Page 6454 – Capsule Computers

Shantae: Risky’s Revenge – DSiWare Review

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October 12, 2010

Game Name: Shantae: Risky’s Revenge
Platforms: Nintendo DSiWare
Publisher(s): WayForward
Developer(s): WayForward
Genre(s): Platformer
Release Date: Oct 4, 2010
Price: 1200 Points ($12.00 US)

Eight years ago, when the Game Boy Color was on it’s last legs, Shantae was released. The title received rave reviews and garnered a huge cult following. Shantae fans wanted a sequel and developer WayForward Technologies have now finally released the heavily anticipated Shantae: Risky’s Revenge exclusively for the DSiWare download service. The big question is how well this title measures up to the original and if Shantae can stand her ground to the competitive platforming market. Here is my review.

Story
Shantae: Risky’s Revenge picks up right from the original, but now Risky Boots has returned to cause more chaos in Sequin Land. Shantae sets off on a quest to obtain the powerful magic seals before Risky can get her hands on them and use their power for evil. The story is simple and fun, but what makes the whole story come to life are the characters. If you never had the chance to play the original Shantae, she is a half-genie and a bit naive yet brave hero. From the belly dancing to quick one-liners, her character has not really changed at all since her first outing in the gaming world and that is one thing that all Shantae fans will be happy to know.

I mentioned the characters in Shantae:RR for good reasoning. Each NPC can interact with Shantae and give you information and clues about upcoming locations, items, and other in-game happenings. This is usually done with a bit of humor mixed in. Each character you talk with is different from the next and I felt a lot of work went in to this feature to add a whole new level of depth to the already booming locations in the game and can easily keep you interested the whole way through.

Gameplay
This is where Shantae shines. Keeping true to the original, the platforming and puzzle elements in Shantae all are back in full force and feel even better than before. There are many things to go over in the gameplay as there are many features that tie together to make one solid experience.

There are many different locations that you need to visit, from forests to underground dungeons and many other fully detailed environments. Standard jumping, running, and performing Shatae’s classic hair whip feel smooth and performing each action comes with no hiccups and feels very polished. The enemies also vary from many different creatures and increase in difficulty as you move throughout the game. Of course to help Shantae take down the many enemies along the way are powers and upgrades that can be obtained while progressing through different stages. The bottom screen on the DSi is used mainly for your map and inventory, keeping everything at easy access during levels.

A currency system is in tact and Shantae can pick up gems by defeating an enemy and use them to buy new upgrades such as fireballs, health potions and many more other powers from the in-game marketplace. The upgrades don’t stop there as much like Metroid, power-ups can also be found in game. What makes Shantae different though is that that these are applied through the belly dancing feature. By simply holding the X button, Shantae freezes time and dances until you find the proper pose. Once the player releases the button, Shantae transforms into a creature to help her reach a certain point that was otherwise unobtainable. Each animal has it’s own strengths such as the monkey being able to jump to higher points and run a bit faster and the elephant able to smash through giant rocks to reveal new areas or treasures along the way.

Another reason I loved this game was that it was not linear. Due to the upgrade placement, there is a lot of backtracking to be done. Not like “Please let it be over” kind of backtracking, but a fresh new approach at levels already visited. With the animal powers being obtained later in the game I found myself going back many times with the ability to now move forward into dungeons and areas I could not otherwise earlier. The forest level and the town levels certainly deserve the biggest mention of the game as there is a fully animated background that Shantae can instantly jump into by finding a jump pad. You can also hop forward into the previous area as well so this works both ways. Not only is this done quickly, it is done extremely well. I would love to see this more if there is a sequel to this game as using this way to progress through levels in very innovative and made the title stand out from other games in the genre.

