Gamecca Magazine February 2016

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ISSUE 80 / Vol.7 February 2016

www.gameccamag.com

Life is Strange Sebastien Loeb rally Evo Grim fandango Remastered and more...

Get Making!

A Great View

the cCse Mod World Series

Asus’ MG24U Gaming Monitor

Drop Dead!

Grim Fandango returns

Rough Road Sebastien loeb rally Evo reviewed

Not Just Cartoons

Games to Get

An anime primer...

Resist!

The good fight in XCOM 2

32 titles to look out for

Stone Age War Far Cry: Primal goes back to our roots

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H OW

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Bronze Award

Silver Award

Gold Award

Platinum Award

Ed’s Choice Award

Given to games & hardware that score 80-84

Given to games & hardware that score 85-90

Given to games & hardware that score 90-94

Given to games & hardware that score 95-100

Editor’s Choice Award for products that make an impression

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From the Editor

ForgingOn

by Walt Pretorius

F

ebruary is really when the year starts kicking in. Everyone is back from leave, everyone has finally conquered the “I don’t wanna work” syndrome that is driven home by the overall energy of the

Festive Season, and everyone is more or less focused on getting through the next 10 or so months with a minimum of scars and hassles.

It also marks the time that the games start trickling through again, and we start the whole crazy cycle for another year… bit of a busy start to the year, a quiet middle, and then a buildup to the craziness of year-end.

There’s quite a lot to look forward to over the next few months, including the likes of XCOM 2, Street Fighter V, The Division and DOOM. Yep, DOOM. That one title alone makes the beginning of the year quite exciting.

We already have a fair view of what 2016 will bring game-wise, and we have included those in our Games to Get guide in this issue. Of course, there will be more announcements, shuffles, delays and changes as the year progresses (because nothing is ever set in stone in the video game industry), but we’ll be there to help you stay on top of things and make some great

purchasing decisions.

Picking games this year is going to be more crucial than before, because it looks like game prices (like pretty much everything else) are going to get a big bump due to the weak currency exchange rates.

It’s really sad, that, because this year looks like one that is going to be revolutionary for gaming in a number of ways.

Not only are developers moving in new, fresh directions here and there, but the whole VR thing is getting ready to kick off. It would really be sad if it was more of a whisper than a bang locally, but it looks like the former will probably be the case.

The one thing I have learned, though, in the many years I have been writing about this industry, is that predictions are almost impossible to make.

When an industry is fuelled by this much passion, it doesn’t always go in the directions you think it will. And as far as socioeconomic influences go, well, who knows, really? The factor that makes the difference here are the gamers, and gamers will do what they need to, to get what they want. Suffice to say that it is going to be an interesting year, at the very least.

Right, enough from me… you have a magazine to get to, and I have XCOM 2 to play. Enjoy! g mgeect 2 c7a 8 0 ggl a ad

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THIS MONTH’S COVER

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Regular: Did you know Some more tidbits from the industry

38

Interview: Conquer the Food Chain Getting Primal with Far Cry

Publisher / Editor: Walt Pretorius

44

Previews: Games 12 Upcoming titles

Publisher / Art Director Katia Taliadoros

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Feature: For Survival Fighting aliens the XCOM way

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Reviews: Games 8 Games investigated

84

Feature: 32 Games to get in 2016 What’s hot for this year... so far...

Going all “Stone Age” with Far Cry: Primal

walt@1337-media.com

Katia@1337-media.com

Writers: Alex Scanlon Charlie Fripp Clive Burmeister Lein Baart Katia Taliadoros Nthato Morakabi Rob Edwards Sibonisile Motha Suvesh Arumugam Walt Pretorius Letters:

letters@gameccamag.com

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Regular: Indie View Making it in a small industry

108

Regular: Baldur’s Gate 2 Setting a new standard

Competition Entries:

competitions@gameccamag.com

Newsletter Subscriptions:

www.gameccamag.com

3

Forging ahead

Marketing Contact:

marketing@1337-media.com

Ed’s Note

32

Technically Speaking

Is Destiny done?

Copyright © Nova Mentis (Pty) Ltd 2009 - 2015

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Ramjet’s Rantality

Gamers are gamers

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.

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The Time Betwixt

Much Ado...

132

The Last Word

The Floodgates

GAMECCA is published by Nova Mentis (Pty) Ltd

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Feature: Got Mod? Cooler Master’s Case Modding World Series

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reviews: Hardware 6 Tech toys to consider...

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Regular: Internet How not to achieve change...

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Gamecca Vol. 7 Issue 80 February 2016

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Feature: The World of Anime They’re not just cartoons...

COOL STUFF: Comics Awesome illustrated literature

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s e d’ c E oi h C

“Not only will this new game bring us all the things we know and love about Far Cry but it will add more for us to do.”

Far Cry: Primal

FeatureS 10

Got Mod?

HARDWARE Reviews 16 18 20 22 24 26

Logitech k400 Plus Wireless Touch Keyboard ASRock Fatal1ty H170 Performance Series Motherboard GX Gaming Scorpion Gaming Mouse Asus MG24U Gaming Monitor Plantronics RIG 500HX Stereo Gaming Headset Asus STRIX GeForce GTX 970 Graphics Card

RegularS 28

Internet

COLUMN 32

8

Technically Speaking

gamecca8 60 2

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Cooler Master’s Case M

A few years ago, case modding was all the rage.

Every second gamer was trying to find a way to cut fancy holes into the panels of his PC case, or buying TECHNOLOGY

lights to beautify the inside with. All kinds of gadgets

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Got Mod?

Mod World Series is back!

and trinkets were on sale to help people personalise their case. And anyone who strapped on a few extra fans and a neon tube or two thought that they were doing the whole modding thing.

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e

TECHNOLOGY

r tu a Fe

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events to involve modders

– deep

everywhere. Together, with

modding,

the generous support of our

if you will

sponsors, we hope to enable

- took a lot

the modding community the

more, and people who took the more difficult route were

world over. ” For a company that makes

producing cases that were not

components that are often

only functionally improved over

used in modding, like advanced

their original state, but were

cooling systems and modular

also works of art.

cases, the fit is perfect. But

Although it might not be

Cooler master aren’t the only

getting all the attention that it

company getting behind this

used to, case modding is still

initiative. They have brought

alive and well, partially thanks

on-board numerous sponsors,

to companies like Cooler

including ASUS, Avexir,

Master, who actively promote

Dremel, NVIDIA, and OCZ.

the activity. In fact, registration

That’s quite a list, and covers

is now open for their 2016

the gamut of components to

Case Mod World Series.

tools required in modding.

This is the seventh year that

Judges include not only

the competition has been run,

representatives of Cooler

but this year Cooler Master is

Master and the sponsor

truly making it a global event,

companies, but also some

open to absolutely anyone

prominent names from the

who wants to take a crack at

global modding community:

modding the best case and

Ermanno Bonandini from Italy,

standing in line to share in

Ronnie Hara from Brazil via

prizes valued at US$30 000.

Japan, Richard Keirsgieter

This certainly is a niche

from The Netherlands, Antony

that Cooler Master feels

Leather from The UK, Richard

comfortable with. “Modding

Surroz and Brian Farrell from

has exploded in recent years

USA.

and is taking root in every

The vision behind this project

corner of the globe. The Case

extends further than just

Mod World Series is about

building awesome PC cases

fuelling that growth. It’s about

and giving away prizes for

igniting the modding spirit -

Cooler Master, though. It is

the maker spirit - on the web

about the creative expression

and right in your community,”

that this art form – yes, it is an

said Michelle Wu, Global

art form in many ways – allows.

Community Manager. “This

And it is about the community.

year, we will be running local

In fact, Cooler Master is

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Got Mod?

R

eal modding

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e

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very keen on seeing modding communities around the globe

started before the 1st of

grow, with regional events

January, 2015.

forming part and parcel of this

to keep everyone up to date

behind the 2016 event is to

with their progress via their

extend these communities into

Worklog, a “diary” that tracks

a global village of craftsmen

the various stages of their

and artists who enjoy building

modding process and progress.

ultimate PC cases.

In addition, each entrant will be required to have a profile,

anyone can get involved.

so that other entrants and

Aspiring entrants can visit

folks following the competition

mod.coolermaster.com and

will be able to find out more

sign up for the competition

about them.

right away. Registration has

Each entry (and yes, you may

already opened, and will run

enter multiple times, if you’re

right through to the 12th of

ambitious) will be judged on

June, when the competition

four equally-weighted criteria:

wraps up… so even last minute

complexity (incorporating

entrants will be accepted.

difficulty and detail); design

There are two categories

(creativity and aesthetics);

that can be entered; Tower

originality (uniqueness and

Mods are those that are based

freshness); and overall look

on an existing PC case, while

(how the whole thing comes

Scratch Builds are PC cases

together).

built literally from the ground

Prizes will be for each of

up, with no case as a basis.

the two categories, as well

For Tower Mods, the original

as a people’s choice award,

case must be a Cooler Master

and will be comprised of case,

case (although any size is fine)

components and tools.

while Scratch Build entrants

If you have what it takes

will need to make use of at

to compete with the best

least one Cooler Master

modders in the world, you can

component.

register at mod.coolermaster.

Scratch build entries may

com. You can also visit

be based on other cases, too,

that site to find out more

although no manufacturer logo

information and vote in the

may be visible.

People’s Choice category.

You can also enter with TECHNOLOGY

All entrants will be expected

exciting competition. The aim

The real beauty is that

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and that the mod wasn’t

So what are you waiting for?

a case that is already in

Strap on that tool belt, fire

progress, provided that you

up the rotary tool and get

have a record of your progress,

modding! g

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Got Mod?

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Logitech

H C EW E T VI E R

k400 Plus Stay on the couch!

TECHNOLOGY

O

K, let’s be honest. You’re probably not going to use the Logitech Wireless Touch Keyboard k400 Plus for much gaming.

You probably could, but you’re not going to. Not when it will work so well in your lounge, talking to your media PC as part of your remote control setup. And if you’re the kind of gamer that we think you are, you more than likely have some kind of entertainment setup based on a PC or console happening in your living room.

The time to get a device like this is great. While the uninformed are complaining about Netflix and believe that VPNs are in danger, those in the know are loving all the access that just the right kind of setup gives – thousands of movies, series and documentaries, right there. But no matter what kind of streaming entertainment you use – Netflix, ShowMax or even

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YouTube – searching for a specific name can be a real drag… until you work one of these keyboards into your setup.

It comes armed with a full keyboard (sans the NUMPAD) and a touch sensitive pad that acts as a mouse. So when you’re wanting to search for that obscure bit of entertainment, typing out the name is a lot simpler, and navigating around the screen even more so.

And it couldn’t be easier to use. Simply plug the Unifying receiver into the PC that powers your system and there you go. The keyboard uses a standard layout, and with a 10m range, it’s pretty much the best input option you can have on your coffee table. It pretty much restricts itself to PC users, but it allows full control over the whole PC spectrum, with easy access to archived media files as well as online functions. Even if your setup is temporary – say a notebook with a line-out to your

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Keyboard

Logitech k400 Plus Wireless Touch Keyboard

Touch

by Alex Scanlon

AT A GLANCE: SUMMARY

TECH SPECS • • • • • • •

A great multifunctional controller, at a sensible size, for all your media needs.

Ma nuf a c t ure r D i s t ri but e r: Onl i ne :

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Wireless keyboard Unifying receiver Touchpad 10m range 18 month battery life Plug and play

SCORE

L o gi t e c h L o gi t e c h w w w . l o gi t e c h. c o m

AWARDS

TV – it still makes more sense than getting up and going across the room every time you need to make some or other control input. It even has volume controls, including a mute function. It is the ultimate in easy-entertainment, without leaving your couch. And it’s estimated 18 month battery life means even less effort on your part.

The only criticism that might be levelled against the k400 – at first glance – is that it is quite a lot larger than some of the other remote keyboards available out there.

Keep in mind that we’re not talking wireless keyboards here, because they don’t have the handy tough screen. It has those beaten hands down. We’re talking multifunctional Bluetooth controllers. But where they can get fiddly for quick typing and movement inputs, the k400’s size actually works beautifully. It’s a great gadget to have – if you can leave your couch long enough to go buy one. g

Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice

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ASRock

H C EW E T VI E R

Fatal ty

W

TECHNOLOGY

ith Intel’s new Skylake chipsets and processors, there are a whole new range of motherboards to choose from. That goes for chipsets, too. This particular ASRock motherboard features an H170 chipset, rather than the more commonly talked about Z170. For a quick clarification on the differences… the Z series are the top-of-the-line commercial chipsets, with a few more features than the H. This includes overclocking. If you are a keen overclocker, Z is the way to go. You cannot overclock the CPU on an H chipset motherboard.

That may be an issue for some, but the majority of folks out there want a good performer that works well out of the box, and aren’t really too interested in pushing all kinds of limits. For them, the H is a better option. Sure, the Z packs a little more punch in some areas, but the performance differences will be hard to see “with the naked eye”.

ASRock’s H170 Performance Series motherboard has a host of features that will negate the slight shortcomings of the less capable chipset. And some of these allow you to trim up performance no matter what peripherals you are using.

The Fatal1ty mouse port, for example, allows you to adjust your mouse polling rate on the motherboard, while Key Master allows the saving of macros – as well as the use of a mouse-movement-managing

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Sniper Key – as motherboard functions, rather than as peripheral functions. That’s pretty handy when switching peripherals, and can be quite a time saver.

The board also makes use of a Purity Sound 3 system, for good quality 7.1 audio delivered via a Realtek codec.

The H170 Performance Series also offers a number of protective functions that look afterpower stability, excessive heat and static electricity.

Excellent grade components also help ensure a better longevity.

It also makes use of ASRock’s Gaming Armour system, which means that it offers an extra PCIe power socket, gold contacts in DIMM and VGA slots, and an extralarge aluminium alloy heat sink to help drag the heat away from the board’s vital areas.

What you have here is a board that performs really well under stress, and provides you with exactly what you need, and a little more. It obviously features USB 3.1 and supports DDR4 RAM, like all boards of this generation.

The only real issue that it has is that people may look at the H170 name and ask why it’s not a Z170. Sadly, PC culture has the idea that top-of-therange is all that counts, and this great device may get glossed over by someone looking for a Z170, when an H170 is actually what they need.

This board is a great investment, and a perfect backbone for a non-tweaking PC user. g

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i

-f d n

a r A

-a k n

r… e m

r o f er

p

AT A GLANCE: SUMMARY

by Rob Edwards

It might not be a Z170, but this H170 will give you everything you need from a motherboard… as long as you don’t want to overclock the CPU. TECH SPECS • • • • • • •

H170 chipset Fatal1ty mouse port Key Master technology Purity Sound 3 Gaming Armour features 12K Platinum CAPs M A NUFA CT UR E R A SRo ck

DISTRIB UTOR TV R C o m p u ter s w w w. tv r. co. z a AWARDS

ile

Motherboard

ASRock Fatal1ty H170 Performance Series Motherboard

rformance Series

Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice

SCORE

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Scorpion No mess, no fuss

TECHNOLOGY

GX Gaming

H C EW E T VI E R

20

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Gaming Mou

GX Gaming Scorpion Gaming Mouse

use

G

by Alex Scanlon

AT A GLANCE: SUMMARY

TECH SPECS • • • • • • •

It doesn’t have a ton of special features, but it does exactly what it is supposed to do.

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8200 dpi sensor 5 dpi presets Colour changing scroll wheel 24 macros Corded

SCORE

Ge ni us T V R Co mput e rs w w w . t v r. c o . z a

AWARDS

enius has a long history of creating mouse products and other peripherals, and it is only relatively recently that they introduced the GX Gaming series to differentiate their gaming products from other devices in their stable. With the trademark scorpion emblazoned on the packaging, most of their devices have been names after the arachnid that forms their emblem, each with a different and exotic sounding name. But now they have released a set of peripherals all bearing the simple name of Scorpion.

The Scorpion Gaming Mouse forms part of this set, and presents the user with an apparently simple mouse. Yet the device is capable of far more than meets the eye.

