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The Squid Girl Season One Collection Review

Jahanzeb Khan
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The Squid Girl Season One Collection Review

The Squid Girl Season One Collection
Studio: Diomedea
Publisher: Madman
Release Date: 15/02/2012
Price: $59.95 – Available Here

Overview:
Squid Girl is a slice of life comedy series with a charming little supernatural twist. It’s about this peculiar humanoid sea creature named simply Squid Girl, and she arrives on the surface with the intention to invade humans and make them pay for polluting the ocean. Things however don’t go exactly as planned as Squid Girl finds herself getting sidetracked.

This season one collection comes in a two disc DVD set, containing 12 episodes and a few little extras. If you’re seen anime comedies such as Lucky Star, then Squid Girl’s style will be quite familiar to you.

Story:
The anime takes place on a small beach located in Japan where Chizuru Aizawa, her younger sister Eiko Aizawa, and younger brother Kakeru Aizawa, together operate a humble little beachside restaurant called the Lemon Beach House. The peaceful and friendly beach is soon visited by Squid Girl, a humanoid sea creature who declares herself as an emissary from the sea, with a mission to invade humanity and make them pay for the pollution they have caused.

However, she quickly realises that invading the surface world is going to be difficult when she fails to even conquer the Lemon Beach House as her base. She pretty much gets dominated by the Aizawa sisters and ends up being forced to work at their restaurant as a waiter to pay off the property damage. Her skills prove useful as her tentacles allow for speedy customer service and she is also able to provide the restaurant with all the squid ink needed for cooking.

Squid Girl appears to be an ordinary girl, but she is pretty much a squid as she has strong tentacles that appear as her hair, and has squid abilities such as being able to spit ink. As a character, she’s just this extremely enthusiastic, hyperactive, and childish person who is easily fooled and amused.

Each episode features a few short story arcs where Squid Girl learns more about the ways of humans and tries to adapt to their lifestyle. Squid Girl has some interesting interactions with the show’s oddball characters, such as her creepy admirer Sanae Nagatsuki, and Cindy Campbell, an American scientist who’s obsessed with taking Squid Girl to the lab for experiments. Her interactions with people teaches her many lessons about friendship, the good side of humanity, and what it means to be a family in the human world.

Even while she’s busy working at the restaurant and exploring human life, Squid Girl never loses sight of her objective to take over the human world. She is most happy when people are afraid of her, but she usually just ends up unintentionally gaining the affection of the local populace (with the exception of one character who is deathly afraid of her). While Squid Girl likes to boast how she is better and stronger than humans, she does however fear and respect the eldest Aizawa, Chizuru, who although appears to be very sweet and soft spoken, can be quite frightening when scorned.

It’s a fun little slice of life style of anime, and is generally pretty cute and innocent. The characters are a charming bunch even though they all fit into typical stereotypes. It follows a similar random pace and progression as the Lucky Star series, with some light hearted jokes and relatable social situations. The writing is loaded with puns as Squid Girl often likes to use terms like “Inkvasion”, “Tentacular”, and “You gotta be Squidding me!”. They’re amusing at first but after a while the charm wears off and it gets a bit cringe worthy and annoying.

It’s a short and sweet 12 episode journey, something you can sit back and enjoy with your brain turned off. The characters are fun and each episode is generally a bag of laughs. Squid Girl herself is someone who will easily win you over with her quirky and adorable behavior.  On a random note, there are some pretty cool Sega references thrown into this anime that you’ll have to keep an eye out for.

Visuals and Audio:
Squid Girl has a bright, vibrant, and colourful look to it and comes across as happy go lucky visually as it does in story and writing. The art style is nice and clean and it animates nicely too. It’s a fun show to look at and all the bright colours help make it visually pleasing and cheerful. The character designs, while generic, are still pretty charming with Squid Girl herself obviously stealing the show in terms of uniqueness. Her design is simple, yet she manages to portray her ‘squidness’ quite well.

The music in this anime is upbeat and cheerful, such as the show’s opening theme, which has this hyperactive pop energy to it. Interestingly, there are some sad and serious moments in the anime, particularly the credits theme which is this really mellow song.

