Gamecca Magazine September 2016 by Gamecca Magazine

ISSUE 87 / Vol.8 September 2016

www.gameccamag.com

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided No Man’s Sky F1 2016 Assetto Corsa Bound and more...

Super Smooth

Razer ManO’War Overwatch Edition

Beauty Bound

The Best? F1 2016

Broken Society

MSI’s GamingX GeForce GTX1080

Splendid Sound

Get Savage!

Savage Worlds Core Rules

Endless No Man’s Sky

Deus Ex: Manking Divided

The Grea t War Reworking history with Battlefield 1

Free Online Mag

H OW

Gamecca Magazine is a monthly digital magazine that you can read online or download for free. You can also read Gamecca on our Facebook page...find it under the Issuu tab. All links in Gamecca Magazine can be clicked - even after you have downloaded it - as long as you are connected to the Internet. Gamecca Magazine has an associated website that offers access to all issues, easy competition entries, newsletter subscription, news and more. Gamecca Magazine uses the Issuu platform to publish. This means that Gamecca can easily be accessed on your smartphone or tablet, thanks to Issuu’s Android and iOS apps. Look for it in your app store. You can even find all of our back issues online, where they will be available forever.

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Bronze Award

Silver Award

Gold Award

Platinum Award

Ed’s Choice Award

Given to games & hardware that score 80-84

Given to games & hardware that score 85-89

Given to games & hardware that score 90-94

Given to games & hardware that score 95-100

Editor’s Choice Award for products that make an impression

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nd so we come to the close of another quarter of 2016… at the end of September, quarter four will kick off, bringing with it two months of absolute gaming mayhem. From October until early December, it’s going to be games, games, games. Traditionally, this is our busiest time here at Gamecca, and we’re looking forward to it. There have been a number of great games released this year already, and there are some truly fantastic ones on the way. And, of course, the South African video gaming calendar is punctuated (at the beginning of October) by rAge, the largest gaming expo on the continent and a stalwart in every gamer’s end-of-year enthusiasm. Be sure to keep an eye on our Facebook page, because we’ll be giving tickets away closer to the time! The past month, though, has seen another side of the video game industry… the side where enthusiasm and excitement turns to frustration and anger. I am talking, of course, about the numerous reactions to No Man’s Sky. The furore mostly concerns the fact that the game developers over-promised and under-delivered, but some (like our “beloved” Ramjet points out in his column this month) still have hope for this game, which the developers seem to be treating as an ongoing project, rather than a finished product. We’re quick to lay blame in cases like this, particularly when a game got as much hype

From the Editor

TreadLightly by Walt Pretorius

as No Man’s Sky did. But who is actually at fault here? Is it fair to lay all the blame at the developers feet, or is there a bit of responsibility that lies with the community, too, as well as the press that may have fanned the hype-flames a little too much? It’s not an easy question to answer, but all the noise seems to have done little to dampen the enthusiasm over at Hello Games. They have released numerous patched for both the PC and PS4 versions of the game to date, and are (they claim) working on additional, free content that will bring things like owning massive space cruisers and building bases into the title. There are many that feel that these elements should have been in the game already, and others (admittedly myself included) who think that rolling them out makes such a massive game a little more manageable. But whether or not these opinions are correct, there is one important aspect that cannot go overlooked: Hello Games made promises that they didn’t keep with the initial release, and were vague about some aspects of the game to boot. That’s a pretty big sin in a market as demanding as the video game market, and when you consider how vocal the people in it are, you need to tread carefully. Perhaps what happened here will be a strong indicator to marketers that making big promises that are not fulfilled is a bad idea. The hype train has always had its problems, but No Man’s Sky is as close to a devastating derailment as it has ever come… people just aren’t willing to accept it any more. g mgeect 2 c7a 8 7 ggl a ad

THIS MONTHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S COVER

Get ready for a new, old war with Battlefield 1...

Publishing Editor Walt Pretorius

Feature: The Great War Experience World War 1 in Battlefield 1

Previews: Games 8 titles coming soon

Reviews: Games 11 games dissected

Regular: Indieview Magic Magic with Robot Wzard

Regular: Legacy The quest for fear

141

MSI Interceptor DS B1 Mouse

walt@novamentis.co.za

Art Director Katia Taliadoros katia@novamentis.co.za

Writers: Alex Scanlon Clive Burmeister Lein Baart Nthato Morakabi Rob Edwards Sibonisile Motha Suvesh Arumugam Walt Pretorius Letters: letters@gameccamag.com

Competition Entries: competitions@gameccamag.com

Newsletter Subscriptions: www.gameccamag.com

Marketing Contact:

walt@novamentis.co.za

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

GAMECCA is published by Nova Mentis (Pty) Ltd

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Feature: Visual Protection Look after your eyes!

reviews: Hardware 6 Great Tech Toys

Gamecca Vol. 8 Issue 87 September 2016

Regular: Internet The new currency

102

Interview: The Explosion Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s up with Board Games in SA?

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COOL STUFF: Gadgets Essential eyewear

110

COOL STUFF: Board Games More tabletop goodness!

114

COOL STUFF: RPGs The ultimate imagination games

128

COOL STUFF: Comics Illustrated Literature at its best!

136

COOL STUFF: Books Get reading!

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s e d’ c E oi h C

“A highly enjoyable game, particularly if you dig into the depths of it, engage in conversations and explore everywhere..”

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided

FeatureS 10

Visual Protection

HARDWARE Reviews 16 18 20 22 24 26

Razer Overwatch ManOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;War Tournament Edition Stereo Headset Razer Ripsaw Game Capture Card Acer Predator G6 Gaming PC MSI Z170A Gaming Pro Carbon Motherboard Cooler Master Masterliquid Pro 240 Liquid Cooling System MSI Gaming X GeForce GTX1080 Graphics Card

RegularS 28

Internet

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mionix.net

COREX

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Visual TECHNOLOGY

Protection

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Visual Protection

Gunnar Computer Eyewear Combats Digital Damage

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TECHNOLOGY

tu a Fe

e have a love affair with out digital

devices, no questions asked. Whether it’s sitting in front of an LCD screen to watch TV or play video games (or even work), or it’s searching information and browsing Facebook on or tablets and smartphones, as a society we send a lot of time staring at screens. And while these technologies certainly make our lives easier, they also have negative effects. In fact, in the fast-paced world of technological advancement, often the negative effects don’t show up until later on,

but one that should be taken seriously… and it occurs in more than 75% of computer and digital screen users. The symptoms of CVS or strain produced by prolonged digital screen usage are all too common, and they affect various parts of the eye and visual system. They include headaches, blurry vision, red and dry eyes, fatigue, double vision, difficulty in focussing and poor concentration. The visual demands of computer work and digital display screen exposure are unlike those associated with most other activities. Because computer work or gaming occurs at a shorter working distance, the eyes are constantly forced to focus.

when almost everybody is using the devices in question. That certainly has been the case with the screen we use. Statistically, around 30% of American adults spend more than half their waking hours interacting with a digital device. Beyond that, 83% of American children between the ages of 10 and 17 use digital devices for more than three hours a day. The problem with this is that digital devices can be a leading cause of eye-strain. Anyone who has suffered from itchy, red eyes after a long wok or play session can attest to this. But with the ease and entertainment that these devices bring to our lives, it’s certain that they aren’t going anywhere. In fact, their usage is on the rise, and more, different devices come into the market with regularity. The problem goes beyond eye strain too; CVS (Computer Vision Syndrome) has been identified as being a direct result of working on computers, with the eyes becoming affected by focussing on a nearby screen for prolonged periods of time. It is a temporary disorder, thankfully,

The eyes are in their most relaxed position when gazing objects of six metres or further. When gazing these distances, the axes of the eyes are parallel and the tension in the eye muscles are equal. Also, the intra ocular lens, responsible for changing focus, is in an entirely relaxed state. When viewing objects closer than 6 metres however, two visual systems are at work to ensure focus. Accommodation refers to the visual process by which the eye changes optical power to maintain a clear image or focus as the distances of an object varies. This is accomplished by contraction of the cilliary muscles (muscles controlling the intra ocular lens) so that the intra ocular lens change shape, maintaining a clear image on the retina. Convergence is the action of the eyes undertaken when the eyes must rotate inward toward the nose so that the eyes can focus properly. The closer the object the more the convergence demands on the eyes when viewing objects, resulting in eye muscle fatigue. As with any muscle in the body continuous

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Visual Protection

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TECHNOLOGY

tu a Fe

stimulation results in muscle strain and ultimately temporary breakdown. On paper, words are made of solid lines. On computer or digital display screens words are made of tiny dots called pixels. Due to the constant change of colour and pixel density as the image on the computer or digital display screen changes your eyes have to constantly adapt and adjust to the continuous changes. This consistent adjustment and adaptation causes strain on the visual system, ultimately resulting in visual fatigue. The above mentioned strain and adaptation of the visual system

effects of digital screen usage. By employing tinted lenses, Gunnars create additional contrast on the screen, making focussing easier (but if you’re a designer who needs little interference with on-screen colours, the crystal lenses are just for you). The lenses also filter out high frequency blue light to help protect the eyes from short and long term stress, and the lenses help you to remain focussed on the screen to minimise eye muscle fatigue. Additionally, the lens design helps prevent dry eyes and eye irritation, while anti-reflective coatings minimise visual

further creates a staring situation. Staring at the computer or digital display screen for prolonged periods without blinking causes increases in the evaporation rate of tears, which causes dry, irritated and red eyes. Additionally, as hours of prolonged computer work and gaming go by, your eyes are subjected to harsh, high intensity, short wavelength blue light and glare from the screen. Artificial light from energy efficient computers and overhead fluorescent lighting contains small bands of high intensity energy instead of equally balanced, full spectrum light the human eye prefers to see. The unbalanced, high energy light waves cause visual strain, headaches and visual fatigue. There is, however, a simple solution for these issues, and one that every computer and digital device user should consider, for the good of their long-term vision: Gunnar eyewear. These specialised glasses are designed to work at combating the negative

distractions. In short, Gunnars are the perfect companion for any digital screen user. And they are available in a wide number of styles and lens types, including coated amber lenses (perfect for gaming), crystal lenses (great for designers and artists) and outdoor lenses (awesome for everyone). With numerous styles and the choice of three lens types, Gunnars have a solution for every need… and the best news is that, after a short absence, they are back in South Africa, distributed by Apex Interactive. Don’t take chances with something as valuable as your vision; your digital devices may have a negative effect on your eyes, but you’re not going to get rid of them, so a pair of Gunnar glasses will certainly go a long way to ensuring not only great computing and gaming, but also prolonged visual health. They’re a sensible investment that will keep your eyes healthy and strong for years to come. g

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Visual Protection

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Razer

H C EW E T VI E R

Overwatch Man

TECHNOLOGY

Setting the bar higherâ&#x20AC;¦

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Tournament Edition Stereo Headset

With powerful 50mm drivers, awesome audio and tons of versatility, the Overwatch ManO’War is an incredible gaming headset for all platforms.

AWARDS

AT A GLANCE:

SUMMARY

Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice

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anything else that has a 3.5mm jack interface, then the Overwatch ManO’War is the best choice. And if you’re an Overwatch fan, even better. Even if you’re not, you can learn to live with the garish orange trim and Overwatch logos on the ear cups and headband, particularly when you have experienced the sublime audio that the 50mm drivers deliver. Combined with the generously padded, sound isolating over-ear fit, and you have an audio experience that is absolutely awesome. In addition, for PS4 players, this headset has an in-line volume control (which beats going out of the game, setting your audio and going back in again hands down). Even other users will find the inline control, which also features mic mute, handy. And speaking of the mic, it is fully retractable into the left ear cup, meaning you can stash it out of the way if you don’t need it. The cable is a great length for console use, but a little short for PC – until you plug the integrated 3.5mm jack into the extension cable, which is long and splits into output and input jacks. The Overwatch ManO’War is sturdily built, and extremely comfortable even after long game sessions. In fact, despite a slightly higher price point, it is difficult to find a headset better suited to gaming on all platforms – particularly when you consider how rich and vibrant the audio they deliver is. g

SCORE

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

Razer A pe x I nt e ra c t i v e www.apexint.co.za

TECH SPECS • • • • • • • • •

Stereo 50mm drivers Sound isolation In-line controls 3.5mm jack Retractable mic

by Walt Pretorius

e see a lot of headsets here at Gamecca, running the range from wired through to wireless, stereo to surround sound and everything in-between. One of the best wireless surround sound headsets we’ve seen in recent years is Razer’s new ManO’War. But there’s another ManO’War on the other side of the scale, too… As part of their range of Overwatch branded products, Razer have produced a ManO’War headset that is wired, and delivers stereo audio. But it is perhaps better to consider the Overwatch ManO’War as a “tournament” edition of the range – much like the tournament edition Mamba that we reviewed last month. Choosing between the two versions comes down to a number of factors. First off, if you prefer wireless or surround sound (or both) the choice is clear. But if you are after something that the “normal” ManO’War doesn’t offer – versatility – then you cannot beat the Overwatch edition. The versatility comes thanks to one small aspect of the headset – the jack. The wireless version makes use of a USB connection, which pretty much means that it can be used with PC only. The Overwatch ManO’War has a 3.5mm jack that means it can be used with… well, everything, including PC. If, like me, you want a single, great quality headset that works with PC, consoles, handhelds, MP3 players and

Razer Overwatch ManO’War Tournament Edition Stereo Headset

nO’War

Razer

H C EW E T VI E R

Ripsaw

Game Capture C

Catch it all!

TECHNOLOGY

t’s a question you often see floating around in social media groups dedicated to gaming: “which capture device should I use?” Video capture is an exciting way to show off your gaming and add your opinion to the growing legion of people sharing video online, and thanks to trends in streaming, recording videos is not just for YouTubers anymore. But there are challenges that face those who want to effectively stream video content. Is your line speed fast enough? Does your hardware stand up to the task? Will anyone watch? Absent from that list, though, is the question of whether your capture card will be up to the task of effectively capturing and streaming video in real time – at least, it is if you’re making use of Razer’s Ripsaw Game Capture Card. Yes, Razer has climbed onto that particular bandwagon, and the resulting Ripsaw is extremely effective and ridiculously easy to

use. At least, the device is. The biggest problem here is that the Ripsaw doesn’t have dedicated software for streaming or recording video. Rather, Razer suggest downloading and using OBS (Open Broadcast Software) or XSplit Broadcaster. The Razer site has lots of tutorials for setting up the software to run with the Ripsaw, but it feels counter-intuitive; these days, ease-of-use is what it’s all about, and a proprietary piece of software that simply worked with the Ripsaw – not requiring tons of tweaks and setting changes – would have been a better idea. Still, when you get through the hassle of setting up the software, the Ripsaw does a great job, thanks to a USB 3.0 connection that allows HD video to be streamed really quickly. In addition, the Ripsaw features two 3.5mm audio input jacks, for mic and auxiliary audio. These are great additions, and with a few more tweaks, you’ll be able to

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Razer Ripsaw Game Capture Card

Card

by Walt Pretorius

AT A GLANCE: SUMMARY

TECH SPECS • • • • • • •

Although third party software is a little painful at first, the Ripsaw does the whole video capture thing beautifully.

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

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HD 60fps video capture USB 3.0 Ultra-low latency Mic jack Aux audio jack HDMI in / out

SCORE

Razer A pe x I nt e ra c t i v e w w w . a pe xi nt . c o . z a

AWARDS

stream and commentate effectively, without worries. The Ripsaw forms the heart of a set up that Razer have been promoting, which would see the inclusion of the phenomenal Seiren microphone and the upcoming Stargazer camera (which looks to be a great device, on paper at least). Whether you want to go whole-hog with a set up like that, or simply want to slot the Ripsaw into your existing set up and get going, it’s a great device. It’s HDMI through put is totally lagless (something that plagued YouTubers for ages when recording game footage while playing) and the recording quality is great. The only real hurdle is the software, then; whether you’re streaming or recording, the Ripsaw is excellent hardware to use. Hopefully Razer will work on their own capture and streaming software that simply works when the Ripsaw is plugged in. g

Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice

86 19

Acer

H C EW E T VI E R

Predator G6

TECHNOLOGY

The easy wayâ&#x20AC;¦

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Acer Predator G6 Gaming PC

Gaming PC

by Alex Scanlon

AT A GLANCE: SUMMARY

TECH SPECS

If you’re after a decent machine spec without wanting the hassle of building, Acer’s Predator G6 is a very good option.

