Coming soon in mid-May, we can expect a new line of Xbox 360 controllers to hit the market. Dubbed as the Special Edition Chrome Series, these new controllers will be available in red, blue, and silver. In addition to their brightened appearance, Chrome Series controllers will show off the transforming D-Pad feature. For those unaware of this feature, it allows gamers to raise the D-Pad from its original position to enhance directional commands.
A new accessory will bring with it a higher price. The Chrome Series will have an estimated price of $54.99 (US) individually and will have color availability according to the region of release. Will a Chrome Series controller be your shiny new pet? For more information about check out the controller page here.
Ayopa Games tactical RPG for iOS devices, Dungeon Crawlers, will soon be getting a new update. The update, due for release April 5th, will bring not only new content but also brand new visuals optimised for the new iPad. Best of all, the new update also comes with a temporary price cut – with Dungeon Crawlers being priced at $0.99 instead of $3.99.
Ayopa games note their brand new features as:
Enhanced graphics to take full advantage of the Retina Display on the new iPad, including super hi-res GUI and visuals!
Dynamic lighting that illuminates the dungeon as you walk, as well as more detailed textures. Dynamic lighting is only available for the new iPad, iPad 2, and iPhone 4S.
Chapter 5, the stunning conclusion to the campaign, is here. Experience the final chapter of the Dungeon Crawlers story, with new levels and enemies.
A new store has been added to the main menu where players can buy gear for their characters, such as potions, armor, weapons, and items that cast status effects.
In-app purchasing has been added to let you purchase gold for use in the store
A level select option is also available so players can replay levels to earn gold and experience.
A new “Stupid Hard” difficulty level for truly hardcore players, and a rebalanced (easier) Easy mode for newcomers.
And, of course, better balanced gameplay overall, more accurate damage calculations, and a host of performance improvements to reduce crashes on older devices such as iPad 1.
Square Enix today have released 774 Deaths on the iOS. What’s this 774 DEATHS all about you say? Well it might look all cute and cuddly with its 8bit graphics and all on the outside but on the inside 774 Deaths is a murderously difficult action platformer that is certain to chew up and spit out even the world’s best gamers.
Inside, you’ll find 9 unique rooms and 33 mysterious doors, with each stage more demanding than the previous. Are you ready to put your life on the line in one of the most grueling games ever made?
Features
– Over 74 hours of gameplay!
– Over 774 ways to die!
– Share your deaths with the world via Twitter!
– Game Center functionality (game progress)
If you think you have what it takes and can man up to the challenge that 774 DEATHS can throw your way and prove to yourself that you are indeed HARDCORE, then click on the buy now link below and spend that 99c (Currently 774 Deaths is on special at 75% off till the 9th of April then it will go back to its original price of $3.99). As from what I’ve seen so far, this is certainly one difficult and challenging game that could potentially make you pull your hair out with one hand and throw your iOS device up against the wall with the other. But hey since when did this stop all you hardcore gamers out there!
Lollipop Chainsaw is being scored by Akira Yamaoka (of Silent Hill 2 fame) and Jimmy Urine (of Mindless Self Indulgence fame). Today we get a ton information on the game’s official soundtrack, which on top of the original score by Akira Yamaoka and Jimmy Urine, will contain several licensed songs.
The full tracklist for the licensed music is as follows:
Lollipop – The Chordettes
Pac Man Fever – Buckner & Garcia
Rock ‘N’ Roll (Will Take You To The Mountain) – Skrillex
The Way of the Fist – Five Finger Death Punch
Stop Reading, Start Doing Pushups – Destroy Rebuild Until God Comes
Riot Rhythm – Sleigh Bells
Turtle Crazy – Toy Dolls
1,000 Cigarettes – MSTRKRFT
Heroes Of Our Time – Dragonforce
Nemesis – Arch Enemy
Needled 24/7 – Children of Bodom
Mickey – Toni Basil
You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) – Dead or Alive
Empire State Human – The Human League
Cherry Bomb – Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
Speed – Atari Teenage Riot
You can also view some behind the scenes footage of the game’s soundtrack process in the video below, where Akira and Jimmy share some of their insight.
