Gamecca Magazine February 2018

ISSUE 104 / Vol.9 February 2018

www.gameccamag.com

UFC 3 Monster Hunter: World The Inpatient Railway Empire

Pin-point

Razer Basilisk

Glass House

Mastercase H500P

and more...

Steam Power Railway Empire

Knockout!

Classic

Shadow of the Colossus

UFC 3

Great Wide Open Monster Hunter: World

Crazy The Inpatient

The Agony...

Vampyr explores human monsters

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Bronze Award SCORE 80-84

Read on www/gameccamag.com Read on Issuu (Also available on your App Store) Read on Facebook

Silver Award SCORE 85-89

Gold Award SCORE 90-94

Platinum Award SCORE 95-100

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Nova Mentis (Pty) Ltd / Gamecca Magazine do not hold any responsibility for any malicious exploitation that any reader should experience due to unauthorised distribution. Nova Mentis (Pty) Ltd / Gamecca Magazine will not be held accountable for any injurious detriment or pernicious damage to personal equipment or software due to use of unauthorised downloaded files. Action will be taken against any person or persons engaging in unauthorised distribution of Gamecca Magazine.

Gamecca Magazine: © Copyright Nova Mentis (Pty) Ltd. (2009 – 2016)

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Ed’s Choice Awar

From the Editor

AwesomeAhead

rd

J

anuary is always

by Walt Pretorius

Either way, with games like Red

something of an odd

Dead Redemption 2 having a little

month, really, because

more clarity on cast on them, and

everyone is waiting for

others like God of War having

everyone else to get back

firmer release dates (bear in

into the swing of things.

mind that no release date is truly

Well, it’s done and

firm until the game is actually on

dusted, and we’re well into the

shelf) and yet others like Far Cry

first quarter of 2018. The month

5 just around the corner, 2018 is

of love, supposedly, but when

looking fine for gamers.

you’re a gamer, there’s something to love every month.

Although maybe not in

The other good news is that, while not right now perhaps, a stronger Rand means that gamers

February… the release lists are

in South Africa will hopefully see

a little sparse, to be honest, with

better prices within this year – if

the biggest names landing in

the trend holds, of course. Time

the racing genre, for the most

(and politics) will tell.

part. It’s only a short month,

So while there are some issues

though, and March sees a definite

around us that are potentially

upswing in the game release

extremely serious (Cape Town’s

market, even if it isn’t a massive

water crisis, for example) we can

one.

rest assured that, at very least,

So February, then, will be a time

video games may be able to give

of recollection and reflection for

us a brief respite from our woes.

gamers… which translates to

2018 is going to be a strong year,

playing older games that may not

with numerous remakes, sequels

have been finished yet. And let’s

and new IPs taking gaming to a

be honest, the rest for the wallet

whole new level, yet again.

won’t hurt either. There were a

That, quite frankly, is enough

lot of good games released in

from me. There is an exciting

the last few months, so budgets

issue following this Editor’s

of dedicated gamers are no

Note (more exciting than we

doubt straining a little. Unless,

initially expected, giving release

of course, you didn’t get through

schedules) and far be it from me

all the games released in the last

to stand in your way. Go ahead,

few months. Then you’re staying

read it. I’ll just sit here and finish

in the same boat that you’re in for

a few of those games on my

most of the year.

list...g mgeect 2 c7a 1 0 4 ggl a ad

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THIS MONTH’S COVER

Being a monster can be tough according to Vampyr...

Publishing Editor Walt Pretorius

10

Feature: Cursed be the Choice Being a monster can be tough...

16

Previews: Games Eight games to look out for

walt@novamentis.co.za

Art Director Katia Taliadoros katia@novamentis.co.za

Writers: Alex Scanlon Christo van Gemert Clive Burmeister Iwan Pienaar Lein Baart Noelle Adams Nthato Morakabi Rob Edwards Sibonisile Motha Suvesh Arumugam Walt Pretorius

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Reviews: Games 7 games discussed

58

Regular: IndieView A small start

Letters: letters@gameccamag.com

Competition Entries: competitions@gameccamag.com

Newsletter Subscriptions: www.gameccamag.com

Marketing Contact:

Copyright Š Nova Mentis (Pty) Ltd 2009 - 2017

walt@novamentis.co.za

Taking fun seriously!

All rights reserved. No content may be reproduced, copied or transmitted without the express permission of the publishers. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the editors and publishers. All Trademarks and Registered Trademarks are the sole property of the respective owners.

GAMECCA is published by Nova Mentis (Pty) Ltd

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Feature: Best of CES 2018 Tech toys on the way in...

74

Reviews: Tech Good stuff to own...

80

Regular: Internet Revealing the darkness

84

Regular: Living Digital How technology is advancing

88

COOL STUFF: Movies The African hero

98

COOL STUFF: Comics Illustrated Literature for all

106

Gamecca Vol. 9 Issue 104 February 2018

68

COOL STUFF: Books Excellent brain food

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s e d’ c E oi h C

“This is a game that requires brains, but those efforts are rewarded with vast variety, tons to do and an absolutely stunning playground.”

Monster Hunter: World

10

16 20 21 22 23 24 26 27

Features Cursed be the Choice

PReviews Conan Exiles The Seven Deadly Sins: Knights of Britannia Monster Energy Supercross: The Official Videogame MX vs ATV: All Out! Bridge Constructor Portal Epic Loon Shoppe Keep 2 Song of Horror

Reviews 30 34 38 42 46 50 54

UFC 3 Monster Hunter: World Railway Empire The Inpatient Shadow of the Colossus Lost Sphear Dragon Ball FighterZ

RegularS 58

8

IndieView

gamecca104

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Vampyr

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By: Lein Baart

the Choice

n for Dontnod

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E M W A IE G EV R

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M

ost studios, once established, tend to develop a recognisable style. Think DICE or Infinity Ward and immediately first person shooters come to mind, while the mention of Bioware almost unfailingly invokes thoughts of roleplaying games. Seldom do developers stray out their comfort zone, and even when they do these tend to be low budget affairs that receive almost nothing in terms of marketing and promotion when compared to their larger brethren. It was with some surprise then when Dontnod Entertainment, the creators behind the unexpectedly successful and highly acclaimed Life Is Strange, announced a new IP that at first appears to be the polar opposite to the game that put them on the map. Everything about Vampyr, from mood, setting to even its genre, is a stark departure from the indie-themed adventure that captured

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the hearts of thousands, yet dig a little deeper and there are clear ideas that stretch back to the studio’s founding.

A third person action RPG set in London during the 1918 Spanish Flu epidemic that ravaged the world, initially Vampyr seems to have far more in common with the developer’s first title, Remember Me, at least in terms of gameplay. Itself a third person action adventure, for those that missed the release Remember Me was a game that centred itself around the concept of how our experiences shape our identity and outlook on the world. While it contained a fascinating plot device and intriguing mechanics, which included altering the memories of NPCs, it was let down ultimately by repetitive gameplay, a lacklustre end story and a weak supporting cast, resulting in a title that many thought had fantastic but squandered

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Vampyr

potential. However all was not lost, as even at this point it was evident that Dontnod had the capacity to write compelling, relatable characters, despite many publishers at the time feeling that a female protagonist would not work in the game’s favour.

Life Is Strange however was a far different affair.

An episodic adventure that entirely eschewed combat in favour of an almost point-and-click approach that has become prevalent in the genre (think anything from Telltale Games), the entire title was a critical darling. An “analogue counterpart” to the digital view of humanity that was the central theme behind Remember Me, Life Is Strange told the story of Max Caulfield as she utilised her recently discovered ability to rewind time in order to solve the mystery behind a string of murders. Though it was not immediately obvious both games shared the themes of choice and

consequence, which despite being a common approach to plot in gaming was far more fundamental than usual due to the mechanics driving each title, rather than being independent to the gameplay. Where Life Is Strange managed to trump its predecessor however was in the cast of supporting characters, each in possession of personalities fleshed-out with dreams, desires and motivations that helped drive the story, and made decisions genuinely agonising at times.

The surprising popularity of the game has catapulted Dontnod’s name into the spotlight, enabling the French studio to embark on decidedly more ambitious projects, as Vampyr indicates. Described as an AA game by the developers, which they say allows them more creative freedom than an AAA title would otherwise be afforded, players will take on the role of Dr Jonathan Reid, a newly turned vampire who

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GAMING

E M W A IE G EV R

has recently returned to London after World War 1. In the midst of a plague that is decimating the city, Reid will have to discover why he was made a vampire, all the while battling vampire hunters and the various supernatural factions that populate the metropolis.

At the core of Vampyr’s plot will lie the conflict between Reid’s need to prey on and kill humans that as a doctor and a man of science he wants to save.

To aid this the city of London will be split into four districts, each populated by distinct characters that have relationships with those around them. It is here that the strength of Dontnod’s storytelling will come to fore, as affecting the web of connections between the NPCs can lead to drastic and unforeseeable outcomes, including the destruction of the entire city. Characters have been imbued with their

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own struggles, routines and goals, and it is evident that great care has gone in to making even minor personalities as realistic as possible. This should culminate in sincerely difficult choices as to who lives and who dies as you attempt to slake your thirst, which is complicated by the need to grow stronger off better quality blood.

Of course a plot doesn’t make a game by itself, and fans of Life Is Strange can expect a far different experience this outing. An action RPG, combat will form an integral part of the gameplay, with Reid having access to a variety of vampiric abilities to aid him in his struggles. The central dilemma of the game will also factor into the role-playing elements, as players are free to shun killing entirely, including feeding on humans, though this will significantly weaken them and limit their capabilities. The lore of the game also calls

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Vampyr

for different clans who each possess different powers, such as the bestial Vulkods that resemble werewolves, and Reid will have the ability to assimilate these features. The RPG mechanics will be complimented by a skill tree, divided in to shadow, instinct and social branches, that will allow players to further customise their approach. Last but not least Vampyr will feature crafting mechanics that will not only allow players to create new gear but also medicine which can be administered to the sick residents of the city, furthering complicating the moral quandary that underpins the game.

Beyond the trappings of its mechanics and setting, Vampyr appears to be a culmination of Dontnod’s experiences in building intriguing, authentic characters that bring the world that players temporarily inhabit to life. It has long been a desire of developers to

create living, breathing worlds that react organically to players’ choices, but only a handful have succeeded thus far, and always in an abstract manner that leaves little room to care for individuals that you meet on your adventures.

This release also has the luxury of utilising an aspect of popular culture that has been relatively untouched in recent years, with the last good vampire game being the brilliant but flawed Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines, and has given itself more than enough room to create an enthralling addition to an age old tale. With its gothic, brutal setting, laudable ambitions and focus on what would typically be bit-player stories, there is more than enough reason to hope that Vampyr will be another outstanding success for a studio that has pinned its name on crafting that worlds that players can lose themselves in. g

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Conan Exiles GAMING

Survival Of The Fittest

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Conan Exiles

by Lein Baart

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E

For those that either haven’t bought the early access version or followed its development progress, Conan Exiles is an open world survival sandbox that presents a few interesting twists to the usual formula. Set during the Hyborian Age of Robert E. Howard’s mythology, players take the role of an exile rescued from execution

by Conan before being cast into a harsh landscape known as The Exiled Lands to fend for themselves. The majority of the game should be instantly familiar to anyone who has played Rust or Ark: Survival Evolved, with gathering, hunting and crafting taking centre stage as gamers compete not only with the elements but other players as well if the opt to play on a PvP server.

