Time Travelers made its debut on both the Playstation Vita and Nintendo 3DS this week. The Level-5 story driven game didn’t make a big splash on the Japanese scene. Both versions sold a combined 19,648 units, which isn’t great news. This is the second time that a new IP that Level-5 have created that hasn’t sold numbers it should have, following the PS3 debut of Ni No Kuni. With that said, the two versions did enough to earn a place in the Media Create Top 10.
What should be noted is the separate figures themselves. While it was initially revealed as a 3DS exclusive and the 3DS featured in the commercials leading up to release, the Vita version has edged out the 3DS by the slightest of margins. The Vita version sold 9,887 units while the 3DS version sold 9,761. They were both shy of the 10,000 mark. However, these figures do not take account of the PSP version, which will see a release next week. On the other hand, there is a possibility that these figures may hurt any localisation possibilities for Time Travelers, if there were any in the first place.
The Ratchet & Clank Trilogy/Ratchet & Clank Collection Developers: Insomniac Games, Idol Minds Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment Platform: Playstation 3 Release Date: 28/06/2012 (AUS), 28/08/2012 (US) Price: US$29.96/AU$49.95 (Available Here)
Overview
Ratchet and Clank debuted on the Playstation 2 all the way back in 2002. Now, ten years later and after a highly successful franchise behind them, they have returned, with their first three adventures available in HD, all on one disk. Ratchet and Clank is a series that was missed during my days of the Playstation 2, so this is the first time I have undertaken this experience. Insomniac Games should be well applauded for their effort, as the successfully combine 3D platforming and third person action in one defining package. Or have they?
Story
While Ratchet & Clank is a trilogy, each game features their own separate story. While most of you will already know what the stories are, some may not, so here is a recap of each of them. In Ratchet & Clank, Ratchet is in the middle of fixing his ship when another crashes on his homeworld of Veldin. Ratchet finds in the wreckage a small robot. He names him Clank. Clank proceeds to show an infobot to Ratchet. It contains a recording of Chairman Drek of the Blarg race revealing that, due to overpopulation and pollution on his race’s homeworld, they will take bits of other worlds to create a new one. It is up to Ratchet and Clank to save those worlds from Chairman Drek’s hands.
In Ratchet and Clank 2, both Ratchet and Clank are now celebrities for saving the universe. However, as time passes over their victory, the universe begins to become peaceful again, which doesn’t excite the duo. During a taping of Behind the Hero, the duo are transported to the Bogon Galaxy. This is where they meet Abercrombie Fizzwidget, the founder and CEO of Megacorp. He reveals that an Experiment was stolen by a thief. He asks Ratchet to find the thief and retrieve the Experience. After a wild goose chase over the galaxy, he succeeds, but not all is what it seems.
Ratchet and Clank 3 brings the duo into a galactic war. After discovering that Ratchet’s homeworld Veldin is under attack, the duo help out in defending the planet. The enemy turns out to be Dr. Nefarious robotic entity that wants to destroy all organic life forms, so Ratchet is in the firing line. His commands an army of Tyhrranoids, who attack various points in the galaxy. After defending Veldin, Ratchet and Clank learn that there is someone who defeated Dr. Nefarious before. That turns out to be Captain Quark, who tried to hinder the two in previous games. With his help, the duo must defeat Dr. Nefarious before he becomes too powerful.
All three stories have the same basic structure. Ratchet and Clank are the heroes and they must stop the bad guy. The second game does change it a bit with a small twist and three introduces Quark as a good guy rather than the bad guy the duo are accustomed to. With that said, the stories are in face quite good and enjoyable. Sometimes the best thing is to keep the story simple. It is fantastic and gives motivation for what the duo undertake. The characters are also fleshed out, given believable personalities that suit each character.
Gameplay
There is one core gameplay mechanic that has defined Ratchet & Clank. That has to be the combination of 3D platforming and action, more specifically, shooter action. From the humble beginnings to the third adventure, it is nice to see how this core mechanic had evolved. To be honest, there was nothing wrong with the platforming action in fact. It is and always will be fun. Of course, there will be frustrating moments, like when one might not make it over a gap, but it isn’t because of controls or the camera. Most of the time, any fault that happens in the game is because of the player, which is what a game is suppose to do. Clank is useful here, as he allows Ratchet to jump higher or further with his Heli-Pack upgrade. In the other two games, this is upgrade to include boosters found on aircraft.
