We are just one week away from Rayne’s return, and with that Majesco and Wayforward have brought out 5 new screens to hold our hunger over for the time being. These screenshots show off our female lead dishing out punishment to large enemies, dodging obstacles, and even battling a fencer while still looking as fantastic as ever in her new 2D design.
As you should all know by now, Bloodrayne: Betrayal launches September 6th for the PSN, and one day later on the Xbox Live Arcade. Now feast your eyes upon the screenshots below and rest assured that our review will be coming up rather soon, so make sure you check back for that.
Game Name:Quarrel Platform(s): iPad (reviewed), iPhone, iPod Touch (iOS 4.0 or later) Publisher(s):UTV Ignition Developer(s):Denki Genre(s): Word Game/Casual Release Date: Aug 25, 2011 Price: $4.99 Buy Now!
After much success in the iOS marketplace, Denki are back with their new word game, Quarrel. Quarrel isn’t your standard take on the genre though, as each player must take control of a tribe and dominate the game board by spelling out the most elaborate or pointworthy words with the tiles provided. Think of it as Scrabble meets Civilization, but with pint sized Vikings and Ninjas tossing letters at eachother. Personally speaking, I haven’t really payed much attention to the whole “word game” genre aside from random casual titles such as Bookworm, but the unique style of gameplay in Quarrel actually has quite a bit of depth hidden under it’s bubbly exterior. Here is my review for Quarrel for the iPad.
Gameplay
If you have ever played a game of Words With Friends, Scrabble, Literati, or any point-based word game, you should feel right at home with Quarrel as the same formula is found at the heart of the game. Starting out, the player must choose either a male or female avatar and then pick a tribe. These tribes are made out of the likes of ninjas, robots, and a motley variety of other characters that will be the inhabitants of your territories. Once you finish this small amount of customization, you must then pick an island that will be your battleground for domination.
Each island is made up out of colored squares known as territories, with each color belonging to either the human player or one of the computer opponents. This is where the main objective to Quarrel actually comes in though as it is now your duty to defeat each tribe in word battles and take ownership of the entire game board, essentially turning the map all of one color. Up to 8 tribesmen can sit on each square, with each member able to hold one letter in battle. This means if you have just two tribesmen on a square and are challenged by a group of 7 via the opponent, the odds are heavily stacked against you as only a 2 letter word will be able to be made. Thankfully though, each round of turns ends with a reinforcement landing on each square you own (unless the population is maxed out), which provides a bit of relief and disables a solo tribesmen to do battle alone.
Battles play out just like Scrabble as the point values are identical, but with each player receiving the same 8-letter anagram to craft words out of. Spelling out these words also couldn’t be easier as players just need to tap a letter to watch it automatically be assigned to a waiting tribesmen. Once you conjure up the appropriate word, both sides make their reveals and one winner is decided based on the points received. In the event of a tie or draw, the fastest player takes the territory, so timing is very important no matter how the odds may stack. I had a team of two defeat my team of 8 because I had a bit of a brain jam on my first game, so the sharp and quick AI in Quarrel is sure to keep players on their toes throughout the entire experience.
So what happens to the losing team you may ask? A harsh death by alphabet of course. If by chance you happen to conquer a squad with a greater number than your own, each additional tribesmen will be taken hostage and forced to become a member of your tribe (which also works the same way with the opponent if they were to win the battle). When back on the main map, players can shuffle their tribesmen around to jump to a bordering territory if a spot is available, helping boost their defense if attacked by an enemy. This is where Quarrel shines the most though as this defensive strategy demands you to always be on your guard and to plan wisely before attacking an opposing territory. For example, if an opponent has their guard down, you could literally hop from one square to another, smashing each tribe with large words and chaining out a victory in one swift move.
I definitely feel it is also worth mentioning how detailed this title actually is compared to all of the competitors in the same market. Each character you go up against possess their own unique personality as they command their minions. Another small feature that went miles to enhance the game was a news-ticker, which displays full definitions for each word created after every quarrel at the bottom of the screen. I will say I think a bit of replay value could have been added by some type of multiplayer, but the smart AI along with Twitter and Facebook integration (which is used for bragging rights) softened the blow and added in some incentive to jump back in after dominating the little islands in the game.
