Aside from a short gameplay trailer and a bit of news concerning an online 3-man co-op, there really hasn’t been too much news for the recently revealed Call of Juarez: The Cartel, well, except for that it is modern day and appears to be gritty. Ubisoft have now released a little bit of info regarding the plot players will face as well as some new details about the title’s three main characters.
The story in The Cartel will start off with a bang, with a drug cartel bombing a U.S. law enforcement agency, which takes out hundreds of people, leaving the U.S. to believe that cartels have infiltrated federal agencies. In following, a special task force is put together made up of three completely different personalities. The force consists of Kim Evans, a gang-affiliated street kid-turned-FBI agent, Eddie Guerra, a DEA agent with a chronic gambling habit and brutal LAPD detective and descendant of Ray McCall from the original Call of Juarez, Ben McCall. Kind of like a modern day Mod Squad, right?
Players will have to travel through modern day Los Angeles, California, Arizona and New Mexico to Juarez while each character battles their own personal demons along the way.
I am a bit interested even if this does sound like the making of a 70’s TV show rather than a game, but just by reading who these characters are I am incredibly curious to find out more, and of course hope this all plays out as good as it sounds.
Other Features announced Include:
Rich, dark and in-depth storyline
Three player online co-op with Kim Evans, Eddie Guerra and Ben McCall
Gamers can play the entire campaign as each of the three characters; each character has his/her own unique story and ending
15 missions and maps
More than 30 guns and weapons to choose from
Wide variety of gameplay including punitive raids, witness protection, tough interrogations, undercover missions, car chases and more
Some new details will come “soon” regarding more on multi-player and a “twist” in the online co-op, but for now I can at least say I am a lot more interested in The Cartel than I was yesterday for sure, and this does appear to be a title that will be worth looking into as we get closer to the “fall” release date.
Today, Ubisoft and Nivea announced that customers of Your Shape: Fitness Evolved for Kinect for Xbox 360 can now download new workouts developed with the help of Nivea’s fitness & lifestyle expert, Sarah Maxwell. The workouts, called “NIVEA Tone-Up with Sarah Maxwell” are available for free on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace starting today. “NIVEA Tone-up with Sarah Maxwell” delivers six new exercises (primarily aimed at helping women tone their bodies, sorry gents), a new in-game NIVEA room and audio cues during the workout.
For those of you who haven’t played Your Shape: Fitness Evolved, it is definitely one of the better Kinect fitness titles, and since release it has had a number of new workouts added as DLC, with this latest one adding to that list. Do any of you have the game, and if so, will you be making use of this free DLC?
As far as trailers go, you can’t get much better than this latest cinematic trailer unveiled for LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars at GDC this year. What relevance it has to the game itself remains to be seen when it is released, but it is an excellent watch and shows a LEGO clone trooper getting an inconvienient injury on the battlefield. This trailer only proves that LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars will possess the same LEGO brand of humour made popular by its predecessors.
And if you can’t stand to the wait for the game any longer, be sure to visit the game’s official website. It boasts of an online experience where you can play as your favorite LEGO Star Wars characters, interact with other players, solve puzzles together and learn more about the game and its new features. To visit the site, head on over to http://www.legostarwars.com!
Double Dragon Platform: iPhone Publisher: Aksys Games/Published by Bow Mobile Corp Developer: Million Co.Ltd/Brizo Interactive Corp Genre: Aracde / Beat’em Up Release Date: March 3rd Price:$3.99BUY NOW!
Video Review also included at end.
History
DOUBLE DRAGON the KING of side scrolling 2-D beat ’em ups is back!!! And it’s BACK with a vengeance on the Apple iPhone. Now I’m not sure if many of you even know or have played Double Dragon at the arcades when it was released back in 1987. But this is the game that set the standard for the beat ’em up titles that followed such as Final Fight, Streets of Rage, Rival Turf and many others. Double Dragon, for its time, was truly a masterpiece in its own right. Originally developed by Technos Japan and distributed to the rest of the world by Taito, Double Dragon was one of the first beat ’em ups to have a two-player co-op gameplay ability where you could join in with a mate and battle along-side each other to save Billy’s sweetheart Marion from the clutches of the evil Black Warriors.
Double Dragon also had two arcade sequels along with quite a few remakes on everything from the NES to the Xbox 360 due its popularity. We were even granted the special honor of a movie which um I think we wont mention in this review.
Finally Double Dragon has kicked, punched, head-butted and elbowed its way onto our mobile gaming devices with its release on the Apple iPhone. Developed by Million Co.Ltd / Brizo Interative Corp and published by Aksys Games Double Dragon is an enhanced version of the arcade classic that we’ve all grown to love (myself included of course). In a nutshell this new Double Dragon is jam packed with new graphics, music, and a whole bunch of extras never seen before in any other Double Dragon release.
Story
So what’s story behind Double Dragon? Well, being one of the first beat ’em ups released back in its day the story was, and still is, interesting. Five years ago a nuclear holocaust incinerated the world; the whole human civilization lies in waste. A powerful crime syndicate/gang emerges by the name of The Black Warriors and they have taken Marian hostage, and they present Billy and Jimmy with a grim ultimatum: give up the sacred Sousetsuken scrolls or never see Marian again. Not taking the threat lying down, they take to the streets to save her and take down their leader the evil Machine Gun Willy. Equipped with their deadly martial arts prowess and slick street smarts, Billy and Jimmy must carve through an entire army of thugs to see Marian safe again.
