Author: The_acz

‘Final Fantasy’ XV Producer Hints At Nintendo Switch Release During Gamescom!

by The_acz

Ever since its release last year, rumors have been abuzz that Final Fantasy XV would be making its way to Nintendo’s darling little hybrid system.

About a day ago during a Gamescom livestream on Twitch, XV Producer Hajime Tabata hinted that on top of the Windows and Mobile versions of XV that they are also working on a console version that rhymes with Twitch. No, it’s not the Xbox One Xitch, but good guess. If done right, FFXV on Switch could be incredibly cool and addicting. Would you be interested in double dipping in the game if it was brought to Switch? Check out the video mentioned above right here!

 

‘Overwatch’ Officially Adding A Deathmatch Mode, And It’s Availble Now On PC!!

by The_acz

Gear up! It’s finally happening!

This morning Jeff Kaplan from the Overwatch team made a big announcement that the game will finally be receiving a Deathmatch mode via the Arcade. The mode will be split into 2 modes. Regular Deathmatch (up to 20 points) and Team Deathmatch (up to 30 points). Maps in the mode have been tweaked from their original versions to properly fit in, and there’ll even be a new map based off of Widowmaker titled Chateau Guillard.

Also being added are token points. These are usually rewarded to the top 4 players in the match and will help count towards earning your weekly Lootboxes in Arcade. The best part? The mode is available on the PTR for PC right now! Get the rest of the info as well as a more in depth talk about the game tokens in the video below!

 

The ‘Nintendo World Championships’ Return This Holiday Season!!

by The_acz

After it’s triumphant return back at E3 2015, it was only a matter of time before Nintendo’s legendary tournament would awake from it’s short hiatus.

This morning Nintendo announced that the Nintendo World Championships is back for another year on October 7th, 2017. Qualifiers for the event will start at select Best Buy’s starting August 19th and run throughout the weekends ending with September 9th & 10th. The qualifiers will involve a time trial race in Mario Kart 7. Attendees wil also get the chance to try out demos for Super Mario Odyssey (which I highly recommend.), and Metroid: Samus Returns. Check out the main page of the event to see if one of your Best Buy’s is a qualifier store, and get training!

‘Sonic Mania’ Shows Off Special & Bonus Stages In New Gameplay Trailer!

by The_acz

About a week ago, I discussed the Sonic Mania Panel that was held this year at Comic-Con.

During the showcase, Sega showed us the first screenshot and music for the brand new special stages. Now we finally have gameplay of the aforementioned stages as well as a peak at the returning orb stages from Sonic 3 & Knuckles!  It only seems like the hype is rising as Sonic Mania is only about 2 weeks away from release. Check out the trailer below! Sonic Mania releases for Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PS4, and PC on August 15th.

SDCC 2017: A Very “Honest” Interview With Screen Junkies Andy Signore & Joe Starr!

by The_acz

A week ago I had the opportunity to interview some of the incredibly talented people behind Screen Junkies and their Honest Trailers. I got to sit down with creator Andy Signore and Writer/Geekscape alumni Joe Starr. We talk about the process of honest trailers, our favorite movies of the year so far, and more! If you want more Screen Junkies after the interview, give them a visit on their youtube channel or their website screenjunkies.com.

SDCC 2017: A Blast From The Past! ‘Sonic Mania’ Panel Recap!

by The_acz

Even though 2016 marked Sonic’s 25th anniversary, it’s 2017 that’s really the year of Sonic.

We’re not only getting one, but TWO Sonic games this year. One of them is the next 3D entry titled Sonic Forces, but the other has much more people talking. It’s a brand new 2D pixel art tribute to the blue blur’s early days. I’m of course talking about Sonic Mania. I got the chance to play Mania at E3 this year and really enjoyed. Now just 3 weeks out from release, Sonic Mania is speeding toward the finish line with one final stop to make in the form of San Diego Comic-Con. I was lucky enough to get invited to the panel, and it didn’t disappoint. 

Moderated by everyone’s favorite video game Social Media, Aaron Webber took to the stage to introduce the panel for the evening which included Takashi Iizuka (Head of Sonic Team), Christian Whitehead (Lead Dev & Programmer), Tee Lopes (Composer), Tom Fry (Art Director), and Simon Thomley (Programmer). After everyone was introduced, they went on to talk about the origins of the game. Sonic Mania began development in early 2016 and was code-named Sonic Discovery.

They were very nervous about initially presenting the game to Iizuka, but after they showed him Studiopolis Zone, Iizuka absolutely  loved it. He had always wanted to make another 2D Sonic game, and after seeing what was presented to him, he had great faith that the team would do it justice. He even went as far as to pull out a whiteboard and write it’s name right besides the original 3, and Knuckles. And so, Sonic Mania was born!

Next, the team moved onto programming. They talked about how they loved chronicling their favorite glitches as they made the game. They started making a top 10 list, but that quickly expanded to 20, and then 30, etc. They even showcased some of them. One was of Tails stuck in the ground, and another one called to mind the infinite Knuckles jump from Sonic Boom. Then Webber presented his favorite of all the glitches, and that was this.

