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Street Fighter X Tekken Vita Review

Travis Bruno
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Street Fighter X Tekken
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, PlayStation Vita (Reviewed)
Release Date: October 23, 2012
Price: $39.99 – Available Here

Overview:
In what has become something of a common practice for Capcom, the company has created another fighting game which pits two classic franchises against one another in one on one combat.  Seven months ago Street Fighter X Tekken was released to consoles around the globe to a mild amount of fan fair and more controversy than you could shake a stick at. Now Capcom has brought Street Fighter X Tekken over to the PlayStation Vita with a few handheld specific upgrades and some special characters. Does the game make a smooth transfer onto Sony’s handheld?

Story:
A strange object has crash landed in Antarctica and while no one knows truly what the object is, it appears that anyone who fights near the box shaped object gains special powers that makes them stronger than they ever were before. Because of the rise in conflict this mysterious box causes, it has been called Pandora. Thus two forces of fighters have set their eyes on the box and must do battle with one another to obtain it.

Anyone who has played the console versions of Street Fighter X Tekken will see that nothing has changed in the storyline this time around and anyone who hasn’t played it shouldn’t expect wonders here as Capcom has provided an absolutely barebones storyline that simply sets up a weak premise for why these characters would even be fighting in the first place and nothing more.

Visuals & Audio:
Perhaps the most stunning thing about Street Fighter X Tekken on the PlayStation Vita is how gorgeous this game looks. Usually when a game is brought over to a handheld the visuals suffer in a significant way, however that is simply not the case with Street Fighter X Tekken as the game’s graphics are just as colorful and the fighters’ character models have only lost a small level of detail.

Little seems to have been sacrificed to make the game work on the Vita and this has created a near-console-like visual experience in the palm of your hands as the characters still have the classic touch Capcom used in SFIV and the backgrounds are still animated and as stunning as they were on consoles.

To go along with the game’s great visual presentation the background music is still as excellent as before with a nice collection of fast-paced tunes to keep your blood pumping in the menus as well as in the fights themselves.

Gameplay:
If you’ve played Street Fighter X Tekken on the consoles then you should know roughly what you will be getting into when you start up the Vita version, but for everyone else the game controls very similar to past Street Fighter series with this one taking many notes from SFIV. However players will now be able to use both Tekken and Street Fighter characters that pair off against other members of these franchises.

As you fight it out you will fill up a Cross Gauge that can be used to pull off various powerful attacks such as Super Arts, Ex Attacks and Cross attacks which allow the player to quickly swap their fights to deal a large amount of damage to your opponent. Here is where Capcom has changed things up a little bit on the PlayStation Vita as they have offered a chance for players to set various attacks and combos up with an easy to use touch screen interface.

Players can choose to use either the front or the rear touch pads on the Vita to activate one of four customizable tiles that will execute an attack string that can be anything from a powerful combo attack to a simple punch if you wish it. These touch screens do make the playing field a bit easier for those of us who aren’t great at remembering more complex move inputs but they don’t sway the gameplay so much that you can easily defeat opponents by using it.

If you choose to not use these touch screens and prefer fighting with the standard face buttons then you shouldn’t worry about playing on a handheld device. The controls on the Vita do an amazing job handling the fast paced inputs that Street Fighter X Tekken can sometimes require and the responsive controls will never let you down despite how hectic things can get in these tag team battles.

Outside of fighting against various enemies, the menu’s in the game have been given the touch screen treatment as well. This means that navigating through the main menu, character selection, customization, etc. will require use of the front touch screen. The navigation is rather fluid and doesn’t feel like a forced use of the touch controls so there should be no qualms about this change. It is also worth noting that Capcom added an augmented reality photo mode which allows the user to take a picture with their favorite character if they wish it. Nothing really exceptional here but still a nice little bonus for people who may be die-hard fans of either franchise and want to be next to Ryu or Jin.

