Lollipop Chainsaw Trailer

By Andrew Shin

Looks like the infamous SUDA 51 and Grasshopper Manufacture are at it again. Really, how can you go wrong when they've collaborated on recent successes like Shadows of the Damned and No More Heroes. Now they're getting in on the zombie action with Lollipop Chainsaw. Think beautiful high school cheerleader by day and zombie hunter by night...hmmm, wonder if Buffy the Vampire Slayer was of any inspiration.

From the looks of the trailer below, it appears SUDA 51 and Grasshopper are coming up with something promising.



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Review: Captain America: Super Soldier

By Andrew Shin

This summer has been a blockbuster for Marvel, having released two enormous theatrical releases in Thor and Captain America. All this in anticipation for the expected 2012 release of The Avengers – which in my opinion will be the mother of all superhero movies. But while that's still a bit of time away, much of the hype this year was absolutely for the Captain America movie. Undoubtedly this is due to the fact that the good ol' Cap is one of Marvel's biggest franchise characters. And just like any other live action superhero movie that came before it, a movie based video game was made to support the launch of the film. Now, anyone familiar with the movie tie-in video game genre can attest to how horrible these games typically are. That being said, Captain America: Super Soldier is one of the few exceptions as it delivers a gaming experience that is fairly entertaining.

What makes this game worth its price tag ($50 CAN) is the intuitive control scheme and combat mechanics that closely resembles that of Batman: Arkham Asylum – a game that redefined and set the bar for what an epic superhero game should be. The fighting system in Captain America: Super Soldier is fluid and satisfying in its execution. Punches, kicks and acrobatic moves can all be strung neatly together for hard hitting and effective combinations. This is especially rewarding when you face off against numerous opponents at once and employ multiple combo moves to take them out. On the defensive side of things, you have the ability to pull off various counter moves like “weaponizing” an enemy (basically using their own weapon against them) and deflecting a bullet with your shield directly back at your attacker. Additionally there are a number of upgraded special moves that are eventually added to your arsenal and really makes you feel like you are the super soldier Cap himself. More importantly, Captain America's trusty shield is gets its own special treatment in the moves department with abilities such as shield tossing five enemies at once, locked-in targeting shield throw and a powerful shield charge to put a real hurting on those Hydra scum.

While controls and fighting mechanics are the highlights of the game, the mediocre visuals and level designs prevent this game from being extraordinary. The character models are quite well done, but everything else beyond that looks and feels like game graphics from about three years ago. Generally environments and textures lack sharpness and effects such as explosions exhibit a certain sloppy execution. In terms of level design, for the most part the game felt uninspired and predictable. There is an attempt to be open world in some capacity with an underground tunnel system that allows you free access to all different parts of the Hydra complex, but at the end of the day it becomes evident that it's really linear in design with very limited freedom. The one redeeming quality of the level designs are the various collectable items scattered all throughout the game. Collecting these different items unlocks upgrades, concept art, alternate uniforms and other goodies that make it hard to resist a full exploration of each level – yes it’s addictive.

One other item to note is the challenge mode. Once again, this concept is very reminiscent of the challenge mode in Batman: Arkham Asylum. The difference here is that they're all quite easy to complete and achieve gold ranking. Since there are only 10 challenges in total, you do go through them quickly and as a result it doesn't provide too much in terms of replay value.

Captain America: Super Soldier offers up more pros than it does cons and is a worthwhile purchase especially if you are a comic fan, a Captain America fan or someone who enjoys a decent 3rd person action game. It's just plain fun to play and definitely is one of the better superhero movie based games to date.

Pros:
– fluid and rewarding fighting mechanics
– clean and simple control scheme
– collecting items to unlock goodies is addictive
– character models are visually great

Cons:
– subpar game graphics and effects
– uninspired level design

NextGen Player gives Captain America: Super Soldier a 3.5 out of 5




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Review: Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 3D

By Paul Hunter

While FIFA seems to be grabbing the spotlight these days, let's not forget that Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer has been quietly progressing on the sidelines into a solid soccer franchise. As the only soccer title available on Nintendo's new hardware there's no FIFA to compare it to, but based on its own merits PES 2011 3D has enough fancy footwork to kick this one straight between the goalposts.

If there is one launch title that serves as a showcase for the Nintendo 3DS capabilities, PES 2011 3D would be it. While the gameplay basics feel like they haven't changed much since the PS2 era, it's really the eye-popping 3D graphics that sets this game apart. For the first time ever in a soccer game you can see field depth during gameplay, which greatly enhances the ability to spot the distance between players and the net.

The default 'Player' view is from a top-down over-the-shoulder perspective which technically looks impressive as you gaze across the entire pitch and feel a real sense of 3-dimensional space. With the 3D slider flipped up to the max the depth is eye-popping as each pass, through-ball and shot sends the soccer ball deep into real, palpable space.

