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Anarchy Reigns Review

January 15, 2013

Anarchy Reigns
Developer: Platinum Games
Publisher: Sega
Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 (Reviewed)
Release Date: January 8, 2013
Price: $29.99 – Available Here

Overview:
Whenever a game is delayed, fans usually sigh in frustration but accept the delay as it often means that the developer is taking time to polish the title. However when a title is delayed for half a year and even the developer of the game doesn’t know why, fans end up not only confused, but frustrated that they have to wait for seemingly no reason. However finally, seven months after the title was released in English in Japan, Anarchy Reigns has finally been released in the West. Now that Anarchy Reigns has been released, the biggest question is… was it worth the wait?

Story:
Interestingly enough, Anarchy Reigns does in fact feature a story mode, despite the fact that most of what has been advertised points towards a multiplayer oriented game. Anarchy Reigns features a double-sided story mode with the Black Side following the story of the familiar Jack and the White Side following Leo.

Considering how crazy Anarchy Reigns is, it should come as no surprise that the game’s storyline is unfortunately disjointed at best. While it actually has a rather interesting story, with Leo’s journey following his mentor-gone-rogue and Jack looking for revenge against the same man, it feels difficult to really become engrossed in the storyline. Whether this is due to the way story missions are handled via gameplay or the way the game denies the player an ending until they play through the game twice, it is hard to tell.

So while the game’s story may be a bit of a disappointment, the characters that the player comes across throughout both campaigns are the most colorful bunch of people you’ll run into. With some rather hilarious dialogue littered with profanity, most gamers will power through the story simply to see who will be shown next. Considering these stories are more or less the same (more on that later) they will run the player around four hours each, though the second half will feel like a slog-fest with a special finale rounding out the total length at about nine hours if the player chooses to rush through things.

Visuals:
As far as graphics go, Anarchy Reigns tries to keep things fresh by offering sixteen different characters, all of which have unique character designs and character-specific attacks. There are also a number of interesting arenas to fight at and each of these have a unique charm and mastering a stage’s design and layout is very beneficial for random events. That being said, most of the game appears rough around the edges and this is never more apparent than during the game’s story mode.

With the way the story is handled in Anarchy Reigns, players are forced to travel through the same areas twice and fight against faceless bad guys which mostly look alike. There are some unique designs here but thanks to repetition these designs fall by the wayside. Despite that flaw, whenever the player ventures into a multiplayer match or simulator match, they’ll find that the title runs flawlessly with little slowdown despite the fact that many of the fighters’ attacks are flashy and, in some cases, rather explosive.

Audio:
When Platinum Games looked for voice actors, one has to wonder what type of people they were looking for. Why do I ask this? Well the reason for that is the fact that the dialogue and the voice work for every character is so overdone that it is hilarious. The characters feel larger than life not only in design and power, but with their voice work as well, though this tends to be hit and miss depending on the character.

The hit and miss voice work is nothing compared to the sound track. Anarchy Reigns’ background music is incredible. There is simply no other way to put it. Not only does the game support a large number of songs that make it so it is impossible to grow tired of a song but each track feels like it fits the game perfectly for any given situation. In fact, it just wouldn’t feel like there was enough anarchy occurring without the accompanied background music.

Gameplay:
At its core, Anarchy Reigns feels like a title from yesteryear. This is for the game’s benefit however, as the reason it feels like an older title is the fact that there seem to be no titles aiming for the 3D brawler genre anymore and that is exactly what Anarchy Reigns is. Players will find themselves battling against up to fifteen other fighters in an arena that is not only littered with cybernetically powered players but plenty of hazards to keep an eye out for.

Combat in Anarchy Reigns may seem complicated at first, but easy to learn and master thanks to the fact that various attacks are broken up into categories. You have your basic weak and heavy attacks, grabs, ascending and descending mid-air attacks, killer attacks that deal heavy damage with the character’s special weapon, blocking, dodging, a rampage mode that will be covered later, 360 attacks and items you acquire. This may seem like a lot to take in at first and indeed they can be difficult to master, however Anarchy Reigns does what any fighting game should do, whether 2D, 3D or brawler… it makes combat fun.

One thing to note is that the aforementioned killer attacks require a power meter to use and this can be charged through either giving or taking damage and even then these killer moves feature light and strong/finishing move versions. As for the rampage mode, it not only makes it so the player has an infinite number of killer moves, but they can unleash insane nearly unblockable combos on their opponents for a limited time. The tension really spikes when two rampaging players attack one another, as they will then be locked in a Dragon Ball-esque exchange of rapid blows with the players mashing a certain button to overcome their opponent.

It is worth noting that it is very easy to find yourself locked into a string of combo attacks and, after experiencing a number of online battles, many opponents really love to grab, however one of the best methods to avoid this is the 360 attack. These attacks may cost some health, but they not only clear out people around you, they often are great ways to break yourself out of a combo, often allowing the tide of battle to shift or a chance to escape.

Earlier you may have noticed that I mentioned the story modes are more or less the same, and the reason for that is that each story mode is unfolded through the same five stages that the player will have to go through. In these stages players have free-reign of where they can move, within the stage’s limits of course, and they can find hidden artwork or slaughter the mindless enemies that populate the stage.

Slaughtering these basic drones is the key point of the story mode as players need to gather points by killing enemies to unlock the next story mission or free mission. Free missions can be played multiple times and are the best way to accrue points quickly. These little side-missions are usually very enjoyable as they put a new spin on things, though a few are rather annoying and troublesome, but these can be skipped.

In fact, the entire single-player story feels like something of a tutorial for the actual online multiplayer and simulation mode, especially when you consider how you will probably never try the story out a second time. Not only are players given a chance to unlock the rest of the characters for multiplayer but they will also have a basic grasp of the combat system before taking the fight online.

Before we travel online, there is an offline mode for gamers who want to take some time to either hone their skills or simply want to fight against some bots. This simulator mode allows the player to try out any online mode as often as they want with their preferred character. This means that you will never have to worry about not finding an online match, which can be a problem at times. That being said, it is unfortunate that Anarchy Reigns does not feature any local co-op. This means that you cannot play offline multiplayer with a friend via splitscreen which is a huge disappointment considering how fun fighting three other friends could be with this game.

Now for the online mode, there is some good news and bad news. The online battles are often glorious slobber knockers with players taking on one another all over the map. There are a large number of online options to choose from, such as the hectic battle royale which sees 16 fighters taking each other on in free-for-all combat, some team modes involving deathmatch and capture the flag and even an online co-operative mode to fight against creatures.

Whichever mode you choose, you’re in for quite a time as these battles can be absolutely insane. The game relishes in the fact that there is so much action going on at any given time and will even point out when there is a massive fight going on in a certain part of the map, encouraging more fighters to join the melee. To make things even more chaotic, the arenas all feature random occurrences such as black holes that randomly place you around the map, poisonous gas clouds, carpet bombing and even AI controlled enemies storming the field to kill everyone.

With so many crazy things occurring, it will be difficult to fight any battle that will end the same way. However it is unfortunate to note that, despite having a great netcode, the game doesn’t seem very populated and thanks to the way that the lobbies are set-up, it can take quite a bit to gather enough players for larger matches such as battle royale which require fourteen to sixteen players to stay in a lobby and ready up.

Overall:
Anarchy Reigns may have a few issues, such as online activity and lack of couch co-op, but despite these flaws, the game is an absolute blast to play. With over the top combat set to a stunning soundtrack Anarchy Reigns is practically a steal at its discounted price point and as such, this title was well worth the wait.

