One thing that is always good news to a Pokémon fan is the news of a new event. Now if you have never heard of these “events” in the Pokémon universe, it is where owners of any of the main Pokémon series can bring their DS & appropriate title into a participating location and download either a special item or Pokémon for their game. Starting next week, players in the U.S. and Canada will be able to head into a Gamestop/EBGames and download a shiny version of the elusive Entei, Raikou, or Suicune.
Titles that are able to download these Pokemon include:
Pokémon Heart Gold
Pokémon Soul Silver
Pokémon Diamond
Pokémon Pearl
Pokémon Platinum
All that is required is that you have the Pokédex in-game and also have no more than two wonder cards (if you have three,you can easily delete one from the menu).
It is great seeing continued support for all of these titles and with Pokémon Black & White right around the corner. Another thing that makes this event so special is due to the fact that the shiny versions of these three legendary Pokés would normally be extremely hard to come by so I would advise to get these while you can as once an event is over, that’s pretty much it. Don’t forget to set your calenders to the dates so you don’t miss out on this awesome opportunity and for even more information on this event, you can check out the official announcement here.
Game Name: Raskulls Platforms: Xbox 360 Publisher(s): Xbox LIVE Arcade Developer(s): Halfbrick Studios Genre(s): Family, Platformer Release Date: 12/29/2010 ESRB Rating: E10 (Everyone 10+) Price: 800MSP (10$ USD)
Story “Raskulls is a bone-shakingly crazy action platformer for Xbox Live Arcade! Embark on an action-packed adventure in the Raskulls Mega Quest, starring the lovable yet completely self-centred King, tough-but-fair Bonesaw and the unlikely hero Dragon. Save the world and unlock Achievements in the single player Mega Quest spanning three chapters and over 60 levels! Take your platforming prowess online around the world, or simply on the couch with friends in Raskulls Multiplayer! Raskulls is here to stay, so it’s now your quest to jump, fall, swim and bash your way through every inch of the rich Raskulls world!” [Via Xbox.com]
The Pirats (not misspelled, they are Rat Pirates; hence Pirats) have crash landed on the Raskull’s planet and now need a power source to leave. They devise a plan to steal the shiny stone (which is definitely part of the plot). The Raskull king then decides to hold a contest to figure out who is trying to steal the shiny stone. It is up to you to attempt to stop the Pirats from stealing the shiny stone as you play as Dragon, Ninja, and the King himself.
Gameplay The gameplay in Raskulls is extremely simple but tons of fun at the same time. Anyone can pick it up and enjoy it. The game is a platformer that requires you to run through courses breaking blocks, using power ups, messing with the other players, and getting to the finish line first. Each level is designed perfectly to slow down whoever is in the lead and give everyone a chance to catch up. While playing with my little brother, he was always on my tail and every race was exciting because it was so close. Most other games my brother is unable to keep up, but the ability for him to keep up and have fun as well shows the brilliant design put into the game.
The Mega Quest is the main story and it comprises of 3 chapters, but a whole bunch of missions to complete. You can run through it pretty quickly by taking the shortest routes and the easiest missions, but it will take a while to complete everything. You can unlock a bunch of characters through the Mega Quest to play with in multiplayer and you can even get cheats that unlock fun little extras for within the game. The story is hilarious, and if you take the time to read through all the cutscenes and watch them fully you will enjoy yourself thoroughly.
Multiplayer in this game is hectic and brilliantly fun. Play online or with friends on the same couch. There are tons of characters to pick from and although the characters are only aesthetic, each has their own unique look and personality and everyone should be able to find a character they like. The levels are also designed in such a way, that the players are regularly smashed together as they all frantically try to gain the lead and then the level splits up again with shortcuts and multiple paths. Multiplayer is a lot of fun, but sadly the amount of multiplayer levels is pretty small, and a larger selection would’ve been nice. There are currently 16 levels, each lasting for about a minute or two; luckily the game is fun enough that replaying the levels over and over again isn’t bad at all.
Audio & Graphics The audio isn’t amazing but it keeps the pace of the game at a good speed. There is also no voice acting, so you will have to read all the text during cutscenes. Most of the audio will be covered up by you laughing with friends or yelling at them because they just stunned you and stole the win. The game is a lot of fun, and the audio is barely noticed.
The graphics are somewhere between 2d and 3d, and the humor is great. The developers did a good job at creating hilarious cutscenes, and funny one liners that are said by all the characters through text. The art style is cute, and the character designs are pretty cool. The level designs are also brilliant and designed in such a way to constantly rebalance the odds by halting the players in front so anyone in the back has a small window to catch up in.
Achievements The achievements are fun and encourage playing with friends in multiplayer a lot. If you are having trouble getting 4 people down for a grand prix, just plug in some dud controllers (instruments work too) and then just win with the profile that you want to have the achievement. Getting all the medallions in the game will take a while, because they aren’t that easy and many of the missions have even more challenging versions once you get the first medallion. Overall, the basic achievement list is nice and awards quite a few achievements for just enjoying yourself; however, to get them all you will have to persevere, but it is a fun kind of perseverance. There are also 2 avatar awards, and to get them you must beat some of the bonus missions that you unlock as you progress through the game. Below is the achievement list:
Bone On!! – 10 – Win a race in Mega Quest!
Cheaters Never Prosper – 20 – Defeat that dastardly Thief at the end of Chapter 1.
Flip Out – 20 – Unleash your power and defeat the boss at the end of Chapter 2.
Hail to the King – 25 – Complete the Mega Quest and bring peace to the Raskulls.
King Of Bling – 25 – Collect every Medallion in the Mega Quest.
Tell Friends About This Game – 10 – Win a four-player local Grand Prix match – and don’t forget to brag about it!
Five Times a Raskull – 20 – Win 5 Xbox LIVE Grand Prix matches!
Smarty Pants… – 20 – Win by jumping off another Raskull to an out of reach finish. (Local or Xbox LIVE multiplayer)
Flame Grilled – 10 – Hit three other Raskulls with a single Flame Charge.
Uncomfortably Energetic! – 10 – Keep a single Frenzy going for 10 seconds. (Excludes Mega Quest bosses and “Stay Frenzied” races.)
Accomplished Blocksmith – 20 – Destroy 20,000 blocks across all modes. (That is, the small blocks that make up the big blocks.)
Zuppercut! – 10 – Launch Raskulls upwards with the Thunder Staff 10 times. (Local or Xbox LIVE multiplayer.)
The Avatar Awards Are:
A Giant King Mask – Be the King of the Raskulls!
Raskulls T-Shirt (Male/Female) – It has Shapeasaurus on it!
Overview Raskulls is a fun platformer with plenty of humor and is accessible for the whole family. Young and old alike can sit down and enjoy this game with its easy to master controls and competitive gameplay. You have to read all the cutscenes, but they are definitely worth it and a lot of the times you can understand what is going on by just looking at them without reading. Overall, the game is a lot of fun and while it gets challenging at the end, nothing in the game is over the top impossible. I wish there had been more levels in multiplayer but the ones they provided supplied my brother and I quite a few hours of entertainment. Sadly the game is a bit short overall, but it is a fun experience the whole time.
