A few months ago it was revealed that D3 Publisher would be bringing the cult-classic Earth Defense Force 2017 to the PlayStation Vita in Japan. Originally released on the Xbox 360, this port now has a solid release date of September 27th. Siliconera reports that the game is being titled Earth Defense Force 3 Portable and will also feature four player online multiplayer as well as ad-hoc gameplay.
Unfortunately at this time D3 has not made any announcements regarding a North American release of this game, though considering the fact that the PlayStation Vita’s physical releases are region-free, the title is ripe for the importing at the very least.
If you just can’t wait around to play CCP’s Dust 514 and want to jump into the closed beta early, you now have the ability to do so. Now while the game itself is going to be free to play upon release, anyone wanting to jump in now will need to pay $20 for the newly released Mercenary Pack which will provide the player a number of bonuses as well as $20 worth of in-game currency.
Players will receive 4,000 Aurum as well as skill boosters, special gear, new weaponry, 50 drop uplink items, 50 grenades, 50 damage boost items as well as the all-access beta pass which will allow you to get into every beta event, even ones that aren’t technically scheduled.
The full list of what will be available in the pack can be seen below:
4,000 Aurum ($20 USD value) – the in-game currency for DUST 514 that you can buy in the PS Store
30-dat Active Skill Booster – increases earned Skill Points (SP) by 50%
‘Dragonfly’ Scout Dropuit – a uniquely designed armor with unlimited use
‘Toxin” ICD-9 Submachine Gun with unlimited use and a custom skin
HK4M Shotgun X 50
Hacked Drop Uplink x 50 – allows players to create on-the-spot spawn points for their teammates
Fused Locus Grenade x 50
1.5dn Myofibril Stimulant x 50 – offers players a temporary melee damage boost against opponents
All Access Beta Pass – allows players to participate in every Beta Event, as well as additional play sessions during off weekends
BioWare previously told gamers that they would need to load up a save file a few missions before the actual ending of Mass Effect 3 to experience everything that the Extended Cut DLC which was released today has to offer. However it seems a few people have already found a workaround for this as Joystiq is reporting that gamers can load up an auto-save named “Citadel: The Return.”
This will apparently drop players right into the extended ending descriptions though may cause players to miss out on anything that may have been added to the ending before these final ending segments. So my angry friends, does the extended cut DLC make you a bit happier with Mass Effect 3’s ending or are you still full of rage?
Fans of Journey in Europe will be left out in the cold when it comes to Journey’s upcoming Collector’s Edition which includes Journey, Flower and FlOw and a number of other bonus features. After it was revealed yesterday that thatgamecompany would be bringing this collection to North American fans, European gamers were quite adamant about finding a potential release window for the game in their region.
Unfortunately for them however, thatgamecompany responded on their Twitter account stating that “We wish Europeans could get it, but there’s nothing we can do.” While this is disappointing to fans over in that region who may want a physical release of the game’s, they are still fine for download.
The semi-finalists have come and gone and there is now only the finalists left to contend in the PONG Indie Developer Challenge that Atari has setup for the 40th anniversary of the classic game. Starting back in February the challenge called on all indie developers to try and revamp PONG in a fun new way. Now the entrants have been narrowed down to 7 finalists. These finalists and their games are:
PegPeg with RetroPong
Delusions with Pong Tournament 2012
Island Officials with Pong EVO
Fishbowl Productions with PONG 4033
zGames with Pong World
Eppy Games with Fong
Mad Ruse with Pong Tournament
Interested parties can check out the games from the PONG Indie Developer Challenge website HERE, where they can also be voted on to help show what real players think of the games. Voting and rating will continue until Aug 2nd, when the judges will announce just which are the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prize winners and take home the big cash prizes.
LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes Developer: TT Games Publisher: Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment Platforms: Xbox 360 (Reviewed), PS3, Wii, PS Vita, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS Release Date: June 19th, 2012 Price: $49.99 – Available Here
Overview: LEGO Batman was one of the highest selling LEGO games and for good reason too. Not for the obvious reason that it was Batman, but it actually had an all new original story too. LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes continues the tradition of Batman breaking molds by introducing actual voice acting as well as fitting it into the larger DC Universe with the other Justice Leaguers. So that’s what the game has bringing to the table. Is it enough? Can it live up to it’s predecessor or does it go the way of oh so many Robins?