DmC: Devil May Cry Review

Dustin Spencer

January 15, 2013

DmC: Devil May Cry
Developer: Ninja Theory
Publisher: Capcom
Platform: Xbox 360 (Reviewed), Playstation 3, PC
Release Date: January 15, 2012
Price: $59.99 – BUY NOW

Overview
Over two years ago, Ninja Theory and Capcom came together and announced DmC as a full reboot for the Devil May Cry franchise, causing the entire fanbase to erupt in anger. Dante sported a much shorter haircut, donning short, black locks – and his attitude reeked of a new found arrogance that this group just couldn’t get past. Since then, this one title has triggered numerous debates and controversy, adding in more ammunition for the distrusting public to use against Capcom.

Judgement day has finally come. Dante is back, and like it or not – DmC is the best Devil May Cry to date. That is a bold statement to start off a review – but hear me out. Changing a character doesn’t hurt a franchise when it is done right, and that is exactly what Ninja Theory achieved with this new and improved version of the much loved IP. Go ahead. Lay those pitchforks and torches down, as we present to you our review of DmC: Devil May Cry.

Story
When I first seen the original footage of DmC, I was a little put off like the rest of the world. I mean, the only Dante I ever knew sported white hair and seemed to carry himself with such confidence and style that it was hard not to want to be in his shoes. Yeah, I think the hair color is a big reason for the whole backlash against Capcom to start with, but a good part of it is surely the fact that the new Dante is much harder to place ourselves into – or relate with as a character. This Dante is quick tongued, gets any woman in bed that he wants, and starts off as about as arrogant (and borderline trashy) as they come. In fact, if I were just to be reviewing the first chapter of the game, I certainly wouldn’t have such a high regard for this reboot’s transformation of Dante.

DmC: Devil May Cry is brilliant in that aspect however, as the player is more than likely going to burst out a few sighs as they begin with this new Dante, as the constant cursing, puns, and over sexualization used make it seem that our new hero is targeted to a different market entirely this time around. As you continue making your way though the plot, Dante begins to learn more about his forgotten past, and we – as the players, get to see this lost soul transform into a true hero. Yeah – some are going to think he is still a bit much to take in – even later on, but my own time with this newer version of the protagonist made me feel as if DmC introduced me to the character all over again, peeling away layer after layer as the narrative grew thicker over time. You want to see true character growth? DmC does just that and more, and without this revamp – I don’t think I would have enjoyed the story nearly as much as I did.

Speaking of the general plotline, DmC starts out with a young, immature Dante being placed in the role of saving the world from an overlord by the name on Mungus. After forming an alliance with his own brother who runs a resistance by the name of “The Order” and a clever female sidekick, the player then straps themselves into a script that tackles hot topics such as politics, money, and human slavery as they proceed to rid the world of every demon in sight. Every aspect of the plot blends perfectly with Dante’s own backstory, and the abundance of humor keeps the experience from faltering – as many of those little jokes I mentioned are genuinely amusing and do nothing but enhance the vividly portrayed characters the player will encounter. It both a visual and narrative sense, this plot lacks a lot of the darkness of the old Devil May Cry titles, but does more than enough to stand strong on it’s own merits to capture a brand new generation of fans.

Gameplay
Everytime I have played an action game since January of 2010, I usually enjoy myself, but one title overshadows the experience. Whether it be the brilliant Enslaved: Odyssey to the West or the beautiful El Shaddai, I never quite found a game in the genre that shook me like Bayonetta. Bayonetta was so quick and full of strategical depth that I have found myself repeating the story time and time again just to get that rush. You may be asking yourself, “This is a review for DmC, why does that matter?”. Well, for the first time in three years, I feel Bayonetta now has an equal.

In many ways, DmC sticks to the same core formula that the Devil May Cry franchise laid years ago, with Dante partaking in missions, upgrading equipment, and performing combo after combo on every demon that crosses his path. As a full package, DmC however is not that Devil May Cry. This reboot sacrifices some of the depth to streamline the main game, enhancing the speed of the action while ditching a lot of the main exploration elements of the past. Now, don’t get me wrong – DmC isn’t exactly linear, but Dante’s path is a bit locked in from the start, with most of the chaos coming to him rather than lying in wait for a run of the mill encounter.

You can’t really even begin to describe the combat within DmC without first speaking about the combo system in place. Much like the classics, Dante is ranked on “Style”, where he is graded on his performance with a letter rank. This means the player controls their own score, and always has the option to just go in and hack and slash demons to bits – or take the game to the next level with multiple techniques that can be chained into combos. Combat has never been more accessible in a Devil May Cry game either, as every technique available have been mapped out accordingly, with the choice to sharpen up on your own skills in a practice mode found at many different points within the game. Using the Y button will let Dante use his sword, X brings out Ebony and Ivory (his handy dual wielding pistols), and both triggers let our black-haired leader pull off some insane maneuvers with the Demon and Angel weaponry.

There are eight different weapons in the game, each featuring a decent sized list of upgradable techniques. This arsenal is obtained over time, and thankfully is scattered throughout the entire game to keep the player hunting for a new way to kill enemies while providing the core combat with a dose of freshness as you progress onward. As enemies are defeated, the player will earn skill points, which can then be traded for new techniques to use with whatever weapon you desire to upgrade. Every weapon has a full list of these upgrades, and using them in battle is part of what makes DmC’s combat mechanics so great. You see, DmC allows the player to chain together combos at a moment’s notice. Dante normally holds four different weapons at once, and those can all be used together to decimate a for and increase your own style ranking as you fight. For instance, the player can start out with some slashing with the sword, keep the combo going on another enemy in the air immediately afterwards with Ebony and Ivory, and then whip out a demonic blade to handle a much tougher opponent. It sounds chaotic to have that much action and weapon swapping happen at once, but this title pulls it all off effortlessly with some brilliant controller mapping to match it’s own fast pace, leaving the player to only worry about the action on screen.

Sound good? Well, it gets even better as you go. Later on, Dante can acquire extra weapons for the trigger buttons as well as some new guns, which can all be switched out instantly by tapping the appropriate command on the D-Pad. This is where the game’s own combat takes a more clever turn. Imagine yourself, surrounded by enemies. Some of these demons can only be killed by a specific weapon. The Aquila (a newly introduced angelic weapon that handle like twin chakrams of shorts) can be tossed at the plain enemies to keep them preoccupied while you make work of other foes, meaning Dante continues his own combo while fighting more than one enemy at a time. The Aquila just happen to be one of these secondary demonic/angelic weapons as well, meaning once you feel ready for a change, a simple tap of a direction will let you return to your standard blade for that input. That may be a rather long example to use, but it’s just one of the hundreds of combinations Dante can use at any time. It only takes minutes for all of these combined efforts to feel second nature, and trying out each new ability keeps the game fun and fresh until those credits roll.

One part of DmC that is going to rely on personal preference of the player is the mission layout. There are twenty stages in all, with each quarter mark usually followed by a boss battle. The stages in-between are usually made up of finding an item, protecting an ally, or just killing every demon in one particular area. Yes, the combo system keeps the game fresh, but the numbered stages are a bit predictable – meaning you will probably know when a major event is about to take place based on the number of mission you are playing on at the time. I personally didn’t mind this at all and think that far too many titles that try to surprise the player with mediocre results that cripple their product’s own pacing, but I can see why some would want more of an element of surprise to their own exploration – and that is just something DmC lacks.

Enemies on the other hand are quite varied and new breeds are introduced in nearly every stage to keep Dante on his toes. These demons range from aerial foes, grounded powerhouses, and your standard baddie, but as I mentioned earlier, usually come with a required combat strategy to defeat. Boss battles are not very common in DmC, but when they occur – you will know it. Every boss encounter has a huge build-up, and each one feels as just as epic as the next. Now, these battles are not exactly mind-numbingly difficult, as once you find that weak spot, it’s not hard to make quick work out of your target. The presentation and sheer style enforced however are just oozing with charm and unforgettable, making progression an easy task. I still had a lot of fun with the standard combat, but once I tasted the delicious reward of such an event, I sped through the game at a non-stop pace – just to see what else DmC had in store.

