Welcome to the twelfth episode of CC Powerslam, Capsule Computers Wrestling Podcast! In our twelfth episode, the CC Crew discuss the aftermath of WWE’s Night of Champions PPV.
Cast: Luke Halliday, Travis Bruno and Dustin Spencer
That’s how the classic zombie gets you – by surprise. You’ll be facing the other way, and it’ll shamble up behind you and sink its rotten teeth into your sweet, sweet neck meat before you know it.
By which I mean, Resident Evil 6 is out already.
It’s not due until Tuesday October 2nd, but EB Games Australia announced on their Facebook page this morning that they are selling the game a full four days early. If history is any indication, expect JB Hifi, GAME, and any other stores that have the game in stock to quickly follow suit today.
EB advises that you call your local store in advance, to check availability.
World of Warcraft is, without argument, the largest and most successful MMORPG on the western market currently. Even against it’s competitors it still holds an incredibly large share of the market and makes Blizzard a hell of a lot of monthly each and every day.
Of course, you don’t remain successful if you stagnate, you have to keep pushing to do more things and this latest expansion pack is Blizzards way of doing just that. The Mists of Pandaria expansion pack adds in completely new ways to play this long-running MMORPG.
As such, we have had the opportunity to unbox the collectors edition of the game and wanted to share the experience with you guys at home. So enjoy the video.
Today marks a special day for Paradox Interactive and Zeal Game Studios as a website has been launched just for some adventure hungry dwarves. The game “A Game of Dwarves” surrounds a new found colony of beer stricken short folk that is striving to reclaim their ancestry of grand civilization and treasure – but more so treasure. Dwarves will be able to learn different facets of civilization such as becoming scholars, warriors, and diggers. I wonder if there will be a class specifically designated as ale drinkers?
A Game of Dwarves is set to be released for PC on October 23, 2012. To gather further information about A Game of Dwarves, check out their newly created website here. In addition to the dwarves emerging on a new website, Zeal Game Studios is hosting a contest to include public driven name creation for some of the dwarven settlers. Name creation is as easy as making up names like: Finkle Von Stinkleburg or Bob. Okay, the last one isn’t convincing. Zeal Game Studios will randomly select five of the created names at the A Game of Dwarves Facebook Page. The contest ends on October 5th, so be quick to enter your unique name.
Don’t forget to check out the trailer below to catch a glimpse of drunken dwarves in action.
Great news for anyone who owns a PlayStation Vita and especially for those who happen to be a fan of the Earth Defense Force series. With the game hitting stores in Japan today, D3 Publisher chose today to reveal that they will be bringing Earth Defense Force 3 Portable over to North America under the title Earth Defense Force 2017 Portable.
The game itself is a port of Earth Defense Force 2017 which was originally released back on the PS3 and 360. The game will incorporate local and online multiplayer as well as brand new content that was not included in the original release.
Anuman Interactive has been busy building their library of games published under the Microids Games for All brand. As seen on Capsule Computers, they announced the return of the Crazy Cars franchise five days ago. Today Anuman followed up with a scorching hot trailer and a pair of new screenshots for Crazy Cars: Hit the Road.
The trailer shows off car customization, some of the camera angles available, cross platform multiplayer, and the risk and reward game formula, and a variety of driveable cars. Crazy Cars: Hit the Road will be released on October 16th, 2012 for PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Android devices.
Earlier today at Ubisoft’s preview event for the hotly anticipated Assassin’s Creed 3 at the Waterfront Settler’s Hall in Sydney’s Circular Quay West, I got to get my hands on the game itself and in particular it’s single player mode.
It was very clear from the get-go that Assassin’s Creed 3 was vastly different to the games that preceded it within this franchise. Ubisoft have gone from the ground up with this title in what appears to be an attempt to revitalise the series with some fresh new game play and aesthetics.
Now before I detail the game itself it is worth pointing out that I obviously have not played the game in it’s entirety and only played what was said to be a small portion of the overall experience of the game. However despite that I managed to get a strong grasp and understanding of the game’s new mechanics and features. I was simply dropped in half way through the game with nearly everything accessible for me to try out. Well let’s get right into it then.
