GAMEVIL’s Air Penguin which topped iOS charts, has now made the jump from the iOS to the Android. You can now download Air Penguin absolutely free of cost in the Android Market on Android devices.
In Air Penguin you jump and fly through the Antarctic in what is simple yet addictive gameplay that you will find yourself highly engaged in.
So there you have it Android users, for such a great game to be free, there is no reason for you to not be soaring to the antarctic with GAMEVIL’s Air Penguin. You can download it for free here. Please let us know what you think of Air Penguin in the shoutbox or comments section.
This past week we reported on the highly publicised legal battle going on between Fox and the voice cast of The Simpsons. That’s right, for all of you with a hint of OCD, The Simpsons will go until it’s 25th season making it to a quarter of a century on air, instead of an imperfect “almost” quarter of a century.
Fox had engaged in a huge dispute, to which the cast has finally yielded in order to “save the show”, since according to Fox the show is no longer “profitable”, or something.
Well at least this news provides a little bit of relief for Simpsons fans who were left somewhat squirmish after our last article on the matter. So what do you think about this renewal? Let us know in the shoutbox or comments section.
Developer: Visual Concepts Publisher: 2K Sports Platform: Xbox 360 (reviewed), PS3, PS2, PSP, Wii, PC, iOS Release Date: Out Now!
Last year, 2K sports gave us the best basketball game we had ever seen. After years of waiting, Michael Jordan was finally included in the game as we relived the greatest moments of his illustrious career. Doubts began to circulate for this year’s release as the lockout moved in for the long haul. With this in mind, there was no way 2K sports could improve on last year’s effort, right? Fans were quick to write off this game, expecting a simple rehash of 2k11 but then the dust began to settle and look! It’s MJ, and he’s brought some friends with him! Alright, enough back story, it’s time to see how 2K12 shaped up.
Gameplay:
The match engine is pretty similar to last year, but a bit more refined and smoother overall. Probably the biggest improvement lies in the post game. Posting up is now done with the Y button instead of the triggers, which means the triggers are now available to be used for moves such as shoulder fakes and various others. You also have much more control of your player when shooting and defending thanks to a few tweaks to the button layout.
AI has been improved, although there are still some almost supernatural moments where your shots will be blocked by a player with his back towards you or a steal will be made in similar fashion, but these are far more rare than last year so they don’t impinge upon matches too often. Following on from last year, you now have to be a lot more tactically astute to break down the AI’s defence, with fast-break points much more difficult to come by and pushing your way to the paint just by holding the R-Trigger no longer an option. Sure this will deter some casual fans but the level of challenge and subsequent satisfaction or frustration that it brings makes it a much better and realistic game.
In terms of game mode choices it’s pretty similar except the MJ mode has naturally been replaced with the NBA’s Greatest mode. The Be A Legend mode which saw players build up MJ’s career against the modern day teams has now been opened up to allow use of any current league player, so basically it’s My Player mode using non-created players. Association mode had very little changes made to it, but then again I didn’t find many problems with it last year.
Onto the NBA’s Greatest Mode. All 15 legends are unlocked from the get go, so you can start with whoever you want. Unlike Jordan’s mode last year, there aren’t any stat requirements for you to fulfill, you just have to win the game. I thought at first that this would take away some purpose to the matches, but then I was sort of relieved as I could just stick to my style without becoming a hog. The presentation is what really makes this mode stand above others, but I’ll come back to that. The player “personality” if you will, is really amazing. We saw what 2k were capable of last year in terms of player detail with Jordan’s tongue-poking-out, shoulder shrugging model, and this year is no different when using the classic teams. One of the best things about having the legends in, is that it’s not just the 15 headliners but also their teammates and the opposing teams in there as well. Want to play with Shaq and Tim Duncan when they were heading into their prime? Go for it.
My Player Mode as we were told a few weeks ago, has had a heap of additions. The summer circuit has been eliminated from the beginning and replaced with just a single rookie match. The notable absence of the real rookies is disappointing, albeit the fault of the NBA rather than 2K Sports, but we apparently will get them updated into the game once [or if] the lockout ends. The draft interviews are a great addition, despite progressing a bit slower than I would like. Some of the questions/responses are really specific to the team that is interviewing you, for example, I was asked by the Golden State Warriors how I think I (being a SG) would fit in given that they’ve already got very formidable guards in Ellis and Curry. You can basically determine which of the three teams you want to get selected by through sucking up or being a douche in your responses.
After you get drafted the mode plays out pretty much the same as last year except in terms of player skill progression due to the added specific ability building. I also really like the addition of a player salary as it gives you a bit more off-court fiddling to do and you can build your fan base and skills up through the money you receive. It may not be perfect but overall I still feel that when compared to EA’s “My Player” equivalents in FIFA, NHL, and Madden, NBA 2K12 wipes the court with them and really shows how fun this mode could be.
