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Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius coming to the West this summer

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Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius coming to the West this summer

Square Enix will be bringing Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius to the West this summer. Players may recognize the developer, Gumi, who created the popular and highly addicting mobile game, Brave Frontier. The title will launch on iOS and Android and it will be available in six languages (English, German, French, Traditional Chinese, and Korean) at launch. 

Here's some details about the game, via Square Enix:

About

Adventurers will follow two knights of the kingdom of Grandshelt, and a young girl who suddenly appears before them, as they begin their quest to pursue a highly sought after crystal. Players will make their way through various types of dungeons to search for items, collect gil, uncover hidden paths, and venture new routes.

Visions――The hopes and dreams of legendary warriors given life. Lapis――A world of crystals and the visions that slumber within. Harnessing the power of the crystals, mankind prospered, nations flourished. But just as day gives way to night, that era of peace proved but a fleeting illusion. Now, as their world stands on the precipice of ruin, two young knights summon visions to their side as they strike out on a journey to chase the shadows. So begins a new tale of crystals, and the heroes who would save them...

Features

  • Traditional, turn-based gameplay with streamlined battle mechanics and intuitive touch controls, making it easy to pick up and play for newcomers as well as long-time fans
  • Players will be able to move their characters through fields and dungeons to search for items, hidden paths, and new routes.
  • High-quality CG animations of FINAL FANTASY summons
  • Appearances from new and characters from past titles like the Warrior of Light, Cecil, Vivi, and Terra
  • A complete RPG experience in an easy, portable format for mobile phones

Pre-registration is now available at the game's official website.

Check out the teaser trailer below. 

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Anisong World Matsuri makes American Debut at Anime Expo 2016

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Anisong World Matsuri makes American Debut at Anime Expo 2016
AX has been very quiet about guests but there's a good reason why.  A slew of musical guests has just been announced under the name "Anisong World Matsuri."  This is BIG and quite possibly the closest we'll get to the massive fan festivals in Asia like Animelo.  Read the press release after the jump.  
 
 
Anisong World Matsuri makes American Debut
at Anime Expo 2016
 
World-class Japanese music series unveils summer lineup
 for Anime Expo's 25th Event
 
Santa Ana, CA - (May 17, 2016) Anime Expo, produced by The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA), will present the U.S.'s first Anisong World Matsuri event on July 2 and 3. Created by six leading Japanese entertainment companies including Lantis Co., Ltd., Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., AMUSE Inc., BANDAI VISUAL CO. LTD., BANDAI NAMCO Live Creative Inc., and Anime Consortium Japan Inc., the music and entertainment event adds yet another layer to North America's largest anime event.
 
"We're very happy to collaborate with valued Japanese industry partners to create a memorable event," said Ray Chiang, CEO of SPJA. "We are hopeful that this will create an Anisong experience unlike any other.  Anime Expo's growth has allowed us to bring new elements of entertainment to our attendees."
 
Anime Expo Attendees will have the unique opportunity to experience multiple concerts and events featuring a variety of performers and special guests.  This is the first event of its kind in North America and Anime Expo is proud to produce this in collaboration with Japan.  Anisong World Matsuri is a series of events and music concerts featuring:
  • ~Love Live! Sunshine!! Event: Nice to Meet You, We are Aqours!!~
  • Guest: Aqours (Anju Inami as Chika Takami, Rikako Aida as Riko Sakurauchi, Nanaka Suwa as Kanan Matsuura, Arisa Komiya as Dia Kurosawa, Kanako Takatsuki (as Hanamaru Kunikida, Ai Furihata as Ruby Kurosawa)
  • Location: Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC) Main Events in West Hall
  • Date: July 2, 2016
  • ~ONE PUNCH MATSURI at AX~
  •   Guests:
      • Makoto Furukawa as Saitama
      • Director Shingo Natsume
      • ...and more
      • Performance by
    • JAM Project
    • Location: Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC) Main Events in West Hall
    • Date: July 2, 2016
  • Anisong World Matsuri ~Japan Super Live~
    • Performances by:
      • Eir Aoi
      • JAM Project
      • Luna Haruna
      • Minami
      • Sphere
      • T.M. Revolution
      • Yoko Ishida
      • DJ Kazu
      • Location: Microsoft Theater
  • Date: July 2, 2016
  • Anisong World Matsuri ~Japan Band Battle~
  • Peformances by:
  • FLOW
  • OLDCODEX
  • Location: The NOVO by Microsoft
  • Date: July 3, 2016
 
Anime Expo will run from July 1 through July 4 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. To purchase passes for Anime Expo, please visit http://www.anime-expo.org/registration/
 
For more information about attending, please visit http://www.anime-expo.org/registration-help/.
 
For more information about Anisong World Matsuri, please visithttp://www.daisuki.net/awm2016/
 
About SPJA
SPJA is a non-profit organization dedicated to popularize and educate the American public about Japanese entertainment and pop culture, as well as provide a forum to facilitate communication between professionals and fans. For more information, please visit www.spja.org.
 
About Anime Expo
Anime Expo (AX) brings together fans and industry from Japan, the US, and all over the world for the largest celebration of Japanese pop culture in North America. Taking place every year since 1992, Anime Expo features the best in Japanese entertainment, music, fashion, and video games. For more information, visit www.anime-expo.org.
 
About Anisong World Matsuri
Through the direction of 6 Japanese companies, Anisong World Matsuri is an Animation/ANISONG event that will take place on July 2nd and July 3rd jointly with ANIME EXPO 2016. Events pertaining to "Love Live! Sunshine" and "ONE PUNCH MAN" will be held in the Main Events Hall. "Love Live! Sunshine" is slated to be aired as a TV anime program from this summer, and is a new series of "Love Live!" which has a tremendous international following. "ONE PUNCH MAN" was aired in Japan from October to December 2015 and achieved popularity worldwide. Also, at the Microsoft Theater adjacent to Anime Expo, a four-hour long, festival-type live event "Japan Super Live" featuring 8 popular ANISONG artists such as JAM Project, T.M. Revolution, and sphere. At another venue called The Novo by Microsoft, two popular bands FLOW and OLDCODEX will compete against each other under the title "Japan Band Battle." By actualizing an event that delivers the magic of Anime and the thrill of high-quality ANISONG live entertainment through the collective efforts of 6 Japanese companies that focus on Animation-related contents, the event aims to transmit Japan's Animation/ANISONG culture, and to maximize its value throughout the world.
 
About Lantis Co., Ltd
Lantis Co., Ltd is a record company with a focus on Anime, games, and voice actors. About 70 artist groups belong to the record label starting with the 9-member voice-acting unit μ'sthat is featured in "Love Live!,"and the band JAM Project led by Hironobu Kageyama, the famous singer known for the feature song of "DRAGON BALL Z." In 2015, Lantis organized several Anime festivals abroad. It hosted 11 "Anisong World Tour Lantis Festival 2015" events in 6 cities that included Las Vegas, Hong Kong, Singapore, Seoul, Shanghai, and Taipei. It is a consolidated subsidiary of BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc. 
 
