Hey Battlefield 3 fans, we have great news for you. Earlier today EA and DICE announced through Battlefield’s own Twitter account when you will be able to access the open beta. Sure we may have already knwon that htose who pre-ordered the game through EA’s Origin service on the PC will be able to begin the closed beta on September 27th and that those who pre-ordered Medal of Honor Limited Edition will be able to access the beta on the PS3 and 360 console.
But the open beta for those who didn’t do any of those will be available on September 29th for the PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Players will have access to the multiplayer map known as “Operation Metro” where two sides will face against one another in Rush mode. This is a great way to sate your appetite for everything Battlefield until the game is released on October 25th.
Stop the presses everyone, put down that Gears of War 3 and go run to your PlayStation 3 because it is time for everyone’s favorite game. Download Firmware Update! Sony has announced on the PlayStation Blog that the next update for the PS3 is available now and is of course, mandatory to download if you want to use your PS3 online ever again.
The firmware update which will be known as version 3.72 will supposedly increase “system stability during the use of PS3 format software” plus even the “network services have been improved.” Better get your chips ready because the update will take 10 minutes. Talk about fun times y’know? Quick question, what number do you think the firmware will finally reach before the PS3’s life cycle is over? Version 13.51?
Capcom’s critically acclaimed ‘Resident Evil 4‘ is now available for download on Xbox LIVE and Playstation Network, remastered in full HD. This remastered version of the original Nintendo Wii game features full Trophies and Achievements support and contains all bonus content made available in the Playstation 2, PC and Wii versions including the ‘Separate Ways’ epilogue. Resident Evil 4 follows Leon S. Kennedy on a rescue mission to save Ashley Graham, the President’s daughter, who has been kidnapped by mysterious cultists.
Resident Evil 4 HD is available for download right now on Xbox LIVE Games on Demand for 1600 Microsoft Points and on PlayStation Network for $20.
Game Name:Kirby Mass Attack Platform(s): Nintendo DS Publisher(s):Nintendo, Developer(s):HAL Laboratory Genre(s): Side Scrolling Platformer Release Date: September 19, 2011 (US), October 28, 2011 (EU) Price: $29.99 BUY NOW!
Out of all Nintendo’s mascots, none are as lovable as Kirby. This little pink fluff has now starred in more titles than both Link and Samus and has appeared on every single platform Nintendo have released in one form or another. One of the best aspects of the franchise as a whole though have been the many spin-offs that break from the traditional platforming fare and offer up new gameplay mechanics for players to embrace. Sticking to this trend, Kirby Mass Attack divides our cuddly protagonist into 10 and has players control the swarm in a platforming adventure by only using the Nintendo DS’ touch screen. So how does this title fare with 10x the cute? Here is my review for Kirby Mass Attack.
Story
The colorful plot of Mass Attack starts up with an evil wizard by the name of Necrodius invading the land of PopStar. Being the hero of the land that he is, Kirby is the number one target of the evil wizard as he alone is the only thing that stands in his way of pure domination. Necrodius strikes Kirby with a spell that divides him into 10, as ten weaker copies are much easier to defeat than one and quickly defeats the squad in just a short time. The world would have been doomed for sure, but thankfully one Kirby still remained and with the help of a little star, we see our hero set out to gather all of his copies and save PopStar yet again.
Yes, it’s a very simple plot, but Kirby’s ability to captivate the player remains present throughout the whole game and gives easy incentive to progress. It would take a very cold soul to not let a grin shine through while playing, as this squad of ten all possess that same innocence and charms that the series is known for. Even while my entire ensemble were attacking a poppy little creature by essentially beating him to death, I still found myself rooting for my team and just wanting to find the next fluffy creature to destroy in the same maniacal manner. That is the magic of Mass Attack though, as this narrative feels fresh to the series but yet still keeps that familiar atmosphere to let the player know that they are playing a Kirby game.
Hardcore fans of the Kirby universe will also be delighted to know that many familiar faces have returned in one form or another. This includes the likes of Whispy Woods, King Dedede, and even a certain member of the Squeak Squad that is ready to assist the player in finding secrets in the game’s world.
Gameplay
Aside from there being multiple protagonists at once, Mass Attack at first glance appears to fit right in with all of the other more traditional Kirby titles. This would be true, but players do not actually control any of this pack of pink’s movements manually. Instead of using the D-Pad or face buttons on the DS, players must control their squad by using the touchscreen. Dragging a star along the screen will infatuate the Kirbys and they will follow wherever your pen touches. Holding down the stylus will bunch all of your crew together and you can then draw a line to let them hover to a higher platform or out of danger. The whole touchscreen only scheme may scare some away at first, but after a short time it becomes second nature as this mechanic actually makes it easier to keep up with all of Kirbys at once.