Conan Exiles however is not without its own unique

GAMING

arly access, from its very inception, has always been something of a contentious issue within the gaming industry. The past year has yielded some fantastic results for the funding model, most noticeably with PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, but complete validation will always remain an elusive goal for proponents of the system, with a slew of past and present titles providing ample evidence that there remains significant risks for those players willing to take a chance. With Conan Exiles due for full release in just a few months, at which point it will have been in early access for just under a year and a half, the verdict is still out as to whether it will be a tale of triumph or wasted potential.

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Conan Exiles

additions, which mainly lie in its thrall and religion mechanics. Players can capture NPCs, which can then have their wills broken on “the wheel of pain”, allowing them to become willing slaves that perform a variety of tasks, such as blacksmithing, crafting and guarding.

There is also the option to raise altars to the gods of the world, which through the sacrifice of others allows for mighty avatars to be summoned. They both combine to present a world that is at once both captivating and brutal in its realisation of Howard’s vision, and plenty have been drawn in thus far.

Sadly though the flaws of early access have plagued the title thus far, as despite recouping its development costs when first released and clearing the biggest

hurdle of the model by actually announcing a full release date, Conan Exiles has by and large received mixed reviews, both critically and generally. Beset by a host of bugs and poor A.I., at this point in time the general consensus is that the game still needs an immense amount of polish. Fortunately it appears that the developers are not slacking off, with patches and feature additions, such as entirely new biomes and an overhauled combat system, being released regularly and to mostly positive praise. At this point it’s difficult to tell whether the game will be truly playable by the time May rolls round, though if Funcom manage to achieve this feat Conan Exiles will have plenty to keep players enthralled. g

AT A GLANCE Adventure

Conan Exiles has clear potential, but its success will depend on whether the developers can iron out the bugs before release Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

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Funcom Koch Media TBC

May 2018

Platforms

GENRE

ETA

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

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W

GAMING

Mar 2018 Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

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Natsume Atari Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. Megarom

PLATFORMS

Time to fight your demons

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

GENRE

AT A GLANCE Adventure, Action

An interactive and vivid-visual anime-styled gaming experience for fans of the manga to enjoy.

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by Sibonisile Motha

The Seven Deadly Sins: Knights of Britannia

ith the rise of the popularity of anime in gaming and geek culture, video game developers are seizing the opportunity to turn these successful manga and anime into an interactive experience. Bandai Namco in collaboration with Natsume Atari have taken on the task of bringing to gaming life, the Seven Deadly Sins: Knights of Britannia (released for PS4).

To give you a brief background of what it’s about, the story goes as follows: In the kingdom of Liones, a group of warriors known as the Seven Deadly Sins were forced to disband after facing the accusation of treason. Now in turmoil, rumour of their existence throughout the kingdom is the hope needed to destroy the enemy – the Holy Knights (I know, the irony). Each of the warriors represents (or rather has been accused and judged according to) the seven deadly sins. For those heathens unaware of the horrid sins, they are – lust, gluttony, pride, wrath, sloth, envy, and greed.

Your task is to assemble the legendary team once more and fight to save the kingdom.

Each character has their own unique style based on their personality, as well as a special weapon particular to each one.

This will give players a chance to experience different fighting styles and abilities as well as discovering the characters’ personality impact in the game. Combat for this game was designed to make you feel like you are watching a fight scene in an anime show – it’s fast, it’s loud and entertaining.

The world of Britannia has lots to explore as you go on your way. Fans of the manga and anime will have to be the true judge of the success of this game. g

The Seven Deadly Sins: Knights of Britannia

E M W A VIE G E R P

Monster Energy Supercross: The Official Videogame

E M W A VIE G E R P

Monster Energy Supercross: The Official Videogame Live the adrenalin!

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Milestone S.r.l Milestone S.r.l Ster Kinekor

PLATFORMS

GAMING

Feb 2018

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV NS

GENRE

excitement vying for the title of “Champion” in Official Championship.

Climb the ranks as you build your profile in Career Mode. Test your speed and skill in Time Attack. Online modes are set to include Single Event and Custom Championship in a bid to see who can be the best in the world.

The biggest feature coming is the immersive Track Editor which will let you select a stadium, create your own track, and share it online.

Running on Unreal Engine 4, one can expect fantastic graphics and a world-class game. Its what we expect, Milestone s.r.l. g

AT A GLANCE Racing

Experience the thrill in one of the most exciting, adrenaline fuelled racing competition.

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by Nthato Morakabi

M

from the 250SX and 450SX, riders such as Ryan Dungey, as well as iconic tracks including the U.S Bank Stadium in Minnesota, and the Daytona Supercross. On top of this, there is set to be a number of customisation options for both riders and bikes. There will be more than 80 official brands to choose from, counting 300 items available for improving various aspects of your rider and bike.

Confirmed game modes include the standard offline single player mode where you choose your biker and track to delve right into the action. Experience the full Monster Energy Supercross

onster Energy is a wellknown and recognized brand, much like Redbull.

And similarly, as active in the extreme sports scene. They have moved beyond your regular advertising avenues to bring fans closer to the action in as many ways as possible. One of these ways is, of course, reaching out to the gaming community. With racing game experts Milestone s.r.l. developers of MotoGP 17, MXGP 3, Sèbastian Loeb Rally Evo among others, comes the official Monster Energy Supercross videogame.

The game will feature official bikes

MX vs ATV: All Out!

E M IEWW A VIE G EEV R PR

MX vs. ATV All Out! I

t is a simple truth that there are dangers all around us. Every day we are at risk, so for obvious reasons the majority of us play life safe by avoiding activities that will result in acceleration towards the inevitable fate of death. But then again , we don’t all think like this. So what do we do when we want to get the adrenalin pumping but don’t like the prospect of serious injury? We play video games that put our characters in the danger that we won’t, much like this title – MX vs. ATV All Out! Off-road racing has offered players the opportunity to enjoy the racing experience without as many restrictions as normal onroad racing does. Less rules in gaming usually results in more fun and more to do. That’s exactly what this title aims to deliver. From your dirt bikes to ATVs and UTVs, there are many ways for you to kindly deliver dust to your competitors’ faces.

You can enjoy the game with a friend offline in a 2 player split-screen mode. Maybe you don’t really have physical friends (no judgement here) you can experience the thrill of a 16 player online mode. There are various modes to play such as Opencross, Tag, Nationals, etc.

And much like in real life, these races wouldn’t be complete without some showboating. As you progress throughout the game, you can begin to master complex and impressive stunts to push yourself or to simply rub it in someone’s face, either way; it’s the right thing to do.

You will be able to collect vehicles as well as gear that you can customise to suit your individuality. It’s all on you. g

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Mar 2018 Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

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Rainbow Studios THQ Nordic Apex Interactive

PLATFORMS

by Sibonisile Motha

Go all out. Flat out.

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

GENRE

AT A GLANCE Racing

Allowing players to enjoy playing with friends offline as well as giving the challenging off-road racing experience might work.

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R

GAMING

TBC Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

ClockStone Headup Games Online

PLATFORMS

Build. Transport. No deaths please.

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

GENRE

AT A GLANCE Puzzle

A great opportunity to check if you still have some brain cells left and then to fry them all.

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by Sibonisile Motha

Bridge Constructor Portal

emember the time back in the day when you were just a little kid and the answer to the question, “Why did the chicken cross the road?” boggled your mind for a while? I really hope you got past that phase and came to understand the importance of crossing the road and reaching the other side safely, because that is the most important thing you will have to do in this game. Bridge Constructor Portal will see you play as an employee of the Aperture Science Enrichment Center, whose task is to get the Bendies to the finish line safely and all lives in tact.

For those who are true fans, you may have noticed that the title of the game seems to remind you of two separate games that exist independently. You would be correct in making that astute observation. Bridge Constructor Portal is the lovechild of Bridge Constructor and Portal. For those unawares to both games the concepts are really quite simple: in Bridge Constructor you build sturdy and well-thought out bridges to accomplish your tasks, and in Portal you use, well, portals to get through the game. Both games are incredibly challenging. So why not make life harder by putting them together? The added challenge of using both constructs to your advantage makes for a great strategy game. There are other tools you can use to help you such as repulsion gel, propulsion gel and others. Take your time but remember that you don’t have all day, and the Bendies are too cute to perish. They must live. With around 60 levels to get through you may want to give that chicken a call later on. g

Bridge Constructor Portal

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Epic Loon

E M W A VIE G E R P

Epic Loon

Say hello to little friends

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

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Macrales Studio Ukuza Online

PLATFORMS

GAMING

Q1 2018

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

GENRE

will be fighting you from his couch, it is only fair that you and up to 3 other friends fight him together from yours.

There are four game modes to play from; Story, Speedrun, Hardcore and Battle. There are more than 350 levels to master.

Yes, no typo, more than three hundred and fifty levels.

This is an extremely cool and quirky game that can be enjoyed by the weird and fun at heart. And it will be fun to see parody scenes from films such as Godzilla and Alien. g

AT A GLANCE Action, indie

A cool and off-centre tribute to the glory days of VHS and the never-ending love for playing video games.

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by Sibonisile Motha

F

to Epic Loon. The only difference between this game and the scenario I gave earlier is that the aliens that actually wanted to stay locked away in a VHS will do something about their anger – destroy every VHS that this creep ever loved and cherished. How will you do that? Well, you will be in the actual tapes of his prized films, and get to alter (to put it mildly) the way stinkin’ ol’ Joe remembers his beloved movies. It will not be easy as you will have to dodge and fight against his remote control attacks. Since Joe

or those of us who were around when VHS was all we had as far as watching movies or capturing moments, there is the huge possibility that out there is a VHS tape with footage of you that you would rather no one ever sees.

Memories that we love to have resting in peace with no chance of escape. Now imagine if some undesirable hands got a hold of this confidential tape and awoken the beast that had once laid in peace. Yup, I’d be pissed too.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome

Shoppe Keep 2

E M IEWW A VIE G EEV R PR

Shoppe Keep 2 T

ired of your job but know you can’t quit right about now? Well, forget about those start-up magazines, Shoppe Keep 2 is all the training you need to start and build your commerce empire (in the virtual world. Disclaimer: please do read up actual books and guides if you want to really be an entrepreneur, they’re very useful). You will create and customize your character that you will control to effectively run an adventurer supplies store. This is an open world so you can go about this in many different ways you see befitting to you. You can be the guy that buys from other guys to sell to other guys, or you can explore the world and acquire items, sometimes rare and unique, to sell to the guy with the most coin. All the elements of successfully running business such as yours have to be monitored by you carefully; from stock levels, to pricing, to store layout, to even managing your accounting books and paying taxes. Yes, not even in the virtual world can you avoid the taxman. Then there are the natural dangers such as monsters, mobs and thieves to look out for.