 Next, Tom and Tee talked for a bit about their contributions and history with Sonic. Tom talked about how Mania was his first time spiriting for a game. He stated that even though the game is meant to be a send-up to the Genesis era of Sonic, the game is a bit beefier than that and would need something more along the lines of the Sega Saturn to run it. Tom had always wanted a Sonic game for the Saturn, and said that the designs for the characters are what he’d think they’d look like on that console.

Tee also commented about how he wanted the Saturn, but had to keep his good grades in school according to his dad. He ended up maintaining the grades, but found out that his dad accidentally bought him a Sega Master System instead. No need for disappointment, this sparked his love for the hedgehog! 

Finally, they decided to end the panel with 3 big bangs! The first was our first look at the special stages! No longer will fans have to suffer through the dreaded half pipe, but instead a revised version of the UFO from Sonic CD. There’s now only one UFO, and to catch him, you must collect blue orbs to increase your speed. Once you reach Mach 3, you’ll be able to catch him. Rings are also very important as they extend the time that you can be in the area. 

The next 2 things were also big surprises for fans. Remember that awesome Pre-order trailer  a couple of months back? Turns out that the same guy who made that trailer also made an intro for the game in the same Sonic CD style! Finally, the 3rd and final reveal was that the dev crew created a special introduction manual for the game, and everyone at the panel got a copy of it! What a great way to celebrate 26 years of everyone’s favorite blue Hedgehog. The best part is that this is only a pit stop. We’re still 3 weeks out from the main course. Sonic Mania will release on Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PS4, and PC on August 15th.

SDCC 2017: Smashing Through ‘Rivals Of Aether’!

by The_acz

Out of all the games shown at Comic-Con this year, it wasn’t Super Mario Odyssey, Sonic Mania, or Marvel Vs. Capcom Infinite that captured my attention, but Rivals of Aether that did.

Located at The Behemoth booth and Made by a group of 9 people, Rivals of Aether is Smash Bros if the entire roster was filled with killer animals, and it’s just as amazing as it sounds. There are currently 8 playable characters with 2 guest characters scheduled for release. One of them has already been announced as Ori and Sein from the Xbox One hit Ori and the Blind Forest, and the other to be announced at Super Smash Con, which runs from August 10th-13th. 

 

Going back to gameplay, it plays exactly how you’d expect a Smash Bros. like game to play. All characters have their own A and B moves that differ depending on where you tilt the left stick when you attack. You can charge up attacks by using the C stick and even dodge roll. The game doesn’t seem to have any sort of Ultimate or Smash Ball move, but that’s not a problem as all the characters are incredibly fun to play. Each character has a different feel and weight to them so no one feels like just a re-skin of another character. My favorite character had to be Ori, and while he isn’t officially out, this was his first public playable appearance. 

One area that I think Rivals of Aether excels at better than Smash Bros, is in the diverse and fun stages. Of course the stages in Smash are fun and diverse, but all too often a lot of them are created with annoying hazards that end up ruining the entire stage *COUGH Magicant COUGH*. Aether finds a great middle ground where all the stages can be enjoyed from both a competitive and casual perspective. It’s nice being able to play through a wide variety of stages knowing that a lot of these are still viable if you decide to pick up the game competitively.

Overall, Rivals of Aether is a highly addicting fighting game that both casual and competitive fans of the genre enjoy. The game is fully available on Steam for $15, and can also be purchase on Xbox One game preview for the same price. If you’re a fan of the Smash series and are looking for something new, this is defintley a game to RIVAL that.

 

 

SDCC 2017: Welcome To The Jungle! ‘Hey Arnold!’ Round-Table & Panel Recap!

by The_acz

Earlier last week at Comic-Con, not only did we see the return of Rocko’s Modern Life, but also Hey Arnold!  

After about 15 years, creator Craig Bartlett is finally being given the chance to make the ending to the show that he’s always wanted. Of course, before the big panel that was held on the 21st, I got the opportunity to sit down with some of the cast and crew of the film for a special Round-Table. I had the honor of talking to Craig Bartlett (Creator),Francesca Smith (Helga), and Anndi McAfee (Phoebe). All 3 were a joy to talk with and even had some fun things to say.

One of the first things I asked Craig was about a supposed leaked scene from the original Jungle Movie (which you can find right here). According to Craig, this “leaked scene” was actually one of the first animation tests they ever did for the film all the way back in the early 2000’s. “The scene never existed in any version of the film. It was just made as an animation test to present to Nick.” Bartlett said during the Round-Table. He went on to say that the current version of the film is not what the original version was 16 years ago. Bartlett told us that after having about 15 to think about it, he thinks he’s really cracked the story and feels very satisfied about the end product.

After that, I asked Francesca and Anndi about some of their favorite moments of the series.  They both agreed that some of their favorite moments were when both Helga and Phoebe’s friendships are tested to their breaking points. As for their favorite episodes, Anndi’s favorite is Preteen Screen, while Francesca & Craig really love Helga on the Couch.