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

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• • • • • • •

4GHz CPU 16GB RAM 4GB GTX980 256GB SSD 2TB HDD Integrated overclocking

SCORE

Acer Acer w w w . a c e r. c o m

AWARDS

uilding a gaming rig is, for some, a great pass time. It’s not one that necessarily happens often, what with the high cost of upgrading, but there is a joy in it for a certain segment of the market. For others, it’s confusing, even intimidating. Have you got the right parts? Do the components you bought work well together? Are you putting everything in the right way? For others, it’s a hassle. Some folks just want to get a great rig right out of the box. And for these people, as well as those who find the idea of building a rig scary, options like Acer’s Predator G6 make a lot of sense. Here’s a pre-built gaming rig that is carefully balanced, properly assembled and even comes with added extras that home-building won’t necessarily deliver. We’ll get to the extras later; let’s first look at what the G6 offers in terms of hardware. At its heart is an i7 CPU that delivers 4Ghz of processing power, supported by 16GB of DDR 4 memory. Visuals are taken care of by a 4GB GeForce GTX980 graphics solution, and storage is taken care of by a 2TB HDD and 256GB SSD. It also features six USB 3.0 ports (two on the front), two USB 2.0 ports, and integrated card reader and audio ports. It’s a powerful machine, when all is said and done, and will serve any gamer well. What makes it better, however, are the special features that are built into the overall design. First off is the expansion drive bay mounted just under the optical bay. This allows easy drive expansion for some extra storage space, along with easy access to the bay… and it’s hot-swappable. Secondly is the built in overclocking system, which allows the entire system to be overclocked at the push of a button. It is, once again, extremely simple and easy to get to grips with, and allows for safe overclocking without the need for constant tweaking and monitoring. Also, turning on the “turbo” mode lights up a red trim around the side of the already mean looking case, making it look even more intimidating. The overall look is great, if a little clunky (particularly the angled front). But the design fits in well with Acer’s other gaming focussed products, and even this aspect holds a smart feature – in the form of a retractable headset cradle that solves one of the many PC gaming clutter problems. The design also promoted great air-flow, provided the inside of the case is neatly put together… Which we have no way of knowing. This box is pretty difficult to get inside, so upgrade enthusiasts will likely have to stick to their own builds. Overall, a decent pre-build option from Acer. g

Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice

82 21

MSI

H C EW E T VI E R

Z170A Gaming The speedster

TECHNOLOGY

SI have really stepped up to the Skylake challenge. What we have seen from this company for the current generation of Intel processors is really great. The company has shown a lot of forethought and cleverness in the design of their current crop of motherboards, and the Z170A Gaming Pro Carbon is no different. From looks through to performance, the Z170A Gaming Pro Carbon is a great motherboard. As its name suggests, this board features carbon fibre accents and is all about speed, just like the cars that carbon fibre is generally ssociated with. Aside from making use of the faster 6th generation Intel CPUs, it also employs DDR4 RAM (which is way quicker than DDR3) and has various systems worked in to speed things up. For example, USB 3.1 Gen 2 technology and a boost built into SATA ports means very quick data reading and writing, which never hurts. Additionally, a LAN system that prioritises gaming traffic also means that if you encounter lag, it’s not because of your system. It even features a dedicated port for gaming devices, to allow for more precision and speed from peripherals. Z170A Gaming Pro Carbon also allows for hotkeys to be assigned to your keyboard, which can do anything from launch your favourite games at the push of a button to loading overclocking presets.

In short, its designed to run everything as smoothly as possible, and it’s quite the performer, even under strain. It’s also built to last, though. While it might not feature the armour-plating of the Z170A MPower Gaming Titanium that we looked at last month, it still has a number of features intended to extend its lifespan. First off are the Class V military grade components, which provide a much increased lifespan and improved resistance to temperature. Then there’s a host of protections, including LAN surge protection and CPU overvoltage protection. The Z170A Gaming Pro Carbon also offers humidity, high temperature, electrostatic discharge and electromagnetic interference protections, and all circuits on the board are shielded. And, despite not having that full armour, the PCIe ports are reinforced with metal to prevent damage caused by heavy graphics cards. And on top of all of that, it comes with MSI’s Click Bios 5 system, which allows for easy overclocking or in-depth tweaking, depending on how you want to employ it. By partnering with numerous companies to provide top notch technology and performance (including audio supported by soundmasters Nahimic) the Z170A Gaming Pro Carbon manages to be a top performer, even if it isn’t at the top of MSI’s offering pile. It’s a great board that looks good (with customisation options) and performs really well. g

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Motherboard

MSI Z170A Gaming Pro Carbon Motherboard

g Pro Carbon

Great looks and great performance yet again from MSI, this time in the form of the Z170A Gaming Pro Carbon.

AWARDS

AT A GLANCE:

by Rob Edwards

SUMMARY

Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice

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SCORE

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

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

TECH SPECS • • • • • • • • •

Z170A chipset DDR4 compatible Military grade V components Gaming LAN USB 3.1 Gen 2 Audio Boost 3

Masterliquid Going with the flow...

TECHNOLOGY

Cooler Master

H C EW E T VI E R

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AWARDS

AT A GLANCE:

A fantastic choice for liquid cooling, this system is high-performance, low maintenance and longlived. Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice

gamecca87

SCORE

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

Co o l e r Ma s t e r Co o l e r Ma s t e r www.coolermaster.com

TECH SPECS • • 240mm radiator • Dual-chamber pump • 2 high-efficiency fans • • • • •

by Walt Pretorius

SUMMARY

that keeps heated liquid away from the system’s sensitive components. The pump pushes liquid to the water block, which is comprised of densely packed micro-fine plates that draw heat away from the CPU. The liquid, in turn, absorbs the heat from the water block, and is whisked away to the generously sized radiator. Here, thanks to a redesigned heat fin system and a pair of powerful Masterfan Pro Air Balance fans, the heat from the liquid is effectively blasted out of the case, and the now cooled liquid returns to the water block in the closest thing your PC will have to a circulatory system. It’s all part of a system that Cooler Master call FlowOp, based on the careful study of how heat can be moved away from a PC system using liquid. The end result is a highperformance cooling system that requires almost no maintenance and has an extended lifespan – all things PC owners want to hear. It is systems like this that allow Cooler Master to really show off… sure, there are several liquid cooling options out there, but innovative ideas (like that awesome dual chambered pump) work so well that the competition almost doesn’t feature. If liquid cooling is a way that you want to take your high-performance rig, the Masterliquid Pro 240 is almost a no-brainer. g

Cooler Master Masterliquid Pro 240 Liquid Cooling System

he first time I even worked with a liquid cooling system in my PC, it was something of a hair-raising affair. This was many years ago, and the system I installed required the cutting and fitting of pipes, which had to be sealed by the end-user, as well as an external reservoir that needed to be topped up periodically. It felt like an expensive accident waiting to happen. There never was any calamity, but it always felt a little… scary. Water cooling has come a long way, though, and the selfcontained units that are on the market these days not only do not require any assembly (apart from fitting them into your chassis) but they are so well put together than no one can doubt their efficiency and effectivity. Cooler Master have a long history with system cooling, so they’re immediately a name that springs to mind when it comes to this kind of system. However, they’re also a very innovative company, as their new Master range of products clearly shows. And that innovation doesn’t only go into cases and PSUs… The Masterliquid Pro 240 is a first part of the Master concept and, while it may not be modular or adjustable like many other Master products, it earns the name through extremely good performance and very clever design ideas. At the heart of the system is a dual-chambered pump

MSI

H C EW E T VI E R

Gaming X GeF A new champion?

TECHNOLOGY

he first thing you’ll probably think when you unbox your brand new MSI Gaming X GeForce GTX1080 is “how the hell am I going to fit that into my PC case?” It really is a massive card in terms of size, not only in length, but also in width, extending around 30mm past the edge of the back plate. That’s big, but most modern PC cases should be able to handle the width. It’s long, too, but both of these shouldn’t be a problem if you have a case produced in roughly the last five years or so. And it’s heavy (perhaps the reason for MSI reinforcing the PCIe ports on their motherboards has become clear). But, folks, it’s a GTX1080. What does big matter when the performance it delivers will blow your mind? The second thought may well be that this card looks good. It has a striking black and red cover plate, complete with customisable LED lighting accents and the very impressive looking Twin Frozr VI fans – two of them, to be exact. The numerous curved blades of these fans are extremely effective at pushing air through the card’s generous heat sinks, and they do so extremely quietly, too – even under strain. Armed with 8GB of GDDR5 RAM and, of course, the latest, most powerful graphics processor, the MSI Gaming X GeForce GTX1080 makes short work of virtually any task given to it. It’s a

challenge to find a game that cannot be turned up to max on every aspect of the graphics, and the device is VR ready too, for those who want to take their experiences further. The MSI Gaming X GeForce GTX1080 features one HDMI, one DVI and three DisplayPort outputs, and comes complete with a host of integrated systems, including NVidia’s new Ansel technology (which allows the capturing of 360 degree screen shots, even in VR) and NVidia GameWorks, for improved visual and physics effects. And, of course, it ships with MSI’s Gaming App software, to allow easy overclocking and VR setup. The new generation of NVidia GPUs may be expensive, and even intimidating, but the proof is in the pudding when you try out a device like this remarkable graphics card. And MSI’s experience in creating great graphics cards definitely shows when you consider that the MSI Gaming X GeForce GTX1080 runs very capably, despite relatively low noise and heat. The latest crop of hardware (including Skylake motherboards) shows that MSI has recommitted itself to producing hardware that is truly exceptional. With products like this MSI Gaming X GeForce GTX1080 they are certainly making their mark, and may well move into an extremely dominant position in the market. As long as they keep making great products like this one, it’s all good. g

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NAME MSI Gaming OF THE X GeForce PRODUCT GTX1080 Graphics Card

Force GTX1080

Graphics Card

SUMMARY This graphics card is huge – it is a great option for a nextgen GPU, and shows exactly what MSI is capable of. TECH SPECS • • • • • • •

GTX1080 chipset 8GB RAM Twin Frozr VI technology NVidia Ansel NVidia GameWorks VR ready M A NUFA CT UR E R M SI

DISTRIB UTOR TV R C o m p u ter s

AWARDS

w w w. tv r. co. z a

Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice

SCORE

97 gamecca87

by Rob Edwards

AT A GLANCE:

e rn

Private Matters TECHNOLOGY

The information currency

mgeect 2 c4a 8 7 ggl a ad

by Suvesh Arumugam

Private Matters

come from that old generation of movie-goers who don’t care what IMDB or Rotten Tomatoes say about a film - if it has an actor I like in it, I’ll give it a chance. There are some actors who are likeable, but are not necessarily actors that I like. George Clooney is definitely an actor that I like. I’ve seen him turn in amazing performances in some of my favourite films, so I am generally willing to give any film he’s in a chance. His latest film, called “Money Monster”, is no exception. But anyway, this is not a piece about George Clooney, but something he says in the opening of this film. I’ll have to remember it as best I can, I can’t seem to find a transcript of the opening monologue online (which is amazing, isn’t everything online?). He says something like “ You used to be able to go into the bank and see your money. You’d go into a vault and the bank manager would point to a brick of gold and that was your money. Today, you can’t see your money, it’s not a brick of gold anymore, your money is just photons of light, moving faster than the speed of light”. I suppose this not a very revolutionary concept, but looking at money in this way made me realise that another major commodity works in exactly the same way. Our private information. Personal information, perhaps for the first time in history, is as valuable as money (if not more). So is it any wonder that the advent of the digital realm has brought these two currencies onto the same concourse? The link between our money and our personal information is becoming clearer as the companies competing for either are starting to converge. I recently saw a lot of chatter on the internet when WhatsApp released new terms and conditions last week. While many accepted the new terms without

scrutinising them, many tech journals and news sites posted articles to warn people that the new terms contained a clause that allowed WhatsApp to share information with Facebook for ad targeting. This means that not only Facebook, but third party advertisers that pay Facebook, will be able to target ads to WhatsApp users based on their user data. Ad targeting is nothing new, and people have long accepted that Facebook spends a lot of time and effort tracking, profiling and extrapolating personal information based on the links we share, the friends we make, what we post on our friends walls and the groups, events and pages we like and follow. So why would people be so upset about being tracked on WhatsApp? What I would guess is that the illusion of privacy has been completely shattered. When Facebook bought WhatsApp back in 2014, founder Jan Koum assured users that nothing would change. While WhatsApp once had a free version with ads at one point, they soon took a very anti-ad stance. In April, WhatsApp also launched end-to-end encryption, stating this: “WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption ensures only you and the person you’re communicating with can read what is sent, and nobody in between, not even WhatsApp.“ WhatsApp, and parent company Facebook, even went as far as refusing to release encrypted conversations to criminal investigators in Brazil, resulting in a 48 hour punitive ban. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said he was “stunned that our efforts to protect people’s data would result in such an extreme decision by a single judge to punish every person in Brazil who uses WhatsApp.” Clearly this was a statement to reassure WhatsApp users that privacy trumped profits as far as the messaging app was concerned. So what exactly are WhatsApp sharing

...” the illusion of privacy has been completely shattered.”

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with Facebook that could be useful to ad targeting? According to WhatsApp it’s information like your phone number and the last time you logged into WhatsApp. However the UK’s Information Commission is looking more closely into it as it seems this explanation a little too simplistic. While the new terms specify that your phone number and WhatsApp chats will never be shared onto Facebook, it seems like there must either be more data that can be extrapolated from the combination of your Facebook and WhatsApp data that makes it meaningful - and valuable. For many, this seems like a betrayal of what we believed WhatsApp was. While we accept that platforms like Facebook and Twitter are all about ads and trading information, many of us

“How does WhatsApp make money?”