The game allows for up to 4 player online co-op. In online gameplay, you will be able to track in-stock items across the world. This will make for added competitiveness, for example, too much supply of a product across the world will drive the value of the item down. So be careful your prices and how much you supply.

But the good news is that you will be able to have access to everything that you stock.

Just remember: with great power comes great responsibility. g

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Apr 2018 Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

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Strange Fire Excalibur Games Online

PLATFORMS

by Sibonisile Motha

Money, money, money

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

GENRE

AT A GLANCE Adventure

A great way to check if you have what it takes to build and run your own fantasy empire.

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GAMING

TBA 2018 Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Protocol Games Badland Games Online

PLATFORMS

Can you survive the Presence?

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

GENRE

AT A GLANCE Horror - Adventure

Survive the horror and solve the mystery of missing author Sebastian P. Husher through the eyes of Daniel Noyer and fifteen other protagonists. Death awaits.

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by Nthato Morakabi

Song of Horror

’ve seen my share of horror games over the years.

Starting back with the original Resident Evil and playing up until its current rendition RE 7: Biohazard. Have dabbled with The Evil Within and Outlast.

I remember days of Amnesia, Silent Hill, F.E.A.R, Bioshock, etc., Where you see that dark corridor and think “Nope!” but continue anyway, heartrate leaping. Sadly we’ve gone through years where the horror genre became an actionadventure where your fear was replaced with the confidence of raining bullets. It was rare for survival horrors to make you nope out. Independent developers, Protocol Games, share this nostalgic-fuelled desire to create such a game and thus Song of Horror was born.

You step into the shoes of washed-up advertiser and former entrepreneur Daniel Noyer, who is tasked with finding renowned writer Sebastian P. Husher.

When Daniel arrives at the author’s residence, he finds it eerily empty and creeping with dark shadows. This is where the journey begins.

This survival horror puzzle game has no health or sanity bars. It’s going to be a cinematic narrative where you can play as 16 different characters including Daniel Noyer. Each of them with their own mysteries and stories to tell. Unfortunately, not all of them will make it and it will be up to you to decide.

Incorporating a vast number of puzzles and hidden clues, you will have to both solve the mystery and survive against the manifestations in every corner, the entities stalking you, and Death awaiting with cold embrace.

Could this indie game prove that a gripping survival horror title can still be scary? One can only hope. g

Song of Horror

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E M W A IE G EV R

UFC 3 GAMING

No glass jaw here…

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UFC 3

by Walt Pretorius

31

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U

Fighters looks great in UFC 3, moving in ways that one would expect and hope for. Additionally, the overall modelling of the fighters is great.

The same cannot be said for the actual collision of blows. They look better for the most part, but every now and then they look a little… off. It’s not a massive train smash, except for the fact that this is a game all about landing blows. Still, landing a roundhouse on your opponent’s ear is extremely satisfying, particularly when it sends them to the canvas. These animations can also be a hit and miss affair, though, so don’t be surprised in the crumpling of the guy you just delivered a haymaker too looks a bit strange.

On the feet, it’s great. On the ground, not so much, particularly in multiplayer. Ground work is hampered by not enough indication of what’s going on, particularly

GAMING

FC 3… right off the bat, let’s deal with the ugly. And it’s the ugly that has hampered all of EA’s releases for a while, now: microtransactions. They are here, too, but thankfully they have all been stuffed into Ultimate Team mode. And that’s where they can stay, thank you very much, where they are easy to avoid… because there is a whole lot of UFC 3 to enjoy without even going there. So let’s just avoid it, shall we, and look at the good stuff.

This third outing of EA’s UFC franchise is by far the best, particularly when it comes to stand-up fighting.

In fact, it is one of the better sports fighting games we have come across overall. This is largely due to the fact that a lot of work has gone into some of the under-the hood elements of the game. Most noticeable are the animations, which are now all based on motion capture.

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if you are on the defensive. It becomes a little bit of a guessing game against another player, less so against the AI. Speaking of which, the G.O.A.T career mode is pretty excellent. It is a bit simpler in some ways (many of the training mini-games are gone) but it is also more involved.

In the weeks preceding a fight, the player can learns new moves, spar, do workouts or promote the upcoming fight through several activities. With limited time at their disposal (presented as points) the player will need to carefully balance things to ensure they get enough training, but also enough promotion. It’s actually great fun watching your fighter climbing the UFC ranks in this mode.

Until you get to the Top Ten, and the difficulty spikes absurdly. All the time and effort put in will almost feel like

you’ve done nothing at all – the opponents at the top are super-tough, even beyond being reasonably challenging.

But they can be beaten… it’s just tricky to do so.

There are several other modes to enjoy; some that eliminate ground work, some that are only on the ground, and so on. Altogether, UFC 3 is a great step in the right direction for the franchise, and makes us extremely hopeful for what will be available when the next iteration rolls around. And as long as you avoid the Ultimate Team Mode, it will never bother you about spending any more money.

This game is a great bet for fighting fans who want to use a little more strategy in their game, balancing aggression with stamina, and so on. It’s a great game to generate rivalries in, or even just work through a lengthy and enjoyable virtual UFC career in. g

AT A GLANCE Sport Fighting

A great addition to the franchise, UFC 3 makes moves in a number of directions that see it become the best in the series so far.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

EA Sports Electronic Arts Prima Interactive

PARENTAL ADVISORY

16+ gamecca104

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

AWARDS

Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Casual Ed’s Choice

REVIEWED ON

x0 PLATFORMS

GENRE

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

Score

82 33

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Monster Hunter GAMING

The great wide open

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by Walt Pretorius

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really expeditionary feel, which is supported through other elements as the game continues. But, in truth, the player will feel less like Charles Darwin exploring the natural world, and more like a pack of colonial big game hunters trying to fell the biggest beast. I suppose that is what you would expect from a game with the word “hunter” in its name.

Another word in the name, though, is “world”, and Monster Hunter: World lives up to it in spades. There is a vast world awaiting players in this massive game, crammed with varied biomes and fantastical sights that will, fairly often, prove truly distracting. The world is also crammed with dinosaur-like creatures, though, many of which the player will be able to hunt for raw materials and glory.

But there is learning to do here, and the often complex ecologies of the biomes are highly interesting to watch.

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lthough some purists and fans of the previous games have had their doubts, Monster Hunter: World has proven the majority of them wrong. In fact, although many of the aforementioned fans may disagree, there are a number of factors in which Monster Hunter: World could easily be considered the best game of the franchise so far. On the flipside, there are a few where, well, not so much…

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Back to the start… Monster Hunter: World is a game in which the player forms part of the Fifth Expedition to the New World, tracking down migrating Elder Dragons and trying to find out why they are going to this new continent every ten years or so. This storyline elements forms the core of the plot, and the narrative never really extends beyond that idea. It also gives the game a

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How these creatures interact can be fascinating.

And then there is the other complexity – many fans thought that bringing Monster Hunter to a wider audience would require some dumbing down of the game’s normal formula, but that hasn’t happened. As a result, Monster Hunter: World isn’t extremely friendly to newcomers. The game is deep, and there are literally thousands of crafting combinations, not to mention missions, creatures and a ton of other stuff. Monster Hunter: World is not for the faint hearted, particularly considering that it doesn’t go out of its way to explain how and why things work. But if you push through and persevere, it can be extremely satisfying.

And, thankfully, it isn’t exactly short. You’ll be playing this game for a good long time to get through the main campaign, only to have another kick off right after… it is a massive, sprawling title that certainly delivers bang for

your buck in terms of play-time potential.

And, of course, there is the online aspect. Most mission are better when played as part of a team; although the difficulty ramps up, great team work is exceptionally satisfying here. There are a few issues with the multiplayer aspect of the game – a few missteps that could likely be patched out before long – but, these aside, online and with friends really is the best way to experience what Monster Hunter: World has to offer.

And that really is a lot. This game is fast paced fun when it needs to be, and pedantic puzzling when required.

The player will need to learn and strategise, not just hunts but even tasks like creating equipment. This is a game that requires brains, but those efforts are rewarded with vast variety, tons to do and an absolutely stunning playground. g

AT A GLANCE Adventure

REVIEWED ON

A massive world, tons to do and a truckload of play-time are the hallmarks of this fun and exciting title.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Capcom Capcom Ster Kinekor

PARENTAL ADVISORY

16+ gamecca104

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

AWARDS

Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Casual Ed’s Choice

PS4 PLATFORMS

GENRE

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

Score

95 37

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Railway Empire GAMING

Supply the demand!

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Railway Empire

by Walt Pretorius

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trying to reach towns before your competitors do. Then you’ll likely move on to making sure that those town are well supplied with the growing number of goods that they demand. And even though these has been competition to this point, the gloves will really come off as the player works against the AI to purchase businesses, company stock and build new factories in cities. Domination of the rails is what is important here.

Railway Empire can keep you extremely busy with a full roster of competitors, but for those who want things a little lighter, several game modes exist to purely play for the joy of watching little trains speeding back and forth.

Even then, without AI enemies wanting to put you out of business, Railway Empire can become a complex matter to manage. Trains need to run on time, and rail lines need to accommodate for that. Thankfully, the developers

GAMING

ransportation games are, by and large, a matter of getting something from point A to point B, be it people or freight. And that, in a nutshell, is what Railway Empire is too; a game that has its heart in the rules of supply and demand. But its soul, well… that’s in a very different place. That’s in building a massive company, and beating out all competitors. The two ideas work together, of course, but one is almost philanthropic (bringing railway connections to far flung town and watching them grow feels like a small act of charity) while the other is all about the money.

It is something that this kind of management game – which is quite rare these days, I might add – doesn’t always fully utilise. Competition against others. And in Railway Empire, that competition can be fierce.

Starting out, you’ll probably be laying a lot of track,

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have created a fantastic way of building rail lines, as well as side lines and more, all to help the player develop a powerful network of supply and demand.

But there’s more. The player will also need to manage staff, which provide certain boosts, as well as research and extensive tech tree. Railway Empire will certainly keep you busy, there’s no doubt about that.

And yet, even with all of this going on, the game manages to bring across something of a calm pace. There will be times when you can just sit back and listen to the trains. There may not be many, but they are there, and they will occur more readily in some of the calmer game modes. Speaking of which, Railway empire offers campaign, scenario, free and sandbox mode flavours, each with several territories to explore and exploit. There are also different eras to play in, starting at the birth of

the American railroad dream right through to it’s steampowered heyday.

There are a few hassles here – there almost always are niggles in games these days – but none of them are completely ruinous. In fact, as a whole, the fun to be had, as well as the head scratching, is enough to make any small quibbles disappear, leaving the player with a good looking, great playing transport simulator to enjoy for ages on end.

