The “EA Daily Deals” program continues with all new sales today on some of EA’s offering on iOS and Android platforms.
The biggest deal today being 50% off of Dead Space for iPad through December the 10th. The critically acclaimed game was recently named by Apple as the iPad Game of the Year, and usually runs up a bill of $6.99.
Today’s other Daily Deal involves the EA published Tetris, with 30% discounts on in-game T-Coins, which allow players to use power-ups and open up new galaxies in which to play. Players can also earn 15% more T-Coins and lines to improve their Tetris ranking when they join the T-Club. The T-Club is the fastest way for Tetris enthusiasts to get into the fun.
EA Mobile is promising more deals to come, including some on the popular iOS titles Mirror’s Edge and Flight Control.
Well, at least partially explained. More like assumed actually unless you can understand the Japanese that is being written in the video. Still, in the video below you can watch Patroklos learn how to use the Soul Calibur V Critical Edge system as he is taught by the director of the title, Daishi Odashima.
From what the video below shows, we are able to see that the Critical Edge system will be something similar to a special attack that can be used whenever the fighter deals enough damage to raise the meter that is next to their HP bar. Once the meter is filled the player can then use one Critical Edge attack which will deal a large amount of damage to an enemy through a spectacular attack unique to each character.
Despite peoples assumptions that the Dead or Alive 5 cast would be similar to past entries in the series, Tecmo Koei and TEam Ninja have actually only revealed two characters until now. Those two characters were Ryu and Hayate, but now they are being joined by two female fighters; Ayane and my favorite, Hitomi. To go along with this reveal the company has released a handful of screenshots showing the two fighting with one another.
Ayane is a female ninja and half-sister/cousin to Hayate and Kasumi and has been around since the very first Dead or Alive title and has even appeared in the Ninja Gaiden series while Hitomi is a German karate user who made her appearance in Dead or Alive 3. As you can see in these screenshots the amount of detail in not only the environments but the characters as well are stunning. Dead or Alive 5 is currently aiming for a release sometime in 2012 on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 and if these screenshots are any indication of quality, it looks like it will be the most visually stunning fighting game ever.
Now see, why can’t we have nice video game advertisements like that outside of Japan? But in all seriousness it seems that Dynasty Warriors Next and Pepsi Nex (Japanese name for Pepsi Next) are forming a little marketing campaign in Japan since they both have the word Next in their titles… or something like that.
Tecmo Koei and Suntory International have teamed up to provide this little collaboration between the PlayStation Vita’s launch title Dynasty Warriors Next and Pepsi Next by releasing the above image which can be downloaded in high-res as a wallpaper. Plus the Japanese Pepsi website will be giving away 50 copies of the title but it doesn’t seem to be open to outside of Japan entrants.
It seems that Pepsi Nex has taken quite a unique marketing approach lately, now they are advertising with one of the memorable characters from Dynasty Warriors Lu Bu but earlier this year they had a bit different advertisement using anime as their sales driver.
It is starting to be that time of the year when companies are either bolstering or lowering their earning forecasts of the fiscal year and it seems that THQ is actually lowering their forecast despite having two large titles released in the holiday season. It appears this is due to the fact that the multiplatform uDraw tablet has sold quite badly.
To be more specific, THQ CEO Brian Farrell explained the situation, saying that “Despite uDraw’s strong success on the Wii in fiscal 2011 and market research indicating strong demand for uDraw on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, initial sales of our uDraw tablet and software on these high-definition platforms have been weaker than expected.”
As such the company is now lowering its aim of $510-$550 million by “approximately 25 percent,” which is a large hit for the company. Still, Farrell had good news for investors saying that “WWE ’12 and Saints Row: The Third are expected to perform at or better than the levels we discussed on our fiscal 2012 second quarter earnings call.” Least there is that.
