It is a pretty fun game. In fact, a lot of players have more fun going in there and messing around than they do actually playing through the story! There's lots of different reactions people can have to Huff's various crimes and actions. Also, the game does have a decent amount of fans, just not nearly as many as the OTL Arkham games do.
Battle Royale: The Last Generation Of An SNES-CD Saga
- Thread starter RySenkari
- Start date
It is a pretty fun game. In fact, a lot of players have more fun going in there and messing around than they do actually playing through the story! There's lots of different reactions people can have to Huff's various crimes and actions. Also, the game does have a decent amount of fans, just not nearly as many as the OTL Arkham games do.
Yeah my bad, with the description of the gameplay and it being a comic book inspired open world. I kind of just scanned the reception but apparently missed the key words lol. But I would most likely be an outspoken fan ITTL. Similarly to my OTL reaction to Frank Miller's film The Spirit.
Summer 2013 (Part 6) - Electronic Arts Goes To School
Encounter: Station Omega
Encounter: Station Omega is a sci-fi FPS and the fifth game in the Encounter series. It's a complete reboot of the series, taking place in an entirely different continuity and having nothing to do with the characters and events of the original four games, though it keeps most of the gameplay mechanics and series themes from its predecessors as it reshapes the series for a new generation of consoles. The game takes place in the distant future, when humanity has expanded beyond Earth and has begun exploring the stars, establishing colonies on other worlds and space stations floating between them. However, humanity's exploration has bought it into contact with a species of aliens known as the Durgan, and a group of colonists are forced to venture outward to warn the rest of humanity as a massive war begins. Because Station Omega takes place in the future, players only use futuristic weapons in this game, such as hyper-powered automatic rifles and laser guns, with none of the old weaponry that featured heavily in other games in the series. The HUD is also sleeker and more futuristic as well, giving the game a very modern and slick presentation that stands in contrast to previous games. However, the basic themes of humanity battling overwhelming alien forces is still intact, and there's plenty of cinematic moments in which the relationships that humans have forged with one another are developed and emphasized, giving the game a more down to earth feel than most FPS titles despite the futuristic setting. Most weaponry in this game is acquired by killing Durgan, but it's possible to be given a weapon by another human, or for your weapons to be patched up or even upgraded by human allies met along the way. You might even be allowed to borrow a weapon, only for its owner to ask for it back later on. You can choose whether or not to give the weapon back (though sometimes if you don't, its owner may try to take it back). If you give the weapon back, the owner may be able to help you out in a firefight, either right then or later on, contributing further to the game's "human factor". The game's graphics are fairly good, with the Reality version appearing slightly better than the Virtua version, which appears slightly better than the Nexus version, and each game takes advantage of that system's "gimmick", with the Reality version allowing players to use VR, the Virtua version taking advantage of the motion controls, and the Nexus version utilizing the game's second screen. The game features a voice cast of Los Angeles area voiceover pros and minor celebrities, with Zachary Levi voicing the game's protagonist, a colonist named Lance Haines, and Kimberly Brooks voicing Erika, Lance's wife.
The game is divided primarily into three main parts. The game's first 25 percent takes place primarily on the colony, where Lance, Erika, and their two children (a 17-year-old daughter named Nora and a 13-year-old son named Tad) are living a fairly normal life on a colony a few lightyears from Earth, sometime hundreds of years into the future. Though it's a somewhat hard life on the colony, their technology is still far more advanced than 21st century Earth's, and it's still a fairly comfortable life, until one day, a massive Durgan assault forces Lance and his family to flee. Nora is separated from them but they have no choice but to fight their way off the colony and make their way to Earth Station Omega, a massive floating colony floating on the edge of the Solar System that serves as humanity's gateway to the stars and Earth's last line of defense against extrasolar alien invasion. Lance and his family make it to Space Station Omega, and even learn that Nora has made it on board, though they're not able to reunite with her before the Durgan launch an attack on the space station. Initially, Lance's only goal is to escape with his family, though Nora has joined a group of colonists who are defending the station. Lance manages to get Erika and Tad to safety and goes to find Nora, who is doing decently well fighting off the Durgan with a group of soldiers, including a young man she seems to be smitten with. Lance joins the fight to repel the Durgan and save the colony. Tragically, Nora's new beau is killed in a fight with the Durgan, but Lance is able to keep Nora from being killed as well, and the two make their way to evacuate the station after it becomes clear that the Durgan will take over. The Durgan intend to crash the station into Earth, causing a massive cataclysm and opening the way for the invasion. Lance gets Nora to safety and manages to hold off the Durgan long enough to keep the station from being crashed into Earth at full speed. Instead, it's crashed into Earth at only a mildly damaging speed, causing the destruction of the station but only relatively minor damage to Earth. Lance makes it off the destroyed station and is able to warn the Earth military leaders about the Durgan invasion. The last 25 percent of the game sees humanity defending itself against the Durgan. Lance takes up the fight, aided by Erika and Nora. Tad joins up with a girl that he likes to try and infiltrate a Durgan lander, but gets himself captured, while the girl manages to escape and warn Lance that humans are being experimented on. Lance and some soldiers board the main Durgan mothership and save Tad and some other human hostages, then take out the Durgan leader, halting the invasion. The game's ending sees Lance and his family living on Earth, waiting for their colony to be rebuilt, while off in the stars, a Durgan soldier notifies an unseen figure that humans are stronger than they anticipated, and that they'll have to try new tactics if they hope to conquer Earth.
Encounter: Station Omega is praised by critics as being a good FPS title with a nice progression of challenges and story in its single player mode, while also having a decent multiplayer mode with a good selection of weapons and stages. It isn't the groundbreaking game that the original Encounter was, but it is a nice new start for the series, even if this new storyline retreads some of the old ground in the original games. It's just a good, solid FPS, streamlining the convoluted story of the last couple games in the series while providing new gameplay challenges and mechanics. Initial sales are also strong, though the game would be overshadowed in its release month by games like Destined 2, while also not selling enough on any particular console to crack the top 5 (though if all game sales are lumped together across console versions, it's the second best selling new game of the month). The series is still a profitable and successful one for EA, which keeps the studio who produced the game going and asks them to produce two more games in the series. However, its lack of uniqueness compared to its predecessors does lead some to wonder if Electronic Arts and its various development studios have run out of ideas. The company is searching for new developers, and rather than acquiring a studio or two, it decides instead to start its own, with a talent pool recruited from some of the most promising young minds in the industry...
