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Microsoft’s Spring Showcase reveals tons of new games

Today Microsoft hosted a Spring Showcase, featuring many new video game titles that will playable in the coming year.  Original titles were revealed for PC, Kinect, Xbox 360 and Windows Phone 7.  However, they also revealed interesting details for many games we already knew were coming out, such as the latest Fable and Halo 4. For video recaps of the event, check out Major Nelson’s blog post.  For other details, keep scrolling your mouse! Which game are you most looking forward to?

If you want to check out the latest trailer for Halo 4, be sure to scroll all the way to bottom of the post until you hit the video!

  • Xbox 360

o    Halo 4  (343 Industries) – Get an exciting first look at this year’s most anticipated blockbuster, “Halo 4,” through a behind-the-scenes video on Halo Waypoint.  Launching late 2012, “Halo 4” takes the iconic franchise in a bold new direction with the return of Master Chief, and the beginning of a new saga.

o    “Forza Horizon” (Playground Games) – “Forza Horizon” is a fast-paced, pick-up-and-play racing game and the newest entry in the “Forza Motorsport” franchise.  Available next spring, the game is being created in partnership with acclaimed racing development studio Playground Games.

o    Forza Motorsport 4  (Turn 10 Studios) – Available this autumn, the Porsche Expansion Pack for “Forza Motorsport 4” will contain 30 modern and classic Porsche vehicles from the iconic German manufacturer, seven of which are new to the “Forza” franchise.

o    Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City (Slant Six Games, Capcom) – Program the Nemesis and unleash devastating attacks on your opposing squad in an exclusive fifth online competitive multiplayer versus battle available only for Xbox 360.   

o    Gears of War 3  (Epic Games) – The curb-stomping fun continues with the release of the “Forces of Nature” map pack for “Gears of War 3” on March 28.  Included in the game’s Season Pass or available for 800 Microsoft Points, “Forces of Nature” will feature five maps, new characters, new weapon skins and a 250 Gamescore. Also, starting March 28, “Gears of War 3” will be available through Games on Demand.

o    Dragon’s Dogma  (Capcom) – Explore the woodlands surrounding a collapsed fortress and battle against its fearsome inhabitants, including a monstrous Cyclops, a vicious Chimera and a savage Drake Dragon.  Additionally, purchasers of the Xbox 360 version of “Dragon’s Dogma” will be able to redeem a token and download the “Resident Evil 6” demo globally on Xbox LIVE®Marketplace 60 days earlier than on any other platform, starting July 4.

o    Darksiders II  (THQ/Vigil Games) – Explore non-playable character gameplay interaction with exclusive fiction reveals from the vast Makers Realm in “Darksiders II.”  Fans who pre-order the game will receive a complimentary upgrade to the Limited Edition, or can pick up the Collector’s Edition.

 

  • ·  Kinect on Xbox 360

o    “Fable: The Journey” (Lionhead Studios) – From the creative geniuses at Lionhead, “Fable: The Journey” is a whole new way to experience the deep storyline, heart-pounding action and picturesque world of Albion. “Fable: The Journey” launches next spring on Kinect for Xbox 360.

o    Mass Effect 3 (BioWare, Electronic Arts) – Step into the role of Commander Shepard and use voice controls to direct squad mates during battle and command weapon selection to quickly engage in combat. “Mass Effect 3” supports dozens of commands to interact with the world and the characters, without pausing the action.

o    Kinect Star Wars (Microsoft Studios) – In “Kinect Star Wars,” available April 5, Star Wars fans can physically hone their Jedi skills, wield the power of the Force in their hands, pilot iconic ships and vehicles, rampage as a vicious rancor monster and dance with iconic Star Wars characters.

o    Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13  (Electronic Arts) – Featuring a more immersive Masters Tournament experience as well as Kinect for Xbox 360 integration, the world’s number one golf video game is back with “Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 13.”

o    Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor  (Capcom) – Launching on June 20,  fight side by side with your comrades and retake Manhattan Beach from the enemy. Defend your infantry and blast every VT that crosses your path!

o    Kinect Rush: A Disney•Pixar Adventure  (Microsoft Studios) – Pixar fans will be able to scan themselves into an avatar based on their favorite character from Disney•Pixar’s “Up” and venture into the vast interior of the Spirit of Adventure. Players will also team up with characters from “The Incredibles,” “Ratatouille,”  “Cars” and “Toy Story” to solve puzzles and uncover secrets.

o    Dance Central 2  (Harmonix) – Experience new add-on songs from electro-pop sensations LMFAO, including their hit single “Party Rock”.

o    Kinect Sports: Season Two  (Rare Studios, Big Park) – Launching worldwide on April 4, the all-new basketball game add-on content puts players’ basketball skills to the test by shooting, passing, and scoring with the new activities.