I give Raskulls
Cross-Title Extra Content:
Raskulls is one of the Three titles being released as part of Microsoft’s “Games for the Holidays” Promotion. By getting an achievement within either of the other two titles in the promotion (A World of Keflings and IloMilo) you can get exclusive ingame content for Raskulls.
By getting an achievement in A World of Keflings you can play as a Kefling in Raskulls’ Multiplayer.
By Getting and achievement in IloMilo you can play as one of them within the multiplayer of Raskulls.
Story “Raskulls is a bone-shakingly crazy action platformer for Xbox Live Arcade! Embark on an action-packed adventure in the Raskulls Mega Quest, starring the lovable yet completely self-centred King, tough-but-fair Bonesaw and the unlikely hero Dragon. Save the world and unlock Achievements in the single player Mega Quest spanning three chapters and over 60 levels! Take your platforming prowess online around the world, or simply on the couch with friends in Raskulls Multiplayer! Raskulls is here to stay, so it’s now your quest to jump, fall, swim and bash your way through every inch of the rich Raskulls world!” [Via Xbox.com]
The Pirats (not misspelled, they are Rat Pirates; hence Pirats) have crash landed on the Raskull’s planet and now need a power source to leave. They devise a plan to steal the shiny stone (which is definitely part of the plot). The Raskull king then decides to hold a contest to figure out who is trying to steal the shiny stone. It is up to you to attempt to stop the Pirats from stealing the shiny stone as you play as Dragon, Ninja, and the King himself.
Gameplay The gameplay in Raskulls is extremely simple but tons of fun at the same time. Anyone can pick it up and enjoy it. The game is a platformer that requires you to run through courses breaking blocks, using power ups, messing with the other players, and getting to the finish line first. Each level is designed perfectly to slow down whoever is in the lead and give everyone a chance to catch up. While playing with my little brother, he was always on my tail and every race was exciting because it was so close. Most other games my brother is unable to keep up, but the ability for him to keep up and have fun as well shows the brilliant design put into the game.
The Mega Quest is the main story and it comprises of 3 chapters, but a whole bunch of missions to complete. You can run through it pretty quickly by taking the shortest routes and the easiest missions, but it will take a while to complete everything. You can unlock a bunch of characters through the Mega Quest to play with in multiplayer and you can even get cheats that unlock fun little extras for within the game. The story is hilarious, and if you take the time to read through all the cutscenes and watch them fully you will enjoy yourself thoroughly.
Multiplayer in this game is hectic and brilliantly fun. Play online or with friends on the same couch. There are tons of characters to pick from and although the characters are only aesthetic, each has their own unique look and personality and everyone should be able to find a character they like. The levels are also designed in such a way, that the players are regularly smashed together as they all frantically try to gain the lead and then the level splits up again with shortcuts and multiple paths. Multiplayer is a lot of fun, but sadly the amount of multiplayer levels is pretty small, and a larger selection would’ve been nice. There are currently 16 levels, each lasting for about a minute or two; luckily the game is fun enough that replaying the levels over and over again isn’t bad at all.
Audio & Graphics The audio isn’t amazing but it keeps the pace of the game at a good speed. There is also no voice acting, so you will have to read all the text during cutscenes. Most of the audio will be covered up by you laughing with friends or yelling at them because they just stunned you and stole the win. The game is a lot of fun, and the audio is barely noticed.
The graphics are somewhere between 2d and 3d, and the humor is great. The developers did a good job at creating hilarious cutscenes, and funny one liners that are said by all the characters through text. The art style is cute, and the character designs are pretty cool. The level designs are also brilliant and designed in such a way to constantly rebalance the odds by halting the players in front so anyone in the back has a small window to catch up in.
Achievements The achievements are fun and encourage playing with friends in multiplayer a lot. If you are having trouble getting 4 people down for a grand prix, just plug in some dud controllers (instruments work too) and then just win with the profile that you want to have the achievement. Getting all the medallions in the game will take a while, because they aren’t that easy and many of the missions have even more challenging versions once you get the first medallion. Overall, the basic achievement list is nice and awards quite a few achievements for just enjoying yourself; however, to get them all you will have to persevere, but it is a fun kind of perseverance. There are also 2 avatar awards, and to get them you must beat some of the bonus missions that you unlock as you progress through the game. Below is the achievement list:
·Bone On!! – 10 – Win a race in Mega Quest!
·Cheaters Never Prosper – 20 – Defeat that dastardly Thief at the end of Chapter 1.
·Flip Out – 20 – Unleash your power and defeat the boss at the end of Chapter 2.
·Hail to the King – 25 – Complete the Mega Quest and bring peace to the Raskulls.
·King Of Bling – 25 – Collect every Medallion in the Mega Quest.
·Tell Friends About This Game – 10 – Win a four-player local Grand Prix match – and don’t forget to brag about it!
·Five Times a Raskull – 20 – Win 5 Xbox LIVE Grand Prix matches!
·Smarty Pants… – 20 – Win by jumping off another Raskull to an out of reach finish. (Local or Xbox LIVE multiplayer)
·Flame Grilled – 10 – Hit three other Raskulls with a single Flame Charge.
·Uncomfortably Energetic! – 10 – Keep a single Frenzy going for 10 seconds. (Excludes Mega Quest bosses and “Stay Frenzied” races.)
·Accomplished Blocksmith – 20 – Destroy 20,000 blocks across all modes. (That is, the small blocks that make up the big blocks.)
·Zuppercut! – 10 – Launch Raskulls upwards with the Thunder Staff 10 times. (Local or Xbox LIVE multiplayer.)
The Avatar Awards Are:
·A Giant King Mask – Be the King of the Raskulls!
·Raskulls T-Shirt (Male/Female) – It has Shapeasaurus on it!
Overview Raskulls is a fun platformer with plenty of humor and is accessible for the whole family. Young and old alike can sit down and enjoy this game with its easy to master controls and competitive gameplay. You have to read all the cutscenes, but they are definitely worth it and a lot of the times you can understand what is going on by just looking at them without reading. Overall, the game is a lot of fun and while it gets challenging at the end, nothing in the game is over the top impossible. I wish there had been more levels in multiplayer but the ones they provided supplied my brother and I quite a few hours of entertainment. Sadly the game is a bit short overall, but it is a fun experience the whole time.
I give Raskulls
9/10
Cross-Title Extra Content:
Raskulls is one of the Three titles being released as part of Microsoft’s “Games for the Holidays” Promotion. By getting an achievement within either of the other two titles in the promotion (A World of Keflings and IloMilo) you can get exclusive ingame content for Raskulls.
·By getting an achievement in A World of Keflings you can play as a Kefling in Raskulls’ Multiplayer.
