Not that long ago the newest DLC for Serious Sam 3: BFE had hit Steam for PC, but now those looking to get the same Sam on Xbox will be getting their chance today. Serious Sam 3: BFE and Serious Sam 3: Jewel of the Nile, the DLC that had just hit Steam, are up for download on the XBLA for just 1200 MS Points each.
Serious Sam is what first-person shooter games used to be, where monsters were huge, guns were loud, and the hero had no need to cower behind a chest-high wall. Now players can check out what Serious Sam is all about in this prequel to the original, Serious Sam: The First Encounter.
With the main game featuring 12 campaign missions including co-op for 2 to 4 players in the campaign or survival, as well as available in the DLC, which also includes even more co-op modes like Coin Co-op and Classic Co-op. Players interested in getting Serious Sam 3: BFE and and Jewel of the Nile can find them on the XBLA or Xbox.com HERE.
K-On!! Season 2 Collection 1 Studio: Kyoto Animation Publisher: Madman Format: Blu-Ray (Reviewed), DVD Release Date: September 5, 2012 Price: $64.95 – Available Here
Overview
Season two of the slice-of-life/musical comedy anime K-On!! comes to Blu-Ray and DVD almost two whole years after it’s first airing. Adapted from the original manga, written and drawn by Japanese artist Kakifly, K-On! Season 1 proved a great success, and the series’ signature opening and ending themes’ singles all debuted in top 5 positions in the Oricon music charts in Japan.
K-On!! Season 2 Collection 1 contains the first 13 episodes of the, long-form, 26 episode second season. Fans who caught the Season 2’s TV run will undoubtedly show bias in purchasing this 2 disc blu-ray set, but is it worth it for those who are uninitiated – like myself (although I’m surely part of the wrong demographic!) – and fans who’ve just seen the first season? Read on to find out in my review!
Story
In this 2nd and final season, the popular and notoriously light and fluffy show continues to follow the antics of the Sakura High light music club, and while the main characters are getting older, the series still appeals to a primarily young and teen female audience. Lead guitarist and vocalist Yui Hirawasa, bass player Mio Akiyama, keyboardist Tsumugi Kotobuki and drummer Ritsu Tainaka have started their senior year at Sakura High. Although this should prove to be an exciting time for the group, the girls realise that their youngest member, rhythm guitarist Azusa Nakano – who is still a junior – will be the remaining member of the light music club should the club cease to expand before graduation, likely getting cut from the school budget.
And so starts a seemingly futile campaign to entice others to join the light music club. This is the main story focus underpinning most, if not all, of these 13 episodes – some more heavily than others. The season starts off on a bad note (genius, I know) for the girls as, even after a rousing performance at the school’s freshman reception, the door to the music room did not greet any new visitors or prospective band members. Fast forward after a field trip to Kyoto that we see in episode 4, episode 5 shows Azusa, who stayed behind, hanging out with Yui’s sister Ui and their mutual friend Jun Suzuki. It’s at this point that the seeds are undoubtedly planted for an eventual expansion of the light music club’s numbers when the three Juniors have a quick jam session. Up until and including this point in the story the girls were unsuccessful in finding new members for the light music club, however it would be safe to say that the episode’s events could indeed be foreshadowing the future.
Featuring only the first half of the 2nd season, Collection 1 does not portray many important developments in the overarching story, leaving the important stuff for Collection 2. Most of it is cutesy, girly, disconnected fluff, and although ultimately inconsequential, it will make you laugh and smile with a certain charm constant throughout. A nice moment involves a Summer Festival which the girls attend, that reiterates the motif of friendship and youth as the girls connect on common ground – their love of music – and enjoy and treasure their time together with graduation on the horizon. The collection does end with promise after Jun starts to sway on an earlier decision to not join the light music club.
Visuals
Kyoto Animation have done it again with their great, distinct visual style and well established and detailed characters and backdrops. They’re probably one of my favourite studios for it as I just love the aesthetic. And in widescreen, 1080p high definition, the detail really shines through. The instruments featured are very accurate in their presentation, with Zildjian logo on the drum’s cymbals and the flawlessly recreated guitar pickups for instance. The use of colour is also very effective, with it being drained from a character completely if they are feeling scared or worried; it really helps portray those emotions their state of mind.
