Gamecca Magazine June 2015

ISSUE 72 / Vol.6 June 2015

www.gameccamag.com

The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt Project CARS Splatoon Fossil Fighters: Frontier Race the Sun and more...

Making Stuff

3D Printing in SA

A Whole new Gear

We get to grips with Project CARS We get messy with Splatoon

Unplugged

Hunter

We review The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt

Board Gaming goes from strength to strength

Way of the Bat The Arkham series is about to return...

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H OW O

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Gold Award

Given to games and hardware that score above 90

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Silver Award

Given to games and hardware that score above 85

Send Gamecca an email

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Bronze Award

Given to games and hardware that score above 80

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Ed’s Choice

Given to products that stand out for various reasons. This award is not dependent on score.

From the Editor

TheSixthLap

by Walt Pretorius

G

amecca magazine is finishing another journey around the sun; this issue marks the end of our sixth volume, meaning that next month we will be celebrating Gamecca’s sixth birthday. And, as always, our birthday issue will carry an E3 feature (which is happening shortly) and a whole lot more.

I always get a little contemplative around this time of year, because there is quite a lot to consider.

Aside from wondering what goodness E3 will bring forth this year, and about how we can take Gamecca Magazine to new heights over the next twelve months and beyond, and a bunch of other stuff, this year I am a little saddened. During the course of May we learned that South Africa’s longest running specialist video game magazine, NAG, will be publishing its last issue in July 2015. After 17 years of bringing out great gaming coverage, NAG will be no more. That’s got me welling up because, personally, I have a long history with NAG and the NAG crew.

It also indicates how fragile this beloved industry can be in South Africa… not just publishing, but the video game industry as well. It has come under a lot of pressure over the last few years, what with never-declining piracy rates and the rise of direct digital downloading, to name just two pressures. We will

always have games here, but how the industry will evolve over the next years remains to be seen.

And then there’s the fact that after July, Gamecca Magazine will be South Africa’s last specialist video game magazine. Sure, there are lots of websites, but even though we distribute via the internet, we see ourselves as a magazine first and foremost.

We have a magazine format. Our publications follow a regular schedule.

Our publications can be downloaded and collected.

These things, and others, set us apart from websites, placing us firmly into the realms of a periodical.

And we’re not going away.

In fact, Gamecca will, over the next few months, become even better. We already publish a massive amount of content in each issue, but plans are to expand our offering, to bring our readers even more information about the South African gaming scene, the products within it and other activities and products associated with it.

And so, as we close our first six years, I would like to thank all of those who have given their efforts towards making Gamecca what it is today – the readers, the industry and the crew. And here’s to the next six, and the six after that, in perpetuity.

Be sure to check out our birthday issue next month; we have some big plans for it!

Until then, it’s time for me to let you get on with issue 72 of Gamecca Magazine… g

mgeect 2 c7a 7 2 ggl a ad

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THIS MONTH’S COVER

Batman: Arkham Knight is getting ready to clean up the streets...

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Regular: Did you know More factoids you should know

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Feature: Arkham Shutdown Repairing the damage in the Batman series

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Previews: Games 12 games coming up

Publisher / Editor: Walt Pretorius walt@novamentis.co.za

Publisher / Art Director Katia Taliadoros katia@novamentis.co.za

Writers: Alex Scanlon Clive Burmeister Charlie Fripp Christo van Gemert Lein Baart Katia Taliadoros Nthato Morakabi Rob Edwards Suvesh Arumugam Walt Pretorius

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Feature: Adventure Reborn Elder Scrolls Online moves to console

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Reviews: Games 15 games dissected

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Regular: Legacy The Command & Conquer legacy

Letters:

letters@gameccamag.com

Competition Entries:

competitions@gameccamag.com

Newsletter Subscriptions:

www.gameccamag.com

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The Sixth Lap 88

Ramjet’s Rantality

Contribution...

Marketing Contact: walt@novamentis.co.za

Ed’s Note

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Technically Speaking

For the Love of Simulation Copyright © Nova Mentis (Pty) Ltd 2009 - 2015

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The Time Betwixt

Lights out!

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 Last Word

Remember how to have fun

GAMECCA is published by Nova Mentis (Pty) Ltd

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Feature: Making it Real 3D Printing in South Africa

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reviews: Hardware 14 hardware things you need to see

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Regular: Internet The communication breakdown

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Regular: Security Keep your phone on lockdown

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Feature: Building an Empire Where did it start for Boargames.co.za?

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COOL STUFF: Gadgets Two more smart lifestyle choices

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COOL STUFF: Board Games Two unplugged games to relish

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COOL STUFF: Comics four great thing to get reading

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Gamecca Vol. 6 Issue 69 March 2015

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CM Storm Pitch Pro Gaming Headphones

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With stunning presentation, tons to do and a massive world to explore, The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt is any adventure gamer’s dream.

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18 22 26 28 32 33 34 36 38 39 40 42

50 56 62 66 67 68 70 72 74 75 76 78 80 81 82

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Features Arkham Shutdown Adventure Reborn

PReviews Just Cause 3 Assassin’s Creed Syndicate Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege Kung Fu Panda: Showdown of Legendary Legends Zombasite Guitar Hero Live Lego Marvel’s Avengers Blues & Bullets Payday 2: Crimewave Edition Heroes of the Storm Dieselstormers

Reviews The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt Project CARS Splatoon Castle Storm Definitive Edition Murasaki Baby Fossil Fighters: Frontier Race the Sun Farming Simulator 15 The Unfinished Swan Schrödinger’s Cat and the Raiders of the Lost Quark Final Fantasy X/X-2 Remaster Guacamelee!

Super Turbo Championship Edition Hohokum Ether One Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: China

RegularS Did you know Legacy

COLUMN Ramjet’s Rantality gamecca72

1…

that you can switch on your Xbox with your phone?

Microsoft has on many occasions said that its Xbox One console is very much a work in progress, and the June update to the console just further cements that. The new update that will rolling out this month includes the functionality to be able to switch your Xbox One on through a Windows phone.

Also, you will also be able to see game hubs and achievement on your phone, just as it is on the Xbox.

But one of the biggest announcements hasn’t been made yet, as the company said it will make more announcements at E3.

2…

that Tychus’ cigar will disappear in future games?

If you are an avid StarCraft fan, you will know that Tychus’ cigar is almost as iconic as the game itself.

Well, that is all about to change as Blizzard said that the character will no longer sport the burning stump for Heroes of the Storm onwards. It turns out that it has to be with development time and that some countries frown on smoking characters. So, they either had to spend twice the amount of time to develop two separate characters, or just remove the cigar.

3…

that Rock Band 4 will have a RPG-style story?

The next instalment of Rock Band promises a lot of things that gamers haven’t seen before, and one of them is a brand new progression mode. Designer Alli Thresher explained that players will have to make decisions in the game that might change the future of a created band. Apparently players will be given a number of sponsorship choices, and if the crowd doesn’t like it, you will be booed off – until you start to shred some serious notes.

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Did You

Know?

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DID YOU KNOW

No smoking, news words and a musical RPG...

4…

that “newb” is officially a Scrabble word?

As with anything these days, there are a lot of things that need to stay current. Dictionaries are the first things that come to mind, but board games are probably a close second. While words like “selfie” have been included in dictionaries over the last couple of months, Scrabble has also added a number of new words: Pwn (worth eight points), Thanx (worth 15 points), LOLZ (worth 13 points) and WAHH, which is worth 10 points.

5…

that there is a competition for the best selfie in World of Warcraft?

Selfies have seemingly invaded almost every aspect of our lives, and now they have made their way into video games as well. Blizzard announced that it has launched a competition so see which gamers can take the best selfies in World of Warcraft. The WoW Selfie Scavenger Hunt asks gamers to take a self-portrait image in certain locations each week, and if you win for that week, you come into the running for the grand prize – which is a trip to Blizzcon in November.

6…

that GTA V has sold 2.2 million copies? ...and that is only for the PC version. According to SteamSpy’s stats, they say there are over 2.2 million owners of Grand Theft Auto V on Valve’s gaming service. We all knew that Grand Theft Auto V would be a huge success, but we are guessing that Rockstar didn’t exactly bargain on it being this big. In terms of consoles sale, at the end of last year 42 million copies were shipped, and have generated over $1.98 billion in revenue... g

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Arkham Shutdown

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Righting the wrongs

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Batman: Arkham Knight

by Lein Baart

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s we all know, comic book heroes have not always received their fair dues outside their native medium. While the history of film is littered with iconic portrayals of various characters, not least of which was Batman, the nineties and early 2000’s saw a string of movies and games that were just flat-out terrible. Again Batman was no exception, with his fortunes in other media waxing and waning over the decades, from the highs of Tim Burton’s Batman and Batman Returns to the dismal failure of Joel Schumacher’s Batman and Robin.

It was a trend echoed in the gaming industry, with early releases on the SNES and Genesis still fondly etched into the memories of older gamers, while later efforts such as Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu being utterly forgettable. But while Christopher Nolan was saving the film version of Batman from Schumacher’s rubber nipples and enlarged codpieces with a gritty, realistic take on the superhero, Batman was likewise receiving a similar redemption at the hands of Rocksteady Studios, the then little known developer who would deliver one of the greatest comic book to game conversions in history.

Batman: Arkham Asylum was everything both gamers and comic fans hoped it would be. With a script created by veteran DC Comics writer Paul Dini, along with voice cast that included Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill and Arleen Sorkin from the DC animated universe (playing Batman, the Joker and Harley Quinn respectively), Arkham Asylum eschewed the modern trend towards realism and rather focussed on highly faithful recreation of the comic’s universe.

Set in the eponymous Arkham Asylum, the game told the story of night of chaos as the Joker sought to trap the Caped Crusader in a location housing some of his gamecca72

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Batman: Arkham Knight

most deadly adversaries. While the writing, voice acting and design of Arkham Island created a fantastically claustrophobic and isolated atmosphere, Arkham Asylum was also lauded for its gameplay, featuring a satisfying mix of stealth, combat and investigation that kept players hooked up until the very end.

Batman: Arkham City, the 2011 follow-up to Asylum, did the near impossible, at the very least equalling the original if not surpassing it. Set in a walled off section of Gotham used to detain the city’s most notorious criminals after the asylum was shut down, the game saw the Dark Knight battling against both the gangs of his enemies as well as the machinations of Hugo Strange.

Improving on virtually all aspects of the first game, including a revised Freeflow combat system that we’ve seen duplicated in many other titles, Arkham City still remains as probably the truest rendition of Batman; that of a lone idealist fighting against horrors both psychological and physical. Taken together with Arkham Asylum, these titles not only set the standard for superhero games in general, but, many felt, the actionadventure genre as a whole.

It was a standard that proved too much for Batman: Arkham Origins to live up to. With Warner Bros. Games Montréal having been handed control of the development while Rocksteady worked on Arkham Knight, Origins was actually a good game in its own right, with its failings exaggerated greatly by its comparison to its predecessors.

Set five years before the events of Arkham Asylum, the game explored both the development of Batman as well as his adversaries, overlaid against a backdrop in which the Gotham City police still viewed the World’s Greatest Detective

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as a criminal rather than a hero.

While the plot received praise in general, particularly when dealing with the complicated relationship between Batman and the Joker, the game failed to innovate and expand upon previous gameplay elements, creating a feeling that Origins was more a duplicate than an actual attempt to develop the franchise further.

It’s a perception that Rocksteady are hoping to mend with Batman: Arkham Knight.

A sequel to Arkham City rather than Origins, the latest and last addition to the so-called “Arkhamverse” will be a set a year after the Joker’s death in City, with his absence having left its mark on Gotham, as well as Batman himself. To this end several of the Dark Knight’s foes, including Poison Ivy, Penguin, Harley Quinn and Two-Face, have banded together under Scarecrow in order to kill him, while the city has been completely evacuated due to threats of bombing and a new fear toxin. Thrown into this chaotic mix will be the appearance of the eponymous Arkham Knight, a character that Rocksteady and DC Comics have created specifically for the game.

Meant to be a dark reflection of Batman, the new villain has deep and abiding loathing for the hero, though beyond this details about the character remain scarce.

Of course a new Batman game means new toys to play with, though it must be said that Rocksteady have been somewhat stingy with details. What they have revealed however is new uses for existing equipment, and one of the major changes will involve the ability to use tools such as batarangs while gliding.

Additionally the grapnel gun can now be used to change direction mid-flight, as well as fire multiple times to allow the quick ascension of buildings. The news that has gamecca72

Batman: Arkham Knight

dominated the headlines however has been the inclusion of the batmobile, a first for the series.

Capable of switching between pursuit and battle modes, the batmobile will greatly expand Batman’s arsenal, allowing him to destroy turrets and drones (unmanned of course), as well as subdue enemies. Melee combat will also see several modifications, most noticeably with the inclusion of “Dual Play� which will allow the Caped Crusader to team up with various allies, such as Robin, Nightwing or Catwoman, as well as a new fear takedown.

While the Arkham games have always looked great, it must be said that Arkham Knight should be a visual treat, capturing both the imposing, gloomy atmosphere of the gothic-inspired city as well as the subtler details of its various inhabitants. Most of the major characters have gone through a redesign, with several characters been magnificently reimagined, like Scarecrow whose new look practically exudes the terror he embodies. At the very least the game should stand as a testament to the power that this generation of gaming hardware has to offer.

Rocksteady have clearly stated that they intend Batman: Arkham Knight to be their final game in the series, and its looks like their swan song aims to leave a lasting impact on one of the most beloved characters in the modern era. Whether or not Arkham Knight manages to avoid the pitfall of repetition that haunted Origins remains to be seen, though Rocksteady have proven more than capable in the past. Doubtless the developers are giving it their all, and with four years having passed since their last effort one can hope that the franchise that has been hailed as the greatest comic book to game adaptation in the history of the industry can end on a high note. g gamecca72

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Just Cause GAMING

Rico is back and he is causing hav

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Just Cause 3

by Charlie Fripp

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main character this time around, and the scene for the third instalment will be the fictional Mediterranean island known as Medici. The island is under the brutal control of dictator General Di Ravello, so we already know that Rodriguez has him in his sights.

To make matters a little worse (depending on who you are talking about), the island is actually the home ground of Rico, so we know he has a vested interest in kicking some serious butt.

And there will be a lot of map to go around, as it is said that it will roughly be the same size as Just Cause 2, which clocked in at around 400 square miles.

But that shouldn’t put gamers off, as the game now includes caves that can be explored and the climbing

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e are sure that there would be many gamers out there that will agree with us when we say that the Just Cause franchise is one of the best open-world games to be released on console.

Sure there are many, many other open-world games that provide just the same level of craziness, but that are very few that raise the chaos and insane action to the levels of Just Cause.

So it is really a bit of an understatement when we say that we are stupidly excited for the next version of the game to come out later this year.

Good news for returning players, as main protagonist Rico Rodriguez is set to return as the

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system has been refined to making scaling buildings a lot easier.

And just how do you think you will be scaling all these caves and buildings? Well, in something that will definitely delight returning butt-kickers; the grappling hook and parachute will once again be included as adventurer’s gear.

But the biggest relief for returning players should be the fact that the majority focus on chaos and causing havoc has been retained – like we had any doubt.

But there is a caveat that comes with that… The AI in this instalment will adapt to the way in which players tackle the world. As an example given by the developers, if players decide to drive around and

cause havoc with a tank, the AI opponents will adapt themselves by equipping rocket launchers to take out it out.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as it will create unique opportunities for all the characters in the game, and players will have to constantly evolve the way in which they play, keeping things even fresher than before.

If you have played the previous games, then you will know exactly what you are getting yourself into.

For those that haven’t played any Just Cause title, there is really no reason why they shouldn’t pick it up – even if it is just for causing as much trouble as possible. g

AT A GLANCE Action

Expect nothing less than huge explosions and zany action.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

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Avalanche Studios Square Enix Megarom

TBC 2015

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Assassin’s Syndicate GAMING

Keeping a stiff upper lip

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Assassin’s Creed Syndicate

by Lein Baart

Creed

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into London to rescue the order from annihilation.

While plot details have been typically scarce at least part of the story will focus on the pair rising to the top of London’s gang hierarchy in order to combat the Templars, who have become ensconced in positions of power. As usual Syndicate will also be introducing you to some of the most famous personas of the day, though what exact role Charles Darwin will have in a centuries old ideological war remains to be seen.

Ubisoft Quebec, the creators of AC Rogue, have been handed the reins for the development of Syndicate, and already a number of changes are being introduced. This will be the first AC game that will feature two playable protagonists, and each will

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bisoft certainly knows how to milk a cow for all it’s worth. With eight games in seven years, a number more than doubled when counting spin-offs, at the very least one can say that the studios under the publishing giant are productive in the extreme. With last year’s entry into currentgen hardware having suffered from a myriad of technical issues and bugs, and leaving players feeling that the game was more than a little rushed, Ubisoft are undoubtedly hoping that Assassin’s Creed Syndicate will make up for Unity’s failings.

Set in 1868, just after the end of the Industrial Revolution, Syndicate will tell the tale of Jacob and Evie Frye, assassin-born twins who have ventured

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Assassin’s Creed Syndicate

have their own distinctive style, with Jacob focussing on close combat while Evie, the first lead female character in a main entry for the series, will excel in stealth. Carrying over from Unity each will have their own skill tree and upgrades, and while it looks like the idea is for gamers to choose their own style of play, it must be said that the majority of the information released by Ubisoft has revolved around Jacob.

Syndicate has also taken the setting into consideration, and so players should expect a number of period-appropriate additions to the assassin’s usual bag of death-dealing tricks. For starters a rope grappling gun has been shown, allowing players to rapidly scale buildings, and for the first time the

series will introduce driveable vehicles in the form of carriages, along with passive transport such as trains.

Also a number of new weapons will be available, including a revolver and a sword cane. Whether the parkour up/down and revamped combat mechanics will make the transition remains to be seen, but Ubisoft Quebec have stated that Syndicate will have no multiplayer component, citing a desire to return to the roots of the franchise. While it must be said that we heard the same last year with Unity, Ubisoft have had a year to consider the shortcomings of its last release, and hopefully Assassin’s Creed Syndicate can once again elevate the series to the giddy heights we saw with AC 2. g

AT A GLANCE 3rd Person Action Adventure

With not a lot to go one at the moment, one can at least hope that Syndicate will be a return to form for the series Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

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Ubisoft Ubisoft Megarom

Oct 2015

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Metal Gear Solid V The Phantom Pain Tag line here, tag line here

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Pain is one of the most anticipated games of 2015.

This sequel follows the events of Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes. The legendary mercenary Snake wakes up from a coma to find that his men have been slaughtered by the very people who took him out for nine long years. As revenge fuels his resurrection as Venomous Snake, the merc travels through Africa and Afghanistan, aided by an old friend Ocelot, sure to prove that his tale is yet to conclude.

The biggest addition to MGS V will be its expansive open world, riding horseback across the desert-scapes, forests and various environments of both Africa and Afghanistan. A number of resources will be available for procurement from enemy soldiers, including animals such

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ideo Kojima has been classified, by fans and industry experts alike, as one of the most influential and innovative video game directors and writers in the industry. His most famous game began as an overhead military action-adventure stealth videogame back in 1987, produced by Konami for the MSX2 computer. This was the first Metal Gear Solid game in a rapidly improving series, the series overall selling over 31 million copies. Subsequent MGS titles continued to grow in fame and popularity among gamers over the years – some stating that MGS is one of the titles that made the stealth genre so popular. With amazing cut scene graphics and stellar characters’ stunt performances, it is no wonder MGS V: The Phantom

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Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

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sandstorms blowing through the area and working as a factor to gameplay.

From an online perspective, we will see the return of the online multiplayer game mode Metal Gear Online (MGO). The premise of this mode lies in conquering enemy players in an online battlefield with multiple game types following the MGS style of gameplay. The number of tools available will vary from cute puppies distracting allies, traps that leave allies suspended in mid-air, enemy robotic turrets that can be disabled and used against enemies, invisibility for stealth and more.

Available on old gen and new gen consoles as well as PC, MGS V: The Phantom Pain can now be preordered. g

GENRE

Action-Adventure

Hideo Kojima brings the next instalment in the Metal Gear Solid franchise, an open world action packed stealth adventure sure to appease MGS fans worldwide.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

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Kojima Productions Konami Ster-Kinekor

ETA

Q3/Q4 2015

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AT A GLANCE

PC X360 X0 PS3 PS4 Wii U PSV 3DS AND iOS

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by Nthato Morakabi

as sheep, vehicles and even containers, all pulled up into the air to be delivered for use at the Mother Base; the Mother Base itself will be able to be expanded.