Sine Mora Publisher: Microsoft Developer: Digital Reality & Grasshopper Manufacture Platforms:Xbox 360 Release Date: 21/03/2012 Price:1200 Microsoft Points
Overview:
The shoot ’em up (shmup) genre is viewed by many to be stagnant, because at a cursory glance they all play and feel almost exactly alike, with some aesthetic and design differences. However, purists will tell you otherwise as these games are all about the intricate details that many of us fail to notice and appreciate. Things like hit boxes, bullet patterns, and even the pattern of the type of shot are all intricate details that play a major role in the core gameplay mechanics, and the understanding of which is absolutely crucial to mastering the game. Thankfully there has been some profound evolution in the shmup design philosophy and the best example here is Treasure, as they were able to give the genre a lasting reputation thanks to their groundbreaking titles like Radiant Silvergun (1998) and Ikaruga (2001).
Gamers still seem get a major kick of out the pure gameplay bliss and intensity that shmups provide, and as such still have a demand. The Xbox 360 in particular has become the new home for the genre, particularly in Japan where there are still full priced disc based releases for these games, and also a really good selection on Xbox Live Arcade.
With companies like Cave viewed as current the leader in the shmup market releasing numerous titles like DoDonPachi, and the lack of any new Treasure shooter since the legendary Ikaruga, the genre started to become a niche thing again with most new releases not offering anything more than what only hardcore loyalists would appreciate. That all changed when Grasshopper Manufacture (No More Heroes, Shadows of the Damned, Lollipop Chainsaw) and Digital Reality announced a new game called Sine Mora, a game that they claimed was going to breathe new life into the tried and tested genre and take it to the next level.
The buildup for this game looked promising, and it became clear that Sine Mora had a lot of ambition in terms of what it wanted to accomplish. It was over ten years ago when Ikaruga made a profound contribution to the evolution of shmups, and Sine Mora was hyped as the next big thing for the genre. The game has now been unleashed exclusively on the Xbox Live Arcade, does it succeed at what it intended to do?
Story:
Sine Mora is backed by this really amazing lore and has a very rich and immersive in-game world. While the game is an intense twitch-heavy shoot ‘em up at the end of the day, it still gives you the feeling that you are part of this really big world without showing you too much of it. Only a few games have managed to invoke that kind of feeling, games like Panzer Dragoon and the first Gears of War game.
The premise of Sine Mora revolves around a large scale war with a time travel twist. What’s compelling about the story is that it sheds a lot of light on the lore, cultures, and inhabitants that make up the in-game world, and it becomes clear how well developed it is. Much focus is on the personal turmoil and journey of the game’s various characters, riddled with themes of revenge, discovery, and personal dilemmas.
The game has a rather interesting cast of characters, you learn much about their past, their experiences, and relationships, and watch how they face triumph, anguish, and absolutely brutal irony. They are really compelling and powerful, and they tell a pretty deep story.
The narration style of Sine Mora is almost identical to that of Panzer Dragoon Orta, as it narrates the story in a very surreal and vague manner that focuses on the perspectives and personal insight of the game’s characters, rather than providing you with a general overview. The world is as the characters of the game portray it to be, and that’s a really fascinating style of narration. There is a large amount of dialogue exchanged between characters during gameplay that is often hard to keep up with but for a fast paced shooter like Sine Mora, this really is the best way to go. Overall, it works and you feel like you’re part of an epic tale amidst all the frantic shooting action.
Visuals:
Sine Mora is an amazing sight to behold in terms of both the graphics engine and artistic direction. The game looks truly remarkable and exceptional, packing a visual punch that will leave you dazed and awestruck.
The art style of Sine Mora is incredible and it has a strong surrealist vibe to it. The game has a fairly large cast of characters and in terms of artistic design, they are unlike the usual Japanese manga/anime designs you would expect as they look truly unique and refreshing. The art direction has this strong ‘Diesel Punk’ essence to it that really shines in the in-game world design, boss designs, and character attire, as they all have the aesthetics of World War period with a postmodern technological twist to them.