Story:
The story this time around finds Bruce Wayne and Lex Luthor both vying for “Man of the Year”, seeing as it is being held in Gotham however players will probably know which way it will swing. The awards are prematurely broken up however when Joker opts for writing himself in the vote. This ultimately however allows Lex and Joker to become acquainted, which leads into the main plot.
As with any time super-villains team up, this spells disaster for pretty much everyone, which is why, even though the story is greatly Batman-centric, the other heroes show up to help out. The plot has some pretty good heft, weighing in at 15 levels, making up for the fact that there is no villain campaign this time around. Every level starts out with a news report to flesh out not only what’s going on in the story like a mini-recap, but also to provide a small glimpse at how the city is responding to everything going on while Batman is busy.
The story is unfortunately almost entirely Lex and Joker though, not that there’s anything wrong with the characters, but the other villains get pretty sidelined where one of the strengths in the first game was the variety in the stories. That said the Lex/Joker story is very tight and well written, providing an adequate crossover opportunity without feeling forced. Though players should stay through the credits to see where the series might go from here.
Gameplay:
The LEGO games are a constant evolution, trying out new concepts and carrying over the best into future titles. Keeping with the standard drop-in/drop-out gameplay other features from previous games are LEGO Star Wars: C lone Wars’ gold LEGO objects that can only be destroyed with lasers and LEGO Harry Potter’s water spraying, but the best parts are the new things for this game. Instead of the level selections in the hub, there is a much more versatile hub map which includes not only the levels, but every other unlockable in the game too. This makes it a lot easier on players in the long run, so there is less need to go a look up where anything is the means are already provided, which make sense since his is Batman. Another new addition is the save/checkpoint feature. Now players need not have to worry about restarting an entire level should they have to stop midway through, getting to a checkpoint to save and quit they can theoretically pick up at the checkpoint, but it didn’t exactly work all of the time.
There is one aspect that is pretty frustrating this time around though. The hub doesn’t actually become Free Play until after completing the story. While this may seem to be a minor issue, it severely limits the hub until getting the story finished. There are only about 4 of the 20 Red Brick available to get before the story finishes, which can be frustrating for those that like to gradually earn them between levels. The game doesn’t really even say this is the case either, until finding out after the last level that it is unlocked. This is a large departure from previous LEGO games and hopefully it goes back to how it used to be as not being able to use unlocked characters in the hub world until after the story ends up sectioning the game into the story, then the hub world making it feel smaller in scope than it should.
As with the last LEGO Batman, the main focus of Batman and Robin is that they can switch into different suits that allow them to tackle different tasks balancing them better against their foes. This time around Batman and Robin each have 4 suits that utilize different abilities. Batman can have a Bat Suit, Electricity Suit, Power Suit, and Sensor Suit, while Robin has an Acrobatic Suit, Freeze Suit, Hazard Suit, and Magnetic Suit. These are all very important in the story missions to get past everything, but when it comes to Free Play several of the suits can be entirely replaced by other characters, which saves time on having to go change suits constantly, but I’m torn between if all of these suits should have been replaceable through unlockable characters. On one hand it would make it easier than having to find the suit you need, but on the other you don’t really want to end up nerfing Batman in his own game.
In terms of other abilities for the other characters, there is a variety, but it somewhat dwindles down to either objects only one character can open or blocks only one character can build with, which is kind of a let down. That and different characters who would seem to be pretty powerful are somewhat useless or missing somewhat expected powers. Sinestro should be just as powerful as Green Lantern, but there are no yellow objects just for him to utilize limiting him solely to flight. Martian Manhunter can’t turn invisible in the game, which is a real let down for fans of the character as Batman is capable of it with one of his suits, while Martian Manhunter can’t and it’s a pretty stand power for him. Though Aquaman isn’t nearly as useless in the game as people like to joke about him being in general.