Graphics/Audio
The graphics in the game are the best in my opinion on the DSiWare. Each character is vibrant and in full color with a lot of charm, but the environments and locations is what completes the experience. Each environment is fully detailed with full color and beautiful textures that made the whole experience of discovering a new area that much more rewarding. Shantae’s animations are smooth and even the NPCs were great because each design fit their personality. As far as 2D games for portables go, this one proves it’s worth by being so polished and feeling like a final product which made it feel like the 8 year wait was well worth it.

The music stands up to the top notch graphics as well with a superb soundtrack that fits in perfectly with the flow of the game. Each location has it’s own 16-bit instrumental that hums nicely as you explore and is very memorable. The sound effects are on key as well from the whip of Shantae’s hair to the ever so sad moments when Shantae runs out of hearts and meets her end only to let out a loud scream.

Overview
Shantae: Risky’s Revenge not only did everything right for a DSiWare title, it is now also one of the main selling points for the DSiWare. Innovative platforming, an incredible soundtrack and a unique and quirky set of characters make Shantae: Risky’s Revenge a contender for one of the best releases this year and will go down as one of the best portable platformers of this generation much like the original Shantae accomplished 8 years ago. It is really easy to relive the game’s 6 hour adventure over and over with new unlockables and places to explore. It is also incredible that WayForward packed all of the content into a simple download and at just 1200 points, this is one of the best deals in gaming period.

I Give Shantae: Risky’s Revenge:

Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 brings the Pain gameplay footage

Travis Bruno

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October 12, 2010

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With the release date barely a week away, Namco Bandai is bringing the Pain, literally. They have released a few extra screenshots showing different parts of the game, as well as showing off some of Pain’s fighting skills in the battle against Jiraiya. Fans of the series will recognize the battle as being one of the highest anticipated battles of the entire series, though those that do not know the outcome I will not spoil it for you. Instead you will have to play it to find out!

You’ll have that opportunity on October 19th if you have the PS3 or the Xbox 360. Along with Pain and Jiraiya there are more than 40 different fighters to select from, and enhanced features that include a better online vs. mode and character support system.

[pro-player width=’530′ height=’253′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6d6eC82x7E[/pro-player]

New Trailer for X-Men Arcade Surfaces…

Dustin Spencer

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October 12, 2010

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When I used to frequent a local arcade in my area, one game comes to mind as machine that stole all of my quarters and MANY hours of my time, X-Men Arcade. Konami and Marvel just announced that the arcade classic is heading to the Xbox Live Arcade and Playstation Network with some brand new features. Developed by Backbone Entertainment, this first ever home version of the popular 1992 cabinet arcade classic allows players to join their favorite X-Men characters in what is widely considered their first great video game appearance.

In X-Men Arcade, Cyclops, Colossus, Dazzler, Nightcrawler, Storm and Wolverine unite to use their special powers to save mankind from the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and other terrible threats. Players will have to fight off hundreds of Sentinels, along with Super Villains such as Pyro, the Blob, Wendigo, Nimrod, the White Queen, Juggernaut and Mystique, as they battle their way to Island M to take down the Master of Magnetism, Magneto, and save Kitty Pryde and Professor Xavier.

“Just like with our comics, Marvel has a rich history of great video games, and we’re happy to play our part with Konami in reintroducing this classic to fans of all ages,” said Seth Lehman, Vice President of Digital Licensing for Marvel. “Fans have been clamoring for X-Men Arcade to hit consoles for 18 years now, and we’re confident they’ll find this re-release was worth the wait. The game looks and plays exactly like we remember it – all without the added worries of being low on quarters when you’re closing in on Magneto.”

X-Men Arcade releases later this fall (Still no solid date yet) but until then you can check out the new screenshots and trailer below.

The Force Unleashed 2 Pre-order Bonuses

Dylan Radcliffe

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October 12, 2010

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Today a Demo for The Force Unleashed 2 was released, and you can Add the free demo to your Xbox 360 download queue here.

If you loved the demo so much, and want to go out and pre-order the game; there are some things you should consider. The first being, which store are you going to pre-order from. Not all the stores are offering the same bonus, and the choice is quite difficult. Actually it isn’t that difficult since it is region based, but for those of you living in the UK; I feel sorry for you.