The first surprise is that it sports a powerful 8200 DPI sensor. That’s not as high as some makers go, but it certainly beats out the majority of this mouse’s competition (including some big name brands). The DPI settings are preset, and flicking the button behind the scroll wheel (which, strangely for GX Gaming, bears the Genius logo) cycles through them. Ranging from 800 to 8200 DPI, the 5 presets offer a wide variety of responsiveness. Additionally, the mouse wheel changes colour (Grey, yellow, green, cyan or blue) as you scroll through the presets. Knowing which colour corresponds with which DPI setting will help the player quickly identify their sensitivity setting.

This laser mouse can also have up to 24 macros programmed to its six programmable buttons, thanks to downloadable software.

The Scorpion Gaming Mouse is surprisingly heavy, largely because it’s sleek, understated design doesn’t really look the part of a gaming mouse… you’d expect it to feel more like a light “office” mouse just by looking at it. It’s styling is distinctly ambidextrous in approach, with the mouse being symmetrical along the centre line. It’s strange, then, that it isn’t an ambidextrous mouse. There are left and right handed models available, but thumb buttons (two of them) mean that you’re not going to use the same mouse for either hand. Sure, that’s not a problem most people are going to have, but you’ll want to be sure that you get the right mouse at purchase.

The sides of the Scorpion are textured for a better grip, and the whole affair sits very comfortably under the hand, no matter what your grip style is.

Ultimately, this corded mouse is what you’ll make of it. It has just enough in terms of features to qualify as a gaming mouse, but it doesn’t go any extra miles in the features department. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, because it really has a no-mess, no-fuss feel to it. And it’s performance on a variety of surfaces is really rather good. g

Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice

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Asus

H C EW E T VI E R

MG24U From all angles

H

TECHNOLOGY

aving a great monitor is essential if you are a gamer.

Well, it’s essential for more than gaming, but you cannot effectively play a game without a decent way of seeing visuals. So what defines a good monitor?

Well, it comes down to a number of things, including size, resolution and colour reproduction. And Asus’ MG24U Gaming Monitor has all of those sorted out quite nicely.

At 23.6 inch, it’s a nice size, and it’s widescreen aspect ratio provides a great field of view while gaming. In addition, it’s a 4K capable monitor, meaning that it can deliver visuals at the Ultra HD resolution of 3840x2160… that’s a lot of pixels, and consequently a lot of clarity.

The clarity extends, though, into areas of contrast and even viewing angle. Using IPS technology means that the viewing angle is wider, allowing colour to be perceived correctly even if the user is not directly in front of the monitor. It also makes use of ultra-low blue light, which is one of the main causes of eye strain, making it (literally) easy on the eyes. It’s also flicker free, which helps with that, too.

Additionally, because of its gaming focus, the MG24U Gaming Monitor comes with numerous preset gamerelated visual modes, in which colours, brightness,

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contrast and a host of other things have been optimised for specific game genres.

They might not be quite to your liking, but they are at very least a decent place to start from in terms of getting the looks just right.

But what’s really great about the MG24U Gaming Monitor is the fact that it can be positioned in many ways. It has a fairly goo degree of tilt, but perhaps more importantly, it can be rotated 90 degrees on its base. That means it goes from “landscape” to “portrait” orientation extremely easily, making it a fantastic option for a multimonitor extended display.

The outer bezel is a little thicker than we would have liked for that, but this is certainly a step in the right direction.

Even as a standalone monitor, it is fantastic (and the rotation function means that you can easily set it’s height to a comfortable position, too.) It’s sturdy, easy to control, and quick to set up just the way you want it. The controls are arrayed sensibly at the rear of the monitor, on the lower right (in “landscape” orientation) and are contoured for easy identification. And it also allows multiple inputs (HDMI and DV) as well as audio out.

In short, this is a great monitor for gamers, whether they’re playing on PC or console. Great visuals are what the MG24U Gaming Monitor is all about. g

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Gaming Monitor

NAMEMG24U Asus OF THEGaming PRODUCT Monitor

SUMMARY A great, versatile and above all pictureperfect monitor made specifically with gamers in mind.

TECH SPECS • • • • • • •

4K resolution IPS technology Gaming modes Ultra-low blue light Flicker free Multipositional

M A NUFA CT UR E R Asu s

DISTRIB UTOR Asu s

AWARDS

w w w. a su s.c o m

Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice

SCORE

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by Walt Pretorius

AT A GLANCE:

Plantronics

H C EW E T VI E R

RIG 500HX The master, untied…

TECHNOLOGY

R

ight, let’s get to the elephant in the room first, shall we? Marketing departments understand consumers. And consumers… well, they’re brand loyal and often image conscious. So, for example, no self-respecting PC gamer will buy a headset intended for a console, even if it is compatible with his PC. Likewise, no Xbox One owner is going to buy a headset with PS4 on the box… once again, even if the headset in question would work perfectly well with both system. Which, really, is the case with the Plantronics RIG 500HX. The only real difference between the Plantronics RIG 500HX and the RIG 500 is that the HX has “designed for Xbox One” on the box. If you look at the 500’s box, you will even see “consoles” listed under it’s compatibilities. The HX does have “PC” on the box, almost certainly because it doesn’t come with

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a splitter to interface with mic and headphone jacks, and it doesn’t have “consoles” in its list because of obvious rivalries that probably prevent poor Plantronics from mentioning Xbox One and PlayStation 4 on the same packaging. It’s a guess, but you could probably put money on its accuracy. Because of weird industry rivalries and consumer habits, Plantronics is forced to re-categorise what is essentially the same product over and over again. It’s not even like the HX comes with the stereo headset adapter required by older Xbox One controllers. It doesn’t.

None of this is to say that the RIG 500HX is a bad headset. On the contrary, like the RIG 500 we reviewed before, it is a superb headset, delivering excellent audio and fantastic comfort, all in a modular format. It uses pretty much all the same components as the RIG 500 – the same isolating ear cups, the same lightweight frame,

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Plantronics RIG 500HX Stereo Gaming Headset

tereo Gaming Headset

by Walt Pretorius

AT A GLANCE: SUMMARY

TECH SPECS

It might say Xbox One on the box, but the awesome RIG 500HX works with everything that can handle a 3.5mm jack…

Ma nuf a c t ure r D i s t ri but e r: Onl i ne :

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• • • • • • •

Modular 40mm drivers Noise cancelling mic Isolating ear cups Super-light Multi-system compatible

SCORE

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the same removable, noise cancelling mic. In fat, the only notable difference here (apart from the packaging) is the before-mentioned absence of the splitter adapter.

With it’s perfectly tuned 40mm drivers and great quality mic, the RIG 500HX will deliver great audio quality for Xbox One owners (on anything that can handle a 3.5mm jack, including mobile devices and yes, PS4s). It’s every bit as good as the RIG 500 (it should be, it’s identical) and is only slightly less versatile (because of that missing splitter). It also requires assembly out of the box, and its modular nature means that it is just as upgradable and customisable as its supposed PC-based brother.

In short, a great headset. If you’re a console gamer, it’s a great buy. If you want to use it for PC as well, consider the RIG 500, which works with everything but the kitchen sink. It’s the same headset, after all. g

Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice

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Asus

H C EW E T VI E R

STRIX

TECHNOLOGY

Stealthy and superb

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Graphics Card

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A very quiet graphics card, the STRIX GeForce GTX 970 delivers great performance, even under heavy loads.

AWARDS

AT A GLANCE:

SUMMARY

Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice

gamecca80

them with DirectCU technology, this card manages to remain surprisingly quiet under strain.

The DirectCU system allows heat to be dissipated more efficiently – so much so that under a certain temperature, the fans don’t even start up. And when they do, their technology means that they are significantly quieter than reference models.

Another source of noise comes from the power to and vibration of on-board components. But using Digi+ VRM+ and Super Allor Power technologies here means that power is distributed more efficiently, vibration is lessened and (as a bonus) component lifespan is increased.

And for those that want a little more out of their graphics, GPU Tweak software makes overclocking easy, as well as making streaming a dream.

In short, the aesthetic value of the STRIX, while great, is really just window dressing. What we have here is a great graphics card, with a powerful chip and a decent amount of RAM. It’s performance is great, delivering high frame rates even under heavy strain.

While the STRIX range is relatively new (compared to the ROG range, for example) Asus have proven that it is a really great sub-brand to go with.

Components and peripherals in this range have consistently proven to be of excellent quality, and this graphics card is no different. g

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A s us A s us w w w . a s us . c o m

TECH SPECS • • • • • • • • •

GTX 970 chipset 4GB GDDR5 RAM DisplayPort HDMI port 2x DVI port DirectCU II technology

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by Rob Edwards

ou’ve got to hand it to Asus… when it comes to making great looking products, they certainly have it down. And that can be said even more so for their STRIX range of peripherals and components because not only do the products look cool, but the aesthetic value of the range carries throughout. In other words, these components and peripherals, with their strong owl motif, look like they belong together. That may, depending on your general view of this kind of thing, not make any difference at all, but there are those out these who value a well-balanced aesthetic, and will love the idea that their components “go together”. And that will probably help STRIX move more components, but that’s not for here.

What we should be concerned about for now is whether you should consider the Asus STRIC GeForce GTX 970 for your next graphics card. As you might expect, being a GTX 970, it is a particularly powerful graphics card, almost at the top of the 9-series pile. And it shows – this particular GTX 970, with 4GB of GDDR5 RAM supporting the graphics processor, certainly makes short work of making things look really good.

And it does so really quietly.

Most graphic card noise is generated by cooling, but by employing two generous 0dB fans (the “eyes of the owl” in aesthetic terms) and combining

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Playing it safe with social media activism

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by Suvesh Arumugam

Twitter Storm

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y previous column titled “Making a Hash of Things” came to the conclusion that social movements could largely benefit by open conversation over social media, ultimately any sort of veiled social movement was doomed to fail (at least in terms of leading the conversation). It may be that this was a prophetic conclusion, as the flurry of hashtags I was writing about exploded in just a few short weeks over December and January and continue to plague conversation throughout South Africa.

The proverbial spark was a Facebook post by KZN realtor Penny Sparrow who, in outrage over the litter on public beaches, posted a sensational comment comparing black people to monkeys.

Despite a publicly issued apology, Sparrow was vilified on social media as a racist. Shortly after Sparrow’s post, several other posts were flagged by the public as being racist including those of TV and radio personality Gareth Cliff, economist Chris Hart, civil servant Velaphi Khumalo and fitness entrepreneur Justin Van Vuuren. Many went so far as to lay criminal charges against the posters for hate speech and crimen injuria (intentionally impairing the dignity of another). While these posts were largely seen to be against black people, there was clear reaction from both side. As a result, Cliff was fired from a prominent reality show, Hart was dismissed from the bank he worked at, Van Vuuren lost his major sponsor and Khumalo faces suspension from his civil post.

That all of this should have unfolded (and been commented on) primarily over social media shows the integral role that the internet plays in the shaping of society (and, sometimes, it’s disfigurement).

This prompted me to re-read an interview with world renowned sociologist Zygmunt Bauman, who has seen more than his fair share of social turmoil. Born in Poland in the 1920’s, Bauman’s family fled to

the Soviet Union following the German invasion in 1939, and he later fled to the United Kingdom in the wake of the of the Six Day War and the persecution of Russian Jews. The article was in “El Pais” and was an interview with Ricardo De Querol. When asked about his view on “armchair activism” and social media protest, Bauman says that social networks and community are not the same thing, in fact networks are a substitute for community. While an individual can belong to a community, a network belongs to the individual. This also helps abate our fear of loneliness and abandonment while giving the individual control to add or remove people (after all, who doesn’t love being the moderator?). He goes on to say that real dialogue is about talking to people who believe different things, but social media allows us to avoid opposing views and controversy. It allows people to create a comfort zone where only their own views are echoed.

I suppose there is some irony to my singling out this view on the internet, as it do aptly echoes my own sentiments. And to go for full disclosure, I picked up the article from my Facebook newsfeed.

While some aspects of the debate are still raging on Facebook and Twitter (and now in court), the real question I ask is “Is there actually a debate?”. While I have been constantly amazed by the reported social change and protest movements around he world, especially on Twitter, seeing something happen so close to home is a unique opportunity to watch these events unfold in real-time, without the media spin.

The theory that social media could connect people on a global scale is exciting, but I can’t help but feel that it’s also its own worst enemy. Having control over the conversation and the networks one participates in are probably not natural. One can amplify the message one feels is “correct” and simply screen

While an individual can belong to a community, a network belongs to the individual.

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out the rest. In many ways, brands are a great example of how a conversation can be driven through networks, amplified through advocates and measured through engagement rates. Social is not really social anymore, it’s a science, and it doesn’t matter whether the message is to drive sales, signups or social change.

Perhaps it’s because the traditional powers that be haven’t woken up to the threat of social, or (more likely) just don’t see social as a threat at all. When the #ZumaMustFall campaign was threatening mass action, the government seemed truly shaken that a social movement could tip the public towards significant political change. However, the true measure of the movement in true action (marching, canvassing for signatures, etc) the proof in the pudding seemed somewhat sour. It seems that the lessons from global activists is lost in today’s revolutions. The

“Is there actually a debate?”

TECHNOLOGY

true power of a social movement is not in surrounding oneself with people who all agree on the same thing, but engaging those who don’t agree and finding a way forward that everyone agrees with.

What Penny Sparrow has taught us is that we don’t all agree. While being polite and respecting boundaries can get us only so far, the allure of an uncensored, untempered platform like the internet to vent (publicly or anonymously) is much stronger. We’ve seen so many times that any crack-down in public on sensitive issues results in a spike in posts on platforms like Reddit and 4Chan where people can continue to use the language, images and ideas that are taboo elsewhere.

But once an issue goes in that way, there is no longer any dialogue, and the scariest thing is that there are no filters between socially acceptable behaviour and taking something to an extreme that shocks us. Is it any wonder that some of the most frightening cases of harassment, doxxing and threats emanate from these platforms? Perhaps the way to true change is to stop pushing opposing views into the dark, but to welcome them into the light. g

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Technically Speaking

re you one of the (possibly) millions of people still playing Bungie’s Destiny?

Well, by now you have probably heard the news that the sequel won’t be coming out in September as initially planned by the developer.

I say ‘possibly’ because even though Bungie has released some statistics about the amount of players per quarter, I have to be honest, but I don’t trust them. How does Bungie count as an ‘active’ player?

Does it count if you only log in once a month to poke around?

The company also hasn’t revealed how many still play the game on a regular basis, as that will be very telling in just how popular the game still is. I think it will paint a very different picture once players know just how big the drop-off has been.

Don’t get me wrong: I played Destiny every night for about five hours in the first six months after release, but then things became a bit stale. I stopped playing until The Taken King came out, and decided to pick things up again.

That is where most of the players returned, and even though it added a whole bunch of new and exciting things, it didn’t last very long. I played

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The Taken King for about two months, and just as like the first iteration, I stopped.

And I’m definitely not alone.

I was the first of my online friends to see the signs and stopped, while it took the other about two more months before they threw in the towel. And here I’m talking about players who played religiously every night, packing in about two to three Raids a night.

I’m not saying that people should read into it, but I think the delay in the game’s development has something to do with the fact that players are not that happy about the current standing of things.

If you back-track a bit or go through any gaming publication’s forum, you will see a lot of comments in which gamers complain that the game hasn’t evolved in the way that Bungie initially set it out.

It doesn’t bode well for the franchise either, as Bungie is planning to release a new game every two years – or rather, a better iteration thereof.

Their timed events haven’t helped much to keep player coming back, or keeping players from leaving, as events like the Sparrow racing lasted only a couple of days. Most gamers I know dropped into the gamecca80

BYcHARLIE Fripp

Is Destiny Reaching its End of Life?

game to check it out, and left the title as soon as the event was over.

The same thing is going to happen with the Valentine’s day celebrations. Called Crimson Days, the Tower is set to be transformed into a love and partnership themed hub, with the colour red featuring prominently. The six-day celebration will include events that have been built with only two-man teams in mind.

But I can almost guarantee that players will do the same as before – kick the tires a bit, shoot some things and then leave again.