Now Street Fighter X Tekken on the Vita also contains a slew of new fighters that weren’t available in the standard console versions of the game. In fact players will find twelve characters playable on the Vita as well as a code that will unlock these characters for the PlayStation 3 version of the game. This means that the Vita version contains an absolutely stunning number of characters that you can play as with a roster simply bursting at the seams with not only Street Fighter and Capcom characters but Cole from Infamous, Pac-Man and Mega Man which bring the total number of playable fighters to 55.

Now considering the Vita is a handheld device that has zero option to connect straight to the internet via a wired connection, many people may be concerned about the online multiplayer of Street Fighter X Tekken on the Vita. Well you can put those concerns to rest because out of the many fights that I experienced online only one in every ten matches felt like it was plagued with lag during the actual fight, though character interactions were laggy through most online matches. It is also worth noting that players can actually fight against users on the PlayStation 3, pitting Sony’s handheld against Sony’s console and it didn’t seem like my console playing opponent held any special edge despite working with a full screen.

Overall:
It comes as quite a surprise that Capcom has managed to bring Street Fighter X Tekken over to the PlayStation Vita while sacrificing little in the visuals and nothing in the gameplay department. In fact, with the addition of touch controls and Vita specific characters, many may see this as the definitive version of Street Fighter X Tekken. With an online multiplayer mode that rivals the console versions any fan of fighting games who own a Vita would be doing themselves a disservice if they pass this title up.

8-0-capsules-out-of-10

American Horror Story: The Complete First Season Review

Zac Elawar
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American Horror Story: The Complete First Season
Studio: 20th Century Fox Television 
Publisher: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Format: DVD (Reviewed), Blu-Ray
Release Date: October 24, 2012
Price: $39.98 – Available Here

Overview

The Emmy award winning American Horror Story brought back to life (ironically enough) a genre that was all but dead in television. Never has a TV horror series been developed that has garnered the amount of praise, and the kinds of ratings, that American Horror Story has. The show’s fans are beyond a cult following, with 3.85 million viewers tuning in for Season 2’s premiere in the U.S, making it FX’s highest rated show. The brilliant homage to all things horror has now arrived on DVD. Read on to find out whether this Complete First Season, 4-Disc set, is worth selling your soul!

Story

American Horror Story, Season 1, follows the Harmons, Ben, Vivien and their daughter Violet, as they move from Boston to Los Angeles in hopes of leaving behind a painful past and starting anew; Vivien had caught Ben, red-handed, as he cheated on her with a younger woman. Compounded by an earlier miscarriage – the effects of which Ben, a psychiatrist, indirectly blamed for his infidelity – the Harmons were on the brink of separation. They had hoped this new home, this new beginning, would be a godsend for them. Violet takes a liking to this new house, where the owners died in the basement. That fact, once delivered to the Harmons by the real estate agent, Marcy, was actually what sealed the deal in Violet’s mind as she exclaimed “We’ll take it!”. Oh, if they only knew…what they were about to experience would change their realities forever.

What’re they all looking at?!

As the pilot progresses, the Harmons are introduced to many new faces, including Moira – the former housekeeper who insists she continue working for them, Constance – the kleptomaniac and invasive next door neighbour, and her daughter Adelaide – or Addie for short – who suffers from Down Syndrome and also barges in whenever she wants. A gimp suit is found in the attic and comes into play (literally, with Vivien to be clear), while Ben sees his first new patient in a disturbed teenager named Tate, whom he banishes from talking to his daughter after finding them chatting in her bedroom. This is all just the start, the set-up…as the season plays out, new characters and backstories are introduced, almost consistently on an episode-to-episode basis. But it never feels bloated. Everyone has a story to tell and each lends to the lore and divulging of events that have occurred at the house.

