It seems every major video game franchise is going for the episodic story build-up before release, and Crysis 3 looks to be no different. Today, it was announced that renowned filmmaker Albert Hughes will be teaming up with Crytek to create an online, episodic web series by the name of “The 7 Wonders of Crysis 3”.
This series will have a narrative to set the player up for the events within the upcoming title, as well as introduce new enemies, weapons, and lush scenery. You can check out the teaser below, which details a bit of what we can expect from the 7 Wonders series, which will launch on 12/12/12.
WWE ’13 is pretty damn good, as stated in our recent review. That roster was already mammoth, but as promised, the first wave of DLC has hit consoles and can be downloaded as of today to further the number of playable Superstars.
For those curious, here is what this pack holds:
Playable WWE Superstars: Ryback, Drew McIntyre, Tensai, and Yoshi Tatsu Playable WWE Divas: AJ Lee and Natalya Alternate Attire: Undertaker “Ministry of Darkness” Championship Title Pack – 10 new championships from WWE, WCW, ECW and AWA Undertaker’s “Ministry of Darkness” alternate attire will be available free of charge
The Championship Title Pack is priced at $1.99 or 160 Microsoft Points, while every other Superstar – sans Ministry Taker can be purchased for 80 points (or $.99) each. If you already have the Fan Axcess pass, all you have to do is download the whole lot today, as that pass grants you all future DLC as well as the offerings listed below.
Fan Axxess Program Exclusive: Legendary WWE Superstars Diamond Dallas Page and Goldust “Attitude Era” Superstars Pack
“Attitude Era” Superstars Rikishi, Scotty 2 Hotty, Grand Master Sexay, Gangrel and Val Venis Accelerator – enables players to unlock all in-game items, as well as customize individual WWE Superstar attributes
WWE Superstars Pack (as outlined above) You’re Welcome in Five Languages Pack
WWE Superstars Antonio Cesaro, Damien Sandow, Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso WWE Diva Layla “Attitude Era” Legends Brian Pillman and Chainsaw Charlie Moves Pack – 20 new moves, including the Lionsault (made popular by Chris Jericho) and the Kimura Lock (made popular by Brock Lesnar)
Those who are fans of Journey will know that composer Austin Wintory has been nominated for a Grammy for Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media. Journey will battle it out against the likes of cinematic scores from The Dark Knight Rises, Hugo, and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.
It’s always a feat when a development team make a product that goes past it’s “video game” marketplace, but to be ranked into a different category is considered to beeven bigger is one huge step in having our art respected by all. You can check out the full list of nominees here, and check back in February, as Journey very well could take home that Grammy.
Normally when I hear the news of another Wii U port, I am a bit resistant to jump for joy as the platform seems ready for more exciting and original projects. With this port news however, I am quite giddy as Zen Studios have announced that Zen Pinball 2 will be released on the eShop this month. Sure, we all know and love Zen Pinball and it’s many tables, but the Wii U version has a few extra features up it’s sleeve, as well as all of the gameplay fans are familiar with.
Features include:
Unprecedented table visuals and the most advanced ball physics on Wii U
Trial version for all tables, try them out before you buy!
Local Hotseat multiplayer, and fast paced Split-screen multiplayer game modes
Action cameras to guide and emphasize spectacular moments
Ranking support for all tables, National Ranking, and Worldwide tournaments
Continue playing on the Wii U GamePad if the TV is occupied!
Robust social features with Challenges, Pro Score, and Team Score. It’s up to you to become the Pinball Champion!
Awards for each table
Regular table releases through the Nintendo eShop
Zen Pinball 2 is a free download for any user on the Nintendo eShop on Wii U, featuring demos of each table.