But who knows, I could be completely wrong about this.

Bungie could be gearing up to bring out the best game we have ever seen – which is cause for the delay. But one thing is for sure: it really has to be the best shooter this side of the known universe before I will go back.

But… with that said, Bungie could be looking to take Destiny into a completely different direction, something that will attract returning players, entice new players to get on board and breath some new life into a very stale stagnant franchise – and its only in its first game g

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Features Conquer the Food Chain For Survival 32 Games to Get in 2016

PReviews DOOM Dishonoured 2 Mirror’s Edge Catalyst TrackMania Turbo Starship Corporation Space Overlords Project X Zone 2 Battleborn Paragon Overwatch Unravel Sniper 3: Ghost Warrior

Reviews Life is Strange Sebastien Loeb Rally Evo Resident Evil Origins Collection Gravity Rush Grim Fandango Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India Hardware: Rivals Zheros

RegularS Did you know Indie View Legacy

COLUMN Ramjet’s Rantality

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1…

that Donald Rumsfeld made a Solitaire game?

Everybody loves the classic card game of Solitaire, but Former US secretary of defence Donald Rumsfeld has taken his love for the game to a whole new level. Called Churchill Solitaire, Rumsfeld developed a version of the game that is said to have been Winston Churchill’s favourite. The game makes use of two decks of cards, instead of the traditional one. “Churchill Solitaire is not a game for everyone.

It takes patience and perseverance, cunning and concentration, and strategy and sacrifice,” he said.

2…

that you’ll have to wait longer for Destiny 2?

Say what you want to about the Destiny franchise, but there is no doubt that millions of players still take to the Raids every night. With content running a bit thin in the excitement department, it is frustrating for gamers to learn that the highlyanticipated sequel will not be out in September as planned. While it hasn’t been officially announced yet, a report suggested that the sequel launch is going to run behind schedule. That messes a bit with Bungie’s two-year game plan for the entire franchise.

3…

that BioWare has lost its most important writer?

David Gaider was responsible for creating the original Dragon Age world for BioWare, and after 17 years behind the pen, he decided to pack it all in.

“I must sadly announce that, after 17 years, today is my last day at BioWare. I’ll miss my team, and wish everyone here the best,” he wrote on Twitter, without given a reason as to his departure. He leaving shouldn’t be too much of a shock, as he announced last year that he would be leaving the Dragon Age project to work on something else. Guess that project never materialised.

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DID YOU KNOW

Rumsfeld,Valentine’s Dat and Iron Maiden...

4…

that you’ll never guess what Destiny is doing for Valentine’s Day? Destiny’s players might be hankering for original content, but Bungie has something special up its sleeve to celebrate Valentine’s Day on the 14th.

Similar to the Halloween event from last year, players who go back to the Tower will see the area covered in Valentine’s Day trinkets. Starting on 9th February, the ‘Crimson Days’ event will feature a new Crucible mode, Crimson Doubles, where you and a chosen partner fight together, along with all the other special items for celebrate the month of love.

5…

that Xbox One gets a nifty system update this month?

Microsoft’s Xbox One console isn’t prefect by any stretch of the imagination, but at least Redmond is trying to make things better as they go along. For February’s Xbox One system update, a whole bunch of things have been added, like being able to see who is in a particular chat party before joining it. Pins can now also be reorganised without the use of the Smartglass app, and the Gamerscore leaderboard has been restored – among others.

6…

that Iron Maiden is developing their own RPG? What is there not to love if one of the world’s oldest rock bands develop their own role-playing game? We have seen it before, but hopefully Iron Maiden has learned from others’ mistakes. This will actually be the band’s second game, but ‘Iron Maiden: Legacy of the Beast’ has been described as an “action-packed, free-to-play RPG steeped in Iron Maiden mythology.” Set to release on iOS and Android, it is expected sometime later this year. The game’s soundtrack will make use of Iron Maiden songs, and for the fans it will include previously unheard live recordings adapted especially for the game. Once again: what is there not to love? g

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Far Cry Primal is a

In the savage land of Oros, Takkar is a brave warrior who must lead his Wenja tribe to dominate the Stone Age. It sounds like an interesting premise, but when you add the fact that this is the basis for the next instalment of the Far Cry franchise, it seems just a little‌ GAMING

odd. After all, Far Cry is all about exploring large, fierce landscapes,

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Far Cry: Primal

Food Chain

a fight for survival

taking over enemy outposts, playing with lots of weapons and crafting new items. Which, if you think about it, fits the setting of Far Cry Primal perfectly. And not only will this new game bring us all the things we know and love about Far Cry (albeit with less gunpowder in the mix) but it will add more for us to do.

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GM: Far Cry Primal is, in many ways, quite a departure from what the fans of the franchise might be used to, what prompted to move the setting away from previous titles?

a turning point in history where humans started to dominate the land by associating themselves with animals, which is also something we depict in the game, but at the same time it was truly an animal kingdom where man was just part of a food chain instead of top. This was also the start of conflict between humans, where man started to form tribes and claim land for themselves. All of these things together formed a really interesting setting for us to explore.

GM: Is there a possibility that the franchise may explore other periods?

UB: Far Cry is a very creative brand and we go where that creativity in the teams takes us, so we wanted to explore that UB: The idea started long ago, with Far Cry Primal. We’ll see later what other ideas bring, it’s there was talk about a Far Cry set in the Stone Age even around a possibility but not something we are really forced to do; really the development of Far Cry 3.

Some developers talked about it we just go where our ideas take us. as more of an idea in discussion GM: With a new setting, at the time, at the end of Far it’s certain that we Cry 4 we were given the time to can expect a few new explore that idea in more detail. approaches. What are the So we developed a prototype new gameplay elements that and the feedback from the team and the studio was really positive Primal will bring to the table?

UB: First and foremost, we are so we decided to go for it. This introducing “The Beast Master”, period works well because it is quite a natural feature; Far Cry is which adds a new experience when playing Far Cry Primal, all about finding exotic locations with lots of wildlife in the frontier, as you will be able to tame all predators in the world and use so a place where law and order are really different from what we them to your advantage. We are used to. So the Stone Age is explored a number of different ways to evolve the experience really the best example of that, and still keep a Far Cry feel when so for us it was quite an obvious playing; fire will be important choice. as always, now it will be a most GM: There are many if players want to survive the periods of history that the franchise could choose from, night or the cold. By setting their weapon on fire they’ll be able to why specifically the stone cause more damage and scare age? away certain predators. Melee UB: It was a natural move for was evolved, making it a big us, this period specifically was after the end of the Ice Age when part of the combat strategy and players will be able to fight with humans started to reconquer different weapons such as clubs territories. It was also the time and spears. These are only a few of megafauna, which creates of the many different and new a lot of interesting and huge animals for the game. It was also elements that Far Cry Primal gamecca80

introduces to the series

GM: The technology is very primitive in Far Cry Primal, compared to what we have seen in other games in the franchise. Will there be an element of discovery of new technologies?

UB: First of all, when we explored that period we realised that although humans lacked access to a lot of materials there was still a lot of things they could do. We are always very creative in the art of creating weapons and tools, the player will follow the same path. You’ll start with a limited amount of weaponry and progressively unlock more powerful weapons and explore new tools (potentially something like metal) from other tribes, so yes there is an element of that.

Some weapons here, such as fire bombs or traps, can be very powerful and that is something the player will have to unlock at a later stage.

GM: As the player progresses through conquering the land of Oros, what sort of decisions (related to the tribe) will the player be faced with?

Will there be elements such as establishing villages for example?

UB: The conquest of Oros really goes through the villages; you are going to have to find members of the Wenja tribe and regularly you are going to have to make the decision of whether or not to save people from your tribe. You are also going to be able to choose which enemy villages you want to attack and bring your resources to as you conquer the land; you will also be able to claim bonfires and camp sites. All these are the decisions you will have to make as you conquer territories, but also the way you develop the village will affect it; which hut do you build?

Which Wenja specialist do you bring to your village? Those choices will really shape your

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e recently had an opportunity to grab a little time with the guys over at Ubisoft Montreal – the developers of this exciting game – to find out exactly why they chose this setting, what we’ll be doing in it, and what some of the new things that have been introduced are.

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GM: So how will the village mechanic work?

UB: Takkar will meet Wenja villagers during his adventure.

Each of these villagers are specialist on different domains: Sayla is the Gatherer, Tensay is the Shaman, Jayma is the Hunter, Wogah is the Crafter, for example. Once the Wenja specialists have settled in the players’ village, they will unlock skill trees specific to their own specialty (crafter unlocks crafting skills, shaman unlocks beast master skills). To further progress in these skill trees, they will call upon you to help them solve problems or develop technologies, and completing these will unlock further branches of their skill tree. This is again in any order the player wish, depending on which skills he finds most useful.

On top of this, player will also need to build and upgrade huts in his village using resources they have found in the world.

The bigger a specialist’s huts, the more missions player can undertake for them and the more skills they can unlock.

UB: Players will have diverse types of clubs, bows, spears and other throwables, giving players a broad arsenal of weapons. All of them are suitable for specific needs when engaging the enemy or hunting an animal, plus of course all the different animals that players be able to tame and add to their arsenal. Clubs will be players’ go to weapon when they are in close combat, and the spear is the perfect mix between medium range attacks and power, the bow is a Far Cry favorite for long distance and stealth approach, and throwables range from throwing silex knives, and slings. We are also introducing traps which will satisfy those who take more time to plan their attacks and play tricks on the enemy.

You will also be able to craft different types of bombs, which of course can be used in conjunction with your Owl, which means you can use your owl to drop a firebomb into an outpost, make the enemy run away, fall in a couple of your traps and finally come in with your favorite beast and clean up the rest of your enemies.

if they don’t want to freeze to death.

For us the night was also a very interesting point: It used to be a really dangerous moment for mankind and we wanted players to experiment it. At night all predators will come out to hunt, and humans will be more likely to go to sleep or find shelter to protect themselves. Night will be more dangerous but it will also create a very different gameplay experience and open new tactical opportunities.

GM: Everyone loves outposts… how will they be different in Primal?

UB: Far Cry Primal’s outpost offer the same tactical freedom seen in previous Far Cry games: Player can approach them in a 360° way both in term of navigation and in term of assault/stealth playstyle. But at the same time, we wanted to make each of them different in terms of flavor. Far Cry Primal outposts are not a military site: they are enemy villages or mystical tribal sites so each outpost configuration is very different and is teasing on different player’s abilities. Some GM: Survival is a key outposts are in the open with lots element here – how will of range or fields to burn, some the importance of this be are inside cave labyrinths with represented in the game? lots of places to hide. We have UB: We’ve added several an outpost in the middle of a features to showcase the survival lake, in a religious tumulus or on aspects of the life at the Stone top of a cliff player must climb to GM: Will there be a lot of Age. For example we’ve added reach it. skills for the player to learn? game mechanics around weapon GM: What are your 8 UB: There are more than 70 crafting & durability. Players personal favourite aspects skills in Primal, split up among will have to gather resources of UB: Beastmastery; we are the different specialists in the like wood and stone, or hunt giving the players the ability village. animals for bones or leather in to tame lots of animals in the Each specialist gives you skills order to craft weapons. And world, none of it is scripted and based on the knowledge they those weapons will break in it’s really systemic gameplay. can teach you. For example, certain combat situations or be If you find a sabretooth nearby Tensay the Shaman opens up progressively burned down when it may attack you so you could, the Beast Master skills tree, and set on fire, so keeping crafting for example, throw some meat completing his missions allows resources will be useful. on the ground for it to eat, from you to tame stronger animals and We’ve also introduced the here you could try to run away; make your owl more deadly. notion of cold when the player kill it or tame it and make it GM: What kinds of enter the frozen area of Oros. your ally. I think this systemic weapons will be available to Players will have to use fire to approach which is so open is players in Primal? get warm of craft winter clothes really what makes the game so gamecca80

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game in different ways by giving you different skills and upgrades. Eventually you will find all those specialists and skills in the world but you can do it in different orders and times so that will really shape your progression.

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DOOM GAMING

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DOOM

by Charlie Fripp

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If you don’t think it is going to be any good, id Software executive producer Marty Stratton said that the remake’s main principles will have “badass demons, big effing guns, and moving really fast”.

But going through all the levels, you will need some serious demon-slaying weaponry to mow don’t Uncle Nick and his followers. For that, most of the classic weapons, including the super shotgun and BFG 9000, will make a return.

But what fun is shooting enemies form a distance, when you can also get in real close with stalwart weapons like the chainsaw. Bringing that baby out will allow you to completely chop enemies in half.

To use those glorious weapons, you will also need

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f you don’t know the DOOM franchise, you either only woke up very recently from a multi-decade coma, or you have been trying to actively avoid anything that has to do with the hugely-popular shooter-fest since 1993.

But… just in case you really don’t know what DOOM is about, it is one of the best-known first-person shooters of this generation. It has sold millions of copies across the world and (at the time, at least) it was one of the scariest shooters out there.

This year the demonic franchise with all its demons, gruesome violence and occult themes will be making a return to gamers’ little screens in the form of a reboot of the original game.

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a decent amount of screaming demons charging your way. Well, if you have been playing the franchise for the last couple of years you will be familiar with Revenant, Mancubus, and Cyberdemon. Yes, those are all there, with some of them remastered.

In terms of the actual combat system, developer id Software has put a strong emphasis on momentum and speed, with sprinting and double-jumping making it into the code. Those moves have not been included in the original game.

But gamers shouldn’t worry that it will detract from the general feeling of the game, as it actively encourages players to move fight to make progress. This technique is called “push forward combat”, which spurs players on to

give the enemies a head-on fight, instead of looking for cover behind obstacles or resting to regain health.

This isn’t your father’s shooter either, as you can’t take cover even if you wanted to, because there is no cover mechanics or a health-regeneration system. It is as raw of a shooter as you can get. Health is done through the old-school system of collecting health and armour pickups dotted around the map. Killing enemies will also see a portion of the player’s health being returned to them.

But it’s not all old, as new melee execution system will be introduced, and can be activated when gamers deal enough damage to enemies.

Whether you liked the original DOOM or not, the remake is sure to kick some butt! g

AT A GLANCE FPS

A remake of a cult classic? Yes please! It’s sure to be full of big guns, nasty demons and tons of suspense.

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Dishonoured 2 The Empress falls - the dark side beckons

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Players will once again find themselves on the streets of Dunwall, in an effort to once again save the empire only this time, a new threat and mission lies at the fore. The game will begin with a prologue, where players will have the opportunity to play as Emily Kaldwin before getting into the depth of the game. The developers will be giving players the ability to experience the story of Dishonoured from the perspective of Emily or Corvo each of them taking on the same set of missions but from their unique vantage points and from their own unique paths.

The abilities from the previous title will return as Corvo once again utilizes his supernatural powers from the previous title. The upgrade system is to

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he empire has fallen into chaos, the streets of Dunwall reverberate with death and darkness following the sudden dethroning of Empress Emily Kaldwin by an usurper of an otherworldly source. She finds herself an outlaw and the only path she can take to reclaim her throne, lies in following the footsteps of her royal protector, Corvo Attano, who was once accused of murdering the previous Empress of the Isles. Armed with the dark power of the Outsider;s Mark, she hopes to use this new found power to reclaim her throne as an assassin‌ no matter the cost. From the shadows, Corvo Attano flits back to the surface, once again on the path to saving the Empress.

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Dishonoured 2

option to complete the game without killing anyone, thereby creating less chaos as the assassin, or go all out on a killing spree; the developers have revealed a third path too however we have yet to know what it will be. Each decision players take will affect the course of the mission and the fate of Dunwall.

Arkane Studios were the developers behind the first Dishonoured title and have seeing it win over 100 Game of the Year awards, released a version for X-Box One and PS4 complete with downloadable content and fully remastered graphics. Dishonoured 2 was about the thrill of returning to the immersive world of Dishonoured that is both rewarding and exhilarating. A whole new world, ready to be thoroughly enjoyed. g

AT A GLANCE In the events following the dethroning of Emily Kaldwin, the empress follows the dark path of her protector, to claim back her rightful place.

