Gamevil is bringing Soccer, a sport that I believe has never seen an RPG, together with that very genre with Soccer SuperStars.
The true RPG part of the game is the leveling up of your players and team. There will be various items to purchase and upgrades to be applied to improve your team in various ways. There may even be strange events that you can have your players take part in to help build support and team effort. Then again you have the five various game modes. I’m not sure what Dramatic Mode will entail, but the others are relatively self explanatory. With exhibition being a single match, My League will effectively be a create your own team from the bottom up scenario, and then season gameplay and a tournament style cup gameplay.
Something I find interesting is that they are using Anime graphics for this soccer game. One would usually expect a company to try and make the game as realistic looking as possible but usually this hurts the game. With the Anime style being added on it definitely will help draw the Anime fan base as well as avoiding graphical errors. Plus the customization in Anime characters is always more diverse than any real life customization could possibly be.
There has been no official release date announced but look for Soccer Superstars to be getting goals in the Itunes store shortly. Definitely seems like a game that any Soccer(Football) player would love with the full customization of your team and player creating endless possibilities.
BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger is one of the newest games developed by Arc Games and produced by Aksys Games. You may remember Arc Games for their well known series of games Guilty Gear. If you don’t know anything about Guilty Gear games, I would highly recommend them if you like fighting games in any format. Also if you have played Guilty Gear, then you should know roughly what to expect from Arc Games; but Blazblue: Calamity Trigger definitely excels in areas that Guilty Gear lacked.
With fast paced action unlike any you will see in most modern fighting games to date, you will be blown away by the amount of action happening on the screen including the assortment of characters you will have to deliver the pain.
Story:
When most fighting games have a story, it is usually an individual character’s story with barely any crossing over of story lines. Or if there is an actual storyline matter which crosses with another character, it is not formed into the other character’s story. That is far from actuality in Blazblue however. In story mode you will have the option to choose from any of the ten starter characters, with two that will be unlocked as you go along. Each characters storyline consists of a fully fleshed out dialogue sequence and choices which will lead you along different paths in the story. Each character will have at least three different endings and the fact that sometimes you may have to purposely lose a battle just to advance a certain path? It’s priceless.
Bear in mind that all the characters have full voice acting to back any written text in the game. Although some of the storyline will include Japanese hints and sometimes may be hard to understand for people who don’t know much about Japanese culture, nearly everything has been translated over to English audiences well.
Then there is the arcade mode, but there is very little storyline there as the characters will fight through with little bits of dialogue if they know each other from story mode. This is a special bit that never was necessary and could simply have been a default phrase programmed in. But the extra bit of effort really shines in setting each character in their own world. There is a special ending though for each character which will provide another bit of an ending that will help flesh out each character’s storyline.
Graphics:
If there is anything that could be said about Blazblue: Calamity Trigger, it is that the graphics are top of the line. Everything is of course done in Anime style, from the characters to the stages you will be playing on they are all unique. With the bright colors and the amount of actions going on, the drawn character animations are fluid and clean, never suffering from a graphical glitch.
As I said before each character is unique in their own way. Whether it be through fighting or through appearance alone no one character is alike. There are your standard stereotypical Japanese fighters. Ragna the Bloodedge has large spiky hair which would do Goku proud, and Iron Tager is the standard wall of muscle. Though they may seem a bit stereotypical the rest of the fighters do not and the colorful array of fighters will never leave you bored.
The stages are amazing to look at, but they are just that. There is no interaction between the characters and the environment but this isn’t necessary and if anything would only serve to take away from the designs. Some character’s even have specific fields of battle. Such as Rachel Alucard’s field of roses outside her mansion to the Librarium Cathedral the backgrounds are filled with details that you will notice as you battle through them.
There is a negative though when it come to all the amazing graphics. That is when the during the midst of battle and both characters are unleashing powerful moves it tends to cause the screen to become extremely hectic with motion. One thing I can say is that the game is possibly too stylized. During the heaviest of fighting you can occasionally lose track of your character. This is especially true online where you may fight someone using the same character as you with only a palette change.
Gameplay:
As you start to battle you will notice one thing, that the game has your standard fighting modes. There are strong, weak, and medium attacks which vary from character to character. However one unique addition raises the bar on hectic fighting. There is also the Drive Attack which initiates each characters special attacks that are unique to them alone. Each drive attack can be performed with one press of the button, though they can be combined for more powerful combinations.