By Getting and achievement in IloMilo you can play as the one of them within the multiplayer of Raskulls.
*Voice over* WELCOME Ladies and Gentlement to the first ever CAPSULE COMPUTERS Game Awards for 2010 !! Here is your host Philip “MasterAbbott” Federico !! *Crowd goes wild*
*MasterAbbott steps out from behind the curtain and approaches the mic…*
“Greetings everyone” Let me start off by saying that myself and the Capsule Computers Crew are very excited to bring you our first ever Capsule Computer Gaming Awards. It’s been a great year the Crew have worked around the clock to bring to you the latest news, interviews and reviews in the world of Video Games. The year of 2010 has seen some of the biggest releases in history. A lot has happened this year on the video game scene and there hasn’t been one dull moment. The year started with a BANG with the release of Bayonetta, Darksiders and Mass Effect 2. Bungie then concluded their work on the Halo series with Halo Reach and the year ended with the release of Black Ops and that lovable APE Donkey Kong Country Returns.
In light of the years end, the whole team at Capsule Computers would like to wrap this year up with a bang by presenting the first ever Capsule Awards. This 2010 edition is packed with our favorite games of the year as well as the runners-up for the much populated console-categories. So without further ado, let’s get this show on the road!
Winner for : Digital Download
The Playstation Network Golden Capsule Goes To:
Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light
Developer(s) Crystal Dynamics
Publisher(s) Eidos Interactive
Distributor(s) Square Enix
Director(s) Daniel Neuberger
Series Tomb Raider
Engine Tomb Raider: Underworld
Platform(s) Xbox 360 (XBLA), Microsoft Windows (Steam), PlayStation 3 (PSN), iOS
Release date(s) 18 August 2010
Genre(s) Fixed-camera 3D platform, Action
Mode(s) Single-player, Two-player cooperative
Rating(s) ESRB: T
Editor comments:
Although Playstation may have received it late, Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is one amazing downloadable title. In fact, it may be the best Lara Croft that has ever graced consoles. Switching Lara to an isometric view fixed camera issues and seemed to make everything click. Plus, awesome puzzles and fun weapons combine to create a brilliant platformer with very few faults. Add in some free DLC & co-op play, and Crystal Dynamics takes home the treasure. –Jed Bradshaw
–
Best Indie, Best XBLA & Best Platformer
Those three Golden Capsules Go To:
Super Meat Boy
Developer(s) Team Meat
Distributor(s) Steam, Direct2Drive
Designer(s) Edmund McMillen & Tommy Refenes
Composer(s) Danny Baranowsky
Engine Tommunism Engine
Platform(s) Xbox Live Arcade, Windows, Mac OS X
Release date(s) Xbox Live Arcade October 20, 2010[1]
Genre(s) Platform game
Mode(s) Single-player
Rating(s) ESRB: T
Editor Comments:
For anyone who has played Super Meat Boy, our choice for these categories is a no brainer. Super Meat Boy is a hard as nails platformer which was developed by only two people. Team Meat, which is comprised of Edmund McMillen and Tommy Refenes, have poured their heart and soul into this game and it truly shows. Alongside a temporary sale right as the game was released, Team Meat has done everything in their power to put the game into as many hands as they possibly could and have attempted to make the game the best out there. Free updates that supply even more levels and tons of unlockables makes it extremely hard to put down, even if you are throwing your controller against the wall every ten minutes because you keep dying on the same level. –Dylan Radcliffe
–
The WiiWare Golden Capsule goes to:
MegaMan 10
Developer(s) Inti Creates / Capcom
Director(s) Ryota Ito
Producer(s) Takuya Aizu, Toyohiro Serita, Keiji Inafune, Hironobu Takeshita & Akiko Ito
Designer(s) Satoru Nishizawa & Yuichiro Iida
Series Mega Man
Platform(s) WiiWare, PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade
Release date(s) March 1, 2010
Genre(s) Platforming, action
Mode(s) Single-player
ESRB: E
Editor Comments:
Capcom knows how to please their fans, and when they released Mega Man 10 you could hear all of them cheering with joy. Mega Man 10 takes the original design of Mega Man but adds new enemies and new levels for all of the fans to enjoy. There is no need for all the fancy trinkets and the awesome graphics that are appearing with the remakes. The fans that have always been here, became fans because of the original Mega Man Games and all of them are thanking Capcom for this new one. Capcom has gone back to their roots for Mega Man 10 and the fans are thanking them for it. With the insane difficulty that Mega Man has been known for, a bunch of new power ups, and even an easier difficulty options for the new fans; Mega Man 10 has everything that is loved about a Mega Man game and all within a downloadable package -Dylan Radcliffe
–
The DSiWare Golden Capsule goes to:
Shantae: Risky’s Revenge
Developer(s) WayForward Technologies
Publisher(s) WayForward Technologies
Designer(s) Matt Bozon
Composer(s) Jake Kaufman
Platform(s) Nintendo DSi (DSiWare)
Release date(s) NA October 4, 2010
Genre(s) Platform
Mode(s) Single-player
Rating(s) ESRB: E10+ (Everyone 10+)
Editor Comments:
Not many gamers got a chance to play the critically praised Shantae on the Game Boy Color due to how limited the release was, but Wayforward changed all of that by releasing their follow-up, Shantae: Risky’s Revenge exclusively on the DSiWare. Risky’s Revenge was not only brought a full package of platforming gold to the service, it completely raised the bar for all other downloadable titles on the portable. With great music, fun and bright visuals and innovative level design, Shantae should now be considered a must have for anyone with a DSi. –Dustin Spencer
–
Winners for : Portable Consoles
The PSP Golden Capsule goes to:
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
Developer(s) Kojima Productions
Publisher(s) Konami
Designer(s) Hideo Kojima
Artist(s) Yoji Shinkawa
Writer(s) Hideo Kojima
Series Metal Gear
Platform(s) PlayStation Portable
Release date(s) April 28, 2010
Genre(s) Stealth action,third-person shooter
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer (cooperative)
Rating(s) BBFC: 15
Editor Comments:
Few triple AAA titles with a lot of fanfare make it to the PSP system. Unfortunate though that is, the year of 2010 saw Metal Gear Solid:Peace Walker. Konami successfully managed to create all the console quality of the regular series and put it on the “little brother” system. Awe-inspiring graphics and great gameplay make this a stellar title that any PSP owner NEEDS to add to their collection. –Jed Bradshaw
–
The Nintendo DS Golden Capsule goes to:
Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies
Developer(s) Level-5 / Square Enix
Publisher(s) JP Square Enix / NA Nintendo / PAL Nintendo
Designer(s) Yūji Horii / Akihiro Hino
Artist(s) Akira Toriyama
Composer(s) Koichi Sugiyama
Series Dragon Quest
Platform(s) Nintendo DS
Release date(s) July 11, 2010
Genre(s) Role-playing game
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer
ESRB: E10+
Editor Comments:
The Dragon Quest series has been a fan favorite RPG dating back to the original Dragon Warrior back on the NES. This year the all new Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies was released on the Nintendo DS and did it ever deliver. Dragon Quest IX brought a whole new story and updated graphics to the series, but the customization of just about every aspect of your party is where this title truly shines. The game also featured a hugely popular multi-player mode which let friends obtain items and new treasure maps over the DS’s wireless mode. DQ9 is so open-ended it really never has to end period as there is so much to collect and achieve in the title, making this one of the series longest and most enjoyable titles period. –Dustin Spencer
The Silver Capsule For Nintendo DS goes to:
Pokémon Heart Gold/Soul Silver
Developer(s) Game Freak
Publisher(s) Nintendo, The Pokémon Company
Director(s) Shigeki Morimoto
Composer(s) Junichi Masuda, Go Ichinose, Hitomi Sato,Shota Kageyama, Morikazu Aoki
Series Pokémon
Engine Heavily modified Pokémon Platinum engine
Platform(s) Nintendo DS
Release date(s) NA March 14, 2010
Genre(s) Role-playing
ESRB: E
The Bronze Capsule for Nintendo DS goes to:
Professor Layton & The Lost Future
Developer(s) Level-5
Publisher(s) JP Level-5
Series Professor Layton
Platform(s) Nintendo DS
Release date(s) September 12, 2010
Genre(s) Adventure/Puzzle game Interactive novel
Mode(s) Single-player
Rating(s)ESRB: E10+
–
The iPad/iPhone Golden Capsule goes to:
Angry Birds
Developer(s) Rovio
Publisher(s) Clickgamer.com, Chillingo
Platform(s) Apple iOS, Maemo (Nokia N900), Palm webOS, Android, Symbian^3
Release date(s) December 10, 2009
Genre(s) Puzzle
Mode(s) Single player
Rating(s) ESRB: E
Editor Comments:
When I first heard the name “Angry Birds” I thought just the name sounded hilarious. Then, I kept hearing great things about the game. Finally, the game arrived on my Palm Pre. I was ecstatic. After playing it for weeks on end and buying every add-on available, I can say that this game is a masterpiece. Great physics, awesome bird types and engaging puzzles that sometimes infuriate, but never fail to make you happy make this a perfect distraction when you need to procrastinate. –Jed Bradshaw
–
Winners for: Home Console
The Nintendo Wii Golden Capsule goes to:
Kirby’s Epic Yarn
Developer(s) Good-Feel / HAL Laboratory
Publisher(s) Nintendo
Director(s) Kentaro Sei
Producer(s) Etsunobu Ebisu,Yoichi Yamamoto,Nobuo Matsumiya
Designer(s) Madoka Yamauchi
Composer(s) Tomoya Tomita, Jun Ishikawa, Hirokazu Ando, Series Kirby
Platform(s) Wii
Release date(s) October 14, 2010
Genre(s) Platforming
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer
Rating(s) ESRB: E
Editor Comments:
It had been a long time coming for a console title that took the pink fluff back to his original platforming roots, but Kirby’s Epic Yarn did that and so much more. The level design was completely unique and the many cloth-like worlds were bursting out the seems with cuteness. I also feel that Kirby’s Epic Yarn presented one of the most memorable soundtracks to date as well as the quality and variation of the soundtrack fit in perfectly with the bright and colorful graphics. This title wasn’t about simply going in and “beating the game”, it was one to be experienced and enjoyed. Innovation blended with the Nintendo charm stirred in up until the last stitch made Epic Yarn one of the best Wii titles to date and yet another reason this year to be proud to be a Wii owner. – Dustin Spencer
The Silver Golden Capsule for Nintendo Wii goes to:
Super Mario Galaxy 2
Developer(s) Nintendo EAD Tokyo
Publisher(s) Nintendo
Director(s) Koichi Hayashida
Producer(s) Yoshiaki Koizumi, Takashi Tezuka
Composer(s) Mahito Yokota, Ryō Nagamatsu, Koji Kondo
Series Mario
Platform(s) Wii
Release date(s) May 23, 2010
Genre(s) Platforming
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer
Rating(s) ESRB: E
The Bronze Golden Capsule for Nintendo Wii goes to:
Donkey Kong Country Returns
Developer(s) Retro Studios / Nintendo
Publisher(s) Nintendo
Director(s) Bryan Walker
Producer(s) Kensuke Tanabe
Composer(s) Kenji Yamamoto, Minako Hamano, Masaru Tajima, Shinji Ushiroda, Daisuke Matsuoka
Series Donkey Kong
Platform(s) Wii
Release date(s) November 21, 2010
Genre(s) Platforming
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer
Rating(s) ESRB: E
–
The Playstation 3/Best Racer Golden Capsules go to:
Gran Turismo 5
Developer(s) Polyphony Digital
Publisher(s) Sony Computer Entertainment
Designer(s) Kazunori Yamauchi
Series Gran Turismo
Version 1.05
Platform(s) PlayStation 3
Release date(s) NA November 24, 2010
Genre(s) Racing
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer, online multiplayer (16-player)
Rating(s) ESRB: E
Editor Comments:
Gran Turismo 5 is one of the most definitive racing games to date. With some of the most realistic driving phyisics and stunning visuals, it’s no wonder it took Polyphony Digital years to develop it. Add in the constant supply of updates that make the game better every day, and it is easy to see why Gran Turismo 5 drove home with the gold on this one. Hopefully the future DLC will make it even better. –Zach Blue
–
The Silver Capsule for Playstation 3 goes to:
God of War III
Developer(s) Santa Monica Studio
Publisher(s) Sony Computer Entertainment
Director(s) Stig Asmussen
Writer(s) Marianne Krawcyzk, Stig Asmussen, Ariel Lawrence, William Weissbaum
Series God of War
Engine Santa Monica’s God of War III Engine
Platform(s) PlayStation 3
Release date(s) March 16, 2010
Genre(s) Hack and slash, action-adventure
Mode(s) Single-player
Rating(s) ESRB: M
The Bronze Capsule for Playstation 3 goes to:
Heavy Rain
Developer(s) Quantic Dream
Publisher(s) Sony Computer Entertainment
Director(s) David Cage
Composer(s) Normand Corbeil
Engine Havok (physics,cloth)
Platform(s) PlayStation 3
Release date(s) 23 February 2010
Genre(s) Interactive drama
Mode(s) Single-player
Rating(s) ESRB: M
–
The Xbox 360 & Best First-Person Shooter Golden Capsules go to:
Halo Reach
Developer(s) Bungie
Publisher(s) Microsoft Game Studios
Designer(s) Marcus Lehto (creative director), Daniel Jack, Tyler Nickles, Dante Dabbicco, Logan Ridge
Composer(s) Martin O’Donnell
Series Halo
Platform(s) Xbox 360
Release date(s) September 14, 2010
Genre(s) First-person shooter
Mode(s) Single-player, co-op, multiplayer
Rating(s) ESRB: M
Editor Comments:
Halo Reach is Bungie’s most recent and their last addition to the Halo franchise as they move on to new IPs and 343 takes over. Halo Reach brought a new story, a new engine, and an updated multiplayer to the Halo formula that makes for an enjoyable experience with friends or alone. Halo’s FPS formula isn’t just about running and gunning, there is strategy and planning involved with everything you do in Halo Reach and that is why we have awarded it with best FPS. While anyone can still pick the controller up and just spray bullets to progress through the levels, harder difficulties require team work and planning to survive. With armor Abilities, a heavy dose of weapons (each sporting their own strengths and weaknesses) and a bunch of vehicles to help you out as you destroy the enemy; Halo Reach is an FPS that isn’t just about shooting first and asking questions later. –Dylan Radcliffe
