Escape from Age of Monsters Developer: Massive Joe Studios Publisher: Ayopa Games Platforms: iTouch, iPhone (reviewed), iPad Release Date: April 26, 2012 Price: $0.99 – Available Here
Overview
Endless runner apps are quite popular in the App store, and for good reason. They’re fun, quick and an easy solve to a spell of boredom. In order to set an app apart from the others the app needs to be well designed, easy to learn but hard to master, and have that special little quality that sets itself apart from the rest of the pack. Escape from Age of Monsters is the second in the Age of Monsters series, and the big question is – is this the kind of app that you’ll keep on your iOS device, or is this something that leave an impression?
Gameplay
The controls for Escape are, like most endless runners, quite simple. You are a hero who controls two different coloured gloves, a red and blue one, which are capable of breaking walls and taking down monsters. The things you have to take down are colour coded, so quick reactions are required as you choose which glove to take down the obstacles that face you. Picking which glove to use is as simple as left or right corner of the screen. These obstacles are randomly generated, so you can’t simply learn the pattern of the levels. Other than that, the only other controls you will need is swiping for bonuses. Bonuses can be point multipliers or coins, which can be used to buy items such as an extra life.
Each level is a different building, which you storm through with monsters snapping at your heels. The obstacles change according to which building you are in, and each level transfer happens in a pretty sweet building leap. You gotta feel sorry for this guy, he’s just continuously being chased down despite all of his kickass building leaps.
You have three lives, with two of them being represented by young children tagging along at your heels. Whenever you miss hitting an obstacle and end up having the monsters catching up with you, they snack on one of your kids, until they’ve run out of bite-sized appetisers and move onto the main course. The main course being you. It is a little disturbing that you sacrifice small children to survive, not really what I’d say heroes are made out of, but that’s the sort of different humour that this app contains.
This app can lead to something like what is often experienced in Guitar Hero, you go into a trance where everything goes well, until you suffer from a brain freeze and all of a sudden everything falls apart. That isn’t a negative reflection on the app at all, just a warning to those of you who haven’t got a great attention span or the quickest reactions.
You will also need to get the timing down, as a ‘perfect’ strike will afford you double points, as well as three in a row giving you Turbo mode. In Turbo mode you get even more points and the longer you can stay in it by continuing to make perfect punches.
There are objectives to be completed, such as achieving a certain amount of perfect punches, or getting past certain bosses. Finishing these objectives allow you to gain items that can be used in your gloves Stash House.
Visuals
The graphic stylings of the game are something that I’m a little in love with. They’re quirky, fun, and colourful and sort of remind me of Scott Pilgrim vs the World. Which, considering that it’s an app about running away from legions of monsters, is a great little stylistic contrast.
It manages to pull off both creepy looking and cartoon-y monsters, so those little ones won’t get too freaked out. The graphics are definitely one of the things that make the app stand out from other endless runners.
Audio
The game says that it is better with headphones in, but unless you want to burst your eardrums with guitars rocking out, or monsters growling at you, you probably won’t need them. The soundtrack is a pretty kick ass rock track and it keeps you all pumped up for your monster escaping goodness.
Overall
Escape from the Age of Monsters is a fun little endless runner app, with a cool quirky twist. The controls are easy to learn, with the levels becoming increasingly more difficult and offering enough of a challenge to keep you interested. The humour and stylised graphics of the app are, what I believe, most sets it apart from what is usually seen in endless runner games.
This is an entertaining, and cool, little app and I believe it’ll make a fine addition to anyone’s iOS device.
Bethesda Softworks are taking publishing duties for an upcoming title being developed by Tango Gameworks, the game at this stage has the code name of ‘Zwei’. The game is a survival horror title being directed by none other than the legendary Shinji Mikami, his impressive resume includes titles like Resident Evil, Shadows of the Damned, and Vanquish.
“A true ‘survival horror’ game is one in which the player confronts and overcomes fear,” says Shinji Mikami, president and creative director for Tango Gameworks. “I’ve found my focus and once again I’m striving for pure survival horror. I am being very hands-on in the development of this game to ensure that the quality is there. Rest assured.”
