With so many lawsuits current and pending, not to mention recent hacking attacks on companies to highlight their weak security, it’s hard to imagine companies would act in such a frivolous nature but app developer Broken Thumbs has recently settled a case with the Federal Trade Commission for breaking child privacy laws. What did they do that is so wrong you ask? Some genius within the company that develops the hit title Emily’s world decided it to be a good idea to collect the email addresses of kids under 13 without parental knowledge or consent.
Speaking about the act which brought the company a $50000 fine, Chairman Jon Leibowitz said “The FTC’s COPPA Rule requires parental notice and consent before collecting children’s personal information online, whether through a website or a mobile app.” He went on to add that “Companies must give parents the opportunity to make smart choices when it comes to their children’s sharing of information on smartphones.”
In addition to this major break of trade rules, the FTC has also accused Broken Thumbs of allowing children to share personal info on message boards, a second violation of COPPA (Children’s online privacy protection act). Other companies such as Disney have also been in trouble for similar accusations begging the question of why the responsibility for these kinds of decisions has been delegated to someone who thinks it wise to collect emails of minors.
If you have never heard of the Mercury series, now is a good time to take notice. Mercury was originally released for the PSP in 2005, where the concept was to have the player tilt the in-game world back and forth to slide the substance into an appropriate destination. After spawning a sequel that reached multiple platforms just a year later, UTV Ignition are out to bring the unique puzzler to the Xbox Live Arcade and PSN this fall in the form of Mercury Hg.
This title will feature 60 all new and “deviously constructed” levels for player’s guide their silvery blobs through. Mercury Hg will also keep the same formula of gameplay of it’s predecessors, with the “Mercury Blob” changing color to finish appropriate puzzles and dividing into multiples if cut by a protruding surface. PSN users can also take advantage of the game with the rarely used SIXAXIS function, adding in some motion control support to the playing field.
Check out the new screenshots below and get those point cards ready, as Mercury Hg releases in September at a low price of just 400 points (£3.99 or 4.99 EUR SRP for the PSN).
Check out the brand new song by the band Transmissions for the upcoming game Deus Ex: Human Revolution for the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360. The video will be coming to televisions everywhere as a TV spot, so be sure to check out the video here before you view it anywhere else.
Along with the video, we were given a very intriguing quote –
“Darwin said “It’s not the strongest of the species that survives, or the most intelligent. It is the one most adaptable to change.”
I actually really like that quote, as it has a significant meaning to the game. Or at least, I assume it will based on how the previous Deus Ex games played.
Madman is great at providing us with homegrown Aussie flicks, and September will see the release of another great one. Justin Kurzel’s film debut, Snowtown, will be releasing on September 21, 2011.
The film is based on the Snowtown murders, where eight bodies were found in acid barrels in a former bank building in Snowtown, SA. The number of people murdered eventually reached 11 over the course of a decade, and a man by the name of John Bunting was arrested as the lead conspirator in the gruesome crime.
However, Snowtown the movie takes a different approach. Instead of simply following Bunting’s life, it instead looks at it from the point-of-view of Jamie Vlasskis – a teenager who lives with his mother and two younger brothers in a housing community in Adelaide. When he is introduced to his mother’s new boyfriend, John Bunting, they immediately become friends. Little does Jamie know, though, that this man is responsible for Australia’s worst serial killings.
The DVD will contain special features, including audio commentary with the director, deleted scenes, an interview with the director, and original casting footage. Snowtown will be available on DVD for $34.95 and Blu-ray for $39.95.
Oh, Japan! is a weekly feature in which I will chronicle the wierd, wacky and just plain crazy goings on in Japan. Because we all know, Japan is prone to doing things that make us Westerners say “Oh, Japan!”.
For the Western world, Prank shows are all about making celebrities angry, confusing people with silly costumes, tricking people into thinking their car got towed, etc. But what would happen if the Prank show format was put into the hands of the Japanese? Well let’s just say the Japanese are known to be… well, rather extreme.
Check out this clip from Japanese Prank show, Panic Face King below. This poor man thought he had been selected to be interviewed for a documentary on the subject of telephone scams. Needless to say, it was a prank that this man will never forget. Oh, Japan!
If you happen to own an Xperia Play phone, then your purchase has just been justified because the Xperia Play can now download the Minecraft: Pocket Edition app from the Android Market right now. Minecraft: Pocket Edition will cost $6.99 at the moment and those familiar with Minecraft should know that this app is currently at the stage Alpha 0.1.
Despite being a very early build, gamers will have 36 different block types to build with either on their own or with another player all in randomized worlds. The game will be continually developed as time passes similar to the normal Minecraft that is on PC, Mac and Linux. Those who don’t have an Xperia Play may still be able to play Minecraft: Pocket Edition in the future as they are working to make it available to other Android capable phones.
The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim is the upcoming game from Bethesda. I’m sure that everyone on the internet is looking forward to this game, and for good reason. The game is the follow-up to the highly regarded The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion and looks like it’s not only taking what made Oblivion great, but going an extra mile in making it into an awesome game.
So this weeks Capsule Theatre of Vision is a look into the world of Skyrim, as seen at QuakeCon 2011, via shakey cam. I hope you all enjoy this 40minute video as much as I did, even if the sound and visuals desynchronise towards the end there.
