Today a few more details were revealed for Tecmo Koei’s Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge which will be one of the launch titles when the Wii U is released on November 18th. Not only is Razor’s Edge bringing back the dismemberment that fans of the series know so well, but they will be adding in a slew of new weapons to take out your enemies with. However you will need to be prepared for some stiff opposition as Team Ninja has made the enemies in Razor’s Edge more aggressive with improved AI and a higher level of difficulty.
Also, we’ve already heard that Ayane will be playable in Razor’s Edge, but we now know that there will be some free DLC characters released some time after the game is released, though who these characters may be is currently unknown. The company released a number of screenshots as well as a gameplay trailer today, both of which can be found below.
Cardcaptor Sakura Collection 1 Studio:Madhouse Publisher:Madman Entertainment Format:DVD (Subtitles Only) Release Date:September 5, 2012 Price:$59.95 – Available Here
Overview:
After overwhelming request to see this series released uncut, Madman Entertainment finally delivered. That’s right the massively popular Cardcaptor Sakura, more commonly known as Cardcaptors in the West, is now available completely uncut with it’s original Japanese audio for the first time with English subtitles.
Now don’t be confused, this isn’t the Cardcaptors you saw on TV as a kid, it’s close but an overall very different experience. The english dub whilst receiving good viewership was slammed by critics for it’s inaccuracy to the original Japanese version. For years fans of Cardcaptors have been wondering what they have been missing out on and now they can finally see the original series completely uncut in the way it was originally intended.
Story:
Cardcaptor Sakura is perhaps one of CLAMP’s most popular series and without a doubt one of the most globally renowned shoujo manga of all time. The anime itself which is of course based upon CLAMP’s original work is equally as popular and successful globally. But why is it that a shoujo manga like this has received such acclaim? The reason why Cardcaptor Sakura has proven itself to be such a success is quite simple really, it has something for everyone.
The series follows Sakura Kinomoto as she accidentally becomes a Cardcaptor, a person who must capture and protect the cards of the Book of Clow. Now wait a minute, a plot about monsters and cards? This sounds a little like a shounen series right? Right. Cardcaptor Sakura appeals to boys through it’s creatures, action and card battles, all popular aspects of series aimed to boys. But that’s not all that Cardcaptor Sakura offers, there is also romance. Sakura has a number of potential love interests in particular Syaoran Li and Yukito. Not only that but Sakura is a magical girl and transforms into a variety of different outfits. Wait a minute, suddenly this sounds like a shoujo again. That’s right it has aspects that will appeal to girls as well.
That is the ultimate strength that Cardcaptor Sakura has, it has mass appeal. Pretty much anyone can find something in this series they will enjoy. CLAMP did a brilliant job in crafting that balance and it works exceedingly well.
The uncut version of the series is much more deep in terms of character development and plot with a great deal of nuance from Madhouse. Sakura feels both familiar and fresh at the same time. Having previously watched the English dub, this Sakura feels decidedly different, in a good way. Whereas in the old English dub Sakura was constantly requiring the help of Syaoran Li to be able to do pretty much anything in this original version she is a much more stronger character that is very self-reliant. She doesn’t need to be saved all the time and most of the time she is the one doing the saving. It is great seeing this series with a new set of eyes.
Cardcaptor Sakura is hailed as a classic anime series for a reason. It is excellent in all regards. The characters are incredibly well defined and very likable. The plot is compelling and makes for a marathon-ready series with it’s addictive nature. This is a must see for fans of Cardcaptors wanting to see how things were originally meant to be.
This release features 35 episodes so you really are getting your money’s worth as that is around half of the entire series in one collection. It’s an impressive release to say the least but it ends in a spot leaving you wanting more, curse you Madman leaving us hungry for more Cardcaptor Sakura goodness. All in all this is a fun series that tells a story that just about anyone can enjoy and relate to.
Visuals and Audio:
Cardcaptor Sakura is a series nearing 15 years old, but you wouldn’t tell. After all this time the series still looks great. There is a reason people consider this to be one of Madhouse’s best series. It is a visual delight, with consistently amazing animation, with very few drops in quality throughout. The character designs also look great and are a good translation of CLAMP’s original designs in the manga. The real animation highlight however is the action sequences which range from good to utterly jaw dropping. Madhouse made a name for themselves with this series and it isn’t any wonder why after watching this.
This series also features an excellent soundtrack. The instantly classic ‘Catch Me Catch You’ will ingrain itself into your head, it is that infectious. It really is a great song that perfectly captures the whimsical spirit of Cardcaptor Sakura and makes for a great opener to each and every episode. The ending theme is also very good but not as memorable as ‘Catch Me Catch You’ though it is still very good in it’s own right. Besides the opening and ending themes the soundtrack in general is a great mood setter and still stands as one of the best shoujo anime soundtracks ever.
Extras:
Thank god this release has 35 episodes, because there is essentially next to nothing in terms of special features. Madman have only included a clean opening and ending with some trailers. Which would be disappointing if this collection wasn’t already jam-packed with content in it’s 35 episodes that comprised it. Hopefully the next collection will feature some bonus content.