Of course, the platforming isn’t the only core mechanic found in Ratchet & Clank. Combat is more action-oriented, which complements the platforming style of Ratchet & Clank. Players will have a choice of weapons as they progress through each game. Using those weapons, players can blast their enemies out of existence. For those who prefer close combat that ranged, then Ratchet is equipped with the “Omniwrench 8000”. With that said, just going close combat is a disadvantage. The ranged weapons are not just there, they are a necessity.
The amount of ranged weapons in each game is numerous. These range from normal blasters to gravity bombs that can contain acid. Lasers, shotguns and even mini-robots all feature as weapons in the game. From Ratchet and Clank 2, the weapons would grow in power with constant use. A small bar would be present underneath the ammo count. As that bar fills completely, the weapon in question will be upgraded. Ratchet and Clank 2 only featured one upgrade, while the third used multiple levels, with features such as locking onto the enemy given to the weapons.
Of course, weapons don’t come cheap, so that is where bolts come in. Bolts are the universal currency of the universe. Players can use bolts to obtain weapons and gadgets from vendors scattered across the worlds. The Gadgetron vendors are the most common and will sell the weapons, bar a few. For the other useful gadgets, there will be inventors and salesmen scattered throughout the planets. They will offer useful gadgets for a price. They are not set too unrealistic, though, so it is easy for the player to obtain them. The bolts in question are usually found in crates or as reward for killing the enemy. Ammo is also found in crates, so the player can save all those bolts when they need it the most. Health, in the form on nanotech, is also found in crates, but they are not as numerous as bolt and ammo crates.
Ratchet isn’t the only playable character in the game. In some sections of the game, players will get the chance to control Clank. Clank doesn’t have access to weapons or doesn’t have the platforming abilities of his bigger partner. It doesn’t mean he isn’t useful. To compensate, Clank is given control of Gadgebots. The Gadgetbots will follow, wait, attack an enemy or enter a station to open doors. In the other games, certain Gadgebots will be more specific to other tasks, such as building a bridge. This is a fantastic compensation for Clank and it gives him a controlling role, as he is support to Ratchet during the gameplay sections. What is also great is that Clank’s sections are beneficial to the game. He will stumble on gadgets or useful information.
Outside of the main game, each Ratchet and Clank game offer mini-games for the player to enjoy. They are usually found while exploring the different planets. Some of these mini-games are required for the story. One of the most common is hoverboard racing. It is required for some missions to complete, but the other races are great if you need the extra bolts. All of the mini-games act like this. Yet, they are quite fun. The rewards for winning these games do not cheat the player. The amount of bolts given is quite healthy, helping players to their goal, which would be that new shiny weapon or gadget. Even Ratchet and Clank 3’s multiplayer is functional over the Playstation Network.
Visuals & Audio
All three Ratchet and Clank games all benefit the upgrade to HD visuals. Environments are more vibrant than their PS2 counterparts. Each character model looks much better. They are sharp, vibrant and well-designed. Animations are smooth and there is no noticeable drop in frame rate. Even the first game, the oldest of the three, benefits the upgrade. The same can’t be said for cutscenes, as they look like they have been pulled out of the PS2 games. The art style of the game offers the developers a fantastic way to bring the graphics up a notch. It is par to that of one of the most recent Ratchet and Clank games: All 4 One. The soundtrack is awesome as well as the sound effects. Voice acting is good as well. The audio were untouched.
Overall
There is no way any Ratchet and Clank fan will miss this out. In fact, if you have never played these fantastic games, then it is time to purchase this HD collection. The charm of the characters, the stories, the audio and the gameplay have been left as it should, offering both excellent platforming and shooting experiences. The visual upgrade is down to how the art style complements it, with environments telling their own story. Add in what Sony Computer Entertainment usually add in these HD collections (Trophies, 3D) and this is one HD collection that is worth every bolt in the known (and unknown) galaxy.