Audio:
As stated before, LEGO Batman 2 actually has voice acting, which is something many people would probably worry about because it changes the formula that’s been working so well so far. But, the voice acting really does work with the game as it isn’t over done and is almost entirely done solely in cutscenes. It allows for the game to actually have more jokes than the standard slapstick or prop-centric humor of the previous games. Probably one of the better ones being a jab at Batman: Arkham City, which would have been impossible without dialogue. Though Alfred constantly butting in at the beginning with every tutorial can get really old, really fast.
Music in the game is the solid Batman score that fans have come to recognize and enjoy, but it isn’t the only recognizable music in the game. As with the addition of Superman when players start soaring with him in the hub, players will be greeted to the John William’s original Superman score. It is both a pleasant surprise and greatly welcome, as players go traversing the level, but it is entirely dependent on being Superman, so don’t go flying around as Man-Bat hoping to hear it.
Visuals:
Making a game entirely out of LEGO continues to look as good as it always has. LEGO Batman 2 does have a gritty feel than other LEGO games, but that is generally the style of Batman himself. With so many more characters from the other DC properties they have done an amazing job at making everyone look enough like themselves that as long as you’re moderately versed in DC at all, you can tell who characters are simply by how they look and not needing to be told. This is also attributed to the characters being styled on the most well known versions of the characters.
Besides characters, the LEGO models for the vehicles are also well done and have a pretty wide range. There is a large selection of boats, planes, and motor vehicles, with the last five of each being the mini-kits players unlock in the levels. The vehicles in the game range from some pretty awesome VTOLs to the more silly, like Mr. Freeze’s Iceberg boat and Wonder Woman’s Invisible Jet. In all a crazy range of things to choose from.
Overall: LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes is a good game, but it does have a few problems that ultimately make the experience not as fun as it could have been. It seems like a pretty poor decision to limit the hub world until the story is actually over, especially when every collectible is visible through scanning the map, so that they end up teasing at all the things you can’t get yet. It is also nice to see the ability to save and quit at checkpoints in story levels, though it would be nice if they worked all of the time. Those things aside, it is still and good game and a LEGO one at that, so it’s good to let the young audience have at it, which is why I give LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
Magic the Gathering: Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013 Developer: Stainless Games Publisher: Wizards of the Coast Platform: XBLA (reviewed), PSN, PC, MAC, Ipad Release Date: June 20th, 2012 Price: 800 MSP (available here), $9.99 USD on PSN, Steam and Apple store
OVERVIEW
If you’re an avid player of collectible card games, even if you don’t play it yourself, chances are you’ve heard of Magic the Gathering. In recent years, this particular card game series has found itself as popular as ever amongst audiences young and old. Part of its recent success can be attributed to the numbers of new players brought in by the Duels of the Planeswalkers series. These video game renditions of the physical MtG game have served as the starting points that have converted many curious gamers to playing actual card game itself. There’s also something for the hardcore MtG fans too, with each rendition of the DotP games offering a sneak peek at the upcoming year’s core deck releases, as well as free codes for free physical cards. Now with the third game of the series released, what new offerings does Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013 provide to players, both newbie and veteran?
GAMEPLAY
If you’re familiar with the functioning of the physical card game, then there’s not much to be learned here. DotP 2013 follows the same set of standard rules as set out in the card game, so veterans of the series will immediately be able to jump right in. But what about the new players? It can be said that one of the biggest challenges of getting into a new game, digital, card based or otherwise is the initial barrier of learning to play. Without a mentor or guide to teach new players, interest in the game could quickly be sucked out the window. Thankfully, the digital release makes accommodations for that by providing a helpful tutorial mode, as well as game tips throughout the course of the duels.
