Gametraders September Magazine

July 2013 September 2013

BATTLEFIELD 4

COD: GHOSTS?

FPS

Top 10 First Persons Shooters

pg 18

PAYDAY 2 REVIEW pg 36

WHITE HOUSE DOWN COMPETITION! Win a double pass!

pg 66

Which will be the king? pg 10

INTERNATIONAL COSPLAYER! Special Interview with Aigue-Marine

pg 72

POKÉMON X & Y PREVIEW pg 28

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WELCOME TO SEPTEMBER INSIDE New Releases Pages 4-8 Battle of the Shooters Pages 10-15 Top 10 FPS Pages 18-21 Previews Pages 24-28 Reviews Pages 32-37 The Gametraders Story Pages 44-51 Anime & Manga Pages 52-58 Retro Round Up: Gaming Music Page 60 The Beautiful Game: Retro Style!

Welcome to Live Magazine and our September edition! Ask gamers what game really propelled the first person shooter genre into the public’s eye and you’ll likely be told Doom. Sure ID first released Wolfenstein 3D to critical and commercial success but it was Doom on the PC in 1993 that captured the imagination of gamers all over the world and heralded the beginning of what is arguably the most popular gaming genre around. This month we take a look at the FPS (first person shooter) and we list ten of the best of all time. We also look at the battle of the titans, the Call of Duty franchise with the soon to be released Call of Duty Ghosts and in the other corners, Battlefield 4. Both games are due out prior Christmas and both games will not doubt sell in huge numbers. But which is better? The real question is will you get one or both as there is no doubt both games will be the must have titles of 2013 if you’re into shooters. This month’s LIVE also features our first international cosplayer - Aigue-Marie from Stuttgart Germany and we talk with her about being a coplayer in Europe. We’ve also got some tickets thanks to our friends Sony Pictures for the action thriller - White House Down to be given away. With the latest FIFA game not far away we sent Retro writer, Paul Monopoli out on assignment to do some research on the best soccer games from the past, he’s got a great article on some of the best soccer games from the past! Well, enough from us, hope you like September’s Live magazine - please share it with your friends and help us build a great Australian gaming magazine!

Rob Jenkins - Publisher Giselle Capozza - Art Director

Page 60

THE LIVE TEAM

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Rob Jenkins: Publisher

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Giselle Capozza: Art Director

Sticky Trigger Team:

Page 65 White House Down Competition Page 66 Cosplay Interviews Pages 69-75 Trading Card Information Pages 80-82

Francis King Sam Babu Andy Gray David Kudrev: Retro Round Up Writer Nick Getley John Elliott (Sticky Trigger): Game Review & Preview Editor

Paul Monopoli: Retro Writer

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BATTLE OF THE SHOOT CALL OF DUTY: GHOSTS VS. BATTLEFIELD 4

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he battle continues as fans of both respectively large franchises argue which of the two FPS games is the better!

Before getting into the pros and cons of both games, it’s worth noting that the two new games coming out are entering the new ear of gaming which we’re calling the next-gen. What is next-gen? On the current consoles, there was a difference between the machines in contrast of hardware and perpetual licenses of games being exclusive only on one console. Now entering a new phase of consoles, the barriers between the Xbox One and the PS4 are so small that there’s hardly a difference. Pushing the console hardware to the limit, they are capable to running like a top end PC enabling more content to be pushed out.

Though how hard are Call of Duty: Ghosts and Battlefield 4 pushing, to take advantage of this new next-gen

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era and creating something unique to establish themselves different to one another or better? First up, Call of Duty: Ghosts just revealed its multiplayer to the world with new gameplay modes, weapons and killstreaks. A lot was shown and a lot of that was still the same formula that worked with previous Call of Duty titles. Popular matches such as CTF were taken away from the list of game types which will upset many, but hopefully this was a well thought out decision from the developers and they’ve somehow backed it up with some exciting new modes that will replace the traditional popular CTF. Call of Duty: Ghosts are using a whole new engine to create some lovely scenes and textures that weren’t able to be captured before. The story of soldiers fighting for a cause and country behind the scenes going unnoticed, the unsung heroes of war is another story that is done before. Being Call of Duty, it always brought to it a blockbuster feel that no other

FPS can bring, which will always excite players. A lot of new things can be seen with CoD: Ghosts but as mentioned before, it is an old formula cooked up that will always work, but entering a new era of gaming there’s not much change to it. Clinging onto their success formula that has worked for several years and making some tweaks and adding new features into the game is what they have always been about. Call of Duty: Ghosts brings to the table set destructible environments which change the layout of the maps, squad customisation, the Call of Duty App and never before, the ability to be able to carry over your character customisation and unlocks to another platform. How well Call of Duty: Ghosts takes up on the next-gen power will determine if it really has utilised all the tools at its disposal. CoD: Ghosts already making use of cross platform character

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on a high end PC. Not only that, Battlefield 4 is making use of mobile peripherals such as your phones and tablets to be able to tap onto the battlenet to change your loadouts while in-game, look up servers to queue in, go online as a field commander to issue commands and carry out artillery fire in-game. This is exciting for the next-gen because this creates a unique type of gameplay that will change how FPS games are The main contender against the FPS played. It’s making use of all the tools giant is Battlefield, which all started from Battlefield: Bad Company with its that many would have around the household and for those who are on Frostbite engine, bringing a specially the go. unique type of gameplay to the arena, giving the FPS the unique process of destructible environments that aren’t all scripted to be able to influence the field. With the Frostbite engine, Battlefield was able to bring forth unimaginable ways of recreating the FPS and making it a different Both Call of Duty: Ghosts and experience every time a game is played. Battlefield 4 pushes everything Battlefield 4 are great games that offer different gaming to players. the Frostbite engine has to give by CoD: Ghosts will always bring to it a paving way enormous areas on fast pace, jump in jump out gaming, different levels of destructibility and while for a more unique and intense exploration. The FPS experience isn’t experience of being creative and just on a linear level any more but tactical, Battlefield 4 is up your alley. can be taken to any heights on a single map that being up in the skies, These are just hypothetical answers to how both games are from what skyscraper building, streets or even are shown this year at expos and are underground tunnels. not the final product which might be entirely different to what it was Being such a largely sculpted game for destruction and beauty, it lacks in first perceived. Time will tell, with both a strong story but is backed up with its games releasing this holiday season. large-scale multiplayer which wasn’t possible on the current consoles, Written by Francis King, @TKtheWise having the opportunity to have a 64 player match which was only possible customisation but a lot of the new features are ‘fresh’ to the Call of Duty franchise, which is exciting. In reality, many of these features have been seen in other games and isn’t what you would call ‘innovative’. It really is all about sugar coating what has already been done and adding it the CoD formula, and despite that, many will love it.

CoD: Ghosts will always bring to it a fast pace, jump in jump out gaming, while for a more unique and intense experience of being creative and tactical, Battlefield 4 is up your alley. .”

CALL OF DUTY: GHOSTS industry comment “If you are an FPS gamer, odds are you have had the discussion somewhere along the lines on whether or not you prefer Battlefield or Call of Duty. Both games have pretty generic campaigns so for me; the preference relies solely on multiplayer aspects. Battlefield easily manages to take the cake with its use of vehicles and destructible environments. The use of vehicles (and for that matter classes) allows players to see a variation in the gameplay with every match. You could be a medic running around the field reviving your team mates in one match, while spending the next flying in a jet, destroying ground forces from above. In Call of Duty, there are other game types, but overall every game feels the same, that isn’t to say I don’t like Call of Duty though. In terms of campaign, the games are amazing, but their multiplayer component, and hence the replayability, just doesn’t pull me in. Both games have their strong points, but for me, I will always prefer Battlefield. Having a multiplayer component with variation really adds replayability, all while remaining incredibly realistic. I mean I still try to play Battlefield 3 once a week, whereas I haven’t played the last COD since the week after release!” John Wright [www.johnnoshark-reviews.com]

“Personally, I’ll take BF4 over Ghosts any day. Co-ordinating large-scale squad-based combat exhilarates me far more than your standard run-and-gun. Gimme dem tanks, son.” - Alex Raso “It’s still too early to say which FPS giant will take the cake this year, Battlefield 4 or Call of Duty: Ghosts. While we haven’t seen or played enough of either to say which will be better, we most definitely have had enough of a peek to get the giddy levels up! I’m thrilled to see that Ghosts looks like it taking a bigger jump away from the overused formula of recent COD titles and daring to expand a little more, but after what EA dropped on us with the multiplayer reveals for Battlefield 4, everything else simply looks second best. Seriously, between the new levels of destruction, bigger console player count and new features such as Commander Mode, the game is just sounding incredible. I’ve always been a fan of the class-based and squad-based multiplayer of the Battlefield series, which I think see’s teamwork on a greater scale than Call of Duty ever could, and that’s one of my favourite things to see and experience with my friends and fellow community members online. There’s no gaming joy like a team of skilled players working together like the cogs of a war machine to bring victory over the enemy. They don’t call them ‘Battlefield Moments’ for nothing.” John Elliott [www.stickytriggerentertainment.com]

Pre-order Call of Duty: Ghosts & Battlefield 4 now!

VS. BATTLEFIELD 4

CALL OF DUTY: GHOSTS industry comment “Two different developers, two very similar franchises. Both pushing the boundaries in story telling – albeit not so much in the case of Battlefield 3 – and both offering a plethora of content, giving players hours of multiplayer gaming. COD is populated by the young immature gaming crowd whilst the Battlefield has a more mature team oriented focused gathering. Every year these two juggernauts will go head to head and as long as they continue to push each other to further improve themselves I’m all for a little bit of healthy competition. Ghost is set to include 20,000+ customisation items and female avatars whilst BF4 is set to bring back the destruction of yesteryear. Next gen consoles will bring out the best in both franchises allowing the developers to push the boundaries in animation, story and content. Let’s just hope Call of Duty: Ghosts doesn’t get stale as quickly as it did after Modern Warfare 2.” Arthur Kotsopoulos [www.oxcgn.com]

“Call of Duty: Ghosts looks like it’s taking bigger leaps than any other Call of Duty title before; the visuals looks better, the multiplayer rejuvenated and the campaign seems rather interesting.”