As one of the top stealth games in the genre, one can expect some rather deep stealth action and MGS V will surely not disappoint with the level of options available to sneak up on enemies including the famous cardboard box which players will be able to utilise for sneaking up on unsuspecting enemies. This is on top of the strategic freedom players will have in disposing of enemies or sneaking past. Using sound, holograms and other devices to distract enemies while sneaking up behind them.

Time will realistically pass by; sunset to sunrise, morning to night along with real time weather such as

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Tom Clancy Rainbow Six GAMING

Breach!

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Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege

by Charlie Fripp

y’s x: Siege

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a strong emphasis on team play and working together to meet an objective – oh, and trying to be as realistic as possible.

That has always been the strong suit of any Rainbow Six game, as other shooters tend to cut corners when delivering the action, taking away from the experience of being in the heat of the battle.

And waiting a while to come out with the new title has afforded developer Ubisoft Montreal some time to reassess what needs to be in the game. For starters, the title will aim to set itself apart from any other Rainbow Six games by focussing heavily on the multiplayer aspect.

It will also have destructible environment.

The game will feature 20 operators, but at the time

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om Clancy’s Rainbow Six franchise has gone through a number of difficult times in the last couple of years. Sales and interest started to slow down as new titles appeared, and to make matters worse, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow 6: Patriots, what was supposed to be the next game, got cancelled.

But ever since Rainbow Six: Siege was announced last year, it seems as though a lot more interest has been paid to it. It could be the fact that it will have better graphics or the fact that it will be the first game on current gen consoles, but excitement is definitely brewing.

So what is Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege all about? Well, just like the previous titles, there will be

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of writing only seven have been revealed on the game’s official website. One of the revealed operators is demolitions expert Ash, a female officer equipped with a mobile breach charge.

Since the game is only launching in October, not a lot has been revealed in terms of plot or setting, but the tactical team-based shooter will give players the choice of either defending or attacking an objective. Think of Rainbow Six Siege as Ubisoft’s version of EA’s cops and robbers shooter Hardline.

Since it is a police procedural title and destructible environment are involved, players can expect a lot of doors to go flying off their hinges, walls to be bashed in and windows shattering from breach charges or just pure

brute police force.

“The 5v5 asymmetrical close-quarters combat in indoor environments will require teamwork and loads of strategy – both of which have always been instrumental to the franchise,” Ubisoft explained in an earlier blog post.

If police capers and causing havoc with authority is your thing, you should definitely keep an eye on this one.

Ubisoft doesn’t usually let down with their shooter titles, and Tom Clancy’s is a solid name to get behind.

It might just be the cop and robbers game that we have been waiting for, as EA’s Hardline didn’t really live up to all the expectations in created. Ubisoft will more than likely reveal more details about it during E3, so keep your eyes peeled. g

AT A GLANCE Shooter

With better graphics and destructible environments, what can go wrong?

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

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Ubisoft Montreal Ubisoft Megarom

Oct 2015

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Kung Fu Panda: Showdown of Legendary Legends

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Q3/Q4 2015 Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

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Vicious Cycle Little Orbit TBC

PLATFORMS

Epic kung fu mayhem

PC X360 X0 PS3 PS4 Wii U PSV 3DS AND iOS

AT A GLANCE GENRE

Fighter

Fighters from the Valley of Paradise, both heroes and villains, hope to claim the title of Legend of Legends in this Kung Fu brawler.

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By Nthato Morakabi

tournament of epic Kung Fu proportions, all the greatest fighters to grace the Valley of Peace battle for the title of Legend of the Legends.

The game will feature the Dragon Warrior himself, Kung Fu Panda Po, the legendary Furious Five — Tigress, Monkey, Mantis, Viper, and Crane, the great warriors Master Croc and Master Storming Ox as well as familiar enemies such as the wolves, gorillas and many other characters, for a 20 character roster.

Legendary Legends is set to cover the first two films that garnered hype among adults and children alike. A third feature film is currently underway and, once released, content from the film will be incorporated into the game as additional content including characters.

A variety of game modes will be available for play, ranging through team orientated game modes, practice modes and the main Tournament of Legends game mode. Players can also look forward to engaging in multiplayer action against opponents both on local play and online play.

Scenic locations taken from the feature films will be the stages where fighters battle it out, from the village where the feature film takes place to the famous bridge where the Furious Five faced the evil Tai Lung in the first film.

Little Orbit, who are known for publishing games based on animated films such as How To Train Your Dragon, Penguins of Madagascar, Disney Planes and others, hopes to reach all players by releasing Showdown of Legendary Legends on almost all platforms both old gen and new gen. The Wii U and Nintendo 3DS versions are the latest platforms to receive the title.

Kung Fu Panda 3 is projected for an end of January 2016 release. g

Kung Fuof Panda: Showdown of Legendary Legends Bound flame

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Q2/Q3 2015 Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Soldak Enertainment Soldak Enertainment TBC

PLATFORMS

Yet another zombie apocalypse

PC X360 X0 PS3 PS4 Wii U PSV 3DS AND iOS

AT A GLANCE GENRE

Survival/Action-RPG

When the dark elves cast domineering magic over the undead creatures roaming the world, they inadvertently unleash an infectious and ravenous evil:

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by Nthato Morakabi

Zombasite

he dark elves did not understand their own power. Consumed by greed and a lust for power, they watched the demon city of Kraval fall at the hands of the undead; a horde of zombies once controlled by the powerful necromancer Ciglio. As the dark elves hoped to control the mindless creatures, they weaved their magic over them but unbeknownst to the dark elves, the undead were bound to their creator Ciglio.

The powerful magic used in turn created a parasitic zombie; highly infectious, intelligent, insatiable and unstoppable; the Zombasite.

Players are thrust into this zombie apocalypse with nothing but their wits in an effort to survive the zombie onslaught.

Survival hinges on resources fought over by clans of humans and monsters scattered across the world. Vendors are rare, with limited supplies that could be the very means of making it for another day in the dynamic and ever evolving world. In-game decisions impact the game.

With resources critical for survival such as food and supplies, players must work with rival clans for trade, war and raids. Recruitment into the clan will be priority too for players as recruited individual have skills and abilities able to help the clan prosper. However losing a member to the infection means death therefore leading the clan will require strategy and risk.

There will be an expansive and changing world to explore from infested caves riddled with the undead, foggy forests hiding both monsters and creatures of the dark, jungles that hide animals now infested with the parasite and dungeons ready to be explored.

Zombasite will have a co-op multilayer option allowing for multiplayer action. g

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Guitar Hero Live It is time to make music again

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2010’s Warriors of Rock.

As with any good reboot, a number of changes have been made, not only to the song list, but also to the way the game is being presented.

While players will still the fret board on the screen, Live will now make use of full motion video in-game presentation style.

What this means is that players will be play each song from the perspective of the guitarist during a live concert. Gamers will still have the fret board, but the background will be made up of live band members dancing and performing on stage with you.

And naturally you will need a new axe to churn out those tunes‌ For this, developer FreeStyleGames incorporated new instruments. The days of simply tapping away at four buttons

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rab you little plastic guitars, because if you didn’t already know, Guitar Hero is coming back! The music game genre had a really good run a couple of years ago, but then developers seemingly started to oversaturate the market.

When interest started to wane, so did the number of games released, and it ultimately led to the market forgetting about couch rock stars and karaoke kings.

But a couple of months ago some of the higher-ups in the development world decided that it was time to resurrect the genre with new titles, new plastic guitars and new bands.

And with that Guitar Hero Live was born!

The new game will serve as a reboot to the once hugelypopular franchise and will be the first new game since

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Guitar Hero Live

Killswitch Engage - “In Due Time” The Lumineers - “Ho Hey” Royal Blood - “Little Monster” Skrillex – “Bangarang” You might think that this is just another music game, but FreeStyleGames is betting rather big on it. The title will go head-to-head with its usual foe, EA’s mega-selling Rockband franchise when the fourth instalment is released later this year.

There is a lot riding on this game’s release as it will certainly be the last Guitar Hero game ever made if it performs poorly. We are huge fans of the entire genre, so we are rooting for both games to make an enormous comeback! g

AT A GLANCE Music

It is a complete reboot for the franchise – and it should be great.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

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FreeStyle Games Activison Megarom

TBA 2015

Platforms

GENRE

ETA

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by Charlie Fripp

are over, as the new guitars will feature six buttons.

The buttons will still be in the same position as with previous instruments, but instead of having four buttons in a row, they will be arranged in two rows of three – three buttons at the top of the neck (width-wise) and three at the bottom.

The notes in the game will also look a bit different, as the blue, red, green and yellow scheme has been done away with.

The notes that appear will now be black and white.

In terms of the playlist, some of the world’s most popular bands will all be featured. Some songs that players can look forward to are: Alter Bridge - “Cry of Achilles” Biffy Clyro - “Sounds Like Balloons” Deftones - “Diamond Eyes”

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Lego Marve Avengers

GAMING

Thor to the rescue!

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Lego Marvel’s Avengers

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AT A GLANCE

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2015

Action Adventure

Its LEGO, its The Avengers. What is there not to like?

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

ETA

Traveller’s Tales Warner Bros. Interactive Ster Kinekor

Platforms

GENRE

by Charlie Fripp

ho doesn’t like a great LEGO game? The games have become really popular over the last couple of years, moving from a somewhat niche market to more mainstream as the developer tackle pop culture.

The next game in the extensive franchise is Marvel’s Avengers. With the last film doing its rounds on the cinema circuit now, gamers might be more inclined to grab a copy of the LEGO iteration. And seriously, who does like The Avengers?

Developed by TT Games, it is the second video game in the franchise to feature the Lego versions of the mighty Marvel characters. In terms of plot, players will be well suited if they have seen both The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron – as that is the storyline that this one is going with.

Gamers can look forward to playing as all of the Avengers characters featured in the films, as well as a host of others. And gamers can expect the title to follow pretty much the same formula as with the previous games.

That is, gather as many little LEGO studs as possible while completing a central objective in on the map. It might sound like it is a carbon-copy of the previous games, but once you have spent a couple of minutes with it, you soon realise that it places its own stamp on the franchise.

If you are into the LEGO titles, you should definitely add this one to your collection. What can be better than combining on of the mostloved kids’ toys with one of the best Marvel productions? We can’t think of many. g

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Q2/Q3 2015 Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

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A Crowd of Monsters A Crowd of Monsters TBC

PLATFORMS

Old enemies. New allies

PC X360 X0 PS3 PS4 Wii U PSV 3DS AND iOS

AT A GLANCE GENRE

Action-Adventure

When jailed mob boss Al Capone’s daughter is one of the children kidnapped, only his old enemy, retired cop Eliot Ness can save her.

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by Nthato Morakabi

Blues & Bullets

t’s the dark and dingy underworld of crime bosses, retired cops and a rather decadent city known as Santa Esperanza where children have begun to disappear and the police are turning a blind eye to it. It’s been 20 years since Al Capone’s capture and the man who arrested him, Eliot Ness, is hoping to Wlive his life quietly in his diner: Blues and Bullets. He finds himself facing his old nemesis again, in this twist of fate as Elliot Ness realizes that he is the only person Al Capone trusts to recover his kidnapped daughter and now foes must become allies.

Blues and Bullets throws players into the dark cesspit of corruption within Santa Esperanza, straight into the shoes of retired cop Eliot Ness who must now step out of retirement for the sake of justice. All happening within a dark monochromatic world splashed with red for visual aesthetics, capturing the dark theme of the title.

Players will be tasked with investigating crime scenes, exploring various scenarios and collecting clues feeding into deductions progressing the story forward. These will affect various enemies and characters and how they will interact as the story unfolds.

Decisions will be an important aspect of Blues & Bullets, as interaction with other characters within Santa Esperanza changes Eliot’s perspective on the case and the characters around him.

Promising witty banter, old school threats and action reminiscent of past mafia-style films, Blues & Bullets pays tribute to the real Eliot Ness who was part of the legendary law enforcement squad The Untouchables.

Currently, developer A Crowd of Monsters has also managed to get Blues & Bullets a Greenlight on Steam. g

Blues &of Bullets Bound flame

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Jun 2015 Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Overkill Software 505 Games Apex Interactive

PLATFORMS

Robbing a bank has just become easier.

PC X360 X0 PS3 PS4 Wii U PSV 3DS AND iOS

AT A GLANCE GENRE

Shooter

Fill those bank bags as more content will make heists easier.

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by Charlie Fripp

Payday 2: Crimewave EditioN

ayday 2 was a bit of a strange game, in the sense that it had equally good and bad parts.

For the most part, gamers brushed it aside as it didn’t really live up to expectations – and its original release date coincided with some other major titles.

Well, the developers are trying to lure potential gamers back into the bank-robbing title with an all-in-one bundle that is sure the get the gold flowing.

Payday 2: Crimewave Edition is the complete game that was initially released for the PC and consoles, but it is jam-packed will all the addons and extra that was only included in the PC version.

Not only does it include new guns and goodies, but a number of technical aspects have also been upgraded.

It now features improved framerate, 1080P resolution and improved texture quality.

Developer Overkill claims that the Crimewave Edition includes around R800 in addon, and will also include the first female heister, Clover, as well as the recently released The Bomb DLCs. If you do intend to pick this up, we might have some bad news for you: you will have to start from scratch. While many games allow for the transfer of Xbox360 and PS3 save files, the Crimewave Edition will not.

If you want to see what is all included in the pack, just head on over to Overkill’s website to feast your eye on all the digital goodies. But you will be able to get your hands on 11 different packs, a number of new Heists, the soundtrack and some digital items. g

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Heroes of the Stor GAMING

The Prodigal Son Sort of Return

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AT A GLANCE MOBA

Blizzard is hoping to alter the way MOBA’s are approached, focusing far more on teamwork than individual effort Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

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Blizzard Entertainment Blizzard Entertainment Megarom

ETA

Jun 2015

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GENRE

by Lein Baart

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Heroes of the Storm

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hen DotA was released in 2003 as a mod for Blizzard’s Warcraft 3, few at the time could have guessed that it would become one of the biggest sensations in recent gaming history, launching an entire genre singlehandedly and propelling MOBA’s (Multiplayer Online Battle Arenas) to the forefront of gaming, both competitively and casually. Now it seems that Blizzard has decided it’s time to reclaim both its character models as well as its stake in the genre, and Heroes of the Storm is hoping to fundamentally expand MOBA’s in ways we haven’t seen before.

Taking its cue from Super Smash Bros., the free-to-play Heroes of the Storm will feature all the most recognisable characters, heroes and villains from Blizzard’s various IP’s, so expect to see the likes of Kerrigan taking on Diablo. All of the heroes will fall into one of four distinct categories, with each having a unique set of skills that they can level up during a game.

So far so normal. However Heroes of the Storm is looking to introduce some major changes to what has become a very standardised genre, and perhaps the largest of these will be the fact that all team members will share experience, thus levelling up depending on how the team as a whole performs.

Additionally, while the game will feature 7 maps at launch with most using the customary 3 lane configuration, each will have an objective that can drastically alter the course of the game. These two changes, combined with a myriad of smaller tweaks, should ultimately mean that Heroes of the Storm will be more forgiving to newcomers to the genre, though hopefully not at the expense of the tactical depth MOBA’s are known for. g

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DieselStorm GAMING

Dieseling back into the Indie Dev

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Dieselstormers

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GENRE

Action

DieselStormers is a multiplayer platformer pitting the Dieselknights against orcs and goblins within a randomly generated city - a Steam-Punk themed shooter.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

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Black Forest Games Black Forest Games TBC

ETA

Q2/Q3 2013

Platforms

scene

AT A GLANCE

by Nthato Morakabi

mers

he gaming industry seems to be making quite a ruckus in the Kickstarter world as Indie Developers shoot their way into gamer’s hearts with unique ideas and fun gameplay. As we eagerly await the influx of Triple A titles surely on the horizon, we can while away the time with the amazing hard-work from all the indie developers making their name in the industry.

One of these developers is Black Forest Games which was once known as Spellbound Entertainment, the team behind games such as Arcania: Fall of Setarrif and Arcania: Gothic 4. ReEstablished as Black Forest Games they have continued their game dev ways with this latest action platformer DieselStormers.

DieselStormers has been classified as a Rogue-like action RPG platformer. Taking various elements of all those genres to create a multiplayer side-scrolling shooter focussing strongly on cooperative gameplay.

As the Steam-punk theme will run rampant across the title, the shift of levels reflect the theme with each building, landscape, in-game objects and the backgrounds where all the action happens. A rather fascinating facet of DieselStormers will be its randomly generated city where players will face off against orcs and goblins and mechanical creatures.

The players will be in control of a DieselKnight with unique abilities to be upgraded as well as a selection of weapons and gear that will alter the effects of each shot fired ranging from shotgun or cannon fire, the rate of fire, rebounding shorts, piercing or incendiary ammunition.

With two Kickstarter campaigns behind this title and a community of gamers enjoying the Steam Early Access version of this upcoming title, it is fantastic to know that Indie Developers have such great support from gamers. g

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The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited

Adventure Reborn

Tamriel comes to consoles...

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The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited

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s several developers have found to their detriment in the past, the conversion of a single-player series to MMO (massively multiplayer online) is often awkward at best. Cast your minds back to the initial launch of Final Fantasy XIV, or even Bioware’s Star Wars: The Old Republic, and it becomes abundantly clear that no matter how much it seems like a game could be improved by having hordes of other players running around its world, ultimately singleplayer narrative is difficult to merge with MMO design.

Almost by its very nature single-player casts you as the hero, and the best titles are those in which the world reacts to your actions, a feat that is near impossible when you have hundreds of thousands of “saviours” all standing in a line to beat down the world’s biggest threat.

However, of all the possible franchises that have made a name for themselves through single-player campaigns, The Elder Scrolls would at first glance have seemed the most compatible with MMO gameplay, especially considering its inherent openworld, crisis-be-damned nature. Bethesda clearly thought so as well, and thus in 2007 begun crafting The Elder Scrolls Online, a game that until its release in April last year had many brimming with anticipation.

Unfortunately TESO failed to live up to expectations, with the slew of bugs that plagued it at launch being the least of its problems. To its credit ZeniMax Online Studios, the team behind the game, tried its utmost to retain a singleplayer feel to its MMO world, but this resulted in game

that tended to straddle both concepts without committing enough to make it memorable.

For example, while past Elder Scrolls games allowed players to roam the entire map almost immediately, the inability to scale foes to a player’s level meant that areas had to be unlocked linearly.

On the flip side, the game’s heavy reliance on phasing, which allows players to view the same area differently depending on past choices, often resulted in incongruous situations (for instance having party members talk to an invisible NPC that you had chosen to kill whereas they had chosen to save), at the very least ruining immersion and at worst making partying nigh impossible. While ZeniMax worked hard to patch the game, in the end many felt that the subscription the publisher charged wasn’t worth an Elder Scrolls title that felt very alienated from its single-player siblings, and as the year wore on numbers began to drastically dip.

It was a situation that called for an immediate fix, and January of this year Bethesda announced that TESO would be overhauled, and in March was relaunched as The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited. Dropping its subscription model in favour of buy-to-play (where once the game is purchased no additional charges would be levied except for optional DLC), ZeniMax introduced a number of changes, mostly for the better. For starters a justice system was added, allowing players to rob, harm and murder NPC’s for the first time, though at risk of accruing a bounty. The Veteran Level System, which had been criticised for being excessively tedious, is also being phased out in favour of the Champion System, which will give level 50 players access to a

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variety of passive bonuses.

Bethesda is still looking to make money though, and to this end gamers can choose to subscribe to ESO Plus, which not only makes all DLC free, but in addition will pay 1500 crowns monthly and make levelling slightly faster.

Tamriel Unlimited has also introduced the Crown Store, which uses a purchasable ingame currency for cosmetic modifications like new mounts, armour and pets.

Of course the big news however is that TESO will finally be making its way to consoles, with the release slated for the 9th of June. For those that haven’t played the game yet, TESO is set almost a thousand years before the events of Skyrim during a period known as the Second Era. It’s a tumultuous time before the rise of the Septim dynasty, and the continent of Tamriel is plagued by a vast civil war featuring the Aldmeri Dominon (comprised of High Elves, Wood Elves and Khajit), the Daggerfall Covenant (consisting of Orcs, Bretons and Redguard) and the Ebonheart Pact (made up of Dark Elves, Argonians and Nords). Playing as a hero whose soul has been claimed by the Daedric Prince Molag Bal, players not only have to contend with the war between the factions, but a plot by Molag Bal to merge the realm of Oblivion with the world.

Rest assured that story is at least as epic as anything else that The Elder Scrolls has to offer, and ZeniMax have done their utmost to flesh out even side quests with interesting and compelling narratives.

