JANUARY 2015 ISSUE
twenty years
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FROM THE EDITOR Welcome to 2015! We think it will be a big year for gamers. With developers really getting their heads around new hardware, we’re expecting big things this year. Better game play, better graphics and sound and more immersive environments. 2015 kicks off with the 20th anniversary of the Playstation. Who remembers that little grey console that came out so many years ago that, along with the Xbox, changed gaming forever. No longer were Sega and Nintendo the power players in the market. Now they had real competition and one thing both Sony and Microsoft were good at is competing. Sony particularly resonates with me as I can remember some of my favourite games of the time being so addictive that I actually took my Playstation on holiday with me so I could play at night after a day of surfing and fishing. Sad but true. Games like TOCA Touring Cards, Tekken 3 and Dead or Alive were favourites with the family. And who can forget classics like Ridge Racer Type 4, Final Fantasy 7 and Gran Truism 2 along with one of the all time greats, Metal Gear Solid. Since then, Sony have produced the PS2, PS3 and now PS4 and each system seems to gather more loyal fans and bring us more immersive gaming environments. So while we celebrate 20 years of the Playstation, we here at Live are looking forward to what comes out this year for both the PS4 and the Xbox One. It promises to be a big year for gamers!
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20 Years of Playstation Reviews
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THE LIVE TEAM Publisher: Rob Jenkins (Gametraders Operations Centre) Art Director: Giselle Capozza (Gametraders Operations Centre) Game Review & Preview Editors: Nick Getley & Kylie Tuttle (Sticky Trigger) Retro Writer: Jess Wilson UK Writer: Elliott Buddo US Writer: Serwa Aboagye Sticky Trigger Writers: Kylie Tuttle Nick Getley Alex Holmes Sam Babu Nick Pearce Aaron Milligan Ben Rachow Elliott Buddo Bridget Sweeney Sean Fox Miranda Nelson Tim Arnold Matthew Raspe Sasha Karen Liam Church
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JANUARY
GAME RELEASES! DATE
TITLE
FORMATS
01/01/2015
Scream Ride
360, XB1
10/01/2015
Captain Toad Treasure Tracker
WiiU
23/01/2015
Saints Row 4 Gat out of Hell
PC, PS3, 360
23/01/2015
Saints Row 4 Re-Elected
PS4
27/01/2015
Grand Theft Auto 5
PC, PS4
28/01/2015
Dying Light
PC, PS4, XB1
29/01/2015
Dynasty Warriors 8 Empires
XB1, PS4
29/01/2015
Terraria
PS4
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DYING LIGHT! You won’t want to miss Dying Light coming out later this month on PS4, PC and on Xbox One. Dying Light is a first-person, action survival horror game set in a vast and dangerous open world. During the day, players traverse an expansive urban environment overrun by a vicious outbreak, scavenging the world for supplies and crafting weapons to defend against the growing infected population. At night, the hunter becomes the hunted, as the infected become aggressive and more dangerous. Most frightening are the predators which only appear after sundown. Players must use everything in their power to survive until the morning’s first light.
Pre-order now at Gametraders!
SAINTS ROW: GAT OUT OF HELL Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell is coming to a console near you with PS3, 360 and PC versions for fans. Play as Johnny Gat or Kinzie Kensington - For the first time ever, play as the fan favourites Johnny Gat and Kinzie Kensington, alone or in 2-player online co-op. An Open World from Hell - Wage war against the Prince of Darkness through-out the 5 unique districts of hell any way you want: rescue allies, pick a fight with nightmarish ArchDukes, rob Satan’s soul processing plants... dozens of options await you in an all new city unlike any that’s been seen in Saints Row before.
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3D
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WHAT'S HOT IN T
GA
THE US
AMING IN THE US
Happy New Year everyone and welcome to 2015! Has it really been 20 years since the first PlayStation console hit the shelves? WOW! I feel so old right now! PlayStation have had some amazing exclusive titles and 2015 sees some more exclusives hit the shelves! The Sticky Trigger team will have a full run down for you next month on what to keep an out on across all consoles for 2015, but there are few PS4 titles I might have to get my hands on this year I think! Unchartered 4 Without a doubt, this is quite possibly one of the BEST PlayStation exclusive franchises they have had! The third person shooter, action adventure platform game sees Nathan Drake, the fortune hunter return for a global wide pursuit over a historical conspiracy over a pirates treasure. I’ve loved the last instalments of the game and with developers Naughty Dog being quoted for saying Uncharted 4 will be his greatest adventure yet, I can’t wait! Until Dawn This game has been in development for some time now, but it looks like it’s good to hit the shelves in 2015! An interactive horror adventure game, it will have you sitting on the edge of your seats and quite possible will scare the pants off you! The plot behind the game is that you follow the story of 8 friend who head up to a mountain retreat for some rest and relaxtion…. Sounds
nice and calming right? WRONG! What they don’t realise is that there is a deranged killer on the loose and your actions in the game will change the outcome as the story progresses. You have to decide whether you stay and hide where you are in a hope that the killer won’t find you or make a run for it! It’s definitely going to be one suspenseful game! Check out the trailer on Youtube and tell me you won’t be jumping out of your chair! Ratchet and Clank Remastered In 2002, Ratchet and Clank made their gaming screen debut on the PlayStation 2. In 2015, Insomniac Games are remastering the classic for the PlayStation 4 in preparation for the feature film due to hit the silver screens in 2016. I loved this adventure game when it first came out! The game sees you save the galaxy as Ratchet, a wrench-wielding Lombax, and his robot buddy Clank, in this action-adventure with a multitude of crazy weapons. Following events of the original game and the feature film, this game shares the film’s vision of Ratchet’s origin story for both new players and Ratchet fans to enjoy. I’m also looking forward to seeing more of Suda51’s Let it Die which was released as an E3 trailer in 2014 which is rumoured to be released in 2015, The Order: 1886 and Silent Hill 4 which is currently a confirmed PS4 title, however it may be released on other platforms… watch this space! Until next month y’all, happy gaming!
WHAT'S HOT IN T
GA
THE UK
AMING IN THE UK
Happy New Year readers and welcome to 2015! I hope you all had a great Christmas and New Years! 2015 is looking to be a great year for gamers with some awesome titles, but let’s just do a quick flash back
Titanfall. The first person shooter saw players as pilots in control of giant mech style Titans fighting in a war torn outer space colony. Titanfall bought back that little something that players had been missing from first person shooters and it was
"...one of the best wii u titles released.." of a few of the awesome things that happened in the gaming industry in 2014. Not only was it a bumper year for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, but Nintendo made a mega creep back in to the market place with some killer party titles. Grand Theft Auto V (Xbox One and PlayStation 4) Following its release on the ‘old gen’ in November 2014, next gen console lovers were chopping at the bit for this bad boy to be released and boy, they were not disappointed! Rockstar loving remastered and re-released Grand Theft Auto V on November 18 2014, which included a comprehensive first person perspective mode. This allowed players to see the game in a whole new way and changing the way we look at GTAV forever *insert first person perspective naughty sex scenes* Oh my! Titanfall (Xbox One) March 2014 saw Respawn Entertainment and Electronic Arts release
a breath of well needed fresh air when it hit the market! Although the steam behind Titanfall has cooled down a little, it’s still a great title for FPS fans! Bayonetta 2 (Wii U) Nintendo bought the Witch back! Possibly one for the best Wii U titles released this year, Nintendo’s 2nd installation to the franchise had ‘Tendy’ fans in a frizz waiting in anticipation for the game to hit the shelves. Bayonetta 2 see’s Nintendo stepping away from the party games and providing a somewhat action filled game which had a great story line and plenty of kick-ass action for players to enjoy! Destiny (PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One) Ahh Destiny…. I’m just going to come out and say it – quite possibly the most anticipated game of 2014! It was said to be the next best thing to come from Bungie since Halo and although it hasn’t lived up to some of the hype and expectations that people had for the game, Destiny is fast paced, addictive and
you won’t be getting bored anytime soon! Weekly updates with missions, incredible visuals and brilliant online capabilities, Destiny is one of the best, if not the best first person shooter to come out in 2014! Last but not least… Super Smash Bros for 3DS and Wii U Super Smash Bros was a HUGELY anticipated for dedicated Nintendo fans in 2014. With the 3DS released first in October, followed by the Wii U version just in time for Christmas, Super Smash Bros 3DS sold a whopping 3.2 million copies in its first month and has been flying off the shelves since! The fighting game sees some of our favourite Nintendo characters (49 playable characters!) kicking each other’s butts! With the release of the Amiibo figures adding additional abilities to the character played, Super Smash Bros on the Wii U in particular is the ultimate party game! What was your gaming highlight of 2014? Email the team at Gametraders as we’d love to know!
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It’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years of PlayStation. I remember the time when my family got the PlayStation 1 so vividly that it seems like only yesterday. After its announcement, excitement steadily growing around Sony’s debut video game console until it finally released – and astounded everyone. Sony’s revolutionary console may just be the single most important video game console ever developed – it accomplished so much in such a short time that it redefined the entire video game industry. Because of it, games move past the technological limitations set by cartridges and into the future of optical media. Not only that, but as the PlayStation’s games progressed we would see some of the greatest franchises ever to grace our lounge rooms appear. The gaming industry owes a lot to Sony and its grey gizmo. Let’s take a look at the story behind the first PlayStation, the consoles that succeeded it and have a look at some of the top-selling franchises for each system.
(1994 - Japan, 1995 - USA, AUS, EU) Funnily enough, the PlayStation nearly didn’t even exist, at least not as we know it. It originally began development as a Nintendo product – an expansion to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (Famicom in Japan). In 1988, Nintendo and Sony worked together on a model of the Famicom with a built-in CD-ROM drive. Ultimately, the two companies were unable to come to an agreement in regards to sharing the profits from the project and the plug was pulled on the deal, with Nintendo turning to Philips for a similar collaboration. Sony’s president, Norio Ohga appointed Ken Kutaragi (who later became known as the “Father of the PlayStation”) as the head of their new PlayStation project. Unfortunately for Nintendo, they lost faith in optical media and the Nintendo-Philips console never saw the light of day (though they would utilise optical media later). While I have no doubts that a Sony-Nintendo CD-ROM console would have been amazing, I’m glad that Sony entered the video game industry with their very own console. The PlayStation was launched in Japan on December 3, 1994, North America on September 9, 1995, Europe on September 29, 1995, and Oceania on November 15, 1995. Its launch included Battle Arena Toshinden, Warhawk, Air Combat, Ridge Racer and Rayman. While Rayman utilised the power of the PlayStation to deliver a gorgeous 2D platformer that was still firmly rooted in the 2D platformers of yesteryear, the majority of Sony PlayStation titles embraced the power of the console to deliver 3D games that were leaps and bounds ahead of what the Sega Genesis (Mega Drive) and Super Famicom (Super Nintendo Entertainment System) were offering. Gamers would become immersed in games like never before. 102 million PlayStation units were shipped during it’s ten year production run.
1. Gran Turismo – 10.9 million 2. Final Fantasy VII - 9.7 million 3. Gran Turismo 2 – 9.4 million 4. Final Fantasy VIII – 7.8 million 5. Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back – 7.5 million 6. Tekken 3 – 7.1 million 7. Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped – 7.1 million 8. Crash Bandicoot – 6.8 million 9. Driver - 6.27 million 10. Metal Gear Solid - 6.03 million
(2000) The PlayStation 2 was released on March 4th, 2000 in Japan with the rest of the world following later in the same year. It made $250 million in one day, surpassing the $97 million made in one day by its competitor, the Sega Dreamcast. The PS2 was such a huge success that Sony could not manufacture consoles fast enough to meet the demand, meaning that retailers would sell out and remain that way for weeks. A huge technological leap forward from the original PlayStation, the PS2 utilised the superior storage space of both single layer (4.7gb) DVDs and dual layer DVDs (9gb). Where the PS1 had a 32-bit CPU able to run at 33mhz, the PS2 had a 64-bit CPU capable of processing at 299mhz. The PS2 looked unbelievably gorgeous, with most games running at 720x480 resolution (standard definition) but a few running at 720p (high definition). The Tekken and Gran Turismo games were particularly gorgeous, and were often shown at press events and game conventions. It is also worth noting that the PlayStation 2 was Sony’s first console capable of online play, though this required the purchase and use of a network adaptor. The first title to include online play was SOCOM: US Navy SEALs. Other online-capable titles included Blitz: The League, Call of Duty 3 and of course, Final Fantasy XI. The PS2 went on to be the best-selling video game console in history, selling more than 155 million units. Over 3,870 games have been released for the PS2 since launch, and more than 1.5 billion copies of games have been sold globally.
1. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – 20.81 million 2. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City – 16.15 million 3. Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec – 14.98 million 4. Grand Theft Auto III – 13.10 million 5. Gran Turismo 4 – 11.66 million 6. Final Fantasy X – 8.05 million 7. Need for Speed Underground – 7.20 million 8. Need for Speed Underground 2 – 6.90 million 9. Medal of Honor: Frontline – 6.83 million 10. Kingdom Hearts – 6.40 million
(PSP) (2004) Rumours of handheld consoles from Sony and Microsoft circulated for years, though it wasn’t until the PSP was revealed that they saw any truth to them. Microsoft never entered the handheld market, though they did develop mobile phones with Nokia (who they later purchased for $7.2 billion) that played games. It was Sony that became a rival to Nintendo’s handheld division in 2004, with the release of the PlayStation Portable (PSP for short). Japanese launch titles included Armored Core: Formula Front, Lumines, Ridge Racers and Vampire Chronicle: The Chaos Tower while the North American launch (only a few months later) included games such as Ape Escape: On the Loose, Dynasty Warriors, Metal Gear Acid, Need for Speed: Underground Rivals and Tony Hawk’s Underground 2 Remix. The PSP used Universal Media Discs as its primary storage medium, a small disc that was stored in protective plastic cases. Initially, there were problems with a small number of Japanese launch PSPs, which would eject the disc if the PSP was held on a certain angle or twisted, as well as dead pixels on the screen. Sony offered customers replacements and it wasn’t long before the PlayStation Portable was selling out in Japan. The PS1 was able to play audio CDs and the PS2 was able to do that in addition to being able to play DVDs. The PlayStation Portable was also a game device with a few tricks up its sleeve, being able to play movies (which were also stored on UMDs), read media from SD cards, connectivity with the PS2 and PS3, as well as connect to the internet. Nintendo finally had some handheld competition to be reckoned with. There have been a number of revisions to the PlayStation Portable, including multiple that saw the inclusion of a microphone and the PSP-Go (PSP-N1000) which ditched UMDs in favour of the customer buying everything through Sony’s digital marketplace, the PSN.As of March 31st, 2012, the PSP has sold over 76.3 million units! During the PlayStation 2’s peak, the face of the console gaming landscape had changed dramatically. Sega’s troubled Dreamcast failed to perform decently in the United States, due to a lack of Western titles and most notably, sports titles. When the Dreamcast was ultimately discontinued in 2001, another company emerged with their own ambitious rival to the PlayStation 2 – Microsoft and their “Xbox”. In late 2005, Microsoft released the successor to the Xbox, the Xbox 360 – though Sony was not about to roll over and admit defeat. They had plans of their own, delivering one of their finest consoles to date...
1. Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories – 7.6 million 2. Monster Hunter Freedom Unite - 5.4 million 3. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories – 4.9 million 4. Monster Hunter Portable 3rd – 4.8 million 5. Daxter – 4.1 million 6. Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters – 3.6 million 7. Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition – 3.6 million 8. God of War: Chains of Olympus – 3.1 million 9. Gran Turismo – 3.1 million 10. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII – 3.1 million
(2006 – Japan, USA, 2007 Europe, Australia) The PlayStation 3 was released at the end of 2006. Demand for the console was so high that once again it would sell out for weeks and even months at a time. Once again able to embrace cutting-edge technology, the PlayStation 3 utilised Blu-ray discs as its primary storage. Not only that, the PlayStation 3 also had its own unified online gaming service, PlayStation Network (PSN) to compete with Microsoft’s Xbox LIVE. When it was revealed at E3 2005, the PS3 had a truly bizarre controller. Shaped like a boomerang, it quickly drew criticism and was quickly changed in favour of a more traditional controller. The boomerang controller has become a rare collectible with some of the controllers appearing on online auction sites like eBay. Launch titles for the PS3 included Call of Duty 3, Genji: Days of the Blade, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, Resistance: Fall of Man and Tony Hawk’s Project 8. The PS3 was (and still is) an amazing console, boasting a plethora of brilliant games such as the Uncharted series, the Infamous series, the LittleBigPlanet series as well as the Singstar games. It became a must-have item for many homes around the world, and even saw Sony embrace online gaming and indie developers (though indie games are predominantly PSN only). As of November 2013, the PS3 has sold over 80 million units.
MOST POPULAR GAMES: 1. Gran Turismo 5 – 10.66 million 2. The Last of Us – 6 million 3. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots – 6 million 4. Gran Turismo 5 Prologue – 5.35 million 5. God of War III – 5.19 million 6. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 – 4.8 million 7. Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception – 3.8 million 8. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves – 3.8 million 9. Motorstorm – 3.31 million 10. Call of Duty: Black Ops – 3.26 million
(ps vita) (2011 - japan, 2012 worldwide) The successor to the PSP, the PlayStation Vita is Sony’s current handheld gaming device. An immense leap forward from the PSP, the PS Vita is not only able to play games and various media, but it also has a front touch screen, rear touchpad, Six Axis motion sensing, three-axis electronic compass, D-pad, 16 buttons and two analog sticks, all met by a huge and bright screen. One of the slickest features of the PS Vita is its ability to be used as a second screen for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 through Remote Play (though the number of PS3 compatible games is much smaller). While it didn’t have a great deal of stellar launch titles, the PS Vita was still a remarkable little gizmo. The handheld becomes more and more impressive each day, with some games even supporting cross-platform saves, meaning that you can continue progressing through a game while away from your main console. You can build your world in Minecraft on your PS Vita while you’re out and about and then continue to build it on your PS3 when you get home. Or you can play the amazing Dragon’s Crown on Vita and then continue the adventure on your PS3 later. The best part is, you only have to pay for the game once to own it across a number of platforms! The PS Vita sold 4.2 million units in 2013 (Figures for 2014 are unavailable).
1. Uncharted: Golden Abyss – 1.3 million 2. Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation – 1.1 million 3. Call of Duty Black Ops: Declassified – 1.1 million 4. LittleBigPlanet PS Vita – 0.89 million 5. Need for Speed: Most Wanted – A Criterion Game – 0.78 million 6. Persona 4: The Golden – 0.77 million 7. Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster – 0.60 million 8. Killzone: Mercenary – 0.56 million 9. FIFA Soccer – 0.54 million 10. Rayman Origins – 0.51 million
(2013 – USA, Europe, 2014 – Japan) During a press conference in 2013, Sony announced the successors to the PS3 – the PlayStation 4. On November 29, 2013 - one week to the day after Microsoft released their Xbox One on to the gaming market, Sony released their latest edition to the console war. Sony was quoted as saying that the PlayStation 4 was “the world’s most powerful console” and they weren’t wrong! The PlayStation 4’s GPU can perform 1.843 teraflops – in plain English that means that the PlayStation 4 is currently around 50 per cent faster than the Xbox One, graphic fidelity and image resolution are higher and processing of game graphics are faster. As of September 2014, less than one year since its world wide release, a whopping 13.5 million PS4 units had been sold! Sales of the PS4 equate to almost 44% of the gaming console market. Sony wanted the PS4 to be for The Players. With and increased focus on social gaming, live in game streaming with friends and a “Share” button incorporated into the DualShock 4 controller, players are now more connected to their gaming friends than ever. Other features which have helped push the sales of the PS4 include the PlayStation Now (rumoured to be released in Australia in 2015) which is a cloud based gaming service that offers streaming, the PlayStation app which was designed to enhance gameplay by allowing use of smartphones or tablets as a second screen and the use of a PS Vita to allow remote play. The controller – aptly named the DualShock 4, is similar to that of the DualShock 3 however its capabilities have been ramped up! Bluetooth connectivity, a touch pad, motion detection, a stereo headphone jack and a light bar which not only helps identify players (when playing local multiplayer) but also interacts with the PlayStation Camera. The camera (an optional extra) features two 1280×800px lenses which allow for different modes of operation depending on what you are doing. Amazingly, one of the cameras can be used for generating video streaming images, whilst the other can be used for motion tracking in the game.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
FIFA 15 – 4.3 million Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare – 4 million Destiny – 3.8 million Watch Dogs – 3.4 million Grand Theft Auto V – 3.1 million Call of Duty: Ghosts – 2.8 million FIFA Soccer 14 – 2.6 million Battlefield 4 – 2.3 million The Last of Us – 2.3 million Killzone: Shadow Fall – 2 million
SO WHERE TO FOR THE PLAYSTATION IN
201 BY STICKY TRIGGER
15?
It appears that things can only be going onwards and upwards for the PlayStation 4 in 2015. In a recent press release, PlayStation 4 was crowned the fastest selling home video games console in Australian history! This achievement came in advance of PlayStation celebrating its 20th anniversary in the Australian market in early 2014, and proves the PlayStation brand continues to be the favourite place to play for Australian gamers. In addition to being the fastest selling home console in Australian history, PS4 retains the number one next-gen console leadership position, according to data from NPD Group Australia. Further to the reception it has received from Australian gamers since its release, PlayStation 4 has been a significant driver in category growth since its release. According to Luis Gil, The NPD Group Australia, “the Console Hardware category in Australia has more than doubled in value since release of 8th Generation Hardware in 2013. PlayStation 4 accounted for a substantial 44% of the total category value since its launch”. This statement was based on a case study carried out by NPD Group Australia for Console Hardware sales data for the week commencing November 25th 2013 to the week ending October 26th 2014. “As PlayStation powers into its twentieth year in Australia, we couldn’t be happier with our position with PS4 at the top spot of the interactive entertainment industry,” Michael Ephraim, Managing Director, Sony Computer Entertainment
Australia and New Zealand has recently state. “I’ve watched this business grow over the 20 years and have had the pleasure of being part of the monumental change in innovation and category growth; of which PlayStation has historically been a key driver of. PlayStation 4 is now the fastest selling home console in Australian history and this reflects the passion of our players, our partners and the quality of the PlayStation offer.” Critical to the PlayStation experience is the best-in-class technology that underpins it. With social connectivity at the heart of PS4, the evolution of its system software brings together new ways to interact with the global community. The recent release of System Software 2.0 reinforces these specifications, with a focus on innovative gaming experiences including Share Play which allows a PlayStation Plus member to invite a friend who owns a PS4 to join them on the virtual sofa. In addition, there is continued personalisation that includes the introduction of a USB Music Player, themes, home screen colours, voice control and a dedicated YouTube app. Sony Xperia phone users can enjoy the ability to remote play games on their console. Sony Compter Entertainment Australia continues to expand its innovative PlayStation ecosystem with the introduction PlayStation TV nationwide which occurred on November 14th. The PlayStation TV allows players to live stream a game from their PS4 to another TV in their home! Goodbye fighting over who has control of the TV!
Just recently announced, the new ABC iview app for PS4 makes it easier than ever to enjoy ABC on demand on TV screens through a cinematic and easily navigable big-screen interface. The latest version of ABC iview will also launch on PlayStation 3 in coming weeks. iview was first to market on gaming consoles locally when it launched on PS3 in 2009. Rebecca Heap, ABC Head of TV Strategy and Digital Products said, “In 2014 ABC iview was the number one in-ternet TV service in Australia with more than 20 million plays per month and a 29% year on year increase in weekly program plays. We are delighted to be launching ABC iview on PS4 and will continue to be the home of Australian stories for our audience on all their screens with the best user experience.” Michael Ephraim, Managing Director, Sony Computer Entertainment Australia said, “PlayStation and ABC iview have enjoyed a long relationship since the service debuted on home consoles with PlayStation 3 as the inaugural platform in 2009. We are thrilled to expand our suite of platforms that offer the extensive stellar range of ABC viewing to our PS4 audience.” Showing a clear commitment to The Players, PlayStation 4 offers an unparalleled software line-up for the fes-tive season which includes SingStar Ultimate Party, DRIVECLUB™, Minecraft PS4 Edition, Far Cry 4, Grand Theft Auto 5, Assassin’s Creed®: Unity, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare and LittleBigPlanet 3, offering something for everyone in the family. In early 2015
highly anticipated and exclusive titles continue with The Order: 1886, Bloodborne and Until Dawn. If you haven’t checked out the PlayStation Youtube channel, you should! 2015 will see an even BIGGER push on Indie game titles being realised, most of which are available now on Steam. Many new titles will be making their debut appearance on the PS4 such as the amazing looking ‘No Man’s Sky’ from Hello Games. Don’t under estimate the power of the Indie titles and be sure to stock up on PSN credit! 2015 is going to be a huge year for not only gamers with amazing title releases, but also for the PlayStation family! Happy 20th Birthday PlayStation! Here’s to the next 20 years! All sales figures are according to Vgchartz.com*
WRITTEN BY nick getley
WWW.STICKYTRIGGERENTERTAINMENT.COM.AU
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video game easter eggs
This month we had one of our intrepid researchers scoured the internet to find some of the best game Easter Eggs around. For those that aren’t sure what we’re talking about, Easter Eggs in games and movies are hidden messages or jokes in games, movies, books etc. Wikipedia states that: “According to game designer Warren Robinett, the term was coined at Atari by personnel who were alerted to the presence of a secret message which had been hidden by Robinett in his already widely distributed game, Adventure.” Some “Easter Eggs” are so well hidden it can take months to discover them and sometimes even then a hint might need to be dropped by the designer. Here’s a list of some of the best we’ve found on the web including Games Radar, Wikipedia and Business Insider along with ones we’ve found.
Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze Wii U A Metroid Easter Egg can be found in the background of the Donkey Kong Country level 1-B Busted Bayou. The Easter egg is Samus Aran’s gunship and if you look hard enough, it can be located to the left of the K and it is lodged between the trees. Aliens: Colonial Marines – PS3, PC, Xbox 360, PS2, Nintendo DS The Easter egg in this game is a special containment capsule that contains a tiny straw hat and a cane. To find this Easter egg you go to the laboratory from the mission one bullet. In that same level you will find two chest buster specimens with the same cane and hat. Fun fact – this Easter egg is reference to the movie Spaceballs. Batman: Arkham Asylum - PS3, Xbox 360, Mac, PC Next to Warden Sharp’s office is a secret room. You won’t find it on any of the maps in the game and can’t see it with Batman’s Detective vision. To find it first go to Sharp’s office then equip your explosive gel and make a left at the stairs. Then on the wall in the center of it place several applications of the explosive gel. Then detonate the gel and you will find the secret room. There is no achievement for this Easter egg. Crysis 2 - PS3, Xbox 360 and PC In the Dead Man Walking mission while walking through the office building you will find a surprise. Whilst wandering around, you’ll find two C.E.L.L assault soldiers danc-
ing in an elevator filled with fog, strobe lights, and a disco ball.
rat scurrying down the street. The gigantic rat is the Easter egg.
God War: Ascension - PS3 In chapter 14 ‘The Cistern’, you will find a hidden puzzle. Whilst wandering around, you will come across a painting depicting Olympus. When you examine it, the painting will spit out a random string of letters. The letters translate to: Sun, bird, bull, lion, sun and each corresponds to plates in the ground. Activate the plates in that order will unveil a new image on the painting. The message on the painting will say “When the earth stops, the journey begins.”
Borderlands 2 – PS3, PlayStation Vita, PC, OS X, Xbox 360, GNU/ Linux The Easter egg in this game is a Minecraft reference. Go through the Caustic Caverns and you will come across dirt cubes blocking your path. Use your melee attack to get past them and you will find a cave filled with creepers. Kill them and you may get a Minecraft helmet accessory with chunky pixelation.