- Agus Berry

“They both may fall into the same shooter category but each have their own strengths and weaknesses. If I was ever to decide on one, it would be the Battlefield series. Not only does it offer more variant in gameplay online, each iteration attempts to take the next step to provide a fresher more refined version of the title eg. Levolution in Battlefield 4. I’ve always been a fan of both series but each time EA announces a new Battlefield title - it just takes your breath away. This year will be interesting though for the two with the step into the next generation of consoles. Call of Duty: Ghosts looks like it’s taking bigger leaps than any other Call of Duty title before; the visuals looks better, the multiplayer rejuvenated and the campaign seems rather interesting. Battlefield 4 as a whole just looks like a monster of a game, and has since its reveal. In the end, we’ll have to wait till the games land in our hands to make full judgement – ‘cause everything between now and release is just hype talk with Eminem and Rihanna music blaring over the trailers.” Agus Berry [www.thegamerspad.net] “Since the legendary 1942 have I been an avid fan of the Battlefield series. The level of depth, complexity and most of the immersion it provides is significantly ahead of the rest of the genre. A wide variety of vehicles, weapons, equipment as well as wide-open maps, high player limits and comprehensive player classes encourage smart team play on a grand scale. Ripping up infantry squads sheltering in a nearby building in an M1 Abrams is deeply satisfying. Filling up a Blackhawk with C4 and detonating it in mid-air is equally hilarious. CoD excels most in its accessibility. What takes a competent team in Battlefield can be achieved solo. Gunplay is close quarters, fast-paced and hectic, and there’s larger focus on the individual; gameplay and payoff is more immediate. Personally, I’ll take BF4 over Ghosts any day. Co-ordinating large-scale squad-based combat exhilarates me far more than your standard run-and-gun. Gimme dem tanks, son.” Alex Raso, Freelance Journalist

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TOP 10 FPS THIS GENEReration PROVIDED BY WWW.STICKYTRIGGER.COM

ith the next gen of consoles on our doorstep, and a new influx of games bridging the gap between the past, present and future, delivering experiences on levels seldom seen, we thought it time to take a look back at some of the best genre games released throughout this very successful generation of gaming history. Slotting in with our look into the upcoming blockbuster Battlefield 4, here we’re bringing you the Top 10 FPS titles this generation. Mind you, just because a game is first person in perspective, doesn’t make it a shooter. We had to narrow the field to games that easily fit this category, so all the wonderful First-person puzzle/ RPG/adventure games out couldn’t make the cut; else we would have been here for moths debating on the best crop! Without further ado, here are this generations 10 best FPS games (in no particular order)…

BATTLEFIELD 3 2011 - 360 . PS3 . PC DEVELOPER: EA DICE PUBLISHER: EA

The Battlefield franchise made its name with its trademark multiplayer, daring to show the scale of warfare in realtime. This wasn’t infantry firefights or vehicular warfare, this was everything cleverly mashed together in a way so bold it worked. Fast forward 10 years, and DICE are giving us Battlefield 3, arguably the best the series had seen. Personally what I think makes this game so good is the balancing perfection DICE have found. But everything from the weapon customisation, game modes, DLC support and map design works together to deliver one hell of a package.

BIOSHOCK INFINITE

2012 - 360 . PS3 . PC DEVELOPER: IRRATIONAL GAMES PUBLISHER: 2K GAMES The newest game to grace the list, Bioshock Infinite kicked up a storm when it was released earlier this year. Being hailed as one of the best examples of storytelling the gaming world has seen, Infinite was a very different beast to its predecessors, in its own glorious way. The narrative and writing here is truly second to none, and while the combat lacked a certain depth the series had worked so hard to build years prior, as a whole this is flawless title that every gamer should indulge in. You don’t play Bioshock Infinite, you experience it.

seen yearly since 2007. This was a game full of innovation, depth and quality, before fame got the better of it. Giving what can easily be called the series best single and multiplayer modes, where customisation wasn’t overblown, set pieces didn’t look like something out of a bad Hollywood It’s become fairly commonplace, action movie, and gameplay was even to the point where it’s hard to fail balanced to a fine point where with it, but I think Far Cry 3 executed every player was equal regardless the open-world FPS the best. It took of loadout. Like the Call of Duty titles the best parts of the first and second previous, and sadly only the one games in the series, and blended following, this was an actual war them into a fine tropical paradise game, not just an action-packed to run rampant in. Admittedly, coshooting extravaganza with its eyes op and the multiplayer were terribly on a mountain of gold. lacking, but the open ended single player had polish out every orifice. An uninspired story couldn’t even stop the fun the action brought to the table, the game standing as a testament to the value of quality gameplay and just how far pure enjoyment goes. With one of the best game worlds I’ve ever played, and some of the most well executed gameplay freedom, Far Cry 3 is certainly a memorable game with a lot to offer.

FAR CRY 3

2012 - 360 . PS3 . PC DEVELOPER: UBISOFT MONTREAL PUBLISHER: UBISOFT

LEFT 4 DEAD 2

CALL OF DUTY 4: MODERN WAREFARE

2009 - 360 . PC DEVELOPER: VALVE PUBLISHER: VALVE

You can never have too many zombies… ever. But I suppose if you have to pinpoint when the subgenre of our brain-munching pals was at its peak and could have happily died off, you can’t look past Valves The king of shooting games, Call of incredible Left 4 Dead 2. This game Duty… love it or hate it, it’s hard to is the pinnacle of co-op action, deny its place in the industry. The and also makes the best use of the franchises insane popularity got its developers somewhat limited Source rise from this, the first Modern Warfare engine, providing countless hours of game. Being the first to take the series fun with mates. Sure, the games very into modern times, and the first to offer arcadey but it offers up a lot of quality up what is now the unfathomably and replay value to people who put popular multiplayer formula we’ve in the hard yards. There is a definite

2007 - 360 . PS3 . PC DEVELOPER: INFINITY WARD PUBLISHER: ACTIVISION

sense of joy and accomplishment that comes with skilfully navigating a level on Expert, or the thrill of making a desperate dash for the safe house that few games can match. I’m sure we’ve all battled with the hard choices of leaving a friend behind under pressure, or tightened up during the intensity you can almost feel during the calm before the storm (of zombies). Left 4 Dead 2 is a refreshing take on the FPS genre – instead of a bunch of marines going through some stupid set-pieces, the thrill is in the core gameplay mechanics themselves.

BIOSHOCK

2007 - 360 . PS3 . PC DEVELOPER: VALVE PUBLISHER: VALVE You can never have too many zombies… ever. But I suppose if you have to pinpoint when the subgenre of our brain-munching pals was at its peak and could have happily died off, you can’t look past Valves incredible Left 4 Dead 2. This game is the pinnacle of co-op action, and also makes the best use of the developers somewhat limited Source engine, providing countless hours of fun with mates. Sure, the games very arcadey but it offers up a lot of quality and replay value to people who put in the hard yards. There is a definite

BORDERLANDS 2

2012 - 360 . PS3 . PC DEVELOPER: GEARBOX SOFTWARE PUBLISHER: 2K GAMES sense of joy and accomplishment that comes with skilfully navigating a level on Expert, or the thrill of making a desperate dash for the safe house that few games can match. I’m sure we’ve all battled with the hard choices of leaving a friend behind under pressure, or tightened up during the intensity you can almost feel during the calm before the storm (of zombies). Left 4 Dead 2 is a refreshing take on the FPS genre – instead of a bunch of marines going through some stupid set-pieces, the thrill is in the core gameplay mechanics themselves.

TEAM FORTRESS 2 2008 - 360 . PS3 . PC DEVELOPER: VALVE PUBLISHER: VALVE

The king of shooting games, Call And now for something completely different! No campaigns, no story modes, no tacky character bromances or world domination – just pure, unadulterated fun in the form of the slickest FPS multiplayer there is. Team Fortress 2 has long since been one of the most active and engaging online communities this generation, and with good reason; it’s the game that simply never gets old. This is the best example of how well established and unique character classes delivers the best multiplayer action, throwing the poorly formulated common love of customisation out the window The king of shooting games, Call in favour of carefully developed of I will admit, this one is a textbook gameplay from all angles. Map FPS game. However, what it lacks in design, an intelligent sense of humor, innovation, it more than makes up approachable gameplay and some for perfecting every established rule truly smart development make Team of the genre. Few games match the Fortress 2 a must have, especially now intensity of the raw action and design that it’s Free 2 Play! from the campaign and multiplayer modes, with everything fluently blended together by highly polished gameplay and graphics. Little else can be said – Killzone 2 is the series best game, and for a game that doesn’t push the envelope, it sure as hell set the bar for all other FPS titles to have to step up to this generation.

KILLZONE 2

2008 - PS3 DEVELOPER: GUERRILLA GAMES PUBLISHER: SONY

Guns! Guns! GUNS! Borderlands is all about the guns. Seriously, there’s bazillions of them. Gazillions, even. Honestly though, the Borderlands games are some of the strangest, most inappropriately awesome shooting games there are. Borderlands 2 took the formula from the first title and multiplied it 10fold, flipping the Role Playing Shooter genre on its head. Best enjoyed with friends, Borderlands 2 has more content than you can shake a stick at, some of the best DLC support in years and the sheer level of replayability and co-op fun is almost a headache to comprehend.

HALO 3

2007 - 360 DEVELOPER: BUNGIE PUBLISHER: MICROSOFT It wouldn’t much be a FPS list without Microsofts flagship rearing its head, would it? Halo 3 was the series at its utmost prime, finding the incredibly difficult ground between mixing out the old and new. It felt like a classic FPS, yet pushed enough boundaries to lead the pack for years to follow. And it had it all in spades; the single player, co-op, and multiplayer and even introduced great new modes such as Forge and Theatre. Really, Halo 3 will be hard pressed to ever be beaten as the definitive game in the series. For this reasons too, many fans hold strong to the belief the series should have met its end here. Either way, there’s little denying the importance of the title for all FPS to follow. Written by John Elliott

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beyond two souls.

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These actions however, are entirely up to the player. Behaving less aggressively with Aiden will cause the narrative will work itself around that. Spanning over fifteen years of For instance, when Jodie is Jodie’s life, the game itself looks taken to a paranormal testing facility the player is given control amazing and coupled with its two thousand word script of Aiden allowing them to float through walls to see a card held Quantic Dream seems to be up by a woman in the adjacent looking at changing the way we experience games. Beyond: Two room so that Jodie can pick it out from the selection in front of Souls will be released for the her. You can also pass through PlayStation 3 this October. the one-way glass to hear what Written by Sam Babu her evaluators are saying. But the scene quickly grows out of control as Aiden’s power seems to grow after he knocks a few things off the woman’s desk. The story of Beyond revolves From there he flips the table with around Jodie and her unique a blast of supernatural energy, bond to the mysterious entity shatters the glass, temporarily known only as Aiden. Aiden appears to be an invisible entity possesses one of the staff and tries to choke the woman before with strange and sometimes chaotic powers. Both characters the scene is interrupted, as Nathan envelops a crying Jodie are playable with the ability in his arms. to switch between the two CTC forming a key part of the Beyond: Two souls is the latest offering by developer Quantic Dream, best known for the critically acclaimed game Heavy Rain. Described as a ‘psychological action thriller,’ the game uses advanced motion capture technology to create an experience which blurs the line between cinema and games, much like the developer is renowned for doing with previous titles. The game even stars real life actors like Ellen Page as the protagonist Jodie Holmes and Willem Dafoe as Nathan Dawkins, a kindly government researcher.

narrative. However, choice and consequence form an essential part of this game, in turn effecting how the story unfolds.