Gameplay & Features
The Double Dragon remake is jam packed with features and extras. For starters we have an interesting opening story that sets the scene for what’s to come and give the player a clear understanding on what is required of them. Jumping into the menu system you are presented with an option to choose between an auto and manual play mode control scheme. Players not familiar with 2d beat ’em ups are urged to try the auto configuration at first. The reasoning for this is the fact that it makes it a little easier to pull of special moves. For the veteran players the manual option is also available allowing you pull off more moves and special attacks but is a little more complicated as extra buttons are added to the control scheme.
The on screen virtual control system does take up a quarter of the screen and isn’t transparent so you only have three quarters of the screen to play with. I did notice that at certain points in the game when you drop a weapon and it falls down the bottom part of the screen you have to blindly try and walk around while pressing the punch button to pick it up again without getting clobbered by enemies.
The on screen eight directional control pad works perfectly and responds to your thumb without any problems at all. On the other hand the three/four buttons (punch, kick, jump, dragon) depending if you’re playing in auto or manual mode are not as responsive as you want them to be. I did find myself losing my cool at some points in the game when I’d be pressing the kick or the punch button and it wouldn’t do anything then BAM!!!! I’d get the crap kick out of me by one of the many enemies in the game. With that said the control system is by far a whole lot better than other control systems currently available on the iPhone at the moment. Especially when it comes to 2d side scrolling beat ’em ups.
There are three gameplay modes available in the game. Let’s start with the original arcade mode which has been totally spiced up with improved graphics, new enemies and revamped level designs that will keep the hard core Double Dragon fans happy and new comers to the series also satisfied. Now where do we start there are quite a few things missing, added and mixed up in this remake of Double Dragon. I’m not going to list them all but what I’ll do is go through some of the ones that hard core Double Dragon fans should be aware of.
At the beginning of the game you don’t get to witness the legendary kidnapping of Marian by the Black Warriors, where they punch her in the gut and she falls to the floor, they pick her up and walk away. (WHY WAS THIS TAKEN OUT !!!) Then instead of the Garage door opening up and Billy and Jimmy come out you see Billy or Jimmy run into the screen and stop in front of their Garage which is closed but should of been open and showing their blazing hot red sports car. Next the level designs have changed, for example the first two levels have been redone and look nicely polished but have been cut short, there are a few things you can’t do and are missing compared to the original arcade release. In the first level where Linda comes out from the building with the Scoop Buggy sign, you can’t climb the ladder; I was trying but failed and got whipped a few times by Linda who laughed at me while I lay on the ground in pain.
The second level with the factory the conveyer belt at the end is missing and you can’t jump on it and or kick enemies into it to their doom. This was probably one of the most enjoyable parts in the original arcade release. There are a total of six levels, two of which are completely new to the game, one is a high school, the other is a night club, and both look great and give the game a new fresh feel. The remaining four levels as explained have been revamped and redone and shorted quite a bit. I’m not sure why but with the capabilities of the iPhone nowadays I would of thought the levels could of been a little longer rather than shorter which to me as a little disappointing.
Moving right along to the enemies, we have a mix of new and old. The old making their triumphant return in grand way such as the legendary steroid crazed hulk of a man ABOBO (Level 1 boss) and the not so normal BURNOV that we all know from Level 1 boss in Double Dragon 2. This is where true hard core fans of Double Dragon will find themselves a little confused. Some of the enemies in Double Dragon are completely new such as the night club enemies, and also the three new bosses (no spoilers) joining in on the action, then we have the old enemies such as Williams, Linda and Frank, but then Cindy and Kent and few others who were part of Double Dragon 2 decide to make an appearance in the game. Which is is great but completly took me by surprise as I was then looking for other enemies such as Jeff and Abore Stage 2 boss of Double Dragon 2. He’s a giant who wears a pair of shades and suspenders. His attacks includes a thrust, a slap, a kick and a powerful shoulder tackle. But it seems that both Jeff and Abore were no where to be seen.
Still this didn’t put me off the game in any way but made me even more determined to power through and make it to the end, which I did in true Double Dragon fashion and finished the game on my first run through. Yes I know I still got it (Well I should seeing that I have all 3 actual arcade machines and occasionally power them up for a run through when I have the time.)
Another great addition to the story mode is the dialog that happens before and after boss battles. This adds to the story and provides a much deeper and fulfilling experience for the player, hard core fans of the series should find this quite interesting as we finally get to see Machine Gun Willy speak of his evil plot and what he intends on doing with the sacred scrolls once he has them in his possession.
With story mode out of the way another feature thrown into the game is the ability to unlock achievements and have them linked to your Gamecenter profile, and also post them to your Facebook and Twitter accounts. The achievements are quite challenging and will busy for hours as you will need to play and replay the game numerous times.
Another feature never seen or done before in Double Dragon is the ability to play through the entire game / mission mode as an enemy. Once you complete the game with either Billy or Jimmy you unlock characters / enemies from the game, such as Abobo and the lower level enemies such as Linda, Frank etc. You can then play through the game with those characters and unlock further characters / bosses that you can use. This is quite interesting and entertaining as every character has their own strengths and weaknesses.
