While here in North America fans of Konami’s games can pick up a special edition of Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance which comes with a plasma lamp, gamers in Japan are going to have three versions of the game to pick up when it hits stores over there. They will have the chance to pick up the basic version, a Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance Premium Package as well as a “Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance Premium Packaging Konami Style Special Edition.”
The Premium Package will cost 9,980 yen and will provide buyers with a copy of the game, the gaem’s soundtrack which will come in a SteelCase, a Yoji Shinkawa art book, two magnet figures and a Cyborg Ninja skin for download.
The Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance Premium Packaging Konami Style Special Edition will cost 12,980 yen and include everything mentioned above as well as a special PlayArts figure of Raiden wearing white armor.
If you are excited about Assassin’s Creed III’s release next week then you are just one of apparently a record number of people. Today Ubisoft has announced that Assassin’s Creed III has doubled the pre-order numbers of last year’s Asassin’s Creed, AC: Revelations, which previously held the record.
Tony Bartel, president of GameStop, stated that “Pre-orders for Assassin’s Creed III at GameStop are nearly 100% higher than last year, putting the game on track to be one of the top titles of 2012.” For those who haven’t been paying attention over the last few months, Assassin’s Creed III follows the story of the assassin named Connor and takes part during and around the American Revolution.
It is worth noting that while the PS3 and 360 versions of the game will be available for purchase next week, the PC version of the game will be released on November 18th while the Wii U version will arrive on November 20th.
Seems like the Bay Area is gearing up for their biggest annual non-profit gaming fundraiser – Ümloud! – by announcing Tim Schafer as their Master of Ceremonies. Taking place at the San Francisco’s DNA Lounge on Thursday, December 6th, Ümloud! is benefiting Child’s Play which is a charity that targets gamers like us to help children’s hospitals around the globe. The night is to be full of Rock Band 3 dueling performances in charitable fun.
Tim Schafer, president of Double Fine Productions, had the following to offer about the event:
Everyone knows gamers have big hearts—and that’s not just because of the sedentary lives many of us live. It’s because we understand the value of community, of giving back, and Ümloud! is the perfect way to have a rockin’ evening while supporting Child Play’s noble efforts in taking care of the next generation of gamers.
Known well for a few of his endeavors such as Psychonauts, Brütal Legend, and Grim Fandango, Tim is sure to embody fun into the charity event and rock some socks off. To order advanced tickets to the show or to actively submit your band into the fundraiser, go to the Ümloud! site (here).
While we have heard various details about Animal Crossing 3D from Nintendo of Japan, little information about the game’s Western release has been announced. However today Nintendo of America decided to reveal a bunch of new information, as well as plenty of features found in the game, which you can see in the trailer below.
In this trailer we find that Animal Crossing 3DS now has an English title in the form of Animal Crossing: New Leaf and it is going to be released sometime in the first half of 2013. In this version of Animal Crossing players are the mayor of the town which allows them to customize the town to a greater extent than ever before.
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.
