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PixelJunk SideScroller Review

Alexis Ayala
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PixelJunk SideScroller
Developer: Q-Games
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Platform: Playstation 3 (PSN)
Release: October 25, 2011
Price: $10.00

Overview:
It can be a tricky thing making a decidedly old school game feel authentic and modern all at the same time. Like a fat man dressed like a ballerina, putting on a fresh coat of paint doesn’t always help the overall concept. Lots of indie developers make classic style games with updated graphics but the same rote gameplay from bygone eras. The problem with this is the medium has moved forward and if you’re not in it for a nostalgia trip then you’re not getting anything out of the game. Q-Games and the PixelJunk series have had a pretty good pedigree with previous releases but does SideScroller live up to the standard or fall flat?

Visuals:
The very first thing you’ll notice when booting up PixelJunk SideScroller is the visuals. They’re striking with a ultra modern retro vector line look with a very selective colour scheme. The edges of the screen are concaved and warped a small degree to make it look like a you’re playing on an arcade cabinet with a tube display. At the title screen you’re greeted with an insert coin title which further sells the idea. Every level remains consistent with the vector look but plays with the colours used so they all feel very different. Even when you’re playing the game on different difficulty settings you’re treated to a new look for each level depending on the setting you’re on. There are a lot of elements at play in SideScroller such as lava, water and gas, (think PixelJunk Shooter) and each look beautiful using the games assets with water rendered as small bubbles that move around realistically using the in game physics (also from Shooter).

Audio:
One thing the PixelJunk games have been known for is audio. Whether it’s the awesome soundtracks or the sounds of their effects it has always been consistent and PixelJunk SideScroller is no different. UK hip-hop duo Alex Paterson and Dom Beken of High Frequency Bandwidth earned a BAFTA award nomination for their PixelJunk Shooter soundtrack and they’re back with remixes and some new material for SideScroller. It should be noted that PixelJunk SideScroller is actually an extension of a bonus area from PixelJunk Shooter 2, which is why the remixes are rather apt and it’s also why you’ll see some carryover with some mechanics and enemies from the Shooter games. But the music in SideScroller doesn’t feel like a bunch of rehashes. While there’s certainly a style that carries over from the games, the music in SideScroller certainly has it’s own vibe going for it and can be appreciated independently from the two prior Shooter games.

Gameplay:
If you’re looking for a game that seems horrifyingly brutal and forgiving all at the same time then go no further my friend, PixelJunk SideScroller is your bag. Taking a traditional bullet hell and side scrolling shooter (hence the name, duh) and adding just the right amount of modern conveniences SideScroller reminds me of all that time I spent playing games like 1942 or Gradius when I was younger by throwing a lot at me all the time but is at the same time forgiving by adding in much needed checkpoints that you’re able to perpetually restart at, albeit without your score if you lose all your lives. If you’ve played PixelJunk Shooter 1 or 2 then you’ll see some familiar things such as some enemies and the elements. When you’re hit (and don’t have shield power-up) you move into a damaged state in which your ship is overheating. The only way to alleviate this is by dropping your ship into water to cool off. You’ll run into water all over the place whether it be from dripping stalagmites or waterfalls and pools. In addition to the water you’ll also encounter lava and gas which will be ignited by lava if the two touch. You’re given 3 guns to play with that can be swapped to on the fly in SideScroller and you have them all at the outset of the game. There’s the standard machine gun which will be your bread and butter, a laser cannon which is super powerful and can shoot through ice but has a slow recharge and smart bombs which are effective for enemies stationed to the ground. Each weapon can be upgraded independently and you’ll have to experiment to find out which will be best for the scenario you’re in. You’re also given a charged attack which will launch your ship through a swath of enemies.

There are 3 worlds and 4 levels in each with a boss in each final world level. Each boss is unique and a blast (no pun intended… well maybe) fight. Once you finish each of the worlds you’re treated to the final level. And I mean treated in every sense of the word. The final stage in this game is almost worth the price of admission all on its own. You have a long level with a boss cycling through with huge graphical changes and easily the best song in the entire game making love to your ears. If you decided to play PixelJunk SideScroller you owe it to yourself to finish if only to see the final stage.