After that, it was finally time for the main event! A giant crowd of eager fans walked into room 6A and were not disappointed during the following panel. Everyone from the old to new cast was there, including the original Arnold and Gerald (Toran Caudell & Jamil Walker Smith). The panel began with series composer Jim Lang taking to the stage and preforming a live rendition of the shows opening theme while everyone in the audience hummed and sang along to it. After that, they showed off some of the re-designed backgrounds including the boarding house at night and even Big Bob’s Beepers! (Yup!, still in the 90’s). They also talked to the new cast a bit as they didn’t know much about the series, but did understand how much it meant to a lot of people. After that, we finally got our first look at the film.

After everyone finished crying their eyes out, then came the Q&A and other fun facts. They talked about how the first table read for the film got everyone in one room and that it was a very emotional reunion as Francesca and Anndi finally got to read their lines together for the first time in almost 13 years. Craig was asked where he got the idea for Gerald’s 33 shirt. He responded: “I don’t know. It just seemed like a cool number.

Finally, the panel closed out with Craig finally hinting at the reveal of Arnold’s last name, and the mystery of the green eyed people. The biggest bombshell dropped was when he said that even though The Jungle Movie is set to wrap up the series, it also sets it up to continue to a new season of the show! The crowd went absolutely wild at the mention of this, and the cast told the audience that if we really want to see a new season, we’ll have to ask Nick and make sure the film get’s great ratings. Hey Arnold: The Jungle Movie will release later this year on Nickelodeon.

Xbox Games With Gold Gets Wicked With ‘Bayonetta’ & ‘Slime Rancher’ In August!

by The_acz

July’s Games with Gold for Xbox was a bit light compared to its competitor Playstation Plus, but Microsoft is heating it up for August!

Throughout the month, Xbox One and 360 owners will be given a nice little buffet of all sorts of games to dig into. For Xbox 360 (and One owners) this includes the original Bayonetta and Red Faction: Armageddon. Xbox One users will also get to enjoy Slime Rancher and Trails Fusion.  Are you excited for this months line-up? 

Personally, I can’t wait to finally sink countless hours into Bayonetta since I was never able to get my hands on the original or its sequel Bayonetta 2. Check out the video below for more details on when these’ll be available for download.

SDCC 2017: Return To Earth! ‘Rocko’s Modern Life’ Round-Table & Panel Recap!

by The_acz

Late last year when Nick announced they were bringing back Rocko’s Modern Life with the original cast and crew including, fans were excited, but nervous about it. What would it look like in the age of digital and flash animation? Would the humor from the show remain in tact? While we wouldn’t know for sure, this week answered both of those questions with a resounding YES! 

Before the big panel that took place on Thursday July 20th, I was lucky enough to attend a round-table interview with some of the talent before-hand. This included Tom Kenny (Heffer), Mr. Lawrence (Filburt), and Cosmo Segurson the director. Lawrence and Kenny talked about how the past couple of years they didn’t really realize just how popular the internet made Rocko until they started doing small live reunion shows. Lawrence told us that they would constantly sell out the venue they were performing in, and realized that there was a big demand for Rocko to come back. They also commented on how the tone and humor will defintley be in tact. Kenny, Lawrence, and Segurson all said “It just wouldn’t be Rocko without any of those things.” (Let us never forget the Chokey Chicken.)

After that, it was finally time for the panel. All of the main cast and crew were there. Everyone from Joe Murray, the shows creator, to Charlie Adler, Ed and Bev Bighead themselves. This had to be the most adult panel Nick has ever hosted. Not surprising since this is Rocko, but still a bit odd after seeing how squeaky clean & friendly the network has been for about the past decade.  They began the panel by showing off updated character models and backgrounds. Everything was lively, sharp, and animated. They even joked about the fact the Joe wasn’t used to looking at the show in HD. 

They then went on to talk about how hesitant they were to bring the show back. They didn’t just want to bring it back because that’s what’s currently happening in pop culture. They wanted to make sure of 2 things: That 1, they could get the original cast and crew on board, and 2, they’d be able to have creative control over the project since they wanted the characters to e able to say something about modern day culture and technology. They then confirmed that the special will be 100% hand drawn! Not only that, but the same for the backgrounds also as all of them were hand painted. After the crowd erupted into applause, it was time to finally show off a clip of the special in action!

Afterwards they got a bit serious. One of the most important topics brought up was that Really Really Big Man’s nipples will still remain in tact for the special! Phew, that was a close one. The cast also improved Rocko as a phone sex operator again. If you hadn’t put the kids to bed by now, this would be a good time to. Finally, to wrap things up, one of the last questions asked was what surprised Joe the most about working on the special. All he replied was: “The fact that I ended up really enjoying it.” The panel ended on surprisingly emotional level, and was an absolute blast! Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling will release in 2018.

 

 

 

SDCC 2017: Dirk Gently’s Holistic Interview With Arvind Ethan David!

by The_acz

During this week at Comic-Con, I had the opportunity to talk to Arvind Ethan David, executive producer on BBC’s Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency. We touch on points such as the show’s growing popularity, just what the show means to him, and more! Give it a listen!

If you’re interested in watching it, you can catch the first season of Dirk Getly on Hulu right now! Season 2 will premiere later this year. Check out a preview of Season 2 below!