The Silver Capsule for Xbox 360 goes to:
Mass Effect 2
Developer(s) BioWare
Publisher(s) Electronic Arts
Designer(s) Casey Hudson (director)
Writer(s) Mac Walters (lead writer), Drew Karpyshyn
Composer(s) Jack Wall, Sam Hulick, David Kates, Jimmy Hinson
Series Mass Effect
Engine Unreal Engine 3.5
Platform(s) Xbox 360
Release date(s) January 26, 2010
Genre(s) Action RPG
Mode(s) Single-player
Rating(s) ESRB: M
The Bronze Capsule for Xbox 360 goes to:
Alan Wake
Developer(s) Remedy Entertainment
Publisher(s) Microsoft Game Studios
Designer(s) Mikael Kasurinen
Writer(s) Sam Lake, Mikko Rautalahti
Composer(s) Petri Alanko
Engine Alan Wake engine, Havok and Umbra Occlusion Booster
Platform(s) Xbox 360
Release date(s) May 14, 2010
Genre(s) Third person shooter action game
Rating(s) ESRB: T
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The PC Golden Capsule goes to:
StarCraft II
Developer(s) Blizzard Entertainment
Publisher(s) Blizzard Entertainment
Designer(s) Dustin Browder
Artist(s) Samwise Didier
Writer(s) Chris Metzen
Composer(s) Derek Duke, Glenn Stafford, Russell Brower, Neal Acree
Series StarCraft
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows
Release date(s) July 27, 2010
Genre(s) Real-time strategy
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer
Rating(s) ESRB: T
Editor Comments:
Is it the visually stunning graphics or is it the fun of experimenting with different build orders as you battle equally challenging foes around the world over Blizzard’s Battle.net system? Starcraft 2’s gameplay is absolutely fantastic when you are online, battling to find the king of each division and the sheer time and effort that went into this masterpiece exuberates through the intricacy of detail put into each and every unit and the skills that follow along. The campaign allows you to play units which track back to Starcraft 1 in the old days, in the peak of the Korean pro-gaming era, with brilliantly thought out missions to get you interpersonal with the new game mechanics of Starcraft 2. Truly an experience you’ll never forget, but be warned – You will get owned if you’ve never played an RTS before! Of course though, with practice comes experience, strategies and skill – All of which is required to become a great Starcraft player. – Mark Rocha
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Winners for : Best In Genre
The Golden Capsule for Survival Horror goes to:
Alan Wake
Developer(s) Remedy Entertainment
Publisher(s) Microsoft Game Studios
Designer(s) Mikael Kasurinen
Writer(s) Sam Lake, Mikko Rautalahti
Composer(s) Petri Alanko
Engine Alan Wake engine, Havok and Umbra Occlusion Booster
Platform(s) Xbox 360
Release date(s) May 14, 2010
Genre(s) Third person shooter action game, Horror
Rating(s) ESRB: T
Editor Comments:
Everyone has been afraid of the dark at some point in their life. Alan Wake takes this fear and twists it into an extremely enjoyable experience with an incredible story. Light is your friend as you progress through this psychological thriller and towards the truth behind the disappearance of your wife. The game plays out as if you are reading a book, and the story within this game is truly superb. As you progress through the game, the player gets sucked deeper and deeper into the story and it becomes incredibly difficult to put down; just like a good book. You Flashlight and your gun are your best friends as you fight against the darkness that is trying to destroy you. –Dylan Radcliffe
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The Golden Capsule for Multi-Player goes to:
Assassins Creed Brotherhood
Developer(s) Ubisoft Montreal / Ubisoft Annecy (multiplayer)
Publisher(s) Ubisoft
Designer(s) Patrick Plourde (game director), Stephane Baudet
(multi-player director), Patrice Désilets(creative director)
Writer(s) Jeffrey Yohalem
Composer(s) Jesper Kyd
Series Assassin’s Creed
Engine Anvil, Havok
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Release date(s) November 16, 2010
Genre(s) Third-person action-adventure, open world
Mode(s) Singleplayer, multiplayer
Rating(s) ESRB: M
Editor Comments:
One of the major complaints with the Assassins Creed franchise is the difficulty, it doesn’t ruin how enjoyable the game is, but it does make you feel like less of an “assassin” and more like a god. Luckily, multi-player does the exact opposite and rewards you for acting like an assassin. It’s probably one of the most unique competitive multi-player games on the market and it’s certainly one of the most enjoyable, high rise falling assassinations, team assassinations with your mates and the general chaos that ensues in a hunting chase are just some of the highlights. If you tire of all the FPS online games, then this is where you should look. –Jared Hillers
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The Golden Capsule for Action goes to:
Bioshock 2
Developer(s) 2K Marin , Digital Extremes
Publisher(s) 2K Games
Composer(s) Garry Schyman
Series BioShock
Engine Unreal Engine / Havok Physics
Platform(s) Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Microsoft Windows
Release date(s) February 9, 2010
Genre(s) First-person shooter, horror, action-adventure
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer
Rating(s) ESRB: M
Editor Comments:
The sequel to the Highly Acclaimed Bioshock; Bioshock 2 brings us more plasmids, more guns and more of rapture. The underwater city is home to some extraordinary things, but as you step into the shoes of a big daddy you can see the corrupt and evil side of rapture as well. Bioshock 2 offers both story and gameplay as you explore all of rapture in an attempt to get back your little sister which is bonded too you. Plasmids help you along as you explore and survive this city which is falling apart at all of the seams. Action is abundant as you fight your way through multiple variations of splicers, security measures and big sisters. -Dylan Radcliffe
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The Golden Capsule for Casual goes to:
Plants Vs. Zombies
Developer(s) PopCap Games
Publisher(s) PopCap Games
Designer(s) George Fan
Composer(s) Laura Shigihara
Engine PopCap Games Framework
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, iOS, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS
Release date(s) February 15, 2010
Genre(s) Tower defense
Mode(s) Single-player
Rating(s) ESRB: E10+
Editor Comments:
Making its Debut on consoles, Plants Vs. Zombies is the best casual game of the year in our opinion. The main reason behind that, is because while it is casual the game can still reach out to the more experienced players and provide fun to everyone who plays it. The concept is simple, yet the gameplay is challenging enough to provide fun to even the most experienced gamers. Defending your house against waves and waves of zombies while putting your green thumb to more use then just a small garden has never been more fun. With multiple mini games, levels, multiplayer modes, extras, and even bonuses there is tons in the package and tons do for hours on end. -Dylan Radcliffe