For those unfamiliar with the lore of Magic the Gathering, the main premise of the game is that the universe in MtG is made up of multiple dimensions of existence, called “Planes”. Each plane is unique in some way, but all adhere to the same physical and magical laws, namely the use of the five colours of mana. The key players of this universe are called “Planeswalkers”, a term given to a select talented few who have the ability to travel throughout these different planes. Throughout the course of the campaign, players will clash with other Planewalker personas, the most significant of whom are introduced in the opening title sequence. Many of these faces like Garruk Wildspeaker, Jace Beleren and Chandra Nalaar will be familiar to MtG veterans among some additional new faces. However it is disappointing to see several fan favourites such as Sorin Markov and Sarkhan Vol omitted from this rendition. The title sequence also introduces players to the main villain and final boss of the campaign: a Dragon Planeswalker named Nicol Bolas. This is the first time Nicol has been available to fight 1 on 1 in a duel, unlike DotP 2012, where he only existed as an Archenemy game foe.
Speaking of which, players of DotP 2012 will notice that the archenemy gametype has also been dropped from DotP 2013 in favour of another gametype called Planechase. This gametype, which has been available to the physical game for some years, essentially operates as a 4 player free for all gametype which adds special “planes” cards which have the ability to alter the course of a game through a dice roll. Now it must be said, that, despite the fun and challenge of this gametype, it unfortunately reduces much of the game down to blind luck. While this might be arguable for other portions of the game as well, the very first available level of Planechase pits the player against a pretty imbalanced set of opponents. Despite the free for all nature of this gametype, the computer controlled AIs have a tendency to gang up on the player, which make the game all the more difficult at points.
In playing the actual game itself, anyone who had played DotP 2012 will quickly recognise the duel interface as identical to that of the previous game instalment. Of course the backdrop on the duel changes from duel to duel but nothing more than that. One area of particular frustration that was unfortunately carried over from the previous game is the difficulty in interacting with the interface. Often when in a duel, players will find that the controls to look at or activate a certain card are only available at a certain point. Navigating the cursor to look at ones graveyard pile becomes an odd combination of switching scrolling controls from left thumb stick to right thumb stick at points. Moreover, it feels like the game timer has been sped up, allowing even less time for players to think and strategise on the fly. I personally preferred the interface of the first DotP game which made the player actively choose when to end their orders. While the presence of the pause button is a boon to this issue, it feels like a bandaid solution over a rather irritating interface problem.
The other issue I have with the core gameplay of DotP is the fact that much of the game will come down to pure chance half of the time. Often, players will choose to mulligan and redraw their starting hands if their initial draw is unfavourable. If it occurs multiple times with too much or too little mana, players will often have to hit ‘restart duel’, or risk playing with a few cards down. Now it is understandable why some players might need to restart once to get a decent hand, but making the player restart 10-15 times is just taking the piss. Unlike the physical card game where players can mana shuffle accordingly, the digital version very much gives off an air of: “you’ll take what you’re given and you’ll like it” mentality. Of course, part of these issues stem from the type of duellist you want to be, and how complex your deck will be structured.
DotP 2013 features 10 brand new decks to play with, though only 2 are available from the get-go. The rest must be unlocked either buy purchasing the deck through consumable DLC, or by doing what most players will do: unlocking the decks in the campaign. There are decks for all sorts of play styles: big creatures, indirect damage, life boosting, and even milling. As for the decks themselves, it is interesting to note that 9 out of the 10 available decks are all of singular colour. Series veterans are typically wary of single coloured decks being too simplified and easily beatable by way of “protection” cards. This reviewer himself is partial to a combination of primarily red cards mixed with black, green or blue. However, for a video game franchise that has brought in new generations of players to the game of MtG, this simpler style seems like a smart move. Using simpler combinations can entice the newbie’s. However, for longer running fans of the series, there are a few benefits to be had. Any player who has downloaded both DotP 2012 and 2013 will receive a free deck key. This key is an in game consumable which can be used to either unlock access to a new deck, unlock all the bonus cards for an already available deck, or add the rare foil design to available decks to give yourself a unique look in online matches. Players will also note that this rendition of the game provides a better customization interface, allowing players to remove some of those useless high mana cost cards that yield limited benefits from the starting decks.
Altogether, there are 4 different single player gametypes to DotP 2013: Campaign, Challenges, Planechase and Revenge (which is essentially campaign on hard mode). However, no card game representation would be complete without multiplayer. Yes, Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013 supports online multiplayer. Players will be able to link with their friends for a friendly duel, or take it to online matchmaking to play against other MtG duellists from around the world.