All the characters are anthromorphic in nature, humanoid looking animals such as a leopard and a bison. Their art style is truly refreshing, with the character illustrations handled by Gez Fry who introduces a unique surreal style to character designs that are almost akin to what can be found in games like Panzer Dragoon Orta. The designs of the monstrous mechanical behemoths that serve as the game’s bosses benefits from the artistic magic of Mahiro Maeda, most notable for the iconic Neon Genesis Evangelion anime franchise. Fry and Maeda together give life and character to the world of Sine Mora.
The artistic splendor doesn’t stop here as the levels in Sine Mora feature some truly stunning backdrops, unlike most shoot ‘em ups where backdrops are boring and repetitive. The locations that will see in this game include beautiful coastal areas, ancient runes, luscious green jungles, dark and brooding factories, underwater caravans, and even cities bustling with life. There is so much variety and attention to detail in the backdrops, with lots of nice animations and particle effects.
The graphics engine does an excellent job to bring life to game’s art style and attention to detail. It has a nice clean 3D look with some jaw dropping set pieces and character models. The particle effects look brilliant too, particularly the water effects, and it makes good use of lighting and colour tones.
Fans of the long-running Worms franchise may know that the studio behind the games, Team 17, has operated without the input of Andy Davidson, the series’ original creator, for the last fourteen years.
Team 17 announced today that Davidson has rejoined the studio, in an unspecified creative role.
Davidson presented the original concept to Team 17 at a trade show in 1994, after entering the prototype in a contest run by a games magazine. The studio took him and his prototype on board, until he left for personal and professional reasons a few years later.
“I left Team17 feeling I hadn’t finished what I wanted to achieve, but for professional reasons I knew I had to walk away”, he said. “It’s nice to be back at Team17, it’s as though there’s been a revolution in the studio itself – there’s a real creative buzz about the place.”
Of course, this “revolution” is probably due to the upcoming Worms Revolution, announced on Friday. Andy’s first order of business will be to provide creative support on the new title, as well as developing some new ideas he’s been working on.
It will be interesting to see what impact this might have on the studio, and specifically the Worms franchise. Maybe we’ll see some new IP on the horizon.
50 Classic Games Developer: Cerasus Media Publisher: Avanquest Software Genre: Mini-game Platform: Nintendo 3DS Release Date: Out Now
Overview:
You may remember we reviewed a similar mini-game compilation from the same publisher, 1001 Touch Games, the major difference being that was on the original DS whereas 50 Classic Games is a 3DS game. Now, I know you may be thinking “50 games doesn’t nearly compare to 1001”, but, as I established in its review, there wasn’t in fact 1001 individual games. The total there included the different levels within the same mini-game in order to generate such a total. The real total was probably more likely in the region of 50, or alternatively, if you applied the same practice of counting the levels to 50 Classic Games, the figure would be nearer to 1001.
Gameplay:
I don’t mean for this to be a comparison of the two games, but as they’re both very similar and both from Avanquest Software, I can’t help it. I am also going to start with a rather dull topic on the game: the menus. Although 1001 Touch Games’ menus were satisfactory, it seemed to lack finesse in the organisation department, as it seemed more like a mess of mini-games than a carefully maintained database. The menus in 50 Classic Games, on the other hand, are sleek and professional, putting 1001 Touch Games’ menus to shame.
The 50 games are divided into four categories: Board Games, Card Games, Action and Puzzles. This makes it incredibly easy to go in and select the specific game you’re looking for, as there can be no doubt or confusion as to which box the mini-game you had in mind would be in. So there we are. Menus. It shouldn’t matter but it does. It just gives the indication of a higher level of polish, and there are even neat touches like marking played games with a star, which helps identify your favourites.
Now for the games, and boy is it a good collection. The four different categories ensure a fantastic range. Firstly, there’s Card Games, which is home to the likes of Blackjack and Texas Hold ‘Em poker, which are great to have access to for a quick game on the move, especially for those who enjoy these card gambling games more than your average person. Sadly, there’s no cumulative total of chips, which I’m sure some people would have found satisfying if it had been included.