Overall:
So is PixelJunk SideScroller for everyone? Absolutely not, but none of the PixelJunk games are like that. Not everyone will fall in love with what this series has to offer. But if this game seems up your alley they it’s going to really be up your alley. It may be a bit polarising. Not a lot of people yearn for a sidescrolling shooter these days. But if you’re one of those people then you would be foolish to miss PixelJunk SideScroller. It’s a love letter just for you.

8-0-capsules-out-of-10

Hetalia Axis Powers: Paint it, White! Review

Travis Bruno
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Hetalia Axis Powers: Paint it, White!
Studio: Studio Deen
Publisher: MADMAN / FUNimation
Release Date: November 22, 2011
Price: $24.95 – Available Here

Overview:
Perhaps one of the strangest yet most intriguing anime that I have ever come across is the Hetalia series. It was originally based off of an online webcomic that then became a manga, which then became an anime series. If that doesn’t sound like a rise to success for a writer then I don’t know what is. But what made Hetalia such a success? Well it actually is the fact that the series actually takes various countries from World War II and creates stereotypical characters from them and has them interact in hilarious ways.

Hetalia: Axis Powers has been brought over to North America by FUNimation and the company is continuing to do so into next year with Season 3, but until then we have been treated to a Hetalia movie. To be more precise it is called Hetalia Axis Powers: Paint it, White!. Now Paint it, White! is a full length movie which is new territory for a series that originally follows a short skit format. So how does it fair?

Story:
Now as I mentioned, the biggest change with Hetalia Axis Powers: Paint it, White! is the fact that it deviates strongly from the short sketch comedy that was originally seen in the anime and now contains a plot driven storyline that in my opinion actually helps keep the comedy and the personalities of the various characters flowing at a steady and enjoyable rate.

The story of Hetalia Axis Powers: Paint it, White! is that a strange new threat has come to Earth, and it has begun changing people into strange white faceless humanoid blobs with green lights sticking out of their heads like anglerfish. Throughout every country in the world these strange aliens known as Pictonians have invaded and transformed the countries occupants into Pictonians themselves.

Now with the world in danger, all of the countries have organized a meeting to try and figure out what they should do to try and stop the invasion. Of course however, the guys (countries) cannot reach any form of agreement and instead start bickering and fighting with one another. The only person who even manages to make any type of suggestion is America who thinks that the best idea is to use military power to repel the aliens. Of course this doesn’t sit well with most of them and the bickering continues until everyone gets fed up and leaves except Canada because no one knew he was there.

With America being the only country with an idea, every country has decided to try and fight against the Pictonian menace and throw their best weapons against them. Well… everyone except for Italy unless you count a white flag as a weapon. However even the world’s strongest military forces cannot do anything against an enemy who can turn every missile or vehicle of war into something limp, useless and lame.
With the countries thrown in disarray and their weapons unable to do anything to stop them, the Pictonians even begin to change some of the various side countries into faceless Pictonians as well. Can the Allied and Axis nations work together to try and repel the alien invasion? Will there be hilarity on the way? Pasta!?

Now as I mentioned earlier, the movie itself structures itself as nearly a continuous storyline which may throw some people off considering the jump in structure. However fans should appreciate seeing their favorite country (if he hasn’t been turned into a Pictonian) in an actual full length adventure rather than the short gags from the original series. Actually this structure makes the series a bit more welcome to newcomers than some would believe. Now newcomers obviously won’t be able to understand a few of the characters’ interactions with one another nor a few of their personalities but it is certainly possible to be laughing extremely often and occasionally very loudly at all of the comedy that is happening nearly nonstop.

Now while the movie does follow a straight storyline, there are a few short skits that are thrown in at random places in the movie that have absolutely nothing to do with the actual plot of the movie and are there more for complete comedic purposes or reference little known historic facts. These include Germany scolding Italy for running faster while running away compared to normal advancing and even a bit about a newly introduced Iceland.

Visuals:
Now the various country representations range from being normal looking and well detailed and then will occasionally switch into chibi form. This is especially true whenever Italy decides to surrender. However most of the time the series looks very great and the animation is rather impressive. It is interesting to see the bland whiteness that the Pictonians create compared to the usual colorful world that Hetalia creates.