Where TESO does differ from past games though is through the offering of four playable classes, namely the Dragon Knight, Templar, Nightblade and Sorcerer, instead of the classless system that the franchise is known for, though

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there is no restriction on the types of weapons or armour that can be used.

ZeniMax have stressed that the console release will not be a straight port, and to that end they have redesigned the user interface to accommodate a controller rather than a keyboard and mouse configuration.

The game will also feature proximity-based voice chat, allowing players to talk to anyone that is within normal hearing range. While beta testing did not support any form of text chat, to the chagrin of many experienced MMO gamers, ZeniMax have since announced the Quick Chat system, which will allow players to map up to eight responses, from a total of 22 phrases, to a radial menu that can be accessed via the direction pad. Finally the Xbox One and the PS4 will be using different servers, which while splitting the console community at least means that players won’t run into characters that PC gamers have had over a year to level.

The Elder Scrolls Online has had a rough start, and from questionable design choices to the plethora of bugs at launch, the game has taken a lot of flak over the past year. Though the wait for console gamers has been long, the good news is that the product that the Xbox One and PS4 are receiving has been thoroughly retooled, and thus should hopefully be devoid of the defects that PC gamers had to put up with at the original launch. With the release of Tamriel Unlimited and the move to a subscription-free model however, it looks like Bethesda and ZeniMax Online Studios are working hard to redeem the series’ first foray into multiplayer, and finally things are starting to look up for the embattled MMO. g

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The Witcher The Wild Hun GAMING

Searching for Ciri...

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The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt

by Walt Pretorius

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almost every truly open-world game; the main plot suffers because of it. In The Witcher 3, Geralt is tasked with finding his surrogate daughter Ciri, now fully grown and returned after a long absence. His mission is urgent, because she is in considerable danger from nefarious forces. And yet the open world nature of the game strips this urgency away as the player explores, picks up endless side quests that vary from sprawling affairs through to almost menial labours, and completes the all-important Witcher contracts that provide the best source of income in a very stingy in-game economy. Along with this removal of urgency, the main plot also devolves into a lacklustre tale on the whole. It is made up of numerous interesting parts, but the sum of them loses its impact. In that way, Assassins of Kings was a better tale. But it wasn’t a better game.

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hen the Witcher franchise first hit the scene several years ago, it brought with it a reasonably fresh take of the fantasy RPG genre. And through the years it has grown and developed, with the second game in the series, Assassins of Kings, bringing an exciting and intriguing story to the world of the game’s hero, Geralt of Rivia.

But the freedom the player was given in these titles was almost perfunctory when compared to what we have been given in the third instalment. The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt provides the player with a massive playground, crammed with things to do, people to speak to and places to see… and more than enough opportunity to get into trouble.

With this aspect of the game – this massive amount of freedom – comes one particular problem that plagues

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The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt

If you can get past the idiosyncrasies of the main plot, The Witcher 3 becomes an extremely rewarding title to play. Although the first few hours feel a little flat, it soon falls into a rhythm that is intoxicating. This is thanks, in no small part, to the incredibly detailed world that CD Projekt Red created for the title.

Geralt’s world is a vast and treacherous place. Roads and tracks criss-cross the landscape, which is dotted with war-ravaged villages, ancient ruins, massive cities and many other interesting opportunities. I say opportunities because side-quests abound, and some will only be found through thorough exploration. And The Witcher 3 rewards that kind of activity, with places ranging from hidden treasure caches to powerful monoliths that boost ability scores to be found, explored and exploited. Merely travelling down a random road can lead to a discovery

or conversation that launches a side quest, and some of these can get quite involved.

But the world, which really is the star of the show here, goes beyond just discovering new places and completing side quests. It is visually rich – I would say beautiful, but the ravages of war have made things pretty ugly – and complex. Dense forests stand next to sweeping grasslands, small ramshackle hamlets nestle among hills, rivers and lakes sparkle in the sun. The world also has a day night cycle and dynamic weather. Many a time a trip from one point to another begins in bright sunshine and ends with a thunderstorm rattling branches and lashing the world with rain. It feels alive, this world, both with creatures and opportunities, and that makes it particularly intoxicating. You’re never quite sure what you’ll find around the next bend in the road.

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those who haven’t experienced the first two titles will be able to piece information together – like, for example, what a Witcher is exactly.

And that brings us to Geralt, the player’s ‘representative’ in this vast, intriguing world. As before, he is fairly surly, white haired and intimidating, and sounds like he could use a throat lozenge. But he also feel like a more rounded character this time around, perhaps the result of his past experiences.

Controlling Geralt is great in The Witcher 3, largely because, at last, combat really feels fluid in this title. It’s addictive, actually, with Geralt using a fluid combination of sword play and signs (read as spells) to best his enemies that finally lets the player feel like they are in control of a true badass.

Customising Geralt is also simpler in some ways (and a

GAMING

Populating this world is a massive collection of interesting people and nefarious creatures. The cultures are well defined, and travelling from one kingdom to another – even from one town to another – will display different attitudes and thought patterns. And speaking to the people will happen a lot – as before, conversation is often key to getting and completing quests. Much of The Witcher 3’s story comes out in these conversations, so the great voice acting and excellent character animation helps immensely in furthering the illusion created by CD Projekt Red. It is worth noting that while you don’t have to have played the previous two games to appreciate The Witcher 3, much of the lore and background we learned in those titles isn’t fully explained in this game. But there are tons of people to talk to and documents to read, and

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The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt

little more complex in others). The role playing aspect of The Witcher 3 has been trimmed up, and the player can easily create a powerful character that fits into their desired play style. Equipment and weapons are plentiful and varied, and the crafting system is sensible and offers a massive variety of things to create and employ during the course of the game. As mentioned before, The Witcher 3 isn’t very generous in terms of money, but that fits with the near-nomadic lifestyle of a Witcher, and doing what a Witcher does in the game – hunt monsters – pays the best. And there are numerous hunting missions, complete with the expected preparation and investigation required to beat the wide variety of creatures Geralt gets to take out.

With stunning presentation, tons to do and a massive world to explore, The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt is any

adventure gamer’s dream. It lacks any form of multiplayer (because Geralt is a lone wolf, after all) but the intriguing world more than makes up for not sharing the experience with friends. And while it does offer the occasional visual oddity, sometimes long load times or little glitch, the overall experience is one that should not be missed. CD Projekt Red are also supporting the game with free DLC, for those who want to enhance their experience.

The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt really shines in almost every way, apart from its forgettable main plot, and allows the player a truly mammoth amount of freedom. This, combined with a truly intriguing setting, makes it a game that stands as a very strong contender when everyone gets to their awards at the end of this year. And it’s so long and crammed with things to do that people will probably be playing it until then. g

AT A GLANCE Action adventure

A massive world, slick combat and tons to do await the player in this final foray into the world of Geralt of Rivia.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

CD Projekt Red CD Projekt Red Megarom

PARENTAL ADVISORY

18+ gamecca72

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

ACCESSIBILITY

Hard-Core Medium Casual

REVIEWED ON

PS4 PLATFORMS

GENRE

PC X360 X0 PS3 PS4 Wii U PSV 3DS AND iOS

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Project CAR GAMING

Getting things real

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Project CARS

by Christo van Gemert

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of gamer who will appreciate the lengths to which the developer, Slightly Mad Studios (SMS), has gone to offer a realistic racing experience in Project CARS. So let’s start the real review.

The small details that make this game so incredibly realistic are manifold. Each one – no matter how insignificant it seems – has a role in the game’s carefully thought-out ecosystem. When it’s warm and dry, tyres will get warm and provide lots of grip. If it rains, the roads are cool – and slippery. Cold tyres have no grip, and the water washes away the layers of rubber that build up after a few laps.

Just like in real life. Plus, when it’s cool outside, your engine makes better power, and runs more reliably. Just like in real life. An engine that runs too hot will lose power, or even overheat and blow up. Just like in real life. Fortunately, you’re warned about rising engine temperatures through

GAMING

roject CARS is a very good driving game. You will find much joy in driving its 70-odd, painstakingly detailed cars around the 110 beautiful tracks – some of which are famous race tracks with a lot of history. It also has a pretty weather system, although driving in the rain is difficult and can be scary when the lighting flashes in the distance, at night. It also has good sound.

If you liked the Forza Motorsport and Gran Turismo series, this is quite similar. The cars do not behave like they do in Need for Speed. I spoke to a few people and they say “It is very realistic”. I believe them, they know about cars. I played Project CARS on PS4 using a DualShock controller.

However, if you only intend on playing a hardcore sim game with a controller then you’re possibly not the kind

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Project CARS

fully-functional instrumentation on each car’s intricately modelled dashboard. Just. Like. In. Real. Life.

Attention to detail can even be seen in the stars and experienced in the air. SMS created virtual solar system in game, so when you drive at the 24 Hours of Le Mans you will see the actual stars you’d see if you were standing under that part of the French sky. And when you drive at Willow Springs, in California, which is around 700 metres above sea level, your virtual car’s engine sucks in air that is 7% less dense than it is at sea level, meaning it provides less power. Unless your virtual car has a virtual turbocharger, which compresses the virtual air – somewhat compensating for the lower density. This is an actual thing that happens in real life. And it’s in a video game.

What matters most is that all of these details work in harmony to make this one of the best racing simulations to

date. Hardcore PC sim racers might debate that Assetto Corsa has the edge in some areas, but console gamers can rejoice. Not only is this cross-platform, it’s also better than the two fanboy favourites that have, until now, divided the sim racing communities. Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport, listen up: there’s a new king in town.

It is not perfect, though. While it works with a gamepad, you really do want to play it with a wheel. For this review I was given a lovely Thrustmaster Ferrari 458 Italia wheel, to use with the Xbox One. It made the driving experience so much more immersive that my controller experience is now completely, utterly ruined.

It wouldn’t be a problem, except that a compatible wheel for Xbox One or PS4 costs around R6 000. PC gamers are lucky – they can continue using their Logitech wheels.

Sadly, Microsoft and Sony removed support for those

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only gripe here is that tyre noises are a bit too quiet – and these are often the only noises you have to judge how much grip you have when pushing hard through the corners.

It’s easy on the eye, too. Its toned-down colours and superb, image-based lighting make it look gritty and trueto-life. Big budget titles like Drive Club and Forza might be more polished, but Project CARS makes up for it with race grids of up to 45 cars; a full day-to-night cycle, for those accurately modelled skies; and a weather system that ranges from clear skies to thunderstorms to fog. PC gamers even have the option to use real time weather data for the location they are racing at. This option is missing on consoles, most likely due to security restrictions dictated by Microsoft and Sony, but players can manually add weather to their races.

Performance is steady, too. But try racing with 40-odd cars,

GAMING

peripherals for their new consoles. You’ll be spending a lot of money to really enjoy this game the way it’s meant to be played.

Fortunately, controller settings can be tweaked endlessly.

There are a few presets to help you get started, and you can still have fun – just don’t try playing with a wheel, because you’ll bankrupt yourself to go racing. (Just like in real life.)

Whether you have a wheel or gamepad, though, you’ll be pleased when the time comes to make some noises.

Project CARS blows away anything ever heard in Gran Turismo (which isn’t easy) and has more nuanced mechanical noises than Forza. Race cars have gearboxes and differentials that whine as they load up; engines sound angry; turbos whistle; and exhausts pop and crackle. And road-going cars are tame in comparison. The

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in the rain, at the vast Nürburgring, and the frame rate will stray from its target of 60 frames per second. With its horsepower deficit the Xbox One suffers the most when on-screen action gets intense, but Sony’s console is not exempt from performance hits. SMS has already posted on Twitter that it is working to tweak performance – so it’s listening to the community.

That’s the same group of people who feature in the game’s name – Project Community Assisted Racing Simulator – and helped crowd-fund it into existence. They also contributed in other ways: beta testing early builds to evaluate performance; providing feedback on the simulation; as well as assisting in content creation. The community that helped build it are fickle car fans, so you just know that everything was vetted thoroughly – including the car and track list So, while this isn’t a car collect-a-thon, the 74 cars

available at launch are quite special. The list includes historic machines, such as the Lotus 98T Formula 1 car from the ‘80s, and classic touring cars from Ford, Mercedes, and BMW. It also has modern-day race cars, which are joined by a handful of contemporary roadgoing machines. To flesh out the selection there are some fictional replicas of familiar race cars – including go-karts and F1 cars.

Quality, not quantity, is the name of the game, here. Car lovers may find less to love in Project CARS than the competition, but what is there is truly exquisite. More content is already planned, and SMS has promised to smooth over some of the rough edges. Very rarely does real innovation and breakthrough come to a genre – but Project CARS is without a doubt this generation’s Gran Turismo. And higher praise there is not. g

AT A GLANCE Racing

REVIEWED ON

Slightly Mad Studios have gone all out in this deep simulation – Project CARS is this generation’s Gran Turismo.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Slightly Mad Studios Namco Bandai Megarom

PARENTAL ADVISORY

3+ gamecca72

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

ACCESSIBILITY

Hard-Core Medium Casual

x0 PLATFORMS

GENRE

PC X360 X0 PS3 PS4 Wii U PSV 3DS AND iOS

Score

94 61

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Splatoon GAMING

Get inked!

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Splatoon

by Walt Pretorius

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family friendly frolic as a result, rather than a hard-core shooter. And that’s really fine, because there is a space for competitive team-based shooters that keep a younger market in mind.

Making it less violent doesn’t mean it’s less strategic – the player can transform into a squid at the press of a button, and can swim through ink (invisibly) that corresponds with their team colour. This can lead to some sneaky tactical play, but the lack of chat means that even the most brilliant strategy is going to only form part of a thoroughly chaotic whole. Leaving chat out for a game aimed at younger players is probably a good thing, ultimately, but it does hurt Splatoon on some levels.

And so does Nintendo’s inexperience with the concepts of online shooters. While Nintendo may have a great number of games under their belt, Splatoon shows

GAMING

intendo isn’t exactly known for games brimming with violence… this might be one of the reasons why their titles border on the idea of niche. But what they are good at is creating unique ideas and approaches in a way that mitigates the lack of head shots and shell casings. And Splatoon is such a title.

This game is, on the surface, Nintendo’s entry into the world of online shooters. It is a fun filled game in which the main aim is not to get as positive a kill-death ratio as possible, but rather the paint the world with your team’s colour. Sure you can – and often need to – take out opponents with well places blobs of brightly coloured ink, but winning is achieved by dominating the world with your colour, not be shooting the other side. That is an extremely Nintendo way of doing things and, essentially, Splatoon has become a sensitised,

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signs of inexperience right off the bat. It features very few maps, for example, leading to exploitation and repetitiveness in the handful that are present. Additionally, the lobby system is more painful than pleasurable, with often long waits while match-ups are made. That would be more acceptable if there was a way out, but once you’re in the lobby, that’s where you stay. There is no back function.

The game’s match making leaves a lot to be desired. It will routinely put lower level players in games with much higher ranks and, because levels and experience are purely based on in-game performance, things get tricky and frustrating for newcomers.

The controls are pretty competent, although looking up and down purely by tilting the WiiU pad takes a little getting used to.

These are partly mitigated by the game’s fun, almost

puzzle-based single player campaign, which will see the player taking on nefarious enemies while getting to grips with the mechanics of the game. It’s also a way to earn valuable power ups to use against those higher ranked players.

When all is said and done, Splatoon is a brave and enjoyable first step into a new world for Nintendo. It has a few niggles and hiccups, sure, but it serves as a great indicator of where the company could go, should they choose to stick to this brightly coloured, ink splashed franchise. The fact that there is no real violence here, save for the liberal distribution of sticky coloured stuff, is refreshing, and the overall visual style is bold and appealing. If Nintendo manage to address the issues at hand, Splatoon will certainly become a franchise that can do very well for the gaming giant. g

AT A GLANCE Shooter

REVIEWED ON

This is a brave foray into a new world for Nintendo and, although it has a few issues that need to be addressed, Splatoon is great, family friendly fun.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Nintendo Nintendo Core Group

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7+ gamecca72

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ACCESSIBILITY

Hard-Core Medium Casual

WiiU PLATFORMS

GENRE

PC X360 X0 PS3 PS4 Wii U PSV 3DS AND iOS

Score

79 65

D

66

REVIEWED ON It’s not a ground-breaking title, but it does offer a lot of fun and variety.

Defence

XO PC X360 X0 PS3 PS4 Wii U PSV 3DS AND iOS

GENRE

AT A GLANCE

GAMING Bound of flame

To the walls!

PLATFORMS

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Zen Studios Zen Studios Online

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Score

Castle Storm Definitive Edition

72

by Rob Edwards

efence games – whether they be tower or wall based – have the potential to be great fun, and so it was with some pleasure that I downloaded Castle Storm Definitive Edition.

It brings together a mix of wall defines with deeper strategy and some side scrolling action play, all wrapped in a quirky, often funny bundle.

It’s not that I was disappointed, but the transition to the current console generation felt a little clunky when compared to the same game on a tablet. The main reason for this is the control scheme. See, on a tablet you could pretty much tap out extremely precise shots with just a finger. On console, getting those sweet shots in can be a hit and miss affair, because you’re aiming more geometrically, thanks to having to use the analogue sticks for aim.

It’s a different kind of challenge, and that’s not a bad thing, but sometimes when the enemies are coming thick and fast, taking them out gets a little tough. The player’s wall mounted ballista can have varied ammo, but you don’t necessarily want to use it to take out knots of enemies.

Still, the upgradeable weapons and soldiers at the player’s command can result in a lot of fun to be had, and the variety of missions is quite large for a game of this nature.

Still, Castle Storm Definitive Edition can be a great time killer.

It combines a few elements together (even including the destruction of enemy structures) into an addictive and amusing title… even if aiming can get a little tricky during the game’s tenser moments. It’s not groundbreaking stuff, but Castle Storm Definitive Edition can provide a lot of fun none-the-less. g

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REVIEWED ON It’s got some great ideas, but the poorly implemented control system can be a hindrance to the overall experience.

Puzzle

PS4 PC X360 X0 PS3 PS4 Wii U PSV 3DS AND iOS

GAMING

GENRE

AT A GLANCE

Welcome to the weird

PLATFORMS

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Ovosonico SCEE PSN

PARENTAL ADVISORY

7+ gamecca72

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

ACCESSIBILITY Hard-Core Medium Casual

Score

Murasaki Baby

70 67

by Alex Scanlon

ndie development really does show off a more creative side in the game industry. Whether it be creative visuals or different approaches to game dynamics, indie developers have really started breaking moulds and pushing boundaries.

In the case of Murasaki Baby, both the visuals and the game dynamics have been played with.

The developers wanted to create a more tactile experience with this game, that much is obvious, from the fact that the entire game is played using the Vita’s touch controls. And as far as looks go, they pushed the creepy-cute thing by giving us a protagonist 9Baby) with big eyes and crooked teeth, set in an upside down head.

Despite the creepiness and malice that the graphics bring to the title, Murasaki Baby never really gets to the realms of terrifying, which it easily could have done. Rather, it lingers in creepiness as the player uses finger gestures to lead Baby through the levels. More important than Baby, who the player has to help find her missing mother, is her balloon. This item needs to be protected from sharp thorns and spikey creatures at all costs, because if it pops the player gets sent back to the previous checkpoint. Thankfully the game is generous with those, because balloon popping opportunities abound.

Additionally, the level backgrounds can be changed, which unlock special abilities that help the player get through the puzzle-like game.

Murasaki Baby’s biggest weakness is what should have been its biggest strength – the control scheme. It works well most of the time, but constantly keeping your finger on the touch screen can be a pain. Also, sometimes Baby is less responsive than she should be.

Still, it’s a great effort with some really interesting ideas on show. g

Murasaki Baby

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Fossil Fighter Frontier

GAMING

Dead and buried‌

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GENRE

All the potential in the world wasn’t

by Walt Pretorius

enough to save this one from being a lacklustre, frustrating and

PARENTAL ADVISORY

7+

Nintendo Nintendo Core Group

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

ACCESSIBILITY Hard-Core Medium Casual

Score

40

AT A GLANCE

PC X360 X0 PS3 PS4 Wii U PSV 3DS AND iOS

REVIEWED ON

PLATFORMS

tedious affair.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

gamecca72

Adventure

3DS

with Crayolas. Each fossil either adds a new vivosaur to your stable (and there aren’t many) or adds an extra attack to an existing vivosaur – these creatures each have eight fossil components. Driving around and finding these fossils can become a tedious grind, quite honestly, but with the fairly regular difficulty spikes that show up during battles, it is a necessary activity… unless the lacklustre story interferes, of course, which it does fairly often.