-
EA To Launch Game Development College
Electronic Arts has announced that it's begun accepting applications for a video game college it's set up in San Francisco, in order to teach the basics of game development to a new generation of prospective game designers. Called the Electronic Arts Gaming Academy, the college will offer a wide variety of courses designed for anyone looking to get into the industry. While programming and coding courses will be offered, the college will also take applicants for classes in art design and writing for video games, and claims that "no prior programming knowledge is required" for entry into certain courses. Starting a college is unusual step for a game company to take, and though companies have had affiliations with colleges in the past (Nintendo, for example, promoted and assisted with courses at Full Sail University during the 1990s and 2000s), no company has taken it upon itself to launch a college on its own. EA's unique move comes at a time when companies like Apple and Google are recruiting and developing young talent with lucrative results, and may be taking inspiration from their example, as it plans to bring university graduates directly into game development positions at the company (and sometimes even undergraduates, allowing them to gain course credit by contributing to the company's games). Though the academy's focus is on developing its students for positions with the company, Electronic Arts has stated that "students aren't bound to any one career track", and that they fully expect that many graduates will go on to work at other game development companies or even start their own indie companies. Electronic Arts has stated that there will be housing on site for its students and that tuition will be competitive with other colleges of similar size, with the opportunity for scholarships and paid internships to help alleviate tuition costs. Courses will begin in the fall semester of 2014, and the company says that players should expect to start seeing games developed by students at the college "before the end of the decade".
-from an article on Kotaku, posted on September 12, 2013
Encounter: Station Omega is a sci-fi FPS and the fifth game in the Encounter series. It's a complete reboot of the series, taking place in an entirely different continuity and having nothing to do with the characters and events of the original four games, though it keeps most of the gameplay mechanics and series themes from its predecessors as it reshapes the series for a new generation of consoles. The game takes place in the distant future, when humanity has expanded beyond Earth and has begun exploring the stars, establishing colonies on other worlds and space stations floating between them. However, humanity's exploration has bought it into contact with a species of aliens known as the Durgan, and a group of colonists are forced to venture outward to warn the rest of humanity as a massive war begins. Because Station Omega takes place in the future, players only use futuristic weapons in this game, such as hyper-powered automatic rifles and laser guns, with none of the old weaponry that featured heavily in other games in the series. The HUD is also sleeker and more futuristic as well, giving the game a very modern and slick presentation that stands in contrast to previous games. However, the basic themes of humanity battling overwhelming alien forces is still intact, and there's plenty of cinematic moments in which the relationships that humans have forged with one another are developed and emphasized, giving the game a more down to earth feel than most FPS titles despite the futuristic setting. Most weaponry in this game is acquired by killing Durgan, but it's possible to be given a weapon by another human, or for your weapons to be patched up or even upgraded by human allies met along the way. You might even be allowed to borrow a weapon, only for its owner to ask for it back later on. You can choose whether or not to give the weapon back (though sometimes if you don't, its owner may try to take it back). If you give the weapon back, the owner may be able to help you out in a firefight, either right then or later on, contributing further to the game's "human factor". The game's graphics are fairly good, with the Reality version appearing slightly better than the Virtua version, which appears slightly better than the Nexus version, and each game takes advantage of that system's "gimmick", with the Reality version allowing players to use VR, the Virtua version taking advantage of the motion controls, and the Nexus version utilizing the game's second screen. The game features a voice cast of Los Angeles area voiceover pros and minor celebrities, with Zachary Levi voicing the game's protagonist, a colonist named Lance Haines, and Kimberly Brooks voicing Erika, Lance's wife.
The game is divided primarily into three main parts. The game's first 25 percent takes place primarily on the colony, where Lance, Erika, and their two children (a 17-year-old daughter named Nora and a 13-year-old son named Tad) are living a fairly normal life on a colony a few lightyears from Earth, sometime hundreds of years into the future. Though it's a somewhat hard life on the colony, their technology is still far more advanced than 21st century Earth's, and it's still a fairly comfortable life, until one day, a massive Durgan assault forces Lance and his family to flee. Nora is separated from them but they have no choice but to fight their way off the colony and make their way to Earth Station Omega, a massive floating colony floating on the edge of the Solar System that serves as humanity's gateway to the stars and Earth's last line of defense against extrasolar alien invasion. Lance and his family make it to Space Station Omega, and even learn that Nora has made it on board, though they're not able to reunite with her before the Durgan launch an attack on the space station. Initially, Lance's only goal is to escape with his family, though Nora has joined a group of colonists who are defending the station. Lance manages to get Erika and Tad to safety and goes to find Nora, who is doing decently well fighting off the Durgan with a group of soldiers, including a young man she seems to be smitten with. Lance joins the fight to repel the Durgan and save the colony. Tragically, Nora's new beau is killed in a fight with the Durgan, but Lance is able to keep Nora from being killed as well, and the two make their way to evacuate the station after it becomes clear that the Durgan will take over. The Durgan intend to crash the station into Earth, causing a massive cataclysm and opening the way for the invasion. Lance gets Nora to safety and manages to hold off the Durgan long enough to keep the station from being crashed into Earth at full speed. Instead, it's crashed into Earth at only a mildly damaging speed, causing the destruction of the station but only relatively minor damage to Earth. Lance makes it off the destroyed station and is able to warn the Earth military leaders about the Durgan invasion. The last 25 percent of the game sees humanity defending itself against the Durgan. Lance takes up the fight, aided by Erika and Nora. Tad joins up with a girl that he likes to try and infiltrate a Durgan lander, but gets himself captured, while the girl manages to escape and warn Lance that humans are being experimented on. Lance and some soldiers board the main Durgan mothership and save Tad and some other human hostages, then take out the Durgan leader, halting the invasion. The game's ending sees Lance and his family living on Earth, waiting for their colony to be rebuilt, while off in the stars, a Durgan soldier notifies an unseen figure that humans are stronger than they anticipated, and that they'll have to try new tactics if they hope to conquer Earth.