The one criticism I could levy would be of the character designs themselves. To me, there isn’t much to set the characters apart from each other. Although that can be excused as being the drawback of having them all in school uniforms, which is a must for the story and setting, there still could have been a few more unique visual aspects added to their designs to further individualise them. In fairness, that’s a criticism that should be placed on the original manga and not on any faithful adaptation, but it’s just something I thought worth mentioning as a newcomer to the franchise.
Audio
The first thing that struck me was the silence of the main menu, which, for a series heavy on the theme of music, was quite puzzling. Regardless, there is usually some sort of background music playing in a menu for any DVD/Blu-Ray release so this was quite a strange omission. The credit roll for each episode is also silent, which I found equally weird. Of course, these aren’t real issues, and barring those two instances, the audio on this collection is in the lossless DTS-HD Master Audio format, and sounds very good.
In the main menu and pop-up menus is the option to flip back and forth between the original Japanese audio track – with English subtitles in yellow – and the English dub. This swap-over even works in the middle of a sentence of dialogue, not requiring or inciting a pause or brash transition of any kind. Diehard anime fans prefer the original language track, but I have to say that the English dub is not unbearable on K-On!!. Whatever your preference, you’re good to go. The music featured in the series is also produced very well, and I think that by now most will be familiar with this fact.
Extras
Now, Anime releases are, generally, not exactly chock full of special features, but this Blu-Ray is bare! There are none of the first disc, with all of them placed on the second. There are four extras, although they barely qualify to be called that. There are clean, textless videos of the opening and ending sequences, and also a video package of trailers from Sentai Filmworks releases, plus the disc credits. That’s it.
Again, I didn’t expect much, but most discs at the very least include commentary, even for just a single episode, and/or an interview with the project’s writer/artist/voice actor…anyone! The lack of extras is very disappointing and drags down the overall rating of the release.
Overall
For fans of the first season in particular, these 13 episodes will satisfy them and excite them for Collection 2. For those who’ve seen Season 2 on tv during it’s original run, they will be happy to know that the video and audio quality hasn’t suffered in the transfer and is still very good, with no obvious issues. The ability to swap between Japanese and English speaking audio tracks, practically on the fly, never goes unappreciated. For the guys out there, K-On!! may not be for you, however it is still a charming, although somewhat aimless, slice-of-life story. What really brought the release down, and will do for most anime releases unfortunately, is the common void left in the special features. However, K-On!! Season 2 Collection 1 is a must have for true fans, despite the absence of any real extras.
The Testament of Sherlock Holmes has released and has had time for critics to do their thing, so Focus Home Interactive and Frogwares have put up a new trailer showing off some of the praise given to the game. Those that have already finished the game may recognize the video itself, though obviously edited to include the critics’ statements, which didn’t exist at the time of the games release, but don’t let that discourage you from checking it out if you haven’t played it yet as it doesn’t spoil anything.
The Testament of Sherlock Holmes was released on Xbox 360, PS3, and PC back in September, placing the player in the shoes of Sherlock Holmes as he faced solving a crime where he himself was the primary suspect. Players wanting to check out the critics’ trailer can find it embedded below and those wanting to see Capsule Computers’ own review of the game can find it HERE.
Indie Royale released their latest pay what you want with a moving minimum price bundle. These bundles allow buyers to pay what every they want for five indie games, but for every person who pays the minimum price for the bundle, the minimum rises for other buyers. Those who pay more than the minimum drop the price for other buyers.
This bundle is headlined by Freebird Games’ RPG/Sci-fi adventure game To the Moon and also includes strategy RTS meets tower defense game Oil Rush, Wadjet Eye Games’ followup to the Blackwell trilogy Blackwell Deception, Big Robot’s trippy puzzle game AVSEQ, and Reprisaluniverse’s Populus inspired world shifter Reprisal. Those who pay $8 or more will get Makeup and Vanity Set’s chiptune album 88:88. Pick up your copy here.
