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What are we playing this week?

Kelly Teng
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4

After a hectic two weeks covering E3, we are finally back to the swing of things here at Capsule Computers…which means we’re back to asking our editors what they are playing! Check out the latest games we’ve thrown into our consoles, and don’t forget to tell us the games you’re playing too!

Editor-in-Chief: MasterAbbott

Konnichiwa everyone! MasterAbbott is in the land of the Rising Sun (Japan for everyone that didn’t know where that was). I’ve just spent a really relaxing week in Kyoto but also got to visit some other great places outside of Kyoto like Osaka (the home town and headquarters of CAPCOM). I also had some great food, like killer takoyaki (octopus balls) and okonomiyaki (Japanese style pizza made out of cabbage and batter and also noodles). I also checked out Nagoya and Kobe as well, and I’ve been having a blast so far. While travelling between places I’ve been playing my iPhone and also my Nintendo 3DS (Street Fighter, DOAD and Samurai Warriors). Since I’ve been here I’ve picked up approximately 50 new Japanese friends for my Mii collection which is fantastic. Streetpassing this many Mii’s back in Sydney would take me like a month to do.

I’ve now made my way to Tokyo and staying in geek central: AKIHABARA (electric town)! Its full of games, anime, maid café’s (which I know Linkage would be living in 24/7 if he was here with me), and a whole lot of other weird and wonderful things which I can’t go into detail as we have children reading!  I’ve already picked up some cool goodies to share with all of you once I get back – just make sure you check the Capsule Computers CUBE Points section soon for some new arrivals to redeem your hard earned Cube points on.

I’m very tempted to go buy myself a Nintendo 3DS (NTSC – JAPANESE) so I can play Resident Evil Mercs, Zelda Ocarina of Time, One Piece, Gundam and so many other games which we probably never end up getting in AU or even in US .

And now it’s time for my daily hotspring therapy and Japanese massage by that hot Geisha I met in Gion, Kyoto. Remember…play hard or don’t play at all!

Senior Editor: Travis Bruno

With the release of Duke Nukem Forever and Alice: Madness Returns I spent the majority of my time switching back and forth between these two. Duke Nukem Forever certainly doesn’t deserve all of the flak that it keeps getting around the internet. Sure it is quite old in appearance and also has plenty of old mechanics but that doesn’t mean that Duke isn’t the best thing you could as for as a long time Duke Nukem fan. I’ve only made it about halfway through the game but I can say that this first playthrough certainly won’t be my last.

Alice: Madness Returns on the other hand has plenty of things that are making me frustrated about it. I love the art and the way that the game treats itself, but I absolutely hate the constant platforming and jumping around that you have to do. Couple this with the fact that Alice seems to clip into the environment more often than not and you’ll find yourself disappearing into a flutter of butterflies quite often. Also the fact that American McGee’s Alice comes within the game itself, as opposed to a separate XBLA game is disappointing.

Senior Editor: Dustin Spencer

Over the past week, my Wii has finally gotten something new, that being Wii Play: Motion. Yes, it is a mini-game compilation, but I would say this may be Nintendo’s finest mash-up of mini-games to date as each really bring out the Motion Plus controls and are actually fun to play. If you have been wanting the attachment to finally feel useful, this is the game that achieves that purpose. I spent 3 hours just skipping stones with a friend earlier, so if that is any indication, there is certainly a lot more going on with this title than just a free WiiMote. A review should be up very shortly, so keep an eye out for that.

I guess the game that is making news this week is Duke Nukem Forever, and for good reason of course. Reviewers just about everywhere panned the game for just about every reason imaginable. While I don’t think the game is technically bad by any means, I will say Duke’s character is a bit different than I remember it. I remember Duke as a “macho tough guy who likes the babes”, but I feel DNF tried to throw in an over-the-top element that made Duke seem uncaring and simply offensive for no true reason. It’s one thing to be offensive and still be funny, but it is another when the punchlines change the shape of a character to be a crude ass. I did however enjoy the gameplay as it felt like a Duke Nukem title and the interactivity and attention to detail throughout the levels give the game a lot more depth. No matter what the score, I guess you can definitely say Duke made an impression that will be remembered for years to come.

I also picked up both Alice & Record of Agarest War Zero, which are both fantastic titles from what I’ve played so far and hopefully I can get a bit of time to progress further in each over the next week.