Graphics/Audio
From the first moment I laid eyes upon Quarrel Deluxe, the sheer quality of the presentation value stuck out like a sore thumb. Of course that is a good thing though, as it is very obvious Denki soaked this title in love with their quirky AI character designs that are all charming and full of personality. The little tribesmen are also well crafted and while their sprites may be somewhat typical, I still felt the need to guide them to victory and protect them due to their small little bodies portraying fear and joy while in battle. With a word game, we could have seen some fairly boring choices used, but thankfully the developers really put their all into making this iOS title a top notch production that is full of eye-pleasing color.
The soundtrack for Quarrel is made up of bubbly beats that fit in perfectly with the bright and colorful graphics. I can’t say there were any tunes that were exactly memorable, but they do get the job done and offer enough reason to keep the volume up for each play period. The rest of the sound on display is just as high quality as the visuals as well as these little tribesmen come to life with little squeals and chipper sound clips, and the minor touches like drum rolls and a ticking time clock are sure to keep players on the edge of their seat while in a pinch to think up a clever word to use for battle.
Overall
Quarrel Deluxe takes a rather stale genre and completely makes it over into a fresh gameplay experience that is just as much fun to look at as it is to play. Casual players will love the simple Scrabble-like formula within, while the more hardcore out there are sure to be captured by the heavy amount of strategy that is needed to claim victory. Multiplayer however is one element that could have took this title even further, but in a rare twist for an iOS title, we were treated to clever AI that actually provides a challenge and keeps the game exciting and hectic down to the last tile played. With a low price-tag and an almost infinite amount of replay value, this Denki delight is sure to be a must own for anyone looking to challenge their lexicon with some tribe-smashing greatness.
As you all know the Nintendo 3DS Ambassador Program is now in full swing all across the the world, if your one of the 3DS owners that purchased their 3DS at full price you are now eligable to download the following Virtual Console Games for free :
Super Mario Bros Metroid The Legend Of Zelda Wreking Crew NES Open Tournament Golf Donkey Kong Jr Ballon Fight Ice Climber Zelda II : The Adventure Of Link Mario & Yoshi
This video below will show you how to download these games.
Ok I’ve been a little busy lately doing some major work in the background at Capsule Computers (an Editor-In-Chiefs job is never done) but YES MasterAbbott is back with another of his World Famous Unboxings. This time we have UBISOFT’s – DRIVER SAN FRANCISCO Collector Pack (Collectors Edition). I gotta say if your a fan of the Drivers series this is quite a nice little collectors edition to add to your Driver collection. The star of the show is the finely detailed 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T replica. To my surprise, when I held the little yellow bundle of joy in my hands I felt relieved that it wasn’t made out of plastic which I thought it would of been, but in fact was made out of some sort of metal, not sure what type (i’m waiting for the results to come back from the lab) But anyway, I can safely say that i’ll look really good on display cabinet. Along with the Dodge you also get the official Driver comic comic book, game content and a map of San Francisco that contains a list of all collectibles and also doubles up as a poster.
NOW the million dollar question… What do you expect to pay for all of this. Well in the land of the rising Kangaroos and Koalas, Driver San Francisco weighs in at a massive $130 AU. A little too expensive for some, well maybe most of you out there but if you’re a hardcore fan of the Driver series you’ll find a way to come up with the cash. The 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T is so awesome its worth at least $50 on its own if you had to buy is separately.
Enjoy the video unboxing. Any questions feel free to share them below, if thought it was good subscribe to the Capsule Computers channel on YouTube for all the latest in the world of video games and entertainment 🙂
If you feel that your Apple device is a bit lacking in Samurai themed tower defence games, then the good folks at Sega have come up with something to fill that rather specific niche. Samurai Bloodshow has been released onto the App Store today, and is priced at $1.99 for your iPod Touch, iPad or iPhone.
The game task players with building an army of sorcerers, warriors, and, for better or for worse, scantily clad samurai (presumably female!). That unlikely pairing aside, feudal Japan needs defending, and with 100 different levels on offer, Samurai Bloodshow certainly offers a lot of bang for your buck. Winning battles unlocks more powerful units, although the cashed up amongst you can buy them instead.
Multiplayer is via Bluetooth connection and online, with the latter offering up a ‘mystery opponent’ to test your strategic skills against.
So if the above tweaks your interest, that’s $1.99 for Samurai BloodShow, now available on the App Store. Happy defending!
Americans are just plain ugly! Well, at least in Ugly Americans: Apocalypsegeddon they are. Backbone Entertainment alongside 345 Games made the game available for the Playstation Network and Xbox Live Arcade on August 31. Enjoy a fast pace action shooter that can be played co-op online and locally.
