From the Tokyo Game Show 2015

Sony’s press conference at Tokyo Game Show 2015 announced some of the hottest upcoming games. We can look forward to:

Bloodborne: The Old Hunters Expansion Pack
Gravity Rush remake coming to the PS4
Gravity Rush 2
For Honor
Yakuza: Kiwami along with the original Yakuza Remake
Assassin’s Creed Syndicate: Jack the Ripper DLC
Dragon Quest Builders
Toukiden 2

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
Resident Evil: Umbrella Corps
Monster Hunter: Spirits
Dark Souls 3
Just Cause 3
World of Final Fantasy
King of Fighters 14
Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness
Danganronpa 3
Kingdom Hearts 2.8
which will include Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance, Kingdom Hearts X Back Cover, and Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep 0.2 all coming to the PS4

Which games are you excited to play?

Terraria: Finally better with updates

Terraria: Finally better with updates
By Dark_Laharl

            Released in 2011, Terraria came out when Minecraft was at its height in popularity. As a Minecraft fan myself, I wanted something new and similar to the Minecraft style of gameplay. Terrariaseemed like the perfect fit, but honestly, I wasn’t completely impressed upon the initial release. Terraria offered a lot of different features such as boss battles but otherwise didn’t have much from the get go.

            Over the last 4 years Terraria received new updates and with each update improved gameplay. The 1.1 update released in December 2011 introduced a “Hard” mode and a biome of blood thirsty unicorns. With this update we also got new armors and weapons. Hard mode was updated once again in September 2013 making the game even more challenging by adding more biomes like the Crimson and a jungle-based boss Plantera. Finally, the latest 1.3 update in June 2015 added Lunar Events, which added what could be the end boss for the game –a whole 4 years after its original release. The final boss, the Moon Lord, has an epic design that looks like a horror straight out of an H.P. Lovecraft novel.

            In terms of graphics, Terraria is a 2D world. You can travel left, right, up and down but not towards the background or into the foreground. Even with the 2D platform, you get a classic, retro, 8-bit feel which is kind of nostalgic and doesn’t detract from the game itself. I also like the background music Terraria offers. A neat little feature is that the music changes in every biome you visit and for every event that occurs. You won’t find yourself terribly annoyed by the music; unless you spend massive amounts of time in a specific area but even then, the soundtrack is rather enjoyable. 

            I put a cumulative 2 weeks into Terrariawhere I mined for ores to craft better weapons and armors to fight the new epic bosses. I know it doesn’t sound exciting but it felt rewarding defeating an epic boss that originally gave me a ton of trouble. The exploration and hunting for accessories melts your free time, but in a good way.

After the updates, I have nothing but good things to say about Terraria. It is available for mobile devices, Xbox and Playstation. I have tried it on both Xbox and my phone but the controls felt awkward. If you’re going to get the game, I definitely recommend it for the PC.

 

Playstation Store Update September 15 2015

Pre-orders

  • Blood Bowl® 2 ($49.99)
  • EA SPORTS™ FIFA 16 ($59.99)
  • EA SPORTS™ FIFA 16 Deluxe ($69.99)
  • EA SPORTS™ NBA LIVE 16 Standard Edition
  • NBA 2K16 ($59.99)
  • NBA 2K16 Michael Jordan Special Edition ($79.99)
  • Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5 ($59.99)
  • Transformers Devastation PS4 | PS3)($49.99)
  • WWE 2K16 (PS3 and PS4) ($59.99) Digital Deluxe Edition ($89.99)

Bundles

Console Bundles Price
PS3 Dead Or Alive 5 Last Round – Falcom Mashup Set $33.99
PS3 Destiny: The Taken King – Digital Collector’s Edition $79.99
PS3 Destiny: The Taken King – Legendary Edition $59.99
PS3 Destiny: Digital Collector’s Edition Upgrade $19.99
PS3 Pro Evolution Soccer 2016 20th Anniversary Bundle $59.99
PS3 Pro Evolution Soccer 2016 Digital Exclusive Bundle $49.99
PS3 Rocksmith 2014 The Doors Song Pack II $7.99
PS4 Dead Or Alive 5 Last Round – Falcom Mashup Set $33.99
PS4 Destiny: The Taken King – Digital Collector’s Edition $79.99
PS4 Destiny: The Taken King – Legendary Edition $59.99
PS4 Destiny: Digital Collector’s Edition Upgrade $19.99
PS4 Onechanbara Z2: Chaos — Gullwings $2.99
PS4 Onechanbara Z2: Chaos — Kitten $0.99
PS4 Pro Evolution Soccer 2016 20th Anniversary Bundle $69.99
PS4 Pro Evolution Soccer 2016 Digital Exclusive Bundle $59.99
PS4 Rocksmith 2014 The Doors Song Pack II $7.99