Sanctum 2 - PC, OS X, Linux, PS3 and Xbox 360 The Easter egg in this game is located in the bio lab level. Hanging on the edge of the broken platform is an explorer. As you walk closer to the platform he says in an Ian McKellen voice “Fly, you fools!” Then he plunges to his doom. Dead Rising - Xbox 360, Wii If you have played the original Resident Evil then you will remember the line “that was too close, you were almost a JILL SANDWICH!”. In Dead Rising there is a little shop you can visit called Jill’s Sandwiches. Mirror’s Edge – PS3, iOS, iPhone, iPad, Xbox 360, PC, Windows Phone During part D of the Kate chapter, shoot the engine of the target truck as it comes around the corner. Then hit the white spot directly in the middle of the orange sign on the building behind it. You will see a gigantic
Deus Ex: Human Revolution – PS3, PC, Wii U, Xbox 360, OS X In Deus Ex: Human Revolution the Easter egg is a Final Fantasy XXVII poster. To find it, go to Frank Pritchard’s office and look at the wall to the left of the doorway. There you will see the poster. Super Smash Bros. Brawl – Wii To find the Easter egg in this game, play as Solid Snake in the Shadow Mose stage. Hit down on the Dpad continuously and you will hear Snake have a lengthy radio conversation about his current opponent. The same thing happens with Star Fox on their battle stage. The Last of Us – PS4, PS3 The Easter egg in this game is Nathan Drake (character from Unchartered) and Jak and Daxter (from Jak and Daxter) in piñata form. To find them search the apartment in the Pittsburgh chapter. Halo 4 - Xbox One, Xbox 360 Mission 6 is where you will find this Easter egg in Halo 4. The Easter
egg is the voices of Conan O’Brian and Andy Richter. You will find two marines standing near a forklift in the large loading bay. Wait for a little bit and you will hear their voices. The Sims 2 - OS X, PlayStation Portable, PS2, Nintendo DS The Sims 2 has many Easter eggs and one of them is the grim reaper’s bio. If you use the ‘boolprop testingcheatsenabled’ cheat you will be able to see the grim reaper’s bio. If you do this though, you might corrupt your game. Testing cheats can be activated by opening up the cheat console (with CTRL+SHIFT+C) and typing boolProp testingCheatsEnabled true Uncharted 3 - PS3 The release of the Last of Us gets foreshadowed in Uncharted 3. The creators thought that The Last of Us would be announced before the release of Uncharted 3. It wasn’t and this Easter egg was never taken out of the game! The Easter egg is a Last of Us newspaper. At the beginning of the game, walk over to the dartboard and you will see a newspaper on the bar. The newspaper headline says “Scientists are still struggling to understand deadly fungus.” Star Wars: The Force Unleashed – PS3, PlayStation Portable, Xbox 360, Wii, PC In the Imperial Kashykk level go to the trophy room. Inside you will find Jar Jar Binks frozen in carbonite. Call of Duty: Black Ops – PS3, OS X, Wii, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, PC Hit the left and right triggers repeatedly on the menu screen. This will
make the strapped in Alex Mason rock back and forth and break free. Then walk to the computer behind you and enter the commands. Then you will be able to play the Zork and Dead Ops Arcade. Devil May Cry - PS3, Xbox 360, PC When Dante gets the Ophion demon pull ability in mission 2 and uses it on an enemy he will say “Get over here!”. This is a reference to Scorpion in Mortal Kombat when he uses his spear attack. Personally this is one of my favorite Easter eggs because Mortal Kombat is in my opinion the best fighting game ever. Red Dead Redemption - PS3, Xbox 360 Visit the abandoned mansion in the town and you will hear footsteps, whispers, and a dog barking. Follow the sound of a dog barking and it will lead you to the cemetery. Then go to the church next to the cemetery and at the altar, you will see the words “The Devil has gotten into that beast”. This is your Easter egg! Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts Xbox 360 The Easter egg in this game is Rare’s throwback to their past. In the dumpster near Banjo’s house you will find a Viva Piñata Fudgehog, a bin full of Grabbed by Ghoulies, and a ice key from the first game. Watchdogs – PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Wii U, Xbox 360, PC One of the Easter eggs in Watchdogs is a Raving Rabbids reference. Go to Aiden’s sister’s house and in Jackson’s bedroom you will find a
Rabbid. You will also find some on new-stands in the game. Borderlands – PS3, Xbox 360, PC, OS X To find this Easter egg, head to the docks in the Southeast. Then shoot barrels in a specific order and once you do, Tannis pops out of the water riding a fish into the sunset. Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - Wii Go to Lake Hylia and look for the clown that operates the cannon. Switch to first person mode and look at the sleeve on his left arm. You will find an image of Bullet Bill on his jacket. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II – PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, Nintendo DS, iOS, PC LucasArts’ makes a reference to The Secret of Monkey Island. You will see a statue of the Protagonist from the game. Enter the room with hologram Jabba the Hut during the second mission of the game. To the left of Jabba is a statue of Guybrush Threepwood, You can even unlock the costume of Guybrush Threepkiller. Just smash nearby game machines to unlock the costumes. Minecraft - Xbox 360 Edition The Easter egg in this game is a hidden music track. Play the track cat on a jukebox .Play it until the end and wait for a few seconds without taking out the disk. A hidden track called Dog will start playing. Borderlands 2 Xbox360 Enter the ‘Konami’ code of up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, Start at the title screen to unlock
Extra Wubs in the gameplay part of the options menu. Final Fantasy X – PS2, PlayStation Vita, PS3 To get this Easter egg, get the airship first, and then go back to Guadosalam. Follow Tromell up to the Farplane. Talk with Lulu to view the secret scene. The secret scene is the Easter egg. Half-Life – PC,PS2, OS X, Linux Gabe Newell is the Easter egg in this game. He is the Valve founder. Boot up the “c1a1c” map, and then activate ‘no-clip’ mode to let Gordon Freeman pass freely through the level geometry. Delve beneath the level and you’ll spot a pitch black box. Once inside it, turn on your flashlight to be greeted by 1,000 smiling Newell faces. Silent Hill 4 - PC,PS 2, Xbox Robbie is a bloody-mouthed pink rabbit mascot from Silent Hill 3 and he is the Easter egg in Silent Hill 4. Your neighbor, Eileen owns a plushie version of him. You can spot it sitting on her bed if you peek through a tiny peephole in the wall. If you take a look after Eileen’s gone missing, you’ll get a terrifying surprise - Robbie staring and pointing directly at you! X-Men Origins: Wolverine – PS2, PS3, PlayStation Portable, Xbox 360, Wii, PC, Nintendo DS The Easter egg in this game is a reference to World of Warcraft and the television series Lost. You can find the hatch from Lost in the very first level, while chapter 2 contains an icy cave in which you can find Frostmourne - Arthas’ corrupting sword from Warcraft III.
Donkey Kong Arcade – NES, Wii The Easter egg hidden in the Donkey Kong port for the Atari 400 and 800 went undiscovered for 26 years before programmer Landon Dyer revealed it. To see this Easter egg you have to fulfill a specific list of criteria before killing Mario. You can see Landon’s initials (LMD) on the game’s title screen. Grand Theft Auto IV- PS3, Xbox 360, PC The Easter egg in this game is a giant beating heart. In GTA IV, use a helicopter to fly up to a set of doors on the Statue of Happiness. Look for the door sandwiched between two signs that say “no hidden content this way” and just walk through it. Inside the statue you’ll find a giant, beating heart. Dead Space - PC,PS3,Xbox 360 Dead Space’s big plot twist is that Nicole, the woman protagonist Isaac Clarke has been chasing the whole game, died before arrived at the space station. But if you pay attention to the chapter titles, they reveal that Nicole is dead because the first letter of each one comes together to spell “Nicole is dead.” Hitman: Blood Money - PS3, Xbox 360, PS2, PC, Xbox Blood Money’s “Till Death Do Us Part” mission is where this Easter egg is hidden. If you can find and shoot a tiny coin hidden in the backyard, those same tough guys will suddenly strip down to their boxers and sprint to your position to give you a round of applause. Dead Island – PS3, PC, Xbox 360, OS X Buried on the jungle infested island was a cameo appearance by “Jason
Voorhees” (from Friday the 13th). If you can even find the machetewielding maniac, you’ll have a hard time killing him since he’s one of the more sturdy beasts in the game. And yes, officially it isn’t the Jason, but his trademark hockey mask and weapon are proof enough. Dead Rising 2 - PS3,Xbox 360, PC Sequel protagonist Chuck Greene his standard clothes is where this easter egg is hidden in plain sight. Chuck’s Ijiek Racing jacket may seem like a hard to pronounce ingame brand, but it’s really a tribute to the series’ creator. Reverse the letters and you get “Keiji,” as in Keiji Inafune, the creator Mega Man that went on to head up Dead Rising until he left Capcom shortly before Dead Rising 2 came out. Alan Wake - Xbox 360,PC There are a few cute allusions to developer Remedy’s first game, Max Payne, in their newer series Alan Wake, the Easter egg is scriptwriter Sam Lake’s bit of self-mockery. Lake not only wrote the scripts for Payne and Wake’s adventures, he also was the original face model for Payne, and in one Alan Wake’s random live action videos he briefly contorts his face into the famously pained expression. Gone Home - Wii U, GNU/Linux, Microsoft Windows Gone Home’s journal entries are what deliver most of the heartfelt story but there’s one that you probably missed, and it may be the most evocative of all. To get it, you have to locate a small purple basketball in the Greenbriar family’s garage, then make a basket on the hoop affixed to the back of Sam’s door. Your prize is a reading of a meow-tastic
journal entry by Mitten the cat, while a slideshow of random cat pictures displays on Sam’s TV. Doom II – PS3, Game Boy Advance, PlayStation The impaled head of John Romero - one of the lead programmers of Doom II- is one of the Easter eggs in this game. To find it, you must use a no clipping cheat during the final boss encounter in Doom II and walk “through” the villain’s head. There you’ll find Romero’s head mounted atop a stake. Mega Man X – Super Nintendo Street Fighter and Mega Man are two of Capcom’s biggest franchises, but the two series didn’t cross over until this super-secret Easter egg in the first Mega Man X. After jumping through a huge number of hoops, including collecting every upgrade and beating a stage without taking any damage, you’ll find a hidden upgrade Dr. Light (who’s dressed like Ryu) left behind. X can now fire off a Hadouken with the same quarter circle attack command. Mega Man X2 continued the tradition by add-
ing a Shoryunken, but it was much easier to unlock. Halo: Combat Evolved - Xbox, Xbox One, Xbox 360, OS X, PC Playing through Halo: Combat Evolved on Legendary, its hardest difficulty, was no easy task. But those who completed it on that setting were treated to a surprise cut scene in which Sergeant Johnson was seen grappling for his assault rifle with a Covenant Elite. Once the Pillar of Autumn’s self-destruct sequence was initiated in the background, he stared longingly into the Elite’s eyes and said “This is it, baby. Hold me.” The two then embraced as the Halo ring exploded into tiny pieces. Psychonauts – PS3, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, OS X, PC While bouncing around Milla’s Dance Party mindscape, keep an eye out for a secluded playroom with a large toy chest. Hit it open and hop in, and Raz will be sucked into a fiery cell surrounded by disfigured spirits with endless, horrifying whispers. This is a mental repre-
sentation of the sadder side to Milla Vodello’s character: the compartmentalized memory of the children who died when a fire broke out in Milla’s orphanage Gears of War 2 - Xbox 360 In Gears of War 2, play on Insane difficulty and load up chapter three in the campaign. There are three cowboy hats just hanging out in the environment--shoot all three, and everyone on your rig (as well as many of the Locusts you’ll have to kill) will pull a John Marston and wear an awesome cowboy hat. Aladdin – Sega Genesis As a company, Disney is famous for hiding Mickey Mouse ears in its feature films and theme parks, so it’s no surprise that some of their games did it as well. In the 16-bit Aladdin game, a pair of Mickey ears pops up early in the second stage. Bonus: if you line up Aladdin with the ears to make it look like he’s wearing them, you’ll get an extra life.
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GTA V NEXT GEN
REVIEW
“Welcome back to Los Santos. We missed you last time…but our aim is getting better!” Yes, Grand Theft Auto V has at last arrived on the current generation consoles, over a year after we were first introduced to the wide world of Trevor’s cross dressing. It’s still just as chaotic, still just as controversial, and still as much fun as it was 12 months ago. So, you may ask, just what has changed? Well, let’s get your hopefuls shot down first. There’s no jetpack, no heists (though they are coming with the
next update), there’s no dinosaurs (or is that just a Battlefield thing?) and there’s no aliens. What there is though is a ton of new content, both single player and online, and heaps of new things to see and do. Grand Theft Auto V also features a range of sweeping visual and technical upgrades, including vastly increased draw distances, new weather and lighting effects and an increased resolution of 1080p on both next gen platforms. The world of Los Santos and Blaine County is deeper and more immersive than
ever with new weapons, vehicles and activities, additional wildlife, and over 150 additional songs across the game’s 17 radio stations. Single player remains much the same in terms of storyline. Michael still has a mid life crisis, Franklin is still trying to win his childhood sweetheart over with no luck (I know that feel bro) and Trevor is still… well, Trevor. All of the DLC content up to this point has been included, so expect to see a lot of new vehicles driving around San Andreas. A nice little touch I’ve noticed as well is that the NPC cars are also occa-
9/10
sionally modified, meaning that driving around town is a bit more exciting and realistic. It also means that if you happen to find one you like, you can save yourself a few dollars by already having some modifications done. Franklin has a hangar at the airport available almost from the beginning, so you also have easy access to aircraft and large vehicles, without having to worry about wanted levels in the airport. Franklin has a new photo challenge involving the new wildlife, Michael has a new murder mystery to solve, and Tre-
duced trips, where you actually turn into an animal and explore the world…am I the only one who loves the idea of trying to get a 5 star wanted level as an Eagle? Internet, get on that! No word as yet as to whether you can acquire new animals as pets, either in story mode or online (and a far bit of playing didn’t reveal anything either.) Online mode is much the same, offering a few new jobs and missions, including new stock car races, giving you the chance to unleash your inner Geoff Gordon and unlock some nifty new rides
"AND FEAR NOT, YOUR PAST WORK WILL NOT GO TO WASTE, AS YOU ARE ABLE TO TRANSFER YOUR GTA ONLINE DATA.." vor has a few side missions added as well, some of which gift him with a new Death proof-like Duke o’ Death muscle car. New weapons also include the futuristic railgun, a hatchet (also available online), and all the DLC weapons up to now. Most of the weapons have to be unlocked, just like everything else in single player, as you go. Having played a heap of Red Dead, I’m surprised that it has taken this long to include such a huge amount of wildlife in the game. Don’t worry though as David Attenborough would be right at home here. There are several new breeds of dogs, cats, eagles, bird species, new sharks, fish, rabbits, and many many more. A humorous new add on also sees the main characters occasionally come across drug in-
for your garages. And fear not, your past work will not go to waste, as you are able to transfer your GTA Online data from the previous gen consoles, no matter what you played on (I transferred all my PS3 data across to Xbox One; you just need to pair up your account on the Rockstar Social Club site and away you go!) GTA lobbies can now also house up to 30 players, making for some great team work…or a clustermuck of gunfights, muggings and total anarchy ;) Of course, the biggest visual difference is the all new first person mode. Ever wanted to play GTA like a first person shooter, without modding the game? Now’s your chance! Almost everything, bar cut scenes, can be done in first person, making for some hairy and hilarious driving/
action/shooting clips. It also allows you to view things up close, and admire the scenery a bit better. It’s a rather smooth camera view, and the aiming is still pretty easy. Brawling with your fists can be a bit tricky though, but who brings fists to a gun fight? The game itself though is the real winner; it just looks so much better! The countryside is beautiful, almost to a Just Cause 2 level. The characters mouths actually mimic what they are saying, the cars look much better, your screen blurs when you’re near explosions (which I might add look very Michael Bayesqe now) and nightime in LS from the air looks stunning. At first you don’t really notice it all, but as you play more, thinking back to the old gen version, it gets to a point where I stopped and looked around thinking ‘wow…this is incredible.’ It’s everything you remember and like about Grand Theft Auto, just better and more refined. Definitely worthy of the next gen remake it’s been rightfully given.