Encounter: Station Omega is praised by critics as being a good FPS title with a nice progression of challenges and story in its single player mode, while also having a decent multiplayer mode with a good selection of weapons and stages. It isn't the groundbreaking game that the original Encounter was, but it is a nice new start for the series, even if this new storyline retreads some of the old ground in the original games. It's just a good, solid FPS, streamlining the convoluted story of the last couple games in the series while providing new gameplay challenges and mechanics. Initial sales are also strong, though the game would be overshadowed in its release month by games like Destined 2, while also not selling enough on any particular console to crack the top 5 (though if all game sales are lumped together across console versions, it's the second best selling new game of the month). The series is still a profitable and successful one for EA, which keeps the studio who produced the game going and asks them to produce two more games in the series. However, its lack of uniqueness compared to its predecessors does lead some to wonder if Electronic Arts and its various development studios have run out of ideas. The company is searching for new developers, and rather than acquiring a studio or two, it decides instead to start its own, with a talent pool recruited from some of the most promising young minds in the industry...
-
EA To Launch Game Development College
Electronic Arts has announced that it's begun accepting applications for a video game college it's set up in San Francisco, in order to teach the basics of game development to a new generation of prospective game designers. Called the Electronic Arts Gaming Academy, the college will offer a wide variety of courses designed for anyone looking to get into the industry. While programming and coding courses will be offered, the college will also take applicants for classes in art design and writing for video games, and claims that "no prior programming knowledge is required" for entry into certain courses. Starting a college is unusual step for a game company to take, and though companies have had affiliations with colleges in the past (Nintendo, for example, promoted and assisted with courses at Full Sail University during the 1990s and 2000s), no company has taken it upon itself to launch a college on its own. EA's unique move comes at a time when companies like Apple and Google are recruiting and developing young talent with lucrative results, and may be taking inspiration from their example, as it plans to bring university graduates directly into game development positions at the company (and sometimes even undergraduates, allowing them to gain course credit by contributing to the company's games). Though the academy's focus is on developing its students for positions with the company, Electronic Arts has stated that "students aren't bound to any one career track", and that they fully expect that many graduates will go on to work at other game development companies or even start their own indie companies. Electronic Arts has stated that there will be housing on site for its students and that tuition will be competitive with other colleges of similar size, with the opportunity for scholarships and paid internships to help alleviate tuition costs. Courses will begin in the fall semester of 2014, and the company says that players should expect to start seeing games developed by students at the college "before the end of the decade".
-from an article on Kotaku, posted on September 12, 2013
Summer 2013 (Part 7) - The Next Member Of The DK Crew
Donkey Kong Country: K. Rool Returns
Donkey Kong Country: K. Rool Returns is a sidescrolling platformer for the Nintendo Connect. Developed by the same studio that did 2010's Donkey Kong Adventure on the Sapphire, the game is a more straightforward 2-D sidescroller than Adventure (which was a sort of 2-D/3-D hybrid like the OTL Mario 3D games), in the tradition of OTL's Donkey Kong Country Returns and Tropical Freeze. Though it does have some differences from OTL's Retro titles, it also has a lot of similarities, including the high level of difficulty and the involvement of certain members of the old Rare team, particularly David Wise on music. The game has a fairly basic plot, with DK, Diddy, Dixie, and Kiddy once again teaming up to stop King K. Rool from taking over their home and stealing all of their bananas. However, this time, K. Rool goes in whole hog, taking on a different identity in each of the game's seven main worlds (and also in the eighth secret world), forcing the Kongs to battle a different incarnation of K. Rool as the boss in every world. Players can play as any combination of Donkey/Diddy/Dixie/Kiddy, choosing which Kong (or two Kongs) to play as when entering a world, and also when grabbing a DK barrel. Players can set the barrels to manually chose a Kong every time, to choose a preferred Kong, or to chose a random Kong. While each world has segments geared toward DK, Diddy, Dixie, or Kiddy, it's possible to complete every level and get every secret with any one of the four Kongs (though some Kongs are easier to use than others). The game follows fairly close to the classic Donkey Kong Country structure, with bonus levels and collectibles that help players unlock different things in the game. Each level has at least one Bonus Barrel, a set of four KONG letters, a DK coin, and other coins that help purchase items and power-ups. Classic Donkey Kong enemies such as Kremlings and Zingers are present, but there are also new enemies depending on the world, with Krazies (laser wielding Kremlings who yell, run around, and fire their lasers randomly) and Man-Eaters (flowers that jump around, biting at the Kongs) amongst the most notable. All the classic Kong family members like Funky and Candy Kong also return, with Cranky of course showing up frequently as well, and there are some brand new Kongs who show up in different roles, including Kountry Kong (a country music singer who grants power-ups with his music) and Marcy Kong (a game playing Kong who runs a minigame shack). There are even some reformed Kremlings who help the Kongs out as well. The game's graphics are fairly similar to OTL's Tropical Freeze, perhaps a bit less detailed and smooth, making it one of the Connect's best looking games to date. There's some voice acting from King K. Rool and the Kong family, but the four playable Kongs don't speak.
The seven worlds each have their own theme and their own incarnation of K. Rool. The worlds are, as follows:
World One: Klub Kong
A level featuring connected jungle clubhouses that have been invaded by Kremlings, this world features a basic jungle setting and a series of easy worlds to help the player learn the basics of the game. The world's boss is K. Rool Kong, the disguise that K. Rool has adopted to sneak into Klub Kong and steal their bananas. He fights by throwing barrels, much like Donkey Kong, but can be beaten fairly easily.
World Two: Banana Refinery
K. Rool is using the Kongs' bananas to power this factory and create his weapons. This world, a mix of factory worlds from previous games, has lots of mechanical hazards and poison gas, and its boss is King Krane Rool, K. Rool operating a giant crane to battle the Kongs.
