For anyone not familiar with Card Sagas Wars, it’s essentially a fighting game made in the MUGEN engine. The characters in the game all come from various video game series in a crossup similar to Nintendo’s Super Smash series, although with greater variety. Characters making appearances will include Simon Belmont of Castlevania fame, Dead Rising’s famous photographer Frank West, Eggman (ahem, Dr. Robotnik), and even Master Chief from Halo. While there is no set date yet for the beta, it has been announced that it will include four fighters: X (Mega Man X), KOS-MOS (Xenosaga), Cloud (Final Fantasy VII), and Link (Legend of Zelda). The latest character premier trailer has just been uploaded and it shows off a battle between Master Chief and Samus Aran, and includes some awesome assist characters. My personal favorite is the Duke Nukem cameo right towards the end.
Mortal Kombat has always been a franchise that has loved their fighters. Many of the fighters may usually just appear to be palette swaps but that doesn’t matter because fans still loved them. Of course we knew some favorite characters would be returning for sure in Mortal Kombat (the 9th game of the series). But we didn’t exactly know who would else would be available.
But it appears that now we do because a leaked screenshot which has shown up on Mortal Kombat Unlimited contains the whole roster from the character select list of the game. Exactly whether or not this screenshot is really authentic is still under debate but it looks very legitimate.
The characters that are shown off on the screenshot are Scorpion, Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Sub-Zero, Sindel, Ermac, Reptile, Kitana, Johnny Cage, Jade, Mileena, Nightwolf, Cyrax, Noob Saibot, Smoke, Sektor, Sonya, Jax, Kano, Stryker, Shang Tsung, Baraka, Kabal, Raiden, Sheeva and Quan Chi. Also we see what appears to be a robotic Sub-Zero and another robotic character on the bottom of the list.
The 3DS may have just been released in the United States yesterday but it has been out in the UK since the end of last week and with its launch was the realization that some people were experiencing headaches after or while using the 3DS. Maxconsole ended up gathering a number of these complaints on Twitter to emphasize the number of people having problems.
Nintendo UK’s Head of Communications Robert Saunders then made a statement about the complaints which you can read in full below:
“We have shown Nintendo 3DS at multiple events around the world to literally hundreds of thousands of people and have received very few negative comments. As with anything that requires focus, from reading to staring at a computer screen, taking breaks frequent breaks is always recommended. When viewing any kind of 3D images (TV, movies etc.), some people might experience minor discomfort. The effects are short term and have no lasting effect, in fact most players can continue after taking a short break. The Nintendo 3D was designed with a 3D depth slider that lets users adjust the 3D effect to a level that suits them for optimum enjoyment.”
I’m not sure about some but I too experienced mild headaches after using the 3DS for the first time but later in the day I used the 3D for hours and it didn’t bother me then. At least in my own experience it just takes some time to adjust to using the 3D technology for the first time and is not a continual issue.
Humans aren’t exactly the pillar of working together. I mean look at MasterAbbott… Thankfully it seems Aperture Science knows that humans won’t work together given the chance to horribly maim each other if they decide to turn on their compatriot. The latest video from Aperture Science has their CEO Cave Johnson telling us just how much better a robot will be in the place of a human.
Watch the video below yet? Well at least the robots worked together a little bit longer than humans would have. It is also interesting to see how Valve is marketing their Portal 2 through small comedic advertisements instead of showing off gameplay as much. Though there is only so much gameplay that can be shown off without seeming like the same trailer again and again so perhaps this is a better way.
Since news broke 2 weeks ago about a new 3DS Rocket Slime, I have found myself running through the DS version all over again, just waiting for more information to come forward. Today, Square released the first set of screenshots that show that the game will take place in a whole new setting as Rocket and company head to sea.
Instead of standard tank battles like we seen in Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime, it appears that slimes will now battle it out in pirate ships, which makes perfect sense with the cannon battle set-up that the series is known for. It also appears that the visuals are more of the same as well, except for some cell-shaded 3D scenes that appear in the game. My guess is that these moments will be where you get the full 3D presentation.
Slime Mori Mori Dragon Quest 3: Daikaizoku to Shippodan or simply Rocket Slime 3 is set to hit Japan this winter. I have no clue if the U.S. will see these happy slimes cross the seas elsewhere, but I am really thinking the chances are pretty good for that happening at the moment. Check out the new screens below.
Capcom has revealed that there will be a playable demo of Resident Evil: Revelations with every purcahse of a Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D game. The Mercenaries is set for release on the 3DS sometime in June in Japan and worldwide sometime this summer. This is the first time that a demo will be released complimentary with a game for Nintendo’s hand held and is a good sign of things to come.
The demo of Revelations will place players in control of player’s favorite Jill Valentine who will be trapped on an ocean liner and of course it wouldn’t be a Resident Evil game if there weren’t plenty of zombies and who knows what else crawling around the ship’s decks. The story will take place before the events of Resident Evil 5 and it is currently unknown if the demo will be available for worldwide purchases or only to US residents at this time.