Then again though, with the customizable controls you can set stronger combinations towards the right joystick. There are only a few combinations which can be assigned and though no one is overpowered it does make it so you will be able to pull off impressive attacks even if you are new to the game.
The best comparison between unique fighters is Carl Clover and Taokaka. Clover has low attack, low defense and mediocre attacks. However, his drive button activates his automaton Nirvana. As long as you use the Drive button you have complete control of Nirvana and can use her to both attack enemies and defend from them. Taokaka on the other hand uses a fairly typical fast attack scheme, but her drive attack will send her very quickly across the screen in a chosen direction. This dive can be used in a combo or canceled early to confuse your opponent. This is the largest contrast between two fighters; this means that if you have a specific fighting style then chances are, you will find a fighter to match your exact needs.
Another part of the fighting that deserves mentioning is the Heat Gauge. As you fight, the Heat Gauge fills up by doing damage and receiving damage. Special Attacks known as Distortion Drives can be used as the Heat Gauge fills up and these graphically impressive moves devastate the opponents health gauge. This is all well and good until the heat gauge reaches its maximum. For when the enemy’s health drops below 20% you may use what is known as an Astral Heat. This move will end the fight instantly if it connects in a very elaborate fashion that is something akin to a Fatality.
Overall:
If you love fighting games, especially fast paced ones then Blazblue: Calamity Trigger is the one for you. It is extremely well designed and each character fights in a way that never gets old. Though if you are not one for Anime styled graphics then this could be a problem for you as the majority of the game appears in an Anime style.
Activision has recently announced that there is an “Independent game competition” being held in 2 phases. The first round has begun, with the person who comes in first place receiving $175,000 and second place receiving $75,000.
If anyone is interested in registering, you can apply at the above website.
Send us an E-mail at [email protected] if you enter so we can wish you the best! Good luck to all the contestants who have entered this competition, $175,000 is a lot of money!!
I’m sure that many of us here enjoy the spectacular Tekken franchise. From Tekken 1 to Tekken 6, I have played them all and can tell you now.. if you haven’t played them yet, GET TO IT!
Recently it has been announced that Tekken 7, that’s right, SEVEN! Is in development as we speak! Currently it is in the early stages, so we can hope to see more of it in the coming months. Namco has not revealed much about it, but I can safely say it will be kickass like the last six that were made.
The “GAC Pack”, Dead to Rights: Retribution’s newest DLC, is now available for the XBLA and PSN.
This pack includes two new completely different modes of gameplay as well as exciting bonus options to enrich the player’s experience with the core retail game:
“Assault on the 87th Precinct” is a new mission that reveals a flip side to the story, allowing players to experience the action from the GAC (Grant City Anti-Crime) enemy’s side of the battle. Players step into the boots of the GAC Sniper, Brawler and Tank characters as they converge upon the GCPD (Grant City Police Department) stronghold under orders to contain all police officers so they can secure a tactical advantage.
In “Riot Control Mode,” Jack and Shadow fend off increasingly difficult waves of GAC forces to earn points and achievements based on speed and style, with high score bragging rights on international leaderboards. In addition, the previously exclusive “Jack Pack” and “Shadow Pack” are also included in the “GAC Pack” allowing players to access armor for Jack, stealth camouflage for Shadow, an “action mode” with explosive rounds gunplay, and a “noir mode” with a black, white and red graphic filter.
The “GAC Pack” DLC add-on content is available for 400 Microsoft Points ($4.99).
Creative Assembly announced today Shogun 2: Total War for the PC, the game is a sequel to one of the most high-rated PC strategy game of all time. With over 7 million units sold and universal acclaim from the press and community, Total War has consistently been at the cutting edge of the genre and is today one of the most successful PC franchises.
Shogun 2: Total War story takes place in the middle of the 16th century in Medieval Japan. The country, once ruled by a unified government, is now split into many warring clans. The player takes on the role of one Daimyo – the clan leader – and will use military engagements, economics and diplomacy to achieve the ultimate goal: re-unite Japan under his supreme command and become the new Shogun – the undisputed ruler of Japan.Set during the golden age of Samurai warfare, Shogun 2 brings to life the most turbulent period of Japanese history.