World Three: Last Resort
A jungle/beach world that takes place at an exclusive Kremling resort, the Kongs must battle their way through a variety of vacation-themed levels to make their way through to
Great Rool Shark, King K. Rool operating a giant shark to guard the resort's waters from hostile intruders.
World Four: Insect Alley
A series of claustrophobic caves/hives full of Zingers and spiders, the Kongs must battle their way through hordes of bugs to get to the boss, King Bee Rool, King K. Rool as a giant Zinger directing his hive.
World Five: The Kremkade
An arcade-themed world with lots of throwbacks to arcade classics and some game-based challenges, this fun level is full of bright lights and tricky hazards, and the boss is Gamer K. Rool, King K. Rool as a hardcore gamer, using cheat codes to take the Kongs down in a series of game-themed hazards.
World Six: Kremling Towers
A massive skyscraper that mixes medieval settings with modern city style, this series of levels features challenges that will make the Kongs experience vertigo. The boss is CEO K. Rool, a literal "boss" who commands Kremlings with an iron fist, then attacks the Kongs themselves by "firing" at them with cannons and literal flames.
World Seven: The Flying Krock 2.0
King K. Rool has rebuilt his personal airship, and the Kongs must fight their way through a series of brutally tough levels to battle King K. Rool himself, who dons his old pirate clothes to battle the Kongs one last time.
World Eight: Kremuria
The secret world, accessed through obtaining bonus coins, Kremuria features the series' toughest challenges ever, and one final fight with K. Rool at the end where he takes on all seven of his forms, in a marathon fight that only the most super of players will win.
Donkey Kong Country: K. Rool Returns is seen as a strong return to form for the series, and though it doesn't do a lot to innovate the classic formula, its mix of fun levels and daring challenges prove quite popular amongst critics and fans, who lavish the game with great reviews and sales. Though it doesn't crack the top five new games for the month in an exceptionally crowded August 2013, it still reaches a million sales quite quickly, and would see many more sales in the months and years to come, ensuring its place as one of the best selling Donkey Kong Country titles since the SNES-CD days.
But even as the team behind K. Rool Returns releases an outstanding old school Donkey Kong Country game, the studio has also been working on a game that will both take advantage of the Reality's technology and change the scope of the series forever. It won't just be a typical 3-D platformer, but will be a full-on adventure game, featuring Donkey Kong, his friends, and a host of brand new characters, hearkening to the legendary gorilla's past while also potentially setting the stage for his future.
-
RUMOR: New Donkey Kong Country Game To Be Revealed During October's Nintendo Direct
We're now just a week away from the recently announced Nintendo Direct that's expected to show off some of what Nintendo's got planned for 2014, while also preparing fans for the launch of upcoming titles such as Pokemon Order and Chaos and Pilotwings: Freeflight. Most intriguingly, a few images showing what purportedly could be a new character for an upcoming game in the Donkey Kong Country series: a muscular Kong somewhat smaller than Donkey Kong himself, decked out in pirate garb quite similar to that worn by one of K. Rool's Kremlings. We've also seen images of Donkey Kong on a floating ship of some kind, and also in a city setting with Mario and a woman who looks like Pauline. One more image shows Diddy Kong and Dixie Kong standing back to back, armed with peanut guns and body armor. The next Donkey Kong game is expected to feature a modern setting, and one rumor indicates a "heist" focus for the game. The few images we've gotten indicate a Donkey Kong game that will take a significantly new direction from previous titles, and looks almost like a third person shooter rather than a traditional platformer. It's not even confirmed if Nintendo will mention Donkey Kong during the upcoming Direct, but expect the new game, if it appears, to be a major focus of the presentation.
-from an article on Games Over Matter, posted on September 29, 2013
Donkey Kong Country: K. Rool Returns is a sidescrolling platformer for the Nintendo Connect. Developed by the same studio that did 2010's Donkey Kong Adventure on the Sapphire, the game is a more straightforward 2-D sidescroller than Adventure (which was a sort of 2-D/3-D hybrid like the OTL Mario 3D games), in the tradition of OTL's Donkey Kong Country Returns and Tropical Freeze. Though it does have some differences from OTL's Retro titles, it also has a lot of similarities, including the high level of difficulty and the involvement of certain members of the old Rare team, particularly David Wise on music. The game has a fairly basic plot, with DK, Diddy, Dixie, and Kiddy once again teaming up to stop King K. Rool from taking over their home and stealing all of their bananas. However, this time, K. Rool goes in whole hog, taking on a different identity in each of the game's seven main worlds (and also in the eighth secret world), forcing the Kongs to battle a different incarnation of K. Rool as the boss in every world. Players can play as any combination of Donkey/Diddy/Dixie/Kiddy, choosing which Kong (or two Kongs) to play as when entering a world, and also when grabbing a DK barrel. Players can set the barrels to manually chose a Kong every time, to choose a preferred Kong, or to chose a random Kong. While each world has segments geared toward DK, Diddy, Dixie, or Kiddy, it's possible to complete every level and get every secret with any one of the four Kongs (though some Kongs are easier to use than others). The game follows fairly close to the classic Donkey Kong Country structure, with bonus levels and collectibles that help players unlock different things in the game. Each level has at least one Bonus Barrel, a set of four KONG letters, a DK coin, and other coins that help purchase items and power-ups. Classic Donkey Kong enemies such as Kremlings and Zingers are present, but there are also new enemies depending on the world, with Krazies (laser wielding Kremlings who yell, run around, and fire their lasers randomly) and Man-Eaters (flowers that jump around, biting at the Kongs) amongst the most notable. All the classic Kong family members like Funky and Candy Kong also return, with Cranky of course showing up frequently as well, and there are some brand new Kongs who show up in different roles, including Kountry Kong (a country music singer who grants power-ups with his music) and Marcy Kong (a game playing Kong who runs a minigame shack). There are even some reformed Kremlings who help the Kongs out as well. The game's graphics are fairly similar to OTL's Tropical Freeze, perhaps a bit less detailed and smooth, making it one of the Connect's best looking games to date. There's some voice acting from King K. Rool and the Kong family, but the four playable Kongs don't speak.
