For the two of you who were unaware, Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 launched this past Sunday. I’m sure a lot of you are making your way through the new story and visiting those familiar faces of Unova, but you should also remember a few other extras recently released alongside the set of Poke titles.
Pokémon Dream Radar and Pokédex 3D Pro are 3DS exclusive extras, which each come with a small fee to add to the Pokemon experience. Dream Radar lets players transfer hard to find Pokemon to the main games through a unique mini-game, while Pokedex 3D Pro acts as a complete Pokedex, featuring all 640+ species. Our review will be up soon, so stay tuned for that, and get to downloading and playing as all of the above are available now.
Welcome to my weekly Magi episode impressions. This week, I go through episode 1 of Magi. 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.
It looks like Compile Heart is working on a PlayStation Vita game of some sort, as Game Jouhou is reporting that this week’s copy of Famitsu contains information about a Vita game from Compile Heart that is being called Monster Monpiece. A website for the game has also been launched and can be found here.
Currently there is little information about what the game will involve, though it seems that it is an original IP of some sort. The game itself will apparently feature a chibi art style and involve “rubbing, pinching and poking.” Given Compile Heart’s history for risque games, perhaps this is one of the first ecchi type titles for the Vita? Well from the image seen above and shown on the game’s teaser website, this is a yes.
Welcome to my weekly JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure episode impressions. This week, I go through episode 1 of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. 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 my weekly Hunter x Hunter episode impressions. This week, I go through episode 50 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.
EA Mobile have just now released a promotional preview trailer for the mobile racing game Need For Speed Most Wanted Mobile.
The game which is being developed by Firemonkeys for mobile devices on both iOS and Android, boasts impressive visuals that can be compared to the console version of Need For Speed Most Wanted as well as addictive gameplay that is great to play on the go.
You can check out the Need For Speed Most Wanted Mobile trailer below. How do you think it compares to the console version? Be sure to let us know what you think in the comments section.
The incredibly popular Serious Sam 3 for PC garnered much critical acclaim amongst fans and reviewers alike. The epic 16 player Campaign co-op being just one of the reasons for its incredible popularity. The game itself harkens back to gaming of old with no cover system or recharging health and a huge emphasis on insanely large amounts of enemies for you to strafe and shoot at on each level.
Well congratulations Xbox 360 owners, because Serious Sam 3: BFE has just been announced as coming to Xbox Live this October 17th. In less than a week new fans and old veterans will be able to get their hands on this extensively ported version of the game, designed just with the Xbox 360 in mind.
The new version will feature both, Singleplayer and Splitscreen Campaign as well as the huge online co-op and competitive gametypes. For just 1200 Microsoft Points. For an extra 1200 Points, players will also get the Jewel of the Nile campaign expansion, as well as the Deathmatch, Last Team Standing, Capture the Flag and My Burden competitive game modes.
“Ever since we announced Serious Sam 3: BFE our fans have asked us to bring the game to Xbox LIVEArcade,” said Davor Hunski, Chief Creative Guy at Croteam. “Boom. Done.”
Also including 25 achievements and classic leaderboards, this package seems like the perfect way for Xbox 360 players to finally get into the game.
“Awesome, now I can go from getting absolutely annihilated by some loudmouth with a mouse and keyboard to getting annihilated by some loudmouth with an Xbox 360 controller,” said Fork Parker, Devolver Digital CFO. “Damn these silky smooth thumbs.”
Serious Sam BFE will be releasing on the Xbox Live platform on the 17th of Octorber.
Sonic Adventure 2 Developer: Sega Publisher: Sega Platform: Xbox Live Arcade (Reviewed), Playstation Network Release Date: October 5, 2012 Price: 800 Points ($9.99) – BUY NOW
Overview
Nostalgia can be a tricky thing. I’m sure you have all heard that before, but when it comes to Sonic, those words are used quite often for good reason. Sonic Adventure 2 is one of those titles that many fans see as the last great Sonic game before the slump, or the start of Sega’s dark period for the blue wonder. I’m actually quite a fan of the game and have re-visited Shadow’s debut many times over the years to get my fix. Sonic Adventure 2 is now back in our sights with a new HD paint job, and has given me yet another reason to trek through my favorite 3D Sonic title to date. How does it hold up?
Story
Rolling around at the speed of sound. Ah yes folks, we are talking about Sonic Adventure 2 here. Back when this title was first announced, Shadow was boasted as the greatest threat the series had ever seen. To make matters more interesting, players could play as this dastardly hedgehog and take the “dark” path as they fought against Sonic and company. Of course this is all the work of Eggman, and along with Rouge the Bat, players can set out to control the world…or save it with Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles.