Controls are pretty simple and feel similar to those found in the recent PSP outings. That means some of the refinements found on the console versions have been lost -- such as 360 degree Total Control passing -- but overall the game is extremely playable. Player movement is done with the circle pad or D-pad, kicking and passing is done with the four face buttons, and you can perform tricks or speed boosts using the shoulder buttons. The lower touch-screen is used to display the field radar and you can also assign defensive and offensive tactics with hotkeys with can be employed mid-game by tapping on them. It's an elegant and intuitive layout, my only complaint is that when the action heats up it can be a little far to have to look down at the lower radar given the "black space" between the two screens.

While the main modes in PES 2011 3D are deep and rewarding, there just aren't enough of them when you compare this version to past iterations. Included in the game are the UEFA Champions League and Master League game modes, which are deep and rewarding on their own merits, but gone is the popular Become a Legend mode. Oddly enough there's also no training mode which is surprising given the game is targeted at the more casual audience of the 3DS and also given how complex some of trick shots are to perform. The lack of online multiplayer functionality is even more disappointing, but at least you can go head-to-head over local wireless (there's no download play so two game cartridges are required).

Despite the lack of modes and online features what's included is pretty solid. For a handheld game the graphics are surprisingly good and 3D visuals offers a pretty compelling reason to check out the game. We'll have to wait another few months to see if FIFA will step it up come this fall, but in the meantime you can't go wrong with PES 2011 3D.

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]
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Back To School Guide: Video Game Hardware

By Paul Hunter

We all know that Back-to-School time can be a daunting and stressful time, especially when deciding what technology and gadgets to get that school-aged someone in your life. We've covered a lot of popular Back-to-School topics here already on the Tech Blog, ranging from picking the right smartphone to what specs you'd want in a laptop, but of course we can't forget what's going to be on every teenager and young kid's mind -- new video game hardware.

The fall season is going to bring a flood of hardware devices to choose from, and to help you navigate what's hot I've gone through the process of compiling what I feel is the best of the best:

PlayStation Vita
At this year's E3 Expo Sony announced that the true successor to their PlayStation Portable, the new PS Vita (which means "Life" in Latin) will be available "in the global market" this coming holiday season. While no release date has been given yet, there has been rumours speculating it could be out as early as this October. No matter the date, the PS Vita is sure to be many gamers wishlist with its gorgeous 5-inch multitouch OLED screen, dual analog joysticks, front and rear cameras, sixaxis motion sensing, and both front and rear touchpads. Two models are going to be available at launch, $249.99 for a wi-fi only model; $299.99 for 3G (prices in US dollars). Of course video game hardware is only as good as the software that powers it, and to that extent, there's a lot to look forward to. Already announced are sequels to Uncharted, Killzone, Wipeout, Resistance, LittleBigPlanet, Silent Hill, ModNation Racers, among others. Definitely plenty of reasons why this is going to be a must-have device when it finally comes out.

Nintendo 3DS
Sure Nintendo's had a rough start getting consumers to pick up their new glasses-free portable device, but it's certainly not for lack of capabilities or great games. Perhaps it was its $249.99 price tag, and to that end, the company recently announced that on August 12th they're dropping the price all the way down to $169.99. I've had a Nintendo 3DS since day one have reviewed several great games here on the Tech Blog such as Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition, Pilotwings Resort, and LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean 3D. Then there's of course The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, which is my favourite game yet on the Nintendo 3DS (review coming shortly), and there are plenty of hot titles on the horizon such as a new Kid Icarus, Mario Kart, Super Mario, and StarFox.

Kinect for Xbox 360
It's been a pretty slow year for Kinect following it's high intensity launch last November, but just because software has been trickling in doesn't mean Microsoft isn't readying a whole slew of compatible games comes this fall. The controller-less motion device which uses your body to navigate menus and play games has been touted as the "fastest selling consumer electronic device ever" having pushed over 10 million units in less than five months, now that's impressive. At this year's E3 Expo Microsoft announced a barrage of Kinect compatible games in production, including voice control in Mass Effect 3, using voice commands for your pets in Sims 3: Pets, a hand gesture gun customization feature in Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, using your arm as a lightsaber in the upcoming Kinect Star Wars, and casting spells with your body in Fable: The Journey. In addition, Microsoft also announced that they would be adding enhanced voice control to navigate the Xbox menus. To play music say "Xbox Music", games say "Xbox Games", and movies say "Xbox Video", then instantly you'll be taken to where you need to go. Microsoft has also launched Kinect Fun Labs, a new hub on the Xbox dashboard which showcases numerous new apps that utilize the Kinect sensor and are available for download. These apps (called Gadgets) enable you to perform actions such as scanning your body to create realistic avatars or use your hands to spray sparklers. While some of the games mentioned at E3 won't be out next year, there are some great games expected to drop this holiday season including Dance Central 2, Kinect Sports: Season Two, Forza Motorsport 4, Kinect Star Wars, a new Raving Rabbids, The Gunstringer, and The Sims 3.

Stay tuned for more Back-to-School guides including upcoming holiday video games and peripherals!

[This article originally appeared on the Future Shop Tech Blog]
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