Overall:
Sometimes there is a reason why things are so popular and Cardcaptor Sakura is nothing short of a crowd-pleaser. There is something for everyone here in this anime classic. Madman have compiled an excellent release here of one of the greatest shoujo series of all time. This one isn’t just for the hardcore fans, but a release I would recommend to anyone. There is a lot of fun to be had with this release and I commend Madman for bringing it over at long last. This is a must buy for anime fans and this brilliant release deserves a spot of any anime fans shelves.
The temporarily titled Project: Holy Shield has now been christened Journey to Hell! The post-apocalyptic shooter is coming this November courtesy of DogBox Studios and BulkyPix and promises to be a homage to the old-school action heroes of the genre. With 7 maps, each with their own unique atmosphere and tone, a specialised soundtrack composed by The Slaughters and a “real-time render” sound engine provided by AudioGaming, Journey to Hell looks to take on AAA quality aspects of game development in an iOS title.
Gamers will play as two members of the Holy Shield, Gabriel and Rachel. A secret organisation, the Holy Shield exists to fight the evil that plagues the human race in the form of deadly Daemons, and find/eliminate the source of their summoning. With over 20 upgradeable weapons at your disposal, including a flamethrowers, machine guns and revolvers, you’ll be able to wreak carnage on over 15 enemy types across 14 levels! You can also test your mettle in additional game modes Survival and Hunt.
To see some cool concept artworks, work-in-progress renders and the first official screenshots, check out the gallery below. DogBox Studios has also just released a new behind-the-scenes Developer Diary, which you’ll find underneath the gallery. “Load your Holy Revolvers and Blessed Guns – the hunt is on!”
Welcome to my weekly JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure episode impressions. This week, I go through episode 3 of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. What did I think of the episode? Watch below to find out.
Got any questions for Anime Say? You can send me a tweet on my official twitter or alternatively drop me an email at [email protected]. I will do my best to respond to your tweets and emails as well as try read some out on the show.
What do you think of this episode impression? Let us know in the comments section below.
Before The Avengers, Robert Downey Jr. once stated that Iron Man 3 was one of the best scripts he’d read in five years…and now we finally get to see a bit of it ourselves! Recovering from the attacks on New York in The Avengers, Tony Stark’s battle gets a little too close for comfort when even his very home is under attack. With appearances of The Iron Patriot and The Manderin, Iron Man 3 is sure to be one hell of an action packed adventure!
Iron Man 3 is set to blast into theaters April 26th, 2013.
Shifting World Developer:Fishing Cactus / Armor Games Publisher:Rising Star Games Platform: 3DS Release Date: 28th September (EU) Price: £14.99 – Available Here
Overview:
Alongside the review game for Shifting World came a set of drink placeholders, each with a different optical illusion. I’ve always had a liking for optical illusions and the way they can play with your mind, so naturally I hoped this meant there’d be some mind-boggling things to be seen in Shifting World – aside from the 3DS’s dizzying 3D effect, that is. Sadly, there’s not much to speak of in the way of optical illusions, although what did present itself was a simple yet effective ‘Shift’ mechanic linked to the black and white visuals.
Story:
You’ve got to love the abruptness of Shifting World’s story. You receive a strange letter, an invitation from the ‘Duke of Shadows’. You follow the instructions to the specified address, only to be whisked into a parallel dimension when you open the front door. Little more than two panels of a comic strip, three boxes of text and then you’re sent on your merry way to get on with the game. While there’s no reason to want for anything more detailed, it’s just one of the many aspects of the game padded out to try to fill the boots of a retail release with a flash game.
Gameplay:
As the 3DS debut of what was originally a free to play web browser game, you can sense Shifting World felt the need to step it up with this retail offering. It was now to be considered a ‘proper’ game, so it required the sounds, visuals and mechanics to back that up. But along the way it lost something – namely the simplicity that made it good in the first place. Although it’s true most wouldn’t be satisfied if it wasn’t spruced up a bit for the 3DS, I can’t help but feel the developers have gone about the upgrade in the wrong way.
To call it ‘Shifting World’ is to describe the mechanics pretty accurately, as the world shifts around you when you use this power. Up becomes down (the level is rotated 180 degrees), and black becomes white (everything is inverted so air becomes floor and vice versa). There’s even some movement using its new three-dimensional plane which the original shift games didn’t have to make use of. However, this twisting and turning isn’t so much mind-bending as it is disorientating. It’s often a case of walking until you can’t walk any further, then using the shift power to see what that does.
Although you do get to grips with the shift system after a little while, you never fully feel in control or know exactly where you’re going, primarily due to changes made for the 3DS version. On the top screen you get a rather zoomed in view of the level, which fails to give a sense of the wider goal of the level and where you should ultimately be heading; this is the job of the mini-map crammed onto the bottom screen. But, with the shape shifting and the tiny icons, it proves too small for its purpose.