Take for example Billy and Jimmy have a vast array of combat moves some available at the beginning of the game and some only available once you earn enough experience to level up (YES THATS RIGHT) you can level up and unlock extra special abilities in the game as well!!! You gain experience by completing each level, depending on how well you perform. Once you level up you can access the MY DATA section and check out character profiles, and command lists (skills and techniques) available to them in the game. The character profile is a nice little touch to the game providing the player with a bit of back end history on whom these old and new characters are.
As explained above some of the enemies are ranked by their level class, B and C class for example. Therefore playing as a lower level enemy will be much harder because of their lack of technical ability plus they are not as tough so one punch or kick could drain their energy bar a lot more than the A class characters such as Billy and Jimmy and some of the Boss characters. This in turn makes the game quite challenging and fun to play through again.
The other two remaining game modes in the game are Double Dragon Mode and Time Attack Mode. In time attack mode you select a character and a stage and you’re timed on how fast it takes you to clear a stage. Pretty straight forward and not as entertaining as Dragon Mode (Mission Mode) but at least you can always try and beat your mates with the Game Center option to see how you rank up against your friends. (currently Game Center was not updating at the time of the review)
Finally what makes Double Dragon – Double Dragon, the option to play with a friend in Double Dragon Mode. In this mode you and a friend can link up with the use of the Bluetooth functionality on the iPhone. To get this working you will need to Switch Wi-Fi off on both iPhones as this does interfere with the gameplay. You can also play with a friend who has an iPad as well but in that case you will need to keep the Wi-Fi function on. It’s a little confusing but it’s not too complicated. The hosting player will have the option to select the difficulty level then you can take on the Black Warriors as a team.
Unfortunately only being able to play Double Dragon via Bluetooth was quite disappointing as I don’t have many friends with iPhones and also they’d need to also purchase the game as well to play it – I did manage to test the game via Bluetooth and found it to be a little laggy and un-responsive at times, this hopefully can be addressed in the next patch release along with maybe an online option. An online feature with the option to use Wi-Fi so that your internet connection is somewhat stable would have been a much smarter choice but that isn’t an option at the moment. I hope to see a future update with this option available as Double Dragon isn’t really Dragon without the option to play with someone else or with a friend anytime you want.
Sound
The soundtrack in the game is absolutely amazing; this is something that Million Co / Brizo have nailed perfectly. The opening theme music will have any hardcore Double Dragon fan pumped and whipped into a frenzy ready for action in no time. For example Level 1’s music has been redone and sounds brilliant listening to it brought back old memories of playing on the arcade machine but with a new fresh outlook breathing new life into it. (I hope Brizo release an official soundtrack as I’d pay money to buy it).
Conclusion
In closing, Double Dragon on the iPhone is possibly one of the most feature packed and polished remakes ever released (even rivalling the old Super Double Dragon released on the SNES). If you’re a true hardcore fan of the series and want to play as some of the old school enemies or even find out a little more about their profile and history this is certainly a game MUST have one your iPhone. With the added bonus of some funny and certainly challenging achievements Double Dragon will keep you busy for hours on end. Expect playthrough time to vary depending on your skill level but you can possibly power through the game in under an hour, finish it, unlock a few new extra characters and start all over again.
Do you have what it takes to take down the evil Machine Gun Willy and save the beautiful Marian??? Then step up to the plate, pick up your trusty baseball bat or whip and come out swinging!!!
EA has released a new multiplayer weapons trailer for Crysis 2, which shows off some of the ways in which you’ll be able to customise your loadout and accessorize your weapons once in the Crysis 2’s multiplayer modes.
Xbox 360 players have already got to grips with some of Crysis 2’s multiplayer aspects through the open beta multiplayer demo put out on the Marketplace earlier in the year. PS3 owners musn’t fret though, as a multiplayer demo is coming for them too on March 15th. This should provide a nifty taster of what the game has to offer in order to help you decide whether Crytek’s FPS sequel is for you.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past 2 years, you should have at least heard of Bioware’s 2009 title Dragon Age: Origins. On March 10 the sequel to this popular game will hit Australian shelves, and both casual and hardcore gamers will be wondering whether or not it’s worth the hundred bucks or so. The ultimate question is this: should you buy Dragon Age 2, continue to play Dragon Age: Origins, or avoid the series altogether?
If you like beautiful graphics…
…go for Dragon Age 2. If you like your games handed to you on an aesthetically pleasing platter, then DA2 is the obvious choice over the original game. If you’re like me, then you will have found that Dragon Age: Origin’s graphics were decent, but overall still looked flat and two-dimensional – especially when it came to detail in character design. The graphics in DA2 are rendered with more detail and colours, providing the game with a much more realistic experience, and the cutscenes are breathtaking. However, to say that Dragon Age 2’s overall gameplay is visually stunning though is like saying Master Chief was only a little relevant to Halo. If you are after a beautiful experience first and foremost, perhaps it’s a good idea to forgo the Dragon Age series altogether and pick up Heavy Rain or Final Fantasy XIII.