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diablo 3.

xbox 360 . ps3

If you don’t know about the Diablo series, then you’re in the wrong place! The megahit PC franchise has been at the helm of the gaming world for well over a decade, and just last year seen its latest instalment, Diablo 3, hit shelves to legions of rabid fans waiting over 10 years since the last. Previously a solidly PC exclusive, few thought we’d ever see a Diablo title grace home consoles. But after a fairly long port development time, we’re finally about to get our grubby little hands on Diablo 3 from the comfort our lounge room. With the game redeveloped to suit the playstyle and limitations of a console and controller,

Diablo 3 is actually looking surprisingly good on these 6 year old gaming machines. With co-op thankfully being at the core of the experience, players can play with up to three friends splitscreen, or jump online and help a friend in need in s new dynamic co-op that Blizzard are aiming to set a new standard with for dungeon crawling games, which have been coming increasingly popular these last few years. I always love to see a genre pioneer take risky steps to stay relevant and strive to lead the pack, so I’m excited to see just how Diablo 3 pans out on consoles after being such a controversial decision in the eyes of many.

Diablo 3 is shaping up to be a worthwhile console experience, and will hit on September 3rd. Preorder now to secure your bonus Infernal Helm DLC.

Written by John Elliott

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battlefield 4.

xbox 360 . ps3 . pc

EA’s hard-hitting, eye-bulging, ear-crushingly great shooter series makes its return once again in Battlefield 4! Excuse my excitement, but the Battlefield series has long been a staple of my gaming life, and the latest instalment couldn’t come soon enough. But a far cry from unfounded elation, I have good reason to be this giddy for DICE’s baby to rear its head again, and that reason dear readers, is the new heights our Swedish developers are taking the game to.

Only in Battlefield A term that’s been coined

by the community, taken up by the developer and used widely these last few years is ‘Battlefield Moments’, or ‘Only in Battlefield.’ These are obvious – so much goes on in Battlefield games that no other FPS can lay claim to. All unscripted, uniquely cinematic moments that are delivered through core gameplay mechanics. It’s what makes the game so special, really. Battlefield 4 again gives a focus on multiplayer, aiming to take the formula of the previous game and simply add layer upon layer to it. Sure, it’s a similar outcome, but Battlefield 4 is taking the

game to new extremes. More destruction, more war. All new weapons and vehicles means we have even more ways to kill, be killed and ruin environmentalists days by laying utter destruction upon the scenery like never before. On the odd chance it’s still unclear, DICE are adding to the game what they’re calling ‘Levolution,’ a unique element that allows some maps to be completely reshaped in ways as the players reek havoc to the surroundings. Bridges crumble, tunnels collapse, trees shake about and even skyscrapers topple, forming new designs which can really

alter the playing field. We’re yet to see the full scale of whats possible here, but early looks suggest that if DICE deliver what they’re promising, it could be a real game changer. But keep your socks on just yet, because if we’ve all learned anything from early previews, it’s that we only see the best of the best, and the rest just doesn’t compare.

Go it alone? While the multiplayer is undoubtedly the main focus of the game, DICE haven’t skipped on the games single player, and are still setting out to deliver a campaign capable of standing on its own two feet. But with so many similar titles flooding the FPS market these days, what are DICE doing to separate BF4 from the crowd

of other modern war shooters? Honest answer; not much at all. The games story reeks of unoriginality. But seriously, if you let that stop you, you will miss out on what is still looking to be a worthwhile experience fuelled by an abundance of action and adrenalin. The campaign from Battlefield 3 demonstrated in storytelling what the game series is all about on its various levels; the scale of war. We see that kind of delivery here again as we take part of Tombstone squad on the brink of – who would have guessed? – WWIII. Of course, at its core Battlefield 4 may just be more of the same stuff we’ve seen, played and become used to. But even now, in the month leading up to its release, it’s clear the

game is smashing down the borders and pushing the envelope of what we should expect – and demand – from the new standard of wartime shooting games. Battlefield 4 will rock your jocks this October 31st.

Written by John Elliott

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pokémon x and y.

So are you ready to “catch em all” over again? Developer GameFreak’s latest entries to the Pokémon series, titled X and Y, is a full 3D adventure in the brand new Kalos region. Featuring 29 new Pokémon so far, including three brand new starter Pokémon, these little monsters are set to take the world by storm all over again. The two Legendary Pokémon featured on the box art of the games are Xerneas a mystical deer that forms the X with its antlers and Yveltal a rather intimidating bird who forms the Y with its wings and talons. The three new starters are Chespin, a tiny chipmunk like creature who is the grass type starter, Fennekin, a giant eared fox as the fire type starter, and Froakie, who as you might guess is a small blue frog that is the water type starter.

3ds

There have been various other Pokémon revealed along with a brand new type of Pokémon called Fairy that was introduced with a new Eevee evolution named Sylveon. Fairy types will be stronger against the dominant Dragon type Pokémon allowing players to create all new strategies. Players will traverse the Kalos region, which is based on France, with many trailers have showing an Eiffel Tower structure in the background. The game has been developed entirely for the 3DS featuring 3D modelled characters and a complete overhaul of the battle system. This includes a bunch of new features such as Horde encounters which can see up to five wild Pokémon battling against a players single Pokémon, but offer a large experience bonus as a reward in return. One of the latest reveals however has

been the new Mega-Evolutions of several Pokémon including Mewtwo, Lucario, and Blaziken. Available only in battle when a Pokémon is holding a specific Mega Stone they offer a more powerful form that can turn the tide of a battle. So get your potions and pokeballs ready, as the game is set for release on October 12 on the 3DS.

Written by Sam Babu

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splinter cell: blacklist.

Splinter Cell: Blacklist is the latest installment in the beloved series. With Splinter Cell Conviction, Ubisoft decided to make the game less about stealth and more about brute force. Sure, there was the option at times of using stealth but I never felt the need to use it. With Blacklist however, stealth plays a much bigger role. Gone are the days when it was OK to charge headlong into a room emptying clip after clip on enemies. While I enjoyed Conviction, Blacklist takes all the good parts of Conviction and adds so much more to it. From the first mission it’s evident that there is an enhanced fluidity to

xbox 360 . ps3 . pc . wii u

movement. It’s easy to slip into the shadows, mantle over cover, climb up a pipe and drop down onto an unsuspecting enemy. One complaint I had with Splinter Cell Conviction was, while stealth was a game mechanic, there was very little true need to use it. That has completely changed with Blacklist. Sam Fisher can only take limited damage and when multiple enemies are attacking it can end very quickly. Each mission allows you to complete it any number of ways; some force you to remain undetected while others encourage it by sending in swarms of reinforcements. It proves

beneficial to not start large scale gun battles. Planning before the mission is important. Deciding what gadgets and gear to equip before you put boots on the ground is imperative to making the mission go as smoothly as possible. There is a wide array of gadgets you can purchase with money earned during the mission such as smoke bombs, EMP grenades, sticky cameras, sleep gas grenades, etc. Depending on your play style, there is certain to be gear you will quickly fall in love with. On top of the single player campaign there are two multiplayer offering as well. The first is the fan favourite Spies vs Mercs mode. This pits Spies – elite, stealth-based

characters – against Mercs – hardy, geared-up soldiers – in a variety of game modes for up to 8 players. Along with that is a co-op story mode with 14 unique missions. These appear as side missions during the campaign, and all but 4 can technically be done solo. Yet, playing through these missions with a partner adds an entirely new level of strategy, planning, and tension. Executing double kills, having a partner distract a guard so the other can sneak up behind them and eliminate them is so rewarding. I have never hid the fact that I love co-op games, missions, or stories. While Conviction had a Co-op mode, it was a selfcontained story and felt more like an add-on. The co-op in Blacklist feels and plays so well in tune with the campaign and main game.

Splinter Cell: Blacklist is the stealth game that Conviction promised it would be. With solid gameplay, and fantastic level design, it delivers many memorable moments while not sacrificing its true vision. Allowing the player to play anyway they want through almost each mission, and still feel as though it was the way the developers intended it, is a testament to how much Ubisoft wanted to get this right. Blacklist is a deeply rewarding game for those who take their time, plan, and execute a strategy. If you are looking for a fast paced, run and gun shooter – you can play like that. If you are looking for a game where you can sneak past virtually every enemy leaving nothing but a shadow behind, you can play like that. If you want something in between those

you, you can do that as well. While Conviction was a decent game, Blacklist excels as a stealth -based game with loads of replayability. This is one game I will be trying to convince as many friends as I can to pick up. This one is simply too good to ignore.

Written by Andy Gray

9/10

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payday 2.

xbox 360 . ps3

4 players can work together to pull off some very daring, interesting and most of all fun robberies. It has to be said though, that the partner AI in this game is some of the worst I’ve ever seen. Playing alone or offline is a nightmare once you start trying to take on some of the harder heists. They are simply incapable of completing objectives, leaving you running around the maps with some walking human Payday 2 see’s the four original shields in chase. Not as cool as it sounds. protagonists return to once again rob their way into Where the game shines is in its riches, through bank heists, character customisation and nightclub robberies, jewellery progression. There are 4 skill store hold ups – not even trees for players, each with its convenience stores are safe own strengths. Get together from these guys! Built entirely a team of 4 with a different for co-operative play, up to The original Payday game was a Steam and PSN release, being a small, rather short game. But with this, its sequel, developer Overkill have really upped the ante. Now a full retail release (albeit with a very low and attractive RRP!), Payday 2 gives players more missions, more options, more weapons, more fun to be had and a ton more money to steal.

player focusing on each, and you have yourself an incredibly skilled team that could walk away from bank jobs without ever raising an alarm. It goes to lengths to make teamwork key, and has a lot of effect on gameplay direction. Couple with this mask customisation, and very detailed weapon personalisation that actually takes a lot of effort to fully utilise, and Payday is a great package for character creation. You really play how you want, and given the game goes to lengths to deliver missions that give you multiple ways to approach objectives, it works very well. This is one of the finest examples of a title giving real open ‘plan & execute’ gameplay I’ve seen. Bravo, Overkill.

The audio department really excels here, too. Quality voice acting, musical score and sound effects is all present in spades, especially in the case of effects. The way gunshots, screams and general chaos echoes through buildings is very impressive, and the pulsating music adds a certain intensity to the heists that wasn’t quite realised in the first game. I would put Payday 2 on par with Left 4 Dead in terms of co-op

pressure and importance. Sometimes a friend could be stuck in a vault or shop and be surrounded by enemies, but risking life, limb and a big stack of cash is the cost of coming to their rescue. It’s all about the Benjamin’s, and its moments like these which separate Payday 2 from the crowd.