Visuals and Sound:
The aesthetics of this game are superb, from match presentation to off-the-court layouts. The main menu has been given a nice makeover, allowing you to jump right into your most recent My Player and Association mode straight away, but still retaining the old menu system through the flick of the right control stick.
Player models are as good as ever, with less alien-like faces appearing and most looking very lifelike. But where does NBA 2K12 really earn it’s 5 star visual rating? None other than the NBA’s Greatest mode. With black and white, sepia, technicolour and faded camera effects used depending on which team you are playing with, this pretty simple touch really adds a whole lot to the sense of nostalgia. Unlike the Jordan matches last year, it is a lot more authentic and makes you almost feel like you are playing in that decade rather than just a modern day recreation. Even more so, the commentary takes the presentation further, treating the matches as replays and recounting many facts and background information on the players and teams, educating and entertaining you while you play.
The great commentary is not just limited to NBA’s Greatest, with My Player Mode and Association modes becoming more and more realistic, especially when giving background information but also commenting on occurrences and stats around the league, improving a bit upon last year. The soundtrack is also very solid, complimenting the game experience through a good mix of genres especially rock, hip-hop and rap.
Conclusion:
Overall, if you had 2k11 you will find this game plays quite similarly and even more you won’t even be getting much of a roster update (though you do get plenty of classic teams), something which sports games are often joked about for. The former is nothing to be ashamed of given how good 2k11 was, and the latter is the result of the lockout. The main faults with the game are things that 2K had very little control of, although a few minor AI and online issues need to be addressed. To produce such an awesome game based around a league that is in disarray is truly commendable. Given the lack of competition in basketball games, 2K and Visual Concepts could easily have slacked off, rehashed 2k11 with a pretty bow on it and called it 2k12, but they didn’t. The level of detail in presentation in NBA’s Greatest, the improvements made to My Player mode and of course the smoother game play make it an excellent game for NBA and both casual and hardcore sports games fans. With the lockout still in place, this will prove to be a more than adequate alternative to the cancelled preseason as you sit and hope that the NBA can get it’s act together. And if the season is cancelled altogether? Well this will surely help ease the pain.
On Friday, Sony Computer Entertainment America’s president Jack Tretton took some time from his busy schedule to talk to the Arizona Daily Star. He was conducting a speech at the University of Arizona, where his son John attends, about the gaming industry. In this interview, he divulges into the Playstation Vita and the unfortunate breach of the Playstation Network over April and May this year.
The North American release of the Vita was asked and this is what Tretton had to say:
“We’ll be announcing that shortly. You probably know it will be out before the holidays in Japan. It will be out in the first quarter in the States. It’s something we’re very excited about.”
Now that is something noteworthy. Of course, common knowledge dictates that the Vita won’t make an appearance in the West until the first quarter of 2012, missing the crucial holiday period. However, Tretton’s revelation that we shall know the release “shortly” does raise my eyebrows. How long are we from that anticipated announcement? A week, two weeks, a month?
Anyway, he also talked about the download limit of the Vita, which was announced to be at 20MB, the same as Apple devices:
“That’s probably based on the partner and the amount of data that they’re going to allow to be fed based on the plan.”
AT&T is the network partner of the Playstation Vita. So, according to Tretton, it will be up to them to decide what the 3G download limit will be… in North America at least.
What about PS3 connectivity? Tretton also answered a question on that after it was revealed that the Vita can act like the Wii U tablet controller:
“The relationship between the Vita and the PS3 is absolutely going to be intimate. That’s something that we had hoped to do with the PlayStation Portable, but the power of the PlayStation Portable and the accessibility was limiting. With Vita, it’s an absolutely symbiotic and natural relationship where conceivably you’ll be able to build up your characters, play the game on Vita and then carry the process over to the PS3.”
I would like to see what the PS3/Vita relationship can be achieved. Can RPG’s use the Vita as a map or inventory screen? Racing games where the Vita can be a rear view mirror? All of this and more seems like a possibility.
Ok, Vita wasn’t all that was talked about. The PSN breach was mentioned, apologising for what did happen but didn’t really answer the question, which was how were the company manage to navigate out of the negativity of the press. Also mentioned was the PSN Pass, which will become a common sight of first party games.
Electronic Arts and Sony –as well as some other companies– have recently been sticking clauses in their Terms of Service that force you to give up your rights to a class action lawsuit. If you don’t agree to the ‘updated’ Terms of Service, some of the services you have been using, like PSN, will no longer be usable. However, there is a way out if you dig deep enough. Like, really freakin’ deep. Usually there is an opt-out method, wherein you must send a letter, by snail mail, to the respective companies legal department stating that you wish to reserve the right to sue them.
