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The Fall...Can humanity survive The Division?

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Bronze Award

Given to games & hardware that score

80-84

Silver Award

Given to games & hardware that score

85-90

Gold Award

Given to games & hardware that score

90-94

Platinum Award

Given to games & hardware that score

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Editor’s Choice Award for products that

make an impression

g l a dg e t27

Changeby Walt Pretorius

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I don’t like making predictions… I have learned a long time ago that the video game industry is a strange, multifaceted beast that can be extremely unpredictable. Back in 2008, when the South African Rand took a massive plunge – I will never forget getting the news while at

the Far Cry 2 launch event – everyone started saying that the elevation of game prices spelled all kinds of doom and gloom for the local scene. Over the next eight years, sales were up and down, marking a difficult period for the South African industry, but it survived. Sales of older, cheaper titles increased, even as those of brand new releases declined, everything balanced out, more or less.

And now, eight years later, the industry once again enters a state of flux. At the end of 2015, a number of events sent the South African currency on another downward spiral. Although it has recovered little from the more alarming levels it achieved over the Festive Season, it still hasn’t risen back to where it was. It may never get back there. This means that the delicate pricing balance that helped the industry survive over the last eight years needs to be revisited. Even before those events, game prices were going to increase, thanks to a somewhat steady decline of the Rand against overseas currencies. In fact, there was a price hike just before everything took a serious downturn.

The industry has proven to be resilient in the past, but new elements have entered into

the picture that may see some sweeping changes coming in. The increased use of direct download services hasn’t reached a level that would threaten traditional boxed-product sales yet, but when you consider a few factors, you can see where the hurt is being applied: first of all, the previous wobble was mitigated by the more hard-core among gamers. These were the guys who were buying new releases as they came out and, quite frankly, they will probably still keep buying, even if elevated prices mean that they buy less. However, these are also the people who are most likely to have the kind of connection that will allow them to make use of services like Steam, Xbox Live and PSN to acquire their games. It is important to note that local game distributors don’t reap any rewards from games bought in this way. This will mean that companies have to place more reliance on the sales of catalogue titles, which are traditionally bought by more casual players – and their purchasing habits are less regular.

Whatever the case may be, it is almost certain that the South African video game industry is in for change. What form that change will take remains to be seen, but it is likely to have wide ranging effects, from distributors to retailers, press and even the end user. Let’s hope that the current storm is weathered as well as the last one was.

Enough doom and gloom, though – we still have great games to enjoy, and you have a brand new issue of Gamecca to get through… g

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GAMECCA is published by 1337 MEDIA

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THIS MONTH’S COVER

The end of civilization in The Division...

Publisher Walt Pretoriuswalt@novamentis.co.za

Publisher Katia Taliadoroskatia@novamentis.co.za

Writers:Alex ScanlonClive BurmeisterCharlie FrippLein BaartKatia TaliadorosNthato MorakabiRob EdwardsSibonisile MothaSuvesh ArumugamWalt Pretorius

Letters:letters@gameccamag.com

Competition Entries:competitions@gameccamag.com

Newsletter Subscriptions:www.gameccamag.com

Marketing Contact:walt@novamentis.co.zakatia@novamentis.co.za

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Regular: Did you knowSome fun facts from the world of gaming

Feature: BreakdownThe end of society in The Division...

PReviews: Games11 titles to look out for

Feature: The Final OutingNathan Drake’s last adventure

Reviews: gamesA dozen titles scrutinised

Regular: IndieViewWe ride the Wimbus...

Regular: LegacyPlayStation’s Finest Hours?

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Feature: The StreamThe future of TV lives in Computers

reviews: HardwareRwelve Great pieces of hardware

Regular: InternetThe end of a short era?

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Feature: Strange EonsRemembering HP Lovecraft

GadgetsTwo awesome things to own

ComicsFour bits of awesome illustrated literature

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The Division

Razer Diamondback

Far Cry: Primal

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Technically SpeakingSimulating life

Ramjet’s RantalityOnline agony

The Time BetwixtFinding good in bad

The Last WordPrivacy wars

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“[XCOM 2] possesses a sense of urgency and excitement that pervades virtually every aspect of the game”

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FeatureSThe Stream

HARDWARE ReviewsCooler Master Devastator Combo

Roccat Kone XTD

Optical Gaming Mouse

Acer Predator Gaming Tablet

Acer Predator Z35

Curved Gaming Monitor

Turtle Beach Earforce PX24

Amplified Gaming Headset

Crucial 8GB DDR4 2133 RAM

Bang & Olufsen Form 2i

Stereo Headset

Xbox Elite Wireless Controller

Asus QM1 Stick PC

Roccat Isku FX Gaming Keyboard

Razer Wildcat

Xbox One / PC Controller

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420X Wireless Gaming Headset

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THE STREAMSimple home entertainment solutions for a modern era

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THE STREAMSimple home entertainment solutions for a modern era

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The war for South African TV viewers has kicked into full swing. With DSTv announcing

substantial price hikes and Netflix making an appearance locally (even if the initial offering was somewhat underwhelming) South Africans have become spoiled for choice when it comes to quality entertainment. In addition, South African streaming TV provider ShowMax is making some great strides in delivering excellent content, and local end-users can now start seriously investigating a much wider range of options.

The choice between either satellite or ‘net based streaming TV really comes down to what the end-user has in terms of connectivity. While springing for an ADSL line specifically for streaming TV does make the price more significant, there are always added benefits to having a Wi-Fi connected ADSL service in the home. Mobile data charges, for example, can be mitigated by using Wi-Fi connectivity on smartphones and tablets while at home. Additionally, fast internet access also means that options like online gaming and other internet related activities are available at home. But you’ll want to have a more capable line installed – at least a 4Mb line, preferably with uncapped data.

While this increase in price may seem excessive, it does bring things more or less in line with the pricing of South Africa’s leading satellite TV provider. And while satellite TV may offer many channels, streaming TV allows the user to determine what they

want to watch, and when they want to watch it. While local infrastructure still has a way to go, the truth of the matter is that streaming TV services will likely work out better for a vast number of people, even if just for the freedom it affords the end-user.

There are various things that the uninitiated end-user will need to set up before using streaming TV services, including ADSL and Wi-Fi connectivity. If the user has a Smart TV, a direct link to the internet can be established through the TV, which is possibly the most effortless of solutions.

Another solution comes in the form of a home entertainment PC system, which has numerous advantages. The native environment for the Internet will always be a computer, so streaming content, whether from TV services like ShowMax or Netflix, or other video services like YouTube, through a PC will almost always deliver the best results in terms of performance and functionality. It also opens up options for local media, like movies stored on a hard drive.

The main issue that most people have here is the use of a PC in their entertainment area. PCs can be large and noisy devices, which may not work with the aesthetics of the environment. But for this kind of usage – essentially media player provision – a high-powered PC is not necessary. In fact, a device like the Asus VivoMini UN42 Mini PC makes for a perfect solution. Powered by an Intel processor, this device provides all the necessary power and capabilities of a PC. It comes with an HDMI output, as well as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, two USB 3.0 ports (which can be

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used for external storage) and a 2-in-1 card reader. Additionally, it offers the opportunity for the user to make use of headphones, thanks to a 3.5mm audio jack output.

In this case, the user not only gains streaming TV directly to their TV, via the Wi-Fi capability of the UN42, but also has the ability to use internet browsing and similar functions on their TV. There is a small downside here – the user will need to make use of a Bluetooth capable mouse and keyboard to gain all the potential that the UN42 offers. However, there are numerous elegant options available for users to choose from.

Employing a system such as this, coupled with a reliable ADSL modem and router, provides an excellent option for a home-based system. But it isn’t really the simplest system to move around with, even if the UN42 is a small device. And because streaming services are account-based, and not location based (as most satellite TV services are) the opportunity for portability opens up ned options for the end user.

In this case, a smaller, equally capable system would work well. The Asus QM1 Stick PC (which we review in this issue) serves as an excellent option.

The rechargeable QM1 allows the user a much wider range of movement, at the expense of a few features. Because of its smaller size, it only offers one USB port, for example, but it plugs directly into any TV’s HDMI port, eliminating the need for wires. Its card reader is also limited to only accepting microSD cards.

With all of that said, it is a fully functional PC, and will allow the user to not only stream TV

content, but will also allow basic PC functionality in terms of work applications and internet browsing. And it is perfectly capable as a home entertainment PC. It will also need Bluetooth input devices.

Both options would serve as a stable and reliable source of streaming entertainment – but which is better? The answer comes down to the end-user’s requirements. If there is a need for a wider range (and more) external storage connection, the UN42 is a better bet. It can connect two external drives via its USB ports. However, it needs a power source and cables with which to connect to the TV, which hampers portability to a degree.

On the other hand, the QM1 provides versatility when it comes to moving around, but offers a lesser degree of storage connectivity. And both systems require a Wi-Fi connection, so if you’re travelling you either need to ensure decent Wi-Fi service wherever you are going, or use your smartphone as a Wi-Fi hotspot, which can potentially incur very high charges.

The downsides shouldn’t prevent anyone from moving in the PC based entertainment sphere, though – they are considerations, rather than blocks. Either set up would work perfectly well in a home environment, making them great solutions for those who want to modernise their viewing experiences. Streaming content truly is the wave of the future, and as South Africa’s infrastructure gets improved (even if the pace is slow) more and more people will move in this direction. And companies like Asus will be there to provide solid, reliable solutions. g

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Getting a mouse and keyboard combo is a pretty good idea for a variety of

reasons. First off, the devices come from the same stable, and they’re designed to work together (for the most part). Secondly (and this may or may not matter much to you) they look good together. And thirdly, you’re generally going to get a better deal.

Cooler Master has a number of very good combo sets, and they have just added the Devastator II to the mix. It’s an upgraded version of the Devastator set, but most of the work has gone into the keyboard. As far as the mouse goes, you’re still getting the (decent) Devastator mouse, which has a DPI range from 500 to 2000 and a low lift-off distance.

The keyboard, though, has seen a major design change. It still looks pretty much like the original Devastator… what makes the difference here is under the hood. See, there really is little space left in the debate between membrane and mechanical keyboards. Mechanical wins, hands down, even if you hate the clicky noise, except in one area… membrane keyboards are generally much cheaper.

Cooler Master have attempted to bridge the gap here, using a technology they call mem-chanical. They differ from normal membrane keys in a number of ways, which largely comes down to their construction; they make

use of both membrane and mechanical elements.

So what does this mean for the end user? Well, the board feels like a mechanical board, with a better tactile response and all the clicky noises your heart desires. And while they may not match the multi-key performance of true mechanical switches, they do offer one other thing that is pretty important: they’re far more durable than the average membrane keyboard. Add to that the fact that even with the combination of technologies, the Devastator II is still at a much better price point than comparable mechanical keyboards, and you have a pocket-friendly solution to your keyboard desires.

While the Devastator II is a responsive and effective keyboard aimed at the gaming market, neither part of the combo has a lot of bells and whistles. The keyboard, for example, doesn’t feature any macro keys. The mouse, while effective, is also a little vanilla, and some may find that even though it is an effective device, it simply doesn’t offer enough sensitivity.

This lack of special features may not be ideal for some, but it hardly makes the Devastator II combo a bad bit of kit. It falls into the realms of “perfectly functional”, with a no-nonsense approach that will suit many. It’s not highly customisable or overly fancy but (perhaps most importantly) it gets the job done pretty well. g

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ComboThe master, untied…

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Mem-chanical key technologyThree LED colour options2000 dpi mouse6 button mouse

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With an upgraded keyboard, the Devastator II kit offers a mechanical feel without the cost. It gets the job done pretty well.

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Devastator Combo

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Kone XTD Optical Roc

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Rugged rodent

The once-humble computer mouse has become one of the most hotly contested areas in the modern market, thanks to the extreme importance that this category of input device has in gaming. And gaming, no matter how

strong the console market may be, is massive for the PC market.

So innovation is important when it comes to mouse devices. In fact, it is becoming crucial. And so Roccat have introduced a very simple, yet extremely innovative idea in devices like the Kone XTD Optical mouse – Easy-Shift [+].

With the press of a button on the side of the mouse, a “shift” function is enabled. That means that every button on this mouse (well, seven of the eight, really) can have two functions. It’s almost like a MMO mouse without the ridiculous grid of buttons under your thumb.

Aside from the great Easy-Shift [+] idea, the Kone XTD is a very capable mouse (although it does struggle a bit against some of the ‘big boys’). It is armed with a 6400 dpi sensor which is customisable in terms of sensitivity via downloadable software – a range of 100 to 6400 dpi. Also customisable is the Kone’s set of 4 LEDs. Additionally, up to 20 grams of weight can be varied, thanks to a simple to use system of four weights which can be added to or removed from the device.

Also handy is the 576kb of on-board memory, which serves to store various macros and settings.

The robustly built Kone XTD is a good looking mouse, with an asymmetric device (making it a non-ambidextrous mouse) that really looks the part. It is sloped downward towards the outer edge for a more comfortable hand position and features an elongated shape, lengthening towards the right side for a more comfortable, natural finger position. It is a fairly large mouse – perhaps a little bigger than Razer’s popular Mamba – but it sits under the palm very comfortably. That, combined with the adjustable weight, makes the Kone XTD pretty comfortable to use.

And it’s built to last. Rugged materials combine with components that take a lot of punishment, including switches powered by Omron and a specially designed mouse wheel that stays strong and reliable for a long time (in theory, at least).

Another great facility exists for those who apply the Roccat treatment to their entire desktop. Roccat Talk technology allows Roccat devices used with the Kone XTD optical (like the Isku FX keyboard, also reviewed in this issue) to work in close concert, allowing the user to take advantages of what Roccat jokingly term “set bonuses (like wearing a set of armour in a game, see?).

On the whole, it’s a decent mouse. It is responsive, tough and accurate, and allows for a good degree of customisation. g

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Kone XTD Optical Gaming Mouse

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With a 6400 dpi sensor and plenty of customisation options, the Roccat XTD Optical is a tough, reliable mouse.

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TECH SPECS

6400 dpi sensorCustomisable lightingEasy-Shift [+] technologyRoccat Talk technology8 buttons32 bit Pprocessor

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RoccatTVR Computerswww.tvr .co.za

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You have to be really careful about making claims, whether they are wild or not. Acer claims that the Predator 8 is the ultimate gaming tablet. But while it is a really good tablet for gaming, it’s difficult to think of it as

being ultimate.Still, the Predator 8 has a lot going for it. With a crisp,

full HD 8 inch screen, it provide players with more real-estate than your average smartphone, but remains more portable than a ten inch. Also, if you want to lump it into a handheld gaming device category, that screen is really massive (although portability is not really a win here). And so it straddles the fence between the categories of gaming device and tablet, leaning a bit more in the tablet direction.

One of the big selling points of the Predator 8 is the speaker set up. It offers four speakers, with one at

each corner of the screen. It’s an interesting approach, to say the least, and the audio delivery is superior to that of most tablets. But it is also a bit of overkill – most games that will be played on this Android device use stereo at best. Acer’s idea that the four speakers deliver a surround sound experience is more gimmick than practical, because mobile and tablet games simply don’t work that way.

On the upside, though, the awesome audio means that it is also a handy device for watching streaming media, like videos from YouTube or even movies from a service like Netflix. And with a storage capacity of either 32 or 64 GB, you can carry a few movies around with you. Extra storage is also provided via a microSD port, which supports cards of up to 128GB.

At its heart is a decent 1.6GHz quad-core processor, supported by (in tablet terms) a chunky 2GB of RAM. That means that it is a fairly quick performer, provided you keep

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the RAM clear, and performs really well with virtually any game made for the platform.

If you are one who enjoys mobile and tablet gaming, the Predator 8 is a very solid option, despite some of the things mentioned above. It is quick and responsive, and delivers great audio and visuals. It’s a little crammed with bloatware out of the box, but a clean-up session should see most of that right out of the way before long. It’s highly portable, and has a screen size that is very comfortable to game on, particularly considering that most games it will play are made for a smaller screen. It’s not unwieldy, yet manages to be large enough to enhance the gaming experience.

So, in the end, it might not be the ultimate in tablet gaming (we think that we haven’t even come close to that concept yet) but it is a very good way to enjoy games built for the Android platform. g

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HP’s good intentions at producing a more cost effective printer seem to be realised in the 5525.

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1.6GHz CPU2GB RAM8 inch multitouch screen4 speakers5mp camera32/64GB capacity

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Predator Ace

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35 inch widescreenCurved screenDisplayPortHDMIUSB 3.0 hub9W DTS audio

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It ’s big and expensive, but no other monitor provides the almost overpowering immersion of the Predator Z35.