Editor: Kyle Moore

The beginning of my week has mostly been taken up by my 3DS. With the release of the new e-shop I logged on and got myself the free Pokedex and Excitebike. I wouldn’t really call the Pokedex a game even, it’s most just something to have really, but I’ve at least managed to “capture” legendary Pokemon using Augmented Reality, so that is okay. Pity you can’t really do anything with them. I was pretty impressed with the 3D on Excitebike, but other than that, it’s not so exciting. After I got sick of downloadable games, I decided to get back into my Sims 3 for the 3DS, resetting my character and forcing him to become a master of guitar! So where ever I have had spare time I’ve been getting annoyed at my Sim for always want to sleep. Lazy simulated little thing he is.

Running with the EA theme, I recently bought Mortal Kombat and Sim City for the iPhone. Needless to say, I’ve had a blast playing Mortal Kombat and reliving playing it on the SNES at my friends house across the road. While the screen is significantly smaller, I am impressed with the graphical improvement. At least, from what I remember of my Snes days. I also recall not being very good at it, which I am sad to say, has not really changed. Luckily I have benefited from the huge update that has recently come to the game and get a big list of characters who I can play, and lose as! Having tried out both the 5 and the 6 button control, I have been having a lot of fun trying to remember all the old special attacks in the game. Sim City on the other hand is nothing like I remember it once was, and is a little difficult to play on the iPhone. Either way, I still love the nostalgia I’ve gotten from both games and they still have been great fun to play.

Editor: Matt Vella

I’ve been hitting the arcades a little lately, and the other day I finally fulfilled my life-long gaming dream. I found an arcade that plays the original Killer Instinct! I’ve only ever played the SNES version, which I was obsessed with my entire childhood, so this was a dream come true for me! It’s unbelievable how rusty I was, I think I may have to go to a GameTraders soon and grab myself a Super Nintendo with a copy of the Super Nintendo Port. I’ve also given X-Men vs Street Fighter alot of love, for reasons unknown to me because I could just as easily play one of the Marvel vs Capcoms, and I’m still terrible at Daytona USA!

As for home console gaming, I’ve just started playing the PS3 exclusive White Knight Chronicles ll, and you can expect a review to hit the site late next week. It’s an interesting JRPG, it’s very inspired by MMORPG’s such as World of Warcraft, with that whole Final Fantasy Xll feel to it. Oh yeah, and I can’t stop daydreaming about the Wii U. I can’t wait to see what it can do, and play titles like Zelda on it!

Editor: Jack Joly

I’ve been playing a few different games this week. Firstly, there’s Williams Pinball Classics which I was testing out for my review of the game. It’s a fantastic pinball simulation and feels like one of the few games I’ve actually enjoyed playing for a quite a while.

I’ve also dusted off the Kinect for some games on that. It always seems like a huge effort to do Kinect as I have to create space to play it, and this has been even more evident playing this week; some of the games that involve stepping on panels were particularly frustrating as a lot of the time, some of the panels were in fact under the sofa. I played Kinect Adventures which seems to be getting worse every time I play it and nowadays the only game I enjoy playing on it is RallyBall.

I briefly played Carnival Games in Action which is mediocre, with only a few fun mini-games, and Your Shape: Fitness Evolved to try to get fit again which was great and so far has given a good workout. I preferred playing the Cardio Boxing classes above anything else, and I usually had enough space playing alone, with the exception of kicking the odd piece of furniture here and there.

Editor: Jared Hilliers

I finished some old games and sort of started catching up to new releases, including LA Noire and playing through Assassins Creed: Brotherhood again, I thought why not? LA Noire is proving to be more frustrating than I thought it would be and it’s only a matter of time before a controller earns teeth marks. It’s not that I don’t enjoy it, it’s just the interview process is sometimes flawed because of the baiting (ha!) that’s required to catch people out, but it’s a joy to watch! The dead naked lady thing is getting old too, how this game made is through the Aussie classification board baffles me, they don’t leave much to the imagination. Fewer bushes, more boobs please…. maybe in the sequel.