Like nearly every other action title in existence, DmC requires a good amount of platforming. Dante is quick and agile, and will be required to pounce up to different platforms in almost every mission. Thankfully, the platforming bits are handled quite well, and are only enhanced by the way Ninja Theory incorporated weapons into the mix. Dante can use his Angel weapon as a grappling hook to swing from specific points in the stage, or use the Demonic slot to through a chain and pull a platform closer. These sections can be just as fast-paced as the combat, meaning that it will require the player to react on their toes and sometimes even combine these techniques to progress in a stage. The reward for all of your work is simply seeing it all in action, as these platforming tools make Dante flow through a world at an instant and are responsible for some of the most intense chase sequences an action game has seen to date.

Once the journey is complete, it’s really just beginning. Most of you who have played an older Devil May Cry title know what I am talking about here, as there are tons of secrets and collectibles to be found, making DmC a completionists dream come true. The ranking system and leaderboards also enhance the replay value, allowing the player to achieve higher ranks in style, time, and overall completion as the revisit past missions. DmC is definitely a cake walk compared to Devil May Cry 3 on Normal, but those who are after a challenge are also in luck as there are several bonus difficulties that can be unlocked post-game, with a few skins and extra goodies added in to sweeten this package as a whole.

Visuals and Audio
I’m not going to defend Dante’s new model, as there is simply nothing wrong with it. Instead, we all should pay attention to the beautiful world DmC has within it’s well rounded walls. Each area feels different from the next, featuring grimacing zones that feel as if they were ripped from hell – or more poppy locales to do battle in such as a fully featured nightclub that never seems to stop delivering. There are also some really nice aesthetics on display as well, which are used to show off the timid tones of red, orange, and white that are featured so prominently during the main campaign, as well as the off the wall art design that shows up during the more gimmicky one-off stages the player will encounter. DmC isn’t really the game that you stop and take in the atmosphere, but it’s nice to see so much work went into making it feel like it’s own product.

The audio may be the closest thing to the older Devil May Cry franchise within DmC. Whenever enemies grow near, a hard rock track kicks up – transforming Dante from explorer to an ass-kicking machine. Some of these punk-rock fueled screamers may not be for everyone, but they do set the stage for some intense action – and that is what DmC is all about. A lot can be said about DmC’s voice acting as well. Each performance has been handled wonderfully, allowing the player to instantly connect with this motley cast of characters as they recite their well-acted lines. Dante’s own actor will be the main voice you hear, and is able to deliver his sarcastic one-liners with a sense of confidence – and not once did I feel annoyed by even the cheesiest jokes that sputtered out of his mouth (and trust me, there are quite a few).

Overall
I went into DmC: Devil May Cry with a bit of doubt, but I am now a full believer. Ninja Theory could have scrapped this project altogether when the harsh reaction came full circle a couple of years ago, but they stuck with it, and are now responsible for one of the finest action titles of this generation. DmC is a fast-paced roller coaster with very little slowdown, fueled by it’s thrilling combat and highly enjoyable plot. Dante may not be the white-haired, suave character we remember him as, but after experiencing his change in this new installment, everything will make sense once those credits roll and the player will be hungering for more of the lore, humor, and action this franchise has to offer. DmC isn’t just a reboot, it’s a rebirth. For those on the fence – It’s time to drop past doubts and take the plunge into one unforgettable experience, with a new Nephilim leading the way into a realm of pure angelic bliss.

Death Golf Review

Matthew Vella

January 14, 2013

Death Golf
Developer: Mobilive
Publisher: Ayopa Games
Platforms: iPod, iPad, iPhone (reviewed)
Release Date: 01/10/2013
Price: $0.99 – Available Here

Overview:

Let’s face it – golf sucks and it’s mainly for old people. So it’s no surprise that most golf games tend to emulate that same feeling. However in the world of video games, golf has had many bells and whistles added to it to spice things up, from iconic characters like Super Mario to outlaws making it seem more badass. With this in mind, finding a game titled Death Golf was simply inevitable. So imagine my surprise when I found out that Death Golf is far from being generic. Instead, it sports interesting and creative ideas blending the sport with genres like platformers and puzzlers to keep things fresh. But Death Golf is no saviour to the sport, as quite a few hiccups do drag it down. Still, this unique concept may win over a few gamers, as it certainly is original.

Gameplay:

The concept of Death Golf is as simple as it is unique. Players take control of a charming Irish man as he plays golf on several different courses trying to grab a high score. The catch is that various creatures and obstacles wish to stop him from doing so and aren’t afraid to kill him in the process. So unlike most golf games when players spend most of the time striking a ball, the game focuses more on walking towards your next shot, jumping over obstacles and fighting off opponents. With enemies, themed levels, power ups, upgrades and more, describing Death Golffeels a lot like describing a platformer, which is what is really is at heart. It’s no simulation of the sport or a golf game, but rather a golf-themed platformer.

However when it comes to the charm of Death Golf’s gameplay it all ends at the concept for the most part as execution leaves a lot too be desired thanks to troublesome controls. Firstly to travel players just touch the screen with no on-screen joystick, which can be awkward on some occasions, blocking the view of certain objects. Jumping over obstacles is automatic (think Legend of Zelda styled jumping) but judging distance and how far the character will jump is always unreliable, killing the player more times than it should. Death Golf’s deal breaker though is having the same function for too many actions. To attack enemies with your club, move and swing at the ball is all by touching the screen, and at times the game won’t know what to do. Sometimes you’ll try to attack a killer duck or demon, and instead you end up running into the creature head-first. Sure the controls aren’t broken, but they are frustrating. Thankfully, the game is a little forgiving, allowing you to stop swinging at the ball when under attack and giving you infinite lives. But with infinite lives the value of your character’s life is non-existent and ultimately makes you care less for victory. Another frustrating aspect is to complete a level you need to reach a certain score, not just get the ball in the hole and many times you end up failing to get that score because the clunky controls have killed you to many times when they shouldn’t have. Sure there are some nice touches to Death Golf such as upgrades & combos, but that isn’t exactly going to matter if the gameplay is so annoying.

Audio & Visual:

In terms of graphics, Death Golf is less disappointing. While character designs and course themes are generic, they do the job well and are presented nicely. Graphics are colorful and vibrant, as they should. Nothing here is revolutionary, but they don’t have to be. Much like the game’s concept, they’re simple and that’s good enough. Audio on the other hand is a mixed batch. While the music complements the graphics in terms of simplicity, sound effects feel rough and at times out of place. Sometimes the character will cheer in a poorly recorded manner that to put it nicely is ear-bursting. While some sound effects do sit in well, these occasional off-putting sound effects are tolerable and forgivable, but annoying.

Overall:

To put it bluntly, Death Golf sits in an awkward position. It’s a unique and fresh idea that could work if executed correctly, but doesn’t even come close to reaching it’s full potential. However, this could all change with a few minor updates and some added content. With tighter controls and some polish, Death Golf could be something special. Until then however, it stands as a chore to play. Keep an eye on this game though, as it could be something more in the future with a bit of work.

