Bohemia Interactive has just announced the latest feature in the Carrier Command remake, Carrier Command: Gaea Mission. This latest announcement is for the new 3D vision for nVidia users. On the latest addition, the Executive Producer had this to say –
“Supporting 3D Vision reaffirms the philosophy behind our game’s ‘NVIDIA: The Way It’s Meant to be Played’ label. Although personal preference will always be a factor, I think for many it will be part of the optimal experience and draw them even deeper into our game”, said Executive Producer Jan Kunt.
The game is going to have a booth at the upcoming Gamescom event and will have a playable demo available for the industry. Be sure to check out the official site for more info.
Fans of the Metal Gear series of video games will be pleased to know that Konami have launched a new website to commemorate the 25th year of Metal Gears existence. The site appears to be a portal dedicated to keeping fans informed about things to do with the 25th Anniversary of the series’ life.
The thing that appears to be going to recieve the most coverage will be Hideo Kojima’s world tour, where he will be going around and talking about his top selling series. It has also been revealed that a new update to the Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots game will be getting a new patch that will add 34 new trophies to the title. The classic Metal Gear Solid has also been reduced to $8.45.
Not too long ago, Capcom released Street Fighter X Tekken into stores. Yes, the game was good and fighting fans jumped for joy at the chance to put these legends head to head, but a dark cloud has loomed over the title since arriving earlier this year. You see, these 12 new fighters were already on disc, and will be included for free whenever Capcom release the Vita version in a short time. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that this on disc DLC is one of the reasons that the game’s sales have not been too spectacular, but with the constant sales and price-drops on the game thus far, this DLC might just be worthy of a purchase as of now. Let’s take a look at what’s inside.
Now, these are not new characters by any means, but they are new to this particular game, and a good number of these returning faces are worthy additions to any player’s roster.
On the Street Fighter side, we have Blanka, Guy, Elena, Cody, Sakura, and Dudley. Tekken fans will also be elated as Lei Wulong, Alisa Bosconovitch, Bryan Fury, Christie Monteiro, Jack-X, and Lars Alexandersson have been added in to balance both sides. I know twelve characters may not seem like a lot, but when you consider that some titles put a price tag of 400 points for just one character, this is still a good value, “locked DLC” or not.
Of course the added variety is sure to bring back those who put down the game, as each of these combatants feel very different from the next and largely expand what a hardcore fan can sharpen up on. There are also a good number of differences between how certain characters controlled in Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition compared to SFxT due to the balancing in place, which does give another good reason to check out this expansion of sorts. For instance, Elena (who is making her long time return to the Street Fighter series) is strong in her aerial combat, and can quickly pummel a foe if you can learn those precious combos. Blanka, one of my own personal favorites has gotten some love as well, balancing out the once close combat only character into something much more formidable. Yes, nearly every member of this pack are new to Street Fighter X Tekken, but aside from some balancing, most will find that these familiar faces still retain their charms and for the most part…feel more of the same.
Even with the six Street Fighter participants involved, the true flavor of this package comes with the other half. Jack-X is of course an odd inclusion due to his sheer size alone, but Capcom have brought him in to this new engine with sheer finesse. Remember how Sentinel controlled? Well, Jack-X is more like that. Bryan Fury is also a top tier contender for the Tekken side with the ability to storm through opponents with powerful ranged techniques due to his long limbs. Lei, Lars, Christie, and Alisa are also quite complex, but even after quite a bit of time with each I feel I have yet to scratch the surface of their abilities.
As you can see, there really isn’t any watered down introductions within this pack, as each feel just as important as the original roster. Yes, the ethics of all of these characters being locked away on the disc can still be disputed, but the value and variety is here. Street Fighter X Tekken was hyped for a long time, and it’s sad to see that so many fighting fans have shelved the game this early on considering the quality behind it. With that said, I honestly think that this DLC offers plenty of reason to revisit the grand battle between brands yet again and is still worth that asking price – regardless of the controversy.
As Mario would say… LETSA GO!!! The new Super Mario Bros.2 will be launching this Saturday the 18th of August for the Nintendo 3DS, and what better way to celebrate than to head down to The Nintendo Experience in Melbourne for a golden afternoon of fun and games.
