a lot worth knowing about bodies, children’s illnesses, health and nutrition.) runs on iPad. BUY NOW
Spunk and Moxie– Price : $1.99 – Publisher – Tilt Studios (In a secret lab, an evil scientist worked for years to create a formula that would give him extreme athletic powers – it didn’t work out. So the formula sat alone in an empty warehouse, slowly mutating until it came to life and became Spunk and Moxie! Help Spunk and Moxie escape in this classic-style platformer with a fresh new twist; one-touch input gives the player full control over sliding, jumping and bouncing through 30 levels across 3 visually stunning themes; The Warehouse, Factory, and Laboratory.) runs iPad & iPhone. BUY NOW
There you have it folks these games should keep you busy for quite some time well until next week at least. I’ll be back next week for another dose of iOS goodness, in the meantime if you would also like to suggest your own suggestions, please feel free to share them in the comments section below or in the iOS forum section on the site here.
If you’ve been eagerly awaiting the release of Crysis 3 well then you won’t have to wait any longer. Out now all across the globe, this sci-fi military shooter does what pretty much every game has to do when it first comes out, release a launch trailer. The funny thing is though that this particular trailer seems to be more of an extension of the “Suit Up” promotional video with some added in gameplay sections at the end. While this is perfectly fine and the marketing certainly does say ‘this game will be fun, play me’ it is a little odd to have not included any story elements at any point throughout. Whether this is because Crytek wish to avoid giving away any spoilers for Crysis 3 or (more likely) they just wanted to focus on the most enjoyable parts of the game is undecided, but rest assured that the trailer down below will definitely get you pumped for the shooter.
If you want to pick up Crysis 3 it’s officially out now in Australia as well as around the world, available for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC. Prophet is back in a newly upgraded Nanosuit and armed with the deadly Predator’s Bow, with players able to use his speed, strength and stealth to tackle levels in any way they wish. Sneak through, run in guns blazing or just kick a car at your enemy’s face, the choice is all up to you in Crysis 3.
For gaming nerds, this is pretty cool to witness…Will Wright, the creator of the original SimCity back in 1989, interviewing the creative director of the upcoming SimCity reboot, Ocean Quigley.
During his stay as special guest at the SimCity team’s studios, Will received the opportunity to poke, prod and tinker with the current (at the time) build of this new iteration in the series. It was also a great chance to catch up with some of his former Maxis colleagues, of which Ocean is one.
Please check out the video interview below this article to see the two talk about the history of SimCity and the ways that Will was pleasantly surprised to see this new SimCity evolve his original visions for the franchise. SimCity will be released on March 7th here in Australia and March 8th in New Zealand on PC and Mac.
East Asia Soft the developer behind the critically acclaimed Rainbow Moon has announced that they are developing a brand new role-playing game titled Rainbow Skies. The new title Rainbow Skies will be heading to both consoles and handhelds in 2014.
In anticipation of Rainbow Skies they have released a Facebook page for the game which you can check out here. Not much has been revealed about the game other than the fact its being developed with the assistance of SideQuest Studios.
What do you think of East Asia Soft announcing a brand new role-playing game? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
BioWare have formally announced two new DLC packs for Mass Effect 3, and while die-hard Mass Effect fans will undoubtedly love having even more content at their finger-tips, it is also going to be the last hurrah for our beloved Commander Shepard.
One pack – Reckoning – will be multiplayer-focused and the other – Citadel – adds a new chapter to the single-player campaign. Mass Effect 3: Reckoning will be arriving first on February 27th and will be FREE to download! It will include brand new characters, weapons and upgrades.
Mass Effect 3: Citadel will be available on March 6th for 1200 MS Points and will allow fans one final opportunity to work a mission as Shepard before we look towards the future of the franchise – one devoid of the fan-favorite bad-ass. It’s being pegged as a sentimental journey with Commander Shepard and their squad, so get emotionally prepared.
Casey Hudson, Executive Producer of the Mass Effect series, said;
“The team has poured heart and soul into Mass Effect 3: Reckoning and Mass Effect 3: Citadel. As the launch of these chapters near, the feeling around the studio is bittersweet,”said Casey Hudson, Executive Producer of the Mass Effect series. “We have always been humbled and driven by the passion of our fans for the Mass Effect trilogy. We hope fans will enjoy spending more time with some of their favorite characters — we have certainly enjoyed spending time creating them. We’re excited to release this final sendoff for the trilogy and move forward into the future of the Mass Effect universe.”
The developers over at Bioware Edmonton will be previewing Reckoning on the official Bioware Twitch.TV channel at 4:30AM EDT on February 26. They will streaming live gameplay and also taking your questions, so take part.
The racing game Auto Club Revolution has added a replica of the Daytona 500 Racetrack to its game in celebration of the Daytona 500 event in NASCAR. Anyone with the Daytona 500 NASCAR event will know of the iconic oval-shaped track that has gone to define the event. It is this track that is being added to the game.
From Chevrolet, the developers have added the Chevrolet Comaro SS (2011 Model) to the game. This is added to the games list of muscle cars that include other great brands like Ford and Dodge.
Be sure to check out the official site for more info. Also make sure to check out the embedded video below this article.