The battles themselves are simplistic affairs, almost like those in the Pokémon games. The player selects attacks, and watches the action unfold. Attacks and defence can be affected by time-based buffs called support shots, but the level of strategy that this could have added to the title is never really realised. But as they stand, they don’t work overly well.

The player can also be joined by a team of two other combatant, in the form of AI characters. Once again, this is a decent idea that hasn’t been implemented well – the AI battlers often take too long to decide on moves and support shots, making battles uneven in pace.

There was a lot of potential here, and Fossil Fighters: Frontier could easily have been a much better game.

It feels, ultimately, like the developers did just enough – with the looks, the story, the creatures and the general game dynamic – to go to market with a product that appears finished. It feels like there was very little love and attention given to this game, despite the fact that it could have been a deep and enticing title, based on its overall concept. As it stands, it is a wasted opportunity and one that even forgiving players will find issues with. Perhaps it is time for Nintendo to look at another battle game to back. g

Fossil Fighters: Frontier

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intendo are an extremely successful video game company, but part of that success has been experiencing pitfalls along the way. They have had numerous misses – like the WiiU, which the company is still valiantly trying to support, despite poor market performance for various reasons. And they’ve had a few game titles, too, that simply didn’t bring to goods.

Some of those have even become franchises (against all odds) displaying, once again, Nintendos’ willingness to back its products, even when the masses of the consumer market have turned their noses up at them. Fossil Fighters is an example of this.

The initial game was not exactly great, and neither was the sequel. So one could only assume that a little more care and effort would have gone into this third instalment, in the hopes of breathing a little hope into the series. Sadly, that isn’t the case; Fossil Fighters: Frontier alternates between being achingly dull and stupidly difficult. Had the game managed to inject variety into the mix this would been less apparent, but Fossil Fighters: Frontier ends up feeling like little more than a poor man’s Pokémon.

The player takes on the role of a ranger in a park where dinosaur fossils are unearthed and reconstructed into vivosaurs. The player needs to drive their upgradeable Bone Buggy around the park, unearthing fossils and collecting vivosaurs, which are then used to do battle against other vivosaurs and a number of other ne’er-dowells. On paper, that sounds pretty awesome.

The truth is, though, that it isn’t. Driving around is tedious at best, even with a fully upgraded Buggy, and digging for fossils requires all the finesse of scribbling on the screen with the stylus like a three year old armed

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E M W A IE G EV R

Race the Sun GAMING

The power of light

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Race the Sun

by Alex Scanlon

AT A GLANCE GENRE

Racing

REVIEWED ON

It’s a massively addictive title without the frills. Race the Sun is good, clean, simple fun.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Flippfly Flippfly Online

PARENTAL ADVISORY

3+ gamecca72

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

ACCESSIBILITY

Hard-Core Medium Casual

PS4 PLATFORMS

n

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ace the Sun is a game that not only does what it set out to do perfectly, but it goes a long way to show that intriguing game dynamics, no matter how simple, can trump flashy graphics.

In this game, the player controls a solar powered aircraft, and needs to get as far through the continuous world as possible before the sun sets. The player will need to navigate through obstacles – often just simple geometric shapes – in order to do so. But here’s the kicker… these objects cast shadows, and shadows slow you down. So between dodging shadows (and the obstacles themselves, because crashing means game over) and trying to keep speed up to keep pace with the fast setting sun, Race the Sun becomes an addictive and enticing game.

Through playing – even in short bursts, which Race the Sun is perfect for – the player will unlock various power-up, upgrades and other advantages to help them along. These vary from speed boosts and jump capabilities through to on-ship buffs.

Given enough attempts (and you will need a number, because this game isn’t easy) things get better for the player.

What’s most interesting about this game is how much fun it is, despite its simplicity. Graphically, for example, Race the Sun is extremely basic, and the control scheme is far from complex. And yet this game is thoroughly addictive. It doesn’t need flash to pull itself through – it’s game dynamic is excellent, making it the perfect example of a game that succeeds without trying to hide bad code or glitches behind pretty pictures. And for that, the developers need to be commended. Not everyone will go nuts for Race the Sun, but those that get hooked will be thoroughly addicted. g

PC X360 X0 PS3 PS4 Wii U PSV 3DS AND iOS

Score

80 71

E M W A IE G EV R

Farming Simulator 15 Farming with friends

Y

words, those that play with the “farm starter” can only access that particular agricultural endeavour when the player who owns it is online, and allows hem access to it.

And while the farm owner may grant control privileges to other players, including access to funds, the ability to buy equipment, undertake missions and hire workers, those that work on the farm gain no real benefit from doing so.

When they leave the game, the cash that they earned (if the owner enabled the functionality) reverts back to the owner. It’s a little like the video game version of altruistic charity work, and finding players who will accept this idea is even more rare than finding those who want to play the game co-op.

But there is a benefit here – Farm Simulator 15 is something of a soothing game, a relaxing title that allows you to unwind, even while you’re planning the best way

GAMING

ou’re not going to get that awesome whiff of fresh morning air when you start up Farming Simulator 15, but you’re going to come close… and now you’ll be able to do it on console as well. Needless to say this is a niche market game, but it obviously is popular – otherwise they simply wouldn’t keep driving the franchise forward.

While we have looked at this title before on PC, the console version certainly warrants a look, too… as well as the multiplayer aspect of the game, which we only touched on in the previous review. Let’s start there…

Farming Simulator 15 follows a very unique cooperative play style. It really comes down to a farmer and employees, in the grand scheme of things, because the person who starts the game saves it locally, and has full control over every aspect of the farm. In other

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implements accrue dirt (which can be washed off, of course) and weather effects being as much visual as they are a game concept. You can’t thresh in rain, and the weather system allows you to know exactly when that is visually.

Control wise, the game works very similarly to previous iterations, with the shoulder buttons acting as shifts for control menus. Unfortunately the persistent menu block is a little obtrusive, but you get used to it after a while. Or, at least, less annoyed by it.

On the whole, this game is great fun for those who want to experience a languid pace while still needed to make in-game decisions regarding management and so forth.

It certainly won’t appeal to the masses, but it’s pedantic, considered nature is more than a little addictive for those who do try it out. g

AT A GLANCE Simulation

REVIEWED ON

It might not appeal to the masses, but Farming Simulator’s thoughtful and pedantic nature is thoroughly addictive.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Giants Software Focus Home Interactive Apex Interactive

PARENTAL ADVISORY

3+ gamecca72

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

ACCESSIBILITY

Hard-Core Medium Casual

x0 PLATFORMS

GENRE

PC X360 X0 PS3 PS4 Wii U PSV 3DS AND iOS

Score

78 73

by Walt Pretorius

to expand agricultural holdings and making delivery runs.

It’s extremely social in co-op, affording players the ability to have an enjoyable chat while doing some low-intensity gaming. And, of course, there is the added benefit for farm owners that multiple agricultural disciplines can be undertaken more easily. For example, on our test farm I concentrated on traditional grain based farming, while a colleague spent his time in forestry and lumber. A third was responsible for livestock. And while those that cooperatively worked on the farm didn’t draw in-game benefits, the experience was actually extremely pleasant.

In terms of performance, Farm Simulator 15 does really well on console. While there may be the odd hiccup relating to multiplayer servers, the game itself is generally stable. In addition, the visuals are much improved, with crisp graphics combining with effects that will see farming

T

74

REVIEWED ON The Unfinished Swan is a powerful, thought provoking game that manages to remain simple and accessible.

Traversal puzzle

PS4 PC X360 X0 PS3 PS4 Wii U PSV 3DS AND iOS

GENRE

AT A GLANCE

GAMING Bound of flame

Paint the world

PLATFORMS

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Armature SCEE PSN

PARENTAL ADVISORY

7+ gamecca72

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

ACCESSIBILITY Hard-Core Medium Casual

Score

The Unfinished Swan

80

by Rob Edwards

he Unfinished Swan tells the tale of Monroe, a boy recently orphaned by the death of his mother.

A prolific painter who never finished her projects, she left many artworks behind, but Monroe only chooses one to take to the orphanage with him – an unfinished painting of a swan. And then, one night, the swan flies away into the blankness of the canvass, with Monroe following close behind.

So starts a melancholy gaming tour de force that verges on genius, at least in the first level. The player is faces with a completely white world, and it is only through splashing black paint around that details come to the fore.

It’s an imaginative and thought provoking experience that sees the player working their way through a stark landscape, and it’s awesome. But as the game wears on, the developers start adding their own details – a process which takes away from the experience to a degree.

Still, even when this is the case, The Unfinished Swan is an inventive and enjoyable traversal puzzle game. Some levels will see you splashing water about to promote the growth of useful vines, while others will see you fumbling about in the dark. All in all, it’s pretty fresh, even if the later stages don’t have the dramatic impact of the first level.

With a child-like approach and a sweet nature, The Unfinished Swan is still melancholy and deep, exploring elements that deeply affect and change lives in a gentle way. It displays no need for violence or brutality to do what it does, and it does that well. This is a game that is more about contemplation than head shots, and it’s a great (if short) adventure. g

The Unfinished Swan

E M W A IE G EV R

S

crammed with sciencegeek humour, this title is fun, even if the levels feel a little inconsistent at times.

Platformer

PS4

PLATFORMS

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Team 17 Team 17 Online

PARENTAL ADVISORY

7+ gamecca72

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

ACCESSIBILITY Hard-Core Medium Casual

Score

REVIEWED ON A quirky platformer

PC X360 X0 PS3 PS4 Wii U PSV 3DS AND iOS

GAMING

GENRE

AT A GLANCE

Get your geek on!

72 75

by Rob Edwards

Schrödinger’s Cat & the Raiders of the Lost Quark

chrödinger’s Cat, for those who don’t know, relates to a quantum physics theory that postulates that a cat may be alive and dead at the same time (a state known as quantum superposition) but can only be observed in one state. OK, yes, that is a gross simplification of a very deep thought experiment, but you need a little background, so there it is.

The cat also is the hero of a video game, namely Schrödinger’s Cat and the Raiders of the Lost Quark, and as the name implies, this game is quirky and geeky. In fact, most of the humour is based on scientific ideas, and some of them are pretty deep.

While most people with a bit of knowledge of physics will probably chuckle now and then, it’s the real science-geeks that will get a kick out of the dialogue.

Schrödinger’s Cat and the Raiders of the Lost Quark is basically an action platformer developed by the near legendary Team 17. It sees Schrödinger’s Cat make a trip to the particle zoo, where all hell has broken loose. In order to save the day, the cat needs to make use of collectible quarks, which come in up, down, bottom and top varieties.

By combining quarks in special combos, the player will be able to do numerous things that help navigate the levels, as well as take on foes.

Schrödinger’s Cat and the Raiders of the Lost Quark is fun, but it tends to get a little uneven at times, thanks to some levels that are too tricky, and others that are simply too easy. Still, it’s a fun excursion into the world of science geekdom, and makes for a fun (if short) experience. g

Schrödinger’s Cat and the Raiders of the Lost Quark

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Final Fantasy X/X-2 Remaster On to the next generation

W

the first time that a game has spanned not two, but three generations of console. This speaks volumes about how good X and X-2 really are, and how well loved they are by fans.

To make things even better, this is a proper remaster.

Rather than just put the games and any DLC on a disk and ship it out, Square Enix took real care with this remastering, creating a game that feels less like an immigrant and more like a native on the PS4.

Virtually every visual aspect of the game has been overhauled. Now players are faced not only with better, more animated character models, but also with improved textures, effects and visual depth. The world seems to have real distance now, with visual detail that extends into the blurred distance beautifully. Colours, too – particularly on characters – have been spruced up, and added visual

GAMING

hen it comes to the long running Final Fantasy franchise, there are a number of instalments that stand out as firm favourites. Two of them are Final Fantasy X and X-2, games which elevated the series up to greater heights back in the days of the PS2. They have become classics, well loved by millions. And still played by those who have working PS2 units. And PS3 units, mind you, because around a year ago a remastered version was released for the PS3, bringing some of the Final Fantasy series’ finest story-telling to a whole new generation console.

We have seen more than a few games make the jump from PS3 to PS4 in recent months. In fact, possibly more than any generation before, great games made for the PS3 have seen reworked and remastered version appearing on the newer platform. But this has got to be

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another remastered version of Final Fantasy X and X-2? It seems unlikely, given the high cost of games, but I suppose stranger things have happened.

What is most interesting here, though, is the obvious care that Square Enix has for its Final Fantasy franchise.

Instead of just churning out games one after the other and letting the older ones sink into obscurity, they recognise the value in keeping the better titles viable. You could accuse that of being a cash in, sure, but by keeping their fans happy, they’re also keeping their fans loyal. And Final Fantasy is the kind of franchise that fans will talk about – and play – for years to come, making this a very smart move on Square Enix’s side. And it’s not like it’s a bad collection, or like it was just slapped on a disk. This remastering is a very worthwhile investment for Final Fantasy fans. g

AT A GLANCE JRPG

REVIEWED ON

Now in it’s third generation, Final Fantasy X and X-2 still stand as some of the best experiences from the long running franchise.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Square Enix Square Enix Megarom

PARENTAL ADVISORY

12+ gamecca72

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

ACCESSIBILITY

Hard-Core Medium Casual

PS4 PLATFORMS

GENRE

PC X360 X0 PS3 PS4 Wii U PSV 3DS AND iOS

Score

86 77

by Rob Edwards

detail abounds.

This really is the principle area in which the remastering occurred – the visual side of things. Because, quite frankly, pretty much everything else still works well. Naturally controls have been tweaked to suit the new DualShock, but these changes feel natural and smooth, rather than forced into place.

Another nice feature lies in the fact that you can change between the remastered score and the original sound track, which will please purists and long-time fans. You can also import your PS3 or Vita save into the PS4 version.

This raises an interesting question. Here is a game that has skipped generations twice. It makes for an excellent option for those who are still relatively new to the franchise, or for those who somehow missed these titles. But are there fans out there rabid enough to buy yet

E M W A IE G EV R

Guacamelee Super Turbo Championsh Edition GAMING

Extra spicy action!

78

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Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition

by Walt Pretorius

AT A GLANCE GENRE

Action platformer

This tongue-in-cheek Metroidvania style platformer is engaging and action packed.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Drinkbox Drinkbox Online

PARENTAL ADVISORY

12+ gamecca72

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

REVIEWED ON

PS4 PLATFORMS

e! o hip

A

reworking of the 2013 original, Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship edition revisits the adventures of Juan, an undead Mexican luchadore (that’s a wrestler, folks) who has to fight of a great evil threatening his village, and the world at large. Armed with a mystical mask and ever increasing combat abilities, Juan takes on a host of zany enemies in this trope-filled action platformer.

And it’s not just a slight rehash of the original, either. Super Turbo Championship Edition includes all DLC, as well as a host of new enemies, areas to explore and more. It’s great fun, a simple to play yet hard to master Metroidvania style platformer that will have you holing in frustration one minute and crowing with triumph in another.

The combat is largely combo-based, with varied enemies (all with different abilities) requiring quick thinking from the player, particularly when they come in mixed groups.

The player will need to switch up moves and tactics when attacked on multiple fronts, which keeps things interesting and more than a little frustrating.

The environments, too, hold challenges, and the player will need quick reactions and wits to traverse certain areas. Some powerups, for example, will break specific kinds of barriers, but the moves that activate them will need to be used as part of longer combos.

When you put it all together, you get a game that is crammed with humour and action. The unique visual style complements the title perfectly, and the player can enjoy lots of action, and even levelling Juan up, in a bright and engaging environment. It’s not the kind of game that will appeal to everyone, but Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition still brings a wide appeal with every punch it dishes out. g

ACCESSIBILITY

Hard-Core Medium Casual

PC X360 X0 PS3 PS4 Wii U PSV 3DS AND iOS

Score

78 79

A

80

REVIEWED ON Hohokum dumps you into its artistic deep end and leaves you to figure everything out for yourself.

Puzzle

PS4 PC X360 X0 PS3 PS4 Wii U PSV 3DS AND iOS

GENRE

AT A GLANCE

GAMING Bound of flame

Where to now?

PLATFORMS

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Honeyslug SCEE Online

PARENTAL ADVISORY

3+ gamecca72

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

ACCESSIBILITY Hard-Core Medium Casual

Score

Hohokum

70

by Rob Edwards

rtistry in games is something many people hold very dear, and elevating the pastime from violent realism to artistic expression is something that many developers – particularly the Indie kids – are keen on doing. But when artistry eclipses reason, or makes a game too obtuse, then perhaps the developer has lost sight of the fact that a game can be as artistic as all hell, but it still needs to be a game. This is the issue with Hohokum. It looks awesome, and playing around in the interactive artwork that developers Honeyslug so lovingly crafted verges on trippy. But a game needs goals that are least a little better defined than Hohokum does.

There are those that will lose themselves in the unique settings and strange, undefined puzzles and challenges of Hohokum, but there is likely a great number of players out there that won’t get captivated because they have no idea about what’s going on. A little direction – just a little – would have made a massive difference, but Hohokum remain resolutely mute as far as instructions or goals go, leaving the player to figure out pretty much everything for themselves.

This is the game’s biggest failing, and it is a rather unfortunate one, because the near psychedelic experience that Hohokum provides is engrossing and enjoyable. But people want to know what they’re supposed to do, and most people like being told what that is, rather than figuring it out for themselves.

Those that do persevere will discover a very relaxing, even intoxicating experience, and will derive from Hohokum exactly what they put into it as they piece the game’s weird intentions and desires together. Not every gamer want the ability to explore and play freely, unless there’s someone to shoot at somewhere nearby. g

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REVIEWED ON Despite a number of technical issues, Ether One is an interesting, investigation heavy first person puzzler.

Puzzle Adventure

PS4 PC X360 X0 PS3 PS4 Wii U PSV 3DS AND iOS

GAMING

GENRE

AT A GLANCE

Sifting through memories

PLATFORMS

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

White Paper Games White Paper Games Online

PARENTAL ADVISORY

7+ gamecca72

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

ACCESSIBILITY Hard-Core Medium Casual

Score

Ether One

69 81

by Alex Scanlon

ther One is an atmospheric, sometimes moving game that deals (in a roundabout way) with the very real effects of dementia. The player works as someone who, through a special institute, enters the memories of those affected by this terrible mental disease, and helps cure them by discovering missing memories and patching together recollections.

It is a great idea when you get to it, and the whole thought of exploring these deserted locations makes it feel like something of a modern take on the classic Myst.

But there are elements to Ether One that don’t sit very well, and those who want their gaming more action flavoured will likely find it wanting.

The main issue – although it isn’t a real issue, truth be told – is that the game is extremely intense when it comes to piecing memories together. It expects (nay, demands) that the player be achingly thorough in their investigations, looking at each and every item or note that allows interaction. But these clues don’t piece together in a linear fashion, meaning that the flow of information is fractured and often confusing.

With that said, the right kind of player will find Ether One to be a thoroughly engrossing experience.

It takes the player to three locales (with a fourth, optional setting) that need to be thoroughly examined to get the job done.

It is a pedantic, thoughtful experience, and that means that its appeal becomes limited. That, combined with numerous bugs still present within the game (even after a few patches) means that many may turn away from this potentially great title. The graphics feel dated, too, but the music more than makes up for that.

This is a game that you’ll either love or hate… it’s up to you to determine. g

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Assassin’s C Chronicles: C

GAMING

A new perspective on the age-old w

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by Walt Pretorius

AT A GLANCE GENRE

Action Platformer

REVIEWED ON

XO

It’s a fun platformer, but as an Assassin’s Creed game it leaves a bit to be desired.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

PLATFORMS

war

Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: China

Creed China

bisoft are obviously very keen on keeping the really lucrative Assassin’s Creed franchise going for as long as they can, but they’re not only keen on making main titles to keep the cash rolling in. They also like expanding the universe and the story, which is something that the developers are extremely passionate about. So it seems strange that the first instalment of their Chronicles saga feels so flat when it comes to narrative.

Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: China takes the series to a platform style action affair, with the player controlling the Assassin Shao Jun. Shao Jun is on a mission to… well, kill people and sneak around apparently, because the story never seems to commit to anything in a solid manner. The game dynamic is made up of platforming, stealth, combat and runner sections. The runner sections and combat are invigorating and demanding, while the stealth portion is predictable and perhaps a little too easy. The complexity of interacting with opponents in the main titles is missing here, making a lot of what the player goes through predictable.

As far as a platform title goes, this is certainly an entertaining game, with lots of opportunities to explore and do battle. But as an Assassin’s Creed title, Chronicles: China feels flatter than it should. It lacks the vibrancy and liveliness of the overall franchise, feeling distinctly out of place with all the games that came before. It’s a new style, sure, but it doesn’t seem to take much from the other games into account, save for the war between Assassins and Templars.