It almost doesn’t need to be said that Railway Empire won’t float everyone’s boat. It is a game that requires attention to detail, yet also demands a macrocosmic approach, like any other good management game. But fans of the genre will likely lap this up in bucket loads. It really is a well put together management sim, despite a few issues. g

AT A GLANCE Management

REVIEWED ON

Wonderfully full and time consuming, Railway Empire is a fun and rewarding management game.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Gaming Mind Studios Kalypso Apex Interactive

PARENTAL ADVISORY

3+ gamecca104

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

AWARDS

Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Casual Ed’s Choice

PC PLATFORMS

GENRE

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

Score

80 41

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The Inpatient GAMING

Two steps forward, one step back…

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The Inpatient

by Rob Edwards

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I’ll concede, the creepy ‘50s sanitorium bit has been done to death in countless movies and games but, in the case of The Inpatient, Supermassive have done a fantastic job with the setting. Almost everything can be interacted with (provided you use the Move wands – the DualShock disables a lot of interaction) and the level of detail, in the first part at least, is immense. The setting is beautiful in its stark dinginess, and the sound design is quite literally fabulous (once again, in the first part). Add to this the fact that the all-important dialogue responses can be spoken (as well as selected using controllers) and you have a game in which the immersion is off the charts.

Like Until Dawn, player choices use a sort of “butterfly effect” system which not only effects events later in the game, but also allows for a ton pf replayability. And that’s pretty much all you will do in the game – there is no

GAMING

irtual Reality needs – nay, demands – great immersion. And great immersion means that truly pant-soiling horror is possible. And that’s exactly what developers Supermassive (the team behind the super-grisly Until Dawn) tried to do with The Inpatient. And, in a number of ways, they succeed… but inconsistencies in the game’s pacing and quality leaves it falling flat in the last bit, which is a great shame.

The Inpatient serves as a prequel to Until Dawn and, as such, it helps to have played that particular title before taking this one on. It’s not a must, though… it will just help fill in some of the blanks in your character’s memory. See, in The Inpatient, you play the part of someone who wakes up in a sanatorium in 1952, with no recollection of why you are there, or even who you are.

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action here. Rather, The Inpatient is a trip into someone’s insanity, not a fight to the death.

There are still plenty of jump-frights to keep you on your toes, as well as an impending sense of dread that permeates the experience. And that persists for the first few hours of this sadly short VR experience. Towards the end, though, things go awry…

It seems like Supermassive got into a rush when they were making the ending of the game, and most of the endings that we have experienced so far are rather unsatisfying. The narrative, in fact, really unwinds in the latter part of the game, which sadly takes the entire experience and not only brings it down, but almost trashes it.

The inconsistencies between the first and the last part of the game are so vast that it almost seems like a

different game entirely. Every aspect of the game, from graphics through to sound, take a turn for the worse in a section that should, logically, have shone beyond the opening. That’s what climaxes are about, folks.

It really leaves a sour taste in the mouth, because the opening hours of The Inpatient have so much promise and potential.

At best, one should consider The Inpatient as a fairly solid step in the right direction in terms of VR. The immersive setting, the character graphics (even though you don’t get to know many of them well, lessening the impact of their inevitable grisly deaths) and the sound design, not to mention the effective use of voice recognition, all speak towards great strides in making games for the PSVR system. It would have been nice if the consistency had been, well, consistent, though… g

AT A GLANCE Horror

REVIEWED ON

A great start leads to a weak end in this wonderfully PSVR game, which serves as a prequel to Until Dawn.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Supermassive SCE Ster Kinekor

PARENTAL ADVISORY

18+ gamecca104

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

AWARDS

Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Casual Ed’s Choice

PS4 PLATFORMS

GENRE

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

Score

65 45

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Shadow of the GAMING

A true masterpiece

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Shadow of the Colossus

by Walt Pretorius

Colossus

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dream into what was available to them. But now, with a remastered version hitting the shelves more than a decade later, Shadow of the Colossus has another opportunity to shine… and shine it does.

While there have been many technical upgrades to Shadow of the Colossus, the core of the game stays the same – a young man who wants to return a soul to a young woman must defeat sixteen immense colossi at the behest of a powerful entity.

Defeating each colossus is a, um, colossal task. Thee giant constructs cannot simply be taken on hand-tohand and, besides, the player’s character isn’t sporting the most powerful of weapons.

However, the game doesn’t work with a toe-to-toe idea. Rather, each colossus is a puzzle to solve, both in

GAMING

here are games that are great works of entertainment, and then there are games that are great works of art. One such work of art was released in 2005, to a great amount of critical acclaim: Shadow of the Colossus. This PS2 exclusive was nothing short of masterful, and hit all the right notes. It was ambitious, awe-inspiring and (at the time) beautiful. Add to that an emotionally charged story and great game dynamics, and this went from great to absolutely brilliant.

It seemed, in the subsequent years, that Shadow of the Colossus was a game released ahead of its time. Its ambition alone was far beyond what the technology of the day could handle, even though the developers did a great job in working their

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terms of traversal (climbing to access its weak points) and strategy of defeat.

The colossi ramp up in difficulty and all pose unique challenges to the player. And they come in a wide variety of forms, too.

Searching for the colossi is a matter of following a beam of light sent up by the player’s sword. It is a fantastic journey through a beautiful yet stark world, and is almost as enjoyable as defeating the mammoth creatures.

Add to all of this great traversal and almost-puzzling fun a great story line, excellent voice acting and a wondrous setting, and you have a game that is still a winner to this day.

But it has been made even better through extensive

redesigning, bringing its look to par with the best that today’s consoles have to offer. It still feels fresh, even after more than a decade, and with the slight adjustments that have been made to controls, it feels better than ever.

Which really just stands testament to the skills of the team behind the game. While we have seen numerous remasters and remakes for the current console generation, only a handful feel like they truly belong here.

Shadow of the Colossus is one of those – it is a remarkable game, even now, and one that transcends mere gaming and moves into a world of interactive art.

This is a game you simply must play. g

AT A GLANCE Adventure

REVIEWED ON

Even more than a decade later, Shadow of the Colossus is a great game, done true justice by this remaster.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

SCE Japan SCE Ster Kinekor

PARENTAL ADVISORY

12+ gamecca104

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

AWARDS

Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Casual Ed’s Choice

PS4 PLATFORMS

GENRE

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

Score

93 49

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Lost Sphear GAMING

Kitchen sink, incoming!

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Lost Sphear

by Walt Pretorius

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really gel together well (or at all) making playing Lost Sphear more of a chore than a pleasure at times. Sure, the game has a few great ideas to it, like being able to build up momentum in combat to unleash more powerful attacks, but these moments of brilliance are lamentably few and very far between.

At its heart is a plot idea that is actually pretty cool. The world is slowly disappearing into a white nothingness, and the player’s character, Kanata, is the only one who can do anything about it. You could go into deep philosophical discussions about the nuances and thoughts behind this idea, but, if the rest of the game is anything to go by, the developers probably never got close to those lofty ideas.

They probably thought it was a cool point to start from.

Kanata is joined on his quest by a bunch of people, of course, because that’s what happens in every other CRPG.

GAMING

he developers behind Lost Sphear obviously love classic computer RPGs. They would have to, considering that they have tried to cram pretty much every mechanic from every game worth mentioning into Lost Sphear’s 20-odd hour play time. And while someone, somewhere (possibly on heavy psychotropic drugs) must have thought that this would be a stunning idea, the end result is little more than a muddled mess that lacks any form of identity or, for that matter, originality.

If players feel that the game feels a lot like Chrono Trigger, they would be right – the shameless borrowing from that classic is massive here, but that’s not the only game that the developers lifted content from. There’s some Grandia, and a whole bunch of others, too.

The real problem is that a lot of these mechanics don’t

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But they’re the weirdest bunch of misfits this side of any given freakshow, and the fact that these people would work together at any given time strain credulity for even a fantasy title like this. The result is that the game’s dialogue often feels strained, when it isn’t falling flat, and the plot soon becomes little more than a rush to the finish line.

There aren’t even many side quests to get through.

Combat is probably Lost Sphear’s strongest point, thanks to ideas like Momentum. It is turn based (naturally) and each character has a number of magical abilities as well as more mundane attacks. The characters are pretty unmatched, though, and the player will see little advantage in using some of them, opting to rather stick to the powerhouses than explore weaker characters.

And then there’s the collecting of stuff. Spell components need to be collected and crafted. Weapon components

need to be collected and crafted. Go to a restaurant for a specific meal, and you have to supply your own ingredients, as well as pay for it (ingredients which, of course, need to be collected and crafted… ) It gets beyond ridiculous, particularly when considering that the loot rich world makes crafting things like weapon or armour upgrades pointless.

The only thing that Lost Sphear does perfectly is know when to end. A game like this would normally be a long one, but Lost Sphear tops out at around 20 hours, which is more than enough.

Sure, there are some good elements to this game, but they are so overshadowed by the mess of mechanics and poorly conceived systems to make much of a positive impact on the overall experience. Ultimately, this game is a hot mess. And that’s surprising, considering it was published by Square Enix. g

AT A GLANCE Adventure

REVIEWED ON

Like RPGs? You’ll find almost every mechanic used in the past right here... the result of which is messy and confusing.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Tokyo RPG Factory Square Enix Megarom

PARENTAL ADVISORY

7+ gamecca104

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

AWARDS

Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Casual Ed’s Choice

PS4 PLATFORMS

GENRE

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

Score

55 53

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Dragon Ball Figh GAMING

Super like a Saiyan!

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Dragon Ball FighterZ

by Alex Scanlon

hterZ

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The result is that this is the first real button-masher we have seen in ages, and newbies who spam attacks have a great chance of beating even the most experienced players as a result. It is, in a word, annoying, and the best advice is to avoid players who aren’t of a similar skill level to you. The biggest culprit here are automatic combos that kick in after mashing either the light or medium attack buttons. They’re simply far too easy to spam, and although they can be countered, the timing on doing so is extremely tricky. So it’s less frustrating to stay in your weight class.

With a roster of 24 characters to choose from, as well as looks that might as well have been ripped right out of the anime, Dragon Ball FighterZ does a lot by way of fan service. This extends, though into several areas, not the least of which being the numerous cut scenes that the game employs between bouts. While they may be

GAMING

great fighting game is a gem to find.

Normally they’re associated with brands like Tekken, Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat or, more recently, Injustice… but the pairing of Arc System Works and Dragon Ball Z has resulted in a fantastic fighting game based on a wildly popular anime property.

The result is a fighting game that can be hard to master, but is still super accessible… and it looks exactly the way it should.

Dragon Ball FighterZ eschews some of the frills that have crept into fighting games. It is a fairly simplistic fighting game, with only four attack buttons (light, medium, heavy and special) set in a 2D world. The real complexity comes from the fact that the players use three characters on a side, but even this remains fairly simple to get to grips with.

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lost on newcomers, fans of the anime will likely love the references and hints that flow throughout the game – even during match-ups. There are few games as heavy on fan service but, then again, that’s what a title like this is all about.

The action captures the Dragon Ball feel perfectly, too.

The moves are outrageously huge, of course, and the bravado is applied thick and fast. The single player game has a unique, if somewhat derivative, plot line to enjoy, too.

Speaking of single player, the campaign does offer some great moments, but it feels unnecessarily padded at times. Still, there is a lot of fighting fun to be had through it, so it’s worth a whirl.

Taking on the AI in arcade mode is also pretty cool; it uses a system in which the player’s previous fight is

graded (low, middle or high) and the next fight is set accordingly. The difficulty level can spike here at times, though, and if you’re losing there is no way to restart a match. Frustration is a definite result.