Birds of Steel Publisher: Konami Digital Entertainment Developer: Gaijin Entertainment Platforms: Xbox 360 (Reviewed), PS3 Release Date: March 13, 2012 Price: $39.99 – Here
Overview
While not being a flight simulation junkie, I have learned to step out of my role-playing box to attempt the flying genre. From what I can tell about my previous flight games, there is a bit of a learning curve to master the controls. Too many buttons or movements can make or break a title in this genre, but thankfully Birds of Steel addresses my lack of aerodynamics know-how. Edging on crash-n-burn status, I urge both aviator elites and premature pilots to read on for my overall rating.
Story
353 Japanese fighters began reigning down upon the unsuspecting naval base of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Sounds of bombs blasting rang through the halls of the battleships awakening the crews to something more than just a drill. On this day, the Empire of Japan had ended their negotiations with the United States and in turn declared immediate war. No longer were Americans the diplomatic outsiders; the war was brought to American soil, and the conflicting emotions of this day could never be shaken.
Birds of Steel encapsulates the very essence of World War II by utilizing actual war footage and recreating moments of history during gameplay. Even though the story goes way beyond the “Attack of Pearl Harbor”, the event is one of the beginning missions and pulls you into the very history and emotions that occurred that day. Commanding one of the salvageable aircraft, you are able to defend against the onslaught of Japanese fighter planes and bombers. Mission length shortens the intensity of the battle, yet the resonating emotions from prior history lessons provides me with a legit visualization of the event. Previous knowledge of the war is not necessary to understand; however, it enhances the visuals that compel you to play further through the story.
Gameplay
Learning the controls to a flying simulator generally takes time and effort to master. Gaijin Entertainment did well to address this issue by incorporating separate difficulty levels for beginner (simplified), intermediate (realistic), and advanced (simulation) users. Being one of the first options a player decides for type of gameplay, it is important to first operate your aircraft in tutorial missions to grasp the vast differences of each difficulty level.
While teetering on crash-n-burn status, simplified difficulty is my comfort zone. In this mode any airplane is slightly more manageable and not necessarily always the main focus of enemy fire. Movement becomes a major issue as the game progresses because your plane will encounter weaponry like flak jackets and machine turrets. There is a noticeable difference when flying through a flak jacket in simplified versus other modes. Players will be able to maintain velocity in the default mode yet will be overwhelmed in higher difficulties with sudden changes of flight direction and plane durability. Realistic mode slightly differs in simulation by allowing enemy markers on the battlefield deciphering axis and allied units. Simulation offers a hardcore type of environment where players must identify there opponents strictly by sight and knowledge of the battlegrounds. I hope my CPU teammates appreciate friendly-fire. Beyond choosing the difficulty, players may also endanger themselves further by limiting ammo, fuel, or both during any mission. This aspect is to make a mission even more challenging, but I would rather keep my unlimited fuel and ammo just in case.
An interesting concept thrown into a flight simulation is aviator level. Completing and even failing missions or battles will accrue experience for your pilot and in turn add currency to your bank. Conjointly gaining experience and currency will allow players the chance to purchase new planes in their hanger. The ability to purchase new aircraft allows for further customization and individualized gameplay. Advanced aircraft can only be purchased by having bought the preceding aircraft and gained the appropriate level. Each aircraft has a different set of available weaponry, so advancing to newer models can only be beneficial.
Leaving your own insignia on an object helps personalize the experience whether you are wearing a guild tabard or having a half naked lady on an airplane’s wing. While in the hanger, you are able to choose a purchased aircraft and customize it with interesting decals. Even though this may cost you a small amount of your fortune, delivering a personalized touch will help identify yourself on the domination battlegrounds.
