EA Sports have announced their pre-order bonuses that will come with FIFA 13, and you FIFA fans better strap yourselves in because there are four different editions you can order for yourselves.
These depend on your preference of retailers, as EB Games and JB Hi-Fi are offering two different editions a piece.
If you want to order at JB Hi-Fi then you can get the following two editions:
The Fantatics Edition, which will contain an EA Sports Football Club official mini size 3 football, scarf, cap and FIFA Ultimate Team gold packs.
The Ultimate Team Edition, which will contain a FIFA Ultimate Team gold pack.
If you want to order at EB Games then you can pick up the following two editions:
The Collector’s Edition will contain a EA Sports Football Club full size football, boot bag, cap, star metal pack, flag, FIFA Ultimate Team gold packs, EA Sports Football Club benefits, and the Adidas All-Star Team.
The EA Sports Football Club Edition will contain a Star Metal Pack, FIFA Ultimate Team gold packs, EA Sports Football Club benefits and the Adidas All-Star Team.
So what exactly is involved in a FIFA Ultimate Team gold pack and the EA Sports Football Club benefits?
Well, FIFA Ultimate Team Gold packs give you access to one item per week for 24 weeks to help an ultimate team of football stars. Each gold pack is a mix of twelve items, such as players, contracts, stadiums, managers, staff, fitness, healing, balls, kits and badges. Gold Packs include soccer players rated 75+ in-game and include one rare item.
EA Sports Football Club benefits give you 10,000 EA Sports Football Club Credits to redeem for in-game items to kick-start the season. The Football Club is an important part of the game, where you can earn XP & Credits and build your level and unlock items.
FIFA 13 will be available on the Playstation 3, Xbox 360 on December 27, 2012. There is no release date yet, although a confirmed copy being released on the following platforms – PS Vita, Wii, PC, PS2, 3DS, PSP, iOS, and Android devices. It’s also going to utilize Move and Kinect capabilities, so if you have any type of gaming console, chances are you will be able to play this game.
Check out the Facebook page HERE for more info in the lead up to the release. Make sure to keep tuned to Capsule Computers for more information as it comes!
Marvel Pinball Avengers Chronicles Developer: Zen Studios Publisher:Zen Studios Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 3 (Reviewed) Release Date:June 19th 2012 Price: $9.99
Overview:
The critically acclaimed pinball game by Zen Studios Marvel Pinball has 4 brand new tables for players to enjoy: Fear Itself, World War Hulk, The Infinity Gauntlet, and the Avengers. Each table is based on various events in the Marvel universe.
World War Hulk:
World War Hulk is based on the events of World War Hulk and Planet Hulk back in April of 2006 to January 2008. The premise of World War Hulk actually started in Planet Hulk when the Marvel Heroes decided to ship Hulk into space, where he landed on the Planet of Sakaar. After Hulk took over Sakaar, Hulk set his sites on Earth to gain revenge against his former allies.
The table itself seems to have scenery based on Sakaar as Hulk is standing on the opposite side from the flippers. While playing you will hear Hulk talk about some things that happened on Sakaar and how he feels betrayed by the other heroes after they launched him into space. Other Heroes will chime in as they realize that Hulk is making them go through what he did on Sakaar. Out of the 4 tables World War Hulk is by far the easiest in terms of playability and being able to get high scores.
The Avengers:
The Avengers is based on the Film and has the most interesting gameplay out of the 4. There are 6 pinballs to select from with each one based on a specific avenger. Captain America and Iron Man are your standard pin ball and are slightly difficult to rack up points with so it’s best to get them in the base as fast as possible. The Hulk and Thor are the heavy hitters and can be used to rack up a large score though because of this they are harder to control, so it may be wise to use them last.
As for Hawkeye and Black Widow, they are for getting to the back of the table. They score less points then Iron Man and Captain America, but unlike Iron Man and Captain America they can get to back bumpers much easier and more often. Throughout the game you’ll here Loki talking, he is cocky and arrogant like usual and at certain points Thor will come in to fight Loki. Players will have hit curtain areas to charge Mulnear, how ever if the ball is lost then the sequence ends. Which ever character you select has their on dialogue. The Avengers Table is one of the more difficult in this pack.