The Pictonians themselves are rather interesting in appearance and have some various CG effects which are impressive. Those who enjoyed watching the original series will be happy to know that the higher budget movie does see better quality artwork as well, meaning if you ever wanted to see one of your favorite characters at their best, this is the time.

Audio:
Perhaps one of the biggest highlights about the English dub of Hetalia Axis Powers: Paint it, White! is the English dub itself. While the voice cast of the original Japanese dub did their best with the various characters from other countries it couldn’t provide the best accents or even the best voice work with the actors that they had.

Now the difference with the English cast is that they can create all of the various accents to go along with the nationalities and stereotypes of that specific country. Listening to France, Germany or Japan is perhaps one of the best examples of great accents and this creates an amazing English dub that far surpasses the original Japanese one.

Extras:
Now FUNimation has packed a large number of extras into Hetalia Axis Powers: Paint it, White! and while some of these are your standard inclusions such as trailers for upcoming FUNimation releases and the clean version of the ending, there are also a number of other extras that are definitely worth a watch. This includes an Outtakes section that is provided by the English dub which is hilarious and contains plenty of profanity, an Opening Day Stage Greetings that was filmed during the first screening of the film.

Perhaps the two biggest bonuses are the CAPSLOCK Commentary and the Hidden History Hidden Within Hetalia extras. The Hidden History provides various historical fact sheets to the references made throughout the movie which is interesting and can provide some backstory for references viewers don’t understand. The hit extra is the commentary though, where the English dub cast provides entire commentary the full length of the movie and is a laugh riot that is worth a listen.

Overall:
Hetalia Axis Powers: Paint it, White! is a hilarious experience that provides plenty of enjoyment for not only fans of the original Hetalia series but even newcomers who are just looking for an enjoyable laugh filled viewing experience. The inclusion of a plot makes Hetalia flow surprisingly well and is certainly worth a watch. If you haven’t seen the original series then seeing this movie may make you want to go watch everything that is available just to see more of the hilariousness.

9-5-capsules-out-of-10

Yamato 2199 Trailer Posted

Benjamin Webb
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A remake for the classic series “Space Battleship Yamato 2199” is in production and with that production comes a trailer of the upcoming movie. According to Crunchyroll the movie is set to be, basically, the first two episodes of an upcoming series pasted together.

To quote Crunchyroll –

More specific details have been confirmed about the film by the Yamato Crew site in that it is actually the first two episodes of the forthcoming TV series edited together, with the “film” serving as the preview screening for the series ahead of its TV airing later that month.

The anime series is set to be released on the 12th of April, 2012 (Japan). It is likely too early to get a confirmation on release over here in AUS as there are way too many factors to take into account. For this one, we’ll just have to wait and see.

Be sure to check out the video embedded below.

The New Breed of Gamer

Jessica Barabas-Bui
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2

Gamers have always kind of been snobs, don’t deny it, we all know it’s true. The sense of competitiveness that drives gamers to compete for that top score on the leaderboard also breeds a sense of entitlement in those of us who perform well at games. Or even those of us who perform well enough to complete games. Or those of us who perform well enough to play chunks of games before getting to a point where we get ‘bored’ with it (usually around a really hard boss).

The latest show of snobbery is the all-round gamer. These days ‘real hardcore’ gamers are seen as those who can headshot in COD, slay some dragons in RPGs, and kick some ass at casual games. It’s gotten to the point where those who specialise are looked down on, shooter- and racing-specialists are the brainless jocks (of the gaming world, not of real life), RPG-specialists are the nerds, and casual-specialists are just plain special. I am kidding, I love you guys, most of the time I am you guys.

Just as an example, I work at EB Games in Top Ryde (I’m the only girl there, if you happen to live around Top Ryde come give me a visit, say you read Capsule Computers and I’ll give you a 20% discount! Cos I’m a whore for attention). The day after Skyrim broke street date I had a regular customer come in, one of those GTA/COD/NFS people and bring a copy of Skyrim up to the counter without any input from a salesperson. I didn’t think much of it beyond ‘hey, look at you and your multifaceted personality’. Then he asked if it was like Fallout. The fact that he didn’t know the basic gist of the game was sort of worrying, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt, thinking that the magic of Elder Scrolls would wow him. He returned the game a few short hours later.