As the campaign is based around the central story of World War II, versus mode is strictly an open battlefield destined for a murderous rampage. Let’s first establish that I have a few concerns about the effectiveness of the multiplayer mode of “Domination”. In this one mode of battle, combatants form into teams of Axis Vs. Allies and must vie for control over changing points on the map. Thus far the match is set up as a king of the hill – well skies – and requires a plane to last a long period of time in a zone to decrease opponent control. Once an team reduces their opponent to “0” dominance, a victory will occur. The main concern is with respawn locations and length of time to reach the action. Once you have died in battle, you are put into a respawn queue that lasts roughly 20-60 or more seconds depending on how many deaths you have accrued. Respawning at your starting location sets you further away from the rest of fight and feels time consuming just to get back into the fray – that is if the fight isn’t over.
One of the major selling points of Birds of Steel can be seen in the title’s dynamic missions. Similar to the maps used in the campaign, dynamic missions allow players to choose either side of the war and compete against AI through a course of several playable events. Other players online can join in your already created mission and help defeat your opposing forces. You might be wondering why dynamic missions are so special. Well, in dynamic missions you have the chance to be the Empire of Japan and defeat Allied forces to essentially rewrite history. Think about that for a minute and get back to me.
Visual/Audio
Going back to our hanger, the ability to customize the decals on the airplane does not seem like a big deal at first glance. However, having this option allows you to spend more time in the game by developing a persona into the aircraft. Not too mention you are also able to test drive your newly designed plane without needing to perform a mission or online battle.
Visuals concerning the combat views change depending on the model of plane. There are several different points of view ranging from outside, cockpit, and even first person gunner. Depending on personal preference and how well you manage your plane’s controls, each view can help your performance. Normally, I find myself in the first person gunner seat, so I can administer my best shots possible. I hardly ever use the cockpit view due to the lack of visibility on the screen.
One of the better sound effects of the game is the impact of a crashing plane. While an explosion may not occur in reality, I can appreciate a good explosion when I fail to lift off the ground properly or crash into the ocean due to a poorly executed barrel roll. Other than explosions the sky is usually filled with sounds of overheated engines and machine gun fire. If you can’t kill a plane with the turret, ram ’em for a good explosion!
Adding to the effectiveness of the World War II history in the campaign, vocals were used to narrate the background story as well as define key mission objectives. For several moments I thought I was watching the History Channel on my Xbox 360. Video clips contained valuable information about the previous and immediate battlegrounds. I felt myself developing a purpose as I continued through the missions and watched the information cut scenes.
Overall
While I may not have a defined background in the flight simulation genre, I do believe that Birds of Steel excelled in many places that previous titles have not. The story followed through the history of World War II delivering a strong emotional experience tied with the “Attack on Pearl Harbor” and the “Battle of Midway” as well as other important battles of the war.
Difficulty is based on the stipulations that you as the player set. Simplified mode with infinite ammo/fuel can even pose challenges to inexperienced players. As you develop your skills in maintaining control of an aircraft, realistic and simulation modes will provide further tests just to keep your airplane in the air. Expert flight enthusiasts should enjoy the challenges of having limited ammo and fuel.
The major downfalls of Blades of Steel lie in the multiplayer spawning points and idling moments during missions. I will reiterate that the spawning zones are set too far from battle even if you are overheating your engine to get back faster. Also there are times when a mission calls for you to rely back to a checkpoint across the map. You could easily set the control down to act as an auto-pilot without needing further assistance. Go brush your teeth or do some crunches while you wait…
With some negative aspects, Birds of Steel provides an excellent campaign that covers an important history lesson. Allowing a child to play this title while learning about World War II would be conjunctive with homework and would prepare him/her for a test following the completion of the storyline. Bring on educational gaming!
While the world may be high on Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 at the moment with the anime series, the upcoming enhanced PlayStation Vita port, and the fighting game spin-off for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Let’s not forget that the PlayStation Portable still has some life left in it with an enhanced Persona 2: Eternal Punishment to be released for it this year.
This latest trailer shows off some more characters that will be in the game and showcases some more gameplay and animated cut-scenes. You can view this new trailer below. It’s shaping up to be quite the definite port much like the PlayStation portable port of Persona 2: Innocent Sin. With this title, every single Persona game has now in some form found its way on Sony handhelds.