Last night Nintendo headman Miyamoto was quoted in an interview saying that he was going to be working on smaller roles within the company and essentially “retiring” from his current position. It appears however that this isn’t going to be the case or at least won’t be anymore. After hearing news about his potential “retirement” investors did what they do best and began worrying about the Nintendo stock causing it to drop 2% in half a day.
Nintendo was quick to deny these reports and a Nintendo spokesperson spoke with Reuters saying “This is absolutely not true. There seems to have been a misunderstanding. He has said all along that he wants to train the younger generation. He has no intention of stepping down. Please do not be concerned.” This is still some cause for concern, mostly due to the fact that a lot of wires must be crossed internally with Nintendo as they are flat out denying Miyamoto’s intentions to work on smaller projects instead of massive ones despite Nintendo’s insistence he never changes.
Naked Sheep Developer: althi, Inc. Publisher: althi, Inc. Platform: iPhone (reviewed), iPad, iPod Touch Release Date: December 2, 2011 Price: Free (HERE)
Overview
It’s hard to review games that are free. After all, how can you judge something that cost you absolutely nothing?
Naked Sheep is one such free game. Developed by althi, Inc. it gives players the chance to finally achieve their wild dreams of being sheep shearers via some wild, screen-swiping action. Does the game succeed in creating fun gameplay or is it just baa-d?
Gameplay
Frantically, you swipe the screen, shearing wool off sheep as they come towards you, hoping that the timer doesn’t run down. Sounds fun, yeah?
Naked Sheep operates much like an assembly line. You face a 2-D plane through which sheep slide from right to left, and a running timer. As the timer runs down and the sheep zoom into the screen, you have to swipe your finger as fast as possible all across the screen in order to shear the entire sheep. Succesful shearing results in bonus time and points, as well as a voice (that sounds as strange as the one in the Bejeweled series) saying “Nice!” and “Awesome!”.
As time passes, power ups and traps appear on screen in the form of little circles. You have to take a break from swiping to tap these circles, trying to avoid the traps that send you larger sheep or slower transitions between them, and aiming for the power-ups that will give you more effective shears and smaller sheep. It all becomes quite frantic, and it’s quite fun in your first few forays into mad swiping and tapping.
But that’s it. That’s the game.
It becomes even more ridiculous when you realize that there really is no strategy to the shearing. You literally just swipe madly any which way, tapping the screen for power-ups as they come. Your finger starts burning from the friction, the screen becomes so hot that it stops picking up your finger taps, and the game just ceases to be fun.
Naked Sheep gives you the option to upload your highscores to Games Center, but really, who cares? There’s really very little skill involved, and the gimmick of frantically swiping the screen becomes both annoying and droll.
The gameplay sends sheep at you as if they were on an assembly line, and it’s about as much fun as working in one.
Audio & Visual
The game’s sounds and aesthetics are what we’re all used to from casual iOS games. Two dimensional, cartoonish, and with plenty of attempts at cutesy animals, Naked Sheep does nothing new and nothing horrible in the visual department. The up-beat, and up-tempo sounds and music also complement the distinctly unoriginal nature of the game’s presentation.
Overall
In the end, Naked Sheep is a free game, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be judged harshly. A free game still costs another type of currency, and that’s time. Naked Sheep certainly will give you about five minutes of enjoyment but you’ll then look upon it in disgust, deleting it not only from your iOS device, but from your computer’s download history as well.
The gameplay is a stupid swipe-fest that never challenges you beyond whether you can stand the burning of your finger or the touch-screen’s sudden failure to sense touch due to its overheating. This game is not worth money, that’s for sure.
Epic Games are known for their Unreal Engine and the Gears of War series. Recently, they had released Infinity Blade II, which is looking like the most well-received title on iOS, even more well-received than Angry Birds. It impresses with its visuals, its depth and quality for an iOS game. Now, I wonder if they were to put it on a handheld console? Well, if they did, it wouldn’t be the Playstation Vita.
