Fans of Dark Souls have clamored for a PC version of the game and now they will be getting it as Namco Bandai has officially announced that they will be releasing Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition for PC. Hidetaka Miyazaki stated during the announcement that there were no plans for a PC version when the game was released, however with the massive fan outpouring they chose to follow suit with a release.
The release date for the PC version of the game is set for a worldwide release on August 24th and it will be available both in retail form and digitally. As previously hinted at in leaks, there will also be new content for the PC release, though more details on that content is still forthcoming.
Sekirei: The Complete Series Studio: Seven Arcs Publisher: FUNimation Format: DVD/Blu-Ray Combo Pack Release Date: April 10, 2012 Price: $49.98 –Available Here
Overview: Over the years there have been plenty of anime that contain plenty of action as well as those who follow a romantic route with the main character ending up with a specific girl, or in some cases, multiple girls. However there are only a few series out there that combine this action-harem anime style and Sekirei is perhaps the prime example of such an anime.
Originally released in North America by FUNimation back in late 2010, the series was missing one key component that many anime fans clamor for in 2012. That component was the ability to play the anime on Blu-ray disc. As such FUNimation has re-released the series on Blu-ray disc and DVD for those who never caught the series when it first was released. Does the higher quality viewing make these fist fighting vixens better than ever before?
Story: Minato Sahashi isn’t having the best of luck in the year 2020. Not only is he living alone in a small apartment he just learned that he has failed to enter into a college for the second time in a row after failing his test. With no job, no aspirations for the future and no girlfriend Minato’s life is one that no one would feel jealous of. However that all changes in the blink of an eye when a girl named Musubi literally falls out of the sky on top of him and squashes him with her breasts.
This lucky twist of fate immediately has repercussions however as two strange girls are chasing after Musubi and are able to use lightning like a weapon. The reason that these girls seem to possess such strange abilities and why Musubi was able to survive such a long fall, besides being cushioned by her generous air bags, is because they are not simple human girls, but Sekirei.
Each Sekirei has special abilities, far surpassing those of any human and Musubi is looking for her Ashikabi, a special person with the ability to wing a Sekirei and unlock their inner abilities. In the heat of the moment Minato falls into the world of the Sekirei as he kisses Musubi, making her his Sekirei and entering him into the Sekirei plan, a wide-spread battle throughout Tokyo where the 108 Sekirei will fight until only one stands the victor.
Now Sekirei offers something a bit different from your standard harem anime, and that is an overarching plotline that doesn’t simply revolve around which girl the hero may end up with. On the other hand, it is hard to describe Sekirei as anything but a harem action anime with large breasted women who fight against one another, often with plenty of clothes being ripped off in-between. However amongst this action lies a story worth paying attention to between bouts of fan service.
Another one of the main factors that elevates Sekirei above being a standard harem anime are the various personalities of the girls that surround Minato. Sekirei also side-steps the issue most anime of this genre fall into where they focus nearly every one of the introductory episodes on introducing girls, or in this case Sekirei, into the picture.
Instead we are provided with a satisfactory amount of plot development and the humorous character interactions that occur between battles. Viewers will immediately be able to identify which girl they personally will be rooting for as every Sekirei that joins Minato has a unique personality that grows throughout the series which follow your standard harem archetypes but also expand upon them. This makes the main cast as well as the enjoyable side characters the key element to what makes Sekirei an enjoyable anime to watch, not just because of the ample amount of breast exposure.
Visuals: One of the key reasons to pick up this release of the first season of Sekirei is the fact that this package includes not only the standard DVD release but also the Blu-ray release as well. That being said, the Blu-ray version of the show is crisper and more vibrant than the original DVD release of the show, though in the end the animation and the artwork are still the same fans will remember in the previously released DVD version.
Now that isn’t necessarily a bad thing however, as the battles are well animated and have a consistently high level of animation quality, even when the girls unleash their powers to the fullest. However there are also plenty of moments outside of combat where the animation quality of even the most basic scenes takes a noticeable drop, with some characters’ faces suffering heavily in the quality drop.
While the quality does fluctuate in Sekirei, the characters themselves are well designed and given a decent amount of detail to keep them unique in appearance. It is worth noting however that Sekirei does follow the harem genre closely and features plenty of women with ample cleavage that gets exposed quite often, either in bathing scenes or having their clothes torn off in combat. Now this obviously means that those who are put off by fan-service and breasts in their anime may want to steer clear of it, but those who enjoy it will find plenty of it with Sekirei.