About AMUSE Inc.
AMUSE Inc. is involved in the production and sales of various visual software in relation to movies and music, and it handles stage production as well as overseas performances, in addition to managing numerous artists beginning with SOUTHERN ALL STARS, Fukuyama Masaharu, Miyake Yuji, Fukatsu Eri, Perfume, ONE OK ROCK, and BABYMETAL. It is an integrated entertainment enterprise and it controls the theme park operations of "TOKYO ONE PIECE TOWER" as well. In recent years, AMUSE has been aggressively making inroads into overseas markets as it establishes its overseas presence in Asia, the US, and Europe.
 
About Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.
With a primary focus on the music business, Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc. is an integrated entertainment enterprise with diversified interests in visual, Anime, management, and solution businesses. Aniplex Inc., which is one of the group companies of Sony Music Entertainment, has produced many hit Animes such as "PUELLA MAGI MADOKA MAGICA," "the Garden of sinners," "BAKEMONOGATARI,""NISEMONOGATARI,""Sword Art Online,""Fate/Zero,""Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works],""Anohana -The Flower We Saw That Day","Blue Exorcist,"and "The Anthem of the Heart." Similarly, artists such as T.M. Revolution, FLOW, sphere, Eir Aoi, and Luna Haruna belong to Sony Music Label Inc. and Music Ray'n which are also under Sony Music Entertainment.
 
About BANDAI VISUAL CO., LTD.
BANDAI VISUAL CO., LTD. is an integrated production enterprise for visual contents business, starting with the planning and production of visual projects pertaining to Anime and Japanese movies; the planning, production and sales of packaged software such as Blue-ray/DVD; and licensing business. Notable films include, the "MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM" series, a Sunrise Inc. film, "STAR BLAZERS" series, and Japanese films by directors TAKESHI KITANO as well as Kore-eda Hirokazu. It is a consolidated subsidiary of BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc.
 
About BANDAI NAMCO Live Creative Inc.
With a focus on Anime, games and voice acting-related events and concerts, BANDAI NAMCO Live Creative Inc.is an event and concert production company that produces and manages over 500 live events (FY2015) throughout the year. Beginning with live concerts of ANISONG artists such as "JAM Project," "GRANRODEO," and "OLDCODEX," it has a track record of managing large-scale music events such as "LisAni! LIVE" and "Lantis Festival," as well as "Kiramune" related events, which is a project that is produced in-house. Furthermore, it has handled the production and management of Anime-related events such as "Kuroko's Basketball." "Love Live!" "GIRLS und PANZER,"  In 2015, along with Lantis Co., Ltd, which is one of the group companies, it planned and produced 11 "Anisong World Tour Lantis Festival 2015" events in 6 cities that included Las Vegas, Hong Kong, Singapore, Seoul, Shanghai and Taipei. It is a consolidated subsidiary of BANDAI NAMCO Holdings Inc.  
 
About Anime Consortium Japan Inc.
Anime Consortium Japan Inc. is a company that manages the delivery of original videos with Japanese Anime contents to overseas. It manages the simultaneous (delivery without any time lag from Japan) delivery of new Animes that are aired in Japan through its integrated platform called DAISUKI.net, and transmits past works that are very popular to over 240 countries and regions. 
Headed by BANDAI NAMCO Group, its shareholders are comprised of a group of companies that already have an established overseas presence in the Anime industry. DAISUKI.net is the only site that delivers Japan's Anime from Japan to the rest of the world, and by transmitting to the users around the world in a legitimate way, it contributes to the eradication of illegal sites that are pirated and also plays the role of protecting the property rights of each work.
 
Media Contacts:
The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation
Marketing@SPJA.org

Nicalis Cinco de Mayo Event 2016

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Nicalis Cinco de Mayo Event 2016

Traditionally, Cinco de Mayo celebrates the Mexican Army's victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. In the United States, it’s more to celebrate Mexican culture. For me, it’s a time for sales at my local Mexican grocery store so I can stock up on chips, avocado and marinated meat. Not this year. For 2016, I celebrated my victory over the routine life of marriage and parenthood. I celebrated life again!

 I was at Black Hammer Brewing in San Francisco to attend the Nicalis Press Event where they allowed me and other game reviewers/writers a chance to try out their upcoming games for 2016. I have to say that I now have a idea of what my Man Cave should look like. Imagine a bar, where there were 11 beers on tap (all complimentary of Nicalis), trays of cooked steak, chicken, black beans, refried beans, avocado, different salsa, tortillas, taco shells, chips and more, and a wall of 6 stations showing playable versions of Dimensional Intersection, Ittle Dew 2, Full Mojo Rampage, Creepy Castle, 90’s Super GP, Tiny Barbarian and The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth. The main star was located in a separate room which was the interactive VR experience Dimensional Intersection, which utilized an Oculus Rift and Xbox One. There were the introductions of the games and developers and the instructions to basically eat, play and enjoy.

After consuming a large amount of Cinco de Mayo fare, and sampling many of the beers on tap, I tried out 90’s Super GP. This brought to memory my times playing classics such as Sega’s Daytona USA, Atari 2600 Enduro, and Pole Position. This version was renamed from 90’s Arcade Racer and was slated to be released for Xbox One, PS4 and Wii U; however, I later heard that the Wii U version has been discontinued. The graphics were clean, although I couldn’t drive very well, but I blame my performance on drinking and virtual driving, which should never be mixed, unless done at home. Next was Ittle Dew 2. I hadn’t played the first one, but it reminded me a lot of the classic Legend of Zelda from the good old NES days. The basic summary is that Ittle and Tippsie (her sidekick) crash on an island and have to solve puzzles using a magic map and fight different monsters in order to build a raft from pieces they obtain. I spent most of my time on this as I relived my childhood and wasn’t feeling the low-level stress that I get when I play other action games like Star Wars Battlefront and Call of Duty. I would buy this for my kids (that’s how I can justify buying it, which I would just HAPPEN to play as well.) It’s challenging for them by using problem-solving strategy and it’s cute, without having to be sickeningly sweet. All in all, I can't wait to pick this game up.

There were a lot of people playing the other games, so I didn’t get a chance to try them out, but they looked good and I would love a chance to play them. I went to the next room and waited my turn to try out Dimensional Intersection. Putting on the VR headset and the headphones which were pumping out Psytrance, Hyper-Chill, and Psydub music (don’t ask, I don’t know what that means.) I realized that VR visual and auditory dimension games that don’t have a defined objective to achieve (“but to just experience, dude”) and have ever-changing colors and patterns, with no sense of distance and scale, combined with alcohol makes for a serious mind trip. I was hoping to see if I could just lose all track of time, but after 7 minutes, I was well aware that other things were around me and that I could stop “playing.” That was the disappointing part. I wanted to see if I would finish the game by taking off the VR googles and realize that I was in a room by myself and the brewery was shut down and locked up. I guess I prefer more direction- and objective-based game play. But good job Nicalis. I’m sure there is a market for this game, and I am looking forward to see what direction they can take with this technology in the future. All in all, food, beer on tap, video games in one night makes me want to go home and recreate this day over and over.

