Coming out on the 20th of September is the horror film Bait 3D. The movie follows the survival of a group of people that have survived an oncoming tsunami in a small village. However, things look bad when the survivors realise that the tsunami had brought in some unwanted visitors from the deep. The film features the awesome Aussie actor Julian McMahon and a plethora of others. Below is a list of the main cast –
Cast –
Julian McMahon – Doyle
Sharni Vinson – Tina
Phoebe Tonkin – Jaimie
Xavier Samuel – Josh
Alex Russell – Ryan
Be sure to check out the following clips:
Flood
Keep Going
Be sure to check out the official trailer embedded below for more info.
Welcome to Capsule Computers’ weekly anime segment, Anime Say! This week, I dive into a topic that will most likely make many people cranky, whether Sword Art Online is a good series or not.
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 the latest episode of Anime Say? Let us know in the comments section below.
If you are reading this from North America and own a Vita, chances are that you are currently in possession of LittleBigPlanet Vita. That’s because the US street date for LittleBigPlanet Vita has been broken. Originally, slated for release on September 25, Gamestop (and possibly EB Games in Canada) have started to sell copies as soon as stores received the shipments. This came about due to the release date not appearing in Gamestop’s database. It was assumed that Gamestop could sell them as they received them.
Sony Computer Entertainment America acknowledged the early sale of LittleBigPlanet Vita on the Playstation Blog and gave retailers free reign to sell their copies once they come in. However, Sony did note that any online features will not be ready until the servers are up and running, which is believed to be happening on the 18th, which is Tuesday. That also goes for the pre-order bonus costumes. The European, PAL and Japanese release dates have not changed.
If you were to sit down and make a list of a few Japanese games for the PlayStation Vita that you thought were never ever going to be localized for release in the West, that list would contain a number of different titles, mostly visual novels, and also a certain fishing game that features some special anime looking characters.
Well… surprise surprise! That cute anime fishing game is actually being localized. It turns out that Wired Productions is planning on bringing Let’s Fish! Hooked On as it is called to both North America and Europe. The game itself looks like it will be released through the PlayStation Network as a digital download though at the moment it is currently unknown how much the game will cost.
As for the game itself, some screenshots of the game can be seen below. The title will contain four different gameplay modes: World Tour, Challenge, Underwater and Training. The World Tour mode shall be the game’s story mode where players can play one of four different characters who each have their own story and abilities. The challenge mode pits players against one another in the online rankings while Underwater mode allows you to look at various fish you have caught.
Double Dragon Neon Developer: WayForward Publisher: Majesco Platform: Xbox Live Arcade Release Date: August 30, 2012 Price: 800 MS Points ($9.99) – BUY NOW
Overview
25 years ago, the world was introduced to Billy and Jimmy in Double Dragon. This release laid the groundwork on the genre of the beat ’em up, while also becoming one of the most love franchises of all time. Fast forward to today, and it’s been a little while since we have last heard of our red and blue brawlers. WayForward has changed all of that with Double Dragon Neon though, as this title attempts to not only pay homage the the name, but also give the nostalgic quarter depositing crowd a new reason to love their modern consoles yet again. Can that old formula still stand strong by today’s standards? Grab a bat and watch out for Linda, as here is our review for Double Dragon Neon.
Story
Double Dragon Neon starts out as any Double Dragon should, with Marian being punched in the gut and abducted. Billy and Jimmy Lee, our protagonists, soon arrive on the scene as our heroes, and quickly make chase through the brightly lit streets. Yes, all the classic themes that made the franchise in the 80’s are back, but this time the evil doer by the name of Skullmageddon is at the root of the girlfriend snatching and there are a lot more sights to see as well as locales to trek through.
The greatest part about the plot within Neon is how the game never takes itself too seriously and relies on over-the-top humor to entertain the player. There is certainly enough story to keep you interested until reaching the end (compared to most arcade brawlers), but the amount of small references, run-ins, and cheeky puns that come in-between given this title a load of charm and make the experience stay light and enjoyable throughout. Billy and Jimmy have a bit more of a “bro” like attitude this time around and are a bit brainless, but still make for two awesome combatants due to their overflowing amount of confidence.
