Nintendo of Australia have confirmed with us that Pokemon: Black 2 and Pokemon: White 2, the sequels to the critically acclaimed Pokemon: Black and Pokemon: White games, will be released later this year in Spring 2012.
The original games in the Black and White series broke sales records down under by selling 77,000 copies within it’s first week of release roughly a year ago in March 2011. It garnered similar success worldwide which has lead Nintendo to announce that both games will be receiving direct sequels (a divergence from the 3 game pattern of the franchises past).
Black 2 and White 2 will be release on the Nintendo DS and will of course be playable on 3DS consoles (only in 2D however).
The first instalment of downloadable content for Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning titled The Legend of Dead Kel is now available on the Xbox Live Marketplace, Playstation Network and Steam.
The Legend of Dead Kel features a whole new story within the world of Amalur, focusing on the legend of Dead Kel. That’s right, Kel is Dead and along with his introduction is a truck load of undead for you to slay in this undead adventure in the Kingdoms of Amalur.
Be sure to pick up a copy of the DLC pack now for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3 or PC. If you thought that Reckoning needed more zombies, your wish has been granted.
Mass Effect 3 : From Ashes Developer: BioWare Publisher: EA Platform: PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 (reviewed) Release Date: March 08, 2012 Price: $9.99
Overview:
Controversy! Controversy! Controversy! It was in the game already! Oh no it wasn’t! Oh yes it was!
In case you haven’t been party to this particular pantomime of publicity, Mass Effect 3’s day one DLC has suffered from a bit of negative press. Besides the fact that it was day one downladable content, some players claimed to have found code in the game that suggested From Ashes had begun life as part of the full title, amounting essentially to a cash grab in DLC form. BioWare quickly returned fire, stating that the ‘evidence’ found actually had to be there simply to support the integration of the new content.
Whatever your take on the origins of From Ashes, there’s still one question that needs answering – is it any good? The DLC is a $10 batch of new content, providing fans of the Mass Effect universe with an extra squad member, an extra mission, and some nifty new outfits.
Gameplay:
First off let’s get the small fry out of the way. The new outfits for existing squad members will add very little to the game, but if you like a little aesthetic tweak every now and again they do no harm. Colour swaps abound and a couple of the crew get some silly yet entertaining headgear.
Now, what you’re here for is Javik, the new squad member. He’s one of Mass Effect’s much talked about but never seen Protheans, a survivor from the previous cycle of organic life that lost it’s war with the Reapers. Anyone who has spent time with the series will have an idea of what the race is about, having come across their left behind super technology that seems to enlighten every species going. It was a Prothean beacon that gave Shepard visions of a Reaper in Mass Effect 1, and Liara has spent here whole life studying these seemingly benevolent aliens. Mass Effect 2 gave us a general idea of what the Protheans looked like, presenting us with their mutated, ‘Reaperised’ form in the shape of the Collectors.
From Ashes presents fans with a living, breathing Prothean, recovered from the human colony of Eden Prime by the ever busy Cerberus. The new mission that comes with the DLC takes place on this familiar colony, which despite supposedly being one of the most beautiful colonies around, still has that unfortunate Mass Effect structure of grey boxes and buildings. Cerberus in their goings on have uncovered Javik’s stasis pod, for some reason leaving this incredibly important object relatively unguarded whilst Shepard and crew creep up to it. The mission is a simple one that keeps to the same style as the main campaign, and unfortunately there is little to make it stand out from any other ‘kill Cerberus’ mission.
Whilst the mission is relatively lackluster, the character you gain from it is something of a pleasant surprise. Fans would be forgiven for expecting a somewhat pleasant and wise old thing, but Javik defies expectations and also comes with some entertaining and useful fire power. Born in the business end of the Reaper-Prothean war, Javik led the remaining Prothean army in the last days of the conflict. Aware that they were outnumbered and outgunned, the Protheans decided to best the Reapers by another means – en masse stasis of the remaining Prothean race. Through a series of cut scenes we see the Protheans last days, fully aware that not everything goes quite to plan. Fans of the series will love this glimpse into the past, and it certainly adds a certain depth to the main plot of the game to be able to see another organic life cycle struggle against the Reapers.