However, it is a bit too easy to get a large haul of chips, for one single reason – and I’m not talking about being a good poker player. It’s easy to win in these betting games because of the weak AI. Unfortunately, the computer players seem to have been programmed to fold whenever you raise the stakes really high. Simply put, build up the pot by calling and betting small amounts, then when the pot is big enough, you only have to throw in all your chips and the computer players will chicken out to leave you with the entire pot.
If anything, this weak AI draws attention to another issue: there’s no multiplayer. It was disappointing to see it wasn’t included in 1001 Touch Games and it’s disappointing to see there’s no mention of it in this. This makes the weak AI a bigger problem than it needs to be. Half-witted AI is to be expected and isn’t a problem if you have the option of playing intelligent human players, but without multiplayer you are stuck with these morons, detracting from the gameplay experience a fair old whack.
Elsewhere, there are other top notch games in the other categories. Most of their success is down to the genius of the concepts behind the classic games, rather than anything on the developers’ part, though the conversions are still good, as all the rules come through in tact. For example, there’s chess, peg solitaire, battleship, match-3 – these games on their own can provide hours of entertainment, and they are only part of a wider package.
Then there’s the puzzles, which can last you ages thanks to many of them having multiple levels and difficulty settings. For instance, Mahjong has 300 different puzzles to work your way through. Occasionally there were issues with interpreting puzzles when they were too small or being looked at from an odd angle – Mahjong for the former and a crate-pushing game for the latter.
Visuals & Audio:
Through almost no fault of its own as it has merely tried to adapt to use the 3DS’ 3D upper screen, 50 Classic Games has jeopardised the functionality of some of the games for 3D. Most of the time, it’s just an ugly effect which it is advised you keep switched off, but sometimes, like in the aforementioned crate-pushing game, they have changed the game in order to suit the 3D. In that particular instance the game adopts an isometric diagonal viewpoint to emphasise the puzzle coming out of the screen at you, although what this does is make it fiddly to manipulate the puzzle using the circle pad from this angle.
However, visual problems aren’t commonplace throughout – it is just a select few games where problems have been caused by the 3D. Otherwise, the cross-use of the touch screen and the upper screen works well, especially on action games like darts and air hockey.
Overall:
Overall, another top notch game compilation from Avanquest Software. These really are classic games – of the lot, there are only a few duds. It’s not without its problems – the occasional visual difficulty, the at times mediocre AI, the lack of multiplayer – but the game is enjoyable in spite of them.
The Uncanny Valley is Capsule Computers new documentary web series telling human stories within geek culture. From game competition, to cosplay and zombie walks we take an honest look.
Make sure you check out our KICKSTARTER page and visit us onFACEBOOK to show some support!
The Global Game Jam is a worldwide competition where groups have just 48 Hours to create a game from start to finish. This episode we followed Team Blackwolf; a group of 5 university students who won a 48 Hour game competition the previous year. We follow them from start to finish to see how they went.
Sometimes it’s hard to describe things. You have a clear idea of what it is in your head and the moment you try and put words to it everything fumbles out of your mouth and it sounds like nonsense. This is not what our show is about. What it is about… is, well it’s about a lot of things. It’s about life, it’s about love, it’s about you.
The Uncanny Valley is a documentary styled show that tells stories about people who love things not because they’re cool; but for the pure sake of loving them. It’s about that time you camped out in the rain for first screening tickets to Star Wars; but it’s not about Star Wars. It’s about all those hours spent putting together and crafting the perfect costume for that cosplay convention; but it’s not about anime. It’s even about how you took first place in that Starcraft competition; but it’s not about video games.
This is a show about the people who never let that childlike love of things escape.
Be sure to also check out the 2nd & 3rd Episodes of The Uncanny Valley below.
Activision have released another trailer in anticipation of the sequel to critically acclaimed Transformers: War for Cybertron game, Transformers: Fall of Cybertron. The trailer is called ‘Our World’, and focuses on the titular Fall of Cybertron, the world of the Transformers.