Written by John Elliott

7/10

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dynasty warriors 8.

xbox 360 . ps3

Whilst some players may find it difficult to understand or enjoy the highly-Japanese delivery of the game’s story, I enjoy Dynasty Warriors 8’s cartoonish characters and almost fantasystyle take on historical events. There are sorcerers, magic, volcanoes and even mammothsized siege weapons that while unrealistic, feel right at home within the game. One feature present that I really With Dynasty Warriors 8, Tecmo enjoy is the “hypothetical path”, Koei bring back key features which are a series of missions from previous Dynasty Warriors and side missions unlocked games and also throw in some by completing certain tasks new features and some pretty throughout the main story. slick new character designs. Through these, players are able It feels like they’ve attempted to experience a fictional take to take the best parts from on what may have happened every Dynasty Warriors game to the various kingdoms had and combine them to create major events unfolded in a the most spectacular Warriors experience available on current different way. These will delight generation consoles. While they Dynasty Warriors fans. haven’t reinvented the wheel, What I really enjoy about they have certainly breathed Dynasty Warriors 8 is the new life into Dynasty Warriors. The Dynasty Warriors franchise of games seems to be seeing just as many releases as the beloved Call of Duty franchise. Since its beginnings on the PlayStation 1, it feels as though there hasn’t been a time in the last 15 years or so where there wasn’t a Dynasty Warriors game (or one of its spinoff series) available to gamers.

return to the combo system. At the beginning of the game, characters will have starter weapons, which look okay, but only do a moderate amount of damage. Defeating enemy generals will cause them to drop a weapon for the player to add to their armoury. You can also visit the blacksmith in your base camp to acquire more weapons, should you feel like emptying your coin pouch. While many critics may be sick of the Dynasty Warriors games, I for one am glad to have picked up a copy of Dynasty Warriors 8. It has enough new content and replayability to warrant a purchase, and it is the perfect brawler to ride out the remainder of this console generation.

Written by Nick Getley

8/10

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tales of xillia.

ps3

People often say that JRPGs (Japanese role-playing games) are dead, and that the subgenre died after reaching its peak with Final Fantasy VII. Whilst there is no arguing that JRPGs have taken a hit in popularity with western audiences, there are still a huge number of dedicated fans, eager to experience a wellwritten story with characters that only a Japanese developer could envision. The gameplay in Tales of Xillia revolves around travelling from area to area, but as opposed to other JRPGs, where players travel on an “overworld”, Tales of Xillia has a properly scaled environment to explore and travel through. You won’t find any secrets or extra areas to explore, so in that respect, the game is linear. You can, however, explore any areas you have previously visited to level

turn the tide in a fight with a well-timed press of a button. There is so much to like about Tales of Xillia, while at first, the beginning felt a little slow, the story really pick up when you get past the first major event. The characters are well written, When in combat, players will and it feels as though they control either Jude or Milla, themselves open up to each depending on their choice at the beginning of the game, and other throughout the duration can run around the battle area of their adventure. freely. You have various combos, as well as special moves, called Tales of Xillia tells entertaining story in a fantastic way. “artes”. Some artes are flashy attacks, others behave more like Hardcore JRPG fans as well spells and status buffs or affects. as people new to JRPGs will find something to love in the When you meet your second characters, story, combat and companion, Alvin, you are then humour. If you have been sitting able to choose a partner to around wishing for a good JRPG execute link attacks with, and or RPG to sink some hours into, linked artes. As opposed to don’t hesitate to pick up a copy mashing to attack button with combos, linked combos are of Tales of Xillia. more about attacking in a good Written by Nick Getley rhythm with your partner. Linked artes are extremely powerful compared to artes, and can up or grind if you need to. I’ve found that I haven’t needed to grind or level up yet, as clever strategy in combat can see you through a particularly tough battle.

8/10

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CONFIRMED LISTS OF NEXT GEN GAMES.. PS4 GAMES Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag Battlefield 4 Beyond Good & Evil 2 Call of Duty: Ghosts Carmageddon: Reincarnation Contrast The Crew Crusade Daylight Deep Down Destiny Diablo III The Division Dragon Age: Inquisition DriveClub Doki-Doki Universe Don’t Starve Dying Light The Elder Scrolls Online The Evil Within FIFA 14

Final Fantasy Project Final Fantasy XV Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn Galak-Z Human Element Infamous: Second Son Just Dance 2014 Killzone: Shadow Fall Kingdom Hearts III Knack LEGO Marvel Super Heroes Mad Max Madden NFL 25 Mercenary Kings Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain Mirror’s Edge 2 NBA 2K14 NBA Live 14 Need for Speed Rivals Octodad: Dadliest Catch Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty

The Order: 1886 Outlast Secret Ponchos Shadow Warrior Skylanders Swap Force EA Sports UFC Sniper Elite V3 Star Wars Battlefront Thief Transistor Trials Fusion Watch Dogs Warframe War Thunder The Witness Warhammer 40,000: Eternal Whore of the Orient The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Wolfenstein: The New Order

Kinect Sports Rivals Kingdom Hearts III LEGO Marvel Super Heroes LocoCycle Mad Max Madden NFL 25 Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain Minecraft Mirror’s Edge NBA 2K14 NBA Live 14 Need for Speed Rivals Peggle 2 Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare Project Spark Quantum Break Rabbids Invasion Ryse: Son of Rome Skylanders Swap Force Sniper Elite V3 Star Wars Battlefront

Sunset Overdrive Thief Titanfall Trials Fusion EA Sports UFC Watch Dogs The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Wolfenstein: The New Order Zoo Tycoon Zumba Fitness World Party

XBOX ONE GAMES Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag Battlefield 4 Below Call of Duty: Ghosts The Crew Crimson Dragon D4 Dead Rising 3 Destiny The Division Dragon Age Inquisition Dying Light The Elder Scrolls Online The Evil Within Fantasia: Music Evolved FIFA 14 Final Fantasy XV Forza Motorsport 5 Halo Xbox One Just Dance 2014 Killer Instinct

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THE GAMETRADERS STORY: With mark langford

Mark Langford: Gametraders owner/founder

here did it all start and what’s in store for the future of Gametraders? This month we talk to the Managing Director and Founder/Owner of Gametraders, Mark Langford about his passion for Gametraders and the gaming business.

Where did you get the idea for Gametraders? Mark: My first foray into retail was in 1998 when I started a business called Leisureland in Blackwood South Australia, There was not a lot to do for

younger people in Blackwood so it became the destination of choice because it was an exciting place to be, mainly because there was always something to do there such as playing Warhammer, N64 and Playstation games and generally a great place to hang out. In 1999 it really took off when the Pokemon craze started, for the first two weeks the Pokemon cards sat on the shelf but then it became a phenomenon, we could not get enough stock and where ordering cards by the pallets load. Within a few months the kids would come in with loads of cards and would use our tables for trading and swapping and

this is where I saw an opportunity to become the middleman, it also planted the seeds for Gametraders but I didn’t know it at the time. For the next 12 months we traded approximately 10,000 cards, kids could bring in their doubles and excess cards to us and trade them for cards that they didn’t have, they and their parents loved the fact that they could off load their unwanted cards and make up their decks without having to buy the boosters packs all of the time. Like most crazes however, it died off quite quickly and I found myself at the cross roads, we were not selling enough of our other product such as

computer games, boards games, jigsaw puzzles and Warhammer etc to survive. I remember sitting at home one night wondering what to do when I had a light bulb moment, the card trading was very popular so why not try it with second-hand games, consoles and accessories and this is how Gametraders began. For the next six months I purchased as much second-hand games and consoles as I could and put them in the storeroom, I thought about what name I would use and eventually came up with Gametraders because it explained exactly what we did. I didn’t want try the concept at the Blackwood store because it was not in the metropolitan area and the local population was not big enough to make it work so I found an ex service station for lease in Belair Road Hawthorn, painted it bright yellow and put up the Gametraders sign, back them our motto was “Why pay More” and this was plastered on the outside wall. This was my last chance to make it in retail, I like the saying that necessity is the mother of invention because that certainly applied to me at that time. Prior to us opening the word had got out around the schools that people could trade in their unwanted games for other preplayed games, back then we were selling second-hand N64 games for $29.00 when the new price was $70-$100 so it was a hit. The kids loved it and so did their parents

because it was saving them a great deal of money. We opened on a Monday in June 2000 with sales of $80 but by Saturday the word had spread and we did $800 in sales which for a low rent location was very encouraging. Within 3 months sales grew quickly and I knew it was a concept that could be franchised and got started with the Lawyers and advisors to set it up with took a further 9 months. I have always said that we owe our success to the mums and the kids who loved our concept because the mums were always under pressure by their kids for a new game. Gametraders

Back then it was a very simple concept, but invariably there are always hurdles in business and our first major hurdle was the release of the PS2 in 2004. Up until then we mainly sold N64 and Playstation one games with a little bit of retro but much of the retro back then such as the Super Nintendo and Megadrive was not very sought after. When Playstation 2 was released everyone wanted it but of course we didn’t have any second-hand at that point so our sales started taking a serious dive. Based on our market research it was obvious that we had to start selling new products and this did not go

“Within 3 months, sales grew quickly and I knew it was a concept that could be franchised”

- Mark Langford, Gametraders founder.

enabled them to save a substantial amount of money and the kids were happy that they could get more games and the word of mouth spread fast.

down at all well with our franchisees as there was a substantial cost involved to stock new games and it meant that we were then competing against many retailers.

It was about nine months into the business that one of the mums who was a journalist asked me if she could do an article on Gametraders in the business section of our main newspaper The Advertiser and naturally I said yes. The article mentioned that I was nearly ready to franchise the concept and the next day we had three calls from people wanting to buy a franchise.

At that point we had about 12 franchisees and due to the understandable resistance it took quite some time to evolve away from only selling second-hand products. When the first stores opened what was the big sellers at that time? What products were big back then? Mark: The biggest seller was N64 and Playstation one, we had trouble selling

Gametraders Highpoint Store Opening

Gametraders Marion’s 5th Birthday Mega drive consoles even at $15 and Super Nintendo’s consoles would sell for $29.95. At that time we would be lucky to sell a Gamegear or a retro console like the Intellivision, today we can’t get enough of all of the retro consoles. Half the stuff that came in I had never seen before as I did not grow up playing games so it was a very steep learning curve for me. In 2013 there is a vastly different landscape in gaming - what’s been the challenges for Gametraders in moving from it’s beginnings to now? Mark: We have had many challenges over the years, the biggest has been when we started opening stores in shopping Centres and gaming went mainstream meaning that the big department stores started using games as loss leaders, with high rents and high operating costs it is very difficult to survive selling new games with gross profit margins of under 20% by the time you price match and mark down dead stock. The GST also had a major effect on profits as we had to absorb the cost because customers were simply not prepared to pay 10% more for games so most of the retailers generally didn’t

put the prices up. We tried it for about 4 weeks but our sales plummeted so we had to drop the prices back down to pre GST levels. Then of course we have had the GFC which has been going now for five years, as a result of increasing rent and costs and price pressures on games we decided to evolve the business from selling new and preplayed games to a broad range of pop culture, gaming related products, figurines, Anime, trading cards and so on. In 2012 GAME closed up in Australia, how did Gametraders survive when a multinational brand couldn’t? Mark: We could see this coming from day one , they threw money around to get a footprint in Australia as quickly as possible by paying unsustainable rents. They had no point of difference over the competitors, this together with a lack of market research and analysis meant that they lost very substantial amounts of money and when the UK parent went into administration Australia followed shortly thereafter. They also didn’t realise until it was too late that Australia is a very competitive market in which to compete.