I am not at all judging him for not liking the game, Skyrim is kind of a giant life investment where you either want to make tiny game-addicted babies with it, or are bored by it. The fact that he fell into the second category is not his fault. The gaming industry is hugely varied for this reason, to cater to a variety of tastes. What bothers me is that he felt inclined to buy it anyway. Now, this might have been because he just wanted something to pass the time between COD matches, I don’t know, but I think it was because these days gamers are expected to play everything if they’re beyond the age of around 16 or 17.

Suddenly just blowing stuff up, or racing, or slapping hookers with a dildo-bat isn’t cool enough. Now you have to log countless hours on Skyrim, or be playing the latest iOS/Android game, or be willing to make an ass of yourself playing a motion-controlled game (and also win at it).

Now, for those of you well rounded enough to pull that off, then kudos. You win all the awards. But for the rest of you who like your certain types of games, it’s okay. You can like those games; you don’t have to branch out. After all, gaming is meant to be fun not a way to better yourself. So put back that copy of Skyrim, go back home, and jump on a COD server. I won’t judge you.

Limited time only Wii Fit Plus Pack!

Luke Merritt
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For all fans of the Wii, Nintendo has announced that for a limited time only there will be a Wii Fit Plus Pack available form the 1st of December 2011. The bundle will include the new configuration Wii, Wii Fit Plus, Wii Remote Plus, a Nunchuk and a Wii Balance Board.

The Wii Fit Plus offers everything from the original, and allows the option to customise and design your own work outs, additional exercises, estimates of calories burned, 15 additional balance games, and an option to weigh your baby, cat and dog. The Wii Fit Plus Pack will be available in black only, for SRP AU $249.95.

Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid Review

Travis Bruno
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Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid
Studio: Kyoto Animation
Publisher: FUNimation
Release Date: October 18, 2011
Price: $34.98 – Available Here

Overview:
Full Metal Panic! is a series that has been around for quite a while. The series began as a light novel way back in 1998 and is still going today with 25 volumes published since its creation. Four years after the light novel began the first anime adaptation was released with the same name as the novels, Full Metal Panic! and spawned two subsequent anime sequels.

However one of those sequels didn’t really continue the main storyline and was called Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu which was more of a comedy series. This isn’t that one however, Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid is a direct continuation of the first season. Now that FUNimation has re-released the series under their Anime Classics brand, how does this complete collection stand?

Story:
As I mentioned before, Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid is a complete sequel to the original series, so those expecting to hear anything more about the Fumoffu spin off will unfortunately be disappointed. Still, it has been more than a few years since the original was released so let me go over the events of the first season very briefly and reintroduce a number of the characters.

In the first season we followed the exploits of Sousuke Sagara, a soldier who has only known the military and works for the secret anti-terrorist group known as Mithril who has been tasked with protecting a spirited and outspoken high school girl who goes by the name Kaname Chidori. Chidori must be protected because she possesses the Whisper ability which is connected to Black Technology and something highly sought after in the world.

The only problem is that, with Sousuke only knowing military life, how can he adapt to acting like just an average high school student while also being the bodyguard of Chidori and performing military actions when necessary? This is the heart of most of the comedy that is present in Full Metal Panic! and it retains the same feel as the original in The Second Raid.

On to the story however, viewers are quickly thrown into a plot where Mithril is searching for the people who betrayed them and this means that Sousuke, Mao and Kurtz are on the front lines once again in their Arm Slaves battling against a dictators forces, especially their extremely powerful units which he should not be in possession of.

The series continues its high paced action whenever a battle occurs and there is always a lot of tension in the middle of these fights. Still, once the battle ends and the action winds down the story does as good of a job as in the original switching gears to a high school comedy where most of the hilarity comes from. The Second Raid does a perfect job of balancing the action and comedy between the fighting and high school sections of the show which provides a great contrast between the two, but there is still the sense that the tone of this season is much more serious than the original.