Time passes, and Vivien is still finding it hard to be intimate with Ben after what he did. Things further complicate for the Harmons, including the discovery that Vivien is now pregnant (remember the man in the gimp suit?! She assumed it was Ben, right?), it starts to become evident that this house, the Murder House as it is dubbed by a touring company that passes by quite regularly, is host to many secrets and it’s death-filled past is much more extensive then the Harmons were led to believe. I can not go any further without spoiling the numerous plot twists and revelations that abound, but let’s just say that things get much stranger, much weirder and much more disturbing. It’s a hallowed roller-coaster ride that you should not miss!

If I know my horror stories, that baby may not be the welcome addition to the family that they want…

Visual

American Horror Story is one of the very few shows to have been filmed in the older Super 35 format. The inspiration behind that decision is ostensible, as the show is a throwback to the old, gritty, grainy, classic horror films of the 70s and prior. With that in mind, know that the DVD transfer was never going to be crystal clear…it’s just not possible. However, I was still disappointed by the amount of graininess present, regardless of that fact. The disc menus and text also looked quite blurry. Colour-wise, there has been no degradation or over-saturation, and everything looks as it did on TV. In regards to the actual filming and camera work, American Horror Story utilises a consistent bag of horror hallmarks, such as the tilted angles and sharply edited jump cuts. The wardrobe, color-palette and set designs communicate that creepy tone and atmosphere so well, it’s probably one of the best aspects of the show’s production.

And you scare us Tate…

Audio

The audio sounds good in 5.1 Dolby Digital format, however the mix could have been better balanced as the volumes of the dialogue/sfx and music are, at times, seemingly poles apart. The commentary track is handled well, however, with the primary audio enhanced when Murphy is speaking, and the secondary enhanced when he is not so that you can those moments of the dialogue. Subtitles can be turned on during commentary, for either the commentary itself or the dialogue. Languages available for subtitling are of a peculiarly Nordic flavour, with English, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish only.

Extras

The Complete First Season boasts one of the best, most informative commentary tracks I can ever remember listening to. Ryan Murphy, co-creator of the show, talks us through every detail during the Pilot episode. He talks about casting, filming experiences with the actors, behind-the-scenes tidbits, hints and symbolism that you may not have picked up on, camera choices and much more. Personally, I love learning about the film making process, so this was perfect. I just wish we could have gotten the actors’ takes on an episode or two as well, as I am intrigued to hear their thoughts on the shoot and subject matter. Rounding out the special features are four featurettes, all found on disc 4. First up is The Murder House presented by Eternal Darkness Tours of Hollywood’ – a faux tour of the infamous Murder House; a take off of the scenes in the show where the tour stops by the house, but does not enter, instead moving on to the next site. This 6.5 minute piece acts as a recap and chronology of the history of the house in the canon.

Mr. Harmon, you dirty dog, you!

Next is the ‘Behind the Fright: The Making of American Horror Story’, which is self-explanatory and the most in-depth piece at 23 minutes long. Then we have ‘Overture to Horror: Creating the Title Sequence’ – insight into the creation of the show’s creepy main title sequence. Ryan Murphy requested the team who did the main title sequence for the film 7even, and he got his wish with Prologue’s Kyle Cooper being brought in, per his request. The almost 9 minute video also details the composition of the title theme, which is a reconstruction of composer Cesar Davila-Irizarry’s unreleased experimental piece, “Creatura”. And finally, we have ‘Out of the Shadows: Meet the House Ghosts’ – a run-down of all the ghosts that wander the Murder House, with interview footage from the actors who played them. All up, some good extras, however they did end up covering some of the same ground. And I know there were deleted scenes that were not included, because they were alluded to by the show’s co-creator, Ryan Murphy, in his commentary track for the pilot.