We’ve heard there is a new type of store being planned - tell us about that? Mark: It’s funny how things turn the full circle, as a result of changing consumer expectations and our experience at Leisureland all those years ago we have devised a new concept called Gametraders Live and we are delighted to announce that we are opening two GT Live stores in September, one is in Penrith NSW which is expected to open the 21st September, being a brand new store operated by Chris Senior who has had many years experience in managing a GAME store in Sydney. Plus our existing franchisees in Mildura, Tony and Lynne Bentley have leased the shop next door to their existing business in Centro Shopping Centre to incorporate GT Live which is expected to open on 14th September. I wanted to try and recapture the essence of Leisureland as a cool place to be but this time we are going all out to create an environment that I think will be the most exciting gaming destination in Australia. I always remember the mums saying at Leisureland, if only you had a place we

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I would describe GT Live as an entertainment destination, unlike anything in Australiaâ&#x20AC;?

- Mark Langford, Gametraders founder.

I would describe GT Live as an entertainment destination unlike anything in Australia, It comprises of what I call the four pillars made up of our successful retail business model plus three major entertainment activities detailed as follows. The Gametraders business model is totally different from the Leisureland business model as the products we sell today bear little resemblance to the products we sold then, but there is definitely a connection in the culture, our core values of being Open, Passionate, Innovative and Approachable came from Leisureland. The GT Live stores will be large, between 200-300 Square metres and they will look impressive. GT Live will comprise of our retail products and of course trading, there will be colorful Sofas dotted throughout the store to relax and interact, table and chairs for holding card tournaments such as Yu Gi Oh, and Magic, Paint stations for Warhammer painting competitions, tables to play Warhammer leagues and competitions, table top retro gaming machines plus any other activities if there is enough customers demand such as D&D role playing games, Lans and so on plus coffee machines, drinks and snacks.

MARK LANGFORD

could sit down and have a coffee and this is where part of the inspiration came from , GT Live is this, but with much more.

Last but certainly not least we will be the only retail destinations in Australia that will cater to Cosplayers, We will sell the cosplay outfits and accessories, provide change rooms, hold exclusive Anime nights, fashion parades and related activities based on the feedback we receive of what our cosplay customers want. Cosplayers are all dressed up with nowhere to go, there is a real connection between Gametraders and Cosplayers, finally Cosplayers will have a place they can call their own. Are you excited about the next generation of consoles coming out this year?

Mark: Yes the industry needs a boost, sales have dropped about 25% since their peak, the new consoles will not only go to the next level of gaming but will result in more trading for customers wanting to trade up which is be good news for us and our customers. So yes, I am excited about the new consoles but nowhere near as I am excited about GT Live. Finally, where do you see the future for Gametraders?

Mark: I think that Gametraders Live will be a huge hit with our customers and I would like to see outlets in every city and every town, big and small. The satisfaction I get out of the challenges of running a business is to see people happy and having a good time and I am confident that Gametraders Live will provide this.

GAMETRADERS OVER TH

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN - LEISURELAND 1998

THE ORIGINAL GAMETRADERS STORE BELAIR RD .

MITCHAM, SA - JUNE 2000

HE YEARS..

RE-BRAND WHEN FRANCHISING BEGAN IN 2001 - MORAYFIELD SHOPPING CENTRE QLD

CURRENT DESIGN - REBRAND IN 2006

CONCEPT IMAGE OF GT LIV E IN HENRY ST, PENRITH OPPOSITE

CONCEPT IMAGE OF GT LIVE MILDURA

TAFE

WANT TO RUN YOUR OWN GAME STORE? FIND OUT MORE! Want to find out more information about the new “LIVE” gaming experience? Visit www.gametraders.com.au/ franchising

COMING SOON! Gametraders are opening the first of their new “L!VE” stores in Penrith, New South Wales & Mildura, Victoria! L!VE is a brand new gaming experience, specialising in games, trading, cards and tournaments, Warhammer, cosplay, anime and much more! Gametraders L!VE is about you and what you love. Opening soon - stay tuned!

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Pokémon & zelda are back!

Our favourite characters jump out of one of the most successful video the screen into the pages of these game franchises of all time, with action-packed Manga Series’! more than 225 million games sold worldwide.The playable characters We recently heard the exciting news of all the games star in the manga from Madman – these two awesome within several story arcs that video game series are now available correspond to each generational in comic book form! Previously only release of Pokémon RPGs. Just like available in Japanese, we were in the RPGs, Pokémon live and die in thrilled to hear of the Australian the world of the manga. Very cool. release! The Legend of Zelda is a series There are heaps of different of based on The Legend of Zelda Pokémon manga series, all based classic series of Nintendo video on the Pokémon anime, video games. Over 52 million units of The games, and trading card game. If Legend of Zelda video games sold you don’t know much about the worldwide across various Nintendo Pokemon phenomenon, it was game systems – but don’t worry, originally released as a pair of the manga storyline is faithful to interlinkable Game Boy role-playing the videogame story! Fans like video games, and has grown to be us will appreciate the additional

information that expands on and clarifies the game universe. Also, the artwork is really nice in this, mimicking the game’s art style almost perfectly.The manga has received very high praise in The Legend of Zelda fanbase for conveying the story of the games in a decent manner as well as adding or explaining elements of the story. But you don’t need to be a gamer to enjoy this series, even non-gamers can enjoy this swords and sorcery adventure! These new Manga, along with heaps more, are available now at your local Gametraders!

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TSURITAMA!

ishing has never been a high stakes sport until now. On the island of Enoshima something is brewing beneath the ocean and causing a mysterious condition to befall on its residents. Although seemingly harmless, it seems to belie a more serious issue that will have its victims more than just dancing mindlessly. But when the fate of the town is resting on the shoulders of Yuki, a socially awkward teenager, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to evaluate oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s choices in life. A story that relies on its kooky characters to elevate what could have been a potentially bland series to an absurd sci-fi comedy. Where else would you find two self

proclaimed enthusiastic aliens that demand fishing as a means to save the world or a secret organization as eclectic as their clothing? Tsuritama is a beautifully animated spectacle with as much colour imbued in the animation as one can find in the ocean. Seemingly fluid and utterly eye catching, it is a different step to any other anime series you have seen. Aired in the acclaimed noitaminA timeslot known for its innovative anime and directed by Kenji Nakamura (C for Control), Tsuritama is sure to reel in and charm every viewer hook, line and sinker.

PRINCESS KNIGHT!

he 52-episode anime adaptation of Princess Knight is based upon the bestselling comic (manga) by legendary creator Osamu Tezuka (Astro Boy, Kimba The White Lion) and features animation from Tezuka’s own Mushi Productions. It originally aired on Japanese television from 1967 through 1968, and its English-language adaptation was syndicated throughout the United States in the 1970s and 1980s. In both anime and manga forms, Princess Knight was among the first titles geared specifically toward a young female (shoujo) audience. The original comic was serialized in Kodansha’s Shoujo Club anthology magazine, from 1953 through 1956,

and its sequel series, Twin Knight, was serialized in Kodansha’s Nakayoshi anthology in 1958. Princess Knight focuses on the story of Princess Sapphire who was forced to hide her gender and become a prince in order to inherit the throne. Note: Princess Knight originally aired on Japanese television from 1967 through 1968. It was then edited, recut, and syndicated in the United States during the 1970s. Like many shows of its time which did not benefit from today’s focus on preservation, the master materials on which Princess Knight was recorded have deteriorated, and the video and audio quality varies greatly from episode to episode.

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f you’re like many gamers who breathed a sigh of relief when Australia brought in an R18+ rating you might tend to get frustrated when we hear of another game being denied rating. As it tends to go the game then goes back for edits and is often resubmitted and sneaks in with an R18+ or MA !5+ rating. When I read comments of gamers when these things happen, it seems we blame the Classifications Board for the controversy. After all we are adults, we have the right to see and play what we want right..? Well we decided to ask the Office of Classifications what their side of the story is and put to them some questions about how they go about classifying games...

What is the process of classifying a video game? What steps does a publisher go through? Kathryn: When making decisions, the Classification Board applies the Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Act 1995 (the Act), the National Classification Code and the Classification Guidelines (the Guidelines). The Guidelines set out a hierarchy of impact from ‘very mild’ to ‘very high’. The consideration of impact and context are essential principles in the use of the Guidelines. The Guidelines are available at www.comlaw.gov.au. If a publisher/distributor wants to distribute a computer game, they need to get it classified. To obtain a classification for a computer game the applicant needs to complete an application form and submit it to the Classification Branch for processing. Please click on the link below to view details regarding the Classification Process http://www.classification.gov.au/About/Pages/NationalClassification-Scheme.aspx Please click on the link below to follow the steps for Classifying a Computer Game - http://www.classification.gov.au/Industry/ Journey/Pages/CGnonAJourney.aspx In all cases the following needs to be provided: - a copy of the computer game in an acceptable format. - a correctly completed, signed copy of the current approved Application Form. - the correct fee. - a detailed written description of gameplay.

How many people are involved in the process? Kathryn: The Classification Board convenes a panel to classify the game, which can range in size. The Board is supported by the Classification Branch, which provides a range of services including processing of applications, technical, financial and administrative support. I bet you folk get some flak for decisions – how do you handle complaints? Kathryn: The Classification Board welcomes feedback about its decisions and responds to correspondence within 28 business days, or sooner, from when it is received. You’ve got a tough job with all the movies and games coming in for classification - do you find games harder than movies to classify? Kathryn: In every decision it makes, the Classification Board is required to apply the Classification (Publications, Films and Computer Games) Act 1995 (the Act), the National Classification Code and the Classification Guidelines (the Guidelines). Each application is considered on its merits, and decisions are made on a case by case basis. There are a number of authorised assessor industry schemes which can assist with the process. For example, there is an authorised assessor scheme whereby people who work in the computer games industry, mainly the distributors, can have people trained to make a recommendation for the classification of a computer game. The authorised assessor prepares a report for the Classification Board which discloses details of content and recommend a classification for the game. The Classification Board uses this report as information to be considered in making its classification decision... This scheme can only be used for games that are likely to be classified G, PG or M – it cannot be used for games that are likely to be classified MA 15+ and/or R 18+. What action do you take on retailers not complying with the laws? Kathryn: Officers from the Classification Liaison Scheme assist retailers to comply with classification laws. They investigate complaints about breaches of classification law and provide information packages to help them to understand their obligations under classification laws.

retro round up: GAM david kudrev - FOUNDER OF RETROspekt, www.retrospekt.com.au

usic (in my opinion) is as important as graphics and gameplay. It is one of those things that swims around in the back of your mind, subconsciously reminding you about what you enjoy when you play a game. It helps pull you in to the story, it makes you fall for the characters or gets you pumped to jump in and bam things up a notch. When I was asked to come up with top 10 retro games with outstanding soundtracks, I’d be worried that my response would be very biased. Well, here goes nothing!