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The Golden Capsule for Simulation Goes to:
The Sims 3
Developer(s) Visceral Games (Windows, Mac OS X 2), EA Mobile (Mobile)
Publisher(s) Electronic Arts
Composer(s) Steve Jablonsky
Series The Sims
Platform(s) Windows, Mac OS X, iOS, Windows Phone 7, webOS, Android, N-Gage
Genre(s) Life simulation, Social simulation
Mode(s) Single-player
Rating(s) ESRB: T
Editor Comments:
Sims 3 is the top simulation game this year to come to consoles. In fact, every year a Sims game comes out no other game can even dream of beating it. How do you beat a game in a category where the title of the game is literally the category. Sims 3 is the latest installment in the Sims series, where you control the lives of a Sim or a bunch of Sims in the same house. Keep them happy, working, and partying as you make money buy better things and simply live a life that is probably way better than you own. Sims 3 came to consoles this year, and with it came Karma powers. Be good or bad, kill a Sim the way you want to; or remain alive in any manner you want, be it good or bad. Sims is all about controlling the life of a Sim and their fate is in your hands. This is life, simulated through Sims. -Dylan Radcliffe
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The Golden Capsule for Fighting goes to:
Blazblue: Continuum Shift
Developer(s) Arc System Works
Publisher(s) Arc System Works, Aksys Games, Arc System Works UK
Designer(s) Toshimichi Mori, Yuuki Katou
Composer(s) Daisuke Ishiwatari
Platform(s) Arcade (Taito Type X²), PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Release date(s) July 1, 2010
Genre(s) Fighting game, Visual novel
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer
Rating(s) ESRB: T
Editor Comments:
Blazblue: Continuum Shift may not look like everyone’s cup of tea off the bat but it’s easy to pick up and play control scheme makes it one of the best fighters on the market. Not only can new players actively jump into the fight without much trouble but experienced fighters will find themselves drawn in by the complexity of the system at the same time. With a variety of different moves, a well developed storyline, and graphics that would make a Guilty Gear lover weep in joy, Blazblue Continuum Shift easily takes the cake as Best Fighting Game of the year. -Travis Bruno
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The Golden Capsule for RPG goes to:
Mass Effect 2
Developer(s) BioWare
Publisher(s) Electronic Arts
Designer(s) Casey Hudson (director)
Writer(s) Mac Walters (lead writer), Drew Karpyshyn
Composer(s) Jack Wall, Sam Hulick, David Kates, Jimmy Hinson
Series Mass Effect
Engine Unreal Engine 3.5
Platform(s) Xbox 360
Release date(s) January 26, 2010
Genre(s) Action RPG
Mode(s) Single-player
Rating(s) ESRB: M
Editor Comments:
It isn’t too often when a sequel can deliver a full package when it comes with a lot of hype, but Mass Effect 2 by far exceeded all expectations and gave one of the year’s most unforgettable stories. With everything that you choose in the game down to the last detail going in to effect all the elements of gameplay and story, Mass Effect 2 is our hands down choice for RPG of the year. Not only was the game great, it fixed issues that the first presented a couple of years back and also had a much easier to use battle system this time around making for some intense yet strategic planning going into every fight. Each character had their own personal quests as well as a complex tale to tell making it easy to fully emerge in the game’s universe. With a sequel set for 2011, Bioware are becoming one of the household names of gaming and Mass Effect 2 may go down as one of the best RPGs period. -Dustin Spencer
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The Golden Capsule for Biggest Comeback goes to:
Donkey Kong Country Returns
Developer(s) Retro Studios / Nintendo
Publisher(s) Nintendo
Director(s) Bryan Walker
Producer(s) Kensuke Tanabe
Composer(s) Kenji Yamamoto, Minako Hamano, Masaru Tajima, Shinji Ushiroda, Daisuke Matsuoka
Series Donkey Kong
Platform(s) Wii
Release date(s) November 21, 2010
Genre(s) Platforming
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer
Rating(s) ESRB: E
Editor Comments:
2010 seen revivals of many franchises, but none stood out more than Retro Studio’s own Donkey Kong Country Returns. The reason why we picked the king of swing for this one is how well DKC Returns stayed true to the series with all of the elements that made the originals so enjoyable. The music was a trip through memory lane for most of the journey through as well as some innovative new level design that made every stage feel fresh. Now this new title was a bit on the difficult side, but not once did we throw our WiiMotes in rage as the game was a blast to play all the way through. Welcome back indeed, DK. -Dustin Spencer
The Golden Capsule for paid DLC goes to:
Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare
Developer(s) Rockstar San Diego, Rockstar North
Publisher(s) Rockstar Games
Series Red Dead
Engine RAGE, Euphoria (motion engine)
Platform(s) PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Release date(s) 26 October 2010
Genre(s) Open world, third-person shooter, action-adventure, Western, Survival horror
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer
Rating(s) ESRB: M
Editor Comments:
For only £7.99 or 800 Microsoft Points I really can’t recommend Undead Nightmare highly enough. With Halloween and Christmas just past you really don’t need a seasonal excuse to wail on a few zombies, especially when the quality of the product is so high. At around 6 hours of solid gameplay in the story mode alone you certainly get your money’s worth. Rockstar have closed the book with a real bang on the final chapter of Red Dead Redemption… followed by a blood curdling scream… followed by a bang bang !! – Katie Bennett
The Golden Capsule for Trivia goes to:
Quiz in Game Land
Developer(s): Undercoders.
Publisher(s): Undercoders.
Platform(s): iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad (iOS 3.0 or later)
Release date : 15th December, 2010
Genre(s): Video Game Trivia
Trivia Game
Modes(s) single-player
Rating(s) ESRB: G
Editor Comments:
Without a doubt Quiz in Game Land is the Ultimate Trivia Game for video games period !! If you’re a hard core gamer that knows it all or newb that has no idea who pac-man is. Quiz in Game Land will take you on a journey that will test your knowledge, skill, perception and memory of nearly every single video game ever made with questions ranging from easy to also impossible that will have you second guessing if you really are hardcore as you think you are. Step up to the challenge and see if you have what it takes to be the Ultimate Video Game MASTER !! –Philip Federico
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*Voice Over* There you have it ladies and gentlemen the Capsule Computers Awards for 2010 have drawn to an end !! But before we unlock the arena doors so you can all make your escape, our host for evening would like to say a few closing words.
*MasterAbbott walks back through the curtain and over to the mic ..