If you like a non-linear gameplay experience…
… it depends on how pedantic you want to get about ‘non-linearity’. Dragon Age 2 does play like its predecessor in terms of putting together a party and making decisions which affect gameplay, but one of the key elements that is missing is the ability to choose your race. Race selection in Dragon Age: Origins determined what opening sequence each player undertook, and – while it doesn’t change the overall playability – it was a nice touch that made the storyline really feel like your own. I remember playing as an elf and having humans talk down to me because of my race for the first half of the game. As annoying as it was, it did make me connect to the storyline a bit more. DA2 instead mimics Mass Effect 2: you can choose your appearance, your gender and your first name (each character’s last name is Hawke), but that’s as far as it goes. Dragon Age: Origins has a similar non-linear gameplay experience to its sequel, but the opening sequences are definitely worth playing if you haven’t before.
If you like Baldur’s Gate style games…
…then you have probably heard that Dragon Age is it’s ‘successor’, of sorts. If using tactics and pausing the game to assign characters to certain actions are what you like to do, then pick up Dragon Age: Origins for PC. Dragon Age 2 may be its sequel, but some aspects of tactical gameplay are lost in the translation. The most noticeable difference is the change in the camera. The aerial tactical camera is lessened for more of a user-friendly approach, and while this is a welcome change for some (many players complained that the original was too difficult on PC) other players will be mourning the loss.
If you like having a ridiculous amount of options for class and specs…
…you’re probably better off playing the online MMOs, RIFT or World of Warcraft. Both Dragon Age: Origins and Dragon Age 2 have only three classes: Warrior, Mage, and Rogue. I personally enjoy the three classes: it means you can really explore specialisations within each class instead of picking between a Paladin or Warrior, and then choosing from five million specs. Also, the skill set does take a tree-branch approach instead of a straight line for those players who want to customize their class within a spec.However, if that kind of thing is for you then drop the Dragon Age series and choose something else.
And if you just want a new game to play…
…then buy it. For all the hoopla of gameplay and graphics, Dragon Age 2 still looks like a great game, and should provide at least a few weeks of entertainment. Whether you’re a hardcore gamer or just searching for a new release title to play, Dragon Age 2 should satisfy most of your needs.
The empty blue room on Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, could just be some squatter’s makeshift home. Albeit a squatter with a big TV, a commercial drinks fridge and a display cabinet of various video game characters. I was there to meet with said squatter, Guy Blomberg – better known as “Yug” from Australian Gamer – to discuss Mana Bar, the exciting new venue opening soon in Melbourne.
So, what exactly is Mana Bar?
“Mana Bar is a place you can go, drink and play games,” laughs Yug. “It’s such a simple concept.”
In essence, Mana Bar looks set to emulate any gamer’s lounge room on a Friday night, turning the tried-and-true combination of alcohol and video games into a night-out destination. Visitors will be able to play most current games while they down a few brews, or try one of the venue’s exclusive game-themed cocktails. Events such as game launches, tournaments and trivia nights will also be held regularly.
Yug explains that initially the idea was “universally mocked; as a stereotypical geek gamer bar, it was going to just be full of fat, sweaty nerds. And that was the perception we had to fight against.”
Mana Bar, Brisbane
“In a bit more depth, Mana Bar is a classy cocktail bar establishment that has current-generation video game systems.” Retro gamers may feel left out, but Yug reasons that today’s games are the most accessible, which is crucial in maintaining a social environment. Hardcore gamers shouldn’t get too worried though; “accessible” doesn’t exclude the hardcore, as games like Street Fighter IV and Modern Warfare 2 are often seen gracing the big screens.
The goal of their video game cocktail bar was to “make something that’s not overly geek-centric”, taking the classy route to ensure it wasn’t just “a LAN café with drinks, or a cyber lounge with beer.” The owners are trying to establish Mana Bar as a nightspot that includes the personality of Melbourne’s nightlife, but also feels unique and in-line with their establishment in Brisbane. Melbourne’s clubs and pubs are already jammed into small spaces in old buildings, and so the common criticism that Mana Bar is too small seems to be not only irrelevant, but, according to Yug, it’s part of the appeal.
“Personally, I don’t think a four hundred person capacity Mana Bar would actually work. I don’t know about you, but when I used to go out clubbing and stuff like that, you never go outside your circle of friends. Whereas at the Mana Bar, the nature of the multiplayer games forces people to interact with people they’ve never talked to before. People go into the bar as strangers, and meet other strangers and talk.”
One other reason doubters didn’t believe the idea would work was the mentality that “if people are playing games, they’re not drinking. It’s a fundamental flaw that they saw in the business mechanic. Whereas I saw that if people are playing games, there’s a quick turnaround, and then they’ll grab a drink. It’s a very dynamic flow for a venue.”
While the atmosphere sounds promising, I foresaw some issues; with so many people trying to play the games, some set of “rules” would have to be enforced. Yug noted that this was a concern at first, but was pleasantly surprised at how communal people had been instinctively.
“The nice thing about console video games is that people are used to playing at home with friends. And when you play with friends, if you lose a round or finish your game, you immediately realise that there’s a whole bunch of people waiting for a go. What we see more often than not is that people finish their round, then hold the controller up and ask if anyone wants a turn.”