The story isn’t exactly that great by today’s standards, but it’s watchable and the campyness of all of the events and cheesey one-liners spewed are sure to bring back some great memories of your care-free childhood. In my opinion – aside from Sonic Generations, this is the last game that got it right when it came to a narrative for the franchise, as it’s a much more believable plot for Sonic, and one of the more interesting and hyped periods of his long and windy road to the top.
Gameplay
While awaiting this remake to hit consoles, I was anticipating and dreading playing through stages all over again. Remember when we used to fall through the floor as Sonic or run into a cheap jump death? Well, those moments are not nearly as bad as I thought they would be, but trudging around as Knuckles and Rouge…yeah…that is in a category of terrible all to itself.
Sonic and Shadow’s stages consist of following a track until the end or fighting a boss during certain points in the story. These two hedgehogs control about the same, with all of their jumps, grinding, and aerobatics thrown in. The gameplay is super-smooth as well, letting the player embrace speed for a good portion of the stages, slowing down from time to time to fight off some robots with some old-fashioned bounce driven combat. From time to time, there are light moments of frustration as springs can over-shoot the player into a pit, but as I mentioned, these areas are few and far between and a little tuning of accuracy can do wonders to keep the momentum going in the player’s favor.
Tails and Eggman are now in mechs and must shoot their way throughout each stage in order to progress, with an emphasis on proper targeting and switch pressing to open doors and move onward. These robot-like entities work well enough, but never fill the role of Tails’ flying ability or come off as ground breaking by any means. Oddly enough, even though these machines are heavy, they do control with ease and never seem to be “robotic”, letting players scurry on through a stage without much of a problem.
Knuckles and Rouge…well, where do I begin? When I was younger, Knuckles’ gliding and wall climbing abilities were the best part of Adventure 2. For those unfamiliar, this duo’s levels consist of hunting three keys to progress onward, where the player must gather hints from floating monitors to track down their locations. What was interesting back then has not aged well now however, as this searching is just a flat out chore. During the Pumpkin Hill zone, the imperfections of the formula really shine through, as the stage just doesn’t seem fit for much gliding or speed. When you fly through a Sonic or Tails stage in less than 3 minutes and then have to break the pace with a hunting stage, it can kill one’s own aspirations to move forward with the main plot. Add in the tedious and sometimes cheap enemy placement and awkward zooming camera angles, and the only thing you will be hunting for is a way out.
Chao Gardens were added to SA2 as more of a bonus feature, but after a short time the player will quickly learn that this is where the replay value can be found. As levels are explored, Chao keys can be found to unlock these lovely little creatures. The Chao are placed in a garden of sorts where the player can interact with them, feeding them fruit or capsules to get stronger, or letting them suck the life out of saved animals in order to transform. There is a lot of depth to the system and letting Chao compete in races or participate in the Kindergarten in order to learn new abilities and up stats just furthers the experience, rewarding the player for their playtime within the main game.
I imagine a good amount of you discovered Adventure 2 on the Gamecube as Sonic Adventure 2: Battle, which added in a multiplayer mode of sorts so that friends could go head to head in races, shooting battles, and hunting-styled games. Of course the races are the star attraction, as they are well fit for competitive play, allowing the player to use their rings for power-ups that slow their opponent down. Hunting works about the same, and is a lot more enjoyable in a multiplayer format. Shooting fights with Tails and Eggman are nothing too special however, but act as a decent distraction from the other features when the players are in need of a change of scenery. All in all, there are a ton of things to do within Sonic Adventure 2. Completionists will be in heaven due to the emblem collecting and rank perfecting, and those with friends are sure to enjoy the Battle bonuses due to how well most of the competitions still hold up. Is everything perfect? No, not by a long shot. There is however a coat of nostalgia attached to this release though that will attract Sonic fans everywhere, and those hardcore fans will surely find love within this re-release all over again due to how solid the original product was to start with.
Visuals and Audio
When Sega does an HD remake, it’s usually done right. Thankfully, Sonic Adventure 2 is yet another repaint that shines in a glossy finish, making that colorful art design pop. Textures appear to be smoother for both models and environmental objects, treating all eyes to one beautiful looking Sonic game. Animations are also well done as well, with the original 60 frames-per-second movements in play that give this game it’s “blast processing” like speed.
Audio is a bit more of a mixed bag. Of course the soundtrack is great, and the first tune alone is legendary within the series. The voice acting however isn’t as sharp, as characters seem to love repeating themselves with their own special phrases. I mean, sure, they sound decent enough, but hearing Tails scream “Son-nic.!” in that whiny tone every single time he stubs his little fox toe is sure to grind on some nerves after just a few deaths. Cutscenes are also a bit cheesey, with characters delivering terrible puns that would make Sinbad cringe.