Hey DVD enthusiasts, TV watchers and general media consumers,there are new things for you to buy! There are a trio of SBS Highlights out this month courtesy of Madman, keeping the pickings slim but wonderfully varied with a bit of Bollywood, a bit of Bear, and then in the perfect antithesis to all that excitement, a bit of educational quizzing.
Bollywood Star(Out now, $29.95, DVD only)
Bollywood is the biggest movie industry in the world, producing an insane amount of movies every year and famous for beautiful and intricate costumes and huge and joyous dance numbers. It’s a very acquired taste for those not brought up with it, but Bollywood is big enough in Australia to warrant this show – Bollywood Star. As you can most likely guess, this is a reality show that aims to find an Australian Bollywood style performer to take on a role in the next film of legendary Bollywood director Mahesh Bhatt, who already has 50 directing credits to his name.
Mission Everest with Bear Grylls(Out now, $19.95, DVD only)
Ah Mr Grylls, will you ever stop? The latest DVD from the worlds most infamous boy scout sees Bear and his pal attempt to fly over the summit of Mount Everest, that’s the highest thing in the world, using only motor powered paraglides. That’s a paramotor if you’re up on your insane sports gear. although the fact that it has a motor attached doesn’t make this any more sensible. This DVD covers the design of the paramotor by aforementioned pal Gilo Cardozo, and also takes in Bears ‘survival’ prep, in which he must consider how he and his friend can overcome hurricane strength winds, flesh freezing temperatures and low levels of the slightly essential oxygen, all whilst strapped to a paraglide.
Letters and Numbers – The Masters (Out now, $19.95, DVD only)
If the energy of Bollywood and the craziness of Bear are a bit too much, then perhaps this will satisfy the calmer minds out there. Yes, Letters and Numbers (Which all Brits know should actually be called Countdown…) has a new DVD out. If the concept of this show needs explaining then you have obviously never seen a television, and are thus highly unlikely to be reading this article. Nonetheless, this DVD will features lots of letters, numbers, and of course the grand finale, the -Countdown- Conundrum!
Kingdom Hearts 3D [Dream Drop Distance] is set to be released in just under two weeks and give Kingdom Hearts fans a chance to follow Riku and Sora into the 3D realm of the Nintendo 3DS. Along the way players will venture through a number of older areas as well as a number of newer towns exclusive to Dream Drop Distance.
Some of these include a Tron world, a Hunchback of Notre Dame world as well as Sword and Sorcery from Fantasia. You can take a brief look at all of these areas and more below the slew of screenshots which were also released today.
WayForward are known for making some utterly brilliant throwbacks, and by the looks of it, the new Adventure Time game is right on par with the recently released licensed titles Aliens Infestation and Thor: God of Thunder (which were both for the Nintendo DS), as it seems to keep that retro flavor flowing.
The new trailer released shows us a nice glimpse of the gameplay and quirky world players will explore, and I am definitely getting a Zelda II vibe from what is on display. Check out the clip below in full for Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why’d you steal our garbage?!, and get those wallets ready as this adventure drops this fall on the Nintendo 3DS and the original DS.
Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Developer: indieszero Publisher: Square Enix Platform:Nintendo 3DS Release Date: July 3, 2012 Price:$39.99 – Available Here
Overview: Between making large scaled RPGs in the main, numbered, Final Fantasy series, Square Enix has made plenty of different games which happen to be spin-offs of the franchise. Some of these spin-offs still held true to the game’s RPG origins, only modifying the formula slightly, while others took the Final Fantasy name and did something completely unexpected with it.
Now Square Enix has released what can only be seen as one of the strangest turns for the series yet, a rhythm based music game that has taken songs from the main Final Fantasy series and compiled them into a game called Theatrhythm Final Fantasy. Does a music oriented Final Fantasy title have plenty to offer on a portable gaming device?
Story: Interestingly enough, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy does contain a bit of a story to set up the events of the game. The story follows the events of Chaos and Cosmos and a crystal which has been created in a space known as Rhythm. Chaos has caused the crystal to become disrupted and now characters from Final Fantasy through Final Fantasy XIII have been summoned by Cosmos and they must work to restore the crystal with “rhythmia.”