TECHNOLOGY

believed that WhatsApp was private and secure, and it was a place where secure conversations would never be used in any other context. To be sure, WhatsApp is not the only messaging service. There is Telegram, Signal, Viber and even Facebook Messenger. But WhatsApp was the app that seemed convenient, popular and we had their assurance that privacy was their primary concern. Or maybe it was. Let’s be realistic, we don’t really care how the apps we use or the services we connect with make money. How does WhatsApp make money? While WhatsApp was valued at over a billion dollars around the time of the sale to Facebook in 2014, Facebook eventually paid $4 billion in cash and $12 billion in Facebook shares to acquire the company. While Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated that acquiring WhatsApp was “to develop a group of basic internet services that would be free of charge to use”, clearly Facebook at some point would want to convert a large

investment like this into revenue. South African mobile users will probably recall a very public spat involving WhatsApp and telecoms giants MTN and Vodacom with regard to OTT (Over the Top) services costing telecomms company millions (billions) in lost revenue due to the introduction of free calling and messaging. I still haven’t answered my own question - how does WhatsApp make money? To be honest, I have no idea. When WhatsApp dropped their annual subscription model back in January this year, there was a lot of speculation about how the app would make money. Some believed that WhatsApp would open up their API to brands and CRM applications so your bank or ISP could talk to you in a more private and secure way (rather than via social media). However, this didn’t materialise and doesn’t really look to be on the horizon - in facts Facebook Messenger appears to be more geared towards this right now. It’s also no secret that Facebook desperately wants our money. Aside from targeting ads to users based on information and preference for advertisers for huge amounts of money, Facebook has been frantically trying to launch a mobile pay application allow Facebook to move money between Facebook users. Like a bank, Facebook will allow users to transfer money between each other, but ultimately they hold onto the actual cash, until it’s used for a purchase. More of those incredibly valuable photons of light. Perhaps what Mark Zuckerberg really meant when he talked about a group of free services was more like a network of integrated applications that help to alleviate your fears of one company having all your data (and money). After all, didn’t everyone from your grandma to your kindergarten teacher tell you not to put all your eggs in one basket? But really one company has all your data. Because those photons of light carrying your data really are not just your money, but your data. So whoever owns the photons of light has the real power. g

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Private Matters

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The Old Gre War, N 34

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Battlefield 1

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By: Lein Baart

ea t W ar New Game

U AT

GAMING

attlefield is a series which hardly requires an introduction. A behemoth of the gaming world, the franchise has consistently maintained its position as one of the most recognisable brands in the world throughout its 14 year span, and alongside its rival Call of Duty has enabled the first-person shooter to become the most profitable genre in the business. Yet the franchise, and FPSs in general, have also become known as generic cash cows, with each subsequent release doing little to push the envelope beyond the modern military comfort zone. It’s a perception that EA and DICE are apparently keen to address, with last year’s release, developed by Visceral Games, drastically shifting the setting and tone, while EA have made great fanfare over the fact the Battlefield 1 will be the “biggest and most innovative” game in the series to date. In between the incessant hype and

samey sequels though it’s easy to forget that Battlefield has wrought some major changes on the first-person shooter, and has been one of the largest influences in gaming to date. When Battlefield 1942 first launched in 2002 it seemed to be just another World War 2 shooter. In an era in which most gamers could play out the Normandy beach landings in their sleep (thanks in large part to the influence of the now seemingly defunct Medal of Honor series), DICE’s first real attempt at an FPS game didn’t appear to break new ground, and indeed the single-player was a largely forgettable affair. In what would prove to be a prescient decision though the studio, then known as Digital Illusions, chose to focus on multiplayer, which for the time was a gambit considering broadband internet was still in its nascent phase. It reaped dividends for EA and DICE alike however, and Battlefield 1942 became known

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Battlefield 1

for its sprawling maps, the huge number of concurrent players and the implementation of classes, which was almost unheard of at the time. It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t long before the game became the darling of internet cafes (these were still popular back then) and through its sequel, Battlefield Vietnam, the franchise began to cement its name as one the big players in the industry. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worth noting that Battlefield entered the modern military shooter two years prior Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, and while the console version, Battlefield 2: Modern Combat, never did particularly well, Battlefield 2 remained a huge favourite of PC gamers for years after its 2005 release date. The franchise even ventured into the far future, a setting CoD is only now embracing, with Battlefield 2142, and introduced both the Frostbite Engine and destruction physics in Battlefield: Bad Company, a game that differentiated itself by actually trying to include

a decent single-player campaign. Although none of these elements were truly innovative (all had been tried by other games such as System Shock and Red Faction), the sway of the franchise ensured that these would become major mechanics in modern gameplay. Since the launch of Battlefield 3 however the series has failed to truly distinguish itself. Opting to compete with CoD head-on, as opposed to finding its own niche, the last five years have seen a slew of games that have increasing become difficult to tell apart no matter the brand, with the emphasis placed squarely on multiplayer offerings coupled to bombastic set pieces. Though not as prolific as its rival Battlefield has nevertheless managed to remain competitive, despite the multiplayer issues that plagued Battlefield 4, and to its credit EA has made an effort to expand the franchise with the cops-and-robbers themed Hardline. However this year the FPS war

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seems to have firmly swung in the favour of DICE with the announcement that Battlefield will be venturing into the mostly unexplored realm of World War 1, and anticipation is high to see just what the series will bring to the table. At first glance though World War 1 hardly seems an ideal setting for a high octane shooter. A conflict that was characterised by long periods of trench warfare which saw little real combat, the Great War also lacks the clear-cut good vs evil narrative that made World War 2 seem so justifiable, with the casus belli being rooted mainly in archaic European alliances. It was a sentiment that EA vice president Patrick Söderlund apparently shared, as it reportedly took a great deal of effort for DICE to convince the publisher that a game set during this period would succeed. However the studio has been quick to assure that Battlefield 1

will place fun ahead realism, and to this end players can expect a game that should be just a frenetic as previous entries. DICE are aiming to bring the action into the singeplayer campaign, and have in fact been surprisingly reticent regarding details. What has been revealed is that the game will span all four years of the war, and players can expect to cycle through multiple protagonists representing all theatres. EA’s CEO Andrew Wilson has stated that Battlefield 1 will contain a “deep story and unprecedented variety in the gameplay”, though it’s worth noting that this has never been the franchise’s strong point. DICE are however looking to move the series from the tight close-quarter combat that has characterised single-player thus far, and instead provide open maps that allow for a variety of methods in completing objectives.

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Battlefield 1

Of course Battlefield’s primary focus has always been on multiplayer, and there’s little reason to believe this won’t be the case here. Players can expect all the usual bells and whistles, though DICE have made some effort to tweak the gameplay for the period. The melee system has seen an overhaul, with weapons such as trench clubs and bayonets added to represent the brutal nature of World War 1 trench fighting. Likewise the vehicles will be accurate for the period, and will include horses, biplanes and even zeppelins. The classes have also seen a tweak, and besides the usual assault, scout and support classes, Battlefield 1 will see the return of a dedicated medic, as well as three vehicle classes, namely the tanker, pilot and cavalier. The developers have also chosen to expand the gameplay with two notable additions, the first being a new squad system which will allow players to enter

and exit game servers a single squad. Considering how much the series emphasises teamwork this should be a more than welcome feature. Finally Battlefield 1 will also be expanding the destructible terrain mechanic that the franchise has become known for, allowing for almost the entire map to be carved up as the match progresses. For fans of shooters there’s certainly a lot in Battlefield 1 to be excited about. The return to real-life events should hopefully provide DICE with more than enough material to craft a decent single-player out experience, while all the features that have hallmarked the series appear to have received significant attention. The hype surrounding this game has been near deafening, but to the developer’s credit they at least seem to be doing enough to earn a portion of it, and you can expect Battlefield 1 to dominate online servers for months to come. g

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Titanfall 2 GAMING

Bridging the gap between man and m

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Titanfall 2

by Nthato Morakabi

machine.

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The announcement of Titanfall 2 had the exact same goosebump inducing excitement. A new single-player mode has been introduced, where you will play as Militia rifleman Jack Cooper who must now take over the mission that left his squad-mate dead and his Titan pilotless. The Interstellar Manufacturing Corporation (IMC) as well as local alien creatures stand in their way in this linear story played out in open-ended levels. Of course with Titanfall’s parkour elements, it was only natural for this to be part of the experience. Puzzles have been introduced in the single player game mode, requiring players to solve them by altering platforms in the environment. A fascinating feature will see players communicating with the Titan, bridging the gap between

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eep behind the IMC enemy lines, Titan BT7274’s pilot is killed in action. Donning the deceased fighter’s helmet and linking to BT7274, Militia rifleman Jack Cooper must not become the pilot. With a titan that doesn’t belong to him and a mission he wasn’t meant to carry out, Cooper and BT-7274 embark on a mission that explores the bond between man and machine. When Titanfall was announced back at E3 in 2013, I must say I was incredibly excited by the concept. Not at all related to my love of Mech anime, the idea of a futurist first person shooter where you are fighter able to call down a giant robot to assist you in your battles was exactly the change I was looking for.

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Titanfall 2

man and machine, pilot and Titan. The expansive multiplayer is going through a massive overhaul. Titans from the first instalment have been scrapped entirely for six new Titans of which three have been revealed. The Ronin is a sword wielding, shot-gun toting machine capable of massive damage in short bursts but brittle. Scorch as the name suggests, lashes out in fiery weapons including incendiary traps and firewalls. Ion blasts lasers at enemies with a vortex shield that redirects enemy fire back or sets laser triggered explosive mines. Titan appearances can also extensively customized. Pilots will continue to have base abilities such as double jumps, wall runs and invisibility cloaking from the first game. New tactical abilities have been revealed to widen

the scope of playing as much of the game has been slowed down to allow more proactive decision making. New abilities include a grapple hook for reaching difficult places quickly as well as to pull enemies closer. Pulse blade is a deadly throwing knife that also briefly releases a sonar pulse to detect enemies. Holo pilot creates a holographic projection of the pilot, mimic their movements to deceive enemies. Stim gives pilots faster speed and quickly heals and restores player’s health. A few complaints have arisen regarding Respawn Entertainment completely neglecting fan feedback from the “tech-test” and seen in the multiplayer demo. Nonetheless, Titanfall looks to continue the legacy its first title initiated. g

AT A GLANCE First Person Shooter

Summon Titans from the sky, explore the new single player game mode, enjoy the expansive multiplayer and delve into the heart of highspeed battles. Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

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Respawn Entertainment Electronic Arts Prima Interactive

Oct 2016

Platforms

GENRE

ETA

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

GAMING

Oct 2016 Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Antagonist Antagonist Online

PLATFORMS

There’s no turning back now…

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

GENRE

AT A GLANCE Survival Horror

An emotionally and mentally immersive game. This is an anticipated game for many great reasons.

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by Sibonisile Motha

Through the woods

hrough the Woods is indeed a survival, psychological horror game. Antagonist have developed a game that is not just a typical survival horror, where you just seem to have to slash your way out of something. No, with this title your aim is to go deep into the very woods which bring you to a state of cold sweats. Why not go away from the danger? Well, your character is a mother whose son disappeared in those very woods and as a good mother, you search to find him. Alive. You hope. This emotional and psychological element will make this game a nice feature to the genre. With a simple flashlight to see your way through the woods, the story is told as the mother’s retelling of the incidents surrounding her child’s disappearance. As you play the mother’s story between her and the investigating detective, through Dynamic Narration, the dialogue changes as the events unfold. The woods themselves don’t make things easier with all the general creepiness that they so excellently exude. So how can you make a game that will already mess with your mind and heartrate even scarier? Sound. That is what Antagonist want you to experience. Complete sounds. The use of sounds are very intentional. You’ll just never know when the sounds will deceive you or aid you. Antagonist is a Norwegian indie studio, and they wanted to create a game that rang true to the fears of the woods that they were told of as children. The game is heavily based on Norse mythology (no I did not Google “Norse mythology about the woods” or “Norse mythology evils” or anything like that). Enjoy the journey. g

Through the woods

E M W A VIE G E R P

Final Fantasy X GAMING

Breaking the mould

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Final Fantasy XV

by Lein Baart

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spanned just over a decade, with the original game, known at the time as Final Fantasy Versus XIII, being conceived as a spin-off rather than a main entry. This status allowed the gameâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first director, Tetsuya Nomura, a certain degree of creative freedom that he would probably not have otherwise been afforded, and even after it was decided that the game would receive a bump in status this has remained. Probably the most noticeable change will be in the plot and mood of the game. As part of the Fabula Nova Crystallis setting FF XV will share themes with XIII and Type-0, though the relevance of the mythos has apparently been scaled back. Instead the game will tell the story of Prince Noctis of Lucis, the last remaining

GAMING

inal Fantasy has struggled somewhat this decade in the West. With the JRPG behemoth having relied heavily of the struggles of Lightning and Co. to carry it through lately, often on the backs of wildly incoherent plots, the series has had a difficult time attracting the acclaim it usually receives globally, and has instead turned towards a host of spin-offs and remakes. Such is the seriesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; sway however that despite its recent woes the mere hint of another entry in the main series has sent gamers worldwide into fits of hysteria, though Final Fantasy XV might be a very different experience to what fans have come to expect. This is in part due to a development cycle that has

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Final Fantasy XV

kingdom outside the influence of the Nilfheim Empire, as he traverses the world in his car Regalia in an attempt to reclaim his realm after his father has been overthrown through treachery. Set in the lands of Eos, the game’s universe will closely resemble or own, and Square Enix have made it clear that XV’s story will be both darker and more realistic than what players will be used to, with a driving force behind the plot and setting being “fantasy based on reality” according to Nomura. Another key change to the regular formula will lie in the combat, which has been dubbed the Active Cross Battle System. Drawing inspiration from Kingdom Hearts and Type-0, the system will remove the turnbased menu-driven mechanics that the series is famed

for, instead opting for real-time combat with actions mapped directly to the controller buttons. Additionally players will only be able to control Noctis, though party members will automatically assist in attacks should the player be close enough. All these changes may add up to a Final Fantasy game that will feel vastly different to anything that has come before. The series hasn’t completely abandoned its roots, though it’s definitely looking to evolve the franchise in a new direction. Whether this will be enough to appease old hands while attracting new players remains to be seen, though if it does prove to be a success it could herald in an entirely new era for JRPGs. g

AT A GLANCE Action RPG

FF XV aims to do more than tinker with the series formula, though how successful this will be remains to be seen Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

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Square Enix Square Enix Megarom

Nov 2016

Platforms

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PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

PES 2017

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PES 2017

The Evolution of Football

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Konami Konami Ster Kinekor

PLATFORMS

GAMING

Sep 2016

details such as the breath of players when it’s cold, to the net splashing off water when it rains and more. Gameplay mechanics have also been improved. First time touches incorporate player attributes and real ball physics, allowing for realistic ball control either in receiving or distributing. Passing has seen a similar revamp, utilizing the real touch combined with ball physics to affect ball trajectory. Of course in game player attributes, direction and angle have to be considered, but used effectively, passing will look as great as the real thing. An important factor in any football

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GENRE

simulation game is AI and tactics. PES 2017 will allow players to set their own tactics such as heavy pressing, man-marking, counter targeting and others, all available in the Advanced Instructions. Team control is also another strategic consideration, changeable on the fly to instantly alter the team mentality from attacking to defending. AI has been built to learn how you play both in attack and defence. Passing the same player all the time will cause defenders to mark that player closer. All in all, PES 2017 looks to give FIFA a run for its money. g

AT A GLANCE Sports

The next evolution in football promising precise first touches, accurate passes, adaptive AI and authentic visuals putting you in the middle of the beautiful game.

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by Nthato Morakabi

always appreciate Pro Evolution Soccer for ensuring that EA doesn’t dominate the football simulation scene. Always a step ahead when it comes to realism and accurate player representation, PES 2017 continues in the same bold strides as it’s contemporary; PES has improved what matters. Although not using Frostbite, the team at Konami have employed their own engine: Fox Engine. They have worked to improved visuals to continue their legacy for the most realistic looking football game. From refined player models, lighting, crowds, field and stadiums, to

Grimm: Dark Legacy

E M IEWW A VIE G EEV R PR

Grimm: Dark Legacy W

e have seen our share of movies created that were spun-off from popular games and vice versa. Grimm: Dark Legacy is a game that is a prequel spin-off from the TV Series called Grimm. In the series, the protagonist is a descendant of Grimm, and in Dark Legacy, you play as the ancestor. Set 100 years before the TV series, welcome to the old world where you will find yourself not only battling monsters and untold evils, but also discover the many mysteries that surround you. In order to be a successful hunter, you need to be an alive one first. That means using all tools at your disposal. From weapons which include axes, explosives, knives and hunting bows. To interesting and realistic skills to seek out the evils that lurk. You can track down the foes using smells, following sounds and tracks. The fun twist in this is that the enemies can use the very same tactics to find youâ&#x20AC;Śand kill you obviously. This is an online game and so you can have tons of fun playing co-op on missions. This title also aims to satisfy any hunger for a good storyline. Work your way up and keep getting better in skills, weaponry, strategy, and alchemy and combat. You will need all this because the enemies are absolutely delightful creatures who just want to high five your face with their claws. They seriously donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want you alive at all. Which would be a shame considering that you have a descendant who is doing very well on TV making the Grimm name proud. So stay alive and be a great hunter for his sake. g

GAMING

TBA 2016 Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Artplant GamesCo Online

PLATFORMS

by Sibonisile Motha

The hunted becomes the

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

GENRE

AT A GLANCE MMO, Survival, RPG

The idea to create a game prequel to a successful TV show may payoff for players and fans of the series with this title.