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by Nthato Morakabi

change into a Skill Tree, allowing for several upgrade paths as players progress through the levels, also to allow multiple options for the upgrades. While Corvo retains his powers from before, Emily will have her own set of abilities some of which are similar to Corvo’s.

Revealed abilities are “Far Reach”, an ability which will allow her to teleport short distances, and “Shadow Walk”, an ability that transforms her into a cloud-like substance allowing her to change her tangibility and move quickly. The game is also set to feature various weapons and gadgets, and a world to explore beyond the walls of Dunwall to the once-dazzling coastal city of Karnaca.

As per the previous game, players will have the

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Mirror’s Edge Catalyst Faith’s leap back to us

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And although you realized that you could never be like Faith, you can always be her in the game.

This is what the developing team aims for you to truly experience with Catalyst. Faith is simply an extension of you in a virtual world. Her eyes are your eyes and her agility and ability are yours too.

There is a much greater improved fluidity in motion. The kind folks over at EA Dice worked very hard to ensure that the way you envision moving throughout the game is exactly what you will see projected on to your screen. From those daring climbs to looking around while in motion, it should all look and feel natural. This done of course with the consideration to eliminate the sensation of

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hen many gamers finished Mirror’s Edge after its release in 2008, a sequel was much anticipated. EA Dice took an unexpected route by developing a prequel of sorts. Sweet irony for a game whose main aim is to keep moving forward, to take us back instead. What made the Faith we saw in the first game? This title aims to answer that with in swift style. We got to see Faith as a more than efficient runner with such skill that at times you would look at the world around you and kindasorta wish you could do what she does but then quickly remember the time you got a cramp in your foot simply from walking across the room.

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Mirror’s Edge Catalyst

freedom to be taken hostage?

A great setting for setting Faith apart from the society she is in. The setting of the game I feel will be relatable especially in this day and age where privacy, on a personal and global level, is one of the most valuable things you can have- it creates a sense of, I dare to say, false freedom. We will get to see Faith embark on her story which sees her fighting her way, not just her own course and against many enemies, but inevitably for others and for herself. It will be a treat to see the other characters in the game that Faith can interact with and add depth to a world full of seemingly empty promises and wills. g

AT A GLANCE Action-adventure

A lot of work has been put into the experience of this game which without a doubt will jump and slide into our lists.

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EA Dice Electronic Arts Prima Interactive

May 2016

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motion sickness (which was a bit of a downside for those sensitive to it). The work put into just the way you move will be highly appreciated in combat.

Faith here doesn’t use a gun at all. As in the story, she has vowed to never use one. So what becomes your weapon? You. Your body in combination with speed and good timing enables you to become a sort of projectile of humansized proportions. It’s simple: The better you improve your skills in controlling and timing your movements, the better and more badass you will be at combat.

In a world as fragile as it is dangerous. The city of glass. Why would anyone want to allow their

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Nadeo Ubisoft Megarom

PLATFORMS

Taking it to the next level!

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AT A GLANCE Racing

TrackMania Turbo returns for more stunts, more tracks and exciting arcadestyle racing!

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by Nthato Morakabi

TrackMania Turbo

ights illuminate the darkened sky, flashes of colour flicker as signboards come to life. The tell-tale gleam of the traffic light hints at the event about to commence, the whirr of helicopter blades reveals a race car hovering above the steep incline of a race track. When the light turns green, the mania begins. The engine roars as the vehicle unclasps from the hovering plane, diving nose first towards the motorway. This is where it all begins. This is TrackMania Turbo!

TrackMania Turbo makes a return to console since its Wii version, TrackMania Wii, this time taking on the next-gen consoles along with the PC platform.

Since its first inception back in 2003, TrackMania has made it on various platforms including the Nintendo DS and spawned the spin-off ShootMania Storm. TMT will allow for Virtual Reality too.

The premise of the game lies in both its fast paced racing and gravity defying stunts. Following on from its predecessors, players can expect to race along the various tracks as many times as they would choose within a time limit, with a high focus on the stunts. TMT will feature over 200 different tracks, spread across Rollercoaster Lagoon, Canyon Drift, International Stadium and Valley Down & Dirty.

A number of game modes are planned to appear in TMT, including your standard campaign mode as well as various multiplayer options, and an interactive online community. An exciting new multiplayer mode will come in the form of Double Driver, where two players control the same car in cooperative play.

As per previous versions, players will have the ability to create the own tracks, share them online, and enjoy tracks created by others. g

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Starship Corporation

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Starship Corporation

When planet earth just isn’t enough for you

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Ratakari Iceberg Interactive TBC

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Mar 2016

envisioning the bigger picture in your design and decisions. And because every aspect of your ship is up to you, you can decide what you would want to invest in. You can even unleash your inner interior designer (with no judgement).

Forget not that this is a Real-Time strategy game. You want to be the best and stay a few steps ahead of your opponents. Achieve this by ensuring your ship is equipped with necessities from an armoury to a sick bay, to an emergency escape vehicle and even a watertank.

And what’s the point of having a

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great ship with no crew? You train your crew to improve on skills that will benefit you in missions and improve your ranking. And since there’s no corporation without business, this is where the trading aspect of the game comes in. The game’s official website says, “Buy or sell used (or captured) ships, set up trade routes or supply war parties. (Preferably on both sides).” I believe it is this part of the strategy that drives the main elements – making the game true to its title. I anticipate this game to be a success. g

AT A GLANCE Strategy

This title will appeal to strategy lovers and impress the curious. Build your ship, crew and ultimately your corporation.

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ust in case you didn’t know, taking over the world is old news. The galaxy is where the real power and money is at now. With careful planning, attention to detail and great execution of tasks, you can become the ruler of your own powerful galactic corporation.

The game has 4 main elements: Ship designing, Crew and AI Tactics, Ship building and Trade.

Now the engineer in me (way down deep inside of me somewhere) really likes the concept of this game. It gives a great sense of

Space Overlords

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Space Overlords

Crush enemies in galactic proportions

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Feb 2016

the ability to send out flaming heat waves), Terbang (equipped with gravity emitters), Phemus (deals massive damage at close range) and Beruk Jahat, who has a devastating spin attack.

Choosing an Overlord, you have to Smash, shoot and stomp your way through entire cities and planetary defences in order to make progress.

“Wipe out entire planetary forces, destroy cities and fight bosses as you seek to eliminate all existence of Kesedihan’s kin from the universe,” 12 Hit Combo explains.

You can either play by yourself, or

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you can team up with three other people, who will control one of the other Overlords, and participate in the offline or online PVP multiplayer mode.

To make the game a bit more interesting, you can even create your own planets with the help of the ingame Planet Editor – you know, just in case there wasn’t enough to destroy already.

With 56 story mode levels, four multiplayer game modes, and six enemy types with stronger variations as you go on, there should be more than enough to keep you busy. g

AT A GLANCE Action Adventure

Want to destroy planets at a whim? Then this is for you.

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by Charlie Fripp

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ave you always wanted to play as the bad guy in a space game? Well, with Space Overlords you can make your galactic domination dreams come true.

In this quirky action-adventure game from independent developer 12 Hit Combo, the game puts you in the shoes of one of the Overlords, an ancient life form of immeasurable power. Naturally, you are out to seek revenge again the evil Kesedihan, and you will do everything in your power to wipe them from the face of the galaxy.

There are four Overlords to choose from: Kebak’ Aran (A fire giant with

Project X Zone 2

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Project X Zone 2 H

ave you ever enjoyed fighting as Ryu in Street Fighter and thought, “How cool would it be if Ryu were to team up with, oh let’s say… Dante (Devil May Cry)?”No? Well whether you have thought about it or not, now you can!! Project X Zone 2 is like one big Japanese potjie. Bandai Namco, SEGA and Capcom decided to make an already huge crossover title bigger and maybe even better.

So there is a tear of sorts in the universe space time and this causes worlds to crossover and meet. Although this opens the way for our beloved heroes to cross paths, the villains are also let loose…and there you have it ladies and gentlemen, your crossover good vs. evil plot. Now it begs to be seen if the storyline will be good overall and hopefully have interesting twists in it. With so many characters that each have a story we know, I think there may be a lot of room for the plot to take advantage of.

But let’s not forget that this is ultimately a strategy tactical RPG: achieve as many combos as you can during your turn to defeat the enemy. With each character being unique in fighting style and choice of weapon (and the general eagerness to learn and perfect every possible player combo move) this game is sure to deliver on the fun of a fighting title.

I don’t doubt that those with a Nintendo 3DS will enjoy this one. However, a game like this would also be pretty awesome on other platforms (yes, because console graphics) and if Mortal Kombat was invited to the party (greedy, I know). Fighters ready? g

GAMING

Feb 2016 Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Monolith Bandai Namco Entertainment Core Group

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by Sibonisile Motha

Why have one good fighter when you can have all?

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AT A GLANCE Tactical RPG, fighting

Some fighting pair and versus fantasies may be fulfilled with this one. Oh, it looks quite fun too.

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Battleborn It’s a MOBA, but also not. But maybe.

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last couple of years, a MOBA is a team-based shooter where player compete for control points (among others) in a closed-off arena. See it as a modern-day take on the ancient gladiator games – but with powerful fantasy characters.

Gearbox has stopped short of calling the first-person shooter a MOBA themselves, as it will also feature a levelling system, which resets when a match begins, and the quests and game modes have been worked into the title.

In terms of mechanics, at the start of each round, players all begin on the same level. After enough kills, gamers will eventually have enough experience to upgrade their weapons and skills, giving them a better chance of success.

GAMING

OBAs, or multiplayer online battle arena if you prefer, have become all the rage over the last couple of years. Games like Dota 2 have been drawing gamers in their millions, while on the Xbox One, Hi-Rez’s Smite has had a similar experience.

So to say that MOBAs are money-spinners is a bit of an understatement, making it no surprise really to see Gearbox Software’s latest game falling straight into the genre.

Battleborn isn’t exactly a MOBA by the strict definition, but by the developer’s explanation it definitely has MOBA elements. It is also the studio’s first original IP game since 2009’s Borderlands.

If you have been living under a keyboard for the

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Battleborn

Incursion will see teams defending their base from waves of AI-controlled minions. Taking on the classic MOBA theme, gamers must use their own minions (and not the yellow, funny kind) to destroy their opponent’s base.

In Devastation, the game takes on a bit of a death match feel, as players must capture and hold objectives on the map to win. The last mode, Meltdown, players must use their minions to fight to the centre of the map. Once there, minions are thrown into an incinerator for points, and the team with the most points wins. It will be up to players to stop the other minions from frying themselves.

Whether Gearbox’s effort will be enough to entice hunger games will have to be seen.

But for the time being, we are pretty excited about it. g

AT A GLANCE FPS

If you are a fan of MOBAs from an established company, this should be for you.

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Its sounds an awful lot like Smite, which also uses a levelup system.

Gamers can select one of up to three choices to pick per level through each characters unique Helix Tree. As for characters, there will be 25 in total to play as - each having different abilities and weapons.

But the game isn’t completely dependent on players being part of an online team, as Battleborn’s Story Mode is being described as “a narrative experience” which can be played cooperatively with friends both splitscreen and online.

Speaking of game modes, the team-based competitive multiplayer will have three different modes which can played by up to 10 players online in 5v5 matches.

Paragon

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Paragon

A beautiful place to spill

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far seen a few interesting options for in-game playable heroes: Twin Blast, the first revealed hero with really cool robot-like guns (oh yeah, his weapons too), Sparrow, an archer with unique arrows that can make their way through the crowd (quite literally), and Steel, he’s pretty much what you’re thinking and more to still be discovered upon the game’s official release. I am impressed thus far with the way each character is completely different to the next, in appearance and skill. I am hoping this will work greatly in Paragon’s favour as combat won’t be boring. As you

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discover and master your own hero’s abilities, your opponent is doing the same.

Throughout the game you can collect cards to build your deck. Your cards can be used in combinations to create various strategies in combat. The game’s creators have mentioned that the different strategy combinations have dramatic impact on the gameplay. It will be interesting to see that unfold.

With regards to storyline, Epic Games hasn’t given away anything and honestly, that’s okay. So far it looks good to me. g

AT A GLANCE M.O.B.A,

Stunning graphics and although so far little information has been given, there is lots to look forward to with this one.

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by Sibonisile Motha

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aragon looks amazing. Okay, now that I have that out of the way, let’s get to it.

Epic Games has created a MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) that is meant to impress. Paragon sees you battling it out in the world of Agora- a beautiful scene of jungle and ruin. The arena itself is quite nicely done in terms of look and its possible effect in combat. With it being an open map, and not just an open map but having elevation, it is as much a character as the heroes you battle with.

Speaking of heroes, we have so

Overwatch

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hen the world was on the brink of extinction, warriors rose from within the ranks to quell the turmoil that circulated the world. Scientists, Adventurers, Soldiers all rising to the occasion, becoming the guardians of the people, restoring hope to humanity. They became the International task force restoring peace to the war-torn world as part of Overwatch. Overwatch ended the crisis, inspiring an era of innovation and exploration, maintaining peace for decades. But now, Overwatch is gone, but the world is still in need of heroes‌ Blizzard Entertainment have a fantastic track record of creating highly immersive, engaging titles and have been in the industry for over 20 decades, starting out as Silicon & Synapse and becoming what we now know as Blizzard Entertainment. With a foray of popular games under their name, we can only expect another best from the creators of World of Warcraft, Star Craft, Diablo and many others.

Overwatch puts players into the shoes of an array of unique heroes in this first-person shooter, falling between the four different classes: Offense, Defence, Tank and Support. The variation of heroes and abilities is sure to create unique experiences as they shoot their way through the battlefield.

The main feature of Overwatch will be its squadbased combat, where the varying types of heroes will foster effective teamwork. At the moment, two game modes have been revealed; Payload which sees one team hope to move the payload while defenders prevent the advancing team; Point Capture sees the two teams battle for control of the map, capturing points and holding them until time runs out.

The Pre-Purchase edition features a host of goodies including skins, environments, and other ingame bonuses. g

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Q1/Q2 2016 Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

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by Nthato Morakabi

Overwatch is dead. Who will rise in its stead.

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AT A GLANCE FPS

Blizzard brings a First Person Shooter to the fore, a team-based action title set in futuristic Earth.

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ColdWood Interactive Electronic Arts Prima Interactive

PLATFORMS

Actions really do speak louder…

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AT A GLANCE Puzzle

It is great to look forward to a game that is seeking not only to bring you a good puzzle-solving game, but something to tug at your heart’s strings.

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by Sibonisile Motha

Unravel

elcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the beautiful story-telling world of Unravel.

ColdWood Interactive (a Swedish independent game studio) decided to make a game that was not only interactive in the sense of just playing it, but wanted to create something that would resonate with your emotions.

You are Yarny, an adorable character made of a single thread of yarn. (Let’s just say if I wanted a cat, I’d want him to be Yarny and I would want him just as soft and red too). He is a tiny creature in a big and almost intimidating Scandinavian-inspired world.

As he goes on his way and unravels the underlying story, so does he. The game’s nature environments are each unique and will provide it’s own challenges as well as the solutions. You just have to look closer and use what’s around you (and at times yourself) to traverse on. With tools, you can use that which seems small to think big.

There are no words ever spoken in this game. Your mind and Yarny’s heart will see you through. The story is meant to be discovered as you play.

We know that you will unlock memories of a long lost family.

I am in love with the idea of unlocking a memory in an environment and thus creating a deeper connection to it, whilst making each setting memorable to you in whatever way possible.

The genius to me about this game is the irony: your character unravels as the story begins to be woven together. A game that looks to provide an experience that as pure as it is real and overall beautiful. g

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Sniper 3: Ghost Warrior

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Sniper 3: Ghost Warrior One man against the world‌

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CI Games CI Games TBC

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world environment, where players don the suit of a sniper, and must target, execute and survive out on their own.

Rather than guide players towards objectives, Sniper 3 GW will be all about players using their skills and tactical no how, to gather intel from the expansive landscape and war camps scattered around the open world, utilizing the gathered information to set off for their targets. Along with the main mission, there will also be side missions and various activities to keep players engaged.