Overall

The Complete First Season is a worthy DVD set with, for my money, one of the most insightful audio commentaries in recent memory making up for the other, slightly unsatisfying, extras. I would have loved to have seen more “on-the-set” footage instead of the shallow studio recorded interviews that dominate the bulk of the special features. The extras are a welcome addition, nonetheless, and the video transfer is fine considering the shooting format of using Super 35 film, although a bit grainy and soft at times. However, if you’re a fan, or a newcomer to the series, you should definitely buy this DVD set and (re-)experience the tale of the Murder House! If you’ve got the extra ‘cashola’ to spend, go for the Blu-Ray, which has DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound and a 1080p/AVC image encode.

8-0-capsules-out-of-10

Drox Operative Demo Now Available

Simon Wolfe
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Soldak Entertainment’s upcoming game, Drox Operative, has been in beta for a little while now, which means that although there are those players actual able to play and enjoy the game while helping to improve it, there are still those who haven’t gotten to touch it at all.  But, luckily for those players today is the day where that changes because the demo for Drox Operative has just been released.

The game sees players as the most fearsome entity in the galaxy a Drox Operative, trained so well that any mission isn’t too impossible to complete.  After the fall of the Drox, however those operative’s still kicking about found a new way of life the only way they knew how, getting missions done, from anyone they choose to work with.  With plenty of different win conditions, the game let’s players pick exactly how they want to play from underhanded to one-on-one.

With a new dynamic galaxy with every playthrough players will still have lots to explore in the demo and at only 120MB space shouldn’t really be a worry either.  Interested players can check out the demo HERE.

Panic Flight Soars Onto iTunes

Jamie Laike Tsui
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Ama and BulkyPix have ported the hit Android game Panic Flight to iOS. In this action game, players will need to rely on quick reflexes as they fly as far as possible to visit iconic cities while they dodge UFOs, tornadoes, pirates, and other obstacles. The game features a 21 mission solo campaign, an infinite flight mode, ten unique and fully upgradeable planes, mini-games, and Game Center support.

The game is a freemium game and supports the iPhone 4, 4S, 5 and iPads 2 and 3. Download the game here. Check out the trailer and screenshots below. Check out the game for Android devices on the Google Play store here.

Evangelion Exhibition to Tour Australia in 2013

Luke Halliday
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Good news for Neon Genesis Evangelion fans! Madman alongside the Japan Foundation and NTV Films as well as several other sponsors are proud to present the Evangelion Exhibition, a pop culture tour coming to Australia that fans of the revolutionary mecha anime franchise would certainly not want to miss.

The Evangelion Exhibition will tour Australian locations across 2013 and will feature a variety of Evangelion related artifacts and displays that will allow fans a deeper look into the world of Evangelion than ever before.

The first stop for the Exhibition tour will be the Gold Coast City Gallery from Wednesday 17 April – Sunday 5 May 2013, and will be followed by Sydney at the Japan Foundation Art Gallery from Friday May 10th – Saturday May 18th, and finally stopping off in Melbourne, however as of time of publishing the location and dates are still unconfirmed for the tour’s final stop.

The third Evangelion film, Evangelion 3.0 You Can(Not) Redo, is set to hit Japanese theaters this week. We can also confirm to you that Madman Entertainment have revealed to us that Evangelion 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo will indeed premiere in Australian theaters in 2013, however they could not provide us with a solid date as of yet.

This is certainly an event that Evangelion fans must see. We will keep you up to date as more information on this landmark event comes to light. Be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

Mark Wahlberg Set For Transformers 4!!

Zac Elawar
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After the rumours spread across the internet, it has now been confirmed: Michael Bay and Mark Wahlberg will be teaming up, once again, for Transformers 4! T4 will hit Aussie shores June 26th, 2014.

Michael Bay had only glowing compliments for the Academy Award nominated Mark Wahlberg: “Mark is awesome. We had a blast working on “Pain and Gain” and I’m so fired up to be back working with him. An actor of his caliber is the perfect guy to re-invigorate the franchise and carry on the Transformers’ legacy.” Shooting is to commence in the spring of 2013. Each new Transformers film would out-gross the former at the box office, with the 3rd entry, 2011’s Transformers: Dark Of The Moon, taking in over $1 billion worldwide! There’s no doubt that with a mega-star like the resurgent and increasingly popular Mark Wahlberg on board, expectations are just as high, if not higher, for T4.