The English dub, just as early reports have suggested, isn’t exactly easy on the ears. Eiko in particular sounds the absolute worst. Still, the dialogue at least translates well into English and retains the quirky ‘Squid Humour’ nicely. Some characters actually sound alright, with Squid Girl retaining her hyperactive demeanor and characters like Chizuru sounding pretty close to their original Japanese dub.

Extras:
The second disc of this collection contains a few little extras, including an interview with the Japanese voice actress of the Squid Girl character, Hisako Kanemoto, who even takes a moment to teach viewers how to make their very own squid girl hat out of paper. There’s also a short and extremely odd OVA episode that is based on this unusual and awkward dream sequence shown in the main series. Nothing particularly exciting, but it’s nice to have a little extra in this small two disc collection.

Overall:
Squid Girl is a fun little series, meant to be enjoyed for what it is and not to be taken too seriously. If you enjoy shows like School Rumble and Lucky Star, with their random and light hearted sense of Japanese humour, then you’ll enjoy the quirky and adorable charms of Squid Girl.

It’s a nicely produced collection with some cool extras, and while the English dub is far from pleasing, you can also switch to the original Japanese dub. Season 1 of Squid Girl is an enjoyable and laidback viewing experience and is recommended to fans of the slice of life genre who want something non-serious.

 7-5-capsules-out-of-10

Side-scrolling mayhem as Ubisoft announce release date for Shoot Many Robots

Darren Resnekov
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Ubisoft and Demiurge studios have announced a release date for a really cool side scrolling shoot em up called Shoot Many Robots of March 13th for Playstation (11.99) users and one day later for XBox 360 (800MPS) fans. After having a look at the trailer which was an interesting insight into the development of this title and how it got to its current state, I was very impressed as the frenzied action reminded me of classic retro titles that were as addictive as they were enjoyable. Shoot many Robots follows P.Walter Tugnut on his mission to destroy and eliminate the onlsaugyht of killer robots being mysteriously produced by a factory. With a huge arsenal of weapons and more importantly, beer at your disposal, direct Walter through this intense action packed side scrolling adventure where shooting anything that moves is essential.

 

Ridge Racer Unbounded Trailer unleashed by Namco

Darren Resnekov
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All Ridge Racer fans can start an early celebration as Namco have unleashed a brand new Ridge Racer Unbounded trailer for their upcoming intense addition to the well known racing franchise. The trailer showcases 3 cars, The Ghoster, The Immortal and the Roadwolf, which are custom cars only available in the limited edition verison of the game, now available to anyone who pre-orders the standard edition. If this isnt a good reason to get in early Im not sure what is.

Ridge Racer Unbounded will be available on 29th March for PC, Playstation 3 and XBox 360 platforms

 

Fire Emblem Awakening’s Japanese Box Art Revealed

Dustin Spencer
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Since late last year, Fire Emblem fans have been foaming at the mouth for more details about the upcoming 3DS title, Fire Emblem Awakening. On the actual news front, not much has changed, but the Japanese boxart has come forward from Nintendo of Japan, and it does indeed look stunning.

As you can see, this art features a good number of characters, such as Krom, Frederick and Liz, all coming together for one snazzy looking cover. Chew on this for now, and once more details (and hopefully a western release date) arise, we will be sure to bring you an update. Stay tuned.

Naruto Generations Minato and Gaara Trailers

Luke Halliday
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Namco Bandai Games have today released two new trailers for the hotly anticipated anime fighting game Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations. The two trailers for the game focus around two characters featured in the game; Naruto’s father Minato and Gaara of the Sand.

The trailers can be seen below this article. The Minato themed trailer is titled ‘Minato’s Story’ and details his characters plot and shows off some of his abilities and moves. The Gaara trailer features much of the same except with Gaara and is titled ‘Gaara’s Story’.

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations is set for a release on the 29th of March, 2012 for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. Check out the trailers and let us know what you think in the shoutbox and comments section below.