This concept for control goes a bit further with the enemies and environments within the game. By quickly flicking the stylus in any direction, the player can instantly toss a Kirby across the screen. If this is done at an enemies direction, your little pink puffball will latch on and pummel the foe until shaken off. To better the odds, you can flick multiple Kirbys at once and watch gleefully as they pound away in unison until victorious. Certain enemies can change up this combat system as well as some foes have defense mechanisms that can protect them from being latched on to. Yes, there is a fine layer of strategy in Mass Attack, and the game attempts to keep this combat system fresh by not introducing new techniques, but instead new hazards that the player must find a way around by using the mechanics provided.
This “pick and flick” method is also used to progress further in levels as well as your team can be fired like projectiles into walls, blocks, or barriers, which in turn smashes the obstacle and clears a new path. At times, vines will also be draping down where you can fling a Kirby onto and watch as he pulls fruits or other goodies out of the level itself. Whenever you collect fruit, a point meter at the top grows larger and once it reaches 100, a new Kirby will join the pack, which makes these tasty treats pivotal to eat. As you would expect, the more Kirbys you have, the more damage you will do to enemies or obstacles. Level progression is also affected by the number of Kirby you have, as later stages and even areas within levels cannot be accessed until you have a large enough group.
It really isn’t too tough to take out many enemies within the game, but keeping everyone in your pack happy and healthy can be an entirely different ballgame altogether. If one on your Kirbys are hit, they will instantly fly back and turn blue. If they are hit again, they will grow wings and slowly make their way up to that great big Dreamland in the sky. Luckily, death isn’t permanent and you can actually flick a member of your squad at a spirit to revive a fallen ally. Some environmental obstacles though can literally crush your entire team at once unless dodged correctly, which can lead to feelings of sheer panic as you frantically try to use the remaining Kirbys to drag these angelic puffs back to earth. This also brings up the only flaw in the game that I found, which lies in camera itself. I had one moment where I was on a moving platform and my team was scattered about with some of the members located off-screen. Before I could even try to gather them up, the stage squeezed the life out of them and they floated off while I remained helpless. I can say these moments were a little bit frustrating, but they don’t occur enough to put a damper on the overall experience.
The finest feature of Kirby Mass Attack is the amount of level variation within. There are five differently themed worlds that the player will have to traverse altogether, with a set number of levels in found in each one. Now the main objective of for every stage is simply to make it to the next door and continue through until the exit is found. To keep things fresh along the way, the player is treated to utilizing different mechanics to progress through. For instance, one level has your squad ride a giant turtle while cracking away at his shell to reach a door in the center while others can put have your pack cruise up an elevator while dodging incoming hazards. I could go on, but nearly every stage provides something new so it would be a like completing an essay to make mention of it all. Boss battles are also very present, and add in some of those familiar faces into the game that usually require a bit of thought and strategy to conquer.
Each stage also possesses one of the greatest rewards you can earn, with that being gold medals. Why are these so great? Medals collected will unlock mini-games that can be played through an extra menu. Some of these include a Whack-a-mole type game where the player must tap enemies that pop out of holes, a full blown top-down shootemup, and even a turn-based RPG themed romp. There are ten different mini-games in all, and finding enough medals to unlock the next can feel like Christmas Morning due to how well these games were crafted. This is also where the true challenge of Mass Attack comes in as well, as a lot of these gold medals are cleverly hidden and can require a lot of effort to actually find. To take it a step further, 35 achievements can also be unlocked by performing specific tasks. It’s pretty easy to fly through the entire game a few hours, but finding these medals and aiming for every achievement can lead to multiple playthroughs and allow players to revisit worlds several times over just to get that coveted 100% completed label.
Graphics/Audio
If I were to best compare the visuals in Mass Attack to any other Kirby title, it would probably be to that of what we seen in Squeak Squad as the 2D art style resembles the past title greatly (and should definitely be taken as a compliment). Each world delivers eye candy with bright and colorful environments that all feature detailed and stunning backdrops for players to gawk at. Your pack of Kirbys are also a joy to watch, as their bubbly and energetic animations keep the game light-hearted and perfectly compliment the game’s upbeat atmosphere. I was also pleased to see that character models were also given extra love this time around, with each bearing faces that are full of expression and life.