Infinity Gauntlet
The Infinity Gauntlet Table is based the events that took place in the the Infinity Gauntlet back from July 1991 to December 1991. Thanos, a being from Titan, obtains various gems which turn his gauntlet into the Infinity Gauntlet which grants the wearer the ability to manipulate time, space, mind, soul, reality and power. Thanos, in an attempt to gain the affection of death, plans to kill half of the universe and Adam Warlock must stop him.
Thanos, Adam Warlock and the Silver Surfer occupy this table which is the most event driven out of the 4. In fact, nearly anything you do will trigger some sort of event, such as Silver Surfer attacking Thanos. This makes the Infinity Gauntlet table the most interesting table to play out of the other 4.
Fear Itself:
The Fear Itself table is without a doubt the most challenging out of the 4 tables. This table is based on the events of Fear Itself from April 2011 to October 2011. Sin, with the help Baron Zemo, releases the hammer of Skadi and actually becomes Skadi, where he then frees Serpent the Norse God of Fear. Once on Earth, Skadi and Serpent cause mass panic and destruction. Skadi kills Bucky and does battle with Steve Rogers who takes back the monicker of Captain America after Bucky’s death while Thor does battle with Serpent.
The table features two halves of Captain Americas shield as bumpers while Serpent and Skadi reside on the opposite side from the flippers. Events are hard to pull of due to how difficult the table is, but pinball fans looking for a challenge will love this table. While playing on the table players will hear Captain America yell out at Bucky’s Death as well as Thor stating that Skadi and the Serpent must be stopped while other Asgardians yell that they must return to Asgard. Out of the 4 tables included in this package, this one happens to be the most fun.
Overall:
In the end the package is well worth the price. Anyone how has Marvel Pinball should get this pack. The Best Pinball in a long time, plus the comic themes make it all the more worth it. So Pinball fans, and comic book fans will really enjoy this pack. There is something hear for all levels of pinball players from beginners to the hardcore. The only problem was that you couldn’t turn of the dialogue without muting everything, because sometime the dialogue got pretty annoying, but other then that Zen Studios did a fine job.
Button Brigade is a new adventure app where instead of controlling the game, the buttons are a part of the game. With a top-down world with touch controls, you help a robotic worm escape from the factory that created it. The factory is home to hundreds of buttons that can be used to solve the puzzles created by factory foremen, as well as take down hostile worms.
This will take some strategizing as you utilize each button for its unique talents, and try to avoid the pitfalls to each puzzle. And if you mess up a puzzle then don’t worry, there is a reset button you can use.
Check out the trailer for the game below, with it’s fairly simplistic graphics, but quite an interesting gameplay that looks different than what you’d usually expect. There are more than forty levels with a variety of buttons and strategies for you to take on, as well as Time Trial mode, and an extra hard mode for super skilled button tappers.
For more information head over to the game’s website HERE, or the Facebook page for the game HERE. Keep tuned to Capsule Computers for more information on the game as it comes out, or any other games that are due to hit the App store.
The sequel to the turn-based RPG hit SQUIDS has released today for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch. SQUIDS Wild West continues the story of the cephalopod adventurers as they try to save the seas from the terrors of the black ooze. This time heading to the hometown of gunslinger Clint to seek aid in their journey, the group meets up with 4 all new squid to join the party, as well as new foes, obstacles, and helmets.
SQUIDS Wild West is set to have the same quality in art, humor, and music of the first game, but also providing more challenges and features to spice up gameplay. From easier party customization, to difficulty adjustment, to iCloud syncing so players can utilize the same saves on any of their iOS devices. Be sure to watch the trailer below and check out the game HERE, which is currently 50% off or $0.99 in honor of its launch.
Namco Bandai Partners, the operator of retail distribution in 50 countries worldwide, will be partnering with Bohemia Group, part of the Australia’s top marketing and communication service STW Group, in order to bring Bohemia’s experience with marketing to some of the biggest names in games like Tomb Raider, Hitman, and other Namco Bandai products.
Currently, the games slated to feature and hopefully excel through Bohemia’s media talent will be the bigger name Sleeping Dogs, Hitman: Absolution, and Tekken Tag Tournament 2, but many of the other titles to ship this year.
We’ll see where this partner ship can bring Namco Bandai in the Australian market and what Bohemia can do in terms of PR for them. They should have there work cut out for them though as long as they don’t follow the marketing strategies used by EA’s Dead Space 2 and Dante’s Inferno.