The project that formed this clearly healthy business relationship between Bay and Wahlberg, Pain and Gain, will be released here in Australia, mid-2013. Pain and Gain is set in the 90’s and is an action-comedy based on the true story of how three personal trainers, played by Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson and Anthony Mackie, get caught up in the midst of a criminal enterprise in their pursuit of the “American Dream”. The film also stars film veteran Ed Harris, along with Tony Shalhoub, Rob Corddry and Rebel Wilson in supporting comedic roles.

For all your Pain and Gain and Transformers 4 news, stay glued to Capsule Computers.

FORGE: Closed Beta Gameplay Video

Joshua Moris
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The closed beta for FORGE continues, but not without exclusive in-game footage from some of the inside players. Community member “Pilluminati” has put together a gameplay video that will show outsiders the intense PvP combat that FORGE sinfully provides.

What exactly is FORGE about? The story behind the title is that a being known as The Devourer has swallowed the worldly gods. Now these gods won’t go down without a fight, so they deceivingly enlisted the ranks of brave warriors to battle each other in the gauntlet world know as FORGE. In effort to free their god, the warrior must choose a battle class and kill their opponents. Every sacrifice weakens the grasp The Devourer has on the warrior’s god, but what god will surface first?

Take a look at the raw gameplay footage below, and even comment on what you think about this upcoming class-based multiplayer shooter.

The Sims 3 Stuff Pack Goes Retro and New The Sims 3 Seasons Screenshots

Jamie Laike Tsui
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EA announced a new content pack for their hit game The Sims 3 and released a batch of screenshots of their upcoming The Sims 3 Seasons expansion.

The Sims 3 70s, 80s, & 90s Stuff Pack features new hairstyles, furniture, and clothes to let your Sim rock out old school.  Your Sim can rock the iconic white disco suit of Saturday Night Fever from the 70s, the colourful styles of the Glam Rock 80s, or maybe the parachute pants of the 90s.

The Sims 3 Seasons allows Sims to experience the seasonal activities that come along with spring, summer, fall, and winter. Dress your Sims up to prepare for the weather and engage in seasonal events like snowball fights and fall festivals.

The Sims 3 70s, 80s, & 90s Stuff Pack will hit stores on January 22, 2013. The Sims 3 Seasons will be released November 2012.

Animal Academy: Fairy Tails Hits iTunes

Jamie Laike Tsui
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Animal Academy: Fairy Tails Hits iTunes

The third installment of IUGO’s Animal Acadamy was released to the App Store today. The long standing series for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch combined town building with cute animals. Animal Academy: Fairy Tails bring a story book twist to the series, proving that stories do end happily ever after.

Players will be able to build their towns with castles and other fantasy themed buildings while interacting with famous fairy tale characters. These characters will issue quests based on their fairy tales and offer epic quest rewards. Players will also be able to recruit the help of friends to get special bonuses such as coins and cupcakes. Check out Animal Academy: Fairy Tales for free on the App Store here.

Cherry Tree High Comedy Club Laughs its Way onto Steam

Jamie Laike Tsui
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Cherry Tree High Comedy Club finally makes its way onto Steam. Previously available on Desura, GamersGate, GameStop,  Capcom Digital Downloads, and as a direct download from publisher Nyu-Media. The game is a slice of life adventure game where players will need to use their conversational skills to recruit characters and chat with NPCs as they explore the town of Cherry Tree. The game boasts over 4,500 lines of dialogue across 12 topics of discussion.

Cherry Tree High Comedy Club is available for $7.99 USD or equivalent currency on Steam here. Prefer a DRM free download? Purchase the game directly from Nyu-Media here. Rather try the demo first? Download the demo here. Check out our review here.

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