As with nearly every title the franchise, the soundtrack here is just as phenomenal as one would expect. Every tune in the game captures the essence of each stage perfectly. Some of the music within will instantly be familiar to followers of the series as it’s ripped straight out of older titles such as Kirby 64. As a testament to the greatness of these beats, the developers even took it a step further and put in a jukebox as a mini-game so you can re-listen to any melody at anytime. Kirby and his 9 other copies are also a noisy bunch themselves, but hearing their high pitched squeals, cheers, and even screams is now ten times more delightful and is sure to put a smile on your face as you progress through the lively world of PopStar.
Overall
Touchscreens these days may be considered “old technology”, but Kirby Mass Attack takes on this control scheme and executes a flawless performance during the entire journey. This type of gameplay may new to the series, but it still stays easily accessible through it’s simplicity and remains fun for the entire ride due to the heavy amount of variation tossed in. Content is also something given by the barrel in this title as well, as the mini-games and medal collection beg the player to revisit this colorful world many times over. With a fun little plot to follow and ten little Kirbys that are oozing with charm, Mass Attack is yet another fantastic spin-off from the franchise that made a name for it itself by taking risks and being successful while doing so.
In the wake of the Tokyo Game Show we discuss the lack of any real news and talk about Playstaion Vita, as it was basically the only thing at the show. We discuss what games we can’t wait for, Spike and Alexis play RAGE, Luke fights crime and Matt gets -4 to emo but +3 to coolness.
Cast: Alexis Ayala, Matt Vella, Michael Marr and Luke Halliday
Im not sure about you but im bored, really bored with the current state of the gaming industry and what it has slowly become, lets say since the release of the latest generation of consoles. Just when you think a ray of light in the form of some kind of unique and conceptually different IP has broken through the glut of First Person Shooters, predictable adventure games, never-ending remakes and very poorly made renditions of popular sports like Rugby Union; it always turns out to be to good to be true.
I dont know where it all fell apart but i think it was somewhere around the time games made the transition to becomong more akin to Hollywood blockbusters, complete with the budgets, deadlines and constrictive hold on creativeness that comes along with the territory. Once you are answerable to a higher power so to speak, your entire approach to game production must change to become more focused on the finances, surely resulting in other departments having to suffer the consequences. I cant remember where I read it and trust me I googled for ages but it takes something in the vicinity of 100 staff, 2 years(maybe more), to produce 6 hours of gameplay. At $10000 per man month the development costs are 24 million alone. You can imagine it would be hard to find a publisher willing to pump anymore cash than that into any project, regardless of its reputation.
In fact, following on from such ‘masterpieces’ as Duke Nukem Forever, publishers would be wise to be weary regarding anything to do with remakes, sequels and spin-offs, especially those that havent had their names in the spotlight for over a decade. The problem with remaking a title 10 years later is that gaming has come so far in every aspect from graphics engines to motion control, that the remake looks and feels so different from the original it fails to appeal to its original fanbase. Looking at the new trailer for Oddworld I sincerley hope this not to be the case in this situation. I remember this games appeal to be its quirkiness and challenging puzzles, as well as having a truly immersive storyline that was somewhat disgusting yet addictive at the same time. Unfortunately not much coming out these days can be even remotely described by any of those words and pale in comparison.
In addition to this, many of these companies are trying to find success with games that were truly groundbreaking for their time. There is no denying the influence Duke Nukem as a game and character had on the industry, shaping the way for all the brutality that followed. The industry owes Duke many thanks, dont get me wrong, i just dont feel that his latest instalment did any form of justice to the franchise.
I guess the sad thing is, despite the countless hours amd millions spent in production, the ultra realistic graphics and geographically correct environments, despite the immersive storylines and disregarding the hype and preconceived ideas, current games on a whole are just not holding our interest. A recent study conducted by Raptr and backed up by reputable industry executives from companies such as Activision, Capcom and Konami has found that 90%, yes 90% of gamers who start playing a game will NEVER complete it, a finding that is not isolated either to unpopular games but encompasses AAA titles such as Game of the Year Red Dead Redemption.
There are valid contributing factors however to the dilemma, including an age shift that has seen the average age of the avid gamer player and buyer rise by over 10 years. As a flow on effect, the time gamers now have to play AAA rated console titles has been dramatically reduced, and combined with the plethora of other distracting and diluting media platforms, has contributed enormously to the situation. The other major contributor according to Keith Fuller of Activision is the multiplayer “monkey” on many players backs, with Fuller claiming he knows many people who never even load the single player campaigns.
