The latest point and click adventure game from Daedalic Entertainment, Deponia, is now out on the Steam platform worldwide. This means that players outside of Germany can now purchase and enjoy this pretty fun looking adventure game.
Deponia follows the tale of a guy named Rufus who lives on a planet of garbage, ruled over by those who are much better off living in the sky above. His life is turned around when he takes in an unconscious woman who happens to be the wife of an upperclassman.
Be sure to check out the trailer and artworks embedded below. Right Click and View Image to see in Wallpaper size.
Wizorb Developer: Tribute Games Publisher:Tribute Games Platforms: PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita (reviewed), PSP, iOS, Xbox 360, PC, Mac Release Date: 24 July, 2012 Price:$3.99
Overview
Brick breaking is a simple gaming art; pelt a ball at it, smash it, repeat until clear. It’s one of the fundamental forefather’s of gaming and everybody knows how it works. Wizorb is a brick breaker with a bit of a twist, and after being released on pretty much every other platform going, has finally hit the Sony family, playable on PSP, PS3, and in this review, the Vita.
When it comes to games like Wizorb there are really only a few simple questions that need to be answered: Is the basic mechanic solid and sensible? Is the art style suitably intriguing? Can I accidentally spend five hours playing it whilst neglecting important everyday tasks?
Wizorb gladly answers yes to all three of these deep and meaningful questions when it comes to the brick and the bat. Developers Tribute Games have managed to get around the hitches of a heavily tried and tested formula by infusing the inherently simple gameplay with a dose of role playing and retro design. It’s a simple move that makes a mechanic as old as the pixellated hills feel fresh and newly addictive.
Story
Wizorb does have something of a minor tale to it, allowing the RPG elements to sneak in to the game. Cyrus is a wizard who must save the Kingdom of Gorudo from slightly nasty monsters of various descriptions, and chooses to do so by transforming himself into an orb and bouncing himself around. There’s little in the way of storytelling but the simple set up is all Wizorb needs to net itself some valuable context . There is also a small town that allows you to get your restoration on by spending coins you gather whilst playing, which again adds some nice detail to Cyrus’ quest.
Gameplay
The main draw in Wizorb is obviously the brick breaking. Controls on the Vita are suitably tight and blissfully lacking in any motion input, so it’s incredibly easy to get going. The basic hit the brick, break the brick gameplay is supplemented by enemies, boss fights, and magical abilities, giving even more levels of strategy to play and a little bit of individuality and depth to the game. Brick breaking games are incredibly well worn but the additional elements on offer here hide the fact well – Wizorb marks the first time in ages that I’ve been even slightly addicted to a brick breaker.
Magical powers range from destructive fireballs to direct control of the ball, and are metered by a refillable magic gauge. The potions to refill it can often by scarce, so using magic powers is often a heavily loaded choice – they are kept finely balanced throughout the game. Various gold coins and gems rain down from broken bricks, and as well as rebuilding the aforementioned town you can also trade these goodies at shops hidden within levels. Breaking certain boxes and tripping switches can reveal hidden doors that hide vendors when bounced through, or even bonus levels to pick up more loot.
Although there’s little story going on these small touches lend Wizorb a real sense of character, and more often than not further levels of strategy. Mobile enemies add a little chaos to the mix, and the boss fights add a satisfying cap to the battle through levels. There is often some trial and error / real thought required to beat levels, especially when going for a no save and quit run to bag a high score.
There are over sixty levels to feed the addiction, divided into a handful of different styles to keep things fresh. Wizorb sits perfectly on the Vita, and despite having little re-playability it is a steal for the current price – it is a Mini after all.
Audio & Visual
Bright bit style visuals and audio make Wizorb a charming wee package. The whole thing feels like a lovely little Game Boy Colour game, with plenty of bright colours and suitably chirpy fantasy trope music. The level design is smart and evolves through a few different styles, and although it’s definitely doing its best to distract you with everything on screen it’s not in a nasty, badly designed way. The interface is clear and simple, and there’s little more you could want from the visuals.
Some of the tunes may get a little repetitive if you’re playing for long periods, but they also have the tendency to pull you into a weird Wizorb stupor where the only thing your brain can possibly think of is playing the game.
Overall
Wizorb is a great little game with solid mechanics, a charming design and a sneaky tendency to take away lots of your time. Tick, tick, tick. The RPG twist makes a tried and tested gameplay mechanic a little fresher than it used to be, and the low price will keep your wallet happy. If you’re looking for a sweet little distraction for the Vita you can do little wrong here.