WRITTEN BY BEN RACHOW
WWW.STICKYTRIGGERENTERTAINMENT.COM.AU
FAR CRY 4 REVIEW
“Did I ever tell you…the definition of insanity? Insanity…is walking out of the safehouse in Far Cry without a weapon.” Welcome to Kyrat. A beautiful little country high in the Himalayas, and the setting for the 4th instalment in Ubisofts’ massive runaway success, the Far Cry series. Instead of pirates in paradise, the setting for Far Cry 4 has moved up in the world…quite literally. And from the moment you’re in the game, it’s breathtakingly simple to see that you have as well. You are Ajay, a somewhat likeable local who has been abroad for many
years. All you want to do is return your mothers ashes to this beautiful country, as per her dying wish. But… well, this is Far Cry. And you should know full well it’s never that simple. Right from the start you come face to face with Pagan Min, your main antagonist who right off the bat seems to know you rather well. Pagan was someone I cringed at, but laughed at the same time; the right mix of dark humour and psychotic behaviour that made Vass such a hit character in Far Cry 3. Very quickly you find yourself embroiled in the country’s civil war, fighting alongside the rebels who seek to throw Pagan off his
mountain fortress. Along the way you’ll find out more about yourself, your parents, and why you are so revered and respected among the local population. If you’re like myself, and coming back after having so much fun with Far Cry 3 and it’s standalone Blood Dragon expansion, you’re in familiar territory. The game feels much the same, the mechanics are quite similar and simple, and the characters are well structured and quite easy to sympathize with. Don’t fret, however, if this is all a brave new snow covered world, because the game
is quite forgiving whilst at the same time giving you a large amount of say in how you do things, and where. To help you along the way there are several eccentric, slightly mad and also caring characters who can provide a variety of services. You can hunt animals to collect skins, with which you can craft different packs to carry more weapons, ammunition and power up syringes, although be warned…Kyrat is the Australia of the Himalayas. Everything wants to kill you-Pagans soldiers, and the wildlife. Being in the mountainous roof of the world as well, charging through the undergrowth blindly is a
9/10 bad idea…unless you like cliffs, rivers and possible fiery death. There is a plethora of weapons to help you along the way, most of which you can unlock and purchase through the many trading stores throughout the world. Some can also be purchased for free by disabling bell tower transmitting stations (which have replaced the radio towers from FC3.) Liberating these also opens the map further, allowing you to see key areas and any collectables nearby. You can level up to earn skill points, which you can use to make yourself an even further refined killing machine and creator of chaos. There are outposts to liberate
As the resistance is led by several people with several different agendas, it’s wise to choose carefully my friend. Provided you aren’t distracted by the side quests-tearing down propaganda posters, finding lost treasures and masks, opening the world by not falling off the Bell Towers, avoiding heart attack outof-nowhere airstrikes by eagles (I’m not making this up..). The Far Cry team have gone to a huge amount of effort to make you think 3 dimensionally-not just what’s in front of you. Thanks to grappling lines and the new autogyro vehicles, there’s a whole new dimension to combat in the world of Kyrat, and you can even coerce the local wildlife into
"Take the roof of the world by storm as a team, or by yourself like a true warrior.." as well, further expanding the friendly control over Kyrat and opening up further challenges. Speaking of challenges…they alone can get you lost up here. I spent a good 5 hours in the game and I only did around 3 story missions. It’s very easy to get side-tracked with side quests, exploring for loot, or just admiring the scenery. New side quests include ‘Karma’ quests, which involve liberating villages and hostages, intercepting government trucks which can be destroyed or turned over to the resistance, and escorting supply convoys of your own. Ubisoft also give you a certain degree of freedom with some of the story missions, giving you, at times, several ways to accomplish one mission.
PROS: RUNS LIKE BUTTER. SMOOTH LAG AND GLITCH FREE. PLAYS ON THE STRENGTHS OF FAR CRY 3 WHILE EXPANDING UPON THEM STAGGERING AMOUNT OF CONTENT.
CONS: UNABLE TO SKIP LENGTHY CUTSCENES.
helping you dispose of Pagans’ troops at times. Just make sure to keep your distance, or you’re likely to end up as second course. It’s fairly easy to navigate between multiplayer and single player here as well. Along with the dedicated multiplayer matches you can also enjoy co-op campaign. You and your friend can jump in and out of story mode at will, not having to worry if your friend drops connection. Take the roof of the world by storm as a team, or by yourself like a true warrior. Whatever path you choose my friend, the choice is yours. But be careful, you are on the roof of the world. And it’s an awfully long way down…
WRITTEN BY ben rachow
WWW.STICKYTRIGGERENTERTAINMENT.COM.AU
borderlands
s: the pre-sequel
REVIEW
Alright, let’s get this out of the way real quick: Have you played any of the Borderlands games before? Yes? Was it Borderlands 2? Yes? Good, then read on. If you haven’t played Borderlands 2, then you should definitely go play that before you call in sick from work for a few days just to play the Pre-Sequel. Chronologically, the events of the Pre-Sequel occur before the events of Borderlands 2, however having the background information of the latter certainly makes for a less jarring introduction as the Pre-Sequel deals with Handsome Jack’s rise to power. With the player taking control of one of four recognizable characters from the previous games (Nisha, Wilhelm, Athena and Clap-
However, the only real mechanics involved with this added function is primarily jumping through the air, using your oxygen supply to boost you and then using said supply to perform a “butt-stomp” attack on your enemies. Which is exactly what it sounds like. So really it’s just a novelty that wears off pretty quickly unless you’re having fun with the jump pads as most of the time you won’t be able to get enough height to make for an effective butt-stomp attack which just ends up making for some really clunky fighting. There’s really not too much to say, The Pre-Sequel shares many traits with its predecessors, so it’s very much a Borderlands game. In that
"the pre-sequel can quite easily shift from being exciting and funny to boring and repetitive.." trap) the characters take to Helios Station and Pandora’s moon (Elpis) under the employ of the man who would eventually become the antagonist of Borderlands 2. The Pre-Sequel has advertised itself as bringing a new style of play to the Borderlands series by incorporating low-gravity combat along with a limited oxygen supply, thereby sending the player leaping across the map as they go from oxygen source to oxygen source while fighting off the native hostiles. There are upsides and downsides to this as the jump pads placed around certain levels make for a fun time spent sailing through the air while going full-onrambo on the surrounding enemies.
fashion it can feel like if you’ve played one then you’ve played them all. Approach an NPC, get a mission, travel here, kill X amount of Y for Z and repeat. The main quirks which sell The Pre-Sequel are very much the same as the quirks for Borderlands 1 and 2: a wide variety of enemies to match the game’s excessive catalogue of weapons, followed by a cast of absurd enemies and allies with an entertaining script to boot. It’s a formula that works well and it complements the PreSequel with just as much success as its predecessors. The Pre-Sequel’s story is pretty solid, while not exactly reaching for the stars in any respects, it is en-
7.5/10
PROS: THE WILDLY EXCESSIVE GAMEPLAY YOU’VE COME TO KNOW AND LOVE. A WACKY ADVENTURE THAT ESCALATES EXCEEDINGLY WELL. FUNNY DIALOGUE CONSISTENT WITH THE SPIRIT OF THE SERIES. A NICE WAY TO HELP BRING THE BORDERLANDS SERIES INTO A CONTINUOUS UNIVERSE WITH A CONSISTENT LORE. POP-CULTURE REFERENCES. POP-CULTURE REFERENCES EVERYWHERE.
CONS: IF YOU HATE GRINDING IN VIDEO GAMES, THEN… WELL, GOOD LUCK TO YOU. VEHICLES SEEM UNDERUSED IN THE MAIN STORY. REPETITIVE MISSION TASKS. A BIT HARD TO FOLLOW IF YOU’RE NEW TO THE BORDERLANDS SERIES.
tertaining and it holds together. Unfortunately its means of storytelling is pretty redundant as several twists occur at the end of different missions simply for the sake of paying off the player for their effort. The problem with this is that it eliminates the actual value of having a twist as the player grows to expect it and the problem further develops when a very clear disconnect forms between the actions of the main characters and the supporting characters (eg Lilith, Roland and Moxxi) who go on to be-
come key characters in Borderlands 2 who make some pretty significant impacts on the story. As a result, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel can quite easily shift from being exciting and funny to boring and repetitive in a very temperamental way. Though for me, the game’s well-practiced sense of humour and its incorporation of Australian humour are where it really shines. Even if just from the perspective of confusing foreigners with Aussie slang as that never grows old.
WRITTEN BY sean fox
WWW.STICKYTRIGGERENTERTAINMENT.COM.AU
amiibo.. now at gametraders
SUPER SMAS
SH BROS. FOR Wii U
REVIEW
Released two months after the 3DS version, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U arrives, bringing to us an updated Smash Bros. game for the latest Nintendo home console. The Nintendudes take the Wii U version for a test drive! Does it play as well as the 3DS version? Does it hold up on its own?
Controls Sasha: The number ways to play Super Smash Bros. for Wii U has increased to eight different controllers; the GamePad, Wii Remote, Wii Remote and Nunchuk, Wii Remote and Classic Controller, Wii Remote and Classic Controller Pro, Nintendo GameCube controller and any variation of the Nintendo 3DS family, as long as it has a copy of Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS in it. Thankfully, the controls feel much more fluid than they did for Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, and just as fluid as any other game in the Super Smash Bros. franchise. The right analogue stick however sees a change. In previous Super Smash Bros. titles, the use of that analogue was for quick fire smash attacks; uncharged attacks, but if used right could lay a beat down. This time, the right analogue stick can charge up smash attacks, as well as firing off uncharged smash attacks.
Graphics Alex: After staring at the 3DS screen for two months seeing Super Smash Bros. for Wii U in glorious HD on a big TV screen seems like going to the IMAX after watching movies on your phone. Everything looks gorgeous and it’s a real joy to see so many Nintendo char-
acters rendered in such excellent HD, many of them for the first time.
Content Sasha: There’s a sizeable amount of content, but I was left wanting more. First and foremost is the ability to play offline with up to eight players at once. Matches don’t get too hard to see what’s going on despite amount of people playing too, so playing with lots of people is quite the enjoyable experience. For balancing reasons, only a few stages can be chosen to accommodate the amount of players. Classic mode takes an unconventional turn and consists of a series of free for all battles that can be played solo or with a friend, and can go up to eight characters fighting at once. I was hoping for a more complete single player package, similar
Master Orders and Crazy Orders make their debut for single player. Master Order sees gamers paying gold to initiate a battle on a selection of tickets. Crazy Order works similar, except that you initiate Crazy Order by paying gold or using a ticket, and gamers must consecutively win battles, eventually getting harder and harder. Beating Crazy Hand can earn you bonus rewards on top of your already gained prizes, so it’s very high risk, high reward. The other exclusive mode in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is Smash Tour, which takes a Mario Partyesque look at the Super Smash Bros. franchise. Smash Tour takes the classic four player mayhem that the Super Smash Bros. franchise is known for, and mixes it up a little with a focus on using randomised characters, but at the end, there’s a solid battle that everyone knows and loves. Smash Tour has just the
"it's a real joy to see so many Nintendo characters rendered in such excellent HD.." to the adventure mode of the second instalment of the Super Smash Bros. franchise, Super Smash Bros. Melee (2001) for the GameCube, where players adventured through many different Nintendo themed levels. Returning from previous Super Smash Bros. franchise title, Super Smash Bros. Brawl (2008) for the Wii is Event mode, which sees you, or you and a friend, teaming up and completing a match that goes along with a theme. It’s nice to take a break from smashing with your favourites and adapting to a character you might not have touched yet in order to complete the Event.
right level of random to provide that right level of variety. Other content from Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS return, including Challenges, All-Star Mode, all the online modes and all the modes in the Stadium.
Roster Alex: The roster for Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is the same as the 3DS version, and as before it is simply massive. Bringing a wide arrangement of characters from across Nintendo’s various franchise and storied history, each fighter
alex
9.5/10 PROS: MORE ROUNDED THAN 3DS COUNTERPART. AMIIBOS PRESENT A SURPRISING CHALLENGE. MASTER ORDER AND CRAZY ORDER MIX UP SOLO MODE EXPECTATIONS. SMASH TOUR AND EVENTS PROVIDE VARIETY. GRAPHICS ARE REALLY PRETTY. MASSIVE ROSTER. EASY TO PLAY, DIFFICULT TO MASTER. ONLINE IS FINALLY VIABLE.
CONS: SINGLE PLAYER COULD HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT BETTER. LIKE THE 3DS VERSION, THERE WAS JUST SOMETHING MISSING.
sasha
8/10 feels and handles differently ensuring that everyone will have a character they know to play as, as well as many that can fit each player’s playing style. Nintendo really have gone all out making this game as accessible and massive as possible in regards to each fighter.
Amiibo
Online Alex: Smash Bros, like Mario Kart before it, seems like a series that is begging to have decent online play. But thankfully with Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, you can finally play online with pretty much no lag. It’s not perfect but it’s a good start Smash Bros is online in some com-
"I DON'T LIKE FIGHTING GAMES AND ARE UNIFORMLY TERRIBLE AT THEM, BUT I LOVE SMASH BROS.." Sasha: Nintendo’s interactive figures, amiibo, are used in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, and only in the offline smash mode. Tapping an amiibo in creates a Figure Player (FP), who starts off at level one. Fighting against the FP will see its level rise up to 50. When you level up your FP, it starts to learn, and to adapt to your play style. Eventually, the FP becomes a formidable foe and gets to the point where it can’t be beat regularly. It’s worth buying at least one amiibo to train up a FP to have a worthy rival, or at least a virtual buddy that can defeat all of your friends with ease.
petent form and for those of us without school or work chums ready to come round, that is a real blessing. Summary Sasha: Super Smash Bros. for Wii U fits right at home on the home console. While it isn’t the total package I had hoped for, it still raises the bar from Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS. What Nintendo has left gamers with are two different play styles; an on the go, bare bones (but the bones are still pretty big), short bursts of Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, and the lengthy, meaty, prolonged sit down experience that is Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. There’s much fun to be had
on this Wii U title, whether you’re smashing it up online, smashing it up with your friends for eight player frenzies, or getting smashed up by your amiibo. Alex: I don’t like racing games, but I love Mario Kart. I don’t like fighting games and are uniformly terrible at them, but I love Smash Bros, and especially Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. It might be because I recognise the characters, and appreciate the all the details in their moves and stages based of the franchises they come from. It might be because the game is insanely easy to pick up and play (no crazy combo inputs here!) but still an addictive challenge to master. It might be because this is a game like no other to play alongside your friends on the couch for just some Real Good Times. Whatever it is, I know it and you know it – there’s special about Smash Bros, and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U continues the tradition. Smashing work, Nintendo!