Audio: As before, Sekirei is being released with both the English and Japanese voice tracks so this means that viewers can take their pick and listen to the original Japanese voices if they so choose, however these people will be missing a satisfying performance by the English voice actors. Minato’s voice actor Joel, Mcdonald fits his personality perfectly and provides a great performance with the rest of the cast following suit. One strange inclusion however is the old-styled English used by Tsukiumi and her voice actress Lydia Mackay. While it does fit her high-class personality which also expands her uniqueness as a character, viewers may be a bit put off by her way of speech.
Sekirei’s background music is suitable enough and features plenty of satisfying background tracks that accentuate the battles and most of the girls have their own themes that play occasionally. As far as the opening and ending songs go, the opening song “Sekirei” and “Dear sweet heart” are both performed by the Japanese voice actresses for Musubi, Tsukiumi, Kusano and Matsu. Both of these songs are satisfying and most viewers will be more than happy to listen to them each time they come on.
Extras: A number of extras are included in this release of Sekirei, including the standard inclusions of a clean opening and ending song as well as trailers for upcoming and past FUNimation releases. However alongside these standard inclusions is an extra OVA episode called “Kusano’s First Shopping Trip.” This bonus episode, while only 10 minutes long, offers a nice side-story that is fully dubbed in English.
Overall: There are plenty of anime out there that stick to just one genre and will deliver a decent, if not basic, story. However Sekirei goes above and beyond that limitation by combining a harem comedy with plenty of super powered action as the Sekirei battle against one another and live their lives at the Izumo Inn alongside Minato. Of course Sekirei also excels at providing plenty of fan-service via breasts and panty shots, more so than many other shows on the market. However beneath all those pairs of large breasts lay interesting characters and a charming storyline that shouldn’t be missed, especially now that it is available in Blu-ray splendor.
News is starting to come out for Pokemon Black and White 2, which are both set to hit the DS in Japan in just two months. CoroCoro revealed new details in a recent issue for both games, detailing the new set of characters we will see, as well as just where players will need to go for this brand new journey.
As you can see in the scan above (courtesy of Serebii.net), both new trainers are sporting some trendy attire, with the male sporting a visor and shorts (they are easy and comfortable to wear of after all) and the female trainer going for a look that seems to be the spawn of Princess Leia and Sailor Moon. Black and White 2 will take place two years after the events of the first game, and will start in Hiougi City. There are also new gym leaders, and even a new Professor and rival, with the rival looking as smug as ever.
As far as Unova goes, a good portion of the land is now frozen, and once hidden areas have become fully visible with brand new tunnels and paths open throughout that make this once small region much larger as a whole.
We still don’t have an official release date for the west however, but stay tuned as Nintendo will surely bring up an update of their own within the coming months.
Today Namco Bandai revealed the upcoming Dragonball Z for Kinect will be releasing in October for the Xbox 360 Kinect system. The aim is to create a more dynamic level of immersion in the gaming front by having players perform legendary moves from the television franchise with their own hands.
The game will also feature QR code connectivity allowing players to unlock special items and characters by presenting the code for inspection by the Kinect sensor. Even further the game will feature all the iconic characters of the series, as well as an additional unknown character, who will all use memorable moves presented within the manga.
“There’s going to be no better feeling in the world for fans of the Dragon Ball Z series than standing in front of their screens and unleashing their own fists and raging blasts upon enemies with this game,” said Carlson Choi, Vice President of Marketing, NAMCO BANDAI Games America. “The Kinect sensor has truly enabled the development team to finally realize the dreams of millions of fans of both the classic games and the timeless original anime. This game will truly represent the next generation of interactive entertainment in the Dragon Ball Z Universe”.
The game comes to Australia and New Zealand this October. Be sure to check out Namco Bandai’s site for more info.
If you have already played Street Fighter X Tekken until you bled and are ready to look down the road for the next great fighter, then today is your day as Namco have finally announced that Tekken Tag Tournament 2 will be out this September.
For those unfamiliar of what this sequel will feature, players will get to choose from more than 50 characters with brand new movesets, along with quite a few new modes that were not seen in the original. For the first time, you can choose to do a single player match up, or go for a bigger challenge by playing in one vs tag battles. Pair Play mode is a more interesting addition, letting fighters play in a four-player online match, while Fight Lab mode offers a new spin on tutorials and lets users customize the moves and appearance of new training character, Combot.
“TEKKEN Tag Tournament is one of the most beloved entries in the TEKKEN series – not just among fans but also for myself and the entire development team, so crafting the sequel has been a labour of love for everyone here,” said Katsuhiro Harada, TEKKEN Project Director at NAMCO BANDAI GAMES Inc. “To truly make this game stand up to the high benchmark set by the original, we have injected some exciting features and modes that will revolutionize the online fighting game community and allow new players to enjoy and master the game – so there will be something for everyone.”