Zen Pinball 2 on Wii U will release with a huge content library available, including three Marvel Pinball packs, a collection of Zen Studios’ original designs, and several individual tables:
Zen Classic Pack featuring Tesla, El Dorado, V12, Shaman
Marvel Pinball featuring Spider-Man, Wolverine, Blade and Iron Man
Marvel Pinball: Avengers Chronicles featuring Marvel’s The Avengers, Infinity Gauntlet, World War Hulk, Fear Itself
Individual DLC Tables: Plants vs. Zombies, Excalibur, Earth Defense, Sorcerer’s Lair, Paranormal, Mars, Epic Quest, Captain America, Fantastic Four
Pretty awesome, right? The Wii U’s Gamepad and Zen Pinball are a match made in heaven, and this will be yet another version of the award winning title that all must snag up when it releases sometime this month. Stay tuned, as when Zen Studios come forward with a more official date, we will be sure to bring you an update. Watch the new trailer down below to hold you over until then.
Two new skins are available for purchase this day at your local Riot Store! Arclight Varus gives us a glimpse of what he may have appeared to be before his demonic transformation. While it is sad such a champion has succumbed to evil temptations due to the loss of his family, at least we can imagine the goodly power that once embedded this man’s soul before it was pierced by darkness. This skin can be purchased for 975 Riot Points.
Next up is the skin for Eternum Nocturne. Considered to be the collection of all future nightmares, Eternum Nocturne has been bidding his time to enter the Fields of Justice. Featuring a combination of biological and technological themes, this being can rip through realities to pierce opponents with deadly blades. Be careful, those that pick up this skin for 1820 Riot Points mean business. Jungling will never be the same…
Log on to your summoner account to take advantage of these new skins or download League of Legends (here) to get started.
Virtua Fighter 2 Publisher: SEGA
Developer: Sega AM2
Platforms: Xbox 360 (Reviewed), PlayStation 3
Release Date: 28/11/2012
Price: $4.99 PSN & 400 Microsoft Points (buy here)
Overview:
The original Virtua Fighter game is widely regarded as the true origin of the 3D fighting genre. From a graphical and technological standpoint, it did things no other game dreamed of doing at the time. It may look like a laughable blocky mess now, but back then, these character models and fighting animations looked really realistic (not that people were blocky polygons back in the 90s). It didn’t just rely on this ground-breaking engine (which was powered by the primitive Sega Model 1 arcade system board), as it also provided a fighting experience completely unlike contemporary (2D) fighting games from that time. There were no fire balls or grotesque mutilations, as it instead attempted to offer a realistic fighting simulation, featuring real world fighting styles that were animated and choreographed with a great deal of accuracy (for its time at least). As influential and important this release is still regarded to be, it wasn’t until the second game that the Virtua Fighter series really shot to gaming stardom.
By the time Virtua Fighter 2 came around, Sega had already developed the far more powerful Model 2 technology, and as a result the second game ended up going leaps and bounds ahead of the debut title in all respects. The gap between Virtua Fighter 2 and Virtua Fighter was simply astounding. It was almost as if the first game was an in-house alpha build for Virtua Fighter 2.
Virtua Fighter 2 did for the 3D fighting genre what Street Fighter II did for 2D fighting. It’s a game that really set the benchmark, and became the gold standard to beat. It laid the very foundation for modern 3D fighting games, and its influences can still be experienced in recent blockbuster fighting releases like Dead or Alive 5.
While subsequent Virtua Fighter titles have evolved the template over the years, more recently with Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown (released this year), the fact of the matter is that the series truly struck gold with Virtua Fighter 2. From a mechanical, gameplay, and technical standpoint, it is simply timeless. In the same manner that Street Fighter II continues to have a place in the current gaming landscape, a game like Virtua Fighter 2 also deserves to be recognised and celebrated, not simply for nostalgic reasons, but on the basis of its merits.
A smash arcade hit, with an even more successful Sega Saturn port, now comes to digital platforms with a HD coat of paint and a fully functioning online mode. In the recent trifecta of Sega AM2 fighting releases (which included Fighting Vipers and Sonic the Fighters), Virtua Fighter 2 is easily the best one.
Visuals and Audio:
It’s pointless to criticize the graphics of a game that is over a decade old based on current standards, so instead I’m going to put things into a more appropriate context. During it’s time, Virtua Fighter 2 was the best looking and performing fighting game. It was a game that would squeeze every drop of potential that the Model 2 technology offered, in order to create one of the best technical, and graphical, showcases of that era. The amount of detail in the polygons, the fluidity of the animation, the frame-rate, the hit detection and collision, and everything about the graphical and technical prowess of Virtua Fighter 2 resoundingly surpassed its competition. If you have a swing at any of the old selection of 3D fighting games from that time (games like Tekken 2, Tekken 3, Dead or Alive, Bloody Roar, and Soul Edge), you’d be hard pressed to find anything that looks as good as Virtua Fighter 2.
