Ever since Sony took out backwards compatibility for PlayStation 2 games out of the original PlayStation 3, those who wanted to play their classic games either had to do so on their pink PS2s or let them collect dust. Well, now it seems Sony is going to begin re-releasing a few titles digitally on the PlayStation 3.
Sony in Japan revealed that on July 25th they will begin adding PlayStation 2 titles starting with the following five games:
Resident Evil Code: Veronica
Kessen
Shin Contra
Dragon Force
Siren
Now considering the Japanese PlayStation Store is literally overflowing with games that have not been brought out in the North American PlayStation Store, we shouldn’t get our hopes up quite yet, though future titles include classics such as Dark Cloud, Dead or Alive 2 Hard Core and more. Currently these titles are going to cost anywhere from 800 to 1,500 yen, so roughly $10 to $20 a download.
While we already know what will actually be contained in Dead or Alive 5’s Collector’s Edition, we never actually saw what the final product would look like. Well those curious about the Collector’s Edition’s appearance need look no further than just above this sentence.
As previously mentioned, the case itself is embossed and made out of steel and in it there will be a soundtrack CD, the game itself, a hardcover artbook, the swimsuit costume code for every female character as well as a poster. Unfortunately for those of you hoping out there, the poster looks like it will not be of Kasumi in a swimsuit but Kasumi in an action pose. This collector’s edition will run you $80 if you feel like picking it up when the game is released on September 25th.
Anyone who picked up Dragon’s Dogma over the past few months may have noticed that they also received a code to access the Resident Evil 6 demo. Well, at the time these gamers could do nothing but stare at the code due to the fact that it was un-redeemable until July 3rd. Well guess what today is?
When the player redeems the code you have to access the demo by playing it from the Dragon’s Dogma disc, so if you thought you could pull a fast one on Capcom then you are out of luck. The demo itself features three different missions, each one focusing on one of the three different storylines in the game, Leon and Helena, Chris and Piers and Jake and Sherry. It is worth noting that only 360 owners will be able to access the demo today, while Dogma players on the PlayStation 3 will have to wait a couple more months.
If you are interested in playing Halo 4 then you better make sure you have plenty of hard drive space ready because Xbox.com has just revealed a few notes for future players of Halo 4’s multiplayer mode. These notes “highly recommend” using a hard drive with at least 8GB of space. Whether or not all 8GB will be used is still unknown at this time.
Considering Halo 4 will feature the Spartan Ops online mode as well as a number of new multiplayer options, this large number is a bit understandable, but we have still reached out to Microsoft for a bit of clarification about these notes.
SEGA and The Creative Assembly have made an announcement for the next Total War game to be gracing the PC in 2013 and apparently it’s time to follow any road back to Rome. Total War: Rome II is set to feature not only a huge turn-based campaign, but the biggest cinematic battles in video game history.
Rome II will pit players not only against armies, but in trying to find the loyal amongst the friends and allies in the Roman senate. So, what will players choose to do in the best interest of Rome? Be it repulic or empire, players will face challenges by those that oppose, to find what is best for the people, or themselves.
Along with the announcement came the live-action trailer that can be checked out below, as well as a gallery showing off both urban and naval combat. We’ll see how the struggle turns out in 2013.
Dungeonbowl, an extension of Blood Bowl, from Cyanide Studio is finally making its way onto Steam today, so that more players can join in on the bloody sport based on the Warhammer universe. Unlike Blood Bowl though, Dungeonbowl takes place in a dungeon as opposed to outside and each team is comprised of different races in the same school of magic.
Even more dangerous, the dungeons that are played in contain exploding chests, teleporters, and lava flows to complicate matches, as well as other types of traps to try and hinder both teams, but luckily games last only until the first touchdown. The basic game package gives players the Bright, Light, and Rainbow wizard teams as well as a starting kit for making their own dungeons. Players check out some of the newest screenshots from it in the gallery below and can download Dungeonbowl on sale for today’s release for $14.99 on Steam HERE.
Team Zenith is one of the worlds top DOTA 2 teams and have been gaming on the tournament scene since as early as 2006 when they were known as Scythe. Razer are teaming up with Team Zenith to prepare them for the upcoming Valve 2 International tournament which has USD$1,000,000 up for grabs for the winning team.
The tournament is set to be held on the August 31st until the end of the 2nd of September and will feature some of the largest teams in the world Team Razer’s Absolute Legends, Orange eSports, Counter Logic Gaming and LGD.
“Team Zenith have proved to be one of the most outstanding Dota2 teams in the world and it’s a pleasure for us to work with them and support them on their way to one of the biggest tournaments of their lives,” said Robert “RazerGuy” Krakoff, President, Razer USA. “The addition of Zenith to the Team Razer roster furthers our support for the passionate e-Sports community in Southeast Asia.”
The team is being trained at the Razer Singapore office and is in access to some of the most sophisticated Razer equipment, like the Razer Blade Gaming laptop and various training manuals to assure the best out of the team. Be sure to check out the Team Razer Websiteand the Team Zenith Website.