Meet Sekai Project's New Mascot

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Meet Sekai Project's New Mascot

Sekai Project is celebrating their third year as a publisher and licenser this year. So how did they celebrate you ask, well they didn't go to Disneyland or maybe they did I didn't ask. But what I do know is that they revealed their first company mascot and her name is Sena Aozora. Sena-chan is 19 years old and loves to travel, sing, and stargaze but you can find out more about her below.

The mascot was illustrated by the artist zpolice who is originally from Thailand but now lives in Japan. The artist has provided illustrations for different medium such as light novels, card games, and CD Jacket designs along with character designs. Currently, zpolice is working on illustrations for the mobile game Tokyo 7th Sisters. Be sure to keep a look out for it once it's available. If you want to see more of zpolice's work or information you can go to Twitter or Pixiv.senaaozora2 1

Chris Ling, co-founder and Head of Licensing at Sekai Project, talked about how Sena Aozora idea came to be. He said, "Before the plans to make a mascot character were under way, there had been a lot of internal discussion about what Sekai Project would do to celebrate the company’s third anniversary. There was a strong interest in doing more to promote our brand and what better way than to create a company mascot. (...) I wanted something that really represented Sekai Project and the idea of a tour guide seemed to click. In my many travels through Japan I would see uniformed tour guides, with a little flag in their hand, taking groups of tourists around, and the idea of someone guiding fans into the world of games, visual novels, and beyond just took off. (...) As Sekai Project continues to grow, it is hoped that Sena-chan will help guide fans to the wonderful titles and products we release, and at the same time we hope that her warm, friendly smile will become widely popular with everyone. We already have plans in place to utilize her more in upcoming promotional materials, so definitely look forward to seeing more of Sena Aozora very soon."

Sena-chan will be the tour guide for Sekai Project's fans into the world of visual novels, games and Japanese news media. As Sekai Project announces new projects down the line we will see that cute girl in her blue uniform guiding us along and telling us about their new upcoming projects and new releases. But how will she be utilized will she have her top 10 list of visual novels for fans to play? Will she get her own Twitter or Facebook account where you can ask her for her recommendations based on your preference? Will we be able to hear her speak? If so, will it be from a voice talent from a visual novel that Sekai Project has released? Will she be the only mascot or will she be the first of many to come from Sekai Project? Well I don't have the answer, but if you like to leave a comment and we will contact Sekai Project to ask them for you.

Since we have seen company mascot such as Mirai Suenaga from Danny Choo Culture Japan go from a his Musume doll to being fully animated and given a voice to narrate segments on his show. We can only wait and see what the future holds for Sena-chan. What I really want to know is will she be 19 years old forever like Mirai-chan who is 17 years old forever. I guess the only way to find out is to contact Chris Ling and ask him. If you're also interested to see how Sena Aozora was created, you can go to their official Sekai Project blog here.

MeiQ: Labyrinth of Death heading to the West this Fall

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MeiQ: Labyrinth of Death heading to the West this Fall

Idea Factory International will be releasing MeiQ: Labyrinth of Death (MeiQ no Chika ni Shisu in Japan) in North America and Europe both physically and digitally this Fall for the PlayStation Vita. It will also support PlayStation TV.

Here's a summary of the game, via Idea Factory: 

About

The rotation of the celestial bodies has ceased, and it's up to you to make your way through the four tower mazes and set things in motion again in this challenging dungeon-crawling RPG! Your heroines will be joined in battle by giant mechanical Guardians, whose individual parts can be customized in multiple ways to suit your battle style against a multitude of elemental enemies!

Key Features

  • Labyrinths of Possibility! Navigate challenging maps and puzzles in this first-person dungeon-crawler!
  • You're a Women, I'm a Machine! Pair your 3-person party with three different Guardians for a turn-based, dungeon-crawling battle system!
  • Advanced Robotics! Unique Guardian robots can be customized even further with different parts and crystals to enhance their abilities!
  • Elemental Enemies! Strategize attacks between your humans and Guardians and find the crack in your foe's armor exploiting their elemental weakness! 

04

 03     01

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MeiQ: Labyrinth of Death was first released in Japan on Dec 17th, 2015.
Check out the game's official website here. 

 

Sekai Project and Vifth Floor Reveal Steam Release Date for Just Deserts

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Sekai Project and Vifth Floor Reveal Steam Release Date for Just Deserts

Lock and load, soldiers, it is time to prepare for battle! Sekai Project, a publisher and licenser of Japanese new media and electronic entertainment, in partnership with Vifth Floor, today announced the military-themed action dating sim, Just Deserts will be released on Steam Monday, July 11 for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

 In Just Deserts players will step into the combat boots of a soldier who must defend Aquarine City, which has fallen under attack by a mysterious and violent race of aliens. Assigned to a troop of highly-skilled and dangerously captivating girls, players will set out to save humankind and maybe even capture the heart of their dream girl(s) in the process.

With a wide spectrum of fun activities to engage in, a robust management system, hundreds of in-game items to use and collect, mini battles, and more, Just Deserts looks to keep players enlisted and engaged for countless hours. So, mark it down on a calendar because the Just Deserts tour of duty begins Monday, July 11 on Steam!

Key Features:

  • 5 unique heroines with different personalities and interests
    Full English voice acting for each heroine
    3 in-game languages (English, Indonesian, and Japanese)
    7 different endings, based on your status with each of the heroines
    List of activities which can be done alone or together with your favorite heroine
    Management system with energy, health, money, day/night time, and love status
    Mini battles with the aliens
    Hundreds of items to use as gifts, food, or aide in battle
    Travel across the desert area and within the city
    A beautiful soundtrack composed by Ecky from the Vesuvia Circle
    Steam Trading Cards and Achievements

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Stay up-to-date with the Just Deserts:

Website: http://justdeserts.vifthfloor.moe/
Trailer: https://youtu.be/3itG2iSLT5Y
Product page: http://sekaiproject.com/products/justdeserts
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/justdesertsgame/

About Vifth Floor
Vifth Floor consists a group of enthusiastic people who have formed to create an indie game development circle based in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Vifth Floor’s passion is focused on creating high quality visual novels and games for PC and mobile platforms. Artistic aspects are of paramount significance for the team, hence the illustration, music, and story for the team’s projects are crafted by not only talented but dedicated people. Vifth Floor is currently focused on creating visual novels. As the team grows, they look to work on card games, board games, and multiplatform video games. http://vifthfloor.moe/

About Sekai Project
Sekai Project is a Los Angeles-based publishing, licensing, and localization company. Comprised of a diverse enterprising group of industry professionals, Sekai Project is focused on bringing new media, games, and pop culture from Asia to the western world. Founded in 2013, the company continues to improve upon the way in which fans can connect with creators through the creative use of marketing, crowdfunding, and social media. www.sekaiproject.com

 

 

Phantom Brave coming to PC in July

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Phantom Brave coming to PC in July

We've got some exciting news for all of you PC gamers out there, dood! NIS America is proud to announce that Phantom Brave PC will be arriving on Steam this July! The original release for the PlayStation launched on January 22nd, 2004. Twelve years later, the game is now back in all its glory as a PC release!