Anyone familiar with the Dissidia Final Fantasy series will likely recognize the name Chaos and Cosmos as these were the two factions the Final Fantasy characters were divided into. As it stands in Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, the storyline simply offers a base and that only springs up again once the player gathers enough rhythmia to face off against Chaos in a simple battle. It is nice to see that Square Enix did try to include some semblance of a story into a rhythm based game such as Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, albeit one that is rather lackluster.
Visuals: The main visual style for Theatrhythm Final Fantasy is quite unique as every character and enemy that the player will be seeing on-screen has been drawn in a chibi-like art style with characters better resembling little dolls than their usual selves. This art style is actually quite charming and many of the characters are still very detailed despite their more cartoonish appearance.
During Event music scenes players will also be shown cutscenes or segments of gameplay from the game the music is from. Obviously the quality of these displays are dependent on when each game was made of course, though it is worth noting that their visual representation is impressive on the 3DS’ screen, even modern cutscenes like those presented in FFXIII.
As for the 3DS’ 3D function… it would probably be best if anyone playing the game would simply shut it off. At first the 3D provides a nice bit of depth to the game’s scrolling notes, separating it from the events in the background, but throughout my experience it became more of a hassle than it was worth. Meaning that despite the game’s admirable 3D attempt, it would probably be best to simply be played in 2D only.
Audio: Those concerned about Theatrhythm Final Fantasy’s music quality have absolutely nothing to be concerned about as each and every song that has been placed into the game sounds the same as fans will remember them, this includes the high quality songs from the later Final Fantasy titles as well as the MIDI sounding songs from earlier titles.
As for the songs that have been selected and placed into the game, this will obviously be purely subjective due to which songs are your favorites of course, but there are a wide range of songs taken from each game in the series, such as the opening and ending themes, a battle theme, field theme and character/event song from each game with a few other miscellaneous songs hidden within, more on these momentarily.
Gameplay: Theatrhythm Final Fantasy is at its core a rather simple offering, where players will need to make use of the 3DS’ touch screen to tap, swipe and press to the music. There are three types of triggers which have to be activated to successfully make it through a song with a missed trigger causing damage to the party’s total HP. Red triggers simply involve the player tapping the screen, green triggers have to be pressed and held until the end and finally the yellow triggers involve the player swiping the stylus in the direction of the arrow. Unfortunately sometimes these directional swipes can be mis-read by the system, often causing a break in your trigger chain.
Before players begin the game they will be told to create a party of four characters which are the protagonists from each of the Final Fantasy games so far, though more secondary characters can be unlocked over time. These party members will level up over time as players gain experience for every song they complete.
Interestingly enough, despite the fact that Theatrhythm Final Fantasy is a music title, players will want to manage their team and equip them with adequate skills and items that will assist them in finishing some of the more complex songs. You see, there are three different modes of gameplay in Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, which are the Series, Challenge and Chaos Shrine mode.
In Series mode players will be able to select one of the Final Fantasy games and play through three consecutive songs from the selected game with an optional opening and ending theme. Challenge mode is more of a free play mode, allowing the player to select any songs they have already completed on Series mode and take them on with increasingly harder difficulties, making the aforementioned character managing crucial for high scores and sometimes even completion.
The Chaos Shrine on the other hand is probably the most unique out of the three, as it places the players against “Dark Notes” which are two song challenges which are randomly generated. These songs are quite difficult but it is worth noting that some of the songs in Theatrhythm Final Fantasy can only be found in the Chaos Shrine. These difficult challenges can be unlocked either through game play and defeating already unlocked Dark Notes or via StreetPass.
So now we know what modes you will be playing the game in, but how exactly does the game itself play? Well there are three different song types held within the title; Field, Battle and Event. Field music has a party member walking a straight path which contains hidden items that can be encountered when the player successfully hits enough notes. On these maps players will also be presented with special triggers which can transform their character temporarily into a chocobo, making them run faster.
The battle music features the entire party fighting against a set of monsters. These monsters are dealt damage every time the player successfully hits a trigger. It is worth noting that these battles do not punish the player if they are unable to kill a boss character, nor do there always seem to be bosses present. The final music piece is the Event music, which plays a cutscene from a game in the background while the player taps and swipes triggers along a constantly moving line.
