Although Western support for the PlayStation Vita is at an all time low, the system's popularity in Japan has resulted in a steady stream of JRPGs and anime style games. This includes Bandai Namco's effort; an entry in their long running Tales franchise, and a re–imagination (that’s what the ‘R’ stands for I think) of their 2008 Nintendo DS game; Tales of Hearts.
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One of the reasons the Wipeout anthology is so enduring is that it’s very difficult to summarise it with a single definitive title. From the original trilogy made in conjunction with The Designer’s Republic, to the PSP titles and their HD remaster, there’s plenty of room for picking a favourite. But in the history of the series, there's a certain type of Wipeout experience that Pulse delivers in its definitive form.
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In many ways the karting genre has been forever doomed. That is to say, outside of the original Mario Kart series. No other game has ever managed to step out of the shadow cast by the title that established it, or the sequels that propelled it forward. This in itself is quite odd; no one would call Bioshock a Wolfenstein 3D clone, or dismiss Forza as nothing more than a glamorous version of Pole Position. But most genres have evolved and outperformed the titles that originally defined them, and these originals have ceased to be the influential names they once were. Kart racing is different. Mario is still on top, and like every other karting game ever made, the challenge Walt Disney World Quest: Magical Racing Tour faces is to define itself as something more than a slightly worse version of Mario Kart.
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Last time we began our journey towards the ultimate retro game picture, and this meant talking about cables. If you’ve landed here wondering how to make your old consoles look great then I’d recommend checking this article out first, as today I’ll be building on everything previously covered. That means I’ll be talking PVMs, CRTs, RGB SCART adapters and more.
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In twenty two years the Mario Kart series has changed surprisingly little. Sure, the 2014 entry carries with it the performance boost you'd expect from a console significantly more powerful than the Super Nintendo, but the structure is predictable and the mechanics are familiar. Yet Nintendo has innovated around the game's core, and this along with the companies 'better late than never' approach to DLC helps deliver an experience that doesn't reinvent the franchise, but does succeed in defining its best modern entry yet.
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Back in September last year I imported an NTSC-J Xbox 360 and began my mission to acquire all the weird and wonderful CAVE games that never made it outside of Japan. Unfortunately the large cost of both the console and the rare import shmups meant that in order to prevent financial ruin I had to put my quest on a temporary hold. But although it took longer than expected I think I've finally got them all, and today I'll run through everything new in the collection since last time .
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When the first series of Tokyo Ghoul ended it did so without resolution. Now we have √A (Root A), the follow up that continues the arc which was paused so abruptly, but isn’t quite the sequel you’d expect. In contrast to original we have an experimental series that changes focus, recharacterises its protagonist, and expands in an unexpected way.
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Everyone’s a beginner at first right? Evidently From Software disagrees, and particularly if you’re not familiar with their previous Dark Souls games then Bloodborne has a bit of a learning curve. If you’ve found yourself stuck only half an hour into the game that's cool - I did too. Here are the five things I wish I’d known, and these beginner tips should help counterbalance a few of the game’s challenging design choices.
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With Ciel and Sebastian’s adventures at the circus officially over, Black Butler powers on into its next arc; the Phantomhive Manor Murders - and yes, that’s as exciting as it sounds. This time around the genre is mystery, and in its two hour run time Book of Murder fuses together some classic tropes from the detective literature of the period with its own twisted humour and over the top antics.
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It’s been ten months since Persona 3: The Movie #1 Spring of Birth ; a great film that left me wanting more. Having covered only the first portion of the game, Midsummer Knight’s Dream begins right at the point things pick up, and progresses the story with the addition of several new characters. This does however come at a cost, and several members of the main cast have marginalised roles as a result. In spite of this, Persona 3 The Movie #2 mostly succeeds at fighting the difficult battle of translating its source material into the most compelling film possible.
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