In short, as a platformer, it’s decent fun to be had. As an Assassin’s Creed title, it could have been so much more. g

Ubisoft Ubisoft Online

PARENTAL ADVISORY

16+ gamecca72

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

ACCESSIBILITY

Hard-Core Medium Casual

PC X360 X0 PS3 PS4 Wii U PSV 3DS AND iOS

Score

71 83

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Legacy: C & Con GAMING

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Legacy: Command & Conquer

Command nquer

sent for ya!

By Lein Baart

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There are certain studios whose power over a genre is so complete that they have become virtually synonymous with it. Think open-world and immediately Rockstar comes to mind, while Bioware are still remembered as masters of the RPG. But although RTS’s are now almost associated with Blizzard’s work on StarCraft and WarCraft, during the genesis of the genre as we know it, it was Westwood that was at the fore. While Dune 2 may have created the gameplay we all recognise as the classical RTS, it was Westwood’s next release that would truly catapult the genre into the mainstream, and for many older PC gamers Command & Conquer still shines as one of the greatest games of the nineties.

Why was it created?

Why do we care?

While C&C did actually relatively little to expand upon the gameplay laid down by Dune 2, Westwood’s careful attention to detail and the love they had so obviously invested hooked PC gamers almost immediately. From an installation screen that imitated hacking a military console to the (supposedly unintentional) campy FMV videos that detailed the plot between missions, it was a game that reeked of polish, allowing players to live out modern war fantasies in a way that had never been accomplished before.

Additionally, the inclusion of fourplayer multiplayer, almost unheard of at the time, not only meant that the game was not hampered by the relatively stupid A.I. of the day but was able to become a defining feature of the genre that we now take for granted.

Command & Conquer’s impact on gaming though lies in the way that it, along with Warcraft 2, brought the then nascent RTS genre into the spotlight, and what followed was a flood of so-called Command & Clone titles. Westwood’s work is indirectly responsible for some of the best and mostly fondly remembered games in history, such as Age of Empires and Homeworld, and to this day RTS games still use the base mechanics laid down in C&C. g

GAMING

1993 was proving to be a prosperous year for Westwood. With Dune 2 having been well received on PC the year before, and the studio working hard to port it over to the various other platforms available at the time, the studio began to conceive their next project and naturally decided to follow up on the genre they had defined. What may surprise many is that Command & Conquer was originally envisioned as a high fantasy title, though the studio, inspired by the political climate the recently ended Gulf War had produce, later decided to switch near-future setting.

C&C’s development was actually rather trouble-free, with Joe Bostic , the lead programmer for the game, having been quoted as saying, “It was so much fun that I would sometimes marvel that I actually got paid as well.”

Inspired by the enthusiastic response from playtesters, the team poured a

lot of love into the game’s creation, and when Command & Conquer hit the shelves in 1995, the gaming community responded with massive

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Ramjet’s rantality

t’s with great sadness that I have come to realise that people out there are too self-centred to get their brain working on bigger-picture concepts. They fail to see that their actions – which are all important to them, of course – are a cog in a massive ecosystem. I am talking about piracy.

Yes, I know, I have ranted about piracy before, and I know you probably don’t care and are going to just keep on downloading games illicitly, but this is my column, so shut up and listen. And before you start justifying your pirating behaviour which, I would like to point out, doesn’t make you anything more than a selfentitled asshole, try – for a split second – to apply whatever amount of brain power you may possess to the bigger picture.

Try think just a little further than just the tip of your own nose.

First off, you are not the centre of the universe. Your piracy is part of a greater whole.

While your actions may have a small effect of the massive scale, it’s still there. But let’s break it down to a more manageable size – the local South African industry.

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Locally, the industry is small and games are expensive (thanks to local distributors having to carry heavy import tariff costs, international shipping costs, high publisher demands and an ever declining currency exchange rate). We know this to be true. But the justifications go beyond just pricing. “Why should I pay good cash for a bad game?” was one I was particularly taken with recently. If the game is so bad, buddy, why bother pirating it.

Broken logic at its best.

Anyway, back to the point.

Let’s look at the case of a major South African retailer, and how piracy changed the game for them. I won’t mention any names, but their stores had all to do with using your eyes and ears. Anyway, this retailer, through no fault of their own, sold the three most pirated things ever; movies, music and games. The rise in piracy meant a decline in fortunes for the retailer, and it had to close its doors. But first it went through a system called business rescue, which allowed them to pay their bills at a fraction of the cost. That’s OK if you’re a big boy and you can take the knock on the money owed gamecca72

BY rAMJET

How it’s Done...

to you, but game distributors locally aren’t that big, and they all felt the pinch. Some even closed down, costing people jobs and livelihoods.

In the end, the retailer closed up shop with a lot of money outstanding. Those losses had to translate to somewhere.

In terms of the video game industry, marketing budgets are almost always the first to go.

As a result, companies that rely on those budgets to keep going suffered. A major South African publication will be closing its door next month, thanks to lower revenues. This is a publication that has been going for almost two decades, mind you. People will lose their jobs.

By way of a simple example, there is a very real world effect on the way that piracy can affect an industry, and associated industries. And locally, where things are small, those effects are bigger and nastier.

So you, as an individual, your piracy may not seem like much.

But put all the pirates in a room, and you’re going to see a very different picture. Stop defending your actions. They’re illegal, and they’re harmful to everyone but yourself. g

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Making it Real

HARDWARE Reviews 98 100 102 104 106 108 110 112 114 116 118 120 122 124

Razer Naga Epic Chroma Gaming Mouse Dell Latitude E7240 Ultrabook ASRock Fatal1ty Z97 Killer Motherboard HuntKey Max700W APFC Power Supply Unit Cooler Master CM Storm Swift-RX XL Mouse Pad Genius GX Gaming Maurus X Gaming Mouse Genius GX Gaming Imperator Gaming Keyboard Dell Latitude Rugged Extreme Notebook Speedlink Decus Gaming Mouse Seasonic M12 II Bronze Evo Edition 620W Power Supply Unit Acer Aspire Switch 12 Tablet Hybrid Cooler Master CM Storm Pitch Pro Gaming Earphones Logitech G302 Daedalus Prime MOBA Gaming Mouse Speedlink Parthica Core Gaming Keyboard

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Internet Security

COLUMN 132

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Technically Speaking

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Storage for every application.

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MakerBot puts 3D printin

GAMING

We see the science fiction of our youth becoming real-world technologies on an almost daily basis. As technology speeds ahead, it creates marvels and wonders that were once only the province of the imagination. One such technology – that is gaining enormous traction the world over – is 3D printing. Just a few years ago, the idea of creating a solid three dimensional object “out of nothing” was one that was almost unfathomable.

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MakerBot in South Africa

ItReal

ng in everyone’s reach

But now 3D printing allows for just that – creating real, tangible items using a technology that is moving ahead in leaps and bounds.

But what is the state of this technology here in South Africa, particularly in terms of consumer use? This is one of the thing we asked Natalee Robertson, the product manager for MakerBot at Rectron South Africa, when we spoke to her about MakerBot and how the brand is putting 3D printing within everyone’s reach.

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GM: 3D printing is still a relatively new concept, but one that is quickly gaining traction in the market. What is the global situation with 3D printing at present?

NR: The last few years have seen the rise of 3D printing as the technology has developed.

However, what has been lacking is an understanding of just how useful this technology can be. That said, there is a lot more evidence across a number of markets and verticals that 3D printing is a smart investment, especially as people begin to understand the technology, new players are entering the game, support is increasing and real innovation is beginning to take place across industries. As global, and local, recognition increases, it makes sense that there are several new players entering the 3D printing game. While it is still a difficult market to break into, the established players, like MakerBot, are investing a lot in their own research and development, which is helping to move things forward by growing support for the industry and resulting in the addition of new composite materials to the mix. 3D printing is quickly becoming a discussion within every industry on every level. This is the beginning of a new era where those who don’t become part of the pioneers wont realise the benefits it affords until much later. Staying ahead of the “game” is vital to anyone’s success.

GM: How does the South African market compare to the global situation?

NR: Well, as with most new technologies becoming available worldwide, it takes some time before reaching the South African market as we are naturally a few years behind first adopter countries. However, as soon as new technologies hit our shores we are seeing a steady adoption rate from technology enthusiasts who immediately buy into the technology and everyday users once they have become familiar with the technology. We have seen some great interest from the education,

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manufacturing, engineering and small home industry markets for example.

3D printing is still in its infancy in South Africa and it is great to work in a market where there is a lot of interest in the product and where the sky is the limit.

GM: How does MakerBot fit into things locally?

NR: MakerBot provides an affordability factor which is critical within the South African market.

This provides our end consumer with the satisfaction of a) having a high quality product providing a solution, affordable operational costs, and national support on warranty and technical services,.

GM: Is 3D printing a more industrial concept, or does it have a place in the home environment too?

NR: It most definitely has a place in the home environment as well, especially as people become more comfortable and confident with the technology. The way we use technology is ever evolving and it is changing the way we interact with our environments. Through 3D printing users will be able to print everyday objects they use in their house at home, or their own designs.

3D printing is not just relevant for industrial or home environments.

We are also seeing the potential of 3D printing in industries such as healthcare and education. For example, when looking at education the big benefit of 3D printing is that it enables a hands-on learning environment. Students can not only interact with the technology, but are now also able to physically see the objects they are learning about – be it colours, shapes, textures, technical drawings or things like a human skeleton. The opportunities are truly endless.

GM: What are the most common applications you’re seeing for MakerBot products at the moment in South Africa?

NR: We are currently seeing the application of 3D printing technology in various sectors: • The education sector is quickly grasping the value behind

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introducing3D printers in classrooms • Engineers and tool makers are thrilled that they can keep their costs down by managing their processes within their own company, saving time and money.

• 3D printing is also impacting design sectors like architecture where architects are now able to provide their customers with a full 3D model of the design ahead of construction.

• The medical industry is showing keen interest in the technology due to the possibilities this provides them.

GM: What kind of support and after-sales service is available to MakerBot owners in South Africa?

NR: We are fully committed to offering national support on all levels for MakerBot in order to ensure that the customer gets the maximum value out of this innovative technology. We provide onsite installation and entry level training, as well as telephonic and mail support where necessary. We are also training resellers so that they are able to engage with end users on a technical level.

GM: Which MakerBot products are available locally? Is there something for everyone?

NR: We distribute a range of MakerBot printers ensuring that there is something for everyone.

We currently distribute the awardwinning MakerBot Replicator Desktop 3D Printer, the MakerBot Replicator Mini Compact 3D Printer, and the MakerBot Replicator Z18 3D Printer with its massive build volume and the best price/ performance in the extra-large professional 3D printer category.

MakerBot Replicator 3D Printers are powered by the user-friendly MakerBot Replicator 3D Printing Platform, which offers an on-board camera, plug and play features, appand cloud-enabled workflow, and available Wi-Fi connectivity. We also distribute the MakerBot Replicator 2X Experimental 3D Printer, the MakerBot Digitizer Desktop 3D

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Scanner, and MakerBot Filaments and accessories.

GM: How do you see 3D printing changing lives for those that bring a printer into their home?

NR: Imagine a world where you don’t have to buy replacement parts for your car or home appliance – you can just print your own. Picture having the most creative and innovative idea of your life and having the tools and technology at your fingertips to be able to bring it to life. It also affords children to learn about innovative technology which is safe enough to use within their own homes, of course, with adult supervision. Small businesses that typically operate from their homes suddenly have the opportunity to broaden their service offering within their current business. This is the reality of 3D printing and the return on investment is easily achieved.

GM: What about legalities like copyright protection? Are there steps being taken to address these kinds of issues, in relation to 3D printing, here in South Africa?

NR: As far as I know, due to 3D printing still being in its infancy state, it’s too soon for any kind of regulation in terms of who can copy designs and hardware. MakerBot have patented and copyrighted their products for their own protection, however there are already mimic machines in market available for purchase. Being a leader in the industry this is to be expected.

GM: Who would benefit from using a 3D printer, outside of industrial applications?

NR: Currently, the user base largely comes from professional industries with a design focus, such as engineering and architecture, with the biggest print categories being scale model, prototype and art/fashion creation. There is also significant adoption among hobbyists.

The opportunities to use 3D printing are endless, and some areas where it has the potential to make a notable impact include: • Food: Nasa is one of the

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biggest advocates for printed food, because of the logistics involved in feeding astronauts on long-term space travels. They are particularly excited about being able to eat printed pizza on their journeys.

• Surgery: Creating artificial body parts is another great use for 3D printing in the healthcare industry.

Not only would it speed up the process for patients’ urgently needing surgery, but it would also give doctors in training the opportunity to practice on life-like models to hone their skills.

• Education: Schools are still in the early stages of adopting 3D printing technology, but its potential in the education space is massive. It can provide teachers with 3D visual aids to illustrate difficult concepts and capture students’ attention, and it can make the classroom more interactive as students can work in a hands-on manner with 3D models and even create their own mini-models.

GM: How do you see the South African market for 3D printers evolving in the near future?

NR: We will definitely see year on year growth for 3D printing as it is something that can add value to almost every industry in one way or another i.e. cost saving and hands on management. Generally speeds and quality will increase; we already see this with every firmware update from MakerBot. We will also see a wide range of different materials (e.g. metals, wood) which are already used on high-end commercial devices, being successfully used on desktop devices. MakerBot is well geared up for this with its unique Smart Extruder, a user swappable extruder which opens up a wealth of possibilities GM: What are the biggest challenges facing the 3D printer market in South Africa?

NR: I would have to say one of the biggest obstacles at the moment is the lack of awareness and education regarding the vast possibilities of 3D printing. Nothing new comes without a few stumbling blocks and one of the main ones for 3D printing

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has been navigating CAD software, which is targeted at engineers. In 2015, however, many companies are coming up with solutions for this, either in the form of better services or by incorporating scanners into their offerings, which means that any design can be uploaded to a desktop 3D printer. It is also difficult to break through some of the misconceptions people have regarding the technology i.e. that it is unaffordable.

GM: What makes MakerBot a viable option for South African businesses and consumers?

NR: Its international recognition coupled with local support, full product offering and ease of access to the range ensures a positive experience with the brand itself.

MakerBot have not evolved from traditional printing but rather developed and manufactured 3D printing as their core business, putting them ahead of the rest in the industry. This promotes confidence as they are specialist and renowned for quality output on their machines, as well as the builds they create.

MakerBot is undoubtedly a premium brand and leader in terms of desktop 3D printing.

GM: As technology evolves and prices inevitably decrease, how do you see 3D printing changing industries traditionally based on factory level manufacturing? In other words, what does it mean for industries when more and more people start bringing 3D printers into their homes?

NR: It’s difficult to determine what will happen to the price in terms of 3D printing, as it is still a fairly new product to the market.

Through awareness and market education, it is creating opportunities for all 3D printing brands to build awareness among the public that they have access to this incredible technology. As the demand increases we are likely to see the price come down, however I don’t believe it’s all about pricing but rather quality of investment and whether the 3D printer purchased provides the correct solution. g

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Naga Epic

The master, untied…

Razer

H C EW E T VI E R

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TECHNOLOGY

azer’s move towards the Chroma range is about more than just adding extreme colour control to their existing devices.

While this certainly is a strong factor for Chroma, there are also new elements added to existing devices and device ranges.

With that said, the changes to the Naga Epic Chroma Gaming Mouse are more on the subtle side. Still, if you’re an avid MMORPG player – or another type of gamer who needs as many macros at you beck and call as possible – the Naga Epic Chroma is most certainly something to look at more closely.

Although many gamers prefer their mouse still securely tethered to a cable, the Epic

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b w o b f W t o g g

Razer Naga Epic Chroma Gaming Mouse

Powering the Naga Epic Chroma is a powerful 8200 dpi sensor that is as sensitive as even the pickiest of players could want, and thanks to Razer Synapse 2.0 support, sensitivity settings are easily handled.

1000Hz ultrapolling and 50g acceleration go further to make this mouse super-sensitive – even going beyond what would commonly be required.

And then, of course, there is the Chroma aspect of the mouse.

Once again using the Synapse 2.0 software suit, the user can define the colour and colour patterns that the mouse displays when it is powered up, for the high degree of customisation that defines the Chroma range.

When all is said and done, the Naga Epic Chroma speaks

to a very specific sector of the market. It delivers a massive degree of control, but it may be more than the average gamer requires, unless they tend towards macro-heavy gaming like MMORPGs or RTS titles. And even then, the 19 programmable buttons that the Naga Epic Chroma offers is very high, particularly if it is used in conjunction with a macroenabled keyboard. It features a better button placement over the non-Chroma version, and the tiltable scroll wheel is also a new addition. It is obviously a non-ambedextrous mouse, which is problematic for left-handed users, but for right handed gamers who like the idea of ultimate mouse control, it is a very good bet. g

by Walt Pretorius

Chroma is wireless, and uses gaming-grade wireless technology to deliver a surprising smooth experience. With a battery life that lasts up to 20 hours and a stylish, secure dock for recharging, it manages to effectively cut down on tabletop cable clutter. The cable can also be directly connected to the mouse if needed, which always helps in a battery-power pinch.

Aside from the left and right buttons, and the tiltable scroll wheel, the Naga Epic Chroma offers a bank of 12 additional buttons, arrayed in a grid formation for easy thumb access.

Well, most of them, anyway – the three buttons at the back of the grid are pretty difficult to get to, and require a little thumb gymnastics to be used properly.

Gaming Mouse

AT A GLANCE: Summary

It’s a great gaming mouse, even if hold appeal for a niche market.

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

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Tech Specs: • • • • • • •

19 programmable buttons 8200 dpi Gaming grade wireless Charging dock 20 hour battery life Synapse 2.0 compatible

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Dell

H C EW E T VI E R

Latitude Staying easily portable

TECHNOLOGY

T

he shine has worn off of the ultrabook market just a little, with concentration for the latest flavour of the week having moved off in other directions. That does not mean, though, that ultrabooks aren’t being produced, and that they don’t form an important part of the diverse and complex ecosystem that is personal computing. But you’re still not going to play many games on them.

Interestingly, when the ultrabook concept was first introduced, certain requirements had to be met in order to qualify for the classification – but those criteria, while they were somewhat cutting edge when first implemented, have become less impressive.

Perhaps it is time for the classification to be updated.

Dell’s Latitude E7240 is a great example of an ultrabook that has evolved to continue meeting the needs of an ever-demanding market. It is small, light

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and very capable, all things considered. At just a touch over a kilogram in weight, this device won’t break your back, making it a wonderfully portable PC with enough power to provide what you need, at least in terms of work and staying in touch, surfing the web and so forth.

Armed with an Intel HD 4400 Graphics chipset, it’s not going to play The Witcher 3. Or any other really demanding game, for that matter. But this kind of device was never intended for gaming, so there’s no real foul there.

At its heart is a capable 2GHz Intel CPU, supported by a slightly average 4GB of DDR3 RAM. Storage is provided by a quick 256GB SSD, while three USB 2.0 ports and an integrated SD card reader allow for expansion on that front.

Like all ultrabooks, the compact nature of this device means no optical drive, so anything you need to install

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Dell Latitude E7240 Ultrabook

Ultrabook

by Rob Edwards

or add to the system needs to come via a network of some sorts. The Latitude E7240 supports both Wi-Fi and LAN connection, and provided your data cap is high enough, you shouldn’t have too many hassles setting it up the way you like it.

The compact keyboard features slightly raised, chicklet style keys, and the 12 inch screen comes a an optional touch sensitive device.

If used in the spirit that it is intended (as with any ultrabook) the Latitude E7240 will serve its user perfectly well. It is a responsive machine when all is said and done, and although it is bound by certain limitations (which are the results of the requirements that were put in place for the ultrabook classification to be earned) it certainly gets the job done. It may not be the most powerful notebook around, but it certainly does perform well within its category. g

AT A GLANCE: Summary

While the shine may have worn off of ultrabooks just a little, Dell’s Latitude E7240 still does a good job of getting the job done.

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

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Tech Specs: • • • • • • •

2GHz CPU 4GB RAM 256GB SSD 12 inch screen 3 USB 2.0 ports Wi-Fi LAN

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ASRock

H C EW E T VI E R

Fatal ty Z97 Performance the way you like it…

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TECHNOLOGY

ith so many choices out there in terms of motherboards, it gets tricky to make the right decisions.

Sure, you may well know which chipset you’re after, but the wide variety of features and extras can get somewhat intimidating. Particularly when you consider the facts that a motherboard is the allimportant backbone of your computer, and their pricing can vary widely. Sometimes making the most cost-effective choice may not be the right way to go, while the other direction may leave you with a whole bunch of features that you won’t ever use. What’s important is knowing what is out there, and basing your decision on what you require.