It has been revealed by Mike Capps, President of Epic Games, in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz that the Playstation Vita won’t be added to their portfolio sometime soon, despite having development kits sent to them. Why? Well, this is their reasoning:
We’re not currently making a Vita game, I’m not sure how well it’s going to be accepted in our Western market which is primarily where our games sell.
It’s a really cool platform, but I have a phone, and it’s really hard to compete with that.
There are two arguments that he makes and they come off quite distasteful to anyone who appreciates dedicated handheld gaming and who is excited for the Playstation Vita. I think I shall address them with something I like to call common sense.
Now, let’s look at the first argument, which is, “I’m not sure how well it’s going to be accepted in our Western market which is primarily where our games sell.” Now, let’s actually look at Playstation Portable sales in North America. I am using PSP sales because this theory may have stemmed from the popular belief that the Playstation Portable wasn’t a success in the West. Actually, if I am not mistaken, the PSP has sold over 10 million units in North America alone and has a worldwide total of over 70 million. What about the Nintendo 3DS? Western developers cried doomsday on that, yet it has surpassed first year DS sales and it has set its sights for three million units sold within its first year. Hmmm, according to Epic’s though tank, that may not be success to them.
Let’s further add some more common sense. Continuing on his first point, in order to move hardware, it needs to have a strong lineup of software. So, if Epic wanted to debunk their own dedicated handheld fears, they would have gazed upon the dedicated handhelds and try to make a game that is fun, engaging and takes advantage of their portability. Maybe then they would have not only gained a considerable amount of money in sales but also have some experience and confidence in developing with dedicated handhelds.
What about that second point? Apparently, they believe that “It’s a really cool platform, but I have a phone, and it’s really hard to compete with that.” Alright, I’m going back to that state where I need to indulge him, and anyone else for that matter, in a lesson of Basic Portable Gaming 101. Firstly, why he is comparing a phone to the Playstation Vita? I know I am going to slightly corrupt my opinion with a cliche, but it is like comparing apples to oranges. They are in two different markets. Yet, Western developers like Epic Games can not seem to get their head around that.
This leads me to my second point in terms of that second statement. Do Epic Games know the audience of both markets? I would argue that the gamers that might look at purchasing the Playstation Vita are the ones that made Gears of War a success, pending on how much they do side with the other major hardware manufacturers. They may be the type of gamers that enjoy Call of Duty (sorry!), Elder Scrolls, Assassin’s Creed and much more. Then there is the niche crowd, equally important in my view. Their dedication to a series overseas has no bounds, which is recognised (sometimes) by the developer and enters in a partnership to localise the title. The smartphone market? Yes, there may be some “hardcore” gamers there, but most of them only want the “next best thing.” It is a bubble jungle, the smartphone scene. I believe their audience is more fiendish than the core crowd of gamers. They are also the mothers who Facebook all day and blame video games for violence on the streets. Maybe you are just a bad parent? (gasp, he is using logic!)
If Epic Games, or indeed any Western developers, do not heed my words, then they might want to heed the words of American journalist Herb Caen, “A man begins cutting his wisdom teeth the first time he bites off more than he can chew.” This is where the Western gaming industry is going with portable gaming. Smartphones may the yellow brick road right now, but soon enough, the road may lead you to the centre of the darkest forest with no escape. Epic Games, just remember who you are and what you develop. I shall leave it at that.
Well, the time has finally came. Since being announced back in October, 3DS owners have been waiting for their large update to take place and give new reason to toy with the handheld’s offerings, and after a short delay, Nintendo have now dropped the update onto the world. So what’s new, how do you get it, and how awesome is my Kirby Hat? Let’s take a look.
How to obtain the 3DS Update
This one is simple. All you have to do to download your update is simply make sure you are connected to a Wi-Fi point, go into Settings (the icon with a wrench), click “Other Settings” and scroll over to “System Update”. After agreeing to Nintendo’s new terms of service, you will be downloading the rather small download, which should take under two minutes time for most connections.