With a large, open-ended map to explore, players will be able to

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employ a number of tactics in order to accomplish the mission. Each choice has a consequence; either engage the enemy stealthily or approach in a runand-gun.

The game has been described as having three guidelines: target, execute, survive. A choice of weapons exists, and gadgets such as drones to offer a different tactical advantage with each mission.

Dynamic weather, day-and-night cycles, realistic factors such as wind, gravity and breathing, all put together to what will be more than just another sniper simulation. g

AT A GLANCE FPS

CI Games brings a revamped Sniper: Ghost Warrior title, a tactical open-world FPS, where every decision, as a lone warrior deep in enemy territory, matters.

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he darkness surrounds man and mountain, the clear sky above reveals no moving shadows, no rustle of leaves as the lone warrior stalks his prey. Below ground the camp fires burn incessantly, chatter rises and falls with each passing moment. Unaware that above them, in the darkness of the shadows is a man who is more than a warrior, more than a ghost, more than a killer.

Sniper 3: Ghost Warrior is the third entry in the Sniper: Ghost Warrior series, but the first to be developed by a full AAA production team. This first person shooter will be set in an open-

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XCOM: Keeping aliens

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urvival

s at bay since 1994‌ by:

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authors like HP Lovecraft on the original titles in the series) XCOM has been hailed as one of the best, most definitive turn-based strategy franchises. To a degree, anyway; when XCOM did well, it did really well. But its missteps were often massive – while the franchise contains games that are widely considered to be some of the best, it also contains titles considered to be some of the worst. But, quite unsurprisingly, the weak points of the franchise always came up when XCOM moved away from its turn-based strategy roots to explore other genres.

The very first game in the series was called UFO: Enemy Unknown, although the US release was called XCOM: UFO Defense. The premise behind the game still carries through the franchise today: after an increase in UFO sightings and alien abductions, world powers gathered together (in the wake of failed attempts to handle the growing crisis on their own) to form a multinational alien investigation and protection team named XCOM. The core dynamics are similar too… the player begins with “normal” weapons and equipment, but through exploration and research, they begin harnessing alien technology and creating better equipment and more powerful soldiers.

Invasion waits for no man, though, and there is a definite feeling of urgency within every XCOM title.

Careful management and perfect timing are needed

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– in addition to great strategy – to overcome the alien menace. The player needs to manage resources and personnel, as well as fight against aliens and capture new technologies.

These ideas have held fast throughout the franchise and, when they are the central theme to an XCOM game, the game has been good. Sure, turnbased strategy games are a little more niche, thanks to their pedantic and more thoughtful nature (although some would argue that they require more from the player in terms of strategic smarts than their real time counterparts do) but fans of the genre are almost always fans of the XCOM games, thanks to wellbalanced mechanics and a great degree of challenge, combined with a sensible, yet unforgiving, difficulty curve.

A year after the initial game was released, developers MicroProse released a sequel. 1995’s XCOM: Terrors from the Deep once again smacked of a Lovecraftian influence as it took the whole concept of XCOM and put it deep beneath the waves of the world’s oceans. And, as before, the game was very well received, thanks to its implementation of great management balance and sound turn-based tactics.

In 1997, XCOM: Apocalypse brought a few new concept to the franchise. It featured a more complex management system, in which players also had to minimise collateral damage caused by the aliens. In addition, it brought an option for

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lien invasion.

It’s a concept that has driven fiction, from books to movies and even video games, for a long time. In fact, one of the first popular pieces of fiction detailing an alien species invading the earth was published as a serial in 1897 and as a novel in 1898: H.G Wells’ War of the Worlds. That celebrated work gave us one of the most important concepts related to the idea of a fictional alien invasion, as summed up in this quote: “Yet across the gulf of space, minds that are to our minds as ours are to those of the beasts that perish, intellects vast and cool and unsympathetic, regarded this earth with envious eyes, and slowly and surely drew their plans against us.”

But the other important central concept is that humanity is tenacious, resourceful and brave.

There will always be those that fight back, either as fully fledged military forces, or as resistance movements.

Both of these ideas are central to one of the longest running sci-fi video game franchises, in the form of XCOM. The overall premise of the game is that alien invaders have shown up on earth, and a military organisation called XCOM is taking the fight to them. Drawing heavily on accepted ideas, as well as some more obscure inspirations (like the undeniable influence of

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real-time game play to the table. Despite a rocky development process, Apocalypse was well received, and continued to establish XCOM as a topnotch strategy franchise.

After three very successful releases, however, things started going wrong for the franchise – some would say because the developers moved away from the core ideas that made the game great. 1998’s XCOM: Interceptor took the game into space, with a more complex management game that fans enjoyed.

However, it added a space flight simulation system that was out of place and generally disappointing, and the script writers placed a heavy reliance on pop-culture references that felt totally out of place. Of the four games, Interceptor fared the worst, selling very few copies before dwindling into near obscurity. 1999 saw the release of XCOM: First Alien Invasion that filled a budget game category and relied on the ill-fated “play by email” concept. Once again, it fared poorly.

Interestingly, First Alien Invasion was the first game published with Hasbro Interactive as the developer. MicroProse had been bought out by gaming giant Hasbro, who was (at the time) keen on expanding into the video game sphere. It was an ill-fated move, and one that would put paid to the XCOM franchise as a whole when Hasbro Interactive was shut down – but not before Hasbro released a game that is not only the absolute

lowest point of the XCOM franchise, but also one considered to be one of the worst PC game spin-off ever made.

2001’s XCOM: Enforcer took everything that was great about the franchise (the strategy and the management, mainly) and ignored it. Rather, the developers opted for an action third-person shooter that devolved into a mindless bullet-fest. It left fans cold.

When Hasbro Interactive shut down, there were two XCOM games in the works: Genesis and Alliance.

Both were ambitious strategy and management games, with Alliance even containing some role playing elements. However, neither game ever saw the light, and with the developer shut down, it seemed that the franchise would not only disappear, but that it would leave fans with a sour taste in their mouths after the 2001 release of Enforcer.

You can’t keep a good franchise down, though, and if placed in the hands of the right developer, even an older series can regain its former glory. And there are few developers who know turn-based games as well as Firaxis. With Firaxis at the development helm and 2K games in the publishing seat, XCOM: Enemy Unknown became the series’ much-needed reboot, surfacing more than a decade after Enforcer. The 2012 release was welcomed by fans and critics alike, and it took the core ideas of the franchise and expanded on them beautifully. And expansion (Enemy Within) followed a

year later, also to critical acclaim. Interestingly, 2013 also saw the release of The Bureau: XCOM Declassified, another attempt to take the franchise away from its turn-based nature and into the realms of action shooter. While the Bureau didn’t get the negative reception that Enforcer did, it certainly didn’t sit well with fans and critics.

The moral of the story, really is this: do what you do well. And in the case of XCOM, that’s turn-based strategy and management.

And that’s exactly what fans will get in XCOM 2, which releases just a few days from the time of writing this article. Set a few years after Enemy Unknown, XCOM 2 places the player in the role of a resistance leader. Aliens have invaded the Earth and all but enslaved humanity, and it is up to the player to set them free. We’re going to avoid spoilers here, but after numerous hours spent with preview code, we can safely say that XCOM 2 not only delivers more of the same, but expands on ideas and concepts introduced in Enemy Unknown skilfully.

Fans will not want to miss it (although you’ll have to wait for our next issue to see out review).

With the release of XCOM 2, there is little doubt that Firaxis and 2K will prove that a once great franchise can be successfully rebooted and improved upon. And even if it still speaks to a more niche market, XCOM fans have a lot to be excited about. g

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Life is Strange tag line here, tag line here

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the teenage-problems theme that Life is Strange holds so dear, the truth is that the mechanic adds a wonderful level of moral complication to the game. See, central to what could otherwise be considered something of a bland adventure game is the fact that Max’s decisions impact the story in massive ways. Sure, we’ve seen decision-based narrative dynamics before, but Life is Strange really digs its heels in when it comes to making choices. They’re long reaching in their effect, and pretty much every single one is a tough decision.

The player can utilise the time rewinding mechanic to revisit decisions, of course, but also to change events.

They can, for example, break into a room to learn important information, and then rewind time to erase signs of their presence. Or they can rewind time to change pivotal moments. This adds a great dynamic to a game that is an

GAMING

ften games are judged by their conclusions, and quite harshly at that. But sometimes it isn’t really about the destination; rather, it’s the journey that matters more, and this couldn’t be more apt for Life is Strange, an unusual, episodic game from developers Dontnod and published by Square Enix.

Life is Strange is the story of Max Caulfield, a teenager studying photography at an art school. The other main character is Chloe, Max’s life-long friend who is something of a malcontent who comes to a sticky end right at the beginning of the game. That’s no spoiler – it’s a pivotal point in the game that brings the entire premise of Life is Strange into focus. The sudden, violent death of her friend sees Max spontaneously develop the power to rewind time and change things… including saving Chloe.

Although this apparently sci-fi bent seems at odds with

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than just another video game.

It’s a pity, then, that the whole affair falls a little flat in its conclusion. The game’s end feels a little rushed and a little predictable, almost as though (in a narrative sense) Dontnod got a little overambitious and weren’t sure how to best wrap things up – rather opting for the easier, more obvious route. This even extends to the explanation of Max’s suddenly-acquired powers. All of this leaves the player a little disappointed at the end of the game.

But Life is Strange really is about the journey, about the experience of getting to that conclusion. It is deep and thought-provoking, and doesn’t shy away from topics that some may find taboo or even disturbing. It is a very personal journey for the characters, and can be extremely rewarding for the player who is going to revel in that experience, rather than judge it by its ending. g

AT A GLANCE Adventure

REVIEWED ON

This episodic game is all about the journey, and poses the player with some tough, game-changing decisions.

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Dontnod Square Enix Megarom

PARENTAL ADVISORY

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Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

AWARDS

Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Casual Ed’s Choice

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by Walt Pretorius

otherwise decent adventure-slash-mystery-slash-thriller.

And it allows Dontnod to dig a little deeper with some of the game’s more shocking narrative elements.

And they do go to town on some things, touching on tender subjects ranging from abuse to addiction and even suicide. It is here that Life is Strange shines; investigating not only events in a teenager’s life, but delving into the essence and difficulties of being a teenager.

The environment, visuals and other presentation elements are just as well handled. The town that the adventure takes place in, although limited in locations, feels real and live, with great detail put into even the smallest elements to add to the believability of the place. The controls are simple and unobtrusive, allowing the player to really get lost in the slightly forlorn world that Life is Strange presents. It comes across as a powerful and often deep work of art, rather

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Sebastien Loeb Rally Evo GAMING

Getting gritty

70

gamecca80

GENRE

Less arcade and more simulation,

by Rob Edwards

this new racing series can be as punishing as it is

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

3+

Milestone Milestone Ster Kinekor

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

AWARDS Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice

Score

80

AT A GLANCE

PARENTAL ADVISORY

REVIEWED ON

PLATFORMS

rewarding.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

gamecca80

Racing

XO

is quite satisfying for those who want to dig a little deeper into rally than your average arcade experience allows for.

And ddon’t be to proud to set the AI difficulty down or turn on a few assists in the early stages, ether – this game tends to be super-challenging, and getting used to it at the most difficult settings will really just be an exercise in fruatration.

Additionally, the track selection is great. Events will have players taking part in the more traditional timed point-to-point stages, as well as track based races including rally cross and elimination challenges. O these, the point-to-point challenges are the best, with widely varied and challenging courses from around the world on offer.

A variety of settings and course conditions keep things interesting, and the twisting, often claustrophobic tracks keep them challenging.

There is a wide array of cars, too, for use in the numerous career and challenge modes.

The selection of cars is, for contractual reasons, very Citroen heavy, but there is still a great selection of modern and classic cars to choose from.

Sadly, Sebastien Loeb Rally Evo isn’t perfect, particularly when it comes to performance. For the most part, the game chugs along at a steady pace, but occasionally the frame rate will dip badly enough to result in disaster. Also, the co-driver’s prompt don’t include every hazard out there, so you may be in for a few surprises… but if you keep your wits about you, you should be fine.

Lastly, some of the car models are little low in detail, but they all feature customisable liveries, so that helps a bit.

Overall, Sebastien Loeb Rally Evo has a way to go before it is perfect, but it certainly is headed in the right direction. g

Sebastien Loeb Rally Evo

A

s developers, Milestone have had a somewhat spotty love-affair with rally simulation games. Their work on the WRC series (which they are no longer involved with) resulted in titles that were more arcade like – fun to play, but not really a challenge in the long run. That, friends and neighbours, has changed.

Milestone’s new Sebastien Loeb Rally Evo pretty much chucks anything that could be considered “arcade” out of the window in favour of a game that is far more focussed on the technical aspects of rally racing.

And that could put people off, if they’re not expecting it. The main reason for that comes from two factors. First of all, this game is pretty unforgiving. It will give you plenty of opportunities to mess up, and it will punish you for every mistake. What doesn’t help is the second reason that people may, initially at least, be a little put off of Sebastien Loeb Rally Evo; the physics feel odd. Initially, the cars feel extremely light and twitchy, like a paper bag tossed about in the wind. They seem to not want to stay on track, not speed up fast enough, not slow down fast enough… but as you dig into the game, persevere through areas that will make you feel like throwing your controller at the screen, you will come to learn two things. This game is not about the quick fixes, first of all, and secondly, it’s all about careful tweaking and adjustment.

Once you have a few races under your belt and you have started tweaking with the settings with confidence, you will find that Sebastien Loeb Rally Evo is, in fact, one of the better rally games we have seen in a few years. It requires a pedantic, careful approach, just as it should, and different tracks and conditions require variations of settings. To this end, Sebastien Loeb Rally Evo

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Resident Evil Origins Collection Out of control…

w

something got twisted along the way, and the end result – on PC at least – is one that could have been a lot better.

Nothing has changed in terms of plot… Resident Evil is still set in the creepy mansion, and Resident Evil 0 still takes placed as a prequel to that, set in Raccoon Forest. It’s still the evil Umbrella Corporation and their zombie-creating virus. And it’s still scary as all hell. No problems there.

The presentation is the thing that benefitted the most from this remastering, with better character models, animations and textures being the order of the day. Improved lighting effects and higher resolutions are great, and the option to go wide screen gives you a much better field of view. Sure, the voice acting is still terribly camp, and the plot borders on ridiculous (even for a zombie fest) but they’re enjoyable in their own rights.

What both games should have got – and didn’t – in this remaster is a decent control tweak. If you’re playing on console

GAMING

e’re seeing more than a few remakes and remasters these days. There could be many reasons for them… in the case of the likes of Grim fandango, it appears to be celebrating a great game that deserves to be experienced by a whole new gamer generation.

In the case of something like the Resident Evil Origins Collection, the motivation – like the games themselves – may be something entirely more sinister.

I am going to stop myself there, though, to point out that the idea of remastering Resident Evil and Resident Evil 0, and bundling them together as the Origins Collection, is a great one. Its heart is in the right place; these are, after all, two of the games that not only spawned a well-loved video game franchise, but they are also somewhat definitive of the survival horror genre. So, for this very apparent reason, bringing these games to a newer gamer generation is a great idea. But

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Resident Evil Origins Collection

These are two great games, and having them in one collection is great. These are wonderfully influential titles, and ones that well deserve remastering. But in this case it’s much better on console, leaving PC gamers out in the cold. And when you’re taking the effort to remaster a game, surely some control tweaks and trim ups aren’t too much to ask for?

Forgiving, patient players will fare better here, but the PC version certainly is a bit disappointing, almost purely due to control issues. A pity, for sure. .g

AT A GLANCE Survival horror

A great remaster collection, but PC controls leave more than a little to be desired. It’s better with a gamepad.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Capcom Capcom Ster Kinekor

PARENTAL ADVISORY

18+ gamecca80

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

AWARDS

Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Casual Ed’s Choice

REVIEWED ON

pc PLATFORMS

GENRE

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

Score

65 73

by Walt Pretorius

or using a gamepad on PC, it’s one thing. Not ideal, but better than a mouse and keyboard setup. But let’s be honest – most PC gamers still use a mouse and keyboard, and you really have to play towards the common denominator in these matters.