With their world drawing near to its end, our common day heroes from the New York’s Department of Integration must find the cause of terror and stop it in its tracks. Play as Mark Lilly, Callie Maggotbone, Leonard Powers, or Frank Grimes and unleash your own version of hell on any opponent. By picking up random objects in the world, your arsenal of weapons can be anywhere from throwing baseballs to launching rockets.
Remember its Ugly Americans: Apocalysegeddon. If you spelled it wrong, you are probably right.
Enjoy the trailer, and don’t forget to buy this game! (HERE) – Xbox 360 (800 MSP)
EA interactive has a whole line of summer releases for those of us going into holidays and eager for new apps to pass our time. After all, there’s nothing quite like tanning on the beach while playing on your iPhone. They’ve got a great range coming out as well, so no matter your taste there’s sure to be something that’ll catch your eye.
First off, for the sports nuts out there who like them some American football, there’s Madden NFL 12. It boasts the best game so far, with improved graphics, real teams, and over 2,500 real NFL players. Plus, if you have Origin mobile, you can play with your favourite NFL teams for a place on the leaderboard. There’s various Madden modes, ranging from a 16-game season, to replaying the 2010/2011 playoffs.
For those of you who are less about moving around football players as moving around little cartoon characters, there’s SPY Mouse (which I’ve written on before). Move around mazes, gathering cheese and avoiding murderous felines. For those Aussies out there, SPY Mouse is the work of Australian developers Firemint so show your patriotism to our fellow Aussies and give this cute special agent a go.
Finally, there’s the game for those gourmet connoisseurs’ who love to practice their skills on iOS. Restaurant City: Gourmet Edition lets you own your own restaurant, cook your own meals, and gourmet them up as much as you want in terms of decorations or ethnicity. Live out your restaurant-owning dreams without the fear of bankruptcy to restrict your menu or restaurant decorations!
Madden and Restaurant City are available on iPhone, iTouch and iPad while SPY Mouse is available on iPhone and iTouch. The prices are as follows:
Madden NFL 12 is $7.49
SPY Mouse is $0.99
Restaurant City is FREE
So go get your apps, whether your taste falls in sports, cute cartoon character puzzles, or simulation restaurants!
*update – click here for an in-depth preview of the game*
The Neverwinter RPG franchise is taking an interesting turn, with Atari’s next release in the series coming in the shape of a Facebook game – Dungeons and Dragons: Heroes of Neverwinter.
Heroes of Neverwinter will follow the 4th edition ruleset of Dungeons & Dragons, utilising the Facebook platform to provide players with bite size chunks of classic RPG gameplay. The social networking aspect of the platform will allow for plenty of additional features, with friends able to have their character and abilities in another player’s game without actively being present – the usual Facebook style asynchronous multiplayer.
The adventure will begin in the city of Neverwinter, with players able to select a pre rolled character or dive into the character creator to build their own customised adventurer. This is one of the many ways in which the developers seem to be trying to draw in both the die hard RPG fans and the casual Facebook crowd – and it’s an admirable goal. The gameplay is designed to be easy to pick up and play (a point and click interface, for example) yet deep enough to satisfy the more hardcore gaming crowd. On that note, dungeon masters will be happy to hear that Heroes of Neverwinter will allow players to design their own adventures for friends, with in game achievements unlocking more tools for the dungeon creator toolset – the more you play, the more you get to play with.
It’s a big ask to pack something like a Neverwinter game into the Facebook platform, but Atari and Liquid Entertainment look to be doing their very best to pull it off. Now I’m no D&D fanatic, but the consensus seems to be that the 4th edition ruleset focuses more on the combat mechanics than previous ones, so is conveniently ideal for such an adaptation.
The closed beta is running now, with the open hitting sometime around the 15 September, so head over to the game’s Facebook page for more info! You never know, you might meet someone from Capsule Computers wandering around in there…
So is something like this possible to pull off on Facebook? Personally I’ve never played anything on it, yet am really interested to see how this one turns out. Sound out in the comments section below, and stay tuned for a preview!
*update – click here for an in-depth preview of the game*
I dont know what to say to Bethesda studios that would even express my gratitude towards them except a very large thank you from the bottom of my farmville hating heart and soul. While countless major gaming studios are following the social gaming trend and doing the whole facebook thing, here is a studio that represents gaming incarnate, confident that their hardcore fans have very little interest in seeing their beloved high end core titles represented on social media platforms. In a recent interview with Gamesindustry, Bethesda’s Pete Hines is adamant that the company isnt “interested in chasing the next big thing, and would continue to cater to the blockbuster market.”