There are 7 worlds of puzzle-platforming, each broken down into levels. While the scenery doesn’t deviate much from black and white blocks in this twisted, lonely alternate dimension, new puzzle elements are gradually introduced which you must navigate through using correct movement and use of the shift power. Also introduced are dangers, to challenge your platforming in addition to your mind.
Both new gimmicks and increased peril are to be expected as measures to up the difficulty as you progress. However, due to a hard to interpret mini-map, misleading arrows and ill-conceived platformingm these measures pose more of a challenge than I expect was intended. Making the puzzling any deeper while the confusing navigational aids remain can lead you to become stuck in an irritating loop with no hope but to restart and see if you fare any better. Dangers like spikes, on the other hand, are all the more frustrating because it’s easy enough to fall victim to these through little fault of your own due to unresponsive jumping controls. The idea behind puzzles which have you moving around and manipulating the world in order to find a way through is sound, but movement around the level is laboured.
Visuals & Audio:
While some problems arise through the close-up view of the level that accompanies the new 3D graphics, the audio proves less problematic. As well as a couple of sound effects to reflect in-game actions there’s music which is in keeping with the style of the game, with a dash of the era it has tried to base itself on, a hint of solitaire menu music, and a repetitive loop to drive you up the wall if the puzzles don’t.
Overall:
The two pieces in Shifting World’s jigsaw are platforming and puzzles. Unfortunately, it can’t be complete if one is present without the other, meaning as clever as the shift puzzle mechanic is, the sub-standard platforming as well as a number of niggles awoken by the transition to 3DS mean it doesn’t amount to anything special.
Director James Mangold has confirmed that his upcoming film The Wolverine is not a sequel to X-Men Origins: Wolverine as many have assumed, but a sequel to X-Men: The Last Stand.
This changes everything! Rather than being yet another prequel, we are now looking at dealing with the aftermath of the 2006 film, where Wolverine was forced to kill Jean Grey, Professor Xavier and Cyclops were believed dead and the X-Men have been separated. A lot of questions are finally going to be answered! On another note, it is currently unknown if The Wolverine will tie into the upcoming prequel X-Men: Days of Future Past, which is a sequel to X-Men: First Class. Confused yet? Here’s what Mangold had to say to Empire Magazine:
“Where this film sits in the universe of the films is after them all. Jean Grey is gone, most of the X-Men are disbanded or gone, so there’s a tremendous sense of isolation for him…..That’s something that for me was very important, that I land in a very specific place in his timeline.I wanted to be able to tell the story without the burden of handing it off to a film that already exists and having to conform to it. The ideas of immortality reign very heavily in this story and the burden of immortality weighs heavily on Logan. For me that’s such an interesting part of Logan’s character that is nearly impossible to explore if you have a kind of league or team movie.” – Director James Mangold
Sounding a little bit like The Dark Knight Rises to me!
The Wolverine is set to slash it’s way into cinemas July 25, 2013.
The Great Giana Sisters, if you weren’t around and self aware during 1987, was a platformer released across the Commodore 64 and other home consoles of the time. 2012 sees the ip revitalised via Kickstarter, this time under the name Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams. The game has just seen release on the PC (in part thanks to a great success on Steam’s Greenlight), and is due to have a release on PS3 and Xbox 360 in early 2013.
A platformer featuring the dream hopping Giana, Twisted Dreams follows up on it’s predecessors characterstic soundtrack with music created by Chris Hülsbeck and Machinae Supremacy. Hülsbeck worked on the original Giana Sisters game, whilst Machinae Supremacy bring some Swedish heavy metal chip tune style to proceedings. This is certainly a throwback to the platformers of years (sadly) gone by, when platformers ruled the gaming roost with never a thought given to military FPS’ and MMORPG’s.
You can check out the trailer for Twisted Dreams below, and keep an eye out for a full review here at Capsule Computers.
Episode 10 of CC: Anime is nowlive. Each month, thanks to our good friends at Siren Visual, we will be giving away a prize in a monthly competition held through CC: Anime.
To win, listen to the podcast for the question and once you have an answer email it in along with your name and address to[email protected]. At the end of the month, a winner will be randomly selected from the pool of entries. The winner will then be announced on the next podcast.
This month, we will be giving away a copy of Shiki Part 2, on DVD thanks to our good friends at Siren Visual. If you have yet to listen to CC: Anime you can do so here.
Listen to the podcast and then send your answer in along with your name and address to [email protected] Good Luck!
Welcome to another episode of CC: Anime, Capsule Computers Monthly Anime Podcast! In our tenth episode, the CC: Anime crew discuss the latest anime and manga news, take part in the “Anime Anarchy” game show segment, as well their thoughts on the Kuroko’s Basketball Incident and the Fall 2012 anime season.
We also have a huge giveaway this month. Do you want a chance to win a copy ofShiki Part 2from Siren Visual? Follow this linkto find out how.
Cast: Luke Halliday, Travis Bruno, Benjamin ‘Linkage Ayexe’ Webb and Trey ‘Slend’ Partin
We hope you enjoy CC: Anime Episode 10, be sure to let us know what you think.