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Blood-C Review

Simon Wolfe

January 14, 2013

Blood-C
Studio: Production I.G
Publisher: FUNimation
Format: Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack
Release Date: January 22th, 2013
Price: $64.98 – Available Here

Overview:
Blood+ was a popular anime series during its run from 2005 to 2006, coming from a movie and leading to another albeit live-action movie. So, what better way to capitalize on the success of the name then to make another series, which is exactly what some might find with Blood-C, a (maybe?) sequel series to the original. Can Blood-C capture the audience like the series before it? Does it build upon the story or go in a new direction? With any luck it’s still the same old Saya we all love.

Story:
The argument of Nature vs. Nurture, being the main component of who we are as people, has been around a long time. Does who we are born as matter more than where we grow up? The story of Blood-C explores this in some ways using someone we already know, though not how we last saw her. Saya Kisaragi, a shrine maiden and high school girl, lives with her father and secretly fights Elder Bairns with the aid of the Sacred Blade whenever they appear to protect the town. Those well acquainted with the Blood series will notice that none of these things have anything to do with the Saya from Blood+. So, what’s going on here? Is this some awful trick, a bait-and-switch?

The Saya of this series is a clumsy girl that seems to truly enjoy life, singing songs as she walks to and from school and obviously catching the eye of several boys. This series starts out about as cliche as a school anime series can get with the saving grace of the Elder Bairns that Saya fights, which provide some really great battles against unique monsters. The other characters fit into the cliche shtick of straight man female friend, overly cute female friends, modest love interest, and the bad boy. All these together create a surreal feeling to the anime and may make some question where it is headed as a story. It also goes on to show off just how bad Saya is at saving people from these creatures as practically every attempt to defend or save the civilians results in failure, though props should definitely be given to the show for not being afraid to take out main characters.

Further into the series provides a bit more information as to what is really going on in the seemingly mostly-empty town and monsters attacking it. Without giving too much away, astute viewers should be able to pick up on the fact that not everything is as it seems and becomes a game trying to piece what is really going on together. While those that haven’t seen the previous series shouldn’t have any problem with the structure of the story, those that have may become distracted by this change in character. Have no fear though, as at the wrap of the story it will make some sense as to how it relates. Though unfortunately the ending of the series itself ultimately ends with a lead into the follow up movie, so it lacks a truly satisfying closure, but that does mean more time with a really messed up main villain, just not here.

Visuals:
The series boasts some great animation, with detailed characters and backgrounds that always look fresh. Judging from the commentary the series originally featured some heavy censorship for all the gore and violence, which is completely uncensored with this release. Those liking excessive gore should be sure to check this out, as the monsters take out people left and right, devouring them and leaving only chunks behind. The final battle features one of the most blatant disregard for the random people around as the monsters have a field day in the streets.

In addition to the ultra-violence, the monsters that Saya faces are all very interesting and unique. No two monsters look or even act alike, well other than monsters that are the same by design. From a stone statue, to a plant, to a wide variety of creatures even each battle plays out fairly differently. After really only seeing Saya fight Chiropteran in Blood+, it’s great to see it change up a lot more this time around.

Audio:
The voice acting of Blood-C is well done, especially dealing with the duality of some of the characters later in the show. Comparing the original Japanese to the English dub is difficult as they were both fairly equal in quality to each other, and even trying to compare Saya’s walking songs between the versions is tough as both voice actresses do a great job with the silly, overly happy tune. So, however one decides to view the series shouldn’t effect any opinions of the overall quality there.

The music in the series does a good job both conveying the somewhat weird nature of the show, with strings accompaniment to the more mysterious sections and even the the more happy go lucky do a good job of filling that vibe. Though in terms of music one of the best parts is the score across the ending of the last episode, not the ending theme, but last moments of the actual show. Though on the subject of themes it is important to point out that the opening theme for the show is “Spiral” by Dustz, which follows the shows themes of aspects of past and not knowing who you are, as well as the use of French in addition with the Japanese and English makes for a fairly unique song for an anime. The ending theme on the other hand is “Junketsu Paradox” by Nana Mizuki, who also plays Saya in the series, deals with the theme of losing oneself.

Extras:
The extras on this release includes commentaries, commericials and promo videos, text-free opening and closing themes, and trailers. Though not really an extra, it is important to point out that there is no option to turn subtitles on or off, only a language selection between English and Japanese, with subtitles automatically playing for Japanese. No love for English hearing impaired this time? The commentaries are for the 6th and 12th episodes, however as they clearly state in the commentary it’s a good idea to have seen the entire series before listening to either. The commentaries themselves cover things from what it was like first time directing a series for English Dub and impressions of the different characters, as well as the amount of deaths that seemed to occur through the series and their process of getting even the briefest VOs for them.

Interested viewers can check out the original Japanese commercials and promo videos and/or the U.S. trailer for FUNimation’s release. Outside the trailers for other upcoming and already released series licensed by FUNimation, the only thing really left over is the text-free themes, which there are actually 3. While only the one opening, there are in fact 2 ending themes, and while they have the same song the visuals are vastly different as the Episode 12 ending theme features the badass Saya that fans probably missed throughout the majority of the series.

Overall:
Blood-C is an interesting beast, gory and fun when it gets to there, where the only thing holding it back is the longer drawn out beginning. In some ways this entire series could have worked with any other katana wielding girl in a high school uniform, similar to looking at how they slapped Mario onto other game to make Super Mario Bros. 2 in America. Without an actual ending it is difficult to say if it’s a worthwhile addition to the Blood series as a whole, or just an interesting oneshot, which is disheartening as the monsters and villain are pretty great. If only they had had more time with the real Saya to have a deeper meaning. On the high side however, the show isn’t afraid of gore and anyone coming for that isn’t going to be disappointed.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Incipio Lexington Hardshell Folio Case Review

Jamie Laike Tsui

January 14, 2013

Incipio Lexington Hardshell Folio Case for iPad

Manufacturer: Incipio
Platforms: iPad
Price: $39.99 Buy It Here
The Incipio Lexington is a vegan leather folio case with a hard shell back that comes in five colours: black, gray, blue, red, and tan. The case features magnets to provide Smart Cover functionality, a micro-suede interior and a buckling closure. The case can be propped in up at several angles with the help of the buckling closure for hands free viewing or typing.

The vegan leather used in the Lexington feels more like plastic than leather. Although the finish is a very fine matte, the feel is extremely smooth with a slight stickiness when I run my fingers across it. Compared to some of other Incipio’s vegan leather offerings, this feels one of the least like animal leather. The Lexington uses the vegan leather for the front of the folio, the hinge, and a majority of the outside portion of the hardshell case. There is a benefit for the slicker choice of leather as when the iPad is rested front facing upwards, the case slides easily on a desk. The vegan leather took scratches ok. Although it survived a few rough jostles in a backpack, I found the finish scratched a lot easier than some other pieces of vegan leather. Roughly scratching the case with my fingernail caused a noticeable scratch to the finish and the leather itself.

The back of the folio is a plastic hardshell. To install the iPad, you simply snap the back into the case which clamps onto the four corners of the iPad. The clamping force is extremely secure. I found it took a great amount of effort to remove the iPad from the case, to the point I actually manage to bend one of the corners of the case when overzealously attempting to remove the iPad from the Lexington. The hardshell case has a matte finish that almost feels like a thin coating of silicon was sprayed onto it. It complements the texture of the vegan leather really well and withstood the same fingernail scratch test that marred the front cover’s vegan leather. I really like that separate holes are cut out for the camera, power button, microphone, headphone jack, speaker, and connectors. Each one is perfectly sized and since the lightning connector is located at exactly the same place the 30pin connector is, the Lexington is compatible with the 4th generation iPads. The inside of the hardshell case is either a rubbery foam or more micro-suede lining that will protect the back of the iPad while it is inside the hardshell.