That said, there are some house rules in place, specific to each game. “The rules for Street Fighter are pretty much ‘you lose, you move.’ Things like Mario Kart are three rounds per player. That way, if there are any petty squabbles, people can go ‘these are the rules’, but that doesn’t tend to happen that much.”
The idea originated, understandably, “drinking and playing video games”, and hosting massive parties at his old apartment in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane.
“I would set up a projector with either an Xbox with Guitar Hero or a Wii. Through hosting a lot of these parties, I noticed people – and not just the people I knew who were hardcore gamers, but people who had never touched games in their life – not only did they not have a problem picking up a controller, but they had fun, they got into it. And I noticed that people would watch quite comfortably as well. It was just as much about people drinking and spectating as it was about the people playing. They’d play a couple rounds of Wii Tennis or whatever, then hand the controller to someone else and go grab a drink.”
“I thought ‘this mechanic is ideal for a bar situation’. Of course, I had no experience and no knowledge or anything about running a bar, but I was still like ‘this idea is brilliant!’ I’m sure a lot of people in the past have as well, it’s just that I woke up the next morning, and my hangover didn’t deter me.”
Following the success of the original Mana Bar in Brisbane, Yug and the other owners, Yahtzee, Pras and Shay, are expanding the business to Melbourne and eventually, Sydney and beyond. The Melbourne venue is nearing completion, and I had to ask the question that was plaguing Melbournian gamers – when is opening night?
The official answer: “Mana Bar Melbourne will open on launch day.” How very Blizzard.
“No one wants this venue to open up more desperately than we do. I think people need to understand that and realise that. We’re not f-ing around. This ain’t no Duke Nukem Forever project. Opening a bar is not easy, and it comes down to a bureaucratic paperwork issue, which has held us up. Hopefully, we’re getting towards the end of that. There is a process, but until I am one hundred percent sure when that process will end, I refuse to give any details about a date.”
“When we announced the date in Brisbane, people actually booked flights. The first guy in line, I think he was up from Melbourne. The second two people had flown in from New Zealand. I don’t want to screw people around. When I say an opening date, that’s our opening date. ”
“But sooner, rather than later. I want people to realise that we are here, we have the venue, we are in the middle of renovations, andwe have to open ASAP.”
When that elusive date finally gets here, it sounds like it will be a hell of an evening.
“We’ve got plans for celebrity guests to be here, and some games that will be playable at the bar that won’t be out by that time. Some really exciting ones, and I think people will respond really well to that. We’ll have prizes and giveaways constantly, we’ll have people dressing up, we’ll have performers. You know, just a really fun celebration of a video game bar.”
Sounds enticing! I prodded further – can you drop some names of the expected celebrity guests, or pre-release games?
“Um… No.” We have a laugh, even though I’m hurting inside.
“Well, Hex (from Good Game) will probably come, and the boys from Tripod will most likely be here as well.” Sweet! I’m satisfied.
Some merch in the display cabinet
On a normal, non-event night, patrons can expect the opportunity to play almost any game in the current generation, although the focus will be on multiplayer titles. New release single-player games will get a run so people can try them out, but multiplayer games are going to take precedence. A TV in the back room is to have a dedicated Guitar Hero set up, while upstairs is for Kinect titles. The five TVs in the main room will rotate games, according to requests and popularity. And the courtyard out the back may have a projector set up, either with more games to play or showing game trailers.
As for decorations, Yug describes them as minimal. With so many TVs blaring so much visual information, management wanted to avoid having the space feel cluttered. That said, there will be some cabinets filled with video game merchandise to drool over, including Yoshis, Sackboys, Rabbids, Pokemon, game special editions, retro consoles and the piéce de résistance; a life-size Duke Nukem statue.
In addition to the standard draughts, ales, ciders, spirits and liqueurs, visitors should definitely try one, if not all, of the Mana Bar’s characteristic game-themed cocktails and shots. Why not rescue a Princess Peach (made up of gin, lemon juice and peaches) from the clutches of the evil bartender? Or take sides in the Red vs. Blue (blue curacao on top of sour grapefruit and raspberry cordial). Or even square off against the Purple Tentacle (passionfruit vodka, apple schnapps and grenadine).
“We want unique drinks you can only get here. If you want a Mana Potion (vodka, apple pressé, blue curacao, lime and sparkling white wine – pictured), you have to go to Mana Bar.” The exclusive drinks were developed by co-owner Shay, whose extensive experience in hospitality helps boost the respect of the business in the eyes of the local hospitality industry.
With the volume on the TVs off, patrons will hear remixed game music, chiptunes, some eighties stuff and anything else that is relevant to the overall aesthetic.
As hoped for by the vocal online community, further expansion of the Mana Bar brand is on the books. A Sydney venue is the next project, providing a suitable location can be found.
Future venues in Adelaide, Perth and Canberra are not being ruled out either. “If I could open a Mana Bar in every city in the world tomorrow, I would. But you know what, it’s actually a pretty difficult process to open a bar. We’re just four guys. Bear with us,” he laughs. Possible joint ventures overseas are already being discussed as well.
On international venues, Yug says, “I’m 99% sure there will eventually be Mana Bars in cities around the world. We’re in talks, and it may happen sooner than you think… No wait! People will just think ‘tomorrow’ if I say that. Sooner than someone who knows how these things work would think.”