If you’re in the US GameStop is offering a fancy exclusive Maulkiller skin that comes with a pair of Silver Sabre Crystals for all pre-orders. Supposedly Maulkiller is created from the genetic material of Darth Maul and Starkiller; which sounds really cool.

If you’re in the UK on the other hand, you get a Storm Trooper if you pre-order from GAME. Yeah, definitely not as cool; however, you supposedly also get a pair of White Sabre Crystals and an additional cinematic DVD instead.

So pick wisely, or not. In this case you probably should have picked a better place to live. Though the UK does have its benefits; just not when it comes to The Force Unleashed 2 pre-order bonuses.

This Week on XBLA (10,11,2010)

Dylan Radcliffe

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October 12, 2010

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This week sees a whole bunch of Mass Effect 2 content reduced in price. Both Kasumi’s Stolen Memory DLC and the Overlord DLC are on sale for 400 Microsoft Points each. Any fan of of Mass Effect 2 could never say no to these deals, specially if you haven’t already picked them up.

For those people out there who love dressing up their avatar on the Xbox dashboard, there is even a few Mass Effect 2 related avatar items for sale. The Mass Effect 2 suit and helmet which have been reduced down this week to 160 points and 80 points.

Although the Blood Dragon armour was initially advertised as part of this week’s Deal of the Week promotion, it is no longer for sale, and according to Major Nelson has been permanently removed for this week’s Deal of the Week. Too bad, maybe next time.

As for the Xbox Live Arcade titles released this week, there is the release of the free Pinball FX 2 which enables a free import of the tables you own from Pinball FX 1 and makes money by selling individually priced tables separately. Next there is there Sonic the Hedgehog 4, Episode 1 for 1,200 Microsoft Points. Keep in mind that this is only episode one, and future installments will be priced separately.

If none of these titles interest you and you’ve not pre-ordered Dead Space 2, you could always pick up Dead Space: Ignition for 400 Microsoft Points.

Gran Turismo 5 : Singature Edition PRE-ORDER Details

Philip Federico

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October 12, 2010

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Our great friends over at Fishpond have advised us that Sony have released a few more extra GT5: Signature Edition packs for pre-order. So if your a die hard fan of Gran Turismo and you want something that you can show off to your mates and also put in your collectables cabinet. Then don’t waste another minute. Click on the link below and pre-order it now. There is LIMITED STOCK .. so make sure you place your order in now before they all race past the finish line and into the hands of someone else.

**** SPECIAL OFFER **** Just for all our readers we have a special $10 code: Make sure you enter : CAPSULEC when you make your purchase and receive $10 of your next purchase. This is valid till the 20th of Nov (Each customer can purchase twice using this code, BUT it must be on a seperate sales and up to $40 spent)

Gran Turismo 5 : Signature Edition [PS3] = WAS $299 NOW = $259 !! SAVING OVER $40 + FREE DELVERY

The Gran Turismo 5 Signature Edition includes:

* Special Signature Edition contoured metal case in black SLS AMG ‘Obsidian Black‘ paint finish.
* Exclusive branded SLS AMG 1:43 model car.
* GT Leather wallet including entry method into Signature Edition in-game competition to win real Mercedes SLS AMG vehicle (value €180 000)
* Branded USB key (containing GT and Mercedes trailers)
* Exclusive Polyphony designed dynamic theme
* 5 x Collector’s Edition ‘ChromeLine’ cars with performance enhancements and exclusive livery + 6 x pre-order ‘Stealth’ vehicles (with same enhancements).
* GT branded metal key fob
* Signature Edition coffee table book
* 200+ page drivers/strategy guide

Brain Dead 13 Review

Travis Bruno

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October 12, 2010

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Brain Dead 13
Developer: Digital Leisure
Platform: iPhone (Reviewed), iPad
Release Date: October 8, 2010
Price: $2.99 – Buy Now!!!!