The front of the folio has a magnet to provide Smart Cover functionality. It is disappointing to note that the magnet in the cover was easily spotted unlike Apple’s Smart Cover. However, this is purely a minor cosmetic annoyance. The inside of the cover is lined with a micro-suede that provides a soft lining that will come in contact with the iPad glass while closed. I noticed the cover does not close properly when the case is not closed with the buckle. It opened just enough to constantly engage and disengage the Smart Cover magnets and unnecessarily drained the batteries. I found this happened less as I broken in the vegan leather hinge with time, but it continued to happen.

The case is held shut with a buckle system that consists of a band of vegan leather attached to the back of the case and a strip of leather on the front of the case that slips in. This buckle is extremely sturdy and held the case closed tightly. Unfortunately I found the buckle to be a hassle to open. Due to the slick finish to the leather, it is impossible to slip the buckle open by putting a finger on the strip of the leather and attempting to slide it out. To remove it, I found I had to grab the edges of the leather strip with my finger nails and then pull it out of the buckle. Mixed with the difficulties with the cover having problems closing properly without using the buckle system, I soon found myself getting irritated with the whole design of the buckle.

The only saving grace of the buckle system was the fact it provides an extremely sturdy base for using the folio as a stand. There is a bed in a third of the cover. By bending the folio cover and slipping the leather strip into the buckle, it was probably the sturdiest hands-free stand I have encountered in a case yet. The case could withstand quite a bit of jostling and pressure without slipping. Unlike most folio cases that only has two possible viewing angles, the Lexington had four. A steeper angle could be achieved by simply changing the side of the clasp I slipped the leather strap. The angles provided were extremely comfortable for typing and very usable for watching videos on the iPad compared to the Smart Cover. I find the Smart Cover has a great typing angle but a nearly useless hands free viewing angle in comparison.

The case is not very bulky, managing to keep a relatively slim profile. The materials used are extremely light which is perfect when paired with the third and fourth generation iPads which carry heavier batteries compared to the second generation iPad. The design looks very simple and provides an elegant look that would be appropriate for professional environments.

Incipio’s Lexington Hardshell Folio Case is a mixed bag. It mixes stylish looks, light weight, sturdy hands free viewing angles, and good protection with a lousy buckle system, problems with Smart Cover feature when not properly closed with the buckle engaged, and an easily scratched vegan leather exterior. Priced at $39.99, the Lexington is probably not one of Incipio’s best offerings for the iPad. However, if you are in the market for a classy looking iPad folio case that provides strong protection and an extremely sturdy closure system that still manages to stay light weight and feel good to the touch; the Lexington is worth a look.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Capsule Computer’s 2012 Game of the Year Awards

2012 came and went in what felt like a blink of an eye. Before December came to a close, we seen the year of the sequel, the rise of the indie, and digital interpretations of storytelling that captured our hearts and minds. After twelve months of blockbusters, it’s time to celebrate the games that went for big and delivered in excellence in every way imaginable. From the iOS to the Xbox 360, join us yet again as we revel in the year that was, and relive memories of what will go down as some of the greatest gems of a generation.

Welcome to Capsule Computer’s 3rd Annual Game of the Year Awards!

Click on the pages below to and find out who wins, along with our editors’ choice awards and special bonus feature GOTY Podcast!

Game of the Year
Best Sequel
Best Original IP
Best Xbox 360 Exclusive
Best Wii/Wii U Exclusive
Best Playstation 3 Exclusive
Best PC Game
Best 3DS Game
Best Vita Game
Best iOS Game
Most Anticipated
Editor’s Choice
Bonus Features – GOTY Podcast

Golgo 13 Part 4 Review

Benjamin Webb

January 13, 2013

Golgo 13 Part 4
Studio: TV Tokyo
Publisher: Siren Visual
Format: DVD
Release Date: Out Now!
Price: $49.98 (Buy Here)

Overview

What sort of show would you get if you combined an assassin, a sexy Japanese man, frequent sex, unrelatable characters and a lot of nothing really? If you answered Golgo 13, you would be correct. Unfortunately for the series, the fourth part of the Golgo 13 collection does nothing to remedy any of the issues that the series has. Instead it only expands and exacerbates most of them. What did I think of this particular disc as a whole? Read on to find out.

Story

Golgo 13 is a series about a Japanese Assassin for hire named nicknamed Golgo 13. He is a straight-faced silent killer that somehow manages to woo all of the ladies. If there was a concurrent storyline, I would not be able to tell you what it is, simply because, from what I’ve seen, there is nothing linking the episodes together.

One of the biggest problems of Golgo 13 is that the storylines in each episodes rarely revolve around Golgo himself, but they would rather focus on characters that were introduced in that episode and then feature Golgo in a limited capacity. If I was a newcomer to the series and was jumping in at this point, it might be easier for me to jump straight in with this format, but with no real storyline between episodes, there is nothing really there to keep me on as a viewer.

Some of the things that happen in the stories in this particular package are completely nuts. For instance, in order for Golgo 13 to complete one of his assassinations, he blows up an entire building in order to shoot his target. Why didn’t he just blow up the building with his target in it? Why not impose as a security guard or something? By using an entire building, it seems like the team behind the show wanted Golgo to come off as some kind of genious, but really, he just destroyed a building for no reason.

One of the biggest problems I’ve found with this series though, is that Golgo 13 constantly kills the women he fornicates with. Often this is very soon after the fornication has taken place. Even worse is that there is no real reason for him to do this, or if there is, it is the most flimsiest excuse ever. Oh what’s that secret service woman? You know who I am and have seen my face. I’m going to shoot you now, even if the secret service likely already knows everything about me; you sure did. Actually, she may have been some kind of British spy. Ah well, she’s dead now.

If you’re the kind of person that likes to watch standalone stories with no real arc or character progression throughout an entire series, Golgo 13s story will be on that you’re interested in. However, if you like any kind of cohesion, definitely avoid this like the plague.

Visuals

Visually Golgo 13 is the same as it has been in previous releases. If there has been an improvement in visual quality, it has been lost on me. This isn’t to say it’s a bad thing, but generally, things should significantly improve as a series progresses.

Fortunately, some of the complaints I had from the last release have been alleviated slightly. The main one of these that I want to talk about is the egregious over-use of closeups on Golgo 13s face. In this particular release, this has been cleaned up significantly. However, if you pay attention, you’ll find that in some episodes they’ve just found other ways to stick it in. Like in this one episode where Golgo 13 has to fight another assassin. You’ll notice that his face has a significant closeup in one of the background monitors as opposed to a full on closeup that would normally have occurred. Now this is not to say it doesn’t happen, but it does happen significantly less.

One thing that I noticed on this release is that many of the female characters are quite plain looking as opposed to the beauties of the past. As someone who is slightly invested in the Golgo 13 franchise, it saddens me to see how unattractive the women have become. These are one of the main selling points of the series, but if they’re going to make everything less pretty, what’s the point in continuing?

There is something about each scene that makes it undramatic, I’m not entirely sure what it is though. Maybe it’s just the way it’s directed, I think it’s supposed to have a kind of noir feel to it, but it does not. It just does not work and as a result, detracts from the series.

Overall I can not recommend Golgo 13 based on visuals alone, however when combined with the poor story it becomes slightly more bearable, but not by much. Avoid if you want pretties.

Audio

Golgo 13 is one of those Anime series where if you’re the lead voice actor, you really don’t need to do all that much work. The title character barely says anything and instead gives all the dialogue to the side-characters. This is quite unusual as you would expect the lead character to have the most to say, or, at the very least, the most important lines of the show. In Golgo 13, this is simply not the case. You don’t even get inner monologues.

