ISSUE 77 / Vol.7 November 2015
www.gameccamag.com
Investigating Plantronics’ new Rig headsets
Colourful Critter
a new foe
Razer reworks the Mamba
Audio Perfect
Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate Halo 5: Guardians Transformers: Devastation Super Mario Maker and more...
Back for More
Uncharted remastered
Halo 5: Guardians Reviewed
Revolution
Taking London in Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate
Crisis! The Division maintains control
After the end... Fallout 4 and the end of the world
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H OW
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Bronze Award
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Gold Award
Platinum Award
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Given to games & hardware that score 80-84
Given to games & hardware that score 85-90
Given to games & hardware that score 90-94
Given to games & hardware that score 95-100
Editor’s Choice Award for products that make an impression
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he last three months of every year, for the last six years, have been strange. They’re a mixture of flurried activity and waiting, charging ahead full steam and then needing to put on the brakes while things align themselves. They are, for me and the Gamecca Crew, extremely busy times, yet peppered with a dash of unpredictability and tempered period when getting things done is challenging. October – the month during which we prepare our November issue – is probably the most challenging, while November (which covers the December issue production cycle) is insanely busy. December starts off with a blast of activity, and then grinds to a sudden, almost total stop as the industry breathes a sigh of relief and starts keenly watching Festive Season sales figures. What makes October so challenging, believe it or not, is the annual rAge expo. This trade show is a fantastic addition to the South African gaming calendar, and seeing it grow over the years is a great indicator that gaming is alive and well in South Africa. But it is also something that takes up the entire mind set of the industry. Putting an impressive show like rAge together takes a massive amount of work from everyone involved, but it also impacts on the entire industry, causing delays and sometimes even confusion. What it also does, though, is gets us in the mood for November. November, the Holy Grail month of every
From the Editor
Ebb&Flow by Walt Pretorius
gaming year, and this year looks particularly hot… and not just because El Nino is messing with the weather. There are a large number of massive titles on the way this month, including Rise of the Tomb Raider, Need for Speed, Call of Duty: Black Ops III and, of course, Fallout 4. While October saw the release of a handful of really big names, it is November that will see wallets straining and gamers grinning from ear to ear. That activity, this year, will extend into December, with a few big names still arriving at what is traditionally one of the quietest months of the year. And then the entire crazy buildup will come to a resounding halt as the world prepares for a much needed rest and the Gamecca Crew starts debating the awards for 2015, which will come out in our January 2016 issue. And then the champagne corks will pop, everyone will say that it’s going to be a better year than the last, and the whole cycle begins again; the flurry of activity early in the year, the slow period through the middle, punctuated by E3 and GamesCom, the build-up into the last quarter and then the craziness of the Festive Season once again. These are the tides of our beloved gaming industry, and although there are sometimes a few anomalies, they have been following this pattern for a long time. So prepare yourself. November is here. The craziness of major releases hitting shelves in time for the 2015 Holiday Season is upon us. It is, as always, a great time to be a gamer. g mgeect 2 c7a 7 7 ggl a ad
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THIS MONTH’S COVER
Heading back to the wasteland in Fallout 4
Publisher Walt Pretorius walt@novamentis.co.za
Publisher Katia Taliadoros katia@novamentis.co.za
Writers: Alex Scanlon Clive Burmeister Charlie Fripp Christo van Gemert Iwan Pienaar Lein Baart Katia Taliadoros Nthato Morakabi Rob Edwards Suvesh Arumugam Walt Pretorius
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Regular: Did you know More industry conversation Starters
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Feature: Post-Apocalypse Party Explore more in Fallout 4...
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Previews: Games 8 games to anticipate
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Feature: Healthy Paranoia The Division deals with disaster
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Reviews: Games 10 games inspected
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Regular: Indie View Making things go boom!
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Regular: Legacy The birth of the JRPG
Letters: letters@gameccamag.com
Competition Entries: competitions@gameccamag.com
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Ramjet’s Rantality
Another bandwagon 122
Copyright © Nova Mentis (Pty) Ltd 2009 - 2015
Technically Speaking
Scared solid
Marketing Contact: walt@novamentis.co.za katia@novamentis.co.za
Ed’s Note
Watching the tides...
Newsletter Subscriptions:
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The Last Word
Hungry for knowledge...
GAMECCA is published by Nova Mentis (Pty) Ltd
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Feature: Audio Evolved New ideas from Plantronics
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reviews: Hardware 5 things you need to have
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Regular: Internet The bullying continues
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Regular: Security Hidden dangers of piracy
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Gamecca Vol. 6 Issue 77 November 2015
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Feature: Under One Roof rAge isn’t just about gaming anymore
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COOL STUFF: Gadgets A great mobile handset investigated
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COOL STUFF: Board Games Two games that don’t need power
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COOL STUFF: Comics Excellent reading material
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s e d’ c E oi h C
“[Syndicate] manages to reawaken hope that the glory days of the Assassin’s Creed franchise are not long forgotten.”
Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate
FeatureS 10
Audio Evolved
HARDWARE Reviews 18 20 22 24 26
ASRock Z170 Extreme6 Motherboard Asus Sabertooth Z170 Mark 1 Motherboard Logitech MX Master Wireless Mouse Razer Mamba Chroma Wireless Gaming Mouse Palit GTX 950 Storm Dual Graphics Card
RegularS 28 32
Internet Security
COLUMN 34
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Technically Speaking
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Audioev
Plantronics looks to make a big spl
While Plantronics might not be a name you immediately associate with gaming audio, this company’s experience in great personal audio products is unquestionable. With TECHNOLOGY
applications running from B-to-B to military, mobile to
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Audio Evolved
volved
lash in the gaming headset market
aeronautical, Plantronics have a great reputation and more than a little know-how when it comes to creating headsets. What would you expect from a company that made headsets for moon missions?
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Gamecca: Plantronics is not a traditional player in the gaming space. What prompted this move into the gaming sphere? GM: Plantronics might not be
Audio Evolved
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e recently spoke to Gregory Morquin, Gaming Segment Manager for Europe and Africa, about a new range of Plantronics headsets, called the Rig 500. This initial series of five headsets is set to take the market by storm, thanks to a combination of great quality and some extremely innovative ideas… including full modularity.
you have thousands of people cheering and screaming. The guy on stage needs his focus, and the GameCom Commander blocks around 80% of the background noise. It’s basically a helicopter headset that we have reworked for gaming – it’s not a retail product anymore, it’s just for the industry. It’s the official headset of the Electronic Sport World Cup and the Electronic Sport League. It was the official headset for League of Legends, which is the most played PC game in the world.
Gamecca: Why the decision, then, to move into a more mainstream market? GM: Because there is a need today for a real product. Plantronics is not a marketing driven company. But we provide good products. We want to deliver
naturally associated with gaming,
top audio performance for the
because we’ve done a lot of other
game. We produce out headsets
things in other markets like mobile.
in Santa Cruz, and we create
But we’ve been doing gaming for
everything in-house. To develop
around fifteen years. We did a deal
a product at Plantronics can
with Microsoft for the first official
take around eighteen months,
Halo branded gaming headsets.
but we do everything, using the
After that we provided champions
same experience that we use in
on stage with the headsets that are
the specials division and B-to-B
used by most of the professional
products. So you can rely on the
players in big competitions. It’s
robustness of the product and the
called the GameCom Commander
quality of the microphone, which
and it comes from our “specials”
is key to gamers. And also, as you
division. They make military
will see with this new product, the
products and helicopter headsets,
comfort.
for example. So this is a headset designed to be worn by top competitors on stage, when
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Gamecca: Realistically, this is not an easy
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market to break into. What is the plan behind attacking this market? GM: Our strategy here,
something that is light, so we created a product that is light, comfortable and robust. We know that sometimes gamers
especially with the new headsets
are… passionate… with their
we are releasing and considering
accessories, so we designed this
the heritage we have with the
to be super comfortable, super
GameCom Commander, is to focus
robust and light for long sessions
on the eSports aspirational player;
of training. And they’re modular,
the one that is not a champion
allowing for micro adjustment and
today, but is practicing a lot. The
fantastic comfort.
one that needs an affordable
You were asking about
headset. We want to make sure
the biggest differences with
that we provide them with the
Plantronics and I would say the
product that they need, and that’s
microphone. We’ve been doing
what we’re focussing on with the
microphones for around fifty years.
Rig 500. There are five headsets
Sometimes lives are saved with our
in the range: three for PC and
microphones. And we know that for
two for console. The console
gamers its crucial to hear well, but
versions are officially licensed
also to be heard. So we use double
for Xbox One and PlayStation 4,
mic technology. One mic measures
so we have the credibility from
outside noise to cancel it out.
the console manufacturers. They
Once you put it all together, you
also want to take advantage of
have the lightest gaming headset
the growth of eSports. Millions
on the market. Lightweight, heat
of people watching streams
dissipation, no pressure point at
online, thousands of people going
the top of your head… something
to events to see competitions.
made for long sessions.
And that’s why we think those guys need a reliable Plantronics headset.
Gamecca: What are your strengths and focusses in the Rig 500 headset products?
TECHNOLOGY
GM: We didn’t develop these
Gamecca: How about noise cancellation for the ear cups? GM: This is the point of the Rig 500 E, which is the top of the range… you cannot use the same headset for ever purpose. At home, I would use the “open” ear cup,
products overnight; we have been
so that I can hear anything going
working with the industry and
on outside of the game too. That’s
discussing them with top gaming
important, and it’s good for heat
teams, and asked them what they
dissipation and comfort, because
need.
of the memory foam. But then,
They told us they need
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when I have practiced and I go to
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Audio Evolved
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I need to focus. And that’s part of the modularity; I would just remove the “open” ear cups and use the “closed” ear cups, which come with the set. I can quickly
Gamecca: With that modularity and customisation enter into the console headset ranges as well? GM: Yes, we will have the Rig
and easily adapt my headset to the
500 HS for PlayStation 4 and the
situation. That blocks the outside
Rig 500 HX for Xbox One, and
noise, because of the closed backs
with all the different headsets we
and the leatherette pads. But for
will have all the bits and pieces
long sessions, I wouldn’t use that,
available. We won’t ask you to buy
because I would sweat more and
another headset – you will just be
be less comfortable.
able to add what you need into your arsenal. You will be able to
Gamecca: So you get all of these components as one set? GM: Modularity, for us, is
complement what you already have with extra accessories. Gamecca: What driver size is being used in these headsets?
about three key elements: first is
GM: 40mm… definitely the best
adaptability, even with the cable.
size and quality for headsets made
With the Rig 500 E we include a
by Plantronics. I know there is a
3.5mm jack cable and we add in
debate, but we have been working
a Dolby 7.1 sound card for use
with our audio engineers in Santa
with PC – digital sound with 24 bit
Cruz, and this is the best quality
audio.
you can get with this size.
The second element is upgrade. The Rig 500 E is US$129, with two sets of ear cups, two cables, the head band and the head strap. But we have an entry level Rig 500
Gamecca: And what does the future hold for Plantronics and gaming? GM: Ah, well, you can just
which comes with the headband,
imagine… perhaps something
head strap, one cable and one
wireless, perhaps competition
set of ear cups, which will retail
grade for stage competitors. With
at US$59. But we will retail the
the modular nature of the product
different parts and bits for those
there are no limits. Our product
who want to upgrade their ear
management team and audio
cups or cables.
engineers are working on some
The third point is personalisation.
very interesting products for next
We are proposing different
year. It’s a brand new platform and
headsets, like different camouflage
we’re really excited about it. And
finishes, solid colour, translucent,
we’re doing a good, early release
carbon fibre finishes and so on.
here. g
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Audio Evolved
party, I wouldn’t use that, because
Z170 Extrem Awesome power for every application
TECHNOLOGY
ASRock
H C EW E T VI E R
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Motherboard
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This is a very capable, powerful and reliable motherboard for any kind of application, including the intensive graphics required by gaming and game development.