Many, many reasons to be excited. But I had one last question: Where did the name “Yug” come from?
“Uh… it’s ‘Guy’ backwards.”
Well, there you go.
For up-to-date news, stalk Mana Bar Melbourne on Facebook and Twitter, or check out www.manabar.com.au.
At this moment I cannot think of another Movie based game that went straight to being a small little downloadable title; this could actually work.
Konami announced their upcoming XBLA, PSN and PC game Battle: Los Angeles. This Downloadable first person shooter will be based on the Columbia Pictures film of the same name. There is no estimated time of arrival yet, nor is there a price; however, we do have 4 screenshots, which you can see in this post. Below the screenshots we have the full press release.
I honestly think a small 800MSP game based on a movie will actually sell if it is fun; make it only 400MSP and it will definitely get a lot of attention; make it free and this movie will become incredibly popular. Unless of course the game just sucks, but that rarely happens with movie based games. Right!?
The game will include FPS action, with destructible environments and doesn’t sound half bad.
I could throw the actual movie trailer in here if it will comfort you at all? It might do the opposite actually.
In advance of the nationwide release of Columbia Pictures’ action film Battle: Los Angeles, in cinemas in March, 2011, Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH today announced Battle: Los Angeles, the video game will be available on the PlayStation Network, on Xbox Live Arcade and Windows PC download. Players will have the opportunity to relive the thrill of the movie as they assume the role of Corporal Lee Imlay and fight alongside characters from the film and defend the city of Los Angeles from attacks from unknown forces.
“KONAMI jumped at the opportunity to team up with Columbia Pictures and publish the Battle: Los Angeles video game,” said Careen Yapp, Vice President of Acquisitions and Franchise Development Konami Digital Entertainment. “We love the movie and it was a great experience working with Saber – there were some great ideas about how to expand the story into a game. It’s a great chance for gamers and moviegoers to play out the world of the film.”
“Battle: Los Angeles is a tremendously thrilling game and a perfect complement to our film. Saber and KONAMI have creatively entered the world of the film and used it as a canvas for a rich, exciting game,” said Mark Caplan, Vice President Consumer Products, Sony Pictures Entertainment.
Developed by Saber Interactive and powered by the Saber3D Engine, Battle: Los Angeles is a high-end fast and frantic first–person shooter game that will take players through a single player campaign that mirrors the upcoming feature film. Players will assume the role of a Marine fighting against a worldwide alien invasion that has the city of Los Angeles as the major battleground and focal point for the game. Players will battle unique and varied enemies using an arsenal of weapons throughout the game like an assault rifle, sniper rifle, rocket launcher, frag grenades, and a turret gun as they navigate the streets of Los Angeles avoiding fierce and relentless attacks.
Aside from high-caliber fire fighting combat, destructible environments have been included using the Havok Destruction Module which will allow players to destroy scaffolding structures, vehicles and overpasses to eliminate enemy forces. With unlockable content, trophy support, and 5.1 surround sound, Battle: Los Angeles will pull players deep into the heart of the battle to save mankind.
Game: Worms 2: Armageddon Developer: Team 17 Publisher: Team 17 Genre: Strategy Price: $14.99 Platform: Xbox 360 XBLA – (Reviewed), Playstation 3 PSN Release Date: July 1, 2009 (Xbox 360) September 8, 2010 (Playstation 3)
Worms 2: Armageddon is a sequel to Worms on XBLA. Worms is a pretty recognizable franchise that has existed for well over a decade, getting its start on the PC. Not much has changed since then, but as the saying goes, “Don’t fix what isn’t broken.”
Gameplay
You may have heard of this franchise but may not necessarily have played it or know what it’s about. Put simply, it’s a turn based, strategic combat game that tasks you with controlling a team of cartoon style worms against another team of worms. Yes, that sounds crazy and weird, but that’s part of its charm.
This is how a typical game of Worms will play out. You pick a level, your team of four (along with the enemies team) will spawn in randomized locations across a 2D map. A random Worm from your team will then be chosen to be controlled. Depending on the match type selected, you will have some amount of time for moving around and selecting a weapon, let’s say the average is 60 seconds. Within that time you can move around (very slowly), jump (only meant for clearing very small obstacles) and select and fire your weapon of choice. After you have fired your weapon (or taken damage, such as falling too far or stepping on a mine) your turn ends and a random worm from enemy team is selected to do their bidding and so on and so forth until one team is left standing.
One place where Worms shines is the weapons. A good understanding of how each weapon works as well as a little knowledge in physics (for eyeballing trajectories) will make the difference between a successful hit or a complete miss. Also depending on the match type is what your arsenal will consist of. If your map has a ceiling then all airborne weapons are unusable, such as airstrikes and bunker busters. The classic default weapons are the bazooka and grenade. These normally come with infinite ammo and are the basis of Worms combat. The bazooka will launch a rocket in whatever direction you aim with whatever amount of force you allow it to charge up for. You simply point, hold the fire button to designate how far you want it to go and let it fly. This may seem simple, but know that under normal circumstances you will not have a direct indicator as to where it’s going to hit, you simply have a small crosshair directly in front of you to tell you where it’s pointing. That’s where the skill comes into play, knowing exactly how to aim and how long to charge it for it to hit it’s mark. The rest of the challenge comes from not hitting your teammates (friendly fire is a big factor here) and counteracting wind. Wind can and will change between each turn, blowing either left or right with varying levels of strength. Balancing all of these factors is a key component to the Worms franchise.
