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Strike Witches 2 Review

October 1, 2012

Strike Witches 2
Studio: AIC Spirits
Publisher: FUNimation
Format: Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack
Release Date: October 2, 2012
Price: $69.98 – Available Here

Overview:
Guns? Check. Alien invasion? Check. Aerial combat? Check. Panties? Check. Put all of that together and you can only get one thing… the Strike Witches are back. In 2010 FUNimation brought quite an interesting show over to North America in the form of Strike Witches… a series based around girls flying through the air with no pants on destroying aliens.

Unsurprisingly, this turned out to be quite popular here but even more so over in Japan. As such Strike Witches 2 was created and now FUNimation has brought this second season over to North America as well. Does the war on pants continue unabated?

Story:
In an alternative world where aliens called Neuroi have invaded the world and wrought destruction upon every city they come across. With standard military weapons incapable of inflicting any major harm to the Neuroi, only one type of fighter can destroy these creatures and potentially save the world… a witch. These witches are young women capable of using magic and controlling a “Striker Unit” and they may be the only thing preventing the Neuroi from destroying everything they hold dear.

Six months have passed since the 501st Joint Fighter Wing, also called the Strike Witches, were able to liberate Brittania from the Neuroi occupation by destroying the Neuroi Hive and most of the members of the 501st have returned to their own countries, with our main character Yoshika Miyafuji returning to civilian life. However a new and even greater Neuroi Hive has appeared in the skies above Venesia and with the local Striker force nearly obliterated by the new Neuroi, the 501st begin to assemble once more, with Miyafuji and the rest of the group meeting once again to take down the Neuroi together.

Ultimately, Strike Witches 2’s plot doesn’t play too heavily into the series itself besides set up a structure for the series to follow. While the Neuroi are a very real threat, their role in Strike Witches 2 seems to be more of an obstacle to overcome than anything else as the girls never truly feel like they are in any terrible danger despite how fast paced some of the battles can become. It also doesn’t help that any development the Neuroi previously received in season one is completely forgotten thanks to the new hive.

Instead of featuring an overarching plot with plenty of story developments and twists, we are given substantial character development instead. Nearly every episode in season 2 is devoted to one character or a pair of characters in the Strike Witches and while Miyafuji may be seen as the main character, each girl is given her time in the spotlight. This is handled well enough through the use of plenty of comedy and overcoming of limitations usually resulting in the girl’s new ability taking down the Neuroi threat that episode.

This wouldn’t work on your standard show, but thankfully Strike Witches 2 features a rather colorful and diverse cast of characters that will quickly have viewers picking favorites. Obviously those who watched the first season will be able to enjoy these character developments further as they are already familiar with the girls and know most of their personality quirks such as why Hartmann is always asleep or Lucchini’s attachment to Shirley.

Despite this however, newcomers should quickly discern the girl’s relationships with one another and thanks to the fact that nearly each one is highlighted in some way, no one feels left out despite the large cast. As such, the girls of the 501st grow on the viewer even more than they did during the first season through their interactions and familiarity with one another.

That being said, Strike Witches 2 is best seen as more of a lighthearted slice-of-life anime than anything else thanks to the fact that while viewers will be treated to plenty of action, most of the show is spent focusing on the girls and their daily lives with one another, with very little drama interlaced with the comedic actions of these pantsless witches.

Visuals:
Let’s start with talking about the various set pieces and the non-girl segments of Strike Witches 2 first. As with before, the Neuroi are handled with CGI so they tend to look a little out of place in the world, but they seem to have seen an improvement since the first season, while the backgrounds and set pieces are still excellently handled. The battles themselves are similarly impressive with the studio making sure the various explosions and gunfire effects are handled well. It is especially worth noting that the war ships and various weaponry used by the Witches and the military seem to contain a rather extensive amount of detail.