As reported recently, a port for the Sega Saturn (and later PlayStation) Shin Megami Tensei title, Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers, will be getting a release for the Japanese Nintendo 3DS this year.
Courtesy of Japanese video game publication, Famitsu, we get the first set of screens of this upcoming enhanced port. These first screens show off the new animated cut-scenes that will be featured in the game as well as a little glimpse of the battle system. Like the original version and other traditional Shin Megami Tensei titles, this game will be using a first person view during exploration and battle mode. You can view these screens below.
Ben 10 Alien Swarm: Swarm Smash Publisher: Cartoon Network Price: Free – Play Game Online Here
Overview:
Ben 10 is a Cartoon Network cartoon series that has spawned several additional series and movies. Ben 10 Alien Swarm is one such movie that was done in live action and has one online flash game related to it on the Cartoon Network website. This game is Ben 10 Alien Swarm: Swarm Smash, a fighting game that is available to play for free. The question that remains though, is free a good enough price to warrant a play?
Story: Ben 10 Alien Swarm: Swarm Smash has a simplistic plot. Ben needs to stop some Alien Swarm by smashing them to bits, so he is going to use the Humungousaur to smash them into bits. The game takes place in the same warehouse/factory throughout the game, with stronger enemies coming in at later levels, so that Ben can smash them into bits too. Without ever seeing the movie, it is suspected the game is based off of part of the movie where this same things happens, but it is hard to be sure. The story is told on single panels before and after the game proper, which makes sense for a game designed for a younger audience to play.
Gameplay:
Humungousaur is who the player plays as, since Ben is limited to only the single panel screens. Though there is no transition to let uninformed players know that Ben is actually changing into Humungousaur, so it fits that the game is mostly only for fans of the movie or series.
But I digress, Humungousaur is outfitted with a basic attack set and a few special moves. One of the problems is that the game gives the player no information on how to perform the 3 different special moves, as they are all the same button, turns out they are context sensitive. Humungousaur can punch, jump kick, uppercut, and tackle; however, if the player uses the special attack he can enlarge a lot and stomp on standing enemies, enlarge a bit and swat at enemies in the air, or enlarge a bit and swan dive on knocked down enemies.
Attacking quickly will keep the combo going up, which improves the attack rating. The defense rating is based on not getting hit, which starts out easy as enemies only punch at first and Humungousaur can overwhelm enemies fairly easily, but later enemies can actually throw projectiles that much be ducked. The technique rating is probably based on mixing things up with the different moves, but it is a little hard to tell. Score is based on several factors, so it is best to go for a high rating in each aspect to get a maximum score. Scores can be submitted after completing the game, so excellent players can get on a highscores list.
Audio & Visual:
Ben 10 Alien Swarm: Swarm Smash is interesting in that the story panels focus on the live-action movie actor, but the game itself is more based on how the creatures look in the cartoon series. Both are alright, simply being oddly juxtaposed together in the same game. The music is all of two songs, the first being for the menu and combat song and the second being for the rating screen. The music does fit the subject, but it is a bit repetitive since as there are so few, though the game is fairly short, so players wont have to put up with it long or simply mute it. There isn’t any dialogue, which was weird as I thought they could at least have a line or two Ben is known to say before each section or at the end.
Overall:
For the most part, Ben 10 Alien Swarm: Swarm Smash is okay. It really only has the highscores going for it, but the scoring does seem fairly dynamic to ensure players can’t receive a “perfect” score and just all tie for first. The Cartoon Network website also has badges for the game, which are fairly simply so anyone that enjoys earning those can have a grand old time with that. For the most part though, it’s an average fighting game based on Ben 10, so if you happen to like both those things go ahead and check it out.
Adventure Time: Righteous Quest Developer: Bamtang Games Publisher: Cartoon Network Price: FREE – Play Game Online Here
Overview:
Adventure Time is one of the more popular shows on Cartoon Network, having a wide following with young and old alike. As with lots of kids shows, it follows the trend of having flash games available on its show’s website as a way of having more for users to do on the site. So, how does the game stack up as a free online flash game?