Moon Diver Platform: XBLA Publisher: Square Enix Developer: AQ Interactive Inc. Genre: Beat Em’ Up
Overview:
The side-scrolling Beat Em’ Up is a rare breed in this modern gaming world. Even rarer is a truly good side-scrolling Beat Em’Up. However many mediocre and just plain bad games have had the gaul to call themselves that kind of game, the genre has always had it’s shining gems. From Battletoads to Double Dragon or TMNT: Turtles in the Time to River City Ransom. The genre has arguably had more hits than a lot of other genres could claim. That brings us to Moon Diver, the latest to join the crowded room of side-scrolling Beat Em’Ups. Does Moon Diver ride the milky way right to the moon or does it crash and burn?
Gameplay:
As previously stated, Moon Diver is a side-scrolling Beat Em’Up. However it doesn’t feel much like the Beat Em’Ups of old, not entirely at least. Instead it expresses a feel and imagery closer to the Sub Space Emissary mode of Smash Bros. Brawl. That may be an odd comparison with a Square Enix title featuring a large cast of anime-esque characters but it is very reminiscent to say the least. But this isn’t a comparison this is a review of the game as it stands alone.
Standing alone, Moon Diver is an appealing and attractive game. It plays well and the cooperative gameplay is indeed a great deal of fun. I was fortunate enough to play with a partner and we were both captivated by the game. The controls are easy to learn and are incredibly accurate. Not once during play did I find that I had difficulty controlling my character or performing gameplay tasks. It was a very streamlined control experience.
It is worth noting that the game features RPG elements as you’d expect from a Square Enix title which does indeed give it a different feel to your everyday Beat Em’Up. Each character has their own unique abilities and personality. It’s Square Enix to a tee. One thing I did feel from the characters was a Strider-esque vibe. I’m not sure whether it’s due to fact that they are ninjas or what, but they remind me strongly of Strider. Which as Strider fans would know, can not be a bad thing.
Being ninjas the characters are expectedly acrobatic. This is a large part of Moon Diver’s uniqueness, as you can have the characters flip about, cling to cieling and bounce off walls. All of this looks so fluid and natural that you quickly become acustomed to the games physics and can just run wild with it.
Overall, Moon Diver features fascinating gameplay mechanics which spin some RPG elements and interesting physics nicely into the classic Beat’Em Up formula to great results.
Visuals:
Graphically, Moon Diver is impressive for an Xbox Live Arcade title. With beautifully concieved lush world designs and very unique anime styled characters it is difficult to dispute that Moon Diver looks brilliant.
The characters are full of such vigor and life, it is a total viewing pleasure to simply watch your character move with the grace and precision of a ninja. At times I found myself getting caught up in my characters movements and noticing the fine detail and attention put into the simple things such as running. It is incredibly impressive and it truly shows how much care was put into it’s creation.
The visuals of Moon Diver are all in all a wonder to behold, they not only are well done for an Xbox Live Arcade title, but they are also well done for an Xbox title in general. Some full retail releases struggle to look this good and that’s truly a testament to the game and its developers.
Audio:
Moon Diver boasts a well composed soundtrack which provides a suitable score for the gameplay. They do their job perfectly and are never repetitive or monotonous. Each track creates the appropriate mood and atmosphere without faltering.
It is the exact type of music you would expect from a Square Enix release and the developers did a good job matching the music to the action. There is nothing to fault the games music on what so ever.
Conclusion:
In closing, Moon Diver is a game that harkens back feelings of nostalgia whilst feeling as fresh as cold water on a hot summers day. The game is fast, intense, compelling, nostalgic, fresh and most of all fun. You could find hours of enjoyment hidden in this underappreciated Beat Em’ Up.
Whilst games such as Bastion and From Dust have currently taken the Xbox Live Arcade by storm, Moon Diver is seated right besides them, calling out to be played. Is it within the league of those titles? Indeed it is? Is it better than those titles? That is up to you to decide. One thing is for sure however, Moon Diver is not a game to be missed.
Hard Reset is a title that hasn’t seen a whole lot of press coverage, but this latest trailer begs the question as to why that is. Today Flying Wild Hog, the developer behind Hard Reset, released a story trailer for the game which you can see below. The comic styled cut-scenes are an excellent way to tell a story, especially if they are all as high quality as shown in the video.
For those who do not know, Hard Reset is about a man named Major Fletcher who has been dragged into a war with two of mankind’s greatest enemies. Unfortunately he soon will find out that nothing he knows is as it seems to be. Catch the trailer below and Hard Reset sometime next month.
You know what developing company didn’t actually have their own website despite making a few games already? Including the popular Cave Story on the Wii? Well that may as well be the biggest hint right there, becaues NICALiS, developer of Cave Story and the group bringing us Cave Story 3D has launched their own official website today.
You can find the website here. Personally I really enjoy the pixelated look and the website has the most interactive and unique look you can find among game developers nowadays as nearly everything has become so streamlined. Currently NICALiS doesn’t list Cave Story 3D on their website, though with NIS America helping them publish the title on the 3DS, expect it to show up soon.