I hope you all enjoyed the Capsule Computers 2010 awards. I would like to thank the entire Capsule Computers Crew (Travis Bruno, Dylan Radcliffe, Dustin Spencer, Jed Bradshaw, Jack Joly, Fernando T. Gonçalves, Kate Bennet, Joey Liew, Zach Blue, Jared Hilliers, Chris Reyes, Nate Gielis, and Matt Vella) for all their hard work, dedication and passion throughout the year. Without this amazing and fantastic team of writers/editors Capsule Computers would cease to exist. A special shout out goes to Dustin for all his hard work in organizing and planning this great event !!
To all the publishers, developers and PR agencies that have allowed Capsule Computers the honour of reviewing your amazing titles throughout the past year, we thank you and we look forward to working even closer with you in 2011 with all your up and coming titles no matter how big or small they may be.
And to our passionate and dedicated fans from all over the world – The Crew salute you !! Without the love of the fans / members / readers that come to Capsule Computers for all their daily news in the world of video games, technology, movies, anime and everything else we share, Capsule Computers would be nothing. We thank you and look forward to keeping you all informed and updated in 2011.
At Capsule Computers – Video Games Are Our Passion – Share the passion with us – Bring on 2011 !!!
Thank you !!
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Capsule Computers Pty Ltd – Media Gaming News, Reviews, Interviews & Competitions 2009. All rights reserved
CAPSULE COMPUTERS PTY LTD
Company Number : 147881794
If you are a resident of Russia or a former Soviet country, you can have the next opportunity to be “semi-popular.” Team Meat, the creators of the acclaimed Super Meat Boy, are offering you the chance to design the box art for the retail PC version of the game. Apparently, the retail game will release in Russia first. If you win the contest, you will also receive a sweet Acer monitor. Here are the details:
Be a resident of Russia or former Soviet country.
Design a Russian themed Super Meat Boy cover! (The work must be sent in one of two formats: psd or tif, with a resolution of at least 300 dpi and 709h709 pixels.)
Send your work to [email protected]. If the file is too large to send by mail, use sharing services (attach jpeg file in the message body for preview). The letter must specify: Subject Art Super Meat Boy »full mailing address (zip code, country, city, street, house, apartment), your name and phone number.
Submit your work before January 17, 2010 so that Team Meat won’t have to do the work. Finally, here is a video with a sweet hat.
Unlike the standardized Stormtroopers in the original movies, The Old Republic will let you customize your Trooper to near legendary status. For example, improving defensive tactics will let you become a Vanguard. Or, go on the offensive and be a Commando. Also, it has been revealed that you will be able to meet Tanno Vik, one of the more unique, explosive lovin’ characters in the Star Wars Universe. Plus, you can play as a Zabrak (Darth Maul like character) and level up as a Trooper. In addition, if you choose to be a Trooper, you will get access to the Rendili Hyperworks BT-7 Thunderclap spaceship. It is a heavily armored starship that will undoubtedly be originally amazing. Finally, Bioware has given us a trailer about the Trooper.
Remember this equation always, you will: Noob tube>everything else.
Statistics. Guns. Multi-player. Yea, you know it. Activision has released some extremely interesting stats on what people are doing online. (Hint: they are playing Black Ops.)
Let’s get started.
The total number of registered Call of Duty: Black Ops players:
Exceeds the populations of Austria, Belgium, Chile, Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Sweden and The Netherlands.
Is greater than the audiences that watched Jay Leno, David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Conan O’Brien and Craig Ferguson in the U.S. for the entire week of December 6, 2010, combined.
Exceeds the audience for the series finale of ABC’s Lost.
Trumps the average viewership for the 2010 Major League Baseball World Series.
Exceeds the combined audited circulation numbers for Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone, Playboy, GQ, Maxim (come on, really!?), Newsweek, Time, ESPN The Magazine and Sports Illustrated.
Would be the third largest state in the U.S. (Well, if they formed a state, then maybe we could get some good legislation passed. Hey, maybe good ‘ole Activision has an all right plan after all!)
Since it launch, Call of Duty: Black Ops players:
Have played more than 600 million hours, or the equivalent of more than 68,000 years.
Have turned out in numbers that could fill the 83 largest stadiums in the world, every day.
Have spent an average of 87 minutes per day playing online, exceeding the 55 minute average that the average user spends on Facebook.
Have made Call of Duty: Black Ops a top-five trending topic on Twitter, putting it on par with The Grammy Awards, Diego Maradona, The Chilean Miner’s Rescue, The Boston Celtics and Mel Gibson. (Mel Gibson trended on Twitter? How bad is that?)
“Media is evolving and today the social aspects of technology are more important to the overall entertainment experience than ever before,” said Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard. “Call of Duty creates a shared sense of identify for its community and is as integral to their social lives as any other form of digital communication.”
“The $1 billion milestone is staggering, but it doesn’t tell the whole story,” said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing. “The true measure of Black Ops‘ success lies in the millions of hours that people are investing in this game and this community. Call of Duty has in many ways become one of the world’s most engaged social networks. We are grateful to and humbled by the ongoing support of the gaming community and we are committed to continuing to give them the greatest gaming experiences that we can.”
Well, it looks like Call of Duty was an undeniable success, and the map pack coming out soon will undoubtedly catapult them to rulers of the universe. Sorry aliens.
Ok, so it may just be a plug, but this special ad that was placed within the robot chicken star wars special makes the events of The Force Unleashed games quite humorous. Check it out below, and if you missed the special… I’m sorry, it was quite funny!
Warning: The following video may be a little “rude” and not suitable for all audiences. View at your own risk, we warned you; however, it is all in good fun and it is coming from Youtube. The video heavily relies on innuendo and suggestive themes.
Below is a music video for the song “8-bit ho”. It is video game related and we are a gaming website that covers “EVERYTHING” gaming related. The beat is extremely catchy, and for those of you that can catch the innuendo (it isn’t that hard to catch) it is quite hilarious at the same time.
The video stars: Mega Man, Mario, Link, Pit, Princess Zelda, Princess Peach, Princess Daisy, Lara Croft, Toad, Ganondorf, the hammer brothers, and a koopa trooper.
I don’t know who the girl in the red is supposed to be, but I’m pretty sure i got everyone else.
Game Name:Guerrilla BOB HD Platform(s):iPad (iOS 3.2 or later) Publisher(s):24Seven3D Developer(s):Angry Mob Games Genre(s):Action Release Date:21st December, 2010 Price:$0.99 (BUY NOW!)
Angry Mob Games are back with Guerrilla Bob HD !! You can now connect with a friend and play some CO-OP multiplayer using local Wi-Fi on your iPad and enjoy the top down dual analog shooting mayhem on a range of different devices such as : the iPhone, iPod touch, MAC, PC or Android. Using your iPad, you’ll also be able to play with a friend in Split Screen mode, on the same device.
Angry Mob have advised and we’ve seen that in CO-OP enemies will react differently, based on the most aggressive player, you’ll be able to revive your partner when he’s down, and use various strategies to flank the bosses or balance the equipped weapons. Quite a lot of fun to be had thats for sure.