The seven worlds each have their own theme and their own incarnation of K. Rool. The worlds are, as follows:
World One: Klub Kong
A level featuring connected jungle clubhouses that have been invaded by Kremlings, this world features a basic jungle setting and a series of easy worlds to help the player learn the basics of the game. The world's boss is K. Rool Kong, the disguise that K. Rool has adopted to sneak into Klub Kong and steal their bananas. He fights by throwing barrels, much like Donkey Kong, but can be beaten fairly easily.
World Two: Banana Refinery
K. Rool is using the Kongs' bananas to power this factory and create his weapons. This world, a mix of factory worlds from previous games, has lots of mechanical hazards and poison gas, and its boss is King Krane Rool, K. Rool operating a giant crane to battle the Kongs.
World Three: Last Resort
A jungle/beach world that takes place at an exclusive Kremling resort, the Kongs must battle their way through a variety of vacation-themed levels to make their way through to
Great Rool Shark, King K. Rool operating a giant shark to guard the resort's waters from hostile intruders.
World Four: Insect Alley
A series of claustrophobic caves/hives full of Zingers and spiders, the Kongs must battle their way through hordes of bugs to get to the boss, King Bee Rool, King K. Rool as a giant Zinger directing his hive.
World Five: The Kremkade
An arcade-themed world with lots of throwbacks to arcade classics and some game-based challenges, this fun level is full of bright lights and tricky hazards, and the boss is Gamer K. Rool, King K. Rool as a hardcore gamer, using cheat codes to take the Kongs down in a series of game-themed hazards.
World Six: Kremling Towers
A massive skyscraper that mixes medieval settings with modern city style, this series of levels features challenges that will make the Kongs experience vertigo. The boss is CEO K. Rool, a literal "boss" who commands Kremlings with an iron fist, then attacks the Kongs themselves by "firing" at them with cannons and literal flames.
World Seven: The Flying Krock 2.0
King K. Rool has rebuilt his personal airship, and the Kongs must fight their way through a series of brutally tough levels to battle King K. Rool himself, who dons his old pirate clothes to battle the Kongs one last time.
World Eight: Kremuria
The secret world, accessed through obtaining bonus coins, Kremuria features the series' toughest challenges ever, and one final fight with K. Rool at the end where he takes on all seven of his forms, in a marathon fight that only the most super of players will win.
Donkey Kong Country: K. Rool Returns is seen as a strong return to form for the series, and though it doesn't do a lot to innovate the classic formula, its mix of fun levels and daring challenges prove quite popular amongst critics and fans, who lavish the game with great reviews and sales. Though it doesn't crack the top five new games for the month in an exceptionally crowded August 2013, it still reaches a million sales quite quickly, and would see many more sales in the months and years to come, ensuring its place as one of the best selling Donkey Kong Country titles since the SNES-CD days.
But even as the team behind K. Rool Returns releases an outstanding old school Donkey Kong Country game, the studio has also been working on a game that will both take advantage of the Reality's technology and change the scope of the series forever. It won't just be a typical 3-D platformer, but will be a full-on adventure game, featuring Donkey Kong, his friends, and a host of brand new characters, hearkening to the legendary gorilla's past while also potentially setting the stage for his future.
-
RUMOR: New Donkey Kong Country Game To Be Revealed During October's Nintendo Direct
We're now just a week away from the recently announced Nintendo Direct that's expected to show off some of what Nintendo's got planned for 2014, while also preparing fans for the launch of upcoming titles such as Pokemon Order and Chaos and Pilotwings: Freeflight. Most intriguingly, a few images showing what purportedly could be a new character for an upcoming game in the Donkey Kong Country series: a muscular Kong somewhat smaller than Donkey Kong himself, decked out in pirate garb quite similar to that worn by one of K. Rool's Kremlings. We've also seen images of Donkey Kong on a floating ship of some kind, and also in a city setting with Mario and a woman who looks like Pauline. One more image shows Diddy Kong and Dixie Kong standing back to back, armed with peanut guns and body armor. The next Donkey Kong game is expected to feature a modern setting, and one rumor indicates a "heist" focus for the game. The few images we've gotten indicate a Donkey Kong game that will take a significantly new direction from previous titles, and looks almost like a third person shooter rather than a traditional platformer. It's not even confirmed if Nintendo will mention Donkey Kong during the upcoming Direct, but expect the new game, if it appears, to be a major focus of the presentation.
-from an article on Games Over Matter, posted on September 29, 2013
Nope, seriously i was like....what we didn't have do that...yet..or was even proposed at all IIRC, thanks dandy
No prob, although it does bring up a question? Does wb have any chance of rising in the game industry like they are otl without buying out Midway, Travelier Tales, and Rocksteady games?
Acclaim has taken over that role ITTL, they already bought Midway and have employed a lot of the people who worked with WB Games IOTL, and are also working with WB on various projects. WB Games is much, much smaller, they've put a lot of that money into their animation division ITTL.
Uh, we didn't approve that yet... I still need to go back and look for other films before approving anything having to do with WB animation.
Again, a reminder to everyone, please don't post anything without sending it to us in a PM and getting approval.
Don't beat yourself up over it, it's okay. We appreciate the effort, but all contributions have to be approved first, that's all.
Summer 2013 (Part 8) - A Modern Music Revolution?