It seems like the main idea of Tekken Tag Tournament 2 is to keep the gameplay stylings fans loved from the first entry, but to also make it more accessible for the much larger fighting community that Street Fighter IV reawakened. A lot has changed over the years for the genre since we played Tekken Tag last generation, and you can bet that all eyes will be on Tag Tourney 2 when it hits shelves this fall.
Chickens, Chickens everywhere and a big hoorah for Toki Tori fans as Two Tribes games have announced the launch of their digital store, with their first line of merchandise now available for sale to the public. Originally wanting to release a lot more in the form of plush toys and other items, Shan from Two Tribes explains how they were limited somewhat in their search for a partner who would make small amounts of merchandise rather than large commercial quantities. Eventually they settled on 2 items which could be produced in the quantities they required and have introduced firstly the Toki Tori T-Shirt and also by popular demand the Toki Tori USB stick.
There are plans to also work towards releasing Plush toys and Rubber duck Toki Toris which were amongst many items wanted by fans of the franchise. One of the most appealing things about the store is FREE shipping worldwide which is a big drawcard for some of us living in countries where postage from elsewhere costs more than the item does.
The Splatters Studio: SpikySnail Publisher: Xbox LIVE Arcade Platform:XBLA Release Date:April 11, 2012 Price: 800 Microsoft Points –Available Here
Overview: The Splatters is a physics based action-puzzler that gives the player command of amorphous blobs called Splatters, whose sole goal in life is to explode in an amazing display for the amusement of an audience. The more stunts and the more bombs set off, the more amazing the display. The Splatters can fill the interests of casual and hardcore gamers alike with the exact same gameplay, the only difference being trying to achieve perfection.
Story: The Splatters forgoes a story to focus on gameplay. Splatters exist to explode and die for the spectacle, what more can you ask of them?
Visuals:
The visuals of The Splatters are very visceral. As the rounds progress on each level, the remnants of Splatters remain wherever they hit, on the ceiling, floor, walls, and platforms. This gives a lived in feeling to the levels, anytime past the first round, which helps to give a sense of progress. As opposed to a clean slate between rounds that would leave the game feeling like a series of unrelated events on a given level.
Explosions are a big portion of the game, where every level’s goal is to blow up all the bombs. So, it is great to see that there are plenty of different forms of explosions, in terms of shapes and color. When playing, if one is able to abstract themselves enough when playing or watching someone else play, the events on-screen can play out as a visual symphony of movement and explosions that is really something to behold.
Audio:
The music for the game is very unique. Feeling light and fun on the menus, but grandiose during gameplay to fit the mood and tone. The music does a great job of conveying the perfect mood for the game, though has a synthy-pop feel that not everyone might enjoy. It even does a good job letting the player know when they have failed through musical cues too, by slowing , reversing, then beginning anew. Which, when failing to notice that something was missed, the music slowing is a better cue to just stop trying to control the Splatter than any visual indicator.
Just as the visual are fairly visceral, the sound effects certainly are as well. Mainly liquid, the sound of Splatters hitting each other, walls, and bombs fits the gameplay perfectly. Throwing a large Splatter into a wall to turn it into mass liquid is very gratifying, and while a single bomb going off isn’t overly thrilling, getting a cluster of a dozen or more is certainly enjoyable.
Gameplay:
The gameplay comes in three distinct flavors with the different modes: “Become a Talent”, “Combo Nation”, and “Master Shots”. “Become a Talent” is really more of a glorified tutorial, explaining the core basics and unlocking new stunts, which when you have finished the whole thing unlocks the other two. “Combo Nation” focuses on more rounds and bombs to string it all together better for higher scores, where as “Master Shots” has few bombs and requires specific stunts to pass.
The general gameplay is very straight forward. There are Splatters that can be controlled or switched between and bombs that must be set off using the liquid inside the Splatters’ globby bodies. Controlling Splatters amounts to force and direction, with different stunts that can impact that force and direction mid-flight, so a Splatter can jump straight up in the air to then “air strike” in a different direction. To finish a round all the bombs must be detonated, which can get very frustrating when multiple attempts end with only a few bombs remaining and the whole round restarts anew. Every round being all or nothing can get taxing, to the point where it feels like there should be at least a little forgiveness.