In terms of online play, Dragon Ball FighterZ delivers fairly well, although there may be issues from time to time. Then again, this is the kind of game that is best enjoyed from a shared couch, and preferably with someone as rabidly enthused about Dragon ball as you are.

Despite a few weaker points, Dragon Ball FighterZ is a game that a wide variety of players (in terms of skill level) can enjoy. It captures the spirit of the source material beautifully, and its simplicity in terms of controls belies a deep complexity to work through. This is Dragon Ball fighting done right. g

AT A GLANCE Fighting

REVIEWED ON

Great fan service and a wonderful adherence to the source material make this accessible fighter a great game for Dragon Ball fans.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Arc System Works Bandai Namco Megarom

PARENTAL ADVISORY

12+ gamecca104

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

AWARDS

Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Casual Ed’s Choice

PS4 PLATFORMS

GENRE

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

Score

86 57

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Digging into the worlds of Quin

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Walter Ellis hopes to complement gaming and independent game development. We recently 58

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ll seed

ntin Pan and Red Thread Games

By Nthato Morakabi

spoke to him about the name of his studio, what got him into development, and the importance of community. gamecca

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2 GM: I’m guessing the planting of that game development seed is where the name came from? Or am I being fanciful with the name creation?

MS: That’s certainly a valid way to interpret that, yes.

Most things have to start small.

3 GM: You mentioned learning game development in your spare time. Was this selftaught or did you study?

MS: I had no one around

who knew anything about game development, and I was the only person I knew who was even interested. So I became a faithful apprentice to master Google. All hail.

Well that and Lynda.com, an online video training platform I highly recommend.

It’s funny looking back, because there weren’t really courses then on game development specifically.

I pretty much had to piece together a learning path for myself. I started by asking master Google which affordable game engine was best or most popular. After comparing options, I settled on Unity, which I confirm was a good choice. Unity has established itself as the industry darling since.

Unity’s website explained which programming language I’d need to learn; C# and JavaScript or Unity’s version of it, called UnityScript.

JavaScript seemed easier so I looked for a course on Lynda.com. At the start of the course, there’s a section called “What you need to know already to do this course”, which said I needed to learn other things. Since then, I’ve moved onto C# from JavaScript which will soon be the only supported language.

4 GM: Follow up question, how did you find the learning

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process?

MS: I find the learning process very exciting. I might’ve gotten there faster if someone could’ve shown me the way. Being in charge of my own learning turned out to be exciting in itself, and has helped me fall in love with learning and problem solving.

I wouldn’t have it otherwise. I definitely recommend having a quicker start than I did.

Just remember: learn to be a learner.

5 GM: That sounds like one hell of a journey we must pay tribute to master Google. All hail!

Tell us how you got into game development. Was there a particular game or event that made you think “Yes! Game development!”?

MS: My mom actually often reminds me that I’ve wanted to make games from a very young age. She’s very supportive. When I was done with school, I went from one thing to the next, always learning, experiencing new things, and doing different kinds of jobs. I was fortunate learning a wide range of skills.

Specifically, many types of media working in a private broadcasting company.

My position on paper was “Head of 3D”, doing motion graphics for broadcast, but my inquisitiveness got me involved with almost every other department.

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GM: It was great meeting you at the Game Mixer run by the Goethe Institute. Can you tell us about Maple Seed, your game studio and when you started game development?.

MS: I started Maple Seed around the same time I started getting into game development, in June 2012, specifically to have a legal entity for releasing the games I would develop.

I took time to learn game development in my spare time, and for the first while not much happened. I was not ready to release anything to market at the time.

It was only recently that I went full time with my company, focusing all my efforts into game development.

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6 GM: Seeing how everything fell together and now you’re building that dream, I have to ask, what role does gaming play in your life? Are you an avid gamer?

MS: Relationship status with gaming: “It’s complicated.”

I normally feel bad for not playing more games, because I consider it helpful, if not important, for being involved in the industry. There’s been some heated debates online about whether it’s ok if game developers don’t play games.

Personally, I think it’s not absolutely necessary and could actually help a developer think outside the box if their perspective is not limited to existing games.

That said, as I’ve learnt in other forms of visual media, there’s a creative language

intrinsic to each medium that needs to be understood before it can effectively be experimented beyond.

This, along with knowing at least some of the games that are mentioned in conversation with other developers, are very good reasons to keep playing games as a developer, and why I do my best to do so. ...oh and of course, just for fun. That’s the most important reason.

7 GM: Absolutely true, games should be for fun or at least entertainment value. Still, there’s lots to glean as a developer. Either way, “it’s complicated” is something right? On the topic of industry, how are you finding the “scene”?

MS: I’m still quite new in the SA industry. I’ve only been back from abroad for about 2 years. That said, the modern game industry in SA has itself not been around for very long.

I’ve also found out that 85% or something of the studios are in Cape Town, so I kind of moved to the wrong place for that when I moved to Gauteng.

I’m still doing whatever I can to get to know everyone involved around here. A rather illuminating discussion on Twitter the other day by a couple of experts on the SA game industry, made me realise that the best thing we can do at this point to improve

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I later realized, learning code could realise my childhood dream of conceptualising fun experiences. I already had the other skills.

Not long after I started coding and making games, I was privileged to visit GDC Europe, an annual game developers’ conference held in Cologne, Germany. This exposed me to people in industry, the community, and I absolutely fell in love. That was a big-time confirmation to focus on this path. The health and success of the industry is very close to my heart.

the local scene is to keep making better games. Simple as that.

8 GM: Follow up question, what positive and negative aspects have you experienced during your dev days.

Care to share advice, struggles and victories?

MS: The most important advice I would give is to get involved with others in the industry. Don’t be a loner – we need each other. The global game development community seems to favour Twitter as a social media platform. Get on it, and search for people who use the hashtags “#gamedev” and “indiedev”. See what they’re up to, engage with people. Learn from others, and about the concerns in the industry. Go to developer conferences and meetups.

Getting facetime with other developers is absolutely invaluable. YouTube also has vast amounts of talks delivered by developers at conferences such as GDC. Listen to them as often as you can. You need to be in touch with the industry if you intend to be a relevant part of it.

The other thing is: make games! Focus on quantity before you start focusing on quality to build up confidence and experience by making as many games as you can, as many types of games as you can, with as many different

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9 GM: Agreed. Agreed.

Agreed! It should be a community, and thankfully we live in an era where there are plenty of platforms connecting individuals.

On that, what does being a game developer mean to you?

MS: To me it means standing up for play, and fun experiences, as an important part of being human. Also, getting to create something from an idea, and seeing others enjoy it is something beautiful to me personally.

10 GM: That’s deep.

So, tell us about the amazing game you’re currently developing, Complemento. What’s it about and where did the inspiration come from?

MS: Complemento is a digital puzzle board game that, depending on the mode, can be compared to Sudoku

and Chess in some ways. The name means to complement, like when the skills of two people complement each other to make a good team, essentially completing each other.

I wanted to make a game that was simple to learn, but can have deep strategy. It looks deceptively simplistic, partly due to the fact that it’s still in development. To play, you move pieces around the board until all the pairs have been brought together, and all the The game’s modes are “Mastery”, “How low can you go”, “Multi-Versus”, and “Coop”. With multiplayer modes, it’s turn-based, and you can only move stacks that have one of your pieces on top. This means you can capture stacks, and each piece has naturally different attack and defense strengths. This is where the strategy really comes in.

I also wanted to make the game about working together to succeed, so even in the versus mode, a player can’t complete their own stack without giving the pieces back that they captured, because the final stack must only include one’s own pieces with all pairs completed.

I’m always trying to see how I can elicit a fistbump at the end of a multiplayer experience rather than one person frowning and the other gloating. But that’s just me. I

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people as you can. Join “game jams” in your area for example.

One more thing.

Discouragement is abundant as there’s never been so many people making games - don’t be put off by that. Be aware of it with the decisions you make, but there’s also never been so many people playing games, and playing or even making games has never been such an accepted part of life. Go for it!

know competition can be fun too–just doesn’t make for a great date night game.

11 GM: Complemento sounds like a great game and having played the demo, keen on playing the new version. Is there an expected release date, and which platforms will we see Complemento?

MS: I hope to release by the middle of 2018, targeting PC, Mac, and mobile. I’d really like to target the Switch as well, but there are some considerable hurdles for SA devs for that at this point, so let’s see.

12 GM: Last question, what inspires you outside of gaming and how does that reflect in your development.

MS: There are two main things that really inspire me outside gaming. Firstly, a personal love for people, desiring that each person is fulfilled, well, and happy.

Secondly, invention, innovation, technological progress and exploration, which I tend to have an optimistic view about. These two things influence my game development in that I normally have some kind of positive vibe in whatever I make, and am partial to experimenting with entirely new concepts, or at least do something different with an existing concept. g

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Razer Basilisk FPS Gaming Mouse Cooler Master Mastercase H500P PC Case Razer Electra V2 USB Gaming Headset

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Tech is taking us to new heights (and more‌)

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ust a few weeks ago, the annual CES (formerly known as Consumer Electronics Show) trade show dazzled and baffled thousands of the world’s top media with the latest technology, gadgets, gizmos, and stuff that will shape the way we view digital in the next few months.

While we’re still waiting for attendance figures for the 51st incarnation of the largest global gathering of technology innovation, in 2017 more than 180 000 industry professionals convened in Las Vegas in an area covering more than 2.6 million net square feet (for us Safricans, that’s almost 250,000 square metres give or take) – a fair chunk of floor space to get around.

Fortunately, for you, we’ve compiled a list of some of the top innovations at this year’s event so you don’t have to worry about missing any of the latest and greatest tech goodness. While there’s always more than a fair share of laptops, computers, and so on, we’ve decided to focus on some of the more extreme things in the pipeline.

After all, a laptop is a laptop…just faster, thinner, and more expensive.

Walking on money At roughly R50k, you can buy yourself the Peloton Tread treadmill.

Featuring a 32-inch HD touch screen, the ability to live stream training classes and guided workouts, and even providing you with live stats and a leaderboard, this is the way to go if you take your training seriously. Although, given our budgets, reckon we’ll settle for a kettlebell or two instead.

Smarty pants TECHNOLOGY

Home automation, or more specifically home artificial intelligence, has become the darling of the tech

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industry for the past few years. While CES saw its fair smattering of these home devices, the JBL Link View Smart Display drew a lot of attention.

Combining an HD screen, crystalclear audio, and features you can only dream of, we reckon this one will be the device to get for the foreseeable future.

Gaming goes big Nvidia rarely disappoints when it comes to tech innovation and toys.

However, they blew everybody’s minds with the Big Format Gaming Display (BFGD) that is essentially a 65-inch gaming monitor. Featuring all the latest and greatest Nvidia features, this gaming screen is so impressive it even gets its own TLA.

Virtual workout VR headsets are becoming a dime a dozen. However, Black Box VR gives you the gym of the future. Using the HTC Vive as the base device, it ships with workout equipment that quickly transforms the hassle of working out into a video game. Gamification is turning into a huge market and by combining VR with exercise, we can’t wait to get all hot and sweaty (for all the right reasons).