WRITTEN BY sasha karen & alex holmes WWW.STICKYTRIGGERENTERTAINMENT.COM.AU
dragon age: i
inquisition
REVIEW
The masters of the RPG game, BioWare, are back with Dragon Age: Inquisition, arguably their boldest and most ambitious project yet. Creating a new protagonist from those in the first two instalments in the series, we become the Herald of Andraste, aka the Inquisitor. Following a devastating disaster known as The Breach, which see’s demons pouring into the world, we’re tasked with putting a stop to all that is bad in the land, and those who thought doing so was a good idea. Thankfully the game is far more complex
than just that though, the storyline injected with hefty doses of politics, religious nuts, war games, twists & turns; the list goes on. If you’re familiar with the series already, you know these are staples of what gamers must deal when given a spot of power in Thedas. Inquisition turns it up to 11 though, the Inquisitors tale being a much more important one that we’re used to. So much so in fact, we’re constantly affected by and seeing the consequences of choices made in the previous games. That’s one of the titles biggest feats, truly continuing on the state of the world that players have been captivated by and shaping since 2009. With every mission, with every act, the Dragon Story becomes more. It becomes our very own. Notably, Inquisition has some of the best writing I’ve seen in a game. The franchise has always had a tonguein-cheek humor about it, but here it’s
acters fresh, loveable and humane. Combat in the game finds some middle ground between the two different (and very critically divided) systems the series has seen thus far. While it’s great to have the different choices of how to play, there are some noticeably lacking features which hinder the combat. We’re unable to stack commands to our party and player, meaning if you want to take tactical control you have to constantly swap your active character, and doing so over a whole party of 4 is really tiresome. Also not present is the ability to equip a character with more than one weapon or loadout, ala Origins, with no quick swap to speak of. Inquisition is the first Dragon Age to feature multiplayer. Rather than trying to squeeze it into the campaign, there’s a standalone co-operative mode which see’s up to 4 players take on dungeons in a variety of the games styles. There’s a heap
"The core experience here is a very well rounded dungeon crawling adventure." finer than ever and very consistent. Of course, it’s a serious game primarily, but there are hidden jokes, references and adult humor scattered in every corner that just fit in so well without having to spell it out that you can’t help but expect to love even the most inconsequential conversations. And then when you least expect it, it can hit you with an emotionally draining revelation or character driven scene which makes your heart skip a beat. An awesome display of diversity in the script, and one that keeps the quests and char-
of character to choose from, something for every type of player, and finding which work well together and which you like is half the fun. The core experience here is a very well rounded dungeon crawling adventure. Co-operation is essential, and getting the most out of your characters abilities becomes a team effort. However, there isn’t a lot of content here. Which is unfortunate, as I think it could hold its own alongside the main game. If it were fleshed out properly, this
9.5/10
would be more than just a tacked on multiplayer experience, but a true part of the package. Not settling for just being the best Dragon Age in the series, Inquisition is also by far the biggest. Honestly, this game is gigantic. Long gone are the days of tight pathways and reused environments; here, we have a massive world to explore, and a ton of content to sink our teeth into. Dragon Age: Inquisition is the game the franchise always needed. It blends the traditional RPG elements from BioWare’s back catalogue with the finer points of the competition, making for both an accessible Action-RPG with an exceptionally well-polished core as well as most importantly a true feat in video game storytelling, taking the narrative and series to new heights unequalled by all. Inquisition is the best high fantasy game to come out in years, and one that should be snapped up without a second thought. This just set the bar for other RPGs, and until they can blend 5 years of investment and story into a single experience, won’t be reaching anytime soon.
PROS: EPITOME OF RPG STORYTELLING; A SINGULAR PERSONAL NARRATIVE FROM ORIGINS TO INQUISITION PLETHORA OF CONTENT WHICH RARELY REPEATS OR OVERSTAYS ITS WELCOME BEAUTIFUL, DIVERSE RANGE OF SCENERY SURPRISINGLY GOOD MULTIPLAYER EXPERIENCE
CONS: SOME COMBAT HINDRANCES AND MISSING FEATURES LACK OF MULTIPLAYER CONTENT
WRITTEN BY johnny space
WWW.STICKYTRIGGERENTERTAINMENT.COM.AU
8.5/10
NEW NINTENDO 3DS CONSOLE REVIEW
The new Nintendo 3DS and new Nintendo 3DS XL seemingly came out of nowhere, promising improvements over the original, older models, touting a c stick and ZL and ZR buttons, “super-stable 3D”, inbuilt functionality for amiibo, replaceable cover plates, and faster hardware that improves download speeds. How well does it do the things that it promises? Is this upgrade worth your money? Was it worth replacing my 3DS XL? The one feature that gamers might purchase a new 3DS over a new 3DSXL is cover plates. The new 3DS (and not the new 3DS XL) is able to replace the cover plates from the stock white to various colours, patterns and graphics. With the cover plates, gamers can change the visual appearance of the new 3DS. It’s almost like having a brand new console with every cover plate change. Other hardware changes include moving the game cart slot to the lower left of the 3DS, moving start and select to the bottom right face, changing the colour of the face ABXY buttons to red, yellow, blue and green (referencing Nintendo’s second console, the SNES) and moving the stylus holder and power button along the front edge. These changes do take a transition period for previous 3DS users to get used to, but I’m sure with time they’ll feel natural. Nintendo claims that both of the new 3DS variations have “super stable 3D” that works via an infrared sensor can track your face and eyes and maintain seamless 3D. And it works. Using the 3D on the older 3DS or 3DS XL, you have to align the console in a specific manner to enter the “sweet spot”, and it may not always work. The new 3DS and 3DS XL improves the 3D so much, widening the sweet spot. Moving the console around doesn’t ruin the effect unlike the older mod-
els of the 3DS. I’m finding I’m leaving on the 3DS longer than with I did with the previous models. The c stick and ZL and ZR buttons functions exactly as they do on the Circle Pad Pro, an add-on for the older models of 3DS, which contained an extra circle pad, and ZL and ZR buttons. The c stick works differently compared to the circle pad, it’s more of a nub or nipple that doesn’t move; it just sits there, and it registers movement through what side you touch. So far, all games that have Circle Pad Pro functionality use the c stick and two extra triggers, but they don’t double as an extra circle pad, L and R buttons, so when touched or pressed in games that don’t use them, nothing happens. Under the hood, the new 3DS runs much faster than its predecessors. The Internet download speeds have doubled in any aspect that uses downloads such as using the Internet browser, Miiverse, eShop, and downloading software off the eShop. The load time for games has also been improved, the most noticeable being Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS. On a 3DS XL, the game takes 35 seconds to load, while on the new 3DS, the game only takes about 15 seconds load; more than double the time to load. In addition, exiting the games takes
about an extra 15 seconds to reset the 3DS XL, while no reset is needed on the new 3DS. That’s around 50 seconds of loading just to start and stop the game on the 3DS XL as opposed to 15 seconds on the new 3DS. Simply, it runs rings around its older brothers. This is only a taste of what the new 3DS can do with games, with a re-release of Zenoblade Chronicles exclusive to the new 3DS and its improved innards is coming in 2015. The box also promises functionality with Nintendo’s amiibo figures with NFC technology. As no 3DS game uses amiibo as of current, this particular point can’t really be touched upon. For future games that will use Amiibo, it gives an extra edge over the previous models that will need an extra add-on that promises to be announced in 2015. Compared to using a 3DS XL, the new 3DS is the upgrade that gamers never knew they wanted. While the 3DS XL has bigger screens, the customisation through face-plates, the improved 3D and hardware are worth the upgrade. If gamers aren’t as fussed about the level of customisation the new 3DS offers and still want that larger screen, the new 3DS XL will suit their needs perfectly.
WRITTEN BY SASHA KAREN
WWW.STICKYTRIGGERENTERTAINMENT.COM.AU
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Mario and Sonic I wrote the title to this article and thought to myself “that would be an amazing game if it existed”. I am one of the many who would like to see Sonic and Mario team up against the forces of Bowser and Robotnik. Yes we’ve seen them compete in sports games, but that’s not what these two video game icons are known for. They are platforming heroes! Anyway, let’s explore the 3D exploits of these two videogame icons.
over Heels”. Let’s fast forward a few years to 1996. Both Mario and Sonic were expected to make the leap into 3D on the next generation machines, the Saturn and the Nintendo 64. The Playstation was already making headway into the userbase previously ruled by the duopoly of Nintendo and Sega. These two companies had one advantage over Sony however, their already established 16 bit machines.
3D. It’s one number and one letter, yet it’s a powerful marketing tool. How many times have you seen that number and letter next to each other, either in a video game title or used to explain how a game looks? The term “3D” has been used as an advertising tool since the dawn of gaming, though what 3D actually means has changed over the years.
Mario struck out first with “Super Mario RPG”. This not only gave Mario a new perspective, but was also a surprising collaboration with Squaresoft, the maker of the “Final Fantasy” series. For the first time Mario was no longer confined to 2D platforming, but could roam around a more open world. As well as that, he could now level up!! This was an RPG, after all… While never released in PAL territories “Mario RPG” met with critical acclaim, though as
Prior to the Playstation/Nintendo 64 era we rarely saw 3D. In most cas-
"The wait was worth it and the game was cited as one of the best Mario titles of all time.." es 3D was a skewed viewpoint referred to as “isometric”, where you would see the game from a slight overhead, side on perspective. Rare (when they were known as “Ultimate: Play the Game”) were one of the first companies to employ this technique in 1984, with games such as “Knight Lore” and “Alien 8”. Ocean Software followed with “Batman” and “Head
this was towards the end of the Super Nintendo’s life not many units sold. The game now goes for insane prices when it does appear out in the wild. Sonic countered with “Sonic 3D Blast”. Employing a similar isometric viewpoint, Sonic’s gameplay also changed from racing to the exit, to
rescuing the Flickies. Unlike “Mario RPG”, “Sonic 3D Blast” was critically panned for it’s change in formula, repetitive gameplay, lack of action, and one thing that would plague Sonic 3D games in the future, poor controls. The 3D trend continued with “Super Mario 64” and “Sonic Adventure”. Both Mario and Sonic’s forays into the realm of true 3D were met with positive responses. Both games suffered from poor camera angles, but this was early days for our mascots. “Super Mario Sunshine” and “Sonic Adventure 2” expanded on the success of the previous titles, and were both commercially successful. “Sonic Heroes” was the next game to be released, and it was at this point that cracks started to show. Released in 2003, “Sonic Heroes” didn’t receive horrible ratings, but the camera and controls were mentioned as areas where Sega would need to improve in future games. Sadly this didn’t happen and 2006s “Sonic the Hedgehog” was panned for poor controls, camera issues and buggy gameplay. This trend continued with releases such as “Sonic and the Black Knight” and “Sonic Unleashed”. Back at Nintendo Miyamoto had decided to sit on the 3D idea, and it wasn’t until 2009 that Mario was back in “Super Mario Galaxy”. The wait was worth it and the game was cited as one of the best Mario titles of all time. That was until “Mario Galaxy 2” was released! Many claim it to be better than the original.
c in the Realm of 3D RETRO
Sadly it seems that Sega have not learned their lesson. The latest title, “Sonic Boom” has been given some of the lowest scores seen this year. Mario’s latest effort “Super Mario 3D World” was heralded as a classic. So where do we go from here? Well I can keep dreaming about that crossover. There will be a Sonic Amiibo and he’s in Smash Bros so the possibility is there for more. Let’s just hope that Nintendo are the ones to develop the title should it ever see the light of day!
WRITTEN BY paul monopoli
THE RETRO GAME I W Every Gamer has a list of games they are excited about playing. Whether it is a new Next Gen title soon to be released or a Retro title that has always been out of your grasp these games build a sense of awe and longing. While most people will get the chance to play the games they are eagerly awaiting, others may not. Those of us unlucky to be denied the privilege to experience these elusive games will always feel there is a missing piece in our gaming history. For me that elusive game is Terranigma. Released on my favourite console (The SNES) and as my favourite genre (JRPG) this is the perfect game for me that I do not own and have not played. Terranigma was released in the later years of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System lifetime with the PAL release on December 19th, 1996. Known as Tenchi Sōzō in Japan it officially translates to “The Creation of Heaven and Earth”. Published by Enix the game was localized and released for PAL in a number of different languages however the game was never released in North America. The game was developed by Quintet and has become known as part of the Soul Blazer Trilogy by fans. The two other games in the fan based Trilogy are Soul Blazer (1994) and Illusions of Time/Gaia (1995). At the heart of every amazing RPG there is an exciting and enthralling story to be told and Terranigma sounds to deliver on this aspect. Terranigma tells the story of a fictional planet seen as a hollow sphere which has both an external and in-
ternal face. Since the beginning of the planet the external surface world stood for growth and the internal under world represented decline. Known as the Lightside and the Darkside these two faces became known as God and Devil after the course of a billion years. The conflict which had built up between God and Devil ended in a final showdown on the surface world resulting in neither forces being victorious. The continents of the surface world submerged into the sea and the internal world was locked away. Players then take on the role of Ark, a young boy who lives in the only village of the underworld, Crysta. After opening a forbidden door a curse sweeps across his village freezing every inhabitant except himself and an El-
keep the battles feeling fresh and challenging. While battling the player has three different techniques to choose from which result in different outcomes. Ark will perform a different technique depending on if he is running, jumping, attacking or using a combination of all three actions. Different attacks deal more damage to certain kinds of enemies. After each victory Ark is awarded experience points. These points raise his maximum hit points, strength, defence and luck. The currency of the game is gems which are sometimes dropped by slain enemies and can be used to purchase weapons, armour, spells and healing items. An amazing aspect of so many JRPG’s released for the SNES is
"THE ART AND GRAPHICS OF TERRANIGMA LOOK EXTREMELY BEAUTIFUL." der. The Elder informs Ark he must set out to the surface world to free his people. Once Ark arrives on the surface world he is faced with a barren land which must be resurrected for the re-birth of the world and his people to begin. Outside of the intriguing story and undertones there are quite a few more reason behind my want to play this title. The game play is constant as a top down perspective view of the world with the battles taking place in action based real time settings. Action and turn based RPG’s battle system could be quite basic in some SNES games however Terranigma has enough mechanics to
the soundtrack. Many times I have watched different YouTube user’s videos featuring the best songs from SNES JRPG’s and on almost all occasions one of Terranigma’s haunting melodies has been featured. From the sadness of the main theme to the chills the Under World theme leaves and the hope the Surface world theme promotes the music tells the story of our hero without needing any words. The art and graphics of Terranigma look extremely beautiful. Of the many screen shots I have looked at they all show the amount of detail and colour included in the graphics. Everything from the character design to the cities and dungeons shows
WOULD LOVE TO OWN RETRO
Terranigma the amount of time and thought that went into their development. Even though the game was released in 1996 it still managers to embrace the deep and meaning story as well as any today through the art. This is evident everywhere from the bright colours of the newly resurrected surface world to the darker tones of the underworld. I grew up playing the SNES and from the many 1000’s of hours I played of many different games the console will always hold a special place in my heart. The charm of the 16 bit graphics, amazing deep music with the characters and stories that leave a lasting impact are the reasons behind my love of the console and the JRPG’s it produced. From my research into Terranigma I believe it delivers on all those aspects. The game sits on equal ground with other masterpieces released for the console such as Lufia: Rise of the Sinistrals, Final Fantasy VI, Secret of Mana and Chrono Trigger. I have had the privilege of playing and owning these games and hope someday soon I can add Terranigma to that list.
WRITTEN BY jess wilson
TECH & POP
P CULTURE! Every month we look at cool new stuff in the world of pop culture, technology & more!
