The Humble Indie Bundle is back ladies and gentlemen and this time the bundle looks absolutely amazing and jam packed with great titles.
Be sure to pay what you’d like for Frozen Synapse, an excellent turn-based strategy game for Mac, Windows, and Linux, while supporting two worthy charities. If you decide to pay above the average price (which is at approx $5 at the moment) you can also receive the Humble Frozenbyte Bundle, which includes Trine, Shadowgrounds, Shadowgrounds: Survivor, the Jack Claw prototype, and a Splot preorder.
So far the Humble Indie Bundles have raised over $2,000,000 for charity and with your continued help they can hopefully reach $3,000,000 by the time this bundle ends, so lets all dig deep and donate for charity. Remember you can download the games instantly from the Humble Bundle, or add them to your Steam library.
$1.6 million. That is the amount you could stand to win under new plans for a Battlefield 3 tournament from Virgin Gaming. DICE, of EA Games, and Virgin Gaming today announced the Battlefield 3 Worldwide Conquest Tournament in preparation for the October 25th/October 28th launch of the game. It will be the largest console videogame competition in gaming history and players from around the world will compete online in Battlefield 3 for a chance to win $1.6 million in cold hard cash. The online tournament begins in early 2012, so there’s plenty of time to practice and get good used to the new game, and will culminate with a live grand finale where the players with the best Battlefield skills will walk away with a share of the prize pool. For more information you can visit www.BattlefieldMillions.com.
So, $1.6 million isn’t too shabby for being good at a videogame. Who’s up for the challenge?
Rockstar Games have today confirmed that ‘L.A. Noire: The Complete Edition’ will be coming to the PC this November. The PC version been developed by Rockstar Leeds and will take full advantage of the PC’s specs with increased resolution and graphical detail. The game will also support stereoscopic 3D thanks to NVIDIA 3D Vision for anyone that owns a compatible screen.
L.A. Noire: The Complete Edition (as the name suggests) will included all previously released downloadable content from the console versions, including the “Nicholson Electroplating” Arson case, the “Reefer Madness” Vice case, “The Consul’s Car” Traffic case, “The Naked City” Vice case and “A Slip of the Tongue” Traffic case, along with the full game itself.
L.A. Noire: The Complete Edition for PC is set to launch on Windows PC, Steam, and OnLive in North America on November 8 and in Europe on November 11.
Fresh from the Team 17 factory comes Worms Ultimate Mayhem, which will be available for download on Xbox Live Arcade and Steam from today. The title is said to be a HD reimagining of Worms 3D and Worms 4: Mayhem, using highlights from those forays into 3D for this digital collector’s edition outing for the gun-toting scamps. It will have improved high-definition visuals, comes complete with 60 single player missions, challenges, 12 graphical themes, 38 weapons and utilities, full online play for up to four players and plenty of customisation options for your worm and game experience.
To celebrate the launch, Team 17 have released the ‘Enhancements’ trailer, a look at ways in which Team 17 have spent the last year in development creating Worms Ultimate Mayhem.
Worms Ultimate Mayhem costs 1200 Microsoft Points on Xbox LIVE Arcade, and £10.99/€12.99/$14.99 for PC from Steam.
To buy on Steam click HERE. Or you can purchase it on Xbox Live Arcade HERE.
Name: Where’s my Water?
Developer: Walaber
Publisher: Disney
Genre: Family/Puzzle
Platform: iPhone (reviewed), iPad
Release: September 22 2011
Price: $0.99 – BUY NOW
Overview
It comes as no surprise that Where’s my Water? is a Disney creation. After all, there’s a cute cartoon animal that would usually be dangerous but in this case is just cuddly, the evil poison goo is just a purple sludge that is in fact helpful, and the aim of the game is to allow the gator to take a shower. The only way it could get more Disney is if the gator was a prince.
Gameplay
Where’s My Water is an app based on physics and puzzles, which is more than I was expecting considering it is a Disney game. As I watched and listened to the intro I felt this sinking feeling in my stomach that I would be stuck in a nightmarishly simple child’s game, but that was not it at all. Maybe children have gotten smarter, maybe my expectations are horridly off, but I was pleasantly surprised by the nice learning curve that resulted in some interesting puzzles, some even took a couple tries to figure out how to do them right.