AUDIO AND VISUAL
The musical score of Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013 is nothing to be wowed by. The soundtracks added to each duel are made to be associated with the Planewalker opponent the player is facing. For example, a dark horror type theme is added for duels against Liliana Vess and her creatures of darkness. However, players will note that the themes are often slow paced and rhythmic, with any trace of lyrics omitted entirely. Magic the Gathering is intended to be played as an intellectual challenge, so providing the right ambience is part of the music’s role. To that it, it’s quite effective, though not helped by the fast paced timer.
As for visuals, each card still features the classic illustrations on each card, just like on the physical card game itself. Each picture is individual and unique, providing a sense. However, the real thrill of the game comes from the added special effects. Just like the last game, the addition of sound effects and animations make the combat between a few simple playing cards seem all the more real. And it must be said it feels damn good to shove a fireball up the last life point of a particularly annoying white spell user.
OVERALL
Looking at Duels of the Planewalkers 2013 as the third in what is becoming an annually released series, I was forced to ask myself: how has this game changed things? The answer: not much. Sure the addition of Planechase and the new decks is cool, but ultimately the game has barely changed from the previous edition. It feels like DotP might be falling into the same quality trap that has befallen other annually released franchises like Fifa and Call of Duty in that each new rendition hardly differs from the last. This is not to say that the game isn’t an enjoyable experience, despite a few interface issues. However, it feels like more could have been done to evolve the series as a whole. It honestly felt exactly the same as playing DotP 2012 at points. Even so, it is a worthwhile purchase certainly for newer players, and it’s likely to draw the attention of veterans who want to try out the new season material.
Pre-orders for LittleBigPlanet Vita are now being accepted, according to a post on the Playstation Blog. The game will be the second portable outing for the series, with a version of the game released on the predecessor of the Playstation Vita, the Playstation Portable. While pre-orders did get the green light, a release date outside of a 2012 release has not changed, so no concrete release date as of yet.
For those who decide to pre-order a copy of the game, players will receive one of two costume packs as a bonus: the Knights of Old costume pack, consisting of a knight, princess, black knight and dragon costumes, and the Bioshock costume pack, consisting of both the Big Daddy and Little Sister costumes. What costume pack the player will receive will be dependant on territory and also where the player buys the game.
Higurashi no Naku Koroni Kai (When They Cry II: Solutions) Part 1 Studio: Studio Deen Publisher: Siren Visual Release Date: 24/05/2012 Price:$49.95Available Here
Overview:
Higurashi no Naku Koroni Kai (When They Cry II: Solutions) Part 1, that’s quite the name here! This recent DVD collection from Siren Visual is essentially the first part of the second season of the Higurashi (When They Cry) anime series, titled as Higurashi no Naku Koroni Kai. The second season picks up right after the first season, and attempts to tie several things together and move the story along.
The first season of the Higurashi anime series, titled Higurashi no Naku Koroni, took place in a remote Japanese village called Hinamizawa during the year 1983. The show revolved around the lives of some local high school students, and in particular a transfer student who moves into the village with his family. While it initially appeared as a typical sweet slice of anime series, with plenty of laughs and adorable moments, the show suddenly took a U-turn into something very different. Let’s just say Higurashi no Naku Koroni was an anime series with a serious case of bi-polar disorder.
Higurashi (When They Cry) is pretty much a slice of life comedy anime that also just happens to be a brutally violent murder mystery thriller. It’s a very unusual combination, but it’s for this very reason that the anime is so down right shocking and disturbing. Seeing cute and cheerful anime characters suddenly flipping out and commit relentless homicide is just so freaky, that it needs to be seen to be believed.
Higurashi no Naku Koroni Kai (When They Cry II: Solutions) Part 1, offers a much different experience compared to the first season, but what it really does is clear up many things that left viewers dazed and confused when they watched the first season. What’s interesting however, is how self-contained both seasons are, meaning that you can watch the second season without having watched the first season, and still be able to follow what’s going on.