Sun sense Building on linking live with technology, L’Oreal (yes, you read right) unveiled the UV Sense wearable device. Essentially, it features a UV sensor no bigger than a thumbnail that tells you via your smart device of choice how much sun exposure you are getting daily. For us in good old sunny South Africa, I reckon the results might blow the sensor but still…

Wireless lights Okay, we might not be getting this any time soon, but the Wi-Fibre IntelliPlatform Integrated Streetlights (say

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that three times fast) play in the fast-growing smart city space. Nor only does its lamppost head feature built-in WiFi equipment, but it also contains security cameras and other snazzy features that notifies the closest emergency services if it ‘spots’ an accident or crime being committed.

Drone racing When drones hit pop-up stores for R200 then you know they’ve hit the mainstream. However, the Uvify Oori drone has been built with racing in mind. The nice thing is that it’s not aimed at pro racers.

Instead, it wants to give us home hacks a chance to get our thumbs wet with what this flying entails.

Small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, the Oori can clock up an impressive 100km/h. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Pong 13.0 Want to play ping pong (table tennis for the purist) but don’t have any siblings or mates you can rope into it again? Well, check out the Omron Forpheus ping pongplaying robot. Featuring a built-in LCD screen featuring encouraging messages, it’s probably guaranteed to kick your arse without breaking a sweat.

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TECHNOLOGY

No CES round-up can be complete without cracking at least one toilet joke. Well, this year the Kohler Numi provides the perfect answer. This intelligent toilet (we know right?) has a sensor that activates a foot warmer and heated seat. Plus, it features ambient lighting, a bidet, and some music to get you in the, er, mood.

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A laptop, but not When is a laptop not a laptop?

Well, the Razer Project Linda is exactly that. Even though it’s still in concept, the best way to describe it is a glorified docking station for the Razer phone. The phone clips in to the dummy laptop’s trackpad while giving you access to a second screen, storage space, keyboard, and charging station. Colour us properly impressed.

Roll up, roll up Okay, so we lied…we must mention at least one screen. The LG rollable OLED TV is exactly that.

A 65-inch screen that supports 4K resolution and that you can roll up (think projector screen flipped on its head) when done with it. Sure, rollable displays have been a fan favourite in terms of future tech but this is the first time it’s done on a screen this size, and this beautiful.

Chopper commute Finally, Volocopter (who names these things?) will, in theory, transform the way we commute.

Or, at the very least, the way the rich commutes. This single-place experimental electric multi-rotor helicopter can best be described as a flying car. Powered by Intel (good or bad you decide), this self-flying drone is extremely easy to fly, quiet, and emission free when running on its batteries. Of course, this could give new meaning to the phrase road rage when an incident happens 100m in the air.

So, that’s a brief look at the CES that was. Obviously, many things might not make it into our lives while others will be a vital part of it.

Which ones? Well, that’s for the rest of the year to show. g

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H C EW E T VI E R Razer

Basilisk FPS

Gaming Mouse

Right on target

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azer doesn’t generally make wild claims – when they state something, they are more often than not bang on target. So when they say that the Razer Basilisk is the world’s most advanced FPS mouse, you kind of have to sit up and listen.

The Basilisk certainly has some great new ideas that set it apart from competitors. First of all, the resistance of the scroll wheel can be adjusted, making it easier or more difficult to scroll. It’s a remarkably simple idea, really, and it is sort of surprising that no one has done it before. But it really is a great move, and one that allows the wheel to be trimmed right down to the user’s liking.

Next off is what they call the DPI Clutch. This is a removable button that sits on the thumb side of this comfortably shaped mouse. Holding it down boosts

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the DPI, releasing it reverts the DPI back to the previous setting. It allows for a very quick switch of DPI, allowing quick turns or ultra precision, depending on how you set this temporary DPI function. Once again, a great idea.

This removable button also comes in two different lengths (it extends over the mouse’s thumb side panel) which means that it is fairly simple to get in a comfortable position. It takes a little getting used to, but it really works a charm when you do.

Under the hood is what Razer claims to be the most advanced optical sensor. This 5G sensor gives true 16000 DPI performance, which is really sensitive in anyone’s book.

The Basilisk is a seven button mouse (two on the thumb side, two for dpi switching, and the usual ones) that is beautifully shaped. The thumb side also features a large thumb support extrusion, with the DPI clutch

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Razer Basilisk FPS Gaming Mouse

by Alex Scanlon

AT A GLANCE: SUMMARY

TECH SPECS • • • • • • •

A handful of great improvements make this mouse on of the best out there for FPS fans (and other gamers too).

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16000 dpi sensor DPI Clutch Adjustable scroll wheel Seven buttons

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extending over it a little (sitting just below the front of the two side buttons). The mouse is also slightly wider at it’s base that at the top, making for a very comfortable user experience. The main buttons are generously sized and quick to respond. The whole thing is finished off with textured rubber side panels for improved grip and comfort. Oh, and it is, obviously, Chroma enabled.

By adding just a few innovative (yet almost obvious) features, Razer have turned the Basilisk into a wonderfully responsive, incredibly comfortable and overall great mouse. The adjustable scroll wheel, DPI Clutch and absolutely excellent sensor combine with great ergonomics to make the Basilisk a serious contender for those wanting a new mouse specifically for FPS. Is it the best FPS mouse on the market? Well, that could always be debated but, as things currently stand, it quite likely is. g

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H C EW E T VI E R Cooler

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Mastercase H50 P Breath-taking!

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eople who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. And people who build their PCs in glass cases should know how to manage cables. You would battle to get a much more windowed case than Cooler Master’s stunning Mastercase H500P, so if it is on your shopping list, you better make sure those cable skills are excellent. With that said, one of the many great features of this case is that it includes a cable cover to help with that, which is positioned on the back of the motherboard support plate. It also comes with a PSU shroud for the bottom mounted PSU, which helps neaten those pesky power cables, and a removable cover over the motherboard plate’s CPU cut-out hole, which allows easy installation of various coolers without having to disassemble the whole machine.

The side panel of this case is a massive tempered glass window, while the front and top are clear plastic. That means a clear view into the case on three sides, which is fantastic for those that want to show off their rigs. To add to this, the case comes with two massive front side 200mm fans, which are fully RGB adjustable. A little money could see three RGB 140mm fans set into the top, making the case an impressive light show.

Further showing off can be achieved thanks to

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two vertical PCI slots at the rear of the case. This means that one graphics card can be displayed vertically., for that extra visual impact, although you will need to buy a riser cable to pull that off.

The H500P is also liquid cooling ready, with space for up to 360mm radiators at the front and top.

In terms of drive space, it supports two drives in bays, either 2.5” or 3.5”, with two additional SSD mounting spots on the reverse of the motherboard plate. There is no option for an optical drive, though, which may be problematic for some users (but really, come on, this is 2018…).

On the front, the H500P offers two USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports and audio ports, as expected.

Building a system into the H500P is a dream. It is a wonderfully spacious case, and the clever design put in by Cooler Master means that a clean, uncluttered build is not as difficult as it would be in other cases. The finishing of the case is top notch, and there are no sharp bits to catch your hands on. And the end result?

Well, it can be (with the right lighting and neatness) simply breath-taking.

The only downside is that the fantastic glass panel does make the H500P rather heavy, compared to other cases. But when a case looks this good, who cares about a little extra weight? g

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NAME OF Cooler Master THE PRODUCT Mastercase H500P PC Case

PC Case

SUMMARY Few cases look this good, and are so fantastic to build a PC into…

TECH SPECS • • • • • • •

Tempered glass side panel Clear front panel Clear top panel Vertical PSU ports 2 USB 3.0 ports Cable management cover M A NUFA CT UR E R C o o l er M a ster

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Razer Electra V2

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A PC winner

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Razer Electra V2 USB Gaming Headset

Gaming Headset

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love a good headset. More importantly, I love a good, versatile headset. Sadly, the Razer Electra V2 USB doesn’t qualify in the latter category, because of its USB connection. That means that it’s PC, Mac or PS4 compatible, which isn’t too bad, but it certainly doesn’t cover the full range of potential applications. With that said, the USB connection does allow the use of one of its best features – 7.1 virtual surround sound. But we’ll get to that…

The Electra V2 USB is powered by 40mm neodymium drivers that have been custom tuned. And whoever is behind that tuning did a great job – the headset delivers sensible, solid bass notes and crisp, clear highs, not to mention those lovely, all-important mids.

These are housed in over-ear cups that are a little on the small side, but only by a hair. These cups are cushioned with generous leatherette pads for maximum comfort, although they don’t offer a massive degree of rotation. In addition, the ear cups are back lit, for that added cool factor.

Everything is held together by a tough, yet lightweight, aluminium frame that hold the ear cups and the suspension headband (which is not very well padded, but being a suspension band, it doesn’t really need to be). The overall effect is a good degree of comfort even after long gaming sessions.

A removable, fully positionable boom mic plugs into the left ear cup and can be positioned in virtually any way you like, which is great for comfort and chat clarity.

Right, on to the virtual surround sound. This is hardly anything new, of course, but razer have provided Electra V2 USB users with a set of software that allows you to painstakingly calibrate the various directional audio signals. This lets you customise your experience beautifully, as well as allowing for potentially better environmental awareness through sound.

There are a few good ideas in the Electra V2 USB, and its performance is great. But it’s not perfect.

Aside from the aforementioned limited device compatibility, it also doesn’t feature any form of controls. Sure, the mic is muted if you yank it out, but some volume controls wouldn’t have hurt, particularly if you need to turn up the sound in the heat of battle.

Also, audio levels on the PS4 can be a pain to set.

That one presumably simple addition would have made this headset a true winner.

Still, it’s not a bad device at all, thanks to the great sound quality and adjustable virtual surround sound.

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It’s comfortable and particularly great for PC gaming, with great audio and adjustable 7.1 surround sound.

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40mm drivers Custom tuned drivers USB connection PC / PS4 compatible Removable boom mic Adjustable surround sound

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The information age sheds light on many evils…

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support the victims but to expose wide spread sexual harassment occurring around the world. After more than 1.7 millions tweets were sent from all over the world, Alyssa Milano (one of the main advocates for the moment) announced a fund called Time’s Up to provide support for victims of harassment.

Since the news of Weinstein’s alleged crimes exploded onto our screens, many more allegations involving Hollywood celebrities have emerged, with wellknown stars like Louis CK, Ben Affleck, Kevin Spacey and more being thrust into the spotlight. While many of the allegations remain legally untested, the courtroom of the internet has pronounced hefty sentences for the alleged perpetrators.

Kevin Spacey, considered one of the best actors in modern cinema, was fired from House of Cards (where he portrays the main character, Frank Underwood). He was also cut from portraying J Paul Getty in the upcoming film “All The Money in the World” and his scenes in the film were re-shot with Christopher Plummer.

While the record will show the date being October 2017 as the date the movement started, it should really state it as 2004 when movie and TV legend Bill Cosby was accused of sexual misconduct by Andrea Constand. Cosby denied the allegations, and while criminal prosecutors backed away from the case, a civil case was settled for an undisclosed sum in 2006. In 2015, journalists obtained court documents in which Cosby admitted to drugging Constand and other women to have sex with them. As news of the scandal broke, initial defenders of Cosby were eventually drowned by outrage, with more and more women coming forward to accuse the actor and comedian. With over 50 women accusing

Fuelling an online movement.