It’s Real! Here’s Your First Look At Ataribox!!

by The_acz

Well, this is a thing now

Teased over a month ago, many debated the validity of Ataribox, something that seemed to come out of nowhere. Why would Atari wait this long to try and re-enter the console market, and why now after Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony already have the market cornered? It also doesn’t help that smaller consoles like the On-Live (Remember that? Probably not) and the Ouya both failed to attract casual console buyers outside of their initial niche audience

Well, whether or not its a good deal, it’s happening. This morning, they officially showed off the first look at what’s supposed to be Atari’s big comeback. To be fair, the console actually looks super nice. It’s small, sleek, and very appealing as the design of it harkens back to the classic wooden paneling on the 2600. The system will have multiple ports including HDMI, 4xUSB, and SD. Finally, the console will be able to play classic Atari games, as well as modern games, but not much more was elaborated. What are your thoughts? Check out the picture below and tell us what you think in the comments!

 

‘Bojack Horseman’ Season 4 Premieres This September!!

by The_acz

While shows like House of Cards and Orange is the New Black continue to be big money makers for Netflix, the company is also starting to grow their other shows as well.

Shows like Stranger Things, and even the newly launched Castlevania have proven to be successful in finding a big audience willing to stick by it. The biggest show out of these is of course Bojack Horseman. The animated adult comedy originally had a rough start, but quickly exploded shortly after the end of Season 1 and the start of Season 2. Now, a little over a year after fans were left hanging in Season 3, Netflix has finally announced a release date for the highly anticipated 4th season. Check out the announcement below and tell us what you think in the comments below!

‘Splatoon 2’:Get Your Game On At The Shoal!

by The_acz

During this mornings Splatoon 2 direct, Nintendo introduced a brand new area for local battles, The Shoal.

Here, you can host or join other local game modes either wirelessly or via LAN. This includes modes that may only be available at certain times like Salmon Run, and more! You’ll also be able to choose any stage you want without having to worry about that pesky rotation. Not only that, but there is also an arcade game stationed outside of the area that will allow you to play Squid Beats 2, A DDR inspired game. It’s nice to see that this is probably taking the place of that ghastly local 2 player mode that was in the original Splatoon, even if there is now way to play local multiplayer on one Switch. Are you excited for this new addition to the game? Tell us in the comments below!

 

SplatNet 2 & Nintendo Switch Online App Are Launching On July 21st For ‘Splatoon 2’!

by The_acz

Here we go. The day we’re all excited and scared for has finally come. During this morning’s Splatoon 2 direct, Nintendo announced that a very limited version of the Nintendo Switch Online app will be available to download the day the game comes out. This app will allow you to access an in-app app called SplatNet 2. This is a sequel to a very basic website created for the original Splatoon, but includes so much more: not only can you check stage rotation, but now you can also check previous turf wars, see team gear, and even order some if you so desire.

The app will also include the much anticipated and dreaded voice chat! While it still doesn’t seem all that convenient (quite the opposite in fact.), it could still pleasantly surprise us. Are you planning on using voice chat? Tell us in the comments below!

‘Splatoon 2’ Splatfest World Premiere Demo Launches Next Week!

by The_acz

The Splatoon 2 direct just finished up this morning, and with that, a cavalcade of surprising and fun announcements. One of these announcements was from a new pair of hosts, Pearl and Marina, who revealed that there will be an inaugural Splatfest to commemorate Splatoon 2, one week before launch! The Theme? Which is better? Cake or Ice Cream? The demo will take place one week from launch on July 15th 2017 from 3PM-7PM PST. Well, what are you waiting for? Choose a side and let the smack talking commence!

 

Pony Up With The First Official MLP Movie Trailer!!

by The_acz

This afternoon, Hasbro and Lionsgate finally released the first official trailer for My Little Pony: The Movie.  The film seems to have a mixture of 2D animation, but also seems to use CGI for the backgrounds and some other objects. While a bit odd at first, the film does visually look nice. Check out the trailer for yourself and make your own judgement. My Little Pony: The Movie releases on October 6th.

Xbox Games With Gold Grows Up For July!

by The_acz

After about a week delay because of E3, Microsoft has finally announced the games for July’s Games With Gold. For the month, Xbox One owners will be able to play Ubisofts popular physics based game Grow Up and previously Nintendo and PC exclusive Runbow. 360 and One owners will also be able to get their hands on Kane and Lynch 2: Dog Days and LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean. Check out the trailer below for more info on what dates the games will become available! Any of these games interest you for this month? What do you want to see for a future month? Tell us in the comments below!

 

Nintendogeddon Lives! SNES Classic Announced With Star Fox 2!!

by The_acz

No, you’re not dreaming – it’s happening all over again.

Nintendo unexpectedly announced that they will be releasing the SNES Classic Edition, fully loaded with 21 games! The mini console will launch September 29th, for $79.99, and will include my personal favorite, Star Fox 2!

Now, Star Fox 2 does need to be unlocked by beating the first level of Star Fox 1, but aside from that, all games will be playable out of the box. Even for $80 this is an insanely good value as games like Earthbound, and Super Mario RPG come with the system. Hopefully SNES Classic can support future add ons, because having an SNES without all 3 Donkey Kong Country games feels . . . dirty. Nonetheless I’m really excited for this console (re?) release! What’s your favorite game out of the 21? Tell us in the comments below!