Square Enix announced today that their new game Sleeping Dogs will be getting new DLC for six months after its release. On day one, Square will release the 80’s inspired Retro Triad Pack, which will include special buffs and a funky kung-fu van. Along with this, players who have previously played Just Cause 2 will also have a set of clothes available right from the start.
In September, Sleeping Dogs will receive new content packs, such as a Racing Pack and a SWAT Pack. Details on the two DLC packs as well on the rest of the DLC coming soon have not yet been revealed but Square Enix promises that further announcements will follow soon.
Sleeping Dogs will hit stores August 14th in North America and August 17th in Europe for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.
We have 5 copies of Pokemon: Black and White Movies [Combo Pack]to give away on Blu-Ray courtesy of Beyond Home Entertainment. To win simply leave a comment on our review of the Pokemon: Black and White Movies and we’ll pick 5 lucky winners at random. Click the link below to access the review:
We’ll pick the lucky winners on the 31st of August, so you have a roughly 3 weeks to enter. Make sure you leave a valid email when you post your comment so we can email you if you win.
A new League of Legends champion has been sighted in the tall grasses of Summoner’s Rift. Rengar, the Pridestalker, is on the prowl to make your life a living hell.
The creepy eye-patch joined with fangs presents this champion as a ferocious kitty. Even the additional claws provide an additionally uneasy feeling as this feline is bound to get close. Offering a stealthy approach, I think it would be safe to assume that Rengar will join the ranks with the other assassins quite easily. This foe’s ambition will be to serve an opponents head as an exotic trophy. Be sure to keep your eyes open for coming updates for Rengar, the Pridestalker, before your head ends up on a plate.
Another interesting week in the world has passed and with it came all sorts of news on all sorts of things. Konami was pretty active this week with some questionable actions about Silent Hill HD. It looks as though Pyramid Head has brutally murdered the Silent Hill HD patch for Xbox 360 owners. There has been some bad signs for the Smash Bros. look a like Playstation All-Stars: Battle Royale with the game being delayed. Could this spell disaster for the controversial game. All this and more, below.
Before you go any further, it is highly recommended that you finish the second episode of Telltale’s The Walking Dead before you watch the video below because it is absolutely chock full of spoilers about the episode as it details literally every choice you will be making in the episode.
There is good reason for this however as Telltale Games has released the video below showing the percentages of players who chose certain options. As you can see in the video below, most people chose to play nice and try to hear people out and save others. However there is only so far being good can take you and eventually survival does need to take priority…
Those waiting for the third episode of Telltale’s The Walking Dead, Long Road Ahead, should note that Telltale stated the release date as sometime in the middle of August. So this means it could come any day now…
Today Rock Band Blitz’s full track list was revealed by Harmonix. The vanilla version of the game will come with only 25 songs, though it is worth noting that Blitz will use your existing Rock Band library so all of your downloaded songs from past games will be supported.
The game will be released on August 28th on the PSN and August 29th on the XBLM. As for the full list of songs? They can be seen below:
The All-American Rejects – “Kids in the Street”
Avenged Sevenfold – “So Far Away”
Barenaked Ladies – “One Week”
Blink-182 – “Always”
Collective Soul – “Shine”
Elton John – “I’m Still Standing”
Fall Out Boy – “A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More ‘Touch Me’”
Foo Fighters – “These Days”
Foster the People – “Pumped Up Kicks”
Fun. ft. Janelle Monáe – “We Are Young”
Great White – “Once Bitten Twice Shy”
Kelly Clarkson – “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)”
If you were concerned about Persona 4: Golden not coming out for the holiday season then you should be able to put those concerns to rest. Siliconera is reporting that an unknown source has told them that Atlus is going to release their upgraded version of Persona 4 on the Vita sometime in November.
Currently the listings on various online retailers display dates anywhere from October 30 to November 20th. If this rumor turns out to be true then we can likely expect the Vita RPG drought to temporarily end once winter rolls around. For those who haven’t been following the title, Persona 4: Golden will feature numerous updates to the original PS2 title, such as new voice acting, team attacks, more story arcs, more personas, a new character and much more.
D.Gray-Man Season 1 Collection Studio: TMS Entertainment Publisher: Madman Release Date:June 6th, 2012 Price:$69.95 – Available HERE
OVERVIEW
Like many contemporary anime series, D.Gray-Man is another example of an anime series that has its origins rooted in a popular manga release. After receiving a great deal of attention and praise from Japanese audiences, naturally an anime tie-in was soon to follow. The resulting anime series was later aired in both eastern and western markets, and individual DVD collections subsequently released. This particular collection brings together the entire first season worth of DVD releases into one box-set, spanning a total of 51 episodes. However, is the anime series as a whole worthy of the praise that its manga predecessor received? Or is it an example of a poor, uninspired adaptation?