Humble Bundle is expanding their horizons to the written word. The Humble eBook Bundle has brought together prestigious authors and comic book artists for a total of 13 titles. No matter what you pay for the bundle, buyers will walk away with Pirate Cinema by Cory Doctorow, Pump Six by Paolo Bacigalupi, Zoo City by Lauren Beukes, Invasion by Mercedes Lackey, Stranger Things Happen and Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link. Those who pay more than the average will get Signal to Noise by Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean, xkcd volume 0 by Randall Munroe, Save Yourself, Mamma! and The Most Dangerous Game by Zach Weiner, and Penny Arcade’s Attack of the Bacon Robots and Epic Legends of the Magic Sword Kings by Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik.
The Humble eBook Bundle is in support of the EFF, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and Child’s Play. The eBooks are available in PDF, MOBI, and ePub to ensure maximum compatibility among many devices. Check the bundle out here.
Anuman released the reboot of the Crazy Cars franchise this week under their Microids: Games for All Label. Originally known as American Lamborghini Challenge in the US and Crazy Cars in the rest of the world, the game allowed players to live out fantasies of illegal high speed street racing in an arcade style racer.
Crazy Cars: Hit the Road is Anuman’s reboot of the classic franchise for PC, Mac, and mobile devices. Players will need to balance risk and reward, as aggressive driving such as drifting, driving in the opposite lane, and other risky maneuvers are rewarded with boost. The game features three modes, career, free run, and cross platform multiplayer.
Crazy Cars: Hit the Road is priced at $9.99 and will be released later this month for the mobile platform. Players can pick up the PC version hereand the Mac version here. Additionally, a new trailer has been released. Check it out below.
Astro announces a major update for the original two products of their premium gaming accessory line. The Astro A40 Pro Gaming Headset has received new re-tuned drivers and enclosures to improve the accuracy, the low end response, and the distortion at high volumes. In addition, the Quick Disconnect Cabling system has been modified to accommodate a variety of cable types and length and the cable now plugs straight into the headset.
The MixAmp Pro has also been updated to shrink the physical size of the unit, making it easier to transport and two new ports have been added. A more reliable 3.5mm optical port is replacing the old TOSlink optical port and a new Stream Out plug that allows game sound and incoming/outgoing voice chat to be outputted on one cable. This makes the now popular live streaming even easier. In addition, the Audio Profile features available on the A50 system is now available for the MixAmp Pro.
All previous features are still intact and the price is still $249.99 USD. Astro Gaming products and the 2013 editions of the A40 system is how available at Best Buys and select Gamestops in the US, at EB Games and JB Hifi in Australia, and in November Canadians will be able to purchase them at EB Games, Best Buy, Fnac, and Micromania.
It’s finally here – Paranormal Activity 4 has arrived in cinemas today. The fourth movie in the franchise (though probably not the last) is set to terrify people and set them screaming as what we assume is Hunter, turns up as a young kid, and starts the chain of weird stuff all over again.
Last time we saw him he was being carried out of his house by a crazy Aunt Katie, and somehow they’ve both been dumped in the middle of suburbia (in another state). Whether or not you’re a fan of the series, it’s certainly easy to pick up, and it’s all in good suspenseful fun.
Check out the reaction video of the Sydney screening below. What do you reckon? Are they wimps, are you strong enough to take on the demon scares? Or will you end up jumping just like them?
Paranormal Activity 4 is out in cinemas NOW.
Keep an eye out on the site for a review of Paranormal Activity 4, as well as coverage of other movie news and reviews!
The DVD set for the short lived show, Terra Nova, is being released on October 24, 2012. Terra Nova is a truly epic television show, which follows the Shannon family as they travel 85 million years into the past to an Earth of a parallel universe because their current Earth is suffering from overpopulation. It’s full of dinosaurs and mystery – and with a $4 million budget for each episode it’s definitely epic.
As well as the complete series, fans will also receive an exclusive opportunity to access the Terra Nova Files online and help complete the story! From codes included in the DVD set, fans will find an original motion comic scene that picks up where the final episode left off, and allows them to finish the story the way they would have liked to see. It’s like the ultimate FanFiction!
Check out the trailer for the DVD below!