AWARDS
AT A GLANCE:
SUMMARY
Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice
gamecca77
prioritised over LAN, for example, and special features like built in macro recording and the like are also nowhere to be seen. But that’s not what this solid performer is about. Rather, this is a board that will deliver power in all directions, rather than just focussing in one. And because those “industrial” applications may be demanding, the Extreme6 supports overclocking. In fact, many of the things you may associate with gaming boards, like overclocking, oversized heat sinks and improved 12 Phase Power technology are all present here. Even top not on-board audio, delivered by Purity Sound 3, shows that this motherboard is great for those who not only want to game, but who want to move in directions that include creating games. That takes a powerful, reliable and fast motherboard, and the Extreme6 delivers all of those things. With rugged components like the XXL aluminium alloy heatsink, premium 60A power chokes, and 12K platinum Nichicon caps, the board offers great longevity and stability. Improved PCIe Gen 3 x4 and SATA3 offer faster data transfer rates. When you put it all together, it’s an impressive product, even if you may overlook it for something with “gaming” on the box. But it certainly will take care of that job, as well as pretty much any other resource intensive application you throw at it. This board is a great workhorse. g
SCORE
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Ma nuf a c t ure r: D i s t ri but e r: Onl i ne :
ASRock T V R Co mput e rs w w w . t v r. c o . z a
TECH SPECS • • • • • • • • •
Z170 chipset DDR 4 compatible USB 3.1 ports Quadro / FirePro compatible XXL Heatsink
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by Rob Edwards
nce upon a time, programmes dictated what PCs needed to be. And then games became more powerful, and they called the shots. Well, these days, programmes are coming to the fore again, and a PC that can run top notch software of certain types will be able to handle pretty much anything a game can throw at it. And considering that these programmes are generally the kind of thing that is used in game development (among other things) and that a lot of gamers want to get into development, having a motherboard that provides the power to do both is a fantastic idea. Enter the ASRock Z170 Extreme6. While gaming is – and likely always will be – a fairly lucrative market for component manufacturers, ASRock have taken slightly different marketing approach here, and one that isn’t seen all that often. This particular board is aimed at “designers and enthusiasts”, meaning that it is going to be fine for gaming, but drawing attention from other sectors as well. It is compatible with standard graphics cards, as well as NVidia’s design intensive Quadro and AMD’s similar FirePro cards. It’s less of a gaming board and more of an all-rounder, with strong leanings towards “industrial” applications. Because it is gaming capable, but not gaming focussed, a lot of the special features associated with a gaming motherboard are absent. Gaming traffic isn’t
ASRock Z170 Extreme6 Motherboard
me6
Asus
H C EW E T VI E R
Sabertooth Z17
TECHNOLOGY
Built to go the distance
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Asus Sabertooth Z170 Mark 1 Motherboard
70 Mark 1
Motherboard
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by Walt Pretorius
AT A GLANCE: SUMMARY
TECH SPECS
Although it might be light on some of the arguably extraneous features, the Sabertooth Z170 Mark 1 is certainly one of the most durable motherboards on the market. Ma nuf a c t ure r D i s t ri but e r: Onl i ne :
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• • • • • •
Z170 chipset Thermal Armor TUF Fortifier Thermal radar 2 Dust Defenders 2 USB 3.1 ports
SCORE
A s us A s us w w w . a s us . c o m
AWARDS
ith the release of their new Skylake processors, Intel have created more than a little stir among the companies that create the motherboards that use them. The competition, quite frankly, is stiff, as major players (and everyone else) surge ahead to try and dominate the market for this generation. Asus are, as is to be expected from this well established manufacturer, among the front runners, and their Sabertooth Z170 Mark 1 motherboard goes a long way to show why this company has the reputation that it does. Like previous Sabertooth motherboards, this Z170 version is all about durability. It is built to last (something which other companies have started taking more seriously too) and take virtually everything you can throw at it. And it looks pretty unique too, which is never a bad thing. Visually, the board is dominated by one of its standout features: thermal armour. This massive plate covers the front of the board, allowing access to ports and the such only where necessary. Everything the end user doesn’t need to get to or fiddle with is covered up by this plate, which acts as a huge heat sink. The armour also employs two fans to help keep things cool, and is compatible with water cooling systems too. It extends to the back of the motherboard as well, with a reinforced back plate that prevents motherboard warping, even when using the largest and heaviest of graphics cards. The back plate also introduces an extra level of cooling for the motherboard. Speaking of cooling, the Sabertooth Z170 Mark 1 also allows for direct control of graphics cards fans (as long as they are Asus graphics cards). The user is able to monitor the temperature of graphics cards and other key components thanks to Thermal Radar technology, and can tune fans individually, or set optimal fan performance with literally one click. That all takes care of one of the biggest issues with modern PCs – heat. The other, often overlooked problem is dust, but the Sabertooth has a solution for that too, in the form of removable dust covers and a dust filter preventing dust from entering via the rear I/O ports. Used with the right set-up, the Sabertooth Z170 Mark 1 will enable even the most pedantic yet power-hungry user to effectively control their PC system, as well as prolong its life span. And considering that setting up a monster PC is a costly exercise, that’s exactly what you want. Ad to this the speed, efficiency and reliability of the board, and you have a real winner here. It’s a bit light on some of the bells and whistles that other boards feature, but when it comes to durability it is a hands-down winner. g
Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice
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Logitech
H C EW E T VI E R
MX
Playing in the right space
L
TECHNOLOGY
ogitech’s renewed fervour at taking on the peripheral market id delivering some really great products, ranging from effective mouse devices through to remarkable steering wheels. Sometimes, though, their devices can leave a bit to be desired in certain aspect. The MX Master Wireless Mouse could have been a truly exceptional multipurpose device if the sensor they made use of was a bit more sensitive. But, as a maximum rating of 1 600 dpi, it doesn’t really offer up the sensitivity of other mouse products. Then again, Logitech don’t claim this to be a gaming mouse. In fact, gaming is never referred to on the packaging at all. The thing is that it really looks the part of a gaming peripheral, with a sleek ergonomic design and generous thumb support. The user could easily mistake it for something that it is not, and even though the dpi can be set anywhere between 400 and 1 600 dpi, it simply isn’t sensitive enough to be a really effective gaming product for those that need extreme speed and precision. Quite honestly, your less serious gamer will probably be fine with it, but those that transcend casual gaming may well find it lacking. So be sure to get the right tool for the job. Powering this mouse is Logitech Darkfield Laser Sensor, a device that tracks movement effectively on
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any surface, including glass. Add to that 2.4GHz wireless technology, and you have a mouse that performs well pretty much anywhere. In terms of controls, the MX Master offers five buttons: the two standard clicks, a clickable scroll wheel and two buttons mounted for thumb access. The thumb buttons are small, though, and take some getting used to, primarily because there is a vertical scroll wheel right in front of them. It’s an interesting control device, and one that could be put to very creative use, provided the user applies some imagination to the implementation of such an unusual device. The MX master can also connect to a PC system via Bluetooth and, thanks to clever design, up to three PCs can be paired with the device. These pairing are stored, so the user can witch at the press of a button. The battery is charged by way of a USB cable, with a single charge delivering up to 40 hours of use. The MX Master is a versatile mouse, particularly when the user makes use of Logitech’s Options software to tweak settings. But, ultimately, it needs to play within the field it was intended for, and may leave gamers and power-users a little underwhelmed. For those that want a decent all-rounder, though, the performance and accurate tracking that the MX Master offers is great. g gamecca77
NAME OF MX Logitech THE Master PRODUCT Wireless Mouse
Wireless Mouse
SUMMARY While not an exceptional gaming mouse, that’s not what it’s intended for – the MX Master is a great all-rounder. TECH SPECS • • • • • •
1600 dpi Five buttons Thumb scroll wheel 2.4GHz wireless 40 hour battery life Dual connectivity
M A NUFA CT UR E R Lo g i tech
DISTRIB UTOR Lo g i tech
AWARDS
w w w. l o g i tec h. c o m
Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice
SCORE
80 gamecca77
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by Rob Edwards
AT A GLANCE:
Razer
H C EW E T VI E R
Mamba Getting it just right…
I
TECHNOLOGY
t looks like Razer is revamping almost every product they have ever made under the Chroma banner. This time around it’s the rather remarkable Mamba Gaming Mouse. But while some of the products that they have reworked (like the Deathstalker keyboard) felt a little light on new features, the Mamba has been given a rather extensive overhaul, resulting in one of the best gaming mouse devices we have ever seen. One of the things that has always played well for the Mamba is its great wireless technology, with the added ability of having the charging cable directly connected to the mouse for a wired experience, should you prefer it. That idea returns, and the Mamba Chroma delivers a 1 millisecond response time, whether wired or wireless. That’s impressive, and shows that wireless technology has come a long way indeed. At the heart of the Mamba Chroma is a powerful 16 000 dpi sensor that makes this mouse extremely sensitive, and allows for a very wide range of dpi presets. And, of course, one of its defining features is the ability to customise lights in a wide variety of ways, although like many (non-keyboard) Chroma products, this is more aesthetic than actually functional. Mamba users will notice a few changes in the overall design of the mouse. The
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scroll wheel now has tiltclick functionality, adding more control options to the mouse. The dpi adjustment buttons have been moved from being inset at the outside of the right button to a central position. The primary buttons also feature a little more contouring, making it a bit more comfortable. And the finish materials have been updated, with a better nonslip coating and textured side panels now on offer. Some design elements have also been changed up, like the obvious new light strips (for all that Chroma personalisation) and mesh covers at the front end of the mouse. The scroll wheel also features a new texture pattern, while the battery life indicator lights have been left out in favour of the Chroma functionality telling you when the power is low. Another great feature – and one that is likely to become more common – is that the force needed to click the mouse buttons is adjustable. It can go right from a feather-light touch through to requiring quite a bit of pressure to click, and each of the primary buttons can be adjusted individually, and relatively easily. Razer really have done a great job with this Chroma upgrade because instead of feeling like it’s all about Chroma, with maybe a few tweaks, this time around Chroma feels like the added extra. It’s good that this one isn’t all about the looks. g
Razer Mamba Chroma Wireless Gaming Mouse
Wireless Gaming Mouse
Chroma feels like an added bonus here, rather than a theme, with some excellent improvements to the Mamba model.
AWARDS
AT A GLANCE:
by Walt Pretorius
SUMMARY
Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice
gamecca77
SCORE
95
Ma nuf a c t ure r: D i s t ri but e r: Onl i ne :
Razer A pe x I nt e ra c t i v e w w w . a pe xi nt . co.za
TECH SPECS • • • • • • • • •
16 000 dpi sensor Wired or wireless option Adjustable click force \ click-tilt scroll wheel Chroma functionality 1ms response time Textured grips
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Palit
H C EW E T VI E R
GTX 950
TECHNOLOGY
A strong bottom line‌
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Palit GTX 950 Storm Dual Graphics Card
Graphics Card
P
by Walt Pretorius
AT A GLANCE: SUMMARY
TECH SPECS
A capable and relatively affordable graphics card for those who want HD graphics.
Ma nuf a c t ure r: D i s t ri but e r: Onl i ne :
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GTX 950 chipset 2GB RAM TurboFan Blade HMDI output DVI output DisplayPort
SCORE
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AWARDS
alit have a great reputation abroad, even if they are less known here in South Africa. This is a company that consistently produce cards that perform best in their weight class, even when compared to big name contenders. That’s a pretty amazing feat, and one that needs to remain top of mind when you’re trying to balance performance and budget. The good news is that Palit manage to perform well in terms of pricing, too, so you’re getting a great performer at a very good price, generally. What Palit don’t really offer is a host pf special features. This company doesn’t try to wow you with all kinds of bells and whistles; they get down to business and, in the case of the Palit GeForce GTX950 Storm Dual, that business is delivering decent graphics. It should be noted that although it is a latest generation card, a GTX 950 is best suited to graphics running at 1080 resolution. If you’re looking for the higher resolutions that are becoming more and more popular, this card won’t really serve your purposes. But, realistically speaking, 1080 is nothing to sneeze at: it’s true HD, and the graphic performance at that fidelity level is really rather good. The card can run graphics up to 2560 x 1600, which is much higher than the once industry standard 1080, but best performance from this card comes if you don’t exceed the HD mark. Additionally, because it is a 2GB card, this particular Palit won’t necessarily run the latest, most demanding games at full detail – you may have to compromise on one or two settings. That said, this situation doesn’t come up too often, and the dual-fanned Palit GTX 950 Storm Dual does a very good job of getting graphics from your PC to your monitor. And it does so surprisingly quietly. Even under full strain, this card is whisper quiet. Some of that likely has to do with Palit’s TurboFan Blade design, which not only stays quiet even when your machine is working hard, but also manages to keep this card in very stable temperature ranges. While it doesn’t come with a ton of extra features, this GTX 950 does have overclocking software associated with it, and offer a number of screen connection types. Realistically, a GTX 950 chipset, paired with 2GB of VRAM, can now be considered entry level, even if older chipsets are still readily available on the market. It’s a little more expensive than one might expect to pay for a card that falls into that category but, when you get down to it, it’s a capable performer that ticks along quiet and cool, and delivers a great level of visual performance. g
Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice
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Cyberbullying and the little that is done about it‌
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mgeect 2 c4a 7 7 ggl a ad
by Suvesh Arumugam
developer Zoe Quinn and gaming critic Anita Sarkeesian, have been the target of a focussed campaign of harassment including doxing, rape and death threats, that have brought a massive spotlight on this issue. Quinn was accused in mid-2014 of having used undue influence to get positive reviews of her game Depression Quest (including accusations of sleeping with reviewers) and became the target of hate mail and threats. To prevent Quinn from speaking at one event, this threat was anonymously issued: “Next time she shows up at a conference we... give her a crippling injury that’s never going to fully heal... a good solid injury to the knees. I’d say a brain damage, but we don’t want to make it so she ends up too retarded to fear us.” Sarkeesian was the target of similar harassment mostly due to a YouTube video series criticising sexist stereotypes in video games. Brianna Wu was targeted in midOctober 2014 for being openly critical of the GamerGate advocates. The South by Southwest (SXSW) recently came under criticism for cancelling two panel discussions on GamerGate and online harassment (featuring sociologist Katherine Cross and activist Randi Harper) when threats of violence were received should the panels go ahead. Within days of the announcement to cancel the panels, several leading online publications (like Wired, Buzzfeed and Vox) criticised the move. Buzzfeed and Vox Media (which also encompasses The Verge, Re/Code and several other leading publications) publicly announced their complete withdrawal from SXSW 2016 if the organisers did not take harassment seriously in the programme. Interactive Director, Hugh Forrest, has now been quoted as saying it was a mistake, and has promised that SXSW will host a one day “Online Harassment Summit” featuring Wu, as well as Wendy Davis (former Texas Senator and activist) and several other prominent panellists - many of whom have been the victim of online harassment. It is clear that security and safety will be a major concern. What puzzles me has always been the moral duality that internet presents. As a society, this type of behaviour is unacceptable in real life. Bullying, harassment, threats and the like carry prison sentences and heavy civil penalties
“What puzzles me has always been the moral duality that internet presents.”
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GamerGate Re-Opens
I
’ve written two previous columns about online harassment and cyberbullying. This is an issue that seems to never be fully resolved, much like any crisis in society. One thing that we as human beings are good at is escalating problems. Solving problems, not so much - online bullying and harassment is exactly this type of issue. The really shocking part is that it’s taken us this long to take this seriously. The United Nations recently called for stronger measures to tackle the harassment of women and girls across the globe online. While I would have expected a mixed reaction, especially on either side of the internet freedom debate, I didn’t expect this headline in the Telegraph: “Seventy years since its foundation, the United Nations has been taken over by the concerns of a small group of privileged middle-class women” (Lukas Mikelionis 20 September 2015) After the obligatory double take and re-read, this was indeed what I had just read. Could the writer truly be that indifferent to the human collateral damage of online harassment that he would go on to say: “This is a sad moment of middle class white western feminism going global”? Again, can we really justify that kind of blanket statement? There have already been several reported deaths linked directly to cyberbullying (Google Ryan Halligan, Megan Meier, Tyler Clementi, the list sadly continues). Not to mention several individuals threatened with violence, rape and being doxxed. For those blissfully unaware of the term (I wish I didn’t know it’s meaning, and didn’t since live in fear of it) doxxing is when an individual’s personal information like personal phone numbers, home address, etc, are revealed in a public forum. This is particularly damaging when they are released a long with a call to follow a certain action, like Andrew Auernheimer’s call to fellow internet trolls to harass or injure Kathy Sierra back in 2008 (before he was jailed), or when users on 8chan posted Brianna Wu’s home address forcing her to flee her home. Speaking of Brianna Wu, she has been a central figure in one of the biggest organised harassment campaigns we’ve seen, which we’ve come to know as GamerGate. Wu, along with fellow gaming
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e rn
te
in
TECHNOLOGY
for the emotional (and physical) damage inflicted on the victims. As with many issues like this, sometimes it takes a heated argument with someone from other side of the fence to put the opposing view into perspective. A work colleague, who is an unashamed Reddit and 4chan enthusiast, said that the only purpose of all the hype around this issue was to censor the internet. If these women were being harassed, they just needed to block the offending authors on Twitter or Facebook. While we obviously argued about the problems with a gross oversimplification like that and ignoring the obvious damage that happens whether you read a post or not (others can still read posts containing your home address or child’s pre-school location), it dawned on me that we always see this type of “hacktivist” as a troll or person doing this for some kind of sick pleasure. But understanding his perspective made sense of the comments from GamerGate activists that gaming journalists were part of an unethical conspiracy to suppress discussion of corrupt behaviour in the gaming industry. They believe they are actually the good guys. In fact, it was Sarkeesian who summed it up by saying: “The perpetrators do not see themselves as perpetrators at all.... They see themselves as noble warriors.” I read a recent article citing that the hacker group Anonymous plans to release the identities of 1,000 Ku Klux Klan members online, as part of an ongoing feud with the predominantly racially motivated organisation. This has received a lot of positive attention, with people saying this is what should happen. But if we are to believe that GamerGate advocates believe their cause is equally righteous and important, can we condemn their actions while praising those of Anonymous? The internet and social media are not protected speech. Social media posts, forum posts and any other forum of published work is subject to the constitution of that country. In South Africa, it would further be subject to the Electronic Communications Act of 2002, the Protection of Personal Information Bill of 2009 and the Regulation of Interception of Communications Acts of 2002. In broad terms, public policy in South Africa is that the common law right to a good name and reputation holds sway over freedom of expression. What makes activists great is their courage to stand up and risk their reputations, their possessions and status to pursue a cause they believe in. This is why we revere the likes of Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi and the Dalai Lama. Using the guise of free speech to pursue an aggressive campaign behind the curtain of online anonymity rings hollow. In this scenario it is only the victims who risk their reputations and further damage by going public. Until their accusers are prepared to step into the light and are prepared to subject themselves to similar scrutiny and criticism, their “noble” cause will be forever misunderstood. g
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GamerGate Re-Opens
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by Iwan Pienaar
S
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A
ooking beyond the moral arguments for or against software piracy, let us focus on the potential risk you are exposing your PC to. Counterfeit software is most often sold on bogus Web sites or through classified ads. Although it is possible that a counterfeit product is a good copy of the original software, it is more than likely to be defective and possibly even dangerous. The first risk that you run is infecting your PC. The crack might actually be poorly disguised malware. We all know what damage malware does – slowing your PC down, sending out your information, bringing in friends, damaging your files, and so on. This includes credit card and bank account numbers, passwords, and address books, all of which can be immediately exploited by identity thieves. The second risk is the programme not actually working. Most software companies have implemented a way of checking the registration – the programme might work for a while, but receive an update at some point in time which renders it unusable unless you make a purchase. Even if you disable the Automatic Update feature of the software in question, you will no longer receive any vulnerability patches or any other enhancements for the product you downloaded or purchased from nefarious sources. Admittedly, you may think that you are getting a good
deal when purchasing pirated software, however it can in fact end up setting you back a costly sum. Pirated software can also cause your computer to crash. This can, in turn, cost you a lot of time to fix. There is also the possibility that you could lose files or data that cannot be replaced. In the worst case scenario, counterfeit software could cause irreparable damage to your PC, and all other software installed. As mentioned, counterfeit software can contain spyware which loads onto your computer and reports personal information without your knowledge. This data includes credit card and bank account numbers, passwords and address books, all of which can be immediately exploited by identity thieves. A seller proposing to violate the law might not stop at pirated software. Any credit card data or personal information you share with them could subsequently be exploited by identity thieves.
