Namco Bandai has done a lot of things with the Pac-Man franchise, but perhaps it is time they go into the fighting genre or maybe a block breaking game? Who knows at this point, but what we do know is that Namco Bandai Europe has filed a trademark for something that will be called Pac-Man Smash!.
Siliconera discovered this trademark filing and provided plenty of different examples as to what the game could possibly be, but of course nothing is truly known about the title at this point. What would you like to see Pac-Man doing next? Perhaps stick to what he is good at by eating pellets and running/chasing ghosts or something brand new?
While Borderlands 2 may not be out until later this year, why not start planning DLC now right? I mean… the title has obviously not reached its gold state yet so why start planning DLC already? Well you don’t need to worry about that, because this DLC will be released entirely free after the game comes out.
Gearbox has revealed to Destructoid after the Pax East panel where the Mechromancer was revealed that the content will be available 60-90 days after the game is released and anyone who pre-orders the game will get the content for free. The class itself is still in its concept stage so it will likely have a different appearance when it is released, though the overall concept will still be the same.
There’s a new indie game studio and they are planning to release their first game May 1st. Box Jellyfish Studio is gearing up to release Reflexio, a puzzle-platforming indie game, on PC through Desura and IndieCity. Box Jellyfish is a studio made up of 5 university student looking to share their interest in game design with everyone.
Reflexio has the player controlling a koala named Joey, who is looking to escape each level with the aid of a magic umbrella that allows to reflect the levels objects around Joey. Players have to plan out how to reflect the level from either a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal axis, so that Joey can jump on or pass around blocks to reach the exit. Check out the video below to see how the basic gameplay looks and be sure to look for a demo soon, before the game comes out May 1st.
Discord Games, makers of the Xbox Live Indie Game Take Arms, has released its first multi-platform game with 48 Chambers. 48 Chambers is now available on Windows PC and Xbox Live Indie Games. While only 80 MS Points for Xbox Live Indie Games, the Windows PC version can be downloaded from Discord Games’ website, Desura, or Indievania for $3 USD or a special Supporter Edition for $5 USD from Discord Games’ website that includes a soundtrack, art, and a supporter credit in their next game.
48 Chambers features 48 levels of guiding a ball to the exit, players must race against a clock, collect orbs to add time, collect keys to open doors, and make it all before time runs out. Levels get increasingly harder, but luckily an update is being released that will include a Casual Mode for players not wanting to be too pressed for time. The PC version includes an exclusive online leaderboard, so players can see how they stack up.
Hop on Xbox Live Indie Games or PC today and check it out!
Twisted Metal Developer: Eat Sleep Play, Inc Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment Platforms: Playstation 3 Release Date: 8/03/2012 Price: $49.99 (Available Here)
Overview
If you remember a particular game known as Twisted Metal, they you would remember all of the carnage the vehicle combat game brought to the Playstation all those years ago. I remember using machine guns and missiles to blow up the competition, which included several human competitors. With the series starting out on Playstation and moving into the Playstation 2, it is no surprise that Sony Computer Entertainment decided to move forward with a Playstation 3 version. It did remind me of the earlier games, but can the series be reintroduced to a new generation of consoles?
Story
Within the pure metal carnage of vehicles, a story is waiting to be told. It follows three characters: Sweet Tooth, Mr. Grimm, and Doll Face, which is different to the previous games. They are all participating in the Twisted Metal tournament, created by a crazed lunatic by the name of Calypso. This tournament was help quite frequently, every year in fact. The winner is offered a prize: they will get whatever their heart desires. Sweet Tooth wants to find his daughter who took out his eye after witnessing her family’s murder at the hand of her father. Mr Grimm wants to undo the past and prevent the death of his father by a stunt gone wrong. Doll Face wants her mask to be removed and become the beauty she was before, as she had a career in modelling.
The story itself could have been told a little better. I felt that the live action cut scenes went for far too long and felt they really didn’t add much except for exposition just the move the plot forward. However, the endings to all three arcs are fantastic. They take a different direction that I didn’t believe the game would. I will not spoil it but it does not disappoint. What does disappoint a little are the main characters. They seem too one dimensional and all the same. They are all brutal, violent maniacs who want to claim the same prize, albeit use it to reverse different situations. Of course, little differences do exist, but they do not present unique personalities.