 

  • · Xbox LIVE Arcade

o    “Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition”  (4J Studios, Mojang) – Coming to Xbox LIVE Arcade in autumn 2012, “Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition” brings the global PC phenomenon to gamers for the first time on any console platform.

o    “Wreckateer” (Iron Galaxy) – “Wreckateer” uses Kinect for Xbox 360 to put players in control of a massive castle-wrecking ballista. With the help of Wreck and Tinker, players can travel the land and destroy 60 castles infested with goblins using six magical projectiles.

o    “Fable Heroes”  (Lionhead Studios) – “Fable Heroes” delivers a fresh spin on the “Fable” franchise with an action-packed hack-and-slash adventure on Xbox LIVE Arcade.

o    “Trials Evolution”  (RedLynx/Ubisoft) – Coming soon are new “Trials Evolution” maps in the next dimension of the smash-hit, award-winning “Trials HD.”

o    “Tony Hawk Pro Skater HD” (Robomodo, Activision) – Activision’s “Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD” for Xbox LIVE Arcade takes the best elements of “Tony Hawk Pro Skater” and “Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2” and upgrades them with sharp visuals and fresh content.

o    “South Park: Tenorman’s Revenge”  (South Park Digital Studios, Other Ocean Interactive) – Scott Tenorman is back and he wants revenge!  Play multiplayer with Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny to take on Tenorman and his army of Ginger robots before they destroy South Park!

o    “Counter-Strike: Global Offensive”  (Hidden Path Entertainment, Valve) – The all-new “Demolition” mode in “Counter-Strike: Global Offensive” delivers a fast-paced game experience made up of tight small maps to get into the action quickly.

o    “Quantum Conundrum”  (Airtight Games, Square Enix) –  Enter a new dimension – the heavy dimension – in  the latest environment-bending feature in the quirky, first-person puzzle game “Quantum Conundrum” from Square Enix and Airtight Games.

o    “Bloodforge”  (Climax Studios) – “Bloodforge” combines devastating melee, ranged and magical attacks to deliver a fast-paced, bloodthirsty, brutal combat experience available exclusively on Xbox LIVE Arcade.

o    “Deadlight” (Tequila Works) – “Deadlight,” a brand new experience for Xbox LIVE Arcade, is a narrative-driven puzzle platformer set in the post-apocalyptic 80s devastated by a zombie epidemic.

o    “Diabolical Pitch”  (Grasshopper Manufacture) – Available beginning April 4, Kinect for Xbox 360 turns  living rooms into playing fields and the “Diabolical Pitch” is the main attraction.

o    “Joe Danger: The Movie”  (Hello Games) – Race jetpacks against hoverboards and skis against skidoos in all-new multiplayer modes in “Joe Danger: The Movie.”

 

  • · Xbox 360 Hardware

o    Xbox 360 Kinect Family Bundle – The Xbox 360 Kinect Family Bundle features everything a family needs to get started playing together. Available globally beginning February 29 for AU $399.00 RRP , the bundle includes a limited edition all-white Xbox 360 4GB console, white Kinect sensor, white Xbox 360 wireless controller, “Kinect Sports,” “Kinect Adventures,” and a three month subscription to Xbox LIVE Gold—the complete Xbox 360 experience.

 

  • · Games for Windows

o    “Microsoft Flight”  (Microsoft Studios) – Available to download at the Microsoft Flight website , “Microsoft Flight” is a new Windows PC game that lets players jump into the thrill of flight with no special hardware or past experience. This spring, fans will be able to purchase the Journey to Alaska Pack, the second in a series of expansion packs for the game with over 1.2 million square miles of captivating scenery, additional missions and new aircraft.

