Hockey is a sport that benefits from strong skating abilities. Some players go as far to take lessons from figure skaters and many retired hockey players have participated in a popular Canadian reality show called Battle of the Blades that partners retired hockey stars with figure skaters competing in figure skating competitions. So it is little wonder that EA Sports chose to make skating one of the major improvements in NHL 13.
With the big changes announced for NHL 13, EA Sports released a brand new trailer called Every Stride Matters. The video shows off the highly realistic physics based skating animations and brand new AI engine featured in NHL 13. Check out the new trailer below.
Just as we welcomed the infamous Noxian battlerager Darius, League of Legends opens its gates to his blood-thirsty brother. Riot offers a quick sneak peek for onlookers as Darius’s brother Draven makes his way to the Fields of Justice with dual cleavers. At first glance, Draven seems to be veering a little to close to crazy. Must be that Noxian pride shining through!
If you would like to flaunt your Noxian pride as well, you can find “The Blood Brothers” wallpaper (here) featuring the above image. For additional information about Draven, stayed tuned for the next League of Legends article “A new champion approaches… Draven”. To catch a glimpse of Draven’s art spotlight, take a gander below to see the creative development of blood dripping insanity.
With the release of the ‘Wiimake’ of the PlayStation 2 (and later Xbox) supernatural horror classic, Fatal Frame 2 (or Project Zero 2 to some), looming close. A nice five minute overview trailer has been released for it.
Fatal Frame 2 is among the most emotional, psychological, and horrific horror experiences to have ever graced gaming. As frightening as the experience was, it was still eerily and hauntingly beautiful, as it had an amazing art style and great use of lighting and visual effects to create an atmospheric ambience.
You can view the trailer below, which sheds a little light on the story, shows off some of the CG sequences, and plenty of gameplay action. Fatal Frame 2: Wii Edition should be a nice remake of the original.
Two billion-dollar mega blockbuster and winner of 11 Academy Awards, Titanic will be making its debut on Blu-ray 2D and 3D on September 12, 2012. James Cameron’s masterpiece will be available in high definition for the first time ever. Marking the 101st anniversary of RMS Titanic, you can now pre-order the Blu-ray in 2D or 3D with participating retailers.
James Cameron had this to say about the Blu-ray release:
“Blu-ray extends Titanic’s immersive 3D theatrical experience into audiences’ homes, where their living room becomes the backdrop for big spectacular environments and intense action, as well as profoundly intimate human moments, allowing generations of fans – new and old – to truly become part of the movie like never before.”
No only is the movie in ultimate high-definition, but it also has more than 2.5 hours of all-new bonus footage including an in-depth exploration of the film with James Cameron, as well as National Geographic documentary footage with James Cameron and Titanic experts solving remaining mysteries of why the ‘unsinkable’ ship sank. There are also 29 deleted scenes, an alternate ending, over 60 behind-the-scenes featurettes, a look at the visual effects, over 2,000 photos, three commentaries and even more. So if you’re one of those people who loves special features, this is definitely worth picking up.
I mean, who doesn’t love Titanic? The story of two star-crossed lovers who meet on the legendary cruise ship that was dubbed the ‘ship of dreams’. So why not pick up a super high-definition version with a tonne of extra features and round out that Blu-ray collection?
Titanic 3D and 2D on Blu-ray is available on September 12, 2012. Can’t wait? Head on over to your local retailer and pre-order your copy today!
The Ridge Racer game on the PlayStation Vita is getting some interesting downloadable content, as it was just announced that the iconic Hornet racing car from the Sega arcade racing classic, Daytona USA, will be appearing as a playable racing vehicle.
Ridge Racer and Daytona USA were arguably the biggest names in arcade racing during the 90s, and this can be seen as a dream collaboration of sorts. The Hornet sports its iconic paint colours and alongside this new content comes a new song called Ridge Racer USA Mix. Both items of downloadable content will be released in Japan on 6 June 2012.
You can see the Hornet in action in the trailer below.
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Future Soldier Developer: Ubisoft Red Storm, Ubisoft Romania, Ubisoft Paris Publisher: Ubisoft Platforms: Playstation 3 (reviewed), Xbox 360, PC Release Date: 25 May, 2012 Price:$59.99 (available here)
Overview
There hasn’t been a Ghost on an HD console since 2007, when Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 picked up strong reviews across the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC. It and the rest of the Recon series have a reputation for providing an alternative to more run and gun shooters by focusing on strategy and stealth. With Future Soldier Ubisoft have produced a very slick and cinematic third person shooter, but despite it’s many upsides it does lack a little in the strategy and stealth department. Players take on the role of a member of Hunter Squad, a team of four ghosts drawn into an ever more serious mission thanks to the game’s opening event.