Gameplay
Twisted Metal does not change the classic car combat formula that it is famous for. It also adds a few new quirks into the game. Of course, the focus is to blow up most of your opponents in any battle you play in. Players will have access to a wide variety of vehicles to choose from, but not in the beginning. While most vehicles will be available at the start of the game, a few others are not available for use straight away, such as Axel, the vehicle with two big wheels in between the driver. Each vehicle has their own statistics, which include the vehicles attack and defensive efficiently, so make sure you take the right vehicle for the right situation. For added fun, each car can sport a customised look, which was quite fun. It’s nice to see what the player’s own ice cream truck or Reaper.
The weapon system in the game is not complex at all. At the start of each battle, each vehicle will have a few weapons to choose in addition to their side arm and mines, which will be the player’s only weapons with unlimited ammunition. Weapons included in the game include an assortment of missiles, land mines, a sniper rifle, a shotgun just to name a few. Of course, each vehicle will have their own special weapon. That special weapon recharges after it is depleted and offers an alternative attack. Using Sweet Tooth’s ice cream truck as an example, its special attack is the mecha transformation seen in Twisted Metal Black (which is offered as a download for buyers of Twisted Metal Limited Edition). Realising how frantic combat can be, weapon usage must be tactical in order to survive.
There are a few game modes outside of the story mode. For the single player, challenges and a training mode is offered. Yeah, there is no real offline single player free for all available, which is a shame to say the least. However, the challenges should keep you busy. That being said, the strength of competition lies with the multiplayer components. The modes found in the single player story are found in multiplayer in addition to Deathmatch and Nuke Mode. Nuke Mode is the standout of the multiplayer experience. The attacking team has to destroy a statue held by the opposite team. In order to do that, they have to use nuclear missiles. To have access to the missiles, the team has to sacrifice the opposing leader. Even when the attacking team has a missile, it can still be shot down, adding to the fun of the match. The online and offline multiplayer modes are fun overall and, despite a few network annoyances, a smooth, almost lag free experience. A word of warning, the game does contain the PSN Pass.
Overall, the gameplay of Twisted Metal is pure vehicle carnage, entering a generation that needed its fix. The weapons and vehicle selection is fantastic with the addition of customisation via a paint shop. New weapons collaborate with the old to provide players with new strategies to destroy their opponents and to provide a challenge. There are a few downers, though. In the story mode, expect to be the target of every vehicle in the battlefield. Also, adding racing elements to the game felt out of place. The auto targeting system could have been a little better. Overall, the core gameplay mechanics are fantastic and work very well. It might take some time to get used to the controls, though.
Visuals and Audio
The visuals of the game are quite good. For the vehicles, each vehicle has its own personality and look (partly due to the different types of vehicles and their stats). The models are not jaded. In fact, they are quite smooth, with no noticeable blurry edging. They are quite clean as well. The environments look great. One of my favourite battlefields has to be the Black Rock Stadium. It is filled with various obstacles, such as gigantic metal spiky balls and pools of lava. It is a playground for the insane, where the characters fit in quite nicely. Speaking of the characters, during story mode, several cutscenes are shot in live action. I don’t think that the game should have taken that direction, mostly because it looks quite B-grade quality. They do offer information important in the story, I must admit.
The audio of the game will rattle even the craziest revheads out there. Each vehicle has their own sound and it is quite beautiful. Explosions, environment damage all add to the carnage that is Twisted Metal. The voice acting is quite decent, nothing really special in this department. The soundtrack is pure rock, save for the ending theme, sung by someone who goes by the name of HipHopGamer. Artists such as Iggy Pop and Wolfmother are licensed and provide an great soundtrack, fitting for the game.
Overall
Twisted Metal is back and brings in a great game to boot. The core gameplay challenges both newcomers and veterans alike with strategy required to overcome the battle. A great selection of vehicles, customisable in the paint shop, backs up the game. As always, Twisted Metal is supported by great multiplayer gameplay, headlined by the new and fantastic Nuke Mode. However, do expect to get used to the controls, the occasional network annoyance and a story that feels lacklustre compared to the game. With that in mind, I do suggest you pick up this game if all you want is some vehicle carnage back into your gaming life.
While Nintendo and Pokemon Co. have been relatively quiet about a specific release date for Pokemon Black & White 2 in Japan except for a vague June release window. However it seems that an online retailer has chosen to put their own little release date on the title.
To be a bit more specific, that release date is on June 23rd which is a Saturday, a usual release day for the Pokemon series. Whether this is the exact release date is still up for speculation of course as Nintendo has neither confirmed nor denied the June 23rd release as of yet.
It may be a little surprising to hear that Compile Heart is going to be continuing the Neptunia series, but at least this surprise is a goo done. Today a new teaser site and trailer, which can be seen below, was released by Compile Heart which features the Xbox Special Mission Division front man Izawa.