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Acer are taking a big run at the gaming market, and we are seeing numerous devices added to

their Predator range. If you see an Acer logo with Predator branding, you know that it’s aimed at gaming; from tablets through to monitors, they all bear the name sub-brand. Like the Predator Z35 monitor.

The Z35 takes your gaming and makes it huge. It is a 35 inch wide screen curved monitor that runs at a resolution of 2560 x 1080. That’s a lot of picture space for your gaming. Initially, the Z35 can be intimidating, because there is just so much of it to view. In terms of screen height, it’s comparable to a “normal” 27 inch monitor (a little bigger, actually) but its massive width and curved screen definitely set it apart, and make for a unique experience. The curve takes a bit of getting used to, but it certainly helps the user get deeper into the game, particularly when playing things like FPS titles.

Sadly, that visual generosity doesn’t lend itself to console use. While the Z35 has poth DisplayPort and HDMI inputs, modern consoles simply don’t deliver that kind of resolution – this leaves images stretched and nasty on the Z35. It’s not the monitor’s fault, of course, but it does kind of limit its true effectiveness to PC gaming. That would probably be fine for most users, but at its high price

point, one would hope for a bit of versatility. It costs more than a bigger TV.

However, if you decide to take the plunge, you won’t be disappointed; the Z35 offers excellent visuals all around, although you’ll probably want to spend a while tweaking the settings. It brings a number of technologies to the table as well, including NVidia’s G-Sync and Eye Protect. The G-Sync is particularly good, because it cuts down on screen tears and other visual aberrations quite nicely.

In addition to great visuals, the Z35 also offers audio, with two integrated 9W speakers with DTS sound. They’re not awesome, but they’ll do in a pinch. It also offers a USB 3.0 hub, which is pretty handy if you want to keep clutter to a minimum.

With a central column for vertical positioning and a fairly wide degree of tilt, getting the Z35 in the perfect position is pretty simple. And while the curved nature of the monitor might not be great for work applications, it’s awesome for gaming.

This is by no means a cheap monitor – the Predator Z35 will hardly ever be an impulse purchase. But for a heightened, immersive gaming experience, it’s a great option. Combined with good surround sound, the Z35 can help make a gaming experience even more immersive and engrossing – just the way we like it. g

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Good sound can really give you an advantage in a game… particularly if you

can use the device providing the sound to amplify those quiet but all important sounds that might just give you a clue that will mean the difference between life and a quick, nasty respawn. It’s not really cheating, I suppose… but it certainly does give you an edge that competitors might find is an unfair advantage.

So if you’re playing online, don’t say that you’re using the Turtle Beach Earforce PX24 amplified gaming headset. That’s because your opponents might know that it has a feature called Superhuman Hearing, a little setting built into the amplifier that allows you to boost the sound of things like footsteps and reloads. Pretty handy in a crunch, but it might get a big target painted on your back.

But it’s all part of what the PX24 offers. This headset, which is compatible with everything that uses a 3.5mm jack (including the PS4 and Xbox One) has a secret weapon in the form of an in-line amplifier that does a number of useful things. Aside from governing volume, it also allows for adjustable virtual surround sound, bass boost (also adjustable), variable mic monitoring and, as said before, Superhuman Hearing technology. All of this (as well as mic mute) through an amplifier that is independently powered and sits in-line with your headset for easy access.

That, of course, means that the amplifier is rechargeable. A single charge delivers around 30 hours of performance, which is pretty impressive, and even if it is turned off or runs out of juice, audio just feeds through it, for an uninterrupted (if less enhanced) experience.

This amp makes the PX24 quite unique; normally headset amps are USB based at best, but the ability to use this headset with a 3.5mm capable device is really awesome.

As far as the headset goes… well, it’s pretty decent, if not mind-blowing. The 50mm drivers deliver good audio, and it’s fairly light and comfortable, with large over-ear cups and a postionable mic boom that is perhaps a little too clunky on the business end (in terms of size). Put everything together, though, and you have a really decent setup for all your gaming needs, with great audio clarity across the whole range.

Using the amplifier with consoles is a little less comfortable, because the short cable on the amp, leading to your controller, leaves it in your lap or dangling annoyingly in mid-air. That said, the ease of control is certainly much better than the PS4’s menu based system, or the Xbox One’s dodgy adapter controls, so you’ll learn to live with it.

Overall, this is a very versatile and good quality headset that can give you an edge no matter what you game on… great for multiplatform players. g

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Earforce PX24 Amplified Gaming Headset

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Extremely versatile and great for all kinds of gaming, the PX24 not only delivers great audio, but can even give you a bit of an in-game edge.

TECH SPECS

50mm drivers3.5mm jack compatibleIn-line amplifierBass boostSuperhuman Hearing technologyRechargeable amp

AT A GLANCE:

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Tur t le Beach

DISTRIBUTORApex Interactive

www.apexint.co.za

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2133 MT/sIncreased bandwidth1.2V power requirement8GB DIMM

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It ’s faster, it’s more nimble and it consumes less power… Crucial’s DDR4 RAM is a sensible way to go.

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So do you want RAM that is faster, consumes less power and gets more done in every situation? Of course you do! The natural

way to go, then, is DDR4 RAM, and as the technology matures, more and more is being squeezed out of it.

Crucial is a company that is pretty ‘cutting edge’ with new tech, and their 8GB DDR4 RAM offers a lot to the user. This particular RAM starts out at 2133MT/s, which is 30% faster than DDR3. Also, memory bandwidth is increased by 30%, which means that multitasking between applications is also much improved. And it does this all while consuming around half the power required by DDR3.

That’s a good bet in anyone’s book, and as games and other apps become more demanding, moving to a great brand like this for RAM requirements is something of a no-brainer. Crucial’s track record shows in this excellent memory product. g

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Sometimes great performance comes from unlikely sources. Not that I am saying that Bang & Olufsen is an unlikely place for great audio – far from it. This company didn’t get its sterling reputation by producing lacklustre

audio products. But there would probably be very few gamers who would consider their Form 2i headset as a source of personal audio. Hell, even Bang & Olufsen say that it is designed specifically for music.

But a great music headset will, as a matter of course, be a great option for gaming. Both rely on a wide range of audio for best effect, and so a headset that delivers great sound for your favourite tunes will also do so for your top games. And the Form 2i certainly does sound great.

In fact, the only thing that keeps it from being pretty much ideal for gaming is the fact that it

doesn’t have a boom mic. It has an inline mic (part of its inline control for volume, which is always a massive plus point) but that isn’t ideal for a gaming situation. That said, it wasn’t made for gaming… being able to plug it into a console controller, PC or mobile device that handles a 3.5mm jack connection and get great game audio is something of an added bonus here, rather than a theme.

The Form 2i is a good looking headset, with simple lines somewhat reminiscent of a Bauhaus (the movement, not the band) design approach. The headband is a simple strip that never varies in length, supporting the two small (but surprisingly capable) on-ear headphones at either end. The earphones are covered in foam and have a surprisingly wide range of movement, side to side as well as up and down. The headband is also extremely flexible.

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Considering that there is very little padding on the earphones and none on the headband, the Form 2i is surprisingly comfortable. This is largely due to its light weight. Additionally, it doesn’t put too much pressure on the user’s ears, which is always a good thing.

When you get down to it, the Form 2i is an extremely versatile headset – it works with virtually anything, and is uncomplicated, compact and comfortable. Sure, game audio may only be a by-product here, but those that want a headset that is going to serve multiple purposes – and who can live without calling someone deplorable names during online game sessions – will likely love this particular product. The quality of the audio is unquestionable and, in the end, that is really what matters. It’s not the perfect gaming solution, but it certainly is a great headset if good sound is what you’re after. g

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It might not be aimed at the gaming market, but this versatile headset will deliver in-game audio of great quality.

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Stereo3.5mm jackIn-line micIn-line volume control

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Bang & OlufsenBang & Olufsenwww.bang-olufsen.com

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A lot has been said about the differences between the official Xbox One

and PlayStation 4 controllers – sometimes even the choice of console comes down to the shape and comfort of its primary input device. But what happens when you compare the official Xbox One controller to the… well, official Xbox One controller. Microsoft have recently upped their controller game (a move pretty uncharacteristic to a first-party manufacturer) with the Xbox One Elite controller.

So how does the Elite improve on the user’s experience? Well, in a few ways, actually. Perhaps mots importantly, it adds four new “buttons” to the controller, in the form of bottom mounted removable paddles. When you’re using the controller, the paddles are easily accessible, with two on each side of the inside of the hand grips. They can be programmed using a free downloadable app, and can really be great for getting the edge in repetitive button tasks – kind of like macro keys on a PC keyboard. The Elite also stores two profiles, which can be switched between effortlessly, making it easier to customise your experience.

Speaking of buttons, the triggers have been enhanced with a hair-trigger function. The user can adjust whether each trigger requires a longer or shorter travel distance – careful accelerator control in a

driving game needs a long distance, for example, while quick snap shots in an FPS need a short distance. This adjustment can be made quickly and easily, and is individual for each trigger.

For more customisation, the Elite allows the player to switch out between two included D-Pad styles, as well as easily change analogue sticks. There are three options for analogue sticks, including different heights and end-cap styles. The user can pretty much set up their controller exactly the way they want, which is great.

The slightly heavier Elite is great to use – not only in terms of control customisation, but also comfort. The hand-grips are textured, and the main body is finished in a non-slip rubber. In terms of looks it’s pretty striking, too, with a black, grey and silver aesthetic that sets it apart from the ordinary Xbox One controller.

The only downside here is that while it has a 3.5mm jack for direct headset connection, it has no integrated volume controls. These need to be taken care of with the now-familiar adapter required by the standard controller. It’s not a massive problem, but it is a bit of an oversight.

On the whole, though, it really is a great step up from the standard controller, and allows the user to really trim their experience just the way they want. It’s a great new product to enjoy your Xbox One gaming with. g

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A great step forward for Xbox One controllers, the Elite allows tons of user-controlled options.

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QM1Asus

Stick PCA go-anywhere companion

We live in a wonderful age… technology is moving so wonderfully quickly that it’s almost like being in a sci-fi movie. Every day something new crops up for us to marvel at and, as long as we

don’t become jaded to the fast pace of technological advancement, we can remain awed at the scope of human ingenuity.

Who would have thought, just a few years ago, that a PC could fit in a pocket. The idea is pretty much old hat now, but even ten years ago, it was on the wrong side of crazy. These days, though, you have smartphones and tablets and, unsurprisingly, stick PCs.

The thing with mini and stick PCs is that they fill a very important niche in the market which might not blow a gamer’s hair back, but is still very important. The Asus QM1, for example, won’t play games, but it will allow you to turn any HDMI capable TV into a PC by just plugging it in. And as long as you use it for what it is intended, it’s a great proposition.

The intention of the QM1, quite simply is to enable the user to surf the web and social media, check email, play back media and similar activities. It also works wonders for a number of business functions, but we don’t need to go there. Quite simply, it’s a simple computer system that is smaller and more portable than a smartphone.

You will, however, need some added bits – a TV screen, for one thing. Also, you’re probably going to want to invest in Bluetooth input devices to properly utilise the QM1, and you’ll need Wi-Fi access to get online. But all of these don’t impact on the portability of the product all that much, and it makes for an interesting proposition for those that need a quick, easy way to access internet, email and other work on the go.

The QM1 is powered by an Intel Atom processor, supported by 2GB of RAM. It’s not a powerhouse, sure, but lower end applications won’t give it any problems. It comes preloaded with Windows 10, so surfing the ‘net or even working on cloud-based files is a breeze. It also offers 32GB of storage for the things that aren’t in the cloud, with an option for expansion via a MicroSD port. Other ports include the front-mounted HDMI output, as well as a USB 3.0 port.

The unit is also rechargeable, and consumes little power in its standard operation.

So while the QM1 doesn’t fulfil your gaming needs, there is more to life than gaming. And it fits in there quite beautifully. You won’t be running heavy applications on it, but for day to day computing on the move, it’s a great option. g

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Just add a TV and Bluetooth peripherals… the QM1 will take care of all your basic computing needs, no matter where you are.

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Intel Atom CPU2GB RAMWi-FiBluetooth32GB storageMicroSD port

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Having the right mouse and keyboard is essential in PC gaming – you need something that is comfortable, effective and, preferably, similar in design approach. This last idea comes into play if you use, for example,

Roccat’s Kone XTD mouse with the ISKU FX keyboard. Why? Because the devices work together – the Easy-Shift [+] technology used by the devices means that the shift key on the mouse is taken over by the one of the keyboard, freeing up an extra mouse key and essentially two new potential functions. But we’re not talking about the Kone XTD (it’s reviewed elsewhere in this issue). Rather, let’s take a look at its partner in crime, the Isku FX keyboard.

Roccat seem to have a great understanding of what gamers need, which is easy access to a wide number of functions. To this end the illuminated Isku FX offers

a large number of programmable macro keys; five to the left of the main keys, three arranged in the wrist-rest (easy to reach with your thumb) and a zone around the WADS keys. That makes for a massive number of programmable keys and, when combined with the aforementioned Easy-Shift [+] technology, it means that there are a hell of a lot of macros that can be stored per profile. And there are five of those… so you probably will never need to prioritise macros and leave a few out again.

The elevated keys on the Isku FX are not quite “clicky”, but they do offer a great degree of tactile response and a fairly generous travel distance. Customisable backlighting with six brightness levels means that you’ll always clearly see what you need to, although it would have been nice if colour zones could be defined.

The Isku FX is a fairly large keyboard, complete with a

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generous, granular wrist rest. But the extra desk-space it takes up is made up for with great response, reliability and a ton of versatility, thanks to all those macros. And, of course, Roccat Talk technology means that it pairs up beautifully with any Roccat mouse.

Other small features, like integrated cable management and a carefully tuned foot position all add up to making it a very decent keyboard proposition. It allows for quick profile switching and on-the-fly macro recording, too, which never hurts.

It may not have all the bells and whistles that some of the big name competitors offers, but the Isku FX is not shy on features, either. It performs best, though, when used with a stable mate, so if you’re looking for a decent keyboard and the Isku FX catches your eye, you may want to consider throwing a Roccat mouse into the mix and taking advantage of the added benefits. g

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Using the Isku FX with a Roccat mouse unlocks a powerful set, but even on its own this is a very decent gaming keyboard.

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Easy-Shift [+] technology5 profilesThree thumb keys5 macro keysCustomisable backlightingOn-the-fly macro recording

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RoccatTVR Computerswww.tvr .co.za

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While being wired might hurt the Wildcat for some users, it has a practical application. And it’s a great controller if you can get past that.

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Wildcat Xbox One / PC Controller Why is the Razer Wildcat controller for Xbox One not wireless?

Well, the main reason given by Razer is that the controller is designed for eSports, and that means that a stable connection and minimum latency are top priorities… and you need a wire for those. Besides which, keeping a wire handy also makes it easy to use with a PC (which it can be) but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t be wireless as well. And (to be all glass half full) the generous 3 metre cable means never having to change batteries…

Being wired is really the Wildcat’s biggest weakness. Some of its strengths may, however, be seen as a matter of taste when compared to its direct competitor, the Xbox Elite controller. It also, for example, offers additional controls but, instead of having four removable paddles at the base of the unit, it has two additional triggers at the base (which are removable) and two auxiliary shoulder buttons just on the inside of the triggers. Those positions (in my opinion, at least) are a bit better than Xbox’s offering, because they’re easier to find when you’re not looking at the device.

Additionally, it has a much better audio connection system, thanks to an integrated volume control button set at the base of the controller. You won’t need an audio adapter here, and the

system for adjusting audio on the Wildcat is far better than the Xbox adapter in every way. The buttons serve as a “shift” function while the D-Pad controls levels. It’s a great, intuitive way to handle volume control.

Like the Elite, the Wildcat also offers hair trigger settings. But on the Elite, these can only be set mechanically, while the Wildcat allows for either mechanical or profile based stings to be made. That means if you switch profiles, you don’t have to unlock the mechanical switches to change to or from hair trigger mode – the controller does it as part of its profile saving function. It saves two profiles, by the way, just like the Elite.

The Wildcat doesn’t come with interchangeable sticks or D-Pads, but it does come with stick caps and stick-on grips (although these are a total pain in the butt to apply). Additionally, the face buttons follow the standard Xbox colour coding, rather than the black buttons the Elite opted for, making it easier for those used to those colours.