 

Geekscape Games Review: ‘Mighty Gunvolt Burst’ Review: Mightier Than ‘Mighty Number 9’

by The_acz

Reviewed On: Nintendo Switch
Also Available For: Nintendo 3DS

Review Copy Provided by Publisher

MSRP: $9.99 

It’s hard to believe that it’s been about a year since the disaster that was Mighty Number 9.

From constant mismanagement of the project, to not being direct or open enough with their backers, this once anticipated revival of a dead series quickly faded back into obscurity. Developer Inti Creates however was a shining light. Released as a small $5 budget title, Mighty Gunvolt was  short and easy, but also fun that most fans were expecting out of Mighty Number 9. Now flash forward to a year later and Inti Creates has made a longer and much more polished follow up to the game, that in my opinion is what the original MN9 should have been to begin with.

Mighty Gunvolt Burst features 2 playable characters, Beck and Gunvolt. While you go through the same stages in with both characters, both characters play extremely differently. Beck is as you remember him from MN9. His controls are tight and precise. His movements have a nice pace and he can stop on a dime. Just like Megaman, whenever you don’t make a jump or overshoot something, it’s always on you and not the game. Beck also has a wide variety of weapons at his disposal, and this is where the game gets interesting.

 

The gimmick for Beck’s story is the ability to freely customize your own weapons. You can change everything from number of bullets fired, rate of fire, bullet size, and much more. It can become super addicting trying out dozens of different combinations. One of the best parts is that you can actually change and customize your weapons during a stage! This opens the door for a lot of experimenting and trial and error. There have been times when I’ve been stuck in a boss battle and I’ll spend 10-15 minutes trying to create a new weapon to defeat them.

Gunvolt is the second character, and as previously stated, his gameplay is completely different and focused on other things. Gunvolt primarily takes use of another new feature in the game called the Burst mechanic. You earn a burst when you defeat an enemy up close. The more you keep a burst combo going, the stronger Gunvolt’s secondary weapon will be! It’s really fun getting a 15 burst combo going and then debating whether or not you want to risk one more encounter to get it higher. Both characters are different enough that even going through the same levels feel different and refreshing.

If I had any gripes on this game it’d probably be that the boss battles are pretty imbalanced. Some of them feel a bit too long. It just sometimes feels like your barely scratching a dent in them and it can be a bit annoying. On the other hand some stages and bosses can feel a bit too short and easy as you just blaze through a level or 2 in a row. Other than that, the game is structurally sound.

Overall, Mighty Gunvolt Burst is what Mighty Number 9 should have been. The game features a much stronger emphasis on trial and error gameplay than story. Couple that with some fun and addicting gameplay mechanics like burst and custom weapons, and this game is easily worth the $10 asking price. If you’ve been itching for a fun successor to Mega Man after feeling high and dry by Beck’s previous outing, this game is much mightier than the last.

Final Verdict: ★★★★

E3 2017: Love & Respect With Easy Allies’s Ben Moore!

by The_acz

Last week at E3 I had the pleasure of talking to Ben Moore from Easy Allies. The former GT employee and I talked about many things including how he got his start in the industry, what it’s like to be the youngest of all the allies, and more! Check out the interview below, and also check out easyallies.com right here! 

E3 2017: Talking ‘Resident Evil Vendetta’ & More With Hiroyuki Kobayashi!

by The_acz

This past week at E3, I had the pleasure of talking with Capcom’s Hiroyuki Kobayashi, Producer of Resident Evil 4, 6, and the animated CG films including the upcoming Resident Evil Vendetta. We talk about the differences between making a Resident Evil film versus the games, and what those differences mean for creators.

Geekscape: So, the Resident Evil animated movies have been a little different from the games. What made you guys choose to tell these stories in film instead of a video game format?

Kobayashi: In the video games, the focus is more on playing the games, so you can’t easily develop deeper characters or deeper stories, but in the movie, we’re very happy to be able to show more of the backstory of the three main characters, and the drama among these people.

Geekscape: Which part of the movies has been your favorite part to develop? You talked about being able to develop the characters further, what has been your favorite part?

Kobayashi: For me, I really wanted the movie to be able to tell a story without knowing the background stories of any of the characters, and I think we succeeded in that, and I’m fond of that. We really wanted a good balance of horror and action, and I feel we succeeded on that too.

 

Geekscape: Exactly where in the Resident Evil timeline does this take place? Is this in between any of the games or does it have its own separate continuity?

Kobayashi: So, this one takes place right after the game Resident Evil 6.

Geekscape: How has it been, making the movie under Sony? Have they been supportive of your ideas and the crew?

Kobayashi: So, this is the third movie that we made with Sony Studios, and we always have a good time making the films; every film has a new story and characters, with different people taking the place of the main characters, and we really enjoy working with each other.

Geekscape: Resident Evil’s  4, 5, and 6 were sort of a middle trilogy before 7 and starting something new. What was your favorite title of that trilogy to develop?

Kobayashi: I, myself, only produced 4 and 6. 4 was kind of challenging because we did a total remodeling of the game. So for me, 4 has more of my thoughts behind it, so it’s more more memorable.