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GAMING

Sep 2016 Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

GSC Game World GSC Game World Online

PLATFORMS

RTS Retouch

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

GENRE

AT A GLANCE RTS

Cossacks 3 should provide a suitable balm for those yearning for the days of the classic RTS

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by Lein Baart

Cossacks 3

he RTS is nothing if not a dying genre, with the dominance in the PC game market that it enjoyed just under twenty years ago all but vanished. While there have been several attempts at resuscitation over the last couple of years, most notably in the form of Age of Empires 2 HD and StarCraft 2, the days of perfectly timed build orders seem to be a distant memory. That hasn’t stopped a few dedicated studios from trying to relive them however, and Cossacks 3 is promising to deliver a boatload of nostalgia for those pining for the genre’s heyday. While the series remains largely unknown in the West, Cossacks was immensely successfully in Eastern Europe, and made its name based on the sheer scale of its conflicts while adhering to the mould Age of Empires 2 had created just a year before it. While GSC Game World has since become known for its S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise, the studio has apparently decided to return to its roots with a complete revamp of the original, Cossacks: European Wars, though the developers intend to keep the gameplay as unaltered as possible. What prevented Cossacks from being an otherwise straight clone of Age of Empires was the vastness of its battles, and players can expect the remake to allow up to 10000 units to clash at a time. Set during the 17th and 18th centuries, the game will feature 12 playable nations and five campaigns. The original Cossacks was noted for its multiplayer however, and here GSC Game World will provide support for up to seven players along with a “flexible” random map generator, as well as comprehensive modding support. g

Cossacks 3

e m ew a vi G e R P

Kings and Heroes

E M W A VIE G E R P

Kings and Heroes

Become a Legendary Hero

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Industry Games Industry Games Online

PLATFORMS

GAMING

TBA (Early Access)

stated that this title is built by core gamers for core gamers. Unique character creation will let you customize the look and feel of your hero. Select from six different races including Human, Dwarf, Orc, Goblin, Halfling or Elf and from these, five different classes of Champion, Rogue, Wizard, Ranger or Cleric. The procedurally generated dungeons ensure a unique experience with each adventure presented. With four different dungeon types available of various diverging themes ranging from castles to crypts to caves. Working on a roguelike system where

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

GENRE

you will select the size and difficulty of the dungeon; the harder the dungeon the better the rewards but fail and return to town losing whatever loot you managed to collect during the run. Kings and Heroes is both a single and a multiplayer title. Up to 8 players can tackle dungeons together, facing more than 20 different bosses and meeting in the adventurer town of Everdale to form your groups. Everdale will also be where you gear up, train, talk to unique NPCs and select your next adventure. Currently available on Steam as Early Access. g

AT A GLANCE Action RPG

Tackle procedurally generated dungeons alone or with a band of heroes against monsters and unique bosses in this first person action adventure title.

gamecca87

by Nthato Morakabi

elcome to Sundaria brave warrior. A landscape of frosted winter forests, scenic sun drenched woodlands and dark infested dungeons. Monsters roam the lands and it is up to you, great fighter of legend, to rid the land of Sundaria of these creatures. Armed with your weapons and armor of choice, alone or with a band of heroes, you must explore the lands and fulfil your destiny. This is Kings and Heroes. A first person action RPG powered by Unreal Engine, Kings and Heroes puts you into the expansive open world of Sundaria. Industry Games have

Guardians of Ember

E M IEWW A VIE G EEV R PR

Guardians of Ember G

uardians of Ember is an action massively multiplayer game. With so many MMO games that are out there, each one has to bring something different to the table that can hopefully give it not only a competitive advantage, but a huge fan base too. Runewaker wants to achieve all this with Guardians of Ember. Set in the world of Olyndale and its dwindling peace, you are part of a brotherhood that fights to restore peace and order to Olyndale. As a Guardian, you will have to traverse the large world around you in order to retrieve what is the last hope for your land – the Ember stone. The size of the world isn’t the only challenge you will come across. From enemies such as monsters, other twisted beings and of course an RPG signature enemy – the living dead. To defeat these enemies, craft your weapons and enchant them to improve your chances of winning in combat. Enjoy the Hack’n’Slash method too. As you explore Olyndale on your heroic quest, you will come across dungeons. We all know dungeons. We love dungeons. We hate dungeons. We must get through the dungeons. What Runewaker have done with their dungeons is making them randomized in difficulty. So you honestly will never know how much harder or easier the next dungeon is going to be. What would an RPG be without quests? Thankfully Guardians of Ember has hundreds of them. The colours and textures look great for this game. The lighting throughout sets the tone for each new environment you will come across. It is a stunningly beautiful world that has been create for the player to not only experience, but enjoy.g

GAMING

Sep 2016 Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Runewaker InselGames Ltd. Online

PLATFORMS

by Sibonisile Motha

Ember is a Guardian’s best friend.

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

GENRE

AT A GLANCE MMO

There are a lot of types of gamers that this title is out to impress. Only time will tell.

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Deus Ex: Mankin GAMING

Acts of terror

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Deus Ex: Mankind Divided

by Walt Pretorius

nd Divided

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cybernetically augmented people becoming policed, second class citizens, crammed into ghettos and reviled by â&#x20AC;&#x153;normalâ&#x20AC;? humans. In this kind of situation tensions are bound to rise, and when a terrorist bomb detonates in Prague (the main setting of the game) it is up to the player, controlling the series protagonist Adam Jensen, to investigate. Working for a division of Interpol, Jensen (being augmented) is not immune to the hatred, but is a valuable asset, thanks to his augmentations. However, when mysterious experimental systems are found in his hardware, even more potential arises for him. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the canvas upon which Eidos Montreal painted this compelling and engaging tale. Speaking of which, it needs to be noted that Mankind Divided does not feature the kind of world-spanning, earth-shattering super-conspiracy

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t happens far too often that sequels start showing signs of wear for the franchise as a whole. Perhaps developers get complacent with past successes, or are afraid to move away from trodden paths in order to push things forward. Thankfully, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided shows no signs of the creeping rot we find in some franchises. One could argue that it is early days yet, with this being only the second game since the series reboot, but it still shows the commitment of Eidos and Square Enix to making this remarkable and unique world work with every single outing. Mankind Divided sees the world having become a very different place from the one we experienced in Human Revolution, the reboot title that came out a few years ago. Events that unfolded in Human Revolution has resulted in a segregation within society, with

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Deus Ex: Mankind Divided

narrative that Human Revolution did. Things are much more down toned this time around, with the entire main plot focussing on the bombing and finding those truly responsible for it. Not that it is not intriguing, mind you; it just feels a little less grand than the previous game’s plot. With that said, there is plenty to do here, even if you just follow the main plot line. Doing so, though, would be a disservice to both the player and the developers. Eidos Montreal built a lot into this game, and there are side quests aplenty to be enjoyed. They’re not the usual, one dimensional side quests either; in Mankind Divided, each side quest feels like a mini-story all of its own, with depth and complexity rarely seen in gaming tasks that veer away from the central narrative. The strange thing with the side quests, though, is that many of them are hidden or hard to find. The game promoted exploration in many

ways, with one of them being the fact that you never really know when you might stumble across an engrossing and rewarding side quest. Supporting this idea is the city of Prague, a sprawling metropolis full of nooks and crannies to explore, split into segments easily accessible via a metro-rail line. The city is lively and richly endowed of places to find and things to explore. A shop might hide a secret passage leading to a stash of useful stuff, or an apartment might contain a computer which, if hacked, provides clues to the start of a side quest. What’s more, the player will always be able to find multiple ways to, for example, get into a room. Hacking the door (using the game’s revamped but possibly overused hacking minigame) is not always the only option. There may be a window or vent that will allow access, or a nearby guard with a key card. The player

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One area that has seen massive improvement in Mankind Divided is gun play. Human Revolution always felt a little messy when things went bad and bullets started flying, but this time around the entire system feels a lot more satisfying and sturdy. It’s not the perfect shooter, but when all hell breaks loose, the player no longer has to rabbit for cover and prey that they’ll survive the encounter. Jensen is older, smarter, meaner and much more capable in Mankind Divided. Speaking of capable, the game offers a deep augmentation system, with the player able to unlock new augs as experience is gained. Additionally, there are those experimental augmentations – they’re intimidating at first, but as the game progresses, they allow Jensen to become a real power house. Weapons help, of course, and Jensen will be able to

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really can take on multiple approached to virtually every situation in the game. It’s this kind of freeform activity that makes playing the game a lot of fun. So let’s get to that, then. Mankind Divided is, on the surface, a cover-based stealth game that works best when Jensen is in the shadowy, craftily circumventing security systems and slipping in behind enemy lines. That was true for Human Revolution, too, but numerous improvements to Mankind Divided make it an overall better experience. The cover system, for example, has been upgraded, making it easier to move from one set of cover to another, or vault over cover for a stealthy attack. The AI can tend towards daftness from time to time, but the game’s “last position” system creates an excellent way for the player to draw enemies in and flank them, or deal with them in other clever terms.

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Deus Ex: Mankind Divided

collect numerous upgradable weapons with which to get the job done. There is even a limited crafting aspect to the game, allowing the upgrading of certain weapon aspect or the creation of useful items. Perhaps the best part of the weapons, though, is the quick radial menu for weapon selection, and the on-thefly weapon modification system that, if the weapon has the right parts installed, can turn almost every gun in the game into an extremely versatile tool. Switching parts on-the-fly allows the player to once again customise their experience and make the best of any given situation. And all of this is presented beautifully. Mankind Divided’s cyberpunk version of Prague is gritty and interesting, believable and engrossing. In fact, almost every aspect of the presentation – from character

models to voice acting – is great, bar one; the lipsynching runs between poor to awful. If the only real criticisms that can be aimed at Mankind Divided are poor lip synching, slightly loose gun play and a less-than-grand narrative, it’s a pretty decent game (and we’re not even touching on the exciting Breach mode, which adds a whole lot more play time). The truth of it is that Mankind Divided is not the perfect game, but it does manage to take what came before and improve upon it in many meaningful ways. It’s a highly enjoyable game, particularly if you dig into the depths of it, engage in conversations and explore everywhere. But more than that, it is a sign of things to come; if this is the direction that Eidos Montreal have moved in, and if they stay the course, Deus Ex will be one of those rare franchises that just keeps getting better and better. Here’s hoping. g

AT A GLANCE Adventure

REVIEWED ON

Mankind Divided shows the kind of progression that needs to happen in franchises. While it has a couple of weaker aspects it is, overall, a fantastic game. Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Eidos Square Enix Megarom

PARENTAL ADVISORY

18+ gamecca87

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

AWARDS

Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Casual Ed’s Choice

PS4 PLATFORMS

GENRE

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

Score

90 63

E M W A IE G EV R

Bound GAMING

The art of movement

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GENRE

Visually striking and beautifully

Bound

by Alex Scanlon

graceful,

will sadly not be everyone’s cup

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

7+ AWARDS

SCE Santa Monica SCEE Online

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice

Score

AT A GLANCE

PARENTAL ADVISORY

REVIEWED ON

PLATFORMS

of tea.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

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Platform

PS4

will find the majority of the challenges lie in traversal ideas and mastering controls to perform beautiful, graceful movements through the landscape. There is little punishment here. Dying in the game results in a quick reset to one of the titles generously sprinkled checkpoints, without much need to redo tons of stuff already bested. On the downside, Bound’s camera could have been better. In a game in which the visual aspect is so very important, one would expect a more co-operative camera. That’s not the case, though, and you will find yourself needing to adjust the view fairly often. It’s annoying, at worst, but never bad enough to ruin the experience. One thing that the developers certainly got right is the control scheme. In a world of narrow ledges and high beams, you need to have great control, and that’s exactly what Bound has on offer. If you make mistakes, it’s likely due to either player miscalculation, or the camera letting you down. Sadly, in a world full of violent head-popping games, many gamers will likely steer clear of Bound’s artistic sentiments. It is not a game that holds massive amounts of appeal for the unwashed massed, unfortunately, making it something like a gaming version of a subtitles foreign film. And even those that do get into it may find it’s gentle approach and short play time not to their liking. But the truth is that, despite the fact that it will likely never rise above the status of cult classic, Bound is a beautifully crafted and thoughtful game, in which movement is not just a function, but rather a theme. Hopefully more than a handful of people will experience this etheric and often surreal title, and see how much of an art form video games really are. g

Bound

e often come across a strong sense of surrealism in games, but it isn’t all that often that we see the art form of gaming celebrating the joys of other forms of art. And just a quick aside, if you do not consider game development to be an art form, play this game. It will change your mind. The other art form that Bound celebrates is an unlikely one, considering the “boyish” nature of blowing things all to hell that is prevalent in video games. In this game, the grace and beauty of ballet is central to the main character, and using her, the player will dance and pirouette their way through the game’s lamentably short three hour story. The plot is nothing special, really. The player controls a faceless princess who must protect her mother and kingdom from a mysterious monster. It goes deeper than that, and ties into some very real and very serious issues, but we’ll leave you to discover that for yourself. While the game’s play time is short, it offers a lot of replay value, as the player can take on any of the stages in any order. Each stage helps the Princess conquer a particular (sometimes odd) fear, meaning that subsequent levels play differently. This means that mixing up your play order can deliver different experiences. Not that it will change the difficulty level, which is very low. Bound is less about hectic challenges and more about celebrating the achievements of the developers. This game is visually stunning, alluring even, from the fluid, graceful movements of the Princess right through to the often simple, highly geometric world through which she dances. Bound is, if you want to stuff it into a pigeon-hole, a platform game. The player

E M W A IE G EV R

No Man’s Sky GAMING

A stroll around the galaxy…

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No Manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sky

by Walt Pretorius

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when I heard about it. Procedurally generated planets mean that almost every planet is unique – you will likely never see the same combination again, even after years of play. And this is an aspect that the game certainly does get right. There is always a little bit of excitement as you seamlessly transition from space to the surface of a new planet, because each planet is filled with new potential. And that would be enough to keep someone like me going for ages, provided it was supported by a few ideas; but those ideas are not here. Most of your time – almost all of it – is going to be spent gathering a wide variety of resources in order to craft new technologies, or to sell for units, the overly generic name of the galactic currency. That’s great in principle, until you discover that it is almost all you will be doing. And with an inventory system that is not only

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issed potential is something we see fairly often in the video game world, but when that idea grows to the scale it has achieved in No Man’s Sky, it is actually really sad. Worse than that, the hype generated around this game has had the public frothing to get hold of it… but, now, after its release, they are frothing for entirely different reasons. No Man’s Sky doesn’t deliver what was expected, and it certainly doesn’t come close to taking advantage of all the things it could have been. On paper, an almost limitless galaxy to explore, with the freedom to do it at your own pace as you discover incredible new worlds and build up your equipment and resources on a slow journey to the centre of the galaxy sounds pretty compelling. I know I got excited

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No Man’s Sky

clunky, but also extremely limited (even after a few upgrades) is starts losing its appeal fairly quickly. So does the joy of new planets, when they start feeling like a collection of almost lifeless balls floating in space. Sure, every now and then you’ll find a good one (particularly after you have upgraded your warp drive technology) but, for the most part, they start feeling a little repetitive. So, repetitive tasks and repetitive environmental ideas. What about the game’s survival aspect? This was touted as a fairly big aspect of the game dynamic but, while it does come into play from time to time, no environment ever really had me worried. I could, with a fair degree of ease, keep my life support systems topped up. I never felt like I was in any danger. Neither, for that matter, did I feel threatened by strange alien

predators, or the game’s “galactic police force”, the robotic sentinels that patrol every planet and vary in temperament from sedate to psychotic. Not once was there a time that I feared for my in-game alter-egos life. And even at times when I did die (generally because of space combat combined with a clunky equipment recharging system) those deaths had no real impact. More than anything, it was the feeling on never really belonging in this galaxy that got to me. Sure, you’re a stranger in a strange land here, and you will spend time learning the languages of aliens word for word as you discover ancient sites and artefacts on the planets you visit. But all three of the game’s story lines – which also feel utterly unimportant, really – leave you feeling like a nomad, a voyeur spending a few moments in sometimes beautiful places before moving on. The experience feels

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it really would go a long way to making this a better game. So would many other things… like being able to transfer technology between ships, or build up a “garage” of space craft. Populated planets, space ports and more interaction with the alien races would also help. In fact, there is so much that can happen here, including the implementation of multiplayer that moves beyond simply seeing where other players have been. I am going to go out on a limb here, and go against the most common public sentiment towards No Man’s Sky. I am going to say that, while in its current state this game is far from what it should be – and what was promised – it has the potential to still be a great game. It really does. If Hello Games manage to

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empty, at times, and disconnected from the player. There has been a lot of criticism aimed at No Man’s Sky since its release, most of which is based on the fact that it doesn’t feel like what the developers promised. And in many ways it isn’t. In truth, it feels more like a tech demo that still needs a lot of features bolted on. And, quite honestly, that’s not an unfair label. Hello Games, the No Man’s Sky development team, have promised that, in future, we will be able to build bases and own larger ships, among other things. These will be great additions and, personally, they will invigorate my interest in the game. But they should have been there from the start, really, because No Man’s Sky feels incomplete without them. Even the ability to mark star systems you have visited is absent, although

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No Man’s Sky

implement some of the ideas that have been brought up by them, and suggested to them, I may well find myself revisiting this title. They need to get a move on, though – while Hello Games are concentrating on (admittedly important) bug fixes, their user base in diminishing. To really turn things around, they need to release new things for players to do, for free, and pretty fast. At the time of writing, no news has been released for these added extras, although we have seen numerous patches to fix bugs. Time will tell what these additions will deliver, but they can’t really make things worse that the somewhat bland, repetitive experience that No Man’s Sky currently is. I am one of those eternally hopeful (and possibly annoying people). And so, with that in mind, I am

going to express my hope that No Man’s Sky will be improved with additional content and concepts in the future. Because this really is a game with a galaxyload of potential. As it stands, however, most of that potential is completely unrealised, and the freedom that the game claims to grant the player is only within a tight set of activity boundaries. Once those have been expanded somewhat, No Man’s Sky may still be the game we hoped that it would be… the fact that it wasn’t at launch time is really a bad show, though. The ball is in Hello Games’ court, and their next few moves can not only make or break No Man’s Sky, but also their future as a developer. Let’s hope they make the right moves, and soon – otherwise travelling the galaxy in No Man’s Sky will become even lonelier than it already is. g

AT A GLANCE Exploration

REVIEWED ON

No Man’s Sky still has a lot of potential, but in its current state it needs a lot of work to become a great game.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Hello Games Hello Games / SCEE Online / Ster Kinekor

PARENTAL ADVISORY

7+ gamecca87

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

AWARDS

Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Casual Ed’s Choice

x360 PLATFORMS

GENRE

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

Score

75 71

Action

It’s all button-mashing and dumb AI in this character rich brawler with adventure aspirations.