I also got a PS2 emulator in my apartment now, we call it that because its basically a PS2 sitting next to the PS3, which should play the freakin’ games itself man! I’m going to play through FFX again because it’s my fav, but then again I haven’t finished 12, which I also have within reach. I own no PS2 games, but my roomate has a bucket load of them for he’s emulator, it is threatening to take away alot of time. The idea of re-living the naughties isn’t a bad idea; I was off my head for much of that decade anyway!

Finally… I have Sniper Elite, I spent most of the weekend playing it as I’m reviewing the thing, this game makes me look like a psycho. It’s like Time Crisis, but with a giant Sniper peripheral, now imagine someone walking into the room as I’m firing it. Yep, it’s sort of strange, especially since the plastic rifle actually looks legit. Nintendo and their crazy motion controls, just some casual sniping on a Sunday kids!

Editor: Michael Irving

This week I’ve gotten into the infamous Duke Nukem Forever, and was actually surprised at how vocal everyone seems to have gotten over it. I wasn’t really following the whole debacle, and had no real emotional investment in the franchise, so maybe that explains why I wasn’t too disappointed when it turned out to be a sub-par game. I mean, it isn’t terrible, but it does seem unfinished – still.  The humour may not be as sharp as the PR train would have you believe, the graphics are somewhat dated, and the shooting and movement mechanics feel a little unresponsive, but I am enjoying it, despite its flaws.

I’ve also ploughed through a fair chunk of Resident Evil 2 this week. A while back I played through the Gamecube remake of the first game, and once I finished that I started the second. I don’t like to be “That Guy”, but while the first game’s remake had updated graphics, the second was a direct port of the original Playstation version, and I couldn’t handle the pointiness, and didn’t get far. This time, I sucked it up, and am really enjoying it now. I much prefer the style of the first few games; the slower pace, the puzzle aspects, and the focus on survival rather than action. A single zombie in a hallway is enough to freak you out, whereas in RE4 and 5 they throw heaps at you at once to make it more actiony. I’m looking forward to the new Resident Evil on the 3DS, which apparently brings the series back to the survival horror roots.

Editor: Luke Halliday

I was playing an iPhone game called Top Girl. I think I am either a ghost or god right now guys. Either way, my eyes have been opened and made to cry ominous blood. My ear’s didn’t fair too well either as a matter of fact. Anyone have the Hospital’s fax number? Terrible game overdose… Someone call me a carpenter, I’m flat-lining!

 

Alice: Madness Returns Review

Roger Ma
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3

Alice: Madness Returns
Platform: Xbox 360 (reviewed)/Playstation 3/PC
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Spicy Horse
Genre: Action Adventure
Release Date: June 16, 2011
Price: $99 AUD

Overview

American McGee’s Alice in 2000 introduced players to an insane Wonderland, a very dark reinterpretation of Lewis Caroll’s literary classics. Fans that remember playing the original on PC will be glad to know that the same dark, twisted imagery that hallmarked the original is as strong if not more in this sequel which brings back the madness and insanity that is ‘Alice: Madness Returns’.

Story

The main allure of this game is its dark and twisted reinterpretation of ‘Alice In Wonderland’. The game takes place eleven years after the events in the first game, with Alice released from the confinement of the insane asylum and now in the care of psychiatrist Doctor Brumby. And still things are not as they seem. Alice is still haunted by the tragic loss of her family in a fire and troubled by gruesome visions of what her ‘Wonderland’ has become. Dragged into Wonderland once again, Alice attempts to piece together her lost and forgotten memories to ultimately figure out what happened that night.

The story overall doesn’t really get any deeper than this, and unfortunately it’s bogged down in poor execution. Playing through the game, I felt that the story was very convoluted and very hard to follow at some points; particularly when Alice goes back to the real world from Wonderland. There is very little continuity between these sections and there is little explanation as to why she is there at all.

Along with this, the game doesn’t exactly tell you everything about the characters or even why you’re doing what you’re doing, leaving you feeling somewhat left in the dark in some points. However with all this said, there are nice attentions to game’s story, such as the storybook-like animated cut scenes which look really good and adds to the game’s overall unique look and feel. Despite the story lacking in some areas it’s still fairly decent for a game like this.