If you’re a fan of the show, or just a fan of dinosaurs and interesting shows, then you should definitely take a look at grabbing this DVD set. Terra Nova The Complete Series will be available on October 24, 2012 for $39.98 – Preorder your copy HERE
Since Patch 1.0.5 has been released, all the attention has been drawn to the new device called the Infernal Machine. What is this device you might asked? Well, the Infernal Machine is a cursed construct that can be built by a player to form a portal to a deadly battle zone. The portal will teleport the user to a battleground where the player will battle “uber” versions of bosses in pairs.
How To Assemble
In order to craft the Infernal Machine, players will need to collect a few components. There are four components held by powerful Keywardens in each act of Inferno difficulty. Here are their locations:
The Key of Destruction will drop from Odeg the Keywarden in Act I – Fields of Misery
The Key of Hate will drop from Sokahr the Keywarden in Act II – Dahlgur Oasis
The Key of Terror will drop from Xah’Rith the Keywarden in Act III – Stonefort
The Blacksmithing Plans will drop from Nekarat the Keywarden in Act IV – Silver Spire Level 1
Keywardens can be faced on any difficulty; however, only Inferno difficulty along with five stacks of Nephalem Valor will potentially yield a chance to drop components for the device. Additionally, players can utilize “Monster Power” to increase the likelihood of a successful drop. For example, setting the Monster Power at 10 will yield 100% drop of a component.
How The Device Works
Once all of the components have been collected, players can finally forge the Infernal Machine at the town blacksmith. However, some stipulations apply. Your blacksmith must be a level 10 craftsman, and you must pay 12,000 gold in order to attain the device.
Now that the Infernal Machine is built, a portal can be created but only in a certain cellar in New Tristram. Summoning the portal in the cellar will cause the device to break – yes, break! The Infernal Machine has a one time use and must be recreated to enact another portal. Once the portal is activated, players can only use the portal for that session. This means if you log out you just wasted some potential amazing loot.
Bosses
After entering the portal, there are three possible realms that your character may travel to. In the Realm of Discord, the Skeletal King Leoric and Maghda guard the royal crypts beneath the old cathedral in Tristram. In the Realm of Turmoil, Siege Breaker and Zoltun Kulle hold strong to the Edge of the Abyss. The screenshots below picture perhaps one of the deadliest combinations of bosses as Ghom and Rakanoth defend the Larder in the Realm of Chaos.
Dying in the portal does not hinder your chances at getting the loot. Players may return to the portal any amount of times during their *current* game session. Upon exiting the game, the portal will close and be forever lost until another Infernal Machine device is created. Additionally, no more than three portals can be active during a single game session as players cannot access the same realm twice.
The Booty
No, we are talking about Diablo’s transformed feminine booty! We are talking about the kind of loot to expect once killing off these damned beasts of Hell. Plenty of items and gold will be available for pick-up, but what intrigues me more is that you have a chance to harvest organs from your fallen foes. Here are the following organ pieces:
The Writhing Spine, which drops from King Leoric or Maghda in the Realm of Discord
The Devil’s Fang, which drops from Ghom or Rakanoth in the Realm of Chaos
The Vengeful Eye, which drops from Siegebreaker or Zoltun Kulle in the Realm of Turmoil
By gathering the three components, a Hellfire Ring may be forged. First, players must purchase the design from Squirt the Peddler for a mere 2,000,000 gold. Using the three organs and 15,000 gold pieces (nothing compared to what you just spent on the design), a ring can be created into four variations: intelligence, dexterity, strength, and vitality. The main stat that you chose will add a bonus ranged from 170 to 200. The additional stats include the following: +35% experience, +4 magical properties, no level requirement, bind on account, and a chance to launch and explosive Hellfire ball when you attack.
A couple things to consider when wielding the Hellfire Ring. As a level 60, you do not necessarily need the +35% bonus experience unless to increase paragon levels. Therefore, by transferring the item to a lower level alt, you can level up faster due to the no level requirement. Not too mention that the chance to unleash a Hellfire ball is pretty kick-ass.
The DVD set for the short lived show, Terra Nova, is being released on October 24, 2012. Terra Nova is a truly epic television show, which follows the Shannon family as they travel 85 million years into the past to an Earth of a parallel universe because their current Earth is suffering from overpopulation. It’s full of dinosaurs and mystery – and with a $4 million budget for each episode it’s definitely epic.
