A number of different developers and publishers were located at EB EXPO 2011, and one of those is none other than Mindscape, a software publishing company which distributes Konami and PopCap games.
This year at the expo, Mindscape showcased Karaoke Revolution Glee: Volume 3, the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, and Pro Evolution Soccer 2012. Having been located next to the EA booth, we were worried that Mindscape may get overlooked, but the booth got plenty of attention and had many gamers coming over to check out the latest titles (but really, we just love Solid Snake).
With EB EXPO 2011 spanning more than 10,000 square feet at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, the event was most definitely Australia’s largest gaming expo in history.
Over 20 exhibitors showcased their products and titles at the expo, so it’s fair to say the floor was jam-packed with gaming and gamers. By far, the most impressive booths at the expo were Razer (who were voted Best Non-Gaming Booth for 2011), Activision (a booth which boasted a massive Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 section), and Ubisoft (light-up dance floors for Just Dance 3? Yes please!).
We here at Capsule Computers know that a map doesn’t show enough detail on how the venue is laid out or what individual booths look like, so we’ve captured it on video instead for all of those gamers that couldn’t make it to the event. You can also click here to see the rest of our coverage for the event.
Sesame Street: Once Upon A Monster Developer: Double Fine Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Genre: Kids Platform: Xbox 360 Kinect Released: 14th October
Sesame Street is something of an acquired taste for adults; those with children may be able to appreciate its finer points as they watch it with their children, whereas others could be driven up the wall by the high-pitched voices and tot-friendly demeanour. For kids, however, I’m not sure one exists who could resist the charm erupting from the colourful cast of characters, especially for the younger bracket of ages 4, 5 and 6. Despite being interested in the games their older sibling is playing, they are an age group that aren’t really catered for in the world of gaming, so it’s great to see Double Fine have recreated the characters’ diversities and qualities in this most interactive of interactive storybooks.
Sesame Street: Once Upon A Monster’s lack of violence is refreshing; finally the underrepresented youngsters are being given a positive playing experience, because most of the games they resort to playing have cartoon violence – even if it is only bopping stereotypical bad guys with a plastic hammer – which send out the wrong message. With the Cookie Monster and Elmo as your guides, as well as doubling up as your onscreen avatars, a feeling of safety and welcome is projected upon you.
Kinect opens up lots of opportunities, and in spite of approaching its first birthday it is still full of untapped potential. Sesame Street: Once Upon A Monster must be the first of its kind. It’s not an adventure game as you know it, and if you were to describe it in gaming terms you’d probably define it as being on-rails. It’s an interactive storybook, but with the help of Kinect it manages to be more interactive and more immersive than it could have ever been with a controller. You physically turn the page by lifting your arm and sweeping it across as you progress through the 6 chapters, meeting new monsters with problems for you to help them overcome along the way. You do meet old favourites like Grover, a character that injects plenty of all-ages humour into the story, and Oscar, a character designed to account for older siblings or parents watching or playing with the child. Other than that those two and the two you are playing with throughout, though, it’s a whole new set of characters invented for the purpose of the game. All have been well-designed so that you warm to them and see their cuddly side (except from possibly the last one you meet, Ramona, whose jagged teeth make her look a bit too sinister, even after you befriend her and learn she is a harmless, good-natured storyteller).
The monsters you encounter have problems ranging from confidence issues to losing band members, and each of their various dilemmas takes you on a miniature, multiple-page adventure consisting of different types of activity. Some of these activities are slower paced, such as ones where you have to dress people in outfits, whereas others require a higher level of physical exertion, like rhythm-action mini-games where you bang a drum, copying the moves of onscreen characters as you dance to music, flapping your arms to fly or leaning your whole body to decide your position onscreen as you dodge and collect all manner of obstacles and items. Given the unnatural movements brought about occasionally by Kinect, some of the activities that fall under the latter category can be excessively tiring, usually due to going on for ever slightly too long. One such example is when you are leading a march and you have to thrust your arm forward every few seconds for the duration otherwise your entourage will slow down and stop, although it is worth noting that most are absolutely fine and don’t suffer from similar errors in design. Another issue with movement, though not major, was that some poses and dance moves have you looking away or with your back to the screen, which, in turn, means you can’t see the next action you are supposed to be doing.
But more impressive than the abundance of different activities is the way in which, over the course of the game, Sesame Street: Once Upon A Monster manages to use Kinect in so many different ways. There are sections which you will be frantically moving around in front of the camera, just as there are more subtle, clever movements, like turning a page and then spreading your arms out to enter the story, or simply something basic like leaning in to blow out a set of candles. It also doesn’t forget about the in-built microphone in the sensor, adding to sections of movement with sections where you have to speak aloud or provide the audio for something. For instance, towards the end when doing Ramona’s chapter you act as the narrator, recording your voice over a set of images in stages. Then your recording is played back to you as one continuous story.