Now the story of The Second Raid begins shortly after the events of the first season, well more like three months after to be precise. This creates an amazing sense of continuity for those who have watched the first season and it also benefits from not having to introduce all of the main characters and the situation. Which means that everything can begin much faster than the original season which is a great thing for fans as viewers can pick up on the action with Sosuke and Chidori like it never actually stopped and had to wait years between seasons.

Now while some may come to Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid for more of the mecha action that they love, others will come to see the character development between Sousuke and Chidori. Without the need for introduction the series allows for the two to really grow up and develop feelings for one another despite how dense Sousuke can be at times. Those eager to see more of their interaction will be more than happy with what they see in The Second Raid… especially with the challenges that the two are presented with when it comes to trying to stay together.

The downside here is the fact that anyone who decides to try and jump into the series now will ultimately be quite lost in a number of regards. The characters and their various roles or are rarely mentioned and the world itself is barely given any explanation so this is a very poor starting point for anyone eager to pick up a new mecha anime series.

Visuals:
Now some people may be a bit worried when they hear that The Second Raid doesn’t have the same animation studio as the original season. The first season was created by Gonzo while this one was handled by Kyoto Animation. But let me say that it is actually for the best that Kyoto took over as the quality of both the animation and the artwork has taken a major step up from the original and viewers shouldn’t find much to complain about.

The visuals themselves are crisp and have plenty of detail with a vibrant color palette that is very striking on the DVDs which the series comes on. Now it is also worth mentioning that Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid is just as brutal as most viewers will remember. To be more precise, there is plenty of blood and even minor bits of gore when characters are killed, such as a soldier’s throat being cut. Enemies who are shot will bleed and a few deaths are focused on, such as the strangulation of one female enemy. This of course means that it may not be something for children to watch, but provides the graphic violence that some action series shy away from focusing on.

Audio:
As usual with FUNimation’s release the company has provided both the original Japanese voice track as well as an English dub of the series. The quality of the Japanese voice cast is superb as always and viewers will not find themselves wanting if they choose to listen to the Japanese track, as the subtitles are also well handled for those who choose to try and remain purists.

For everyone else, the English dub has done a stellar job with the characters they have been given, especially Sousuke and how he can react at times to various situations that he not only isn’t comfortable in but doesn’t understand in the slightest. A major plus is that nearly the entire American voice cast has returned to reprise their roles from the first series which helps keep everything nice and consistent.

Extras:
Being as this is the Anime Classics version of Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid, the DVD case comes in a nice little slip cover that contains the artwork you can see above. The slip cover isn’t anything too special however, merely containing the same art as the DVD case itself. Each of the three discs contains images of some of the main characters as well, but what about the content on the discs themselves?

Disc three contains all of the various special features for the series, which contains your usual bonus features such as FUNimation release trailers and the clean opening and ending songs which are nothing to write hope about. There are however a few other bonuses which are nice, including the Location Scouting in Hong Kong which is a seven part feature.

Besides that there is a short Episode 000 which helps reintroduce the characters to everyone and of course takes place before The Second Raid begins. The true highlight is a Bonus OVA which focuses on Tessa the Captain of the Tuatha de Danaa and Sousuke’s superior. Tessa isn’t having the best day and this full length OVA provides a humorous look at her bad day as well as allows us to see a different side of some of the characters we otherwise wouldn’t have been treated to.

Overall:
As a whole Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid is an amazing and true sequel to the original season, and with the rerelease of these thirteen episodes under the Anime Classics package it is a bit cheaper than original. Now some may be concerned because while the original season was 24 episodes and The Second Raid only has 13 that they won’t be getting a full story.

However there is no reason to worry about this, as The Second Raid feels more like an additional 13 episodes that would have been added on to the end of the original. With more character development between Sousuke and Chidori and plenty of action, there isn’t much to hold viewers back from enjoying The Second Raid.
8-5-capsules-out-of-10

Moshi Monsters: Moshling Zoo Out Now

Jorel Alvarez
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4

Based on the hugely popular Moshi Monsters, an online social world for kids aged 6-12, Moshi Monsters: Moshling Zoo is out now across the UK. In the world of Moshi Monsters: Moshling Zoo, you are given Moshling Zoo to take care of by none other than the Legendary Moshling expert, Buster Bumblechops. It’s your job to make sure Moshling Zoo blossoms and flourishes, and fill it with cute little creatures called Moshlings. You’ll have to explore the Wooly Wilderness, and solve puzzles to lure and convince Moshlings to stay at your zoo. There are 52 Moshlings to collect, ranging from the common to the ‘ultra-rare’ and you can even hatch super cute Baby Moshlings at the Zoo Nursery! Playing mini-games will keep your zoo residents happy and educational-style puzzles gives young players a bit of edutainment.