As far as we are concerned this is outright baloney with a capitol B. Luckily though, a new service agrees with us and aims to make this process easier. Gamers Opt Out claims it is a free service that will mail the opt out letters for you. It is run on a donation basis. If you want to take a stand against EULAs, this website/service certainly will make the process easier. Although we can’t vouch for the service ourselves, it does look legit. Make sure you read everything before using them though. After all, they will be handling YOUR legal future.
Of Orcs and Men is a relatively new title to cross our gaming radar. However, if originality was the only thing we based our impressions of games on, then this game would win, hands down. Of Orcs and and Men places you in a fantastic, frightening world where, instead of humans being the good guys, Orcs are oppressed and Goblins are enslaved. Your task as an Orc is to destroy the one human being responsible for this catastrophe. Along your journey, you will meet up with a Goblin. Using your combined powers, you will overcome the atrocious powers that be.
“As the world falls into chaos and you face a cruel and merciless humanity bent on eternal persecution of Orcs and Goblins, your unlikely duo will have one last chance to change the course of History and, hopefully, bring peace between your peoples. ”
Of Orcs and Men will release in 2012 on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC
Publisher: Konami Developer: Konami Consoles: Xbox 360 (reviewed), PS3, PC Release: 27 September 2011 (Americas), 13 October 2011 (Europe and Australia) Price: Fishpond Australia ($88.56), Amazon US ($55.52), Amazon UK (£37.99)
Apparently, 2012 is the year of change. With a host of sports games introducing new features – and some revamping their franchised title entirely – it’s safe to say that the next generation of sports simulation has probably arrived.
Konami’s latest football sim, Pro Evolution Soccer 2012, boasts an improved Active AI, a new Teammate Control System, and a new face for the cover (although you may remember him from PES 2008): Cristiano Ronaldo. Overall, the title is a well-rounded and improved experience that caters for a variety of different skill levels; however, there are a variety of small issues that prevent the title from reaching its full potential and because of this the game can, at times, seem unfinished.
PES 2012’s menu presents gamers with Exhibition Mode, the UEFA Champion’s League, Copa Santander Libertadores, Football Life (with Master League and Become a Legend), League/Cup and community/online options. PES has always been lacking a bit in the licenses department, and while Konami have built upon the licenses from PES 2011, many gamers will still be disappointed at the lack of diversity in licensing.
Aside from UEFA’s licenses and the license for Copa, three other leagues are fully licensed: France’s Ligue 1, Netherlands’ Eredivisie, and Spain’s Liga BBVA (yes, Konami, you get brownie points for this one!). Premier League fans will be disappointed that, again, only Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are licensed. Teams are again given fictional names like Chelsea (London FC) and Arsenal (North London FC), and leagues such as the Serie A have all the teams licensed but not the logo and name. It’s great to see Konami listening to the gamers and churning out more licensed teams, but it’s undeniable that many people will still feel the lack of comprehensive licenses takes away from the authenticity of the game.
One of the great improvements in PES 2012 is its Football Life mode – or more specifically, the Master League mode. Let’s face it – career modes (or Become a Legend, as PES players know it) can often get tiresome, but managing teams never gets old and the replay value is almost infinite.
Konami taps into this love for manager modes with revamped and stylish animations of the coaches briefing you (in the form of your avatar, which can be quite entertaining). The animations add a degree of realism to the title that you just wouldn’t get elsewhere. Unfortunately though, the animations lack voiceovers: the coach’s mouth moves and subtitles reveal the dialogue, but there is no sound but the background music. It’s questionable as to why Konami would go to all the trouble of creating animated segments only to skimp on the audio, but nevertheless the animation adds a certain air of refinement to one of the most beloved modes in football simulation.
However, with all this talk about modes, we can’t forget about the gameplay. First off, what’s really great about gameplay in PES 2012 is the degree of customization you have. Konami are branching out and embrace every type of gamer: be it the casual gamer or the hardcore fanatic. If you’re just starting out, then you can leave your manager, coach, or scout in charge of everything and just play a bit of casual football. If you’re into choosing your own formations, performing heaps of tricks, or playing at the top level, PES 2012 can cater to your needs. You can play the game to the level that you want to, and get involved as much (or as little) as you want to.
PES 2012 improves upon the gameplay issues of PES 2011, and the Active AI works a treat about 80% of the time. Attacking defenders like Ramos play exactly as they would in real life, and overall teamwork is definitely emphasised as a major component of gameplay. Most of the time, your players will try to find the best position possible, but sometimes this just doesn’t work out and you end up running solo – straight into the defenders.