That was just detailing the bazooka, however. Each and every weapon handles differently, as I’ve said. A complete newcomer will have a tough time stumbling through their first few battles without having any idea what the weapons do, which is why I strongly suggest going through the training mode (which is as helpful as it is simple) and trying out a few quick battles while you fool around with the weapons. Some weapons are affected by wind, some have delays on their deployment, some are designed to alter the landscape, basically what I’m saying is there are a bunch of varied weapon types that do require intimate knowledge on how to use them.
One can’t talk about Worms without mentioning it’s comedic factor. While Worms is a franchise revolving around strategic combat, it is very lighthearted and can serve to make you chuckle on occasion. Worms will do silly dances or motions during idle team or upon defeating an enemy such as bounce up and down or make a big, goofy smile. They make themed remarks and one liners with tiny, high pitched voices with an example being, “I’m in my zone, Holmes” or will scream if a grenade lands near them. Even the weapons themselves have great comedic effect, especially the animals. A few of the animal weapons are the sheep (which will prance around until you tell it to explode), the ferret (which will scurry around the landscape until it comes into contact with a wall, object or player) and the devastating buffalo of lies (which continuously runs forward for a little while, exploding each time it hits a player). These weapons are only made funnier when you unleash them upon a friend, allowing you to rub it in that a mere sheep killed them.
What’s new
So far I’ve only talked about how the Worms franchise in general works. But this review is about Worms 2: Armageddon specifically, so let’s get down to what is new to this release. Normally, Worms has just been a multiplayer only sort of game. It’s always had computer controlled teams, but in this game there is a campaign mode consisting of over 35 battles and missions. I use the term campaign lightly as campaign usually refers to a mode with some semblance of story, which this game attempts to do in some sense but it isn’t much. You basically go through each “area” defeating the various enemy teams that inhabit them. You start out in the city area, then move on to the medieval area, etc. Some missions actually are not battles and are more like a challenge mission. Sometimes you are tasked with getting to a teleporter with whatever limited resources you have while other times you must use a grapple to navigate a maze-like level in a race against the clock. These add a great deal of variety to the game and make this campaign mode stand out amongst the rest of the game. Also to note is that completion of each mission will result in a reward of some money (more on that in a second) giving you some reason to try it out as opposed to just fighting random battles against friends or computers.
Serving as a bit of an aid to differentiating your worms from the enemies is the new customization options. You can now customize your team with various hats, victory dances, skin colors and voice options
Another new feature, the shop, is where you spend your hard earned money from the campaign. Within the shop are 6 tabs; customization, landscapes, weapons, missions, forts and gravestones. Customization is where you can buy more hats for your worms (I should also note that the PSN version of this game comes preloaded with unique hats based off of some games on the PS3 such as Helghast helmets, motocross helmets, a sackboy mask and more). Landscapes consists of a few other maps that you can choose from to use in multiplayer. Weapons is just that, some weapons that you can’t use until you unlock, mainly consisting of animals and super weapons like the Holy Hand Grenade (produces an extremely large explosion). Missions consists of 5 special missions that exist within the campaign that require your purchase to be unlocked. Forts is for a special gametype called Forts where your team is perched on a themed fort such as a castle or a giant chicken and you must take out the opposing team who sits on a differently themed fort on the other side of the level. Finally is gravestones which is simply more customization to your own worms who turn into a grave upon death.
Also new to the game is a pretty in depth landscape generator which will generate random levels for you to use in multiplayer. You can choose from a handful of parameters such as basic make-up of the level (indoors, two hills, one tall hill, etc), how many objects, mines, napalm tanks litter the battlefield, how high the water is (water is a hazard as worms cannot swim) and what the theme of the level is (city, castle, sports, etc).
Fans of the series will notice that there are a handful of both new and old weapons who haven’t been in previous games making up your arsenal. Returning weapons include napalm, super sheep, holy hand grenade, petrol bomb, concrete donkey, Armageddon, parachute, drill, baseball bat, earthquake and poison strike. The new weapons include a sentry gun, electromagnet, lightning strike, buffalo of lies, bunker buster and the super bunker buster.
Finally to note is the inclusion of leaderboards that track leaders for every game type.
Final thoughts
At its heart, Worms 2: Armageddon is a pretty enjoyable game. Its combination of combat, comedy and challenge is a great mix and is only made better when you play it with a friend. The fact that this game is fully playable online is also a great feature, though the invite system could have been implemented better (you need to access the invite from in game to accept). The leaderboards are there for those who care about such things. The game’s randomized levels ensure that you won’t ever experience the same game twice which is a good thing given this game’s multiplayer only (essentially) status.
One thing I must note, however, is that the game can and will become repetitive. There are a handful of game types to play to counteract this, but most of what you will be doing is playing out battle after battle. If you like this style of gameplay then you won’t be disappointed, but know that there isn’t much else beyond this save for the race mode.
If you are a fan of multiplayer games you will probably enjoy this game. Due to its style of gameplay it essentially never “ends” and so it has colossal replay value, especially when taking into consideration it’s online and local multiplayer.