Blending 3D real-time battles and turn-based management, Shogun 2: Total War will take long-time veterans and newcomers alike to the next level of strategy gaming on PC. Based on 10 years of experience in making Total War, Shogun 2 is the perfection of the series with a new Artificial Intelligence (AI), revolutionary multiplayer modes, brand new campaign map options and epic 3D real-time battles.
Some of these new features were more detailed in the game’s press release:
New character progression:
Choose from 9 different clans and compete on and offline for the undisputed supremacy of Medieval Japan. Gain experience to level up your own character-warlord as well as your generals and agents.
A complete single and multiplayer offering:
Play through the Main Campaign in single player or invite a friend online to play competitively or cooperatively in Campaign Multiplayer mode. Join 8-player multiplayer battles with your own upgradable avatar and climb the online Leaderboard to show the world who reigns supreme. Also including exciting new modes of team play for clans, a first in the Total War series.
New Generation AI system:
Developed according to Sun Tzu’s principles in the Art of War, the Artificial Intelligence constantly analyses its situation and reacts to your every move with greater precision and variety.
Improved land and naval battle gameplay:
Land battles never felt so realistic with new multi-staged castle sieges and terrain features changing according to the weather and time of the day – turning each engagement into a tactical challenge. Set buildings on fire to force garrisoned troops out and use your units’ special abilities to turn the tide of the battle. Naval combat also offers more variety with the addition of coastal battles. Islands can work as effective cover for your ships, while sand bars and reefs can be used as traps against an enemy fleet.
Accessible and in-depth empire-building gameplay:
A streamlined User Interface makes management of your kingdom much easier. Build and govern cities, recruit and train troops, conduct diplomacy and manage your agents – each feature is now introduced with comprehensive tutorials, gradually revealing the depth of the Shogun 2 campaign map – the heart and soul of the Total War experience.
This highly anticipated sequel is expected for 2011. Below you can see a beautiful teaser for the game.
Fans of cat girls rejoice. Blade Kitten is being produced by Krome Studios and is an action-adventure sidescrolling game that has been based off of the popular webcomic of the same name. It features a catgirl, sorry I mean Felion, protagonist named Kit Ballard and was created by Steve Stamatiadis.
The good news is that originally Blade Kitten was meant to be a PSN exclusive that was going to be separated into two parts. However this is no longer the case. Atari has picked up the game to be published and has announced that this side scrolling adventure game will be released for the PSN still, but also the XBLA, and PC. Expect some fighting cat girl action this September when the game is scheduled for release in one full set instead of two separate versions.
This news is epic to me. I’ve seen some rumblings here and there about Blade Kitten as the release date grew closer but was always disappointed that it was going to be an exclusive release. Now though with Atari’s acquisition of the publishing rights, everyone can enjoy Kit Ballard in Blade Kitten. I haven’t followed the webcomic, but I am currently reading it as you read this article and definitely would recommend it to anyone who enjoys some good action and comedy. Also if you are a fan of cat girls eh?
At only $6.99 for Cooking Mama, Mama definitely likes. Compared to the other systems which the game has come out for, even the DS still checks in at $19.99. As it stands Taito’s Cooking Mama has been out for the iPhone for quite some time now; however it has been recently updated on May 27th to not only fix a minor bug, but to also add in the new feature of additional recipes. Cooking Mama for the iPhone comes with fifteen recipes to begin with, but now there is the option to purchase additional recipes for $0.99 each from an in-game menu.
Cooking Mama is a pedigree title with many people who enjoy it’s simplistic appearance but fun gameplay, I myself have played it for the DS and loved it. These additional recipes are some we have seen before but also include brand new recipes not seen in other Cooking Mama games such as the Shepard’s Pie. If you wish to purchase Cooking Mama click Here.
The Sims 3 Ambitions Expansion Pack, the second expansion pack to the best-selling PC game of calendar 2009, is already available in the US at retail nationwide and for digital download for the PC and Mac. The game will be in stores worldwide in 60 countries and in 20 languages later this week.
“The Sims community has long wanted to control their Sims actions at work and now with the seamless open neighborhood, those actions have a direct impact on the town and other Sims. Offering a variety of new and exciting careers, players can choose to complete their work tasks in a heroic manner or take the deviant route.” – said Scott Evans, General Manager of The Sims at EA
