The first story trailer for Gearbox Software’s claustrophobic corridor shooter, Aliens: Colonial Marines has just been revealed to the public. In it we get a glimpse behind the curtain at what players might expect when the game releases February 12th, 2013. While the story doesn’t exactly look like Shakespeare and the marine captain’s voice-over is pretty cringe-worthy, it appears that Gearbox are nailing the atmospheric side of things on the head. Environments are detailed and the infamous Xenomorphs look as creepy as ever, with all manner of spines, spikes and teeth at their disposal. All aboard the USS Solaco! Hoo-rah!
Aliens: Colonial Marines is currently set for release on February 12th, 2013 for PC, Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and the Nintendo Wii U. Players step into the boots of Corporal Winter as they battles a range of familiar and unique Aliens in their fight to uncover what happened to Hicks’ and his men (no points for guessing what) and Ripley herself. Without a HUD and armed only with a gun and your ever trusty motion tracker, Aliens: Colonial Marines looks to be finally shaping up for its close release date.
As you may already know, Vergil will appear in DmC Devil May Cry thanks to some DLC that Capcom has planned after the game’s release. However despite the fact that they revealed this info over a month and a half ago, Capcom has been reluctant to show Vergil in action.
Today that all changed when the company released the below gameplay trailer showing Vergil taking down a number of enemies with is unique combat style. Vergil will be free to anyone who pre-orders the game before it’s official release date of January 15th on the PS3 and Xbox 360 while the PC release for the game is set to drop on January 25th.
If you have been a fan of the K anime series you will be pleased to hear that the anime will be continuing sometime in the future. After the thirteenth episode of GoRA Project and Gohands’ K aired a few hours ago, it was announced, and first reported by 0takomu that a sequel will be produced sometime in the future.
Currently it is unknown when the second season of K will begin airing nor what the second season will be called. Perhaps K2? K’? L? Stranger naming has occurred in Japan. Either way, Viz Media currently holds the streaming license for the anime and English subtitled episodes of K can be viewed here.
Platforms: PC, Mac Release Date: December 2012 Price: $89.99 USD Manufacturer’s Site
Gaming mice is like the long sword of computer gaming. The sharp aggressive end of a gamer’s arsenal that people think of first when upgrading their gear. After all, as long as your shield absorbs the blows, who cares about it? Mionix has updated their flagship mouse, the Naos 5000 to the 8200. The new mouse has a more precise 8200 DPI laser sensor driven by a 32bit ARM processor running at 72mhz. The 8200 also features a cloth braided cable, customizable LEDs, 7 programmable buttons, and the ability to cycle between 3 user programmable DPI settings.
The Naos 8200 shares a similar physical body to the 5000 that is long and wide. The angle on the back of the mouse is not particularly aggressive, making it extremely comfortable for mouse users favouring the palm grip. There are two finger grooves on the right hand side of the mouse that are positioned at an extremely natural angle. However, due to the large size, claw grip gamers with small hands will find the mouse difficult to use unless they prefer higher DPI settings. The weight is extremely light, but the angle of the angle of the finger rests requires a more grip force than actually needed in relation to the weight to lift the mouse. Too little grip and I found the mouse slipping out of my hand. Curiously, there were no extra weights that could be added to the mouse to customize to your preference. Many gaming mice at this price point tend to bundle several weights to tweak a light mouse to user preferences and this idea of “one mouse fits all” is starting to come to an end in this day and age.
The mouse is covered in a silky smooth rubber coating that is extremely pleasant to feel. I detected no manufacturing defects in the coating. The bottom of the mouse has four very large PTFE (also known as Teflon) mouse feet. One of the pros of such a large set of feet is that it spreads the inevitable wear across a larger surface providing longer life span. But if you buy cheap PTFE tape to stick on the bottom of the mouse, the common thin width tape will not be enough to cover the feet.
The buttons click with a pleasant feedback. The mouse wheel sits low on the mouse and is on the tighter end of the spectrum. I found it requires a little more force to manipulate than I am used to.
The wire of the mouse is soft and covered in a soft braided material. I favour this type of wire for mice because the wires tend to be more flexible and tend to catch less on random things on my desk compared to rubber. The USB cable is topped off with a gold plated plug.