And that’s where the strength of From Ashes lies. Javik, in his cut scenes, party dialogue and conversations, provides an awful lot of flesh for Mass Effect’s bones. He brings a unique perspective to many of the events of the main plot, and reveals a civilization that was a lot less benevolent than history has made out. Hungry for vengeance and initially disdainful of his new colleagues, Javik can suddenly become a must for missions just to hear what he has to say about the true nature of the history involved. Of course he kills just as much as he talks, and Javik is certainly not lacking in that department either.
Armed with a particle beam rifle and some pretty cool new powers, Javik is a strong member of any squad. His weapon fires a stream of green particles, keeping up a steady flow of damage against the enemy and not relying on thermal clips. The gun is also available to other party members, although if you want to avoid the entire screen filling up with distracting green beams you’ll certainly limit the use of it. His Lift Grenades fling enemies into the air, which can come in extremely handy in tough situations. Also useful in a tight spot is a biotic power called Dark Channel. This stream of energy will constantly sap the health and energy of an enemy, and if it succeeds in killing him before it runs out, will leap to another enemy nearby. Javik can also spend points on Slam and Pull, rounding out a decent set of biotic skills.
Audio & Visual:
From Ashes is identical to Mass Effect 3 in presentation, no surprises here. Javik is just as detailed and fleshed out as any of the other characters. The Prothean design feels spot on, and the voice actor for Javik does a great job with what could be an unlikeable character. The cut scenes flashing back to the Prothean War don’t provide anything particularly stand out in comparison to some of the main game’s finer cinematic moments, largely making their mark in the story department rather than visually. Javik’s powers make for some flashy battles – and who doesn’t like a pretty death dealing green particle beam?
Overall:
Javik is a formidable soldier with new powers that look great and provide some entertaining moments. Combine that with some revealing dialogue and an intriguing personality and voice actor, and you have what is an essential character to ME3’s limited new squad mate line up. Javik certainly outshines any of Mass Effect 2’s downloadable characters (Kasumi anyone?), and definitely should have been included from the start- he adds far more to the story than any of the new playable characters in Mass Effect 3. Sadly From Ashes is also brought down by it’s only other point of interest being a pretty standard extra mission, so only fans of the series will want to take the $10 plunge on this DLC.
Today it has been confirmed that a second season of the Winter 2012 anime series Recorder and Randsell is in the works. The first season of the series began earlier this year and was simulcast on Crunchyroll for Western viewers.
The series itself is based upon the popular 4 panel manga series from Meme Higashiya, which revolves around a brother and sister, both of whom do not look their age.
A preview trailer for the second season was also released and can be seen below. Be sure to check it out and let us know what you think of Recorder and Randsell getting a second season in the comments section.
Battle Royale Studio: Toei Company Publisher: Madman Entertainment Format: DVD Release Date:February 15, 2012 Price: $29.99 – Available Here
Overview: More than a decade on since the conception of Battle Royale, this film shows little signs of ageing. A lot of films over time can become stagnant and their message can be lost on future generations. That is not the case though with Battle Royale. It is a true testament to the films quality that it can still stand up today and leave just as much of an impact as it did over a decade ago. This isn’t just an ordinary film, this is art.
Quentin Tarantino has went on record to say that Battle Royale is his favourite film and a big influence to his work (Kill Bill in particular). It’s little wonder why such a critically acclaimed director as Tarantino looks to Battle Royale for inspiration, as this film features many elements that film buffs would recognise now as hallmarks of his work.
Whether it’s the aestheticism of violence, the deep plot and rich characters, the profound message beneath it all or it’s impact and affect on film making itself, it’s hard to argue that Battle Royale isn’t a cinematic classic.
Story: Battle Royale is a film that sets out to make an impact. It’s clear from the get go that this is not your ordinary run of the mill film. We see early on that there are bigger things being set into motion and a large scale plan set in mind.