In the teaser we see that there will be a new Neptunia game coming sometime in the future, though no other details have been given at this time. It is worth noting that the past two Neptunia games were released as PlayStation 3 exclusives and released in North America by NIS America. Perhaps this is the first time the Neptunia series will grace the Xbox 360? Time will tell…
Okami-san and Her Seven Companions Studio: J.C. Staff Publisher: FUNimation Release Date: April 3, 2012 Price: $69.98 – Available Here
Overview:
Practically every child has heard a fairy tale of some kind as they were growing up, however only recently have these fairy tales been adapted into other forms of media outside of books and childrens’ cartoons. In fact, there has been a large influx in shows that feature fairy tale characters, including major motion pictures and television series.
However Japan was a little ahead of the game when Masashi Okita’s light novel series, Okami-san and her Seven Companions was adapted into an anime back in mid-2010. Now FUNimation has brought this series to anime fans in North America. Will this series stand out with its various fairy tale references or be crushed beneath the weight of too many references at once?
Story:
At the Otogi High School there exists a certain club that will take care of your problems for a price. However rather than having to pay immediately with money or something similar, you will simply need to promise that you will repay their favor in some way or another in the future. This club is called the Otogi Bank and they are basically a loan club for peoples’ problems and will go to extreme and unorthodox lengths to solve peoples’ problems.
The Otogi Bank has a few strange members already but the two who stand out the most are Ryoko Okami and her friend Ringo Akai. Ryoko may be a bit lacking upstairs (as the narrator references as fan dis-service more than once) but she makes up for this with her rough and violent personality, more eager to get into a fight than do anything girlish which makes her a shining example of a tomboy. Despite her personality a young boy named Ryoshi who is extremely shy has fallen in love with her and after failing to confess to her, joins Otogi Bank in an effort to become her shield and learn more about this wolfish girl.
The majority of the series follows a very basic formula with various issues coming into the Otogi Bank (many of which are also references to fairy tales, such as Cinderella and Snow White) which then must be solved usually with Ryoko, Ryoshi and Ringo leading the way with some help from the rest of the Otogi Bank along the way. This formulaic approach however grows to be a bit tiresome as the large amount of fairy tales referenced throughout the show begin to pile on one another and those who are familiar with said fairy tale will find themselves seeing zero innovation throughout that episode.
While these main characters are obviously the highlight of the series, each member of the supporting cast receives at least one episode where they are highlighted. It is also worth noting that nearly everyone single one of the supporting cast and even the main characters themselves are references to fairy tale characters, such as Ringo’s obvious reference to Little Red Riding Hood, Ryoshi being the Hunter and more which I will leave you to figure out.
At its core, Okami-san and her Seven Companions is a light hearted romantic comedy sprinkled with some fights and slingshot shooting with only a few shadows of darkness which are revealed later in the series. At the surface Okami is very strong and tries to always put up a tough front while Ryoshi can barely stand being outside amongst people, let alone being stared at.
As the series goes on however both of these characters start to expand on these traits, with Ryoshi’s weakness turning into his strength as he protects Okami both in combat and does his best to support the scared side of herself as he discovers that she only acts tough to hide her fear of bad situations, a sheep wearing wolf’s clothing…
This provides a decent romance story with a shy but determined male character and a tsundere female character who slowly loses her harsh exterior and becomes a little more dere towards the end of the series. However thanks to the format of the show, with an intrusive narrator providing constant commentary throughout every single episode viewers will find it hard to grow attached to characters which on the surface seem human and relatable, are held back by the story book formula.
Visuals:
At first glance, veteran anime viewers will notice that the style used for the character designs is a bit different from what everyone may be used to. However this art style works well with the fact that most of these characters are meant to be similar to characters from a story book. As such there are a few characters who are obviously designed with their fairy tale reference in mind, such as Ringo’s Red Riding Hood appearance.
As such, the characters are well designed and the backgrounds used throughout the series are relatively standard with only a few exceptional looking areas throughout the show. Unfortunately the same cannot be said about Okami-san and her Seven Companions’ animation quality. While fluid for the most part, there are plenty of times where the animation quality will drop during some of the fist fights.
Audio:
Now earlier you may have noticed I mentioned that one of the issues with the storyline was thanks to the narrator. Now Luci Christian does a great job pretending to be a story teller and filling the role of the narrator for the anime, it is a huge detriment to the series as a whole. Rather than taking a back seat to the anime itself, the narrator intrudes almost constantly by saying a few lines here and there which will drown out what the main characters were saying at the time.