The mouse sensor performed admirably in my testing for the most part. My mouse pad can be rather fussy with highly accurate laser sensors and the Naos 8200 performed well. Unfortunately every few hours of use I noticed that the mouse would go a little crazy once in a while during gaming. If it was a first person shooter, it’d force my camera view up and start spinning wildly in circles. Lifting up the mouse and finding a new spot on the mouse pad would fix the problem. For reference, when I checked the Surface Quality Analyzer Tool on the mouse’s drivers, I would get an 80% rating for surface quality.
The drivers that come with the Naos 8200 are good but pretty standard for gaming mice. The drivers are laid out in a clean and easy to navigate manner. Five profiles can be programmed into the mouse, but the profiles must be switched manually by either opening up the software or assigning a macro to one of the mouse buttons. Strangely, right clicking the driver’s icon in the system tray does not allow the user to switch profiles from there. This needs to be addressed in future iterations of the mouse drivers. The mouse is plug and play ready. The drivers really do not need to be installed unless you wish to tweak with the bindings and profiles on the mouse.
The macro recorder works well and allows for the creation of rather complex macros. The sensor performance tool allows for a good amount of tweaking, allowing for X and Y axis sensitivity, polling rate, pointer speed, and lift tracking distance to be adjusted. Unfortunately there are only three DPI settings that can be assigned and I wish there was more. However, I do like the fact the mouse displays the current DPI preset on the side of the mouse. The driver also has an excellent Surface Quality Analyzer Tool that will put an end to any question of “is my mousing surface laser friendly?”
There is an incredible amount of control of the lighting on the mouse through the drivers. Specific LEDs can be shut off, set to different lighting effects, and my favourite part is the fact light colours can be selected from a list of default colours or inputted specifically with an RGB value. The colouring on the mouse transitions smoothly, but the LEDs in the scroll wheel are not diffused properly. There is an extremely bright light that can be uncomfortable to look at directly.
Overall, the Mionix Naos 8200 is a solid workhorse mouse. It is extremely comfortable to hold as a right handed palm grip gamer, has a decent set of drivers backing it up, and a strong laser sensor. Priced at $89.99 USD, the Naos 8200 is on the higher end of the spectrum from gaming mice. When pitted against similar priced mice, the Naos has all the standard features. However, the mouse lacks anything special or unique feature that sets it apart from the rest of the pack. If you are looking for a comfortable, no nonsense right handed mouse for a palm grip gamer, the Naos 8200 is an excellent contender for your money.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Shakugan no Shana: Season 2 Part 1 Studio: J.C. Staff Publisher:FUNimation Format: Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack Release Date: December 18, 2012 Price:$69.98 – Available Here
Overview: Anytime something is delayed, people can be upset at first but they will usually always understand the reason why something was delayed. That being said, the second season of Shakugan no Shana suffered quite a number of setbacks since it originally aired five years ago in 2007. Thanks to the original license holder being shut down, the series was in limbo before being acquired by FUNimation.
However thanks to the shift in licensing the English release of anime was delayed indefinitely until just this month when the second season of Shakugan no Shana finally became available six years after season 1 (the review for Season 1 can be found here). With a whole new cast, can fans look forward to entering the world of Shakugan no Shana once more?
Story: Shakugan no Shana Season 2 Part 1 picks up a few days or weeks after the events that occurred when Yuji was saved from the Bal Masque organization by Shana. We join Yuji on his way to school as if it was any normal day, however when he notices that cherry blossom petals are falling at an unusual time of the year and his friends seem to ignore certain questions of his, he begins to wonder if something is amiss.
He doesn’t have to wonder for long however as old enemies begin to appear and he realizes that he has been trapped within a dream by an evil Denizen who is seeking the Midnight Lost Child. While he realizes this and does manage to overcome this Denizen with the help of Shana, a new mysterious fact is revealed about Yuji, that his Midnight Lost Child power is being protected from within him by something called a “Keeper.”
As Shana’s servant and assistant Wilhelmina searches for what this may mean for Yuji and Shana, the cast takes the rest of the first half of Shakugan no Shana Season 2 off. Well, not quite to be exact but unfortunately viewers may see this as such thanks to the fact that outside of a few plot points being revealed here and there and a minor confrontation, nearly all of the twelve episodes found within Part 1 of Season 2 are as poorly paced as can be.