Story
Future Soldier opens with a unit of Ghosts being wiped off the map by a dirty bomb. The story that follows picks its plot points from the big book of shooter clichés, touching down with bombs, arms dealers, Russians, terrorist organisations, refugee camps, civilian casualties, a snow storm…so yes, there’s likely nothing new to see here, but it’s all pulled off very well. The big bad moments are a pretty spectacular bunch, backed up by some very impressive explosions and some cinematic camera work.
Plot points are easy to follow and are backed up by mission briefs, and even in mission you’ll be able to dig up a few details about your surroundings thanks to the HUD display, which has place names and other essentials floating around in world rather than flat on the screen. The cutscenes don’t outstay their welcome, and the action beats are balanced out with some more character lead scenes that shore up the four Ghosts as personalities rather than gun and camo combos. None of them will make the break into iconic character land, but they’re likeable enough guys and are given some time to be something other than exposition dealing robots. Crucially it feels like you’re playing as part of a team, even if that team isn’t as interactive as some would expect when it comes to the gameplay.
Gameplay
Future Soldier is a third person shooter, taking the usual mission/objective structure for it’s campaign. There are some instances when the Ghosts jump into the back of a vehicle, but for the most part this is on foot action, with a heavy emphasis on knowing your enemy before he knows you. The ‘future’ of Future Soldier is most evident in its tech load out, which provides sensor grenades to scope out the battlefield, a spy drone that packs an electrical punch, and a camo system that renders the Ghosts nigh on invisible when in the crouch position. It is very much a near future setting, so don’t expect any sci-fi elements to the main weaponry.
All of these gadgets are geared towards finding your enemy, and with many objectives coming with a ‘no alarm’ stipulation, getting into the habit of using drones and sensors is a must. That said there are plenty of instances where a firefight kicks off, and even one level where you get your own personal mini AT-AT – or more officially- War Hound. It’s an incredibly over powered thing, coming as it does with an unlimited supply of mortars and missiles, but it’s crucially only around for one level, ensuring that the power play remains a fun highlight rather than a game breaker.
Sync shots are another great addition, allowing you to target up to four enemies and take them all out simultaneously. Again it creates a feeling of power, as you quickly line up your sights on a grunt and have your buddy take him down as you roll by. Pulling off a sync shot also grants you a moment of slow mo, so if you’re thinking on your feet you can kill off enemy number five while you’re at it. It’s incredibly satisfying to do, but sadly the sync shot is the only way you can interact with your team.
Even the most basic of squad commands are absent, with the lack of even a ‘go here’ or ‘hold fire’ giving the strategy a very limited scope. Your fellow Ghosts do behave quite well but nonetheless are on rails, often taking away any tension in the combat by making a bee line for the next point of conflict. That aside they stay in cover and are good at spotting enemies you might miss – their shout outs and chatter helps to move things along at a reasonable rate and bolsters a bit more team spirit.
Speaking of teams and being on rails, Future Soldier has another trick up it’s invisible sleeve. Certain sections will see Hunter Squad protecting a VIP by forming up around them in diamond formation. These sections leave you nothing to control but your shooting hand and your eyeballs and whilst they allow for some coolly filmic moments it does highlight the lack of any significant control the player has on the path through a level. Future Soldier is big on the old cinematic glamour vibe for sure, and it pulls it off well, but at the expense of real strategy. Luckily it does manage to keep away from Call of Duty and Battlefield territory, and is certainly not forgiving if you happen to find yourself in open ground.
The shooting mechanics are easy to pick up, even offering a FPS style viewpoint for more accurate aiming. The weapons on offer are standard issue stuff, but to make up for it the game has a Gunsmith feature that lets you customise weapons with a bucket load of different bits and bobs unlocked by completing objectives in all the game modes. Adding more depth are the multiple challenges for every level, which range from speed runs to specific weapon feats or low clip completions. Add in a 100 point scoring system that takes into account headshots, civilian casualties and the like and there’s plenty of reason to revisit the campaign levels.
Of course there is a considerable whack of multiplayer available to complement the 10 hour campaign. Guerrilla mode is basically another Horde mode that can be played local or on line, and the whole campaign can also be played co-op too. Having a real person to talk tactics with makes a huge difference to some of the more stealth based levels, allowing for some more complex moves and generally giving you the chance to feel that much more godlike.