As for the girls themselves, each girl is vastly different from one another both in appearance as well as proportions. Their faces are also expressive, though not quite as detailed as one would like. That being said, they are certainly cute in appearance and it is clear that the studio was aiming for this fact with their character designs, though they do seem to be drawn to a younger age than a few viewers will be comfortable with.

Now, on to the fan service aspect of Strike Witches 2. Now although their panties are described as “uniform” they are still panties in most cases. While the focus on this aspect of the show is slightly less than before, it is still quite an obvious factor, especially when most fighting scenes often feature camera angles behind the girls as they perform maneuvers, giving the viewer a clear shot at their backside.

It is also worth noting that Strike Witches 2 is uncensored so that means that there will be plenty of breasts and butts shown off during any bathing scene, which there happens to be quite a few of. As mentioned before, the girls all feature different proportions with each girl’s breasts matching their body size. Ultimately, this doesn’t really do anything to detract from the experience and those watching the series should know what to expect and will find that there is plenty of fan service available for those who are looking for it.

Audio:
Like one would expect with a release from FUNimation, both the original Japanese dub and the English dub are provided with the release of Strike Witches 2 and the company was able to retain the same voice actors that handled characters from season one so there is no inconsistency in performances. As such, the English cast seems to have done a decent job with voicing each character, with the girl’s voiced by some of the more veteran female voice works in the field such as Jamie Marchi (Shirley), Trina Nishimura (Lucchini) and Cherami Leigh (Miyafuji).

As far as background music goes, Strike Witches 2’s soundtrack is relatively tame as most of the background tracks are hardly noticeable. On the other hand, the series’ sound effects are handled well with the sounds of gunfire, explosions and Striker Units all creating the feel of a dogfight in the sky.

The series features an opening song called “Strike Witches 2 ~Egao no Mahou~ by Yoko Ishida which unfortunately leaves very little impression on the viewer, while the ending “Over Sky” is sung by a different set of characters each episode, though it is still rather forgetful. The singing is performed by the Japanese voice actresses and usually the song is performed by the character or characters highlighted that episode.

Extras:
As far as bonus features go, Strike Witches 2 comes with your standard collection of bonuses in the form of trailers for other FUNimation releases, a clean opening song, rather impressively, a collection of each ending performance by the cast with the names of the characters performing said song and commentaries for episode 5 and 9.

Episode 5’s commentary is hosted by Scott Sager and he is joined by Jamie Marchi the voice of Charlotte “Shirley” Yeager, Trina Nishimura voice of Francesca Lucchini. These two often work together and they discuss how they usually play opposites of one another and how it is nice to be friendly this time around. They also discuss how they deal with being typecast for specific characters. The commentary is nice and comedic as the two girls crack each other up throughout the commentary.

Episode 9’s commentary follows the episode a lot more than episode 5 and is still hosted by Scott Sager, though this time around he is joined by Scott Sager hosts Anastasia Munoz the voice of Commander Minna, Jad Saxton the voice of Perrine Clostermann. Interestingly it is both Jad and Anastasia’s first time on commentary and they do mention a few spoilers about later episodes so this commentary would be best left for viewing after finishing the season.

Overall:
Strike Witches 2 continues to do what it does best this season, give viewers a fun and enjoyable show with very little drama and plenty of comedy. While it’s paper-thin plot leaves the series without any real substance, the cast of characters helps make up for this. There also happens to be so many bare breasts and countless panty shots that Strike Witches 2 succeeds on providing a fan-service laden show with impressive action sequences of girls flying around in their underwear that many will find a guilty pleasure.

Halo 4: FUD ‘Squad’ Trailer Released

David Partin

October 1, 2012

The latest and final trailer for the upcoming web series, Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn, has been released. Titled, “Squad,” the video takes you into the lives of each of the members of Hastai Squad. In the video, which you can watch down below, you learn more about each one of the cadets background, what year they are in at the Corbulo Academy, and so on.

On another note, this is the last trailer they will be showing before the first episode of the web series launches on October 5 on Machinima Prime.