Telegames today announced that they have been approved for developing and publishing Wii U titles. They are most known for developing and publishing titles for classic consoles as well as Nintendo DS and Apple iPad, in fact this will be their first attempt at home consoles since the original PlayStation.
“We are thrilled to return to game consoles but will continue to actively support portable systems as well,” said company president Terry Grantham. “We have projects in design that we feel will not only maximize the use of the console features but also establish new standards for gameplay interaction via the visuals available on the Wii U GamePad screen.”
It seems this could be one publisher we may have to keep our eyes on! For more information on Telegames, make sure to check out their official website.
So for those of you who are looking to get Darksiders II and were wondering just why you should pre-order yourselves a copy, THQ have got an answer for you. For Australians if you put an order down on a limited edition of Darksiders II via shopTHQ Australia you will get a Darksiders II season pass as well as an exclusive set of in-game armour and free shipping.
The Darksiders II Season Pass entitles customers to download the second and third DLC packs when they become available online for free. As well as this, pre-orders are automatically upgraded to the limited edition of the game which includes the first DLC pack, Argul’s Tomb. This first pack will be available about one month after the game is released, and all of the packs will include significant single player content.
As well as these packs, you will receive an exclusive Maker’s Armour and Scythe set, with upgraded stats and a unique design, it will give you a boost during the game.
Unfortunately Season Passes are not available for Playstation 3 in Australia, so shopTHQ will be offering the limited edition of Darksiders II with Saints Row 2 for free. The PC download version also includes Metro 2033 for free as well.
The Vice President of Global Brand Marketing, Jim Huntley, states about the pre-order package:
“We are excited to be able to reward customers who pre-order the game via shopTHQ with these great incentives. Not only will they get a unique armor set at launch, but they will also get significant free content for months to come. And while the Season Pass is not available on PlayStation 3 in Australia, we think PS3 owners will enjoy the opportunity to play another THQ title in Saints Row 2 at no extra cost.”
So head on over to THQ’s site and pre-order your copy of Darksiders II HERE!
Darksiders II is due for release on August 16, 2012 in the Australia and August 14 in the US on Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and PC. The WiiU’s date set for a tentative late 2012. Keep tuned to Capsule Computers for more news on Darksiders II as it is released.
As we recently reported earlier, Activision and Beenox’s The Amazing Spider-Man: The Video Game which slinged into stores today! To help promote the release, an epic launch trailer has been released which is really breath taking! Featuring the song “Control” by the band Garbage, fans are introduced to the re-imagined world of Spider-Man, alongside glimpses of the re-imaginings of villains such as The Lizard, Scorpion, Felicia Hardy, Rhino, Iguana and more. Make sure to check out the awesome launch trailer below!
But why just sit around watching a trailer when you can play it yourself? The Amazing Spider-Man is available now on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii. Portable versions are also available on Nintendo DS and 3DS.
Yesterday Developer: Pendulo Studios Publisher: BulkyPix Platform: iPhone/iPad(reviewed)/PC Release: 21/6/12 Price: $5.49 – Available Here
Overview
I tend to approach ports to iOS devices overly critically. Arcade titles, and made-for-console games just don’t feel great on a touch screen device. It’s not just the interface; the whole thing just manages to feel sloppy in one-way or another. It’s like cramming your old television into a box it didn’t come in, it just won’t fit and in the end you just damage the box, the TV and yourself. Okay well, that is a little dramatic. There are of course certain genres that work very well on iOS – particularly on the iPad with it’s larger screen and, most of the time, better quality graphics.
One type of gaming is the adventure game. You explore, point and click, and slowly uncover mysteries along the way. I’ve always had a soft spot for these games, as feelings of nostalgia sweep through my mind, and I remember as a young child trying to navigate the virtual labyrinth that was Myst. Latest in my PC-to-iPad collection is Pendulo Studio’s title, Yesterday. A fitting title given my own subjective experience of the game brought back so many memories of a genre I have long forgotten. As I said, the game was original a PC title, that has already been received quite well here at Capsule Computers. But how does the iPad version hold up? Read on to uncover the mystery.
Gameplay
Replacing the mouse with the player’s own hand tends to work well with adventure games. It worked to some extent with Telltale Game’s Back To The Future franchise, and it damn well works with Pendulo Studio’s Yesterday. The game is essentially a series of static images with interactive hot spots that can be tapped. Unlike other adventure games, there isn’t a need to move the character around. While some people may be put off by the lack of player input, I welcomed the lack of control and the focus on point-and-click mechanics.