Gameplay
While the plot and goings on are wonderful, WayForward would have nothing in this neon-lit reboot without keeping the same beat ’em up playstyle that the series is known for. Luckily, Neon not only feels familiar, but adds in a hefty amount of features that stay true to the namesake and still manage keep the game feeling fresh while players are pounding on the likes of Abobo and Williams. When it comes to the core, all of the ingredients are in place and flavorful enough to deliver a delicious fist pumping romp. Players simple scroll along through each stage, kicking and delivering blows to waves of foes until reaching the end. The controls have all been mapped out decently as well, making the game accessible to all newcomers.
Back in the arcade days, only one or two buttons were needed to play Double Dragon (you know, stick to move, A and B to punch/kick). That’s almost correct with Neon, but the newly added special abilities enhance the arsenal of Billy and Jimmy, providing a great amount of depth for those craving a much more meaty take on the game. As players defeat foes, cassette tapes can be acquired to unlock and power up abilities. Each cassette tape holds either a technique for the Sosetsitsu or a new stance, which could almost be considered a special class system. The Sosetsitsu abilities contain the likes of spin-kicks, fireballs, and even an almighty fiery dragon to decimate enemies with, and can be leveled up by acquiring more songs of the same nature. This same leveling system stays true for the stances, which are used for increasing stats such as attack, defense, magic, and HP.
It’s a clever little scheme that certainly provides the most depth the franchise has seen to date, but is made even better and more strategic by the way everything is implemented. Throughout the game, specific stages will have two types of shops hidden within where you can spend your earned dough to buy health and life boosts, as well as a good number of songs. Double Dragon Neon can be a bit punishing when it comes to death (players completely restart each stage when all lives are lost), so it is mandatory to upgrade in shops when possible to gain the edge on a tough swarm of attackers that lay ahead. Thankfully, all earned tapes remain with the player after death, meaning that even though you have to restart, your higher power level remains intact along with your collected cash in order to deliver a bit of ease on each attempt at beating a stage.
It’s almost like a new form of grinding that works wonders to teach players what they need to improve on to succeed. I know some won’t be fond of the lack of checkpoints, but those handholding gestures of modern times can’t hold a candle to the sheer satisfaction of having the grind pay off and is one trait that makes Double Dragon Neon stand miles above other recent entries into the genre as a whole.
Variety is one thing that Neon also delivers in groves. Now, I say that compared to the beat ’em up games we know, as players need to still expect the same form of combat for the entire experience. Enemies however offer up the change of pace by creating a new form of hazard to get around. Some just punch, kick, and flip, while others are equipped with deadly projectiles and overpowered throws that can dominate Billy or Jimmy quickly if they head in unprepared. These foes will keep you heading into your menu to change up your own fighting styles and Sosetsitsu maneuvers, so be prepared to adjust to the difficulty on the fly. Again, this is not a negative at all and keeps a burst of fresh air blowing from time to time to squash that repetitive brawler feel.
Since this is Double Dragon, the co-op mode is definitive form of playing Neon. Not a lot changes in terms of gameplay or plot while two have taken up the task to take down Skullmageddon and company, but there are a few extras for the pair of players. Billy and Jimmy can deliver high fives to split health, and can also revive eachother by performing a quick button tapping mini-game. I played through the game in both single player and co-op, and even though I loved my time spent with both, I must say that co-op is the more enjoyable of the two modes. After the game is beaten, replay value is still hefty as there are plenty of unlockables to be found and tapes can still be leveled up as harder difficulties become available.
Visuals and Audio
The art design within Double Dragon Neon is outstanding. Every classic enemy and protagonist alike have been redesigned to fit within this title, and the neon-lit environments are both detailed and delightful to see as the game progresses onward. Neon feels like the Double Dragon games of the past, but reminds us of it’s newness constantly with the high gloss finish that shines so brightly on every model and piece of city scape involved.
The Soundtrack however. Yeah. There are not enough words to describe the awesomeness that is Double Dragon Neon’s soundtrack. Each track sounds like it was just ripped off MTV in the 80’s, and each stage has it’s own tuned tailored to the present environment. Falsettos, guitar solos, bubble gum pop. It’s all here, and comes together to provide one of the best video game soundtracks to date. I know that statement is bold, but once you hear these beats stack upon this rad world, you are sure to feel the same within minutes…unless you have no soul of course.