ASRock makes a wide variety of motherboards. For those that want good gaming capabilities at a very decent price, there is the Fatal1ty Z97 Killer board.

It not only looks impressive, with its black PCB and striking red accents on heatsinks and expansion ports, but it offers enough features to be above par, and offers reliable performance to boot.

Sporting the titular Z97 chipset, this board makes use of Killer E2200 networking, which prioritises gaming traffic, leading to less lag both locally and online. In addition, performance (and longevity) are enhanced by numerous other ideas and technologies.

For example, PCIe expansion ports and RAM DIMM slots make use of gold contacts, which allow more efficient data flow and better protection against oxidation.

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Premium alloy chokes increase stability and efficiency, while platinum caps provide an extended lifespan and NexFET MOSFETS provide higher efficiency at lower temperatures. CPU power is supplied via high-density connectors, which cut both power loss and pin header temperature, while the extra large heat sinks cut down on overall board component temperature, Other features include Purity Audio 2, which makes use of components like Fine Gold audio caps for improved 7.1 audio delivery, and F-Stream software, which allows the user to perform a myriad of tasks, including easy and safe overclocking, mouse polling rate adjustments and more.

The mouse and keyboard are enhanced through Key Master, which enables the recording of customisable macros, sniper modes, setting of key repeat rates and repeat delays… on any input devices.

And then there is the ASRock App Shop, which allows even more utilities and tweaks to be downloaded, as the user requires.

Instead of lumping a ton of (particularly software) features on this board, ASRock have supplied a device that allows the user to determine much of their own experience – even in the realms of peripheral performance. That makes for a great approach, and one that allows those willing to put the effort in to tweak to their hearts content. Even those that aren’t will still be using a reliable, high-performance motherboard if they choose to go with this one. g

ASRock Fatal1ty Z97 Killer Motherboard

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Motherboard

by Walt Pretorius

AT A GLANCE: Summary

This is a reliable motherboard that offers great performance, without the clutter of unwanted or unneeded software tweaks… unless you want them.

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

Tech Specs: • • • • • • •

Z97 chipset 6 USB 3.0 ports 8 USB 2.0 ports Platinum CAPs Purity Sound 2 technology Killer E2200 LAN

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Max700W Reliably Quiet

TECHNOLOGY

HuntKey

H C EW E T VI E R

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HuntKey Max700W APFC Power Supply Unit

Power Supply Unit

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by Alex Scanlon

he sad truth is that not everyone can afford the biggest and best components for their PC. Sometimes we have to make compromises, creating a careful balance within the PC case, rather than being able to fling tons of money at components.

One component where there is a bit of wiggle room is the power supply. In the past we have often mentioned the importance of a good power supply and this still holds true. But some of the bells and whistles that more expensive power supplies offer can be done without. The most important aspect here is the power output rating, and that this will be sufficient to run the system you’re putting together.

So if you can make a compromise on some of the fancier considerations, like modular PSU systems, you can save some cash while getting a decent, reliable power supply unit. You may just have to work a little more cleverly with wiring the inside of your case to ensure optimal air-flow.

That’s the case with the HuntKey Max700W APFC Power Supply. It provides a solid stream of power, with a maximum rating of 700W, at the level one would expect from the brand. However, it is not a modular PSU, which means that all the wires it can offer are already attached, and cannot be removed to improve the clutter inside the PC case. That’s not necessarily a train smash if you’re going to take the time to really neaten things up. However, it will require more work, because instead of just leaving extraneous connectors out of the mix completely, you’re going to have to stash them in this case.

By using an active PFC, the HuntKey Max700W APFC delivers smooth power with reduced loss, while two MOS tubes help to reduce power consumption associated with component switching.

Also, the HuntKey Max700W APFC has an integrated intelligent fan control system, which helps minimise fan noise and also reduces power consumption to a degree.

While a modular PSU is always the best option, it isn’t always a financially viable route to follow.

Many consumers will then simply resort to a “noname-brand” power supply, purely because they do not look past the modular issue. However, putting a name brand PSU inside the case – even if it isn’t modular and doesn’t have all the bells and whistles – is often a better bet, purely based on ideas like track record and brand performance. And that’s where this HuntKey Max700W APFC comes into the picture quite nicely. It may not be the perfect solution, but it certainly is a reliable bet for those who need to keep things simpler in financial terms. g

AT A GLANCE: Summary

It might not be as ideal as a modular PSU, but this device fills an important gap for the PC building market.

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H unt Ke y T V R Co mput e rs w w w . t v r. c o . z a

Tech Specs: • • • • • • •

700W max rating Active PFC Two MOS tubes Intelligent fan control

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Cooler Master

Mouse Pad

Bigger is almost always better

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ver run into the problem of a mouse pad being just that little bit too small? Of course you have. But you certainly won’t if you invest in a Cooler Master CM Storm Swift-RX XL. Not a chance.

The mouse pad measures a massive 360mm by 900mm.

It’s so big, your keyboard will help hold it down. Not that it needs to; the Swift-RX comes with a natural rubber base mat designed to keep it in place.

And the mouse surface is a low friction synthetic fabric that works perfectly with optical and laser mouse devices. In addition, the synthetic fibre allows for a degree of airflow which, when combined with the Swift-RX’s 3mm thickness, makes for a very comfortable experience.

On top of that, the edges of the pad are stitched to help prevent fraying and splitting, which is always a problem with fabric mouse pads.

The Swift-RX range also comes in various (smaller) sizes. g

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AT A GLANCE:

by Walt Pretorius TECHNOLOGY

M Storm

SUMMARY This massive mouse pad provides a reliable, durable and comfortable surface to game and work on.

mgeect 2 c7a 7 2 ggl a ad

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84 Manufacturer: Cooler Master Distributer: Cooler Master www.coolermaster.com

TECH SPECS • • • • • • •

360 x 900 x 3 Synthetic fabric surface Natural rubber base Stitched edging Non-slip

Cooler Master CM Storm Swift-RX XL Mouse Pad

H C EW E T VI E R

Genius GX Gaming

H C EW E T VI E R

TECHNOLOGY

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Maurus Any hand will do

eft handed users are generally left out in the cold when it comes to mouse devices.

Their options are few and far between, and most gaming mice are aimed securely at right handed users. That means either train your hands to work differently, or search for a mouse that is either left-handed (a tough one) or ambidextrous (much easier).

Genius’ GX Gaming line offers an ambidextrous option in the form of the Maurus X, and it’s a very good bet overall.

The striking, symmetrical design of the Maurus X would look great on any gamer’s desk (or makeshift LAN gaming surface) and it offers a comfortable experience for all grip types. It featured generous base wings to support the thumb and little finger, with buttons built in just above. The main buttons are contoured for comfort, too, and the scroll wheel

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is set a little higher, making it easy to get to. The sides of the mouse have grip areas, too, which helps in tense situations.

The two side buttons are a little odd; it’s easy to get to the thumb button, but the one on the… let’s call it off-side… can prove a challenge. Still, the buttons are generously sized and easy to find.

In terms of weight, the Maurus X is a little heavier than other mouse devices, thanks to a built-in extra 50g of weight. This cannot be adjusted, unfortunately, but the overall weight of the Maurus X is rather comfortable. It’s a great length as well, which will help those that use a palm grip, and its wider rear makes for an easy, relaxed mousing experience.

The Maurus X comes with five dpi presets (800, 1600, 2400, 3200 and 4000 dpi) although these can be adjusted in the accompanying software. Dpi presets can be adjusted with a button press, or with

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Genius GX Gaming Maurus X Gaming Mouse

ming Mouse

by Walt Pretorius

the scroll wheel (which is handy if you need to zoom through them). The highest rating of 4000 dpi may not appeal to some (and the overall range may not be broad enough for those same folks) but most will find the 4000 dpi sensitive enough for their needs.

Additionally, the software can handle 30 macros in five game profiles, with on-board memory to assist with storage and performance. Various other adjustments to thing like polling rate and click speed can also be made via the software.

The Maurus X is a good bet for those that want a comfortable and reliable gaming device. It is a little shy on buttons, but other features mitigate that, making it a very capable all-round gaming mouse.

And the bonus of being ambidextrous cannot be stated enough – it’s a great thing to see left-handed folks also being able to enjoy the benefits of a great gaming device. g

AT A GLANCE: Summary

It’s great to see a decent, reliable gaming mouse in an ambidextrous design.

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Tech Specs: • • • • • • •

6 button mouse 800 – 4000 dpi 1.8m braided cable Onboard memory Ambidextrous

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Imperator The master, untied…

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here seems to be a fairly strong swing among peripheral manufacturers towards keeping things neat, tidy and simple. Also, moving to a simpler product means better price points, which translates to more potential sales. This seems particularly true of gaming keyboards these days, with manufacturers moving away from complex bells-andwhistles, opting for simpler, less intimidating devices.

After all, how many macros keys do you really need (if you’re not playing an MMORPG)?

According to Genius GX Gaming, that number is six. That’s how many macro keys are featured on their Imperator keyboard. Of course, if you multiply that number by the three profiles that the keyboard supports, you’re closer to eighteen, but it does tend to keep thing simpler. That doesn’t mean that the keyboard is any less capable, of course… it just means that it is cleaner.

That cleanliness extends into the design, too; the Imperator isn’t full of fancy lights and whirlygigs. It is a straight forward device, without elements light backlighting. While this may put it on a back foot, it doesn’t take away from things like the fact that it features a USB 2.0 interface with a 1 millisecond response time, or that it features on-board memory and a gold-plated connector for improved communication

TECHNOLOGY

Genius GX Gaming

H C EW E T VI E R

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Genius GX Gaming Imperator Gaming Keyboard

aming Keyboard

by Walt Pretorius

with the PC it is connected to.

Many of the design principles that went into the Imperator are all about comfort and ease of use. It is a full sized keyboard, with generously spaced keys that are quite convex, preventing easy straying. Its multimedia and profile keys are sensibly positioned, easy to get to without being obtrusive. The keys travel 3.8mm, which is a comfortable distance; small enough to not require extra effort, yet large enough to allow a tactile acknowledgement of each keystroke. And to top off the comfort stakes, it features an integrated wrist rest and positionable feet for angle variation. The keys are also relatively quiet, which is a nice change from the fashionable clicky keys that are so common these days.

Everything about the Imperator says sensible, but this may do the device more harm than good. While a lot of the flashiness of other keyboards may be unnecessary, it is something that gamers look for. Bling is a pretty big idea in gaming, and the Imperator, even though it is a great performer and a very reliable keyboard, lacks the degree of bling that many of its competitors feature.

It does, however, mean a better price, and those who want a reliable input device that won’t break the bank can rest assured that the Imperator will give them everything they need in a keyboard, even if it is a bit shy on the things that they want. g

AT A GLANCE: Summary

This is a stripped down gaming keyboard, but despite its lack of bling it still gets the job done rather nicely.

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

Tech Specs: • • • • • • •

6 macro keys 3 profiles USB 2.0 1ms response time 3.8mm key travel

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Dell

H C EW E T VI E R

Latitude Rugge A rugged performer

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TECHNOLOGY

aking a notebook everywhere with you is part of the point of having a notebook.

But there are certain places that simply aren’t technology friendly. Dust, sand and liquids can quickly put paid to a notebook, as can hard knocks and extremes in temperature.

Unless, of course, that notebook is a Dell Latitude Rugged Extreme. And thanks to its varied options in terms of numerous components, you can even set up a fairly decent gaming machine with it… in case you need to get some down-time relaxation in even the most extreme conditions.

Even the screen is built for all kinds of conditions.

The resistant 14 inch display is resistant to dirt and grime, and can be used with or without gloves.

The Dell Latitude Rugged Extreme looks like something out of a spy thriller. The entire system is built into a rugged case, complete with a lid latch to keep it from falling open, and a handle. It’s very covert-ops in appearance, with hard lines and a toughlooking matt black finish.

And thanks to integrated security options like finger print readers and advanced authentication, you probably could use it for something more sensitive than surfing the web.

Control comes by way of a backlit keyboard (with a stealth button that switches off all lights and sounds) with a rubberised option

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also available. In addition, it has a resistant touch pad and a stylus that slips into the outer casing and is kept safe with a cord.

All of the Dell Latitude Rugged Extreme’s ports are hidden behind secured panels. Once opened, these latched panels reveal two USB 3.0 and two USB 2.0 ports, as well as two LAN ports, dual VGA outputs, and HDMI output, SD card reader, optical drive and audio ports. Other panels allow easy access to the battery and SSD. The Dell Latitude Rugged Extreme is well named – it can stand up to virtually anything you throw at it, and is almost fully configurable at purchase. It’s battery last up to around 10 hours, and it even comes with a quick release shoulder strap – making it a notebook and case all in one. But this ruggedness comes at a price; the unit starts at a weight of around 3.5 kilograms. It’s tough and versatile, but it is also heavy.

The Dell Latitude Rugged Extreme is not a notebook that everyone is going to need. Those who opt for it will either need all those protections, or they will want it because of its unusual appearance, which is sure to raise a few eyebrows and questions. Either way, the Dell Latitude Rugged Extreme is an extremely tough, very capable notebook that is built to last. g gamecca72

Notebook

Summary It’s tough as nails, very secure and a great performer… perfect for outdoorsmen, secret agents and those who want bragging rights earned from an awesome machine.

Tech Specs: • • • • • • •

Intel Lynx chipset Optional GT 720M GPU 14 inch display Fingerprint security Fluid, dust and sand resistant

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by Rob Edwards

AT A GLANCE:

Dell Latitude Rugged Extreme Notebook

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Decus Flying first-class

TECHNOLOGY

Speedlink

H C EW E T VI E R

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Gaming Mouse

Speedlink Decus Gaming Mouse

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by Walt Pretorius

nyone who does a lot of PC gaming will tell you, right off the bat, that there is no such thing as “just a gaming mouse”. Sure, there are varying degrees of sensitivity, massive variations in configurations and all that kind of stuff, but the very personal nature of mouse choice means that there is no such thing and a mouse that will do. It needs to be just right for the person using it, in accordance to their grip and play styles. And it needs to be comfortable.

For those that prefer a flatter grip, with their palm resting on the mouse, Speedlink have a rather remarkable product in the form of the Decus Gaming Mouse. And at the top of the list of its features is the superb level of comfort it offers.

This comfort stems principally from its shaping.

It’s a long mouse, meaning that the palm rests comfortably on the back of it. Its buttons are also “grippy”, with generous indentation keeping the users fingers in the best position. There is a support under the thumb as well, with two thumb buttons just above it (as well as another button just outside of the primary left button, should you need it). But best of all – and call me weird if you like – are the supports for the generally forgotten ring and little fingers. The hand rests so comfortably on the Decus that it’s almost like slipping into your favourite pair of comfortable slippers – if those slippers have customisable lighting, of course.

The design obviously leads to striking good looks, and the Decus is finished in black and deep red. The look extends into the braided cable, too.

The seven programmable buttons are complemented by a dpi sensor that ranges from 400 to 5000 dpi. It’s not the most sensitive sensor around, but it doesn’t suffer from overkill either, and should serve most gamers perfectly well.

The Decus supports five programmable profiles, and comes with a 128kb internal memory for storing that data, meaning that the profiles go wherever you do. In addition, profiles are autoloaded when used in conjunction with the included control software, which will also allow for macro recording and a whole bunch more.

Speedlink’s Decus is a mouse that you might overlook in a market cluttered with brand names that make a lot of noise, but it is a true gem that is worth seeking out. It manages to combine great performance with exceptional comfort. In fact, the only real problem here is that it isn’t an ambidextrous mouse, but if it was all those comfort aspects would not have been possible.

This mouse is a winner, without a doubt, and an option well worth investigating. g

AT A GLANCE: Summary

This is one of the most comfortable mouse devices around (for “palmers”) and it comes with a great degree of performance, too.

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S pe e dl i nk S ynt e c h w w w . s ynt e c h. c o . z a

Tech Specs: • • • • • • •

400 – 5000 dpi 7 programmable buttons 128kb onboard memory 5 profiles supported Adjustable USB polling rate 1.8m braided cable

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Seasonic

H C EW E T VI E R

M12 II Bronze Smooth and steady

TECHNOLOGY

W

hen purchasing a power supply unit for your PC, the first and most important consideration is that it needs to get enough power to your various components.

The more components, the more power is required. It’s an obvious thing, really, and something that most people intent on building a PC are well aware of.

But there are other considerations that also need to come into play. Is the power that the PSU is going to supply steady? Will the PSU be affected by line loss and power distortion? Is the PSU efficient? Will it be noisy? Will it generate a large amount of heat?

All of these and more are important things to think about when building a PC system – particularly a highperformance system, which will more often than not demand a lot of clean power and will generate heat without the PSU adding to it.

A smartly-built PSU will take all of these things, and more, into account. And Seasonic know about building PSUs smartly. Like their M12 II Bronze Evo Edition PSU (of which we saw the 620W variety). By implementing clever design with excellent grade components, Seasonic offer a stable, reliable and long-lived PSU in the M12 II Bronze Evo. Aluminium Electrolytic Capacitors help increase its lifespan, while elements including active power factor correction and gold plated

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terminals ensure the smooth, clean delivery of power to every component.

A honeycomb out structure, combined with intelligent thermal control for the fan (which is 120mm in diameter and armed with long lasting fluid dynamic bearings) help the PSU stay cool, and quiet.

The intelligent system varies the fan speed so that high rotation (which results in the most noise) is only used when necessary. This also helps the system stay cooler overall.

Further overall system cooling is aided by the modular nature of the M12 II Bronze Evo, which lets the user insert only the required cables, cutting down on case clutter and generally improving air flow.

The M12 II Bronze Evo offers a large number of 12V outputs, meaning there won’t be a lack of steady power to all components, and supports six and eight pin GPU connectors. In addition, the universal AC input system means that the PSU intelligently scales input power, without the need for the user to check settings.

Equally important are the protections that the M12 II Bronze Evo has on offer; over power, over voltage, short circuit and under voltage protection systems all help not only keep the PSU safe, but also your entire system.

With so many features, plus it’s modular design, the M12 II Bronze Evo is a great choice for those wanting to make a considered and careful decision about purchasing a PSU. g gamecca72

NAME OF M12 Seasonic THE PRODUCT II Bronze Evo Edition 620W Power Supply Unit

620W Power Supply Unit

by Alex Scanlon

AT A GLANCE: Summary

This Seasonic PSU is a smart choice for those who want to take advantage of smart PSU implementation.

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S e a s o ni c S ynt e c h w w w . s ynt e c h. c o . z a

Tech Specs: • • • • • • •

620W Modular Intelligent fan control Universal AC input Gold plated terminals APFC

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Acer

H C EW E T VI E R

Aspire

TECHNOLOGY

The best of both worlds‌

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Acer Aspire Switch 12 Tablet Hybrid

Tablet Hybrid

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used in a display position, or in a flatter “tent” position, thanks to an integrated, foldable stand (which also houses the keyboard interface points). For transportation, the keyboard folds in (via that stand) behind the tablet. It would have been great to see a foldable position that covered the screen for extra protection, but the Gorilla Glass screen is pretty durable.

What the Switch 12 ultimately brings to the table is versatility. Even though some of its specification – particularly storage – don’t compare well against notebooks, it serves as a very powerful, very capable tablet. And a single USB 2.0 port and microSD port mean that storage can be expanded relatively easily.

But still, comparing this device to notebook and tablets isn’t really fair – it falls into an entirely new category.

The keyboard is pretty compact, and “mouse” control is either via the old-fashioned control stick worked in between some of the keys, or via the touch screen. This configuration may not work for everyone, but it does result in the Switch 12 remaining rather compact, with the main size determination coming from the generous screen size.

The Switch 12 is smart and versatile, and offers a lot in terms of performance. It might not be a gaming machine (unless you keep your gaming light) but it serves as a great “on the go” option. g

by Rob Edwards

he hybridisation of notebooks and tablets is something that keeps getting explored further and further, resulting in devices that are multifunctional, versatile and surprisingly powerful. But these devices need to be considered for what they are – they tread a middle ground that leaves them as very powerful for tablets, and decidedly underpowered for notebooks. It is not really fair, then, to draw strict comparisons to either category, but rather to treat these hybrids as their own class of creature.

That’s how we approached the Acer Aspire Switch 12. As a hybrid computing device, it certainly has a lot on offer. It is powered by a processor that delivers up to 2GHz of processing power, supported by a chunky 4GB of DDR3 RAM. Storage is provided by a 60GB SSD, and graphics are delivered to the 12.5 inch multitouch screen by way of an Intel HD Graphics 5300 chipset. The screen offers full HD resolution, for crisp and clear images. Communication with networks takes place via wireless LAN, while the device also offers Bluetooth functionality.