In fact, Shakugan no Shana Season 2 Part 1 manages to dangle plenty of interesting developments in front of the viewer and then snatch them away for later use in Part 2 of the season. While this is fine as this usually helps make those plot points all the more important, that cannot be done with practically everything interesting and new within the first half of a season.
What viewers will get instead is plenty of slice-of-life melodrama as the always tsundere Shana tries to overcome her own personality and try to express her feelings for Yuji while her rival in love, Kazumi Yoshida, works openly to try and earn Yuji’s affections. With the tsundere flavoring of Shana added to the standard romance slice-of-life, the events are usually rather interesting at first, but wear thin after multiple episodes of the same thing.
I mean, don’t get me wrong. Slice of life shows are great in their own right and Shana’s tsundere attitude is a major draw still for myself and fans alike, however Shakugan no Shana’s habit of presenting multiple enemies, plot points and developments only to focus on Yuji and Shana’s relationship and the love triangle they are involved in. While there is some development with the side-characters, viewers may feel like the show is simply stuck in a rut as they watch episode after episode of awkward teenagers trying to sort out their feelings in a world with supernatural happenings that pop up occasionally.
In fact, the focal point of Shakugan no Shana Season 2’s first half is the jealousy that begins to build within Shana as not only does she see Yoshida as a rival for Yuji’s affections, but a new mysterious girl named Fumina Konoe begins to take up all of his time and attention as she relies on him for everything. While the haunting similarity of Konoe to one of their worst enemies only bares a brief examination, Shana and Yoshida try to overcome their jealousy overtakes the rest of the season.
Despite the extremely poor pacing focusing more time than necessary on Shana and Yuji’s relationship, there are plenty of things that can lead into Part 2 of Shakugan no Shana Season 2 being great. In fact, the last minute or so of Part 1 focuses on presenting the new big bad that will probably take up a decent segment of Shakugan no Shana Season 2’s second half, but unfortunately that leaves the first half with plenty of fun times with Shana and the group that begin to wear thin amidst the series’ poor pacing.
Visuals: As far as video quality goes, you may remember that I mentioned that this series originally aired back in 2007 and while overall, the animation techniques used by JC Staff have remained rather consistent and impressive at times, the series does show its age overall. This means that the Blu-ray offering of the show doesn’t see many improvements over the basic DVD version also found in the package, which is unfortunate but thanks to the impressive detail that JC Staff managed to work into many of the scenes throughout the first half of the show.
The character design remains impressively well done especially whenever the Shana enters into her Flame Haze mode or any action sequences spring up and whenever the action picks up viewers are in for a real treat. That being said, thanks to the fact that much of Part 1 revolves around basic events and slice-of-life events, the animation can be inconsistent at times, hitting high points for major scenes then losing a lot of that quality whenever the characters step away from these key points and into the slow-paced melodrama that Part 1 of Season 2 focuses almost entirely on.
Audio: Now although it was great for FUNimation to re-release the first season of Shakugan no Shana on Blu-ray a few months before this release so fans can experience the title in Blu-ray, there is a major set-back here. Thanks to the fact that season 1 of Shakugan no Shana was dubbed by Geneon back in 2006, FUNimation was not able to retain the same voice actors and actresses for season 2. As such, viewers will be in for a bit of a shock when they start up season 2.
That being said, the new English dub by FUNimation isn’t half bad despite a few characters transitioning poorly between voice work. The reason for this is because Cherami Leigh does an unbelievable job voicing Shana and actually eclipses the original voice for the character, Tabitha Germain. Considering how iconic her Japanese voice actress Rie Kugimiya is, Leigh provides an excellent job matching the tsundere personality of the character and tone of voice.
Unfortunately the new voice for the main character Yuji, which is done by Josh Grelle doesn’t really fit the personality of the character and is a far cry from the original voice. While it may grow on viewers as they watch part one, it still is nearly impossible to make the connection between the voice and the character. Also it is worth noting that Alastor’s (new name pronunciation, more on that in a moment) Kent Williams does his best matching the original voice work but unfortunately falls short. As I just mentioned, a number of terms and even people have had their name’s pronunciations shifted since the original dub, which may or may not be correct but it is something to note.