There have been rumors circulating regarding the announcement of a new Resident Evil game and it seems that, after appearing on Xbox Magazine covers and now the Playstation Magazine, that Capcom has finally announced that Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City will be released during the winter season of this year for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and the PC.
Players will take control of the Umbrella Security Service forces and be thrown into a third person team based shooter that will give players a chance to see the events of Resident Evil 2 and 3 on the side of Umbrella forces. Their job is to eliminate all evidence of a T-Virus outbreak and kill survivors, including it seems Leon Kennedy. Will you be able to rewrite history? We’ll definitely be eager to hear more about the storyline.
Other than that, the interesting news is that Capcom is teaming up with Vancouver based Slant 6 who previously has worked on SOCOM: Confrontation. Also detailed is the multiplayer mode which will place players either as the Umbrella forces or the US Government as well as the undead monsters of course. Check out the latest cover below.
Anyone who enjoys playing flash games online will probably remember QWOP, a flash game simulation of a 100m dash runner where the player must control the individual muscles of the runner’s legs. It gained notoriety on the internet as being nearly impossible to play well and many players uploaded their humorous attempts at making progress on YouTube. The maker of QWOP has now released his next game, GIRP.
GIRP is somewhat of a spiritual successor to QWOP, and it is arguably even more straining on one’s fingers. This time around, the player controls a rock climber, and I use the word control loosely. With one finger you will need to hold down the shift or control key (or mouse button for you masochists) and with your other fingers you will need to navigate Twister style (the game not the Helen Hunt film) around to the appropriate keys. If you don’t mind a few hand cramps, I’d recommend giving it a shot.
While there are plenty of gaming-related podcasts out there on the ol’ interwebz (i.e. series of tubes), it can be hard to find a show that fits one’s personal style. Destroy All Slackers, a gaming and nerd culture podcast, just might scratch that itch for gamers who enjoy both retro and modern games and fart jokes. The show is most certainly NSFW and I would recommend it only to those who are not easily offended, but the comedy is certainly there for anyone who is comfortable laughing at more risqué material. The hosts, Teller and Kris, will usually discuss the week’s gaming news, their opinions on all things nerdy, and in their VS. Destroy All Slackers episodes they interview members of the gaming industry and community.
Guests on the show so far have included legendary voice actor and narrator of Dragon Ball Z, Kyle Hebert (who also provides the intro to the show), voice actor of Dr. Robotnik, Mike Pollock, former Sega composer of Sonic Spinball and Comix Zone, Howard Drossin, and most recently Brentalfloss, the popular video game music parody writer. The show is definitely worth checking out for these awesome interviewees alone.
If you want to check them out, you can either find them at the Destroy All Slackers website or download their episodes on iTunes. If I were to recommend an episode, both #10 and #13, with Kyle Hebert and Howard Drossin respectively provide plenty of chuckles and interesting conversation.
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Shadow Vanguard Platform: iPhone 4 (Reviewed), iPod Touch, iPad Publisher: Ubisoft Developer: Gameloft Genre: First Person Shooter Release Date: March 17, 2011 Price: $8.99BUY NOW!
iPhone games, like all games can be easily divided into two categories: ones aimed at the casual market and other aimed towards more hardcore gamers. The iPhone seems like the perfect device for casual games, as the lack of buttons and simple touch screen controls make it easy to appeal to all people of all ages. However, there is still a market is cater to that craves for a more than just ‘drag the blocks here’ or ‘tap to pop the bubble wrap’. Recently we’ve seen a genre much loved by hardcore gamers begin to take control of the iPhone device and dominate; of coarse I’m talking about First Person Shooters, many of which are attempting to compete with home console games. However it appears for an FPS game to be successful, it needs to stand out amongst it’s competitors, and in this aspect, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Shadow Vanguard succeeds and passes with flying colours. As the latest addition to the successful gaming franchise, Shadow Vanguard Implants a unique realistic stealth and tactical element to the gameplay, and easily stands out against it’s competitors, and it’s outstanding graphics, audio and presentation surely gives titles such as N.O.V.A and Modern Combat 2 a run for their money. However throwing so much onto a tiny screen can be overwhelming to some, while others may be craving for a game just like this title. So players must ask themselves ‘how much is too much?’
Presentation
Rainbow Six: Shadow Vanguard is certainly one of the most polished titles on the iPhone device. The cut scenes are to a very high standard, with some of the most impressive voice acting to date on a mobile phone game, presented with details maps and cut scenes with detailed textures and smooth animation. Even the opening menu screen showing off character models and patriotic music really sets the scene and straight away you get the feeling you’re going to play a game that will impress you, and you will. The atmosphere set is next to flawless. Hell, even the loading screen is good, well presented with surprisingly short loading times for such great detail displayed during gameplay. There are a few glitches here and there though, but nothing major. An interesting choice taken from Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction is the stylish inclusion of mission objectives written on various surroundings. This works well and suits the iPhone device perfectly as the objectives are clear and appear in a manner that isn’t distracting from the gameplay. Speaking of the gameplay, it should be noted that the gameplay isn’t perfect, but the presentation of the game in general is done so well that it can be easily over looked. If a glitch or something is to occur, the situation in many cases is saved as it becomes easy to overlook because the atmosphere set by the graphics, audio and design has the player so wrapped up in the game it often becomes easily forgivable.