The very first thing that I noticed in the game is that they have restructured the control scheme from that used in the previous titles in the franchise. Free-running for example is now entirely done with the right trigger button. I found this to be a little problematic as this means that one button is meant to do a multitude of tasks, some of which happen unintentionally such as jumping when trying to climb. It was a bit of a puzzling change but with some time I am sure I could grow use to it, despite it’s unnecessary complication instead of what seems to have been an attempt to simplify things.
Most of the other controls for navigating the world remain unchanged but the combat system is utterly blown away in place of a system that focuses heavily on countering and timing. Battles with animals are quick-time events which I personally find to be abhorrent but I can understand wanting to differentiate battles between humans and creatures. Unfortunately battles with human enemies is also unnecessarily complicated. In previous titles there was a great flow to battles, with fights feeling fast intense and brutal. This can not be said about Assassin’s Creed 3 though as the combat system imposing counter based fighting on you, which removes the ability to freely create carnage as unless you surprise an enemy you most likely need to counter in order to attack them. This counter system itself is very rock-paper-scissors in nature and feels more about luck that having good reflexes. During large attacks from groups it is almost impossible to fight without the combat being halted completely when you are attempting a counter only to be attacked by another enemy which breaks both the tension and flow immensely. Despite that, one on one combat and sneak kills seem to work well. The real problem was group combat, which honestly was somewhat messy.
Getting back to navigation in the game, we see the return of horses to the franchise after an absence in Revelations. Here we have what is easily the best incarnation of the Assassin’s Creed horses to date. They control well and are great to use in combat scenarios due to there speed and ability to overwhelm crowds of enemies. Besides horses you can of course travel by foot. This is perhaps the most preferable way to travel in game, unless you want to cheat and fast-travel somewhere with the map (only once you get far enough in the game of course). Now while the forests and tree top free running is said to be a big portion of the game, you sometimes find yourself getting awkwardly stuck amongst trees and odd invisible walls. Once you get use to the games forests you realise which spots on trees can get you stuck and they become easier to avoid although they really should not be there at all. It is somewhat addictive running through the trees due to their ever changing shapes and forms, with a new branch you haven’t yet seen appearing very often. Although some are repeated they are far apart so you don’t really realise anyway.
Now for the feature that the game seems to be made for, the Naval Warfare. I really don’t know why this aspect of the game is being so heavily publicised as it is quite lacking to be frank. It is both hard to control and tediously repetitive. The challenge of this mode felt more like seeing how long you could play it without exiting the mission. I was simply very disappointed by this game play aspect as it had been so heavily touted by Ubisoft only for it to be rather droll and uninspiring.
All in all Assassin’s Creed 3 left a decent enough impression on me despite it’s numerous short-comings. The portion of the game that I got to play today did not live up to the name of this franchise and felt like a step in the wrong direction. I’m not sure why the decision to make such a great departure from the series roots was taken, but it doesn’t do the game any favours. Instead it comes across as if the franchise is afflicted with an identity crisis. It doesn’t know if it wants to be Assassin’s Creed or not. That was the vibe I got and it honestly disappointed me. Of course the rest of the game is still waiting for me to play and I am sure that the Assassin’s Creed franchise’s excellent story-telling will make up for it’s shortcomings. Regardless of what I felt about what I played today, I eagerly await the full version of this game which I’m sure will fill in the pieces that I felt this demonstration was lacking. Other than that I found it to be a rather enjoyable experience despite some nagging issues I had with it.
At an event earlier today, us here at Capsule Computers were invited down to a media preview for the upcoming Assassins Creed III game from Ubisoft. At this event, we had the opportunity to sit down and play with a build of the game that featured a new multiplayer game mode that will be included with the Assassins Creed III game.
This new game mode is called “Wolfpack” and it has players teaming up to hunt-down and assassinate various Non-Player Characters within the game. What makes this interesting is that players would have to try and synchronise their assassinations, or else they’d have to chase down their fleeing targets. This is bad for the players because they only have a limited amount of time to complete the challenge within. The idea is to move through as many levels as possible before the timer runs out. The only way to replenish the timer is to kill more targets.
Of course, being the group of n00bs we were, we weren’t able to get too far into the game before losing to the timer. But watching another group playing earlier and their game ended up looking like something out of Tron, as opposed to the realities of Assassins Creed. Can I just blame the Master Control Program for making us lose all those times?