Game: Back to the Future The Game – Episode 1: Its About Time! Developer/Publisher: Telltale Games Genre: Point & Click Adventure Consoles: PS3 (Reviewed), PC, Mac, iPad
I have been a fan of the Back to the Future trilogy since the moment I first saw the original movie. Classic characters, hilarious situations and a fantastical story made these movies famous. In addition, they are one of the few movie franchises that had a third movie that actually DIDN’T suck (although the first Back to the Future is still the best.) Hence, when Telltale announced they were bringing the series to life in video game form, I was ecstatic, albeit skeptical. Could they bring the series to life? How could they possibly continue the story?! Would the space time continuum be wrecked?!?
If you have not seen the movies, I highly suggest you do so. The game may still make sense, but if you have seen the movies, you will understand the game much better.
Marty McFly is at the Twin Pines Mall, just as Doc is about to send Einstein crackling into the future. The car revs up, and speeds toward you. Suddenly, it vanishes. You then select what you want to say to the Doc. Now, you may be expecting the car to show up momentarily. However, it never returns! And Marty starts to disappear. GREAT SCOTT!
Suddenly, Marty wakes up, and you find out that he has been dreaming. Yes, this game is actually set a few months after the events of the third movie. Doctor Emmett Brown is still gone, and Marty is left with no adventures left to uncover. Fortunately, about that time, he finds out that an illegal estate sale of the Doc’s stuff is being conducted. And that is about where you actually start the game. There are many references to the movies inside the house, and many surprises that will warm your little heart.
However, soon enough, the DeLorean shows up with only Einstein inside. But, didn’t it get destroyed?! How come only Einstein is left? Why is there a smelly shoe in the passenger seat? Those are the questions. Only your massive puzzle solving skills can answer them.
I was shocked and overjoyed at how much I liked, or rather, loved the story! Telltale did not try anything too crazy. The Back to the Future series is admittedly a little zany anyway, but Telltale really respected the franchise and did not try to make it their own. Even the way they handled the DeLorean’s abrupt reappearance was well done. They continued the story with an amazing story filled with interesting characters, hilarious dialogue and the usual hi-jinks. Many great homages to the films show up once again, like the Tannen’s odd fascination with manure. 😉
Its About Time is a point and click adventure game. However, Telltale has gained a reputation for making what may seem like a boring mechanic and turning it into a fun filled, full throttle exploration of an engaging world.
Most of your time though will be spent in the 1930’s version of Hill Valley. You will get to walk or run around these places, talking to all the characters and trying to solve the challenging, arresting puzzles. Most puzzle games are very rote. But this game’s puzzles will take you all over the place. Sometimes the same objects are used, but usually, there are different pieces that must be completed in a specific order. For example, on one puzzle you need to see a special newspaper. But first, you need to find out which newspaper to get, and how to get the old lady out of the room so that you can read the paper without her prying eyes looking at you. Most of the challenges are not to taxing, especially if you explore every nook and cranny, or talk to all the characters. If you get stuck though, there is a hint system to help you along, or outright tell you the answer. The problem I had with the hint system is that it was not nearly as well implemented as the system used Monkey Island. Instead you had to go a menu screen every time you wanted a hint.
If there is one thing that needs to be changed in the game, that would be the graphics and animations. Mouths are often way off sync with voices. The artwork on the characters are blocky and uneven, and that takes you out of the experience. Some of the backgrounds are unusually bland too, which is a real shame because Hill Valley is an integral part to all the movies.
The game also had a plethora of times where it would freeze. I was constantly afraid that it would just shut down and lose my progress. There is absolutely no reason why a system as advanced as the PS3 should have a problem running this rather simple game. For some reason it did, and that is inexcusable.
WHOA! WHO IS THIS?!
Another problem with the game was an awful control system. This game was designed for a computer player, and it definitely shows up in the control system. To illustrate, I had to go down an L-shaped street. As you approached the corner, the camera would go wacko, and the analog stick would not allow me to control the person. When I finally did manage to get him to go the right way, it was a relief. I thought I had figured out that the way to go down the street was to hold the stick in the UP direction. The next time I approached the corner, I held the stick UP, and Marty turned around in the OPPOSITE direction. So, every time I hit a corner in the game, I would have to wrestle with the controls. Other camera problems also turned up. Nevertheless, I suppose that the presentation of the game would have suffered if it weren’t for the 2.5 dimensional set-pieces
Even though the animations are not that great, at least the voice acting is solid. Christopher Lloyd reprises his role as Doc, and as usual does an awesome job. The other voice actors do their job pretty well, especially the one who played Marty. There was only one time where I felt he didn’t sound like Michael J. Fox. Otherwise, it was spot on.
For $20.00, you will receive access to all 5 chapters in the game. This first episode lasted about 4.5 hours, and I can not wait for the next one, due out around the middle of March.
In conclusion, if you are looking for a sublime story with sweet gameplay and only a few faults, give this game a try. You will not be disappointed. However, unless you really want easy trophies (I got 85% without even trying) you should go with the easier controls that the Mac & PC counterparts have. Plus, these consoles will have each episode released a month earlier. If you only own a Playstation 3 though, you need this game.