Performance wise, it’s sublime, probably due to that permanent wire and, pound for pound, it dukes it out very well with the Elite. What it comes down to then, is a matter of price and, perhaps more importantly, whether you’ll be able to live with a wired controller. For some, that won’t be an issue – and they will likely love the Wildcat. g

We get to see a lot of headsets here at Gamecca

(we’re not complaining) but we don’t get to see ones that blow us away all that often. Sure, in past months we have seen some very impressive products from the likes of Logitech and Plantronics, and now we get to see a similarly great product from Turtle Beach – the Ear Force Stealth 420X.

The 420X is made specifically for the Xbox One. And it’s properly wireless – of course, any headset that plugs into the Xbox One controller is sort-of wireless, because it doesn’t connect to the console, but this one doesn’t need to hook up to the controller either. That means no need for a headset adapter (along with its uniformly dodgy controls). It also means a better battery life on the controller, because no juice is being sapped by a headset. And it means, most of all, great chat and game audio, without a single wire.

The unit connects to the Xbox One via a plug-and-play USB dongle (so it does cost one of the Xbox One’s three USB ports). Once it is paired (which it should be right out of the box) the headset delivers extremely good audio for up to around 15 hours on a single battery charge. Recharging is done via USB cable, right from the Xbox One.

All the controls you need are built into the shell of the right ear-cup. These are independent game and chat volume, as well as a mic mute function and a button to cycle through the 420X’s four included EQ presets. Finding the right preset makes your audio a dream, with thundering bass and crisp, clear mids and high tones. And if you want a bit more versatility, the right ear cup also houses a 3.5mm input which, with the included removable cable, can be used to connect the 420X to devices that use a 3.5mm jack (including another console that we won’t mention here…). Power is also toggled on and off on the outer side of the right ear cup, while a removable, positionable mic boom can be plugged into the left.

The 420X is sturdily built, with large over-ear cups that ate generously padded with a “vented” leatherette. The headband is also well padded, and the overall weight of the unit is fairly light for a wireless device.

The Ear Force Stealth 420X is a great option for Xbox One owners who want to keep their audio to themselves. With excellent battery life and even better audio delivery, it sits right up there with some of the best headsets we’ve seen recently. Its added versatility is a bonus, too, making it an extremely attractive personal audio device. g

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With great audio and a very good battery life, this headset will deliver everything an Xbox One gamer needs.

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WirelessEQ presets15 hour battery lifePlug-and-playIndependent volume controls3.5mm cable

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Tur t le Beach

DISTRIBUTORApex Interactive

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The Algo-rhythm of the Beast

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South Africans are still glued to social media as a larger debate around society, racism and economic privilege continues to unfold over Twitter and Facebook.

Since I last looked at these issues in previous articles, several further events have unfolded, including further campus disturbances at multiple universities, an eventful State of The Nation Address (SONA 2016) and the rebuttals from various parties. Parliament is probably the most watched television programme at the moment (sorry Game of Thrones) if you combine live TV views and social media shares.

People are so glued to their social feeds for their vital news and information that they forget that social media is a business and not a public service. However that reality was driven home recently when Twitter decided to make some changes to how their timelines worked.

Before we get into that, let’s put it into context first. Twitter is not the first to make drastic changes to their timeline. Facebook did this a few years ago, essentially to strike a balance between organic posts that people “want” to see and promoted posts and ads that brands want people to see. I think to say people were OK with it would be a lie, but Facebook did not budge and introduced it as a “beta” before they simply rolled it out to everyone.

It’s no secret that Twitter is questioning its future. Since going public in 2013, expectations were high that Twitter would be making profits for shareholders. Facebook’s highly successful listing in 2012, which created an estimated $100 billion in value for shareholders, certainly raised expectations. However, within months investors and analysts were calling the IPO a failure. While prices held up initially, with the stock price rising from $26 a share and peaking at around $50, the share price fell within 48 hours. By August 2015, the share price had fallen below their initial IPO price.

During that time, co-founder Jack Dorsey returned as CEO in June, replacing Dick Costolo. Dorsey was expected to steer the ship as an interim placement for Costolo, which he

immediately did with the company’s first ever round of layoffs. This included the ousting of senior executives like Gabriel Stricker, long-time head of communications. Dorsey made it clear that the product needed to step up to the competition, which was a clear indication that monetising their user base was not happening as successfully as Facebook or Google.

However, Twitter did not get off to a good start. One of their first noticeable changes was changing their unique “Favourite” function, to a “Like” button. While Twitter claimed that there was a 6% difference in popularity in favour of the Like button, many staunch users accused Twitter of trying to be the new Facebook and not giving them the Twitter experience that kept them on the platform. In light of stagnant growth on the platform, it seemed inconceivable that Twitter’s strategy would be to anger their consumer base by messing

with tried favourites (no pun intended). Rumours also surfaced (though not officially confirmed by Twitter) that they would be looking to scrap the 140 character limit on tweets. While this

did not raise significant alarms, it did question what changes the platform was considering to put them in more direct competition with Facebook.

Less publicly, Twitter were completely revamping their paid promotion platform to offer more specific targeting and promotion options to entice brands to their platform. Twitter boasts only about 13% of social media ad spend where Facebook claims a whopping 57%. That makes sense when you compare Facebook’s reach of 1.59 billion reach compared to less than 300 million (with little significant growth). Facebook still boats a much higher return with the cost per impression being much lower. Published stats last year show the average CPM (Cost per Thousand Impressions) at $0.59 on Facebook compared to $3.50 on Twitter. While Twitter showed a higher click through rate, Facebook showed almost double the Revenue per Visit (RPV) for targeted paid advertising.

The proverbial excrement hit the fan when Buzzfeed reported that Twitter were planning

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changes to their timeline algorithm to show tweets out of chronological order and offer a “filtered” feed. Basically the algorithm aims to promote what you “would like to see” and will decide what you see and what you don’t (or what will become harder to see) but could also allow Twitter to maintain the balance between organic content and sponsored content (ads). This prompted a tidal wave of debate over the new algorithm, ominously centred around the hashtag #RIPTwitter, with many loyal users threatening to close their profiles permanently if the change went through. Despite several tweets from Dorsey’s personal account reassuring their customers, the topic trended (on Twitter ironically) for over a week. Eventually it took a press sit down with Dorsey to reassure users that this was aimed at enhancing the experience and building on the “While You Were Away” feature that highlights posts from accounts that you prioritise. Dorsey also assured Twitter users that this would be an opt-in feature that could be switched off at any time for those who preferred the chronological timeline.

Dorsey’s quick reaction may have plugged the leaks, but there is no question that the future of the platform is speculative. Four senior executives, including the head of HR Brian Schipper, left the company at the end of January. Very little was said by the company about their reasons for leaving. The latest Q4 reports released earlier this month showed no growth in users, though revenues and advertisers had increased.

One glimmer of hope is that Twitter released a guide to using Twitter as a customer service engagement platform. The playbook, released late 2015, is a very interesting take on using Twitters features to be a responsive and agile brand. Leveraging Twitter’s ability to go viral, which is where most social media crises break, makes a lot of sense. As it is, more than 80% of customer service queries and complaints on social media happen on Twitter (according to Twitter, at least). The playbook mentions the introduction of new features for brands that will allow customers to DM them directly from a message, as well contextual insights for customers as well as deeper analysis of service issues from analytics. Sprout Social and Oracle are already implementing these new features for their users, and this seems like a great area for Twitter to focus.

Nobody wants to see companies compete with each other for the same part of our attention. What we really want is a diversified experience so we know where to get our news about what’s happening in the country, where to complain about bad service, and where to share a cute cat GIF. g

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Wheels on theBus...

If you have spoken to me over the last couple of years about the little PC

gaming that I do, you should be vaguely familiar with the fact that I absolutely love simulator games. I think there isn’t a simulator game that I haven’t played. I have run through then all – the construction ones, the farming, driving, fishing, flying, hunting and even some bizarre warehouse manager ones.

If you had to ask me why I play them, I don’t think that I would be able to give you a concrete answer. I think it has something to do with the fact that it all involves activities that I either enjoy in real life, things that I wish I could do in real life, or activities which always sounded cool but never fully understood.

Simulator games in general have been very under the radar ever since the release of the first one, which I don’t really know when it was released. I guess someone just saw a niche one day, and decided to develop a game around an activity. If memory serves, it could have possibly have been the first SimCity game in 1989, the brain child of veteran PC developer Will Wright.

The reason why I’m bringing

up simulation games, is the fact that there is a new Bus Simulator title coming out this month. Actually, by the time you read this I would have clocked plenty of miles behind the wheel, carting passengers around.

In principle the game is fairly similar to every other bus driving game, where you have to follow a certain route and pick up passengers along the way. Naturally, the graphics in this one have been updated to fit modern times and so that it doesn’t look like it was developed in an Eastern Block country’s basement. At the time of writing this, the game hasn’t been released yet, but I can’t tell you how excited I am for this. There is something incredibly soothing about sitting behind the wheel of a giant bus, knowing that you are in charge of whether people get to their destination safely or not. It might seem like an odd thing to say, given that we sit in traffic for many hours each month – but this is different. I can’t coherently explain to you why, but I just know that it works for me and I really enjoy it.

Don’t get me wrong - I have never had any ambitions to be a bus driver, but it falls into the

same category as Microsoft’s Flight Simulator. Well, maybe not entirely, but you get the point. Microsoft’s Flight Simulator is actually one of the first simulator games that I ever played, so it holds a special place in my heart. It is also the game that got me into aviation as an enthusiast, and I really wish that I could go for real-life flying lessons.

But that could also be the appeal of simulator games. They have the real power to get you interested in a hobby, activity or career path that you never thought would be a possibility.

I guess the point that I’m trying to make is that you should never knock people for playing simulator games. Yes, most of them aren’t exactly developed to award-winning standards, but they can be hugely entertaining.

Did you know that there is a giant machine that can cut a huge tree down, strip it bare, and cut the trunk into equal length cuts? No? Well, now you do – and I learnt that from Farming Simulator. It’s manufactured by Ponsse and is called a Scorpion King. And now you are just a little bit smarter. g

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1… that you can upgrade your Dual Shock 4 with Xbox One controller parts?It is probably something that Sony doesn’t ever want to talk about, but it is entirely possible to upgrade your PlayStation 4’s Dual Shock controllers by using bits and parts from an Xbox One controller. For starters, the joysticks of both controllers use the same locking mechanism, so if you dislike the PS4 ones, you can swap it out with Xbox One’s. In theory it is also possible to swap out the standard 1000mAh controller battery for one that has double the capacity. If you are curious, Eurogamer did a lengthy post on how. Needless to say – don’t try this on your own.

2… that Rock Band could soon have a virtual reality mode?os and publisher Versus There is no doubt that 2016 is definitely going to be the year where virtual reality is being thrust into the lime-light. We have seen VR sets from almost every mobile phone manufacturer, and to no surprise they all incorporate a gaming element. Well, Harmonix’s Rock Band is also going the VR route, as they company recently put out a call for systems tester. Exactly what you’ll see when playing is anybody’s guess, but it should be rather epic.

3… that there was going to be a Star Wars Episode 7 game starring Luke’s son?

With the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, all sorts of the SW things have started to come out of the woodwork. From merchandise, to sequel trailers and everything in between. But people often forget that not all things see the light of day. Case in point? A cancelled video game called Star Wars Episode 7: Shadows of the Sith. In it, players would have played the role of Luke Skywalker’s son while fighting off another evil Solo. Idea creator Haden Blackman said it was eventually canned, as other ideas pitched made more sense in the ever-growing canon.

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4… that Darkspore will be no more?

Cast your mind back to 2011 and Darkspore might not spring to mind. Well, that is exactly why the game’s online servers are being unplugged this month. Darkspore was the spiritual successor to the Will Wright-inspired Spore, which saw hatch and grow your own organisms. Well, the basic action-role-playing game has officially been shut down by the time you read this. The decline in player numbers has been a source for the shut, and also for the fact that players needed a persistent internet connection in order for the game to work.

5… that Postal is getting a remake for PC, Mac and PS4?

Mention outrageous video games, and Postal will probably be on any gamer’s list. The game created a huge buzz when it was released because of all the crude humour and gratuitous violence. Well, fans of the series is in luck, as Running with Scissors is going to remake the title for PC, Mac and PS4. “Postal Redux will maintain the elements that made the original Postal world-renowned. The grim art style, frightening ambience, the omnipresent ‘demonic voice’ and the marching band will be faithfully recreated in this modern day take,” it explained. Without sounding too excited, it’s going to be epic!

6… that HTC Vive is going to cost you R12 000?

Once again, virtual reality is going to be massive this year – mark our words. But while most smartphone manufacturers have opted to incorporate Samsung’s Gear VR into their development, HTC is going head-to-head with Oculus Rift. The two systems are fairly similar in design, but it was recently announced that HTC’s Vive will be sold in the South Africa market for a whopping R12 000. That sets it much higher in price to Oculus Rift, but the battle lines have been drawn. It is really going to be an interesting year for virtual reality.. g

Know? Star Wars, Rock band and HTC Vive...

More fun facts from the world of tech, with some holiday gaming flavour...

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When society fails, The Division steps in…Breakdown

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When society fails, The Division steps in…Breakdown

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Let’s take a little trip in the imagination for a moment… how long do you think you

would survive if one of our basic necessities is removed? Let’s say power… in a very real South African sense, let’s say that our national power provider, Eskom, fails (as it came very close to doing not so long ago). Let’s say that South Africa is, as a result, plunged into darkness while technicians feverishly try to put together a working solution.

At first it would be an inconvenience that everyone would complain bitterly about. But as the power outage continued, food in people’s houses would begin to spoil. And, because of the world we live in, people do not store much by way of food reserves. In other words, households would have no food. Within a few days, people would be getting desperate for something to eat.

Because there is no power, you cannot simply pop down to the shop to buy something – no power means no transactions, and with so many people relying on electronic banking, only those with the limited amount of cash generally kept by people these days would even stand a chance. But transacting for supermarkets would technically not be possible, because power is required there, too. Even if they did trade, only non-perishable foods would be safe. Fresh goods would quickly deteriorate without proper refrigeration.

Let’s say, then, that the government stepped in and began supplying food to citizens by way of programs. Even if the situation could be tightly controlled, your food allotment would put you in danger. While Johannesburg (for example) is a very security conscious city,

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much of those security systems rely on power. Theft, break-ins and assaults, just for food, would rise dramatically. Spurred by hunger and panic, even non-criminally-minded people would begin safeguarding their own survival by taking from others.

Let’s take a step back, though, and say that the food distribution system worked well. How long could it be sustainable? After all, the majority of fuel is pumped through means that require the now-absent power, and fuel would be needed to transport food to the distribution centres. Although methods of refuelling that use mechanical means are available, they would slow the process down.

The water that flows out of your taps would stop running, too. Most pumping stations are run electrically. Even if your water comes directly from an elevated water tower, getting the water nto the tower in the first place would require power.

Additionally, communication would collapse very quickly, with all kinds of systems going out of commission as soon as the power shut down. Communication between officials in charge of food distribution and other emergency measures would be extremely difficult. Before long, society would devolve into a state of anarchy, with law enforcement and military personnel stretched too thin to be truly effective – and they would be in the same boat as well, also fending for their own survival. Chaos is the only outcome. And it wouldn’t take months, or even weeks – this situation would take place in a matter of days.

So what would you do? How would you survive, and ensure the safety of yourself and

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your loved ones? Who would safeguard society? The situation mentioned above is the result of only one systemic failure… and one that was a very real possibility less than a year ago.

Here’s an extremely harsh truth that we need to face – the society we live in is a fragile ecosystem that needs constant tending to work. It is comprised of numerous systems that are inter- and co-dependant. If just one of those systems fails, everything is put under strain, if not stopped entirely.

It is that breakdown, that failure of society, that forms the core of Tom Clancy’s The Division, a new action title from Ubisoft set to drop in a matter of days.

The back story of the game is simple, and not extremely far-fetched: a lethal virus is released in New York City on Black Friday, plunging the city into chaos. Over a period of three weeks, basic services fail and the city’s once intricate, delicately balanced society has fallen into chaos. The US President invokes Presidential Directive 51, an act which activates a group of self-supporting tactical agents within the city. This group, known as The Division, has the responsibility to return order to the streets of the Big Apple.

It’s a great setting, and a fantastic idea to form the basis of a massive, perpetual online world. The Division puts players in the role of a Division agent, and allows them to take to the streets of this virtual New York in an effort to make a difference.