As far as background music goes, Shakugan no Shana Season 2 Part 1 has a rather forgetful set of background music though that may be due to the fact that nearly all of the tracks are focused around the slice-of-life aspect Part 1 focuses on. As far as opening and ending tracks go, the opening track is “Joint” by Kawada while the ending song is also by Kawada and is called “triangle.” Both tracks are enjoyable to listen to and have been paired with impressive animation sequences that help accentuate the song.
Extras: Part 1 of the second season of Shakugan no Shana actually comes with quite a lot as far as bonus features go. There are your standard inclusions such as a clean version of the opening and ending sequences, trailers for other FUNimation shows, the US trailer for the series and one episode commentary.
However there are a number of other supplementary materials as well in the form of Japanese dubbed only tracks. These bonuses are the promo videos and DVD commercials for Season 2 as well as the Naze Nani Shana II set of bonuses which explain four of the newly introduced terms in Part 1 and two Shakugan no Shana-Tan sequences which see a small chibi version of Shana taking part in various scenes from the series for comedic effect. It is worth noting however that the second Shana-Tan video does include scenes from Part 2 so viewers may want to avoid minor scene spoilers.
As for the commentary, it is for episode 1 and features the ADR Engineer Chris George as the host, Cherami Leigh the new voice of Shana and Josh Grelle who voices Yuji. The three spend a lot of time discussing the events of the episode and note that this is George’s first commentary. This commentary is rather enjoyable and Cherami mentions how much she enjoyed voicing Shana and how the group spent time studying the first season to try and make the transition to the new cast smoother.
Overall: While Shakugan no Shana Season 2 may be able to capitalize on the fact that there is plenty of romantic events and character development to be had between Yuji and Shana as they live out their less than normal lives, the poor handling of these events lead to Part 1 of this season make even the most interesting of characters and delightfully tsundere female lead feel tiresome.
It helps slightly that the second season of Shakugan no Shana features some impressive, albeit aged, animation and a new English cast that hits hard with Shana’s new voice actress. Though it is still worth noting that Yuji’s voice actor feels poorly suited for the character. Ultimately the first half of Shakugan no Shana Season 2 leaves us with plenty of potential for the second half of the season and by the time fans finish watching Part 1, they’ll be more than eager to finally get to the meat of things.
Darksiders II Developer: Vigil Games Publisher: THQ Platform: Nintendo Wii U (Reviewed), Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC Release Date: November 18, 2012 Price: $59.99 – BUY NOW
Overview
Darksiders II is yet another launch port-job for the Wii U, giving Nintendo fans a taste of what their new console can do. Sure, we know this sequel was already solid, but this version attempts to be the superior journey of Death, boasting some fresh Gamepad features and extras that are exclusive to the Wii U. Does this port live up to expectations, or is this one port that is better off…dead? Grab your Scythes and prepare for darkness as we give you the rundown on Darksiders II for the Wii U.
Story
Darksiders II starts off heavy, letting players take the role of Death as he sets out to clear his brother’s name (War, for those who have yet to player the first title) for causing the extinction of mankind. Yes, dealing with the apocalypse and attempting to revive an entire race is a great task to partake in, but that’s where the charms of Darksiders II can be found. This game takes every risk in terms of creating an “epic” narrative, and executes it’s story by creating larger than life (quite literally) allies and antagonists alike.
Death himself is also quite likable, equipped with a quick temper and no-nonsense attitude that fits perfectly in this chaotic realm. There are a few times where the plot gets a bit too carried away and starts heading into a territory of camp due to the over-the-top events that take place on this quest, but if you played the first Darksiders and enjoyed every bit of it, this sequel’s own comedic madness should serve as one satisfying dish.