As they stand, though, the controls are clunky and often confusing, with directional inputs jumping and jolting as the static camera changes position more often than not. It makes playing a game in which precision can be a big thing something of a chore, and makes the experience more frustrating that frightening.

It’s one thing not being able to cap a zombie because you’re all twitchy and nervous… it’s quite something else if you can’t do it because your controls simple won’t let you get the angle right.

This problem is worse in Resident Evil than in Resident Evil 0, but it is present in both games… and when you add the fact that object interaction hotspots are small and generally fidgety, things get even more frustrating.

E M W A IE G EV R

Gravity Rush GAMING

Falling up…

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GENRE

An unusual game with an intriguing core mechanic,

by Alex Scanlon

Gravity rush will appeal to those who enjoy their games a little more

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

12+

Bluepoint Games SCEE Ster Kinekor

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

AWARDS Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice

Score

78

AT A GLANCE

PARENTAL ADVISORY

REVIEWED ON

PLATFORMS

surreal.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

gamecca80

Adventure

PS4

works fine for movement (although it is better when not using the controller’s tilt-sensitivity) but it is a little clunky when you’re trying to use Kat’s powerful Gravity Kick attack. Enemies dodge far too often, and don’t stand still long enough for it to be really effective even when they don’t dodge. Other combat comes in the form of a punch of sometimes underpowered feeling attacks that don’t use gravity.

The large city setting not only offers a campaign, but also allows the player to engage in numerous side quests and explore its oddities. Having come from a PS Vita foundation, the details (while increased) are not really what one would expect from a PS4 title. With that said, though, Gravity Rush doesn’t feel out of place on the PS4. It just comes across as a more “arty” game, with a distinct indie feel to it. This is further supported by the minimal voice acting and text-based interactions which, while fine on the Vita, feel a little anachronistic here.

Gravity Rush won’t appeal to everyone, but it’s strong anime overtones, arty feel and almost JRPG execution will strike a chord with a great many – particularly those who enjoy their adventures fairly deep in narrative terms and wellendowed in the surreality department. It is a game that will grip those that love it, but will make little difference to those that don’t. It can be a compelling adventure, but the sometimes clunky controls (particularly in terms of combat) may leave some feeling frustrated.

Gravity Rush certainly feels better on its native Vita platform, but it has been ported extremely well to the PS4, and will prove an enjoyable and often exciting adventure for those willing to forgive its oddities. g

Gravity Rush

I

t’s not often that we see a PS Vita exclusive get remade for one of the “bigger” consoles. But when they do – like in the case of Tearaway – it’s generally for a good reason. Gravity Rush has been given the treatment, allowing PS4 players to now enjoy the gravity defying adventure that was once only in the hands of Vita owners.

Gravity Rush tells the tale of Kat, a woman with amnesia and a strange power. Well, actually, the power seems to be granted to her by her companion, an actual cat that appears to be covered in some kind of glittery stardust. Whatever the case may be, KAT has the ability to alter gravity. In other words, she can make up down, or sideways, according to the player’s whim. Now while that might appear to cause havoc in the game’s large, Paris-inspired freeroaming setting, the effects only happen to her. She can therefore, move about the city at all different kinds of angles, running along walls and “dropping” to elevated areas.

In fact, that really is what it feels like… while you may have visions of Kat gracefully gliding from one surface to another while reorienting gravity, the end result really feels like a whole bunch of semi-controlled falling from one surface to another. And there is often a distinct lack of grace in Kat’s movements, which adds to the game’s charm.

Throughout the game the player will need to make use of the system, which gets more powerful with experience, to either solve sometimes complex traversal puzzles, or to engage in combat. While it works really well for the puzzles, it leaves things a little lacking on the combat side. See, the player moves by releasing Kat’s personal gravity, aiming where they want to land, and then reactivating gravity. It

75

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Grim Fandango GAMING

Risen from the grave

76

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Grim Fandango

R

by Alex Scanlon

emaking classic games is never a bad idea, and when that game happens to be one of the finest adventure titles ever published, it’s quite frankly a brilliant plan. The game in question if Grim Fandango and, if you ask anyone who has played this game before, they will be super excited to hear that it has been modernised for PC, PS4 and PS Vita.

“Modernised” isn’t exactly the right term; the truth of the matter is that very little has been changed here. While the graphics have been given a bit of a polish, virtually none of the rest of the game was touched. Even the aspect ratio was left alone, and the lack of wide screen has resulted in some decorative edging being added. That’s about it.

It stands testament to the absolute brilliance of this 12-hour long adventure title, in which the player takes on the part of Manny Cavalera, a salesman in the land of the dead trying to work off spiritual debt by finding souls who qualify for special packages that get them to paradise more quickly.

Strongly inspired by day of the dead styles, this is a quirky and often bizarre adventure that will have the player scratching their head more often than not. Partly this is due to the fact that the player is kind of dumped in the deep end, with no instructions. But mostly it is because Grim fandango comes from an age in which games took time, thought and effort to get through.

If you have never played Grim Fandango before, it’s high time that you do. This is a true classic, and a welcome addition to the “modern” game selection. g

AT A GLANCE Adventure

REVIEWED ON

The classic is a welcome remake, even though very little was needed to make it stand toe-to-toe with more modern adventure titles.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Double Fine Double Fine Online

PARENTAL ADVISORY

12+ gamecca80

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 77

E M W A IE G EV R

Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India GAMING

Short on spice…

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Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India

by Walt Pretorius

AT A GLANCE GENRE

Platformer

REVIEWED ON

A slightly disappointing 2.5D addition to the franchise which doesn’t capitalise on opportunities to add some spice to the series’ narrative.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Ubisoft Ubisoft Online

PARENTAL ADVISORY

16+ gamecca80

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

AWARDS

Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Casual Ed’s Choice

x0 PLATFORMS

d

T

he Assassin’s Creed Chronicles games are a series of three spin-offs that embellish on the world of Assassin’s creed by offers players short, 2.5D adventures that adds snippets to the overall story. As such, they really appeal more to adherent of the franchise, and offer a great opportunity for fleshing out this rapidly expanding mythology.

Unfortunately, the second instalment, set in India, doesn’t take advantage of this opportunity, instead relying on a more complex puzzle system rather than on a deep narrative.

It seems like a bit of a wasted opportunity, and stands at odds with the complex histories and tales of the other Assassin’s Creed games. It can be quite fun to play, mind you, and requires great timing and a lot of thought from the player. But the underutilisation of what could have been a great tale is a disappointment.

Graphically, the stylised looks of this title are reminiscent of the vibrant elements of Indian art, and the setting (being Colonial India) is beautifully captured. The same can be said for other presentation aspects, which all mesh together for a game that looks and sounds great.

In terms of control, the whole affair is fairly simple, but every now and then a little stickiness creeps in, making some things a little more difficult than they should be. This is particularly problematic for a game based on stealth and timing, and things can get pretty frustrating when the controls let you down a little. Certain in-game elements (like some of the one-hit-kill traps) are also a little difficult to spot, and the frustration levels that Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India can deliver are sometimes quite high.

While this game may have been great for adherents of the franchise, it really does little to add to the overall experience… which is a pity. g

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

Score

70 79

T

80

Action With nowhere near enough depth and ideas that were fresh a decade ago, Hardware: Rivals is an

REVIEWED ON

PS4 PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

GENRE

AT A GLANCE

GAMING Bound of flame

High speed snooze-fest

extremely forgettable game.

PLATFORMS

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

SCEA SCEE Online

PARENTAL ADVISORY

7+ gamecca80

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

AWARDS Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice

Score

Hardware: Rivals

45

by Rob Edwards

he amazing thing about the video game industry is how fast bad wagons are leaped on, and how prominent derivative game design is. Take, for example, Hardware: Rivals, a game that in many ways seeks to capitalise on Rocket League.

In this game, the player drives around in one of four vehicles, trying to shoot other players who are also driving around in one of four vehicles. Two tanks, two buggies, that’s it. Tanks are slower, less nimble and pack a bigger punch, while buggies are quick, agile and possessed of weaker weapons.

The five-a-side combat is fun initially, but the novelty wears off of this one before you’ve finished the first game. The maps are unimaginative and bland, and the four modes of play are nothing that we haven’t seen a hundred times before.

In creating a game these days, there needs to be a degree of innovation, but Hardware: Rivals really doesn’t have any.

This lack of ingenuity combines with cumbersome controls and “just good enough” graphic, making the whole affair seem like a pre-build demo, rather than a final release.

Basic weapons are augmented by power-ups that can be found throughout the levels. Once again, there is little originality to them, and the player can only carry one at a time, meaning that you can very easily accidentally swap out the cool weapon you were saving for the perfect shot.

What’s really sad here is that the concept behind the game is not bad. Given a little more depth (more maps, more weapons, better upgrades) and a few more game modes.

Hardware: Rivals could have been a great time killer. But it isn’t in its current form.g

Hardware: Rivals

E M W A IE G EV R

Zheros

e m w a ie G v e R

Zheros

Not adding up to much...

side-scroller, but it offers very little depth and lots of frustration.

XO

PLATFORMS

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

for environmental hazards, but more because the game’s jumping and rolling mechanics are a little off.

In fact, all the controls feel somewhat sluggish at best, which is not really ideal for a game that relies heavily on combo combat mechanics. Although new combos can be bought and various character elements can be buffed up between levels, earning enough experience to do so is a difficult chore, particularly when Zheros doesn’t do much to make your life easier.

It’s fun, for what it is, but this is hardly a ground-breaking game. It’s a mindless time-killer, at best. g

Rimlight Rimlight Online

PARENTAL ADVISORY

7+ gamecca80

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

AWARDS Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice

Score

It’s decent for a mindless

REVIEWED ON

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

GENRE

AT A GLANCE

GAMING

Action

a male or female character – the first is slower but hits harder, while the latter packs less of a punch but is quicker.

Their basic attacks are melee, with secondary weapon attacks that drain energy also available. As one of these characters, or as a co-op team, players then take on waves of robots sent to invade a planet. That’s just about as far as the plot goes… there is little depth here.

The same goes for environments and enemies. Neither are particularly varied, although when new enemies are introduced, the difficulty curve can spike quite alarmingly. The same goes

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by Walt Pretorius

b

ack in the days of yore, side scrolling beat-‘em-ups were some of the best gaming you could get, and many people still enjoy the idea of these violent, button mashing fight-fests. Every now and then, a new game of this type surfaces, but living up to the classics while still maintaining the quality expected of modern video games can be a tricky endeavour.

Zheros is a new addition to the genre but while it manages to look great and deliver tons of action, it also manages to stumble over some pretty obvious concepts.

The player takes on the role of either

We Promote Fre

ee Information!

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GAMING

The year has started – somewhat slowly, in terms of games – and we have embarked on what mi just be a very interesting 12 month journey. We really have no way of knowing what 2016 will brin but some things are sure… there will be some really great games for us to play while we make ou through the next 11 months. Games that can take our minds off of crime rates, oil prices, declinin currencies, dodgy politicians and crises the world over. Games that will allow us to lose ourselve for a few moments, in new and exciting worlds.

So, why 32 games? Well, it’s 2016, and 16 x 2 = 32! Did you buy that? No? Didn’t think you wou The truth is, there is no real reason for the number, other than the fact that these are among the best games that we know about… for now. Many don’t have solid release dates yet (as always, in this industry, release dates can change at a moment’s notice) and we’re still waiting for more announcements that will likely reach fever pitch during E3 2016 in June. So, for now, here’s some the stuff we think you should be getting excited about in 2016.02.02 The list is by no means exha But it is alphabetical, and a good place to start…

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e of austive.

TOGETIN

2016 gamecca80

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32 Games to get in 2016

32 GAMES

ight ng, ur way ng es, just

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Battleborn

PC | PS4 | XO

ETA: May 2016 Gearbox made a massive name for themselves and cemented it with Borderlands. Now they’re going to bring us Battleborn, a hero-shooter that will allow co-op campaign play, as well as multiplayer battels, set in a distant (and potentially weird) future. It looks to be Gearbox’s most ambitious game to date.

We say bring it on - if any of the Borderlands genetics end up in this game, it’s pretty sure to be awesome.

Dark Souls 3

PC | PS4 | XO

ETA: Apr 2016

GAMING

Masochists of the world, rejoice! The ultra-punishing, super-difficult Dark Souls franchise is a getting a third instalment in just a few months.

But things are going to be just a little different this time around... there will be a greater focus on role playing elements in Dark Souls 3, with a whole new skill system implemented to help players personalise their experience and, hopefully, survive just a little longer...

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PC | PS4 | XO

ETA: 2016 We like to be ever-hopeful here at Gamecca, even when a game has had a few hiccups and delays.

So we’re staying positive about Dead Island 2, and hoping it takes up the challenge thrown out by Dying Light.

With a bigger environment and tons of zombies to smash your way through, Dead Island 2 may just be the zombie-basher of the year. Let’s hope it doesn’t get delayed again...

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided

PC | PS4 | XO

ETA: Aug 2016 So it got delayed recently, but after a three year wait for this sequel, what’s an extra six months?

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided will see the cyber-augmented hero on the previous title, Adam Jensen, return for some more action packed gaming.

Set two years after the disastrous conclusion of the previous game, it sees a society divided over cybernetic augmentation.

Should be some good, fun cyber-combat!

gamecca80

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32 Games to Get in 2016

Dead Island 2

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Dishonored 2

PC | PS4 | XO

ETA: Q2 2016 Set 15 years after the original game, Dishonored 2 will once again task the player with making choices as an assassin in a rich, detailed fantasy world.

And their choices will even include playing one of two characters.

The developers are promising that player decision and action will have an even greater impact on the game world this time around, which could have some impressive results if they pull it off.

DOOM

PC | PS4 | XO

ETA: Q2 2016

GAMING

Evil demons, massive guns and a fight to save... well, everything. That’s what DOOM is all about, and a more welcome remake is hard to imagine.

This revisiting of one of the games that helped define the FPS genre is extremely exciting, and we’re hoping that the developers manage to capture the essence of the originals. Then again, with id Softworks doing the hard labour, we probably have nothing to be concerned about.

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PC | PS4 | XO

ETA: Feb 2016 Dying Light, Techland’s new game after leaving Dead Island behind, managed to introduce some great new ideas for the first-person zombie-bashing genre.

And the first expansion, The Following, looks likely to do the same. This time around we’ll see a massive additional outdoor environment, as well as the inclusion of vehicles.. a great new way to take out zombies! The original game was great, and the expansion should be no different.

ELEX

PC | PS4 | XO

ETA: Q4 2016 A post-apocalyptic science fantasy setting? That sounds awesome! And that’s where ELEX will be taking place.

This action role-playing game is a massive, ambitious game from the team behind the Gothic series. It certainly has a lot of potential, with an interesting idea behind the setting and a potentially huge open world to explore.

But we don’t know too much about it yet, other than that it’s very ambitious. Time will tell on this one...

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32 Games to Get in 2016

Dying Light: The Following

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Far Cry: Primal

PC | PS4 | XO

ETA: Feb 2016 Does the fact that we stuck this one on our cover imply that we’re excited about it?

Well, it should, and we are!

Far Cry: Primal will not only visit a whole new setting for the franchise, but for FPS games in general. It will also be introducing some compelling new ideas and, of course, tons of Stone Age action!

And if the franchise is anything to go by, Far Cry: Primal will be awesome, as well as pretty damned original...

Flatout 4

PC | PS4 | XO

ETA: 2016

GAMING

Why just race around a track when you could be racing around a track while sowing all kinds of chaotic destruction?

And that’s just what Faltout 4 will allow you to do - destroy other cars in adrenaline fuelled races.

The developers are also listening to their audience, and are allowing community input to influence the developments of this title.

Will it deliver the good? We hope so, because smashing stuff is fun.

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PC | PS4 | XO

ETA: 2016 This one look interesting: an FPS game that takes decision making into account in developing persoanlity traits, and mixes elements of action, thriller, horror and exploration for final effect.