Billboard #1 Hits Of 2013
January 5: “Gangnam Style” by PSY
January 12: “Gangnam Style” by PSY
January 19: “Gangnam Style” by PSY
January 26: “Locked Out Of Heaven” by Bruno Mars
February 2: “Locked Out Of Heaven” by Bruno Mars
February 9: “Double Trouble” by Selena ft. Selena Gomez
February 16: “Double Trouble” by Selena ft. Selena Gomez
February 23: “Arcadellica” by Nathan Benz
March 2: “Arcadellica” by Nathan Benz
March 9: “Arcadellica” by Nathan Benz
March 16: “Arcadellica” by Nathan Benz
March 23: “Arcadellica” by Nathan Benz
March 30: “Arcadellica” by Nathan Benz
April 6: “Arcadellica” by Nathan Benz
April 13: “Arcadellica” by Nathan Benz
April 20: “Arcadellica” by Nathan Benz
April 27: “Arcadellica” by Nathan Benz
May 4: “That Night In Juarez” by Selena ft. Nathan Benz
May 11: “Just Give Me A Reason” by Pink
May 18: “Can't Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. CharStarr
May 25: “Can't Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. CharStarr
June 1: “Can't Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. CharStarr
June 8: “Can't Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. CharStarr
June 15: “Can't Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. CharStarr
June 22: “Can't Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. CharStarr
June 29: “Can't Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. CharStarr
July 6: “Can't Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. CharStarr
July 13: “Can't Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. CharStarr
July 20: “Can't Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. CharStarr
July 27: “Can't Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. CharStarr
August 3: “Can't Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. CharStarr
August 10: “In Darkest Night” by Kendrick Lamar ft. Amy Lee
August 17: “In Darkest Night” by Kendrick Lamar ft. Amy Lee
August 24: “In Darkest Night” by Kendrick Lamar ft. Amy Lee
August 31: “Yell” by M.S.
September 7: “Yell” by M.S.
September 14: “Yell” by M.S.
September 21: “Yell” by M.S.
September 28: “Everything Stinks” by Kendrick Lamar
October 5: “ Everything Stinks” by Kendrick Lamar
October 12: “ Everything Stinks” by Kendrick Lamar
October 19: “ Everything Stinks” by Kendrick Lamar
October 26: “ Everything Stinks” by Kendrick Lamar
November 2: “ Everything Stinks” by Kendrick Lamar
November 9: “Royals” by Lorde
November 16: “Royals” by Lorde
November 23: “Royals” by Lorde
November 30: “Royals” by Lorde
December 7: “Royals” by Lorde
December 14: “Royals” by Lorde
December 21: “Royals” by Lorde
December 28: “Royals” by Lorde
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Modern Beats
Modern Beats is a rhythm game for the Reality, Virtua, and Nexus. Developed by the company Rhythmetro and published by THQ, the game utilizes an accessory called the Beatbox to enable players to play along with and change up different songs while trying to achieve a high score. The game is somewhat different on each console, but utilizes the same basic gameplay: players use a dual-screen setup, with an accessory called the Beatbox being used in conjunction with the television screen. The Beatbox consists of two large haptic pads flanking a small screen, and players tap, scratch, and push the pads in response to the images on the television, while the screen enables the use of powerups or "mixing", in which the player can add or subtract an element from a song, deploy power-ups (or debuffs in competitive mode), or even switch songs entirely or remix them with the current song. While there are a lot of elements to the game, it's actually quite easy to learn with some quick tutorial sessions, and soon, people who play are remixing and playing along to music like pros. The skill ceiling isn't as high as Guitar Hero's, though there are some extremely tricky songs. The main controls do differ slightly depending on the version, with the Reality version including a first person mode, the Virtua version incorporating some limited motion controls, and the Nexus version including a slightly more involved second screen setup, giving each version of the game its own unique gimmick, but keeping basic gameplay the same between them. The game includes 96 songs in the base version, with 60 songs from the modern pop, dance, techno, and rock charts, and 36 unique songs, both instrumental and lyrical, created for the game. Songs in Modern Beats include contemporary hits like "Gangnam Style" and "Locked Out Of Heaven", but also some classic bops like "Virtual Insanity" and "Walk This Way". The original songs included in the game were mostly developed by the game's music team, but some were compositions created by modern artists like Skrillex, who also has a couple of his existing hits in the game as well. Modern Beats has both local and online multiplayer, with up to four players allowed to play against one another at a time. In multiplayer mode, like in single player mode, players have a life bar that runs out quickly when they miss notes, but fills up slightly when they achieve combos. In multiplayer mode, it's possible to use hazards and debuffs to slow the other players down and prevent them from clearing notes, giving the game somewhat of a Tetris-like feel. The single player mode has a simple storyline about a DJ who has to make friends and then rescue them by performing music, but it mostly consists of a progression of songs that can be played to unlock more songs or cosmetic upgrades for the game's various modes. Modern Beats also has DLC, mostly in the form of songs, with several dozen songs available to purchase in packs after the game's release.
Modern Beats represents an attempt by a major game publisher to bring back the rhythm game genre, which, as IOTL, went into sharp decline during the Great Recession as the economy tanked and people lacked the disposable income to purchase the expensive accessories those games required. Released in September 2013, Modern Beats is a pricey game: $149.99 for the Reality and Virtua versions of the game, and $99.99 for the Nexus version (which utilizes the Nexus' Companion and thus doesn't come with a screen like the others). And yet, the game proves to be a moderate success, thanks to good reviews and strong word of mouth. It sells quite well on the Nexus, thanks to the cheaper controller, but also sells well on the Virtua, which is considered to be the best version of the game (and also has a slightly wealthier install base, with the console being more expensive than its competitors). It's the most successful rhythm title since Guitar Hero went into decline, and even surpasses sales of any of the Just Dance games (a series which hasn't caught on ITTL like it has IOTL). It would maintain strong sales through the holiday season, becoming one of the year's best party games and also one of the year's most pleasant surprises, and would receive at least one follow-up title.
-
What Ubisoft is attempting to do by fusing its own Just Dance IP with Konami's classic Dance Dance Revolution is to breathe life into both series, which have experienced declining sales over the past couple of years. Just Dance started out quite popular when it first launched on Apple's iTwin, but when it branched into other console releases, its performance declined, flopping on the Xbox 2 and doing only mildly well on the Sapphire. It continued to be a hit on the iTwin, but even there, it couldn't sustain the strong sales it initially enjoyed. Meanwhile, Dance Dance Revolution has been on the decline everywhere, thanks to the decline of arcades in general, and the decline in the number of people willing to buy expensive game accessories for the home console versions. Just Dance Revolution, which Ubisoft plans to launch sometime next year, will combine the arm movement of Just Dance with the frenetic leg movement of Dance Dance Revolution to create a complete dancing experience that the company hopes will be the first of many successes it will enjoy with the IP it acquired from Konami.