The Division will play out like a combination of RPG and cover-based shooter, with some MMO elements. Players will be able to join each other’s sessions and engage in co-op play, as

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well as player-to-player trading and more. Additionally, the city will be littered with dangerous Dark Zones, areas in which PvP combat is the order of the day. Here, shooting another Division agent means that you go rogue, but the gear and rewards to be gained in these dangerous zones are much better than elsewhere.

Players will also have the opportunity to customise their characters in terms of appearance, gear and skills, with a looting and crafting system that will enable them to create new and useful items , and improve other, with the items they find and loot in the game world.

It’s a new take on the Clancy series of games, because it introduces elements that we’ve never seen before in a Clancy game. But, in keeping with the late author’s name, it remains realistic in all aspects. A lot of research into the nature of societal collapse went into the creation of this title, and those playing it may well find it a little disturbing, in addition to being great fun.

And there are many people ready to take to The Division’s virtual streets. An Open Beta held in February saw 6.4 million players participate, which are record breaking numbers for current consoles. Not only did this allow a stress test of the servers, but also provided the developers with great feedback in making the best game they can.

Whether society ever will collapse, due to systemic breakdowns, viruses or other catastrophes, remains to be seen. But one thing we’re pretty certain of… Tom Clancy’s The Division has the potential to be a thrilling, immersive investigation of what could happen if it ever does. g

The first Homefront game wasn’t as well received as developer Kaos Studios had hoped, and plenty gamers begrudgingly completed the title,

if they bought it, on the first day. There was probably a reason for that, tied to the fact that the studio made one game before pushing out an FPS.

The game wasn’t bad per se, it just had a number of elements that didn’t make sense and the controls coupled with the graphics were clunky at the best of times. It also had a very short single-player campaign, but on the flip side it was praised of its alternative approach to multiplayer.

Whatever your thoughts might be about Homefront, there is probably a good reason why Kaos Studios wasn’t

asked to develop the sequel – most importantly, the studio was forced to close its doors by THQ in 2011. Whether fairly or not, Homefront’s less than expected reception was blamed for a 26% drop in THQ’s stock price.

Which is why there is so much riding on Dambuster Studios and their interpretation of the sequel, called Homefront: The Revolution. It is actually a massive gamble to go with Dambuster Studios, and you will be forgiven if you have never heard of them before. This is after all, their very first title. Its predecessor, Free Radical Design, was a subsidiary of Crytek however.

So with that, the success of the open world first-person shooter falls on the shoulders publisher Deep Silver, which has a massive task ahead of it.

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Taking another leaf from other games, players will have to scavenge parts from buildings and stashes to create and modify weapons and equipment – like the new Tomb Raider.

The FPS will also have multiplayer again, but it will be slightly different this time around. Instead of have players compete competitively, it will have a four-player cooperative multiplayer mode. Known as the “Resistance” mode, players can team up with friends to take of the GKR in a mode that has its own characters, progression, classes and perks.

Homefront: Resistance wants to shake things up a bit and standout from its original, but whether all the changes will be enough is yet to be seen. If you enough the first one, you will more than likely enjoy the sequel. g

In any event, Homefront: The Revolution is set in 2029, taking place roughly around two years after the first game’s plot. If players can remember back to the original plot, the Greater Korean Republic (GKR) has invaded the United States, and the sequel in four years into the invasion.

In short, the GKR has lost the western states, but have set up shop on the US east coast, with Philadelphia being their base. Players will take on the role of Ethan, a young resistance member and part of a group of militia that want to liberate the City of Brotherly Love from the GKR.

Moving away from the original game, the sequel will have an open-world type setting with different regions to explore. Think Assassin’s Creed minus all the climbing and with lots more guns. Well, in theory at least.

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Hoping to revamp the franchise, the battle is being fought even harder.

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It is time to take the fight to the capital

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Umbrella CorpsZombie Flavoured COD?

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Resident Evil has undergone something of a

metamorphosis since its fourth instalment. As one of the principal founders of survival horror, to the dismay of many the series has progressively shifted towards becoming just another zombie themed third-person shooter, despite producer Masachika Kawata’s assurances that Capcom were looking to return the franchise to its roots. While some effort has been made with Resident Evil: Revelations 2 and the somewhat recently announced Resident Evil 2 remake, it appears that the publisher has not yet abandoned its action ambitions, and even seem to be taking it up a notch with the upcoming Umbrella Corps.

Almost completely eschewing single-player, Capcom’s Osaka studio is set on creating a multiplayer focused shooter that will compete directly with current eSport offerings. Set in 2015, the game’s premise will see corporations fighting over the scraps of the now defunct Umbrella Corporation, waging proxy wars through mercenaries. While there will be a single-player mode offering called The Experiment, fans of past titles in the series should be aware that this appears to be little more than an objective-based horde mode with light story elements.

The bulk of Umbrella Corp’s content then will lie in its online competitive multiplayer, which will see 3v3 battles in what looks to be relatively small and cramped maps. There will be the standard suite of features seen in the genre, with players able to select one of three classes which will alter your weapon load-out, along with an assorted

range of pistols, grenades, rifles and shotguns. While only a few maps have been revealed thus far, all four locations have drawn from past entries in the franchise and at least look to be diverse in both layout and atmosphere.

So far so standard, though Umbrella Corps isn’t without its tricks, with Capcom vigorously promoting their “ground-breaking” analogue cover system. Highlighting areas that can be ducked behind, the mechanic will allow players to adjust the amount they can peek around corners, with the more timid sacrificing accuracy for defence. The gameplay trailers have also highlighted the implementation of a melee weapon called the “brainer”-essentially a pickaxe which, along with “terrain spike” boots, can be used to climb walls or rock faces, as well as serve as a handy tool for impromptu lobotomies. Of course, being a Resident Evil title in name at least, all of Umbrella Corps will feature shambling zombies, which will initially be oblivious to players due to a zombie jammer each will be equipped with. Should the jammer be damaged however players can be expect to be fending off both undead as well as opposing mercenaries.

Considering Capcom’s last foray into the shooter genre resulted in the heavily maligned Operation Racoon City, the pressure will be on the publisher to produce something approaching praiseworthy. It’ll be a tough challenge at the very least to differentiate Umbrella Corps from its more established competition, though with three months remaining before release there’s plenty of time left for polish. g

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space games have always been around in the gaming community,

but the genre definitely had its golden age during the late ‘90s. Thankfully, with the help of game like Elite Dangerous, the genre is making a bit of a comeback.

Polaris Sector, developed by SoftWarWare, isn’t trying to take on Elite Dangerous, but it is attempting to further the space genre of games through a 4X simulation title.

It is the gamer’s job to rebuild a space colony after many years of turmoil, but naturally it isn’t going to be as easy as it sounds.

Randomly generating a galaxy able to host up to 900 stars, other factions in the galaxy might not take too kindly to new neighbours, and could attack at any stage – or they might just want to live in peace.

Taking a god-like view over the galaxy, it will be players’ decisions that shape the landscape of the world they live in, taking on tasks and completing challenges to progress further into the space age. But gamers have to be carefully of the rate at which they expand.

“You look weak? Pirates and scavengers will plunder your planets. You show military strength to discourage potential enemies? Your rivals will combine their forces to eliminate the threat,” explains SoftWarWare.

Polaris Sector should turn out to be a great game for those that want to build their own destiny in a galaxy that they have created, as the game allows for a huge amount of customization – from external threats, pirates and even the number of races.

You even have full control over ship design, research systems and diplomacy with other races. If management is your thing and space is your poison, Polaris Sector is for you. g

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Polaris SectorSetting up shop isn’t going to be easy

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Rogue Stormers Run ‘n’ gun rogue mayhem

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A multilayer platformer designed to set player adrenalin rushing through the bodies as they explore procedurally generated levels with all guns blazing.

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I remember writing up about an upcoming title from Black Forest Games; a steam-punk, Rogue-like

title called Dieselstormers. set for a Q2/Q3 2014 release. There was quite a bit of a buzz around it as this title had been initiated as a Kickstarter project back in 2013, was scrapped, re-hashed and successfully funded in 2014 and on July 17 2014, was released on Steam Early Access. Pending a lawsuit with Diesel S.p.A, Black Forest Games was forced to drop the name Dieselstormers and thus Rouge Stormers was born.

As a side-scrolling Rogue-like RPG

shooter, Rogue Stormers takes the elements from each of those genres, fuses them with steam-punk thematic setting and characters for a high paced action packed adventure.

The main pull of Rogue Stormers is its procedurally generated levels that players will have pleasure of exploring; this will mean that players can enjoy the various games without the fear of feeling that each level is repetitive. The rogue-like elements are to surely add an interesting competitive edge to the game, even though dying will allow you to keep perks, allowing for growing stronger with each raid.

Players will take up one of the stormers and traverse the expansive city of Ravensdale, fending off the hordes of goblins and orcs. Five additional classes will be unlockable while players progress, allowing for varied gameplay due to each class having its own unique set of skills and base weapons. Each successful mission campaign will grant players crafting materials and gun parts for upgrades.

Rogue Stormers will allow up to four players to co-operatively navigate levels in both offline and on-line multiplayer, making it an ideal party game. g

I will not pretend with you. I don’t have nerves of steel when it comes to horror. Yes

I went through a “no-sleeping-with-the-lights-off-because-the-killer-toothfairy-will-kill-us-all” phase. So when I was truly surprised when I found myself looking forward to Syndrome.

Let’s get to it. You are aboard a space ship. You took a power nap (not actually but you were asleep) and suddenly awake to find most of the crew dead (and no they didn’t go on peacefully in their sleep). Good news however, there are survivors. Bad news, this is a survival horror game so the good news are also the bad news. Those that are still alive are no longer what they used to be…they’re basically monsters now. You need to figure out what the hell happened and also try stay alive and as normal-looking as possible.

When it comes to fighting and resources, Camel101 haven’t kept us in the dark. You will have limited ammo and resources on the ship. You will have to use what you have wisely or die quickly. Just lovely isn’t it. So what happens when you have enemies but no ammo? Figure it out. You will have to play this one smart by taking the time to learn more about your enemies so you can defeat or avoid them when possible.

Yes, you will get a slight sense of claustrophobia. But that’s what you want from a game like this.

I am drawn to the challenge this game poses on the player.

Visually it definitely wants you to constantly be aware that you are confined to a brutal and unknown environment where you will fight for your survival. It looks appealing to me. g

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Syndrome Don’t sleep for too long

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I might be playing this one in broad daylight.

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There is something special about horror games over the last couple of decades. It is refreshing to see how the systems have

changed, and how developers are trying to tap into the human brain instead of just trying to shock with visceral monsters and jump scares.

If Through The Woods’ name doesn’t already send a chill up gamers’ spines, the third-person psychological horror game will put players in one of the most isolated places a human can find themselves – deep in the bowls of a forest on the western shore of Norway.

Just to throw things into the mix, the plot revolves around one of the biggest tragedies a mother could find themselves in – in search of her missing son.

“Through dynamic narration, you play the mother’s re-telling of the events surrounding her son’s disappearance in a setting heavily influenced by Norse mythology and Norwegian folk tales,” explains developer Antagonist.

As mentioned, the game draws heavily on Norse mythology, and the Norwegian studio is attempting to capture the forest as they saw it as children, with all the frightening and mysterious feelings of roaming the woods alone.

As the player, expect a lot of dark pathways, mysterious sounds and being alone for long periods of time. Why anyone would wander into the depths of the Norwegian forest is beyond us, but it sure does make for an interesting plot.

If trying to survive in the wilderness and third-person psychological horror games are your thing, definitely keep an eye out for Through The Woods. While you are at it, remember the name Antagonist, as we should see a lot of great things from them in the future – even if their latest title gives a bit of the creeps. g

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Through The WoodsBattling sorrow, the forest is the last place you should be

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The forest and a huge tragedy. What more do you need from a horror game?

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Dawn of AndromedaCrush anyone disturbing your view of the stars

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With stunning visuals, lots to offer and even more to explore this is one to make an impression.

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Over the past few months we have seen a few real-time strategy games

that are of galactic proportions. The guys over at Grey Wolf Entertainment have teamed up with Iceberg Interactive to create Dawn of Andromeda. First and foremost I must admire the beautiful graphics and visuals that have gone into this game. The universe looks amazing and I find this to be a great backdrop to a story where planets and civilizations are anything but calm.

This is where you come in. You

take up control of a civilization and make it great. And not just great, but best. Ruler of all to be frank. You will have to use all at your disposal- crew, weapons, ship-design and even other factions that you can choose to work with.

And because you are not battling it out on mother Earth, you have all the wonderful unknown variables of space to deal with. Be it other power-hungry crews, space pirates, general enemies…oh yeah and black holes. The fact that there is so much unknown and only so much you can prepare for as you go along makes

for a more worthwhile game I feel. Asymmetric gameplay. Each race

may be at completely different stages of space-travel. So while you may be just beginning your exploration journey, another race may have not even begun or another is already really good at it. This gameplay seems like a cooler option that makes you want to be better just in case someone already is. You can opt for a symmetrical gameplay.

The developer’s goal is to let the player be in control of the big decisions and get into the game as an experience. g

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A small studio based in Seattle, Washington, is home to several students from DigiPen Institute of

Technology, who have believed in a dream that formed the independent game studio known as Ludo Land. Founded in 2013 by Logan Fieth, their first title is his student project that known as Fourth Wall, which was brought forward on Kickstarter back in 2014. Successfully funded and later on showcased at PAX, at the indie Megabooth at EGX, what started out as a school project later became what we will see now as Four Sides Fantasy.

The premise of the game is actually quite brilliant, based on the idea of Screen Wrap. Basically, players will be able to leave any side of the screen and “wrap around” to the other side, very much like classic arcade games such as Pac-Man. The only difference is that the ability to “wrap around” is a given to the player as a button they can toggle on/off.

Through this “wrap around” game mechanic, players are tasked to manoeuvre levels that increase in difficulty, forcing players to think outside the box in order to progress. Later on, the ability to enhance abilities will be given to players, allowing them to tilt the screen as a way to move across levels. The game is all about testing the limits of the screen.

The title is already available for pre-order and is set to be released in this first quarter of the year, following almost two years of dedicated development and hard work. A fascinating concept for a fascinating game that will be combining the classic side-scrolling adventure title, with unique screen-orientated gameplay. g

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Four Sided FantasyBreaking Through the Fourth Wall

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Side-scrolling platformer with "wrap around” mechanics, allowing players to move between either side of the screen as they explore levels.

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Picture musical chairs. One chair left. Four players. At first it was

fun and casual but now, now this is war! Welcome to Grand Kingdom.

A once powerful and very successful kingdom existed until it fell. Now the kingdom is pretty much up for grabs to a nation strong, fast and smart enough to get it. You are a leader of a group of mercenaries who do what mercenaries do – whatever pays well and feels right. Your job is to complete contracts for those battling it out to be in charge.

You will have to make decisions that will not only impact you, but ultimately the future of Resonail. I appreciate the different pathway the developers took with creating Grand Kingdom. Yeah it would have been rad to be a leader of one of the Four Nations, but being a mercenary is cooler. You not only gain access to the stories around you, but the world of the foes. You can choose to have no care at all for the future or play and allow the game to slowly open your mind to things that may affect your decisions.

With all these nations who want power but don’t want to get their hands dirty, this just means more awesome fights for you to experience. Many strategies that you must employ to ultimately get that paper.

Am I being greedy in wishing that a game like this would have been more open world especially because it would be on PS4? Yes. But is it reasonable greed? I think it is. I am hoping that my greed can be satisfied with a great developing storyline. We will just wait and see. g

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Grand Kingdom Get your hands dirty

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Making paper should be fun especially when the fate of the world can be influenced by you...

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Odin Sphere: LeifthrasirThe story unfolds… one tale at a time

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The fantastical land of adventure and mythological creatures awaits the young blonde haired

child named Alice, a world deep within the pages of Valkyrie, a mysterious collection of stories where each volume brings to life a new warrior. Five kingdoms hang on the balance as Armageddon is unleashed upon the worlds, and each story unfolds, intertwines, sputters and flows into the phantasmagoria that is the vast land of Erion.

ATLAS and Vanillaware are looking to revamp this 2007 PlayStation 2 title Odin Sphere, as a High-Definition remake titled, Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir. It will be

a PlayStation exclusive title, appearing across all the Sony gaming consoles including the PS Vita.

The story is told from the viewpoint of five different protagonists who come from a line of royalty, each of them representing the five warring nations of the land of Erion. Armed with powerful weapons, the chosen warriors find their nations in dire dispute with one another, while a malevolent force pulls strings from the shadows… anticipating Armageddon.