Geekscape: Resident Evil 6 was 5 years ago, do you look back at the game and think you would change anything, or are you happy with what the story ended up as?

Kobayashi: I feel I did the best I could do with 6. I feel the four characters had good, human drama between them.

Geekscape: So, you said that in these animated movies, you enjoy fleshing out the characters and developing them more. Who was your favorite character to expand upon for this movie?

Kobayashi: My favorite character is Leon. The motorcycle scene and the battle scene on top of the building were among my favorite scenes. There is a scene that takes place in a lodge where Rebecca, Chris, and Leon are conversing and those kinds of interactions are those that you can’t do easily in the games, so I’m really happy to show this part of the world.

Geekscape: And the film is getting a limited theatrical release on June 9th, isn’t it? Are you excited to have the film in theaters?

Kobayashi: I didn’t expect it to be released theatrically, so I’m really happy to have heard that news, and I’m very excited about it.

Geekscape: You were also the producer for some of the Devil May Cry games. Is there any chance of seeing the series come back sometime soon? Will Dante return?

Kobayashi: I can’t comment on that, but if you want to see Dante, he’s over at the Marvel vs. Capcom booth right there!

And there you have it! It was a pleasure being able to sit down with Mr. Kobayashi and talk about these films. Resident Evil: Vendetta in select theaters June 19, on Digital June 20 and 4K, Blu-ray and DVD July 18.

 

 

 

E3 2017: Blast Processing Through ‘Sonic Mania’!

by The_acz

After a delay or 2, Sega’s highly anticipated Sonic Mania will finally be releasing on August 15th, 2017.

Developed by a highly respected Sonic fan game community member Christian Whitehead, the game is a celebration of everything Classic Sonic. This week at E3 I got the chance to play the game and can easily say that this game has shot up my most anticipated list for 2017. Not only is this a great tribute and celebration to Classic Sonic, but just Sonic as a character in general. Let’s quit stalling and get into it!

The demo allows you to choose any of the 3 characters in the game: Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles. You also get the choice between Green Hill Zone Act 2 and the new Mirage Saloon Zone Act 2. I was able to try out both levels and loved both of them! The characters feel exactly how they felt in Sonic 3 + Knuckles. It’s as if they were ripped right out of the classic genesis games and placed directly into this new iteration. Of course the sprite work and animation for the characters look better than ever!

 

Mirage Saloon is the new zone in the demo and is really fun. You’ll be racing through sand loops that disintegrate when you run over them, jumping off swivel chairs in bar that propel you across the screen, and get shot out of a gun at high speed. There’s tons of alternate routes to take, and there are even some references cameos that are sprinkled throughout the level that reference some forgotten Sonic characters (see image above). Green Hill Zone 2 is also a great stage.

You don’t expect much since by now people have played through Green Hill Zone, but the difference here is that the layout is completely different! This is not the same Green Hill Zone from the Original Sonic. It’s completely different  and feels great to re-experience an old zone with new life.  even the music is different. The theme has a bit more synthetic/techno feel to it now and sounds wonderful still. The zone ends with a boss fight against Dr. Eggman in the Death Egg Robot. All you need to do is hit the top of the robot a couple of times, but it’s not exactly a walk in the park. Not only do you need to hit the top of his head, but you only have limited space to run away. Once you reach the ledge, you better hope you have one hit left because you might die the first couple of times trying to take him down.

At the end of the day, I can’t recommend Sonic Mania enough. This is the Sonic game that fans were hoping they’d get when Sonic 4 was originally announced. Everything from the physics, to the speed, and the sprites just feel right. both Modern and classic fans will find a good challenge with this game. Hopefully the game does well enough that maybe we can get a sequel? Only time will tell.

E3 2017: ‘Crash Bandicoot N Sane Trilogy’ Looks Beautiful, But Feels Off

by The_acz

Last year people were jumping for joy when Sony announced that they’d be remastering the first 3 Crash Bandicoot games for an HD trilogy collection back at E3 2016.

Flash forward a year to E3 2017 and there are only 2 weeks left until the game game CRASHES (pun very intended) onto store shelves. People have also gotten the chance to play numerous demos which have left a lot of people. . . . . . mixed. I myself recently got the chance to sit down and try the game, and what did I think? Ehhhhhh.

My play time was spent on Crash 3: Wrapped since it’s my favorite out of the trilogy. I played Orient Express and Midnight Run, The Coco tiger levels where you play on the great wall of china. The first thing I have to say is that I absolutely love the graphics. Everything is colorful, vibrant, and has some sort of energy to it. Even Coco herself is more expressive as she has more facial animations, and even victory poses just like Crash.

So both the music and graphics are ace, but sadly the most disappointing part of N. Sane is the fact that the gameplay feels. . . . . off. I’ll be the first to admit that while I love Crash 2 & 3, the first one is a tad dated and doesn’t feel nearly as good to play as 2 and 3. With this trilogy, it feels a bit like they took the physics from the first game and just transferred them to the other titles without realizing that they had a much faster and different physics than the original. As a result, the levels end up feeling slower and the characters end up feeling a bit heavier than what they originally were.