The whole nature of the game creates an intimate playing experience – even the menu screen which gives an overview of the book, complete with comments from the Cookie Monster and Elmo based on the page that is currently open. The Cookie Monster-Elmo dynamic lends itself to co-op play, making the game ideal for a parent to play through with a child, and an uncluttered heads-up display means the transition from cutscene to gameplay is so seamless you barely notice the transition. Just about the only thing that’s displayed is a star rating (you are given a rating out of 5 stars based on your performance, although sometimes it’s simply story-based and it’s impossible to complete the level without earning all 5) which springs up each time you earn a star, but then disappears again.
Sesame Street: Once Upon A Monster is a real breath of fresh air. It just wouldn’t be the same with a controller, as the unique idea to utilise Kinect to make the most interactive of interactive storybooks is a winner. It’s impossible to fail; worse performances are marked down on the scoring system, not given game over or anything discouraging, and regular compliments and reassurances of how well you are doing come from the funny, inviting pairing of Elmo and the Cookie Monster. A colourful, friendly visual-style contributes to make for a fantastic for kids – or to play with the kinds thanks to the option of co-op which allows you to be part of the enjoyable experience. It’s a beautiful game, not only visually but on the inside, and although it will no doubt prove too easy for older players, many will probably pick it up for a self-esteem boost – either from the constant compliments or from the Gamerscore hike owing to the way it readily dishes the achievement points.
Over in Japan, pre-orders for the highly anticipated Playstation Vita opened to the public. There were long lines at some stores, but other stores had no one. Some did not promote the pre-orders. The growth of online shopping might contribute to this as some would have decided to use sites such as Amazon Japan.
According to Sinobi, retailer and blogger, the 3G version of the handheld is the more popular version that was pre-ordered with 65%. The other 35% was the Wi-Fi only version. They have also provided details for memory cards. Out of all of the pre-orders, 82% had memory cards added to their pre-order. 72% of those who had added memory cards went for the 32GB storage option.
Software is a different story. The ratio (console to software), according to Sinobi, was roughly 1:1. Ok, it isn’t really the best figure, however, it is still too early to call on the reception of the massive launch lineup. Some of these people may be waiting for reviews or wanting more information.
By the way, I do believe the reason the 3G version is more popular due to the first 500,000 units having a 3G pre-paid card of 100 hours for free. It is a very tempting offer, one, it seems, people can not refuse.
Any urban planners out there best dust off their mega metropolis blueprints – there’s a new city builder on the way. Cities XL 2012 will be the second in the Cities XL series, boasting a huge amount of content and ‘close to photo-realistic quality’ visuals.
Cities XL 2012’s claim to the city building crown is ‘more variety than any other city building game’, and will try to fulfill that promise by allowing players to mod their own content. Despite the fact that the community has been crying out for these modding tools there has been no information on what they actually are – will players be able to design buildings from scratch? Meshes? Skins? It’s an unusual move given that this is the main feature that differentiates 2012 from it’s predecessor, but it looks like fans of the series will have to wait until release day to find out.
Newcomers to the series will find over 1000 structures on offer with 60 maps to arrange them on in anyway they please. Series fans will be familiar with most of the content however, as only 300 of these buildings and 15 of the maps are new to the game. 1000 structures is still one heck of a selection, so here’s hoping the interface is up to it!
Would be emperors will be able to take out a bit of their megalomania by linking together their creations to share resources and establish business links, and can even tinker with versions of cities like New York, Rio de Janeiro and Paris (complete with monuments) to shape some of the biggest cities in the world to their own ideas. The usual resource management and citizen pandering will feature too, and pesky residents will have different profiles depending on their education, expectations and activities.
There’s no denying that the eye candy factor is there, but given that only a fraction of the content on offer is new to the series Cities XL 2012 has a lot to prove. It’s predecessor has a reputation for being a bit on the buggy side, and fans will no doubt need some extensive modding tools to convince them to invest in a sequel that at a glance seems very similar to the original.
The game still has it’s own fanbase though, and since it’s previous release the franchise has changed development hands – this time being dealt with by Game of Thrones Genesis publishers Focus Home Interactive. You can see the CC review for that RTS title here, and Cities Xl 2012 will hit both retail and digital stores on October 20. Fingers Crossed!
Name: Dragon Age 2 DLC: Mark of the Assassin
Developer: Bioware
Publisher: EA
Genre: RPG
Platform: Xbox (reviewed), PS3, PC
Release: October 11, 2011
Price: $9.99 or 800 Bioware/Microsoft Points – BUY HERE
Overview
Just when I started itching for a Dragon Age 2 replay, Bioware decided to throw me a bone and make me feel like I wasn’t wasting my time by releasing the Mark of The Assassin DLC. Like returning to any good game, Dragon Age 2 makes me feel all warm and fuzzy, like being bundled up inside while it’s raining outside. So does Mark of the Assassin measure up to the rest of my adored game? Let’s see.