Each character is set to have their own powerful weapon known as a Psypher, made from the crystals of

the Netherworld and strengthened through absorbing Phozons from defeated enemies and other sources. As the weapon draws in more Phozons, it becomes stronger and players will be able to utilize new magic from the powered weapon.

Various other aspects of the game include the use of Alchemy to create new items, planting seeds in order to harvest food items and ingredients, as well as cooking these in order to gain Hit Point (HP) Experience.

The 2D side-scrolling action of Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir is already available for Pre-Order. g

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Alice reads the tale of five warriors, intertwined by fate to quell the conflict raging across the fantastical realm of Ringford. Can Armageddon be prevented?

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Zenith. A rather interesting game to describe to you but I’ll try and hope that I do justice to this uber cool title.

So a couple of students got together to create an arcade-style game that aims to be as fun as it is visually cool. Speed and timing are the aim of the game (and checking your twitter and emails).

You’re a unique character that can glide, jump and slide across a truly colourful world. Envision Sonic taller, and on roller-blades.

The game has many levels that you can get through and each one pushes your skill in timing and speed more and more. Now although you don’t die in Zenith, should you lose your bearings or get lost in the fast lane, you can drop down a level (you will have to go through that level again in order to progress unfortunately). This isn’t a train smash because games, like life, have consequences and this is a good thing.

Here’s an odd but sweet thing about the game which is a reminder of sorts that you are in the 21st century…you can check twitter and your emails. Now this may seem pointless but I find it rather poetic. Here’s a game that requires as much focus and determination as possible but now that you’re aware of your neglected twitter account and emails can you really resist the urge to keep up to speed with the social world around you? This to me, is a mental training game.

There is no storyline to this game. Not a downside to this game though. This is one to be purely enjoyed for the experience and thrill.

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A really cool game that’s simple, fun and relevant.

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Will Drake finally get some rest?

The Final Outing

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The Final Outing

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Like any console, the PlayStation has lived on the success of

its offerings. Ignoring the arguments against exclusives, it can easily be said that right from the days of the Atari 2600 through to the glitz and glamour of modern powerhouses this has remained a universal truth. It’s one of the major reasons there are so few notable independent studios left, and when a company like Sony finds a developer that can consistently turn out great content, given the chance they will snap them up faster than a COD release schedule. Naughty Dog, throughout its long association with the corporate giant, have proven to be more than worth their weight in gold, and these days are one of the most eminent studios in Sony’s admittedly illustrious stable. While younger gamers may not have even heard of Crash Bandicoot and Jak and Daxter, these were franchises that sold consoles whenever a new PS generation came out, and the Uncharted series likewise did the same for the third iteration. With the fourth instalment tantalisingly close to release now, there’s more than a couple of gamers itching to dive into the spectacularly staged and adventurous world of Nathan Drake once more.

A few might not realise however that Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End represents something of a first for Naughty Dog, marking the first time that the developer has created an original entry in an existing franchise for more than one console. In fact, prior to the release of the magnificent The Last of Us, the studio had a reputation of one series per console generation, with Crash Bandicoot having graced the first PlayStation while Jak and Daxter found its home on the PS2. It wasn’t totally unexpected then when Naughty Dog announced it was developing a new IP for then nascent PS3, though few could guess at the time just how different Uncharted would be.

Naughty Dog had become known for creating energetic and innovative platformers using highly imaginative and stylised characters, and while in a broad sense Uncharted continued this trend, it was a very different kettle of fish to anything the studio had done before. Having avoided creating games with human protagonists due to the hardware restrictions of previous consoles, the developers threw themselves into crafting something that would be both memorable and realistic, and few can claim that they failed. When Uncharted:

Drake’s Fortune hit the stores in November 2007, critics and gamers alike found themselves awed at not only the incredible set-pieces, gorgeous visuals and cinematic gaming, but the realism and charm with which actors Nolan North and Emily Rose portrayed Nathan Drake and Elena Fisher. While the game obviously took a healthy dose of inspiration from Indiana Jones, National Treasure and Tomb Raider (in fact at one point it was even dubbed “Dude Raider”), Naughty Dog’s emphasis on creating what they termed an “everyman” hero reaped dividends. The game wasn’t without flaws, especially when it came to repetitive gun fights and vehicle sections, though these were easily overshadowed by Uncharted’s strengths.

It was Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, along with Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, however that made apparent just how much potential the franchise had. While in truth both games did little to change the formula laid down by the original, they were instead masterclasses in refinement. Beyond a few niggles, most noticeably Drake’s over-fondness for chest-high walls, it was once again the interactions and exchanges between the cast that stole the show, while attention to small details, such as using Drake’s journal

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to figure out ancient puzzles, created a captivating world which players could throw themselves into. Both titles also featured frankly amazing graphics for the time, displayed to stunning effect in some of the more elaborate set-pieces, and along with solidly written plots the series as whole has truly managed to capture a spirit of adventure.

This has, of course, left expectations for Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End staggeringly high. However, despite numerous delays due to the departures of series writer Amy Hennig and director Justin Richmond, the game is certainly looking on track to deliver. Set several years after the events of Uncharted 3, in what will probably be Nathan Drake’s last outing according to co-director Neil Druckmann (who was also one the directors behind The Last Of Us), A Thief’s End will see retired treasure hunter Drake once again dragged into a world-spanning adventure in search of the fabled lost pirate city Libertalia when his long-lost brother Sam turns up. Uncharted 4 has already courted controversy though, which should hit particularly close to home, due to the casting of Lauren Bailey, a white American with a

considerable resume, as the primary antagonist Nadine Ross, a black South African who leads an army of mercenaries who all speak “wif a real Souf African accent”.

Stereotypes aside, there is much to look forward to in Uncharted 4. To begin with, if the gameplay trailers hold true, the game’s visual fidelity should be staggering, with even small effects such as the reflection of light off water-slicked cave walls being arresting to watch. Naughty Dog have always pushed the boundaries of the hardware they’re working with, and there’s little reason to doubt this won’t be the case again. Likewise combat, while still looking relatively unaltered, appears to be far more flowing than before, with easy transitions from cover to shooting through to melee attacks, and players can expect a significant helping hand from the A.I. when partnered.

What remains the most impressive feature though is the sheer naturalness of the characters’ actions. Past experiences may have taught us to be wary of the hype machine, which gameplay trailers definitely form a part of, but if what the developers have shown is a true representation Uncharted 4 could

be one of the most realistic games to date. While you can expect the usual quips from Drake and back-and-forth banter between the cast, just watching the characters navigate a crowded street, all the while apologising to random NPC’s or commenting on the scenery, can leave you dumb-struck. There are times when what you would imagine are scripted lines seem so off-the-cuff that it’s difficult to believe that someone could actually programme it into a game. It bodes massively well for Uncharted 4, and if pulled off the level of immersion could be peerless in comparison to anything seen today.

At its core the Uncharted series has always striven to create a living, breathing world, and it’s this that has set the franchise apart from what would otherwise be fairly generic gameplay. Naughty Dog’s commitment to authenticity has never wavered, and from the get-go their attention to detail has been incredible. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End may be the last time we seen Nathan Drake, Victor Sullivan and Elena Fisher grace our screen, but you can bet that the developers are planning to give them one hell of a send-off, and there’s little to indicate that they won’t follow through. g

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We Promote Free Information... and time travel!

We Promote Free Information... and time travel!

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XCOM 2The capricious whims of chance…

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XCOM 2The capricious whims of chance…

When someone tells me that they love strategy games, but not turn-based strategy games, I feel kind of sorry for

them. Because that means that the have probably never played any of the XCOM games. And while this franchise went through a bit of a wobble a while back, since 2K picked up the reigns and introduced us the XCOM: Enemy Unknown (and the expanded XCOM: Enemy Within) they are, in my opinion, among the finest strategy games ever created. Not just among turn-based strategy games… among all strategy games.Enemy Unknown saw us fight against a mysterious invading enemy from the stars, and while it might have ended well, the hint that XCOM 2 drops is that well, no, not really… humanity was lost. OK, not lost, but Earth was occupied not long after the conclusion of

that game, and the aliens are not just among us – they’re running things.So this time around, instead of being in control of a government sanctioned anti-alien-invader task force, funded and staffed by governments around the globe, you’re the freedom fighter, the guerrilla warrior striking out of the shadows. But even though things have changed for the human race in XCOM 2, they’re fairly similar for the player.I say fairly, because there are some changes here. But at the core, the squad based tactics – taking between four and six operatives out against superior alien numbers – are still there. And the high death rate is there too, particularly while you’re still researching new technologies. And that’s part of the joy of XCOM 2. Not the deaths, per se, but the advancement. See, you’re

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research may lead to one kind of ammunition, while in the next you may end up with bullets of a totally different kind. Sure, there are standard things, and cracking a good order of research and building is key to keeping the operatives on the ground alive and kicking. But research, global events and even combat are all victim to XCOM 2’s smart, robust randomisation. The same key story mission will take place on a different, procedurally generated map each time you experience it – even if you restart it after a disastrous attempt. It keeps the game fresh, and keeps the player on their toes.Additionally, your soldiers will be pretty randomised, too, in terms of appearance and attitude, but the player has a full set of customisation tools to trim them to exactly where you want them to be – probably to make it smart more if they get killed in combat. And that’s something

not just handed the strategic reigns, but you also control everything that happens aboard the Avenger, the giant alien ship re-appropriated by XCOM to serve as a mobile base of operations. You decide what gets researched, what gets manufactured, who gets trained up, which facilities must be built, where staff need to be allocated and everything else. So not only do you need to don your strategy cap while on the battlefield, but you need to keep your management hat nearby for downtime between missions.Most of your time between missions will be spent scouring the globe for resources and intel as you fervently race to put an end to a nefarious, mysterious enemy plot. And here is where one of the beauties of XCOM 2 crops up – it’s random nature. There are very few things that are predetermined in the game. In one play through your

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that happens a lot in XCOM 2. Because the game uses numerous random factors, even an 80% sure kill shot still has a 20% chance of failure. And should it fail, the player will need to think on their feet to recover from a strategy that might just have gone horribly wrong.So while it might seem like a slow paced and pedantic game – which, in all fairness, it can be – XCOM 2 will also keep you on your feet, demanding that you very quickly rethink your approach when things go wrong. It’s like playing chess against an unpredictable Grand master… when things get switched up, you either adapt or die. It’s one of the true beauties of this game.You’re not a total victim to the capricious whims of chance, though. As you progress through the game, you will undoubtedly keep some of your troops alive, and they will develop into stronger versions of their

specialist class. There are Specialists, who use a robot assistant for field medic or hacking purposes. Rangers are the sneaky, up-close fighters and scouts. Sharpshooters employ sniper rifles and extended visual ranges to provide deadly cover fire. Grenadiers bring the big guns and booms to the mix. And later on Psi Operatives unleash the power of the mind. Similarly, weapon classes will also get upgraded as alien technology is captured, researched and employed in the fight.The right mix of squad members and equipment is vital. And so is smart opening play. Almost every mission starts with the squad in concealment, and careful use of this idea means that players can start confrontations off with devastating ambushes, if they play their cards right. But the random nature of things means that no strategy is a sure thing in XCOM 2, and your favourite operative might

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And with its great randomised nature, as well as a strong community creating mods for the game via Steam Workshop, the replayability of XCOM 2 is really massive. The strategies are sound and sensible, and the challenge is almost always huge.So if you are a fan of strategy games, you really should be playing XCOM 2. Even if you don’t care for turn-based titles, this game does things right in so many ways that you may well forget you are playing a turn-based title entirely. Because as slow as XCOM 2 can be, it still possesses a sense of urgency and excitement that pervades virtually every aspect of the game. Even if it doesn’t seem like it, the race against the clock here is very real, and you have to be ready for any eventuality or catastrophe. And that makes XCOM 2 a strategy game that stands head and shoulder above the crowd. g

just come home in a body bag. Still, as you progress towards the thrilling finale, strategies and ideas become more cemented. I found, for example, that two Rangers, two Specialists, one Sharpshooter and one Grenadier made for a great team in most missions, although heavy assaults would see me switch out a Ranger with a Grenadier. No sure wins, but certainly approached that worked for me. Of course, that was if they were all able to fight – injured soldiers are out of commission for a while. So staff and resource management stay prime throughout the experience.The game will also throw random events at you, like having to defend the Avenger from a steady stream of alien attackers, with timed reinforcements potentially making your squad (and the battle) massive.It’s exciting, even if it does follow a more sedate pace.

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GENRE Turn-based strategy

It might be sedate in pace, but there is still an excitement and urgency that pervades this very fine strategy title.

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Far Cry: PrimalStone Age conquest

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Far Cry: PrimalStone Age conquest

When Ubisoft first revealed that the next instalment of Far Cry would be set in the Stone Age I was, quite honestly, dismayed.

How, I wondered (often quite loudly and to anyone who would listen) was I supposed to relate to that? Sure, swords and shields and Medieval settings I can do, because there is still a strong semblance of the world we know in those older times. But 12 000 years ago? How could the developers possibly create a connection between today’s gamer and a character significantly more primitive?Well, they did, and with quite a lot of skill. Perhaps the first person mode has to do with it, or that fact that the setting is so convincingly constructed that you cannot help but get lost in it. Whatever the case may be, from the very first moments of Far Cry Primal, the game has

the ability to suck you in and get you deeply invested in the trials and tribulations of the protagonist, Takkar… just like any other Far Cry game. But to describe Primal as another Far Cry game is both a little inaccurate and a disservice to the experience that this title offers. It keeps the feel of Far Cry intact, elevates some ideas, and falls a little flat on others.Let’s go back to the beginning. The player, in this title, takes control of Takkar, a member of a scattered tribe called the Wenja. He quite accidentally stumbles on the land of Oros (pronounced “ooroos”), the legendary home of the Wenja before they were scattered by their enemies, the Udam and the Izila. But there are still Wenja living in Oros, and it is up to the player to gather them up, re-establish the tribe and strive for dominance in this vast and savage virtual playground by gathering up normal

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Add into this the three tribes. The Udam appear heavier set and more primitive, while the Izila are more slender and lithe. The Wenja seem to fill a gap somewhere between those two. And each tribe has their own language, with the entire game being presented in tongues and dialects reimagined to reflect the primitive times. You’ll be reading a lot of subtitles, but before long you may even pick up a few words along the way.This is further supported by primitive mythologies and beliefs – the Udam worship the Earth, the Izila the sun, and the Wenja something akin to ancestral spirits. Each tribe is carefully constructed, with different methods and motivations. It makes for a fascinating world.You might find yourself wondering why, then, is the plot almost non-existent? Sure, there are plot devices and elements that drive the player forward, but they are

tribesmen and specialists that will teach valuable new skills.To help this along, the developers very carefully constructed every aspect of the setting. The world itself is beautiful and engaging, from the frosty northern areas through to the lush southern reaches. It feels alive with fauna and flora… and promise. It is a wild, untamed setting where man has yet to become the apex predator, and its dangers come in the form of not only enemy tribesmen, but savage beasts too. Sights and sounds combine, relying on a development of familiarity that will soon have you identifying the chatter of a badger (yes, they’re back) or the growl of a wolf, the snarl of a jaguar or the throaty rumble of a mammoth, all by sound alone. It is consistently delivered, which helps create a strong sense of immersion.

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pretty weak at best. It seems that the developers wanted us to worry more about the building up of the Wenja than the following of a story line. You will do battle with the Udam and Izila at key points, but these “major” clashes feel almost like secondary plot devices.Also missing are the crazy, powerfully written enemies. There is no Pagan Min or Vaas here, so don’t go looking for them.In my opinion, though, it works… this is not a game about plot, but rather about the Wenja as a whole, and the player’s contribution towards becoming a great leader. And while that does entail vanquishing powerful foes, it also includes activities like escorting tribesmen, hunting animals for resources and building up your village. It’s almost, in a weird way, a first-person primitive life simulator.