If you’re located in Melbourne check out the details for where, when and what’s going to happen on the day:
Where: The Nintendo Experience, EB Games, 67 Swanston St When: Saturday 18th August, 12pm – 3pm What: Gameplay, Trivia, Prizes, Competitions, StreetPass, Cosplay, Mario appearances, FUN!
The what part above sounds like fun, with Nintendo advising that there will be prizes to be won all throughout the afternoon with Mario Trivia and give-aways, plus if you think you’ve got what it takes you can also put your skills to the test in the new Super Mario Bros. 2 Coin Challenge!
Anyone attending will also have a chance to experience and play Super Mario Bros. 2 on the new Nintendo 3DS XL which will be launching on the 23rd of August (the XL as mentioned in previous articles is boasts a 90% larger screen that the Nintendo 3DS)
And don’t forget while you’re there you can also take advantage of the StreetPass feature and pick up some more Mii’s, complete any puzzles you still might need and also try and finish a StreetPast Quest or two. So if you’re in Melbourne on Saturday 18th August make sure you head on down and enjoy the day and maybe win a prize or two along the way. YIPEEE!!!
An allege Xbox Durango Development Kit has been sold on Ebay for $20,100. A total of 43 bids were confirmed for the black tower PC looking device which may or may not be the Xbox 360’s successor. The listing by Ebay user ‘superdae’ describes the item as used and:
This item comes with powercables, and a wired controller.
Most defiantly an exciting description.
Now two things can come of this. It’s proven to be fake which is probably the most likely outcome, as development kits are strictly controlled and monitored.
However with that said, remember that guy who lost the iPhone 4 prototype in a bar back in 2010? Yeah strictly controlled and monitored…
However if this listing proves to be real (which is highly unlikely) we could learn the upcoming console’s specific tech details and hardware capabilities in full.
Spoiling Microsoft’s big unveil at a future press conference.
Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends Developer: Slightly Mad Studios Publisher: Atari (US), Bluemouth Interactive (AU) Platforms: Playstation 3 (reviewed), Xbox 360, PC Release Dates: 3/07/2012 (US), 15/08/2012 (AU) Price:
Overview
In 1929, a man by the name of Enzo Ferrari founded Scuderia Ferrari for motorsports. In 1947, the business expanded into street legal cars. In 2012, Slight Mad Studios brings the world Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends. Published by Atari, Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends brings out sixty five years of Ferrari into one video game. The slick look of the cars are accompanied by the beautiful sound of their roaring engines. However, will a few flaws stall the game like stalling a manual car?
Gameplay
Realism is the name of this racing game as Slightly Mad offers something for the veteran racer. The cars do feel good to drive. Handling is a mixed bag, depending on the car chosen to drive with, but most are good, since Ferrari do offer excellent cars with great handling. There is a sense of being behind the wheel of these cars as they are taken on the tracks. What is done right here, though, can be hindered at the same time. Driving aids are available for those who are not so skilled with racing games, as well as lower difficulty levels to be more accessible. The driving aids can get in the way with enjoyment, which is a real shame.
The main mode of gameplay is the campaign mode. In this mode, the player relives the glory days of Ferrari through three different eras. The Golden Era (1947-1973) covers the beginning of the Ferrari juggernaut with cars such as the 125 S and 125 F, their first F1 car. The next era, the Silver Era (1974-1990) goes into the age of the Testarossa and the F40. The third and final age, the Modern Era (1991-2011) brings the more modern cars such as the Spider and the Enzo into the player’s focus. Each era has a set of missions that must be completed, complete with a main objective and a bonus objective. This should have been the crowning jewel of the game, seeing that the player goes through the existence of Ferrari. However, the whole campaign just feels shallow. The objectives do vary but they will repeat often. The story tacked on every era wasn’t necessary either. It didn’t give any motivation to complete the mission and felt too basic. With that said, it is necessary to complete it as it is the only way to actually unlock all of the locked cars and tracks for use in the other modes.