The film revolves around a survival game. Not just any survival game though, the survival game that began all survival games. If you have seen or read any survival game fiction in the past decade there is a high chance that it was inspired by Battle Royale. A current example of which is The Hunger Games, which might as well be the American version of Battle Royale, it’s just that similar. The point I’m making is that this film is genre defining. It’s impact is still felt to this very day and it’s not simply about being a landmark film but being a cultural landmark.
At the time of it’s original release this film received a large amount of backlash from the Japanese public, mostly due to it’s overwhelming amount of violence. At the time youth violence was a major issue in Japanese culture and continues to be to this day. The film is notable for it’s lavish violence involving young people. A lot of politicians and parents were outraged by the film and considered it as promotion of youth violence, when it is in fact the opposite.
Battle Royale follows a high school class that has been placed within the Battle Royale program, a game set in place by the Japanese Government (in a near future scenario) in which each year a randomly selected class is taken to an island and pitted against one another in a battle to the death. The Japanese Government rationalises the Battle Royale program as an attempt to control the population of dangerous youth.
The film does not stop to question the actions of the youths, in fact it openly shows the level of violence these teens can unleash. Instead the films poses a question to the adults, ‘why is it that these kids are the way they are?’ Throughout the film we are given hints towards that answer, but it isn’t until the final moments that the question is even asked. The film’s director, Kinji Fukasaku, a visionary of his craft, does this intentionally. After the final scene the viewer is left to think back on the events of the film and the answer is as clear as day. The youths are a product of the adults that shaped them. That is what he has to say to the adults. You can not blame the children for what you made them, you can only blame yourself. What he has to say to the youths is perhaps the most profound of all. He beckons them to run. Because in a world where you are powerless, what more can you do?
Fukasaku wants to make a change with this film, that is clear from the outset. It’s hard to not be stirred by a film such as this, the acting is deft and the pacing is precise, the message is clear and the timing is right. The emotion of this film could leap generations and even cultures, the message still rings as close to home as it did more than a decade ago and the weight of this film is almost too much for society to handle. It damn near tore apart Japan upon release and to this very day it continues to speak to people. That is the benchmark of a work of art.
Visuals and Audio:
From an aesthetic stand point, Battle Royale is a feast for the eyes. Fukasaku shows that he definitely has an eye for creating atmosphere through his direction and he uses the gorgeous scenery of this moist Japanese island to it’s utmost limits. The beauty of it all is juxtaposed with the gratuitous violence and gore. Through the violence Fukasaku shows passion, emotion, elegance and above all humanity. His visual direction is stunning and has not aged a day in a decade.
When it comes to the film’s sound, it’s best described in one word – ambient. For a film so harsh and brutal, it’s easy to miss the quiet moments and the peaceful melodies intertwined with the darkened world these characters are stuck in. The soundtrack is simply as gorgeous as the films visuals and provides the perfect backing to every single scene, there is never an off moment. That’s what makes it so very good.
Extras:
This special edition DVD release features a plethora of extras for fans to plough through. It is without a doubt the most bonus features I have ever seen for a film, and they aren’t just trivial frivolities, they are full blown behind the scenes content and extra footage that has never before been seen. There is so much on disc that there is just too much to list.
If you are into special features or just a huge fan of Battle Royale, you will have more than enough extras to sink your teeth into, making for what is without a doubt the definitive release of this film.
Overall: Battle Royale is a masterpiece. There is no two ways about it. From start to finish, it is a film that challenges society, breaks down the boundaries of what is right and wrong and even forces the viewer to question themselves. After more than a decade, Battle Royale is still as ground breaking as it was when it was first released. It’s still as profound and it’s still one of the greatest films ever made.
A truly brilliant film is one that makes you think, one that is unbound from the medium itself, it’s something that defies what we think we can take away from a movie, it’s a being that is larger than life and it’s something that means something, not just to the artform, but to the world at large. Battle Royale is one of those films. If you have yet to see Battle Royale, you need to.
What are you waiting for? Run. Run for all you’re worth.
