Datatraveler Locker+ G2 Device Type: Storage Size: Variable (8GB Unit Reviewed) Port: USB Price: ~$18-20 AUD (Buy Here)
The Datatraveler Locker+ G2 is a USB storage device that allows the user to store and collect files and information from within itself. As a portable drive, there is the likelyhood of the device becoming misplaced or even stolen by some incredulous individuals. Therefore, the main feature of the device has become most apparent.
The Datatraveler device is not just any old USB flash drive, it is even better. This is a secure USB flash drive device. This means that anything that you put onto the device becomes protected by a secured and encrypted password that only yourself (or your organisation) will have access to. This makes the device great for transporting data that needs to be secured or for keeping visitors away from your stash of files that you’d rather not talk about.
From what I’ve experienced of the drive, it hasn’t really had any issues in relation to data transfer speeds and the like. I think that it’ll be more limited by the quality of your ports than itself.
What was really weird with the drive was that when I first installed it my PC stated that it required a restart. I found this prompt to be false. I think that this is more of a Microsoft issue than an issue with the drive. But I can’t see the benefit of requiring a driver that would require a restart to use, especially for a drive that you’re using on the go and that you may have to access it from a machine that you don’t have driver installation rights on.
When you first use the device, you’ll find that it doesn’t appear as a useable device. Instead, you’ll notice that a virtual CD-ROM drive has been created with the required device manager program and instruction manuals. You have to run this manager program before you able to access the data on the device. What is also strange is that a password is mandatory for the device. So when you use it the first time, you have to create an encrypted password. I can understand why they’d make this mandatory, but I wish that it was optional. Especially if you were using the device to loan to someone and didn’t want to give them a password.
Physically the device is made of some kind of metal. It seems like it’s durable but I have yet to put it through any kind of rigorous kinetics test. Whoops. I just did. It survived and it still works.
The last point I want to talk about is what happens when you get a password wrong 10 times. What happens is this: your flashdrive will them format itself so that nothing on it can be used. Too bad if someone steals it, they now have a useable portable device with security features. The downside for them is that they no longer have your data. Don’t store anything you don’t have a copy of on here, just incase someone fiddles with it and you lose that data forever.
Overall the Datatraveler Locker+ G2 is a pretty good piece of security storage that can house your data in an encrypted environment where unwanted users may not get a hold of it. Some of the security seems a little overboard, but it protects against bruteforce attacks. This is a must-have item for the security minded.
3 Guys. 3 gaming platforms. 15 of the worst games ever made. 24 hours. All to raise money for the East Africa Appeal.
This is the Lame Game Marathon.
An initiative created last year in the wake of the worst droughts seen in East Africa in the past 60 years. The crisis saw three friends Dan Camilleri, James Camilleri and Mark Dawes, band together to play the worst games ever made all in the name of charity – streamed live across the internet. Last year’s repose was awe-inspiring, they exceeded their modest target of $2,000 to raise a massive $5,500 at the end of the marathon.
Last year saw lads battle through a list of god-awful games including Grey’s Anatomy for PC, Iron Man: The Game and none other than Superman 64. This year’s line up has been announced – and oh man there are some absolute shockers on the list. While last year’s N64 has been upgraded to a Wii, this doesn’t mean the quality of game has in any stretch of the imagination. They’re still playing some of the worst games ever made.
PC Big Rigs Toilet Tycoon The Zoo Race Street Cleaning Simulator Barbie Horse Adventures: Mystery Ride
PS1 Mortal Kombat – Special Forces Mary-Kate & Ashley: Magical Mystery Mall Bubsy 3D Hooters Road Trip Spice Girls: Spiceworld
Wii Sukeban Shachou Rena Hooked! Real Motion Fishing Man vs Wild Ninjabread Man Babysitting Mamma
The Lame Game Marathon 2 kicks off this Saturday September 22nd from 10am. All money raised goes towards helping out current crisis in West Africa through Unicef. If your in Melbourne, head on down to theMana Bar this Friday September 21st for a pre-Marathon celebrations with the Lame Game Marathon crew.
This definitely is a worthy cause. Donation can be made via their website were all the live-streaming action will be taking place on the 22nd from 10am. Show your support for the Lame Game Marathon 2 by checking them out on their Facebook and Twitter.
2K Games released a new trailer for the upcoming NBA 2K13 game. Set to JAY Z, Rihanna, and Kanye West’s Run This Town, the Dream Team trailer pits the 1992 Men’s Olympic Basketball Dream Team against the 2012 Men’s Olympic Basketball team in a simulated game. The 1992 Dream Team is thought to be the best sports team ever assembled and is one of eight full teams in the Basketball Hall of Fame and 11 members of the team were accepted to the Basketball Hall of Fame individually. The trailer features awe inspiring footage of Kobe Bryant facing off with Michael Jordan in the final moments of the game. NBA2k13 is slated for a October 2nd, 2012 release for PC, PS3, PSP, Wii and Xbox 360. The Wii U release date will be announced at a later date.
Indie Royale brought out their back to school bundle in time for the start of the northern hemisphere’s school year. The Back to School bundle features seven games. First up in the bundle is the Steam port of the hit iOS strategy game Swords & Soldiers and the Super Saucy Sausage Fest DLC, then there is the re-imagined Lunar Lander game Lunar Flight, exploration based platformer Bunny Must Die: Chelsea and the 7 Devils, the RPG music game Sequence, Japanese shoot ’em up Flying Red Barrel – Diary of a Little Aviator, amoeba shooter Qlione, and super violent puzzle game Cute Things Dying Violently. As usual, those who pay more than $8 USD for the bundle will get a copy of minusbaby’s BIAS chiptune album. Check out the bundle here.
Ever since the new enemy for Halo 4, the Prometheans, were revealed earlier this year, the race has kept fans guess due to 343’s tight lips. Well, that mystery is starting to get cracked, as a new video documentary has hit the web today by the name of Making of ‘Halo 4’ – Return of the Forerunners.
Here is a bit of info before you set your eyes on the clip:
The 10-minute ViDoc offers a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process behind the Prometheans, the menacing new class of Forerunner enemies that will dramatically change the gameplay sandbox and pose the most formidable threat the series’ iconic hero, the Master Chief, has ever faced.
Featuring never-before-seen concept art and development footage, as well as in-depth commentary from “Halo 4” creative director Josh Holmes, franchise development director Frank O’Connor, executive producer Kiki Wolfkill, narrative director Armando Troisi, art director Kenneth Scott, as well as lead concept artists, animators, VFX artists and designers, the ViDoc offers a captivating look at the design process behind the first brand-new class of enemies in the “Halo” series since its inception more than a decade ago.
It’s pretty exciting to see a new race in a franchise like Halo, and this should be just enough to give the 4th incarnation that unique feeling older fans can grip on to.
There is still more to chew on however, as a new “Joyride” video has hit the Waypoint, and acts as a vignette for the upcoming series, “Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn”.
Check out the vidoc below and the vignette at Waypoint, and stay tuned, as there is sure to be plenty more Halo 4 coverage to come.
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 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.