[pro-player width=’530′ height=’253′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxsDOXiGhNY&feature=youtu.be&hd=1[/pro-player]

[pro-player width=’530′ height=’253′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtgvZrTs19s&feature=youtu.be&hd=1[/pro-player]

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings – Enhanced Edition New trailers Revealed

Benjamin Webb
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The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings – Enhanced Edition for the Xbox 360 and PC has had some new trailers revealed for it recently. These trailers showcase the games enhancement as well as sporting a few hidden messages that gice you insight into what it is to come for the upcoming re-release.

The original copy of The Witcher 2 was an amazing game from CD Projeckt, that even we loved! This enhanced edition, with it’s enhanced control scheme should prove to be superior to the original edition, and with an extra bunch of hours in some chapters, this will prove to be the definitive version of the game.

[pro-player width=’530′ height=’253′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lr2YU-tlK5Y&feature=youtu.be&hd=1[/pro-player]

[pro-player width=’530′ height=’253′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJiMtPzY568&feature=youtu.be&hd=1[/pro-player]

Kid Icarus: Uprising Story Revealed

Luke Halliday
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Nintendo have today revealed the story line of the forthcoming Nintendo 3DS blockbuster title, Kid Icarus: Uprising. The game which is set for release on the 29th of March, 2012 will come packaged with the Nintendo 3DS stand and 6 Augmented Reality cards based on the game.

Nintendo described the story mode’s plot line in their press release:

The game’s story begins with the return of the Queen of the Underworld, Medusa, and her Underworld Army. Pit, a heroic angel, with the help of Palutena, goddess of light and guardian of the human race, must combat the forces of darkness as he battles Medusa and her minions by air and by land.

For those keeping count at home it was 25 years ago that Kid Icarus first came into existence and it is now 25 years on that the series returns to it’s former glory in what looks to be one of the biggest 3DS games of the year. Let us know what you think of Kid Icarus: Uprising in the shoutbox and comments section.

Rockstar release PC screenshots, ripped Max looking tough

Darren Resnekov
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Despite purely playing consoles these days primarily through lack of funds and space, Max Payne was one the last and best games I remember from my days as a PC elitist. So with the upcoming PC release of Max Payne 3 which will be released on the 29th May in US and 1st June 2012 for Europe, Rockstar have released some sexy looking screenshots, showing off some of the amazing detail to be expected from the PC version. Note the rippling muscles and tendons on Max’s arm, highlighting the amazing attention to graphical detail that Rockstar have described as gloriously increased for both solo and multiplayer.

 

 

 

Syndicate Now Available For NZ Players

Benjamin Webb
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The latest blockbuster from EA and Starbreeze studios is now out for New Zealand players everywhere. That’s right, if you’re in New Zealand instead, you can now purchase the remake of the ever-popular classic turn-based tactical strategy title Syndicate.

Syndicate is the cyberpunk shooter that blends fast-paced action with a futuristic setting, as well as interesting gameplay mechanics involving biochip technology. The world of Syndicate is one filled with Megacorporations that all vie for power over each other in the marketplace and in day to day affairs. These corporations have taken to kidnapping people and redesigning the way these people feel and think, into these drones that do their bidding.

Be sure to check out the official site for more info.

Touch My Katamari Review

Travis Bruno
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Touch My Katamari
Developer: Namco Bandai
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Release Date: February 22, 2012
Price: $29.99 – Available Here

Overview:
The Katamari series has always been one that is instantly recognizable, as there are practically no other games in the market that follow its premise. Beginning with the original Katamari Damacy back in 2004 on the PlayStation 2 the series has seen many iterations over the years however most of these sequels and ports to various platforms were seen as simple cash-ins and weren’t well received by critics. However with the launch of the PlayStation Vita Namco Bandai is looking to bring the King of Cosmos and his Prince back into the limelight with Touch My Katamari. Is this a title to stick into your PlayStation Vita as you roll around the neighborhood?