How to avoid being a victim: • Make sure that you only purchase software from reputable companies. • When shopping online, ensure that the Web sites you are using are legitimate. When you reach the purchase page of a site, view the security certificate by clicking on the padlock icon in your browser. If there is no padlock visible
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on the page, it is likely that the site is unsafe to use. • Before providing credit card information, check that the URL address reads “https:” and not just “http”. If there is no “s” present, we advise you not to make the purchase. While the “s” does not mean that the site is legitimate, it does indicate that the information will be encrypted upon being submitted. • If a price seems too good to be true, it probably is. Be wary of extremely reduced prices and double-check the site’s authenticity. • If your software arrives in a white sleeve or envelope, it is likely to be counterfeit. Legitimate software is sold in plasticcovered packages with printed directions and registration cards. • If you think that you may have purchased counterfeit software, it is important that you contact the legitimate manufacturer or distributor and attempt to obtain a refund from the seller. In short, counterfeit software is harmful for all involved and can be very costly for those who use it. So be wary when buying software online and report any you suspect may be counterfeit to The Software Alliance (www. bsa.org). g
The Risks of Piracy
The Risks of
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W
Technically Speaking
hat is the scariest video game that you have ever played? With the end of October marking the annual Halloween festival in the US, it had me thinking about some of the most frightening titles that I have played so far. I’m not just talking about games that gave you a fright in a horror kind of way, but it could also include things like really creepy soundtracks, trippy visual or just really nasty elements in the game. I guess one could also include title that were scary on a really bad graphics and poor design level. My all-time most frightening title that immediately comes to mind when someone ask me the same questions is Alan Wake. Now, before you roll your eyes and tell me how you played Outlast with headphones on with the lights off on Friday the 13th, think back to we you played the game. Remember the eerie sounds that happened and rustling and jump-scares when you strayed into the darkness with a flashlight that dies? Yeah, that is what got me the most. For starters, I’m not much of a horror fan when it comes to video games. Mind you, when I think about it, I used to be a
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pretty big fan of horror films, watching them almost every weekend. I’m not too sure what happened, but it seems like over the years I have just developed an intolerance to them. Maybe I experienced just one too many jump-scares or the fact that I watched The Possession and Insidious by myself. And yes, the light were off. When it came around to Alan Wake, the moment that something moved I immediately proceeded to fire four bullets into the noise’s general direction, three more into the closest bush and ran halfway back to where I came from. Apart from the points mentioned earlier, there was just something about that game that gave me the heebiejeebies. To this day I still haven’t finished the original title, let alone Alan Wake 2. After talking to some friends about the title and what their experiences where, I decided to sheepishly stick up my hand when review codes were being dished out for the American Nightmare DLC. Partly why I volunteered my services for the review was good cover marketing. See, the main character on the box art is standing on top of an object, looking rather smug and
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BYcHARLIE Fripp
Be Afraid...
away from danger – in broad daylight. That gave me the impression that things won’t be as bad as the original, where you mainly played things out in darkness. Oh was I wrong. I think the clue should have been in the game’s name (and not in the cover art), but I didn’t learn my lesson. Although, with that said, it really wasn’t as scary as the original as I remember that I played it rather far into it, but needless to say I didn’t finish it. It is amusing if you think about it, as I have no problem with hacking, slashing and tearing the limbs off other people. But the second that you throw a vaguely psychological twist into the plot, and you have lost me. But that might be at the heart of it. When something is psychological, I really aims to mess with your head. There are few things as corruptible as the mind, and these games often prey on situations that could actually be true. Hitting close to home is often the scariest thing, as player put themselves in the shoes of a very believable character. Or am I just getting too old for this? There are other things to worry about as an adult, right? g
Features 40 66
Post-Apocalypse Party Healthy Paranoia
PReviews 48 52 54 56 58 60 64 65
Rise of the Tomb Raider Amplitude Battleborn Mirrors Edge: Catalyst Mighty No. 9 Far Cry Primal Blade and Soul Project Daedalus : The Long Journey Home
Reviews 74 80 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 99
Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate Halo 5: Guardians Transformers: Devastation Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection NBA 2K16 Super Mario Maker Journey The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone Unmechanical: Extended Broken Age
RegularS 38 100 108
Did you know Indie View Legacy
COLUMN 112
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Ramjet’s Rantality
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1…
that No Man’s Sky has an official release date? What do you get when you cross Elite Dangerous with open-world planetary exploration and psychedelic scenery? Well, if you are quick on your feet you would have said No Man’s Sky, of course. The space exploration game looks totally amazing, but while there has been a lot of buzz there was no release date – until now. Sony has revealed that the title will be launching in June next year, and while it is still some way off, we are very excited for it.
2…
That there is a Halo helmet encrusted with Swarovski crystals? If you though that your game didn’t have enough bling to go with all of your boom, you can always lay down some real world cash for a Halo Master Chief helmet that is entirely encrusted with 25 000 Swarovski crystals. Being sold on eBay with the proceeds going to charity, the creation was made by Taiwanese cosplayer Hsu Chia-Hao and Australian designer Jenny Manik Mercian. An exact value hasn’t been set on the one-of-a-kind piece, but it is expected to fetch a few thousand dollars.
3…
that 9.5 million people played Star Wars Battlefront’s beta? There is a whole lot of Star Wars going around these days, and it is only going to get worse (or better) as the release date approaches for the next instalment of hugely popular film franchise. But before that, gamers can get their hands on Star Wars Battlefront. The beta phase concluded in October, and a whopping 9.5 million players participated in it. That number made it the biggest beta test in develop EA’s history, which totalled a massive 1.6 billion minutes.
GAMING
Did You
Know?
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DID YOU KNOW
Crystals, remapping and beating drums......
4…
that you can remap the buttons on your Xbox One controller? By the time you read this, you should only be days away from getting the new Xbox One dashboard, which makes a number of awesome changes to the console. As part of the update, which has been made available to Xbox Preview members since the beginning of October, gamers will be able to remap some of the buttons on the standard controller. The Elite controller already has the functionality to remap four buttons (as it has four additional buttons), but it comes at the hefty price of $150.
5…
that Destiny’s Crota has been beaten by a Rock Band drum kit? We promise that the wording in the headline is totally as intended, and we didn’t make a mistake when referring to the specific games. While it might seem very odd to even mention them, someone has indeed beaten one of Destiny’s hardest bosses with a Rock Band drum kit – all by himself. Gamer Sean Gallagher took up a challenge and modified his drum kit to input signals to his console, and yes, in the video he posted online he was using wooden spoons as drum sticks. Oh, and it took him all of about 4 minutes to accomplish.
6…
that Chop Suey is the most played song on Guitar Hero Live? The latest (and probably the last) Guitar Hero game was released at the end of October, and it has given living room guitarists a new lease on their plastic instrument life. While the tracklisting for Guitar Hero Live includes some really awesome songs, it turns out that Chop Suey from System of a Down is the most played song. The game is traditionally focussed on rock and alternative songs, but The Lazy Song from Bruno Mars managed to make it into sixth place. Second was Tribute by Tenacious D, and number three was American Idiot by Green Day. g
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E
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POST-APOCA GAMING
Fallout 4 takes us back t
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Post-Apocalyptic party
to the nuclear wasteland gamecca77
by Alex Scanlon
ALYPSE PARTY
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E
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J
ust before E3
years after the very first
2015 opened
game was released.
its door
Back in 1997, Interplay
resplendent with tongue
to throngs
Entertainment (who has
in cheek humour and
of gaming press from
long since succumbed to
references to the part
around the world,
the nuclear wasteland
of our own culture that
Bethesda dropped
that claims so many game
inspired the game more
the kind of bombshell
publishers) released the
than any other – the
normally reserved for
original Fallout, and their
near hysteria felt in the
during that particular
game was well received.
US during the 1950s.
expo: Fallout 4 is on the
Unlike the Fallout games
In these years, in the
way. But unlike many new
of recent years, the
American mind set,
game announcements,
original game was an
there was a Communist
this one wasn’t for a
isometric free-roaming
hidden in every bush,
game that would be
adventure game. In
and nuclear annihilation
available sometime in
other words, you looked
was one step away from
the foreseeable future
down on your character
being a certainty. With
– like within the next
from above, much like
World War II having
couple of years. Instead,
in games like Sacred or
recently concluded and
Bethesda supercharged
the original Dragon Age.
the Cold War kicking into
the bombshell by stating
Set in the year 2161,
full swing, the paranoia
that Fallout 4 would be
after a nuclear holocaust
of the time was fever
available in November
turned the world into
pitched. And it was this
2015. That’s right – just
a barren, heartless
idea that inspired the
around the corner. It
wasteland, Fallout tasked
birth of the original game
was, in terms of game
the player (who took
and, for that matter, the
release announcements,
the role of the Vault
flavour that would follow
a nuclear blast – kind
Dweller) with finding a
for every subsequent
of apt, considering the
water chip. The device
release… even though
setting that the Fallout
in his home vault, Vault
the game was set in the
games take place in.
13, had malfunctioned,
22nd century.
Fallout 4 will hit the
inhabitants of this safe
GAMING
shelves almost twenty
and without it all the
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haven would perish. The idea was clever,
The original Fallout and its subsequent sequel
Post-Apocalyptic party
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(released in 1998) were
isometric system) placed
Fallout IP was sold to
both developed by
the player in the shoes
Bethesda, who already
Black Isle Studios. The
of the Chosen One, a
had dealings with
SPECIAL statistic system
descendant of the original
Interplay, in 2007. And
was developed after a fall
Vault Dweller. Set eighty
even though they still
out (see what I did there)
years after the first
exist and have rights to
with Steve Jackson, the
game, Fallout 2 showed
sell the original games for
creator of GURPS. While
solid progress in the
a limited time, Interplay
the game was originally
genre and the franchise.
was officially out of the
supposed to use the
The first Fallout spin-
GURPS role playing
off, in the form of Fallout
system, Jackson objected
Tactics: Brotherhood of
Bethesda released the
to the violent nature of
Steel, was released three
first Fallout to officially
Fallout, and Black Isle
years later. Developed
fall under their banner.
were forced to invent
by Micro Forte, this turn
Fallout 3 took everything
their own system, which
based strategy game
that we knew about
they called SPECIAL.
didn’t quite reach the
Fallout and turned it on
The SPECIAL system
goals set by the first
its head, at least in terms
(Strength, Perception,
two titles. And then, in
of game dynamics. The
Endurance, Charisma,
2004, Interplay closed
setting was the same
Intelligence, Agility and
down Black Isle Studios
(although thirty years
Luck) is still employed by
and continued with
after the events in Fallout
Fallout games, long after
the first ever console
2 and 200 years after
Black Isle went bang.
version of Fallout,
the nuclear war) and the
Fallout: Brotherhood
cultural influences were
Fallout 2, was released
of Steel (kudos for
still there. But this time
with an improved
naming originality there).
around, the viewpoint
engine, manageable
The closure was due
shifted from an isolating
party members and a
to increasing financial
isometric view through to
few other tweaks. With
woes that Interplay was
a full blown first-person
many more cultural gags
experiencing, and by
shooter approach. The
and pop references,
2006 the publisher was
results were excellent.
fallout 2 (using the same
all but bankrupt. The
Fallout 3 launched to rave
GAMING
The second title,
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picture. A year later, in 2008,
Post-Apocalyptic party
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reviews, and refreshed
version of Las Vegas,
sprung up around this
the flagging following
and continued the rich
franchise. It is likely that
of the franchise, ten
tradition of amusing
we will see the return of
years after its direct
cultural references and
the crazy factions that
predecessor.
crazy characters.
exist in the wasteland,
In Fallout 3, the player
Later this month we
that we will be doing
took on the role of the
hope to see more of the
a lot of crafting and
Lone Wanderer, escaped
same. Many people have
exploring, and that there
from Vault 101 and in
already been playing the
will be some horrendous
search of his father.
mobile spin-off, Fallout
mutants to do battle with.
Wandering around the
Shelter (which tasks the
And it is also highly likely
Capital Wasteland (what
player with managing
that this game will be
remained of this alternate
a vault) and keenly
one of the smash hits of
universe’s Washington
awaiting the release of
2015, eclipsing many of
DC) was an engrossing
this much anticipated
the titles that are being
and intoxicating
title. What awaits us is
released in this very full
experience, and the
still shrouded in mystery.
pre-holiday season.
game’s availability on PC,
We know that the game
PS3 and Xbox 360 meant
will be set in the area
may be, internet chatter
that it reached a wide and
once taken up by Boston.
has shown that fans are
enthusiastic audience.
We know that the main
extremely excited for this
character will, for the
release, which will likely
New Vegas, developed by
first time, be voiced. We
give players masses of
Obsidian Entertainment,
know that there will be an
freedom, tons to do and a
hit shelves. Although not
option for first- or third-
gigantic playground to do
a direct sequel, this title
person viewpoints. We
them in. It may be a little
still did well in expanding
know that the game will
too early to say for sure,
the lore and universe
be released on PC, Xbox
but if the pre-release
of Fallout. It took the
One and PS4. Beyond
excitement is anything to
player, in the role of the
that, there is very little
go by, Fallout 4 will likely
Courier searching for
to go on, save for the
be one of the biggest hits
the man that tried to kill
excellent track record
of the year. And we can’t
him, to the wasteland’s
and rich universe that has
wait…
GAMING
Two years later, Fallout:
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Whatever the case
Post-Apocalyptic party
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E M W A VIE G E R P
Rise of the Tomb GAMING
Now with added tombs‌
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Rise of the Tomb Raider
by Walt Pretorius
b Raider
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newest instalment of Tomb Raider will certainly not gather dust on the shelves, particularly not when you consider the critical acclaim that the 2013 reboot, simply entitled Tom Raider, got. But while Tomb Raider told the tale of a young woman discovering her abilities and her limits, Rise of the Tomb Raider will see a somewhat different Lara Croft, now maturing into her skill set and ready to take on the tombs of the world, take centre stage. Set in the most foreboding and remote areas of Siberia, Rise of the Tomb Raider will see Lara take on a shadowy organisation called Trinity in her quest to find an ancient secret. It will take up the style of action where the reboot left off, with large, free-roaming environments brimming with traversal challenges.