10. SUPER ADVENTURE ISLAND (Super NES) The music oozes with extremely catchy late 80’s/ early 90’s techno and composed by none other than the legendary video game composer Yuzo Koshiro. His work is more notable from titles like Actraiser and of course the next game in the top 10.

9. STREETS OF RAGE (SEGA MASTER SYSTEM/MEGA

DRIVE)

The No brainer, right? The music albeit similar to Super Adventure Island but is a lot darker. The soundtrack to this series is a sheer delight considering that the Mega Drive sound wasn’t the best in comparison to other systems out at the time. Mind you, the Master System port of Streets of Rage has an amazing 8bit rendition of the music from the Mega Drive version. On the topic of the Master System...

8. SONIC THE HEDGEHOG (SEGA MASTER SYSTEM) From the get go hearing the ever-popular Green Hill Zone music right on to the final stage of Scrap Brain Zone, gives you a sense of achievement. Especially if you can finish the entire game in under half an hour, which you think doesn’t give you much time to hear the music, well it does. Once again Yuzo Koshiro composed the music for the 8bit Sonic game but did not compose music for the Mega Drive one as that was done by Masato Nakamura.

7. Quake (DOS/Nintendo 64/PlayStation/Amiga/

Mac/SEGA Saturn)

The mid-90’s was a peak time for Trent Reznor and his band Nine Inch Nails, but what he composed for Quake was like nothing heard back in the day. Even though the game wasn’t as atmospheric on its own, the experimental soundscapes pushed that muchneeded dimension giving the result of what Quake is meant to be all about.

6. SUPER METROID (SUPER NES) When people think Nintendo, Mario and Zelda games come to mind first don’t they? The music in those games are quite cheerful, bouncy and fast right? What about when people think Metroid, or even Super Metroid? Descriptions like ‘broodish’ and ‘the kind of music you would hear from the Alien films’ come to mind. It is good to know that they nailed the right music for the right atmosphere in the right game! Composed by Kenji Yamamoto (Super Punch-Out, Metroid Fusion, Metroid Prime trilogy and Donkey Kong Country Returns).

MING MUSIC 5. VORTEX (SUPER NES) When I’m glad to bring this game up because Vortex is one of those what I consider a ‘well-known unknown’ title. It pushed the boundaries of the SuperFX (1.0) chip that Starwing made its debut with, but not only did the gameplay push beyond anything played on the SNES, so did the music. 90’s techno all the way from level-to-level. Even though in some stages it didn’t fit atmospherically, at that rate you just don’t care because chances are you’re in to the game too much to notice or care. That and some of the tracks I would say are close to club-worthy! Music composed by Justin Scharvona (Croc 1 & 2, Creature Shock, FX Fighter, Battalion Wars).

that anti-SEGA propaganda that brainwashed kids in to believing that amazing graphics are possible on a 16bit console without add-ons like a 32x is pretty funny looking back at it now. With all that happening, it turned out to be a short but sweet game with amazing graphics, fluid controls and of course the soundtrack. From the first level of Jungle Hijinx to the Mine Cart Madness, to the Fear Factory stages (no not the Industrial/Metal band), so many elements covered in one classic title. Composed by David Wise, Eveline Fischer and Robin Beanland (Killer Instinct, Goldeneye 007, Conker’s Bad Fur Day, Marble Madness, Battletoads).

“This is number one for me because this game pulled my heartstrings when I was younger.”

- David Kudrev, Founder of Retrospekt

4. Deus-Ex (Windows/Sony Ps2) Ah Alexander Brandon, why is it that all the games that he provides music for, turn to gold? Already an amazing title and in my opinion one of the best PC games of its genre made in 2000 and prior. With an intricate storyline and replay value, having Modtracker-style music to fit the cyberpunk theme are like two peas in a pod. In fact, why don’t you have a listen to the Deus-Ex Soundtrack and then have a listen to the one for Human Revolution (which I must say also has a great soundtrack).

3. UNREAL (windows/macos) I should also add that Alexander composed music for Tyrian, Jazz Jackrabbit 1 & 2 and of course Unreal and Unreal 2. Unreal is one of those games that introduced something new to the first-person genre on PC gaming in the mid to late 90’s: brand new game engine featuring astounding graphics! An amazing tribal soundscape-rich soundtrack with emphasis of that Modtracker vibe. When that first sun flare hits you after leaving the crashed prison ship on the planet will be one of those experiences in games you’ll mention time and time again and chances are you will think of the music played to that.

2. DONKEY KONG COUNTRY (SUPER NES) My word, the hype pushed with this game and all

1. SECRET OF MANA (SUPER NES) This is number one for me because this game pulled my heartstrings when I was younger. The events in the game that hit you hard emotionally and the ever gorgeous music accompanying you on the 72-hour long adventure. Hiroki Kikuta composed the soundtrack using several Super NES units so that way he knows what the result will sound like on the final product. Honorable Mention: Hotline Miami (PC/OSX/PlayStation 3/PlayStation Vita). Okay, so this game isn’t so much a retro game, but it does look it and the gameplay isn’t far off from old-school either. A decent collection of Surf Rock, ambient, glitchy electro and 80s-inspired synth music fits the game’s story, location and timeline perfectly! So that is my personal Top 10. Lots of well-known titles in there and if you haven’t played or heard of the games or music in said games then I suggest you do so post-haste! This is Dave K from Planet Retrospekt, signing off!

THE BEAUTIFUL GAME: S

RETRO STYLE!

PAUL MONOPOLI - RETRO WRITER

ports games have been around since the dawn of video games. Pong, for example, is obviously a simplified video game version of Tennis. Some of the early released Pong TV systems contained simplified versions of other sports as well, including Soccer.

greater success than the first game. Sadly the final game in the series Super Match Soccer, released many years later in 1998, came and went without much fanfare.

While Ritman was bringing the action of the “beautiful game” to home computers, Kevin Toms was taking a different approach. Released As is typical for all genres in 1982, and featuring of video games, future Kevin’s face on the cover, soccer games became Football Manager was more advanced as the a simulation that sold years rolled on. Pele’s over a million copies. Soccer for the Atari With no control over the 2600, released in 1980 soccer game itself, the contained elements of objective of this game early artificial intelligence, was to manage a team to allowing a single player success. Gamers had to to challenge the console. manage finances, trade John Ritman’s Match players and manage the Day series, the first of stats of the players in their which was released by team. The first two games Ocean Software in 1984, in the series received high expanded on this and scores, with reviewers was a big success on highlighting how addictive the home computers the management system of the day. The second was. The third game in Matchday game, the series sold poorly and released in 1987, included Toms had no involvement enhanced physics and in its creation. AI, and was an even

RETRO STYLE! It wouldn’t take long for both of these styles of games to come together and allow the player to both manage the team and play soccer. The most successful of these would be the FIFA series. Starting in 1994 with “FIFA International Soccer”, the series has continued to the this day and is a staple on all modern consoles. FIFA ‘14 will be out in September! Almost all soccer games up to this point had either featured an overhead or side on view. When the FIFA series debuted the game was an isometric 3D affair. Unique to the soccer genre and very playable the game was hugely successful. Over the years management has crept into the series and today it is arguably the most comprehensive soccer series in the video game world. Video game mascots have also taken to the soccer pitch with varying

levels of success. In 1994 Capcom released Megaman Soccer on the Super Nintendo. An oddity of a game, the controls are considered to be awkward and it met with mixed response upon release. Those who reviewed the game either loved it or hated it. Far from being a traditional soccer game, Megaman Soccer featured the blue bomber and other characters from the original NES series battling it out on the pitch complete with special moves.

unlike the Mario Kart series, the game received rave reviews and a sequel appeared on the Wii. The evolution of soccer games from Pong to FIFA has been a long one, but it doesn’t end here. To be continued in a future game!

PAUL MONOPOLI RETRO WRITER

Mario has played many sports games over the years, though fans would have to wait until 2005 for him to kick the soccer ball around. Super Mario Strikers (Mario Smash Football in Australia) was released on the Gamecube, and like Megaman soccer this is far from being a traditional soccer game. Not unlike the Mario Kart series, items can be used to gain the upper hand. Also not

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WHITE HOUSE DOWN

n Columbia Pictures’ White House Down, Capitol Policeman John Cale (Channing Tatum) has just been denied his dream job with the Secret Service of protecting President James Sawyer (Jamie Foxx). Not wanting to let down his little girl with the news, he takes her on a tour of the White House, when the complex is overtaken by a heavily armed paramilitary group. Now, with the nation’s government falling into chaos and time running out, it’s up to Cale to save the president, his daughter, and the country.

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PROFILE: LARA DE WIT video game musician

Fan art by Victor Oliveira

ach month we’ll be talking to someone involved in the world of gaming, cosplay, anime or pop culture...

There’s no denying that music adds to the mood of both movies and games. Ever watched a horror movie that relies on loud music to pre-empt those sudden scares that make you almost jump out of your seat? Well games too feature amazing sound tracks that can add powerful moods to your playing experience. We came across Lara who is an amazing musician that specialises in video game music. Of course we just had to talk to her! What characters are your favourite to dress as when you go to events? Lara: I like to dress as any character I have some kind of affinity with, or any character that has a FUN

costume. A know a lot of cosplayers find it empowering to dress as certain characters (particularly strong, female characters), but I always, ALWAYS find it most empowering to dress as myself, which is why you will sometimes see me at a convention in plain clothes. I have enjoyed characters with ridiculously fun/silly costumes, such as Card Captor Sakura, where I resembled a giant pink marshmallow. Why that character? Lara: Some favourites have been Gabrielle, and Aphrodite from Xena: Warrior Princess. That show holds a really special place in my heart, so to dress as those characters means more to me than to dress as someone I don’t know that well. I prefer not to dress as overly sexualised characters, because that is just a one way ticket to objectification, particularly since I post videos for the whole internet to see! I’d

rather gain attention for my music skills instead of my lack of clothes! Some cosplayers enjoy creating costumes like Ardella, some prefer to buy the costume and then add accessories - what’s your preference? Lara: I will be completely truthful here. Cosplay takes second place to music, always. I buy, piece together, or borrow costumes from friends. Some of my cosplayer friends are real artists with the outfits they create, but mine are cheap and quick, and are thrown together simply to add another level of fun to my videos! Do you get asked to pose for photos by fans at events? Any funny stories you can share? Lara: Of course, all the time. Even when I am not dressed up! I love how they are genuinely excited to see me, I’m still not over that! I did get stalked

LARA DE WIT

PROFILE: LARA DE WIT video game musician

at one particular convention, where one guy just would NOT leave me so I could hang out with my friends, but generally people are respectful and so genuine, and I hope I am too. I remember meeting Emily from ‘Skins’ at one convention; she asked me for my autograph, but I didn’t actually know who she was! I wondered why all my friends were acting so overwhelmed!