Overall
Make no mistake about it. Double Dragon Neon is not a remake, but an entire reboot of a classic that is sure to capture the attention of anyone who spent their childhood tied up with cartridges and quarters. While this title is still a beat ’em up and proud of it, the extra features such as the cassette tape leveling system add in a ton of depth to a genre that rarely sees anything more than a special punch or kick. The music is in a category of it’s own and worth the price of admission alone due to the high level of quality and love sewn in by the retro masters at WayForward, and the new art style is just sweet icing on top of this fine, layered cake. It’s rare when a reboot can exceed the high expectations we hold for the classics, but Double Dragon Neon is so jam-packed with nostalgia, humor, and solid gameplay that it does that and more. Is it worth an investment? TOTALLY, BRO!
Welcome to my weekly Hunter x Hunter episode impressions. This week, I go through episode 47 of the 2011 version of Hunter x Hunter. 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.
Even before the release of Halo 4 by 343 Industries, and the two subsequent sequels that will make up the Reclaimer trilogy, there are signs that point to a possible plan to develop a third Halo trilogy.
Earlier this week, Microsoft had bought five domain names in total:halo7.net, halo7.org, halo8.org, halo9.net andhalo9.org. These domain names were previously registered to DNStination Inc., a domain privacy service operated by company MarkMonitor. A quick trip to the MarkMonitor website reveals that Microsoft is indeed a “strategic partner” of theirs.
It is obvious that Halo is one of the biggest brand names in video game history, and it makes Microsoft a ton of money being its main exclusive. A third trilogy is therefore definitely not out of the question, and in some ways is to be expected. Microsoft could also just be protecting their brand.
Do you guys think Halo can sustain interest through to a 9th (main) entry?
In what could turn out to be either a genius move, or a disaster, one London cinema is deploying a “Ninja Task Force” for the purpose of ceasing obnoxious behaviour by inconsiderate movie-goers. It is the result of an official collaboration between the Prince Charles Cinema, located in Leicester Square, and the company Morphsuits.
These “ninjas” are clad in plain black morphsuits and stand in the darkest corners of each theatre room waiting to pounce on loud, distracting members of the cinema audience. Morphsuits co-founder Gregor Lawson explains the inspiration for implementing this new scheme: “I’m a big fan of going to the cinema, but there’s an unspoken code of conduct when you’re watching a movie that some people just don’t understand.”And what better way of teaching those code-breakers a lesson than by having a strange fetish monster come up and silence them!?
Effective?
This may sound ridiculous to many, but according to one movie-goer who was shut down by these ninjas, the experience was “terrifying”. Although I am not so sure that when, or if, this scheme expands nationwide in England everyone will take as kindly to the confrontation. And considering that these ninjas are volunteers and get to view the movie that’s playing in their theatre for free, I can see many taking the job just for that free ticket and not caring about their actual responsibilities.
What do you guys think? Will this prove a success in the long run?
Monkey Slam Developer:Mad Atom Publisher: Chillingo Platforms: iPhone (Reviewed), iPod Touch, iPad Release Date: September 6, 2012 Price: $0.99 AUD – Available Here
Overview
Chillingo release Monkey Slam is another entrant in the often revisited Breakout inspired brick-breaking genre. However, with Monkey Slam, developer Mad Atom has attempted to create a brick-breaking game unlike any other; unique in style and substance.
Gameplay
To play into the overall theme of the game, the usual ball found in brick-breaking games is replaced by a monkey. This monkey sits on the head of a giant ape, which acts as your paddle. Tapping where you want the monkey to hit sends it off in that direction, bouncing off of bricks, walls, obstacles and, among other things, bouncy rubber ducks. Once the monkey is in flight, there are two options to controlling the ape, which can be switched back and forth in the options menu. These are: by dragging your finger across the bottom of the screen or by tilting your iOS device in the desired direction. By default, the game uses the drag method, which is a much more accurate style of play.
There is a patch of green leaves on the ape’s head that indicate the acceptable point of contact between the ape and monkey. If the monkey lands anywhere at the bottom of the screen but there, it will fall and count as a life lost, of which you will have three at the start of every level. Sometimes when the monkey is falling right at the edge of the screen it can be difficult to position the ape appropriately as you must drag your finger to the very corners of your screen whilst also dealing with a slight lag in responsiveness at times – a small frustration. Besides using the monkey as your main instrument of destruction, you also accumulate bananas over time which can be flung in the same manner. Think of them as extra ammo. These bananas are not entirely necessary though, and feel like a cheap way to include in-app purchases as they are available to buy in the main menu. I stockpiled about 100 myself and rarely ever used one, unless it was by accident.