Thanks to Madman on the 15th of August, 2012. The Raid is this years most talked about action film from Indonesia. The film is set in an apartment complex in the slummy area of Jakarta and is a multi-story complex that is home to all sorts of gangsters and killers.
An elite swat team is sent in to take out a drug-lord locked in a safe house but the residents of the building are alerted to the teams attack in advance and is locked down from the bottom up. The swat team has to then fight their way to the top of the building to achieve their goals.
Proudly showcasing an unadulterated mix of impossible gunplay, frantic knife fighting and a masterful display of Silat – the indigenous Indonesian martial art – courtesy of up and coming action star, Iko Uwais, The Raid marks a triumphant return to the glorious, over the top action unleashed in the works of seminal Asian cinema filmmakers such as John Woo (The Killer, Hard Boiled) and Tsui Hark (Iron Monkey, Once Upon a Time in China).
The raid is releasing at $34.95 for the DvD and $39.95 for the Blu-Ray Disc.
Pokemon Conquest Publisher: Nintendo Developer: Tecmo Koei Platform: Nintendo DS Release Date: June 14, 2012 Price: $29.99
Overview
Pokemon has grown a lot as a franchise during the past decade, branching out into other genres successfully while adding to the lore that is the massive Pokemon Universe. Nobunaga’s Ambition on the other hand falls into a niche catagory altogether, as the game is a tactical role-playing game, loaded with raw strategic gameplay. What happens when you combine the two brands? Pokemon Conquest is the answer. Developed by Tecmo Koei, this title plays like any other tactical strategy game would, but has a sweet and accessible coat of Pokemon all over it. The question is, is this crossover enough to satisfy both fanbases, or does it miss it’s mark entirely? Here is my review for Pokemon Conquest for the Nintendo DS.
Story
The very first thing Pokemon Conquest does is let you as the player know that it is fact a Pokemon game. After selecting a gender and a name, the player is then however thrown into the region of Ransei. Instead of being a trainer, you are a warlord and must “link” up with a team of other warriors and Pokemon to conquer 17 kingdoms in order to bring peace to the troubled land.
Does this sound like a Pokemon game so far? Well, it’s certainly a new direction for the franchise, but this plot is thick and bursting at the seams with interesting dialogue and characters, making the experience utterly engrossing. Each Warlord encountered has a completely different personality from the next, and the large Pokemon roster and element of choice keeps the plot from ever getting stale, allowing for multiple playthroughs – much like the main games. The themes in the game do feel a bit more adult this time around, but I grew up with Pokemon myself and I feel that many other fans will also welcome in this more grown-up approach to a narrative.
Gameplay
As I mentioned, Pokemon Conquest is a tactical strategy game at it’s core, and a fine one at that. Utilizing an isometric overhead perspective, players do battle on a grid-based field and have to tell their Pokemon where to go and what abilities to use. Once in proper range, your Eevee, Jigglypuff, ect., can go head to head with a foe by performing a technique in a short but sweet battle sequence. Yes, if you have ever played Final Fantasy Tactics or Devil Survivor, you will feel right at home as these mechanics are generally the same. Each Pokemon has an HP bar to deplete, and type advantages and status effects come into full play as well, which broadens the main strategy elements even further.
The main point of the game is to of course conquer each Kingdom on the map. To do this, players will have to select that particular area and head straight to the battlefield, where up to six Pokemon can be sent out at once by each side. If an opponent is defeated in a timely or super effective manner, there is usually a choice to recruit that Warlord after the battle. It was a bit surprising at first to see that these Warlords had such a large role in the game, but that is another thing that makes this adventure so deep in comparison to other Pokemon titles. Every Warlord has their own skill that can be applied during a bout, which is usually used for healing or boosting a stat to shift the odds. Recruited allies can also farm for gold back at claimed Kingdoms and train up their linked Pokemon with some good ol’ grinding against other warriors and wild Pokemon – who can also be brought into the mix.
Leveling up your team is also different than the norm. You still will have to find other Pokemon (and Warlords, in Conquest’s case) to do battle with, much like you’d expect. This title however bases growth on the bond between a Warlord and their Pokemon – with a potential bond cap of 100% for each of the 200 species in the game. One thing you will have to remember is that each Pokemon you send out has just one attack. This could be seen as something that limit’s Pokemon Conquest’s complexity, but thankfully these Pokemon Evolve based on their bond with the linked party, where you then will see a much stronger technique used in battle from that point forward. Warlords also grow in this manner, and can learn new abilities to better match their much more powerful partner.
17 Kingdoms make up the main game, and each are vastly different from the next. Yeah, a change of scenery is nice, but it’s even better that the change of location can actually effect the battles for a much greater reason. For example, one of the earlier areas is made up of lava filled pits with geysers blowing constantly. If you happen to have a fire Pokemon on your side, you can easily bypass these dangers and head right to your opponent. Bringing a different type is more of a risk – as you then will have to find a path to the opposing Pokemon without going over the set turn limit for the match-up. Type advantages can be found throughout the game, and knowing how to utilize each Pokemon correctly is the key to pulling off a quick victory, bringing all of Conquest’s offerings full circle and into one well oiled machine.