The controls also feel slightly delayed. Many times when I tried to move out of the way of an oncoming barrel it felt like Coco was moving a second or 2 after I actually moved her. Same thing happened when I tried jumping over dragon or a piece of broken road. This threw me off a good number of times, and even caused me a game over with at least 6 lives. Obviously I don’t want to say the devs didn’t care about what they were making because I’ve seen many interviews and can tell that they’re very passionate about this project, and that they want Crash to have a future.

The ability to play as Coco fully in the previous 2 games (bosses excluded) is a really cool addition and shows how much they care about making this a great package, but at the same time, it’s very important for those games to still feel like those games. Perhaps they’re still working on the game right up to its release and are still trying to nail down the physics, but in the end, the game was a bit disappointing to me. That’s not to say I don’t want it to succeed though. If you’re not bothered by how the gameplay in Crash 1 feels, you should be fine and will love this collection. I still wish the best for this game and hope it sells well so we can see Crash return with a brand new game, but for me, I’ll stick to the originals.

E3 2017: Exploring New Donk City In ‘Super Mario Odyssey’!

by The_acz

Earlier this week marked the first public playable appearance of Super Mario Odyssey, and boy, did the 7th layer of hell open.

If you weren’t there by 6 AM waiting for the West Hall doors to open, chances are you weren’t going to be able to play the game that day or at all! Luckily, I braved the morning craziness and can successfully report back on what I played and what I though about it. So pick up a chair and listen to the magic that is the Super Mario Odyssey E3 2017 demo.

The demo contains the choice of two worlds that you can choose: The Metro Kingdom also known as New Donk City, and The Sand Kingdom. I’ll be covering what happens in the New Donk City demo. The big sell of Odyssey is that the game is a return to it’s 3D open world roots ala Super Mario 64 & Super Mario Sunshine. While New Donk City may looks small in the trailers, it’s a pretty big place once you’re dropped in and playing the game itself. This opens up with Mario and Cappy on a building being instructed to meet up with Mayor Pauline (YES! That Pauline.). Now usually the objective of the demo is to meet up with Pauline and help her assemble a music band for a performance at night, but you can easily ignore it to explore the city, and here’s when things get fun.

Instead of doing the preferred mission, I decided to take advantage of my 10 minutes by aimlessly wandering around New Donk City trying to find as many secrets and other moons as I could. I gained one of them by throwing my hat onto a random civilian playing with an RC car (which was briefly shown in the trailer). The RC car did not control well, and as a result ended up being more frustrating than fun, but that’s something that can easily be fixed before the game launches. As for other secrets, I found plenty of other moons by just walking into a random alleyway and finding a small house which had a slot machine I could gamble on for coins, hearts, and moons. It was so bizarre, and yet amazing to find. I was also able to posses many other things during my demo such as a pair of binoculars, a ball of lightning, and more! All controlled well and felt great to use

In the end, Super Mario Odyssey is an amazing game with a massive amount of potential. While Zelda: Breath of the Wild may still be getting a lot of love and GOTY nominations, there’s no doubt in my mind that Mario is about to give Link a run for his Rupees this October. I personally can’t wait for more reveals about this game, but to be honest, I may just go media blackout on this game from now until release. Seeing as how much this demo has gotten me excited to play the full version, that may be all I need right now.

The Teaser Trailer For ‘Black Panther’ Is Finally Here!

by The_acz

After 25 years of trying to get made, Black Panther has finally gotten its long awaited teaser trailer. The teaser features some beautiful shots of Wakanda, as well as some nice shots of T’Challa, the Black Panther (played by Chadwick Boseman).

Ever since his role in Civil War, people have been anxious for the character to finally get his own solo film. Or will it? Slight Spoilers from Civil War if you haven’t watched it. We all know that Steve Rogers and Bucky are hiding out in Wakanda, so it’s very likely, if not certain, that they’ll appear in the movie.

Marvel definitely isn’t pulling any punches with the cast. The trailer starts with Everett K. Ross (played by Martin Freeman with an American accent!?) questioning a chained man, who tells him about the hidden country of Wakanda. The Black Panther (Boseman), and his trusted warrior Zuri (Whitaker), are up against a host of villains Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan), and Okoye (Danai Gurira).

As if the glamor shots of Wakanda weren’t enough, the snippets of fight scenes show that this is definitely going to be action packed, while still giving some insight into the secretive culture of Wakanda.

The Black Panther is scheduled to debut on February 16,2018, which in our opinion, can’t come soon enough.

What did you think about the trailer? Have a look and let us know in the comments below!

Geekscape Games Preview: ‘ARMS’ Global Testpunch

by The_acz

Last week, Nintendo held their last free play sessions for their upcoming fighting game ARMS. This multiplayer demo was only available the last 2 weekends and only for 1 hour sessions. Seeing as how we’re only one week away from the game’s release, I thought it’d be fun to drum up some hype by talking about my experience with the game during these last 2 weekends. So without further delay, let’s get up in ARMS! (I apologize for nothing.)