Gameplay
While this is a new game entirely, Darksiders II still carries with it the game core mechanics of it’s predecessor, only improving on elements to fit within the much bigger environments that Death will do battle in. Imagine the quick, parkour seen in Assassin’s Creed, with the hack and slash combat from God of War. Throw in a little Legend of Zelda puzzle solving, and you have the formula that gives Darksiders II it’s heartbeat. Most of you I imagine have already trekked through both titles by now, but those getting the Wii U version should know that the combat is just as polished as it ever was, and those exciting boss battles, quick time events, and well rounded dungeons all have made the transition into the new console effortlessly.
With the much bigger Gamepad controller, one might be concerned that a lot of the inputs would be at foul to a confusing button interface, but yet again, Death is as easy to control as he ever was and the analog controls do wonders to keep that sometimes messy camera in check during platforming bouts where precision is requirement. Are you going to die due to the rigid camera? Probably not. I did have quite a few occasions however that led me pouncing into the wrong direction due to the somewhat jerky and hard to place camera perspective. Jumping from one ledge to the next is still a pretty simple task that requires hardly any effort though – as long as you have the patience to learn some of the trickier jumps as Death rides up the walls of dungeons and ridges of mountainous landscapes.
The combat within Darksiders II is the true star of the experience, as at the heart of this game lies one of the most polished hack and slash titles we have seen this generation. Death wields two scythes that can slice up a foe in seconds, and the execution of the said attack comes off as both fluid and flawless. These blades can see upgrades in strength as well, opening up new combos and possibilities for attack, keeping the combat fresh and relevant throughout. A secondary weapon can also be obtained such as a hammer or claws, offering the player some new battle techniques that can be used for much more powerful enemies. Some weapons (such as the hammer) will take a tradeoff of speed for extra power, while others rely on Death’s own agility to properly utilize. It’s a well thought out arsenal for our dark hero, and the Gamepad’s screen compliments the experience by adding in convenience as a nice bonus.
The Wii U’s Gamepad acts as your hub for Darksiders II. In-game menus, inventory systems, and maps can all be accessed with a simple tap, and changing out attires has never been easier. As an example – say you find a new set of armor. Instead of flipping through a convoluted menu, the player simply presses the “Inventory” selection and taps on a specific piece of armor that they desire. Before the selection, you can see the stats and strengths of the soon-to-be equipped item, where it can then be applied without even stopping the action. I know looking down at the map on the Gamepad might seem minor as well, but I must say I was nothing short of impressed with how well the touchscreen works while selecting a locale to view – and again, not interrupting the main game on the television while doing so is another major benefit of this version.
As fans of the first game know, this series of sorts (let’s hope there is another sequel) boasts a good number of RPG elements to give a bit of power to the player. As I mentioned, Death’s weapons can be upgraded and swapped out at will, allowing the player to have a hefty variety of customization options. As the minions of hell are torn apart, Death will also start to gain experience points that can be used to level up his many abilities. Two stat trees grant this protagonist extra power in combat (Harbinger), or let him rise the dead to fight alongside him during crowded bouts (Necromancer). As the game progresses, these abilities become more advanced and do a great job of delivering a nice change of pace.
With all of that, you would think Darksiders II would be the perfect game. Yes, it’s good, but the actual quests hold it back from true greatness. A good portion of the main questline is made up of fetch quests. I like the occasional fetch quest in my action titles, but this game seems to overuse the concept entirely. You just beat a deep dungeon, took on a epic boss, and came out the victor. The item you were seeking was obtained. What is your reward? “Now go find this item”. Now, this sort of works with the plot and there are some interesting side missions to partake in while completing the main narrative, but I can’t help but feel that some of these quests were just used as padding to make use of a well thought out boss battle. Sure, the reward is still there, but it never is truly satisfying until those credits roll at the end.
The game also seems to lose focus as it progresses on, stamping in a shooter portion that was probably inserted to deliver some change, but only comes across as an awkward and frustrating chore that doesn’t fit into the core experience. I know, it’s not just Darksiders II that does this. Remember those fond memories of riding the rocket in Bayonetta or taking down the Starship Destroyer in The Force Unleashed? Yeah, neither do we.