It will also blur the lines between single and multiplayer gaming. You might, for example, be playing a single player mission, but one or more of your enemies may actually be controlled by other players. It’s ambitious and exciting!

Halo Wars 2

PC | XO

ETA: 2016 When Creative Assembly gets behind a strategy game, it generally is very good. And the original Halo Wars was actually a great game, despite the fact that it seemed to get so little love.

Now Halo will be returning to the world of strategy with Halo Wars 2, a strategy title that will play on PC and Xbox One. The console implementation remains to be seen, but we’re pretty excited about getting back to building bases and shooting bad guys, Halo style.

gamecca80

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32 Games to Get in 2016

Get Even

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Hellblade

PC | PS4

ETA: 2016 A Cetlic warrior left traumatised by a Viking invasion will be at the centre of Hellblade, a game that will delve into mental illness and psychosis.

This third person action game will likely be extremely exciting and highly enjoyable, delving into inner depths and facing inner demons, and is based on actual historic events.

We doubt that the whole “psychiatric evaluation” thing will make this game any less fun to play...

Mafia III

PC | PS4 | XO

ETA: 2016

GAMING

New Orleans, 1968. A disenfranchised Vietnam vet finds solace among a group of black gangsters, but when the Italian Mob lashes out at them, he sets out on a path of revenge.

That’s the idea behind mafia III, and it sounds great. The previous game was awesome - there’s something about organised crime that is, in video game terms, pretty appealing - and we’re holding out high hopes for this next instalment.

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PC | PS4 | XO

ETA: Q4 2016 When the Mass Effect trilogy ended, it was pretty sad (and no, not because the ending was so controversial). Rather, it marked the end of a great adventure.

Well, that adventure is about to return (towards the end of the year, actually) and while we don’t know too much about Andromeda yet, we’re pretty sure that we can expect more of the cover-based sci-fi action that made the original three games so awesome. New characters and new worlds... who could ask for more?

Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst

PC | PS4 | XO

ETA: May 2016 Coming in as a prequel to Mirror’s Edge, catalyst will tell of the rise of the heroine, Faith. Players will, apparently, have a much freer experience this time around, with levels that are far less linear and dictatorial. But timing and skill will still be key in this exciting, traversal based adventure.

It’s taken a long time for this next game to arrive, and we’re hoping that it proves to be as exciting as it sounds.

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32 Games to Get in 2016

Mass Effect: Andromeda

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Overwatch

PC | PS4 | XO

ETA: Q2 2016 Blizzard hardly ever put their efforts into something that isn’t extremely worthwhile, and it looks a lot like Overwatch will be an extremely exciting game.

This team-based FPS will put players in the role of amped up heroes who can work together to take on their enemies. It’s over-the-top and fun, as well as being an extremely accessible game.

But it won’t compromise on the core values of team-FPS either. And it’s Blizzard... ‘nuff said.

Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare 2

PC | PS4 | XO

ETA: Feb 2016

GAMING

The premise behind Plants vs Zombies has always been two things: utterly ludicrous and totally awesome.

In this action game, Zombies have taken over Suburbia and the plants need to fight back!

Tons of new characters await, as well as some new game modes. This multiplayer game looks set to be awesome amounts of fun. And, as an added bonus, every game mode can be played solo, versus the AI, as well...

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XO

ETA: Apr 2016 We’ve been waiting for Quantum Break for a while now... in this ambitious title, players will take on the role of operatives who can alter the flow of time.

It all looks pretty exciting, and now that the developers have issued a more firm release date, we’re hopeful that it will be here soon (barring last minute delays).

With great concepts and awesome design, it looks like Quantum Break will rock!

Scalebound

XO

ETA: Q4 2016 We’re really hoping (perhaps against all hope) that Scalebound will see release this year.

This action RPG places the player in control of a warrior called Drew, who is accompanied by a mighty dragon. Together they adventure, fight and... oh, come on, we don’t need to go there, do we? Just the idea of “dragon” already makes this game awesome.

We want it!

We want it now!

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Quantum Break

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Shadow Warrior 2

PC | PS4 | XO

ETA: 2016 Lo Wang is back, and he bring all the bullets, blades and off-colour, school-yard humour you’d expect with him.

Shadow Warrior, somehow, became quite successful with it’s remake, and so the developers have decided to give us yet another dose of the over-the-top action and purile jokes that punctuated it.

Be ready for big guns, big explosions and big bad guys when Shadow Warrior 2 arrives later this year.

Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3

PC | PS4 | XO

ETA: Q1 2016

GAMING

The Sniper: Ghost Warrior franchise gets better with each iteration. This newest instalment will see players caught between three rival factions in Eastern Europe.

As such, the player will have large, non-linear environments to play in, and will be able to make several decisions based on play style when it comes to tackling missions.

With AAA aspirations, it looks like the developers are sinking more into this potential-rich game and franchise. Let’s hope it pays off.

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ETA: Feb 2016 While some fighting franchises have been getting all serious, Street Fighter has remained anything but.

In fact, they seem to be going even more extreme in their latest iteration, Street Fighter V. Little is known right now, but rest assured: There will be lots of fighters, tons of action and more fun to be had than you can shake a big stick at.

The fighting genre has been underutilised of late, so this one is very welcome!

The Division

PC | PS4 | XO

ETA: Mar 2016 Oh, how we have been waiting and longing for The Division...

In this third person action game, you will take the part of a government sleeper agent who is activated to try and restore order when everything in New York City goes all to hell in a handbasket.

With seamless single and multiplayer gaming, tons of progression and heaps of cover-based action, The Division is the kind of game action fans crave.

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The Last Guardian

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ETA: 2016 They announced this one a month before Gamecca was first published... yup, in June 2009. And we’ve been waiting since. Hopefully this year will see this ambitious puzzle-based game finally hit the shelves (because it’s really getting a bit silly, now isn’t it?).

The Last guardian sees the player’s character team up with a hybrid creature, and using their relationship to help solve puzzles. It sounds pretty fun, actually, and looks rather promising...

The Park

PC | PS4 | XO

ETA: Q1 2016

GAMING

The Park may already be available on PC, but it is coming to consoles shortly and, quite frankly, it warrants some special attention.

Psychological thrillers aren’t all that common in gaming, and a good horror game is almost always a great experience.

Set in a somewhat derelict amusement park, this one looks like it could have all the right kinds of creepy elements it takes for greatness...

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PC | PS4 | XO

ETA: 2016 This post-apocalyptic sci-fi RPG, set on Mars, is starting to look more and more like the love child between Mad Max and Star War... and that might not be such a bad thing.

The Technomancer is an ambitious project and, if it all works out, will offers players tons of action and adventure, as well as some big choices, deep progression and much, much more.

But the track record of the developers needs to be proven here...

Total War: Warhammer

PC

ETA: Apr 2016 Combining the technical, strategic prowess of the Total War games with the rich, deep mythology of the Warhammer fantasy universe can only lead to good things.

We’re looking forward to seeing a Warhammer game done with the degree of detail that Creative Assembly put into their titles, and as far as the setting goes, well... it’s all about war in the Warhammer universe.

Fans of both franchises should be getting good and excited right about now...

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UFC 2

PS4 | XO

ETA: Mar 2016 Step back into the Octagon as EA Sports once again take on the intricate dynamics of Ultimate Fighting.

The last time around, things weren’t all that pretty but when EA gets their thinking caps on, they know how to iterate towards perfection... just look at the FIFA games.

Hopefully this iteration takes a big step forward, because this valuable franchise would be awesome if it is done just right. Tenacious they might be, But EA have to prove themselves with UFC.

Umbrella Corps

PC | PS4

ETA: May 2016

GAMING

So, the principle of playing the “other side” of the Resident Evil saga sounds intriguing, but Umbrella Corps may not be what you expect.

This is a FPS game that sees teams of mercenaries compete with each other in the interests of bio-weapon research.

It looks pretty interesting, and will see teams of players take each other on in battlefields that also have other dangers, like zombies... could just be awesome.

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ETA: Mar 2016 You can’t keep a good man (or franchise) down, and obviously the temptation to resurrect the Uncharted franchise and bring Nathan Drake out of retirement for a PS4 version was too great for naughty Dog to resist.

Considering what they did with these games on PS3, that’s not going to be a bad thing (although Drake might have been enjoying retirement). We’re expecting a lot from this game, because the studio behind it is one of the best.

XCOM 2

PC

ETA: Feb 2016 The follow-up to the popular reboot, XCOM 2 is already getting rave reviews from critics.

The alien invaders have taken over, and it is now up to the player to co-ordinate and command resistance forces to stop their nefarious plans.

With deep management ideals and a demanding enemy, XCOM 2 promises to be turn-based strategy combat at its finest. We loved the preview code, and can’t wait for the rest!

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Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

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Going Rogue with

GAMING

Getting into game development can be a daunting task, particularly when you’re part of a smaller community.

That’s exactly what the founders of Raindance Lx faced when they started up their development projects. But 102

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h Gareth FouchĂŠ

By Nthato Morakabi

theOdds perseverance and vision won over, and now their efforts are available for all to enjoy. We recently spoke to CEO and Art Director JoĂŁo Ortega about how they started, their projects and their passions. gamecca80

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How did that partnership happen?

IN

JO: Well it was according to

JO: RaindanceLX is a company me and my cofounder Carlos Garcia founded in 2014. He is Spanish and I am Portuguese. We had this idea for the game Between Me and the Night, which wasn’t called that. It was called Until I Wake Up back then, and we started it during our free-time and we had the publisher Lace Games interested in us. And we decided then to start our video game company.

As for the name, well LX actually stands for Lisbon, which is where we are based, and Raindance well, I can’t really recall (laughs). I’m pretty sure Carlos and I were on a Skype call and we were miserable, so we thought let’s call it the Rainbucket or something along those lines, and eventually came up with Raindance because it sounded

GAMING

more elegant.

GM: It definitely sounds more elegant. Now regarding Lace Games, how did that happen?

Did you approach them?

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Graphic Design. This way I could chase what I wanted,

the industry standards that we

which is Game Development

put up a gameplay trailer of

and at the same time have

our prototype on YouTube and

something I could do that

it started featuring on a lot of

actually paid.

sites like Indiegames.com and

GM: Tell us a little about RaindanceLX, and its formation.

go for something safer like

In the end, all that knowledge

we gained some interest. That

I gained in Graphic Design

was when we were contacted

was really helpful and useful

by publishers, around 5 or 6 of

when I jumped into Game

them and Lace Games was the

Development. Carlos and

right fit, on board right ahead ,

I in fact studied Game

understood what the game was

Development together in

immediately and were excited

Lisbon, and we worked

to work with us.

together on the final project

GM: I worked on the preview for Between Me and the Night for our September issue, and I was really impressed. It looks like fun game, art style is unique. I like it

which we then carried on

JO: Thanks, that’s always great to hear!

afterwards.

GM: Now was there a particular game you had in mind that made you want to develop games? For me I remember playing Final Fantasy 8 and watching that CG that blew my mind.

GM: I see you are a Graphic

JO: I remember the first

Designer. Did you study Graphic

game that I really loved, was

Design for yourself or did

also the Final Fantasy franchise

Game Development influence

but I always thought it was

you towards studying Graphic

something too far out, too

Design? What was the thought

impossible for me. But the one

process

game I was really interested

JO: Game Development

in, especially from a Graphic

was always something I really

Design perspective and making

wanted to do, kinda tried to

art for video games, was

do it then actually got to do it,

Shadow of Collosus. I played

playing around in game engines

it and it was an amazing game

like Game Maker, RPG maker

and I remember thinking, it

etc. Then there’s that thing

wasn’t a big open world just

everybody thinks that you can’t

one tow characters, a horse

make money making video

and then Giants. Although it’s

games, especially in Portugal

almost impossible for a single

and I’m sure it’s the same in

guy to make that, I thought,

South Africa, so I decided to

maybe I can do something like

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Portugal, making games isn’t even considered an industry

GM: Are you part of a community in Portugal for instance we have Makegames SA here where local developers come together and share ideas, help each other. Do you have something similar?

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that (laughs).

and there are no regulations that define us. So finance is

9 GM: Lastly, Between Me and the Night, what’s its status at the moment?

always an issue, and even

9 JO: We had Between Me

when we were sponsored

and the Night on Early Access

money by Lace Games to go

on Steam back in September

towards game development,

and we launched it in October

we had some issues with it,

so it is available now.

which in the end were resolved

JO: Yeah, it’s a small

but were difficult to overcome.

community since there’s

Also the challenge we face

GM: So with that project moving aside, are there any secret projects happening at Raindance you can share?

so few developers here in

as a small team is having to

Portugal so we do go to each

mediate the ideas and scale

other’s offices and see how

of each project, but we do

projects are going. Microsoft

not have the time or money

also makes an effort, inviting

to invest in the amazing ideas

we have been working on in

developers to their officers for

that the team comes up with,

our free time, and it’s actually

events such as pizza parties.

which are many.

really exciting but we can’t

Developers then get to share ideas or have presentations about specific subjects.

There are also guys called Rubberchicken, they are fucking awesome. They just try to make everyone in the industry meet each other, organize big dinners with everyone, and really just keep

JO: There is a second project

really talk about it at the

8 GM: Fair enough, I think that’s always a good challenge to have, knowing what you are capable of and guiding your team in the right direction. Since we’re on the topic of ideas, what inspires you?

8 JO: We as a team consume

moment? I will say it’s turning out awesome.

GM: As curious as I am, I won’t dig too deep but perhaps I can ask what was the inspiration behind it?

Just briefly you know, don’t give away too much haha.

the community going. They

a lot, a lot of culture. We

make us feel like we are part

are all gamers so we have

lot, but yes, brief, so I will say

of a community, which is pretty

gaming discussions, we all love

that Twin Peaks is still a big

awesome.

different kinds of music and

influence to us and there’s a

movies which we recommend

big author component to it…

to each other. We even have

but that’s all I can say about it

GM: That’s fantastic, that is exactly what we need to get the Indie community going. Now, related to that, how difficult is the industry? Especially as small team and being independent, would you share your struggles?

JO: There are definitely a lot of challenges, but here in

JO: This may be saying a

a list of movies which we

Peaks as an essential which

GM: Fair enough, I’ve already pried too much anyway so thanks a lot for the chat, it has been really fun. It’s always great to chat to Indie Developers.

we get any new members to

JO: And thank you for giving

compiled that we think are essential for everyone to have watched at least once (laughs). Those are our biggest influence. We also have Twin

watch, which has also been a

me the opportunity to chat to

big influence to us.

you guys.g

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Legacy: Bald Shadows GAMING

The unbeate

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Legacy: Baldur’s Gate 2

dur’s Gate 2: s of Amn

en standard

By Lein Baart

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RPGs have had a long and influential history in gaming, particularly when it comes to the PC. While the golden era of the genre may be two decades past, there are still games from the late eighties and the nineties that hold significant sway to this day, maintaining a timeless legacy. While there are a surprising number of titles that fall into this category, undoubtedly one of the most beloved and remembered is Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn, which for more than a few stands as the pinnacle of the genre.

Why Was It Created?

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As the name implies, Baldur’s Gate 2 was the follow up to the highly successful Baldur’s Gate, which was hailed as the one of the best CRPGs to have ever been splashed across a PC screen. Set in the Forgotten Realms, the original’s success was based on a mixture of competent gameplay mechanics along with a well-crafted plot, and proved a surprising success when it was released in 1998, selling over two million copies by 2008, and putting the fledgling BioWare studio firmly on the map.

Clearly a sequel was due, but the approach BioWare opted for was surprisingly mature, given that the studio was only three years old when development began. According to founder Dr Ray Muzyka the goal was to make the BG2 better in every way, rather than just rehashing the first game, and to this end the developers drew up a list of features and guidelines based on fan feedback and past experience. The studio had a huge advantage this time round due to the fact the Infinity Engine, which BioWare had created for the original and would eventually become the de facto game engine for AD&D-based games, was mature enough to be easily adaptable, and the development was relatively

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hassle-free beyond a few troubled processes. It took two years, and nearly 90 man-years of work, to create BG2, but when it hit the shelves in September 2000 the gaming world was blown away.