 

  • · Windows Phone

o    “Carcassone” (Microsoft Studios) – The award-winning tile-based board game “Carcassonne” is coming to Windows Phone! With the online multiplayer, Xbox LIVE achievements, leaderboards and more, this game never gets old.

o    “Civilization Revolution” (2K) – Award winning Sid Meier’s “Civilization Revolution” is coming to Windows Phone!  Build, Discover, Rule the world.

o    “DODONPACHI” (CAVE) – An original shooter by Arcade veteran CAVE is arriving for Windows Phone.  Can you handle EVAC Industries’ Maximum Bullet Simulator.

o    “GeoDefense Swarm” (Microsoft Studios) – The fast-paced tower defense game “GeoDefense Swarm” for Windows Phone gives the power to obliterate a horde of vibrant, vector-styled enemies with multiple weapons of choice.

o    “Gerbil Physics” (Microsoft Studios) – In “Gerbil Physics,” a physics-based puzzle game that blows up buildings made of gerbils for Windows Phone, it’s all about adorable destruction.

o    “Pinball FX2” (Microsoft Studios) – “Pinball FX2” for Windows Phone features new tables and all-new features including a state-of-the-art physics model and a connection to your Xbox 360 “Pinball FX2” scores.

o    “Pirates!” – Available now on Windows Phone, Sid Meier’s “Pirates!” is an exciting high-seas adventure overflowing with intense pirate action and a treasure chest of gameplay riches!

o    “Pro Evolution Soccer 2012” (Konami) – This autumn, the unrivalled and award-winning football simulation from Konami is entering a new season on Windows Phone!

o    “Shoot 1UP!” (Microsoft Studios) – This autumn, an armada of ships is coming to Windows Phone in “Shoot 1UP.”

o    “Wordament” (Microsoft Studios) – In the world of “Wordament” for Xbox LIVE, Windows Phone word searchers across the whole Internet compete on the same board, in real-time, to get the highest score.

 

 

Razer Hydra Motion Sensing Controller Now Supports Steam Games

Leading game peripheral makers, Razer, team up with Sixense, a motion-control group to create the latest and best in motion control technologies, the Razer Hydra. And with the coming of this new control platform comes a new way to play on the leading PC platform, Steam.

That way of playing, motion controls. Players with the Hydra controller will notice that many Steam titles, such as Team Fortress 2, L4D2 and Half-Life 2 have all had this motion control experience added to their controls. Even better, Portal 2 will have new levels specifically designed with the Hydra in mind for players with the controller to enjoy.

“The Razer Hydra’s magnetic motion-sensing technology is the fastest and most precise to deliver a level of gaming immersion other motion-sensing tech in the industry right now can only dream of. Gamers are going to experience Valve’s new and legacy games in an amazing and fun way”, said Robert ‘RazerGuy’ Krakoff, President, Razer USA.

 

“Sixense is excited to bring the Razer Hydra motion gaming experience to the Steam community,” said Amir Rubin, CEO and Co-Founder, Sixense. “By wrapping Sixense MotionCreator inside Steam, the PC and Mac gaming platform of choice for both gamers and developers, we are able to provide plug-and-play functionality for the Razer Hydra to showcase our innovative motion gaming modes across game genres.”

Be sure to grab the Razer Hydra bundled with Portal 2 here, or the standalone unit here.

Lollipop Chainsaw cartwheels to North America and Europe in June

Lollipop Chainsaw is probably one of the most unique games we will see all year, however Suda 51’s crazy little zombie killing cheerleader only had a vague 2012 release date. That was until today when Warner Bros. announced at GDC that the game is scheduled to be released on June 12th in North America. Europeans will need to wait a day longer as it will be released on June 13th there.

For those who don’t know about the game yet, players will play as Juliet Starling, a cheerleader who uses a colorful chainsaw to kill any zombies that get in her path, especially the ones that have invaded her school.

The Simpsons: Tapped Out Taps Out Temporarily

The Simpsons: Tapped Out has experienced an overload on their servers since its launch on March 1st, causing EA to temporarily remove it from the App Store to try and fix connectivity and lag issues. Bad news for those of you who didn’t manage to grab it in the first few days after its release, but for those who have already gotten it you can continue to play, with EA working hard to fix the issues that the overwhelming demand have caused.

The app will be returned to the App Store once they have fixed up the overload on the servers, although they have yet to give a time frame for when this might be. Given the incredibly positive feedback upon its release, it’s no surprise that it got overloaded. Then again, almost anything with the Simpsons in the title is bound to be a hit if produced properly.

Keep tuned to Capsule Computers for more information about the app as it comes, and when it may be available again for download.

Star Wars: The Old Republic Update Adds Free Trial

Star Wars: The Old Republic will be getting its 1.2 update next month, and in order to get more people hooked on the proverbial crack that is an MMO, Bioware and EA have announced that as of March 6th players can invite friends who haven’t previously played the game to a seven-day free trial.