The other four modes on offer include the neatly twisted ‘Decoy’, which doles out three objectives to two teams of which only one is actually real. Success can turn into failure in an instant, and the whole set up feels fresh in comparison to obvious copy cats like Guerrilla. The usual suspects (deathmatch etc) are helped along by including some of Future Soldier’s more unique mechanics, balancing things out by splitting talents over a small selection of classes – not everyone can camo for example. It promotes the same team work that is displayed in the main campaign, so everything feels like one coherent package.
Audio and Visual
Future Soldier ticks the majority of boxes when it comes to visuals. There is the occasional texture that isn’t quite as polished as the rest, but the game nails a slick and subtle future tone. The glint from the Ghosts eyeware and the blue circles hovering around their weapons hint at sci fi, whilst the camera floats around the entire team to create some impressive, if scripted, moments. Cutscenes and plot mega moments look fantastic (as long as you’re not considering any human faces), and the whole presentation is smart and well integrated. Like nearly everything else in the shooter genre, snow storms have been done before, but you’ll be snapping off you’re thermal vision to have a closer look at it for sure.
The gun fire is very impressive and visceral, each individual bullet striking with the muzzle flash. Every environment is hammered home by distinct audio set ups, so when you’re in a sandstorm you truly feel like you’re cut off from reality. The voice acting is good for the most part but squandered by the distracting facial animations, and sometimes the music feels like it’s been left too far out of the picture.
These are minor issues in a well groomed package, and the quality should by no means be overlooked simply because the genre is already full of such polish.
Overall
Future Soldier is a incredibly well made game that checks a lot of boxes when taken as a third person shooter. The presentation is slick and there are enough points of difference to make it stand out in the saturated shooter crowd – especially in a relatively quiet time for the genre. The future spin is subtle and allows for some interesting gadgets, and the multiplayer certainly offers a lot of added value: it’s a very coherent package. Whether it is a great Ghost Recon game is another matter, as the lack of any great influence over your team mates renders the single player campaign a little lacking in strategy and a feeling of control. Fans should certainly be aware of the the slight shift in focus, but the overall quality of the game still comes through.
With the upcoming Hello Kitty Picnic with Sanrio Friends from publisher Majesco in “Holiday” this year. Players are invited to come and join Hello Kitty and her Sanrio friends this holiday season for a fun picnic that is sure to please many.
Whilst picnic-ing about, players will be bale to play across 10 minigames and collect many different collectables, such as costumes for Hello Kitty. Be sure to explore the many environments, like Hello Kitty’s Kitchen, Bedroom and more. This sounds like an exciting game that both Hello Kitty fans and gamers are sure to enjoy.
Pokemon Conquest is nearing an official release, and as usual, Nintendo have begun to release a steady amount of details for what players can expect. Today, the “Perfect Link” feature has been explained a bit, which will allow owners to snag powerful Pokes of three different varieties. Evolutions of both the Pokemon and the Warlords (known as transitions, in that case) have also gotten some much needed elaboration, with new information on how Pokemon will evolve and how your Warlord can get stronger.
Check out the full list of details below:
Perfect Link: Players will have the ability to link to Pokémon they encounter as they conquer the Ransei region. There are three possible grades when players attempt to link with Pokémon: Bronze, Silver and Gold. The medal over a Pokémon will indicate which link level can be achieved. If a player links with a Gold medal Pokémon, that link could potentially be a Perfect Link. A Perfect Link will allow the player to link with that particular Pokémon up to 100 percent. The higher the link percentage, the more powerful the Pokémon becomes.
Pokémon Evolution: Players familiar with Pokémon video games will be excited to learn that Pokémon in Pokémon Conquest have the ability to evolve into more powerful forms.To evolve Pokémon, players must use them in battle to increase the link percentage between the Pokémon and the Warriors to which they are linked. As the link grows stronger, Pokémon will evolve into more powerful forms. Additionally, certain items collected in the game will evolve Pokémon. For example, using a Thunder Stone on Eevee will evolve it into Jolteon.
Warlord Transition: In Pokémon Conquest, Warlords can also transition into more powerful forms. Only Warlords have the ability to transition; Warriors do not. Similar to the way Pokémon evolve, Warlord transitions are based on how much a player uses them in battle. After a Warlord transitions, its stats and skills will become more powerful, and the Warlord will also have a new appearance.