The Teammate Control system – a new feature that allows gamers to control two players at once – is a great way to undo some of the hiccups of the AI. Players can now be directed to different locations on the pitch with the use of R3, and is great when the AI just doesn’t seem to understand what you’re trying to get your players to do. The Teammate Control system can be a bit finicky for some gamers, but it’s a great way for PES 2012 to acknowledge that sometimes a computer just doesn’t understand what we’re going for.
With all this being said, it’s impossible to overlook the fact that PES 2012 is primarily still an attacker’s game. While you can select the type of football your team plays (and customise the formation as such), possession football is still a difficult task. It seems the main focus of the AI is to force you into attacking, no matter what your playing style. Defence is largely overlooked and your players will somehow allow a striker to run straight past (at what still seems like lightning speed, by the way) – even if they are standing straight in the striker’s way. The ref is a little bit too keen to give cards away for even the slightest hiccup in defending– but hey, maybe he just likes the colour yellow?
However, the attacking element of the game certainly adds plenty of pace and energy. You’ll be caught up in a flurry of sprinting towards the goal and shooting, and focusing so heavily on attack does make the game very, very fun.
PES 2012 does definitely look sleeker than its predecessor, and the players all have their own mannerisms that come through during gameplay. Van Persie will consistently sweep and Messi will run to the back of the net after scoring. The lighting is definitely one of the pluses to the graphic design: a pitch half shrouded in shadow and half drenched in sunlight really does add a degree of realism to the title. At times, the animation can still be a little clunky and I even had a player run straight through the ball, but for the most part PES 2012 is visually on par.
Konami have also introduced a myPES service: a new take on the online arena, myPES is an application that links your Facebook account with the game. Results can be uploaded to your Facebook, and you can also share and interact with your friends, which is a big plus – given, of course, that you have enough friends who also play PES 2012. While myPES is still in its baby steps, hopefully PES 2013 will see even more developments in the football-meets-social-media avenue.
For all the improvements PES 2012 has made, though, I was sorely disappointed with the lack of attention to detail in some small areas. It may be nitpicking, but it’s the finer aspects that really show off a game’s cohesiveness. A big mistake on Konami’s part was the lack of some inclusions of major transfers at the beginning of the 2011/12 season. Mata is still in Valencia and Fabregas is still at Arsenal, which makes the game feel dated from release day. Also, the Training Challenges (which many gamers may need if they are looking to try out PES for the first time) are difficult, frustrating, and often less helpful than they are a hindrance. In fact, newcomers to the franchise would probably find it easier to jump into an exhibition match rather than go through training.
Also, another key issue for me (although very minor for the PES market) was the lack of inclusion of a female avatar choice – it’s not earth-shattering, but it’s these little things that make the game feel complete.
Of course, there’s no way to fully talk about PES 2012 without acknowledging the elephant in the room…its rival, FIFA 12. But let’s all stop for a minute, breathe, and remember: Konami have been working hard to catapult Pro Evolution Soccer back to its former 06/07 glory. While EA have been building upon previous titles, Konami have been rebuilding. PES 2012 is most certainly a step in the right direction, and should be acknowledged as such.
With that being said, the title still has a few more steps to go in terms of improvements before it can hope to reign supreme over EA’s FIFA juggernaut. PES 2012 has definitely closed the gap here, but it still may take a year or two before both are on equal par and the game is allowed to fully flourish without feeling like it’s playing catch-up.
While we may know a decent amount about the things we will be doing once The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is released later this year, we have yet to learn how things have become like they are in the world. That is until today when Nintendo released a video with Japanese text that happened to be similar to what we saw in the Wind Waker.
It didn’t take long however for some kind soul on YouTube named makotonokamen to upload the video again but this time with English subtitles so we can understand what is being demonstrated in the video. Catch the trailer below with the subtitles enabled.
Many of us still don’t know what to make of Gotham City Impostors. Although the idea and concept of the game is fresh, it seems a little… strange. That being said, this new video from Warner Bros eases our fears. After all, if the game has any of the humor, quality and twists that this video has, there is no reason why Gotham City Impostors won’t be a success.
Check out the video below and be sure to leave a comment letting us know your thoughts on the game. Will you be ready to fight your way through a bunch of Impostors, or will you stick with the “real” Batman?
“Marvel vs. Capcom 3 was so February 2011!” At least, that is what Dr. Doom says. And we all know, whatever the Doctor says, ’tis the truth!
Capcom has officialy decided to offer their full support to the ‘Assist Me’ series on Youtube. In this video, “Max, and his stalwart roommate Dr. Doom, obtain an illicit copy of Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 and must master each of the new characters or face certain destruction. Hawkeye and Strider are the first two characters to be covered in the ongoing series, complete with a live-action appearance from Capcom’s most-famous ninja.” In addition, the video series will provide valuable tutorials and stratgies for mastering the game.
Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 launches on November 18 for a mid-range price.