The concept of Where’s My Water is simple and cute in its little Disney way. There’s a alligator named Swampy who lives in the sewers and who likes to take lots of baths because, well, apparently he’s a little special one. However, given that he lives far under the ground getting the water to him is not the easiest task (he’s too good for sewer water you see).
You need to get the water from the source – whether that be a spewing pipe or puddle of water – to the pipe that leads to his shower. In order to do that you swipe your finger over the sections of dirt in a tunnel leading the water the right way. Along the way you have to try and collect three ducks, this is similar to Cut the Rope’s stars in that you don’t need to get them but it would be better, especially since you move onto the next stage when you’ve reached a certain number. Each level is completed successfully when Swampy has enough water to run his bath.
It sounds fairly easy, and it is to begin with, however then a range of difficulties start being introduced such as poison and moss. The moss is more of a pain than the poison funnily enough, because when your water touches the moss it makes it grow at a ridiculously fast rate and basically blocks your water flow. The poison dissolves the moss, but if it comes in contact with water it turns the water to poison also, which kills the rubber ducks and is not something Swampy wants to bathe in. What a picky one. There is also green acid that eats through everything it touches. Except Swampy. He’s okay.
The game also has platforms that move either upon activation or of their own accord. These can be helpful or annoying, depending on how much you understand of the level and if you know how to use them to your advantage. As levels go on you will find that you’ll be redo-ing levels just to tweak the timing a bit and make it run smoother to get those higher points and be awarded for time bonuses and water overflow.
The game currently has four stages with twenty levels to each stage. More stages are promised, which isn’t hard to believe since it was released less than a week ago at the time of this review.
If you are ever stuck, always read the title of the level. Many times it gave it away for me before even starting the level or seeing what the challenge was. This intuition might be lost on some, but for others they may find that the titles are a dead giveaway and detract from a possible challenge.
While it is not as challenging as Cut the Rope, the physics are good, the gameplay is freshened up every few levels, and that damn gator is just so cute. It was enjoyable, if not quite as challenging as it could have been, however I expect that to come as more levels are shipped out.
Visual/Audio
The game is cartoony which may repel some people, but it’s sweet and earnest as well and definitely family friendly. The little cut scenes at the start of stages are cute and really make you feel for this gator that is just too high class for the rest of his species.
Similar to the visual style, the soundtrack is jaunty and upbeat. You never really forget it’s a Disney creation, but that by no means is a bad thing. And if you prefer your music dark and ominous then don’t worry, you can always fall back on a music player and mute that damn cheery app soundtrack.
Conclusion
The game would appeal to kids because of the design, but to adults because of the puzzles. They aren’t the most challenging, but they do make you pause and think properly. Reminiscent of a few puzzle games on the iOS, there’s no surprise that Where’s My Water is a hit. And hey, it teaches kids good hygiene so that’s always good.
Yesterday, during a press conference in Tokyo, Yoichi Wada mentioned the following words: “The Final Fantasy brand has been greatly damaged.” He was talking about Final Fantasy XIV, the MMORPG launched with major problems that made the game somewhat unplayable. The backlash of that game was universal and loud, with major critics and fans alike expressing frustration at the basic mechanics. However, with Wada uttering these words, he has recognised the problems of the game and expressed the desire to make everything right.
On the patches, Wada notes “We’ll continue with our reform work, which basically amounts to fully redoing the game, and hope to revive the FFXIV that should have been released.” For some fans, it might be too little too late. There was no mention of the Playstation 3 version.
This particular press conference focused on the online plans of Square Enix’s flagship titles: Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. There was talk of Dragon Quest X, but only as an example of this online direction. Wada did note that the Dragon Quest main series will not be online only, telling the audience, “We’re not making them all online. We’ll continue with a variety of developments, offline included.”
First, Serah had received her own weapon for pre-order, leaving her companion Noel in the dark. Square Enix, however, has given Noel fans the chance to give him an exclusive weapon via the Square Enix e-shop. The weapon will be called “Calamity Blade”, a twin blade sword which charges Noel’s ATB gauge more quickly, like the spell Haste.