Now it is worth noting that Theatrhythm Final Fantasy can unfortunately be quite short and while playing the game itself is very enjoyable and a great walk down memory lane, nostalgia can only take you so far. Once the player finishes the Series’ song sets, nearly everything else in Theatrhythm Final Fantasy becomes repetitive. While it is great to see that players can indeed continue to challenge themselves through the Challenge mode and the Chaos Shrine does spice things up, far too often are Dark Notes presented with songs the player has already conquered once.
Overall: Theatrhythm Final Fantasy gives players a chance to look back at some of their favorite memories from past Final Fantasy games. Even more recent fans will enjoy Theatrhythm Final Fantasy’s inclusions and may even convince them to give older games in the series a chance. While things may end up getting repetitive quickly, there are plenty of things to unlock and difficult challenges to tackle for those looking for a long-term experience full of some of the best music you can find in the video game industry.
Popular and well known cosplayer Yaya Han is slated to be their first International Cosplay Guest for both Melbourne, Australia and Auckland, New Zealand.
Yaya Han, known as both a model, cosplayer, and seamstress, has been cosplaying for over 10 years and has accumulated over 200 costumes since her start as in 1999 at Anime Expo. By 2001, she was already modeling her friend’s creations on The Faerie Grove, and asked to be an attending Guest of Honor, which was almost unheard of at the time.
Now in 2012, she has already appeared in over a hundred events world wide, spanning from Scotland to Brazil, and making a living as a professional cosplayer and model, booking events and selling cosplay accessories.
Were you in attendance at E3 this year? If not, then this will probably be new to you. This being the Metro: Last Light Gameplay Demo that was on feature at E3. In this video, players will be bale to watch the gameplay demo unfold around them and see what it is that the game is like. The video is described as this –
Metro: Last Light rocked E3 2012 with this stunning live gameplay demo, earning over 20 E3 nominations and awards in the process. Now you can watch the entire, unedited playthrough. In this sequence, Artyom is forced into an alliance with the young Red Line officer named Pavel, as they attempt to cross the hostile surface of post-apocalyptic Moscow in a bid to reach the relative safety of the legendary station city The Theatre.
As a sequel to a game based on a book, it is looking pretty good. Gamers who loved the first one should be excited for this game. Be sure to check out the trailer embedded below for more info.
Ubisoft have just announced that Ghost Recon Future Soldier’sDLC Arctic Strike is now available for purchase. In celebration of this, they have also released a new trailer as well as a Developer Q&A that we will reproduce below. The trailer itself showcases some of the coolest parts of the new DLC and looks like it adds some amazing content to the game.
The Developer Q&A is as follows –
When will it be available ?
Arctic Strike is out this week on both PS3 and Xbox360
Arctic Strike will feature new multiplayer maps, what are these maps?
With Arctic Strike we’re introducing 3 new Multiplayer, Riot, Evicted and Skyline. We’re also offering 1 new Guerrilla map, Arctic Base.
Riot puts players on the streets of downtown Moscow. The empty streets provide long engagements as the enemy darts between burned out vehicles. The tight corners of the alleys provide excellent locations to ambush your enemies with a shotgun or a well placed piece of equipment.
Evicted continues the fight on the streets of Moscow as battle erupts in a sleepy residential neighborhood. With long alleys between the large apartment complexes, snipers are a valuable resource. Sensors and UAV’s are less effective in this expansive location. Communication is key to track and control enemy movements.
Skyline is a two level CQB nightmare. Connected by tunnels and stairwells, the limited access points provide excellent locations to set traps. Snipers exchange fire between towers and cover their teammates as they advance into enemy territory. A skilled UCAV or UAV pilot can push the enemy out of the open area and into the kill zone.
If you’re looking for intense action the new guerilla map “Arctic Base” is made for you. It’s one of the most challenging Guerrilla maps we’ve ever made as we’ve added a third HQ much harder to defend. There are many strategic high spots on the map that allows you to cover your teammates but you will have to be careful if you decide to split your team
What is the inspiration for these new maps?
The community asked for larger maps so we designed spaces that were bigger and had more navigational options than the maps that shipped with GRFS. Visually, the Moscow campaign maps were very exciting to us but we didn’t focus on this theme for the original ten maps. We decided that our first pack would expand on the story of the final missions of the campaign and take the fight into the heart of Russia. The wide open spaces of the Moscow theme matched our desire to construct larger spaces that slow the pace of the experience and provide additional options for a well coordinated team.