Director Xavier Poix told us that he's needed to "reinvent the wheel" since being given the reins for this project. He says that while he enjoyed the "simplicity" of Just Dance, that he also knew it wasn't for everyone, even if he intended it to be. He says that he hopes with this game, it will provide a dancing experience suitable for all players, from casual beginners to long-time experts.
"We're going to have so many songs in this game that we really do think there'll be something for everyone," said Poix, as he showed off one of the game's "basic" levels, based on Tom Jones' "It's Not Unusual" that would require players to do the classic Carlton Dance from The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air. The level featured both the original arm movements that Carlton demonstrated in the show, adding in some DDR dance steps and scoring the player on both. He then showed off a much more advanced song from the popular Japanese band Babymetal, featuring wild arm gesticulations and rapid-fire footwork set to a death metal song accompanied by sweet-voiced Japanese singers. Both songs will be included in the game's basic version, along with dozens of the modern pop hits that made the Just Dance series popular. "We have every type of music in the game."
In order to secure the rights to the Carlton Dance, Ubisoft needed to get Alfonso Ribiero, the original actor who played Carlton, on board. And indeed, he'll be appearing in the game, as one of 12 "Dance Gurus" who will guide the player through the game's single player campaign and challenge them. Each of the twelve Gurus, says Poix, will be a famous dancer, actor, singer, or in most cases, a triple-threat who can do all three, and Poix promised some "big names" are on board for the game.
"We're not just making this to be an appealing party game," said Poix, "but something that even lone players can challenge themselves with and enjoy."
The game is expected to be released on all three major consoles, and will incorporate elements of each system's primary gameplay gimmick, with the potential for each system to have a version of the game playable without a dance pad accessory.
"We know we can do it on the Virtua for sure, and we believe we'll be able to accomplish it with the Nexus' camera as well," said Poix. "As for the Reality, we're working on a solution for that as well. We also plan to sell dance pads for all three consoles for players who wish to use them."
We were extremely impressed by our time with the game, using the Virtua version and playing without the aid of anything but our own bodies, with the camera on the console able to accurately track our movements. Poix says that it's going to be able to track up to four players at once, allowing the game to launch for $60 without the need for any bonus accessories. One of the things that crippled the sales of home DDR was the requirement to purchase and set up dance pads, but if Just Dance Revolution won't require them, it'll be revolutionary indeed.
-from the October 2013 issue of GameInformer magazine, featuring Just Dance Revolution on the cover
January 5: “Gangnam Style” by PSY
January 12: “Gangnam Style” by PSY
January 19: “Gangnam Style” by PSY
January 26: “Locked Out Of Heaven” by Bruno Mars
February 2: “Locked Out Of Heaven” by Bruno Mars
February 9: “Double Trouble” by Selena ft. Selena Gomez
February 16: “Double Trouble” by Selena ft. Selena Gomez
February 23: “Arcadellica” by Nathan Benz
March 2: “Arcadellica” by Nathan Benz
March 9: “Arcadellica” by Nathan Benz
March 16: “Arcadellica” by Nathan Benz
March 23: “Arcadellica” by Nathan Benz
March 30: “Arcadellica” by Nathan Benz
April 6: “Arcadellica” by Nathan Benz
April 13: “Arcadellica” by Nathan Benz
April 20: “Arcadellica” by Nathan Benz
April 27: “Arcadellica” by Nathan Benz
May 4: “That Night In Juarez” by Selena ft. Nathan Benz
May 11: “Just Give Me A Reason” by Pink
May 18: “Can't Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. CharStarr
May 25: “Can't Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. CharStarr
June 1: “Can't Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. CharStarr
June 8: “Can't Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. CharStarr
June 15: “Can't Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. CharStarr
June 22: “Can't Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. CharStarr
June 29: “Can't Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. CharStarr
July 6: “Can't Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. CharStarr
July 13: “Can't Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. CharStarr
July 20: “Can't Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. CharStarr
July 27: “Can't Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. CharStarr
August 3: “Can't Hold Us” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft. CharStarr
August 10: “In Darkest Night” by Kendrick Lamar ft. Amy Lee
August 17: “In Darkest Night” by Kendrick Lamar ft. Amy Lee
August 24: “In Darkest Night” by Kendrick Lamar ft. Amy Lee
August 31: “Yell” by M.S.
September 7: “Yell” by M.S.
September 14: “Yell” by M.S.
September 21: “Yell” by M.S.
September 28: “Everything Stinks” by Kendrick Lamar
October 5: “ Everything Stinks” by Kendrick Lamar
October 12: “ Everything Stinks” by Kendrick Lamar
October 19: “ Everything Stinks” by Kendrick Lamar
October 26: “ Everything Stinks” by Kendrick Lamar
November 2: “ Everything Stinks” by Kendrick Lamar
November 9: “Royals” by Lorde
November 16: “Royals” by Lorde
November 23: “Royals” by Lorde
November 30: “Royals” by Lorde
December 7: “Royals” by Lorde
December 14: “Royals” by Lorde
December 21: “Royals” by Lorde
December 28: “Royals” by Lorde
-
Modern Beats
Modern Beats is a rhythm game for the Reality, Virtua, and Nexus. Developed by the company Rhythmetro and published by THQ, the game utilizes an accessory called the Beatbox to enable players to play along with and change up different songs while trying to achieve a high score. The game is somewhat different on each console, but utilizes the same basic gameplay: players use a dual-screen setup, with an accessory called the Beatbox being used in conjunction with the television screen. The Beatbox consists of two large haptic pads flanking a small screen, and players tap, scratch, and push the pads in response to the images on the television, while the screen enables the use of powerups or "mixing", in which the player can add or subtract an element from a song, deploy power-ups (or debuffs in competitive mode), or even switch songs entirely or remix them with the current song. While there are a lot of elements to the game, it's actually quite easy to learn with some quick tutorial sessions, and soon, people who play are remixing and playing along to music like pros. The skill ceiling isn't as high as Guitar Hero's, though there are some extremely tricky songs. The main controls do differ slightly depending on the version, with the Reality version including a first person mode, the Virtua version incorporating some limited motion controls, and the Nexus version including a slightly more involved second screen setup, giving each version of the game its own unique gimmick, but keeping basic gameplay the same between them. The game includes 96 songs in the base version, with 60 songs from the modern pop, dance, techno, and rock charts, and 36 unique songs, both instrumental and lyrical, created for the game. Songs in Modern Beats include contemporary hits like "Gangnam Style" and "Locked Out Of Heaven", but also some classic bops like "Virtual Insanity" and "Walk This Way". The original songs included in the game were mostly developed by the game's music team, but some were compositions created by modern artists like Skrillex, who also has a couple of his existing hits in the game as well. Modern Beats has both local and online multiplayer, with up to four players allowed to play against one another at a time. In multiplayer mode, like in single player mode, players have a life bar that runs out quickly when they miss notes, but fills up slightly when they achieve combos. In multiplayer mode, it's possible to use hazards and debuffs to slow the other players down and prevent them from clearing notes, giving the game somewhat of a Tetris-like feel. The single player mode has a simple storyline about a DJ who has to make friends and then rescue them by performing music, but it mostly consists of a progression of songs that can be played to unlock more songs or cosmetic upgrades for the game's various modes. Modern Beats also has DLC, mostly in the form of songs, with several dozen songs available to purchase in packs after the game's release.