One of the issues though is that almost all of the stunts are controlled with the same button and control being passed to the next Splatter at the death of the current. Until one gets really used to the game, this can lead to mashing that button and causing Splatters to smash into walls before you realize the first one is dead, along with half the others.
There are awards for each level, except those that unlock new stunts. The awards are the stand 1-3 stars for performance, a bandanna for completion without failing, a trophy for one continuous chain, and an air strike medal for utilizing that a lot. The only real difference between modes is that “Master Shots” rewards stars for the more stunts used, while “Become a Talent” and “Combo Nation” do so by score.
Overall: The Splatters is a pretty fun game. It may start out feeling very difficult, but after getting through the learning curve, and not mashing the stunt button trying to win, it becomes a lot more manageable. It also works very well as both a casual and hardcore game, as casual players shouldn’t have too big of a problem getting all through all of the levels or getting all the achievements, but a hardcore gamer can “enjoy” going through and getting all the awards for each level, definitely not a easy task.
The leaderboards and “Splatter TV” also give the game a decent amount of replay-ability. Trying to top your friends and actually be able to show off how it was done is a neat concept to put with this style of game. “Splatter TV” also works as a built-in walkthrough for those stuck trying to get 3 stars on some of the different levels or just to be amazing with the ridiculous things people are able to pull off.
The game is very unique and mostly fun, with only issues being the sometimes frustrating difficulty and only one button being used for the different stunts, but there are plenty of levels to play through (which can be good and bad). Anyone interested in physics and puzzle games, should definitely check this one out, unless you have high blood pressure.
Amoebattle Developer: Grab Games Publisher: Grab Games Platforms: iPad (reviewed), iPhone, iTouch Release Date: April 4, 2012 Price: $5.49 – Available Here
Overview
I have a soft spot in my heart for RTS games, they’re from a simpler time, when tactics and thinking was more of a necessity than charging into a room and firing at anything that moves. Possibly while yelling like Rambo. RTS apps seem to be getting more popular as well, given that they’re quite compatible with mobile gaming devices, and afford the action without the lack of smoothness we’re accustomed to in console games.
Gameplay
Amoebattle is based around a war between, well, amoebas. You control a group of little amoebas who are traversing the microscopic plains and are at war with a different type of amoebas. There isn’t really a hell of a lot of explanation as to why, something about science and stuff, but hey, these days you don’t really need an excuse to take down a rival faction other than the fact that they’re differently coloured from you. Concerning reflection on society? Perhaps.
The game gives you a decent introduction, taking you through the different controls and then with each mission it introduces new concepts to you, until eventually you’ve got the whole kaboodle all over your screen. They take you through it slowly, but without it seeming like too much of a waste of time (since the information they give you is stuff that can’t be gleaned easily). It also helps set you up with tactics that you can utilize later on when they throw you into situations where certain things are hitting the fan.
The amoebas are classified under their different eating patterns, there are omnivores, herbivores and carnivores. This affects their attack style, how they regenerate health, and the way you approach them. For instance, herbivores are great long-range attackers because they don’t take chunks out of their opponents but you need to have them near a plant food source so they can regenerate, whereas omnivores and carnivores can regenerate by attacking others.
You can also expand your army by feeding them and having enough ‘energy’ – which also is used to deploy probes, that can either gather information or be handy in battles. Or you can choose to evolve them to other amoebas, whose DNA you have gathered in earlier missions. It all depends on how you want your army to progress, with the limited amount of troops you’re allowed, meaning that the decisions you make could mean victory or defeat for missions.
There has clearly been a lot of effort put into this app, it isn’t some filler or a quick game you can play by bus rides. This app will really suck you in, and make you want to sit there for hours helping your little amoeba dudes take back the microscopic world.
Progression through the game happens by missions, and the pacing of the game is the really great thing about it. You’re introduced to species through your own actions, and some science-y stuff that happens. There’s probes, and a pretty awesome AI that helps you out with the missions, and the whole thing is completely charming.
Visuals
Amoebattle is quite stunning visually, they’ve really brought to life the microscopic world in which amoebas wage war. It’s really well designed and animated, and just so damn cute! The environments are rich and they don’t skimp on anything, in a similar fashion to the rest of the game, and it’s a nice change to some of the apps that leave it to the simple stuff.
Audio
The background music is full of little science-y bleeps and boops, along with some pretty dramatic music whenever you get into a serious confrontation. Apart from that, the handy part of having the sound on is the voice of the AI as it helps you out and handily lets you know when you’re being attacked, as well as voicing parts of the speech bubbles that pop up.
Like the other aspects of the game, the soundtrack also holds up as a quality addition and I can’t really find a fault with it at all.