We’ve heard about a new Multiplayer mode, stockade?
The overall objective in Stockade is simple: kill without being killed, eliminate the entire enemy team before time expires.
Players wait in the Stockade in the order they are killed. A player is released each time an enemy is eliminated. Every few minutes an objective appears for each team that, if captured, will release your entire team from the Stockade.
In the event of a tie, teamwork points are used to determine the winner. Stockade is playable on all 13 multiplayer maps.
Here are some pro tips to get you started. Use the objective as bait. Ambush your enemy when they try and free their teammates. Don’t use your objective if only one teammate is captured. And finally, one data hack almost guarantees a victory.
Could you tell us more about the new weapons that have been introduced with Arctic Strike?
With Arctic Strike we’re introducing 6 new weapons:
Rifleman: F2000
(Ghost) F2000: 5.56x45mm Assault Rifle. Unlike many bullpup rifles, the F2000 features ambidextrous controls and a unique casing ejection system. Its compact design makes it highly maneuverable. It also features a high rate of fire, but recoil is easily controllable.
Rifleman: CZS805
(Bodark) S805: 5.56x45mm Assault Rifle. The S805 is a highly customizable gas operated modular rifle. Since the rifle is chambered in 5.56x45mm, recoil is very manageable when compared to other Bodark weapons.
Scout: JSG Type 05
(Bodark) Type 05: 9x19mm Submachine Gun. The Type 05 is a unique bullpup SMG with an integrated foregrip, which improves the weapon’s stability while on the move. The threaded barrel allows for the easy addition of a suppressor.
Scout: MP9
(Ghost) MP9: 9x19mm Submachine Gun. The MP9 is an extremely lightweight SMG. It features an integrated foregrip which helps improve the weapon’s stability while on the move. The unique appearance of the muzzle allows for the easy addition of a suppressor.
Engineer: OCP-11
(Bodark) OCP-11: 5.45x39mm Personal Defense Rifle. The OCP-11 or ‘Popov’ combines the durability and simplicity of Russian firearms design with the modularity of Western weapons. The small round and large ammunition capacity allows for a high volume of controlled fire with relatively light recoil.
Engineer: Mk17
(Ghost) Mk17 PDW: 7.62x51mm Personal Defense Rifle. The Mk17 PDW is a highly customizable, short-barreled version of the SCAR-H. The more powerful 7.62x51mm ammunition hits targets harder, but increases felt recoil and results in a smaller magazine size.
There are new achievements right? How do you unlock these?
Absolutely, we’ve added 2 new achievements allowing you to unlock 35 points:
Tour of Duty Moscow – Win 3 MP matches of any game type on each: Skyline, Riot and Evicted maps (25 points, Bronze Trophy)
Stockade Domination – Be part of a squad where your team eliminates the enemy in under 2 minutes. (10 points, Bronze Trophy)
Is Arctic Strike integrated into GR Network?
With the GR Network at the heart of our multiplayer experience, how could we NOT integrate Arctic Strike deeply in the GRN?
We have:
– Added a Stockade game type description, as well as useful dev tips in the “Ghost Tactics” section
– We’ve added in GunSmith on web and mobiles the 6 new DLC weapons, available for everyone to customize. On top of this, the GunSmith Gallery now supports those weapons being posted by users.
– We’ve added the DLC achievements to the list of achievements accessible on site
– We’ve also added a Stockade filter and the new DLC maps in the Heat maps section
Be sure to check out the official trailer, embedded below, and the official website for more info.
If you’re gearing up for Konami’s annual PES game, you will be happy to know that a new video has been released that shows the game in action. In part 2 of this video series to hype the next title of the Pro Evolution Soccer series, we get a chance to see the game in action.
As you would expect, things are looking more of the same, but the visuals appear to be a bit sharper this time around, and the gameplay looks just as tight with the newly added features. You can check out the video below to see the game in action, and keep in mind that PES 2013 drops this fall. Also, is it me, or do these players appear to all be chewing gum at the beginning?
Mission Everest with Bear Grylls
Letters and Numbers – The Masters 