That’s not to say that Primal isn’t crammed with action. It is packed to the brim with violence. Whether you’re hunting a sabre-tooth tiger or taking out an Udam outpost, there is plenty of conflict to enjoy here. And while many people were sceptical about “Far Cry without guns”, Ubisoft have provided us with a system that is slick and fast paced for dispatching enemies. It takes skill and can get pretty demanding, but Primal’s combat and enemy AI are top notch.Main weapons come in three categories – clubs (for up close), bows (for far off) and spears (for either). They are supplemented by throwables which include dagger-like shards and later even gas or explosive bombs. Those are the weapons you will have and, aside from variations and upgrades, they are the weapons you will keep. Using them, as well as your tamed animal companions, makes

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There are many people sceptical about this title. But it is certainly an enjoyable, engaging game. It is Far Cry, and it isn’t. It doesn’t have strong, crazy bad guy characters. But it has crafting, hunting and exploration. It doesn’t have guns. But it has awesome weapons and powerful animal allies. So while far Cry Primal might not appeal to some (because, you know, guns…) it will certainly hit the mark with those willing to suspend disbelief and take a trip back to 10 000BCE. It is a savage, brutal game set in a time as savage and brutal, and while it might not have goals that are as clearly defined as those in previous Far Cry titles, it certainly won’t leave you wanting for excitement, action, adventure and things to do. There is plenty to keep you busy here, if you simply allow yourself to get swept away by the wild torrent that is Far Cry Primal. g

combat visceral, quick and exciting. You can craft most weapons and ammo on the fly, too, provided you have gathered up the right materials. And a snapped head shot with a bow is as quick and effective as any gun we have seen in previous Far Cry games…You can tame animals as well (a pet sabre-tooth is a great boon, trust me) and use them to assist. Using your owl and a predator companion, you can take out an enemy outpost without ever setting foot in it. It opens up a great degree of personal versatility within this unusual and enjoyable title. Yes, just like other Far Cry games, outposts are back and there for the taking. But just because the enemies have spears and clubs, don’t assume that taking them is easy. Primal is a game that can get extremely challenging, even after you have made all your upgrades.

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Far Cry: Primal works, despite the fact that many people have been wondering about whether it would. It’s action packed, immersive and highly entertaining, as any far Cry title should be.

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Street Fighter VThe great global fighting contest

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Street Fighter VThe great global fighting contest

street Fighter V marks one of the highest points in the franchise to date, presenting players with a game that is so finely tuned and

balanced that – in one of the rare instances in the genre – true skill, timing and tactics can trump the crazy button mashing antics that are so utterly frustrating. Overall, the game demonstrates that over the two decades that Street Fighter has made its mark on the video game world, Capcom have paid attention to what players want, how they play, and what would improve matters. And yet, even though they have produced a game that is excellent in almost every way, there are some gaping holes that have, somewhat surprisingly, appeared in the mix.

Let’s start with what’s new, and the best place to do that is with the character roster. There are 16 characters to choose from, made up of eight returning favourites,

four characters making a comeback after a long absence, and four all-new fighters. While other fighting games may offer more characters to choose from, these 16 offer players a wide variety of options and opportunities – instead of diluting the pool, Street Fighter V makes it easy to explore and specialise.

Also new is the V-System, a bonus power-up system that not only allows unique and powerful abilities to be unleashed, but rewards smart use of those powers by granting even more powerful and unique moves. It starts with the V-Skill, a free-to-use attack which grants different advantages for different characters. Using the V-Skill properly charges up the generally devastating V-Trigger skill, which grants some excellent advantages to the player who utilises it.

But even these skills don’t allow for total dominance I

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player experience. There is very little here for the solo-operator, and it is virtually impossible to set up a three round match against the AI. Story mode gives a brief look at each character, but training modes (which are excellent here, by the way) are the real way to explore fighters. Story mode seems like an afterthought, and there isn’t much reason to work your way through it.

In the end, Street Fighter V is a great game for the fighting community. With tons of statistics and easy player-following tools, it really feels more like a global competition than ever before. And the robust servers do a great job in matching players up. But those wanting a single player experience are going to be left pretty cold here, which is really something of an oversight. Still, if you’re after a great fighting game that is sensible and tactical, here it is. g

Street Fighter V, and the action – thanks to some careful trimming and tweaking – flows back and forth much more fluidly, dependent on skill and timing rather than setting up a series of lazy, dominating moves that leave opponents frustrated and unable to act. Getting up from the ground, for example, has been trimmed up, and getting a n opponent stuck in an endless cycle of sweep attacks is almost impossible now. That’s a good thing for players who want to demonstrate ability, rather than go up against a giggling idiot who has figured out one punishing combo and mashes it at every given opportunity.

What it all comes down to is that Street Fighter V is a world class competitive fighting game. With great looks and awesome characters (many of whom have also been on the receiving end of tweaks) it is an excellent measure of skill and strategy. What it isn’t, though, is a great single

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While it might leave single-player fans a little cold, Street Fighter V provides a truly excellent multiplayer experience for fighting game enthusiasts.

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The LEGO game formula has been around for a very long time and, to keep it fresh, the developers have introduced new concepts

over the years. This has been vital to the longevity of the series, and almost every new LEGO game of late has brought a little something new to the table. LEGO Marvel’s Avengers does it too, adding a particularly nice new take on the whole idea of co-op to the game. But, at the same time, strictly sticking to plot devices from a number of the latest Marvel movies has also resulted in the co-op portion, from time to time, becoming frustrating.

Where LEGO’s previous foray into the Marvel universe, in the form of LEGO Marvel Superheroes, proved to be a very free and extremely enjoyable game, Avenger’s sticking to and jumping (almost

nonsensically) between the plots of the two Avengers movies, the two Captain America movies, the second Thor film and Iron Man 3 can get confusing in terms of story line. And it also lets the player feel slightly hampered, particularly when co-op is in play. Take, for example, Iron Man’s epic battle against Hulk in downtown Johannesburg in Age of Ultron. In the movie, it’s Iron Man against Hulk, and it’s the same in the game. If you’re playing a co-op partner to Iron Man in the game, you’re going to stand around doing very little of use until the sequence is over. That’s a pretty big misstep in a game so obviously aimed at a younger market.

They did get two aspects of co-op right, though. The first is the introduction of QTE based combo moves, which can see two of the over 200 unlockable characters team up to perform a powerful (and often amusing) combo-

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LEGO Marvel’s AvengersA little more freedom, please…

The biggest problem is that it feels like a pretty standard LEGO game for most of its run. There is little new or fresh here, aside from the two significant co-op tweaks, and players who have experienced the majority of the other LEGO titles will likely find that it’s starting to feel a little like old hat. The days of these LEGO games being playful pokes at popular movies are long gone – there needs to be an innovation here, a few steps in new directions that will revitalise the overall experience.

But there also needs to be a return to grass-roots, to the core fundamentals of the LEGO games. When license holders are allowed to exercise too much influence over ideas like plot, without letting the developers have the necessary freedom to create cohesive and fun titles, things can go wrong. And that is quite possibly the case here. g

move. It takes a bit of working together to get right, but the results are always fun.

The Second area is in the way that the dynamic split screen works. Given enough distance, the game separates into a proper split, and players can literally go off on their own – even completing different side missions at the same time. It feels pretty cool, really, and ties in to the sometimes-teamed-up, sometimes-alone superhero idea.

Other than that, LEGO Marvel’s Avengers really works out to being a pretty standard LEGO game, with things to smash and build, puzzles to solve and studs to collect. It offers, on the upside, some pretty great hub areas to explore, filled with studs and side missions. On the downside, almost all the voice acting is somewhat uncomfortably lifted from the movies. It sounds out of place at times, and that’s a little jarring.

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GENRE Adventure

Strict movie-plot adherence is this game’s biggest problem, as well as the fact that it doesn’t bring new elements that are big enough to the table. It’s starting to feel like old hat.

Developer:Publisher:Distributer:

Traveller’s TakesWarner BrosSter Kinekor

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LEGO Marvel’s AvengersA little more freedom, please…

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Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4A weak ending

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Fighting

Sadly, the naruto Shippuden: ultimate ninja Storm SerieS endS on a low note in the Form oF thiS title, with poor ai and naSty online experienceS being the order oF the day.

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Fans of the Naruto anime have had three great Naruto

Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm games to get their kicks with up to this point, and the games have generally delivered the goods (despite a few rough edges here and there). There has been a consistent progression of quality through the titles, which would leave one to assume that Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 would be the crowning achievement in the series – seeing as how it’s the last of the games, and all. But while the developers really did manage to trim up certain aspects of the title, they dropped more balls than they should have, and the end result is a game that is more than a little disappointing in comparison.

Let’s start with what they got right. First off, there is a massive, 61 character roster for the player to use. That’s particularly great for fans of the anime, creating a great reference for the game.

Secondly, they introduced three-character fights. A flick of the right stick instantly swaps between fighters on-the-fly, allowing the player to leverage the strengths of various characters in concert against enemies. You won’t always need to do so, but it really comes in handy in tougher fights.

Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, the controls have been tweaked to a point where they are awesomely responsive, giving the player a very strong sense of being in total control.

These three things are great, and add significantly to the game. But they aren’t enough to call it the greatest Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm game ever, particularly not when combined with the title’s shortcomings.

First of all, the single player campaign is short, and is cluttered with long cut scenes. To make things worse, in the

early parts of the game these cut scenes are static image based, with game engine scenes only surfacing later on. Once the campaign is over, the player can take to Adventure Mode, which revisits highlights from the series. But it really doesn’t feel like enough new content, particularly when compared to the previous games.

And then there’s the AI. It’s not particularly good, and more often than not gets stuck in loops that feel almost like exploitation. Enemies will routinely put themselves at a distance and punish the player with repeated long range attacks, making it not only frustrating, but difficult to get in and do some damage. With such strong single player offerings in the past, this feels particularly disappointing.

When it comes to multiplayer, things get a little better, at least for local games. Playing against a human opponent on the same console elevates the experience greatly, although lacklustre plot in the single player does make it feel a bit like “just another fighting game”. The big roster and great controls do mitigate that to a degree, until you take matters online. There, connection issues, lag and nasty match making make the game almost unplayable.

Considering the strength of the Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm series, Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 really is a let-down… and not a very gentle one at that. It feels, quite honestly, that the developers just wanted to get it done so that they could move onto their new Naruto project (which is hinted at in this game). You can’t even call it fan service for adherents of the Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm series, because it’s almost more of a disservice. A great roster of unique characters and tight controls simply aren’t enough here, not when compared to what came before. g

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Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4A weak ending

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Popcap has created some of the most addictive games around, but the one that arguably got them the most attention was Plants vs

Zombies, the relatively simple action-puzzle-slash-defence game that saw players fielding plants to stave off the advance of the living dead.

The game was so successful that, through EA, Popcap released the zany Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare a while back. This took the puzzle based 2D game and turned it – in concept, at least – into a third-person 3D action game, with players controlling either plants or zombies in their seemingly endless (and quite nonsensical) war.

While the original title was great, it lacked any kind of meaningful single-player content. With this being possibly the biggest criticism of the game, Popcap paid

attention and went back to the drawing board for Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare 2. And so, in this second outing, not only will you be able to engage in crazy, exciting battles with friends and foes online, but you will be able to enjoy a varied and fun single-player section too.

The single player “campaign” is made up of a number of activities that allow the player to experience and develop their in game characters (more about those later) by completing numerous missions. Generally they break down into the category of either “go somewhere and kill everything that moves” or “defend a spot by killing everything that moves”. And that’s just fine, because this is not supposed to be a complicated game with a deep plot. It’s a zany trip through a wold that seems to have come out of the exuberant imagination of a really creative child on an acid trip.

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Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare 2The war continues…

as support roles like healers and such. Adding the new characters to the mix makes for an entertaining change, although it’s likely that most people will opt or new characters (with maybe the exception of healers).

Whatever the case may be, Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 is a great way to kill some time and have lots of fun doing it. The world is vibrant and lively, and the combat is frenzied and highly entertaining. It won’t ever become an eSports event, but if you’re after a chaotic action game that proves entertaining both as a multiplayer and single player title, Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 is a good place to go. It’s also pretty friendly for the whole family, seeing as how the violence really is against the risen dead or plant life, depending on your team, and the whole thing is a game that everyone in the family can enjoy. It’s still better as a multiplayer experience, mind you... g

As far as the characters go, there are some new faces to enjoy. While the older characters are still there, they have been kind of trumped by the new additions, which prove to be more capable and effective at getting the job done.

Advancement is done in a number of ways. Obviously you can level up by killing the opposing team, but there are also “collectible” cards that can be purchased with currency earned in-game. These add limited use buffs, new decorative items (like hats and stuff) and even upgraded versions of characters (piece by piece, like an old-fashioned sticker book).

The action is constant and smart… just like any action game in which team dynamics play an important part, a game of Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 works best when the characters and their abilities are varied. There are defensive characters and all out attackers, as well

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GENRE Action

It’s crazy, bright and extremely fun...and with the addition of a solid single player experience, Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 offers zany action that everyone can enjoy.

Developer:Publisher:Distributer:

PopcapElectronic ArtsPrima Interactive

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Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare 2The war continues…

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HelldiversFor humanity!

GAM

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Helldivers does something that so many games fail to do: it takes every element, every player, every

action, and makes them feel important. There is very little fluff here, and it’s wonderfully refreshing.

Helldivers is set in a future that will remind everyone of Paul Verhoeven’s Starship Troopers movie; humanity, in a fit of hate filled nationalism, is fighting a war on three fronts, and it calls on the young and bold to take up arms against three very varied enemies. It’s full of the kind of elements you would expect – glorifying heroics, unbridled patriotism and a whole bunch of other stuff that doesn’t make for a healthy society. On the ground, though, the truth comes out – life is cheap in Helldiver.

It’s really not that deep, though. In fact, when you’re in a pitched battle, Helldivers becomes a fantastic twin-stick co-op game. And co-op really works here. As long as your squad mates are on the same page, you’re in for a blast, because the game not only rewards team work, it almost relies on it. Working together will see your efforts in the war being far more significant here.

There are tons- literally tons – of unlocks and extra equipment that can be added to the battlefield on the fly, by way of stratagem drops, and each adds beautifully to the experience. Everything here feels useful (except for friendly fire, which is all too real).

On the downside, Helldivers isn’t the prettiest game around. However, with great audio, a tongue in cheek sense of humour and more action than you can shake a stick at, it’s a massively entertaining and thrill-filled title… provided you play it with friends who understand the importance of teamwork. g

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GENRE Action

A surprisingly well made twin-stick action game, Helldivers rewards teamwork and is crammed with big guns and nasty enemies.

Developer:Publisher:Distributer:

ArrowheadSCEEOnline

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HelldiversFor humanity! PSV

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Hand o

f F

ate

combining different elements in a game can prove tricky, but

Hand of Fate cleverly fuses third person action, light role-playing elements and collectable cards into one, making it an enjoyable, even refreshing experience.

The player sits across from a mysterious card dealer, and their progress is determined by the cards that the dealer puts on the table. Some are laid out in an arranged manner, and the player moves a golden token from card to card. Once the token lands on a card, it gets flipped over and the event described on the card happens. This could be a simple decision that the player needs to make, a challenge like a trap filled dungeon, or combat against a random number of foes.

Almost everything is randomly determined, although the player does earn new cards and can structure the deck, complete with equipment upgrades and other buffs, before each game starts.

The game dynamic changes from a very passive feel when choosing cards and moving the token to a simple yet effective, action packed session during combat and other challenges. The controls are simple, yet the game manages to capture the spirit of what it’s trying to do beautifully.

There are a few problems with the game, like the fact that the player not being able to customise their in-game character, or that combat may be a little simplistic for some (even though it is very addictive). When you put it all together, Hand of Fate is a fun game, if not ground-breaking, and it allows the player to spend an enjoyable few randomised hours in a vibrant and entertaining fantasy world. g

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Hand of FateIt’s all in the cards…

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Combining numerous

ideas, Hand of Fate is not

ground-breaking, but it is

a fun way to spend a few

hours in fantasy setting.

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Defiant DevelopmentDefiant DevelopmentOnline

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Nom Nom GalaxyA taste for soup

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Everyone loves soup… at least, in the Nom Nom Galaxy universe they do. And it is up

to the player to become a prominent soup manufacturer, to fill the bellies of hungry customers across the galaxy. To do this, the player will need to engage in the strange mix of platforming, resource gathering, management, base building and defence that Nom Nom Galaxy provides.

From the same studio that brought us the PixelJunk games, Nom Nom Galaxy is an eclectic mix of ideas which, despite a few weak points, blend together into an intoxicating whole. While the game’s

combat and defence elements feel weak and unimportant for the most part, gathering ingredients and building a base that will effectively supply the ever increasing demand for soup is not only fun, it’s challenging, too.

The 2D approach that the game takes seems, at first, to fit the resource gathering “conquest” missions better. In these, the player needs to gather ingredients for soup making, as well as resources for base building.

Taking these back to the base means that the player can expand their operation and make more product. The base building in great fun, although

the lack of coherent tutorials and the hit-and-miss approach the player initially needs to take can be extremely irritating. That said, once you get through the grunt work and hard labour, building, maintaining and upgrading a successful soup operation is surprisingly satisfying.