The character models may look blocky now, but they look amazing considering that this really was the peak of that particular technology. Not only that, but they animate with a great deal of precision and fluidity, performing real world fighting styles with sound realism. Every movement, every attack, every strike, is just so well defined and well executed. While many 3D fighters from that time suffered from awkward clipping and weird polygon collisions, Virtua Fighter 2 had an unmatched level of polish.
Above everything else, Virtua Fighter 2 still has the best frame-rate compared to 3D fighters from that time or even today. It runs at a blistering fast and beautiful 60 frames per second in high resolution, without a single hitch. It’s as perfect a frame-rate you will ever experience in any 3D fighting game, making it a very sublime experience. Best of all, this HD release is easily the most perfect looking and performing version of Virtua Fighter 2, and you can’t help but appreciate such a flawless and effective utilisation of the old technology. Old school 3D games visually don’t age nearly as well as their 2D brethren, but Virtua Fighter 2 is easily among the exceptions.
Virtua Fighter 2 features one of the most memorable soundtracks that Sega has ever produced. It easily has the best soundtrack in the Virtua Fighter series, featuring charmingly simple and catchy tunes that stay in your head. It’s varied, exhibits a lot of cultural influences, but more importantly it’s the classic 90s arcade sound with plenty of cool guitar riffs, thumping bass, synth-heavy techno beats, and some epic keyboards. Listen to the tracks like the dramatic (and manly) Ride the Tiger or even Dream Emperor of God and Fisherman from Seven Seas to get a taste of this enjoyable score.
Gameplay:
Just like how Street Fighter II continues to receive praise for still being the most fine-tuned, polished and refined 2D fighting game today, similarly Virtua Fighter 2 is as well defined and pristine a 3D fighting game can get it. Mechanically it is spot on, courtesy of the amazing frame-rate and precise hit detection. The controls feel so instinctively responsive, and it handles even better than Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown. Virtua Fighter 2 is one of those games that needs to be experienced to be believed, and as soon as you pick up the controller and literally melt into its superb fighting engine, you will understand why this game was (and still should be) such a big deal.
In terms of gameplay, Virtua Fighter 2 is a truly intelligent and deliciously methodological fighting game, and it almost feels like you’re experiencing a fighting simulator. I can best describe it as a thinking man’s fighting game, one that encourages players to execute their offence with tact, as every movement and motion you make during bouts is crucial. If you’re going to go in mashing buttons and hammer away with random/repetitive attacks then you will be punished harshly for it, as this is a fighting game that’s all about smart execution of your repertoire, and not about being able to pull off the longest and fanciest looking combos.
The character selection may be small here, but their play styles are tremendously different from each other. They each have an immense selection of moves and techniques, and more importantly they each demand a unique play style approach. Most fighting games allow you to apply the same basics with all of the playable characters, but Virtua Fighter 2 really forces you to understand and appreciate the unique intricacies of each fighter. The fighting approach you use with a character like Jacky is vastly different from the defensive and counter-based style of Akira. The depth in this roster is staggering and clearly demonstrates how the game was so far ahead of its time. Best of all, the character balance is perfect, bringing it all down to skill and wit.
While the control scheme may feel simple, the fighting engine is anything but, as this is a very fluid and effortless combat system, one that continues to be emulated by games like Dead or Alive 5. Bouts in this game are quick, effective, and all about reactive play and timely execution. It may sound like a dense and complicated game designed for hard-core players, but it is far from it. Instead it’s actually more like Street Fighter II, where it feels like a game of rock, paper, and scissors. Subsequent Virtua Fighter games would get increasingly complex, but Virtua Fighter 2 is far more approachable while still offering compelling depth for those who want to go the extra mile.