Contents Samsung VR Review Collectibles Comics Board Games Education
samsung vr review tech We were first introduced to the idea of Virtual Reality headsets by Nintendo with their Virtual Boy in 1995, but thankfully the technology has come a long way since that system. Ubiquitous in the gaming scene is, of course, the Oculus Rift, but today I’ll be writing about an interesting new take on wearable VR technology. Samsung’s Gear VR headset has been developed by Samsung in collaboration with Oculus, and the look and experience is overall very similar to the Rift, although aesthetically it is a bit more sleek and streamlined than the Oculus Rift Developer Kits in circulation at the moment. The big difference in Samsung’s Gear VR is that the Gear uses a phone – the Galaxy Note 4 – as the display for the VR headset. Oculus software is loaded on the phone as an app, and content will be purchasable though an ‘Oculus store.’ When I tried out the system, the main demo features loaded onto the VR were a series of ‘360⁰ videos’ – essentially a scene with video content in 360 degrees, tracking your head movement to let you look around the space. The headset is light on input – featuring only a focus dial, a back button, and a touch pad which I did not try out in this demo. The focus adjustment can make up for short
or long-sightedness, meaning those who wear glasses won’t have to fit the headset on over the top of them. I found that the display was still just a tiny bit foggy at optimum focus for my eyes, however, but the immersion of the video was far more impressive than its graphics were. The Gear VR’s head tracking was smooth and flawless as I explored 360 degrees of a Cirque de Soleil performance, and the headset was well designed to sit on my head and not shift around with my head movements. It feels a little lighter than Oculus Rift models that I have tried – which is always a plus with VR headsets – and seems like it would be comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. The 3D technology is true stereoscopic, more closely mimicking how we naturally see than cinema 3D technology such as RealD, which means the viewing experience is more comfortable for those who are usually sensitive to 3D effects. The Gear VR hasn’t got an official release date yet, but Samsung hopes to have it released sometime in December. The initial price tag for Australia is $249, which includes an SD card pre-loaded with 360⁰ videos and trailers for new release movies that will be available in the Oculus
Cinema. A few games have been developed thus far for the Gear VR, most with simple yet effective systems that use no more input than turning your head. I see the greatest strength of the Gear VR to be its cinema experience, however. The headset is completely immersive, replicating the experience of watching a movie in the cinema. It also offers what is currently the best option for home 3D movie viewing, with less headaches than 3D TV systems are liable to give you. At $100 less than current Oculus Rift releases, I see the Gear VR being a good option for casual VR gaming and content – however, only if you already own, or have your eye on the Galaxy Note 4. At around $900 outright, it’s a hefty price tag for a vital piece of your VR experience. It is technology to keep an eye on, however – in the past couple of months, many cheaper versions of similar technology, using smartphones as a screen for VR experience, have been released, although few have the care put into them as Samsung’s first exploration into VR. With mobile gaming becoming an industry that does not look like slowing down anytime soon, I think innovative developers will very soon be putting Samsung’s VR technology to good use.
WRITTEN BY HAYLEY ELISE
what's kool & k 2014 was a huge year, with awesome figures and statues in all price ranges and sizes from the likes of Hot Toys, Sideshow Collectibles, Kotobukiya, Square Enix, NECA, and Hasbro. If you’re into pop culture, be it movies, TV, gaming, anime, comics….you name it, they’ve made it in 2014!
tionship with Star Wars, also releasing preorders for characters such as Luke Sklywalker in his pilot suit, and of course the droids in R2-D2 and C-3PO. They’ve even considered the prequel trilogy and Clone Wars fans too, with Jango Fett, Captain Rex, and more Clone Troopers on the way.
And 2015 is set to continue the trend and push it up a gear! One of the biggest events in 2015 is undoubtedly the release of Star Wars : The Force Awakens at the end of the year. The ramp up in hype leading to the release is going to be massive, with collectibles coming out from a huge array of manufacturers. The Star Wars license has been opened up to so many toy companies now, and
The new licensees, particularly out of Japan, won’t get left behind either, with figures and statues in smaller scales being released. Bandai are really setting the pace with figures and spacecraft model kits already hitting shelves. Then there are the ArtFX+ statues from Kotobukiya, and the awesome “movie realisation” figures that showcase Vader and his troops in classic Japanese Samu-
"HOT TOYS IS ONE ON EVERYONE'S LIPS NOW WITH THEIR ANNOUNCEMENTS AND TEASERS." they are all going to try and capitalise on the hype! Hot Toys is one on everyone’s lips now with their announcements and teasers. They have already released preorders for classic trilogy characters such as Han Solo, Chewbacca, and the Stormtrooper, and have only just recently posted a teaser photo of Darth Vader and Obiwan Kenobi in their legendary duel on the Death Star. Not to be left behind, Sideshow Collectibles is continuing their long rela-
rai style. These look truly amazing! Hasbro will also continue their great line of Black Series figures, particularly those in the 6” scale that have extra articulation and detail. But of course it’s not all about Star Wars! Classic action and sci-fi movies are seemingly back in style, with Hot Toys releasing characters such as Marty McFly from Back to the Future, Robocop, and John Matrix from Commando. There have also already been teasers of figures from the Alien universe. Sideshow are also in the mix with Snake Plissken
kollectible in 2015 COLLECTIBLES
from Escape from New York, and Beetlejuice being teased. NECA are also continuing with releases around Aliens, Rocky, Predator, classic horror, and more! Gamers are also well catered for, with the beautiful Jim Raynor figure from Starcraft 2 by Sideshow, amazing Street Fighter statues by Pop Culture Shock Collectibles, and smaller statues from Kotobukiya. Incredibly detailed figures are also available for Halo by ThreeZero and Assassin’s Creed statues and figures by Ubisoft. That is all just a tidbit of what is to come in 2015! There’s still a heap of collectibles coming based of classic DC and Marvel comics, Japanese anime, recent movies such as Guardians of the Galaxy, and even TV series such as Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad. This really is a golden age of collecting, with simply amazing collectibles at every price point and every size. No matter your interest or your wallet size, there will be something kool and kollectible out there for you! Have fun….I know I will ☺
WRITTEN BY
KHAI AT KOOL KOLLECTIBLES
www.koolkollectibles.net www.facebook.com/KoolKollectibles www.youtube.com/user/ckly76
2014: a bittersweet year
2014: a bi I was asked to do a bit of a recap of the year that has gone by. At first it was to be a recap of a year in comic books, and then I got the opportunity to make it a little more personal. That said when I first went to write this article my mind set was a little different to where I am at when you will be reading this final copy. There are three things that I really wish to talk about. Firstly yes, what a year it was for comic books! Not only did we have a female Thor, but Captain America also became an African American. A great year for forward thinking. Also this year three comic book movies dominated the world wide box office. Geek culture and comic culture is smashing it at the moment and it is great to be in the winner’s circle. Films like Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and X-Men: Days of Future Past have rocked the box office and have all been well received by fans and critics alike. It seems like Marvel is on top of the world! However DC also fired back with some shots of their own. DC has been dominating TV at the moment with hit shows like Arrow and now The Flash. DC also brought us the new interpretation of the Batman myth with the show Gotham which I must say I am loving! Yes it has been a great year for comics, but a better year for me. The next thing I’ve been asked to talk about is my wedding. Yes this little geek got hitched. Earlier this year I asked my girlfriend Jess to marry me, thankfully she said yes. So then it fell to all the people asking, “When’s the big day.” Or response was, “Spring.” Because we were to have a surprise wedding on Halloween. So we host-
ed our engagement party and invited everyone along to celebrate. About half an hour in our MC began a little presentation highlighting the important people in our lives. Then he went to introduce my fiancé’s best friend when she emerged from the back of the room with a bouquet and proceeded to walk slowly towards the front of the room. I got up and walked to the front with my best mate in tow. Then Jessica entered with a costume change, a beautiful white gown being escorted by Captain America. The crowd blew up. Yes it was a wedding. A comic themed one at that! I got to marry my best friend. So yes we both love comic books. They make up an important part of our lives and of our relationship. We had comic book themed cake toppers, comic book themed tables, Captain America of course; I and my best man had Spider-man ties. It was
the aisle, so I went to one of my best mates and cosplay guru Justin Costello. We wanted Iron Man, as it is Jess’s favourite character to walk her down. Justin searched high and low but couldn’t find anyone. He also informed us that he had to fly out on the night of our “engagement”, and he told me “Sorry mate, I’m going to miss the engagement, but I will be at the wedding!” So I told him that it was actually our wedding. He immediately cancelled and changed his flight so he could be there. That’s the sort of guy Justin was. Later we asked if he would walk Jess down the aisle. He was pretty moved by it all and did it, proudly, dressed as one of our heroes. It was such a kick in the guts to learn that on the 23rd of November, Justin tragically passed away. Jess and I were heartbroken. I have known him a long time now, from working on
"THE COSPLAY COMMUNITY WAS ROCKED. HE WAS THE GODFATHER OF AUSTRALIAN COSPLAY." a lot of fun. We wanted a wedding and we wanted to have a fun night, so bringing our two loves together, that of each other and our heroes seemed like a perfect plan. It worked perfectly! It was a spectacular night. It was a few weeks ago now but I can safely say I will be looking back on our geeky wedding in future with a smile. We did it our way, it was pretty damn good. Finally the last thing I want to talk about, Captain America. Heading into the wedding we decided a comic character should walk Jess down
films together and the thought of not having him there to bounce ideas off or just chill with was devastating and honestly still hasn’t sunk in. The cosplay community was rocked. He was the godfather of Australian cosplay. A world I never really got into but I could see what it meant to him. I knew the filmmaker, the crazy guy who would give you the shirt off his back if he had to. He was always passionate about his projects and it was infectious. I owe him so much, not just for safely de-
ittersweet year
COMICS
livering my wife to me, but for all the years of friendship, encouragement and pushing me to follow my dreams. He was a real hero. My thoughts are with his wife Mel and their children. I will never forget him and I will always cherish our friendships and the friendships I made through him. Woah, ok that was quite an emotional slog. Thank you guys for reading my 2014 articles and sharing my love of comics. I hope you had a great year and I will be here at GT in 2015 to continue to preach my love of comics. Thank you all. Well there we go some more ideas for Christmas! I hope you all have a safe and wonderful holiday! Merry Christmas from the comics guy at GT Live!
WRITTEN BYSCOTT F. SOWTER @SCOTTFSOWTER
Mars Attacks: The They have come to claim our planet but can the Army and Civilians of Greenville save our planet from the Martian Invaders! Mars Attacks: The Miniatures Game is a two player game in which players battle it out for the fate of the planet. One player takes on the role of the invading Martians with the other plays as the human resistance determined to save the planet. Based on the series of collectable cards released back in 1962, Mantic Games teamed up with the creators to release the miniatures game. This is the first time I have played a game classified as a Miniatures Game. Miniatures are small figurines made out of plastic, metal or resin and usually come as the bare material without any paint or decorations added to them. They are mainly used for table-top War Gaming, but they can also be useful in Role Playing Games. The 28mm figurines included in Mars Attacks are made from plastic and come unpainted. Three different classes of Miniatures are used in the game, Martians, The Army and Civilians. Having the models represented by one block colour for each class made the individual pieces feel dull and lifeless to me and I can defiantly see the appeal in painting the models to bring them to life. The gameplay takes place atop a fold out map in the devastated town of Greenville. The play map features a grid and this is utilised for the movement and combat of the miniatures. Before the game starts the player with the fate of the planet at hand
arranges the pieces of destroyed buildings, fences, street signs, mail boxes and rubbish bins included in the box at different positions on the board. The snap together modular scenery can be assembled in a wide variety of configurations insuring the players a new experience each time. The ruins are vital to the gameplay as they provide cover for both sides. The gameplay of Mars Attacks is pretty straight forward and easy to pick up after a couple of play throughs with the play time lasting around an hour. The combat is determined by dice rolls and is based off the stats included in the instruction manual. Each round player’s take turns moving and fighting with their models. During each round the
models Shoot Value Score. There is also a deck of cards used in gameplay that grant special actions, abilities and events for each of the warring sides. The cards include wacky events such as giant alien bugs, rampaging animals and more debris to mix up the combat. An excellent aspect of the game is the ten scenarios to play through each with differing victory conditions found in the instruction manual. If you want an all out shoot out between the two forces this is presented through the instruction manual as the standard way of playing. The scenarios keep the game feeling fresh and allows multiple play throughs without the feel of repetitiveness setting in.
"..a fun quirky game that is great for beginners to jump into.." player must do one of the following actions: activate up to two models, activate one model and play a card, play up to two cards or pass. By activating a model this brings them into the combat. Once activated the miniature can move up to two squares or move up to one square and then shoot. The distance the piece can shoot is determined by their stats in the manual and is depicted by the grids on the mat. This is where the strategy and tactics come into the game. If one of your pieces is situated in a square in which the enemy has line of sight and firing range they will be able to attack. If the miniature is defeated is based on dice rolls and the amount of successes over the
The overall presentation of the game and contents is very good. The map which is used to play the game on is made of paper and is probably the least quality item in the box. The miniatures are nicely detailed with the variety of troops easily defined by the different features and poses. Even though the pieces lack life, once they are painted they would look amazing. The 43 page instruction booklet included is extremely detailed and excellently presented with rich coloured art of the Martians and humans scattered throughout. Mars Attacks: The Miniatures Game is a fun quirky game that is great for
Miniatures Game board games
beginners to jump into or for experienced players of the genre to enjoy. The scenarios, buildable scenery and wacky events the cards produce allow for hours of replay ability. I would suggest for people to pick this one up if you are looking for something new and different or for a game that doesn’t take itself too seriously and will provide a lot of fun.
WRITTEN BY jess wilson
so you want to m This month Live Magazine sat down with James from AIE - the Academy of Interactive Entertainment. An educational facility that is renowned for its cutting edge game development and 3D animation education. James, tell us a bit about AIE. AIE was established in 1996 in Canberra and played a pivotal role in founding the Game Developer’s Association of Australia (GDAA). AIE led the world in creating curriculum to support game development by developing one of the world’s first specialist game development qualifications. AIE grew to found campuses in Melbourne (2003), Sydney (2008), Seattle (2011), Lafayette (2012) and Adelaide (2014). AIE’s first online courses were offered in 2003 and our dedicated team in the AIE Online Campus support the delivery of all AIE’s courses online. In 2011, AIE established the Incubator Program and partnered with CIT to offer a Bachelor of Games and Virtual Worlds (Game Programming). AIE has also won a number of awards as an educational institution, tell us about them. AIE is proud to have been rewarded for our achievements, achieving state and national awards for our leading practice in vocational education and training. Notably, AIE has consistently been finalists for the Small Registered Training Organisation of the Year of both the ACT Training Excellence Awards and the Australian Training Awards. At the Tropfest 22, AIE Screen Students
made the top 16 and came second in the Audience vote for “Still Life”. One of our more recent achievement is Graduate, Rebecca Lyons Wright winning the ACT Vocational Student of the Year. Our graduates frequently win “Best Unsigned Game – Indie” for Games which were developed whilst at AIE. These are a just to name a few of the awards which AIE and our students have achieved. What sort of things can students study and then apply in real life career wise? AIE was established to meet the needs of the games and film industry and to create the conditions for it to grow in Australia. This industry focus
they can choose to start their own studio through the AIE Incubator Program which covers business planning and development, as well as marketing, publishing and community engagement. This innovative program made it possible for graduates to successfully develop, publish, market and earn revenue for their games and apps. Incubator participants receive business grants and travel scholarships of up to a combined $7,000 each as well as rent-free facilities and equipment such as computers, software and development kits to lower their start-up costs. A typical company created by the Incubator Program is Wildgrass Games, who received $35,000 in start-up funding from
"We have had a considerable amount of AIE graduates forge successful careers.." continues to at the core of everything that AIE does, from developing curriculum in conjunction with top studios (such as 2KAustralia, Halfbrick and Valve) and indie developers (such as Uppercut Games and Nnooo) to ensuring AIE students are always taught the latest relevant skills by industry veterans. AIE’s curriculum is taught through a series of projects, all of which are based on realistic industry briefs and run in a simulated studio environment. Students also have the chance to leverage AIE’s strong industry connections, with students often securing jobs before they finish they course. Once students complete their two-year Advanced Diploma
AIE as part of it’s Post-Incubator Funding Grant. Wildgrass exhibited their game Bearzerkers, as part of the Indie Mega Booth at PAX Prime 2014 ~ http://indiemegabooth.com/ project/bearzerkers/ How long does a student study to become accredited and is the accreditation recognised in other countries? Our courses have been written in consultation with industry, a process which is continually reviewed to maintain quality graduates for the Australian Digital Content industries. Our Advanced Diplomas are two years full time and are na-
make video games? education
tionally accredited by the Australian Qualification Framework. Many of our students have used their Advanced Diploma qualification to find work in major Game and Film Studios in Australia and overseas. Have any students gone on to major careers in the gaming industry? We have had a considerable amount of AIE graduates forge successful careers in both the games an film industry. In terms of recent success stories, the list is quite extensive. Some of the more notable
achievement of late include graduates working on DragonAge: The Inquisition, Borderlands: The PreSequel, the BioShock series, Real Racing 3, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 as well as a host of films including; The Lego Movie, Guardians of the Galaxy, The Hobbit Trilogy and many more. How can readers find out more information on courses? Please visit our website at; www. aie.edu.au or you are more than welcome to call us on 1300 019 719.