Gameplay
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Shadow Vanguard plays like a typical first person shooter for the most part, with a few interesting twists to switch up the gameplay. There is a major focus on controlling two NPC’s and devising tactical strategies into combat. At first to many players it can seem overwhelming, but as you go on throughout the campaign it begins to start feeling more and more natural. You can order your team mates to do a variety of manoeuvres that range from ordering a troop to a particular position, clearing a room, throwing flash bangs and disarming bombs. It also contains a heavy on a stealth element to the gameplay, with a few ideas implemented from Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell franchise. A heart beat sensor shows how aware of your presence so you can take them out with stealth, silence weapons, ‘tag’ enemies to decide who the AI should kill in which order, and use a ‘snake cam’ to see what is behind a particular door and observe where particular opponents are in a room before entering it. Also, your team mates can get injured and will need you to revive them at times, adding to the already rewarding a sense of teamwork in the game.
However control schemes range from perfect to slightly awkward. You begin playing by having to tilt the device in order to move the x and y axis of the protagonist. While it is highly responsive and does feel natural, it really is difficult to control and destroys the feel of the game. Thankfully, you can turn this option off and move the camera by swiping your finger, but this is where the next issue comes into play. The need to constantly drag your finger on the screen will occasionally have you accidently going over the fire button, causing your player to shoot, and sometimes either ruining your stealth or just being a nuisance. Still, this is better than having to tilt the device but it still takes away from the experience. With so many options and icons on the screen to silence your weapon, throw grenades, control stick, fire your weapon, running, controlling the AI, and more, it sometimes feels that too many options are displayed on such a tiny screen at once. It isn’t always a problem, but it can take away from the experience. This problem most likely wouldn’t exist if it was a Mac app, or maybe on an iPad, but this isn’t the case here as it is an iPhone review. Furthermore, a big focus is placed on the games cover system, but it is often difficult to tell what you can use for cover and what you can’t. It is nice how the camera zooms out into third person when this does happen, because it really intensifies the experience.
While many aspects of the gameplay do have a lot of room to improve, what is there does have many highlights that shine quite brightly. The level design is done well and is complemented by it’s story, and once players get used to the control schemes, the game can be a lot of fun. You can zoom in with a tap of a button and sometimes upon getting a headshot the camera will zoom in on your victim. Players are constantly gaining XP for their deeds and it can be used to unlock upgrades which really maximise the gameplay experience, creating a strong sense of accomplishment. The game also contains a great co-op campaign mode which works well, and a death match mode which isn’t as spectacular, but it can be played with up to nine other players if you can find them. Shadow Vanguard may have a few small hiccups here and there, but if the player can look past these and give it a chance they will find that this title is actually a lot of fun, and provides a unique gaming experience that can be very enjoyable.
Graphics & Audio
While the gameplay does involve many unique elements to mix up all the FPS action that is to be commended, the greatest selling point of Shadow Vanguard is the atmosphere created by its outstanding graphics and audio. The cinematography seen in cut scenes are some of the greatest out there on the iPhone device, with outstanding voice acting, although the dialogue may be a little stiff at times, and some of the in-game voices aren’t always of the same high standard. Sound effects are spot on and the graphics are nothing short of impressive. The attention to detail is to be admired with almost every surface covered in luscious textures. The occasional frame rate drop may be seen, but only if the player is looking for it as it isn’t very noticeable, and I suppose it is to be expected with a game of this amazing graphical quality on an iPhone device. Anyone familiar with a typical Tom Clancy game will feel familiar with this soundtrack, expect to feel like you’re an actual covert military soldier, because the soundtrack will accomplish making you feel like a deadly, stealthy bad-ass.
Conclusion
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Shadow Vanguard is a game obviously aimed at fans of the series from home consoles. It’s a game I’m sure hardcore gamers will appreciate, as it contains a little bit of complexity to it and creates a strong dynamic atmosphere that really sucks the player into the world of the game. Unfortunately these experiences are constantly interrupted by various issues ranging from confusion over where and where not you can find cover, controls that range from great to terrible and sometimes it just feels there is just to many options to take advantage of at once it can feel overwhelming. But stick it out through this and players will find a powerful experience and a great game. It may not be the greatest FPS title on the iPhone, but it almost comes close to titles such as N.O.V.A 2 and Modern Combat 2. A unique game that stands out amongst it’s competitors, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Shadow Vanguard is a title easy to recommend to fans of the FPS genre.