REVIEWED ON

XO PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

GENRE

AT A GLANCE

GAMING Bound of flame

Hack, hack, hack some more

PLATFORMS

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Omega Force Koei Tecmo Online

PARENTAL ADVISORY

17+ gamecca87

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

AWARDS Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice

Score

Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate

by Rob Edwards

arriors Orochi 3 Ultimate has been around for two years now, but for fans of the enormous franchise seeing it arrive as part of Microsoft’s Games for Gold offering was a special treat. And if you wonder is the game has that many fans, just look at the vast number of titles released under the Warriors banner. But having a lot of fans doesn’t mean that it’s necessarily something that will shine. In the end, the franchise skirts the realms of “cult classic” and this instalment is no different. When you break this game down, it (like every other Warriors game) is all about running into an area and furiously button mashing until a massive number of enemies lies vanquished at your feet, and then running to the next area and doing it all again. While there have been attempts in Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate to deepen the experience, this is really what it boils down to. That depth comes in the form of a huge number of playable characters (over a hundred) each with their own moves and abilities. And they will all do the same kind of repetitive thing before long. There are a few story variations and branches related to the characters, but the player will always come down to bashing their way through tons of enemies. And that would have been OK, if it wasn’t for the fact that the game has an AI that is dumber than a bag of hammers. AI partners are unreliable, and enemies follow the most basic of procedures during combat. Add to this a really painful menu structure, and Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate starts losing a lot of appeal for those that aren’t fanatic adherents to the franchise. g

Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate

E M W A IE G EV R

Assetto Corsa GAMING

The feel of itâ&#x20AC;¦

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Assetto Corsa

by Walt Pretorius

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E M W A IE G EV R

provided you’re the only driver on the track. If you’re flying over the tarmac solo, with no other drivers to worry about, Assetto Corsa really shines. Its assists aren’t the sharpest, though; for example, the driving line assist isn’t dynamic, so it often gives the wrong braking indication. This example highlights one of Assetto Corsa’s biggest issues – it lacks polish in areas that hardcore drivers may consider non-essential. That creates a barrier to entry for less experienced players. It’s a pity, really, because Assetto Corsa feels so good to play. But it is only the start of the game’s issues. And the next one is a very big one: the racing. The AI is, quite simply, insane. Through a number of bad decisions and bullying tactics, the AI will do whatever it takes to prevent the player winning, including driving them off of the track and slamming into their car. That’s all fine and well if the

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ssetto Corsa could be the next contender in driving simulations, because this is a game that gets the feel of driving a car around a challenging track right. But for it to knock big names like F1 and Project CARS off of their lofty perches, some work needs to be done to other elements of the game that these competitors have nailed. The actual experience of driving in Assetto Corsa is great. While it is best experienced with a wheel, the developers have managed to transition the controls beautifully to a standard console controller too (something the Project CARS couldn’t really do) and so even more casual players without the prerequisite hardware that would make them a hardcore driving game enthusiast will be able to enjoy what it has to offer. And in terms of experience, it offers a lot –

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Assetto Corsa

scales were balanced, but this kind of driving will see the player penalised, while the AI gets away with murder. It gets pretty bad, at times, and results in races most certainly being lost. This unforgiving nature is exacerbated by the fact that Assetto Corsa clings to the now-outmoded idea of “top three or bust”. While other racing titles has delivered more relaxed, realistic career conditions (like smaller teams wanting a top ten finish) Assetto Corsa insists of podium placements for advancement. Additionally, the career mode within the game feels flat and lifeless, more of an afterthought tacked on to “enhance” the driving experience. In fact, even the racing feels that way. But, in truth, the driving experience didn’t need enhancement, because it really is that good. It’s exceptional. And that really is the worst part of the whole affair – the development team worked so very hard on

getting the driving right that everything else – including an engaging career and satisfying races – fell by the wayside. Had Assetto Corsa been touted as being a pure simulator, with no racing, thing would have been far better. There is hope for the franchise moving forward, though, if the developers realise that their driving model is excellent and pay more attention to the things that surround it. If they manage to sort out the racing AI and take a more progressive approach to the career, Assetto Corsa could well become one of the top contenders in the genre. Until that happens, though, it will play second fiddle to games that not only deliver excellent driving, but have put extra care into what happens around the driving. It’s a great pity, because blasting down the track in Assetto Corsa feels so damned great. g

AT A GLANCE Racing

REVIEWED ON

With such a great driving model, it really is a pity that Assetto Corsa is hampered by a poor opponent AI and a lacklustre career mode. Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Kunos Simulazioni 505 Games Apex Interactive

PARENTAL ADVISORY

3+ gamecca87

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

AWARDS

Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Casual Ed’s Choice

x0 PLATFORMS

GENRE

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

Score

78 77

Rebel Galaxy

E M W A IE G EV R

Rebel Galaxy

Battling among the stars

in the strictest sense, Rebel Galaxy still offers lots of combat and fun.

PS4

PLATFORMS

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Using numerous weapon systems, the player will engage with enemies in sideon battles much like those we enjoyed in Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag. Other weapon systems can also be controlled, but they are also controlled by a competent AI, leaving the player to worry only about the big guns. There are numerous weapon types and upgrades, too, so there’s plenty of excitement to be had in battle. As space sims go, Rebel Galaxy is far from being perfect. But it is a fun distraction, and taking down a superior force in battle can be extremely satisfying. g

Double Damage Games Double Dmage Games Online

PARENTAL ADVISORY

12+ gamecca87

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

AWARDS Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice

Score

Although not a space sim

REVIEWED ON

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

GENRE

GAMING Bound of flame

AT A GLANCE 78

Space Sim

little more fun – largely due to the fact that the player has full control over their ship, even at the fastest warp speeds. Sadly, however, everything in Rebel Galaxy (save for smaller craft, loot crates and other debris) is ties to a single plane. That means that your journey can go left or right, forward or backward, but never up or down. As a space simulation, that’s pretty poor, because a great joy in space games is the universality of direction. Thankfully, though, Rebel Galaxy features a robust ship combat system that almost makes up for it.

by Alex Scanlon

ebel Galaxy is a game that could have been far better, but still manages to be entertaining none-the-less. Space simulations can be notoriously complicated, but this game takes all of that complexity and distils it down into bite-sized chunks that make for a fairly compelling experience. Most of your time will, however, be spent grinding through various side missions as you try to earn the cash needed for upgrading your ship and its various systems. It can get a bit much, but thankfully the developers made travelling the vast reaches of space a

Tricky Towers

E M W A IE G EV R

Tricky Towers

Shaky foundations…

It’s got a great idea at its core, but unfair single player conditions make it more frustrating than it’s

REVIEWED ON

PS4

worth... PLATFORMS

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

WeirdBeard WeirdBeard Online

PARENTAL ADVISORY

3+ gamecca87

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

AWARDS Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice

Score

Puzzle

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

GENRE

AT A GLANCE

GAMING Bound of flame

by Rob Edwards

etris was a game that not only chewed up a lot of time for enthusiasts over the decades that it has been around, but also defined an entire genre. It even influenced many others – one could, for example, make an argument that three-matching games like Bejewelled have a lot to thanks Tetris for. So while they may not be a lot of brick-laying games floating around, Tetris’ legacy is a strong one. Tricky Towers tries to cash in on that by making a Tetris style of game, but with more challenge. With the side supports of the brick field missing in Tricky Towers, it feels like the love child of Tetris and Jenga – the player builds a tower as high as possible, using oddly shaped blocks that hardly ever fit snugly into place. It’s a great idea, and the idea that the player can use “magic” because their character is a wizard, helps switch things up nicely. It particularly works in multiplayer sessions, and those are best when they are local. In single player, though, the game comes crashing down almost as fast as one of its lopsided towers. When you’re trying to best your buddies it’s one thing, because everyone needs to strike a balance in how they use their magic, either for their own benefit or to the detriment of others. The single player game doesn’t have that balance – the AI is gunning for the player at all times. It makes things a bit unfair. Also, while the pressure is on, mistakes can happen, but Tricky Towers is completely unforgiving in that regard. It’s pretty much impossible to come back from a badly placed brick, so the game soon devolves into a painful exercise in frustration, rather than being a rewarding single-player puzzler. g

60 79

E M W A IE G EV R

F1 2016 GAMING

The best yetâ&#x20AC;¦

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GENRE

With this latest iteration,

Codemasters have combined white-

by Walt Pretorius

knuckled racing with a meaningful career to create what is arguably the best

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

Codemasters Codemasters Apex Interactive

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

AWARDS Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice

Score

AT A GLANCE

PARENTAL ADVISORY

REVIEWED ON

PLATFORMS

F1 simulator ever made.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

gamecca87

Racing

In fact, earning these points is vital if you want to stay competitive through the race season, and while there are other ways to win development points, practice sessions are the most reliable. They can start feeling a little repetitive, but they also allow you to learn the tracks quite thoroughly before setting out on the allimportant race. The player also has direct influence on which new technologies are to be worked on, meaning that they can trim their experience even further by improving the car in ways that are meaningful to their play style. The career mode also doesn’t present expected barriers to entry. Right from the start, the player can choose to be part of a highly competitive team, if they choose that kind of challenge, or can choose one of the less ambitious outfits to earn their stripes with. Naturally during their career they can jump ship to more ambitious teams, too… but it’s great to see the game putting this kind of versatility into its career. What’s really important though (aside from these great features that really elevate the experience) is the racing. It’s often a white-knuckled affair, and those that are brave enough to go as realistic as possible will find themselves embroiled in pitched battles in which every move and every decision can be the difference between a podium finish and limping into the pits. And that is such a big part of this exciting sport. By capturing the secondto-second tension of the races and combining it with a deep and meaningful career, and then swirling in good looks and great controls, Codemasters have created a great treat for F1 simulation fans. If you’re one of those, you need this game. g

F1 2016

ast year, Formula One fans were a little taken aback by the lacklustre performance of Codemasters’ yearly racing simulator. It felt, in short, like it was made for the previous generation of consoles, and many voices (Gamecca’s included) said that the developers would need to really step up to undo the damage that may have been done to the reputation of this long running franchise. Well, step up they did – more than that, in fact. Codemasters have, in the form of F1 016, produced not only a great F1 racing simulator, but possibly one of the best ever made. The driving experience is awesome, as is to be expected. In this outing, though, oversteer is a little more punishing, and if there is water on the tarmac the player will be tested even more… and this game can already be brutal in its demand for attention to detail at every moment of a race. But it should be – if we’re simulating F1 racing, we need to bring the importance of precision to the fore. That makes it sound more inaccessible than it actually is. Truth be told, F1 2016 welcomes newcomers with open arms, and allows for a wide array of assists and tweaks to be turned on or off. This means that the player can really trim their experience to their desired level of challenge, making F1 2016 a game that a large number of players – from weekend warriors through to the deepest enthusiasts – can sink their teeth into. And that’s something that you’re likely to do, because the awesome career mode in this game is more like the real thing than ever before. Practice sessions, for example, are incentivised now, meaning that the player participating in them can earn development points to pour into vehicle research.

E M W A IE G EV R

God Eater 2: Rage Burst GAMING

Taking on mega-monsters

gamecca87

GENRE

It’s taken time to get here, but

instalment,

by Walt Pretorius

with this second

God

Eater should make a decent impact in

West.

PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

12+

Shift Namco Bandai Megarom

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

AWARDS Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice

Score

AT A GLANCE

PARENTAL ADVISORY

REVIEWED ON

PLATFORMS

the

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

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Action RPG

PS4

able to switch between melee and ranged weapons virtually instantly. Getting to items can be a chore at first, but the system is fairly intuitive when you get used to it. What takes more getting used to, though, is the game’s extensive and very deep crafting and customisation system. There is a hell of a lot to do here, and doing it will certainly benefit your character’s performance. But God Eater 2 doesn’t take much time to explain it to you. Sure, there are notes in the game’s menus, but they aren’t particularly extensive – you will need to figure things out for yourselves. That counts for other aspects of the game, too. God Eater 2 can be pretty quiet about things that players need to know, and you may find yourself discovering new things that would have been useful a few hours ago. Speaking of a few hours, it takes some time for God Eater 2’s plot to really kick in. There are hints at where it is going in the beginning, but the meat gets added to the bones much later on, so a little perseverance will be required from those who are after the strong narrative typically associated with this kind of action RPG title. When you get down to it, there are worse ways to spend several hours gaming. God Eater 2 delivers a decent plot along with tons of fast paced and exciting action. It also has a lot of depth. Then again, it’s strict adherence to androgynous anime style characters and its weaker graphics may not sit well with some. But if you’re into this kind of game, God Eater 2 will certainly provide you with numerous thrills, as well as the opportunity to finally play the original title, too. g

God Eater 2: Rage Burst

t has taken a long time for the God Eater franchise to arrive in the west, even after the Monster Hunter series proved that giant monster fighting games go down well here. The first game came out three years ago, and that hasn’t seen an official release… only God Eater 2: Rage Burst has hit the shelves in Western countries, although the bonus download code for the original title included with this one is pretty damned welcome… particularly for those that want more of this game’s fast paced and exciting combat. The first thing that needs to be said about God Eater 2 is that it is a port, and moving a game from the PS Vita to the much more powerful PS4 is bound to result in a few slips and weaknesses. With that said, God Eater 2 is a remarkably good port between the two, and only a few rough visual edges and lacklustre textures will really give it away. Sure, it doesn’t feel exactly like a game designed for PS4, but it isn’t all that shabby either. In this game, the player takes on the role of a new recruit of the Blood division, a special forces branch of the monster-slaying God Eaters. Set in a postapocalyptic Japan, it is up to the God Eaters to hunt down and destroy Aragami, brutish monsters that prey and mankind – and the Blood squad deal with the toughest of them. The player, along with three companions (either AI controlled or in co-op) undertakes numerous missions to beat up Aragami, using the game’s fluid and enticing combat system. The days of turnbased combat in games like this are long gone… God Eater 2’s combat is fast and furious, with the player

Puzzle

A great idea with some questionable execution, Armikrog is a fun and infuriating puzzler.