STORY
The story of D.Gray-Man follows the adventures of a young exorcist named Allen Walker. With his unique transformable Gauntlet and his cursed eye that allows him to see the tormented souls of the Akuma (machine like monsters created by the twisted Millennium Earl), Allen is one of a select few who have the capability of defeating and cleansing the souls of these monsters. Considered even an oddity amongst his fellow exorcists in the Black Order, Allen uses his one-of-a-kind skills and abilities to help the Order locate and secure pieces of ‘Innocence’, the holy shards that are the source of any exorcist’s power.
However, Allen does not stand alone in his mission. The show features a large cast of supporting characters within the Black Order. Amongst them are his fellow exorcists: Kanda, a hot-headed Samurai whose tempered mannerisms clash with Allen’s inexperience; Lenalee, a caring veteran martial artist and the younger sister of the Black Order’s acting chief; and Lavi, a cheery loudmouthed young man who also holds responsibilities as a chronicler for the Black Order. In addition to the exorcists, the Black Order’s science team, finders and support staff are also around to offer their support to Allen (or a good laugh to the audience.)
It doesn’t take the series long to establish a form of context. Within the first two episodes of viewing, the audience is pretty well educated on the state of things in the world. A young man from a mysterious secretive organisation with special abilities is tasked with hunting down supernatural demons and in doing so, decides the fate of the world. Sound familiar? Unfortunately, neither the manga or anime version of D.Gray-Man can boast a great deal of originality. If you’ve seen Yu Yu Hakusho, or Blue Exorcist chances are you’ve seen most of the major plot points you’re likely to experience in this anime. That said however, the pacing of the story is handled spectacularly well. Most of the story arcs involved with this series are generally less than 5 episodes in length, which makes a nice change from the dozens involved with the more “mainstream” series.
It must be said however, that watching this series is not for the faint of heart. At some points, the anime can rapidly switch from being upbeat and cheerful to downright gruesome in both themes and visuals. Each time you see the creation of a new Akuma, it never gets any easier, especially with what often follows. For all of his goofy looks and body language, the viewer really won’t have much trouble picturing the Millennium Earl as one downright detestable antagonist. Sometimes the creation of a strongly cast memorable villain can make the heroes triumphs more worthwhile. And it has to be said, that even for all of its predictability, it’s still satisfying to see Allen and friends conquer the challenges thrown their way.
VISUALS
Adopting a very similar art and animation style other TMS productions, the visuals are quite well drawn, though the environmental artwork seems pretty generic. Character designs however are very well thought out when applied to scenes that are eccentric and humorous, to serious and gruesome and for all things in between. Each character, who may seem clichéd in personality, have a unique look about all of them. (Although you have to try really hard to not see Roy Mustang behind Kanda, or Ouran’s Kyoya behind Komui.) Allen’s character design and Anti-Akuma weapon transformations are especially detailed.
Special effects on the other hand feel pretty average for this day and age. This is only a minor gripe, but when complied with the other utterances of lacking originality in the series, it’s hard not to observe it. But overall, the studio has done a fairly solid job in the creation and localisation processes.
AUDIO
More than anything else, the voice acting selection for the series is absolutely stellar. Sure, the Japanese audio is available to those who prefer it, but when you have a starring VA cast of Christopher Sabat, Travis Willingham and Todd Haberkorn, why feel the need to switch. Avid viewers of Full Metal Alchemist will likely find their voice talent familiar when they suddenly realise that the voice talent of Major Armstrong, Roy Mustang and Ling Yao all play pivotal roles in DGM. This is the sort of series that let’s dub fans like myself raise a mocking eyebrow every time sub fans call English dubbing “inferior”. The voice cast is very well picked for the roles of the main cast.
The orchestral musical score is also well designed. Dramatic situations and pacing are the best affected by the quality of musical accompaniment in this series. (As well as the odd whacky scene.) The opening theme song is equally epic in nature and scale. The kind of song that makes you want to jump up and start fighting evil yourself.
OVERALL
While the plot points of D.Gray-Man aren’t hugely original in the wider anime market, it is still a highly entertaining show to watch. The action scenes are solid and adrenaline fuelled, the humour light hearted, and characters memorable. For all its clichés, a series doesn’t need to be highly original to be good in quality. For its rate of pacing, the series keeps the viewer wanting to see more, even if things get predictable. Having the entirety of the first season available in one box selection helps that addiction, far better than having to wait for individual volume releases. If you’re looking for a solid series that lies on familiar ground, but still has the potential to entertain you, then you’ve found it in this collection.