However, the product page on the e-shop has an interesting fact about this sword. It is mentioned that the weapon will be effective from the beginning of the game to the halfway point. What can this mean? It could mean several things, like the weapon could be useless after a certain point of the game or not needed due to Noel’s power. Just like Serah’s weapon, Square Enix did not provide any pictures of the weapon but did promise one at a later date.
Marvel and Paramount have announced the release for the latest of the Avengers to come out on Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray and DVD. On December 1 Captain America will be released onto our DVD and Blu-ray players for some hi-def butt-kicking action. Watch a buff Chris Evans in 1080p as he comes up against Hugo Weaving’s Red Skull, and fights to keep America free.
The DVD release will include one DVD which will have the feature film, commentary, two featurettes and trailers – including an Avengers trailer. This will be available or $39.99.
The Triple-Play release includes Blu-ray, a digital copy and DVD of the feature. Additionally, there will be a tonne of extras including an original Marvel short film, a sneak peak into the much-anticipated Avengers, seven behind-the-scenes featurettes, deleted scenes, and a bunch more goodies that will surely be more than enough for any Marvel fans. The Triple-Play release will be available for $49.99.
Finishing off the Captain America releases is the Super Set. The Super Set has all the features of the Triple-Play except with the added 3D Blu-ray disc. For those of you lucky enough to own 3D TVs out there this would be a great buy, because hey, if you’re not going to use it to watch kickass superhero movies then what exactly will you use it for? The Super Set will be available for $59.99.
Keep an eye out when it hits on December 1st, this will be a great Christmas present for those superhero buffs out there.
Stark or Tully? Targaryen or Lannister? I’m sure if you’ve watched or read any of the epic fantasy a Song of Ice and Fire then you’ll have a house in mind for yourself. It’s a bit hard to avoid really, what with the banners, the motto’s, the character traits – got purple eyes and a bit too much love for your siblings? Like a good dragon? Hello house Targaryen!
Sweeping and unlikey generalisations aside, get ready for that choice to actually matter with tomorrow’s release of strategy game ‘A Game of Thrones – Genesis’. Players will pick from one of eight major houses to try and win the coveted Iron Throne for themselves, battling through 1000 years of Westero’s violent history along the way. Each house will have their own set of strengths and their own specialised unit – the Starks for example command a spy detecting direwolf, and gain bonuses to commander HP and armour.
The game is released exclusively for PC tomorrow, and Cyanide Studio’s have released some new images in support of it’s arrival. Of course it’s a big ask for the game to keep up with fan expectations, especially after HBO’s excellent TV adaptation, but there’s only one way to find out what Genesis will bring to the table – watch out for the review!
But the big question really is – what house would you choose?
Kaiba Produced by: Siren Visual Run time: 290 minutes, over 12 episodes. Language: Japanese Genre: Experimental, Adventure, Psychological, Release Date: 22nd June, 2011 Available for purchase at Siren Visual Online Store ($49.95)
Overview:
Every once in a while, an anime series comes along that breaks down all you know about the possibilities and limitations of animation. Kaiba is one of these series. Kaiba harkens back the spirit of Osamu Tezuka’s work with astounding finesse and poignancy and all the while forming a bloodied raw heart that beats with the life and death of time and space it self.
Story: Kaiba is a journey. A beautiful, heart-breaking journey. It has been years since a story like this has been told in anime, god forbid even attempted. The simplest way to describe Kaiba is that it is a high-concept based story surrounding a future in which memories are traded like pokemon cards.
It is indeed a story that is better seen then told. Most of Kaiba’s story is told through actions over dialogue, a technique reminiscent of a somewhat similar-themed Disney animation, Wall-E. That’s not to say there is as little dialogue here as there is in Wall-E. There is definitely some talking. However the stark contrast in comparison with most anime series and in particular Siren Visual’s other “experimental” anime series The Tatami Galaxy which opted for incredibly overbearing dialogue to progress the narrative.
Thankfully Kaiba chooses the much more refined story-telling device. That being that, actions speak louder than words. A large portion of Kaiba uses dialogue sparingly, letting the brilliantly concieved animated world and characters guide the way as you follow the protagonist Warp, from body to body and across the vast universe to his final destination.