GAMING
icrosoft recently very confidently stated that the second game in the rebooted Tomb Raider franchise, namely Rise of the Tomb Raider, would stand its ground in sales against Fallout 4. The statement may be somewhat misguided, because the next instalment in this series is an Xbox One and Xbox 360 exclusive, and while Microsoft obviously hopes that it will be a game that sells consoles, many people have stated that they will wait until 2016, when Rise of the Tomb Raider becomes available on PC and PS4. In short, Microsoft’s hopes for the game may have been damaged by the decision to make it a limited-time exclusive, and whether it could challenge a massive ttile like Fallout 4 is highly debatable. Not that the franchise is unpopular, mind you – this
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Rise of the Tomb Raider
But there’s more to the environment this time around, both literally and figuratively. First off, it promises to be around three times bigger than the already sprawling play area we enjoyed in Tomb Raider. That’s a massive area to explore, and it will be brimming with enemies and wildlife, all part of a complex ecosystem that Lara must fight against and exploit to further her goals. Animals, for example, will be hunted for resources and crafting materials. The environment, too, will be an adversary, with treacherous conditions and unstable areas set to challenge the player’s wits and reactions. Conspicuously absent from the reboot game, tombs will make a big comeback in Rise, with massive, complex structures challenging Lara’s physical abilities and mental
acuity, with challenges ranging from traversal puzzles and traps through to mind bending deciphering challenges and more. All of this will be powered by an updated engine. Real time cloth and body physics, full performance capture, an improved lighting model and an upgrade to that all-important hair technology all point towards a more solid and compelling experience. Still, the bugbear of exclusivity remains. And Microsoft aren’t relenting easily – the PC version will be available in early 2016, but PlayStation 4 owners will have to wait around a year – until quarter four of 2016 – before they can get their hands on the next instalment of Lara’s adventures. If you’re playing on an Xbox, look out for it this month. g
AT A GLANCE Action adventure
If you’re an Xbox gamer, you’ll be able to enjoy Lara’s new adventures a year before someone who plays on a PS4. Developer: Publisher: Distributer:
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Crystal Dynamics Microsoft Microsoft
Nov 2015
Platforms
GENRE
ETA
PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS
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I
GAMING
Jan 2016 Developer: Publisher: Distributer:
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Harmonix TBA TBA
PLATFORMS
Rock and roll highway
PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS
GENRE
AT A GLANCE Music
The grandfather to Rock Band, going back to the roots could be refreshing
gamecca77
by Charlie Fripp
Amplitude
t is not often that game developers get the opportunity to remake one of their earlier titles, and if you have a whole bunch of gamers supporting the idea, it makes it even sweeter. Amplitude, released all the way back in 2003, was Harmonix’s second title and the game has been given a new lease on life thanks to crowdfunding site Kickstarter. Amassing $844 127 from 14 112 backers, the game will see a remake released in January next year. But what exactly is Amplitude? Well, coming from Harmonix, it can only be a music game. If you missed the original release in 2003, the title can be seen as the front-runner to what would eventually be the successful Rock Band franchise. In the space-music age, players are in control of a beat blaster ship. Moving across six different musical lanes with each representing a musical instrument, players have to shoot the note gems in time with the beat in order to progress. The revamped title will naturally have full HD graphics and a host of new music – 30 tracks in total. It will also feature a solo campaign, solo free play, 2-4 player ‘free-for-all,’ and an all-new team play mode (1v3, 2v2). The concept of the game sounds pretty cool, but whether it will be on the same level as the original is a bit of a prickly subject. Needless to say, it is still great that Harmonix is taking the time to revive a fan-favourite. g
Amplitude
E M W A VIE G E R P
E M W A VIE G E R P
Battleborn Heroes will be born…
A
levelling system, which resets when a match begins, and the quests and game modes have been worked into the title. In terms of mechanics, at the start of each round, players all begin on the same level. After enough kills, gamers will eventually have enough experience to upgrade their weapons and skills, giving them a better chance of success. Gamers can select one of up to three choices to pick per level through each characters unique Helix Tree. As for characters, there will be 25 in total to play as - each having different abilities and weapons. “You’ll need to utilise every type of character and weapon you’ve ever imagined - from cyborg hawkmen to samurai vampires to mini-gun wielding man-mountains. Slash and
GAMING
mong others, game developer Gearbox Software has made a name for itself with the Borderlands franchise, so the studio can’t really be blamed for wanting to try something new. That something is in the form of Battleborn, a hero shooter with a lot of multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) flavours. If gamers don’t exactly know what a MOBA is, it is a team-based shooter where player compete for control points (among others) in a closed-off arena. See it as a modern-day take on the ancient gladiator games – but with powerful fantasy characters. Gearbox has stopped short of calling the first-person shooter a MOBA themselves, as will also feature a
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yellow, funny kind) to destroy their opponent’s base. In Devastation, the game takes on a bit of a death match feel, as players must capture and hold objectives on the map to win. The last mode, Meltdown, players must use their minions to fight to the centre of the map. Once there, minions are thrown into an incinerator for points, and the team with the most points wins. It will be up to players to stop the other minions from frying themselves. A number of MOBAs have made their way on the new generation of consoles over the last couple of months, most notably Smite – which is free to play. Whether Gearbox’s effort will be enough to entice hunger games will have to be seen. But for the time being, we are pretty excited about it. g
AT A GLANCE FPS
Somewhat MOBA, somewhat FPS, it should still be lots of fun. Developer: Publisher: Distributer:
gamecca77
Gearbox Software 2K Games Megarom
Feb 2016
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parry, run and gun, cast and dash, or simply obliterate foes all while building and growing your personal team of heroes,” Gearbox explains. But the game isn’t completely dependent on players being part of an online team, as Battleborn’s Story Mode is being described as “a narrative experience” which can be played cooperatively with friends both split screen and online. Speaking of game modes, the team-based competitive multiplayer will have three different modes which can played by up to 10 players online in 5v5 matches. Incursion will see teams defending their base from waves of AI-controlled minions. Taking on the classic MOBA theme, gamers must use their own minions (and not the
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Mirrors Edge: Catalyst Free running reimagined
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way forward will take a leap of faith. Mirrors Edge Catalyst is a subset tale of the protagonist from the preceding game, donning her iconic red glove, red shoes, sleek black hair and the tattooed keepsake etched over her eye. Faith runs the rooftops guided by a torrid history of violence that guides her weapon-free ideals. Players will experience Mirrors Edge Catalyst through the eyes of Faith, free-running the urban concrete jungles from a first person perspective. Seven years following the release of the first game, Catalyst will bring a new experience to players while keeping the same elements from the previous instalment. Fluidity as a Runner will be key to moving through the city, with the Up and Down Actions set to be the fundamentals
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aw and order abides across the uncontaminated streets of Glass City, where citizens live in peaceful ignorance and enforced convenience. With a government that has regulated every aspect of their lives, and where privacy is non-existent for the sake of amity, humanity is reduced to corporate enslavement. Navigating atop the rooftops of Glass City, flitting between high rise buildings and darting between the structural edifices, are the Runners. These dextrous, adrenalin driven rebels run free from the confines of society’s oppression, even as the Conglomerate seeks to end their unrestricted liberty. This is where Faith finds herself, between the freedom of running and the pressing weight from the Conglomerate; she knows that the only
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beginners and more skilled players. With more gameplay and patience, players have the potential to become adept Runners. As enemies attempt to prevent Faith from completing her runs and keep her from the freedom that she lives for, players can expect to tap into her proficient combat skills. Players will combine her free-running agility, speed and dexterity with her weapon-less combat in order to take down whoever stands in her way. Dark Horse comics will be releasing a comic book connected to the game, covering Faith’s life before the events of Catalyst. Although one does not need to read the comic to play the game, the two strengthen each other in telling Faith’s story. g
AT A GLANCE Action-Adventure
Faith runs through the cityscape of Glass City, fighting for ideals that define her past, present and future. Developer: Publisher: Distributer:
gamecca77
EA Digital Illusions Electronic Arts Prima Interactive
Q1 2016
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of everything. The Up Action button for instance will allow players to take actions such as wall runs, climbs and jumps. A new control function will be introduced in Catalyst called Shift – a way to gain speed faster while moving sideways in any direction, a similar concept to “drifting”. Shift’s additional advantage is the fact that one won’t be able to fall off ledges, to grant players the ability to manoeuvre dodgy terrain and small catwalks safely even without railings. Glass City is an urban playground, open for exploration and ready to be discovered. As Faith grows in her skills and gains more gadgets, her reach will also increase, to let players discover more places while scaling greater heights and exploring further through tunnels. Catalyst is a game of skill although caters for both
Mighty No. 9
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Mighty No. 9 O
ne of Capcom’s most well-known and long standing videogames, spanning over a decade and featuring a number of titles, is the lovable blue android and his ongoing battle against various other counterparts that is Mega Man. Therefore it was a sad day for fans when it was announced that the Mega Man franchise was being discontinued – especially in light of current gen graphical capabilities. And thus, with a Kickstarter initiative Mega Man’s spiritual successor was born as Mighty No 9. Mighty No. 9 is the story of Beck, the ninth android unit in a set of combat robots called the Mighty Numbers. When a villain rises up and infects the other Might Numbers with a virus that turns the heroes rogue, it is up to Beck and his trusted partner Call, to save the day. Players will traverse the gorgeous world of blended 2D and 3D visuals as Beck and Call dash across this side-scrolling action title that is so very reminiscent of the beloved Mega Man series. Players will also be able to gain the abilities and weapons of the “Mighty Number” they defeat, through the eight levels that can be picked in any order. With a talented and highly experienced team of developers including Keihi Ifune who was personally involved in the creation and production of every single main game in the series as well as over 30 Mega Man titles, and other developers who worked on other Mega Man titles, it is obvious that Mighty No 9 is the Mega Man title the fans have always wanted. A Mighty No 9 animated series is also currently under development. g
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Feb 2016 Developer: Publisher: Distributer:
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Comcept Inti Creates Deep Silver Steam
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by Nthato Morakabi
Mega Man’s spiritual successor
PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS
GENRE
AT A GLANCE Platform, Action-Adventure
Reminisce in this Mega Man-esque action adventure as Beck and Call fend off the virus infected counterparts to save the world.
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Far Cry Primal GAMING
Into the woods
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by Charlie Fripp
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fact, they were very often the prey. Taking on the role of Takkar, players will have to fend for themselves in the dark, deep wilderness as they need to forage for food, build shelters and fight off rampaging monsters, sabre tooth tigers and plenty of other animals that want to eat them. Oh, and don’t forget about the other tribes that see gamers as a threat. Set in the fictional land of Oros, players can expect to hunt and battle mammoths, dire wolves, bears, and woolly rhinoceros. Making things a bit interesting, all the weapons used in the game needs to be crafted by the player. It is still unclear if these crafting mechanics will be the
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he Far Cry franchise has come a very long way since the days of the first release, so it is no wonder that Ubisoft has become rather proficient in churning out good release. One would wonder how it would be possible to top last year’s Far Cry 4, but it seems like the development studio might have found a solution. Ubisoft isn’t one to stick to traditional settings and locations, and the recently announced Far Cry Primal is just further proof of that. Throwing gamers literally into the Stone Age, the new title will take place around 10 000 B.C. According to the earth’s timeline, it was a period where humans were by no means apex predators. In
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same as with previous Far Cry games, or if the individual parts need to be collected and them joined together to create make-shift spears, arrows and cleavers. “Welcome to the Stone Age, a time of extreme danger. When giant mammoths and sabretooth tigers ruled the Earth, and humanity was at the bottom of the food chain. As the last survivor of your hunting group, you will learn to craft a deadly arsenal, fend off fierce predators, and outsmart enemy tribes to conquer the land of Oros and become the Apex Predator,” Ubisoft explains on the website. Players will be able to eventually become the leader of their own tribe, fighting off marauding scavengers and dangerous tribes to become the main force in an area.
Needless to say, we are stupidly excited for the game to launch next year, but it does beg the question of how Far Cry will work without guns, the zipline or a wingsuit. Taking things in a different direction is both refreshing and slightly concerning. While the Far Cry games have never followed up on one another, it does bring thought as to where the franchise will go from here. With that, it hasn’t been made very clear if this is a sub-series the franchise will be going in, or if this is officially Far Cry 5. The smart money would be a subseries, leaving the modern day Far Cry open to more development. In any case, any news on the development is being closely watched by all. g
AT A GLANCE Action adventure
Back in the stone age, humans were far from being the apex predators. Developer: Publisher: Distributer:
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2K Australia 2K Games Megarom
Feb 2016
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Q1 2016 Developer: Publisher: Distributer:
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Team Bloodlust NCsoft Megarom
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Blade of art, soul of destiny
PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS
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AT A GLANCE Action MMORPG
Four races. Two factions. An evil that must be eradicated. All within this Open-World MMORPG.
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by Nthato Morakabi
Blade and Soul
path of vengeance, hope, pride and mischief guides the lives of valiant warriors trained in the martial arts. Four races, seeking to rid the world of all evil take on the monsters that scatter across the plains and yet within these races, two factions have arisen. Guided by their own ideals, which faction will stand. Which hero will rise amongst them? Blade & Soul is an open-world MMORPG released back in 2012 for the Korean gamers and will make its way West in early 2016. Combing the incredible combat technique of martial arts with the gravity defying Chinese martial arts known as Qing-gong, players can expect spectacular combat against all oncoming foes. The fighting system will be based on real-time combat, with a focus on players having to combine a series of attacks as “combos” very similar to fighting games. There will also be the innovative “Downed” mechanic that will allow players to recover from the brink of death. As part of the open-world MMORPG aspect of the title, players will receive quests from the scattered Non Playable Characters (NPCs) to complete. The initial quests will be separated into Player verses Environment (PvE) and eventually open up the Player verses Player (PvP) combat. A total of four playable races will be available to choose from as players look to customize their in game character. From the deliberate Gon, the mischievous Lyn, the elegant Yun and the industrious Jin. Although each will have its own unique history and set of abilities, there are selectable classes within each race complementing abilities and skill sets. An anime adaptation of Blade & Soul began airing in 2014, directed at Studio Gonzo. g
Blade and Soul
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Project Daedalus : The Long Journey Home
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Project Daedalus : The Long Journey Home Beautiful procedurally generated space exploration
Developer: Publisher: Distributer:
Daedelic Studio West Daedalic Steam
PLATFORMS
GAMING
Q1 2016
unknown; their expedition towards survival is jumping from system to system in the hopes of seeing the little blue planet they call home. Players will interact with procedurally generated solar systems, populated with a diverse array of alien races, friendly and not so friendly. Survival will be key as players will seek to mine plates for essential resources, uncover ancient relics, gain new allies and traverse treacherous terrain. The on-board the ship, players will be advised by crew members with galaxy altering choices and quests
PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS
GENRE
as well as offer various skills to help accomplish goals. Communication and diplomacy will guide players’ interactions with the alien races either to peace or war as allegiance balances precariously with each contact made. Inspired by classic space adventures such as the 1990 science fiction video game Star Control and the classic Starflight, The Long Journey Home combines these definitive elements with a new rogue-like gameplay experience to the Space Exploration genre for an engaging and immersive title. The Long Journey home looks to reach new frontiers. g
AT A GLANCE Space exploration
Players explore dangerous, mysterious galaxies in a struggle to find their way home after a jump drive accident leaves them lost in space.
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f the human race were to have a bucket list, interstellar travel would be one of the top activities on the list, right there next to fully immersive virtual reality and holographic touch screens. The Long Journey Home takes the wonder of space exploration and the age old “what if everything goes horribly wrong” premise that is oh so famous. The difference, however is the lack of zombie aliens and the abundance of beautiful space. When the first interstellar jump drive goes horribly wrong, the ship and its crew find themselves lost in the vast expanse of space within galaxies
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Healthy Paranoia
The Division looks at impending doom and what you can do about it. gamecca77
By: wALT Pretorius
Healthy aranoia
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he Division is a new title that will be joining the Tom Clancy universe next year, and it promises to be thought provoking. How would you do if society around you started to collapse in the wake of a disaster? That’s the question that The Division asks… We recently got to speak to Hamish Bode who works on Division’s Community Development team; we chatted about how the game will work, what players can expect, and about stockpiling water from your toilet cistern… GM: The Division, being part of the Tom Clancy universe, is a new IP that isn’t a new IP…
HB: That’s a really interesting way to put it. It’s smart, because it is a new IP, but it takes a lot of cues from Clancy, because it is grounded in the Clancy reality. It’s not super-futuristic; it’s based on an idea that is very plausible.
GM: What are the challenges in launching something like this?
HB: It’s a double-sided coin. We have a lot of Clancy fans that are very excited about the game, so we have to live up to all the promises that we’re making them. But we also have to please all the other people looking forward to the game. I think we’re doing a good job with them – after seeing people playing it on the [rAge] show floor we’re getting a good response.
GM: And then there’s the setting… we see a lot of post-apocalyptic things on TV and in games these days. This is similar, but not quite…
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HB: That’s a good point; it’s not post-apocalyptic, it’s that midcrisis scenario, before that could happen. So your mandate, as one of these agents, is to stop that
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from happening. To save New York from the brink of collapse. Society is falling apart, all the basic services have collapsed… society is pretty fragile. If food doesn’t get to the supermarkets, everyone’s going hungry. If no-one is there to pick up the trash, it piles up. These are thing I think we take for granted and it’s going to be interesting to experience that – although hopefully not in real life.
GM: So you’ve taken a very real world situation approach?
HB: Absolutely. It’s grounded in reality. The directive – Directive 51 – comes from the real world. It’s not light reading, but if you Google Directive 51, it’s a mandate that exists within the US government. It’s real.
GM: There must have been a lot of research and theorising about the breakdown of societal processes….