Gameplay

Alice: Madness Returns is at heart, part action and part platformer. Spicy Horse should be congratulated on getting that mix correct in this game. Thanks to good level design, fighting sections and platforming sections are seamlessly woven into one another without that awkward feeling of ‘being set up’ or’ moving through one arena to another’, like you would find in other similar games. Platforming in this game is very solid with well thought out puzzles and level design. However at times it can feel like a grind as you are just running back and forth pulling leavers and flicking switches just to get through an area. Alice: Madness Returns introduces the ability to shrink anytime within the game. This gives Alice “Shrink Sense” in which she’s is able to see things that would otherwise be hidden.

It’s not a gimmicky game mechanic. By shrinking directions, hidden passageways and even invisible platforms are revealed. With that said one good thing about the game are invisible platforms, and one bad thing about the game are invisible platforms. As your shrink sense only last momentarily, these platforms often disappear as your jumping in mid-flight leaving it up to the players to guess where these platforms are. This especially gets frustrating when the game throws at you moving invisible platforms in timed sequences.

Spicy Horse has also ditched combo lists in favour for a simplified combat structure. Yet without dumbing-down the attacks to just ‘light and heavy’ or just ‘one-button combat’, Alice: Madness returns retains fast paced, fluid and smooth combat throughout the game. A range of weapons are introduced to players including the Vorpal Blade, Hobby Horse, Pepper Grinder, Tea Pot Cannon and Clockwork Bomb. These weapons are slowly introduced to players as they progress through the game and are often needed in the various platforming sections. The Clockwork Bomb for example acts as a timed weight, which players will need to use to hold pressure pads in place.

The game itself is quite lengthy at around 10-15 hours depending on if you want to complete everything in the game, which there is ALOT of. Despite being a linear game, multiple paths can be taken to complete a level. Alongside numerous hidden rooms and secret passages which can be taken to find an assortment of collectables such as memories, bottles and rotunda rooms – which act like special challenge rooms where Alice must either fight wave after wave of different enemy types or complete a range of mini-games. Completing any four of these rooms rewards players an extra health rose and they’re also a good distraction for players from the quest at hand.

However with these good points in mind, gameplay in Alice: Madness Returns is not as fully-fledged as it have should be. In combat for example, more often than not players will die simply because they are swamped by too many enemies or boxed in way too much by the locking on system which fix the camera a bit too awkwardly. And in harder sections of the game this gets very frustrating. Judging distances in this game is also not perfect, despite the developer’s attempts at fixing this common problem found in many platforming games – Alice has the ability to float and take multiple jumps mid-air. Yet still I found myself falling to my death several times over a platform I swear I could have made.

It’s a minor complaint as there is no death penalty for dying in this game whatsoever which may be a bit of a head scratcher, but an even bigger head scratcher is the game’s lack of boss battles. With the expectation of the game’s final boss, there are no real bosses in this game expect for the occasional tougher enemy type. Which felt quite disappointing, game’s first chapter builds up to boss battle yet it’s completely dismissed in a brief cut scene at the end.

Graphics & Audio

The world of Wonderland is presented superbly through the game’s very strong art direction which all presented effectively a very dark and twisted world. The game shines in the fact that players are drawn into a colourful world which then flipped on its head completely. Players will be traversing through a range of environments from twisted clockwork industrial factory, to a bizarre underwater theatre and to a very, very creepy doll factory (There is a MA15+ rating for a reason…). Graphically the game is presented in a very stylishly cartoony way, which is fitting to the games setting and it works well.

Characters models themselves are done quite well and animations are smooth as they should be in a game like this. It’s unfortunate that there is texture pop-ins and other annoying graphical problems which impedes the overall performance of the game. And on top of this, later levels of the game feel overly dark and repetitive with the same dark colours used over and over again. The game definitely has a very memorable soundtrack and hauntingly creepy theme. Which all sets up what players will expect in this game. Voice acting in this game is very good and spot on, especially since you will be picking up various ‘memories’ scatter in the world which plays out like audio logs.

Final Comments

Alice: Madness Returns is a solid platfomer and action game. It is a welcome return to the world very dark and twisted world of Wonderland for those who remember it from American McGee’s Alice (which by the way, is included free of charge in each new copy of the game). For a single player action adventure game it’s quite lengthy, perhaps inflated more so then it should be by numerous collectables and extended gameplay sections which too often overstay their welcome. Yet with all the games flaws, there still is quite an adventure to be had in this very twisted and deranged take on ‘Alice In Wonderland’. And for that I’d have to say it’s at least worth the trip down the rabbit hole.