Gameplay
The DLC kicks in pretty early on in the game, once Hawke and Hawke’s family get settled in Kirkwall. You can activate the quest in your safe house through a giant lion statue that looks quite out of place in your uncle’s hovel. Although I’d recommend perhaps cooling your heels a bit and waiting until your party has a little more XP under their belt before you go charging off into the DLC. Not too long, cos then it’ll just be a walk in the park, but at least enough time to get some decent gear and abilities going.
The main feature of Mark of the Assassin is the new character in the form of Tallis voiced by Felicia Day, actor, writer, and overall geek. This was the main selling point for the DLC, and probably what had most people more excited than usual. While she may not be the best known celebrity, in the crowd that plays Dragon Age there are sure to be more than a few fans. I have to say, the hype was worth it. I absolutely loved Tallis as a character, and her introduction into the game is one of the most kickass cut scenes, definitely don’t skip that one.
I’m not going to talk a whole lot about the plot, but it basically has Tallis ask you to help her steal a jewel from an Orlesian Duke. (Note: Don’t put Aveline in your party, she hates the whole stealing business and will spend the whole time bitching. This was an oversight on my part and I subbed her out a minute into her complaining. That minute was enough.)
The DLC is set in Orlais, so prepare yourself for some heavy French accents, racist comments, and super elitism. This game is so full of little nudges that sometimes it’s practically screaming ‘heh, see what I did there? Aren’t I funny?’
There is a lot more humour than in the main part of the game. Usually the game does subtle humour with sidelong glances and little details, but it was like someone told the writers they could be more obvious with their humour and every single thing was packed with it. I don’t know if this is right, but I’m gonna say it was the inclusion of Felicia Day. They obviously wanted to show off the fact that they’d snagged a comedy actor, and the entire game has a completely different feel. Even the animated exposition scene was funnier in tone and pacing than usual. Don’t get me wrong though, I don’t dislike it at all, I think it’s pretty awesome actually. Instead of just shoving Felicia Day at fanboys and girls they’ve done her some justice and let her do her thing.
Tallis is well scripted, she doesn’t feel like some random character they’ve thrown in for the hell of it. She has some back story, and it’s actually a real pleasure to talk to her. And speaking of back story, Leliana from the first Dragon Age appears again! Which made me probably a lot happier than I should have been.
As well as introducing a new character, you get to kill some new creatures in the form of Wyverns (a more kickass looking dragon) and Ghasts. And for those of you who like your codexes, there are plenty of new ones you pick up.
At one point you get the choice of stealthing your way through the chateau or fighting. I chose stealth because Tallis had just had a cry about killing people, and was surprised to see that they actually installed a rudimentary stealth system in. The guards have a flashing red radar in which they can see you, so the point is to stick to shadows, distract them and knock them out from behind when you can. However, if you get spotted you simply go back to where Tallis is waiting behind you and get another crack at it. It’s like stealth for dummies, which was good because I absolutely abhor stealth. The biggest annoying thing about this is that you have to wait for distract and knock out to recharge, at one point I was chilling out directly behind a guard, hoping he wouldn’t turn around, waiting for it to recharge.
The only real downside of Mark of the Assassin is the fact that Tallis doesn’t stay with you. Instead, she runs off once the DLC is finished, probably to go do some kickass assassin thing while making smartass comments. Although, it’s possible that the DLC will be so popular that they simply have to bring her back. They do leave it open, hinting at the fact that she may return, so here’s hoping.
Visual/Audio
Not much has changed in terms of the graphics or soundtrack. You get the occasional graphics bug where character’s faces just don’t look good in the cut scenes. Tallis is animated through motion-capture and facial-scanning of Felicia Day, and as a result she has a bit of a different feel to her animation. The voice acting on Day’s part is good, considering the leap that has to be made to believe that she is a dangerous assassin.
Conclusion
Dragon Age 2: Mark of the Assassin has a different feel to the rest of the game, it’s lighter and heaps of fun. There’s an awesome story line that holds up on its own and really gets you into it. It is definitely worth a play through.
Turtle Beach has long been known in the gaming industry as a brand for reliable and quality gaming headsets. This year at EB EXPO, when we saw Turtle Beach had a stand, we couldn’t wait to get over there and speak to the team and see the latest products slated for release.
The absolute highlight of the Turtlebeach stand was the new Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 gaming headsets. These headsets are designed for closed-ear gaming for hours and hours on end without your ears getting hot or uncomfortable.