Overall
I have always been the one that stood up for Sonic Adventure 2 during arguments and my opinion still stands that this entry is one of Sega’s finest for the franchise. That said, the hunting stages have not held up well over the years and there are a good number of glaring flaws that new players who’ve just joined us after “Generations” are sure to be frightened away by. Sonic himself (as well as Shadow) is still a blast to play as… and since this is a Sonic game, you have to applaud that feat alone due to the onslaught of mediocrity that followed this solid yet chipped gem. Sega have certainly had their rough periods, but the Sonic series has been back on the right track for a few years now, with this remake being a fine example of just what the publisher can produce. Nostalgia aside, there is a lot of good, great, and OH MY GOD! WHY! going on within this HD port, and no Sonic die-hard should pass up the chance of “escaping the city” all over again”.
Here is some great news for your mid-week. Today, Sega officially announced that ToeJam & Earl would be returning to the gaming scene in two ports of the classics – “ToeJam & Earl” and ToeJam & Earl: Panic on Funkotron”. These two 90’s throwbacks are due out November 7th for the Xbox Live Arcade and PSN, but are going to be provided in different formats depending on the platform.
For the XBLA, users will get SEGA Vintage Collection: ToeJam and Earl – with both games bundled together for 800 points. On the PSN, these two will be sold individually for $4.99 each. Making matters sweeter, online co-op and trophy/achievement support has been added in, which should make for quite a complete package as a whole. Yeah, it’s not HD, but with these two aliens, a re-release is good enough.
For the first installment of CC Screen I, your host Jess Bee, thought it would be good to kick it off with the new Fall TV shows that have been sent out onto our screens. With the competitiveness of TV shows its likely that a lot of the new ones won’t actually make it past their first few episode, but there are a couple that will make it to their first season, or maybe they might even become one of the big blockbusters. That doesn’t speak ill of their promise, or even their acting and writing chops, but luck and the ability to draw in attention from the general public.
But hey, why see it as a bad thing? It just means that we get to experience a whole range of different shows, before they get culled off to the chosen few.
666 Park Avenue
First off we have a show that caught my attention when it was first announced. With the cast headed up by Terry O’Quinn – who previously played Locke on Lost – and who is now playing who we assume is the Devil, along with Vanessa Williams, Rachael Taylor and Dave Annable.
The show definitely has some promise, with some mystery and intrigue mixed in (something that comes as no surprise since Terry O’Quinn is in the cast), as well as a healthy dose of suspense. The show is based around a young, attractive couple who have become the managers of a huge, beautiful apartment building. An apartment building that happens to be owned by Mr Devil and filled with a whole bunch of sinful residents.
In the first episode the main characters come across as a bit doe-eyed and not quite as tough as you’d want from characters that will be going up against Mr and Mrs Devil. While this is a show that holds some promise, the mystery isn’t as intriguing as the creators might have been aiming for, and it’s something that requires a few more episodes to see where they take it and if they’ll opt for the less predictable route.
The New Normal
From creator Ryan Murphy (Glee, American Horror Story, Popular) is a new sitcom about the changing nature of families. Ryan Murphy has always been good at raising gay visibility, and this new show is no different. The main characters are a gay male couple, a woman who is in distinct need of a change of scenery, and her young girl who she had when she was 15.
The writing is quick witted and tongue in cheek, with a few zings and interesting views on families, along with one of those classic and insulting matriarchal character that adds a bit of inappropriate and out there humour. The characters all have their own interesting parts to them, and the young girl is one of those hilarious and snarky kids that you can only find on TV and in movies.
At first glance The New Normal looks like Modern Family, but it has a totally different feel to it, and when you watch it there is certainly no resemblance to the other show. There is a tiny bit of preachiness to it, which does sometimes get a bit over the top, but for the most part it tries to rein it in.
This is definitely a show you’re going to want to watch (at the moment it’s a few episodes into the first season). My prediction is that this show should have a pretty successful run, depending on if it goes the way of Glee or Popular.
Elementary
Elementary is the new American show that explores the characters of the Sherlock Holmes universe. There has been quite a bit of controversy surrounding the show, given the popularity of the BBC show Sherlock, and the apparent similarities (although these really only extend towards the original source material). Also the portrayal of Dr Watson by Lucy Liu, which I’m quite pleased to say works rather well. Although she may not be as warm and humanizing as some believe Dr Watson should be, she still plays a steadying influence and gives the audience someone to relate to when dealing with Sherlock’s eccentricities. Jonny Lee Miller’s representation of Sherlock is intense, well spoken, and certainly pays tribute to a classic and multilayered character.
The show is extremely well put together, with interesting character interaction and good writing and acting. It is definitely a show to watch if you are interested in crime but want something different than the standard procedural shows. Plus it’s got that little bit of heart in it and a spark that everyone looks for in a good show.
There are a few other shows that have been set up for the new fall schedule, but these are so far are the most promising. For more information on the new fall shows, as well as the returning ones, keep tuned to Capsule Computers! And make sure to check out our recaps of the rest of the returning shows.