Pokémon Passwords: Players will have the ability to enter passwords that create an outbreak of specific Pokémon. This outbreak will appear for one game turn in a training ground somewhere within the player’s kingdom. The special passwords will give the player the ability to link with powerful or hard-to-find Pokémon early in the game. Pokémon unlocked this way will give players the ability to bolster their army, and give players more options when going into battle. Be sure to be on the lookout for Pokémon passwords when the game is released on June 18.
Story Episodes and Episode Distribution: The story for Pokémon Conquest is divided into episodes. As players explore and conquer the Ransei region by playing through each episode, they are able to experience different story elements and game-play goals. For example, in the episode starring Warlord Motonari, players must collect 100 Pokémon in order to achieve victory. Additional episodes are available to players after playing through the first episode of the game, and others will be available for download over Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection after the game’s launch on June 18 (broadband Internet access required).
As you can tell, it seems there is a lot to take in with Pokemon Conquest, but that’s a good thing as all of these features are brand new to the franchise, and any new life at all for Pokemon can be considered a good thing. Pokemon Conquest hits shelves June 18th so stay tuned, as there is sure to be even more news to come within coming weeks.
Crysis 2 was a decent title with stunning visuals when it was released last year, and now EA have went the extra mile to put together a package worth buying all over again. Remember when the game got removed from Steam? Well, this can be seen as an interesting return that is sure to please EA’s bank account and those who refuse to use Origin. Crysis 2: Maximum Edition will include all of the DLC for Crysis, which throws together the limited edition content along with the add-on packs, Retaliation and Decimation. This package will hit Steam on the 29th, as well as being fully downloadable off Origin.
And there you have it. I definitely respect the notion behind this special edition, but I will say it’s a bit odd that the game got removed, and then repackaged….and then re-added to Steam. The good news though is that Crysis fans can snag up the game yet again for the PC, and get a bunch of goodies in the process. Who knows, maybe EA are seeking a return to Valve’s digital service. We can only hope.
Overview
In the past few years, a lot of classic mascots have celebrated their 25th anniversary. You all know the names of the most popular, as Mario, Link, and Samus are powerhouses that still remain very relevant today due to the steady stream of solid releases. Believe it or not, Sega also have the same aging heroes, but none of the 25 club on that end really stuck around apart from a few cameos. Remember Alex Kidd? Shinobi? How about the arcade classic, Super Hang On? Well, each have turned a quarter of a century this year, and while this anniversary doesn’t have a huge celebration, it does now have 3 ports packed into one small digital collection by the name of Sega Vintage Collection: Alex Kidd & Co.. Yeah, it’s been a while for these gems, but do they still retain their shine? Let’s find out.
Gameplay
When starting up this collection, the player is taken instantly to a nice little menu that features all three titles, Alex Kidd in Miracle World, Revenge of Shinobi, and Super Hang-on. Now the most notable of all three is probably Alex Kidd, as back in 1987, platformers were taking off like a rocket due to Mario, and Sega touted the young boy as their own mascot before later replacing him with Sonic a few years later. Those who go into Alex Kidd expecting an experience like Mario however will be completely disappointed as Alex is much slower, and controls completely different than a good number of other heavy-hitters of the genre.
In Alex Kidd in Miracle World, players of course take the role of Alex Kidd as he aims to save his brother from an evil tyrant. Alex has two moves to his disposal from the start on this journey, which include jumping and a handy punch technique. With this mighty punch, Alex can jab through blocks to obtain items and clear a path, or decimate enemies in one blow. This is all simply done with the face buttons on the controller, as Miracle World is a two button game due to it’s Master System origins. The only drawback of this melee move is that the range is very short, which means Alex must handle all foes up close and personal. Yeah, this would be fine with a lot of other heroes, but just one brush with an enemy can kill you instantly, so moves must be done a bit more strategically in order to take down a large target or boss. It’s not really a negative, but something that fans of more polished affairs will have to get used to.
A currency system is also in play that allows our hero to trade his cash for loot. These rewards include the likes of a pedal-controlled helicopter or a motorbike, making for a great incentive to smash every brick in sight. Now, there are some enemies that come out of these bricks, and require you to literally run to the next screen before they stop chasing poor little Alex, which can feel rather punishing considering the one-hit kill scenario involved. Luckily, each time you die, the game does reset the player close to where they left off, where you can then resume your climb through the game’s 17 stages. From the unforgiving yet still satisfying platforming to the entertaining games of rock-paper-scissors, Miracle World is still a good game, but you can quickly see why Sonic took this throne due to the stiff gameplay mechanics involved that have a bit of a learning curve for newcomers.