You can pick up the game, Halo 4, this web series is apart of when it launches on the Xbox 360 on November 6, 2012.

Halo 4 “The Flood” Mode Revealed

David Partin

October 1, 2012

A new game mode for the upcoming game, Halo 4, was outed last week by a French game magazine. Since then, 343 Industries has officially revealed the game mode. What is the game mode you may ask, it is, “The Flood.” The Flood is the new replacement for the old game mode infection.

The following changes have taken place that truly make this game type live up to its name:

– It is now only 10 players per a game (replacing the amount of 12 in the previous games).
– 2 of the 10 player will start out as the flood.
– They people who are infected with the case of the flood will now use claws instead of energy swords.

You can check out to see the gameplay video down below to further understand the changes made to the game type and how it will play in Halo 4. Halo 4 will be releasing on the Xbox 360 on November 6, 2012.

PES 2013 Now Available

Joshua Spudic

September 30, 2012

Konami has announced that Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 is now available at all retail stores across North America. This comes five days after the Australian release, which was September 20. The European release date for Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 was also September 20. Japan won’t be receiving the game until October 4. This release date is only for the current generation release of the Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and PC.

PES 2013 will feature three major club competitions: the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Europa League and the Copa Libertadores. PES 2013 will feature ‘PES Full Control’, allowing full control of aspects of the game, Pro Active AI, where AI will react as in a real football game and PlayerID, where the world’s greatest players are instantly recognizable by how they look, move and play. Our review of PES 2013 is now live. You can check it out here.

Pro Evolution Soccer 2013 Review

Pro Evolution Soccer 2013
Developer: Konami
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: Playstation 3 (reviewed), Xbox 360, PC, Wii, Playstation 2, Nintendo 3DS, Playstation Portable
Release Date: 25/09/2012
Price: $46.25 (Available Here)

Overview

Pro Evolution Soccer has always provided an alternative for football fans everywhere. This year, it returns as PES 2013, offering improvements to gameplay over previous entries, or so I have been told. The gameplay is quite solid, as well as elements off the pitch, such as Football Life and the UEFA license. The visuals and audio have their positives and negatives too. But is it enough to change the allegiance of the FIFA faithful?

Gameplay

PES 2013 presents football differently that FIFA. Rather than being ultra realistic or downright arcade-style, it brings both realism and arcade gameplay into one bundle. PES pulls it off like the Wayne Rooney bicycle kick against Manchester City: sheer excellence. This is the first time I have encountered PES on console (you may remember my review for PES 2012 PSP) and, being someone who has always stuck with FIFA, I did not know what to expect. The basics are nailed, like a free kick hitting the top right (or left) corner. Passing is accurate and fluent. Teammates are actively giving the player a chance to execute an attack by looking for space. The player is given absolute control once they have the ball. It feels right. It brings it back to the basics of football, beating the player in front of you and stringing passes together in order to score a goal.

While Konami does quite a lot right with some aspects on the pitch, others require some attention. Shooting comes into play right here. Shooting isn’t broken, but the ‘Knuckle Shot’ always hits the target but rarely produces any goals, even if you are within shooting range. Speeds for some players are quite unrealistic. I would expect a winger to be able to fly down the pitch, but a defensive midfielder shouldn’t match that. Heading is also a problem. More often than not, any attacking headers my player executes results in one weak, off target header. I do not know if I am doing something wrong or it is the game itself, but the feeling of actually getting a powerful header into goal is gone. The referees are also quite whistle happy and yellow card happy. They are very harsh for the softest of tackles, which involved me scratching my head and shouting at the TV like a regular couch analyzer.

Then there are the great modes off the pitch. Football Life is the strongest and best feature of PES 2013. Football Life is divided into two modes: Master League and Become a Legend. Master League allows the player to take the reigns of any club they wish, whether they are part of the English Premier League or La Liga. Become a Legend is all about developing as a player on the pitch. There is quite a bit to do in both modes and one can earn items such as boots to improve player statistics. International duty is included in Become a Legend, although it seems that it is based on the current customised squad. With that said, it is disappointing to see that there are a few flaws within both modes. The one major problem is that, most of the time, all one would see is the calendar and menus. It would have been nice to actually play one’s created player (or real player) through training, where the performance affects the statistics. Still, it is worth checking out.