The iPhone version has already released a free patch enabling the CO-OP feature. The rest of the systems will be getting the patch in January. For the Holidays, two new characters have been released! Rob McBang and Santa Bob will help you flank your enemies, revive team mates, eat bananas and wreak havoc. Check out the video gameplay below, and then buy the game (only 99c). Make sure to try out the hard mode, where you will go bananas. You know, I just realized that we may be talking about different gorillas here.
Game Name: Dead Rising 2: Case West Platforms: Xbox 360 Publisher(s): Capcom Developer(s): Blue Castle Games Inc. Genre(s): Action & Adventure Release Date: 12/27/2010 ESRB Rating: M (Mature) Price: 800MSP ($10 USD) Demo:Add the Demo to your Instant Queue
Story
“ Frank West and Chuck Greene fight side by side in this explosive addition to Dead Rising 2! Chuck Greene has lost the evidence that would have cleared his name. In his darkest hour Frank West appears and offers one last chance for Chuck to redeem himself. Together, the pair heads to a secret Zombrex research facility where they hope to uncover evidence that will exonerate Chuck, and shed some light on Phenotrans’ sinister plot. Case West re-introduces the ability to take pictures in-game. Two players can also play together as Chuck and Frank in the full-featured co-op mode!” [Via Xbox.com]
Frank West from Dead Rising is back and is joining forces with Chuck Greene. Frank West is looking for a story, while Chuck is still trying to clear his name of the occurrences that happened in Dead Rising 2. A few new combo cards, new enemies, and extra story are all in this XBLA title. Can’t get enough of Dead Rising 2? See what happens after the events of Dead Rising 2 in Dead Rising Case West.
Gameplay Case West technically takes place after Dead Rising 2 and instantly throws you in at level 40; however, your stats don’t translate over completely. While you are stronger than a level one character, you are nowhere near as strong as you would be if you were to hit the max level in Dead Rising 2. On that note, nothing transfers between Dead Rising 2 and Case West, so feel free to grab Case West without ever needing to worry about playing Dead Rising 2, the story is pretty much stand alone as well, so you won’t be missing any huge details nor will the ending of Dead Rising 2 be given away. Sadly, this also means that absolutely nothing transfers between the two games, so even if you have completed Dead Rising 2, case west completely ignores anything you unlocked in it, including Combo Cards and stats.
Everything in Case West is exactly the same as a Dead Rising game, but in a smaller easier to chew chunk. The main difference is the fact that Case West is more combat oriented. You are regularly being shot by the humans that are still inhabiting the building you are in, this creates more tension and the need to always carry around a ranged weapon. Another big difference is that all the people you can save don’t require you to bring them anywhere. All you have to do is complete their task and they will leave by themselves. The final major difference is the missions are more linear in this game and don’t leave much room for any alteration in what you do and when.
Case West introduces Frank West again, and with him comes online co-op. The game gives you the ability to drop into any game that is already playing, and the player can then decide to let you join or not. If you don’t play co-op, then Frank West will always be following you around and helping you kill zombies. I was dreading this at first, but I quickly came to appreciate his help. The game clearly states that he can fend for himself, and this fact is true. Frank West will follow you without you worrying about him needing to catch up, he’ll pick up his own weapons, and he’ll beat the living crap out of any zombie that tries to mess with him. He also has infinite health, so don’t worry about him; worry about yourself because those guards are dangerous.
Audio & Graphics The audio in this game only goes as far as the music and the slaughtering of zombies. Along with that, the characters are only voiced during cutscenes and even during these times the lip-syncing is slightly off. During the rest of the game, you have to read the conversations you have with the people, and this isn’t something you want to do while zombies are attacking. It simply would have been nice if these were voiced as well. Other than those few annoyances, the sound is quite good.
The graphics in Case West are good, but have a few lacking areas that cause the graphic levels to seem worse than they are. The area itself has stunning visuals and looks great, which presents a perfect place to explore and discover new places in. On the other hand, the textures aren’t awesome up close, but there is an easy reason behind this. In order to fit so many zombies on screen at once, the developers had to cut some things from the visual aspect of the game. These cuts include the textures looking poor up close, and the lack in graphics at this level help keep the frame rate from stuttering and slowing down. This is all good in theory, but the game still has some framerate issues during big slaughters and when you run into a lot of zombies. The issues aren’t severe but they are still noticeably there.
If those last two paragraphs looked familiar, it is because they are pretty much the exact same points I had for Dead Rising 2: Case Zero, and Dead Rising 2. The engine in Case West is pretty much exactly the same as Dead Rising 2 and there isn’t much more to say about the graphics and the audio
Achievements The achievement list is a nice list that will give you plenty to do. Farming the zombie kills isn’t that difficult and getting level 50 is also pretty easy since you already start at level 40. The hard ones are the achievements you need to do in one playthrough. Unless you have a plan from the start, these will take a few playthroughs. I don’t even know if it is possible to get all of them in only one playthrough. Another one that may be difficult for some players is the co-op achievements. Not everyone has someone to play with online, and if you don’t these will be almost impossible unless you get lucky and drop into a game that is just starting. Below is the achievement list:
Zombie Hunter – 20 – You killed 1000 zombies. Is that it?
Handy Man – 20 – You created all the new combo weapons in Dead Rising 2: CASE WEST. Duct tape, to the max!
Fantastic – 20 – You completed Dead Rising 2: CASE WEST. Frank West would be proud.
Amateur Photography – 10 – You took your first picture. Ain’t it pretty.
Professional Photography – 20 – You took a picture of all the PP Stickers. You’ve got a good eye.
Phenotrans Sabotage – 10 – You killed 5 Hazard Units. Looks like working there was hazardous to their health.
Petty Vandal2 – 0 – You destroyed all security cameras in a single playthrough. Lights out for Phenotrans.
Phenotrans Nuisance – 10 – You killed 20 Security Guards. What did they ever do to you?
Phenotrans Bubble Burster – 10 – You killed 10 Zombie Handlers. Looks like they couldn’t handle you.
Savior – 20 – You saved all survivors in a single playthrough. Really? Even after all Phenotrans did to you.
Double the Fun – 20 – You completed Dead Rising 2: CASE WEST with a co-op friend. Must be nice to have a friend.
Ultimate Power! – 20 – You got to level 50. Can you feel the power?
Overview Loading and Saving times are still pretty long, but that seems to come with the territory in a Dead Rising game. Dead Rising Case West is everything you’d expect from a Dead Rising game, but in a nice compact XBLA title. Online Co-op makes killing zombies a whole bunch of fun, and being able to drop-in and drop-out whenever you please makes it all that much better. Dead Rising Case West is good for anyone who has or hasn’t played a Dead Rising game and if you like it, you can always pick up the full retail release of Dead Rising 2. From a certain perspective, Dead Rising Case West is basically Dead Rising 2 DLC that doesn’t require the Dead Rising 2 game to play.
I give Dead Rising Case West