With the clear and simple of objective of smashing every breakable item on screen, you also have the secondary objective of getting 3 stars out of 3 for each of the 64 levels – 16 in each world, and surely more to come with updates. This star rating is reflective of your overall score at the end of a level. Your score will depend on bonuses, fruits, stars and drops collected and your multiplier. The bonuses are achieved both mid-game and at level’s end. If, for instance, the monkey stays in play for an extended period of time without having touched the ape, you will get a bonus called “Put Ya Feet Up” adding an additional 10,000 points to your score. And, at the end of each level, you will be rewarded a “Monkey Bonus” which grants you 10,000 points per life remaining and a “Time Bonus” dependant on how quickly you finished the level.
Your multiplier increases as you consecutively collect dropped fruit, whilst rotating stars are also found throughout certain levels that will add an extra 1,000 points each to your score. In order to make things easier for the player and provide a handicap in hairy situations, there are many power-ups that can be caught as well. Some of these power-ups are “Locomotive” and “Magnetize” which enable the monkey to blast through bricks without bouncing off them and automatically leads the monkey back to the ape’s position, respectively. There are many other power-ups, but beware for there are also power-downs. These include, amongst a few more, “Dizzy Ape”, which will cause the ape to uncontrollably wobble side to side, and “Slow-Mo” which, you guessed it, slows the ape’s reaction speed down considerably. Continuing this balance is the fact that there are gems among the bricks that provide 25,000 points, but also obstacles such as rocks and anvils that, if they land on the ape, cause you to lose a life. In later levels, these obstacles do create a greater challenge for the player, but a welcome one at that.
And finally, the actual patterns and layout of the bricks level to level are all unique and, when taking all other gameplay elements into consideration, require different strategies and attack plans. Add to this certain levels that have bricks or barriers moving in and out from foreground to background, and you’ve got the additional element of timing to consider. These are the highlights of the game as this is something that I personally have not experienced in other brick-breaking games and feels like a very fresh concept for the genre that should be adapted for future entries.
Visuals
All titles under the Chillingo banner have a distinctly colourful, cute and cartoonish style of visuals and Monkey Slam is no different. In what will certainly appeal much more to a younger audience, Monkey Slam takes full advantage of the colour wheel. The four different “worlds”, each with their own theme, allow for some varying backdrops and colour palettes. ‘Monkey Reef’, with its Caribbean theme, goes heavy on the blues with its clear skies and sparkling waters. The ‘Far East’ takes from its namesake with traditional Chinese architecture painted in Earthy tones. And ‘Jungle Island’ depicts lush greenery whilst ‘Space World’ uses deeper blues with the greys of asteroids meandering about in the background.
Even the powerups, visual effects, constructs and the fruits that fall out of them run the gamut of every colour in the rainbow. Even so there’s still always a sense of harmony in the visuals, with every other world providing an opposing colour scheme to keep a contrast between them that in turn keeps players’ eyes stimulated. Another aspect of the visuals that should be praised is the sense of 3D space, depth and movement in the backdrops themselves. They are never static; clouds pass from one edge of the screen to the other, asteroids float about, trees sway in the breeze and Chinese lanterns rise up and out of sight. These moving elements breathe life and energy into each surrounding and also provide that extra visual flair and continuity to each world.
Audio
The music found in both the menus and in-game is always up-beat and light. Although the same track is used for every level, each world is represented through specific audio cues, such as radio transmission samples in Space World and waves crashing with seagull’s squawking in Monkey Reef. The monkey appropriately makes…monkey noises as it hits anything on screen and chomps can be heard as the ape catches fruit in his mouth and eats it. All in all, the audio fits in very well with the visuals and overall sensibility of the game.
Overall
Monkey Slam is the most unique brick-breaking game out, introducing new gameplay twists and providing a great balance of mechanics and features. It suffers from very minor issues of responsiveness lag and unintentional banana usage (that sounds so weird), but they are really insubstantial enough to not affect the value of the title. And considering the game is only $0.99, I can’t see any reason to complain about an addictive game that could last many, many hours for those 3-Star hunters out there.
Welcome to my weekly SKET Dance episode impressions. This week, I go through episode 75 of the crazy comedy anime that is SKET Dance. 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.
Welcome to Capsule Computers’ weekly anime segment, Anime Say! This week, I dive into a topic that will most likely make many people cranky, whether Sword Art Online is a good series or not.
If you were to sit down and make a list of a few Japanese games for the PlayStation Vita that you thought were never ever going to be localized for release in the West, that list would contain a number of different titles, mostly visual novels, and also a certain fishing game that features some special anime looking characters.