Overview:
Brain Dead 13 may ring the bell with many gamers as it has been available on many platforms in the past. PS1, PC, even the Sega Saturn have been graced with its presence. Now we have the game available for the iPhone via Digital Leisure. Brain Dead 13 is a Full Motion Videogame, or an Interactive Movie and is a genre that has unfortunately fell from public eye. But Brain Dead 13 shows that this is truly a tragedy.

Story:
Lance is just a computer repairs expert who has been called out to perform a simple fix job. The only problem is that the people who have hired him are far from ordinary. The first sign that something may not be right is that the computer lies within a castle that is falling apart, not to mention the giant floating brain that is bragging that he will take over the world.

Dr. Nero Neurosis easily spills his plans of world domination when called a simple villain by Lance, leading to his hunchbacked minion Fritz chasing down Lance and trying to kill him. That isn’t Lance’s only problem as he will be not only faced with trying to stop Neurosis and escape with his life, the castle itself seems to be out for his life.

As a FMV, the story is the lifeblood of the experience and thankfully Brain Dead 13 supplies an interesting story that places a likable character in a desperate situation. Lance himself isn’t anybody extraordinary either as he dies quite often and due to very strange circumstances. Put him together with the many interesting characters you will find inside of the castle and the wacky deaths and you will find yourself constantly retrying to find the right path, or to uncover a new room inside of the castle so that you will see what could happen to Lance next.

Graphics:
If you are looking for a gorgeous graphical experience on your iPhone, then this is it. Everything that you do looks like it has been taken directly from a 90’s cartoon. The action as it plays out is very fluid even on slower iPhones and handles extremely well. Lance’s resurrection sequences can sometimes feel overused, but his death is always something interesting to see as there are at least a hundred ways to die inside of the game.

Gameplay:
Unfortunately there is not a whole lot to be said about actual gameplay within Brain Dead 13 in its own right. That is because as far as you interact with the game is a series of quick time events or direction selections as you direct Lance around the castle and avoid each death that is right around the corner. The controls are handled very nicely with a simple tap of the arrows provided but beyond that control is not necessary.

This isn’t truly a hindrance however. This is because even if you happen to die around that corner you just turned down, you will instantly be revived and given another chance. This leads to a difficult puzzle game as you navigate the castle that doesn’t have a truly punishing difficulty of starting over again at the beginning.

Overall:
FMVs (Full Motion Videogames) may not be available on today’s consoles, but that doesn’t stop the quality from appearing on the iPhone. Brain Dead 13 is quite enjoyable, and though it may appear frustrating at first, you will come to enjoy the randomness that is the game’s death system and find out how to help Lance escape the Dr. Neurosis. Though another small issue is that once you have figured out the right path to take, replay value does suffer slightly unless you want to see just how many ways Lance can meet his doom.

I give Brain Dead 13

SEED 2 Vortex of War – iPhone/iTouch Review

Travis Bruno

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October 12, 2010

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SEED 2 Vortex of War
Developer: Chillingo
Release Date: September 9, 2010
Price: On Sale for $0.99 – Buy Now!!!! (Usual price $2.99)

Overview:
After the success and well received acclaim the first SEED received when it made it’s AppStore debut a year ago, Chillingo brings us SEED 2. They have updated many features and continue the story of Litta as he tries to protect the world. There are many different RPGs that have made their way onto the AppStore now, and SEED 2 has the previous game to live up to as well. Though that may be something that it can not do.

Story:
Taking place only five years after the end of SEED Litta has grown accustomed to life on his home island. But as any RPG lover can tell you, having a simple and calm life after saving the world is impossible. One night as he sleeps he drams of his master. Feeling like he should leave and see how his old love Gina is doing on the mainland. Litta returns to the continent only to find his arch-nemesis from the first game has joined together with Sitan forces and has captured not only Gina, but the land itself in it’s cruel grip.