Visuals and Audio
The scope of the many environments within Darksiders II are truly something to behold. I had many occasions during hectic events where I still had to stop and take in the beauty that Vigil Games offer up in this installment, as each location is large and gorgeous, pushing the Wii U up to it’s current competition easily and allowing the player to get a full atmospheric grip on their surroundings. A lot can also be said about the character/enemy models within the game. The style may seem a bit cartoon-ish due to the dark events that are taking place in the plot, but Darksiders II uses that aesthetic to it’s own advantage, making the player feel as if they are controlling Death in a living graphic novel – full of robust colors and textures that are sure to please the eye.
The soundtrack of this sequel also offers a lot, providing melodic, peaceful, and sometimes haunting tunes that give the main game a beautiful backdrop. Michael Wincott’s performance of Death is also exceptional, as he adds a layer of emotion to the otherwise fearful deity, making his struggle feel somewhat human. As mentioned, the other personalities of the game are also on key, which is mainly due to their own voicework that allow this cast to come out as the over-the-top personas that the portray.
Overall
Darksiders II is an all-out epic that deserves a lot more credit than what it received earlier this year, as it truly pushes the boundaries of what the action genre is all about. This version features some clever usage of the Gamepad that future titles such as Bayonetta 2 (and dare I say even Zelda) need to take note of, while delivering the same exciting experience we seen on consoles earlier this year – ending in one solid, if not still slightly flawed package as a whole. While THQ’s own future might seem grim, knowing that this fine swan song is available on a Nintendo console is quite nice, and those who have yet to see Death’s engrossing journey should definitely consider this ultimately more convenient option.
Fludity was an overlooked gem on the WiiWare a couple of years back, and now Nintendo is giving the IP another go with a portable follow-up by the name of Fluidity: Spin Cycle. This physics-based platformer of sorts will have the player control the element of water throughout several stages, utilizing the environment to progress.
Yes, it all looks rather charming still – and the 3DS’ features seem to come into play nicely to compliment the experience. Nintendo released a launch trailer for the game, as it’s due to out December 27th on the eShop – which you can check out below.
Every now and then a game with a true social mission comes along. Enter The Adventures of Rubberkid – an Adobe Flash game being developed to teach children how terrible the act of bullying is by “bouncing insults back at the bullies who hurl them.”
Despite being placed on Kickstarter throughout the Christmas season, Rubberkid reached it’s project funding goal of $750 with three days left to go. With the primary goal reached, the stretch goals have had their dollar amounts cut down quite a bit. The next goal would cost $1,200 and would be aimed at translating the game into Spanish. If $1,600 can be raised, the game will also be translated into French.
If you’ve ever suffered at the hands of a bully or know someone who has, then you’ll understand why developer Charles Jackson is aiming to bring this important message to the world.
If you’re interested in backing the project or just interested in checking it out, you can check out Rubberkid‘s Kickstarter page.
The browser based, free to play MMO Dark Expanse is looking to grow its universe a little bit more with the addition of a brand new galaxy in the form of Andromeda 3, which is to be added at the start of the new year, January 1st, 2013. The new galaxy has been designed to not only fit with a relaxed gameplay style, but add new features as well. The new features include a new dynamic event called “Rescue the Natives” allowing players to save, ignore, or take over native races on a planet and seven new NPC races for which to hopefully add a bit more variety of those you can save, ignore, or take over.
Besides the game additions, developers Deorc Enterprise have announced the “Refer a Friend” contest where the winner will receive a signed copy of “The Clone Sedition” by Steven L. Kent. The contest ends January 31st, so those interested should definitely join in and invite their friends by checking out their website HERE.
It appears that NIS America may have a small problem keeping their information close to the chest, or at least Crunchyroll might. Earlier today it was revealed by Crunchyroll that the Love Live! anime which will begin airing next month on January 8th would be streamed on their service, some people noticed that Crunchyroll had listed NIS as the publisher.
NIS America quickly announced their licensing of the product, though currently no information about their plans for the series have been revealed, though it is worth noting that NIS America always provides English subtitles to Japanese voice work and considering the fact that Love Live! is an “Idol” anime, this may actually be preferable thanks to the fact that there will likely be a large amount of Japanese songs used throughout the series.
As for the show itself, Love Live! follows the story of a group of nine female students who are trying to save their school from being closed down. In an effort to do so they come up with the idea of forming a pop idol group to raise their school’s popularity to avoid the shutdown. A Japanese trailer for the anime can be found below.