Bethesda are very aware of the current trends in the gaming market but are also very confident in their own abilities, know their own specialities and resources and act accordingly. The bulk of Hines remarks give a strong indication that the studio plans to stick to its current IP at least in terms of genre rather than try to branch into markets on platforms where they lack expertise. Bethesda boasts a very repectable resume of top selling highly rated titles including Fallout and Skyrim as well as promoting Rage and obtaining Dishonoured and a sequel to Prey.
Despite Bethesda’s plan to keep their popular titles off current social media platforms such as Facebook and Smartphone App stores, they are not ignorant to the popularity enjoyed on these systems. While giving praise to a lot of the ideas and game developers, Hines makes note that its just not in Bethesdas interest to get involved and try and compete. Using the Nintendo DS as an example Hines says “We had the same thing a couple of years ago with the DS and everybody running after the DS and creating social games and games for girls, and now it’s shifted from, ‘Oh, we’re going to put out lots of stuff for the DS or the PSP,’ now it’s Facebook and social gaming and iPhone.
Bethesda instead plans to continue to publish only a handful of high -quality PC and Console releases each year, rather than moving into areas and platforms they dont specialise in. Just to emphasis this fact Hines says “It’s not what our company was created to do, it’s not what we aspire to do. We want to focus on three or four big releases a year. Games that when they come out and you’re like, ‘I can’t wait to play that.’
The author apologises to the feelings of any IOS, Android or social media title that potentially had their feelings hurt. The author is old, bitter and twisted and doesnt have the patience to learn new platforms when the old ones aint broke. Bethesda we’re not worthy.
In the age of Apple and Iphone domination, its nice to see a competitive product that is easily differentiated in design, concept and feel, that can try and stand up to the white army. Yes I realise there are other brands out there, but when you see a Nokia you can tell its a Nokia. Their latest range of smartphones such as the E7 and N8 are stylish and sleek in design and have a certain appeal that in my opinion is not present in many other major competitors smarthphones.
Nokia continue their line of smartphones with the introduction of the “all screen” Nokia N9 smartphone, powered by the MeeGo OS, a sway away from the Symbian 3 platform used in the majority of their current models. Featuring the same AMOLED screen as the N8, the Clearblack display will ensure clearer more vivid contrast ratios and colours. The N9 casing is tough as nails, using the same material as ice hockey helmets with bled through paint meaning colours will remain intact even when scratching occurs.
Nokia have also continued with their theme of simplicity, incorporating three homepages neatly arranged on a spinning carousel style system. The large 3.9″ screen can be pinched and zoomed at will to show either four or nine open Apps which are located on the main hompage. The other two relate to such functions as the calendar, calling and texting.
I am hoping for Nokias sake that the camera is as good as that which was incorporated on the N8, as this surely should be the benchmark for the industry. It looks at least as though the protruding lens has been done away with to maintain the slim new look of the design. The N9 will come with an 8MP camera with Carl Zeiss optics, a wide angle lens with HD video capture and large lens aperture for better performance in low lighting conditions. It also features NPC technology, allowing users to transfer information between devices by simply touching them together.
Just to add the icing to the cake the N9 is eligible for Nokias turn by turn drive and walk navigation with voice guidance and Nokia store gicing you access to any app you should require.
Here are a few quotes from some big names in the industry, namely Optus and Telstra, but it should give you an idea of what to expect from this new addition to the Nokia family of smartphones.
“It’s clear that Nokia fans have something quite special to look forward to in the Nokia N9,” said Andrew Volard, director, Telstra Mobile Products. “It’s fast, simple to navigate and features a beautiful design that sets the N9 apart in a crowded smarpthone market. We’re looking forward to making it available to our customers on Australia’s largest and fastest national mobile network.”
“The Nokia N9 is where form meets function- this is a sleek, stylish and highly intuitive smartphone, offering customers a device that looks as good as it feels,” said Ross Parker, general manager of Devices and Pricing at Vodafone. “The N9 will be Nokia’s flagship device for 2011 with good reason, and we are thrilled to be delivering the N9 to our customers on Australia’s best value mobile plan range, Vodafone Infinite.”
Those wanting to register for the N9 can goto Nokia.com.au/N9
Telstra customers can register their interest on Telstra.com/N9
Colours available for the 16Gb include black, blue and pink while the 64Gb will only be available in black. Anyone interested in any of the models should contact their network provider to discuss availability.