The port is based off the Wii release, Phantom Brave: We Meet Again and also includes additional content found in the PlayStation Portable version, Phantom Brave: The Hermuda Triangle. Make sure to add it on your Steam wishlist and visit the official Phantom Brave PC Steam page, dood!

Here's some details about the game, via NIS America: 

About the story:

On a small, lonely island in Ivoire Lives Ash, a Phantom who lost his life in battle, and Marona, who has the ability to communicate with Phantoms. Sometimes, Marona receives Bottlemails that float along the sea.

Marona, who lost her parents when she was very young, makes her living by completing the requests inside the Bottlemails as a Chroma, a person who accepts freelance work to solve problems for people. However, because of her abilities, the people call her the "Possessed." Even if she completes her work, some clients will hesitate to pay her the reward because of her reputation. 

Still, Marona stays Optimistic and follows what her parents told her long ago: "Help people, and someday everyone will start to like you." Her goal is to save enough money to buy Phantom Isle, which she's currently renting. Like a subtle wave in the sea, the adventures of Marona and Ash are about to begin. 

Key Features: 

Grid-free battle system - With the grid-free battle system, each character can move freely to attack, cast spells, and even lift!

Over 400 different skills and magic spells - With hundreds of skills and magic spells to choose from, you can create and coordinate your characters to your liking and claim victory! 

Fight alongside phantoms - Marona's unique ability, known as "Chartreuse Gale," allows her to interact with phantoms and bind their souls to different objects. By "confining" different objects, you grant phantoms a temporary body to help you fight. 

In addition to the game's announcement, NIS America will host a PC beta from May 16-23rd. You can sign up for the beta here.

For more information, head to the official Steam page: here.

Check out the PC trailer below. 

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Square-Enix E3 2016 Booth Tour

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Square-Enix E3 2016 Booth Tour

This year E3 went all out with their budget with the imminent release of Final Fantasy XV. Check out our walk around their MASSIVE booth! 

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Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book (PS4) Review

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Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book (PS4) Review

Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book is the 17th game in the primary Atelier series, and the start of a new setting after Atelier Shallie: Alchemists of the Dusk Sea concludes the Dusk installment series. It maintains many of the franchise’s long standing traditions but it also finds room to try new and notable things. Developer Gust takes more chances to shake things up, and it pays off. It compliment’s the series’ best parts (like the alchemy system) and supports the weaker aspects of the formula.

The plot of Atelier Sophie revolves around a young novice alchemist, Sophie Neuenmuller.  She is an orphan who inherited her atelier and alchemy skills from her grandmother, who was well-known by the people of her hometown in Kirchen Bell. Sophie soon discovers she owns an enigmatic book imbued with a soul. The amnesiac book introduces herself as “Plachta,” and as Sophie writes down alchemy recipes, Plachta regains more of her lost memories. She also tells Sophie a legend of a cauldron that can grant amazing alchemical knowledge, although she doesn't remember all the details about it yet. Apart from beautiful, sparsely used anime-style cutscenes, Atelier Sophie's graphics do look a bit dated. Remember, the Atelier series has never really been known for it's graphical fidelity, but that didn't distract me from enjoying it.

Atelier Sophie 1

Unfortunately, the story is pretty slow paced compared to some of the previous Atelier games. Most of the game is centered around Sophie and her friends and aside from the main story is a series of character side-quests, where Sophie will help and be helped by the various members of her party. These quests allow players to know more about each character while exploring all of Kirchen Bell. While some players may be turned off by this, I found the story to be more relaxing this time around as there was no emphasis on trying to save the world, just the life of a young alchemist looking to hone her skills in alchemy and helping a new friend.

Atelier Sophie 4

Atelier Sophie’s core gameplay is it’s turn based combat. Sophie’s approach is both familiar and fresh, easy to get into and understand but actually quite dynamic and deep once you dig in. Your party consists of four members: one at the front, two mid-row characters, and Sophie in the back. Combat is now focused on using offensive and defensive stances. Turn order is displayed on the side of your screen allowing you to plan accordingly. You’re going to want to use defensive stance when an enemy has a powerful attack lined up to avoid the extra damage. Should you have the upper hand, especially if a turn is canceled out, the offensive stance will make quick work of the enemies. There is also support attacks/guards, where your party members will do a follow-up move or block an incoming attack once you chain enough attacks together. Combat is fast and flashy and I really enjoyed pulling off different support attacks with each character. The combat gets even more deeper when your support gauge fills up to 300% allowing your character to perform a signature special attack.

Atelier Sophie 5

Atelier Sophie adds a new layer of depth to item synthesis that makes it even more fun thanks to a material placement system, which gives you more control over the quality of your recipes. When selecting your materials, you must place them into a grid in your cauldron; materials have different shapes and take up a different amount of tiles, making it very similar to a game of Tetris where you try to find the best possible way to place every ingredient. Material placement can determine how powerful your creations are, especially since overlapping ingredients cancel the surrounding bonuses. I really enjoyed figuring out the best method to give my item the best boosts and quality possible, feeling like I had more of a hand in the final product.

AtelierSophie 3

Creating items and traveling took entire days off the calendar in the previous games, but they can now be completed in hours. You can also play at your own pace without strict time restrictions on the main quest, which revolves around restoring Plachta’s memories. The new time system gave me a reason to explore more, since I didn’t have to rush to complete any task thrown my way.

One thing I did not enjoy was the Life-Point (LP) system. Atelier Sophie introduces a fatigue-based LP system, which can weaken attacks when a character has spent too much time adventuring, gathering materials, and/or fighting without resting (returning to the atelier). There are a lot of reasons to keep playing, too. Atelier Sophie took me 25 hours to beat, but I could have easily tacked on 15 or 20 more hours to that if I went back to finishing all the character stories and secret bosses, unlocking every alchemy recipe and earning all the PSN Trophies.

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The Atelier series has a long history, and some of the games in particular - Totori, Meruru, Escha or Shallie - hold a special place in my heart. Atelier Sophie isn’t better than any of those entries in my estimation, but is a worthy addition to the primary Atelier franchise. Sophie’s ability to nurture Ateliers’ traditions while adding its own flavor to the mix is perhaps its greatest strength. Although the game does suffer from it’s occasionally slow paced story, and a subpar graphical look, it’s weakness are overwhelmed by its complex systems, fun combat, fun side stories, and compelling party of characters.

Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book is a must-play for Atelier fans and JRPG fanatics alike.

The O rating A

Pros:

-Beautiful Anime Art

-Fun Combat

-New alchemy system

Cons: 

-Slow paced story 

-LP system

E3 2016 Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization Hands On Impression

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E3 2016 Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization Hands On Impression

We managed to get a sneak peak at the new upcoming game, Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization with the publishers at Bandai Namco. Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization is a new action RPG developed under the eye of the creator himself Reki Kawahara and is set in a game-original Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online game (VRMMO game,) called Sword Art: Origin, which is based on the servers from the original Sword Art Online.