THE wedding ringer sony pictures
JANUARY 22 Cast:
Kevin Hart, Josh Gad, Kaley Cuoco- Sweeting, Olivia Thirlby
Genre: Comedy
Directors: Jeremy Garelick
Doug Harris (Josh Gad) is a loveable but socially awkward groom-to-be with a problem: he has no best man. With less than two weeks to go until he marries the girl of his dreams (Kaley CuocoSweeting), Doug is referred to Jimmy Callahan (Kevin Hart), owner and CEO of Best Man, Inc., a company that provides flattering best men for socially challenged guys in need. What ensues is a hilarious wedding charade as they try to pull off the big con, and an unexpected budding bromance between Doug and his fake best man Jimmy.
Only at the Movies! January 22 Š 2015 Screen Gems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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THE wedding ringer sony pictures
JANUARY 22
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TJ COSPLAY ww.facebook.com/TJCOSPLAY TJ, tell us a bit about how you got into modelling and cosplay. Dress ups were always a massive part of my life; any excuse to dress up as a book character at school, or a fairy to a party. I also danced from a young age, mainly for the performance aspect. I loved putting on a show, and there was always full faces of make up and sparkly costumes worn at the end of year performance, so I think I just surrounded myself from the get go. As I got older, I became a bit more comfortable in my skin, and started to model for a few photography friends. That kind of launched me into this world of faux-elegance and play-pretend, where I was shooting most weekends. But I grew tired of the constant rivalry and pressure that it put me under. Cosplay was an extension of that, rather than just creating outfits for a photoshoot, I could actually try and replicate a certain character, as well as have places to wear it. It was more of a challenge and I thrived under the pressure, so modelling kind of fell away, and was replaced completely by cosplay. I certainly enjoy most aspects of it a lot more. So I think they were just an inevitable, you know? Especially seeing as I enjoyed performing, that totally comes into cosplay, and also modelling. You have to embody the character 100% to make it convincing.
What inspires your cosplay? Generally the love for the game/ movie/fandom is what drives me most, but I LOVE creating things. I have dabbled in creative outlets for as long as I can remember, always a brush, or paper, or some other tool in my hand, even as a child. I chose to chase that in my everyday life too, though I work in graphic design which is a bit more regimented. Cosplay is basically an outlet to not only make things and learn new skills, but also outwardly express my love for a character. And, ultimately, enjoy myself; though I am a bit of a stickler for putting myself under pressure, haha. A lot of my drive also comes from the amazingly creative and talented people I surround myself with, not only my friends but my peers, too. There are some seriously amazing people who also cosplay, and that just inspires me to up my game to try and catch up! How do you decide what character you’d like to do next and do how long do you spend on the costume? I tell you, since downloading this app called Cosplanner, which lets you rack your cos-plans, I think I have over 70 different characters I want to attempt at some point. And that’s not even including new characters that will no doubt come out. Help! I tend to go by my excitement level for a character as a way of gauging
COSPLAY
who to do next, but ultimately it’s just me picking characters I love/identify with/want to embody. I rarely pick a character I don’t know, and if I do I research and try to get acquainted with their personalities and traits. In terms of time frame, it really varies. My fastest has been 7 hours, the longest probably close to a couple of months on and off. The intricacy of the costume obviously dictates how long it would take, as well as if there is any problem solving, like I had to do with getting Flareon’s tail to start upright on it own without having straps on the outside. That on it’s own can sometimes take a few weeks before you work out how best to achieve it. On average though, most of my recent costumes are around 1 to 2 weeks of solid work. Tell us a bit about the events/cons you’ve been to. What’s been a favourite? I try to make to to every Melbourne con every year, and that’s started extending out to Sydney. I also have plans for Brisbane, Gold Coast and Adelaide, hopefully next year, and I have a dream of doing a US con roadtrip, as well as going to Tokyo Game Show. I was also lucky enough to go to E3 last year, which was like every Christmas rolled into one for me! It wasn’t a cosplay trip unfortunately, as I was technically over for work, but that has definitely been a highlight, being a massive gaming fan.
Photographer: Sol Goodman | www.facebook.com/Soltography.Inc Edit/manipulation by: www.facebook.com/BossLogicInc
Photographer: Sol Goodman |
www.facebook.com/Soltography.Inc
tj COSPLAY
If we’re talking Australia, definitely PAX. There’s so much to do, and so much support, it’s everything good about the gaming community rolled into a weekend. Plus people come from around the country, so I’m lucky and get all my interstate friends in one place.
You describe yourself as a pop culture fan who likes to dress up, what games and movies are in your top 5? Honestly, I couldn’t pick top 5 movies, I just enjoy movies as a whole. Some of my favourites are Wreck it Ralph, Watchmen, The Harry Potter series (yes the books are better), Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit trilogies, Aladdin, American Psycho and V for Vendetta. I could probably pick my top games/franchises and my top anime, though. Top game franchises in no particular order are the Batman: Arkham games (Arkham Asylumn is my top), the Bayonetta games, Final Fantasy (X and X-2 were the first games I bought myself) The Borderlands games and Okami (I have a tattoo of Amaterasu on my arm). I don’t know if I have a top 5 in anime, I love Ghibli and whatever they do, and Sword Art Online, Space Dandy and Puella Magi Madoka Magica are some new series I’ve enjoyed, but nothing will ever trump Cowboy Bebop. That show is still my absolute favorite, again, enough to have
the end quote tattooed on my arm. It is the perfect mix of story, comedy, brilliant animation and fantastic soundtracks. Get on it if you haven’t already! Your Lilith cosplay was brilliant, tell us how you went about creating that look. Do you study the make up and follow tutorials?
Thank you so much, I adore Lilith as a character, and the first game represents something special for me, so I wanted to do her justice. I decided to make most of that cosplay from scratch myself, bar a couple of aspects. But it came together like most of my costumes; I spend a lot of time researching various resources like the costume from all angles, how other people attempted it, and detail shots. Then it’s just a case of starting somewhere and keeping the momentum going. The cell shading is what makes or breaks Borderlands costumes, and I have a bachelor in visual arts, which totally helped on this build, so I felt quietly confident about that aspect at least. The rest was just basic sewing/pattern alteration, wig styling, some fabrication using Worbla and foam, creating a basic circuit for the shield box lighting and taking apart then painting and rebuilding the Nerf gun. In terms of the make up, I just went off her face in-game. I’ve had a lot of practice doing my own make up over the years, so it was just a case of testing it out.
Having said that, there are a lot of details I would like to reattempt or fix, or add to. That will be soon as I have a couple of shoots planned. I also plan on re-wearing her next year, and there are a couple more Borderlands characters on the horizon. What’s coming up next for you? Just more costumes, I guess! Melbourne cons are done for the year, and I wasn’t able to make it up for Brisbane Supanova, so I’m on a break over Christmas, but my cosplans are burning a hole in my brain, haha. I’ve already started sourcing supplies and references for 4 costumes, and I want to fit as many in next year as I can, so planning is key. But expect to see me at most Melbourne/Sydney cons next year, and who knows, maybe I’ll make it to the states next year.
I am also starting to try and get involved in more ‘behind the scenes’ stuff, like cosplay competitions, and helping organize events, etc. Finally where can our readers go to find out more about you? I’m most active on my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/tjcosplay, but I also have an Instagram @ tjanedoe, which gets a lot of my WIP. I don’t feel like I have enough to say to warrant a Twitter yet, haha.
Photographer: Matt Baird | www.facebook.com/mattbairdphoto
tj cosplay
Photographer: Nathan Atkins | www.nathanatkinsphotography.com
tj cosplay
PURPLE CANDY www.facebook.com/pages/Purple-Candy-Cosplay/294657134029793 Tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into cosplay and make up. I am Kira, I live in Germany and I am 19 years old. I go to school, will finish it in May 2015 and want to be a police woman in 2016. When I was 14, my best friend and myself watched many animes and had a clue on it. We saw Cosplayers on the internet and then we looked at some conventions in our hometown. That is how I got into cosplay. I had not enough money to create a big cosplay costume, and I was no good at sewing either. So one day, I was bored, none of my friends had time and so I took all my Make up and colours (in this time watercolours :D) and started painting myself. It was fun, so I did it again and again and that’s how I began to create so many make up’s. I have more make up than money or talent to make a cosplay, so that is the reason why everyone can see more Make ups, than cosplay pictures on my site. Your make up skills are amazing, how long does it take to create a look? Thank you. It is different. Some Make ups only take 10 minutes of my time but some others 30-40 minutes. I have to learn a lot about shading and make up generally, I only do it with looking and trying out.
You’ve done a range of cosplay, what’s been your favourite so far? Definitely Mystique. I love being blue, I loved how people reacted when they saw me at a convention. I love doing this make up and I love the character. It takes a lot of work and money to get your whole body blue, but I will buy a morphsuit for next year. And do you have future projects you can share? Yes, I have. My next Cosplay will be Beth Greene from The Walking Dead, Draco Malfoy from Harry Potter, Neytiri (Warface) from Avatar, Michonne from The Walking Dead and maaaany others. Problem is only the money. It will take a lot time, to make these cosplays and finish them, but in this time, I will do a lot of Make up tests and share them. Do you attend any of the ‘cons’ and what’s been your favourite? I don’t go to many conventions. I only go to the Japanday in Düsseldorf and Gamescom in Cologne in a year. Because of my school and not much money, I have not had many chances to go to a lot of events or con’s. But I like the Japanday in Düsseldorf. There are sooo many beautiful cosplayers and so many lovely people and the fireworks at the end of the day is amazing! Have you done any photo shoots
COSPLAY
and do you have tips you can share for those about to do their first shoot? Unfortunately not. My friend took some photos of me a few times, but I haven’t had a professional photoshoot yet. I don’t know, I am not a good model, I am very nervous and feel like an idiot in front of the camera. But what I tried with my friend was to be myself and not to be tense. That is the only tip I can give, cause’ of my lack of experience. With make up, is there a particular brand or product that you prefer and why? Yes, there is. I can only recommend “Farbstark Bodypainting Colours”a German brand which you can buy on the Internet. It was the first Bodypainting Colour I bought and it stayed on all day! I love this brand, these colours and I work better with them than with any other brands. But that is not the only make up I use. I also use simply eyeshadows and lipsticks etc. Sometimes, I also use watercolours, but only for some photos, not for going out. Your Neytiri make is just stunning, you’ve done a tutorial on this, where can our readers go to see the tutorial? Thank you very much. You can see the Tutorial on my Facebook-page Purple Candy Cosplay. It is only a picture tutorial, but I wrote every
PURPLE CANDY COSPLAY product I used in the five steps. Finally where can our reader go to find out more about you? You can find more from me on Twitter ‘Purple Candy Cosplay’ and on Facebook with the same name. I am more active in Facebook than on Twitter, so I would recommend the Facebook-page.
HEXLORD ww.facebook.com/BLACKRABBITPHOTOGRAPHY This month Live Magazine sat down and talked with one of their favourite photographers - Hexlord also known as Black Rabbit Photography. We spoke to Hexlord a while back but we wanted to catch up and see what’s new and ask some deeper questions about his work. Firstly what have you been up to recently? Hi there, it’s great! I have been planning for some upcoming shoots which will be amazing for sure, as well as attending some major conventions both here in Malaysia as well as in Singapore. A good way to end 2014, definitely. How would you describe your photography style? I think ‘evolving’ would be the best word to describe my style. As time pass me by, I tend to experience a lot of things in life and these gets reflected on my photography. Good to always try something new, if there’s a chance that is. Some cosplay photographers tend to have a very set type of work, what’s your preference in cosplay shoots? I love working at great locations. Places where both light and shadows exist, where colours is everywhere. Apart from that, I don’t have any specific preferences... maybe because I have worked with so many
different cosplayers and their ideas that any specific fixed set will not properly define me and my works. I am still ever changing, and I think that’s a good thing. Do you feel there is any way to make an income from cosplay in the same way a photographer can with something like portraiture? I believe that there are avenues to have such an income. Prints, photobooks, paid shoots, even commercial collaborations with the creators of the series being cosplayed too. And I think that with great skill and marketing, one can go far with that approach. However, at the same time, I would prefer that everyone keep this as a hobby. Something that serves more as a memory, to treasure in the years to come. Fun & business don’t really mix that well, do they. Some cosplay photography seems to lean on the sexy side of things, yours seems to capture the character and cosplayer in a way that tells the story. Can you talk about that.. Ultimately, this is more of a personal preference than anything else. I do enjoy working with beautiful women, but I also enjoy working with great cosplayers of all ages and genders too! To me, the world of cosplay photography is not just about the sexy, but also the cool, the fashionable, the everyday guy and girl. Variety is the spice of life.
PHOTOGRAPHER
You say cosplay is about the cool and the fashionable, do you then approach your post processing and in fact the whole shoot with that in mind? What I mean is do you tend to start with the end product in mind before you even start shooting? Yes, I do have such an approach in mind during the course of the shoot as well as during the post-processing stage. I do have some specific ideas in mind for every shoot that I did, and try to bring them to fruition. Where do you see cosplay photography going in the future? I would see cosplay photography becoming an extension of the main story of the series being cosplayed, something like the Expanded Universe of the Star Wars series, or simply be akin to fan fictions being found all over the place. There’s still a long way to go before cosplay photography can be accepted as one of the more common sub-genres of photography, so I can say that we have a long and exciting journey ahead of us! Finally where’s the best place fans can go see more of your work? www.facebook.com/BlackRabbitPhotography www.500px.com/hexlord www.hexlord.daportfolio.com
Cosplayer: Onnies
HEXLORD
Cosplayer:
Cosplayer: PayYen Chia
Cosplayer: Audrey KonekoHime
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Cosplayer: Jonathan Law & Celia See
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Cosplayer: Ah Miao
andy wana www.facebook.com/AndyWanaPhotography Andy Wana is a Sydney based cosplay photographer that’s originally from Indonesia. We caught up with Andy and talked about his love of cosplay photography… Why cosplay? I love cosplay photography because it has no limits to what you, your team and the subject can achieve with the end results. Good cosplay photography is very much like high art or conceptual fashion shoot. As a practising creative, I love the challenges and rewards of cosplay photography. It helps to improve the skills and knowledge of everyone involved. We see many different styles of cosplay photography, can you describe your style of photography and how you developed that? My photography is probably known for bold colours, dutch/ tilted angles, creative atmospheres and inspiring backdrops. I developed this style by studying great photos from other photographers in the areas of fashion, journalism, travels and others. That’s the lovely thing about photography, we are free to experiment and sometimes the unexpected results can lead to a very beautiful outcome. I am also more of an available light photographer, not because I choose to but more so along the lines of
PHOTOGRAPHER
travelling light so that the subject(s), assistant(s) and myself can explore other areas in a location quickly and efficiently.
shaped a lot of my current photography and I hoped that one day I can do a personal project of my own that will be just as inspiring.