Overall
Amoebattle might seem like your typical RTS app at a glance, but it is far more than that. In fact, I would say that, even though it doesn’t reflect that old school RTS gameplay that I love, it is truly an awesome embodiment of an RTS game. It might be a bit pricier than other apps in the App Store, but it is certainly worth it.
Amoebattle provides a challenging, and multi-faceted game that requires a thoughtful and tactical approach. So if you’re more of a casual gamer then this probably won’t be good for you, however if you like a challenge and the chance to challenge your tactical skills, this would be the perfect app.
Ball On A Wall Pocket Developer: SmallGreenHill Publisher: SmallGreenHill Platforms: iPhone (reviewed), iTouch, iPad Release Date: April 5, 2012 Price: $0.99 – Available Here
Overview
Simple arcade puzzlers are a great and popular type of app, with a huge range available on the Apple store. Ball on a wall pocket is a new version of one of these arcade puzzlers, so the question is, how does it far in comparison to those already on the market? And does it set itself apart?
Gameplay
Ball on wall is, funnily enough, about a ball. There is a perpetually moving ball that you have to direct around using your power to make blocks appear, and your goal is to pick up as many bonuses as possible from pickups, cogs, special coloured boxes, and coins.
There are 10 levels with 5 stages to each level. The end of each stage comes with the collection of a final pickup, which are full of cogs that explode all over the stage when you hit the pickup. As you finish each stage you are given a score out of five stars depending on how many bonuses you’ve grabbed in the level. This depends on if you are willing to take your time in the stage, grabbing everything you can, or just racing towards the finish line and not risking the possible mistake which could send you back to the beginning of the level. Don’t worry too much though, you do get three lives and if you fall you’re reminded back to where you were before, heading in the same direction, and given a couple of seconds to get your bearings.
The ball continually moves around, changing direction when it hits a block, so to successfully navigate the wall you have to strategically place blocks. You can also make the ball bounce higher by touching the ball, up to three times after the ball touches a block. This is something you’ll find very useful for the higher, hard to reach bonuses.
Getting good control of the ball is something that requires some practice, given that you have to get a feel for the momentum of the ball and how to react under pressure. However, unless you do try to get all five stars you’ll find that the challenge isn’t huge once you get a feel for how to successfully direct the ball.
There are a few things thrown in there, with certain blocks getting locked in or being unable to build blocks in certain places. These offer a little extra challenge, and can be quite annoying if they appear at wrong times, but with the three lives and the unlimited blocks ability, it didn’t phase me too much.
Visuals
Visually, Ball on a Wall is a fairly simple game. There’s the ball, the wall, the blocks, and the bonuses. There is a nice 3D element to the graphics, but there isn’t really anything super flash to it. Not that that’s a negative, after all, that is the kind of thing you’d expect from a game belonging to this genre.
Audio
The menu soundtrack to Ball on a Wall sounds like something you’d hear in an elevator, or maybe at a jazz bar, with a bit of a synth twist. Fortunately the music does change within the game, since I don’t know if I’d be able to cope with jazz music while trying to navigate the bouncy ball. It turns into something that is reminiscent of an arcade game, complete with the sound effects when you bounce the ball or collect a bonus. There aren’t a lot of games that have a suitable soundtrack that I feel comfortable listening to while playing the game, but this is one of those where they’ve managed to pick it just right.
Overall
One of the main issues that faced the game in development was producing a version of Ball on a Wall that worked well on the smaller screen of the iPhone and iTouch. If I hadn’t already been aware that this game had spawned from a bigger predecessor I would not have noticed it at all. The game works perfectly well on the smaller device, and once you get a feel for how to control the ball smoothly, it is quite fun. However, the learning curve does peter out once you have learned ball control, and this means that rather than offer a challenge, after a couple of levels the game is simply just a fun way to pass the time.
Ball on a Wall Pocket is definitely a game to look at getting, especially if you love your old school-style arcade games.
MumboJumbo has released the fourth iteration of their Midnight Mysteries series, Midnight Mysteries: Haunted Houdini for the iPad today. The Midnight Mysteries series is a hidden-object adventure game series that has spanned multiple platforms and won the hearts of millions of players world wide. Haunted Houdini revolves around the mystery of the life and death of Harry Houdini, as you help the spirit of Houdini’s wife Bess reunite with her husband Harry.
The game features three difficulty levels to accommodate players of all skill levels and boasts a entrancing storyline, high quality visuals, and top notch sound. The standard version can be purchased for $6.99 with extra content in the form of a collector’s edition purchasable as in app purchase.