LET’S TALK VIDEO GAME MUSIC..

Do you travel for events? Where have you travelled?

Lara, you play video game music and you’re amazingly gifted, why video game music?

Lara: Yes I certainly do, both interstate and internationally! The most notable performance I did was probably at last year’s E3 expo in Los Angeles, with Taylor Davis and Kyle Landry (also YouTubers). I’m a musician here in Sydney and I have taken jobs which have seen me travel to China, Japan, and ALL OVER Australia. I will hopefully be performing later this year at a TED event in Australia’s capital. How long does it take to get ready for an event and do you do all your own makeup? Lara: Hahahaha, make-up. I don’t really wear much. It takes me very little time to get ready. Like I said, I am a very low maintenance cosplayer, and human being in general. Are you a gamer? If so, what do you enjoy playing? Lara: I used to be, but there is just no time for it these days. My favourite games will always be the extremely retro ones. Remember the NES and the SNES? There was just something magical about that era, and I find the soundtracks to be inventive and charming. Some favourites include Secret of Mana and Chrono Trigger, though of course the Zelda and Final Fantasy series cannot be overlooked!

Lara: Videogame music was my childhood; I have always loved it :P Video game pieces were the first ones that I tried to work out by ear as a kid -Ironically enough, Koji Kondo and Super Mario Brothers taught me all about Western harmony :P I found VGM to be both unique and diverse in style, and the musician in me was fascinated by the complex textures, melodic figures and countermelodies I was hearing. In summary, a mixture of nostalgia and actual LOVE of game soundtracks.

Lara: Indeed! At the 2012 Electronics Expo in Los Angeles, Taylor Davis, Kyle Landry and I put together a program of music from Metal Gear, Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy, Zelda, Skyrim, Mario to name a few! I have over 150 videos on my YouTube channel dedicated to music from video games, anime, and sometimes TV/movie themes. If I’m playing for a wedding here in Sydney, I will almost always slip in a few gaming pieces, and no one ever knows! Got a favourite music piece you love playing? Lara: This is way too difficult to answer. I usually play whatever feels right to me. As a pianist, my favourite composer is Chopin, but there are so many classical and modern composers which I love. I’d love to play the 2nd movement from Beethoven’s Emperor piano concerto with an orchestra. Gaming-wise, again it is too hard to choose. For me, uploading these covers on youtube is about making game music both beautiful and accessible. To make people feel something.

What is your musical background? Lara: I am classically trained on both piano and violin - I believe that a classical ‘upbringing’ will prepare you to play any genre of music. I currently work as a professional pianist for Opera Australia here in Sydney. I spent a long time learning music in group/ ensemble scenarios which focused on ‘by ear’ playing and promoted a real understanding of chords and ‘musical building blocks’. This is how I am able to play without music on my youtube channel. You’ve performed in front of large audiences - tell us about them and what game themes or music you’ve played.

Want to know more about Lara - check her out here where she plays the Temple theme from Zelda 2! You can find more of Lara’s awesome video game music on YouTube!

PROFILE: AIGUE-MARINE INTERNATIONAL COSPLAYer

ach month we’ll be talking to someone involved in the world of gaming, cosplay, anime or pop culture...

Regular readers of Live magazine will see that we love interviewing cosplayers. Their passion and creativity for their craft is inspiring and while you see them looking amazing at events and “cons”, we sometimes forget they’ve spent weeks carefully putting together the costume they look so amazing in. This month we reached out all the way to Europe to speak to Aigue-Marine a cosplayer based in Germany... What part of Germany are you from and tell us abit about the Cosplay scene there.

Photographer: Frank-Sebastian Sievert Aigue-Marine: I am from a city called Stuttgart. It is located in the state of Baden-Württemberg which is in the South of Germany. The cosplay scene in the area I live in is rather small, I’d say. The majority of cosplayers is very young and between 14 and 16 years old. Only a few older and more experienced cosplayers live here. There is only one convention in Baden-Württemberg once a year. It’s called “Hanami” and has about 5.000 visitors. However there are plenty of monthly gatherings all over the state cosplayer can attend as well. Are there many Cosplay events or gaming events in Europe that you visit? Aigue-Marine: I have always There is an uncountable number of different

events which takes place all over Europe and I’d love to attend them all. However, I only visit approximately 8 - 10 conventions and a couple of smaller events and gatherings every year. What characters are your favourite to dress as when you go to events? Aigue-Marine: Gosh, that question is almost impossible to answer, because I love every character I have cosplayed as. Which character or costume I pick depends on the event I attend. I always try to pick an outfit which suits the occasion best. My currently favourite costumes are Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones, Belle from Disney’s The Beauty and the Beast, my Stephanie Brown Robin costume from DC’s Batman and Robin and Princess Leia’s senatorial gown from Star Wars.

Thank you to photographers Frank-Sebastian Sievert, Robin Hüttisch, Jascha Eidam, Ningyuan Sun for allowing us to use their photographs of Aigue-Marine. Click their names to see more of their work!

Photographer: Robin H端ttisch

PROFILE: AIGUE-MARINE INTERNATIONAL COSPLAYer

Click here to check out Aigue-Marine’s Facebook page! Why those characters? Aigue-Marine: All of these characters are some of my favourite characters of all time. When I was a little girl I always wanted to be Belle. Princess Leia was one of the heroes of my childhood. Being able to dress up as these characters, no, being able to be one of these characters for a weekend was like a childhood dream come true.

Photographer: Jascha Eidam from a long day at work. Besides that I really enjoy getting to know new materials and techniques.

How long does it take to get ready for an event and do you do all your own make up?

Do you get asked to pose for photos by fans at events? Any funny stories you can share?

Aigue-Marine: Depending on which

Aigue-Marine: Yes. Depending on what costumes I wear people do indeed ask me to pose for photos at events. I refuse to believe that I have fans though. Haha. I don’t think I have experienced Some Cosplayers enjoy creating anything particularly funny in this costumes like Ardella, some prefer regard though. I like posing together to buy their costumes and then add accessories - what’s your preference? with kids best. ;)

Aigue-Marine: I absolutely love making my costumes myself. I started cosplaying almost 9 years ago. Back then it was impossible to get hold of costumes the way you can get hold of them nowadays. Consequently I started to make everything on my own. Nine years after making my first costume I have really come to enjoy the creating process. This may sound funny, but I find it very relaxing to work on a costume after getting back home

Do you travel for events? Where have you travelled? Aigue-Marine: I do indeed travel a lot. :) As I previously mentioned there are hardly any conventions in the area I live in. The majority of German conventions is between 200 and 500 kilometers away. So far I have travelled to conventions all around Germany, Denmark and the UK. I’d love to attend conventions in the US as well one day.

costume I am about to put on it usually takes me 1 hour to get ready for the convention in the morning. It takes longer when I have to put on body paint for a costume though. Finally, what’s the chances of visiting Australia in the future? Aigue-Marine: Oh, unfortunately I fear that the chances are very, very low. :( I would love to visit Australia and attend an Australian conventions. Many of my friends have travelled to Australia already and all of them said that it was amazing. However, being a university student I can hardly afford travelling around Europe. I hope I’ll have the funds to visit down-under as soon as I have a properly-paid job.

INTERNATIONAL COSPLAYer Photographer: Ningyuan Sun

real gamers run gametraders stores!

GAMETRADERS HIGHPOINT

ach month we’ll be talking to someone involved in the world of gaming, cosplay, anime or pop culture...

What is your favourite console and game?

If you’ve ever walked into our Highpoint store, you’ve probably met the fun and friendly owner, Troy. He’s owned a store for many years now and it’s one of the best gaming stores in the Melbourne area. We chatted to Troy about games, Gametraders and what’s happening in his store.

What genre of game do you enjoy the most?

When did you start playing games and what was your first console..? Troy: Way back when I was a little tacker of just 5 years old, and it was the Commodore 64, aaahhh those were the days….

Troy: N64, Goldeneye 007. I’m a huge James Bond Fan (and the Bond girls aren’t bad too!)

Troy: RPG. Gametraders store’s are about games but they also have so much more - what’s popular now in your store? Troy: Figurines, Collectables & Minecraft. There’s been some media regarding the Oculas Rift system ... what else do you see could be important in the future of gaming?

Super heroes are popular with fans wanting clothes, games and comics: If you could be a super hero who would it be and why? Troy: Time Travel Man – I could then travel forward in time, find out the winning lotto numbers, then travel back and win $$$. Finally, tell us about some funny things that happen in your store.. Troy: Ok, so I won’t mention the numerous kids that have done “ones and twos” in the store... The one thing that always makes me giggle is customers interpretation of names of games/consoles, such as “Spiro the Dragon”,“The Why console” or “GTA Lost in the Dam”.

Troy: Robotic Technology.

Check out Gametraders Highpoint’s facebook page here!

LAN EVENT: MILDURA

he third live event for RGL Australia, took place in Mildura, over the weekend of the 29th and 30th of June 2013, thanks to Gametraders as our naming sponsor, providing plenty of prizes, giveaways and gift vouchers! We also received great support from Turtle Beach, Sudden Rush, Activision, Sticky Trigger Entertainment and BenQ, helping to make it the best gaming event outside a capital city. The attendance was the highest yet with 58 competitors and around 20 spectators over the course of the weekend. The majority of players were supporting Black Ops 2 on Xbox, with a small handful of Halo and PC gamers attending. With over $2000 in prizes on offer, gamers competed hard throughout the weekend with Proximity coming

out on top defeating Murder 4 Hire in the Grand Final of the Black Ops 2, 4v4 competition. Meanwhile Nv MatTy reclaimed his title as the CoD Free For All champion, taking 1st place over two team members from Proximity. This event had a little bit of something for everyone, from full blown competitive gaming, to casual PC LAN setups as well as a mini competition to win a Kinect, by scoring the highest in a game of paddle panic on Kinect Sports! Congratulations to the winners and to those who took part in a great weekend of gaming. The next event in October promises to be even bigger and better!