How do you set up a shoot from start to finish?
What’s been your most challenging photo shoot?
Depending on the time of the day, I would set up for a shoot differently. On a typical daytime shoot, I usually will only have my camera and a reflector disc (usually white and silver). I do love strobe photography for a commercial looking finish but sometimes they do not lend themselves to difficult locations and authorities might not take it too kindly when they see professional equipment lying about in public space.
Shooting at a busy tourist spot at Bondi beach for the lovely Katy and Thomas for their Gurren Lagann cosplay. Having that many people around you and your models can be quite intimidating. The weather also didn’t cooperate with us, with thick clouds as far as the eye can see when we were planning for a shoot that looks like it was shot in the desert.
For a low light shoot, I’d take my camera and one or two of my light arsenals with me. Sometimes it’s a continuous ring light for a close up/ portrait style shoot, other times it’s a 1.6metre long light stick that I used to decorate the backdrop for effects. Who inspires your photography? Kirsty Mitchell for her drop dead gorgeous conceptual photography that’s lavish with colours, beautiful costumes, wigs and props. What inspired me is the theme behind her series (a tribute to her mother that she lost to brain tumour) and how she worked with a shoestring budget to achieve these shots. Her work
The lack of parking options made it a challenging shoot from a timing point of view too (set up, shoot and wrap up in under 2 hours). And your most fun? Most of the shoots I’ve done have been fun. The most fun was probably with Pockami Cosplay for her Neon Genesis Evangelion and Bioshock Infinite cosplays a while back. Shot in the same day (one morning and one late afternoon) in the city. We shot in front of a gentlemen’s club, the city town hall and a seedy building in Chinatown. Good times! My best photo to date was also tak-
en with Pockami for her Final Fantasy XIII-2 cosplay. What gear do you take on a shoot and what software do you use for processing images? Before switching my main camera to a Sony A7S, I used a Canon 5D II for my main camera. I shoot with 24mm f1.4 and 85mm f1.2 lenses on this body. Fast lenses are important for available light photography. For low light photography, I have a F&V ring light and recently I acquired a Pixelstick for light effects on camera. Software wise, I use Adobe Lightroom, Camera Raw and Photoshop. These apps are indispensable for the modern photographer. What tips would you have for a new cosplay photographer? Keep experimenting, don’t get comfortable and always push the boundaries of what you know and have done with photography. Go out and scout for locations. Take photos at different times of the day. Listen to critiques from your peers and other good photographers but also strive to develop your own visual language and style. Treat your assistant(s), make up artist, stylist, subject(s) and authorities with utmost respect and courtesy. Don’t over promise and under deliver. Follow the photography rules and then break them =) Finally where can readers go to see more of your work? My work can be found at www.flickr.com/photos/andywana & www.facebook.com/AndyWanaPhotography
BENNY LEE www.facebook.com/BENNYLEEPHOTOGRAPHY Hi Benny, welcome to Live Magazine! Tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into photography.. As someone who comes from a family of designers and artists, I have always been a visual person. However, I did not pick up a camera as a new hobby until 2008. Anime Weekend Atlanta was around the corner so I shot my first cosplay photoshoot there as a favor. It was well received and I was encouraged to keep shooting, then the words just keep spreading and before I know it, I was making new friends and shooting every month. You do a few different types of photography, how did you get into cosplay? Good question! I actually explored different categories from pets to landscapes before deciding on Cosplay and people portraits. It was AWA 2008 when I first picked up my camera; I had a cosplay friend who invited me to be a part of their cosplay group (Persona 3) and since they needed a photographer, I filled that role as well. In other words, I did my first cosplay and shot my first cosplay photoshoot at the same time :)
Do you follow other cosplay photographers work? Who inspires you? I do follow other cosplay photographers, but I think I’m mostly inspired by other portraits and fashion photographers like ZeMotion and Annie leibovitz. Tell us a bit about a typical photo shoot, what sort of planning goes into it? Every photoshoot starts with an idea or concept, and It could be a scene or a shot. From that point, I either contact a cosplayer friend or reach out someone whose work seems appropriate for that concept. Then we’d communicate back and forth regarding location, props, his/her costume, and shooting date, and this could take anywhere from few weeks to few months. Of course, I’d look into getting extra help such as makeup artist, assistants, and any behind the scenes support and coordinate them. I think planning is the most crucial part of the shoot because it will determine how smooth the shooting goes and how soon you can complete the processing later on.
How would you define your cosplay photography style?
What about post processing, do you do much to enhance your photos?
If I could define it with three words I’d say “Composition, Storytelling, and Colorful”
My style has evolved over the years; it used to be all about processing and I would emphasize a lot on the
PHOTOGRAPHER
fx. Currently I focus more on my subject and framing to enhance my photographs. I try to do minimum touch ups such as basic skin retouch and removal on clothing wrinkles, and color correction, that’s about it. Do you have any tips for new cosplay photographers? I know it’s hard, but try not to follow the money and fame. Instead, focus on the story you want to tell and honing your skills. Find an area you’re good at and dedicate your life into being the best in that category. Also, don’t be discouraged if budget is a problem in the beginning; keep in mind: it’s not about how much or how expensive your equipments are but how you use them that matters. Finally where can readers go to see more of your work? I’m mostly active on my facebook page, deviantart, and twitter when it comes to posting new photos but I also use Instagram to post some behind the scenes and personal photos time to time :) www.facebook.com/BennyLeePhotography www.Benny-Lee.deviantart.com www.twitter.com/BennyLeePhoto www.instagram.com/awesomebenny
BENNY LEE
Resin casti
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/HayleyEliseCosplay
Part1: Sculpting the Positive
Many cosplayers I meet are too intimidated to try their hand at resin casting, although after a quick lesson or two, most people come to realise that it really is a simple process! Here I’ll walk you through the process of resin casting, to prove it isn’t nearly as scary as it first seems. The positive is what you are going to cast your pieces from, and you have many options in making this! You can sculpt it out of clay, whether air dry clay or oil based non-drying clay (plasticine), or cast from anything else you have lying around the house – so long as it doesn’t contain silicone. Silicone sticks to itself, so if your positive contains silicone then you won’t be able to remove it from your mould! Always check oil based clays in particular for silicone content – the best silicone free clays that I would recommend are Klean Klay and Monster Clay. They may seem expensive but remember – you can keep reusing oil-based clays for as long as you like! I like to mould organic shapes out of oil based clay, as you can keep playing with it for as long as you want, and it is easy to mould with fingers and other clay tools. If you want flat, smooth surfaces and hard edges, however, I would recommend air dry
clay, as you can then come back and sand the surfaces smooth after it has dried. Make sure your positive is as smooth and perfect as you can get it before you mould, because it reduces the amount of work you have to do after you’ve cast your finished piece! Once you’re ready to mould, you need to find something to mould on. I have a couple of linoleum squares to make my moulds on, but any kind of smooth, flat board will do. Before anything else, you need to make sure your positive is seamlessly attached to the board. If there are any gaps between the positive and the board, the silicone will leak underneath, leaving your positive trapped in the mould and the resulting piece useless. If you modelled out of oil based clay, all you have to do is carefully smooth the clay down onto the board. Don’t worry if it’s messy, these parts will be cut off your final resin piece. If your positive is made of anything else, then you will have to grab a few little pieces of oil based clay and do the same thing, making sure the clay adheres to both the board and the bottom of your positive. Check back next month for part 2!
ing isn't scary! COSPLAY TUTORIAL
WRITTEN BY HAYLEY ELISE
“
TIPS ON
Post processing can make or break your photo. Good post processing can really enhance your cosplay photos. If you’re browsing the web you’ll no doubt come across photos that have that something special about them that lifts them above the crowd. Photos that stand out are often a combination of artistic vision, amazing cosplayer, make up, styling, costume and post processing on the part of the photographer or retoucher. Good cosplay photographs tend to be a combination of all those things. Plus they often use software to enhance the photo, to build the story and to suspend disbelief. The main tool photographers use is Photoshop. But there are a number of very good programs that can be plugged into Photoshop to make your job easier when doing your post processing. Here’s a few ideas to consider if you’re starting out. Firstly, you’ll need Photoshop or something equivalent like GIMP. I don’t know much about GIMP so I’ll concentrate on Adobe’s Photoshop and the plugins and “actions” I’ve used or come across. Ideally you need to know the basics of Photoshop so you understand what you’re doing and what the actions or plugins are also doing. To get a good grounding in Photoshop there are some brilliant online training options including Kelby One and Lynda. They are subscription based training, and at around $25-$30 per month they are affordable and offer fantastic value. Adobe too offers training videos and they are free and can be found at http://tv.adobe. com/show/learn-photoshop-cs6/
Plugging things in. On One offers a nice suite of plug ins and stand alone filters and options that can give you everything from vintage tones, to amazing black and white conversions to portrait retouching. You can check them out with a free trial here: http://www.ononesoftware.com/products/suite9/ Topaz Labs offers some very cool effects too including Topaz Restyle, Topaz Impression and a ton of others. Topaz too offers free trials so you can see if they suite your style of photography. Check the trial here http://www. topazlabs.com/ Adobe Lightroom too has similar options to enhance your photos - these are called Presets. They too can really enhance your photos with tones, contrast effects, fading and a whole lot of other looks you can play with to give your photos a “look” that you like. The secret to using any plugins or effects is to take on the “less is more” approach unless you’re going for a highly stylised effect that we often see with quality cosplay photos. Then you might want to consider learning about compositing, high end retouching and toning. Yeah it sounds complex but it does pay off in the long run with the end result being photos that look like something a movie studio produced. We’d love to see some of your work and feature you so why not drop a line to feedback@gametraders.com.au and show us your cosplay photos and who knows, we might share them in our next edition.
POST PROCESSING PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS
BY ROB JENKINS
supanova Photos by: The Blake Image www.theblakeimage.com.au
a snaps! supanova snaps from brisbane! november 27 - 29 2014
upcoming supanova dates: melbourne: april 10 - 12 2015 gold coast: april 17 - 19 2015 sydney: june 19 - 21 2015 perth: june 26 - 28
Photos by: The Blake Image www.theblakeimage.com.au
supanova snaps!
Photos by: The Blake Image www.theblakeimage.com.au
supanova snaps!
Photos by: The Blake Image www.theblakeimage.com.au
supanova snaps!
JANUARY STORE EVENTS
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Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh, Magic the Gathering and Cardfight!! Vanguard every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Check their Facebook page for times and event details.
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ACT HYPERDOME Secrets of Eternity Yu-Gi-Oh Sneak Peek 10 January Yu-Gi-Oh - Saturday 10am Pokémon - Saturday 2pm
Yu-Gi-Oh - Sunday 2pm (doors open 1pm) Cardfight!! Vanguard - Fortnightly (Check FB) Pokémon - Saturday 2pm (Check FB. Doors open 1pm) Tournaments held at: Unit 5 20-22 Ellerslie Road, Meadowbrook Qld 4131. Pre-Releases and sneak preview events announced on Facebook.
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E H T ST E G G I B T A E G N A R T S E B E H T ICE PR YOU N E WH DE & A R T ! E V A S
THE KR It’s silent for all of five seconds before screaming starts at the top of the stairs. Private Williams leaps into action, gun raised, he races up the stairs. Three shots ring out, bang bang bang, before the screaming subsides to a horrible squelching.
The site that greets us is horrific, blood everywhere and a torn off leg impaled by hundreds of pieces of shattered glass. The Kroll is no where to be seen and neither is Sargent Millers. I pull Williams away, who is frozen in place staring at the leg. Pushing him towards the entrance, I place a smoke bomb into his hand. I whisper to him to get moving, to get to the truck but he doesn’t seem to hear me. I grab him by the shoulders, shaking him a little. ‘Williams’ I whisper. No response. I shake him again softening my voice. ‘Tim, mate, look at me. We don’t have time, I have to get to Cortez and you have to get to the truck.’ His eyes snap up at me, his voice loud in the eerily quiet room. ‘Lieutenant you can’t be serious? You heard Cortez, he can’t possibly still be alive. I.. I’m sorry but it would be suicide.’
I shake my head directing him towards the entrance. ‘Tim, he’s my brother, I have to see if I can get to him, I have to.’ He nods, he doesn’t agree but he understands.
We part at the stairs, he rushes to the trucks while I make my way upwards towards God knows what. Opening the door at the top of the stairs, the smell of blood hits me immediately, overwhelming my very core. Thunder claps overhead, the rain relentless as it beats against the roof so loud I almost miss the bang of gunfire and the yelling of voices. I make my way down the corridor my back firmly placed against the wall. Making it to the end of the corridor I turn left heading straight for the sounds for fighting. Despite being armed with a smoke bomb in one hand and machine gun in the second I am completely unprepared for the chaos that greets me. Four men with spears are running around a Kroll trying to kill it. Although they out number it there’s no way they can win, there’s no way to kill a Kroll. One of the men that was with Cortez is slumped against the wall closest to me. I crouch
down and make my way over to him careful to not draw the attention of the Kroll.
His breathing is shallow but he is alive which is more than can be said for others that have faced a Kroll. Crouching next to him I whisper. ‘How are you hurt?’ He points to a large gash in his leg and another shallower gash across his abdomen. I look up at the group fighting the Kroll, it’s amazing they are still alive before whispering ‘Shit, ok I’m gonna get you out of here. Where’s Cortez?’. He points to an office at our right, the door is flung open with blood covering the handle. Grabbing his arm and swinging it over my shoulder I pull him up half dragging him towards the door. He hisses in pain but says nothing. I settle him down just inside the office next to the door. Cortez is leaning against the desk, my heart stops, he looks half dead. I kneel down in front of him blood is seeping out of a wound splayed across his stomach. He looks up at me shock writ-
ROLLS ten across his face as I pull my pack off grabbing the small bit of first aid equipment I have. I push the gauze and bandages against the wound as best I can trying to stop the bleeding.
His hands come down over mine as he starts speaking. ‘Tom what the hell are you doing here? I told you to get out.’ His voice is shaky and laced with pain but it holds the same authoritative tone he has had all his life. I look at him incredulously, he knows better then to think I would leave him behind. I hiss back ‘You can’t be serious there is no way I could leave you here, John I’m going to get you out.’ A large bang comes from the other room along with screams of pain cutting off any other words we might have to say, we have minutes if that to get out. I pull my hands out from under his as gently as I can, hissing at him to keep pressure. There’s only one way out of this room back to where the Kroll is.
FAN FICTION: PART 3
SEE PART 1 IN NOVEMBER MAGAZINE & PART 2 IN DECEMBER MAGAZINE. CLICKHERE!
WRITTEN BY EMILY LANGFORD
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