The ARMS Global Testpunch features 8 out of the 10 playable characters, 4 stages , and 5 game modes, one of them being a secret mode that rarely pops up.  My most played characters ended up being Mechanica, The D.Va of the game, and Ribbon Girl, the underrated pop singer. For the Testpunch, I played strictly using the motion control setup, and experienced no problems at all. I’ve noticed a lot of people recommend the Pro Controller and the Joycon grip for an easier and viable use, but if you’re a fan of motion controls, you shouldn’t have a problem. My favorite part during play would have to be the replay system, as you get to watch as the final blow is delivered to you or your opponent.

The only accessible mode here is the Online Mode, but as stated earlier, this included 5 different game modes for players to test and get a proper feeling for. The most common mode is obviously versus, where you can take on anyone from a 1v1, 2v2, or an all out 3-4 player battle royale. 1 on 1 battles are usually easy to track, but it can get very hectic once team battles and free for all modes get into the mix, especially since you can actually injure your partner if you’re not careful. It feels very rewarding when you only have but a sliver of health left, and take the game from behind with a well timed grab.

The other modes appear alongside the regular versus mode, and vary. First, there’s V-ball, a mode where you play. . . well, volleyball. The mode itself has potential to be really fun, but a short timer and score cap make this experience a bit too fast, and in the end, it ends up not being as great as it could be. Maybe if you could extend the timer and amount of points in the full version you could get some fun out of it.

The next mode is Skillshot, where you and an opponent duke it out to see who can break the most targets before time runs out. This mode is actually really fun, as not only is it a race to beat your opponent to the targets, but because you’re encouraged to play dirty and grab and flip your opponent for extra points.

Finally, we have Hoops which has you and your rival trying to see who can score the most points in a game of basketball. The catch? YOU’RE the one being dunked! This mode is tons of fun, and feels super satisfying when you get a dunk on someone, especially from a 3 point line. There is one more mode, but sadly I did not encounter it, so I can’t give my thoughts on it.

In the end, I had a great time with the ARMS Global Testpunch, and wish the best for the game. It’s always great when Nintendo can deliver a fresh new take on a genre without having to resort to their go to I.Ps. Can this game become the next Splatoon? I hope so, only time will tell, but with the added additions of free content updates in the form of characters, stages, arms, and even modes, the future of this game seems just as bright. What did you think of the game? Tell us in the comments below! ARMS releases for the Nintendo Switch on June 16th.

 

 

Universal Japan Gets A Teaser Trailer For Super Nintendo World!

by The_acz

Today in the magical land of Japan, Universal Studios Japan had their (literal) groundbreaking event for Super Nintendo World. On top of finally getting a confirmation that there will be an actual Mario Kart ride heading to the land, we were also teased with a short little concept trailer of the land itself. The video shows Mario entering to the world through a pipe, while they tease being able to visit both Peach and Bowser’s castles. The land is still a far ways off as it’s not scheduled to open until 2020, but hey, it’s fun to think about what this could hold in the future. Check out the trailer below and get ready to buy a one way ticket to Osaka!

 

Pokemon Direct Tomorrow!!

by The_acz

After many months of rumor, and speculation, Pokemon is finally having what seems to have become their yearly pre E3 Pokemon Direct. The direct will take place tomorrow morning, June 6th 2017 at 7AM PST (10AM EST) and be an 8 minute long presentation. Odds are that the reveal will be the highly anticipated and rumored Pokemon Stars. Will it be a simple port of Pokemon Sun/Moon, or will it be its own thing? The only thing we can do right now is speculate until tomorrow morning. Got a guess to what it is? Tell us in the comments below!

Nintendo Switch Online Update: Free Multiplayer through 2018, Delayed Voice Chat, & More!

by The_acz

When first announced earlier this year, many people were very skeptical of Nintendo’s online payed service arriving in the Fall of 2017 for Nintendo Switch. Many issues arose such as problems with using Voice Chat through a phone app (an absolute horrible idea.), how pricing for the payed service will work, problems with free monthly VC downloads, and more. Now, Nintendo has just delivered us an update to address some of these concerns.

First things first, Voice chat & the monthly subscriber games have been delayed 2018. While this at first may seem to be bad news, it could actually very much benefit Nintendo is some great ways. This could possibly mean that Nintendo realized how terrible of an idea using voice chat through a phone app actually is, and might be working on ways to change it. While this does sound hard to believe, Nintendo does seem open to change.

The best news out of this has to be the change of how Nintendo will handle free Virtual Console games to subscribers. Originally, the service was going to be one pitiful NES or SNES game only playable for that month, but now the newer service is much more interesting and awesome. Now instead of only 1 VC game a month, you will gain access to a netflix style service called Classic Game Selection. This will feature a number of NES/SNES titles to choose from including Super Mario Bros. 3, Balloon Fight, Dr. Mario, and more that will be available for selection. Not only that, but some of these games will now also include  online play.

The service will also still include regular E-shop discounts much like how PSN and XBL have weekly subscriber discounts. Also as one last gesture of good will, Nintendo has decided to extend the free online multiplayer trial for all Switch users into 2018 until the online service is ready to go. Last, but not least, the service will only cost $20 a year, which is the lowest price for an online subscription as compared to XBLG & PSN. What are your thoughts on the service overhaul? Tell us in the comments below!