Moshi Monsters: Moshling Zoo is out now in the UK and is also available in North America, Australia and New Zealand.

For more information on Moshi Monsters: Moshling Zoo, visit: http://www.moshlingzoo.com/

Trine 2 Hands on Preview

Claire Phillips
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Fantasy platformer-puzzler Trine first debuted back in 2009, and although the sequel has gone through a bit of a delay in it’s release, Frozenbyte have finally let fans get a hands on with the game. Pre ordering Trine 2 on Steam will give players instant access to two full levels to play in both solo and online multiplayer, and although it’s only a small taste of what’s to come, it’s a very satisfying one.

The three characters from the original Trine return, bringing a very well balanced game to life with Zoya the thief, Pontius the knight, and Amadeus the wizard. All have their own character quirks, with the rotund knight obsessed with his dinner, Zoya challenging the narrator when he calls her a thief, and Amadeus worrying about what his wife will say when she discovers he’s gone!The opening sequence has the heroes brought together once more by the mystical artifact that is the Trine, and although the story doesn’t have the time to develop, the characters are more than enough to draw you into the world.

In a game like this usually one character is favoured over the others by personal preference and/or usefulness, but Frozenbyte have managed to balance the importance of all three with well thought out skill sets and levels.Whilst the characters do match up to their obvious roles (Pontius can smash anything to bits, Zoya is the most agile, Amadeus is the puzzle solver), developing their skills and making creative use of them opens up puzzles to multiple solutions. Whether its using Pontius shield to redirect the fire of an enemy or Amadeus’ boxes to provide cover, there are plenty of ways to utilise every character out with their stereotypical roles.

Collecting vials will eventually allow you to buy a new skill for any of the three, which can lead to an even greater variety in the gameplay. Where once Zoya would be overwhelmed by multiple enemies she can now freeze them solid after slipping into stealth mode, Amadeus can overcome his physical limitations by conjuring multiple boxes and levitating enemies, and Pontius just gets ever more destruction happy with some serious upgrades to his hammer!

Pontius is the obvious choice for combat situations, but the other characters are by no means useless. Amadeus can use his boxes to provide cover and block ranged attacks, or fling enemies onto spike traps. Zoya can quickly get herself up onto higher vantage points to rain down arrows or give Amadeus a safe spot to use his magic.

Whether you play alone or in the online multiplayer, it’s all about team work and co-operation (although there is room for some friendly shoving into spike traps). Whatever your usual play style all three characters are fun to play, and the level design and skill trees ensure that no character is favoured over the others . The online multiplayer can be jumped into from a single player game, and having all three characters on screen simultaneously makes for a faster, more chaotic experience. Where a single player has to change between characters (which is seamless anyway) to tackle a more complex situation, three can quickly combine their skills, and often in unexpected ways!I had a bit of trouble finding a game, but other than that the whole process was simple and trouble free – and there’s always the option for local play.

The game is absolutely gorgeous and the levels are packed with detail and vibrant colour – playing Trine 2 really is like playing through a fairytale. The lush forest areas are littered with plants, with vines creeping up trees and toadstools aplenty. In the background giant statues and mountains loom, and the dying sunlight is joined by a scattering of candlelight and the magical glow of some strange flora and fauna. It feels like a living fantasy world, and from the two levels on offer, it isn’t just pointless eye candy – the world is very dynamic.

How do you get rid of a giant snail blocking your path? Grow a giant lettuce for it to eat of course. A puzzle like this sees you tipping a log full of running water to flow in the right direction, and making creative use of Amadeus and his boxes to channel it over to the sparkling roots to bring the plant to life.