PS4 Games

  • Arcade Archives Solomon’s Key ($7.99)
  • Bombing Busters ($6.99)
  • Destiny: The Taken King – Digital Collector’s Edition ($79.99)
  • Destiny: The Taken King – Legendary Edition ($59.99)
  • EA SPORTS™ NHL® 16 ($59.99)
  • EA SPORTS™ NHL® 16 Deluxe Edition ($69.99)
  • Flame Over ($11.99)
  • Frozen Free Fall: Snowball Fight (Free to Play)
  • Kitten Squad (Free to Play)
  • Knock-Knock ($9.99)
  • Overruled! ($14.99/PS+ $7.50)
  • Pro Evolution Soccer 2016 ($59.99)
  • Pro Evolution Soccer 2016 20th Anniversary Bundle ($69.99)

PS3 Games

  • Destiny: The Taken King – Digital Collector’s Edition ($79.99)
  • EA SPORTS™ NHL® Legacy Edition ($59.99)
  • Frozen Free Fall: Snowball Fight (Free to Play)
  • Pro Evolution Soccer 2016 ($49.99)
  • Pro Evolution Soccer 2016 20th Anniversary Bundle ($59.99)

PS4 Add-ons

Dead or Alive 5 Last Round

  • Ayane & Fie ($2.99)
  • Christie & Zava ($2.99)
  • Helena & Clotilde ($2.99)
  • Hitomi & Tita ($2.99)
  • Honoka & Renne ($2.99)
  • Kasumi & Alisa ($2.99)
  • Kokoro & Rixia ($2.99)
  • Leifang & Estelle ($2.99)
  • Lisa & Scherazard ($2.99)
  • Marie Rose & Tio ($2.99)
  • Mila & Noel ($2.99)
  • Momiji & Feena ($2.99)
  • Nyotengu & Reah ($2.99)
  • Falcom Mashup – Phase 4 & Altina ($2.99)
  • Rachel & Dela ($2.99)
  • Tina & Mail ($2.99)

Destiny

  • The Taken King – Legendary Edition ($39.99)

Evolve

  • Behemoth Moonstone Skin ($2.99)

Frozen Free Fall: Snowball Fight

  • Anna ($2.99)
  • Avalanche ($49.99)
  • Blizzard ($29.99)
  • Elsa ($2.99)
  • Flurry ($4.99)
  • Full Set of Lives ($0.99)
  • Hans ($1.99)
  • Kristoff ($2.99)
  • Marshmallow ($4.99)
  • Multiplayer Character Pack ($19.99)
  • Olaf ($2.99)
  • Pabbie ($1.99)
  • Queen Elsa ($2.99)
  • Sven ($2.99)
  • Squall ($19.99)
  • Small Pack of Hourglasses ($0.99)
  • Small Pack of Ice Picks ($0.99)
  • Small Pack of Power-Ups ($0.99)
  • Small Pack of Snowballs ($0.99)
  • Medium Pack of Hourglasses ($4.99)
  • Medium Pack of Ice Picks ($4.99)
  • Medium Pack of Power-Ups ($4.99)
  • Medium Pack of Snowballs ($4.99)
  • Medium Set of Lives ($4.99)
  • Multiplayer Character Pack ($19.99)
  • Large Pack of Hourglasses ($9.99)
  • Large Pack of Ice Picks ($9.99)
  • Large Pack of Power-Ups ($9.99)
  • Large Pack of Snowballs ($9.99)
  • Large Set of Lives ($9.99)

Quiplash

  • Quip Pack 1 ($0.99)

Rocksmith 2014 Edition

  • The Doors – Break On Through (To the Other Side) ($2.99)
  • The Doors – L.A. Woman ($2.99)
  • The Doors – People Are Strange ($2.99)

PS3 Add-ons

Dead or Alive 5 Last Round

  • Ayane & Fie ($2.99)
  • Christie & Zava ($2.99)
  • Helena & Clotilde ($2.99)
  • Hitomi & Tita ($2.99)
  • Honoka & Renne ($2.99)
  • Kasumi & Alisa ($2.99)
  • Kokoro & Rixia ($2.99)
  • Leifang & Estelle ($2.99)
  • Lisa & Scherazard ($2.99)
  • Marie Rose & Tio ($2.99)
  • Mila & Noel ($2.99)
  • Momiji & Feena ($2.99)
  • Nyotengu & Reah ($2.99)
  • Falcom Mashup – Phase 4 & Altina ($2.99)
  • Rachel & Dela ($2.99)
  • Tina & Mail ($2.99)