Story: Adventure Time: Righteous Quest tells somewhat of a disjointed tale, which fans of the show might not be surprised at. The Righteous Quest ranges form seeking out a book for the Princess Bubblegum, getting Finn’s keys back from Marceline, and defeating the Ice King because what would an adventure time game be without defeating him. These aren’t unimpeded of course, so Finn and Jake have to fight past gnomes, ninjas, and snow monsters to be able to complete their quest.
Gameplay:
The game plays like a regular platformer, but with Finn and Jake moving in tandem as one. Finn is capable of throwing snowballs at enemies, where Jake supplies a variety of special moves ranging from flight, growing to surmount heights, and a super attack that destroys all the enemies on the screen. There are plenty of things for the player to collect from gems, to sword cards, to the tokens that give Jake his super attack, most of which increase the score for players trying to perfect the game. The game is fairly easy, so it shouldn’t be a problem for younger players to attempt, though sliding around on the ice may prove the most difficult.
The platforming is fairly standard, but it is good that all the platforms are adequately spaced, so there are no doubts about what jumps can be made and there aren’t any issues with jumps that are at all iffy. Some of Jake’s powers though can sometimes slow the games pace a bit and/or get in the way, as it uses the same button as Finn’s attack, so it will opt for the special move instead of attack. Jake’s grow power is the main culprit as you have to watch the animation every time and feels like it could be a bit quicker, but luckily it is a short game.
Audio & Visual: Adventure Time: Righteous Quest looks and sounds just like the show, with the voice acting and art style remaining consistent with what viewers would expect to see. The music is a cheerful strummy tune, which can get old after a little while, as it is the same in each stage, but as stated before it is a short game. The other audio seems to be mostly clips from the show that are simply used for the game and it is most of the generic sayings, so it’s not altogether out of place. The visuals, while keeping within the art style, are simplistic, but fair for a flash game and there aren’t any apparent errors or problems from them either.
Overall:
For a free flash game, Adventure Time: Righteous Quest is a good time waster that fans of the show should enjoy. It does have a scoring system, so players can certainly try and collect everything from the in-game gems to the outer game badges. The few issues are more than offset by its shorter length and shouldn’t keep anyone from trying it out. Lastly, it’s a pretty clean game too, so there isn’t real issue with what age should play it, simply being any age can play. If you enjoy the show and have some time to kill online, consider giving it a shot since you can’t really go wrong with free.
Legend of the Legendary Heroes Part 1 Studio: Zexcs Publisher: FUNimation Format: Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack Release Date: April 17, 2012 Price: $69.98 – Available Here
Overview: Whenever a company localizes a product for release in the West and they must adapt the title’s name to English there are two things that can be done. They could either adapt the anime’s name into something fitting that sounds proper in English, or they could go for the literal translation which sometimes causes a few problems. FUNimation chose the latter option when they brought Densetsu no Yuusha no Densetsu to North America as The Legend of the Legendary Heroes.
Originally a forty volume long light novel series written by Takaya Kagami in Japan that has been adapted into multiple mangas and an anime adaptation was created in 2010 featuring 24 episodes. FUNimation has split the series into two separate parts released on the same day. Does part one successfully kick off this legendary story?
Story: Our story follows a young man known as Ryner Lute who would much rather be napping than going on a quest for legendary artifacts. However that is exactly what Ryner is tasked to do. When Ryner was just a teenager he was imprisoned by the previous king of Roland for possessing a devastatingly destructive ability known as “Alpha Stigma.” The Alpha Stigma allows the user to copy any magic ability used by another magic user and wield it as their very own. While this may sound like a blessing, it is in fact a curse as any Alpha Stigma wielder can easily go on a rampage and murder everyone in the vicinity regardless of whether or not they are a friend or foe.