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debated long with myself (against myself) about writing about the #MeToo movement. The topic has become such a powder keg that many would rather have safe and comfortable conversations about racism or abortion before tackling the minefield that is sexual harassment. Approaching an incendiary and complex topic like this my first inclination is to present some credentials to justify why I should be allowed to have an opinion on this topic (I grew up in a house full of liberal feminists and activists, etc.). However, I’m going to rather say I breathe air and walk on two legs, and that’s all the justification I need to observe the human condition. When it comes to an online movement like #MeToo, all you really need is a computer and a mobile phone to be involved.

Many people will believe (and Wikipedia probably will say the same) that this all started around the emergence of allegations of sexual harassment and assault against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein. Weinstein, along with his brother Bob, founded Miramax Films, which was one of the largest independent film producers in Hollywood, before being acquired by Disney in the mid-90s. Over 80 women came forward to confirm that they had been sexually harassed or molested by the producer, including many well-known actresses like Ashley Judd, Rose McGowan and Gwyneth Paltrow, many of whom found success through Weinstein’s films. As the scandal deepened, it turned out that the company was well aware of Weinstein’s actions, and even put a clause in his contract that he had to pay any sexual harassment lawsuits out of his own pocket (but otherwise he couldn’t be fired). This fuelled an online movement to not only

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Cosby of crimes spanning from 1965 to 2008, he was eventually charged with multiple counts of sexual assault.

Cosby’s case broke a long held silence in Hollywood around sexual harassment, with many of his celebrity supporters and friends having to distance themselves from him or be accused of complicity and deafening silence. By the time the Weinstein scandal had broken almost two years later, Weinstein was afforded almost zero protection by Hollywood’s spin machine, and his long time defenders (who had in some cases convinced alleged victims to withdraw their accusations) were named and shamed along with Weinstein. What Cosby’s case did was to prepare the connected world of bloggers,

“Some have critiqued the movement.”

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tweeters and hashtaggers for the online conversation to come.

Some have critiqued the movement.

Prominent Hollywood director Steven Soderbergh recently gave an interview expressing fears that paranoia around sexual harassment would further hamper efforts to hire more women into the film industry. Other film veterans like Brigitte Bardot have lashed out at the movement, calling it an overreaction and criticising celebrities spearheading the movement for their own complicity in the sexualising of the film industry. Comedian Aziz Ansari was also the subject of much conversation after being accused by an anonymous woman of sexual misconduct. However, the incident polarised opinions on whether this constituted any wrong doing on Ansari’s part, and led to further criticism that the movement was in danger of muddying the waters rather than clarifying issues of harassment and assault.

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Despite the varying opinions, there is little doubt that this was a conversation a long time in the making. While Weinstein’s case opened the door, Cosby’s alleged crimes certainly oiled the hinges. We can only hope that this continues to expose more terrible injustices and abuses of power.

Case in point, the mystery of former British Prime Minister Edward Heath. In office from 1970 to 1974, Heath was a long serving member of the Conservative Party. Heath never married, and while there were rumours that Heath was possibly a homosexual, he was generally considered to be a lifelong bachelor with a fondness of yachting, classical music and football until his death in 2005. It wasn’t until 2015 that police began to seriously investigate allegations that Heath had sexually abused several young boys. With accusations that Heath had molested boys as young as 10, over 40 cases surfaced implicating Heath. With Heath unable to be interviewed after his death, little evidence existed to close the cases, however conspiracies abound regarding government involvement in covering up Heath’s alleged crimes. Depending on which article you read, these cover-ups range from using brothels to secure young boys for the politician, to being part a pedophile ring cover up that involved Margaret Thatcher, which may be linked to several murders.

What is clear from all of this is that power has allowed sexual predators to roam unencumbered, and the modern age of the internet has given voice to those who were once silenced by courts, governments and society’s elite. While some cases like that of Edward Heath may never be solved, the age of information and the #MeToo conversation will hopefully ensure that these crimes will never be repeated. g

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CES 2018: a sign of what’s to come...

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A whole new level of connectivity.

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A connected world Okay, so being connected can hardly be considered a new thing. After all, between our smartphones, tablets, TVs, and fridges, we consider ourselves to be well and truly tapped into the information superhighway. But the level of connectedness that was demonstrated last month takes this to a completely different level.

Home automation was a central theme especially on the back of the

By Iwan Pienaar

success that the likes of Amazon’s Alexa, through the Echo, and Google Home had in 2017. Given how these devices are not officially available in South Africa and getting them to work in the country is notoriously difficult, the level of home automation/convenience these virtual assistants bring hardly seem exciting to South Africans.

Sadly (for some), we need to start embracing it. The digital home of the future will revolve around this experience. Thankfully, if CES 2018 is anything to go by, then automated technologies certainly have evolved considerably since the days of remote controlled lights and timer switches. Now, it is all about artificial intelligence (AI). Think less about the hardware and more about the data, software, and intelligence driving it.

Even though we’re not quite at the level of robots taking over the living room yet, AI has become a fundamental component to what technology will provide us in the months and years to come. Imagine driving up to you house, a camera recognising your car, and opening everything for you. Okay, so in the South African context with security being critical this might be a bad example, but you get the idea. AI is all about decluttering our lives from all the admin-type things we need to do. In just the past three years, these virtual assistants have become an indispensable tool for many.

Becoming smarter Of course, this AI-driven environment will not just revolve around our homes. Smart cities and smart cars will become par for the course.

The former sees everything from traffic patterns and parking spots to utilities and infrastructure being automated from an AI perspective. And the latter extends

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beyond just self-driving cars to create an environment that uses accident-avoidance techniques and technologies to make roads safer.

But given the track record of taxis on local roads, I suspect we might never really see this materialise in sunny South Africa.

More realistically for us will be connected cars (we really need to come up with a different word).

Previously the domain of highend models, software upgrades is becoming more accessible to a wider variety of cars. This brings with it internet access, the potential for heads-up displays, and even built-in cameras that provide better all-round visibility.

Part of the general trend towards smarter and better connected (see, that word again) devices, is the arrival of more voice-controlled features. CES 2018 highlighted how our voices will be driving much of our digital activities. Hands-free will take on an entirely new meaning in the next few months with TV sets, phones, and even elements of cars being voice-controlled.

Traditional tech Amidst the excitement of AI, big screen TVs, and the other toys, ‘traditional’ computing was an everpresent feature. After all, you can’t have a technology show without demonstrating some funky laptops and displays.

We’ll be focusing on these in more detail next month as we try and find out the local availability of some of the more sexier models in the local market so check back then.

For now, suffice it to say, there are exciting things in the pipeline for technology enthusiasts with the way we use and abuse our laptops for gaming and entertainment going to change.

Here’s to another bumper year filled with hardware, software, and gaming madness. g

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CES 2018: A Sign of What’s to Come...

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he annual pilgrimage to Las Vegas has come and gone.

No, we’re not talking about going gambling or visiting Elvis.

Instead, being geeks, our focus in January turned to the Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

Celebrating its 51th year (yes, there was technology all the way back in the 60s), CES is widely regarded as the showcase event that provides a barometer for the technology that will razzle and dazzle us for the coming 11 months. And while announcements, previews, and showcases that are demonstrated at the event might take a while to hit the mainstream, it still provides an indication of the direction in which the industry is heading.

With visitor numbers for the few days typically approaching 200,000 people it is certainly one of the premier technology events that see journalists from all over the world attending. In recent times, everything from 3D TVs and drones to augmented reality and 4K had its roots at CES. Even autonomous vehicles have proved a popular drawcard at the past few shows as technology permeates virtually every aspect of our ‘ordinary’ lives.

But what about the breakout announcements for this year? What are the technologies, products, and toys we need to know about to start saving for now?

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his month’s Back Panther is kind of a big deal. Like Wonder Woman last year, the movie takes an iconic superhero who broke representational boundaries when they first debuted in comic pages and brings them to the big screen in their first solo movie.

It’s interesting to note that Marvel’s Black Panther was the first ever African superhero, appearing initially in 1966. This predates Falcon by 3 years, Luke Cage by 6 and John Stewart’s Green Lantern by 5 – and all three of those men are African-American.

Black Panther (AKA T’Challa) is born and (mostly) raised in the mysterious, isolationist African nation of Wakanda.

For over a decade, starting in the early ‘90s – that first period of superhero movie popularity – Blade star Wesley Snipes wanted to make a Black Panther movie. Marvel decision-makers were never happy with the script though, and it was only in 2014 that the Black Panther movie was announced as officially greenlit, with little-known Chadwick Boseman in the title role, and Creed writer-director Ryan Coogler helming the project.

The Black Panther movie is set after the events of Captain America: Civil War, the Marvel Cinematic Universe entry that introduced the character. In his solo film, T’Challa must accept his responsibilities as the new king of Wakanda following the unexpected death of his father. At the same time, he has to contend with multiple enemies, both foreign and domestic, who are opposed to his rule. The fate of his nation, and the world, is at stake.

At the time of writing this feature, Black Panther’s running time was rumoured to be over 130 minutes.

Instead of being a conventional superhero movie, the filmmakers have promised something that’s a combination of The Godfather and James Bond, with a large espionage component alongside an epic family drama about legacy, treachery and expectation vs. individual want. Then there’s the film’s unique, colourful aesthetic, combining high-tech designs and a mix of elements from various traditional African cultures.

Black Panther is the last Marvel movie before megacrossover Avengers: Infinity War releases on 4 May. Expect excitement around Black Panther to be huge when the film opens in South Africa (and North America) on 16 February. You’ll be able to watch the movie in 2D, 3D and 3D IMAX.

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WHERE HAVE YOU SEEN THEM BEFORE Black Panther features a large cast, predominantly of African descent. Here’s a run-down of who plays who, and where you might know the actors from.

Chadwick Boseman This American actor plays Black Panther’s title character, T’Challa, the new king of Wakanda, and the country’s masked defender. Before playing Black Panther in Captain America: Civil War, Boseman’s most notable, big budget movie role was in Gods of Egypt.

Michael B. Jordan Jordan plays Erik Killmonger, a mercenary who’s a physical and intellectual match for T’Challa. Jordan first impressed in foundfootage superhero movie Chronicle. He also played Johnny Storm in 2015’s Fantastic Four reboot and boxer Adonis Creed in the Rocky spin-off.

Lupita Nyong’o Nyong’o plays Nakia, a member of Wakanda’s elite all-female special forces, the Dora Milaje. Nyong’o won an Oscar for her work in the acclaimed 12 Years a Slave. She also provided a voice and motioncapture performance as Maz Kanata in the new Star Wars trilogy.

Danai Gurira Gurira assumes an important role as Okoye, the stoic, traditionalist head of the Dora Milaje. The actress sports a bald head here but is more recognisable as the dreadlocked Michonne from the TV series adaptation of The Walking Dead.

Angela Bassett LIFESTYLE

Veteran actress Bassett plays Ramonda, the mother of T’Challa and ex-queen of Wakanda. Some of the notable roles in Bassett’s 30 year career include Tina Turner biopic What’s Love Got to Do With It? and age-gap romance How Stella Got Her Groove Back.