It also seems like most of the dialogue spoken in this show exists only to service the plot, rather than actually having the characters display any personality. The best example of this is where Golgo is on a bridge with this British (American sounding) woman. She explicitly states that the reason he is about to kill her is that she has seen his face. She tells us the story and the reason why it has to happen. As a viewer, this bores me. I want to find out why Golgo 13 kills anyone that see’s him. I don’t want to be told that he does it because he has been seen. Why not show a flashback where his identity has been revealed has led to something bad happening?

I’d have to say that I have no preference for either the English or Japanese tracks at this point. Both are just so unbearably plain that listening to the one feels like listening to the other. However, the show has some really great opening and closing themes, so that’s definitely a positive for the Audio.

Extras

Golgo 13 comes with a reversible cover that allows for users to flip and reverse it. The underside of the cover actually hosts superior cover-art over whats shown on the front. Definitely flip it. Golgo 13 also comes with clean openings and closings, as well as three trailers. These can all be found on the second disc.

Overall

Overall Golgo 13 is a horrible series that should never have been allowed to see the light of day. However, it can be entertaining for people who are looking for just the right series. If you’re someone that loves standalone stories, not caring about characters, sex and assassinations; this is definitely the series for you.

Time Surfer Review

Zac Elawar

January 12, 2013

Time Surfer
Developer: Kumobius
Publisher: Kumobius
Platform: iOS
Release Date: Out Now
Price: $0.99 (Available Here)

Overview

Time Surfer is the latest game from Melbourne studio Kumobius; the creators of the award-winning platformer title Bean’s Quest. The game is reminiscent of the 2011 smash-hit Tiny Wings with a very specific visual/audio style that screams retro 80s. The ‘End of the Universe’ is coming to consume you, a “trans-dimensional cosmic time God” who is surfing through time in order to escape. Time Surfer may be an endless runner but everything ends. Does the game do enough to stand-out, or is it itself unable to out-run an early demise?…

Gameplay

The core gameplay of Time Surfer is simple, and if you’ve played Tiny Wings before, familiar. Your player character is in constant motion on a 2D perspective and all you have to do is press on the down arrow at the bottom right corner of the screen to dive. Time these dives to achieve the ‘perfect curve’ and propel yourself further and faster. If you make a mistake – say mistime your dive – you can rewind time by pressing on the hourglass icon at the bottom left. The ability is not infinite, as you have a ‘Time Power’ bar that can be refilled by gathering gems. There’s a great ‘Magnet’ pick-up that will suck in all gems within it’s radius that helps to replenish that ‘Time Power’ bar rather quickly.

As you race to essentially escape the apocalypse, you will also attempt to mark down your best distance travelled as, unfortunately, death is inevitable. Time and speed pick-ups can be attained to give you that extra edge in. You can compete with friends on the Game Centre leaderboards for the further distance reached. Also, as you are playing, you are given a total of three missions at any given time, which, when completed, will earn you a certain number of ‘space cakes’ that you can put towards feeding ‘pets’. These pets basically enable one-time use special powers that, for example, provide a temporary speed boost or will save you from a pitfall death. The pets themselves unlock as you complete a set number of missions.

There are many obstacles on your path to survival, such as asteroids, aliens and spikes. The asteroids and aliens, however, can be bounced off of if hit on their top halves. There are also ringed planets, whose rings can be surfed on, also providing a small speed boost. Short sections of surfaces may also be painted with multi-coloured arrows which indicate a speed-zone of sorts. All of these elements are encapsulated perfectly in the image above. Aside from the arcade mode, there’s an added, extremely more difficult area called ‘Hell Zone’ which can be accessed and played through at any time. Spikes are strategically placed throughout the level in order to try and stifle the player’s progression. Unlocking the ‘Rock Bug’ pet, which saves you from one spike death, is ideal and it comes in handy here.

The game has customisation options as well, grouped in the ‘Time Capsule’ sub-menu, which are completely aesthetic options that pay respect and homage to the tropes and aspects of 80s culture. My personal favourites are the Aliens: ‘Future Assassin’ and ‘Xeno Tuxedo’, which are representations of The Terminator and a Xenomorph…in a tuxedo. You can also use a ‘Bean’ skin based on the title character from Bean’s Quest by downloading the free game. Your ‘Flair’ – the trail your Time Surfer leaves – can also be changed. Finally, your statistics and the current mission list are also available to view here, along with the option for in-app purchases of more space cakes. I am not a fan of micro-transactions and try to avoid making them, but later pets will eat through your space cakes, so use them wisely.

Visuals

The visuals (including the U.I.) are soaked in signature 80s neon blue and pink with some colourfully accented backdrops and objects that really shouldn’t exist in a space setting! Mountains, clouds, a magical-looking tree and … the Fortress of Solitude!? It’s all very psychedelic, and that’s just in the main playground, or zone. The extra ‘Hell Zone’ is aptly bathed in reds with the same background objects, but a whole different atmosphere. The ground, or curves, are no-longer blue, Tron-like, hard-light surfaces, but abyssal black mounds with creepy imagery lining its edges.

That’s not to say, however, that the main ‘playground’ is at all visually repetitive, as you do travel through dimensions and therefore varyingly designed and themed colour schemes. There’s a black & white theme that features shorter stretches of surfaces with larger gaps in-between them, a rocky, volcanic theme (similar to the ‘Hell Zone’), a green, more organic theme with snakeskin-like surfaces and a couple more. And when the ‘end of the universe’ gets close, it will creep in from the left side of the screen, engulfing everything in the immediate area with it’s bright orange glow, which also obscures the player character and surfaces on that side a little, but not too much that it becomes frustrating.

The characters themselves, as well as the many customisable elements and pets, are sprite-based, with the static images used in the U.I.’s icons derived from that instantly recognisable and nostalgic 16-bit art style. The text is clear and perfectly sized in all areas, with your rank and best distance displayed on-screen in the main menu. Speaking of, the game does a great job of implementing non-intrusive HUD-like elements such as the ‘Time Power’ bar at the very top of the screen, the small skull at the top left that glows brighter and brighter as the ‘end of the universe’ starts to catch up to you, and the current mission objectives icons at the bottom of the screen.

Audio

The music was created by Nathan Antony (a.k.a “Derris-Kharlan”), a Melbournite who’s been writing chip-tune music since 2008. His style of composition compliments this particular project perfectly, as the main track heard throughout represents the 80s retro theme extremely well; not only because of the tones and effects used, but because the chip-tune era WAS the 80s…thematically, it just works. The synth-pop/electro sensibilities of the time also shine through nicely. I therefore found it to be in a perfect blend with the visuals in both concept and execution. The sound effects, developed in-house, are equally fitting and not at all jarring, which can sometimes be the case with indie-game sound design.

One thing I noticed with the music, more prevalently in the track that plays as you peruse the ‘Time Capsule’, is that the loops do not flow perfectly from end to beginning again. There’s a little hiccup as it completes it’s loop, but that would rarely be heard because you will not likely spend too much time there. And if, for some reason, you must play the game in silence, there is the option to turn off either the SFX or Music, or both, at any time in the main menu screen or the pause screen during play. The ability to track your current missions can also be turned off in the same manner.

Overall

The team admit to being inspired by both Tiny Wings (which is clearly evident) and the time-bending Braid, so don’t bother prattling on about how they ripped them off…it’s out of love and admiration that they adapted the simplistic, but addictive feature of physics-based flight through peaks and valleys, whilst adding the time-rewind mechanic found in Braid. But this isn’t a simple mish-mash of other games. It has its own original elements that helps to differentiate itself from, specifically, Tiny Wings.