What’s New?
Mii Plaza
As I mentioned, there are quite a few new features. The first major upgrade has been in the Mii Plaza. Here are just a few things you will find after getting your update:
The first new addition is the new “Music Player“. This really is a subtle inclusion and lets the player go in and listen to tracks from the Find Mii game as well as the other on-system tunes, such as the main plaza theme. While it may seem small, I really could see this being a potential hot feature later on if Nintendo throw in some soundtracks to their classic releases.
Next up, you will see a bouquet of flowers. I’m sure they smell nice, but this add-in is used to give the player an incentive to use their Plaza to it’s full potential and is simply titled “Accomplishments“. There are 78 Accomplishments to gain right off the bat, and thus far I have already earned 12 based on my own past activities in the Mii Plaza.
A world map now can be also found in this revamped plaza. Just as it sounds, this map simply displays the locations of other 3DS owners you have Streetpassed during your travels. Yep, I’m at a whopping two, but maybe now I will feel the urge to get my system on the road more (we can only hope). Another very minor addition is the slide-show function. After completing a puzzle, this area simply holds your completed 3D images, allowing you to flip through each at a moments notice.
Puzzle Swap now has quite a few extras as well and if you have completed all your puzzles, you can start collecting coins again and hunting down 3DS owners as more slides have been added. The first puzzle I have received thus far was for Mario Kart 7, which needs 40 pieces to complete. 10 squares in the middle are now pink as well and must be unlocked through Streetpassing rather than purchases with coins. Also in the Play section comes Find Mii 2. Much like the first version, this little romp has players search for their Mii by using guest’s Miis to battle the many ghosts and evils along the way. To unlock this mode, you have to be complete with the original and have all the hats unlocked.
3D Video
I haven’t really messed with 3D video too much, but it was yet another addition that came with this first update. As well as taking 3D photos, owners are now allowed to shoot a 10 minute video that can be viewed in 3D. The video’s quality is decent considering the camera, but nothing too overly dramatic as far as the effect goes. A Stop-Motion mechanic has also been added to allow for several photos in succession, and then edit them together in one 3D movie. The clips you create through either method are then stored on your SD card and can be viewed at anytime.
Nintendo Zone
Out of all the updates we have seen, this one is still the most mysterious. Nintendo Zone is a tool that Spotpasses specific locations to provide the user with exclusive goodies and content. Once I actually succeed in doing this, we will be sure to post an update of what comes forth.
Friends List
Nintendo know that the friend code system needs work, and this little update to your friends list is quite an intriguing addition. Whenever you see a friend playing a multiplayer game online, you can simply tap their Mii and have the option to “Join Game“. At the moment there is only a small handful of online titles for the system, but this is definitely a step in the right direction as far as online play goes.
So, that’s that. Quite a few new features to toy with at the moment. I can easily say that this is one of the better updates the 3DS has seen so far. Sure, aside from 3D Video, a lot of this is minor stuff. The little additions are starting to add up though, and the 3DS seems to be improving more each and every day. Another thing to keep in mind is that Hulu Plus, 3DS demos, and many more previously announced features should be coming in a second update before the end of the year, which will definitely give us something to look forward to in the coming future.
Time to go brutal with Resistance and I mean right now. Insomniac has announced some new downloadable for the Playstation 3 shooter Resistance 3. Entitled “Brutality”, the DLC will feature a new survival-base game mode. In this game mode, the player will be forced to defend themselves from waves of Grims. Also included in this DLC pack is the Sledgehammer for use in this mode. The Sledgehammer makes an appearance in the campaign.
Also included is some new additions to the soundtrack. The DLC will have a soundtrack from metal band Masterdon. The “Brutality” DLC pack is now available right now on the Playstation Store. It will cost you US$3.99. By the sounds of things, this looks like a great pack. A new game mode for you and a buddy to play with? Count me in.