Written by Brendan Curtin

YOUR SAY Each month we’ll feature your thoughts on games and popular culture. Plus, we pick a comment we feel is the “comment of the month” and give away a DVD from our friends at Madman and Hanabee! Here’s what you had to say leading up to September...

MICROSOFT NEWS Just a few days ago, I awoke to find that Microsoft had renegotiated the policies for the upcoming Xbox One console and the Kinect 2.0 sensor. We can all agree that the threat of invasion of privacy was the main issue when it came to the ‘always-on’ Kinect sensor, even with all the reassurance by Microsoft employees all over the company that the sensor wasn’t active until you gave it the “Xbox on” command. The major policy change, however, was the removal of the DRM from the new console. If it were to be implemented, the DRM would have enabled users to share games digitally with a small group of friends on Xbox Live. It would have saved our games in the cloud, allowing us to access them from any Xbox One console at any time (as long as you had an internet connection). Of course, to every high, there’s an equal low and that low came in the form of a ‘24-hour check in’. The check-in required everyone to sign into Xbox Live at least once a day to perform a check. This check was to ensure people weren’t taking advantage of the sharing feature and essentially stop game piracy. To many people, this was another invasion of privacy. To others, it was a nuisance. A lot of people argued the point of the unavailability of internet, to which Microsoft offered the point of the new and improved Xbox 360 console, angering a large amount of users. Microsoft removed the DRM policy, much to the delight of customers, until they actually looked into the specifics and what they would receive with the DRM and then realized that they were now missing out. Now with the Kinect policy change, people are saying we as a community are being kept back a generation due to the reversal of the policies. It makes me wonder whether the world just wasn’t ready for the step into the future that Microsoft was about to take or if people just aren’t accepting of change. As a gamer, I’m disappointed. Not only of the DRM and Kinect policies being changed, but also of the community not doing their research before crying and complaining. I’m disappointed that because people were playing ‘Chinese whispers’ instead of actually looking into things, we’re all missing out on great things. Perhaps this will be a lesson for gamers in the future. By Shane Burke

“Microsoft removed the DRM policy, much to the delight of customers, until they actually looked into the specifics and what they would receive with the DRM and then realized that they were now missing out.” - Shane Burke

YOUR SAY POKEMON TCG PLASMA BLAST!

VISUALLY INSANE

Hi all, I recently had the fortune to attend and run a pokemon pre release for the new expansion plasma blast! the set includes 105 new cards including virizion ex and genesect ex which are sure to be very sought after, along with the powerful g-booster and g-scope to give genesect an even bigger opportunity to hit with an extra attack, a new look kyurem ex with an outrage attack previously seen on the other two legendary dragons reshiram and zekrom. Also included are a jirachi ex with the option to search for a supporter when you play it onto your bench, and new dragon types of dialga ex and palkia ex, and also purely for collectors are secret rare versions of dusknoir from boundaries crossed, virizion from noble victories, exeggute from plasma freeze and an awesome gold version of rare candy. Look for plasma blast in your favourite hobby store and of course gametraders starting from the release date of August 14th.

Since the 1990s, video games have been associated with hand-held controllers, a couch and a television. But in the next decade, will our current form of gaming become “retro” to the kids of tomorrow?

By Robert Spence

Many companies have tried to create the “Next Generation” in gaming controls. Nintendo did very well with the Wii’s ‘revolutionary’ Wiimote; Xbox Kinect’s controller-less controlling was also a hit. The next stage in gaming seems to be coming in the form of the Oculus Rift and the Virtuix. (If you are unsure what these are, please ask Uncle Google.) Those two devices may seem gimmicky now, but they are the beginning to what I believe is the future of gaming. Firstly, the Oculus Rift teases a completely immersive experience where you can play anything, anytime, no matter your real world surroundings. The Virtuix represent a new form of gaming, where some overweight people (like myself) would suddenly become very bad at games like Call of Duty and Battlefield. The future of gaming is running high, but through all of the changes, nothing can truly replace two triggers under your fingers and two sticks under your thumbs. By ProvidedHat95

Want your say in next month’s magazine? Email us at: news@gametraders.com.au with your short article!

TRADING CARDS: SA

Ingle Farm No current tournaments.

NSW

IN-STORE TOURNAMENTS

Blacktown Yu-Gi-Oh - Saturday 10am, Sunday 10:30am Magic the Gathering - Thursday 6pm

Marion

Cardfight!! Vanguard - Sunday 2pm

Pokemon - Monday 6pm

Weiss Shwarz - Saturday 2pm

Cardfight!! Vanguard - Tuesday 6pm Yu-Gi-Oh - Wednesday 6pm

Macarthur Square

Magic the Gathering - Friday 6pm (Arrive 5:30)

Tournaments on 5:30 every Wednesday. Please check their facebook page for details.

Mt. Barker Yu-Gi-Oh - Sunday 4pm

Nowra

Magic the Gathering - Saturday 4pm

Please check their facebook page.

SEAFORD Yu-Gi-Oh - Wednesday 4pm

Parramatta

Cardfight!! Vanguard - Friday 4:30pm

Yu-Gi-Oh - Thursday 6pm, Saturday 2pm

Pokemon - Monday 4pm

Cardfight!! Vanguard - Sunday 2pm

Magic the Gathering - Monday 6pm

Weiss Shwarz - Saturday 10am

Yu-Gi-Oh PRO (Paid - $10) - Sunday 1:30pm

School Holiday Additional Tournaments:

Salisbury

Yu-Gi-Oh - Monday, Wednesday & Friday 2pm

Yu-Gi-Oh - Saturday 12.30pm

ACT

Hyperdome

VIC

BACCHUS MARSH

Yu-Gi-Oh - Saturday 10am, Tuesday 6pm

Cardfight!! Vanguard - Tuesday & Thursday 2pm

QLD

Chermside Please check their facebook page.

Logan Hyperdome

Magic the Gathering - Thursday 5pm, Sunday 2pm

Magic the Gathering - Friday 6pm

Yu-Gi-Oh - Sunday 10am

Yu-Gi-Oh - Sunday 3pm (Register 2:45pm, book in advance to secure a spot).

Cardfight!! Vanguard - Sunday 12pm All TCG Casual Play - Sunday 10am - 4pm TCG WEEKLY SPECIAL: 15% off TCG Stock every Sunday!

HIGHPOINT Yu-Gi-Oh - Sunday 5pm Magic the Gathering - Sunday 5pm

MILDURA Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh, Magic the Gathering and Cardfight!! Vanguard every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Click here for times and event details.

Cardfight!! Vanguard - Dates announced on FB Pre-Releases and Special Tournaments announced on facebook.

Mackay Yu-Gi-Oh - Sundays 3:45pm Cardfight!! Vanguard - Monday 5:45pm Magic the Gathering - Friday 6:15pm

Morayfield Please check their facebook page.

GET YOURS AT GAMETRADERS!

heros™ is the first set in the newest Magic: The Gathering block and also a brand new plane in the Magic™ Multiverse. The setting is inspired by Greek mythology, a theme that longtime fans have always asked to see interpreted by the award-winning worldbuilders and designers of Magic. The plane of Theros is ruled by a pantheon of all-powerful gods. Krakens, minotaurs, and other monsters threaten the safety of walled cities. Heroes rise to battle, bolstered by their devotion to the gods. The set tells the story of Theros with new cards that include: legendary god creatures, powerful enchantments, and brand new Planeswalkers.

Product Release: September 27, 2013. Pre-Release Weekend: September 21-22, 2013. At the Pre Release, players will choose a heroic path corresponding to one of the five colours of mana. Each player receives a Seeded Pre Release Pack for his or her chosen path that has everything he or she needs to build a sealed deck. Theros Pre Release Packs also have something inside that players will be receiving for the first time in Magic™ history, a Hero Card!

Game Day: October 19, 2013. Theros game day will feature the all new Challenge Deck: Face the Hydra. Please check with your local store for pricing, availability and event details.

Ask your local store today!

TRADING CARDS: CARDFIGHT!! VANGUARD REGIONAL QUALIFIERS

pcoming Vanguard Regional Qualifiers coming up on October 5th where all fighters from around Australia will be fighting for the title of no. 1 Vanguard fighter of Australia as well as flights and accommodation to the Continental Championships being held in Singapore which then will lead to the World Championships in Japan. With the change of the release of Set 11 before Set 10, many players are preparing for the release of the ‘sealed dragon’ arch-type for the Kagero clan which feature more powerful units so make sure you’ve got a play set of sentinels in your decks. Also for those Oracle Think Tank and Nova Grappler fans, the upcoming Extra Booster sets for these clans will soon hit our shelves with some new cards as well as some alternate art version of old school favourites such as Silent Tom and Perfect Raizer!

permanent one as Konami has decided to make the ban list last until December 31st 2013 where it will change again in time for 2014’s regional tournaments which I hope, will be more balanced than just watching someone play a game of solitaire on the first turn. If you want to go check out the new ban list, go to this site and select the Australian portal. www.yugioh-card.com

BY JOhNATHAN HENG

On the Yugioh side of news, the new ban list has just been release and man, what a list! Most of the top decks have been disabled by the list that includes elemental dragons with room for more other earlier meta decks to return. Synchros and zombies will be making a comeback as well as other tier 2 decks due to the power cards being banned that include monster reborn and heavy storm. Even though there are no major tournaments coming up in Australia, this new format will bring a change in enthusiasm from casual players to come back to local tournaments. This change of course is not a

Find your nearest store... South Australia Ingle Farm.................................. (08) 8265 7283 Marion....................................... (08) 8296 1144 Mt Barker................................... (08) 8391 6300 Salisbury.................................... (08) 8281 0966 Seaford...................................... (08) 8327 1966 ACT Hyperdome................................ (02) 6293 3751

New South Wales Blacktown................................. (02) 9676 1411 Macarthur Square (Campbelltown) (02) 4620 0750 Nowra........................................ (02) 4422 8790 Parramatta................................ (02) 9633 2833

For more info visit: www.gametraders.com.au Queensland Chermside................................. (07) 3861 5000 Logan Hyperdome..................... (07) 3801 5599 Mackay...................................... (07) 4944 0998 Morayfield.................................. (07) 5495 7705

Gametraders L!VE Penrith Opening Soon! Victoria Bacchus Marsh......................... (03) 5367 0717 Highpoint................................... (03) 9317 0188 Mildura....................................... (03) 5023 7702

Gametraders L!VE Mildura Opening Soon!

Can’t see what you want in-store or on our website? Check out our product directory! Terms & Conditions August Catalogue valid until 31/08/13, unless specified otherwise. Stock is subject to availability and change without notice and may vary from store to store. No Rain Checks. All dates and prices are correct at the time of printing.

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