Because of these constant intrusions not only does it put a wall between the viewer and the characters, it also grows to be tiresome by the end of the series. For the most part however, the rest of the English voice cast does an excellent job with the dub, with Brina Palencia’s portrayal of Okami-san being the stand out performance amongst the cast.
As for background music we are treated to the standard fare that doesn’t stand out much and isn’t memorable. On the other hand, the opening song for the series is “Ready, Go!” by May’n is enjoyable to listen to and may be one that viewers will enjoy listening to more than once. The ending song is a far cry from the opening however as “Akazukin-chan Goyoujin” by OtoGi8 not only offers an entirely different tone, but is also set to story book styled artwork that is something many will likely avoid.
Extras:
Viewers are given a bit more than your standard inclusions this time around as while this release does contain the standard clean opening and ending songs as well as commercials for past and upcoming FUNimation releases, there is also some audio commentary and a few promotional videos as well. It is worth noting that these promotional videos are very short however and are only given English subtitles so while it is nice they were included, will not provide much in the way of extra entertainment.
The two episode commentaries are much better however, as Episode 1’s commentary features Colleen Clinkenbeard, the voice of Otsu Tsurugaya, and Chuck Huber a writer for the series. This audio commentary doesn’t really follow the episode very much but does offer plenty of humorous jokes and some behind the scenes information about what the company had to do to adapt the show. Episode 6’s commentary features the voice actors of our two main characters with Brina Polencia, the voice of Okami, and Monica Rial, the voice of Ringo. This follows the episode a bit more closely than the first commentary and is also lower key, with the voice actors discussing the characters and the show itself.
Overall:
Okami-san and her Seven Companions’ release falls at a fortuitous time, as the interest in fairy tale adapted media has never been higher. Thankfully, those who are looking to purchase this series will not be disappointed as there is plenty to enjoy despite a few issues here and there. The romance that slowly develops between Okami and Ryoshi is enjoyable to watch as both characters feed off of each other for character development. Despite the overly intrusive narrator there is a great romance story to be found here with interesting artwork and interesting premise.
With the Spring 2012 Anime Season upon us, I will be introducing a recurring segment known as Fast Thoughts. In each instalment of Fast Thoughts I will provide quick and concise thoughts on certain topics. At the end of each, I will rate it either a ‘Yes!’ or a ‘No…’ with ‘Yes!’ meaning it is something worthy of your time and ‘No…’ of course meaning something that should be banished to exile on the sun.
This Fast Thoughts topic is Spring 2012 Anime. This will be split into 2 parts, with the second part forthcoming. So without further adieu, here are my Fast Thoughts on the some of the Spring 2012 Anime:
Naruto Spin-Off: Rock Lee and His Ninja Pals:
Why oh why, does this even exist? I mean Bleach was bad, but to replace it with something decidedly worse is just baffling. This is meant to be a gag anime, yet the only time I laughed was when my stream of the episode crashed. The Naruto characters are not at all given the respect they deserve and this series only serves to make a mockery of characters that many love. The jokes are flat, the animation is poor and the entire episode is a bore. What more do I need to say besides:
‘No…’
Kuroko’s Basketball:
It’s been a long time since I have been impressed by a sports anime series from the get go, but I gotta take my hat off to Kuroko’s Basketball. From the very first scene I was enthralled and I must say the concept behind the main character Kuroko and what exactly makes him good at Basketball really threw me for a loop.
The entire idea of excelling in a support role on the team is something I don’t think I have seen touched upon in sports anime in the past. Most series place the main character in the most prominent position on their team, here we have a character whose talent is being like a shadow, going unnoticed and working the ball so fast that the opposition barely knows what just happened.
This is one to definitely keep an eye on as the concept is solid, the animation is great and the soundtrack even better. Could this this be the smartest sports anime in years? I wouldn’t doubt it.
‘Yes!’
Saint Seiya Omega:
Being a fan of the older series I was really excited when I heard there would be a direct sequel, albeit with a new cast of characters replacing the old. I am glad to say that I was pleased with this episode.
It was perhaps a little too slow paced for my taste but we got to see some old school Saint Seiya action and even a cameo from Pegasus Seiya himself. The new characters are pretty interesting and the new protagonist, Koga, has an interesting back story and personality. This could definitely go to some very exciting places if Toei Animation can hold strong with this series.