I give Alice: Madness Returns for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC:

7-5-capsules-out-of-10

New Camping Mama trailer Shows new style of Gameplay…

Dustin Spencer
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0

If you are reading this now and own a Nintendo Wii or a DS, there is a good chance you have played a Cooking Mama title in one form or another. A new Japanese trailer has just released for the upcoming entry into the franchise, Camping Mama: Outdoor Adventures, and things look very…different.

Instead of a close-up mini-game format in which you assist Mama with all sorts of tasks, Camping Mama looks to completely break away from the franchise with a top down view in which you actually control Mama & Family (which includes the newly added Papa) as they perform their camping duties in whole new ways. I want to say this style of gameplay closely resembles what we have seen in the Harvest Moon DS titles, but it is still to soon to tell at the moment and hopefully Majesco will step in soon enough and give us a better breakdown on how the gameplay will actually work. For now though, you can check out the trailer below (via Siliconera) and let us know what you think of this new gameplay style in the comments below.

Amazon offers Captain America: Super Soldier at a Discounted Price…

Dustin Spencer
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0

Let’s face it, games based on comic books or movies these days are extremely hit and miss. Captain America: Super Soldier however is showing a lot of promise at the moment and hopefully will be a worthy experience. Those who would rather not dish out the $49.99 on the game but are still interested in giving Sega’s latest super hero title a try might be interested to know that Amazon have (temporarily?) listed Captain America: Super Soldier for just $37.49 with free shipping (Xbox 360 & Playstation 3 only), an early price-tag that drops the title to 25% off before launch.

Captain America: Super Soldier doesn’t release until July 19th, but this price is certainly worthy of mention for those on the fence with the Captain’s latest entry into the video game world. You can click HERE to be taken directly to Amazon’s official page or HERE to snag the game from Capsule Computer’s Amazon store at the same discounted price.

Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D out today! Register to recieve free soundtrack

Travis Bruno
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0

You may remember back at E3 during the Nintendo press conference that they had said that the early purchasers of Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D would be able to register their copy of the title with Club Nintendo and that they could receive a free commemorative soundtrack. This soundtrack contains all of the new music and even newly unreleased orchestral mix.

Now Ocarina of Time 3D will cost the same as other 3DS games at $39.99. I have already picked up my copy of the title and have registered it with Club Nintendo and I have been assured that my CD will be on its way on July 5th when they are shipping out the copies to those who qualified. So remember, if you have bought Ocarina of Time 3D in North America be sure to register it at Club Nintendo to receive your free soundtrack before they run out!

Dirt 3 Review

Darren Resnekov
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2

Game: Dirt 3
Publisher: Codemasters
Developer: Codemasters
Genre: Racing
Platform: PS3, XBox360 (Reviewed), PC
Release date: May 24th 2011
Price: $59.99 – Here

I’m going to be brutally honest and admit that although I’m no stranger to games in the racing genre I haven’t played any of the previous titles in the Dirt franchise. It was only that I learned of Dirt 3’s affiliation with Codemasters and the Colin Mcrae series that I awaited its arrival with anticipation. It’s actually quite hard to put into words what I’m trying to say so I guess the simplest approach is often the best way. This game is by far and away the most enjoyable, well structured and varied experience I have had from ANY other game across any platform. In my opinion it stands above such giants as Gran Turismo 5, Need for Speed Hot Pursuit and any others in its path, offering huge variations in vehicles, tracks and conditions and the perfect reward and REP point system that won’t leave you frustrated having to do everything perfectly or spend ages on the same tracks. Seriously this game is flawless, cars handle like a dream, the visuals are exceptional and seasons are long with multi stage bonus rallies and special tracks unfolding as you progressively rise through the ranks.

Game Modes

Dirt Tour

This is where all the action is, from traditional staged rallies and track events through to speed runs and entertaining the crowds with donuts and massive airs this game truly has it all. The tour is broken up into 4 separate seasons which are again broken up into 4 different events. Within each event players compete across 6 different races ranging from beautifully rendered tracks in Finland through to the soft dry deserts of Kenya. While the cars handle vastly differently on each surface the transition between each leaves the player with a feeling of satisfaction rather than frustration as you glide and drift your way past opponents leaving thick clouds of dust and sand in your wake.