Story:
It seems that all of those years of fans seeing his games as simplistic and all of the various re-releases as beating a dead horse has affected The King in a serious way. He is all washed up and even he realizes that his in-game fans have lost their love for him as they vent their frustration at him and talk to one another in an all too realistic manner. This is an interesting addition to the story, as Touch My Katamari is all too self-aware about the past titles in the Katamari series.

However the King isn’t a man to take things lying down and he sets the Prince out to address these problems and make everyone happy. However a Katamari title wouldn’t do without some sort of side story running alongside the main story. As players progress there are various animated story chapters that follow a hikikomori (shut-in) gamer that is struggling with trying to grow up and live a normal life but still loving his otaku culture. To put it simply, Touch my Katamari provides yet another hilarious story full of self-aware snarkiness and the same off the wall content that the Katamari series is known for.

Audio & Visual:
The Katamari games have always had a certain aesthetic charm and Touch My Katamari is no different from any of the others in the series in this regard. The world of Touch My Katamari is full of boxy people, boxy animals, practically boxy anything all colored with easy on the eyes pastel colors, though be prepared for plenty of brightly colored custcenes. The King of Cosmos still looks as outrageous as ever, though some people may be a bit scared with his new more-human looking face.

As players roll throughout the levels they will be treated to an infectious J-Pop soundtrack with plenty of enjoyable songs that have a dangerous chance of getting stuck in your head, and also match perfectly with the style of the game as you roll throughout a level and pick up dice, dogs, children and even buildings as each level is chock full of items able to be picked up, practically everything in a level can be stuck to your ball.

Gameplay:
For the uninitiated, Touch My Katamari is all about rolling an extremely sticky ball throughout a level and getting everything possible stuck to it as you roll around trying to make your ball as big as possible. You will start by picking up very tiny things such as erasers, pairs of dice and the bigger your ball gets the larger stuff it can pick up. Touch My Katamari doesn’t break any new ground as far as goals go however, as players will still be performing the same task.

On the other hand, Touch My Katamari does change things up occasionally by providing various challenges that must be fulfilled or goals that must be met, such as using only a certain amount of objects to increase the size of your ball to the required amount or even picking up only a certain type of object. These offer a bit of a different challenge but still don’t stray too far from the standard Katamari experience.

As you play through you will earn Candy which is then able to be used to unlock more songs for your auditory pleasure, more outfits which you can then use to dress up the King in his own little dress up room and then scare others with how creepy he can look at times or other unlockables such as the ability to play endlessly on certain levels or control a faster sped up version of the ball. Those looking to play with others will need to look elsewhere however, as the only multiplayer mode is through the Vita’s Near app which allows gamers to find other players locally and try to beat their records.

One noticeable improvement that Touch My Katamari has over past portable versions of the Katamari games is that this is the first time that we are able to control the system using two analog sticks, which means the game is able to be controlled exactly like the original console versions of the game were. However for those who want to get the most out of their Vita’s capabilities you can also use the touch control options to move the ball around; however this flicking motion is something that ended up becoming tiresome quickly as the control system with the analog sticks was much easier to use.

The other two touch mechanics included however are much more useful and are enjoyable to use and provide a bit of fresh air for the standard gameplay. New for the Katamari series, players either stretch or compress their ball by using a two finger pull or pinch motion on the screen. Players are able to pull a wide flat Katamari that appears similar to a rolling pin that will pick up smaller items in a wider rolling path, while the compressed version may make it easier to reach areas that were previously inaccessible.

Overall:
When all is said and done Touch My Katamari doesn’t break the mold of the Katamari series however it does make enough interesting adjustments that will motivate fans and newcomers to come give it a shot. There still isn’t too much extra to do besides roll your ball around and collect various objects, but in the end it is just plain enjoyable. However some Katamari fans may be put off by the fact that in the end, Touch My Katamari is nearly more of the same game they’ve seen multiple times before.

Touch My Katamari is a title that both looks and plays better than ever and also epitomizes the fact that portable gaming allows the player to roll around picking up objects for a few minutes and then put it away without any harm done, easily making Touch My Katamari the best portable Katamari game to date.

8-0-capsules-out-of-10

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