The music was great and I love Shoko Nakagawa’s version of Pegasus Fantasy. The animation was incredibly fluid and the art style was suitably old school with a modern spin. I am incredibly pleased that Toei could keep the cosmos of Saint Seiya burning. Can’t wait for more.
‘Yes!’
Polar Bear’s Cafe:
The first episode of this show had some pretty good moments. It’s a comedy that revolves around a NEET Panda that stumbles upon a Cafe that is run by a Polar Bear, oh and there is a Penguin thrown into the mix as well. I don’t really know what to think of this. It was just really weird with some good moments sprinkled throughout. Did I laugh? Yes I did, but not enough for me to want to continue watching this on a regular basis. I do think it does have the makings of something better though. So despite my indecision on this show I’m gonna give it a pass as it does show some potential to grow better, also it has an amazing opening theme and video. This might just be strange enough that it could become something interesting down the line.
‘Yes!’
Mysterious Girlfriend X:
What the hell did I just watch? Two words: Drool Fetish. I literally did not find anything that I enjoyed about this first episode. It’s always a warning bell when the first line of dialogue is some kind of bullshit philosophy about the magic of boys discovering sex.
All in all I just found this to be very uncomfortable to watch and the whole drool fetish to be rather repulsive. But to cut a long story short, I will not be watching this again. The animation sucked, the music was just as bad and the entire episode felt like it was something pulled out of the dark end of the year 2000. Not impressed in the slightest. Be gone vile fiend, now please let me forget all about drool fetishes.
‘No…’
This has been my Fast Thought on the Spring 2012 Anime Season, Part 2 will hit next week and will feature thoughts on Kids on the Slope, Tsuritama, Space Brothers and more. Leave a comment below letting us know what you think of the Spring 2012 Anime season as well as what you think of each series.
Easter time, the time of year where we celebrate Christ’s respawn into the land of the living. This holiday is a coming together of friends and family under the sanctity of religion, God and the other holy spirits. Us here at Capsule Computers have gathered what we believe to be the top-most games that represent the true meaning behind Easter and the chocolate eating phenomenae. We shall let out countdown begin –
5. DOOM
Any iteration of DOOM will do, but the classic is one of those games whose highly religious theme and high levels of niceness really reflect the meaning of Easter. The series started as a friendly shooter in the early 90s and has come to become one of the most highly influential videogames of all time. As someone looking for games to play this Easter, that are a reflection of Easter itself, you should definitely start with the first and most iconic shooter of all times.
4. ETERNAL DARKNESS
A game where you play as a religious figure? A videogame where entire sections are played out in a cathedral? Doing battle against demons? This has everything your Easter should be made of. Heck man, the main character even possesses a powerful book of sanctifying power. The final battle of the game is truly a masterpiece that truly shapes the Easter spirit in that you go on to battle the main villain of the game who is in control of demons.
3. BAYONETTA
This videogame features many of heavens Angels as they do battle against the forces of Witches, wielders of Black Magic who may be up to no good. I have chosen this game because of it’s incredibly awesome combat mechanics, great story and the absolute best rendition of any Angelic creature that I have ever seen. This title will not leave you unsatisfied, you will return for another playthrough on the next hardest difficulty. As a bonus, even your kids can play with the one-button control scheme, so now the family can enjoy Easter the way it was meant to be – together, playing videogames.
2. QUAKE
I know that it may seem a little blasphemous to include two titles by id Software, but these guys seem to be the masters of making religious games that are highly suitable for the Easter. Much like the DOOM series, the first game is much more closer to religious symbology than the latter games, but a peek at the backstory of the third tells the tale of how a normal person is kidnapped by demons and forced to conquer their arena. It doesn’t take too much imagination to see what happens next. Even better, these games are pretty old so they’ll run on any pc or laptop, meaning the family can connect to each other via LAN and enjoy the Easter together.
1. BIBLE BLACK
Bible Black follows the story of a normal guy who gets caught up in black magic rituals at his highschool. Fortunately for him, he finds a Bible that gives him great religious power to take down this cult of Witches that have been seduced by the devil. The game features clean material that is highly suitable for all ages and has 12 different endings that players can unlock by going down several different branching paths. Even better is where the game uses actual names of actual Angels and Demons, which adds this extra layer of authenticity to an already highly suitable game. I’d suggest playing this game with your entire family present, sound turned all the way up (so loud your neighbours can hear it) and by hooking your PC up to your 50″ LED television set. Also, be sure to skip the opening cinematic (by spamming left click) if you’re using a PC with a version of Windows above Windows 2000/ME, it crashes the game.