REVIEWED ON

PS4 PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

GENRE

AT A GLANCE

GAMING Bound of flame

Memory fails…

PLATFORMS

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Versus Evil Versus Evil Online

PARENTAL ADVISORY

7+ gamecca87

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

AWARDS Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice

Score

Armikrog

by Alex Scanlon

hen Tommynaut and his dog, BeakBeak, are trapped on a strange and dangerous world, an adventure to help them escape ensues as they explore the interior of a strange fortress called Armikrog. That’s the premise of this title, which ranges from sublime to ridiculous as you play your way through it. The most striking thing here is the Claymation style that the game adopts for delivering its visuals. The characters and environments are bright and possessed of that soft, blobby clay feel that was so popular a few years back, and it all adds together to become a visual delight. Armikrog is pretty, if nothing else. Through the course of the game, the player will move from room to room, using both characters to solve puzzles. And this is where Armikrog starts showing cracks. The idea behind it – to create puzzles that have a longer each than the rooms that they’re in – is a good one, but the truth of it is that their obtuse nature means that the player will often miss a tiny clue vital to solving a puzzle in a room five doors down. This leads to tons of backtracking and a lot of frustration. It seems, at times, that the developers felt there was an inherent logic in some of the puzzles, but their logic isn’t necessarily the same as everyone else’s. So at times you’ll be solving happily, at others you’ll be guessing, and at even others you’ll have no idea. In the end, Armikrog is an entertaining experience, even if it is often infuriating. It looks back at a golden age of gaming, and presents the player with great visuals and quite a lot of fun. It would have been better if a lot of it wasn’t quite so vague, though. g

Armikrog

E M W A IE G EV R

Platform

It’s goofy and gangly, yet BUD’s new adventure will strike a chord with some gamers out there.

REVIEWED ON

XO PC X0 PS4 Wii U X360 PS3 PSV 3DS

GAMING

GENRE

AT A GLANCE

BUD’s back in action!

PLATFORMS

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Ubisoft Reflections Ubisoft Online

PARENTAL ADVISORY

3+ gamecca87

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

AWARDS Platinum Gold Silver Bronze Ed’s Choice

Score

Grow Up

72 85

by Alex Scanlon

row Home certainly was a unique game, and its clumsy red robotic protagonist returns for another plant-growing adventure in Grow Up. And while Grow Up is a lot like Grow Home in the sense that the player needs to move upwards to reach the final goal, it also offers a much larger playground to mess about in. The premise is simple: while travelling through space, the hero BUD and his space-ship MOM encounter a meteor shower that sends MOM crashing to a moon and BUD hurtling to the planet below. It is up to the plucky red robot to jump, dash and climb his way around the world and its varied biomes, gathering up parts of MOM to take back to the wreck on the moon. The greatest thing about both Grow Home and Grow Up in the unapologetically clumsy nature of the game. BUD isn’t a superhero; he’s a gawky robot that looks likely to fall over as soon as he takes a step, and the clunkiness of his movements adds greatly to the overall experience. He’s like a gawky kid, all knees and elbows. But that’s also something that might put a lot of people off. Grow up is basically a platformer, but without the expected smooth traversal. There are lots of things to gather up and improve BUD with, including collectible outfits, seeds for planting useful flora about the place, and even a glider in later stages. You’re not going to be playing Grow Up for any kind of fulfilment of sense of accomplishment; this zany game is great for relaxing and just goofing around. And while the story does eventually need to be completed, it doesn’t seem to be in any rush. g

Grow Up

e m w a ie G v e R

Making

Weaving wizardry through the Pixelver

xperience comes in many forms, and sources of inspiration are sometimes not what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d think

they might be. For South African developers Robot

GAMING

Wizard, experience comes from game industry careers

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Indie View

gMagic

rse with Robot Wizardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Graeme Selvan. By Nthato Morakabi

and rock bands, and inspiration comes from a book read in Turkeyâ&#x20AC;Ś Graeme Selvan took time out of his busy schedule to chat to us about developing games in South Africa, the community and gaming-DNA.

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GAMING

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GS: Robot Wizard is a new South African based indie studio. We are a team of two passionate game developers who want to eventually end up doing this full time, but with more employees.

GM: And how did you come up with the name? GS: Funny story that, we spent a good few months trying to come up with a studio name. Louis our artist said in a meeting one day that he loved robot wizards in general. Ever since then the name stuck with us. It also lends itself to our motto in the team; we work like machines and want to perform wizardry in our industry!

GM: What was the wizardry that pushed you to start developing games? GS: Personally I have been a developer from my high school days, potentially had the skills to develop a game but never put them to action. I opted to make a quick few bucks developing business tools and applications. I moved on from development into PR for XBOX South Africa and furthered my career in gaming working at Megarom doing PR locally for Activision and Blizzard. I spoke about making a game for years and finally woke up one day and decided it was time to stop talking and start doing.

GM: Being surrounding by the gaming world working for Xbox and Megarom must have surely inspired an idea to implement? GS: Funny story this, I met our artist Louis Du-Pisani about 6 years ago at a music video launch party, he used to play in a band called Knave. I had always admired his art style and mentioned to him that we should make a game in the vein of the great classic point

and click adventures from our childhoods. He agreed. Here we are now six years later. While back then we knew what genre of game we wanted to make we had no idea of the story.

GM: But did you have a particular game you played that made you want to develop games in the first place? GS: It all started back in my childhood days actually. Gaming always played a major role in my life. I started off playing games like Leisure Suit Larry and Space Quest. From there my love for this industry grew and I got my first taste of level design when Quake was released for PC. I used to build levels of my house and do crazy things with lighting.

GM: Can you expound on just how major gaming has been in your life? GS: Starting out as a hobby it became a career. I put a mental peg in the ground to eventually one-day work in this industry. I got my break at Xbox 5 years ago have been part of the industry since. I currently work for a company that’s looking to grow e-sports in South Africa in a big way. Unfortunately, I am under heavy NDA so can’t speak about that too much yet. Generally, I’m not far from something to game on. I own all the portable consoles, my phone or consoles at home. So I could say gaming is permanently engrained into my DNA makeup.

GM: Did your gaming saturated DNA push you to study something geared towards gaming? What did you study? GS: I studied fine arts at Technicon Natal, various Microsoft certified Microsoft development diplomas and a degree in Information Systems at Damelin. I am currently studying a Unity game development degree online. And initially not at all. Unfortunately back

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Indie View

GM: Robot-Wizard sounds exactly like something out of a dystopian sci-fi fantasy. Who is Robot-Wizard exactly?

GAMING

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GM: True, game development is new to South Africa after all. In light of that, would you still want to study Game Development? GS: I would love to do it full time absolutely but time is not on my side, working a day job, looking after my new born son, and spending time with my wife is something that prevents me from doing it. I would recommend to anyone that does have the time to get into it. Gaming is no longer the one guy sitting in a dark room. Its social and it’s a booming industry!

GM: Amen to that and congrats on your new born son! As for aspiring Game Developers, would you encourage them to go study it specifically? GS: Absolutely, making a game is a very different beast compared to developing software or a website. There are many different elements like sound design, concepts, storyboarding, music, VO, Story and business management. Having a solid understanding of how this industry and toolsets is crucial for anyone that wants to succeed.

GM: Now that we’re on the topic of success, how difficult is the industry? GS: Locally its insanely tough and globally you are swimming in a pond with many fish. You need to find a way to make your game stand out from the rest. Even after you get a great concept, that’s only half of your work done. Funding your development is costly. We don’t have government grants

here like they do in other countries. You are on your own so you will need to fund the development out of your own pocket in the hopes that your game sells well and you can recover your funds. Having international contacts from my job role really has helped us a lot because marketing your game is one the biggest tasks!

GM: Absolutely! Then would you care to share advice, struggles, victories and challenges you faced as a company? GS: I get asked this question a lot. The answer is: Be passionate about what you do. Don’t set out to make a game purely to make money. Make the game you want to make and always follow your vision. It’s a long road so take your time and keep your vision!

GM: You are clearly passionate about game development. What does it mean to you both as a gamer and as a developer? GS: It’s honestly a dream come true, I never thought this day would come. Most gamers talk about making games, we all think we have that idea that could take the world by storm. When I play a build of Jengo I often have to tell myself this is real, I am actually doing this!

GM: And what keeps you inspired both in gaming and outside of gaming? GS: I read a lot of books and watch a bunch of movies I guess that fuel the imagination. In terms of games, anything with a great story and deep character development (The Witcher series).

GM: Being an Indie Developer, I’m sure there are others you look up to? GS: Locally I look up to the brotherhood guys(Stasis). I met them at rAge a few years ago and must say they are incredibly

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Indie View

in my day Universities did not offer any form of game development degree. It was always a dream to study it so I focussed on getting qualifications for a paying job. The passion for this industry that led me to upskill myself up to a level where I could make games.

GAMING

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GS: It plays a major role for us, if you check out our website you will see we try put our regular developer updates to the community, letting them know what we are up to. We decided to announce Jengo very early to the South African market in the hopes that we can inspire people and show them that it can be done. We would love to do a beta and we have spoken at lengths about it, but due to the nature of a game, it won’t fit as it is predominantly story driven.

their favourite games in the first place, a time when gaming was about gaming (and sitting glued to the screen during Summer holidays)... This is a story about a gamer lost in modern times. His name is Jeff. Elsewhere, beyond the realm of the real world, is a lonely place at the edge of the Pixelverse. A dumping ground for the Nobody-folk who were almost somebody but have long lost their dreams at a drinking hole in the middle of the desert, in the middle of nowhere. Little did they know is that all they needed was a hero... Sadly, considering the nature of forgotten places, no such hero ever came by, so they had to settle on a gamer instead. Jeff finds himself warped into a world full of forgotten game creations. A place packed with all the Player 3’s that nearly hit the big time, didn’t and then got on with it... Jeff is warped into a world of player 3 characters, all the guys that never made the cut for the main roles of the greats.

GM: Does that mean you are part of a community of Game Devs?

GM: Sounds like a fascinating game, what are its key features?

GS: No, we opted to stay away from that due to time. We have presented Jengo at a few events and received a lot of support. When we get to a level where we have more time we would love to engage more..

GS: Story and art. We feel our story will resonate with most gamers of today. It’s a comedy adventure that pokes fun at all the gaming tropes from the 80’s to modern day.

GM: Well that’s fantastic. Looking at the gaming community, how integral is it to your development?

GM: And what inspired it? GM: Right, let’s delve in to the game you are currently developing, Jengo. What is it about? GS: Well... There’s this fella that’s into games, so into games that he brushes Contra aside without losing a life, knows exactly where the secret passages are and where the loot is stashed without even phoning a hint line... A man from another time... A time before every gamer tried to be a stream celebrity, before every gamer could shout on a forum about how they knew better than the guys who made

GS: I was sitting in Turkey on an XBOX work trip, I picked up a book called Ready Player One (give it a read). It inspired me to create the world of Jengo.

GM: We’ve heard great things about Ready Player One. What platform will Jengo be available on? GS: PC followed by IPAD

GM: Release date? GS: Nothing confirmed yet but we are trying for next year mid-year. g

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Indie View

approachable and willing to help in any way they can. But I think generally when it comes down to it, anyone locally that’s willing to sacrifice their time to get involved in making a game. It’s ten times harder to do stuff here and it’s inspiring seeing people work towards accomplishing their gaming goals instead of simply fitting into the rat race.

cy a eg

Legacy: Re GAMING

Perpetu

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Legacy: Resident Evil

sident Evil

ual Terror

By Lein Baart

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cy a eg

GAMING

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Why was it created?

To say that Resident Evil created survival horror is a bit of overstatement, though it was the first game to be recognised as such, with Capcom itself coining the moniker. Indeed the game, known as Bio Hazard in Japan, can trace its lineage through several early attempts, and was actually envisioned as remake of producer Tokuro Fujiwara’s NES title Sweet Home. Considering the almost immediate success Resident Evil experienced on its launch, it is perhaps surprising to learn that neither Capcom nor the team working on the game thought it would sell particularly well when development began in 1993. With Fujiwara handing the design duties to Shinji Mikami, the original concept called for a psychological first-person horror title, and drew inspiration from not only Sweet Home through elements such as multiple endings, inventory management and a gradually revealed plot, but also gamecca87

from the original Alone in the Dark, which gave the game its muchlauded fixed camera angles. While many of these features ended up in the final release, Resident Evil evolved continually throughout its development, and mechanics like a co-op mode, a comic relief character and auto-aiming, all of which would be considering anathema by genre purists, were at one time or another either implemented or seriously considered. What did eventually make it through to the final release though was more than enough to seal the game in the annals of history, and proved a completely unexpected triumph.

Why do we care?

To dispense with the obvious, as the founder of survival horrors Resident Evil provided the template from which most other entrants into the genre (at least the decent ones) followed, including Silent Hill 2, which is considered by many to be one of the best games ever created. While it’s true that the game imitated more than a few elements, none before it had managed to provide so complete a package, and to this day much of its gameplay, most crucially the constant sense of vulnerability that players experience, remain genre staples. Resident Evil however is a fantastic game in its own right, and while mechanically it has not aged particularly well, it can still serve scares and frights aplenty. What elevates it above even modern attempts though is its gripping atmosphere, despite the frankly awful voice acting, and at release the word “cinematic” was thrown about with utter abandon. It’s tight, claustrophobic corridors, wonderfully timed scares and terrifying combat left players in an unending state for fear, and in this alone it should stand as a stark lesson on how survival horror should be done. g

Legacy: Resident Evil

Survival horrors have suffered from something of an identity crisis these past few years, with few (if any) mainstream titles managing to recapture the acclaim the genre once generated, though it must be said that the indie scene has fared far better with the likes of Frictional Games leading the charge. Torn between a desire to provide compelling action whilst staying true to conventions, survival horrors by and large have failed to do either, with even later games in the Resident Evil series falling flat when compared their progenitors. This is even more egregious though due to the fact it was the first Resident Evil that created the genre, and remains a far better survival horror game than most offerings nowadays.

FeatureS 102

The Explosion

Gadgets 108

Gunnar Eyewear: Emissary

Board Games 110 112

Catan Thunderbirds

RPGs 114 118 122 126 127

Mindjammer Savage Worlds Core Rules Shadow of the Demon Lord Traveller Referee’s Briefing 1: Companies& Corporations S.Petersens’s Field Guide to Lovecraftian Horrors

COMICS 128 130 132 134

All Star Batman #1 Harley Quinn #1 Kill or be Killed #1 Predator vs. Judge Dredd vs. Aliens #1

BOOKS 136 138

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Hammers on Bone Impersonations

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TheExp

Board gaming shows no

oard games have become one of the strongest geek growth segments in recent years, and the South African market is as

LIFESTYLE

excited about them as the rest of the world. But how does a

struggling economy and the merge of South Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s three main

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o signs of slowing downâ&#x20AC;Ś

board game distributors affect the local situation? We spoke Eugene Vermeulen, of the newly formed board gaming power-house SolarPop, about the local market, what we can look forward to, and why people are choosing to unplug themselves for gamingâ&#x20AC;Ś gamecca

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The Explosion

plosion

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GM: Even with the current economic conditions? EV: Yes. In the States they’ve said that the board game market grows during a bad economy. People don’t have that much cash to spend, so they’re looking to entertain themselves at home. The other night my wife and I took my niece out for dinner and a movie, and it ended up costing more than a board game. Some of my other friends have also made that shift – it works out so much cheaper, and they spend more quality time with their families, too. You spend a few hundred bucks on a board game and you play it for several weeks before it even starts feeling old, if not longer. The Rand-per-minute spend makes sense, even if it looks expensive in the beginning. Even more than a computer game. I am a computer gamer, and there are very few games that I will play a second time around, but board games don’t lose their appeal. You keep going back, refining your strategies and enjoying the game. It’s an excellent home entertainment proposition. GM: So what’s more popular in South Africa… the traditional games, or the newer games? EV: The biggest money-spinners are still your classics like Ticket to Ride and Catan. I am seeing a trend towards easier games that are quick to play. They seem to be doing better than your intensive, strategic games. That could also have to do with the economy and

price points, because some of the meatier games can be much more expensive. People are going for the more affordable and the easyto-teach games, games that you can teach to others in a minute, and they’re just going to get it. GM: And how do South African respond to expansions for their games? EV: There is definitely a diminishing rate when it comes to expansions. Most guys will buy the core set and, depending on how much they like the game, they may buy the expansions. There is a lucrative market for expansions, but it’s not a one for one. People who play a lot are more likely to take on expansions. And it depends on the experience they have with the original game. GM: Talking about the market… it’s been a busy time for you guys. What can you tell us about what is happening with the three local distributors, Boardgames.co.za, SkyCastle and BlowFish? EV: We have always talked about merging in the past, because we worked closely together on the “Unplug Yourself” campaign. We always joked about merging. But then a couple of factors last year came up that made us take it way more seriously. The first thing was that Asmodee, which is one of the main board game companies overseas, had started merging with a lot of other companies like Fantasy Flight. They started doing quite an aggressive acquisition campaign and bought up almost half of the board game market. What we found here in South Africa was that we were sharing labels between the companies. It was getting interesting. So we decided to follow suite and merge into one company, just to make distribution easier. BlowFish, who traditionally are more in the collectible card space… at

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that point their MD was battling cancer, and it became evident that he sadly wasn’t going to win the fight. Because we had worked together for quite a while, they approached us and asked to be part of the merger. So the three companies merged… It was one of those things that looks great on paper, but when you actually start doing it you realise how much there is to do and how things don’t always work according to plan. We’ve had a lot of bugs to iron out in the last couple of months, but the staff all handled it positively and a couple of month down the road everyone is still excited about it. We believe it will bring stability to the South African table-top industry, and there are a lot of advantages to us as a merged company. There is so much working for us right now, and the end user will see advantages to a company that does things in a consolidated way. GM: You mentioned the “Unplug Yourself” campaign, which has been running for a while now. Is it still showing the traction you want? EV: Definitely. We started it a couple of years ago because we started exhibiting at rAge and shows like that. We wanted to come up with a way to say that there’s a gaming experience out there for which you don’t need to be plugged in for. That’s how the campaign started, and the idea is still to tell people that this is not a second rate gaming experience. It’s like the fourth console, except that your console is actually free. You just pay for the games. There’s a lot of traction, even among video gamers, guys who are getting tired of looking at screens the whole time. Like I said, it’s not a second rate experience; a lot of video gaming came out of board games, and now there’s almost a full circle going back to it.