HB: Yeah, to the point where I ahev become paranoid. I keep getting all these facts thrown at me and I’m scared. But there are a lot of people that the developers have consulted; ex-CIA agents, disaster relief experts, preppers (people who are prepared for these situations). I used to think that “Oh, I can have some water on hand and that will help” but I have all these tips that are always in the back of my head. Like you should always take water out of the toilet cistern because it’s fresh, and stockpile that. All these things are floating around the office.
GM: So you guys are not only making a game, you’re making a bunch of paranoid people. HB: That’s not our goal, but hopefully… hopefully prepared people.
GM: The choice of New York City as a setting. It’s almost an obvious choice, and yet not. What was the thinking behind it? HB: The cool thing is that
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everyone has some kind of experience of New York City. But whether through films or TV or games, even, it’s familiar. You have this idea of New York City as this active, bustling place, and to see it in the situation that we’re trying to portay it in is something we’re hoping will evoke emotions in people, even if they haven’t actually been there. And it’s a really great place in terms of gameplay as well. It’s so dense – there’s a lot that can arise out of that dense, diverse population.
GM: I am assuming it isn’t going to be a full scale recreation of the city, but are we going to see some of the famous sites.
HB: There are a lot of famous sights in the game: Madison Square Garden, Bryant Park, the Flatiron building. Maybe people don’t know what they are, but they’ve seen them. I knew that I knew the Flatiron building, I just didn’t know that it was he Flatiron building. Now I know what it is. The cool thing about the Bryant Park demo is that we had a guy on Reddit who lives around there and he was saying that it was so creepy to see it like that.
GM: So we’re basically looking at an open world, action RPG. What kind of depth will it provide?
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HB: There’s a lot of depth. You can customise your character with gear and weapons and skills and talnts. That’s like the top category, but you can further customise things like skills. You’ll be able to find better weapons through the course of the game, and modify them with things like silencers and scopes. And it’s a classless system. So, for example, I prefer to sit back with a sniper rifle, while there are those that prefer to be in the thick of things. But if the situation calls for it I can take a different role. That goes across the board for gear, skills and talents. You can really be flexible and best support the needs of your team.
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GM: talking of teams and multiplayer… The Division could loosely be called an MMO… HB: Loosely… you can play as a team, or you can play by yourself. It’s a perpetual world with drop in and drop out. And there will be specific zones in which you’ll be able to meet people, but we won’t see a heavy saturation of players. It’s important that the situation is believable. There won’t be thousands of agents in the same area.
GM: Will be playing solo be a viable way to play?
HB: Completely viable! If you’re the kind of player who prefer single player, who maybe wants to occasionally play with others, it will work. You don’t have to commit to anything. It’s completely flexible. GM: And what will players be doing in New York? HB: I don’t want to give you spoilers. There aren’t any vehicles, but there is a lot of content and side quests. We’ll give more information later.
GM: With no vehicles, will there be a traversal system or other ways to get around quickly?
HB: There will be some fast travel points, but they have to make sense. There will be ways to do that – you won’t have to run for hours to get somewhere.
GM: In closing, what are your favourite aspects of The Division?
HB: I am really into the loot side of things… to be honest, I am terrible at shooters. So this works for me, because I know that if I find better gear I am not as terrible as I could be. I can customise it so that I can play the way I need to. And I am really excited about the Dark Zone, because I love the tension of not knowing what’s happening. I am looking forward to the Xbox Beta in December, as well. And then I am looking forward to the release next year… it’s coming up fast! g
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Assassin’s Cree GAMING
Taking another stab…
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Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate
by Walt Pretorius
ed: Syndicate
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would fall into a similar level as Black Flag. It’s a satisfying, enjoyable game that, while not as sprawling as Black Flag, manages to deliver an excellent experience. It’s a different game, when all is said and done – no naval combat or buried treasure awaits here in the streets of Victorian London. But it manages to add numerous things that elevate it way above the franchise’s worst moments, even if it doesn’t become one of the best. The player will, for the first time, play as two characters: Jacob and Evie Frye. These twins come from a long line of Assassins, and have been raised with the ideals of the Assassin Brotherhood. Evie is the traditionalist, who seeks to further the Brotherhood’s ideals and delve into the history (particularly the Pieces of Eden) of the struggle between the Brotherhood and the Templars. Jacob, on the other hand, has a progressive mind-set, and seeks to free
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he Assassin’s Creed series has been around for quite some time now, and it has had its fair share of highs and lows. Assassin’s Creed 2, for example, soared above its peers in terms of giving players a great game filled with what they wanted. The fourth outing, Black Flag, also left fans and newcomers elated as they took to the high seas at the helm of a pirate ship. Conversely, Assassin’s Creed 3, with its American Revolution flavour and Assassin’s Creed: Unity, with its under delivered promise and many, many bugs, left particularly fans with a sour taste in their mouths. And because the latest instalment comes hot on the heels of Unity, Assassin’s creed: Syndicate has a lot to prove. And it does. If one were to arrange the franchise from best to worst, with AC 2 at the top and Unity at the bottom, Syndicate
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London and her people from the oppressive practices that are put in place by the antagonists of the time. The fact that they are Templars seems more like a convenience than anything else. Aside from differences in attitude, the two characters also offer different approaches – at least on paper. Evie is the more sneaky, stealthy of the two, while Jacob is much more in-your-face and pragmatic. In truth, though, aside from a handful of skills, Evie and Jacob share the exact same skill tree, and play in very similar ways. At later stages, Evie gains abilities that render her almost invisible when in stealth mode, while Jacob becomes a very powerful handto-hand combatant, but earlier stages of the game sees very little difference between them. The player can switch between the two characters pretty much at any time during free-roaming and while completing
the often satisfying side-quests that help gain control of the boroughs of London (which we’ll get back to) but the main story quests are specific to the characters. Oddly, most of the assassinations fall to Jacob, despite the fact that Evie is arguably a better assassin because of her better use of stealth. She, however, spends more time searching for the Piece of Eden that is being looked for in this instalment. Evie does get one very memorable assassination in the Tower of London, though, which is one of the game’s highlights. Aside from the game’s nine main assassinations and the related story quests that make up the genetic memory sequences that the player is tasked with unlocking, there is plenty to do in Syndicate. Most of it relates to taking over the streets of London and establishing a street gang called the Rooks, who stand in direct opposition to the Templar controlled Blighters. This is done by seizing the various
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Progression is based on a skill tree, as well as gathering new, upgradable equipment and upgrading the abilities of the Rooks. There is a lot to spend money and resources on, and improving cash-flow and resource stocks can be improved through yet another set of side activities, in the form of wagon hijacking, train robberies and ship robberies. Even more activities can be enjoyed by partaking in carriage races and underground bareknuckle fighting events. All of these activities gain the players reputation with prominent characters that they meet, and getting enough reputation unlocks either new equipment or crafting diagrams. In short, the side quests all feel relevant and important, and almost all of them carry some kind of tangible reward that goes beyond gathering skill points. Traversing the game’s awesome version of London, which is around one third bigger than Unity’s already massive Paris,
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areas of London, including Whitechapel, the Strand, the Thames, Westminster and Lambeth. Each area is divided into sub-areas, and each of these has a specific mission type that needs to be completed. Things like assassinating a specific Templar, freeing kids subjected to exploitative child labour or emptying out a Blighter stronghold are the order of the day, and these side quests never feel irrelevant, largely because they further the player’s progress in capturing London. Other side quests involve doing odd jobs for famous people, including Charles Dickens, Karl Marx, Alexander Graham Bell and Charles Darwin (whose bristling gentlemanly indignation is extremely amusing). There are also, of course, tons of collectibles in the form of chests, pressed flowers and tricky to find “Secrets of London”, which help unlock a new outfit for Evie.
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can be done quickly by carriage (or even using the game’s fast travel system), but no Assassin’s Creed game would be complete without climbing. The controls include the “traverse up” and “traverse” down button idea, which makes accidental climbing almost a thing of the past (although the bugbear of unwanted climbing does raise its ugly head every now and then). But by far the most fun is the newly introduced grapnel. It won’t have you zooming around London like Spider-Man, but it certainly helps in bridging larger gaps, making quick escapes and efficiently scaling some of the city’s larger buildings. It’s not perfect yet, but it is a lot of fun. Combat has also seen an overhaul, largely with the exclusion of the “counter-kill” system that provided players with something of an exploit in the past. It’s robust and visceral in Syndicate, and makes disposing of enemies quite
fun and very exciting. In short, Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate, with it’s rich, vibrant depiction of Victorian London and it’s numerous tweaks, is a fun game, and one of the better AC titles in recent years. It suffers from a slightly weak story (complete with a disappointing conclusion) but, overall, it’s a much better outing than last year’s Unity, and one that will give fans a better experience. And there is a massive amount of things to do, none of which feel tacked on or superfluous. It feels a lot more polished than Unity did, with no game breaking bugs that arose during the reviewing process. It doesn’t quite reach the lofty bar set by Assassin’s Creed 2, but it arguably sits on a level with Black Flag (even though it is a very different experience) and manages to reawaken hope that the glory days of the Assassin’s Creed franchise are not long forgotten. g
AT A GLANCE Adventure
REVIEWED ON
It’s not the pinnacle of Assassin’s Creed games, but Syndicate does a lot of making up for last year’s Unity debacle... and it’s tons of fun, too Developer: Publisher: Distributer:
Ubisoft Ubisoft Megarom
PARENTAL ADVISORY
18+ gamecca77
Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice
AWARDS
Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Casual Ed’s Choice
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Halo 5: Guardian GAMING
In with the new‌
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Halo 5: Guardians
by Walt Pretorius
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seen seven major releases… that’s half as many as we would have seen in the same time from other publishers. But Halo got a new development crew one game ago, and a new console to make games on in the form of the Xbox One. Veteran developers Bungie moved on to other projects (that would be Destiny) leaving Halo 4 to 343 Industries. And whenever a new developer gets added to a project, there is room for things to go wrong. Or, like in the case of Halo 5, things to go right. The worst thing anyone can do is judge this game on its campaign, because in some ways it is one of the weaker outings we have seen from the Halo series. The biggest issue is the plot – it isn’t fantastic, although it does tie nicely into the larger Halo universe (a knowledge of which will keep the player more invested in the game). It feels a little less developed than previous Halo titles and while
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here are few battles in video gaming that are as viciously fought as the struggle to be top of the first-person shooter pile. And while many shooters come and go, there are a number that have managed to hold on to top positions through great design, good ideas, excellent marketing and regular releases. Franchises like Call of Duty and Battlefield and front-runners, thanks to their general release regularity and quality. But there are others – notably one other – than manage to make splashes when they arrive… We don’t see a new Halo game every year, but then again, we don’t need to. While other publishers create a game every year to try and stay competitive in the market, Halo developers build in the kind of longevity (primarily in multiplayer) that keeps the titles going. In the 14 years that the franchise has been going, we have
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it does advance the story sufficiently, it comes across as being a little straight forward. Also, it doesn’t do much to cast light on previous events. You need to know what’s going on in the Halo universe to fully comprehend what’s going on here, which is fine for veterans of the series. Newcomers, however, may find themselves a little lost, may not understand some of the relationships that have developed over the years, and may want to strongly consider playing the other Halo games first if they want to invest in the narrative. Another issue is that most of the game is spent playing as a new hero, Spartan James Locke. While the player will spend a little time in the shoes of the iconic Master Chief, Locke is the guy that will be played most during the campaign, and he has the character depth of a shallow puddle on a hot day. He has no far reaching goals, no
hidden motivations, no real skeletons in his closet… in short, Locke feels like the kind of military yes-man that is difficult to become invested in. In terms of playing the campaign, 343 have made a few improvements to the game that aren’t all just aesthetic. Character movement feels better, and the player can now effectively scale ledges and the like. Shooting also feels a bit more visceral, which is a big bonus, and everything feels less “floaty” than before. The AI is also fairly decent, and the player’s three team mates will do a fairly decent job in getting things done. The player can issue simple instructions now, too, which helps, but there are numerous factors that point towards the fact that, even in the campaign, Halo 5 is best enjoyed as a multiplayer game. The campaign offers four player, drop-in drop-out co-op, and it allows setting up of more effective
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there aren’t any. While the player will go up against both Covenant and Forerunner troops, there is a lot of repetition, and the biggest of the enemies is repeated throughout the game, which leads to feelings of “hey, didn’t I kill this guy already?” Sure, you’ll find that this idea ties into the plot, but it’s something of a cop-out. And as for the big villain… no spoilers here, but it’s a strange choice. Where Halo 5 truly shines is in the competitive multiplayer arena. Specifically, in the Warzone mode. Essentially, Warzone is an expanded, 24-player version of Big Team Battle (from previous games) but it brings in a few new ideas that make it fresh, exciting, addictive and almost naturally balanced. Each team will, of course, have to take out the other team, but Warzone is a little more complacent, and offers two paths to victory, making it a
GAMING
strategies than making use of AI team mates allows for. Lastly, of course, there is the presentation. A native of the Xbox One, Halo 5 looks and sounds great, and offers the player intricate (if not overly large) levels to play through. There are lots of hidden odds and sods (well, OK, intel and skulls) to find, as well as weapon caches to be discovered. Speaking of weapons, Halo 5 brings back reworked versions of old favourites, and introduces a few new ones to the mix. There have been several improvements made to weapons, including the Suppressor, which now fires homing projectiles that makes going after quicker (or shielded) enemies a little easier. Some of the new weapons leave a bit to be desired, like the exciting sounding but ultimately uninspiring Hydra launcher. Another uninspiring factor are the “big battles”…
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mode that needs constant attention and zero complacency. While fighting the other team, players will also need to capture command points, as well as fight NPC alien bosses as well. Nothing interrupts a firefight like the arrival of a tank warlord, and it keeps the multiplayer a little more chaotic and unpredictable. To win, either team either needs to gather up 1000 points, or destroy the other team’s base. Large maps and NPC enemies add significantly to the play time of each level, as well as the fact that by achieving mini-goals, the players earn REQ (short for requisition) which can be spent on better gear during the fight or when respawning. It’s a frantic, escalating fight as a result, and massive amount of fun to play. Other well-loved multiplayer modes, like CTF, Slayer and SWAT all make a welcome return to Halo 5 as
well. Additionally, tweaks applied to the campaign game dynamics (most notably for movement) apply in multiplayer as well, making the game a lot less predictable and, as a result, a lot more level and fun. The biggest question that hovered over the Halo 5 release was how well the new developers would do with their first sequel. In the end, 343 Industries took the house that Bungie built and added new rooms, a few bay windows and a double garage; the improvements to the game are many, and meaningful, making Halo 5 one of the best releases that this franchise has ever enjoyed. The multiplayer hits a sweet spot that other publishers sometimes struggle to find, and if you’re into the idea of a fast-paced, action packed sci-fi shooter with lots of competitive opportunities, there are few that can hold a candle up to Halo 5. g
AT A GLANCE First-person Shooter
While the campaign leaves a bit to be desired, Halo 5’s multiplayer aspect is brilliant, and will have fans and newcomers kept busy for absolute ages. Developer: Publisher: Distributer:
343 Industries Microsoft Microsoft
PARENTAL ADVISORY
18+ gamecca77
Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice
AWARDS
Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Casual Ed’s Choice
REVIEWED ON
x0 PLATFORMS
GENRE
PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS
Score
89 85
E M W A IE G EV R
Transformers: Devastation Driving Optimus Prime down memory lane…
T
brawler style of combat. At least, that’s as far as the characters go. The cell shaded world doesn’t quite doo the beautifully created characters justice, with ugly textures and tons of repetition making the playground that the Transformers romp in an uninspiring place. The action in Devastation is as simple as the plot is, at least in principle. Light and heavy melee attacks can be used to form devastating combos, with ranged weapons added in for variety and difficult to reach enemies. But the combat is capable of delivering surprising depth, thanks to a heavy reliance on timing. Get the combos just right, and you have a split second to deliver a powerful vehicle attack. Dodge at just the right moment and you are rewarded with a brief slow-motion to take advantage of. Get these things wrong, and your enemies will beat the stuffing out of you.