Despite being imprisoned for two years, the new king of Roland releases Ryner from jail, surprisingly enough because the new king is his old friend from the Roland Royal Special Military Academy, Sion Astal. Sion’s purpose for releasing Ryner extends beyond helping out a friend however, as he has tasked Ryner with the quest to seek out “hero relics.” These relics are weapons that were used by heroes of legend that established the world that they live in today and with the use of these relics Sion seeks a way to bring peace to the land. To go along with Ryner, Sion sends the skilled swordswoman Ferris Eris to assist him, despite her displeasure in doing so. With Roland at war with Estabul and the threat of more wars on the way, can these two discover relics of a long lost age and perhaps unite the world in peace?
The Legend of the Legendary Heroes’ contains an interesting premise and a slew of different characters to draw upon, however therein lays the problem. The first part of the series spends a lot of time focusing on every Ryner’s, Sion’s and slightly on Ferris’ backstory in flashbacks meaning that instead of moving the story forward we spend a lot of time learning about Ryner’s past and his connection to Sion. This is understandable for the most part as it does add more to Ryner’s character as a whole but does tend to delay actual story development significantly.
Another issue is that there are multiple stories being told at the same time in Legend of the Legendary Heroes. While most of the time viewers will be following the journey of Ryner and Ferris as they make their way through various lands in the search of relics other times the focus will shift back to Sion as he makes critical decisions about the future of Roland and deals with a crushing workload, backstabbing politicians, wars against neighboring nations and even one of his own allies who will do anything to see the kingdom remain intact, even if it means putting Sion’s own friends at risk.
This creates a stark contrast from the oft hilarious interactions between Ryner and Ferris as they search for relics and try to get along and the convoluted political side of things with Sion. In fact, it is disappointing that so much extra time is paid to the political side of things as the story truly shines when it focuses on Ryner and Ferris. With Ryner’s lazy work attitude and Ferris’ love of dango driving her forward the two make for quite a comedic pair that often involves physical comedy. Unfortunately these shining moments are often left behind for various branching storylines that seem to have zero effect on the overall story.
This first half of the Legend of the Legendary Heroes presents us with just a bit too much backstory but begins to move the story along nicely towards the end of the series as Ryner and Ferris encounter another pair of adventurers seeking out the relics for their own purposes. Not only do these two adventurers already possess a few relics of their own, but one even seems to know the secrets behind the Alpha Stigma. As one may expect, the first part of the series leaves off on a cliffhanger in lieu of continuing the story in part two.
Visuals: While the character designs fit easily into your standard fantasy adventure setting, the attention to detail on these designs is what makes each of these characters shine. This is a good thing, considering the characters’ facial designs leave a lot to be desired as their expressions are often lacking the same quality as the rest of the show which is full of vibrant colors and careful attention to detail, especially when it comes to the amount of blood that the series contains.
The backgrounds and environments are exceptionally well detailed and diverse, focusing heavily on a medieval European setting mixed with magic. On top of that the battle scenes themselves are impressively well handled with CGI elements mixed in with the standard animation. The magic attacks used are as impressive as they come and the same can be said for non-magic related combat. This makes the first part of The Legend of the Legendary heroes quite an impressive offering as it will leave viewers eager to see more of the same high quality action.
Audio: As standard with FUNimation’s releases there is an English voice track as well as a Japanese voice track for the purists out there who prefer listening to the Japanese voice actors. As for the English dub cast, they perform their jobs admirably enough for a series with as much back and forth dialogue as Legend of the Legendary Heroes contains and the fact that so many of the characters feature their own unique way of speaking. This is especially true with Ryner whose voice actor Ian Sinclair had to handle his unique personality amongst the rest of the characters.
The first part of Legendary Heroes’ background music is suitable enough and heightens the mood of whichever seen it occurs in. The action scenes deserve special mention for the impressive sound effects that accompany them. This first part of Legendary Heroes features “Lament~Yagate Yorokobi Wo~” by Aira Yuuki as the opening song and “Truth of my Destiny” by Ceui as the ending song. The opening song fits well with the action fantasy theme of the show and is accompanied by impressive animation that viewers may want to watch more than once. The ending song on the other hand features a slower pace and dramatic images which are surprisingly fitting. We are also given a brief glimpse at Part 2’s opening “Last Inferno” and ending “Hikari no Firmento” in the final episode of this set.