Why Do We Care?

There are many who feel that Baldur’s Gate 2 remains, along with its expansion Throne of Bhaal, probably the greatest RPG ever produced, even when weighed against the likes of Mass Effect, The Elder Scrolls or Fallout.

To give some perspective the sequel managed to completely eclipse its progenitor, despite the acclaim that the original received heaped on it, and for good reason.

Remarkably Baldur’s Gate 2 was not an innovative game in any real sense of the word. Rather it was a title that came as close to perfection as possible when translating the feel of a traditional pen and paper role-playing game, and for this to happen a number of things were at work. To start with, the sheer scope of the game remains mind boggling, with around 290 quests and an average playtime that easily surpassed 100 hours. It was the level of detail that truly made the game stick out though, with even paltry sidequests being memorable, while the world was reactive and interesting. This was backed by a plot that contained a genuinely thoughtful and epic story (par for the course with BioWare really), while general gameplay and combat was designed to give players a true sense of accomplishment-an absolute must for RPGs. Ultimately what separates Baldur’s Gate 2 from its peers is the clear love that was lavished on it, creating a game that never let go once the hook had taken. . g

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Ramjet’s rantality

ere it is, folks, the main problem with gamers as a community, as a species and as individuals. I have, after many years of research and experimentation, come to realise that the biggest issue with gamers is that they are gamers. Yep. It’s genius, right? Gamers are gamers, and that’s what’s wrong with gamers. They’re gamers.

And until gamers stop being gamers, they’ll carry on being gamers, and that’s what’s wrong with gamers. Confused yet? Good.

OK, maybe I should elaborate a little before I come across as (more) of a raving lunatic. Gamers are inherently competitive people – at least, modern ones are. Back before the internet and online gaming ruined everything, it was difficult to get really competitive – although, yes, it did till happen. Perhaps gaming attracts competitive people. Dunno… but there is one thing I am sure of. That majority of gamers are not just competitive, but they are hyper-competitive. And that’s not a good thing.

I am not sure if they game

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because of it, or if gaming makes them so supercompetitive. Either way, it is the case. Throw into the mix that gamers, like most of the world, are hysterically bad losers and even worse winners, and all the crap that you see floating around starts making sense. For example, gamers want girl-gamers, then the girls get good at the games, and you have all that misogynistic Gamergate rubbish. Or gamers want to see more populated severs for their favourite game, but get their knickers in a twist if they come across someone that beats them. Accusations of cheating, name calling, rage quitting and a whole bunch of other really mature, sensible and lovable actions are the result. Hell, they even SWAT each other. Really?

Really?

And it happens everywhere.

From forums and online social groups (my PC is better than your console, my console beats your console, my game is superior to your game) through to developers and publishers, who are as competitive, self-congratulatory and selfentitled as the public they

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BY rAMJET

Gamers are Gamers...

serve.

It’s got to be so bad that these days, if I meet someone who is a self-professed gamer, I rather walk the other way than engage in conversation with them. I don’t need people in my life who are so utterly out of touch with reality that they think gaming is anything more than an enjoyable – even fun – pastime. If someone takes their gaming that seriously, then they have some serious issues that need dealing with, and I ain’t gonna get involved.

Because when what is a hobby for most (because, no, we cannot all be professional cyber athletes, just like we cannot all be professional basketball players) gets to be taken so very seriously that people will issue death threats, denigrate others and generally act like utter arseholes, those are some psychological issues that I cannot bother dealing with.

And I know that none of what I said is going to make a lick of difference. Sensible people know this already, and super-gamers will want to win the argument more than listen to an opinion. So I might as well just stop there. g

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Agents of SHIELD #1 Bitch Planet TP Vol 1 Green Lantern Corps: Edge of Oblivion #1 Gutter Magic #1

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In the past I’ve talked a lot about cultural divides when reviewing or previewing JRPGs, and while it certainly holds true for games, nowhere is this more evident that when it comes to anime. Thoroughly misunderstood in the western world, anime is often relegated to the status of either weird or childish.

If you are an existing fan, I warn you now, this

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The World of Anime

DOFANIME

not cartoons

article will only be the most basic of introductions, and to keep any semblance of coherence I’ve purposefully been vague on quite a few topics. If on the other hand you’ve never dared to brave the seemingly foreign world of anime, this article will hopefully be able to answer at least a couple of queries you may have.

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o start with the most pertinent question, you have to ask just what anime is. If your only experience of this particular form of animation comes from what your kids watch on TV, no doubt your immediate reply is going to be weird looking cartoons where characters have stupid hair and scream a lot. The real answer is surprisingly vague however, and hinges a fair amount on where you are in the world. By and large most western fans view anime as any animation originating from Japan (if you want to make said fans cringe try calling anime Japanese cartoons), whereas the Japanese themselves tend to view any animation as anime, no matter its origin. However the line has become somewhat blurred over the last few decades, as anime (used in the western sense) has seen a massive rise in popularity the world over, and more than a few series made for English audiences have borrowed heavily from what is commonly recognised as the “classic” anime look. This has led to some confusion as to whether shows like Avatar: The Last Airbender/The Legend of Korra (I’m referring to the cartoon here, not M. Night Shyamalan’s clumsy and awkward butchering) and RWYB (pronounced ruby… don’t ask) can be classified as anime, with the general consensus appearing to be that they are “anime-influenced animations”.

It’s pedantic ultimately, but one thing you can bet on is the human need to box and label absolutely everything.

This distinction only becomes more blurry when one looks at the history of anime. The earliest form hails back to the 1910s, when Japanese filmmakers, along with

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The World of Anime

their Russian, German, French and American peers, begun to experiment with animation techniques. While there remains little footage from this time, by the ‘30s and ‘40s anime had managed to carve a niche for itself, to the point that the Japanese government actually commissioned studios to create propaganda, with the first ever feature-length anime film, Momotaro’s Divine Sea Warriors, being created at the behest of the Imperial Japanese Navy.

It wasn’t until the ‘60s however that anime truly begun to take a recognisable form, thanks in large part to the efforts of Osamu Tezuka, a man alternatively known as the “God of manga”. If you’ve never heard the term before, manga is comparable to western comics, and forms the basis for a large number of the shows and films that are produced by studios.

Tezuka’s work, of which the most famous is undoubtedly Astro Boy, was heavily inspired by the cartoons of Walt Disney at the time, and part of the reason that the “standard” anime look includes such large eyes. It was the animation of Astro Boy which truly launched anime in Japan, though it wasn’t until the ‘90s that the rest of the world began to follow suite.

All of the above only tells us where anime comes from however.

What we get on TV here is only the tiniest fraction of what’s available, and generally represents a very specific type of anime. In truth, the term covers an astounding array of art styles, content and story-telling methods, and at this point even traditional genre definitions such as fantasy or sci-fi are somewhat meaningless. First and foremost, discard the notion that anime is the equivalent of our

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cartoons. While there are certainly shows targeted at kids (more on this in just a bit), just as many are created for adult audiences. And no, I’m not talking about tentacle porn.

To this end, probably the most useful and common method of classifying a particular series is to look at the demographic for whom it is made, and here we’ll begin with the one you’re most likely familiar with: shonen. Literally meaning youngster or juvenile, though the term in modern usage has come to refer to boys specifically, if you’ve ever seen Pokémon, Dragon Ball Z or Naruto you’ll already have a good idea

LIFESTYLE

of what this type of anime is all about. Typified by plenty of action and fantastical effects, these series often feature plots that emphasise bonds between family and friends, though the heaviness of the subject matter can vary from the almost adult, such as in Death Note and Full Metal Alchemist, to the utterly inane.

The direct counterpoint to shonen would be shoujo, which is almost entirely aimed at teenage girls. While notable exceptions do exist, shoujo typically focus on “slice-of-life” scenarios with more realistic characters, romance and relationships, and shows like Sailor Moon, Fruits Basket and Ouran High School Host Club all serve as good examples.

However, like shonen, shoujo isn’t bound to strict stereotypes or plotlines, and there are many examples of shows that stray into what many would consider questionable viewing for kids.

The reverse is also true, and this has caused a fair amount of misclassification on the part of western importers.

Finally we move to adult anime,

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The World of Anime

encompassed predominantly by the seinen and josei demographics, which are targeted at men and women respectively.

Both feature an incredibly diverse range of plots and art styles, but to generalise you can expect more mature content than what you would find in either shonen or shoujo. Seinen series such as Hellsing, Tokyo Ghoul or Ghost in the Shell are all noted for broaching topics definitely not meant for little ones, and include a level of violence that can make even hardened viewers cringe. Josei shows such as Nana, Paradise Kiss and Honey and Clover tend to build on the themes seen in shoujo, but from a far more adult perspective, with issues such as rape and infidelity not being entirely uncommon.

As I mentioned at the start of this article, this but the briefest overview of what the world of anime has to offer. Delving into topics such as subbed vs dubbed (I’ve specifically only mentioned shows that have received English translations), specific genres and influential shows are worth pages of writing in and of themselves.

More than anything though, the goal has been to dispel some common misconceptions regarding this particular branch of animation, and even if you found nothing to entice you to give it a try, then at the very least make you appreciate the often passionate fandom that surrounds anime. Forget the pictures of awkward boys and men clutching their love pillows, or the notion that anime is only meant for children. Anime is incredibly vast and varied, and if you do find yourself tempted to give it a try, be assured that there really is something for everyone. g gamecca80

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here are people who seem to think the right of freedom of expression entitles them to spew forth any asinine thought that pops into their head.

We’ve been dealing with the stupidity that generally makes up social media for just over a decade now, yet inexplicably, as the past couple of months have demonstrated, apparently some of us still do not know when to shut the hell up. While I would never assume that you, dear reader, would be so incompetent or utterly lacking in social and mental prowess as to warrant seriously considering the following points, I would like to present a list of suggestions that maybe someone you know should at least take a look at.

Therefore, without further ado, I present my Idiot’s Guide to Social Media Posting: To start with, read

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before you post. This may seem like the most obvious of all guidelines, but clearly this is not the case. When reading over a post imagine what it sounds like to a complete stranger, and if the message is ambiguous without context (the default defence for any controversial message apparently) and one of the interpretations might come off as racist (just spitballing here), delete it. Don’t question it, just erase that comment from existence. If you just cannot refrain from adding your voice to the chorus, start a blog. It probably won’t be read by anyone, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Secondly, if you feel the need to include the phrase “I know some [insert race group here] people” to prove that you’re not being racist, for the love of whatever god you pray to please just stop.

There is no argument in the history of social

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media that has ever not sounded racist when that “justification” is used. Try to remember that you are interacting on a platform in which everyone can see what you say, and while your circle of retard friends might cheer you on, the rest of humanity is collectively shaking its head in shame.

Lastly, and this just a pet hate, stop posting crap that you think is deep and meaningful but actually amounts to little more than generic bullshit.

A pretty background and a fancy font does not automatically make the message insightful, and you do not appear smarter for sharing it.

Look at Jaden Smith if you don’t believe me. Just go back to what social media was originally meant for; spamming cat videos and desperately trying to fool everyone into believing that your life is so much more awesome than it actually is. g

BY Lein Baart

The Great South African Twitter Rage...

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Agents of SHIELD #1 Marc Guggenheim German Peralta Marvel Comics Teen +

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by Clive Burmeister

The Agents of SHIELD comic is probably closer to what a lot of people were hoping the TV show would be.

It has all the main characters from the show, like Coulson, May and the others, but also incorporates the superheroes of the universe. While I personally loved the TV show, the comic integrates the superhero and spy aspects of the universe quite nicely, giving the non-super powered beings a plausible role in the story, but still maintaining the cloak and dagger plot lines and action sequences done so nicely in the show.

The comic kicks off with the team taking on an A.I.M. facility, while Tony Stark seeks them out to help with a new situation – someone in stolen Iron Man armour busting into the Pentagon.

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Title:

Bitch Planet TP Vol 1

Writer:

Kelly Sue Deconnick

Artist:

Valentine De Landro

Publisher: Rated:

Image Comics Mature

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by Clive Burmeister

It’s a world where women are expected to be subservient, to obey men, to be compliant. But there are always trouble makers, rebellious souls who don’t fit in, and it’s dangerous to keep them around, where their disrupting ideas could spread.

So what to do with these non-compliant women? Send them to Bitch Planet, an off-world prison for women. And that’s usually that, but when a plot to have the prison women compete in the world’s most popular sport to boost ratings, do these lifers’ have a new chance at freedom? Or is it just a chance at some payback against “the man”. With a compelling story that is so very relevant in our current times, despite its futuristic setting, Bitch Planet is definitely worth checking out, for feminists and non feminists alike.

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Title: Writer: Artist: Publisher: Rated:

Green Lantern Corps: Edge of Oblivion #1 Tom Taylor Ethan Van Sciver DC Comics Teen

by Clive Burmeister

Green Lantern, Guy Gardner, and the rest of the corps, are back with a miniseries set somewhere in time, during the last days of a universe before ours. The Green Lantern Corps are busy trying to locate some missing lanterns and escape the decaying universe in time, when they stumble across The Last City, a massive civilization also trying to escape the dying universe.

After a brief battle with the civilization’s defenders, the Green Lantern Corps must decide how to proceed. Can they turn their backs of these people when they are sworn to defend all people of the galaxy? Can they trust these mysterious people, whom they know nothing about? And what of their own missing members?

No-one ever said being a Lantern was easy.

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Title: Writer: Artist: Publisher: Rated:

Gutter Magic #1 Rich Douek Brett Barkley IDW Teen +

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by Clive Burmeister

In a world where magic is commonplace, where fantastical creatures live as ordinary people, and even where some technology can coexist with these magical effects; some things don’t seem to change. After a world war nearly destroyed all civilization, a new society was founded over the ruins of the old. Now powerful wizards rule as an elite upper class, while the majority of the people live in the lower streets, scraping out a meagre existence, and living off the scraps of those above. But some families were once more powerful, and some people are destined to greater things. Using Gutter Magic, dregs of power lost and discarded by the wizards, Cinder seeks to make something more of himself.

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Last word

here has been quite a lot of talk going on about how two of South Africa’s largest mobile network service providers are trying to combat the effect of “over the top” services, like WhatsApp, Skype and other data-based communication systems.

These service providers are currently trying to get the South African government involved in a bid to regulate such services, effectively destroying any chance of competitor not charging extra for the use of OTTs (should the government agree).

There are numerous opponents to this idea, but with powerful, financially wealthy companies trying to push it ahead, how it plays out remains to be seen.

Should government agree and go ahead with regulating OTT services, there is a far wider problem that may arise. This decision could throw open the flood gates of Internet regulation and seriously threaten the idea of net neutrality for South Africans.

This isn’t the first time that the government has been involved in some

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kind of proposed Internet regulation (although they did not initiate this round).

Previously, taxation of online purchases was implemented, and there are still rumblings about the South African Film and Publications Board wanting to impose standards on locally produced website content that could amount to damaging censorship.

But the regulation of OTT services opens up the idea of data regulation, of controlling how and where users consume the data that they have already paid for.

The result of that would amount to data providers being able to hold end-users and content providers to ransom, much like what happened when a major US provider throttled access to Netflix. Even though services like Netflix and OTT communication are creating a greater demand for data, and the mobile service providers in question already charge a high price for that data, the pinch that they are feeling in voice and text communications has them scurrying for any way in which to protect their bottom line. While they may be talking about taxation

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BY Katia Taliadoros

The Floodgate...

and regulation to bring OTT services in line with the law of the land, what their real motivation is comes down to the money they earn.

A country like South Africa can only benefit from cheap, simple methods of communication, and having a cheaper option available in a country where a large percentage of the population is not wealthy not only makes sense, but it empowers the entire population in many ways. This is vital in a growing economy, and at present the South African economy needs that kind of stimulation desperately. But when companies get so large that they can see no further than their impressive bank balances, blinded by the good of the people and the needs of the nation by all the zeros on the balance sheet, no argument about “the good of the economy” or “the benefit of the people” can penetrate.

Hopefully the wide number of parties and companies opposed to this regulation manage to sway government away from the desires of two greedy, massive corporations. g

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