GAMING
here are plenty of iconic characters and TV series that arose in the ‘80s, but few have showed the absolute longevity that was spawned by the animated TV show Transformers. Recent years, particularly, have seen the franchise get a new lease on life with big robots causing big mayhem on the big screen, and there have been more than a few video game releases to support this new exploitation of many people’s fond childhood memories. But the latest Transformers game, subtitled Devastation, does less to exploit those memories, and more to celebrate them. Instead of relying on the “modern” look that the movies have brought to the Transformers, Devastation draws its visual inspiration from the animated TV series, and the result is a unique, bright and pleasing aesthetic that ties in well to the game’s unrelenting
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are tons of things to collect, of course, but while various limited power-ups and buffs do have an effect, upgrading weapons seems a little pointless. With all of that said, it is important to recognise the function of this game. It is, for the most part, fan service. It’s not meant to be ground-breaking or aweinspiring; rather, Devastation is there to take us back to more care-free times, both in its presentation and in its accessibility. It’s less challenging and more fun, and in that it succeeds. Not everyone will enjoy the cel-shaded graphics or the hammed up ‘80s feel that it oozes, but those that grew up with the TV show will likely feel a pang of nostalgia as they make their way through the games roughly seven hours of play time. And that is where it fits – not as a ground-breaker, but as a fun, relaxed bit of nostaligia. g
AT A GLANCE Action
REVIEWED ON
This is not a ground breaking game in any way, but it’s a great bit of nostalgic fan service that many will still enjoy.
Developer: Publisher: Distributer:
Platinum Games Activision Megarom
PARENTAL ADVISORY
7+ gamecca77
Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice
AWARDS
Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Casual Ed’s Choice
x0 PLATFORMS
GENRE
PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS
Score
72 87
by Rob Edwards
Devastation keeps things simple, which really is in the spirit of the animated series, but this simplicity also leads to a few problems. The first is that the mission objectives are repeated a lot. Basically, every mission breaks down to a slight variation of “go there, beat up bad guys, flip a switch”. Added to these are side missions that can be found scattered around the free-roaming world, but these objectives feel even flatter, and have no tie-in to the greater narrative at all. It would have been better if the developers had called them challenges rather than side missions, because that’s what they really are. The second is that the game’s crafting system is far too random, and seems to have little impact of the game itself. The player can combine different weapons to create more powerful ones, but the activity doesn’t seem to have much effect of the outcome of battles. There
E M W A IE G EV R
Uncharted: The Nathan Drak Collection GAMING
Reliving the glory days of PS3
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Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection
GENRE
This is a great
collection indeed, and having the
Uncharted
by Rob Edwards
entire
franchise available for
PS4, on one
disk, is awesome... these games have aged extremely
PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS
Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice
16+ AWARDS Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice
Score
82
AT A GLANCE
PARENTAL ADVISORY
REVIEWED ON
PLATFORMS
well.
Bluepoint SCEE Ster Kinekor
gamecca77
Action Adventure
Developer: Publisher: Distributer:
sluggish aiming system, and the lack of sixaxis control in this updated version is a great improvement over the original game. Next up is Among Thieves, and it still stands as arguably the best of the Uncharted games released so far. The visual upgrades add great detail to the title, and the original pace, dialogue and character development remains unchanged, as it should. The third game in the collection is the most cinematic, and also delves the most into Nathan Drake’s character. For many, Drake’s Deception was the most exciting of the three games, with a deeper plot and better presentation. The visual upgrades here, too, make a big difference. All three of the games are most welcome additions to the PS4 library, and they all stand up well against their more modern peers. Sure, Drake’s Fortune does feel more dated than Drake’s Deception, but it is still a great game. Oddly, there isn’t much fanfare in this collection – no special odds and sods for fans to enjoy. But that doesn’t really matter. The games themselves are awesome, and getting all three in one collection is great for fans, and excellent for those new to the franchise. It also means that we’ll be able to play all of them on the PS4, which is (for OCD people like me) a pretty important thing. And the timing of the release is excellent… just before Nathan Drake’s next great adventure. The team behind the updating knew their stuff. They fixed what needed to be fixed, tweaked what was less than perfect, and left the rest alone. The result is a great collection that plays well by modern standards, without losing the spirit of the originals. g
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hen it comes to the true mark of a classic in video game terms, it really comes down to whether the game can stand the test of time. There are many, of course, that have managed to do this, but it seems that as we move forward from the old 8- and 16-bit games that generally get lauded as classics, fewer and fewer games present what is needed to really stand up through the rigours of what has become a cut-throat development arena. There are some, though, that still work, and work well at that. One such series of games are the remarkable Uncharted titles, and they have just been given a very welcome overhaul. With the fourth instalment of this remarkable series on the way, it is hardly surprising that Sony decided to remaster the previous three titles. The joy here is that all three come in a bundle, giving the player a massive amount of value. These are three of the best modern action adventure games around, and thanks to great remastering they now run at a smooth 60 frames per second on PS4. Updated textures and character models improve the situation, without removing the charm and wonder that these titles brought with them when they were first released. And, best of all, is that they still work well in terms of game dynamics; these games hide their age extremely well. Drake’s Fortune is the first title in the series, and it is around eight years old now. That’s a long time in video game terms, but this title, which was considered remarkable as a PlayStation 3 game, still manages to deliver the thrills and excitement as it introduces players to the roguish, quick-tongues Nathan Drake. The enhanced frame rate helps what was originally a
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NBA 2K16 GAMING
Hoops for days
90
gamecca77
GENRE
Bit of a missed
by Charlie Fripp
opportunity in story, but the mechanics make up
PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS
6+
Visual Concepts 2K Sports Megarom
Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice
AWARDS Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice
Score
79
AT A GLANCE
PARENTAL ADVISORY
REVIEWED ON
PLATFORMS
for it.
Developer: Publisher: Distributer:
gamecca77
Sport
XO
you can’t skip it. With bad animation and cringe-worth dialogue, six minutes is a very long time to be twiddling your thumbs. But once you get past that, the meat of the game is actually not that bad. Of course, you would need a general knowledge of basketball to make heads or tails of it, but it could have been worse. The MyCareer part starts with your athlete competing in several high school basketball games, and then having to choose which college he would like to play for. Lining up another couple of games, it is here where things start to get somewhat serious. Depending on how well gamers do, a number of NBA teams will try to make pitches for players to join their team. But here another problem with the game comes in. For a team sport, it is incredible how much emphasis is being put on one player to perform well and pull the team through. In one match, after the main character scored 26 points by himself, the team still managed to lose the game. It’s not that the other team played well, but rather that the team mates are all idiots. From that point on, Freq’s NBA hopes were brought into question during several loading screens. Quickly brushing over the physics (which is what the measuring stick should actually be), it at least gets that right. Animations on court are fluid and the control system work rather well – even if you are new to the game. So from that perspective, NBA 2K16 is a great game that in part successfully reenacts the court-side actions of the sport. But the story? That is doesn’t get right at all. It’s rather a pity as it had a lot of potential, but one element can put you off from the entire game. g
NBA 2K16
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e have said it on many occasions, but American sports game don’t do very well in South Africa when compared to the likes of the FIFA franchise. But that doesn’t mean that shouldn’t at least give them a try if you have the opportunity. There has been many basketball games in the past (and good ones) but 2K’s latest title is a bit of an oddity, in the sense that it really tries to be something new but misses the hoop completely. Citing a lack of excitement and depth in the single-player career mode of so many sports games, the studio teamed up with film director Spike Lee to craft a better plot for the game’s MyCareer mode. What happened wasn’t a better story, but something that felt very contrived and forced. After creating an athlete for use in the game, players have no choice but to sit through the very long (unskippable) dialogues that attempt to convey the experience of rising to the top in one of America’s favourite sports. The conversation pieces between the main athlete and non-playable characters are rather poorly scripted, with some incredibly bad basketball stereotypes worked in. Maybe the game was trying to appeal to a segment of the market it has already cornered, but missed the boat a bit. Those same conversation pieces are rather badly animated, and for whatever reason 2K decided that players can’t skip over them. As an example of one such irritation, three live-action actors (complete with mocap suits) and Spike Lee try to explain how everything in the game is put together and the renewed focus on the MyCareer section. The entire conversation plus an animated part introducing the main character Freq lasts for about six minutes – and
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Super Mario Maker Getting creative with plumbing….
D
bring wider appeal to the system through a robust yet easyto-use tool set. And that’s pretty much exactly what Nintendo did with Super Mario Maker. Super Mario Maker, first and foremost, is a game, albeit one that allows individual players to express their creativity within its paradigm. To this end, there are a few modes that the player can enjoy. 10 Mario Challenge is a short campaign that challenges the player to get through 68 stages of predesigned levels that vary widely, including levels from past games and puzzle-platformer levels. These stages carry the styles of four games: Super Mario Bros, Super Mario Bros 3, Super Mario World and New Super Mario Bros. These themes are also available for content creation. What makes these 10 Mario Challenge levels great, other than the fact that they can be played, is that they can be deconstructed and analysed with the level making toolset,
GAMING
eveloping a community around a game is probably less challenging than it sounds, particularly when it’s a great game. Add in a long running franchise (30 years in the case of Nintendo’s plucky plumber, Mario) and it gets even easier. But when you ask that community to turn into content creators, things get a little more complicated. Let’s be honest – making levels (never mind good levels) can be a lot of hard work. Even games like LitteBigPlanet, which were made almost expressly as content creation platforms, can be tough to make levels for. And Mario fans run the gamut of gaming, from hard core enthusiasts right through to part-time, weekend warriors. With that said, LittleBigPlanet and games like it did show that communities of creators are out there, so the idea of celebrating three decades of Mario with a level creation system is a pretty sound one. The biggest trick would be to
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immensely cruel. Also, it’s difficult to search for specific levels, and Nintendo should probably look into improving their level filtering system. You can’t, for example, filter levels by friend lists, so finding stuff that your buddies have come up with can be quite a chore. Still, there’s a vast amount of creativity in the community already, with great new community created levels being added each day. The 100 Mario Challenge takes advantage of that, offering players a 16 level mini-campaign that is populated with random user generated content. It’s an awesome way to experience what’s out there. Although Super Mario Maker will likely appeal only to fans o the franchise, there are a lot of them, and Nintendo’s hopes for a thriving community of level makers are already being realised. This is great, simple fun for creative type. g
AT A GLANCE RPG Adventure
A great way to express yourself, Super Mario Maker already has a thriving community of content creators using its simple toolset to make great levels. Developer: Publisher: Distributer:
Nintendo Nintendo Core Group
PARENTAL ADVISORY
3+ gamecca77
Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice
AWARDS
Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Casual Ed’s Choice
REVIEWED ON
Wii U PLATFORMS
GENRE
PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS
Score
83 93
by Alex Scanlon
which adds to the learning process. As stated before, creating levels can be a daunting task, but with the combination of easy-to-learn tools and a roll-out of elements that takes place over nine days, Nintendo have not only made level creation simpler, but they have dictated a relaxed and manageable pace for learning. The entire system works on a grid base, with smart button based shortcuts and a very simple drag and drop interface. The 60 tiles and tools, which range from scenery to enemies, are all subject to this system. Super Mario Maker allows for tons of creativity, allowing levels beyond the normal platforming stages to be created. But there are still a few issues with it. First off, and most importantly, creators cannot place check points in their levels. That means that each level needs to be completed with a single life, which can get really difficult and
E M W A IE G EV R
Journey GAMING
Three years later…
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GENRE
This gaming tour de force won’t
by Walt Pretorius
sit well with everything, but many will be touched by it’s
PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS
7+ AWARDS
Thatgamescompany SCEE Ster Kinekor
Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice
Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice
Score
80
AT A GLANCE
PARENTAL ADVISORY
REVIEWED ON
PLATFORMS
emotional charge.
Developer: Publisher: Distributer:
gamecca77
Adventure
PS4
vast setting, the character, the music and everything else blend into a powerful experience. As the wanderer, the player will be able to walk or run, jump and speak. Those are the only controls needed by this game. Speaking can summon creatures made of magical cloth to assist you. Running is, well, the main mode of transport. Jumping is a sort-of upgradable skill – the wanderer’s scarf, imbued with magical symbols, gets longer each time certain runes are found. The length of the scarf, indicates how high the wanderer can jump, and the number of glowing symbols indicates if it has enough “fuel” for a full jump. Most of the game dynamic is made up by gentle, unpunishing traversal puzzles that the player will mostly experience in utter isolation. The massive, desolate world brings this idea home very strongly. But every now and then the game will randomly add another player to the experience, allowing for a brief respite from the overbearing solitude the game engenders. These brief, random multiplayer sessions are awesome, devoid of speech or combat – just pure co-operation as tow in-game souls cross paths. The simple game play and beautifully desolate world, complete with shifting sand dunes and long forgotten ruins, combine to make Journey an almost surreal experience. Sadly, it’s not a very long one… you’ll finish it in around two hours, although reliving it might well be an option (even if the game, on paper, doesn’t offer much by way of replayability). This certainly isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. It is a touching, moving and even deep experience, with simplified graphics and a heavy reliance on the creation of emotion. The lack of headshots and twelve year olds hurling insults may not work for many out there, but those that enjoy Journey will truly love it. g
Journey
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he release of Journey is somewhat unusual. The fact that it has been remastered for PS4 around three years after its original release is a little strange, but not overly so… there are other, older games that have been remastered. But what really strikes one as strange is that Journey is an extremely artistic, very short title. It feels more like an indie game than a mainstream release, when all is said and done; like an indie game, it breaks “the rules” of mainstream release development, and pushes new boundaries within game development that your average FPS or RPG publisher don’t really appreciate (or even understand). That it got released for PS3 as anything but an indie title in the first place is odd, and one would expect to see it as part of PSN Plus’ free game bundle, rather than a full, boxed release. But all of these elements really just stand testament to what Journey is – an extremely emotional, truly powerful video game that doesn’t rely on paths that have been trod oh so many times before. Thatgamescompany developed a reputation with games like Flow and Flower (both of which are included in the Journey Collector’s Edition), but it wasn’t until the release of Journey that this unusual developer truly demonstrated what it is capable of. And the fact that this rerelease has only been remastered in terms of resolution and frame rate speaks volumes about the achievement that Journey was, and still is. The premise is simple. The player takes on the role of a mysterious desert wanderer wanting to reach a distant mountain. The robed wanderer rarely speaks, and when it does it only issues hauntingly musical sounds. But the wanderer is only the player’s conduit into the overall experience, which sees the
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The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone Back into the fray
D
It’s a better system than most publishers are using. Is Hearts of Stone worth the cost, though? Well, that depends on whether you liked The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt or not. If you are among the, what, two people in the whole world who didn’t like the game, then don’t bother. If, on the other hand, you are among the scores of fans who adore what is arguably one of the best game releases of the year, the extra expense involved in getting this roughly ten hours’ worth of extra content is well worth it. Hearts of Stone doesn’t change the game, but it delivers you with more of the same. What that comes down to is more compelling and engrossing story missions, tons of new and exciting side quests, as well as a few new faces to interact with. What Hearts of Stone doesn’t do is add any new
GAMING
LC is something of a dirty word when it comes to gamers – at least is seems so. There is a lot of complaining going on about the trend of creating a game and then selling extra content for it at a later date. However, if the system didn’t work, publishers would stop doing it. That said, there are publishers out there that don’t agree with the whole paid DLC thing, and CD Projekt Red is one of them. They have made (up until this point) all DLC for The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt available for free. There have been weapon packs, character models and even extra missions, all available for free. So when they released The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone as paid DLC, there really was less reason to complain. They’re charging for the really big stuff, but giving added extras away for free.
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The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone
adds a great continuity not just to the Witcher 3, but to the franchise as a whole. Sadly, not all of the bugs that have plagued Wild Hunt have been sorted out in Hearts of Stone. Largely the audio bugs remain, particularly related to the music. Every now and then a visual anomaly may raise it’s head as well. But nothing that goes awry in Hearts of Stone breaks the game or ruins the experience, much like nothing that went wrong in Wild Hunt ruined the game. What we have here, then, is a piece of DLC that, although it needs to be paid for, forms part of a larger library of DLC that was given to us for free. If fact, it feels less like DLC and more like an expansion, thanks to the chunky addition it makes to the original game, and it is well worth experiencing. g
AT A GLANCE Adventure
REVIEWED ON
This is certainly the way DLC should be made – chunky, crammed with goodness and a great addition to what already exists.