With the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 coming up in November, it’s no wonder that gamers will want to prepare themselves for a long haul of gaming (no sleep and no social life, anyone?). Chris Eade said the headsets were made with these COD gamers in mind, and there are different options to suit the needs of individual. The headsets were officially released to the public at EB EXPO.
It’s safe to say that when many people saw the schedule for EB EXPO 2011, one of the events that immediately leaped out from the page was the EA Special Presentation with Chief Operating Officer, Peter Moore, and Lars Gustavsson and Daniel Matros from DICE. The team from EA didn’t disappoint, with a spectacular show that covered EA’s upcoming titles, the direction of the company, and an extensive segment on Battlefield 3.
Peter Moore took the stage first, and talked about EA’s incorporation of the gaming community’s opinions and feedback into their future titles. He showed comparisons of current games and games from the ‘90s and noughties, and outlined how franchises like Need for Speed, FIFA and Battlefield have developed and improved over time. Moore said for EA, the titles are always being made with the gamer in mind, and because of that EA has constantly improved and transformed their franchises to rise to prominence within their respected genres.
Following Moore, the team from DICE took the stage and spoke about Battlefield 3. They looked at the new Frostbite engine and the title’s improvements over its predecessor (including the multiplayer experience).
We did get to chat to Lars Gustavsson later on during the event to hear about Battlefield 3, which releases on October 27. Check out the video down below.
Ten thousand square feet. Thousands and thousands of fans. Developers and publishers showcasing the latest and upcoming titles.
Welcome to EB EXPO, 2011: Australia’s biggest video game exhibition, which kicked off on October 15. Hosted in the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre in sunny Queensland (yes, there was sun despite the terrible weather reports), EB EXPO is an Australian first and gives gamers a local opportunity to view all the big titles slated for release later on this year.
With playable demos for games such as Batman: Arkham City, The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, Battlefield 3 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, EB EXPO’s stalls place gaming for the rest of this year (and some of next year) on a silver platter for the public.
The first day kicked off with BMX riders, sparklers, and a look at the past, present, and future of video game history. The arena filled out with gamers, cosplayers, and members of the games industry. Queues formed for The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim, Batman: Arkham City, Assassin’s Creed: Revelations, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Battlefield 3, Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, and Halo: Combat Evolved, and the atmosphere was absolutely contagious.
The exhibitors who had stalls included Activision Blizzard, Warner Bros., Ubisoft, Bluemouth, EA, Namco Bandai, Xbxo 360 Kinect, Razer, Bethesda, Konami, THQ, Sega, Turtlebeach, Nintendo, and the Parrot AR Drone. The stalls were definitely crowded for the duration of each session (although what do you expect?), and there was plenty of positive feedback for the titles and products gamers got a chance to try their hands at.
EB EXPO also had live presentations for gamers to hear – from the developer and publisher’s mouths – what was planned for these upcoming games, consoles, and accessories. The EB Live sessions consisted of an introduction of the PS Vita from Sony, presentations from the big game releases (including an Australian first of Saints Row: The Third. The first day also saw a keynote from Peter Moore, EA’s Chief Operating Officer, and the DICE team, and the final of the World Cyber Games Australia (the winner gets to go to Korea for the world finals!). Day two was the Just ‘Cos Cosplay Competition, where an insane amount of people showed off their costumes and rocked their characters with flair.
We got to chat to some guys at the Bluemouth, Turtlebeach, Nintendo, and EA booths, and they gave us a fantastic rundown on the products we can be expecting to see on shelves later this year. Some highlights include the Turtlebeach Modern Warfare 3 headsets, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, and Bluemouth’s Batman controllers to celebrate the upcoming release of Arkham City.
Sometimes, it’s hard for us sites to remember the Australian public doesn’t get to see these upcoming playable titles at events like E3 and Tokyo Games Show. The EB EXPO 2011 was a wonderful opportunity for the gaming community to try their hand at what will be gracing their consoles in late 2011/early 2012.
Of course, a picture says a thousand words, so here’s a look at the photos from the weekend. Yes, there are a ton of booth babes – but come on, who doesn’t love ‘em? My favourite person at the expo still has to be Commander Shephard from the Mass Effect franchise, though.
Great job, EB Games. Australia’s largest video game exhibition certainly began and ended with a bang, and it can only get better and better from here.
There are a certain group of gamers who love to see whenever a game’s achievements end up being revealed, especially this early. Assassin’s Creed Revelations achievements have been revealed on Xbox360Achievements and you can see them here. Of course looking at these achievements can always result in spoiling something so read them at your own risk.
Also if you take a look at them, you will notice that there are a few multiplayer achievements to go along with the title, as well as story specific ones and collectibles which Assassin’s Creed has been known for. Plus it appears a few achievements have been recycled from Brotherhood, such as raising a trainee up to a master assassin. What do you think of these achievements?