A ten-minute demo of the game for PlayStation 4 was available for me to play. The demo took place in a lush green forest, joined by familiar faces such as: Asuna, Leafa, and Sinon. I was free to explore and hunt the various monsters that were roaming around the area. Visually the game looked gorgeous and felt very populated, with lots of trees and detail, but it looked much more like a forest then just a field with trees around it.

sword art online hollow realization pixlr

Compared to Sword Art Online: Lost Song, the game has had many improvements. There were noticeable features that were inspired by some of my favorite MMO games. One of the biggest features is the new MMO style hot-bar. While some skills are assigned to buttons, you now have full access to your available skill set via a palette in the middle of your screen. Using the D-pad you can select any available skills and quickly activate them. Skills range from various attack combos, de-buffs or defensive abilities. Combat was fast and fluid and you no longer have to wait for your turn like in Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment. You are able to move freely around during battle. Enemies will now display different telegraphs indicating where they are going to attack next. I quickly acclimated to this and really enjoyed the smoothness of the action.

One thing I did like was the way the in-game quests worked, players of Final Fantasy XIV might find this familiar. As you are exploring in the world, you will see a small highlighted area on the map. As you enter one of these areas you will be thrown into a quest and in the demo, it was usually just to defeat certain nearby enemies. As far as boss fights go I did manage to find a NM or Notorious Monster which took me about 3 min to defeat and dropped some nice loot. As a big MMO fan of games like Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XIV, I am definitely looking forward to playing Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization with its new MMO style game play, original story, and tons of quests and missions, I could easily spend over 50+ hours playing this game. Players who are fans of the Sword Art Online series or enjoy MMORPGs should definitely check out this game when it’s released this fall in North America. 

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E3 2016 Impressions: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

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E3 2016 Impressions: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

After watching the E3 2016 demo for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, it’s no surprise that Nintendo’s back-to-basics approach has a great impact to the overall experience. This is a very refreshing move for the series, one that will definitely refine the free-roaming sense of exploration and danger that made the first Zelda so great. At E3, Nintendo had a playable demo at their booth and I was able to get my hands on it.

Zelda series has had a long history, and Breath of the Wild seems to have noticeable features that are inspired by some of my favorite games in particular – think Monster Hunter or Uncharted. The demo was split into two 15 minute parts: Exploration and Story. You play as the main protagonist, Link. The exploration portion of the demo starts you off on a very small portion of the map, which was then revealed to me that it was only one percent of it. Pretty much everything you can see in the distance you can travel to. Visually this game is absolutely gorgeous from a design aesthetic perspective. It’s no surprise the game has a very unique art style.

Zelda E3 11am SCRN086

One of the biggest changes to Zelda is that weapons now have durability and will break after using them for long periods of time. You can kill enemies and take their weapons or find them in chests but it’s no surprise that there will be a very in depth crafting system. Another noticeable change to Breath of the Wild is how your health is replenished. You can no longer obtain hearts by slashing through bushes or breaking pots. Hearts will now replenish by eating food. I was able to find food on the ground or by going to different enemy camps. The food can be cooked to increase its flavor and even combine it with other ingredients. They introduced a new different type of bomb called a square bomb that will not move once you place it down. I learned about this after trying to use a regular circle bomb on a rock that blew up knocking me off a cliff resulting in my death.

Zelda E3 11am SCRN0333

Combat is quick and fluid and Zelda: Breath of the Wild adds a lot of new tricks to Link’s repertoire. Players can still use the familiar Z-targeting system, charge up sword attacks, or use his bow to shoot arrows, but the combat goes way beyond the conventions of the Zelda series. Link can parry incoming attacks with his shield at the last second and could even repel or disarm some of the weaker enemies. A well timed dodge will result in slowing time, similar to Bayonetta, and you can use this opportunity to counter attacks. One mechanic I did enjoy was the ability to surf on your shield. This made it super easy to quickly travel down hills at high speeds.

Zelda E3 11am SCRN022 pixlrMy demo experience was packed with lots of discoveries. I came across several small camps and a broken down ruin that resembled the Temple of Time. Another thing I stumbled upon was a boss-like rock monster called a Steppe Talus that killed me in one hit.

The second portion of the demo was more focused on the story. A mysterious female voice beckons to Link to “open his eyes.” Our hero has been asleep for 100 years. When you wake up, you grab the Sheikah Slate and some worn-down clothes from the next room. The Sheikah Slate resembles the shape of a game pad and hangs from Link’s belt. It gives you access to the map which displayed skull and chest icons for various enemy camp locations and loot.

Zelda: Breath of the Wild is one of the games I am personally looking forward to the story, the massive world available to explore, and the crafting system. I could easily see myself playing this game for 200 hours or more. The new Zelda is chock full of mysterious weapons, recipes, and beautiful landscapes. And I can’t wait to play it again.

E3 2016 Impressions: Tekken 7

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E3 2016 Impressions: Tekken 7

We managed to get a sneak peak at the new upcoming game, Tekken 7, with the publishers from Bandai Namco. Tekken 7 is a fighting game and is the latest installment in the Tekken series. The game also marks the 20th anniversary of the Tekken series.

A multiplayer demo of the game for Xbox One was available for us to play. The demo had access 29 playable characters with lots of Fan favorites returning and many new ones. The demo included access to the story mode of the game or 1 v 1 matches with other players. 

T7 BNEA E3 screenshot 04

The combo system in Tekken 7 takes some of the aspects of Tekken Revolution, in which it is no longer possible to bound a character during a combo. However, the bound state still exists, but “a lot of movies that use to bound are being taken out”. In order to compensate the lack of bounds, many moves were given new dynamics in order to extend combos. Low parries will still cause a bound effect as they do in Tekken 6

T7 BNEA E3 screenshot 05

One of the new battle mechanics introduced was a new type of move called Power Crush. These moves absorb damage from a mid or a high attack, and it still continues despite taking damage. Rage Arts is another new mechanic that will alter the performance of a single move of a character during Rage Mode. A Rage art will perform an attack animation similar to Ultra Moves from the Street Fighter series. Characters will immediately lose their rage when Rage Art is performed.

T7 BNEA E3 screenshot 12

Visually, Tekken 7 is gorgeous. The game is being run on Unreal Engine 4 and the graphical fidelity is pushed to new heights. Character models are beautifully rendered and combat is very fast and fluid and very easy to get into. One mechanic I did like was the new weather effects that can happen at any given time during a match. One minute it will be sunny and then it may start to rain after a while.

I played three 1 v 1 matches with some other players and had a lot of fun trying out some of the different characters. I am not very good at fighting games by any stretch of the imagination but I am pretty excited to delve deeper into the game when it comes out. Tekken 7 will be available for Xbox One, PS4 and PC in early 2017. Whether you’re a Tekken fan or looking for a fun fighting game, then look no further. 