In between matches, players are taken to a kind of lobby of sorts, where they are able to customise their character by choosing from prebuilt models, add upgrades to them and even purchase goodies from the store. I’m reasonably sure this uses in game currency, but can’t back up that assertion. What I really liked about this system though, was that you are able to fiddle around whilst the map is actually loading; meaning that you’re not stuck on a loading screen and are able to do things while it loads. I think more games should do things this way to be honest.
With this build of the game, we were only able to see this one game mode in action. However, we were told that the modes present in the previous Assassins Creed games would be making an appearance in this title. This means that you will be able to play all your favourite game modes from the past in this latest game as well.
One thing we instantly noticed about the multiplayer portion of the game was that it was graphically inferior to the main story sections of the game. However we were reminded that this is still in development and that it is likely that things will change in the future. We are hoping that this will be the case as the multiplayer is one of the more fun aspects of this game from what we’ve played of it. This is definitely the part of the game that puts the Assassin in Assassins Creed.
Overall I’d say that the strongest part of Assassins Creed III is definitely going to be the multiplayer portion of the game. From what we’ve seen of this one gametype, and the fact that there will be modes returning from previous games, we know that it will be a very strong multiplayer experience for gamers. If there is any reason to pick this title up on release, this is definitely the reason I would suggest you do so. In fact, the multiplayer increases the value of the game exponentially.
At an event hosted by Ubisoft this week, us here at Capsule Computers were invited down to have an early look at the upcoming Assassins Creed titles in the franchise. At this event, there were two games on display, the first being the main Assassins Creed III title and the second of which was the upcoming Assassins Creed III: Liberation for the Playstation Vita.
What I’ve found most interesting with this title is that the game features an all new Assassin that does not appear to be related to Desmond in anyway, or if she does, it is not obvious. After speaking to a UBISOFT representative at the event if she knew if this new character was related, but I was given a generic response; something along the lines of “She is a whole new character designed specifically for this title.”
As you may have already figured from the paragraph above, this new Assassin is indeed female. This is something new for the series, as all the major Assassins featured so far have been male. From the portions I’ve played of the game, it is unknown whether or not this is just an aesthetic decision, or if there is a gameplay reason behind it. I imagine that this is only a storyline decision, considering the main point of todays event was to show off core gameplay concepts.
A cool feature that is a part of this title for the Playstation Vita is the way you interact with your inventory and other User Interface elements. I noticed that instead of accessing a bunch of menus like in the console versions of the game, players are able to simply touch on the touchpad to activate elements and then quickly navigate to the things they want to use. Disappointingly though, at least for the build that we were playing, the back panel touchscreen was unresponsive to touch. I think that this is because the game does not support this feature of the Vita, but I think it’d be interesting to see if they could implement it in the future, just because I already have my fingers behind the screen whilst playing.
Like previous Assassins Creed games, there is a decent amount of parkour – or free-running – available. What’s cool is that the mechanics of this are fairly simple for new-comers to pick up. You just hold the right-trigger button and the player character will automatically start running and climbing, etc., depending on the circumstance. I feel that this is a good control mechanism for the Vita version, where there are less overall buttons available to the player than on a console.
The games UI is very uncluttered and is both functional whilst remaining aesthetically pleasing. From a visual standpoint it really does not get in the way of the action and you are able to focus on what’s going on in the actual game, rather than worrying about a wide-array of visual nonsense that may otherwise detract from that experience.
One thing that I did notice about the story-telling in this game was that none of the characters spoke in a way that you’d imagine a native American of the time to have spoken. The end result is that the characters sound like they only exist to further the gameplay; rather than being fully realised characters themselves. Heck, one line of dialogue sounded completely robotic in its delivery. I’m sure that the full game will feature a wider array of characters to interact with, all of which are probably better acted than the characters I had interacted with in this build.
On the side of character aesthetics, I’ve always loved the character designs in Assassins Creed games. With this title, it is no different; even if the main characters design does not really fit in with the visual theme of the rest of the game. As you can imagine, the main character is largely reminiscent of the main characters shown in previous Assassins Creed games. This is a good thing for iconography within the game, as it would not feel like an Assassins Creed game if the main character did not look similar to the already established Assassins Creed aesthetic.
The mission that I was on required the player to investigate these hidden glowy animal head things. This required the player to run to a particular section of the map and activate this sensory mode skill (which is activated by pressing up on the plus-pad) in order to see them. This feature will also highlight anything else of interest in the immediate area. From first appearance this appeared to be a kind of tutorial level, especially considering later on we were being shown how to switch between weapons and how to attack targets.