The trial would allow SWTOR visitors to play up  until the fifteenth level of every class in the game, and they would then have to buy the game to unlock further play time and increase the level cap to the normal 50. The kicker is, they’ll get the game at a discounted price if they buy it digitally.

The 1.2 Update will include a new Operation and Warzone, as well as a new Flashpoint: Lost Island will continue the story from the Flashpoint in the Rise of the Rakghouls update as players keen on raiding will investigate a mysterious island which is the source of the Rakghoul virus virus outbreak. The patch will also bring forth the much vaunted Legacy system, which will allow players to connect their characters as family members, thus unlocking new race options and companion alignments.

So if you have a friend or two who have been on the fence about joining the Jedi or murdering with the Sith, now is the time to give them a taste of SWTOR. This is a limited time offer only, after all.

If you want more details on Patch 1.2, they’ve been busting them out faster than Han could shoot Greedo over at the SWTOR Twitter page.

MotorStorm RC to be free on the PlayStation Vita March 6

You know what is great? Free games. You know what is even greater? Free games for a system which was released not even two weeks ago. All North Americans who own the PlayStation Vita, will be able to download a free copy of MotorStorm RC on the PlayStation Vita. Why will the game be free you ask? Well this is because of Toyota holding a promotion with the game for their upcoming car, the Toyota Scion.

The game will be available for download on March 6th and will include a Toyota Scion iQ inside of the game for free. Sounds neat huh?

NIS America acquires Otome Yōkai Zakuro license [Updated]

NIS America has announced today that they have licensed the Otome Yōkai Zakuro anime series which aired in Japan back in 2010. The thirteen episode series will be released in one package and be renamed simply Zakuro. There release will feature English subtitles and be given the same premium edition treatment that NIS America is known for.

The anime will be released on June 12th. For those who don’t know, the anime is based in historical Japan where humans and yōkai live together. The Japanese government has created a unique branch ofthe military called the Ministry of Yōkai and Humans to handle any incidents between the two races. As such, four human soldiers must live together with five half human, half yōkai girls in an effort to work together to end such issues and maybe even fall in love at the same time.

Update: NIS America has released the below image, giving us a sneak peak of what the Premium Edition of Zakuro will look like.

Dead or Alive 5’s Kasumi battles against Virtua Fighter’s Akira Yuki in latest trailer

Even though we all knew that she would be included, today Tecmo Koei has released a new gameplay trailer for Dead or Alive 5 featuring Kasumi battling against Ayane. Although you may wish to see Kasumi in action, you will likely want to watch the video for another reason entirely. That reason is because Dead or Alive 5 will contain a playable guest character from the Virtua Fighter series, Akira Yuki.

You can see all three characters in action below. Yosuke Hayashi, studio head of Team NINJA described Akira Yuki as “an esteemed competitor” who is “driven by perfection and the desire to relentlessly master his techniques by taking on any challenger.” This marks the second time a guest character has appeared in the Dead or Alive series, with Virtua Fighter being a Sega franchise. The first guest character for the series was Nicole-458 in Dead or Alive 4, a female Spartan from the Halo series.

Darksiders II pre-orders upgraded to Limited Edition version

Those who have pre-ordered Darksiders II will be getting a little bit more than what they expected when they put their money down. THQ has revealed today that anyone who puts down pre-order money on the game will be able to receive a free upgrade to the Limited Edition version of the game. This Limited Edition version of the game will include the first piece of DLC, Argul’s Tomb free. That is pretty much it.

Also announced today, is a Collector’s Edition of the game which can be seen below. This Collector’s Edition will cost $99 and will contain a replica of Death’s Mask, a downloadable “Shadow of Death” armor and scythe set, a digital copy of the soundtrack and a hardcover art book.

Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City gets Nemesis Mode day one

Capcom has released a new trailer for Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City, however this trailer may make you a bit angry if you aren’t a fan of launch day DLC. Today they have revealed that the Xbox 360 version of the title will receive exclusive DLC that will cost 320 MSP if you wish to pick it up.

The DLC is named Nemesis Mode, a mode where players will be able to take control of this giant monstrosity and use it to take out the competition. Have to admit, day one DLC can be seen in two lights, either anger for the fact it was not included on the disc or joy that gamers will be able to expand their experience as soon as possible. Which way do you see this piece of DLC?