Arakawa Under The Bridge X Bridge Studio: Shaft Publisher: Hanabee Formats: DVD Release Date:Out Now Price: $44.99 (Buy Here)
Overview
Arakawa Under the Bridge X Bridge is the hilarious sequel to the hilarious Anime series: Arakawa Under the Bridge. It follows the story of Ko and the rest of the inhabitants that live underneath the bridge. This season is the second out of two. I would also like to point out that even though this states that it is Season 2, it means that it follows directly after Season 1 (which is Under the Bridge). I have left “season 2” off of the title so as to not confuse anyone.
If you haven’t already seen the first season, I’d suggest checking out our reviewfor it and seeing if it’s for you. After watching the first season, come back and read this review. (Or you know, read on if you like, I tried my best not to spoil anything.)
Story
The story of Arakawa Under the Bridge X Bridge takes place shortly after the events of the first season. It seems that the residents of under the bridge have become more welcoming to Ko (or Rec as they call him) and he himself has managed to fend off his asthma.
In this season of the series, it seems like the plot is actually starting to pick up. This is because early on, Rec and Nino really go through some great (and hilarious) character progression, not only for themselves but also for their relationship. Also, in addition to that, it seems like it is a legitimate possibility that the residents beneath the bridge could actually be heading to Venus, Nino’s home planet due to some interestingly hilarious plot developments.
And really, most of the seasons story follows the residents of under the bridge as they prepare to head for Venus. Actually some of the most hilarious episodes in this season are the ones dedicated to some aspect of the group trying to achieve something towards heading into space.
One of the most hilarious episodes in this season is the episode where all of the residents under the bridge try to lose as much weight as possible in order to keep the weight of the spaceship within it’s restrictions. The group gets segmented into smaller groups each trying different methods of losing their poundage. I don’t want to spoil any of the moments in the episode, but the fight at the end involving Stella and one of the Metal brothers is pretty hilarious.
What I really liked about this season is that a lot of the characters that appeared once or twice in the previous season are much more fleshed out. By adding more personalities into the already insane series, there is a lot more potential for hilarity. I must admit, that this potential was reached and I was laughing all the way through.
The one thing I didn’t like about the story in this season was how vague the ending was.It felt really open to interpretation and after being built up for a solid ending throughout the entirety of the season, I was left feeling confused. Satisfied as it ended really well, but I was just confused. This is because the ending is told in the same format as the opening of each episode with it’s symbolism and really vague meanings and footage. The openings aren’t meant to be taken literally and by having the series close in a similar manner, it really makes you question the accuracy of the final scene.
The story in Arakawa Under the Bridge X Bridge was a hilarious and satisfying viewing experience. I’m pretty sure I woke the neighbours by laughing for the entire 2hr+ runtime on each disc. Seriously, could not stop laughing. Loved it.
Visuals
A lot of the jokes, gags, spoofs, etc. in Arakawa under the Bridge X Bridge rely on visual cues to help push the comedy from just funny into the hilarious zone. And it does this really incredibly well. With these kinds of cues, I really enjoyed how they would often reference a previous joke or repeat the same joke in another episode visually. By having these calls it makes the show much more hilarious to the home viewer, which is rather important to this series.
What was nice about the series was that the art style didn’t really change between seasons. Everything looks as familiar and sometimes as odd as it always has. This is great because if it was unfamiliar it’d be really hard to get into.
My favourite thing about Arakawa under the Bridge X Bridge, visually, is the huge number of facial expressions that Nino utilises throughout the series. I remember in one scene where she pulls her jacket over her head and tries to make herself look more intimidating. That was hilarious, and cute, but mostly hilarious!
Audio
Much like the first volume of Arakawa under the Bridge, Arakawa Under the Bridge X Bridge is completely in Japanese without an English dub. This means that you will only be able to watch the show in its native language while reading along with subtitles (if you don’t speak Japanese).
Unlike the first seasons opening, it took me a while to get into this seasons. It just felt a little odd to listen to. It’s like the opening theme wasn’t sure if it wanted to be a melody, a pop song or some kind pseudo-rap song. While initially it is a little strange, so to is the series, so it’s to be expected.
Honestly speaking, I think that the Japanese dubbing enhances the flavour of the comedy in the show. I’m not entirely sure why, but I think that if I heard a western voice or the same jokes in English, they’d be a bit flat. And, as this show is so dependent on it’s comedy, this would be a bad thing if it were to happen.
Extras
Arakawa Under the Bridge X Bridge comes equipped with a reasonable amount of extras. These include end credit cards, TV spots, trailers and the like. I find it interesting that the release includes the end cards of the series because they usually make for some really cool wallpapers if you screenshot them on a computer. Other than that, the Japanese TV spots are short but entertaining to watch.
The extras as they appear on the disc are listed differently to how they’re listed on the back of the packaging. So it’s quite strange to flip into the Special Features and notice that TV Spots divided into 4 different menu items and none of them actually contain the term TV Spot.
However, all of these additional extras are great and add much greater value to the end product.
Overall
Overall Arakawa Under the Bridge X Bridge is an amazingly hilarious show that is sure to make even Golgo 13 cackle. I found it a joy to watch and it’s definitely a step up from the first season. I think that everyone would find this hilarious to watch.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