Once a main battle is won and that new area is yours, you can than browse the shops for special items, feed your Pokemon to increase their strength, and continue battling and recruiting wild species specific to that area. There is just as much strategy to this portion of Conquest, too. You see, each Warlord can only perform one action during a “month”, and Conquest gives you the choice to better your squad or to go right off into the next area during each one of these intervals. Preparation is essential to progression however, so if you want a well balanced squad, it’s best to break up a few of your primed teammates to do some training and shopping beforehand. As far as challenge goes, this is definitely one of the simpler titles of the genre by far, but it never lacks in depth and makes up for it’s minor shortcomings in difficulty with a massive amount of personal choice and a constant stream of options.
Visuals and Audio
With such a grand show for both the main plot and gameplay alike, you could honestly be looking at pixels and still be pleased. Pokemon Conquest is a full packaged deal though, and manages to pull off some of the best visuals on the DS to date. Each character model is richly detailed, enabling their intended personalities to come out as they speak. On the Pokemon front, battles also retain this detail, with each Pokemon looking as they should and animating fluently on the field. Environments are also stunning as well, delivering a new atmosphere for each area while breaking up any feelings of monotony with the varied uses of the fauna and obstacles within. Even though this game looks like it is closer to it’s other Ambition kin, it still has that bright and welcoming glow of the Pokemon franchise, which should please anyone who want some peanut butter with their chocolate…if you know what I mean.
As far as audio goes, expect to hear nothing like any other Pokemon game has delivered thus far, but a soundtrack that still sounds like a Pokemon game. Each track fits perfectly with that feudal Japanese theme, yet stays upbeat and intense to live up to the biggest series in portable gaming. The minor sound effects also come out during battle, as hearing the whisps of a mighty razor leaf or the squirt of a water gun all come across nicely and make attacks equally satisfying to execute. No, there isn’t voice acting, but this is the DS and honestly, voices are just not necessary in this type of game.
Overall
Pokemon Conquest is a bit of a risk on Nintendo’s part as Pokemon titles in general are usually built to suit all and tactical strategy romps are generally a much more niche affair. With that said, this spin-off manages to pull everything together effortlessly and still retain the best features of both franchises it crossed over from. Yes, the battles are never that demanding, but the level of detail and options stitched into the game mesh together well, making for one of the most engrossing and satisfying experiences for the platform as a whole. If you are looking for the next great Pokemon game, look no further as Ransei is a place that should be conquered by all.
A huge part of conventions is the incredible effort fans go to recreate themselves as their favourite characters, and Oz Comic Con was no different. There was some truly inspired cosplay work to see, both around the show floor and in the parade and competition.
Melbourne has a massive, very active community of Japanese culture and anime fans, and a lot of costumes fit that theme. I may not have always been able to identify specific anime characters, but there’s no mistaking the style.
Of course a convention with a comics-theme isn’t complete without ample superheroes, and costumes in this group fell squarely into three, evenly-sized camps: Batman (no doubt because of the hype surrounding The Dark Knight Rises), The Avengers (obviously due to the recent movie), and Other. As a result, there were heaps of Batmen, Poison Ivys, Jokers, Harley Quinns, Iron Men, Thors, Hulks, Captain Americas, etc etc. We did spot the odd Superman, Spiderman and X-Men, but nowhere near as often as those most recently in the public’s mind. Perhaps next year, after the release of Man of Steel, there will be an increase in Superman interest.
Characters from other pop culture franchises popped up as well. Adventure Time was particularly popular this year, with no less than three Finns with plush Jakes, and an Ice King amongst them. Star Wars and Star Trek costumes are ever-present, with a few Storm Troopers and a Spock or two. And of course, various generations of Dr Who’s graced the floor.
The standouts for me included a gender-uncertain Jack Sparrow, who was a dead ringer for the character; Raptor Jesus, of Internet meme fame; MAD Magazine’s Spy vs Spy characters; an eight-foot tall Jack Skellington, from The Nightmare Before Christmas; Alex Mercer from Prototype; a highly-detailed Alien, which I missed myself but was shown photos of later; and of course, Zombie Optimus Prime, a incredible recreation of the Transformer, partially damaged.
The cosplay parade on Saturday afternoon was a great opportunity to see the cream of the crop. Entrants were plucked from the show floor as a best-of, and trooped across the stage one by one, giving the crowd enough time to snap a few photos.
Second place (receiving a voucher for Spotlight to aid future cosplay endeavours) went to a detailed rendition of Batman villain Scarecrow.
The grand prize, a pack for six people to experience the amazing IRL Shooter when it launches in October (check that out here), rightly went to Zombie Optimus Prime.
The crazy crafting skills of these talented cosplayers really demonstrate what these conventions are all about: passionate fans doing what they love, and getting the recognition their work deserves.
Team Zenith is one of the worlds top DOTA 2 teams and have been gaming on the tournament scene since as early as 2006 when they were known as Scythe. Razer are teaming up with Team Zenith to prepare them for the upcoming Valve 2 International tournament which has USD$1,000,000 up for grabs for the winning team.