Another excellent feature of PES 2013 (and one that has been part of the PES library for quite some time) is the inclusion of the UEFA club competitions (Champions League, Europa League and Super Cup) and the Copa Liberatores. For those who are new to football (or soccer, whatever one’s preference is), the UEFA club competitions are the premium club competitions in Europe, while the Copa Liberatores is South America’s premium continental club competition. Everything that has to do with both competitions is there, recreating the excitement and feel that both competitions bring to the world. However, not everything is included.

I refer to the licensing of teams in PES 2013. Whether it is a problem for one is their opinion, but, compared to the opposition, the licensing does lack in some ways. Mind you, PES 2013 do include teams that FIFA do mot touch at all (like two Ukrainian club teams), which is great and it is worth noting that Konami’s bank may not challenge that of EA’s own bank. With that said, there could be certain leagues Konami may want to bring to their game. Konami holds the license for the J.League, Japan’s premium football competition, yet they don’t include it in PES. Other Asian leagues, like the Chinese Super League, could also feature in PES, bringing more exposure to these two leagues. However, the lack of licenses should not be the deal breaker, as the gameplay offers enough for a purchase.

PES still offers deep customisable options, like changing settings for any league or cup in the game. They also offer stadium creation, which allows players to import any images for use. Creating a stadium is quite easy and it can turn out excellent for the player. It helps that it can become a home for that created team the player creates. PES also offers training exercises for those who need to acclimatise to the PES controls and the new features the game offers. The training is a hit and miss, as one will discover some tasks are too easy and others require excellence in execution. But that is how one becomes a master of the virtual round ball game.

Visual and Audio

The visuals of the game could have been worked on, but we all know the budget PES 2013 received compared to the other game. Credit has to be given on the player models. The big stars like Rooney, Messi and Ronaldo do look like their real world counterparts and that includes their animation, thanks to PlayerID. However, I don’t particularly like the animation for the celebrations. They look quite robotic and artificial. Stadiums look excellent and the menus are quite neat and easy to navigate. It is just too bad that there are quite a lot of menus to navigate around.

Whether the crowd is alive with excitement or it is hearing the words of Jon Champion, the audio of PES 2013 is quite a mixed feeling. The soundtrack is left to be desired. It is a great thing, then, that any music stored on your console can be playable in menus and other parts of the game. Konami has also included tracks from the 8-bit classics, such as Contra and Castlevania. Then there is the commentary. The team this year is the same as previous years, Jon Champion and Jim Beglin. You might have heard of Jon Champion. That is because he does call games for the Premier League in Europe, so you know he is quite an excellent commentator. It is too bad that the commentary isn’t quite the best.

Overall

PES 2013 is definitely worth checking out. While it may have some problems with certain elements of the gameplay and lacks the licensing that FIFA has, the basics bring an excellent gameplay experience. Football Life and other modes add to the awesome experience. The visuals are nice but animations for celebrations could have been worked on. The soundtrack isn’t the best, but one can make their own. Jon Champion and Jim Beglin are also not at their best compared to listening them commentate an actual match. With that said, PES is coming back and is offering an excellent alternative than FIFA.

Part 2 and 3 of WWE ’13’s Summerslam Panel Released

Dustin Spencer

September 30, 2012

Not too long ago, Stone Cold, Mike Tyson, Dolph Ziggler, and several other top names came together for a panel for the upcoming WWE ’13. Today, the final two videos were released, and both should give fans something to chew on until the actual game release in November.

The first video (which is technically the second part) has all of the stars discuss memories of the Attitude Era, which is a large part of WWE ’13. The second video…or the third part continues CM Punk and friends’ discussion about video games in general and this newest installment. You can check out both clips below, and let us know what you’re looking forward to trying out in WWE 13 in the comments down below.