Air Jump Publisher:Apple Developer: Avallon Alliance Ltd. Platforms:iPod Touch, iPad and iPhone (Reviewed) Release Date: March 10, 2012 Price:$0.99 – Available Here
Overview
Platformers and ‘endless mode’ games are probably the most popular games being developed and sold on the App Store. The success of games like Jetpack Joyride and Doodle Jump have spurred many developers to create similar experiences, hoping to snag a piece of that lucrative pie. Into this crowded market leaps Air Jump. Air Jump’s goal is to be a game that taps into the ” synergy between good old Platformers and role-playing games.” Does it succeed in doing so? Gameplay
As a little round ball of fluff (with a super cool haircut), it is your destiny to traverse a dangerous world and seek out the highest score possible. To achieve the highest score possible, you’ll need to jump from platform to platform, avoid scary holes in the ground and kill bad guys who wish to harm you. Air Jump offers shortcuts too. For example, all the platforms are colored differently. If you only jump on matching colors, the combo multiplier will go up faster. If you hit the wrong colored platform, the combo will be lost, although the points gained previously will still count. Killing enemies by jumping on them will also add to the combo multiplier, as will collecting certain items scattered throughout the world. Air Jump has several unique features, but one of the most important is the Air Jump. At the top left of the screen there is an energy meter. You can expend this meter by tapping the screen. This allows the character to jump, even when there is no platform beneath him, thus explaining the meaning of Air Jump. This adds quite a bit of risk/reward options and is a very novel twist to the standard Mario-esque platformer genre. As you pass certain landmarks in the game, called Totems, you will have the opportunity to level up your character. Buying items will allow you to gain more health, deal more damage, receive energy faster, etc. Although Air Jump is not the deepest RPG ever, it is interesting to see the level-up concept applied to this type of platforming game. One annoyance I had with the RPG system is that not all the items were very accurately described and grammatically incorrect language was used. This awful syntax actually was littered throughout the game, but I found it most annoying when I was pondering over which items to buy, and I had no idea what some of them would do when activated. That said, I appreciated that the developer included extensive tutorials, explanations of powerups and other helpful hints in a special Almanac, accessed through the main menu. Another irritation I had in the game was that there were no checkpoints. If you passed thorugh 3 Totems, but failed before reaching the fourth, you were sent back to the main menu, forced to start again and work your way back up to where you left off. Although I realize that many games, like Jetpack Joyride, force you to do this, I found it increasingly annoying in Air Jump and not nearly as well an executed idea. Audio and Visuals
The soundtrack in Air Jump is very catchy, and I found myself humming along quite a few times. Sound effects, for the most part, are quite good. However, whenever the character would perform the Air Jump, he would emit an odd, displeasing sound. I can’t quite describe it, but it was bothersome. Luckily, it is not very loud, and I was able to distract myself from it by listening to the soundtrack of the game instead. One major problem I had with Air Jump is that there is a lack of variety in the environments. All the backgrounds only had slightly different artwork and most of it felt recycled. This is a real shame, as most of the other graphics present are quite pleasing. Character models are funny and interesting, as are enemy types. Nonetheless, it can be quite boring to pass a Totem and realize you are still jumping around in the same stinkin’ forest. Overall
In conclusion, I was very impressed by Air Jump. I liked that the developer strove to fuse different genres together, and I really valued being able to jump around in mid-air. That added a lot of strategy and puzzle elements to the game. For an iOS game, especially a platformer, the game controls very well. Nevertheless, I was very disturbed by the boring backgrounds and lack of checkpoints. It was always so disheartening to be kicked to the main menu and told to try again. If the game would have created checkpoints at each Totem, Air Jump would be substantially improved. All in all though, Air Jump is an engrossing, very addictive title that is deserving of your $0.99.
With Ninja Gaiden 3 landing on store shelves today for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 plenty of you probably already have your hands on Team Ninja and Tecmo Koei’s latest installment tot he series. But now you may be asking, what about that DLC we recently heard about that was being released for free in Japan?
Well we have some good news for you, Tecmo Koei in America revealed today that they will be releasing this DLC in North America completely free of charge. On April 3rd players will be able to download the Falcon’s Talons weapon and the Submarine Carrier multiplayer stage for free with the Eclipse Scythe and Desert stage arriving on April 17th.
While some paid DLC is still on the way, the only thing these two weapons and stages will cost you is some karma as you shred apart your enemies with some more varied brutality. Check out the weapons in action below!