But what makes this unit really special is the way in which it can be used. Thanks to a removable keyboard and variable attachment points, the Switch 12 can serve as a notebook, a tablet, and a “desktop” (which is basically the notebook configuration with the keyboard unattached). The tablet section can also be

AT A GLANCE: Summary

It serves as a great bridge between the worlds of tablets and notebooks, and brings tons of versatility to the table.

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Tech Specs: • • • • • • •

2GHz CPU 4GB RAM 60GB SSD 12.5 inch screen Multitouch Removable keyboard

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TECHNOLOGY

Cooler Master

H C EW E T VI E R

120

CM Storm

Dynamite and Small Packages

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hen you think about earphones or a headset for gaming, the mind almost immediately jumps to a fairly bulky affair that has a boom mic, maybe some lights, a head band and preferably over-ear cups. That’s because we like big drivers (the industryspeak for the actual internal speakers) and the high level of sound quality that they deliver.

Every once in a while, though – and it is pretty rare – smaller drivers do the job almost as well. In-ear headphones might not pack the overall punch that their bigger counterparts can, but they certainly have a place, and a good set of ear-buds can serve just as well. Cooler Master’s CM Storm Pitch Pro Gaming Earphones fall into this category.

What really sets the Pitch Pro apart is the extreme versatility that it brings to the table. Armed with a single 3.5mm jack for both sound and chat, the Pitch Pro works as a great companion with mobile phones and smart devices, thanks to an in-line volume control that also houses a microphone. Plug it into the supplied splitter, and it interfaces with devices that require separate jacks for audio and chat, like a PC. And it even comes with an airplane adapter, so that you can use it while travelling (without wondering if they ever actually do sterilise those lacklustre airline

headsets). Everything tucks into a neat carry pouch, and those with ears that are… not average… can make use of the three different sizes of tips to find the best fit.

The durable metal construction of this headset is matched by a sensible flat cable, which puts paid to those tangles that often occur with this kind of headphone. And they’re finished in a stylish gun-metal and metallic red, emblazoned with a white CM storm logo.

In all, they look great, they’re versatile and they are easy to transport hassle-free.

When it comes to sound, the Pitch Pro are very good – given their nature. One must remember that the drivers in these are only around 10mm, which means that the potential frequency response is lower than that provided by bigger drivers.

With that said, the Pitch Pro is no slouch when it comes to clear audio. They’re a little light on the bass, but not so much so to become tinny, and when used with good quality audio equipment (pretty much anything around these days, really) the lack of lower tones is almost unnoticeable.

Their biggest strength, though, lies in the fact that they can work – and do work – with virtually anything that delivers audio via a 3.5mm jack. They transition smoothly between activities like online gaming (with chat) to listening to music on an iPod, to making phone calls. Versatility is always an awesome plus. g

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Cooler Master CM Storm Pitch Pro Gaming Earphones

Gaming Earphones

Summary This very versatile headset will be your entertainment, gaming and even travelling companion, hassle free.

Tech Specs: • • • • • • •

10mm drivers 3.5mm jack Mic / audio splitter Airplane adapter Flat cable Carry case included

Manufacturer: Cooler Master Distributer: Cooler Master www.coolermaster.com

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by Alex Scanlon

AT A GLANCE:

Logitech

H C EW E T VI E R

G302 No frills

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TECHNOLOGY

ou get the idea that a gaming genre has arrived when hardware is specifically designed for it. We saw it with MMORPGs (what with numerous mouse devices aimed at the market) and now we’re starting to see it with MOBA. Logitech’s G302 Daedalus Prime mouse is described as a MOBA mouse, but it’s a little difficult to see the distinction between a MOBA mouse (at least in this case) and any other gaming mouse. When it came to MMORPG devices, it was easy, because they had more buttons than you could shake a stick at. But the Daedalus Prime has, on the surface, no special features that set it apart from another gaming mouse.

Not that this makes the Daedalus Prime a bad mouse, per se. It just doesn’t seem to earn a “MOBA” qualifier. The sleek, light and fairly skinny Daedalus prime offers the standard two buttons and scroll wheel, as well as two thumb accessible buttons on the left hand side of the mouse. Yes, once again, lefties are left out in the cold by this device, which is aimed securely at right handed users.

At its heart is a sensor that offers a DPI range from 240 through to 4000 DPI. That’s not a particularly high number, but one could argue that sensitivity beyond a certain

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point gets a little into the realms of overkill. As it stands, this light-weight corded mouse does a fine job, provided you don’t find its narrow structure uncomfortable.

Using the mouse feels good, thanks in part to a metal spring tension system, which not only improved click response, but gives the two main buttons a nice tactile response, too. The problem here, though, is not one of performance or feel; rather, it is one that shows that Logitech is once again still trying to find its feet in a market where other, more innovative brands are becoming more dominant.

The Daedalus Prime is a decent mouse, but it doesn’t feel like it brings a lot more to the party. It’s got good looks and solid performance, but it lacks a certain “wow” factor that one sees in other devices.

It feels, in short, a little run-of-the-mill.

That said, it does have pro gamer endorsement, and it is built to last as well. It feels comfortable under the hand, and delivers the goods in all the ways that count.

That leads one to wonder whether all the bells and whistles we see on other devices really are necessary in the long run… this plainer, simpler mouse gets the job done well, without the need for too much extra. But its simple nature may not appeal to those who want more features. g

Gaming Mouse

Summary It’s a decent enough mouse to get the job done, but what qualifies it as a “MOBA” mouse is unclear…

Tech Specs: • • • • • • •

6 buttons 240 – 4000 dpi Wired Improved button response

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by Walt Pretorius

AT A GLANCE:

Logitech G302 Daedalus Prime MOBA Gaming Mouse

Prime MOBA

Speedlink

H C EW E T VI E R

TECHNOLOGY

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Parthica Just what is needed…

etting the right keyboard for your beloved gaming set-up can be a tricky affair.

There are a massive number of options on the market, across a broad spectrum of price ranges, with different looks and feels and capabilities. It’s almost like the variety paralyses those that need to choose the right keyboard for them, and the result is that they often end up with a feature-burdened keyboard that sports extras they will never use. It doesn’t make much sense to get a device that does more than you require it to.

That’s where a keyboard like the Speedlink Parthica comes into the picture. Although it seems like a stripped-down gaming keyboard, the Parthica offers exactly what you need, with a few extras under the hood to change things up where they really count.

The Parthica is a full-sized keyboard, with generously raised and spaced keys that help

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guard against incorrect keystrokes. It also features five programmable macro keys and supports up to 5 configuration profiles (and comes with 128kb of on-board memory for storage and transfer of those profiles). In addition, the Parthica features a full set of multimedia keys, clearly defined WADS keys and three on-board backlight colour presets.

In addition, the user can define sensitivity by adjusting polling rates and response times via the included software, and can record macros on the fly thanks to an editor embedded in the Parthica’s driver software.

Ergonomically, it is a comfortable keyboard, with a non-slip finish and integrated wrist rest, although the angle of adjustment given by its extendable supports could have been greater.

And it’s quiet. Yes, it’s fashionable to go for the “clicky” keyboards these days, and the switches that result in the noisiness tend to be extremely responsive,

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Speedlink Parthica Core Gaming Keyboard

Gaming Keyboard

by Walt Pretorius

but some folks (myself included) prefer a keyboard that doesn’t make a lot of sound when it is used.

While the Parthica doesn’t have all the delightful extras that many other keyboards offer, it does deliver exactly what is needed for a very decent gaming device: comfort, programmability and responsiveness. The adjustment of that last element is a great bonus, too, and the included software allows the user to trim their experience to exactly what it needs to be. And that, more than anything, is what a gaming keyboard should offer – the ability to set things up just so, so that the equipment supports the user in the way that they need it to.

It would have been nice to see a few more macro keys on the Parthica, and a more adjustable angle. But, as far as performance goes, this keyboard goes beyond being merely functional, and will make a great companion for those who want their controls a little simpler. g

AT A GLANCE: Summary

As a core keyboard it forgoes some of the added extras, but the Parthica is a very capable device none the less.

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Tech Specs: • • • • • • •

Full keyboard 5 macro keys 5 profile support 3 backlighting presets Multimedia keys Quiet keys

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Shifting control in big business

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by Suvesh Arumugam

Don’t Bargain on the Jargon

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s a community manager (the guy who tweets you back when you tweet your brand or group) there are plenty of defining moments where I stare at my screen wondering if the words that have just popped up on my timeline are real or not. Okay, I know that they are real words, but is this something said in sarcasm, hatred or genuine inarticulate desperation. Sadly, too many people feel like the restriction of 140 characters means that whatever they say is ultimately going to be a profound and illuminating statement, that 140 pages could probably never convey. And also somehow that wisdom can only truly be conveyed with generous helping of sarcasm. It’s the spoonful of sugar that helps the medicine go down.

It’s usually the less intentionally provocative conversations that actually stick in my mind and make me wonder if my view of the world, from the inside looking out, could be less grounded than I may think. Or the world is crazy and I’m the last sane person left.

Web Hosting these days is a pretty simple affair. Using your own domain to host your mails, even simpler. Most hosts do this for you with a simple backend.

It’s more common than not for people to host their own custom domain email address. Aside from Gmail, I hardly ever come across people using a free Yahoo or AOL address (not even sure those exist anymore). So these days it’s rare for me to come across people who don’t understand how their emails work.

So I was a little taken aback when I got this tweet to start: ADSL working but can’t send or receive emails from blahblah@blahblah.co.za.

Using client for gmail and that works.

(I may have changed some details for privacy reasons).

Okay, so it’s strange to me why the person would not make the distinction between a Gmail address hosted by Google and probably cached at various places and a hosted domain that exists on a specific server. So the fact that her Gmail works only really demonstrates that she has an internet connection and not much more. I ask the lady if she is able to read her webmail.

You must be joking. What happened to simply reading my emails off your landing page? This requires rocket science. Have no clue?

What? Really? How is that even possible? Domain hosted emails are accessible from the server directly or using a mail client (like Outlook). No host that I know of has a login from their homepage. It would be pretty useless after all and require some complex backend processes to make this work, with very limited benefits. So I tell the poor confused soul on the other end of the DM that it’s really simple, she just has to use her domain name, and then add / webmail on the end of the URL and then enter her mailbox name and her password.

Also webmail ridiculously complicated.

Please pass message to bosses. Maybe easy when you know but not intuitive and there is no big button that says ‘Find your email here’.

It is? What I can’t understand from the so called “technophobe generation” is how today’s internet can be more complicated than the days of dialup.

When the organisation my mom worked for first got email back in the late 80’s, it was not very different to Bash commands on Linux (except it was DOS). You had to dial up an ISP, which mostly required knowing a telephone number and complex

“So I was a little taken aback when I got this tweet to start...”

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password (those days choosing your own password was just crazy talk). You then had to create a VPN into the mail server, which was another telnet process that required a username and password (some required a few specific commands and even IP addresses, depending on the setup). Now my mom, who today can’t understand how FaceTime works or why she would only need one dual sim phone instead of having a work phone and a personal phone, used to do this several times a day to get email. In general, even using Outlook (or Outlook Express back in the days of Windows 3.1 and Windows 95), it was a lot more complex. We didn’t have the smart wizards that do everything for us and can do DNS lookups and essentially do all the work, and all you need is generally a mailbox name and password. I try to explain to the now very frustrated lady that she can manage everything directly in cPanel like change her passwords, login to webmail, etc. cPanel is jargon. Rule in communication – NEVER use jargon!

Jargon? How does this make sense. So I looked up the word jargon to try to put this into some sort of context.

take your foot off the square magafter that makes you stop and put it on the other doohickey that makes you go”. This would be ridiculous, and more importantly create some very dangerous drivers on the road (this may be a working theory on taxi driver education though). To me the word jargon always reminded me of fancy terms people would use at braais to talk about their jobs to make them sound more important than they really were. “I work in Talent Acquisition” (I hire people) or “Loss Adjustment” (I fire people) or “I’m a Front -Line Client Service Facilitator” (I work in a Call Centre).

How can something that you use every day be relegated to the minefield that is jargon? Surely this is not a word used by a particular profession, this is something YOU are using!

So I asked my mom why are things so much more difficult to understand today than when they were doing it 20 years ago (which seems much more technical to me). And the penny drops.

She didn’t understand what she was doing back then. It was obvious that some bespectacled, acne-riddled youth, working in the magical and mysterious field of “IT” has setup a series of shortcuts or commands on her desktop, which to her literally was a big button that checked her emails. She has no clue what it did or how it worked. And even though the process is far simpler today than it was back then, in terms of hosting and making that content available to her, it probably seems as complicated (or more complicated) when it doesn’t work.

Call centres and support systems just assume you’re from a generation that took your phone apart and understand the difference between an app, an application and an appliance, whereas for our slightly older counterparts and internet ready TV is the most confusing thing in the world. g

“Special words used by professionals and are difficult for others to understand. .”

▪ jargon ▪ noun ▪ special words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group and are difficult for others to understand.

It starts to fall in to place for me. My confusion was around how someone could relegate everything they don’t want to understand to jargon. After all, you’d never hear someone explaining how to drive a car by saying “You turn the round thing when you want to turn” or “The blinky red thing means stop and the green one means you can go, so

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martphones have become an indispensable tool for the digital world today.

From social networking to email, solving pub quizzes using Google and taking photos and videos of things that interest you, these mini-computers are probably the number one travelling companion any person can have.

But what if your smartphone gets lost or stolen? Have you considered the potential impact that could have on your life? And while it is incredibly inconvenient to go through the insurance process, the scariest thing is how much of your personal data you stand to lose if your trusty sidekick is compromised.

This month, we look at some tips and tricks you can implement to beef up the security of your smartphone.

Keep it locked

Make sure your screen lock is on, at all times. Whether you use a key code, password, or pattern recognition, this should be the most basic step to take. Just be careful of leaving greasy finger-trails that could give your swipe pattern away. Change your settings to automatically lock the phone after a period of inactivity instead of relying on you to press a button.

Not only does keeping your phone locked mean your friends cannot post embarrassing social network updates from your profile, but it does provide a vital piece of protection when it falls into the hands of a cybercriminal.

Install security software

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Smartphones should be viewed as computers in themselves. This means that you should take the same security precautions as you would a desktop PC or a laptop. In other words, find a decent piece of security software from a well-known

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vendor and install it on your device.

All the top vendors provide mobile-specific solutions that also give you great features like checking the location of your phone and being able to remotely wipe your data should the phone get lost or stolen. Anti-virus and malware protection are other vital components that the security software should provide. Of course, you must also ensure you keep your anti-virus databases updated regularly as new threats emerge all the time. Similarly, always check for updates from the manufacturer of your phone as that could also include new security and other updates needed to protect your device.

Monitor the behaviour of your apps

Irrespective of the platform you use (Android, iOS, Microsoft, BlackBerry), always check the permissions required when you install an app from the relevant store. As a first step, read reviews of the app before installing. Think logically about the permissions that could be required. If a calculator app wants to access your contact database as an example, then that should already get the warning bells started.

Only use trusted sources

This should be obvious, but you need to use reputable online or app stores for your software downloads. Google Play Store and the Apple App Store take security very seriously and have cheques and balances in play to keep the user as safe as possible.

But there is always a risk that a bad apple might have slipped through the approval process so report anything that you are concerned about.

Be wary of email or SMS links gamecca72

Remember that just as you should not click blindly on any link you receive on your computer, the same applies for your phone. There are numerous phishing and other malicious scams targeting mobile users so be very cautious when acting on texts you receive from unknown numbers or emails from people you do not know. Do not even reply to an SMS if you have no idea who the person is as that could show a malicious user that the number is active.

Watch your wireless connections

If you are not using your Bluetooth connection or NFC then switch it off. Not only does it save on battery life but it also eliminates the potential that someone can remotely access your phone when scanning for open devices. Also, turn off automatically connecting to open WiFi connections. Blindly connecting to unencrypted access points can let your phone leak all sorts of sensitive information. Never use a public WiFi hotspot to conduct online banking or other financial transactions Instead, rely on your mobile connection as that offers at least an additional layer of encryption.

Encrypt your sensitive information

If your phone includes data encryption features, make sure you use them. If your phone is ever compromised, criminals will not be able to access the personal information stored on it. Encryption is a great way to prevent such data theft.

Be careful of rooting or jailbreaking your phone While rooting or jailbreaking your phone might give you a lot of additional functionality and the ability to run different apps, it will strip away the security layer of your device.

The risks are not worth the short-term rewards of doing so. g

Smartphone Protection

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have a bit of a confession to make: I really enjoy simulation games. A lot of people think simulation games are quite boring but in actual fact, if you get to play the right game and make the right choices you actually have a really fantastic experience.

It is true that you really get some benign games, but it really just comes down to selecting the games that you really want to play and the subject matter should appeal to you as well. If you are going to play something like Car Wash Simulator or Street Sweeper Simulator, you are definitely not going to get the best experience. Recently Farming Simulator 2015 was released for consoles and you know what, it’s one of the best simulator games I’ve ever played.

Well, it is the best simulator game that I have played in terms of farming, but out of pure interest the greatest title that I have wasted many hours on, is Euro Truck Simulator 2. The aim of the game is to deliver what every needs to get from point A to point B, and when the game says it will take two hours to complete, it really will.

Simulator games are also plagued with super bad graphics, but Euro Truck

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Simulator 2 paid a lot of attention to the smaller things.

And that is also the appeal of Farming Simulator.

When I told a good friend that I have been playing Farming Simulator, he went through two emotions: shock and disbelief. After the news he quipped as a joke that if I do that, he will be going back to playing Destiny. And this comes from a person who completely stopped playing Destiny about four months ago after pouring more than 200 hours into it. The point that I’m trying to make is that you shouldn’t roll your eyes at something if you haven’t fully explored the genre yet.

I can’t remember what my first true simulator game was, but I do think it started somewhere with City XL or Ship Simulator Extreme. I know those titles weren’t released that long ago, but since then I have had my hands on pretty much every game released by Excalibur Games – the major publisher of simulator games.

As mentioned before, there is actually a trick to making sure that you get the best experience. I know that they say that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but when it comes to simulator games, it is definitely true.

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BYcHARLIE Fripp

Dirty Jobs...

If a simulator title has really good graphics, you can pretty much be assured that the developers have put some extra effort into developing the right actions, moves and tools into the game. There is nothing worse than trying to play something and the developers get the actions and machinery completely wrong. With better graphics, comes better accuracy, which can also make or break a game.

It’s not as easy as selecting a game and hoping for the best. Well, I guess you can do that, but just because the titles are slightly cheaper than regular games and not developed by AAA studio, doesn’t means the same experience all around. As a rule of thumb, have a look out for Dovetail Games. The studio recently took over the development duties to Microsoft’s Flight Simulator and has also been responsible for the hugely-successful Train Simulator. Shop around, see what you like and do some research on the title and the studio. I promise that you will find them hugely entertaining. Oh, and definitely check out Farming Simulator 2015 – we have a review of the title in this month’s issue. g

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Sony SmartBand Talk Sony Xperia E4g Smartphone Carcassone Roll for the Galaxy Harrow County #1 Lantern City #1 Mythic #1 Sector #1

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Boardgames.co.za are pioneers in bringing unplugged gaming to South Africa.

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g pire Board games are certainly on the rise all over the world, and South Africa is no different. We caught up with Fabio and Christa Salvador, the Chief Kid and Sales & Marketing Kid (yes, those are their official titles) at Boardgames.co.za, one of the first official distributors of board games in South Africa, and asked them how it all started, what they’re up to and where things are going.

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E YL iew T ES v GM: How did you get into the business of lIF ter n I distributing board games in South Africa?

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BG: We were exposed to several of the more modern board games by some good friends of ours (who were importing them for personal use at the time). Wondering why these amazing new games were not available locally, we enquired with the overseas publishers and asked if they would be prepared to supply us with the games to make them available locally, and they all said yes! The first three products that we imported were Settlers of Catan, Carcassonne, and Puerto Rico.

GM: When did it all start?

BG: We discovered these board games in late 2003 while Christa was making a miraculous recovery from a major kiteboarding accident that left her in a coma for many weeks, followed by several months of rehab. The board games were used extensively to help pass the time between visiting hours, and Carcassonne was actually played with Christa during her rehab period to speed up the recovery process! We really felt that we needed to help bring other South African families and friends together to experience the magic of these board games and so it began …

The business started out as a part-time activity in 2004. After getting the approval to import the games from the respective publishers overseas we formed a company and registered “Boardgames.co.za” to get the ball rolling (or is that the dice rolling?). The company’s motto has remained unchanged since day 1, “Bringing family & friends together!”.