In a nutshell, players progress through the game by earning REP points given at the end of each race. The higher your position, the more objectives you complete and the number of flashbacks (or replays) you use determines the amount of REP points you receive. REP points add to a players overall level, with new sponsors and cars becoming available as you gain higher status. Dirt 3 is a sponsor’s dream, with representation from OXY, Colin McRae Vision, Reddmango and Kenwood as well as Mitsubishi, Subaru, Ford and Peugeot to name just a very small few.

Within each event the 6 races are vastly different from each other and all culminate in a final that will earn larger REP points than the lead up races. The events will range from

Multi-stage (usually 2 or 3), rallies – spanned across a huge variety of tracks and conditions. My favourite were the night races, powering through the desert at high speed with nothing but the head lights which only just lit up the area beyond the track. Added to the excitement is that you don’t really know what position you are coming until you finish the stage, although the bar on the side does give out some information about your opponents position. Also coming 2nd or 3rd in a race doesn’t mean you still can’t make up that time in the next stage and still take out the event.

Motor Cross – You and 7 other cars battle it out across multiple events to see who reigns supreme. Again players won’t know what to expect with landscapes ranging from snow tracks, traditional asphalt and dirt, all requiring vastly different tactics.

 

Gymkhana – Pretty much a racing drivers rendition of a skatepark. Gymkhana is a new addition to the franchise and adds a new dimension to racing with outrageous stunts and tricks. All of these are performed across highly imaginative environments that will hone your skills into a fine tuned art.

Speed runs – These will put your skills to the test as you jump, spin crash and drift your way around the track in an attempt to gain platinum status and beat the clock. In the latter part of the game these can become very difficult, but the game is so well structured that by that stage you should have built up enough REP points to skip over any of these that are providing difficulties.

Crowd Pleaser – Addictively fun, these involve you earning points through various learned tricks within a designated ‘playground’. Repeating tricks bores the crowd so you really have to mix it up to maximise your points. The longer you are able to hold your donuts, spins and drifts the more points you receive as well as increasing your multiplier, essential in reaching that coveted first place.

Skill tests – Ranging from crashing through barriers to hitting targets while skilfully avoiding others, the skill tests are fun and a good way to level up and unlock new sponsors and events. The environments are awesome, featuring racing on top of shipping crates, drifting through u-shaped barriers and generally creating havoc on whatever your tyres touch.

Completing the 3 events within a Season will unlock the final series. Only by placing on the podium will you be allowed to progress to the next season. Personally I think this was a good feature, in being, though you are allowed to essentially skip the odd event by having lots of REP points, you cannot move forward unless you have finished the previous season. Possibly one of the only negative features is the fact that you can actually skip an entire event by having sufficient REP points allowing you to compete in the final series without finishing the others. This does however require you to have done so well in previous events that your level is high enough. Personally I wouldn’t recommend skipping anything. Every track offers something different, a different approach to the genre across a vast array of different vehicles; it’s honestly a shame not to give them all a go.

Scattered throughout the Tour are many bonus events and special trick ‘playgrounds’ for you to unlock and really test out your skills. The 6 world tour events are unlocked as your driving skills increase and provide a much more challenging environment than the standard races. The DC compound located at Battersea London gives players the opportunity to terrorise the tarmac across the parking lot, depot and power station environments. There is so much variety just within the compound, including full pipes, shipping containers, massive jumps and of course the standard drifting through dangerous corners and under cranes and trucks.

The game also features a single player and multiplayer mode where players can compete in time trials as well as take on their friends locally in split screen or online modes.

Online play is as fast and competitive as the tour mode. As well as featuring standard races there are many fun new game modes to enjoy. Capture the flag, while being a little confusing at times as multiple vehicles all compete for the same air space, keeps you glued to the screen in excitement. Outbreak is like a big game of tag with your car glowing green when infected by others.

Gameplay

From start to finish I can’t think of any single feature that provided any frustration, nor can I think of much that could have enhanced the experience. In short it was pure joy to play. The cars handled with a rare fluidity I can’t recall in any other game within the genre. I showed it to a friend briefly who commented that it gave the closest representation in terms of feel to that style of driving. Codemasters have even succeeded in the hard task of adding any kind of fun to tutorials. Learning to drift and manoeuvre the car under cranes and over containers only made you want to take your skills to the track even more rather than being a mundane mandatory task.