Elsewhere bouncy pumpkins can fling characters skyward to grab potions and health, vine tangled boulders swing back and forth and bubbles pop out the water to give you a lift upwards. In only two levels Frozenbyte show off an impressive amount of potential puzzle pieces that when combined in the full game should make for some tricky and imaginative puzzles.

Frozenbyte have in a few hours of gameplay demonstrated a huge amount of potential in Trine 2. It looks incredible and the gameplay is a perfect balance between it’s three characters and the genres they represent. The fantasy feel is unashamedly fairytale, and Trine 2’s strong sense of style should hopefully develop even more when given a full game to play with. Although the story doesn’t get a chance to take off, there is an intriguing glimpse of a sorceress in the final moments that hints at some fantastic tale to come.

Trine 2 will be released in it’s entirety sometime this December on PC, Mac, PS3 and Xbox 360, so keep watching Capsule Computers for a full release date and review.

UFC Undisputed 3 PRIDE Gameplay Video

Jonno Weiss
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THQ recently released a video showing off the new PRIDE mode which will be featured in UFC Undisputed 3. The video shows off the PRIDE specific moves such as soccer kicks and face stomps in a fight between two PRIDE legends, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Dan Henderson. These two legends will lock horns this weekend at UFC 139, marking the first time these two will meet in the octagon.

The video gives off a good impression of what the final game will look like, with PRIDE being just a small component of the overall offerings. It also includes some insightful commentary by the game’s Senior Designer Wes Bunn and Community Manager Nick Robertson.

Check out the video below and let us hear your thoughts! UFC Undisputed 3 will be out on February 14th 2012 for PS3 and Xbox 360.

Comic-Con comes to Melbourne Australia in 2012

Philip Federico
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4

Comic-Con comes to Melbourne on Saturday 30th June and Sunday 1st July

Patrick Stewart and Stan Lee head stellar line-up

Melbourne will be hosting Australia’s own version of the world’s top pop culture event, Comic-Con, in 2012, with legendary actor Patrick Stewart (Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Star Trek: The Next Generation) and comic icon Stan Lee (original creator of Spiderman and other comic icons such as The Hulk, X-Men, Fantastic Four, Iron Man and Thor) heading a stellar line up.

Reflecting the entertainment industry powerhouse San Diego Comic-Con International (http://www.comic-con.org/cci/) – globally recognised as the world’s leading pop-culture event – Oz Comic-Con will be a pop culture expo like no other. Melbourne fans will be among the first to experience the event in Australia, with Adelaide hosting the debut event in March. Oz Comic-Con will expand further into Australia throughout 2013 and 2014.

Patrick Stewart and Stan Lee will be joined by other international and local comic, film and TV guests, including Ryan Robbins (Sanctuary, Stargate Atlantis, Falling Skies), and Sean Maher (Firefly, Serenity), with many more to come.

In an Australian first, aspiring comic creators will be able to submit their work for professional review, with Scott Allie (Dark Horse Comics, Senior Managing Editor) in attendance at Oz Comic-Con Melbourne and scouting for new talent.

There will also be comic book and anime artists, gaming demonstrations and cosplay competitions (a unique type of performance art in which participants don costumes to reflect cultural ideas and concepts, often from Japanese popular fiction).

“Oz Comic-Con will be more than just a gathering place for Melbourne fans of the various arms of pop culture,” said Carissa Avenhouse, of event organisers The Hub Productions. “It will celebrate and educate – it will be the place for fans to share their love of pop culture, get up close and personal with celebrities, enter contests with fantastic prizes, or learn how to break into the industry.”

Oz Comic-Con is brought to Melbourne by The Hub Productions (http://www.thehubproductions.com/), a company that specialises in popular culture events, bringing some of the world’s most loved stars to Australian shores. Recent Hub Productions events include Twilight 2008, 2009 and 2010 (featuring Taylor Lautner, Kellan Lutz and Nikki Reed), Star Trek 2010 (featuring William Shatner and Scott Bakula), Gleek-On 2010 (featuring Kevin McHale) and Stargate 2010 (featuring Richard Dean Anderson and Chris Judge).

For more info check out The Official website here : – http://www.ozcomiccon.com/

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