Naughty Bear: Panic in Paradise Gets Dated; DLC Planned

Dustin Spencer

September 30, 2012

Naughty Bear: Panic in Paradise Gets Dated; DLC Planned

If you haven’t heard yet, 505 Games are planning to release a follow-up to Naughty Bear, which is titled Naughty Bear: Panic in Paradise. This entry will see a smaller release this time around, being on the XBLA and PSN, but is still big in spirit, as DLC for the game is already in the works.

Today, a new video was released for Panic in Paradise, showcasing the famed bear causing mayhem while wearing Batman, Pennywise, and even Leatherface skins. Weapons are also set to see a DLC release, which will further the amount of finishing maneuvers and general techniques one can use. The game itself looks to be a much more refined version of the first, and that alone is what is keeping us interested of what this maniacal bear will have to offer. Check out the trailer below, and you can pick up Panic in Paradise on it’s newly announced release date of October 10th.

CC Weekly News Recap – 24th-30th September 2012

News

Luke Halliday

September 30, 2012

CC Weekly News Recap – 24th-30th September 2012

Do you want more boobs in your Dead or Alive 5? Per chance would you want them to be bigger than they already are? Well the director of the game understands your wants and needs this week and looks to give you what you want. But enough about boobs, other than boobs we also got to get our hands on Assassin’s Creed 3 this week to mixed feelings, we interviewed a couple of people about various things and we’re on the road to the EB EXPO! I’ll meet my friends along the way~

Here what made headlines this week:

Gaming News:
– Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed Interview
– Wii U will be region locked
– PlayStation Playground 2012 Impressions
– THQ bringing their big guns to EB EXPO
– Nintendo announces North American Wii U launch titles
– Phantom Breaker cancelled according to Gamestop
– Wii U headed to EB EXPO
– Assassin’s Creed 3: Liberation Hands On Preview
– Assassin’s Creed 3 Multiplayer Hands On Preview
– Assassin’s Creed 3 Singleplayer Hands On Preview
– Resident Evil 6 Breaks Street Date
– Dead or Alive 5 fans want bigger breasts according to director

Pop Culture News:
– Seth MacFarlane set to have live-action FOX series
– Capcom Bar mixes dining and gaming
– Halo 4 Purple Plasma V Mini Review

Anime/Manga News:
– Animania Day 1 Impressions
– Animania Day 1 Cosplay Photos
– Animania Day 2 Impressions
– Animania Day 2 Cosplay Photos
– Phi Brain gets a third season
– Hunter x Hunter episode 48 Impressions
– SKET Dance episode 76 Impressions
– Haiyore! Nyaruko-san gets a second season

Tech/Gadget News:
– Interview with Razer CEO Min Liang Tan
– Razer release software to enhance game performance
– Skullcandy announce new line of gaming headset

Reviews:
– Beat the Beat: Rhythm Paradise Review
– Kirby’s Dream Collection: Special Edition Review
– Steins;Gate Part 1 Review
– Dead or Alive 5 Review
– Boulder Dash XL 3D Review
– Little Big Planet PS Vita Review
– Borderlands 2 Review
– Carrier Command: Gaea Mission Review
– Golgo 13 Part 2 Review
– PlayStation 3 Super Slim Model Review

Podcasts/Videocasts:
– Capsule Computers Podcast 060 – Super Special 60
– CC Powerslam #12 – Night of Champions

See you next week for the CC Weekly Recap.