Difficulty levels can be tweaked for new players to the genre as well as seasoned veterans. Once players have ascertained the level they are comfortable playing at, there are still the multiple assists that can be turned on and off depending on your skill (or laziness) levels. The assists that have the most impact on gameplay are the cornering assist, throttle control and best line. Turning off any of these will greatly increase the difficulty level, but provide the player with a much more realistic experience by allowing more interaction and immersion with the cars delicate controls.

It’s hard to categorise this game within the genre as it’s not a simulation nor is it an out and out arcade title. In my opinion it provides the perfect balance between them both. Players earn REP points and level up, giving them access to more powerful cars with better handling. At the same time, the game is frantically paced, and players are encouraged to drive with reckless abandonment. In many tracks and events the brakes are merely a novelty and quite often simply releasing the throttle combined with good timing was easily sufficient to obliterate any competition. What this translates into and where the developers have done a fantastic job is the realistic weightless feel to the cars as they fly over jumps and the almost perfect representation of speed. As the screen blurs pasts you, wondering how long you can maintain control without braking, it’s simply awesome.

As well as a huge selection of tracks and environments, Dirt 3 also has much to offer in the way of weather conditions. From dawn races in Kenya with the sun rising on the horizon giving everything a reddish yellow glow, through to the night races in the rain on brightly lit streets Dirt 3 is a racing fans paradise. It’s too hard to describe the exhilarating feeling of racing through the desert at night, with the rain coming down, catching glimpses of the car in front as its headlights weave and drift through the track. The night races and those where you compete in crappy weather always give you the chance to push yourself a little harder and gain those few seconds needed to clutch victory. As to be expected the competition is much slower over these stages.

It is one of the few games that has made me felt on the edge of my seat. I jumped, swore and physically thrust the controller Mario Kart style, urging the car around corners and over ditches. Your navigator is exceptionally accurate once you get used to him being a little ahead of the actual track. Although it is not necessary to listen so intently that you neglect where you are going, the navigator is essential for inside info such as which corners to cut or which side of ditches to launch on. A wise player will learn quickly to maintain control while being guided by the navigator.

I almost forgot one of the best features of the game, the replay factor. While not new to racing games, the ability to rewind has been incorporated into the REP system. Players are given 5 ‘flashbacks’ to correct mistakes but give up valuable points with each use. It just further emphasises the amount of effort that the developers have incorporated into to title. Players can also automatically upload cool footage of their races to YouTube, although this did require you to have a XBOX360 with a HDD and a dirt 3 pass, still pretty cool nonetheless.

Graphics and Sound

The amount of work that Codemasters have put into the graphics and environments is amazing. While the cars are not immensely detailed they are very accurately represented on screen. In terms of audio, well, I always judge my racing games on my wife’s reaction to the sound. And I can safely say that the powerful grunting engines on my car, along with the screaming sounds of my competitors both in front and behind me annoyed her to no end. So a positive thumbs up. In all seriousness the audio is very well done. While I can’t recall a particular song that caught my attention, the soundtrack was loud and aggressive, more than pumping you up for competition. The game is narrated in part by WRC champion Ken Block. Ken is instrumental in teaching you the ins and outs of gymkhana and how to compete at a high level in the trick stages. Anyone not familiar with his work in gymkhana I recommend a quick look on YouTube, the guy is amazing.

Overall thoughts

Overall I think by now you get the idea that I have a lot of respect for this title. The developers have put so much effort into every aspect of it that it is a joy to behold. There is something in it for everyone, and the structured nature of the REP unlock system ensures there is always something new for players to compete in. The Gymkhana is a welcome addition and proved to be much more of challenge than it showed on first glance. More than anything it’s the feel of the game which works so well. From the accurate representation of high speed racing to the weight shift when jumping and drifting, everything just fits nicely together. In my personal opinion this is the best of the best and will take something special to remove it from its perch.