E3 2016 Impressions: Tales of Berseria

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E3 2016 Impressions: Tales of Berseria

We managed to get a sneak peak at the new upcoming game, Tales of Berseria, with the publishers from Bandai Namco. Players assume the role of Velvet, a young women who was once kind but has been overcome with anger and hatred revolving around a traumatic experience three years prior to the events with Tales of Berseria.

A short demo of the game for Playstation 4 was available for me to play. The demo took place in a beach area, where I was free to roam around and kill monsters. My party consisted of six characters: Eleanor, Eizen, Velvet, Laphicet, Rokurou and magilou. Each of the characters had their own unique special abilities and skills. Visually the game hasn’t changed much since Zesteria and as far as I am concerned the game is running completely in-engine. The beautiful anime style cutscene skits are back and chock full of great high quality voice acting.

Menu TOB pixlr

The new combat system in Tales of Berseria is called the “Liberation LMBS,” due to the amazing amount of customization it offers players this time around. You can have four characters participate in battle and the remaining two are able to switch out at any time. Players will only directly control a single character in real time combat while the rest are controlled via AI. The combat system has been known for making customizable combos and chaining them together, and this is where the liberation system comes into play. Each character has four combo tiers that can be assigned. You can assign an attack to each face button and do a combo with any four-button input resulting in endless possibilities for combos.

TOB Pixlr 

But things go deeper. Each character has their own Soul Gauge, which will deplete when attack in combat, but will refill when an enemy falls, or over time. When your Soul Gauge is filled with three or more marks (out of a possible five), the character can use a special powerful Soul Blast ability. Each characters Soul Blast is different and can range from offensive attacks or defense abilities. You can use Soul Blasts as often as you want, although you will want to monitor your Soul Gauge during the tougher battles so you don’t use it recklessly. Combat is and fluid and I was easily acclimated to this new battle system. Switching characters on the fly was very simple and I had a blast trying to come up with different combos for each character.

Tales of Berseria launches in Japan August 18, 2016, and is currently scheduled for “early 2017” North American and European releases. If you are a fan of tales or just looking for a JRPG to lose yourself in definitely check this one out. 

E3 2016 Impressions: ReCore

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E3 2016 Impressions: ReCore

When ReCore was first shown at Microsoft’s E3 2015 briefing the game has since been shrouded in mystery but knowing that Legendary Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune and Metroid Prime Alum Mark Pacini, of Armature Studio, were working on this game had me intrigued. My biggest question was what exactly is ReCore?

The game revolves around Joule as she adventures through a post-apocalyptic desert world. Joule is a worker on the planet Far Eden, one of the few remaining humans assigned to help terraform the planet. She was previously asleep, waiting for her shift to start, so she doesn’t quite know what’s happened when she wakes up. Joule is joined by her robot companion Mack, who is part of a faction that’s on a mission to bring humanity back to the planet, which goes against another robotic faction’s goals.

ReCore Joule Core pixlr

A 10 min single player demo for the Xbox One was available to play. The demo begins with an unknown voice speaking to Joule, giving her guidance and encouraging words, “if anyone can do it, you can.” She immediately discovers enemy robots, who used to be friendly but have changed their objective throughout the story. Compared to Metroid or Mega Man series, the game felt like a combination of both worlds.  There were noticeable features that were inspired by both games. The game play was very similar to Mega Man with a presence of Metroid series.

ReCore Joule midshot pixlr

Joule can shoot in any direction of the enemy and you can even lock on to an enemy and her shots will land and if you hold down the right bumper, you can unleash a powerful charged shot, but what is more important is paying attention to the type of ammo and robot companion you are using through a color matching system. Your enemies, and robot companions, and weapons are all color coded. You need to match the correct colored weapon or companion with whatever enemy you are fighting. These colored enemies can also carry different types of elements: for instance, red creatures will set things on fire, whereas yellow can be more defense based and may shock you.

ReCore Ready for Action pixlr

Combat in ReCore is very fast-paced and fluid. There is a good balance between using movement and coordinating the right abilities to avoid damage and using the right weapons and companion. Similar to Mega Man, there is a good mix of platforming and combat. I had two companions to try out, Mack and Seth, but you can only have one out at a time. One would fire a string of missiles toward the enemy and the other had a dash attack which served as what looked like a stun move as well as the ability to attach onto rails and glide along them, very similar to Samus’s morph ball in Metroid Prime. Aside from her gun, one of Joule’s signature tools is her extractor, which is not just a weapon to change out cores and tamper with enemies, but you can also traverse around the area and unlock specific doors.

ReCore Joule puzzle pixlr

There’s so much more I would like to know about ReCore. On top of everything I learned, there are systems chain combo kills, that give greater experience. As I attacked enemies, numbers would fly out, suggesting that there could be a treasure or upgrade system as well. As a huge fan of Mega Man and the Metroid Series, I am personally excited learn everything there is to know about this game. Players who love robots or enjoy fast paced action should definitely check out this game when it’s released September 13th in North America. 

E3 2016 Impressions: Gravity Rush 2

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E3 2016 Impressions: Gravity Rush 2

Earlier this year, Sony Interactive Entertainment announced Gravity Rush 2. The game picks up right where Gravity Rush left off. Kat will return alongside her friend Raven. At E3, Sony happened to have a playable demo at their booth and I was able to get some hands on time with the game. From what I can say, the game is a massive improvement from playing on the Vita.

Visually the games color palette has changed. Players who played Gravity Rush on the Vita should remember that the color palette was very brown and green and with Gravity Rush 2 you get a very blue color palette which is well represented by the blue skies. The game has a lot of nice little nuances for instance, we can see Kat's clothes rippling in the wind, more stuff happening in towns and massive airboats flying around.

GR2 Screen PS4 002

Over the game has gone above and beyond of what the Vita could do. There was a pretty easy tutorial for players to try out or you could just jump right into the action. The tutorial involved using many of Kat's gravity powers to fly from point to point, while trying to collect crystals along the way. Overall it was pretty simple to learn especially for a newcomer.

GR2 Screen PS4 006

As I progressed further into the demo, I encountered some enemies which were the same, black and slimy enemies in the first game. Combat was fast and familiar and very similar to what I am used to from the first game. There where basic melee attacks, as well as targeted air kicks that you would need to focus on enemies weak points. Kat is also able to use a special move that will kill multiple enemies in quick succession. Once built up and unlocked, it can be used and is useful for clearing out multiple groups and it even took out a decent amount of health of the giant boss I encountered.

GR2 Screen PS4 010

One of the new mechanics was the Lunar Style mode.  When you flick up on the touch pad, Kat will become lighter and gain access to a new "Worm Hole Kick" ability that made it easier to target enemies who seemed to be dodging my attacks without having it active. Overall, the improvements on the game are better than the first Gravity Rush. It’s no surprise that a lot of improvements were made. The game is absolutely stunning, showing off beautiful hand drawn Cel-shaded visuals as well as improved effects. Gravity Rush 2 is expected to be released sometime in 2016 on PlayStation 4. 