I found Time Surfer just as addictive, and just as fun. I loved the fact that these added elements, such as the numerous ability/bonus pick-ups, add an extra layer to the gameplay and promote strategy in your traversal as you may dive and aim for a power-up, or a planet’s ring, or an asteroid to bounce off of instead of simple trying to nail a perfect curve if you think it’ll get you further in that situation. All up, you’d be hard-pressed to find another opportunity, ever, to skip across dimensions for only $0.99…you know the future won’t be cheap! Support this great local developer. Buy it, go back in time and buy it again!

No. 6 Review

Luke Halliday

January 12, 2013

No. 6
Studio: BONES
Publisher: Siren Visual
Release Date: December 6, 2012
Price: $49.95 – Available Here

Overview:
No. 6 is a series that had ton sof potential but was doomed to never live up to it. Weighing in at a mere 11 episodes, it was always going to be hard for BONES to adapt the epic scale portrayed in No. 6’s source material with such little time. In the end the result is a sloppy, awkwardly paced, relatively disappointing anime series albeit one with real heart underneath all its flaws. But is heart enough to make up for such apparent faults?

no-6-1

Story:
Set within a supposed utopian future, No.6 follows Shion a young boy who one night has a fateful encounter with a fugitive by the name of Rat (Nezumi). This encounter ultimately changes Shion’s life and sets into motion the events of the series.

No. 6 itself is a walled in utopian city in a time following a catclysmic world wide disaster. Outside the walls lives the rejects of society, the ones who live in a slum-like environment in the baron wasteland beyond No. 6’s walls. Rat is one such inhabitant.

Oddly enough despite its title this series spends most of its runtime outside of No. 6. Opting instead to spend multiple episodes outside of No. 6 simply pondering what to do about No. 6 and its inherent darkness beneath the squeaky clean surface. There is undoubtedly a secret behind No. 6 that is far more grim than it appears. As the series progresses layers are slowly peeled back revealing this secret. The final payoff however is bizarre to sa the very least.

Throughout the course of 11 episodes we come to care for Shion and Rat as they lead a slow burning rebellion against No. 6. There is some pretty strong boys love under-tones in this relationship but these characters are so endearing that it does not feel shallow, instead it feels like genuine love between friends. This may be off-putting for some who do not find these kinds of relationships interesting, but if given a chance you may find that their connection is truly moving at times.

no-6-3

As for the aforementioned payoff, everything culminates in a grand way which is heavily juxtaposed with the rest of the entire series which hums along like slow jazz. The finale hits hard and fast not in ways that feel very out of place with the 10 episodes that preceed it. It all wraps up very poorly in a confusing manner that doesn’t exactly fit with the themes displayed in the series. Coming from absolutely out of nowhere things take a turn for the extraordinary in what is an incredibly bizarre way to end such a quiet series as No.6. In the end it is a flawed ending to what was an anime riddled with them.

The biggest problem with No. 6 is that it had too little time to tell so very much. On top of that it squanders the time it has instead of putting it into proper plot progression and world building. When the viewer constantly is confronted with the thought of ‘How are they going to wrap this up in x amount of episodes left to go?’ there is a serious problem. The viewer shouldn’t worry that a series won’t end properly, that is just TV basics. Despite all that though, No. 6 is still fairly intriguing and the central relationship is something not too common in anime, making it worth a look in for its unique qualities alone. Other than that, this is far from what its potential promised, which is a true shame.

no-6-4

Visuals and Audio:
In terms of aesthetics No. 6 is disappointingly bland at the best of times and just plain ugly at its worst. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing given the nature of the series but it really could have used some more creative visuals. Animation wise BONES have done a good job however, it is an overall fluid series in that regard, it is just the uninspiring art that ruins it.

The series’ soundtrack is perhaps its biggest highlight, with brilliant track after brilliant track lifting the material to heights that it doesn’t really deserve. Without this beautifully composed soundtrack No. 6 would honestly fall apart. It is the fulcrum of this series undoubtedly as it serves as the glue that holds everything together both tonally and atmospherically. The opening and ending songs are notably great selections that set a great mood for the series with finesse.

This release from Siren Visual happens to feature a dubbed audio track by way of Sentai Filmworks which was honestly one of Sentai’s weaker attempts at anime dubbing. Greg Ayres is once again horribly miscast this time as Shion in a very cringe-worthy performance to say the very least. This is one release that you’d probably want to stick with Japanese audio.

Extras:
Siren Visual have done a great job with No. 6 in way of special features. On this DVD collection they have included an English dub (even if it could be better) which is something that has become less and less common in recent times with many anime simply being fast-tracked with a sub-only release. That isn’t all though, Siren Visual have even managed to get a hold of Japanese audio commentaries which is sure to delight those with an interest in what went into making the series. Both of these extras alone are great, particularly the audio commentaries which will surely provide some added shelf life to this collection.

no-6-2

Overall:
No. 6 is an anime that has a lot of heart and invests most of that into developing the relationship of its two characters. This is something that is does quite well and it should be commended for creating such an interesting pair of characters. Unfortunately the world and story surrounding these two is so heavily flawed that it all falls apart. Regardless No. 6 is an interesting watch for what it is, not because of its flaws, but in spite of them.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

MasterAbbott’s iOS Game Suggestions #46

Philip Federico

January 11, 2013

Welcome back for this week’s iOS Game Suggestions. If you missed or are new to the suggestions, click on the link below and check what cool games you should be picking up for your iOS along with the introduction and disclaimer on how the suggestions work. (suggestions 1 has the disclaimer and how it all works).

MasterAbbott’s iOS Game Suggestions

A great week on iTunes, as always it started slow and but ended with a bang! As always there certainly is a few must buy games this week in all departments, FREE, 99c and over 99c. This week i’ve suggested a total of 22 great quality titles. Make sure you check them all especially Baldur’s Gate, Joe Danger, Zenonia 5, Little Amazon, Time Surfer, Death Golf, ShaqDown just to name a few.

Break down below :