The interface sits perfectly on the side of the screen, with buttons to help reveal points of interest, a hint button and most importantly the inventory of collected items. At times the puzzles can be a little tricky, but that is half the fun of the game. You’ll need to combine elements and uncover secrets hidden throughout a series of scenes in order to uncover the mystery-based plot of the game.
Story
Yesterday is the story of one man, John Yesterday. He wakes up from a coma with no memories, only a series of clues in which to uncover a forgotten past. The game takes place through multiple flash backs into the memories of not just John Yesterday, but also a series of other characters. Without giving too much away, the story revolves around the investigation into a Satanic cult, and also the attempted suicide of the protagonist, John. The story isn’t too long, it shouldn’t take you long to play through it all. But it is engaging, you become engrossed in finding out answers, as more questions appear and you delve further into the memories of John Yesterday in an attempt to answer these questions. If you are the type who needs to compare a mobile game worth against PC/console games, then think of it this way. Yesterday has the same quality story as a PC game, but can be played anywhere, allowing you to hop in and out of the story whenever you feel like it.
Visuals
I found the visual style of Yesterday particularly engrossing. Although this comes as no surprise. iPad games are progressively becoming more and more sophisticated in terms of graphics. Each scene is created with a fantastic amount of atmosphere, with different locations all having a unique look and feel. I was also impressed by the animation in scenes that involve dialogue. Also, the use of comic book style panels to illustrate attention to certain objects when they are in use or if a conversation was taking place. Nice subtle animations keep the scenes from looking static. The only issue I had with the graphics is towards the end of the game, the background, some objects, and even a whole animated dialogue box appeared as blank. I was a little concerned at first, hoping this wouldn’t continue into the end of the game. I shut down the game completely, re-opened it and was back on track in the exact same spot. I should also note, this is the one time during the course of playing that I actually shut the game down. It’s hard to not want to progress further and further.
Audio
The audio at times can be a little dull. There are moments where all you will hear is the sound of your own footsteps and some random sound effects. For the most part however, there is an ominous soundtrack that runs through the game, which is rather fitting given the title’s satanic themes. Similarly, the voice acting matches the characters well, and isn’t as cheesy as you’d expect, it being an iPad game after all. Overall the audio works well with building the games atmosphere, and doesn’t draw too much attention away from your goals – allowing you to focus on the environment and search for clues.
Overall
Despite graphically issues, the game is very hard to get away from. It does start a little slow, but once you leave that first section of the story the plot draws you in. There were a few times were the search for clues became overbearing and I had to put the game down for some time. But that is the beauty of having the game on the iPad, I can just put my device to sleep and pick up where I left off wherever I want. There is a great attention to detail, and as I have explained, I have a soft spot for these types of adventure games. Chances are, after giving Yesterday a try; you will develop a soft spot for adventure games too.
Activision’s The Amazing Spider-Man: The Video Game swings into stores today!
Is your spider-sense tingling? Because mine sure is! Activision and Marvel’s The Amazing Spider-Man video game has hit Australian stores today. Based as an epilogue to the highly anticipated reboot film that comes out next week, The Amazing Spider-Man features a free-roaming Manhattan as your playground and a story that takes place after the events of the film by Hollywood writer Seamus Kevin Fahey (Spartacus: Vengeence, Sparticus: Gods of the Arena, Battlestar Galactica), players will get to experience playing like Spidy as you face off against re-imagined villains exclusively for the game such as Scorpion, Felicia Hardy, Rhino, Iguana and more. While the game may not feature the film’s voice actors, it does feature fan-favorite voice actors such as Evil Dead & Burn Notice’s Bruce Cambell and of course Spider-Man creator Stan Lee.
Developed by Beenox, the game is rated M on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions and PG on the Wii and Nintendo 3DS versions. An entirely different game with the same storyline has also been developed by Other Ocean and is rated PG for the Nintendo DS, developed by Other Ocean.
EA Sports have announced their pre-order bonuses that will come with FIFA 13, and you FIFA fans better strap yourselves in because there are four different editions you can order for yourselves.
Button Brigade is a new adventure app where instead of controlling the game, the buttons are a part of the game. With a top-down world with touch controls, you help a robotic worm escape from the factory that created it. The factory is home to hundreds of buttons that can be used to solve the puzzles created by factory foremen, as well as take down hostile worms.