Why so many gamers are looking to install homebrew and emulators on their consoles, giving them the ability to play old Sega, Nintendo, turbo graphx and other retro titles is no surprise. These games offered players a challenge and more importantly had extensive replay value. Think Golden Axe, Ghosts and Goblins, Sonic the Hedgehog and R-Type. I cant remember the last time a Shoot em up was released for any major console going as far back to the days of the Sega megadrive when Shoot em ups like Truxton were successful as stand alone titles rather than being incentives, add-ons or simple IOS ports. Furthermore, these games with with a sense of excitement and a touch of mystery that was paramount to their success. Personally I think the only company still coming close to producing games of this conceptual calibre are Nintendo, despite the fact they still rely a little too heavily on their old favourites Mario, Donkey Kong and Zelda.
Ok so before the flaming begins let me say a few more things. These are my opinions and I have been playing games since the days of Nintendos Game and Watches which i can honestly say are more enjoyable and challenging then many games I’ve played recently. To all of you mobile gamers who will argue the immense amount of new IP being shown across the various platforms, I agree with you, and applaud the efforts of these independent studios and developers, but still my response is blah blah blah. Its all excuses, these games are adding nothing to the gaming industry, merely following a lucrative trend, and when its all said and done none of them will be remembered for anything more than what they are, short lived expendable fads that will leave no impact on the industry at all. Yes they have made some people a lot of money and yes i would also do it if I could but that doesnt mean i have to agree with it, or cant see it for what it is.
So now onto a few games that are an exception to the rule and are excluded from being lumped into the same mediocre category as the majority of titles. In no particular order they are
1. The magnificent and twisted Portal 2. Despite some claims that its success is derived from its large female input into development, the game would have been popular had it been produced by a group of crack smoking monkeys. It wasnt hard for Portal 2 to stand out from the rest, I mean it didnt even have a “real gun”, which immediately sets it apart from 99.999999999% of the market. Portal 2 was a challenge and it also offered gamers something i believe is fundamental to success, the ability to perform tasks not available in real life situations, thus adding that element of the unknown to the mix.
2. While having a typical storyline, Dead Island is as far from a typical console game as you could get, combining arcade action with strategic choose your own adventure style play. Its hard to pick too many faults and despite is huge levels of violence (so much so i have a hard time wondering as to how the Australian classification board let this through and had the audacity to ban Mortal Kombat), it displays features such as the weapon mod and upgrade system that is not present in other titles.
3. I dont have much to say about Crysis 2, and i cant pinpoint what sets it apart from every other FPS that was released around it. I guess in the words of Dennis Denuto, the lawyer from the movie the Castle its the “vibe”, “the general feel”.
4. FIFA 11 – say no more
5. Super Mario Galaxy franchise, Super Paper Mario, New Super Mario, I think you get the general idea as to what im trying to say.
Of course there are more but it gets a little subjective so i wont go on and you get the idea that there are still some gems being produced amongst the colourless stones.
So I guess im done rambling, Im sure there will be many who disagree so before you get your knickers in a knot, Im old and bitter, I dont like getting my assed kicked online by people who spend all day lurking in corners waiting for you to spawn only to shoot you and giggle with glee in their mums basement. Im not looking for long-winded games, Im happy with their length, its the content I have an issue with. We’ve either seen it before in a better form or its so terribly executed we dont really want to see it at all. Heres crossing my fingers that new idea is just on the horizon as Im losing faith in lack lustre remakes, rehashed ideas and unoriginality oozing from every pore of the industry.
These are my own personal views and do not reflect in any way the views of the website capsulecomputers.com nor those of any of the other editors on the site. Thanks for letting me express my own opinions. If you are going to comment I have a lot of respect for your own views and am happy to engage in intelligent conversation with you. Any flamers or those who can only express themselves through profanity will be ignored and comments deleted due to a lack of understanding and improper use of the english language.
Kaos Studios, developer of the original Homefront, may have been shut down but THQ still have plans to continue the IP, with Crysis creators Crytek taking on the task of making a sequel.
In the words of Danny Bilson, EVP of Core Games at THQ, “Selecting Crytek to take Homefront forward underscores our strategy of working with the industry’s best talent”. With such an impressive portfolio, developing the Crytek Engine used by many others and creating both Crysis and Crysis 2, the new developer could add a touch of class to the Homefront franchise.
The yet to be named sequel is scheduled for release in THQ’s fiscal year 2014 on console and PC platforms, so it’s still very vague as to what formats the game will be appearing on and the time of release.