9-5-capsules-out-of-10

Second Coming: The Return of Two Beloved Gaming Franchises

Peter Moorhead
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I can say with some confidence that you all will have heard of Duke Nukem Forever; chances are you’ve watched a trailer, read an article somewhere, or seen an ad for it. What I can with much less confidence is that you know how ubiquitously awful a sequel it is to Duke’s Legacy. Yes the heart-warmingly narcissistic gun-toting hero is back, and so too are his adversaries and allies, but when it comes to actually pleasing long-time fans, the game falls flat. Blatantly stupid features like regenerating health and limited weapon slots are not only an obvious affront to everything that Duke stands for, but an undeservedly eye-watering kick to the gonads for fans, a kick that 2K and Gearbox Software seem to deliver without remorse or even awareness, successfully shooting both themselves and the franchise in the feet. Almost two months ago I pre-ordered the “Balls of Steel” edition of the game as a 50th birthday present for my father, an extravagant £80 offer which I was only granted access to because I stupidly bought “Borderlands”; Gearbox’s last utterly woeful game. He hasn’t had the time to play past the opening level of his present yet, but I haven’t the heart to tell him just how bad the game is, he’s been waiting twelve years for it to come out after all, and back when he was playing Duke 3D I was barely old enough to spell gum, much less comprehend Duke’s insufficiency of it during ass-kicking time. I’m saddened enough by the sequel, I daren’t think how he’ll react.

Duke Nukem is of course not the only franchise to receive a revival this year, with Eidos’s “Deus Ex” seeing a long awaited sequel to the atrocious “Invisible War” this August (not to mention the teasing of Hitman: Absolution that YouTube seems determined to drive me mad with at the moment). I’ve already pre-ordered Deus Ex: Human Revolution, because although I’m setting myself up to be disappointed again, it can’t be as bad as the last Deus Ex outing, surely. From what I’ve seen so far of Deus Ex 3 however, it does indeed seem like Eidos are doing something new, and exploring relatively untapped territory for the franchise. I’ve long awaited a game that mirrored some of the technology and setting of Masamune Shirow and Mamoru Oshii’s wonderful Ghost in the Shell (in much the same way as Neotokyo did, however briefly), and Human Revolution seems to be doing just that, only with oodles more grit and some really nice looking RPG and FPS combined-gameplay elements that are undeniably dripping with “phwoar” factor, which is just the kind of thing we need from a Deus Ex sequel, and just what I think is going to send Deus Ex far beyond of Duke Nukem Forever in terms of quality and faithfulness to the original, especially if Eidos do the smart thing and learn from Duke’s mistakes while there’s still time.

Remember these are my opinions of both games.  Let us know what you think leave a message below.  Also check out our fantastic review for Duke Nukem Forever here.

Madman Supanova Sydney 2011 Announcements

Luke Halliday
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4

Madman held their panel today at 11:30 am Sydney time. Fans not present at Supanova have been eagerly awaiting at their computers for any sign of the announcement to hit the web. Finally the announcement details have surfaced.

Madman has announced today that they have acquired the following titles:

  • Chaos;Head
  • B Gata K Hei
  • Hetalia World Series + Paint it White (Movie)
  • Tales of Vesperia : First Strike (Movie)
  • GOSICK
  • Nichijou: My Ordinary Life
  • Steins;Gate
  • Deadman Wonderland

These come as a surprise to many fans speculating titles such as The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, Fairy Tail, Kekkaishi or the re-licensing of YuYu Hakusho to be announced. All of which may still be on the table with Supanova Perth still around the corner.

Perhaps the biggest acquisitions are the two most critically acclaimed series of this anime season; Deadman Wonderland and Steins;Gate.

Thus far no more information such as DVD/BD release dates, streaming dates or airing dates have been announced. However we will keep you updated on all the latest news and announcements from Madman Entertainment.

Crysis 2 Decimation DLC available now

Jack Joly
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The Decimation DLC pack had made its way to Crysis 2 not long after the Retaliation pack was released. Only time will tell whether it is too soon after the last bout of DLC, although you can never get enough variety and new maps are always welcome.

The Decimation pack includes smoke grenades and a long range FY71 Assault Rifle and 5 new maps: Plaza, 5th Avenue, Chasm, Prism and Apartments. Is it time to suit up in your Nanosuit and jump on to the Crysis 2 online servers for some FPS action? Does anyone play the game online? Let us know.

The Decimation pack is available now on Xbox 360 for 800 MSP (here) and the PC for (US)$10, with a June 28th release on PS3.

 

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