The only aspect of the gameplay that most likely won’t sit well today is the lack of fluid 3D movement. Don’t get me wrong, Virtua Fighter 2 is as 3D as they come, but it doesn’t have the full 3D movement that was first prominently introduced in Fighters Megamix and later really defined and perfected in the original Soul Calibur. That said it’s not something that will really ruin the experience for anyone, as the game offers plenty of evasive and dashing manoeuvres to keep the flow of battles interesting.
The HD release has the arcade version in all its glory, looking and performing better than ever. The online mode on offer here is amazing, there are some minor hitches but nothing that really harms the flow of the battle, and in general it performs really well. The best part is that this game seems to have an active community right now. It’s very easy to find a variety of opponents, and hopefully the quality of this title and the network mode will lure more players in, and perhaps bring old school fans out of the woodwork. It truly deserves a thriving community.
As it was in the case of Fighting Vipers and Sonic the Fighters, this HD release of Virtua Fighter 2 is arcade perfect, and so it is devoid of extra single player modes like a much needed training/practice mode. Having a training mode of some sort really would have been useful, especially for new comers, given how there is so much to learn and study. That being said, I suppose it does recreate the experience of traditional arcade gaming where players would be provided with a move list, and basically learn to properly implement those by doing. With so many opponents online at the moment, it’s quite fun learning as you go along and it really recaptures the magic of gaming at the arcades during the 90s. If you really must, you could always look for a cheap copy of the Saturn or PC port of the game, and put some hours into the training mode there.
Overall:
Virtua Fighter 2 is one of the most important video games ever produced, and a true hallmark for 3D fighting games. For a measly five dollars, you get to experience a timeless masterpiece with a fully functional online multiplayer mode to boot. Every gamer needs to purchase Virtua Fighter 2, and given its generously cheap price, there is simply no excuse to not to pick this one up and create an active and thriving online community for it. You can gloat about your Tekken Tag Tournament 2 and Marvel vs. Capcom 3 all you want, but you haven’t experienced a real virtual fight until you play Virtua Fighter 2.
Ubisoft and RedLynx are pleased to announce that players of Trials Evolution will get to see a second DLC, Riders of Doom, just before the end of the world. For only 400 MSP, you will be able to tear it up in the “Big Sand Lands” landscape (40 new tracks) inspired by the end of the world. More skill games have been added to fulfill the ridiculousness anticipation of insane obstacles, and the level editor has received some bonus content to make such attempts happen.
Check out the Trials Evolution DLC 2 trailer below to see the coming of what appears to be the end of the world. And so appropriately named, the Riders of Doom…
The anime adaptation of the popular Attack on Titan manga which was accidentally announced yesterday, has now been officially confirmed along with cast and staff details. The Attack on Titan anime is set to premiere in Spring 2013 with production being handled by Wit Studio in collaboration with Production I.G.
In terms of casting, it has been announced that Yuuki Kaji will play the role of protagonist Eren, Yui Ishikawa will play Mikasa and Marina Inoue will play Armin. The series will be directed by Tetsuo Araki, famous for directing the Death Note anime series.
Attack on Titan focuses on a world in which man-eating giant titans have killed more than half the worlds population causing humans to isolate themselves within walled cities. The first promotional artwork for the anime was also revealed and can be seen to the right.
What do you think of these new details on the Attack on Titan anime series? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
EA Games have revealed that they plan on releasing the first downloadable content pack for Need For Speed: Most Wanted on December 19th. The DLC pack is titled ‘Ultimate Speed Pack’ and will give players access to 5 new vehicles.
The DLC pack features 5 of the fastest cars ever made which will undoubtedly help players looking for speed in a vehicle. The following cars will be able to be downloaded as part of the pack: Pagani Zonda R, McLaren F1LM, Lamborghini Aventador J and Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse.
If those cars interest you and you think you’d like to take them for a spin in Most Wanted, be sure to download the Ultimate Speed Pack on December 19th. Also be sure to let us know what you think of this DLC pack in the comments section below.