Story:
When They Cry II: Part 1 covers two chapters of the second season, Disaster-Awakening Chapter and Mass-Murdering Chapter. The basic premise and setting of the second season remains unchanged from the first season, if anything the second season actually attempts to make progress in resolving the story and explain a lot of things. The show takes place in a remote and apparently peaceful village in Japan called Hinamizawa, it is the summer of 1983 and a student named Maebara Keiichi moves into the village with his family and immediately befriends a cheerful and happy group of girls at his school. However, he quickly learns a very disturbing yearly occurrence that takes place in the town, in the form of a mysterious homocide. Every year, around the annual summer festival, the Watanagashi Festival, someone gets murdered and someone goes missing, and this has been happening for the past five years or so.
This harsh and bitter reality gravely influences the characters, especially in terms of their relationships. In the first season, we were treated to brutal murder after murder, involving several of the main characters in different scenarios. This aspect is explained in the second season.
The first chapter in When They Cry II: Part 1, Disaster-Awakening Chapter, sets the scene for the season and explains the events of the first season. The protagonist for the season is one of the main characters of the show, a young girl by the name of Rika, who serves as the village shrine maiden. She takes center stage in the story, serving as the primary plot catalyst and the one who reveals the truth underlying the insane and twisted nature of the events that transpire in the village. Disaster-Awakening Chapter ties the first season with the second, and does so in a way that’s surprisingly not very convoluted. The second chapter, Mass-Murdering Chapter, follows a story arc focusing on Rika and her close friend Satoko, and it progresses the underlying plot.
The plot in When They Cry II: Episode is surprisingly layered, featuring elements of science fiction, supernatural phenomenon, and mystery, all nicely mixed together with a slice of life style setting. The story is bittersweet, filled with irony and tragedy, but even so it does a good job in portraying hope and determination, with the idea that if one is willing then they could even fight a predetermined fate.
There’s a lot of elements to the story, and the characters are quite deep too as they have many sides to them, it’s especially compelling to see their darker nature. What made the first season of When They Cry so interesting was the sheer violence in the sadistic and psychotic murder scenes. In When They Cry II: Part 1, this is vastly toned down. While it is still very dark and mature, the violence isn’t nearly as over the top as in the first season, which perhaps makes it less memorable in comparison.
Visuals and Audio:
Higurashi no Naku Koroni Kai (When They Cry II: Solutions) Part 1 is a pretty nice show visually, and while the character designs seem to be quite typical, their unique portrayal still manages to make those tried and tested designs appear fresh. The art style does a nice job in portraying both a happy go lucky slice of life, and a twisted murder thriller. The animations are nice too, especially cool to see the animation style just switch gears when characters go from being adorable to genuinely psychotic. The soundrack in the anime isn’t anything particularly memorable, but it does feature rather fitting opening and ending themes.
Extras:
There is nothing much to write home about when it comes to extras and special features, all you’re really getting are just the 13 episodes spread across two DVDs. The extras are just the usual clean opening and ending animations. This collection features only the original Japanese dub with subtitles.
Overall:
Higurashi no Naku Koroni Kai (When They Cry II: Solutions) does a nice job in telling an interesting and highly layered story. However, it does lack the unique ‘wow’ factor that made the first season so memorable. It may lack the over the top sadistic violence of the first season, but at least we finally learn just what was going on. While the second season can be enjoyed on its own, those looking for the sole reason why Higurashi (When They Cry) became so popular should definitely jump in on the first season, as you won’t find it in this collection.
WWE will be bring back Wednesday night wrestling with WWE Main Event. WWE will be teaming with ION. Both parties are very excited to begin, a partnership. WWE Main Event will air every Wednesday at 8pm starting October 3rd. Raw is also going 3 hours a week starting July 23rd which is also the 1000th episode of Raw. So with 3 hours of Raw 2 hours of Smackdown, and One hour of Main Event. WWE will have 6 hours of wrestling a week on tv in October. This could be ever good for WWE ,but the real question is where is the WWE Network? What do you think about WWE going 6 hours? Woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!