Extras: The extras included for Part 1 of Legend of the Legendary Heroes are what most would come to expect from FUNimation as it contains a slew of trailers for their past and upcoming releases alongside clean, textless versions of the opening and ending songs. Besides these standard inclusions there is also an episode commentary on each disc.
The two episodes which receive this commentary are Episodes 03 and 09. Episode 03’s commentary features Brina Palencia who plays Kiefer and J. Michael Tatum who plays the character Miran and is also the lead adaptive writer. The two discuss the cast and the characters of the show with a mild amount of comedy.
Episode 09’s commentary features Colleen Clinkenbeard, the voice of Noa as well as director and line producer, as well as Monica Rial who plays Iris, Ferris’ younger sister. Unlike the first commentary, this one features a lot more comedy as Colleen and Monica have great chemistry in the recording booth. It is a bit disappointing that none of the more main cast was given a chance to take part in the commentary, but it is good to hear from these voice actors which may never have taken part in a commentary until now.
Overall: The Legend of the Legendary Heroes is an intriguing fantasy adventure so far in Part 1 and offers an enjoyable journey of a mismatched pair who slowly grow to work together over the course of their trials. However the series tries to keep too many balls in the air at once and often the plot suffers because of this. Instead of following the fantastic journey of Ryner and Ferris or even the interesting and darker political plot of Sion the series often goes on extended tangents that feel half-hearted and incomplete.
On the other hand, when The Legend of the Legendary Heroes Part 1 does keep itself to moving the plot forward, it creates a fascinating fantasy adventure story that will hook you with its comedy and action and leave you to understand the plot as it slowly unfolds.
Did you know that Anime Conventions are in fact dangerous? Well the proof is in the pudding, at the Anime Boston convention recently, Police were called to the scene after several calls were made to 911 regarding a ‘ruckus’ at the event after party.
“Cops were called to the Back Bay Sheraton when a party for fans of Japanese anime got out of control on Easter morning and now the hotel management has been called before the Mayor’s Office of Consumer Affairs and Licensing tomorrow.
Police reported “dangerous” overcrowding, pot possession, a passed-out partygoer and an assault at the fete for Anime Boston 2012 fans. The celebration of Japanese cartoons drew thousands of costumed fans to the Hynes Convention Center April 6-8. At 1 a.m. on April 8, cops showed up at a party at the Sheraton, where they reported removing a “clearly disturbed” 20-year-old male who’d been “kicking and punching” EMTs. Officers also confiscated less than an ounce of pot from two people and tended to an unconscious woman. Sheraton management could not be reached for comment.”
If that’s not enough to prove that Anime Conventions are dangerous business, for the past two years at the Oni-Con convention Sasuke Uchiha himself was arrested for theft (see image above). He was arrested at the 2010 Oni-Con and then again at the 2011 Oni-Con, both for theft from vendors in the showroom. I guess he took the whole ninja thing a little too seriously?
But in all seriousness, Anime Conventions should not be a place for crime like this to happen. As a community we should all try and keep Anime Conventions as safe as possible, otherwise we all might just end up like Sasuke here, hog-tied and ridden like a pony by Houston’s finest. The lesson from all of this? Keep Con’s Safe.
An interesting little tid bit of news has risen regarding Fire Emblem: Awakening for the Nintendo 3DS. The game itself has been largely on the rocks in regards to whether it would get a release in North America, with no official confirmation from Nintendo of America even though the title has been confirmed for a release in PAL territories.
Interestingly enough a domain name has surfaced in the U.S. which hints that Nintendo of America may be planning a release of the hotly anticipated strategy RPG game. The URL ‘fireemblemawakening.com’ was registered over the past week by Nintendo of America so that definitely adds more fuel to the fire (pun absolutely intended) regarding the games localisation in North America.
What do you think of Nintendo of America registering the domain for Fire Emblem: Awakening? Will it get a U.S. release? Sound off in the comments section below.