In the end the storyline is very suitable for the game itself, but doesn’t break any new ground. You do not have to have played the first SEED to understand what is going on, but it is extremely helpful if you do. Simply to have the extra backstory for the characters and fill in some of the blanks left open for newcomers to question. As a whole however the story is very well done and Litta continues on his path against his enemies wholeheartedly without any break in the storyline outside of sidequests. There never truly is a break from the plotline, nor convoluted storytelling here.

Graphics:
SEED 2: Vortex of War unfortunately starts to show the age of which it is graphically designed after. Using nostalgia to try and put to rests issues with the fact that the graphics are far from pretty to look at and extremely fuzzy. This isn’t helped either by the fact that the game has received a softening of the graphics to allow easier transition between areas and keep the game moving at a fast pace when the game is sped up.

The unfortunate fact of this is that the filter itself makes SEED 2 look worse for wear and unfortunately gets in the way of gameplay as it hinders not only normal gameplay, but makes items and menu navigation difficult.

Gameplay:
To play a game you have to be able to use the controls properly, otherwise playing becomes a challenge just to use the interface. Unfortunately playing SEED 2 falls into the challenge category. This is due to the fact that the game does not use a somewhat lenient joystick, but uses a D-pad to move your character around the map.

The problem with this D-pad is that it is very stiff and hard to manage. There are times that you will lose in battle simply because you could not move properly to attack the enemy, or couldn’t move away from the enemy. In real time battle, the controls should be very precise to allow for easy movement and better combat. Unfortunately this is not the case, as the heat of battle only makes things more difficult as you attempt to not only focus on the enemy, but make the game recognize your finger taps.

This is worsened further by the fact that the hotkeys where you place your skills and items are also very small, and are just as sensitive as the D-pad create problems that should be able to be avoided. Outside of the interface however, not much has changed since the first game.

In SEED 1 you were able to switch between character classes at any time, which was a nice feature as it allowed the player more freedom in their battle styles. SEED 2 still has this ability, but there are only three classes to choose from, a knight, mage, and gunner. These different classes all have special abilities and buffs for fighting, but to learn these skills you must perform side-quests in the various towns that you come across.

The way that the skills are handled can be very difficult, because unless the player is cautious in making sure they accept and complete each quest they come across, there is the chance they will miss out entirely on a skill and not be able to learn it later through leveling up or some other course of action.

Beyond leveling up the skills you learn, this is an RPG so you can expect to level up your character as well. This is handled as well as one would expect and each level up provides status points that you can apply to your character to build him however you wish to.

Earlier I mentioned that side-quests are how Litta eventually learns new skills for his different classes, and thankfully these quests are nice and diverse compared to standard fetch quests. These types of quests are of course still mixed in, but there are also scavenger hunt type quests and defending quests which spice up gameplay.

As you play through you find various bits of equipment that are not graphically impressive in their own right, but when equipped to Litta they change his appearance to match the armor which is a nice touch. Also most equipment is completely customizable, being able to refine it to make it stronger, and add slots and crystals to put special abilities into your weaponry.

Overall:
SEED 2 is a great RPG at its heart. The story is a great playthrough though it doesn’t break new ground in the terms of narrative. With plenty of customizable gear and the class switching battles never feel very dull. If only the interface and controls didn’t hold the game back as far as playability. Many players may be turned off by the hard to use controls and menu interface but if they manage to handle it, they are in for a long and enjoyable game.

I give SEED 2: Vortex of War

Pipe Rush – iPhone/iTouch Review

Travis Bruno

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October 12, 2010

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Pipe Rush
Developer: ClickGamer
Release Date: September 24, 2010
Price: $0.99 – Buy Now!!!!

Overview:
Clickgamer has brought some of the top casual games ever to the iPhone/iTouch. They continue to produce these types of games and have brought out their newest puzzle game; Pipe Rush. Has Clickgamer kept its blissful feel and great puzzle atmosphere in the new game? It sure feels like it has.