Speaking of the other modes, Test Drive offers more modes for the player to indulge in. Of course, quick race is available, where the player simply jumps into a race. Of course, the car, tracks, opponents and time of day can be chosen by the player. The ability to choose the type of cars used can also be chosen, although that is limited in itself. Players can also go through a time trial with similar options available. Multiplayer is also available, but this is where it becomes a little unforgiving. It isn’t the gameplay during multiplayer, it is the fact it is only online multiplayer, so anyone with a desire to play split-screen will be out of luck. The split screen multiplayer is staple in the racing genre and for Test Drive to forgo that is surprising. If there is split screen, then it is not made clear, which is also disappointing.
Another problem also seems to be the difficulty level, especially in the campaign mode. While the beginning of the Golden Era does its job into easing in the player, down the line, there will be a sudden spike in difficulty, even on the easiest difficulty. There is really only one way to describe this particular element of game design: poor. It is punishing for someone to have it easy at the beginning only for the difficulty to take a sharp spike upwards, increasing frustration for the player. The player is supposed to ease into an increased difficulty. If the player feels that the crash is because of their poor driving, that happens to be a good thing. Frustration occurs when the game is to blame.
Visuals and Audio
The visuals for Test Drive Ferrari aren’t as spectacular as watching a F430 speeding down the straight, but still holds itself. The detail of the body work of the cars is quite amazing as they recreate the famous cars to the finest detail. The tracks aren’t bad either, with some of them looking spectacular. However, the heads up display (or HUD) is scattered all over the screen. Too much information that isn’t required cluster around the screen, providing an annoyance. The guys at Slightly Mad, however, did allow the simple press of the d-pad to turn off the HUD, providing the player with a clear frontal view of the track. The menus are quite basic. What is also quite important for the cars is how they sound. Ladies and gentlemen, Slightly Mad has nailed the sounds of Ferrari. The roar of the engines is beautiful for the car loving gamer. It is done so well, one could create the Ferrari symphony just using the sounds made in the game. Outside of the cars, the music isn’t too bad. Pretty stocky, actually.
Overall
It’s hard to recommend Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends for anyone who isn’t exactly a fan of both the racing genre and the Ferrari brand and that is still a stretch. While the gameplay brings realism to the beautiful cars, it is missing the fun of driving at 250km/h, a feat no game can bring when compared to actually driving one. The tracks are beautifully recreated, but the campaign feels shallow with repetitive objectives and the spike in difficulty, even in the easiest setting. A lack of a real showcase section in the game is minor, but it is a game full of Ferrari cars. While those who love realism in the driving games will enjoy the collection of Ferrari cars and the game, it may not be the game for anyone else.
Chimpact Developer: Yippee Entertainment Publisher: Chillingo Ltd Platforms: iPhone (reviewed), iTouch, iPad Release Date: August 9, 2012 Price: $0.99 – Available Here
Overview
Flying through the jungle collecting bananas and gems while avoiding spiders and other dangers? Sounds like an iOS app. Especially with the super cute Chimp that is at your control who does a little dance every time you finish a level successfully and is rocking an adorable mohawk. Is Chimpact your standard aim and shoot platformer or does it establish itself with something different?
Gameplay
The gameplay for Chimpact is quite simple; you send your chimp flying from vines that are at intervals through the map by tapping the vine and dragging it back. An arrow will show up on the screen, showing you which way your chimp is being sent, as well as the strength you’re sending him flying with. In some cases you’ll get a hint about which direction to go in, but if you need a hint then you probably need to play faster.
Initially the levels are very straightforward and not difficult to make your way through and the gems are in fairly easy to find places, but as they go on it will get more difficult and getting all the gems might take you doing a level more than once because you’ll find yourself rocketing past one without the ability to go back and aim for it. A lot of them are hidden in bushes, which isn’t that much of a hassle, but some of the trickier ones might cause some raging out. There are also some parts where, unless you get it just right, you’ll keep hitting branches and rolling back onto the same vine, which is also cause for some raging.