E3 2016 Imperssion

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E3 2016 Imperssion

E3’s twenty-second year has once again shattered attendance records, and raised the bar for Los Angeles’ premier trade show for the video game industry presented by the Entertainment Software Association. This year’s show saw a huge increase in attendance, with more than 70,000 people that participated in the week’s events, including 50,300 video game professionals, analysts, journalists, and enthusiasts attended this week’s trade show, and 20,000 fans attended E3 Live.

As someone who regularly attends anime conventions and other industry events throughout the year, E3 is like no other event I have ever been to. I normally stream E3 on my computer but the difference between watching it on a computer and seeing everything in person is a truly surreal experience. One thing I did noticed is how easy it was to get around the convention center. Compared to a big anime convention that have massive crowds, E3 is on a more intimate level so it’s much easier to get around.

E3 Impressions 1

This was my first year going as Media and my expectations were pretty high with all the recent AAA titles that were announced prior to the show. On my first day I lined up to go into the west hall to check out what Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft had to offer. For the first hour I ended up just walking around and exploring. Some of the booths had the most amazing set pieces, from a $2 million Lamborghini Centenario at the Microsoft booth, and a massive amount of VR demo stations from Sony. There was also someone dressed up as the one of the robots from Horizon Zero Dawn. Even the Atlus booth had a really cool stage for live gameplay demos as well as a special guest appearance from the character artist Shigenori Soejima of the Persona series.

E3 Ppressions2

Day two I went into the south hall to check out the other companies such as: Square Enix, Bathesda, Ubisoft, and much more. This is where the booths got even crazier. Bathesda had a huge museum like area for the game Dishonored 2 showing many different set pieces from the game including the two costumes of the protagonists. There was even a life size pip boy next to a giant vault door. The Square Enix booth was definitely a sight to behold. There were many demos for some of my most anticipated games and a giant screen that would play trailers of some of the upcoming games. The Square Enix presents stage was also there live streaming and they even had what is known as “Letter from the Producer Live” staring Naoki Yoshida director for the game Final Fantasy XIV.

27624371751 4193b6fc8b b

Overall my favorite booth of E3 2016 was Nintendo. The only playable game they had this year was Zelda Breath of the Wild and they did a great job of presenting it and I feel like they really stole the show this year. Hundreds of people lined up to play Zelda each day but the real star of the show was on the inside of their booth where they had a massive Zelda themed area with massive set pieces. The area would even change from night to day. I would have to say it was just as amazing as going to Disney Land for the first time. Another thing I really enjoyed seeing was the Nintendo Treehouse Live at E3 in person. As I explained earlier the difference between watching it on a stream and seeing it live is truly surreal.

E3 Impressions 3

All in all E3 was pretty crazy to me but at the same time it was still pretty relaxing compared to some other trade shows and conventions I have been to. I am definitely excited to see how E3 changes over the coming years.

E3 Impressions: Killing Floor 2

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E3 Impressions: Killing Floor 2

We managed to get a sneak peak at the new upcoming game, Killing Floor 2, with the developers from Tripwire Interactive. Killing floor 2 is a first person horror shooter game that takes place a month after the events of the first game. 

A full cooperative demo of the game for Playstation 4 was available for us to play. The demo took place in a city with survivors standing around and our goal was to beat waves of enemies also known as Zeds (zombie-like creatures). Before we started the game we chose from a list of different roles such as: Berserker, Commando, Support, Field Medic, Demolitionist, Firebug, and Gunslinger. You then select your perk. Perks range from different traits such as extra health, more ammo, more damage, or faster movement speed. 

KF2 PS4 E3 2016 01 pixlr

Each perk can be leveled up to 25, with a new pair of skills unlocking every five levels. Only one skill can be equipped at each level. There can be some hard choices here, especially at level 25, where each perk gets a special Zed Time power. Perk picks are not permanent and you can even swap them pre or even mid match. When players kill a Zed, they gain in-game currency and experience points towards gaining levels. The in game currency is then used in between waves to upgrade/buy new weapons, armor, ammo and also you can sell your old weapons just in case you don’t have enough currency.

KF2 PS4 E3 2016 03 pixlr

The weapons in Killing Floor 2 feel great. There’s a nice kickback to the assault rifle, smashing a Zed in the face at melee range is very satisfying, and even the sound effects when players get healed are spot on. One thing I did like was “Zed mode”, which is basically slow motion. Every so often while you are killing many Zeds, the game will allow players to have more control over the chaos around them by slowing everything down. I really enjoyed this mechanic as it made for some very easy head shots in quick succession. As you progress you also level “Zed mode” to the point in which the enemies are in slow motion but you are still in real time. “Zed mode” is to take advantage if you are swarmed by a large mob and utilize the time for more head shots or reload.

Gameplay is very fast paced and I can see where this game can get really deep once you get to the harder levels. When playing with friends communication is key as well as what roles you play since you want a team that is well rounded and lacking in defense or offense. Trust us this comes into play later when things get extremely chaotic.

Over all killing floor looks like a very fun experience and I can see myself enjoying this game with a group of friends for many hours. 

We managed to get a sneak peak at the new upcoming game, Killing Floor 2, with the developers from Tripwire Interactive. Killing floor 2 is a first person horror shooter game that takes place a month after the events of the first game.

A full cooperative demo of the game for Playstation 4 was available for us to play. The demo took place in a city with survivors standing around and our goal was to beat waves of enemies also known as Zeds (zombie-like creatures). Before we started the game we chose from a list of different roles such as: Berserker, Commando, Support, Field Medic, Demolitionist, Firebug, and Gunslinger. You then select your perk. Perks range from different traits such as extra health, more ammo, more damage, or faster movement speed.

Each perk can be leveled up to 25, with a new pair of skills unlocking every five levels. Only one skill can be equipped at each level. There can be some hard choices here, especially at level 25, where each perk gets a special Zed Time power. Perk picks are not permanent and you can even swap them pre or even mid match. When players kill a Zed, they gain in-game currency and experience points towards gaining levels. The in game currency is then used in between waves to upgrade/buy new weapons, armor, ammo and also you can sell your old weapons just in case you don’t have enough currency.

The weapons in Killing Floor 2 feel great. There’s a nice kickback to the assault rifle, smashing a Zed in the face at melee range is very satisfying, and even the sound effects when players get healed are spot on. One thing I did like was “Zed mode”, which is basically slow motion. Every so often while you are killing many Zeds, the game will allow players to have more control over the chaos around them by slowing everything down. I really enjoyed this mechanic as it made for some very easy head shots in quick succession. As you progress you also level “Zed mode” to the point in which the enemies are in slow motion but you are still in real time. “Zed mode” is to take advantage if you are swarmed by a large mob and utilize the time for more headshots or reload.

Gameplay is very fast paced and I can see where this game can get really deep once you get to the harder levels. When playing with friends communication is key as well as what roles you play since you want a team that is well rounded and lacking in defense or offense. Trust us this comes into play later when things get extremely chaotic.

Over all killing floor looks like a very fun experience and I can see myself enjoying this game with a group of friends for many hours.