F1 2011 races to retail this week on Friday 23rd September for PAL territories. As it is only a short time away, Codemasters have released a launch trailer for the game, a slow-mo celebration of the realism the developers have managed to achieve with this year’s follow-up to the successful F1 2010. It will be available on Xbox 360, PS3 and Windows PC, with further 3DS and PS Vita handheld versions to come next year.
F1 2011 will challenge players to ‘be the driver, live the life, go compete’, with gameplay advancements on and off track and extended multiplayer components, including the all-new co-op Championship mode. Players will be able to race against 16 players online plus 8 AI cars to simulate a full 24 car grid.
Yesterday I had a chance to meet up with EA to check out both Battlefield 3 and Mass Effect 3. The Battlefield 3 demo had two stations to play through. I had a chance to go through a single player level and through a co-op level. Both demo’s I played on PS3. I’ll get the obvious out of the way first; Battlefield 3 is a beautiful game. If you’ve seen it in action then you know. Sure it looks absurd on PC but the frostbite 2 engine looks fantastic running on the PS3 hardware. If you’re not a hardcore PC gamer with a bajillion dollar setup you’ll do fine by playing the console version. The controls were tight and responsive and the game ran smoothly. The single player level was set at dusk and really showed off the lighting effects as you approach a city from the top of a hill. After lugging a mortar to the bottom and launching an illumination round into the sky, which happened automatically after a single press of a button, you’re prompted to hop a wall with a nice little in game cinematic as you’re hefted over. After some outdoor terrain and watching a guy run out of a building while on fire you promptly move into the interior spaces. The levels were laid out well with a very lived in feeling to them. While inside I picked up a shotgun that felt fantastic. The sound design should really be mentioned here, everything from the subtle score to the sounds of the guns, the atmosphere the audio created really did a lot and complimented the feeling of the game. After running through some corridors, the demo ends. It’s rather short and left me wanting more but it was effective in giving me an idea of how the game handles. The showcase here really was the feeling and atmosphere which Battlefield 3 came out with in spades.
During the co-op session my partner and I were sent in the middle of the night to make our way through a nearby building to rescue a hostage. The first segment you’re instructed to do quietly so we creeped our way through with silencers as well as we could before inevitably getting noticed and quickly turning things into a “I’m shooting you in the face with a shotgun” scenario. Which to be honest, is more my speed anyway. Nothing like shooting someone in the face to really make you feel alive. After finding said hostage and escorting him to the transport, which is blissfully short. You’re then immediately thrust into an ambush with guys on roofs shooting and things exploding all around you. This is where the real meat was. As where the AI in the first segment of the level was a little slow and nothing more than fodder for you to shoot at, all of the enemies out on the street were expert marksmen vying for your cold and quick death. After cowering under cover for a bit and seeing it chip away my partner and I opted to try and draw some attention so we can pick people off. This didn’t work out as well as we would have like as my partner and I were dispatched rather quickly.
Lets cut to the chase here, you’re going to buy Battlefield 3. You’re reading this article to reaffirm that decision. DICE has put together something special with this game and everyone knows it. I know it, you know it, even your bus driver knows it. The single player campaign has a punch but you’re going to buy it for co-op and multiplayer, and Battlefield 3 does not disappoint. If any of those things are important to you then this is your game.
Battlefield 3 is set for release on PC, Xbox 360 and PS3 on October 25, 2011
Rockstar has released its Myths and Mavericks DLC pack for the popular title Red Dead Redemption, which is now available for download on the Playstation Network and Xbox LIVE.
The Myths and Mavericks pack is free (yes, you read right – free!), and is Rockstar’s little ‘token of appreciation’ for all the gamers who have continued to drive the success of the title and its online/multiplayer gameplay. The pack will see many characters from the single-player story make appearances in multiplayer, including Landon Ricketts, Deputies Eli and Jonah, Vincente de Santa, Drew McFarlane, and Javier Escuella.
The pack will also have a ton of new maps and modes, which we have listed below:
Cochinay – Gold Rush, Shootout, Gang Shootout, Stronghold Nekoti Rock – Gold Rush, Shootout, Gang Shootout El Presidio – Gold Rush, Shootout, Gang Shootout Plainview – Gold Rush, Shootout, Gang Shootout Gaptooth Mine – Shootout, Gang Shootout Pike’s Basin – Shootout, Gang Shootout Perdido – Hold Your Own, Grab the Bag Benedict Point – Hold Your Own, Grab the Bag Beecher’s Hope – Stronghold Torquemada – Stronghold Armadillo – Stronghold Chuparosa – Stronghold Rio Bravo – Shootout, Gang Shootout Tumbleweed – Stronghold