Developer: Publisher: Distributer:
CD Projekt Red Namco Bandai Megarom
PARENTAL ADVISORY
16+ gamecca77
Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice
AWARDS
Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Casual Ed’s Choice
PS4 PLATFORMS
GENRE
PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS
Score
90 97
by Rob Edwards
areas to the game. There are a few new mechanics, too, like using runes to create rune words for even more powerful weapons, but the whole process and end result are a little underwhelming. And among those new faces are people of colour, which addresses the criticism levelled at CD Projekt Red relating to race representation in The Wild Hunt. It might not be the perfect solution to the complaints, but at least it shows that this developer is serious about addressing the needs and concerns of their fans. There are also more than a few faces returning to the game from the Wild Hunt, and some of them show that the developers have put a lot of thought into the unfolding of this tale. There are even faces from previous titles, including the very first Witcher, which
A
98
Great visuals, simple controls, accessible puzzles and zero narrative – that’s Unmechanical in a
REVIEWED ON
PS4
nutshell. PLATFORMS
Developer: Publisher: Distributer:
Grip Games Grip games Online
PARENTAL ADVISORY
7+ gamecca77
Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice
AWARDS Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice
Score
Puzzle
PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS
GENRE
AT A GLANCE
GAMING Bound of flame
Gotta get outta this place…
70
by Rod Edwards
Unmechanical: Extended
t seems to most developers that a puzzle game needs to get so blisteringly challenging that the majority of the population get mired in a bog of confusion about two thirds of the way through, never to satisfyingly reach the titles conclusion. But games like Unmechanical show that puzzles and frustration don’t need to be synonymous, and anyone who has spent even a little time working through the tropes of puzzle gaming should get through it with flying colours, and not too much difficulty. While Unmechanical does offer a fair amount of frustration, it’s relaxed pace and forgiving nature (in that your character, a weird little helicopter robot never dies and no puzzle ever gets messed up beyond recue) will keep you coming back for more. It features no tutorial, but with dynamics really coming down to movement and using a tractor beam, it’s really not that hard to get to grips with. It presents a simple approach to puzzling, much of which is physics based, and it can be quite satisfying when you best the varied puzzles and get through the numerous approaches they require. If you’re a fan of narrative, though, you may find Unmechanical (and even its extra bits, which come with the extended edition) more than a little lacklustre. Despite fantastic presentation in terms of visuals and music, Unmechanical only has whatever story you give it. There is no tale that the game tells – motives, themes, even reasons why things are happening are all conspicuous in their absence. Your character is trapped in an underground labyrinth and must escape. Why doesn’t enter into the picture. If the lack of story and simple dynamics don’t bother you, it’s a gratifying (if short) puzzle adventure. g
Unmechanical: Extended
E M W A IE G EV R
Broken Age
e m w a ie G v e R
Broken Age A mysterious connection
PS4
PLATFORMS
Developer: Publisher: Distributer:
spend a lot of time going back and forth in what sometimes feels like an overly repetitive fashion. Put it all together, though, and you have a game that is a near-perfect example of its genre, and one that is extremely entertaining to boot. Although there isn’t much by way of action or deep suspense, Broken Age is a very worthwhile and engaging experience, once again going to show the importance of the experimentation and freedom afforded indie game developers. This, when combined with the experience of someone like Tim Schafer, can have surprising results, as is the case here. g
Double Fine Double Fine Online
PARENTAL ADVISORY
12+ gamecca77
Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice
AWARDS Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice
Score
Broken Age is a great example of the modern point and click adventure, and will provide players with a thoughtful, enjoyable (albeit relaxed) experience.
REVIEWED ON
PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS
GENRE
AT A GLANCE
GAMING
Adventure
between Shay, a boy trapped aboard a space ship that seems to symbolise over-protectiveness, Vella, a girl who’s world is more savage and brutal. How these two are linked, and how they relate to each other, is integral to the experience, and we’re not going to ruin that revelation for you here. Broken Age sports a unique and perfectly tuned art style, and tells a tale that could be considered more important than it initially appears. This is combined with Schafer’s signature wit, making the game a great experience. On the downside, the puzzles sometimes feel a little repetitive, and the player will
79 99
by Alex Scanlon
F
ans of Tim Schafer will likely really enjoy Broken Age, a tale of two very different children who share a connection through… wait, that would be a spoiler. Let’s not go there. On the surface, Broken Age is a relatively simple point-and-click adventure game with many puzzles to solve. The great thing is that these puzzles are sensible and natural. While many point and click adventures get a little weird in their puzzle solutions, Broken Age feels right in the way puzzles are concluded. The player will alternate (at will)
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vi er
t
In
GAMING
Explo Actio Indie game development sometimes takes a lot of time, and interviews can be the same way. We chatted to Double Bomb’s David Beshero over several weeks, squeezing in questions during his busy schedule, and found out about All Things Go Boom, game in which everything can be destroyed… because it’s more fun that way. 100
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osive on A relaxed chat with Double Bomb’s David Beshero gamecca77
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mining agency. I ended up loving that job, staying there full time for 6 years. We made training video games which were not exciting to play but exciting to make. I then shifted my career towards web development, knowing that I could always make games on the side if I felt like doing so.
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GM: An explosive name, Double Bomb, I am guessing it is related to your title, All Things Go Boom? Can you give us a brief history of Double Bomb, the members and how it all started, as well as your role there? DB: Double Bomb Interactive is made up of William Helfrich and myself David Beshero. Will and I worked together at a previous job making VR simulations for roughly 6 years. I left the job to focus more on web development as I assumed I could always do game dev as a hobby. During January of this year, while extremely bored, I started what is now known as All Things Go Boom (ATGB). As for the name, I really wanted something that pointed at the company consisting of two people, hence “Double.” The bomb part just sounded cool!
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GM: As for you as an individual, how did you start developing games? DB: I always wanted to get into game development but the way it happened was very accidental. I landed an interview for an internship at a local print shop which I didn’t really want, so I continued looking. Eventually someone else filled that slot and I still had not found anything new. So in a panic I went back to the internship placement office at college and they found an opening for VR development at an underground coal
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GM: Was there a particular game that you played which made you want to develop games in the first place? DB: Much like other game developers, my love for playing games started when I was old enough to hold a controller. I think Super Mario Brothers is the first game I remember playing. Now I can’t say for sure if that was what made me want to develop games because I honestly can’t think of a pivotal moment in my life where I said “I want to develop games.” It just kind of happened. If anything, maybe the recent indie explosion made me question why I wasn’t creating a game.
GM: Was there a particular game idea, following that, which popped up and turned from idea into an actual game? DB: Haha, Will and I have had a few that are still hanging out on our harddrives. We started a few other game prototypes, some of which I consider much better game ideas than ATGB. The problem is that we’re two people and our earlier ideas are scoped more for a team of 20. With ATGB, I wanted something that we could both manage while also being able to continue going to our real jobs. We’re working before we go to our day jobs, when we come home, and weekends. It’s a lot of work but because we love doing it, it’s not so bad.
GM: What role does gaming play in your life in general and how integral is the gaming community to your game development?
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DB: It’s hard for me to find something that makes me happier than playing games with friends. I’ve made many friends from hosting Halo and Smash Brothers parties from my college apartment. A few years back, I met someone while playing Battlefield 3 which resulted in him coming up to work with me at the VR lab. You can be vastly different to another person but I’ve found that having that shared love for video games is usually enough to become great friends. As for your second question, we both know the gaming community is very passionate about games. They’re not shy and will let you know if your game sucks or if it makes them want to stay home from school or work and play it all
of zombie games. I can’t count on both my hands all the zombie survival games it spawned. Personally I would like to see us as continuing to make games that we’re passionate about. I would be very sad if game development was absent from my life.
day. After we were announced for Xbox One, articles about us started popping up and at the end of June we went to Indy PopCon, our game’s first expo. We constantly had people playing ATGB, some of which refused to leave. It was a great feeling. So many people had great ideas and feedback for the game. If we found a consistent problem, we would change it. Hell, we added a new game mode while we were there because someone suggested it. I never want to be the type of game dev that doesn’t listen to the community.
talking on lunch breaks about game ideas and eventually participated in a couple game jams. It was clear that we worked well together and concepts we loved about games aligned in many ways. ames from my past serve as the general source of my inspiration. I loved party games like Bomberman and still play Smash Brothers. They bring people together and create those ridiculous moments that have friends talking about for a long time.
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GM: Considering the number of titles that were showcased at the Xbox Independent Developer floor, where do you think the games industry will be in the next 5 years and where do you see yourself in that time? DB: There’s sort of this indie revolution right now. We, as indies, have the benefit of trying abstract ideas. I think in many ways, indies are challenging current formulas or in some cases, throwing them out the window of their 2nd floor apartment. Take a game like Day Z, which was a mod by a single developer that obliterated the concept
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GM: Considering the amount of time you spent working on VR Development, did that inspire any games in you. Also, relating to that, what is your general source of inspiration? DB: Working there certainly inspired me to pursue commercial games. Will and I would have never met if it wasn’t for that job. We spent a lot of time
GM: Are you part of a community of Game Devs? What is that community and are there any developers you look up to? DB: Yes definitely! I can’t stress the importance of this enough. I’m active in several subreddits such as / GameDev and /Unity3D and participate in Screenshot Saturdays. Even if I’m just lurking through the threads, I learn so much. In the future I’m going to be teaching a handful of Unity classes and possibly planning a meetup for my local area. Staying active with the game dev community is kind of a cheat for motivation. Watching these indie games come gamecca77
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to life, essentially from the beginning of their existence… it’s impossible to not fall in love with a few of them. Willy Chyr’s Relativity and Swordy are probably the games I obsess over the most. Our booth at Indy PopCon was right next to Willy’s so we had time to meet with him and shoot the breeze. He stays active on Twitter and does nightly level design Twitch streams; I highly recommend tuning in. Swordy is a physics brawler currently in development by Frogshark. The devs are on the other side of the world so I haven’t had a chance to play the game and it’s killing me. These are both a day one purchase for me.
GM: Your game ATGB, tell us a little about it and its key feature. DB: I think the key feature to the game is that everything is destructible. The rest revolves around that gameplay. Initially it was just tanks shooting each other until I added a few models that were destructible. We realized how much fun it was hiding behind a wall only for it to be blown away. From there, we made sure everything could take damage and crumble to bits. That also led us to make our crazy weapon system that allows for machine gun rocket launchers and shotgun lasers. We want everything to feed back into the destructiveness of the environment. It’s really cool to see a map transform over the course of a match, making players change their play style as cover quickly fades away.
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GM: What was the inspiration behind it and greatest challenge? DB: I usually have the Red Faction series in my mind when I’m developing ATGB. I loved how you could “tunnel” in the first game and then in Red Faction: Guerrilla Warfare, you could level everything on the Martian surface. Most of RFGW was about destruction. The
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story was okay but I’ll be honest, I just wanted to blow stuff up. Now, ATGB doesn’t have the same destruction fidelity as the Red Faction series, but it has destruction that makes sense for the gameplay. And that’s where the greatest challenge lies. It turns out that it’s pretty tough to create balanced maps when every object can be destroyed in a moment’s notice. When you’re left with an empty void for a map, players can snipe each other from any end of it. We have been doing things to improve that experience. Allowing players to destroy everything while also having the ability to tactically provide themselves with cover has been a balancing act for sure.
GM: What platform are you looking to release it on? DB: We are confirmed for XBox One and Windows 10. We are going to attempt a Steam Greenlight and are in talks with other console providers. Nothing confirmed on those fronts however.
GM: If there was a game you would love to work on, what would it be? DB: I really would love to work on a space game. I think the team on No Man’s Sky would be pretty amazing to be part of. Not only are they doing ridiculously awesome things, their dev lead, Sean Murray, is a humble, levelheaded dude. If you can be working on cutting-edge game tech and be humble about it, well, what more would you want from life?
GM: Ha ha indeed! Well thank you so much for your time Dave, it has been a real pleasure speaking to you. DB: Thank you so much Nthato for giving me the opportunity to chat with you. While it spanned over the course of a couple months, it was definitely the best interview I ever received. g gamecca77
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Legacy: Dragon Quest
Dragon est By Lein Baart
the Divide
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RPGs tend to have a rather polarising effect on gamers. While some may argue that the term is misleading to begin with, it’s a the subgenre that many believe to be characterised by a distinctive style, both in aesthetics and gameplay, and for better or for the worse the term has become firmly rooted in the gaming lexicon. Whether you love or hate them though, JRPGs as a whole can trace their origins back to a single series, one that has endured and continues to thrive to this day.
Why was it created?
RPG’s in the early eighties all had one thing in common-they were exclusively released on computers and were predominately created by Western developers. The two biggest names in the genre, namely Ultima and Wizardry, had heavily influenced most other games of the time, though their reliance on stats and repetitive combat had meant that RPG’s had remained relatively niche. This all changed however when both Yuji Horii and Koichi Nakamura, who both worked at Enix, attended the Macworld Conference & Expo in 1985, where they were introduced
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to Wizardry. Inspired to create a game in the same vein, Horii began conceptualising what would ultimately become Dragon Quest, though with several key differences. With the NES having recently gained a strong following due to Super Mario Bros and Legend of Zelda, it was decided that Dragon Quest would be released on the console, which necessitated a change to the complex controls and interfaces
make the game more accessible to a wider audience. Drawing on inspiration from his own previous game, The Portopia Serial Murder Case, the developer implemented menu-driven gameplay and a far greater emphasis on story and dialogue, as well as an easier levelling system that continually encouraged players. Coupled with artwork by Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama and music by Koichi Sugiyama, when Dragon Quest did hit the shelves in 1986 it didn’t take long for the game to rocket to success in Japan.
Why do we care?
To begin with the obvious, Dragon Quest can almost single-handedly take credit for the creation of JRPGs. The title’s emphasis on simplified gameplay and storytelling allowed for gamers who would otherwise have been intimated by the complex nature of the genre to be drawn in, and in many ways is responsible for the creation of franchises such as Final Fantasy. Over its ten main releases the series has remained extremely true to its roots, though this has not stopped each version from selling in the millions in Japan alone. Probably its most enduring legacy however is the fact that Dragon Quest introduced an entire generation to the idea of console RPG’s. This revolution in gaming has paved the way for titles around the world to enjoy success on what would otherwise have been a PC-dominated market, and while the franchise has only recently enjoyed success overseas, its influence remains incalculable to gaming as a whole. g
that had typified RPGs, which worked hand-in-hand with Horii’s desire to
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he pool, ladies and gentleman, is filling up fast. That’s because everyone wants to swim. And the more cluttered the pool gets, the harder it is to make people out in the water, and the harder it gets for the water to give everyone that much needed refreshment. And should someone slip and fall, we would hardly notice as they drown, trampled by the feet of all the people who are so keen on getting into the pool. I am not one to squash anyone’s hopes and dreams. Who am I to point out to people that they are being delusional nitwits leaping onto a band wagon? Nope, I would never do that. But I think it is important that when you get on the bandwagon, you realise that you’re not the only one on it, and that it might be necessary for you to find alternate transportation to get to your goals. Right, two analogies and you still have no clue what I am going on about. This is awesome. I would try for a third, but maybe I should
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stop wasting space and get to the point. Not everyone who decides that their future is as an indie game developer is going to have a future as an indie game developer. The pool is filling up. The wagon is piled high, and the cart-horses (those people that buy the games) are starting to take strain. It’s a big pie, sure, but there are still only so many slices to go around. There. Third one in, safe and sound. We’ve seen it before. Like when everyone thought that it was a great idea to start a game review website, thinking that they would get tons of free games and make it rich overnight. There are only so many free games. There is only so much money. Or when everyone though that they would become a pro-gamer, overnight, only to find that all the hard work and dedication they put into it didn’t guarantee that they would even get to play. Showing up isn’t enough, folks. .But the same thing keeps happening time and again and now, with development
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BY rAMJET
Just Because You Can...
software being relatively easy to get (and free, quite often) and platforms like PSN, Xbox Live and Steam opening up for independently developed games, everyone seems to think it’s a good idea to get a project going. Don’t get me wrong. There are a lot of talented indie game developers out there. We’ve been speaking to some of them in interviews. But the thing is this – it’s a bubble, and those that have a solid footing when it bursts are the ones who will make it. Just because you have the will to make a game doesn’t mean you’re going to get rich. It’s a competitive market out there, and as it gets more active, only the cream of the crop will make any kind of mark. To those that do, well done. You obviously deserve it, and your insight into gaming, your fresh ideas and daring approach have shown you to be exceptional. To those that fall by the wayside… I’ll hold off on the “I told you so” until a bit later. g
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Samsung Galaxy A5 Catan Histories: Settlers of the Stone Age Isle of Skye Assassin’s Creed #1 Chewbacca #1 The Amazing Spider-Man #1 I Hate Fairyland #1
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ideo games anymore‌ g up for Cape Town by:
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Nthato Morakabi
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for the last number of years now such as Megarom, LEGO, BT Games, Rectron, Telkom and Dark Carnival. The 3D modelling school, Learn 3D, returned too only this time allowing visitors to experience the amazing Virtual Reality visor, the Occulus Rift, in person. Console titans PlayStation and Xbox had their consoles on display with crowds of eager players ready to get their game on with the number of demos on display including the upcoming Tomb Raider and EAs Star Wars Battlefront. The growing franchises of Disney Infinity and Skylanders, let the younglings experience the joys of the amazing technology that brings toys to life. The rAge Expo is not just about digital gaming limited to PCs, consoles and handheld systems, not when three of South Africa’s leading table-top gaming distributors decided to promote table-top gaming with the Unplug Yourself initiative. Skycastle Games, Board Games SA and Blowfish Entertainment conceived this campaign in 2014 with the aim of making tabletop gaming a viable gaming option in South African homes. With a substantial floor space available for their range of card and board games that seemed to be packed for the entire three days, one can see the Unplug Yourself campaign making headway in the future.