I would have liked to have seen the game being showcased from a more interesting section of the game, but from what I’ve seen, this game looks like it is a lot more promising than the console Assassins Creed game. You’ll definitely want to check this title out when it hits shelves in the near distant future.
The upcoming shooter from Ubisoft, FarCry 3, has had a new video released for it. In this video we take a look at some of the characters within the game. In this instance, they would be a group of characters known as “The Savages”.
Along with this video, we have a short biography of the each of the members that I will be reproducing. So be sure to read those if you’re interested.
The first of these characters is known as Buck. He’s an Aussie bloke with a keen liking of inflicting pain on others. Probably sociopathic amounts. Here is his bio –
Character Profile – Buck
On an island marked by depravity and violence, Buck may be the most depraved and violent of all. He lives by his own rules – feeding his own insatiable, twisted desires.
His story began in Australia, where he joined the armed forces at an early age. But his commanders quickly discovered his perverse addiction to inflicting pain, and dismissed him. He fell into mercenary work, leading to a contract with Hoyt Volker, the South Pacific’s most notorious drug-runner and slave trader. Hoyt realized that Buck’s ferocious combat skills and unrelenting brutality could be of use. Since then, Buck has answered to no other. When Hoyt needs a kill, Buck gets the call.
Buck is a man of distinctive tastes. Violent torture is his favorite diversion, and he takes a perverse pride in his stomach-churning assaults. “Around here,” he says with a savage leer, “we eat what we kill.” His outsize Bowie knife is never far from his grasp – or from a terrified victim’s flesh.
Jason Brody first encounters Buck in a desperate search for his kidnapped friend, Keith. Jason learns that Buck has purchased Keith, and bargains for his safe return. Buck makes Jason a deal: if Jason can find and deliver a priceless ancient knife, Buck will let Keith go. Jason agrees, and embarks on a dangerous quest to recover the knife and present it to Buck. But Buck isn’t just holding Keith hostage, Keith has become so much more. Buck is only human after all.
Jason and Buck will have to compete for who is the better man, and only one will emerge victorious. And Buck doesn’t fight fair, he plays for keeps.
The second character is a pirate named Vaas. He appears to like murdering, enslaving and getting high. Check out his bio –
Character Profile – Vaas Montenegro
Vaas is an unpredictable, psychotic, violent, merciless, coked-up pirate warlord and slave trader who kills purely for entertainment. No one is safe when Vaas is around. Not his friends, and certainly not his enemies.
This murderer was once destined to inherit the power of his people, the Rakyat. His sister, Citra, rose to lead the entire tribe. Vaas was groomed to become the most powerful warrior on the island. But, instead, he shirked his responsibilities, fleeing the tribe, right into the hands of Hoyt Volker. Hoyt, the principal drug-runner and slave trader operating along the Pacific Rim, had selected Rook Island as his base of operations. He saw murderous potential in Vaas, and promised him wealth and drugs. Now Vaas is Hoyt’s most brutal enforcer. His favorite pastime? Kidnapping innocents, accepting ransom money, and selling them as slaves.
To those who serve under him, Vaas is a vicious and unpredictable boss. To those who dare cross him, Vaas is a lethal adversary. He’s an expert shot and a ferocious hand-to-hand warrior; his body bears the scars of savage battles deep in the jungle, which he wears with pride. But it is his explosive unpredictability that makes him so dangerous.
Early in the story, Vaas and his pirates capture Jason Brody and his friends. Vaas taunts them, explaining that he’s eager to see how much money Jason’s parents will pay for his return. But then things go south. Jason escapes. Enraged that a ‘pretty boy’ would dare challenge him, Vaas screams: “If the jungle doesn’t eat you alive, I will.” And thus begins a lethal rivalry between the two men. Jason does whatever he can to save his friends and escape, while Vaas develops a psychotic fixation on killing Jason once and for all.
But through all of Vaas’s murderous rage, glimpses of his remaining humanity can be seen. Lurking underneath the raucous façade is a disturbed exile, one running from a past that haunts him. He displays a twisted sense of humor that defies categorization. He is real. Unpredictable. Dangerous. Despicable. And entirely unique. He is Vaas.
Be sure to check out the trailer, embedded below, for more info.
[email protected] and let us know what you think of the podcast or what you’d like to hear or any suggestions you might have.