10 – FREE Games

6 – $0.99c Games

6 – 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! ZENONIA 5 – Price : FREE – Publisher –Gamevil (Long ago, a great war was fought to restore peace and harmony to mankind. But as the years passed, greed and selfishness corrupted the hearts of man. The elite rich began to exploit the poor and great darkness came over the kingdom. Then, from the ruins of a slum village, rises a hero destined for greatness… Immerse yourself once again in the best action RPG for mobile. Defeat impossible bosses and unravel the mysteries in stunning HD!) runs on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
	Noble Nutlings – Price : FREE – Publisher – BoomLagoon (Join the Nutlings on the wackiest ride you’ve ever experienced! Build your dream cart and show your friends who’s in charge. FREE TO PLAY! Physics based awesomeness. Build your dream cart – thousands of combinations! Beat your friends’ scores and brag about it!) on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
	Run’n’Gun – Price : FREE – Publisher –Gaijin Entertainment (Run’n’Gun is a new runner/shooter developed by Gaijin Entertainment, which offers you both rushing around and plinking. In those troubled times when everyone might easily come across trolls or even uglier ones, when every child kept a revolver under his or her pillow, there was only a nearby tavern to beguile a boring afternoon. At the late hour all are equal at the bar desk – either a sheriff, or a hunter, or a nasty troll. They said a city bank was robbed, and everybody who seems to be capable of breaking strong safe locks has fallen under suspicion.) runs on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
	GeoDash: Wild Animal Adventure – Price : FREE – Publisher –National Geographic Society (Geo is on a mission and he needs your help! Join the curious robot as he explores Earth’s habitats, earning awesome animal abilities along the way. You’ll be able to leap like a poison frog, dig like an armadillo, climb like a baboon—even run like a cheetah! Every time you get a new ability, Geo gets a new look. As you explore, you’ll collect animal) runs on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
	The Blockheads – Price : FREE – Publisher –Majic Jungle Software (Explore, mine, craft and build in this giant and detailed sandbox game. Navigate huge simulated worlds thousands of blocks wide with a full temperature and climate system, seasons, an equator, and frozen poles. Explore complex cave systems and flowing water, and survive deserts and snowy mountain tops.) runs on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
	Pony Trails – Price : FREE – Publisher – Chillingo – (Go on pony trekking adventures in the great outdoors! Saddle up and explore mountain paths, desert trails, and coastal courses atop your trusty steed. Steer your stallion using intuitive tilt controls and snap pictures of the wildlife you discover. Return to the stables to clean, care for, and purchase new riding gear for your pony.) on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
	Amazing Ants – Price : FREE – Publisher – Pocket Gems Publishing (Make these jumping ants FLY with Rocket Sticks, TUNNEL underground, FLOAT in soap bubbles, and BOUNCE off water sprinklers to get golden apples, luscious berries, mouth-watering peppermints and much more! Loaded with fun physics game play, challenging puzzles, and gorgeous graphics, Amazing Ants will keep you on the edge of your seat.) on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
	Little Amazon – Price : FREE – Publisher –Bulkypix (Join Lily as she flees the cursed lair of the horrible demon Grûûl. Use the exceptional agility and extraordinary abilities of an amazon to run as far as possible! Jump from hill to hill, go around the creatures of the forest and destroy them using your destructive powers.) runs on iPad & iPhone. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
	Townsmen – Price : FREE – Publisher – HandyGames (Grow your tiny village to a grand medieval city with a thriving economy and happy Townies! From mining, logging and farming to the production of jewelry, tools and clothing – a well managed economy is the key to success! Build churches, taverns and marketplaces for your Townies! Beautify your city with splendorous statues, magnificent monuments and lush parks and gardens) on iPhone & iPad. GET IT NOW FOR FREE
	Pinball Kid – Price : FREE – Publisher – Sauce Digital (Remember the days of handheld plastic pinball toys? Then Pinball Kid is for you! Too young to know what we’re talking about? Then Get Pinball Kid anyway, it’s awesome! Pinball Kid is a nostalgic iOS tribute to the toy pinball games of yesteryear. With retro styling and classic gameplay, it will keep you amused for hours.) on iPhone & iPad. GET IT NOW FOR FREE

For The Bargain Hunters – 99c Games

	Swing King – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – Chillingo (Fling the King, save the kingdom. The King’s furry kingdom is in jeopardy. Time to swing into action! Fling the King across levels, through obstacles and traps to grab stars and reach his flying unicorn. Use simple touch controls to aim the King’s trajectory, move obstacles out of his way, and use power-ups such as the sticky grappling point and the boxing glove. Your kingdom is in trouble. What are you waiting for?) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
	Time Surfer – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – Kumobius (Surf for your life across the galaxy! An inevitable destructive force is after you… The end of the universe! Your only hope? You can cheat death by rewinding time! Get ready for the most psychedelic adrenaline-pumping surf of the year!) runs on iPad & iPhone. BUY NOW
	Death Golf – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – Ayopya Games (If you like golf games and platform adventures then Death Golf is THE game for you! Adventure through incredible golf courses in this revolutionary platform golf game. Use skill and timing to aim your shots, then combat ferocious predators and ingenious traps on a journey to the hole!) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
	Wake The Cat – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – Chillingo (Wake a kitten from her endless slumber and dreams of fish by experimenting with meticulously designed contraptions. Fling the yarn across the room and use toy trains, portal slippers, fans and more to help guide the yarn to the dozy cat.) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
	Catch The Arc – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – Chillingo (Can you survive the jungle and catch the ark? A flood is coming and Catch the Ark’s three adorable creatures Titan, Boon, and Zuzu haven’t got an invite to board Noah’s Ark. Armed with just a raft, the trio must brave the jungle rapids where outrageous hazards, hungry enemies, and even grumpy old Noah himself is out to ensure they don’t make it out alive. Can you catch the ark?) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
	Shaqdown – Price : $0.99 – Publisher – One Speak Entertainment (Celebrity Basketball star Shaquille O’Neal stars in his first action game for mobile! In a post apocalyptic future, the mutation of a zombie virus creates a new sentient breed of zombies that have enslaved mankind. It’s up to SHAQ to take down these Mutant Zombies with his awesome powers and abilities. GET READY FOR A SHAQDOWN!) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW

For The Millionaires – All games over $0.99

	MasterAbbott’s over 99c Pick Of The Week! Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition – Price : $10.49 – Publisher – Beamdog (Play the Legend. This classic saga of mystery, intrigue, and adventure has set the standard for Dungeons & Dragons™ computer role-playing games ever since. Now, upgraded and enhanced, it comes to your iPad. With the following features! 80 hours of Epic RPG adventure. Over 40 classes and kits, Over 100 spells, over 150 magical items, New adventure: The Black Pits, a thrilling combat adventure. New character: Rasaad yn Bashir, a Calishite Monk searching for answers. New character: Dorn Il-Khan, a half-orc blackguard with a history of violence. New character: Neera the Wild Mage, a half-elf on a quest to control her powerful magic.) runs on iPad. BUY NOW READ OUR REVIEW FOR BALDUR’S GATE HERE
	Joe Danger – Price : $2.99 – Publisher – Hello Games (Wear the cape of the World’s Most Determined Stuntman, and take your trusty motorbike on a wild ride from zero to hero! Race, ride and defy death as you jump buses, dodge giant mousetraps, leap tanks full of sharks and reclaim your title of Master of Disaster! Swipe Joe to pop a wheelie, flick obstacles out of the way, tap to jump, hold down to crouch and waggle to fight sharks!) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
	Hundreds – Price : $2.99 – Publisher – Semi Secret Software (DESIGNED FOR AGES 2 TO 222: The goal of Hundreds: Grow at least 100 points between the circles in each puzzle. Circles turn red and volatile while being grown and if they collide, it’s game over. It’s that easy.) runs on iPad. BUY NOW
	Redemption Cemetery: Children’s Plight Collector’s Edition – Price : $4.99 – Publisher – Big Fish Games (A warlock’s curse has trapped you in an otherworldly cemetery! Explore gorgeous Hidden Object scenes and save the children that the warlock has taken. Learn the history of the evil warlock and find a way to stop him before it is too late! Help other spirits find peace as they help you find useful items and overcome challenging obstacles in Redemption Cemetery: Children’s Plight!) runs iPad & iPhone. BUY NOW
	Abyss: The Wraiths Of Eden – Price : $2.99 – Publisher – G5 Entertainment (Ready to strap on your oxygen mask? Famed underwater explorer Robert Marceau has disappeared under mysterious circumstances, and now his fiancée must descend to the gloomy depths of the ocean to find him. Venture into unknown and unsettling waters to investigate the sunken city of Eden, now controlled by demons, find hidden objects and confront eerie sea monsters in this heart-pounding quest to save a missing diver!) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW
	Rails – Price : $2.99 – Publisher – Belight Software. (Introducing Rails, the official remake of Shortline Railroad, one of biggest and most addictive gaming sensations of the 90s! You’re controlling the railroad today! Build tracks and guide trains to their stations, keeping the rail yard collision-free. Control the railroad switches and signals to lead trains from Point A to Point B, raking in money and earning achievements along the way.) runs on iPhone & iPad. BUY NOW

There you have it folks, these games should keep you busy for quite some time, well till next week at least. I’ll be back next week for another dose of iOS goodness, in the meantime if anyone would also like to suggest their own suggestions, please feel free to share them in the comments section below or in the iOS forum section on the site here.

Remember kids, Play Hard Or Don’t Play At All!

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