Tokyo Koen Studio:Showgate Publisher:Japan Foundation Format:Cinema (Japanese Film Festival) Release Date:Sydney – November 23, 2012, Melbourne – December 3, 2012, Canberra – December 8, 2013 Price:$17 – (Buy Here)
Overview: Every now and then a film comes along that leaves you feeling breathless. Tokyo Koen is one of those films, but not for the right reasons. It is a film that exists in a vacuum, completely airless, devoid of life. There is no heart to this film and it reallys serves as little more than a platform for director Shinji Aoyama to stroke his own ego with. The result is a messy, confusing and utterly bog-standard 2 hour slog of a film that will have you on the edge of your seat, getting ready to leave the theater and ask for a refund.
Story:
Tokyo Koen is bad, resoundingly so. Most of the blame for it’s inherent badness is it’s mess of a story. The film focuses on perennial pretty boy Koji, all the girls love him despite the fact that his personality most closely resembles that of an old plank of wood. He loves photography and has made a hobby out of taking candid photos in parks across Tokyo. One day he is offered a job by a strange man to follow a woman and photograph her. This is where things go awry.
Almost as soon as this plot begins the film forgets it entirely in favor of what really amounts to one nonsensical plot thread after another. If it had focused solely on the stalking plotline there may have been something interesting that could have come from it but instead Tokyo Koen decides to tell too many stories, none of which connect in any meaningful way or are engaging in the slightest. Plot’s tackled include Koji seeing the ghost of his childhood friend, Koji forming a brief incestual relationship with his sister, his step-mother falling ill, his biological mother actually dying, going to some homoerotic/transgender party and having an old man make a move on him and finally buying a red chair at IKEA.
Yes that’s just a brief summary of the plots within this film. It’s just so incredibly diluted Matters become worse when every single character seems to only speak in monologues about the nature of love and life. There is really no character in this film that doesn’t speak as if they are an old sage with wisdom beyond human capability. It’s awkward and clunky and decidedly forced. Without a doubt Aoyama himself wrote these lines, many of which amount to nothing more the pseudo-philosophical garbage. There isn’t any real characters per say, each character is just their to voice Aoyama’s views and agendas and he doesn’t even try to hide the fact.
The biggest problem with the film is the fact that even though there is far too much happening here, you leave the film feeling like nothing happened. The film ends with Koji and his friend who may end up becoming his lover, going to IKEA and buying a red swivel chair. Yes that is how this film ends. No explanation of why he could somehow see his childhood friends ghost, so real resolution to anything actually.
In the end this is a lifeless banal film that is ultimately inconsequential and not worth your time. The acting is pathetically bad and the plot never finds its footing, instead it is just a chaotic disaster of grand proportions. That said, this chaotic disaster is really so bad that it is hard not to laugh at Tokyo Koen and somewhat feel sorry for Aoyama. It is clear he tried to create a profound and touching film, instead he was far too heavy handed with his philosophies and couldn’t find any focus for it, that much is abundantly apparent.
Visuals and Audio:
Aesthetically Tokyo Koen feels very dry and devoid of life. It’s odd to say for a film that is set largely throughout a number of gorgeous parks. But Aoyama fails to capture the beauty of these parks, the direction is very poor and it only serves to make the parks feel artificial and not even anything close to natural. Somehow he managed to make something beautiful into something very ugly. How he could make a park seem uninviting and banal is beyond me.
The film’s soundtrack does it no favors either. It is deadset routine, without even a hint of creativity. All that is on show is your tried and true cheesy ‘heart-warming’ soundtrack that much like to rest of the film is just so lifeless. It feels as though Aoyama pushed so hard for this film to feel lively that it had to complete opposite effect.
Overall:
If you are looking for a laugh, then maybe give Tokyo Koen a look in. It is a laughably horrid film, that takes itself way too seriously. Aoyama seems to have it in his mind that his work is genius and through the countless pseudo-philosophical monologues spewed out by the ‘characters’ in this film we see that it is far from it. Tokyo Koen is like watching a train-wreck, no matter how horrifyingly bad it is, you just can’t look away.
If you love good film do not see Tokyo Koen. It is nothing more than insulting to viewer intelligence and an utter waste of anyone’s time. If the world is a park like Aoyama’s filibuster proposes then Tokyo Koen is the litter that you’d get fined for dropping.
The anime adaptation of the popular Attack on Titan manga which was 