Both games are prequels to the Transformers cartoon canon and feature the events that took place before they evacuated to Earth. The trailer ‘Our World’ features just about everything a Transformers fan could ask for, badass Transformers, destruction, explosions and of course the obligatory dub step track to back the carnage.
Check out the trailer below and let us know what you think in the comments section. Transformers: Fall of Cybertron will be released on the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 on August 29th, 2012.
While the internet is heating up with enraged customers who lined up from 7am this morning for Dick Smiths 7 million dollar sale to get themselves a bargain only to leave shaking their heads as to where the stores stock had magically disappeared to, the real question remains as to how much of the blame should be placed on Dick Smith themselves. What we need to remember is that the so called price lists were actually leaked documents, the source being irrelevant unless perpetrated by the company themselves to bait customers into their flailing stores. If so then its a matter for the ACCC or some other governing ody to decide as im guessing they dont take to kindly to retailers tricking the public. From working in retail for many years I can tell you that these are nothing more than database dumps of deleted lines, quit stock, end of the line, whatever you want to call them they are largely unavailable even if you wanted them at full price. So to walk into your local store expecting a PSP 3000 for any price is illogical as they havent been available anywhere for quite some time. Even visiting other gaming stores you wont find a lot of the items that were listed for the ridiculously low prices that we viewed online. The lists are just items that have been in stock and on the order sheets and potentially could be floating around stores even if not listed on the computers database.
There are also many different revisions and the item YOU think is on the list might be the older version in a older box, or have been returned for some reason or other not to mention lost and repaired stock. For example the MSP cards advertised were NOT the current ones but much older stock that was in some stores but not all. Additionally there were many items not even on the lists that were almost free, i got many PSP and PS2 games as well as DJ HERO 2 all for $1 each so there was some stock.
The biggest issue that customers are complaining about is the way in which the sale was handled. When management or the powers in charge realised the leak had occurred they acknowledged via Twitter and Facebook that the sale was real and was going to go ahead online from 8am and in stores from 9am. While they stressed that stock was limited what they failed to tell us what that firstly STAFF had first pick on most items as confirmed by many customers and by myself at my local store which i shall not name as I am not a Dick like some and do not want the manager to lose their job. I went in at 9am and asked for an xbox 360 4gb slim rugby pack for $100 as the website said they had plenty of stock. I was told they had none, only to return later to see a guy purchasing one. When I asked the manager I was told he was staff and had put it away so he could come and buy it. The same went for all the DSi consoles plus multiple other things all confirmed by the manager that they were held for staff only. Secondly there was 19 items available to buy online and all others had been changed to instore only. Customers were told to check stock levels online which they all did only to return first thing in the morning to find it all gone. I dont object to a store being out of stock, I do object to being told we dont have it only to find out it was put on hold for staff.
Clearly their is no policy implemented in the company that prevents staff from getting first dibs on items, a policy that exists even within charity organisations such as St Vinnies where VOLUNTEERS will be told to leave if they act in such a manner. I watched many staff throughtout my retail years get fired for putting items on hold to act on impeding sales and get a good bargain for themselves. What might act in their favour is that this was not an advertised sale and therefore might be exempt from the same rules and regulations as catalogue deals. Either way the whole situation has been handled in the wrong manner. Staff are being purposely smug about the fact that they are stockpiling the big console packs for themselves and their are reports of them walking through hoards of customers with bags of now sold out gear. While I will not boycott Dick Smith as they cant be held responsible for every staff member they should never have advertised the sale if they had planned to sell 90% of the stock internally. This is baiting pure and simple and misleading the public into visiting your store on false pretenses.
Ive said enough, my conclusion is that even if staff are legally allowed to take all the good items for themselves it is unethical to allow it and still lead the public into believing they would get the item through false online records or sheer laziness in updating it. Stupid is as stupid does and putting the items away is one thing but telling customers they are on hold for staff is pretty dumb by anyones standards.