Modern Beats represents an attempt by a major game publisher to bring back the rhythm game genre, which, as IOTL, went into sharp decline during the Great Recession as the economy tanked and people lacked the disposable income to purchase the expensive accessories those games required. Released in September 2013, Modern Beats is a pricey game: $149.99 for the Reality and Virtua versions of the game, and $99.99 for the Nexus version (which utilizes the Nexus' Companion and thus doesn't come with a screen like the others). And yet, the game proves to be a moderate success, thanks to good reviews and strong word of mouth. It sells quite well on the Nexus, thanks to the cheaper controller, but also sells well on the Virtua, which is considered to be the best version of the game (and also has a slightly wealthier install base, with the console being more expensive than its competitors). It's the most successful rhythm title since Guitar Hero went into decline, and even surpasses sales of any of the Just Dance games (a series which hasn't caught on ITTL like it has IOTL). It would maintain strong sales through the holiday season, becoming one of the year's best party games and also one of the year's most pleasant surprises, and would receive at least one follow-up title.
-
What Ubisoft is attempting to do by fusing its own Just Dance IP with Konami's classic Dance Dance Revolution is to breathe life into both series, which have experienced declining sales over the past couple of years. Just Dance started out quite popular when it first launched on Apple's iTwin, but when it branched into other console releases, its performance declined, flopping on the Xbox 2 and doing only mildly well on the Sapphire. It continued to be a hit on the iTwin, but even there, it couldn't sustain the strong sales it initially enjoyed. Meanwhile, Dance Dance Revolution has been on the decline everywhere, thanks to the decline of arcades in general, and the decline in the number of people willing to buy expensive game accessories for the home console versions. Just Dance Revolution, which Ubisoft plans to launch sometime next year, will combine the arm movement of Just Dance with the frenetic leg movement of Dance Dance Revolution to create a complete dancing experience that the company hopes will be the first of many successes it will enjoy with the IP it acquired from Konami.
Director Xavier Poix told us that he's needed to "reinvent the wheel" since being given the reins for this project. He says that while he enjoyed the "simplicity" of Just Dance, that he also knew it wasn't for everyone, even if he intended it to be. He says that he hopes with this game, it will provide a dancing experience suitable for all players, from casual beginners to long-time experts.
"We're going to have so many songs in this game that we really do think there'll be something for everyone," said Poix, as he showed off one of the game's "basic" levels, based on Tom Jones' "It's Not Unusual" that would require players to do the classic Carlton Dance from The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air. The level featured both the original arm movements that Carlton demonstrated in the show, adding in some DDR dance steps and scoring the player on both. He then showed off a much more advanced song from the popular Japanese band Babymetal, featuring wild arm gesticulations and rapid-fire footwork set to a death metal song accompanied by sweet-voiced Japanese singers. Both songs will be included in the game's basic version, along with dozens of the modern pop hits that made the Just Dance series popular. "We have every type of music in the game."
In order to secure the rights to the Carlton Dance, Ubisoft needed to get Alfonso Ribiero, the original actor who played Carlton, on board. And indeed, he'll be appearing in the game, as one of 12 "Dance Gurus" who will guide the player through the game's single player campaign and challenge them. Each of the twelve Gurus, says Poix, will be a famous dancer, actor, singer, or in most cases, a triple-threat who can do all three, and Poix promised some "big names" are on board for the game.
"We're not just making this to be an appealing party game," said Poix, "but something that even lone players can challenge themselves with and enjoy."
The game is expected to be released on all three major consoles, and will incorporate elements of each system's primary gameplay gimmick, with the potential for each system to have a version of the game playable without a dance pad accessory.
"We know we can do it on the Virtua for sure, and we believe we'll be able to accomplish it with the Nexus' camera as well," said Poix. "As for the Reality, we're working on a solution for that as well. We also plan to sell dance pads for all three consoles for players who wish to use them."
We were extremely impressed by our time with the game, using the Virtua version and playing without the aid of anything but our own bodies, with the camera on the console able to accurately track our movements. Poix says that it's going to be able to track up to four players at once, allowing the game to launch for $60 without the need for any bonus accessories. One of the things that crippled the sales of home DDR was the requirement to purchase and set up dance pads, but if Just Dance Revolution won't require them, it'll be revolutionary indeed.
-from the October 2013 issue of GameInformer magazine, featuring Just Dance Revolution on the cover
Yes, but it got so big it basically killed the alt-Korean Wave in the 'verse.
Just got done watching Nausicaa with the family and I had forgotten how good it was. But how is Miyazaki doing ITTL? IOTL his short retirement is coming up. And I forget did Disney still re-dub his earlier features in the 2000's as OTL?
Miyazaki has retired by this time, and yes, Disney did dub all his earlier features. I imagine they promoted them more after Spirited Away won Best Picture.