While the idea behind it is quite simple, there’s no doubt you’ll have plenty to do because not only is there a Gem Quest mode where you hunt down gems and make your way through levels. There is also a Totem Trail mode, which has a range of challenges for you to complete, all of them being time sensitive. The challenges range from having to reach a set number of things in a limited time, to racing against the clock to finish a level, to limiting the amount of vines you use. There are five challenges in each totem, but you don’t have to finish all five to get to the next totem so don’t worry, if you aren’t good at a certain type of challenge then you won’t be stuck with it. As well as having five distinct challenges there are also a few different types within those five that keeps it fresh. Like the Totem Trail, you don’t have to collect all the Gems on each level to move on, you just need a minimum amount to unlock levels.
The great thing about Chimpact is that it has a really good learning curve that isn’t too steep. While it obviously doesn’t have very difficult gameplay there are also little tactics and game knowledge that you pick up along the way, which gets doled out to you in a steady and good way.
Overall the gameplay is fun and fast-paced, and it doesn’t require too much replaying of levels to continue on.
Visuals
The graphics are cute and cartoony with a high level of detail and are quite nice to look at. Everything moves smoothly and I didn’t encounter any issues or glitches with it while playing. It’s just a good looking app and one that will make you grin like a kid at the cuteness of it.
Audio
Unsurprisingly the soundtrack is full of jungle noises. While the menu might be a bit full on with the range and loudness of sounds, the game itself is a bit more toned down and only has the random animal sounds that you’d expect. Plus some random jungle cat sounds which sort of worry me about the chimp’s safety, but it seems to do okay.
Overall
Chimpact is definitely an app to look at getting if you like these sorts of level platformers. It gives a bit of a challenge, while still maintaining aspects that will make it easier for those who aren’t experienced, like allowing you to go through without gathering all the achievements you can. It does get quite addictive and you might find yourself a few hours later still playing and flying that little chimp through the jungle branches.
Chimpact is definitely a must buy for those who like a challenge with a steady and fair learning curve, with the added bonus of a super cute main character.
EA have just released the latest trailer showing off the new Skill Games within FIFA 13. By taking advantage of the player impact engine, players can try out a number of different challenges that focus on all the core elements within FIFA13, such as passing, dribbling, shooting, free kicks and penalty kicks to help you learn more about the game and also have fun along the way. Some of the challengers are very basic such as simply dribbling between cones, but will increase in difficulty to challenge the more experienced players.
Another skill game featured is the penalty kick mechanic where you will learn how to aim and shoot and place your shots like a professional. There are many more exciting and challenging features to experience, check out the trailer below and see for yourself.
Who’s looking forward to playing FIFA13? Let us know leave a comment below.
If you like explosions and animated chaos, you are in luck this week as the eShop has some new offerings up for anyone with some eCash to burn. First up comes Agetec’s Touch Battle Tank 3D, which is about how it sounds. Players can battle tanks in over 50 stages and 20 bonus stages while utilizing the intuitive circle pad controls in this romp for $4.99.
Next up is something for Contra fans of sorts known as Commando: Steel Disaster. Released for the eShop as well as the DSiWare, this title is priced at $7.99 and looks to be worth every penny as the art style is quite detailed and full of those Metal Slug/Contra charms, yet is still quite unique on it’s own.
The final game as far as “games” go is for the Wii’s Virtual Console. Real Bout Final Fury Special is a NEOGEO classic, and is priced at the usual 900 point price-tag that we typically see for the platform.
eShop owners can also download a New Super Mario Bros. 2 video that shows off the Warp Cannon Courses, as well as a stop-motion 3D sports clip that has been lego’d to go along with the Olympic festivities.
This isn’t the first time Nintendo have offered Fluidity as a reward for Club Nintendo, but it is another chance to snag up one of the Wii’s finest digital titles for cheap. If you have 150 coins lying around in your Club Nintendo account, you can snag up this motion-based puzzler on the cheap, until August 19th.
The Game Boy version of golf is also lingering around as a reward for 3DS owners, and has been set at the same 150 coin value for the time being. Now, get to downloading and check back, as these rewards will be changing shortly and we will bring more updates out as those changes are delivered. Now we just need ToeJam and Earl to get the reward status and I will be one happy camper.