Nom Nom Galaxy certainly isn’t for everyone and most fans of management titles (which is really the bulk of what you’ll do here) won’t necessarily identify it as one from screenshots. But it certainly is well worth the effort, and sports a well-balanced management model to work with. g

An unusual mix of

elements, Nom Nom

Galaxy tasks the player

with building a stellar

soup-making empire.

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Q-GamesDouble ElevenOnline

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Part puzzle and part turn-

based action, Nova-111

is a fun, challenging title

with a few new twists. Sc

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Funktronic LabsCurve StudiosOnline

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you could describe Nova-111 as several things, with the most common options being a turn-based strategy kind of

thing, or a puzzler. I am going to go with puzzler because, while there is plenty of fighting to do here, even beating enemies in this title needs to be thought about.

In the game, your research vessel – the Nova-111 – is sent out to rescue a bunch of scientists who have got themselves into trouble. As per usual. Anyway, using turn based movements and attacks, you will have to navigate often challenging levels in this addictive game. But there are a couple of catches.

First off, the Nova is not a combat vessel, it is a science vessel. That means that your main attack, until you unlock a few weapons, is bashing stuff. And even when you do get a few weapons, they are never the devastating type. That wouldn’t work with the nature of the game.

The second problem – or challenge, more accurately – is that while almost everything is turn based, Nova-111 uses elements that are based on real time, too. It sounds odd, but it actually world really well. While the player and enemies are bound to their turns, certain environmental elements are time defined. It makes for a very entertaining and sometimes thrilling mix.

The third catch is a design flaw, and it has to do with the way that Nova-111 autosaves… or doesn’t. There are no autosaves during levels, and cheap deaths or player errors may lead to a lot of redoing.

Nova-111 is a game that will certainly be taste-driven. Not everyone will like its turn-based nature, or the way that it combines turn and real-time. But it can prove to be a challenging and rewarding title. g

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Nova-111Those damned scientists again!

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Dying Light: The FollowingA drive in the country

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SurViVal horror

the Following

bringS great new

aSpectS – and a

maSSiVe new Setting

– to dying light...

thiS iS the way dlc

Should be made!

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DLC and expansions can be a slippery slope. They have

to be similar enough to the original title to remain part of its world, but also need to bring new elements to the mix to keep things fresh. It looks like Techland were well aware of this concept, and The Following – a great big addition to Dying Light – almost feels like a whole new experience, while still managing to retain the flavour and fun of the original.

The Following sees Dying Light’s do-gooder protagonist, Kyle Crane, making his way out of the urban labyrinth that is Harran and into the surrounding countryside; rumours of people immune to infection drive him to seek the aid of a mysterious cult leader in the hopes of finding a cure to the virus that is turning people into zombies.

But as you arrive in the new setting, one thing becomes starkly clear – the biggest weapon you had in Harran, your parkour and climbing abilities that kept you out of reach of most zombies, are pretty useless when everything is pretty much on ground level. And while The Following’s massive playground does offer a few buildings and built-up areas, you’re going to spend the majority of your time perfectly in reach of the ravenous undead hordes.

Enter the buggy. Pretty soon after arriving in the new area, the player gets access to an awesome upgradeable buggy to drive around in. It’s the freshness the expansion needed, and it adds a massive amount of fun and excitement to the title. Driving around the roads and lanes (or ploughing through open fields) with zombies bouncing off of the car in every direction is great fun.

There is a downside here; if you don’t like the equipment degradation and scrounging

that forms a big part of the original game, you’re out of luck. Just like weapons, the buggy’s parts will degrade over time, and require repairs. But those repairs are limited, so before long you will need to create new parts to keep your ride going. And you’ll need to scrounge fuel for it, too.

At times this can feel a bit laborious, but it is in keeping with the frantic nature of the first game, and doesn’t take anything away from the overall experience. The buggy also introduces a whole new tech tree, which varies between being able to build new parts, consume less fuel or upgrade our ride in more savage ways. Before long you could be at the wheel of an armour plated, fire spewing, mine-dropping vehicle of awesome zombie destruction.

When you dig down to basics, The Following hits all the right notes. It is extremely well handled DLC that ties into the main game beautifully, yet adds enough freshness to make you want to keep coming back. The new areas is really rather massive, and offers many new story quests, as well as a host of side quests that Crane must complete to win the favour of the locals and suitably impress the cult leaders.

There are some new blueprints and weapon types, too, which adds even more to the experience. But best of all is that this expansion feels like a valuable and natural expansion to the game, adding many more hours of zombie murder to the already long experience we had before. Additionally, the fun of bouncing around in the countryside in the well-handled buggy is awesome, either solo or with a friend supplying additional fire-power from the back seat. The Following is DLC as it should be. g

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Dying Light: The FollowingA drive in the country

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Assassin

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ussia

There are now three titles in the Assassin’s Creed Chronicles series of

games, but none of them have really managed to impress at a level that would earn them a real place in the Assassin’s Creed universe. First came China, and then India… now we have Russia. Despite the fact that this game is set in one of history’s most volatile and interesting times, it fails to capitalise of the setting in any meaningful way. It could have been set anywhere, with just a slight tweak or two to the often beautiful artwork.

When you make a game that is difficult and unforgiving, you need to give the players the tools to deal with those ideas. ACC Russia doesn’t – the player feels hampered and hobbled right from the start and only later, when you unlock the second playable character, do things start feeling a bit better. Using the original Nikolai and his late-coming accomplice Anastasia in missions together is close to sublime, but these missions are few and far between, and only really serve to make the rest of the game look worse than it already is.

Playing ACC Russia is an exercise in extreme patience. The game’s difficulty curve is often absurd, and the execution is inconsistent. In some plays (because you will replays things repeatedly, trust me) things work, only to not work in the next try, and then work again later. The controls feel unresponsive, too, leaving things like the life-saving dodge to be an unreliable move.

All three of the Chronicles titles could have been great additions to the ever-growing AC mythology. Russia was the sub-series’ last chance. But it didn’t manage to impress, and even ardent AC fans will have a tough time liking this title. g

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The third Chronicles

game fails to impress,

with spotty controls,

inconsistent design and

absurd difficulty curves.

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Climax StudiosUbisoftMegarom

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Getting on the Wimbus with Steve Sefchick &

Mike Williams

InspiredAwesomeness

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Wimbus, an indie development team from Wilmington,

Delaware (in the US, of course) shows that long time

passion and team work are important in creating games.

We spoke to them recently about how they started,

where they want to go, and what they’re working on.

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GM: Greetings Steve and Mike. Thank you once again for taking the time to speak to us over at Gamecca Magazine. It’s great to get to speak to Indie Developers making a name out there. So if we can start with a quick intro as to who Wimbus is.

SS: Wimbus Studios is a game

development company made up of

three members – Rebecca “Becky”

Mount, Mike Williams and myself Steve

Sefchick..

GM: And how did you come up with the really unique name?

SS: We actually came up with the name

combining parts of the last names of our

original members! We played around with

a couple of ideas and “Wimbus” stuck!

GM: What do each of you do?

SS: I am the resident programmer.

Mike: And I do all things relating to

sound, music and the dialogue.

GM: So how did you get into game development?

SS: I started to develop games when

I was around 12. I had just discovered

the internet and found that people were

making Flash games on Newgrounds.

com. Up until that point, I thought that

you needed a ton of money and needed

an obscure amount of programming

knowledge. As soon as I found out that

“anybody” could really make a game, I

started! I spend a lot of time tinkering

though, and many of my first little

projects were made using Flash and

RPGMaker, before I buckled down and

learned to code!

MW: Well I’ve been a gamer since back

on the NES, and I have always been a

musician with a passion for games, so it

was only natural that I combine these two

here at Wimbus.

GM: It’s quite obvious that most people who go into game development are inspired by a game from their youth, is there anything from your side that made you want to develop games?

SS: Probably the Mega Man series.

When I was a kid I used to sketch designs

for levels and thought of interesting boss

ideas.

MW: Well particularly for our current

game “The Island of Eternal Struggle”,

our influence is the soundtracks 16bit

RPGs, games like Final Fantasy 7, really

inspired us.

GM: What role does gaming play in your life in general and how integral is the gaming community to your development? ?

SS: Gaming is awesome. For a

moment in time, you can be someone

or something else. It’s awesome! I play

much less games now than I did when I

was younger, but now I think simply being

involved with the game community is

huge. The community is awesome. Easily

my favorite part of the development

process is being able to interact with

others who play games or play your

games.

GM: What did you study? Did you study it specifically to go into gaming?

SS: I actually studied Game

Design and yes. I never landed that

“professional” gaming career, but

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I was able to learn a lot and meet

a lot of great people, including my

peers at Wimbus Studios!

MW: I studied Audio Engineering,

but I also have a Bachelors in

Computer Animation with Game

Design options. In fact that’s

where I met Becky as well, at

college.

GM: So in light of your studies and experience, would it help an aspiring Game Developer to study or is being self-taught also a viable option? ?

SS: It definitely depends on the

individual. If you are just getting into it

and “dream” of making games and have

the passion, then yes. If you are already a

self-taught, talented artist, programmer,

etc. however, I’m not sure, I think for

some people it would get in the way and

might not be worth it. I think if you’re

dead-set on being a game designer it can

certainly be a great experience.

GM: Now that you are in the industry, how difficult is the industry?

SS: I think this is the best time (in my

experience, at least) to make games. If

you have the passion, the tools are there.

The resources are there. The community

is there. People will support you! I do

think though that the competition has

gotten more intense though, and it takes

more to be a stand-out developer. I think

the hardest part of making a game in my

experience is the “other stuff”! Marketing

is a constantly evolving and owning and

operating a business is stressful to say

the least! Educate yourself, and look

before you leap!

MW: I think it is very difficult because

with tools we have now, any developer

can start up an indie company. So I feel

like the market is heavily saturated, even

though this is really great for gamers too.

GM: I love how technology just allows us to do so much now, that we can have Independent game developers able to easily reach the masses through social media, communities etc. So my question to you is, where do you think the games industry will be in the next 5 years?

SS: I think we are moving towards

a game industry where crowdfunding

will become a regular occurrence.

Independent publishing won’t be too

weird for major developers to do

anymore. We’re already pretty close –

and it’s going to be an awesome place

once we get there!

GM: What does being a Game Developer mean to you both as a gamer and as a developer?

SS: It means that I get to make a game

and then play it! You can’t get any better

than that –that’s awesome!

GM: What is your source of inspiration both in gaming and outside of gaming?

SS: My wife – she is an awesome

source of inspiration for me, and she

always gives me good ideas! Oh, and my

cat. He is very wise.

GM: Are there any other Indie Developers you look up to, refer to or have mad respect for? ?

SS: Tom Fulp is my hero. Also a huge

fan of Edmund McMillen and Scott

Benson.

Indie

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GM: Are you part of a community of Game Devs? What is that community?

SS: I wouldn’t say any one community

in general, but I can definitely say that

I’ve made some great friends local to the

area!

GM: How has it helped shape with your own development? ?

SS: I don’t think it’s necessarily

affected my development, but it’s

definitely made the journey more

enjoyable!

GM: The Island of Eternal Struggle, can you tell us about it from story?

SS: The Island of Eternal Struggle is

the story of Ian, the first living being to

escape an island in the middle of a war

between the good and evil. Ian’s escape

begins a series of events that will change

the course of the world forever. It’s our

own retro RPG adventure...

GM: What platform is it for and do you develop for a specific platform only?

SS: We are hopefully going to be

developing for Sony platforms soon…

which I am very much looking forward

to! I’m very excited for that! So We’ll be

looking to release it on PS3 and PS4 even

though at the moment it’s available on

Steam Greenlight.

From a development perspective, I

develop mostly for PC, mostly because

it’s accessible and relatively easy to

develop for!

GM: Great! Well I’m looking forward to seeing how your game progresses. Thank you for taking the time to speak to us. All the best. g

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PlayStation’s Greatest?Legacy: Metal Gear Solid

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By Lein Baart

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In this series I’ve harped on

ad nauseam as to how RPG

elements have become so

ubiquitous in gaming that there

barely seems a reason for

genre to exist. However the

truth is that more than a few

genres, such as platformers, have

suffered this fate over the years,

and as gaming continues to evolve

doubtless there will be others to

come. Stealth games, given their

history and gameplay, are perhaps

one of the more naturally assimilated

styles, with even its founders aiming

to incorporate action elements in its

releases nowadays. There was a time

not too long ago though, at least for

this series, that each addition to the

genre continued to break ground in

previously unthinkable ways, and for

many Metal Gear Solid is the game

that started it all.

Why was it created?

The Metal Gear series had always

pushed boundaries when it came

to gameplay, with the first two

releases (three if you count Metal

Gear: Snake’s Revenge, which series

creator Hideo Kojima did not work

on) having pioneered stealth games

on consoles. Originally intended to

be released on the short-lived 3DO

Interactive Multiplayer platform, a

snag was thrown into the works of

the third entry when the console was

discontinued. Rather than letting

themselves be derailed however,

Kojima and his team promptly

switched to then nascent PlayStation,

and in 1995 set their sights on

creating what they hoped would be

the “best PlayStation game ever”.

Renaming the game from Metal

Gear 3 to Metal Gear Solid (a three-

part reference to the main character

Solid Snake, the fact that this was

the first game in the series to be

developed in 3D and an apparent jab

at Konami’s main competitor Square),

Kojima placed immense emphasis on

realism, all with an eye to creating a

truly immersive world. While there is

little indication that the development

experienced any major issues, it

still took over three years for the

game to be created, though when

it hit the shelves in late 1998 it was

immediately apparent that the wait

was worth it.

Why do we care?

Widely recognised as probably the

greatest year in gaming ever, 1998

would also prove to be a pivotal

year for stealth games, and while

Tenchu: Stealth Assassins may

have been the first in the genre to

transition to 3D, Metal Gear Solid

undoubtedly had the larger impact.

While it might be considered standard

nowadays, the game’s use of stealth

was pioneering for the time, and for

years afterwards, along with Thief,

remained the de facto tutorial on how

to properly implement the mechanics.

Metal Gear Solid however is

remarkable for more than just its

gameplay systems. While decidedly

less convoluted than later works, the

plot still featured Kojima’s trademark

quirky (to be kind) writing style, with

major importance placed on dialogue

and context. As a self-admitted film

buff, Kojima also drew heavily from

the medium, and the title can even

be considered an early example of

cinematic gaming, the apparent holy-

grail of most AAA releases nowadays.

Above all however, Metal Gear Solid

stands as a testament to creativity

and risk-taking, and you will not hear

much argument in stating that the

developers achieved their goal of

creating the best PlayStation game of

all time. g

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I have said it before – maybe not here – and I am going to say it

again… online multiplayer gaming sucks. Really.

Why would I, a grown man, want to go to a place crammed with a bunch of foul mouthed youngsters just to get some gaming done? Seriously, what the hell people? Online gaming is supposed to blow the lid off of the whole social “let’s play games together” thing but, in truth, it just dumps you into the world’s biggest toddler pen It’s fiddled with a bunch of prepubescent morons who mouth off an anything, just because they’re hiding behind a screen and a nickname. Wow.

I seriously weep for the world, if these people are any indication of the generation that will inherit it. First of all, they think that games are far more important than they really are. Secondly, they are a bunch of self-entitled nitwits who think the sun stops shining when they sit down. And thirdly, they have no respect – none, zero, zip, nada. Some people think that piracy is

the ultimate sign of how disrespectful of other gamers can truly be, but online multiplayer really is the proof.

So instead of having this great big open playground, those who want to enjoy themselves in reasonable, civilised, adult fashions are forced to make little “friend-cages” amidst the squalling and mewling infantile masse that are the majority of the inhabitants of game servers.

It doesn’t even have to come to that for this trend to become apparent. It doesn’t have to resort to the threats and name calling for thing to get unpleasant. Let me give you an example. I got into a game of Helldivers recently, and was thoroughly enjoying myself. But I made one fatal mistake – perhaps purely out of thoughtlessness, or maybe because, somewhere deep down I retain a modicum of faith in humanity. Whatever it was, I forgot to set the privacy on my game.

Now, I know I talk a lot about not taking games seriously… I don’t think we should. But I also think that

we should apply ourselves to the task at hand. So when I play Helldivers, I get in, do the job, and get out. However, the three idiots who joined my game insisted on spending fifteen minutes shooting each other… and because of the way the game is structured, I couldn’t get away from them to my extraction point. I was stuck watching these idiots screw around, and cost me experience points while they were at it (because squad deaths in helldivers take away rewards, see).