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The Explosion

GM: In a recent interview with the guys behind Icon 2016, they mentioned that board games are the biggest growth sector in the South African geek market. Is that your experience? EV: For the past two years we’ve seen 30 to 400 per cent growth over the last few years. It’s just crazy.

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GM: Do you find that innovative, new ideas in board games are on the increase. EV: Absolutely. I think that board gaming, as a whole, is still in its infancy. As the market grows, we’re seeing guys looking at news ways in which to play board games. It went from people moving along tracks on boards to randomised boards that clip together, making each game different. Then the deck building concept started coming in… so many interesting ideas have been brought into board gaming, and we’re still seeing that happen. Some of the most interesting things that are happening in board gaming now are things like Legacy games. The whole idea

is that the state of the game permanently changes according to player choices. Those choices forever change the way the game is played, almost in the way that player’s action change the game in video games. And as much as we talk about “unplug yourself”, there is the idea of “plugged in” board games happening now as well. Games have started bringing in electronic components and apps that help run the game. The second edition of Mansions of Madness uses that, so instead of having a player who plays the bad guy and relates the story, the computer does that for you. There are quite a few games doing it now, so much so that Fantasy Flight, one of the biggest board game companies in the world, have established an electronic department, where they will design games that are part board-game and part electronic. The sky is the limit. Your basic platform is a board, and where you take that and what you do with it is wherever your imagination takes you. GM: Speaking of new products, you were recently at GenCon. What grabbed your attention there? EV: Wow, there was so much. One game that I played and really enjoyed was Bloodborne: The Card Game. I am mentioning that for all the video gamers out there. I really enjoyed it. It has a dark feel and is semi-co-operative, although at some point you will stab your buddy in the back. Scythe is also a great game. It got Kickstarted and from a theme and component point of view it just takes board gaming to a new level. The Star Wars collectible dice game is interesting, too. I think it could work. It’s Star Wars, and everything else that has had that theme has delivered great experiences. Fantasy Flight is also doing

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The Explosion

GM: So do you think that part of the growth you’re seeing relates to the fact that video games are ridiculously expensive in South Africa at the moment? EV: I am not sure if that’s a direct influence, but it may be. But you can see the question of paying over a thousand Rand for a game that I am going to play for a few hours is worth it. As a video gamer I even ask myself those questions. With a board game, because of the recurring play, it feels like money better spent. But I think the real growth is because of the social interaction. We spend a lot of time in front of screens, and in a way we have isolated ourselves from social interaction. Thanks to video games, we’re seeing it becoming much more acceptable to play games these days, and with modern board games being more complex and having stronger themes, they’re really interesting. I think people are willing to take that step towards socialising, having laughs and having meaningful interactions. That to me is the allure, and I think it’s a big part of the reason why we’re seeing that growth.

a game called Runewars: The Miniature Game. It’s based on the X-Wing system, and players familiar with thing like Warhammer – where you use a lot of miniatures to fight wars – will love it. They’ve gone for a lighter, less rule heavy system with dials and diagrams that make it more intuitive. I think it will revolutionise that side of the gaming market next year. GM: And what about South African board game development? EV: We have received some games and I think there are great ideas out there. There are some local designers who have already made it overseas, and I think it’s great that South Africa is getting a presence there. We are certainly investigating the whole local market and seeing how we as SolarPop can support the market and get these guys out there. GM: And what do you think the near future holds for the market? EV: The board game market is in an upswing and showing no signs of slowing down. There are lots of products out there, and we do wonder if, in a small market like South Africa, it can get to a point of overkill. It’s going to be interesting to see. Some people have predicted that when the market hits a plateau there will be some companies that make it and some that don’t – less games, but really great quality. But for now people are picking their games and enjoying them, and I think that’s going to carry on happening for now. And we’re going to see some really amazing games coming out. I am excited for the next few months about the games that are coming out. Fantasy Flight have predicted that 2017 will be one of their biggest years ever, and I think if they’re excited, we should be too. g

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Gunner Computer Eyeware

Emissary

LIFESTYLE

Eye of the beholder

ou may think that your prolonged computer or digital device usage isn’t affecting you… until you start using Gunnar Eyewear. Specifically designed to combat the deleterious effects of digital screens, these stylish “PC sunglasses” come in numerous styles, and really get the job done.

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Although they do take a bit of getting used to, it doesn’t take long before you start noticing the benefits that they deliver. It’s a case of “you don’t know ‘til you try”; you may think your eyes are fine, but a pair of Gunnars will certainly show how much strain your eyes go through without them. A musthave item for serious PC users and gamers. g

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Gunnar Computer Eyewear Emissary

etW g ad IE G EV R

LE TY EW S E I lIF EV R

CATAN

Catan

Building a mini empire

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Building a mini empire

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then the robber is activated. The player

ever-green. For this reason,

rolling the dice may move this wild-card

we look at the classics as part

character, stealing resources from other

of our board game review section, and

players and preventing the production of

few have reached the status achieved

resources in affected districts.

by Settlers of Catan. If you’re talking to anyone about modern board games (not

cards, which are purchased and drawn

the likes of Monopoly or Risk or Clue)

from a face-down pile. These can have

Settlers comes up more often than not.

varied effects, like moving the robber or

For many, it (like Ticket to Ride) is a

even seizing all of a particular resource

gateway into board gaming. Thing is,

type (wood, bricks, wool, wheat or ore)

though, we can no longer really refer to

from every other player.

it as “Settlers”. It is now simply known as Catan.

The final randomisation comes in the board layout. The board is comprised of

If you have never played Catan, you

several hexagonal pieces laid out, but

really should put it very high on your

these can be put in any order, really,

board-gaming to-do list. It is genre-

changing up the game each and every

defining, really, and great fun to boot.

time it is played.

The basic idea behind Catan is that

Catan is a fascinating game that can get pretty pacey and exciting, with

settlers who want to gain dominance

trade negotiations, robber interference

of an island. To do so, they need to

and plans scuppered by other players’

build roads and settlements (which

building positions all coming into play.

will eventually evolve into cities) by

Often you will need to change strategies

harvesting and using resources.

on the fly, or form shaky short term

establishments near them, and getting them is simple enough – but Catan has

alliances to further your cause, all in the name of victory. While it may sound complex, Catan

a number of moving parts that introduce

really isn’t a difficult game to get to

a randomised chaos into proceedings,

grips with. As long as each player

which in turn amplify the excitement of

handles their turn correctly, it is a game

the game.

that is easy to learn, yet possessed of

The first of these is the dice. Each

the kind of strategic depth that makes it extremely exciting and entertaining to

start of their turn, and only districts

play. The best games do just that – take

matching the number shown on the dice

the simple yet deep approach – and it

produce resources. If the number is a

is easy to see why Catan has achieved

seven (incidentally, the most common

the status it currently has, and will likely

number rolled on two six-sided dice)

enjoy long into the future. g

Genre:

Network building

#of Players:

3-4 Players

Play Time:

60 minutes

Manufacturer: Distributor: Online:

Mayfair Games SolarPop www.mayfairgames.com gamecca87

Summary

player rolls two six sided dice at the

Ages

A true classic, Catan is a mixture of strategy and network building, with a healthy dollop of interfering chaos.

10+ 90 Score

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by Alex Scanlon

each player represents a group of

Resources are gained by having

AT A GLANCE

And then there are development

COOL STUFF: BoardGames

oard games are pretty much

LE TY EW S E I lIF EV R

CATAN

Thunderbird Building a mini empire

LIFESTYLE

To the rescue!

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memories of Thunderbirds,

with, the players lose. Dealing with

a marionette TV show all

them requires, once again, the right

about stopping disasters and saving

people in the right place, with the right

the world. With advanced technology

resources… and a dice roll, which could

and courage, Recue International

result in the Hood furthering his plans.

(staffed by the Tracey Family and Lady Penelope) take on all kinds of challenges

knuckle stuff, and players really will

from their South Pacific island base,

need to put their heads together

while trying to foil the plans of their

to reach all the goals (and reap the

arch-nemesis, the Hood.

rewards) in time. It takes carefully

And that’s what the Thunderbirds

balanced strategies and support, with

game is all about. But instead of pitting

each player representing one of the

players against each other, Thunderbirds

six characters from Thunderbirds. Yes,

asks players to co-operate as they race

that’s right, four out of the six, which

against the clock and random events.

means that certain tasks suited to the

You can play Thunderbirds on your

characters not in the game will be at

own (which is great fun, as long as

a disadvantage for the players. Each

you stay honest) or with up to three

character gets special bonuses, and

friends. The four players (or any number

also has special abilities that can really

between) will have their hands full with

make a difference, so the luck of the

this game, because there is always

character draw also comes into play

something going on, and there are two

with each session. There are a lot of moving parts in this

Ultimate victory is achieved by

game, but after a playthrough or two

defeating the schemes of the Hood,

the way they all fit together becomes

which are activated as the Hood marker

more than clear. It’s a pretty simple

moves randomly along a track. These

game, in the end, but the strategy

movements are dictated by dice rolls

required to successfully overcome all

or card draws, so they could happen

of the challenges randomly thrown at

at any time. Beating his plots requires

the players can get pretty complex,

being in the right place, with the right

and playing without a plan is a certain

resources, to put paid to his plans. But

recipe for disaster. While it is a bit of a

if he gets to the end of his track, it’s

“boy’s game”, Thunderbirds is exciting

game over.

and energetic, and can get down-right

But while the players are going up

nerve-wracking as disasters mount

against the hood, numerous other

up and player’s plans get messed

disasters also unfold. These disasters

up by bad dice rolls or the Hoods

move along a track at a rate of one

interference. It’s great, frantic fun. g

Genre: #of Players: Play Time: Manufacturer: Distributor: Online:

Co-operative 1-4 Players 45-60 minutes Modiphius SolarPop www.modiphius.com gamecca87

Ages

A co-operative game that gets pretty frantic, Thunderbirds is all about saving the world time and again.

10+ 88 Score

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by Walt Pretorius

ways to lose… and only one way to win.

AT A GLANCE

For a board game, this is white

Summary

space per turn, and if they’re not dealt

COOL STUFF: BoardGames

any adults today have fond

LE TY EW S E I lIF EV R

Mindja

Unity in d

Digging into a complex yet rewarding role-playing game can be a very fulfilling pass-time, particularly when the game itself is beautifully constructed, sensible and rich. Mindjammer is such a game, and it presents the player with LIFESTYLE

a sci-fi space opera feel that is beyond the fantasy that generally pervades that genre. It combines several elements together to form a complex tapestry of gaming opportunities. 114

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COOL STUFF: RPG

by Walt Pretorius

ammer Genre: System: Manufacturer: Distributor: Online:

Sc-fi Skill-based Modiphius Entertainment

Summary

AT A GLANCE

diversity

DriveThruRPG www.drivethrurpg.com

gamecca

A detailed setting and tons of potential await those who take on Mindjammer, with an easy to learn system as a bonus.

Score

88 115

LE TY EW S E I lIF EV R

entral to the game is the idea that humanity has spread to the stars over the last 200

basically breaks down to being a vast repository of

years, thanks to the discovery of faster than

information. Imagine the biggest computing cloud ever, and

light travel. This led to the establishment of

you’re not even close. Every citizen of the Commonality

the New Commonality of Humankind, a massive empire

has access to the Mindscape, and can use it to boost

reaching out into the blackness of space.

skills through direct neural connections, and even employ

But the definition of humanity has expanded somewhat, including a vast array of options – from synthetics

LIFESTYLE

Everything is tied together by the Mindscape, which

amazing technopsi powers. Perhaps strangest of all is that society in this RPG is

sporting the personalities of long dead heroes through

utopian – there is an innate positivity to the Commonality

to uplifted animals called xenomorphs and hominids

that, even if the face of great peril, still holds true.

(basically engineered people capable of withstanding

Mindjammer’s setting is rich, unique and nuanced. If it

various environments and challenges), humanity now

must be compared to any other ideas, you could consider

looks very different to how it was once defined.

it to be a loose combination of Star Trek, Star Wars and

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COOL STUFF: RPG

cyberpunk sentiments, but the truth is that this wonderfully detailed universe deserves to stand on its own, without

session. Mindjammer uses only six sided dice â&#x20AC;&#x201C; specialised

those kind of comparisons.

dice at that â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but has rules for converting standard dice,

The completeness and attention to detail of the

too. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s game system is incredibly easy to learn, without

Mindjammer rules are almost astonishing. Here is a game

unnecessary complication, and the broadness of its scope

that really digs in and provides players and the GM with

allows for tons of different adventure and campaign ideas,

everything they need to know, as well as tons of reasons for

even though it presents an established setting. After all,

why things are the way they are. It is a deep and engaging

when your setting is this big, anything can happen, and

game, with highly detailed characters (even down to your

the GM will have tons of creative freedom even within the

acclimatised gravity levels) that may seem intimidating to

confines of the Commonality.

some, but the detail and thoroughness is a great way to not

Mindjammer has a wonderfully complex and complete

only keep track of everything, but also to introduce new

setting, yet is possessed of tons of variety and allows for

challenges and other role-playing related aspects to each

virtually anything to happen. g

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LE TY EW S E I lIF EV R

SavageWorld

Freed

LIFESTYLE

ole-playing games are, arguably, one of the best stimulations of the imagination. If that statement makes sense to you, then a game like Savage Worlds should make even more

â&#x20AC;&#x201C; here is a rule system that allows for virtually anything to happen.

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COOL STUFF: RPG

dsCoreRules

dom!

Multi-genre

System:

Skill-based

Manufacturer: Distributor: Online:

Summary

AT A GLANCE

by Walt Pretorius

Genre:

Pinnacle Entertainment Drive-thru RPG www.drivethrurpg.com

gamecca

Savage Worlds allows for anything â&#x20AC;&#x201C; absolutely anything â&#x20AC;&#x201C; to happen in your RPG sessions, thanks to a solid, sensible set of core rules.