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Forest Whitaker Whitaker is T’Challa’s spiritual mentor Zuri. Whitaker has been making movies since the early 1980s. He won an Oscar for playing Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland. Most recently he was seen in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

Daniel Kaluuya Kaluuya plays T’Challa’s best friend and second-in-command, W’Kabi.

The British actor has appeared in Black Mirror and the Johnny English and Kick-Ass sequels. He achieved stardom with his leading role in last year’s standout, topical horror film Get Out.

Lupita Nyong’o Nyong’o plays Nakia, a member of Wakanda’s elite all-female special forces, the Dora Milaje. Nyong’o won an Oscar for her work in the acclaimed 12 Years a Slave. She also provided a voice and motioncapture performance as Maz Kanata in the new Star Wars trilogy.

Andy Serkis The motion-capture master (of Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Tintin, King Kong and Planet of the Apes fame) shows his real face as South African arms smuggler Ulysses Klaue, who has a personal vendetta against T’Challa. Serkis played the same character in Age of Ultron.

Martin Freeman Having played US government agent Everett K Ross in Captain America: Civil War, Freeman returns as the character here. Freeman is probably best known for the Hobbit movies and Sherlock TV series.

Lesser known actors with pivotal roles in Black Panther include Leticia Wright as T’Challa’s brilliant inventor sister Shuri; and Winston Duke, as M’Baku, the head of a Wakandan mountain tribe opposed to T’Challa’s kingship.

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o T’Challa’s kingship.

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5 FACTS ABOUT THE BLACK PANTHER With a history dating back well over 50 years, there are a lot of interesting facts about the comic character at the centre of DisneyMarvel’s new movie. Here are some of the must-knows about the culturally significant superhero that is Black Panther.

1.

Black Panther was created by Marvel Comics legends Stan Lee and Jack Kirby back in 1966. The character’s first appearance was in the July 1966 issue of Fantastic Four, after which T’Challa appeared as a supporting character in Captain America’s series for a handful of issues before joining The Avengers in 1968. Black Panther’s first starring role came in the acclaimed Jungle Action comic which ran from 1973 to 1976. His first self-titled series kicked off in 1977.

2.

The name Black Panther actually predates the founding of the famously mobilised black rights organisation. Because of the controversial association, there were attempts to rename the comic character Black Leopard, but the name never stuck.

3.

Black Panther’s powers stem from a combination of technology, training and deity-granted enhancements. Much like Batman, T’Challa is an accomplished martial artist and strategist with a massive fortune and genius intellect. His costumes are constructed from practically indestructible vibranium micro weave mesh. Meanwhile, T’Challa’s connection with the Black Panther god gives him incredible senses, strength, reflexes and resilience.

P.S. Vibranium is Wakanda’s greatest natural resource and was famously used to construct Captain America’s shield.

4.

Following the Shadowland comic arc of 2010, Black Panther briefly replaced Daredevil as the “Man Without Fear,” and protector of New York’s Hell’s Kitchen neighbourhood. Mostly stripped of his powers, the Black Panther of this comic arc operated as a “street level” hero.

During the day, he masqueraded as an immigrant from the Congo.

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5.

The Black Panther of the comics has a long and complicated relationship with Storm, the weather-controlling mutant who’s part of the X-Men. The two African heroes were even married for a while – making Storm Queen of Wakanda – although things ended in annulment.

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Title:

Barbarella #1

Writer:

Mike Carey

Artist:

Kenan Yarar

Publisher: Rated:

COOL STUFF: Comics

GET GRAPHIC Dynamite Mature

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by Clive Burmeister

Barbarella reads like a 2000 AD story, and is as science-fiction as can be, with space ship battles and robot soldiers. But it still seems relevant, a commentary on today’s world, which tries to define individuality and sexuality and force the conformity of beliefs. When Barbarella accidently stumbles into a warzone in the battle between Earth and the religious zealot Parosian forces, she is detained by the Parosians and tried as a criminal according to their laws. Not only do they revoke her freedom, but also her very sexuality, as they believe love and sex are sins. As her sexual organs are removed against her wishes in an attempt to make her conform to their philosophy, she vows revenge; a revenge that sees her join forces with Earth’s underground military, and leads her to show the rebellious that there are other ways to experience desire and physical pleasure.

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Title:

Giants #1

Writer:

The Valderrama Bros.

Artist:

The Valderrama Bros.

Publisher: Rated:

COOL STUFF: Comics

GET GRAPHIC Dark Horse Teen +

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by Clive Burmeister

Humanity has been living underground for generations, and now only the bravest, or the most desperate, venture to the freezing surface where the rare fuel, Ambernoir, can be found. For on the surface, colossal giants roam, and they don’t take kindly to humans. But when two orphans, trying to earn their patch to join the Bloodwolves, one of the dominating gangs in their subterranean city, find themselves with the unenviable choice between dying on the streets or braving the surface to retrieve the gang some precious Ambernoir, they must risk all in the attempt. And when terror and desperation takes over, these two may discover if the real monsters of their world are the petrifying giants, or the ambition in the hearts of men.

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Title: Writer: Artist: Publisher: Rated:

COOL STUFF: Comics

GET GRAPHIC Namwolf Vol. 1 Fabian Rangel Jr. Logan Faerber Albatross Mature

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by Clive Burmeister

What a mix, a werewolf horror and gore book, set during the Vietnam War... And yes, it is really odd, but in a great way. When the new kid in the squad finds out the hard way that he’s actually a werewolf during his first fire fight, it not only takes him completely by surprise, but also completely tips the balance, sending the few surviving enemy combatants running for the hills scared out of their wits, but not leaving his own squad mates in a much happier place.

Now Marty Spencer must find a way to convince his squad he’s on their side, while controlling the monster within him, while the Vietnamese forces come up with a monster of their own.

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Title:

Phoenix Resurrection

Writer:

Matthew Rosenberg

Artist:

COOL STUFF: Comics

GET GRAPHIC Leinil Francis Yu

Publisher:

Marvel

Rated:

Teen +

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by Clive Burmeister

Marvel’s latest crosstitle event, Legacy, has seen a few past characters either come back or be hinted at doing so. Phoenix Resurrection stops hinting, as we know that at least the adult Jean Grey will come back, but the first issue also hints at the return of some other major characters in the X-Men. The issue is also laced with little Easter Eggs and references for the dedicated fan, all of which point towards an in depth and detailed plot about to unravel, which will see not only Jean Grey returned to the living, but possibly many other characters that she, or the Phoenix, are linked to. Phoenix Resurrection is a definite must for fans trying to stay current with the Marvel Universe, while throwing in enough mystery and intrigue to make even the casual reader also curious as to how it will all fit together.

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Switchback Old, Dark Secrets…

Title:

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Switchback Melissa F. Olson Tor Books Urban Fantasy

COOL STUFF: Books

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t has been three weeks since the events that shook the Chicago branch of the Bureau of Preternatural Investigations.

Alex McKenna and the team are recovery from both physical and mental blows dealt. Only events continue to unfold as the BPI is called to Switch Creek where a

young man has been arrested for being a shade – a vampire. He escapes, leaving a horrifying and bloody massacre in his wake. Only nothing is as it seems, and the team will be thrown into the quiet, clean suburbs of Chicago that hide an old, dark secret.

Melissa F. Olson once again weaves together a dark, twisted tale with a renewed perspective on that age-old myth – vampires. Only these possess all the cunning and deadliness that we can expect, and all set in a modern setting with strong, believable characters. We see through the eyes of Lindy, a shade who has joined the BPI, and through the eyes of those around her still dealing with the fact that she’s a vampire. There is also that budding romance seemingly disregarded but hinted at enough.

Interconnecting each progression in the story to a crushing cliff-hanger ending - the second book in the Nightshades series is a real page

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Witchmark Run away to war

Title:

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Witchmark C.L. Polk Tor Books Fantasy

COOL STUFF: Books

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r. Miles Singer is a mage expected to endure enslavement to his family or spend his life in a witches’ asylum; a fate he acquired at birth and set to mark the rest of his life. Rather than give in to it, Miles runs away from home to join the war, changing his

name and life to use his healing gifts for good.

Only fate has a way of catching up to him as a dying man in his cash-strapped hospital leaves Miles with a dying message and mission – one that brings Miles face to face with demons of his past, and a handsome stranger with a special interest in it all.

Witchmark is the first book in a new series by C.L. Polk. It centres around Dr Miles Singer, a second-class mage but first-rate doctor with the gift of healing and a history of violence from his years in the war. The novella is written in vivid detail that sometimes seems unnecessary but paints a picture of both the world and the emotions thrumming through Dr. Miles.

The whole story revolves around magic and is fundamentally a fantasy but underneath it all is really a “cosy-mystery” at heart with just a touch of romance. A slow start but strong finish, C.L. Polk’s debut novel shines with a lot of

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Last word

t seems that some people find learning from their mistakes to be a somewhat difficult endeavour. Or perhaps they have just lost touch with their audience so much that they cannot see the wood for the trees.

Or, perhaps, they care more about the bottom line than repeat business.

Yes, I am talking about EA again. See, it has been announced that microtransactions will be returning to Star Wars: Battlefront II. And I don’t quite get it, to be honest…

See, EA aren’t happy with the numbers on the Battlefront II sheet.

They were far lower than anticipated. So, in order to bring those numbers up, the publishing giant is bringing back a system for the game to generate more cash through microtransactions.

But it doesn’t take a lot to remember that the microtransactions are the exact reason why the title underperformed in the first place. The direct reason, really, and a reason why many people are looking at EA with a renewed disdain (which, I suppose, this particular publisher is no stranger to).

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It just doesn’t make sense.

Sure, OK, maybe the people that bought Battlefront II: will suddenly start using the microtransactions. Maybe they don’t mind paying for more content in a game that they already paid premium price for. It just seems counterintuitive to me.

Yes, I know that gaming is big business now, that the dream-filled garages of yesteryear have been replaced by shady corporate board-rooms. I understand that these companies need to make money, and that they need to please shareholders.

But there is another group of people that they need to please, on the other side of the divide, and it is ultimately these people that will make or break their success: the gamers.

And gamers aren’t goldfish.

They have a long memory, and a rabid adherence to any slights that they perceive from the past. They are notoriously difficult to please, even when they don’t feel like their wallets have been attached to a milking machine. So this act by EA is strange, and indicative or one of two things – either they don’t realise it, which is bad,

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By wALT Pretorius

Seriously?

or they simply don’t care, which is much worse.

But what the whole Battlefront II thing showed is that gamers do know how to protest; they don’t buy games with elements that bother them. And even if the sales drop for Battlefront II was only a few per cent, it still obviously hit EA where it hurts. What EA must realise is that could just be the beginning of a longer running boycott by gamers who are not happy with elements like microtransactions being core to game dynamics, and heading further down this path may lead to even greater drops in projected sales in future.

But most of all, they (and all other publishers) need to remember that they are not untouchable. Sure, maybe they are immune to one or two badly received games but, in the long run, it is the gaming community that ultimately decides their fate by voting at checkout counters. And gamers are more connected and far more of a community than ever before. Times have changed, leaving even massive companies vulnerable to public sentiment. g