PlayStation 3 Super Slim Model Review

Luke Halliday

September 30, 2012

PlayStation 3 Super Slim
Developer: Sony
Price: $400.00(AU), $299.99 (US), €299.99(UK)
Release Date: September 28, 2012(PAL), October 30, 2012(NTSC)
Reviewed Version: 500GB Charcoal Black (AU)

Specifications:
Display: 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 480p, 480i　(for PAL 576p, 576i)
Audio: LPCM 7.1ch, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS, DTS-HD, AAC.
CPU: Cell Broadband Engine™
GPU: RSX®
Memory: 256MB XDR Main RAM, 256MB GDDR3 VRAM
Dimensions: Approx. 290 × 60 × 230 mm (width × height × length)
Sizes: 12, 250, and 500 GB
Colours: Charcoal Black and Classic White (Japan only)

Sony’s latest model of their PlayStation 3 console may seem somewhat redundant given the fact that they previously released a slim version of console a mere 2 and half years ago, but it is still an admirable attempt to correct the issues with the previous incarnations of the machine. Though is it worth tossing your old PS3 consoles out the window into oncoming traffic and upgrading to the super slim model? Well that really comes down to you.

The super slim model is essentially a smaller and lighter version of the existing PlayStation 3 with a top-loading disc tray somewhat reminiscent of the PSOne. The top-loader has a slide cover unlike the PSOne which had a lid-like cover. The slide cover can be opened both manually by hand and also by the button on the front of the console. There is a problem with the slide cover though, that being that when you shut it, you must make sure you hear the clicking sound otherwise there is the possibility of it flinging open mid-way through your gaming experience which of course is not ideal. It feels like it is made from fairly cheap plastic and is somewhat flimsy. I found myself being overly gentle with it in fear I would damage it accidentally. I’m not sure why they decided upon a top-loader for a disc tray with a slide cover. It seems somewhat ill-conceived and unfortunately doesn’t feel very sturdy.

A common complaint with previous models of the PlayStation 3 was that the console was very noisy. Thankfully the super slim PlayStation 3 is the exact opposite, during my time with the console I did not hear a peep from it other than the irritating and unnecessary start up beep sound. I’ll make sure not to play this console at night while everyone in the house is asleep because that beep is really unnecessarily loud. Other than that the machine silent, which is great.

It runs games, DVD and Blu-Rays perfectly and makes no noise whatsoever from the console itself. This impressed me quite a fair bit as the PS3 is known for making loud noises during running of a disc.

Aesthetically the machine looks very nice one the eyes, with a nice slick black look and small size, it looks great. Unfortunately it does not look very sturdy and looks like you must handle it with care as it seems somewhat fragile. Despite that it looks nice and smooth and has a decent amount of ports in the back for any type of set up.

There is AV input, HDMI input, Ethernet, 2 High-Speed USB ports, AC port and digital output. So just about covers all bases in terms of what you need for your set up. Unfortunately though the console does not come with a HDMI cable instead Sony opted for the standard AV cables. I find this odd especially considering we are living in 2012 and most people are looking for HD output. Thankfully I have my own HDMI cable to use any ways, but for those of you that don’t you will need to purchase one separately should you decide to play in HD.

In terms of size and dimensions the console is very small. In comparison with both previous incarnations of the PlayStation 3 it is easily the smallest and slimmed one to date (as you can see the picture above). My only issue was that it is still fairly space-consuming despite being the tiniest version of the PlayStation 3 to date. The original Wii is still by far more compact than this console, but that’s probably besides the point. It is small and if that’s what you’re after this may be for you.

All in all there is not a whole lot different with the super slim model when compared to it’s predecessors. Sure it’s more compact, silent and faster, but if you already own a PlayStation 3, there is little reason to fork out $400 for this machine. It is first and foremost a redesign and if you want a redesigned version of something you already have than by all means get this machine. If you have yet to get a PlayStation 3 but have decided this late in the game to pick up the console, then yes this is probably the best version of it for you to buy. But if you are satisfied with the device you already have, there is no reason you need to buy this new model. I just can’t justify that.

Ultimately it comes down to the consumer. Do you want a new PlayStation 3? That is up to you to decide. It is indeed an impressive machine but it doesn’t do enough new things to warrant consumers upgrading or simply replacing their existing console. It does however work well as a great entry point for those late to the game.

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