E3 Impressions: Lawbreakers

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E3 Impressions: Lawbreakers

We managed to get a sneak peak at the new upcoming game, Lawbreakers, with the developers from Boss Key Productions. Lawbreakers is a first person arena shooter game that takes place in a post-post apocalyptic world. The game is currently in alpha and is expected to launch some time in 2016.

E3Screenshot Breakers Group pixlr

A full multiplayer demo game for the PC was available for us to play. The demo took place in a stage whose design was influenced by the Santa Monica 3rd Street Promenade. We were first shown a live theater presentation that explained the basic mechanics of the game. Visually the game looked great. Character designs were very sharp and detailed and overall combat as very fast and fluid.

LawBreakers PAXEast SurpriseAttack pixlr

We then got to jump into the driver's seat and take the game for a spin. We played as two teams the Law side and the Breakers side 5v5 capture the flag. The map had three zones that you needed to capture. First team to capture two out of the three zones won a point. First team to reach thirteen points won the match. Once a team wins a point there is a pause during which zones are locked and you have time to move into strategic locations before the zones unlock once again.

LawBreakers PAXEast ZeroGBattle pixlr

Seems normal but here is the twist as you get closer to the middle zone which is dead center of the map you notice the lack of gravity making the game more interesting. So you can take the battle from the ground into the air by defying gravity. This element adds more to the game since you can kill or be killed from all 360 degrees around you. One more element that was new is the ability to do a blind shot which is as you are running you can shoot over your shoulder without turning around thus a blind shot. This could used when you have a pesky attacker behind you and lack team support.

Overall we had a lot of fun with the game during our demo session. I could easily see myself playing this game for hours on end with a group of friends. Lawbreakers will be releasing some time in 2016 so if you are a fan of first person arena shooters or just looking for a fun multiplayer experience then this is definitely a game to check out.

E3 2016 Impression

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E3 2016 Impression

E3’s twenty-second year has once again shattered attendance records, and raised the bar for Los Angeles’ premier trade show for the video game industry presented by the Entertainment Software Association. This year’s show saw a huge increase in attendance, with more than 70,000 people that participated in the week’s events, including 50,300 video game professionals, analysts, journalists, and enthusiasts attended this week’s trade show, and 20,000 fans attended E3 Live.

As someone who regularly attends anime conventions and other industry events throughout the year, E3 is like no other event I have ever been to. I normally stream E3 on my computer but the difference between watching it on a computer and seeing everything in person is a truly surreal experience. One thing I did noticed is how easy it was to get around the convention center. Compared to a big anime convention that have massive crowds, E3 is on a more intimate level so it’s much easier to get around.

E3 Impressions 1

This was my first year going as Media and my expectations were pretty high with all the recent AAA titles that were announced prior to the show. On my first day I lined up to go into the west hall to check out what Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft had to offer. For the first hour I ended up just walking around and exploring. Some of the booths had the most amazing set pieces, from a $2 million Lamborghini Centenario at the Microsoft booth, and a massive amount of VR demo stations from Sony. There was also someone dressed up as the one of the robots from Horizon Zero Dawn. Even the Atlus booth had a really cool stage for live gameplay demos as well as a special guest appearance from the character artist Shigenori Soejima of the Persona series.

27624371751 4193b6fc8b b

Day two I went into the south hall to check out the other companies such as: Square Enix, Bathesda, Ubisoft, and much more. This is where the booths got even crazier. Bathesda had a huge museum like area for the game Dishonored 2 showing many different set pieces from the game including the two costumes of the protagonists. There was even a life size pip boy next to a giant vault door. The Square Enix booth was definitely a sight to behold. There were many demos for some of my most anticipated games and a giant screen that would play trailers of some of the upcoming games. The Square Enix presents stage was also there live streaming and they even had what is known as “Letter from the Producer Live” staring Naoki Yoshida director for the game Final Fantasy XIV.

E3 Ppressions2

Overall my favorite booth of E3 2016 was Nintendo. The only playable game they had this year was Zelda Breath of the Wild and they did a great job of presenting it and I feel like they really stole the show this year. Hundreds of people lined up to play Zelda each day but the real star of the show was on the inside of their booth where they had a massive Zelda themed area with massive set pieces. The area would even change from night to day. I would have to say it was just as amazing as going to Disney Land for the first time. Another thing I really enjoyed seeing was the Nintendo Treehouse Live at E3 in person. As I explained earlier the difference between watching it on a stream and seeing it live is truly surreal.

E3 Impressions 3

All in all E3 was pretty crazy to me but at the same time it was still pretty relaxing compared to some other trade shows and conventions I have been to. I am definitely excited to see how E3 changes over the coming years. 

Spiral Cats Returns to Los Angeles Anime Expo 2016

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Spiral Cats Returns to Los Angeles Anime Expo 2016

Returning to Anime Expo 2016 is the stunningly beautiful professional cosplay duo of Doremi and Tasha from the South Korean cosplay group Spiral Cats. Famous for their amazingly accurate depictions of video game and anime characters including League of Legends, Starcraft, Blade & Soul and most recently Blizzard's Overwatch. They have gained international stardom through appearances and partnerships at countless international events, advertisements and broadcasting/reporting on multiple gaming events.

 

Tasha and Doremi made her North American debut at Anime Expo in 2014 as a Guest of Honor and as a Special Guest at the 2014 League of Legends World Championship in Korea. During the convention, Spiral Cats will be cosplaying as characters from Neople's action RPG Dungeon Fighter Online (DFO). DFO is a global game that currently has 500M users and Spiral Cats are huge fans of the title [http://www.dfoneople.com/].

They will be holding autograph sessions and photo opportunities at the Cosplay Photographys booth. Additionally, the cosplay duo will also make a special appearance for their fans at the Anime Expo 25th Event Welcome Ceremony on Day 1 at Main Events Hall B between 5:00-6:30 PM. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to hear from the pair during the convention!

For all inquiries including interviews opportunities, and future promotions with Spiral Cats, please contact:

The-O Network
webmaster@t-ono.net

About Dungeon Fighter Online

Dungeon Fighter Online is a global multiplayer action video game developed and published by South Korean developer NeoPle for the PC that currently has over 500 million user. http://www.dfonpeople.com

About Cosplay Photographers

Cosplay Photographers operates the largest network of cosplay photographers in the world and showcases their work through various media channels and industry partnerships to a global audience. They promote exemplary cosplay imagery and the artists that create them. They provide a source of knowledge for cosplay photographers all over the world. They administer various discussion channels where artists of all skill levels can collaborate to promote and celebrate the art of cosplay, photography, and videography.

About The O-Network

The-O Network is a promotions company dedicated to serving the Japanese content industry through services including marketing, translation, promotion and localization. Formed in 2007, the company is composed of industry veterans who have worked with some of the largest anime-related organizations are ready to tackle and support your consulting-based needs. The-O Network currently is bringing the best cosplay talents from Asia, to the West.

Additionally, we are a global leader in providing coverage, editorials, interviews, news, previews, and reviews on our online website appealing towards English and Japanese-speaking markets.

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