Oh my gosh, could it be? Yes, ladies and gents it is that time of the month again, and thankfully I’m not an enraged walking hormone attacking people with a wooden spoon – splinters kill. Dawning a Sega Rally Online Arcade racing suit, the Pipper is here to announce some crazy awesomeness coming soon to an Xbox near you. We have a nice line-up this week involving some voluptuous savings as well as new downloads to satisfy your gaming hunger.
Deals Of The Week
Well, first up is our Deals of the Week. Exclusively for this week, there is a succulent sale for anything Bioshock 2 related. Finally get your hands on one of the Big Daddy suits at a discount price! As we near the end of the month, a racing banaza of sales will be zooming through. Take another left turn to get Daytona USA or Sega Rally Online Arcade for half off!
Name
Discount Dates
Price
BioShock 2 (2K)
March 20 – 26
Minerva’s Den
400 (50% off)
Rapture Metro Pack
400 (50% off)
Sinclair Solutions Tester Pack
200 (50% off)
Protector Trails
200 (50% off)
Big Sister Outfit
160 (50% off)
Bouncer Big Daddy
160 (50% off)
Bouncer Big Daddy Helmet
80 (50% off)
It’s All About Speed
March 27 – April 2
Forza: American Muscle Car Pack
320 (50% off)
Forza: November Speed Pack
400 (50% off)
Forza: December IGN Pack
320 (50% off)
Forza: January Jalopnik Pack
400 (50% off)
Joe Danger: Special Edition
600 (50% off)
Daytona USA
400 (50% off)
Sega Rally Online Arcade
400 (50% off)
New Releases
Here are the new releases from March 20 to March 28.
Name
Release Date
Microsoft Points
(Games)
Sine Mora
21-Mar
1200
Rayman 3 HD
21-Mar
800
(Game Add-Ons)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Collection 1
20-Mar
1200
Resident Evil: Operation Racoon City Nemesis Mode
20-Mar
320
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning Legend of Dead Kel
20-Mar
800
Gears of War 3 Forces of Nature Map Pack
27-Mar
800
Saints Row: The Third The Trouble with Clones
27-Mar
560
Worms Ultimate Mayhem Customization add-on
28-Mar
400
(Avatars)
Modern Warfare 3 Collection Update
20-Mar
Dance Moves Collection
20-Mar
Halo Update
27-Mar
Trials Evolution
27-Mar
adidas Originals 4 Collection
27-Mar
Zoo Animals
27-Mar
During our last Xbox Live News with Pipper, Konami went on a rampage dealing savings to most of its downloadable titles. Following suit THQ is delivering a half off sale on certain items from March 20 – March 26. Additionally, Xbox Live announced they will be having a sale from March 27 to April 2 for Games on Demand. The current line-up for Games on Demand are as follows: Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Kinect Sports, Gears of War 3, and Two Worlds II.
Hot diggity-dog! With the plethora of deals what will you download in the coming weeks? Let us know in the comments below, don’t forget – Play Hard or Don’t Play at All!
Yesterday Telltale revealed to the world that The Walking Dead The Game will be released in five episode bits starting in “late April.” Today they released the below trailer which not only lets us know how much each episode will cost but also a way to save some money and win a neat contest.
Those who wish to buy each episode separately will need to pay $5 on PSN, PC and Mac, 400 Microsoft Points on XBLA or they can purchase the full $25 season pass from Telltale’s store. However those who pre-order it for the PC and the Mac will receive a 10% discount and only have to pay $22.50. Those who pre-order will also be entered into a contest that will allow players to be drawn into the fourth episode as a human survivor who won’t live very long.
Digital Leisure must have decided that they wouldn’t allow anymore information to be leaked out by lowly ratings boards and have today revealed that not only is Dragon’s Lair coming to the XBLA, it is also going to be using the Kinect.
According to PlayXBLA the game will be the very first XBLA game that will allow players to play with either the Kinect or the traditional controller set up. As seen above players can perform various actions to avoid dangers, though some will obviously choose to play with the normal controller. Good to see that even an ancient title like Dragon’s Lair can still see some new features.