Destiny

  • The Taken King ($39.99)

Frozen Free Fall: Snowball Fight

  • Anna ($2.99)
  • Avalanche ($49.99)
  • Blizzard ($29.99)
  • Elsa ($2.99)
  • Flurry ($4.99)
  • Full Set of Lives ($0.99)
  • Hans ($1.99)
  • Kristoff ($2.99)
  • Marshmallow ($4.99)
  • Multiplayer Character Pack ($19.99)
  • Olaf ($2.99)
  • Pabbie ($1.99)
  • Queen Elsa ($2.99)
  • Sven ($2.99)
  • Squall ($19.99)
  • Small Pack of Hourglasses ($0.99)
  • Small Pack of Ice Picks ($0.99)
  • Small Pack of Power-Ups ($0.99)
  • Small Pack of Snowballs ($0.99)
  • Medium Pack of Hourglasses ($4.99)
  • Medium Pack of Ice Picks ($4.99)
  • Medium Pack of Power-Ups ($4.99)
  • Medium Pack of Snowballs ($4.99)
  • Medium Set of Lives ($4.99)
  • Multiplayer Character Pack ($19.99)
  • Large Pack of Hourglasses ($9.99)
  • Large Pack of Ice Picks ($9.99)
  • Large Pack of Power-Ups ($9.99)
  • Large Pack of Snowballs ($9.99)
  • Large Set of Lives ($9.99)

Quiplash

  • Quip Pack 1 ($0.99)

Rocksmith 2014 Edition

  • The Doors – Break On Through (To the Other Side) ($2.99)
  • The Doors – L.A. Woman ($2.99)
  • The Doors – People Are Strange ($2.99)

PS Vita Add-ons

Samurai Warriors: Chronicles 3

  • Samurai News 12 (FREE)

Themes

Console Theme Price
PS4 Assassin’s Creed Syndicate Big Ben Theme $1.99
PSP NFL: Arizona Cardinals Theme $1.49
PSP NFL: Atlanta Falcons Theme $1.49
PSP NFL: Baltimore Ravens Theme $1.49
PSP NFL: Buffalo Bills Theme $1.49
PSP NFL: Carolina Panthers Theme $1.49
PSP NFL: Chicago Bears Theme $1.49
PSP NFL: Cincinnati Bengals Theme $1.49
PSP NFL: Dallas Cowboys Theme $1.49
PSP NFL: Denver Broncos Theme $1.49
PSP NFL: Detroit Lions Theme $1.49
PSP NFL: Green Bay Packers Theme $1.49
PSP NFL: Houston Texans Theme $1.49
PSP NFL: Indianapolis Colts Theme $1.49
PSP NFL: Jacksonville Jaguars Theme $1.49
PSP NFL: Kansas City Chiefs Theme $1.49
PSP NFL: Miami Dolphins Theme $1.49
PSP NFL: Minnesota Vikings Theme $1.49
PSP NFL: New England Patriots Theme $1.49
PSP NFL: New Orleans Saints Theme $1.49
PSP NFL: New York Giants Theme $1.49
PSP NFL: New York Jets Theme $1.49
PSP NFL: Oakland Raiders Theme $1.49
PSP NFL: Philadelphia Eagles Theme $1.49
PSP NFL: Pittsburgh Steelers Theme $1.49
PSP NFL: San Diego Chargers Theme $1.49
PSP NFL: San Francisco 49ers Theme $1.49
PSP NFL: Seattle Seahawks Theme $1.49
PSP NFL: St. Louis Rams Theme $1.49
PSP NFL: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Theme $1.49
PSP NFL: Tennessee Titans Theme $1.49
PSP NFL: Washington Redskins Theme $1.49
PS4 Rock Boshers Dx – Dynamic Theme $2.49
PS4 Seabird – Dynamic Theme $1.99
PS4 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Geralt & Ciri Theme $0.00

Hatsune Miku on the 3DS! Project Mirai DX review

Hatsune Miku on the 3DS! Project Mirai DX reviewBy Stella Rice

 

Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai DX is a rhythm game for the Nintendo DS featuring Hatsune Miku and other Crypton Future Media Vocaloids. If you aren’t familiar with Vocaloids, Hatsune Miku is essentially a Japanese virtual pop-idol whose singing voice comes from a voice synthesizer program. Originally, the game was set to release in May 2015 but was delayed until September. Since the release date was delayed, a special Launch Edition is available for North America which comes with a Hatsune Miku wallet keychain and an AR card set.  The game is going for $39.99 USD and well worth the price!