I have learned my lesson. The bullshit lines that the game publishers spew about these happy fluffy bunny game servers are evil lies. They’re scum-filled cesspits that don’t warrant any decent human being’s time. From now on, I will never join a public server again, if I can help it and, if you’re a decent, sane, respectful human, I hope you don’t either. Leave the mess to those that deserve it – let’s go have some decent, sensible fun in a private game. Leave the trash to the trash. g

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Unwashed Masses...

BY

rA

MJ

ET

Ra

mj

et

’s r

an

talit

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Courtesy of Megarom

TO ENTER:Send an email to competitions@gameccamag.comTell us which city The Division is set in.Tell us your platform preference (PC / PS4 / XO).Insert “Division” in the mail’s subject lineSubscribe to www.gameccamag.com (Optional)Like Gamecca’s Facebook Page (Optional)

Competition closes 31 March 2016. South African residents only. Prizes may not be exchanged for cash. Competition closed to employees (& employee’s family) of Nova Mentis

(Pty) Ltd and Megarom Interactive. The judges’ decision is final.

competition • competition • competition • competition • competition • competition •

WIN The Division hamper!

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FeatureSStrage Eons

COLUMNThe Time Betwixt

Cool stuffMyGica Quad Core Enjoy TV Box

Bang & Olufsen Beolit 15

Call of Duty: Black Ops III #1

Cry Havoc #1

Smurfs Monsters

Spider-Man #1

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g l a dg e t24

Remembering the father of the Cthulhu Mythos

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Deep beneath the waves of the

South Pacific, imprisoned within

the great city of R’lyeh, Cthulhu

slumbers. The Great Old One sleeps and

waits for the time that the stars will be

right. For when the stars are right, Cthulhu

will rise from his slumber and return to this

world, bringing terror and hopelessness

with him. And even now, as he sleeps, his

very presence creates anxiety within the

sleeping minds of mankind, a burning point

of terror in the unconscious.

Cthulhu has, over recent years, become

a more and more visible character within

pop culture. Almost a century after HP

Lovecraft first described this creature,

the world – particularly the geek world

– has become somewhat enamoured of

this vicious ancient god, as well as other

creatures that share his universe: Shub-

Niggurath, Yog-Sothoth, Nyarlathotep and

many others. And although this universe,

dubbed the Cthulhu Mythos, has been

added to over the years by many great

authors and other artists, the man that

stands at the core of it is Howard Phillips

Lovecraft.

While one might think that an author with

so much influence over modern popular

culture was an icon during his time, HP

Lovecraft’s life was far from crammed

with mystery and adventure. Called “the

twentieth century’s greatest practitioner

of the classic horror tale” by best-selling

author Stephen King (who has also

admitted that Lovecraft was responsible

with King’s fascination with horror and

macabre topics, and was the biggest

influence on the writer), Lovecraft lived a

life that many would consider poor and sad.

Born on August 20th, 1890 in Providence,

Rhode Island, HP Lovecraft was a child that

was frequently ill and could, as a result, not

attend school regularly. In fact, for such an

influential writer, Lovecraft never earned

his high school diploma. He was, however,

an avid reader and writer, even at a young

age, and was writing and reciting poetry by

the time he was six years old.

When Lovecraft was three years old,

his father became acutely psychotic and

was committed to the Butler hospital, a

psychiatric institution in Providence, where

he died five years later. This left Lovecraft

to be raised by his mother and two aunts,

as well as his maternal grandfather, who

encouraged not only the boy’s reading,

but also his interest in strange events,

weirdness and horror.

Despite his young age and lack of

formal education (he had only one year of

schooling before attending high school)

Lovecraft formed a fascination with

chemistry, astronomy and other scientists,

and produced limited run publications – the

first was “published in 1899, when he was

nine years old. But another influence had

settled over his life – Lovecraft suffered,

from a young age, from a condition

called sleep paralysis, a transitional state

between sleep and wakefulness often

characterised by frightening hallucinations.

He described the terrifying creatures he

saw in his poem Night Gaunts, and it is

widely believed that much of his later work

was influenced by his experiences with this

condition.

In 1908, just before graduating high

school, Lovecraft suffered what he called

a “nervous breakdown” (suggested as

the result of his inability to master higher

mathematics, the core of his beloved

astronomy). He spent five years after high

school living with his mother, a reclusive,

gaunt and pale young man who did not

seek employment but rather spent his time

writing poetry. However, in 1913 a critical

letter he wrote to a pulp magazine named

by W

alt Pre

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The Argosy sparked a massive debate and caught

the attention of the then-president of the United

Amateur Press Association, Edward F Daas.

Daas invited Lovecraft to join the UAPA, and the

young man’s passion was reignited.

His first work, The Alchemist, was published in

1916, in United Amateur magazine. Already this

work started displaying a number of themes that

Lovecraft would increasingly bring into his work:

forbidden knowledge, inherited guilt, fate, religion

and scientific risks, to name a few.

In 1919 his mother was committed to the same

hospital where his father died, due to long term

hysteria and depression. She died in 1921 during

surgery, just before her son published his first

commercial work in 1922.

Not long after the death of his mother, Lovecraft

met Sonia Greene, a successful businesswoman

seven years his elder. Despite the protests of his

still-living relatives, Lovecraft married Greene

and relocated to New York City. This was possibly

the most profound event in Lovecraft’s career,

for it was there, under the advice and guidance

of several new friends and peers, that he began

submitting stories to Weird Tales. At this point,

Lovecraft was in the second of the three distinct

phases of his writing; he had moved out of his

Edgar Allen Poe influenced phase into a period

referred to as the Dream Cycle, heavly influenced

by Lord Dunsany. Lovecraft had yet to enter the

Cthulhu Mythos phase for which he is best known,

although elements of this phase had appeared

earlier in his work.

But misfortune continued to dog the struggling

writer. Not long after their marriage, greene lost

her business, and they were forced to relocate to

a much smaller apartment while Lovecraft tried

to find steady work to support them. His lack of

experience in any particular job meant that he

could only find work as a low level clerk, and even

that didn’t last long. Greene began moving about,

following the constant travel demands of her new

employment, leaving Lovecraft alone in New York

After many difficulties, he finally relocated back to

Providence.

It was now, in the last decade of his life, that

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Lovecraft began hitting his stride as a writer. He

produced numerous short stories, as well as his

longest tales, while here, and also assited many

other writers by revising and editing work. He

even ghost-wrote for others, including Harry

Houdini.

But as much as he was selling more work,

he started producing more and more work

for no money at all. Where in previous years

his fortunes with Weird Tales were flagging

(thanks to some poor reader response and an

unsympathetic new editor) Lovecraft was now a

stalwart of the publication, with readers taking

to his later works very favourably. He was

extremely sensitive to criticism, despite a calm

outward exterior, and even resorted to writing

work that would only be published after his

death; he simply didn’t even try to sell it.

Lovecraft never made enough money

as a writer to support himself. Instead, he

lived poorly off of a dwindling inheritance

which eventually forced him into smaller

accommodation with his one surviving aunt.

And then, in 1937, he was diagnosed with

cancer of the small intestine, which lead to

malnutrition, great pain and eventually his

death, at the age of 46.

For such an influential literary figure,

Lovecraft never got the recognition he deserved

during his life. Even his burial site was only a

name on his family’s monument. It wasn’t until

1977 that fans paid for a headstone to mark

his resting place. In 2013, more than seventy

years after his death, Providence declared

the intersection near his old residence as “HP

Lovecraft Memorial Square”.

Lovecraft’s influence appears in everything

from literature to music, movies to video games.

So the next time you see a tentacle beast rising

up to devour you in a video game, or read of

outside influences of humanity and the futility

of our race in a horror book, cast a thought out

for the father of the Cthulhu Mythos, a quiet,

reserved man who influenced the world so

greatly, for little reward. March 15th marks the

79th anniversary of his death. g

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LookingThrough the Cracks...

A couple of months ago it was

asked on the Gamecca Facebook group page what our guilty pleasures are when it comes to gaming. At the time I honestly couldn’t think of anything, as by definition the game would have to be bad, and I generally don’t have time to play something I think is going to be crap. Yet this month while trawling through my Steam library I stumbled upon Viking: Battle for Asgard, an eight year old release I had picked up in the Creative Assembly Humble Bundle, and promptly forgot about afterwards. Intrigued, as besides Alien: Isolation the developers are pretty much only known for the Total War series, I loaded up the game with an open-mind, and immediately realised why they’ve stuck to strategy.

It was everything I usually hate in gaming,

with a crappy plot, boring and repetitive open-world gameplay and, to top everything off, was a bad port with awkward controls. Beyond the combat, which was functional at least, and some epic staged battles, there’s not a hell of a lot to recommend here, and above all the game seemed to me to be a primitive ancestor to the generic shit that’s shoved down our throats monthly in the guise of open-world action-adventures.

Yet, and I still cannot find a reason why, I powered through Viking in just over a day, and I still find myself loading up the game when I don’t have anything to do. Maybe it’s the catharsis of chopping off the arms of undead Vikings, or perhaps it could be that there appeared to be a lot of ideas that got cut during development. Whatever it is, and it doesn’t really

matter to be honest, I’ll probably be returning for some time to come.

This got me thinking however as to how many games I’ve missed over the years. Money and time are far too precious to be squandered, yet just how much else is out there that has flown under the radar? We’re bombarded with ads and commercials for the latest and greatest constantly, with everyone seeking their own slice of what is now a multi-billion dollar industry, yet despite that there are those few games that have plenty to offer, just not the budget to be known. So next time you find yourself tapping idly at your keyboard or controller, do yourself a favour and take a look through the online stores-if you have the connection for it that is. You might just surprise yourself at what you find. g

gamecca 132 81

BY

Lein

Ba

ar

t

Courtesy of Apex Interactive & Razer.

TO ENTER:

Send an email to competitions@gameccamag.com

Tell us the name of the new Razer Xbox One controller.

Insert “Diamondback” in the mail’s subject line

Subscribe to www.gamecca.com (Optional)

Become a fan on Gamecca’s Facebook Page (Optional)

WIN a Razer Diamondback Gaming Mouse!

Competition closes 31 March 2016. South African residents only. Prizes may not be exchanged for cash. Competition closed to employees (& employee’s family) of Nova Mentis

(Pty) Ltd and Apex Interactive. The judges’ decision is final.

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MyGica

Quad Core Enjoy TV’s best friend...

Streaming TV and media have seen a big rise of late, and the need for a reliable way to get images from the Internet to your TV is increasing. Enter the MyGica Quad Core Enjoy TV Box. With this device you can effortlessly get video content from the internet onto your TV, provided you have an internet connection.

The device is very small and discrete, and comes with a full-function remote control. And because it is powered by Android, you will be able to use numerous apps from the Play Store, including games, right there on your TV. It’s a simple, elegant and easy-to-use solution.g

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Having a portable music device is always great, and using the Bang & Olufsen

Beolit 15 to amplify music from your phone or MP3 player is a fantastic idea. It’s fairly large and a bit heavy, but the sound the Beolit 15 produces more than makes up for it. With 240W of 360 degree audio, this device can get any party pumping. And with 24 hours of battery charge (at moderate listening levels) as well as a direct power input, it’s a great partner for any Bluetooth or 3.5mm jack capable music device. Multiple colour options and beautiful design round of an excellent package.. g

Gad

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Beolit Thunder in a stylish package

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Larry Hama is an experienced action comic writer, having done work for huge titles like GI Joe and Batman, and Dark Horse Comics didn’t get it wrong by putting him at the helm of the official comic prelude to Call of Duty Black Ops III. The plot develops quickly as the story flows from action sequence to action sequence, fast paced and adrenaline fuelled, just like the game. In the comic, the team find themselves in Tashkent, and working outside the military’s circle of influence, they must source their own supplies and Intel, before tackling the job of taking down an enemy operative. I usually get nervous reading comics based on games, but this creative team do a great job of kicking down the door of the action comic genre.

by Clive

Burm

eiste

r

GET GRAPHICTitle:

Writer:

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Call of Duty: Black Ops III #1

Larry Hama

Marcelo Ferreira

Dark Horse

Teen +

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by Clive

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GET GRAPHIC

Something that I am seeing more often in comics these days, and especially in Image published comics, is research. More writers who root out where their ideas for their story are coming from, what fables or myths influence their ideas, and then digging up every fact they can find of those things and incorporating it into their work. And the result? A solid story with legs that I know will go the distance. Cry Havoc also presents a whole new concept in comics, having different colourists work on different aspects of the issue. So even if this comic wasn’t a gripping sci-fi / supernatural story with superb writing and amazing art, it’s still innovative and intelligent. But it is that gripping supernatural story to boot. Superb, amazing, innovative, intelligent, and thoroughly astounding.

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Simon Spurrier

Ryan Kelly

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Since 1958 the Smurfs comic strips have captured the hearts and the imaginations of children around the world. In the 1970s the PVC figurines started being produced, and then in 1981 Hanna-Barbera aired the first animated Smurfs series. From then there was no stopping the popularity that the Smurfs amassed, when even now, two movies and fifty-eight years later, the Smurfs are still a household name in wholesome and moralistic children’s entertainment. Papercutz have been releasing classic Smurf stories in themed graphic novels for a few years now, still giving all credit to, now deceased creator, Peyo, but making these timeless comic greats readily available for a younger generation. Their new release, “Monsters” collects five Smurfs stories where they encounter some of the stranger creatures in the forest.

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Smurfs Monsters

Pierre Culliford (Peyo)

Pierre Culliford (Peyo)

Papercutz

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One of the most loved creative teams in comics, Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli, team up to kick off what is bound to be a somewhat controversial title to the hard-core fans of the Marvel Universe. Why would Spider-Man be considered contentious you might ask? Well, this title focuses on the Miles Morales Spider-Man, of what used to be the Ultimate universe, but now he’s in the same setting as the Peter Parker Spider-Man. And what’s worse, Bendis and Pichelli are driving a tale that will see Spider-Men Peter Parker and Miles Morales butt heads. While past comics may have shown that Miles Morales could pull off carrying the mantle of Spider-Man in the absence of Peter Parker, can even this superstar creative team see Morales convincingly “be” Spider-Man in the same setting as Peter Parker?

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Spider-Man #1

Brian Michael Bendis

Sara Pichelli

Marvel

Teen

81

TheCore...

On the 22nd of March, the FBI and Apple will be

returning to court to continue a long running battle. The FBI is attempting to force Apple, under the rule of the law, to create software that will allow them to hack the phone of a suspect in a shooting in San Bernardino. But in the creation of this software, they will have essentially unfettered access to every iPhone out there, as it will bypass security measures put into place by Apple to safeguard the data of each and every iPhone user.

Apple are fighting tooth and nail to keep the FBI from getting their way, citing the First (right to freedom of speech) and Fifth (protecting someone from being a witness against himself) Amendments to the American Bill of Right. As computer code is considered ‘speech’, Apples lawyers are using these two powerful pieces of US law to defend not only their own rights, but what they believe to be the rights of millions of iPhone users.

“This is not a case about one isolated iPhone,” Marc Zwillinger, Apples attorney,

wrote. “Rather, this case is about the Department of Justice and the FBI seeking through the courts a dangerous power that Congress and the American people have withheld: the ability to force companies like Apple to undermine the basic security and privacy interests of hundreds of millions of individuals around the globe.”

This case raises many interesting questions, with the most important being: where does a private citizen’s rights end, and the government’s begin? In a world full of cyber-criminals trawling the ether in search of ways to steal our money or even our identities, how far should any government be allowed to go in order to invade the privacy of an individual? With cyber-crime and electronic fraud being two of the fastest growing areas of criminal activity, do governments or government agencies have the right to have “back doors” into citizens’ private information?

The very idea feels like it comes out of George Orwell’s 1984, a book about a dystopian future in which citizens suffer constant government surveillance and

manipulation. Already the world has seen numerous outcries about cameras on city streets and shadowy government organisations monitoring the email and telephone communications of ordinary citizens. How much further will this trend go in removing the privacy of people, a privacy which is an important right?

There is also Apple’s position to consider in this matter. If they are forced to bend to the FBI’s will by law, confidence in their products will decline, and the damage to the company may be disastrous. Further, if Apple can be compelled to create software that compromises the privacy of an iPhone user, what would prevent other companies from being compelled to do the same? And it would likely not end with phones, either – a world in which all privacy and security on any electronic device (from a smartphone to the Internet) could be compromised at the whim of a government agency would not be far behind.

We can only hope that in the matter of the FBI vs Apple, sanity and sensibility prevail. g

gamecca 144 81

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Courtesy of Megarom

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