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As much as the expo brings in a host of gamers both new to the world of gaming and oldies who have seen the growth of the industry, the rAge expo also reaches out to tech lovers, gives a platform to the geek culture and whets the appetite of the media… myself included. Rectron showed off their brands, Skull Candy did a giveaway, Airsoft HQ had its latest range of Airsoft rifles and a host of other exhibits that weren’t game orientated. Visitors perusing the expo were treated to the hard work and dedication of a multitude of cosplayers wandering the floor space. Donning elaborate costumes of their favourite anime, comic book, movie, and or game character; these costumed characters livened the floorshow, more than willing to have random people come up to them for a photo. LegionInk held their annual cosplay event which is always open to anyone willing to participate. A dedicated Skit category was added to the judging line-up with a total of 17 skits entering the competition of which 16 made it to the final event. This took place on the last day of the expo in front of a packed audience, proving once again that the cosplay movement is continuing to grow each year in South Africa in both fans and cosplayers.
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h the great annual pilgrimage to the Dome shaped edifice that looms in the far Northern distances. A structure that at other times of the year is home to many other expos and events, but in the preceding weeks towards October, becomes more than just a topic of conversation amongst people young and old; more than just an annual tradition. It is almost the gamers’ equivalent to the Hajj and although not at a spiritual level, one could argue its significance from a gaming / tech perspective. Considering it is the biggest gaming expo in South Africa, and its visitors range from school kids, parents, gamers and non-gamers alike, it is no wonder the 19 553m2 floor space brought in a record breaking attendance of 33 068 visitors during the three day event. The 13th Edition of an expo so highly anticipated, people are already planning for the next one, increased by just under 6% compared to the 2014 expo - once again proving that the fantastic hands-on experience, the family conscious set-ups and the plethora of games available to play, makes the rAge Expo an event worth experiencing. With over 100 exhibitors present at the event, visitors were treated to returning giants who have been exhibiting at the expo
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It is without a doubt that there is a ton of talent in our country, and with the help of NAG and Make Games SA, visitors were privy to this talent through NAG Home_Coded, an initiative that began in November 2012 . Fourteen of SA’s talented Indie Game Developers showcased their latest games, with an open invitation to the public to take a gander at their developed titles. Ranging from a young duo of 16year old high school students to veteran developers who were making games before the first PlayStation console, Home_Coded is but a small image of a bigger picture spread from Cape Town to Johannesburg. With so much passion for making games guiding their steps, one can only wonder what these talents could accomplish within our own country and beyond. The Artist’s Alley is rAge Expo’s own unique set of live graphic artists, equipped with pen and paper to fulfill a request or two, and a portfolio displaying their amazing talent to the world. This year’s expo marks their 6th appearance at rAge, and has become an expected section for visitors to appreciate while also acting as a platform for these artists. Initially just a small promotional booth, it’s growth
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propelled it into what is the fully-fledged Artists’ Alley, also becoming organizers of the amazingly successful rAge Cosplay Competition and spread amongst them, writers and artists who are making waves locally. And what would the rAge Expo be without the NAG LAN? 53 hours spent within the hallowed arena, 2568 players heavily engaged in cooperative, competitive and casual play, watching anime or passed out from the long hours online. The final LAN statistics following the three day foray reached an astonishing 189TB of usage – 143TB of downloads and 46TB of uploads. While HP and Intel provided all the networking equipment and servers that had the LAN running smoothly, Internet Solutions upped their game with their sponsored Internet service, which went up to 6.5Gbps as opposed to last year’s record breaking 5.2Gbps. Telkom, in conjunction with Telkom Gaming, Telkom DGL, Alienware, MSI, SteelSeries, Razer, Corsair, Cooler Master and KontrolFreek, took a massive leap forward with their contribution to South African eSports, as they provided cash and prizes totalling R971 193 for the Telkom DGC (Digital Game League Championship.
The Telkom DGC is the culmination nine competitive months in South Africa’s largest online league. Competitors who participated in the Telkom DGC were split between six different competitive titles on both Xbox and PC: Hearthstone, Dota 2, League of Legends, Battlefield 4, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. Visitors were also able to watch 408 of South Africa’s biggest gaming talent compete for the prestigious Telkom DGL Champion accolade, in a VIP area complete with monitors so those on the outside could watch these giants take each other down. Following on yet another successful rAge event in Johannesburg, Cape Town residents, geeks and gaming enthusiasts can start gearing up for the first ever rAge Cape Town, which will take place in March of next year. While full details of the show are still pending, it’s pretty certain that the Cape Town edition of what has become the biggest event on South Africa’s gaming calendar will be something to witness. And, as always, rAge has managed to whip up the gaming community into a fever pitch, as the fourth quarter of the year brings all its gaming goodness with it. g
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here are few things that make you realise just how much gaming has changed than replaying a classic. Genres more often than not evolve by accretion, with triple A releases rarely stepping out their comfort zones due to fear of squandering the frankly stupid budgets that have been thrown at them. But nevertheless change does happen, though whether for better or worse will always be up for debate. Take for instance modern shooters, specifically the likes of COD and Battlefield. With Activision’s next release just around the corner, you can be sure that once again the publisher is looking forward to raking in yet another absurd amount of money. While it’s impossible
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to say until Black Ops 3 has actually been released, the safe money would on yet another single player campaign that leads you be the nose, holding your hand until everything in the room evaporates in hailstorm of bullets and fiery set pieces, then smacking you on the arse and leading you out the door. Rinse and repeat for the next six hours, and throw in a ridiculous plot about how America, the world’s largest military power by frightening margin, is once again in peril of armed invasion, and you’ve basically got the entire FPS genre for the last six years or so. You could argue that the real focus nowadays is on multiplayer, but I hate gaming with others as a general principle, so I’m just going to ignore that. It wasn’t always
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BY Lein Baart
Looking Back...
like this. Hell the first Modern Warfare is a classic, with genuinely impactful moments and tense gameplay that didn’t rely on gratuitous explosions. Go back even further to the likes of Half Life 2 and Painkiller, the latter being the game that inspired this rant, and you’re dealing with another beast altogether, one that actually cared about involving the player. You weren’t reduced a casual spectator, a passive observer in what should be an interactive medium. No, your actions mattered and the game couldn’t and wouldn’t move on until you actually did the work, no matter how many times you rage quit. It’s an attitude that I find myself pining for, though the likelihood of it making a comeback anytime soon are dim. g
Every drive has a purpose.
Build it in BLUE
Create it in BLACK
Capture it in PURPLE
COREX
Network it in RED
Scale it in DATACENTER
Galaxy A5 The higher end of mid-range…
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hile Samsung’s Galaxy S range are the flagships of their range, not everyone can take sail with one of those aspirational handsets. For those folks, Samsung creates devices like the A5, a potent mid-range product that delivers a great design with quite a power-punch. With a 1.2GHz CPU, 2GB of RAM, a 13 megapixel camera and a five inch screen, the A5 is an impressive and capable handset. It is one the higher end of the mid-range price range, though, and the non-removable battery may not sit well with some. Still, it’s a sleek, attractive and capable handset. g
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Catan Histories: Settlers of the Stone Age
umans are remarkable creatures. Against all odds, our adaptability has resulted in mankind inhabiting a wider array of areas and climate zones than any other single species. From frigid areas in the far north our planet through to scorching deserts, people are everywhere. And that’s part of what Catan Histories: Settlers of the Stone Age is all about. Starting in Africa, which shows the earliest signs of humans, players need to spread their tribe of Stone Age Settlers across the globe. Using a set board (rather than the tile laying system of the original Catan games) Stone Age charged players with spreading across the entire globe, including the Americas and Australia. And to
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accomplish that, they will not only need to establish settlements and gather resources, but will also have to develop certain skills to survive harsh conditions and cross oceans. The great thing about the Catan Histories titles is that they take a tried and tested formula, and place different spins on it. Each Histories title has a similar basis, but provides the player with a unique experience. Yet the familiarity of the core mechanics means that anyone who has played a Catan game (even another Histories title) will be able to get going with the game really quickly. Possessed of a simple mechanic and yet capable of great depth, Settlers of the Stone Age is a very welcome and extremely enjoyable addition to the ever-growing Catan franchise. g
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Isle of Skye
he Isle of Skye is a striking beautiful part of our world, and it is here that the game bearing the same name is set. But this is not a game about appreciating natural beauty; Isle of Skye is a board game that is all about power and dominance of this remarkable place. This tile laying game is suitable for two to five players, and is really easy to learn. However, it allows for a great amount of strategic depth, thanks to its rather unique mechanic. Five families vie for dominance of the island and, as the head of one of those families, the player can use all kinds of tricks to get the best parts of land, and palm the worst bits off on their
opponents. In addition to a tile laying game, much of Isle of Skye’s dynamic comes down to auctioning off the worst bits of land. But there is a lot of strategy to this, because while a player can set the price for a tile, if it doesn’t sell they have to foot the bill. And because victory is not determined by money, but rather by land ownership, the financial system in the game becomes a tool, rather than a goal. This makes Isle of Skye an extremely fun game to play, and grants it a deep level of sneaky strategy. The wittiest players are the ones who will see the best outcomes in this well presented game and even if it is easy to learn, mastering it will take some skill. g
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Title: Writer:
Assassin’s Creed #1 Del Col / Mccreery
Artist:
Neil Edwards
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Titan Comics
Rated:
Mature
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by Clive Burmeister
Charlotte de la Cruz is just a fairly normal woman, maybe with a little too much of a “Robin Hood syndrome” going on, but still pretty normal. She even has a normal job, but aspires to do something that makes a difference. What she doesn’t know is that her bloodline is really not normal, she has Assassin ancestors. Soon she gets caught up in the war between the Brotherhood and the Templars. Having never played any of the Assassin’s Creed Games myself, I thought I’d struggle to follow a comic, but it is really easy for a newcomer to follow, and I’m sure even better for a fan of the franchise to see the world come to life in a new way.
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Title: Writer: Artist: Publisher: Rated:
Chewbacca #1 Gerry Duggan Phil Noto Marvel Comics Teen
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by Clive Burmeister
In the aftermath of the Rebels victory over the Empire by destroying the Death Star, the galaxy is in a state of turmoil. While the Empire still controls the galaxy at large, there is now some much needed hope for the Rebellion, and some much needed time for their Heroes. Chewbacca has an important personal mission to take care of, but unfortunately the bad luck with spacecraft doesn’t seem to be limited to his partner Han, and Chewy finds himself stuck on a dirt-water planet looking for a part. And that’s when adventure finds him. Chewbacca looks to be another great Star Wars title from Marvel, with a string of best selling series currently on the go, Marvel are pulling out all the stops. And it’s Chewy. You know you want this.
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Title: Writer: Artist: Publisher: Rated:
The Amazing Spider-Man #1 Dan Slott Giuseppe Camuncoli Marvel Comics Teen
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by Clive Burmeister
After the events of the Secret Wars, and everything that lead up to it, including Parker starting his own Tech company and Doctor Octopus taking over his mind for a time (yeah, that’s really a thing, see Superior Spider-Man), SpiderMan finally seems to have things going right for a change. Not only is his company now global and competing with Stark Enterprises, but even his SpiderMan operation has expanded, with new gear and gadgets, not to mention some new people to wear the mask and offer Peter a little down time. But this is Spider-Man after all, that kind of “everything going right” nonsense never lasts for long. Writer Dan Slott keeps up the good work on the character, with a compelling story not only tying the old bits of story together, but creating a perfect jumping on point in the Spider-Man re-launch.
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Title:
I Hate Fairyland #1
Writer:
Skottie Young
Artist:
Skottie Young
Publisher: Rated:
Image Comics Mature
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by Clive Burmeister
What happens when a sweet and innocent little girl has her wildest dreams come true, and is swept away into a magical world of fairytale wonders, but then gets trapped there, never ageing and never able to leave? I Hate Fairyland happens! From the twisted mind of fan favourite artist/writer, Skottie Young, comes this magnificent story that we’ve always needed to read but didn’t know it until now. This is the kind of book that can make someone really love comics. Great story, brilliant artwork, humour, violence, mayhem, ice-cream; I Hate Fairyland really has it all! Skottie Young has done some awesome stories and covers for Marvel over the last few years, but you can really see his passion for his work shine though in his first creator owned book.
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Last word
love Thai food… I love everything about it. Lately, I have been researching food, nourishment and how food can be one’s medicine. What I love about Thai food is that I feel like I get value for money, enjoyment from a variety of fresh, tasty food, as well as a boost of nourishment and nutrition. When this magazine is published I will more than likely grab Walt and head to our favourite Thai restaurant to celebrate another traditional “done and dusted Gamecca issue”. One thing is for sure… food, as we know it, tastes better now than it ever did in the last couple of centuries. In the last century, though, we have, through evolution, lost our connection to the simplicity of nourishing our bodies. Don’t get me wrong, a lot of us are on a health kick, but most of us rarely eat to live these days and tend to focus our daily food intake on empty calories. When you consider it,
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popcorn covered in MSG is part and parcel of our movie-going experience. Pizza and Coke are a traditional part of being sociable. Fast food, candies, the chocolate binge, sugar cravings are normal. But hey, no worries, the feeling of indigestion can and will be solved with a diet soda. At our last Thai food experience, I picked up a sugar packet; you know, the ones that have the cool sayings at the back. The quote was from Rutherford D Rogers and it said: “We’re drowning in information and starving for knowledge.” We are living in the Digital Age, where any form of information is at your fingertips and yet, most of the time, we are concerned about the credibility of this information’s sources. We live in a society in which we are constantly being bombarded with so much information regarding what is good for us and what isn’t that we don’t know who, or
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what, to believe anymore. Take my research for example: most of the time, I am constantly questioning what is correct, who to believe, and what the motives behind doctors, big pharma and agricultural industries are. Just like most of us are unconcerned about the nutrition-lacking junk that we put into our bodies, many of us don’t seem to care about what we put into our minds. The same principal applied to our food also applies to the information we have access to. Our fast food culture has become a fast information culture, too. We are flooded by information and starved for the essence of legitimacy and honesty. Are we aware of it and the repercussions linked to these lifestyle choices that have turned into tradition? When did we get to the point that at the time in which we are living, we are under the spell where everything is excellent and yet, well, lacks excellence?g
BY Katia Taliadoros
Tradition...