Initially, I was afraid the game wouldn’t meet my expectations. I’ve pretty much played the pants off of Project Diva F/F2nd on PS Vita so I didn’t know what to expect from the 3DS. However, I’m far from disappointed with my purchase. Packed with features, Project Mirai offers a variety of playing modes. The rhythm game includes 48 full length tracks with two modes (button and tap) as well as three difficulties: Easy, Normal, and Hard. There is not an Extreme difficulty, but I do have to say Hard mode is actually, well, hard!  Aside from the rhythm game you have a “Hang out” mode where you can call Miku, Rin, Len, Luka, Meiko or Kaito to hang out. There are also cameo visits from Gumi where she gives you game tips and presents. “Hang out” mode is more than patting the Vocaloids on the head, giving them presents, or being a creeper who watches as they dance around in their room (as those who have played Project Diva  are familiar with).  You can interact with the Vocaloids by giving them snacks, playing mini games, or even giving them an allowance (which I have yet to figure out what the allowance actually does).  Outside of “Hang out” you can dress-up your Vocaloid, remodel their rooms, play Puyo Puyo 39 against other players or Vocaloids, and even create your own tunes using voice samples and sounds on a mini keyboard feature. This option is also available in the rhythm game while watching music videos. But wait, there’s more! You can take your Vocaloid around the main map to go shopping in the department store (where your Vocaloid companion will model outfits for you, and you can purchase furniture or snacks), visit the dance studio to edit dances, or go to the AR Station to put those Launch Edition AR cards to use.  With all these features you’ll definitely find it hard to put the game away.

Since Project Mirai comes on a 3DS you can choose to play in 3D or 2D (if the 3D option feels too harsh on your eyes). My favorite aspect of the game is you don’t have to wait forever in a load screen since songs load fairly fast. You can also choose help items, character outfits, and sound options in the song select screen so you can go directly to the song without encountering another options screen before playing. The Vocaloids are all “Nendoroid” designed but the chibi appearance doesn’t diminish the graphics of the game; the characters are far from blocky and rigid. The singing voices are also clear and sound less mechanical.  Remember when you were first introduced to Vocaloids and they all sounded like robots? I feel like each song has been remastered and cleaned up to give the best sound and voice. The attention to detail is also spectacular particularly in the dance moves and lip sync; all the vowels match up. It’s all just… so darn cute!

To be honest, I’m not really a DS player so mastering the game play is difficult since I’m not used to the button layout, however, this doesn’t detract from all the fun I’ve had playing it. Icons appear on a line that flows throughout the song winding into different shapes or moving across the screen. For the most part, the line is continuous but the harder the mode, the more the line will separate or shift across the screen. Difficulty determines how many different icon buttons you’ll see in a song:
B
utton Mode
Easy:AB
Normal: ABY + Direction Pad
Hard: ABYX + Direction Pad

Tap Mode
Easy: Pink
Normal:
Blue, Pink + Swipe
Hard:
Blue, Pink, Yellow + Swipe
*** There is an option to change the colors for each mode so you’re not committed to these colors***

Difficulty also determines the amount of notes, speed, and variety of icons that are displayed (as with any Hatsune Miku game).  In hard mode you’ll have to hold down a button and push different directions all at the same time; you’ll definitely have a coordination workout! At the end of the song you are graded based on your performance. You can increase your score by gaining an extra “Spin bonus” or hitting all the SP notes that appear intermittently throughout the song. You never actually “complete” the song unless you get 100% of the notes but no worries; to keep you motivated the Vocaloid singer will encourage you with every 100 notes you hit. Never forget Project Mirai is a rhythm game so just go with the groove!

The shortcoming of the game is that there is no Extreme mode.  The game does make up for it by offering a Super Hard mode for select songs, but it’s not offered for the entire track list.   I’m also not very fond of the Nendoroid design.  While it looks adorable it doesn’t match the mature content of certain Vocaloid videos. This contrast doesn’t sit well with me when characters, dance moves, or costume, somewhat sexualized.  However, I keep in mind Project Mirai plays on a 3DS; a gaming system meant to be “family friendly” so the chibi style does feel like the best fit for the system. My last qualm I have with the game is that you already get the costumes for the songs.  While this is totally awesome because you get the full effect of the video right off the bat, I think it diminishes the replay value.  Why start buying costumes at the costume shop when I already have the costume? Why bust my buttons for points to spend in the store? Fortunately, I can use all the points I earn to buy room furniture and snacks for my Vocaloid but I remember always having fun earning points to purchase a costume.

Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai DX will definitely keep you entertained for hours on end.  I beat the game in less than a day, however, there are so many features that keep me coming back. I recommend this game to anyone who loves rhythm games and to all Vocaloid fans.
What do you guys think of the game?  Do you plan to buy it? What’s your favorite track? Let us know what you think!