Score

95 119

LE TY EW S E I lIF EV R

LIFESTYLE

e cannot give Savage Worlds a hard and fast genre classification, because it simply has none. What Savage World presents the player with, in this core rule book, is a starting point for a journey that is only limited by their imagination. The game has the rules and basic information for the game master to do virtually anything, creating either customised settings with unique and sensible rules governing them, or making use of numerous preprepared settings that are available for this system. To this end, Savage Worlds can be something of an intimidating game, because it demands a lot of work from the Game Master. But a defined core

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rule system and lots of source material go a long way to help the situation along. For example, there are companions, which give additional rules for elements like horror, fantasy, super powers and sci-fi. These can be mixed and matched to create truly unique and interesting custom settings. Or, if you prefer, you can make use of settings like Rifts, Deadlands, Weird Wars or Space: 1889 (among several others) which present defined settings and rules specific to their genres. Or you can simply mix and match a whole bunch of stuff up, introducing elements as you see fit and truly making the game your own. Want a super-hero horror game? Done. How about a mix between fantasy and sci-fi? The elements are all there for you to work with.

gamecca87

COOL STUFF: RPG

Tying everything together is the core rule system presented in this book. By bringing everything together in terms of modifiable rules, the GM will never have to wonder how they’re going to have vampire-aliens invading the Wild West. Everything is there to work with, and everything works together. Each companion and setting may add new rules, but because of the careful structuring at the core of Savage Worlds, everything will work together beautifully. Savage Worlds present the players and GM with limitless potential for role-playing, and holds everything together beautifully. It’s a great way to get playing virtually any kind of game, and although

you will probably be shelling out for companions and expansions to make your vision happen, the creativity this game and its easy to learn system (which makes use of a full set of role-playing dice and a deck of playing cards) allows is wonderfully valuable and thrilling. With each subsequent expansion, your game will only get better. Keep an eye out for future reviews of companions and settings for Savage Worlds here in Gamecca Magazine – this is a truly exciting and engaging roleplaying system that has no limits, and although it will present more than the usual amount of work for the GM, your RPG group will thank you for it with every game session. g

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LE TY EW S E I lIF EV R

LIFESTYLE

hat would a fantasy world be like in its final days, when doom is all but inevitable and dark forces threaten to tear the very fabric of reality apart? That is the question asked by Shadow of the Demon Lord, a fantasy RPG set in a world on the precipice of destruction, where reality has started unravelling and hordes of demons invade the land... 122

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COOL STUFF: RPG

Shadow

Genre: System: Manufacturer: Distributor: Online:

Fantasy

Summary

AT A GLANCE

The end is nigh!

Group level-based Schwald Entertainment DriveThru RPG www.drivethrurpg.com

gamecca

A unique world and an interesting approach to the player group are central to this interesting and dark fantasy RPG.

Score

86 123

by Walt Pretorius

of the Demon Lord

LE TY EW S E I lIF EV R

LIFESTYLE

hadow of the Demon Lord combine many elements together to form an intriguing and clever whole, and present the players with fantasy setting that is quite unique. It feels more like Perdido Street Station than Lord of the Rings, overall, and is something of a fresh breath in fantasy role playing. That starts out right at its core, with the races that are available for play. Players can take on the roles of humans and dwarves, for the kore traditional feel, or can assume the roles of goblins or orcs, or even changelings (faerie doppelgangers of stolen people) and clockworks, machine beings cobbled together and housing a soul wrenched from the underworld.

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There is quite a break from tradition there, and even the relationships between the races before calamity struck â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which may be presented as antagonistic in other fantasy settings â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is not quite what you might think in Shadow of the Demon Lord. In addition, there is less of a set class system at play hereâ&#x20AC;Ś instead of being shoe-horned into being a fighter or cleric (or whatever) players take on professions, with a wide variety available. In that way, Shadow of the Demon Lord feels almost more like Call of Cthulhu than D&D, and the inclusion of healthy doses of horror and insanity carry that idea even further. However, characters do follow paths, which are much

gamecca87

COOL STUFF: RPG

more like the classes of other fantasy RPGsâ&#x20AC;Ś still, Shadow of the Demon Lord keeps a wide variety open to players once they complete the initial levels of their chosen ways of life, and more and more options open up as players progress through the game, allowing for highly specialised and customised characters. While Shadow of the Demon Lord is possessed of a slick and simple system employing 6 and 20 sided dice, the real star of the show here is the setting. The world is more advanced that the average fantasy RPG setting, with black powder, clockwork and steam technologies being commonplace. Yet it is

game. Another interesting factor used in the game is the importance of the group. Instead of, for example, individual players achieving levels for their characters, the group advances. That means that a level three group had members capable of level three abilities. It ties the group together beautifully, and creates a stronger bond and sense of dependence between characters. And the fact that the GM determines group advancement based on whatever criteria they deem fit could be seen as either a powerful tool or a cruel joke. Shadow of the Demon Lord is a truly fresh and

overshadowed by an impending doom that makes Shadow of the Demon Lord a very dark and gritty

unique fantasy role playing game, although it is suggested for more mature players. g gamecca87

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Referee’s Briefing1:

AT A GLANCE

LIFESTYLE

raveller, for fans of humancentric sci-fi role-playing, is a great game, with tons of possibilities… and one of the great tropes of science-fiction, the megacorporations that fuel exploration and advancement on the one hand, and genocide, exploitation and crime on the other, leads to many great adventures. So for the Traveller Referee wanting to take advantage of corporations in their campaign, there is the Referee’s Briefing 1: Companies and Corporations sourcebook. This book is purely background information. There are no rules or

126

Genre: System: Manufacturer: Distributor: Online:

the like to be found here – rather, it provides backgrounds and information on numerous corporations for the Referee to incorporate in a campaign, or use as inspiration for their own creations. It breaks them into three broad categories: Commercial & Shipping, Industrial& Manufacturing and Other Firms. Each firm detailed has an overview of operations, a brief history and some interesting facts that could serve as hooks or to easily integrate them into an existing campaign. The appendix offers printable logos for each firm involved.

Science-fiction

Summary

by Walt Pretorius

Getting down to business

Companies & Corporations

Traveller Mongoose DriveThru RPG www.drivethrurpg.com

gamecca87

However, the information tends to be largely anecdotal and not very indepth. It’s a great spring-board to work from, but those wanting more detail will have to provide it for themselves. To this end, the book may not serve some well, but will be a great inspiration to others. In the end, Referee’s Briefing 1: Companies and Corporations feels a little under-baked. Systems for using corporations, and deeper information, should have been included. But as a starting point, it works fairly well for those who want the intrigue of big business in their Traveller campaign. g

Although a little light on deeper details, this book is a great springboard for those wanting to use mega-corporations in their Traveller campaign.

Score

COOL STUFF: RPG

LE TY EW S E I lIF EV R

S.Petersen’s Field Guide to Lovecraftian Horrors

by Walt Pretorius

A helping of Cthulhu fluff…

127

Genre: System:

from the Cthulhu Mythos, and includes information beyond what you might find in the core rules of Call of Cthulhu. In this way, it serves the GM as an added bonus for extra material and added information. It goes into ideas like habitats, distribution and more for these creatures, all of which can generate consistency and even believability within a Call of Cthulhu campaign. And it features some really great art, too, helping to create an even stronger visual image

Horror Call of Cthulhu

Manufacturer:

Chaosium

Distributor:

Chaosium

Online:

Summary

AT A GLANCE

LIFESTYLE

ot every role-playing supplement is crammed full of rules and concepts related to the game it is intended for. Sometimes, they’re just fun, added extras that add flavour and colour. That’s the case with S.Petersen’s Field Guide to Lovecraftian Horrors. This book is less of a supplements and more of a coffee-table book, although some of your friends may look at you weirdly if you use it as such. The Field Guide is crammed full of information about all kinds of creatures and beings

www.chaosium.com gamecca87

of the creatures elaborated on within. Is the S.Petersen’s Field Guide to Lovecraftian Horrors essential to your Call of Cthulhu campaign? No, not really. This is a book for enthusiasts and fans, and it does little to add to rules and game dynamics. But is it cool to have? Absolutely. Those that love the Mythos will gain tons of enjoyment and inspiration from this volume, and the added information about each creature can go a long way to improving even the best campaigns. g

Although not a source book in the strictest sense, this guide is great for added flavour and anecdotal information. And it’s really pretty, too.

Score

COOL STUFF: RPG

LE TY EW S E I lIF EV R

E YL W T ES IE lIF EV R

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128

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Title: Writer: Artist: Publisher: Rated:

COOL STUFF: COMICS

GET GRAPHIC All Star Batman #1 Scott Snyder Various DC Comics Teen

gamecca87

by Clive Burmeister

Scott Snyder, the writer on the previous best selling Batman series, has now taken on a new Batman project, one where he gets to deal with some of the less well known Batman villains, as well as taking a new spin on some of the classic villains like TwoFace and Poison Ivy. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also telling two stories a comic, and featuring different artists, some big names and some new comers. So what kind of bang can you expect for your buck? Well Snyder is considered by many to be one of the best Batman writers out there, he knows the character intimately well, and always weaves a concise and intriguing plot, and with featured artists like Jock & Romita Jr. (this issue), I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think there will be many disappointed.

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E YL W T ES IE lIF EV R

LIFESTYLE

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Title: Writer: Artist: Publisher: Rated:

COOL STUFF: COMICS

GET GRAPHIC Harley Quinn #1 Conner & Palmiotti Chad Hardin DC Comics Teen +

gamecca87

by Clive Burmeister

Harley Quinn has been a popular DC character for a while now, and this is probably what largely inspired the new release of the Suicide Squad movie. The Rebirth of the ongoing comic series has been eagerly anticipated, allowing new fans a great starting point, and keeping old fans happy with the same creative team on the project. The Harley comic reads something like a cross between Deadpool and Archie, it’s light hearted, fun, and humorous, and definitely follows the more “well adjusted” aspect of the character, instead of the dark and wildly violent Harley that we saw more of pre-popularity boom. This comic is, as I said, a great place to start, giving a bit of background, an introduction to the characters, which then becomes a wacky little story involving an alien, hot dogs, and a zombie-like plague.

131

E YL W T ES IE lIF EV R

LIFESTYLE

132

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Title:

Kill or be Killed #1

Writer:

Ed Brubaker

Artist:

Sean Phillips

Publisher: Rated:

COOL STUFF: COMICS

GET GRAPHIC Image Mature

gamecca87

by Clive Burmeister

Ed Brubaker, acclaimed crime noir comic writer, brings what promises to be another smash hit series to the shelves. A young man is driven to the point of suicide, but at the last moment changes his mind. He survives, but maybe that wasn’t just pure luck, as now he believes a demon has bartered for his life and to continue to live he will need to kill. So it might seem like yet another vigilante story in a saturated market, just a rehash idea that’s been done, but this comic brings a lot more to the table as well. In line with Brubaker’s other books, this comic is the product of an intricate plot supported by believable and relatable characters, and brought together with the masterful writing and artwork that this creative team is renowned for.

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E YL W T ES IE lIF EV R

LIFESTYLE

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Title: Writer:

Predator vs. Judge Dredd vs. Aliens #1 John Layman

Artist:

Chris Mooneyham

Publisher:

Dark Horse / IDW

Rated:

COOL STUFF: COMICS

GET GRAPHIC Teen +

gamecca87

by Clive Burmeister

The Alien vs. Predator franchise has hit the outskirts of Mega-City One, roping Judge Dredd into the conflict. How did this epic showdown come to be? Judge Dredd is hot on the trail of a lawbreaker in need of some firm justice who leads the judge out of the city and into the wasteland, where an insane geneticist has just managed to capture a live Predator. He also has managed to get his hands on the DNA of the deadliest creatures in the galaxy, which spells trouble for everyone. This collaboration between Dark Horse and Judge Dreddâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s USA publisher, IDW, reads more like a Judge Dredd book than what Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen in the Aliens franchise, which suits the story better, capturing the feel of a Dredd story, with a hook. How would this sort of crazy battle go down anyway?

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Hammers on Bone What dwells within.

Title:

LIFESTYLE

Author: Publisher: Genre:

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Hammers on Bone Cassandra Khaw Tor Books Urban Fantasy

COOL STUFF: BOOKS

magine you’re a private investigator. Some kid shows up at your office with a piggy bank full of cash and tells you “I want you to kill my stepdad.” Not your usual case I’m sure, especially when your inner monster reverberates to the underlying creature lodged within the

said kid. As the seething inner voice whispers to John Persons, P.I. to take the case, it’s not just another run of the mill investigation that takes place; it’s a delve into the seedy underbelly of monsters. Hammers on Bone is a twisted tale that shouts H.P Lovecraft, as a Private Investigator is thrust deep within a case that knocks at his inner demon. Told from the perspective of P.I John Persons, the story unfolds beautifully, written in a style unique to the genre; a refreshing use of vocabulary and antecedent jargon. A storyline deeply rooted in the fantastical, Cassandra Khaw puts readers inside the mind of both the man John Persons, and his inner entity, as they attempt to solve a case that is more than what it seems. Hammers on Bone is a gritty novella, sure to tickle the fancies of readers who have enjoyed

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by Nthato Morakabi

H.G Wells and similar authors. g

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Impersonations The galactic backwaterâ&#x20AC;¦

Title:

LIFESTYLE

Author: Publisher: Genre:

138

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Impersonations Walter Jon Williams Tor Books Sci-FI

COOL STUFF: BOOKS bOOKS

here are many ways to spot a good author, but one that might not spring to mind immediately is the ability to create a story that stands well on its own, even though it is part of an ongoing saga. That’s what Walter Jon Williams managed to do

with Impersonations, a book which features a character from his previous Dread Empire’s Fall works. Caroline Sula, after offending her superiors, is posted to a little galactic backwater: Earth. Her fascination with the planet’s history is piqued, though, and she plans to make the most of her assignment. However, a face from the past puts paid to her plans, and she has to battle a plot to send her to prison… before she gets killed by yet another adversary. The great thing about Impersonations is that you can fully enjoy it without having read the Dread Empire’s Fall series (and you may well want to read it afterwards). William’s deftly handles past events with explanations and hints that are clear to the newcomer, but do not detract from the narrative for fans. His writing style and pace through this relatively short sci-fi novel is fantastic, and Impersonations will quickly suck you in with its solid plot and by Walt Pretorius

intrigue. g

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139

Ramjet’s rantality

am going to go out on a limb here and say that I like No Man’s Sky. Yes. You read that right. Despite all the outpourings of self-righteous vitriol that have been flooding the internet since the game’s release, I like it. Because I have realised not only what it is, but what it can become. This raises an interesting point about gamers out there, as well as society in general. We have all become spoiled brats. When we want something, we want it now, and everything else be damned. Allow me, for a moment, to make a little analogy. Henry Ford rolls a Model T ford off of the assembly line and shows it to an expectant public. They each take a turn to have a little test drive. When they get back, they start saying (to everyone who will listen) things like: “pity it doesn’t have electric windows… airbags are essential… aircon would be nice… ABS would certainly be necessary… screw it, I am not driving it, I want a refund.” OK, maybe a bit of an extreme example and, in

140

the defence of the brats complaining about it, I will happily admit that No Man’s Sky did not deliver on a number of its promises. But let’s take a look at what the team behind is have done since launch. They have responded. And they have acted, releasing 8 patches at the time of writing to address issues within the game. That’s pretty good for such a small team like the one over at Hello Games. They are working overtime to fix what is wrong, after which (they say) they will be adding all kinds of new ideas and content to the game. So why should you not throw your toys out of the cot over No Man’s Sky? Well, consider the following: first off, it is in many ways a revolutionary game. The sheer size and scope of the game (even if some of it has not been realised yet) is incredible, and it is a massive achievement, even in its current state. Secondly, if you have found it not to your liking after playing for such a short time (in what is without a doubt the largest game universe ever created) you’re

gamecca87

BY rAMJET

No Man’s Whinge...

impatient, to say the least. This is not a game that is over in a few hours like the copyand-paste shooters you’ll probably complain about next. Sure, it need to develop, but allow it to, you impatient little maggot. There’s progression and evolution here. These things can, and do, take time, and even if the team at Hello Games didn’t live up to all their promises at launch, they’re working hard to fulfil them. Thirdly, and most important, is considering what No Man’s Sky could become. In this instant gratification world of ours, people are so important to have perfection from the word go that they don’t realise that potential more slowly realised is often the best kind of all, and delivers the best results. So, if you’re going to try your hand at No Man’s Sky, which you should, try to be patient, try to put your inflated sense of self-worth aside and try to realise that this is a work in progress… it will likely always be, because, quite frankly, this is a game almost without limits. Just give it time. g

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