Next up in the collection is Revenge of Shinobi, which was a follow-up to 1987’s Shinobi for the Master System. This title is a bit more lacking in story, and stars a ninja known only as Joe. For those unfamiliar, Revenge of Shinobi is a side-scrolling platformer where players must take out all of the opposing forces with their blade and throwing stars, and also can utilize a good number of power-ups to conquer the eight stages within.
The controls are also simply mapped this time around, with a three button, d-pad scheme being used for Joe to move, attack, and of course use his Ninjitsu techniques that offer great assistance during more hectic situations. The age for this game is also not as obvious compared to Alex Kidd, as the animations are a lot less stiff and the gameplay itself is much more fast paced. It’s definitely no Ninja Gaiden, but Revenge of Shinobi is a classic that is still quite decent, despite it’s rather short length.
The final game to speak of is one I almost didn’t remember playing long ago, and one I personally thought would be a chore to play yet again. Super Hang-on is your basic arcade racer with motorbikes, and has the player simply try to last through a race before the timer runs out. Yeah, it doesn’t sound exciting by any means, but when you are 10 seconds from reaching a checkpoint and have to pick up speed just to do so, the gameplay get’s a more intense. Other racers can throw you off balance, a lack of proper turning can quickly throw you off the track and into a nice billboard featuring a toucan (which is just one of many).
I was honestly surprised how much I fell in love with Super Hang-On this time around, as even though the game surely shows it’s age, it still remains exciting and delivers an arcadey experience I haven’t felt in quite some time. There are four tracks in all, with increasing difficulty and length depending on which locale you visit. I should also mention that this title is also pretty challenging, even on the “easy” mode within. With a bit of practice and patience however, you can quickly memorize each path and begin snagging every checkpoint in no time.
Extras
Even at just ten dollars, some may find it hard to justify ports of three twenty-something year old titles. That’s totally understandable, but Sega did sweeten the deal with a good number of extras that have been packed within. Each release features more than one version, with Alex Kidd donning a European and Japanese port, as well as the second North American version that came included with the Master System. Shinobi also has the other regions included, but aside from a few different foes and other minor touches, there isn’t a ton of difference between them all. Super Hang-On doesn’t have these extra features, but does include a much more challenging “Upright Mode” that offers a great reason to jump back on your bike. Online Leaderboards can also be found for those who crave speed-runs and high scores, and if you love those 8-bit tunes , a Jukebox for each title can also be found where you can play through each in-game soundtrack as you please.
Visuals and Audio
I really don’t feel right judging graphics for such old titles, so I’ll keep this nice and short. Revenge of Shinobi is the best looking and most detailed of the three games within Alex Kidd & Co., and the animations are still as superb as they ever were. Alex Kidd isn’t nearly as attractive, but due to the bright colors and pixelated charms, the atmosphere is much more inviting to those who want something a bit more cheerful within this collection. Super Hang-On is pretty light on anything substantial visuals-wise, but that doesn’t really matter, as the gameplay is the star of all of the races. By today’s standards, all of these retro romps look heavily dated, but those who are even interested in this pack whatsoever surely know that anyway and that blast of nostalgia makes up for the lackluster 8-bit sprites quite nicely.
As far as music goes, there is a reason each soundtrack was included. Each tune sounds exactly as it did years ago, and these catchy earworms are sure to put a smile on all of the faces that played with the ninja, biker, or monkey..erm..boy (what is he again) when they made their debuts. As far as sound effects go, expect a good number of bleeps and bloops from Alex Kidd, some knarly slashing from Shinobi, and a very loud engine in Super Hang-On. Again, finding a love for all of this is just a matter of preference, but there is surely to be quite a few who played the games like myself, with the speakers up and my nostalgia goggles strapped tightly to my face.
Overall
25 years is a long time in the gaming industry, and if you see a title go unforgotten in that timeframe, you know you are dealing with something special (some however are remembered for the wrong reasons). I’m sure Sega know that these ports are not from the cream of their own crop, but like it or not, all three of these titles are legendary by their own merits and it’s a pleasant sight to see such a solid package put together for the fans that played them so long ago. Yes, this is nothing but pure fan service all the way and if you have yet to visit Miracle World, take the blade of Joe, or feel your stomach drop as you raced to the next checkpoint, there is not better time to invest in this small, but lovely package.
Two billion-dollar mega blockbuster and winner of 11 Academy Awards, Titanic will be making its debut on Blu-ray 2D and 3D on September 12, 2012. James Cameron’s masterpiece will be available in high definition for the first time ever. Marking the 101st anniversary of RMS Titanic, you can now pre-order the Blu-ray in 2D or 3D with participating retailers.