It needs to be noted that the most important them of this series is the power of memories. Each episodes continues to slowly pull back the curtain over the brutal reality of the hold our memories have over us. Whether it be the length we would go to in order to remember, the way memories shape who you are and who you will be, how your memories are the only thing that ties you to your past and above all the very nature of memories themselves.
Kaiba explores the nature of memories and the effect they have on us, in great depth and tells it in the most honest way possible. Much like Cowboy Bebop before it, Kaiba ponders not only the way memories hold us to our past but also the way it holds us together. It is clear that the big question that Kaiba is trying to tackle is “What are memories?” – a question that Kaiba passes on to you the viewer, provoking thought most wouldn’t know they were capable of. Thought of not only memories but of exisence itself. Are we just a body scarred with memories? Kaiba leaves us to ponder that.
Characters:
While there is not a large amount of recurring characters here, the ones that do regularly appear are both memorable and relatable. Warp has no memories, he is the blank canvas a lot of us wish to be. So many of us wish to start from scratch, erase the past and start fresh. Unfortunately that desire is futile. Memories make us, to have none is to be the equivalent of a new born child. A being without experiences, understanding or comprehension of life and the world you inhabit.
It’s both a lonely and wonderful feeling, The wonder of discovery, yet the loneliness of not belonging. This is the struggles facing Warp our protagonist. Warp also happens to be the bloodied raw heart that I mentioned earlier on. Kaiba revolves around him naturally as do all the other characters and his journey is truly moving.
All in all, the character development on display here is simply amazing, with characters with no more than 10 minutes screen-time being allowed to grow more than most shows are capable of achieving in their entire run. That in itself is astonishing.
Artwork:
As mentioned previously, Kaiba owes a lot to the infamous God of Manga, Osamu Tezuka of Astro Boy fame. There is a clear influence of Tezuka on Kaiba that pays tribute to the late great Tezuka while also distancing itself through creative character designs and incredible sakuga animation (fluid animation) that is extremely rare to come by.
The animation is so fluid and never feels static. Much like the memories in Kaiba things are constantly moving, there is never still moment. There is so much life bleeding out from this series that despite its simplistic artstyle which would drive most away as being “kiddy”. This quality of animation simply does not come along every day and is an achievement in animation that should not go unnoticed.
Audio:
Another tick on the checklist of points Kaiba succeeds on, I say. The audio portion of this series is perfect bedfellows with the goings on of the story and characters, making a perfect score for a perfect anime.
The opening theme is a lovely piece of music both standing alone and combined with Kaiba imagery. With pop-infused beats that promise a pleasant experience, while foreshadowing an underlying solemnity with it’s singers voice oozing ephemeral hope and impending destruction. Like the opening, the ending theme is an equally beautiful track, that makes a perfect closer for each and every episodes of Kaiba.
Voice acting is also well done, with each character being portrayed by their Japanese seiyuu with superb skill and providing what is without a doubt a clinic in voice acting. This is the benchmark that I believe most other series should strive for. Each actor plays their character with such personality and emotion, never once faltering.
Special Features:
You knew it was coming, the one thing that holds back this DVD collection. The one thing that holds it back from a perfect score. That one thing is the lack of any sort of extra’s what so ever. This is a consistent problem with Siren Visual releases, that really holds back their collection’s repeatedly. There are few series released from Siren that have special features and unfortunately they are way too far and few between. This time around we are given a few trailers and the usual slip cover that we have become accustomed to from Siren, which it self is quite nice. Other than that, this is the only thing that let down this release.
Verdict:
All-in-all, Kaiba is without a doubt one of the best releases Siren Visual have done, right up there with Welcome to the N.H.K. and Durarara!! if not possibly the best. It is absolutely perfect in every way, besides the noticeable lack of bonuses, leaving the collection with little but the show itself. It has been a long time since a series this good has come along that is why it pains me to not give this a perfect score. I urge everyone to go out and buy this series because if you love anime and have yet to watch this masterpiece, you are doing yourself a grave injustice.