Graphics:
Everything that you will see in Pipe Rush is crisply drawn and easy to recognize. Each pipe is easy to distinguish and you have the ability to create nearly any type of pipe system that you want as long as it all is sealed. Pipe Rush even indicates whether or not the pipe you’re putting together will end up working, or if you have missed something. The random disasters are also very well designed and are very appealing when they happen as they throw a twist into the gameplay.

Gameplay:
Disaster has struck Pippa’s hometown. What disaster exactly? Don’t know but there are plenty that will be happening as you help Pippa fix the pipes in Pipe Rush. That is the extent of the story in the game, but this is a casual puzzler so that doesn’t really matter, what matters is whether or not it is enjoyable.

That is the definition of Pipe Rush’s simple gameplay. Enjoyable. As you begin each level you will have a certain starting point to begin with and pipes that are sporadically placed around the level that you have to connect to so that each house or building will receive water to it. The way you connect the different pipes together is entirely up to you, though there is a time bonus and a rating system per level to think about.

Pipes themselves though are made randomly from a pipe making machine. They travel down a conveyor belt where you can touch and drag towards where you want it to go, with it snapping together easily. You can even work ahead of yourself if you are feeling brave and want to take a big jump ahead which is a nice touch.

If your pipe conveyor belt happens to start getting full or if you do not want to use a certain pipe you can recycle it in a giant grinding machine, or rotate a pipe to fit by using your other hand to tap the rotate button. Certain pipes sparkle, and they will give you either dynamite, which destroys unwanted laid down pipes, and air drops which put a free pipe down wherever you want it. These are useful for when you make mistakes though sometimes are not needed.

There is a small problem when you have to place something in the bottom left corner of the screen next to the rotation button, as the game will think you are attempting to rotate the piece you are holding rather than place the pipe down, which can be frustrating in an otherwise great game. Also there are only a total of 15 different levels to play. Some levels are quite long but it does feel a bit short, though one can always expect that more may be added on a later date.

Overall:
Pipe Rush does everything right that a puzzle game should. It is fun, it is simple, and it is a great way to waste time and have a good time doing it. The graphics are very peppy and enjoyable, though if only there were more levels to enjoy at the moment. Controls are simple drag and drop, with only a tiny hindrance when placing pipes in the lower left corner. Otherwise Pipe Rush is definitely worth the money for a purchase and should not be passed up for puzzle fans.

I give Pipe Rush

Flip’s Twisted World Debuts on the Nintendo Wii October 19th!

Dustin Spencer

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October 12, 2010

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Flip’s Twisted World is only a week away and if you have never heard of this upcoming 3D puzzle/platformer from Majesco, now is a great time to take notice. Demanding players to “think outside of the box”, Flip’s Twisted World as they navigate six bizarre puzzle worlds, such as a fractured castle, a dense booby-trapped jungle, and a labyrinth of subterranean caves. A flip of the WiiMote changes the environment around you as well adding a unique blend of gameplay and innovation.

In the game, Master Fulcrum’s curious apprentice, Flip, messes with the wrong magic artifact and gets sucked into a cubed universe. To escape, Flip must turn the world any which way he can to reveal new paths and overcome obstacles. While adventuring through five bizarre puzzle worlds – such as an arctic glacier and a clock tower in the sky – Flip must stop the destruction of the universe and restore The Master’s home to normal before he returns!

Adding to the already detailed and charming environments is a top grade soundtrack with a score from one of the biggest legends in video game music, Tommy Tallarico. Voice talent is also A-List with Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Anthony Stewart Head offering his vocal work to the game.

Flip honestly looks great and reminds me of some of the better platformer titles from the N64 era, but of course with much better graphics, music and innovative gameplay. You can check out the brand new trailer for Flip’s Twisted World below and it will be available October 19th exclusively for the Nintendo Wii.