The first few years were spent importing and supplying games to a handful of hobby stores and toy stores around the country, as well as selling via an online store at Boardgames. co.za. Outer Limits in Melville has been our longest standing retailer since the start, and we enjoy a close cooperation with the team at Outer Limits until today.

Our big break came when we signed up Exclusive Books as a national retailer in early 2011. We pitched Settlers of Catan to their head-office team and after they played a few games of Catan they were convinced to pilot the product in 10 of their stores. After 3 months they made the decision to stock the game in all their stores across Southern Africa (excluding airport stores).

A major milestone for Boardgames. co.za was in December 2012 when Mayfair Games awarded us the exclusive distribution rights for their range of products (including

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Settlers of Catan) in Southern Africa, whilst simultaneously awarding Esdevium Games the same rights for the UK market. This was the first time in Mayfair’s history that they awarded exclusive agreements to distributors anywhere around the world!

Another major milestone for Boardgames. co.za was when we published the Afrikaans version of Catan in late 2013. After much deliberation we chose the title of “Die Ontdekkers van Catan” and invested in the full translation of Catan and manufactured a few thousand copies under license from Kosmos in Germany. We really wanted to find out if there was an appetite for board games in other local languages. We launched the game in early 2014 and have almost sold 50% of the units since then. To put it in perspective – it has sold about 10x faster than the English version of Catan over the same period when we launched that in 2004! We have many exciting plans for localized multi-lingual board games in the future.

GM: How popular are board games in South Africa?

BG: We think South Africa has a relatively rich history with board gaming. From Morabaraba, which is still very popular in the rural areas, to the “classic” 20th century games such as Monopoly, Scrabble, and Risk. Board games certainly lost their appeal for many years, and one could argue that electronic entertainment was largely responsible for that.

Today things are different. Internationally, there has been significant double-digit growth in the “hobby games” category for six consecutive years. This category includes board games, card games, miniature games, and role-playing games. Locally, we have seen a similar pattern of growth. For us Catan remains the barometer of our progress and it certainly feels like a tipping-point was reached a few years ago as the growth in sales and the growth in listed retailers has been accelerating quickly. It is really satisfying to consistently hear total strangers mention “Catan” when we engage in casual conversations about board games!

GM: Which are the biggest growth sectors for South African board gaming, in terms of demographic groups?

BG: We think there are two growth sectors: The first is what we call the “family” sector where parents are buying games to play with their families, and it also includes first-time buyers of board games who want to try play gamecca72

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E YL iew T ES v the modern board games with their friends. lIF ter n This is the sector that we focus on most as I our range of games are largely considered “gateway” games which are more suitable for shorter, more casual settings, and these games are relatively easy to teach to newcomers and kids.

The second is what we fondly call the “geek” sector made up of consumers who are highly passionate and highly informed about collecting and playing with products that would probably be considered as “geeky” pastimes . This is not our key focus area although we have several games that appeal to this sophisticated market.

Unfortunately, the price of most of these games still limits the market to the higher LSM groups for now. We push really, really hard to maintain price parity with the US Dollar Retail Price (before adding our local taxes), and to date we have been quite successful in achieving this.

It is not really viable to lower the prices of the games, so we are therefore also focussing on how to make these games available to play at “community” level. There are some exciting developments taking place in this space and we are hoping to make some big announcements in 2015/2016 in this regard.

GM: You sponsored players to attend international competitions a while back. Can you tell us more about that?

BG: One of our dreams when we started the business was to one day send someone from South Africa to compete in the Catan World Championships. In 2014 we realized that dream and more! We were able to send two South African’s abroad in 2014; one to Berlin to play in the Catan World Championships, and the other to Paris to play in the Ticket To Ride World Championships. Although they didn’t win, they both did us extremely proud! We hope that this is the start of our participation on the world stage of board gaming, and we hope to bring some great local sponsors on board to help us achieve that.

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GM: What about local development? Are there people producing games locally?

BG: Almost every week we are contacted by someone in South Africa who has designed a board game, or has just manufactured the first batch of their board game and they want help. So people are certainly busy designing or creating board games. As our main focus is distribution and promotion of board games we can only try our best to provide advice and point them to resources to help them

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take the next steps in the publishing journey.

On our to-do list is a task to publish a set of these guidelines and a list of local options for manufacturing board game components.

If their product is actually ready for customers to buy, and of good quality, then we can get involved directly and can help them access the local market through our website’s online store and/or our ever-growing retail channel. Our Facebook page has over 18,000 followers so that also gives us a great platform to communicate directly with the consumers as well to create awareness for the game.

We have recently helped launch the locally developed game called “Max Money” which teaches players some great money and wealth management skills. We collaborate with the local publisher, Xamco, on a regular basis to help get Max Money off the ground.

It’s a great product and we believe it will do very well. When the time is right we may collaborate further to introduce Max Money to our overseas network to try broaden the market for them.

GM: How do you see the market evolving over the next few years?

BG: We definitely see strong growth in repeat buying – which means people are liking the “Gateway” games and are building their own collection of games. This also means that the average customer is becoming more sophisticated and informed and will gradually want to go for the more complex and heavyweight games.

Internet resources such as BoardGameGeek.com do an amazing job of collating the general knowledge of 70,000+ different board games from around the world into a central place where people can go discover what would be of interest to them.

Then there are also loads of Youtube channels and shows covering board game reviews, tutorials, and play-throughs. People are quickly getting up to speed on what this pasttime has to offer, and so the market will evolve because of this too.

Kickstarter.com and other crowd-funding sites are fuelling an unprecedented amount of original new table-top games with unique mechanics that are also evolving board games in general. Cooperative games are one such evolution, where players must work together as a team to actually defeat the board! They win together, or lose together, while trying to prevent the board from spreading “the forces of evil”, or “viruses around the world”, or “raging fire in a building”. It can take gamecca72

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GM: What do you believe has spurred on the resurgence of board gaming in the last few years?

BG: We think people are craving more face-to-face social interaction. Electronic entertainment is generally quite isolating or it takes place at frenetic “reflex-time”, while board gaming slows the entertainment experience down to “social-time” and people actually get to sit and face each other and express what they are going through (mentally and emotionally) making each major decision in the game. So this desire to unplug yourself is what we believe is spurring the resurgence on. That and load-shedding!

GM: What kinds of activities are you undertaking to promote board gaming in South Africa?

BG: Traditionally we have exhibited at several expos and conventions. These have included rAge, ICON, Hobby X, and other less regular events. The primary aim has been to expose the board games to new players through demos and dedicated play areas. We established a volunteer program called “Game Guides” which allows us to call on passionate board game volunteers to come and help us demo and teach the games at these events. We have also held several board game tournaments and sponsored loads of prizes for these. The annual Settlers of Catan tournament at ICON reached a peak of over 60 entrants and we are fast running out of space to accommodate the growing demand. For the last three years we have worked with other companies to host National Board Games Day which is set to coincide with Youth Day on 16 June every year. This is to try and encourage everyone to play board games on that day.

Recently we have combined forces with two other passionate table-top gaming distributors, Blowfish Entertainment and Skycastle Games, to launch a multi-year initiative called “Unplug Yourself!”. This initiative is aimed at growing the tabletop gaming market in South Africa and all three companies strongly believe that by working together and pooling our marketing resources we can accelerate that growth.

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GM: What kinds of games are proving to be the most popular locally?

BG: From our range Settlers of Catan is

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the outright best-seller year after year!

There has also been a strong “secondtier” of great sellers for us such as Ticket to Ride, Small World, Dominion, Carcassonne, Discworld, and King of Tokyo. One of our newest products, Bananagrams, is flying off the shelves and will probably establish itself as our number 2 best seller during 2015.

Branded board games are also doing very well locally. Some of the titles that come to mind are board game versions of Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Firefly, and Walking Dead.

GM: Where can people interested in board games get hold of the products that you supply?

BG: We have recently launched our Store Locator which helps consumers locate our retail partner stores in their vicinity as well as online retail stores that will deliver to them. Our Store Locator can be found by clicking on “Locations” on our Facebook page (browser-version only unfortunately), or by visiting the “Retailers” section of our web-site, www.boardgames.co.za.

GM: Which product lines do you distribute in South Africa?

BG: We are the exclusive distributors for several international publishers and authorized distributors for several others.

That gives us access to over 1,000 titles.

We carefully research the board game market and bring in a sub-set of these products for now. We encourage our retailers to think about our product range in three stages: Stage 1 consists of our Best Sellers and the Bananagrams range of products.

Best sellers include Catan, Ticket to Ride, Dominion, Small World, Carcassonne, King of Tokyo, Discworld, Star Realms, and iKnow.

Stage 2 consists of Expansions of our Best Sellers, Light Social Games, Kids Games, and then our Product Launches for the year.

Stage 3 consists of Hobby Classics, Strategy Games, and Card Games.

These are for those players who like the “Gateway” games and now want to go deeper into board gaming. There are far too many titles to mention here, but one of our original imports, “Puerto Rico” falls in Stage 3.

We’ll refine the roadmap as we go and as our retailers become more and more knowledgeable around board games too. g gamecca72

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earable technology is ploughing ahead, and Sony’s new SmartBand Talk is doing things right. It’s relatively unobtrusive, but offers the user a wealth of functionality. From health tracking and notifications through to a sunlight readable display and funky design, the SmartBand Talk is a great companion.

But perhaps the most useful feature is the ability to use the device to make and receive calls. It’s very ‘80s James Bond, really, but it is a great way to communicate without digging your phone out of your pocket. It’s not for everyone, but it is a device that really feels like wearables are moving past the stage of gimmicks.g

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Sony Xperia E4g Smartphone

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ith the Xperia family growing larger at a steady rate, it’s easy to find a phone that suits your needs and your pocket… both in terms of size and price.

The E4g is quite a bit smaller than the flagship Xperia, but it doesn’t skimp on power. Behind the 4.7 inch display is a 1.5GHz CPU, supported by 1GB of RAM and 8GB of on-board storage. It also sports a 5MP camera.

While it might not be the top of the lie for the brand, the E4g still offers a great performance, and makes for a great option for those looking for a handset that won’t break the bank or stretch their pockets. g gamecca72

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t can be amazing how much we have come to depend on the use of technology in this day and age. Please excuse the triteness of the previous statement, but when boiling water over a fire to make a bloody cup of coffee has become at least a biweekly activity, it’s an adage that tends to be hammered home rather bluntly. Eskom shows no sign of ceasing their exercises in uselessness, and while traffic jams, lack of hot water and an inability to charge my phone are all pains in the arse, more than anything I am starting to get really pissed at the loss of what precious few hours I have in a day to game. It’s an ignorant and selfish complaint, but gamers in general tend to be obsessive creatures and in this I am no exception.

It’s what makes the news of Tesla’s Powerwall, as unveiled by the company’s CEO Elon Musk (who by the way is South African born and raised), so extremely tantalising. For those who haven’t heard the Powerwall is a lithium-ion

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battery pack that charges through solar panels.

Coming in 7 kWh and 10 kWh flavours, Tesla is claiming that a unit is good for 5000 cycles (one charge and discharge), which in theory equates to roughly 15 years before it will need to be replaced.

While the actual power stored is only half of what the a typical household consumes, the price point of $3000 for the smaller unit is staggeringly cheap, especially considering the industry experts were expecting something closer to $13000.

What’s more, Telsa have confirmed that the Powerwall will be available in SA by the end of 2016, and an installation will come with a ten year warranty.

So it’s no-brainer that we should start seeing solar panels plastered over every ceiling in the next couple of years, right? Well, probably not.

As several critics have already pointed out, the cost of installing the Powerwall could reach far beyond $3500 price tag for the 10 kWh unit, as in order to achieve the

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BY Lein Baart

Going Dark...

greatest possible storage you would need a large array of solar panels, thus driving up the cost. Furthermore, the Powerwall is only capable of 2KW continuous draw, and 3.3 KW of peak usage, so if you are hoping to go off the grid, don’t even think about boiling a kettle while the fridge is on. While the Powerwall does allow multiple units to be joined to alleviate this issue, this only adds to the cost of installation.

It’s not all bad news however. The Powerwall is an ideal solution for houses that have a very limited connection to the electricity grid, allowing them to at least have lighting and small heater at night. It will require a massive commitment by the government in order for it become a reality, but should the Powerwall take off here is SA you might find that our strained and crippled infrastructure will suddenly become a lot more stable, meaning that I can game till the early hours of the morning as much as I want. g

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OnBo

Carcassone

arcassone is an easy-to-learn yet deeply complex game named after the ancient French City, renowned for its impenetrable walls. But if you’re thinking that the board game has to do with doing combat and laying siege, you’re on the wrong track. Carcassone is a tile placing game that can lead to extremely deep and complex strategic play, even though it is really simple to pick up and play.

First published fifteen years ago, Carcassone has proved to be an incredibly popular game, and has won many awards. There’s a new edition out (which is what we took a look at) that includes two great mini-expansions.

It is very simple in principle. Players draw tiles, and must lay them out according to certain guidelines. Roads must connect to roads, and

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so on. Then they decide whether they wish to occupy placed tiles with their population, called meeples. Players are scored according to meeple placement, as the tile under the meeple determine their worth. It is the strategy of tile placement and meeple placement that leads to the depth of Carcassone, and those strategies can be very long term indeed. Because each turn comes down to placing only one tile (and potentially one meeple, because meeple placement isn’t mandatory) Carcassone becomes a fast paced game that can be completed rather quickly.

As for the new edition, it’s beautifully presented and well made, and the slightly friendlier box size is a bonus, too.

Carcassone is a great introductory game, and one that you’ll be playing for years to come .g

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Roll for the Galaxy

oll for the Galaxy is the dice version of Race for the Galaxy, and it allows between two and five players to construct a massive space empire… the best empire wins.

Playing this game is a little different to other board or dice games because play is simultaneous. All players roll dice at the same time, which represent the player’s population.

Once the dice are rolled, the players secretly assign their population (or workers, more accurately) to one of several tasks, like researching new technologies or settling new worlds. Players then perform the phases they assigned their workers to, and draw more workers to end the round.

The simultaneous nature of the runs makes for an extremely interesting change in pace here. Unlike

games in which you can formulate strategies while you watch other players go through their actions, Roll for the Galaxy has a more on-the-fly, seat-of-the-pants feel, and the addition of dice adds an element of random chaos to the mix that can make or break a player’s efforts. It’s a game that requires both quick thinking and careful consideration, and learning your opponent’s way of thinking and overall approach is vital to success.

In terms of presentation, Roll for the Galaxy is really well put together. The various game components are easy to distinguish and clear, and are made of high quality materials.

With its faster pace and more chaotic nature, Roll for the Galaxy is a very fresh and enticing approach to dice based gaming. And it’s tons of fun, too. g

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Title:

Harrow County #1

Writer:

Cullen Bunn

Artist:

Tyler Crook

Publisher:

Dark Horse

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by Clive Burmeister

There is a plague of evil cast upon the people of Harrow County. Sinister things creep in the shadows, malicious ghosts plot bloody mayhem, and soon an embodiment of dark vengeance for past transgressions will unleash itself upon them. Haints they call them. The terrors that lurk everywhere, just out of sight. The things that send icy chills down one’s spine, for no apparent reason other than because they are near. Do you like ghost stories?

Or magic, mystery, horror and hate?

Harrow County tells a gruesome tale of all the things we fear, deep down in the bellies of our nightmares.

Masterfully written, beautifully illustrated, and resulting in a wonderfully disturbing story which will keep you looking over your shoulder, until the next issue.

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Title: Writer: Artist: Publisher:

Lantern City #1 Paul Jenkins & Matthew Daley Carlos Magno Archaia

by Clive Burmeister

Change needs to come to Lantern City.

Some say that change is inevitable, but it is not. The need for it may be inevitable, but sometimes you need to work towards change, you need to fight for it. When change does come to Lantern City, it will be bloody, it will be merciless, and it will be hard won. The social hierarchy of the city enslaves the masses. The masses will rise. Cruel guards oversee the people, make them work, ration their food, and dictate their lives. And above the guards are the mysterious Greys. The Greys are believed to keep the walls strong, the city safe. But safe from what? Maybe the walls are not there to keep things out, but to keep the masses in. Change is coming.

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Title: Writer: Artist: Publisher:

Mythic #1Special Phil Hester John McCrea Image

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by Clive Burmeister

“Science is a useful illusion for humanity, a balm for your bonedeep ignorance. It adequately describes your observable world in a manner which brings you comfort. An opiate for the masses, if you will. But the ‘known laws’ of our universe actually hinge on incomprehensible absurdity. Your evident facts and recorded data are mere veils drawn over the leering face of cosmic insanity.”

These words from Cassandra, a prophet in the employ of Mythic Lore Services, just about sums up what it’s all about.

There is magic in the world. There are dark and scary creatures. We are blind to the real world around us, but Mythic Lore Services are there to keep the unspeakable and the strange in check.

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Title:

Sector #1

Writer:

Various

Artist:

Various

Publisher:

Sector Comics

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by Clive Burmeister

South African comics have always seemed to feel like that. South African.

Comics. Most of the more successful ones have had a very distinct local flavour (not that there is anything wrong with that), and the ones that tried to steer clear of that always seemed to be lacking something. Until now. Sector, in my opinion, marks the evolution of South African comics.

Their 2000 AD style book showcases three separate stories, some of them running as ongoing sagas from issue to issue. But what makes this comic stand out?

This is what we’ve been waiting for: international quality.

With some amazing artwork, original stories, and seamless scripts, I wouldn’t have thought twice about seeing these stories printed in publications like 2000 AD or Heavy Metal. This you need to read.

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THE OBSERVER

aking fun seriously It seems to me that Generation X knew what it was like to have fun.

This was a generation that knew what it was like to save up for a product that gave them pleasure, whether in the form of music, movies and gaming. This was a generation that earned the right to take fun seriously. And it was a generation that found fun in things that were much simpler than they are today – gaming devices like the Atari 2600, the early Nintendo and Sega consoles, and PCs that sported monochromatic monitors. Not to mention movies that used no CG. Of course, times have changed considerably and we live in a reality where our global village has made everything accessible to us. That is not a bad thing; in fact it is downright awesome. But like most things in life, human nature has a way of creating consequences to every action. The ease of access has allowed thing like piracy to flourish, and yet younger generations are still dissatisfied, even when they get something “for free” by

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illegally downloading it.

The thing is, when you are in a position where you have easy access to “things” you tend not to appreciate them as much. We live in a world where, if you don’t like something, you throw it away. If you experience a relationship that has challenges you get a new one. If something breaks, it is easier to replace it. You will more than likely have more than a handful of phones in your lifetime and will still not be happy, unless you own the latest trendiest brand new something or another. The same goes for gaming. Gamers have turned into addicts who crave the next fix. They get their game, blast through it at top speed, and then more likely than not complain about the experience. Honestly, what happened to just having fun and enjoying the process?

Where’s the rush? Older games were replayed for years, and they were much simpler than the amazing things we see today.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not trying to preach; I am just as guilty falling prey into the idea that instant

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gratification is part and parcel of our lives. It is just simply sad that we are so distracted that we forget why we started doing what gave us joy in the first place.

We lose our connection to the spirit in which we started, and end up simply expecting, rather than appreciating. It seems, these days, that every silver lining has a dark cloud.

Gaming has, over the last couple of decades, turned into a culture where geeks have become self- entitled whiners. They simply cannot see the good, or if they do, they rarely mention it. It is far more fashionable to complain, and even throw out ideas like refusing to pay for bad games… while still taking the time to download pirate versions of them.

Perhaps it is time to take a step back, to gain a full appreciation for where this all started, for what came before. Perhaps it is time for the newer generations to experience fun the way Generation X did. After all, you can’t know how to appreciate something unless you experience where it has come from. g

BY Katia Taliadoros

Taking fun Seriously...

a set of CM Storm Pitch Pro Headphones Courtesy of Cooler Master South Africa TO ENTER: Send an email to competitions@gameccamag.com Tell us one of the accessories included with the Pitch Pro Insert “Pitch Pro” in the mail’s subject line Subscribe to www.gameccamag.com Like Gamecca’s Facebook Page

Competition closes 30 June 2015. South African residents only.

Prizes may not be exchanged for cash. Competition closed to employees (& employee’s family) of Nova Mentis (Pty) Ltd and Cooler Master. The judges’ decision is final. co mp e t i t i on • c o mp et it io n • c o mp et i ti on • com pe ti ti on • com pe ti ti on • com p etition •

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